Chapter 23: All is Fair in Love and War.

＊＊＊

Mexico, August 1st, 2008.

The two men moved silently but not hurriedly towards the dilapidated warehouse.

Nick Fury, despite his usually intimidating presence, was nearly unrecognizable in his incognito attire. He wore a well-worn, dark gray hoodie pulled up over his head, casting shadows over his distinctive eyepatch and facial features. The hoodie's fabric was thick and slightly faded, well used.

His jeans were dark and functional, designed for ease of movement and with quality materials, while looking like they'd been picked up at a thrift store. They were slightly baggy, with numerous pockets perfect for concealing tools or small weapons. Fury's sturdy, black boots were scuffed and practical, purely decorative duct tape in place to give the appearance of low quality and cheap repairs.

To complete his disguise, Fury wore a plain baseball cap, its brim low over his face to obscure some of his recognizable features. The cap was a dull, nondescript color, blending seamlessly with the rest of his attire. His hands, rough and scarred from years of fieldwork, were covered with fingerless gloves.

Despite the simplicity of his clothes, Fury's posture and the way he carried himself betrayed his true identity if anyone was watching at this moment. His movements were deliberate and controlled, his eye constantly scanning the surroundings with a sharp, almost predatory alertness. Even in disguise, Nick Fury was a man who could command respect and exuded authority, ready for whatever danger might come his way.

Only the fact they were fairly sure they were alone right now, had made him drop the act his clothes represented, his normal fierce glare present as he looked around.

Phil Coulson on the other hand, dressed remarkably similar, and with fake facial hair making him look a lot scruffier - did better in appearing as a low life/vagrant kind of man. Even as he as well was at full alert. Even as Fury stopped pretending, Coulson kept most of his act up.

They slowly entered the abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town, Fury and Coulson both moving silently, their footsteps barely audible on the dusty concrete floor. They had left behind all electronic devices, ensuring they couldn't be tracked or overheard.

Fury, with his signature eyepatch partially obscured by his cap, scanned the area one last time before nodding to Coulson. "This is the place."

Coulson, ever vigilant, kept his hand near his concealed weapon, his eyes darting around the dimly lit room. "It seems like we're clear." He said conversationally, his guard never lowering.

Fury led the way to a small corner of the warehouse where a makeshift table had been set up, illuminated by a single, flickering bulb. They settled in, the atmosphere tense but focused.

They'd been on a hair trigger since escaping the STRIKE team that should have been on their side. SHIELD taking a very troubling stance on its former employees. Which neatly had given them a following of agents as more and more of them realized something was rotten in the state of Denmark.

"Phil, we're in deep trouble with this whole circus," Fury began tiredly, his voice low and gravelly. "SHIELD has been compromised. By who, I don't know yet. But it's bad. Real bad." They hadn't had much chance to discuss things yet, Fury setting up this meeting to begin fighting back.

He had many plans, some who had been in the work for years, that he'd never pulled the trigger on, but now, it would be needed.

Coulson leaned forward, his brow furrowing. He could hardly argue the point, he'd almost been killed by their own teams after all as well, "How do you not know who?" He asked, sounding curious as he gestured to their surroundings, "Not that many people could infiltrate SHIELD and accomplish this much, don't you have any leads?"

Honestly, the list of agencies or people who could pull this off were low, Phil already had several suspects he was ruminating on, but they were in fact the only suspects.

"I've been picking up bits and pieces," Fury said, lips curling in anger. "People I trusted turning up dead or disappearing. Information leaks that shouldn't be possible. And the way things are moving inside SHIELD - it's like someone else is pulling the strings. Someone with a lot of power." He rubbed his face wearily, "This whole Wakanda cockup stirred the rats nest enough that I could draw some conclusions, but nothing too concrete yet."

Coulson nodded, absorbing the gravity of the situation and accepting Fury at his word. "Alright. What's our next move?" He asked, not for one second believing there wasn't a plan in place.

He knew Fury.

Fury glanced around like he was looking for something, frowning when he couldn't find it, then motioned for Coulson to bear with him, as he began talking again, "Before we get into that, there's one possibility I didn't want to believe, but I'm wondering about at the moment. Justin Hammer. He's got resources, technology, and now, a damn superhero team starring the goddamn Winter Soldier. He's positioning himself as a major player outside business matters, and he's dangerous - I thought I had a handle on him as a councilor, but perhaps he pulled the wool over my eye."

The idea galled him, but he couldn't discount it.

They had almost no information on the elusive Winter Soldier, but Fury was no fool. A super soldier in Bucky Barnes, who's apparently been around since the 1940s as a 'Pow' - then you take the Winter Soldier who's been around for longer than any one normal man could last in their business… What little description they've had of him matched, too. Bucky Barnes just happened to have a prosthetic arm, just like the Winter Soldier, to boot.

The fact Hammer held that man's leash, and had managed to convince the world he was a hero, cinched things for him. He'd thought he could steer Hammer towards world protection by getting him included, but it now seemed like the man had far darker secrets than Fury had ever thought.

Coulson frowned. "Hammer's always been ambitious, but why now? Why the sudden push?"

Neither Coulson nor his team liked Hammer, but it seemed a stretch for Coulson to believe he'd make a play for SHIELD.

"He wants more power, so he created a power vacuum," Fury replied tersely, tapping a knuckle on the table, his countenance grim, "With SHIELD compromised and with us on the run, Hammer has the opportunity to step in and take control. He's been making moves, and if we don't act fast, he'll gain a foothold that could be disastrous."

He still wasn't fully sold on it being Hammer, because he never fully believed in anything. But while he poked around Pierce and his friends, it wouldn't hurt to lay eyes on some of Hammer's secrets as well.

That still turned his stomach, the thought Pierce of all people might be involved.

Coulson was silent for a moment after listening to Fury's theory, before he reiterated, "So, what's the plan?" A wry smile on his face, only to then immediately turn around, pulling a gun out and facing the darkness, from where quiet steps could be heard coming slowly their way.

"It's okay, Phil." Fury murmured lowly, standing up, a deep sigh rumbling loose, "He's with me "

Fury signaled into the darkness, and a figure emerged - a tall man with an entirely alien face and a confident stride, a playful smile on his lips. Coulson's eyes widened in surprise.

"Phil, meet Talos," Fury said. "He's been helping me for a while now."

Talos nodded, his expression serious. "Agent Coulson, it's good to meet you." He smirked, gesturing to himself, "Properly I mean."

Coulson nodded back, still processing the unexpected turn of events. "Skrulls? Didn't see that coming." He said somewhat bemusedly. With his clearance and the mission he'd been involved in way back when - he knew about them, he hadn't realized they were still on the planet, or that they were working for Fury though. "Sir, I realize that this may be presumptuous of me, but if you could bleed a little for me?" He asked, his gun still not lowered.

Fury grunted in approval, quickly sliding a knife out of a hidden pocket and cutting himself, the blood welling up red.

Coulson lowered his gun somewhat sheepishly, "Ah, good to know you're you, sir, apologizes for the precaution."

Fury smirked, "Coulson, if you hadn't asked to check, I would have either thought you were a Skrull, on general grounds of incompetence -"

"Hey now!" Talos broke in, Fury just talking over him as he continued, "Or that you recently received a traumatic brain injury."

"Not needed, Nick, not needed." Talos said, as he walked closer, his features changed from alien, to that of a middle aged man with somewhat plain features.

Fury sat back down, one hand on table, eyeing Coulson with pursed lips, "We're going to use Talos and his people to infiltrate SHIELD and Justin Hammer's operations." He explained, "They can take on any form, get into places we can't. It's our best shot at figuring out who's behind all this and stopping them."

