.
America, the Colonies?
Chapter 5: The First Mission
Nick Fury watched as the copter landed on the Helicarrier, having just gotten back from recruiting Steve Rogers after the events that had transpired with the Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. That Loki was seriously something else.
Pushing those thoughts aside, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. moved to greet the two last arriving Avengers. He was a little worried of how the two would cope with the others, but what was done was done.
"Stark, Sparrow. I hope your trip was pleasant", Fury greeted, earning a raised eyebrow from Tony and a forced smile from Jack.
"No, you don't", Tony stated, making the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. chuckle.
"Follow me you two. The others have already arrived", Coulson said, earning a nod from Fury.
"Raise the carrier!" Fury ordered, sending a command to the system to do so.
When the carrier started rising, he followed after the three.
Captain Jack Sparrow had seen many things, but a ship rising to the sky was something else. Not to mention being on the said ship when it did; he had almost fallen over when it started moving.
He followed after the two other men to a room full of stuff with unknown functions and purposes to him. There were other people there too, whom he figured to be the ship's crew. Since it was a ship, there had to be a crew too, right? Jack nodded to himself, agreeing with his musings, a smile forming on his face.
That smile disappeared when he saw that red-head from earlier, Natasha, and instantly knew he wouldn't like the trip. He didn't feel like getting punched again.
Tony Stark was feeling really uncomfortable with all the people around him. It wasn't that he was afraid of people (Tony Stark, afraid? Pffft.), but the fact that they were all trained S.H.I.E.L.D. agents made him uncomfortable. Despite that, he couldn't help but make a joke when he saw Natasha:
"Ah, Natalie, what a pleasant surprise. Came to see the little me one last time before going to war?" He did feel like he was going to war after all.
He received an angry snarl as a result but was disappointed that it stayed at that. No retaliation, no arguing - just nothing.
"Oh, is little Natalie having a bad day? Come to Tony, he'll make you feel better", the billionaire said with amusement, earning a fist in the face from Natasha. Or, at least, he would have, if Steve Rogers hadn't caught the incoming fist.
"No fighting among the ranks", the Captain America ordered, only to have Natasha punch him in the gut. The action surprised him, making his grip on Natasha's hand loosen enough for her to get her hand free. It wasn't like it hurt or anything...
"That's for not letting me hit the pervert", Natasha said, making Tony raise an eyebrow.
"I might be many things, but I'm not a pervert."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm-"
"ENOUGH!" Nick Fury shouted, losing his patience for once. The room went dead silent, no one wanting to further enrage the angry black man.
Bringing a hand to rub his face in annoyance, Nick Fury continued: "Like Rogers said, no fighting. We are here for the future of Earth. Agent Romanoff, I am disappointed in you. You and Stark can finish your business outside of the job, understand?" The said agent nodded, disappointed in herself.
Tony was about to comment but was stopped by Fury. "And you, Stark. You are lucky to even be here. If I was you, I'd choose carefully what I said", Nick Fury threatened, looking Tony in the eye.
Not expecting him to answer, Fury continued: "Mr. Stark, if you'd follow me to the lab, we could finally get somewhere."
When the two of them left, Jack looked around himself. He had stayed silent the whole time to not get involved, but now he felt like saying something.
"So, anyone got rum?"
Bruce Banner was brought back to reality from his work when Nick Fury and Tony Stark walked to the lab.
"How's the search going, Mr. Banner?" the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. asked, making the professor turn to look at the two.
"I'm almost done; I found a trace of the Tesseract's gamma signature." Fury nodded to himself, before turning to Tony.
"Mr. Stark, help Banner search for Loki. With the two of you it'll more than likely go faster."
Tony smirked, before answering in amusement: "Sure thing, boss. Want anything else? Coffee?"
Nick Fury sighed. "Just... just do it."
And with that, he left the two to their work.
Natasha knew she had made a mistake. It was the most horrifying thing in the world, and now she had to cope with the consequences.
Jack had rum.
She couldn't believe the pirate could be worse than when he was sober, but he actually was! He hadn't stop mumbling and talking after he took one swig.
"Ye know, yer really pretty Natasha", the drunken pirate said, trying to get up from his seat, only to fall against a table.
Natasha couldn't believe he just said that, and was about to respond, when the captain opened his mouth again:
"Ye remind me of Elizabeth. She'd be pretty when she'd be angry, just like ye."
Natasha brought hand to her face. She didn't even know if the pirate was telling the truth, and that made her irritated. Deciding she had had enough, she walked towards the pirate with all intention of getting the rum bottle from the man.
Jack took the action as something else, opening his arms wide as if he was about to hug someone, but was instead horrified when Natasha took a hold of the rum.
