One Day Down, Chapter 122

“Yeah, I have positive heat scans downstairs. Go! They’re trying to get out!”
Agents flooded into the building and began arresting and shooting everyone they saw. Several were taken down by the weapons that didn’t get shut down right away, but the rest pressed on. Nelim rushed ahead, slipping down halls and ducking around before reaching the room.
“This way!” She waited for everyone at the door. “This is where the heaviest security is. You are fighting only trained Skrull warriors in here.”
The Avengers nodded and braced themselves. The door opened and they fanned out, dodging attacks from the Skrull inside. Nelim rolled out of the way and uttered more chants under her breath and the final portal closed. She glanced at Loki then at the others, trying to get a good view of where they were. She then moved, dodging hits until she reached another safe point.
“Knock out the guns!”
Clint aimed and fired directly at the control bands on the Skrull’s wrists and their guns fizzled out.
Clint got a boost from the Captain to take out the last few machines while Natasha split off with a group of agents to go down to the children. The scientist were running around, trying to collect as much work as possible while the Skrull tried to stop what was taking place. Loki saw the few coming back to their now closed portals and blasted them away with a different spell. Hulk was left to deal with a large amount of the trained Skrull warriors, which compared to the Hulk, were still not much of a match.
The Hulk easily mashed the Skrull down to nothing and left a clear path for the others to get to the children. Tony rushed over to some of them and started scanning each for vitals.
“They’re all alive but barely. We need to get them to a hospital.”
Steve nodded and took one child into his arms before quickly leaving the room. Clint and Natasha each also took a child and left the room. Nelim went over and checked each child, sighing relieved when she saw they were all alive. She walked over to the last child, a girl, and checked her.
“Looks like they almost got her. If her body accepts the mutation, she’ll be like Andrew.”
“And if she doesn’t?”
“Then we’ll need to get her the serums to reverse this. Otherwise she’ll die.”
Tony nodded and took a vial out of the arm guard of his suit. He put it in a syringe and injected the girl’s arm. He picked her up carefully and started heading out of the room. Nelim walked over to Loki, tending a wound on her arm.
“Those are all the children. None of the other labs are authorized for experimentation.”
Loki watched as they got going. Once all the children were cleared out, they started to collect any of the scientists that hadn't gotten away.
"Take the children to the SHIELD medical center with guards on watch. I want them monitored to make sure they are alright." Fury ordered. The children were taken off in a matter of moments as they left.
"Everyone you know the drill: clear out all the information and tech, get it loaded up, and shipped out." Fury told them.
"Loki, you know what to do afterwards." He said.
"With pleasure Director."
Tony made sure the children were taken care of before heading back inside to get the machines. He started unhooking them and SHIELD agents started loading the machines into separate jets.
“Nelim, are you sure there are no other machines?”
The Skrull nodded.
“There are basic maintenance machines downstairs, but the only ones with useful information are in this room.” She put a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “You did well Anthony Stark.” She smiled.
Tony nodded and felt that it was a small victory. None of the children had died, and they’d caught Stucker. Maybe things were taking a turn for the better. He and Nelim walked out of the building along with everyone else.
“Would it be all right if I saw Andrew again?”
“I don’t see why not. But his name is Toki now.”
Nelim nodded. She wondered what Toki would look like now that he was no longer mutated.
Fury got the call. "All clear, have at it."
Loki nodded and took a deep breath. There was a loud boom from the inside and the windows shattered. From there the building started to crumble and fall apart.
"Next time we'll bring some marshmallows and hot dogs to roast." Fury joked.
Loki made himself appear on the carrier and gave Stucker a sinister smile.
"You're mine."
"You don't scare me Trickster." He spat.
"If he doesn't now, you’ll be terrified of him by the time he's through with you." Clint smirked.
Stucker held his head high and looked away from Loki. His gaze turned instead to the window and he scowled deeply when he saw the lab go up in smoke.
Tony got onto another jet with the others and made himself comfortable. He slipped out of his suit and sighed. Nelim sat near him, though mostly because she still made the others nervous.
“So, how did you know about me and Loki?” The inventor looked at Nelim. He’d been itching to ask for a while how she knew so much about him.
“The Skrull have heard all about the Avengers, yet you seemed different from the others. Your motives for fighting are so different from your comrades. You do it simply because you can. I found it admirable.”
“Is that so?” Well that was certainly a first. Other than little kids, no one ever really thought Tony was all that great. Least of all women.
“Yes. I became interested in you and did my own research. That was when I discovered that you and the god Loki were together. I thought it was very strange that you would marry your former enemy.”
“Former being the key word.”
Nelim smiled slightly.
“But I also thought that this was a good thing. If you could give that man a chance, then surely you would stop long enough to listen to me. And you did.”
“Well, I’m glad I have a better reputation among aliens. So now to my second question: how did you hear about Toki?”
