It's getting close! Just wait patiently...
Please enjoy!
"Merely A Sample"
"Sounds good to me."
They were locking in on Kaju's location – somewhere in Hunan, China. The team had been getting close but only in the general area. Only when Thor stopped by in order to point them in the right direction did they set the coordinates.
Thor and Coulson stood, relaxed, on the mezzanine. Thor held onto the Mjolnir while Coulson leaned on the railing, bent at the waist and arms loosing crossed hanging on the railing. Neither man was looking at the other. The team was elsewhere. FitzSimmons was downstairs, fiddling with something in the lab. Ward was reading a book in the common room and May was meditating.
"He will be expecting you, Son of Coul. Unfortunately, my uncle is The Clairvoyant. He is well trained and has thousands of men and women at his disposal. Kaju will not hesitate to kill you unless he wants to question you first. He thrives on causing death and destruction." Thor supplied.
"Well, I can be the same way if need be. I do have two Berserkers aboard." Coulson flashed a smile. Thor softly chuckled, knowing about that story from his sister. "I take it Skye told you." Thor nodded.
"If you need help, just let me know." Thor offered.
"Thanks Thor, but I gotta do this without the help of Asgardian gods." Coulson said.
Thor didn't make a comment, just dipped his head to acknowledge Coulson's decision. Just stay alive, Brother. Your children and my sister will need you.
"Oh, and Agent Coulson? The Clairvoyant says hello."
Xingou, China (made up village, I think)
The scenery the team was presented with was one of utter destruction. Blackened charred ground, burning smoke, skeleton building remains, lifeless bodies tossed around like toys was the basic theme they stepped into once May landed the plane in the nearby meadow. Guilty hearts matched with sadness gripped the team as they slowly stepped off the ramp. Devastation was the one thought that seemed to run from one mind to another like a contagious virus.
Coulson was speechless as he took in the scene before him. Scanning his surroundings slowly, he searched for any sign that someone was alive or that some object would lead them to Kaju's location.
"We just missed them." Ward commented in disbelief.
"We were to late." May said in her cold voice, but there was a hint of sadness in it.
Coulson could hear Simmons softly crying and Fitz telling her it would be okay, that these people were in a better place. He walked toward what was left of the village sign. Half of the sign was missing – a symbol saying that there was still hope. The team leader touched the charred sign, feeling the singe of heat, as he looked down at the charred ground and closed his eyes. Slumping his shoulders, he dropped a heavy sigh. So many lives lost for a maniac's pleasure. It was sickening!
"Sir, what's next?" He heard Ward ask him in the distance.
Coulson was asking himself that same question. What was next? Where had Kaju and his army gone? How many more "just missed them" or "too late" would come out of their mouths? How many more innocent lives would be taken before Coulson pushed his way straight to the God of Death and War? For once, the team leader didn't know where to lead. He had no back up plan, no break. The trail ended here, it seemed. Kaju had years of strategy on them.
No trail just ends here. There's always a loss of hope that sets the trail on a narrower path before the trail widens again. He could almost hear Skye say. Smiling, he remembered that'd been her exact words upon a late night movie with just the two of them. Everyone else had gone to bed.
"You're right, Skye." He whispered, popping his eyes open and getting a strong sense of determination. Coulson was about to turn back to his team before a piece of lined paper caught in between the charred half of the sign and the ground, flapped daringly against the wind. Taking his hand off the upright sign, he bent down to grab the paper, pulling it out and gripping it with both hands.
"Let's play a game, Son of Coul. Think you can beat me? Look behind you."
He heard gasps and his name being yelled as his eyes widened. Whipping around, he came face to face with a black robed man with a menacing expression on his face. Fear gripped him as he let the paper slip from his hand, taking a step back as the man to a step forward like a predator does to its prey.
Coulson watched as the man threw his palm up toward his team, using some kind of magic to keep them rooted to the spot. They could still hear their screams. That menacing expression added a matching smile.
"Kaju." He said the god's name with finality, no questions.
