Hello. I apologize for not posting this sooner. I have been busy with working on my original work and finishing school, but I wanted to finish this for some time. Thank you for taking time to read this and enjoy.
V
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"Okay, what's on your mind?" Bobbi asked, with her arms folded. She and Clint used to spend their nights off by watching old reruns of television shows and catching up on the shows they missed throughout the month. Their favorite was called "Mayhem." It was the story based on Macbeth about a biker gang and their trials and tribulations. Clint wasn't watching the show. It seemed to be watching him.
He glanced over and shrugged. "Mm, nothing."
"Yes, there is." Bobbi said. She paused the television and turned to face him. "I've known you for over a decade, you can't hide anything from me." She punched him lightly on the shoulder and he turned to her.
"Nothing is wrong, Bobbi."
"Is it about Loki and Sigyn?" she asked, wrapping her arms around her legs. "You liked her, I get that, but you can tell me what's wrong, you know? I don't bite and I'm not going to report to Fury about it."
Clint moved in his seat and turned to her slightly. "I liked her, she's a good person. A little rough around the edges, but who isn't?"
"Mhm," she said with a nod. "Right?"
"But I have a feeling something bad is going to happen to her. She knows about mostly everything, but not all of her memories are back. I can't help, but think there's going to be a lot of blood when she reaches that breaking point."
"I see." Bobbi said. "And what are you going to do to prevent that?"
"What can I do?"
"That's for you to figure out."
"You're not helping, Bobbi." Clint sighed.
"I am being realistic. Fury can pull all the strings he can muster, but I have a feeling if Loki has his memories back, he's going to want her to reach that breaking point."
"You do?"
"Yes." She nodded. "You saw the two of them together, they were practically inseparable. If you made one bleed, the other would too. The only thing we can do is be prepared when shit hits the fan."
"And that would mean?"
"You have to choose a side. I don't care which one you pick as long as it works out for you. I know you had a big grudge against S.H.I.E.L.D and Fury, but if you're going to pick a side, there's no going back."
"If I pick S.H.I.E.L.D, she's going to kill me or at least attempt to." Clint mumbled grimly. "If she doesn't Loki will."
"And if you pick their side?"
"Then I would be betraying everything I worked for, my status, my title, my job—no one would want to work with me again."
Bobbi nodded. "So you're damned if you do, damned if you don't."
"So, what can I do?" he asked.
Bobbi thought for a moment and shrugged. "That is not for me to decide. This is your decision. Your heart is in the right place, kid, but you're not standing on stable ground. You're either going to die the hero or live as a traitor."
"Dead hero or living coward." He mumbled to himself. "You're still in my will, you know that?"
"I don't want you to die, stupid." Bobbi remarked. "But I want you to make the right decision. I could preach to you about one side or the other, but you're a big boy. You made this mess and now you're going to have to fix it."
"I don't know how."
"That's why our marriage didn't work out." She said. "You want to be on both teams. You love me, but you didn't want to be the bad guy to Natasha."
"I know and I'm sorry for that."
Bobbi shrugged. "Should've, could've, would've."
He smiled at her. "You never babied me, Bobbi. I appreciate that."
"I just like to give you a big dose of reality. Shit happens, now what are you going to do to fix it?"
That was one question he still did not know the answer to.
Sigyn decided to be honest to Loki about everything she told Barton. They still did not come to a complete understanding. Sigyn had a feeling he still thought Barton and her had progressed their relationship even further. It would be a lie if she said she hadn't thought about it.
Clint was a good-looking man with broad shoulders and strong arms, but other than aesthetics he was also easy to talk to. Clint understood that she still loved Loki, but he wasn't the person she thought he was. Recently Loki was almost unbearable to be around. He was pushy, he felt compelled to talk about the past in order to help her remember or he was accusing her consistently of sleeping with Clint. She ignored the insults and accusations. She understood that he felt betrayed, but she could not bear it any longer. She thought of contacting Clint through an email, but she barely touched her computer after a couple of days of being busy with the children.
Noah was learning new words and Helena was ready to start pre-school and in another year and Victor was having a blast reading all the time. She was happy to spend time with them, but even they could sense what was wrong. Loki barely showed her any affection except for a cold glance when he was whispering into the phone or looking up from his plate at dinnertime.
She hated to say it, but she missed Clint.
Loki had spoken to Osborn on the phone just briefly before stopping by to visit the businessman. Osborn was waiting for him, reclined back in his chair and his hands were opened in a gesture.
"Loki, Loki, Loki," He hummed. "What a pleasant surprise."
