Chapter One
Eight weeks earlier
Darcy rubbed her tired eyes as she scrutinized over the various papers and files Jane wanted her to organize. Quite frankly, she was not in the mood. She was too tired, too bored and simply too lazy to do it all and it only made the task more tedious and daunting. If anything, she'd rather curl up in front of the television with some French fries from McDonalds and watch some classic horror film to fill her day.
It was a lovely thought, but procrastination (which was her virtue) would not pay her bills or give any sort of credibility for her internship. Simpering to herself, she forced her eyes to focus on the menial task and hoped time would fly by quickly.
"You don't look too happy," Bruce said to her with a wry smile as he entered the room. Darcy huffed and blew a stray hair out of her face. "Can't help it if it is elsewhere I would rather be," she mumbled. Bruce chuckled and took a seat beside her. "Perhaps I can be of some assistance?"
Curiosity piqued at this sudden generosity, Darcy beamed at him and pushed all her papers and files to his side of the table. "Well Jane wants these organized here," she said gesturing "and these papers placed in order in their proper Manila folders here along with the photos…"
Bruce laughed and shook his head. "Let's make it fair," he said as he pushed half of it back earning himself a playful pout. But she smiled at him anyway and thanked him heartily for taking some load off her shoulders. He finished way before her of course, but politely stayed with her and helped her with the rest of her work.
"Thanks Bruce. I owe you one." He smiled at her and said it was no problem. As she placed away the last file, she heard him clear his throat and hesitate for a moment. "Listen Darcy, I was wondering…got any other plans for tonight?" She looked up at him curiously and bit her lip. "No. Not at all," she surmised. He smiled back at her weakly and spoke again.
"Well if you are not busy, would you like to head down to Chelsea's with me and get a drink?" She blinked and then flushed. Was he asking her out? "Um…" she paused and swallowed hard. "Sure. Sure I'd love to." She didn't miss the relief that flew over his face or the sense of happiness in his eyes.
Oh my god I just got asked out by a super intelligent cool ass doctor. Should she feel like she had wings on her feet? "I'll pick you up at seven then?" Darcy sent a kind look back at him. "Well actually I'll drive and see you there instead I think." As soon as he left, Darcy touched her chest briefly as she felt her pulse quicken. A guy had asked her out. A cute one, a smart one, an older one and a handsome one. Feeling quite flattered, she gathered her things, locked up Jane's office and prepared to leave.
The day hadn't turned out so bad after all.
Darcy had rarely dated anyone in the past. She hadn't been much to look at in her teenage years, with a flat chest, lanky body, braces and acne. It cleared eventually, but she was too nerdy to even consider dating by most guys. She often told herself that such men had an inferiority complex by attempting to date a woman much smarter than them. She was content with that so any flings she had with guys were brief and bare. Sexual encounters amounted to nothing more than slobbery unsatisfactory kisses and fumbled groping. Nothing extraordinary and nothing to shake the foundations of her libido.
Instead she satisfied herself on studying her college degree and shifted assholes with testosterone a little lower on her priorities. Until now.
She had never expected that someone like Doctor Bruce would ask her out and she was determined not to make herself look like an idiot either. With a bright mood, she strolled into the apartment given to her by Shield and whirled around the room, flinging her clothes off in different directions and entered the shower.
He hadn't intended on being here, but he needed some time to think. To mull over his plans and relax before the big show started. The Tesseract was in his possession and all that was needed now was some stratagem to be worked out before he struck Shield's quarters. Still though, a break was welcome.
No one knew who he was here so he was not bothered to hide himself. He supposed it would also suffice to gain a little knowledge about some social customs of the world he was going to overtake as well. Pathetic creatures they seemed. The lot of them.
Their beverages bordered upon sour and he was surprised with the amount of drink some of the men and women in here could swallow. However, he did appreciate some of the fine red wine. He would give this place credit there. Bored, he decided to zone in on the mindless conversation around him. They spoke of nothing of interest in particular. Money, family, jobs, wives, children, sex…
They lived such meaningless lives with meaningless goals. They belonged in servitude. He could see nothing else more fit for this pathetic race of people. His attention made its way around the large restaurant bar and he scanned the nameless people he was likely to forget as soon as he left the place.
