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"I took a big risk in letting you join this team Ms. Hanson. And this is what you have to show for it? Letting our greatest enemy escape? What were you thinking?" Nick Fury shouted, pacing back and forth in the official meeting room.
The other Avengers sat around the table. None were making eye contact with me. Instead they were glancing around the room or staring down at the floor silently.
"I didn't mean to let him go," I defended myself. "That wasn't my intention!"
"If you would have asked for permission to visit him, this would never have happened." Fury stopped and banged his fist on the sleek table, causing it to wobble a bit.
"You wouldn't have let me visit him," I pointed out. Across the table, Steve started drumming his fingers. The noise made me restless and angry.
"Exactly," Fury seethed. "I have half a mind to release you from your duties here and now."
"Hey, Fury. Back off. It was an accident," Tony finally spoke up. He was seated next to me, Thor situated to his right. Tony turned his eyes to me, giving me an all too knowing look. I felt my cheeks redden.
"With all due respect, sir," Steve said as he cleared his throat, "she's a part of this team now. We can't just let her go. It's too much of a threat. Loki has tried to contact her several times. Who's to say he won't do it again?"
"This is serious," he growled. "We can't let this happen anymore."
"Then let's double the security," Thor broke in.
"We have doubled it," Fury pointed out with a menacing glare.
"Triple it. Like Steven Rodgers said, Miss Hanson is a part of this team. You cannot take that away from her." Thor raised his eyebrows as an invitation for Fury to retaliate.
I glanced at Thor gratefully, mouthing a 'thank you'. He nodded slightly in response.
"I agree with Thor," Clint offered, leaning back in his chair.
"Me too," Tony threw in.
"I didn't ask for your opinions-" Fury started.
"I'm with them," Bruce said, gesturing to Tony and Clint.
"It's a majority then," Natasha said. "Ande stays."
"We weren't voting about this," Fury grumbled. "But I can't deny the popular vote." He sighed and continued, "Next time I won't be so lenient, Miss Hanson." Then he all but stomped out of the room.
"Thanks everyone," I smiled slightly. I really was thankful. As bad as I was at this Avenger thing, I didn't want to leave. This was all I had been hoping for since I first heard about the initiative. I was determined to make this position last.
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I had been standing in the garden when my Mother approached me. I'd been expecting her arrival for days and it didn't surprise me she had chosen this location over all others. The weather was cold and small snowflakes drifted down from above. "Daughter," she greeted with a chilly smile. "Hello Mother," I curtsied, doing as I had been taught to for years when confronted by an immortal. "I am here to discuss your mission with you," she said, back straight, with an intimidating expression. "I'm trying, Mother. I really am!" I said earnestly, trying to appear confident. "I am aware of your efforts. I do not underestimate you, daughter. You are capable. But I feel as if perhaps you are not best suited for this mission. Perhaps one of your siblings-" Athena's voice was calm as she spoke to me like I was a five year old again. I couldn't stand hearing any more of it, so I broke in. "No Mother! Please, just give me some more time. I can do this. Please," I pleaded. From behind me, I heard a faint rustle as a bush moved. I didn't want to know what had caused it to make that noise. There was a brief pause, and my mother continued, "I will give you four more months, Andelyn. No more, no less. I expect you to have accomplished the task in that set time. Do you understand?" "Yes Mother," I whispered, sighing on the inside. She had never trusted me, always deeming me unworthy of any task. "I shall see you in four months time then. Farewell, my child." There was a powerful surge and flash of silver light and Athena was gone, leaving no trace that she had been there. I heard the shrubbery move again, but I didn't bother turning around. Let whatever it was get me, I don't care. "Ande? There you are. I've been looking everywhere," a quiet voice said in surprise. It was only Luke. I whirled around to face him. Tall, pale, black haired and green eyes. That pretty much summed my only friend up. Did I mention how attractive he was as well? "Oh hey, Luke," I said weakly, forcing a smile and turning to face him, trying to fight the stinging in my eyes.
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"Where have you been?" Dr. Doom said in an accusatory tone as Loki walked briskly into the kitchen of the mansion.
"Small detour. Nothing to worry over, I assure you." Loki smirked and poured himself a cup of boiling eater, placing a tea bag in it to brew.
"It has been nearly three days," Doom pointed out. "You almost missed the arrival of the Skrulls."
Loki had raised his tea cup to his lips, but lowered it again at the news. "According to my calculations, the Skrulls are not scheduled to arrive for at least another month."
