Chapter 42 - An Unauthorized Takeoff

Baron Wolfgang von Strucker's newest and most expansive laboratory was hidden within the ancient castle of Novi Grad, capitol city of Sokovia. It was discreet, and the chaos of the neighboring city would draw attention to their work by the outside world. Sokovia's constant state of warfare and strife had greatly stagnated the country's development as well; while S.H.I.E.L.D. kept watch over Sokovia, its current state still made it unworthy of monitoring in the agency's eyes.

All the more convenient.

Baron Strucker was a lanky, German man with a monocle covering his right eye and a gray suit. Currently, he was leading two of his fellow conspirators, Daniel Whitehall, a middle-aged man in a nice gray suit, glasses, and a disturbingly calm smile etched on his bespectacled face; and Gideon Malick, an older looking, gray-haired man with a larger build, dark suit, and a less positive expression shadowed by a more intimidating scowl, through the tunnels of the castle.

Behind them walked three other figures. Two of the figures were simple armed soldiers, but the person in the center was a young woman. She wore a black hooded uniform consisting of body armor and leather. The cape and hood were both black, and she wore a mask underneath that covered her nose and mouth. Locks of long, platinum blonde hair hung out lazily from the hood and over her shoulders. She had piercing blue eyes that seemed to glow in the dim hallways of the castle, but there was a wrathful glare etched into her gaze, the dark circles under her eyes only adding to the feeling of foreboding she emanated.

The air also seemed to drop several degrees around her. The castle was moderately warm, but around this woman, it was so cold that the gentlemen she was accompanying could see their own breaths.

"So, Strucker. You still haven't said anything about this new project of yours." Whitehall said, his head cocked curiously. "It's going to be hard to outdo S.H.I.E.L.D.'s superpowered emissaries."

"Indeed." Malick said, his voice low and gravely as he glared at the bald baron. "You're keeping us in the dark here, Wolfgang."

"Patience, my dear friends." Strucker said with a thick German accent. "Dr. List is already in the final stages of procedure. I promise you will find the results quite satisfying."

"That remains to be seen." Whitehall said with a grin. "So far, all of HYDRA's decisions have been less than fruitful. No offense, Malick."

"Quiet, Whitehall." Malick growled. "You'd have done the same in my shoes."

"So you think." Whitehall sneered.

Strucker sighed. Back when he was still on the World Security Council, Malick's choice to launch the nuclear missile at Manhattan had drawn S.H.I.E.L.D. into a negative light and nearly ruined HYDRA's operations. As such, Malick was ejected from the council. Even now, that was a sore point for the man.

The group rounded the corner of one metal corridor into the main lab, and almost bumped into a familiar young woman holding a clipboard.

"O-Oh my, goodness. Sorry." She said with with a bow. She shivered at the cold presence, looking at the hooded woman standing behind the three men with a barely concealed fear. "Mr. Strucker, I didn't mean to-"

"Leave, Ms. Tremel." Strucker drawled in irritation. "Now."

Tremel flinched and nodded, quickly scurrying off. Strucker sighed and they kept walking, moving past many other scientists working hard on various pieces of advanced technology and paraphernalia. Many of them stared at the three men in admiration, but seemed to flinch in the hooded woman's presence.

"Ah, Mr. Malick and Dr. Whitehall. A pleasure to see you again." An old man in a lab coat said as he walked up to them. He had an aged face with a curved, parrot-like nose. Despite his age, he stood tall and proud.

Malick just grunted in greeting, while Whitehall nodded. "Dr. List. Nice to see you've settled in nicely, despite the..." Whitehall cleared his throat, looking around at the old castle with evident distaste, "accommodations."

"It's called discretion, Herr Whitehall." Strucker said, frowning at the scientist. "Have you been paying attention all of these years?"

"Don't lecture me on experience, Strucker." Whitehall said, glaring suddenly. "I've been alive long enough to understand our goals, far longer than you've been alive in this wretched world."

"Please, gentlemen, let's not fight amongst ourselves." List said calmly, putting his hands up. "I am sure you didn't come all this way for petty squabbles."

