[HELLZONE] Three Weeks Later... [Heroes] [COMPLETE]

[Deleted]

Clint stayed in the kitchen for a long time as his coffee was being made, simply staring down at his feet and the ceramic tiles silently. He couldn't stand to look out that window any longer. It'd just drive him nuts. Once his coffee was finally done, he picked up the mug and set it on the counter, grabbing creamer from the fridge. Black coffee? Ugh... No. He needed all the creamer he could manage to put in to boost his spirits slightly. Black coffee would just put him in a sour mood. Could his mood get any more sour? He was already at the stage where he was reading bible passages, so it was already looking quite bad.

Clint paused, suddenly hearing mad footsteps. Closer... Closer... A few angered shouts... Narrowing his eyes, he grabbed a steak knife from a nearby drawer, slowly stepping out of the kitchen as he kept his gaze on the door. Well... He knew this would happen at some point. That S.H.I.E.L.D. blockade wasn't going to last forever. Now, he most likely had a band of goons racing up the stairs to take the tower. All he had was a stupid knife, and his attire was a far cry away from his signature purple and blue. No armor, no bow, just Clint Barton with a steak knife.

His panic somewhat ceased as a familiar face rushed through the door. "Steve...?" He asked, raising a brow in confusion. When had he left the tower? And what was he doing on the streets, when the government had specifically demanded that their team had stayed put? Clint began piecing things together, realizing that those footsteps and angry cries, were just agitated S.H.I.E.L.D. members. Steve had poked the bear doing... Whatever it was he was doing. And then, he opened the bag of goodies. Clint's expression immediately lit up at this, as well as the words that came with it. Without hesitation, he grabbed the suit, shoving it on along with the bow and quiver.


"Man, I didn't think you had it in you, Steve! Breaking the law, living on the edge... that's pretty hardcore for you, ma-" He stopped, realizing what Steve had just said. Disobeying orders was one thing, but actively engaging S.H.I.E.L.D. members in combat? That was new. Considering Hawkeye's history with S.H.I.E.L.D., and the fact that they'd be making severe enemies with a group much more powerful and influential then they were, something told Hawkeye that this was a bad idea. He barely had any time to open his mouth and protest, two blue and white-clad figures with intimidating rifles busting through the door.

"Freeze, Rodgers!" One of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents shouted, both then noticing Hawkeye. "Agent Barton, too...?" The other asked, both tensing back up in their original stances as they aimed their weapons. Hawkeye gulped, looking towards Captain America, then back at the agents. "We are getting so chewed out for this..." He sighed, quickly setting two arrows on his bow, pulling them back and letting them fly at the agents. The sharp tips impaled the fabric of their uniforms, sticking them to the wall outside. Hawkeye ran up, delivering two, swift punches to the sides of their faces and knocking them out cold. "Well... We're at the point of no return, now." He shrugged back at Captain America.

He began the steady descent down the stairs, already spotting more S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel coming to investigate the ruckus. Gritting his teeth, he yanked a smoke bomb arrow from his quiver, firing it at their feet. As white, thick clouds spewed into the air, the agents coughed, Hawkeye racing past them and covering his mouth. As he went down, more S.H.I.E.L.D. members came up, ready to ambush. As they let loose a hail of bullets, Hawkeye happened to be faster, hitting them in non-lethal areas with his arrows to incapacitate. He looked over his shoulder every once in awhile, trying to make sure that Cap was still with him.

[Deleted]

CAPTAIN AMERICA

Steve headed down the stairs quickly after Hawk eye's distraction. Leaping past Clint a few flights of stairs, he moved passed some S.h.i.e.l.d. members that stopped stepped aside and saluted him as he went by and were going to allow Clint by also." You see Clint there are still loyal people out there. We only need to make it past the ones in the garage. This is not good there sending in a possible Thunderbolt or others to stop us. My van picked it up on another S.h.i.e.l.d. channel. We just need to make it to my van. I have high tech evading equipment on it that is not Starks."

One of the main S.h.i.e.l.d. agents speak out loud as cap enters the garage. About twenty-four agents some have guns drawn and others have a variety of shock sticks."Halt... Captain America and Hawkeye you are now going to be taken in for questioning? Surrender now and we will look for the most leniency."

Cap stands in a defensive stance. He gestures for them to move aside."You all should be ashamed of yourself people are dying and you stay here and make a mockery of the people who give a damn about New York and America. The idea of America may have been lost but there is still others out there the everyday citizen, the brave men, and women of the armed forces, emergency services that still believe we are something worth fighting for. Be a Patriot stand down and step aside soldiers, I don't want to hurt any of you. There is a 15-year-old who is taken a beaten cause of me and others out there need saving and I'm not about to let you stop me from helping them. There is so much more to being a patriot some say it is raising the flag up high. I think it is the belief in one's god and country. Now a patriot must be willing and able to put their body on the line to sacrifice. He or she hides in a secret shedding of the blood in time... the war of peace. You all made your choice now it is time to deal with the consequences." Only four set their weapons down to the side and step aside.

