Of Heroes and Villains
Chapter 4: The Meeting
Angela's POV
I step around my father and Steve to very roughly pull Loki to his feet.
Ignoring his intrigued smirk sent in my direction, I take his hands and lock handcuffs around his pale wrists.
As I lift my head to level with him, I was taken aback by how deeply his emerald green eyes stared at me.
Swallowing, I angrily gritted my teeth and step back so that a few agents can take him up onto the now landed Quinjet.
The soon as me, my dad and Steve headed inside the jet aircraft, the ramp went back in and we took off from Germany.
3rd POV
Angela was trying her best to ignore the intrigued smirk that Loki sent in her direction.
They were all now inside the Quinjet that was flying it's way back to the S.H.I.E.L.D's Helicarrier.
Loki's terrifyingly greenish-blue eyes made Angela uncomfortable in various ways.
Now, clearly, the brunette has faced her fair share of psychopaths who have it out for her and for my father, but something about this one man made her feel very personally affronted.
Just what the hell he saw in her that he found interesting?
Was it perhaps because of her powers?
Angela then took out her iPhone to play 'Candy Crush' on it as Tony and Steve kept glaring at Loki.
"Is he saying anything?"Director Fury asked.
"Not a word."Natasha responded.
"Just get him here."Director Fury ordered."We're low on time."
Steve quietly spoke to Tony.
"I don't like it."Steve declared.
"What, Rock of Ages giving up so easily?"Tony assumed.
"I don't remember it being that easy."Steve replied."This guy packs a wallop."
"Still, you are pretty spry for an older fellow."Tony stated."What's your thing, Pilates?"
"What?"Steve questioned in confusion.
"It's like calisthenics."Tony exclaimed."You might have missed a couple of things doing time as a Capsicle."
"Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in."Steve commented.
"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you."Tony answered and then frowned."Come on. Since Ange was coming, it's pretty obvious that I would arrive too."
Angela's eyes narrowed as she placed away her iPhone and glared at Loki due to getting tired of him staring at her.
"Would you quit staring at me?"Angela scowled."Do you have a problem?"
"Nothing."Loki responded casually."But you know little girls should not run around in such dangerous places. They could get hurt."
At hearing this, Angela felt anger boiling inside her, but remained calm.
"Oh? I'm a little girl?"Angela questioned sarcastically."Let's take a look around, shall we? Out of the two of us whose the one pouting and sitting in time out?"
Tony and Steve glanced at Angela and Loki while Natasha continued piloting the Quinjet, but was listening as well.
Loki simply smirked at Angela.
"Doesn't your age shame you?"Loki questioned.
"Doesn't your hair shame you?"Angela insulted with her arms folded."I don't know if you haven't noticed, but your hair looks greasy. You seriously need to learn to use shampoo. If you have nothing else to say, you can do only one thing. Shut. Up."
Tony snorted his laughter and Steve slightly chuckled while Loki glared at Angela for insulting his hair.
Natasha had an amused look on her face which vanished as soon as a crack of thunder was heard outside as flashes of lightning lit the sky.
Angela looked back at Loki, who had straightened up and gone slightly paler if that was possible.
The brunette narrowed her eyes and due to her powers she could felt the tendrils of annoyance, jealousy and hate roll of him.
"What's the matter?"Steve questioned, looking at Loki."Are you scared of a little lightning?"
"I'm not overly fond of what follows."Loki replied with a hint of annoyance.
The Quinjet suddenly jolted as an object landed on the roof.
Everyone looked up in surprise while Loki became concerned.
Tony quickly placed his helmet back on and Steve grabbed his shield.
Angela looked up at the roof as she could hear movement.
Tony walked back down to the rear of the jet and pressed the cargo hatch button which opened the door, Steve looked at him as he put his own gear on.
"What are you doing?"Steve questioned.
Angela's eyes widened as a blonde man wearing similar armour to Loki's suddenly dropped down into the jet through the door causing the Prince of Mischief to look at him with a fearful expression.
The blonde haired man man walked forward as Tony raised a hand to try and stop him, only for the man to bring up a large hammer and hit him in the chest, sending him flying back onto Steve, nearly hitting Angela.
The man than grabbed Loki and pulled him from his seat, tearing the straps and grabbing him by the throat before making his way to the door.
jumping out as he swung his hammer, still holding the raven haired man.
"Ugh, now there's that guy."Tony remarked.
Tony got back up and made his way to the rear of the jet.
"Another Asgardian?"Natasha questioned.
"Think the guy's a friendly?"Steve asked.
"Doesn't matter."Tony answered."If he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract is lost."
"I'll help out."Angela volunteered.
Angela walked forward and was about to put her mask back on, only for Tony to place his hand on her shoulder.
