Next Avengers: The Cosmic Cube

Ha-tarie watched as Hawkeye aimed at the apple, the obstacles made the chances of success practically zero, but then again it was Hawkeye at the bow.

“You’ll never make it.” Iron Man said, his arms crossed.

“I have to agree with Iron Man, the odds are against you on this.” Ant Man said before turning to Hulk.

“Hulk, why are you here?” Iron Man asked.

“I’m just here in case Hawkeye starts a fight.” He grunted, but not without amusement.

“Thanks big guy, what do you think Cap?” Hawkeye asked, glancing at their Captain.

“I haven’t seen you miss yet, I don’t expect to see you start now.” He said encouragingly.

Hawkeye smiled and aimed carefully, keeping the arrow drawn before letting it loose, at that moment everything went dark.

“Did I get it?”

Ha-tarie quickly checked his comlink, nothing. Quickly he hurried out and left the Avengers to their own devices before exiting the rebooting mansion and checking his comlink.

“Ha-tarie to base, come in base.” He called but was answered by silence.

Ha-tarie thought out a string of curses before trying again.

“Base, do you read? Tina are you there?” he asked as static filled his ear.

He waited a moment then tried again only to be hear a click.

“This is base, what’s your situation?” Tina asked, the sound of her hurried typing in the background.

“EMP blast, it shut down my commlink and the mansion.” Ha-tarie told her.

“Not possible, not unless multiple went off simultaniously.” Tina said, her typing remaining constant.

“Stay by the Mansion, check to be sure everything is alright.” She said.

“Understood, Black Jaguar out.” He said before turning back to the Mansion only to spot a familiar redhead in a black suit knock on the Mansion door.

Quickly he reached for his comlink as he activated it and his visual recorder.

“I think you’re going to want to see this.” He said as the door opened.

_@_@_@_@_@

Piff and Stinger rushed to the meeting room, spotting Arya in the corner with Scarlet, who was holding Benny, and Tina at the table.

“What’s going on?” Stinger asked, floating to her place with her brother.

“An all-out war, that’s what’s going on.” Tina said, typing on her computer.

“A war? HAH! This pathetic battle deserves no such title!” Arya spat only to be silenced as Scarlet sent her a diamond solid look.

“AIM and Hydra are using New York as their battleground, and I’m guessing they’re fighting over the prize of the Cosmic Cube.” Tina said, still typing.

“What can we do?” Piff asked, standing up, ready to fight.

“The chances of our exposure is too dangerous, we’ll have to lay low for this one.” Scarlet said, shifting Benny as he yawned.

Immediately Arya seemed to blow a gasket and stomped over to Scarlet, her face red with rage.

“You mean we take a cowardly path?!” she spat, her hand on the handle of her sword.

Scarlet remained motionless as Arya shook behind her.

“Scarlet, if this is what they’re fighting over, if this thing ACTUALLY works shouldn’t we at least try to get it to safe hands?” Tina asked, unsurprised at Scarlet’s conclusion.

Scarlet continued her silence as she became thoughtful; she glanced down at Benny as he shifted in her arms.

“This event was not in our records, the possibilities are endless and not many of them are in our favor.” she said, frowning.

“But with the information we have now and the techniques we can implement our chances of success are heightened quite substantially.” Tina said, still trying to sway her.

Scarlet frowned, her thought process becoming deep as she considered the paths of her choice.

Arya lingered over Scarlet, scowling but unsure of what to do and so stood, her fingers still clutching her blade.

Tina looked at her and made a nod to back off, earning a dark glare in return but she took heed and finally relinquished her stance and backed away.

“What have you in mind?” Scarlet asked, suddenly, glancing at Tina as she broke form her trance like state.

Tina returned her attention and began to speak immediately.

“From what Ha-tarie has told me Hawkeye, Ant Man, and the Black Widow are going after Strucker, using a tracking device she planted on his ship. From what you reported at Hydra Island I believe we might need to track Strucker on our own.”

“Why is that?” Arya frowned.

“We knew when Black Widow had saved Hawkeye issues would arise between them, mainly the issue on her loyalty.” Scarlet explained.

“That is of no help.” Arya scowled.

“Widow compromised her mission when she saved Hawkeye; Strucker is too smart to just ignore such a fact, no matter how convincing Widow is now.” Tina sighed irritably.

Scarlet frowned; thinking for another moment before she interrupted the glaring match Arya and Tina had been sharing.

“There are likely innocents in the way, we will need somebody in the air, on the ground, aiding evacuation, searching for that cube, and keeping a lookout on the Avengers.” Scarlet said, looking up at Tina.

“Of course there is the issue of who will care for Benny.” Scarlet said before glancing at Arya.

Catching on Arya drew her sword and stepped back defensively.

“NAY!” she snarled, narrowing her eyes angrily.

Scarlet smirked in amusement as Piff, Tina, and Stinger tried to hide their laughter.

Scarlet raised a hand and pressed a finger to her lips before motioning towards the now sleeping Benny before clutching him close, covering his ears as she did.

“Relax, Benny is to stay here, Tina will be here to monitor the lines and report what she finds.” Scarlet chuckled.

Arya frowned, lowering her sword as the meaning became clear to her.

“Will I battle?” she asked, sounding almost pitiful.

“Actually no, you’ll be helping me with evacuation, Piff will be in the air with Stinger, in their vanishing modes to avoid detection to keep an eye on the Quinn Jet and Iron Man. Ha-tarie will follow Hawkeye and Black Widow, chances are they will find Strucker at a close second if not first.” She explained, glancing at Tina mid speech only to see her already typing and motioning for Piff and Stinger to go.

Scarlet smiled once she finished and Tina smiled back, she was proud at how well aligned her team was.

“I shall not join the battle?! Such dishonor!” Arya spat.

