Chapter 128AvengersArc 8 - Ch 20: 40,000 Feet
Saturday, May 05, 2012.
Location: Shield Helicarrier, Lower Manhattan
The quinjet hovered against the backdrop of clouds. When Barton had mentioned the helicarrier's stealth technology, Sterns had scoffed at the methodology, calling it flawed. The green-skinned scientist had created his own version in only hours, allowing them to approach the helicarrier, invisible to radar and sight.
Agent Clint Barton checked his quiver one final time, his eyes holding an unnatural blue shimmer from the Mind Stone's influence. Beside him, Angela stood in golden armor with her celestial spear gripped lightly.
"We approach the target," the pilot announced.
Dr. Samuel Sterns hunched over a tablet, reviewing the helicarrier's schematics. His grotesquely enlarged cranium blocked anyone else's view of the readout. "Their defenses are formidable, but predictable. The primary weakness lies in the propulsion system."
"I need no schematics to find weakness." Angela's knuckles whitened on her spear. "Give me battle, not these coward's tactics."
The quinjet banked sharply. A pair of mercenaries who had once been SHIELD agents checked their weapons with mechanical precision, eyes bearing the same blue glow as Barton's.
"Remember the objective," Barton said. "We disable the engines, infiltrate, rendezvous with Loki, then extract. Inflict whatever casualties you can in the process."
The Leader nodded, his oversized head bobbing. "The calculations are perfect. The plan will be executed flawlessly."
The helicarrier loomed ahead, four massive turbines keeping it aloft.
"Approaching firing range," the pilot said.
Barton stood. "Angela, you know your target. Wait for my signal. Once we're inside, head straight for the detention level." The warrior woman was clearly displeased with taking orders from a human.
The loading bay door slid open. Wind whipped through the cabin, but Barton stood unflinching at the edge, bow in hand. The Mind Stone's influence hadn't diminished his skills. If anything, it had honed them by stripping away hesitation and moral considerations.
"Engine three. Port side." The Leader pointed a long green finger toward the massive turbine. "Disable it, and the entire ship will struggle to maintain altitude."
Barton reached into his quiver, selecting an arrow with a specialized head. One of Stark Industries' designs that he'd modified for this specific purpose. He nocked it and drew back the bowstring.
Angela watched. "An impossible shot. Are you certain your aim is true?"
"It always is."
He calculated wind resistance, distance, and the helicarrier's movement. Then, with a slight adjustment to his stance and a wide turn, he released.
The arrow streaked through the air, its trajectory curved in a perfect arc. With unerring precision, it struck engine three's housing, embedding itself where the metal plates joined.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the arrow detonated.
The explosion tore through the engine housing, sending shrapnel in all directions. Flames erupted from the damaged turbine, black smoke billowing into the clear sky. The massive engine sputtered, blades grinding to a halt as secondary explosions rippled through its mechanisms.
On the helicarrier's bridge, alarms blared. Agents scrambled to their stations as screens flashed red.
"We've lost engine three!" an agent shouted.
Maria Hill grabbed the nearest console as the vessel lurched. She tapped her headpiece. "Engine Three is down! Divert power to engines one, two, and four! Compensate!"
The helicarrier listed heavily to port, remaining engines straining. Equipment slid across tables. Agents grabbed onto anything bolted down.
In his cell, Loki smiled. All was going according to plan.
The quinjet hovered at a safe distance, watching the helicarrier struggle to right itself. The massive flying fortress tilted at a dangerous angle, its remaining engines fighting gravity and the imbalance Barton's shot had caused.
"Phase one complete," he announced, stepping back. "Prepare for boarding."
Angela hefted her spear, and a wicked smile spread across her face. "Now the real battle begins."
Standing at the loading bay's edge, watching smoke pour from the damaged engine, Angela's golden armor and celestial spear gleamed in the sunlight. Wind whipped her red hair around her face, effortlessly projecting a suitably godly image.
"Remember the plan," Barton called over the wind's howl. "We land, then—"
But Angela had stopped listening. She was a warrior. Her enemy was vulnerable, ready to be finished. There would be no more waiting.
"The plan changes. I tire of following the whims of mortals."
Before anyone could stop her, she launched herself from the quinjet. Her powerful legs propelled her through open air, soaring across the gap between aircraft. Her trajectory aimed her not at the damaged engine but at engine four on the starboard side.
"No!" Sterns shouted. "You fool! It's not the time for that!"
Angela streaked through the sky like a golden comet. Approaching engine four, she adjusted her grip on the spear. The massive turbine blades spun at incredible speed, creating a wall of spinning death. For anyone normal, this approach would be suicide.
For Angela, it was merely a warm-up.
With perfect timing, she thrust her celestial spear into the narrow gap between the spinning blades. The weapon sliced through reinforced metal as if it were parchment, catching in the mechanism. Angela used her momentum to drive it deeper, twisting her body to avoid the still-spinning blades.
Metal screamed against metal as the turbine's internal components shredded themselves. Sparks erupted in a brilliant cascade, illuminating Angela's fierce expression as she rode the weapon deeper into the engine's core.
Inside the helicarrier, new alarms blared. Maria Hill gripped the console, knuckles white. "Now we're losing Engine four!" She shouted in panic.
On the exterior, Angela braced her boots against the engine housing and wrenched her spear free. The weapon came loose in a shower of sparks and ruined metal. Leaping clear, she landed on the helicarrier's deck. Behind her, engine four erupted in explosions. The massive turbine housing tore itself apart as its internal systems overloaded, sending chunks of metal and burning fuel raining through the clouds.
The helicarrier lurched violently with two engines disabled on opposite sides. The remaining engines were strained beyond their capacity.
Inside the quinjet, Sterns slammed his fist against the bulkhead, face contorted with rage.
"That bloodthirsty imbecile!" Veins pulsed visibly across his enlarged cranium. "The plan required precision! Timing! We needed a distraction, not destruction. Now, they'll be forced to land."
Barton remained unmoved.
"The helicarrier is destabilizing faster than anticipated. They'll have to divert all power to the remaining engines."
Sterns paced the limited confines of the cargo hold, his oversized head nearly brushing the ceiling. "You don't understand! Now they'll crash if they can't stabilize!"
"And Loki is still onboard." Barton realized. He turned to the pilot. "Take us in. We still have objectives to complete."
The pilot adjusted course, guiding the quinjet toward the listing helicarrier. Sterns' stealth technology kept them invisible to sensors, allowing them to remain undetected, masked by the cloak and chaos they created.
"Prepare for landing," Barton said, checking his bow one final time. "The mission parameters have changed, but the objective remains the same."
