Just before Vision stepped out of the Avengers Compound war room, a portal shimmered open behind him. Out stepped Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and Wong.
Vision turned. "They know," he said simply, nodding to the room. "I was going to inform the others."
Tony exhaled through his nose. His voice was low. "Alright. Let's get to it."
Wong looked at him. "Where?"
Tony didn't hesitate. "Wakanda."
So you knew.
That thought echoed bitterly in Colonel James Rhodes's mind as he watched them prepare to leave.
You knew where they were. You knew all along.
Then Wong opened a new portal, and they were gone.
Wakanda greeted them in silence.
The portal's golden light faded behind Tony, Bruce, and Wong. Before them stood the rogue Avengers Steve, Natasha, Sam, Bucky, Wanda, and Clint flanked by King T'Challa, Shuri, and the Dora Milaje.
The weight of history pressed into the air like humidity before a storm.
No one reached out. No one smiled.
Tony's gaze locked with Steve's. Memories of Siberia the snow, the shield, the silence crashed into his chest like a second arc reactor meltdown.
Steve gave a small nod. Tony didn't return it.
Instead, he looked away and spoke to the room. "Let's skip the small talk. We've got a problem."
They moved into the royal conference chamber, the circular space buzzing with unspoken thoughts. Everyone took their place uneasy allies seated across invisible lines.
Tony stood at the center. "His name is Thanos. A galactic warlord with a god complex and a plan to wipe out half of all life in the universe. Not just Earth. Everywhere."
Clint raised an eyebrow. "You're serious?"
"I wish I wasn't," Bruce said grimly. "I saw him… on the Asgardian ship. After Ragnarök. He tore through Thor, Loki, Heimdall slaughtered the survivors like they were nothing. He doesn't just kill. He enjoys it."
"He's collecting Infinity Stones," Tony continued. "Six of them. Ancient power sources think nuclear bombs powered by the universe itself. One's in Vision's head. One used to be at the Sanctum Sanctorum. The rest? Scattered, but he's finding them. Fast."
"And what happens if he gets them?" Natasha asked flatly.
"He snaps his fingers," Tony said, voice hollow. "And half the universe dies. Just like that."
Silence.
T'Challa's voice broke it. "Then we will not let that happen. Wakanda will defend the stone and those who carry it."
"And we'll do it together," said a voice from behind. A golden portal opened, and Doctor Stephen Strange stepped through. His cloak swirled around him as he entered. "I've seen this coming. The Time Stone gave me visions timelines, futures. In most of them, we lose."
"Comforting," Tony muttered. "Really."
Strange ignored the sarcasm. "There is a sliver of hope but only if we bring together everyone who can fight. That includes more than just the Avengers."
"Who else?" Steve asked.
"The Guardians of the Galaxy," Strange answered. "A group of off-world misfits led by someone called Peter Quill goes by Star-Lord. They've fought Thanos before. Barely survived. But they're tracking the Stones too. If we don't find them first, he will."
Tony's eyebrows lifted. "So we're counting on a guy named Star-Lord, a green assassin, and a talking raccoon?"
"Don't forget the tree," Strange added.
Bruce blinked. "There's a tree?"
"Sentient," Strange confirmed. "Limited vocabulary."
Before Tony could fire back another sarcastic line, a screen flickered to life at the far end of the room Nick Fury's face filled the display.
"Sorry to interrupt," Fury said. "But I've sent a message to someone who might tilt the odds."
Tony squinted. "You're still alive?"
"Barely," Fury replied. "Her name's Carol Danvers. She's dealt with Thanos level threats before. She's fast, strong, and not from around here."
"Wait—Captain Marvel?" Bruce asked.
Fury nodded. "I've sent the signal. Told her to look for the Guardians too. If she gets here in time, we might stand a chance."
"How long will that take?" Wanda asked quietly.
"Depends where she is in the galaxy," Fury said. "Could be hours. Could be days."
The screen blinked out.
Wong turned toward Strange. "I'll alert the other Masters at Kamar-Taj."
With a nod, he stepped through another portal and vanished.
Clint stared. "Okay, seriously, how does he do that?"
Tony answered without missing a beat. "Wizard."
"Sorcerer," Strange corrected again, clearly exhausted by this already.
Preparation
The tension didn't vanish it simply narrowed into focus.
Assignments were made.
Tony, Shuri, and Bruce dove into the science, building defenses to shield Vision and the Mind Stone. They barely spoke between tools and tests.
Steve and Bucky drilled with Wakandan warriors. Their moves were precise, efficient habits formed in war, reforged in exile.
Sam and Rhodey mapped aerial recon patterns, calculating the best vantage points across the Wakandan perimeter.
Natasha and Clint operated on instinct, working the shadows. No orders, no questions just quiet, seamless coordination.
Vision and Wanda trained apart from the others. Each attack, each defensive move sharpened their bond but revealed their fragility too. Wanda felt it in her chest: loving him meant risking everything.
And watching all of it T'Challa.
The young king didn't command with volume. He didn't offer speeches.
He simply stood.
He carried his grief the way a king must: inwardly, with dignity. The pain of his father's death was still etched in his gaze, but he wore the mantle of Black Panther without tremble or hesitation.
And though they didn't say it aloud, they all knew:
This was the calm.
And it would not last.