CHAPTER TWO:

A STOLEN CUBE

IT WAS DARK outside as the civilians of New York continued doing what they did everyday in their daily lives. In the large city, honks could be heard all around as the citizens tried to get home to their families or their pets or just to get home and rest after the long day they had, some glad they didn't have to work the next day while others were dreading the many more days of their job they had to do after tonight.

The occasional helicopters or planes could be seen in the nighttime sky in the city as the drivers in them continued heading to their destination, having no traffic like the vehicles down below on the ground. The sidewalks were full of people in the very well known city, the citizens bumping shoulders with others as they tried to get home faster and faster to just go to bed or watch some television for the night.

Just a bit away from the city, the tall buildings that were covered in windows as the lights shined through the glass could be seen from far away in the middle of the night, a large building could be seen with many people rushing around to get out while the guards of the S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters ushered the civilians to move faster, the guns tight in their hands as they moved their arms while motioning in the direction the many groups of people needed to go.

A loud alarm blared throughout the place as the voice on the alarm was telling the workers and everyone else to evacuate and get out of there before something happened. Slowly beginning to head down, the loud whirring of a helicopter added to the many sounds of the alarm and the footsteps as the flying vehicle just near a man in a black suit, sunglasses on his eyes, despite it being dark outside.

S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson had his hands clasped together in front of him as he watched the helicopter land on the ground before the door opened up, not caring about his short hair being blown from the wind. Maria Hill had to squint her eyes from the air flying all around as she hopped out of the helicopter, making her way to the other agent. Eyepatch still laying on his left eye, Nick Fury followed in suit before he turned around to help his daughter out.

Now eleven year old, Y/n Fury, both stepped out of the vehicle, the girl having the help of her father. After the years had gone by, Fury had grown a soft spot for the girl and the two grew a father daughter-like relationship and after a couple years when she was almost ten years old, he adopted her. While Y/n had become close with her now father, she had also become close with Maria and one of Fury's most trusted agents, Natasha Romanoff.

The girl also grew a friendly relationship with Clint Barton over the years as well. The girl had practically lived at S.H.I.E.L.D. after Natasha offered for her to stay with her when they found them at HYDRA, and after a little while, Y/n had them moved in with her father.

"How bad is it?" Fury questions when they stopped in front of the other agent.

Coulson takes off his glasses. "That's the problem, sir. We don't know."

This had Fury sighing as he felt his daughter gently letting her smaller hand slide in his glove covered one, to which he held it tight in his grip, making sure not to hurt her. The group were soon heading inside the building with Y/n close to her father as they stepped into an elevator. The elevator made lots of noises as it headed down and in the basement of the S.H.I.E.L.D. building until they were walking down the hall, many workers rushing around to gather their stuff before getting out before something bad were to happen with the cube the floor below them.

"Dr. Selvig read an energy surge from the Tesseract four hours ago." Coulson informs.

"NASA didn't authorize Selvig to go to test phase." Fury recalls.

Coulson shakes his head. "He wasn't testing it. He wasn't even in the room. Spontaneous event."

"It just turned itself on?" Maria asks.

"Where are the energy levels now?" Fury adds in question.

"Climbing. When Selvig couldn't shut it down, we ordered evac." Coulson tells him.

"How long to get everyone out?" Fury questions.

Coulson shrugs. "Campus should be clear in the next half hour."

"Do better." Fury demands.

Nodding in response, Coulson stops as the others continue moving forward. The eleven year old glanced around as she listened to the two adults speak, Fury putting orders around on the brunette woman before she was walking off as the kids followed Fury into the larger room where Dr. Erik Selvig could be seen as he tried to figure out what was wrong with the cube.

"Talk to me, Doctor." Fury calls out, catching the man's attention. "Is there anything we know for certain?"

"The Tesseract is misbehaving." Selvig points out.

Fury raises a brow. "Is that supposed to be funny?"

"No, it's not funny at all." Selvig replies. "The Tesseract is not only active, she's behaving."

"I assume you pulled the plug." Fury states.

"She's an energy source. We turn off the power, she turns it back on. If she reaches peak level--" Selvig begins.

"We prepared for this, Doctor." Fury interrupts. "Harnessing energy from space."

"But we don't have the harness. My calculations are far from complete. And she's throwing off interference, radiation. Nothing harmful, low levels of gamma radiation." Selvig explains.

"That can be harmful." Y/n comments in a quiet voice, receiving a nod of agreement from her father.

"Where's Agent Barton?" Fury asks.

Selvig scoffs, pointing upwards. "The Hawk? Up in his nest, as usual."

The kids follow his gaze, catching a glimpse of a moving figure before it disappeared. It didn't take too long until Clint Barton was leaving his usual spot and gliding down the rope, blank expression on his face. However, this expression changed when he heard feet pattering towards him, a small smile replacing the frown as he opened his arms while the eleven year old hugged him tightly.

She hadn't seen him in a while, so she was glad to see him, just like he was also glad to see her too. Y/n always made his day. Eventually, they pulled away from their hug as Clint chuckled, moving by them while also ruffling Y/n's hair. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent walked along with Fury in the direction of the Tesseract as the girl stayed off to the side since Fury told her to. All of a sudden, a loud rumble could be heard and felt as energy from the cube start spiraling out of control more.

