"Doctor, what's the situation?"
Nick Fury skipped the first Avengers meeting, leaving it to Agent Hill, and flew to the secret research base with Hawkeye.
He didn't bring Hill.
The military personnel and scientists above the lab had been evacuated.
"Director, the Tesseract is misbehaving. Not only is it active, but it's acting on its own."
Erik Selvig greeted him.
"Is this a time for jokes? Did you try pulling the plug?"
Fury followed Selvig to the device.
"The Tesseract is an energy source itself. We cut the power, it turns itself back on. If it peaks..."
Selvig looked grim.
"Isn't that our goal? Harnessing energy from the universe!"
"I'm not ready. My calculations need time. It's emitting interference and radiation."
Before Selvig could finish, Fury looked at the glowing blue cube.
"It's harmless. Very low levels of gamma radiation."
Selvig walked to the console and looked up at Fury.
"It can still be harmful."
Fury looked around. "Where is Agent Barton?"
"The Hawk? Up in his nest."
Hawkeye rappelled down from the catwalk.
"The Doctor is clean. He's not the problem," Barton said. "The interference isn't coming from this end."
"This end?"
"Yes. The Cube is a door to the other end of space, right? Doors open from both sides," Barton said with certainty.
"Not yet!!!"
Selvig frantically typed, trying to adjust the data.
Whoosh~~
A beam of blue-white light shot from the Tesseract.
A powerful surge of energy shook the entire base.
Agent Hill, just arriving at the base, felt the tremor.
The beam hit the portal device, forming a massive gateway.
Then, the portal dissipated.
A tall man appeared. Slicked-back black hair, green and gold leather armor, a mischievous yet confused face, holding a scepter.
The scepter had a blue gem glowing at the tip, matching the Tesseract.
"Sir, please put down the spear," Fury shouted.
Loki looked at his scepter, then suddenly aimed at Fury. An energy blast fired.
Hawkeye pushed Fury aside just in time.
Bang bang bang.
Guards fired. Bullets bounced off Loki's armor.
He fired blasts from the scepter, dismantling the security team in seconds.
Hawkeye tried to stand.
Loki was already in front of him.
"You have heart."
He touched the scepter to Barton's chest.
Barton's eyes turned blue. Mind controlled.
While Loki was busy, Fury grabbed the Tesseract, put it in a case, and tried to sneak away.
"Please put down the case. I need that."
"We don't need to be tense," Fury turned slowly.
"I've come a long way for this. I am Loki, of Asgard. I am burdened with glorious purpose."
"Loki? Thor's brother?"
Selvig stepped forward, surprised.
"We have no quarrel with you," Fury said.
"An ant has no quarrel with a boot," Loki sneered.
"You plan to step on us?"
"I bring glad tidings. Of a world made free."
"Free from what?"
"Freedom. Freedom is life's great lie. Once you accept that, in your heart... you will know peace."
Loki touched the scepter to Selvig's chest.
"You say peace. I think you mean the opposite."
"Sir, Fury is stalling. This place is about to blow. We'll be buried under rock," Hawkeye interrupted.
"Like the Pharaohs," Fury added.
"He's right. The portal is collapsing. Two minutes," Selvig confirmed.
Loki looked at Barton. "Well then."
Barton shot Fury in the chest. Fury flew back, dropping the case.
Barton grabbed the case, and they walked out.
In the garage.
"We need these vehicles," Barton ordered.
Hill arrived. "Who's that?"
"He didn't say."
Hill was suspicious, but turned to leave.
Fury's voice crackled on her radio: "Hill! Barton has turned!!!"
Hill rolled aside, dodging Barton's shots.
She returned fire, but they sped away in a truck.
"They have the Tesseract! Stop them!"
Hill jumped into a jeep and chased.
The portal energy became unstable.
"Director, upstairs is clear," Coulson reported from a vehicle.
Fury sprinted out, jumping onto a helicopter just as the base exploded behind him.
Hill chased the truck through the tunnels.
Loki blasted the tunnel roof, collapsing it. Hill was blocked.
Fury's chopper caught up, firing at the truck.
Loki fired one blast. The chopper went down.
Fury leaped out just before it crashed.
He watched them escape.
"Director? Do you copy?"
"The Tesseract is gone. Men down. Hill?"
"Buried in the tunnel. I'm okay."
"War has started," Fury said gravely. "Coulson, get back to base. Level 7 alert."
"What do we do?"
"Activate the Avengers."
Long Island Villa.
Natasha was riding Vincent.
The phone rang.
"You should get that," Vincent said, hands behind his head.
"No. Nothing stops me now," Natasha said frantically.
Vincent smirked and closed his eyes.
He knew who it was. Coulson.
Calling now meant a Level 7 emergency.
Loki had made his move.
The energy surge from Los Angeles (or nearby Mojave) confirmed the portal opened.
The plot of The Avengers had begun.
Loki, serving Thanos, would bring the Chitauri.
Four Infinity Stones would soon be on Earth: Space, Time, Reality (later), and Mind (Scepter).
Vincent planned to take them all.
Especially the Space Stone.
He trusted the Ancient One wouldn't hoard the Time Stone if he asked politely. They understood each other.
Natasha finally finished and climbed off.
She called Coulson back.
"Phil."
"Natasha. Barton's compromised."
Coulson knew exactly what to say to get her back.
"I'm coming."
Natasha hung up. She kissed Vincent's cheek. "Barton is in trouble. I have to go."
"Need a lift?" Vincent asked lazily.
"Please."
Normally she'd refuse, but this was urgent.
"Get dressed."
Vincent stood up.
"Help me with the zipper."
Vincent zipped up her dress, then placed a hand on her back.
Dragon-Elephant Chi.
Warm energy flowed into her, restoring her stamina and healing old injuries.
"Mmm?" Natasha moaned. "What is this?"
"Kung Fu."
Kung Fu is this magical? Natasha was confused.
Vincent grabbed the Sling Ring with telekinesis. A portal opened.
"You're coming to the base?"
"Relax. I'll give you face. If anyone provokes me, I'll just use Kung Fu to beat them up."
Vincent laughed. His martial arts alone could crush the Avengers.
Avengers Base.
A sparkling portal opened. Agents drew guns.
Seeing Natasha and a handsome Asian man, they relaxed.
Hill rushed out. "Stand down. Friendlies."
She glared at Vincent's hand on Natasha's waist.
Vincent let go. "Hill, rough night?"
"Almost got buried."
Natasha pinched Vincent's back hard, then walked away. "I need to find Phil."
"You're a Super Soldier now. You need a melee weapon. Bullets won't hurt alien skin," Vincent told Hill.
Hill paused. "True."
Vincent closed his eyes.
Telekinesis.
In a museum in Los Angeles, a broken vibranium spear flew out.
It arrived in his hand.
"What are you doing?" Hill asked nervously.
"Making you a weapon."
Flames erupted in his hand. The spear melted. Not just heat—molecular manipulation.
Then, ice covered the fire.
Quenching the molten vibranium, realigning its atomic structure.
Fire and Ice intertwined, forming magic-like patterns on the blade.
An Ice-Fire Vibranium Sword.
He grabbed some alloy nearby for the hilt and sheath.
Hill watched, stunned.
He tossed it to her.
"Next time someone bullies you, use this."
Hill caught it. A rune formed in her mind.
[System: Congratulations. Learned Atomic Forging. Learned Enchantment.]
Vincent was surprised. Two new skills!
Hill felt connected to the sword. It hummed with power.
Vincent's Tier 3 Ice Fruit gave him Skyfather-level power potential.
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