A/N: I'm back! I apologize for how long it's been since I updated last. Inspiration is a fickle mistress and this chapter gave me a hard time.

For those that don't recall where we left off, here is a quick Recap!:Loki, posing as Luna joined the Avengers along with new recruits Storm and Wasp. Asgardians Sigyn and Lorelei came to Earth and were immediately taken into Shield custody, where Fury is manipulated into striking Doom. Amora is captured and being held prisoner in Shield, while Shield agents go to Doom's castle in hopes of flushing out Loki.

"I wasn't certain you would be on board for this mission," Natasha said when Loki, as Lockley, was lead onto the Helicarrier by Maria Hill.

It had been an interesting exchange when Agent Coulson had introduced him to the Deputy Director of Shield. She seemed particularly put out with the man's rather lax demeanor and Loki was certain that between the two, Agent Coulson was a more likely ally. Maria Hill seemed too rigid. Loki could manipulate her, he was sure, but he'd have to find the right angle to get her to his side and the right leverage to keep her there.

Loki offered the Black Widow a smirk. "Hopefully it goes a little better than the last one."

Black Widow returned the smirk. "They never go better," She admitted. "You just get better at managing the chaos."

"Good to know you won't let me go into this with any optimism."

He looked at the others that were gathered. Nataha took notice of his wandering gaze and quietly whispered an introduction to him. "Those are Agents Viper and Mockingbird," She explained pointing. "Viper is a senior member, higher ranked than I am. Mockingbird is her subordinate. That's the Fantastic Four. Sue Storm, Reed Richards, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm."

"And what do they do?" Loki questioned.

"You'll have to find that out on your own," Natasha said. She said it playfully, but Loki was certain that the refusal was sincere. It didn't matter. Doom had cameras all over his castle if Loki needed them and Loki had clones. He would learn their secrets soon enough.

The group of heroes mostly kept to themselves and Loki was content to let them. He was much more interested in investigating these new agents. He sent a quick message to Mystique before deciding to speak more to Maria Hill. She was the only one here that Loki had a proper opening to speak to and if Black Widow was any indication, Shield agents were rather wary of others, assets or not.

'Have any information on Shield agents with the code name of Viper or Mockingbird?'

"You should relax, Raven," Charles said as he watched his estranged sister pace he floor. She was moving in a half circle around the couch that Anna Marie was laid out on. Nervous thoughts poured off of her and Charles couldn't help but read them, despite how much he knew Raven absolutely hated that. Of course, over the years he'd learned that discretion was better used in the restriction of what he told, rather than what he read. "Whatever is happening, I am certain that your friend is planning to take care of it."

Raven glared at him. Her fist were clenched tightly as she returned to her pacing, practically stomping as she did so. "Shield is attacking my home!"

"If you're worried about a place to stay-"

"I'm not worried about a place to stay!" Raven yelled. "I'm worried about my-" Raven bit her tongue as she abruptly cut herself off. She wasn't certain what words she wanted to use, only that she didn't want to use them in front of him. "Team," She filled in belatedly. "We're a team."

Charles knew her mind better than she did in that moment. He read her stumbling as if the words were floating in the air between them, though they were too buried and jumbled for her to make out herself. The word she wanted to use was family. It... stung a little. She waffled on how she thought of Charles; brother, ally, enemy, oppressor, but she was so clearly attached to them. Raven had always been a willful person and her opinion did often change depending on the circumstances. The way she thought of Eric was a clear testament to that. Still, Charles couldn't help feeling a bit... jealous. He tried to suppress that feeling.

Loki had made it clear that he was not trying to take Raven from him. Regardless of whether his motives were altruistic or not, Charles was grateful that he had Raven back. He tried to push his own feelings back and focus on the matter at hand. "Worry will do you no good," Charles said. "Loki left you tasks to take care of for a reason. I doubt that it was simply busy work."

"I know that!" Raven replied.

"So do you want to deal with this child first or the... other task that was assigned to you?" He asked her.

Raven let out a deep sigh. "You are irritating, Charles."

"Yes, I'm aware."

She made a noise of frustration. "Can you wake her up?"

"I can try," He answered. "If that's what you want me to do."

She returned to pacing for a while longer before making her decision. "She can wake up on her own," Raven grumbled. "I've got to make a call."

