Thor was released that morning with a tracker discretely placed in his borrowed clothing and orders for me to maintain surveillance.
"Don't spook him," Coulson instructed. "Just observe. Report if he does anything unusual."
"More unusual than claiming to be a Norse god?"
"You know what I mean."
I followed Thor back to town, keeping a reasonable distance. He seemed aimless at first, wandering the streets like a man who'd lost his purpose. Which, I supposed, he had.
He eventually ended up back at the diner where Jane and her team had set up a temporary base of operations in the aftermath of SHIELD confiscating their equipment.
I watched from across the street as Jane spotted him, her expression shifting from surprise to curiosity to something softer. Even from a distance, I could see the connection forming—two lost souls finding something in each other.
Darcy noticed me lurking and came outside. "You're really bad at subtle surveillance."
"Not trying to be subtle. Just keeping distance."
"Right. Well, your big blonde mystery man is in there eating everything in our pantry and making eyes at Jane. It's actually kind of sweet, in a weird 'is he homeless or a Viking' way." She tilted her head. "You really think he's telling the truth? About being from another realm?"
"I think he believes it. Whether it's true..." I shrugged. "We'll find out."
"Man, I love this job. Weird science and possibly alien Vikings. Beats my poli-sci classes." She looked at me more seriously. "SHIELD's going to give Jane her research back, right? You promised."
"I'm working on it. These things take time."
"Work faster. She's been obsessed with this research for years. It's everything to her."
I made a mental note to push Coulson on that. Jane deserved her work back, and keeping her cooperative would be valuable when things inevitably got weirder.
My phone buzzed. Text from Natasha: How's New Mexico? Missing you.
I smiled and replied: Hot, dusty, full of Norse mythology. Missing you too. How's your assignment?
Classified and boring. Call tonight?
Definitely.
"That the girlfriend?" Darcy asked, shamelessly reading over my shoulder.
"Yes, and boundaries."
"Please. I'm a millennial. We don't have boundaries." She grinned. "She's pretty, by the way. Saw her at SHIELD orientation. Very 'could kill you with a paperclip' energy."
"That's accurate."
"You have a type."
"Apparently."
The afternoon passed quietly. Thor spent time with Jane and Darcy, and I could see him slowly relaxing, becoming more human. The arrogance was still there, but tempered by his current circumstances.
Dr. Selvig arrived at the diner, concerned about his student getting involved with the mysterious stranger. I listened from my observation post as he tried to get Thor drunk to figure out his story—a tactic that backfired when Thor revealed he could drink a professor under the table.
"He's Asgardian," I muttered to myself. "Super metabolism. Good luck getting him drunk, doc."
My phone rang. Coulson.
"Status?"
"Subject is socializing with the Foster research team. No hostile behavior. Appears to be forming attachment to Dr. Foster specifically."
"Romantic attachment?"
"Possibly. Early stages."
"Interesting. Keep monitoring. We've got weather anomalies forming north of town. Could be related to the original event."
My Enhanced Danger Sense spiked. Weather anomalies meant one thing: the Bifrost was opening again. Which meant either Asgardians were coming to retrieve Thor, or...
Or Loki was sending the Destroyer.
"I'll maintain position," I told Coulson, already moving closer to the diner.
The sky was darkening unnaturally, storm clouds forming out of nowhere. This wasn't Earth weather—this was Asgardian magic.
Inside the diner, I saw Thor notice it too. His expression shifted from relaxed to alert to concerned in rapid succession.
"Carter to Coulson. Subject has noticed the weather. He's reacting like he recognizes it."
"Is it hostile?"
Before I could answer, there was a massive boom like thunder, and a beam of rainbow light struck the ground at the edge of town.
"That's a yes," I said. "We've got incoming."
Three figures emerged from the light—warriors in elaborate armor that screamed Asgardian. A large man with red hair and a huge beard, an Asian man with a staff, and a beautiful dark-skinned woman with a sword and shield.
"I need backup," I said into my phone. "We've got three armed individuals, possibly enhanced, coming into town. They appear to be looking for Thor."
