"I don't see why we can't just go and get the Reality Stone now. The Avengers are fighting themselves and have split. If there was ever a time to get the remaining stones, it's now," I pointed out.
I was annoyed. I did not understand why we had not acted by now. We had been stalling for weeks and I understand why we had stalled a bit to tear apart the Avengers, that needed to be done. However, after we let them do it themselves, why didn't we go and get the rest of the stones? The Avengers were fighting themselves therefore the only thing that would stop us (other than the TVA) was taken care of. Strategically it did not make sense, and technically I am the goddess of battle strategy, so I would know.
"Al, I already told you we need to finish the locator otherwise we will never find Set. The Duat is huge and with how fluid and split the Duatians are, if we do not get it just right, we might find a part of Set but not a part we need to talk to. My men are working on getting the last piece, we just need more time," Titus tried to placate me.
"We don't have time! I'm not even supposed to be in this dimension Titus! The longer we stall the sooner the TVA will notice that I'm not where they left me last. Time isn't a tool we have; it's the TVA's and I'm not going to sit here and let them use it when we don't want them to! We're lucky that they're dealing with something else right now otherwise none of this would be able to succeed. My very presence here should be creating a nexus event, so it's a miracle that they have not tried to apprehend us yet. Loki, you're with me, right? You understand why we can't wait."
Loki was sitting on an armchair, his chin resting on his fist. He had been watching Titus and I bicker and strategize for the past hour now, though I knew he had not been fully listening. I mean he knew everything that we were saying clearly but his thoughts, his heart had been elsewhere. He had been pondering his mother.
Loki's emotions were unlike anyone I have ever felt before. He was filled with hurt but also immense guilt that he battled with consonantly. He showed his hurt more, his guilt he locked deep down, but he could not escape it. It kept pushing until he felt like he would burst. So, he hid it through other bits of his personality and goals. His smile, constantly shifting between what he would do and whom he trusted, his sarcasm, the way he talked, trying to assert himself as important and powerful. His nature was that he needed to feel loved and accepted, his nurture told him that the only way to get those things was from power.
The reason Loki's emotions were unlike anyone I have ever felt before is that they reminded me of myself. They were my emotions, my pains, though with different stems and I hid that deep guilt inside myself in a different way. As he thought of his mother it was, in the same way, I thought of my father. Loki knew he was the reason why she was no longer a part of his life and he was trying to fix it. He was trying to make her proud the only way he knew how, and it was breaking him.
He considered what I said for a moment, "You're both right, we are low on time and we need the last piece. So, you two will go and get the piece together today, saving both the time and getting what we need."
"What?" Titus and I said in unison.
"That's a terrible idea. To get into a facility like that with only two people is suicide!" Titus said.
"Well...if it was suicide it'd only be you Titus that would die, you know because I can't die," I pointed out.
Loki stood up, "You're an Infinity Stone and a living embodiment of chaos, I would be more worried about those who get in the way."
****
"This is still stupid," Titus said as we perched on a cliff overlooking a small fortress in Russia.
It was a small thing with the security being pretty lax but if we were just two normal humans trying to take it alone it would have been suicide as Titus had suggested. However, we were not two normal humans, and this would be nothing more than a night stroll for us.... a night stroll where you punched people's faces in.
I shivered, even though it was the beginning of October, it felt like winter here. There was even a light dusting of snow.
"No, you only think it's stupid because you wanted to have the expedition with your people to be an excuse so you could have those that work for you and are from here to get their stashes of vodka. You think it's stupid because you wanted to drink yourself silly," I said.
"It's not just any vodka, it has aged oak as a prime ingredient and other.... ingredients. It's also two hundred years old! I only have one flask left from the last time my men and I were in Russia and I need to restock," he pulled a flask from his coat pocket and took a swig. "Here try some and you will see why."
I wrinkled my nose, "The fact that it's some two-hundred-year-old rancid addicting juice doesn't make it any more appealing. And you know darn well that I can't have alcohol."
"What because you're underage? Cousin, you need to live a little. We aren't exactly working with the law here if you know what I mean." He offered the drink to me again.
