In London, the situation was growing more serious with each passing hour. Emergency services were working at full capacity, and people were starting to report strange creatures all over the city. In some places, they might simply pass by, while in others, they would only find the remains of bodies… if they found any.
While authorities were making statements asking for calm, two objects flew over the city. One of them matched the description of Iron Man. While Tony Stark himself was landing, his companion continued flying.
- Wow. wow Hey guys, calm down, I'm here to help - he raised his hands peacefully, trying to calm the agents and the police - has anyone seen a guy who can work as a fire hose?
The agent just looked around - okay, I understood , someone ...
- Hahaha TONY STARK - a young black-haired girl ran to the super and began to tell how much she admired him.
- Okay, that's all nice, but I'm here on business...
- Are you probably here because of Alex?
"Alexa?" Tony realized that this woman knew about his target's location, but she didn't want to call him that.
"Well, Dr. Ledov," the girl tried to justify herself, "he just allowed us to call him that and…"
"I see, so where is he?" Tony's patience with the fan girl had long since run out.
"He's over there," the girl pointed to the empty fenced-in area where a rock had crushed the car, "he went in there and disappeared, and then the passage closed behind him. By the way, my name is..."
But Tony was no longer listening as he approached the fenced-off area. His suit had detected strange activity, which was occurring in various places throughout the city.
So why did you get involved in this? – Tonya's questions only continued to pile up.
The ice sleds floating down the river quickly attracted the attention of the guards patrolling the area. Upon spotting each other, Alex simply stopped the sled in the middle of the river and waited for the flying boat used by the Asgardian guards .
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" the guards didn't stand on ceremony with the uninvited guests.
- My name is Alexander Ledov, I came from Midgard and am looking for Thor, son of Odin, I am his friend - the answer alarmed the guard, it had never happened before that people from Midgard got to Asgard on their own.
"How did you get here, Alexander from Midgard ?" The guard was not yet ready to release her weapon.
- Through Jotuheim, the world of the ice giants , and into it through the rift in Midgard - all the skeptical looks of the guards disappeared when they were shown the head of the jotun that Alex carried with him.
"If this is truly what you need from our prince?" Alex relaxed a little, now that the gun wasn't pointed at him.
"I just want to get home. The rifts I got through are unstable, and I had no other way out." The guard's answer satisfied him for a while.
- We will take you to Thor , but if you're lying...
the Asgardian liked the firm answer .
The beauty of Asgard was astounding. An entire golden city, as if straight out of ancient legend, shone in the sun with its majestic towers. Every building seemed a work of art, adorned with exquisite carvings. The air was clear, as if one were in the heart of an untouched forest. Alex took it all in as he slowly moved through the airship.
Already anticipating a quick return, an explosion occurred near the largest palace, and a large alien invasion ship appeared on the outskirts of Asgard .
Well, of course, what could go wrong?
Asgard hadn't hosted a battle on its soil for a long time. For hundreds of years, every soldier knew who was supposed to go where. Many of these men were already sitting in the towers, firing back at the invaders. Hundreds of warriors were moving throughout the city to repel the enemy landing.
The entire city came alive like an anthill that had been stepped on. The small boat in which the guards were carrying the stranger turned away from the palace.
- No no "No , I need to go to Thor." The guardians, of course, didn't care about the Midgardian's wishes . The guardians themselves were preparing to join their brothers in battle. Realizing no one would listen to him, they forced Alex to take matters into his own hands. And now, a few seconds later, the three guardians are trying to get rid of the water that's seeping into their lungs. "You shouldn't have brought me here."
It wasn't difficult to tilt the lever; small, stray shots were nearby, but that didn't stop him from steering the boat toward the palace. Even with the fighting nearby, Alex managed to get the boat to the palace. But the question was how to stop it. The only possible way was to send the boat flying out the window and jump off while it was flying in. No sooner said than done. Not forgetting the guards, who were now coughing up water, Alex set off in search of Thor.
