10: Plots

The howling of the wind dug into the Avengers' skins. They'd been combing Jotunheim for the last two days. This was their second search but Thor was insistent that Loki was sure to appear here before he appeared anywhere else.

"Are you sure about this, Thor?" Ironman asked as he held up a hand to keep snow from blowing over his helmet.

"Yes, Ironman," Thor shouted over the wind.

"I hate the ice," Captain America said to Black Widow.

"Too many painful memories?" she guessed.

Captain America nodded. "Ones I'd rather forget to be honest."

Hulk came flying out of the sky into a pile of snow. Brushing the dust off, he looked to Thor. "Loki not over in mountains," he grunted.

"At least we can put that range behind us," Hawkeye said between chattering teeth. "Anybody else want to call it quits for a while? A f-fire sounds really good."

Everyone looked to Thor. They were willing to go as far as he pushed. Thor looked at his companions. The only one able to withstand the cold for as long as he could was Hulk. The rest needed warmth or else they would be sure to get sick. As much as he wanted to keep plowing forward, the health of his friends was too great to ignore. "We will rest," he muttered, dropping Mjolnir into the snow.

"What can we burn?" Ironman asked, looking around.

Thor walked away from them a few paces and came back with a few bluish rocks. Cap raised an eyebrow. "Um, you realize those are rocks, right?"

Thor smiled. "They're special rocks, my friend. Ironman, care to light them up?"

Ironman shared a look with Cap before shrugging. "Sure, I don't mind trying to set rocks of fire with a high powered laser that would normally blast them to bits." He raised his hand, took aim, and fired. To everyone's amazement except Thor's, the rocks immediately burst to life, crackling a healthy yellow fire in seconds.

"How is that possible?" Hawkeye asked as he pushed his hands over the flames.

"Magic," Thor said. "Asgardians littered Jotunheim with these rocks just in case they got stranded here. We can survive quite well for days in the bitter cold but if we stay for longer than a week, fire is required. The Frost Giants don't bother getting rid of the rocks since they use them to cook meat. The magic makes it so the fire's warmth spreads out at a twenty foot radius."

"I noticed," Black Widow sighed, thankful that the chilly winds were gone. She leaned against Captain America's chest and closed her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her.

"Yeah, keep it G rated, guys," Tony joked.

Cap picked up a snowball and threw it at him, grinning.

Iron Man dodged and it smacked Hulk in the side of the head. "Oops, sorry big guy," Captain America apologized.

Hulk shrugged it off, deciding that he wasn't in the mood for a snowball fight. Everyone had just barely managed to thaw themselves out when Thor suddenly leapt to his feet.

"What is is?" Iron Man asked.

"Loki," Thor growled and he leapt into the air, meeting Mjolnir halfway.

"I hate it when he does that," Iron Man muttered, looking to where Thor had just disappeared in a burst of wind and snow.

"Come on," Cap said, grabbing his shield.

The rest of the Avengers caught up to Thor who had paused to stand outside of a cavern. "I never would have guessed this was here," he muttered.

"So why didn't you go in?" Hawkeye asked.

Thor looked at him and sighed. "Loki disappeared at the entrance. It was one of his dobblegangers. I hate those."

"Even so, I think we should at least check it out," Cap said. "Where there's a dobbleganger, Loki can't be far off."

Thor nodded. "Good point." Stepping into the cavern, the Avengers rounded a corner and came into a rather large open space. That's when they noticed the woman. She was chained to the ceiling, her slender arms over her head. Her blond hair hung pathetically over her shoulders. Her long green dress had been torn in several places. "Amora!" Thor cried.

The Enchantress weakly raised her head. "Well," she rasped. "If it isn't Thor and his friends. Loki really did take his time."

Ignoring that last statement, Iron Man aimed at the chains made of ice and fired. Amora came tumbling down. Thor caught her before she hit the cave floor. "What happened to you?" Thor demanded.

Amora smiled weakly. All her life she'd longed to be in Thor's arms but she never pictured it where she was so weak that she couldn't move. Not to mention Thor didn't have an expression of love but one trying to calm anger and impatience.

"Amora, what happened to you?" Thor repeated.

Amora shrugged. "Loki. He knew you were coming for us so he ran off and left me to take the blame."

"Where's Thora?"

Amora looked away. "I'd rather not say."

"Woman, speak!" Thor commanded and though he wasn't holding it, electricity leapt from his hammer.

Fear caused the words to pour from Amora's mouth. "I don't know! Neither does Loki. We sent her through the Vortex with its twin gate being this cave. She never arrived."

"Then where did she go?" questioned Black Widow.

Amora shrugged. "I haven't a clue. The only explanation I can give you is that someone opened a different gate before I did."

"This Vortex, can there be multiple openings at one time?" Captain America asked.

