Chapter 1
2012, SHIELD Headquarters, the Triskelion, Washington D.C.
SHIELD had summoned Jane. Nothing good came of a covert government agency contacting you for a top secret, highly classified meeting. At least, none she could think of.
She took a steadying breath and relaxed her hands so as not to crease her papers.
The dour woman escorting her through the building stopped in front of a pair of large doors flanked by two soldiers loaded with weapons and combat gear. They looked at her, as if to assess her threat-level, then went back to observing the empty hall.
Jane couldn't help but wonder who wanted to meet with her. She was a crack astrophysicist working in fringe science. No one contacted her. Ever.
Unless this had something to do with her experiments to build the first Einstein-Rosen bridge. Maybe her research had landed her on the terrorist watch list and they were going to ship her off to a hidden prison out in the middle of nowhere.
The woman opened the doors and the loud arguing inside was immediately cut off. She gestured her into the expansive conference room with a sharp nod.
Four imposing figures surrounded a grand table near the windows, one of whom she recognized instantly.
Iron Man, Tony Stark, CEO of Stark Enterprises was in the same room as her, standing there with his red and gold suit glinting in the sunlight. His faceplate was raised and his famous goatee was just visible over the chin of his helmet.
"Dr. Foster," he said, "your thesis on interstellar travel by stabilizing wormholes with iridium and exotic matter was enlightening."
She stared at him.
Tony Stark. The Tony Stark knew of her work.
"You obviously know who I am, so let me introduce you to everyone else." He gestured to a severe-looking man, dressed in black with a matching eye patch. "This is the Director of SHIELD, Nick Fury."
The man straightened his trench coat with a tug. He seemed like the type of person who'd shoot you before asking questions.
"I am Crown Prince Thor Odinson of Asgard. And this is my brother and trusted counselor, Prince Loki of Asgard," he announced with a broad grin.
Both were tall and handsome, and, oddly enough, wore elaborate costumes. Thor had long blond hair partly tied back, while Loki's was dark and hung free above his shoulders. He stared at her with a penetrating gaze.
She blinked at them. "Did you say Asgard, from Norse mythology?"
Fury sat at the head of the table. "Yes, Doctor. Now, please, quit hovering by the door. We have much to discuss."
This couldn't be real. She was dreaming, or hallucinating from lack of sleep, or just maybe she'd walked through a portal to an alternate dimension.
When Stark pulled out a chair for her, she forced her feet forward and took her place at the table across from the Asgardians. With their backs to the windows, the light bathed the brothers in a halo of otherworldliness. They looked no different than humans, and yet their perfection set them apart.
"Jane— is it okay if I call you Jane?" Tony asked.
She nodded.
"As crazy as it sounds, all those stories of gods with mystical powers from a far away realm are real. And here's our proof."
Thor inclined his head. Loki's only response was to continue to openly stare at her, as if her presence was both a source of annoyance and intrigue.
She turned to Mr. Stark as his words finally hit home. "They traveled here on an Einstein-Rosen bridge. Which means my theories are accurate."
The director said to no one in particular, "Secure office."
The hum of equipment powering down swept over the room. She looked around as the lights dimmed and the windows darkened. The thin glass attached to one wall, nearly taking up its length, lit up and turned into a computer screen.
He leaned forward and pressed a flash drive into a depression in the table. A high-pitched beep ensued. "Open Jane Foster's file."
A slew of documents appeared on the glass, stopping with a satellite image of her New Mexico lab.
"I understand you are close to building your own Einstein-Rosen bridge," Fury said.
Her fingers clenched around her papers, its edges biting into her skin. She hadn't told anyone she'd completed the calculations. Not even her mentor, Erik. Denial was on her tongue, but then more images appeared: the front of her lab, the interior, her equipment, and a screenshot of those very calculations.
Her mouth had dropped open and she snapped it closed. "Unless you had a warrant, you had no right to enter my private establishment."
Tony tsked at Fury. "Resorting to breaking and entering now?"
Jane attempted an intimidating glower. She narrowed her eyes, lowered her brows, and thinned her lips.
Thor chuckled.
Her countenance crumbled, but indignation still spiked her blood.
Fury pulled out the flash drive and the room returned back to normal. "Some of my agents have been watching you for a while now, unsure of what to make of your research and experiments, but our new friends here insist you are very close to succeeding."
"Our mother, Queen Frigga, has foreseen your success, Lady Jane," Thor said. "Gatekeeper Heimdall was ordered to watch your progress and has reported the time is near. The Allfather sent us here as representatives of the other nine realms and to welcome Midgard to a new era."
Loki huffed. The condescending note grabbed her attention and had her already rigid posture straining. He sat in his chair, leaning on an elbow with a finger to his chin. A slight smile screaming contempt lifted the corners of his lips.
She gave him her own version. "I take it you have a problem with this."
"Midgard is but a primitive rock with an even more primitive species," his voice rang out clear and haughty. "Children incapable of handling the consequences of what might befall them."
She stared at him, at his audacity, too stunned to reply.
"Brother," Thor groaned.
"Be as it may," the director said, more calmly than she'd expected. "SHIELD will assist you in building the bridge and you'll explain what all this is at the upcoming World Peace Convention."
"No." She hated giving speeches. "Besides, it's impossible. We don't have a stable high-density energy source to power the bridge."
Tony tapped the miniaturized arc reactor powering his suit. "That's where I come in."
She shook her head. "I've considered that and it won't work. It would take more than what your building's reactor is capable of, and even if it was possible, at that amount, it'd be highly unstable."
Loki stood and turned to his brother. "Let us leave these mortals to their impossible dilemma. I am bored and long to be rid of this realm."
She shot to her feet. "Now, just hold on one moment. Nothing is impossible. I just need more time." More precisely, she needed an energy source, but nothing on Earth was sufficient. Her gaze locked onto his. "What powers your Einstein-Rosen bridge?"
A flash of a genuine smile sent her heart tripping over itself, but then he laughed. "You mortals—"
"Enough!" Thor stood, staring at his brother as if he were both confused and outraged by his actions.
Loki stepped back, but Jane wasn't done yet.
"If you would just give me a moment of your time—"
"It would do you no good." He studied her for a moment longer before he exhaled and turned to Thor with a slight bow. "Heimdall is mistaken. They are no closer to a Bifrost than they were a thousand years ago."
"Aye, maybe"—Thor rubbed the stubble on his chin—"but mother has never been wrong."
"There is a first for everything, is there not?" Loki asked as he stared out the windows with his hands clasped behind his back.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I will find a way."
He glanced back at her. With the sunlight illuminating his eyes, she noticed they were a roiling green, as if light and dark were in constant battle.
"And SHIELD will help." Fury rose from his chair, adding his support of her declaration.
Tony stepped to her side and placed a cold metal hand on her shoulder. "Don't count us earthlings out yet."
Jane wanted to shrug out from under his touch, to deny them again, but who knew what they had up their sleeves. With Stark's brains, and his and SHIELD's resources, they might actually be able to build a bridge. The thought gave her tingles.
She nodded once and grabbed her papers. Looking at Thor, she said, "It was nice to meet you." Ignoring Loki, she said to Tony, "I suppose I'll be seeing you soon enough. Director, you have my number. Contact me when you're ready to begin."
Author's Note: The story has officially started! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed. Each one had me doing a little jig.
My beta, DreamFlight, and my sister helped make this chapter coherent. You girls are awesome!
Next up: Jane POV. It'll be that way for a little while before we get back into Loki's head.
