North Atlantic – 900 feet down
Mk-43A knifed through black water, repulsors glowing soft void-white.
Tony's voice was calm inside the helmet.
"JARVIS, talk to me. How's the new core handling deep-water thermal drop?"
[Perfectly, sir. Reactor output steady at four gigajoules. Aether flow holding at nine percent. The lattice is laughing at two thousand psi.]
"Good. Because I'm bored."
He broke the surface in a clean arc and leveled off at ten thousand feet, Manhattan already a glow on the horizon.
The private channel clicked.
"Tony, you have a one-eyed gentleman in the penthouse. He's drinking my coffee and ruining my night."
Venus. Same dry tone she used when board members cried or missiles went missing.
Tony grinned. "Tell Fury I'll be there in four minutes."
"Three minutes, fifty-six seconds if you push it. Don't scratch the paint."
He pushed it.
Stark Tower rose ahead, top floors lit blue. The landing pad opened like a flower.
Tony dropped straight in.
The Mk-43A unfolded—plates peeling back smooth and fast until he stepped out in jeans and a damp T-shirt. The suit locked itself on the rack behind him.
Venus met him at the bar with a towel and a fresh mug.
"You're dripping on Italian marble."
"Your concern is noted." He took the coffee. "How bad is he?"
"Bad enough to show up without an appointment. Good enough to wait quietly. I'm impressed."
They walked into the living area.
Nick Fury stood at the window, hands clasped behind his back.
Venus stayed half a step behind Tony, arms loose at her sides.
Fury turned and tossed a SHIELD tablet onto the coffee table.
"Stark."
"Director. Breaking and entering is still a crime, you know."
Fury tossed a SHIELD tablet onto the coffee table. It landed with a heavy clunk.
Tony picked up the tablet.
Photos: Loki in green and gold, scepter glowing. Clint with black veins in his eyes. The cube gone.
Tony's smirk vanished.
"Who's the guy with the horns?"
"Loki. Claims he's from Asgard."
Tony looked up. "The same place the hammer guy was from? What was his name?"
Fury's eye narrowed. "His name is Thor, and according to the reports, yeah. Loki's supposed to be his brother.."
"So, One of them leveled a town in New Mexico with a robot. The other one just stole the Tesseract, mind-controlled Barton and Selvig, and turned a mountain into a parking lot."
Venus's expression didn't change, but Tony caught the tiny tightening at the corner of her mouth.
Tony kept scrolling: energy spikes, portal residue, destroyed lab.
Fury watched him like a hawk.
"We don't know where he'll hit next. But he's not done."
Tony closed the tablet.
Venus spoke quietly. "I'm flying to Greece tomorrow. Three weeks. Family stuff."
Tony turned. "You're kidding."
"Plane leaves at noon. You'll be in meetings or in a suit or both. I'll be unreachable."
Tony exhaled. "You always pick the worst possible moment to have a life."
"It's a talent." She gave him the smallest smirk.
"Try not to let the world end while I'm gone. Paperwork is murder."
Fury cleared his throat.
Tony looked back at him.
"So what's the play, Cyclops?"
"Helicarrier. Briefing in six hours. Be there."
"I'll think about it."
Fury stepped closer. "Think fast."
He headed for the elevator.
Venus walked with him, then paused at the doors.
She looked back at Tony.
"You've got a ten-thirty with the board tomorrow. I moved it to never. You're welcome."
Tony lifted his mug in salute. "Don't have too much fun in Greece."
"I make no promises."
The elevator closed.
Tony stood alone.
He walked to the window, coffee forgotten.
"JARVIS."
[Sir?]
"Pull the Mk-43A offline for combat diagnostics. Wake the Mark 45 line. I want the forty-percent version ready as soon as possible."
[Estimated completion: thirty-one hours.]
"That'll do."
Tony drained the coffee, set the mug down, and stared at the skyline.
Tony stared at the city.
Somewhere out there, a god was planning something loud.
Tony smiled the smile that had started wars and ended them.
"Let's see who blinks first."
***
Meanwhile – Undisclosed Location
Loki sat cross-legged on cold stone, eyes closed, scepter across his knees.
The blue gem pulsed once.
His consciousness slid sideways, through the void, to Sanctuary.
The Other's voice crawled into his skull like insects.
"The Tesseract is secure?"
"It is in my hand."
"And the mortals?"
"They scurry. They argue. They have no idea what comes."
Thanos's presence pressed down, silent and crushing.
Loki opened his eyes in the dark.
A slow, predatory smile spread across his face.
"Give me three days," he whispered to the empty air. "Then the sky will open… and Midgard will kneel."
The gem pulsed again, brighter.
War had its opening move.