The next day, Harry arrived at the SHIELD safehouse in New York, making an entrance that could only be described as "extra." A swirling portal appeared with all the dramatic flair he could muster—light and air bending in impossible shapes. A couple of SHIELD agents stationed by the entrance did the only logical thing when confronted with someone as ridiculous as Harry: they jumped about a foot in the air. Classic.
"Always a fan of the theatrics," Natasha remarked from across the hall, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She was already in full Black Widow mode, looking sharp, like she could slice through someone just by giving them a cold stare.
"Hey, I've got a reputation to maintain," Harry grinned, giving his red and gold armor a mock dust-off. "And besides, the grand entrance is half the fun."
Natasha rolled her eyes, but there was an amused glint in them. "You know, you don't have to make every entrance like you're starring in your own action movie."
"Eh, where's the fun in that? Besides, I've gotta give the SHIELD agents a show. Not every day they see a portal open up and a guy who looks like he stepped out of a superhero comic book."
Natasha sighed, but she was already leading the way down the hall. "Come on, you. Let's get this over with. I've been waiting for you, and I'm not standing here all day while you indulge your ego."
"Fair enough," Harry said, flashing her another grin and falling into step beside her as they walked toward the common area. "You know, it's a good thing I have such a strong ego. Someone has to balance out all the serious, brooding heroes you've got hanging around here."
She shot him a sidelong glance. "If you ever get too full of yourself, just remember, I'm not afraid to knock you down a peg."
"Noted," Harry said, giving her a mock salute.
They made it to the common area, and Harry immediately made a beeline for one of the chairs, dropping into it like it was a throne. Naturally, he sprawled out, legs wide and arms behind his head like he owned the place. Natasha rolled her eyes but didn't comment. After all, Harry did tend to make himself at home in any situation.
"So," Natasha started, folding her arms, "how's the training going at Kamar-Taj? Are Jean, Ororo, and Tonks driving you crazy yet? Or do they still pretend they have control over their powers?"
Harry snorted. "Oh, they're absolutely driving me insane. Jean is like some kind of telekinetic superhero who thinks 'moving things with her mind' is child's play at this point. It's all 'levitate this,' 'move that,' and I'm just sitting there like, 'Do you even know how to turn that off without killing a few hundred people?'"
"And Ororo?" Natasha prompted, smirking. "Still summoning lightning storms for fun?"
Harry's grin widened. "You have no idea. I've had to remind her about fifty times that we don't need her to start thunderstorms in a tiny room, okay? Kamar-Taj's roof was not built to withstand a Category Five hurricane."
"And Tonks?" Natasha asked, clearly enjoying the chaos unfolding in Harry's life.
"Tonks is something else," Harry said, shaking his head. "She's like a walking carnival of weirdness. Shape-shifting into whatever random animal she feels like—usually when I'm trying to focus. There was this one time she turned into a squirrel right in the middle of a really intense meditation session, and I swear, if I had to deal with her becoming a raccoon again, I might have thrown myself off a cliff."
Natasha chuckled at that. "Sounds like you've got your hands full, as usual."
"You have no idea," Harry replied, leaning back in his chair dramatically. "Honestly, if we don't burn the whole place down by accident or summon an ancient god from another dimension before the end of the month, I'll consider it a success."
"Good luck with that," Natasha said, rolling her eyes but still grinning. "So, besides trying to keep them from destroying the world, how's your own training going?"
Harry leaned forward, his hands steepling in mock seriousness. "Well, you know, Kamar-Taj isn't exactly built for a guy like me. I'm a magical Super-Soldier with a wicked cloak and claws. I've been learning how to control this massive power surge inside me, while also pretending like I don't accidentally cause chaos just by breathing too hard."
Natasha gave him a sideways glance. "You always think you've got everything under control until the entire multiverse is about to implode."
Harry gave her a pointed look. "Hey, I've learned from my mistakes. Like that one time I almost broke through a dimension and, you know, destroyed everything."
"Yeah, I remember," Natasha said dryly. "I had to pull you out of that mess. You're lucky I like you."
"Am I, though?" Harry teased, raising an eyebrow. "I can be pretty charming when I want to be."
Natasha smirked. "Don't get too full of yourself. The last thing you need is a bigger head."
"Well, good thing I've got a giant ego," Harry said, winking. "Keeps things balanced."