[Deleted]

Roger could feel his muscles burning as he continued to fend off his attackers. As a group of thugs came charging towards him, Roger let out an oil slick that caused them to collapse into a pile. Pausing for a moment to take a breather, Roger focused on using his spines to defend against would be attackers, having them get stabbed by his spines as they attacked. Porcupine saw several thugs about to fire at the building Time Knight was in, as he fired a barrage of quills into the barrels of their guns. The weapons exploded, wounding, but not killing, the goons as Roger approached the front of the Laundromat, jabbing a couple of goons in the face. "It's not looking good guys, I'm out of ammo" As he stood his guard outside, hoping to buy Time Knight a moment to recover. "I hope you guys are having better luck than I am!"

[Deleted]

Daredevil didn't even need an answer before he saw Peter slump over into the chair by the entrance, nearly passed out. That last fight must've taken the last of his energy. The city was burning but the air had begun to grow still. A reprieve. Rare, but not unheard of. Good.

Without a word he helped Peter to his feet and over to the cots they managed to smuggle in with Cap's help. Sure they weren't ideal for what his enhanced senses required, but sleep was sleep, and they all needed it. Some more than others.

"You're no good to anybody dead on your feet, Peter," he whispered only low enough for the webslinger to hear. He eased Spider-Man into his cot. "You get some sleep, Fist and I will take first watch,"

With that he turned to the Immortal Iron Fist, who nodded and the two began to meditate by the entrance. The stillness, Stick once taught him, is only found in the world inbetween the seconds. Through meditation can you find those moments and feel the vastness, and the void. It granted the Chaste, the Hand, and the denizens of K'un L'un, vast control over the properties of the universe, but in the case of a kid from Hell's Kitchen with enhanced senses, it allowed him to stay rested and recuperate. Between those moments he heard Time Knight go about her business, Porcupine allowing his suit to recover and make some repairs, Jessica and Luke's heartbeats synchronize as they lay together, and Spider-Man snoring like a chainsaw.

But that could not steel his mind from what was going on. How!? They had some of the most respected people here in this laundromat who have saved the city, and subsequently the world, dozens of times between them all, and yet they are all undone by four armies of mobsters and street rats? How? It's not like where Wilson Fisk just waltzed on into their lair and had them all assassinated on the spot while they slept, which he could very well have, then why!? Wilson had never been this hard to track down before, and yet he was in the wind as much as his three rivals. He began to wonder if any of the four bosses, Norman Osborn, Parker Robbins, Mister Negative, or Fisk himself, were even in the town to begin with. But they had to be, each faction was organized, given ammunition, and coordinated in their territory disputes and raids that they've been busting. SHIELD's seen to it that no communication gets out of the city limits let alone people trying to leave once those big blockades went up after the mass evacuation.

"You have much on your mind. It weighs you down sometimes," said Iron Fist at last, breaking the silence that had fallen in the laundromat save for the occasional sounds of scraping medical supplies and soddered metal.

"Can you blame me after all we've seen?" asked Daredevil darkly.

"Nobody does, especially you. It began in the Kitchen afterall," replied Iron Fist evenly.

"And I only escalated the problem,"

"Nobody got hurt when you burnt down that abomination, Matthew," said Iron Fist, referring to Daredevil's full name in a low voice so nobody but Daredevil himself could hear; People usually called him 'Matthew' whenever they tried to break through his emotional haze. It usually worked. Daredevil gripped his knees a little tighter in response.

"But the truth is, there are still people here fighting. And I'm not just talking about us. There are still thousands of good people here fighting for their city in any way they can, you don't have to feel like you need to do this alone anymore,"


"I really wish I could believe that, I do, but out there? The Avengers, save for Cap, have been shackled. SHIELD is letting the city burn to the ground like the governmental body they represent, which is beyond ethically disgusting, and all we've managed to do is clean up our own backyards. Luke was right. We haven't done anything. I haven't done anything..."

Danny Rand did not know how to respond to that; for a time he covered for Matt pretending to be Daredevil during Matt's brief incarceration, a fact that Matt never approved of, but he knew what being Daredevil meant more than anybody else in the room, and in response, he gave a non-committal jerk of his shoulders and a low hum, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with his friend's viewpoint. They sat there in utter silence for a few moments, which stretched into hours of tense silence. And yet nothing came. He could smell the morning dew, what little could come in a burning spring New York City, and life returned again to it. A little bit, more of a hushed tone, but it was there. And it was something he needed to fight for.

