The Great Escape Ch3 bit – Assault

Steve drew in a quick breath, and said what they were all thinking. “A spaceship?”

“Minaka found just over one hundred alien organisms inside, in stasis,” Natasha informed them. “He was able to conceal this for years, bringing in another genius, Takehito Asama, who helped him build MBI as we know it today. Then, about a decade ago, HYDRA apparently discovered that Kamikura was more than just Minaka’s privately-owned piece of rock.”

The video that opened was, frankly, scary. As a former professional maker of things that went impressively boom, Tony thought he was qualified to judge scary.

The shot seemed to be from one of several advancing helicopters; as it swung over the sea, he could see the carrier the choppers had come off of. On land already – yeah, had to be HYDRA, that was a stupid way to put an assault force together –  were tanks, infantry, and more helicopters leading the way. On the cliffs of the island, waiting, were five gray-cloaked figures.

It was a slaughter.

Swords flashed. Blood flew. Tanks were crushed as the island spawned mini-quakes around them. The camera jerked back toward the sea-

Bisected by an invisible cleaver, the support ship sank into oily waves.

The camera jerked around again, then tumbled, as if the helicopter had been caught in an instant tornado-

Black.

“Hopelessly, hilariously outgunned,” Fury said grimly.

“Five of them did that to HYDRA?” Steve whistled. “Wow.”

“I’m guessing you didn’t leave it at that,” Tony said, mind racing. How had he missed this mess? Granted, ten years back he’d been in the weapons and high society whirl, without a clue SHIELD even existed. But wow was right. Why hadn’t anybody dropped him a note? Alien tech, for goodness’ sake.

Which explained a lot about MBI’s meteoric rise in the medical tech field. Even a genius worked better with proof something could be done.

“SHIELD didn’t. Neither did HYDRA,” Natasha acknowledged. “Every other attack was repelled. I understand SHIELD tried a more diplomatic approach.”

Oh, Tony could see this one coming. He waved his hands like a magician. “Let me. You asked Minaka, pretty please can we share your shiny new alien toys. And he laughed in your face and told you it was some awesome plan of the gods, shoo, go away.”

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