THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN REWRITTEN

Thanks to Laurafxox for beta reading it :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC Jackie Walker


Chapter III

In Which I Kind of Got Arrested

"Trouble Sleeping?"

"I slept for seventy years, sir. I think I've had my fill."

"Then you should be out celebrating, seeing the world."

"I went under, the world was at war, I wake up, they say we won. They didn't say what we lost."

"We've made some mistakes along the way. Some very recently."

"You here with a mission, sir?"

"I am."

"Trying to get me back in the world?"

"Trying to save it."

"HYDRA's secret weapon."

"Howard Stark fished that out of the ocean when he was looking for you. He thought what we think; the Tesseract could be the key to unlimited sustainable energy. That's something the world sorely needs."

"Who took it from you?"

"He's called Loki. He's not from around here. There's a lot we'll have to bring you up to speed on if you're in. The world has gotten even stranger than you already know."

"At this point, I doubt anything would surprise me."

"Ten bucks says you're wrong."

"… I met a strange person today."

"So I've heard."

"They knew who I was."

"What did she tell you about the Tesseract?"

"…?!"

"We've sent people out to watch over you, and one agent reported she apparently had some information about the Tesseract."

"She knew a few things, but was also very scared. I doubt she'll be a threat."

"Looks can be deceiving. I have already sent an agent out to retrieve her."

"…"

"Is there anything else you can tell us about the Tesseract that we ought to know now?"

"You should have left it in the ocean."

oOoOoOo

I sneezed.

Once.

Twice.

And for a third time.

Don't worry, I didn't catch a cold. Somebody was merely thinking about me.

Or so they say.

I admit that I am slightly worried. Although I haven't watched Avengers yet, I have indeed read the plot summary on Wikipedia and several fan fictions about it. It was a bad habit of mine to check the plot summary of a book and/or movie first before actually reading/watching it. Basically I knew what was going to happen soon.

And I didn't like it a bit.

Let's say that hypothetically the movie really became reality and I'm stuck in it with no way out, and in the worst Mary-Sueish way I somehow got dragged into this whole let's-kick-Loki's-butt-and-save-the-world-business and possibly have to face a life and death situation, what was going to happen to me? What if I die? Am I going to wake up and realize that this all was just a dream? Because this doesn't feel like a dream at all.

But what if I got stuck here forever and ever and I change the movie events so that Loki really conquered Earth? That would be really bad.

Another thing was that Steve Rogers dude. It's probably the best for me to forget about him, but still I couldn't help but wonder if it was actually wise to tell him all that stuff I knew. Really, sooner or later something bad will happen to me.

Third problem: The Chitauri.

The closest thing I knew to self-defense was kneeing boys in the balls or performing some really bad karate stunts from movies. But I doubt those things would save my life.

I've been wasting quite a few hours now just thinking about those three 'problems'.

And another thing that got me rather worried was the now empty milkshake cup from yesterday. It seemed like the guy wrote something on it. But unfortunately he used ink and since my hand was a bit sweaty due the heat the writing smudged, making it unreadable. The only thing I could make out was the words 'part of it'. It didn't help me much.

I thought about visiting the café again, but then my mind recalled what he said to me after I left, and that unnerved me too. How was he so sure I wouldn't be able to visit the café again? I guess I'd just have to prove him wrong.

Quickly changing out of my baggy-relax outfit to some casual clothes, I grabbed my house keys and marched to the door.

But before I could even twist the handle to open it, the door bell rang, which surprised me. I rarely get visits. And if I did, it was mostly the post man or pizza delivery. Seeing as I didn't order any pizza and the post didn't work on Sundays, I wondered who it was.

Only one way to find out.

Taking a deep breath I unlocked the door and opened it. A man in his early thirties stood in front of me, wearing a serious looking black suit. Beside him stood two men who looked pretty much like gorillas to me: Black business suit and sunglasses where you could see your own reflection in it. I wish I had a pair too, so I could watch people without them noticing it.

"Are you Jacqueline Michelle Rosalie Walker?" The elder man asked in a pure business tone.

