Loki's intrusion had been discovered by S.H.I.E.L.D., and as he and Carl Creel entered the underground laboratory, they were met with an ambush. Six S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, led by Hawkeye, were already in position, ready to confront Loki and Carl.
Seeing the agents and Hawkeye stationed behind the bunker, Loki turned to Carl and commanded, "Creel, it's time for you to act. Use the power I gave you!"
Carl nodded, surveying his surroundings briefly before reaching out to touch the reinforced concrete wall. In an instant, his body began to transform, his palm merging with the wall as he turned into a concrete being. His strength and physical endurance surged dramatically, and he charged toward the agents and Hawkeye in a frenzied rampage.
"Fire!" Hawkeye barked the order, and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents immediately opened fire on Carl. Bullets tore through the air, slamming into his concrete body and leaving fist-sized craters. Yet, Carl seemed unfazed, continuing his relentless advance.
Seeing Carl's unstoppable momentum, Hawkeye swiftly drew his bow and fired a specialized arrow. It struck Carl's right knee, and the arrowhead flashed red before exploding violently. Even in his concrete form, Carl couldn't withstand the blast—a large chunk of his leg was blown away, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to stand.
"Keep firing! Focus on the target!" Hawkeye shouted.
"Sorry, but I can't let that happen," a voice interjected from behind.
Hawkeye spun around, swinging his bow in an attempt to strike Loki, who had somehow appeared behind him. But before the blow could land, Loki caught the bow, disarmed Hawkeye with a swift kick, and sent him crashing into the wall.
As Hawkeye struggled to rise, Loki raised an eyebrow and remarked, "You're different from most humans on Earth. Your reflexes, senses, and physical abilities are far superior. Even your archery skills would be considered exceptional in Asgard. You have the makings of a worthy subordinate."
Hawkeye glared at Loki and sneered, "Sorry, but I have no interest in serving you."
"I don't need your interest. Mine is enough," Loki replied.
Before Hawkeye could react, Loki raised his hand, conjuring a dark green sigil that pinned Hawkeye to the wall. He then stepped forward, pressing the tip of his scepter against Hawkeye's chest. The blue gemstone on the scepter glowed, and as its light flickered, Hawkeye's eyes shifted to a dull gray-blue. His will and soul were completely overtaken, and he became a loyal servant of Loki.
By this time, Carl had already taken down five of the six S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. The sixth agent raised his gun at Loki, preparing to fire, but the now-controlled Hawkeye swiftly moved behind Loki, drew a dagger, and hurled it with deadly precision. The blade struck the agent's throat, killing him instantly.
Loki nodded in approval. "Well done. Now, follow me with Creel. We need to find the Cosmic Cube."
As Hawkeye led Loki into the depths of the underground laboratory, they encountered Nick Fury, who was in the process of placing the Cosmic Cube into a briefcase, preparing to leave.
"Human, hand over the Cosmic Cube, and I might let you live," Loki demanded.
Ignoring Loki, Nick Fury turned to Hawkeye and asked, "Clint, what's going on? Why are you siding with this guy in a costume?"
Hawkeye tilted his head, his expression blank, and without a word, he fired an arrow that struck Nick Fury in the chest. Fury cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground, the briefcase slipping from his grasp.
Hawkeye gestured to Carl to retrieve the briefcase, then led Loki to the corner where the scientists were hiding. Under Hawkeye's direction, Loki identified Dr. Eric and used the scepter to bring him under control. Once Loki confirmed that the briefcase contained the Cosmic Cube, he ordered his team to leave.
However, just as they were about to exit, they realized that Nick Fury, who should have been mortally wounded, had vanished without a trace.
"Hmph, cunning human," Loki muttered, though he dismissed Fury's escape as inconsequential. To him, a mere human was no more than an insect.
With the Cosmic Cube and key personnel secured, Loki wasted no time. He departed with his team, which included the Enchantress Amora and the big boss, Samuel Sterns. These individuals were the core of his plan to conquer Earth.
Amora, the Enchantress, was one of Loki's loyal followers from Asgard. Carl Creel, on the other hand, was one of the few survivors of Loki's experiments to enhance humans with magical abilities. As for Samuel Sterns, he had come to Loki of his own accord. Loki was well aware that Sterns had his own agenda, but he didn't care. As long as Sterns served his purpose, Loki would tolerate him. If Sterns ever became a hindrance, however, Loki would not hesitate to eliminate him.
Under Loki's command, the group swiftly breached S.H.I.E.L.D.'s defenses and made their escape. To ensure their exit was as smooth as possible, Hawkeye used high-explosive bombs to destroy the base, causing significant damage.
Standing at the edge of the ruined base, Nick Fury watched as Loki's plane ascended into the sky and disappeared. Clenching his teeth in frustration, he pulled out his phone and dialed Agent Coulson.
"Director," Coulson answered.
"Coulson, initiate the Avengers Initiative. Now."
"Director, what happened?"
"Someone has taken the Cosmic Cube. It's Loki, the Asgardian from the intelligence reports. Clint has been compromised. The situation is critical. They wouldn't take the Cube without a purpose, and whatever they're planning is going to be catastrophic. Ordinary agents can't handle this. We need the Avengers."
"Understood. I'll contact Stark immediately."
"One more thing," Fury added. "Reach out to the dark sorcerer, Abel Shaw. He's faced Loki before, and we need his help. Stark mentioned that Shaw operates on the principle of equivalent exchange. As long as his demands fall within S.H.I.E.L.D.'s capabilities, we'll meet them. Whatever it takes."
"Whatever it takes?" Coulson repeated.
"Yes," Fury said firmly. "Whatever it takes."