Differing Scenarios

"Even after all the resources you possess, the eyes and ears you have everywhere, you still can't find the fool?!" The irritated voice of Queen Selena spoke.

Besides her were her Queensguard while across the room from them were Hunter Willis, who dons a suit of an archer with Dominic Hall, who had dark suit on.

Just hours ago, with Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, they were played like fools by Alfie McBride.

Which irritated them all the same.

"Maybe you've been off in paradise for a bit too long, but do you really think it would be easy to find someone that doesn't want to be found?" Hunter responded towards the Queen as if talking to a countryside citizen who didn't even know their way around the city.

"Let alone anyone, but Alfie McBride? If someone like him didn't wanna be found then the chances of him being found are just pure crap!" Hunter continued.

"The chances may be low, but it's not impossible. You are just not trying hard enough." The Queen stated.

"If you think it's so easy then be my guest! I will allow you access to all my property and we'll see how easy you think finding Alfie is!" Hunter said back.

"That's enough, using our time to argue is not productive, for all we know Alfie could be out there making things worse along with Loki. We have to knock some sense into him before this truly turns for the worst." Dominic spoke, stopping the two.

"You're right. Alfie may be turned into a fool by Loki and is against us, but if Loki is still the way he is it may not be too bad for us." Hunter thought out loud.

"What do you mean? How can this be any good to us?" The Queen questioned.

In canon, Loki was ambitious and stubborn about ruling earth, and having someone like Alfie McBride, who knows way more than anyone should, would only be a cheat for Loki.

One couldn't help but imagine Alfie guiding Loki through the planet using every resource known to a reincarnator.

Allying with hidden forces with ill intentions like HYDRA and more.

Turning powerful factions like Wakanda, The Hand, or influential figures into his own puppet.

Or simply working together to enslave monstrous figures like the Ancient One into doing their bidding.

It was a scary thought, but one would doubt the two would stand much of a chance against her.

Puppet Alfie McBride may be dangerous but he is careful, beings like the Ancient One were just bothering more than you can handle.

"Loki may be using Alfie for his tactics and strategy but his pride and stubbornness will always get in the way." Hunter said to the Queen and Dominic.

The Queensguard left and so they spoke a little comfortably.

"We all know that when Loki was going against the Avengers, he didn't really put much effort into dealing with them until his army came. Just like a while ago, if he wanted to, he could have had Alfie draw blood and went on a killing spree but he didn't." Hunter concluded.

"He wanted the audience." Dominic chimed in.

"Yes! And with his superiority complex, he would definitely look down against us on earth. Meaning he wouldn't think much about Alfie's 'unnecessary' plans, because why go through all this trouble just to deal with weak humans!" Hunter continued.

"So no matter how smart or reasonable Alfie's plans are, Loki would still want the glory and attention?" Selena caught on to what they were saying.

"Exactly."

"Even if you say that now, it's too late. Loki has not shown himself yet, and Barton has already gotten a hold of the component they needed from one of Randall's labs." Selena spoke as she frowned.

It was no doubt part of Alfie's plans, who else would know about parts and iridium that was in Raven Industries.

If Alfie didn't have a hand in it, Barton would have definitely looked to Germany to obtain the component there while Loki would attend a nice party stabbing a certain man in the eye.

But it didn't happen in this timeline and Loki has yet to show up like before.

"Like I said, we need to find him before he makes things worse." Dominic said.

Earlier as Selena and Hunter were trying to deal with Alfie, Dominic dressed as a copycat Batman hid in the shadows in Germany. Keeping an eye in one place specifically, one where Barton would have shown up to obtain the iridium, a component that is needed for Professor Selvig's plan to open a portal.

But instead of Barton, it was a puppet sent by Alfie with a very special coded message solely for someone like Dominic.

One that mentioned the safety of a few individuals; a famous surgeon, a highschool kid and a few others.

Knowing what it means, Dominic rushed back to New York to keep an eye on the few individuals mentioned in Alfie's taunting message.

Knowing that losing these individuals would mean a more difficult future, as they are key figures in this chaotic era.

Though it could have been worse as Alfie knew who was behind the masks of Hunter and Dominic and so targeting their families would have been crossing the line.

But even then they put their families to safety before they proceeded with their plans.

"I believe Loki would show himself soon enough, Steve and the others should be able to handle him for now. But for us we need to look for Alfie." Hunter said as he stretched his leg. The one where it was shot through by someone during their scuffle earlier.

