Avengers’ Isle: The Consultant

Hullo, everyone! It’s been coming for a while (and been delayed at least a month), but sadly, this is the last episode of Avengers’ Isle! 😦 Well, let’s see how this thing ends… For past Avengers’ Isle posts, click here.

“I want a full explanation,” Fury said.

Steve sighed and settled into a seat on the Quinjet. Bucky sat down next to him, and the others found places to sit or stand. Natasha was in the pilot’s seat, and she had reluctantly agreed to let Tony be her co-pilot. Somehow Thor and Bucky had managed to shove Red Skull’s limp form into an overhead compartment. Agent Barton was latched into one of the seats, his head lolling to the side since he was still unconscious. All Steve wanted to do was talk to Bucky, but that wouldn’t be possible until Fury’s fierce interrogation was over.

Bucky rolled his eyes towards Steve, who struggled to hide his smile. “Would you like an info dump, Director?” he asked politely.

Fury scowled. “How come I don’t know about you, if you really are an agent?”

“Agent Coulson is the one who picked me up. I don’t know why he wouldn’t tell you.” Bucky shrugged. “It wasn’t in my job description to question his decisions.”

Fury’s eyes lit up in understanding. “Ah, so you’re his consultant. Now everything makes sense.”

“Hey, I’m the Consultant,” Tony protested, twisting around.

Natasha smacked him. “Pay attention.”

Fury rolled his eyes. “Tony, you’re the consultant that nobody wants to consult.”

Thor leaned forward in his seat. “I do not understand.”

Fury sighed. “We needed someone unofficial to use on missions where we needed to do things… not quite by the rules. Coulson said he had a consultant he could use. For security reasons, I never met the agent, and Coulson never told me about him. Coulson was our go-between.”

Steve thought of the agent. Sadness welled up as he realized that he’d probably never get to sign those antique Captain America cards. They were probably at the bottom of the ocean.

But if Loki could survive after being in a glass nearly-unbreakable prison in the Helicarrier, surely Agent Coulson and the others could have made it out. Right?

“Why did my magic not work?” Loki asked, breaking his silence. He’d been surprisingly cooperative, but Steve couldn’t help but be wary of him. It was only about a week since the incident in Germany.

Bucky shrugged. “I’m not technology expert, but he used some sort of force field… thing… to protect the island.”

Thor leaned forward. “So now that we are not in the clutches of the island, I will be able to call Mjolnir again?”

“Not while we’re on the jet!” Natasha yelled.

They landed in New York, right on top of Stark Tower, in spite of Tony’s grumbling. Thor called for his hammer, Tony yelled to JARVIS, and Steve helped Bucky drag Hawkeye out of the jet. Fury contacted SHIELD headquarters – made easier by JARVIS – and smiled after a little bit of talking. Steve couldn’t hear what was said, but he assumed it was good news. They headed down through the tower to ground level, where another quinjet landed. Steve was pleased when he saw Agent Coulson from the helicarrier. He gave Fury a warm smile and a handshake. “I’m glad to see you’re alive, sir.”

“You as well,” Fury said, the edge of his mouth turning up slightly. Then he looked solemn once more. “Hill?”

Coulson nodded. “Alive as ever.”

Controlled chaos ensued as several agents removed Red Skull. Thor convinced Loki of their need to return to Asgard, and after a last farewell (and a surprisingly emotional goodbye between Loki and Tony), they departed. Agent Barton finally regained consciousness, and although he was a little woozy, he got onto the quinjet, with help from Natasha . Fury and Coulson joined them, although Coulson reminded Bucky that he would need to report later. Dr. Banner looked lost, until Tony invited him inside to his lab.

That left only Steve and Bucky. Steve looked at his old friend, so different now. “Want to walk to my apartment with me?” Steve asked.

Bucky nodded, and they strode off down the familiar unfamiliar streets. They walked in silence, but not uncomfortable silence. They paused several times to look at what might have been familiar places. They reached Steve’s apartment too soon, and Steve lingered out front with Bucky.

“Coffee sometime?” Bucky asked. Steve could only nod as emotion welled in his throat. His friend reached over and grasped his shoulder.

“On the beach…” Steve swallowed. Dry throat. “The trail mix… was that you?”

Bucky nodded, and his lips twitched in a smiled. “I kind of stole it from the Director.”

Steve felt a smile come out in spite of himself. And then he was laughing. Soon Bucky was laughing too. Somehow, they managed to stop, and Steve blinked at his old friend. Just like old times.

And that, my friends is the end. If you’d like to cry, I have plenty of Kleenex, and if you want to bash me over the head, I also have frying pans. And apples, if anyone would like those. (Not you, Maximus!) Thoughts? Questions? Senseless blabbering? Comment away!