"Indeed." Malick said, stepping forward. "We came to see the results of your work. Project Insight is nearing completion, and Mr. Pierce wants to make sure all assets are prepared for all post-Insight activity."

"Very well, sirs. Very well, indeed. If you would all just come this way, we'll lead you to our latest project." Dr. List replied.

ooooo

Soladat stood in the conference room of the Bus, leaning forward with her hands supporting her against the holotable. She had a look of anger and frustration on her face, and Sif clearly shared her attitude.

With a furious grunt, Sif tossed a chair to the side, glaring. "Lorelei's treachery remains unchanged, no matter the world."

"No shit." Soladat replied, getting up to face the Asgardian. "We've got Asgard's most dangerous bitch parading around with two of Earth's most dangerous men under her thumb. All we gotta do is call in Loki and then its a party."

"This is no joke, Archangel!" Sif said, rounding on the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent with a glare. "As long as Lorelei runs free, every man, woman, and child is in danger!"

"You think I don't know that?" Soladat retorted with a glare. "Mike is my friend. Ward too, to an extent at least. We're looking for them now, Sif. Every agent in the area is out looking."

"To what end, hmm?" Sif asked heatedly. She wrenched the collar from her side and showed it to Archengel. It had been dented by the gunshot from the bar. "The collar has been broken! Short of death, we have no means to end her enchantment."

"I still don't see why the death option is out of the question." Soladat said, frowning at Sif. "You said it yourself, she's dangerous and beyond reasoning with. From what I've seen, Asgardian justice isn't above execution. Why not simply kill her?"

Sif's eyes darkened further. "Lorelei can never suffer enough for all the lives she has ruined, Archangel. Granting her a swift death, would be like granting her mercy."

"I understand, Sif." Soladat reasoned. "I've dealt with people like her, but sometimes there's no other way out-"

"You do not!" Sif yelled angrily, causing Soladat to jump. "You do not understand! You do not understand what it is like! Having your own friends turn on you, their minds still their own but their desires curved so that they would want one of their own loved ones dead! You do not understand what it is like to have to strike out in defense! To take the life of someone you love!"

Sif was breathing heavily, teeth bared as she glared at the Archangel in rage. Slowly, Sif's anger subsided, and when she actually looked at Soladat, she saw that the Archangel was sporting a look of anger herself. Although, her's was more restrained.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Soladat bit out rather harshly, glaring daggers at the Asgardian. "I know, what all of those things feel like, Sif. You have no fucking right to assume that I don't."

Sif gaped at the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent/Avenger, and slowly looked down in shame. "I... forgive me, Archangel. I wasn't thinking clearly. I was angry."

"May was onto something earlier, when she asked if this was personal." Soladat said slowly. "Sif, what exactly happened? What did Lorelei do?"

"It is old history, Archangel."

"And it's threatening the possibilities of cooperation between you and my team." Soladat said, glaring. "What happened, Sif?"

Sif stared at Soladat for a good long while, her lips tightening as she internally struggled with the explanation the Archangel was demanding from her. She sighed, and leaned against the holotable, her arms supporting her as she glared at the reflective blue holographic paneling on the table's surface.

"When Lorelei and her sisters were pillaging the realms, it was she who was responsible for coercing most of the men that they had under their command." Sif ground out. "She was a hedonist. Cavalier with other peoples' hearts, simply to curve her own amusement. She was one of the rarest examples of the horrible things could actually be spawned from Asgard. I fought and killed countless men, most of which were innocent and had no way of telling right from wrong. Many of those men had wives. Children. Families. I destroyed that. I killed them."

"That wasn't you, Sif." Soladat tried to reason. "It was Lorelei."

"I know." Sif sighed. "What was worse, was that Lorelei stood idly by the whole time, sneering and laughing as she watched the worlds tear themselves apart by her will. She enjoyed it. She enjoyed watching me kill them. Watching me kill him."

"Him?" Soladat repeated, frowning.

"You and Agent May were correct in your assumptions that this was more personal." Sif began, finally turning to face Archangel. She noticed a deeply troubled look in the Asgardian's eyes, and it made Soladat shiver. "When Lorelei and her sisters started their revolution, I was but a maiden. I had not even met Thor yet and I had no intentions whatsoever at being a warrior. I had simpler interests. Finding a husband and starting a family. I had someone. His name was Haldorr. He was a warrior, and we met under..."

