Can't See the Truth

“Um, Agent Schaefer?” the brunette secretary said from behind her desk as she tapped on his arm. “Director Fury said this meeting was to be between SHIELD agents only.”

Schaefer tightened his grip on Brooke’s hand and looked back at Thor, Steve, and Clint. He turned back to the secretary with a small smile on his face. “Ze plans have changed, fräulein,” he said calmly.

The young lady nodded quickly, brown curls bouncing as she did so. “Of course, Agent Schaefer. Go ahead in, love.”

Schaefer gave a quick nod and led everyone into the boardroom, relishing in the small, shocked gasps coming from the other agents around the large table. Fury, standing at the head of the table with his arms crossed, chuckled and shook his head.

“Way to be ‘that guy,’ Schaefer,” he said as the group sat down across from Fury.

The German agent only shrugged and put his coat around the back of his chair, settling in for the meeting of his life.

****

“I know I’m not much help,” Hetalia said quietly from the doorway to Tony’s lab as both the scientists worked with bottles and flasks of chemicals. “But I would like to help you try to save Toni. I’d hate to see anything happen to her or anyone else in this family.”

Bruce nodded, but Tony was the one to speak. “We could use all the lpe we can get. At the very least, you could hold the light for us.”

“And,” Bruce added quickly. “You were treated conscious. Maybe you can tell us what to expect on her end.”

Hetalia gave a nod and sat down with the scientists in front of the chamber, wondering where Toni was.

****

Toni and Bradstone had been walking through the blinding whiteness for what felt like hours with no avail.

“Bradstone,” she started. “How long have we been walking?”

The man shrugged and looked at the watch on his wrist. “There’s no time here. But if I had to guess, probably five or six hours.”

The teen yawned. “I can barely keep my eyes open,” she mumbled, leaning against Bradstone.

“We can take a break here, if you’d like,” he said as he helped her to the ground. “You sleep for a while.”

Toni nodded once and curled up in a small ball, resting her head in his lap. Her eyes slid shut, only to snap open a second later.

“Wake up,” Bradestone said quietly as he shook her. “It’s time to go.”

“Why?” Toni moaned. “I haven’t even fallen asleep yet.”

“You’ve been sleeping for a few hours,” he replied as he helped her sit up.

“No,” Toni said as she ran a hand through her hair. “I closed my eyes a few seconds ago. I couldn’t have been sleeping for a few hours.”

“But you were,” he insisted. “Besides, look over there.”

Toni followed his finger to see a red neon sign far off in the distance.

“Is that an exit sign?”

Bradstone nodded. “I’m fairly sure. Looks like we’ll be getting you home after all.”