Chapter 178: Thor at the Pet Store

"I know about that Avengers program. Fury brought it up the first time he met me and even invited me to join. But with my status? Work for him? Not a chance—I turned him down."

At this point, Tony chimed in.

He had also heard about Nick Fury's Avengers Initiative but hadn't been given nearly as much detail.

"George, do you have any useful intel? Knowing aliens are going to invade isn't enough for us to make any preparations."

Steve raised a critical question.

He had already believed George's claims and was now focused on how to strategize for the incoming alien threat.

"I only know the leader's name seems to be Loki, and the most recent clue places him near Old Bridge Town, New Mexico. I was thinking if you're all available, we could go there and investigate together.

Maybe we'll find something useful," George explained, finally revealing his intent.

"I'm in. Take me back to get suited up, and I'll go with you," Tony agreed immediately.

George had helped him a lot, so there was no way Tony would refuse. Besides, even without George, if he had this intel, he'd investigate on his own to protect Earth.

"I think we should act quickly. If this is true, we need to move as soon as possible," Steve concurred without hesitation.

As someone who once threw his frail body onto a grenade to save others and willingly risked his life to save a city, rejecting this wasn't even an option.

Seeing Steve and Tony on board, George turned to Banner and Betty.

"Would we even be of any help?" Banner asked, a bit uncertain.

George nodded confidently.

"Of course, you and Dr. Betty are among the best scientists. You might find traces of how the aliens got to Earth."

"Alright, we're in," Betty answered before Banner could.

As a scientist, she wouldn't pass up the chance to witness alien technology and beings firsthand. And with the powerful team of George, Iron Man, and Captain America, safety didn't seem like a concern.

"Great, it's settled then."

With everyone on board, George began planning:

"Professor, you'll stay behind to keep watch at the school. The rest of you, prepare yourselves. I'll take Tony to get his suit, and then we'll head to Old Bridge Town together on the jet."

The school needed someone to guard it in case someone took advantage of their absence.

With his telepathic abilities and control over Abomination, Professor X was the best choice for handling any unexpected situations. Plus, his powers overlapped with George's, making him more useful staying behind.

As for Betty, bringing her along was essential because she could help calm Banner after transforming. Otherwise, the Hulk might attack allies instead of the enemy.

The group dispersed to make their preparations while George teleported Tony back to his mansion.

While Tony donned his new Iron Man suit, George used a strand of Hulk's hair to craft a new wand.

He tested it briefly and was pleased to find its power surpassed his expectations, even outshining the wands he had made in the Harry Potter world. It was comparable to the magic rings from the Magician's Apprentice universe.

George recalled hearing that the Hulk's strength might not only come from gamma radiation but potentially from a deeper connection to some dimensional demon or hellish entity.

If that were true, it would explain why even those who replicated the Hulk's transformation could never match his strength or possess his "the angrier, the stronger" trait.

After returning to the school with a suited-up Tony, they found everyone else ready.

Steve carried his shield but didn't don his iconic suit. Wolverine, equipped with his adamantium claws, required no weapons.

Banner and Betty brought a few instruments for detecting possible alien activity.

The group boarded the X-Jet and swiftly flew toward Old Bridge Town, New Mexico.

Roughly an hour later, they arrived above the town.

"We need a plan and should assign tasks. We can't just walk in and expose ourselves," Steve said, spreading a map of the area.

He was mid-sentence when Tony, already in his Iron Man suit, flew out.

"I'll do a quick scan around the town and check for anything unusual," Tony called back.

"Let him go. Steve, continue," George said with a smile.

Every hero had their quirks, strengths, and weaknesses. George wasn't interested in turning them into obedient subordinates.

Take Tony, for instance. He would never willingly play second fiddle.

The goal was for the heroes to work together, appreciate each other's strengths, and grow as a team. George would provide the direction, then step back and let them handle the details while he filled in the gaps as needed.

"Go on, man," Logan added, puffing on a cigar.

Steve shrugged off Tony's interruption and continued his plan.

When the jet landed invisibly outside the town, George and the others split up to investigate from four different directions.

George took the east, Steve the west, Logan the south, and Banner and Betty the north.

Shortly after entering the town from the east, George spotted Thor at the entrance of a pet store.

"I need a horse!" Thor, dressed in civilian clothes, shouted at the bewildered store owner.

The owner gave him a confused look, as if Thor were crazy.

"Sorry, we don't have horses here. Just cats, dogs, or birds."

"Then give me the biggest one you have!" Thor demanded.

The owner pointed to a golden retriever in a nearby cage.

"That's the largest one."

Thor was momentarily speechless.

"Excuse me, sir. Perhaps I can be of some assistance?"

George stepped into the pet store, smiling at Thor.