Hey, guys! School's comin' to a close, so I have very little homework, and I'm bored, so I'm updating. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, though there are several unnamed OC's.

Chapter Five

Barton directed the vehicle around a rocky hill covered in sand and into the shade; it was cooler in the shadows, but it was still boiling hot. He deactivated the car and got out of the cab, crossing the sand to the base of the hill. He wiped dust off of a disguised keypad and imputed a code. A jarring buzz sounded, and a concealed door popped open. Clint turned back to us and waited by the open door with his arms crossed.

The other scientists and guards the Scepter took over stepped out of the cars one by one, and Selvig got to his feet. "Do you think you can stand, sir?"

I was so weak that I was shaking, but I gripped the Scepter tighter and used it like a walking stick. I planted the end of it in the ground and leaned my weight into it as I stood. The world tilted briefly, nearly sending me back down to the bed of the car, but Selvig caught my arm.

"Be careful, sir," he requested as he helped me down from the back of the car. "We're almost there."

Selvig led me inside the open door, and Barton closed it behind us. We went down a sloping tunnel that opened up into a large room that had several doors and computers and servers. "There's a fridge down there," Barton informed, gesturing to one of the doors on our right, "and a bed in there." He indicated the door directly in front of us.

"Sir," another voice called. I looked up to find one of the scientists that that Scepter overtook. "What would you like us to do with the Tesseract?" He held up the silver case.

"Study it," I breathed. "Figure out exactly how it works so we can use it."

Another pang from my stomach accompanied by a wave of almost unbearable exhaustion nearly threw me to the floor. If it wasn't for Erick, I probably would have fallen.

Selvig suddenly dragged me through one of the doors that Barton had indicated, and into a small kitchenette. "Please sit down, sir," he requested, something akin to pleading in his voice.

I practically fell into one of the chairs at the table while Erick ran to one of the cabinets. I understood that I was weak because I hadn't slept properly or eaten anything for an unknown amount of time, but I should be a bit stronger, shouldn't I? The air was cooler, and I had the Scepter, so why do I feel like I'm dying?

Selvig returned with three small, rectangular packages and offered them to me. Was it food? I might have been better than Thor at schooling, but that didn't mean I knew everything about Midgard and its traditions.

"I know you're not from Earth," Selvig voiced, taking a seat opposite me. "I have met your brother, Thor, so I know that you might not know what these are," he held up the packages, "but they're protein bars. They'll replenish your energy."

Erick placed the three packages on the table, and I slowly reached out a shaking hand, taking one. I ripped the thin, plastic covering open and discovered a sticky bar made up of what looked like honey, oats and nuts. I took a cautious bite of it and found it to be edible. More than edible. As soon as the taste of the nuts and honey hit my tongue, it was gone, my stomach clawing for the rest. I knew I was hungry in the cell, but I didn't register just how much until now. How long has it been since I had last eaten?

It only took a moment for the three protein bars to be consumed, and my thirst sprang to the forefront of my mind. Selvig seemed to already know what I was thinking and rushed off, returning with a filled glass of water. I took it from him an chugged it down, instantly feeling better, but now I was even more exhausted than before. With my hunger and thirst taken care of, I could barely keep my eyes open.

"Will you rest in the bed, sir?" Erick wondered, looking at me with worry.

I barely had the energy to nod, but the moment I did, Selvig was at my side and taking my arm. I allowed him to help me up and guide me back through the door to the main room where the others were already setting up a makeshift lab under Barton's direction. Erick opened the door to the bedroom and took me inside. I fell onto the bed and instantly closed my eyes. I faintly heard the door click closed, and I drifted off to sleep soon after that. I was so tired that I didn't dream. It was the best sleep I've had since I fell through the void, though it somehow wasn't as good as the dreams that the Scepter induced.

I managed to wake hours later. The Scepter was still gripped in my hand. Good. I couldn't let it out of my sight. Not unless I needed to.

A commotion sounded outside, and I instantly stood, my heart racing as thoughts of the Other came to mind. The glowing Stone in the Scepter brightened, its power rushing through me. My heart calmed with its aid, and I was able to relax.

I moved to the door and opened it, guards running by. The lab outside surprised me. It was large and looked almost professional. Selvig was studying the Tesseract in a plastic bubble with several computers, lights and other scientists.

"Sir," Clint's voice greeted. I turned to him and found him approaching me, a gun in his holster. "Have you recovered? You were asleep for almost a full day."

"I'm better than before," I muttered, fully stepping out of the room and letting the door fall shut behind me.

"I hope you don't mind, sir, but the others who had managed to salvage materials from the collapsed lab brought them here and set up what they could," Barton explained, gesturing to the makeshift laboratory before us.

