Thor was felled instantly by the unexpected jolt from Darcy's taser, collapsing into the New Mexico dust like a massive, unceremonious sack of laundry.
Jane was frantic, scrambling around the unconscious, god-like figure. "Darcy, what are you doing? You just tased a potential extraterrestrial being!"
Darcy looked utterly innocent, shrugging her shoulders. "He was yelling about hammers and threatening to silence me. He scared me! Plus, look at his biceps—he was probably going to break something valuable, like our stabilizer camera."
Su Yi finally stepped in, smoothly taking charge of the escalating situation. "Don't worry, Jane. He seems to be fine, just stunned. Let him rest for a night, and he'll recover his strength. He's structurally sound, even if he's mentally confused."
"I think we should still send him to a mental hospital," Jane muttered, still struggling to reconcile the bizarre event with her scientific training. She watched Su Yi effortlessly lift the 250-pound man.
No matter what, they had to move him, both to study the unique energy scar he left behind and to prevent the authorities from stumbling upon their prize. Su Yi easily tossed Thor into the back of the RV and laid him flat, positioning him like a rare, if extremely volatile, scientific specimen.
As the two vehicles sped off toward the nearest town—Puente Antiguo—leaving swirling red dust in their wake, the cosmos delivered its final payload. Not too far from the Bifrost scar, a metallic object hurtled out of the void, slamming into the desert floor. The impact created a huge crater, deep enough to swallow a small house, and sent shockwaves through the quiet landscape.
Su Yi naturally noticed the residual energy spike and the deep tremor through his Lv7 Enhanced Senses, but Jane, Darcy, and Dr. Selvig, focused on their captured "mystery man" and the spatial anomaly, didn't notice it at all.
Approximately an hour later, a small, unmarked military helicopter arrived in the remote desert location. The team of black-suited agents, led by Agent Phil Coulson, rappelled down near the first, strange circular scorch mark left by the Bifrost.
Coulson was immediately drawn to the second, far more dramatic crater. Inside, buried halfway into the pulverized earth, was a short-handled, ancient-looking hammer, glowing faintly with barely contained power.
"Boss," Coulson reported into his encrypted comms, his voice low but urgent. "Su Yi's prediction was correct. A hammer really fell from the sky."
Coulson stepped to the edge of the pit and tried to lift the object with a gloved hand. It didn't budge. He tried again with greater effort. Nothing. A junior agent attempted to secure a strap around the handle, and the leather snapped as the hammer refused to yield.
"Send in heavy recovery gear," Coulson ordered, stepping back. He already knew this wasn't a job for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s physical recovery team; this was an Object of Power.
Miles away, at the main S.H.I.E.L.D. triage center, Nick Fury heard the report. He was rubbing his temples, the growing list of cosmic threats giving him an unending, splitting headache.
"Isn't he also in New Mexico? Go and contact him to gather more information, Agent," Fury commanded, his voice rough. "Tell him the hammer has landed. Ask him what we're looking at."
"I understand, Director."
Fury leaned back in his chair, the problems piling up like a collapsing Jenga tower. The world had gone from manageable to mythological in the span of a few months. Although he had already established contact with super-powered individuals, such as Tony Stark and Su Yi, there were too many others he had never encountered or fully understood.
The person who took Wanda Maximoff away, according to Sharon Carter's cryptic report, seemed to be called the Sorcerer Ancient One, and Su Yi—the source of most of Fury's reliable intel—respected her greatly. Now, an impossibly heavy hammer and a naked, raving, god-like man suddenly fell from the sky.
"Damn it, this world is getting more and more complicated," Fury muttered to himself. "And there are so many problems waiting for me to deal with."
His biggest systemic problem, however, wasn't the aliens or the gods; it was the rot within his own agency. Fury already deeply suspected that his superior, Alexander Pierce, had become a HYDRA operative, or at least a high-level mole.
Pierce, an equally old fox, had found clues about Fury's secret operations—the development of the Avengers Initiative—and was actively testing him. The two men hadn't openly shown their cards yet, engaging in a tense, silent game of political chess.
This made Nick Fury feel even more stressed. Ultimately, as the Director, he had too few truly trustworthy people. If he accidentally hired another HYDRA Agent to be by his side, everything—his life, his network, his plan for global defense—would be exposed.
