Poisoned Freedom

#10

The city is rising. Civilians are dying. But the Avengers haven't stopped fighting, and they never will. They take down robots as quick as they can, tearing them apart; more are coming, and they know it. They have always known it.

"The anti-gravs are rigged to flip. Touch 'em, they'll go full reverse thrust. The city's not coming down slow," FRIDAY reports grimly as Iron Man stares at the glowing blue core underneath the floating lump of city, worry staining his face.

"The spire's Vibranium," Tony thinks aloud. "If I get Thor to hit it..."

"It'll crack, but that's not enough, the impact would still be devastating."

"Maybe if we cap the other end, keep the atomic action doubling back?"

"That could vaporize the city, and everyone on it."

"The next wave's gonna hit any minute," Steve's voice cuts through the comms. "What have you got, Stark?"

"Well, nothing great," Tony admits. "Maybe a way to blow up the city. That'll keep it from impacting the surface if you guys can get clear."

"I asked for a solution, not an escape plan."

"Impact radius is getting bigger every second. We're going to have to make a choice."

"Cap, these people are going nowhere," Natasha sighs beside the Captain, looking out over the edge of the rock emotionlessly. "If Stark finds a way to blow this rock..."

"Not 'til everyone's safe," Steve argues.

"Everyone up here versus everyone down there? There's no math there."

"I'm not leaving this rock with one civilian on it."

"I didn't say we should leave," Steve turns to look at Nat. "There's worse ways to go."

"Sacrificio" Katarina realises, glancing anxiously up at Clint as she stumbles into a dusty building. It's pretty obvious what the translation is. There are other people in there too, Sokovian citizens, as well as Wanda who, using her powers, pushes them aside to bring the two newcomers to the front of the group. In case they need to protect them. "I would be happy going out like this," Kat smiles reassuringly to herself, even though she knows she means every single word. "This is the first truly good thing I have ever done in my life. If it ends today, I will die happy. There's seguro worse ways to go. And the sights aren't too bad ya sea."

"True. Come on, where else am I gonna get a view like this?" Natasha agrees. It's true: the height leads to mesmerising sights over mystical clouds, brilliant blue skies and imposing grey mountains.

"Glad you like the view, Romanoff. It's about to get better," a familiar voice says, the comms becoming a source of relief for almost everyone. Because, out of the clouds, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier shows up with all its former glory. "Nice, right?" Nick Fury continues. "I pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty, but she'll do."

"Fury, you son of a bitch," Steve shakes his head, impressed, unable to take his gaze from the Helicarrier.

"Oooh! You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Fury jokes, ordering his Agents to deploy the lifeboats as soon as possible- they do.

Pietro arrives suddenly, screeching to a halt beside Steve as the lifeboats race towards the city. "This is S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"This is what S.H.I.E.L.D.'s supposed to be," Steve replies.