Coulson frowned, "With all due respect, sir. Then why didn't you use them before this?" He also eyed Talos with some skepticism, "Not to impugn their skills, but if Romanoff couldn't do it, they won't succeed either."

Talos stepped forward, his voice steady. "We have the ability to blend in, in a far superior way to miss Romanoff, to gather intelligence, and strike when needed. We'll find out what's going on."

Coulson looked between Fury and Talos, having a new understanding on what exactly was going on behind the scenes. "Barton and Romanoff?" He asked, immediately figuring it out.

Fury smirked, "They're on a different mission, Hill's with them, she's running the op."

It did soothe his worries some, he hadn't liked leaving them behind at all.

"When do we start?" He asked, straightening his back.

＊＊＊

Cairo, Egypt, Hammer Compound.

The orange portal swirled into being, and Justin stepped through, giving Kaecillius a thankful nod.

The utility of this skill couldn't be understated. Being able to go between New York and Cairo in seconds, without the hours stuck in a vulnerable private jet, saved him so much time - and limited risk factors.

He'd made some good memories in that jet… He'd at least keep it, for appearances sake - sometimes it would be necessary to fly to not have people wonder how exactly he appeared across the world.

"Yelena, with me, Kaecillius you have the day free for your studies, keep your communicator on in case we need you." He ordered swiftly, sweeping out of the room assigned as the portal room.

He didn't need to give Domino any orders, she'd obviously follow him no matter what.

They made their way towards the sub basement, Justin querying Yelena, "Any issues with the plan?"

Yelena shook her head, her ponytail swishing back and forth, her expression almost pouting, but not quite. "The Winter Soldier found several ways to improve upon it, we're ready." She acknowledged.

He chuckled, "Captain America now, there's no Winter Soldier anymore." He said somewhat chastingly. It's all good here, but I don't want it to spread around everywhere this soon.

HYDRA would keep their mouths shut, for now.

Obviously Pierce and the others would try something eventually, he held no doubts about that. But for now, they were placated, and had other concerns - like whatever Fury was going to do.

Yelena shook her head again, "I still can't believe you made the Winter Soldier into Captain America." She said, sounding amused. "He's like the boogeyman."

"Well, he's never going to be the most photogenic Captain America," He acknowledged. For one, he didn't smile enough, or at all… "But he has the pedigree and weight of history behind him that will make people accept him - and that will be enough."

"He's like a big sad puppy." Domino interjected idly, twirling one of her guns around on a finger. If it were anyone but her, he'd say that was incredibly irresponsible. "Just looking at his sad puppy eyes and frown makes me want to pet him." She continued, a coy grin on her face.

"...Please don't treat Captain America like a dog in public…" Justin said wearily, as they entered the private elevator that would bring them down to the level holding Phantazia.

Domino laughed, giving him a cheeky look, "Don't worry, boss, any doggy style between me and the new Captain America will strictly be happening in private.'

Yelena lit up, stepping closer to the mercenary turned bodyguard, "Ah, I see, you do have a type, Dom. Killmonger, and now Barnes… The dark avenger type guy, yes?"

Justin gave them both an admonishing look, "Girls, not really the time and place." He told them, mostly because he could only handle so much girl talk at a time, especially when it was about other men.

They both settled, as the elevator doors opened, for all their joking around, their game faces immediately slid on now that they were on the last stretch.

It only took them a few minutes to arrive at Phantazia's cell. And unfortunately Dr. McCoy was already waiting for them.

Justin hadn't bothered informing him they were coming today, but he supposed the man had likely found a way to be alerted whenever Justin stepped into the compound.

"Mister Hammer… Back again so soon? I'm afraid there's been no changes." He said politely.

"We're here to administer a solution." Justin replied clippedly, aware of the issues this might create, but unwilling to leave this threat ongoing - or leave Eileen under it for much longer.

Dr. McCoy frowned, peering at them all with visible distaste, "My apologies, Mister Hammer, but we're still months away, how exactly do you have something you think is capable of ameliorating this issue?" He questioned sharply.

"It's not a perfect solution, it only runs through the body for several minutes, regenerating it, then it dies out." Justin said, gesturing for Yelena to hand over the briefcase she'd been carrying, "You are right that we are months away from a working solution, but my team has worked hard on finding a temporary solution."

And hopefully this excuse is believable enough Xavier won't think I dipped back into Metahuman experimentation, he thought. Giving Dr. McCoy a severe look, "I couldn't wait any longer to free my subordinate."

"And how have you tested this solution?" Dr. McCoy stressed, accepting the briefcase, and opening it to see several vials of an orange liquid.

Justin kept his face completely open, as he lied, "The simulations showed great progress, as did limited testing on volunteers."

Dr. McCoy still seemed skeptical, but in the end he picked a vial up. "I won't administer her something that has not been fully tested yet, let alone an incomplete formula." He said with finality, studying the vial, before sighing, "But this is your facility, your serum, and your subordinate, so I will not stop you either."

Good, it would really be hard to explain to Xavier why his pet carpet spontaneously combusted. Justin thought, nodding at Yelena, who walked off to find a suitable trained stooge to administer the solution to Eileen.

"Do you think it will work?" He asked the good doctor while they waited.

He gave him a dry look, "You want my opinion on the solution you developed behind my back, despite this being the whole reason I'm here? The solution I haven't studied at all, the one that's temporary and has barely gone through trials?"

"Don't be facetious, you know well what I mean." Justin said sternly, "Do you believe temporarily regenerating her will fix whatever control issue has her in its grip?"

Dr. McCoy sighed, as he stared through the observation window at the fully restrained and unconscious Phantazia. "It is possible, but I'm a scientist and not prone to making wild guesses, I believe when I finish the serum I'm working on, it will do so, but I can't speak for this temporary strain."

Justin nodded, eyes turning to the returning Yelena, and a man in a lab coat, following her nervously. "A possibility is worth the try." He said with finality, stepping away from the good doctor.

The sterile white room where Phantazia was held was filled with the hum of machinery and the soft beeps of monitoring equipment. Eileen, laid on the prison cot, restrained and unconscious, her face pale and serene. The sight of her, so still and vulnerable, only fueled Justin's determination to free her from this nightmare.

She was his chief of security, hard ass and indomitable, she was not meant to be like this.

Yelena handed the vial to the nervous lab technician, who glanced at Justin, then at Dr. McCoy, and finally back at Phantazia. With shaking hands, he prepared the syringe, drawing the orange liquid into it.

"Be careful," Yelena instructed, her voice sharp. Her eyes promised murder if he made a mistake.

Justin wasn't sure how that was supposed to make the man less nervous. But he couldn't help but add his own glare, because if he did mess this up…

As Domino stepped up next to him, murmuring something low, her face utterly serious, he seemed to draw some strength.

The technician nodded to himself, taking a deep breath before stepping forward. He injected the serum into Eileen's arm, the orange liquid slowly disappearing into her bloodstream. Everyone in the room held their breath, watching intently for any signs of change.

Justin's gaze was fixed on Phantazia, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts. This had to work. He couldn't afford to lose this valuable asset, especially not someone with her unique abilities. Not to mention what she'd be able to tell them about whoever was behind this.

Minutes passed, feeling like hours. Then, a faint, almost imperceptible tremor ran through Eileen's body. Her eyelids fluttered, and color began to return to her cheeks. The beeping of the monitoring equipment grew steadier, more rhythmic.

