Earth: Providence [Location Remains Undisclosed by Director Fury]
2011
Alarms echoed through the concrete halls of Nick Fury's mountain base. Red lights swiveled in the corners of the ceiling, providing the only light. Smoke swirled and clung to the air. Overhead sprinklers and automated extinguishers had been activated. Thick security doors remained bolted shut.
The private location was in total lockdown. No one was getting in. Or out.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent LT Koeing pressed against a black crate in the storage room. Soot stains and beads of sweat on her face. Finally, she able to take a breath, even if only for a moment. She held her gun next to her ear and glanced over her shoulder. "Aura, where are you?"
The thick door to the storage room shattered when met with an enormous fireball.
She kept her head down to avoid the flying debris.
A crimson fire demon strode calmly through the smoke, semi-spaded tail lazily swishing back and forth. Her completely black eyes glimmering with excitement. Her lips formed a grin. "I'm here."
LT loaded her firearm with more freezing pellets. "This is the last time I'm letting you go to sleep without taking Nyquil." Rising, she emptied the magazine then knelt back down. Blew an unruly curl out of her face.
The demon laughed. "Do you honestly continue to think those worthless rounds will freeze me? I've been forced to spend too much time in the cold for something so trivial to bother me." Flames wrapped around her hands, and she threw a mass of fire.
She rolled out of the way. The flames barely missing her arm. "Hey! You already owe me a new leather jacket. Don't add on to your tab because I'll make sure you pay up, lady." Her eyes found the side door, and she took her chance. Narrowly evading an oncoming wall of fire.
The cackling monstrosity followed. "You can't run from me. There's not much base left."
Agent Koeing grinned to herself. "Oh, yes, there is." Banking a corner, she led the fire demon through a vaulted door and down a hidden corridor. Stopping in the middle of a seemingly empty room. "Come get me now, witch."
"Have you finally decided to turn yourself in? Excellent. How would you prefer it? Quick and painful? Or a slow and excruciating roast?" Her charcoal hair became ethereal with flames as she channeled more power.
"Thanks and all for the options, but I'm going to go with neither." LT landed a cold round in between the demon's black eyes, ducked around the resulting retaliation, and bolted from the room. Sealed the door shut with a bio-encrypted lock.
The fiend whirled around, baring slightly more pointed incisors. Her whole form consumed by raging fire. "Do not think I will allow this door to stop me. You will pay for what you've done."
Koeing flashed a smile. "Sorry, sister, but you got another thing coming if you think I've done anything." She punched a code into a keypad by the door.
The barren room filled with carbon dioxide as the temperature steadily lowered to below freezing.
The agent's smile dropped, and she turned away from the small viewing window.
Inside, the partial fire demon screeched. "Don't think I won't get you!" She tried hurling fire at the door, but the CO2 kept her flames at bay as she choked for air. "I will break free." She slammed a fist into the five-inch thick glass. Stumbled and sank to the floor, wheezing.
LT partially turned around. "You know what needs to happen."
Pure black orbs lifted. "Never…" With an exhale of air, she fell limp.
She sighed through her nose as Aura's natural form revealed itself. Rubbed an eye with the heel of her palm then noticed the gun in her hands. With another sigh, she holstered it and hit the red button on the keypad.
The room ventilated and rose to normal temperature.
Agent Koeing stepped into the newly-developed room Director Fury dubbed "the Neutralizer" and knelt by the Asgardian's side. Placed a hand on her shoulder. "Aura, can you hear me? Are you awake?"
No response.
She fell on her rump with a grunt. Rubbed her eyes again and checked her watch.
The holographic display read two fifty two. In the morning.
Her eyes flickered to the still-unconscious young woman, and she pressed a button on the side of the watch.
Momentarily, Nick Fury's crackled over. "You better have a good reason for contacting me at this hour, Agent."
LT nodded. "I do. She turned again, but it was much more intense this time. Her whole body was on fire. And she was after me. Like after me. She wanted to get me for something I've apparently done. I had to use the Neutralizer. I don't know what's going on."
Silence. "This is the third time this month, and we're only two weeks in. Do you know what caused the transformation this time?"
She blew another curl out of her face. "My best guess is another nightmare. She's been having them almost every night I don't give her something to knock her out to sleep. She's homesick. I mean, she's been on Earth since what? The 1300s? Without any contact from her people? I'd be homesick, too. She probably thinks they've forgotten about her. I feel horrible."
"And you said her whole body was on fire?"
"Sir, all due respect, but she's not going to be used as an experiment. Not on my watch. I'm not letting that happen. She's been through enough as it is."
"I never said she would be. I'm trying to understand the situation because she's never caught her body on fire before. Whatever she's having nightmares of is intensifying her abilities. If she gets too uncontrollable and dangerous, we're going to have to pull you out."
Koeing leaned forward for emphasis, even if the director wasn't physically in front of her. "No. I'm not going to abandon her. She needs someone. She needs me. I'm only her third positive female role model in her life. She's sensitive, I know, but I'll get through to her. Peggy did. I won't let her down."
