Locked in chains that held my hands behind my back, I was escorted from the jet first by my brother, the soldier, and the metal man before being passed over to eight fully armed guards. They kept me in front, the men directly behind me telling me which way to turn by pressing the muzzles of their weapons into my flanks as we went. I refused to let them see my reaction to my injuries as they pushed on my sides, the old bruises and fresh marks yet to appear from today's fight aptly reminding me of their presence with each jostling. As we passed the laboratory that sat in the very center of the aircraft, I felt the scepter's presence. The center stone began to glow as I came nearer, I smiled, watching as the man with as many secrets as I carried looked up and toward me. So, this was the shapeshifter; the one who would soon be mine.
Before we had fully passed, I thought of what I wanted Barton and his men under my control to do to get me out. I knew that once I was too far from the scepter, I would not have such a chance again, at least not to send orders. While they would remain under my control until I released them, communicating long distances would become far more difficult once I was no longer near the staff. Escorted down a final corridor, I was led into a large circular room that resembled the barren raised platform rooms and balconies within the Dark Aster. In the center of it though stood a glass cylinder, held precariously above the floor by two heavy hydraulic arms; it stood there, bluish-tinged lights running above the windows and in a circle around the floor, centered between four balconies, each with one short pathway that led into it. The eight guards split up then, two moving to stand upon each of the small paths, their weapons raised. The two who had remained behind me worked together to keep me subdued, though had I wanted to I could have easily overpowered them both and been on my way in a matter of minutes, the remaining six men dead where they stood.
While one guard kept his weapon aimed at my head, the other opened the glass door before me, undoing my restraints before he shoved me roughly into the cylinder. Glancing around at it, unimpressed, I watched as the door slid shut and locked. The one-eyed man who seemed inclined toward only black leather, entered the grated pathways then, headed toward a projected display to my left. The guards slowly filed out as the man Barton had once called Fury began swiping and tapping on the screen.
"In case it's unclear, you try to escape; you so much as scratch that glass..." He turned toward me pressing a button as a whirring sound emitted from beneath me, the glass prison shuddering as it did before the loud shrieking of wind filled my ears. I moved over to the side, gingerly leaning as close to the glass as I dared to glance down toward the floor beneath the cell. I knew what awaited beneath me now, though it was still intriguing to view. We were far higher than I had thought; the fall would indeed kill me, and if it failed to, the rubble of this glass cage certainly would. "Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap," the man shouted over the maelstrom before he pressed another button on the control panel, the sound fading quickly. "Ant," he gestured to me with his hands as if handing me a parcel before gesturing back to the panel beside him; "Boot. You get how that works?"
I couldn't help but chuckle, shaking my head as I once more looked around my new home. I lifted my hands, a smirk on my face as I gestured to the glass and steel walls around me. "It's an impressive cage, yet not built, I think, for me." I curled my fingers in toward myself as I watched, waiting for the response from the man who wanted yet failed so badly to be intimidating.
"Built for something a lot stronger than you."
"Oh, I've heard..." I couldn't help but turn my head in the direction I'd come from, the direction where the man carrying a mighty beast ripe for the taking lurked within the presumed safety of his laboratory. A camera stood there, covered by a thin tinted globe just as one did at all four sides of my glass prison, watching my every move. I smirked right into it; though I couldn't be sure who was watching, I somehow knew that those who had brought me here were at the very least, listening in on my every word. I had to make this good, had to let them know just how much I knew while not revealing my full hand. "The mindless beast; makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you, that you call upon such lost creatures to defend you," I asked turning back toward him, still smiling from the higher ground I held.
"How desperate am I," The man asked, furthering his intimidating tactics as he came closer to the glass, unblinking. I would take great joy in shattering his spine. "You threaten my world with war, you steal a force you cannot hope to control; you talk about peace yet you kill because you think it's fun. You have made me very desperate," his remaining eye widened in a look of contempt as he came to stand an arms-length from the glass. "You might not be glad that you did."
I feigned a look of surprise and chill, blowing out an elongated and audible breath as I met his eyes. "It burns you to have come so close... To have the Tesseract, to have power- unlimited power; and for what," I asked mockingly, shaking my hair behind my shoulders as I continued to stare him down, smirking as I returned my stare to the cameras watching me. "A warm light for all mankind to share..." my head turned slowly back around to look at him, irreverently; "and then to be reminded what real power is."
