Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).
AN: More fun to be had in this chapter! Please be kind and review. Thanks!
Chapter 6: Idols, Heroes and Villains All Around, Part II:
Even in a government aircraft, the flight to Germany was a long one, and that gave Steve plenty of time to think –which wasn't always a good thing.
It didn't feel right, leaving Adena alone in a place where she didn't know anyone, but it had to be done. A dangerous being was loose on Earth, and to keep that danger from spreading, Steve had to go face it and bring it in. It was his job.
That didn't make him feel any better, though.
Despite the fact that he trusted Dr. Banner to keep her company and preoccupied, Steve still felt uneasy about the good doctor being a safe person for Adena to be around. The man was a science experiment gone wrong, and one small thing could set him off as a danger to all those around him. It was only a matter of time before that happened.
'On the other hand, Adena seemed to like him, and vice versa, so maybe the situation will work out all around,' he thought, trying to stay positive. What surprised him was that the only thing Adena seemed genuinely worried about was his safety, rather than her own.
Steve felt himself blush a little under his mask. It had been so long since someone worried about him, he'd almost forgotten what it felt like. The last person to tell him to be careful, either in those words or in others, had been Peggy, right before he'd lost contact with her.
He winced, as he always did whenever he thought about her. Peggy had been the first and only woman to ever express interest in him, and he'd lost her after only a single kiss. Inside, his heart still pained for the long-promised dance, the one that he had never been able to give to her.
Pushing those thoughts aside, he tried to focus on the young woman who was alive and here in the present, the one he'd left behind again. He didn't care about Adena the way he did about Peggy, but he did like her; she was a good teacher, a good supporter of him, and most important of all, she was a good friend.
'I need her,' he admitted to himself. 'I need her with me, to put up with me and to be there for me, because I've got no one else in this century who cares about me.'
When she'd hugged him and told him to be careful, it'd lifted his confidence, just when he had needed it the most. If that could be a superpower, it would certainly be Adena's. Steve didn't relish leaving her alone, burdened with the news that he was going to be facing one of the greatest threats the world had ever known. He'd seen the worry on her face, and had promised to be back, just like he'd promised Peggy…
Squeezing his hands into fists, Steve ground his teeth and tried to focus on the task at hand. Adena would be alone, but she would be safe –there were hundreds, if not a thousand, skilled agents onboard that ship. Steve had full faith in them being able to look after the one civilian among them.
"Thinking about Adena?" asked a voice in front of him.
Looking up, Steve was startled to see Agent Romanoff standing there, arms crossed as she smirked in amusement. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she said. "You seemed to be lost in thought. Given your current situation, I suspected that might be what's on your mind."
He was glad the mask his some of his blush. "I was, a little," he replied, bending the truth a bit.
She nodded at him, an approving look on her face. "Good. I like her. Nice girl, good sense, funny, and sweet –she's the complete opposite of me, of course, but still, I like her."
Steve had to smile at that. "Yeah, I do, too."
Agent Romanoff reached out and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't forget to tell her that. Women like to be told that people consider them friends."
Something beeped on the control panel of the plane, causing them both to look over at the pilot. "There seems to be a situation," the man said. "You'd better be ready for some action."
Exchanging glances and nods with Agent Romanoff, Steve got to his feet. It was time to get to work.
I don't know how long I sat there, worried out of my mind for Cap. Bruce had done a great job at keeping me distracted for so long, but after a while, I think he saw how I was feeling.
"You should go ask Director Fury about getting information of some kind," he suggested.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure that will go over really well," I sarcastically replied. "It's supposed to be a top-secret, save-the-world mission nobody is supposed to know about. What do I say? 'Hey, Director, I would like to look in Captain America while he's in Germany, battling the evil alien who is trying to conquer the world'?"
"That can be arranged," said a voice from behind me. It was Director Fury.
The word 'busted' flashed through my head as I slowly turned around. In accordance to Murphy's Law, one of the people I'd been talking about had walked in at just the wrong (or right) moment. Swallowing hard, I could only smile weakly as he came up to stand in front of me.
"I don't blame you for being anxious," he said, "though I do think it's a bit early for you to be worrying about someone you've only known for a few weeks."
