Chapter Text
People were stupid. This wasn’t new information to the leader of the Avengers, but it was a sentiment that made itself very evident ever since Loki left with Aliana in tow. People were stupid, not the two young lovers, though that was often up for debate amongst the team, but those in seats of power. For people who claimed to have an awful lot of degrees and accolades, people who should be rife with intelligence, they certainly lacked quite a bit of common knowledge, as well as common moralities. Those on the Council, it seemed, had never stuck up for a friend, and frankly never would, choosing to instead toss them to the side for the betterment of themselves. No backbones. Despicable, honestly.
Steve, with clenched fists and a steeled gaze, stood tight lipped as he listened to the Council members prattle on about the “problem.”
”It seems, Captain Rogers, quite impossible that you have no idea where the two of them are,” one member said.
”They never once disclosed their plans with anyone else on the team?” Another asked.
”It’s been almost a month, Captain. Surely, by now, you would’ve stumbled upon some sort of plan or trail,” a third added.
“Like I said,” Steve finally answered, “We have no idea where Loki or Aliana are—“
”But you do think they are together?”
He clenched his jaw. “That is one possibility.”
”Frankly, Captain, our faith in your leadership abilities are being called into question.” Another said. “Find them, or else we will be forced to reconsider your place in the Avengers.”
His eyes darted to the speaker’s shadowed figure. “Is that a threat, Councilman?”
“It’s an order, Rogers. Find them.”
The call ended, plunging the screens into blackness while the conference room lights faded up. From the doorway, someone started to applaud. Tony, if he had to guess.
“Well done,” Stark said. “You sure are getting better at the lying thing, Rogers.”
He cocked his head over his shoulder slightly in the other man’s direction. “Are the cameras…?”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got a Speed set-up going on—Honestly, I’m kicking myself that I didn’t think of it sooner. Got FRIDAY making up words for us, in case they tap the—“
“I don’t need the details.”
“Jeez, Gramps, sorry. You said you wanted to know more about the tech side, I was only—“
“Tony.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll stop.”
Steve let out a heavy sigh as he dropped his head. This was starting to become quite the mess they found themselves in. Loki had been right, the solution for Aliana’s… condition was not something they could have solved by human means alone. But, even then, he wished whoever did possess the power to reverse such a complex possession could have been brought here, to the base. That was the part he didn’t understand, no matter how many people tried to explain it to him. Not that it mattered now. Couldn’t change the past, only how it effected the future.
“Earth to Steve,” Tony said. “You okay in there, bud?”
“When do you think they’ll come back?”
It was a stupid question, one rife with sentiment, but one he couldn’t shake all the same. The fact of the matter was, regardless of the fact that he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, see it before, Loki had become apart of the team. Their treatment of him, under the tawdry explanation that it was due to his serving his sentence on Earth, was uncalled for. They’d been so damned cautious and untrusting around him, they didn’t even take a chance to consider that his actions in New York were not his own. A dusty theory that remained simply that until he left with Aliana in his arms, and the Avengers were faced with the possibility that they had been wrong. It wasn’t until Loki contacted them, through means Steve thought it best Thor kept to himself, that there was even a glimmer of hope that they hadn’t screwed up after all, that they hadn’t inadvertently created a more tempered enemy. It would have made sense, after all, if the God of Mischief had decided to turn against them. He had, in his time with them on Earth, done nothing but proved his value to the team. He aided them in their fight against Ultron, ensuring the situation didn’t end in unnecessary destruction and saving a hundred thousand lives in the process, saving their ass in the process. When the team had sought to clear Bucky’s name and uncovered earth-shattering details of his past transgressions, Loki had served as an unexpected voice of reason by calling out all of them on their hypocrisy. Even after all that, even after he spent years taking on enemies too powerful for the Avengers on his own, they still had seen him as untrustworthy, as a backstabber. Who would blame him if he chose to turn against them? Not Steve, not anymore. They would’ve deserved it.