"Any progress?" I asked as I started to circle the lab in the middle of the room, studying the set up.

"So far we haven't discovered anything new," Barton answered. "The Cube is an energy source and a gateway across space that has a behavior of its own."

"You haven't figured out how to open it yet?"

"Not yet, sir, but we're working on it."

I sighed in disappointment. If I couldn't get that gate open, the Chitauri wouldn't be able to come and take the Earth, and I wouldn't find the Gems. "Keep going," I ordered, walking off into a far corner to observe them as they worked.

I lowered myself onto the dirty concrete floor and watched them. Selvig went around and around the Tesseract, looking at it from every angle possible as it rested in its holster. Guards ran throughout the whole warehouse, checking and rechecking the perimeter and everywhere else for intruders.

The Scepter's gem suddenly glowed brightly, leaving me breathless as its power wormed its way into my mind. I closed my eyes as it pulled me to a place that looked like a different part of the caverns I was kept in. The Other appeared in the distance, standing amongst stacks of stone. "The Chitauri grow restless," he growled.

"Let them gird themselves," I returned, walking up to him. "I will lead them in the glorious battle."

"Battle?" the Other spat as he slipped through the rock formations. "Against the meager might of Earth?"

"Glorious, not lengthy," I corrected. Humans are weak and primitive. They are beginning to take their place in the universe, but they're nowhere near ready. "If your force is as formidable as you claim."

I haven't met the Chitauri yet. I have no idea what to expect of them. I only had the word of the Other and Thanos, and that wasn't enough to get me to trust them.

"You question us?" the Other demanded, his gravelly voice almost sounding shocked. "You question him. He who put the Scepter in your hand?" The Scepter. Thanos did give it to me. He could take it away if I didn't do what he wanted me to. The Other continued, "Who gave you ancient knowledge and a new purpose when you were cast out? Defeated."

"I was a king! The rightful king of Asgard," I interrupted. The throne of Asgard was mine until Thor showed back up and woke Odin. "Betrayed." My heart sank as I thought of all that Thor had done, but I kept the emotion out of my expression.

The Other seathed. "Your ambition is little and born of childish need." I turned from him and his words. This wasn't childish. I was reclaiming what was rightfully mine. "We look beyond the Earth to the greater worlds the Tesseract will unveil," the Other voiced, his words filled with longing as he looked up the stairs to where Thanos must wait.

"You don't have the Tesseract yet," I reminded. It is currently mine, and once I figure out how to use it properly, who says that I have to give it to him?

The Other gave off a deep, guttural growl before rushing towards me with his hand outstretched.

"Oh, don't threaten," I cautioned as I placed the Scepter between us. I have both the Scepter and my magic. I am more powerful than him. "Until I open the doors, until your force is mine to command, you are but words."

"You will have your war, Asgardian," the Other assured darkly, slowly lowering his hand. "If you fail," he took a few steps closer to me, crossing behind me, "if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he cannot find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something sweet as pain."

The Other's hand touched my cheek, and he roughly shoved me away. In a flash of light, I was put back into myself and into the underground warehouse Barton had led us to.

My heart was hammering inside of me, beating so hard that it threatened to break through. When I was in the cell, I was in so much pain. I was exhausted, and I couldn't eat or sleep, and the terrible heat there made it worse. The Scepter was the only thing that helped, and even then…

Thanos gave me the Scepter. He could take it away. I felt like I was dying before I had it. Maybe I was, but I I'm now. I didn't know if my body would be able to support itself without the Scepter, and the Other's last threat made me think of Thor for some reason, like I was worried for his safety. Why would I be worried for him? He never worried about me.

"Sir," a woman's voice called. I looked up to find on of the military personnel the Scepter took standing over me. "Are you alright?"

I nodded and waved her off. She quickly resumed her activities and left me alone.

I watched the humans work with Selvig for another few days. It was interesting to watch them work. They were as systematic as Asgardian scientists-if more primitive. Erick never left the plastic bubble where he studied the Tesseract. He stared at the Cube, taking note after note and prodding it in every way possible. Clint Barton got onto a computer and contacted others, drawing them to our hiding place. They brought science equipment and weapons, stocking our makeshift lab to the point where it almost looked legitimate.

Another scientist entered the plastic bubble with a crate that he held out to Selvig. "Put it over there," he commanded, and the scientist noded. Selvig chuckled lightly at the man's ready "yes, sir," as he turned towards Barton. "Where did you find these people?" he laughed.

"SHIELD has no shortage of enemies, doctor," Clint explained, looking up from the electronic screen in his hands. He took the handle and held it up to the plastic between them. "This the stuff you need?"

