147: The Fantastic Four Appear

The powerful energy fluctuations spread out, destroying the experimental base's power supply. The entire underground lab fell into darkness, with only a few emergency lights on providing dim lighting.

After a short time, the energy column from the Tesseract vanished completely. As it disappeared, a spear-wielding figure stood at the point of impact.

Seeing the man, Fury quickly made out his appearance. Noting the light blue weapon in his hand, Fury said: "Sir, put down the spear!"

Having just teleported in, Loki looked at the scepter in hand, taking a moment to reorient himself: "It seems we arrived safely!"

Finished speaking, Loki raised his scepter. The energy quickly gathered at its tip before releasing as a blue shockwave.

Hawkeye reacted immediately, pushing Fury away.

"Careful!"

The armed agents seeing Fury attacked opened fire without hesitation. But the hail of bullets that could turn a normal person to mush only sparked small flashes on Loki's body.

Jumping up, between the scepter's energy blasts and other means, Loki swept away the lab's security in a minute. Glancing around, he approached the just knocked-down Hawkeye who had shielded Fury.

Seeing Loki approach, Hawkeye tried fighting back with a gun, but Loki gripped his wrist.

"You are loyal, mortal!"

Without waiting for a response, Loki tapped Hawkeye's chest with the scepter.

Hawkeye's body seemed to freeze, then the scepter's stone glowed light blue. Under the energy's effect, Hawkeye's eyes slowly shifted to light blue.

Having gotten to his feet, Fury watched this astonished - he knew Hawkeye's strength best. Such a top S.H.I.E.L.D agent had been helpless before this mysterious man. But what Hawkeye did next dumbfounded Fury even more.

He saw Hawkeye holster his gun and stand respectfully before Loki. Fury immediately realized Hawkeye was being controlled. This person also wielded power beyond Fury's grasp. He had to escape quickly.

While Loki continued controlling the others, Fury removed the Tesseract from its machine and put it in a special briefcase, preparing to secretly leave. But Loki's voice came from behind:

"Stay there. I still need that, you can't take it yet. I came for what's in your case there."

"Sorry, I don't know who you are, so I can't give it to you."

Fury stared Loki down, though his mind raced figuring an escape route.

Loki held up the scepter proudly, introducing himself: "I am Loki, from Asgard."

"I have a glorious purpose here."

"Loki - Thor's brother?" Fury looked shocked. Phil Coulson had briefed him thoroughly on Thor, so Loki's name wasn't unfamiliar. Especially his title, God of Mischief and Trickery.

To Fury, those excelling at lies and scheming were the most dangerous. "Our people have nothing to do with each other, I cannot give this to you."

Loki's mouth curved into a smile.

Just as he was about to continue arguing with Fury, the controlled Hawkeye interjected: "He's stalling sir. This place will implode soon from the energy shockwave - it activated the self-destruct. The hundreds of meters of earth above will collapse shortly. His plan is burying us alive."

Seeing Hawkeye expose his plan, Fury glared at him angrily. Even controlled, his sharp observation was still peerless, and that was the most troublesome.

The controlled Dr. Selvig looked at the computer and said.

"He speaks the truth. The tunnels will collapse in under two minutes. We'll die here unless we leave now."

"We must go."

At Loki's order, Hawkeye fired his gun. With a bang, Fury toppled to the ground.

Loki and his new minions took the Tesseract briefcase and strode past Fury's 'corpse'.

After they left, Fury rose clutching his chest.

"Damn...Barton, you betray me this way?"

With effort, he pulled the bullet that nearly killed him from his body armor.

Immediately Fury spoke into his radio: "Hill! Barton is being controlled, don't let them leave!"

After speaking, gunshots sounded from the other end.

"Crap!"

Fury had to flee immediately, or the collapse would bury him alive.

Shortly after, in the helicopter Fury turned back to look at the ruined base. After a loud boom, the entire ground sank in.

"Director, can you hear me? Are you getting a signal?"

Phil Coulson's voice sounded through the walkie-talkie. Clearly unaware of the situation, just overseeing evacuation.

"Phil, Tesseract's fallen into enemy hands. What about you?"

"I just finished evacuating, all key data is preserved."

Hearing that, Fury asked: "Hill, status?" After a while, her feeble voice came through:

"Nearly buried alive...many colleagues still trapped, don't know how many survived..." Hill crawled from the rubble looking haggard.

Fury's voice followed on the radio: "Inform all survivors, to try tracking the suitcase. Go to alert level 7 - we're compromised."

