Atonement
By: Shadow Chaser
Disclaimer:
Loki and the Avengers along with all Marvel characters do not belong to me; they belong to Marvel Entertainment and Disney. I am only borrowing the characters for my own amusement and will return them (a bit battered, but hopefully healthy) when I'm done.
Story:
Chapter 11
"His name is Thanos."
"And he's a Chitauri?" Captain America asked, but Loki shook his head at the same time he caught Thor doing the same movement.
"He is…"
"More powerful than you can imagine," Loki interrupted quietly as he turned his gaze back down to his modular, but did not really stare at it. He absently let it float in his hands as he could imagine staring down into the deep well of darkness, where there was no end in sight. "He…courts Death, because he has the will to do so. He will kill, maim, and destroy everything and everyone around him just so she would be pleased. The Chitauri are the latest of cannon fodder he has and even then, they serve him mindlessly. They only know of the battle and relentless pursuit of Death like their master. They feed upon the chaos like locusts and spread upon the land in a never ending plague. Pain and suffering follow Thanos in his wake…" It was darker now, and he could feel the shivery touch of phantoms lingering upon his shoulder. If he could glance over it, just hovering out of the corner of his eye he could seemingly see the ghostly hands, ready to snatch him-
"What is the Infinity Gauntlet?" Agent Romanoff's words broke Loki out of his reverie as he realized he had been staring at nothing in particular and shifted a bit in his seat. It was also then that he noticed she had her eyes on him, her expression unreadable, but too similar to the one Sif wore, as if she had seen something he should not have shown.
"It is one of the weapons the Allfather has locked in the Vault on Asgard," a quick glance at Thor told Loki as much that Thor had also seen something and even more telling was the Captain's blatant attempt to look elsewhere. Loki was a little concerned as to what he had shown when he had spoken those words…and why did he even speak, was another question that he could not answer.
"Vault?"
"Yes," Thor nodded at Banner's question, "we house weapons that would not benefit the realms throughout, or are too powerful for anyone to use. The Vault is only accessed by members of the House of Odin and a select number of guards who have sworn and proven their loyalty to my father's House numerous times. Some of those weapons are like the Tesseract, which we once thought lost, others like the Jotun's Casket of Winters. Another is the Infinity Gauntlet. The Gauntlet itself is just a simplistic vambrace and arm guard. It is the crystals within that give it its power. Those crystals were forged by the greatest craftsman, the dwarves of Nidelheim, and imbued with the magicks from the stars themselves."
"Who…uh, imbued them?" the Captain was trying to wrap his mouth around the word 'imbued', but looked fascinated. Loki knew that someone else would have thought the Captain would have been fascinated by the power, but based on what he had said earlier, it seemed that the Captain was fascinated by the mythology behind it…or the stories, whatever they were.
"We do not know, but whatever it was, the Allfather deemed it too powerful to be left on any of the realms, as it would cause an untold number of deaths for all realms if used," Thor shook his head and Loki frowned.
But that was the answer; the long standing mystery of who imbued those crystals and why Thanos wanted it. It was all for her. Perhaps as a return of the creation she had made long ago, because surely there was no one else to do so, but otherwise, it was a creation to bring more to her.
He barely kept his laugh down as he realized that he had figured out one of the greatest mysteries of all time. And even then further suppressed his laughter as he realized with some irritation that it was because of Thor; that of itself was…disappointing to say the least. And Thor was still oblivious to the fact that he had solved the mystery.
"So Thanos wants it? How?" Fury asked.
"The Tesseract would have been used as a means to bypass the safeguards of the Bifrost, Asgard, and Vault itself and he would have stolen it," Thor replied.
"Like the way Loki here came through? Or got the Chitauri to get through? But wouldn't you need a device to harness and stabilize the energy field in order to open up a wormhole?" Banner asked, rubbing his forehead as it wrinkled in confusion and Loki was glad for the sudden change in topic as he rolled his eyes and set his modular down onto the table.
It sent a brief ripple of unseen magic through the table itself as he sat forward, "And that is the limitations of working with mortals such as yourself." All eyes turned to him, "Thanos needs not the abilities of your clumsy grasp of technologies that far outweigh the needs. He only needs to transport himself briefly through and back."
"Like how you got here?" Fury tilted his chin forward and stared at him. Loki only cracked a brief smile in response.
