Thank You,
Knight Teir: "Gloxinia"
For Becoming A Member On My Pa'treon. The Emperor Protect.
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A fragment of the past flickered on the screen, captured like a shard of memory torn from another lifetime. The entire world seemed to be bracing for battle, but the tension did not come from a unified front of global forces. It was S.H.I.E.L.D. alone that moved with such urgency, its agents operating in silence while no other official organizations stepped forward.
In the control center, the Director and his team watched the live feed with unblinking focus. Communications had slowed to a crawl; every exchange was clipped, deliberate. The atmosphere was thick with nerves, the uncertainty of the looming confrontation gnawing at them all.
"Looks like Widow's been entrusted with something critical," one of the experts murmured as the screen shifted.
The feed showed Natasha Romanoff, calm as ever, speaking quietly with Agent Coulson. Coulson directed her to intercept a powerful individual while he himself sought out Tony Stark.
"This is serious," another voice whispered. "They're calling in the heavy hitters again. Tony will be there for sure. He has to."
"Then who's Natasha after?" someone else asked.
"Where's Thor? He's vanished without a trace… what now?"
The camera panned over a dim, neglected neighborhood.
"Is this a slum?"
"Yes. And who's that man? He doesn't look like much."
"People like him never do."
[ The scene shifted again, and the tension in the room deepened. ]
[ That night, a small, worried-looking girl led Bruce Banner into a decrepit apartment, claiming a sudden illness in her family. But the moment they stepped inside, she vanished without a sound. Bruce smirked softly to himself, a hint of resignation in his expression, as Natasha Romanoff stepped out of the shadows. ]
[ "For someone who's supposed to avoid stress," she teased lightly, "you picked the worst possible place to hide." ]
[ Bruce's gaze sharpened. "Stress avoidance isn't really the issue." ]
[ She quirked a brow, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "What's your plan then? Yoga?" ]
[ "Very clever of you," Bruce replied, flexing his fingers nervously, "bringing me out to the suburbs." He glanced toward the window. "I'd guess this place is already surrounded." ]
[ "Just me," Natasha said evenly. ]
[ Bruce tilted his head. "And you are…?" ]
[ "Natasha Romanoff," she introduced herself with calm precision. ]
[ His muscles tensed, hands clasping like weapons. "Come to kill me, Miss Romanoff? That'd be… unpleasant." ]
[ Natasha stepped closer, her voice steady. "I'm here on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D." ]
[ "Really," Bruce said, skepticism curling in his tone. "And how exactly did you find me?" ]
[ "We never lost you," she replied smoothly. "We've just kept our distance… and kept others from interfering." ]
In the livestream, nearly a hundred million viewers leaned forward in stunned silence.
"Who is this Bruce?" someone gasped.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has been shadowing him and solving his problems? That's… impressive."
"Another major player," another voice whispered.
"Don't interrupt, this is getting good. There's something steady about this scene. We're about to see something big."
Johan, pen in hand, scribbled furiously as he compiled a new list of Avengers operatives. He believed each character deserved their own storyline, and Bruce Banner was no exception. The footage wasn't perfect, but Banner's appearance was something entirely new—a puzzle piece that hadn't surfaced before.
"This group," Johan murmured, "might just be capable of something extraordinary."
[ "Director Fury trusts you," Natasha said softly. "We need you to step forward." ]
[ Bruce's reply was immediate. "What if I say no?" ]
[ She smiled faintly. "Then I'll convince you." ]
[ He hesitated, gaze fixed on the floor. "And if he says no?" ]
[ Natasha's expression didn't waver. "He's been at peace for over a year. I don't think he'll resurface to break it." ]
[ "I'm not sure I can control him every time," Bruce muttered. ]
[ Natasha drew out her phone. "Doctor, we're facing a global catastrophe." ]
[ Bruce chuckled bitterly. "I've been trying to avoid causing one." ]
[ She slid the phone toward him, revealing a glowing image. "This is the Tesseract," she said, "It contains energy powerful enough to destroy the planet." ]
[ Banner's eyes narrowed. "And Fury wants me to… swallow it?" ]
[ "He wants you to track it. But someone has stolen it. It's emitting a gamma signal," she continued, "too faint for us to trace." ]
[ "Gamma radiation," Bruce said darkly. "No one knows it better than me. If anyone else did, you wouldn't be here." ]
Gasps rippled through the viewers.
"A physicist," someone whispered. "And an expert on gamma radiation."
"No wonder S.H.I.E.L.D. is protecting him."
"The dialogue's a bit heavy, though… physicists talk like this?"
"This is about to escalate. If Bruce joins the fight, it means this threat is serious."
[ The screen abruptly switched feeds, revealing an empty, dimly lit chamber. Director Fury stood before multiple projection screens, each displaying shadowy council members. ]
[ "This has gone too far, Commander," one of them said coldly, "You're meddling with uncontrollable forces." ]
[ Fury's voice was calm but edged with defiance. "Have you ever been in a real firefight, Senator? With live ammunition? Do you think this situation calls for restraint?" ]
[ "You're implying Asgard has declared war on us," another accused. ]
[ "No," Fury said sharply. "This is Loki's doing." ]
[ "And his allies? His brother?" ]
[ "Thor isn't our enemy," Fury replied. "But he's off-world. We can't count on him. We'll handle this ourselves." He gestured toward classified files. "That's why we've pushed forward with Phase Two, designed to meet threats like this." ]
[ "Phase Two is unfinished," a voice snapped. "And the Avengers Initiative has been scrapped." ]
[ "This isn't about the Avengers," Fury said firmly. ]
[ "You're asking us to trust humanity's fate to a group of… monsters," one council member sneered. ]
[ "I'm not giving our future to anyone," Fury retorted. "We need an emergency response team. They might be flawed, untested, but with the right leadership, they're our best hope." ]
[ "Victory isn't about hope," a voice countered. ]
[ "Victory," Fury declared, "depends on soldiers." ]
Back in the observation room, the expert team murmured in approval.
"Well said. Fury's insight is sharp," one remarked.
"Sharp, yes, but not as sharp as our own director's strategy," another quipped.
"Careful, you're stepping on toes," someone laughed.
They watched closely, noting how much intelligence Earth already had about the invasion, yet hesitated to act with full force.
"Why didn't they use all their resources to crush Loki outright?" one expert wondered.
The director's voice carried over the feed: "Right now, their assets are limited to Banner, Stark's suit, and a missing Asgardian. They have to make do."
The experts exchanged grim looks. The Avengers Initiative, they concluded, seemed weaker than legend had painted it.
Suddenly, Johan froze, his pen halting mid-word. He leaned forward, eyes wide, "Wait… who is that? Rogers?"
[ The screen now displayed a familiar figure, fists flying with relentless rhythm as he pummeled a punching bag. ]
[ And then, as if to confirm the impossible, Director Fury entered the gym. ]
Gasps filled the observation deck.
From earlier intelligence, everyone knew Rogers was a figure from a bygone era, a hero of Tony Stark's father's generation. Yet here he was, alive and strong, standing in a new century.
"Cloning?" someone breathed.