ACATALEPSY ➺ loki

6 , just getting started

"Did you get my flowers?" Pierce asked, trying to look unbothered, but I could tell he was scared. "I'm glad you're here, Nick. And you've even brought another target to us."

"Really?" Fury started, walking even closer to where Pierce stood. "Because I thought you tried to have me killed."

"You know how the game works."

"So why make me head of SHIELD?" As much as I would have loved to keep paying attention to their conversation, I slipped passed Pierce and moved to stand next to Natasha, who gave me a quick smirk before turning back to the holographic screen she was working on. After another minute or so of pointless back and forth, Fury walked up to the scanner which could only be accessed by an Alpha ranking member of SHIELD and Natasha moved to join him, holding a gun to Pierce's head when he came to stand next to Fury. 'Retinal scanner: active' a voice said as Pierce laughed.

"You don't think we've wiped all of your clearance from the system already?" He asked almost smugly.

"I know you erased my password—probably even deleted my retinal scan as well, right?" Fury cut in, "But if you wish to stay ahead of me, Mr. Secretary, you need to learn to keep both eyes open." With those words, he pulled up his eyepatch and turned to face the scanner, which immediately replied 'Alpha level confirmed. Encryption code accepted. Safeguards removed'.

A tense minute or so later, Natasha stepped back from the computer she had been working on, smiling. "Done. And its trending." Almost too late, I realised what Pierce was going to do, but thankfully my memory decided no to fail me just this once, and I pulled the gun Fury had given me on the man right before he could press a button of the little device he had pulled out of his pocket. Fury and Natasha watched, unsure of what was happening, but following my lead, which I was grateful for, as I had no bloody idea how to use it.

"Unless you want a two inch hole in your sternum, I would advise you to put the guns down. That pin of yours was armed the second you put it on." Pierce tried, but he knew he was too late.

"And unless you want a bullet right threw your skull, I would hand over that device." I had no idea where that sudden spur of confidence had come from, but it got Pierce's attention on me for just long enough that Fury was able to aim and shoot the man in his shoulder, getting him to drop the device right into my outstretched hand, and then right in the chest.

I quickly handed over the device to Natasha, terrified I would somehow activate it—trying not to think about the fact I had just watched a man die. "Everyone who's got on one of those pins, take them off now!" I yelled, thankfully the room complying fairly fast.

"Steve, whats your status?" She asked, walking back to the screen seemingly unfazed at everything that had just happened.

"I have the last chip in, exiting the helicarrier now—fire when ready." I had managed to stop Bucky from going back to HYRDA. If it hadn't been so unprofessional looking, I would have just fallen to the floor and laugh-sobbed right there, but I wasn't about to make a fool of myself in front of a lot of important people, so I settled for sighing in relief, running my hands through my still tied up hair. Fury led Natasha and I back out onto the landing pad, and I watched in awe as the helicarriers blew up midair, dozens of bombs having been launched at them. It must have been wild living in a world where such things were normal occurrences.

"Sam? You alright?" I asked through the intercom, wanting to make sure he had stuck to what I'd told him.

"I'm good—got out of there before the carrier crashed into the building. Thanks for saving my ass—again." He replied, making me smile.

Steve and Sam joined us a few minutes later, and we were back in the helicopter, flying back to the current place Fury was working out of. I had let Maria know that if she applied, she would get a good job at Stark industries, which she said she would happily take me up on. I'd also made sure to keep check on all the people arrested, trying to recall all the names I could of the people responsible who needed to be taken care of—but it was impossible to remember hundreds of names. I barely knew any, but Natasha assured me I didn't have to worry about that, and that the ones they knew they could trust were taking care of that part.