New York City docks, 2:42AM

[avengingarrows.livejournal.com]

The Cornelia Marie is no stranger to the city's docklands. Every three weeks, she arrives at the pier with a fresh cargo of fish and shellfish for the city's restaurants and hotels. Her captain's biggest client? The Lensherrs, owners of the most successful chains in the city.

The shipments seem legit. But the Avengers have reason to believe other shipments may be piggybacking inside the crates; shipments that won't see the light of day.

Opium is a premium commodity on the street. This is what they're waiting for. Tonight, they get to blow the lid on this operation and finally get something concrete to nail the Lensherrs' collective asses to the wall.

At Pier Twelve, several Lensherr 'employees' in large black Buicks await the Cornelia Marie's captain and her illicit cargo.

Comments

[jim-rhodes.livejournal.com]

"On it!"

The armor, though a bit clunky, makes its way over to secure the carge, firing off a few repulsor blasts to keep everyone else away from it.

[wanda-maximoff.livejournal.com]

But as the armor draws closer to the cargo, the joints begin stiffening up. Gears wail and grind in impotent protest.

[cap-a.livejournal.com]

Steve looks around for the source of the problem. As suspected... a trap.

[avengingarrows.livejournal.com]

"Dammit -- "

Clint nocks and fires a flashbang tip to clear a path, then jumps down into the fray.

[wanda-maximoff.livejournal.com]

Landings can be tricky things. Any number of things can go wrong....

[avengingarrows.livejournal.com]

Clint Barton trained in a circus. He's one of the most balanced and agile athletes among the small group of Avengers.

So when his footing fails him, sending a hot burst of pain flaring in his ankle, he knows something's not right. But there's no time -- they're being shot at left, right and center. Rolling forward into a crouch with a loud curse, he pulls his bow back into position and fires at the limo being used as cover with an explosive broadhead, keeping his weight shifted onto his back foot.

The goons meanwhile are scrambling, shooting back lethal blasts of .45 rounds as they try to edge back towards the shipment.

[he-done-snapped.livejournal.com]

When the battle started, the noise had scared off most of the birds near that section of the docks.

A few remained, though, and one flies high above the battle to look for the source of the Avengers' problems.

[wanda-maximoff.livejournal.com]

A rabbit scurries out across the dock, automatically zigzagging to confuse any predators.

[jim-rhodes.livejournal.com]

C'mon you old bucket of bolts, don't do this to me!

The gears were grinding loudly as metal threatened to sheer against metal. The War Machine could barely move, and was a sitting duck. He was taking fire, but thankfully, it was just handguns so far, which the armor could handle easily.

"Don't worry about me. Just secure the shipment!"

[marvel-citizens.livejournal.com]

Hawkeye's arrow sails through an open passenger side window of one of the black Buicks, before its explosive tip detonates. Flames burst to life within its confines, forcing the suits back to seek better cover.

A sudden hail of machine gun fire to his left answers him. Three others take up positions flanking the Avengers, trying to hem them in with a constant rain of bullets.

[avengingarrows.livejournal.com]

"I'm on it!" he calls back over the chaos, dodging falling debris that used to be the Buick's roof. He's favoring his right leg, however; but the shipment's within a stone's throw now as he ducks behind the other car's trunk.

Maybe these guys'll like a couple arrows to the ankles. It's a tricky shot, but that's what Hawkeye's all about.

[wanda-maximoff.livejournal.com]

There's a lot of strength in a bowstring, but even the strongest can snap....