The Nikki Wolf Chronicles || Avengers

CHAPTER (19) NINETEEN

"If he could get people under his control, then how come he didn't get one of you six? It's not like you are heavily protected by S.H.I.E.L.D.-- you take care of yourselves."

"Director, maybe he couldn't find us, or maybe he's persuading people to go and find us. I bet he's still trying to rule over America, starting with New York, then expanding."

Tony grins mischievously. "Or, Agent Hill, he doesn't want us at all. Maybe he just likes a challenge. What's the fun in taking over the world, if you can do it with the snap of your fingers?"

"I don't think that's the case. He's already missed his first chance. I doubt he'll be willing to lose again. Besides, he had Hawkeye, and he wouldn't of gotten very far without him," she challenges.

"Do you think they're trageting Nikki?"

"No, sir, I don't. But I do think that Loki knows she's potentially a threat. Clint and Natasha said that she doesn't seem to have any power at all. They didn't feel anything, even a little bit. But, Loki doesn't know that. He thinks Nikki has her father's power."

"And why does this create a problem?"

"Let's say he is trying to create an army of people he has in a trance. There's Nik-- ah, Nikki," he adds, raising his eyebrows at Nick Fury. "She supposedly has the power, but isn't Loki's pawn. Why wouldn't she be able to persuade the persuaded? Set a backwards domino effect. This is something he would want stopped," Tony explains.

Nick thinks this over. "Do you believe Nikki has the power?"

"I don't know, sir," Maria says. "Her father had the gene from his father. I don't think we should rule the theory out." Nick admits the logic is clear. Thor and Bruce stand in the back, having let Tony explain everything they talked about before.

"What do you hope to do about this?"

Tony pauses, not sure what to say.

"This is all part of a grand scheme, all something huge... It has to be. If Loki has a large community of innocent warriors, he knows we won't harm them. First, we see if Nikki does have the power. If she does, we can get right to work. If she doesn't, well, we have to find Loki either way. It'll just be much harder," he finally says.

"What do you plan on doing with him when, and if, you find him?"

"We lock him up, take his source of power away, question him. He may or may not be the root to this whole thing. The easier it is to find him, the more concerned we should be."

The Director turns to Thor, and says, "I thought we already locked him up." They all shrug, with an air of, Anything can happen.

Bringing up an old point, Thor says, "If my brother Loki is easy to find, than we are, as well. Which means he may not want any of the Avengers to be at his beck and call." He continues to try to defend Loki, but Bruce shakes his head.

"I'm not sure we're that lucky, Thor."

"And if he follows through with everything we need him to?" Nick asks.

"Then we figure out what to do next."

"I believe you will do it right." Tony smiles when Fury says this. It's not everyday Director Poker-Face indirectly compliments him.

--- --- ---

"Nikita, you're staying here with me. Agent Hill's on babysitting duty," the Director had said to me, and he'd flashed me a rare smile.

"I don't need a babysitter," I'd pouted, thinking of the old days when I was nine, stubborn for freedom, though many would argue I still am. Striving for independence, that is. Not being nine.