We stared at one another for a moment before he smirked back, tilting his head before his body followed suit as he turned to leave. "Well, let me know if 'Real Power' wants a magazine or something."
I shook my head as he walked away. I wouldn't need such amenities; I wouldn't be here long enough for such.
A day passed, if the clock on the screen of the control panel was correct. I knew it would take time for Barton to come; they had the iridium now, and Doctor Selvig would need time to get everything into place before they could come to me. I was a patient man though; I could wait as long as was needed. After all, that had been how I had grown, both with The Mad Titan and before him. Forever the silent, plotting cynic I had been forced to become whilst dwelling within the shadows cast by my brother and Odin. Shadows that had kept me from reaching my full potential, from being the king I deserved to be, from her...
I paused my pacing, sensing a presence behind me. I half expected to turn and find Thor standing there, as arrogant as he ever had, my little dove trapped within his grasp. Instead, I turned to find the red-headed woman, the one who littered Barton's mind with familiar thoughts and emotions that dared to cross the line of friendship. A smile tugged at my lips. This was Fury's next move; a woman?
"There's not many people that can sneak up on me."
"But you figured I'd come," her deep alto, similar to the woman's I missed yet lacking the warmth I had once so craved, stated; arms dangling at her sides.
"After..." I said with a bow of my head. "After whatever tortures Fury could concoct, you would appear as a friend; as a balm. And I would cooperate," I said with a shake of my head and a soft lift of my hands, spelling out the obviousness of their failed plan.
"I wanna know what you've done to Agent Barton." There was no anger, no attempt at intimidation; only her gentle declaration of what she wanted from me. No games, no mess. Far too easy.
"I'd say I've expanded his mind," I tried to hide my pleasure in toying with her like a cat with a mouse, yet it was difficult to maintain as flat of a countenance as I should have.
"And once you've won," she moved toward me, her short curls bouncing against her jawline as she moved, crossing her arms over her modest breasts. "Once you're king of the mountain, what happens to his mind then?"
I let a pause hang in the air between us before I gave her an almost knowing look. "Is this love, Agent Romanov?"
"Love is for children... I owe him a debt," She said softly watching as I backed away from the glass to sit on the bench on the far side of my cell.
"Tell me."
The Russian woman, sighed, biting at her lip before she also moved to sit. "Before I worked for SHIELD, I uh... Well, I made a name for myself. You see, I have a very specific skillset... One that I didn't care who I used it for, or on; got me on SHIELD's radar in a bad way. Barton was sent to kill me, but he made a different call."
I watched her, nodding. Her story reminded me some of my time with Thanos, the true All-Father of the cosmos having made a different call in finding me useful when those who had cast me aside had only seen me as disposable. "And what will you do if I vow to spare him?"
She smirked up at me, shaking her head. "Not let you out-"
"Ah, no. But I like this," I could feel the smirk taking over my face, my eyes crinkling with it as I leaned forward, clasping my hands together. "Your world in the balance, and you bargain... for one man?"
"Regimes fall every day; I tend not to weep over that, I'm Russian... Or was."
"And what are you now; what is it that you want?"
"It's really not that complicated," She said rising, turning as if putting herself on display for me in her form-fitting black leather outfit. "I've got red in my ledger, and I'd like to wipe it out."
"Can you," I asked feigning interest. "Can you wipe out that much red? Drakov's daughter, Sao Paulo; the hospital fire?" I watched her face, looking for an indication of which bothered her most. While her eyes widened with each soft admission to the depth of my knowledge, her lips parting though there was no true indication of which bothered her more. I rose, stalking toward her once more. "Barton told me everything; your ledger is dripping; it's gushing red and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change that? This is the basest sentimentality. This is a child at prayer... PATHETIC!" I sneered, watching as she locked eyes with me, her pale eyes watching mine; her expression fearful yet there was something unwavering about her stoicism as she just stood there, hugging herself. "You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers; you pretend to be separate, to have your own code- something that makes up for the horrors. But they are part of you, and they will never... go... away."
I slammed my fist against the glass as hard as I could, watching as she jumped; stepping back as I pressed my face closer to the glass, letting her watch with fear, her eyes tearing up like the weak woman she was as I continued to assault her mind. "I won't touch Barton; not until I make him kill you!" I let the threat hang for a moment, the look in her eyes like a rabbit cornered by a wolf bringing me such primal joy. "Slowly. Intimately. In every way he knows you fear. Then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work, when he screams out in anguish over what he's done, I'll split his skull!" She turned then, her shoulders quivering as she hid her emotion from me. "This is my bargain, you mewling quim."
