//------------------------------// // Chapter 85 – Recompense // Story: Infinity Era // by JDPrime22 //------------------------------// 85 Earth S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier 10:28 a.m. S.H.I.E.L.D. made a new arm for Bucky. The rest of the Helicarrier bustled about planning battle strategies, listened carefully and conversed with Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, and Stephen Strange on what they were going to do next. How they were going to achieve that. If they were even able to. Others were sent to the medical bay, their own guest beds, to recover and recuperate until the inevitable call to action arrived. As for James Buchanan Barnes, he sat in one of the many guest rooms, alone on the bedside as he tended to his new limb. The metal was slim and shiny, silver and black vibranium decorating the exterior. Soft blue lights shimmered like veins across the arm’s surface, the undeniable S.H.I.E.L.D. logo alive and vibrant on Barnes’ new, metal hand. Bucky flexed his palm, fingers bending in and out as he tried and tested the arm to his liking. A lot of fancy doodads, too much for James to understand. It came equipped with an EMP, X-Ray Projector, electronic comms link, and an Energy Shield. A simple, normal arm would have sufficed, but Fitz and Simmons were really persistent to equip him with the best of the best. As Barnes tampered and flexed with his palm and wrist, the door to the guest room slid open. All alone in the near-pitch black room, several empty beds resting beside him, James Barnes turned to see the door open and a burly figure standing within the light. Bucky instantly jolted upwards, tightened his muscles, and left his guard on an all-time high. Even through the shadows, he could still make out Frank Castle’s figure standing before him. Neither one of them parted on particularly common ground. The last Barnes ever saw of Castle was his killer’s smile staring at him from across the Quinjet, saying with as much assurance as any man could give: “This isn’t over.” For two years, Barnes felt at ease within Wakanda, the most secured nation in the world. Knowing well that he would be protected. Even then, a part of Barnes always looked over his shoulder, wondering if somehow, someway, Castle would follow through on his word. He had him now. When everyone was getting put back together, making battle plans, or literally anywhere else on the entire Helicarrier, there he was. Frank Castle had Bucky Barnes alone. James expected a gun, a knife, a fist, anything to be pointed in his direction in a threatening manner. He never expected him to sigh, press his shoulder against the door frame, and try to meet Bucky’s eyes. “Hey, Barnes…” Castle muttered, dropping his gaze away from Bucky. His hands fell into his torn combat pants’ pockets, the Punisher grumbling softly to himself. Trying to think of what to say. It wasn’t necessarily easy for him. He sighed, saying it anyway. Screw it. “What you did back there… for me… You know, I appreciate it.” Flashes of the demonic beast charging Frank Castle came as muzzle flashes from the end of his LMG’s barrel. The beast lied dead, Barnes turning to Frank. The two meeting each other’s eyes. Then an axe, a scream, and very little else that Barnes could clearly remember. Another flash actually showed Frank Castle pulling James to his feet, wrapping his remaining arm across his shoulder, and dragging him out of the war. Bucky’s mouth fell slightly. Not a single breath left him. His guard, so very softly, fell. “For what it’s worth… thanks for pulling me out of there,” Barnes replied. Castle lifted his eyes, saw as Barnes raised his hand. His human palm, no metal and no robotics visible. Just him. Just Bucky. “Are we good?” he asked. He hesitated. Frank only often stared onto James Barnes as the Winter Soldier, as the weapon of HYDRA used to murder dozens of people throughout history. A murderer. A killer. Every time Frank let him get away, he always regretted it, because he knew someone always got hurt because of Barnes. But things were different. Things changed. The universe was at stake and so many more people would die… if Frank didn’t keep his focus on far more important things. So that’s why he stepped forward and met Bucky’s hand with a firm shake. “Yeah… we’re good.” Neither man smiled to one another. The handshake was firm enough, strong enough for both to push what happened behind them. Once and for all. Bucky turned to the face of his hand, watching and listening in as the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo pulsated and cried out. Not only his hand, but everywhere. The Helicarrier roared to life. A call went out, a brief and distinct Maria Hill ordering everyone into the bridge for a debrief. Frank and Barnes met each other’s eyes, a firm nod sent to Bucky, both men entering the Helicarrier’s hallways for the short journey back into the fray. But deep within the massive ship, hidden in the Helicarrier’s laboratories, Jemma Simmons and Daisy Johnson and Melinda May all lifted their heads in unison to the intercoms scattered about the ceiling. They all heard the same message, knew the same thing, knew exactly what was coming and what they had achieved. Daisy turned from May to Simmons, nodding to both of them. Especially to Jemma. Especially to the syringe filled with the Centipede Serum lying on the lab tray. It had been tireless work that had lasted several sleepless hours, a project meant to be kept in secret in fear over all of it being forcefully scrapped. It was a thankless effort, knowing the recipient of the serum would never accept it, someone who had already accepted death and was currently standing on that doorstep. May leaned forward, grasping the serum between her fingers and gently tightened her palm around it. What she held was Phil Coulson’s only hope to live again. Knowing what would happen if Phil ever found it, all three knew they had to hide it, give it to Coulson at the appropriate time and place. With the current circumstances, it just wasn’t the time. Daisy offered her hand to May, the two women looking into one another and seeing that promise, that assurance both so desperately desired. May somehow managed to release her grasp from the serum, handing if off to Johnson and watching her work. Studying the orange liquid only momentarily, Daisy carefully slid the syringe in her Quake Gauntlet. For safe keeping. Knowing no one but them knew where to