An entire floor of SHIELD headquarters have been sealed off with both human and alien technology to keep anyone out that shouldn't be there. Director Coulson had gone out of his way to make sure that there was no way this information could slip out. He had faced many threats in his time from Loki to the Centipede project. This...this was so much worse.

At present, he had cleared his team and of course both Rominova and Barton. They were in the conference room making sure everyone was seated while he prepared his plan. Skye had finished extrapolating all the information the crystal had downloaded before it went offline again, including an energy wave that Fitz and Simmons were sure would open up a portal. Where to? Nobody knew.

Philip had reached out to a few other names who he wanted present. No one major as right now, it wasn't time to bring in the Avengers...yet.

Swiping through the datapad one more time, the middle aged man shook his head trying to wrap his brain around what was happening. The readings, the information, it was almost too big for the human mind to understand.

Standing, straightening his tie, and sighing one more time, the SHIELD agent made his way towards the conference room. The lights of the hallway glowed white belaying the fact it was late at night. Quite a few hours had passed and the fact they were able to get so many people together in a short amount of time either meant they were well organized or more people knew what was going on.

The door slid open and Philip walked into the medium sized auditorium. The brown hues and mahogany contrasted to the bright lights shining down on them. The conversations quieted as people noticed he entered.

"We good?" Phil asked May as she appeared beside him in her black jumpsuit. The hardened agent nodded. What else was there to say?

Scanning the audience, there were maybe a dozen or so who had been read into the situation. Some showing up and inviting themselves into the briefing. That was something to sort out later.

"Alright everyone," Phil said putting his tablet on the reader and transferring the data to the big screen behind him. "First, I want to thank you all for responding in such short notice. It's not often we get such a warning on an extinction level event. Agent May has informed you of the security protocols in place and since you're hear, you've agreed to them."

Phil also nodded towards a group of men and women in simple jumpsuits on the opposite side of the auditorium. A black one with a streak of white in her hair had kept them together. Not hostile but not part of SHIELD.

"Also, thanks to Storm and the X-men. We've heard rumors of your existence. It is nice to finally meet you."

Storm did not say anything in response except giving a small nod. Her eyes were watching, carefully calculating.

"Also, we have Sif and Volstagg from Asgard."

The armored man and woman were down front, still standing. Sif gave a small bow.

"It is excellent to be working together again."

Turning and clicking the comm in his hand, the screen changed to the data that Skye had pulled.

"As you all have initially be briefed. We have an XK Extinction event imminent from an unknown entity called Sovereign. Thanks to some skill and a whole lot of luck, we've been given heads up and time to prepare. It seems that alien cultures before us have come up with a plan. Why they didn't do it themselves, I don't want to think about right now."

The screen changed again to a wave length.

"We have been instructed to find someone or something called Sages. Our first clue is simply a portal that will take us to unknown coordinates. The goal is to put together two teams out of all of us to enter the portal and try to find all the pieces to this alien device and then bring them back here so we can assemble and stop Sovereign in his tracks. Questions?"

"Do we have anything on the portal or where it will send us? I'm concerned it's a trap to weaken our chances here," Storm asked with a small gesture.

"We have nothing more than it will take us to the first Sage. Based on everything we have been able to find, it's better to risk small teams than an entire group in case it is a trap."

"If it is a trap, they shall meet our steel," Volstagg said stroking his long, red beard.

"Do we have teams yet?" asked a woman in a simple shirt and jeans sitting in the upper part of the auditorium. She wore a pendant around her neck that was a stylized tiger. All Philip knew was that Clint had brought her in and vouched for her.

"Yes. The first team and backup team have been set up. Those not on the team will remain and prepare for our return. There might be something in the archives or among the world who have heard of this threat. We need to know what we can."

The scene changed again and list of names, divided by a column came up against the black slide. The SHIELD logo slowly turning in the lower left hand corner.

"Alpha team will be Natasha Romanov, Robert Drake from the X-Men, Sif, James Rhoades and Agent May. This team will be lead by myself."

Coulson shifted on his feet.

"Bravo team will be Ava Ayala, Clint Barton, Kitty Pryde, Volstagg, and Danielle Moonstar. They will be led by Storm of the X-Men."

Philip looked over to her not quite sure how she would respond as he hadn't had a chance to discuss it with her. Everything was moving too fast. The woman gave him a nod back. Well, that part was easy.

"Everyone else will remain and begin prepping what they can. Fitz and Simmons have ideas so please follow their lead. That's all."

The crowd began talking again and Philip stepped down and was met by Sif. She was a powerful Asgardian and even in her presence, Coulson could feel it. He had met her friend Thor once and that was a trip in itself.

"I still believe we need to involved Thor and Asgard. If this threat is as powerful as it appears, we need to bring everyone." she said with concerned etched on her noble face.

"We will but not now. I'm worried that if we mobilize too quick, this Sovereign will realize it and strike quicker. If we can stay under the radar, we might be able to find all the parts before he gets here." Coulson responded.

"The risk is massive," Storm said coming up beside him. "But I don't see any other options. Professor Xavier had sensed the warnings and feels we need to help as best as we can."

So that was how they figured it out. Everyone knew of the man who set up a school for gifted children and SHIELD had a file registering he was a meta with telepathic powers. The file was quite sparse though. If he was the founder or leader of these X-men, it explained why SHIELD had almost nothing. If they could hide in plain sight, they could hide data.

"Gear up, " Phil said with a nod to May. "Our armory is open to you all in case there is something you need."

Sleep. That was the most important after everybody prepared. Philip wasn't going to risk everyone because they didn't have enough of it. Twelve hours was enough time for everyone to get refreshed and prepare for their mission.

The launch room had been setup and so when they arrived, the portal had already opened. It was a terrifying vortex that seemed to bend reality and suck into the blackness of the center.

"I'm getting zero readings on the other side," Fitz said to Coulson as he came in. Black combat suit on with side arm and M-5 assault rifle. It had been modified to have a Chitauri beam weapon. Easier to recharge and better to carry than loads of ammo.

"If it's a one way portal, we won't pick up anything," Simmons responded.

"Doesn't matter, we still need to go."

The rest of the teams had started to arrive. Clint had his team ready over in the corner. They had put on their armor and were checking their weapons. James Rhodes, also known as War Machine had already been suited up in the robotic armor that had made Tony Stark famous.

Natasha nodded as she stowed the electrified batons and adjusted her bracers. Melinda stood facing the portal with her arms crossed.

"We ready?"

"As best as we are ever going to be." she responded.

"First team through followed by the second. Do not fire unless we are fired upon. We don't know if it's going to be friendlies or not on the other side," Rhoady said through the synthesized of his suit. He was positioning to go through first. If anyone opened fire, he had the arsenal to suppress it while the rest went for cover.

Phil's stomach dropped as he stepped closer to the portal and everyone began to line up single file. He went from a peaceful time at his desk to now plunging into a portal to an unknown destination.

Where was tahiti when he needed it?

"Go!"

With that, they moved straight ahead, ready for whatever was going to come next.

When Coulson hit the portal's event horizon, he felt as if he had been spun upside down and falling into an eternal abyss. It felt like forever but might have only been a second. When he stumbled through on the other side, he ran into War machine whose arsenal was already deployed covering what appeared to be a group of United States soldiers at the end of a ramp. A viewing room was farther down and raised to see the rest of what appeared to be a missile silo.

The problem with this whole scenario was that they were aiming guns at them.