"Only two," Thor answered. "The Vortex acts as a gateway; a quick passage from one place to the next. It's operated through magic so few actually use it."

"So then a different magician opened a portal before the Enchantress could create the sister one?" Hawkeye suggested.

Thor looked at Amora who swallowed. "That is the only likely explanation."

"Could Thora be stuck in the Vortex?" asked Iron Man.

Thor's face turned white. "If anyone suffered such a fate, they wouldn't last longer than a day. The Vortex isn't meant to be a resting stop, Iron Man."

"What happens to someone who stays in there that long?" inquired Cap.

"Your body is torn down into small particles in order to travel through the small space," Amora explained. "If the particles are not realigned, they will slowly drift into the Vortex and feed its domain."

Thor stood up. "Amora, I will never be able to forgive you for what you have done." Unable to look anyone in the eye, the Asgardian walked out of the cave, leaving Mjolnir behind. He looked like a broken man.

Black Widow wasted no time tying Amora with strong cords. After surveying her work, she told the others to watch over the prisoner before walking out of the cave after Thor. She found him sitting in the snow, his knees resting his arms, his head buried inside. Black Widow sat down next to him and put a comforting arm over his caped shoulders.

"She's not gone, Thor."

"How do you know?" he asked, without raising his head. "What am I going to tell Jane? Father? Everyone?"

"Thor! She's not lost!" Black Widow replied forcefully. "The only reason she would be stuck in there is if there wasn't a second portal open. Amora and Loki had a one here. If what you say is true about this Vortex then Thora spat out somewhere else."

Thor finally looked up at the long haired woman. There was a glimmer of hope in his blue eyes. "You think it's possible?"

"No, I think it's logical. Call it whatever you want, magic, physics, logic, its all the same thing. You should know that since you married a scientist. Like everything in this universe, the laws tied to those things applies. There's a fixed process this Vortex has to uphold from what you and Amora explained. Two portals were open just not the ones we thought."

"Thora may be somewhere else," Thor muttered.

"Exactly. We just have to keep looking. Come on, big guy, we need you. You're our only way to get through the nine realms."

Thor finally smiled. "You're right, of course. If Iron Man tried to lead you-"

"We'd all die," Black Widow interjected.

Both laughed as they stood up. Black Widow started making her way back into the cave when Thor stopped her. "Black Widow," he called. She turned. "Thank you," he said.

"You'd do the same for me," she said before going back into the cave.

Thor was about to follow when a flash of green appeared twenty feet above the cave entrance. Thor's eyes rocketed upward to see Loki standing on the top of a ledge. Summoning Mjolnir, Thor leapt into the air. He could hear the others calling his name but he ignored them. All he wanted to do was punch Loki in the face. They may be brothers but this time he'd gone too far. Thor landed in front of Loki, who stepped back several paces.

"Now, brother, I know you have every right to be angry," Loki began.

Thor swung his hammer, smashing into Loki's chest. The image disappeared. Shouting in frustration, Thor looked around, trying to find him despite the falling snow. Another green glow ten feet ahead of him showed a second doppleganger sitting on a large rock of ice. "Brother, I don't want to fight you."

"Come out of hiding then!" Thor spat as he threw Mjolnir. The rock exploded along with the doppleganger in a crack of thunder.

"Alright, fine," Loki said somewhere behind him. Thor whirled around.

"Wow! Don't hit me!" Loki cried, holding up his hands in defense since Mjolnir was about to come flying into his face. "I want to talk."

Thor forced himself to be patient but remained on his guard. "So talk," he said, folding his arms.

"I never meant to hurt Thora," Loki said.

"And how can I believe that?"

"Because out of all the times I've kidnapped her, has she ever come back to you harmed or wounded in any way?"

Thor paused, thinking.

"Come on, you oaf, you have to have noticed," Loki taunted.

"Shut up, Loki." Thor continued to think and after a moment, he realized that Thora never had been hurt. "What were you doing with her, then?" he asked, confused.

Loki rolled his eyes. "Despite what everyone assumes to believe, I actually like my niece. The only reason I kidnap her is because it's the only way I can ever spend time with her."

Thor's mouth dropped open. "You have got to be kidding…that's the reason? You're not lying?"

"Do I look like I'm lying this time?" Loki asked flatly.

Thor observed him. "No. This is one of the few times your actually being honest."

"Yes, yes, don't try to sound so shocked," Loki muttered with a wave of his hand.

"Why didn't you just ask to spend time with her?"

Loki looked on him with disbelief. "You honestly would have let me take her away for a day."

"Of course not!"

"My point exactly! You wouldn't have let me get within an inch of her. And so, in order to get to know the girl, I kidnapped her. And I probably will keep doing that once we find her."

"Like I would let that ever happen again," Thor thundered. "It's because of you that she's missing!"

"Not quite," Loki countered. "Amora is the reason Thora can't be found."

