Back on the Helicarrier, Zuchino, Steve, Thor, Bruce, and Natasha all gathered around the table in the bridge. Everyone's attention was on the table's surface, a video screen that projected the bay where they kept a large circular cage. It had reinforced steel and reinforced glass designed to sustain punches from both the Hulk and Zuchino. More than enough to keep Loki at bay. They pushed him inside and quickly closed it off; Fury walked into the room to the control panel.
"In case it's unclear," Fury began inputting a few commands in the panel, "if you try to escape, if you so much as scratch that glass…" A hole underneath the cage opened to the outside. "It's 30,000 feet straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?" Fury pushed the button and the hole quickly resealed itself. "Ant. Boot."
Loki chuckled. "It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me."
"Built for something a lot stronger than you."
"Oh, I've heard." Loki looked directly towards the camera, as if he knew the heroes were watching him. Natasha looked at Bruce, but he made no sign of letting it get to him. "A mindless beast who makes play he's still a man and a genocidal space pirate from an extinct warrior race. How desperate are you that you call on such lost creatures to defend you?"
"How desperate am I?" Fury asked, stepping closer. "You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace, and you kill because it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did."
"Ooh…it burns you to have come so close. To have the Tesseract. To have power…unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share. And then to be reminded of what real power is."
Fury glared at him before giving a small smirk. He turned and walked away, adding "Well, let me know if 'real power' wants a magazine or something." With that, the feed cut off.
"He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Bruce asked sarcastically as Zuchino scoffed.
"Like a damn wart." Zuchino muttered.
"Loki's gonna drag this out." Steve stated, not skipping a beat. "So, Thor, what's his play?"
"He has an army called the Chitauri." Thor answered as Zuchino quickly looked up. "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."
"An army from outer space." Steve reaffirmed as all human eyes went to Zuchino. "Ever heard of them?"
"We encountered them quite a bit when in enemy territory when I was working with Freeza's army; every time, we ran with our tails tucked between our legs."
"Is that bad?" Natasha asked as Zuchino and Thor both gave her a grave nod.
"For a long time before I killed him, Freeza was the undisputed ruler of the universe. Few opposed him or even equaled him in power. In fact, Thor and his people even had to craft a treaty with him to not touch Asgard or any of their territory." Zuchino explained, earning a nod from Thor. "Those who did were either divine beings, his brother Cooler, or his father King Cold."
"I fear that if the combined power levels of the Saiyans, the Freeza Force, and Freeza himself couldn't defeat them, then they are quite the force to be reckoned with." Thor finished.
"Just how powerful are they?" Steve inquired.
"What they lack in strength, they far exceed in numbers. It was almost a never-ending herd of them when the Force faced off against them. Because they fight a war of attrition, they were able to force us back and ensure we never trifled with them again."
"What about calling in one of the people who could defeat Freeza to help?"
"It would not work." Thor stated. "Beerus is still napping and waking him would definitely lead to our destruction. Freeza's family still choose to follow the treaty, so I doubt they'll care about what fate befalls this planet."
"In fact, they may help once they realize the Saiyan that killed Freeza lives here, take over the planet after the Chitauri invade, and sell off the planet once everyone is dead." Zuchino added. "However, there is a small catch: the Chitarui's known den is very deep in the Eastern Galaxy, farther than Planet Vegeta was and that alone is one-month trip minimum. And let's say they've been traveling this entire time, I would've picked up on their incoming power levels by now."
"So he's building another portal." Bruce concluded. "That's what he needs Erik Selvig for."
"Selvig?" Thor inquired.
"He's an astrophysicist." Bruce explained.
"He's a friend." Thor clarified.
"Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours." Natasha explained.
"I wanna know why Loki let us take him." Steve thought out loud. "He's not leading an army from here."
"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki." Bruce weighed in, twiddling his fingers. "That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him." He said, making Zuchino crack a smirk.
"Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother." Thor quickly told them.
"He's killed eighty people in two days." Natasha fired back.
"He's adopted." Thor quickly clarified.
"I think it's the mechanics." Bruce said, snapping their attention away from Thor for the moment. "Iridium, what did they need the Iridium for?"
"It's a stabilizing agent." Tony said as he walked in with Agent Coulson before continuing. "Means the portal won't collapse on itself like it did at SHIELD." He informed before he noticed Thor. "No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing." He stated, patting Thor's arm before continuing his walk to Fury's station. "Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long as Loki wants." He said before he looked around the room.