"But of course," he gestured to where Barton had left, "your dear Agent did mention something about doors opening from both ends, did he not? It is not an army of Chitauri he will send, oh no, those would be for distracting purposes, he would never entrust another person that was not under his will…" Loki trailed off for a moment as the horrible, horrible realization filled him. So that was Thanos' true aim now…and why all of this had happened. Odin had been right about everything since his return, and he really needed to return to Asgard. It was not sanctuary, but it was the safest place to be. "…To take the Gauntlet for himself," he pushed on as he kept the horror within him, to not let it show on his face, not even after he realized that the terrors and tortures of darkness, of a never ending pain, everything, could not compare to what would happen if-
Loki stopped the thought from being completed as he picked up his modular cube and flicked it across his fingers, its rotating hum of miniature power calming him somewhat.
"Then why the hell are the Chitauri attacking Earth? For that matter, why all of the realms?" Fury asked, looking gravely annoyed at the whole situation.
"You could have let me have the Tesseract," Loki muttered into his modular, "then you would not be feeling Thanos' wrath…"
"You're telling me this is just a pissing match because we kicked the Chitauri's ass all over the damn place?" Stark sounded appalled.
"Stark…" Loki could almost imagine the dark look Fury gave the man of iron as another brief whine filled the air before it died just as quickly followed by a series of rapid clinking sounds as Stark waggled his armored fingers.
"The Chitauri are attacking all the realms because Thanos is after him," Thor suddenly cut in, silencing everyone as Loki stilled, his eyes rooted on his modular once more. He had not wanted Thor to say it, but at the same time he knew that the truth was bound to come out sooner or later. The fact that Thor had pieced together that much from whatever he had overheard and based on what had happened surprised Loki – but then again, he himself had figured it out much earlier. And also figured out the last piece of the puzzle that he was sure Thor had not figured out.
"…After Loki?" the Captain asked quietly.
"I think it's pretty obvious based on who Shakespeare here is pointing at," Stark deadpanned, "but seriously, Loki?"
"I believe the Allfather ordered us to watch Loki on the chance that Thanos would snatch him from the shadows," Thor said and Loki twitched. A part of him wanted to scream that Thor was wrong, so terribly, utterly wrong about that. That the Allfather had ordered them to watch him because of different reasons, reasons that he could not comprehend, reasons that he could not even begin to understand – reasons because he was so afraid of it- But somehow, he could not open his mouth to contradict what Thor said, and did not know why he was hesitating. His pride, his anger, he did not need Thor's help and he would be able to defeat Thanos, thank you very much, on his own…
"So what's the point? I mean, they were allies, right? I say just hand him over," the man of iron said almost flippantly, but there was something else that Loki could not quite identify in that tone.
"We never were," he bit out as he peeled away a section of the modular and added to it; gently pressing the two edges together and held it until the magic fused together.
"On the run then?" Stark sounded viciously pleased, "Because you failed in your little conquest of Earth?"
"I left his service-"
"Yeah right-"
"Loki has the unique ability to transport himself in between the shadows of Yggdrasil's roots. To bypass the Bifrost itself. This is why Thanos seeks him and why the Chitauri are attacking the realms," Thor cut them off with a booming voice and Loki looked away, rolling his eyes at his brother's melodramatic attempt to keep things on track.
"He can bypass the Bifrost and get to the Vaults, right?" the Captain asked, looking at Thor and he nodded.
"So…let me get this straight," Fury barked out a bitter laugh, "you want us to protect him?"
Loki frowned, "I do not need your pathetic protection-"
"I wasn't asking you," Fury shot him a glare to which Loki blithely ignored it; "I was asking Thor here. You, I wish I can just muzzle up and stick in a cell."
"Your threats are so very idle," he leaned back against his chair, pocketing his modular once more as it disappeared with a little green-blue pop. The sudden whine of the repulsor on Stark's arm made everyone turn to see the half-dressed man of iron pointing it straight at him and Loki gave a churlish smile before lifting his hands in an attempt to tell Stark to try his best.
"Stark!" Fury barked and the whine died down as did the light from the glow on Stark's palm. Loki only chuckled at the reigning of Stark's leash so to speak.
"Loki…please…" Thor rubbed his forehead and Loki only shrugged at his discomfort.