— Rogue Redemption —
Banner and Tony stood over the scepter in the lab. Special equipment was arranged around it to measure various energy signatures. The weapon looked strangely dormant without the Infinity Stone Tyson had secretly extracted and contained.
"These readings make no sense." Banner adjusted his glasses, studying the display. "It's like it's gone from a nuclear reactor to a flashlight."
Tony nodded, flicking through graphs. "No gamma radiation whatsoever. Whatever power source this is, it's nothing like what was there before. Did he suppress it somehow?"
The lab doors slid open. Natasha entered, Logan following closely. Her face was composed, but tension lined her shoulders. Captain Rogers entered just behind them with a grim expression.
"We've got a situation," Natasha announced.
The doors opened again as Fury strode in. "What did our guest have to say?"
Banner and Stark exchanged a look.
"Loki's planning to unleash the Hulk," Natasha said without preamble, briefly meeting Banner's eyes. "He's got some sort of angel, his words, not mine, who's going to help him. Possibly control the Hulk once it's loose."
Banner took a deep breath, removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Well, that's just great. He thinks he can control the Hulk. No one can control the Hulk."
"Then we need to get Dr. Banner off this ship," Rogers said immediately. "If Loki wants the Hulk here, the logical move is to remove that piece from the board."
"Steve's right. My expertise isn't needed anymore for tracking the Tesseract. Tony has everything he needs to complete the algorithm."
"The trace program's running on its own now," Tony confirmed, though his attention was divided. "Should narrow down the location within a few hours."
Fury shook his head. "We need all hands on deck for whatever's coming."
"I thought he was just here to help find the cube." Tony gestured toward Banner. "What's his purpose otherwise? You want him to stay so the 'angel' has someone to manipulate?"
"Stark has a point. My room's already taken," Banner said, referring to Loki in the cell. "I don't want to be here when whatever surprise he's planning arrives."
"That's not happening," Fury said flatly. "We need everyone at full capacity, including you, Mirage."
"So I'm just supposed to sit here and wait until I lose control? That seems like a poor strategy, Director."
Rogers stepped between them, trying to mediate. "What about putting Dr. Banner in one of the quinjets? He'd be away from the main base, but still available if needed."
The lab doors opened yet again as Tyson walked in.
"Boy Wonder is back on his feet. You 100%?" Logan asked gruffly.
"First off, I'm no one's sidekick. If anything, I'm the Man of Steel, metal bones and all. But no, I'm not at full strength, more like 70%. But as they say in college, Cs get Degrees. It'll have to be enough."
"Not in your case," Tony quipped. "Heard you got expelled."
Logan added, "And I've got metal bones too, bub."
"Yeah, but I can fly." Tyson rolled his eyes. "So what's this about an angel?"
Natasha explained what Loki had revealed, watching Tyson's expression darken.
He turned to Thor. "Does Asgard know anything about angels?"
Thor's expression was grave. "Only stories. The Angels of Heven were once connected to the Nine Realms, warriors of great power and cunning who often worked as mercenaries. They were cut off from Yggdrasil, the World Tree that connects our realms, after a great betrayal. I know little more than legends, but they are said to be formidable warriors. Amora may know more."
"Amora's gone," Tyson said quickly.
"And if this angel shows up and I'm in a small aircraft?" Banner asked.
"It's better than having it happen in the middle of the carrier," Natasha pointed out.
Tony had been unusually quiet. "No, what's not helping is the fact that we're dealing with a demigod in lockup with an angel on speed dial. We've already seen what SHIELD was planning to do with the Tesseract, thanks to Tyson's heads-up about Phase 2."
Tyson cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should focus on immediate priorities. If Loki wants to unleash the Hulk, we need to prepare for that scenario, whether or not Dr. Banner stays aboard. There's no knowing if Loki has a contingency for Bruce not being here. It could be easier to capture the Hulk if none of us are there to interfere. I'd rather be nearby to help protect you than to leave you alone and potentially vulnerable."
"I agree." Natasha leaned against the lab table. "We should be preparing for an external attack. Barton knows this carrier inside and out. He'll be coming for the most vulnerable points."
"We still don't know how this angel factors in," Rogers added. "Is it a code name for another operative, or are we talking about an actual celestial being?"
"With everything we've seen lately, I wouldn't rule out the latter." Banner smiled grimly. "My expertise is gamma radiation, not theology, but I'm starting to think I should have studied both."
The tension between them was palpable despite Tyson having removed the Mind Stone's influence. Even without the external pressures, there was a natural friction between strong personalities with different priorities. The Avengers were united in purpose but divided in their ideas of the proper approach.
The carrier suddenly lurched.
A distant explosion rocked the structure. Lab equipment rattled. The scepter slid a few inches across the table.
"Secure that thing," Fury ordered.
Maria Hill's voice came through their earpieces. "Engine Three is down! Divert power to engines one, two, and four! Compensate!"
Fury began barking orders. "Rogers, with me. Stark, good thing you're suited up. Romanoff, Mirage—"
Another explosion, closer this time, tore through the floor. Metal panels buckled and ripped apart. Banner and Logan, standing near the center of the room, plummeted through the gaping hole.
"Now we're losing Engine four!" Hill said urgently.
The carrier listed at a sickening angle, and the group struggled to maintain footing. Fury grabbed a nearby console to not be dragged away. "We need at least three engines to stay airborne. We're going to drop fast!"
Tony was already moving toward the exit, his suit's faceplate snapping shut. "On it."
"Stark, I need you to clear one of those engines, or do what you can," Fury ordered. His eye found Tyson, who gripped a support beam. "Tyson, help him."
Tyson nodded grimly. He closed his eyes, face contorting with concentration. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he channeled Magneto's powers, creating a magnetic field around the entire helicarrier. The carrier's rapid descent suddenly slowed, the sickening tilt leveled out, then halted back into a hover. His hands extended, fingers splayed, as if physically holding the massive carrier.
"I've got it." The words came through gritted teeth. "This was not part of the plan. I need to contain Banner. He fell through with Logan."
Below decks, a thunderous roar echoed, followed by the sound of tearing metal and panicked screams.
Fury's expression hardened. "Can you fight the Hulk and keep us aloft at the same time?"
Tyson shook his head. Concentration was evident in the tightness of his jaw, the trembling of his outstretched hands. The strain showed in every line of his face. "Not both. Normally, sure, but not right now. This thing isn't light, you know."
"Priorities!" Fury barked. "Banner will bring us down, but not having engines brings us down faster. One problem at a time. Thor, help with Banner."
The Asgardian nodded solemnly. "I shall contain the beast." He leapt through the hole in the floor.
