The Avengers: Featuring Salem Ridge

Agent Ridge

"Salem, it's Coulson. We've got a situation. Pick up the phone, it's about the Tesseract."

The landline beeps as the message ends. Groggily, Salem turned over in bed. She glances at the phone, reading that according to the timestamp, the voicemail came in just seconds ago at 6:58 am. 

Along with 7 others.

"Shit," she mumbled. 

With a groan, Salem sat up in bed and brought a hand to her forehead. She was supposed to be enjoying a brief stay at a SHIELD safehouse in San Francisco after her most recent mission left her there. If Agent Coulson was calling this early on her week off, something must really be wrong.

Although, she thinks to herself, it's not like she ever actually gets a day off. Recently it seems that something is always really wrong.

That is, ever since her little excursion in New Mexico last year with the God of Thunder. That encounter had left a bad taste in SHEILD's mouth, and now at any slight sign of extraterrestrial activity, Salem got a phone call. She sighed, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and pressing her bare feet to the floor. The cold linoleum made her bones ache, and she groaned at the thought of having to get out of her warm bed. Finally after some pitiful self-motivation, Salem stood.

Salem, fighting back thoughts of sleep, tried to think of what she knew. The Tesseract was a glowing blue cube she'd first encountered during her early days on earth, back when she was fighting Nazi's instead of Gods from space. It got lost in the ocean alongside her friend and partner, Steve Rogers, several decades ago. She also knew that neither of those things had remained lost. The cube had been discovered in the ocean a few years after the first World War ended, and it had been in SHIELD custody ever since.

Recently, Salem knew the Tesseract had been at a secure location, where it was being jointly studied by SHIELD agents and NASA scientists. Led by arguably the world's best astrophysicist, Eric Selvig, the cube's testing had revealed very little at this point. Ever since Salem and the God of Thunder, Thor, had their dance with the prodigal son, Loki, the cube had been going haywire. While Dr. Selvig was interested in its scientific properties, SHIELD, Salem knew, was far more interested in how those properties could benefit mankind.

The thing was no larger than a basketball, but yet it had the potential energy to power the entire planet indefinitely. Salem thought of the power it wielded, and recalled the path of destruction which followed when Hydra had the cube in its possession all those years ago. It wasn't exactly a peaceful time on Earth. If Agent Coulson was calling Salem about a "situation" regarding the Tesseract, she knew it couldn't be good.

"Computer, call Coulson back," Salem said as she pulled on a shirt.

"Calling Agent Phil Coulson," her computer responds. One benefit of working for an international intelligence organization was the tech, she had to admit. She could count the amount of sick days she'd had on one hand but hey, at least she got the new I-Phone every season. Issued by none other than Stark Industries, of course.

The phone rang, filling the quiet and plain bedroom with noise. Salem crossed the room in a few strides, locating her pants near the door. Her mind was awake now, and racing with thoughts. What was going on with the Tesseract? Was Thor back? She frowned as she struggled with her pants. She had hoped that when Thor returned to Earth, he would have the courtesy to let her know first. All things considered.

"Come on Phil," Salem mumbled under her breath as she looped her holster around her waist, "Pick up the damn phone."

Almost on command, the phone stopped ringing. The line clicked as it picked up.