"We have had a scheduling adjustment. They will be here shortly." Doom put another spoonful of sugar in hid coffee and exited the kitchen, leaving Loki alone.
They weren't ready for the Skrulls, he worried. What was Doom playing at, bringing them here without the necessary preparations? There was too much to do, too much to get ready. They hadn't even fully developed the technology to transport the alien race to Midgard yet.
Loki set his now cold tea cup down with a clunk. He no longer had an appetite, despite eating only a package of Poptarts in the last seventy-two hours. He recoiled at the memory of the cardboard tasting pastries.
Sighing, he headed up the stairs to the room he had been given. As he passed the quarters of Johann, he turned invisible so as to not be seen by the madman. He was in no mood for being questioned by the Red Skull at the moment.
Loki sat on the edge of his bed and stared solemnly at the dark, wood floor. Their plan had been to contact and bring forth the Skrulls only when they were ready to attack Manhattan. It was too soon. The battle was supposed to happen in a month or two. This was far too quick.
Unless... What if that had been Doom's plan all along? Perhaps the reason the Skrulls were arriving today was because they were conquering New York sooner than expected.
This almost sent Loki into a panic. They needed more time to prepare, more time to plan, more time to-
He stopped himself, a new idea dawning on him. Maybe starting this sooner than expected would catch the Avengers off guard, giving them the upper hand this war so desperately required.
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The line was long, stretching out the small coffee shop's door, winding down the street. I sighed impatiently, tapping my foot. Of all the Starbucks locations in the city of Manhattan, everyone seemed to be at this specific one. I had been standing here for nearly fifteen minutes and I had barely moved three feet. Overhead, dark clouds gathered, a sure sign of another thunderstorm. I had wanted to get back to the helicarrier before the storm hit, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to now.
Finally, the line stepped forward one pace. I eagerly jumped ahead, sick of waiting. I had almost made it inside the building by now. The door was directly in front of me; I could see into the interior of the shop now. It was small and dingy, being one of the older Starbucks shops in the city. Tables lined one wall under tacky paintings of flowers. The booths were empty, save for one.
My eyes met an identical pair. Curly blonde hair spilled over one of her shoulders and half of it twisted up into an elegant knot. She was wearing a simple outfit: a blue, flowing top and skinny jeans tucked into sleek black boots. Her eyebrows were arching and her expression was one of severity.
Athena. I dropped my gaze, though I could still feel her eyes piercing me, willing my feet to move without my consent. I left the line, received some odd looks from the other customers, and walked shortly to where she sat.
"Daughter, it is lovely to see you again," she said icily, a chilly smile on her light pink lips.
"Likewise, Mother." I tried to say with a respectful air, but I'm afraid it came out ruder than it should have.
"Please, sit. There is much to discuss." She waved her hand in a gesture and I plopped down on the cushioned booth bench. I blinked, waiting for her to continue.
"It has been a while since we last talked. Much has changed, my daughter," she whispered, leaning forward in her seat.
I gulped and nodded. "I know."
"I have sought you out for one purpose on this day. I wish to let you know that I do not approve of your new… job." The look in her eyes was daring me to argue back.
"This is my life," I said simply, refusing to rise to her silent challenge.
"I do not want you associating with the Norseman any longer," she sneered. "I demand you to never speak with him again."
"Thor is my friend, Mom." I shook my head.
"And the Greeks are your family," she replied. "It is not becoming for you to socialize with both pantheons. The Norse are not a wise group of deities."
"Thor has treated me better than you ever did," I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest. I immediately bit my tongue and regretted my words.
"What mistake could I have possibly made when raising you, Andelyn? You should never speak to your superiors in that way." Her eyes flashed dangerously.
"You didn't raise me! You gave me away because you didn't want me!" I almost yelled. The others in the shop turned to look at us. Athena put her finger to her lips in a "be-quiet-or-I'll-smite-you" way.
"There is so little you understand, girl," she spat. "You shall see in due time, I can assure you. In the meantime, I suggest you work on improving your manners before you anger me any further."
And with that, she waved her hand and disappeared into nothing but a cloud of mist, leaving me alone at the sticky little table.
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Author's Note: I couldn't resist throwing Athena in there. I thought it was time for Ande to have a confrontation with her mother after hinting about her for the last ten or so chapters. If you remember, the flashback of this chapter was taken from chapter 9 of "Grounded", in which Loki sneaks up on the conversation and overhears some pretty strange things. This is just written from Ande's point of view.
I apologize about the short chapter. I had some trouble with details this time around- more so than I usually do.
Thanks for reading and please review!
-Loki's Little Helper