ALARMS SOUNDED AS the scientists on campus started to evacuate. With the Tesseract acting up, S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted everybody out in case things went bad.

Y/N stood beside Agent Phil Coulson as the helicopter landed on the helipad in front of them. Maria Hill and Nick Fury exited the aircraft soon after.

"You assign me on this op and not even 48 hours later, it goes to shit." Y/N remarked, which Fury ignored.

He spoke to Coulson. "How bad is it?"

"That's the problem, sir. We don't know."

The four of them took the elevator down to the lower levels of the campus. They started to walk down the dimly lit corridors.

"Dr. Selvig read an energy surge from the Tesseract four hours ago." Coulson continued.

"NASA didn't authorize Selvig to go to test phase." Fury replied.

"He wasn't even testing it. He wasn't even in the room. Spontaneous event."

"It just turned itself on?" Hill asked.

"Seems like it." Y/N answered.

"Where are the energy levels now?" Fury asked.

"Climbing. When Selvig couldn't shut it down we ordered evac." Coulson answered.

"How long to get everyone out?"

"Campus should be clear in the next half-hour."

Fury glanced at Phil, "Do better." He continued walking with the two other agents as Coulson nodded and went the other way.

"Sir, evacuation may be futile." Hill told Fury.

"We should tell them to go back to sleep?" Fury shot back with sarcasm in his tone.

"Hill has a point. I don't have much knowledge on this cube but if we can't control the energy there may not be a safe distance we can calculate." Y/N said.

"I need you two to make sure the Phase 2 prototypes are shipped out." He told them.

"Sir, is that really a priority right now?" Hill asked.

"Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on. Clear out the tech below. Every piece of Phase 2 on a truck on gone."

"Yes, sir." Hill ultimately agreed. She looked at Y/N and a nearby agent. "With me."

Y/N exhaled and followed Maria. Nick Fury walked the other way to speak with Selvig and Barton in the lab.

• • •

AFTER HELPING LOAD tech into trucks for evacuation, Y/N and Maria walked into a corridor and spotted Clint Barton joined with Selvig, another agent, and a tall weirdly dressed man holding a glowing staff.

"We need these vehicles." Barton sternly spoke as he continued walking.

"Who's the Shakespeare actor?" Y/N asked Barton as he looked at the man. Selvig went into the passenger's seat and the man sat in the truck bed.

"They didn't tell me."

Maria shook her head, and turned around with Y/N following.

"Hill! L/N!" Fury's voice came through the radio. "Do you copy? Barton has turned."

Y/N heard the click of a gun behind him and immediately leaped out of the way. Hill did the same and rolled out of the line of fire as Clint shot his pistol. Freedom Fighter equipped one of his batons and bounced it off the floor, ultimately hit Barton's hand. The mind controlled Hawkeye grimaced before entering the vehicle.

Maria got out of cover and fired at them, but Barton sped out of the lot.

"They have the Tesseract. Shut them down!" Fury ordered through the radio.

The two started running towards another truck.

"You drive or I drive?" Y/N asked.

"Me. Always." She replied hopping into the seat. Y/N got on the truck bed and held on as Hill began to drive.

Barton continued speeding down the tunnel with Selvig and the Asgardian, Loki. They made easy work of incoming S.H.I.E.L.D. trucks with the use of his Scepter.

Suddenly, another truck drove out of an adjoining tunnel and got in front of Barton's. Maria turned the wheel and maneuvered the vehicle so it could face the other. Clint stepped on the gas and hit their front bumper as they continued driving.

Maria drew her pistol and shot at Barton, and the turned agent did the same. Barton ultimately drove faster and pushed Maria's truck aside, then started driving away.

While all this was happening, the portal made from the Tesseract's energy in the lab below was destructive. The campus was starting to collapse on itself and the tunnel they were in was doing the same.

Y/N quickly leaped out of Maria's truck and onto the back of Barton's. He held on and was about to climb up to engage the Asgardian, but suddenly stopped mid-climb. Loki smiled as he placed the tip of his scepter on his back.

Memories started to unearth itself and flashed throughout Y/N's mind. For a brief moment, he was looking up at a smiling woman with wavy brown hair and a white blouse, her red lipstick being prominent. He then saw the faces of his parents, then it jumped forward to a battle in the forest. A metal arm punched him across the face, and suddenly he was falling into an ocean. Lastly, he heard his own screaming as he was held within a chair. The bright lights above him didn't let him focus on who or what was around him.

Y/N went limp as he let go of the truck and rolled across the tarmac. Their vehicle kept going as he groaned on the floor.

Fury tried to stop them from his helicopter, but no avail. It was shot down by Loki's scepter and they successfully escaped into the desert. Fortunately, Fury and the pilot came out unscathed.

Hill ran over to Y/N who was still on the ground. She flipped him over.

"L/N. L/N?"

He slowly opened his eyes and focused his vision. The memories still flashed briefly in his head, and he didn't understand it. But he wanted to.

