PART THREE
Cascade

"You cannot."

The Avengers spun around in surprise as a smug-looking Loki appeared at the opposite side of the roof.

"Look at you—at the end of your ropes already. Pathetic," the God of Mischief sneered.

The Hulk bellowed and lunged towards Loki faster than anyone else could make a move.

Loki stepped backwards a pace and opened his arms wide, and the Hulk let out a short bark of anger as he tried to tackle the god, but phased through him and tumbled off of the roof.

The projection fizzled out of existence, and the other Avengers snapped back to reality and ran to the edge from which the Hulk had fallen.

Looking down to the street, they watched the green form plummet over twenty-five stories and hit back-first on the pavement with a loud crunch, creating a small crater. As he lay temporarily dazed, the real Loki approached from across the street.

"Twice in one day. That has to hurt," he teased, tossing his scepter back and forth between his hands.

The Hulk was exhausted from the barrage he had endured, and he took the fall hard. He groaned in pain, and the green started to ebb out of his skin, his body gradually shrinking back to normal.

"Stay back!" Iron Man shouted down at Loki, and jumped off of the roof. He slowed his descent at the last second with a burst from his thrusters, landing heavily next to the god. He immediately began to fire his repulsors, but Loki still held the scepter. He deflected the bolts with ease, then teleported himself directly in front of Tony.

The man barely had time to register the movement before Loki swiped the scepter's blade upwards against Tony's armored chest, gouging deep through the plating.

Tony stumbled backwards, letting out a short sound of disbelief as blood started to seep through the huge gash in his armor. His visor opened and he tilted his head back to call to his friends on the roof, but no words emerged from his quivering open mouth.

He fell on his back heavily, squirming on the ground under the weight of his now-powerless suit, his eyes wild. He sputtered up blood as his shaky armored hands pressed uselessly against the gushing wound on his chest.

"NOOO!" Steve cried out as he watched Tony fall, and saw a pool of blood growing alarmingly fast on the pavement beneath him. "We have to get down there!" He scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could to the roof's stairway access. "I'm going down to help them!"

"Captain, wait! You can't go alone!" Clint called after him, but it was no use.

"Beneath that armor, you are as fragile as the rest of them," Loki smirked down at Iron Man's gently writhing form. He then turned to Bruce.

Dr. Banner was back to his normal size and color, and was slowly regaining his wits, one hand going to his forehead as he groaned in pain.

"Good morning," Loki said sweetly and stepped into the crater next to him.

The man opened his eyes. "Y..you…" he said weakly, slowly registering who was beside him.

"Now, lie still, this won't hurt a bit," Loki cooed, and knelt down, bringing the bloody blade of his scepter up to the man's naked chest and activating its power.

"Noo..oaahh..." Bruce's eyes grew wide, and he squirmed on the ground, letting out a soft strangled noise.

Loki's smile faltered for a second as he saw the man's skin start to flush green. The Hulk was trying to fight the scepter's influence.

The god found himself fascinated when he realized the possibilities of such a creature being under his control. The Hulk was the only unpredictable member of the Avengers, and Loki had been able to manipulate the chaos in Banner before. If he could harness that power and focus it…

Loki persisted, sapping more of his own strength to channel greater power into the scepter until Bruce's eyes turned icy, and his body went limp.

"BRUCE!" Natasha screamed, and Clint put a hand over his mouth in horror, feeling the deepest chill run through him, remembering his own experience with the scepter. They watched from high above, helpless, as their friend was changed.

Loki smiled. "Welcome to the winning side, Doctor."

Captain America burst out from the building's entrance and sprinted at Loki. He jumped forward and flung his shield as hard as he could at the god's helmeted skull.

Loki reacted instantly and swung his scepter like a club, sending Steve's shield back towards him with a crash of metal and a shower of sparks. The sharp-edged shield hit Steve square in the stomach, causing him to fly backwards several feet to the ground, where the back of his head snapped sharply against the pavement.

"No! ..Oh God, Captain…. Clint, what do we do? What can we do?!" Natasha was panicking, and she grasped Clint's arm desperately, tears spilling down her face. Their friends were falling around them. They were weaponless, defenseless... They'd never faced a threat like this before.

Clint had his head in his hands, barely keeping it together. "God… Natasha.. I… I don't..."

"Jarvis!" Natasha tried.

"Yes, ma'am," the AI's calm voice answered. "The Leviathans were diverted to another part of the city, but damage is extensive and increasing. Mr. Stark is still alive, but his suit is without power and his blood pressure is falling rapidly. I am attempting to contact Director Fury now, but there is quite a bit of interference in my communications systems."

"Anything you have to do, just get through to him, tell him what's happened, and find a way to get us out of here. Hurry!"