"You stay where you are, kiddo."Tony declared.
Angela frowned in disapproval and made her way back to her seat.
"Stark, we need a plan of attack!"Steve called out.
Tony turned back to look at Steve.
"I have a plan, attack."Tony admitted.
Tony then flew out of the Quinjet.
"I'd sit this one out, you two."Natasha declared.
Steve began to fasten the straps of his parachute.
"I don't see how I can."Steve replied.
"These guys come from legends, they're basically Gods."Natasha commented.
Angela frowned as she began fiddling with her iPhone in boredom.
"There's only one God, Nat."Angela informed sternly.
"And I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that"Steve said in agreement.
Angela shares a smile with Steve before he jumped off the Quinjet.
The brunette then brings her attention on Natasha.
"Hey, Nat?"Angela asked."Be honest with me. Am I trustworthy?"
"Of course you are."Natasha answered.
"Then how come at times I don't feel like I am even after working for S.H.I.E.L.D. for so long?"Angela questioned.
"People sometimes do good intentions that don't always look that they don't want you in the spotlight, Ange."Natasha commented."But at the same time, they mean to look out for you."
Angela fiddled with the star gem on her suit.
"I don't like to live in people's shadows."Angela stated.
"No one does, Ange."Natasha responded.
It was almost an hour when the group returned to the Helicarrier.
Upon their arrival, they had been greeted by a number of armed guards who were tasked with escorting Loki to a holding cell.
Angela watched Loki from a distance as a large circle of armed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents lead him down the hall and past the lab.
The Prince of Mischief carried himself with such confidence and ease that it's actually unnerving.
Before Loki turned to the corner, he glanced back at the brunette and gave her his spine-chilling smirk.
Angela merely scowl in response, but she knew that this didn't absolutely nothing.
He's not scared of her.
No one was scared of her.
Angela then quietly stepped through the doorway of the briefing room, feeling a little out of place.
The people in the room were incredible beings while she was just, well, her.
The vigilante who still had so much to learn.
Steve Rogers, otherwise known as Captain America, was sitting at the table while Natasha Romanoff, one of the best spies and assassins in the world, was sitting across from him.
The man her father and Steve fought in the forest known as Thor, who was Loki's brother, was standing on the opposite side of the table, resting his arms over his chest.
Then standing nearest to Angela was Bruce Banner.
He was few years older than her dad and most definitely smarter than she ever will be.
He was all that Angela could remember hearing about a few months ago before Tony and herself went to go talk to General Ross about the Initiative.
A nuclear physicist who was exposed to gamma radiation which ended up making him become an enormous green creature.
She has heard so many different perspectives about Bruce Banner.
Some called him a criminal, some called him a monster, some called him a scientific mishap, but the brunette can only called him a victim.
Angela looked to the screens on the big table and watched as Director Fury stood outside of Loki's glass round cell.
"In case it's unclear. You try to escape."Director Fury commented."You so much as scratch that glass."
Director Fury pressed a button and suddenly the ground is gone from underneath the round cell.
Loki merely glanced down, but he didn't look frightened at all.
"Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap."Director Fury warned."You get how that works?"
The ground closed underneath the cell before Director Fury pointed at Loki.
"Ant."Director Fury responded and then points at the button."Boot."
Loki only smirked, walking in a small circle as if inspecting his new prison.
"It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think."Loki sneered and tilted his head with a knowledgeable expression."For me."
Angela's brows furrowed and her arms drop to her sides in confusion.
If it wasn't built for Loki, then who was it built for?
Director Fury glared at Loki.
"Built for something a lot stronger than you."Director Fury admitted.
"Oh, I've heard."Loki replied and slowly turns to look into the camera and it's as if he can see the group from where he stands."The mindless beast makes play he's still a man."
Angela gritted her teeth and once again crossed her arms over her chest before she watched as Natasha and Bruce slowly exchange a glance.
Bruce was not a monster.
The Trickster in the cage was.
"How desperate are you?"Loki breathed out before building in volume."That you call upon such lost creatures to defend you?"
"How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war."Director Fury replied and walked closer to the glass."You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill 'cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did."
"Oh."Loki responded before tilting his head forward to mock Director Fury."It burns you to come so close."
Angela stayed still standing behind everyone until she spotted her father walking into the room with Agent Coulson at his side.
The brunette walked over to them and hugged Agent Coulson tightly.
Agent Coulson seemed a little surprised at this, but he quickly hugged Angela back.
Angela pulled back and smile up at Agent Coulson before she heard her father make an obnoxious show of clearing his throat.
When Angela looked over at Tony, he juts out his chin and spreads out his arms expectantly.
The brunette rolled her eyes and give him a wimpy half-hug that he scoffed about.
