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preparing to board the jet, pushing the nerves away by talking to each other.

"I knew you'd be back," Steve spoke in his booming voice. "We didn't doubt you for a second,"

"Well, we kind of did." Natasha smiled, joining Alex at her side. "Which I apologize for. You've proven to be one of the strongest women I know."

Alex returned the smile, feeling proud.

"Clark," Thor was the most shocked to see her.

"Hey,"

"W-What are you doing here? Did Loki--"

"Now isn't the time, Thor. I'm glad you and Jane made it out alive, but we can talk later."

Thor sensed a wall had been put up in her. Her eyes fell to the floor after he said Loki's name, but he thought better than to discuss it at that time.

Alex's new suit fit like a glove. The moment she put it on she felt powerful. She was hoping that its technology would allow her to use her powers without falling asleep, but she didn't have time to test it out. So, their very much real battle was the test run.

Her nerves set in as they prepared to leave for the battle, but she reminded herself to be strong. She had gone through so much since she'd left Earth, and she was certain this wouldn't be the end of it. But, she knew that everything she'd experienced had only made her stronger.

However, it was a bit hard to tell herself that when they were in the snowy forest and dozens of soldiers were shooting at them.

Natasha drove a truck with Clint on top of it, shooting his arrows at every soldier in sight. Thor flew through the air with ease, knocking them out with his hammer. Steve valiantly rode a motor cycle and took out stragglers with his shield.

Alex was on Natasha's truck too, in her suit and ready to fight. She swung at anyone that approached Clint, but was also able to freeze soldiers before they came near the truck. She felt an overwhelming euphoria from her suit. The intensity of its technology had in fact made her capable of fighting with ease.

But, what she was mostly proud of was that the suit only limited her fatigue, not enhance her abilities. No, she had mastered those herself.

Bruce was in total Hulk mode, smashing literally everything that wasn't his team. Trees, soldiers, trucks, it didn't matter. Tony used his suit to fly past the trees and toward the top of the laboratory to inspect the parameter.

"Shit!" Tony yelled over their intercom system.

"Language," Steve called. "Jarvis, what's the view from upstairs?"

"The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield,"

"Alex, you got anything?" Bart spoke.

"I don't know why you all hear the word 'energy' and immediately--" She punched a soldier square in the nose. "--Think of me,"

"Strucker's technology is well beyond any other Hydra base we've taken." Jarvis continued.

"Alex took Loki's scepter from here, and Strucker couldn't mount his defense without it." Thor added. "At long last,"

They continued fighting, the soldiers now firing from tanks at them. Natasha and Alex were side by side, keeping them at bay. Alex climbed on top of a soldier, holding him in place for Nat to punch. She froze the soldiers that tried to take Nat out from behind.

"'At long last' is lasting a little long, boys," Nat said.

"Yeah, I think we lost the element of surprise." Clint sighed.

"Wait a minute, no one else is going to deal with the fact that Cap just said 'language'?" Stark came back on.

"I know," You could hear Cap taking out multiple soldiers. "Just slipped out."

Tony, still flying around the building, ordered Jarvis to send in his Iron Legion, something he had been working on. They encouraged the citizens to head back to their homes, as the fight was starting to reach the city.

Alex had drifted from Natasha in the fight, and was now dealing with a lone soldier. Clint sent an arrow toward the soldier, but it was intercepted. Alex and Clint met eyes in confusion, and Alex prepared to fight whatever the interceptor was. She held out her hand, but she was flipped over by what seemed to be a blur.

She groaned on the ground, Clint running over to shield her. She waved him off, standing up on her own. As she looked up, a man with icy hair and a smirk was pridefully walking by.

"You didn't see that coming?"

With that, he was a blur again. She widened her eyes, and watched Clint send an arrow at him. Caught off guard, a blast was directed at Clint, who fell to the ground.

"Clint!" Natasha yelled.

"We have an enhanced in the field, well, besides Alex." Cap spoke, watching the blur pass.

"Clint's hit!" Alex responded, fighting off a soldier that neared Natasha and Clint. She couldn't lie, that interaction had caught her off guard.

"Stark, we really need to get inside,"

"I'm closing in," Stark responded, fighting his way inside. "Jarvis, is there a power source behind that shield?"

"There's a particle wave above the north tower."

"Great, I want to poke it with something."

Tony sent a missile at the lab's weak spot, sending the shield down. "Drawbridge is down, people."

"Clint's been hit pretty bad, we're gonna need evac." Nat said.

"I can get Clint to the jet, you and Stark retrieve Strucker." Thor said to Cap. Together, they successfully fought off the last of the soldiers. Before swinging his hammer, Thor spoke, "Find Strucker!"

"And for gosh sakes, watch your language!" Tony teased.

"That's not going away any time soon," Cap replied, sighing.

Alex kept Clint's head up while Natasha tamed the Hulk. Bruce stalked off to transform back into himself, barely clothed.

"We have a second enhanced, female. Do not engage. But, I got Strucker," Cap's voice came over.

"Then let's get out of here," Alex called.

"I'm getting info, but then--" Tony said, but then fell silent.

"Tony?"

After a minute, he responded. "Sorry. Back to the jet."

All of them fell back, and found their way to the plane. While on the returning flight, Clint was rehabilitated by Steve. Natasha and Bruce chatted quietly, which left Alex with Thor.

"What did he do," Thor's voice was above a whisper.

"It doesn't matter,"

"Of course it does,"

"Did he hurt you?" She rolled her eyes when he asked this.

"He made me believe a fantasy, then gave me away to Hydra and left me to be experimented on by them. No, he didn't hurt me." She looked up at Thor. "I hurt myself by trusting him."

"When we're back in the tower, Banner and I will run some tests on the scepter before it goes back to Asgard. You are staying, right?" Tony interrupted their conversation upon seeing Alex's distress.

"Yes, of course." Thor still looked down at Alex.

The jet safely landed right below the penthouse deck of Stark Tower, and as soon as the doors opened, they wheeled Clint to the lab.

Alex and Steve got off together, as Agent Hill walked with them.

"Where's Strucker?" Steve asked.

"NATO's got him."

"What about the two Enhanced?" Alex asked.

"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Twins," She handed them an iPad, showing their photos.

Yes, it was the same smug boy from the forest that Alex had encountered. She had not seen the girl, though, but saw the striking resemblance.

"Orphaned at ten when a shell collapsed on their apartment building. Sokovia's had a rough history. It's no where special but it's on the way to everywhere special." Hill continued as they walked off the plane.

"Their abilities?" Steve kept looking at the iPad.

"He's got increased metabolism and improved homeostasis. Her thing is neuroelectric interfacing, telekinesis, and mental manipulation."

Alex and Steve both stared at Hill with a blank face.

"He's fast and she's weird."

They both nodded.

"Well, they're going to show up again." Alex spoke.

"I agree. Files said they volunteered for his experiment, it's nuts."

"Right," Steve stepped into the elevator with Alex. "What kind of monster lets a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country?"

Alex stifled a grin.

"We're not at war, Captain."

"They are."

The doors shut, leaving Alex and Steve in the silence.

"You wanna tell me what happened in Asgard?" He broke it.

"Wow, Steve, I never took you for a gossiper," She deflected.

"Something happened, because I didn't see this kind of determination from you before. So, cut the bullshit and tell me what happened between you and Loki."

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𝚌𝚊𝚙 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚊

𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚟𝚘𝚝𝚎 ;)