Chapter 24: Loki's Return, The Tesseract's Power, Agency's Warning
The calm before the storm. It was a phrase Adam knew well from his meta-knowledge, and it applied perfectly to the quiet hum of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility. They were studying the Tesseract, oblivious to the trickster god who was about to make his grand, terrifying return. Adam, watching the live feeds from his agency's command center, felt a chill run down his spine. This was it. The big one.
"Loki. The God of Mischief. And the guy who's about to kick off the biggest alien invasion since… well, since never. This is going to be a nightmare. A fun, chaotic, incredibly dangerous nightmare. Good thing I've got a team that thrives on chaos."
"Jemma, Skye, I need you on high alert," Adam said, his voice unusually serious. "The Tesseract. It's about to go critical. And Loki's coming. He's going to use it to bring an army."
Jemma, her face pale, stared at the energy readings. "The Tesseract's power signature is escalating rapidly, Adam! It's… it's almost alive! And there's a faint, secondary signature, like a… a portal opening!"
Skye's fingers flew across her keyboard. "I'm getting reports of a massive energy surge at the facility! S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are losing contact!"
Adam knew the sequence of events: Loki's arrival, mind-controlling Clint and Selvig, stealing the Tesseract. He needed to warn S.H.I.E.L.D., subtly, without revealing too much.
He used his Technopathy to send an anonymous, encrypted message to Fury's personal S.H.I.E.L.D. tablet. The message was simple: "LOKI. TESSERACT. IMMINENT. PREPARE FOR INVASION. - A.S."
Fury, in his office, stared at the message, his single eye narrowing. He tried to trace it, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. He slammed his hand on his desk. "Coulson! Get me eyes on the Tesseract facility! Now!"
Adam watched the live feed as the portal opened. Loki, regal and menacing, stepped through, his scepter glowing. He moved with chilling efficiency, using the scepter to mind-control Clint Barton and Dr. Selvig.
"He's here," Adam breathed. "And he's already got Clint. Damn it."
He knew he couldn't stop Loki directly. Not yet. But he could make things harder for him. He could create diversions.
He focused on the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents trying to contain Loki. He pictured their weapons.
[Illusions & Holograms activated. Target: Optic Nerves. Effect: Weapon Malfunction.]
Suddenly, several agents' guns shimmered, then appeared to turn into brightly colored water pistols. The agents stared, bewildered, as Loki effortlessly disarmed them.
Loki, seeing the bizarre sight, paused, a faint, amused smirk on his face. "What childish tricks are these?"
Adam, unseen, chuckled. "Just a little something to make your grand entrance a little less… grand, Loki. You're welcome."
He watched as Loki, Clint, and Selvig escaped with the Tesseract. The facility was in chaos. Fury was on the phone, barking orders. The Avengers Initiative was about to be activated.
[Achievement Unlocked: Witness a Plot (Loki's return, Tesseract theft). Reward: 100 System Points. Achievement Unlocked: Change a Plot (Minor disruption to Loki's escape). Reward: 50 System Points.]
"Alright, team," Adam said, turning from the screens, his face grim. "Phase one: complete. Loki's got the Tesseract. Phase two: the Avengers assemble. And we're going to be their unseen support crew. Get ready for New York."
Jemma was already pulling up data on alien invasion protocols. Skye was trying to trace the Tesseract's energy signature. Matt Murdock, on the phone, was probably already bracing for the legal fallout of a literal alien invasion.