Chapter Eighty Three: Plans
After what had proved to be a just as horrible as Stark had envisioned event, everyone finally seemed to be on the same page. They'd argued back and forth for hours about strategy, placement, timing, and everything else under the sun, including trying to keep Hiro and his team from joining in. But even Stark knew not to press on that one. The Big Hero 6 would join whether they were wanted or not. That was how they rolled.
So, after what had proven the tempers of several members of the planning committee, things were finally settled. Without Hiro, they never would have known what was going or where to find these people. And without the LAPD, and Jack's men, they wouldn't have the means, or approval, to get the job done. Even Ella had proven a point or two in the discussion, though she was going to remain with Chloe at the command tent when the time came.
Tony let out a sigh as he settled back against the cushions of his car, Happy Hogan driving them back to his mansion once more. He pressed one hand against his temples, a headache forming as he tried to ignore the presence of Hiro and Loki. It wouldn't have been so bad if Loki hadn't been there, but, then again, the Asgardian had broken in a few times when things looked like they might get out of hand. If nothing else, he'd proven a somewhat reliable bodyguard for Hiro, which was saying something.
For his part, Hiro couldn't help but feel a bit like a kid at the principal's office, stuck between the two adults, who refused to sit next to each other. It was like they were afraid of getting cooties from each other or something. Though, in some ways, Hiro supposed he couldn't blame them for not entirely trusting the other. They did have a bit of a history. But Loki had changed since then. The teen couldn't quite say how, but he knew it was true.
"So…." Thin legs all but dangled from the bench seat in the back of the sedan. Technically, he could reach the floor but had opted to scoot as far back against the seat as possible; giving his toes a few inches clearance from the ground. "Tomorrow then?"
Tony closed his eyes. Part of him wanted to tie the teen up and leave him behind but knew that wouldn't blow over well, not with the rest of his team, and certainly not with his self-proclaimed "bodyguard". He let out another sigh, keeping this one quieter, before answering. "You were there."
Hiro gave a bit of a funny grunt, his expression almost wistful. "Just checking." Though no stranger to the planning and execution of complex missions, he couldn't help but feel a bit out of his element. Part of him wondered if this was how the rest of his friends had felt when going after Hydra to rescue both him and Kally. He supposed it was possible. And even comparing this to that one operation with the Doctor, he still couldn't help but feel that things might be a bit above his pay grade. But he knew Loki wouldn't let anything hurt him. And they'd come this far. There was no point in not seeing things through to the end.
The Asgardian had his arms folded over his chest. He'd opted to return to his more traditional form once they were free from prying eyes, giving Hiro a little bit more room than he'd have had otherwise. There were still parts of the plan he didn't agree with but supposed that would always be the way of things. All he had to do was keep an eye on Hiro and hope for the best. Someone had to look after the teen.
"I just hope the others will be agreeable to the arrangements," Loki said to no one in particular. It was obvious that Cass and Wasabi would stay behind. There was no reason to put them in danger. Kally would take the OCD hero's place, while Loki would transform, not into the blade-wielder, but something else, allowing him to stay closer to Hiro or go in on his own. Whatever the need might be. He knew Cass would prefer he not let her nephew out of his sight.
It still rankled him no end that the Detective was less than happy about their help, even though the woman wouldn't be doing much on the ground anyway. Perhaps it was difficult to get her head around the idea that a teen-led group of super heroes could actually do some good. Everyone had had their moments of skepticism at one point or another, he was sure. Loki knew he had. But that was in the past. And a new day was dawning, one which no one was likely to expect.
The car pulled to a stop inside the gates of Tony's mansion and Happy got out to open the door for Mr. Stark. The man in question exited the vehicle with a grimace, holding his sunglasses in place as the sun tried to blind him. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in the lab," he announced and headed towards the front door, leaving the others to their own devices.
With his main employer out of the way, Happy quickly moved to open the back of the car, letting Loki out first. The Asgardian stretched, changing back into his bodyguard persona in one smooth motion as he became visible to anyone in the yard. It wouldn't do to let Krei's men know he wasn't really one of them. That and he wasn't sure if there were other prying eyes about. Once inside, he'd return to his more normal appearance, but not a moment sooner.
Hiro stumbled as he stepped out onto the drive. For whatever reason, his entire body felt like it was made of rubber long enough for him to almost succumb to gravity. Thankfully, Loki was there to catch him with one arm around the middle. He blinked a few times, his vision swimming with the image of infinite stars.
"Are you all right?" Loki asked, his brow creased with concern as he looked at his young charge. He thought he saw the reflection of Eternity in the teen's eyes but wasn't sure. Nor was he sure what that meant in the grand scheme of things, if anything.
Trying to brush it off, Hiro straightened, almost locking his knees. "I'm fine. Just lost my balance." He gave himself another moment to recalibrate his equilibrium before stepping away from Loki and the vehicle.