"It was your idea to hold this meeting here, Thor," he said in a mild tone, "I for one do not know what you had planned to accomplish. But if it was the expectation of me or your pathetic little band of mortals here to be comfortable with each other, then surely you would know that it was not to be. You knew of the clashes we had faced and yet you dared hope that we would reconcile; we would become friends in just the span of confessions? How so very…sentimental of you."
"That…was not nice, nor grateful," the Captain sounded stern and Loki threw a withering look at the Captain.
"And you are so very naïve," he countered, "that was the truth, plain and simple. I did not ask to come here. In fact, I would rather much return to Asgard."
"Well good, we don't want you here-"
"You could at least be grateful to Thor here-"
"My brother speaks the truth," Thor cut everyone off again and waved away the look Loki shot at him for using the familial term, "and yes, it had been my expectation, but I had also hoped that his insight into this common enemy would be of some help."
"You know what, he doesn't want protection, not that we're giving it to him, so I say we hand Loki over to the Chitauri and let it be done," Stark made a motion with his hands, his palms not quite touching each other due to the armor he still wore in one of them.
"Tony Stark, did you not hear-"
"Yeah, I did, but at this point, do we even know if he's really telling the truth?! He's the freaking God of Lies and Mischief! The God of Trickery! For all we know, he could be pulling this over everyone one of you. Even the Allfather," Stark gestured towards him and Loki repressed the urge to briefly smile at the backhanded compliment. However, it seemed Stark realized what he said as he glared at Loki, "And those aren't compliments."
Loki only shrugged in response as the others contemplated Stark's words. However Thor was the only one to shake his head adamantly.
"I will not take offense to your words and will not consider them an insult to the House of Odin because you do not know the circumstances surrounding what has been happening Tony Stark," Thor said in a grave tone, "but I shall tell you that the Allfather made it a point to go to Jotunheim to help defend the Jotuns from an attack by the Chitauri."
"And?" Banner asked curiously.
"The Allfather was wise in his words when he had spoken to the Jotuns' current King, Helblindi, in saying that your realm was not the only one that had been wronged by Loki. The truce struck between Asgard and Jotunheim precluded the Allfather's help in such matters. As is the truce struck between Asgard and Midgard. I am offering my help in the Allfather's stead to right the wrongs. And the fact that the Allfather went to help has easily told me that it is not my brother's hand in all of this. I will not agree to hand him over."
"All right," Fury crossed his arms, "say we believe you Thor. Say this isn't a fast one Loki's pulling. What then?"
"I…do not know," Thor looked uncomfortable and Loki shook his head sadly. For all of his grandeur and attempts to be clever, Thor was certainly…not. "My brother needs time to recover and I think we shall travel the shadows to return to Asgard."
"And the Chitauri?" Fury raised an eyebrow.
"I…was hoping Heimdall would send me back, but if there is-," Thor frowned as he suddenly looked around, "do you not have any battlemages within SHIELD that Loki could train to breach the shield? That way, Heimdall could send me back…"
"Battlemages…?" Fury blinked as the Captain also mouthed the word several times, trying to wrap his head around it.
"There is an easier way to do all of this," Romanoff suddenly interrupted and all eyes turned to her, having all but forgotten she was still sitting with them. Loki stared at her with some interest, wondering what clever words she was going to throw at him now as she met his stare with one of her own. He certainly wanted to test his skills against her, especially in light of Sif's poor attempts.
"Agent Romanoff?"
"We kill him," she gestured with her chin at him and Loki smiled. That was perhaps the most efficient way yet, but sadly…she did not know.
"We what-?" both the Captain and Banner sounded horrified by the suggestion and even Stark had stopped with his tweaking of his armored hand to sit up and blink. Thor looked like someone stole Mjolnir and desecrated it.
"I do not think-"
"Efficient," Loki tilted his head a little, bringing everyone's gaze towards him, "but sadly, you are incapable of knowing all the facts. It would be easy for me to crush you this time around, Agent Romanoff, but alas, I believe you could be far cleverer than you will reveal. So then, very well, here is your information without any of your wiles to get at them." He laughed, a dark and bitter sound, "To kill me is to give me to Thanos."
