Chapter 5:
[Spartan POV]
[SHIELD Helicarrier]
I slowly rise to my feet, feeling the breath knocked out of me. I hear Cap's commanding voice calling out, "Sound off!" Gathering my strength, I respond, "I'm good." Karai chimes in, "Still alive." Cap turns his attention to Tony, urging him, "Put on the suit." With Cap's assistance, Tony gets back on his feet, and they both exit the room. Karai and I approached the shattered window, where we witnessed Nat and Banner being thrown out. Both of them are down. Nat's leg is trapped under a support beam. I turn to Banner just as Fury asks Hill for a status report. Hill's voice echoes through the comlink, updating, "External detonation. Number three engine is down." Fury, shaking off the blast effects, questions, "Can we keep it running?" Hill replies, "The turbine looks mostly intact, but it's impossible to make repairs while still airborne." Fury calls out to Stark, "Did you get that?" Stark responds over the comlink, "Yeah, I'm on it." Fury then orders Coulson, "Coulson, initiate defensive lockdown in the detention section, then get to the armory." Coulson acknowledges, "Copy." The director of SHIELD scans the area, asking, "Where's Romanoff?" I relay the information, "Lower level with Banner. They were blown out the window. She looks okay, but she's pinned."
My attention returns to Nat and Banner. Nat begins to regain consciousness, assuring us, "We're okay." However, Banner appears to be struggling, and it's not just due to his injuries. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Nat addresses him, "We're okay, right? Brue? You have to fight it. This is what Loki wants. We're going to be okay. Listen to me." As two engineers approach, Karai and I signal them to step back, already gripping our weapons, prepared to neutralize Banner if necessary. Nat continues to offer reassurance, "I swear on my life, I will get you out of this."
Suddenly, Banner, or rather the Hulk, snaps his head towards Nat, his transformation imminent. Reacting swiftly, I leap down, training my pistol on Banner, and lift the support beam off Nat's leg, asking her, "Can you walk?" She confirms that she can, and then a deafening roar fills the air. We turn to witness the Hulk's emergence, a towering green rage monster. Realizing the urgency, I shout, "Run! Go, go, go!" We sprint down a narrow path, with the Hulk in hot pursuit. I position myself to face him, opening fire, but my shots have little effect on the furious creature. The Hulk charges at me like a raging bull, but I manage to evade him, causing him to collide with a wall. Rolling back onto my feet, I deploy sticky grenades, aiming to push him back. Although they succeed in momentarily halting his advance, they only serve to further enrage him. He charges again with murderous intent. Just as he is about to reach me, Thor swoops in, colliding with the Hulk and sending him crashing through a wall.
Both Thor and the Hulk rise to their feet, locking eyes in a tense standoff. The Hulk makes the first move, and Thor struggles to hold back the attack, urging, "We are not your enemy, Banner. Try to think! Loki is using you." Despite his efforts, the Hulk manages to punch Thor, sending him flying. Seizing the opportunity, I call out to the raging monster, "Hey, ugly!" Drawing upon my energy knuckle, I deliver a powerful blow to his face. The Hulk staggers caught off guard and momentarily stunned. He swings at me, but I skillfully evade his strikes, landing precise hits to his body and face, always mindful to stay out of his reach. While the Hulk claps his hands together, generating a shockwave, I am caught off guard and sent crashing into a nearby cargo crate. The Hulk menacingly approaches, ready to finish me off. However, his advance is halted by a small explosive shot from Karai's grenade launcher, fired with each step she takes. Once her ammunition is depleted, the Hulk charges at her. Without warning, Thor intervenes, delivering a powerful strike with his hammer, knocking the Hulk into a nearby jet fighter. Recovering swiftly, the Hulk tears off the wing and hurls it towards us. Reacting instinctively, I shout a warning, and we all evade the incoming projectile. Thor throws his hammer, but the Hulk attempts to catch it in midair, only to be struck down by the hammer's force. As the Hulk struggles to rise, I leap onto his back, planting two explosive charges on his head before jumping away. The charges detonate, causing the Hulk to collapse. For a moment, I fear that I may have ended his life, an outcome I did not desire but deemed necessary. Approaching cautiously, I draw nearer to the fallen Hulk. As the smoke clears, a massive green hand reaches out and grabs hold of me. The Hulk ensnares me in a bone-crushing bear hug, roaring, "HULK CRUSH, LITTLE MAN! HULK BREAK LITTLE MAN IN TWO!" In agonizing pain, I cry out, "AARRRRRRR!" Karai screams in panic, "Spartan!" Thor shouts desperately, "BANNER, NO!"
