The atmosphere in the secure sub-level was dangerously calm, the silence broken only by the rhythmic hum of the Arc Core and the soft, contained pulse of the newly integrated Gravimetric Punch. Alex and Anya were reviewing the final stabilization data when the vault door hissed open.
Natasha Romanoff didn't walk in; she arrived. Her demeanor had shifted from handler to urgent military intelligence asset. She carried no files, relying entirely on her internal classified briefing.
"The clock has stopped moving, Stark," Romanoff stated, her voice tight and low. "Loki's first move has been confirmed. He's not in the city, but he's actively using the Tesseract's energy signature to destabilize global communications and defense networks. This isn't just about New York; it's a global disruption strategy."
Alex immediately pulled up the global data feed on his main console, overlaying it with the RUNE Calculation provided by his grandfather. "His goal isn't immediate destruction; it's chaos. He's clearing the field before he launches his primary attack."
Tactical Intel: The Chitauri Scepter
Romanoff stepped closer, her focus absolute. "Chaos is a tool. His main weapon is not the Tesseract itself, but the Chitauri Scepter—a massive, powerful staff he is currently wielding. Fury's team has confirmed it utilizes the Tesseract's energy but, more critically, it possesses a form of mind-control capability."
She looked directly at Alex, emphasizing the danger. "Loki's plan isn't brute force against a superhuman. He will turn our own against us. He will weaponize fear, doubt, and our deepest loyalties. He is a master manipulator. Your brilliant brother, Tony, is particularly susceptible to a psychological attack."
Alex absorbed the chilling data. The Gravimetric Punch could neutralize a physical threat, but it was useless against a psychological one. The Model Zero was a scientific marvel, but Alex was still a human mind.
"We have no defense against magic or mind control," Alex concluded. "My Nano-Tech is a biological firewall against energy, not a psychological one."
"Correct," Romanoff affirmed. "That is why your orders remain unchanged, and non-negotiable."
The Unbreakable Order
Romanoff delivered the final, life-or-death mandate from Nick Fury, her voice hard as steel.
"You are the stabilizer," she dictated. "You protect the Infinity Key at all costs, as it is the only thing that can neutralize the Tesseract's energy if the situation degrades. You are to remain in this sub-level and monitor the Cosmic Shielding Protocol."
She walked over to the Gravimetric Punch on his right gauntlet, acknowledging its immense power with a cold gaze. "That device is your insurance policy against total global structural failure. It is not a weapon for personal engagement. You only use it if the Tesseract energy threatens to destabilize this entire continent—or if the Key is compromised."
She paused, her eyes piercing. "If you deploy the Model Zero suit into a direct physical confrontation with Loki, you violate your primary order. If you use the Gravimetric Punch in that fight, you risk total compromise of the RUNE Protocol and your own life, rendering the planet defenseless against the inevitable Chitauri invasion."
She was laying out the ultimate moral constraint. Alex was a strategic asset, not a frontline soldier. His greatest power was his ability to survive and stabilize, not to fight.
"The Avengers Initiative is active, Stark," Romanoff finished. "Tony Stark and the others will provide the spectacle. You must provide the security. The life of the planet depends on your ability to follow orders and remain the responsible Stark."
Alex stood silently, the immense power of the Gravimetric Punch feeling heavier than ever. He was trapped between the cold, logical command of his duty and the overwhelming instinct of his blood—the Stark need to confront a threat head-on. The psychological war had already begun, and the first battle was against his own conscience.
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