A/N: Once again it's been almost a year since this story was updated. It can mostly be blamed on original stories taking up all our time. We hope you enjoy this chapter and we'll try not to take too long with the next one.

Chapter Eight "Force Power"

Fifteen minutes later, Tony rocketed across the New York City skyline following the route of the subway. He had gathered more information on the situation from Riley and by accessing law enforcement's secure feed. Footage released online showed frightened passengers, and an electronic voiceover stated the perpetrators' demands. Things weren't looking good. And to make matters worse, they were one Avenger short.

"So no one knows where Barton is?" Tony asked.

"I haven't seen him since you mentioned a team meeting," Natasha replied, pulling up in front of city hall. She left her car in a no parking zone and jumped out.

"That is enough to make anyone disappear," Thor said.

Tony snorted. "Aren't you supposed to be clearing out subway stations?"

"We have Kenobi with us," Steve interrupted as he and Obi-Wan ran through the subway tunnel toward the train of hostages. "We'll be fine. So what's the bottom line, Stark?"

"Apparently, someone thought it was a good idea to take control of the train's computer system and threaten to crash it if the city doesn't pay up," Tony summarized. "So this isn't your typical we smash, I do something smart, and we save the day kind of thing."

"Can't you just lock them out of the system or something?" Steve asked.

"Brilliant idea, Cap. Now why didn't I think of that? Oh, wait I did."

"Perhaps we should focus on solving the problem and forget the sarcasm, Mr. Stark," Obi-Wan suggested.

"We're not able to access it remotely," Bruce added, scanning through schematics of the train back in Avengers Tower. "Whoever has control of this train knows what they're doing."

"So how do we solve the problem?" Steve wondered, shooting a cable into the ceiling of the subway tunnel.

"If I had a laptop I could try building a firewall to block the incoming signal that's controlling the train," Riley whispered. She slouched in her seat at the front of the train, trying not to draw attention to herself. "I'm still learning, but I think I can handle⎯ "

"Don't do that," Tony ordered.

"I can't just sit here."

"They have access to the train's surveillance system. They'll see you."

"So I'll just have to build a firewall faster than they crash the train."

"I think she should give it a try," Bruce said. "If she can stop this before things escalate, isn't that the best option?"

"He's right," Steve agreed. He and Obi-Wan now hung from the ceiling, waiting for the train to pass beneath them.

"Are we really going to put the kid's life at risk?" Tony asked.

"She's already at risk and this might be the only way to keep her and everyone else safe."

"The train is passing under our position in thirty seconds," Obi-Wan said. "Captain Rogers and I will be on it if anything happens."

"I'm not so sure jumping onto the train is the best idea," Tony said. "Even if you make it inside in one piece, there's still the problem of the surveillance cameras."

"I'm sure Riley can think of something to remedy that problem," Obi-Wan said.

"In that case, I should go," Tony insisted. "Unless either of you has become proficient in building firewalls recently."

"Negative, Stark," Steve ordered. "The rest of us left our suits back at the tower. I think we're a little less conspicuous than a red and gold suit of armor."

"I can't help it if I like to fly in style."

"Guys, we have a situation here at city hall," Natasha said, ducking out of a conference room buzzing with activity. "The mayor seems to know something about the subway hackers, but he's not sharing. He doesn't want us involved."

"He does remember we saved this city from aliens before, right?" Bruce asked.

"He remembers the mess we made doing it. He said he already has his best people on this."

Tony frowned. "Who's better than the Avengers?"

"Perhaps my talents would have been more useful at city hall," Obi-Wan said, the roar of the oncoming train almost drowning out his words.

"Too late," Steve yelled. The men detached their cables and dropped onto the train. Steve slid toward the edge, but Obi-Wan grabbed his arm.

"That was too close," Obi-Wan called.

Steve watched as the wall rushed by, only inches from the side of his face. Super soldier or not, if he'd fallen he would have been crushed.

"I'll stick around here and see what I can find out," Natasha said. "Be careful out there, guys."

Steve let out a long breath. "Working on it."

