Chapter 195 — Truths and Tension
The landing deck of the Helicarrier remained quiet after Thor finished speaking.
Wind from the high altitude brushed across the open platform, carrying the distant hum of the massive engines beneath their feet. Agents stood nearby, alert but disciplined, unsure whether the situation had truly settled or if another conflict would begin at any moment.
Thor and Nick Fury faced each other, neither backing down.
"The Tesseract existed long before your organization," Thor had said. "It belongs to Asgard."
"And right now," Fury replied evenly, "it's under S.H.I.E.L.D. jurisdiction."
The tension between them grew heavier with each passing second.
Steve Rogers watched carefully, ready to step in if needed. Natasha remained calm but attentive, her eyes moving between Thor and the surrounding agents. Even small misunderstandings could turn dangerous when gods were involved.
Tony Stark stepped forward before the situation could worsen.
He raised one hand casually, as if interrupting an argument between coworkers rather than stopping a dispute between a god and an intelligence director.
"Okay," Tony said, his voice calm but firm. "Whoever it's from, we need to find it first."
The simple statement cut through the tension.
Everyone paused.
Tony shrugged slightly. "We can argue about ownership later. Hard to fight over something none of us actually have."
Thor considered the words first. His grip on Mjolnir loosened slightly. After a moment, he nodded once.
"…You speak wisely," Thor admitted.
Fury exhaled quietly. He did not look pleased, but he also did not argue. Recovery of the Tesseract had always been the priority.
The confrontation dissolved almost instantly.
And then everyone turned toward Loki.
Still bound, still calm, Loki stood between them like the center of a play he alone understood.
He noticed their attention and smiled faintly.
Thor stepped forward and lowered his hammer to his side.
"Where is the Tesseract, Loki?"
His voice was firm but controlled.
Loki said nothing.
He simply looked at his brother, expression relaxed, almost amused.
The silence stretched.
Thor frowned slightly.
"Loki," he repeated, more firmly.
Still nothing.
Tony crossed his arms, watching openly, his expression somewhere between curiosity and entertainment. Steve remained serious, though he noticed the shift in Thor's posture.
Thor slowly became aware of everyone watching him.
Tony especially, looking like he was watching a show unfold.
A faint embarrassment crept into Thor's chest. As the older brother, as a prince, being ignored like this felt humiliating.
His patience snapped.
Thor grabbed Loki by the front of his restraints and slammed him down onto the deck.
The impact echoed loudly.
"Loki!" Thor demanded. "Where is the Tesseract?!"
Loki let out a small grunt from the impact. For a moment, his expression tightened, but then the familiar smile returned.
"You are quite funny, brother," Loki said calmly. "Why would I say it?"
The refusal was clear.
He had no intention of helping.
Thor's frustration rose again, but before he could continue, Nick Fury stepped forward.
"That's enough."
His voice carried authority without needing to be loud.
"Thor," Fury said, "give Loki to me. He will be imprisoned first on the Helicarrier."
Thor hesitated, then nodded.
He lifted Loki back upright and handed him over.
"Do not let him escape," Thor warned. "He knows magic."
Fury gave a short nod. "Noted."
He turned toward nearby agents.
"Take him to containment. Helicarrier Detention Cell."
The agents moved immediately. Several soldiers escorted Loki away, guiding him toward the specialized holding chamber originally designed for the Hulk, a reinforced cell that had never been used until now.
Loki walked calmly between them, still smiling faintly as if everything were proceeding exactly as planned.
Tony watched him go, uneasy.
The front of Iron Man's armor opened with a soft mechanical sound. Tony stepped out, stretching slightly as the armor sealed behind him.
"Alright," Tony said. "Since our guest isn't feeling chatty, maybe we should figure out what's actually going on."
Everyone silently agreed.
They moved inside toward a secured briefing room.
Once inside, Gaius turned toward the Ultramarines standing nearby.
"You will guard outside," he ordered calmly.
Titus placed a fist against his chest. "Understood."
The four warriors turned in perfect synchronization and exited the room, taking positions along the corridor.
Their heavy steps echoed briefly before fading.
Thor watched them leave with clear interest. His eyes followed their movements, impressed by their discipline and presence.
"Remarkable warriors," he murmured quietly.
Steve noticed but said nothing.
Once the doors closed, the room grew quieter.
Steve stepped forward first.
"Loki seems to be dragging this out," he said. "He surrendered too easily."
He turned toward Thor.
"So what's his play?"