And yet, Loki still contacted them to assure that he meant no ill-will, that his actions had been out of fear and desperation but that he felt he was meant to bring Aliana there, that she could be helped, truly helped. In that moment, the core six had realized that he had changed, whether it had been a persona they first encountered all those years ago or if his hardened heart had been softened or some combination of both and neither all at once, it didn’t matter. He was different from what they expected from him. He was good. He was an Avenger. He was a man fearful for the one he loved. That alone was enough to empathize.
Tony shrugged. “Eh, when they’re ready, they’ll find their way home.”
“And if they never are?”
He chuckled. “What, you miss ‘em or something?”
“No, just…worried.”
Tony had been right. Every choice they made, every action, had created an Oedipus, forced both Aliana and Loki out of the realm of their protection. And though, after many hours of contemplation, Steve had nothing but complete and utter faith in their abilities to protect both themselves and each other, it did not erase the fact that there were people, powerful people, who sought out Aliana and her power for their own personal gain. The young couple was strong, both on their own and together, but even then, there was only so much one could take before they couldn’t fight anymore. And, what then? What future did they face if those who sought her power won? The two of them needed to get out, to get away, yes, he wouldn’t deny that fact anymore. But, they were far stronger together, as a team.
“Yeah, I miss them, too. Got a whole list of movies I still gotta get through with the kid. Only got as far as—“ He scoffed. “—13 Going On 30.”
Steve laughed. “Pepper?”
“Duh.”
The two of them shared a laugh, and, God, how he needed it. He had been so stressed trying to keep the Council off Loki and Ali’s scent, he hadn’t had a chance to just let go an relax. The moment didn’t last long, but it was enough to bolster him for just a bit longer. If for nothing else, Steve could always count on Tony to lighten the mood.
“Well…wherever they are, I’m sure they’ve got a handle on things,” Steve replied.
“Ha! Yeah, sure, if that’s what you call chaos.”
“They do have their own unique way of doing things.” He let out another sigh. “They could be great leaders one day.” If they ever got out of this alive, he thought to himself.
“The kid’s got a ways to go, but...yeah, I think you’re right about that one, Cap.”
Finally, Steve turned around to face his partner, and found him as he always seemed to be nowadays: with dark circles under his eyes, a messy mop of hair, and whatever clothes he was wearing the day before. Or, in this case, clothes from the week before. Tony was just as worried as he was, though he would never be the one to admit it.
“What’ve we learned about Trask?” Steve asked.
Stark let out a puff of air. “Not nearly enough. You’d think this guy was the fucking President of the United States with how tightly guarded his secrets are. Even then, finding shit out about the Commander in Chief would be easier than this.” He shrugged. “Still, I think our suspicion that he’s working with someone on the Council is pretty spot on.”
Steve’s thoughts jumped to the man who threatened him. “If I had to guess, I’d say it’s Gideon Malick.”
“Yeah…seems like the kind of guy who’d stoop to skuzz levels.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Still…I wish we had more. It’s killing me that we don’t have a more solid lead.”
“Buck seems to think he might have something,” Rogers added. “With that reporter in the city.”
Tony laughed. “The one who wrote that exposé on the Kingpin? Yeah, I think he’s chasing more than just a lead, there.”
Steve smiled. “You know? I think you might be right.”
Bucky deserved happiness. It had more than a rough ride for him thus far, it had been unbearable. He couldn’t imagine what his oldest friend had been through or how he survived, and only knew it took the strongest man alive to survive what Bucky had been through. He had lost so much forcefully serving Hydra: his life, his choice, his wife. Wife. God, Adelaide. Not a day went by when the Winter Soldier’s mind was absent of thoughts of his wife, of the life they could’ve had together had he not been captured and turned into a killer. When they first got him back, when Steve finally saw the eyes of his friend again, the first thing Bucky asked had been, ”Where’s Addy? I need to see her. I need to say I’m sorry.”
”For what, Buck?”
”I—I never made it back home.”
