Chapter 28: Confronting Loki

Iron Man soared through the sky, his suit struggling to maintain stability as he received a troubling report from Jarvis. The AI informed him that their building had been compromised, with two unidentified individuals seen atop the structure.

Tony's face twisted into a frown, a mixture of concern and determination etched on his features. Despite his difficulties controlling his malfunctioning suit, he remained focused on the task.

"I'm aware, Jarvis. Pull up the security camera feed for me," Tony commanded.

In response, a holographic screen materialized before him, projected directly onto his headgear. Jarvis seamlessly displayed the footage captured by the security cameras installed throughout the Stark Building.

In the security camera footage, Tony's eyes narrowed as he witnessed Dr. Selvig engaged in some activity on the rooftop, his focus centered on the powerful Tesseract.

A surge of urgency coursed through Tony's veins, compelling him to push his suit to its limits, despite its stuttering performance. He accelerated with increased speed, determined to reach the rooftop as quickly as possible.

As Tony landed on top of the building, he caught sight of Dr. Selvig, his gaze fixed on the sky, lost in a dazed state.

"Dr. Selvig! Shut it down!" Tony's voice boomed through his suit's speakers, the urgency evident.

Startled by Tony's presence, Dr. Selvig turned his attention towards the armored hero, his expression reflecting a mix of confusion and resignation.

"He can't be stopped. It's too late," Dr. Selvig responded, his voice tinged with madness.

Dr. Selvig's words hung in the air, a mix of determination and a hint of madness. Tony's gaze flickered between Dr. Selvig and the ominous machine, his mind trying to grasp the gravity of the situation.

"He wants to show us something," Dr. Selvig exclaimed with a nervous smile, his eyes clouded with an otherworldly fervor. "A new universe!"

Tony's brows furrowed, a blend of concern and skepticism etched on his face. He hesitated for a moment, contemplating the consequences of his following action.

"Okay," Tony responded, his voice laced with uncertainty.

Raising his armored arms, Tony aimed the machine, determined to deactivate it and end whatever chaotic plan Loki had set in motion. But as his repulsor blasts struck the device, a wave of energy surged forth, engulfing Tony and sending him hurtling through the air.

Caught off guard, Tony struggled to regain his balance midair, his thrusters working overtime to stabilize him. The shockwave had momentarily disrupted his control, but he swiftly regained his composure, hovering in the air with a steely resolve.

The shockwave proved to be far more devastating for Dr. Selvig. Helpless against its force, he was flung through the air like a rag doll, his body twisting and turning before crashing down with a thud.

Unconsciousness claimed him, his figure sprawled on the ground, starkly contrasting with the enthusiasm that had consumed him moments ago.

As Tony regained his composure in midair, his eyes narrowed in frustration and anger. Loki, the orchestrator of chaos, stood before him, his posture exuding confidence and mischief.

With a devilish smile, Loki landed gracefully on the balcony, relishing in the chaos he had unleashed.

"Jarvis, prepare the suit for me," Tony commanded, his voice tinged with urgency and resolve.

However, Jarvis's response carried a hint of concern.

"But sir, it was not ready yet," he interjected, cautioning Tony about the suit's incomplete state.

Undeterred, Tony shrugged his shoulder dismissively, knowing that time was of the essence.

"Skip the spinning rim, we ran out of time," Tony instructed, acknowledging the pressing need to engage Loki immediately.

As Tony descended from the platform, an automated mechanical system sprang into action, swiftly peeling off the outer layers of his suit. Tony's gaze remained fixed on Loki.

Loki, still adorned with his sly smile, confidently descended the balcony, his intention clear - to enter the building and face Tony head-on, relishing the opportunity for a direct confrontation.

"I heard you fell from the ship. How did you manage to find your way in here?" Tony inquired, his curiosity tinged with a hint of skepticism.

Loki's smile faltered momentarily, a flicker of unpleasant memories crossing his features. However, he disregarded Tony's question, instead delving into a different topic altogether.