"Ugh...I should've stayed in Moscow." He remarked, preferring the operation with Natasha instead of what he's doing now.

"The Tesseract is with a hostile force. I have men down. Hill?" Fury spoke through the radio.

"A lot of men still under. I don't know how many survivors. L/N is injured."

"I'm fine, actually. Nothing a nap won't fix." He replied.

"Sound a general call." Fury said. "I want every living soul not working rescue looking for that briefcase."

"Roger that."

"Coulson, get back to base. This is a Level Seven. As of right now...we are at war."

"What do we do?" Coulson asked.

Nick Fury paused as he looked at the desert ahead. He knew exactly what to do.

It was time.

• • •

Y/N WAS BACK in New York to meet with Fury once more. Before he could leave his residence, he had to do one thing.

He dialed the number on his cell phone and waited for an answer. It rang twice before a Russian man answered on the other end.

"Привет? (Hello?)"

"Дайте трубку даме, пожалуйста. (Put the lady on the phone, please.)" Y/N said.

There was a pause before the phone was handed to another man, General Luchkov. He shouted in Russian. "You listen carefully—"

"Look, Luchkov." Y/N looked at the tablet he held. "You're at 1-14 Silensky Plaza. 3rd floor. My friends have an F-22 exactly eight miles out. Put her on the phone before I make them blow up the block."

The elder Russian man had shut up, then immediately handed it to Natasha, who was tied to a chair ready to be interrogated by them. He placed the phone near her shoulder.

"Hey, Nat. We need you to come in." He spoke.

"Are you kidding? I'm still working the op we started."

"This takes precedence, unfortunately."

"I'm in the middle of an interrogation. This moron is giving me everything. Look, they can't pull me out of this right now."

Y/N sighed. "Natasha. Clint's been compromised."

There was a pause before she spoke again. "Let me put you on hold."

"Fine."

Through the phone, he could hear the grunts and yelps of the arms dealers. Y/N waited as Natasha dealt with them.

In what seemed to be less than a minute, she got back on the line. "Where is Barton now?"

"We have no clue." He answered.

"But he's alive?"

"We think so. The op in Nevada went south, significant casualties."

"Are you okay?"

Y/N swallowed as he recalled the moment some of his memories flashed into his mind. It still bewildered him.

"I did fall out of a car. But I'm fine, thanks for asking." He continued. "Coulson's gonna brief you on everything else when you get back but he wants you to talk to the big guy."

"You know how Stark feels about me." She remarked.

"Oh, Phil's got Stark. You got the other big guy."

Natasha realized who he was referring to. She cursed in Russian as she continued walking. "And you? Back in New York why?"

"I'm going with Fury to talk with the other guy. I gotta say...I'm kinda nervous." He answered.

"Oh, him? I bet Coulson would kill to switch places with you." She jested.

"Something to one up him on, I guess." He chuckled. "I'll see you soon, Romanoff. Be safe."

She smiled on the other end. "До скорого. (Until next time.)"

• • •

THE SUPER SOLDIER pummeled the punching bag as he recalled his final moments during the war. He scowled as he landed one final hit, knocking it off its chain and destroying it. He panted as he walked over to pick up another punching bag to use.

"Trouble sleeping?" Nick Fury called out to him. Y/N stood beside the director across the room.

"I slept for 70 years, sir. I think I've had my fill." Steve Rogers replied as he started punching the bag.

"Then you should be out, celebrating, seeing the world." Fury said. "We gave L/N here a tour of D.C after his 40 year slumber."

Rogers stopped and looked at the two of them, wondering what he was inferring. He started removing the wraps on his hands and chose to ignore it.

"When I went under, the world was at war. I wake up, they say we won. They didn't say what we lost." He said.

"I woke up and wondered if we won. They then tell me we basically lost and fought a pointless war." Y/N replied.

Rogers looked at the young man. "Meaning?"

"I fought in Vietnam in the 60s. Went under in a way just like you. Woke up to a whole new world...like you."

Rogers took a moment to process the fact, then chuckled. "It's comforting to know I'm not the only man out of time."

"You can say that again."

"So what are you two here for? A mission? Trying to get me back into the world?"

"We're trying to save it." Fury said as he handed a file to Steve. He opened it and read about the Tesseract, which was familiar to him.

"Who took it from you?" Steve asked as he handed the file back.

"He's called Loki. He's not from around here."

"From space as a matter a fact." Y/N chimed in.

"There's a lot we'll have to bring you up to speed on if you're in. The world has gotten stranger than you already know." Fury added.

"At this point, I doubt anything would surprise me." Steve shot back as he got up to gather his things.

"Ten bucks says your wrong." Fury said as Rogers started walking away. "There's a debriefing packet back in your apartment. Is there anything you can tell us about the Tesseract that we ought to know now?"

"You should have left it in the ocean." Steve then walked out of the gym.

"That went well." Y/N remarked.

"I'm gonna need you to rendezvous with Coulson after he speaks with Stark. Hopefully Rogers accepts." Fury said.

