Summary: The war between Jotunheim and Asgard draws to a close, but thanks to a horrible twist of Fate (or perhaps not), the nameless runt of Laufey-King is not discovered by Odin and so begins a remarkable journey of life that should not have been. Jotun!Loki AU. Set pre-/during-/after Thor/Avengers Assemble. MCU-verse only.

Warnings: ANGST! Loki-whump! Language, adult situations, violence, child abuse, dub-con, sexual assault (also of a minor), substance abuse, one abortion scene (sort of), slavery, sex trade (maybe), some mild original character/Loki M/M pairings. Also F/M pairings.

Comments: This is not a slash fic. Sorry. It's Loki-centric, although I definitely show the rest of the Avengers and etc. Please review! Constructive criticism welcome.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers. Marvel owns it. I do not get paid for this piece of work. Sadly, but understandably. LOL.

Working on Chapter 82 already! (!) Wow. First time in a long time that I feel ahead. Let's see how long this feeling stays with me. Hm. Yes. Well, here's another piece of the Avengers film. I hope you guys are enjoying it!

Many thanks again to those who review! I appreciate your words of encouragement muchly - and your concrit! I will be editing this monster of a piece at some point of time in the future so hearing input now is great.

Thanks to: wbss21, juventus, Basia Orci, The elusive shadow, InsolentKatt.

Distortions In Time
Chapter 80
Opening Salvo II

With each tick, the clock's dark hands moved forward, moved about the white face of the time piece. Time marched on inexorably. Marched onward to doom, Loki thought, like an unstoppable army vast and numberless... like the Chitauri.

Yet, time was not the only thing now set in motion.

A dark-grey and black fleet of ships slowly made its way to the edge of the galaxy and paused there on the edge of the Void. A decaying planet hanging before an ever hungry black hole swarmed busily and the air vibrated with tension and anticipation as the Dark Lord Thanos and his mages prepared for the sending of their emissary.

Tall, dark-suited with perfectly styled hair, another anonymous agent for SHIELD arrived at the sick room of Loki, clipboard in hand. Sitting down by Loki's bed, pen poised, the agent waited and, when Loki began to speak, took copious notes. Notes of what had happened, what could happen and what Loki hoped would never come to be.

In other rooms at SHIELD's HQ, calls were being made. Discreet calls between the Director and a select group of heads of state. Short orders and readjustments in staff positioning as the New Mexico base evacuation began. Loki's warnings, due to the specificity and level of classification of his information, had, Fury thought, merited a response. However, a skeleton crew of scientists and security were chosen to remain to watch over the Tesseract and continue to monitor its fluctuating readings.

-0-0-0-

Thor remained in Washington, DC, the better to reassure his brother. Loki needed him – that much was obvious – whether his young brother admitted it or not. As Loki spoke more freely, as fears abated, it became clear to Thor that America was not safe enough for his liking. Not safe enough for Jane, at any rate. His call to Jane, long, difficult and emotional ended with the astrophysicist reluctantly acquiescing to his suggestion – an invitation (set up by Coulson) to an Observatory in Sweden.

"You needn't have told her," Loki pointed out blandly after Thor returned, looking and feeling older than ever. "She would have accepted the invitation regardless."
"A while ago, I would have done so," Thor admitted as he took firm grip of Loki's arm and helped his brother to ease off the bed's edge and stand, for the first time in a long while, on his own two feet. "But that would not be right. Not really." He caught Loki's knowing grin. "Shut it, you. I would have you know that Jane is a woman who knows her own mind and makes her own decisions." Thor sobered. "She would not be pleased to discover that I had manipulated her."
"Even if it was for her own good?"
"Jane would understand my motivatons... She would, I think, forgive me. But," Thor said slowly. "I would rather build trust, even if it costs me some energy, takes some time... In the long run, it's better. For the both of us."
"'In the long run'?" Loki echoed. "You have picked up some odd colloquialisms here..."
"And you walk like a newborn colt – but you don't see me commenting on it."
"You just did."
"You commented first."
"Did not!"
"Did too!"

