It was a quite cunning plan. Loki had almost laughed out loud when he finally pieced his strategy together. It took some work to convince Rube's boss to insert an undestined death into the daily schedule, but with some well-placed words whispered in his ear he eventually came to understand it as the only solution. Though, after the deed was done, the nature of the problem solved seemed to evade his memory. George Lass didn't suspect there was anything different by this particular mission at first. Her clock showed 15.43, so she was early for the Estimated Time Of Death written on her yellow post-it note. It was early winter, snow was falling from the sky and a whole bunch of kids had seemingly dragged their parents to the park to join in on an elaborate snowball-fight. She plopped down on a nearby bench and started looking around for a probable cause of death, when a dark figure caught her attention from the corner of her eye. That smile.. The dark-haired, ivory-skinned man glided towards her and placed himself next to her on the bench. Though seemingly in his own world and oblivious to her existence, George had an itching sense of being closely observed. «It's nothing» she said, swallowed and checked herself, focusing on looking for the unfortunate soul whom she would be reaping. The amount of children present in the park worried her. Though George had come to understand the necessity of her job, she still didn't feel comfortable with taking the soul of those who could have had so much more life to live. This day though, she was lucky. A business man, suit, briefcase and all came powerwalking down the main path. The speed of his gate was exceeded only by the volume of his voice as he shouted into the phone, something about suspecting a businesspartner of putting spikes in the wheel of some million dollar deal. This tornado of speed and sound was heedless to the epic battle unfolding next to his pathway until a wayward snowball conked him in the left temple, sending his cellphone flying onto the road. His initial reaction was to speed on into the traffic to collect his precious cell, like a child running after a ball. But spotting a huge truck coming his way he managed to do a stunningly elegant 180-turn, directing the directional energy against the green grass of the park. Unfortunately, between the pathway and the park there was an iron-cast spiky fence which embraced Mr. Businessman whith all it's sharpened «goodness». George sighed, scratched her nose and got up to reap his soul. After watching the businessman walk off into what looked suspiciously like a white crystalized wall street version of heaven, the itching feeling at the back of her neck came creeping back, followed by a touch to her shoulder. George spun on her heel and was dumbfounded by the two bluest eyes she had ever seen. «So you must be George then, we meet at last» said the darkhaired stranger. George mustered a stuttering «Wha...? Who are you?» «I have an agreement with your boss, c'mon follow me». One of the perks of being a grim reaper was a reinforcing of your ability to read people. But as George squinted her eyes trying to read this mysterious stranger she could not for the life of her decide if the air of mischief surrounding him tipped the scales to the good side or the bad. He was staggeringly hot though, and adding to her decision the fact that he seemed to have some kind of deal with Rube, she gave in to her (albeit un-dead)human longings, and took his hand as he reached out towards her. As her hand touched his, a warm feeling spread from their touch throughout her body, followed by an intense prickling feeling as if her entire body had fallen asleep and was reawakening. She blinked furiously while the world around them fuzzed over and faded, until she realized that it wasn't her eyesight there was a problem with as they were now standing in a completely different location than they had been seconds ago. The chilly snow-covered Seattle park was gone, and they were instead surrounded by a sunny beautifully sculptured garden. «What the..fuck, man?»She would have been scared, if she hadn't already been torn between anger and excitement. This was new! The stranger looked at her face and laughed. «Welcome to Aasgard» he said, «I would take you for a tour of the castle, but you are not exactly supposed to be here. I have brought you here today to help me out with a.. problem of mine» «Well i would love to help of course», George uttered, barely resisting to roll her eyes «but my powers are quite limited, i mean, i can't exactly decide whose soul to reap, and i'm not even sure if that's what you want from me?» «Then let me explain» said the beautiful stranger. - My name is Loki, I am a god who lives here, in Aasgard, and I am usually content at that. But I tend to get bored. I resolve this either by cooking up trouble at home, or on some special occasions i will visit Midgard, your world. You humans are pretty boring, all and all, but sometimes your world produces something special. It has been so long since anything interesting has happened with you humans, but lately i have discovered someone extraordinary. I can feel his energy rippling accross the worlds, and i have been watching him, longing, for him. - Well this god thing is pretty sweet but could you spare me the clichè love story? - NO! You must listen! I ache for this man, he has something dark about him that would add so much trouble and life to Aasgard, together we could create something fantastic! - Yeah... okay, but i still don't understand where i come in.. - Oh but you, George, will be vital for my plan to work. It is true that you cannot decide freely who to reap, but i had a little chat with your boss and he agreed that you would be a good reaper for my person of interest. And we must hurry! You see time is running out, the norns have spun the threads of fate and it seems the they are soon to come up short for my dear Moriarty. - Moriarty. The man who got caught stealing the crown jewels and was found not guilty Moriarty? The man who is obviously bat shit crazy and should be put in a straitjacket and locked in a cellar? How the..?.. how can... well.. I guess you would have some fun together, yeah. Sheesh... Loki grinned - I believe so, yes. But as i said he is about to blow his beautiful brains out, and i need you to fetch him for me before he is lost forever. And DON'T LET HIM step into the light, you must get him to take my hand! Now, let's go. He looked her dead in the eye, grabbed her hands and the warm prickly feeling enveloped her all over again. When the fuzz around them cleared up they were standing on a grey rooftop, surrounded by what appeared to be the London skyline. They were standing behind a chimney, and from the other side they could hear voices talking: - In the end it was easy. and now i have to go back to playing with ordinary people, and it turns out you are ordinary, just like all of them! Oh well.. did you almost start to wonder if i was real? Did i nearly get you? - Richard Brooke.. - Nobody seems to get the joke. George made a sideways glance at Loki, he was tense, almost trembling. But still with that smile stretched across his face. - Are you ready? He whispered, George looked at him - Are you? The voices on the other side of the chimney kept talking while George and Loki crouched and waited, then they heard: - As long as i'm alive you can save your friends, well good luck with that - NO! There was a gunshot, and George climbed to her feet to do her bidding, but Loki grabbed her and whispered «wait». They waited and listened while the man on the other side of the chimney made a phone call claiming he invented Moriarty, they sat there listening until they heard him say «goodbye John», then Loki gave her a push and she ran forward to collect Moriartys soul. She was shaking. She knew he couldn't really harm her as she was undead and he was now simply a transcendent soul, but this connection to him was simply more than she could stand. Then, a shimmering stadium appeared, and Moriarty gazed upon it in awe and started walking towards it so she grabbed him and thrust him towards Loki, who stretched out his hand and caught his. Moriarty seemed confused but was still laughing like a maniac as the two faded and then disappeared into thin air. And there George stood, on the empty rooftop, checked her pockets and sighed: «Okay great, now how the hell am i supposed to get home to Seattle on five dollars and a fortune cookie?»