Angela laugh quietly before giving her father's shoulder a light shove and walking back over to where she was originally standing so she could continue watching the show.
"To have the Tesseract, to have power."Loki remarked as he leaned his head back as he stepped backwards."Unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is."
"Well, you let me know if Real Power wants a magazine or something."Director Fury declared simply.
Angela smiled a little at the Director's joke before she saw Loki smirk at the camera once more.
"What of the girl?"Loki asked.
Angela paled and her feet stumble back from the screen as if this motion could protect her from Loki's words.
He was talking about her.
She didn't know it was possible, but this man had somehow become creepier.
Everyone else in the room froze and Angela watched as Director Fury came to an irritated halt.
The brunette felt the eyes of everyone turn to her and her shocked face.
Some of them were just realising that she was in the room.
Angela make a point to look each of them in the eye, trying to show that she was tough.
She felt suddenly feeling very warm by the attention of both the people in the briefing room and of the frightening man in the prison cell.
Her palms suddenly were sweaty and were stomach feels like a stone.
Director Fury turned around to glance at Loki.
"What girl?"Director Fury questioned.
"The girl so young and yet so full potential."Loki admitted."She is different compared to those other creatures."
"If you're referring to Agent Stark, she's no importance to you."Director Fury replied sternly.
"Ah, but she is important."Loki admitted smugly."More than you, more than anyone and more than her father know. Even herself."
Angela felt Tony placing his hands on her shoulders to comfort her as the two of them stared at the screen.
Director Fury then leaves the holding cell and the camera screen goes black.
"He really grows on you, doesn't he?"Bruce said sarcastically.
"Loki's gonna drag this out."Steve responded before looking over at Thor, who was standing there in contemplation."So Thor, what's his play?"
"He has an army, called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard or any world known."Thor admitted."He means to lead them against your people They will win him the Earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."
"An army?"Steve asked skeptically, turning to Natasha who stared back blankly."From outer space?"
Angela didn't know what to believe at the moment.
This was all such a shock to her.
A few months back, she wouldn't have believed that there could be life in outer space; it went against almost all of what she had been brought up with.
"So he's building another portal."Bruce assumed."That's what he needs Erik Selvig for."
"Selvig?"Thor questioned, raising his head at hearing the name of his friend.
"He's an Astrophysicist."Bruce answered.
"He's a friend."Thor explained.
"Loki has him under some kind of spell."Natasha admitted."Along with one of ours."
Angela looked over at Natasha, knowing she was talking about Clint, who was now technically on Loki's side, albeit forcefully.
"I want to know why Loki let us take him?"Steve stated."He's not leading an army from here."
"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki."Bruce declared."The guys brain is a bag full of cats. You could smell crazy on him."
Thor seemed to take offense to this as he stepped forward.
"Have care how you speak!"Thor said defensively."Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he is my brother!"
Angela glanced at Thor in silence.
"Despite all Loki's done, Thor still cares about him."Angela thought.
"He killed eighty people in two days."Natasha informed with a blank look on her face.
There was a pause for a few moments after what Natasha said.
"He's adopted."Thor said quietly.
Angela then raised her hand up a bit.
"Alright…so what's his deal with me?"Angela questioned.
All the adults' attention was now on Angela as all of them share a glance with each other.
"Whatever it is, it's definitely personal."Steve stated."He acts as if he knows you, when you've clearly never met him."
"Well, isn't that awkward."Angela complemented with a fake chuckle.
"Yeah, either way, I'm not going to let that pyscho near my kid."Tony assured with a stern look and then changed to the subject at hand."The portal won't collapse on itself like it did at S.H.I.E.L.D."
Tony walked over past Thor and tapped his arm as he walked by, the reference was lost on the Asgardian Prince as it was on Angela and Steve as well.
"No hard feelings, Point Break, you got a mean swing."Tony admitted."Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants."
Tony walked past Agent Hill and to the control modules that Director Fury usually manned, he stopped for a moment before turning to some of the other agents on deck.
"Uh, raise the mizzenmast, jib the top sails."Tony requested.
Several agents stopped what they were doing and turned to him in confusion.
"That man is playing Galaga!"Tony called out suddenly, pointing in the direction of a random agent."Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did."
Steve looked around to the others while Angela covered her mouth to mute her chuckle and Natasha rolled her eyes slightly at the billionaire's antics.
Tony then looked back at one of the screens and covered one of his eyes.
"How does Fury even see these?"Tony asked while turning around.
Agent Hill stared at Tony blankly with her arms crossed.
"He turns."Agent Hull said dryly.
"Sounds exhausting."Tony replied as he interacted with the module."The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. Only major component he still needs is a power source."
Tony began moving across the room.
"A high energy density, something to kick start the Cube."Tony commented.
Tony discreetly placed a small device on the module, however Angela noticed and frowned slightly, wondering what he had done.
