The Summer Frost Chapter 7

Phoenix had done everything she could think of – interrogated the store clerk (who was slightly high at the time and didn't remember Pepper entering the store), checked the store toilets (to no avail), and finally hacked into the store security footage using her phone. Just as she gained access, a god and a man of iron walked into the store – she couldn't help but think that could have been a start to a bad joke, and couldn't imagine what the glass-eyed store clerk must have been thinking. She rushed to Tony, whose masked lifted off his face and showed him the footage.

It was strange, Pepper could clearly be seen walking into the store, smiling at the clerk and then walking to fridge, grabbing a bottle of water, and shutting the fridge before a small but powerful stream of light appeared next to her and she instantly disappeared into nothingness. Phoenix and Tony watched in shock as the bottle she was holding fell to the ground. Phoenix handed her phone to Tony and raced over to the fridge, the bottle of water still lay where it fell.

"What the hell, Thor? What could do this?" Tony forced.

"I'm sorry, Stark. I do not know."

Phoenix felt herself picking up the bottle and walking back over to the others when out of nowhere she felt something grab her arm with such force she thought it might snap in two.

"Da-!" She squealed before being engulfed by light brighter then the sun.

Tony's eyes barely had time to locate where the scream had come from before he saw Phoenix disappear into thin air. He raced to where she had been standing then realizing with certainty that she was gone, allowed his mask to fall cover his face, powered up his suit and flew full speed into Thor, pulling back at the last second to make sure the wall he'd forced Thor into wouldn't break.

"Answers, Thor! I just watched my daughter be taken from right in front of me and I have no idea where she is or where Pepper is. As far as I'm concerned this space crap is your problem and you have got to have some idea of what the hell is happening." His voice was trembling as his words flew out.

"Well I don't, Stark. Why would I hold anything back? Jane is missing too."

Everything Tony had heard and seen in the last 24 hours made his head spin and his stomach churn and he couldn't fight the fear that was rising inside of him. It got so bad that for a moment and couldn't breath and he thought he might throw up. He tried desperately to slow his breathing and calm his voice.

"What could have done what I just saw?"

"Any number of species across the realms has the potential to create the kind of technology to transport someone instantly from on location to another. Maybe even from one universe to another."

"Make a list." Tony grumbled gritting his teeth.

"That is a very long list. We should get away from this location, Stark, before we too disappear."

"Let them come. Let them take us. If its such a long list then this might be the only way to find them."

"And then we too could be trapped or killed and they, whoever they are, would be free to rule earth. I cannot allow that."

"Killed?" Tony asked painfully the sudden nausea returning, and then he dropped Thor back to the ground.

"It is possible, Stark. It is also however extremely unlikely. If they've taken the people we care about, then they probably have a plan to use them to get to us."

"They could have just as easily taken me and not Phoenix." Tony thought. "They didn't. They've got an endgame. Which at least for now means that they should be alive."

"It also means that they are probably going to use the people we care about to rule over our actions." Thor said uneasily. "We need to warn the others."

"And tell them what? I know we just told you that there is an imminent threat to earth and to get all of your ass' together, but actually now you've left the people you care about and some invisible force is going to take them. Oops, sorry, our mistake. Do you think that'll fly?"

"It might not be too late for them. Clint and Romanoff have a family to think about."

"Not to mention the cap has a girlfriend and kid to worry about. Jarvis?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Contact all of the avengers and give them an update. Also break down the store video footage. We need as much information as possible."

"Understood, sir."

As Thor left the store, Tony couldn't help but repeat the questions – "where are they?" and "what the hell am I supposed to do?"

AVENGERS - AVENGERS - AVENGERS

Loki's first piece of advice to his newfound ugly friend was something along the lines of – "The biggest problem is this group of self-proclaimed heroes known as the Avengers. To rule the earth you must first rule over them. Find their weaknesses and exploit them. My brother, for instance, loves a human named Jane Foster. I'm sure the others will also have people they care for. Get them for me, and I can assure you that taking over earth won't be terribly difficult."

For AnnabelleChristine, thanks for reminding me