Hill of Hope

God of Thunder

Maria sat at her desk, engrossed in her work. The faint hum of computers and the muffled chatter of fellow agents filled the room. Suddenly, her phone buzzed, and the display showed the name "Nick Fury" flashing across the screen.

Maria picked up the phone and answered. "What's up, Fury?"

Fury's voice crackled through the receiver: "Maria, something isn't right. I need you to go to the location of the hammer and check if it's still there, bring Barton just in case. I've been trying to reach Coulson, but he's not responding."

Maria's brows furrowed in worry.  Coulson was always the first to respond. "Understood. I'll head there immediately and find out what's going on."

From the table opposite to her, she saw Hope's puzzled look. 

"I'll explain later," Maria said standing up. 

She quickly found Agent Clint Barton, also known as Hawkeye, and informed him of the situation. Together, they gathered their gear and made their way to the remote location where the hammer was located.

As they approached the site,  Maria and Clint spread out to secure the area, cautiously moving towards the hammer's location.

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Maria and Clint stood at the spot where the hammer was supposed to be, their eyes widening in disbelief as they found nothing but an empty space.

A man in a white gown approached them, his expression a mix of astonishment and confusion. "Agent Hill, Agent Barton! We've been trying to reach the Shield Headquarters but something has messed up our signal."

"Where is the hammer?", Maria asked bewildered.

 "You won't believe it... I was here keeping watch, and suddenly the hammer... it lifted itself from the ground. It was like it had a mind of its own."

Maria's mind raced with questions, her voice filled with urgency. "Did you see where it went? Do you have any idea who or what might be behind this?"

The man shook his head, his tone filled with disbelief. "I'm sorry, Agent Hill. It happened so fast. The hammer shot up into the sky, disappearing into the distance. I've never seen anything like it in my life."

Clint's gaze hardened as he looked at Maria. "This can't be a coincidence. Someone or something must have taken the hammer. We need to find out who and why."

Maria nodded. "You're right, Clint. We need to inform Fury immediately."

As they made their way back,  the sudden disappearance of the hammer and the events that had unfolded left Maria with more questions than answers. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were dealing with something beyond their understanding, something of immense power.

Upon reaching their base, Maria wasted no time contacting Fury. 

-

Maria and Hope were engrossed in their training session. 

When it was time for their break, Maria took a deep breath, her voice steady but tinged with concern. "Hope, I need to tell you something it's about the mission. The hammer S.H.I.E.L.D had secured... it's gone."

"We're not entirely sure, but it seems like someone or something took control of the hammer's power. Clint witnessed a blonde man attempting to lift it a couple of days ago, but that suspicion is quite farfetched."

Hope's eyes had widened, a mix of surprise and worry crossing her face.

 Instinctively, she reached out and gently squeezed Maria's hand. Maria felt a jolt of warmth shot through her, her cheeks flushing slightly.

However, before Maria could fully process the significance of the touch, she heard footsteps approaching. Natasha and Sharon entered the training area, their gazes shifting between the two women. Maria quickly released Hope's hand, her cheeks turning a shade deeper.

Sharon smirked, her voice filled with playful teasing. "Well, well, what's this? Maria, you've been holding out on us, haven't you?"

Maria rolled her eyes, her cheeks still warm. " We were just discussing the situation with the hammer, Sharon."

Natasha chuckled, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Sure, just discussing. I've heard that one before."

Hope, feeling slightly self-conscious, decided to excuse herself for a moment. "I'm going to grab some water. I'll be right back."

As Hope walked away, Sharon stepped closer to Maria, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Holding hands? So you like like her."

Maria's cheeks flushed deeper, and she crossed her arms defensively. "We're just colleagues, Sharon. Can we please focus on the mission?"

Natasha chimed in, adding to the banter. "Don't worry, Maria. We'll get to the bottom of this mystery and find out who took the hammer. And then, maybe we can have a little heart-to-heart about your 'just colleagues' status."

Maria let out a soft chuckle, eagerly to switch the topic. "Fine, but I'm telling you, you will be disappointed. We are just colleagues."

Just then, Hope returned with a bottle of water in her hand. Sensing the change in atmosphere, she raised an eyebrow, her voice curious. "Did I miss something?"

Sharon and Natasha exchanged knowing glances. "Nothing important, just some speculations about the disappearing hammer," Sharon replied with a smile.

Maria nodded, her heart beating twice as fast as it had been.  

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