"What do you mean?"

"She's the one that cast the spells to open the Vortex."

"You're a magician just as much as she is," Thor retorted. "Don't try to place all the blame on her."

"I'm not, you idiot. It was my idea but Amora put it into action."

"And why was that? Wanted to save your own skin when I found you both?"

"Partially, yes," Loki admitted. "But the main reason is that thanks to the stupid Light Elves, my magic is recovering. The only thing I can do is create dopplegangers and even those can't last for as long as they usually do."

"What did they do to you?" Thor asked.

"Never you mind," Loki hedged. "I'm recovering; it's just going to take a few more days. Now, Thora's been missing for almost a week. I've been searching for her in the less likely places, ones you and your precious Avengers would overlook."

"And?"

"I haven't found anything yet, obviously, or else Thora would be here with me."

"And how am I supposed to believe that? You could be keeping her all to yourself. What do you do to her when you kidnap her anyway?"

"Doesn't she tell you after you rescue her?"

"She's told me that you hold her captive in some kind of cell for days until I can find where she is."

Loki stared at him for a moment. After all these years even his own niece couldn't see the true reason behind her kidnapping. Well, might as well keep it that way, Loki thought cheerfully. "That pretty much sums it up," he said.

Thor raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes," Loki snapped.

"This is not the time to be discussing this," Thor muttered, his thoughts returning to the task at hand. "Do you have any plans of how to get Thora back?"

"Yes, actually. You keep doing what you've been doing and I'll do the same."

"That is your master plan?"

"And keeping a portal to the Vortex open so that if she manages to somehow figure out that's how she traveled, she'll be able to use it to get back to us," Loki elaborated, scowling.

"That sounds more like it. It's a good plan."

"Of course it is," Loki scoffed. "I thought of it. And the portal's already open."

"Where is it?"

"Somewhere on Midgard."

"Loki, where is it exactly?" Thor demanded, taking a step closer.

Loki didn't appear the least bit intimidated. "Now, brother, why would I tell you? If Thora comes back and I get her first then I can continue where my plans left off and you can still swoop in at the right time to save the day."

"Loki, this isn't a game!" Thor shouted. "This is my daughter you're gamboling with and I will not stand here another minute and let you have your way. Now you tell me where the gate is or I'll-"

"Or you'll what? Send the Hulk on me?"

Thor paused.

Loki rolled his eyes. "That threat went stale three years ago. I can avoid the beast now just as easily as I can avoid you. Now, if your uncomfortable with the current arrangement, I can close the portal."

"No!" Thor cried. "No. Keep it open."

Loki appeared smug. "That's what I thought. I'll keep in touch if I find anything."

"And what if we find something?"

"I'll find you," Loki muttered. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have places to go, things to do."

Thor stepped forward to stop him but Loki disappeared in a wave of green. Thor cursed. Another doppleganger. Looking around at the frozen land, Thor barely made out the shadow of Loki slinking off into the mountains. He wanted to go after him but just then Iron Man landed next to him.

"Thor, where the heck did you go?"

"I just had a chat with my brother," Thor sighed. "Come, we have much to discuss and I'd rather not have to repeat myself."

"Okay," Iron Man said as he followed Thor who traveled back down to the cave entrance where the others were waiting.

o0o0o

Zatanna pulled off the road and traveled down the alley that eventually ended in a large broken down factory. It had long since deteriorated from lack of use yet, for some reason, there were two strong men standing guard at the entrance. Zatanna parked her car a good distance away, threw her long raven black hair out of her eyes, and made her way towards them.

"You lost, lady?" one of them grunted.

Zatanna looked him up and down. Like his companion, he was built strong in body but not in mind; a typical Lex Luthor cronie. Zatanna put on her best smile. "I'm here to see Lex," she said smoothly.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"I'm here to make a business proposition to him," Zatanna replied, avoiding the question.

The man to her left took a step forward; his stained teeth reeked of alcohol, his dark hair greasy from lack of personal hygiene. Grinning, he exposed several missing teeth. "No appointment, no entrance," he said, his breath nearly causing Zatanna's eye's to water.

Narrowing her gaze, she stood her ground. "Look, I'm not leaving, so either you two let me pass or I'll have to make you get out of my way."

They both guffawed stupidly. "Lady, I'd like to see you try to get passed us!" The dark haired man said.

Zatanna smiled evilly. "Am I to assume that means you're not going to let me through?"

"Darn right we're not!"

Zatanna sighed. "That's too bad." Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a handful of red colored dust.

"What are you going to do with that?"

