It was the silence after the storm… Wait, wasn't it supposed to be the other way around?
Tony wasn't sure, he only knew that the jet flying through the air after their battle felt very silent, no one were talking.
Clint was laying on his back, the wound in his side looking rather nasty as Natasha looked over him, Thor looked in deep thought and Bruce… Bruce was sitting with closed eyes and his back leaned against the wall. Listening to soft tones from a head set to calm his nerves.
They had gotten more used to the HULK these last years, and had figured out how to handle him… But it really wouldn't be good if Bruce transformed while they were so high up in the air. HULKS weight alone would be kind of a danger to them.
Roberts words still rang inside of Tony's head. "Tony! BEHIND YOU!" he had sounded legitimately frightened, which was very unlike Robert.
Even in the most intense of situations, he usually seemed so nonchalant, which probably was what made him such a good observer and analyst. He usually just said things the way he saw it, without trying to sugar coat anything. And he didn't get distracted by sentiment or emotions either.
Natasha had said it was typical sociopath behavior, only then to next point out that Tony shouldn't look so shocked since he displayed a lot of sociopath traits to… Thanks.
Still, Roberts words and the way he said them… Send a cold chill down Tony's spend, and it was not at all helped by what he had just seen… Pepper… Rhodey… The Avengers, everyone. Laying by his feet… Dead.
Their lifeless empty eyes, starring up into nothingness… If they had been able to see though, they would have seen. The army…. Countless of ships, countless of aliens, all of them with their eyes on earth! Earth which was right beneath him, and it was defenseless… Nothing, there was nothing to protect them, no one.
They were dead! Everyone! No… Noooo.
Tony squinted his eyes shut, trying to force his heart to calm down… finally, it seemed to subside and Tony dared to look up, to take in the jet where everyone was alive and well.
Tony wanted to act the time was now and so, he sat down in front of Bruce. "Hey.." he spoke softly. "Bruce."
Slowly Bruce looked up, and finally removed his head phones.
"How are you doing?" Tony asked in a kind smile.
"I'm… Good." Bruce informed, though his voice sounded rather shaken. "And you?" he asked.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm good." Tony nodded, sitting down with crossed legs. "I guess that went pretty well, I mean… We got what we came for. Right?" he asked.
"Yeah." Bruce replied in a small nod.
Tony halted, then he looked up. "Erhm, look." he hesitated. "I… I was thinking. The staff, it has, a lot of potential, a lot of power."
"Tony no!" Bruce stated. "We talked about this, if we are going to do anything with the staff. We are going to decide upon that as a group!"
"But." Tony tried "What if… What if that army comes back?" he asked. "We are not alone in the universe! There are so many out there, the chitauri was just a taste what if."
"Isn't that what the avengers are for?" Bruce asked.
"What if the avengers aren't enough?" Tony asked and Bruce quieted.
"We'll be careful." Tony tried again. "The staff, it's just science right? And we are scientists. It would go against our own nature not to at least research it."
"Robert would never agree to that." Bruce stated. "You know what he feels about it, he says we should lock it away."
"That's why we aren't going to tell him!" Tony stated. "Or Cap or any of the others, they wont have to know. Then they wont have to worry about it!"
"Tony…. That's insane." Bruce breathed. "Please, don't talk like that. You're sounding like you're loosing your mind."
Ones again the images flashed through Tony's head, their dead bodies… earth. No. "What if… the HULK lost control again?" he asked. "There is nothing on this earth matching his strength."
That made Bruce stiffen, clearly Tony had hit the desired soft spot. Unfortunately, Tony didn't in any way feel good about that… He felt awful. He was exploiting his own friends worst fear! This was not what a good friend would do!
And still, all the death.. the great army… It lured in Tony's mind, he couldn't get rid of it.
Bruce sighed. "I need to think." he stated. "Please, don't let me HULK out. Not now." he asked rubbing his forehead. "I'm really tired right now."
"Okay… Okay take five big guy." Tony sighed padding him on the shoulder. "Just, please think. I don't really want to mess with that thing either. But earth is basically defenseless, that's why… That's the only reason why. Something is out there! I saw it when I entered the worm hole. The army we fought, it was only a tiny fraction of it! Loki was a lower ranking captain not the general. Bru-Bruce! The-they're coming they!"
"HEY!" Bruce grabbed his shoulders. "Easy! You're panicking!" he informed and wide-eyed Tony looked up.
"Deep breath." Bruce instructed and Tony did as he was told. Then Bruce sighed. "Let me think about it, okay?" he asked as he leaned back. "Just, please relax. You did well today, everybody did. We're fine.."
"Well, for now we are." Tony pointed. "And even then, Clint was hurt! Really badly."
Bruce closed his eyes. "please, I need some sleep. Just.."
"Okay." Tony nodded as he stood up. "I.. I'm sorry. Please rest."
Bruce nodded though his face was frowning as his eyes were squinted together, it was pretty doubtful he would get any rest at all.
As the jet landed in New york, two things were of priority. Transporting the staff inside safely, it was constantly kept in the case build for it so it wouldn't release any of its energy everybody already knew had mind control powers, just by it being in the room.
