The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes

041

CHAPTER 041
CODE RED

LOCATION: avengers tower

KASEY WAS WATCHING A MOVIE
with Wasp. They both had popcorn sat between them and a blanket wrapped around them. They decided to watch The Showing, a drama in which a recently engaged real estate agent feels trapped in her current relationship and haunted by her troubled past, begins to lead a double life in the show of her apartments. They were both into the movie and their eyes were glued to the screen, that is, until the mansion began to shake. A red gas began to fill the mansion and Kasey looks around confused and then pulls on her mask to protect herself temporarily from the gas. Echo stands and Wasp covers her mouth and coughs, looking at her, "What's happening?"

"I don't know." Echo looks at Wasp, who begins to stand, then listens as J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice sounds throughout the mansion, "Miss Stark, Mr. Stark requires your presence in the infirmary."

Echo looks at Wasp and begins to run to the infirmary, "Come on!"

•  • 

When they arrived, Cap laid on a bed with a red, boney face, which was, unknown to them, similar to the Red Skull's. Echo looks at the monitor which held his vital signs, "Body temperature is at 104 and climbing and his heart is beating erratically."

Wasp spoke with a scared voice, "He doesn't have long, guys."

"He's not the only one." Iron Man informs them, "We don't know how many of us were exposed. J.A.R.V.I.S., analysis on this virus. Anything in your data banks?"

"Nothing, sir."

Cap began to move his head and groan. Echo watched him worriedly as she stealthily slipped her hand into his while Iron Man laid his hand on his shoulder, "Easy, pal." Cap attempted to sit up, but fell back down weakly, "Try not to move."

Cap opened his eyes and looked at Iron Man and Echo watched him in confusion as he whispered to himself, "Oh, no. Not this. Not him."

Echo's confusion was short-lived when Wasp held her head and began to stumble. She groans, "I don't feel so hot." Wasp groans and then falls back and Echo lets go of Cap's hand and rushes around the bed and catches Wasp before she hits the ground. She carries her bridal style and lays on her on a bed next to Cap's. Iron Man steps towards her, "Kasey, look." Echo looks at Wasp and watches with worried eyes as her skin begins to change a dark red like Cap's.

Echo looks at Iron Man, "It might just be a matter of time for all of us." She sighs, "Not to mention anyone exposed on the streets outside." Echo pulls out a syringe, "We need samples from both of them. From there, we might be able to use them to synthesize an antidote."

As Echo draws blood from Wasp, J.A.R.V.I.S. begins to speak, "Sir, incoming call. Secretary of Defense Rusk on secure channel Alpha."

"Rusk? He wants to talk now?" Iron Man questions in disbelief.

Rusk appears on a screen behind Iron Man, "You Avengers have finally crossed the line." He narrows his eyes, "Storing dangerous biotech weapons in the heart of Manhattan?" Iron Man moves towards the screen and Echo follows, standing in the background as she draws blood from Cap. Rusk continues, "This is precisely what I've been talking about."