HYDRA had developed and thrived right under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s nose. Now, he, the Director, had been sidelined and was being watched by Pierce, and trying to break the situation under HYDRA's nose doubled the difficulty.
Fortunately, Fury was not completely isolated. He had already sent Natasha Romanoff out on a deep-cover assignment to recruit the Black Widows from the former Red Room, simultaneously giving her a necessary mission and putting her outside of HYDRA's surveillance.
In addition, there were a few other trustworthy operatives like Clint Barton (Hawkeye), Agent Maria Hill, and Agent Sharon Carter.
And, of course, there was Su Yi, the cryptic, knowledgeable external aid who could predict the future.
A new day began in the small, sleepy town of Puente Antiguo. Su Yi, Jane, and the others were preparing to visit Thor in the small local hospital.
They didn't need to enter the building to know something was wrong. They heard the shouting first.
"I am Thor, Son of Odin! King of Asgard!"
"You mortals! Do you think you can trap a God like this? Release me immediately!"
Inside, a frantic doctor and two nurses were trying to hold down the massive, flailing man and prepare a sedative injection to calm him down. Thor, despite his lack of power, was still a 1500-year-old warrior, and the hospital staff had no chance.
Jane and Darcy felt a bad premonition when they saw the scene—one that centered on their wallets.
"Oh, will we have to pay for these damages? I told you he was a lunatic!" Darcy groaned, already mentally calculating the deduction from her research grant.
Su Yi quickly strode forward, his voice calm and authoritative, cutting through Thor's bellowing. "Stop! Everyone, step back."
The staff hesitated, but Su Yi's sheer presence and unwavering confidence compelled them. The nurses and the doctor backed away, grateful for the interruption.
Su Yi looked directly at Thor, whose powerful, unblinking glare met his own.
"Thor, do you want to get your hammer back? It's best to be quiet. We'll take you there now."
Thor's rage instantly cooled into suspicion. He glared fiercely at the mortal before him. "Who are you? Why should I believe you, little man?"
"I'm probably one of the few people in this world who knows your true origin," Su Yi replied with an unnerving, knowing smile. "More importantly, I know exactly where your hammer—Mjolnir—landed. Do you want to stay here, waste time fighting nurses, or come with me to find your beloved weapon and your rightful place?"
Thor was not afraid of Su Yi. After all, he was just a mortal, and Thor was a prince of Asgard, even if temporarily stripped of his strength. The desperation to reclaim Mjolnir, the one thing that proved his identity and worth, overrode his caution.
"You'd better make sure you do not deceive me, mortal, otherwise, I will let you witness the true wrath of Thor when my power returns," Thor warned, his chest heaving.
"OK, OK. Threat noted," Su Yi said dismissively. He then called the doctor over and quietly arranged for the compensation for the hospital damages, covering the cost from his ever-growing external accounts.
As they exited the hospital, Jane was bubbling with questions. "Mr. Su, you know his origin? You sound like you actually believe him."
"Didn't he say it? He is Thor," Su Yi replied simply.
"You believe that? A God?" Jane challenged.
Darcy was also curious. After so many days, she was very sure that Su Yi was definitely not crazy. But there was no logical reason to believe such absurd claims.
Dr. Selvig, however, had no interest in the man. "Jane, I think we should go back and check the Bifrost pattern again after breakfast. The energy decay rate is the key. Maybe we'll find something new."
"I agree," Jane conceded, pulling out her notebook.
However, as soon as the small group left the hospital entrance, they were stopped by Coulson and a group of half a dozen S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
"Hello, Mr. Su," Coulson greeted him, his smile practiced and professional.
"Long time no see, Coulson," Su Yi returned the greeting easily.
Jane and the others looked completely puzzled, having no idea who Coulson and his entourage were. Looking at the agents' crisp attire and serious stance, they didn't seem like good people.
"Mr. Su, who are they?" Jane asked suspiciously, pulling back.
"A friend of mine. I'll chat with him for a bit. Don't worry, they're harmless," Su Yi assured them, though he knew that was far from the truth.
