PART FIVE
Prepare

The scepter shimmered with blue energy, but, as before in Stark Tower, its power seemed to meet an obstacle, and Tony's eyes remained brown. After several long seconds of Loki trying to convert the man with no results, he stood, frowning. "Damn."

"The device in his chest must be blocking it," Bruce said, brow furrowed.

Loki thought for a moment, then grinned. "Then I will cut it out."

Tony was still coherent enough to hear the conversation going on above him, and he managed a squeak of protest, his eyes bright with fear.

"That will kill him for sure, though. He told me it's the only thing keeping a cluster of shrapnel out of his heart."

Loki's smile fell and he turned away in frustration.

"We could divert a medical team from somewhere around here... They'd at least be able to patch him up and replace some blood. But what he really needs is a hospital."

Loki put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. He glanced upwards as group of Chitauri fighters zipped by, high above them. "Can he be moved?"

"Maybe. I don't have much experience with wounds like that, but... I think he could survive being moved very carefully. Probably something you should only try once, though."

"Fair enough," Loki agreed and raised his scepter, sending a thin column of blue light shooting into the sky.

A couple of minutes later, two Chitauri fighters landed a few yards from where Loki stood. The pilots hopped off and approached the god warily. Loki put a hand on Bruce's shoulder as they got within shooting range. "They are with us, now," he said, also gesturing to Tony and Steve. "Get them to the Tower. They are fragile, so be gentle with them. Do not let yourselves be shot."

The Chitauri simply growled in response and moved to follow Loki's orders, setting their blasters on the ground. They came forward and wrapped their slimy arms under Tony's shoulders and thighs, then carried him like a sack of flour to one of the fighters. They laid him down on the gunner's deck.

"You get on board as well," Loki told Bruce. "See after your friend. I will retrieve the other invalid," he said, gesturing to Steve with the tip of his scepter.

Bruce nodded and stepped onto the fighter beside Iron Man, one hand grasping the craft's railing nervously as he saw the pilot strap itself in and noticed his own lack of safety. He decided to sit down next to Tony and hold on to the man's armored bicep, and in a few seconds the craft rose into the air and headed for Stark Tower.

Loki watched it fly away, then nodded to the other Chitauri pilot to ready his craft before turning and walking over to Steve. He stooped down and picked the unconscious man up in his arms.

There was a burst of blaster fire behind him, and the cry of the Chitauri pilot as he fell dead.

"Loki," came a shout from behind him.

The god sighed and turned around, still holding Steve.

Natasha and Clint stood with the previously discarded Chitauri blasters aimed at Loki.

"Put him down," Clint said, his tone grave.

"You do have a raptor's gaze. Frightening," Loki smirked. "But your talons have been dulled."

"We won't hesitate to shoot," said Natasha, her finger resting on the trigger of the alien weapon. She didn't want to hit the Captain, but he was as good as compromised… and if these weapons had any chance of harming Loki…

"You wouldn't dream of harming your dear Captain."

"Put him down," Clint ordered a second time. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Loki was just toying with them.

"Go ahead, shoot," the god challenged, switching gears. "Though you may end up with more red in your ledger," he added in a low voice, his smile darkening as he stared into Natasha's moist eyes.

"We're prepared to do what we have to."

"In order to what? Save your city? Your world? Too late, my dear... Much too late."

At that, Clint gritted his teeth and fired the blaster, but the laser bolt merely ricocheted off of the energy shield that Loki had silently conjured around himself.

"Hmph," Loki snorted and turned his back on Natasha and Clint, continuing to carry Steve towards the fighter.

"Shoot him!" Clint yelled, and he and Natasha unleashed a steady stream of blaster fire on Loki's retreating back, but none of it got through his shielding as he held the scepter.

Once Loki set Steve down on the craft, he spun on his heel and raised his scepter in the air.

The Chitauri weapons were ripped from Natasha and Clint's hands by an invisible force, flying upwards and then clattering to the ground somewhere behind Loki, far out of reach.

The two remaining Avengers froze. Loki lowered his scepter and started walking towards them slowly and menacingly.

"Run," Clint ordered Natasha, and she glanced over at her partner for a moment, then backed up slowly before turning and sprinting away.

"My, my," Loki said, shaking his head as he sauntered towards a defenseless and sweating Hawkeye. "She didn't even hesitate."

"She's a good soldier," Clint said, looking Loki right in the eye as they soon stood within three feet of each other.

"Is she?" Loki muttered, watching Clint's eyes as the scepter was raised to his chest. "Was she as good a soldier as you were for me?"

"Better. No coercion necessary."

Loki nodded calmly. "Do you love her?"

Clint's jaw was tight. He blinked away sweat that ran down his face. The feeling of the scepter's point against his chest was making his limbs quiver. They say the devil you know is better than facing an unknown threat… But Hawkeye knew exactly what was in store for him, and he couldn't imagine a worse fate. He was terrified.

"I did," he whispered, and felt tears starting to burn in his eyes.

Loki let the scepter's influence flow into Clint's chest and wrap around his heart.