-0-0-0-

There were other meetings. Meetings among the teams of agents, soldiers and scientists under SHIELD's command. Meetings among command officers, tacticians and security personnel. Director Fury held several conferences not only with the Council but also his subordinating officers. A special conference was scheduled for those who stood apart from SHIELD's regular lines of duty: Steve Rogers, Thor, Romanov and Barton. Coulson said nothing of the failed project these particular agents represented and but contented himself with watching their faces at the short meeting.

Barton and Romanov, on the video screens (being in different locations they had had been unable to actually attend) appeared unmoved by the intel. Undoubtedly they would share their opinions or misgivings at another time, but Coulson could guess at what they thought beneath their cool, professional exteriors. As SHIELD professionals, they looked to the Director and Coulson for their orders, trusting in their judgment, but Coulson could see that both Barton and Romanov held some reservations about Loki's predictions. On hearing about the Tesseract and the possibility of brainwashing, Barton's eyebrows rose a few millimeters and he briefly muttered, "Damn."

Steve, as the Tesseract was discussed, began to pace. Still, he held his peace, allowing the rest of the information to sink in before voicing his concern. When Thor spoke of returning the Tesseract to Asgard, Steve was quick to agree. Fury, however, would not be moved. The Tesseract was to remain on the Earth.

As the meeting ended and Hill (with her new list of things to do in hand) and the other aides got up from the large round table and streamed out of the room, Thor distinctly remembered later Steve mumbling as the super-soldier made his way out of the room, "Should've left the damn thing in the ocean."

-0-0-0-

"Do you agree with him?" Fury asked Coulson, once everyone had left the Helicarrier's conference room, referring to Steve's quiet protests.
"Well, some days..." Coulson shrugged. "Yes."
"With the Tesseract," Fury pointed out, "the benefits for us are endless."
"I don't disagree," Coulson replied mildly, "the power outage alone will support SHIELD's energy needs for years to come – and other things."
"And other things,' Fury repeated. "We are moving the special projects off base."
"Back to the carrier – or Washington?"
"The carrier, for now."

Coulson nodded.

"I sent the room designation to your mail. Just to be aware."
"Hm."
"Aware of your personnel, I mean," Fury elaborated.
"Yes. Well, I'm pretty certain Thor and Rogers won't roam about," Coulson said and then smiled. "They'll be busy. As will be Barton and Romanov."
"Barton is still in New Mexico. I know you want him back here... but security needs his... particular skill set. And we can't risk everything on some crazy's star visions or whatever the hell he has going on."
"I know. Romanov is in New York, awaiting further orders. You are thinking of sending her to India, right?"
"If there was any time for that particular initiative to be tested-"
"Resuscitated, more like."
"Yeah, well, now's the time to prove its efficacy."
"You think Banner will accept our offer?" Coulson asked.
"Romanov is... persuasive."
"Those four will be enough? Barton. Romanov. Banner. Rogers... You realize Thor would be a great asset to the initiative as well."
"That goes without saying," grunted Fury.
"And the brother?" Coulson paused. "Loki?"
"Ah. That one's a wild card. Well, they are all wild cards in their own way, but he takes the damn cake. 'Mentally unbalanced... reckless... unsympathetic to human interests...'" Fury scrolled through a doctor's report, ticking off the keywords which seemed to jump right off the screen. "PTSD... uncontrollable... young... trust issues...' Screams fucking wild card. There's no way he'll be a team player."
"Hm, well, you are skipping the other stuff," Coulson corrected Fury, "'loyal, intelligent, powerful, insightful and innovative'. He's had experience working with Thor and as a member of the Royal family as well as a mage, Loki more than likely is as well-educated as Thor is in war. He could be a real asset."
"He's not well enough to walk on his own."
"He's working on that. Fear is a great motivator."
"Damn." Fury cursed briefly, then slowly nodded. "But I see your point. Bench him."
"Or try to."
"Tell him he's back up."
"I don't think Loki's the type to hang back... but Thor may be able to reason with him."
"I hope so," Fury said coolly. "The last thing we need is a crazy on the field fucking shit up."
"Hm," Coulson flicked through another pile of papers. "Speaking of wild cards, if we are serious about this... we'll have to put in a call to Malibu."
"Malibu, huh."
"That's his last known location as of half an hour ago."
"Malibu. Must be nice. I heard it's great this time of year," Fury smirked.
"Pity," agreed Coulson. "Who'll we send?"
"I think you should handle it personally." Fury grimaced and shook his head. "You know how these neurotic multi-billionaires get... They like personal treatment; they like the attention. I'll have a package ready for you when we decide to rope him in. Just enough to get him interested."
"Good idea. I'll be in my quarters catching a few," Coulson shuffled together his stack of papers.
"You'll need it. I'll have someone come round and pick you up in five hours or so. The base will need your special attention - to make certain things are getting done in a timely manner."
"Of course," Coulson said.

