Umbra

Chapter Fifteen

"So this all seems... horrible."

Grey smiled widely at the man in front of her, before running over to hug him tightly. He let his stolen motorbike fall as he hugged her back. She sighed into his shoulder. "It's good to see you."

"And you." He mumbled back pulling away with a small smile. He looked back at the others.

Natasha frowned over at him. "I've seen worse."

"Sorry."

"No," she shook her head, before smiling again. "We could use a little worse."

Steve spoke seriously into his earpiece. "Stark? We got him."

"Banner?"

"Just like you said." Grey said happily. She listened to Tony, and she could tell from his voice that he was relieved his friend had shown up.

"Then tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you."

The group looked back up at the sky as Tony soared out from behind a building. Their happiness turned to fear as a massive Chitauri Leviathan followed in pursuit, roaring impatiently. The team stood straighter, a tense feeling overcoming them.

"I...I..." Grey started, but she couldn't complete the sentence as she looked up at the beast coming towards them.

Natasha stood next to her, her own eyes wide. "...I don't see how that's a party..."

They watched as Tony swerved chariots as the Leviathan barrelled down the street like a freight train, gaining speed and intensity as it flew after Tony. Bruce started walking towards it nonchalantly, and Grey frowned.

"Doctor Banner, now might be a really good time to get angry." Steve warned.

Bruce looked back at them with a small smile as he continued to walk towards the monster. "That's my secret, Captain. I'm always angry."

The man's body grew into the large, green mass which was the Hulk, a snarl coming from deep in its throat. It raised its enormous fist and smashed the Leviathan on the nose, causing the creature's nose to crinkle up and crunch together, its body flipping over in a 360 degree twist. Grey watched in terrified awe as Tony shot the weak underbelly of the beast – a scream of pain ripped through it as fiery pieces of flesh flew off it, hitting the ground around them. Steve grabbed Grey and tugged her to his side as he raised his shield to block the sizzling pieces of meat.

Their moment of success was interrupted by more roars filling the air. Grey looked up from under Steve, seeing thousands of more Chitauri soldiers and several Leviathans fly out of the vortex in the sky. Steve put down his shield, and Grey stood up straight. Tony landed next to her, and she inched closer to him.

"Guys..." she said worriedly, looking around.

Tony nodded at Steve. "Call it, Cap."

Steve took a breath, before nodding and turning to the team. "Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal up there, were gonna use containment. Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out the patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or your turn it to ash."

Clint looked back at Tony, smirking. "Wanna give me a lift?"

"Right," Tony said, his hands cupping under Clint's arms as he lifted him. "Better clench up, Legolas."

"Thor, you've gotta try and bottleneck that portal. Slow them down. You've got the lightening. Light the bastards up." Steve ordered. Thor nodded solemnly; he whirled Mjolnir around in his hand before flying up back into the sky.