"Is it smart to hide the thing that we don't want them to find in the same room with us?" Darcy asked as she watched Jane. The other woman was carefully covering a hole in the floor, locking the secret compartment and rolling a rug out over it. "Are you trying to make it as obvious as possible? Don't put a rug over it!" Darcy said. "That's, like, Hidden Places 101."

Jane looked over her shoulder at Darcy with a glare. "What do you think we should do?"

Darcy rolled the rug back up and tossed it aside. "Nothing. They won't be looking for secrets unless me make them think we have them."

"What do you think?" Jane asked, turning to Skurge.

"You would do best to act more frightened than you are, once the enemy arrives," Skurge told them. "They will be focused on you. If you show fear, they will try to protect you and move you as far from here as possible."

"That's not fair," Darcy complained. "It took me, like, ages to get you to talk to me."

Skurge smirked. "Perhaps that is why," he answered.

"Have you finished wasting time?" Doom's voice boomed throughout the room. They all turned to find the man standing in the doorway.

"Do you have to be so menacing all the time?" Darcy questioned irritably.

Doom ignored her. "Shield approaches," He told them. "I will have Doombots stationed at the door for your protection."

"Skurge will protect us," Darcy insisted.

"He is free to do as he wishes," Doom said. "I hope the both of you are practiced at holding your tongue. I've no problem removing your vocal cords if I must." His eyes were on Darcy as he said this and she recoiled from him even as she glared.

"You don't have to act like such a brute," Jane scolded. "You're a man of science. I'm sure you've got manners in there somewhere."

"Now is not the time for them."

"They come?" Skurge questioned.

"Yes," Doom answered. "I am trusting you with the safety of my home. Many of my bots shall remain to keep up appearances and defenses, but I would rather not leave them alone."

"It was my mistress' wish that I protect this place," Skurge answered.

"That will have to suffice," Doom said. "I shall have the Enchantress home soon enough. Now come."

"No partings words for us?" Darcy asked.

"There is no comfort to be offered," Doom answered. He waved his gauntlet covered hand, and wave of smoky magic flared around his fingers. The same magic swam around Darcy and she fell to the floor.

"Darcy!" Jane cried, moving quickly to her side.

"I do not trust her to keep her silence," Doom explained. "For now, she shall sleep, but she is fine."

Skurge glared at the man, but left the room regardless. He stood with his back to the room, staring straight ahead and making himself as still as a statue.

Jane looked to Doom. "You didn't have to do this," She told him.

"I do not offer my trust to mouthy little girls without strings to be pulled," Doom told her. "And in general, I do not offer my trust."

"Are you going to put me to sleep as well?" Jane asked with a glare.

Doom stepped out of the room. "You were brilliant to work with, Jane Foster." He pulled the door closed behind him, firmly locking it, but not with magic. That was reserved for protecting his own secrets. His labs were all carefully hidden with both mortal and magical means, and he had added spells to keep intruders from the rooms. Not that he thought it was necessary. He was certain that the gods protected their own possessions well enough. Doom was simply not one to take chances.

Once Shield had the two girls in custody, they would no longer be a problem of Doom's.

They split into two teams upon arriving at Doom's castle. Loki and Natasha were with the Storm siblings, Viper and Mockingbird were with the other half of the Four Team. Maria Hill would remain with the Hellicarrier.

"Are you very familiar with this place?" Loki asked the Storm siblings. "You know the most about him from what I've heard."

"We've never actually been here before," Sue answered. "Usually when we fight Victor, it's because he comes to us."

"I see," Loki replied. They moved easily through the castle, too easy for Loki's comfort, actually. The older sibling had the ability to make them all invisible and the younger one could fly. Together, these two alone could sneak into and absolutely wreck Victor's castle and such a thought made Loki's hackles rise. He wanted to kill them both now just to save Victor the trouble, but Loki knew that he had to hold himself back. Victor would not appreciate having his enemies taken out by another and these two would be far too useful as allies if Loki could recruit them as such.

"You never considered coming to take him out yourself?" Black Widow questioned.

"Latveria isn't exactly a stroll away," Johnny answered. "And it's not like we want to kill the guy."

"Besides, Victor was our friend," Sue added.

"Was he?" Loki asked.

"Reed and I knew him well," She corrected.

Loud noises began in the distance. "Think the others found Doom?" Johnny asked.

"Or Doombots," Natasha answered.

"Perhaps we should hurry along," Loki told them.

"Agreed."