"Who wouldn't want a Freedom Fighter and Captain America team up?" Y/N remarked as the two started walking away.

Fury replied, "You're gonna have to explain why you have the star on your chest when he sees it."

• • •

STEVE ROGERS DECIDED to assist S.H.I.E.L.D. The next day he along with Coulson and Y/N took a quinjet to their base of operations.

After Coulson spoke with Rogers, the soldier walked up to the sitting Y/N and stood near him.

"Yesterday wasn't much of a greeting. I'd like to get to know the folks that plan on fighting alongside me." He said.

"Y/N L/N. It's an honor to meet you." The young man shook his hand.

"So you said you're from the 60s, right?"

"From what I can recall at least. I'm basically an old man in a 23 year old's body."

"23? Means were born towards the end of my war."

"Yeah. '45." He replied. "Weirdly, I can't remember much of my life before I woke up. Only what people have told me. What I can slightly remember though was reading your comics and such. Which is why I wear your star."

"Ah, I've seen it in the debriefing. Freedom Fighter." He responded.

Y/N nodded. Upon joining S.H.I.E.L.D. and finishing training he took that name because of Captain America. They fought for similar purposes and had similar abilities. The young man still didn't know how he had them, though.

"Sorry if it seems like I'm copying Captain America."

"No worries, son. I'm glad I inspired you in a way. Besides, black is not my style."

The quinjet landed on the runway and the airstair opened. Y/N, Rogers, and Coulson exited the aircraft as the red-headed agent met up with them.

"Agent Romanoff. Captain Rogers." Coulson introduced him.

"Ma'am." Steve greeted.

"Hi." She replied, then looked at Phil. "They need you on the bridge. They're starting the face-trace."

"See you there." Coulson said, then walked off.

"Nice to see your pretty face again." Y/N greeted as they started to walk too. "It's been what? Three days?"

"A relaxing three days. For me at least." She replied.

"Ouch."

Natasha spoke to Steve. "It was quite the buzz around here finding you in the ice. I thought Coulson was gonna swoon. Did he ask you to sign his Captain America trading cards yet?"

"Trading cards?" He asked.

"They're vintage. He keeps them in his locker." Y/N cut in.

"Don't you keep your box of comics in yours?" Natasha added still looking ahead. "Want Rogers to sign those?"

"It's just one comic. Don't go around spreading rumors."

They spotted Bruce Banner in the distance and Steve called out to him.

"Hi. They told me you were coming." Banner shook the soldier's hand.

"Word is, you can find the Cube." Steve said.

"Is that the only word on me?"

"There's also the rumor about you turning green when you get mad." Y/N abruptly said, in which Natasha elbowed him in the side.

"Only word I care about." Steve told the doctor.

The hellicarrier flew off the water and into the sky. The four of them got inside and made it to the command center where agents and technicians roamed. Steve looked around in awe before meeting Fury at the table. He took out a ten dollar bill and handed it to him for their bet yesterday.

"Doctor, thank you for coming." Fury greeted Banner.

"Thanks for asking nicely. So, how long am I staying?" He replied.

"Once we get our hands on the Tesseract you're in the wind."

"Where are you with that?"

Coulson spoke from the floor below. "We're sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet. Cell phones, laptops...if it's connected to a satellite it's eyes and ears for us."

Natasha glanced at a console displaying Barton's file. "That's still not gonna find them in time."

"You have to narrow down the field." Banner said. "How many spectrometers do you have access to?"

"How many are there?" Fury asked.

"Call every lab you know. Tell them to put the spectrometers on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I'll roughen out a tracking algorithm, basic cluster recognition. At least we could rule out a few places."

Fury simply nodded and Y/N was honestly astounded by the man's knowledge. Banner took notice and faced the young man. "I'm the brains...unless I turn green, then I'm pretty much just brawns."

"Point taken."

"Do you have somewhere I can work?" Banner asked.

"Agent Romanoff." Fury called out. "Could you show Dr. Banner to his laboratory please?"

"You're gonna love it, Doc. We got all the toys." She remarked as she walked off with Banner. Y/N chose to follow.

"The lady's right. Very high tech compared from days before." He chimed in.

Bruce didn't know how to respond but wondered why the young man would mention that.

"He's not from our time. He's older than you as a matter a fact." Natasha added.

They lead him to the lab and Banner entered it. He gave a light nod as thanks and the two agents left him to his work.

"You always got to bring up my age?" Y/N remarked with a chuckle.

"Only when you weird people out with your back in my day talk. Like we get it, burgers were 20 cents."

"The prices nowadays are unbelievable. I could've taken you out to dinner back then with 10 dollars."

"Is that why you don't ask me out?" She asked as they continued walking.

"You're never free." He replied with a smirk, recalling what she told him in Moscow.

They entered the main area where Fury was at his console. He immediately looked at the two.

"L/N. Romanoff. Loki's been spotted in Stuttgart, Germany."

"You want us to go?" She asked.

He nodded.

"Suit up. The Captain will be joining you as well."