Dr. McCoy leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he observed the changes. "Her vitals are showing signs of the solution's effects," He said, his tone a mix of surprise and cautious optimism.

Justin allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. "Good. Now we wait and see if she regains control." This was all useless without it.

Eileen's eyes slowly opened, her gaze unfocused and distant. She blinked several times, as if trying to clear a fog from her mind. When her eyes finally settled on Justin, there was a flicker of recognition, and something else - gratitude.

"Sir?" she whispered, her voice weak but clear. "You… Fixed me? He's out of my head?" She pleaded.

Domino immediately was at her side, grasping her hand, looking more vulnerable than Justin had ever seen her as she let out a breath, resting her forehead on Eileen's, "No more sleeping beauty act, hey? Just think of how much I've slacked off without you there to ride my ass."

"Yes, Eileen, it's me," Justin said after a moment, giving the two women a second, before stepping closer. "How do you feel?" And I will be asking who he is….

Eileen took a moment to gather her thoughts, then nodded slightly. "Better. The voice... It's not there anymore, I'm not in the backseat of my own mind anymore." She sounded almost close to tears, the relief on her face obvious.

Of course they would be testing her again, ensuring she's truly free, but the fact she was able to talk about it at all was a good sign in his mind.

Dr. McCoy moved to her side, checking her vitals and running a few basic cognitive tests. "It seems the serum has done what it advertised, at least medically. How long this will last, I can't say."

"That's all we need for now," Justin replied clippedly. "We'll keep a close eye on her and make sure she's safe until we have a permanent solution."

The testing would ensure she was her again, and within a few months they'd have the actual full serum working for Metahumans and her and Domino wouldn't have to worry about it again.

Yelena and Domino exchanged glances, their usual banter replaced by a shared sense of relief and accomplishment. The tension in the room began to ease as it became clear that the immediate crisis had been averted.

Domino still held onto Eileen's hand, sitting down next to her on the cot, Eileen squirming and blushing as the bodyguard doted on her.

Dr. McCoy, still skeptical but less confrontational, nodded his approval. "This buys us some time to figure things out I suppose, but we must continue our work to find a lasting solution."

Justin waved a hand dismissively, "It will get done still. All that matters now is that it may have worked, testing will give us a final answer." He turned to Yelena, "Set it up, Yelena, the sooner she's cleared the better." He ordered.

Eileen's brows furrowed, as she looked at Yelena with suspicion, "Yelena, not Elena?" She asked.

Yelena froze in place, before glancing at Justin with a pleading expression.

Justin wasn't going to bail her out of this one. She'd brought it onto herself.

Domino had an absolute shit eating grin on her face as she leaned into Eileen, "Ah, yes, while you napped, we found out our sweet little Elena was actually the Black Widow Yelena."

"Dom!" Yelena hissed in betrayal.

"Sorry, 'Lena, every girl for herself." Domino said with a sly smirk, even as Eileen glared at Yelena with the expression of someone gearing up for an interrogation.

"Domino hired me! That's the only reason I got past the checks!" Yelena blurted out.

Domino's grin faded, as she sputtered out, "T-that! You can't turn this around on me!?"

"Sorry, Dom, every girl for herself." Yelena snarked back, a superior smirk on her face.

Eileen looked like she wanted to go back into sweet unconsciousness, "You two… We will be talking." She said quietly, but with intensity.

Both women immediately turned pleading expressions on Justin.

"Listen to our head of security." Justin said with a pleased smirk, "Glad to have you back Eileen, these two have been a handful without you here riding herd on them."

In the end, it took hours for the screening to be done, but eventually she passed through. She was back, Eileen was herself again.

Unfortunately she'd been brought to Magneto's base unconscious due to no longer being part of the Brotherhood. She'd accepted, as she'd seen it as an obvious and needed precaution.

But it did leave them with no further knowledge on where Magneto had been holed up, because in either case, it was likely he was no longer there.

But even an old base could have given some clues.

She'd woken up already under control after that and all her memories of that time are too fuzzy for her to recall for the most part - like she'd been in a fugue state as someone else drove her body. She had confirmed that Magneto was likewise under control though, although she didn't believe he'd succumbed until after she had.

Great news that… Just absolutely fantastic.

She didn't have anything but a name she'd heard once, something that pierced through the fugue.

Sinister.

Justin immediately called Emma, stepping away from the others.

"Justin." The cold clipped tone answered him.

The arctic circle might melt before this woman ever did, he thought. I wouldn't mind the chance to give her a go, but she's way too frigid and too much or a bitch for even me.

"Emma, we have a lead on who's behind Magneto disappearing, and a confirmation that he is under control." He said steadily. He and Emma had agreed to work together in several sectors, mostly anything involving Metahumans. And they were of course working together with the Hellfire club as well.

He could literally feel her attention focusing on him through the phone, "Who?" She said icily, an undertone of threat in her voice.

The Hellfire club was built by reprehensible people, but its current kings and queens were invested in Metahumans, so anyone using Magneto as a possible trojan horse - was of great import.

They were also spending resources on finding out more on what Trask had mentioned of a Sentinel program. Saving Justin the headache of another thing on his list.

"Do you know anyone with the name, Sinister?" He himself recognized the name, but he had no memories of what or who the person was.

"...I'll call you back." The line went dead.

That couldn't possibly be a good sign.

＊＊＊

August 3rd 2008,

In the rolling hills of upstate New York, the sun cast a golden glow over a sprawling, state-of-the-art facility. The complex was a testament to modern architecture and cutting edge technology, its sleek glass and steel structure gleaming against the backdrop of lush greenery. Tony Stark, flanked by Happy, Yinsen, and Pepper, led the group on a tour of his latest venture.

Mostly because both Yinsen and Pepper had insisted that he leave his workshop for a day. Due to silly concerns, really, but even Jarvis had agreed, so he'd capitulated in the end. While on his forced day out, he figured he'd inspect his new factory. Even if it was mostly just finished on the outside, much more work needed to be done internally to get it up and running.

Pepper hadn't been enthused about him turning around her idea of getting some sun and air, and taking it to the next level, taking them to New York in his private jet. She'd been even more mad when she realized he'd installed one of his suit stations in the plane.

Pepper wasn't the biggest fan to say the least. But he knew she'd come around. Both Yinsen and Happy were fine with it. Mostly.

Tony's enthusiasm was palpable as they entered the facility. Dressed in a sharp, casual suit with his signature sunglasses perched on his nose, he exuded confidence and energy - helped out by 5 red bulls on the flight, a necessity, as he hadn't really slept right his past ni- okay - week… "Welcome to the future, folks," He declared, spreading his arms wide. "This is where the magic happens, or will happen anyway."

Happy, in his usual suit and earpiece, stayed close to Tony, eyes constantly scanning the surroundings, having taken his job way more seriously as of late. Yinsen, dressed in a modest but stylish outfit, walked beside Tony, his expression one of admiration and curiosity. Pepper, in a professional but comfortable ensemble, kept pace with the group, her demeanor steady and pragmatic.

And she was only looking slightly annoyed. Her eyes flashing with something indecipherable every time Tony met them.

"As you can see," Tony continued, his voice brimming with glee, "We're sparing no expense. This facility is designed to produce the next generation of drones - drones that will revolutionize industries across the globe. Construction, agriculture, heavy industry - you name it, these babies are going to be able to do it."

They entered a large, open space where rows of sleek, robotic drones were lined up, each in various stages of assembly. The facility buzzed with activity, technicians and engineers moving efficiently, their workstations filled with advanced tools and equipment.