"Just don't let it get you killed," Natasha said, standing up and walking toward the door. "Anyway, there's a mission coming up, and guess who's on the docket?"
Harry perked up. "Let me guess. It's me, right?"
"Bingo," Natasha said, flipping him off. "You're not as useless as you look. Pack your stuff. We leave in an hour."
"Yes!" Harry pumped his fist in the air. "An actual mission! No more training nonsense. Let's go break stuff in the name of justice."
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "You're an idiot, you know that?"
"Yep, but you love it," Harry said, leaping to his feet. "You might even be addicted to it."
She turned to face him, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Don't get too comfortable. I'm still trying to figure out how to get you to stop being such a pain in the ass."
"Good luck with that," Harry said with a grin. "I'm kind of a permanent fixture at this point."
And with that, the two of them left the common area, ready to head into whatever mission SHIELD had planned. Harry was already wondering how much he could get away with in the name of heroism—because, really, when had there ever been a mission that couldn't use a little chaos?
—
If there was one universal truth about superheroes, it was that they never just geared up in silence. No, it had to be a full-production spectacle with enough banter to fuel a sitcom and at least one insult directed at Tony Stark.
By the time Harry and Natasha strolled into the common area, the rest of the team was already suiting up with varying degrees of efficiency and drama.
Tony—because of course it was Tony—was standing front and center, halfway into his Iron Man suit, arms spread like a Broadway performer waiting for his cue. Rhodey, in contrast, was actually being productive, syncing up his War Machine armor while adjusting his leg braces with a look of grim determination that said, Hydra messed with the wrong guy.
And then there was Erica—newly dubbed Surge, a name she was still testing out—who was flexing her fingers, tiny arcs of electricity dancing along her fingertips. Her new suit, sleek and lined with neon-blue circuits, responded to her power surges with a soft hum. She looked equal parts badass and one lab accident away from frying the building's power grid.
Across the room, Bucky (who had decided "White Wolf" was his new brand and was very committed to it) was securing his gear with the cool efficiency of someone who'd been doing this longer than most of them had been alive. Meanwhile, Steve (Captain America, Living Legend, and Unofficial Team Dad) and Peggy (Captain Carter, British Badass, and Queen of Staring You Down Until You Feel Like a Disappointment) were going over strategy.
Harry, naturally, took one look at this picture of peak superhero professionalism and decided now was the time to be a menace.
"Well, well, well," he drawled, strolling in like he owned the place. "Look at this elite team of highly trained professionals. Just radiating competence. Honestly, it's a little intimidating. Should I come back later?"
Bucky didn't even look up as he muttered, "Revenant." His voice carried the distinct tone of I have already accepted the chaos you bring and am just bracing for impact.
"White Wolf," Harry greeted, smirking. "Loving the extra broody murder-glare today. Did you upgrade to the deluxe edition?"
Bucky sighed. "It's too early for this."
Steve, who was already rubbing his temples like a man suffering from Harry-induced headaches, groaned. "Can we not do this first thing in the morning? I haven't even had coffee yet."
"That's a you problem, Cap," Harry said. "Maybe next time, wake up with the rest of us night owls."
"Or get a better coffee machine," Natasha added helpfully.
"I will throw my shield at both of you," Steve threatened.
"Good luck hitting me," Harry shot back. "I'm very fast. Ask Hydra. Oh, wait, you can't—most of them are still recovering from our last encounter."
Rhodey, tightening his last brace, snorted. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Potter. Just make sure you actually show up on time this time. Unlike some people."
Tony, who had just locked in the final pieces of his gauntlets, paused. "Okay, first of all, that was one time."
"One very noticeable time," Erica chimed in, arms crossed, tiny sparks crackling at her fingertips. "As I recall, the team was fighting an entire Hydra squadron, and you just strolled in like it was a brunch reservation."
"I had a brunch reservation," Tony argued, standing taller. "I was busy."
"You showed up after the fight was over," Rhodey reminded him. "Like, the team was literally just cleaning up when you decided to make your grand entrance."
"Okay, that is a gross exaggeration," Tony huffed.
"Five minutes late," Bucky corrected.
"Three," Steve countered.
Tony turned desperately to Peggy, his last hope. "Carter, come on, back me up here."