Adelaide had long since passed, as Bucky would later find, her tombstone sat next to her mother’s in Brooklyn. For almost a year after he woke up, he’d visit her, recounting their life together, even if it hadn’t been as long as they would’ve liked. He’d always come back to the compound with more peace in his eyes than he had when he left. Now, it seemed Bucky was ready to try for that kind of happiness again, and Steve was glad his best friend was starting to live more in the present than in the past, something he himself still struggled to do. Having Bucky back reminded him of something that he’d long since forgotten: he was a stronger man than Steve could ever hope to be.
“Any word on Barton and Thor?” Steve asked to distract himself of the growing, sorrowful thoughts of his sister.
Clint had gone back home shortly after they received word from Loki that they were alright. He was relieved that his sister was safe, even if it was found in the arms of the cocky god, and it seemed as good a time as any to return to his wife and kids. Laura, though, was always the one to answer when any of the team called to check in, and she always said he was doing alright, just busy around the house. Natasha knew better than to believe that and promptly decided it was her job to figure out why Clint was avoiding all of them. Which, of course, she would, leaving only the day before for Iowa and the Barton family farm.
Thor had returned to Asgard almost immediately after Loki stepped through the portal. Only when his brother spoke to him through strange, Asgardian magic, begging to speak with the other Avengers, did he return to grant Loki’s wish. After that, he went back home, toting that the Avengers were, once again, meddling in forces beyond their comprehension and now Loki had been thrust into the middle of it. They pleaded with the god to tell them where they went wrong, but he refused to say more than just, “You were the ones to push him to this,” before he was shot up into the sky by the bifrost.
“Nat just called, said Barton’s cagey but thinks she can get him to talk to her. And, Thor doesn’t have a phone...so—” Tony threw up his hands in defeat, “—not much we can do there.”
“Steve?” Wanda asked as she rushed in to the conference room. “There’s something you should see.” Her eyes darted to Stark. “Both of you.”
The two shared a look before following closely behind Wanda. As they followed her, they noticed how tense her shoulders were, how her red power danced around her clenched fists. She muttered words incomprehensible under her breath and no amount of avoiding either of their eyes could hide the fear in her own. It had been a long time since they saw her in a state like this. What possibly could’ve happened to elicit this response? At the rate things had been going for them lately, it could have been any number of catastrophes ranging from manageable to world ending and they wouldn’t have been surprised at any of them. Though, nothing could have prepared them for how their world was about to change.
The rest of the team had already gathered around the television in one of the common rooms when Wanda returned with Steve and Tony in tow, tension running through their bodies like rapids. Live from D.C. was a televised press conference on the steps of the Capitol, a man they didn’t know, but soon would grow to despise, stood front and center, a senator named Robert Kelly.
“The time has come when we must face the mutant threat head on,” he said to the flock of reporters hanging on his every word. “They have repeatedly and consistently posed a threat to the good-hearted, hard-working citizens of these United States. They are a danger to our schools and to our society at large. We must do what we can to secure our freedoms for the preservation of future generations.” Kelly droned on, reiterating his point a thousand times over.
“Fucking Kelly,” Rhodey said as pushed himself up from the couch to pace. “There’s not a decent bone in that man’s body.”
“They can’t just pass an anti-mutant law, that’s immoral!” Bruce added from where he stood, closest to the television.
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Sam muttered from his seat, refusing to watch what was about to happen.
“...pleasure to announce the passing of the Mutant Registration Act.” A cheer erupted from the crowd. “Starting today, it will be required for any and all mutants to not only carry identification that identifies them as a mutant but to list all mutant abilities that they possess.” Another cheer as Kelly began to speak over the crowd. “This is only the beginning! Any mutant with powers deemed dangerous and destructive will be detained by a new division of our National Guard, the Mutant Response Division.”
“So all of us!” Wanda yelled, her body shaking as anger built inside her.
Vision, who had joined her side as soon as she returned, laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, “You shall not be taken, not while I still stand.”