Almost perfect if not for a certain semi-blonde hothead.

Scarlet ignored her and was glad she had covered Benny’s ears during her outburst before laying him in his crib and turning to Arya.

“Time to suit up.” She smirked.

_@_@_@_@_@

“Such a dishonor.” Arya growled, glancing down at her boots in distaste.

“This way, off the streets!” Scarlet called in her citizen attire, helping an elderly woman enter the subways as AIM and Hydra flew above.

Arya rumbled before glaring at an incoming pedestrian who was terrified enough as it was and paused when he came close to her.

“Artemis, you’re supposed to be helping these people, not scaring them into danger.” Scarlet snapped, helping ease the terrified man past Arya and allow him to flee with the elderly lady.

Arya just gave her a rumbling growl but Scarlet simply ignored her.

“This area is clear, let’s move on to see if anyone else requires our assistance.”  Scarlet said before running off.

Arya grumbled angrily before following after her.

“Scarlet, There is a shootout on west and 34th.” Tina reported.

“Thanks for the tip.” Scarlet said, turning east to avoid the battle.

“Why do we run opposite a battle?” Arya asked.

“The Avengers will be there, major shootouts attract attention, we don’t want that.” Scarlet explained as she made a wide berth around the scene of the fight.

“Just north of you, Captain America and the Hulk are battling Hydra ships.” Tina warned.

“Good, we need to go west here anyways.” Scarlet smirked and turned, just in time to avoid a said ship as it crashed behind them.

Arya skittered to a stop but forced herself on, turning her head away forcefully as they found a crowd of people hiding behind cars.

“Move it, there won’t be anywhere to hide if you stay here for long.” Scarlet said, motioning towards the nearest shop.

Several people followed her heed but a woman and her husband remained behind with an elderly male.

“We have no time!” Arya shouted and picked up the man and woman and carried them towards the shop.

Scarlet skipped her lecture and grabbed the elderly man in her arms and carried him to the shop before turning to its occupants.

“This shop should have a basement, go there and don’t come out until the all clear.” Scarlet said quickly before running, not bothering to ensure her instructions were followed.

“And quickly!” Arya snapped, breaking them from their surprised trance before they hurried to do her bidding.

Arya smirked and followed after, proud of her success as she caught up to Scarlet.

“I see you got them into motion, well done.” Scarlet said before sprinting ahead.

Arya was surprised to find such praise was not as sweet as she intended but followed.

“Strucker is in a warehouse with the cube and *shudder* MODOC.” Tina groaned.

“We’re on our way, is Ha-tarie nearby?” she asked, pausing a moment to let Tina find him.

“Confirmed, Hawkeye is going to make a highly complex shot with Ant Man on the end.”

“The obstacles?” Scarlet asked.

“Several small panes through many warehouses.” Tina explained.

“If it is as complex as you say he will not make it.” Arya scowled.

“He’ll make it.” Scarlet said.

“He did, Ha-tarie is impressed.” Tina smirked.

Arya looked surprised.

“Don’t be so surprised, Arya, he DID grow up in the Circus.” Tina mocked.

“Enough, update on the cube?” Scarlet asked.

“Captain America and Strucker are battling for it now, Stinger says Captain has been weakened.” Tina explained.

“Patch her to all of us.” Scarlet said.

“-really needs some wrinkle cream now.” Stinger said.

“On task, Sting.” Scarlet smirked.

“Attention to the action!” Arya snapped.

“Sheesh hold your Valhalla horses Thorsdoghter.” Stinger muttered.

“Strucker looks like he has the hold on Cap and- ohh there he goes, his super villain monologue.”

“English!” Arya spat, stopping with Scarlet as they came outside the compound.

“Oh don’t worry, Hawkeye fixed that and- EEEE! Black Widow arresting him! So cool!” Stinger squeaked.

“Stinger…” Scarlet warned.

“Oh right, Captain is better now and- oh they’re both going for the cube!” Stinger squealed.

Scarlet rushed in, peering through the debris as Captain America and Strucker dashed for the cube, making epic leaps at it and clutching it simultaneously. A bright blast was all that was seen before everything cleared, unaffected and Captain America stood over Strucker as he gawked at everything unchanged.

“B-but I-I touched it...” he stammered, looking at his own hand and clutching it as if there was something defective in it.

“It’s over Strucker, you lost.” He said commandingly.

“Wow Captain is so awesome.” Stinger giggled.

“Enough, fangirl, time to wrap things up and report back to base.” Scarlet said.

“And what of us?” Arya asked, frowning.

Scarlet put her hands in her pockets before smiling at Arya.

“We walk.” She smiled before turning and strolling down the street.

Arya blinked and scowled, unsure of what to do and looked at her hands before stuffing them in her pockets and following after, looking around nervously as the all clear sounded out.

“Relax, this is part of our job, you need to be able to meld with society.” Scarlet explained.

“And how does one do THAT?” Arya growled.

“Like I said, Relax, your spine doesn’t need to be so stiff and your walk should be more casual, try.” Scarlet said, motioning to her own perfected posture.

Arya growled and attempted to follow her lead but only ended up hunched and skittery.

“Raise your feet, try to swing your legs when you walk and don’t hunch, try letting your spine move with your feet.” Scarlet said.

Arya growled but followed her lead, copying her movements sloppily but was better than before.

“Good, with practice you will succeed.” Scarlet smiled.

Arya frowned and looked at her.

“Have you spoken to my brother?” she asked.

Scarlet looked confused for a moment then shook her head.

“I think not, I didn’t know you had one.”

Arya looked down.

“Few do, he remains confined within studies.” She growled.

Scarlet looked at her curiously.

“What does he study?”

Arya grumbled lowly but answered her.

“Magic.”