Loki sat in the chair in front of him and nodded politely. Osborn furrowed his brow and faked concern. "Not a single word, eh? Whatever could be the matter? I thought you had a fun time at the opera."
"I did, but it's my wife."
"The broad is cheating on you?" Osborn guessed. He picked up a stress ball that was in the image of a man's head and squeezed it until his eyes were pushed out of their sockets and so were parts of his brain.
"No." Loki said. "Well—no."
"Well, no? It's either yes or no? Is she fucking someone else?"
"No!" Loki snapped. "I mean, she says she isn't."
"And you're going to believe her?"
"I have no proof otherwise." Loki shrugged. "She's been talking to a member of S.H.I.E.L.D, it's obvious I'm going to have to have her memory back to the way it was and soon." Loki glanced at the scotch on the table and nodded it. "May I?"
"Help yourself." Osborn said, giving the stress ball head another squeeze. Loki poured himself a tall glass and placed the glass top back on. "You're going to need it." Osborn mumbled.
"What?"
"Finish your drink." Osborn hummed. "The fact is you're going to have to push her over the edge. I know she's your wife and you love her. I had a wife myself, heaven rest her soul, but sometimes we have to do what's best in the long term. Which means having to give up a few politically correct obligations."
Loki sipped his scotch and narrowed his eyes. "I'm afraid I do not understand."
"Finish your drink." He said with a smile. "I mean, that means you have to take off the gentlemen garb and recalibrate her noggin."
Loki was halfway done his drink and leaned forward. "Are you saying I should hit my wife?"
"If that's what it takes, why not?" Osborn asked.
"I'm not touching my wife."
"So what, it's not like she's that fragile that she cannot take a few bruises. You've seen her video—"
"I said I am not hitting my wife." Loki said through gritted teeth. His grip was so tight he felt the glass begin to break. Osborn lips curled and he shrugged.
"Sorry, I didn't know I overstepped my bounds. I have a tendency to do that. Go on and finish your drink. I have something to tell you." Loki gave Osborn a hard glance and finished his drink with a swift hand and a quick gulp. Osborn stood up from his chair to look out at the window. "If she's been talking to a S.H.I.E.L.D agent then it's about time you know something. They've been tracking you, man. Ever since your first attempt at Midgard, they have you. In other words, you have a bug in you."
"What?" Loki said.
"Take off your jacket and roll up your right sleeve to your forearm."
"What?" Loki replied.
"Do it." Osborn said darkly.
Loki took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeve to his forearm. Osborn removed a device from his pocket and turned it on. A blue light ran from Loki's fingertips to his forearm. A loud beep was made from the device. "That scar." Osborn said, pointing to a faint scar that resembled a scratch on his arm. "Where is it from?"
"I thought it was from the accident—"
"Then S.H.I.E.L.D has been following you since day one."
"Then why haven't they acted?" Loki asked.
"Because, the more you fuck up the better it makes S.H.I.E.L.D look and it puts their importance level on an even higher scale. Do you think I'm paranoid? Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not after you. Now hold still." He said pressing a button and the sharp end of a device came out of the end. "This will hurt a bit." Loki watched as the sharp object opened the scar. A thick hot pain came upon Loki and he dug his teeth into his bottom lip. The sharp object was gone and replaced with tweezers that lifted the skin, twisting and working under the skin. Loki did his best to hold back a scream, and went so far as to bite onto his knuckle. Then suddenly the pain was gone. He turned to see Osborn holding a bloody chip the size of a piece of rice.
"This has been in you for about ten years." He smiled. He opened the window and tossed the chip outside and closed it. "Now all you have to do is remove your old lady's chip and you can find everything you want at S. .L.D headquarters." He said with a nod. "You're not going to find what you want a computer. They're much smarter than that. You'll need a man from the inside to help you. Call your resource." Osborn wiped the blood from the device and placed it in front of Loki.
"Here, Loki. You can keep that. I have plenty left over." He said. "Remove the chip from your old lady's arm and you'll be golden." Osborn tossed him a first aid kit from his desk drawer and placed on his jacket. "I have actual work to do. Let me know how the business with S.H.I.E.L.D goes down." He left quickly, while Loki held the small flap of skin together and tried to keep himself from bleeding on the floor.
"Where have you been?" Sigyn asked as Loki walked inside. He was bleeding through the bandage. Noah was in her arms and is eyes turned to the bandage on his arm.
"Uh oh!" he said.
"Uh oh." He said smiling at him.
"What happened?" She said placing Noah down despite his protests. Noah whined at Sigyn as she took Loki by the hand. She turned around and called Victor. "Honey, watch after Noah and Helena."
"Mum—" Victor whined.
