Chapter 5

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(Nick Fury)

The invasion begun suddenly and without warning. Fury hadn't been sure about the Avengers Initiative but he'd known that it was the less destructive option. A contrast to the World Council's plan to compete with civilizations that had a leg up in technology.

It hadn't made sense then, it still didn't now. However to be completely honest, his Avengers Initiative made even less sense. All that fury had going for him was belief, belief and faith in the candidates chosen. Whether it would prove to be enough or not was something he had to see for himself.

In the meantime, he was going to do everything possible to ensure that the Council's plan to send a nuke to destroy Manhattan was something that did not become a reality.

(The Ancient One)

She had felt it again. A power of incredible magnitudes. It was highly likely that she had only sensed it because the power had let her. She feared the changes in the timeline the temporal fluctuations happening could bring about.

The time stone in her hands was acting strangely. Resonating with whoever was messing with time. Whoever it was, the Ancient One knew a lost battle when she saw one. If she tried to overstep and dig her nose in whatever business the Cosmic Being was involved in...her death would be the least of her worries. Even the earth probably wouldn't be spared.

The Vishanti were silent to all her beckons. She decided to do the same. Her death would serve nothing now. She had to wait until Strange was ready.

"Forgive me."

She said softly into the air.

(Ash)

"Are you okay son?"

Ash smiled at the middle aged balding man.

"Yeah, sorry about the whole crashing inside your office space."

He said, trying to get up.

"What happened?"

Another man, younger and wearing a black shirt questioned.

"Top secret government experiment gone wrong." Ash shook his head.

"Don't ask."

He interrupted another woman from asking another question.

"Aren't you a little...too young?"

Anthony asked, amid the conversation going on around them.

Ash ignored him, walking towards the door of the office. He could feel the crowd watching him as his palm pressed on the fire alarm.

"What are you doing?!"

Anthony shouted just as the crowd begun to get restless.

"It's a top secret government experiment, how else do you think we'll cover it up?"

"They... they're going to disappear us."

He had no idea who said it first. But someone did. You could always count on a conspiracy theorist being around. All of a sudden, commotion broke out as everybody pushed and shoved each other to get to the stairs. In a few short minutes the whole office was empty.

Ash lost the smile on his face as hi gaze went cold. They were going to pay. Those shits were going to pay for torturing him.

He looked at the clock on the wall. 10.44. about any time now. He unwrapped the towel in his hips and walked over to a case holding an emergency axe to be used in case of a fire. Wrapping the towel around his fist, he pulled back his hand and punched the glass.

Then again and again. Despite a few cracks appearing, Ash found out that he didn't possess the strength needed to break the glass with his fist, so he used his elbow. He winced in pain as the glass broke, shards digging into the skin of his arm. But he was in. And just in time too.

The whole building trembled as explosions rocked it's sides. Ash's eyes surveyed the ceiling, alternating between it, the window and the clock. A second later something crashed through the windows, sending pieces of glass flying out into an empty room.

4 Chitauri soldiers hefting futuristic weapons walked around, guns ready to fire. Ash hid himself behind a desk. The weight of the axe comforting him and giving him the courage he needed. Further in they walked, chittering and clicking amongst themselves. It seemed as if they were planning to leave after finding no humans inside to terrorize.

Ash's heart hammered inside his chest. Adrenaline coursing through his veins. He dared to peek around the desk and saw the Chitauri start to turn back. He glanced at the clock again. The slow tick of the second hand approaching a full minute.

It was almost time. He crouched, holding the axe with both of his hands. His senses begun feeding him information at a rate faster than normal. This phenomenon had already happened once and this time he embraced it. His eyesight became sharper, his nose more sensitive and his ears could pick up sound better.

At precisely 10:47, Ash sprang up, lunging out of his hiding spot in the fastest speed he could go at. He didn't think, he didn't shout, he just advanced like a silent grim reaper. The Chitauri he was aiming for felt dread overcome it. It shivered in fear and wildly turned back in panic.

The last thing it saw was blue eyes that lacked any emotion. Ash swung the axe with full force, the metal head slashed out and landed on the neck of the Chitauri. Blue blood sprayed out as the axe managed to cut almost all the way.

The other 3 were just realizing that something was happening when an explosion made the whole room shudder. The ceiling caved in and a dust cloud covered everything. Ash had timed his attack for that specific instant when the floor above was destroyed by an explosion.

