"Natasha?"
Tony Stark took a sip of his drink as he watched his friend pass smoothly through Hawk Group's security. Natasha walked up beside him.
Looking at Tony lying on a stretcher, casually holding a can of cola, she said calmly,"Pepper Potts and Rhodey were found injured at the site of the presidential attack."
Tony's expression tightened."How are Pepper and Rhodey?" His voice carried unmistakable worry.
Natasha rested a hand on his shoulder."They're receiving treatment. Hawk Group's medical team has things under control."
Tony set the can aside, clenching his fist."I should've been there. I should've protected them."
"You can't be everywhere, Tony," Natasha said firmly. "Right now, your recovery matters."
Tony hesitated—but nodded.
"Let's talk business," Natasha continued. "Before Pepper and Rhodey were evacuated, Clinton visited the scene. That's when he discovered something."
"What?"
"They were both under the influence of the Mind Scepter."
Tony frowned. "Loki's weapon?"
"Yes."
Tony went quiet for a moment. "So Aldrich wasn't acting alone."
"Correct. Aldrich is already dead—taken down by Hawk Group's new superhuman, Zed. Captain America even clashed with him."
"Why?"
Natasha explained everything that happened in the Immortal Kingdom.
When she finished, Tony exhaled slowly."So what does Fury think?"
"It's HYDRA," Natasha said coldly. "They never disappeared."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Proof?"
"Multiple sources. Hawk Group confirmed it. Their headquarters was attacked, Hollywood was hit, the president was targeted—and Europe is burning too."
"Europe?"
"Yes. Smaller-scale battles, but the trail leads back to Hawk Group and Umbrella Corporation."
Tony drank the rest of his cola in silence.
A moment later, he asked, "Let me talk to Fury."
Natasha handed him her phone.
"Nick Fury. It's Tony."
The line was silent—then Fury spoke.
"Tony, the Avengers need to assemble again."
Tony frowned. "That serious?"
"The Extremis threat is escalating. We don't have a choice."
"We need more intel," Tony replied. "How it works. How it controls minds."
"We're working on it," Fury said. "But time's running out."
Tony stood up. "Then we coordinate. Find the real leader behind Extremis."
"Agreed. I'll contact the others."
"We'll use Avengers Tower as command," Tony added.
"Done."
Tony handed the phone back, smirking."Looks like I'm going to rust if I stay in bed any longer."
Natasha raised an eyebrow."So, does Mr. Couch Potato like pretty women?"
"Every fat guy does," Tony said, tossing the empty can perfectly into the trash.
Elsewhere
Following clues uncovered by Hawkeye, Captain America tracked the hidden force controlling Loki's Mind Scepter.
The forest was silent.
Too silent.
Steve Rogers tightened his grip on his shield.
Footsteps.
Figures in black emerged, weapons drawn.
One charged first—Steve dodged, countered, and dropped him with a single punch.
More attackers closed in.
Steve moved like a predator—shield blocking blades and bullets, fists striking with precision. He charged, rolled, leapt, and struck without pause.
Gunfire erupted.
Bullets slammed into his shield. Some hit his armor, rattling his body—but he kept moving.
He disarmed one attacker mid-air, kicked another aside, and deflected bullets back into the crowd.
The battlefield became chaos—craters, smoke, steel, and fire.
Then—an opening.
Steve surged forward, smashing one enemy down, disarming another, and breaking the formation entirely.
One by one, they fell.
Breathing heavily, Steve approached a wounded man."Who sent you?"
The man bit down.
Blood.
Dead.
Steve froze.
That cold resolve—he'd seen it before.
Slowly, he raised his head and whispered:
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