29

When John reached the door, Ferdinand had already been waiting for quite some time.

"Boss, wow—"

Ferdinand couldn't hide his excitement when he saw Natasha standing next to John. If it wasn't John, he thought, none of the women around him would ever be anything less than stunning. Natasha's aura, a blend of workplace elite and striking beauty, was like a magnet for street toughs and gentlemen alike.

Ferdinand nervously adjusted his sleeves, hoping no crumbs from the cheese-fried chicken he'd just wolfed down would betray him. Giving John a knowing look, he thoughtfully opened the back seat door.

I really am the perfect employee, he thought with pride.

Natasha caught John's eye, then strolled to the back of the car with a soft, amused smile. Just as she was about to take her seat, John gently stopped her, opened the passenger door, and nudged her inside with a smile. "I don't like people sitting behind me."

Even Natasha, a top agent, couldn't suppress a laugh at his stubbornness.

Don't you know how to cherish a beautiful woman? she thought, rolling her eyes at him before sliding into the passenger seat and shutting the door with a little extra force.

Ferdinand silently gave John a thumbs-up in the rearview mirror. "You're the man, boss."

John settled into the back seat and called out to Ferdinand, who was still busy admiring Natasha. "If you don't want this job, I can always find a new assistant to drive."

"I'm on it, boss!" Ferdinand scrambled into the driver's seat, then reached out to Natasha with what he hoped was a charming smile. "Ferdinand Pearce, the boss's driver."

"Natalie Romankov," Natasha replied, shaking his hand with a gentle grace that nearly made Ferdinand swoon.

John tapped Ferdinand's bald head with a finger. "Drive."

"Right away, boss."

Ferdinand pulled his head back, started the car, and asked, "Where to?"

"Just drive for now…" John replied, his voice trailing off. He was planning to stay at Taran Industries, but something caught his attention.

Ferdinand grew uneasy when John didn't answer for a long while. Natasha glanced into the rearview mirror and saw John gazing sideways out the window, his expression distant.

"Boss?" Ferdinand prompted again.

John's eyes were fixed outside. Standing quietly on the curb was a figure in a yellow robe.

"What are you doing here, Ancient One?" John muttered, eyeing the two people in the front seat, who were suddenly frozen in place. This was the Ancient One's doing.

The Ancient One revealed her pale arms, pulled back her hood, and said calmly, "It's time to fulfill our agreement, Witch King."

"Someone has broken into this world. He will bring disaster and war."

John was surprised. "You're not handling this yourself?"

The Ancient One smiled gently. "We have an agreement, do we not?"

John sighed, leaning back in his seat and glancing at her. "At least tell me what's going on."

"That man came from Asgard," the Ancient One said. "One was banished into this world, and another followed."

"This is a test," she continued, waving her hand. Sparks twisted behind her, forming a portal. "I can send you there, Witch King."

John shook his head, stroking his chin. "No need. Maybe a trip will add a little adventure to my vacation. Learn to enjoy it, Master."

The Ancient One vanished as suddenly as she had appeared.

"Boss?" Ferdinand called out, snapping John from his thoughts. "Where are we going—Taran Industries or back home?"

"Neither. Let's go to the airport," John replied, the corners of his mouth lifting. He glanced at Natasha. "Time to put your skills to use, Miss Assistant. I need a ticket to the land of enchantment before noon."

"Are you going by yourself?" Natasha asked, surprised. They had just finished negotiating with General Ross, and now John was leaving?

Natasha struggled to keep up with his shifting plans.

"Ferdinand, as a veteran employee, you should show the new hire how things are done," John said, closing his eyes and ignoring Natasha's confusion.

Ferdinand grinned and leaned toward Natasha. "As an employee, you just do your job and don't ask too many questions. If you're ever unsure, just ask me."

He tried to sneak a glance at the snowy skin beneath Natasha's shirt, but she ignored him. With a stomp on the accelerator, the car headed for the airport.

Natasha, still puzzled, pulled out her phone and started looking up flights. "Two tickets to New Mexico—"

"One," John interrupted, opening his eyes and letting the brief flicker of darkness fade from them. "And make it first class. Let me enjoy my vacation, Natalie."

Natasha had no choice but to adjust the booking.

Outside New York Airport, Ferdinand and Natasha watched John stride inside.