Loki looked thoughtful as he watched Hiro head towards the door. Despite his protests, there was something that wasn't quite right about this recent incident. He just couldn't put his finger on it. Unfortunately, there really wasn't really anyone he could ask about it either. He wasn't even sure if Hiro knew what had happened either, or why. But it definitely meant he'd have to keep a closer eye on the lad.
The sound of voices came from the now open door and Loki moved to join the others inside, who were obviously clamoring for answers. If Hiro was having another incident, it wouldn't be wise to leave him to the tender mercies of the others, especially since they had no more an idea as to what was going on than the Detective did.
The low hum of the television filled the air as Cass sat, staring at the screen. The others had long since gone to bed but her mind wouldn't let her. Thoughts ranged all over the place as she contemplated all of the recent events, and the upcoming events on the morrow. It didn't help that Loki had mentioned Hiro having some slight reaction to something as they were returning from the strategy meeting.
Loki lifted her hand and gently pressed his lips to it. "A penny for your thoughts," he said, keeping his voice soft in the off chance someone was awake besides JARVIS and Baymax. The robot was in with his number one patient, keeping an eye on things, but one never knew just how sensitive his hearing was.
Snuggling closer to the god of mischief, Cass rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm worried about Hiro," she admitted. "Maybe I'm trying to coddle him a bit but part of me doesn't want him to go tomorrow. He's just been through so much."
The Asgardian snaked his arm around her shoulders, noting that she no longer winced from pain as he did so. He played idly with her hair, turning his head long enough to kiss her on the forehead. He kept his other hand lying on his knee, where it couldn't get into mischief. "Your concerns are understandable," he assured her. "But remember that I will be there by his side at all times. As will Baymax. If anything should go awry, we will both be sure to get him out of harm's way."
Cass reached one over to hold Loki's, clasping her fingers with his. "I just don't know if I can stand to see him hurt again," she admitted.
Loki changed his position so that he was giving her more of a one-sided hug, pulling her as close to himself as he dared. He didn't relinquish her hand either as he leaned his head against hers. "I know," he acknowledged. "But it will help if he knows he has your support."
She gave a weak smile, not sure if he could see it. "He always does," she sighed, her eyelids growing heavy. In a moment she was snoring softly, her eyes slightly damp with tears.
The rumble of trucks filled the air and Kally couldn't help but feel that everyone in the entire state of California could hear them coming. At least the trees around them seemed to dampen the noise just a little. It was unfortunate Jack and the others had insisted they all head out in the same convey. She knew for a fact that Hiro and his team could get there faster, and with less noise. The only other thing that helped was that it was still night time.
With a groan like something dying, the truck she was in came to a halt, the engine going silent. Certainly not the most comfortable of rides, she was more than happy to exit the military-style vehicle, resisting the urge to rub at her backside. It had gone numb during their journey; though she felt sure she'd feel it soon enough once the nerves woke up again.
Supposedly, they'd parked far enough away from the place in question those they were after wouldn't know they were there. But it was always a risk bringing heavy vehicles into a place like a wooded mountainside. One never knew how far out any scouts might be. But, with luck, maybe they had decided they'd gotten what they wanted and were being less careful. It was a hope, but likely not a good one.
Tree surrounded them, the sharp smell of pine and other vegetation coming to the forefront as Kally made her way to the rest of her designated team. It made sense that she'd be working with Big Hero 6 again. They went together quite well. And, like their time at the Federal Reserve, they were breaking up into smaller units.
"About time," GoGo complained as she stretched. She'd ridden in the transport next to the one Kally had just exited, but looked no worse for wear. Her iconic yellow and black suit didn't even have a wrinkle.
Kally jumped up and down a few times to get the blood pumping. She felt for her pocket where she kept her extendable baton. Dressed in something more akin to a karate gi, she more than looked the part of the ninja, complete with a mask she had pulled in place.
Next to join their little group was Fred and Honey Lemon. They'd managed to get in the same vehicle as GoGo, though they'd been a bit slower getting out thanks to the officers who'd separated them from their friend. It helped that GoGo had tried to pick their brains, leaving the other two to their own devices. "Well, that was fun," the mascot commented as he stretched inside his kaiju suit. Like the others, he had his hood in place to maintain his secret identity.
"Where are we?" Honey wondered as she looked around at all the trees. As far as she could tell, they were in the middle of nowhere, with no enemy camp in sight.
Tony landed next to them in his Iron Man suit. "We're about a mile away from our destination," he answered. "They're setting up the command center here, far enough away from the action it shouldn't be a problem."
"Unless they've got more bombs," GoGo added under her breath, looking her usual sarcastic self.
Iron Man chose to ignore her comment. "Where are Hiro and Baymax?" He refused to name Loki, even though he knew the Asgardian would be joining them. Looking around, he couldn't see the iconic cherry red suit, or the darker black and purple. He had no idea how Loki would appear, as the bodyguard, or something else.
