Masking My Life

Chapter Thirteen~Unworthy

A massive S.H.E.I.L.D. base now set up around the crater vehicles, trailers, barricades. Armed guardsman a gate, in the razor wire fence that runs fifty yards from the crater's edge enclosing the complex. Plastic access tubes with junction boxes lead to a translucent cube structure erected in the middle of the crater. I land inside the crater, Coulson walks over to me, "You're late." I hold my hands up. "You said to watch over them." another man walks up to Coulson. "Ah Agent Clint Barton." this man looked like he meant work. He looks over at me, "You must be Illisha." he says, holding out a hand, I shake it "Yeah Coulson tell you that." "No, Natasha did."I smile he knew Nat "So you're a spy too, do you do hand to hand or-""Bow and arrow." I nod, "Sweet." A bolt of lightning cracks across the sky above. We all jump a little "What the-""Hold a sec... we got something outside the fence, west side..." says an Agent. He points at the screen. Through the haze, it shows a thermal image huddled beside the fence "What's that?" I ask."Agents down! We've got a perimeter breach!" someone shouts, worried I look back to the monitor showing the hammer containment area, it starts to crackle with energy. An alarm sounds, and security lights explode to life. Coulson looks out across the lit-up site uneasily. Clint heads off as I cover my eyes, "Get ready." I look at him, HUH! "Mask yourself," he says, I nod and put on my mask, I close my eyes spinning, becoming invisible. A light rain begins to fall. "Coulson, go," I say, he nods and leaves.I see a figure inside the complex, heading down a ladder from a junction box, with other figures converging on it. I look up to see the crane holding Clint arcs out over the structure. Clint takes aim. "One shot, one kill, sir. Just give the word, Illisha, you good down there." I put a hand to my mask. "Yeah, so far so-" I see the figure in the last junction box and the entrance to where I was ahead. The figure race towards it. B.A.M.! From out of nowhere, a fist lands a mighty blow across there jaw, sending them reeling. I step a little closer watching the shadows struggle, till the figures explode through the wall of the junction box, then crash into the mud, sending them sliding. I look over to see what looks like an electrical storm erupting directly above the crater...and the hammer. The man and the Huge Agent struggle to stand in the mud. The Huge Agent rises up before him, blocking his view. Rain and blood run down the man's face, godly almost. He lunges forward, whipping his feet in front of him, then kicks out, nailing the Huge Agent in the chest. The Agent goes down hard as the man's momentum carries him past. The man stands, heads for the cube structure when the Huge Guard grabs his ankle in the last effort. The man looks back down at his foe, then drops backward, pile driving his elbow into the fallen Agent's chest. The Huge Agent grimaces in pain, defeated. I put a hand over my mouth, heading inside the structure, the man races back towards the structure and rips an opening in the plastic wall of the structure. He stands there soaking, bleeding, caked with wet earth. I walk around behind him and hold out my hand, appearing. "Stand down." he turns around I blast him across the room, he stands right back up.......No has ever stood back up, well I've only ever used it on drones and Ivan. He charges at me. I spin out of the way, disappearing heading down on one knee.Focus not breaking "What trickery is this?" he asked, I reappear leaning against a pole "Shakespeare much?" he lunges, I repeat the action leaning aginst another pole "You're not from around here are you, what's your name?" I ask. He angry stares at me, very unsettling, "Thor, son of Odin!""Okay well, Thor you can't just-""Let him take it." I hear Coulson in my ear say, "What?""Let him try."I shrug, "Who are you talking to?" asked Thor, I motion for him to take the Hammer "Just a friend, go ahead 'son of Odin'" I say.Why would Coulson let him take it?As Thor approaches his hammer, it starts to glow brighter, blue electricity sparking off its surface. The crackling energy seems to reach out to him. Wow, my interest is piqued. Thor reaches out to it confidently. Armed agents approach behind him. Coulson motions for them to hold their positions. I watch Thor with anticipation as Thor wraps his hand around the hammer. He smiles, triumphant, lifts... but the hammer doesn't move. Is something supposed to happen? Thor looks confused, trust me I was too, tries again with two hands, to no avail, anger and frustration overtaking him. He strains with all his might, screams from the effort, bellowing up at the storm and lightning above him. Something begins to appear on the side of the hammer glowing runes. Thor looks down, sees them. But, still, the hammer doesn't budge. Thor falls to his knees before it, rain pouring down around him, as the glowing runes fade away. He's failed. It felt weird just a couple days ago I felt like that to Tony, like I was unworthy to stand by him.Unworthy. A word that until you prove to mean in life is what you are, it's what I am. After this is all over, I'm graduating and never using my powers again. Still, right now, I think there's more, something bigger is coming, I know it.I look on, disappointed. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents move in, guns trained on Thor, surrounding him. Coulson activates his radio. "Ground units, move in. The show's over."I watch as the Agents surround Thor, he doesn't seem to notice or care. He just sits there on his knees, head bowed in the rain........a man broken, lost. "Hey, Coulson, can I talk to him.""That would be breaking Fury's order, he just wants a background check, that's all you have to do."I smirk.As if I was gonna listen to Coulson...or Fury.