Bullets rained toward Lorelei, but she skillfully grabbed the car door and used it as a makeshift shield, deflecting the barrage.
The three female S.H.I.E.L.D. agents emptied their magazines and began reloading, but Lorelei seized the opportunity and commanded, "Take them down."
In an instant, the other S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives, now under Lorelei's spell, turned their weapons on their own teammates.
"Rat-a-tat-tat!"
The three female agents were ruthlessly gunned down by their bewitched colleagues.
From their vantage point on a distant rooftop, the three snipers looked on in despair. They had trained alongside those fallen agents for years, and now, they were killed in mere moments, victims of the enemy's terrifying control.
The snipers quickly recalibrated, aiming their scopes on Lorelei, but her followers, including Roy's henchmen, shielded her from a clear shot.
Unbeknownst to the snipers, Lorelei had already noticed their positions. With immense strength, she threw the car door toward one of the snipers.
"Whoosh!"
The sniper could only watch in terror as the door hurtled toward him, killing him instantly upon impact.
Lorelei's overwhelming Asgardian strength left the remaining two snipers with no choice but to abandon their position and relocate.
Turning back to her enchanted followers, Lorelei commanded, "Let's move. Head to Charles Agency!"
As if in a trance, everyone on the street—her current followers, the bewitched S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and ordinary civilians—answered in unison, "Yes!"
As Lorelei advanced, her voice resonated throughout the area, enthralling every person within range. Countless people fell under her control, swelling her ranks.
…
At S.H.I.E.L.D. Central Command-
Agent Hand watched the scene unfold via surveillance footage, momentarily stunned.
"This... is the power of Asgard's Enchantress?" she muttered, her voice tinged with fear.
The simplicity with which Lorelei manipulated others was terrifying.
"If her abilities extended to control via video or audio recordings, the entire world could fall to her in an instant. A single YouTube video could enslave millions. Luckily, her powers haven't reached that level yet."
Hand immediately filed an emergency report, requesting guidance on whether to authorize a missile strike on Lorelei's location at Forest Hills, Queens.
The danger of Lorelei taking control of Charles Agency and its resources was too great; the world couldn't afford such a disaster.
The report was forwarded to Commander Hill and shared with Coulson, who was en route to New York.
Meanwhile, Lorelei's growing procession entered Forest Hills, Queens, marching toward Charles Agency.
…
Aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft-
Simmons hurried after Coulson, catching him in the corridor.
"Sir, may I have a word?" she asked.
"Is it about GH-325?" Coulson replied, stopping and turning to face her.
"Yes," Simmons said, nodding, "I've hit a dead end due to limited resources."
"The compound's chemical structure is incredibly unfamiliar, and that's troubling…"
Coulson cut her off, "We've discussed this matter enough."
Undeterred, Simmons pressed on, "That's why I'm requesting permission to send a sample of Fitz's blood to headquarters for further analysis."
"No," Coulson said firmly.
Coulson firmly rejected Simmons' request and began walking away.
"Why?" Simmons demanded, her frustration evident.
"Do I need to explain the benefits of this drug to you? You've witnessed its power firsthand. Even the Continental Hotel's fabled wax baths can't achieve such results," she argued.
Turning back briefly, Coulson reiterated, "No. That's an order."
He started to leave again, but Simmons, undeterred, raised her voice.
"That's not a good enough reason!"
Hearing this, Coulson stopped, turned, and faced her.
As Simmons approached him, she continued, "Sir, as my commanding officer, I am accountable to you. But as a S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist, I also bear the responsibility of uncovering the truth and saving lives!"
"Given the current circumstances, we should…"
Coulson interrupted sternly, "To protect the secrecy of this drug, two people died in a bunker rigged with explosives. And we still don't know why."
"Until we get answers from Director Fury, the drug and its secrets stay classified."
He softened only slightly before adding, "Focus on the mission. Lorelei has enslaved a significant number of people and is heading toward Charles Agency. We can't let her succeed."
With that, Coulson turned on his heel and left. Simmons, though visibly disheartened, reluctantly shelved her research ambitions for the time being.
…
Back in his office-
Coulson received an email from Agent Hand containing detailed analysis and surveillance footage.
After reviewing the files and video, his expression darkened.
"This just got a lot more complicated," he muttered.
…
Elsewhere on the plane-
May entered Sif's quarters. Sif, engrossed in maintaining her double-edged sword, looked up and smiled.
"May I try it?" May asked, gesturing toward the weapon.
Sif nodded, handing over the blade.
May gripped the center of the weapon and spun it expertly, its edges gleaming as it cut through the air.
Surprised, Sif commented, "You've used a sword before?"
May paused, smiled, and replied, "Yes, but I prefer my fists."
Returning the weapon to Sif, she added, "It's impressive, though."
Sif chuckled as she accepted the blade, saying, "yes."
"Your team is different from the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents I encountered before. You're strong."
Pausing, she added, "But you still need to be careful. Lorelei is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant."
Sliding one edge of her blade back into its sheath, Sif prepared for battle.
May, curious, asked, "If she's so skilled, why does she rely on allies and controlled followers to fight for her?"
Sif considered this and replied, "I believe it excites her. The thrill of control, perhaps."