Marvelous Twist #79

Inside the mansion, Steve and Bucky's heated debate over the fate of the Winter Soldiers abruptly halted as Professor Charles Xavier's voice resonated within their minds. His emphatic assertion that he couldn't bear to leave individuals in such a profoundly broken mental state swiftly silenced their argument. 

Bucky, though skeptical about the potential outcomes, acquiesced to the decision. He recognized that his objections held little weight as a guest in the mansion and indebted to his hosts.

"Now that you're done wasting time, maybe we should--" Dugan, relieved that the discussion had come to a close, expressed his eagerness to move forward when a high-pitched beeping sound emanated from a device inside his pocket, cutting him halfway through his sentence. 

Simultaneously, the sky above the mansion turned a foreboding shade of crimson. Panic surged through Dugan as he fumbled to retrieve the device, but Evan interfered before he could react further. 

With a simple gesture, he summoned a magnificent sword adorned in gold and red, which flew into his grasp from one of the mansion's windows. Without delay, a majestic white-winged steed materialized beneath Evan, and he took to the air, ready to confront the ominous development.

As Evan soared into the crimson-tinted sky, his determined eyes locked onto the approaching beam heading straight for the mansion. Gripping the sword tightly, he spurred his steed forward with a swift kick, urging it to fly faster. 

The edge of Evan's blade met the oncoming beam, and the sword, seemingly acting on its own, erected a protective barrier around its wielder, forcing the destructive force to come to a sudden halt. The steed, however, couldn't suppress a distressed neigh as it struggled under the unexpected weight.

Evan grunted as he wrestled with the tremendous force, his suit's sleeves tearing apart to reveal the bulging veins on his arms as he fought to maintain his grip on the sword. 

Dugan couldn't contain his astonishment, blurting out his bewilderment at the situation. "The bloody hell is this?!"

His face an unreadable mask, Nick Fury responded with a grave tone, "Vortex Disruptor. Still in the testing phase-- It seems they're determined to eliminate us."

Before their conversation could delve any deeper, Marvel Girl, flying through the air, rushed to Evan's side as the crimson beam began to press him downward. She extended her hand, employing her telekinetic power to provide Evan with much-needed support, momentarily stabilizing his position. 

The beam faltered, flickering in and out of existence as if teetering on the brink of vanishing. Yet, before anyone could exhale in relief, it surged back with even greater force, descending upon Evan and forcefully pushing him several meters downward.

"Now what?" Dugan ground out, his teeth clenched as he turned to face Nick Fury, demanding answers. 

Fury let out a weary sigh and shook his head. "The Vortex Disruptor was designed with one purpose: to eliminate powerhouses like Thor and the Hulk. It's a miracle Evan even held out against it for this long," he explained with a note of resignation. "The only way to stop that thing is to destroy it, but from our current position, that's nearly impossible."

Upon hearing Fury's explanation, the expressions on everyone's faces grew grim, especially Captain America. He couldn't help but shoot Fury a reproachful look, realizing that this dire situation might have been partially brought about by Fury's paranoia and distrust, leading to the creation of such a devastating weapon.

However, before despair could fully take hold, a familiar voice echoed through the air, resonating across the mansion. "Maybe I can help with that..." A fleet of Iron Man suits soared overhead, their presence a beacon of hope. 

The chest pieces of the suits began to emit a radiant glow as they scattered over the air space, generating a protective barrier around the mansion. This development visibly relieved Evan, even if only slightly.

One of the Iron Man suits turned towards Evan and communicated with Tony Stark's voice and intent. "I'll need you to sit tight for a while as I pinpoint the satellite's location," it stated.

His teeth still clenched from the strain of holding the sword and blocking the Vortex Disruptor, Evan responded curtly, "You do that." There was no room for further conversation, as every second counted in their race to stop the deadly weapon.

Tony Stark, the brilliant inventor he was, swiftly pinpointed the location of the Vortex Disruptor satellite. "Bingo!" he exclaimed with his trademark charisma, his Iron Man suit's armored plates opening up to reveal its ballistic missile launchers. 

Without a moment's hesitation, he launched the missiles into the sky, and everyone watched with bated breath as they disappeared into the vast blue expanse, hoping to witness the destructive beam dissipate.

However, a tense minute passed, and instead of fading away, the deadly beam seemed to intensify. This unexpected turn of events caused one of the Iron Man suits to run out of power and plummet to the ground. Dugan turned his gaze towards Fury, his eyes expressing the frustration and annoyance that words couldn't convey.

Fury, wearing a similar expression of perplexity, shook his head. "I have no idea what's happening. Those missiles should've obliterated the satellite," he admitted.

Tony Stark interjected, his voice tinged with frustration. "The satellite must be heavily armored. I'll need to either unleash everything I've got or get in close enough to use the big guns, but both options will take more time than we have," he explained, grimacing at the grim reality.

Evan, ever the quick thinker, formulated a solution on the spot. "Get Cyclops! He can obliterate that damned thing even from this distance!" he urgently instructed. "Just tell him where to shoot!"

Upon hearing Evan's urgent plea, Marvel Girl sprang into action. She reached out to Cyclops's mind, summoning him to the courtyard of the mansion. Moments later, Cyclops rushed out of the building, a determined look in his eyes.

Marvel Girl quickly transformed into the nearest Iron Man suit, her intent clear. "Get me inside one of those suits. Show me where to aim, and I'll transmit the coordinates directly into Cyclops's mind," she stated, her voice resolute. Without delay, the Iron Man suit she had addressed swiftly moved towards her and opened up, offering her entry.

Tony Stark, fully aware of the incredible destructive potential of Cyclops's optic blasts, realized that allowing Cyclops to unleash his powers from within the suit might irreparably damage it. With this understanding, he complied with Marvel Girl's request without objection.

As the Iron Man suit sealed around Marvel Girl and initiated its targeting system to indicate the satellite's location, she had to shift her focus to her telepathic abilities, temporarily suspending her support for Evan. The absence of her telepathic presence weighed heavily on Evan. 

However, he gritted his teeth and resolved to stand his ground, knowing that this critical moment held the fate of the mansion in the balance.

The Iron Man suit's targeting system efficiently relayed the satellite's coordinates to Marvel Girl. With practiced telepathy, she swiftly transferred this critical information to Cyclops's focused mind.

Cyclops closed his eyes for a moment, bowing his head in deep concentration as he processed the data. Then, without any prior warning, he pivoted towards the heavens and raised his visor, unleashing the full might of his optic lasers. A searing beam of destructive energy surged into the sky, piercing the atmosphere and ascending toward the threatening satellite.

Below, Evan and the majestic white steed battled valiantly against the relentless pressure exerted by the Vortex Disruptor's deadly beam. But they both neared their limits. The weapon's overpowering force momentarily caused Evan to lose his grip on the sword, sending it spiraling from his hand. 

In an instant, the crimson beam engulfed him, causing a visceral sensation of intense heat and pressure.

Yet, this dire situation lasted mere moments. Cyclops's focused attack struck true, precisely targeting the satellite. His potent optic blast obliterated the satellite into fragments, dispersing the crimson beam and terminating the immediate threat. 

Battered and weary, Evan could only exhale a sigh of profound relief as the disintegrating beam released its hold on him, allowing him to plummet to the ground. 

Yet, as he wearily looked to the side, his eyes fell upon a sight that drew a furrow to his brow – one of the malfunctioning Iron Man suits was hurtling down uncontrollably, descending directly onto his cherished Porsche. 

With an involuntary frown, he muttered under his breath, "Now it's fucking personal..."