A/N: This story is compliant with the Tim Story Fantastic Four films and the Marvel Cinematic Universe's "Phase One." The events of this story pick up a few months following The Avengers and about a year after Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. This story may or may not integrate compliancy with the MCU's Phase Two and beyond as it goes along.

The news was abuzz with reports of the alien invasion in New York. It was still on every channel nearly three months after it occurred. It seemed that all anyone was interested in talking about these days were the Avengers or the aliens or the desire for a futile space wall to keep the aliens from coming back. Victor von Doom knew that this was hardly the first instance of extraterrestrial life visiting earth. After all, just last year, the earth was visited by a particularly destructive alien known as Galactus bent on consuming it. SHIELD had covered up the whole thing to make everyone think the incident was nothing more than a weather anamoly; everyone remained blissfully unaware of just how close their planet had come to oblivion.

An alien invasion repelled by earth's mightiest heroes was sexier anyways and made for a better headline than the barely avoided apocalypse stopped only by the cold feet of the alien's servant. Victor also took great pleasure in the happy coincidence that Richards and the rest of the Fantastic Fools were blissfully off exploring the Negative Zone when the Chitauri invasion came. The media had been grilling them non-stop as "Do Nothing Heroes" in comparison to the Avengers. He imagined poor Johnny Storm was living a nightmare right now with his lack of favorable publicity. That, coupled with the Chitauri technology swimming around the black market, allowing Victor to augment his armor further, meant that these were good times for the illustrious Doctor Doom.

The hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood at attention. His electrical abilities sensed another bio-electric signature in the room with him. That wasn't right.

"No one has ever evaded my security system before. It's running perfectly," Victor said out loud, not turning away from his work bench. "Well, of course, it should be because I designed it myself, and I don't make mistakes. So please, do enlighten me how you managed to get in here without triggering my scanners."

"Such hostility," the intruder said coyly. "Are you not the slightest bit interested in why I've graced your home with my presence?"

Victor turned around to face his unwanted guest. The slicked back black hair, black and green leather duster, and blue-green eyes that betrayed a twisted sense of playfulness – Victor had never seen them before in person, but he recognized them from his last forray hacking into SHIELD's files: Loki Laufeyson.

"Your majesty," Victor said with a half bow.

"So you are aware of my identity," Loki stated studying the furnishing of the room. "Then you are most likely aware that I have my ways of getting into where ever my heart desires."

Victor scoffed and returned to his work bench. "It seems SHIELD and the World Security Council are just as incompetent at detaining war criminals as they are at holding this God foresaken planet together."

"They lack control," Loki agreed. "They seem to believe a world left to such lies as freedom can survive on its own."

"Are we getting close to the point of this unscheduled visit?" Victor asked as he finished bonding the Chitauri laser into the weaponry system of his armor. "If you're just here to reclaim the alien tech, then I'm afraid I have to politely declined."

"Oh not at all," his guest said. "The Chitauri failed me, and I have other resources and concerns. No, Victor, I am here because I require allies in this world."

Victor set aside his armor project and laughed a bit to himself. "A god of ancient lore comes to ask for my help."

"My brother is strong because his mortal pets provide him aid. I wish to follow a similar path. I have looked extensively into your encounters with the Fantastic Four, and I believe you and I are kindred spirits, perhaps even a mortal I could respect."

"If you want even a chance of this working out, that 'perhaps' and 'could' had better change to be far more definite before our chat is over."

"Pardon me, I meant nothing by it."

Victor knew that wasn't true in the slightest. Loki was infamously silver tongued and chose every word with utmost precision. Still, he let him continue. After all, this arrangement could be quite beneficial. He may have lost the powers of the Silver Surfer, but there was a whole wide world of Asgardians just ripe for the taking who could make excellent power boosts.

"Our ambitions align quite nicely," Loki continued. "Perhaps together, we can sound the knell of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four's ultimate defeat."

Victor knew better than to take Loki at his word. The man wasn't called the "Liesmith" without good reason. Loki was working some ulterior motive in this alliance, that much was certain. Still, Victor had to admit he was curious about what that motive might be. There'd be no answers if he said no.

"I think we can come to an arrangement," Victor answered.

This put a devilish grin on Loki's face. "Excellent."

Loki's gaze drifted over to the work bench and the modifications Victor was making to his armor. "What need have you for Chitauri weaponry? Do you not simply harness the powers of lightning through your own abilities?"

Victor hadn't expected Loki to have any interest in his scientific work. After all, what use did a god have for the devices mortals constructed to get themselves closer to divinity? Perhaps there was more to his new ally than SHIELD's files would lead one to believe.

"I like to keep my options open," he answered. "If my enemies don't know exactly how I'm going to attack them, they can't prepare themselves with the same vigor. Never let it be said that Doctor Doom was a one trick pony. Besides, these modifications to my personal armor are... more of a test run for something a bit more dramatic I'm working on."

"And that would be?"

"Why don't you pop by tomorrow at noon. I'm meeting with arms dealer, and it'll be a lot clearer if I can show you."

"Until then, Victor," Loki replied with a nod.

In a refraction of green light, Loki vanished from sight. Teleportation. That was how he evaded the scanners. Victor made a note to study the energy signatures of Loki's arrival and exits. Nothing was unknowable to Doctor Doom, and he was going to make sure his new ally was not an exception to that.