A long night? Coulson thought. More like a long weekend from hell.

-0-0-0-

Two days later, Loki was able to make his way with Thor's help outside. Now that his magick was able to stabilize, Loki's healing sped along in astonishing rates bordering on the miraculous to the onlooking team of physicians put in charge of his care.

And yet, Thor mused, he is still vulnerable – and Loki is painfully aware of that fact. It is frightening to him. It is shaming... Thor's thoughts wandered monetarily to a muddy pit in which sat Mjolnir. Both of us at this moment in time are weaponless – and are only at half-power...

"I know what you fear," Loki's tired whisper broke into Thor's thoughts as the two found a small wood and iron park bench sheltered in the lee of the building, ensconced in a small potted plant area. Judging by the amount of cigarette butts on the ground, Thor guessed it was more of a popular spot for staff to have an illicit smoke. "Dying alone... dying helpless to save the ones you love."
"We will not die, Loki," Thor squeezed his brother on the shoulder and winced at how bony Loki had remained despite the constant healthy meals offered him. "We will not die," he repeated. "You are speaking out of fear-"
"Or knowledge of the inevitable."
"Someone wise once told me something I had forgotten and since remembered..."
"Hmmm..."
"Something about the fact that knowledge is power. I wonder who that was..." Thor's small joke fell flat as Loki just stared at him woodenly, clearly unimpressed.
"It is only power if people wield it adequately. SHIELD is not taking our warnings seriously. Very little has changed from what I saw happening. Soon we will move from neutral watchfulness to a panicked defense. Hopefully the fail-safe will be in place."
"Fail-safe – the built-in self-destruct?"
"Yes." Pause. "Otherwise we will have a real problem on our hands."
"I am certain SHIELD will be ready for the attack." Thor leaned forward and gazed down at the edges of his blue jeans rumpled along the edges of his black combat boots. Then over at Loki's slippers which looked incongruously white-pink against his dark blue feet. "In your dreams... who led the attack?"

There followed an eloquent silence. Loki's stare did not meet Thor's. Instead it chose to wander over the small garden, the slender elms, square rows of hedges and rounded bushes and the small green buds of the perennials now beginning to reach upward to the sun.

"Who was it, Loki?"

Thor was not going to let his suspicions remain unanswered.

"It was me," Loki finally admitted. His red eyes met Thor's in anguish. "But I would not do such a thing – I – I think I was – I was confused and angry and alone and... empty, so empty. Easy prey for Thanos and the machinations of the Mind Gem."
"The staff you spoke of... is another Infinity Stone?"
"But that was another time, another space, another me – and you-"
"I think you ought to hold onto that thought," Thor tugged on Loki's shoulder, rising to his feet. "We are ourselves and our future is unknown. Let us make the best of it."
"Well... I will just settle for better," Loki grumbled, joining Thor, stumbling a little as he moved forward. "Best might be asking too much."

[...so two are joined...]
[...the power of a dying star...]
[...preserved forever and mighty...]
[...and the Voice of the Stars...]
[...ever changeable and cunning...]
[...are joined...]