"The question is where? Are you not able to find him using your connections through the Ancient One and the Sorcerers?" Selena asked the two.

"There might be a way, I'll look into it and talk to the Ancient One. Dom I need you to keep an eye on Strange and Parker, as well as potential targets he might have in mind." Hunter said before turning to Selena. "Try to see if you can find out anything from Rona and Randall, Alfie has made quite an influential group for himself. Try to find a lead from the component taken from Raven industries."

•••••

As the group of lifers used everything in their arsenal to find Alfie, the Avengers were in the helicarrier trying to find the location of the tesseract as well as the culprits.

"Now I've heard about the Princess and her people, but who the hell is this?" Nick Fury placed a picture on the table.

The picture showed Hunter Willis in his plated green suit with his bow and arrows.

"Modern day Robin Hood?" The billionaire chirped.

The pairs of eyes around the table turned their eyes to Tony Stark.

"A friend of the Queen's?" Natasha put in her theory. "They seem to be allies, though I doubt he's from Deliosa (Amazon island)."

"If he's a friend of Sele— the Queen, why not just talk to her? Ask her, it might even save us all the trouble." Steve chimed in.

"They don't exactly take our needs very seriously." Fury responded.

"Well maybe if you'd just ask instead of demanding their presence…" Bruce said, referring to how they pulled him off India. "..they might even show up."

"They don't take kindly to our requests either."

"Have you tried talking without the whole "super spy" get up? Bit of politics maybe, considering they're on foreign soil?" Stark asked as he sat on the chair with his suit on drinking an icee through a straw.

The topic he brought up got them wondering if it would actually work, bringing in the Amazons through diplomatic ways.

Of course, someone like Fury would have tried that approach.

"You think we haven't tried that?" Fury asked.

"And dear old uncle apparently had a child, who would have thought." Stark shrugged, ignoring the question.

"But that would be impossible, me and Al have been on ice for the last—" Steve couldn't bring himself to believe it, how could Alfie have a daughter that young when they have been inactive for nearly sixty plus years.

"I think you're forgetting, cap, that the Amazons and their lady Queen are not exactly normal. They didn't exactly grow up with their milks in cereal."

Steve frowned, confused as bruce Banner spoke.

"The Amazons aging process is slow, so while in fact the child you speak of may be well off in her teenage years she might be quite older."

Natasha translated as well for Steve to understand. "Meaning the Queen and McBride may have had some time together in the past."

"I get it. But we are getting a little sidetracked, what about Loki? Do we know what his goals are? What is his plan with the tesseract?" Steve questioned,back on track.

"That's what we are trying to find out. From what we know Loki is gathering help, from scientists along with Erik Selvig, to men like Agent Barton and Alfred McBride." Fury listed.

Taking over Professor Selvig's mind was worrying, it makes one wonder what Loki would need him for as he spent a considerable amount of time studying the tesseract before Loki popped up and enslaved his mind and cooperation.

What made it worse is that he also enslaved Agent Barton, one of the best field agents S.H.I.E.L.D. ever had and made it harder for them to find them considering he knows how to hide from their eyes and ears.

And Alfie McBride, a dangerous man that made every step of theirs harder than it should. Ever since Loki enslaved Alfie, it seemed like Loki himself disappeared from the face of the earth and all attention was on Alfie who ran around causing trouble.

Distraction was the most likely case.

"Dr.Banner, we need your help to find the tesseract, and once we find it then hopefully we can everything else will fall in line as we straighten the situation out." Fury said before he turned to Steve.

"Captain, I need you to go and talk to Queen Selena and try to figure out if they know anything. Given your history together, maybe she would be willing to talk to you." Fury continued as he told Natasha to tag along with Steve.

"And me?" Stark asked as he turned to Bruce Banner smirking, knowing well he might have to work with Brice Banner to find the tesseract.

Fury was troubled, as putting Stark with Bruce, or anyone, is a bit troubling.

But he didn't have to as Agent Coulson rushed towards Fury.

"Sir, reports of energy spikes are detected in an area south of Indiana." Coulson said with a knowing look. "It's an old friend."

•••••••

In a desert-like environment where a driveway tunnel connected to a small hill, a dozen people stood around looking up at the stormy dark skies.

"I must admit." Loki said with a grin as he looked at the man beside him. "I've come to admire your brilliant games with these fools, I might even even enjoy the expressions my brother will make once he knows he has been tricked, and not by me." Loki laughed.

