Bird Set Free | Natasha Romanoff ✓

Chapter Six

Pandemonium erupted within seconds. Aquila winced as emergency alarms were set off, ringing in her ears. 

Aquila quickly pressed her hands to ears in order to block out the sound but was quickly reminded of the earpiece she had been fitted with shortly after arriving. Apparently, it would stay in even in her other form. After tapping on her earpiece like she had seen Natasha do, even more, voices erupted into her ear. 

She managed to make out quite a few voices but the one that stood out to her the most was Natasha's quiet but urgent tone.

"Aquila? Do you copy?"

"Agent Romanoff," Aquila responded. "Yes, I copy. What is it?"

"It's Dr. Banner-."

"I'm on my way."

Aquila quickly shifted into her eagle form letting out a small caw before flying down the corridor at lightning speed. The S. H. I. E. L. D. agents nearby barely giving her a glance during their own panic about the Helicarrier. 

It didn't take long for Talons to reach where Agent Romanoff and Hulk stood. Talons watched as Hulk threw Agent Romanoff against a few silver boxes that stood stacked up against the wall but flying into action. 

Similarly to how she attacked Loki with plenty of sudden dives and her talons outstretched, Talons attacked the Hulk from the back so he would be disorientated and wouldn't know where he was being attacked from. 

However, that strategy proved to be hopeless as the Hulk whipped around throwing Talons into a nearby wall. After letting a caw in protest, she shook her feathers out before flying into the air again, determined to protect Agent Romanoff. 

She swooped down, her talon just touching the Hulk's forearm when a red figure flew into the room and tackled the Hulk and Talons into the next room through the wall. 

Unfortunately, Talons turned back to Aquila as she had landed roughly on her wing, causing the pain to force her to transform. She quickly scurried out of the way, clutching her wrist to her chest as Thor and the Hulk began to fight. 

She wanted to continue to watch the fight, in order to make sure Thor wouldn't struggle. But she knew she needed to check on Agent Romanoff. 

"Agent Romanoff?" Aquila asked the agent in front of her. "Are you alright?"

Agent Romanoff was staring blankly into space and by the moving of her mouth was clearly trying to form words. Aquila tried to get a reaction out of her, trying to work out the severity of her injuries but stopped once Nick's voice came through her comm. 

"It's Barton. He took out our systems. He's headed for the detention level. Does anybody copy?"

Aquila looked into Agent Romanoff's eyes and immediately knew there wasn't anything she could do to try and stop the woman desperate for her best friend back. 

Agent Romanoff jumped up. "This is Agent Romanoff. I copy."

The two women shared one last look before Aquila prepared to sprint in the other direction.

"Aquila?" Agent Romanoff asked. 

"Yeah?" Aquila replied. 

"I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, I'll see you too."

Aquila sat in the empty detention section, looking down at the empty cell container where Loki had been held. Her eyes fluttered towards the wall stained with blood every few minutes. She hadn't known Phil Coulson very long but had already held him in high regard. 

She wasn't alone either though, Tony Stark leaned against the railing nearby, the two of them didn't speak any words, both thinking of their own grief and the loss.

However, they both looked up when Steve walked in. 

"Was he married?" Steve asked. 

"No. There was a . . uh . . . cellist, I think." Tony responded as Aquila stayed quiet. 

"I'm sorry. He seemed like a good man."

"He was an idiot."

"Why? For believing?"

"For taking on Loki alone."

"He was doing his job."

"He was out of his league. He should have waited. He should have . . ."

"Sometimes there isn't a way out, Tony," Steve said and Aquila shook her head slightly in agreement. 

"Right. How did that work for him?"

"Is this the first time you've lost a soldier?" Steve asked. 

"WE ARE NOT SOLDIERS!" Tony shouted and Aquila jumped up to her feet. "I am not marching to Fury's fife."

"Neither am I!" Steve shouted back. "He's got the same blood on his hands as Loki does. Right now we've got to put that aside and get this done. Now Loki needs a power source if we can put together a list . . . "

Aquila watched as Tony looked back over to the bloodstained wall. "He made it personal."

"That's not the point."

"That is the point. That's Loki's point. He hit us all right where we live. Why?"

"To tear us apart." 

"He had to conquer his greed, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? That's what he wants. He wants to beat us and he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience." Tony said. 

Aquila's eyes widened in astonishment, Tony was right. 

"Right. And we caught his act in Stuttgart." Aquila said.

"Yeah, that was just previews. This is opening night. And Loki, he's a full-tilt diva, right? He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered . . ." Tony said before pausing suddenly. Aquila and Steve both looked at him confused. 

"Son of a bitch." Tony finally said before leaving. 

"What?" Aquila called after him but Tony had already left. 

"Aquila?" Steve asked. 

"Yeah?" 

"Come with me."

Captain America with Aquila at his side entered into the medical room where Natasha was. Captain America was in full uniform while Aquila was still wearing her usual clothes. 

"Time to go," Steve said. 

"Go where?" Natasha asked. 

"I'll tell you on the way. Can you fly one of those jets?"

Everyone's eyes drifted over to where Clint Barton walked out of the restroom, looking directly towards Captain America.

"I can."

Captain America looked back towards Natasha to confirm where Barton's true loyalties lay. 

"You got a suit?" Steve asked.

"Yeah." Clint Barton responded. 

"Then suit up."