Worthy

Glimpsing a Warrior

Dean snuck along the shadows, staying clear of the floodlights that bathed the yard and the fallen hammer in blinding light. He had already sighted the fallen bodies of the guards, their bodies marked up with deep, terrible wounds. In fact, had he not recovered from his bout of panic, he may have joined his fallen comrades.

A familiar figure slowly moved out of the shadows, his tall and imposing body clad in a fitted dark bodysuit. His face was covered in a hood, but Dean knew who the interloper was. And he knew how dangerous he could be.

Kazuhiro Nakamura. A member of the Red Morning, a terrorist organization with its sights set on assassination and the spread of fear. Before that, he was a member of a ninja clan. It was with this clan that he learned the skill set for which he was most feared among the intelligence community.

Dean had last encountered the ninja in Bucharest, Romania. He could still remember the shocked expression on the ninja's face when Dean had matched him in combat. But what was he doing now? Did the Red Morning seek Mjolnir for themselves? It wouldn't have surprised Dean, as they were always seeking out new methods to carry out their murderous quest.

Kazuhiro slowly approached the hammer and laid his hand on the handle. Though he was more accustomed to the grip of his katana, he wrapped his fingers around the handle and gave it a yank. The result was predictable, of course.

"You know, if I'm not worthy enough to pick that thing up," Dean said as he stepped into the light. "Then you sure as hell aren't."

"Mongoose," Kazuhiro spoke without turning to meet him. "I have left quite the mess for you."

"Well...the day in the life of a SHIELD agent."

"Your flippancy annoys me. Almost as much as this useless hammer."

Dean folded his arms over his chest. "Don't feel bad. Like I said, I can't pick it up either."

Kazuhiro turned to face him and reached for the sword at his back. "This quest may not net me what I came for...but your death will certainly suffice."

Dean raised his hands, prepared for combat. Kazuhiro rushed him, his sword poised to strike. Dean ran to meet him, deftly slipping beneath the horizontal slash of the blade.

Thor stood from where he knelt just as the sound of an alarm rang out. He heard the sound of heavy footsteps clattering through the corridors. Emerging from the barracks, he followed them into the central area where his hammer lay immovable.

His eyes widened in surprise at the sight that greeted him. Dean was sparring with a sword-wielding warrior. He stood still, taking in the sight. As the swordsman slashed and swiped at Dean, the agile mortal ducked and dodged with a grace Thor had not thought a mortal capable of.

"Everyone keep your sights on the ninja," Coulson ordered as he stood beside Thor. "Come on, Mongoose," he whispered. "Kick his ass."

Kazuhiro drove the sword down in a vertical strike and Dean gripped his wrist. He spun so that his back was to the enemy. He pitched forward, tossing the much larger ninja over his shoulder and into the mud. He dug his fingertips into the ninja's wrist, exerting a painful pressure point as he simultaneously twisted. The sword fell from his grasp.

"He is most skilled," Thor commented, temporarily forgetting his own anguish as he watched Dean fight.

Kazuhiro grunted as a fist was driven into his face. Wrestling himself away, he rolled backward and sprang to his feet. His eyes darted to the sword that lay harmless in the mud.

"You're surrounded, Kazuhiro. And the hammer isn't going with you. The only thing you can accomplish here is getting captured."

Kazuhiro watched as several SHIELD agents closed in, their weapons trained upon him. Shaking his head, he kept his eyes on Dean. "I will not be captured. As a warrior, I will either meet death in battle...or by my own hand. Those are my only options, Mongoose."

"Mongoose?" Coulson asked.

"Stand down...I'll handle this."

The crisp ferocity in Dean's voice excited Thor. He could scarcely keep his eyes off of the bold mortal.

Kazuhiro charged for Dean, a ruthless expression in his cold eyes. Dean could feel his pulse slowing down. The fact that he was completely composed in battle wasn't lost on him. Nor was the fact that Kazuhiro, like most of his enemies, was underestimating him. He felt that he could use his superior strength to overpower the seemingly weaker combatant.

Dean remained still until the last second. Crouching to build momentum, he sprang up and pivoted in mid-air. He extended his leg in a graceful kick that caught the ninja in his face. The harsh crack of the impact filled the yard as Kazuhiro was tossed aside. He fell into the mud and rolled over to his knees.

"You might want to rethink those options you listed earlier," Dean said as the agents moved in to secure Kazuhiro.

The ninja spat blood and looked up into Dean's eyes, murderous glint in his own. "This is not done, Mongoose."

Dean shook his head and turned to walk away. "Yes it is."