2013

New York City

S.H.I.E.L.D Headquarters, Conference Room

The Next Day

(Omniscient POV)

"Well," Director Nick Fury said thoughtfully, tapping his finger absently against his chin while pacing slowly back and forth around the conference room table deliberatively, considering his options, "Have we still not recovered Baker's Body, or what he stole yet?"

Fury paused briefly, gazing around the table at Brock, Steve, and Natasha who were seated opposite him, quietly listening attentively.

Brock cleared his throat before responding, shaking his head wistfully. "No sir..." He replied confidently, "My men have scoured every inch of the Hudson River and the Upper New York Bay last night diligently, but no signs have surfaced thus far."

Fury sighed deeply, knowing full well that if they lost the unstable serum that Baker stole then it would surely come back to haunt S.H.I.E.L.D sooner or later.

"Okay fine, keep searching the water and the surrounding beaches for any trace left behind, and let me know immediately if anything turns up. Clear?!" His tone grew stern and authoritative as he spoke, forcing everyone else sitting at the long rectangular wooden table to nod firmly in agreement just so they wouldn't incur his wrath again. Turning away from them abruptly, Fury walked briskly past them and exited the Conference Room.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today," Steve muttered sarcastically, watching Fury go. "He could at least try to look happy that we were able to save Sana."

Natasha smiled lightly nodding approvingly, "Maybe some rest would do wonders for his disposition? Or perhaps a vacation somewhere tropical?" She suggested playfully.

Steve laughed heartily, agreeing, "That sounds good actually, I'm sick of being cooped up here."

Smirking knowingly, Natasha responded teasingly as she glanced over at Brock, who seemed to be ignoring the conversation as he was looking at his phone. "Why don't we all go out for a drink tonight to celebrate?"

Steve raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, then nodded approvingly, smiling broadly as he accepted the invitation.

They turned to Brock, awaiting his response, but he remained engrossed in his phone, oblivious to the conversation.

"Brock?" Steve questioned politely.

"Hmm?" Brock answered distractedly, glancing up from his device.

"We're planning to get some drinks tonight to celebrate the successful mission." Steve explained again, "You want to join us?"

Still distracted, Brock shook his head dismissively.

"Sorry, can't make it tonight. I've still got a lot of work to do." He said as he lifted himself from his chair and stretched languidly. With casual grace, he moved forward smoothly towards the door.

"Wait up, I'll walk you out," Steve offered as he rose swiftly and headed out behind him.

Once outside, the two walked silently through the hallway, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the walls, creating an awkward atmosphere.

As they reached the elevator doors, they stepped inside, and the doors closed behind them.

"So, how is everything going with you?" Steve asked awkwardly, trying to break the silence between them during their awkward ride. "You seemed distracted earlier."

Brock glanced over at Steve with an apologetic look, "It's nothing really...just a little swamped with work." He admitted reluctantly, pressing the button for the garage floor.

"I get that. Happens more often than not these days, unfortunately. But hey, you're still young." Steve reassured jokingly, hoping to lighten the mood somewhat. "You should take advantage of that while you can...life goes by faster than you expect sometimes."

Steve looked away sadly, remembering the life that had passed him by.

Brock noticed this sudden shift in demeanor and felt compelled to say something reassuring despite wishing that the old soldier would just leave him alone already.

"You're right," He conceded softly, "I'll remember your words when things calm down a bit and my schedule eases up a tad...Thank You, Captain Rogers." He added, his voice sounding sincere.

Steve gave another sad smile, acknowledging Brock's gratitude, albeit halfheartedly.

"Call me, Steve." He said as the elevator arrived at the garage level, prompting Brock to give Steve a nod before exiting the lift.

"Hey, Brock?" Steve called hesitantly, stopping the elevator doors before they closed.

Turning around sharply with slight exasperation apparent on his otherwise placid visage, Brock regarded Steve inquisitively, wondering why the man was trying so hard to talk to him.

"You did good work out there, I hope we're assigned together again on the next mission. I think our styles complement one another quite nicely." As he finished speaking, he extended his arm casually, offering to shake hands.

Brock hesitated momentarily, glancing down at the proffered hand in confusion. Finally deciding to accept, he grasped hold of it and shook it strongly, feeling slightly strange that someone had acknowledged his efforts with complete altruism rather than any transparent self-serving motives.