A familiar circular red, white, and blue shield strikes the Hulk forcefully, causing him to release his grip. Karai rushes to my side, dragging me away from the Hulk's grasp. The shield returns to its owner's hand, revealing Steve Rogers, Captain America. Issuing a challenge, Cap taunts the Hulk, "You want to fight someone, Hulk? Fight me." The Hulk lunges at Cap, who skillfully evades his attacks, using the shield to strike the back of the monster's neck. The Hulk staggers, but Cap remains relentless, delivering punches to his nose, a kick to his vulnerable spot, another shield strike across his face, and finally sweeping his leg from under him. At that moment, a fighter jet comes into view, its pilot warning, "CLEAR THE ZONE!" Understanding the implication, all four of us swiftly retreat from the area. Once we are at a safe distance, the fighter jet opens fire on the Hulk. With a roar, the Hulk leaps onto the jet, which quickly maneuvers away. I realize that it's a strategic move to lure the Hulk away from the Helicarrier, as he poses the greatest threat. Each of us disperses to engage the enemy strike force that is attacking the Helicarrier.
[Steve Rogers POV]
I quickly make my way to Engine-3, where Tony is already clearing away the debris. "Stark, I'm here," I announce my arrival. Tony acknowledges me, saying, "Good. Let's see what we're dealing with. I need to get the Superconducting coolant system back online before I can access the rotors. I'll work on dislodging the debris caught in one of them. Cap, I need you to go to the engine control panel and let me know which relays are in overload position." Jumping over to the adjacent platform, I reach the control panel. Sliding it open, I'm immediately struck by the realization that I am ill-prepared for this task.
I can't help but think, 'I should have had Karai do this.' Tony's voice crackles through the comlink, asking, "What does it look like in there?" I lower my head in uncertainty and reply, "It seems to be powered by some form of electricity." Tony responds, "Well, you're not wrong." It takes me a moment, but I manage to figure it out and complete the task. "Alright, the relays are intact. What's the next move?" I call out to Tony. He explains, "Even if I clear the rotors, this thing won't re-engage without a jump-start. I'll have to get inside and give it a push." I raise a concern, cautioning him, "If that thing starts up again, you'll get shredded." Tony instructs me, "On the opposite side of your location, there's a red lever. It'll slow the rotors down long enough for me to get out. Stand by it and wait for my signal." I swiftly leap toward the lever that Tony mentioned.
Suddenly, two enemy soldiers burst into the scene, their intrusion threatening our progress. The soldier in front hurls a grenade toward Engine-3. Reacting swiftly, I leap into the air, swatting the explosive projectile away, ensuring it harmlessly detonates in the open air. Landing near the soldiers, I swiftly incapacitate the lead soldier with a powerful right hook, rendering him unconscious. I disarm the second soldier quickly and forcefully, then hurl him off the Helicarrier. However, our work is not done yet, as a third soldier enters the scene, opening fire with his assault rifle. Reacting instinctively, I raise my shield, effectively blocking the incoming bullets. Drawing my pistol, I take precise aim and dispatch the soldier with two quick shots, neutralizing the immediate threat. Tony urgently calls out to me, "Cap, now! Hit the lever now!" I respond swiftly, determined to assist Tony and pull the lever as instructed. Tony escapes from the rotating rotor blades, soaring over to my location.
[Karai POV]
As the chaos unfolds on the SHIELD Helicarrier, I quickly make my way to the lower level to assist a group of trapped engineers. The urgency pushes me to dash towards the detention section where Loki is being held. As I round the corner, a chilling sensation washes over me. Thor is trapped inside Loki's cell. I quickly scan the area, my gun aimed and ready. Just as I'm about to call out to Coulson, my worst fears become a horrifying reality. Loki emerges from behind, impaling Coulson through the back with his spear. Time seems to freeze, and my entire body becomes rigid. I'm unable to move, held captive by the shocking sight before me. Loki callously tosses Coulson's lifeless body aside, displaying no regard or remorse. With purpose, Loki strides toward the control panel and punches the switch, causing the prison cell to plummet downward. Throughout the entire ordeal, my gaze remains fixed on Coulson's motionless form. 'Move, damn it, move!' I scream internally, desperately willing myself to act. Loki spots me, his surprise mingled with concern, more for his own well-being than anything else. Without hesitation, I train my pistol on him and unleash a barrage of gunfire. Loki staggers, clearly in pain, but he remains standing. I swiftly drop to retrieve Coulson's BFG (big freakin' gun) and unleash a massive plasma blast toward Loki. The impact sends him hurtling through an iron wall. Seizing the opportunity, Loki takes off, attempting to escape. However, my focus lies with Coulson. I dart back to his side, ignoring the temptation to pursue Loki. Gently, I turn Coulson over, his white shirt now drenched in crimson. Dread fills my being. 'Oh, god, oh, god.' "It's going to be okay, Coulson. We're going to get you patched up," I say, more to convince myself than anything else.
I place my trembling hands over his wound, desperately trying to slow down the bleeding. "I NEED HELP! MEDIC!" I shout into the comlink, my voice filled with desperation. "Keep your eyes open, Coulson! Stay with me! Don't you dare die on me!" Coulson musters a sad smile and replies, "It's okay, kid. It's okay. My time is up." "No! Old man, open your eyes. You're still in this fight, soldier!" I yell, my voice filled with anguish. But my words fall on deaf ears. The light in Coulson's eyes gradually fades away. At that moment, Fury rushes in with a medical team. Despite his stoic expression, I can sense the emotional storm raging within him. Slowly, I rise to my feet. Tears well up in my eyes, but I force myself to hold them back, though I barely succeed. I find myself instinctively rubbing my blood-stained hands against my pants, desperately trying to wipe away Coulson's blood. The news of Coulson's fate quickly spreads, and everyone who knew him feels the weight of the loss. However, for the time being, we must push through the pain and continue our mission. Loki is still at large, and we have a duty to fulfill.