He could almost imagine Barton's glare from the room above where he was surely watching with whatever other Agents SHIELD had or even others on the Helicarrier. "You obviously did not listen when I said earlier that Thanos courts Death. He will kill for her-"
"Her?"
"Yes," Loki smiled toothily, "she is of the feminine persuasion. And she is truly Death as you mortals will see at the end of your petty lives."
"Death with a capital 'D'," Stark mused quietly.
"And Thanos courts her," Loki continued, "and she gives him his power. So sending me to meet her while I am sure all of you are keen to do, will hasten the realms' demise."
"So we have to keep you alive…great," Stark did not sound happy.
"I do not need your help in keeping myself alive, thank you very much," Loki arched an eyebrow at the man of iron who snorted and returned to his fiddling; "besides you cannot kill a God."
"You know, the last time someone said that, it was from a TV show where they killed Gods, snakeheads, really, on a regular basis-"
"Stark," Fury's warning tone shut the man of iron up again.
"So what's this about battlemages? I mean, like Merlin or Harry Potter or something like that?" Banner asked, trying to bring the topic back and Thor nodded a little confusedly, looking very much grateful for the blatant attempt.
"I do not know of this Harry Potter or Merlin, but perhaps they would be able to lend us assistance…"
"They're fictional, Thor, made up in stories we tell others," Stark grimaced and Thor's face fell a little before reddening just a little from embarrassment, "don't worry about it Point Break. Even Cap over there still doesn't get half of the references we-"
"Only you," the Captain interjected.
"-True, only me," Stark agreed, "get. Well, Bruce gets it-"
"Don't include me in this Stark," Banner shook his head, his hands making a negative motion.
"You're the one who said Merlin and Harry Potter," Stark pointed out before turning back to Thor, "anyway, point being, I'm pretty sure we don't have any battlemages…"
"But you yourself could be considered one," Thor blinked and Loki had to agree silently. Based on the technology and the fact that Stark had all but built a suit with advance weaponry and a far more advance metallic conduit that did not allow direct access to his heart, it was akin to some of the more engineering inclined battlemages Loki had worked with before. It was still a far cry from the ability to throw spells at enemies, but Stark was closest.
"Wait…what?" the man of iron sat up in his chair before grinning, "that's…cool! I mean, really? A battlemage?!"
"Don't let it get to your head Stark," Fury muttered as he rubbed his forehead, "back to the issue at hand, what good are battlemages for this?"
"Before we left Jotunheim, Loki was able to teach the battlemages that accompanied the Allfather's warriors into battle how to lift the barrier that has settled over the battlefield," Thor explained.
"So say we were able to do that, what good will it do?" he asked.
"Heimdall would be able to see our movements and send additional warriors to help us-"
"But I thought you said earlier that Heimdall will not open the Bifrost if Asgard is under attack or if he's incapacitated," the Captain pointed out and Loki looked at him to see a frown on his face. He shook his head. He had to remind himself that the mortals had no inkling of the complex magic and extrapolation of said magicks that enabled the barriers to be kept up. At least Vanir-trained battlemages would be able to do something so simple and thus be able to seal the portals Thanos had created to send the Chitauri through, thus stopping the flow of never ending battle.
"You've got something to add?" Fury picked up on his movement and stared at him with his lone eye.
"Thor forgets that mortals are not as advance as we are," he said and to their credit, only Stark bristled at the comment. The Captain and Banner managed to keep their expressions neutral while Agent Romanoff simply waited for his explanation. "These battlemages would have been able to extrapolate the spell used to shield the battlefield itself from Heimdall's eyes and close the portals that Thanos is using to send the Chitauri through."
"That's how they're getting here? Through…these portals?" Fury asked before tilting his head a little, "what I don't get is how they are able to bypass what you, Thor, had said was an interplanetary network that was seen by this Heimdall. What is stopping him from just opening a portal into the Vault on Asgard and taking the damn glove-"
"-Gauntlet," Thor interrupted absently.
"-Gauntlet," Fury amended.
"He cannot," Loki simply said and saw a flicker of annoyance pass through Fury's eye as he realized that he would not elaborate.
"Loki, surely the others deserve-"
"-an explanation? I think not, Thor," Loki snorted quietly, "are we here to uplift them? No. You are here because you feel that they are worth saving. I am here because I am waiting to return to Asgard."
"You know what he's talking about Thor?" Captain America asked and Thor shook his head.
