Marcus's precognition screamed warning a split second before the Destroyer fired. He saw the beam, saw Thor standing defenseless in its path, saw the exact trajectory that would incinerate the fallen god where he stood. His enhanced reflexes kicked in before conscious thought could intervene.
Marcus launched himself forward with speed that no normal human could achieve, his body moving faster than the watching SHIELD agents could track. He slammed into Thor from the side, driving both of them out of the beam's path as superheated energy scorched the air where Thor had been standing. They hit the pavement hard, rolling across the asphalt as the Destroyer's attack carved a molten furrow through the street.
"What are you doing?" Thor demanded, pushing himself up despite obvious pain from the impact. "You cannot stop this. The Destroyer will simply fire again, and you will be killed alongside me."
"Then we better move faster," Marcus said, already pulling Thor to his feet. His powers were surging now, responding to the danger and the adrenaline flooding his system. Purple energy crackled at the edges of his vision, wanting to manifest but still constrained by his desperate need to maintain secrecy.
The Destroyer's head rotated to track their movement, its face beginning to glow again. Coulson opened fire with a specialized SHIELD weapon that fired armor-piercing rounds, trying to draw the entity's attention. The bullets sparked harmlessly off its metal surface, but the Destroyer paused and turned toward this new annoyance.
"Move now!" Coulson shouted, firing repeatedly to maintain the Destroyer's focus on him rather than Thor. "Get him clear while I have its attention!"
Marcus dragged Thor behind an overturned vehicle as the Destroyer's beam lanced out again, this time targeting Coulson. The senior agent dove aside with impressive reflexes, but the edge of the blast caught his shoulder and spun him around. He hit the ground hard and did not immediately rise.
"Coulson!" Marcus started to move toward the fallen agent, but Thor grabbed his arm with surprising strength for someone supposedly powerless.
"You cannot help him while the Destroyer remains active. It will simply kill you both. This is my responsibility, my burden to bear. Let me face it as I should have from the beginning."
Thor stepped out from behind their cover, standing in the middle of the destroyed street with his arms spread wide. The Destroyer turned its attention fully to him, its blank metal face somehow conveying satisfaction that its target had finally stopped running.
"I am sorry, brother," Thor said, his voice carrying across the devastated town. "I am sorry for every moment of arrogance, every word spoken in anger, every action taken without thought for the consequences. You were always the clever one, Loki. The one who thought while I merely charged forward with hammer in hand. Perhaps you deserve the throne more than I ever did."
The Destroyer's face began to glow with brilliant orange light, building to what would clearly be a final, overwhelming blast. Marcus felt his powers responding, energy building inside him that wanted desperately to manifest, to create shields and barriers that might protect Thor from what was coming. But using his abilities openly here, in front of Coulson and the other SHIELD agents, would expose secrets he could not afford to reveal.
Yet he also could not simply stand by and watch Thor die, knowing that this moment was supposed to trigger the God of Thunder's redemption and restoration of power. The timeline required Thor to survive this encounter, to prove himself worthy and reclaim Mjolnir. If Marcus did nothing and Thor died, everything that followed would be catastrophically changed.
"These people are innocent," Thor continued, his voice steady despite the death that was about to be unleashed upon him. "Whatever I have done, whatever crimes I have committed that brought us to this moment, they bear no responsibility for them. So I offer you my life freely, brother. Take it if you must. But let these people live. Let them continue their lives in peace. That is all I ask."
The Destroyer fired.
Marcus's powers erupted beyond his control, purple energy exploding outward in a shield that intercepted the Destroyer's beam. The two forces collided in a blinding flash of light and energy that sent shockwaves radiating outward, shattering windows and sending debris flying. Marcus stood with his hands extended, energy streaming from his palms in visible streams of violet power, holding back the Destroyer's attack through sheer will.
