Chapter 53: Showdown

The signal faded to silence. Thor was still for a moment before suddenly rising to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Peggy Carter called after him.

Thor turned, meeting her gaze but offering no answer as he climbed into a nearby fighter jet. Undeterred, Peggy clenched her jaw, then strode forward and took the co-pilot's seat. The two flew in silence.

…

In the far north of Alaska, only a few hundred kilometers from where Captain America had gone down, Thor and Peggy landed near the frozen sea. Thor stood quietly, his gaze fixed on the endless horizon, while Peggy watched him, her own mind racing.

Finally, she spoke. "Don't you have anything to tell me? Or have you just been hiding everything from me?"

Thor's face shifted as he looked at her. "What do you think you know?"

Peggy's eyes were serious, her voice unwavering. "You've been hiding something. I did some digging—'Donald Blake' didn't exist before you appeared here. It's as if you sprang out of thin air."

She pressed on, her tone growing more confident. "You befriended Steve quickly, almost deliberately. Judging by how you act, you're not one to go out of your way for others unless you know something. Maybe you already knew he'd become Captain America."

Thor's expression darkened, but she continued. "When Bucky fell, you didn't seem that affected. I think it's because you knew—knew that Sergeant Barnes wasn't truly gone. And that's not all. You knew Howard would one day have a son, and somehow, you even know what he'll be like."

Thor's jaw clenched. These were details most people wouldn't have noticed. She truly was the best agent he'd ever known.

"Then… have you guessed everything?" he asked.

Peggy's voice softened. "At first, no. It seemed impossible. But one day, I was reading a document on relativity theory, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized…" Her eyes met his, blazing with determination. "Time travel. It exists, doesn't it?"

Thor was silent for a long moment before answering. "It exists."

Peggy's face lit up with awe. "So it's true. You're from the future… That's why you've kept your distance all this time, isn't it?"

Thor nodded. "I can't stay in this era, Peggy. I came here with a purpose, and when it's done, I'll have to return—to more than sixty years in the future. I can't afford to leave too much of myself here."

Peggy's face softened, a hint of sadness breaking through her calm. "Sixty years. That's a lifetime, Thor… a lifetime I won't see." She drew closer, her gaze intense. "But what if I say I could wait for you? I'd wait, for sixty years, if it meant seeing you again."

Slowly, she leaned toward him, and though Thor hesitated, he didn't pull away.

…

"The war will be won, won't it?" she asked, her voice soft.

"Yes," he answered. "Victory is close."

"Donald Blake… it's not your real name, is it? Who are you?"

"Thor Odinson."

Peggy's eyes twinkled with a half-smile. "Like some mythological god?"

"That's me," he replied, his voice sincere. "Would you believe it?"

She studied him, then smiled. "After today, I'd believe almost anything. I didn't expect to fall in love with a living legend."

Thor reached into his jacket and pulled out a small syringe. "This is a strengthening serum from my time. It's not as powerful as the super-soldier serum, but it'll help you heal faster if you're ever injured."

He administered the serum, and as Peggy started to respond, a sudden roar split the air.

Thor's face turned serious. He gently guided Peggy to the side, then stepped forward, his expression fierce. With a thought, his military uniform shimmered and shifted, morphing into a dark, gleaming suit of armor adorned with a flowing red cape.

In an instant, Thor's true battle armor stood revealed.

Peggy's eyes widened in shock, unable to look away. Before she could speak, Thor caught sight of a notification that appeared in his mind:

"Drip! Mission Update: A third objective has been activated in the Eternal Secret series."

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