Peggy took a slow, deliberate sip of tea. "No."
Tony groaned. "You see the abuse I deal with?"
Harry smirked. "You deserve every bit of it."
Rhodey clapped a hand on Tony's shoulder. "Just don't let it happen again, Stark. Some of us actually want to fight Hydra, not sit around waiting for you to make an entrance."
Erica nodded, but there was no teasing in her expression—just quiet, burning determination. "Yeah. This one's personal."
The room shifted. The teasing took a backseat. Everyone knew what Hydra had done to her—killed her parents, brainwashed her into becoming their next superweapon, then shoved her into cryo for a decade. They'd stolen everything. And Rhodey? Hydra had crippled him. They were both here for payback.
Harry's smirk softened slightly. "Don't worry, Surge. We'll make sure Hydra regrets ever existing."
Her lips twitched slightly at the use of her new codename, but her eyes stayed serious. "They already regret it. I just want to make sure it sticks."
Natasha clapped her hands together, breaking the tension. "Alright, enough sentimentality. Let's go over the mission plan before Potter gets us sidetracked again."
Harry placed a hand over his heart. "I would never get us sidetracked."
"Literally all you do is get us sidetracked," Bucky muttered.
"Look, if you're all going to gang up on me, at least make it creative."
Steve, deadpan as ever, said, "We'll start a group chat."
Tony's eyes lit up. "Ooh, Team Bully Harry Chat. I like it. I'll set it up after the mission."
Rhodey nodded. "Add me to that."
"Me too," Peggy said, taking another sip of tea.
Harry gasped, utterly betrayed. "Et tu, Carter?"
Peggy raised an eyebrow. "Always."
Natasha smirked. "Alright, children, focus. We have a Hydra base to wreck."
Harry rolled his shoulders, his grin sharpening. "Now that is something I can get behind."
And just like that, the teasing stopped. The team finished gearing up, the air thick with the kind of anticipation that came right before absolute mayhem.
Harry cracked his knuckles, already picturing the destruction ahead. Hydra had no idea what was coming.
And if he had anything to say about it?
They were going to do it with style.
—
By the time the team had stopped bullying Harry (for now), Steve and Peggy had taken their rightful place at the front of the room, both radiating that distinct Captain Energy—a mix of authority, sheer competence, and the ability to make even the most chaotic of teams shut up and listen. Mostly.
Peggy adjusted her gloves with precise efficiency before clasping her hands behind her back. "Alright, let's focus, shall we?"
Steve nodded, his expression locked in its usual I am a responsible leader, please stop causing problems setting. "We've got a Hydra base to take down, and intel suggests they're working on something big."
Harry leaned back in his chair, boots propped up on the table like a menace to military discipline. "Define 'big.' Are we talking 'secret superweapon big' or 'some idiot tried to clone Red Skull again' big?"
Steve sighed. "Bigger."
Tony, who had been fiddling with his gauntlets, whistled. "Oof. That's a bad big. I don't like that big."
Bucky, who had perfected the disappointed dad stance, arms crossed and leaning against the wall, deadpanned, "And yet you'll still try to make a dramatic entrance halfway through the fight."
Tony placed a hand over his arc reactor. "That hurts, Barnes. Right here."
"Good," Bucky shot back.
Peggy cleared her throat, bringing the attention back to her. She had exactly zero patience for nonsense, but somehow, she was also the reason the nonsense never stopped. "According to SHIELD intelligence, Hydra has been developing an advanced power source—something that could potentially rival the Tesseract."
Rhodey frowned, hands on his hips. "Hold up. You're telling me these guys are still trying to play God?"
Erica scoffed, lightning crackling at her fingertips as if even talking about Hydra annoyed her. "That's literally their whole thing. Evil science, bad fashion choices, and an overinflated sense of superiority."
Harry snapped his fingers. "Oh, and the dumb slogans. Don't forget the dumb slogans." He cleared his throat dramatically. "Hail Hydra," he mimicked, throwing in an exaggerated German accent for extra flair. "Ve vill conquer ze vorld mit very obvious secret bases und no contingency plans vhen Captain America inevitably punches us in ze face."
Steve pinched the bridge of his nose like this was personally ruining his day. "Why are you like this?"
Peggy, ever so helpful, smirked. "Because it's entertaining."
