"Jesus Christ!"
"Rocket! Not the time!"
The Avengers shot simultaneous glares at the irreverent raccoon. Rocket only shrugged, unrepentant, but the scolding was half-hearted — their mood was still buoyed by a rare surge of optimism.
The Infinity Gauntlet was complete.
The shimmering glove sat on the workbench, mechanical clamps still holding it in place from the assembly process. Each Stone gleamed with its own alien light — six colors pulsing like the heartbeat of the universe. The air in the room felt heavy, thick with an invisible pressure that made even breathing seem deliberate.
Their plan was halfway to success.
"Alright," Rocket said, leaning forward on the table with both paws, eyes fixed greedily on the gauntlet. "The Gauntlet's ready. Now—who's gonna snap?"
"Me!"
The word rang out like a war drum.
Thor stepped forward without hesitation, his movements surprisingly sure for a man who had spent the past few years drowning in mead. His cape swished behind him; his hand hovered just inches from the weapon that could rewrite reality itself.
"What? Wait—"
"Thor, hold on!"
"Let's discuss this first!"
The outcry was instant. Tony, Cap, Banner — even Rhodey — moved to form an unspoken wall in front of the Gauntlet. No one needed to say it aloud: Thor's current state didn't inspire confidence. The Gauntlet's power was lethal even to the strongest of them; with the Stones' raw energy surging through it, one wrong move could mean instant death.
The murmurs rose, tension sparking like static in the room. Voices overlapped, frustration mounting — until a calm, steady voice sliced through the chaos.
"Everyone."
The single word pulled every eye toward its source.
Alex.
He hadn't moved from his spot in the corner, leaning against the wall like a man watching a bar fight he had no intention of stopping. But now, his gaze swept across the room, unreadable.
"Alex, this doesn't concern you. You have no say here!" Thor's voice carried an edge, but it was laced with defensiveness more than anger. He jabbed a finger toward Alex like the accusation alone could silence him.
Alex ignored him completely. He uncrossed his arms and took a slow step forward.
"There's a bigger problem than who snaps."
The sudden seriousness in his tone cut through the bickering.
"Alex," Bruce asked, brows furrowed, "what could be more important than the Snap?"
Alex's voice was deliberate, the words carrying weight.
"You're missing someone."
Confusion swept the group like a wave. They exchanged puzzled glances, silently counting heads. Then the realization landed, and expressions hardened almost in unison.
Nebula wasn't here.
Not their Nebula.
"Since we're partners now," Alex said, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips, "I'll give you this one for free."
He let the pause stretch, the suspense winding tighter.
"The Nebula who came back through the Quantum Tunnel isn't yours. She's the 2014 version — still loyal to Thanos."
He looked from face to face, watching the dawning horror spread.
"Right now, she's next door, reprogramming the time machine to bring him here."
The room seemed to freeze for half a second.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
"Alex, are you serious?!"
The shock hit like a gut punch. If he was right, this wasn't just a problem — it was a disaster waiting to happen. A single miscalculation could undo everything they'd fought for.
Tony didn't waste a word. His helmet snapped shut with a metallic hiss, and a holographic display flickered across his visor as he scanned the wall between them and the time machine chamber. His jaw tightened.
"Tony? What do you see?" Scott's voice was thin, shaky.
Tony didn't answer immediately. He didn't have to. The grim set of his mouth told the story.
"Alex is right," he said finally. "Nebula's tampering with the controls."
"MOVE!"
They didn't need telling twice. Chairs scraped back, footsteps thundered against the floor, and the entire team charged toward the adjoining room.
They burst through the doorway—
And there she was.
Nebula stood at the console, her posture tense, every motion precise and mechanical. Thin cables had snaked from her cybernetic arms, plugging directly into the machine's access ports. Sparks danced across the interface as her fingers worked at blinding speed.
"Shit! They found me!"
Her head snapped up, eyes narrowing with cold fury. Instead of fleeing, she redoubled her efforts, metal tendrils flickering with activity.
"Nebula, STOP!"
Cap's shield spun through the air with perfect aim—
CLANG!
She didn't even glance at it. With one fluid motion, she kicked the vibranium disc away mid-spin, sending it ricocheting into the wall.
THOOM!
A second later, Mjolnir slammed into her chest like a meteor, blasting her backward. She hit the floor hard but rolled with the impact, immediately lunging toward the console again.
POW!
Tony's repulsor blast caught her mid-step, hurling her against the far wall.
This time, the Avengers closed in. In seconds, she was pinned, arms restrained, cables yanked from the machine with a screech of metal.
"So this is what you were really like, huh?" Tony's voice was ice. "Daddy's perfect little soldier."
Her lip curled, teeth bared. "How did you know?"
She had been so close. Just seconds away from bringing the Titan warlord into their midst. She had been certain her deception was flawless.
But as the others turned toward the doorway, she followed their gaze — and saw him.
Alex stood there, arms folded, watching her with an expression that was almost bored.
Cap exhaled slowly, relief softening his battle-ready posture. "Alex… we owe you one."
His voice carried a weight that made even Thor glance over.
"Hell," Tony added, "the whole planet owes you."
And for the first time in hours, no one argued.
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