Blow, blow blow .
A beautiful, black-haired woman was currently fighting three enemies simultaneously. Using her shield as cover and counterattacking with her sword, she dispatched her enemies one by one. The last of her opponents, struck in the face by a shield, became distracted from her opponent, earning a well-deserved sword strike to the eye.
Everyone's alive—looking around, the warrior saw her companions: Fandral , a tall, blond man who'd immediately begun inspecting himself for any signs of deterioration after the battle, and Volstagg , a beefy man whose face made it clear he wouldn't mind a bite to eat after such a fight. Seeing they were all right, the warrior checked to see that a dozen guards remained alive with them.
- Hahaha, that's a fight, I need to find someone else to fight with.
- Don't get excited, my bloodthirsty friend, we first need to understand what's going on -
Sif was also concerned about what was happening in Asgard . After agreeing to go find Thor, he rushed off to find his girlfriend. As they approached the throne room, they encountered several more battles. The enemies they fought were unfamiliar, so they had to move with extreme caution. The higher they climbed out of the prison cell, the more enemies there were. Reunited with a squad of guards, they carefully moved down the corridor, but what she saw next astonished her and all her brothers in arms.
The invaders, who had previously fought them without fear of death, now ran out of the corridor from the side and rushed at them as if a monster were chasing them. Perhaps there wasn't a monster chasing them, but the stream of water transformed into a huge shark that moved across the floor as if swimming. It caught up with the straggler and began biting its target, tearing it apart. Many who fled from this watery death tried to help. Laser weapons were of little help. And gravity grenades simply restored the shark to its former size.
Invaders Seeing the Asgardian guards standing ahead of them ready to face them, and an aquatic monster behind them, the choice of where to go was obvious. Within a minute , all the enemies in this corridor had been killed, but a huge monster composed of water remained . The guards wanted to attack it, but the blonde of the three stopped them, noticing that the monster wasn't showing any aggression toward them.
At that moment, Sif noticed a man standing and staring at them from around the corner. His clothing indicated he was definitely not a local. Assessing the situation, Sif remembered Thor telling her about a powerful sorcerer he'd fought with in Midgard against the Chitauri army . The water master himself calmly approached and petted the monster as if he were a house cat. Looking at each other and realizing the tension of the situation, the shark simply dissolved into a puddle of water.
- Good afternoon, gentlemen of Asgard , my name is Alexander Ledov, I am here looking for Thor, son of Odin, and I am ready to help you if you can take me to him. - Of course, if you asked Sif four hundred years ago that she would stand and look at a person and cannot find the words , it would not have ended with one challenge, but a fact is a fact.
"Welcome to Asgard, Alexander. Thor told us of your bravery— Fandrall was always a strong negotiator , and this time Sif was glad of it—but where did you come from?"
"Do you really want to talk about this now?" the guest expressed his point of view, paying attention to the surrounding environment.
was some mistrust , now was not the time for conversation.
- How you all pissed me off - the man's comment was addressed to another person and dozens more who had visited him in recent months.
The head of the Federal Security Service was already tired of receiving "guests," each of whom asked different questions , but the gist was the same: "How can we put pressure on Ledov?" A question that had a dozen possible solutions, but if any one of them were implemented, the situation would become ten times worse.
Almost a year has passed since the first contact between the public and alien life forms. During this time, citizens around the world have gradually recovered and resumed their lives. Meanwhile, the highest echelons of power around the world are buzzing like ants. Deals that once lasted for decades are broken in a matter of days, while those you wouldn't have been willing to cooperate with a week ago are now your best friend yesterday. The first such transfer of power occurred back in 2010, when Tony Stark revealed himself to the world as Iron Man.
Anyone with even a passing understanding of what was coming began to curry favor with the United States. Even the fact that Stark himself refused to provide the technology to create the suit didn't stop politicians from making lucrative deals at virtually no cost. The United States began to exert pressure on virtually every country that could pose a threat. The only thing holding them back was the large number of nuclear weapons possessed by their adversaries.
