𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐗 || 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥

"TONY STARK AND Captain Rogers are at engine three currently, Nova," Athena stated as Nova rushed down the long and winding halls of the Hellicarrier. Bumping into people occasionally that were in a panic to get to their posts while Nova stood out like a sore thumb. Sweatpants and a sports bra are still the only things she wore with bandages for recovering wounds.

She was immensely out of her element.

"Okay, patch me through to Cooper," Nova commanded as she double-tapped her earpiece before sprinting in the direction of engine three.

"Nova, are you okay?" Cooper questioned as the sound of his panting couldn't be hidden. He was rushing down to the hangar and towards his APEX suit. Experiencing his own set of troubles, primarily trying to avoid a fight occurring between Thor and Hulk in the hangar.

"I'm fine, but I need you boots in the air and helping Tony any way he needs you to. Got it?" She exclaimed as she came to the door of engine three. A gasp left her lips at the sight. The whole wall that once was there was blown open with the wind whipping past her face.

"Understood." Cooper agreed before the coms shut off.

Nova wandered further into the engine room and climbed up the ladder. "Steve?" She called out to see the man in spandex peek his head out from where the engine control panel was.

"Nova, I need your help," he called out over the rapid and whirling winds around them.

Walking towards the edge of the broken rafters, she looked at the large gaps between her and Steve. As much as she loved the idea of heights, she didn't like it when she didn't have her suit on that could prevent her from nearly dying. She's already experienced it enough.

Tapping her earpiece twice, she put into comms with Steve. "Okay, Steve, it's easy to figure out. The lights flashing are meaning that the relays are good. There should be about 8." She explained as the blonde nodded and went to the panel to check it.

After a few moments, Steve announced over the coms, "Okay, the relays are intact. What's our next move?" He added as he pushed the engine control panel back into the wall.

"Even if Cooper and I clear the rotors, this thing won't re-engage without a jump," Tony explained as Cooper could be heard sighing.

"So, you're saying that we'll have to push it?" Cooper asked.

"You're thinking like a pro, kid."

"If that thing gets up to speed, you two will get shredded." Steve pointed out.

"That stator control unit can reverse the polarity long enough to disengage maglev and that could-"

"Speak English!" Steve interjected as Nova chuckled in amusement. "See that red lever?" Both Steve and Nova turned around to see the red lever right behind the girl. "It'll slow the rotors down long enough for us to get out. Stand by it. Wait for my word." Tony told them as Steve jumped across to Nova.

As the girl caught his arm, a shock shot through her. A cry came from her as she let go of the supersoldier and stumbled back. Grasping her forearm as she fell to the ground and held back a scream. It turned into a sob as she looked up at Steve who quickly tried to place his hand on her.

But she stopped him. "No! Don't." She told him as he quickly took a step back.

"What's going on?" Cooper yelled over the comms. "Steve, what's going on with Nova?"

Steve shook his head as he pressed his finger to his earpiece. "I don't know," he answered as the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching from the door of the engine room. Both turned to see two S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers entering. A frown appeared on Nova's features as she let out a groan of pain. Only fear struck her as she watched one of the soldiers pull a grenade from their pocket. Everything slowed as they pulled the pin of the grenade and threw it.

Being in pain, all Nova did was extend her arm out. Screaming as the veins in her arms turned to a bright orange glow that slowly raced toward her hand. Steve had acted quickly to jump across to the engine panel and smack the grenade away. Landing on the platform and panic rushing through his system as he looked back at Nova.

But he didn't miss the large beam of electricity blossom from the girl's hand. Exiting her palm and fingers tip and forming something close to a spiderweb before forming together into a beam. Shooting directly at the soldier responsible for the grenade and causing him to fall limp to the ground. Either shocked and unconscious or shocked to the point where his heart stopped. Neither could be confirmed at the moment.

The orange electricity stopped as Nova felt the pain disappear. She stared at her head in fear as she crawled back against the wall. Her veins slowly faded to the normal blue as the sparks from her fingers tips flickered away. Chest rising and falling as she looked to Steve for some sort of explanation. But he seemed just as shocked as her.

The second soldier stared in shock before turning his aim to Nova. Thankfully, Steve had acted quickly enough to jump from his platform to a piece hanging out of the wall, swinging down on the soldier and kicking him back.

A third soldier came from nowhere and began to fire. Throwing a piece of debris, the soldier dodged it before taking cover. Grabbing a gun, Steve hopped up onto the platform that Nova was sitting on and began returning fire at the soldier.

Suddenly, the Hellicarrier began to tilt at an angle that left both Nova and Steve to go flying out the opening. Quick enough, Nova interlocked her fingers with the grates with both hands as Steve went flying out. He quickly grabbed a metal cord attached to the ship as Nova looked back at him. "Steve!" She called out as the man looked between the drop and the inside. Beginning to pull himself inside slowly.

