Both women holstered their weapons. Shooting Tony Stark was the sort of thing that got you an even worse duty than guarding a magical stick. He walked over to Agent Brand, and fished a sheet of paper out of his jacket. "Miss Brand. I have orders from Director Eyepatch himself to go over some of the tech in that warehouse. Mind scanning me in?"

"That's Agent. Agent Brand."

"Of course it is, Miss Brand. You mind?"

Johnston giggled. Brand rolled her eyes, but went over to the keypad and punched in an access code. "5 minutes in there, then I have to come and get you."

Tony smiled. "I certainly hope so." He stepped through the doors, and they slid shut behind him.

***

Tony looked around the storage locker, packed full of all sorts of strange devices. He looked at his authorisation order again, and found the locker he'd been searching for.

From it he lifted Loki's scepter, and his eyes flashed blue.

***

On the outside, it had looked like Loki's attack on Tony Stark during the battle for New York had failed. But the King of Lies always had another plan. Rather than control Tony immediately, he'd planted a virus in Tony's arc reactor, just waiting to go off. And go off it had...