But then came 2012, and another global power shift began. Previously, countries would, at best, simply hide a mutant from the public when they discovered them. Now, after the Russian Mutant's demonstrated capabilities, the role of mutants began to change for everyone. If you had the potential to be useful to your country, they would fight for you. Everyone understood that mutants were like nuclear bombs that could move on their own. Videos of people with superpowers began appearing all over the internet.
It only took one person to demonstrate that it was possible to become successful, rich, and loved without fear, without fearing to use one's powers, and everyone wanted the same. Of course, it wasn't all that simple; some simply wanted to achieve power through these abilities. And so we come to the crux of the matter.
During the time Ledov began operating openly, he managed to make both friends and enemies. Many in the upper echelon disliked the diminution of their power with his arrival. After all, whereas previously their word was law , now there was someone who could tell them to go to hell without incurring any consequences, while they themselves could end up under investigation (it's unpleasant when you're on that side). The support of certain elites, if not the love, then the unconditional backing of the common people, gave him freedom of action in many matters. Of course, this wasn't without merit. Ledov himself could have saved the country's budget billions of rubles in a couple of days. Helping an icebreaker in the Arctic —no big deal. Helping citizens during floods is no problem; just think about the cost of helping with the oil tanker disaster. Of course, it wasn't without merit; everything had a price. And that doesn't even include the ability to treat the sick. Therefore, raising a reputation and profiting from it wasn't just a master of water manipulation. After all, unlike the United States, where Tony Stark lived, they didn't have the same opportunity to interact with their superhero. Even the warrior suit Tony's friend wore was taken from him almost by force. Thus, the United States began to lose ground, and the countries themselves began to seek ways out of unfavorable deals.
But what was most infuriating was the recent emergence of hostile terrorist groups that were waging war across the country, causing chaos. All forces were deployed to combat them. But these weren't just bandits who decided to carve up a few streets. The people causing the chaos were professionals, the most striking character being a soldier with an iron fist and a red star on his hand. The country had enough problems. And some politicians were only interested in regaining their immunity.
"Right now, Ledov is an asset that can't be lost; it's very important for the country." The attempt to calm down was interrupted when one of the deputies practically ran into the office.
- We lost Ledov - one short phrase drove the man crazy and he started swearing right there in the office.
The battle in Asgard began to slowly wind down. No one could figure out what the invaders were trying to achieve . Their attack had been unexpected. But the odds were too great. As soon as the guards regrouped, the attack fizzled out. The King of Asgard himself , cutting down dozens of enemies with his spear, inspired the soldiers.
While the remnants of the invading forces were being secured in one part of the palace, another battle was taking place in another part.
The Dark Elf Lord Malekith pursued his goal, the very reason for this entire battle. The only one standing before him now, and his target, was Queen Frigga . Of course, she failed to defeat Malekith , but that wasn't her goal.
The current goal was to save Jane Foster. Lying and bleeding, the Queen understood that she had, if not entirely, accomplished her task. Her only regret was that she had been unable to reconcile her children, but perhaps grief over their loss could unite them.
Anger and helplessness, that's what Odin's eldest son felt now.
Realizing the attack was aimed at kidnapping Jane, Thor immediately rushed to find his beloved. Of course, while he was fighting, his mother had taken Jane to a safer location. But he wasn't allowed to search; moving from one corridor to the next, he dealt with his enemies with a ferocity he'd never encountered before. Having cleared the corridor, his friends caught up with him, along with someone he certainly didn't expect to see there. Of course, there would be time for greetings and feasting later; now, battle awaited them.
, Thor couldn't imagine that while searching for Jane, he would find his mother lying on the floor, bleeding. The face of Malekith , who had fled from them under the cover of his bodyguard, would be remembered forever by the god of thunder.