"Do as I say." Sigyn replied, taking Loki to their bathroom and closing the door. She briefly remembered when they were immortals and she used to tend to his wounds. He was a god according to the mortals, but that did not mean he could not be injured.
"What the hell did you do?" she asked him.
Loki hesitated for a moment. "S.H.I.E.L.D has been bugging us." He said. "As in they've been tracking up for who knows how long. Osborn helped me remove it." She removed his bandages and looked at the wound.
"Oh, it's not too bad. It's just deep." She said. "I could sew this up."
Loki shook his head. "No, it should be fine, just wrap it up."
Sigyn looked up at him and nodded. She rushed to their bedroom and removed the first aid kit from under their bed and walked back into their room. She took out a piece of cotton and doused it with anti-septic.
"This will sting." She felt like she was talking to one of their children. Loki snatched his arm back instinctively. "Don't." She said grabbing his arm and placed the cotton on his wound. Loki winced and exhaled heavily. "I assume there's one in me?"
"Yes." He said.
Sigyn dressed his wounds and wrapped a tourniquet around his arm. "Well, make it quick. She said, pressing her lips to his wound like she would do to their children. Loki's lips curled into a smile.
"We'll need to have Telly lead us the way into S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters, once I have that bug removed from you. I'll be gentle."
"And then what?" Sigyn asked leaning close to him. "And when I remember what do we do? Can we just go back home? Will we be welcomed?"
"Does it matter? You'll have your memories and then we'll be together."
"But we're together now. Why is it so important to have me the way I was? What if I never remember again? What would you do?"
Loki was silent for several moments attempting to come up with a proper answer for her. He didn't know what he would do if she never gained her memory back. Their marriage might as well not exist. He was smart enough to know how the mortal world worked. It would be inevitable that they would divorce or separate and she would take their children and with good reasons too. He couldn't take care of his children on his own. He wouldn't know how to if he tried.
Noah was a toddler and still needed as much attention and assistance as he could get. Helena was still a child, but Victor there was a possibility, but they hadn't had the best relationship recently. He didn't want this. Sigyn was his only outlet for many years. He didn't know anyone else. And no one else would understand. Everyone stopped loving him for his brother Thor. Sigyn was one of the few who never stopped.
He looked up at her and shrugged his shoulders. Sigyn frowned and looked away from him.
"What do you want me to say?" Loki asked placing a hand to his forehead.
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Sigyn grumbled. "Let's just get this S.H.I.E.L.D thing over with."
"If you don't want to do it—" Loki screamed at her.
"I want you to shut up for once, so I'll fucking do it!" Sigyn screamed back.
"Give me your right arm!" She threw off her sweater and held out her right arm. Loki roughly grabbed it and looked for the bug. She squirmed when the device slipped under her skin and ripped out the bug.
"Damn." She cursed and examined her bleeding arm. She placed the antiseptic on her wound and dressed it. She pinched the wound and placed her head on her hand. "I don't know what to do with you sometimes." She mumbled under her breath.
"The feeling is mutual." Loki grumbled and left the room to the other room where the kids had their heads turned waiting to hear what screams would come next from behind the door. Helena quickly turned around and pretended to be watching the television, but Victor kept his eyes on Loki. He leaned down to be at eye level with him and smiled slightly at him.
"Hey, kiddo." He said.
"Hey dad. Are you okay?" His eyes went to the wound in his arm.
Loki nodded and shrugged his shoulders. "It should be fine. It's just sore. I'll have a cool scar, maybe."
Victor chuckled a bit. Loki tapped his cheek. He was feeling sentimental. If Sigyn's memory was triggered, he could lose them as well. He wrapped his arms around Victor tightly and kissed his temple.
"Dad—"
"Victor," He said. "You are my first born, and the oldest. Whatever happens to me, your mum I want you to protect your brother and sister for me. Never let anyone separate you from them, okay? I want you to be my eyes, ears, heart and fiery ward."
Victor looked up at him and nodded. "I will, dad."
"I love you, son."
"I love you too, dad." Loki hugged him tighter when he felt someone's arm wrap around him. He looked over his shoulder to see Helena's head on his shoulder. He used his other arm to wrap around her.
"Dada." Noah toddled over. Helena grabbed his hand and pulled him gently over.
Loki felt hot tears burn his eyes that wouldn't go away no matter how hard he pushed them down. One or two eventually slid down his cheek. Helena looked up and used her free hand to wipe her father's tears.
"Why are you crying, daddy?" she asked.
Loki shrugged his shoulders and kissed her forehead. "It's nothing you should be concerned with."
"Do you want me to get Dolly and you can hold her. She likes hearing why you're sad."
