Centuries | Endgame [8]

THREE

CENTURIES | ENDGAME
Chapter Three
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AVENGERS COMPOUND

"LAUREL?" THE VOICE WHISPERED, THE mere sound causing trembling to return to her body when she had thought it would leave her alone.

Her head snapped to the side, her eyes widening ever so slightly as she watched Bucky look worriedly at his arms, watching as specks slowly peel off his skin. His expression held a sense of fear as he met her glassy gaze before his own dissolved into dust. Not even a second later, his body collapsed and followed in suit, his final words being swallowed by the eerie silence engulfing the air. "I don't want to leave you—!" the whisper was barely heard as Laurel let tears fall whilst she watched him disappear into the heavy air. Their promise was long forgotten as they were forcefully seperated again. This time, permanently.

A gasp slipped from the woman's lips as she snapped awake, hand unknowingly grasping tightly on the dog tags dangling from her neck. The stainless steel made her fingertips numb, the icey temperature beginning to bite her palm as she wrapped her full hand around the object. Her free hand lifted to wipe the dried up tears from her pale cheeks as she rolled onto her back, hand resting over her forehead whilst the hollow look within her eyes stared up at the dull ceiling. Her body continued to shake tentatively as the haunting memories replayed over and over again. It loomed over her head constantly and never offered a break as it ate away at her sanity.

The exhausted woman let her eyes drift to the side as she picked up on faint voices, the tones echoing through the halls of the empty compound. Her curiosity grew and it gave Laurel enough strength to stand andat least move. The dog tags dropped back down her singlet, the silver chain being the only thing visible as it wrapped around her neck.

Her feet made silent footsteps against the slick tiling as she moved through the empty halls and entered the main room, finding the survivors occupying it, at least the ones that could be here currently. Okoye stayed in Wakanda after Thanos won, her loyalty to the country coming first before the rest of the world with her main desire being keeping the damaged home afloat.

Three people crowded around Melissa in the corner, Rhodey and Bruce working to connect the suits computer system to FRIDAY as well as having a goal to update the systems as well. Shockingly, the old suit that Melissa pulled from SHIELD archives was in exceptional condition and still fit her. Though it was slightly tighter then she had recalled, it worked and gave her enough room to breathe and move smoothly without mistakes. It held memories unlike any other item the Superhuman possessed and offered her one that offered enough happiness that she could properly smile. Carol noticed the action as she stood in front of her with one hand grasping Melissa's, sharing the sentiment.

As Bruce let go of her arm, unplugging the wires previously secured to it, the wrist computer lit up. Melissa took it as the correct signal to flick the helmet on and was given the okay by Bruce and Rhodey. She pressed her thumb to the scanner that had just appeared. It slipped through the armoured material wrapped around her hand and scanned her thumbprint, lighting up green. With that, the helmet grew and wrapped around her head, locking it away from sight. Her hollow gaze hid behind a black plate of glass that was slightly dusty until Carol wiped an old cloth over the top, jabbing it in the corners of the protection to make her sight perfect.

Melissa blinked rapidly, her eyes being forced to squint as the old technology lit up with life, detailing her surroundings and the structure around her. Icons that offered names started to appear as she slowly shifted her head from side to side, loosening the old screws that had obviously began to rust. "It's working," she confirmed with a relieved smile. "FRIDAY, can you hear me?" In a response, the AI replied with a similar sentence of acknowledgment. She pressed her thumb to the pad again. The helmet flicked up and slid back securely around her neck.