Welcome to New York

[agent_cupid]

Clint guided the Quinjet down onto the landing pad with careful hands and an alert eye. The aircraft prototype handled like nothing else, a joint project with tech from Wakanda and Stark Industries and Clint was still a little overly cautious when he was flying it. When anything with Stark was involved, he was half tempted to expect it to turn into a giant robot or worse, drop out of the sky with warning. Still, he pulled the landing off without a hitch, coming to rest smoothly outside SHIELD HQ as he flipped off the controls and cleared the last of the landing procedures with the pleasant female voice over his headset, who had laughingly returned his flirting and had him grinning as he moved back into the main body of the jet.

It was a strange sight, the two gods and two young women in the back of the jet. Thor was sitting on one of the benches – the place he’d been most comfortable for the flight – while Sif sat across from him, having watched the entire flight from the window with avid interest. Both Asgardians had been understandably wary about being transported in the jet – or metal wingless beast, as it had been originally dubbed - and Clint had had his hands full with talking Thor out of flying the entire way. Lucky Doctor Foster had backed him on that, but it had taken a taunting jibe from Sif to finally get the scowling thunder god on board. Clint was pretty sure he was the only one who’d seen the female warrior flash him a sly wink before following him inside. Clint was fairly certain she was his favorite person at the moment. He had not been looking forward to Fury’s lectures if they’d gotten back to New York just in time to field all the reported sightings across the country of a flying man.

“Welcome to HQ, kids,” Clint retorted with a cheerful grin, his hands propped easily on his hips as he came back. “Safe and sound and all in one piece. I’m sure the welcome party’s out there for you, but I need to get you up to the Director’s office before we wander off for more sightseeing.”

Since that was Clint’s favorite part, no matter how many glowers he got from Fury for stealing SHIELD assets out into the city at large. It wasn’t like he was going to lose them. Although, granted, he suspected keeping a leash on the Asgardians, Doctor Foster, and Darcy was going to be considerably more of a challenge than showing Bucky the sights had been.

Still, the thought had him grinning in anticipation as he hit the hatch that opened the hatch and let the landing ramp lower into the secured courtyard he’d landed them in.

Comments

[thunders]

Thor smiled slightly at that. There was a reason he liked mortals. "A sound philosophy, Director Fury."

He laced his fingers in front of him, blunt nails digging into the backs of his hands. "My brother's plans have never been simple in nature, and now I fear his mind is... twisted." He shook his head once, lips tightening briefly before he dismissed the thought. "But we have fought together many times. He is a trickster by nature, quick and clever, and though he is not as powerful as I in single combat, he is by no measure weak. I would not recommend that your people engage him directly."

[nick_fury]

"Twisted." Fury repeated the description, one that clearly had a story behind it, from the look on Thor's face. However, the man not only elected not to share, but ended his report with a recommendation that SHIELD not attempt an upfront confrontation. Fury saw the logic in it, of course, because Thor was right; the incidents in New Mexico had shown, without doubt, that the average group of humans would be lucky to last a few minutes against any one of these Asgardians.

Unfortunately, Fury didn't have the luxury of taking the recommended course of action.

"I'll take that under advisement. However, the reality is that my people may not have a choice. Loki's already gone after one of my agents, and that tape certainly did not look like a farewell salute." Fury rested his hands on his hips, tilting his head back to better meet Thor's eye.

"So what can we do?" A question Fury already had started to answer, but he wanted to hear the answers Thor would provide.

[thunders]

Thor almost didn't respond. No question had been asked, so perhaps he could avoid it, but he needed to be sure they were absolutely clear. "Loki rarely acts without reason, even now I think, but there is madness in him that darkens every thought.

"When we find him, I will handle Loki. I mean this as no insult to you or yours, Nick Fury, but he is still a prince of Asgard and... And I do not wish to see more blood spilled at my brother's hands, not if it can be helped.

"When you must fight him..." Thor paused, thoughtful. "You're a very clever lot, your strength lies in that. I would not know what weaponry you have that could give pause to an Asgardian, not without seeing it, but perhaps there is something."