"Are you a descendant of Cien or not? Let me make it plain to you in simple words that you can understand. I am the Emotion Infinity Stone; I am the living embodiment of emotion. You follow me so far? Imagine me, the embodiment of emotion getting drunk. If I get drunk my powers would go haywire and emotion in pretty much every living thing will get a little weird. The last time the Emotion Stone became drunk, my father, the weird things that were in the '80s happened."
"I'll ignore the fact that you just mocked my intelligence because it means there is more for me," Titus said while chugging what was left in the flask.
After that, we stayed silent as we waited and watched. For this mission, I had changed back to my human form though I still felt more like a twi'lek than a human. And though, as stylish as the lekku of the twi'lek species are, twi'leks are completely hairless and I welcomed the hair (especially on my head) of the human species to give me that extra warmth. I also changed back to my human form so that it would be easier for me when we go to the Duat, my body needs the time to adjust to the change.
I wished that I could have made a fire but neither of us risked it in case we were spotted. Better to be cold and not get caught, than be warm and get caught forcing us to wait, plan, and try something else months in the future to try and get the piece.
Just as I was going to make another joke at Titus' expense, I noticed movement in the corner of my left eye. I did not look straight at it and acted as if I did not see it all. That is when I noticed a shine of silver with a hint of red. Oh no.
I nudged Titus in the ribs.
"Ow, Al, why...?"
I silenced him and jerked my head at what I saw. At first, he was confused but then he saw what I did.
"Oh no." He said under his breath, "How did I forget? Why today? Why here?"
"Why is he here and what did you forget?" I asked cautiously.
Titus answered with his own question, "Um, do you want the good or bad news?"
"Just tell me."
"Well Hydra got an idea, you know, to tear apart the Avengers even further along with S.H.I.E.L.D. so you know that's great. I know that they were having their Winter Soldier persuade Captain America and Hawkeye to steal something. I don't know what excuse he's made up as to why they need the thing. I didn't look into what they were going to steal or where, only that it would cause chaos if they took it. It seems that Hydra wants the same thing we do."
I looked down the cliff at our target, "I guess that we'll have to roll with it and maybe even turn it to our advantage."
****
The first thing we had to do was get down the cliff face itself. That was probably the best defense this fortress had. It was surrounded by soaring cliffs all of which were treacherous. There was only one pass that was bottle-necked, and the actual fortress itself was in a very small circular valley. One way in and one way out. That is if you did not have special training or powers to get you on said cliffs. Then there would be only one way in and out.
I practically walked down the cliff like a mountain goat, the steepness not affecting me at all. There are some perks to being a living infinity stone. And though Titus still had to climb down the old-fashioned way, it still did not look quite human. I kept doing quick glances over where I saw the Winter Soldier's arm whenever I stopped to wait for Titus. Their progress was faster than I would have wanted, but at least Titus and I had not been spotted.
Finally getting to the bottom we could not head straight into the fort itself, we had to wait for our ride in. Our wait allowed Captain America, Hawkeye, and Bucky to get down to the base of the cliff as well as causing us to lose our lead. They did not make a move to try and get into the fort a different way, so I knew that they were waiting for the same ride.
Great.
Right on schedule the supply trucks drove into the pass and waited in the middle of it to get clearance to start heading to the gates. Titus stayed on the same side as the cliffs as I advanced around a truck and clung to the bottom of the vehicle. Once I was secured to the bottom, I knew that Titus was doing the same. I heard a soft clanking at the front of the truck and assumed that the search of the trucks had begun. Then I heard footsteps walking to the truck and opening the driver's seat front door. That meant that the clank was not from inside the truck because of the search. It had come from under the truck.
I lowered myself enough to look at the entire underside of the vehicle to find that I was not alone. Hawkeye had decided to hitch a ride with the same truck, and he gave me a smile. Yeah, he knew I was there.
The searchers finished in the front and walked to the back opening the doors to search the cargo. My arms began to burn, and I felt like they had searched all the cargo twice (which they probably did) before they finally came out. They then started to walk to the front again and I knew it was time to move. Both Hawkeye and I climbed the underside of the truck until we got to the back, swinging ourselves up and into the back of the truck before hiding in the cargo as the driver closed the doors. I heard noises under the truck indicating that they were searching where we had just been.
The noises under the truck stopped, replaced by several voices just outside the truck. A door slammed closed and the driver blared music in the front, but the driver did not move. As was their protocol, every single truck and car had to be searched thoroughly before they could proceed to the gate where they would be permitted in.