Hearing that, Phil Coulson's expression darkened understanding the gravity. Not S.H.I.E.L.D's highest alert, but it was the first time it was used since the organization's founding. Things were clearly problematic.

Phil pressed the intercom: "Understood Director!"

"Return to New York, now!" The helicopter rose, flying back towards the city.

New York City

Andrew sat alone watching scenes projected before him - the collapsed tunnels, instantly obscured by dust and smoke. It looked like some doomsday movie, but he tapped the sofa armrest with his fingers:

"So that power I felt earlier came from the Tesseract. Loki has reached Earth too it seems. The Chitauri Army will likely follow and a world-shocking war will erupt in New York soon."

"Red Queen."

"Master, I'm here."

Andrew regarded her: "Is Gwen's new suit ready yet?"

By Gwen's personality, once the war started in New York, she would certainly jump in to assist. Not that Andrew worried for her safety now with the Vibranium suit. But for such combat, a stronger suit was best.

The Red Queen responded: "Master, it may need more time. Though Vibranium has great biological properties, it still requires some integration time with the symbiote."

Andrew nodded: "If I happen to be away and Gwen faces the aliens again, send the new suit immediately."

The Red Queen's projected expression furrowed very human-like: "Master, what do you mean, you'll be away for some time?"

Andrew stood and walked to the window, gazing into the distance. "I just have a hunch I'll be away for a while. And massive war may erupt in New York during my absence."

As his synchronization with The Emperor Armor grew deeper, his body and mind grew stronger. Andrew felt an inexplicable sense lately, similar to Gwen's Spider-Sense, capable of predicting danger before its arrival. He had that premonition presently.

"Understood Master."

"If Miss Gwen asks, how do I reply?"

"Just say I left urgently to return to my Hometown for some time."

The Red Queen nodded: "Understood Master."

Not long after they finished, Gwen swung in through the outside window and excitedly went to Andrew: "Guess what? I just met a flaming man flying with his whole body on fire!"

"There was a rock-looking guy, and one stretching like rubber...they fought some metal-covered man..."

After seeing Anna off, responding to a police alert intercepted by the Red Queen upon leaving the airport, Gwen had rushed over. Andrew initially thought it was just a rogue mutant causing trouble.

But hearing Gwen's surprise, he realized it involved the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom. It had been a while since their ship crashed. From Gwen's depiction, the four seemed to have teamed up against Dr. Doom.

"Must have been an eventful night for you then?" Andrew took Gwen's hand, moving to the sofa together. Gwen immediately recounted:

"You bet! I trapped the one called Victor in webs. Then at my suggestion, the flaming one surrounded him and won using chimney effect generated heat."

Seeing Gwen's proud narration, Andrew could imagine the scene. Although not the most powerful, Gwen's unconstrained fighting consciousness was often key to winning. Andrew fondly ruffled her hair:

"That's our amazing Spider-Girl alright!"

Gwen beamed up at him: "You know it! Oh, Andrew, my dad is arresting Norman tomorrow and I want to help them."

Andrew smiled: "Didn't I already promise that at the airport?"

Gwen quickly shook her head: "I mean, I want the Red Queen to first hack Oscorp's systems."

"Get their floor plans, locate Norman and the rest, so we can chase them down quickly if they escape tomorrow."

"It'll be like paper to the Queen's firewall. Oscorp's network is nothing to her." Andrew's words weren't exaggerating at all. Apart from Stark Industries' firewall being somewhat difficult, the Red Queen could instantly penetrate any other organization's defenses if the internet is connected.

With Andrew's approval, Gwen quickly pecked his cheek: "That's your reward!"

In Gwen's view, although the Red Queen assisted her in crime-fighting, she was ultimately Andrew's AI housekeeper. Mobilizing the Red Queen still required Andrew's consent first, out of mutual respect.

"You've already rewarded me, so I'll give you a return gift!"

Andrew pounced on Gwen who nimbly evaded his sneak attack: "No way! I still have to go on patrol..."

"Pika...chu..."

Hearing them play, Pikachu also scampered out from his room. Gwen picked him up happily: "Pikachu, Andrew's bullying me. Help me out!"

"Pikachu, come to me."

Getting Andrew's order, Pikachu jumped to his shoulder.

"Pika...Pika..."

"Pikachu, no more snacks for you."

Andrew smiled evilly: "Got you now...take my return gift!"

"..."

Beside the sofa, the Red Queen watched them play together. A very human-like envious look flashed in her eyes.

"If only I could play with Master and them too..."

To be continued...

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