Su Yi and Coulson walked aside, and Coulson immediately got to the point, bypassing all pleasantries.
"As you predicted, Mr. Su, a hammer fell from the sky. It's immovable, buried deep, and generating a massive energy signature. You seem to know the origin of this hammer, and we need more information."
"This hammer is called Mjolnir, the weapon of Thor," Su Yi explained, providing the minimum amount of actionable intelligence. "If you want to know more, you can look up Norse mythology. The history is surprisingly accurate."
Coulson was not a fool. "Mythology? So, you're telling me that there really are Gods in this world?"
"So-called Gods might just be more powerful aliens, Coulson. Highly advanced extraterrestrial life that visited Earth millennia ago. Haven't you also experienced alien incidents? This one is just better dressed."
Coulson digested the information with a slight narrowing of his eyes. "The hammer has appeared. The man is clearly connected. What are you planning to do now?"
"Me? Take him to see it, and try to see if I can pick up the hammer."
Coulson didn't fully understand Su Yi's thought process—why would a seemingly grounded individual suddenly be interested in mythological bragging rights?—but he was still willing to respect Su Yi's choices. After all, Su Yi was still on their side and could provide them with a constant stream of invaluable information.
"When are you leaving? We've secured the perimeter and are preparing to erect a research facility around the impact zone," Coulson stated.
"After breakfast, perhaps? We're starving. Coulson, would you like to join?"
Coulson hesitated for a moment. He needed to track the asset (Thor), but he also needed to maintain the relationship with the informant (Su Yi). "No problem, Mr. Su. I'll join you. My presence will expedite your access to the site."
Su Yi smiled. Perfect. Coulson's involvement gives me the control and the buffer I need.
Su Yi returned to the group, leaving Coulson to report the news—and his updated strategy—to Fury.
Jane looked at Coulson and the others warily. "Mr. Su, they look like people from some secret department. Such people are usually not good people. They're trying to take our data!"
"Exactly, Mr. Su," Darcy chimed in. "How are you involved with them? They reek of bureaucracy."
Su Yi put his arm around Jane's shoulder. "Coulson is my friend. He's a good man, and I trust him. And trust me, Jane, they're only interested in the man and the hammer, not your equations."
Thor, however, was already impatient. He directly stopped Su Yi, his eyes burning with renewed fury. "Mortal, I am finished with your silly customs! I am going to get my hammer now! You will take me!"
Su Yi was still relatively polite and maintained a veneer of patience with this 1500-year-old mischievous child. He had a million reasons—literally a million Fate Points—to keep Thor cooperative for just a few more minutes.
"Thor, I will take you to get your hammer, but for now, we need to get some food, as your banishment seems to have given you the appetite of a starved mortal. You need energy for the inevitable fight ahead." Su Yi's eyes flickered, the mention of a fight catching Thor's attention.
"And one more thing, Thor Odinson," Su Yi continued, his voice dropping slightly, laced with an unsettling authority that even the banished God felt. "I think you should be more polite to us. The people who are driving you to your salvation and paying for the property damage you caused are not your servants. If you wish for a guide, you must respect the journey."
Thor huffed, but the thought of Mjolnir, and the chance to flex his warrior muscles, was enough to cow him. He stomped ahead, accepting the fragile truce.
Su Yi watched him go, his inner strategic calculus now running at high speed. The Challenge Card was active. The target—Thor (Unpowered)—was secured but highly volatile. Mjolnir was waiting, protected by Coulson's team, and S.H.I.E.L.D. would expect a confrontation at the crater.
But Su Yi wasn't going to fight the God of Thunder in front of dozens of agents. He needed a brief window of privacy. He had just earned 300 million Fate Points' worth of strategic assets, but he needed the liquid cash from the Challenge Card win to fully leverage the 2x Destiny Card.
The opportunity won't be in the diner, Su Yi thought, his mind racing through the town's geography. It won't be on the main road. Coulson will be on my tail the moment we leave. It must be a deliberate, isolated stop, a sudden detour on the way to the desert...
He smiled to himself, already plotting the route that would give him the necessary five minutes to execute his million-point challenge and ensure his massive profit, all while maintaining his image as Jane Foster's mild-mannered, brilliant consultant.