"Boss, this is Phil Coulson!"
Phil's urgent tone crackled over the communicator as his face appeared on the large screen aboard the SHIELD aircraft carrier.
Fury's eyes, bloodshot and steeled by determination, softened just a fraction at the sight of his loyal agent.
"Welcome back to the team, Agent Coulson." His voice measured despite the underlying intensity.
"Tell me what's up."
Taking a controlled breath. "Boss, Soren just finished an analysis on Loki's character. I suspect he'll launch the Tesseract activation at the Stark Industrial Building."
"It's right in the center of New York, public, heavily watched, and fueled by that endless reactor energy."
"Stark Building, you say?" He rubbed his chin.
"Loki wouldn't risk it on a quiet spot, he craves spectacle. Good work, Coulson."
Notify Tony and Captain America immediately. Tell them, Loki's target is the Stark Building. Get in position and stop him before he opens that portal!"
A nearby agent, Hill, immediately saluted and dashed off, her boots clacking against the metal floor.
Coulson continued, lowering his voice with an edge of worry. "Boss, there's more. Thor is here at the Doctor's hospital… huh."
Almost as if summoned by fate, a ripple of spatial energy unveiled Bruce Banner stepping through the room.
Banner, back in his human form, though shaken and covered in dust, landed next to Coulson.
"Um, our old friend Dr. Banner is here too." Coulson added, a wry smile tugging at his lips even as he remained cautious.
Fury sighed, a mixture of relief and disbelief. "Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, today, it seems the Avengers are converging in the most unexpected place. Soren's influence is… frightening."
After hanging up, Coulson hurried over to Banner. "Doctor, how do you feel?"
Banner attempted a weary smile while brushing off the dust from his clothes. "I'm… a mess, Phil. I was caught in that explosion. The fighter plane hit me hard. I even ended up in an abandoned factory. But I'm alive."
At that moment, a gruff chuckle echoed from the corner of the room. Soren, with a look of amused exasperation.
"Banner, you really know how to make an entrance. And speaking of entrances, where's the potions I left for you?"
Banner's face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and chagrin. "Sir… I'm sorry."
"I lost my mind… quite literally, before I could use it. The chaos got the better of me, and everything..." His voice trailed off, conveying remorse.
There was a deep respect hidden beneath his apology, respect for Soren's abilities that he admired and feared.
Soren's eyes sparkled with gentle humor.
"I also lost the potions." Banner confessed in a low, almost whisper-like tone.
Seeing the look on Banner's face, sweat on his brow, guilt in his eyes.
To Banner, Soren wasn't just another strong individual. He had seen the kind of overwhelming power the man wielded. Soren was calm, methodical… and terrifying in a way Banner rarely admitted about anyone.
Soren, nonchalant as ever, held out two sleek vials glowing like some back store drug dealer..
"Inject these." He said, handing them over.
"One will patch up your body. The other's for your mind. You'll need both if you're going up against what's coming."
Banner hesitated only a second before nodding and jabbing the first one into his neck. A soothing warmth spread through his veins instantly. The tight pain in his shoulders and ribs faded.
The second injection brought clarity, lifting his clouded brain back to quietness.
"Honestly." Soren folding his arms with a small grin,
"If Phil Coulson weren't right here to confirm it, SHIELD would think you'd completely lost your mind."
Banner let out a dry laugh. "They wouldn't be wrong…"
"Doesn't matter." Soren continued, waving off the concern. "You and Thor are both here. Saves me time. I can treat you together and make sure your heads are in the game.
Thor laughed heartily. "You have my word, Soren. I will not raise Mjolnir in this place. Unless Loki's serpent tongue finds a way here first."
Though he said it with bravado, Thor's gratitude was visible in the way his shoulders eased slightly.
The last few days had weighed heavily on him, losing his brother, watching the Tesseract fall into the wrong hands.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host. You've healed Bruce Banner, a B+-level character, and earned mission points.]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host. You've treated Thor, an A-level character, and earned mission points.]
Soren paused, a bit taken aback by the notification. B+?
He remembered when the Hulk was barely a B- level when they first crossed paths. How had he leveled up so quickly?
Was he like Electro, able to level up on his own?
He shook his head slightly, brushing the thought aside. The system clearly had its quirks.
As he glanced at the mission panel, he saw that he'd healed 2/3 A-level characters. What had originally seemed like the most difficult task now appeared to be the easiest.
Maybe the system has a few bugs after all.
He turned his gaze to Thor, who was recovering on the couch, the god still looking a little worse for wear.
He paused, staring at Thor for a long second.
If I "accidentally" get him hurt real bad, then patch him up again... that's two treatments, right?
Soren blinked and quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought.
"Okay, that's going a little too far, even for me."
"Alright. The real fight is close. If the aliens hit New York, I'll call in Zilant."
Thor perked up. "Zilant?"
Soren only smiled, but before he could respond, a blinding streak cut across the sky above the Everlife Medical Center.
"Look!" Coulson pointed up as a SHIELD Quinjet streaked by, the Avengers insignia gleaming on the side. It made a sharp bank, descending toward a nearby helipad.
"That's Tony!" Coulson's voice rose with excitement. "They're here!"
Tony and the others arrived quickly. After sending a message to Fury, the Avengers had mobilized, and now they were here.
Thor gripped Mjolnir tightly, and with a mighty swing, a bolt of thunder cracked the sky. The lightning surged down, striking Mjolnir with a deafening roar.
As the energy flowed through him, Thor's armor began to materialize, shimmering into place as he entered a full combat state.
Beside him, Banner rolled up his sleeves. He hated Loki for what he had done, and the urge to beat him senseless burned in his chest.
But as he glanced down at his hands, the familiar weight of uncertainty settled in. Without Soren's calming potion, he knew all too well how easily he could lose control.
Banner hesitated. "I want to, but… without the inhibitor serum, I'm not sure I can control it."
"I don't want to be the reason New York gets leveled."
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
Dare you peek into my other tales? The opening three chapters of select stories are free to all.
PhantomDream