"I fear not, Captain, for the sciences of magicks and spell work was never my forte," Thor shrugged.
"And yet here we are with a dilemma that apparently needs magic," Loki drawled out quietly and received dark looks from almost everyone except for Thor. The unspoken statement that they did not need his help in any way shape or form was hanging in the air, but none dared speak it. Loki smiled a little at the turn of events. The Midgardians needed his help, or at least something along those lines, but they would ask it – nor would he volunteer it. He could see Thor wanting to open his mouth to offer his help, but also realized that if he did so, Loki would have instantly rejected it and everything would be for naught.
And every seemed to know that it was Director Fury's call.
"SHIELD doesn't really follow United States rules for negotiating with terrorists," Fury started quietly and calmly as he sat forward in his chair, his gloved hands laced together in front of him, resting on the tabletop. The others sat back, allowing Fury to talk, realizing that they were all done with the explanations and frivolous talk. This was now the beginnings of a very delicate negotiation. "In fact, the closest rule we have is probably the Geneva Conventions, which I am presuming you probably never heard of them."
"No, but do continue," Loki mirrored Fury's posture as his bindings rattled on the tabletop.
"So let's speak in hypotheticals, all right?" the one-eyed Director suggested and Loki tilted his head in acknowledgment.
"Hypotheticals it is," he could feel a sense of anticipation, a strange giddiness that bubbled within him. Negotiations or at least verbal sparring was fascinating in of itself, manipulating words and meanings with perfect ease. What was said and unsaid left so much room to fill the void in between and Loki relished the challenge.
Of course, it was all hypothetical at this point.
"Hypothetically speaking, SHIELD, and the whole of Earth has a problem with your…lack of punishment. At least physical punishment," Fury said, "some on the World Security Council, the governing body that oversees SHIELD's deployment was notified of your arrival and they want to extradite you to United States soil where you would be tried in a U.S. court under U.S. laws. The other half of the WSC hypothetically believes you to be brought to the Hague to be tried under International laws, since you were bent on conquering the whole of Earth.
"Either way, you hypothetically would have been found guilty of murdering three-hundred and thirteen souls and punished by lifetime imprisonment," he said and Loki's lips twitched in a smile.
"That, hypothetically, would be a very, very long time," he said, "I'd doubt that in two hundred or so years anyone left alive now would remember me and thus I would fade into obscurity. I would, hypothetically, then perhaps escape to conquer the world anew." He gestured with his hands, "Come now, let us get to the true point of this…hypothetical conversation."
Fury nodded, "Considering there is a far graver threat in Thanos, a case could be made for early parole and release for services rendered."
"What services?"
"The detainment and deterrent of Thanos, if he is as grave of a threat as you and Thor claim him to be," he said and Loki shook his head.
"You only ask for his gaze to turned from Midgard, am I correct?" Loki saw Fury nod once, "I cannot do this."
"Why not?"
"Thanos cannot be detained or deterred from one realm and one realm alone. You do not have the bargaining power of the Allfather and thus cannot make such a claim. However, there are other services that may be negotiable," Loki pointed out.
"All right, I'll bite," Fury did not look too happy and Loki knew that the other man knew he had lost whatever ground he had gained with his so-called hypothetical questioning.
"A way to compensate for the lack of battlemages in scanning for the barrier and for portals that Thanos creates to send his Chitauri through," Loki shifted a little, "you easily found the Tesseract and you easily found me in Stuttgart. I was told by Agent Barton that there are technological things called satellites, telescopes or something of that matter that enables you to find people quickly. This will do."
"And your price," he could see that Fury loathed to say those words.
"Well, it's all hypothetical, isn't it?" Loki asked airily and saw the frown deepen on the dark-skinned man's face. He smiled, "Do we still wish it to be hypothetical?"
"Director-"
"What's your price," Fury silenced Thor with a short gesture of his hand and Loki shot a quick look to his brother as he realized what was truly happening. But it was too late already and Loki could feel the hum of magicks in the air.
"That my so-called crimes against your realm are dismissed in the previous matter of the search for the Tesseract," Loki knew he could have worded it differently, to extend it further to include whatever future crimes he chose to indulge in against the mortals, but he supposed that a minute gesture of generosity would make this far more effortless. And it seemed Fury realized that as an eyebrow lifted in surprise.