Loki smiled and shook his head. "No, it's fine."
"You're not dying are you?" Helena asked.
"Helena!" Victor snapped.
"Shut up, I'm just asking!"
Loki shook his head. "No, daddy's fine. I just want to let you all know how much I love you. Just in case—" He wanted to say just in case they got caught at S.H.I.E.L.D or Sigyn left, but he stopped himself. He wiped his tears with the back of his hand and shrugged. "—Just in case you didn't know."
"We know." Victor said.
Loki picked up Noah and kissed his cheek. "You know, right?"
Noah babbled behind his pacifier and Loki kissed his forehead.
"Victoria will be working the front tonight." Telly said, as he placed a shaking hand to his lips to wipe the beads of sweat that gathered. His back was pressed against the gray cement wall of S.H.I.E.L.D's headquarters. The trucks and jeeps were abandoned for the night and it was the only safe way he could sneak the two Laufeyson's into HQ without much trouble.
Telly could feel his clothes becoming soaked with sweat from the crazed look Sigyn had given him. He couldn't see the Taser. He didn't know where she placed it and the idea that it could be anywhere to hit him made his heart rate speed up.
"And?" Loki asked in a hushed voice.
"And you're going to need me to get you in and get you back out." Telly cleared his throat. He watched Sigyn as her neck rolled up as she gazed up at the ceiling. She was exposed. He wanted her to let her guard down so he could grab her by the throat and break her now mortal neck against a jeep. But that would be too quick for her. He fantasized about cutting a knife between her ribs and twisting it. Blood would pour from the thin skin barely covering her bones.
A look on his face must've given him away. He glanced over to Loki who gave him a cat like tempered stare. He wanted to kill him too, but he couldn't let them know it. He was still terrified they might decide to blow his brains out.
"You're looking for Sector Fifty-Seven." Telly began again. "I need to type in the code for you, but you can wait by the door so you can get immediate coverage."
"Why do we need to wait?" Sigyn asked.
He could've smacked her. "I need Victoria to unlock it. After ten they normally do it. Everyone needs clearance."
"Fine." Sigyn said not entirely satisfied with his answer. Loki grinded his jaw together and narrowed. He was obviously skeptical as well. Telly was developing a plan in his head, but he had to toy with them with logic. They had a lot to lose after all and so far they had been very careful.
"Is there a way for one of you to check on me while staying by Sector Fifty-Seven? It will be a long trip otherwise."
Loki folded his arms against his chest and side glanced at Sigyn. She gave him the same look back. They were speaking to each other nonverbally. They had developed a trick of their own so they could still talk while they were attending balls, dances and other royal celebrations. Somehow they knew what the other was thinking. As they became magically bound to each other, their thoughts transferred to each other. Telepathic mutual masturbation had become a pastime in their youth. It became annoying when they had let their guard down and began hearing each other's thoughts in the midst of loving making. It took months for them to master turning it off until they desired to do so.
Sigyn nodded her head slightly and Loki nodded back. "Very well, then." Loki said. "But be quick about it."
Telly nodded. He saw Sigyn take a step forward and raise her hand to his face. He instinctively jumped back from her. Sigyn's lips curled and she placed her hands behind her back.
"Point us the way."
"Go right here and go down the hall until you see Sector Fifty-Seven and turn right." Telly said, through his tense jaw.
"And what about cameras?" Loki asked. "I remember this place being heavily surveyed."
Telly was counting on it. "The security guard cannot watch all the cameras at once. Move fast, stay in the shadows and we can leave as soon as possible, plus I have installed the devices to keep the guards unsuspecting. My resource provided well."
"Good." Loki said. He was close to questioning who his source was, but they had already wasted so much time already.
"Right, let's go." Sigyn said with a nod. She grabbed Loki by the hand. She had a sour feeling about this, but she waved it off. As long as they hurried, they could not get caught.
Victoria was working late as usual. She wondered what Fury would do if it weren't for her coding, cataloging, documenting, filing, organizing, and structuring the thousands and millions of files within S.H.I.E.L.D. Tonight she was up late with her fourth cup of coffee next to her computer. She picked up the cup and pressed the hot liquid to her lips and sipped it.
This project tonight was to document and log everything she could find on Sigyn and Loki since their time on Midgard. She hoped to even find some information on them when they were in Asgard. Obviously, she had zero hits. She gathered together small bits of their lives though interviews with Sigyn and Loki, but also Thor as well.
