Chapter 10
AN: Hey guys here is the next chapter, thanks for the reviews keep it up I love hearing from you. Once again I do not own any marvel characters. Enjoy
As they walked the threshold of the tower, they were greeted by Coulson and Thor. Maria and Sif lead the Pilgraet up stairs while the others stayed behind. May had already left them earlier and arrived ahead, catching Coulson up on everything that had happened. Consequently, Thor was studying Alex, who was watching Coulson, who then turned to Thor looking at him expectantly and only received a shrug in reply. There was an awkward silence as they sized each other up, but it was Alex who broke it by steeping forward and offering her hand,
"Hello, we haven't officially met, you know my name, but I have not had the pleasure of knowing yours…"
Coulson stepped forward and took her hand, "Phil Coulson, Director of SHIELD." He added the last part as a foreign afterthought.
Alex smiled warmly at him, not taking offence of Coulson's accidental authority power-play. They went upstairs to plan and Coulson was very interested to ascertain how Alex was going to stop these allegedly unbeatable aliens.
"What's your plan?" Coulson asked Alex
"What makes you think I have a plan?" Alex retorted and was amused at the others reactions, most which were bewilderment, so Alex thought it best to explain herself. "Usually I do plan but this time there are too many factors to account for. I was planning to play it by ear, along the way I would get inspiration but my first move would be to talk to them – though it's not likely they would listen- but I guess you can call it protocol. Also I have never personally dealt with them, but my brothers have. They've stopped them before, so I have got a sense of what to do."
"Then shouldn't your brothers be here?" May inquired,
"No. I mean it's unlikely they'll come. This isn't… they won't be… just no. Besides I do know what I am doing. He trusts me and I have faith… so yeah, I can handle it. It is going to be one big surprise." Her hand ran through her hair, trying to ease the awkwardness.
"Are you telling me, that the survival of our planet is hinging on the fact that you have faith?" Tony said, walking into the room, "Hills told me, to tell you, that she needs you and I choose to say that. Not because she told me to, but because I was heading in this direction and out of my naturally good graces I told you." Stark added, dragging out a moan or eye roll from those around him.
"Sometimes all you need is a bit of faith Mr Stark; you have no idea of what I am capable of." Alex countered without levity.
Coulson left with May, leaving Alex with Skye, Tony and Thor, who now came over to Alex to examine her up close. She allowed it for a while before it became unsettling, so she crossed over to the kitchen. Pulling out a case of whisky and was reaching for a glass when Tony snatched it off her.
"Easy there, I don't give alcohol to minors." He taunted,
"Who said I am a minor?"
"You look as though you're sixteen." He smirked,
Alex strode over to the glass window to study her reflection and raised her eyebrows in surprise, as if she had just noticed her appearance for the first time.
"Now that is just sad," she muttered to herself. "Very well then," Alex relented and went to inspect the fridge. "Who stocks this? Well this simply, won't do. Seeming that I am sixteen, you say? I best go get something more age appropriate." She turned her back on them. "Tell Director Coulson I will be back, Skye I suggest you stay indoors." Alex added, then left before anyone could stop.
"Yesh, someone needs a nap."
Skye glared in the older man's direction, before rolling her eyes; almost radiating her disbelief. "Honestly?"
Stark shrugged, dismissing her gaze easily. "So what's up?"
"Are you actually wanting to be schooled again Old Man?"
His eyes widened fractionally, "You must need glasses, I'm not the Cap and I wasn't aware of being anywhere near a school in years. Though I've had a few Teachers…. yes."
A deep voice broke their staring competition, "I do not understand how can you have been around teachers and not learnt?"
Skye's eyebrows shot up this time, "Is he for real?"
"Unfortunately," Tony replied.
Her hand turned towards her satchel. Pulling out her precious machine, and settled it on the counter that was close by. In moments she was lost in a world of numbers and code finally letting the real world slip away. Little by little her firewalls came down and the commands she entered brought up a menacing smile. 'Three, two one…' Sky crowed silently. 'Show time.'
"Mr Stark, I do believe that my system is malfunctioning…" The AI squawked, quite alarmed.
The lights began to shut on and off, a random Justin Bieber song began blearing in a different part of the building, loud enough to be heard over Jarvis. Skye smirked at the scowling she was receiving from Stark who was typing away at his tablet.
"Turn it off," he demanded at the smirking girl.
Who once again was swept into the numbers on her computer; the song stopped and he sighed with relief until it started up again but this time with Lady Gaga's 'Born this way'. He glared daggers at her which only made her laugh even harder at Thor's reaction, but it was wiped clean when May appeared and made her turn it off.
"Where is the girl?" May asked
"She umm…" Skye began, but thankfully at that time Alex reappeared and made her way towards them with an all too serious expression.
"I was wrong, you know how I said by the end of the week? Well actually it's more like tomorrow. You will see them entering you solar system, without warning." Alex explained cautiously.
May looked sceptic, "What do you mean by tomorrow? How do you know?"
"Well I just saw signs of his early scouts, usually they arrive a day before the invasion." Alex answered. Making May turn and go back the way she had come.
"You do actually have a plan though, right?" Skye whispered and received a sly smile from Alex.