"Really…three hundred thirteen lives-"
"Out of the potential thousands that could and will die when, not if, the Chitauri continue to attack Midgard," Loki interrupted not unkindly.
"It is not a numbers game," Fury looked angry and Loki wondered if he had pressed his luck a little too far. The mortals were so fickle with their sense of lives lost and lived, and though claimed not to be a warrior culture like Asgard, were very much war-like in that regard. Yet at the same time, they negotiated like they were the peaceful dwarves of Nidelheim and demanded the same respect as the vain Light Elves of Alfheim were prone to do.
"It always is," he countered, "even if you naively claim it not to be. It always is. You claim to be warriors, you claim to preserve peace, and you know how this game is to be played. You are all murders, all monsters." Like me, the monster Jotun-Prince who should have been King! He let the cruel smile return to his face, "Ledgers all dripping and gushing red. Hands no cleaner than the person sitting next to you. You all know how many you have killed even though you may not know the precise number."
"Well, you say what you like to say, I am not turning this into a numbers game," Fury's expression hardened, "and this is all you want?"
"It is all I ask," Loki let the cruel smile drop and instead made himself look passive and non-threatening. He spread his hands out as far as his cuffs allowed him to, which was not far.
"Not even future crimes against Earth?" the Director asked.
"In a few hundred years, the people will forget me. Your Avengers will not be here to save you," Loki shrugged.
"Thor will be here," Fury said dryly.
"Yes and I am sure he will do his very best to stop me as he had tried so hard the last time I was here," Loki shot back equally dryly.
"So, let me get this straight. You will help us identify where the Chitauri are attacking from, help us try to get rid of the barrier and for that, you want SHIELD, the World Security Council, to wipe your ledger of the three-hundred-thirteen lives you took the last time you were here?"
"I believe so," he replied.
"So how is that going to help us stop Thanos?" Fury asked and Loki laughed lightly.
"Director, you forget yourself. Thanos is not your responsibility. You do not have the power to negotiate for all nine realms. This is for Midgard only."
"Yeah, well, forgive me for being a little concerned for future allies," the other man said.
"You wish to strike a bargain with the Allfather, then by all means, you are welcomed to do so. If you can get past the barrier to talk to Heimdall," Loki smirked and Fury rolled his eye.
"Fine then," he huffed, "everything of what I said before…this is your bargain?"
"Yes," Loki heard the hum swell and knew that the magicks were about to be enacted.
"Done," as soon as the words left Fury's mouth, Loki felt something pull within him, a ripping sensation that he knew should have hurt, because it had hurt before, so very painfully like the darkness that was never ending, the pain that could not be stopped- But even as he felt that thing rip from him, feeling oddly warm, likeable, peaceful, playful, his world was engulfed in a bright light and Loki suddenly reached up with both hands without thinking…and caught the warm ball of light that landed gently in them as his vision returned to normal…in time to see one gloved arm, two handguns, a hammer, and a scientist turning somewhat green all pointing at him.
He slowly blinked as Thor was the first one to recover and set his hammer down with a quiet plonk, shaking his head. "Loki…"
"What…the hell was that?" Stark's hand was glowing with a barely repressed repulsor blast.
"Sir-"
"It was a blood-contract in your terms, but in magical terms, a geas-enacted contract," Loki hefted the little glowing ball of light, marveling at how…peaceful it felt in his hands. He had held several geas-contracts in his hands before, some feeling oily and slimy in the way it was enacted, other times, painful and burning, but this one…this was one of the rare few that actually felt rather pleasant.
"B-Blood contract?!" Captain America swallowed hard as he slowly set the chair he had been sitting in back down, almost ready to use it as a weapon.
"Geas," Loki corrected as he rolled it between his fingers, almost like a miniature stress ball, "it will allow me to fulfill my end of the bargain and the Director's end of the bargain."
"I'm assuming this…geas thing, has some kind of punishment properties in it?" Banner huffed a loud breath as he rubbed his eyes and started to fade back to his normal color, following Thor's lead and sitting back down at the table. The others slowly took it as their cue that Loki was not planning any other display or show of power even though he felt even more drained from enacting the geas and binding the contract.
