Nothing to Hold Onto

Prologue

Out in the desert of New Mexico, a lone woman made her across the barren and deserted landscape, a large crater lay directly in front of her. She stops at the edge and observed the destruction with a small frown.

Pulling down her dark blue hood, silver blonde waves flowed down her back. She knelt down and placed her hand on the earth in front of her and her grey eyes shined as images appeared before her.

Several large building appeared where the crater was yet there was a feeling of panic surrounding the remote research facility. The sounds of horns blaring reveal that an evacuation was in process. A swooping  helicopter flies in as men in suits run around in the typical 'we have to leave' fashion. Soldiers on foot jump onto Humvees, accelerating away from the facility as a remote voice from hidden loudspeakers continues to alert the people of the evacuation.

Standing a few yards from the landing pad, shield agent Phil Coulson in a suit and black shades, peers at the helicopter as it lands. A women with dark brown hair firmly tied back in a tight bun and a navy blue leather jumpsuit climbs out of the dying helicopter.

Following her was a dark skinned man, a black eyepatch secured around his left eye and a beard. His black trench clock sweeps behind him as he climbs out looking around the facility, Both Agent Maria Hill and Shield director Nick fury walk towards Coulson. 'How bad is it?' Fury asks Coulson who removes his shades to look at him.

'That's the problem, sir. We don't know.' He says and Fury looks at him for an explanation as they move into the facility and enter an elevator.

Agent Coulson leads Hill and Fury through the radiation section of the facility. Hundreds of technicians and other staff run around, taking only the essentials as Coulson explains the situation 'dr Selvig read an energy surge from the Tesseract four hours ago.'

'NASA didn't authorize Selvig to test phase.' Fury points out.

'He wasn't testing it, he wasn't even in the room. Spontaneous advancement.' Coulson explains and fury frowns in confusion.

'It just turned itself on?' Hill asked from behind them.

'What are the energy levels now?' Fury asked quickly.

'Climbing. When Selvig couldn't shut it down, we ordered the evac.' Coulson explained the reason behind the evacuation.

'How long to get everyone out?'

'Campus should be clear in the next half hour.' Coulson says and fury looks at him.

'Do better.' Phil nods and turns to handle the evacuation process as hill and fury head down a flight of stairs towards the radiation floor 

'Sir, evacuation may be futile.' Hill says as they move down the steps.

'We should tell them to go back to sleep?' Fury asks in disbelief.

'If we can't control the Tesseract's energy, there may not be a minimum safe distance.' Hill points out her reasoning behind her comment.

'I need you to make sure that PHASE 2 prototypes are shipped out.' Fury orders her and she frowns after him.

'Sir, is that really a priority right now?' She asks looking up at him from the floor.

'Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on. Clear out the tech below. Every piece of PHASE 2 on a truck and gone.' He says moving to stand in front radiation facility, vacuum chamber door.

'Yes, sir.' Hill nods walking pass him and says to standing agents beside the door 'With me'

Fury enters the lab facility where the Tesseract is being held by a compact muon solenoid coil chamber 'Talk to me, doctor.' He calls out to Doctor Erick Selvig an older gentleman with thinning grey that was currently staring at CMC machine, concerned.