His gaze stopped on a young woman sitting sullenly by herself in the corner of the restaurant. Her expression was quite gloomy looking and by the number of empty cups on her table, she had had her fair share of alcohol. He resisted the urge to snort. What sort of bad day did she have? Not that he cared. He was merely curious.
He noticed a drunken male saunter over towards her and as he expected, immediately started badgering her with annoying and suggestive remarks. He looked at the site in distaste and turned away.
In hindsight she should have seen this coming. She wasn't sure if Bruce's words were true or a convenient excuse, but it seemed solid enough. She brooded over his text message again.
'Sorry Darcy I won't be able to take you out tonight. I had a bit of a relapse and think I am going to be off any work for Shield indefinitely.'
She was already at Chelsea's when she read the text and had pondered sadly either going home or drinking to her own miserable boring life. She chose the latter and had a drink and then another…and another. She inwardly swore, remembering she needed to drive home, but what did it matter? If she did get caught for drunk driving, she'd write it down as the cherry on top for a crummy day.
"Hey baby," some drunken motor biker slurred to her. She looked up and wrinkled her nose in disgust. The man was not at all fazed. He was probably too drunk to have anyone break his triumph over Mt. Improbable. "Whatcha doing here all by yourself?" She glared at him and sipped more of her Femme Fatale.
"None of your fucking business. Get lost," she retorted without looking at him. She had her tazer with her, but wanted to avoid tazing him in the public eye. The man only chuckled and brazenly leaned over. Alcohol was strong on his breath and Darcy felt herself getting dizzy from it. Who did this arsehole think he was?
"Those sum pretty big words comin' from yer mouth," he said huskily as he leaned closer. Darcy was about an inch from slapping his face. "Fuck off you asshole," she spat at him. Now the man was angry and he was about to say something else when a hand clasped down on his shoulder.
"The lady told you to leave her alone." Surprised, both Darcy and the man looked up to see who intervened. The atmosphere in the room seemed to drop by several degrees as the tall man glared into the eyes of the slagging drunk. Darcy thought the motor biker would swear or a fight would ensure, but instead a bewildered glance spread over his features and then something neutral. He left her table without a word.
Darcy watched the drunken asshole go in surprise and she looked back at the man who had helped her. "Thank you," she said to him quietly. However she felt uncomfortable after the whole event and with a sigh stood up and slipped past the man leaving a tip for the waiter on the table. She left the bar to be greeted with the humid heat of a summer night in New Mexico and decided she had nothing better to do other than start up her van and bury her face in the sheets at home.
"Excuse me miss," that same cold chilling voice from the bar sounded behind her. Darcy immediately turned around to see the same man who had helped her deal with that lecherous drunkard a few minutes earlier holding out her purse. "You left this in there." A little stunned, Darcy accepted her wallet graciously and forced herself to smile.
"Thanks again. Thanks so much. What a day huh?" The man's thin lips turned upward slightly to return her friendly gesture and Darcy for a few brief moments admired the fine contours of his strong jawline and cheekbones. He had shoulder length black hair that was sleeked back and the most amazing green eyes she had ever seen.
"I suppose the drunkard and almost losing your purse were not the only things that happened today?" Darcy laughed sheepishly and flicked some hair out of her eye. Always a nervous habit. "You could say that. But really thank you so much. I would have had to add the missing purse to my day of misfortunes."
The man nodded and a brief awkward silence ensured. Darcy did not want to end it there. "I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new in town or simply visiting?"
He took a few moments to consider her question, which she found a bit odd, but he answered it nonetheless.
"Yes I am just visiting." The statement was short and straight to the point. He seemed like a rather cold man in some way, but he had helped her all the same. "Oh, well I hope you are enjoying your time down here. It was nice to meet you Mr?" When she asked his name she watched his features contort to a mild degree of suspicion and Darcy found herself shifting uncomfortably.
"Luke," he said quietly. She raised a brow and smiled at him. "Well it was nice to meet you Luke. I'm Darcy. Darcy Lewis." He walked closer to her and she felt her breath hitch in her throat. His eyes…they were so…beautiful. She didn't know why she hadn't noticed before.
"Are you heading home?" He asked casually. It was a random question, but not entirely out of place. She could sense that there was more coming after this and so she decided to lie. "Ah, no. I was planning to go out of town and do some star gazing. I do it with my friends sometimes, but they are out of town for the week."