Watching his brother fall asleep for the usual prescribed afternoon nap, Thor clasped Loki's hand and vowed revenge. Whoever did this to Loki, they will pay. Loki has always been the one who thought of a way out, but this is Kol'la, an enslaved Kol'la... the Kol'la I had met with defeated eyes. I want my brother back... Loki...

[...and the powers...]
[...dark and light...]
[...if they have forgotten...]
[...let them beware...]
[...let them see...]

One day later, a dark helicopter gently lit down on the waiting landing pad of the New Mexico base. The door, already half open and now slamming back fully, revealed a man in a black leather trench and a black eye-patch. Another man – shorter, rather anonymous in a suit usually worn by the lower ranks of federal employees – rushed forward.

"She's gonna blow!" yelled Coulson over the whoosh of the choppers.
"Evacuation status?!" hollered back Fury.
"Emptied five hours ago, excepting the skeleton staff you ordered – five technicians and two units."

With each step, the two left the overpowering sound of the rotors as the helicopter slowly shut down.

"I recommend," Coulson added, "that you keep the heli on standby, given the imminent collapse expected."

Fury nodded, jerked his head back, giving his single personal security detail a meaningful look. Without further words, the soldier fell back and returned to the heli, talking loudly over his earpiece.

"We don't have a lot of time," Hill appeared at Fury's other elbow as they moved toward the lift. "It has reached critical mass."
"If anyone were to come through," Coulson said as the lift doors opened and they stepped through, "it would be now."

The lift, a few seconds later, was rocketing downward.

"Well. This time we are prepared for whatever, whomever it is... Asgardians are tough – but I doubt they could walk away from a grenade to the face."

Coulson glanced at Hill, then looked away.

"We can hope," he said shortly.
"Have the other other projects been relocated?" Fury asked Hill.
"Yes, sir."
"And all staff evacuated?"
"Yes, sir," Coulson nodded.
"You two go ahead then," Fury came to a stop and turned to look the other two in the eyes. "The Doctor and I will try to shut down the Tesseract and join you. Hill, get to the transport lot and ensure everyone who should be out is out. I think there are two backup security teams down there. Let's get them out of the way. Make a perimeter around the base. Coulson, you get out of here. Take the other three units on the south end with you. I think they're escorting some last minute personnel off base. The less people around here, the better."

Hill stared unhappily at her superior before nodding tightly. Fury sighed. He could read her thoughts – safety in numbers. And she's right, the forbidding Director agreed, but if it were to blow... this place'll be nothing but a mass grave. A mass grave and a massive public scandal. Neither of which SHIELD can afford right now. Or at any time.

"Yes, sir," Hill dipped her chin in a tense nod.

Watching the tall, dark-haired uniformed woman walk away and beckon a security officer to accompany her, Coulson turned to Fury.

"The Tesseract has been increasing power output with each surge. Loki's predictions are correct," Coulson pointed out. "You will need more man power – backup – to deal with whomever comes through."
"Two squadrons and Barton are present," Fury said calmly. "Frankly, I need you ready out there – just in case. Losing you is not an option at this stage. Not worth the risk."
"So you do think brainwashing is a possibility."
"I think at this point of time, anything is a possibility,' Fury gave Coulson a measured look. "Get yourself back outside. I'll either be out with the Tesseract in half an hour... or we'll be meeting on the carrier with the Avengers."
"I'll arrange a lift for Rogers and Thor just in case, then."
"Don't forget Loki," nodded Fury. "The last thing we need is some vigilante action by a crazy E.T. Besides... he may be a screw loose but at least he'll have a clue as to what the fuck is going on."

With that, the two parted.

-0-0-0-

Going down a long winding stairs which curved around the central room of the reactor they had built for their highly classified project, Fury ran through all the options in his mind. The atmosphere about him fit his pessimistic mood. The entire complex, built out of concrete several meters thick was a forbidding, gloomy-looking place, well-suited to the rather dangerous activities taking place. Metal girders, beams and pipes ran through and along the mazes of corridors and with each slight tremor, the bared blue-white fluorescent lights flickered.