It was the only part of the facility that was fully operational, something he'd insisted on so that he could show off a finished product to Obie and the board, and get the military off his back a little, with robotics that did not in fact have weapons, but instead did the heavy lifting and drudge work. In theory. But his theories were always right.

Tony stopped beside one of the nearly completed drones, a sophisticated machine with a sleek, aerodynamic design. "Meet the Stark 1.0," He said, patting the drone affectionately. "Faster, smarter, and more versatile than anything Hammer has on the market. These drones will change the way we live and work."

Yinsen examined the drone closely, nodding appreciatively. "Impressive, Tony. The advancements in AI and robotics here are remarkable." He murmured.

Yinsen had of course seen his suit, so he knew Tony could do so much more with it. With Jarvis being the pinnacle of design, the lesser AI that would run these bots had been a piece of cake.

He could have made them in his sleep, really.

Tony grinned and clapped the man on the shoulder, clearly enjoying the praise. "I knew you'd appreciate it, Yinsen. This is just the beginning. Imagine a world where dangerous, mundane, and repetitive tasks are handled by these bots. People can focus on creativity, innovation, and personal growth." He smiled wistfully, what I couldn't have done early on with these bots taking care of all the drudgery.

Pepper, ever the voice of the boring and of reason, interjected quietly. "Tony, it's amazing, but we need to think about the implications, too. Job displacement, ethical considerations, safety protocols. We have to address these issues head-on now - because our competitors will hit us hard on it." She looked pained, shaking her head, "Not to mention the different interest groups, the anti-AI lobby will sue all the way up to the Supreme Court."

Tony waved a dismissive hand. "Of course, Pep. We'll have all the necessary measures in place. This is about enhancing human potential, not entirely replacing it. And besides, we're creating some new jobs too - high-tech positions that will drive the economy forward."

He frowned minutely, because he knew that in terms of numbers, he'd take away more jobs then he added. But it was the best way forward. He could trust the bots, and he didn't have to worry about the issues that came with human employees. Especially with Hammer taking all the good ones with his unfair benefits.

Happy chimed in unexpectedly, his tone more cautious. "You know, Tony, Pepper's got a point. People are going to think that you're just building machines to take over their jobs."

Well… Because I kind of am, he thought, mood souring slightly, he'd been trying to avoid thinking about it too much, focusing on the good he'd do.

Tony nodded at Happy, acknowledging his point, though his expression remained confident. "Don't worry, Happy. We'll get that covered. We'll launch an educational campaign, partnerships with educational institutions, and a full on media blitz. People will see the benefits."

As they continued the tour, Pepper walked up next to him, she smiled softly as she couldn't help but marvel at Tony's vision, despite her concerns. "You always aim high, Tony. Just remember, it's not just about what we can do, but how we do it." She cautioned.

Tony flashed her a charming smile. "I know, Pep. That's why I have you. To keep me grounded."

She blushed, and his grin widened.

With Obie taking over most of the running of the company, he and Pepper had spent a lot more time together as she mostly hung around his Malibu home now. She even slept over most nights.

Unfortunately not in his bed. But then again he never saw it either.

They reached the end of the tour, where a large observation deck offered a panoramic view of the entire facility - most of it still a work in progress. Tony turned to face the group, his expression one of triumphant anticipation. "This is just the start." He muttered, holding onto the railing, eyes intent, "Stark Industries is about to take another giant leap forward. The future is here, and it's brighter than ever." Space… Space is next.

Yinsen placed a hand on Tony's shoulder, his eyes filled with genuine respect. "You've come a long way, Tony. You're a better man."

Tony's smug facade softened for a moment, replaced by a rare look of sincerity. "Thanks, Yinsen. It means a lot."

The tranquility of the facility was shattered by a deafening explosion. The ground trembled as the roof above them suddenly caved in, sending fire and debris raining down. Chaos erupted as the once orderly space turned into a scene of destruction.

Pipes burst and water erupted for a brief moment, dousing the flames, before another explosion sounded out, right above them.

"Everyone, get down!" Tony shouted, instinctively moving to shield his friends. But the force of the blast separated him from the group, debris forming a barrier between them as half the roof cut the observation deck in half, both halfs falling to the ground in a deafening noise of ruptured and screaming metal.

Pepper, Happy, and Yinsen were on the other side, their voices muffled by the chaos. Tony could barely make out their calls for him amidst the noise. He felt incredible relief, because the noise meant they were still alive.

"Jarvis, report!" Tony yelled, struggling to stay calm as he dodged falling beams and debris. His futuristic looking wrist watch having a connection to his buddy.

"Sir, the facility has been completely compromised. I'm attempting to get the suit over for defensive purposes." Jarvis responded, his voice steady despite the urgency.

"Get it here fast and call for help!" Tony commanded, coughing, as smoke filled the air. He looked up, squinting through the dust and flames.

Above the gaping hole in the roof, a sinister figure floated on a glider, cackling maniacally. It was the Green Goblin, his green and purple costume garish against the night sky. He juggled more bombs in his hands, his laughter echoing eerily.

Tony remembered seeing the news report about the lunatic who'd bombed Oscorp, was he just going after all the billionaires, or what?

"You should have never insulted me, Stark!" the Green Goblin shouted, his voice dripping with madness and fury.

Tony frowned, wracking his brain for any encounter with this costumed nutjob. "When the hell did I ever talk to you, let alone insult you?" he muttered to himself, edging away from his position due to the flames encroaching.

"Jarvis, do we have any history on this guy?" Tony asked, his eyes never leaving the Green Goblin even as he slowly moved behind better coverage.

He really wished he could get in the suit without the whole involved process, but Jarvis taking it over and flying it here would have to do. Jarvis could drive this Lord of the Rings reject away.

"Searching records, sir," Jarvis replied.

The Green Goblin hurled another bomb into the facility, the explosion shaking the ground once more. "This is what you get for mocking me!" he screamed.

Tony ducked behind a large piece of debris, using it as temporary cover. "Come on, Jarvis, I need you here yesterday!" He whisper- screamed, face paling as he found the body of one of his engineers, a steel beam perforating his torso. It's happening again! All of them are dying because of me!

Pepper! Happy! Yinsen!

"Jarvis!" He said harshly, his knuckles white as he stared at the young kid, just out of MIT. He recognized him because he'd personally snapped him up for his robotics division, using the personal touch to beat out Hammer.

The kid had dreams, big dreams…. And now he was dead, all because some nut job wanted a crack at him.

"ETA is approximately thirty seconds, sir," Jarvis informed him.

Tony glanced around, assessing his options. He was unarmed and out of his element without his suit, but he wasn't helpless. He picked up a piece of metal, ready to use it as a makeshift weapon if necessary. No way was he going to just meekly go to his death.

He'd smack those bombs right back up at him, he had excellent eye to hand coordination, he could do it.

The Green Goblin continued his tirade, tossing bombs with reckless abandon. "You think you're untouchable, Stark? You think your money and toys can protect you from me?" He cackled, sounding absolutely insane.

Tony's mind raced. He had faced many enemies, but this one seemed personal in a way he didn't understand. "Come on, who the hell are you?" He muttered, frustration boiling over.

Just then, the familiar sound of repulsors filled the air. The Green Goblin dodged as Jarvis opened fire. Soon disappearing out of sight from the holes in the roof as the two began to battle it out in the sky.

"Finally," Tony breathed, before he began running towards the other side of the factory, trying to get to Pepper and the others. Hissing as his hands burned as he pulled away burning hot metal.