He got up and stepped into the shower areas, rinsing himself and letting himself unwind that much further. He needed all the rest he could get if he was going to get into another fight when the afternoon gave way to a twilight he could never see. Perhaps a proper nap would do him good as well. He had finished getting changed back into his costume when he smelled a familiar scent enter the laundromat and he had his clubs at the ready as they entered. He sensed their arrival long before the others did and they all looked at him. And before Daredevil could respond why he had gotten hostile, only two words escaped his lips in a gnarled growl.

"Nick Fury..." he said as the ex-Director of SHIELD entered their midst. And he was not alone...

[Deleted]

Quake after her encounter with Elektra and nearly dying by her injuries had taken her time to heal up. In the time she had been deep undercover with a new identity for all intents and purposes she had been long since gone. No had heard that Quake made it through the night of her attack, not even Hawkeye, whom she trusted and felt guilty for not being able to tell him she was ok an alive. In the three weeks that had passed Quake had been planning with Fury while in her stages of deep recovery from her multiple injuries. Fury gave her specific orders to stay not scene. She was an entity gathering information using any and all technology she could get her hands on to access information and figure out just what had happened in Hells Kitchen when all Hell literally broke lose the city became the Devils playground, no not Matt Murdock’s Devil’s playground, something far more sinister that wanted to consume and keep the world in eternal darkness.

In her search for answers Quake had fell in with nefarious individuals who tried to beat information out of her, but none of those fights came to fruition. No Quake always ended up the victor with someone to torture for more information. In the time that the city had gone to hell Quake had changed, she became hardened, different, and less naive. She wanted to trust S.H.I.E.L.D , but knew S.H.I.E.LD had turned their back on everyone, when they needed S.H.I.E.L.D the most. The only Avengers she knew to trust, were Steve and Clint, everyone else was suspect. The only street heroes she knew to trust were DareDevil, Spider-Man, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. These guys though minus Daredevil , Clint, and Steve didn’t know Quake. If they saw her they only knew her as the street punk she was posing to be. She knew this group was worth joining they were the good guys, the ones willing to save the city when the world turned their backs on everyone. This was why the mission was so important. Quake refocused her mind as she continued walking through the alleyways of the city. She raised up her black hood of the sweatshirt she was wear in order to not be noticed.

Quake for now had a simple mission go the laundry mat that was a meet up area for the local super heroes and help in anyway she could with all of the information she had gathered over the last three weeks. She was a high up level S.H.I.E.LD Operative. No one could stop her from helping this city, besides she was under strict orders from Fury himself to get to the laundry mat.. No one but her knew she was coming.

As her black boats hit the pavement of the streets, she saw something that fit in perfectly with her plan of getting to the laundry mat. A man wearing a black cape turned around and faced Quake. The stoic man with the eye patch looked at her with a certain proud look in his eye. As the darkness of the streets cleared Quake could see that Fury was not alone. No he was accompanied by two familiar faces Steve Rogers and Clint Barton. They wouldn't recognize her under the black hood she was wearing and black Ninja style mask. Fury's voice broke the silence building in the air as the young assassin known as Quake awaited her orders.

“Well aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

In other circumstances the man known as Nick Fury would have perhaps embraced her in a hand shake or tried to reassure her, but the truth was the situation was dire and they needed to get to their destination sooner then later. Quake nodded to Fury as she spoke, placing her gauntlet covered hands in her black waist length leather coat pockets. The shirt covering her dark read tank top, that covered the blood stains on it. The truth was Quake had a few injuries from her last encounter of street trash, as she know referred to thugs in that tried to cross her path in the street. She understood that Rogers and Barton would know who she was just based on he Gauntlets. She wanted so badly to talk to Clint tell him everything, but knew in this moment she needed to stick to the mission. Her voice was automatic, like she was just going through the motions of life.

“ You should know sir, you helped me get better.”

With that Fury shook his head and then glanced at her hands, knowing they were more deadly then they looked. Quake took her hands out of her pockets and raised them up. Showing Fury she was in control and her Gauntlets were holding her power, focusing it into a single force ready for unlimited use. She rubbed her hands on the outside of her dark colored jeans and spoke to Fury.

“Got your package just fine, the gloves fit nicely.”

Fury nodded at her as they began their journey to the illusive laundry mat. The streets were filled with garbage and street thugs. To Quake they were one in the same garbage ad street thugs. The world had turned dark and deadly in the three weeks. It was time for the tables to turn it was time for a change . As they entered the run down building, making sure no one saw them go inside. The attendant inside recognized Fury and let them into the underground layer. As they entered the area none other then Matt Murdock or Daredevil himself greeted them.