Tony chuckled. "For once, I agree with Carter."
"Mark the date," Natasha said dryly, arms crossed. "Stark and Carter, united in their mutual appreciation of Potter's nonsense."
Bucky, clearly one bad joke away from launching Harry out a window, waved a gloved hand. "Can we not get sidetracked?"
Harry gasped, full offense mode activated. "Me? Sidetracked? Barnes, I am wounded."
"Physically or emotionally?" Bucky asked, not even looking at him.
"Emotionally," Harry admitted. "Physically? Please. I've tanked a killing curse to the face. I'll be fine."
Steve, ignoring all of this (and probably questioning every life choice that led to him commanding this team), clicked a remote. The large screen behind him lit up, displaying the blueprints of a heavily fortified facility. "This is Hydra's compound in the Swiss Alps. We believe their power source is being stored underground, in a secure vault."
Peggy gestured to a section of the map. "Primary entrance is heavily guarded, but there's an access tunnel here—old maintenance routes from when this was still an abandoned facility."
Natasha smirked. "And by 'abandoned,' you mean 'Hydra stole it and turned it into yet another evil lair?'"
"Precisely," Peggy confirmed.
Rhodey exhaled, looking over the layout. "So, what's the play?"
Steve leaned forward, hands resting on the table. "We split into teams. White Wolf, Revenant, and I will take point, infiltrating through the maintenance tunnel. Carter, you'll lead Stark and Surge through the main entrance—draw their attention."
Peggy nodded. "War Machine and Widow will provide aerial and long-range support, taking out any heavy artillery before it becomes a problem."
Tony hummed, rubbing his chin. "I do like explosions."
Erica arched a brow. "And yet I'll be the one doing most of the heavy lifting."
Tony grinned. "That's delegation, kid."
Peggy raised an eyebrow. "I was going to say laziness, but sure."
Harry turned to Steve. "And what happens when they inevitably figure out we're there?"
Steve smirked. "That's when we stop being sneaky and start breaking things."
Harry's grin sharpened. "Oh, I love that part."
Bucky sighed. "Of course you do."
Peggy took a sip of her tea, calm as ever. "Try not to destroy everything, boys."
Harry, Bucky, and Steve exchanged looks.
"…No promises."
Natasha smirked, already loading her Widow's Bite rounds. "Alright, then. Let's go crash Hydra's party."
And just like that, the mission was officially underway.
—
Cold. Bitter, soul-crushing, frostbite-inducing cold. The kind that made you question all your life choices and regret every time you ignored your mom telling you to "take a jacket."
Fortunately, this group was made up of people who either didn't care about the cold (super soldiers), had high-tech armor to regulate temperature (billionaire in a flying metal suit), or were just too stubborn to acknowledge things like weather (everyone else).
Then, there was Harry Potter, aka Revenant, who had magic and an inherent ability to ignore minor inconveniences like physics.
A golden portal flared to life in the middle of nowhere, swirling dramatically as Harry stepped through, looking far too comfortable for someone standing on a frozen mountain. The rest of the team followed, landing with varying degrees of grace.
Tony, of course, had to make an entrance, hovering slightly above the ground in his Iron Man armor before setting down. He dusted off his shoulder plates like they'd actually gotten dirty.
"Alright, but real talk—why are we still funding my dad's new Quinjet project when you can just do this?" He gestured aggressively at the still-glowing portal. "Do you know how much R&D goes into those things? Because I do. It's a lot."
Harry smirked, closing the portal with a lazy flick of his hand. "Oh, don't worry, Stark. I'll send SHIELD my invoice later."
"Please do," Tony shot back. "I need proof when I tell Fury he's hemorrhaging money on 'airplane science' when we literally have a wizard on payroll."
Steve, ever the professional, clapped his hands to get their attention. "Alright, focus up. We're hiking the rest of the way to stay off Hydra's radar."
Bucky grunted. "You mean sneaking through waist-deep snow in subzero temperatures."
"Exactly," Steve confirmed with a nod.
Tony sighed, throwing his hands up. "Yeah, see, this is why I like the Quinjet. Because it flies and doesn't require me to get frostbite in places that shouldn't even have nerves."
"You're wearing armor," Peggy pointed out, adjusting the strap on her rifle. "What do you have to complain about?"