"Thank you, sir. As long as it serves your glorious purpose then I shall entertain." Alfie said next to him.

"Yes, but it is about time I show myself."

"If that is what you want, then I will make arrangements so that it won't—" Alfie spoke his thoughts only to be interrupted.

"No." Loki said. "I may have complimented your plans and such but I don't need you to wave your fingers in everything I do. You just keep that idiot busy while I play with the fools."

"Of course."

The dark and thunderous clouds started to gather as they swirled, the middle of the clouds parted as a rainbow beam fell.

"And here he comes." Loki smirked.

The bifrost beam suddenly disappeared as a giant lightning bolt took its place and traveled down striking the ground.

Dust was blown around before a big figure appeared, recognizable traits of golden hair, red cape and a hammer shown to Alfie and the others.

Thor looked forward to see Loki standing a few feet from him and everyone else a dozens of feet back.

"Welcome! Son of Odin, Thor Odinso—"

"LOKI!!" Thor jumped forward and grabbed Loki, or at least tried to.

As the Loki he tried to grab turned green and disappeared.

Illusions.

"Now now, let's not be handsy first thing." Loki quipped.

Loki appeared beside Alfie with the enslaved agents right behind them.

"LOKI…Brother." Thor said, his voice cracking.

Thor stood there before he dropped his hammer and walked up to them hoping to gold the REAL Loki.

"Ah ah ah." Loki motioned for the hard headed golden retriever to stop himself. "Have you missed me that much?"

"Loki, where is the tesseract?" Thor asked.

"Is that why you came here? The tesseract?" Loki asked, Alfie who stood besides him would have known Loki was hurt somewhere deep from this if he wasn't clouded in the head.

It looked like Thor was only here for the tesseract, and not Loki.

"Considering the bifrost gone, thanks to me, the All-Father must have used quite an amount of dark magic just to conjure you here." Loki smiled.

Thor merely asked for the Tesseract and only for the tesseract because that's one thing he doesn't have at the moment.

Having Loki on sight, Thor probably thought he already caught Loki in his palms.

"I am not in the mood for your games!" Thor roared out.

"…"

The two sides became quiet.

"Did you mourn?" Loki asked almost quietly.

"…we all did, our fathe—"

"Your father." Loki corrected.

Thor looked hurt from Loki's response.

"You would know of my true parentage by now right? Unless of course, he still keeps it from telling you as well?" Loki said.

"We were raised together, we played together we foug—"

"I must stop you right there Thor, our reunion was nice but I've places to be." Loki interrupted.

"Loki." Thor warned.

"I must do what must be done, the tesseract will give me the power I need. I've seen it, once I wiled the true power of the tesseract—"

"Who showed you this power?! Who controls the would-be king?!" Thor questioned.

"I AM A KING!!" Loki roared, he then spread his hands around the enslaved people around him. "Do you not see?!"

"This is not the true rule of a king! Leave them! Not here! You give up this poisonous dream and you come home!! Brother…" Thor begged as his hammer flew into his hand.

"What home? I'll have my friend here keep you busy." Loki said.

"Aaagghhh!!" Thor roared as he spun his hammer and leapt forward ready for some action when—

*SWIIZZ*

He heard a sizzle, saw red sparkles and the next thing he knew he was hundreds of yards away from Loki's enslaved group with his back facing them.

"What?!" Thor turned around to see Loki walk into a sparkling portal with the rest of the agents.

Leaving only Alfie to face Thor, who kept moving one of his arms in circular motion.

"LOKI!! AGGHHH!!" Thor threw his hammer as it flew towards Loki with the hopes to hit him only for the portal to close and the rest disappeared.

"DAAMNN!!"

The Hammer then turned as if switching lanes and headed for Alfie instead.

Alfie then moves his right hand in circular motion as another, rather smaller portal appears as THOR's hammer just…went through it. And then closed.

When the portal closed, Thor's connection with his hammer seemed to have dimmed. Almost as if the connection was lost, but was merely far from him, too far.

"Wh-what did you do?!" Thor asked him in annoyance. This type of sorcery was tricky.

Alfie ignored Thor's question as he slowly put on his plated mask and took out his staff.

"Hold yourself, you are not in your right mind. And standing in my way is very unwise. So I suggest you— dammi!!"

Thor stopped as the black and orange suited man ran towards him with inhuman speed ignoring his warning.