Higher Further Faster (Universe 13,400,063)

Chapter 16

"Anyone copy?" Thor asked. 

"Their communications are cut." Rhodey said. 

"How the hell did this happen?" Carol didn't like this at all. 

"Rhodey, can you see them?" Thor told him. 

"I got several enemies in the distance." Carol announced. 

"Get out of there Rhodey!" Thor yelled. 

"Hold it. I got them." Rhodey was starting to get stressed out. 

"Come one buddy!" Thor commanded. 

"Rhodes, Danvers, and Odinson. Head back to base now!" Fury stormed at the team. 

"We're not leaving without them!" Carol argued. 

"Follow the orders!" Rhodey yelled. 

"I'm going in. There's no way all of us are making it out." Thor made a quick plan. 

"Thor no!" Carol said in disagreement. 

"Leave now! I'll give you guys cover." Thor had made the final decision. 

Thor's plane was hit with a missile, and exploded midair. Carol yelled, not wanting to believe what had happened.

"Thor!" Carol screamed. 

"We gotta go Danvers." Rhodey told her. 

"We can't risk another life." Steve stated. 

Both planes left the area despite Carol's attempts to stay. 

"You got the group?" Agent Hill asked. 

"Yeah. They barely made it." Rhodey replied. 

"Is Odinson the only one?" She continued. 

"Yes. One too many." Rhodey said. 

"You got the information as well?" Agent Hill wondered. 

"Wilson has it." Rhodey responded. 

"When you get back, Fury will be waiting." She addressed. 

Rhodey turned off the communications. Steve, Bucky, and Sam all sat in the back silently. They were still processing what had just happened. Carol flew right behind Rhodey. She quietly let the tears fall down her face. She had just watched her best friend die, and she couldn't do anything about it. 

"Are you still there Avenger?" Rhodey asked.

"Yeah." Carol whispered sadly. 

Carol wiped the tears away before continuing her conversation with Rhodey.

"It was one too many." He sounded sad as well. 

"I regret my decision of leaving." Carol murmured. 

"We had to do it." Rhodey responded to her. 

"I wished we didn't." She mumbled. 

She stopped talking after that. Rhodey was concerned for her but didn't say anything. The remainder of the trip was silent. They landed back at the base, and went their separate ways. Carol went to her room without even looking at anyone. She called Maria, and waited for her to answer.

"What's the matter?" Maria wondered. 

"Today is Laos, our mission went really badly." Carol was still processing what happened. 

"How?" She was slightly confused. 

"We were surprised attacked." Carol continued. 

"And?" Maria asked. 

Carol paused for a moment, not wanting to tell her the rest of the story.

"Please don't tell me..." She pieced it together. 

"We had one casualty." Carol said quietly. 

"Oh no..." Maria sounded just as sad. 

"Thor was killed in action." Carol forced herself to speak. 

Carol felt tears stream down her face, but didn't bother to wipe them away. Maria just sat at the end of the phone, feeling bad for her best friend. Both of them sat there quietly, not knowing what to say next. 

"Are you going to be okay?" Maria sounded concerned. 

"I'll be fine." Carol fought the thoughts in her head. 

"You don't sound like it." She said. 

"I'll be okay." She replied. 

Carol ended the call, and just sat there. She held Thor's jacket in her hands. It was the only thing she had left. She put it on before leaving her room. 

"Fury wants us in the meeting room." Sam looked at his friend sadly. 

Sam and Carol both walked there, where they met with the rest of the group.

"You got the information Bucky?" Fury said. 

"Yeah." Bucky responded. 

He pulled a small flash drive out of his pocket and placed it on the table. 

"We are done with any other missions until we sort all of this out." Fury added. 

"We lost our best pilot." Steve commented. 

"How is S.H.I.E.L.D going to solve that?" Rhodey asked. 

"Give it time. We figure it out. Until then, the only thing we have to do is tell his family." Fury said. 

"Who's going to do it?" Sam wondered. 

"I'll do it. He was my best friend. It's on me." Carol spoke for the first time since the meeting started. 

"Do you know where they live?" Fury asked. 

"Yes." She answered. 

"I have to tell the US government what happened. So until I get back, you guys can do what you want." Fury clarified. 

"I better get going. His family is going to be devastated." She stated. 

Carol left the room, but Rhodey stopped her. 

"I'm coming with you." He looked at her. 

"Okay." She didn't even try and stop him. 

They both headed onto one of the planes. When they got to Australia, Rhodey drove to Thor's family. When they got there, Carol rang the door bell.

"Who is it?" Frigga asked. 

"Carol Danvers and James Rhodes. We come with bad news." Carol answered. 

"Come in." The two of them entered the house. 

They walked into the house, and Carol continued to speak.

"I have very bad news." Carol looked at his parents. 

"About my son?" Odin asked.

"Thor was killed while on a mission in Laos." She hated saying those words.