There's a slight time skip but only because little was going to be happening over the holiday. Don't worry though, I had other themes in mind for the upcoming holiday : ) I should be posting on Thanksgiving if my chapter comes together how I want it too by then. Thanks for all the continued support for this fiction – it really helps keep me going. I've poured in every ounce of free time to this the past week and a half...hoping I will get at least 25k before the month is over.

The Art of War

Chapter Ten: Madness

"No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness."

-Aristotle

Jane leaned against cold metal of one of the many boxed structures, breathing heavily as her lungs tried to catch up to the run she'd just made across the field to the large energy converters around them. How the hell had she managed to let Loki convince her it was a good idea to break into the power plant that dealt with energy across all of London? Next to her the god, not nearly so winded, was grinning – he was having fun with this! She half wanted to slap him again but then he'd probably like it. At least the lack of shouts or yells seemed to indicate they hadn't been spotted – which was largely due to her fore-thinking. She could still remember how readily Loki had cut apart those elves – and while at the time it was useful she'd rather he not do the same thing to people just working here.

She'd studied the place online and learned a little about it from one of the guards. She knew the best place to break and when they were least likely to be immediately spotted. Of course, she hardly got to enjoy her holiday being worried that Loki might be building some new doomsday device while he hid himself away in her bedroom. Since then she'd been researching for the past several days as she didn't want him to kill anyone when they broke in. This was as much SHIELD's fault – ever since they stole her research she had always been a little more willing to do illegal things.

"Couldn't you at least pretend you aren't enjoying yourself?" Jane asked, annoyed at his carefree attitude about all of this.

"Why? What's the point of that? You have to admit it's fun...the rush of adrenaline, the excitement of doing something outside of the rules and that chance you might get caught. It gets your heart going." Loki's voice was almost a purr of appreciation as he described it. Then his emerald gaze was moving over the array of electrical equipment around them. "Which one can we hook the converter to? We will only have one chance before we'll have to start over – it likely will be less easy next time."

"You think?" Jane sarcastically snapped back, pointing at one of the areas. "That's the main box but it's locked."

"No problem..." Loki pulled a dagger and cut through the side of the box – perhaps he didn't have Thor's strength but he was still an Asgardian. On rare occasion his brother's methods were acceptable when one was in a rush. He glanced over the archaic system but it was good enough, he began plugging in wires from their own device, shifting in front of Jane when one sparked rather spectacularly. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, are you sure this is going to work?" Jane asked, she wanted to say 'are you sure I'm not going to die?' but that seemed rude after he'd moved to protect her just then. Somehow she felt she'd gotten the short end of this deal – she hadn't even really had a peaceful Thanksgiving – even if the night got better once Darcy got some liquor into all of them. Loki had been true to his word then (only about 4 days ago now) and stayed in her bedroom building the equipment he was no preparing to use to portal them to another planet. She'd had a evening free of him while still being aptly aware of just how close he really was.

"It'll be fine." Loki didn't seem nearly as frazzled as she felt. She just kept close, she didn't really understand a lot of what he was doing. Though after a few more sparks and plugged wires a hum emitted from the device he'd built. It was a little like a controller but larger and circular – now it had a feint static around it, she could feel her hair starting to lift on her arms and head. She could see his black locks rising – a dark halo around his pale face. He fiddled with it for a while longer, grinning ear to ear as he did...the static in the air was getting worse.

Jane ducked behind him, holding onto his shoulder when a bolt of lightning flew between two of the generators – she certainly didn't feel like this fell under 'fine'. Did he forget she was human? She couldn't take a lightning bolt and just dust it off after it knocked her down. It didn't help that she was hiding behind him, holding onto him for protection. He was stronger than she expected – his frame was more sturdy than she would have guessed but then he was a god. She should have known appearances could be deceiving – particularly where Asgardian's were concerned.

"Well, that was unexpected." Loki commented, further pushing buttons and calibrating levers, his comment less than faith inspiring. Yet, the thing he'd made was doing something. Wind had picked up, though coupled with the static around them she was having a hard time keeping her hair free of her face to see everything happening. The sky had clouded over and there was a rumble of thunder that made her stomach tighten. It was similar to the times Thor had arrived...perhaps Loki was going to successfully pull this off? Hopefully before she was killed...

Then he did something she didn't expect...he dropped the device in the center of the lightning, half-turning as he walked back on-top of the fairly delicate equipment. Before she could protest he'd pulled her into his arms and wrapped them around her protectively, she had taken a breathe to demand what was happening when the sensation of weightlessness overtook her. It's worked then? The weightlessness lasted only a moment and then a wave of dizziness came instead. She only kept her feet because she was being held onto so tightly. When she opened her eyes though the golden circular room Thor called the Bi-Frost was around her. Along with a few guards that looked quite shocked at the sudden arrival of the pair of criminals.