He could feel the strain immediately. The Destroyer's energy weapon was designed to obliterate gods and demigods, to cut through Asgardian metal and magic as if they were paper. Holding it back was like trying to stop a tsunami with his bare hands. His shield flickered and wavered, purple energy fighting against orange destruction, and Marcus knew he could not maintain this for more than seconds.
"Reid, what the hell, " Coulson's voice, shocked and confused, came from somewhere behind him.
But Marcus could not spare attention for explanations. All his focus was devoted to maintaining the shield, to keeping the Destroyer's beam from incinerating Thor where he stood. His energy reserves were draining at an alarming rate, exhaustion flooding his body as the power required exceeded anything he had attempted before.
The Destroyer seemed to recognize that its beam was being blocked. It intensified the attack, pouring more energy into the assault, trying to overwhelm Marcus's shield through sheer overwhelming force. The purple barrier began to crack, fractures spreading across its surface like breaking glass.
Then something changed in the sky above them. Dark clouds that had been gathering suddenly erupted with lightning, brilliant bolts that struck down around Mjolnir where it remained in its crater miles away. The storm intensified with impossible speed, wind howling through the town, rain beginning to fall in sheets.
Thor's eyes widened with something that looked like hope and wonder. "Mjolnir," he whispered. "It is responding. But I am not worthy. I could not lift it. How can it be, "
"Maybe you were not worthy then," Marcus gritted out, his shield continuing to hold despite the strain that was threatening to tear him apart. "But you are becoming worthy now. Through sacrifice. Through putting others before yourself. That is what your father wanted you to learn."
Lightning struck closer now, multiple bolts that seemed to be converging on a single point. And then Marcus heard it, a sound like thunder but also like something impossibly heavy cutting through the air at tremendous speed. Mjolnir erupted from the direction of its crater, flying across the miles that separated it from its master, responding to Thor's moment of true selflessness and sacrifice.
The hammer struck Thor's outstretched hand with a sound like worlds colliding. Instantly, transformation swept over the fallen god. His borrowed civilian clothes were replaced by Asgardian armor that appeared in a flash of light and energy. His long hair whipped in winds that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. Lightning crackled around him, responding to his will, and his eyes blazed with power that had been absent since his banishment.
Thor lifted Mjolnir above his head, and lightning answered his unspoken command. A massive bolt struck down from the sky, channeled through the hammer, and redirected toward the Destroyer with devastating force. The Asgardian weapon was struck squarely in its chest, the lightning's power augmented by divine will and ancient magic.
Marcus dropped his shield, exhaustion crashing over him like a physical weight. He fell to his knees, purple energy still crackling weakly around his hands, his entire body shaking from the effort of holding back the Destroyer's attack. His vision swam, and he could feel consciousness trying to slip away.
But he forced himself to stay aware, to watch as Thor engaged the Destroyer directly. The God of Thunder flew, actually flew, through the air with Mjolnir in hand, moving with grace and power that had been completely absent during his days as a mortal. He struck the Destroyer repeatedly, each blow augmented by lightning and divine strength, driving the entity backward.
The Destroyer fought back viciously, its energy beam lancing out repeatedly to track Thor's movements. But Thor was no longer an easy target. He dodged and weaved with impossible agility, using his restored powers to their fullest extent. When the Destroyer's beam came too close, Thor summoned storms to deflect the energy or used Mjolnir to absorb and redirect the destructive force.
"This ends now, Loki," Thor shouted, his voice carrying the weight of authority and power. He raised Mjolnir to the sky, and the storm above responded with fury. Lightning struck the hammer repeatedly, building charge after charge, accumulating power that made the air itself crackle with electricity.
Then Thor brought the hammer down in a devastating overhead strike, channeling all that accumulated lightning directly into the Destroyer's head. The entity's metal form blazed with energy, glowing white-hot as divine lightning coursed through its structure. For a moment it stood frozen, overwhelmed by the assault, and then it simply collapsed into an inert pile of metal components.
