Chapter 75

Nina stood among her fellow Avengers, her heart rate slowly coming down from the adrenaline rush of the battle. Her dark hair was pulled back in a tight braid, her green eyes glinting with the recent memory of combat. Dirt smeared her face and arms, a testament to the fierceness of the fight they had just concluded.

Standing tall and alert, she listened to Steve with a focused gaze, taking in every detail of his words. He stood in front of them, a weathered map of the base spread out on a makeshift table made of crates, pointing out the areas they had secured and the few left to be explored.

Tony, ever the mercurial genius, couldn't sit still. Instead, he was pacing around the perimeter of their impromptu briefing room, fiddling with a piece of his damaged suit and making quips under his breath. He turned to Nina, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Nina, you're taking this all too seriously," he drawled, flicking a look over at Steve. "Captain America over there is just going to tell us how good we did and then remind us about teamwork and unity. The usual drill."

Despite Tony's interruption, Nina didn't falter in her focus. She kept her gaze on Steve but responded to Tony, "Some of us actually find the debriefings helpful, Tony." She paused, her lips curving into a smirk, "Besides, you could use a little more 'teamwork and unity' yourself."

Around her, the rest of the team chuckled. Even Natasha, who had been quietly checking her weapons, allowed herself a small smile. Banner just shook his head, a familiar, resigned look on his face as he listened to Tony and Nina's back-and-forth. Clint, ever the sharpshooter, was carefully cleaning his bow, but he glanced up at Nina's retort, a glint of amusement in his eyes.

The camaraderie in the team was palpable, even in the midst of their post-battle debriefing. They had fought hard, and now, they stood together, triumphant.

A sense of satisfaction fills the room as Steve compliments everyone's work. Then his blue eyes fix on Nina, and he offers her a meaningful look.

"From the intel we've gathered from this base," he begins, his gaze steady on Nina, "There's a lead that requires a closer look. Nina, I want you to take point on this."

A flicker of surprise crosses her face, quickly replaced by a determined nod. "Yes, Captain."

Steve raises a finger, a cautionary note in his voice. "Remember, your mission is to investigate only. If you find something, wait for backup."

"Roger that, Captain." Nina acknowledges the order with a firm nod.

"Look at little Nina, getting her first assignment," Tony interjects with a teasing grin. "I hope you won't be crying for your Spider if things get tough."

"Nina's more than capable, Tony," Natasha cuts in before Nina can respond, her tone cool. "You should know that by now."

Tony throws up his hands in surrender, a smirk still playing on his lips. "Alright, alright. No need to get protective, Nat."

The room fills with light banter, the Avengers preparing for the challenges yet to come.

As the room emptied out, leaving Steve and Nina alone, Steve brought up the information that he had kept private until now. It was a video file, labeled SP//G-1. Recognition flashed in Nina's eyes as she watched the video. The horrifying images, the inhumane experiments, and the catastrophic consequences of the power reactor overload, it was all too familiar.

"I remember this," Nina whispered, her voice hollow. "The reactor... if it wasn't for my suit, I wouldn't be here right now."

Steve's gaze softened at her confession. He took a deep breath, preparing for what he had to say next. "We believe SP//G-1 is linked to a series of murders. Not just homeless people... children too."

The revelation hits Nina like a blow, her face paling at the thought. "Children...?" she echoed, her voice hardly above a whisper.

Steve nodded, the grim reality of the situation reflected in his eyes. "We think they're trying to recreate the super soldier serum, but in gas form. We've been tracking them, and our intel suggests that their main base might be in Britain. But we need confirmation before we act."

He paused for a moment, giving Nina time to absorb the information. "I'm asking you to investigate this, Nina. The rest of us will follow other leads. Natasha and I will head to Sokovia, we have reason to believe there's a major HYDRA base there."

"But Steve--" Nina began, but the Captain cuts her off.

"I trust you, Nina. We all do. You've proven yourself time and time again. It's time to put a stop to SP//G-1."

Nina swallowed hard, her grip tightening on the data file in her hand. "Alright, Captain," she agreed, determination flaring in her eyes. "I won't let you down."

With the echoing thrum of the Quadjet's engines in her ears, Nina leaned against the side, watching as the New York skyline came into view. Tony had been kind enough to arrange transportation back for her - he probably knew she wanted to speak with Peter, with Spider-Man.