"Cap, hit the lever," Tony ordered over the coms as Nova looked up at the metal lever.

"I need a minute here!" Steve yelled in response as he slowly began getting closer.

"Lever, now!"

"Nova, Steve, pull the lever or we're dead!" Cooper yelled.

Nova rose to her feet, holding onto the railing tightly and grasping the lever above. Releasing a yell as she pulled it down. But just as she did so, gunfire danced around her and caused her to yelp and lose grip of the railing. Sending her flying out the opening of the ship. Only hearing the distant yell of Steve who had finally grasped the grater, getting to safety.

The wind whistled past Nova's ears as her body was hit with the blistering cold. The lack of fresh oxygen entering her lungs from the high altitude she was falling from. Anxiety rose in her blood, body spun out of control as she tried to gain some control over her body. She scanned the skies for any sight of anyone coming to get her. But nothing came. All that she had was the impending and rapidly approaching doom that was her death and the fear of losing the ones she loved back on the Hellicarrier. Natasha.

She was regretting not telling the assassin how she felt. Hell, maybe she would know how Natasha felt about her and maybe they would've been something. That's all it was; maybe. Because as Nova steadily approached the ground, her eyes were beginning to flicker shut. Her body burst through a cloud with the Hellicarrier getting smaller and smaller each moment. But despite her death coming closer and closer, she couldn't help but smile and let her body relax.

Just as her eyes were about to shut, a pair of arms caught her and stopped her free fall. Her eyes snapped open to find a man with an APEX suit on. Not the normal one she had built for her and Cooper, but one just like her father's. The symbol of the company is painted onto the helmet and directly on the centre of the chest piece.

Despite her confusion, she didn't say a word as the person flew her toward the ground. Her arms wrapped around their neck as they held her bridal style. As they approached the grassy landscape below, the sight of trucks could be seen with a white tent. It looked like a research camp, but as she got closer, one of the trucks held a large trailer. But her suspicions continued to flare as they landed.

Stepping out onto her two feet, the person who had caught her took their helmet off. Colonel Zimmerman's narrow gaze connected with hers. "Why am I here? How did you know where I was?" She questioned harshly as the soldier chuckled and walked past her.

"Your father is a man of technology, miss Usoro," he said over his shoulder. "You don't think he would build in trackers?"

A deep exhale from Nova who was motioned by the man to follow. She should've expected her father to create a tracker for his suits. A great device that could help the army with tracking down a target or troops missing in battle. Turn's out, she was the target and something he was missing.

As they walked, workers from Apex walked around doing whatever tasks were meant to be done. Whatever those tasks were, Nova did not know but the large white tent had the sound of machines working. Scientists coming in and out of the structure doing whatever.

"We were sent here to set up a small facility for secret development. Conveniently, you were thousands of feet above us and that was when debris began falling from above." Zimmerman explained as Nova saw what he was talking about. Large pieces of metal belonging to the Hellicarrier were scattered in the distance. Destroying the grassy surface with the metal creating small craters from the impacts.

"And judging by the lack of your suit, it was destroyed, correct?" Zimmerman quizzed as he turned to the girl who nodded. "Was destroyed in a battle. May I ask if my father is here?"

Zimmerman let out a deep chuckle as he nodded. "He indeed is here. He wished for me to retrieve you from your inevitable death and bring you here." He stated as the girl laughed and shook her head. "Funny, yeah, no. I'll take my chances." She said as she turned and began walking away. "Thank you by the way for saving me. Even if you just dropped me off in the middle of nowhere."

"It wasn't an offer, Nova," Zimmerman called out sternly as the girl clenched her jaw. Coming to a stop and turning on her heel and approaching the man.

Stopping when she was in his face. "I don't give a fuck what he wants. He could get blown up and I wouldn't give a shit. If he wants to do something for me, he can stay the fuck out of my life. It's not like he hasn't done it already." She spat in the man's face whose nose flared in annoyance. Not used to someone coming into his bubble and talking down to him like a child.

So he reached out, about to grasp the girl's throat when another voice could be heard. It booming in anger and fury at the sight behold him.

"You touch her Zimmerman, I'll cut your hands off!" Martin threatened as the Colonel turned to see his boss. The man had his arms crossed over his chest with a suit hugging his body. No matter the location, still kept his authority in check with his attire.

The soldier felt his nose twitch as he looked back down at the girl who stared right back at him. Glare's both directed at one another until Zimmerman scoffed and flew off. Knocking up dust as he took air and flew off to wherever. Leaving the two Usoro's in a comfortable silence as the scientist continued back to work.