In the wait Hawkeye and I had an intense staring competition gauging each other, almost daring the other to make a move to rat the other out.
"Well this is awkward. Is Loki here as well?" Hawkeye asked in a low conversational tone that only I could hear, as he began sharpening his arrows.
I drew out my sword and also began sharpening it, "No, why didn't you rat me out?"
He grunted, "Same reason you didn't. That would mean revealing that I was here."
"I guess that makes us alleys, at least for the moment."
"When did you start working with Hydra or have you been working with them this entire time?" He asked casually.
"I'm not, it was purely coincidental that Bucky turned up on that roof when I did. I was trying to capture Rogers but then Bucky showed up, and I was telling the truth that I hoped that he would get Bucky back. That's why I stepped back. I wanted to see what would unfold."
"Then we split ourselves, don't think I don't know how this entire situation is a win for Loki. I knew of the consequences when I sided with Steve. I couldn't just stand by and let two innocent men get arrested because one was brainwashed and the other was standing up for his friend."
"You went with your gut and your heart," I assured him. "That's not a bad thing. In fact, it's very noble, and yet you're being treated like a criminal. We live in a society where going with our heart and acting upon our emotions is frowned upon and even looked at as a sin. It's not right, it's not okay, but hey, welcome to Earth!"
The truck lurched as it began to move forward, silencing our conversation until we got to the gate. There were more voices as we stopped.
Hawkeye positioned himself as if he was about to pounce, "How long is this forced alliance going to last between us?"
"Until we get to the goober, then obviously I'll take it."
"Goober?"
"I'm tired of calling it the item, it's getting annoying and its actual name is too long, so... Goober."
"Right goober, so we'll work together until we get to the goober, then we will be enemies again."
I got myself ready to get out of the truck as well, "Well we don't have to, we can be allies for longer, this has been fun. You are a very easy guy to talk to."
The truck stopped and the doors opened. I muttered something under my breath and the guy that had come to unload the cargo got distracted by something that did not exist on the other side of the truck. We exited the vehicle and clung to the shadows following the cargo into the fort.
"Sorry to decline your offer but I'll never work with Loki. I trust him as far as the Hulk can throw him." Hawkeye said as we dragged some guys we took out, out of sight.
"Pity. But I know I can change your mind eventually, if not today."
We got to the room where the goober was stored. A small office with a bookcase, a single desk, a mini-fridge, and a tiny safe. It was kind of a joke. There was not even anyone guarding the room. I guess if the piece was by itself it cannot do much, but with other pieces, and different visions it can be powerful. Perhaps the owners thought if they did not bring attention to it others would not take notice of it. Or perhaps they were counting on intruders to go straight to the middle of the fort where a huge heavily guarded vault was housing a fake copy... Wow, I am stupid. That is definitely what they were counting on. You know it's moments like this that make me wonder how in the blazes I have gotten as far as I have.
"Are you just waiting for someone else or.... do we fight each other now? How do you want to play this?" Hawkeye asked.
"I am waiting for someone and you have your friends, so I guess we just wait for them to come. Then you know my friend and I defeat the three of you and we walk away with the goober. Though it wouldn't hurt to get it out now."
I opened the fridge which was stocked with soda, "Want one?"
He declined and I drank two Dr. Peppers as he cracked the safe. Being the kind person that I am, I even allowed him to hold the goober as we waited for our friends to arrive after doing their own solo missions. You know, jamming the cameras, hiding all evidence of our robbery and all that. All the fun stuff. The first person to find us was Captain America.
"Clint, you got it. Good work. Let's find Bucky and get out of here." He said having not seen me yet.
"I would agree with you Steve, but we have a bit of a situation."
"Me." I offered then downed my fourth Dr. Pepper. "We'll just wait for Bucky and my friend to find us. As soon as they walk through that door or come through the vents, I'm not picky, this little alliance I've had with Barton will end and we will be enemies again."
Right on cue Bucky entered from the vents and Titus burst through the door. I took the rest of Dr. Peppers from the fridge (Who has only Dr. Pepper? Have a little variety people!) and put them in the bag Poseidon gave me. (I'm addicted to soda, it's a serious problem, but also priorities.)