Sif paused, and smiled fondly. Her eyes had gone glossy as fought back against the tears that were slowly forming. "... rather spry circumstances. We... we were so happy. I was training to be a physician, and he was fighting valiantly under Odin's command in Asgard's grand army. Then, Lorelei happened. She bended his will like all the rest, and set him upon me."

Soladat was listening with rapt attention by this point, her eyes widened in surprise at the revelation that there was someone else Sif had loved before Thor. She was quick to put the pieces together with each detail the Asgardian added.

"You killed him."

"I tried to reason with him, get past Lorelei's thrall, but I was younger then and had no knowledge of sorcery or how to break it." Sif said, tears now actively falling from her eyes as she clenched her fists and grit her teeth in fury. "We struggled, and I turned his blade back to him. I can still see his face when the light left his eyes, Archangel, and there isn't a day where it haunts me. I watched him die. I was distraught. I looked around, hoping to find help, and standing there, watching the whole thing with a damnable grin on her face, was Lorelei!"

Sif had screamed the last part, bashing her fist against the holotable as she did. The screen cracked and sparked as a hole was left in the place she punched. Soladat jumped only slightly, looking at Sif with sadness and pity. She gave Sif a moment to calm down.

"I hate her, Archangel. More than I have ever hated anyone. With Haldorr's blade, I became a warrior solely with the intent of bringing her to justice. Her fate is my responsibility, and I intend to see her taken back to Asgard, in chains. Where she belongs."

Soladat walked up to Sif, a determined look on her face. "And we're going to help you. We'll make this right, Sif. I promise."

Sif glanced at Soladat, giving the mortal Avenger a look of uncertainty. Sighing, Soladat held out her hand. "Give me the collar. I'll see if Fitz can take a look at it. Until then, try not to punch a hole in my plane."

ooooo

Sometime later, down in the lab, Fitz was tinkering with the collar as Soladat ordered, while the Archangel herself was standing over by Simmons and Skye. The former was looking over a salvaged computer monitor that thankfully wasn't in the lab when Kirby blew it to smithereens. Skye was taking care of the little pink alien, keeping him occupied by watching a small TV in the corner of the lab that was playing Peppa Pig. Fitz still wasn't comfortable with having the destructive little alien in his lab, but to ease his worry, Soladat had taken out a small box of tomatoes and set them next to Fitz's work space. If Kirby ever started to get restless, Fitz would just toss a tomato at him, and the puffball would instantly become docile.

Simmons was staring at the monitor, her arms crossed as she stared in contemplation.

Skye, arms crossed, glanced between Simmons and the monitor. "So, Mike and Ward are what? Like Pod People?"

"No. Lady Sif was right when she said Lorelei's powers weren't mental in nature." Simmons said, reading over the results. After the little altercation at Rosie's Desert Oasis, a monitoring device that the team had taken there monitored any energy readings that Lorelei could potentially give off when using her powers. As predicted, she did, which appeared on the monitor as pulses of invisible heat. They were brief, flaring only for a split second, but they were there.

"I've been trying to come up with a scientific explanation behind Lorelei's spell. Asgardian magic has always been rather complicated, so for now, most of this is theoretical." Simmons explained, glancing at Soladat. "When Loki projects illusions, he's really just bending the light around him to create variable shapes of solidified light, while manipulating the sound waves around the shapes to produce sound so that it looks as though the illusions are speaking. Like solid holograms. Lorelei's power, however, seems to be based around some kind of pheromone."

"Care to elaborate on that?" Soladat asked.

Simmons nodded. "When Lorelei speaks, her body gives off a pulse of heat that stretches at least seven meters from her current location. When this pulse reaches a potential victim, their bodies react in a way similar to a pheromone reaction. They find themselves drawn to her through sheer will. They can't resist her, and if by some miracle they do, the transfer of this... heat can be strengthened through physical touch. So, Sif was right. They still have their own minds, but they think they're doing the right thing by following her."

