The next update. As always a Thank you to Senema for her help. My story is so much better because of her. All remaining mistakes are my own.

Tell me how you like it. I'm happy about every comment.

Chapter 9

Elijah looked from one curious face to the other. "To answer your question, I've walked this earth for over 1000 years and I was born as a Viking. I was a little boy when my parents fled from disease and war. Today the place, where we settled, is called Virginia."

Clint was delighted at the dumbfounded looks of the others.

Steve swallowed hard. "1000 years?"

Elijah smiled. "1000 years", he confirmed.

"A Viking?" Sam asked just as amazed. "Does that mean that the Vikings established the first colonies on the American mainland?"

Elijah smirked. "Yes, we did, 500 years before the official historiography."

"Do you know anything about the Asgardian and Jotun war fought on Earth?" Steve asked, absolutely fascinated.

He had asked Thor about the Jotun invasion, but Thor could only repeat his father's war stories, which were from the Asgardians' perspective. But here was a person sitting in front of him who had already lived then and was able to tell him stories from the perspective of the humans.

Elijah grew serious. "Just from what my parents told me, I was too young myself. But I remember it was freezing cold, I felt hungry all the time, and sickness and death were everywhere. My home village was not far away from the village where the Jotuns invaded."

"Maybe someday you can tell me these stories?" Steve asked hesitantly.

"Maybe", Elijah replied calmly.

"So you are 1000 years old, immortal, you can fight fantastically and influence people. Did I already know about that?" Natasha asked quietly.

"Yes, you knew. There was a nasty incident at the charity ball, but it was not caused by me. You, Clint, Phil und Pepper saw a few things and I found it too risky that a government agency like yours would know about me. So I took away your memories with your reluctant consent."

"Hm, understandable", said Natasha grudgingly. "How did you meet Clint again?"

"The head office of Elijah's company was in the skyscraper, where I took up my position. When I jumped through the window, I kind of rolled in front of his feet. He helped me up and then we were surprised by the Chitauri", Clint told a slightly abridged version of what had happened.

"Clint was injured and unable to defend himself so I decided to take care of the Chitauri for him", Elijah continued the narration.

"But how did you do it?" asked T'Challa. "Immortality is one thing, but from what I've heard the Chitauri were very strong, they outnumbered you and you were unarmed."

Elijah smiled. "I am a lot stronger and faster than a human. Not to mention my skills and knowledge about fighting and war I amassed in the last 1000 years and which I hone constantly. Although I have to admit that the Chitauri initially had slight difficulties in taking me seriously as a worthy opponent."

"Yes, but that changed pretty quickly. And from what I've observed on several occasions, you are used to being underestimated and you want it that way. And it usually only lasts until they fight against you for the first time", Clint replied, rolling his eyes.

Elijah shrugged disinterested. "Well, most of my adversaries only fight once against me."

"Yes, I remember that vividly too!" said Clint. He had to admit, he enjoyed the stunned looks that wandered back and forth between him and Elijah.

"Who is Klaus Mikaelson really to you and what is your relationship with him?" Natasha asked curiously. Surely he couldn't be the real brother of Elijah.

"He's my brother", answered Elijah, "my real brother, mind you. What changed me also happened to him, two other brothers and a sister. But my father was the first one of us who got turned."

"So it wasn't an accident", Steve concluded.

"No, it was done to me and my siblings on purpose and without our consent."

"And what about your father?" asked T'Challa thoughtfully, who remembered Elijah's exact words.

"It was his idea. Like I said, he was a bastard." Elijah shrugged.

Steve frowned. Elijah spoke of his father in the past, but wasn't he an immortal too?

"There is more to your story, isn't there?" asked Natasha, who had also noticed this discrepancy.

"Yes, there is, but that's all I am willing to tell you without taking drastic measures against you", Elijah replied.

"You mean, like taking away our memories", said Steve.

"Yes, or kill you. Oh, don't look so shocked, Steve! I have been guarding the secret of my existence for ten centuries and as everyone has undoubtedly noticed by now, I am extremely ruthless." Elijah's face was cool and uncompromising. "The only reason I'm telling you so much in the first place, and allowing you to keep these memories, is Clint and what he told me about you."

Steve looked over at Clint, who in fact didn't seem very surprised or shocked by Elijah's words. "What about your threat to Wanda?"

"Ah, that!" Elijah smiled slightly. "That was a bluff, Steve. Or would you have preferred if Wanda had died in my place?"

"No of course not! Mainly because she wouldn't have come back to life like you", Steve replied calmly.