Avengers’ Isle: Tic Tac Toe

Hello, everyone! Again, I apologize for not posting a part last week. Time keeps seeming to run away from me. I guess you can expect an Avengers’ Isle post every other week now… but we’ll see.

Red Skull threw aside the stick he was writing in the dirt with, making Banner wince. “Tell no one,” he growled at the guy with the metal arm. Banner was pretty sure the guy’s name was Bucky, but he wasn’t sure. Red Skull wiped out whatever they’d been writing for the past half-hour and motioned for Bucky to follow him out of the clearing. Apparently Red Skull didn’t like being beaten by his minions in tic tac toe.

Banner glanced around. There were still a few natives. Thor was still unconscious, and Fury was leaning his head back against the tree as he slept. How could he sleep?

“Quit staring at me.”

Banner looked away, uncomfortable. So maybe Fury wasn’t asleep. But his one eye was closed, and the other still covered by the eyepatch. “Sorry. I thought you were sleeping.”

Fury opened his eye and looked over at Banner. “You make a habit of watching people while they sleep?”

Banner shook his head. A grunt somewhere in the forest drew his attention away from the director. Two more natives entered the clearing, carrying an unconscious Natasha Romanoff.

“Good,” Fury said, leaning his head back against the tree as the natives tied Natasha to the tree next to Thor.

“Good?” Banner asked. He frowned at Fury. “It’s good that half of the Avengers are tied to trees now?”

“No,” Fury said without opening his eyes. “Good that she’s alive.”

Thor stirred a little and moaned quietly, but didn’t wake up. Banner felt like moaning himself. If he wasn’t in such an uncomfortable position, he’d fall asleep in a heartbeat. He wished this was all over, that he was back in India, working and not hurting anybody, or being hurt.

Red Skull stepped back into the clearing, followed by Bucky. “Well, I trust you two have been resting well, correct?” he asked.

Banner looked over at Fury, who didn’t move. He shrugged. “Not exactly.”

Red Skull sighed and motioned to the clearing. “I’ve been as hospitable as possible.” His eyes went to a spot behind them. “The job’s been done?” he asked.

“Yes,” someone said.

Fury’s eyes popped open. Banner frowned. For once he looked surprised, even shocked. “You’re…”

A guy with brown hair stepped into their view. Banner had no clue who he was, but Fury apparently knew him from the expression on his face. “Miss me?” he asked.

Fury’s eye closed. “Barton.”

Like to wake up Natasha and Thor, comment to start shaking some sense into Hawkeye…

Avengers’ Isle: The Sand In My Hair

Helloooo, readers! I apologize for this being so short and not posting last week, but if I had posted it then, all you would’ve had was the first sentence. 😀 Enjoy! See previous parts here.

Thor might have thought he was on Asgard if not for the sand in his hair. Thor had to admit that he liked his hair, and maybe even took a little pride in how it looked. Just like Volstagg and his beard. Sand in his hair was like food in Volstagg’s beard. Annoying, but inevitable on this island.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes before gazing around. He was surprised to notice that Captain Rogers was nowhere to be seen. Usually he was the first one up, but the captain seemed to have beaten him this morning.

Thor stretched and stood. The fire was nearly out, so he fed it with some wood he and Captain Rogers had gathered the night before. They would need to cook breakfast after the captain came back, hopefully with food. He paused. He hadn’t realized until now, but he hadn’t seen any animals or heard any birds since arriving at the island. Frowning, he switched directions and made his way over to the edge of the water. Some small pools had formed in hollow spaces a little ways down the beach, and he knelt over them. No sign of any fish. No life at all.

A shiver ran down his spine and he gazed up at the sky. Nothing. No birds. No fish. No creatures. No life.

He walked quickly back to the campfire, keeping an eye on it. Where had the captain gone? Now was not the time to disappear. He found himself pacing and forced himself to sit down and think this through. Not thinking was what had landed him powerless on Midgard originally. Good eventually came out of that, but at a price. He must think.

The fire began to dwindle again, so he decided to stay busy by finding some more wood. He headed over to the forest, but froze. A leg covered in familiar blue fabric stuck out of the underbrush.

Thor hurried over and easily uncovered the captain, uprooting a bush in the process. The captain lay on his face, and when Thor turned him over, he found a purplish bruise forming just above his temple.

The captain stirred in his arms and moaned. Thor shook him gently. “Are you all right?” he asked. The other man blinked, looking woozy. Then his eyes widened and he began to attempt to struggle. In his weakened state, it was easy for Thor to keep a grip on him. “What’s wrong?” Thor asked.

The captain gazed around frantically. “B-b… b…” he croaked hoarsely.

Thor’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “B?” He thought. “Bilchsteim? Bifrost? Bruise?”

The captain slumped, a pained look crossing his face. “Bucky.”

Duh-duh-duhnnn…

A like gets you a trip to Asgard, a comment lets Thor and company be your tour guides.