I mentally cringed at my full name. Sometimes I wonder what my parents were thinking when they names me. 'Jacqueline' was something I could deal with since there was a lot of cool nicknames. 'Michelle' was also acceptable. But Rosalie? Really? It sounded like I was a flower or something like that.

"Uh yeah, maybe. Why?" I squeaked out, fearing that my worst nightmare just turned real. Somewhere deep inside me I knew who they were and why they were here. I just refused to accept it. Soldier boy probably spilled out everything and now they are here to kidnap me and lock me away for the rest of my life.

Fuck you, Steve Rogers. So much about not liking bullies and protecting the innocent.

"My name is Phil Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistic Division."

I made a face at that long name.

"It is also known as SHIELD." Phil Coulson introduced himself.

Why didn't I realize that sooner? It was the same agent from Iron Man and Thor. Maybe it was because I wasn't a big fan of him.

"We need you to come with us."

I looked at him with big eyes as he said that. Gulping down the lump that has formed in my throat, I asked: "Why?"

"It seems like you have some classified information you're not supposed to know. And your life might be in danger."

"You mean I have some classified information and you can't have me walking around freely otherwise Loki might know about me and use the information against SHIELD?" I noted rather sarcastically, but then quickly clamped a hand over my mouth.

Did I just admit that I do have some classified information and knew Loki was the one who stole the Tesseract? Pretty sure that on a stupidity scale from zero to hundred I have reached the mark two hundred fifty. I hated it when my mouth was quicker than my brain.

Shock passed over Coulson's face, but he quickly concealed it and inquired in a professional tone: "And how do you know it was Loki? What do you know of him?"

"Probably a lot more than you guys. Well, if you have watched the movies and read the comics you'd know about him." Again my mouth was faster than my brain. I should start to learn when it's time for me to shut up. It did get me into trouble with teachers and class mates.

And now it got me into trouble again.

Coulson cleared his throat and suggested: "Perhaps you want to accompany us to the car."

"I… No thanks." I declined the offer and quickly bolted out of the door, away from those creeps.

Well, I tried to get away, but lady luck wasn't on my side today (and never was). Those two men with the dark sunglasses quickly caught me by both my upper arms, making sure that I didn't escape.

"So… The car, huh?" I laughed nervously, but then winced in pain at the death grip.

Yep, I'm LARGE and in CHARGE.

oOoOoOo

"The Chitauri grow restless."

"Let them grow restless. I will lead them in the glorious battle."

"Battle? Against the meager might of Earth?"

"Glorious, not lengthy. If your force is as formidable as you claim."

"You question us? Question him? He who put the scepter in your hand? Who gave you ancient knowledge and new purpose? When you were cast out, defeated!"

"I was a king! The rightful king of Asgard. Betrayed."

"Your ambition is little and full of childish need. We're beyond the Earth to greater worlds. The Tesseract will avail."

"You don't have the Tesseract yet… I don't threaten. But until I open the doors, until your force is mine to command, you are but words."

"The Tesseract won't let itself be taken so easily. I am sure it has already done something… Out of the ordinary."

"I won't be stopped so easily. I shall become kin and you shall have the Tesseract."

"If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realms, no barren moon, no crevasse where I can't find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for that so sweet pain."

oOoOoOo

The clock said three o'clock in the afternoon. It was quarter past two when we arrived here.

Damn, Coulson was taking his time.

And I was bored.

I could talk a little bit with those two agents, but an inner force told me they would just ignore me.

Lady Gaga was running in the background.

I was sitting in one of SHIELD's cars, legs stretched over the backseat and leaning against the door. We were parked in front of a tower. Not just any tower, it was Stark's tower. The building was really tall. It looked in reality even better than in the movie trailer. The skyscraper stood proud and tall up in the sky, the name Stark shining all over the city. Another prove that Tony Stark was a rich bastard with an ego of the size of Asgard.

I guess this tower was just another confirmation that I was probably IN the movie Avengers.

Like I've mentioned before, the tower was a tall building. I've been living in New York City for good eight years now and I'm sure I would have noticed if they were building a new tower. But then many people would argue that I have the attention span of a goldfish. So it's actually not surprising at all if I didn't notice something like this until right after the construction was finished.