"Good that we agree on this! Of course, I expect everyone present to keep quiet about what I have told you today." Elijah fixated them one by one. "And believe me, I will find out if one of you talks about me! And I really don't like it, when someone breaks a deal with me."

Wanda groaned softly and immediately the tension in the plane was broken when everyone concentrated their attention on her.

"Wanda, can you hear me?" Clint asked worried. Her eyelids twitched and then she opened her eyes. Clint saw that they were first dazed and empty but that quickly changed.

Wanda's eyes cleared and she smiled at Clint, but then she seemed to remember everything and she turned pale. With wild eyes she looked around and when she saw Elijah sitting next to her, she sagged together. Everyone was taken by surprise when she threw her arms around Elijah and burst into tears. "I am so sorry! Forgive me!"

"There is nothing to forgive, child", Elijah reassured her in a soft voice. "You only did what I wanted. If anyone here has to apologize, it's me! I betrayed your trust when I forced you to attack me!"

Steve no longer wondered about the use of child either. To Elijah, they all had to feel like children.

Wanda sniffled then let go of Elijah. She looked around and could easily see what had happened from the agitated looks of the people present. "What did you tell them about yourself?"

"Not much, his age and that he has siblings like him", Steve replied calmly. "We also know that he has increased physical abilities and seems to be immortal. And he threatened to kill us if we don't keep his secret." Steve was less intimidated than annoyed by this threat.

"I see." Wanda looked solemn. "You should take Elijah's warning seriously. In my homeland there are stories about him and his family."

"What kind of stories?" Natasha asked probingly.

"Horror stories", Elijah replied curtly. "My younger siblings are prone to temper outbursts, while I for the most part just clean up their messes."

"So you are the eldest?" Steve asked curiously.

"No, I have an older brother. He just never was very interested in me and our younger siblings, so I took on his responsibilities." Elijah's face was calm.

"You love your family", Scott said fascinated. "Even after a 1000 years!"

"There is nothing that I value higher and that I would not do for them", Elijah replied uncompromisingly.

Though Steve had serious doubts about Elijah's morals or his approach to certain situations, he could only admire him for his loyalty to his siblings.

On the other hand, he wasn't 1000 years old either. Who knew, how Steve would have grown up to be under the same circumstances as Elijah? He had neither the right nor the necessary knowledge to judge him!

T'Challa suddenly put a hand to his ear and stood up. "Excuse me for a moment, I have to go in the cockpit."

All eyes followed him as he walked to the cockpit and closed the door behind him. Clint looked over at Elijah, who had tilted his head to one side and seemed to be listening.

Natasha saw it too. "Tell me, Elijah, how good is your hearing really? Can you actually hear something through half a meter of steel?"

Elijah just smirked without answering.

T'Challa left the cockpit with a serious face and took his seat again. "We have a problem. We are again over the mainland but the coasts are now being monitored. The authorities no doubt reckon we're still over the ocean because they don't know how fast this plane is."

"Which means, we have no way of getting to Wakanda right now", Steve said calmly.

"Exactly", said T'Challa grimly.

"So we have to hide in a safe place for a few days", said Natasha equally calmly. "Does anyone have suggestions?"

There was general silence as each went through the various hiding spots, he or she knew and whether it was big enough to hide the plane as well.

But then, it was Clint who said something first and it had nothing to do with Natasha's question. "In any case, it would be good if we could get medical care there."

That gave him the undivided attention of Steve and Natasha.

Steve eyed his friend worriedly. "Why? What is wrong with you?"

Sam sighed and reluctantly admitted. "They worked us over pretty badly. I fear that both Clint and I have internal injuries."

Steve looked at Wanda, who shook her head. "They didn't hit me."

Steve scowled. Maybe they hadn't hit Wanda but they had certainly abused her. "That is at least something."

"But you could very well use some other kind of help", Clint said gravely, and Wanda didn't argue with this.

"What about you, Scott?" Steve asked the last of the former prisoners.

"They haven't treated me as badly as the others, but I would also prefer a doctor to examine me", Scott admitted.

Steve sighed. "Okay, we put it on the list. And I don't have any suggestions. Stark knows all the hiding spots that I know."

Clint and Natasha exchanged looks.

"We have some hiding spots that he doesn't know about, but none of them are suitable for hiding an airplane", answered Natasha for both of them.

Now everyone looked at Scott, who shook his head defensively. "Don't look at me! I never had to hide a plane."

T'Challa and Okoye looked at each other. They didn't know any place to hide on the American mainland either.

