After calming the restless magic within him, Lucian rose from the ground. The Vishanti's power of order really was useful. Although it hadn't completely washed away the marks of those dimensional demon gods, it had turned a high-interest loan due immediately into an indefinite bad debt he could haggle over at his leisure.
He raised a hand, about to trace another portal to Kamar-Taj, when Jade Balance's voice came through.
"Sir, there has been new progress in the underground laboratory. Dr. Banner and researchers Fitz and Simmons have completed the first prototype. The doctor hopes you can come take a look in person."
"So soon?"
Lucian raised his eyebrows in mild surprise. He had thought that even with those two S.H.I.E.L.D. geniuses assisting him, Banner would need at least three to five days to produce results. Yet barely any time had passed, and they had already assembled a working device.
It seemed the two young people he had held back from Coulson were indeed more capable than he had imagined.
He redirected the portal, golden sparks tracing an arc before him. Lucian stepped through, crossing straight into Vought Tower's special-grade laboratory.
The laboratory hummed with the low buzz of equipment. When Bruce Banner saw Lucian emerge, his eyes shone with a researcher's particular excitement.
"Lucian, you're just in time."
Banner hurried forward and presented Lucian with a metal instrument that looked extremely crude, like an oversized temperature gun no matter how he looked at it.
"Take a look at this." Banner wiped his greasy forehead and said with a smile, "Discussing things with those two college students you brought over these past few days has made me feel several years younger. I have to say, young people these days really do think fast. A lot of their wild ideas helped