Chapter 4 – Germany
Kahlan stood in the back of the jet with Rogers. She glanced over at the blond super soldier, who was messing around with his blue cowl.
"Here, let me help you." Kahlan offered. Rogers froze as Kahlan moved behind him and gently pulled his cowl straight. Kahlan walked back around. Rogers pulled the cowl over his head and face. Kahlan smiled. "Now you looked the part, Captain." Rogers nodded.
"We're coming in to Stuttgart," Natasha informed the two. Kahlan nodded and zipped her black and burgundy jumpsuit up over her red tank top. Pulling out her laser-targeting crossbow from its case, Kahlan glanced at Rogers.
"Ready, Redbird?" Rogers asked, pulling his shield out of its case. Kahlan checked her small handgun in her holster and nodded. Natasha guided the jet to hover 2 feet above the ground. Kahlan walked over to the gangway and opened the hatch. Her auburn hair blew around her face. Slinging her crossbow across her back, Kahlan pulled her hair back in a ponytail and secured it with a rubber band.
"Let's do this, Captain." Kahlan jumped out of the jet with the captain right next to her.
"Go around the building, see if you can find Barton," Rogers ordered. "Engage, if need be, don't kill him though." Kahlan nodded. "Are you up for this?"
"It's my job to bring him home, Captain." Kahlan said and ran towards the building. Captain Rogers turned his head at the sound of the screams coming from the plaza. Without any hesitation, he sprinted towards the screaming.
Kahlan ran to the corner of the building and peered around the cement structure. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw 4 dark figures exiting the building. Kahlan narrowed her green eyes and saw Clint holding the door open for his men. Bringing up her crossbow, Kahlan laser targeted two of the men and fired two bolts. They dropped silently. Kahlan watched as Clint immediately brought an arrow on string and gazed around the alleyway. Kahlan laser targeted the other man, not Clint, and fired again. He also dropped silently, but Clint now knew where Kahlan was firing from. Before she knew it, Clint was right in front of her.
Kahlan gasped as he appeared right in front of her. She instinctively ducked as Clint swung at her head with his bow. Throwing her cross bow aside, Kahlan aimed her punches at Clint's torso and kidneys. Clint dodged and pushed Kahlan up against the wall with his forearm against her throat. Memories of Budapest came flooding back to Kahlan as she pushed her body against the wall and lashed out with her booted feet. Clint dodged out of the way and pulled an arrow onto his bowstring. Kahlan pulled her silver knife out and slashed at his hand holding the bow. Clint grunted in pain as the metal slashed his knuckles. He loosed the arrow. Kahlan froze as the arrow narrowly missed her cheek and ear. Pain flared in her cheek as she felt the skin tear. Clint hit Kahlan in the head with the end of his bow. Crying out, Kahlan fell back against the wall. She glanced up at Clint, who had another arrow aimed right at her head.
"Clint." Kahlan said, trying to keep her voice level and calm. "Please!" Clint tilted his head and lowered his bow. Kahlan's eyes widened. Did he recognize her? Could he see past Loki's magic? Clint leaned over Kahlan and grabbed the arrow that was embedded in the wall behind her head. He leaned down next to her ear.
"Goodbye, Redbird." His husky voice sent shivers down her spine. Clint moved and began to walk away from her. Kahlan got up and ran after him.
"Clint!" Kahlan cried out. Clint continued to walk away from her, leaving her alone in the alleyway, her cheek bruised and bleeding. "Clint!" He disappeared around the corner. A tear ran down Kahlan's cheek, mingling with the blood, the salt making the cut sting a little. Shaking her head, Kahlan turned and grabbed her silver knife and crossbow and ran around the building to where Loki was holding a whole crowd hostage.
"Look to your elder, people." Loki said calmly, pointing his spear at a helpless old man. "Let him be an example." Just as he was about to blast the old man away, Rogers jumped in front of the old man, blocking the energy blast with his shield, deflecting the energy back to Loki. Loki fell as the energy hit him right in the gut. Kahlan couldn't help but laugh a little. She brought her cross bow up and aimed it at Loki's head.
"You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing." Rogers said, moving towards Loki. The dark haired god laughed and glanced at Kahlan, who was moving in on Loki's left.
