Steel screamed like a trapped animal. The bridge span sagged six feet in a split second. Cars slid toward the dip, crunching together. Somewhere in the chaos, a horn blared, muffled like it was underwater.
Spider-Man's web line hummed tight. His shoulders burned like fire. "Kids," he gasped, trying to sound chill, "keep your eyes on the nice lady. Don't panic. We've got this—mostly."
Natasha stayed calm, like she was directing traffic on a sunny day. "You're okay," she said to a wide-eyed girl. "Step by step. Good job. Keep moving, just like that." She handed a boy through the broken window to Cap, who balanced on the railing like it was no big deal.
Iron Man braced his suit against the tower, pouring thrust into the crossbeam. "I'm compensating here," Tony said over comms, voice strained. "But it's not enough. We're gonna lose the midspan if this keeps up."
"Give me options, Stark," Cap said, his tone sharp but steady.
"Don't have any good ones," Tony shot back. "I can weld patches, but he keeps repopulating the housings as fast as I clear 'em. It's like fighting a virus with a blowtorch."
"Then stop clearing everything," Rex said through gritted teeth. He spread his fingers wider on the bus shell, pushing more nanites into the structure. "Just hold what matters most. Focus on the key spots."
Cop sirens wailed from both ends of the bridge. NYPD officers started reversing cars on the Manhattan side, waving arms wildly. "Back up! Back up now!" one yelled. "Get off the bridge!"
Van Kleiss strolled the far catwalk, like he was at an art show. He dragged his fingers along the railing, leaving a black sheen that pulsed. A news drone zoomed in on his face. He glanced at the camera and smiled—thin and cold. The feed cut to static.
Rex watched him, rage boiling up. "He thinks he owns this place," Rex muttered. "Like it's all his to play with."
"He doesn't," Cap said firmly. "And he won't. Not on our watch." He leaped onto the bus roof next to Natasha and passed two more kids to the back. "You holding up okay?"
"Always," Natasha replied, cool as ever. She didn't glance down at the drop. "But the driver's pinned under the steering column. Leg's crushed."
"I'll get him out," Cap said. "Cover me."
Spider-Man shifted his feet, webs straining. "Please get him fast, Cap. My spider-sense is screaming overtime here."
Rex shouted without turning. "Don't tell me to hurry!" He closed his eyes, reaching deeper into the bus's metal. He felt the tower's skin, the cable housings, the greasy orders Van Kleiss left like fingerprints. He couldn't rip them all out, but he could jam the signal.
He commanded the local nanites: Listen to me. Ignore the other voice.
The steel's hum shifted pitch.
Tony's HUD flickered. "Whoa, whatever you just did, kid—the spike dropped twenty percent. How'd you pull that off?"
Rex opened his eyes, breathing hard. "He's not a god," he said. "He's just loud. I can be louder when it counts."
Van Kleiss tilted his head across the river, like he heard every word. His smile thinned, eyes narrowing.
The span settled a tiny bit—not much, but enough to buy time.
Cap slid into the bus, wedging his shield against a seat frame. He levered the column up just enough. The driver let out a sob. Cap lifted him carefully and passed him to Natasha. She guided him to the window. "Go now," she said. "You're almost out."
The bus shifted again. Spider-Man swore under his breath. "Guys, this isn't funny anymore."
"I know," Rex said, arm trembling. "I know. Just a little longer."
"Stark," Cap called, "we need a new brace here. Something solid."
"I can throw hardpoints," Tony said. "But I'm not sure they'll hold against this mess."
"Throw them anyway," Cap ordered. "We'll make it work."
Tony fired micro-spreaders that sank into the steel, deploying thick polymer ropes. They snapped tight, locking the bus from three angles. "There," Tony muttered. "I'm gonna hate the invoice for that tech."
"Send it to the nice vampire guy," Spider-Man said, managing a weak grin. "Bet he's got deep pockets."
The last kid scrambled out. Natasha swung to the rail, dropped to the catwalk, and climbed back up smooth as silk. "We're clear," she said. "Everyone's out."
"Not quite clear," Tony warned, HUD pinging. "He just jumped to the East River plant. Spikes lighting up at the intake valves."
"He's moving already?" Cap asked, voice tense.
"He's everywhere the grid touches now," Tony explained. "Power lines, water systems—it's spreading like wildfire."
Rex stared at his hand on the bus, arm shaking bad. He pulled back. "Okay, that's it."
Spider-Man hissed. "What are you doing? Don't let go!"
Rex retracted his palm an inch and slapped it against the tower face. "Patching the order," he said. He shoved orange light into the steel, commanding silently: Mine. All mine.
The crawling threads flattened and went still.
"Go," Rex said to Spider-Man, pulling away.
"Go where?" Spidey asked, finally easing off his webs.
"After him," Rex said, swallowing hard. "You swing fast. I'll run the rails. We can't let him touch the water supply."
Cap locked eyes with Tony through the suit's visor. "Can you hold this bridge together?"
Tony rolled his neck, thrusters whining. "No promises, Cap. But I'll give it my best Stark charm. Go get him."
"Romanoff," Cap said, "you're with me. Spidey, take Rex and move."
Spider-Man glanced at the river, then the glowing city skyline. "Copy that." He fired a web line past Rex, yanking them both to the deck. They hit hard and started running. "You sure about this, Rex? Chasing that creep sounds like a bad sequel."
"I've chased him before," Rex said, feet pounding. "We stop him now, or the whole city turns."
Behind them, the bridge groaned but held. Tony floated, blasting welds and cursing under his breath. "Come on, you oversized erector set—stay up!" Cap directed the last stragglers off. "Keep moving, people! You're almost safe." Natasha slipped through the chaos like a shadow, covering their backs.
News feeds blew up with chyrons: TEEN HERO HOLDS BUS. WHO IS HE? IS THIS TERRORISM? WHAT ARE NANITES? Reporters shouted from choppers overhead. "Avengers on scene—bridge stabilized for now!"