Chapter 32:
Coulson's subordinate was right.
Thor was stealthily approaching the meteorite crater from a nearby hillside.
Even though Jane Foster and Dr. Selvig offered to help, Thor politely refused. He figured the government had the area around the crater locked down tight, and he didn't want these kind-hearted people to get caught in the crossfire.
But Thor had overestimated his abilities.
As the God of Thunder, he loved a good fight and relied on his strength. Sneaking around wasn't his style, especially now that he was powerless. He thought he was being super sneaky, but he had no idea what he was in for.
Unbeknownst to Thor, every move he made was being recorded by surveillance cameras.
Inside the base, Hawkeye had already spotted Thor. Ready for action, he set aside his bow and considered their next move. "Should we apprehend him and bring him in for questioning?" he suggested.
Coulson, however, had other plans, probably given to him by Nick Fury before he left. After a moment of thought, Coulson replied, "Let him go. I want to see if he can actually lift that hammer."
"Understood," Hawkeye said, picking up on Coulson's hidden message.
Even though Mark had said no one else could lift the hammer, Nick Fury, being the suspicious type, couldn't fully trust anyone. He probably told Coulson to think for himself and not just blindly follow Mark's words.
Mark, on the other hand, didn't care about any of this.
His only goal was to use S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources to unlock more modules. He didn't care about winning anyone over or gaining their trust.
Mark considered those things trivial.
With Coulson's approval, the agents in the area deliberately loosened their surveillance.
Soon, Thor successfully infiltrated the base, his eyes fixed on the meteorite crater ahead. He was filled with excitement, anticipating the moment he would regain his powers.
Mjolnir, his mighty hammer, seemed to be calling him, emitting a strong electromagnetic field.
Dark clouds quickly gathered in the night sky, accompanied by booming thunder and pouring rain. The powerful electromagnetic field disrupted all the electronic devices in the base, causing chaos.
Taking advantage of the confusion, Thor ripped down a curtain and entered the meteorite crater.
When he saw the hammer lying on the ground, a relieved smile spread across Thor's face. Instinctively, he strode towards his weapon, ready to reclaim it.
But his smile vanished as he gripped the hammer's handle.
Once an instrument of immense power, the hammer now felt impossibly heavy. He strained, veins bulging, but no matter how hard he tried, Thor couldn't lift it from the ground. It wouldn't budge, rejecting its master.
In an instant, Thor went from the highest high to the lowest low.
Anger, frustration, disappointment, and pain filled his heart, culminating in a despairing roar that echoed like the cry of a madman.
"No!"
The thunderstorm raging in the sky seemed to mock his anguish. Raindrops pounded the ground, turning it into mud.
Thor, realizing he couldn't regain his divine power, collapsed to his knees in the mud, completely drained. His mind went blank, allowing the approaching S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to easily apprehend him and take him to the interrogation room.
A short while later, Coulson entered the room to question Thor, but it didn't go as he expected. Unable to wield the hammer, Thor had withdrawn into himself, offering no response to Coulson's questions. He seemed broken, completely devastated.
Coulson decided it was best to let Thor calm down before trying again. If Thor continued to resist, Coulson was prepared to use any means necessary, as S.H.I.E.L.D. was very good at interrogation.
Thor's earlier behavior had deeply disappointed Coulson. Despite Mark claiming he was the God of Thunder, Thor couldn't fly, summon lightning, or even lift the hammer. His fighting style was a mess, relying solely on brute strength to recklessly punch his opponents.
Even without his divine power, shouldn't a god have some kind of aura? Where was his godly confidence? Where was the wisdom and glory of a deity? Looking back at Thor's actions, it seemed more accurate to label him a delusional lunatic who just happened to be strong.
Honestly, besides Mark's word, there was no proof that Thor was the Norse God of Thunder. Even Coulson was starting to doubt Mark, wondering if his predictions were accurate. Unlike Nick Fury, Coulson hadn't interacted much with Mark and wasn't sure how much he knew about S.H.I.E.L.D. and their world.
Lost in thought, Coulson was suddenly interrupted. "Sir?" one of his subordinates spoke up. "This guy seems to be having some mental issues. Look, he appears to be having a conversation with himself in front of the mirror. Should we bring in a psychologist?"
"Hmm?" Coulson raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He looked through the one-way glass and indeed saw Thor seemingly engaged in a conversation with an unseen presence. It wasn't just mumbling; Thor's eyes were focused on the mirror on the wall, like he was really connecting with someone.
But S.H.I.E.L.D.'s advanced surveillance equipment, including cameras and thermal imaging, detected nothing in the room. Thor's behavior was getting more and more concerning. Maybe he was suffering from severe delusions.
"Activate audio surveillance and monitor his conversations," Coulson decided after a moment.
His agent nodded and pressed a button, and Thor's voice came through the speakers: "I should be the one apologizing. Thank you for coming to see me for the last time... Wait, Loki, what's happening to you!?"
As Thor spoke, his bewildered expression intensified, and there was a sudden thud. In the blink of an eye, a burst of green light filled the room, and a slender man materialized inside the interrogation room.