…

Pepper, Happy, and Yinsen struggled to reach safety amidst the wreckage. Happy shielded Pepper as Yinsen tried to clear a path through the debris, several burns littered Happy's face and neck, blood dribbling from where he'd hit his head, tossing himself over Pepper to protect her.

"Come on, we need to get out of here!" Happy urged, his voice strained.

Pepper looked around, worry etched on her face. "Tony…" She whispered, knowing he couldn't hear her but hoping he could somehow sense her concern, and that he'd made it out.

Some metal shifted, and they all froze expecting something to fall down and crush them any moment. Instead, with a groan, a piece of metal roofing was pushed aside, Tony Stark stumbling through, sooty, and burned all over his hands and arms, but alive.

"Tony!" Pepper cried out, rushing for him, grabbing him and hugging him desperately, before suddenly kissing him, locking her lips with his like a starving woman finally finding nourishment.

Everyone froze again, this time for a different reason.

Pepper detached moments later, her face fully red, "Ah, um, I-I wasn't thinking." She stammered out.

Tony licked his lips, his eyes slightly unfocused, "You should not think a lot more then…" He said, his thoughts running a mile a minute.

"Sir, the armor is no longer functional." Jarvis reported, and Tony felt a chill down his back.

"That lunatic got the best of you Jarv, buddy?" He asked in pure disbelief, "And shit, we better get out of here!" He grabbed Pepper's arm, having to hold back from returning the favor as he saw her bite her lip, her cheeks still a beautiful red. Not the time, Tony, he told himself.

"The Green Goblin is escaping, reinforcements have arrived, sir." Jarvis reported.

Reinforcements? Tony wondered, before the outer wall not too far from them, practically melted, a high energy beam slagging it.

"Not to worry citizens, HAMMER is here!" Came the voice out of a speaker, the Vulture armor stepping through, its wings folded to allow him passage. "Oh, look it's Stark again, I wonder if we get a bonus for saving the same guy twice?" He pondered out loud.

Oh… Oh no… Please not these guys.

"Tony! You okay!?" The Warmachine entered behind the Vulture, and Tony's mood soured further, seeing his best friend working for the enemy. Even if it was to save him.

That and it made him absolutely mad with anger that the asshole Hammer had crafted a suit for his sugarplum before he could have! Not to mention forcing him to spend several days a month working with that crap team…

Tony was on to Hammer, he didn't know what cloning tech he had to pull that bullshit with Barnes as the new Captain America - like hell the guy was the same guy from the 40's - but he'd find out, oh he would find out alright.

"I'm fine, Rhodey." He sighed, as Warmachine stomped over, looking him over, scanning him.

"Jesus, Tony, that's third degree burns, you are not fine!" He tilted his head slightly, speaking into comms, "Warmachine to rearguard, we're going to need a few doses of the good stuff."

Tony looked around at his crumbling factory, and then at Hammer's team, god dammit, I'm behind again…

Some time later,

The fact the press somehow had managed to arrive while he was being treated was just the icing on the cake really. Just the cherry on top of this shitty day.

Hammer saves Stark.

If that wasn't the headline tomorrow, he'd join a convent. Fucking Hammer.

Worst of all, with the factory demolished. He'd have to actually… Renegotiate with the prick, because now he needed him to take on a heavier load, it would be months before he was ready to go at the same capacity now.

His eyes narrowed as he watched the partial gathering of the HAMMER team. Only three members present.

Was the Green Goblin one of his? Oscorp first, now me?

"Jarvis… I want you to dig into Hammer industries a bit more, slow and careful, but I want info." He ordered quietly, as soon as he had some privacy.

"Certainly sir."

At least now if they tried to bully him out of his workshop - he had definite proof that he was safer inside it then out.

＊＊＊

Russia, Red Room secret supply depot.

Bucky, dressed in tactical black attire that allowed for maximum mobility and stealth, led the way. His attire was sleek and functional, consisting of a fitted long-sleeve armored shirt, with cargo pants equipped with multiple pockets, and combat boots. His bionic arm had its new Vibranium metal surface darkened to reduce reflection, and fit more comfortably then he'd ever had before. His face was set in a mask of concentration, eyes sharp and alert.

It was a comfort to him, to do this first mission in something understated, instead of the Captain America uniform he felt so uncomfortable in. And to be able to right one of the many wrongs he'd seen… The Black Widow program - it seemed Hammer did deliver on his words after all.

Bucky would get to make amends, saving the world.

Yelena was equally attired in black, and moved beside him with the grace and agility of a trained assassin. Her blonde hair was tied back in a tight braid, and her eyes, cold and calculating, scanned their surroundings constantly. She carried a compact set of tools and weapons, each chosen for their utility in infiltration and close combat.

Both of them carried multiple shots of Panacea just in case, above the load they already carried for the mission.

Only through Yelena's skills and his memories could they even do this at all. Dreykov had not been lazy.

The Red Room was utterly paranoid with its Widows, sedating them before entry and exit to ensure they didn't know exactly where the actual Red Room was.

Even mind controlled however, Yelena was an expert spy and assassin, so she'd memorized the interior of the facilities, as a spy was wont to do. And even if she couldn't give the exact location of the Red Room at any given time - she knew where one of the depots was that supplied it - and sedated Widows for travel.

Bucky however knew even more, as he'd been regularly sent to train Widows, and knew half a dozen of the depots to boot. As he was always mind wiped after missions, Dreykov had never had a reason to hide anything from him.

So they had the full layout of the facility, the way to get there, and if all else failed, they could utilize the HAMMER team that was laying in wait as backup in Latvia, ready to fly in and crush the facility if Bucky and Yelena ran into problems.

To assist in their goal, and keep Dreykov looking out, not in. Two of the depots Bucky knew about, where being hit by what appeared to be czechen terrorists.

In actuality, they were Hammer's people.

Bucky and Yelena crouched in the dense underbrush, their eyes fixed on the massive Red Room facility hovering ominously above the forest. The flying fortress, a marvel of Soviet-era engineering, floated silently in the night sky, its metallic bulk illuminated by occasional flashes of heat in their binoculars.

Without the tech they'd been provided with, it would be impossible to see. It was too far up, and the facility was running some sort of field that bent the light or otherwise rendered it invisible to the naked eye.

Bucky put his insanely capable binoculars back in its designated slot on his outfit. Glancing down at the ground bound facility they'd have to infiltrate first. One of the relay and supply depot stations that both brought food, and dealt with sedating and transporting Widows back to base.

"We need to get up there first," Bucky said, his voice low but firm. "Got any ideas?"

They'd already hatched a plan, but Bucky knew that what was put on paper and planned in advance didn't always match up once on location. Like what was already happening.

Yelena nodded, her gaze leaving the floating fortress as she put away her own binoculars. "There's a supply drone launch pad nearby. We can hijack one of the drones and use it to get up to the facility."

Bucky raised an eyebrow, pondering it. "A bit of a departure from the original plan, but not necessarily a bad one, explain your reasoning."

Yelena scrunched her nose up, looking down at the facility below their hillside vantage point, "I don't see any of the aircraft, so despite our intelligence, there's no Widow returning to base, or she has already done so, finishing her mission early. Either way, we can't wait for another one, and the supply drones are large enough to carry food, they can haul us as well, although we will definitely have to neutralize the people who will no doubt inspect it, once we arrive."

Bucky slowly nodded his head, chewing over all of that, "Proceed." He said simply, agreeing with her over the change of parameters.

Yelena led them through the forest, moving with the grace and agility of a trained assassin, Bucky following along easily enough, superbly trained as well, albeit not as graceful. They navigated around security patrols and surveillance with practiced ease, avoiding detection as they made their way to the drone launch pad. The pad was a small, open area with several drones stationed, ready for deployment.

