Like A Bullet [P.M.]

Chapter 45

Our beautiful moment ended when a loud boom sound went through the city. A boom that traveled for miles all around. Everything quieted down. Time stopped. As I turned my head to the direction of that horrifying sound, I saw the Avengers Tower, a huge, red explosion covering the top half of it. I stood there, like everyone else, and beheld the horrific sight that lit up the night sky. As the red explosion slowly darkened into a grey cloud, Times Square was filled with angst and cries. But under all that chaos, under all that panic, one name came to mind, and one name only.

Wanda.

I left everything behind and raced towards the tower. I could hear sirens and the screams of people. I wouldn't want to imagine going through a thing like this twice. My head was focused on getting to tower as fast as I could. With hundreds of civilians looking at up the tower, I stood up front, gulping and sweating at the sight above. I quickly entered the building, leaving dozens of people shouting at me and yelling to come back out. As I went through the doorway, I stumbled upon the lobby man.

"Oh my god, Pietro. I don't know what happened. You can't go u-up, it's too dangerous." He was hyperventilating.

"What happened? Where are the Avengers?!"

"Something hit the tower. S-something big. It was something red. They're still up there. You can't go!"

"Wanda is up there. I need to get her." I quickly pushed him out of the way and ran to the stairs. I climbed the endless flights of stairs before not being able to continue. The path was blocked off by rubble. Smoke covered the air. I could barely see and breath. I coughed twice, then three times. The smoke got thicker and thicker. I couldn't get through, I needed to find another way to the top. I descended the stairs, getting to the very first floor. I breathed and shook my head. I positioned my feet and set my arms. Then, I blasted up the stairs, picking up speed at every floor. When I got the blocked area, I punched a hole in the debris, sending it flying all around. I had cleared the path, and now it was getting worse. I studied the destroyed room, rubble and fire everywhere. Smoke filled the air, making the room a living hell. I made my way to what seemed like the dining area. I couldn't make out anything. That is, until I saw a body. Clint laid on the floor, a huge piece of metal cut through his chest. I covered my mouth. Oh god, Clint. Why him? I crouched down at him and closed his eyes. I scanned all the rubble for more bodies. Everything was quiet, until a sudden shift came from a huge pile of concrete. A huge arm came out of the rubble, pulling himself out of the mess. It was Thor. He wiped his face with his torn up jacket and looked at me and Clint. He made his way towards me, and crouched down as well. He put his arms under Clint's body and carried him. I looked for the other Avengers, successfully finding Tony, Nat, Cap, Vision, Maria and Bruce still alive. Thor found Sam and Rhodey on the other side of the room. Rhodey had no pulse. His body was mostly burnt. How are we going to tell Tony? It will kill him. The fire continued to grow, making the room boiling hot. I took all the bodies to the lobby, including Clint's and Rhodey's. Wanda was the one missing. It all made sense now. After failing to take me twice, HYDRA had managed to take Wanda, or so I thought. I kept looking through the rubble for her, nevertheless, the smoke blocking all air from reaching my lungs. Water filled my eyes as I dug and dug and dug. As I fell upon the floor in defeat, Thor placed his hand on my shoulder and signaled that we leave the room before I pass out.

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"Where were you, Pietro?" Thor asked, breaking me out of my trance.

We stood in front of the tower as firemen in helicopters tried to contain the raging fire that was consuming the upper half of the tower. The other Avengers had been taken to a hospital.

"I was with Laurel in Times Square."

"Where is Laurel now?"

"I do not know. As soon as I saw the explosion, I left her side and raced to the tower." I looked up at him. "What happened, anyways?"

"I don't know. It was all very sudden. One moment we were laughing and then a huge explosion covers the whole room."

"It was probably HYDRA. They have Wanda." I said, crossing my arms.

"How are you so sure?" Thor glared at me.

"Well, Thor, considering the fact that they tried to brainwash me a couple days ago and failed, which resulted in me regaining my memory so fast, I would say the chances are very high."

"What do you think they want with her?"

"Well, they were going to use me to get to her, so I bet they are going to use her to get to me." As I finished the sentence, my phone vibrated, an unknown number flashing on the screen. I briefly looked at Thor, who was already swinging himself towards the sky, helping out the firemen. I looked back at the phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Pietro Maximoff, this is Katrina Rochev."

"If you think you are going to get away with this-"

"We've already have, Pietro. We have your sister, Wanda."

"I know. You have made it quite clear you are not joking."

"But get this, we also have your beautiful, weak girlfriend. What's her name? Laurel? Such a nice name..."

My heart stopped for a moment. A dead silence fell upon.

"Oh, did I touch a nerve, Pietro? Anyways, if you are not at the Empire State Building in ten minutes, both your girlfriend, and your sister, will die. Goodbye."

I dropped the phone and looked up to the sky. Thor was busy, so I just ran towards the Empire alone. This would end tonight.