"Yeah, iridium," Erick confirmed as he picked up a device and began to work with it. "It's found in meteorites and forms anti-protons. It's very hard to get a hold of."

"Especially if SHIELD knows you need it."

"Well, I didn't know," Selvig corrected.

Iridium? What did he need that for? I slowly walked up to the plastic sheet, and Erick smiled gently at me. "Hey. The Tesseract has shown me so much," he gasped, an awe in his voice. "It's more than knowledge. It's truth."

"I know. It uh...It touches everyone differently." I didn't know much about the effects of the Tesseract, but the Scepter told me that it was much like what I experienced when the Other used the Scepter on me. "What did it show you, Agent Barton?" I asked, genuinely curious about what he saw.

Clint turned from the plastic to look at me. "My next target."

"You're such a stick in the mud," Selvig voiced as he returned to his work, though he stayed close enough to hear us.

"Tell me what you need," I requested.

Barton moved towards a crate with a long black case resting on top of it. He opened up the case and took out his folded bow. "I need a distraction." He thrust the bow forward, and the black, metal limbs sprung forward, the string vibrating with the force. "And and eyeball."

"Who's?" I asked.

Barton reached for his electronic pad again and handed it to me. There was an image of iridium and a balding man that, according to the pad, had a supply of iridium housed in his company in Germany. The screen said that he would be throwing a party in the lobby of a high-class hotel miles from the company, and it would have many guests.

"We can rig something up to clone his eye or project an exact image of it," Selvig suggested.

"Yes, that will work," I agreed, passing the electronic pad back to Barton.

"But before we do this, sir, there's something you need to know," Clint voiced.

"What is it?"

Barton put his bow down and taped on the screen of his pad for a few moments before coming to stand next to me. "It's called the Avengers Initiative," he began, swiping through images and brief surveillance clips. "Stephen Rogers, also known as Captain America. During World War II he was experimented on by a group of scientists and injected with a serum that made him faster and stronger than almost any human." He flipped through black and white photographs of Rogers before and after he was injected. "To end the War, Rogers crashed a plane into an ice cap and was in a coma for almost seventy years."

Next image was a short man with glasses and curled brown hair. "Doctor Bruce Banner," Barton introduced. "He tried to recreate the serum that Rogers was injected by using gamma radiation, but something went wrong and he blew his entire lab to pieces." Clint flipped to the next image, but it wasn't of Banner. It was of a muscled, green giant. The next was a video of that giant tearing up a city. Military personnel hit him with bullet after bullet, but it didn't even phase him. "Banner ended up gaining what he called the Hulk. When he gets angry or feels threatened, he turns into this green monster and can tear just about anything apart."

Rogers was created through simple genetic experimentation. It wasn't difficult to accomplish if you had the right equipment-which, clearly, Banner did not.

The next image was of another short man with a neatly trimmed beard, and he wore a suit in every picture. "Tony Stark," Barton said. "He's a billionaire genius and weapons contractor. He was held as a prisoner of war in Iraq before he broke out and came back to America where he made a weaponized suit of armour capable of flight." Barton scrolled to a video of Stark's suit taking aim on a group of mercenaries holding captives. He stood there for a moment before squaring his shoulders and firing several bullets at once, taking out the mercenaries and leaving the hostages unharmed. That one was, actually, somewhat impressive. "The press liked to call him 'Iron Man', and he happily took on the label."

It said that his suit was a gold-titanium alloy, so the "Iron Man" title was entirely inaccurate, but to the layman, iron was no different than any other type of metal.

Barton clicked to the next photograph and showed me a tall and thin woman in a black fighting suit with short, red hair. Clint seemed to stare at her with longing for a moment before continuing. "Natasha Romanoff. Fluent in just about every language, a master assassin and interrogator, and she is a skilled fighter in both hand to hand combat and weapons." Agent Barton deactivated the tablet and held it at his side. "If we are detected going in, SHIELD will send these people to counter us."

I nodded, taking note of everything he said. "Will you be able to do it if needed?" I questioned.

"Do what, sir?" Barton wondered, shifting his weight.

"Kill her," I elaborated. "Romanoff. If it came down to it, would you kill her?"

After a moment's hesitation, Barton nodded sharply. "If I had to, sir, I would kill her."

The Scepter glowed strongly, filling me with its energy and reminding me that if he couldn't, I could always make him.

"We'll need a few hours to make the device to clone that man's eye," Selvig reminded.

"Take all the time you need," I permissed.

Thank you all for reading! Hope you enjoyed! See you soon for chapter 6!