Luke seemed interested and Darcy felt a tinge of excitement run through her veins. "Hmmm sounds interesting. I was planning to head out there myself." Sure you were Darcy thought, but the excited feeling remained. How drunk am I?
She had just been traduced by one man and another out of the blue, who was everything a gentlemen should be, wanted to go star gazing with her? She scrutinized him. For all she knew, he could be a psychopathic pervert or merely a new comer looking for a good time. And Darcy really needed a good time. What better way than to spend her drunken musings with a stranger she would probably never see again?
"Well since you're new in town, I could show you the best place if you would like." She said self-consciously. He's so good looking she thought. And besides, if things went awry, she always had her tazer.
"I think," Luke began in a much gentler voice, "I would like that very much."
Loki had originally only been curious about the woman. He had been contented to let her deal with that nuisance of the man, but the drunkard clearly was not leaving her alone and she looked miserable enough already. Not that he had been compelled by pity, but such a pathetic creature such as that motor biker had no business touching a maiden who did not want his drunken attentions.
However upon his intervention and willing the drunkard away, the woman in question barely looked up at him, mumbled a quick thank you and left. She seemed so sad and Loki found himself intrigued. He always liked a puzzle and what better to do with his time than solve this one? She hadn't left her wallet in the restaurant, he had easily plucked it from her pocket as she left and it left the perfect opportunity to open more dialogue between them.
"So Luke," she started as she drove her van out of town. The van had an old musky scent. Not unwelcome, but her scent was all through it and he found that she smelled quite nice. Something like honey and lemons. "Where are you from exactly?"
Such a curious creature. Always full of questions. Were all mortals like this?
"Someplace far far away," he said mischievously. Darcy gave a light chuckle in response.
"No, really. Where are you from?" Loki refrained from rolling his eyes and answered her. "New York," he replied smoothly. Lies tended to roll off his lips so easily. What was it that they said about him in mortal mythology? That he had a silver tongue?
"Oh that is cool. What would make you want to come out here with a bunch of rednecks?"
Rednecks? What does she mean by that?
"I came here to see the stars. They are sited best here in New Mexico or so I am told." Darcy mumbled 'fair enough' and turned a corner and drove up a hill.
"What do you do Darcy? As in work?" She let out a quiet sigh, which he found amusing. A typical mortal who hated their job. "I have a degree in political science, but currently doing an internship with an astrologist. Good money. Pays the bills."
"I see," he muttered as she parked the van. "Good thing I left my chairs in the back and my telescope," she said to herself and hopped out of the van. Loki did too and offered to help her. Her technology for star gazing was primitive at best, but then again she was an insignificant mortal. A dot in the many and nothing important.
Darcy who has a degree in Political Science and an internship with an astrologist he snickered. She wasn't much of a puzzle after all, but he decided he would find out why she was so sad just for the sake of it. He had nothing better to do with his time.
He helped her set up the chairs and telescope and she also grabbed out a little stove that could light a fire. "Too dark," she said as an explanation.
"Would you like to look first?"
"I can see them from here. Do you know the constellations?"
Darcy beamed at him and nodded. What he thought would turn out to be a dull explanation of how mortals interpreted their universe, Loki found himself fascinated. Darcy and him sat by the fire and she pointed out all the shapes, the meanings and scientific context of them. She was even kind enough to explain what a few ancient cultures believed about it. She also had more alcohol in her van.
"I was saving it for a BBQ," she told him as she sipped her beer. Loki did likewise with his and thought it tasted quite awful considering it wasn't even cold. Just how long had it been in her van? What did it matter? He drank it anyway and listened to her stories. For a painful moment, he was reminded of Queen Frigga and all the stories she had told him as a child. But that was another time. Another life. As much as he loved her, she had betrayed him. She had lied to him all his life just like his father. Perhaps he would forgive her, but his heart was too bitter and angry for it now.
And I am here enjoying some drinks with a chortling mortal. Still though, the woman was interesting and she was smarter than she looked. "It's beautiful isn't it?" She murmured while looking up at the sky and taking a sip from her drink. Loki looked up with her. These were not his constellations, but they would soon be. However he missed his own.
"Yes I suppose it is." Asguard's skies were much more beautiful. When he looked back at her, he realized that she was staring at him. He smirked at her. "What is it?"
She seemed a bit taken aback at being caught staring at him, but she offered him a weak smile nonetheless. "It's just that…not many guys here would bother to help out a woman like that other than the cops. It was really nice and brave of you. I never picked New Yorkers for having such manners."