"Nick Fury..."

Quake said nothing the hood of her leather coat still covering her identity as well as the black ninja mask. She stepped out from behind fury and stood before Daredevil. Quake stood perfectly tall and still next to Fury, waiting for the single that she could reveal her identity. Her eyes scanned over the others. She recognized them all, but didn’t say a word. Quake in the last three weeks had changed. She learned to stick to her orders and trust no one. Just as she was looking everyone over Fury motioned to Quake. She spoke to Daredevil through the mask.

“Daredevil, We are here to help you defend the city.”

With that Fury gestured to Quake, knowing she needed to reveal herself in order for everyone in the room to trust her.

Quake lowered her hood and removed the black mask that covered her face. As she unhooked the mask from the inside of her hood and revealed her face, it was evident now who she was and the hell she had been through in the past three weeks. A single wound remained still healing that sliced from her upper right cheek bone to her lower jaw. Quake spoke with a robotic tone, one that a person who had been to war and come would have had.

“S.H.I.E.L.D may have abandoned this city, but we have not.”

[Revan]

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Bottom of Avenger's Tower

While the group was focused on Cap and Hawkeye, from behind the van appeared a man, cigar in mouth and two handguns in each hand. The shots rang out in quick succession, and hit with accuracy that even Hawkeye and Captain America could appreciate. In a matter of a seconds you could count on one hand, Nick Fury had shown why he had been the SHIELD agent in his day and that he hadn't lost a step. The twenty aggressive agents were on the ground, an odd blue rash around the impact zones that were already starting to fade. Fury dropped the clips and holstered the guns. He pulled the cigar from his mouth.

"ICER guns. Non-lethal, they'll wake up in an hour or so." Fury told the Avengers. He turned to the four loyal-to-the-cause boys who had dropped their weapons, "Take care of them and delay the report as long as you can. I want to have our Avenger friends here hidden in the thick of it before Hill finds out." he told them. Getting the orders from Nick Fury seemed to make them more confident in their choice to drop their guns. They grouped up and started taking control of the situation. Fury turned to Cap and Hawkeye again.

"Van. Now." he ordered, then without waiting for them he hopped into the driver's seat and started it up, "Don't take forever, we still have another stop to make..."

*****************************

After picking up Quake, Fury brought the group to the hideout where the resistance was holed up. This ragtag bunch were the best thing going for the city right now. Fury carried two large travel bags as he walked in. They walked in through the secret doorway, to be greeted by Daredevil sounding rather upset.

"Nice to see you too." Fury replied. Quake stepped forward and attempted to ease the tension in the room. Fury let her have at it, though he was less worried about opinion and more worried about action. In the meantime he took a quick eyeball surveillance as to the condition of the heroes who were here. They were beat to hell, but could be worse. Well, he'd won wars with less than this.

"Well put, kid." Fury said, dropping his bags and returning to the conversation, "So do you want to whine or do you want to save the city?" he asked the group, specifically focusing on the angry toned Daredevil, while taking a puff from his cigar.

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OOC: Playing Fury as requested. Since Quake's post included Cap and Hawkeye, I figured I'd just catch everyone up. If there is issue with this, let me know.

[Deleted]

They were surrounded. Outnumbered. Those were the thoughts that ran amuck in Hawkeye's mind as he looked around at the army of gun-wielding S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel. He narrowed his eyes at them, remaining silent and clenching his fists tightly as Steve let out another patriotic speech that only served to have a measly 4 people drop their weapons and stand down. Huffing, Hawkeye silently drew an arrow and placed it on his bow as he prepared himself for a showdown. Surrendering? Hawkeye didn't leave the tower to surrender. That was out of the question. "Well... It's been nice working with ya, Cap." He said, almost in a defeated tone as he pulled back the string of his bow, preparing to fire.

Suddenly, shots rang out, causing Clint to visibly jump as men fell one-by-one against the cold, hard ground. His first instinct was that an army of thugs had infiltrated the tower, here to take the tower and everyone within it. Gritting his teeth, he turned sharply, bow still drawn back as he saw Fury standing there, cigar in mouth and smoking handguns at the ready. "What the... Fury?" He asked, in disbelief that the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. would fire upon his own boys. Sure, they were sitting around while the city fell apart around them, but it just seemed very... Traitorous of the man. It was safe to say that desperate times called for desperate measures.

Hawkeye knew better than to disobey Nick Fury. So when he told them to get in the van, he got in the damned van. Taking off his mask, sweat was already pouring down his face. Unusual... Even during the summer, the parking garage was always the coldest part of the tower. Had the fires seriously heated up the city this much? To call it New York didn't feel right anymore. This was Hell. Pure and simple. As they drove, there was no conversation between the three men. Just silence, with the only thing keeping it from driving Clint insane being the muffled sounds of gunfire and shouting from the gangs that fought in the streets. Clint peeked out of one of the backdoor windows briefly, only to spot a dozen armed men smashing the windows of a store, looting it for everything it was worth, as well as men throwing Molotovs through the windows of the building right across from it.