"Tyson, keep us aloft," Fury continued, voice steady despite the chaos. "Stark, get the engine running."
"Already gone," Tony's voice came through comms as he flew out of the lab.
"Cap, with me." Fury turned to Rogers, who had already retrieved his shield.
"Romanoff—" Fury began.
"I'll get Barton," she said, expression unreadable but tone brooking no argument. She was already moving toward the door.
Fury wasn't going to argue. Natasha was a seasoned agent. She would do what needed to be done. If anyone could bring Barton in alive, it would be her. "Change of plans, Cap with Natasha. Keep Loki contained. Once Stark had another engine up, Tyson handles Banner."
The strain of holding thousands of tons of metal showed in every line of Tyson's face. The frustrating part was knowing he should be able to do this far more easily, but he was still weak.
"Can I just put it down in the water?" he asked through clenched teeth. "Where are we anyway?"
"We're about 40,000 feet over Manhattan," Fury answered.
"God damn it. Which way is south?" From somewhere below, the Hulk's roar echoed through the structure. "We can't stay up here. Not with the Hulk loose and engines failing. I need to get us lower before I lose my grip entirely."
"Agreed. But we need a controlled descent. Can you manage that?"
"I think so. But I'll need help with the course. We're too high for me to sense the metal in the buildings right now." He wiped his forehead, trying to clear the sweat from his eyes.
"Do it," Fury ordered. "Get us over the water first. The last thing we need is to crash into Midtown."
"Everyone move!" Fury shouted.
Rogers was already heading for the door, shield at the ready. Natasha had disappeared, presumably in pursuit of Barton.
"How long can you hold us?" Fury asked.
"As long as it takes." He managed through clenched teeth. "It's heavy but doable. I just can't fight like this. Takes too much focus."
— Rogue Redemption —
Logan and Bruce Banner plummeted through the newly formed chasm in the lab, tumbling amid debris and sparking electrical equipment.
They crashed onto the lower deck with bone-jarring impact. Logan's adamantium skeleton absorbed much of his fall, though it didn't reduce the pain. He rolled to his feet with a grunt, healing factor already mending the damage.
Banner wasn't so fortunate.
A jagged piece of equipment had broken free during the explosion, its sharp end protruding upward like a spear. Banner landed directly on it. The metal shaft punched through his abdomen, pinning him to the floor. Blood spread across his shirt, darkening the fabric to black.
"Shit." Logan rushed to Banner's side. The scientist's face had gone pale, breathing shallow and rapid. But there was something else. A faint green tinge crept across his skin, starting at his neck and spreading outward like frost across a window.
"Get back." Banner gasped, voice strained, starting to sound unnaturally deep, monstrous. "Get... away."
Logan ignored the warning, kneeling beside the impaled man. "Stay with me, doc. We'll get you off this thing."
Banner's eyes met Logan's, and he could see the fear turn to resignation.
"Too late."
His muscles began to twitch and spasm. The green hue intensified as his veins bulged beneath his skin. Banner's body arched upward, a guttural sound escaping his throat. His eyes, now tinged with emerald, locked onto Logan's face. Even through the pain, through the transformation beginning to consume him, there was a moment of terrible clarity. Banner knew what was coming, knew he couldn't stop it, and the knowledge was written in every contorted line of his face.
"Run." The word barely made it through gritted teeth that were visibly enlarging.
Logan stood his ground, watching the transformation with grim fascination. He'd heard stories about Banner's alter ego from Tyson, read about it in the file, but had never witnessed the change firsthand. The reality was far more disturbing than any description.
"Listen to me," Logan said, voice dropping to a low, commanding tone. "You need to calm down. This whole ship is in danger—"
Banner's shirt began to tear along the seams as muscles expanded. His face contorted, features shifting and reforming. The metal shaft bent further, the wound around it closing as green flesh pushed outward.
"Don't tell me to calm down." The voice was no longer human, a growl underlying each word.
Logan recognized his mistake too late. His tone was exactly wrong for Banner. He was a scientist, not rough around the edges like someone such as Tyson, who handled his personality well. To Banner, Logan's words hadn't registered as concern. They'd registered as an order.
"Banner, I'm not your enemy." Logan tried again, doing his best to soften his tone. "We're on the same side here."
But Banner was beyond reasoning now. His body continued to swell, muscles bulging impossibly beneath stretching skin. The metal shaft impaling him finally gave way with a shriek of protest, tearing free as the wound sealed itself completely. What had been Banner rolled onto his hands and knees, breathing heavy and animalistic.
Logan took an involuntary step backward, combat instincts kicking in. The creature before him was no longer the mild-mannered scientist. This was something else entirely, and if the reports were to be believed, a force of nature barely contained in humanoid form.
The Hulk raised his massive head, fixing Logan with eyes that held rage and pain in equal measure. A low growl rumbled from his chest, reverberating through the damaged deck plating. He pushed himself upright, now towering over Logan's compact frame, all muscles and green skin.
"Banner." Logan made one final attempt at connection. "Bruce. You're stronger than this. You can control it."
The Hulk's response was a massive bellow of a roar.
Logan stood his ground, refusing to show fear.
The Hulk looked down at his chest, at the place where the shaft had pierced Banner's body. No wound remained, just unbroken green skin stretched over massive pectoral muscles. He poked at the spot with one thick finger, as if puzzled by the absence of injury.
For a moment, Logan allowed himself to hope that some fragment of Banner's consciousness remained in control, that reason might prevail over rage.
That hope died as the Hulk's gaze snapped back to him, narrowing with renewed fury.
The Hulk's hand shot out, catching Logan square in the chest. The impact felt like being hit by a freight train. Logan's body flew backward, crashing through equipment racks and storage containers before slamming into a bulkhead with enough force to dent the reinforced metal.
Pain exploded through Logan's body as he slumped to the floor. He could feel his healing factor already working. He tasted blood, spat it onto the deck plating, and forced himself to stand.
The Hulk watched with mild surprise as the man he'd just hit rose to his feet.
Logan wiped blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. With a metallic snikt, his adamantium claws extended from between his knuckles, three on each hand. The pain of their emergence was familiar, almost comforting in its constancy. He settled into a fighting stance, muscles coiled and ready.
"Alright, big guy." Logan's voice was a growl. "If that's how you want to play it."
The Hulk charged, each thunderous footfall leaving dents in the metal plating. Logan ducked beneath the Hulk's massive swing, the giant fist whistling through the air where his head had been. He pivoted and slashed upward, adamantium claws raking across the Hulk's abdomen. Three parallel lines appeared on green skin, welling with dark blood before immediately beginning to close.