The journey was long, but the sight of the city, sprawling and alive, was always worth it. The Avengers Tower, rising high above the city, was a beacon that welcomed her home.

Just as she was about to step out of the Quadjet, an explosion could be heard off to the distance. She sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"Never a dull moment in this city, huh?" a voice remarked behind her.

Nina turned to see Happy Hogan, Tony's right hand and occasional pilot, grinning at her.

"Seems like it," she replied, her lips curving into a wry smile. "Got to love New York."

Happy chuckled, patting her on the shoulder. "Welcome back, kid. Need a lift?"

Nina shook her head, her gaze still fixed on the electrical blast in the distance. "No, thanks, Happy. I've got it."

Happy nodded, understanding etched into his features. He turned to leave, pausing for a moment. "Take care of yourself, Nina," he said, and with a nod, he was gone, leaving Nina alone with the city she called home.

The wind brushed against Nina's face as she stood at the edge of the Avengers Tower, the city of New York sprawling beneath her. The hum of the city's life was almost soothing, a constant reminder of why they did what they did. The sunlight glinted off her suit as she extended her arms, preparing for flight.

"Ironic," she mused, glancing over her shoulder at the Avengers Tower, a symbol of unity and protection, "it's been a year since the Devil's Breath crisis and the Maggia War, and yet here we are. Seems like the city never gets a break."

"Indeed, it appears so," V, her suit's AI, responded, the voice calm and reassuring.

Just then, she saw a flash of electric blue in the distance. Her eyes narrowed, a sense of dread settling over her. "V, what was that?"

"Scanning..." V said. After a moment, the AI spoke again. "It appears that during a transport of a Raft prisoner, the Rhino, there were some complications. Initial reports suggest an error on the part of Miles Morales."

Nina sighed, shaking her head. "Of course. He still needs training. Peter's too soft on him."

"As per your earlier instruction, Nina, I have been monitoring Miles Morales. He has great potential but lacks refinement. His moves are sloppy and inconsistent," V added.

Nina nodded, her expression serious. "Alright. Seems like it's time for a little intervention. I can't just stand by and watch Peter's kid get himself killed."

With a swift leap, Nina dove off the building, the wind whooshing past her as she plummeted towards the ground. Moments before hitting the pavement, she activated her suit's thrusters, shooting off towards the source of the electrical explosion.

"As always, stay safe, Nina," V's voice echoed in her ears as she zoomed across the city, a blur of motion against the city's concrete jungle.

"And as always, V," she responded, her voice a determined whisper, "I'll do whatever it takes."

Nina arrives in a whirlwind of gusty air, her armored figure casting a shadow over the ravaged Roxxon complex. The sight that greets her is one of chaos and destruction. Concrete blocks are strewn about, cracked and pockmarked, bearing the evidence of a fierce battle.

"Nina," V's voice resonates in her helmet, "It appears the source of the energy surge was indeed Miles Morales. His energy readings are extremely high."

As V switches her HUD to display the complex energy readings surrounding Miles, she can't help but raise an eyebrow. The kid had raw power, alright. But that power needed control.

"Nina," Peter croaked, his face pale and bloodied. He gave her a tired grin. "Good timing, as always."

"Idiot," Nina snapped, quickly rushing over to his side. "You shouldn't have let Miles take the lead against Rhino. He's not ready yet."

Peter chuckled weakly, attempting to ease the tension. "Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that, huh?"

Nina's gaze softened slightly. She reached out and helped Peter to his feet, her attention momentarily drifting to Miles. The boy looked crushed, his eyes downcast and filled with self-blame.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Simon Krieger, a Roxxon executive, arrived at the scene with an air of authority. He swiftly commanded his men to apprehend Rhino, seemingly unperturbed by the destruction around him.

"Seems like your mess is getting cleaned up, Parker," Nina commented, a slight smirk playing on her lips as she watched Krieger. "But don't think this means I'm letting you off the hook."

Peter only chuckled again, wincing slightly. The grimace didn't reach his eyes, however. There was a glint of pride in them as he glanced at Miles.

"Nina," he said softly, "the kid did good."

