The White Wolf

XXXV

Days went by and everything was ready. With the help of Bruce, and Scott's tech, they built what they believed was a functional time machine using the quantum tunnel in the back of Scott's van. They just needed to know if it was going to work or not, and Scott was the first volunteer for being the hamster. As he said it: "I am the only one here who has even been in the quantum realm. You amateurs would have no idea what you're doing."

The van was parked in front of the station they'd put together of generators, control panels, and other gear that made up the large, blocky set up of the tech and power operations that Bruce needed to make it work.

"Okay, here we go, time travel test number one," Bruce announced, checking all of his monitors. "Ava, fire up the, uh, the van-thing."

Ava went to the back swinging doors of Scott's van and pulled them open. The machine inside whirred to life, lights illuminating reds and oranges and yellows. It pulsed, waiting to suck something through its vortex. Scott approached in the grey suit Bruce had made him for these tests. Steve walked through the warehouse at a fast pace, glancing back at the power grid at the other end of the expansive room filled with trucks, jets, and other vehicles and equipment the Avengers either used or collected throughout their past work.

"Breakers are set. Emergency generators are on standby."

"Good, because if we blow the grid, I don't want to lose tiny over here in the nineteen fifties." Bruce said, pointing toward Scott non-discreetly.

Scott turned pale as he looked up from the helmet in his hands, looking at Bruce with wide, brown eyes. "Excuse me?"

Natasha faked a laugh as she tapped away at her tablet, helping Bruce prep the equipment. "He's kidding." She hummed and looked up at Bruce. "You can't say things like that."

Bruce turned his head to look at Scott over his shoulder. "Ju-it was- it was a... bad joke." He stammered, all too seriously.

A pit formed in Ava's stomach and she forced a smile onto her lips as Scott looked to her for confirmation. "You'll be fine." She nodded, giving him a thumbs up. Of course, she wasn't so sure he would be, but he didn't need to know that. Scott smiled a little, relaxing once he was assured he would be safe. He gave a single nod and walked over to the van, pulling on the helmet- which only made him look like a dollar-store astronaut. Shuri would have loved it.

When Scott was out of ear-shot, Natasha looked up at Bruce again with worry. "You were kidding, right?" She asked quietly.

Banner grimaced and shrugged. "I have no idea. This is time travel. Either it's all a joke or none of it is." He sucked in a deep breath and turned to Scott, giving him another thumbs up. "We're good!"

Ava forced another fake smile, going to take a stand beside Steve to watch as the test began. She prayed to Bast that this worked. That time travel was possible. Five years alone- still not moving on from the pain of losing everyone she loved... This theory gave her hope again, for the first time since that day they confronted Thanos, only to have those hopes crushed. She wasn't sure what would happen if her hope was crushed again.

"All right, Scott, I'm gonna send you back a week, let you walk around for an hour, and bring you back in ten seconds. Make sense?" Bruce asked.

Scott waved a hand, giving a nod. "Perfectly non-confusing."

"Good luck, Scott," Steve said, placing his hands in his pockets. "You got this." He said, giving Scott a bode of confidence.

Scott's chest expanded wide as he took in a breath, a confident smirk gleaming across his thin lips. His eyes shined bright as he looked at Steve. "You're right. I do, Captain America." He replied as smoothly as he could, just before Bruce pushed a button and Scott shrank down out of sight in a split second.