"So, once we find them, we can break her mojo and get them back, right?" Skye said hopefully.

"Hopefully." Simmons said, biting her lip as she looked back at the results. "Sif says once the collar is back on Lorelei's neck, the spell breaks."

"Then let's hope Fitz can get it working again." Soladat said, and the three women looked over to the Scottish S.H.I.E.L.D. tech who was still over at the desk fiddling with the small device. "How's it coming, Fitz?"

Not looking up from the collar, Fitz spoke. "So far, so good. The design isn't that much different from Mjolnir and the Berserker Staff. But it's still alien and presents its own set of countless unknown variables..."

"A few hours, then?" Soladat suggested.

Fitz thought for a moment, before nodding.

"Yeah." He grunted, and went back to fiddling.

"So what do we do until then?" Skye said. "Lorelei's still loose and she's got two of the most dangerous men in the world wrapped around her finger."

"Mike's still new to the business, but Ward has storage all over the world. The guy's an asshole, but he is one of the best. He's got currency and weapons, and he'll use all of it to keep Lorelei off the radar." Soladat said, and gave Skye a pointed look.

Skye smirked. "You want me to be our radar."

Soladat smiled. "And Fury was skeptical that I bring you along. Get to work, Skye."

Skye gave a mock salute, smiling. "You got it, boss lady."

As Skye left, Soladat looked at the remaining occupants in the lab. "Until Skye's given us a lead, Fitz, keep working on the collar. Simmons, try and find some way to immunize Lorelei's spell so she can't control any more of our unit. And Kirby..."

Kirby looked up from watching the TV, blinking at Soladat expectantly. The Archangel reached into the box of tomatoes, and tossed it at the puffball. Kirby readily caught it in his mouth, and gulped it down happily.

Soladat smiled. "Stay pink."

"Poyo!"

ooooo

From the balcony, Lorelei stared at the bustling city around her in wonder. The neon lights of Las Vegas lit up the dark Nevada sky with luminescent beauty that Lorelei had not thought possible on Midgard, a world that had so far been filled with nothing but repugnant, desolate wastes. Until now, Lorelei was beginning to think coming to Midgard had been a waste.

She stood on the edge of the balcony of a fancy hotel room. Five star, according to her two puppets. She wore a comfortabe set of soft white bathrobes that the hotel room had supplied. She sipped from a bottle of wine that they had stolen from a roadside store on the way to this dazzling city. While not as potent as the common ales of Asgard, it was of a satisfying taste. She gave a grin as a cool breeze swept past her, ruffling her beautiful red hair.

She opened her eyes when she felt strong hands rest on her shoulders, rubbing them in a soothing manor.

"Is everything alright, love?" Mike said, his eyes glazed with worry as he stared intently as his beloved mistress. He was shirtless and wearing a pair of gray sweats.

Lorelei just chuckled, and rested her pale white hand on Mike's dark one.

"I am well, my dear." She said with a false tenderness. "Just thinking on my future rule."

"And how does it look?"

Lorelei grinned. "Glorious."

"And where does that leave us?" A second voice spoke, and Lorelei glanced over to see Ward, wearing a white undershirt and boxers. He was glaring intently at Mike in obvious jealousy, a look that Mike returned.

Lorelei just chuckled. "You will both have a place in the grand empire I have planned. You both have tremendous use in inflicting pain upon my enemies, and pleasure upon me."

She grinned as Ward came up. With one hand, she caressed Ward's cheek, and her other splayed across Mike's bare chest. "You both proved your worth in the second quite well."

"We would die for you." Ward said almost robotically, taking Lorelei's hand and kissing it.

"I know." She said, before gazing out into the city. Her smile quickly turned into a troubled frown. Mike squeezed her shoulders lightly.

"What is it?"

Lorelei sighed and glanced at her two pawns. "When I first arrived here, I thought Earth had left..." Lorelei chuckled, "much to be desired."

She turned back to the city, smiling. "But from here, it's quite beautiful. I have spent the last six-hundred years locked away in a dark, cold cell, my throat shackled... my voice silenced."

Lorelei's fists clenched tight, and her jaw was set as she took in a deep breath, controlling her anger. "It was torture."

