*•.* [chapter twenty-four]

"DOES THAT LOOK FAMILIAR TO YOU?" Tony asked Savannah over the roar of the circular spaceship floating in the center of Bleecker Street. The roads were cluttered with cars and debris, but the crowds of people were growing sparse.

"Not exactly," she let out, allowing the blue glow to emit from her hands as they approached the ship.

The doctor, a few steps behind them, waved his hands around in a uniform motion, and pushed a wall of wind down the street, clearing the dust from the air.

Savannah raised her brows, confused, but she continued to maneuver through the chaos. The ship sent down a glowing beam, and two figures appeared on the blacktop, one larger than the other. Their skin held an unusual gray pallor, their limbs alien to this world. They were alien to this world.

Savannah could vividly remember the shorter one: Ebony Maw. The closest thing Thanos had to a right hand, and the most powerful of his children. The big one's name she could not recall, but his face and build were easily recognizable. His favored axe-like weapon glinted menacingly in her memory, and it now glinted a few yards down the street.

The woman slowed, falling behind Tony, and settling her powers.

"Hear me, and rejoice," the Maw began. "You are about to die at the hands of the Children of Thanos. Be thankful, that your meaningless lives are now contributing to—"

Tony's voice interrupted him. "I'm sorry, Earth is closed today," he shouted. "You better pack it up and get outta here."

Maw paused, his eyes darting to the rest of the group and settling on the doctor. "Stonekeeper. Does this chattering animal speak for you?"

"Certainly not. I speak for myself," Strange began, moving to the front of the group, his hands creating small copper colored shields. Savannah saw Wong's hands do the same. "But you're trespassing in this city and on this planet."

"It means get lost, Squidward," Tony added.

The alien tilted his head toward the larger one and said, "He exhausts me."

Savannah scoffed. "And you exhaust me," she tossed back, stepping around Tony. "It's always the same shit with you, Maw. You would think that after all this time the Titan would give you a different script, but I suppose he just can't be bothered."

"You know him?" Tony whispered harshly, referring to the figure standing a few yards before them. She ignored him.

For a split second, recognition flooded Ebony Maw's features, coloring his flat expression, but it was quickly replaced with a sneer. "Vorm. Saveria," he said with disgust. "The Great Titan will be delighted to see you," and then to his companion, "Bring me the Stone and the girl."

Savannah made a face, almost wishing she'd stayed silent.

Almost.

The creature dragged its large weapon along the street, forcing up the concrete as he slowly approached them. The situation seemed like a fitting one for the Hulk.

"Banner, you want a piece?" Tony asked, not looking away from the alien.

Bruce shrugged his shoulders, attempting to release some stress it would seem. "No, not really, but when do I ever get what I want?" The shorter man, positioned himself, feet apart, neck strained.

"That's right," Tony agreed. "Been a while. Good to have you buddy."

Bruce grunted and Savannah glanced to see what could possibly be taking so long. The man's neck was green as he tried but failed to push the Hulk to the forefront. They were all looking at him now. "I just—I need to concentrate here for one second. Come on, come on, man." The man was straining even harder now, and it was simply embarrassing.

"Where's your guy?" Tony asked lowly.

Bruce stopped. "I don't know. We've sorta been having a thing."

The two bickered for a moment and when Bruce tried again, he was still... Bruce. "Dude, you're embarrassing me in front of the wizards."

Savannah looked at the alien, who was beginning to pick up speed. "Y'know what? I got it," Savannah said her patience evaporating. She ran, using her powers to boost herself into the air and to the creature's considerable height. Her hand glowed as she threw a punch into the creature's spiked jaw, sending him back several feet. He tried to swipe at her with his weapon, but she threw up a shield, stoping its path.

She reached out her hand, drawing his energy out in big bursts, and taking in some of it. Before she could leave him entirely weakened, she was being involuntarily lifted into the air and slammed into the concrete of the building near her.