"Barton's team is en route. Five minutes. Can you contain?"
"I can try to intercept and assess threat level."
"Do it. But Carter—if they're hostile, retreat. Don't engage."
I moved to intercept the trio before they reached the diner. My hand instinctively went to my concealed pistol, though I doubted bullets would do much against Asgardian warriors.
"Excuse me," I called out, trying to sound authoritative but not threatening. "This is a restricted area. I'm going to need you to identify yourselves."
The large man with the beard turned to me with a booming laugh. "Restricted? We are the Warriors Three and Lady Sif, come to retrieve the son of Odin! We do not recognize your authority, mortal!"
"Fandral, perhaps we should—" the Asian man started, but was cut off by movement from the diner.
Thor emerged, his face showing shock and joy. "My friends! You came!"
"Thor!" The woman—Sif—rushed forward. "Are you hurt? What has happened?"
They embraced, the reunion emotional and relieved. The Warriors Three clustered around Thor, examining him with concern.
I lowered my hand from my weapon, reassessing. Not hostile—at least not to us. They were here for Thor.
Barton arrived with his team, weapons ready. "Status?"
"Friendly contact. They're here for Thor. Asgardians, if I'm reading this right."
"Asgardians," Barton repeated flatly. "As in actual aliens?"
"Appears that way."
The reunion was cut short by Thor's expression darkening. "You should not have come. You've put yourselves at risk of my father's wrath."
"Your father's wrath?" The one called Fandral looked confused. "Thor, we defied orders to come find you. We thought—"
"Is it true?" Sif interrupted. "That you are banished? That you cannot return?"
Thor's jaw tightened. "It is true. I am no longer worthy of Mjolnir, no longer worthy of Asgard. Odin has spoken."
"Then we will fight to overturn his decision!" the large warrior declared. "We will speak to—"
The sky darkened further. A different energy this time, not the Bifrost's rainbow light but something darker, more violent.
My danger sense went absolutely haywire.
"Everyone inside!" I shouted. "Now!"
"What is it?" Sif demanded.
"I don't know, but something bad is coming. Thor, get these people to safety!"
Thor's face went pale as he looked at the darkening sky. "No. Not here. He wouldn't—"
"He would," Sif said grimly. "Loki has sent the Destroyer."
"The what?" I asked, already dreading the answer.
"A weapon," Thor said. "An ancient Asgardian automaton designed for one purpose—to kill. Completely indestructible, powered by Odin's own magic. If it has been sent here..." He looked at his friends, at Jane and Darcy who had come outside, at the town full of innocent people. "We must evacuate. Everyone must leave, now!"
═══════════════════════════════════════
MAJOR THREAT DETECTED
The Destroyer
Threat Level: EXTREME (Beyond Peak Human Capability)
Assessment:
Virtually indestructible Asgardian armor
Powered by Odin-force magic
Disintegration beam weapon
Superhuman strength and durability
Designed to kill gods
Your Role: Evacuate civilians, coordinate response, SURVIVE
Survival Probability vs Destroyer: 2%
Do NOT attempt direct engagement under ANY circumstances
Warning: This is the most dangerous threat you've faced. Focus on saving lives, not heroics.
═══════════════════════════════════════
I immediately switched to crisis management mode. "Barton, we need to evacuate the town. All civilians, now!"
"On it. What's coming?"
"Something that's going to level this place. I'll explain later. Just get people out!"
Barton didn't argue, immediately coordinating with his team. SHIELD agents began going door to door, pulling confused residents into vehicles.
Thor turned to his friends. "Get the mortals to safety. All of them. I will face the Destroyer."
"Thor, you have no power!" Sif protested. "You cannot—"
"I can delay it. Give them time to escape." His voice was firm, resolved. "This is my fault. Loki sent it because of me. I will not let innocents die for my failures."
"Then we fight together," the bearded warrior—Volstagg—declared. "As we always have!"
I wanted to argue, to tell them it was suicide, but what choice did we have? Something had to slow the Destroyer down long enough for evacuation.
