Chapter 1 - Asset Alpha

                                    

                                          
You force a painful swallow of dusty spit down your throat and hug your knees tight to your chest. The vibrations from the S.H.I.E.L.D helicarrier knock tiny bits of rubble from your hair, and the dust from the shoulders of your jacket shimmers in the air, illuminated by the golden afternoon glow.
"KNEEL!"
That powerful voice that had echoed through the televisions and radios of every home and business in America only hours earlier plays over and over in your head like a scratched record.
"In the end, you will always kneel."
Sitting quietly in the corner of the massive metal flyer - away from the other refugees - you can't stop the images of broken bodies and blood from dancing through your memories. That man in green holding a glowing scepter. A terrible rip in the sky. The aliens.
"Y/n?"
Lifting your face toward the source of the voice, you catch a pair of onyx eyes. Cold, yet within them buried the smallest hint of concern. You take in her appearance. She's dressed all in black with not a hair out of place - she couldn't have been part of the battle that had ravaged Manhattan only hours earlier.
"Yes?" you reply hesitantly. 
"I'm here to escort you to Stark Tower," she replies, her cool tone matching her even colder gaze. Whoever this woman is, she clearly isn't someone to take lightly. Nevertheless, you boldly scoff at her suggestion.
"I don't know where you've been the last day, lady," you answer. "But Stark Tower's been absolutely demolished by an army of aliens." The woman rolls her eyes as you return your stare to the floor. "Besides," you continue, "I was told to wait for the cavalry to arrive."
"Phil told you that?" The woman sneers in disgust, yet you arch a brow at her mention of Phil. You had asked every uniformed official and every S.H.I.E.L.D. agent you had seen on the ground for word of Phil, but no one had told you anything.
"You know him?" you ask eagerly, desperate for information. "Where is he?"
The woman averts her gaze, taking interest in adjusting the utility belt sitting snugly on her waist. "Now isn't the time," she shoots back, voice almost getting lost over the tell-tale *thunk thunk* of the landing gear. "You're waiting for the cavalry? Well, it's here. And so are we." The crowd on the helicarrier starts to move as bodies swarm toward the doors, eager to disembark. "Let's go," she says. "We need to get you to safety before the world falls apart again."
As the woman in black stands and makes her way toward the helicarrier door, you hesitate before following. Phil's voice floods your memory.
"Transport will be leaving in 10 minutes, kid."
"I should stay, Phil. I can help. It's what you've been training me for, isn't it?"
"Yeah, but...you know, we didn't exactly expect the aliens. You can't read the aliens."
"But, Loki, he-,"
"Will still be a pain in the ass in a few days. But I need to keep you alive until then. Listen, things are going to get pretty rough around here. Keep your head down, and stay on the helicarrier. Eventually this one will exfil and the cavalry will come for you if I can't. Understand?"
A few kids push and shove their way past, almost knocking you off balance. The woman with the cold eyes grabs your arm to steady you, pulling you near. "Stay close, and let me do the talking," she says in a low whisper.
You nod, following behind her as the doors to the helicarrier open and the occupants of the flyer begin spilling out into the ravaged streets, now quiet. Alien corpses litter the sidewalks and hang off of bus stops, their blue blood dripping from mangled limbs and puddling on the concrete and running down building walls. But at least the fighting is over.
And up ahead, over the rooftops, stand the devastated remains of Stark Tower. Around the topmost floors, dozens of buzzing figures haul massive beams and spires of rebar around the ruins of the tower. They seem to be constructing a brand new one right before your eyes. Enthralled by the flying figures, you nearly miss that the woman accompanying you has stopped walking. You barely stop yourself from running into her.
"Agent," hums out a rich, baritone voice from in front of you both.
You let out a quiet gasp as a cold sweat breaks out across your forehead. Your stomach churns as the adrenaline courses through your veins, leaving the tips of your fingers tingling. Phil has spent the last several months preparing you for this, but you didn't expect your first encounter to be right now. Not after what has just happened. 
You aren't ready. Not to finally face Tony Stark.
"Tony," your guide replies with a curt nod.
"I'm a little busy here," Tony says, gesturing toward the devastated remains of Stark Tower. "What's so important it couldn't wait?"
The woman lets out an aggravated sigh. "Here," she replies, extending a thick, manila file to Tony. 
He grimaces, folding his arms and tucking his hands away. "You know Agent, I really don't like being handed things," he hisses.
"Tony, this is serious," your chaperone chides. "Coulson sent you this same file six weeks ago. Asset Alpha. Did you read it?"
"I'm sorry, Asset who?" Tony says in an aloof tone. You can't tell if he's saying it seriously, or mockingly.
"Asset Alpha."
"No, sorry, doesn't ring a bell."
"Tony, I swear to God –"
"Relax Agent, of course I read the intel file - anything that has to do with the little green freak is top priority," he says. "So, Asset Alpha...I'm assuming that's who we have here?"
For the first time, Tony glances towards you and your heart stops. Taking a deep breath, you step forward, making eye contact with Tony Stark.
"That's me, sir."