We had been on the run for two years. Two whole years of low rated hotels and only each others company. Country to country, town to town. It was tiring but necessary.
Despite this, I had a task I needed to do. It was risky but I knew Tony wouldn't turn me in. I had to go back to New York, talk with Tony and find out where my device with all my own history and all I know on HYDRA had gone. This was something that could not fall into the wrong hands.
When I told the team, they were hesitant with it but they all knew when my mind was set on something, I wasn't going to stop till it was done. So on our next movement, with the jet's invisibility button pressed, we flew above New York. The Avengers compound was underneath and I felt a twang of sadness, thinking of the good times we had in the building, as a team. A team that no longer exists.
"Are you sure about this?" Nat barely whispered to me as I tied on the parachute to my back. She wore the black hoodie I gave her after the special night and if it was a way to keep me from going, it was nearly working. I had a white hoodie on with a pair of tight black joggers, my black mask over my mouth.
"Absolutely, it has to be done. As I said, I will meet you in a few weeks time in Ottawa, I know you guys are heading Scotland way if I really need you."
Nat looked really uneasy so I brought her into a tight hug as the back door opened, gushing strong air filling the jet.
"Five seconds, Ombra!" yelled Sam from the pilot seat.
"Good luck" Steve said to me with a nod.
"Behave you two" I say to the Maximoff twins, a quick nod to Vision before turning to Nat again. "I will be back before you know it ,bellissimo, ti amo." I press a strong kiss to her lips before giving a salute and jumping backwards out the jet.
The air pressure is tight on my skin and there's no use having my hood up right now anyway. The view is breath taking and I am oddly calm despite the speed I am descending to the ground. I smirk a little when I see the mark Thor had left on the lawn all them years ago. I missed him and that mighty hammer of his. When I am nearing the ground, I pull my parachute and glide elegantly to the grass.
I put my hood up even though I am turning invisible. Inside the compound, it was technically deserted, the odd facility worker every now and again was the only form of life I could see. Groaning, I head for the technology room and find the tracking system that was set up when I got taken by Ultron. While looking, I notice none of our locations were available. Only Tony, Peter, Rhodey, Clint and Scott were available.
With a quick look, I see Tony is in Central Park and I immediately start making my way there, it wasn't too far from the compound. Oddly, I had missed the nature of New York, it wasn't home but it was I had met most of my new family. I put my hood up and broke into a sprint, running past people at speed probably to fast to stay discreet.
The park was pretty busy, some people just having picnics in the sun, other's going on runs. Then I saw him, him and Pepper. It was amazing how much more relaxed he looked with her, she was good for him, I hope he was good for her too. They sat down on a bench and I decided to go invisible again, maybe just to scare him a little.
I take the seat next to Tony, Pepper on his left.
"I had a crazy dream, you were pregnant, which was great. Then we named it Morgan after your uncle or whatever he is" Tony exclaimed, doing loads of wild gestures with his hands. Honestly, I had missed his annoying voice.
"Well sorry to disappoint but- Oh my god!" Pepper shouted when I uncovered myself. Tony spun around in panic and nearly smacked me right in the face.
"Wow... we really doing this again, Tony?" I sarcastically say. He frowns but his eyes are wide and his mouth slightly agape.
"Ombra... what the hell are you doing here!?" he hisses, looking around for anyone watching, or the others.
"I need something of mine and I was wondering if you knew of its whereabouts."
"Tony, who is this? Don't tell me it's another ex asking for her underwear back" sighs Pepper and me and Tony start laughing.
"She would be most likely asking for your underwear Pep" Tony wheezed out.
"I am particularly fond of black lace" I mention and Tony stops laughing and nods his head aggressively.
"Agreed, what she said, take notes."
Pepper had her moment of realisation and just slowly nodded. "Right... so this is worse than an ex, this is someone with the exact same personality as you."
I gasp and put a hand on my chest. "Absolutely not, he is big headed, I am to good to be big headed." When the words left my mouth, they both just stared at me and I realised what I said. "Merda... anyway,, do you have my device, the one I had when I first met you, on the computer that night."
Tony looks deep in thought, trying to recall. "Oh, I know what device you are talking about, but I am afraid I have no idea where it is."
Sighing, I lean back in annoyance. " Well I hope the government doesn't have it."
"Why?"
"It has all my personal information on, real name, childhood ect."
"Real name? What is it?" Tony asks excitedly.
"Only Steve, Sam and... Bucky know" I say and I see his eyes anger at the mention of Bucky. "Listen Tony, I heard what happened and I am so sorry, I am sorry I wasn't there for you either."
"Did you know?" He demands.
"No, Winter Soldier solo missions were never shared. Only when we worked together did I know what was happening."
He seemed contempt with my answer and was about to reply when sparks formed in front of us and a man stepped through what seemed like a... portal?
