Sophia Holmes and the Invasion of Earth (Avengers Fanfic) *Completed*

Chapter Six

I close the file three hours later, my head hurting.

I become aware of a low buzzing sound and look over to the sceptre and watch Banner scan it over with what must be some kind of gamma ray detection scanner to check the radiation level. Stark stands on the over side of the lab, looking at more of the holographic monitors as he shifts and solves many algorithms and equations.

Banner continuously scans with a gamma ray detection scanner on the scepter for radiation. Tony looks at his monitors, shifting and solving as many algorithms and equations.

I lean back in my seat and savour the surroundings for a moment. It's so refreshing to be in an environment with people as clever as you; I could see me fitting in well here if I decide to stay. I certainly don't have anything to go home for.

"The gamma readings are definitely consistent with Selvig's reports on the Tesseract," Banner says. "But it's gonna take weeks to process."

"If we bypass their mainframe and direct a reroute to the Homer cluster, we can clock this around six hundred teraflops," Stark suggests.

"All I packed was a tooth brush."

Tony smiles. "You know, you should come by Stark Towers sometime," he says. "Top ten floors, all R&D. You'd love it, it's candy land."

"Thanks," he says, "but the last time I was in New York I kind of broke...Harlem." I frown in confusion. I need to find the file on Doctor Banner and read up on who he actually is because he looks completely unassuming.

"Well, I promise a stress free environment," Stark says, walking across the room towards him. "No tension. No surprises." Suddenly he pokes Banner with a miniature electrical prod and Banner jerks back.

Rodgers walks in, looking pissed.

"OW!" Banner cries and Stark looks at him closely.

"Nothing?" he asks, sounding almost disappointed.

"Hey! Are you nuts?" Rodgers cries.

"You really have got a lid on it, haven't you?" Stark says. "What's your secret? Mellow jazz? Bongo drums? Huge bag of weed?"

I smirk but Rodgers doesn't find it as funny. "Is everything a joke to you?"

"Funny things are."

"Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny," he argues. "No offense, doctor," he adds as an afterthought.

"No, it's alright," Banner says. "I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle pointy things."

"You're tiptoeing, big man," Stark tells Banner. "You need to strut."

"And you need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark."

"You think I'm not?" Stark replies, rounding on Rodgers. "Why did Fury call us and why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables."

"You think Fury's hiding something?" Rodgers asks.

"He is a spy," I say slowly, sensing the tension. "His secrets probably have secrets." I notice Banner nod slightly in agreement. "It's bugging you too, isn't it?"

"Uh..." he says awkwardly. "I just wanna finish my work here and..."

"Doctor?" Rodgers asks, wanting Banner's input.

"'A warm light for all mankind'," he quotes. "Loki's jab at Fury about the cube."

"I heard it," Rodgers nods.

"Well, I think that was meant for you," he says, pointing to Stark. "Even if Barton didn't post that all over the news."

"The Stark Tower?" Rodgers asks. "That big ugly..." he fades off as Stark sends him a look, " ...building in New York?"

"It's powered by Arc Reactors, self- sustaining energy source," Banner explains. "That building will run itself for what, a year?"

"That's just the prototype," Stark says proudly. "I'm kind of the only name in clean energy right now."

"So, why didn't SHIELD bring him in on the Tesseract project?" Banner asks Rodgers. "I mean, what are they doing in the energy business in the first place?"

"I should probably look into that once my decryption programmer finishes breaking into all of SHIELD's secure files," Stark says and I grin. I was right - it was some kind of hacking device.

"I'm sorry, did you say...?" Rodgers says, surprised.

"Jarvis has been running it since I hit the bridge. In a few hours we'll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide." He holds out a bag of blueberries and offers them to Rodgers. "Blueberry?"

"Yet you're confused about why they didn't want you around?" Rodgers asks, rejecting the offer of food which I snatch up immediately. I haven't eaten in days and it's starting to catch up on me.

"An intelligence organisation that fears intelligence?" I ask while chewing. "Historically, not possible."

"I think Loki's trying to wind us up," Rodgers says. "This is a man who means to start a war, and if don't stay focused, he'll succeed. We have orders, we should follow them."

"Following is not really my style," Stark replies.

"And you're all about style, aren't you?" Rodgers asks, smiling without amusement.

That hits a nerve. "Of the people in this room, which one is; A. wearing a spangly outfit, and B. not of use?"

"Steve, tell me none of this smells a little funky to you?" Banner asks and Rodgers takes a moment to consider it before shaking it off. The epitome of the obedient, trusting soldier. He needs to grow a backbone and start questioning things.

"Just find the cube," he instructs before turning on his heels and heading out.

"That's the guy my dad never shut up about?" Stark asks in disbelief. "Wondering if they shouldn't have kept him on ice."

"The guy's not wrong about Loki," Banner points out. "He does have the jump on us."

"What he's got is an ACME dynamite kit. It's gonna blow up in his face, and I'm gonna be there when it does."

"And I'll read all about it."

"Uh-huh," Stark agrees. "Or you'll be suiting up like the rest of us."

"Ah, see. I don't get a suit of armor. I'm exposed, like a nerve. It's a nightmare."

"You know, I've got a cluster of shrapnel, trying every second to crawl its way into my heart," Stark replies, pointing to the blue light in his chest. I had thought to ask what it was but was afraid of looking like an idiot. "This stops it. This little circle of light. It's part of me now, not just armor. It's a... terrible privilege."

"But you can control it?" I ask and he nods.

"Because I learned how."

"It's different," Banner says, shaking his head and looking back at the holographic screen but Stark slides the data aside so they can see face-to-face.

"Hey, I've read all about your accident," he says and I listen in. "That much gamma exposure should have killed you."

"So you're saying that the Hulk... the other guy... saved my life?" Banner asks. So this guy turns into a big, green... Hulk? Incredible! "That's nice," he continues. "It's a nice sentiment. Saved it for what?"

"I guess we'll find out," Stark responds as they turn back to their respective computers.

"You might not like that.

"You just might."