GHOSTLY AVENGER

Chapter 14: Battle of New York.

Tony was the first to reach New York City, but his Iron Man Mark VI armor got badly damaged during the Helicarrier attack, with his repulsors smoking and stuttering. He eventually rockets his way to Stark Tower.

"Sir, I've turned off the arc reactor but the device is already self-sustaining." JARVIS said as Tony flew up to the roof where he finds the brain-washed Erik Selvig, preparing the device that is holding the Tesseract.

"Shut it down, Doctor Selvig." Tony ordered, which Selvig look up at him and smiled and clearly excited.

"It's too late! She can't stop now. She wants to show us something! A new universe." Selvig said.

"Okay." Tony said as he fires his repulsors at the device, but the blast knock both of them, Selvig unconscious, deflected by a force field, which also got the attention of the people down below.

"The barrier is pure energy. It's unbreachable." JARVIS said.

"Yeah, I got that." Tony said when he look down and saw Loki at the balcony. "Plan B."

"Sir, the Mark VII is not ready for deployment." JARVIS said.

"Then skip the spinning rims. We're on the clock." Tony ordered as he landed on the other side of the balcony, and having JARVIS remove his Mark VI armor as he walks inside, Loki doing the same. Tony didn't break a sweat.

"Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity." Loki smirked.

"Actually, I'm planning on threatening you." Tony clarified.

"You should have left your armor on for that." Loki said.

"Yeah. It's seen a bit mileage, and you've got the glow stick of destiny." Tony said walking to his bar and referring to Loki's scepter. "Would you like a drink?" Tony offered, which Loki grinned.

"Stalling me won't change anything." Loki said.

"No, no. Threatening." Tony remarked. "No drink? Are you sure? I'm having one." Tony said looking through his alcoholic beverages. Loki then turn to glance out the window.

"The Chitauri are coming. Nothing will change that. What have I to fear?" Loki said.

"The Avengers." Tony replied, which confused Loki. Tony shrugged. "That's what we call ourselves. We're sort of like a team. 'Earth's mightiest heroes' -type thing."

"Yes, I've met them." Loki said.

"Yeah. It takes us a while to get any traction, I'll give you that one. But let's do a head count, here. Your brother, the demigod, a super soldier, a living legend who kind of lives up to the legend." Tony said as he puts on a pair of homing bracelets undetected. "A man with breathtaking anger-management issues, a ghost kid who saved the world twice on his own and not even 21 yet, a couple of master assassins, and you, big fella, you've managed to piss off every single one of them."

"That was the plan." Loki remarked with a smirk.

"Not a great plan." Tony replied. "When they come, and they will, they'll come for you." Tony said which Loki sees it as a challenge and threat.

"I have an army." Loki said.

"We have a Hulk." Tony countered.

"I thought the beast had wandered off." Loki said as Tony walks toward him.

"You're missing the point. There's no throne. There is no version of this where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it." Tony said, standing his ground.