"Please tell me you're going to attempt to appeal to my humanity?" Loki challenged, his tone laced with a mixture of amusement and anticipation.

Ever the pragmatist, Tony responded matter-of-factly, not one to mince words. "Well, no. Actually, I was planning to threaten you."

Loki's eyebrow arched, a mixture of surprise and curiosity dancing in his eyes. He couldn't help but comment on the unexpected approach.

"You should have kept your armor for that," Loki quipped, acknowledging the absence of Tony's usual protective gear.

With a nonchalant demeanor, Tony casually made his way behind the bar in the room, adopting a relaxed stance. Offering a hint of hospitality amidst the tension, he extended an invitation.

"...Yeah, there is a little bit of an issue. Would you like a drink?"

"Stalling me won't change anything," Loki chuckled, clearly amused by Tony's attempts.

Tony shrugged casually, a smirk playing on his lips. "No drink? Suit yourself. I'm having one."

Loki disregarded the offer, his attention drawn to the expansive view beyond the glass. He approached the edge of the building, gazing out contemplatively.

"The Chitauri are coming. Nothing will change that," Loki stated with a hint of conviction, his voice conveying confidence and certainty.

Turning his gaze back to Tony, who was pouring himself a generous measure of whiskey, Loki posed a question, his curiosity piqued.

"What do I have to fear?"

Tony paused for a moment, lifting his glass to take a sip, relishing the taste of the whiskey.

"The Avengers."

Loki's head tilted in confusion, his eyes narrowing as he contemplated Tony's words. The name "Avengers" had never crossed his ears, leaving him intrigued and curious about this unknown force.

Observing Loki's expression, Tony pressed on, "It's what we call ourselves. The Avengers. Sort of like Earth's mightiest heroes."

Loki sneered at this, his tone dripping with arrogance. "Yes, I've had the pleasure of meeting them."

"And you've managed to piss off every single one of them."

A smug grin curled Loki's lips as he confirmed, "That was the plan."

Tony shook his head, a disapproving look etched on his features. "Well, not a good one, I must say."

A touch of anticipation filled the air as Tony secured bracelets onto both of his wrists.

"Loki, you are alone. We have your brother, Thor—"

Loki swiftly interjected before Tony could finish his sentence, his voice dripping with uncertainty. "Well, that is, if he survived..."

Hearing this, Tony tilted his head in confusion. However, thinking back on Thor's resilience and luck, Loki reluctantly admitted, "...probably survived, but not without some injuries from that fall."

Closing the distance between them, Loki leaned in, his voice dripping with defiance. "And I'm not alone. I have an army!"

Tony raised an eyebrow. His skepticism was evident. "Yeah, right. But we have Hulk and someone who can keep him in check."

Loki's frown deepened as he heard about the presence of the other individual, the one who had disrupted his plans and forced him to adapt on the fly. Although he persevered and continued his scheme, the sudden change had been a blow to his pride.

"...Your friends won't have time for me," Loki mentioned, pointing at Tony's heart at the top of his scepter menacingly. "Because they will be busy fighting you."

To Tony's surprise, nothing happened when Loki attempted to activate the scepter. He tried again, striking Tony's chest, but it resulted in a mere metallic ding, failing to achieve the desired effect.

Tony couldn't help but smile at the situation. "Well, it's a performance issue, not uncommon—"

Before Tony could finish his remark, Loki swiftly grabbed him and forcefully threw him to the ground, interrupting his speech with sudden aggression.

"Jarvis, now!"

As Loki tightened his grip around Tony's neck, he whispered with venom, "You all will bow before me!"

Without warning, Loki hurled Tony out of the window, shattering the glass as Tony plummeted down the side of the building. However, at that moment, Tony's suit was deployed, launching itself after him with incredible speed.

Just as Loki gloated over his apparent victory, the suit grazed through him, sending him crashing to the ground below.