To their benefit, one drone was already opened up, crates being loaded onto it. It would mean they would not have to create an unscheduled drop off. They could have managed, but it would have started the fight early.

They crouched behind a large tree, assessing the situation. Two guards patrolled the area, their attention focused on their surroundings. While three people loaded the crates. None of them could be allowed to get a warning off.

Bucky and Yelena exchanged a nod, then moved in perfect sync. Bucky sprinted forward, and took down one guard with a swift, silent strike to the neck, breaking it, while Yelena ended the other with a precise stab to the temple with one of her knives - having flown out from behind the tree like a Olympic sprinter, completely blind siding the tired and bored guard.

Before the people loading the drone could even do more than drop their load, they were dead, two shot through the forehead by Bucky's silenced pistol, one gurgling as he fell to the tarmac, one hand futilely reaching for the knife in his jugular.

With the guards neutralized, they approached the open drone. Yelena quickly accessed the control panel, her fingers flying over the keys as she bypassed the security protocols. While the Red Room itself changed protocols often, the supply depot had not, and she was easily able to get past the security.

"Got it," she said, a note of triumph in her voice. "Climb in."

They climbed into the back of the large drone, the size of a decent sized van. It was cramped with the load it held, but they made due. Dumping the load would only ensure the scanners caught something anomalous once they got close to the Red Room. A bit of extra weight only meant more food, drastically lower weight meant something was up.

Yelena activated the controls, and the drone lifted off the ground with a hum. They ascended rapidly, the forest shrinking below them as the massive bulk of the Red Room facility loomed closer, not that they could see it until they entered its field.

The supply depots were not heavily manned, so she knew it would likely be an hour or two until the dead men would be missed or found - so they were on the clock, but not dangerously so.

As they flew into the underbelly of the fortress, Yelena overrode the drone, and expertly maneuvered the drone towards a maintenance hatch, partially obscured by shadows as it took a more circuitous route to its loading bay end goal. She popped the drone open, and Bucky reached out, using his enhanced strength to pry open the maintenance hatch. They both slipped inside, the drone quietly returning to its predefined route, Yelena kicking the drone's door closed with a powerful kick as it flew off.

They'd planned to simply overpower the guards who'd check on the food delivery, but when she spotted the hatch it had been too good of an opportunity to not take advantage of.

Inside the facility, they found themselves in a narrow maintenance shaft, the walls lined with cables and pipes. The air was thick with the smell of oil and metal. Bucky replaced the hatch, ensuring it was securely closed before they moved deeper into the heart of the Red Room.

Navigating the labyrinthine corridors required skill and knowledge, both of which Yelena possessed in abundance. She led the way, her movements confident and sure. They encountered and bypassed several security checkpoints, each one bypassed with a combination of Yelena's intimate knowledge of the facility's layout and their shared super soldier strength and amazing tech advantage, that allowed them to cut or muscle their way into the walls and other maintenance tunnels to bypass security.

As they progressed, the interior of the Red Room revealed itself in all its sinister glory. The walls were cold, clinical and dark, interrupted by the occasional splash of red - warning signs, security panels, and the ever-present insignia of the Red Room. The hallways were tight and confined, designed to limit the rapid movement of personnel and equipment in case of rebellion. Overhead, fluorescent lights cast a harsh, unyielding glare.

They passed by a training area, where a group of young recruits were being drilled by stern-faced instructors. The sight made Yelena's jaw tighten - she had been one of those recruits once. Bucky placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder before they moved on, sticking to the shadows.

They would save them today. But they'd face a lot of issues with the Black Widows onboard if they went after the young students first.

They'd already have been caught by now if the perception filter some new egghead had crafted for the operation didn't completely spoof all cameras - making them invisible to electronic sight.

Bucky could say this for Hammer, he provided the best toys.

Both of them carried heavy bags on their backs, filled with Panacea shots - an advanced serum designed to free the Black Widows from their mind control. Normally it was a team effort between the shot and the cradle, but that was obviously not an option here. So the serum had been somewhat supercharged, which should knock the mind control straight out, but without the cradle to stabilize and bind it, the Widows wouldn't keep the regeneration unless they joined Hammer industries to get access to the cradle.

Bucky almost thought it was a predatory move from Hammer, if Yelena hadn't confirmed that was how it all worked. And as she'd been a Black Widow, surely she was on her sister's side in this?

Their first destination was the sleeping quarters, where dozens of Black Widows lay in a drug-induced slumber, unaware of the liberation that awaited them. Handcuffed to their cots, because even in sleep and mind controlled, they had no freedom.

They paused at a corner, Bucky holding up a hand to signal a halt. Two guards patrolled the corridor ahead, their expressions bored but vigilant. With silent, coordinated precision, Bucky and Yelena moved in. Bucky took the guard on the left, delivering a swift, and brutal blow to the head, before he, with a quick motion, twisted the head sideways. Yelena handled the guard on the right, her movements fluid and lethal as she was within his guard instantly. Within seconds, the guards were down, and their path was clear.

Time was ticking, and they hadn't had time to go around this time, especially when they were so close. Their perception filter would cover the fight, but wouldn't cover the fact the men were no longer to be seen patrolling anywhere.

They'd dragged them into a supply closet to give them some extra time, but they were now down to imminent reveal.

"Sleeping quarters are just ahead," Yelena whispered, her voice barely audible.

Bucky nodded, leading them forward. They reached a heavy, reinforced door. Yelena quickly accessed the control panel, her fingers flying over the keys - finding to her frustration that this time it wouldn't be that easy. Bucky solved it by putting his fist through the panel, as she gave him a deadpan look. The door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing rows of bunk beds, each occupied by a slumbering Black Widow.

"Well they'll know we're here now." She muttered, getting to it. Someone would come investigate why the door controls suddenly alarmed as non-functional. Their filter wouldn't do much to keep the sight of freed Black Widows all over the room from the command center.

They entered the room, moving quickly but quietly. Bucky set down his bag, pulling out the first syringe of Panacea. He handed it to Yelena, who approached the nearest bed. Gently, she injected the serum into the sleeping woman's arm. The Black Widow stirred soon after, her eyes fluttering open. Confusion gave way to clarity as the mind control was lifted.

"It's okay," Yelena whispered, her tone soothing. "You're free now. We're here to help."

The woman blinked, her eyes widening as she realized the truth. She nodded, tears of relief welling up before she pulled them back, professionalism setting in. Yelena squeezed her hand reassuringly before using her newfound super strength to crush the hand cuff, moving to the next bed to do the same thing.

Bucky and Yelena worked in tandem, dosing each Black Widow with the powerful Panacea shots. The room was filled with soft murmurs and the occasional gasp of realization as one by one, the women woke from their enforced loyalty. Yelena was well known, and the ones already awakened quickly explained things to those who were recently brought awake.

As they reached the end of the row, a sudden noise made them freeze. Bucky spun around, ready for a fight, but it was another Black Widow, now freed from mind control, rising to her feet, her handcuff dangling from one wrist, she'd gotten out of it on her own, a short red haired Black Widow sending them apologetic looks, it seemed she hadn't gotten to her quick enough to explain things after Bucky had injected her.

"What's happening?" she asked, her voice trembling, even though she looked ready for a fight, feet planted, her body turned to give her the best angle.

Yelena approached her slowly, hands raised, her expression gentle. "You're free. The mind control is gone. We're here to help you escape."

