Ion Heart

Chapter 16: Heroes

Part 2

Lightning shoots from my fingertips in brilliant purple bursts. It forks across the sky, electrocuting Hydra agents who dare to come near. I stand back to back with Clint, who fires arrows at those hiding in the trees. My feet remain firm on the truck veering through the snow. Nat drives ahead at full speed, taking out those foolish enough to stand in our way. This is the last Hydra base. This is the last mission. And we're determined to finish our winning streak. 

I whip up a shield, blocking the incoming fire. Hydra has their hands on Loki's sceptre and they've used it to make weapons. Annoyingly, it means my blue ion energy won't work here. I tried it on an earlier mission and it resulted in an explosion that set my suit on fire. Luckily, dad was working on a prototype. This one now has a zigzag, purple pattern that spreads from my chest down my legs and arms. Unlike Nat's, it doesn't glow, but the silver stitching highlights the pattern in such a way that the zigzags look sharp and deadly. Dad made it so obviously it's cool. 

Clint and I swap places, moving swiftly so I can block and he can fire. Dad flies over head, shooting an agent that comes too close. 

'Watch right.' He instructs.

'Covered!' I reply, aiming my lightning at the Hydra gun before it can fire at both of us. Dad flies off to shoot down more enemies and I swap places with Nat who's currently occupied. Above, Thor zooms in, using his hammer to take out Hydra's watch towers. I swerve in and out, trying not to skid on the snow with my one-handed steering, the other is maintaining my shield. 

'On your left!' Steve shouts as he speeds past on a motorbike. His bike flips over tree trunks, landing perfectly as he knocks out an attacker with his shield. I roll my eyes. How can he do that and I'm struggling to drive a truck? Hulk smashes through Hydra's barricades. Their defence tightens as we come closer. 

'Get ready.' I shout.

The truck crashes into a barricade, exploding behind me as I jump into the air. Lightning forms around my body, prickling down my suit. In perfect formation, we fly over the blockade like the heroes we are. We are the Avengers. 

I land in the snow, whipping my head up so my braid falls away from my eyes and sprint towards the base, hurling bolts as I go. 

A blue ion blast whirls past my head. 

'Shit!'I yell, feeling it graze past my cheek.

'Language!' Steve scolds through the comms. I roll my eyes and keep running. 

'Jarvis, what is the view from upstairs?' Dad asks his AI. 

'The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield.' The AI replies. 'Strucker's energy base in well beyond any other Hydra base we've taken.'

'Brilliant.' I mutter, deflecting another blast. I pair up with Thor as we cover each other's backs. Our lightning combines into a blinding whirl, taking out a tank in an eruption of purple and white. 

'Loki's sceptre must be here. Strucker couldn't mount this defence without it.' Thor grumbles. He reaches out for Mjolnir and I duck as it flies back into his hand. Rolling across the snow, I leap up to join Cap, who skids to a stop on his bike. 

'Wait a second. No one else is gonna deal with the fact that Cap just said language?' Dad laughs.   

Cap flips his bike into an incoming tank, using his shield to block us from the explosion. 'I know. It slipped out.' He sighs. I stifle a laugh. 

'But seriously Katy, watch your language.' Dad warns. I frown.   

'We all know she gets it from you Tony.' Nat sasses.