Walking into the laboratory proper and the small testing site, Fury was greeted with a familiar sight. The skidrow (what he mentally called it) was empty of staff and neither was it filled with the Tesseract's beam which had been, on occasion, activated for energy production. Five tall black panels stood at the one end – making an empty circle. What the circle was for, Fury did not know precisely, but on the other end of the long metal walkway stood the circular, spiked titanium device of which he definitely knew the purpose. It held the Tesseract, the centerpiece of the room and the purpose for the entire research department in the reactor.

Past that lay an open path from which branched various stations – computers, monitors, mysterious-looking scientific equipment as well as the scientists themselves and the security detail he had ordered. Barton was nowhere in sight.

"So, what's going on, Doctor?" Fury asked, voice echoing around the vaulted ceiling as he moved forward and past the Tesseract.

Selvig, emerging from behind a monitor, shook his head. The tall, older Swede, dressed incongruously in grey slacks and a blue plaid dress shirt, looked rather harassed. Even worried.

Not good, Fury thought.

"The Tesseract is misbehaving," Selvig shook his head. "We've been monitoring it all day long... but..."
"Misbehaving?" Fury quirked an eyebrow.
"Well, sounds funny – but," Selvig glanced at another monitor before leading Fury back to the Tesseract and its stand. "It's... behaving. And not in a good way."

Accompanying his words, the Tesseract sputtered, flared, flashed and white wisps of what looked like fog or steam drifted about it as one of the technicians delicately probed it. Hurriedly edging back, the scientist glanced at Selvig.

"I got a few reading," the young African-American said, "but they are far from complete..."
"Just see what you can do," sighed Selvig, leaning in gingerly.
"You can't just... turn it off?" Fury asked.
"She's a power source. We turn her or anything off, she turns it all back on."
"Hm," Fury noted Selvig's odd pronoun usage once again. She. Loki's words of warning flitted into his memory. She. He glanced around the room. "Where's Agent Barton?"
"The Hawk?" Selvig gave Fury an unreadable look.

He was never entirely easy about the military nature of this organization, Fury thought. Now, more than ever, perhaps.

Selvig jerked his head. "Up in his nest. As usual."

Fury nodded and moved away, allowing Selvig return to his work, thumbed on his earpiece and called for Barton. Fifteen seconds later, Barton, looking his usual self with an all-black uniform, arrows and slung-over short bow, appeared at his side after descending with envious agility down a wire. Fury jerked his head in the direction of the Tesseract and the skidrow and the two took the long way around, surveying the room from another, quieter corner.

"I told you to keep a close eye on things," Fury said.
"I see things better from a distance," 'The Hawk' replied simply in answer to Fury's unspoken question.
"Any evidence of tampering?"
"None."
"No suspicious activity?"
"None," Barton repeated, shaking his head minutely.

As the two moved away from the scientists, Barton continued on, voice lowered, as he completed his report.

"Triple-checked the background checks on all of them. I even checked their communications and IMs. Selvig and the rest of his team are as clean as they come."
"Hm."

The two of them now stood before the Tesseract, watching the eerie wisps drifting from it.

"It does seem..." Fury paused. "Active."
"Low level radiation. A little gamma radiation. 'Nothing harmful', Selvig said," Barton shivered, "but it's unnerving to watch."

Fury stared down at the small white crystalline box before him. It could fit in my hand, he thought, and it will power our operations and energize our weapons for hundreds of years to come. As long as we can keep our hands on it, keep it safe. The one-eyed Director frowned. But these things have a way of getting out of control. A double-edged sword.

"Yep," Barton was saying, "nothing is messing with it on our end."
"Our end?"
"Coulson said it before, sir," Barton shrugged. "It's a door. Doors open two ways, right?"
"Well, I-"

Before Fury was able to complete his sentence, Selvig's voice rose from his station in a shout.

"Director! You may want to step back! She's sky-rocketing!"