He shook his head, not believing his own eyes, which widened when a huge guy with a shotgun ran out into the street, pointing his weapon right at the van. Hawkeye ducked, forcing Captain America to lower his head as the shot hit the van with a loud metallic ring, the windows both being smashed. Hawkeye growled, pulling an arrow from his quiver, loading it onto the bow before flinging open the doors and letting it fly, hitting the guy directly in the shoulder and sending him spinning. Two more men lined up with handguns, each taking their aim as Clint delivered the same punishment. "That's for messing with my city! Bastards!" He shouted, slamming the doors and returning to his seat, running both hands through his hair.

As they picked up the masked figure, Hawkeye narrowed his eyes. He very rarely trusted shady people in masks. Unless they were a known hero, he kinda had to have at least some level of distrust. However, Fury treated this person as if they were a close ally. So, with that, he didn't really complain. Upon arriving at what appeared to be their final destination, Hawkeye opened the bullet-racked doors, stepping out and narrowing his eyes at the average, dingy-looking laundromat. "Out of all the places to take us to, you took us here? Really?" Hawkeye raised a brow at Fury. His words were met with silence, the archer giving a huff as he followed the others in. Upon seeing Daredevil, Spider-Man, and other such allies, he smirked. That was, until the awkward confrontation between Fury and Daredevil was sparked. He said nothing, just letting the two have their words in silence. After awhile, in an attempt to cut the tension, he spoke up. "Hey, guys... Long time, no see." He chuckled. When nobody shared his laughter, he went silent again, frowning.

Clint's eyes went wide as the masked figure revealed itself to be the one girl he had stressed over the most in the past three weeks. Quake... The same person who's apartment was ravaged, blood caking the floor and walls, with bullet holes and stab marks riddling the entire apartment. He suspected that she was dead, her body dragged off and hidden somewhere, out of anyone's reach. On one hand, he was glad to know that she was alive and well. But on the other, he was pissed off that she had never even made an attempt to get in contact with anyone. To let them know that she was still breathing. As she tried reasoning with the Man Without Fear, he cast a hateful gaze on her, rolling his eyes and scoffing as she finished. Turning back to Daredevil, he took a step forward. "Look, Hornhead... We know that the last thing you want to see are the Avengers. Or S.H.I.E.L.D., for that matter. But we're all in the same situation as you here." He said, his tone more serious than ever.

"This is our city just as much as it is yours. And no offense, but none of you look too hot. You need all the help you can get. You can try lying to yourself all you want and say that you don't, but you're a man of the truth, are you not? Just admit it to yourself already and drop your pride." He said, not exactly in the mood at this point to deal with Daredevil's untrusting attitude towards the registered heroes, or S.H.I.E.L.D. Especially in times like these, where it wasn't the time or place for it. "So what will it be? Will you let us help you, or do me and Cap need to take this city back by ourselves?" He said, growling slightly. His eyes showed that of a man that had to sit in silence, watching innocent people suffer at the hands of the garbage of Hell's Kitchen for three weeks straight. They revealed his inner hurt and anger, merely seeking revenge against whoever was behind all of this. He cared about nothing else anymore. All of his humor, while he tried to fake it, was gone.

He wanted blood.

[Rift]

Spider-Man was startled awake, the shock enough to cause him to flip out of his cot and onto the wall behind him where he made sure his mask was secured. It took his sleep deprived brain a moment or two to process what was happening, but he soon realized that Nick Fury was standing not far from a less than pleased Daredevil. Based on Matt's stance he was either ready to do his impersonation of a WWE Superstar or beat the one eyed spy senseless.

"Nick! Long time no see! Did you bring super glue because," he waved his hands around as if to encompass everything including the outside city. "Well, we need some. Also toilet paper. I mean when that starts to run low, there is gonna be riots."



He smirked.

"Hey! That's it! We hoard all the TP and the gangs will turn on each other! Unless their bosses airdrop it in, in which case, Gobby is spending cash on essentials and not, you know, blowy uppy things."

If even the crickets hadn't been burnt out of NYC he imagined they'd be chirping.

"Okay, in all seriousness Nicky, please tell me you brought back up. A Hellicarrier to pinpoint gang leader safe houses? Some Star Trekkish Weaponry to disable large groups without us having to be punching bags? Maybe a Hulk in your pocket? Because seriously, we are in dire straits here while Hill, you, and the rest of the Spy vs Spy crew are watching the Big Apple burn."