He laughed and twisted the bottle of beer between his fingers. "They're not any better," he told her considering he had stopped by New York on his way here. He was after all simply relaxing, but also wanted to see what remained of the site where Thor's hammer had landed.
She nodded and hesitated a moment. "Um…Luke," she said and licked her lips in a nervous display. His gaze turned back to her. It was quite lazy looking. He did feel quite unperturbed. Was it from the drinks he had consumed? "I'd like to thank you further for helping me. Really, that guy would have caused some major trouble."
His brow furrowed as she leaned closer to his chair. She smiled at him timidly and before he could ask what she was doing, he felt her soft pink lips against his cheek. It only lasted a few moments, but it sent a jolt of electricity through his body.
She moved away, still with the unsure smile on her lips. "Thank you so much Luke." Feeling a little bewildered along with an odd mixture of emotions, flattery maybe?-he offered her a kind smile in return and that was something that rarely plastered his face. "You're welcome Darcy."
She looked to the ground and took another sip of her drink. Absentmindedly, Loki felt himself touching his cheek. He looked at her and her sweet little pink lips. She was quite pretty when he thought about it, for a mortal anyway. Nothing like the seductive beauty of Sif or the motherly beauty of Frigga, but she had a certain attractiveness.
"I suppose I should return the favour since you have been so hospitable to me," he said slyly and leaned over. However she turned her face in puzzlement so Loki decided to opt for her lips. The kiss was tender and brief, but he liked the feel of her lips on his. When he pulled away she was blushing at him and was looking away reticently.
I can't believe I am kissing a mortal, but she is fun to play with and she is so fascinating.
Darcy didn't know why she was acting like a silly freshmen school girl, but a really handsome guy had just kissed her. Saved her, kept her company and kissed her. And she wanted more. He was still smirking at her next time she looked up and she found her eyes focusing on his lips. It was probably brazen and she wasn't sure how he would react, but she decided she would try it anyway.
She pressed her lips against his and he didn't stop her. In fact he responded and deepened the kiss. He tasted so metallic. Cold. Sweet and bitter at once, not to mention the alcohol that lingered on their breaths. Darcy pushed herself forward to be closer to him, but to make it easier he wrapped his arms around her and placed her on his lap.
She broke the kiss momentarily and in her drunken stupor looked into his eyes. They seemed sort of confused and unsure. Then they were scrutinizing and then soft. So many fleeting emotions in one.
"You're a very peculiar woman Darcy Lewis." She rolled her eyes at that. "Yes I have heard that before." His gaze was intent and he reached up to cup her face. His thumb stroked her cheek and Darcy marvelled over the rough texture of his hands. They were calloused like he did some sort of hard work. Was he a builder? Or some sort of gym teacher? He never really explained to her what he did or perhaps he had told her and had she forgotten.
His thumb traced over her lips and he pressed his forehead against hers. "You have such pretty blue eyes. I never noticed them before," he whispered and kissed her again. Darcy moaned as she relished in the feel of his tongue against hers. Damn, this night wasn't turning out to be too bad after all. The kissing got more intense as she pressed her body hard against his and felt his hands roam against her back and clutch her shirt.
This is like some sort of fantasy. A handsome stranger coming into town and taking the pains to get acquainted with some local town girl.
His lips trailed down her chin and then to her neck. Sweet little pecks and nips and then she felt him suck on it. She sighed in pleasure and noticed that Luke's own breathing was accelerated. He breathed hard for a few moments as he buried his face against her chest and then she felt him bunching up her shirt.
He started raising her shirt and not only did she let him, she helped him. Judgement cloudy with drink and body aroused by his ministrations, she decided that she wanted this newcomer to touch her. It felt naughty, cheeky and deceptive all at the same time. She raised the shirt over her head and flung it to the side.
Luke's gaze was on her chest and she felt his hands slide their way up her stomach to touch her breasts covered by her lacy pink bra. "You're beautiful," he whispered to her and Darcy felt her insides melt. He kissed her neck again and Darcy closed her eyes as she felt his strong hands massage her breasts.
She bit her lip as she ran her fingers through his sleek black hair and wondered how far she was going to let this go. When she really thought about it, she didn't really fucking care. Jane had given her too much work, Bruce had stood her up and that arsehole in the bar had come so close to making her explode at the end of a dreary day. It's only highlight was Luke and she wanted to make it last as long as possible.