"If I renege on the agreement, I die," Loki said in a simple tone, "though I suspect Director Fury would not be party to any punishment for reneging on the agreement. He claimed to be negotiating for the whole of Midgard, so it may be the realm itself that feels the feedback if the agreement is reneged." He stopped playing with the geas and let it sink into his very being, and saw Thor frowning in disapproval.
"You could have warned us," Stark muttered as he lowered his arm, the whine of the charged up repulsor blast dying down.
"Thor did try to warn you, but you heeded not to listen. If we were still talking in hypotheticals, it would not have happened," Loki was a little amused at the disgruntled looks everyone was shooting at him.
"Then how come it didn't happen when we talked last time?" Romanoff suddenly asked.
"You did not agree to the bargain I set forth," he suppressed a smile at her, "simple as that."
She made a noise of agreement and he could see her filing away that piece of information for future use. It did her credit to ask and wonder, but Loki knew that if she tried to use it against him, he had further weapons to bring her down.
"You seem pretty calm about the dying part if you don't fulfill the geas," Fury steeple his fingers together.
Loki shrugged, "I have negotiated far worst than what you had agreed to, Director. Besides, I would rather not want the Chitauri to appear here on the Helicarrier – it would be rather inconvenient."
Fury was about to reply when he canted his head, his hand hovering near his ear where Loki saw that he wore a barely-visible earpiece. The man's face morphed into concern before he suddenly tapped a few buttons in front of him that Loki did not know existed on the table and a large three-dimensional image of the world popped up. He blinked, as the holographic image rotated on an invisible axis and lifted his hands to reach out to touch-
"Say again?" Fury pushed a few more buttons and a tinned voice blared out.
"-getting reports that the Green Bank Telescope is under attack by the Chitauri," a feminine voice spoke from the table, "Sitwell's currently confirming it…it's confirmed. Evacuation order has been sent, but there are still a lot of civilians there."
"What's at West Virginia?" Stark spoke up, sitting up in his chair instead of slouching in it like he had during the whole time.
"Isn't that one of the spectrometers and radio telescope observatories we had recalibrated to look for the Tesseract?" Banner frowned, crossing his arms together as the globe disappeared and was replaced by a map of a land mass that looked like someone had taken a knife to it and not in very straight lines either. The map rotated once before zooming into a blinking icon and Loki looked across the holographic interface to see Fury frowning.
"Yeah, but they wouldn't attack that would they?" Stark tilted his head to look at Fury.
"Hill, prep two quinjets and a support team," Fury called out, and it took Loki a moment to realize he was talking to the female voice that had interrupted them.
"Roger that," was the swift reply.
Fury turned to look at the rest around the table, "I'm sending everyone except for you, Dr. Banner and you too Stark, to Green Bank. Your priority is to ensure the safety of the artifact that's being housed there for study. Your secondary mission is to ensure none of the data falls into the Chitauri's hands, or for that matter, Dr. Foster."
"Foster?" Thor suddenly sat up, "Lady Jane Foster?"
"The one and the same," Fury nodded once, "she returned only four days after the Chitauri were stopped in New York. And we sent her the only thing that we thought could have helped her in her research of the Einstein-Rosen Bridge."
"Oh no…you didn't send her that," Banner had an oddly crumpled expression on his face.
"We had hoped it would provide us a clue into how the Tesseract's power worked," Fury turned to look at Loki and Loki narrowed his eyes. There was only another object in existence that was bound to the Tesseract…and he had lost it when he had been defeated fourteen days ago.
"You sent her the sceptre," he breathed out quietly, an unsettled feeling filling him. Perhaps he had been wrong about Thanos, but just a quickly, he banished the thought. He knew Thanos and knew that with Death's lover, he always had ulterior motives. Jotunheim and all of the other realms were distractions, but Midgard…Midgard had what Thanos wanted…
Author's Notes:
I have a feeling other authors can relate to this, but there seems to be a slight problem of Tony Stark trying to take over the damn fic and be the co-star/star of a Loki-centric fic whenever they are in the scene together. This is that chapter in which Tony tries to wrest control away, Loki is back to his snarky-self (and thus refuses to help me try to write the chapter), and I throw up my hands and be like Fury: perpetually pissed off. Oh, geas/blood contract thingy is based off of Alis Dee's Agent Loki: International Man of Mayhem series – I really love that series so much…