A New Beginning

Chapter 20- Assemble

Noelle was unable to sit still the whole ride to New York City. Her stomach turned just thinking of what would happen if Loki won...

Steve was in the back of the Quinjet with her, while Clint Barton and Natasha were in the pilot's seats. He seemed to notice her uneasiness.

"New to planes and heights?" he asked.

Noelle shook her head and managed a forced smile. "Oh you have no idea," she replied. She gripped the handlebar tighter. "I just don't what to think about what happens if–"

Steve reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "Hey. We're gonna win," he said. "As a team."

Noelle nodded, and hoped he was right. She knew greater odds had been faced, but victory was never won by being unrealistic.

"Where's Tony?"

"He went to get a head start," Natasha called from the front seat.

A head start. More like he wanted to personally threaten Loki for breaking into his house and his planet– which was fair, Noelle thought. But Tony's ego was still bigger than his head for all of his genius.

She was more concerned where the Infinity Stones were. She knew Loki would keep them close, and she wasn't about to let him leave the planet with either of them.

Noelle jumped as Tony's voice intruded into their earpieces.

"He's at the Stark Tower, and also not happy."

"Where's the Tesseract?" Noelle immediately replied. "Do you see it?"

Suddenly she glanced up out the front window. A blue laser beam of energy streaked vertically across the sky– and coming from Stark Tower.

Loki had opened the portal.

Noelle didn't wait for Tony to answer. "There!" She pointed straight ahead, indicating to Agent Barton where to fly.

"On it."

From a distance Noelle thought she could make out multiple things coming out of the portal and her suspicions were confirmed when she saw explosions.

"Tony? What's going on over there?" Steve asked.

"Uhh, we have a situation!"

"Yes we can see that," Noelle shot back sarcastically. "What's happening?"

"Loki opened the portal. The army's coming through!"

Army. Right. Noelle remembered Thor had said that Loki had an army called the Chitauri. No one knew where they were from.

Or who they really served.

As they got closer Noelle saw the "K" from the word "Stark" falling from the Tower. She closed her eyes.

Thor was fighting Loki over there. She could sense them.

Now we just have to wait and see if Banner shows up.

"Stark, we're on your three, headed Northeast," said Natasha.

"What did you stop for drive through? Swing up park, I'm going to lay him out for you."

They swooped through a cloud of smoke and creatures as Natasha pulled out the guns of the Quinjet. Noelle gripped the handlebar for dear life and made eye contact with Steve. This really was like going back into the war.

Thor and Loki were going at each other back and forth, swing and hit, hit and miss. Scepter clashed on Hammer.

"Nat?"

"I see 'em," she said.

They circled closer to the two Norse gods, ready to fire on Loki...

Noelle saw it first.