"You're a monster..." She whispered pathetically.
"Oh no," I chuckled; "You brought the monster."
She whirled around then, no doubt to attempt to chastise me further, yet when my eyes settled back on her face, there were no tears, no fear. "So, Banner... That's your plan?" I stepped back staring at her, unsure of what had just happened as she turned, muttering into her communication device tucked behind her ear, my brother's name falling from her lips before she turned back around to give me a curt little nod. "Thank you, for your cooperation."
I stood there, stunned, for only a moment before I felt a familiar presence drawing near. A smile returned to my face, Barton was closing in, he'd be here before I knew it, or so the scepter calling out to me as the pitiful excuse for a team began to bicker like the children they were. A satisfying chuckle rumbled forth from my belly; I'd have my revenge, my war very soon.
A heavy shuddering was felt throughout the aircraft. Barton had arrived. I wanted to see the pandemonium desperately, yet I knew I was safest here; waiting patiently to be released from this glass cage. I had a lock on him now and could hear him giving orders to the others within my mind, the scepter so close yet so far. I told him to have it brought to me as he ordered a few men to head my way. I could feel them drawing near, my control over them extending like shadowy hands to guide them to the scepter before they emerged in the room to free me. I smiled to myself; the moment was here.
Somewhere in the belly of the ship, I could hear the beast awaken; its rage-filled roar primal as it shook the walls of the hull leading up and into a portion of the area that held my cell. I felt the ship begin to tilt, a clear sign Barton had done his job, though perhaps a little too well. As two of his men entered the room, they spoke into their communicators. Within a moment the lights flickered, the door to the cell sliding open.
"About time," I muttered exiting the cell as I ordered two of the three off, keeping the biggest and strongest of Barton's men with me. "Get over there and don't move," I ordered as I began pressing buttons on the screen of the control panel, quickly learning the right sequence. I could feel Thor, he'd managed to get away from the monster that resided within the weak doctor and was now headed this way. I had a plan for him though.
Casting a believable illusion was the easy part, maintaining it while keeping myself and the oaf under my control veiled, however, was another matter. Particularly when the oaf refused to remain still. Regardless, as Thor's feet came stomping down the grated hall, his mighty hand pushing him off the doorway into the room, I was prepared. I heard him shout no as the door to the cell opened, my double confidently walking out until he saw Thor, stooping as if prepared to stop the thunder god's assault only to dissipate into nothingness as my brother sailed into the cell. The door closed before he could rise to his feet, taking up a fighting stance as he whirled around to face me. I tilted my head, fighting the urge to shake it at him as I stood with my arms behind my back, the oaf walking off to go and rejoin the ranks as the battle over the aircraft continued.
"Are you ever not going to fall for that," I asked as he glared at me. I watched as he reared back, swinging Mjolnir into the pane of thick glass, a small crack emerging as the steel arms that held the cylinder groaned; one half of the steel cage dipping as it hung askew. I chuckled, the oafish guard turning back around to make sure everything was alright; that I was alright. I merely smiled, returning to the control panel. "The humans think us immortal... Should we test that?"
As I moved to press the blinking button to open the vortex door Fury had threatened me with a day and a half prior, I heard the oaf grunt; his body collapsing in a heap. Behind him stood a man in a simple suit, a large, strange-looking weapon in his hands. "Move away, please," he said with as much authority as someone of his stature could muster.
I moved away, keeping my hands held at my chest. I could feel Thor's eyes watching my movements as I did, as if waiting to be able to alert the man pointing some kind of blaster at me. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction though; my illusions having become even stronger thanks to the power of the scepter. Without either man noticing, I was able to step aside, leaving another replica there, holding up a patient and defenseless pose while I snuck around, taking the scepter from beside the control panel. As the man talked, warming up the weapon in his hands with a soft whining noise, I positioned myself behind him, waiting for the perfect moment.
The sound of the scepter sinking into the man, running him straight through was like music; the man's gasp the melody, Thor's desperate cry the perfect harmony. I watched his cold blue eyes narrow at me, the man's body falling to the side to slump against the wall; a crimson blossom blooming on the crisp white of his shirt. I stalked past him, in no rush to end my brother's treasonous reign, the man's blood still dripping from the scepter's blade as I smirked at Thor, holding it up for him to see. He snarled at me, leaning against the glass once more as I moved to the control panel and pressed the button, opening the spiral panels; the sound of the wind rising as my hair and loose-fitting armor billowed out behind me, my hand hovering over the remaining button. Thor watched me, trying to look down just as I had as he moved in the small cell, his eyes never leaving mine. I waited, letting out a satisfied sigh before I pressed it, watching with a great deal of what I could only assume was satisfaction as he dropped.
