This is called I woke up at 3am. On a Saturday. Why?
Because my body hates me is why what did you think I had something to do. What a jerk right? Well, you benefit-here you go.
math pr0n: Probability. Oh probability. How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways. I hate thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach.
Anyway. Enough sonneting over here. Conditional probability means the probability of some event based off the probability of another event. Example: you have a bag with 2 red balls and 3 blue ones. If you pull out a red ball and don't put it back, then the probability of the next ball you pick is going to be altered accordingly. The way you say this is "the probability of event A, given event B".
Everyone who figures out where Lenneth is from will get a cookie. Not a real one. Just. A soul cookie or something.
Chapter 14: Probability of finding T, given C
They make it to Chicago just in time to see the portal open.
Of course.
There wouldn't be much use for people like them, Steve thinks, if things were ever stopped before getting this far.
He glances over to Tony and part of him wonders if this is smart, bringing him in, but they don't have much choice. They need all the help they can get.
"Can you do this?" Steve asks.
Tony's face is a blend of shock and half-guilt.
"Course I can, Capsicle. You already said it, didn't you? Things are different now."
It'll have to be enough.
"Right."
And then it's all Captain, the last of Steve Rogers put aside for now.
"Tony, you get the skies, try and run interference near the portal. Clint, you've got the best eyes; get somewhere high and call shots. Natasha, you're with me, help me start getting civilians and local forces organized. If anyone gets a bead on Loki, take it—we need to get that spear to stop this if what Clint says is true. We can't count on Thor or Bruce to show up. Understand?"
There's nods from the other three.
"Right. Let's move."
XXXXXX
It is utter chaos in both street and sky.
(A smaller version of something after, something he never sees but hears about, later, when he is pulled from darkness once more (when everything begins anew).)
He smirks as he hears the familiar rumble of a particular type of thunder and sees lightning flash down a few blocks away.
"You have to let him make his play," he explains. "He doesn't understand our prince, not how I do. Let him nudge; the rest will fall into place and we both get what we want." He smiles genially at the shrouded figure next to him.
"I hope," She says, "that you are right."
His smile widens, all teeth, blue eye sparkling mad-happy-wanting, other milky and dead.
"Trust me."
"Sir? It's time to go."
Baldr turns, the figure at his side vanishing, and looks at his secretary. She is all calmness, steel and battle-readiness that only Odin's valkyries ever manage.
"Of course, Lenneth. Let's enjoy this at a safer distance. No need to let plans unravel so close to the end."
XXXXXX
One moment there's a Chitauri about to bring his rifle down on Natasha's head; the next there's not.
Thor spins away from her, cloak sweeping out like a bloodstain as he throws his hammer, and two more Chitauri fall. He catches the hammer as it comes back and twists around; for the moment there are no more near them.
"Thor!" Steve calls, running over to them.
"Captain. Agent," he says seriously, eyes sparking and face somber. "Where am I needed?"
There is a roar that shakes the still standing buildings and something comes out of the portal. They all stare up at it, the tiny speck of and gold that flashes in front of it and starts to try to drag it along.
"I think Tony could use some help," Steve says faintly. He shakes his head. "See if you can keep anymore of those things from coming through."
Thor nods, starts to spin his hammer, and is gone. Overhead, the sky darkens with thunder clouds, roiling eerie and sick yellow-green.
XXXXXX
It's surprisingly easy to find Steve and Natasha in the chaos of the fight. He just has to follow a pile of bodies. He catches sight of something huge and whale-like coming out of the portal and nearly runs into Natasha as his eyes follow it.
Steve is listening to his ear piece, and glances over at them.
"Tony is bringing it our way," he says.
Bruce stares a bit more at the thing chasing Tony.
"Right. Right. Of course he is."
XXXXXX
"Two on your left, Cap," Clint says, turns and fires off an arrow in the face of a Chitauri trying to get close to him. His eyes sweep the streets below; he keeps catching familiar flicker of green-white light and can't decide if it's memory or he's compromised again. Still compromised.
He's never felt so sick while fighting.
Underneath the sick, though, he's angry.
Now, when his thoughts aren't constantly twisting back on themselves, he suddenly can make sense of the patterns and lines, and he sees it. What they are doing, how everything is all focused on this portal and what is meant to happen. What they are meant to stop.
He doesn't want to appreciate the artistry of this chaos given direction.
Clint shoots down one of the Chitauri pilots and the hovercraft crashes, killing the other two.
"Where are you guys at, Cap?"
"Clark and..."
"Adams," Clint finishes. He sees Stark leading the giant alien creature on, dragging it towards the others.
"Right. Thanks, hawkeyes. Guys, bringing the party to you, hope you remembered to bring favours." Clint turns, and spots familiar white-green light that whirls in the air, follows it and there:
Loki.
He draws an explosive arrow back and releases before the rest of him can think, before he can properly aim, before he can feel sympathy-want-loss-protect that wants to swell back up.
If his smile isn't sincere when the bastard catches it and it explodes, no one but him needs to know.
XXXXXX
Smash?
Bruce stares at the giant thing chasing Tony down the street, roar making his bones creak. Steve glances over at him.
"Any ideas?" he asks.
Bruce smiles a little, feels white bubbling rage pressing into his head. This isn't like before, though; no, this, he can focus.
"Sure. You might want to stand back though."
He starts to trot forward, lets his thoughts swirl.
Smash (defend) break (these aliens) and white hot rage twisting, aching, until he's nothing but anger. Pure focused rage.
He roars, leaps into the air (just these things now), and slams his fist down onto the head of the creature.
XXXXXX
Tony takes a moment to watch Hulk before he zooms off, back to trying to keep more aliens from pouring through.
"Sir—"
"Jarvis, what just flew past me?"
"I believe it was Loki. Do you intend to pick up where you left off?"
"Damn right I do."
He corrects and flies after, settling on the landing pad. Loki turns to look at him, armour vanishing in a swirl of gold and eyes narrowing.
"Remove the armour."
"Is that really—"
"Yes. Say hi to your other dad, Jarv." He walks along the ledge, armour being stripped away.
He doesn't take his eyes away from Loki's; on his shoulder, the tattoo aches and writhes like a live thing.
Loki smirks, but his eyes, oh his eyes. The flicker and blue glow in them twists, shatters, and reforms; there's the tell-tale twitch of his right eye of pain barely hidden. His Loki is there, buried, but he's there, just like Clint said.
Tony smirks.