Agent Coulson leads Hill and Fury through the radiation section of the S.H.E.I.L.D facility. Hundreds of technicians and other staff run around, taking only the essentials.
"Dr. Selvig read an energy surge from the Tesseract four hours ago." says Coulson.
"N.A.S.A. didn't authorize Selvig to test phase." says Fury.
"He wasn't testing it, he wasn't even in the room. Spontaneous advancement."
"It just turned itself on?" ask Hill.
"What are the energy levels now?"
"Climbing. When Selvig couldn't shut it down, we ordered the evac."
"How long to get everyone out?"
"Campus should be clear in the next half hour."
"Do better."
"Sir, evacuation may be futile." says Hill.
"We should tell them to go back to sleep?" ask Fury.
"If we can't control the Tesseract's energy, there may not be a minimum safe distance."
"I need you to make sure that PHASE 2 prototypes are shipped out."
"Sir, is that really a priority right now?"
"Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on. Clear out the tech below. Every piece of PHASE 2 on a truck and gone."
"Yes, sir."
Fury enters the lab facility where the Tesseract is being held by a compact muson solenoid coil chamber. "Talk to me, doctor." starts Fury.
Dr. Erik Selvig emerges from behind the C.M.S. machine, concerned. The Tesseract is glowing unusually brighter and flare rings shoot out at random. "Is there anything we know for certain?" ask Fury.
"Tesseract is misbehaving." says Erik.
"Is that supposed to be funny?"
"No, it's not funny at all. The Tesseract is not only active, she's...misbehaving."
"How soon until you pull the plug?"
"She's an energy source. If we turn off the power, she turns it back on. If she reaches peak level..."
"We've prepared for this, doctor. Harnessing energy from space."
"We don't have the harness. Our calculations are far from complete. Now she's throwing off interference, radiation. Nothing harmful, low levels of gamma radiation."
"That can be harmful. Where's Barton?"
"The Hawk? Up in his nest, as usual."
Clint Barton, dressed in black tactical gear, is up on the railings watching them below, Fury calls Barton on his earpiece. "Agent Barton, report."
Clint rappels down from the catwalk. Walks up to Fury. They both walk around the facility in a discreet manner. "I gave you this detail so you could keep a close eye on things." starts Fury.
"Well, I see better from a distance."
"Are you seeing anything that might set this thing off?"
"No one's come or gone. It's oven is clean. No contacts, no I.M.'s. If there was any tampering, sir, it wasn't at this end."
"At this end?"
"Yeah, the cube is a doorway to the other end of space, right? The doors open from both sides."
YOU ARE READING
Masking My Life
FanfictionDid I mean to break into Stark Expo, yes, did I end up meeting a space prince and his charming brother? Yes, Will I be able to accept that the Mask is part of me? All I've ever done is hide behind the Mask not wanting to be seen, but it's time I put...