The Hulk roared in pain and surprise, more accustomed to weapons breaking against his skin than cutting through it. He brought both fists down in a hammer blow that Logan narrowly avoided. The deck buckled beneath the impact, pipes bursting and spraying steam.
"That the best you got?" Logan taunted, circling warily.
The Hulk lunged forward with unexpected speed, catching Logan's shoulder with a glancing blow that still sent him spinning into a bulkhead. Logan's body left an impression in the metal, but he pushed himself free before the Hulk could follow up.
"You're strong." Logan spat blood.
He darted in, slashing at the Hulk's hamstring, and rolling away before the retaliatory strike could connect. The Hulk bellowed, dropping to one knee as the wound momentarily hampered his mobility. Logan pressed his advantage, leaping onto the Hulk's back and driving his claws deep into the massive shoulders.
The Hulk reached back, trying to dislodge his attacker, but Logan clung tenaciously, twisting his claws. Blood flowed freely, spattering across Logan's face and arms. The Hulk's healing factor worked quickly, but the adamantium claws were causing injuries faster than they could repair.
With a roar of frustration, the Hulk threw himself backward, crushing Logan between his massive body and the deck. The impact drove the air from Logan's lungs and caused his grip to loosen. The Hulk rolled free, rising to his feet with murder in his eyes.
Logan struggled to a stand, healing factor working its magic by the time he regained his feet. "That all you got, Banner?"
The Hulk's response was to grab a nearby equipment rack and swing it like a baseball bat. The improvised weapon caught Logan square in the chest, sending him flying across the compartment. He crashed through a partition wall, landing in a tangle of broken components.
Pain lanced through Logan's body as he extracted himself from the wreckage. A jagged piece of metal had impaled his thigh. He yanked it free with a grunt, watching as the wound closed almost immediately. The Hulk appeared in the hole Logan's body had created, pulling it open wide enough for him to step through.
"You're making this harder than it needs to be, bub."
The Hulk snorted, unimpressed. He grabbed a heavy pipe that had broken loose from the ceiling and brandished it like a club. Logan dodged the first swing but misjudged the Hulk's reach on the backswing. The pipe connected with his ribs, the impact lifting him off his feet and sending him crashing into a bank of electrical equipment.
Sparks showered around Logan as he struggled to rise. His healing factor was keeping him alive, but the Hulk was growing stronger with his rage, while Logan was gradually wearing down.
"Come on, Banner." The words came out rough. "You're supposed to be the smart one. Think!"
The Hulk's face contorted with renewed fury.
He charged.
Logan met the charge head-on, ducking beneath the Hulk's grasping hands and driving his claws upward into the green giant's solar plexus. The adamantium blades sank deep. The Hulk gasped in pain, unable to roar while having his diaphragm impaled. Logan twisted and slashed outward, opening the Hulk's abdomen in a spray of dark blood.
The Hulk staggered back, and Logan pressed his advantage, leaping forward with claws extended.
But the Hulk recovered faster than expected, catching him in mid-air with a backhanded blow that sent him spinning across the compartment.
Logan crashed into a support column. The impact was so severe that his vision momentarily darkened. He slumped to the floor, fighting to remain conscious as his healing factor struggled to repair the damage. The Hulk approached slowly, each step deliberate, blood still flowing from the wounds in his torso, though they were visibly closing.
"Banner." Logan gasped, pushing himself to his knees. "This isn't you."
The Hulk paused, tilting his head as if listening.
For a heartbeat, Logan thought he might have reached the man buried within the monster.
Then the Hulk's massive hand shot out, closing around Logan's throat and lifting him off the ground.
Logan slashed at the arm holding him, adamantium claws cutting deep into green muscle. The Hulk didn't even flinch, his rage now so complete that pain registered as little more than an annoyance. He squeezed, cutting off Logan's air supply.
Spots danced before Logan's eyes as oxygen deprivation set in. His healing factor could repair damage, but it couldn't create air where there was none. He drove his claws into the Hulk's wrist, trying to sever tendons or arteries, anything to force the monster to release his grip.
The Hulk merely grunted and increased the pressure. In desperation, he brought both sets of claws up and drove them directly into the Hulk's face, aiming for the eyes.
The Hulk roared in pain and fury, releasing Logan to protect his face. He dropped to the floor, gasping for air, throat already healing but still raw and painful. He barely had time to register his temporary victory before the Hulk's foot connected with his midsection, sending him flying into yet another bulkhead.
The Hulk stalked toward him. Blood streaked his face where Logan's claws had scored deep furrows in his cheeks. He reached down and grabbed Logan by the arms, lifting the smaller man over his head like a trophy.
Logan struggled weakly, claws slashing at empty air. The Hulk's massive hands gripped his arms and legs, pulling in opposite directions. Pain shot through his body as his adamantium skeleton refused to break, but the tendons and ligaments stretched beyond their natural limits. Just as Logan felt something about to tear, a silver blur streaked through the air, striking the Hulk squarely between his massive shoulder blades.
The impact was tremendous, causing the Hulk to drop Logan unceremoniously to the floor, landing in a crumpled heap as his healing factor immediately worked to repair the damage. He rolled onto his side, wincing as his body knitted itself back together.
A silver hammer sat on the deck plating nearby.
Mjolnir.
"About damn time," Logan muttered, pushing himself to his knees.
A red cape flashed in his peripheral vision as Thor launched himself at the Hulk. The Asgardian's muscular form collided with the green behemoth, both figures tumbling across the floor in a tangle of limbs.
The few remaining SHIELD personnel who had been trapped in the compartment seized the opportunity, scrambling toward the exits. Logan didn't blame them. He'd seen what the Hulk could do, and adding Thor to the mix only guaranteed more destruction.
Thor extricated himself, rising to his feet. The Hulk pushed himself upright, nostrils flaring as he took in this new challenger.
"Banner. This need not continue." Thor extended his hand. Mjolnir flew from where it had fallen, slapping into his palm with a satisfying thud. The hammer began to spin in his grip, gathering momentum as electricity crackled around its head.
The Hulk's eyes narrowed at this display, perhaps recognizing the weapon that had struck him from behind. With a roar that shook dust from the overhead pipes, he lunged forward, swinging a massive fist at Thor's head.
Thor sidestepped, letting the Hulk's fist whistle through empty air. The green giant's momentum carried him forward, off-balance for a crucial second.
Thor seized the opportunity, swinging his hammer in a powerful backhand that connected solidly with the Hulk's jaw. The impact reverberated through the compartment, nearly knocking the Hulk off his feet. The green giant staggered sideways, momentarily stunned.
Logan watched from his position against the bulkhead. Even his adamantium claws, while capable of cutting the green skin, couldn't deliver the raw force that Thor had just demonstrated.