Malekith's retreat . Then anger and helplessness set in. Anger at what Malekith had brought to Asgard , and helplessness at the thought of being powerless to do anything while watching his mother die. So he didn't even realize he was watching his comrade-in-arms now sitting next to his mother, calling out to him.
-...or. Thor Thor . Wake up. Quickly, here. - looking at Thor's empty gaze, Vlexa I had to lean over to cheer him up with a punch to the face - wake up, ****, do what I say
There was a moment of confusion from the blow and the thunder god himself seemed to come to his senses.
- Listen to me carefully, on my command you will send a lightning bolt into your mother-
- But But -
"Do as I f*cking say. One, two, now." As lightning coursed through Frigga's body , her heart beat a few times, enough for Alex to latch onto her with his abilities and artificially maintain her heartbeat while simultaneously trying to heal the wound from the sword strike.
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" At that moment, while everyone was distracted, the King of Asgard himself entered the room . Seeing his beloved lying on the floor in a pool of blood, he immediately rushed to her. But he was stopped by his own son, Thor, asking what had happened here.
- Father. Malekith attacked Mother. Now my friend is trying to help her, please don't interfere.
Having carefully examined his beloved and realizing she was still fit to be grazed, the King of Asgard called for healers. While issuing orders to his commanders, Odin began gathering information on the battle, occasionally glancing at the Midgardian who was restoring his wife's wounded body with water. The battle may have ended, but the damage Asgard had suffered would take a long time to repair.
In one of London's cheap bars, a woman in a nice business suit stood out among the local drunks. And the way she poured one drink after another gave some brave souls a glimmer of hope for a good night out.
- "Damn you, Ledov, damn you, Jones, how I hate you!" Elizaveta Green, throwing down another glass, cursed those responsible for her situation.
After Ledov's disappearance, her handler, Jones, informed her that she would have to shoulder all the blame for Russia's actions. Therefore, she was removed from the case. After "sending" Jones back to the womb, she went to the nearest bar.
Elizaveta sank back into her thoughts. She knew that the solace of alcohol was a temporary solution. But right now, it was important to her to simply disconnect from reality and forget her problems, even if just for a few hours.
As she was reaching for another shot, she paused as the noise in the bar suddenly died down. Looking around, she saw a bright beam of light in the window, breaking the usual darkness of evening London. Realizing something unusual was happening, she headed outside. Everyone nearby was staring at the beam. When the light disappeared, everyone began whispering in fear.
Remembering it wasn't her problem anymore, Green went to continue her unfinished business. After hypnotizing the glass for a few minutes, she finally brought it to her lips again. But this time, too, she didn't down the high-proof liquid. One of the culprits in her situation entered the bar along with several other agents.
"Green, consider yourself lucky. That conversation never happened," said a man of about forty, perfectly fitting the description of a secret service agent.
She looked at him with bewilderment. "What do you mean?" she asked with obvious displeasure.
"Ledov's back. And he's not alone. Let's just say he wasn't pleased that you were simply dismissed. So I'm asking you to come with me and help." The words came with great difficulty to a man unaccustomed to asking his subordinates.
The girl looked at her boss for half a minute, drank the lonely glass, and went forward without waiting for the others.
Just ten minutes later, Elizaveta returned to the special control area. It had become much noisier since her last visit.
She saw Ledov , who was now talking with Stark, and next to them stood Thor, who was holding a girl who matched the description of Jane Foster.
She tried to maintain her confidence as she approached the group, but the alcohol she had consumed was taking its toll.
- How nice that you are with us, Agent Green - a sly smile adorned the water manipulator - I have two pieces of news for you.
- Let's start with the bad one - even though her body didn't obey her well , she had enough courage.
- London will soon become the site of a battle with a hostile alien faction.
"Is it good?" the question was voiced more like a reflex.
"We have a plan." The girl considered the information for about ten seconds. "WHAT?" And now it seemed like the information had gotten through to her.