She assumed they all grew up together and knew each other very well. Sigyn's lack of a father was from war and she had grown bitter toward the Aesir. Victoria noted that in one interview, Sigyn was relieved to find out Loki was a Jotun rather than an Aesir. She referred to Odin as the true villain and manipulator. She later went on to mumble that him and his kind were a guild of thieves, murderers, and oppressors. She was asked to elaborate, but she refused to.
Victoria took another sip from her coffee and slowly began to piece her notes together. Fury had dealt with Sigyn before, but if she were to reach her breaking point, Fury needed to be prepared how to handle her. Loki was a force deadly enough, but he's had time to linger in madness and anger, Sigyn's would be fresh. She was also prone to violent outbursts. There were only two recorded incidents of reckless and extreme violence.
Once was an incident outside of S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. S.H.I.E.L.D had deployed an agent to spy on Loki and Sigyn by working into their inner circle through other associates who had helped Loki attempt to take over New York before. It took over two years, but he was able to gather their plans and inform S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers. When Loki found out he told Sigyn. The last account they had from the cameras he had set up was Sigyn grabbing a heavy stone chessboard from the other room (her and Loki played a lot back then in their spare time) and slamming it in their agent's head over and over again. When she was finished and left the double agent's head open to bleed on her floor, she sat down on the sofa, lit her pipe and calmly smoked and talked to Loki as if nothing had happened.
The second incident was in headquarters. They had been drugging Loki and Sigyn with large doses of a serum S.H.I.E.L.D concocted to keep their powers and strength at bay. Sigyn had a bad reaction for an unexplained reason and set her entire room on fire. It left a nasty burn on Natasha a.k.a Black Widow's shoulder. With each incident, she was questioned and she claimed she hadn't remembered anything. She had said it happens every so often. Victoria's mind immediately went to Bruce Banner, except she didn't turn into a monster physically and most incidents were caused by stress.
Was she a psychopath?
Could Victoria expect to see Sigyn running after members of S.H.I.E.L.D with a chainsaw? Or maybe she'd tie them up and give them the hobbling treatment. She chuckled at her own suspicions and took another sip of coffee.
She concluded that after careful observations from her relationship with Clint is that she's a very trusting woman and naïve to the lies of others. She appeared to have a very honest relationship with Loki, what would give her a reason to question otherwise. Victoria thought for a moment.
Deceit, dishonesty and a threat upon her or the ones she loved were her triggers. Victoria quickly typed this down in her notes. Clint's betrayal was just the tip of the iceberg. Her reaction was mild compared to what would follow.
She was almost done compiling her notes when she saw Telly's footsteps echoed in the room. She looked up from her computer and narrowed her eyes at him. She couldn't kill him like she wanted to do, and until she was given orders from Fury she had to act like everything was normal. The last thing they needed was for Telly to get spooked and leave the country. They had too much on their plate to even think of chasing him to a Third World country.
"Victoria," He said with a false smile.
"What is it?" she asked. "I'm very busy. I want to actually get some sleep tonight."
"I won't keep you." Telly said. He stared down at the bandages on his fingertips. The tingling pain from his nonexistent nails surged the fury in his veins. "I need you to open Section L, Sector Fifty-Six."
"Why?" Victoria asked folding her arms. Her eyes glanced to the white wispy steam rising from the mouth of her coffee cup. She wished she could hurl it in his face. She wondered the possibilities of making it looking like an accident.
"Research for Fury." He lied.
"Uh-huh." She said. "Fine. Just don't take anything. I still have research to do as well. Who are you researching if I may ask?"
"No, you may not."
"Is it too personal? Since when were you a man with such secrets?"
"If you must know, I need research on Norman Osborn and Emma Frost. Clint Barton brought up that they were together at the Don Giovanni opera and I wanted to make sure they were well monitored."
"Right, so why would you need to go into Section L? Wouldn't you want to start with Section F or O?"
"No. I know what I'm doing." Telly's voice was firm. Victoria stared back at him. She was starting to seriously contemplate killing him with a hot cup of coffee. "Trust me on this."
"Fine." She said, tapping into the other window, typing into the code to unlock the door and opened it. "I'm leaving in about an hour and a half, if you're not out of the room you will sleep there. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal." He smirked. He walked the other way and stopped before turning around. "Oh, you might want to make sure security is on their guard tonight?"
Victoria raised her eyebrows. "Oh yeah? What are you going to do?"
"Just make sure they're alert." He smirked before leaving as quickly as he could. Victoria narrowed her eyes and picked up the phone to call security.
"We went too far." Sigyn said, holding the flashlight up to the names written on each file cabinet. There were hundreds of reports on one person. They found it to be incredible how orderly these mortals were. Sigyn realized they had to with the hundreds of thousand possible enemies S.H.I.E.L.D had.