Maw.

She sank to the ground, the wind leaving her lungs in a quick gush. She could vaguely see Tony taking a go at the alien. She shook off the pain and watched as the doctor opened a portal and sent Bruce through it. The thing sealed shut as if it were never there. Ebony Maw sent Tony flying into the air, but the latter quickly recovered only to be knocked over by the large one's extending hammer.

Savannah felt the phone ringing at her belt. Without thinking about it, she flipped it open, answering it. "Yeah?"

"Savannah?" Pietro replied loudly, worry marring his voice. "Where are you?"

She watched as the Maw threw Wong aside, and she created a force field beneath him, cushioning his fall. "New York. It's a long story."

"New York? Are you ok?"

"Fine. If you're on the jet, turn on the news, but I'm gonna have to call you back, P." She gulped, watching as Maw pinned Strange to a brick wall. "I love you."

"I love you too, but Savannah—"

And she hung up, tossing the phone into a nearby garbage bin just as Ebony Maw began to fly away with a seemingly unconscious Strange. The latter however zoomed from the creatures binds. Savannah lifted up a tall shield, stretching it as high as she could. The Maw could not follow. He took one glance at her and suddenly her hands were being forced behind her, a cable snaking around to encompass her hands and then her entire body. A piece of metal slammed against her mouth, cutting off any sound that she could possibly emit.

Her forcefield fell and with a lift of his hand, she rose into the air, following closely behind him as he floated upon a vertical stream of rocks and dust.

He quickly caught up to the doctor, and as Savannah struggled, she caught a glimpse of something red in her peripheral vision. She recognized the kid who'd been at the airport two years ago, and who she'd later learned was named Peter Parker.

She fought against the restraints even harder, but the fact that the Maw was holding it in place was no help.

She felt Peter Parker's webbing hit the back of her suit, and she shook her head hard, not entirely sure where he was, and jerked her chin to Strange who was falling now. Peter took the hint she presumed because she saw his webbing latch onto the doctor, saving him from a deadly drop, but like her, he and the boy began to be pulled upward to the ship. Peter was being left behind, though,

Savannah felt helpless as she and the doctor were forced upon the spacecraft, the machine dark but a galaxy in itself with blue hues coloring the air.

She was still floating when the Maw had settled onto the ship, prepping Strange for what seemed to be some sort of torture. The man was floating horizontally, face down.

There were dozens of glass like needles pointing to every inch of his body.

Savannah's muffled voice sounded in the quiet ship, and Ebony Maw gave her an irritated look, using his telekinesis to rip the metal from atop her lips. "You were speaking?"

"If you kill him," she began, panting. "I'll kill you."

His expression remained unimpressed. "You are in no position to make threats, Saveria."

"Why am I here?" She'd been asking that a lot today.

With his hands clutched in front of him, he stepped closer to where she floated vertically. "As a precaution of course." His flat lips lifted then. "You see, our sister—"

She interrupted him, anger tightening her voice. "I was never a child of Thanos, you know that."

He paused. "Almost, but I suppose you are correct." He turned, sauntering around the deck, beginning his statement again. "You see, Gamora's and your lies have caught up to her. He knows that she is hiding the location of the Soul Stone, and I presume that he has it now."

No. No, she thought, but refused to show anything on her face. If he got that stone then the outcome would be nearly unfathomable.

"Why do you need me then?"

"It never hurts to be certain. If Gamora fails, then you should suffice this time around." The creature shrugged. "And at the very least, he can kill you as he intended all those years ago."

Savannah made a patronizing and pitying sound. "You still do all of this to gain his favor, and yet, Gamora, who betrayed him, who lied to him, who openly hated him, always remains—"

The metal made its way to her mouth again, painfully sealing itself there. "Stop speaking," he hissed, moving to wake Strange.

It's not as if she had a choice in speaking anyway.

hey!! thanks so much for reading.

-syd