The storm began to dissipate immediately, clouds breaking apart to reveal clear blue sky. Thor descended from the air, landing with barely a sound despite the weight of his armor and hammer. He looked at the fallen Destroyer with an expression that mixed triumph with sorrow.
"I am sorry it came to this, brother," Thor said quietly. "I hope one day you will understand that I never wanted the throne as much as you believed I did. I wanted only to be worthy of the power I was given, to protect those who could not protect themselves. Perhaps now I finally understand what that truly means."
Coulson approached slowly, his weapon still in hand but lowered. His shoulder was badly burned from the grazing hit he had taken, but he moved with determined professionalism despite obvious pain. His eyes tracked between Thor, now obviously divine and powerful, and Marcus, who was still kneeling on the ground with fading purple energy visible around his hands.
"I think we need to have a very serious conversation," Coulson said, his tone carefully controlled. "About who and what both of you actually are, and what just happened here. But first, we need medical attention for wounded personnel and to account for all civilian casualties."
Marcus tried to stand and immediately felt his legs give out. The energy expenditure from creating and maintaining that shield had drained him more severely than he had anticipated. His vision grayed at the edges, and he could feel his body starting to shut down in response to the extreme strain.
Thor caught him before he hit the ground, supporting Marcus's weight easily with his restored strength. "You saved my life, Agent Reid. You held back the Destroyer's attack when no mortal should have been able to withstand such force. Whatever powers you possess, they are considerable, and I owe you a debt that I will not forget."
"I just did what was necessary," Marcus managed to say, his voice weak. "Could not let you die before you proved yourself worthy."
"How did you know that I would become worthy? How did you know that Mjolnir would return to me?" Thor's blue eyes studied Marcus with keen intelligence. "You spoke as if you understood what was happening, as if you knew what my father intended with my banishment and what I needed to learn."
Marcus's consciousness was fading fast, exhaustion pulling him down into darkness. He managed one final sentence before awareness slipped away completely. "Sometimes the patterns are obvious if you know what to look for."
He woke in a SHIELD medical facility, not the prefabricated field unit they had been using at the crater site, but a proper mobile medical center that must have been deployed after the Destroyer incident. His body ached with deep exhaustion, the kind that came from pushing abilities far beyond their normal limits. Medical monitors beeped steadily beside his bed, and an IV line fed fluids into his arm.
Coulson sat in a chair beside the bed, his injured shoulder now properly bandaged and his expression thoughtful rather than accusatory. When he noticed Marcus's eyes opening, he set aside the tablet he had been reading and leaned forward slightly.
"Welcome back, Agent Reid. You have been unconscious for approximately eight hours. Doctor Chen says you are suffering from extreme exhaustion and what appears to be energy depletion, though he admits he has no real framework for understanding what that means in your case. How are you feeling?"
"Like I tried to stop a freight train with my bare hands," Marcus said, his throat dry. He reached for a cup of water on the side table, and Coulson helped him drink. "Where is Thor? Is he still here?"
"Thor is currently in a debriefing room explaining Asgardian cosmology to a team of very confused scientists. He has been remarkably forthcoming about his people, their technology, and the various threats that exist across what he calls the Nine Realms. Director Fury is listening via secure video feed, and I expect he will want to speak with you once you are recovered enough for a detailed conversation."
"About the powers I demonstrated."
"Yes. About the very obvious and very unusual abilities you displayed while preventing the Destroyer from killing Thor. Purple energy shields that could withstand weapons designed to kill gods are not something we typically see from SHIELD analysts, no matter how enhanced their reflexes might be."
Marcus closed his eyes briefly, gathering his thoughts. He had known this moment would come eventually, that his abilities would be revealed in a situation where using them was necessary to prevent catastrophic outcomes. But he had hoped for more time, more control, more preparation before having to explain what he was to SHIELD's leadership.
"I do not fully understand my own abilities," Marcus said carefully, choosing truth over elaborate deception. "I have always had enhanced reflexes and situational awareness, but since the head injury, something changed. I can sense energy, manipulate it to some degree, create shields and barriers when absolutely necessary. But I have very limited control over these abilities, and using them drains me severely, as you just witnessed."