Wow was that harsher than I intended. I mean I am exhausted but...not you know what? I'm not sorry.

"I mean it. Where the hell is everyone? Where were you? The Avengers I know wouldn't care what Uncle Sam said since this is the right thing to do. Since when are the likes of Iron Man and Reed Richards stumped by government edicts and SHIELD tech? Didn't they build most of it anyway? Or is this more fallout from the Registration Act? Since so many street levels told them to get bent, are we just cannon fodder now, worth writing off the whole city over?"

Spidey knew he was tired, frustrated, and being more than a little unfair, but he knew he couldn't be the only one who was wondering all of this. And after the last couple weeks he'd had, getting fired, being hunted by some mystery enemy that knew who he was, and battling off the never ending siege from the various gangs he was at his wits end.

[Deleted]

Spider-Man and Daredevil weren't the only ones nearing the edge of their patience. Despite being more of a civilian than the other costumed brawlers and vigilantes gathered in this tiny, battered space, Night Nurse stormed forward with her jaw firmly tight and her worn eyes narrowed with fire, forcing herself directly into Nick Fury's face. “Whine? Is that all you think has been going on out here?! Just a lot of whining? How dare you!”

With a wide swipe of her arm, the doctor gestured towards the group of heroes around them, the volume of her voice increasing as tears formed in the corners of her eyes. “These people have been working nonstop to just contain the worst domestic terrorist attacks this city has ever seen with little food, no sleep, a dwindling supply of medicine, and no help from you or anyone else who's actual job it is to keep these sorts of things under wraps! Tell me, just what are they doing over at S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ?” Linda looked from Fury to the revealed Quake and back again, addressing them both with biting venom. “Just standing around out of the muck until this whole thing turns inside out and everyone streetside turns up dead? Watching the fights through hidden cameras like this is some sort of reality game show?”

With another grimace, a low growl practically emanating from the back of her throat, Linda turned her raging frustration towards the pair of Avengers that finally decided to grace the group with their presence. “And you two! What kind of toothless dogs are the Avengers now? You may be here from time to time, Cap, but what happened to the rest of your team of the supposed 'greatest heroes on earth'? Are they so terrified of the leashes wrapped about their throats that they've completely forgotten what being a hero even means? Well, let me tell you, the men and women down here in the trenches, right here in the thick of it, they're not afraid of the cost to their lives if it means rescuing another's!”

Her cheeks red with rage, Linda drew in a cleansing breath and exhaled sharply, placing her hands against Spider-Man's shoulders, oddly gentle after that outburst, to lead him back to bed where he belonged. She added quietly, glancing at Clint from the corner of her eye, “You claim this is your city, too, Hawkeye, but where have you been hiding all this time while it burned to the ground? I'd rather deal with Daredevil's pride than your snarky cowardice any day. I've seen who the real heroes are.”

[Deleted]

Despite the fact that she was bleeding from the neck, her head was swimming, and every time she moved things had an afterimage, Jovie was completely glued to events unfolding around her. Night Nurse was barely able to get a word (or syringe) in before the giant Coca-Cola bottle sprang to his feet, billy clubs at the ready as the door swung open to reveal...an old guy and a ninja. She couldn't help but smirk a little at the underwhelming reveal, she had expected something a bit more big and badass, but evidently everyone seemed to think he was worth the time. Almost the second the old guy opened his mouth, Jovie liked him, he was pretty quick on his toes with words, but she took a little offense at the thought they had been whining. "Well it's not like we've been just sitting on our asses and sucking our thumbs the whole time, unlike the suits up in those Helicarriers" She muttered offhandedly. Despite the condescending attitude though, she gave him a plus in her book for bringing back Quake, who looked to be in much better shape since they last parted. "Get into anymore fights with magic assassins?" She snarked 

The others had their two cents to say too, with Spidey starting off jokey, but almost immediately let the mask drop to show the desperate man at his wits end with all this chaos. "Amen to that spidey" She didn't blame him, she had been out there too...but unlike him, she had to stay on the move, he had a warm cot he could sleep in when he needed to and she had to sleep in supply closets and on rooftops. Then Night Nurse chimed in...hoo boy, the second she started spewing out the vitriolic lecture, Jovie cheered her on the whole way, an ear to ear smile stretching out onto her masked face. "And this is why you don't listen to the government, they take something cool and good and twist it into something they like and prefer, they're like supermarket brand food" She said, wagging her finger at nothing in particular before losing her balance and stumble against the table, clutching her neck wound tightly. 