The two men shook solemnly for several seconds, exchanging brief pleasantries before Steve backed up into the elevator and let the doors close. Leaving Brock standing in the middle of the parking garage.

"What a weird guy..." Brock mumbled under his breath as he turned around and headed for his car.

As he entered his vehicle, he pulled his second phone from its compartment beneath the seat beside him, dialing a number as he started the car.

"Hey, Zeru," Brock greeted as the kid promptly picked up the other line. "I got you're message and I'm heading over there now." He informed calmly.

"Awesome!" Came the enthusiastic response, "We'll have everything ready for the procedure before you get here!"

"Are you sure about this?" Brock inquired curiously, "Are you confident that you guys have finally figured out a way to wake Ava?"

"Yes!" Zeru's reply came instantly, he sounded genuinely excited. "Trust me, Boss. Dr. Cho and I are absolutely positive that we will succeed this time around. This morning we managed to successfully replicate her unique DNA structure using the samples of Quantum Energy and the leftover Pym Particles! We also discovered a method to safely store the energy into microscopic particles similar to quarks-"

"Alright, alright," Brock interrupted amusingly, cutting the little genius short mid-sentence. "Just make sure you guys are ready. I want to get things moving ASAP."

*********

Hell's Kitchen, New York City

Warehouse District

A few hours Later

As the sun began to set, casting a deep orange hue over the five boroughs of New York as dusk approached, Brock stood off to the side in the large warehouse, overseeing Zeru and Dr. Cho as they tinkered with the large water chamber that held Ava's unconscious form suspended within the liquid.

Zeru operated the controls attached to the tank, his hands moving swiftly while he engaged in animated conversation with Dr. Cho about potential improvements. Dr. Cho focused on her laptop monitor displaying various graphs and readings and offered insights and suggestions.

Brock watched them, knowing he had little to contribute in terms of technical expertise. He observed their progress silently, acknowledging the precision and dedication they displayed.

"Alright, all systems check out perfectly according to plan!" Zeru exclaimed happily after finishing checking one last readout from one of his monitors.

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Dr. Cho's grin mirrored his excitement as she leaned in closer to examine the data on her screen. Satisfied with the measurements, she stood up from her stool and addressed Zeru with praise.

"Everything seems to be working smoothly. Excellent job!" she commended him. "Now, let's see what happens when we administer the modified quantum fluid."

She picked up three syringes filled with a clear grey liquid from a nearby tray. Carefully positioning herself above one of the tubes connected to Ava's chamber, she prepared to inject the fluid.

As the first needle pierced the tube, the grey liquid surged through the interconnected lines, merging seamlessly with the gel-like substance enveloping Ava.

The mixture formed thin threads that connected the liquid to her body, creating an intricate web within the chamber.

With precision, Dr. Cho inserted the remaining needles into their corresponding tubes, while Zeru retrieved two bottles containing different fluids—a blue solution and a red crystalline powder.

Working together, they poured the contents of their bottles into the designated containers, adding small amounts gradually.

The mixture reacted immediately, causing tiny bubbles to form on the liquid's surface and darkening its color. The gelatinous substance thickened, pulsating with life-like movements and generating rivulets that encased Ava completely.

The glass enclosure cracked under the pressure, as the expanding liquid filled every available space.

Steam billowed from the machine, creating a hazy atmosphere within the warehouse. Zeru and Dr. Cho remained undeterred, seeing the steam as a positive sign of progress.

They monitored the process closely, occasionally adjusting settings on their computers. After approximately ten minutes, the steam dissipated, revealing Ava floating motionlessly in the chamber, encased in the hardened liquid cocoon.

Zeru pressed a button, triggering a mechanical whirr as the liquid drained from the chamber. Once empty, he opened the hatch, allowing access to Ava.

However, upon inspection, she showed no signs of waking up, disappointing both Zeru and Brock.

Zeru sighed heavily, looking at Brock dejectedly, "Looks like our calculations were wrong... I'm sorry, I don't-"

Before he completed his statement, he was interrupted as a bright flash of grey light illuminated the interior of the building suddenly, followed immediately by a large cascade of translucent energy particles spewing forth forcefully from Ava's chest cavity.

All three members present stared dumbfounded at the spectacle taking place before them, unable to comprehend just what kind of phenomenon was occurring.