As Simon Krieger approached, his confident gait held a certain arrogance that did little to endear him to Nina. She recognized that kind of self-assuredness. It had a nasty habit of hiding ulterior motives. And so, without a word, Nina – or Ivy as she was known in this form – propelled herself up into the air, distancing herself from the conversation.

"I'll be up there, Spider-Man," she called out, her tone a mixture of command and nonchalance.

Her eyes lingered on Simon for a moment longer before she pivoted in the air and soared off, leaving the Spider-Men to their discussion. It didn't take long before they wrapped up and followed her up to the top of a nearby skyscraper, landing with the nimble grace characteristic of their kind.

"I've got to grab something real quick," Peter said, glancing at Nina and then Miles. And then he was off, leaving the two of them alone.

Nina stood still, her figure a silhouette against the lights of the city that sparkled below. She crossed her arms, her gaze unreadable behind the visor of her helmet. She could sense the tension in Miles, could practically hear the quickening of his heartbeat. It was clear he was nervous being alone with her.

"Relax, kid," Nina finally said, her voice a low purr in the quiet night. "I'm not here to chew you out or put you through another round of training."

She uncrossed her arms, tilting her head to look at him. "Not tonight, anyway." She couldn't help the slight smirk that tugged at the corners of her lips. Yes, she was hard on him, but only because she knew the potential he had, the power he possessed. He needed to learn control, needed to understand the responsibility he held.

Nina wanted him to be prepared, to be ready when the world threw its worst at him. Because it inevitably would. And when it did, she wanted to be sure he could handle it.

As Peter returned to the skyscraper's peak, the scent of freshly baked pizza wafted through the night air. He was balancing a pizza box in one hand and a festive gift bag in the other. His web-slinging entrance had a note of gaiety to it, a sharp contrast to the tense atmosphere from before.

Setting down the pizza box, he popped open the lid to reveal a steaming, cheese-covered masterpiece. The scent was mouthwatering, and even Nina had to admit she was looking forward to a slice. They each pulled back a section of their masks - Miles and Peter with the flexibility of their fabric suits, Nina with the high-tech convenience of her nanite-infused helmet - and dug in.

As they munched on the delicious food, Peter turned his attention to Miles. He gestured with his pizza slice, using it as a pointer to add emphasis to his words.

"Miles," he began, his tone that of a patient teacher, "Your web-slinging has improved a lot. But remember, it's not just about slinging and swinging. You have to be aware of how the web might interact with different objects."

Peter recounted a story from his own early days as Spider-Man. How once, in the heat of the moment, he'd shot a web towards a police helicopter, only to find himself being dragged towards the helicopter's spinning blades.

"I had to let go of the web just in the nick of time, or else I'd have been Spider-Mince. Remember, there's a time to hold on, and a time to let go."

Miles nodded, taking in Peter's advice, his eyes wide behind his mask. Nina sat quietly, observing their interaction with a thoughtful expression. This was the heart of what it meant to be a hero - not just the fights and the action, but also these quiet moments of learning, of sharing knowledge and experiences.

The bag Peter handed to Miles contained a brand-new Spider-suit, specially designed by Peter himself. The young protege's reaction was one of pure joy and excitement. He couldn't wait to try it on. Nina kept her thoughts to herself. She did not agree with Peter's decision to push Miles into crime-fighting so soon, but she respected it, and the look Peter gave her told her he knew her concerns.

Once Miles darted off to test his new suit, Nina and Peter found themselves alone. They moved to the edge of the skyscraper, their masked faces turned towards the sparkling city below.

Finally, breaking the comfortable silence, Nina said, "I've been assigned a new mission."

Peter turned to look at her, his concern visible even behind his mask. "You need any help?" he asked, his voice quiet but steady.

Nina was taken aback. She hadn't expected Peter to offer his assistance, and she was touched by his concern. "Peter..."

But Peter was quick to quell her concerns. "Miles has enough training exercises to keep him busy," he said, his tone light. "And the city has been relatively quiet recently. It's a good opportunity for him to gain some experience on his own. Besides," he added with a chuckle, "I could use a vacation."

Nina found herself laughing. She had been worried about Peter's reaction, but his response had taken her by surprise. "I'm glad you suggested it," she said, her voice filled with warmth. "I've missed spending time with you."

With that, they left the skyscraper's peak and made their way towards Nina's apartment, ready to pack for their upcoming mission overseas.