Bend Around the Wind by Scyllaya

Chapter 87: Liberate Part 2

Chapter Eighty-Seven

Liberate Part II

Milky Way Galaxy

Sol System

Nine Realms / Planet Earth

The Command Centre got hit, Natasha dived to the side to cover behind a wall when the windows shattered and some of the computers exploded. The energy blasts kept raining down on them and soon the room was filled with smoke and dust as sparks flew everywhere.

'We gotta get out of here,' Cap said, crouching down next to her. Natasha nodded and looked around, searching for the best escape route. She tapped Steve on the shoulder and gestured at the relatively free path leading to one of the doors.

'Okay, go! I'm right behind you,' Steve said. She did not hesitate at all. She sucked in a breath to avoid inhaling smoke, pushed herself away from the wall and started running. She was out in the corridor and away from the direct line of fire seconds later. Steve followed closely behind.

'Give me your status, everyone,' Steve reached up to touch his communicator.

'They're heading towards the city,' Janet replied.

'I'm joining the troops to follow them,' Bucky said. 'Hank's gonna free the rest of them.'

'I'll be quick,' Hank added. 'There are only a few barracks left.'

'Hawkeye?' Cap questioned.

'The entrance is free, we are not direct targets,' Clint replied. 'That might change soon though, considering how many of them we shot down already.'

'The docks are secure,' Drongo said. 'We already have human soldiers on some of these ships.'

That last one was not a surprise. Natasha dared any alien force to muscle their way through the Hulk, especially with Drongo helping him. She still did not know enough about him to shape a full picture, but he was strong and level-headed. That was more than enough information about him at the moment.

'Falcon, Wasp, what's going on with you?' Steve asked as they started making their way out of the building.

'I'm under fire,' Falcon replied. 'Heavy fire... oh shit, watch it... holy crap, these guys are not kidding around.'

'Yeah, I can see you,' Janet said. 'And your ass definitely needs saving. Hold on, I'm on my way.'

'Hey, no hurry, I'm good,' Falcon said, he was breathing a little heavily, most likely from manoeuvring too much.

'Return to base if it looks that bad,' Steve told them.

'We got it, Cap,' Janet reassured him. 'Worry about something else.'

They didn't go outside right away when they got to the entrance. They might not have been main targets, but there were still plenty of aliens up in the sky.

'What now?' Natasha asked.

'Stark, how does it look up there?' Steve asked, his hand on his ear, waiting for the reply. Natasha waited too, but the line remained silent.

'Stark?' Steve called again, he shared half-displeased, half-worried look with Natasha. 'Anyone can contact Stark?'

JARVIS had full control over their line of communication, so it was possible that only some of them got cut off from him. Maybe Stark just did not feel like talking to them.

'No, we cannot,' Drongo said after a moment.

'Not a word from Hatchet either,' Juyu added. 'Which I'm slightly more worried about.'