“After the first raid, the Skrull and Hydra were furious. They couldn’t believe you’d found Pauler before we did. So weeks later, we invaded the sight in search of anything we could salvage. There was nothing left, but I found some pictures of Andr-Toki.” She corrected herself. “I was relieved that he was still alive.”
Loki forced the man to face him. "Maybe I should let Hel have you. She'd string you up like a worm on a hook just for the fun of it." Loki smiled.
"I wonder if we can clone him." Natasha said, appearing next to Loki.
"Sir we're getting a call from base, they say a strange box arrived with holes in it and it's barking."
"Oh, Hel already knows then." Loki smirked.
"What do you know about this Stark?" Fury asked, looking back at the trickster.
"She's sent me a hell hound." Loki shrugged. "He or she will come in handy."
Everyone froze when they heard those words leave Loki’s lips. Hell hounds? As in real hell hounds? They didn’t even want to imagine what Loki wanted those things for, so nobody asked.
Tony nodded at Nelim and went to make himself some coffee as they arrived back at SHIELD. The Skrull followed him, still tentative about being alone with anyone else.
“Want some?”
“No thank you. I learned the hard way that coffee does not agree with me.”
Tony chuckled a bit as he fixed his cup.
“How’s that?”
“It makes me very hyper, but then I am ill for days. I will just have water.”
She served herself some water and sipped it quietly.
“Why do you care so much about these kids? None of the other Skrull seem to care.”
“That is because they do not. But…” Nelim paused, looking at her drink. “I felt connected to the children almost. It pained me to see how hurt they were. Had they been young Skrull, our leaders would have skinned the perpetrators.”
Loki allowed the agents to take the scientists to the cells while he went to see to the hell hound his daughter sent him.
"Why would you make her send you something like this?" Steve asked.
"I didn't. Captain, you underestimate us once again. My daughter sees everything and anything she wishes. She thinks the pup might come in handy." Loki shrugged. He opened the box with Clint and Steve standing near.
"What the hell? I was expecting something worse looking; that’s a puppy." Clint pouted. The archer was really beginning to hate how exaggerated everyone sounded when it came to the realm of gods.
Natasha huffed slightly. She was pretty underwhelmed when she saw only a black pup, albeit with red eyes but still. She’d imagined hell hounds to be as fearsome as the name they carried.
“So what exactly does it do? Will it lick the guy’s face off or something?” Clint looked at the pup skeptically but had to admit, it looked adorable. Maybe Loki would let him have one.
“But since we’re human, they couldn’t care less.”
Nelim nodded.
“If I may be honest, I do not care for humans either. They are strange to me. Killing each other and torturing one another in such cruel ways. But the children are so innocent, so pure. I saw in them hope that perhaps other humans could be the same.”
“There are some, but trust me, you grow out of innocence fast here.” Tony sipped his coffee as he leaned against the wall.
“I have heard your story, and I am not surprised by your callousness. Still, you too are different, as is Loki. Both so staunch and proud, and yet so kind and forgiving.”
“What makes you say that?”
Nelim chuckled a bit.
“For one, you married your former enemy and he bore you a child. And second, you trusted me.”
"Don't underestimate them Barton. You should see their parents. He has half the ability they do. Don't let the size fool you." Loki said.
"I still say he's good for nothing in this matter." Clint rolled his eyes.
The pup sneezed and from it came a great breath of fire.
"I want him. Gimme, gimme, gimme." He smiled, holding out his hands for the puppy.
"Not a chance." Loki answered walking away.
"May I ask how you came to fall in love with Loki?"
Clint pouted like a child and crossed his arms. Natasha looked at the man, trying to keep herself composed when she broke out in a fit of giggles.
“Very mature Clint.”
“I just want a puppy!”
Tony took another drink from his coffee.
“It’s a really weird story, actually. When he was brought here from Asgard, he was powerless. And I don’t know why, but Fury trusted me with him. He said that at least I wouldn’t kill the guy, which I still don’t understand. But he was right; I didn’t kill Loki, even when I had the chance. We didn’t really talk much, and that started to bug me after a while. I hate silence, it’s annoying. So I started trying to talk to him. I told him about my life, and eventually he would get so mad at me that he would tell me his.” Tony chuckled a bit.
Nelim nodded as she listened.
“He did not love you?”
“Not at first, no. He actually tried throwing me off the tower one time to prove his point. He’s actually pretty strong for someone so thin. So I kept bugging him until eventually he did break down and talked to me. And then I asked him out on a date.”
Clint just continued to pout and finally sat down with a frown upon his face. When Fury walked by, he stopped him.
"Can I have a puppy?" Out of all the Avengers, Clint was the most childish. His pranks were not as well thought out as Loki's were.
"I don't have time for this; I have to make sure Loki doesn't kill Stucker." He said.
"If I know Loki, the guys already had his mind turned to mush." Natasha smiled.
Fury took off running down to the cells and barely made it in time to stop Loki from having it out with Stucker.
"He's to go unharmed." Fury ordered.