"Ah, the soldier. A man out of time." Loki smirked. "And the lover, trying to pick up the pieces."
Rogers grinned. "I'm not the one who's out of time." Loki looked up as the SHIELD jet came down and aimed its guns at him.
"Loki, drop the weapon, and stand down." Kahlan ordered loudly, moving in closer to the god. Loki laughed and fired a blast at the jet. Rogers leaped into action and threw his shield at Loki. Kahlan shot a bolt at Loki as well. "Natasha, you good?"
"Not a scratch!" Natasha's dry voice came over the comm.
Kahlan ran into the melee and threw a punch at Loki, who dodged and hit her with the spear. Kahlan flew back against the cobblestones, swearing at the scrapes on her hands. The cold air made the cuts sting. She immediately got to her feet. Loki had Rogers on his knees with the rod of the spear against Rogers' head. Kahlan froze, not wanting to endanger Rogers' life.
"Kneel!" Loki growled. Rogers looked up at Kahlan and winked.
"Not today," Steve leaped up and kicked Loki in the face. Kahlan ran at Loki with her silver knife drawn. Loki swiped at Kahlan with the spear. She ducked, sliding on her knees across the cobblestones, scuffing up her black combat boots. Kahlan turned her body and slashed Loki's leg with her knife. Loki cried out and hit Kahlan on the shoulder with his spear. Kahlan grunted in pain and dropped the knife, her arm numb from the hit.
Suddenly, loud music came blasting over the speakers of the SHIELD jet. Loki froze from trying to hit Kahlan again, this time in the head, and looked up as a red object flew towards them. Kahlan took the moment of distraction to roll away from Loki and grab her crossbow, aiming it at Loki. Iron Man came flying down, firing a blast of energy from his palm, knocking Loki down. The spear flew through the air towards Kahlan. Kahlan caught the weapon easily and glared at Loki.
"Make your move, Reindeer Games." Stark ordered, aiming seven different weapons at the god. Loki looked at Kahlan who brandished her crossbow and the spear at him and then glanced at Rogers, who retrieved his shield. Loki slowly put his hands up and smiled nervously.
"Good move." Stark said. He put away his weapons and then glanced at Rogers.
"Mr. Stark," Rogers acknowledged the man in the iron suit.
"Captain," Stark said. "Agent Thomas." Kahlan smiled at Stark.
"Nice of you to join us." Kahlan remarked, handing the spear to Rogers before approaching Loki. She pulled out silver cuffs and locked them around the god's wrists. "Don't even try anything with me, Loki!" She hissed in Loki's ear. Loki smirked. He knew what he had taken from her. He knew that she was hurting. Kahlan pulled Loki up and walked him towards the landed SHIELD jet. Natasha met them at the open ramp.
"One villain for delivery." Kahlan smirked at Natasha, who stared at Loki passively.
"Strap him in and we'll get going back to SHIELD." Natasha said, turning back to the cockpit. Kahlan nodded and shoved Loki into the jet. Rogers handed the spear to Natasha, who carefully stowed the spear away in a hard, black case. Stark removed his helmet and boarded the jet. Within minutes, Natasha closed the ramp and lifted the jet off the ground. Kahlan sat at communication desk with a headset on.
"Coulson, Redbird reporting." Kahlan said. "We were able to capture Loki and the spear and are en route to you."
"Any sign of pursuit or Barton?" Fury's voice came over the headset.
"No," Kahlan said. "It's a little too quiet. No sign so far."
Rogers shook his head. "I don't like it." Kahlan glanced at Rogers and Stark, who stood just outside the cockpit with their backs to Loki. Kahlan looked over at the god, who was sitting quietly, staring off into space.
"What?" Stark said. "Rock of Ages giving up so easily?" Kahlan raised her eyebrows. That was a little fishy.
"I don't remember it being that easy." Rogers said. "This guy packs a wallop." Kahlan rubbed her bruised shoulder and side. She could vouch for that.
"Still, you were pretty spry, for an older fellow." Stark commented, jabbing at Rogers' age. "What's your thing? Pilates?" Kahlan couldn't help but laugh silently at their conversation.
Rogers looked at Stark with a confused look on his face. "What?"
"It's like calisthenics." Stark explained. "You might have missed a couple things, you know, doing time as a Capsicle." Kahlan shook her head, trying not to laugh aloud. Rogers glared at Kahlan and then at Stark.
"Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in." Rogers said sharply. Kahlan's eyes widened. Rogers was not exactly taking a shine to Stark.
"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you." Stark informed the super soldier. "Ain't that right, Agent Thomas?"
Kahlan turned towards Stark and Rogers and raised her eyebrows. "And you would know this, Stark, how?" Stark opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by a large rumble thunder and an enormous flash of lightning. The jet shook a little. Kahlan turned back to the communication desk and pulled the headset back on.
"Where's this coming from?" Kahlan muttered, looking at the scanners. There wasn't anything for miles 2 minutes ago, now clouds and static electric energy were forming around the jet. Rogers glanced over to Loki, who was shifting nervously in his seat.
"What's the matter?" Rogers asked. "Scared of a little lightning?"
"I'm not overly fond of what follows." Loki responded. The jet shook as something made contact with the roof of the jet. Kahlan and Rogers grabbed their weapons and made ready. Stark grabbed his helmet and put it on. He walked over to the hatch and opened it. Kahlan stared as a figure landed on the ramp, causing the entire craft to shake. He was tall and big and blond, with a red cape and silver armor. In his right hand, he carried a large, silver hammer. Kahlan's heart pounded. This was Thor. We kidnapped his long-lost brother, Kahlan thought frantically.
Stark moved to attack Thor, but Thor swung his hammer, throwing Stark back on top of Rogers. Kahlan jumped out of the way and held her hands up as Thor turned to her. His bright blue eyes pierced her bright, green eyes. Thor turned and yanked Loki out of the seat. Kahlan moved towards the two Asgardian brothers, but stopped when Thor glared at her. Loki smirked making Kahlan's blood boil with anger. Thor flew out of the aircraft with Loki.
Stark pulled himself out of the tangle with Rogers. "Now there's that guy."
"Another Asgardian?" Natasha asked Kahlan. Kahlan nodded.
"Yeah, it's Thor." Kahlan responded. "Let me take the wheel." Natasha nodded and got out of her seat and moved to the communication desk where she called it in.
"Think the guy's a friendly?" Rogers asked. Kahlan turned to Rogers, but Stark cut her off.
"Doesn't matter. If he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract's lost." Stark clanked over to the ramp and got ready to blast out of there.
"Stark, we need a plan of attack." Rogers, the ever-prepared soldier, shouted over the wind.
"I have a plan! Attack!" Stark said and flew out of the craft.
Kahlan turned to see Rogers grabbing a parachute from the side. "I'd sit this one out, Rogers. It's probably best that Stark takes this one."
"I don't see how I can." Rogers said, strapping himself into the parachute. Natasha looked up from where she was reporting to Coulson.
"These guys come from legends," Natasha told him. "They're basically gods." Kahlan hoped that he would sit down and not go down there. But Rogers was bent on joining Stark in the field.
"There's only one God, ma'am. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that." Rogers responded and jumped out of the aircraft, shield first. Kahlan turned to the pilot, wishing it was Barton in the seat next to her. Barton always knew her next move.
"Turn about. I'm tracking Stark now." Kahlan tapped into the JARVIS software and found where Stark, Rogers and Thor were.
"Go in slowly," Natasha said. "Stark and Rogers are trying to talk down Thor." Kahlan watched as Thor threw Stark around like an iron rag doll.
"Yeah, they definitely tried talking." Kahlan said sarcastically. Kahlan then saw Rogers running up to the fighting pair and throwing his shield at both Thor and Stark.
"That's enough." Rogers yelled. Kahlan directed the pilot to land not far from the clearing. Ten minutes later, Rogers arrived at the ramp with Stark, Thor and a bound Loki in tow. "Redbird, let's get back to base as soon as possible."
"Yes, captain," Kahlan nodded to the pilot and let Coulson know that they were on their way in and that Thor was with them.
"Good work, Redbird," Coulson said over the line. "We're preparing for Loki now."
"Any word on Barton?" Kahlan asked quietly, not wanting Loki to hear.
Coulson sighed. "No, Redbird, at this moment, it's like trying to catch smoke with a butterfly net."
"That's oddly specific." Kahlan commented. "Well, keep looking. He's out there." I just know it.