"It's the principle of the thing, Carter," Tony said, waving a dismissive hand. "We have a perfectly good teleporting wizard right here." He pointed at Harry. "He literally folds space like an origami swan, but sure, let's all take a hike."
"Hey," Harry said, grinning. "I could just leave you here. You'd make an excellent Stark-cicle."
"Ha. Ha." Tony rolled his eyes.
Rhodey smirked. "Can we please focus before Tony starts drafting a formal complaint to SHIELD?"
Natasha ignored them, unzipping her rifle case and checking the scope. She wasn't exactly worried—she was Natasha Romanoff, after all—but she needed a good vantage point. Preferably one not knee-deep in snow.
Harry caught her look and smirked. "Nat, I've got just the thing."
She arched a brow. "Oh?"
Harry turned, flicking his wrist. His Cloak of Levitation—because yes, he had one too—flared out from behind him like an eager puppy.
"Take Widow somewhere she can get a good view," Harry instructed, before looking at Natasha. "Don't worry, it knows how to treat VIPs."
The Cloak twitched in what was probably an offended way.
Natasha eyed it with mild suspicion before slinging her rifle over her shoulder. "Fine. But if this thing drops me, I'm coming back as a ghost just to haunt you."
"I'd expect nothing less." Harry grinned.
The Cloak wrapped itself around Natasha, lifting her effortlessly off the ground. She barely reacted—because she was Natasha, and floating away like some kind of sniper-themed Mary Poppins was just another Tuesday for her.
Tony blinked. "Okay, but seriously. Why are we funding jets?"
Rhodey let out a low whistle. "Not gonna lie. That's cool."
"Right?" Harry smirked.
Steve, ever the leader, sighed in exasperation. "Alright, Widow's in position. Let's move."
With that, the team pressed forward, the Hydra base looming in the distance.
—
The Swiss Alps weren't known for their charm when you were trying to break into a Hydra base. Not that Harry would know much about the Alps, or even Hydra for that matter. He was too busy making his way through their secretive mountain lair, doing his best impression of someone who had absolutely no idea what he was doing.
"I still don't get why we're sneaking in through a tunnel," Bucky muttered, his voice carrying just enough edge to make it sound like he was about to punch someone, which, honestly, was always a threat. "Seems like the kind of thing villains would expect."
"Yeah, but that's exactly why it works," Steve replied, always the strategist. "They won't be looking for us down here."
"Sure," Harry quipped, glancing around at the narrow passageway. "No one ever expects the magic kid with a penchant for walking through walls. Or doors. Or basically anything that needs to be unlocked."
Steve gave Harry a look, the kind that was half warning, half amusement. "Keep it down. We're still in the middle of enemy territory."
Harry shrugged, not particularly bothered by the idea of being in "enemy territory." "Just saying, if we had to break in the traditional way, I'd be busy making things explode. This? This is easy mode."
"Easy mode, he says," Bucky grumbled under his breath, though Harry caught the hint of a grin tugging at his lips.
They weren't here for sightseeing, and they weren't here to chat. The plan was simple: infiltrate, disable the security, cause a little chaos, and get out. Hydra, as usual, had their own twisted version of "simple," but that was just an invitation for Harry to show off his magical prowess.
After a quick check to make sure they weren't being followed by any more Hydra goons, Steve motioned for them to stop in front of an unmarked door. Beneath a blanket of snow, it was easy to miss, but to Steve's trained eye, it was exactly what they needed.
"Here we are," Steve said. "This should lead us right beneath the base."
Bucky cracked his neck like it was a signal. "You sure this door doesn't have a button that triggers an explosion or a dozen armed guards?"
"Pretty sure," Steve replied, then eyed Harry. "But I'd rather leave the lockpicking to the magic guy."
Harry gave him a playful salute. "Finally, someone gives credit where it's due. Watch and learn, boys."
With a flick of his fingers, the heavy metal door snapped open with the softest of clicks. No alarms, no fancy tech beeping, just smooth and easy. And honestly? That was a little too easy.
"Wow," Bucky muttered, leaning in to inspect the door like it had personally insulted him. "You know, I could've done that. If I had some magic and a shred of self-respect."
"Oh, please," Harry shot back with a smirk. "You? You'd be busy kicking the door in, and that's just gonna give Hydra a heads-up. I make the door open like it's just another Tuesday. Less destruction, more style."