Ward immediately took her hand. "You never have to go back there. I... we'll make sure of that."

"But Sif is on the hunt." Lorelei was quick to say, glaring. "She will not rest. She will not stop. And I will not know peace. You two may have your strengths, but she has centuries of experience on her side."

"We'll find a way." Mike said quickly, looking determined. "We can take her out."

Lorelei smiled, rubbing Mike's knuckles tenderly. "Your tenacity is admirable... and rather alluring. But the graves of Asgard's enemies are littered with men who underestimate Sif."

She looked at both men. "Do not make the same mistake. You do not know her as I do."

"No." Ward confessed, walking over to a black duffle bag that was sitting on one of the lawn chairs set up on the balcony. He reached into it. "We don't."

Suddenly, he pulled out a pistol, and cocked it, smirking at Lorelei. "But the people she's working with, we know them."

Mike grinned at Ward, and looked at Lorelei. "You can count on us."

Lorelei merely smiled.

ooooo

Sif watched in fascination as May handled her sword with impressive precision. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent hadn't lied when she said she had experience with swords.

"Impressive." Sif said, smirking. "Your stance is almost perfect. I had thought S.H.I.E.L.D. preferred to train its warriors with ranged weapons."

"Mostly, yes." May said, smirking back. "But melee combat is a required part of our job description. Personally, I prefer to use my hands."

May tossed the sword at Sif, who caught it by the hilt, and placed it back in her holster. "Admirable. But be warned, Agent May. Lorelei's quite skilled in combat herself."

May frowned. "Then why co-opt men? Why have them fight for her?"

"Well..." Sif sighed. "I believe it gives her a thrill. Especially if the man is already taken."

"Haldorr." May said, prompting a start from Sif. "Soladat told me."

"Of course she did." Sif sighed. "But that is beside the point. Even the best warrior needs an army to conquer an empire. Her pattern always remains. She attaches herself to the strongest warriors she can find and then unleashes a swath of blood and destruction."

"Ward and Peterson are as lethal as any." May agreed, crossing her arms. "Some of our best. Though, its more potential in Peterson's case."

"I see." Sif said, thinking. She looked over at May curiously. "Tell me, Agent May. Agent Ward, I have seen the way he looks are your young protege. Skye. I saw it back during the Convergence, and I saw glimmers of it more recently. Are the two of them...?"

May quirked an eyebrow. She actually hadn't noticed that. Ward and Skye? Ward liking Skye she could get, but Skye liking Ward. Ward wasn't exactly popular with the rest of the team. He was on good terms with Fitz and Simmons, but it was obvious that Soladat and Ward didn't always see eye to eye. There had always been a tense rivalry between the two. Whatever friendliness there ever was between the two was purely respect. Skye had become great friends with Soladat, and while Skye didn't seem to overtly dislike Ward, it was obvious she didn't like how the male agent handled things.

"That isn't something I think I can answer." May said honestly. "Ward is a puzzle that even I can't figure out. I'm only beginning to understand Skye. She's a good kid."

"So there are no emotional hindrances, then?"

"Ward and Peterson are a part of our team." May said. "Saving them is our priority, but if they try to kill us... we will respond in kind."

Whatever response Sif had planned was cut off by footsteps approaching. They both turned to see Soladat approaching, an urgent look in her eyes.

"Security cameras just caught sight of them. If Lorelei wants an army of wealthy, pliable men, I think she just hit the jackpot."

ooooo

The door to the hotel room was kicked open and Sif barged in, followed closely by Soladat and May. The three women looked around, weapons drawn, but saw no sight of their targets. Soladat glanced back behind her.

"Fan out."

Instantly, a whole squadron of heavily armed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents piled into the room. They scoured the whole suit, checking the rooms top to bottom. Sif, Soladat, and May entered the main bedroom, where the bedsheets were all strewn about. Soladat took a whiff, and shivered at the large amount of testosterone filled her senses. May, whose senses weren't as superhuman as Soladat's, saw her flustered expression and frowned.

"What's wrong?"

Soladat, who had a light pink tinge in her cheeks, cleared her throat. "I don't think you wanna know."

