Chapter 88: Hawkeye's Betrayal

Nick Fury placed the Tesseract into a briefcase, picked it up, and prepared to slip away unnoticed. But Loki turned to him and said, “I need it.”

Nick Fury glanced back at Loki. “I don't think we need to make a scene.”

Loki scoffed, “On the contrary, it’s absolutely necessary. I’ve come a long way for it.”

He spread his arms wide, as if making a grand proclamation.

“I am Loki, of Asgard, and I carry a glorious purpose.”

“Loki?” Professor Selvig looked at him in astonishment, then asked, “Thor’s brother?”

Loki shot a glance at Selvig. The old man looked familiar—one of Thor’s companions, possibly a professor of spatial sciences.

Indeed, a talented mind I could use. Loki pointed at Selvig’s chest.

Selvig's eyes changed, and when he looked at Loki again, there was a newfound deference in his gaze.

Nick Fury remarked, “Our two races have nothing to do with each other.”

Loki turned to Fury, smiling faintly. “Of course, just like ants and boots.”

Fury frowned. “Are you planning to crush us?”

That was more or less the idea—Loki meant he had business to conduct here, and should they get underfoot, he wouldn’t hesitate to crush them.

Loki ignored the question, continuing as if to himself, “I bring glad tidings—I’ll help you break your chains.”

“What chains?” Fury retorted.

Loki sneered, “Freedom. Freedom is life’s greatest lie. If you could accept that in your heart, you would find peace.”

As Loki spoke, Fury’s expression darkened further.

“You claim to speak of freedom, but I see quite the opposite.”

At that moment, Hawkeye noticed residual energy from the portal behind Fury. He stepped forward, saying, “Sir, he’s stalling. The place is about to blow. We’ll be buried under meters of rubble. He plans to entomb us alive.”

Fury said gravely, “Like the ancient pharaohs.”

Selvig glanced at the computer. “He’s right—the portal is collapsing. In two minutes, this whole place will explode. We’ll all perish.”

“Oh, very well,” Loki replied, feigning resignation.

Hawkeye raised his pistol and fired at Fury, a genuine smile of satisfaction on his face as he pulled the trigger.

Fury fell instantly. An agent grabbed the briefcase, and the group made for the exit.

“We’ll need these vehicles.”

Agent Hill arrived just in time, spotting Loki and asking Hawkeye, “Who is he?”

Hawkeye replied, “They haven’t told me either.”

Hill gave Loki a curious look, but didn’t doubt Hawkeye; as agents, they were used to strange assignments.

“Agent Hill, do you read me? Barton has turned.”

Hill glanced behind her, realizing the danger. She quickly dove for cover, narrowly dodging several bullets, then returned fire, taking down a few agents.

Hawkeye sped off with Selvig and Loki. Hill immediately commandeered a vehicle and followed.

The base was collapsing. Fury was also running for his life.

At the last moment, Fury climbed aboard his personal aircraft, just as the ground gave way beneath.

Hill’s car was struck by falling debris near the tunnel’s exit—luckily, she had reached the edge of the collapse and the way was not completely blocked. To avoid further cave-ins, she abandoned the vehicle and squeezed through the rubble, escaping the underground garage.

Because of this, she was unable to pursue Hawkeye further and could only watch as they escaped.

Fury was not about to let them get away. He ordered the helicopter pilot to intercept.

But there’s no outrunning something that flies—soon, the helicopter caught up to their vehicle.

Fury opened the chopper’s door, and in this moment of crisis, pulled out a small handgun and fired at Hawkeye.

Even Hawkeye was speechless—Fury had a private helicopter, but couldn’t bother to bring a rocket launcher?

Loki stood in the car, raised his scepter, and unleashed a blast at the helicopter, disabling it instantly.

As the helicopter went down, Fury jumped out decisively, dusted himself off, and emerged unharmed. The pilot, not so lucky, perished with the wreck.

Fury fired a few symbolic shots with his pistol, but could only watch as Loki made his escape.

“The war has begun.”

...

“Natasha, Barton’s been compromised.”

Upon hearing this, Black Widow’s expression changed instantly.

“Where is he?”

“We don’t know.”

Without hesitation, she swiftly dispatched the Russian smugglers around her and picked up the phone.

“He’s still alive, isn’t he?”

“He is. I’ll explain everything when you get back. But first, you’ll need to contact some people.”

Black Widow smiled slightly. “Coulson, you know Tony no longer trusts me.”

Coulson replied, “Leave Tony to me. You reach out to the other two, and bring ‘the big guy’ in with him.”

Well, how to put it?

After designing the flying aircraft carrier, Tony vanished without a trace, saying if S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted him as a consultant, they’d have to pay more. Fury was so exasperated, he could only mutter about his mother.

As for Michael, he never lifted a finger without good reason, and Gwen, being his girlfriend, had learned a thing or two from him.

At this point, the only Avenger they could actually mobilize was Spider-Man, their reserve member.

Black Widow flew to New York and knocked on Michael’s office door.

Michael turned to her, feigning ignorance. “I’ve seen you before, around Pepper. What brings you here?”

“It’s urgent. I’m with S.H.I.E.L.D.—Nick Fury sent me to fetch you.”

Michael smiled. “I don’t do charity.”

Natasha smiled back. “How about me as compensation?”

Gwen stood with her arms crossed, glaring at Michael.

Immediately, Michael felt a murderous aura from behind. One wrong answer and he’d be in serious trouble.

Natasha glanced at Gwen and said pointedly, “Seems I picked the wrong moment.”

Of course she knew Gwen was in Michael’s lab—she was doing this on purpose.

Michael looked at Gwen and said, “No, you came at just the right time. I’ll have to ask you to leave, though.”

“Felicia, see our guest out.”

No one responded. Michael activated his echolocation and found his secretary unconscious at her post.

“You knocked out my assistant.”

Natasha flashed a dazzling smile. “You can do the same to me tonight, if you wish—I wouldn’t mind at all.”

Michael was at a loss and could only say, “Alright, alright, enough. I won’t ask for payment.”