Jane gasped when she pulled back and looked at Loki, he had blackened marks along his right arm, shoulder, and back. Much of his clothing was again tattered – he'd taken one of the strikes of lightning quite directly. Was that why he'd grabbed her so suddenly? Had he protected her again?

"Loki, are you..." She didn't get to finish the question when her arm was grabbed by one of the guards.

"What are you doing here! Intruders, sound the alarm!" The male that had grabbed her was shouting orders – apparently he was the leader of the trio standing guard. "Loki..."

Despite the guards recovery as to the appearance of unexpected guests he was again floored by the presence of the dead with the invading force.

Loki pushed his jaw slightly to the right and the motion was matched by a sharp snap – as if he'd just pushed it back into alignment. Whatever damage their haphazard jump had caused he alone had taken. He spit out a bit of blood and remarked. "A pleasure to be back. Be so kind as to fetch father would you?"

"Take him down." The guard said instead.

Loki sighed, as if weary as he glanced at the two guards walking toward him with weapons drawn. "Must we do this?"

"Wait, stop..." Jane tried to pull away but even a non-godly Asgardian was far stronger than her. "Loki isn't here to cause trouble."

"I don't think they're listening to you." Loki remarked a moment before a sword cut through his illusion. A shimmer in the air where Loki reappeared seemed to shatter as the hilt of his daggar rammed into the back of the guards skull with enough force to floor him.

Loki ducked down, lifting the superior spear weapon the guard was wielding, his moment to get a better weapon punished by a slice across his left thigh. Then a second of him appeared, and a third...then another. They were surrounding the guard that was still attacking as the leader was busy holding Jane. She was watching in shock, unsure how he managed to manipulate the light with just his mind...

"Stay here." The 'leader' pushed Jane unto the central dias and drew his spear, but by the time he'd done that his second guard was on the floor. As he turned to help his nose broke, shattering with the impact of a strike he didn't see coming. The third assailant crumbling as Loki pulled back the blunt end of his weapon from the man's face. There was blood on the pummel as opposed to the blade, an odd sight to say the least...

"Jane?" Loki asked, glancing to her.

"I'm fine. What about you?" She got back up off the steps, she'd probably bruise where the guard had shoved her but that was still better than how Loki looked right now. "You were cut."

"A minor scratch." Loki dismissed it – and in fact it was already beginning to heal. He glanced along the long rainbow bridge, the path back to his home. The place where he continued to rule in secret – he'd only been gone thirteen days...so he was ahead of his time line at the moment. He'd expected to spend a bit more time on earth – but his new idea was better. With Jane's help he could get himself reinstated as crowned Prince...and eventually take on the throne without the need to keep his father's appearance. Possibly before his brother even returned – but he wouldn't plan on that option. Things would need to move a bit faster from here on.

"What is the meaning of this?" Odin's voice boomed, Loki's lips turned into a straight line of displeasure even as Jane glanced toward the entryway nervously. "Who are you?"

Jane jumped forward, putting herself between the staff Odin had held out and it's intended target, Loki. She swallowed as he focused his single eye on her, unable to see the slight surprise from the real god behind her. "Um...it's Loki. I found him on Earth...there was some issue. We thought he was dead but he was just injured...during the final battle he must have fell through some bubble in time as well as space. It's really interesting actually...but uh I'm sure you don't care about those details...it's him though. He fell to earth."

"You would speak for him Jane Foster?" Odin lowered his staff but still appeared to be distrustful. "Confine Loki to quarters until I call for him. Chain him appropriately. I'll speak with her alone."

"Wait, he's not..." Jane started to protest further until Loki set a hand on her shoulder as the guards with the all-father walked over to move them to their separate rooms. "...will you be all right?"

"We will see." Loki answered, shrugging slightly. "Don't worry, I'll make certain they send you home regardless of my fate."

"Come on." The guards pulled Loki away, slapping chains on his hands and being fairly rough with him. Jane frowned after them but walked along with her escort minus the less than kind treatment. She swallowed slightly, she wanted to ask but they were half way across the bridge when she finally managed to get up the nerve. "Is Thor here?"

"No Miss Foster, Prince Thor is off world with Lady Sif dealing with problems as his duties require." The guard replied politely.

Jane nodded a little, she appreciated that he answered her but at the same time she was worried. Had Loki been right? Were Sif and Thor off together somehow? Had Thor forgot about her? How could she even ask about that when she was here to speak on Loki's behalf? If she didn't do well then his freedom was in the balance, possibly even his life...

