Lunch was normally weird with the avengers; they had a god, 2 super spies, 2 scientist and a super soldier but today in that group there was also a country (they didn't know that) that was trying his best to not eat too much. Not only would it freak out the avengers but he probably would exhaust all the food that the billionaire Had. The people present were talking between each other quietly. The super soldier felt awkward around Alfred, as well as the other avengers except Thor and Tony who were talking with him casually. Alfred felt the same way but he hid it behind a mask. The widow sharpened her gaze and looked at Alfred
- Jones, I have a deal for you.
Alfre dshuffled awkwardly and smiled
- What's it about?
- The deal you offered Fury but with some changes, for example if we don't want to answer we don't' have to the same as you. But we must answer at least one question that we ask you and you ask us.
The avengers looked incredulously at her, she was the last they expected to offer that kind of deal. Alfred smile and nodded
- Sure! Who goes first?
Tony smiled and pointed at the female spy
- You choose, you were the one who suggested it…
- I suggest Jones goes first, we have been the ones asking questions this whole time
The mentioned grinned and pumped his fist in to the air, ignoring the tense atmosphere around him
- Yeah! Ok well, first do you have any idea who the other guys that were around my house were?
Steve looked around and sighed.
- Director Fury captured one of them and has probably interrogated him, but he hasn't told us anything.
Alfred cupped his chin with his hands and nodded, Tony looked at Alfred and asked a question.
- Where you the one that made the quinjet crash? I know it wasn't just a coincidence.
The avengers all looked at him and Alfred who sighed.
- Well…. I did…
The avengers who weren't taught to hide their expression were left agape and Natasha asked her question.
- How? did you hack it?
Alfred grinned
- That's two questions but never mind, I have an ability…
At this all of them played extra attention.
- I can control energy, with this I was able to sky rocket the energy inside and outside the quinjet and controlled it so that you would crash… I made sure it wouldn't be too bad since I didn't want to kill anybody. That's also how I stopped the Hulk
Everyone listened even more carefully now, specially Banner.
- I felt all the energy inside the Hulk and I figured that the energy skyrocketed and made Doctor Banner lose control. I just had to get close enough to suck the Hulk's energy and make it enter my system, it's dangerous but it works with everyone. Normally people would be unconscious for days when I used this technique on them but you just had too much energy.
All the avengers where left to contemplate on his answer, this kid had a very useful ability. They also deduced that he could increase his own energy to be stronger and faster, that's possibly why he could be on the same level as them.
Alfred POVNow, Alfred didn't like divulging these much information but it was part of the deal; even if he didn't have to answer they deserved an answer. Specially Banner, but now it was time that they answered one of his questions; although he didn't have a lot since he hacked .D and all of that… But there was one thing…
- What happened to Loki?
He observed all the reactions from the avengers, they were a little predictable. Captain America, Tony, Bruce and black Widow all had the same reaction, they tensed, up frowned at the mentioned demi-god and looked at me carefully. The archer tensed up, looked away and started fidgeting; Now he knew it was a sour spot for him but he had to get over it. Thor's reaction was controlled, it seemed to be almost practiced. He's facial expression was neutral like he was wearing a mask, but even with a mask you can see the eyes; it tells you everything. He could see in his eyes betrayal, frustration but mostly sadness.
- Loki was brought to Asgard to be tried for his sins.
Alfred just nodded, he wasn't expecting that Thor told him a long explanation for him, or anyone else in the avengers for that matter. But now that he thought about it, it was time that he returns Thor what belongs to him.
- Why did you ask?
He rummaged the inside pockets from his jacket and brought out a small little black box. It had white markings and a complicated circle in the middle with lots of details.
Natasha POVJones had brought out a black box with complicated designs on the top and placed it on the table.
- Because he gave me this.
I instantly tensed up, what was this kid's relation with Loki? Where they allies?. I narrowed my eyes at the teen, almost young adult, what was he planning?
- Dudes, and dudette it isn't going to explode, HERO'S promise!
Thor nodded at I looked at him uncertainty, was he really going to trust a person who might be friends with Loki? Thor opened the box and the room was engulfed with a familiar blue glow. A shard started floating above the box, it was…
- A piece of the tesseract?!
Tony had just read my mind. A piece of the tesseract, how?
- I wanted to give it to you earlier but I had to make sure Eye patch was away.
Thor just looked at him incredulously and put the shard back inside the box.
- How was I or JARVIS not able to sense it?
Jones just cupped his chin with his hands and frowned
- Dudes I have no idea…. Maybe it's that weird circle or something, I never understood this tesseract business….
I sighed inside my head. The least this kid knew about the tesseract the better, not only would S.H.I.E.L.D keep him in a cell forever but if one of their enemies got him to spill their secrets… I now knew that S.H.I.E.L.D would never let the kid go, he knew too much. But I was wondering….
- When did you meet Loki?
The team was pulled back to the world of the living by my statement. The kid started rubbing his temples, yeesh…. It was only one question, unless he and Loki and him were more than allies…. Friends? It seemed possible.
