Different worlds (a Steve Rogers love story)

Chapter 70 - Smashing Idea

"JARVIS?! How the heck do I land this thing?!"  Hannah yelled as she got to the location of the base.  She thought she'd be better defended if she went all the way in in her transport, and regardless of the risk of losing the element of surprise, she was going to do it anyway.  Besides, she wanted to get to the team as quickly as possible, and that wouldn't happen if she landed, and then went in on foot.
"Push forward with your feet, Miss, and you should land quite nicely!" Jarvis explained over the intercom.
Hannah did as Jarvis said.  Even though it was harder than it looked, she managed to land without making too much noise.
"Jarvis, I need you to track heat signatures and get me to the team.  They can't have gone too far, surely?"
"Putting the signatures up on screen now, Miss Hannah."
With that, Hannah made her way into the base, with no idea what might be waiting for her once inside.

...

"Steve, I've got machinery and heat signatures behind that wall," Tony called from just behind Steve. "Please be a secret door, please be a secret door, DAMN IT!"
The team snapped round to glare at Tony, the end of his sentence had been entirely too loud and it was no surprise that the others were concerned they were going to be found out because of it.  After a few moments spent waiting for the inevitable attack from Jason's men, it was clear nothing was coming.
"Cap, this has gotta be a trap, right?  There's no way no one else in the building heard that," Sam questioned, his brows furrowed as he looked at his friend.
"I know, Sam, but we can't back out now, we've come too far.  I can't believe I'm gonna say this, Hulk?  Smash."
The team stepped back and with one swift punch, the Hulk took the wall out and the Avengers had access to the hidden room.
"While I'm sure there was probably another way in, that sure did speed things up.  Good job buddy, and good call Cap," Tony remarked, earning both smirks, and looks of disapproval from the others.
"Let's move," Steve ordered as he stepped over the pile of rubble where the wall previously stood.

The room they entered was huge, with the far wall hardly visible from where the team stood.  The heavy whir of machinery should have been deafening, but all the engines appeared to be buffered by some sort of insulation, meaning the team could, luckily, still hear each other.  Pipework snaked its way up the walls of the room, from floor to ceiling.  The problem was, none of the equipment gave the team even the slightest idea of what was being produced there, not even Tony Stark, tech genius.
"I've seen a lot of machinery in my time guys, but nothing like this.  This is past even industrial scale, no wonder they don't want anyone easily finding the entrance.  I'd say we need to shut it down, which obviously we do if Meyers is running it, but I haven't got a clue where to even start.  Any takers?  I'm open to suggestions at this point."  Tony remarked as he turned to look around the room, in what could only be described as awe.
"How can one guy have the money to fund something like this?  I don't even think Stark could build something like this on his own."
"Hey!" Tony exclaimed from behind Bucky, furrowing his brows in an attempt to feign disapproval.
"Oh, but I'm not on my own, Mr Barnes, I have plenty of investors willing to fund my work.  It's a shame, Stark, you could have been one of them, but you never gave me the opportunity to ask."  Jason Meyers explained as he emerged from behind a machine in front of the team.
"Like hell I'd work with you anyway, you psychopath!"
"Regardless, like I'd really want to work with someone who took my best agent from me."
"Hannah was never working for you.  You captured her when she was 14 years old and forced her to do your dirty work.  She's not your puppet anymore Meyers, she's free, and you can bet your boots you're gonna pay for what you did to her all these years," Steve yelled from his position at the front of the group.
"Bold words from someone such as yourself Captain."
"What the heck is that supposed to mean?!"
"I'm just saying, your whole life is built on you being a puppet for the United States military.  I personally don't think you should judge me for making someone so similar to you.  Besides, Hydra created your best friend, are you going to give them no credit for that?"
"Hydra didn't make me!  They tore out what was left after I fell and stuffed something else back in.  But I'm my own person now, and anyone who thinks otherwise can say hello to the barrel of my gun, asshole!"  Bucky took his stance, gun pointed at Meyers, but Steve motioned for him not to shoot.  Not yet anyway.

"What is all of this?"  Natasha questioned, never letting her guard down.  She was well aware, as was the whole team, that there were likely a large group of soldiers scattered around the compound, something which Meyers would likely take advantage of if he felt overly threatened.  Just because he was outnumbered in that moment, didn't mean it was going to stay that way for long.
"Ahh, I'm glad you asked, Miss Romanoff.  This," Jason said as he spun around slowly, arms stretched wide, gesturing to his surroundings, "is what is going to strike fear into every superhero from here to Valhalla.  Did you honestly think the substance I used to take away Hannah's powers was all I had?  Oh no, no, no.  These cylinders and pipes contain enough to wipe out every single last one of you.  There is, of course, an alternative."
"Which is?"
"Well, I'm not an unreasonable man, Miss Romanoff.  The world will be given a choice.  All heroes will either lose their powers forever, or they will resign themselves to my cause, and work for me.  What was the phrase you used earlier Captain?  Ah yes, that was it, doing my dirty work."
A smile crept across Jason's face as he finished his sentence.
"You've gotta be goddamn insane if you think anyone within their right mind would choose to work for you!"  Steve yelled across the room.
"Have it your way then Captain.  The world will be defenceless, and it will be because of you!  Time to choose, Avengers.  Join me, or allow the destruction of the universe at my hand.  The clock is ticking, make your move."