"Not bad, Goldilocks," he muttered, impressed despite himself.
The Hulk recovered quickly. He charged again, swinging wildly. Thor ducked and weaved, avoiding the blows with the skill of someone who had spent centuries in combat. The Hulk's frustration mounted with each missed swing. His movements became more frenzied and less controlled. He roared in anger, spittle flying from his lips as he brought both fists down in a hammer blow aimed at Thor's head. The Asgardian crossed his arms above him, catching the Hulk's wrists before the blow could land. The impact drove Thor's boots several inches into the metal deck, but he held firm, muscles straining against the Hulk's immense strength.
For a moment, they were locked in a stalemate, neither able to overpower the other. Thor looked up into the Hulk's rage-filled eyes, seeking any sign of the scientist within.
"We are not your enemies, Banner!" he shouted. "Try to think!"
The Hulk's response was a guttural roar directly into Thor's face. He increased the pressure, forcing Thor deeper into the buckling deck plating. The God of Thunder gritted his teeth, veins standing out on his neck and arms as he matched the Hulk's strength with his own.
With a sudden twist, the Hulk broke the stalemate. He brought his arm around with surprising speed. Before the Asgardian could react, the Hulk's enormous fist connected with Thor's face. The impact sent Thor flying across the compartment, crashing through equipment and bulkheads as if they were made of paper.
Logan winced at the sight. "That's gonna leave a mark."
As Thor raised his head, he felt something warm and wet on his lips. He touched his face. Fingers came away red with blood. He stared at it in surprise. Few beings in the Nine Realms could make a god bleed. The sight of it, dark against his fingertips, sent a shock through him. Not fear. Thor, son of Odin, knew no fear in battle. But... respect. This creature, this transformation of the gentle scientist, possessed power that rivaled his own. He swiped the blood away as the Hulk's roar revealed he wasn't far away, and closing fast.
Thor extended his hand out toward where Mjölnir had fallen during the impact, focusing intently. His hand strained toward mid-air as if reaching for something invisible.
Logan saw his opportunity. With the Hulk's attention fixed on Thor, he sprinted forward, adamantium claws extended. "Hey, Jolly Green!" He slashed at the back of the Hulk's knee as he passed. The Hulk stumbled, more annoyed than injured. He swatted backward without looking, his massive hand catching Logan square in the chest and sending him tumbling across the deck. Logan crashed into a maintenance cart, the metal frame crumpling around his adamantium-laced skeleton.
The momentary distraction hadn't slowed the Hulk's charge. The green giant ran right at Thor with murderous intent.
At the last second, Mjolnir flew across the hangar bay, slapping into Thor's outstretched palm. In one motion, Thor brought the hammer up in a devastating uppercut that connected with the Hulk's jaw. The impact lifted the green behemoth off his feet, sending him flying backward. The Hulk crashed into a parked fighter jet, which buckled under his massive weight.
Logan pushed himself out of the wreckage of the maintenance cart, spitting blood. "Nice hit."
The Hulk stood up slowly, shaking his head. For a moment, he seemed almost dazed by the power behind Thor's blow. Then his face contorted with renewed fury. He shook it off and angrily reached for the fighter jet he'd crashed into. He ripped off the tail of the jet as if it were made of cardboard rather than reinforced titanium alloy.
"Incoming!" Logan shouted, diving for cover behind a support column.
The Hulk hurled the chunk of airplane at Thor with incredible force. The improvised projectile cut through the air, spinning like a giant, deadly frisbee. Thor reacted with reflexes honed through centuries of combat. He slid on his knees under the tail like a rockstar as it whistled over his head, embedding itself in the bulkhead behind him with a screech of tortured metal.
Logan emerged from behind his cover, assessing the situation. The Hulk was focused entirely on Thor, seemingly having forgotten Logan's existence. That suited the mutant just fine; it gave him another opportunity to strike. Thor jumped up from his kneeling position and threw Mjölnir. The enchanted hammer streaked across the hangar bay like a silver comet to strike the Hulk squarely in the chest, knocking the green giant head over heels. He fell heavily with Mjölnir landing next to him. As he regained his feet, the Hulk reached for the hammer. Confusion replaced rage on the Hulk's face as he tried to lift it and found it immovable.
Logan saw his chance. While the Hulk was momentarily distracted, he sprinted forward, leaping onto the green giant's back. He drove his adamantium claws deep into the Hulk's shoulders, hoping to incapacitate him long enough for Thor to land a decisive blow.
The Hulk roared in pain and fury, his free hand reaching back to dislodge Logan. His fingers closed around Logan's leg, yanking him free and hurling him across the hangar bay. Logan crashed into a stack of fuel drums, the impact sending them rolling across the deck like scattered bowling pins.
Meanwhile, Thor hadn't been idle. He jumped up again, powerful legs propelling him high into the air. He descended like a thunderbolt, kneeing Hulk in the face with devastating force. The impact snapped the Hulk's head back, momentarily stunning the green behemoth.
Thor called his hammer. The enchantment recognized its rightful wielder, and it flew from Hulk's hand. Before the green monster could recover, Thor jumped on him, using Mjölnir as a lock for a chokehold.
— Rogue Redemption —
Natasha moved through the helicarrier's corridors to the detention level. As she rounded the final corner, she caught sight of the security door sliding open. Inside the circular chamber, Clint Barton stood at the control console, movements mechanical and precise. Behind the transparent walls of the cylindrical cell, Loki watched with undisguised satisfaction as his prison began to disengage.
Natasha didn't hesitate. She fired a web directly at Barton's hand. The sticky substance splattered across his fingers and the console, gluing him in place.
Recognition flickered across Barton's face, but there was no warmth, only cold calculation.
"Nat."
His voice was hollow.
Loki's smile widened as he stepped toward the now-opening door. "Agent Romanoff. How predictable."
Heavy footsteps sounded behind Natasha as Captain America entered, shield ready. "Stand down, Loki. This doesn't have to escalate further."
Loki paused at the threshold, regarding the super-soldier with amusement. "The man out of time. Have you come to lecture me on the virtues of surrender?"
"I've come to offer you a choice." Steve took a careful step forward, shield lowered in a deliberate gesture of restraint. "Whatever you're planning, it's not too late to stop. There's still a path back from this."
Loki laughed. "You speak of choices while knowing nothing of necessity. The path I walk was ordained long before your birth."
"I've seen men like you before. Men who believe destiny justifies any action, no matter how terrible. They were wrong then, and you're wrong now."
"You compare me to humans? I am a god, Captain. Your moral platitudes mean nothing to me."