The woman's eyes filled with a mix of fear and hope. "But what about the others? The guards?" Her fists clenched, "I'm not leaving anyone behind." She insisted.

"We'll handle them, no one's being left behind," Bucky assured her, his voice steady, as he met her eyes. "Just stay quiet and follow our lead."

They finished administering the Panacea shots, freeing every Black Widow in the room. As the women gathered, whispering among themselves, Yelena gave them quick instructions. "If you run into any of your sisters, each of you'll be given three of these shots." She held up the syringes. "One shot is enough to destroy the mind control, we're going to sweep this entire base, with your help, everyone goes free today."

"What will you be doing, sister?" One of the Widows asked, the entire group, almost as one, facing her expectantly.

She grinned viciously, "I'm going after Dreykov." She purred, Bucky standing solid as a statue next to her, watching for the attack he knows is coming. Sooner or later. The alarm must be going by now, although it seemed this facility did not subscribe to the loud blaring alarm of most secret bases he'd had to infiltrate before.

As soon as they exited the room, they faced down several firing squads, but the Widows had no problem using another exit to go around and flanking them, while Bucky and Yelena kept them busy.

Soon all you could hear was shouts of pain, as the vengeful Black Widows descended on the guards. After that, they split up, Bucky and Yelena moving forward with a few Widows following - the rest moving to cleanse the rest of the facility and wake their sisters.

Bucky and Yelena moved with purpose, leading the few freed Black Widows they had with them through the winding corridors of the facility. Each step brought them closer to Dreykov, the puppet master behind their suffering. The urgency was palpable, with the subtle hum of the alarm system felt through the walls, though not blaring audibly, were a constant reminder that their presence was now known.

The possibility existed that Dreykov would flee.

They reached the central hub, a sprawling control room filled with monitors and personnel. Yelena signaled for the group to halt, her eyes scanning for Dreykov amongst the many frightened staff and the stalwart Widows ready to fight and die for their master. Something she'd see fixed soon.

"There," Bucky murmured, spotting him at the far end of the room, hidden behind a partition, working frantically at a keypad. The man was flanked by several Widows, his expression a mix of anger and fear.

"Yelena Belova," Dreykov's voice boomed as he spotted her. "I should have known you would come, you traitorous slut!" He spat out, features twisted in frustrated rage, "How much did Hammer pay you to turn on your own family?"

Yelena stepped forward, her voice cold as the arctic, even as hate burned inside her veins. "Your reign ends today, Dreykov, I didn't need payment, I didn't need to sell myself, your death was coming no matter what, because I was never going to forgive you!"

He roared something unintelligible, a forceful wave of his hand summoning his guards forward. "Kill them." He spat.

Chaos erupted. The Black Widows surged forward, their training and newfound freedom driving them to fight with a fierce determination. So did the Black Widows on the other side of the fence as well, faces blank and uncaring. The room turned into a battlefield, a whirl of bodies and flashes of movement.

Yelena and Bucky coordinated their efforts, leading the free Widows in a targeted advance - aiming to free the Widows, the rest of the staff hardly even an afterthought. Each step was contested, each inch hard-won. The controlled Widows fought with a mechanical precision, their attacks relentless and devoid of hesitation. They'd die for their master without hesitation.

Yelena moved like a wraith through the melee, her agility and combat prowess allowing her to sidestep a flurry of strikes from a particularly aggressive Widow. With a swift motion, she pulled out a syringe of Panacea, her eyes locking onto her target. She deflected a punch with her forearm, twisting to the side and plunging the needle into the woman's neck.

The effect was immediate. The Widow's eyes widened in surprise and confusion, her body going slack as the mind control dissolved. There was no time for reassurance, she'd have to understand what was going on from context, as she continued the fight.

Bucky, with his enhanced strength and combat training, was a force of nature as he mowed through the forces arrayed against him. He blocked a high kick aimed at his head, grabbing the attacker's leg and flipping her onto her back. With precise efficiency, he injected her with the Panacea, then turned to face the next threat.

The controlled Widows, while formidable, were slowly being turned. For every strike they landed, a syringe found its mark, breaking their chains and bringing them into the fight for freedom. The tide of the battle began to shift as more and more Widows switched sides.

One Widow, particularly fierce, charged at Yelena with a flurry of punches. Yelena ducked and weaved, avoiding the blows, then grabbed the woman's wrist, twisting it and forcing her to drop her weapon. With her other hand, she injected the Panacea into the woman's arm, holding her steady until the transformation took hold, her eyes flickering across the large room and its quickly lessening fighting.

The controlled Widow's face contorted in shock, her movements faltering. She blinked rapidly, as if waking from a long nightmare. Yelena pulled her into a quick embrace, then pushed her gently towards the newly formed line of freed Widows.

"Welcome back," Yelena murmured, turning to face another opponent.

The room was a cacophony of shouts and the sounds of combat. Syringes glinted in the dim light, each one a lifeline for the controlled Widows. The free Widows moved with a renewed sense of purpose, their actions fluid and coordinated. They worked in pairs, one distracting while the other administered the Panacea, their teamwork seamless - there were now only a few left, the staff dead or cowering as a byproduct of the fighting.

Those who hadn't fled, only to end up running into the Widows cleansing the rest of the facility.

None of the staff would face a good end today.

Bucky found himself face-to-face with a particularly skilled Widow, her movements a blur of speed and precision. She aimed a kick at his chest, which he blocked, then followed up with a series of rapid punches. He parried each blow, his metal arm absorbing the impact. She then made the mistake to grapple with him, trying to throw him off his feet, his metal arm grabbed her tight as he stabbed her in the side with a syringe, dropping her gently before he returned to the fight.

As the last of the controlled Widows were freed, the battle began to wind down. The room, once filled with the sounds of combat, grew quieter. The freed Widows gathered, their breathing heavy, but their eyes filled with a newfound light.

"Dreykov's control is broken here, but we have to ensure it never happens again. We take this facility, we free anyone still trapped, and we dismantle the human part of their operation piece by piece." Yelena told them, glancing at Bucky, who nodded, telling her he'd take care of the rest of it. "Listen to him, I'll be back shortly." She shouted as she left.

Yelena sprinted off after Dreykov, leaving Bucky to organize and continue the cleansing of the facility. The last she heard was his voice sternly telling the Widows that no, they could not blow the place up.

Yelena's focus was singular now, Dreykov. She pushed through the guards he'd left behind to cover his escape, regular ones, his Widows expended to fight their own, her fists were a blur of motion, each strike bringing her closer to her target. Dreykov had retreated through a secret entrance, his confidence no doubt wavering as he realized his end was near with their rebellion so close.

Bucky, meanwhile, coordinated the Widows, ensuring each had a syringe of Panacea, as they joined their other sisters scouring the facility.

Dreykov had reached a reinforced door at the back of the long corridor he'd escaped into, frantically typing in a code. The door slid open, revealing another hidden corridor, leading towards a personal hangar. He bolted down it, Yelena hot on his heels.

Yelena chased Dreykov through the narrow corridor, her breath steady, her determination unwavering. She caught up to him at the end, where he stood before a large window overlooking the hangar below.

"You're done!" Yelena said, her voice a low growl. She cracked her knuckles, mostly for effect, as she knew she couldn't make him suffer too badly until Justin had wrung him dry.

But then… Then she'd get him, and she could take all the time she wanted. And with Panacea on tap, she could keep him for years. Her face turned positively cruel as she slowly sashayed forward. "You'll suffer for each girl you've murdered, raped, tortured and controlled."

