Valor ↠ Prequel [0] ✓

10 | Overpowered Rubix Cube

   When Selvig explained that the Tesseract was misbehaving, Fury demanded, "Is that supposed to be funny?" Selvig denied this, exaggerating the seriousness of their predicament. "I assume you pulled the plug."

   "She's an energy source," Selvig clarified. "We turn off the power, she turns it back on. If she reaches peak level—"

   "We prepared for this, Doctor," Fury interrupted, "to harness energy from space."

   Selvig nodded. "But we don't have the harness." He walked back toward a nearby monitor as he continued to work. "My calculations are far from complete. She's throwing off interference, radiation. Nothing harmful. Just low levels of gamma radiation."

   Fury and Riley exchanged knowing glances as the superior mentioned, "...That can be harmful."

   Strangely enough, Riley felt drawn to the Tesseract. She felt like it was calling to her in a weird way. She wasn't sure how or why, but the closer she grew to it, the more the Tesseract seemed to act up.

   Moments later, Fury retrieved Barton from his station while another scientist announced the Tesseract's energy was spiking yet again. Riley frowned and took a step back. Call her crazy, but Riley felt like the Tesseract was reacting to her natural radiation.

   Riley managed to catch the end of was Clint Barton was saying as they approached her. "...If there was any tampering with the Tesseract, it wasn't at this end," he finished.

   "At this end?"

   Clint nodded. "Yeah. The Cube is a doorway to the other end of space, right? Doors open from both sides."

   Almost as if on cue, the Tesseract proceeded to emit strange noises again. This time, they were more aggressive than before. The facility rumbled violently as the Tesseract shot out a beam of energy. It continued to do so until what looked like a portal was forged.

   Riley's eyes widened. "...You mean like that?"

   The Tesseract sent out a wave of energy around the room. Riley tensed as the radiation surged throughout her core. Smoke filled the room, slowly subsiding toward the walls. In the center of the smoke was the silhouette of a man holding a spear.

   "O'Dair," started Fury. Riley didn't say a word. She merely turned herself invisible and approached the man carefully. Other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents followed suit, guns at the ready. "Sir, please put down the spear!"

   Riley studied the man as she drew nearer. His jet black hair was gelled back and he wore clothes that made him look like he wasn't from this world. His skin was pale, allowing his discolored eye bags to saturate his face. Icy eyes stared out at the humans until they flickered down at the spear in his hands, almost like he had forgotten it was there.

   Without a word, the man brandished his spear and aimlessly fired a blast of energy at them. Riley's looked around in surprise. She had seen spears before, but she didn't think this one could do that. Riley ducked down as the terrorist lunged forward and stabbed his spear into someone's chest.

   Gunshots rang, but they were futile against the attacker. This man was on a mission and he was ready to kill whoever stood in his way. Bodies flew, blood was spilled, and nearly everything in the general area was trashed all before Riley O'Dair could rise to her feet again. Riley looked around, surprised to see all that the terrorist had done. She had only been down for a few seconds, hadn't she?

   "You have heart."

   Riley spun to see the man speaking to Clint Barton, who had been restrained in the midst of the fighting. She watched as the strange man pressed his spear against Clint's chest. A blue light crawled up Clint's body until his eyes briefly changed color. Riley felt her heart drop into her stomach as Clint stepped back and put his weapon away.