I allowed myself a count of ten, before I closed the spiral once more, the control panel turning itself off as it no longer had anything to maintain control over. I moved to leave, wiping the blood from the scepter off on my cloak when a faint voice called out to me.
"You're going to lose..." The man against the wall said, blood slowly spilling from between his lips.
"Am I," I asked softly back, unsure of what his purpose was.
"It's in your nature..." He blinked at me as if that was supposed to mean something; as if he was suggesting that my glorious purpose was to be nothing more than an obstacle to make presumed heroes greater. He was wrong. My purpose was much greater; I would not fail again.
"Your heroes are scattered; your floating fortress falls from the sky... Where is my disadvantage?"
"You lack conviction."
I couldn't help but chuckle. "I don't think my-" My words were cut off by a great burst of orange light that sent me flying back and through the wall behind me out and onto the grates in the next area. I rolled, groaning as I came to rest on my elbows and knees. When would I stop falling for that?
I coughed, collecting myself as two of Barton's men came near, helping me to my feet. I shoved them aside, refusing to be carried or coddled. I had made it this far on my own, I could manage the rest. With a curt nod, I let them lead me back toward the waiting carrier that would take us to our next destination, to where Doctor Selvig waited, the Tesseract almost ready to bring me my army. I called Barton to me, but his mind was no longer mine, at least not completely. I continued to try, to bring him back around, but that Romanov woman got to him first... Women, such insufferable creatures, particularly the mortal ones.
"Sir, Doctor Selvig is almost ready. Do you want us to drop you off at the tower?"
"Yes, and step on it."
The jet, as my new Barton referred to it, was capable of delivering us quickly to the metal man's tower, the second highest point in the city; a perfect location to open the portal from. Doctor Selvig finalizing the last of the details with his device. All he needed to do was add the Tesseract, the cube glowing in the daylight as Selvig worked.
"Doctor, I trust you're prepared for what's to come?"
"Yes Sir. The Tesseract has shown me so much; more than knowledge... More than a beautiful new world."
I smiled, nodding. "And it is only going to get better, good doctor. Now, I want nothing to disturb you, do you understand? If you need to lay your life down to protect the portal you are to open, then I expect you to do it without hesitation."
"Of course, I would wish nothing less."
"I know." I turned then, walking toward the stairs to climb down to await the inane mortals playing at being heroes. They would come soon, or at least the metal man would. I wanted to be ready for him.
As I stood, looking out over the city before me, I could almost picture the battle that would ensue. With a smile I closed my eyes, meditating on the power of the scepter as I returned once more to Sanctuary, The Other smirking at me.
"Have you the Tesseract, Asgardian?"
"I do, though it is needed to open the portal for my army."
"The might of the humans is nothing of concern, why not just use it to return to us," he sneered, teeth glimmering behind his gilded mask.
"They may be weak, but they must learn to fear me, fear us. For the glory of The Mad Titan, the true All-Father of the universe deserves nothing else... I deserve nothing less."
The Other, seemed to sigh, his gnarled hands raising to form a steeple before his chest. "Very well, Asgardian. Should you fail to overthrow the humans again, to overpower the mortals you have shown us who dare to rise against you; the consequences shall be dire."
I chuckled, bowing slightly, confident. "I have no disadvantages. They will all kneel before me, as is their rightful place."
"You had better be right, Asgardian, or I will use the scepter you hold to remind you of my displeasure." Once more the searing pain within my head sent me spiraling back into my body as a blast echoed above me.
I saw the metal man, floating a few hundred yards above me, his hand extended as light blossomed around the roof. The portal did not waver, the Tesseract's energy field unbreachable as it maintained its power whilst illuminating the sky above. His gold and red helmet turned to look down at me as I smiled back up at him. He slowly came to rest upon the landing pad before me, his eyes never leaving mine as his armor was removed by his machinery as we moved to enter his building. I waited to turn my back until I was sure he could not strike me with one of his light rays in the gloves of his suit. That was not his style though, to shoot a man in the back. His morals made him a far worthier opponent than I had anticipated; shame he would have to die by my less-than-righteous hand.
"Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity," I mocked as I strolled into his home from the balcony doors, watching as he came to stand in the center of the metal and stone pathway above a small kitchenette.
"Uh, actually; I'm planning to threaten you."
I chuckled, pointing the scepter at him. "You should have left your armor on for that."
"Eh," he said with a shrug as he came down the stairs, acting nonchalant. "It's seen a bit of mileage and you've got the glowstick of destiny, so... Would you like a drink?"
I grinned widely, tossing the scepter from one hand to the other as I allowed it to rest in my left hand as I paused, facing him. "Stalling me won't change anything."
"No, no. No; threatening," he spun, walking backward as he moved to stand behind an intricately carved bar of exposed and tarnished concrete. Decanters filled to different heights with various brown and golden liquors. "No drink; you sure? I'm having one."
His lack of interest in our conversation was infuriating. I glanced behind me, gazing out the window toward the light in the sky wondering where my army was so I could kill him. The sooner I took the metal man down, the better. "The Chitarui are coming, nothing will change that. What have I to fear," I asked turning back once more to face him.
"The Avengers," he uncapped a square bottle, pouring the rich amber liquid into an equally square glass as he went on to explain. "That's what we call ourselves; Earth's mightiest heroes. Sort of like a team..."
"Yes, I've met them," I smirked, as equally unimpressed with his explanation as I was with his threat.
He chuckled at me, smiling as he shrugged. "Yeah, takes us a while to get any traction, I'll give you that. But, let's do a head count here: your brother, the demi-god," I snorted, my hand tensing around the staff of the scepter as I turned away from him, hoping to hide my frustration at the mention of Thor. "A super soldier, a living legend who kind of lives up to the legend; a man with breath-taking anger management issues, a couple of master assassins, and you, big fella, well you've managed to piss off every single one of them." I opened my mouth to respond, only to have his finger held up in my face, his other hand holding his ear as he smiled. "That's great, Point Break, just get here and get here fast." He smiled then, taking a sip of his drink. "Seems another player's joined the team, not sure yet who but from the sounds of it, I'm pretty sure it's curtains for you. Must suck being the little brother, huh?"
I glared at him, my lip curling as I felt my nostrils flare. If Thor was on his way I needed to end this sooner than expected. "You think my brother is a threat to me; him and this 'additional player' you attempt to goad me with?" I laughed. "I have an army."
"We have a hulk."
"Oh, I thought the beast had wandered off, or is that to be this additional player you had not expected?"
"Maybe, but you're missing the point. There's no throne, no version of this where you come out on top. This whole plan of yours is a wash; they're coming and they're coming for you. I don't know who or what this 'assistance' is your brother mentioned, but if he's as confident as he sounds, well then, I am too. So maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damned well sure we'll avenge it." He sipped his drink once more, his eyes never leaving mine as I moved toward him.
"How will your friends have time for me, when they're so busy fighting you?" I lifted the scepter, the familiar hum and glow causing the man's eyes to widen slightly as I pressed the tip of it to his chest; an odd metallic sound stopping me. The glow faded once more into the blue stone, my smirk faltering as I blinked, trying a second time and a third. "This usually works..."
"Well performance issues, you know... Not uncommon, one out of five-" I stopped his blasphemous sentence by gripping his throat, hurling him toward the windows; listening as he muttered something under his breath. As he rose to his knees, I once more clutched his throat, lifting him the rest of the way as my fingers squeezed into his jaw, threatening to crush it. "You will all fall before me!"
"Deploy," the man croaked as loudly as my hand against his larynx would allow for. "Deploy...!" He sailed through the window, shattering the glass as I freed him to fall to his death; a lesser death than I had wanted, yet suitable nonetheless.
I could hear his scream, as something opened and thrummed behind me. Turning, I managed to dive out of the way of a brilliant red rocket, that smashed through another window pane. I rose to my feet moving to watch as the rocket latched onto the billionaire, a second suit lifting him as he quickly returned to me without a scratch on him.
"And there's one other person you've pissed off," he said, his voice slightly muffled by the speakers of his armor; "His name was Phil." I lifted the scepter, as he lifted his hand, but his blast came quicker, spiraling me back as I skidded across his floor just as I heard the first wails of my army descending from the sky.
I chuckled, rising as I saw the metal man hovering before he took off. The games were about to begin!