In his lab, Alex sat and watched intently as several reagents mixed under his influence. Developing various serums this way was unusual, but literally feeling what was happening inside the small, rotating ball of chemicals hanging before him could save him a lot of time.
- Well, let's see what happened - he took a little of the result and injected it into a syringe - how are you here, Jerry 27?
Approaching a laboratory mouse, he injected it with the resulting product and began recording the mouse's first reaction to the new version of the serum.
Realizing that the mouse did not die immediately, he calmed down a little, but an urgent call prevented him from continuing the experiment.
Within ten minutes, people in a specially fenced area, already accustomed to the frequent rainbow beam, calmly observed the arriving guest, who asked to speak with the head of the laboratory.
This time, the Crown Prince of Asgard himself arrived , nervously waiting on the spot and, upon meeting, decided to show what an Asgardian hug was.
- Wait , wait . That's enough. What happened? We're supposed to have a meeting in a couple of weeks.
Releasing himself from the embrace, Thor took a deep breath and when Alex led them to a secluded place for conversation, he said nervously.
- Can I ask you for help?
It's not every day that ancient beings visit people and say things like that.
- What a stupid question. Of course I'll help. But with what?
Loki was tried for his crimes. The decision was to banish Loki from Asgard .
- Wait. - Alex interrupted Thor. - After everything he did, he was just exiled?
- Not only.
Thor began to share all the information he had about the mad titan who reigns on the other side of the galaxy and kills half the population of every planet he conquers. And all this became known only after his brother finally decided to share the information.
- Pu pu pu - the gears started turning in Alex's head - what kind of help do you want?
"Loki is banished, but he may be useful in the future," the thunder god surprised himself by thinking about the future instead of finding a brawl and getting drunk afterwards. "Besides, I don't want to just let him go to who knows where. Therefore, I ask that he be kept in Midgard under your avenging supervision."
- Are you sure that leaving him on a planet that doesn't particularly like him is a good idea?
"You don't have to worry. Mother blocked his magic. So he won't be able to cast spells."
- But he is still an Asgardian and can easily cause a massacre here.
- That's exactly why I'm here. I'm sure you're strong enough so this won't be a problem.
After thinking a little, the scientist found a way out.
- Basically, I have a comfortable home with all the amenities in a two-by-two glass cube.
Thor, of course, didn't really appreciate it.
"I'd like to avoid putting him in a cage," he added after a moment, "at least if he behaves well."
- Thor, I understand everything, but I won't have time to keep an eye on him, let alone give him excursions.
- I understand everything, that's why…
The Rainbow Bridge started working again and carts started coming out of it and dumping a large pile of gold on the ground, which began to grow quickly and eventually looked like a pyramid about four meters high.
"This is a small compensation," Alex's intense gaze slightly unsettled the Asgardian . "This is gold from that pyramid where we were. It's yours and Stark's, and my share as payment for my brother's accommodation."
After examining the huge piles of shiny metal, the scientist finally made a decision that might come back to haunt him.
"Okay," a smile appeared on the thunder god's face after the answer, "but since I'm responsible for him, then everything will be as I see fit."
- Of course. As you say.
While the conversation was going on, many employees began to watch in shock as the flying transport unloaded a large quantity of gold and other valuables. And along with all this, the topic of conversation under guard came up.
Coming out of the space bridge, the fallen prince of Asgrad looked around and grinned at the person his brother was talking to.
- Ha. It will be interesting to know...
Splash.
Loki didn't have time to finish the sentence because enough water had accumulated around his head, which formed a ball and prevented him from breathing.
The armed escort became alarmed at such actions, but the prince reassured the guards with a simple wave of his hand.
For a few minutes, everyone calmly watched as Loki tried to do something to start breathing again.
- Alex, that's enough –
The orb moved behind Alex while the god of deception cleared his throat and, feeling better, launched an angry attack. Seeing all this, Thor could only sigh heavily.
- Okay. Let's do it again.
And now everyone watches for the second time as the failed enslaver of the earth moves convulsively, trying again and again to start breathing.
Thor watched all this with alarm, but he couldn't help himself. If Loki didn't see the power behind his "overseers," nothing good would happen to anyone.
A few minutes later, Loki was already lying lifeless on the ground, and Thor was already seriously fearing for his brother's life.
- Alex? –
But there was no reaction. Alex waited another minute and then abruptly removed all the liquid from Loki. The god of deceit's body even jerked as the water left his airway.