With a crackle, a roar and a small explosion of light, the largest beam or energy Fury had ever seen shot out from the Tesseract. Power coalesced among the encircling five tall black panels, swirling and tearing away at the fabric of space, before expanding outward in a ball of light, energy and wind. For a few seconds, everyone staggered, hands and arms raised, shielding against the light. A larger wind buffeted the stations, nearly blowing Fury and Barton off their feet. Beneath, the ground quaked uneasily and dust hung in the air, falling from newly formed stress fractures in the grey concrete above.

When Fury found his footing and looked upward and forward, he noticed that the giant flames which had erupted along the beam's trajectory had extinguished quickly. At the far end, a hooded figure half knelt – steam, smoke and wisps of the Tesseract's power rolled off the bent shoulders and large hood, obscuring the face and identity momentarily. Nodding at Barton mutely, Fury unholstered his gun, readied it and brought it to bear.

"Just as he said, sir," Barton murmured.
"This time, we're prepared," Fury replied quietly.

The hooded figure rose, slowly and painfully, judging by the hitch in movement as he (or she) got to their feet. In their right hand curved a short, spear-like weapon which curved about to a point like a bird of prey's beak and nested in its crook, a soft light gleamed.

A pale wrinkled hand rose to pull back the hood – and at that simple gesture, twelve safety catches clicked in warning.

"Sir," Fury said in a slow, clear voice which rang throughout the room. "Please, put down the spear."

The figure continued, pulling back the hood and revealing the wrinkled features of an old face above a frizzed, long, white beard. As he shifted, he stood to his full height – tall despite his bent shoulders which gave hint to a broadness once, a long time ago during his youth when, perhaps, he had stood as strong and unmoving as Thor. When his cloak parted further back, the intruder's clothing was also reminiscent of the outfit Thor had worn upon his arrival on Earth – well-fitted with earthy hues of deep browns, greens and burnt siennas.

An old man. An old man, Fury thought, who could be some kind of Merlin in Camelot. A wizard, wise and ancient, looking about him with eyes that seemed to hold deep wells of knowledge and memory. Eyes that seemed to see through them – and laughed at what was hidden. Eyes that held no small amount of madness. Eyes that glinted with an inner fire of madness. Eyes that looked down at all of them as an exasperated parent or teacher might a naughty child or ignorant student. Fury felt himself bristling at the patronizing gaze. He felt his hope that this could be solved amicably evaporate as the intruder made no move.

"Well, I've never shot a senior citizen before," muttered Barton. "There's a first time for everything I suppose."
"Sir," Fury repeated again, a little louder, since the elderly man may have been hard of hearing, "please... put down... the spear."

The next thing Fury knew, he was flat on his back, pain shooting along his shoulders which had taken the brunt of his fall. He had been brought down by Barton as a blast of powerful energy blazed through the air where he had been standing. Rolling to their feet, Fury and Barton began to fire at the mage – only to discover that some kind of invisible shielding had been erected. Invisible shielding which easily deflected the bullets and grenades launched at it.

Despite the long, white beard, wrinkly, sun-spotted skin and the hunched posture, the elderly man, once moving, seemed unstoppable. Jumping to the left, spear raised, the cloaked attacker took down three men before the rest could react. After that, things became a little more chaotic. One female scientist was hit by a stray blast; two men died of ricocheting projectiles. Madness.

Fury, noticing the power still collecting and expanding in the domed vault ceiling, cursed. There's not much time left – and to bring larger weapons to bear will kill us all... but the alternative-

Emptying his second clip and watching with consternation as each of his shots hit the mark's face and chest and bounced right off, Fury sighed. He looked around the room.

It was in total shambles. All of the scientists and technicians, save Selvig who had ran to the fallen female technician's side, had fled. Barton and the others were now clearly on the defensive, fighting hand to hand against the as yet anonymous enemy and newly recruited agents who had mysteriously turned.

Brainwashed, Fury thought, feeling older and more tired than ever. Inching along, the Director crept around the edge of the station, snagging one of the more familiar cases, slipped over to the Tesseract, eased it out of its cradle and into the case. Wincing as the cold heat threatened to burn through his gloves, Fury quickly set it in and closed the cover, spinning the locks and then standing up.

Glancing around again, Fury noticed that the room had suddenly become silent.

