Chapter 2: don't mind me dropping in
High above America an S.H.I.E.L.D hellicarrier was hovering in the skies unnoticed by the civilians that were on the ground.
On the deck were the avengers; they had just finished looking at the interrogation of Loki who they had just picked up after him causing chaos in Stuttgart. They were all sat around a table, well except Thor he was standing to the side in deep thought, in complete silence. After a really long pregnant pause Dr Banner spoke up "he really grows on you, doesn't he" "Loki's gonna drag this out. So… Thor… what's his play" Steve asks the contemplating god knocking him out of thought "he has an army called the chitauri. They're not of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the Earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract" the table went silent and Steve became serious "an army? From outer space" "so he's building another portal. That's what they need Erik Selvig for" Banner enquired "Selvig" Thor asks "he's an astrophysicist" the doctor replied "he's a friend" the god informed.
Watching on Natasha, aka black widow, decides to speak "Loki has him under some kind of spell; along with one of our own" with a little despair "I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here" Steve enquired "I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you can smell crazy on him" Banner says insulting the mischievous god "have care how you speak. Loki is of Asgard, and he's my brother" the lightening god said protectively "he killed eighty people in two days" the widow informed the god "he's adopted" he could all but reply. Banner had a thought which he expressed aloud "iridium, what did they need the iridium for".
Not long after Banner's voice was heard Tony and agent Coulson walks on the deck "it's a stabilising agent" the playboy announced then turned to the agent beside him "I'll fly you there. Keep the love alive… Means the portal won't collapse on itself, like it did at S.H.I.E.L.D" he finished explaining his previous statement. Stark then walks past the god of thunder tapping him on the arm "no hard feelings, point break. You've got a mean swing… also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki want" stepping up to where director fury over sees the flight deck, Tony addresses the crew "uh, raise the mid-mast, ship the top sails… That man is playing Galaga! (Pointing to a worker at a computer, who was indeed playing the popular 80's game) thought we wouldn't notice. But we did" this cause the table attention. The billionaire turns back to the two controls and covers one eye "how does fury do this" he asks curiously. One of the higher agents, Maria hill decides to answer "he turns".
Looking around the monitors, Tony places a button size hacking implant under one of Fury's controls which went unnoticed. Turning back to everyone around the table "sounds exhausting… the rest of the raw materials, agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. The only major component he still needs is a power source. A high energy density, something to kick starts the cube" Tony informed "when did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics" Maria asks, smugly he replies "last night… the packet. Selvig's notes, the Extraction Theory papers… am I the only one who did the reading" "does Loki need any particular kind of power source" Steve jumps in "he's got to heat the cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Columbian barrier" Bruce explains "unless Selvig has figured out how to the stabilise the quantum tunnelling effect" carries on Bruce's train of thought" "well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet" "finally someone who speaks English" Tony and Bruce banter back and forward.
The table look confused at the doctor and the philanthropist "is that what just happened" Steve asks confused. Walking up to the doctor Tony shakes his hand and both hand a glimmer of mutual respect in their eyes "it's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. You're work on anti-electro collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster" Tony excitedly expresses "thanks" was all the doctor could say looking down bashfully or of embarrassment.
Walking on deck the director informs everyone "Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him" pointedly looking at the playboy "lets start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon" Steve suggests "I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube. And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys" fury ads "monkeys? I do not understand" Thor confusedly asks, not getting the pop culture reference "I do! I understand that reference" Steve jumps in a bit too proudly that causes Tony to roll his eyes but turns to Banner "shall we play, doctor?" "Let's play some" he replies.
Looking around Fury notices someone missing "hold up, where's Special Agent Jameson" he asks the room "not too sure director… her line went dead just after being put on hold sir" coulson interjects "and her location" Nick enquires "last known location… Shanghai, China" agent hill answers looking down at her tablet. The room falls in a pregnant silence.
There was a crackle to be heard in the air and suddenly out of nowhere a body falls on top of the table in a mound of green. The avengers were alerted and got on the defence. Tension in the atmosphere could be cut with a knife, but seemed to settle a little when groaning came from the form in green. Sitting up slowly Alex groaned out "that bloody wanker actually threw me out of a 50 story window" looking up she comes face to face with the billionaire playboy philanthropist, who was looking at her with an excited smouldering gaze as he has a perfect view of her shapely legs that were poking out the slit in her dress. Giving him the same look she cheekily asks "like what you see pretty boy" to which a slight opening of Tony mouth only a cough could be heard.
Director Fury walks up to the table and holds out a hand to Alex "nice of you to drop in Jameson… now we can get to real matters" the dazed agent takes a hold of his hand "and what would they be Nicolas… for you to interrupt my deep undercover mission it must be bloody important… a matter of life and death I suppose" she replies getting off the table and winking in Tony's direction hoping he would understand the reference of rock culture, he smirks in return. Dropping her hand Nick walks a little away explaining the situation "we have a captive in the holding cell that we need you to get into his head" confusion spread across her face quickly "can you not use your beady eye and intimidate the bugger like you usually do" a few sniggers could be heard from the table but fury did not looked amused "now! Now! Nicolas don't give me the stink eye, you know I would. You didn't need to ask" though he nodded in approval he still did not look amused.
Looking around the room, Alex took in the people and quickly figure that the members of the avengers were here "so anyone going to catch me up to date, seeing as the avengers have been assembled" the big godly looking fellow stepped up to talk "my lady, my brother has come with an army called the Chitauri. They are not of this world or any other. He means to rule this realm and make the people kneel before him" Alex was nodding along to take it all in "and you would be" the blonde took her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles "I would be Thor Odinson of Asgard" ringing bells went off in her head in recognition "Thor! From the New Mexico fiasco" she said looking over to coulson who nodded in conformation "yes my lady… forgive me my lady but I do not remember you" he asked in "yes well I've been deep undercover, but I heard about the incident and please call me Alex" informed a bit uncomfortable being called my lady "yes lady Alex" "no! No! Just Alex" Thor only nodded with a butter wouldn't melt grin on his face "right well suppose I best get to work on this brother of yours to find out what I can" she said walking off through the doors behind Tony and Bruce. Looking back over her shoulder at Tony she gave him a smouldering look.