UNKNOWN GUEST

#19 Phase-2 and Flying Monkeys

Fury's words cut through the room's tense atmosphere. "His spear, that thing seems dangerous and it's powered by the cube," he said, his voice edged with concern. "I would also like to know how Loki used it to turn my two sharpest agents into his personal flying monkeys."

The term "flying monkeys" clearly puzzled Thor. He looked at Fury, clearly unsure. "I do not understand. Monkeys?"

I could see the confusion on Thor's face. Asgard likely didn't have monkeys, so the reference must have seemed foreign to him. My dad, however, jumped in with a hint of understanding. "I do. I understood the reference."

What reference was he talking about? The comment seemed to irk some people in the room, and I could feel my temper rising. I hated seeing anyone disrespect my father, especially when he was trying so hard to fit into a world that had moved on without him for decades.

Before I could let my frustration boil over, Tony and Dr. Banner headed into their lab, diving back into their work. I could sense the underlying disdain from some members of the room towards my dad, as if they felt he was out of touch with modern times. It was frustrating and hurtful to watch. Dad had missed out on so much—70 years of progress and change. It wasn't fair for anyone to dismiss him because of that. He had his own struggles, and he deserved respect.

As Fury left the room, I moved to sit next to my dad. The weight of the room's atmosphere hung heavy, and  I leaned closer and murmured, "Cap, what's the flying monkey reference you were talking about?"

Dad looked uneasy, as though he wasn't sure if he should share. He cleared his throat and began to explain. "Before I stepped onto the battlefield, I used to dance around the world like a monkey. So, people often called me 'dancing monkey.'"

I felt a rush of sympathy and regret. I felt a pang of guilt for the discomfort my question might have caused. Hearing him talk about it, I realized how unkind the world had been to him. 

I sighed deeply, feeling a mix of frustration and concern. "From what I know, you've always wanted to serve your nation," I said to my dad. "You took it as your duty, and you didn't think any job was beneath you. You did everything wholeheartedly, Cap."

He managed a small smile and responded, "You talk as if you've known me for years."

I smiled quietly, thinking to myself, "I know you, Dad. I know you so well." As we shared this brief, meaningful exchange, I caught sight of my mom watching us from the doorway. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts, and then, without a word, she turned and walked out of the room.

Dad soon stood up, the weight of the conversation evident on his face. He made his way towards the lab where Tony and Dr. Banner were immersed in their work.  Once he was out of sight, I was left alone in the room with my thoughts.

I sighed again and rubbed my eyes, feeling the strain of the day. As I sat there, the details of the conversations I'd overheard replayed in my mind. The tesseract was a source of immense, almost infinite energy.

I remembered hearing that SHIELD had extracted it from the ocean while tracking my dad in the water. It made me wonder why such a dangerous artifact was kept around. If it was so powerful and risky, why were they still tampering with it if they couldn't control it?

The questions swirled in my mind, but no answers came. My thoughts were interrupted when I noticed Dad emerging from the lab, his face showing clear signs of frustration. He walked out with a heavy sigh, heading towards who knows where.

Feeling restless and eager for a change of scenery, I decided to leave the room and head towards the area where the jets were stationed. The idea of roaming outside for a bit seemed appealing. 

As I walked along the closed deck of the helicarrier, the vast expanse of the landing area stretched out before me. The imposing quinjets, lined up in a neat row, stood as silent sentinels, ready for action. I saw a few agents taking a break, chatting and lounging around, momentarily away from the high-stakes environment.

At the end of the row, something smaller caught my eye—a compact jet, only about 5-6 feet in height. Its sleek, aerodynamic design hinted at its potential as a new prototype. It looked like a projectile model, and I speculated that SHIELD might be exploring new technologies for their own jets.

Curious, I spotted Agent Thompson passing by and called out to him, "Agent Thompson!" He approached, and I pointed to the small jet. "What is this?"

Thompson glanced at the jet, then looked back at me with a thoughtful expression. "I don't know for sure, but... I think it's part of Phase 2."

"Phase 2?" I echoed, trying to recall the details. The term sounded familiar from the chaos of the earlier events. I remembered the building where the tesseract was initially housed— the same building that exploded after Loki's escape. Fury had instructed everyone to evacuate the materials of Phase 2 safely.

Thompson nodded in confirmation. "Yeah. SHIELD is working on developing its own jets under Phase 2. They're using some new kind of energy source—one that has no end, so we won't run into issues during future missions."

Infinity energy? The mention of a perpetual energy source triggered a realization. It dawned on me that SHIELD's interest in the tesseract wasn't just about its immediate capabilities. They were likely aiming to harness its power for far-reaching applications, including their jets. It made sense why Selvig had been so focused on studying the tesseract; the implications of such a source could revolutionize SHIELD's technology.

As I processed this information, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. Fury's urgency to recover the tesseract now made more sense. They weren't just protecting a powerful artifact—they were pursuing a key element for their advanced projects. And I know, it wasn't only for the jets. 

With this new understanding, I sighed, feeling the weight of the complex situation. I turned and walked towards the chamber, ready to delve deeper into the operations and figure out the next steps. 

As I walked inside, my thoughts about Phase 2 quickly faded away when I noticed my mom heading towards Loki's cell. She was clearly focused on something important, and I took a seat by the screens on the table, watching her intently.

Loki's voice cut through the static of the coms with a chilling calmness, "There are not many people who could sneak up on me." His tone carried a hint of amusement, as if he were toying with the idea of being surprised.

Mom, unfazed by his tone, crossed her arms over her chest with a smirk. "You figured I'd come, though."

She was all business, no hint of her usual warmth or humor. "I'm not here to make any truce. I just want to know what you've done to Agent Barton."

Loki's smile widened into a malevolent grin. "I would say I have expanded his mind."

His response sent a shiver down my spine. The way he spoke about Barton was unnervingly detached, as if turning someone into a puppet was just another experiment.

Mom moved closer to the cell wall, her posture resolute. "And once you've won, once you're the king of the world, what happens to his mind?"

Loki's smile turned more sinister, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement. "Oh... is this love, Agent Romanoff?"

The question hung in the air, charged with a strange kind of mockery. I couldn't help but feel a pang of curiosity. Was there really something deeper between Mom and Barton? Did she believe in love at all?

Mom's response came quickly, her voice steady and dismissive. "Love is for children. I just owe him a debt."

I couldn't suppress a small smile at her words. Oh, Mom, you're so wrong. Love is not for only children.