"Tony Stark, Ombretta Anluan, I'm Doctor Stephen Strange. I need you both to come with me. Oh, uh, congratulations on the wedding, by the way."
I am in shock, he knows my name.
"You got married!?"
"Your actual name is Ombretta!?"
We both shout at the same time and Tony looks highly amused at my name and he notices my anger so turns back to the Doctor. "I'm sorry, you giving out tickets or something?"
"We need your help. Look, it's not overselling to say that the fate of the universe is at stake."
"And who's "we"?" I question and that's when Bruce comes through the portal. He has scruffy facial hair and just genuinely exhausted.
"Hey, Tony, Ombra."
Tony looks his face couldn't be anymore surprised. "Bruce."
"Hi, Pepper" Bruce says shyly.
"Hi" she replied softly.
"You okay?" I ask and he looks like he is about to crumble. He comes up to me and wraps his arm around me and I cringe again, still not used to the hugs. To make matters worse, Tony see's my discomfort and decides to add to the issue, chucking his arms around the pair of us.
"Okay... okay, that's enough" I say, patting them gently so they would get off. I turn to Stephen. "So can we come through this portal of yours? It's the best you could do, since I haven't killed you for saying and exposing my true identity, which I still don't know how you know."
He shrugged and stepped aside, gesturing for us to walk through. "Be my guest."
Hesitantly, I step through and feel very disorientated as the portal takes me to some old looking building. The rest follow after Tony sends Pepper home, telling her he will be home shortly. There is another man, smaller and bald, apparently named Wong.
He uses his hands to show five stones, each a different colour.
"From the dawn of the universe, there was nothing. Then, boom! The Big Bang sent six elemental crystals, hurtling across the virgin universe. These Infinity Stones each control an essential aspect of existence" Wong announces.
"Space. Reality. Power. Soul. Mind. And Time" Stephen names them and on the last one, slides the lock on the chain of his necklace, revealing a bright green stone.
"Tell me his name again" sternly said Tony.
"Thanos. He's a plague, Tony. He invades planets. He takes what he wants. He wipes out half the population. He sent Loki. The attack on New York. That's him!" exclaims Bruce.
This was a lot to take in. This... this sounded like the worst of it all, the creator of it all. Aliens, from out of space, large armies, a relentless, ruthless leader.
"This is it...What's our timeline?" Tony asks, thinking the same as me.
"No telling. He has the Power and Space Stones, that already makes him the strongest creature in the whole universe. If he gets his hands, on all six Stones..." Bruce said, his eyes widening at the imagery he was visioning. If Bruce was this scared, this was not good.
"He can destroy life on a scale hitherto undreamt of" answered Doctor Strange. My body shivered.
Tony leans against a cauldron of some sort, stretching as if he was about to go on a run."Did you seriously just say "hitherto undreamt of"?"
" Are you seriously leaning on the Cauldron of the Cosmos?" Strange says in disbelief, his cloak somehow flying up and smacking Tony on the backside.
Tony spun around in shock and confusion. " I'm going to allow that. If Thanos needs all six, why don't we just stick this one down the garbage disposal?"
"No can do" he replied straight away.
"We swore an oath to protect the Time Stone. With our lives" added Wong.
I sighed and sat on the step that hadn't been broken when Hulk fell from the sky.
"And I swore off dairy, but then, Ben & Jerry's named a flavour after me, so...." Tony said and my head snapped up.
"They did!?"
" Stark Raving Hazelnuts" informed Strange.
"It's not bad" Tony said.
"Bit chalky" admitted Stephen.
"A Hunka-Hulka Burning Fudge is our favourite" piped in Wong.
"That's a thing?" Bruce said in disbelief.
"Have you got some?" I ask.
"Whatever, shut up Omelette or Bralette, whatever your name was again" Tony says and I stand up, so quickly that Tony didn't have a chance to back away before I smacked him on the head. "OW!"
Nobody payed attention to our antiques and Strange moved on as if nothing happened. "Our oath to protect the Time Stone cannot change. This Stone may be the best chance we have against Thanos."
"And still conversely, it may also be his best chance against us."
"Well, if we don't do our jobs" Strange said as if it was obvious. I was getting a headache off all this testosterone and I craved Nat. My heart pounded as I realised they wouldn't be aware of this huge threat, I had no form of communication right now.
"What is your job exactly, besides making balloon animals?" Tony said with a condescending tone.
"Protecting your reality, douchebag" he replied in a clam manner. They were clearly trying to prove authority over one another.
"Okay, guys, could we table this discussion right now? The fact is that we have this Stone. We know where it is. Vision is out there somewhere with the Mind Stone, and we have to find him now" Bruce said desperately and me and Tony's head dropped.
"Yeah, that's the thing..." he said awkwardly.
"Oh Bruce, you have missed a lot."