"Gods don't need to hide behind mind-controlled puppets. Gods don't fear fair fights." Steve gestured toward Barton. "This isn't the strategy of someone confident in their cause. It's the desperation of someone who knows they're wrong."
For a moment, something flickered across Loki's face. Doubt, perhaps, or genuine anger at having his motives questioned so directly.
"Enough words. They change nothing."
Natasha launched herself across the room, firing webs in rapid succession. One at his feet, another at his chest, a third at his hands. All designed to immobilize him instantly.
Each strand passed through Loki's form, disrupting his image momentarily before it stabilized. The illusion smiled mockingly.
"Did you really think it would be that simple?"
Natasha landed in a crouch beside the console where Barton struggled against his webbed hand. With a growl, he pulled an arrow from his quiver with his free hand and swung it toward her throat in a vicious arc.
She caught his wrist mid-strike, twisting with enough force to make him grimace but not break bone. This was Clint, her partner, her friend. She needed to incapacitate him, not injure him permanently.
"Clint, you don't want to do this."
"You have no idea what I want." His voice was eerily flat.
Using her grip as leverage, Natasha pulled herself up and delivered a sharp, precise strike to his face. His head snapped back.
A tingling sensation crawled up her spine. It was the Spider-sense warning of imminent danger. She dropped and rolled without conscious thought, acting purely on reflex. The glowing tip of the scepter sliced through the air where her head had been a split second earlier, blue energy humming with malevolent power.
Captain America's shield flew across the room, intercepting the scepter's secondary strike. The impact forced Loki back.
"I gave you a chance to do this peacefully." Steve caught his rebounding shield, advancing with measured steps. "Now we do it the hard way."
Natasha completed her roll and sprang to her feet, finding herself face-to-face with the real Loki. His pale features twisted in momentary frustration before smoothing into that familiar, arrogant smile.
"That usually works. Most mortals lack your... reflexes." His eyes narrowed. "You're different than before."
Natasha shifted her weight, preparing to launch another attack. "What can I say? I've been hanging around with some interesting people lately."
Loki thrust the scepter, forcing her to dodge. She twisted away, feeling its tip pass inches from her face.
"You're no ordinary human anymore, are you?"
Natasha didn't waste breath responding. She fired another web, aiming for his eyes. Loki batted it away with the scepter, but the momentary distraction gave her the opening she needed. She launched forward, using the wall as a springboard, and delivered a powerful kick to his chest. The impact sent him stumbling backward.
Steve seized the opportunity, hurling his shield. It struck Loki's right arm, disrupting his grip just as Natasha fired two more webs in rapid succession: one at his right hand, the other at his left foot. This time, they connected with solid flesh.
Loki snarled as he found himself partially immobilized. He sliced at the webbing with the scepter, yanking his hand free with godly strength, but the substance around his foot held firm.
"Enough of these games."
Behind them, Barton groaned as consciousness returned. Natasha kept her attention on Loki, knowing any lapse could prove fatal. She circled him cautiously. "You can't win this. Even if you escape this room, the helicarrier is full of people who will stop you."
"She's right," Steve said, catching his shield. "Your army isn't here. It's just you against all of us."
"Your confidence is misplaced, Agent Romanoff. My allies are already securing my path. The green beast has been... repurposed. Mirage couldn't stop me. What makes you think you can?"
If Hulk was under someone else's control, the situation was even more dire. She needed to end this quickly. She fired another web at the scepter itself, aiming to yank it from his grasp. The sticky substance connected with the weapon's shaft, and Natasha pulled with all her enhanced strength. But instead of fighting her pull, Loki used her momentum against her. He suddenly pushed forward, sending the scepter's blunt end crashing into her sternum.
The impact knocked the wind from her lungs and sent her sprawling backward. She hit the floor hard, rolling to absorb it, but Loki was already advancing, scepter raised for a killing blow.
"I would have preferred to use you, as I did Barton. Such talent, wasted in death."
Captain America's shield intercepted the downward strike, vibranium absorbing the energy. Steve followed immediately, driving his shoulder into Loki's midsection with the full force of his super-soldier strength. The impact drove Loki back several steps, giving Natasha precious seconds to recover.
"You'll have to go through me first."
Natasha sprang to her feet and closed the distance, launching into a series of rapid strikes. Her enhanced strength lent each blow additional impact, forcing Loki to defend rather than attack. Steve joined her assault, his fighting style complementing hers perfectly. Where she was fluid and precise, he was powerful and direct. Together, they pushed Loki back, their coordinated attacks leaving him little room to counter.
Loki parried with increasing difficulty. He swept the scepter in a wide arc, forcing both to leap backward.
"Enough!"
The air around him shimmered. Suddenly, Natasha faced not one Loki but five identical copies arranged in a semicircle. Each held a perfect replica of the scepter, each wore the same cold smile, and each began to advance.
"Old trick," Steve called out, moving back-to-back with Natasha. "Stay sharp. Only one of them is real."
Natasha's spider-sense registered incoming danger but couldn't distinguish between illusions. She fired webs at two of the Lokis simultaneously, watching as the strands passed harmlessly through one while the other batted them away.
"Found you."
She launched herself at the Loki that had deflected her attack.
But as she reached him, her hands passed through his form as well. The illusion dissipated like smoke, reforming behind her with that same mocking smile.
"Not quite."
All five Lokis spoke in perfect unison, their voices overlapping in an eerie chorus.
Steve hurled his shield at one, only for it to pass through the illusion. "Nat, on your six!"
She spun, trying to track the real threat among identical copies. Her spider-sense flared, and she ducked just as the real Loki swung the scepter at her head. The weapon whistled through the air where she'd been standing. She used the momentum of her dodge to sweep her leg at Loki's ankles, but he leapt over the attack.
Steve charged forward, shield raised. The Asgardian twisted in mid-air, avoiding the shield bash but landing off-balance.
"Your new abilities are impressive, but ultimately futile."
The illusions converged from all sides, each moving in perfect synchronization. They couldn't track them all, couldn't distinguish reality from deception.
Natasha fired a web at the ceiling. Using it as an anchor, she pulled herself upward, momentarily escaping the circle of Lokis. But as she reached the apex of her swing, preparing to drop behind the Asgardian, she found the detention level empty.
Loki was gone. All his illusions had vanished with him.
Steve lowered his shield, scanning the room. "He's retreating. That's not like him."
The only sound was Barton's labored breathing as he finally tore free from the webbing. He staggered slightly, blinking rapidly as the unnatural blue glow faded from his eyes, replaced by their natural color.
"Natasha?" His voice was hoarse, confused. "What happened?"
His hand went to his head, wincing at the pain from her earlier strike.