When the glowing mist dissipated, Ava floated silently upright, blinking dazedly as she gazed blankly ahead as if unaware of her surroundings whatsoever. Her skin appeared healthy once more, free of the sickly veins and slight discoloration caused by her accident.

Grey energy residue coated her body but disappeared soon afterward as she slowly drifted to the ground, her feet touching the solid concrete floor on shaky legs.

Her hair fluttered wildly behind her as she took a step forward unsteadily towards the edge of the platform, gazing down nervously as she tried unsuccessfully to regain balance on her wobbly limbs.

"Take it easy," Brock advised sternly, walking briskly over to help steady Ava against his shoulder before guiding her to sit down gingerly on a chair placed nearby. "I don't need you hurting yourself right after I spent so much effort healing those wounds." He reasoned quietly.

Ava looked at him with a mix of confusion and gratitude, her gaze fixed on her renewed form. She remained silent, taking in the sensations of her revitalized body.

"Is...everything okay? How are you feeling?" Zeru asked worriedly, examining the woman intently. But his concern seemed unfounded, seeing how relaxed and peaceful she looked despite having just awoken from an induced coma.

Suddenly feeling anxious himself, Brock ignored the half-naked woman leaning weakly into him and glanced over at Dr. Cho, who too wore a puzzled expression as she studied Ava attentively from the side.

"It doesn't feel real." Ava muttered softly as she examined herself, "I've been stuck in that suit for so many years...to feel the air on my skin, or the touch of another person again...it feels surreal." She admitted blissfully as tears streamed unabashedly down her cheeks.

"Thank you...Thank you for saving me!" She cried gratefully as she hugged Brock tight around his waist, burying her face between his muscular abdomen affectionately.

Brock felt uncomfortable with such displays of emotion, especially considering that everything he had done was purely for his own benefit, but accepted her embrace and patted her back gently.

When Ava pulled away, she looked up at Brock with tearful eyes, wiping her cheeks with her fingers. Her voice was filled with sincerity as she made a solemn promise.

"I owe you my life...I'll never forget what you've done for me." She confessed with heartfelt sincerity. "You kept your end of the bargain, and I swear, I'll keep mine..."

Allowing her to finish speaking uninterrupted, Brock nodded solemnly, understanding fully what Ava meant with those words. In fact, he was waiting expectantly to hear them.

***********

Hell's Kitchen, New York City

Warehouse District

As the night begins to fall over New York, the small trio of villains (and Dr. Cho) enjoyed their long-awaited reunion together while the rest of Hell's Kitchen slept peacefully under the cover of darkness.

And as the sky grew dark overhead, so did the mood shift among everyone gathered as they watched as Ava tested out her new powers experimentally.

Ava's powers had seemingly increased exponentially thanks to the mysterious Quantum concoction that Zeru cooked up. It allowed her not only to be resistant to the negative effect of her ability but also enabled her to now have full control of the quantum matter that infected her every cell. Allowing her to manipulate its properties easily.

So now, along with her Intangibility and Invisibility powers, she now possessed strength and durability on the level of a mid-tier super soldier, making her an even more formidable force than she already was before.

In addition, she also learned that she could now levitate through the air using this newfound power, which gave her tremendous mobility capacities, something that Brock thought would prove immensely useful later during combat situations.

However, there were some limitations involved as well. For instance, although she could fly about effortlessly via this newly acquired skillset, she could only move slightly faster than peak-level humans, about thirty miles per hour tops. Levitating also burned through her stamina a fair bit, so flying long distances wouldn't work very effectively unless she found ways to conserve energy somehow.

But there was a sense that Ava's powers were only beginning to reveal themselves. With training and exploration, she might uncover even more unimaginable facets of her abilities.

After the demonstration, the trio engaged in excited conversation, envisioning the various applications of Ava's enhanced powers. Dr. Cho, on the sidelines, watched in bewilderment, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what she was witnessing.

Overwhelmed by the revelation, Dr. Cho finally mustered the courage to speak up. "How is this possible?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief. "Can someone please explain what is happening here?"

As if just now remembering the woman's presence, Brock's gaze shifted to her, his eyes cold and detached.

The two at his side followed his gaze, and a slight shiver ran down Dr. Cho's spine as she noticed the coldness reflecting from their eyes, a dangerous glint that made the woman instantly nervous.