Stucker looked up at Loki and laughed. "I'm still untouchable."
Loki started to laugh at the man and it only made both Fury and Stucker frown. "I don't have to touch you to destroy you." Loki warned as he left. The council wanted Stucker left alone or else.
Tony finished his third cup of coffee as he and Nelim waited around in the tower. He’d thought about taking her to Asgard to see Toki again, but after their encounter with the first Skrull, he wasn’t sure how Thor would take it.
“Did you know that Skrull went into Asgard for Toki?”
Nelim nodded.
“I was one of three others that opened a portal to let him through. It was very difficult to do. Opening portals from one realm to another is quite a task.”
“How’d you do it?”
“Ancient magic. It was once common among my people, but since we came into technology, such knowledge was lost. It was very difficult to find the spells, and even more so to actually perform them.”
Tony hummed in response and looked out over the city.
“Are they going to come looking for you?”
Nelim shrugged. She’d greatly considered that risk, and it still scared her to think what would happen if she were caught.
“I told no one of what I have done, but no doubt they have figured it out by now. They will look for me, but not right away. Their anger towards humans, and now Hydra, greatly dwarfs any anger they will have towards me. I am a Skrull; they will be much kinder to me as a traitor than you as humans.”
Tony shuddered at that thought. It certainly wasn’t the most pleasant thing he’d heard that day.
Loki entered the tower in a huff, displeased still that he didn't get to torture Stucker or anyone else for that matter. Walking over to Anthony, he pecked his cheek and sat down to join both him and Nelim in conversation. He fixed his gaze on Nelim, making sure she caught that Tony was his.
"Loki is there any possible way that I might be able to see Toki again?" She asked.
“She’s been wanting to see him again ever since he went missing. What do you think?” Tony mostly only asked that because he wanted Loki to test her. There was still a small chance that she was helping the Skrull, even now. Or course, he hoped it wasn’t that way. Nelim seemed nice enough.
Loki still kept Nelim under a critical eye. "We'll see about that."
Nelim watched Loki, her gaze darting back to Tony for a moment.
"You know very well who I am and what I can do. You know that I have a great many powers than I let on and I tell you this: cross us or hurt of our children and I'll tear you limb from limb." Loki threatened.
Nelim looked at Loki, a true and honest fear in her eyes. "I understand."
"Good. You'll have to wait until he comes home. They'll be back in a few weeks. But you can understand why I won't take you to Asgard."
Nelim nodded and swallowed slightly. She understood the apprehension that the Earthlings had towards her, but it was still a bit disheartening.
“I apologize if it seems I have other motives. Perhaps it is best that I leave for a while?”
“It’s fine. I actually feel better if you’re here where we can see you.” Tony spoke up then sighed and got to his feet. “There’s an extra room you can use.”
Nelim nodded and followed Tony to the guest room. She had grown so accustomed to sleeping in a very small space, that even that guest room looked large to her.
“This is lovely. Thank you.”
Tony shrugged.
“Loki hasn’t detected any deception in you, so I’m going to trust him that you’re on our side. But you should listen to his threat.”
“I know much about Loki and his power. I have seen firsthand what happened to Dr. Pauler. I will not cross him.”
While Tony saw to Nelim, Loki went to their bedroom and stripped down so he could take a shower to relax. It was still too early to detect a shift in his magic to see if he was pregnant.
"Jarvis, could you bring up a screen in the bedroom, I want to read a bit before bed." He said.
"Of course sir."
Loki finished his shower and climbed out, heading into the bedroom to change and wait for this husband to join him.
Tony made sure Nelim was settled before he went over to his husband. He threw off his shirt and flopped over on the bed. He sighed and looked at his husband.
“This day was crazy, and it sucked.” He sighed and snuggled close to Loki. “Do you think she really knows Toki?” He looked up at his husband.
"It’s a possibility. I detected no lies. We'll see if Toki remembers her when they meet again." He said. Loki closed out of the screen and settled down next to Tony. The god was warmer than usual due to his hot shower.
"Good night Anthony." He smiled.
“Night Babe.” He kissed his husband and smiled at him before dozing off.
Loki slept tucked against Tony, enjoying what rest they could get while they're children were away.
Toki listened to Loki’s advice and took a break like his father told him too, but the following day, Toki and Fenrir were both up and ready to go. While Fenrir didn't need the training as much as Toki did, he helped Thor show him little tricks that would come in handy in the long run.
Frigga watched with Remus playing in her lap, reminding her son to take it easy and that he was sparing with children not warriors.
Remus babbled and clapped his hands as he played with a charm Frigga had given him. He bit on it, laughing when it made a faint noise like a bell. Toki followed the flow of each move Thor showed him and tried them again and again until he got them right. It was tricky; some of the moves required him to move faster than he was used to.
“Do not discourage yourself Toki. You are young still; it will take time before you are able to do these moves perfectly.” Thor smiled at the boy.