Natasha approached cautiously, ready to defend if any trace of Loki's control remained. But Clint's eyes were clear now. Bewildered but present. Relief flooded through her, a physical sensation that loosened the knot of tension she'd been carrying since the moment she'd seen that unnatural blue glow. Her partner was back. Her friend was back. She allowed herself a breath, just one, before the mission reasserted itself. But for that brief moment, she let herself feel the weight of what it meant to have him standing here, himself again.
"Cognitive recalibration," she answered as she helped steady him, allowing herself a small smile. "Just needed to hit you hard enough."
— Rogue Redemption —
Samuel Sterns hunched over as he disembarked from the quinjet, ensuring his enlarged cranium didn't clip the door frame. The helicarrier's alarms blared around him, red emergency lights casting harsh shadows. Angela strode ahead toward one of the interior entrances, spear ready.
"Do try to be less destructive," Sterns called after her. "This vessel is already compromised. We need only find Banner and Loki."
Angela didn't look back. "I seek worthy combat. If your green beast is as formidable as you claim, I shall find him regardless of your prattling."
Sterns grimaced but followed. His calculations were clear: staying with Angela offered the highest survival probability. Barton was occupied freeing Loki, and Sterns had no desire to face SHIELD agents alone. The woman was brutish and single-minded, but her strength would clear a path.
"The Hulk will be wherever the destruction is greatest," Sterns said, quickening his pace. "Your attack on the engine likely triggered his transformation. We should head to the lower levels. Try to remember we're here to capture him, not endure a prolonged slugfest."
"Then speak less and move faster, large-headed one."
Angela kicked open a sealed door in a single powerful thrust. It crashed against the inner wall, revealing a maintenance stairwell. She leapt down, clearing entire flights while Sterns descended more carefully.
A tremendous crash shook the stairwell, followed by a roar that reverberated through the metal structure. Angela smiled. "Your beast announces himself."
"Indeed. Though I suspect he's already engaged."
They reached a lower level where the damage was severe: warped metal, sparking wires, a hazardous landscape. Sterns picked his way through debris while Angela strode forward, unconcerned by the sharp edges or unstable footing.
Another roar, closer now, followed by the sound of tearing metal.
"Your beast sounds magnificent. Perhaps this will be a worthy challenge."
"He's not my beast," Sterns said, irritated. "Banner and the Hulk are separate entities sharing the same physical form. The relationship is far more complex than—"
"Save your science. I care only for the battle."
They navigated through a collapsed corridor section, emerging into what had been a storage area. Now the space was unrecognizable: crushed containers, dented walls, scattered equipment. The destruction created a clear trail.
They followed the sounds of combat. The corridor opened into a larger area, a hangar bay now in ruins. Equipment lay destroyed, and a massive hole gaped in one wall, the night sky visible beyond.
Thor had his hands wrapped around Mjolnir, the hammer pressed against the Hulk's throat in a chokehold. The Hulk thrashed wildly, massive hands clawing at Thor's arms, but the Asgardian held firm, muscles straining.
"The son of Odin faces the green beast." Angela's voice was low, calculating. "This day grows more interesting."
Sterns noted the Hulk's physiology was responding to the threat. "Banner's transformation is complete. The Hulk is in full control now. His strength increases with his rage, and Thor appears to have provided ample provocation."
Angela stepped forward. "Then let us add to his fury."
Sterns remained in the shadows, calculating. The Hulk's current state was ideal, fully transformed and engaged with a powerful opponent.
"Now is our moment." Sterns reached into his pocket for a device strapped to a belt-like harness, placing it on his enlarged head.
"Odinson!" Angela's voice cut through the sounds of struggle.
The momentary distraction was all the Hulk needed. With a roar, he broke free, grabbed Thor's arm, and slammed him into the floor with enough force to crack the reinforced metal.
Thor recovered quickly, leaping to his feet.
Sterns activated the device. Lights pulsed in rhythm with his brainwaves, emitting a low hum that seemed to ripple through the air.
The Hulk froze mid-motion.
His massive green body went rigid. Face slack. Eyes unfocused. He swayed slightly on his feet like a statue caught in a gentle breeze, and the shift from rage to stillness was so abrupt it seemed unnatural. Wrong. Drool trickled from the corner of his mouth. His chest rose and fell, each breath identical to the last. The rage that usually burned in those eyes had been replaced by something far more unsettling: vacancy with awareness underneath, like looking through a window into an empty room where someone was trapped behind the walls.
"What sorcery is this?"
Sterns stepped into sight, satisfaction clear on his face. "Not sorcery, Asgardian. Science. A neural interface that allows me to bypass the primitive rage centers of the Hulk's brain and establish direct control."
Angela circled in a defensive stance, spear still pointed toward Thor. "The beast is yours to command?"
"Indeed. Though maintaining control requires concentration. The Hulk's mind is chaotic, resistant."
A groan came from nearby twisted metal. Logan pulled himself from the rubble, blood matting his hair and running down his face.
"Who the hell are you people?" His claws extended with a metallic snikt.
Angela didn't acknowledge him, her attention fixed on Thor. "I have waited centuries for this moment, son of Odin."
Thor's brow furrowed, then his eyes widened. "Your armor, your weapons... you're truly from Heven?"
"The realm your father sealed away. The realm he stole from the cosmos itself."
Thor's grip on Mjolnir tightened. "I know the stories. But they spoke of Heven as myth."
"Not myth. Merely hidden. Forgotten by design."
"You're here to free Loki," Thor said. "You're the angel who accompanies him."
"I care nothing for your brother's schemes. Or for The Other." Angela's voice was sharp. "I am here to take from Odin what he took from us. To inflict loss upon Asgard."
Logan took a step forward. "Look, lady, I don't know what kind of drama you're working through, but—"
The Hulk moved with startling speed. His massive hand shot out, grabbing Logan around the torso and lifting him off the ground. Logan struggled, slashing at the green fingers with his claws, but the grip only tightened, driving the air from his lungs.
The Hulk's face remained eerily calm. No rage present in his features. No roaring, no shouting. Just silent, methodical strength. His eyes stared straight ahead, seeing everything and nothing, while his hand squeezed. The contrast between the Hulk's usual fury and this cold, puppet-like efficiency was jarring.
"Fascinating specimen," Sterns said, studying Logan. "I wonder how your healing factor would respond to cellular disruption at the molecular level."
Logan continued struggling, his claws leaving shallow cuts that healed almost instantly. "Banner! I know you're in there somewhere!"
"Dr. Banner is currently indisposed." Sterns said.
Then, in perfect synchronization, the Hulk's mouth opened. The same words emerged, creating an unsettling echo. "Dr. Banner is currently indisposed."