"What do you want to do, Boss?" Zeru inquired calmly, his cold childish demeanor giving off an ominous vibe as he addressed Brock directly.

"Do you still need her?" Brock answered coolly, ignoring Dr. Cho altogether as he focused solely on Zeru.

Zera considered the question for a moment, his expression impassive, "Not really, Ava's healed and I think I've learned all I can from her work." Then he smirked mischievously, "Besides, she's a human. They can never be trusted, so we're better off just dealing with her now rather than later."

A wicked smile spread across Zeros' lips as he regarded his former assistant with disdain.

Dr. Cho gasped audibly upon hearing this remark, however, neither Brock nor Zeru paid any mind to her reaction since both knew there was little she could do in this situation.

"Do you want me to handle her?" Ava asked Brock casually, a bit eager to try out her new abilities on a live target.

"W-what are you all talking about?!" Dr. Cho exclaimed shrilly, shocked beyond belief. However, nobody bothered paying heed to her anymore due to the obvious answer already being apparent.

"No, I should take care of it myself," Brock stated cooly as he stood up from his chair. "I am the one who brought her here."

"W-wait! What are you doing!?" Dr. Cho begged desperately as she backed away from the large young man coming toward her.

Ignoring the distressed scientist's pleas, Brock walked straight up to her without saying anything else, reaching out gently to grab hold of her slender wrist, gripping tightly until he forced her arm beneath his powerful grip.

The doctor struggled helplessly, fighting to escape but failing miserably, given that he was significantly stronger than her.

"Please!!! Don't do this!! Let go!!" She pleaded frantically. "Why are you doing this!!!!" She asked as she attempted futilely to tug herself away from his strong hand.

"It's nothing personal," Brock remarked dispassionately as he wrapped his hand around the crying woman's fragile throat. "In fact, I want to thank you for all the help you provided us throughout this whole ordeal."

His tone sounded gentle, which contradicted the cruel intent of his actions.

"P-please!!" Dr. Cho continued to beg as she struggled to free herself from the villain's grasp. "W-we had a deal!!!!" Tears started streaming uncontrollably down the distraught woman's face as her breathing became labored and erratic.

Unfazed by the sight of the visibly panicked woman struggling against him, Brock tightened his stranglehold and pulled the woman close, their faces came dangerously near each other as he whispered menacingly into her ear.

"I promised that I would reunite you with your husband." He reminded her ominously. "This is me keeping my word."

His voice sent goosebumps running down the doc's fleshy neck as the realization of his words dawned on her. With that, Brock said nothing else as he tightened his grasp around her neck, cutting short the desperate pleading voice of the terrified female scientist.

Using just enough pressure to thoroughly crush and sever her spine, killing her almost instantaneously within seconds. And just like that, the world lost another innocent victim whose death will forever remain unjustified.

She died quickly and painlessly.

Then Brock let go of her lifeless corpse as blood gushed freely from where the crushed bones were poking through the flesh of her neck, staining the shirt collar underneath her chin crimson red.

Dropping the dead weight onto the concrete floor below him, Brock stepped back swiftly away from the scene. His heart was slightly heavy for the sad ending of someone who helped bring him closer to achieving his goals.

With a sigh of pity, Brock turned his attention to Ava and Zeru, their expressions expectant, waiting for his next move.

"So, what now, Boss?" Zeru asked seriously, as Ava gave a dutiful nod in agreement.

Turning his head aside briefly, Brock sighed heavily and regarded the two members of his small group critically for a moment before finally answering their question.

"Now...we prepare," He stated simply, turning slowly to give one final look at the lifeless body lying motionless on the ground beside him.

"Prepare for what?" Ava queried cautiously, unsure what exactly they were getting ready for.

"For the moment we've all been waiting for," Brock replied cryptically, a note of determination resonating in his voice as he turned to face his two subordinates once more. "The moment when we seize our freedom..."

*********

A/N: Hey guys! Another time skip the next chapter as we move into 2014 and into the start of the next big arc for Brock and his motley crew of miscreants.

I hope you are enjoying the story so far, and as always, thanks for reading!

If you like my work and want to support it, check out Patreon.com/Swarthy, where you can read early chapters or go to Paypal.me/xSwarthyx Every bit helps and is appreciated.