Selvig also rose.

"Who are you?" the white-blond haired man called out, clearly upset. "Have you come from Asgard? We are friends of Thor!"
"I – I am a messenger who understands what lies before the Realms," replied the mage – suddenly appearing behind the doctor and spinning the man around. He gave Selvig a gentle look."There is only surrender and survival," here, the mage pressed the tip of the spear into Selvig's chest, "or death."

Barton-

Barton was walking toward him, eyes icy blue – gun raised and at the ready.

"I am afraid," a cultivated, formal, precise yet hoarse voice broke the ominous silence, "that artifact is not for you to keep."
"Neither is it yours," Fury replied coldly, reaching for his gun – and then hesitating as Barton's thumb flicked the safety catch on his own.
"You have no idea to whom you speak, presumptuous man," the brown-cloaked mage stepped forward. "And your – childish games are just that – childish. It is surprising – to meet such a welcome on Midgard, yet in the end, you can only recognize our power and your own impotence. Midgard has lived in peace too long – it has grown fat and ignorant, yet our Lord will come and teach the impudent a lesson well-learned and, having given up all of its treasures, this world will... burn."

With that Barton's gun fired, Fury felt momentary loss of breath as the bullet his Kevlar vest straight and true. He toppled back, lost his grip on the case and lay there stunned as Selvig, Barton and his agents marched past, swooped up the Tesseract and, with the hooded mage in tow, left.

-0-0-0-

By the time Fury found power and breath to call and alert Hill, the group was pulling out the lot. Knowing Hill and her men would be in pursuit, Fury ran amidst the increasing tremors to his waiting helicopter.

As he rose into the night air, cracks appeared in the pavement beneath him and the concrete and metal fell away, fell in – an inevitable collapse. Fury watched as the base and surrounding campus slowly disappeared, gave way to furrows of metal and stone rubble as the mazes of hallways beneath filled with rubble.

Just before the entrance collapsed, three dark vehicles shot out and cut across the rough countryside, over gravel and sand and scrub.

"Follow them-"

Aiming at and successfully hitting moving vehicles while in an unsteady aircraft such as an helicopter is difficult at the best of times and Fury soon realized that many of his shots while hitting the mark were being deflected – again. As the mage returned fire from the back of the second truck, Fury cursed mages and magic – superior technology – and everything extraterrestrial. One of the mage's energy shots from his spear hit the heli's tail and as the pilot expertly brought the exploding vehicle round, the quiet agent yelled at Fury to jump.

Without argument, Fury leaped off, landed and rolled across sand and withered grass and turned to watch helplessly as the cavalcade of trucks disappeared with the Tesseract into the night. Behind him, the helicopter crashed into the ground, rotors chopping into the sand like mighty fins finding purchase in water, causing it to swing, flail and scud across the sand. Like a dying beast.

Agent Dunstan, Fury thought.

Then, a familiar reassuring voice came over the headset. Coulson's voice.

"I achieved the perimeter, sir. Should I still return to DC HQ?"
Fury thought for a few seconds before thumbing his walkie-talkie on. "Hill, do you copy?"
"I copy," Hill sounded frustrated and tired – and defeated. "I'm trapped down here – and a few more of our men."
"We'll get you and your men out," Fury said. "The one's with Coulson will stay and retrieve you. Coulson, do you copy?"
"I copy, sir."
"You will go to Malibu as planned. We will meet on the carrier," Fury paused before continuing voice even. "The Tesseract is in enemy hands. This is a Level Seven. As of right now, we are at war."

Dun, dun, dun. Well, now we are in Avengers proper. So that's... exciting... Well, maybe not. The differences aren't that big so far. Next chapter, things will start skewing, I promise.

As I promised a reader, I'm making Barton a little deaf - but I've not mentioned it yet b/c he's wearing an earpiece... so that kinda makes the whole thing moot. (I don't believe in throwing in massive amounts of character description until I actually have to. And randomly saying that someone is deaf is kinda odd.)

I hope you guys are enjoying it!

Let me know~~~!