Ferdinand rubbed his hands together and took a couple of steps toward Natasha. "I know a great fried chicken place—want to try it?"

"I'm going to the restroom," Natasha replied, walking away to follow John.

As John disappeared into the terminal, Natasha's expression shifted several times before she finally made a call.

"He's headed to New Mexico," she reported.

Nick Fury was on the other end. He was puzzled by John's sudden departure, especially after just closing a major deal. But New Mexico… that was where Coulson was stationed. Was there a connection?

Fury's mind raced. "You're his assistant now. Use that access to learn everything you can while he's away."

"Shouldn't I follow him?" Natasha asked.

Fury, glancing at several files with photos of blonde women, replied calmly, "Coulson will handle it."

Natasha was reluctant, but she obeyed.

Outside, Ferdinand waited for Natasha to return. Bored, he spotted a group of kids with skateboards and wandered over, eager to show off. "Hey, let me show you how it's done!" he called, not noticing a pair of eyes watching him from a nearby car.

New Mexico.

A lively commotion was underway.

Not long ago, a hammer had fallen from the sky, crashing into the New Mexico desert and leaving a deep crater. The first person to find it tried to take it away, but no matter how hard he pulled, the hammer wouldn't budge.

Word spread, and soon the whole town was buzzing with curiosity. Some brought grills and beer, turning the site into an impromptu festival. Everyone took turns trying to lift the hammer, and everyone failed.

An old man with white hair even tried using his pickup truck, chaining it to the hammer and revving the engine. The tires spun, mud flew, and with a loud "Bang!" the chain snapped, leaving the hammer unmoved.

The old man poked his head out. "Did it work?"

The crowd burst into laughter. His wife, wearing a sunhat, marched over and tugged him out of the truck by the ear. "You broke our car, Stan!"

After that, everyone agreed: no one could lift this thing.

A black sedan rolled up. A man in sunglasses and a suit stepped out, surveyed the scene, and called, "Sir, we found it."

Agent Coulson had arrived on orders from SHIELD. He was ready to secure the hammer and contain any threat. He ordered his team to seal the area.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed with static. "Electromagnetic interference?" Coulson muttered, making a mental note to request a new phone.

He stepped aside, unaware that behind a nearby rock, a small golden head was peeking out, watching him curiously before ducking away and disappearing into a burrow.

At the New Mexico airport, John stepped off the plane, rubbing his temples. "First class is wasted on kids," he muttered. Even in luxury, noisy children could make his head spin.

Outside, taxis lined the curb. John walked to the street, raised his hand, and a cab that had been about to stop for someone else suddenly veered over and stopped in front of him. The driver, confused, shrugged and opened the door.

John slid into the back seat, pulled out his wallet, and flashed a stack of bills. The driver's eyes widened.

"Where to?"

"Old Bridge Town," John replied, tucking ten crisp bills into the driver's collar.

The driver grinned. "You got it. Hold on tight."

The taxi peeled out, leaving a streak of rubber on the pavement.

Sometimes, it's not just shooting stars or pies that fall from the sky. Sometimes, it's a grown man.

Jane Foster was convinced she was having the worst day of her life. First, she and her team accidentally hit a man who had fallen from the sky. They rushed him to the hospital, only to discover later that he was the very person at the center of their research.

After a convoluted series of events, they picked him up again. The man had been hit twice and seemed completely delusional, rambling about Thor and the Rainbow Bridge.

Dr. Erik Selvig, Jane's colleague, chalked it up to childhood stories and dismissed the man's claims as fantasy. When the stranger insisted on going to the crater, Selvig decided to part ways.

But when Jane returned to her lab, she was met with bad news: a group calling themselves the Strategic Homeland Defense Attack and Logistics Support Agency had come to seize her research. Leading them was Agent Coulson.

Jane protested, but Selvig urged her to let it go—these people were not to be trifled with. Still, Jane refused to back down, arguing fiercely over her equipment.

As the debate heated up, a yellow taxi pulled in front of the SHIELD convoy and refused to move.

A man stepped out, tucking bills into the driver's hand.

Coulson looked over. "I don't recall you submitting a resignation letter. Is this your new part-time job?"

The man approached, half-smiling, half-serious.

"Greg," Coulson said, his eyes narrowing in recognition.