"Uh, raise the mid-mast, ship the topsails." He commanded as every worker stopped just to look at him in bemusement. "That man is playing Galaga! Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did." He stated before covering his eye and looking at the programs. "How does Fury even see these?"
"He turns." Maria simply said.
"Sounds exhausting. Anyway, the rest of the raw materials Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. Only major component he still needs is a power source. A high energy density, something to kick-start the cube." He concluded while he looked through files on Fury's station.
"When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?" Maria asked.
"Last night." Tony answered. "The packet? Selvig's notes? The Extraction Theory papers? Am I the only one who did the reading?"
"Does Loki need a specific power source?" Steve asked, trying to get back to the topic at hand.
"He's got to heat the cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier." Bruce answered before Tony weighed in.
"Unless Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect."
"Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet." Bruce finished.
"Finally, someone who speaks English." Tony said, gesturing towards Bruce as Zuchino and Steve looked at each other.
"Is that what just happened?" Steve asked as Zuchino shrugged.
"I've given up since Tony opened his mouth."
"It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner." Tony shook the doctor's hand. "Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster." He added.
"Thanks." Bruce replied uneasily.
"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him." Fury stated, walking to the table.
"Let's start with that stick of his." Steve suggested. "It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon."
"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."
"Monkeys? I do not understand." Thor asked confused.
"I do!" Steve and Zuchino both exclaimed as Tony rolled his eyes and Steve realized he said that out loud. "We understood that reference." Steve clarified as he and Zuchino exchanged a proud smirk and high-five.
"Shall we play, doctor?" Tony asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"Let's play some." Bruce stated as they walked away to the lab as everyone remained at the table. Zuchino stood and walked over to Thor, his hand extended.
"No hard feelings?" He asked as Thor stared for a second and returned the handshake.
"None." Thor confirmed. "I must admit, I was always quite envious of the Saiyan race and the raw power they possessed." He admitted before his face turned slightly grim. "I also extend my sympathy for your planet's destruction. I can only imagine what you've been through since then."
"Thank you for that."
"Do tell, do you know of what finally finally did in the tyrant?"
"Oh, it was me." Zuchino stated, his ego jumping a bit as Thor looked at him with shock.
"Wait, you were the one to kill Freeza?"
"Yes, with the transformation I fought you with." Zuchino explained.
"Ah yes, the Super Saiyan legend?" Thor inquired as Zuchino nodded. "There has been many a rumor across the cosmos that a legendary warrior arose and defeated Freeza, but everyone believed it to be Beerus or the Supreme Kai; a Saiyan never crossed the minds of those who believed it. But the majority just believe he flew too close to the sun and was killed in the detonation of Planet Vegeta." Thor stated before he looked at the Saiyan with glee. "Perhaps you should come back with me to Asgard after this mission, I'm sure Father would be delighted to host you for finally freeing the universe from his rule." He stated but noticed Zuchino's crestfallen look.
"I would love too, I really would but…I'm trying to keep a low profile on this planet. I would prefer Cold and Cooler not be aware that one final Saiyan, let alone the Saiyan who killed Freeza, survived the genocide."
"I understand. I feel you have grown fond of this planet." Thor stated as Zuchino looked back at Fury, Steve, and Natasha still talking.
"Kinda-sorta." Zuchino stated as he watched them talk. "But do tell me, how has the universe fared since Freeza's death?"
"Pretty well now, With him and his greatest warriors gone, many planets have began rebelling against the forces there. And for many, they have succeeded in driving out influences. Cooler has been quiet and Cold has been interested in dividing up territory rather than trying regain influence." Thor stated and the Saiyan had a small smirk. "Why do you ask?"
"Just out of curiosity." He stated before turning to look out of the window. "Just curiosity."
"So, how are you feeling?" Steve asked, looking over to his new partner. Zuchino gave him a curious glance; they'd been walking in comfortable silence to Bruce and Tony's lab since neither of them was particularly trusting of the billionaire being left alone with a man with literal monstrous anger issues.
"What makes you ask?"
"I was listening to you and Thor, can't help but think that dredged up some bad memories." Steve answered.
"It did." Zuchino simply stated, giving Steve a small smirk. "But…it helps to know that Freeza's Empire is crumbling. Many of those populations' blood are stained across my hands and I'm happy they can reclaim some semblance of what they lost. I'll never be able to fully atone for what I did, but I can only hope those who are were fully under Freeza's grasp will finally taste the freedom they are deserved." Zuchino affirmed, looking over at Steve. Steve gave a small smile of affirmation before they shifted back into comfortable silence.