[Steve Rogers POV]
[Mission-room.] We gather in the mission room, the atmosphere is heavy with grief and uncertainty. Fury fidgets with a deck of cards, revealing that they were found in Coulson's jacket. The cards bear a bloodstain and depict an image of me in my old uniform from the 1940s. A fleeting moment of bittersweet nostalgia passes between Spartan, Karai, and myself before fading away. Fury speaks, acknowledging the dire situation we find ourselves in. Communication is down, the location of the Tesseract is unknown, Banner and Thor are missing, and Fury himself has lost an eye. He admits that using the Tesseract to build an arsenal was part of the plan.
As he said earlier, an equalizer was needed for a new form of war. But he never put all his chips on that number, though. Truth be told, phase-2 was a last resort. An option he hopes never to use. He had a riskier strategy in mind. Fury speaks of an idea to bring together a group of individuals, to unite them and transform them into something more capable of fighting the battles that no one else can. It was an idea Coulson believed in until the end, an idea of heroes. Tony abruptly gets up from his seat and leaves the room, followed by the stern gazes of Spartan and Karai. Fury remarks that this idea is considered old-fashioned, folding his hands behind his back.
[Detention Center.] I locate Tony in the detention section, with the PARAGADES following closely behind. I cross my arms and sit on the stair handle, questioning Tony about Coulson's personal life. Spartan informs me that Coulson had been dating a cellist, but it wasn't anything serious. Tony utters that Coulson is an idiot, causing both Karai and Spartan to glare at him with intense hatred, their fists clenched tightly. Acting quickly, I step between them, silently urging them to stand down. They comply. I turn my attention back to Tony, questioning his disrespectful comment about Coulson. Tony sighs with regret, stating that Coulson should have waited for backup and was no match for Loki. I assert that Coulson was simply doing his job, aware of the risks involved. For some, taking action is better than doing nothing at all. Tony snaps back, declaring that we are not soldiers, to which Spartan growls and corrects him, asserting that we are indeed soldiers. Tony insists that he won't be part of Fury's fight. Karai, losing her patience, tells Tony to leave if he wants to, indicating the exit and suggesting he retrieve his suit and depart. Spartan scoffs at Tony's attitude, expressing his willingness to work with him if it helps complete the mission. He reminds Tony that finding Loki is our priority, and once that's done, Tony can go back to indulging his ego. Spartan follows Karai out of the room, leaving Tony and me alone.
Tony reflects on the PARAGADES' apparent dislike for him, and I shake my head in response. "No, they don't like you. And in their defense, you did insult their mentor and friend. Considering the circumstances, you got off relatively easy. Setting that aside, Loki is still out there, and we need to find him. We know he needs a power source for the Tesseract. If we compile a list, we might be able to narrow down his possible targets." Tony interjects abruptly, realizing that Loki wants to be seen defeating us. He believes Loki is heading to New York City, specifically Stark Tower. Without wasting a moment, Tony rushes off, determined to take action.
[Spartan POV]
I join Karai as she retreats to her living quarters, her head bowed with a heavy burden. Taking a seat across from her, we both fall into a profound silence that hangs in the air. Karai finally exhales deeply, and in an attempt to offer some reassurance, I declare, "We're going to find Loki, and we're going to make him pay." Karai rests her head in her hands, her grip tightening around mine. She despises feeling vulnerable, detesting the loss of control. The pain we feel is intense, for Coulson meant more to us than just a mentor and friend. After Fury, he was, and still is, the closest thing we had to a father figure. On Karai's dresser, there's a photograph capturing a lighthearted moment between Coulson, Karai, and myself. We were posing playfully, but Coulson remained composed and serene, his smile shining through. As I reminisce, a pang of realization hits me—we won't have moments like that with him anymore. Just as the weight of the loss settles in, there's a knock on the door. Cap enters, followed by Clint and Nat. Karai and I rise to our feet, ready to face what lies ahead. "Gear up. We've located Loki," Cap announces.
In the armory, Cap secures his shield on his back while Clint prepares his bow and arrows. Nat equips her stingers and settles two Glock pistols in her leg holster. Karai retrieves her custom assault/sniper rifle, and I grab my repulsor pistol, loading a fresh ammo magazine into my assault rifle. Following Cap's lead, we make our way to the hangar bay, where a parked quinjet awaits us. The technician stationed inside voices his concern, stating that we aren't authorized to be there. Cap's authoritative presence shuts him down instantly, leaving the technician visibly nervous as he glances at each of us. Sensing the urgency, he swiftly steps aside, allowing us passage. Nat swiftly occupies the pilot seat, initiating the startup sequence of the quinjet. With a powerful surge, the aircraft takes off at high speed, Ironman soaring ahead of us, leading the way.