"How long do we need?" Thor asked me.
"Ten minutes minimum to get everyone clear. Fifteen to be safe."
"Then we buy you fifteen minutes." He looked at Jane. "Go with them. Please."
"Thor—"
"Please, Jane. I have just found something worth protecting. Let me protect it."
The moment was interrupted by an explosion at the edge of town. A massive metallic figure strode through the smoke—ten feet tall, silver armor, featureless face that began to glow with orange light from within.
The Destroyer had arrived.
"Go!" Thor shouted. "Now!"
I grabbed Jane and Darcy, pulling them toward the evacuation vehicles. "Move! Both of you!"
"We can't just leave them!" Jane protested.
"They're buying us time! Don't waste it!"
The Destroyer's face opened, revealing a furnace of orange energy. A beam of disintegration fire shot out, vaporizing a building in seconds.
Thor and the Warriors Three charged forward, weapons drawn, attacking the construct with everything they had. Their blows connected but did nothing—the Destroyer barely acknowledged them.
I helped load civilians into vehicles while keeping one eye on the battle. Barton was coordinating the retreat, his team executing efficiently despite the chaos.
"How many left?" I asked.
"Fifteen, maybe twenty scattered throughout town. We're doing door-to-door sweeps."
"Work faster!"
The Destroyer swatted Thor aside like an insect. He crashed through a storefront, emerging bloodied but alive. Sif tried to attack from behind, her sword striking the construct's back to no effect.
Volstagg's hammer, Fandral's sword, even Hogun's mace—nothing worked. They were fighting a losing battle, and they knew it.
But they kept fighting anyway, drawing the Destroyer's attention, giving us precious minutes.
"That's the last of them!" an agent called out. "Civilians evacuated!"
"Thor!" I shouted. "Everyone's clear! Fall back!"
He heard me but didn't retreat. Instead, he approached the Destroyer, arms spread, no weapon, no defense.
"Brother, whatever I have done to wrong you, whatever has led you to this, I am truly sorry!" His voice carried across the devastated street. "But these people are innocent. Taking their lives will gain you nothing. So take mine, and end this."
The Destroyer's face opened, energy building for a killing blow.
Time seemed to slow. I watched in horror as Thor stood there, accepting his fate, sacrificing himself—
The energy blast hit him square in the chest, throwing him backward like a ragdoll. He hit the ground and didn't move.
"NO!" Jane screamed, trying to run to him. I held her back.
"Don't! You can't help him!"
The Destroyer stood over Thor's motionless body for a moment, then turned away, its mission apparently complete. It began walking back toward where it had arrived, job done.
Jane broke free from my grip and ran to Thor, collapsing beside him. Sif and the Warriors Three followed, their faces stricken with grief.
I approached carefully, medical training kicking in even though I knew it was probably useless against a blast that could vaporize buildings.
Thor was barely breathing, his chest a mass of burns. He was dying.
Jane was crying, holding his hand. "Don't leave. Please don't leave."
"Jane," Thor whispered, blood on his lips. "You must go. While you can."
"I'm not leaving you."
He tried to smile. "You have given me a gift. Shown me what it means to be human. To care for others more than glory. I wish... I had more time..."
His eyes closed.
For a moment, nothing happened. The street was silent except for Jane's sobs.
Then, in the distance, where SHIELD had been keeping Mjolnir, there was a sound like thunder.
The hammer rose into the air, breaking free from whatever had held it, and shot across the sky toward us like a meteor.
It slammed into Thor's outstretched hand.
Lightning erupted. Power surged. The burns on Thor's chest healed, his body restored, and when he stood, he was no longer the powerless man we'd known.
He was Thor, God of Thunder, fully armored in red and silver, cape billowing, Mjolnir crackling with energy.
"I am worthy," he said with wonder and certainty. Then he turned toward the Destroyer, which had stopped and was turning back, sensing the new threat. "Let us finish this!"
The battle that followed was brief but spectacular. Thor, now at full power, engaged the Destroyer one-on-one. Lightning struck from a clear sky, hammer blows that shook the ground, raw divine power against Asgardian war machine.