- I met him in Stuttgart. I was just strolling around the place and suddenly he pulls me into an alley and pins me down! He gave me the box and told me that if I ever saw Thor to give it to him…. Although I'm wondering Loki's the bad guy, right?
I looked at Clint that grunted at the question, was he still sour after all this time?
- He's the bad guy I can assure you.
Jones eyes softened at this, was he pitying Clint?
- I know what happened; but then why would he give me a piece of the tesseract and tell me to give it to Thor? It doesn't make sense. I thought he was trying to keep it away from you guys…
I closed my eyes, the kid knew about what happened to Clint… S.H.I.E.L.D put too much trust in their security systems. If what Stark said was true he did it again a week ago…. I also wondered about what the kid said; if he was saying the truth then why did Loki do it? It seemed Thor answered for the team
- If you want me to be honest Alfred, I do not have the knowledge of why my brother would do something like that or why he would give it to you. He's a complicated fellow, it's practically impossible to know what he's thinking. But I am mostly intrigued Jones by you actually giving it to me. Why didn't you just keep it, I suppose you know the power that someone with the tesseract possesses, am I correct?
I observe the kid's expression and I was glad I did. Jones's eyes darkened and he grimaced. His whole expression darkened and his muscles tensed, but all of this happened in one second; normal people wouldn't be able to notice it but I wasn't exactly normal. Why would he react that way? Maybe a sour memory? He tried to smile, but it was half-heartedly.
- I read about the tesseract, I know exactly what it does and the power it gives. I know what it does to people and what S.H.I.E.L.D tried to do it.
I tensed as I saw his eyes hardening.
- That things corrupts, I'm able to sense energy and the energy around it is simply evil. When it's close to people it gets near them and gets inside their heads, it's strange. It changes their rational way of thinking; I know how it feels I've been around it. I know it shouldn't be in my hands, plus it officially belongs to Asgard. What right to I have to keep it?
Everyone, including me, was surprised by his answer. I didn't expect something this deep from him, but then he was older then he looked… I contemplated about what he said about the energy and it getting inside your mind. He was right, back before they fought in the heli carrier and Bruce transformed I heard something. At the time I thought it was my imagination but now it made sense. It was a voice, telling me to take the tesseract, that the others were a nuisance, and that it would keep me safe from my enemies… I heard Thor laugh and I immediately turned to him, he had a smile of appreciation.
- I have never heard a mortal get a description of the tesseract's nature so accurate before! Son of Jones I'm glad that you reached that conclusion because you're completely right, It also makes me happy that your spirit hasn't been tainted by the greed of getting more power. Even if you hadn't given me the tesseract I'm sure you would have been a good guardian of it!
I smiled and looked at Jones, he was blushing and a small smile tugged his lips. The tension that was present just moments ago was gone in a second. Alfred started scratching his hair
- Well it is the HERO'S duty to protect right?
The avengers started laughing and they spend the rest of the day talking. Almost forgetting that Alfred was a prisoner, I tried to avoid socializing but it was almost impossible. I despised it, not because I didn't like Jones but because I was getting attached to him; the whole team was. Tony, Thor and Bruce seemed to be already attached to the kid and I worried that they would betray S.H.I.E.L.D if they did something to him. I was starting to realize that I would too, maybe not betray S.H.I.E.L.D but disagree with them, probably. After they sent Alfred to his 'bedroom' or cell they discussed what had been revealed.
- Is it just me or does the kid look like he would never hurt anybody good?
Tony seemed to hit the mark. From what I had observed the kid wouldn't hurt anybody that was good.
- It also seems that he has family, he probably wants to protect them. He said he had a twin and you all saw when Fury asked him about the people in the photo, they're probably his family.
I nodded, Bruce was right she deduced that also when he saw his reaction to Fury's question. Steve shuffled awkwardly
- I also want to know something, when we fought against him. Didn't you get a feeling of been like…. Really uncomfortable just attacking him. Like it was a sin to just harm him?
I looked at him with a raised eye brow, she had a feeling like that but much much smaller. Clint sighed
- You felt like that too? Gosh I thought I was the only one…
Tony and Bruce shared a look and Bruce answered for both of them
- We both felt like that, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't just because he looked like a teen. Also when he was able to hold us at bay it gave me a sense of…. Pride?
I decided to put my opinion in too,
- I felt like that as well but from what you described in a much much lower scale but I didn't feel pride when he was able to hold all of us at bay
Thor looked at us oddly with a raised eye brow
- I'm sorry friends but I do not know what you're talking about.
All of us thought about, I was trying to match the points. What was in common of the people that felt this? All of us were human except Thor, he was Asgardian… Wait! That was it!
- Haven't you noticed? All od the people that felt this were American, I'm Russian but I became a citizen of the USA when I joined S.H.I.E.L.D.
Everyone, including me was puzzled and Tony expressed our single question.
- But what does that have to do with the kid?