Distant beeping could be heard. "Mother—" Fury sighed. "Let me put you on hold." He picked up another line. "You better have a good reason for contacting me at this hour, Coulson." A pause. "What do you mean an alien weapon? Are you sure?" Another pause. "Then take your people to New Mexico and secure it. And find its owner. A weapon is no good without someone to use it. Keep me updated."
Director Fury returned to his Providence agent. "See if you can find out what's going on with her, so we can keep her contained. I have to go deal with another alien problem, but I'll be in touch."
She gave another nod. "Understood." When the hologram disappeared, she turned back to Aura, smoothing back her tri-colored hair. "Don't worry. I'm not going to let them take me away from you. We'll get you worked out."
Seven thirty in the morning.
Aura's eyes slowly opened, and a pleasant sizzling sound reached her ears. She looked around after her vision adjusted. Looked at the couch she was on. This wasn't where she originally fell asleep. Why was she here? "LT?"
"In the kitchen, hun," came the response.
She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and shuffled into the kitchen. Blinking at the change in light. Her eyes found a stack of fresh pancakes and the bacon on the griddle. "Breakfast already?"
Agent Koeing smiled as she flipped the bacon. "Aw, come on. It's not that early."
Aura took a seat at the table and shrugged the blanket around her more. She coughed, her voice hoarse. "Feels like it."
The other woman slightly frowned but tried to keep a cheerful attitude. "Did you have any dreams last night?"
Her dark blue eyes flickered over. She remained silent. Her mind was hazy, but she had a feeling. The reason she wanted to stay huddled in the blanket wasn't because she was cold. She wanted protection. Protection from herself.
But she tried remembering. Tried recalling the events that were stuck in the pit of her stomach. There had been a nightmare. One more vivid than she had experienced in some time. That, she remembered.
And the fire.
There was so much fire.
Her mind had been consumed by it. All she wanted was enough power to defend herself from the enemies. She didn't want to be taken by them. Not again. She only wanted a few flames to hopefully scare them away. But she didn't get a few flames. She had unknowingly unleashed a wildfire like she had never seen before.
It burned, raged. It triggered emotions within her she didn't like. She felt anger. Felt…hatred.
She blinked back oncoming tears. The hatred scared her. After all she had been through, she never hated anyone. Not willingly, anyway. She thought she was incapable of it. Had she only suppressed those feelings? Why were they rising now? She didn't want them. She wanted them to go away.
LT placed a plate in front of the Asgardian. "Here you are. Eat up. What would you like to drink?"
Aura startled, blinking some more. She gasped when she looked at the other woman. She clearly remembered now. Remembered chasing the poor woman through the base. Trying to capture her.
Just as she had been captured so many times.
Her eyes squeezed shut, and she looked away. How could Agent Koeing be smiling after what she did to her? She had released the monster inside of her, and the monster wanted revenge. LT had done nothing wrong to her. There was no reason to be taking out anything on her.
"Aura?"
She shook her head. "No. I'm not safe to be around anymore."
LT's brows knitted and she put her arms around the half elf. "Yes, you are. You just have bad dreams and don't know how to handle them is all."
Aura couldn't help herself any longer. She hid her eyes behind her hands, but the tears still slipped through her fingers. "I don't know anything anymore. I don't know who I am. I don't know who my parents are. I don't know about this fire magic. I don't know if I'll ever be saved by Loki. I just don't know."
Agent Koeing placed her hands on the young woman's heaving shoulders. "Well, I know some things. Do you want to hear them?"
Sniffing, she lifted her head. "Sure."
"I know who you are. You are Aura, a sweet, kind, innocent girl. You are an Asgardian with special gifts. I know your parents have been Queen Frigga, Peggy Carter, Howard Stark, and me. Now, I don't know anything about magic, but I do know practice makes perfect. I also know you don't need to wait for anyone to save you. You can save yourself."
She blinked and subconsciously played with the pendant Mr. Stark had given her all those years ago. "I-I really don't know what to say. You've been so nice to me, and I've tried to hurt you so many times. I don't deserve your kindness."
LT grinned. "Oh, come on. You've only hurt my favorite leather jacket. But I can get another one. It's no big deal. Ask yourself. Do you really want to hurt me?"
"No, I don't. I don't want to hurt anyone."
"See? Which is just as good because you wouldn't be able to hurt me anyway." She winked. "You need to learn to trust yourself. I know you have this other side of you you're afraid of, but you need to learn to trust your heart because it's pure and good."
Aura glanced down. "How can I know? I've heard so many stories of the fire demons. They're nothing but monsters seeking destruction. And their women are so lustful—"
Koeing snorted until she started laughing.
"What did I say?"
"I'm sorry, hun, but are you really worried you're going to become lustful?"
Her head sank between her shoulders. "Maybe."
LT rose her brows. "Have you even kissed anybody?"
"No." The Asgardian's face reddened. "But I may have thought about it a couple times."
"You have nothing to worry about. If you were truly a lustful demon, you'd be stalking every living being that moved. Even Director Fury."
Aura's brows furrowed. "Not that he's a bad man, but he is older than I am."
