Visitors from beyond the stars?

"Sir, wait for me—"

Maria Hill looked exasperated as she hurriedly pushed the wheels of her wheelchair, struggling to follow him out.

No matter how many times Nick Fury put her through hell, she still treated him like her first love.

Another brief silence fell over those remaining in the ward.

"We're running out of time. We'd better get moving too."

Tony Stark pressed his lips together, breaking the heavy atmosphere first. He looked at the others and said, "Don't worry. On my way back, I had Friday prepare some brand-new equipment for you at Stark Tower. Hopefully, it'll come in handy."

"Tony, does Banner have to go too?" Black Widow asked, despite already knowing the answer.

As she gazed at Bruce Banner, who still lay unconscious in his hospital bed, her eyes filled with heartache and reluctance.

One thing was certain, though: if Nick Fury had still been there, she would never have dared to ask.

Before Tony Stark could answer, Hawkeye sighed beside him and spoke in a low voice. "Natasha, I know you're worried about Dr. Banner's safety, but Thor isn't on Earth right now. If we're going to take on Ultron and his Iron Legion, we clearly can't do without the power of that big guy inside Dr. Banner. Besides, even if we leave him here—" He sighed.

Hawkeye seemed to have more to say, but ultimately left the rest unspoken, merely forcing a helpless, bitter smile.

Watching the light instantly fade from Black Widow's eyes, Tony Stark felt a pang of guilt. Still, he finished spelling out the cruel reality Hawkeye had left unsaid. "Trust me, Natasha. Even if we wanted to leave Banner here to rest, once Fury found out, he'd definitely 'send someone' to deliver him 'safely' to Stark Tower for this operation."