"I know," Loki called, getting frustrated. "I'm at Lizard. I do not know of him or her."
"I'm at Lady Deathstrike. She sounds cool." She opened the file to look at the picture of her with long razor fingernails that resembled talons. She had a wicked grin on her face and cold deep black eyes. "She's very sexy too." Sigyn called slipping her file back into the cabinet.
"Astounding," Loki said walking toward where Sigyn was. "Perhaps when you're back to your rightful self, we'll call her."
Sigyn strolled to their file cabinet with her fingers lazily around the flashlight. "Do not get any dirty ideas in your mind."
"I was not thinking anything."
"I know you probably better than you know yourself. I've told you countless times no threesome." Sigyn chuckled and turned back to see him pointing the flashlight at her.
"The thought never crossed my mind, but now that you mentioned it—"
"No." Sigyn replied and then spotted their file name. "Here it is. Laufeyson, Loki and Laufeyson, Sigyn." Her stomach had butterflies in them and suddenly her throat became dry. Her sweating palms gripped the cabinet handle and pulled it open. She picked up the files and exhaled heavily. This was it. Her entire life lay out before her.
"Open it." He said.
"In a moment." She wanted to remember the highlights of the past ten years when she was mortal and innocent to her own past and condition. She didn't want this new information to taint how she remembered looking back at the past. She wanted to remember that being mortal wasn't a tragedy. In fact it was far from it. She didn't consider it a blessing, but she never would've had her babies if it hadn't happen and for that she could not be completely disgusted with the idea.
It was time to let go. She couldn't delay her future any longer. She placed the flashlight in her mouth and read the file.
"Sigyn Laufeyson (nee Kolgrimdottir), wife of Loki Laufeyson and foster sister to Thor Odinson." It read.
She paused from reading to look at the pictures of her. One was of her in a ball gown and a beehive hairstyle. Her eyes were heavily shadowed under make up and she was staring off to the side. The second picture was her mugshot. She had a small smirk on her face and her hair was still wet.
She remembered when they caught her once she had just stepped out of the shower. Loki had been missing, she couldn't remember where he had gone, but she had escaped their custody. Then they caught her again.
She continued to read. "Sigyn is a very intelligent native of Vanaheim, a sister planetoid of Asgard. It is the home of the legendary Norse gods. Through consistent intelligence tests she has shown to be above average intellect, astounding memorization skills, above mortal reflexes and strength and is proficient in magic."
She gathered as many files as she could in one arm and slumped down onto the floor. Loki sat beside her and read over her shoulder. He knew what his file said, and his was much larger than hers.
"Sigyn has aided her husband Loki in various ways. She oversaw nearly all aspects of his plan, killed innocents and agents, but also decoded S.H.I.E.L.D's database causing the system to be recalibrated." She smiled at this. She didn't realize how much she had done in what seemed like her past life. She decided to get comfortable and read the rest of her profile while she was interested.
"Psychological Profile: Sigyn Laufeyson shows signs of sadism, and suffers from a lack of empathy for her victims and other mortals other than her husband and a limited handful of close family members and friends. She claimed several times how Loki deserved a kingdom of his own for the "greater good." Dr. Larrson believes she suffers from an anti-personality disorder and possible sociopath. She isn't like her husband and doesn't suffer from narcissism. But they're both mentally incompetent. "
Sigyn frowned and turned to Loki. "Do you think I'm a sociopath?"
"No." Loki said. "Mortal science is irrelevant."
Sigyn nodded and decided to skip over the rest of her profile and head to the operation file. She tossed through the files until she came upon OPERATION: SPOTLESS MIND. Her heart dropped at the title. It seemed so light hearted. Spotless Mind? It sounded as if S.H.I.E.L.D was going to send her brain to the spa. Her jaw gritted and she held the file out so Loki could read it too.
"Read it with me."
"May 13th: The self proclaimed god from Asgard, Loki had attempted to claim Earth as his own by the use of an alien race known as the Chitauri. Nick Fury, Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff proposed Operation Spotless Mind to hopefully convert the god Loki and any possible threat to be used as a possible alley for S.H.I.E.L.D"
Loki snorted, but continued to read on. Sigyn stopped for a moment. Clint Barton signed off on this. He agreed to brainwash him to be used for something else. He would probably be used for the Avengers or any S.H.I.E.L.D business. Sigyn exhaled heavily through her nostrils.
She turned several pages to where she came in a few years later. "June 9th,Loki has returned, but with a woman to help him. This woman has been identified as his wife, Sigyn. This woman's intelligence for computers and magic could be useful to S.H.I.E.L.D and it's workings is extraordinary. She catches on very fast to technology, weapons, magic etc. This makes her very dangerous to any use outside of S.H.I.E.L.D."
