Above All Shadows [Loki Timetravel fic - Completed]

43. San Francisco

Loki was no stranger to the violence of battle, nor to the damage Midgardian weaponry could inflict. Yet, when the quinjet reached the outskirts of San Francisco and the research facility came into view, he was taken aback nevertheless. Four SHIELD helicopters and Stark in his usual red and gold left the air above congested. A fifth helicopter was aflame on the ground, only the surviving half of its main rotor distinguished it from the mess of other wreckage scattered about.

Those still alive on the ground made use of these destroyed watchtowers, armoured vehicles and whatever else there was that could no longer be identified with any certainty. Loki sank his fingers into the back of the pilot's headrest as he took in the view. Gunfire seemed to come from three directions at once – from within the building and from two angles from outside the facility's perimeter.

Travers let out an ugly snarl. 'We've been spotted.'

One of the helicopters that had been preoccupied with humbling Stark was now banking. Coulson slid into the co-pilot's chair, but before he had the chance to fire off a single shot, the helicopter's machine gun showered the quinjet with rounds that looked deadly enough to pierce the quinjet's armoured hull. Coulson swore and let out the quinjet's own firepower. The helicopter pilot was quicker, however. He banked the helicopter again. As it turned, the sun, low in the sky at this late hour, shone right through the helicopter's cabin, illuminating his face enough for the pilot's eye-patch to become visible.

Loki shook his head. This made little sense. What kind of facility was this to have enough men and enough weaponry to hold off a sustained attack from the air, even with Stark whizzing about and playing the hero? Where was Tyr? More importantly, where was Thor? Loki would never let Thor live it down if he got lost on his way. Or perhaps the iridium was already in Tyr's hand and Nick Fury's continued barrage was only a ploy to cover up Tyr's retreat?

'We need to get inside this building,' Rogers said. In a mirror to Loki's tight told on the pilot's chair, he clung onto the back of the co-pilot's chair and did his best to remain upright while Travers took the quinjet through every evasive manoeuver in his repertoire.

Travers scoffed. 'I can hardly set you down right now!'

'That's fine,' Loki said. He let go of Travers' chair and tapped Rogers on the shoulder. Together they stumbled their way to the back of the quinjet. Loki pulled the lever that brought down the loading hatch. 'It's only about fifty metres. You want to go first?'

Rogers offered Loki a playful smile and jumped out. Loki followed the moment he thought he wouldn't land atop of Rogers' head. He had calculated correctly and ended up a few feet away from Rogers. The landing did jar every joint in his legs, but there was no time to shake it out. Loki didn't remember the last time he had quite so many Midgardians attempting to kill him at one. Bullets sprayed from covered positions both his left and his right, while spent ammunition rained down from the stand-off between the helicopters, the quinjet and Stark.

Rogers sprinted over to Loki and brought his shield up in the vain attempt to protect them both. Of course, a shield only covered so many angles at a time; Loki's magic had to take care of the rest.

'Should've had Travers take us over the roof instead,' Loki spat out in frustration.

Rogers shrugged. 'We need to work with what we're given.'

He grabbed the lip of Loki's shoulder-piece with his free hand and began moving towards the research facility building. Loki let himself be pulled along, but he wasn't willing to endure this gauntlet of gunfire any longer. He put some proper force behind his magic. Everything around them when flying backward. For a moment, there was silence as the gunners were thrown off their positions, then a hissing whirl descended from above.