KellHound270s Work

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I'm genuinely impressed that you love this story so much. As such, here's the next chapter of EMD!

Enjoy, and please RR!

—

Chapter II

Tokyo, Japan

Tony and his friend Rhodey sat at a modest-sized table. They were currently in the apartment of Joseph Brody, who Tony had bailed out.

"Again, sorry about the mess," Joe said, walking towards them with a tea kettle and cups. "I rarely get visitors."

"You should see my shop after a good day," Tony replied, accepting the tea. "Not to brag, but it would put this to shame."

"I can vouch for that," Rhodey added.

Joe chuckled. "Sounds like we have something in common, Mr. Stark."

Tony smiled as he raised the tea to his lips. He tasted the bitter liquid, but let it slide into his mouth.

"I can see it's an acquired taste," Tony said.

"Yeah, took me about three months to get used to it." Joe drank his own tea. "But coffee is expensive here."

"Our condolences to your American heritage," Tony said.

"Here, here." Rhodey raised his cup.

The three men sat in silence for a good minute, before Tony's curiosity got the better of him.

"Why did you go into Janjira?" he asked.

Joe's face became sullen and depressed.

"I have this feeling, deep down in my gut, that this was no natural disaster," he said. "I was there when it happened."

"I know that, but you can't let your wife's death cloud your judgement."

Joe nodded, but he wasn't convinced.

"Before the 'meltdown,'" he continued, "one of the employees handed me a seismograph."

Joe grabbed a sheet of paper from a nearby desk. Taking a pen out of his shirt, he started to scribble on the paper.

"I may be an old man, but I remember that day like the back of my hand."

He rotated the paper and pushed it toward his visitors. They carefully inspected what he had drawn.

It was a jagged line that steadily rose and made a plateau for a short while, before it descended again.

"This is wrong," Tony said.

"How so?" Rhodey asked.

"Earthquakes are random, a collection of spikes. This is a rapid increase, a period of consistency, then a drop. Like it was made by an otherworldly force."

"You're not suggesting aliens, are you?"

"I'm not ruling it out." Tony looked at Joe and leaned forward. "Are you absolutely sure?"

Joe nodded slowly, the memories flooding to him.

"It was my birthday," he mused. "Me and Sandra went to the plant. I told her to check the reactors for any malfunctions." He held his head in his hands as he started to sob. "I sent her down there..."

Tony placed his hand on Joe's shoulder. He couldn't deny the feelings he was now feeling.

"I lost my parents when I was twenty-three," he said, trying to make him feel better. "They were found in their wrecked car. I always felt that they died of other causes, but it hardly matters, now."

"Why?" Joe asked.

"Because it won't bring them back. All I can do is remember the good days. As cold as my dad was, I still loved him, and my mother was the greatest woman I ever knew."

Joe nodded. He seemed to have stopped crying, even though his eyes were still tearing up.

"I know that you don't want me to go back," he said, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt.

"That would be the smart thing to do," Tony replied. "But we're going to do the right thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Tony, are you serious?" Rhodey was stunned.

"We're going to his old house," Tony adamantly stated. He raised his watch to his mouth. "J.A.R.V.I.S.?"

"Yes, sir?" the AI program replied.

"Send us a few of the hazard suits. We're going into the quarantine zone."

—

Janjira, Japan

Nick Fury saw his prize agents walk towards him from the helicopter. He was glad they decided to come, even with the lack of information they were given.

"How was the flight, Clint?" he asked the man.

"Well, sir, it was boring." Clint adjusted the quiver he wore on he shoulder. "Without S.H.I.E.L.D., there's nothing much to do, even at home."

Fury nodded his head before turning to the woman. "How about you, Romanoff?"

"I'll feel better once I know what's going on," she said, annoyance evident in her voice.

"Trust me. Once we're done here, you'll know everything. For now, follow me."

Fury led the two agents through the building. He soon encountered the man in charge.

"Where are you going, Fury?" the man asked.

"Just taking these two agents to be debriefed." Fury gestured towards Romanoff and Barton. The man looked at them through his glasses.

"Where will they be stationed?" he asked.

"They will be guarding the Power Room. Don't worry. They're the best agents I've ever hired."

The man still seemed somewhat suspicious, but he let it slide.

"I'll trust your judgment on this, Fury." He started to walk away.

"Yes, Dr. Serizawa." Fury then continued through the hallways, the two agents in tow.

Before long, they were in an almost featureless room, aside from the table and the chairs in the center.

"I thought we were going to see some action!" Clint complained.

"I never said that you would," Fury stated. "Your job, however, is more than just to guard some room."

The agents looked at each other, then back at Fury.

"What's the deal, boss?" Natasha asked.

"These people are using Loki's scepter as a power source." Fury walked to the table, where he set down a small, round object, which showed a hologram of Loki's scepter. "Our job is to take it before they start to use it for something worse than a power source."

"I thought the Council was over this," Clint stated.

"Apparently not." Fury switched to a map of the building. "Here's the plan."