"So, how did you like it?" Alex crouched over the god, who was trying to catch his breath. "I can do this all day long, how about you?"
There was anger and hidden resentment on the younger brother's face, but he no longer rushed into battle.
- Fine. We'll discuss the terms of your stay here, but believe me, I could do much worse. So don't force me to get creative. Few people like that.
Alex gathered a small ball of water in his hand and began to transform it into something. Tentacles began sprouting from the ball, frantically moving and searching for something to cling to. In the empty space between these tentacles, toothy maws began to appear, giving no indication that this creature was a cute one.
- Swallow.
Alex's order made the fallen prince's eyes widen and his mouth close as tightly as possible.
Loki began to resist, but after Alex looked at Thor and winked at him, the god of thunder finally realized he himself opened his younger brother's mouth while the guards held him and the creature's tentacles began to cling to everything they could.
- No. I won't bulg .
However, when the "creature" was swallowed and the god of deception realized that he himself would not be able to get it out, Ledov spoke.
"The situation is this. I only have to think about it and that creature will eat you from the inside, and it will be very long and very painful."
Everyone shuddered a little at the picture presented.
- And then when you suffer, I will treat you and lock you in a cage where I will conduct many experiments on you.
Thor wanted to get a word in, but the mad scientist's hand stopped him.
"But your brother asked me to be gentler with you. So I will be unless you give me a reason to do otherwise."
Loki was about to speak out, but an incomprehensible movement in his stomach suddenly made him change his mind.
- Okay, Thor. One problem seems to be solved, but I can't just let him walk around here.
- I understand. If there's anything I can do to help.
Thor was determined to help his brother, albeit in his own way.
- We need to disguise it.
CEO of IceStorm Corporation was now sitting in her chair and watching the huge pile of gold that workers were slowly collecting and moving.
"He'll soon give me some bad news," Dasha's thoughts literally materialized when the man who had seated her in this position entered the office.
- How are you?
"I haven't given birth yet." The blonde stared at her guest. "What do we have today?"
Thor flew in, told a couple of stories, shared the latest news, and brought back some loot from our journey. Basically, everything was as usual.
She simply rolled her eyes at all this.
"I understand you're not telling me everything. I hope your silence doesn't come back to haunt me."
Here one of the famous superheroes hesitated.
- Here's the thing.
After spending a few minutes telling the story of the fate of the former leader of the invasion of the earth, he heard something categorical.
- No. I won't do that.
- I understand that this is not an easy task.
- I'm not going to be his nanny.
- You don't have to be his nanny. You just have to keep him busy, look at him.
Alex left the office and entered with a beautiful brunette with a dissatisfied face in a black business suit that did not hide all her advantages.
Shifting her gaze from one to the other , Dasha did not quite understand everything.
Things got a little more complicated when Alex waved his hand in front of the guest and the brunette's face changed to that of a man, which made the director's eyes widen because she recognized him from seeing him in photos a couple of times.
- You see. It's an illusion of Asgardian magic. No one will recognize him.
- I know about it, and that's enough for me.
- Everything will be fine. Trust me.
- What if he decides to kill me now?
At that moment, a smile appeared on the brunette's face at this thought.
- Don't worry, I've got insurance.
And he left, closing the door.
- Here Bitch . Well, I'll remember this. So...
- No, listen to me, you pathetic nobody - Loki began to approach with a satisfied smile - I am not going to obey some pathetic...
With those last words , when the brunette's hand touched the office's owner, the disguised god was simply thrown into the wall.
-What? Who did this?
And then he grabbed his stomach and fell to the ground with the feeling that he was being eaten from the inside.
-H...how?
For several minutes, Loki experienced excruciating pain, and it felt like something was about to burst from his chest. Blood began to flow from his mouth, and his condition quickly worsened.
- Well, how did you like it?
Loki's pain immediately stopped when Alex returned and looked at the fallen god in the guise of a woman with a smile.
Now you clearly understand what will happen to you. So answer me. Will you behave? Or should I call the guys who will gut you on the lab bench, and by the time your brother arrives, we'll put you back together so you won't even recognize yourself.
Loki's anger was clearly visible, but in this situation he still admitted his defeat.
Having seen all this, Dasha simply stood up and calmly approached the former conqueror.
- So what should I do with you now?
