The following day, Natasha proved her worth once again by delivering Bruce Banner to the Helicarrier cruising at 9,000 meters.
Tony and the rest of the team gathered in the command center to greet their newest member. After Thor's revelation about Loki's plan to invade Earth, S.H.I.E.L.D. had been on edge, and the assembled heroes were restless, eager to confront the threat head-on.
Every new addition to their ranks bolstered their collective strength. Tony had spent the entire flight chatting with Dr. Banner, and as soon as they settled into the briefing room, he stood and addressed the group.
"The situation's clear. Loki's planning to use the Tesseract to open a massive, sustainable portal. His goal is to bring his army from beyond the stars to Earth and execute his invasion. The problem is, we don't know how far he's progressed with his research, or even where the Tesseract is right now."
He paused, scanning the room. "But I've got a lead. Someone's already under Loki's control. Most of you are familiar with his strength. He's working with Dr. Erik Selvig, a scientist who studied the Tesseract at S.H.I.E.L.D. before Hong took him. If Hong's been letting Selvig continue his research, they're probably close to completing the portal."
Steve leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "Is it possible Hong was already under Loki's control when he took the Tesseract? We didn't even know Loki existed back then."
Tony shook his head. "Your theory doesn't hold up. Loki only just arrived on Earth."
Steve glanced at Thor. "Unless he came here months ago. Thor, what do you think?"
Thor frowned, his expression grim. "I can't say for certain. Loki's a powerful sorcerer. His illusions could deceive even me."
Dr. Banner raised his hand hesitantly. "Excuse me, but who exactly are we talking about?"
Tony shot him a look of surprise. "You've met him, Doctor. A few years ago, in Harlem. Someone fired a cannon at you and the Abomination."
Banner's eyes widened. "Wait—him?"
"That's right," Tony confirmed. He turned back to the group, spreading his arms. "Since last night, I've been reviewing the data. Selvig's knowledge is more than enough to handle the theoretical side, and Hong's resources make it easy for him to get whatever he needs. Right, Dr. Banner?"
Banner nodded thoughtfully. "From what I've seen of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s data, the only thing they'd need now is a stable power source to activate the Tesseract for the first time. They'd have to heat it to 120 million degrees Fahrenheit to meet the theoretical requirements."
"Unless Selvig figures out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect," Tony added.
Banner shrugged. "If he manages that, he could achieve ion fusion in any reactor on Earth."
Tony grinned. "Finally, someone who knows what they're talking about. Looks like I'm not the only one who did their homework." He turned to Banner, his tone lighter now. "Your work on positron collisions is groundbreaking. I'm a fan, really. Though I gotta say, I'm more impressed by how you turn into a big green monster when you're angry."
Banner's smile faltered, and he looked down, his voice tight. "Thanks."
At that moment, Fury strode into the room. "Last night, you let the Tesseract slip through your fingers. Dr. Banner, you'll be tracking its location. Stark, I expect you to assist him."
Tony gave a curt nod.
Steve suddenly stood, his expression serious. "Tony, I need to talk to you about the Mind Stone. It reminds me of a HYDRA weapon, and I want to know how Loki's using it to control Hong and Selvig."
Tony's eyes narrowed as he recalled Steve's earlier hint. "Of course, Captain."
Without hesitation, Steve, Tony, and Banner left the room together.
Fury's gaze lingered on their retreating backs, his sharp eyes betraying a flicker of calculation.
"Natasha, Barton," he ordered, "take Thor around. Let him familiarize himself with the environment. Matt, Luke—find Coulson. Keep a close eye on Loki for me."
The team nodded in unison. Once Fury departed, Natasha and Barton led Thor away for a tour. Luke elbowed Matt lightly.
"Director's orders. Keep Loki under watch."
"I will," Matt replied, adjusting his sunglasses with a resigned sigh.
Meanwhile, Tony stepped into a private room, shutting the door firmly behind him. He turned to face Steve. "Captain, what's on your mind?"
Banner lingered silently nearby.
Steve didn't respond immediately. Instead, he pulled a disk from his pocket and handed it to Tony. "Watch this. You'll understand."
Tony took the disk with narrowed eyes, inserting it into a nearby console. Data flooded the screen—text, images, and videos laid out in meticulous detail.
Steve glanced at Banner. "Dr. Banner, you should see this too."
