"We thought it was strange too, so after the contest ended, we specifically contacted several judges at the scene. After a detailed talk, we were surprised to discover that Loki really had gone there to compete.
"But... he seemed to have left halfway through because something came up, and didn't stick it out to the end."
"As we continued investigating, in Citibank's surveillance footage, we discovered that Loki had fought a brief battle with the robbers inside the bank."
"I don't think for a second that he went there to play the hero."
With a lift of his brow, Director Fury quickly made his judgment.
Coulson nodded and agreed, "Yes, Director. We carefully reviewed the surveillance footage and found that before Loki left, he gave the robbers two items.
"One of them was a green balloon deer. Nothing unusual about that.
"But the other was an octagonal stone. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence analysts suspect it was very likely a magical item."
A magical item?
Nick Fury's leg trembled subconsciously, and he thought again of his own painful experience.
The cast on his leg had only been removed two days ago. He did not want to go through that again!
"Has that magical item been recovered now?"
There was no telling from Fury's face whether he was pleased or angry. He only tapped his fingers on the desk subconsciously, a sign that he had fallen into thought.
"Spider-Man took it."
Coulson spread his hands and asked, "Director, do you need us to negotiate with Spider-Man and retrieve that suspected magical item?"
After a moment of silence, Fury slowly shook his head.
"Not for now."
He had always had an Avengers plan in mind, and Spider-Man was one candidate he viewed rather favorably.
Before the plan was put into action, there was no need