𝗀 𝗁 𝗈 𝗌 𝗍 | | 𝗌 𝗍 𝖾 𝗏 𝖾 𝗋 𝗈 𝗀 𝖾 𝗋 𝗌

𝗌 𝗂 𝗑 𝗍 𝗒 － 𝗌 𝗂 𝗑

𖢻 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟪, 𝗎𝗉𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝗐 𝗒𝗈𝗋𝗄 𖢻

BRUCE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING THAT HAD happened as best as he could. He detailed his time with Thor, how Thanos destroyed the Asgardian people. He described Tony's fight with the Children of Thanos, Dr. Strange and Peter Parker's involvement, as well as their disappearance. He introduced them to Thanos, told them of his goals. Bruce pulled up holographic images, taking a breath when he finished explaining. "So we gotta assume they're coming back, right?" Rhodey asked.

        "And they can clearly find us." Wanda said nervously. Marta, standing with Natasha, tried to keep up with everything, but her head was spinning. Space travel wasn't even a real possibility back in her day, and now aliens were on Earth?

        "We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?" Bruce asked, knowing they were running out of time.

        Natasha's arms were crossed, standing with Marta, who continued drinking copious amounts of liquor. "After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a deal. It was too tough on their families. They're on house arrest." she explained, seeing Steve's gaze never leaving Marta, and Marta's gaze never landing on him.

        "Who's Scott?" Bruce asked frantically.

        "Ant-Man." Steve answered, drawing his gaze away from Marta, hand resting on his hip.

        Bruce's eyes widened. "There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?" he said, Rhodey nodding. "Okay, look. Thanos has the biggest army in the universe... and he is not gonna stop until he gets... Vision's stone." Bruce trailed off, and realization struck Marta. To get to the stone, Thanos would have to kill Vision. That couldn't happen.

        Natasha uncrossed her arms. "Then we have to protect it." she said decisively.

        "No, we have to destroy it," Vision voiced, leaning against a wall. "I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head. About its nature. But also its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source... something very similar to its own signature, perhaps... its molecular integrity could fail." Vision explained warrily, moving towards Wanda.

        "Yeah, and you with it. We're not having this conversation." Wanda said strongly, a large scratch on her face.

        "Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it." Vision added, Marta finishing her glass. Vision didn't deserve to die just so they could survive.

        Wanda's eyes watered, staring at Vision. "That's too high a price." she said, her heart breaking.

        Marta found herself looking at Steve, but he was already looking at her. Their gazes lingered for a moment, and then Marta transferred her focus back to Vision and Wanda. "Only you have the power to pay it," Vision gently held Wanda's face, until she walked up, upset. "Thanos threatens half the universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him." Vision spoke to the team now.

        Steve looked away from his wife. "But it should. We don't trade lives, Vision." Steve said, his bright eyes dim with worry.

        "Captain, 70 years ago, you laid down your life to save how many millions of people? Marta, you were ready to die on that plane, satisfied, knowing that everyone else would live. Tell me, why is this any different?" Vision said, looking from the husband to the wife, moving towards Steve.

        Marta got an idea. It wasn't a great one, and it probably wouldn't work, but something in her told her to voice it aloud. "Crazy idea," Marta put her glass of vodka down, eyes turning to her. "What if we take the stone out of Vision, and then destroy it before Thanos gets to it?" Marta suggested boldly.