“We’re about forty minutes out from home base, sir,” the Quinjet pilot said. Coulson took off his headphones and made his way back from his station near the cockpit to the passenger compartment. Captain America was sitting there, in civilian clothes, reviewing the dossier Director Fury had given him. After dropping Pepper at the airport, Coulson had stayed up most of the night getting things arranged to have the new team meet for the first time. The logistics were still coming together. He’d picked up Captain America first thing in the morning and was now ferrying him to a meeting with Director Fury.

“So this Dr. Banner was trying to replicate the serum they used on me,” Captain America said.

“A lot of people were. You were the world’s first Super Hero.” Coulson had a bit of a difficult time keeping his normal reserved demeanor around Captain America. He’d been a huge fan for a long time, reading the stories of Captain America’s exploits during World War II. Now to see the man right in front of him in the flesh . . . it was a thrill, but also intimidating. Coulson needed to keep his head. There was a mission to accomplish.

“Banner thought gamma radiation might hold the key to unlocking Erskine’s original formula,” he added.

“That didn’t really go his way, did it?” Captain America was now reading through the part of the dossier containing the history of the Hulk.

“Not so much. When he’s not that thing, though, the guy’s like a Stephen Hawking.”

Captain America looked up at him. He didn’t know who Stephen Hawking was.

“He’s like a . . . smart person,” Coulson amended. Then, because he couldn’t help himself, he went on. “I have to say it’s an honor to meet you officially. I sort of met you, I mean I watched you while you were sleeping.” Captain America looked uncomfortable, and Coulson regretted his choice of phrase. Captain America got up and looked out the Quinjet’s front windows.

Coulson tried again. For some reason, being around Captain America made him nervous in a way he never was when he interacted with any of the others. “I mean, I was present while you were unconscious from the ice,” he said. “You know, it’s really just a huge honor to have you on board.”

“I hope I’m the man for the job,” Captain America said.

“Oh, you are. Absolutely. We made some modifications to the uniform.” Coulson paused, a little bashful. “I had a little design input.”

Captain America looked back at Coulson. “The uniform? Aren’t the Stars and Stripes a little . . . old-fashioned?”

“With everything that’s happening, and the things that are about to come to light, people might just need a little old-fashioned,” Coulson said.

Loki watched Dr. Erik Selvig work, preparing the Tesseract for the next phase of his plan. Technicians and soldiers scurried about on various errands. Loki did not know the details and did not care. They were beneath him. He had his eye solely on the greater prize. It was time to consult with the Chitauri and begin the next phase of the preparations.

The gem in the head of his scepter glowed as Loki gathered his magical powers. A moment later, his surroundings were transformed. No longer was he standing in an underground laboratory watching mortals build machines. Now he was sitting in the . . . other space . . . where the Chitauri waited.

They were the aliens who had found him after he was cast out of Asgard. He had struck a deal with them.

Deep space and a field of stars surrounded this rocky world. Pale blue lights glowed where the Chitauri had built their fortress. They gleamed in a set of stairs that climbed to the topmost tower. That was where Loki had made his bargain with the Chitauri: They would be his army and he would open a path to Earth for them. Once Earth was his, and Asgard as well, he would turn the Tesseract over to them.

At least that was what he had promised.

“The Chitauri grow restless,” their leader growled. Around him, his minions moved, seemingly part of the rocky landscape until their motion gave them away. They were armored, their faces hidden. They were humanoid in shape, with monstrous faces similar to the reptiles found on Earth. Their appearance would be useful when it was time to use them as an invading army. Striking fear into one’s opponents was a fine way to shorten a battle. Loki had also taken care with his own appearance, assuming his Asgardian armor and horned golden helmet for this conversation. It was useful to appear powerful when you spoke with those you were to lead.

“Let them gird themselves,” he said. “I will lead them in the glorious battle.”

“Battle?” the Chitauri warrior snorted. “Against the meager might of Earth?”

“Glorious,” Loki repeated. “Not lengthy. If your force is as formidable as you claim.”

He had intended to anger the Chitauri, and he had succeeded. “You question us? You question him, who put the scepter in your hand? Who gave you ancient knowledge and new purpose when you were cast out, defeated?” Thousands of Chitauri warriors watched, their armor scraping on the stones of this strange world.

“I was a king!” Loki declared. “The rightful king of Asgard, betrayed.”

“Your ambition is little and born of childish need. We look beyond the Earth to greater worlds the Tesseract will unveil.”

“You don’t have the Tesseract yet.” The Chitauri leader rushed at Loki and stopped just short of him, claws raised. Loki did not move.

“I don’t threaten,” he said, though he was doing exactly that. “But until I open the doors, until your force is mine to command, you are but words.” He wanted the Chitauri to understand that if they wanted the Tesseract, they first had to give Loki what he wanted—Earth.

The Chitauri leader backed down but only a step. “You will have your war, Asgardian,” he growled. Then he too decided to make a threat. “If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he cannot find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something sweet as pain.”

Loki flashed back into his awareness of Earth. He took a deep breath. The Chitauri did not frighten him . . . but he would have been a fool if he had not possessed a healthy respect for their leader, the mad Titan known as Thanos. For it was Thanos who had given Loki the scepter, and Thanos who had rallied the Chitauri to Loki’s cause . . . and Thanos who wished to possess the Tesseract for his own monstrous ends. One did not bargain lightly with Thanos—and one certainly did not fail to meet the terms of such a bargain. tUHptY5cYAtbAi6bJowAI1g9TA9TvXOdzeb2l7ES8nrLZoZ+xNDWGO6Flkd/g/q5