The black sedan slowly drove into the suburbs north of Long Island, New York. Tree-lined roads on both sides blocked out the afternoon sun, leaving only scattered, dappled flecks of golden light on the ground. Sean stepped out of the car and looked up to see a towering, majestic structure piercing the clouds, like a steel giant standing between heaven and earth.
He should have been at S.H.I.E.L.D., receiving Asgard's visitors at the earliest opportunity. After all, this was the first contact between an extraterrestrial civilization and Earth. Its significance was enormous and deserved the world's close attention.
Yet the young man had suggested to General Ross that Thor be left waiting for the time being. He knew why the Asgardian Prince had come, but this was not the best time. Negotiations and alliances depended on leverage and standing. If they wanted the other side to be sincere and set aside its lofty pride, they first had to demonstrate their own strength.
Showing off their muscles and fists was an indispensable part of the process.
Entering the main building, the young man saw a familiar face approaching him. An elegant, charming intellectual woman in a loose white work uniform hurried along with her head lowered, seemingly rushing off somewhere.
"Dr. Foster, is there a monster chasing you?"
The warm voice startled Jane from her hurried steps. When she saw Sean, her eyes became complicated, carrying a hint of evasiveness, as though she deliberately wanted to avoid those deep eyes.
The female astronomer did not know what attitude she should take toward the man who had changed her life. She still remembered that, on the way back from the small town in New Mexico, his young face had inexplicably overlapped with that deep voice from somewhere beyond her comprehension.
After returning