Martin made his way to his daughter who didn't move an inch. A gentle smile on his lips until he was within arm's reach. That was when Nova punched her father across the face and made him stumble back. Groaning as he held his jaw. A laugh came from the man as he held his jaw and regained his balance. "You got an arm." He complimented before groaning again and adjusting his jaw.

"Why the hell did you put a tracker on me? What made you think that was a good idea?" Nova questioned harshly as her father stood and let go of his jaw.

"When I saw you in Stuttgart, I needed to keep an eye on you. Make sure you were okay." He explained as if it was the most casual and ok thing to do.

Nova stared at him incredulously, gawking at his reasoning. "And you tracking me and S.H.I.E.L.D. was okay? What the hell is wrong with you, Martin?"

"I wasn't following you or S.H.I.E.L.D. I genuinely came out here to set up a facility," He explained with his hands up in surrender. "But when the debris began falling from the sky and you were seen in the same location, I sent Zimmerman to help."

Nova scoffed in disbelief as she shook her head and turned her back to the man. "Nova, I did it to make sure you were alright. It's been-"

"8 years, dad. 8 years it's been since you left me and left an alpha build of your stupid APEX suit!" She spat furiously as the man nodded and adjusted his suit.

"I know, I messed up. But I did it because your mother had always told me to strive for my goals," he sighed. "Even if I had to make a sacrifice."

Neither of them acknowledged the woman that was important to them both when she passed. Both grieving in ways that were undoubtedly unhealthy for either of them. Nova drowning herself in school work and computers and her father continuing his work, mastering the APEX suit.

Nova laughed coldly as she turned back around to the man. "So I wasn't your daughter? Just a simple fucking sacrifice?" Her eyes looked him up and down, face etched in disgust at what she saw. "No wonder why everyone hates you."

This wasn't how this conversation was supposed to have gone. Nova had hoped it would go better and maybe they would hug. But she was seriously wrong. She hadn't realized how much anger she had until seeing the man. So much pent-up emotion that had been bottled up over the years. And his choice of words only fueled that anger more. If he'd said something meaningful or caring, maybe she wouldn't be so damn angry. Hell, if he gave a better reason and did not use her mother as an excuse, maybe she would be willing to let him off easy.

But he didn't, all he used were shitty excuses and was trying to forcefully reenter her life without her permission. She understood that he wanted to still be the father, but it's hard to do that when he makes shitty comments and pins the blame on someone else who is dead. Not to mention, the person he married and had a kid with!

Nova shook her head in amazement. "I'm done having this talk with you," she spat. "The last thing you can do before I leave is give me a damn suit so I can actually go fight. I have to go stop an alien invasion." She told him as he licked his lips and nodded. Turning around and motioning to the guard standing outside of the large trailer. "Open it up!"

Doing as they were told to do, the two soldiers unlatched the lock on the trailer and pulled it open. An APEX suit being presented with a light above it. A red-orange chest plate with the helmet being the same colour. Walking up the steps and entering, Nova examined the suit closely. It was one of the ones that were presented back at the conference a few days ago.

Wings were attached to the back of the chest piece and smaller ones on the thighs. The same type of straps are in the same places. Shoulder pad and missile launchers on each shoulder. The only thing that wasn't there was the sticks to control the engines on the back.

Right as she noticed that, a pinch of pain appeared on the back of her neck. Hissing in pain as she grasped the back of her neck and swung around towards her father. "It's a neural implant to the spine that connects with the spinal cord," he explained, already prepared to defend himself. "Since we can't do surgery and plant it on your brain, this'll do." The girl huffed and turned back around and grabbed the black poplin suit.

"The device will connect to the stem and relay your thoughts to your cerebellum. So, you want to go right? The device will pick that up and enable the suit to do that." Martin explained as his daughter slipped the poplin suit on and grabbed the chest piece. Quickly getting it strapped on before grabbing the helmet.

Her eyes caught the initials of X.U. Letting her glove thumb brush over the engraving that seemed to be handmade with a knife judging by the rough scratches along the sides of the letters. A tiny smile on her lips as it was the initials of her mother. There were many memories of the woman Nova remembered, but the one that stuck out the most was her passing away in her sleep. Something Nova was glad for because then the pain would've stopped and her mother could pass on to something hopefully better than earth.

"I did it for your mom, Nova," Matin spoke, gaining his daughter's attention. "Everything I've done has been for her. I know I've made mistakes that I can't change, but I hope you'll forgive me in the future." He told her as the girl slipped the helmet on.

The hud turned on and was orange, not the usual blue it had been for her older suit. "Well, you can do one more thing for her and me," Nova told him as she turned around towards the man.

Martin nodded instantly. "Of course, anything. What do you need from me?" He inquired as the girl's black visor shut off to reveal her glowing orange eyes. Electric webs spark from them.

"Give me pilots who know how to fly and fight."