The Destroyer was formidable, but Thor was fighting for something now—not glory, but protection. For these people, for Jane, for the innocent.
He summoned a massive lightning bolt, channeling it through Mjolnir, and brought it down on the Destroyer with the full force of a storm. The construct sparked, smoked, and finally collapsed, inert.
Victory.
Thor turned to face us, floating down on winds he commanded, and landed gently before Jane.
"I told you I would return," he said with that characteristic arrogance-that-was-now-confidence.
Jane punched his arm. "You died! You actually died!"
"Only for a moment. It was very educational." He smiled. "I am sorry. For everything. For the danger I brought to your world."
"Apology accepted. Now don't do it again."
"I cannot promise that. I am Thor, after all. Trouble finds me."
Despite everything, she laughed.
I approached Coulson, who had arrived during the final battle. "Status report?"
"Town's evacuated, minimal casualties thanks to your crisis management. Property damage is extensive but fixable. And we have confirmation that Norse mythology is apparently real." He looked at Thor. "We're going to need to have a very long conversation with him."
"He'll cooperate. He's grateful we helped protect the town."
"Good. Because Fury has about a thousand questions."
═══════════════════════════════════════
MAJOR EVENT SURVIVED
The Destroyer Attack
Your Contribution:
Coordinated civilian evacuation (zero casualties)
Maintained order during crisis
Supported Thor's sacrifice play
Survived encounter with god-level threat
Results:
Entire town evacuated successfully
Thor regained worthiness and power
Destroyer defeated
Asgardian contact established
Rewards:
+2,000 SP
+3,000 EXP
LEVEL UP! 12 → 13
Crisis Management +2 levels
SHIELD Reputation +40
New Title: "Survivor of Gods"
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: "Witnessed Divine Resurrection"
Thor Odinson Relationship: 22 → 48/100 [Respected Ally]
Jane Foster Relationship: 15 → 32/100 [Grateful Friend]
═══════════════════════════════════════
That evening, after SHIELD had secured the area and begun damage assessment, Thor approached me.
"Alex Carter. You helped save these people. My friends tell me you organized the evacuation while we fought."
"Just doing my job."
"It was more than a job. You risked yourself to protect innocents. That is the mark of a true warrior, regardless of power." He clasped my shoulder with surprising strength. "I owe you a debt. Should you ever have need, call upon Thor Odinson. I will answer."
"I appreciate that. And Thor? For what it's worth, I'm glad you proved yourself worthy again."
"As am I. Though I learned much in my time without power. Humility. Compassion. The value of those who stand against impossible odds armed with nothing but courage." He looked at the town, at the people returning now that the danger had passed. "This world has much to teach us supposedly mighty Asgardians."
"And maybe Asgard has things to teach Earth. We could learn from each other."
"A wise sentiment. When I return—and I will return, for I have unfinished business here—" he glanced at Jane, who was talking with Darcy, "—I will seek you out. There is much to discuss about the bond between our worlds."
The next morning, Thor and his friends prepared to leave. The Bifrost site had been identified, and he was taking the Destroyer's remains with him as evidence of Loki's treachery.
Jane watched him prepare, sadness and longing obvious on her face.
"I will return," Thor promised her. "This I swear."
"You better." She kissed him, brief but meaningful. "Because I have a lot of questions about Asgardian physics."
"And I have a lot to learn about Jane Foster." He smiled. "Until we meet again."
The rainbow beam of the Bifrost struck, and Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three were gone, leaving behind only scorched earth and a town full of people who would never look at the sky quite the same way again.
Coulson approached as I watched the aftermath. "Good work, Carter. Fury's impressed. You handled a literal god-level threat and kept everyone alive. That's not easy."
"I had help."
"Still. You're developing quite the reputation. Crisis manager for the impossible situations." He handed me a tablet. "Oh, and I got authorization to return Dr. Foster's research. Redacted, of course, but the core data is there. You can give her the good news."
"You're a good man, Coulson."
"Don't spread that around. I have a reputation to maintain."