Rescue

The members of the Avengers were assembled and ready for combat, as they waited for the intruder to make the first move.

The intruder who had his back facing them pressed a button his nape, which caused his cowl to retract, allowing his silver hair to fall to his shoulders. "This place is always so lively." He chuckled and turned around, revealing a young and handsome face. His dark eyes looked like mature and experienced, and his jaw was covered with a short messy stubble.

"Holy Shit!!" The first person to react was Stark as he exclaimed in shock, as if he had just seen a ghost. Clint on other hand wasn't doing so good. His eyes rolled back into his head, and he collapsed onto cold floor.

The other members of the Avengers, with the exception of Pietro who had a frown and Wanda who seemed to be fangirling in secret, had surprised expressions on their faces.

"You guys miss me?" Duke smiled. Stark and Banner kept on exchanging glances with each other. How was is it possible for someone to fight a black hole and return unscathed, literally.

"Are you a ghost?" Stark was the first to move forward, as he fearlessly stretched his hands towards Duke cheeks and pinched them with his surprise latched on his face.

"You're back" Stark looked like he could cry. He patted Duke's shoulder with a sour face. Duke frowned for a second, as he looked at the members of the team. He could see the exhausted looks on their faces. Stark looked like he had aged a couple of years with the glaring dark spots under his eyes, Cap, looked like he just wanted to take a small break, and Thor's face was injured. He looked like a couple of beers.

Only Banner looked normal and even he looked a bit disheveled. Clint totally freaked out and passed out which Duke completely understood. He could guess that what they had been facing was bad enough to make an experienced mercenary pass out in such a manner.

Looking around he noticed that one person was missing from the group.

"I'm back." Duke spoke, confirming what they were seeing before them. He understood that his presence was a great help to these people and his little absence had caused them a great deal of worry and damage.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Banner was the first to react. He opened his mouth and let out a hearty laughter. The past few days had been tiring and exhausting for everyone on the team, him included.

"Welcome back kid." Cap walked forward and shook his hand with a genuine smile followed by Thor who gave a big bear hug which suffocated the hell out of Duke. "Good to have you back kid." Stark walked forward once more and gave a small hug before patting Duke's shoulder and heaving a sigh of relief.

Duke smiled to all of them before he picked up Clint's unconscious body and zoomed off into a resting room where he placed him a comfortable bed and covered him with a nice warm bedsheet.

.

"So what happened to you kid?" "Yeah where did you go?" The team was once more seated and began to question Duke who could only at their enquiries. "Where's Nat?" Duke asked with a frown. Her absence was extremely glaring to him, and he felt uncomfortable for some reason.

"Who's going to break it to him?" Stark asked, and instantly, everyone's eyes turned to Cap. "Break what to me? What happened to her?" Duke asked with his voice raised unconsciously.

"She's been captured." A voice resounded, as Clint appeared by the wall with droopy eyes.

"Good to have you back kid." He walked to Duke and patted his shoulder. Duke's face turned sour instantly. He didn't know why, but he felt angry for some reason. Who would have the gall to touch her?! His thoughts were in a bit of a mess.

"Who captured her?" He asked, while lightning began to streak across his body, and his eyes turned murderous. "Calm down kid." Cap sighed and said. "She's been captured by a homicidal robot and a horny God of speed?" Stark chipped in. "What?!" Duke raised an eyebrow.

He took in deep breaths, trying to calm himself, but the rage was evident in his eyes. "And how were you planning on rescuing her?" Duke asked, his frown deepening every second. "The main battle is in two days. Savitar, the god of speed has plans of seizing the earth and we need to stop him, but we can't stop him." Thor chipped in with a sour look. "Is he the one who captured Nat?" At this point, Duke's fists were tightly clenched.

"Affirmative Sir." Stark replied with a nod. "Then he's mine." Duke spoke with lightning filled eyes and stood up. At that moment, Stark brought his palms together and began to recite a few words.

"What are you doing Stark?" Thor asked as he noticed the worried action. "Offering a prayer for our friend Saviturd. He'll need it." Stark replied and opened his eyes.

"I don't think you can handle Savitar alone. He's too dangerous." Pietro spoke with a frown, as everyone including his own sister turned and looked at him like he was a fool.

"Shut it wanna be. No one asked for your opinion." Clint smirked and said. "You might be fast, but I've seen what Savitar can truly do. He's unstoppable." Pietro ignored Clint's words and looked at Duke.

"I'm counting on that. If he died from a single punch it would be too boring." Duke said, before zooming off into a room.

.

....Sokovia.....the next day....

Within a small jet, a group of figures sat with extremely serious expressions.

"We can't afford to be careless. If even one tin robot escapes, we've lost.." Cap spoke as the others looked on seriously. "A battle of this magnitude is going to wreak havoc on the city...we need all the people out..." He continued.

"I want the first shot at the big tin man." Stark chipped in, as Cap turned to look at him. "Well I made him, and he wants me." He added with a nod. "You're right, he does hate your guts." In the last seat, a red skinned figure with a golden gem embedded in his forehead chuckled as Stark nodded in agreement.

"Duke get Nat, and keep Savitar away from the main battlefield. We won't be able to take down Ultron and his army if we have to worry about him." Cap spoke as Duke nodded slowly. "For the rest of us the job is simple. Get the citizens out of there, and keep the fight between us." Cap said and grabbed his shield with a stoic expression.

"You really care about her don't you?" Within the quinjet, only Duke and Banner remained, with the others gone to evacuate the city. Looking at Duke who was seated with an iPad in hand, with Tony's AI trying to locate Nat's location, Banner asked with a sad smile.

"I don't know." Duke replied without sparing him a glance. His eyes were frantically glued to the screen, and his expression was extremely serious at the moment.

"You know she and I we have a uhhh complicated relationship." Banner continued, but after those words Duke raised his head and lifted a brow. "I care about her a lot too, but we can't be together. I'm afraid I might hurt her one day." He sighed and reclined in the seat.

"Ting." Suddenly, a location was marked on the screen with drew Duke's attention. With furrowed brows he stood up and walked out of the jet after examining the location for a few minutes. Banner followed him out and stood beside the door of the jet.

Duke dipped his hand into his pocket, and took out a small cube the size of a sugar cube. He then tapped the smooth top, causing it to break apart mysteriously, revealing his suit. He grabbed it with his left hand, before he zipped it onto his body at super speed.

"Nice suit." Banner smiled and said. Duke only nodded and turned around as he readied himself. "Hey Duke." Banner suddenly called out to him, which made him turn his head.

"Please bring her back." Banner said, as Duke nodded and touched the button on his nape as his cowl formed over his head.

"Boom!!" Golden blue lightning covered his entire body, as sparks emerged before he blasted off leaving jolts of lightning in his wake.