Natasha Romanoff kept her eyes on the flight instruments. The Quinjet flying through a heavy thunderstorm over the German mountains.
On the secondary radar, a small anomaly paced the jet perfectly- unregistered, moving through freezing rain.
Adrian.
Every day revealed something new about him, and none of it made her comfortable. The fragments she'd uncovered painted a disturbing picture- someone ancient, always present at the edges of history, never fully seen. The deeper she looked, the less defined he became.
That was what unsettled her most.
She eased back on the throttle, ignoring the warning lights as she reached for the ramp release, preparing to bring him in.
Lightning flashed across the cockpit.
A massive impact shook the aircraft. The roof groaned under sudden weight.
Before she could react, the rear ramp was torn open.
Thor burst into the cabin, seized Loki by the throat, and launched himself back into the storm.
Tony didn't hesitate. His faceplate snapped down as he dove out after them.
Steve swore under his breath, grabbed a parachute, and jumped.
Natasha tightened her grip on the controls as the Quinjet stabilized.
The mission had just gone off-script.
...
Down in the forest, the situation deteriorated immediately.
Cold rain lashed through the trees as Thor and Tony tore through the clearing. A massive pine tree splintered apart, Iron Man crashing through its trunk before slamming into the dirt.
Thor stood in the clearing, spinning Mjolnir. The metal whirred dangerously. He was furious, completely blinded by his desperation to handle Asgardian business alone.
Tony pushed himself up, servos whining. "Tourist. You're going to break my suit."
A repulsor blast struck Thor square in the chest, sending him skidding back through the trees.
Thor rose again, lifting Mjolnir high into the rain. The clouds parted overhead, and a massive pillar of lightning struck the hammer. The air instantly started vibrating. Thor pointed the weapon directly at Tony, ready to unleash the stored energy.
Tony braced, arc reactor flaring bright.
The strike never came.
A sudden force swept through the clearing.
The air vanished.
Tony's suit died instantly. Thrusters cut out, repulsors flickering as the armor dropped heavily to the ground.
The lightning collapsed before it could form, breaking into harmless static.
Thor staggered, thrown off balance by the sudden void.
Then the air returned.
It slammed back into the clearing with a sharp, concussive crack.
Silence followed.
Only the rain remained.
At the center of the ruined clearing, I stood between them.
"This isn't a playground," I said calmly. "Act like it."
Tony pushed himself up, systems flickering back online. His faceplate lifted, irritation mixing with confusion. "Adrian? Did you just turn off my suit? How did you..never mind. Do you know this guy?"
Thor lowered Mjolnir. He recognized me instantly from the dusty street in Puente Antiguo.
"Adrian" he said shouting. "This is Asgardian business. My brother.."
"Your brother is a prisoner of war," I cut in. "You don't remove him from custody mid-flight. If you want him, you come with us."
Thor's grip tightened on the hammer. Pride warred with reason.
Slowly, he nodded.
A branch snapped at the edge of the clearing.
Steve Rogers emerged from the trees, shield raised, breathing steady but heavy from the sprint. His eyes moved between Tony, Thor, and the destruction surrounding us.
Then to me.
The shield lowered slightly.
"Is everything… handled?"
"It is now," I said, turning away. "Pick up the prisoner. We're leaving."