The throne room was grand – if old fashioned. The fashion here was certainly different than earth yet it was breathtaking. If it wasn't always a horrible reason she was brought here then she might have had time to actually enjoy it. Odin waited until she was at the bottom of the stairs that lead up to his throne before he spoke.

"What would you have to say of my second son?" Odin finally prompted after staring for several long moments. Jane put her arms around her shoulders – it wasn't cold here yet she certainly wasn't sure of herself. Last time she was here Thor was looking out for her...and she was convinced Odin hated her.

"Um..." Jane swallowed, she really had to do better or this wasn't going to help. "Well, I think he should be given another chance...by you...by your world. He's done bad things but you took him in as your son -you have to be willing to treat him the same. He's also done good things – he nearly died protecting me, then he came even closer to death protecting Thor only minutes later. If he was beyond hope then he wouldn't have put his neck on the line like that, for both of us."

"I see...so I should forgive him for dozens of deaths because he rescued two lives?" Odin asked, his baritone holding zero room for nonsense. He came off as more sinister than she remembered – had Frigga's death made him even harder than before?

"I think you should forgive him because you're his father. It's your job to love him no matter what he's done or does in the future." Jane answered with little hesitation. "I think he's proven that he's worth another chance...he was buried as a hero. You stated so in his eulogy yourself. Not actually dying in the crossfire of that battle shouldn't mean that he is no longer honored. He has certainly done time, he nearly died on earth before I found him. He was incredibly sick, barely holding onto consciousness...I know he was already imprisoned. I feel he's stood up for the honor that your people speak so highly of."

She blushed slightly after a good long ten seconds passed – though they felt more like a few minutes. Eventually he just gestured lightly. "Leave me, retrieve Loki, I will speak with him now."

Jane frowned a little but she didn't protest more, there was little else she could say...after how much she had loved her own father it was difficult to think that anyone's father would treat them so indifferently – adopted or otherwise. She took a deep breath, trying to offer a reassuring smile to Loki who was passing her in the hall but he was lost in his own thoughts given he didn't seem to notice. Likely the clinking of his chains made it difficult to notice many other passerby – the whole collar seemed a little much but she didn't know what this society normally did to it's prisoners. She sighed lightly and leaned on her door, holding a hand against her chest. Why was she so concerned about Loki's fate?

Yet, she knew she wouldn't be able to rest. She opened back up her door. The guards immediately turning toward her made it impossible for her to sneak in and hear what was happening between the all-father and Loki. Still. "Um, could you let me know when there is news of Loki? Or of Thor?"

"We will likely hear anything when you do. It has been requested that you remain here for the time being and it is our duty to remain with you. Can we get you anything to make you more comfortable?" The guard asked politely.

She vaguely recognized him as someone that had been 'assigned' to this area of the palace during her last visit. They were being much kinder than during that time, perhaps Thor had spoken to them or Odin had told them to take care of her. It was different she supposed since she'd been in a relationship with the God of Thunder.

"I -AM- in a relationship with Thor." She reminded herself. She still had no proof of what Loki had mentioned – she couldn't bring it up while trying to defend him. Hopefully she'd have time to ask about it before they expelled her back to Earth.

"Are you hungry?" The guard asked when she hadn't responded for several moments.

"Um, no. I'm fine." Jane lied. She was slightly hungry but she was much too nervous to be able to comfortably eat. Instead, she was pacing around the room as she waited for some sort of news – any sort of news. She was worried the entire time, about various things. About what Erik and Darcy would think of her disappearance – she hadn't told them what she had planned. About Thor and if he even remembered her. About if her words would be enough to help protect a man that might be sentenced to death...

Yet it appeared their debate would not be quick...it felt like days by the time an hour had passed and all she'd been able to do was fret.

Was the time in the hallway the last time she would ever see Loki? She hadn't ever truly thanked him for saving her life. Or for protecting her from the lightning that had seemingly come down from their experimental device that had transferred them here. Jane glanced at the door as each thought past, growing more uncomfortable as the seconds ticked on. It had all passed too quickly...surely Odin wouldn't kill Loki after he'd saved Thor?

She wasn't too convinced given what she knew of Odin's fatherly behavior thus far. She did want to thank Loki for what he'd done for her. Hopefully before he was carted back off to prison or executed – and she didn't think that just asking to speak with him would allow her that. The more she brooded the more she became convinced the final time she'd seen the green haired mischief maker was her last. That wasn't acceptable...Jane got up and headed for the door again – this time with a purpose. She'd have to come up with some way to get herself into that chamber.

End Chapter