"Doctor Chen examined you while you were unconscious. He found unusual bioelectric patterns in your nervous system, energy signatures that do not match any known human physiological markers. He thinks you might have been exposed to something during your accident, something that fundamentally altered your body at a cellular level."
That was a plausible explanation, one that Marcus could work with without revealing the truth about his reincarnation. "That is possible. The accident was unusual, and there were aspects of it that I do not remember clearly. If I was exposed to some form of exotic energy during that incident, it could explain why my abilities emerged afterward."
Coulson studied him for a long moment, clearly weighing Marcus's words against observed evidence. "Director Fury has authorized a full medical and scientific evaluation of your capabilities. Not as a threat assessment, as a resource evaluation. If you have abilities that could be useful to SHIELD's mission, we want to understand them and help you develop better control. Are you willing to cooperate with that evaluation?"
"As long as it does not involve invasive testing or attempts to weaponize my abilities in ways I am not comfortable with, yes. I want to understand what I am as much as you do."
"Fair enough. I will communicate your conditions to the Director." Coulson stood, preparing to leave, then paused. "One more thing, Agent Reid. Thor asked specifically about your condition. He seems to feel he owes you a significant debt for saving his life. I have never seen an Asgardian express genuine gratitude to a human before, so whatever you did clearly made an impression. He wants to speak with you when you are recovered, if you are willing."
"I would like that. I have questions about Asgard and the Nine Realms that I suspect he could answer."
After Coulson left, Marcus lay back and tried to process what had just happened. He had saved Thor, witnessed the God of Thunder's restoration to power, and in the process revealed his own abilities to SHIELD in a way that could not be taken back or explained away. The careful concealment he had maintained for weeks was completely blown.
But perhaps that was not entirely a bad thing. Fury knowing about his powers meant they could be discussed openly rather than hidden and speculated about. It meant Marcus might receive training and support in developing better control. And it meant he would be considered for assignments where his abilities could make a real difference, where he could help prevent the tragedies he knew were coming.
The door opened again, and this time it was Thor who entered, his Asgardian armor replaced by more Earth-appropriate clothing though he still carried Mjolnir at his side. The God of Thunder moved with easy grace, but his expression was serious as he approached Marcus's bed.
"Agent Reid. I am pleased to see you recovering. Agent Coulson informed me that the strain of protecting me from the Destroyer nearly killed you. That is a debt I take very seriously."
"You would have done the same in my position," Marcus said. "I could not stand by and watch you die when I had the ability to intervene."
"Perhaps. But most mortals, " Thor paused, then corrected himself. "Most humans would not have possessed the power to intervene even if they wished to. Your abilities are considerable, more so than you have revealed to your superiors I suspect. I recognize the energy you wielded. It carries markers similar to the magic practiced in the Nine Realms, but also something else, something I do not fully understand."
"I do not fully understand it either. But I am learning, slowly."
Thor nodded, accepting this. "Then allow me to offer what knowledge I can. I have some experience with warriors who possess unusual powers, with those who draw on energies beyond normal understanding. When I return to Asgard, and I will return, to confront my brother and address the chaos my banishment has created, I could speak with our scholars and healers. Perhaps they might have insights into your condition that your Earth scientists do not."
"That would be appreciated. Though I suspect you have more pressing concerns than helping a random SHIELD agent understand his abilities."
"You are not random, Agent Reid. You saved my life when you had every reason to let the Destroyer kill me and eliminate a threat to your world. You demonstrated courage and selflessness that would be remarkable even among Asgardian warriors. That earns you both my respect and my assistance, should you ever require it."
Thor placed his hand over his heart in what was clearly an Asgardian gesture of sincere commitment. "When I am able, I will return to check on your progress and provide what help I can. Until then, know that you have a friend in Thor Odinson, and the friendship of Asgard's prince is not given lightly."