"D-do you want to go to the van?" She asked breathlessly. He paused for a moment and looked up at her. He now looked as aroused and drunk as she. He seemed to contemplate for a bit and gave her a quick nod. "I suppose so," he returned and with a shy smile, she hopped off him and picked up her shirt. He jumped up after her and as she walked back to the van, she noticed how wobbly she felt and that occasionally her vision would double.
I must be off my rocker.
She almost tripped as she headed into the back of the van, however Luke's hands on her waist steadied her. She cocked her head to the side and smiled at him as a way of thanks and climbed in. He climbed in after her and before anything else was said, she was kissing him again. She felt his hands all over her too and marvelled at how strong and confident they felt.
Just who was this guy?
She was quite out of breath when he pulled away and brought her body closer against his. "You're quite pretty for a mortal," he whispered. More to himself he seemed. Mortal? What was he talking about? She didn't really have time to dwell on it when she felt him struggling to unclip her bra from the back.
Slowly she reached behind and helped him undo it and let it slip off her arms carelessly. For a few moments he looked at her breasts and gently placed a hand over one of them. They were small much to Darcy's dismay, but he seemed to find them pleasing.
His lips trailed down her neck line, over her clavicle and lower still. Darcy closed her eyes when she felt his mouth on one of her nipples. Her breath hitched in her throat and she grabbed the back of the cotton shirt he wore to cope with the New Mexican heat.
It was hot and stuffy and the amount of alcohol in her system had turned her mind into a foggy haze. She nuzzled her face in the base of his neck and relished in the feel of his hand slipping up her skirt to the most intimate place between her legs. She moaned when she felt him prodding around her tender flesh and to ease their position a little more, she laid against the back seat.
He grinned at her as he tugged down her blue cotton panties and Darcy grinned back although she couldn't contain the flush in her cheeks. Sure, she had let plenty of guys touch her, but they had always been clumsy and had no idea what they were doing. Luke, however, seemed the opposite and she waited with anticipation to see just what sort of things he could do to her.
Slowly she spread her legs apart and bunched up her skirt as he moved on top of her. He leaned down to kiss her again, but this time her moans could be audibly heard in the van as she felt him gently caressing, stroking and rubbing the most sensitive area on her body. She had touched herself enough times to know that she needed to be slowly coaxed to reach her peak, but Luke seemed to do it a million times better than she ever did. And it was amazing.
Fuck!
The rubbing continued and Darcy felt her body grow closer to its tempo. "Oh God Luke" She moaned in disbelief. This was better than anything she had ever felt. She let out a loud moan as she felt her body climax. Luke's forehead was pressed against hers and just like her, he was sweating. It was so hot. From the atmosphere, alcohol and foreplay. But Darcy didn't mind. She heard him swear as he fumbled unbuckling his pants. He must have been just as drunk as she and so she helped him.
He was hard and erect when she touched him and he closed his eyes when he felt her soft hands run up and down his length. Darcy allowed him to kiss her again and very gently, he removed her hands from between his legs and pressed himself against her slick heat. Darcy groaned when she felt him against her and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
How far was she going to let this go?
The whole way it seemed and she didn't care. She never cared when she let some drunken idiots feel her up in her van, closet, bedroom or even a fucking alleyway so she didn't care about Luke sticking it in. He at least seemed to know what he was doing. He shifted his position a little and she ran her hands over the length of his forearms and shoulders. By God were they muscular and well-shaped. It sort of reminded her of Thor.
"Are you…protected?" He asked her in a low casual voice.
Protected? Ah
"Yeah," she mumbled back. She'd been slack with her injections, but as far as she knew, even missing a few sessions, depo provera still took time to wear off.
The issue was pushed away from her mind when the tip went in. Yet, he met some resistance and Darcy bit her lip as he then began to force his way in. Any other first timer in her position would be crying tears of virginal innocence; she however, smacked him on the side of the head.
"What the hell are doing?" She snapped. Even though his breathing was raspy; he looked into her eyes in confusion. "It hurts," she explained. After a few more hard breaths, he answered her. "Do you want to stop?" Her eyes widened for a moment and she shook her head. "No," she said grudgingly. In an affectionate gesture, he removed a few sweat soaked strands of hair away from her brow.