look for it. And when the time was right… they would save Phil Coulson. Knowing he wouldn’t even try in that regard. With that, the group of three split and entered the Helicarrier’s bridge individually, not to cause any arising suspicions from anyone seeing them walking together. When they all eventually entered, everyone else was already present and accounted for. Every Avenger, Guardian, Defender, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, simply everyone crowding together and around the large table near the end of the bridge. Sitting around that table was Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, those who followed them standing around, listening, waiting. Danny Rand, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage were given new clothes from their torn ones, and their wounds tended to by professionals. Matthew Murdock, T’Challa, and Peter Quill sat alongside Stark and Rogers, the five men exchanging glances with silence. The Hulk stumbled around, Thor and Natasha keeping him calm and doing their best to avoid any sense of anger or anxiety from the Incredible Hulk. The near-mindless beast didn’t seem to be in the fighting mood at the moment anyway. As long as Natasha was by his side, his heart rate remained cautious and calm. Doctor Strange consulted with Fury, Coulson, and Shuri near the command consoles of the Helicarrier. Former director Nick Fury tapped away at the holographic maps, showcasing current video footage of Wakanda via satellites. The African nation burned softly, plumes of ash and smoke flowing in the direction of the current wind trails. A storm of epic proportions was already swirling over the nation, preventing any further access to Wakanda. Shuri stared onto the footage with heavy eyes, caressing her mother’s necklace over and over again. Rubbing his goatee, Doctor Strange shook his head and broke away from the video footage. He didn’t need some hindered technology to tell him what was hiding underneath the storm. He knew what attacked Wakanda. He saw what fell from heaven and struck the earth, burned the city, and roared out to the stars with the strength of a thousand megaton bombs. He knew because he saw it all once before. He knew it would come. He knew what they needed to do to respond. Stepping away, Strange said, “Turn it off.” Nick, Coulson, and Shuri exchanged a glance before gazing onto Stephen’s backside. “Oh, you got a better look, Doctor?” Fury called out, Maria Hill breaking away from her march around the bridge to gaze onto Fury and Strange. “You could say that,” Strange muttered under his breath. Curious on that, all three followed close behind Strange to the table where the majority surrounded. Stephen took the stage, pressing through Drax and Jessica so he could gather everyone’s eyes. He cleared his throat. “Can I have your attention please?” He got just that. Every eye, every head, every breath turned towards Doctor Stephen Strange. The Sorcerer Supreme stood with so little by his side, so many standing with the tide headed his way. He faced it by staring into the eyes of those who hurt the most, those who had lost more than Strange could ever imagine. Yet if they did nothing, if they didn’t come together to face the oncoming war… then they all would lose even more in the long run. So much more. He began. “I know… these days have been hard. Hard for most of us… harder for others. There are words I can never make to ease every single one of you… but that’s why we’re not here to ease. The only way any of us make it out of this mess alive is if we come together and put an end to Thanos’ plans.” “What are his plans?” Daisy asked, crossing her arms, covering her gauntlets from Phil’s turning eyesight. “Wakanda,” Fury began. Steve lifted his eyes away from his gloved-palm and turned them onto Nick, watching as he addressed everyone—especially T’Challa. “Whatever fell out of the sky and struck the capital city is still residing in that very nation. Whatever attacked Wakanda came from Equus. Whatever is in Wakanda… the Chitauri are starting to congregate towards it in their biggest invasion force yet.” “It’s all or nothing for them,” Coulson added. Strange picked up for Fury, stating, “Thanos is heading to Wakanda. That much is clear. From what Gamora told us, the Soul Stone is residing in that nation, and Thanos needs it to fulfill his genocidal plans. Stark and I experienced Thanos firsthand on Equus. Even with the numbers we had back then… it wasn’t nearly enough to stop him. So… we need more.” “What are you suggesting, Doctor?” Natasha asked, looking up from the Hulk’s hand she was soothing. The rumbling Hulk exhaled heavily through his nostrils, gazing onto the crowd of extra-ordinary people and remaining in silence. In silence… such a new concept for him. The Hulk snorted and let Natasha continue to rub his open palm. Gazing at the Black Widow, the Sorcerer Supreme held a certain wisdom in his eyes. Something she could never fully understand, that none of them could truly fathom. Instead, he took the next necessary step forward. “Simple,” he said. “A reunion.” Everyone who wasn’t staring at him did at that utterance. “We can’t fight this war alone. We need allies… and I got the perfect bunch in mind.” Almost as if he could tell time itself—to which no one really denied nor accepted—a plethora of orange sparks appeared in the bridge of the Helicarrier. Agents rose from their seats, reaching for their pistols, but were all stopped by Maria Hill’s voice. She ordered them to keep their weapons holstered, gazing into the orange sparks and witnessing multiple portals forming. And out of each came several sorcerers, both young and old wielding ancient weapons and determination prime in their glares. Leading them was Wong, the Wand of Watoomb twirled in his hand and resting by his side. He sent a firm nod towards Strange. They were ready. They were all ready, waiting on the word from the Sorcerer Supreme. And while the rest of the Helicarrier was dead silent, struck in awe and wonder to the sight before them, it was Stark who cleared his throat and raised his hand. “Well, surely you don’t mean this is it? I mean, no offense, but an army of a dozen or more sorcerers isn’t gonna be enough to stop Thanos,” Stark explained, Stephen facing him and for the first time since they had known each other… offered a smirk Tony Stark would have more than approved. “It’s not,” Strange replied. “Who said we only had allies on Earth?”