After Thor left, Marcus was alone with his thoughts for the first time since the Destroyer battle. He had fundamentally changed his relationship with SHIELD through his actions, he was no longer a junior analyst who happened to be unusually perceptive. He was now an enhanced individual with demonstrated abilities that could stand against supernatural threats.
That would open doors, but it would also invite scrutiny. Fury would want to understand his powers completely, to evaluate whether he was an asset or a potential threat. The medical and scientific evaluation Coulson mentioned would be extensive, and Marcus would need to be very careful about what he revealed during those tests.
But he had also gained something valuable, Thor's friendship and a potential connection to Asgardian knowledge that might help him understand the mystical aspects of his powers. That could be crucial for developing the control he would need when facing threats like Ultron, Thanos, and the various reality-warping entities that would emerge in the years ahead.
The door opened once more, and this time Maria Hill entered. She wore tactical gear that suggested she had just arrived from another assignment, and her expression was carefully neutral as she approached his bed.
"Agent Reid. I heard about what happened in New Mexico. Agent Coulson sent me the preliminary reports and security footage. I have to say, your performance exceeded even my highest estimates of your capabilities."
"I did what was necessary to prevent casualties."
"You created energy shields that withstood weapons designed to kill gods. That goes somewhat beyond 'enhanced reflexes' as you described your abilities to me." Hill pulled up a chair and sat down, her dark eyes studying him with that penetrating assessment he had come to expect from her. "I want you to understand something. I covered for you, removed certain evaluations from your file, bought you time to figure yourself out. I did that because you proved yourself trustworthy and because your abilities seemed minor enough that they would not represent a significant security concern."
"And now you are reconsidering that assessment."
"Now I am confirming that you are considerably more powerful than you led me to believe, which means I need to reevaluate whether my trust was well-placed. So I am going to ask you directly, Agent Reid. Is there anything else about your abilities or your situation that I should know? Anything else you have been hiding that might become relevant in future operations?"
Marcus met her gaze steadily. This was the moment where he could either maintain some level of deception or choose to trust Hill more completely. She had protected him when she did not have to, had given him opportunities to prove himself. And she would be crucial in the years ahead when HYDRA made their move and SHIELD collapsed.
"My abilities are still developing," Marcus said carefully. "I do not know their full extent or limitations yet. What you saw in New Mexico was the most I have ever attempted, and it nearly killed me. But I suspect there is more potential there, capabilities that I have not yet accessed or understood. I need training and guidance to develop proper control, and I need time to understand what I am becoming."
"Are you dangerous? Could you lose control and hurt people unintentionally?"
"I do not believe so. My abilities seem to respond primarily to my conscious will and emotional state, particularly in situations where I am trying to protect people. But I cannot guarantee perfect control in every circumstance, which is why I want the training and evaluation that Director Fury is offering."
Hill nodded slowly, processing this information. "All right. I am going to continue trusting you, but that trust now comes with expectations. You will be completely honest about your capabilities and limitations during the evaluation. You will report any changes or developments in your powers immediately. And if you ever feel you are losing control or becoming a danger to others, you will remove yourself from operational situations immediately. Can you commit to those expectations?"
"Yes. I can and will commit to all of that."
"Good. Then we will move forward from here." Hill stood, preparing to leave. "Director Fury wants to speak with you via secure video conference in two hours. He has questions about both the Destroyer incident and your abilities. I suggest you spend that time preparing clear and honest answers, because the Director does not appreciate evasion and he will know if you are trying to misdirect him."
After Hill left, Marcus used the remaining time to organize his thoughts and prepare for what would likely be the most important conversation of his SHIELD career so far. Fury would push hard for complete disclosure, would test every answer for inconsistencies, and would ultimately decide whether Marcus remained an asset or became a security concern that needed to be contained.
