Crack, click.
In the hall, now frozen like an ice cave, the entire floor began to sink. Metal plates fell one by one, and a platform rose in their place, covered with rows of equipment.
In the restroom, Steve Rogers—knocked out earlier by his elderly self—suddenly opened his eyes. Confusion flashed in his gaze, but his face quickly grew serious.
"An enemy?"
He stood, bent down to pick up his Vibranium shield from the ground, and his eyes sharpened. Whatever was happening, the others needed to know.
"WTF…"
As he pushed open the stall door, young Rogers froze at the sight before him. A battle was about to erupt—and in the middle of the Avengers stood another Captain America.
"Hey, can someone explain why there are two Rogers?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Tony Stark caught sight of Steve standing dazed in the doorway. He was in the middle of equipping his Iron Man suit, but froze in shock.
The others also turned, staring in disbelief at the two Captains standing side by side.
"Friday, go live."
Shaking off the surprise, Tony spread his arms. Metal parts quickly locked into place over his body. The faceplate sealed shut, and Tony inserted a small metal panel into the chest unit—the backup core database of J.A.R.V.I.S.
At the same time, his backup AI, Friday, came online.
"Boss, Friday reporting. Mark 7 armor fully operational. Systems stable. Weapons online. Arc reactor output optimal. Internet connection secured."
Data streamed rapidly across Tony's HUD, accompanied by Friday's cool voice.
Whoosh, whoosh.
Two micro-missiles launched from Tony's arm and streaked toward one of Allens' duplicates.
The clone raised both hands, unleashing a blast of freezing air. The missiles instantly crystallized into ice and shattered in midair.
Shua, shua.
Two more duplicates separated from Allens' body, stepping to his left and right. The one on the left pressed a finger to its temple.
Boom, boom, boom!
From outside, the Iron Legion smashed through the reinforced glass and hovered into the hall. Six armored suits floated menacingly in formation, making the space even tighter.
"Hey Tony, how do you feel about this?"
Natasha Romanoff drew her pistols, aiming them squarely at the drones as she glanced at Stark.
"F***k…"
Tony's face darkened inside the helmet. His own creations had been turned against him—leaving him no choice but to curse under his breath.
"Forget the two Captains for now. Our real enemy is Allens."
The older Captain America—future Rogers—spoke with grave determination. The younger Rogers immediately recognized the truth. Whatever this double of himself was, Allens was the immediate threat.
"Agreed."
The young Captain nodded firmly, lifted his Vibranium shield, and squared his shoulders.
"Avengers… assemble!"
His voice rang out, deeper and more commanding than before. The team immediately formed a battle circle, locking their sights on Allens.
Now fully armed, they stood ready: Iron Man, War Machine, Falcon, Hawkeye with his bow drawn, Natasha with her pistols, Thor crackling with lightning—and not one, but two Captain Americas, both gripping Vibranium shields.
"Bring me the scepter."
Allens raised his hand. A sofa slid across the room to land behind him. He sat casually, leaning forward with a cold smile at the corners of his mouth.
At his command, four duplicates stepped forward.
Allens had named them personally: Absorber No. 1, Freezer No. 2, Mechanic No. 3, and Telekinetic No. 4.
Each clone embodied a distinct power.
Bang, bang, bang!
Natasha opened fire, unloading both pistols at Absorber No. 1. Energy rounds sparked against its body—only for its muscles to transform instantly into solid rock. The shots left no mark.
Peng!
Absorber No. 1 charged, its massive footsteps cracking the floor. It seized Natasha in a stone fist and slammed her brutally into the ground. Bones snapped under the impact.
"Cough… cough…"
Blood trickled from her lips as pain wracked her body.
Boom!
Mjolnir smashed into the rocky duplicate, knocking it backward. Thor caught the hammer and summoned a storm of lightning.
"Boom!"
The hammer struck with thunderous force, but No. 1 shifted again, its body morphing into Vibranium. Catching Mjolnir in its hand, it stopped the blow cold.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Behind it, Hawkeye loosed a flurry of explosive arrows. But Telekinetic No. 4 raised a finger and bent them midair, sending the arrows streaking back toward Barton himself.
"Shit!"
Sweat beaded on Hawkeye's brow as he loosed another volley to intercept the incoming arrows, detonating them before they reached him.
"This room is too tight. How about we take this fight outside?"
Tony's voice boomed from his speakers, metallic but steady. He rocketed upward, blasting through the gap in the wall and out toward the open-air landing pad.
"As you wish."
The Iron Legion followed, swarming after him. The battlefield was about to expand.
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