Up ahead, they heard Tony talking to Bruce, "Well, I promise a stress-free environment. No tension. No surprises." Steve and Zuchino walked in just as Tony jabbed Bruce with a small electric shocker.
"Ow!" Bruce exclaimed.
"Oh, damn it Stark." Steve muttered as he and the Saiyan walked up the desk.
"Nothing?" Tony asked in a bemused manner as he stared at the Saiyan.
"Are you nuts?" Steve questioned him with a hard glare.
"Jury's out."
"Clearly." Zuchino muttered, crossing his arms at the billionaire's antics.
Not fazed by the Saigon's judgement, Tony kept staring at Bruce. "You really have got a lid on it, haven't you? What's your secret? Mellow jazz, bongo drums, huge bag of weed?"
"For Kami's sake, Stark," Zuchino scoffed, "leave him be. I personally would not like see transformation into a giant green ball of rage…no offense, Bruce."
"None taken." Bruce brushed off with a wry chuckle. "I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle pointy things."
"You're tip-toeing, big man. You need to strut." Tony instructed, pointing at Bruce while walking away from the scientist.
"And you need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark." Steve glared at Stark.
"Do you think I'm not? Why did Fury call us in? Why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables."
"You think Fury's hiding something?"
"He's a spy. Captain, he's the spy. His secrets have secrets. It's bugging him too, isn't it?" Tony gestured at Bruce.
"Uh…." Bruce looked up from his work on Loki's staff with a confused glance. "I just want to finish my work here, and…"
"Out with it, Bruce." Zuchino demanded.
Bruce sighed and removed his glasses. "'A warm light for all mankind.' Loki's jab at Fury about the cube…"
"We heard it."
Bruce looked at Tony and told, "I think that was meant for you." Tony nodded in acknowledgment and passed on his small bag of blueberries. "Even if Barton didn't tell Loki about the Tower, it was still all over the news."
"Stark Tower?" Zuchino asked as he looked down to try to remember. "That ugly ass monument to narcissism in downtown New York City?" Tony gave the Saiyan with an insulted glare; Zuchino fired back a cocky smirk. "I'm not taking it back."
"It's powered by an arc reactor, a self-sustaining energy source." Bruce broke the tension between the two. "That building will run itself for, what, a year?" Instantly, Tony perked up with confidence.
"It's just the prototype. I'm kind of the only name in clean energy right now. That's what he's getting at." He proudly stated.
"So, why didn't S.H.I.E.L.D. bring him in on the Tesseract project?" Bruce asked as Tony nodded.
"What is S.H.I.E.L.D. even doing in the energy business in the first place?" Zuchino added as Tony gave a nod and grabbed a tablet.
"I should probably look into that once my decryption program finishes breaking into all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secure files." Tony brushed off while holding up a small, see-through tablet.
"I'm sorry, did you say-" Steve started.
"Jarvis has been running it since I hit the bridge. In a few hours, I'll know every dirty secret S.H.I.E.L.D. has ever tried to hide. Blueberry?" Tony offered the small pouch to the Saiyan.
"And this is why they don't trust you." Zuchino scoffed, accepting the pouch.
"An intelligence organization that fears intelligence?" Tony snarked as Zuchino. "Historically, not awesome. After all, how would you have felt if you were excluded from the loop in your former organization?" He inquired as Zuchino took a deep breath.
"Well, they did decide to kill all Saiyan's and blow up our planet without our express consent, so I'd say that I've dealt with this type of secrecy before."
"Which is why I'm surprised they'd have you around as well. Aren't you the least bit suspicious about working for organizations that give you limited knowledge since the Freezer Force?" Tony inquired as Zuchino had to suppress the urge to chuckle.
"One, Freeza Force; secondly, who said I wasn't?" Zuchino admitted as he gave the pouch back to Tony. "I've had my suspicions of S.H.I.E.L.D. since I met Fury; someone like him practically ooze secrecy and untrustworthiness from my experience. I wouldn't say he's as bad as Freeza, but there's definitely something to him and he's definitely hiding something from all off us, something big that he doesn't want us to know."
"You're more intuitive than I would've believed, Zuchino." Tony stated with a nod of approval.
"Someday you'll reach my level, Stark." Zuchino replied.
"And sassy." Tony added, earning a chuckle from Bruce and an eye roll from the Saiyan.
"I think Loki's trying to wind us up." Steve jumped in to steer the ship back on track. "This is a man who means to start a war and if we don't stay focused, he'll succeed. We have orders, we should follow them."
