"– but why London? It's cold here and everyone talks funny!"
Jane let out a slight sigh as she threw together some of her equipment, making sure she had everything needed for their research. "I don't know, I never know why these locations are picked but they clearly need us to look into something here". She glanced over to Darcy who was sprawled across the sofa, playing some random game on her iPhone. They had been working on a few things in New York – a few things that were being funded by S.H.I.E.L.D. Jane hadn't even wanted to work for them, she still wanted to keep her research for her own use but they made sense. This worked in her favour – at least it had done before they suddenly shipped her to London, Darcy accompanying her to help out.
"This place sucks, everything about this move blows but at least I get the latest iPhone out of it" Darcy scoffed, not taking her eyes from the game she was playing.
"Look, we need to find the answers they want and then we can get back home – well, back to America" Jane threw her bag over her shoulder and approached Darcy. "Anyway, we have to go – angry birds can wait!"
"Angry birds? Dude, that game is old news – I'm playing minion rush!" Darcy continued to play but soon stopped, clearly sensing the impatience radiating from Jane. "Fine! I'm taking it with me – the last time we went looking for readings, we just ended up sitting there all night".
Jane rolled her eyes but didn't say anything; it was pointless arguing over it. Darcy was right, they had been spending too much time sitting around – waiting for these readings to mean something. Jane wasn't even confident that they would ever lead to anything, yet if they did – it would be something beyond anything else they had researched. Plus, there was always the added bonus that she would possibly find Thor again.
The thought of seeing him again was something that played on her mind constantly, something that left her feeling hopeful. It was silly, he was a God and most likely had no intention of returning to her – yet she couldn't help but wish for it to happen.
"I'm driving" Darcy took the keys from Jane, startling her from her deep thoughts "you're bad enough on a good day but when you're thinking about him – "
"Him? I wasn't – "
"Yeah you were, you always get that same dazed look on your face whenever you talk about him – it has to be the same when you're thinking about him too!"
"I don't – do I?" Jane sighed and followed the other girl from their apartment; she really did need to stop thinking about Thor. It wasn't healthy to keep hold of something that was so unlikely to happen again. He was back on his own world, probably being the king and had long forgotten her. "I'll try to put him out of my mind, okay?"
"Jane, I don't care if you think about him – but you might want to stop looking for him so much".
"I can't…I know it's stupid to stay this invested in something like this – but I can't. I can't just forget him and pretend that he doesn't exist" Jane stepped into the car, the radio booming out the news of something happening in New York.
"Boring!" Darcy plugged her iPhone in and played some of her music, not wanting to listen to some boring news update about a place she was miles away from.
They drove for an hour before they reached their destination, somewhere in the middle of nowhere. It was hard to believe that you could find this much silence while living in London but here they were – surrounded by trees and standing underneath a clear night sky.
Jane pulled her bag over her shoulder "so, I need to go over that way and you the other way – I'll talk to you through this when I'm ready". She handed Darcy the walkie talkie, making sure they were both turned on.
"You know, we could totally just talk on the phone" Darcy pressed the button on hers, speaking through it "over".
Jane shook her head "but you're constantly playing games on your phone, at least this won't interfere with the minions".
Darcy shrugged and grabbed what she needed before she made her way into the forest, leaving Jane to walk the other way. Jane wasn't sure if they'd be any luckier with tonights readings but was never one to give up before trying. She moved in her own direction and soon found herself completely out of sight from the car – surrounded by large trees which even blocked out the moonlight. Only slight lashes of it seemed to peak through the leaves – enough to offer her some way of seeing where she was going. Moving towards one of the trees, Jane placed her bag down and started to rummage through it – looking for her status reader. Once it was found, she toyed with the controls and was soon listening to an almost silent but static sound – one that was only too familiar. It was the same silence they heard each night, leading them to a wasted time. "Great, I should have brought a book with me" she muttered, placing it down before she looked through her bag some more.
She was looking for something else to keep her busy but stopped when her reader started to make a more energised sound. It was peaking but not in a way she understood. Jane pulled it back from the ground and stood up, being confused by the readings as she waved it around to see where it picked up the reading stronger. She reached into her pocket, ready to call Darcy on the walkie talkie.
"For a ploy to keep you safe, I fear they're really not doing a very good job" a voice whispered from behind her, the readings becoming calmer as Jane turned to see a figure in the dark.
"I'm sorry – do I know you?" she asked in a casual way but her heart was racing, after all – they were alone out there and now this man was there. "Where did you even come from?"