The other priority which was just as high was getting Clint to a hospital, there was no celebrating that evening, their team mates health was of greater concern and they would only celebrate ones he had gotten released from the hospital.
Thor, went to see Loki.
Loki was hanging out in his own room, looking gloomy as he was sitting in the darkest corner imaginable. He had removed the glasses Thor damn well knew he didn't need at all, his green eyes looked puzzled, Thor recognized it as his brother being in deep thought, battling a difficult conundrum.
The waist coat he would always wear in his human appearance was buttoned up, hanging loosely over the beige shirt. He really had been consistent in never wearing black or green while he had stayed on earth, not even gold like he had favored so much on Asgard.
"I put the cameras and microphones on a loop, you can speak." Loki informed, not even offering Thor a glance.
Thor looked at him. "You seem very troubled." he admitted.
Loki frowned. "The staff is nearby." he stated. "Further more, it seems like the humans whom had it has already miss used its power. The consequences might be severe."
"The staff frightens you?" Thor asked, if Loki was frightened of it… That was bad news.
Loki closed his eyes, maybe he didn't even notice it himself, but his hands were tightening into fists, cutting off the blood.
"Loki..." Thor tried to ask again. "Where did you get that staff?" he asked.
"It was… a gift." Loki finally admitted and Thor looked up, honestly surprised that Loki said anything. "No… Not a gift. I was supposed to give it back ones I had finished using it, it was only for lend."
"Who?" Thor asked. "Who lend it to you? LOKI!" he exclaimed.
Loki didn't move, his eyes were still closed.
"This person might be returning to get it back!" Thor exclaimed.
"Oh he will return, that is a certainty." Loki stated.
"So you would put earth in danger by keeping quiet?!" Thor asked.
Loki was quiet again, his eyes had not opened.
"Loki, please." Now Thor was pleading. "I shall not be mad at you, and I shall not punish you. Just tell me what you know! Your pride has kept you quiet, isn't it enough now though?" he asked.
Loki remained quiet, then slowly he stood up, and took a few steps away, standing with his back to Thor. "We have other things to worry about at this moment Thor." he informed. "Those two entities, the speedster and the sorcerer. They are of more immediate concerns. Are they our allies or enemies? If they are our enemies, is there a way to make them our allies? If not, how then do we proceed?"
Thor silenced. "There truly is such people afoot here on earth?" he asked.
"There is, I am certain." Loki nodded. "The power they hold it is… immense. And yet, that is power merely granted by the staff. How strong does that make the staff?" he asked turning to Thor. "That thing is not to be trifled with!"
Thor was quiet as he looked at his brother, it was not usual to see Loki be scared, not even in his mortal form. It was in fact… concerning to see. Then he closed his eyes as he sighed deeply. "Loki… I propose a deal."
Loki lifted an eyebrow. "Oh that sounds interesting." he commented. "And rather unlike you."
"But it is a lot like you." Thor pointed out. "So I hope you'll agree! I do something for you, and you do something for me!"
"Oh?" Loki asked. "Then what is it you will do that I would want?" he asked. "I mean, out of things you wouldn't have done anyway?"
"I'll hide the staff for you." Thor stated. "At a place the Avengers wont know of, you may even decide where this place is! If it is on earth or away from earth, you may decide where I shall place the staff! And only you and I will know of its whereabouts. In return, you shall tell me who lend it to you in the first place! Who's army you were controlling! Tell me! Loki!"
Loki looked up at Thor, ones again their eyes met.
Thor had been asking Loki this very question, every single time they had met since Lokis banishment, and every single time Loki had kept quiet. Thor wasn't even expecting Loki to reply. Yet he could not stop asking, he had to keep going, until he found out.
Then slowly, Loki offered Thor a slow nod.
Thor blinked, had he in fact… Just seen that? Was Loki just messing with him?
"Okay… You got a deal." Loki said and Thor gaped, honestly dumbstruck.
"You… You'll tell me?" Thor asked.
"Yes! You sure kept my ears filled with all the noise about it!" Loki exclaimed. "So fine! I'll tell you! After we dealt with the staff and these mutants that the staff created!"
Thor chewed a bit on that thoughtfully then nodded. "Okay." he then said. "The staff should be safe for now though right? It's locked away."
"Yes." Loki sighed. "We are going to discuss what to do with it as a group. It should be safe until then. What the avengers figures out then though will be irrelevant. You shall take it, and then you shall hide it away. Then I shall tell you everything I know."
Thor gasped, he could barely even believe it! Of course there was a good chance he was being tricked, but even so. Thor would be the one to hide the staff, he had the upper hand. And something seemed different about Loki, like he had finally arrived at the conclusion that it just wasn't worth it holding unto this information anymore! "The staff shall be safe!" he beamed. "You have my word!"
"Are you sure this is safe Tony?"
No… Tony was not sure this was safe, combining the staff with his safe keeping robots. It wasn't safe at all!
But it had to be done! Earth was defenseless against the alien threat! He had to do it! For Pepper! For the avengers! For earth!
And so, he put the staff down on the electronic table, connected to his computer and to his tower, to all the electronics in there. If he wasn't going to do it… Then who would?
It was to protect earth!