Running Out ? Quicksilver

chapter nineteen

"It would make a good transmission point," Steve nodded. He looked to Matthews. "Where's the Eye?"

I didn't give the officer a chance to answer. Instead, I poked Steve's shoulder, and nodded behind him. Across the river stood the great London Eye. "A hop, skip, and a jump away," I mused. "Much closer than the palace."

Tony and Steve exchanged a look. "We're going to need to split up," Steve said.

"I'll take the Eye," Tony volunteered. He nodded at me, "You're with me, small fry. Guess it means I get lover boy too, but whatever. Cap, you're going to want some of the bigger guns- you've got a queen to protect, after all."

Steve nodded absently at Tony's words, not exactly paying attention to the genius yet. "Officer Matthews, if you wouldn't mind doing your best to keep people away from the Eye, that'd be much appreciated. I understand you can't evacuate everyone, but that shouldn't be a problem. Most of your power should probably be focused on the palace. I'll be headed there as well."

"Of course, Captain. I'll go make sure everything's arranged now," Matthews nodded, before jogging off with the rest of his men.

Steve turned to Tony then. "If I'm taking the heavy hitters, I've got Thor and Vision."

"Obviously," Tony scoffed. "I figured you'd probably want Wanda, too. Extremis isn't something that goes down easy, and Bruce is still working on simplifying the procedure that allows us to shut it down." He paused. "He'll be staying on the jet, in case you were wondering."

"I figured he'd do what he wanted," Steve said, glancing at me then. "I'm going to take Sam, too. An eye in the sky won't hurt."

"Then that leaves me with Bucky, Natasha, and Clint," Tony nodded. "I can work with that. Sinclair, if you wouldn't mind rounding up our team . . ."

I nodded, "I've got it. Good luck, Steve."

"You too, Meg," Steve said before I rushed off to get the other four members of our team.

I found Natasha first. She was with Thor and Vision. "We're going to the Eye," I informed her before glancing up at the two men. "You two are with Steve at the palace."

"We get the death ray? How fun," Natasha said, throwing a glance over her shoulder. "At least our location is close. Who else do we have?"

"Buck, Clint, Pietro, and Tony," I informed her with a pointed look. "The royal family's high priority."

"The stakes are high everywhere," Vision mused, looking thoughtfully to the Eye before nodding at me. "Thor, we should go."

Thor nodded. "I will get Sam and Wanda."

They dispersed, and Natasha gave me a small smile. "We've got the biggest goofballs. How wonderful of them to split us up that way."

"On the bright side, there are two of us ladies," I pointed out, heading toward Bucky and Clint (who had somehow found Pietro). "Poor Wanda's the only one."

"You do have a point there," Natasha chuckled.

We came to a stop in front of the boys. "What's the plan?" Bucky asked, looking down at me.

"We're splitting up," I informed them. "All of us and Tony."

"You know, splitting up is how people die in horror movies," Clint pointed out.

"Good thing this is not a horror story," Pietro said, giving Clint a very unimpressed look.

"Kind of feels like one," Tony said as he came over. "You crazy kids ready to get going?"

Bucky shot Tony a look. "I'm older than you, Stark. I knew your father."

Tony rolled his eyes. "You're really going to use that card? Really? How petty of you. Anyway- the Eye. Let's get there."

"Only two of us can fly," Natasha pointed out.

"I can run fast enough to cross water," Pietro declared, bouncing up and down a little bit as he looked out over the river.

I stared at Pietro for a long moment. "I'm calling you Dash from now on. Don't ask what it means," I smiled crookedly at him, "we'll watch that movie later, too."

"I do not want to be carried by speedy, just so everyone knows," Clint said. "Happened too many times in the past month."

"I think it's safe to say I don't want to be, either," Bucky agreed, Natasha nodding along.

"Well you're going to have to make it there somehow, and I don't suggest swimming," Tony pointed out, seeming a little irritated.

"I've got it," I said then. "Just . . . trust me." I looked between the other three adults. "I may not be as fast as Pietro, but my methods are just as effective." I looked to Pietro with fire in my eyes. "We're running out of time. So let's do this."

Tony cleared his throat. "Well, you heard shortstop," he said, his face plate sliding back down. "Avengers assemble, or something."

"Very encouraging, Stark," Clint said sarcastically before I lifted the four of us into the air.