[Deleted]

Finally having a moment to breath Roger slumped down inside the makeshift base. A quiet hiss was heard as Roger opened up his suit, climbing out to reveal his scrawny, out of shape self. While he may not be the inventor of the suit, Gocking was still a skilled engineer. Fiddling a few of the controls located inside the belt and gloves, the suit whirred a bit as it started to replenish it's quills. Once the suit had started to refuel itself, Roger sealed himself back inside for protection, as he started to fall asleep, dreaming of seeing his daughter safe once this was all over.

Startled awake by the arrival of Fury, Porcupine looked over at him and his accomplice with a weary eye. His past as a criminal had left him weary of S.H.I.E.L.D and their operations. Roger was probably the only one who got a chuckle out of Spiderman's joke as he stood up "I'm welcome to any plans to take back the city"

[Deleted]

Hawkeye listened to Night Nurse's speech, arms crossed and eyes on his feet as he took in every word. As she continuously bashed the Avengers, uttering the word, 'coward' and all of its synonyms over and over, he felt his anger rising. Eventually, he lowered his arms to his sides, clenching his fists as he raised his glare to her. "Hiding...?" He asked. His tone didn't reflect anger, but he was definitely feeling it rising in his throat. "I've been practically locked in my house for three weeks, constantly under surveillance by S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel while armed guards patrol the entire building, with no weapons or gear, watching my city burn with absolutely nothing to do about it, and you accuse me of hiding?" Any jokes he had left were gone. Not even Spidey's earlier remark could get as much as a chuckle out of him.

Starting a slow walk towards her, he narrowed his eyes. "Who the Hell do you think you are?" He hissed, preparing to spew his own venom. He could feel Captain America's orders to shut his mouth drilling into his ears, but that didn't stop him. "How dare you not only falsely accuse me, but every one of my closest friends. How dare you call me a coward, when I had absolutely no say in the position I was in. It's easy for you to talk your trash. You don't have to worry about S.H.I.E.L.D. constantly breathing down your neck." He growled, his knuckles white under his gloves. "If I had the choice, then not only me, but everyone else would be down here fighting weeks ago. The Fantastic Four would too. See, you have no clue how it works around here. I don't call the shots, Steve doesn't call the shots, S.H.I.E.L.D. does. I wish it wasn't like that, but it is. I can't go anywhere unless I'm told to do so. Believe it or not, that isn't my damned fault." He said, taking a deep breath as he tried to restrain his anger and frustration.

"I'm a government asset. So are the rest of the Avengers. You have some nerve attacking us, instead of that royal bitch, Hill. She's the reason why I've been stuck in the tower this whole time. In fact, if I'm caught by any S.H.I.E.L.D. agent out here, I could be arrested." He looked back at Cap, eager to defend him just as much as he was eager to defend himself. Looking back at her, slightly calmer, he continued. "I came out here with Cap, costume and all, because I was sick of doing nothing while the city burned. I risked my life and reputation just as much as he did. And it wasn't because Hill and her lackeys told me to." He said, his demeanor much less aggressive then it had been moments ago.

"I thought S.H.I.E.L.D. was all about helping people. I guess I was wrong. After all, the suits have done more in three weeks then that scum organization have done ever." With that, Clint walked back and planted his back against the wall, ripping off his mask and throwing it off to the side before sliding down into a crouch. "We've all been given a shit hand... That's no lie. But I didn't come here to name-call and bicker with my allies. So I'll say again... Will we fight together, or is this how we do things from now on? Snapping each other's heads off like mortal enemies? Because if so, I'm more than happy to take my skills somewhere else."

[Deleted]

The words from the street level heroes and the Avengers hit Quake, they weren’t wrong about needing help and assistance, but in the same way they were wrong. She may have been Fury’s right hand agent second in command to him, but she never left Hells Kitchen. As they fought, she watched in her own way while in recovery the only thing she had available was computers and technology. She watched them from satellite feeds. Quake carefully tracked the activity of the crimes and violence. The Intel she gathered was used in her search for the ones responsible for these crimes.

Quake was feeling guilty for not being able to reach out to them and show them she was able to help. She had been on her own, abandoned like they had been. The difference was they had each other through the fight over the last three weeks. They could see each other help each other. She wanted to reach out to them all, save everyone, however she was embedded deep in the under ground trying to find answers. On some level Quake understood what it felt like to be used, not on the same level as these heroes in this room.

In the two weeks of being in the field she had fought the deepest darkest villains, been captured, been tortured, and tried to save lives only to have it all literally blow up in her face. She was still haunted by the children she couldn’t save the screams of them as they died filling her mind for a moment.

Quake wasn’t here to get into arguments of where she had been or not been, no this was to work with the other heroes. She as no hero, but the people in this room they were he real heroes. Her eyes grew darker with a certain pain in them as her voice remained unnaturally neutral.

