Out of Oblivion

Chapter 35

 Stark Tower, New York. Two days after the attack.

            Whispers hummed throughout the room as they waited for Director Fury to enter the room. When he did, the room fell into a hush. Fury walked around to the head of the table and slapped two poorly taken photographs across the cherry wood.

            The photographs, although out of focus and hard to decipher, were of the spaceship that attacked SHIELD HQ. Smoke fogged the view of the spaceship, but the insignia was visible to a sharp eye.

            “Jotunhiem,” Clint Barton barked out, slicing the hush.

            The other members of the meeting looked to the Avenger also known as Hawkeye. “Yes, Barton, we were attacked by Jotunhiem,” Fury replied. His voice was tight and anxious. “The Washington Post sent me these photos. A photographer happened to catch the attack while the rest of us fell stories, unaware of what was happening.”

            It was Thor that spoke up next. “Unaware? Wasn’t it you that warned us of a threat by Loki long before this happened?”

            Tension choked the room. Fury’s eyes darted to Thor. “If you knew this was going to happen, why didn’t you tell us?”

            Thor fell silent, his fists clenched as if he would call his Hammer to him at any moment.

            “How many did we lose, Fury?” Steve Rogers piped in, trying to break the tension.

            Fury sighed. “Too many…”

            Bruce Banner stood up and examined the pictures closely. “What does Loki want this time?”

            “We are not sure, but my main concern right now is this. When that ship left, it took with it one of our agents. An intended kidnapping, I’m sure,” Fury replied.

            “Kidnapped?” Hawkeye asked. “Who?”

            A voice from the other end of the table spoke up. His tone was broken, but soft. “Agent Stanton.” It was Bucky Barnes.

            Grace Stanton, who had been standing in the corner of the room, gasped, her hands clapping to her mouth. She had thought her sister dead.

            The room was silent, as if Grace’s outburst shot through each of them like an arrow. “Well, we have do to something!” Grace exclaimed, breathing heavily.

            “We are. I’d like to set up a team to go to Jotunhiem. We attack Loki, retrieve Agent Stanton, and bring her safely back to earth,” Fury answered.

            “Attack Loki? This is exactly what he wants. We can’t do that,” Rogers berated, putting a fist on the table.

            Tony Stark, the renowned Iron Man, stood up, pacing around the room with his hands going in and out of his pockets. “You think Loki is going to chat over tea and negotiate? An attack is immanent, Mr. America.”

            Rogers flashed an annoyed glare at Stark, who ignored it completely. “I think all of us should go, show Loki who is on top…again…, retrieve Agent Stanton, and return to Earth to rebuild SHIELD HQ.”

            Fury came in again. “No. Not all of you can go. I need some of you here. We need to start rebuilding SHIELD now.”

            Stark shrugged and leaned against the wall, taking a pack of frozen blueberries from his pocket.

            “I’ll go,” Rogers volunteered.

            “So will I.” It was Coulson, who had been silent during the entire meeting.

            “I will go.” This time it was Barnes.

            More voices piped in until Fury gave the signal that he was satisfied. The rescue squad consisted of Steve Rogers, Phil Coulson, Bucky Barnes, Natasha Romanoff, and Clint Barton.

            “Let me go too,” Grace blurted out.

            “I’m sorry Agent Stanton, this is a dangerous mission,” Fury told her.

            “This is my sister. I don’t care how dangerous it is,” she insisted.

            Fury looked at Stark, who shrugged and popped a blueberry in his mouth. “Fine. But, you will not be permitted to engage in the battle.”

            “Thank you,” Grace said, gaining her breath.

            It would be the most dangerous journey known to man, but if it mean the salvation of the world, it was worth the risk.