Time Variance Authority

"One more thing." Chu Hang looked around at everyone in the room, his tone turning serious. "The Time Variance Authority."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "The Time Variance Authority? What's that?"

"An organization that exists beyond the timelines." Chu Hang stepped up to the projection and traced the points on it with his finger. "Their job is to maintain the so-called Sacred Timeline and erase every branching reality that strays from it. And time travel is the thing they hate most."

Steve frowned. "You're saying they'll come after us as soon as we make our move?"

"Not necessarily," Chu Hang said. "The Time Variance Authority doesn't monitor everything. They only watch for events that cause major timeline splits. If we're discreet and fast enough, they might not notice. But if we stay in the past too long or do anything that changes history, they'll show up immediately and take us all away."

"Take us away?" Clint gave a cold laugh. "Then what? Throw us in prison?"

"Worse." Chu Hang's voice was calm, but every word struck like a blow to the heart. "The Time Variance Authority can erase you from existence, wipe you from every timeline. You wouldn't be dead. You would never have existed. No one would remember you. No one would mourn you, because in the new timeline, you were never there to begin with."

The temperature in the conference room seemed to drop a few degrees.

Thor tightened his grip on Stormbreaker. Tiny arcs of electricity danced along its blade. "Then how do we deal with them?"

"Avoid them," Chu Hang said. "Go in, get the Stones, and leave immediately. Don't clash with anyone in the past. Don't change any important events. The Stones are our only objective. Nothing else matters."

"What if they find us anyway?" Carol