Dreykov turned, a sneer on his face. "You think you can end this, end me? There will always be more, this won't stop just because of me, girl, there will always be someone controlling girls like you.."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Yelena retorted. She prepared to take him down. She might not be allowed to damage him too badly, but a little beating never hurt anyone.

She lunged at him, only to freeze at the last moment, eyes wide in shock as she couldn't just slam into the snake of a man standing before her.

Dreykov let out a shaky breath, sweat dripping off his face, "Heh, glad to see that worked." He gave her a superior look, "You can't touch me, Yelena… I assume you've used Hammer's drug to get past the mind control, but apparently it can't get past the scent conditioning I've attuned you to, you can't attack me." He grinned, a cruel vicious grin. "I'm going to enjoy this." He said as he stepped towards her slowly.

Without hesitation Yelena stabbed herself in the face, Dreykov shrieking in shock, Yelena was relentless, her movements fueled by years of pain and a burning desire for justice… She had regeneration, some pain was nothing.

Freed from her sense of smell, the nerves unable to heal with the knife still lodged in there, she viciously took Dreykov down, accidentally breaking all his limbs, and she accidentally dropped some knives with her slippery fingers too, Dreykov would live without balls, and Justin couldn't be too mad at her. It was all an accident from having a knife lodged into her face.

With a groan, she slid it out, standing before Dreykov's unconscious body. Really? Of all the things for regeneration to not remove, it was scent conditioning? Perhaps the body saw it as part of itself now after all these years? It would make torturing the man very annoying. Perhaps the scientists could figure it out.

Either way, she had her revenge. She had her sisters. They'd track down those who were out on missions.

And most importantly, she blushed slightly, they had the flying fortress, and giving that to Justin would surely beget a reward right?

She squirmed slightly.

Maybe… M-maybe she could even ask for…

She covered her face in her hands, beet red. She could hear her sisters getting close, and she didn't want to look too ridiculous.

She tossed her hair as she put a foot on Dreykov's chest, there, now I don't look ridiculous, she thought, as she posed, waiting for her sister's to arrive.

＊＊＊

Several days later, Cairo, Hammer's Compound.

Justin Hammer quietly opened the door to the expansive training room in his Cairo compound, slipping inside unnoticed. The room was bathed in soft, warm light from the large artificial windows, and the hum of hushed voices filled the air. He paused in the doorway, taking in the scene with keen interest.

He'd been thrilled when Yelena had succeeded so spectacularly on her mission. The Red Room facility would need a lot of work to become space worthy, but it was a good catch even if they decided to keep it as just a fortress in the sky.

He hadn't seen much of her or the Widows since then however, so when he heard from Sunil that they were practicing nearby, he'd gone over to see what they were doing.

Yelena Belova stood in the center of the room, exuding confidence and authority. Around her, a dozen stunningly beautiful Black Widows moved with practiced grace and precision. Each woman wore a uniform that was both alluring and barely proper - tight, short skirts, low-cut blouses, and high heels that accentuated their legs, almost professional looking - if they were hired as secretaries and maids in a porn movie. They listened intently as Yelena spoke, her voice clear and commanding.

Justin pinched the bridge of his nose as he saw a whiteboard, the topic header - Harem training.

Yelena… He thought with exasperation.

"Remember, ladies, Justin Hammer is not just any man. He's powerful, ambitious, and he has certain... Expectations," Yelena said, her eyes sweeping over the group. "He values grace, elegance, and precision. You need to be perfect in every way."

What the fuck Yelena!? He thought, staring as the Black Widow believed every word out of her mouth, nodding thoughtfully.

A statuesque redhead raised her hand, her expression curious. "What exactly does Mr. Hammer like? How should we act around him?" She wanted to know.

Yelena smiled, clearly enjoying her role as instructor. "Justin appreciates confidence and competence. Be assertive but respectful. He likes it when you anticipate his needs before he even has to ask. Pay attention to the little details. And remember, while you need to be professional, a little charm and allure go a long way." Yelena smiled coyly, "He really likes strong women."

Well… Yes, true, but Yelena… We talked about this… Justin didn't hold any doubts that they'd all noticed him already, but Yelena continued the meeting anyway.

A petite blonde with an innocent face but a mischievous glint in her eye spoke up next. "What about... Personal preferences? Anything specific we should know?"

Yep, they know I'm here. He shook his head wearily. Yelena was behind so many victories for him, but she was also behind the majority of his headaches.

Yelena chuckled softly. "Justin likes variety, but he has a particular fondness for attentive service and genuine warmth. Make him feel special, and he'll appreciate it. And ladies, don't be afraid to show a little personality. He enjoys a good conversation as much as he does... Other things."

The women nodded, absorbing the information. Another Black Widow, a tall brunette with striking green eyes, asked, "What about our roles? Are we just here as secretaries and maids, or is there more to it?"

Yelena's expression turned serious. "Your primary role is to support Mr. Hammer in every way possible. That means being perfect secretaries, efficient maids, and yes, sometimes more. He needs a good, proper harem - women who can handle any task, be it professional or personal, with skill and discretion." She laid out like it all made perfect sense.

This is not what they're here for! Spies,

Yelena! They're supposed to be spies and trusted administrators of my will! He closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the wall. He wasn't opposed to having a Black Widow or two 'service' him, but there would be no Harem!

A murmur of understanding went through the group. Yelena continued, "You are all incredibly skilled, and this is just another role to master. Treat it with the same dedication and precision as any mission. Your adaptability and intelligence are your greatest assets."

One of the women, a raven-haired beauty with a sharp intellect, raised her hand. "And what if Mr. Hammer asks for something... Unexpected?"

Yelena gave a knowing smile. "Adapt. Show him that you can handle anything he throws your way with grace and poise. That's what will set you apart and make you invaluable to him." She grinned lasciviously, "And it will also be a lot of fun!"

With a final glance at the scene, Justin slipped back out of the room, leaving Yelena and the Black Widows to their training.

He just knew they'd be a headache.

Oh, he'd probably enjoy himself quite well.

But Yelena was turning out to be perhaps a little bit more like Cho than he'd realized.

"Domino… Thank you for being the only straight shooter I've got left. Well… Eileen now that she's back." He said as they left to return back to work.

Domino wriggled her nose, "Not sure if that's a compliment or not, boss." She said, before glancing back to the room they'd left, "Not sure whether to congratulate you or pity you…"

Justin let out a breath, "I'm not sure either."

…

Back in the room,

Yelena burst out laughing, followed by many of the widows.

"You did great girls, did you see his face?" She chortled.

One of them piped up, "Isn't he going to be mad at you?"

Yelena grinned, "Oh, I don't mind, he needs to relax more, so some teasing to get him to not take things too seriously is good." Her expression turned slightly pink, "And if he punished me… That's okay too."

"Big sis has it baaad."

＊＊＊

Author's note:

So Tony gets a visit by the Goblin, fun times. Wonder who's next on the visit list?

Tony gets a kick in the pants to nut up or shut up, we'll see how that goes.

The Widows are free! And Yelena is immediately moving to make them into a harem of course - they're her sisters - although not really, although she probably wouldn't mind fun time now and then.

And we finally have a name for one of the sinister figures moving in the background. Who'd have thunk it? Almost no one, because out of all my reviews, I think I've only gotten one or two even casually mentioning him.

Mommy Widow and the girl who'd end up as Taskmaster were not on base for the attack if anyone was wondering why they didn't show up. A lot of Widows are out on mission as well.

Not sure if they'd call each other sisters in canon, but I'm making it a thing here. The sisterhood of Widows.