Inside the train, Riley had commandeered a fellow passenger's computer and break into the train's control box. "Okay, I've got a laptop."

"First, you need to hardwire into the train's computer," Tony said.

"Tell me something I don't know."

"You're in way over your head on this one, kid."

"Thanks for the encouragement." Riley took out her pocket knife and unscrewed the panel to the train's computer.

"Tell me what you see."

"Hmm. That's interesting."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Can you be less specific?"

"Yes, I can—Hey, don't—"

"Kid?" Tony waited a moment, listening, but heard nothing. "Riley!"

"Stark, hold your position!" Steve inched forward along the top of the train. "We're almost there."

Tony veered downward. "Something's wrong, Cap. And I'm not waiting up here to see what it is."

Riley stared up at the gun aimed at her head, then her eyes focused on the man holding the weapon. She found the deep lines etched between his brows and the downward turn of his mouth more intimidating than the gun. A warm trickle of blood slipped down the side of her face from a cut where he had hit her. She tried to sit up and immediately pain shot through her right arm. She must have sprained her wrist when she fell. The other passengers, most of them kids, on their way home from school, were cowering on the other side of the train where another man threatened them at gunpoint.

Riley's attacker tapped the screen of his phone and seconds later the train accelerated. That couldn't be good. She felt responsible. She had only tried to help, but somehow she had made everything worse. Her phone lay smashed on the floor, and the laptop, if it wasn't broken, lay out of her reach.

The man grabbed onto one of the bars to steady himself. "Who were you talking to?"

"Tech support," Riley answered. "In case you didn't notice, the train hasn't been stopping. I have tickets for the game today. I'll probably end up missing batting practice now."

"You're a little smart aleck, aren't you?"

"No, just a serious baseball fan. What are you? Because you're definitely not the brains of this operation."

"You're pretty bold for a kid who has a gun in her face."

"To tell you the truth, I was expecting a super solider and a Jedi master to have flattened you by now. I guess I'll have to do it by myself."

The man laughed. "You're crazy, kid."

"Something like that." Riley focused on the metal panel she had removed, and after several seconds it flew toward the man. Surprised, he threw up his hand to block his face and simultaneously fired his gun.

Riley rolled to the side as the bullet dug into the floor next to her, just missing her left arm. She couldn't explain how she had reacted so quickly. Something inside her had told her to move and she had acted.

The man regained his focus. A gunshot rang out. This time Riley didn't feel the twinge telling her to move. She stared as the man dropped his gun and clutched his bleeding hand. He swore and turned around only to get a fist in the face. He toppled to the ground, holding onto his nose.

"You deserve worse than that," Clint snapped. He picked up the man's gun and shoved it into his own waistband. "You're lucky we might need you alive to get out of this mess."

"Where'd you come from?" Riley asked, standing up. She noticed the other man at the opposite end of the train lay unconscious. At least, she thought he was unconscious.

"I followed you." Clint kicked the man in the stomach when he tried to get up. "Wanted to make sure you were okay."

Just then a blue blade appeared in the middle of the ceiling, cutting out a circular hole. Seconds later, Steve jumped through with Obi-Wan following behind him. They surveyed the scene, relieved to find Riley alive.

"Riley's okay," Steve said, putting his phone on speaker. "And we've got two bad guys down." He turned to Clint. "Barton, how'd you get here?"

"Been here the whole time, Cap." Clint yanked the man off the floor and shoved him against the train doors. "What's your game plan here?"

The man gritted his teeth. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Clint took the gun from his waistband and shot the man in the leg. "Does that jog your memory?"

The passengers screamed, and Obi-wan attempted to calm them.

Steve grabbed Clint's shoulder. "Shooting people won't help the situation."

"He almost killed Riley. Just give me a minute." He slammed the man against the doors again.

"As fun as it sound in there," Tony chimed in, "things aren't looking good out here. The train is running out of track, so the kid's idea isn't an option anymore."

"How about the emergency brake?" Bruce said. "Although, how do we know there aren't armed men riding on the rest of the train. If we try anything else other passengers could get hurt."