Sigyn grumbled under her breath and gripped Loki's arm tightly. She scanned the rest of the information until something caught her attention. "September 12th, Thor has informed us that OPERATION: SPOTLESS MIND, must be done as soon as possible. He wouldn't name his reasons, but he explained that it had to be done as soon as possible with the help of a Norn Queen and magical witch, Karnilla of Nornheim. He also went on to say that Loki and Sigyn's exile must be on Midgard."
"I should've known Thor would do such a thing." He said. "But why?"
"I do not know. I don't understand why it had to be immediately. What was his rush? We obviously were being contained at that time, what made it so important?"
"He normally tries to reason with me for ages before he does anything extreme. I am his brother after all."
"Yes and it makes me wonder."
She and Loki had been given injections of the Serum 100 to keep their powers at bay while the experiments are processed. The Serum 100 had been given to them four times a day in various methods. This had been laced in the shots been given to them to prevent disease, also in their breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Loki had a reaction to the Serum through violent vomiting and migraines. After a week this symptoms vanished. Sigyn had a small rash on the side of her neck and missed her period but showed barely any signs of a violent reaction. We assume it's because Loki is of the realm Jotunheim and Sigyn is of Vanaheim, their reactions would differ.
The two shall be given an even heavier dose of Serum 100 and weakened so they'll be easier to hold while we bring Karnilla from her home in Nornheim. Thor warned us to be carful of a witch named Amora who had been close friends with Loki and Sigyn. Our soldiers have been aware of the presence of a witch who might try to destroy our process."
Sigyn couldn't take anymore and she closed the file. She closed her eyes and remembered the injections that they claimed were to keep them from spreading diseases to the other agents. She could taste the strange tingle of the food on the tip of her tongue. She refused to eat it for a day or so. By then she was so hungry, she ate everything she could without complaint.
Mentally incompetent, those words stuck out to her the most. She never considered herself mentally incompetent. She had managed to take care of her husband and children. Somehow she felt she was growing more insane by the day because of their predicament. They caused her insanity. It wasn't her doing.
She didn't feel any different. She didn't remember anything except for short bursts of memories and feelings, but it wasn't the epiphany Loki was hoping for. She felt disappointed, but now she understood why S.H.I.E.L.D had done what they had.
"Well?" Loki said.
"I don't know." She shrugged. "I feel the same. I remember a bit, but I do not remember anything."
Loki's shoulders sunk and he leaned against the wall. "Damn." He replied. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Well, I think when you read more you'll—" He was attempting to grab smoke, but it was slipping through his fingertips. It was hopeless.
Sigyn placed her head on his shoulder and sighed. "I'm sorry, Loki. I'm trying, but it's not working. I'm out of ideas. Perhaps, we should get used to this."
He didn't want to accept this, but he knew he had to. It would kill him and he wouldn't be happy, but he needed Sigyn in his life and the children. It wasn't her fault or his. Maybe it would be something he would have to accept.
Loki heard the sound of whistling and lingering footsteps coming down the hallway. Loki stood up and saw Telly whistling as he strolled past their sector. "Telly?" Loki asked.
Telly smirked at him. "You might want to get going." He said before strolling off. Sigyn and Loki turned to each other and both scrambled to fit as many of the files into their knapsack as quickly as possible.
"Now hold your elbow straight and keep both eyes on the target." Clint said placing his hand on Jessica Drew's hip. She grinned and held the arm holding back the string. He used this moment to get a whiff of her the shampoo still fresh in her hair. "Very nice." He said. "Now aim and let go."
He felt his cell phone vibrate. He groaned, hoping it wasn't one of the Avengers or worse, his ex wife. Instead it was security from S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Yeah?" he asked.
Jessica's arrowed hit on the last target circle, but she was proud enough with it. She smiled and turned around to Hawkeye. "Well?" She said.
He looked up and gave her a thumb up before continuing on the phone. "Clint? It's Hank, are you still in HQ? There's something you might want to check out. Turns out someone let Loki and Sigyn into HQ and they're attempting to flee the scene. If you can get them, it would be much appreciated."
Clint's teeth grit hard. He was going to find a way to get them out of the country, so he wouldn't be forced to fix their messes and he could keep his job, and maintain a social life and friends. "Right, on my way." He said. He hung up and stuffed his phone in his pocket, but kept his arrows slung on his back and his bow in his hand.
"Jess, I've got to get going, but why don't we have dinner soon?"
"Am I forced to pay?" Jessica asked with her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.