Banner pointed to himself, hesitant. At Steve's nod, he stepped closer.
Moments later, Tony's grip on the table tightened, his knuckles whitening. Banner's brow furrowed deeply.
Finally, Tony turned away from the screen, his expression dark. Banner exhaled heavily after finishing the last segment.
"So," Tony began, "Fury was the one who initiated Tesseract research. Not for infinite energy, but to develop weapons. The first stage is complete, and the second stage's prototype is already underway."
"Based on this data," Banner added, "that's the conclusion."
Tony looked up, his gaze piercing. "Where did you get this, Steve?"
"Someone gave it to me," Steve replied.
"Hong?"
"Yes."
Tony's face shifted through a spectrum of emotions. Steve pressed on.
"Tony, I know there's tension between you, but the facts are undeniable. Fury lied to us."
Tony was silent for a long moment. "I'll confront him," he said finally. "But right now, our priority is Loki and his army."
"I know," Steve replied. "But don't let your guard down. S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't as straightforward as it seems."
"What are you implying?"
"You know exactly what I mean."
......
Two days later, Manhattan.
Hong Fei paced impatiently, his frustration mounting. "This is taking too long," he muttered. "Why drag it out? Just open the damn portal and fight already. If I'd known, I'd have handled it myself."
Dr. Erik Selvig stood nearby, wisely keeping silent.
"Stay put," Hong Fei snapped. "Loki will come for you soon. When he does, don't hesitate. Do what you have to do. Don't complicate things for me. Understood?"
"Mr. Hong, I understand," Selvig replied, though his expression betrayed his unease.
Hong Fei clapped him on the shoulder. "Loki's plan won't succeed. I'm here. Trust me."
Selvig nodded stiffly, thinking to himself, 'With you involved, I'm even more worried.' But as a scientist, he had no choice but to comply.
With a flick of his wrist, Hong Fei activated the nano-bracelet. It spread across his body in an instant, forming a sleek, pitch-black armor. His sword hung at his back, ready.
In the blink of an eye, he shot into the sky, piercing the clouds.
The Helicarrier's location was clearly reflected in Hong Fei's mind through Loki's magic. After a brief subsonic flight, the massive structure loomed in the distance.
As he approached within a kilometer, a faint golden glow emanated from his armor. Hong Fei drew his sword, the blade gleaming brightly as he prepared for what lay ahead.
A cold sword aura sliced through the air. Two seconds later, Hong Fei's blade flashed in rapid succession, sending two arc-shaped energies crashing into the Helicarrier's deck. The sharp tearing sound gave way to an 'X'-shaped hole.
Without hesitation, Hong Fei leaped through the breach into the ship's interior.
His boots hit the floor with a resounding thud. The cage that had held Loki moments ago tumbled off the hull. Thor plummeted with a bewildered expression. Matt and Luke lay groaning on the ground, clutching their sides. Coulson burst into view, clutching an energy weapon.
A deep, resonant roar echoed through the ship.
"The beast is loose," Loki remarked casually, appearing beside Hong Fei. He gestured toward Coulson. "Handle this. Keep those meddlers off my back."
Hong Fei gave a curt nod as Loki vanished like smoke.
Coulson swallowed hard, his grip tightening on the weapon. "Hong—Mr. Hong—there's no need for violence," he said cautiously.
A flash of steel. Hong Fei hurled his sword with precision, its tip striking the gun's muzzle. The blade tore through the barrel, leaving a deep gash in Coulson's palm before embedding itself in the metal wall.
With a flick of his wrist, golden energy summoned the sword back to his hand. Hong Fei turned away without a word.
A green skill card materialized from Coulson's body and flew into Hong Fei's possession.
Does intimidating people really drop skill cards? he wondered.
The sound of rapid footsteps echoed through the corridor. Natasha rounded the corner, her movements swift. Behind her loomed a massive green figure, radiating fury.
She froze at the sight of Hong Fei, her heart sinking as she assumed he was under Loki's control.
To her surprise, Hong Fei lunged forward, his Dragon-Capturing Hand snatching her from harm's way. He swept her into the air, landing them both safely on the deck.
"So you're not—" she began, shocked.
"Less talking, more surviving," Hong Fei interrupted, pushing her down as Tony's Pulse Cannons streaked toward them from a hundred meters away.
"I've got him! He's on the deck!" Tony's voice boomed as he closed in, weapons blazing.