The Chitauri with the axe buried in its neck tried to move but choked on its own blood. Ash let go of the Axe and wrapped his hands around the Chitauri weapon. The thing was heavy but in his adrenaline fueled state, he just about managed to lift it. He slotted his arm inside the control mechanism and latched onto what he suspected was the trigger.

Then silently, Ash walked to a desk that was positioned to look at the windows and steadied his aim on it. He knew where the others were. He could hear them chittering and clicking, calling out to their fallen member. A surge of anger overcame Ash as he remembered how they had tortured him.

No Mercy!

The weapon lit up when he pulled on the latch inside. Knowing that kickback was a thing, he hunched up his shoulders and used his heels to steady himself on the leg of the desk. The dust cleared out slightly as one of the Chitauri followed the choking sounds of the first one.

Almost...almost...

Ash pulled on the trigger. His hand jumped up at the force, the energy particles leaving the weapon with a sudden hum. The bolt slammed onto the chest of the Chitauri and threw it back and out of the building, a smoking injury on it's chest.

Ash sprang out of his hiding spot. They now knew where he was. The desk he had been hiding on, was instantly showered with energy bolts until it ended up looking like swiss cheese. He ground his teeth and rolled away from that position.

The firing stopped but Ash knew it wasn't a good sign. If they were firing it meant he knew where they were, when they weren't, they could sneak up on him. He took a breath and listened...he heard hurried steps running towards the desk he had been in earlier and prepared himself.

The third Chitauri jumped over the desk and came down on Ash with a blade on it's wrist aimed for his chest. They had figured out where he was. He raised the weapon he had in his hands and pulled the trigger once more. This time he missed, only managing to vaporize the Chitauri's left leg from its body.

The alien squeaked in pain, as Ash tried to roll away from its trajectory. He was too slow though and although the Chitauri was hurt, it managed to get some payback. Ash felt the cold blade in its wrists dig through his hips, barely missing some vital organs but giving him a fatal wound nonetheless.

"Aaargghh!"

He couldn't keep the screams of pain in. Knowing this was life or death, Ash pointed the weapon onto the face of the snarling Chitauri with it's blade inside him and pulled the trigger. The energy bolt blasted it's face off, liquefying the brains and showering Ash with blue blood and bits of alien gray matter.

He gagged, stomping down on the urge to puke because of the pain in his hips and the disgusting pieces of flesh in his mouth.

The hum of a machine made him look to the side, only to lay flat as a Chitauri glider passed over where his head had been. Ash aimed the energy weapon at The glider, ready to pull the trigger at the first sign of gray skin. The glider stopped a couple of feet away, turning out to be empty as the Chitauri who had been on it...

Ash felt a thunk on his chest. The glider had been a distraction, a feint as the last Chitauri had jumped off it and came down on Ash's body with a wrist blade poised to attack. The pain in his chest was immense. The Chitauri removed it's mask with it's other hand and screamed at Ash in rage and pride for besting him.

Ash tried to take a breath and failed, blood flowing from the corner of his lips. He felt the darkness inch in. He groaned in pain as the blade in the Chitauri's wrist dug deeper into his heart. Looking into the eyes of this particular Chitauri, Ash knew it was the very one that had tortured him before. It was smart and cruel.

"Next..." He coughed out blood as the Chitauri leaned in closer to his face, it's alien breath hitting Ash and further adding to his pain.

"Next...time... I'm going to kill you..."

Ash promised, eyes blazing with resolve and hate.

The Chitauri rose up, it didn't like the defiant look in the eyes of this one human. This human that had killed three of it's brethren.

Slowly removing the sword stuck in Ash's chest, the Chitauri smiled in glee, increasing the pain the boy was feeling to insane levels. Ash's eyes were wide with agony. He tried to raise up the energy weapon in his right hand but the alien stepped on his hand. Then the left hand as well. Buckling his weight did not help. The Chitauri was methodical.

After the blade was out, a spray of blood launched out of the wound and Ash could tell he only had a few seconds before he died. But those few seconds were filled with the worst pain he had ever experienced.

The Chitauri brought the blade down on Ash's left eye, then slowly, it stabbed through...

Ash's dying screams could be heard for miles.

Loops remaining: 14/20.