"Any clues?" Inside the temporary base, Coulson asked the personnel in front of him.
"Based on the data collected by Dr. Erik and his team, combined with our observations, we can confirm that two instances of that strange phenomenon occurred on that day."
"One of them was the appearance of this hammer." Coulson looked toward the divine hammer in the massive crater and spoke thoughtfully.
"And the other one probably brought something else with it—or someone?"
"How's the research on the hammer going?" Sitwell, standing nearby, asked as his eyes flickered.
"The material of this hammer is absolutely not any known material found on Earth," the researcher replied, unable to hide his amazement and excitement.
"With our current technology, we can't analyze the properties of the mysterious metal that makes up this hammer at all.
"To begin with, its most basic attribute—its weight—cannot even be measured.
"We used every method we could think of to try to move this hammer, but we couldn't make it budge in the slightest.
"Logically speaking, based on the power output of the machines we used, this hammer should weigh at least several hundred tons.
"Leaving aside how something with such a small volume could possess that kind of weight, that density alone is completely unscientific.
"The key point is that if we calculate based on that weight, the ordinary ground beneath it should never be able to withstand the pressure.
"But the hammer's weight seems to have had no effect whatsoever on the ground below.
"It's simply unbelievable. Rather than saying it's extremely heavy, it would be more accurate to say it's…"
"Fixed in that position?" Coulson interjected.
"Yes. It's as if a coordinate has been anchored in space itself—something that can't be moved by brute force alone," the researcher nodded.
After a brief pause, he added, "At least for now, we have no means of moving this hammer."
"All right. Looks like we may need to find the other person or object that arrived along with it if we want to make any progress." Coulson sighed. It seemed they might have to stay here for quite a while.
"Sitwell, you stay here and keep an eye on things. I'll go take a walk around the nearby town."
At this time, Thor had already learned about his hammer from people in the town.
He planned to find some form of transportation, head to the site, retrieve his hammer, and regain his divine power.
So he walked into a pet shop.
"Shopkeeper! Give me a horse!" Thor shouted.
"A horse?" The pet shop owner looked puzzled.
"Yes, a warhorse—one I can ride," Thor nodded.
"I've got cats, dogs, birds, even lizards—but no horses.
"Why don't you try somewhere else?" The shop owner thought this muscular man who had suddenly burst into a pet shop asking to buy a horse was probably mentally unstable.
Or maybe he had delusions of some sort.
But seeing Thor's massive build and bulging muscles, he didn't dare provoke him.
After all, someone who casually talked about warhorses probably fantasized about being some kind of ancient warrior. If mishandled, he might just start swinging his fists.
"I'm sorry—my friend here was hit by a car earlier, and his mind isn't very clear right now."
Jane Foster, who had followed Thor out of the hospital out of concern and had been observing him, felt something was off when she saw Thor's idea of finding transportation involved entering a pet shop.
When she came inside and realized Thor was trying to buy a horse as a means of transport, she immediately stepped in.
"There are no horses for sale here. Pet shops only sell small animals," Jane said quietly as she apologized to the shop owner and pulled Thor aside.
Hearing this, Thor shook his head in disappointment. "If that's the case, then I'll have to walk there on foot.
"But don't your Midgardian towns have horses for transportation?"
Jane shook her head helplessly. "We stopped using horses as transportation a long time ago.
"Forget it—where are you going? I'll take you there."
Jane felt that although Thor was a bit eccentric, his logical thinking was clear and his actions were orderly, even if he was quite different from most people.
However, the way he kept talking about the Norse God of Thunder, Asgard, and Midgard—acting as if he truly were a mythological figure—left her completely confused.
Was Thor normal, or not?
But no matter what, he had been hit by their car. If she could help him out, she felt she should.
"You'll take me?" Thor looked at Jane. "Do you know where I can buy a warhorse? Just tell me the location—I don't need you to take me."
Jane sighed helplessly. "Not by horse. There aren't any horses here for you to ride. I'll drive you there."
"Drive?" Thor asked, confused.
On the way to the site where the hammer had landed…
"Don't worry. Once I get my hammer back, I'll help you reclaim whatever those people took from you," Thor promised Jane.
This came after Jane complained to him, unable to hold it in, about how Coulson had confiscated all her equipment and research notes without any justification once she learned that Thor's destination was a temporary S.H.I.E.L.D. base.
Years of her hard work had vanished just like that.
Thor believed himself to be a god with a clear sense of gratitude and grievance. This Midgardian woman had helped him when he needed it, so of course he would repay her.
Besides, those people had outright taken what belonged to Jane. Helping her get it back was simply an act of justice.
"Coulson? What brings you here?"
At a farm, Ryan Winsted looked at the visiting guest with surprise in his voice.
Coulson wore his usual warm smile. "I happened to be on a mission nearby, so I thought I'd stop by to visit my old instructor."
Ryan shook his head. "That's all in the past. Now I'm just a farmer in a backwater town."
Coulson smiled. "I'm here simply as an old friend."
Ryan nodded. "So the rumors going around town about black-clad agents from a secret government department—that's S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, then.
"You came all the way to a remote town in New Mexico because of that hammer that suddenly appeared outside town?"
"You know about it too?" Coulson's eyes sharpened. "Did you notice anything else unusual?"
Ryan shook his head. "This town's small. Any little disturbance spreads everywhere in no time.
"I only heard people saying that a giant crater suddenly appeared outside town, with a strange hammer inside that no one could lift.
"I didn't pay much attention beyond that. I'm retired now—I don't want to get involved in any trouble.
"So whatever it is, don't come looking for me."
Coulson sighed softly and nodded.
"Dad, is this your friend?"
Lia returned from town holding Kent's hand. Seeing Coulson talking with Ryan, she asked curiously.
Ryan glanced at Coulson and nodded. "An old colleague."
"Hello, Uncle," Lia greeted politely after looking at Coulson's forehead.
Coulson sighed inwardly, feeling a bit aggrieved.
Ryan looked at Lia holding Kent's hand and scolded her, "It's one thing for you to run around all day, but you're dragging Kent along with you too.
"You expect an old man like me to do all the farm work by myself?"
"Wasn't it always like this before?" Lia muttered softly.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing! I'll go work with Kent right now!" Lia quickly replied, pulling Kent along as they ran off.
"Son-in-law?" Coulson narrowed his eyes and chuckled.
Ryan's face fell. "That's still a long way off."
(End of Chapter)