Exactly two hours later, a nurse entered with a secure tablet and helped Marcus sit up properly in bed. The tablet's screen activated, showing Director Fury's face in high definition. The Director's single eye studied Marcus through the camera with that penetrating intensity that seemed to see through all deception.
"Agent Reid. Agent Coulson tells me you created energy shields that held back an Asgardian super-weapon long enough for Thor to regain his powers and defeat it. That is quite an impressive feat for someone whose file describes him as a junior analyst with good reflexes. Care to explain that discrepancy?"
"Sir, I have abilities that I did not fully understand or control until recently. I have been honest about having enhanced reflexes and situational awareness, but the full extent of my capabilities has been developing since my head injury. I did not deliberately conceal them so much as I did not know what they were or how to explain them."
"Except you used those abilities to save Agent Hill's life in Baltimore, to hold your own against STRIKE team members, and now to protect a Norse god from a weapon specifically designed to kill gods. That suggests you have had these abilities for some time and have been consciously choosing not to reveal their full extent."
Marcus could not argue with that assessment. "Yes, sir. I have been cautious about revealing my abilities because I was uncertain how they would be received and whether I would be removed from operational duties for extensive testing. I wanted to continue serving SHIELD in whatever capacity I could while I learned to control what I was becoming."
"And what exactly are you becoming, Agent Reid?"
"I honestly do not know yet, sir. But I am committed to finding out, and I am committed to using whatever abilities I develop in service of SHIELD's mission to protect innocent people from threats they cannot handle alone."
Fury was silent for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he leaned forward slightly, and something in his posture suggested a decision had been made.
"Here is what is going to happen. You will undergo a complete medical and scientific evaluation to document your abilities and establish baseline measurements. You will work with specialists to develop better control and understanding of your powers. And you will be reassigned to a special operations team that handles enhanced threats and supernatural incidents. Your days as a junior analyst are over, Agent Reid. From now on, you answer directly to me for assignments that require your unique capabilities. Understood?"
"Yes, sir. Understood completely."
"Good. Agent Coulson speaks highly of your tactical thinking and your commitment to protecting civilians. Agent Hill confirms that you have been trustworthy despite keeping secrets. And Thor, a literal god, considers you worthy of his friendship and respect. That is enough recommendation for me to give you a chance to prove yourself in this new role. Do not make me regret this decision."
"I will not, sir. You have my word."
Fury nodded once, then the screen went dark. Marcus lay back against his pillows, exhaustion washing over him again despite the hours of rest he had already received. Everything had changed in the span of a few days. He was no longer concealing his abilities. He was being assigned to special operations. And he had direct access to Fury, which meant he would be positioned to influence events when the time came to expose HYDRA's infiltration.
The door opened, and Coulson entered carrying a fresh cup of coffee and a tablet. "Director Fury briefed me on your new assignment. Welcome to the weird side of SHIELD operations, Agent Reid. I think you are going to fit in just fine here. Now, let me tell you about our next investigation. We have reports of unusual activity in India involving a brilliant scientist with anger management issues. Ever heard of Bruce Banner?"
Marcus felt his heart rate spike despite his exhaustion. Bruce Banner. The Hulk. Another key Avenger, and another opportunity to be positioned at exactly the right place and time to influence critical events in the timeline.
"I have read the files on the Hulk incident in Harlem," Marcus said carefully. "Doctor Banner is considered extremely dangerous and is wanted by military authorities. Why would SHIELD be investigating him?"
Coulson smiled slightly. "Because Director Fury thinks there might be a way to work with Doctor Banner rather than simply containing him as a threat. And given your recent experience with enhanced abilities and learning control, you might be uniquely qualified to help with that outreach. Interested?"
Before Marcus could answer, alarms suddenly blared throughout the facility. Coulson's expression shifted immediately from friendly to tactical, and he was already moving toward the door when an agent burst through.
"Sir, we have a security breach. Unidentified aircraft approaching at high speed. And sir, the energy signature matches readings from the Bifrost. Someone else from Asgard is arriving."