"Maybe I should learn some of that," Bucky said. "But I'm pretty sure my 'intimidate them until they surrender' technique works just fine."
"Sure," Harry replied dryly, "but I can get in without making a scene. You just get in by breaking things until someone says 'okay, fine.'"
Steve, meanwhile, was already moving through the door. "Come on, guys. No time for jokes. Hydra's not going to wait for us to finish our banter."
"Joke's on them," Harry muttered, sliding in behind Steve, "because we're about to ruin their whole day."
The air inside the tunnel was cool and smelled faintly of damp stone. The kind of sterile, forgotten maintenance area where no one expects anything important to happen—unless, of course, you were Harry Potter, who had a tendency to make things explode in the most inconvenient of places. But not today. Today, they were in stealth mode—at least, as stealthy as Bucky's boots allowed.
"You know," Bucky said, his voice quiet but still a little loud for comfort, "this tunnel feels like a trap."
"Yeah, because every dark, creepy tunnel with walls that look like they've been untouched for decades is totally not a trap," Harry replied, rolling his eyes. "But don't worry, Bucky. If anyone's walking into a trap, it'll be me. You two just stay back and watch me work."
Steve flashed Harry a look. "Focus."
And focus they did.
The trio moved deeper into the tunnel, passing utility rooms and service doors, each one more unremarkable than the last. But, of course, that didn't mean there were no surprises ahead. Hydra was the type to put a camera in every corner. You just had to find it before it found you.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of tight corners and the sound of their boots echoing in the silence, they came to a junction. One way led deeper into the bowels of the base. The other? Toward the maintenance control room.
"Control room's that way," Steve said, motioning down the hall. "Once we take it, we'll have access to all their systems. We'll disable the security and make sure they don't have time to retaliate."
"Or," Harry said, tapping his chin thoughtfully, "I could hack the system before we even get there, and then they won't even know we're coming."
"Can we not let you be the one to pull the heist?" Bucky said, his eyebrow arched. "Last time you tried that, you turned an entire building into a giant rubber band ball."
"That wasn't me," Harry said, feigning innocence. "That was just a little misunderstanding with the magic I was using. But look, I've got this." He winked. "I'll make their systems bow to my will faster than you can blink."
Bucky grinned. "You just want to show off. I can tell."
"Exactly," Harry said with a shrug. "You'd be surprised at how often showing off helps."
"Let's not waste time," Steve interjected, clearly already running over the next part of the plan in his head. "We're going in. Stay alert."
They approached the door to the control room. A heavy metal thing that looked suspiciously simple for Hydra's standards. Too simple. Like, maybe it was meant to make them feel overconfident.
Harry had barely touched the door when it creaked open. "Told you," Harry said smugly. "Like butter."
Bucky gave him a deadpan stare. "You're going to make me sick, Potter."
"Hey, I'm just here to make things easier," Harry said, sweeping into the control room like he owned the place. "Now, let me work my magic. Literally."
As Harry flitted his fingers over the console, the room's lights flickered and hummed as if Hydra's tech was having an existential crisis. The screens blinked out one by one, like they were caught off guard. And honestly? They probably were.
"There. All theirs systems are officially in the wind," Harry said with a satisfied grin. "Go ahead, Steve. Show 'em how it's done."
Steve and Bucky stepped in, immediately moving into position to secure the room, but their glances flicked to Harry.
Bucky chuckled. "So, what's next? You going to hack into the entire base's air conditioning system and make it way too cold?"
Harry grinned. "Don't tempt me. But for now, let's finish this mission, shall we?"
And with that, they moved deeper into the heart of Hydra's fortress, ready to wreck their plans and leave them rethinking their security policies. Again.
—
Meanwhile, on the other side of the base, chaos was already in full swing—and naturally, Captain Peggy Carter was at the heart of it. She sliced through the air with her shield like a slice of apple pie in the hands of a super soldier. Every throw was precise, like she'd been practicing this since the day she was born (which, if you asked her, she'd say, "Pretty much").
Beside her hovered Iron Man, looking less like a guy and more like a walking, talking disco ball of destruction, his suit gleaming in the dim light as if it had just been polished by an army of robots. You'd think he'd be more subtle, but then again, Tony Stark's idea of subtlety was putting "Iron Man" in gold leaf and calling it a day.