"Aren't you technically older than all of us?"
"Oh. Yes, I guess so."
The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent smiled. "Seriously, though. You don't need anyone to save you. Look at your abilities. You can save yourself. I know you're in a locked situation, but you don't need a man coming in here as your knight in shining armor. Nor a woman. You only need to believe in yourself. Okay?"
She nodded. "Okay."
"Now eat your breakfast. I still can't believe you're so thin. You really need a cheeseburger or something."
Aura watched the other woman get her own plate and sit across from her. "But we have cheeseburgers almost every day for lunch."
LT's brown eyes widened. "I know, and you still haven't gained weight. As much as I envy your figure, I'm worried about your health."
"Oh, please don't be upset with me. I think you're beautiful, and I've always loved your curls. They bounce when you get into heated arguments, and I don't know why, but it tickles me."
She laughed. "I'm not upset with you. I get cranky about being short sometimes. And as far as my hair goes, it only adds to my expression. I do have a question for you, if you don't mind. What did you dream about that made you all fiery?"
Aura dropped her eyes to her plate. "Well, you were in it. And so was Loki. He was trying to come get me, and you wouldn't let him. And then you, well you…killed him, and I got so angry that I went after you. Then all these agents showed up, but they turned into the people who originally brought me to America, and they wanted to capture me again, and I couldn't let it happen."
Koeing's expression softened, and she reached across the table to take the other's hand. "I would not kill the love of your life if he came to rescue you. I would say something to Fury along the lines of 'sorry, but I'm not trained to fight against alien magic. Maybe you should have classes on that.'"
Her face crinkled with a smile. "I don't think he would like that very much."
"No, I wouldn't," came the director's voice as he walked into the kitchen.
Agent Koeing shrugged, not fazed by the unannounced entrance, shoving a pancake bite in her mouth. "It's the answer you'd get."
Fury sent her an impassive glance before to the alarmed Asgardian. "I would like to speak with you."
Aura nodded. Immediately rose with her hands clasped against her chest. "I didn't mean to get anyone in trouble."
"You didn't. I want you to take a look at something."
She nodded again and followed the man into an office.
The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. pressed a button on the desk. A screen emerged from behind two sliding wall panels, and he typed a command. An image appeared, which he pointed to. "Do you know what this is?"
Gasping, she stepped toward the screen. Reaching out to the image of a hammer resting head down in a pile of dirt. "That's Mjolnir."
LT walked in and crossed her arms. "Say that again."
Aura traced the outline of the weapon. "Mjolnir. The chosen weapon of Thor."
Nick Fury rose a brow. "Thor? You've mentioned him a few times."
"Yes. He's the oldest son of Odin, and he never goes anywhere without his hammer."
"So there's a good chance Thor's near to it?"
Her eyes surveyed the image. "I don't know. It's strange to see it stuck like this. How long has it been there?"
He looked at the picture, too. "A handful of hours ago. Give or take."
"He should've retrieved it by now. He's the only one who can move it. Something must be wrong then. But I don't know what that would be. There's no sign of him?"
"Not yet. Tell me again what he looks like?"
Aura closed her eyes for a better mental image. "He's got blonde hair, blue eyes. Pretty much always walks around in his armor with a big, red cape. He also has a lot of muscles. He's a fighter, and a good one from what I've heard."
Koeing chuckled to herself. "Maybe I need to be on the lookout for him."
She faced her. "Most women fawn over him. I think he's okay."
Fury shook his head. "I'm more worried about him being a fighter. If something's wrong, like you say, he's not going to be a happy camper. By the way, Aura, how have your hallucinations been?"
The half elf paused. Looked down. "I don't have them when I'm not in the cold."
"And your dreams?"
"They come and go. But they've been feeling real. Like I'm living in them."
"Do they cause you to lose control of yourself?"
She bit her lip and nodded. "Sometimes."
The director stared at his agent. "I'll keep in touch." He hit a button to make the screen return to its place and walked out.
LT pursed her lips. "I'm certainly glad he stopped by for a pleasure visit. His people skills need improvement."
Aura returned her stare to the space where the photo of Mjolnir had been displayed.
"You okay there, hun?"
"Yeah. I'm okay."
Agent Koeing gave her a sidelong glance as she headed toward the door. "Okay, then. I'll be cleaning up the kitchen if you need me."
The Asgardian couldn't help but grin now that everyone had left. Even though the image had disappeared, she could still clearly see Mjolnir jutting off the mound of dirt. And while Director Fury's voice has been ominous, there was a possibility she wouldn't have to hear it anymore. Her grin broadened into a smile.
If the hammer was here, it most certainly meant Thor was here, too. Even though she didn't care too much for the older prince, there was one good thing about him. Loki was never too far behind him. The brothers were almost inseparable, even when they squabbled.
And if Loki was here, then that meant he had a good chance of finding her. He was excellent at sensing magic. With her recent outburst, surely her air of magic had increased by a certain percentage. He should most definitely be able to find her.
Her cheeks warmed. She could finally be reunited with her love. All she had to do was wait for him to find her.