The sound of it, that dual voice speaking in perfect unison, was worse than any roar. At least rage was human. This was something else entirely.
"I won't allow you to interrupt," Sterns said sharply.
"The Leader commands it."
The Hulk's mouth moved with his words, echoing them again. "The Leader commands it."
"Release him, creature," Thor demanded.
But Angela had positioned herself between him and The Leader. "I don't think so, Odinson. Your fight is with me now."
Thor raised Mjolnir, electricity crackling along its surface. "I know not what grievance you hold against my father, warrior of Heven, but this is neither the time nor place to settle it."
"All times and all places are suitable for vengeance. Your father stole everything from my realm. Today, I begin to collect that debt."
Without warning, Angela launched herself at Thor with breathtaking speed. Her spear thrust forward in a golden blur, aiming for the gap near his shoulder. Thor barely deflected the strike with Mjolnir, the impact sending sparks flying. Angela spun into a second attack, feinted high, then dropped low, sweeping her spear at Thor's legs. He leapt over the strike, countering with a downward blow that Angela narrowly avoided.
"You fight well," Thor said, parrying another thrust. "But your quarrel should be with Odin, not his son."
"The sins of the father are visited upon his children."
Angela executed a complex series of strikes that forced Thor back several steps.
While they fought, The Leader maintained control over the Hulk and his grip on Logan.
"I believe we need more space for a proper experiment."
The Hulk turned toward a large window at the far end. With methodical steps entirely at odds with the creature's usual movements, he carried the struggling Logan toward the reinforced glass.
"Put me down, you green-skinned puppet!" Logan slashed at the Hulk's wrist with his adamantium claws. Blood welled from the cuts, but the wounds sealed almost instantly.
The Leader smiled, clinical and detached. "Your healing factor is remarkable. I wonder about its limits."
The Hulk reached the window overlooking the interior of the helicarrier. Beyond the glass, below, stretched nothing but open sky. Far beneath, barely visible through cloud breaks, was Manhattan.
Wind howled against the glass, a constant reminder of the fatal drop awaiting anything unfortunate enough to fall.
"Let us see how robust that healing factor actually is."
The Hulk's mouth synchronized perfectly: "Let us see how robust that healing factor actually is."
For the first time in longer than he could remember, genuine fear flooded through Logan. He'd survived countless battles, healed from wounds that should have killed him a hundred times over, but this... this was different. He renewed his struggles with desperate intensity, claws tearing at the Hulk's flesh. "Hulk! I know you're in there! Fight it!"
Something flickered in the Hulk's vacant eyes for the briefest moment. Perhaps the faintest hint of Banner's consciousness struggling against The Leader's control. The grip loosened infinitesimally.
Then, the Leader's device pulsed brighter. The moment vanished. The Hulk's eyes glazed over again, returning to their vacant stare.
"A valiant effort, but futile. The neural interface is complete. Banner is buried too deep to hear you."
Behind them, Thor and Angela continued their battle, spear against hammer, creating a thunderous backdrop. Angela had drawn first blood with a shallow cut across Thor's cheek. Thor had responded with a lightning-charged blow that scorched the edge of Angela's armor.
Neither combatant paid attention as the Hulk reared back his arm, Logan still clutched in his fist.
"Your healing factor versus terminal velocity and impact trauma. A fascinating experiment."
With a single punch, the Hulk smashed through the reinforced glass. The window exploded outward in a shower of crystalline shards that glittered in the moonlight before being swept away by a howling wind that immediately rushed into the breach. The Hulk stood at the edge, wind whipping around his massive form. The Leader stepped back, bracing against the sudden decompression while maintaining focus on the neural interface.
"For science."
The Hulk's mouth moved in perfect unison. "For science."
Drawing back his arm, the Hulk hurled Logan through the broken window with such force that Logan's body quickly became little more than a blur as it shot into the open sky. His shout of defiance was quickly swallowed by wind and distance as he plummeted toward the earth far below. The controlled Hulk turned away from the shattered window. Across the hangar, Thor and Angela continued their combat.
Angela's golden spear was a blur as she pressed her attack. Thor matched her intensity. "Your father's debt will be paid in blood."
She executed a complex series of thrusts that forced Thor to give ground as he deflected her spear. "Whatever Odin's sins against your realm, this vendetta serves only Loki's purpose!"
"I care nothing for Loki's schemes. My vengeance stands apart from his petty games."
Their weapons clashed. Angela's spear found a gap in Thor's armor, drawing a thin line of blood across his ribs. Thor countered with a lightning-charged blow that Angela barely avoided, the electricity scorching the floor where she'd stood.
The Leader watched with clinical detachment. Angela's single-minded pursuit of vengeance was becoming a liability. The mission parameters were clear.
Free Loki, secure the Hulk, extract.
Her personal vendetta threatened everything.
"Angela, it's time to go. Barton will have secured Loki by now."
Angela didn't glance his direction, focus entirely on Thor. She executed a spinning attack, driving Thor further back.
"I will not leave until the son of Odin bleeds at my feet."
The Leader's expression hardened. SHIELD and their Avengers would be regrouping, organizing a counterattack. Every moment they remained increased the risk.
"The mission takes precedence. We must rendezvous with Barton."
Angela landed a glancing blow on Thor's shoulder, drawing another line of blood. "Go if you must. I will join you when I have finished here." Thor seized the momentary distraction to launch a counter-attack, forcing Angela to leap back.
The Leader's patience evaporated. Angela's refusal to follow the plan represented an unacceptable variable. If she wouldn't follow orders, she was no longer an asset but a liability. Her skills were impressive, but her usefulness had reached its end. If she survived her confrontation with Thor, she could find her own way back to Loki.
"We're leaving."
The Hulk reached The Leader's side, awaiting commands.
"Secure me."
Without hesitation, the Hulk reached down and gently lifted The Leader, cradling him against his massive chest with uncharacteristic care. The Leader maintained concentration on the neural interface, ensuring control remained absolute. With one last glance at the battle, he made his decision. He didn't need her protection anymore. The Hulk provided all the security he required.
"Proceed."
They moved through the damaged corridor, leaving behind the sounds of combat.
"Her obsession with vengeance is now her problem. The probability of mission success increases by 23.7% without her involvement."
The Hulk's face remained expressionless as they navigated the helicarrier. Alarms continued blaring, emergency lights casting red shadows. Occasionally, they encountered SHIELD personnel, but the Hulk swiftly dispatched them.
The Leader smiled. Angela had served her purpose, providing the distraction needed to secure the Hulk. "Let her face her fate," he said softly as the Hulk carried him deeper into the helicarrier. "We have more important matters to attend to."