The night felt heavier than before. Alexander Carter stood atop an old clock tower, his violet eyes scanning the city below. The world had changed in a single night—Loki was free, HYDRA was making moves, and SHIELD was now actively monitoring him.
But something else had shifted.
It was subtle, but he could feel it. A gaze that wasn't human. A presence that wasn't SHIELD. Loki knew about him now.
And that meant things were about to get worse.
Back on the Helicarrier, Natasha Romanoff leaned against a table, arms crossed as she replayed her last encounter with Carter in her mind. Across from her, Steve Rogers and Tony Stark were reviewing surveillance feeds. The footage was grainy, taken from distant cameras that barely captured Carter's movements, but it was enough to analyze his combat style.
Tony let out a low whistle. "So, let me get this straight. This guy moves like a ghost, rips through HYDRA like a bad horror movie, and now we think Loki is paying attention to him?"
Fury, standing at the head of the room, nodded. "That's exactly what we think."
Steve frowned, his arms crossed. "Then we need to stop him before he gets in the way."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe we talk to him first. See where he stands. You know, like normal people?"
Natasha, silent until now, finally spoke. "Carter isn't just some rogue assassin. He's been tracking Loki's operations before SHIELD even knew what was happening. He knows something."
Fury exhaled. "That's what worries me. And now Loki knows about him."
Alexander had learned to trust his instincts. And right now, they were screaming at him.
Something was wrong.
He had been following another HYDRA cell when he noticed the inconsistencies—the way they moved, how their radio chatter seemed rehearsed. It was too perfect. A setup.
He crouched on a rooftop above the alleyway where the HYDRA soldiers were stationed, watching their every movement. Something was off. They weren't talking like soldiers under stress. There was no urgency in their actions. It felt like a performance, a carefully choreographed scene meant to fool onlookers.
The moment he stepped into the shadows to strike, reality itself rippled.
The figures before him flickered, revealing themselves to be nothing but illusions.
And then, a slow clap echoed through the empty streets.
"Ah, so you do have sharp senses. I was wondering how long it would take you."
Alexander turned sharply.
Perched lazily on a broken streetlamp was Loki.
The trickster god smirked, tapping his staff against the metal. His relaxed posture exuded confidence, but his eyes gleamed with something deeper—amusement and curiosity. "You've been making quite a mess, haven't you? First, you stalk my pawns. Then, you interfere with HYDRA. And now you think you can play in the dark without me noticing?"
Alexander didn't respond immediately. He simply let the abyss coil around him, the shadows rising, ready for a fight at a moment's notice.
Loki chuckled. "Now, now. No need for hostility. I simply wanted to see what sort of creature lurks in my shadows."
Alexander narrowed his eyes. "If you wanted to talk, you shouldn't have set a trap."
Loki spread his arms in mock innocence. "Oh, but it's not a trap. It's a test. You see, I'm rather curious about you. SHIELD sees you as a problem. HYDRA whispers your name in fear. But I? I see potential."
Alexander didn't relax his stance. He had dealt with manipulators before, and Loki was one of the best. "Not interested."
Loki grinned wider. "Ah, but you don't even know the offer yet."
Alexander took a slow step forward. "I don't need to. I already know how this ends. You lose."
For the first time, Loki's amusement flickered. Just for a second.
Then, the smirk returned. "We shall see."
Before Alexander could strike, Loki simply vanished—his form dissolving into green mist, his laughter lingering in the air. The illusions faded, leaving nothing behind but silence.
Alexander clenched his fists. Loki wasn't just watching him—he was testing him. And that meant only one thing.
He had just become a piece in the game.
"I'm telling you, we need to talk to him."
Tony leaned back in his chair, feet propped up on the Helicarrier's table. The dim glow of the screens reflected off his face as he replayed the footage of Alexander's latest movements. "If Loki's sending personalized hallucinations to this guy, that means he's either a threat or a valuable asset. Either way, I'd really like to know which."
Steve shook his head, his expression hard. "He's reckless. He's dangerous. We don't even know what he is."
Fury rubbed his temples. "That's the problem, Rogers. We don't know."
Natasha exhaled. "Then let's find out."
Fury nodded. "Romanoff, Stark—you'll make first contact. But if he turns hostile, you leave immediately."
Tony grinned. "Oh, don't worry. I'm great at making friends."
Steve didn't look convinced. "Somehow, I doubt that."
Perched once again on the city skyline, Alexander considered his next move. Loki had made a mistake. He had shown his hand too early. And that meant Alexander had leverage.
But even as he planned his next step, he felt it again.
A presence watching him.
Not SHIELD. Not Loki.
Something worse.
Alexander's grip tightened. The war wasn't just coming. It had already begun.
End of Chapter 66
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