Instead of answering, Zatanna let out a deep breath, blowing the dust right into their faces. With a puff of smoke, where once stood two men, now stood two frogs. Smiling at her work, Zatanna said with glee, "Don't worry, the spell will wear off in a couple of hours. Next time, I think it would be wise if you just let me through without being difficult. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Stepping over the frogs who looked up at her with eyes of outrage, she opened the door to the factory and stepped inside. Looks definitely were deceiving; while the outside of the factory was broken down and insignificant, the inside was polished clean, the whitewashed corridors before her spotless. Black and white checkered tiles lined the floor. Zatanna strolled in without a care in the world. As she went she cast a spell of temporal invisibility; the less she had to deal with Luthor's followers, the better. It didn't take too long to find Lex Luthor. His office was the largest in the building and was located up a flight of stairs that would have led to the boss's headquarters if the factory were still operational.

The older gentleman was sitting behind his desk, pouring over paperwork. Zatanna was delighted to find him alone. Closing the door behind her, she made herself visible. Luthor nearly had a heart attack from her sudden appearance.

"How the heck did you get in here?" he cried, trying to regain his composure.

"Why, I'm surprised, Luthor," Zatanna replied smugly as she sat down in the chair opposite him. "I thought you would have had better guards."

"I'm perfectly aware that you have magic, Zatanna," Luthor said, completely at ease now, "I'm to assume that you let yourself in by using it to your advantage."

Zatanna grinned. "Don't worry, Lex, your guard dogs will change back to their normal selves in a couple hours."

"What did you do?" Lex asked, curious.

"I turned them into frogs."

Lex rolled his eyes. "How original for a witch."

"Why, thank you."

"Did you happen to turn every on of my men into useless amphibians?"

"No, just the two ingrates that wouldn't let me in. I snuck past everyone else through temporal invisibility. Seriously, you should double your security, Luthor. The League knows where you are. They can strike any time."

Lex raised an eyebrow. "And you are telling me this, why?"

Zatanna shrugged. "Because I have use of you and if you get caught before tomorrow, then my plans fail."

"And why would I be willing to help you with anything?" Lex demanded.

Zatanna grinned. "How would you like it if I guaranteed that if you help me, Superman would be out of the picture for a full twenty four hours?"

Lex threaded his fingers together. "I'm listening," he said, trying to keep his excitement hidden.

Smiling, Zatanna replied, "Once a year, I pick a day where I give Superman a little bit of grief; it's to celebrate the anniversary of our first encounter. All I need is for you to lure Superman to this warehouse's location. Then leave the rest to me."

Lex raised an eyebrow. "That's it? I don't even get to fight him?"

"That's not part of my bargain," said Zatanna. "The deal is, if you lead him to me, I'll give you twenty four hours free of the Man of Steel. In that twenty four hours, you can do whatever it is that you have been trying to do for the last week without him or the League getting involved."

"How can I know the League will leave me to my devices?"

"Superman is going to be missing. Do you think they'll have their eye on you?"

"You bet I do!" Lex said, standing up. "If Superman were to disappear at this warehouse you want me to lure him to, the League will jump to the conclusion that I had something to do with it since I have been making most of my business these days around that location. I'd be the number one suspect on their list."

"Not if you lure him there without actually being there," Zatanna revealed. "At the time of the incident, you will be attending the luncheon for Wayne Enterprises."

"Why would I go to that? They're celebrating opening another outpost in Metropolis! Why would I go and celebrate over Bruce Wayne's victory in making a deal with Queen Industries?"

"Because it's the best cover up I can give you," Zatanna retorted. "Once the League finds out at the time of Superman's disappearance you weren't anywhere near the crime scene, they'll be less likely to point the finger at you without evidence. It will take them time to investigate. And while they're off doing that, you do whatever your evil heart desires."

Lex stared at Zatanna with a calculating expression. The woman's offer was tempting. Having the world free of Superman for a day and the Justice League off his back was almost like Christmas coming early. He could do everything he needed without having to worry about all those idiotic vigilantes breathing down his neck. The more he thought about it, the greater the desire to implement it became.

"You will ensure all of this happens just because of a prank you want to pull on the Man of Steel?" Luthor asked, testing her.

"Of course," Zatanna laughed. "It'll be quite fun! What do you say, Lex? Do we have a deal?" she asked, holding out her hand.

Lex took it after a moment's pause. "Deal," he agreed.

"Perfect!" said Zatanna with a smile. "Tomorrow around two. Don't disappoint me, Luthor."

Lex grinned. "I'm sure you will be quite pleased with the results. Would you care to stay for dinner?"

Zatanna frowned. "No, thank you. I don't have meals with the enemy."

"But you're willing to make deals with them."

Zatanna grinned at the statement as she stood up. "Goodbye, Lex," she said before twisting on her heel and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Lex looked over at a picture on the wall of Superman holding the Daily Planet Globe. "Just you wait, my dear old friend," he muttered with a smirk. "Tomorrow is going to be one filled with surprises."

WOO! The plot thickens! Reviews are love! :)