Steve crossed behind the couch and leaned forward on it to get a better view. Bucky stood behind him, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. As Kelly went on, pride in his eyes, the two vets tensed, this situation all too familiar for their liking.
“...technology and weapons graciously provided by the man who has rallied for this act since the beginning, Doctor Bolivar Trask.” A resounding applause from the reporters as Trask stepped forward with a gracious nod. “And, now, Doctor Trask, the world leader in mutant research and technology, will say a few words regarding the importance of such a momentous day in American history.”
“They’ll just give anyone a platform these days, Jesus,” Tony muttered as he joined Bruce.
“My fellow Americans, it is an honor to speak to you all today. No one has seen first hand the impact, the devastation the mutants have caused like I have.”
From his pocket, Steve’s phone buzzed. Natasha’s picture lit up the screen as he pulled it out to answer. “Hello?”
“Cap, are you seeing this? This can’t really be happening right now.”
“...my calling to see the day when humanity could finally find peace. I have dedicated my life to find ways to end the destructive nature of these creatures, which, thanks to the efforts of Senator Kelly, I am proud to say the day is fast approaching.”
“Cap, did you hear me?”
“Hey, Steve.” Bucky tapped his friend on the shoulder. “What’s going on, pal?”
“I—” He started. “Hang on, something’s not right.”
“No shit. Trask’s on the news saying mutants are little more than animals . What are we going to do?”
“...a moment to address an issue that has weighed heavily on my heart. At the beginning of the summer months, one powerful mutant escaped from an experimental mutant prison in its infancy.” A swell of questions rose as Trask pushed through, “We took every precaution imaginable when we began this mutant containment experiment, precautions that would have been more than enough to subdue any normal mutant. But this...this is no normal mutant. This woman, Aliana Barton—” An image of Aliana from before her escape filled half of the screen. She looked weak and tired, her eyes and cheeks sunken. Her skin lacked the color of life and her black, unkempt hair fell in a stringy mess around her. There was no question why Trask chose this picture to showcase. She looked deranged. She looked dangerous. “—possesses abilities beyond our comprehension. Do not let her looks deceive you. She is a powerful mutant who must be stopped at all costs. If you have any information, please contact the MRD.”
An uproar of questions rose from the sea of reporters as Trask took a step back and Kelly took his place, while silence hit the Avengers like a truck. There she was, her name, her picture, on a broadcast like she was some common criminal. If the world only knew what kind of man Trask was, they wouldn’t so readily rally behind him. But, then again, history had a way of repeating itself. As Senator Kelly closed out the conference, no one in the common room dared to speak. Over their heads hung a wave of emotions held at bay only by the eerie silence. A single word and everything would come crashing down. What were they going to do? What could they do?
From outside, in the direction of the hanger, a crash of thunder sounded, enough of a distraction to pull the focus of the team. Tony shut the television off and lead the others to the hanger. On the tarmac just beyond, where a bright red circle designated where the bifrost could land, Thor paced, his fists clenched.
“Hey there, buddy,” Tony called. “Everything okay?”
Thor glared at him and replied, “No, everything is not ‘okay.’ Loki has—what is that muffled noise?!”
The group grew silent again, trying to hear what the god was talking about. After a moment, Sam tapped Cap on the shoulder and nodded towards the bright screen light shining in Steve’s front pocket. In the fallout, he must’ve tucked it away, forgetting he had been on a call.
“Sorry, sorry,” he said into the phone. “I may need to—”
“My sister’s picture is on national news like she’s goddamn Ted Bundy!” Barton yelled, having, at some point, wrestled the phone away from Natasha. “You will not hang up on me, Rogers.”
Sounds of muffled movement, then Nat spoke, “Sorry, Cap. He’s just understandably concerned about all this.”
“I’m way passed concerned, Natasha —”
“ He could use any scrap of a plan you’ve got, Steve.”
He looked over at Thor, who had begun to argue with Tony in hushed tones. “We may have something. I’ll call as soon as I know.”