I remember that one time my friend came with a new hair color to school. I thought she was a new student, even though she told me like a million times she was going to dye her hair. The result was that I didn't even bother to take a closer look at her face and pretty much didn't talk to her for the rest of the day.

I'm a horrible friend.

Resting my hand on my tummy, I had the sudden longing to drink a chocolate milkshake. It was a good one I had yesterday… But I couldn't really shake off what the seller said. I did want to visit the café again, but now it's not possible anymore since I've been arrested.

Did he know this was going to happen?

… Nah, can't have. I think that guy was just messing with me.

The seats of the car were mostly made of leather. There was a small table like thing in the middle. A small rubix cube key chain dangled down from the ceiling. I never really liked rubix cubes. Couldn't even finished the 3x3 one.

Hm, seeing that cube I had made me think of the Tesseract again. Was that even normal?

I groaned and silently cursed Coulson under my breath, when suddenly the door behind me opened and I almost fell out. Luckily I managed to grab onto the passenger's seat.

"You could have WARNED me." I complained while I turned back around in my seat and fastened my seatbelt.

"I did," Coulson responded calmly while putting a champagne glass away "You weren't listening."

Talking about not paying attention…

Coulson took out a cell phone and started to talk to someone. Way to ignore me after I just waited a good hour for you. Thanks, asshole.

The name Stark was mentioned during his conversation, and he once glanced at me, meaning they were talking about me now.

I looked out of the window and wondered what my friends were doing right now. We drove out of New York City, downtown to the airport. Secretly I continued listening to Coulson's telephone conversation. Although I couldn't hear what the other person was saying, I could already guess who he was talking to.

"I don't know about Stark… But the girl really does have some classified information… Bring her tp the Helicarrier? With Captain America? Are you sure, director? … Understood, sir."

Seems like I was going to meet American boy again. The third time in what, three days maybe? Hopefully he's happy to see me again… Well, I certainly am not. And Coulson also said something about the Helicarrier.

Realization just hit me when I repeated the word several times in my head.

Holy shit, I'm going to the Helicarrier! I'd be the happiest person in the nine realms if it wasn't for the fact that I was probably there as a prisoner…

At least my summer vacation isn't going to be boring anymore.

oOoOoOo

"Doctor, we're facing a potential global catastrophe."

"Well, those I actively try to avoid."

"This is the Tesseract. It has the potential energy to wipe out the planet."

"What does Fury want me to do? Swallow it?"

"Well, he wants you to find it. It's been taken. It omits a gamma signature that's too weak for us to trace. There's no one that knows gamma radiation like you do. If there was, that's where I'd be. Before the Tesseract was stolen some strange signals were detected in New York City. It was a gamma signature, the same as the one from the cube. Perhaps you could also find a connection between them."

"So Fury isn't after the monster at all."

"Not that he's told me."

"And he tells you everything."

"Talk to Fury, he needs you on this."

"He needs me in a cage?"

"No one's gonna put you in a…"

"STOP LYING TO ME! … I'm sorry, that was mean. I just wanted to see what you'd do. Why don't we do this the easy way, where you don't use that, and the other guy doesn't make a mess? Okay? Natasha."

"Stand down. We're good here."

"Just let me pack some things."

"That won't be necessary. SHIELD has prepared everything you will need. According to Fury they also found a kid who may have some useful information about the Tesseract."

"… A kid?"

"I don't know the exact details, but perhaps she can be helpful with your search for the Tesseract."

"I doubt that a kid is going to help me much. How far is SHIELD willing to go just to get the Tesseract back?"

oOo

"… What are you doing here?"

"Can't you see? I got arrested, Cap."

"… I'm sorry…"

"Yeah well, at least they didn't put me behind bars. My name's Jackie Walker, by the way."

"Why did they arrest you?"

"Knowing classified stuff, illegally ripping off the ticket seller's head, possibly littering, you name it."

"'Illegally ripping off the ticket seller's head'?"

"… Long story, mate, long story."