At this moment, under the influence of the Mind Scepter, Hawkeye walked over to Loki and said, "Sir, Director Fury is stalling for time..."
Nick Fury was about to respond, "Barton, you—"
Before he could finish, Hawkeye raised his gun and shot Fury, causing him to grunt and collapse to the ground.
The group quickly took the box containing the Tesseract, ignoring Fury's fate, and hurriedly made their way outside.
Watching them leave, a regretful Nick Fury wished he had persuaded Carol Danvers to stay earlier, which might have prevented the current chaos.
Just after leaving, Loki and his group encountered Agent Hill, who was slender and attractive.
"We need this car," Hill said as she observed Barton and his team heading for a vehicle. She was puzzled about their intentions.
Suddenly, she noticed Loki.
"Who is this person?" she wondered.
At that moment, Nick Fury's weak voice came through her communicator. "Hill, did you hear me?"
"Barton has betrayed us!"
Before Hill could react further, Barton immediately raised his gun and fired at her.
Bang! Bang!
Hill quickly rolled to the side and took cover behind a wall.
Ignoring her, Barton and the others jumped into the car and sped off towards the exit.
Fury's voice continued over the radio, "They took the Tesseract. Stop them!"
Hill hurriedly got into a car and chased after them.
In the narrow underground tunnel, Loki and his team sped ahead, with cars pursuing them from behind.
Loki showed no mercy. He raised the Mind Scepter and fired energy blasts at the pursuing vehicles.
As expected, they managed to escape S.H.I.E.L.D., and the agents did not hinder their departure.
The bright sunlight greeted them as they emerged from the underground facility.
As they prepared to drive away, they noticed a group of figures in yellow robes standing by the roadside.
"Master Kaecilius, should we stop them?" Pei Li asked Kaecilius, looking at Loki and his team who were about to drive away with the Tesseract.
"No, let them leave. This scene is likely what the Master wants to see," Kaecilius said after a moment of contemplation.
Seeing Barton stop the car on Loki's command, Loki glanced at the strange, robed figures in the distance with a frown.
With his superior hearing, Loki overheard their conversation.
"Who are you? Are you here to stop me?" Loki asked warily.
He wondered about the significance of the term "Master" mentioned by these figures.
The agents on the car, including Barton, also looked towards these robed figures with curiosity.
Among the dozen or so robed figures, Kaecilius was momentarily surprised but then smiled and said, "Just as the Master predicted, everything is about to begin."
Master?
Barton and the others were puzzled.
"What Master?"
"What did he anticipate?"
While Barton and his team were confused, Loki's eyes narrowed with suspicion. The mention of a "Master" heightened his alertness and concern.
Kaecilius smiled and continued, "Don't worry, we won't obstruct your departure. You'd better leave quickly, or you might not be able to leave later."
He glanced at the S.H.I.E.L.D. entrance where more vehicles and agents were emerging, clearly preparing to intercept Loki and his team.
Loki gave them a final, scrutinizing look and instructed Barton, "Go."
Barton slammed the accelerator, and the car sped down the road.
After traveling a short distance, Loki, filled with suspicion, looked back and was stunned.
Noticing his expression, Dr. Selvig and the others, despite being under mind control, also looked back.
The robed figures had disappeared through a yellow circular portal before the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents could reach them.
Dr. Selvig stared in disbelief. "God, where did they go?" he exclaimed. "Was that a portal? It's incredible. Who are these people?"
Dr. Selvig was astonished.
First, divine beings from Asgard appeared, and now these mysterious figures. His understanding of reality seemed shattered.
Not only Selvig but also Barton and the others, though under mind control, were equally amazed.
As the yellow portal vanished, Dr. Selvig couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Who is this 'Master' they mentioned? Is it a deity or someone else?"
His sense of reality continued to falter.
Barton and the others, while still under Loki's control, shared his confusion and curiosity.
Loki, meanwhile, had a sudden realization. "Midgardian sorcerers?" he mused. "But since when did they start calling someone 'Master'? If I remember correctly, they didn't have any particular beliefs…"
Loki felt puzzled.
While they grappled with their confusion, S.H.I.E.L.D. was busy making preparations due to the loss of the Tesseract.
Nick Fury, having briefly treated his injuries, contacted Black Widow Natasha Romanoff and Captain Steve Rogers.
At Stark Tower, Tony Stark was engrossed in research data when JARVIS interrupted him.
"Sir, Agent Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D. is on the line for you," JARVIS announced.
"Tell him I'm not available," Tony Stark said without looking up, complaining, "He really knows how to pick the worst times."
JARVIS continued, "Sir, I'm afraid he won't believe that."
(End of Chapter)