“Copy that.”
Before Steve could begin to apologize for the interruption, Thor boomed over Tony’s protest to calm down, “Loki’s location is no longer known.”
“Well, that’s a problem,” Rhodey quipped.
“If Heimdall can’t see them anymore,” Wanda interjected, “Then, how are we supposed to keep Trask off their trail?!”
“I have made contact with my brother,” Thor continued. “They seem to be safe, though they narrowly escaped an attack late last night from this human.”
“Wait, he found them?” Tony asked.
“Son of a bitch sure gets around,” Bucky added.
“I thought you said that place—wherever it was—was safe,” Steve said.
“There are bigger concerns than him simply finding them,” Thor yelled. “The one he sought help from was of Asgard. The Enchantress Amora. She had long been banished here on Earth.”
“Why—”
“It does not matter. All that matters is her power. She was one of the most powerful sorcerers on Asgard, second only to my mother. Her skills rival Loki’s, perhaps even surpass them, and she is dead. Killed by this human man. Loki and Aliana are safe, but he does not know where they are and refuses to break the spell that shields them from Heimdall’s view.”
“If you can convince Loki to break the spell long enough, we can—”
“He is afraid!” Thor boomed. He placed firm hands on Cap’s shoulders, a desperate look in his eyes, as he continued, “Steve, I have never seen my brother show fear. I have no doubt he has felt it, as we all do, but he always masks it behind mirth and mischief. There is no hiding it now. For something to have caused such a lack of inhibition, then it is not something we should so willfully ignore.” His grip on Roger’s shoulder’s tightened. “Trask has managed what no other human has. Our time of underestimating him is over.”
***
“...this woman, Aliana Barton, possesses abilities beyond our comprehension,” Trask said on the television. “Do not let her looks deceive you. She is a powerful mutant who must be stopped at all cost. If you have any information, please—”
“This is shit,” a young man said, a touch of an accent in his voice, as he muted the television before sitting on the ground away from it. “She doesn’t look much like a threat to me. And a Barton?” He scoffed. “I met a Barton once. He didn’t have one malicious bone in his body. Shit, I tell you. Trask, that fucker, he’s just trying to scare people.”
“Maybe you’re wrong,” a young woman said as she scrolled through articles on her laptop from her place on the couch. “Got somethin’ere, says she nearly leveled a city in Virginia at the beginning of summer shortly after her escape. Here’s another report, says she burned a woman alive in a cabin in Norway.” The woman whistled long and low. “Seems like a bad bitch to me.”
The man scoffed again. “Propaganda. I’m telling you, she wouldn’t hurt a fly. I can see it in her eyes, she’s just...” He swallowed a heavy lump in his throat as he turned back to look at her picture. “Scared.”
“Of course she is,” an older man said, his voice booming into the darkened room, causing the two occupants to jump. “She is just one of many of our mutant brothers and sisters who have suffered at the hands of Bolivar Trask.”
Upon entering the room, an older woman gasped at the sight of Aliana’s picture on the news. She shuttered, muttering, “No, no, it...it can’t be.”
The young woman cast a wide-eyed glance between the young man and the older woman. “Is...everything okay?”
“I—I knew her. I rais—I tau—” The woman let out another shutter, her breath catching in her throat as tears sprung to her eyes. She turned to the older man and whispered, “She’s the one I told you about. She’s his prize, his greatest creation, his—” She stopped herself when she noticed the two young people leaning in eagerly. Lowering her tone, she finished, “She’s the Eclipse.”
“The Eclipse,” the man repeated, a glimmer in his eyes. “Remarkable, simply remarkable.”
“Wait, wait,” the young man interrupted. “Eclipse? What’s Eclipse?”
The older man smiled. “She, my dear boy, is our savior. The one who will see our mission realized.”
The young man swallowed an unwanted rise of dread as he spoke the future none of them thought would ever come to fruition. “No more humans?”
“No. More. Humans.”