Regaining her composure, Soladat looked at the nearest agent exiting the bathroom. "Well?"

"Clear."

A second agent came back in from the outside baclony. "Clear.

"Back room's secure. Clear."

"Kitchen clear."

"All clear." May concluded, a hint of irritation present. "They're gone."

"They can't have gotten far." She looked at the agents. "Turn this whol suite upside down."

"Yes, ma'am."

ooooo

The three women had quickly made their way back to the Bus, and were discussing on what to do next.

"Ward may be an expert, but he left a trail." Soladat said. "Bad news, we lost it just thirty-seven miles outside of Vegas. But they can't have gotten far. Fitz just reported that he's got satellite support running."

"That is good news. The chase will soon be over." Sif said, relieved. The three walked up the ramp into the Bus' hanger, and stopped to find Fitz. The young scientist was twiddling his thumbs nervously.

"You're back." He said, smiling.

"Yeah." Soladat said, frowning at his twitchiness. "Is... something wrong, Fitz?"

"Um. No. Not at all, ma'am." He said, still smiling. "I actually have a bit of good news. I fixed Lorelei's neck collar."

Sif reared her head back, obviously surprise. She looked unsure however. "Let me inspect it to be sure. Asgardian metal is much different from the ore of this planet."

"Sure." Fitz said, but quickly kept talking. "But I think you'll find its up to snuff. It's in your room."

Sif glanced at Soladat, who shrugged. Sif followed Fitz up the stairs to the upper levels of the plane, leaving Soladat and May behind.

Soladat immediately turned to May. "Did he seem jittery to you?"

"More than usual?" May said rhetorically. "If so, then yes."

"Yeah." Soladat said, thinking. Then she looked at the ruined laboratory, and frowned. "Where are Skye and Simmons?"

"I-"

May was cut off by a thumping noise. The two S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives blinked, and looked around, searching for the source of the noise. They stopped, when they heard that the noise was literally coming from right beneath their feet. The two jumped back, and saw that it was coming from one of the plane's secret holds, usually used for transferring cargo.

Soladat immediately gripped the edges of the panel and removed it, revealing the empty hold within. Although, it wasn't so empty.

Inside, sitting back to back, were Skye and Simmons, both bound and gagged in rope. They looked relieved to see them.

"What the hell?" Soladat said, reaching in and pulling the two out. While May quickly got to working on undoing the ropes, Soladat pulled the gag out of Skye's mouth.

The moment she did, Skye yelled.

"It's a trap!"

Suddenly, the engines of the Bus whirred to life, and the women stumbled as the plane lurched and started moving.

"We're taking off." May said, wide eyed. "Why are we taking off?"

Soladat immediately remembered Fitz, and his obvious nervousness. She grit her teeth in realization.

"Shit!" She was about to stand, when something else came to mind. Her face grew pale. "Where is Kirby?"

ooooo

In the cockpit, Lorelei, once again clad in human leather garb, sat back comfortably in the passenger seat as Ward commenced takeoff procedures. Ward stared ahead, stone-faced, while Mike stood guard at the door so no one could get it.

Lorelei just gave that same smug smirk.

None of them were aware of the pair of dark blue eyes belonging to a certain pink alien peering down at them from an air vent above.

Well, that isn't good at all, is it.

knolden: In continuation of Tsamokas kirby eats a gun question: Am i the only one seeing kirby with a big machinegun done up as Rambo? XD

... Not anymore lol.

Honestly, with Kirby, the possibilities as of now are endless.

Smiles1998: feeling kinda honored that you like my story :D

It's a good story :) I always liked Darcy and your characterization of her is terrific. Hix also seems like a potentially great villain. Keep it up.

Neo Fighter V: Please don't be part of the Stand with Ward movement that plagueing the Agents of Shield fanfiction section right now it always the same thing they cat like the show it not going how they want it to go. Please keep Ward evil because he make a btter villain than hero.

A lot of you have probably figured it out by now, but I do NOT like Ward. Seeing him die in the third season was a happy moment for me. You don't have to worry about me treating Ward like some hero cuz... I won't. Ever.

Guy's a douche.