“You’re not wrong S.H.I.E.L.D did abandon you all. You were left here to fight for your life and city with no answers. I was dead for one week; after that week I came back I was fighting on the ground I was infiltrating groups trying to get answers myself. As for why I never found any of you, because I was trying to help you through technology at first, then I tried to help through finding the leaders responsible for this hell hole. I was hunted, captured, and tortured.”

She paused in her words, however Quake was not about to allow anyone to start speaking yet. No, she wasn’t finished in her words as she reached into her sweatshirt pocket. Her hands reached for a black shiny thumb drive with a blue iridescent look.

“There are no words to excuse what has happened or the actions that took place. We are here to work with you, helping in some way to find answers. “

She slipped the thumb drive back into her pocket; it wasn’t time for that just yet. No she needed to wait for the others before revealing what she had.

Quake took a deep breathe and sighed inwardly, the words from Hawkeye about SHIELD went deep. She understood entirely what it meant to be held prisoner and not able to leave. That was the way Hill had treated her. The reason she was under Fury was because without Fury Quake would just be locked up in a SHIELD base. She moved over to Clint and did something uncharacteristic of herself. She placed her hand on his shoulder and spoke.

“I get it, I really do, Hill is no different to me. If she had her way, I would be locked up forever. I wanted to tell everyone I was alive, but the circumstances of my mission and my capture I couldn’t....not because I didn't try or want to more because I was fighting for my own survival. Trying to find answers...watching innocent people die and not being able to help them, despite my best efforts. “

Quake remembered the child she couldn't save as the memories of the childs' screams filled her mind Quake blink long and hard for a moment. She made eye contact with Hawkeye the light hit her face just right, revealing her scar. Even in this moment Quake had gone against her orders and her training. She knew Fury would see that, Quake removed her hand from Clints' shoulder and moved back to position next to Fury. She knew disobeying orders was not an option for her.

[Deleted]

CAPTAIN AMERICA

Steve can't believe the disrespect there showing the Avengers and Nick. He stood there as they went on their rant. He was worried about the cancer kids brother who dressed up like him to try and stop Negatives gangs and so much more. There was a defiant group in his area they would either go along or cause more friction. He was tired of waiting so He finally took his turn.

"Now... I understand and feel terrible about this I can see where you are all coming from. First off we are grateful for your time and sacrifice. We need you as much or even more, then you need us Let's try to fix this. Not sure What Quake has done lately, She is a great soldier earned my respect, she is a welcome member of the team in my mind. Fury... Where the Hell were you? Night Nurse thank you for all you do many of us would probably be dead if it wasn't for you. Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones they know the streets better than anyone we are glad to have you along for the fight. As for Spider-man, I've been out there working behind the lines. As for the unknown over there, I speak for the Avengers we never wanted any of this. Even Tony would help he is a good man deep down. DareDevil... I don't always agree with your ways but I still consider you an ally and friend. Last, I heard that other guy was a villain. You want to know why, well we all have are reasons right Fury...( Cap gives him a look cause he was not expecting him either.)... Enough of this, we really need to work together on this even if we disagree with others tactics. Fury is here to give you important information I hope, we are wasting valuable time here. I'm just asking for a few minute of your time hear him out. We all have are reasons none of us is perfect. I suggest we put aside our differences at least for now time is wasting."

Steve looked around and nodded to Nick. It seemed for a moment that everything is going to run smooth for the moment. He now waits for Nick to do his job hopefully with no interruptions.

[Deleted]

"Cap, with all due respect, that's a small comfort to the people down here. You know that better than anybody," said Daredevil, but his body language had become less hostile and he sheathed his clubs. He then turned his head directly to Nick Fury, not that his eyes meant much, but the intent to show whom he was speaking to was there.

"To be frank, Fury, I don't know why you picked now to crawl out of whatever hole you were in, and I really don't care. If you have any information we can use, like where to find the Kingpin, Mister Negative, Osborn, and the Hood, then all cards on the table. Tombstone's crew folded a week ago, and the Maggia pulled out before it got ugly with SHIELD. Care to explain why all of a sudden those four gangs are controlling turf with access to each other's weapons?" he asked, though his voice still had a bitter tone.

Jessica cut through the gaggle and pulled Captain America aside for a moment to whisper in his ear.

"I got to the hospital just as the kid was about to be blown to bits; I shacked him up in the rec centre down on Bleecker, I'll take you there once whatever steaming hot sack of shit you dragged in with you has finished speaking," she said in her usual crass, but good-hearted way.

Danny and Luke both folded their arms at the same time and gave Fury some room to lay out his plan (Danny even motioning them to come fully into the bunker.) Luke however put a hand on the Night Nurse's shoulder and whispered "good one," in her ear at her rant towards Fury.