Not liking this, Y/n wrapped her arms around herself as she took a step back when the Tesseract's energy shot forward, creating a portal-like energy. Just as it appeared, it soon disappeared but a man with a gold staff and green-like armor type clothing stood on the other end. His hair was long, a dark black color and slick back, looking greasy as his pale and dark eyes looked at the agents slowly stepping to him with their guns aimed.

"Sir, please put down the spear." Fury calls to him.

Seeming to realize he had been holding the staff with the glowing blue light in the middle, the God of Mischief looked down at the weapon before titling his head when looking back up. Next thing everyone knew, he was shooting the energy forward, causing Clint to grab ahold of Fury as he dove them out of the way. Gunshots were fired, but Loki didn't seem affected as he stabbed many of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents with the staff he held tight in his grip, also throwing some daggers towards the ones too far from him to attack.

Clint had joined in on the attack, pulling the trigger on his gun at the Asgardian while also diving away from the attacks Loki would fire back. The archer had gotten to his feet just when Loki was rushing over to him, twisting his arm before he was placing the sharp end of his staff against the agent's chest.

Having been knelt down right beside the Tesseract, Fury watched Clint's eyes grow dark before they glowed a bright blue, his body relaxing while he placed his gun in the holster by his side, showing that the God of Mischief had done something to him with that staff of his. Meanwhile, just behind some crates, the eleven year old was peaking over after Y/n had ran behind some so she could hide while the attack was happening, Loki seeming to have not noticed her yet.

Looking over in her direction when he saw her in the corner of his eye, Fury was quick to motion for his daughter to get out, silently hoping that they'd find Maria. Nodding, Y/n made sure no one was looking as she rushed towards the exit as quietly as possible, Loki still not noticing this one bit as he did the same thing he had done with Clint to some others as Fury was placing the cube in a suitcase.

The girl was running in the direction she had seen Maria go in, not stopping at all as she continued on forward. Considering she was quite fast runner, it didn't take too long for her to find the brunette in the parking garage area with other agents as she waited for the others to join her.

Her blue eyes snapped at the sound of footsteps, only to see the two coming towards her with panicked look on Y/n face. Before she could ask what happened, a door opened and Clint was walking out with Loki, Selvig and another agent following right behind him. At the sight of the random man, Maria narrowed her eyes on the Asgardian, hearing her walkie make static noises as someone tried to contact her.

"I need these vehicles." Clint announces as they all hop onto a vehicle.

"Who's that?" Maria questions, eyes still on the god.

"They didn't tell me." Clint replies, to which Maria turns to face the kids.

"Hill!" The sound of Fury's voice comes through her walkie, making everyone freeze. "Do you copy? Barton--"

Y/n grabs the older woman's arm. "Maria, he's not good. He turned Clint."

At this, Clint was quick to spin around while grabbing his gun, finger pulling on the trigger. Maria had been quick enough to push Y/n and herself behind the wall, taking her gun while doing so. The sound of an engine and tires squeaking soon had her peaking out as Clint was driving off with Loki in the back, the sound of gunshots coming from Maria's gun adding to the vehicle sounds.

Hearing Fury's voice exclaim about them having the Tesseract, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent was ushering Y/n into another one of the vehicles, getting into the driver's seat before her foot pressed on the gas, following just behind them and into the tunnel they had been driving in. Having taken a shortcut, they soon found themselves driving in front of the vehicle Clint, Selvig and Loki were in, the brunette using the stick to turn the car around to face them.

This caused Clint to push the front of the car he was driving into the one they were in, pushing them forward without hesitation. Both agents started shooting at each other, causing the little girl in the tunnel to duck to avoid the shots before Clint was able to push them out of the way and continue on forward.

After a couple more seconds, the entire building was finally exploding as the tunnel the vehicles were in began collapsing, crushing the many abandoned vehicles and lifeless people inside. Clint seemed to be driving faster as he was able to get himself and the other two out of the tunnel before the rocks could collapse on them.

The vehicle came to a stop as the rocks fell down onto the ground and onto the vehicle the two females were in, but the two were still sitting in the car as they had been free from the rocks falling on them. Meanwhile, just outside the now collapse facility in the same helicopter he arrived in, Fury was jumping onto the grass field feet below as the helicopter collapsed onto the ground, on fire. The director quickly got up to his feet, shooting at the vehicle Loki and Clint were in, the god having shot down the helicopter but the vehicle was already too far away for him to get at.

"Director?" Coulson's voice comes through his walkie. "Director Fury, do you copy?"

Fury brings his walkie to his face. "The Tesseract is with a hostile force. I have men down. Hill?"

Back with the three, Maria was helping the eleven year old out of the vehicle and onto the ground as dust and dirt laid all over their faces from the debris that had fallen on them or just right near them. The night sky could be seen, the entire tunnel for them not being covered all too much. Y/n felt relief fill her at the sound of her father's voice, glad he had made it out and was alive.

"A lot of men still under. I don't know how many survivors." Maria admits.

"Y/n?" Fury asks.

"She's alright. She's with me." Maria assures.

"Good. Sound a general call." Fury instructs. "I want every living soul not working rescue looking for that briefcase. Coulson, get back to base. This is a Level Seven. As of right now, we are at war."

"What do we do?" Coulson questions.

On his end of the walkie, Fury purses his lips as he stares in the direction the vehicle had gone. No word left his mouth as he thought of the agent's question. He knew exactly what they needed for this upcoming war. Or more importantly, who they needed.