"Well then, just let me push in."
Sucking in some air, she nodded and let him proceed. He continued to pursue his entry and Darcy forced herself not to yelp, swear or hit him again. But motherfucker, this stung!
"I didn't know you were a virgin," he whispered…again to himself. Why did he always do that?
"You're my first virgin."
Darcy shut her eyes and tried to ignore the pain as he moved in and out. All the good feelings from before were suddenly gone and she was on the line of thinking that she would never do this again. Perhaps they should have simply continued kissing and touching.
As he grunted and panted and as she let out scratchy breaths with him, she couldn't help but feel that her expectations had been foolhardy. This was not at all what she expected sex to be like. This was hot, sweaty and very messy.
He took up the pace a little and she pressed her face deeper into his neck as he groaned with each little thrust.
It didn't hurt so much as before. And she supposed she liked the idea of him being inside her. As his breathing and pace became closer to his pinnacle, Darcy contented herself with taking in his salty scent. He was still fully clothed save for his pants being undone and she still had her skirt bunched up around her waist.
A final groan along with his arms tightening his hold around her body signalled his end and he collapsed down on her in a breathless sweaty heap. For what it was worth, Darcy enjoyed the sweet aftermath. They lay there in silence for a few moments as both struggled to recapture their air and when that was done, he chivalrously moved off her and sat against the back seat, doing up his pants all the same.
Feeling a little awkward, Darcy followed suit, quickly placing her bra back on and lowering her skirt. Her panties were somewhere in the car, but it would make her feel well out of place if she reached down to find them and yank them on. There was an aching rawness between her legs as well as the sticky feel of both their fluids.
"Are you okay?" He asked her although she saw him staring out into the distance. The van door had been left open to give room for their legs. "Y-yeah," she said resting back with him. What now? What did two strangers do after they had a little romp in the middle of nowhere?
She found that she virtually had nothing to say to him. Both from shyness, disappointment, amazement….
So many feelings in one. "Do you have anywhere else to be tonight?" She asked him quietly. He looked at her then and his expression was frosty. Where did that come from?
"I do," he said to her and kissed her hand. She stared at him in bewilderment. That was exactly what Thor did to Jane when he was here. "Ah, thanks I guess." She rubbed her tired eyes.
"Need a lift back?" He nodded and didn't say much else. Darcy couldn't shake the feeling that she had disappointed him in some way. Was it her body? Her inexperience in sex? She pondered over these things as she grabbed the telescope and placed it back in her van. Luke helped pick up the other things, but the ride back to Chelsea's parking lot was quiet and tense.
Now she found herself angry at him. What a fucking arsehole! Just what is his problem?
She drove into the parking lot and watched in dismay as he hopped out. "It was nice of you to come star gazing with me. Are you going to be here long?"
He turned around and gave her a lazy smile. It almost appeared malicious or was it mischievous? Darcy did not know what to make of it.
"No, but I am certain we will meet again. Until next time Lady Darcy." She stared after him, puzzled by the strange choice of words. He hadn't left her a number or any form of contact though.
"Listen, I usually come down to Chelsea's for a drink on Saturday nights. If you ever want to meet up again, ask the Bartender, Marcus, for Darcy Lewis." He stopped in his tracks, but did not say anything back. He continued walking. Darcy hoped that there was a smile on his face. Maybe he wasn't such an arsehole after all. Just a little strange.
Strange and hot.
Feeling a little better, Darcy started the van and made her way home. She must have swerved once or twice, but she made it home in one piece all the same. Her head however hurt like fuck and she wanted nothing more than to lay it down on her fluffy pillows. Stumbling out of the van and into the house, Darcy made her way to the shower and stripped off her clothes. She was hot and sticky and she smelt like sex.
The lukewarm water came as a little relief as she quickly soaped herself and washed it all off. Feeling absolutely exhausted, she threw herself down on her bed in nothing but her towel and closed her eyes.
Luke she thought.
He had certainly made her night.
A/N: Thank you for the favs and reviews. I appreciate it and please review again. It helps me write. This is set during the avengers and yes I fiddled around with a few timing events, which will make sense I promise (e.g. Bruce doesn't go away to Calcutta for a year).
And for those who might find it a bit unrealistic, visit a club or a bar. Lots of people screw randoms. Some end up with nasty accidents ;)