In the open sea off the coast of North America, deep within the Pacific Ocean.
The Quinjet flew steadily outward from the inland, gradually lowering its altitude and speed upon reaching the ocean area as if it had a destination to head towards without deviating from its course.
"Current altitude: 5,000 meters, 3,000 meters, 1,000 meters, 500 meters... Warning for low-altitude flight!"
The blinking warning lights and continuous alerts sounded in the cockpit. Natasha skillfully piloted the aircraft, descending toward the shimmering golden sunlight reflecting off the ocean surface.
"Um, Natasha, right? Is the SHIELD temporary base you mentioned located beneath this vast ocean?" Eddie, leaning against the co-pilot seat, questioned with skepticism. Peering through the windshield, he saw nothing but the vast expanse of the ocean ahead, with no sign of islands or ships within a radius of a thousand meters.
A hint of amusement tugged at the corner of Natasha's lips, but she didn't give a direct answer. Instead, she focused on maneuvering the aircraft, gradually decreasing its speed and altitude until it was less than a hundred meters above sea level.
Caesar coughed and said with an air of authority, "Eddie, don't embarrass me. Just watch and do so quietly."
"Okay." Eddie resigned himself to boredom and widened his eyes to observe, curious to see how a SHIELD temporary base would magically appear from the sea.
Meanwhile, Steve and Thor remained in the rear compartment, keeping a close eye on Loki who was shackled. They were discussing how to deal with Loki's series of crimes committed on Earth in his presence.
"We're here. Hold on tight, don't get scared and please don't wet yourself."
Natasha teased Eddie before deftly manipulating the controls. The Quinjet descended toward the ocean surface as if it were solid ground, gradually decreasing engine power as it approached.
"What is this..." Eddie's eyes widened in astonishment. Beneath the previously calm sea surface, within a radius of a kilometer, towering white waves suddenly surged, forming several whirlpools of varying sizes in an instant.
Following that, the sea level rose, and from the depths of the ocean, a structure resembling an island emerged with a rumble, looking like an steel Fortress.
A flat and broad airplane runway appeared in their vision with numerous gun ports, and four giant engine thrusters resembling Ferris wheels greeted their eyes, showcasing the pinnacle of Earth's current technology.
Accompanied by the splashing waves, as the seawater receded, the full view of the Steel Fortress was revealed – it was a massive Helicarrier Warship!
This spectacular scene not only astonished Eddie but also drew amazed gazes from Steve and the others.
Caesar, on the other hand, was the least surprised among them. Originally, there were three Helicarriers, but one was destroyed during the Hydra infiltration operation, and the remaining two were taken over by the original self Kyle.
However, three years ago, Fury shamelessly requested one of the Helicarriers from Kyle, which was then used as a secret weapon for emergency situations by SHIELD.
As the the Quinjet descended and synchronized with the rising Helicarrier, it gently landed on the deck still covered with a little seawater.
Some of the Helicarrier's hatches opened, revealing many engineering vehicles and agents on the deck, immediately getting to work after the Helicarrier surfaced from the deep sea.
Leading them was Director Fury, followed by a group of agents who quickly approached the Quinjet for assistance.
The aircraft's hatch opened.
Caesar and Eddie walked ahead, leisurely surveying their surroundings. Steve and Thor followed closely behind, flanking Loki on both sides as they descended from the aircraft.
"Oh, to be honest, I'm delighted to meet gods from Norse mythology." Fury glanced at Thor and then Loki, saying calmly, "But I have to say, Earth doesn't welcome you. Unless you come in peace."
Loki chuckled, stubbornly retorting, "Sorry, I'm your future ruler."
"Shut up!" Thor coldly rebuked Loki as he and Steve practically escorted Loki down.
"And what about the Tesseract?" Fury asked Natasha, who was holding a purple crystal magic staff, as she was the last to exit the aircraft.
"Loki didn't have the Tesseract on him, and Barton wasn't with him either," Natasha replied.
Fury's face turned as cold as water. "Of course, Barton wasn't with him. Just an hour ago, he hijacked a group of underground SHIELD scientists and infiltrated some sub-bases, stealing Vibranium and other alien meteorite metals."
Natasha watched Loki's figure and spoke solemnly, "Loki is controlling Barton, could he be planning to use the Tesseract behind the scenes?"
"In any case, while keeping Loki under guard, we need to quickly find out the whereabouts of the Tesseract!" Fury finished, then looked at Caesar standing nearby, his stern face showing a rare hint of warmth. "Caesar, we'll need you to stay here for a while to handle any unexpected situations."
"Sure thing. Let's find somewhere to grab a meal, I'm hungry," Caesar casually agreed. If he left now, he'd miss the spectacle Loki was about to stage.
"Now that you mention it, I'm hungry too," Eddie rubbed his stomach, grinning.
Fury and Natasha exchanged a speechless glance. With the looming threat of an alien invasion that could endanger Earth, only Caesar and Eddie seemed to care about filling their stomachs.
But there was no denying that Caesar and Eddie were currently the most stable and reliable forces in the Avengers.
Thor was still not entirely dependable at the moment, as he hadn't fully joined the Avengers yet, and the enemy was his brother Loki. No one knew if he would show mercy.
Inside the main cockpit of the Helicarrier.
After locking Loki up in a small dark room, Fury led the members of the Avengers to the main cockpit. Through the windshield, they could oversee the spectacular scene on the entire Helicarrier deck below. All the equipment in the cockpit was state-of-the-art, with computer screens replaced by holographic projections.
Even the knowledgeable Dr. Banner couldn't help but marvel at the advanced interior of the Helicarrier, let alone Steve, the seventy-year-old veteran, who couldn't take his eyes off it.
Only Caesar and Eddie sat in a corner, munching on hot food, looking out of place among the busy agents and workers nearby.
"Is everything ready?" Fury stood on a platform, surveying the staff in the main cockpit, his stern face commanding respect.
"All personnel have evacuated from the deck!"
"All four engine drives have been checked!"
"All system data is normal, completed!"
The elite staff in the cockpit each operated their projection screens, responding in turn like clockwork.
"Very well, then let's take off officially!" Fury waved his hand.
"Boom!"
The Helicarrier trembled violently, catching Caesar off guard as he held his plate of food aloft. Eddie engrossed in his spaghetti, was caught off guard and ended up with half of his face covered in sauce.
"What's going on? Are we diving again? Or flying higher?" Eddie wiped his face with a napkin, then looked outside and saw the Helicarrier quickly rising from the sea and ascending into the sky, his mouth gaping in astonishment. "Holy cow, are we really flying up into the sky?!"
(End of Chapter)
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