"Give me the goober Barton, we don't need to be enemies," I tried to persuade him.
He drew an arrow and put the piece into his pocket, "You're right, we don't, but you are confused and until we can get Loki out of your head we're going to have to be."
I drew my sword and sighed, "Fine."
I lunged at Hawkeye whilst Titus took on Bucky and Captain America. Hawkeye used his bow to block my sword and I learned the hard way that the ends of his bow were sharper than they looked. He jabbed the point where Bucky had stabbed me, opening a small cut. I flipped behind him and grabbed his bow at both ends and forced it at his neck. As quickly as I could I reached into his pocket and grabbed what we had come for. Letting him go I slid under his legs and used my feet to trip him up. Titus and I bolted for the door as the three of them followed. We already took out the fortress' defenses so that was not an issue. For some reason, the three of them disappeared without a trace which I found suspicious.
Two things went very wrong as we made our escape. As we got into the pass to call for our ride out, we were stopped by Squidward, sorry Ebony Maw. He had his hands in his famous position as if he was praying. He seemed bored and pretty much had no emotion. I tried to find his flying doughnut, but it was not there, or at least not where I could see it.
"Minions of Loki, listen and rejoice, for I have a message that will please your master."
I was very offended, "Excuse me, I am no minion. Work associate? Sure, but minion? Maybe Titus, I don't know I do not speak for my cousin, but me? How dare you insult me in such a way."
Squidward ignored me, "Thanos is very pleased with your success in obtaining the six Infinity Stones. Once you have obtained the last two, he shall come and collect them, and this human world shall be Loki's to rule and more worlds if the merciful Thanos sees fit to bestow them. Be sure that this information is brought to your master."
The doughnut came into view above us and beamed Ebony Maw up. It disappeared once more leaving just me and Titus in the pass.
I continued staring at where he had been standing, "This is bad, we need to get back now."
"I'm on it and it hurts that you threw me under the bus like that cousin," he grasped his chest as if it was falling off. "Hurts."
Titus brought out his cellphone and after just four words the Tesseract appeared in my hand. I caused a portal to envelop us, but something went very wrong. Something seemed to pull me somewhere else, somewhere I did not want to go. I vaguely saw someone's face looming over me, a strange gun pointed at my face and other images, then the Tesseract did its job and I was back at the mansion.
I was sprawled on the floor and Titus was on his knees when he doubled even further and threw up. A pair of hands helped me onto my feet and kept me steady. Something had gone wrong. I could not properly hear what was going on or even properly process what was happening around me.
The person who helped me to my feet led me inside and sat me on a chair. I realized why I could not hear anything. All of me was not back yet physically, it was still in a portal. Slowly the parts of me that was not there started to come back, but not as quickly as I would have liked.
At some point, Loki was there. I do not remember when he got there. Was he always standing there? People kept talking to me, but I could not hear or understand. Loki kept on talking to me, I do not know what he said and in his eyes, in his emotions... Was that worry? For me? Maybe I was imagining things, after all I was not all there. No way was he worried for me, especially not in the way I thought I could sense him feeling.
Finally, my hearing came back for me to hear Loki asking Titus, ".... What the heck happened? Why is she not responding?"
"I already told you I don't know, something went wrong in the portal. One moment it was going right, then I was suspended in nothingness. Al was gone, then I was hurled onto my knees and she was motionless on the floor. I don't......"
"Bucket," I mumbled.
Loki looked back at me. He was the only one who heard me, "What? Al, did you say something?"
I doubled forward and he barely leaped out of the way before I hurled.
With a single movement of my hand, my vomit cleaned itself, "I said bucket, and I got news and you're not going to like it," I forced myself to stand since the rest of me finally was making its way through the portal.
"Cousin, I don't think that's such a good...." I silenced Titus with a glare.
"Thanos knows we only have two Infinity Stones to go. As soon as they have been obtained, he will try and take them for himself so he can fulfill his dream of killing half of all life in the universe. However, he doesn't know that I am a Stone, but I have more bad news. The TVA, they know, they know I'm in a different dimension. That's what happened in the portal they tried to figure out where I was and that called my essence to them.
"From what I saw in the portal they can't spare anyone to come and stop us and return me or punish me from leaving my dimension. But they're almost done with whatever has been keeping them preoccupied for so long. They're coming."