Running Out » Quicksilver

chapter nineteen

19 x it's an english panic

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We landed in London several hours later, in a very large field not far off from the city. Apparently Tony had called ahead to have the local authorities clear the area, but even despite that, the panic was evident everywhere. Police cars had blocked off public access to our landing area, so as we exited the jet, no one could come rushing up to us.

It felt weird, walking off the jet as an Avenger. It was like I could feel all the eyes of the crowd on me- but that wasn't the biggest issue. The biggest issue was the fact that there was a lot of screaming, and a lot of chaos just about everywhere.

A handful of cops approached us, and it was Steve who stepped up to talk to them. I glanced around, confused as to Pietro's disappearance, before shrugging to myself and figuring I may as well follow after Steve.

"Captain," one of the policemen greeted Steve, glancing at me. "Ma'am."

"Sir," I returned.

"Thank you for clearing out the park for us," Steve said. "We really appreciate it."

"Of course," the man nodded. His name tag read Matthews. "What else would you suggest we do? At the moment we're trying to keep any petty crimes to a minimum, though the pandemonium this Killian fellow's brought about is making people nuts . . ."

Steve opened his mouth (probably to say something beneficial) but before he could speak, Tony interrupted him. "Cap, we've got trouble," he said, nodding toward a large screen not far off from the park.

The face of a man who I assumed to be Layne Killian could be seen, his sharp features haughty. His voice carried over the park, and I could imaging likely over the rest of the city as well.

Before I actually focused on his words, I heard Stark say something about Killian broadcasting on all available frequencies.

"Avengers! I know you've landed, and I know you're looking for me. I'd suggest you move fast," he grinned wickedly, "because the London public isn't the only thing in danger." The scene cut to Buckingham Palace, before it cut again, this time to the inside, where dozens of orange, Extremis-enhanced people were converging and destroying things. "You've got a royal family to save, too," Kilian snickered. "But if you're looking for me, well . . . I'm where the tourists are." The scene returned to his face, with some large machine evident in the background. "And they're about to be dead. Heard of a death ray? I'm about to use one."

Then his face was gone.

The panicked crowds only got louder, and several of the men who had approached Steve rushed off to help their fellow authorities. Steve and I both exchanged worried looks before turning to Matthews.

"I need your people to clear us a path to Buckingham," Steve said. "We're going to need a perimeter around the palace if we're going to ensure that there are no outside casualties."

Matthews nodded quickly, signaling two of the men with him, who rushed off toward the cars. "What else?"

"What's the next biggest tourist trap?" I asked, looking around, though I already thought I had a relative idea.

"Well, there's Big Ben," Matthews said slowly, "but that image didn't look like it was anywhere near it."

I twisted back to Matthews then, shoving my bangs out of my face. "What about the Eye?"

Steve looked to me. "The ferris wheel?"

Tony came up behind us then. "That's actually a good idea, short stack. Lots of tourists, and if he's got a death ray . . ."