A new game and a new battle. The world's most popular virtual game recently released an update that added a variety of vehicles, from light jeeps to heavy tanks. Aircraft, from helicopters to high-speed fighters, and even quinjet-class aircraft , never before seen in any regular army.
Watching the Earthlings' aircraft being destroyed in the sky and tanks exploding on the ground from the Dark Elves' shelling as they attacked London, Yumiko smiled contentedly.
It was funny to watch new players struggling with the game's complex controls. There weren't just a few buttons to press to get the equipment working; it had to be activated manually. Hints helped, but they had to press almost the same buttons as real soldiers who had been doing this for years.
At first, players were excited about the new content, but when they realized that moving a vehicle wouldn't require just one button press, they were outraged. Why would players even spend several minutes getting a tank moving and then even more time adjusting the barrel and firing?
At first, given the widespread discontent, few people began to use technology, but over time, various groups began to emerge who were not afraid to learn and begin to take advantage of the advantages that the advent of technology offered.
Air support, troop transport, powerful cannon fire. Within a couple of weeks, all of this had become commonplace and began to attract even ardent fans of other game genres and former military personnel who, for various reasons, were unable to continue serving or those in the reserves.
The little Asian girl had no desire to interfere in the battle right now. She was simply enjoying what was happening around her.
She watched as one of the elves decided to throw a gravity grenade at a jeep carrying several players. She could already imagine how she could troll them .
Turning her head , she saw how one of the helicopters was simply laying down barrage fire, destroying both their own, the enemy, and civilian NPCs, who were falling by the dozens.
Yumiko made a note to herself that something needed to be done about this.
In another place, one of the players ran into the attack, who could make huge jumps and even at full speed could throw back a car that knocked down several invaders .
- "And now the supersoldiers are starting to appear ."
A player who was able to prove himself and gain a sufficient number of perks that could bring him to the level of strength of Captain America.
It's a shame these powers didn't instill in him teamwork and tactics. In the very next skirmish, he found himself alone against ten. The outcome was a foregone conclusion.
Of course, the ending of this map was obvious. Complete darkness, signifying victory for the alien enemies.
The high difficulty, cool mechanics, and the occasional chance to encounter a real hero on the map , controlling their own character, were very popular with the public.
Now Yumiko , since there was little to do, was having fun in the game until something distracted her.
A map appeared in front of her in the form of a hologram, with several markers located together.
- Now that's interesting.
A lot has changed for Steve Rogers lately. The world has changed dramatically, and Captain America hasn't kept up.
Everything used to be simple, and even during wartime, it was clear who was your enemy and who was your friend. Now, there are enemies you have to befriend, and friends who smile in your face but are actually preparing to stab you in the back.
This life was not for him.
After the Battle of New York, all the Avengers went their separate ways.
Steve learned on the news that there had been another invasion, and as he was about to rush to help, he was stopped by the other team members. Fortunately, everything ended well.
For a while, Natasha was with him, a good fighter he could trust to watch his back and who kept an eye on him while he wasn't on missions, but then Fury took her away on a mission. Luckily for Steve, Clint Barton was appointed as his new supervisor, replacing the femme fatale who constantly embarrassed him.
At first, he knew little about him due to all the confusion with the tessarcat . But then, after a couple of evenings of drinking beer together at the bar, they found common ground, and Clint began helping him navigate this world.
At some point, Clint admitted that he recommended that Fury remove him from missions so that he could get his mental health back on track, but the director of Shield did not do this, and Steve was grateful for this, even though he understood the archer's good intentions.
The missions helped distract him, and the appearance of another supersoldier in another part of the world , operating more openly despite being considered a former criminal, forced the first supersoldier to work harder. After all, people, intentionally or not, began comparing them to each other.
While stories have been written about Captain America, few know what he's doing now, the Red Guardian now looked like he was trying to atone for his sins. He could be seen in numerous skirmishes across his country, and between skirmishes, he would appear in various locations with numerous cameras and large donations.
Steve even felt a little envious. His entire acting career consisted of raising money from citizens for the war. He wouldn't mind finding a way to help people without killing other people, either. The guard himself traveled to various aid centers and gave rare interviews in his spare time.
Of course, after such actions by the Russians, Washington sent a specialist to promote one of their symbols, but Steve refused. He'd been in that role before and didn't like it.
He was a soldier, and now he was on a mission. A mission to free a ship belonging to the Shield from pirates.