"My rum! Get yer own Natasha!" Captain Jack Sparrow shouted in desperation, giving a fight.
Jack and Natasha both pulled the bottle, trying to get it out of the others grip; Natasha even tried to punch the pirate. In the end, Jack decided to try to sweep Natasha's legs from underneath her to make her fall, but as drunk as he was, he lost his balance.
They both fell, Natasha on the floor, and Jack on top of her. And that's when Nick Fury walked in.
An awkward silence fell as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. stared at the scene before him. Natasha took the time to knock Jack to the side and rise to her feet. Her face was red, from anger or embarrassment, or both.
Jack just continued to drink his rum on the floor as Nick Fury walked by them.
All the Avengers, except for Thor and Clint, gathered at the meeting room. Banner and Tony had found Loki to be in Germany, and now was time to choose the people who'd go there.
"Any volunteers?" Nick Fury asked the Avengers. Instantly Steve Rogers volunteered, as did Natasha Romanoff. No one else seemed to be up to the job, so Nick Fury decided to have all of them go, expect for Banner. He was needed at the lab.
"Mr. Stark, Sparrow. You two will accompany them. This is your first mission as Avengers, so don't disappoint me."
Tony was about to argue, but Fury continued, looking at him: "Is that understood?" His one eye narrowing.
Even the great Tony Stark didn't put up a fight.
Stuttgart, Germany
"There are always men like you", the old man standing up to Loki said. Loki didn't lose his smirk as he replied, "Look to your elder, people. Let him be the example." Loki then pointed his staff to the man, before launching a blast of light from the staff, expecting it to hit the man only for Captain America to jump in front of the man, blocking the attack.
Captain America was about to make his speech of the last time he was in Germany, when there was a sound of something hitting the ground. Grunting was heard and everyone looked at Jack Sparrow, who was on the ground. He had somehow fallen from somewhere.
Jack rose to his feet, swaying from side to side and looking around. There was a bottle of rum on his hand. When the captain noticed that people were looking at him, he smirked and bowed, almost falling over again.
Loki raised an eyebrow at the man and looked at Rogers who was rubbing his forehead.
"Who is this man?" he asked, making Captain America sigh.
"He's Jack Sparrow, a pirate captain from the 18th century", the man answered, making Loki smirk in amusement.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Well, well, well. Looks like you aren't the oldest man on earth, soldier", Loki said in amusement.
That was the moment when Natasha decided to bring the Quinjet she was on to the party.
"Loki, drop the weapon and stand down", she ordered, only to receive a blast from Loki's staff. The ship flew out of the way, barely.
Deciding to do something, Rogers ran at Loki and punched him in the face. However, Loki, just hit the soldier with his staff as a counter. Rogers blocked it, but Loki swung the staff again, hitting Captain America in the chest.
Jack meanwhile took a swig from the rum bottle and took his sword from his belt. The Captain then ran up behind the man and swung his sword, only to be blocked by Loki's staff. Loki swung his staff at him, trying to sweep at the pirate's legs and make him fall, only for Jack to jump over the staff and kick him in the chest, making him take staggering steps backwards.
Rogers took the moment to throw his shield at the man, only for Loki to block it with his staff and swing at the Captain. Rogers leaned backwards and dodged out of the way, giving Jack time to ran up to Loki and fire his pistol at the man, only for Loki to block the shot with his staff. Captain America summoned his shield and swung it at Loki, hitting him to the side of his head, throwing him to the side. Suddenly, music started playing, making everyone look to the sky. Tony Stark had arrived. Iron Man shot at Loki, throwing him to the stairs.
Stark aimed his weapons at Loki as Jack and Rogers came beside him, Jack also aiming his two pistols at the man. Loki brought his hands up in surrender, making Tony relax.
"Good move", the billionaire said.
"Mr. Stark", Rogers said in gratitude.
"Captain." Came the reply. Having heard that, Jack looked at Tony with raised eyebrow.
"I'm the Captain here, savvy?" the pirate said, making Tony look at him.
"Those are a little out of date, Captain", Tony pointed out, pointing at Jack's pistols. Jack just looked at the pistols in confusion and holstered them, not seeing a problem.
They took Loki to the Quinjet before taking off towards the Helicarrier. However, before they got there, something landed on the roof of the Quinjet and forced its way inside. It turned out to be Thor, who took Loki and left. Everyone was stunned, but Stark followed after the God of thunder. Rogers left as well, leaving only Natasha, Jack and some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Natasha looked at Jack in expectation, but Jack just raised an eyebrow.
"What? Do ye expect me to do somethin'?"
Natasha just shrugged and turned to look out of the window, leaving Jack to drink his rum.