Chapter 769
But on the last day, Dio returned and took 2 sets of the spare Time Travel suit.
“What are you doing?” Steve asked as he saw Dio took the suits.
“I am just checking the equipment, better be safe than sorry!” Dio said indifferently.
“Where were you this past two days?” Steve asked conspicuously.
“I am just walking around, making sure I will remember the Earth as it should. After all, I might not make it back!” Dio said with a smile on his face.
“That’s unusual of you.” Steve said suspiciously.
“It’s not like you either to let Natasha and Barton taking that suicide mission! I am surprised you agreed to that!” Dio said coldly.
“I tried! But Natasha and Barton have made up their mind! I can’t persuade them to change their minds!” Steve said frustratedly. Dio knew that Steve was really frustrated by the outcome, but there was really nothing he could do. But Steve himself believed that it was better to sacrifice Natasha or Clint then sacrificing an innocent life!
This was the difference between them! Dio wouldn’t mind sacrificing hundreds of thousands innocent people for his own safety, but Steve had the heart of a saint! He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he sacrificed an innocent life in exchange of his own.
But nevertheless, Dio was very disappointed of Steve’s decision.
“I hope that you wouldn’t regret your decision even after the mission is over! Don’t ever blame yourself if either Natasha or Barton doesn’t make it back safely!” Dio said coldly. Dio then pushed Steve aside and walked out the door.
……………………
After an hour passed, everyone arrived at the Quantum Tunnel with their Time Travel Suit.
“Now, Rocket and Thor would be in charge of the Aether. Nebula, Rhodey, Natasha and Clint would be in charge of Power Stone and Soul Stone respectively! Although we have suffered a terrible defeat, today we have the opportunity to change the past! Our mission today is to get our hands on the Infinity Stones and bring them back here!” Steve said solemnly.
“Everyone has a chance to go back to the past and return! But as the Pym Particle we have right now is limited, you all have one exact chance! There is no room for mistake or you will be trapped in the past! We already run the most possible outcome for the time frame we would go into, but there’s no saying what will happen later! So, take care of each other and be safe!” Steve said while looking at everyone seriously.
Everyone smiled as they heard Steve’s inspiring speech and they immediately stood in their respective positions, waiting for the start of the mission.
“Well, best of luck for everyone!” Shuri said with a smile on her face. she was the only one left behind as she would be operating the machine.
“If the plan doesn’t go well, show this note to the others!” Dio said to Hulk as he gave a note.
Hulk was confused as to what Dio meant by this, but as the mission was about to start, he immediately put the note in his pocket.
“See you guys in a minute!” Natasha said with a smile before she shrunk down and enter the Quantum tunnel. Everyone nodded and put their mask on before they shrunk down and entered the Quantum Tunnel.
But before the Quantum Tunnel was actually operated, [The World] appeared behind Dio and immediately stopped the time.
Dio paused and looked at everyone before he walked towards Natasha and Barton and dragged them away. He wouldn’t let any of them sacrifice their lives to save humanity! He brought them to an isolated room in the base, where he already prepared things for the mission on his own and now, he would carry it out despite everyone else’s objection!
In the room, a couple who loved each other deeply was asleep! The catastrophe took away all their family members, including their five year old twins. Furthermore, the man had a terminal illness and had only one more month to live. Dio used his own resources to find this couple, but Dio knew for sure that this couple would be the perfect candidate for procuring the Soul Stone!
In Exchange for their sacrifice, Dio had already promised that their children would be provided with the best quality of lives and the husband agreed right away. Although the wife was a little bit unwilling to let go of her husband, after talking with her husband for a while, she finally relented!
They knew that Dio wouldn’t lie to them, or at least they instinctually believed that Dio wouldn’t betray his own word. They believed that the Avengers would be able to save the rest of the humankind! Even though this couple believed that a life couldn’t be bought by money, they know that it was necessary to survive!
Dio then immediately got to work. He took out the Pym Particle on Natasha and Barton’s suit and put them on the couple’s suit. He then tied Natasha and Barton to a chair before dragging the couple back to the mission control room.
He set the time travel coordinates on the couple’s suit and stand them up on their position. Dio then take a look around, making sure that everything was fine before he return to his own position and resume the time flow once again.
The couple immediately shrunk and enter the Quantum Tunnel, before everyone followed suit. Nobody realised that Natasha and Barton have been swapped, while Dio just smiled and enter the Quantum Tunnel to go to his specific coordinates!
But in the isolated room, Natasha and Barton were confused as they found themselves in a room they never seen before.
“Where are we?” Natasha asked confusedly.
“This is not good!” Barton said as he looked around the room. He broke free from the ropes that tied him and immediately ran out of the room and rushed towards the missions control room, but to his dismay, the room was already empty!
“Clint? Why are you here? Did you finish your mission already?” Shuri asked confusedly. Then Natasha came out from around the corner, further confusing Shuri.
Natasha then looked towards Barton with a bad feeling as they knew who moved them to the isolated room!