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Inside the main control room, alarms blared from every corner. The notification of the engine turbines shutting down brought an eerie silence to the chaotic room. Everyone, from Director Fury to the staff, held their breath in unison.
The Helicarrier had four engine turbines in total. One of them had already been damaged, severely affecting the aircraft's stability. Now, with half of the engines shutting down at an altitude of ten thousand meters...
Everyone knew what that meant.
From the outside, one could see the Helicarrier's power sources— the first and second turbines on one side— gradually winding down, while the third and fourth turbines on the opposite side strained under the increased load. But two engines alone weren't enough to keep the Helicarrier afloat.
The aircraft began to tilt severely as it lost power on one side, the angle of descent quickly surpassing thirty degrees. The two inactive turbines acted like dead weight, dragging the Helicarrier down through thunderclouds toward the ground below.
"What—" "Watch out!" "Hold on to something!"
The main control room was filled with screams. The originally smooth steel floor had now turned into a deadly slope. Coupled with the weightless feeling of falling downwards, personnel and objects alike slid towards one side, piling up against the large observation windows.
Some quick-thinking S.H.I.E.L.D. agents grabbed onto fixed equipment and walls to steady themselves.
As the Helicarrier tilted and plummeted, Barton managed to fire an arrow, which was embedded in the ceiling and trailed a steel cable that he fastened to his waist, suspending himself in mid-air.
His eyes were as black as ink, devoid of emotion. He pulled out another modified arrow and nocked it, aiming directly at the control panel for the third and fourth turbines, revealing his intentions.
"The mission ends here, Loki," Barton murmured, releasing the arrow. But before it could reach its target, a handgun was thrown from above, perfectly intercepting the arrow.
"Hmm?" Barton looked up to see a black-clad figure descending from the highest passageway, with short red hair whipping wildly around her.
In a black, form-fitting suit, Black Widow Natasha landed gracefully, her legs striking Barton's wrist and sending his bow flying.
"You!" Barton growled before throwing a punch. But Natasha's flexibility was unmatched; she dodged his attack and wrapped her legs around his arm and neck, using her body as a weapon to choke him.
"Are you still not coming to your senses, Barton?" Natasha's voice was cold as she tightened her grip.
Barton struggled, but with his neck constricted, his face reddened, and he couldn't use his full strength or breathe properly. His resistance weakened.
Gradually, the darkness faded from his eyes, replaced by clarity and recognition.
Barton stopped struggling and tapped Natasha on the shoulder. She released her grip, letting him gasp for air.
"Thanks," Barton coughed, taking deep breaths.
"You're welcome," Natasha replied, relieved that he had regained his senses. She looked towards the passageway where Steve, carrying Thor, and Eddie were making their way into the control room, clinging to the slanted walls.
"You finally made it," Director Fury's stern expression softened slightly as he saw them. He turned to Agent Hill at the control panel, shouting, "Can we restart those two turbines?"
Agent Hill pulled out the embedded arrow and swiftly operated the virtual screen, her fingers dancing across it. "We can, but it will take time! At least three minutes!"
"Three minutes?" Fury frowned deeply. At that moment, the Helicarrier descended into the thunderclouds, with lightning crackling all around. Several bolts struck the observation windows, causing the reinforced glass to crack alarmingly.
Those piled against the windows screamed and scrambled to higher ground.
Hill's voice was urgent, "At this rate, we'll crash in about two minutes!"
"There's no time for evacuation or calling for backup," Fury muttered, trying to think of a solution. But given their current predicament, it seemed there was no option but to brace for impact.
Many S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel looked out at the rapidly receding clouds, their faces etched with despair.
Human effort seemed futile against the inevitable crash of a Helicarrier weighing hundreds of tons.
"I'm sorry, it's all my fault," Barton lamented, his face buried in his hands.
"It's not your fault; you were under Loki's control," Natasha reassured him. She turned to Steve, "What do we do now, Captain?"
"Let me think," Steve replied, handing Thor to Eddie. He rubbed his chin, his thoughts momentarily drifting to Kyle's face. Shaking his head, he remembered that Kyle wasn't even on Earth...
Suddenly, Steve remembered something. He pulled out a small flip phone from his pocket and dialed a number.
After a few seconds, the call connected, and a youthful voice answered, "Captain, I'm busy here. Haven't you noticed?"
As if on cue, the bottom of the falling Helicarrier trembled with another roar, which was far more terrifying than a lightning strike.
"The first and second engines are down. Our Helicarrier is plummeting," Steve relayed the urgent message, unsure why he thought of Caesar. The young child was battling the formidable Giant Venom below.
"I've noticed. Don't worry! As long as I'm here, everything will be fine," Caesar's voice was young but resolute, and it was hard to believe that this voice belonged to a child barely five years old and fighting the strongest lifeform currently known to them.
Where did his confidence come from?
Steve's thoughts raced, but he chose to trust Caesar.
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course."
The memory of their conversation on the runaway train seventy years ago echoed in Steve's mind.
"I see now," Steve smiled, closing the phone. In response, Natasha looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face.
"You'll see soon," Steve said while looking out the window at the still-falling Helicarrier, his fists clenching.
In the lower levels of the Helicarrier, within a dark, web-covered chamber.
"You're taking calls during our fight? Pay attention to me!"
The monstrous Giant Venom roared, delivering a powerful punch that sent Caesar flying. The blow left shockwaves and white arcs of energy in its wake. Venom stepped forward, trapping the star-spangled shield beneath its foot and pushing it deep into the floor.
Caesar crashed into the dark web, breaking through two walls before coming to a stop.
"Pay attention?" Caesar's eyes glowed with a piercing red light. He tore away the webbing, a smile spreading across his face.
"In truth, I'm actually done playing with you," He said innocently before tossing Thor's hammer aside.
**(End of Chapter)**