As Lucifer's group entered the Manhattan skyline, it immediately became clear that they were already late to the scene. 

Above them loomed a strange portal, pulsing with unstable energy, casting a weird light over the city. The source of the power responsible for this portal was evident; it was the Tesseract, now mounted into a peculiar stand. 

The alien creatures surrounding it had a formidable presence.

Lucifer's keen eye counted five of these creatures, including the two aliens he had encountered earlier. He couldn't help but mutter to Thor, "I thought you had dealt with those two."

Thor's gaze was fixed on the aliens below. "They may have survived due to their alien physiology. They are unlike humans."

Black Widow, holding on tightly to Lucifer, noted that although the group had already seen them, the creatures did not appear to want to engage them directly.

 Iron Man chimed in, "Maybe it's because they are planning to leave with the Tesseract. It seems like they have what they came for."

"Well, we can't let that happen,we have to stall them and find a way of closing that portal" Natasha affirmed

The team sprang into action, and Lucifer, having carefully landed and released Natasha, found himself face-to-face with a fierce, green-skinned warrior wielding a deadly sword. 

He grinned. "Well, aren't you a delightful shade of green? I hope you don't mind a dance before the main event."

Initially relaxed, the alien now had a deadly look in her eyes. "The name is Gamora," she declared, and in the blink of an eye, she hurled two knives at Lucifer. With quick reflexes, he dodged one, but the other left a minor scratch on his chest.

Lucifer, undeterred, continued with a sly grin, "Gamora, huh? A deadly beauty and every man's fantasy, I see." However, Gamora's smile vanished, replaced by a loud battle cry as she unsheathed her sword and lunged at Lucifer.

On the other side, Thor was resolute in his battle, taking on his previous opponents, Cull Obsidian and Proxima Midnight. He summoned a mighty strike of lightning that sent Cull Obsidian crashing to the ground, declaring, "And now you," as he turned to Proxima.

Iron Man, encased in his advanced suit, grappled with an opponent wielding a glaive. Despite Tony's tricks, his adversary skillfully evaded them. To make matters more challenging, Tony's focus was divided as he tried to prevent the Tesseract from fully stabilizing the portal.

Meanwhile, Black Widow faced the toughest challenge of all, battling a creature that used telekinesis and psychological tricks. The creature hurled objects at her while speaking in a strange tongue.

Amidst the chaos, the newly arrived Hulk went on a rampage against the massive leviathans, with Captain America by his side. 

The Hulk's immense strength allowed him to handle the creatures efficiently. However, in a powerful blow, he inadvertently sent Lucifer flying across the street.

 "What the devil, if you want her, you should just say it." Still disoriented from the impact, Lucifer misunderstood it as the Hulk's anger, connecting it to their previous flight with Natasha.

The team was now approaching the Tesseract. Iron Man used his suit to topple its stand, causing the cube to crash to the ground.

 Their moment of triumph was, however, short-lived.

Just as Tony reached for the Tesseract, a peculiar alien ship emerged from the portal. Ebony Maw, using his telekinetic abilities, sent a car flying toward Natasha, creating a brief distraction. He quickly levitated the Tesseract into the spacecraft, shouting something to his colleagues.

What followed was a display of superior technology, as the aliens were seemingly drawn into the ship one by one. Despite Tony and Thor's aerial attacks, the vessel remained impenetrable.

Gamora was now the only alien left behind, alongside the unconscious Cull Obsidian.

 Lucifer, having seen the rest disappear, refused to let his opponent free. Rushing toward her as she prepared for extraction, he held her tightly, shielding her with his wings. Bullets rained from the alien ship, but nothing passed through Lucifer's angelic wings.

"Let me go, idiot!" Gamora yelled as she headbutted Lucifer, but her protest fell on deaf ears. "Not so fast, darling. You still owe me a dance, and nobody double-crosses the devil," Lucifer said.

Just then, the sound of approaching armed forces filled the air. SHIELD had arrived, albeit belatedly. The alien ship's hatch sealed, and it vanished back into the portal, leaving behind a screaming green woman.

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

Back at the Avengers headquarters, the team gathered around the one-way mirror to observe the interrogation. Natasha, despite her formidable interrogating skills, was trying to get information from Gamora, but it had now been close to an hour, and the green warrior remained stubborn.

Tony Stark glanced at the others and muttered, "Natasha's having a tough time."

Steve Rogers nodded in agreement. "That woman is pretty resilient, even by alien standards."

As they observed the stalemate, Lucifer sighed. He knew it was time for a different approach. "If you don't mind, I might have a way to persuade our green friend." The group turned to stare at him. 

"Did you forget to mention you are a detective also?" Banner asked skeptically. The two were not getting along for a while now. Lucifer, however, ignored the icy skepticism and headed for the door.

 He Walked into the interrogation room, exuding his usual charisma. Ignoring a confused Natasha, he took a seat across from Gamora, their eyes locking. 

"Now, my dear, I have a simple question for you. What is it that you desire most?"

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