Thor's expression hardened slightly.
"He commands an army," Thor said. "The Chitauri. They are not of Asgard, nor any world known to me."
The room stilled.
"He intends to lead them against your people," Thor continued. "They will conquer Earth in his name."
Natasha's brows furrowed.
"An army… from outer space," she said softly.
Her gaze shifted toward Gaius.
Tony followed her gaze. Both of them knew Gaius came from a future shaped by alien wars, though Tony understood that Gaius was from another universe entirely. Even in silence, his presence carried weight.
Bruce Banner spoke next, thinking aloud.
"If that's true… then Loki isn't stalling. He's buying time."
Everyone looked at him.
"He needs Selvig," Banner continued. "He's building the portal right now. That's why he needed him."
Thor tilted his head. "Selvig?" he said, hearing the familiar name.
"An astrophysicist," Banner explained.
Recognition crossed Thor's face.
"He is a friend."
Natasha nodded. "Loki has him under some kind of control. He's done it before. He controlled others too… including one of ours."
She did not need to say Hawkeye's name aloud.
Silence followed.
Across the room, Tanya sat quietly, thinking.
She opened the Multiversal Chat privately.
Tanya:@Gaius should we torture Loki for information? It might help us get the Tesseract faster… though the second objective may still fail.
The second objective of the mission was to kill a Chitauri. If they secured the Tesseract and prevented the Chitauri from descending, it would mean failing the second objective.
A moment later, Gaius replied.
Gaius:Even if we obtain the Tesseract, the Chitauri could still reach Earth through space travel. It would only delay them. However, possessing it allows control of where the portal appears.
Tanya understood immediately.
If they could control where the portal appeared, then the moment the Chitauri emerged, they could be met with heavy fire. It would also complete the first objective, since the portal would not open over New York.
She closed the chat and looked up.
"How about we torture Loki for the whereabouts of the Tesseract?"
The room froze.
Everyone turned toward her.
Natasha's eyes narrowing slightly.
Steve stiffening.
Thor's fingers tightening around Mjolnir.
Tony raising an eyebrow.
The words themselves were not shocking given the situation, but hearing them from a small girl changed the impact entirely.
Steve spoke first, gentle but firm.
"Tanya… don't say things like that."
Natasha didn't immediately disagree, but she looked uncomfortable hearing it spoken so casually by a little girl. She had already accepted that Tanya was far from normal, she was a companion of Gaius and Tony, after all, but it still unsettled her.
Thor stepped forward slightly.
"Little girl," he said carefully, "even if Loki is beyond reason, you must take care with your words. He is the prince of Asgard… and my brother."
Before anyone else could respond, Gaius spoke.
"Thor."
His voice came through the helmet's grille, deep and metallic.
Gaius could control how his voice sounded. He could make it human and natural if he wanted, or use the grille to make it cold, mechanical, and intimidating. He often used this effect deliberately to assert authority and intimidate enemies.
The temperature of the room seemed to drop.
"I have tolerated you and your brother despite knowing you are not human," Gaius said slowly. "Had it not been for the importance of the Tesseract, I would have executed you both for committing evil upon Terra, even if it were only your brother responsible."
Though they had a shared history, fighting the same enemy destroyer, Gaius never truly considered them allies.
The pressure in the room became overwhelming.
Thor felt it immediately.
It was not anger alone. It was certainty, the feeling of standing before someone fully prepared to act.
Through the blue visor, Thor felt as though Gaius was looking directly through him, measuring every movement, every breath.
A single wrong action would mean death.
Thor remembered the Destroyer being cut down effortlessly.
Remembered Gaius standing against overwhelming power without hesitation.
For the first time since arriving, Thor's confidence faltered slightly. He was not afraid of battle, but he understood danger. Besides, Gaius was his savior, he did not want to fight him.
And Gaius was dangerous.
Thor lowered his head slightly.
"I apologize," he said sincerely. "I became… worked up."
The oppressive pressure vanished almost instantly.
Gaius returned to stillness.
Inside his armor, however, he remained alert. Observation Haki confirmed no hostile intent. Still, he had been ready to strike, power fist primed, prepared to eliminate a threat if necessary.
Tony was unarmored.
Tanya's abilities were still unknown.
Risk could not be allowed.
But now the danger had passed.
The room slowly relaxed again.
Steve exhaled quietly.
Natasha leaned back slightly, tension easing.
Thor straightened, calmer now.
End of Chapter 195
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