Heartless

Chapter 44

After we suited up, Steve, Kate, and I headed for the helicopter. I was so hoping that we wouldn't run into Stark. Unfortunately, that's one wish that never came true. We ran into him and Rhodey after they disabled the helicopter.

"Wow, it's so weird how you run into people at the airport," Stark said. "Don't you just feel weird?" He asked Rhodey.

"Definitely weird."

"Oh, yeah, it's so weird, especially when you're tracking the people down!" I snapped.

"I expected better of you Monica," Stark said.

"Don't patronize me."

"Hear me out, Tony," Steve begged. "That doctor, the psychiatrist, he's behind all of this."

"Captain," T'Challa said after dropping down from the roof.

"Your highness."

"Anyways, Ross gave me 36 hours to bring you in. That was 24 hours ago. Can you help a brother out?" Tony asked.

"You're after the wrong guy," Kate said in singsong.

"Your judgement is askew, Cap. Your war buddy killed innocent people yesterday."

"Oh, my god. Can we stop the chitchat and get to the real issue here? Stark, there are five more winter soldiers. Worse than Barnes, apparently. That doctor," I said with finger quotes, "is going to get to them and control them, possibly destroying humanity. Now, we're gonna go stop him and prove Barnes' innocence. So move before we result to violence and possible deaths."

"Steve," Nat said. "You know what's about to happen. Do you really want to punch your way out of this one?"

"Alright, I've run out of patience. Underoos!" Stark said. Some new guy swooped in and shot something out of his wrist, grabbing Steve's shield. He wrapped Steve's hands in some sort of webbing. "Nice work, kid."

"Thanks. Well, I could've stuck the landing a little better. It's... just the new suit... Well, it's nothing, Mr. Stark It's-It's perfect, thank you," the kid said.

"Okay. Cap... Captain. Big fan, I'm Spider-Man."

"Yeah, we'll talk about it later. Just-"

"Hi everyone."

"-good job."

Steve held his hands up and Clint shot an arrow threw the webbing. "You've been busy," Steve said.

"And you've been a complete idiot. Dragging in Clint. Rescuing Wanda from a place she doesn't even want to leave. A safe place. I'm trying to keep... I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart."

"You did that when you signed," Steve snapped.

"Alright, I'm done. You're gonna turn Barnes over and you're gonna come with us. NOW! Because it's us! We're squaded JSOC, guys, with no compunction about being impolite. Come on, man."

"We found it," Sam said. "The quinjet's in hanger five, north runway."

"Alright, Lang," Steve said. "Girls, get to the hangar."

"Got it!" I said, running off. Kate was close behind me. We caught up to Sam and Barnes. I rested my hand over my side stitch. "Stark... trying to capture.... go..." I panted.

"Whoa, Monica, you okay?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, but unless you want to be taken in, move it."

We continued running until that kid caught up to us. He was crawling along the glass tiles in the roof.

"What the hell is that?" Barnes asked.

"Everyone's got a gimmick now," Sam said, panting slightly.

The kid crashed through the roof and kicked us down. I jumped back up and flicked my knives out.

"You wanna fight, kid? Then let's fight. Come on, I'll show you what it's actually like." He shot a web at me and took one of my knives. "Ooooh, now you've made me mad."

"Monica, hand to hand combat only, remember?" Kate said. "We don't want to kill him."

"Fine. He's still going home with broken everything." I swiped my legs under his and knocked him down. My knife clattered out of his hand and I kicked it up into mine. The kid jumped up. I groaned. "Of course." I put my knives away and got into stance. He swung at me and I deflected him. Then Barnes went to punch him with his metal arm. The kid caught his arm.

"You have a metal arm? That is awesome, dude!"

Barnes froze up.