The remnants of the drones littered the floor of the safe house, their dark, twisted remains casting long shadows under the flickering lights. Tony wiped the sweat from his forehead, his face pale as he examined the wreckage.
"These weren't just ordinary machines," Tony muttered. "This is some high-end tech, custom-built to take us down."
Metis crouched down next to one of the fallen drones, studying its design. His system was already running diagnostics, pulling apart the components to understand their structure and purpose. There was something unsettling about how perfectly tailored they were to the Avengers' weaknesses—these machines weren't just built to kill. They were built to kill them.
"We need answers," Steve said, pacing as he looked between the others. "This attack was planned down to the second. They knew where we'd be, how we'd fight, and they brought tech that almost neutralized us."
Natasha wiped some blood from a shallow cut on her cheek, her eyes cold. "Someone has been studying us. For a long time."
Metis stood, his mind buzzing as the system continued to process the data from the fight. "Whoever is behind this, they have resources. They knew exactly how to disable the Quinjet, how to jam our systems, and how to deploy these drones at the right moment. We're dealing with a mastermind here, not just another villain."
Tony had moved to one of the terminals, trying to trace the source of the attack. His fingers flew over the keyboard as he pulled up security footage and logs from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s databases. "I'm running a search on known black-market tech dealers and rogue nations, but nothing matches this level of sophistication. These aren't mass-produced weapons."
Thor leaned on Mjolnir, his expression grim. "There is more to this than mere machines. The foe we faced earlier—the one in the armor—had power beyond these mechanical minions. They wielded strength akin to gods."
Natasha turned toward Tony. "You said the energy signature from that armor looked familiar. What were you about to say?"
Tony hesitated for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he tapped a few more commands into the terminal. "It's not just familiar, it's impossible. The readings we got from that energy surge match the same kind of output we saw from the Chitauri technology during the Battle of New York."
The room fell silent.
"That can't be right," Steve said, his brow furrowing. "The Chitauri are gone. We closed the portal, destroyed their invasion force."
Tony shook his head. "That's what we thought. But whoever attacked us has access to their tech. Maybe they salvaged it, or maybe there's more going on than we know."
Metis's system pulled up memories of the Chitauri invasion from the intelligence he had absorbed. The energy signature, the alien technology—it all fit. But there was something else, something deeper that his system couldn't quite pinpoint.
"We're missing a piece of the puzzle," Metis said. "Someone's using Chitauri tech, but this feels bigger than that. They've adapted it, refined it. This isn't just a random scavenger. This is someone with a plan."
Steve crossed his arms, his eyes dark with concern. "Whoever they are, we need to find them. And fast."
Tony nodded, already pulling up more data on the screen. "I'll track down any trace of Chitauri tech that's popped up in the last few years. If someone's been dealing in it, we'll find them."
Thor lifted Mjolnir, his voice low. "And when we do, we will bring the wrath of Asgard upon them."
Steve turned to Natasha. "Reach out to Fury. Let him know what's going on. We're going to need all the intel we can get."
As Natasha moved to make the call, Metis stayed quiet, his mind still racing with the system's data. Whoever was behind this attack was more than just an enemy. They were strategic, methodical, and capable of using powerful resources to stay a step ahead.
But there was something else nagging at him—something beyond the technology and the tactics. That armored figure, the way they fought—it felt personal. As if they weren't just after the Avengers as a team. They were after him.
His system surged with new alerts, pulling in fragments of data from the battle, cross-referencing patterns he hadn't noticed before. The fighting style of the figure, the timing of their attacks—it was eerily similar to combat tactics he had studied in his former life, before being reincarnated into this world.
"Could they know about me?" Metis thought, the realization unsettling. No one in this world should know his true origins, yet the way they fought, the way they targeted him—it felt deliberate.
He glanced at Natasha, who had finished her call with Fury. She caught his eye and raised an eyebrow. "What's going on in that head of yours, Metis?"
He hesitated, unsure of how to explain his suspicions without revealing too much. "Just trying to piece it all together. Whoever attacked us knew how to exploit our weaknesses. And they knew how to exploit mine, too."
Natasha studied him for a moment before nodding slowly. "We all have secrets. But if there's something we need to know, now's the time to share."
Metis forced a small smile. "Don't worry. When the time comes, you'll know."
Natasha didn't push further, but the unspoken tension between them lingered. Trust wasn't something either of them gave easily, but the stakes were rising. They couldn't afford any more mysteries.
Before anyone could say more, Tony's screen beeped, flashing with new information. "Got something!" he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up.
The team gathered around as Tony pulled up a map showing a cluster of energy readings across the globe, all matching the same signature as the Chitauri tech. "There've been small spikes like this all over the world, but one location stands out. An abandoned research facility in Siberia. The energy signature there is off the charts. Someone's been stockpiling tech."
"Then that's where we're headed," Steve said decisively. "We'll hit them hard and fast, before they have a chance to disappear."
Tony stood, pulling up his armor diagnostics. "I'll prep the suits. We're gonna need everything we've got for this one."
Thor raised Mjolnir. "I shall bring the thunder."
As the team began preparing for the mission, Metis felt a cold knot in his stomach. The enemy was ahead of them at every turn, but Siberia might hold the key to unlocking the full scope of their plans. If they could take down the facility, they could finally get a step ahead.
But as they geared up, Metis couldn't shake the feeling that this was exactly what the enemy wanted—that they were being led into a trap.
And this time, the consequences could be far more deadly than they had ever imagined.