"Following's not really my style." Tony shot back, popping a blueberry into his mouth.
"And you're all about style, aren't you?"
"Of the people in this room, which one of us is A, wearing a spangly outfit, and B, not of use?" Tony fired back, earning a smack in the back of the head from Zuchino. Tony winced and rubbed the back of his head while glaring at the Saiyan.
"Stop it." Zuchino scolded, even raising a finger to Tony's face, before turning to look up at Steve. "Steve, I have to agree with them on this; something is very off here."
"Just find the cube." Steve muttered before turning to the door and storming out. Zuchino sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to soothe an incoming headache from the turmoil among these humans.
"That's the guy that my dad couldn't stop talking about? I'm wondering if they should've kept him on ice." Tony muttered as Zuchino gave him a death glare, enough to stop Stark in his tracks.
"While I agree with you on this regard, I do believe Steve is still right about Loki's plans. Stop playing around with Bruce's rage monster and find that damn cube…and what S.H.I.E.L.D. is hiding…in that order." With that, the Saiyan walked out of the room. He looked down the hallway to catch a glimpse of Steve.
Zuchino easily caught up with him and walked alongside him. Steve cast a glare that screamed betrayal and anger at the Saiyan before letting out a silent huff. "Can't believe you sided with him."
"I don't really like that the fact I had to, but I still agree: something is off here." Zuchino admitted as he looked over to Steve. "And I am open to being wrong; I'd prefer not to take down another organization that I've been a part of for some time."
"Well, if S.H.I.E.L.D. goes the way of the Freeza Force, then with Stark or not, I'll be on your side. I'm sure this will be nowhere near as hard as taking down the Freeza Force though."
Zuchino let out a small chuckle. "No. I don't think it will be either. Otherwise, we're going to need a new planet. I heard Namek's this nice time of year." Steve stopped and gave the Saiyan a curious look.
"You are one interesting egg." Zuchino's brown furrowed at the mention, which make Steve immediately double back. "Man." He quickly amended, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "You're a very interesting man."
He smiled at him. "Egg?"
"It's what we used to call interesting men back in my day." Steve chuckled.
The duo reached a reinforced metal door labeled "Secure Storage 10-C." They had to zip past many guards, but that's what Zuchino's sub-sonic speed was handy for.
"How do we get in there?" Zuchino wondered out loud as he stared over to the side to see a keypad. "Well, that's unfortunate." He stepped back and raised his hand, red ki gathering to create an energy ball.
"Wait!" Steve whispered as loud as he could, stopping the Saiyan. He walked over and pulled on the grooves of the door. In a moment, the bolts broke and the door easily slid open.
Zuchino gave him an approving smirk that Steve received. After ensuring no guard heard the sounds of the door opening, they crept in and quickly shut it behind them. Inside were many silver storage containers stacked even across the walkways in the giant room. Zuchino and Steve both held their breath when they heard someone talking near them, but it quickly faded away. Steve hopped up and pushed his feet off the storage containers to the walkway. He looked back down to help before he saw Zuchino standing right next to him. "Right, you can fly."
They continued down the walkway until they reached a small section of crates that was labeled as "PHASE II."
"Fury told me that the Avengers Initiative was PHASE I." Zuchino muttered as he opened the door and quickly closed it behind him. "I wonder what the next phase is."
"Only one way to find out." Steve muttered as they nodded.
—The Next Morning—
Once they finally finished opening the boxes in that one section that extended far larger than they thought (Zuchino may have to apologize for the wall destruction later), they finally hit the payload. The two boxes they opened contained a helmet and weapons, both marked as PHASE II. On it was a strange logo of a squid merged with a skull.
"What the hell is that?"
"That's the H.Y.D.R.A. symbol." Steve muttered to himself before he noticed Zuchino's strange expression.
"You have hydras on this planet?" Zuchino asked in confusion.
"No, H.Y.D.R.A. was an organization I battled before I was frozen. They were a part of Nazi Germany."
"Oh, with Hitler." Zuchino muttered.
"Yeah, they were fixated on the idea of conquering the world and subjugating the human race for their own good. Why the hell would S.H.I.E.L.D. use these unless…" Steve trailed off once he had an epiphany. "They're powered by the goddamn Tesseract. That's PHASE II."
"Goddamn Fury, he doesn't know what he's dealing in." Zuchino growled as he snatched the helmet and guns. "Come on, I need to have a few words." Steve nodded as they stormed from the safe room.