My cheeks went red as Bruce tried to hide a grin. "I can't help it, sir," I softly replied. "Even after so short a time, I consider Cap to be a good man and a friend. Since I tend to worry a lot about my friends, it sort of just comes with the territory."
The Director eyed me closely, but smiled nonetheless. "All right," he said with a brisk nod. "As soon as they've arrived there, I'll relay a feed of the video we've got for that area and stream it to your quarters. You can watch it from there."
As he turned to leave, I quickly realized something. "Wait!" I called, stopping him in his tracks. "Could I go to meet him at the docking bay, when he comes back? If it's not too much trouble, sir?"
Without turning around, he answered, "I'll arrange to have Coulson take you down there."
"See?" Bruce chimed after we were alone. "That wasn't so hard."
Scowling, I turned and glared at him. "If I didn't already know you could turn into a rage machine and knock me through the floor, I'd slap you."
The dope had the nerve to laugh at me, even as I rolled my eyes and left for my quarters.
Hours later, after a good meal brought to me by a sympathetic Agent Coulson – who asked me to call him Phil – I found myself waking up in bed, groggy and in a bad mood. Since I'd fallen asleep right after eating, I could only guess that Phil had drugged me, probably under orders by the Director. He probably knew that I wouldn't sleep well, and had thought to 'help' me a bit. I didn't know whether to thank him or kick him when we next met.
However, after I'd brushed my teeth and cleaned up, there was a live feed from Germany streaming directly into my television screen, so I guess I could forgive him.
Watching the footage, I couldn't help but get even more worried, and more than a bit scared. A flood of terrified people poured out of a large palace-like building, and among them was a man wearing a horned helmet, strange armor, and wielding a staff with a glowing orb of some kind. I immediately knew him to be Loki, the being who wanted to conquer Earth.
But as odd as he looked, I took one glance at his face and knew that running away from him was the best policy. The eerie gleam in his eye hinted at insanity, and crazy people tended to do horrible things.
With a slow, purposeful stride, he walked behind the fleeing people, only to somehow appear in front of and around them, effectively trapping the people in a ring of his own projected image. Watching in horror, I saw him force them all to kneel before him. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but it was enough to make one man stand up to him.
My breath caught in my throat as Loki threw a bolt of energy towards the poor old man, but I let out a cheer as Cap landed right between them, reflecting the bolt back at Loki with his shield. As the would-be conqueror avoided the blast, Cap approached him, seeming to lecture or possibly insult him. Loki merely smiled and threw words back at him, causing the two to engage in a fist-fight that had me holding my breath.
Suddenly, an aircraft came into the scene, and I could see Natasha seated in the front, ready to shoot down her enemy. Loki let loose another few blasts, but he was taken down by a rather well-timed attack that did not come from Natasha's ship. Everyone in the square seemed confused for a moment, looking around for whatever it was, when from out of nowhere, Iron Man appeared!
I almost squealed in excitement, but caught myself in time. My excitement turned to laughter as Iron Man proceeded to point his entire arsenal at Loki, leading to the Asgardian's surrender.
Clapping, I watched as Natasha landed the aircraft while Cap and Iron Man kept Loki down until she could slap some restraints onto Loki's wrists. The three of them then escorted their prisoner to the waiting aircraft, which sat nearby.
After they had boarded, I turned off the screen and skipped out into the hallway, though I managed to quickly calm myself down when a few passing agents gave me some odd looks. Making my way to Bruce's lab, I plopped myself down on a stool and beamed happily at him.
"I take it they won?" he asked, eyes still focused on his scientific work.
"Yup!" I chimed, swinging my feet back and forth like a little kid.
He still didn't look up, though from the tilt of his head, I could tell I still had his attention. "They'll be on their way back soon," I said, stopping my movements. "Probably won't be here for a while, given the distance."
"Are you going to meet them?" Bruce asked, plugging a few scientific equations into his computer.
I rolled my eyes. "Duh," I replied, before taking a closer look at him. "Bruce, when did you last eat?" I asked pointedly. "You look like you haven't slept, either."
He shook his head. "I can't afford to sleep, or even take a break –this is too important. I'll rest when I finish."
Again, I rolled my eyes. "You won't be good for anything if you don't at least eat something. I'm going to go bug a person for food. I'll be right back."
