Marvel: Video Game Templates!

Maxim sat on his desk as he sunk in thought, his sharp mind calculating the opportunity that was presented with Loki's arrival. Of course, as he knew what would happen in the future, he had already set out a detailed plan to accomplish his goals.

There were minor goals, like reducing the damage done, saving Agent Coulson's life, and protecting the public, but these were basically side-missions compared to his main priority.

The Mind Stone.

At this point, none of them knew that the Mind Stone was located inside of Loki's Scepter, and they just presumed that the Scepter was a powerful Alien artifact, and Maxim would use that to his advantage.

Maxim had no intention of letting Hydra gain control of it. The Mind Stone would be an incredibly valuable artifact in improving his power and the power of his allies.

"A.N.G.E.L.," he said, his tone clipped and precise, "how's the replicant coming along?"

"It's complete," A.N.G.E.L. replied smoothly, "The design is flawless. No one will detect the difference."

"Good." Maxim's lips curled into a faint smirk. Since he had created A.N.G.E.L, he had gotten the AI to create a replicant of Loki's Scepter to dupe S.H.I.E.L.D and Hydra whilst he took away the real prize.

"I'm gonna go see it," Maxim said and his form shifted into smoke as he shifted to the hidden lab below the base, filled with advanced equipment with a Scepter in the center of the room, cradled on a pedestal.

Maxim approached it slowly, his eyes narrowing as he took in its sleek gold shaft and the shimmering blue "stone" at its tip. He picked it up, its weight satisfying in his hand. For a moment, he allowed himself to imagine the possibilities once he had the Stone in his possession.

In his opinion, Vision had completely wasted the potential of the Stone. With a Stone with every psychic ability imaginable, all Vision could do was shoot energy beams, manipulate his density, fly and other very basic things.

Maxim couldn't believe Vision could get jumped by the Black Order with an Infinity Stone literally connected to his entity, it was embarrassing, and Maxim would make sure he would do better with the Stone in his possession.

"Perfect," he murmured to himself.

He set the scepter back down into his Shadow, storing it carefully as his mind already raced ahead. He wouldn't disrupt the flow of events too soon—Loki's antics would serve as an excellent distraction.

Before Maxim could delve further into his thoughts, the sharp ring of his phone broke the silence. He pulled it from his pocket, glancing at the screen. Fury.

Maxim smirked as he answered, his voice calm and confident. "Director Fury. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

As Fury's gravelly voice began speaking on the other end, Maxim walked out of the laboratory, already calculating his next move.

*******************

The S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier floated majestically in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, its massive engines humming quietly against the backdrop of the open sea. S.H.I.E.L.D personnel walked around busily, completing their individual tasks amidst the current emergency.

As all of this was happening, a quinjet flew in and descended onto the Giant Carrier slowly. The hatch opened, and out stepped Steve Rogers and Agent Coulson, chatting with each-other.

Steve looked around, admiring the cool looks as he moved towards the edge of the deck, scanning the horizon, the salty breeze that brushed against his face, while his mind thought about the strange mission at hand.

"Still adjusting to the 21st century, Cap?" A feminine voice teased, leaving Steve to chuckle as he turned around, spotting Natasha with a faint smirk on her lips as she moved closer to him.

Steve chuckled lightly, shaking his head, "Some things never change, Romanoff. You're still lurking in the shadows, waiting to scare people."

Natasha moved and stood next to Steve, looking off at the Ocean Water that gushed around as she spoke, "What can I say? Old habits die hard."

Steve glanced at her with a raised brow, "Old? You're calling me old?"

Natasha smirked, "If the star-spangled shield fits…"

Their banter was interrupted as Steve spotted someone else standing near the monitors, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot as S.H.I.E.L.D personnel walked by briskly. Recognizing the familiar face, he waved.

"Dr. Banner," he called out in a warm tone that caught Bruce's attention. Steve and Natasha walked closer, with Steve offering a handshake.
Which caught the attention of the good doctor. Rogers offered a hand as he walked closer. He was raised to be polite and old habits die hard.
"Oh, yeah, hi. They told me you'd be coming." Banner greeted hesitantly after a startled expression at first, accepting the handshake from the infamous Captain America.

 "You're looking well," Steve said, his sincerity cutting through the tension.

"Thanks," Banner replied, "For a guy who's spent the last few years hiding in remote villages, I'm doing okay."

Natasha crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "You've got nothing to worry about here, Banner. We're all friends, right?"

"Right," Bruce said, though his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. He glanced at the two of them, "So… are we waiting for someone else?"

Natasha shrugged, her voice casual but her words carrying weight. "Fury called in a favor. He didn't say much."

Before anyone could respond, the lights around the trio specifically dimmed for a moment, and an unnatural icy chill swept through the room.

A strange, inky darkness began pooling at their feet, tendrils of shadow curling upwards and spreading across the floor.

Bruce took a step back, his eyes widening. "What is that?"

Steve instinctively raised his arms into a fighting stance, ready for anything, while Natasha's hand darted to her sidearm.

The shadows coalesced into a humanoid form, dark and indistinct at first, before solidifying into the tall figure of a man. His black trench coat and piercing blue eyes made him seem both imposing and enigmatic.

Maxim straightened his trench coat, his expression calm and assured as he looked towards the trio, "Relax, Steve. Natasha," Maxim said, his voice smooth with a hint of humor, "No need to reach for weapons. It's just me."

Steve lowered his stance cautiously, his brows furrowing as he studied Maxim. A small smile tugged at his lips, though, "Still making dramatic entrances, I see."

Natasha holstered her weapon with a smirk, crossing her arms, "You always did know how to make an impression. Nice to see you again, Maxim."

Maxim nodded to both of them before his eyes shifted to Bruce. "Dr. Banner, I presume? It's an honor to finally meet you." He extended a hand, his movements deliberate and non-threatening.

Bruce hesitated for a moment before shaking Maxim's hand cautiously, "You, uh, have a very… unique way of showing up."

"That's one way to put it," Steve added.

Maxim chuckled lightly. "I find that shadows are underappreciated. And useful." His gaze returned to Steve and Natasha, "It's been a while since we last met. How have you both been?"

Natasha tilted her head, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "I think the better question is, how you've been. I sure as hell expected you to take over Madripoor, a crime den like that."

"I had my reasons," Maxim said cryptically, his gaze flicking to Bruce, "But enough about me. I'm here for the same reason you all are."

Bruce studied Maxim for a moment, his unease slowly giving way to curiosity. "So, Fury called you in as part of this… team?"

"You could say that," Maxim replied with a nod, "Fury simply asked for a favor, since S.H.I.E.L.D needs whatever help it can get."

Bruce glanced between the three of them, still trying to piece together the dynamic, "So… you all know each other?"

Natasha nodded. "We've crossed paths a few times. Let's just say Maxim has a knack for showing up where he's needed."

Steve chuckled softly. "He gave us some valuable info, enough to make Fury think of him for a favor, so he's at least decently trustworthy."

Maxim gave a small bow of mock humility, "I'm flattered, Captain." Straightening, he gestured toward the interior of the Helicarrier, "Shall we? I believe Fury's expecting us."

As they began walking, Steve and Natasha couldn't help but exchange knowing glances. Whatever path Maxim was carving for himself, it was clear he was no longer the man they had first met.