Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
CHAPTER XV. Past Lives
Back on the aircraft, the quinjet touched down smoothly as armed guards swiftly moved in, escorting Loki out of the quinjet and across the tarmac. The god of mischief walked with a calm, almost amused expression, as if the armed escort was nothing more than a trivial formality. The guards led him to a heavily reinforced cage designed specifically to contain someone of his power-a precaution that, while necessary, still left an uneasy tension in the air.
Inside the aircraft, the team gathered around a table, their expressions grim as they listened to Director Fury's voice over a communication device.
As the conversation continued, Elina's gaze drifted across the room. She noticed Blake standing at the back of the room with Maria Hill, her posture stiff as she watched the group with a detached intensity. But Elina could see her focus was primarily on Natasha. Curiosity piqued, Elina caught Blake's eye. She looked up to her friend, and winked to her. She hastily turned around, her cheeks turning red. It was a rare moment of vulnerability from someone who usually kept her emotions tightly controlled.
Bruce Banner, the brilliant scientist Elina had just met, broke the silence with a sarcastic remark. "He really grows on you, doesn't he?" he said, nodding towards the image of Loki on the screen.
Elina smirked at the comment, but before she could respond, Steve Rogers, known to the world as Captain America, shifted the conversation to more pressing matters. "Loki's going to drag this out. So, Thor, what's his play?" Steve's question was direct, his focus unwavering.
Thor, who had been standing near the edge of the room, lost in thought, turned slowly to face the group. His expression was serious, a mix of concern and resolve. "He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard, nor any world known," Thor began, his voice heavy with the weight of the threat they faced. "He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the Earth, in return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."
"An army? From outer space?" Steve echoed, the reality of the situation sinking in.
Elina shook her head, unable to keep the frustration out of her voice. "Well, this just keeps getting better, doesn't it?" she muttered sarcastically, earning a sharp look from Natasha, who silently reminded her that now wasn't the time for flippant remarks. Elina rolled her eyes but held her tongue.
Bruce, focused on the next logical step. "So, he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for."
Thor's head snapped up at the mention of the name. "Selvig?"