In thirty minutes, I'd managed to find the ship's cafeteria (thanks to directions from some helpful agents), and procure something for Bruce and me to eat.
I was pretty surprised that the food served this time around was a big step above what I normally saw served in a cafeteria –in fact, it functioned like a gourmet fast-food joint. The burgers were high-quality beef, the fries freshly cooked, and the pasta looked as though it were not only house-made, but was also being cooked in accordance to the tastes of the person ordering. There were even fresh fruit and veggies available, either whole or in salads, and steaks being grilled to-order.
Not knowing what Bruce might like, I picked up burgers for the two of us, both plain, with toppings on the side. There were fries, of course, and bottled water for him but a soda for me. I carried my burdens to his lab in paper bags provided by the rather helpful cook staff, and immediately set them down on a nearby counter.
"Food's up!" I said cheerfully, getting his attention.
The smell of a hot, freshly cooked meal pulled him away long enough to snag a handful of fries. "Great timing," he said, mouth full. "I've got just one last thing to do; then we can eat."
When the last equation was plugged into the system, Bruce finally dropped what he was doing and joined me. "You know," he said around a mouthful of burger, "I haven't had a burger in ages." He swallowed and reached for his fries. "I've been in India for the past several months, and had to eat like the locals. Since they don't eat beef, I had to make do."
I tried not to laugh at the way Bruce seemed to savor his meal, and simply concentrated on my own. When we finished stuffing ourselves, Bruce finally agreed to close his eyes for a bit. I offered him my cabin, but he said that his lab had a small sleeping area; he'd go make use of that, so that I could nap in my room before Cap and Natasha got back.
With a food coma settling in, I decided to take his advice and lay down, just to rest my eyes.
By the time I woke up, Cap still wasn't back. Needless to say, that made me very worried.
Keeping my impatience and worry in check, I went to the upper decks and found Director Fury looking out from his platform. Approaching him, I opened my mouth to get his attention, but that turned out to be unnecessary. "Problem, Miss Philips?" he asked, without turning around.
I don't know how he knew I was there, but I decided not to question it. "Um, sir," I said, coming up behind him. "I was wondering why they haven't returned yet with their prisoner."
He turned, his face very serious. "They had a bit of an issue on the way back." I raised an eyebrow at him, silently asking him to explain further. "Loki's brother, Thor, decided to step in and try to have a little heart-to-heart with him. It didn't go very well, especially after Stark decided to get involved."
My stomach churned, and for a second, I thought my burger would make a second, less appetizing appearance. "Was anyone hurt? I mean, if Thor is as powerful as Loki, then…"
Director Fury shook his head. "Everyone's fine. They should be landing in thirty minutes, so you've got time to head to the docking bay. Agent Coulson will take you there."
I followed his line of sight over my shoulder. Sure enough, Phil stood waiting not far away, a polite smile on his face. "Shall we?" he asked.
I didn't hesitate to follow, though I did make sure to thank the Director as I left.
On the way down to the docking area, I was a mess of nervousness and anxiety. I had studied Norse mythology very briefly in college, and remembered that Thor was the god of war and lightning. If Cap got in a fight with him, I could only imagine the type of injuries he might have sustained.
'Relax,' I firmly told myself. 'This is Cap we're talking about! He survived being a science experiment, fighting Nazis, and being a Popsicle for seventy years!'
And Director Fury hadn't mentioned anyone being hurt in any way, so he had to be okay…right?
By the time Phil and I got there, the plane had landed, and there was a mob of heavily-armed and masked soldiers standing before the craft, waiting for those onboard to disembark. As I watched, the rear of the craft opened, and out came a huge blonde man in armor, escorting Loki off of the vessel with a firm hand on the back of his prisoner's neck. Loki seemed to say something to him, but the other man, probably Thor, merely gave him a rough shake to shut him up.
The guards quickly surrounded the prisoner and began to slowly lead him off to the side, away from the aircraft, while the others filed off. I heaved a heavy sigh of relief as Cap appeared, unharmed, but looking exhausted. Glancing over at Phil, I saw him give a nod, silently indicating that it was okay for me to go and see him.