Before anyone could even look around, Hiro and his robotic companion seemed to materialize out of nowhere. "Kinda cool, huh?" the teen asked as he clambered down from Baymax's back. As soon as the boy genius was clear, the robot stepped to one side, revealing the god of mischief.
Fred almost geeked out but didn't. With all of the soldiers on the ground near them, he decided it would be better to keep his cool. Instead, he put his hands on his hips. "That is pretty cool," he admitted. "Think you can somehow translate that into a serum that will make me invisible too?"
Hiro laughed. "Probably not. Loki's magic isn't exactly something you can bottle."
A pout formed on Fred's face, not that anyone could see it behind the mask, but he quickly perked back up as he saw Lucifer heading their way from a tent several people in uniform were putting up. "Hey!" He waved one arm in an exaggerated manner, the fake claws clacking together on his covered hand.
Seeing the ragtag group, Lucifer made straight for them. "Well, hello," he greeted. "Looks like you all made it intact." He gave Loki a wry look. "I hope you didn't have any trouble with your transport."
"It was adequate," GoGo said, popping a gum bubble. Transportation was transportation. She only wished they'd let her drive, instead of keeping her and her friends in the back of the vehicle. Then again, maybe it wasn't a bad thing.
Lucifer began walking away from the party, looking back over his shoulder when he didn't hear the immediate crunch of following footsteps. "Command center's over here," he stated. "I'm sure Jack would love to brief you on any changes."
While GoGo rolled her eyes, the others followed after the devil in a haphazard fashion, arriving at about the same time as Tony Stark, who came from above. But before the billionaire could greet them, Jack Harkness turned from his position near a computer. "Oh good, you made it," he said. He reassured the tech working on hooking up everything before moving towards the odd group.
"There are just a few changes to our initial plan," the space captain announced. Tony rolled his eyes bit stopped at Jack's expression. "Knowing how the Big Hero 6 team works, I thought it best to make a few alterations, especially given the more recent history of your battles." He gave Hiro an apologetic look.
Honey clenched her hands together. "That doesn't sound good," she said to no one in particular. They'd gone over the plans last night, with Hiro grumbling about the arrangements and accommodations they'd made for him and his team. But to have even more changes made, she wasn't sure how their teen leader would handle it. She glanced his direction but his face was turned from her view.
"My men, along with the NYPD," he gave Lucifer a nod in lieu of the detective being there. She'd had to step out to take a call from her mother about her daughter, "will come around the encampment while Stark keeps an eye from above. Honey Lemon and Fred will join Team A. Kally and GoGo will join Team B. Hiro, Baymax, and Loki will join Team C, coming from the rear."
Expression blank, Hiro nodded. Now was not the time to argue. They were on the verge of a potential massacre and he could understand why Jack might want to take precautions. Especially given Hiro's more recent bouts of incapacitating phenomena. He could understand but that didn't mean he had to like it.
"I want everyone to tune into the same frequency used last time," Jack continued. "The same as at that university and those other places." He gave the college students a look, just to make sure they got the message.
Hiro broke away from the cluster of friends, helmet in hand. "No problem," he acknowledged. "We all have to be flexible here."
Loki resisted the urge to roll his eyes, sure Hiro was just placating, though he wasn't completely sure. Either way, he wasn't going to leave Hiro's side. He'd made a promise.
"Any questions?" Jack looked around the small group, noting Chloe Decker coming up out of the corner of his eye. He thanked all the stars she'd agreed to stay back at the command tent due to her injury. Her crutch would only hinder the operation.
Everyone shook their heads, though Tony gave Hiro a pointed look, mixed with a bit of concern. The teen's color was a little off the usual. But he dismissed it when Jack called for his attention and the others dispersed to their designated areas.
Hiro flipped to their private frequency as they walked away. "I'm going along with the plan, for now," he told his team. "But don't be afraid to deviate if the circumstances call for it. Just don't take any unnecessary risks."
Loki smirked a bit at that but let it be as he heard the acknowledgements of the others in his earpiece. While they were still outside of a decent distance to their assigned team, he transformed to a small snake and slithered up Hiro's leg. "I hope you're not adverse to snakes," he stated as he settled on Hiro's shoulders.
The teen shuddered, trying to suppress images from his childhood nightmares. A cold sweat tried to break out on his skin but he willed it away, along with his pounding heart.
"Hiro does not care for snakes," Baymax stated, having witnessed the teen's discomfort and attempts to squelch it.
Realizing Hiro's revulsion, Loki decided to take on a different form, a chameleon. "I hope that's better," he said in Hiro's mind.
Giving a bit of a nod, Hiro continued to plod towards their given rendezvous point. While lizards, any kind of lizards, weren't snakes, they still had some similar characteristics and the teen had to remind himself that the chameleon wasn't really a chameleon, but his friend. "I'll live," he said, hoping his tone wasn't one that would hurt the Asgardian's feelings.
Once they were clear of the lower tree branches, Hiro mounted Baymax's back, activating the magnetic locks to keep him in place. He took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Let's do this."