"What would be the fun in telling all my secrets now?" he walked out from the dark, showing the dark clothing he wore. He definitely didn't seem like anyone from this world – but he didn't seem anything like Thor either.
"Look, I'm not sure who you are but I'm not here alone – so maybe you should just carry on to where ever you were going".
"You mean the pitiful Midgardian over there?" he pointed behind him "the one so engrossed in your inadequate gadgets that she wouldn't even notice anything? I'm sure she won't be inclined to bother us – not while we catch up".
"Catch up?" Jane gave him a confused look, trying to think of any moment where she had met this man before. She was finding nothing; he was a stranger "Midgardian? You know Thor, don't you? He's the only one I know who calls us that".
"Thor? Ah, yes – my gallant oaf of a brother who is so desperate to save you all" he smirked.
"Loki…you're Loki, right?" Jane stepped back, her back against the tree "what do you want?"
"You have nothing I require, I simply wanted to pay a visit to the Midgardian woman my brother has deemed so worthy of his affection". Loki stepped closer, not seeming to care how uncomfortable this made her feel – that only urged him more. "Unfortunately, I do not see the appeal – perhaps you're wearing too many garments for me to truly appreciate your form. After all, my dearest brother is so very fond of the flesh".
Jane gasped and without thinking, slapped him hard across the face. It was a stupid move and one that she felt instant regret over – yet she wasn't showing it, not while glaring towards him.
"Alas, it must be that fire you hold – I could almost like you, if you weren't so beneath me" he smirked more, his eyes wandering over her body for a moment. "I came with great plans of using you to my own advantage – as bait if you will. My brother is determined to put a stop to my attempts of ruling over your realm…something I no longer have the patience with".
Jane showed more signs of confusion.
"You're not even aware that he's here, are you?" Loki ran his hand over her cheek, snickering at the way she pulled her head away from it. "I would have assumed you'd have been the first person he would have seen – I can only guess his love for his new Avengers is higher than any affection he holds for you".
"No – he's doing the right thing, something you wouldn't know about".
"OH – am I supposed to feel stung by such a comment?" Loki shook his head "he is foolishly attached to your realm but sees no flaw in the way you live. He doesn't see how your freedom is your greatest lie – he feels you do not need ruling but that is only another reason why he could never be fit for a throne".
"He'd make a better king than you – all you do is destroy things until you get what you want" she reached into her pocket, trying to make the walkie talkie work.
"You know nothing about me, Lady Jane and that's not something that will change – at least not today" he stepped back a little, she was no different to any other Midgardian but his own plan seemed flawed to him. After all, if Thor was so eager to protect her then he'd be there now. "Perhaps once I'm in complete control of this realm I'll pay you another visit".
Jane watched him step back "you're gonna lose – whatever it is you're doing, you're gonna lose and end up back where you came from".
Loki stepped forward again, in one swift movement and wrapped his hand around her throat. He pushed her back against the tree and gripped her tightly, smirking more at the way she struggled aimlessly. "Speak not of things you do not understand. You are only being kept alive as I deem you beneficial in the future – the moment that ceases to be the case; your life will no longer be safe". He loosened the grip and smiled, not a pleasant or warm smile but a smile none the less. "Now, I must return to the place you call New York – it's almost time for everything to fall into place".
He leaned in closer to her "at least your beauty is somewhat appealing, if nothing else" he lingered just inches from her lips, seeming as though he wanted to kiss her "until we meet again". With that said he moved back from her and seemed to vanish in the darkness – leaving Jane to just stand there, unsure if any of that had just happened.
"Jane – I'm bored already Jane!" Darcy called through the walkie talkie "Jane!? Oh come on, can't we just got back to the apartment and try this again when it's not so cold?" She continued to talk but Jane just stood there – in a world of her own. "JANE! Oh, I forgot to say over – OVER!"
Jane pulled the walkie talkie to her mouth "yeah…okay, I'm done for the night". She grabbed her things and walked towards the car, her heart was still racing from her little visitor but she wasn't sure if it was wise to talk about it – after all, she didn't even know if he was really there. Or – if he was still watching them. Instead, she stepped into the car and instantly turned the radio on – waiting to see what news they were sharing about New York. New York…maybe he really was there. Maybe she was being protected by S.H.I.E.L.D. – Maybe Thor was there. Whatever was happening, Jane would figure it out once they got back to the apartment.