"When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?"Agent Hill asked with her arms crossed.
"Last night."Tony said proudly before turning to his daughter and the rest of the team."The packet, Selvig's notes, the extraction theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?"
Angela blushed a bit and shyly raised her hand again causing everyone to look at her.
Tony snapped his thumb and middle finger up together before pointing at his daughter's direction.
"That's why you're my kid."Tony praised proudly.
"Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?"Steve spoke up.
"He must've heated the Cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier."Angela suggested.
"Unless, Selvig has figured out how to stabilise the quantum tunnelling effect."Tony stated.
"Well, if he could do that he could achieve heavy ion fusion at any reactor in the planet"Bruce answered.
Tony made his way over to Bruce.
"Finally."Tony praised as he walked towards Bruce."Someone who speaks English."
"Is that what just happened?"Steve asked.
"You get used to it."Angela laughed lightly.
Angela looked at her father and Bruce greet each other.
"It's good to meet you, Dr Banner."Tony remarked enthusiastically."Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. Oh, and I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster."
"Thanks."Bruce answered awkwardly.
Angela frowned at her father as Director Fury came into the briefing room.
"Dr Banner is only here to track the Cube."Director Fury admitted while looking equally as exasperated with Tony's childish behaviour."I was hoping you might join him."
"Let's start with that stick of his."Steve requested."It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon."
Angela became a bit uncomfortable at the mention of the infamous authoritarian-subversive paramilitary terrorist organisation bent on world domination.
Though at the same time, the brunette just gave a simple smile to Steve due to giving a good point.
"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the Cube."Director Fury declared."And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know, into one of his personal flying monkeys."
"Monkeys?"Thor said with confusion."I do not understand?"
"I do!"Steve admitted enthusiastically.
Steve pointed to Director Fury proudly while Angela chuckled and Tony rolled his eyes at the sight.
"I understood that reference."Steve responded.
Tony glanced at Bruce.
"Shall we play, Doctor?"Tony requested.
"This way, sir."Bruce answered.
Tony glanced at Angela as he and Bruce left the briefing room.
"Stay out of harm's way."Tony instructed.
"Yes, dad."Angela replied bluntly, giving a small salute.
Angela made her way to the gym within the Helicarrier.
But instead of training like before, the brunette sat down looking at her hands.
She then snapped her fingers of her right hand, only to see a small magenta pink flame appear on it.
When she waved her right hand a bit, it faded away.
Angela then clasped her hands together causing flames to appear in both hands but were a bit bigger than before.
The brunette became startled a bit and the flames soon disappeared from her sight.
She closed her eyes as she began fiddling with her necklace.
"Don't let fear control you."Angela whispered."Believe in yourself."
Then the twinkling ring tone on her iPhone was heard.
A look of curiosity grew on Angela's face as she brought her iPhone out, only to see she had various unanswered messages from her friends; Paul and Jill Stacy.
Paul's Message: Hey, Ange. How are you?
Jill's Message: What's up? Has your fan mailbox got filled up? We demand to know!
Angela smirked and rolled her eyes upon seeing the messages from her friends.
"Of course, you guys are wondering what I'm doing this very moment."Angela murmured in amusement.
Angela made her way off the gym, only to bump into Steve.
Steve instinctively grabbed Angela by the waist, preventing her from falling.
Their eyes met once again and the brunette's heart began beating fast from feeling flustered.
"Sorry, Steve."Angela apologised with a sheepish smile.
"No, Angela. It's my fault."Steve replied while releasing Angela."Just have a lot on my mind."
"Is it because of my father's behaviour?"Angela guessed.
Steve shook his head.
"I met your grandfather and was good friends with him."Steve commented."It's just your father is…"
"A little tough to handle? I know he is."Angela guessed playfully."Am I like that?"
"Sorry."Steve answered."I didn't mean to make you feel depressed."
Angela gives the Super Soldier a small smile.
"It's fine. I've seen people judge me a lot before."Angela declared and frowned."Not as the adoptive kid of the Stark family or an S.H.I.E.L.D agent, but as a being with powers and bad DNA running in my veins."
Steve simply nodded in understanding.
"And yet you still remain strong despite all that."Steve informed.
Angela blushed a bit and looked down shyly at the Super Soldier's words.
"Thanks, I-I'm going to get myself a drink."Angela responded.
Angela walked away from Steve, who headed to another part of the Helicarrier.
As soon as she notice Steve wasn't heading her way, a glare appeared on the brunette's face when she began making her way to talk to someone who she was told to not go near to.
And that someone was none other than Loki.
Oh dear. Angela is going to visit Loki. But what could the Prince of Mischief want with her? Strange, huh?
See you all in the next chapter and have a wonderful day!