Elijah realized that they were out of options and sighed resigned. He took out his cell phone and dialled a number. "Shana, it's me! You're on speaker."

An energetic woman's voice could be heard. "It is good to hear from you, sir. Everything worked out as planned?"

"Yes, it has! Please tell Laura that the rescue was successful, Clint and everyone else are safely on board. But now we have another problem, we have to hide an airplane and a bunch of fugitives."

Elijah looked at T'Challa. "I need the exact measurements of the plane. And can the stealth capabilities of your plane be maintained even when the engines are turned off?"

T'Challa hesitated for a moment, then answered frankly. "Yes, it can! Taking into account a safety buffer, we need a space of 50 x 100 meters."

Elijah thought for a moment about the layout of his property. "Did you hear him?"

"Yes, sir", came the calm answer.

"The aircraft cannot be detected by technical means, but it can still be seen by human eyes when there are flyovers, which we have to prevent. The workers shall prepare everything in the clearing by the lake. It's big enough and if necessary, we can dump suspicious evidence in the lake. "

"I will instruct the foreman. When will you arrive here?"

Steve heard no hesitation or bewilderment in Shana's voice, as if she received such instructions every day. In any case, she made a very competent impression but if she worked for Elijah, she had to be. He didn't think that Elijah would tolerate anything else.

"I need the coordinates of your property", T'Challa said calmly.

Elijah hesitated clearly. "Shana, I'll call you again about the arrival time. Also, please prepare rooms for 11 additional people! And we need a doctor, who knows when to be silent and he must have experience in trauma treatment!"

"I will arrange everything, including that there are enough vehicles on site to pick up all passengers", Shana said.

"Thanks Shana, I'll be in touch." Elijah hung up. "It looks like you're hiding out on my property for a few days." He breathed deeply in. "But there are conditions!" Elijah looked Steve in the eye. "This place is my sanctuary. I never showed it to anyone, and I never invited anyone there. Even my siblings don't know about it."

Steve swallowed. When such a private person as Elijah made such a statement it meant something. "I understand. What are your conditions?"

"The coordinates get deleted from the aircraft's navigation system." Elijah looked at T'Challa.

"Consider it done!" T'Challa answered firmly.

"Nobody but the pilot will be in the cockpit and I will make sure that he forgets everything with which to find my sanctuary."

Now T'Challa clearly hesitated. "I can't make any decisions for the pilot. But I can go into the cockpit with you and explain everything to him. If he agrees, I'll be fine with stepping out of the cockpit and leave the rest to you."

"That is acceptable!" Elijah answered. If the pilot did not agree to it, he had to think of alternatives.

Clint inwardly grinned. This pilot would lose his memory whether he wanted to or not. Hopefully he was smart enough not to resist. But Clint was also thoughtful and moved. That Elijah was willing to take them in and to hide them in his sanctuary was remarkable and spoke for itself.

Natasha stared at him with narrowed eyes. She knew her partner far too well, not to know that he was having a great time. Clint shrugged and she rolled her eyes in reaction.

"That's all you want?" Steve then asked.

"Except that no one leaves my property, so that none of you can pinpoint your position and that you don't talk about where you've been hiding." Elijah shrugged. "However, I don't think that will be a big sacrifice for you. You cannot show your faces anywhere anyway. The government will doubtlessly start a smear campaign against you, all broadcasters will show your photos."

"Yes, we know that", said Natasha softly. "And you are correct with your assumption. Your terms are acceptable."

"Then let's go into the cockpit", said T'Challa, getting up. Elijah nodded and got up too. The two men went into the cockpit together.

The pilot looked up as T'Challa entered the cockpit. "What are the coordinates of our destination, sir?"

Elijah also entered the cockpit and closed the door behind him. Immediately the pilot's gaze became cautious.

T'Challa sighed and began to inform the pilot of everything that had been discussed in the cabin and the conditions that Elijah was imposing for his hospitality.

"I will forget everything?" The pilot asked uncertain.

"Just the coordinates you put in the navigation computer and you will forget the route you flew. And as soon as you fly away, you will forget the first 15 minutes from the return flight too", Elijah explained calmly.

The pilot hesitated. "And otherwise I won't forget anything?"

"No, nothing else", Elijah answered immediately.

"Tajo, according to my information, he is very good at it, you will not suffer from any brain damage", T'Challa also assured him.

"Then I will agree to this, sir, for you", replied the pilot.

"Thank you for your loyalty and your trust", said T'Challa and left the cockpit satisfied. That had gone far more smoothly than he had dreaded.