"Well, you're all going to be a pile of scrap metal if we don't do something now," Tony added.

Riley scrambled over to the housing for the brake and looked inside. "Well, that's no good. Someone broke it."

Steve rubbed a hand over his eyes. "This doesn't make any sense. Why would they demand money and then crash the train while they're still on it?"

"One of them tried to kill a kid," Tony answered. "They might just be that crazy. Hang on everyone. JARVIS, shut down the power."

Seconds later, the car went dark. Then emergency lights flickered to life. The train lurched. Passengers cried out, bumping into one another. Riley grabbed onto a metal bar to steady herself. She looked through the glass at the front of the train where she saw the reason for the sudden jolt; the red and gold face mask of Iron Man was just visible through the window.

"I could use a little help, Thor," Tony said. "Assuming you've finished napping."

"I am a little busy trying to convince the law keepers of New York City they should leave the last station," Thor replied.

"Tell them there isn't going to be a station if we don't stop this train."

"I will try, but I am afraid they care little for what I have to say."

"Use your hammer," Tony grunted. "This train is traveling faster than I thought. If the track was a little longer I'd be able to stop it, but I don't have enough time."

Obi-Wan stepped forward. "Let me assist you, Mr. Stark. Together we have a chance."

"This train has enough force power already don't you think, Kenobi?"

"Just focus on stopping this train and save your humor for later." He closed his eyes and lifted his hands.

"They're going to need your help Ri," Clint said.

Riley stared at Clint. "What? I can't."

"I just watched you whip that metal cover at this guy using your mind. You can do this."

Riley looked at the frightened faces of the passengers and then to the calm expressions of her friends. Steve put an encouraging hand on her shoulder. Riley closed her eyes and reached out with the Force. She tried to focus, but the noise of the train and the distraught passengers distracted her.

She dropped her hand to her side. "I can't do it. I'm not strong enough."

"That's a bunch of crap," Tony said. "All this talk about being a Jedi that I've been forced to listen to, and now you're gonna let all these people die because you're afraid. You think we're not afraid? I'm scared as hell we won't stop this train, but this is what we do. What Avengers do. You wanted a chance to prove yourself? Here it is, kid."

Riley took a deep breath and bit her lip in concentration as she made herself focus.

"Feel, don't think," Obi-Wan reminded her.

"And then you had to go and ruin my speech with that," Tony added. He pushed harder against the front of the train. "JARVIS, divert all power to thrusters."

"Done, sir,"JARVIS replied.

"Cap, you better tell everyone to hold on tight. This is gonna be close."

Steve grabbed the radio and made a quick announcement over the loudspeaker. Clint tied Riley's attacker to one of the metal bars and then helped a frazzled mother with her small child.

"Thor, I hope you've got that station clear 'cause we're coming in hot," Tony said.

The train shuddered as Thor grabbed ahold of it alongside Tony. "That is strange, I thought it quite cool down here."

"Nevermind," Tony muttered.

For what seemed like hours and seconds at the same time, the train flew down the track nearing the end of the line. Sparks sprayed upward from the friction of the wheels on the track, and more than one prayer was uttered for a safe arrival.

"Sir," JARVIS said. "You may want to move."

"What?" Tony glanced over his shoulder. "Thor, look out!"

With a deafening screech, and a final jolt, shaking everyone to the bone, the train halted, inches before the track ended.

Tony lay on the ground staring up at the blue sky. "Let us know the next time you decide to join the party, Hulk."

The Hulk grunted in response. Then he proceeded to yank the train doors open.

Riley jumped off first, rushing over to Tony's side. "Are you okay?"

He sat up, resting an armored hand on her shoulder. "Ask me tomorrow, kid." He eyed Clint coming off the train dragging one of the criminals behind him. "Is that the guy who tried to kill you?"

Riley glanced backward. "Yeah, why?"

Tony didn't answer. He stood, marching toward the man. Before anyone spoke, Tony grabbed him and flew off. Several minutes later, Tony returned, dropping the pale looking man onto the pavement.

Tony's face mask opened. "It's amazing how chatty people are when they're falling to their death."