SOAR: An Avengers Story

Ch.15: Confrontation

February 18th, 2017

(Avengers)

No matter how much confidence and fearlessness Tony exerted, it was safe to say he was scared shitless.

Not to mention that he had done this countless times before: prepared to face an enemy that was seemingly impossible to defeat with insurmountable odds and some handicap that would have made the fight a piece of cake without it. Something about this was different, though. He somehow knew the odds were not great. Especially without his actual team.

The whole situation was an amalgam of quasi-preparedness, deception, high stakes, and just a dash of bitter rage. On both sides. There wasn't a chance in hell that this would go by smoothly. Still, Tony had contingencies. And a hell of a lot of determination.

The team was in front of the large ornate doors at the Palisades castle. It was late, most likely after midnight, but there was no doubt that Nefaria knew they were there. Tony was wearing one of his newest armor models, which had more than a few tricks for the crime lord.

He looked around the group in the sparse lamplight of the bridge, doubling back when he saw Dani in power-dampening handcuffs. It took him less than a second to realize it wasn't her, but Wanda disguised under the technology of the Visio-Projector. He nodded at her, which she reciprocated. Some part of him wished Dani was there with them. He could use her fighting spirit. Tony had a feeling this would be the fight of their lives.

Looking at the rest of the team, he expected to see a bunch of wide-eyed newbies trembling slightly in the face of conflict. Instead, he saw the opposite of what he expected: poker-faced adults with the determination of...well, Avengers.

"Six figures approaching from inside, boss," FRIDAY sounded.

The moment of truth had arrived. Tony and his team stood ready, waiting. He felt as though they were prepared for anything, but life was full of surprises. Still, he stood poised, watching as the doors opened.

Nefaria stepped out, in what could only be described as a caped bodysuit. It was form-fitting and a dark black with hints of navy blue, with a long cloak inlined with bold red fabric. Opulent gold chest pieces decorated his shoulders, holding the cape in place. He even had a pair of gauntlets on, the bulky form making his fists look bigger and more threatening. He almost looked like the Count he was dubbed by the crime world.

Alongside him were the rest of his team, looking disheveled and disheartened. They were all in handcuffs pretty similar to the ones Tony placed on Wanda. Tony's eyes caught Steve, whose face was beaten and bloody. He wanted to cry out to him to fight back, to throw a two-handed punch with his heavy handcuffs and run. He knew that wasn't a good idea though, and kept his mouth shut.

That is, until he and Nefaria were face to face.

There were so many words that Tony wanted to throw his way, to bombard his ears with choice phrases that his late mother (or Steve) would surely chastise him for. Still, he refrained, and gave him a curt nod before saying, "Let's get this tea party over with."

"Is it of the diplomatic variety, or the friendly kind?" Nefaria quipped, a smug grin playing on his lips that Tony was beginning to think was a trademark for him.

"The Boston kind, if you don't let my team go."

"Hand over the girl, and they will be released."

A tense moment of silence followed, only disturbed by the small, mechanical sounds that echoed inside of Tony's helmet. They mirrored his own thoughts, small but crucial in how he functioned, and how he would proceed.