"Alright, team," Tony's voice crackled in their earpieces, smooth as butter on toast, "I hope you're all prepared for a little bit of loud and a whole lot of awesome. Let's give 'em a show they won't forget."
Erica Hayes—aka Surge, aka the girl who could fry your circuits with a glance—nodded, her eyes crackling with blue electricity. She didn't say much, but when she did, it was usually followed by a blast of raw energy.
"I'll take care of the door," she said, a smirk tugging at her lips as she cracked her knuckles. "And if I burn anything important to a crisp, don't blame me. Blame Hydra for putting important stuff in such obvious places."
"Cap, you take left," Tony called over his shoulder as he hovered effortlessly in the air, adjusting the settings on his suit like it was a walk in the park. "Surge, you've got the right. I'll—well, I'll do what I do best and annoy everyone."
"Sounds like a solid plan," Erica muttered, rolling her eyes. She shot an energy blast at the reinforced doors, and the sound it made was like thunder in a bottle. The door shook, groaned, and then? Boom. It was cooked. The explosion sent a few Hydra guards flying backward like ragdolls. Erica didn't even blink.
"Keep up, Stark," she muttered under her breath.
"Don't worry, I've got this," Tony replied, already streaking toward the enemy ranks, his suit making noises that sounded like a thousand robot squirrels on a caffeine high. "My suit's got more firepower than this whole base put together. I'm dying to see what happens when I push this baby to 11."
Captain Carter had already begun her assault on the guards inside, expertly using her shield to knock out anyone dumb enough to get in her way. With a flick of her wrist, the shield flew forward, ricocheting off walls like it was on a mission. It slammed into a guard's chest with a satisfying thunk, and Peggy grinned as she caught it on the rebound.
"Hydra's gonna have a really bad day," she muttered, twirling the shield in one smooth motion. She was a picture of grace and power wrapped up in a red, white, and blue package.
Tony, who had just fried a Hydra goon with a blast from his repulsor, grinned and said, "I'm starting to think Hydra's not prepared for a tactical assault from a team that literally has a walking tank and a guy who thinks he's magic."
"I'm sure you did all the heavy lifting," Erica said with a laugh, shooting a blast at a watchtower and watching it short-circuit in the most satisfying way.
"I am doing the heavy lifting," Tony insisted, sounding wounded. "I'm just letting the suit have a little fun. It's all about balance."
"Right," Erica said, deadpan, as she hit another turret, short-circuiting it with a pop of sparks. "Balance. Whatever you say, Stark."
Just then, Tony's voice crackled through their earpieces again, now a little less smug. "Carter, you see anything over there? Because these guys are starting to get uncomfortably good at aiming."
"Same old Hydra," Peggy replied, flipping a guard over her shoulder with a move that made him look like he was auditioning for a stunt double role. "Lots of fancy weapons, no brains behind them. It's pathetic, really."
"I'm sure the whole base is going to come running to the front door any minute now," Tony said. "How about we just take out the whole door instead?"
There was a brief pause on the comms, then Captain Carter's voice, laced with a grin, responded, "Sounds like a plan."
And that was all Tony needed. He zoomed to the front of the base, palm open, and just let it rip. A pulse of energy shot from his hand so powerful that the reinforced doors exploded like they were made of wet cardboard. The shockwave hit like a ton of bricks, sending several guards flying and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
"I think that'll do it," Tony said smugly, floating back to admire his handiwork. "You know, I really ought to charge extra for that level of drama."
"Subtle," Erica muttered, arching an eyebrow as she inspected the wreckage. "I'm pretty sure we've nailed it."
Captain Carter tossed her shield, sending it bouncing off several more Hydra agents. She pulled it back effortlessly, then looked at her team with that same old no-nonsense expression she always had. "You two are always talking too much. Let's just finish this."
With their distractions in full swing, the team moved in to finish what they started. Hydra might've thought they had the upper hand, but they clearly hadn't accounted for the Avengers—and their magical allies—showing up and completely wrecking their day.
First, they were going to dismantle Hydra's base. Then, they were going to make sure Hydra knew they weren't going to get away with their ridiculous plans. And then? Well, then they'd deal with Tony's smug grin, because, honestly, that was the real mission.
But, hey, it was all part of the job.
---
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