Kaju dipped his head as if to say yes. "You must be the man my niece is so in love with." Coulson nodded while Kaju looked him up and down. "Hmm…I don't see the appeal of Midgardians myself, but hey, to each his or her own, right?" Coulson said nothing. "I've been looking forward to this meeting for a very long time, my friend." Kaju didn't even give Coulson a chance to speak, turning to pace from back and forth right in front of the team leader. "See, I was given the insight that not only would you be the death of me, which I'm still questioning, but that you," he pointed at Coulson in which Coulson gave him a me? look. "Yes, you. You have a more important purpose than that. It was planned before you were even thought of."
"W-What are you talking about?" Coulson asked, halfway curious where Kaju was going with this.
Kaju looked at him appalled. "Mother dearest never told you?"
Coulson narrowed his eyes that have turned to an ice blue color. "Leave my mother out of this!" He seethed, balling up his fists.
Kaju taunted him. "Oh, did I just touch a nerve?"
Before Coulson could answer, an Asgardian vortex crashed onto the ground in between the god and man. The vortex ascended, leaving Loki, blocking Kaju's path to Coulson.
The team had been thrown to the ground at the jolt the vortex had created. They were now slowly getting up and watching helplessly while the scene unfolded. Coulson had managed to stay on his feet while Kaju looked disappointed and a tinge of irritated. Loki glared at his uncle, fists clenched.
"Loki." Coulson whispered, paling. Where was Thor when he needed him?
Loki ignored his soon-to-be brother-in-law. "Do not say another word, Uncle!" Loki hissed. "He is not ready."
Coulson would have something, but he learned long ago to try to stay as clear away when two gods were about to have a spat.
"What, Loki? Are you afraid of his reaction when he realizes that I created–" Kaju started to say.
"Stop!" Loki yelled, instantly shutting his uncle up. Loki pointed at himself. "I am the only one allowed to taunt him. I will not allow you to hurt him."
Coulson had a touch of kindness toward Loki just then. "Loki, what are you do–" he started to say.
"I promised my sister to be a better brother." Loki said by way of explanation, without looking back at Coulson. "His version of taunting is a lot worse than mine."
If getting stabbed in the heart was weak, Coulson could only imagine what tricks Kaju had up his sleeve.
"Oh, Loki, he should at least know I created Hydra for him to play with." Kaju managed to slip out.
At that, Coulson could care less about intervening. Stepping out from behind Loki, he glared at both gods. "What the hell? Are we sandbox toys for the both of you to use? Do you both enjoy seeing innocent lives torn apart by death and war?" He yelled as he stepped closer to Kaju, whirling on his feet to regard Loki. "And you! Since when did you start sticking up for me?"
Loki sighed. "Since I decided to be a big brother. No one but me gets to taunt you and get away with it!" Loki said vehemently, advancing on the team leader, poking the man in the chest. "Now," he grabbed Coulson's arm, forcibly pulling him to stand behind him, "stay put. Let the adults work it out."
Coulson's jaw twitched, threatening to release his anger but he didn't let it. Breathing heavily, he rubbed his sore muscle. "I won't just sit back. If I'm going to get your father's permission, this is what I'm supposed to do." Coulson reached behind him, pulling out his weapon, ready to unleash the twin blades.
Kaju laughed. "Oh, trust me, Son of Coul. This is not where we have our fight. This was merely a visit. All you have to do is come to Skye's birthplace. I'll be waiting." Then, he just up and disappeared.
Loki rounded on him. "What are you doing? Rising to his taunts is not the smartest way to defeat him!" Loki yelled as the team rushed over to them. "Thor showed you the Asgardian training, but I can show you the trickery part. The signs to look for anyway."
Coulson looked at him like he had two heads. He had no clue where Skye was born, but he knew how to get it. "Loki, where was Skye born?" he dropped his weapon, clamping a hand on each arm of the god.
Loki was alarmed. He wasn't used to being touched. The god could see the desperation in the Midgardian's blue eyes, could clearly see just how far the man he'd killed would go for his baby sister, could see the love hidden within the desperation. That was what made Loki answer him. "All right, I will tell you. It's…" Then, he told him, whispering it in his ear. Coulson's narrowed his eyes.
TBC...