New York, Earth-66
Afternoon
Bruce picked up the phone off the ground, looking around in a little disbelief at all the destruction. Hearing a sound behind him, Bruce turned around to see Wong heading through a portal.
"Where are you going?" Bruce asked confused.
"The Time Stone has been taken. The Sanctum remains unguarded," Wong explained. "What will you do?"
"I have to make a call," Bruce said as he looked down at the phone.
Scotland
Not long after
Steve, Bucky, Natasha and Sam all sat around the living room of their safe house, watching in disbelief as the news covered the destruction of the battle in New York. His pocket vibrating, Steve pulled out the phone he always kept on him. Only two people have this number and he doubted it was T'Challa calling him.
"Tony, what happened over there?" Steve inquired as he answered.
"Cap, it's not Tony. It's Bruce, Bruce Banner," Bruce said and Steve started.
"Bruce," Steve said shocked and Natasha looked at him sharply. "What happened to Tony, why do you have the phone?"
"That's complicated but Tony…I don't think he'll be back for a while. The guys who attacked New York, they just flew off in their ship with Tony and two other people. Cap, we're in trouble. Fate of the universe hanging in the balance trouble," Bruce said gravely and Steve frowned.
"If I know Tony, he should have Rhodey's number in the phone. Call him, tell him the situation and we'll all head to the Compound," Steve said before hanging up.
"Bruce is back?" Natasha asked shocked.
"Yeah. We need to go, now. From what Bruce said, there is more at stake here than just Earth," Steve said grimly, his mind racing.
Avenger's Compound
Not long after
Rhodey hung up his phone, his mind racing from everything Bruce had just told him.
"It appears this is what the stone was warning me about," Vision said, referring to the pain in the center of his forehead earlier.
"Yeah. And if what Banner said is true, we'll need more than just us," Rhodey said as he walked out of the room.
Rhodey headed to Tony's office, opening the door. He began searching; tearing the office apart until he found what he was looking for. He pulled open a drawer and found the Extrapolator Cisco had given Tony prior to his departure from Earth-1.
Central City, Earth-1
Same time
Barry was down in what Cisco called the 'Flash cave', looking at some data on the computer. Caitlin, the only other person down there, looked over at him.
"What exactly are you doing?" Caitlin inquired.
"Looking over everything we have on your father. See if there's anything that can give away what he's going to do next," Barry said as he sighed, leaning back in his chair. "So far, nothing."
"Rick says Argus doesn't have anything on him either," Caitlin sighed.
"Hey, we'll find him," Barry assured her.
"And then what?" Caitlin asked glumly.
Before Barry could respond, they heard a beep, like an alert. Barry and Caitlin looked down at the drawler of the computer desk, where it was coming from. Barry opened it up to reveal the Extrapolator inside, which was vibrating as it beeped. Barry reached down and pulled it out, pressing the button.
"Cap?" Barry questioned.
"No Barry, its Rhodey. Listen man, we need your help…"
Scotland, Earth-66
Same time
Bucky threw a bag over his shoulder, looking over at Natasha, who was packing her own bag.
"You okay?" Bucky asked as he walked over to her.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Natasha asked and Bucky raised an eyebrow.
"Maybe because your ex is back? Must be difficult," Bucky pointed out.
"Maybe at one point but now…no," Natasha assured him as she looked up at him. "I care about him, and I always will. But as a friend. Nothing more."
Natasha then leaned up and kissed him before Sam's voice reached them.
"Hey lovebirds, we gotta go," Sam told them as he and Steve waited by the door.
"You really need to get laid Sam," Natasha quipped as he pulled back.
Sam opened and closed his mouth but no sound came out as Steve covered his mouth with hand to hide his amused smile. Bucky smirked before he and Natasha headed to the door.
Flash cave, Earth-1
Not long after
Barry zipped his suit up before looking over at Caitlin.
"Tell Wanda and the others what's going on, have them meet me there," Barry ordered.
"Barry, are you sure about this?" Caitlin asked hesitantly.
"Our friends need our help. Besides, are you telling me you wouldn't come if Steve needed your help?" Barry asked and Caitlin flinched. "I need to go Cait, they're my family to."
Without another word, Barry grabbed the Extrapolator and activated it, opening a breaching.
Avenger's Compound, Earth-66
Same time
"Barry's on his way, he should get here before Cap and the others," Rhodey told Vision as he walked back into the room.
"Perhaps we should not stay here. If they are looking for me, it won't take them long to find us," Vision suggested.
Before Rhodey could respond, Vision suddenly cried out in pain. He was lifted into the air as Rhodey jumped, seeing a large alien creature, which seemed to be male, stabbing Vision through the side with a weapon that resembled a spear. Another creature, this one a female, came and used a weapon that also looked like a spear to blast Rhodey. Rhodey was sent flying as Vision was slammed onto the ground. The female put her weapon onto Vision's forehead and he cried out in pain as he felt the stone beginning ripped out of his forehead.
Suddenly, a blue portal opened up and a red blur sped out. The blur hit the female, sending her flying and Barry grabbed the weapon as the male tried to strike him.
"Bad guy?" Barry asked Vision, who gave a pained nod. "Good to know."
Barry sent a power kick to the man's chest, cutting him in the abdomen with his weapon before speeding out of the way as Rhodey, now in his War Machine armor, fired missiles at the male. The missiles hit the male, who cried out as he went flying. Barry, meanwhile, engaged the female, blocking her strikes as he sent a powerful kick to her abdomen, forcing her back. Barry then sped around her in a circle, to her confusion, until he threw a lightning bolt at her. It hit her in the chest and she was sent flying back, landing next to the male.
"Get up," she hissed at him as Barry and Rhodey approached them.
"I can't," he said, still feeling the effects of the missile.
"We don't wanna kill you, but we will if we have to," Rhodey told them.
"You'll never get the chance again," the female said before a light broke through the roof.
Barry and Rhodey stepped back as the light hit the aliens, seeming to take them up. The weapon in Barry's hand was also sucked out of his hand, into the light and after the aliens before it disappeared. Barry and Rhodey stared up at the roof as they saw the light fade a ship that looked like a giant circle take off through the hole in the roof.
"What the hell was that?" Barry wondered.
"The same ship that we saw on TV earlier, or at least a replica," Rhodey said as his mask retracted and he looked over at Barry. "Thanks for coming man."
"From the looks of it, I got here just in time," Barry said as a man he didn't recognize burst in.
"I saw the ship outside, is everyone okay?" Bruce asked frantically.
"Yeah, we're fine Bruce. Barry, this is Dr. Bruce Banner," Rhodey introduced and Barry started.
"Bruce Banner, as in the Hulk?" Barry asked shocked.
"The same," Bruce said, eying the unknown man curiously.
"We can make introductions later. Vision, you okay?" Rhodey as he moved to help his teammate up, Barry joining him.
"I can't phase," Vision said in shock as they helped him to his feet. "That shouldn't be possible."
"We're not safe here. Rhodey, is there anywhere we can go? Tony's not stupid, he must have some off the grid safe house or something," Barry said and Rhodey frowned in thought.
"There might be one place. Come one, we need to get to the Quinjet," Rhodey ordered.