Somehow, I managed not to run, but instead walked very quickly to meet Cap and Natasha, who had come out right behind him. I gave Natasha a quick hug, which she returned, and then switched my attention to Cap.
"You didn't die," I teased while fighting the urge to hug him as well. I don't know why, but I suspected that looking a little too cozy with Captain America in public might not be a good thing.
Cap, meanwhile, rolled his eyes and smiled. "I try." His smile turned into a grin. "Still, it's nice to know that you have faith in me."
The sound of heavy metal footsteps drew my attention towards the aircraft, and I immediately felt my eyes widen. "Oh, my God," I gaped, trying not to go completely fan-girl at the sight.
"Hi," the man said, holding out a hand that was still encased in his infamous suit. "Tony Stark."
Smiling, I rolled my eyes and took the offered hand. "Thanks," I sarcastically replied. "I really couldn't tell, because I've been under a rock for the past several years."
Tony actually had the nerve to grin at me. "Wow, you look great for someone who lives under rocks," he commented.
I looked over at Cap. "Smack him with your shield for me, will you?" I asked.
Cap merely smirked while Natasha quieted a laugh. Tony, meanwhile, grinned even wider. "I think I like you," he said. "And your name is?"
"Adena Philips," I replied. "And I think we can all get to know each other better later, once you've all had a break? Fighting evil and crossing time zones can be exhausting."
All three took the hint and began heading deeper into the ship. Sensing something behind me, I turned and almost collided with a metal wall, which, upon my looking upwards, turned out to be Thor. The giant warrior looked deadly and serious, but there was a glimmer of humor in his blue eyes that spoke of a gentle side. There probably wasn't much of a soft side to him, but he still seemed like a nice guy.
"Lady Adena," he said, bowing. "I am Thor."
I swallowed hard. "Hi," I managed to strangle out, trying not to feel intimidated. "Wow, you are a really big guy."
He laughed; a nice, hearty sound that was full of amusement. "Indeed. But, I am afraid that I am weary from my battle with the others. Is there a place I might rest for a time?"
Someone came up and cleared his throat behind me. Turning, I saw Phil take an 'at ease' stance. "I can help you there. If you'll please follow me? Adena, I imagine it will be a while before you get to meet up with the others. Director Fury will want to talk to them first, but when they're done, I'll let you know."
At my nod, Phil led Thor into the ship, leaving me feeling a bit at a loss at what to do now. Oh, well; I guess I could get a bit of work done, prepping for Cap's next lesson. Maybe, if I asked nicely, I could get someone to tell me if this flying fortress had internet access.
I had barely gone three steps towards the exit before I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Glancing discreetly over my shoulder, I saw Loki gazing at me with such intensity that it made me go cold with fear. But rather than give into that fear, I merely broke free of his stare and walked away. I did not want to give him the pleasure of knowing what merely his gaze did to me.
Watching the woman retreat, Loki felt an immense surge of satisfaction. He had frightened her; he could see it in her eyes as she fled from him.
As his guards led him down to whatever pathetic prison these mortals had for him, Loki found himself smirking. The girl was a weakness for these so-called 'heroes' that had been called upon to fight him; she had certainly endeared herself to the man from another time. The female spy thought well of her, and the arrogant one in the weapon-filled metal suit already enjoyed her company. This girl was a chink in their armor, one that could easily be exploited in his desires to conquer this world.
'But there is something else about her,' Loki thought to himself as he was led lower and deeper into the ship.
He had never encountered a female like her; not on Asgard, and not in his mad travels throughout the galaxy. Not that he'd had much experience with the Asgardian ladies, but from what he'd observed, the women of Asgard were either dignifiedly stoic, or flirty things who could be quiet foolish. The only one who seemed remotely interesting was Lady Sif, and she had possessed no desire whatsoever in being courted by any man.
But this girl, this Adena Philips…she interested him. There was something inside her that shone warm and bright that called to him, and for once, Loki began to see how a mortal woman could have caught Thor's attention.
'Not that I will go soft,' he scoffed as he was escorted to what was clearly a prison area. The very idea was ridiculous.
But she could be useful to him. Once his plan fell into place, he would see why she seemed unique –but only after he'd had his revenge on Thor, and brought all of Earth to its knees.
AN: A bit of everyone in this chapter, with more to follow. Review?