"Ladies do not pay anything when they're around me." He winked. "Call me."
"I'll think about it." She said
He continued to stare at every curve of her hips and watched her mile long legs before leaving. He had to get the godly two out of his hair if he was going to be with her. He made a plan in his head. Sector Fifty-Six wasn't too far from the cars where they could steal a vehicle and leave. By this hour, S.H.I.E.L.D did not have anyone to chase the two of them down. He hoped they would be smart enough to dispose of the car afterward, but he couldn't count on them.
He ran to Sector Fifty-Six and hid in the shadows as he heard the two of them. He pressed his back against several boxes and removed one arrow, took aim and hit the security camera to the left of the door. He took aim as he spotted the second one from a distance. One arrow hit the wall, bounced off the other and bounced against to hit the camera.
He would have to come up with an excuse. He ran into the Sector Fifty-Six. "What are you insane?" He exclaimed. "Move!"
Sigyn rush toward him and hit him hard across the face. "You bastard!"
"What the hell—" She caught his lip with her fist. He barely had time to react. He didn't want to hurt her, she was still mortal after all. "Sigyn—"
"You helped take away my memory! You signed off on this shit! It's almost entirely your fault—"
She began to swing at him. He dodged her punches and grabbed both of her arms. "Will you stop for one moment. There's no time to explain—"
"Don't touch my wife—"
"I'm not. If you would've held her back, I wouldn't have had to." He said letting her go. She smacked him in the chest and attempted to go another round with him when Loki pulled her back.
"My apologies, I was enjoying the show."
"Look," Clint said rolling his eyes. "I—" He touched his lip to see blood coming from the corner. "Damn it. You can attempt to kill me or scratch at my face later, you have to leave now they know."
"We were attempting to leave." Loki replied.
"Then go. There should be automated cars parked out back. The code is—"
"I have your code." She said. "It works to everything. You're not very creative."
"Just go! I'll change my code later." Clint replied. "How did you get in?"
"Telly." Sigyn answered.
"I'll hunt him down." Clint replied. "Just leave and get out of the state if you can tonight or they'll hunt you down like dogs. You know too much, you're too valuable. Now go!"
Loki grabbed Sigyn's hand and squeezed so tightly his knuckles went numb. The two ran down the hallway heading to the car. Sigyn took the drivers seat and typed in his code, 1195 and the car turned on. She made a quick turn right and sped out of HQ as fast as she could.
"Why are we staying in your room, daddy?" Helena asked with her eyes closed. She was still asleep and spoke very slowly.
"Because daddy wants to protect you. You cannot be out of my sight." He said, placing her down on his bed and tucked her under the covers. Noah and Victor were already tucked under the covers. Sigyn pushed the dresser against the door while Loki drew the shades to keep the dawn of morning from entering inside. The room was completely dark and Loki kept the weapons they had stashed over the past couple of months close to him. In their small pile on the floor, they had the old revolver, several switchblade knives and their Taser. It wasn't a good arsenal, but it would have to do.
"We should leave the country." Loki said. "We can call on Osborn, he can get us some passports."
"Yes, but that will still take a couple of days." Sigyn replied. "We'll have to leave. Look at us, we're acting paranoid."
"I'd rather be paranoid than ever letting them in here. We'll pack up the car, just take everything we can grab and leave."
"That's going to take at least an hour," Sigyn replied and began counting down everything she had to do. "I want to make sure the children do not get restless, so I'll have to bring some movies, games, music. Also, Noah is still in diapers mostly, so we need enough of those to last us for a while. Oh, and we'll have to have enough clothes so they won't be dirty and then I need to pack soaps and shampoos—"
"And that's going to take at least an hour? It sounds as if packing will take an entire day. I will give them benadryl the children will be asleep for eight hours or more." Loki sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. Sigyn placed her hand on his cheek.
"I will be quick about it. We should do this at night. It's already too bright out. They could see us. They'll be asleep just long enough to get us out of the state. Now, you should get enough rest because the children will be up soon and should know how much Noah and Helena hate watching you sleep." She kissed his forehead.
"I won't sleep a wink."
"Try for me."
"So, they waltzed right in, took some files, knocked out the cameras and waltzed back out?" Maria Hill asked Clint Barton.
He shrugged his shoulders and nodded. "Seems so. It's strange, isn't it?"
"I don't buy your story." Her arms were folded against her chest and her eyes narrowed. "I think you're not telling the full truth. Have you been compromised again?"
"Last time I checked I was aiming to kill all of you the last time. I can assure you that is what happened. I'm on the Sigyn and Loki shit list now."
"That is still not sufficient enough evidence to keep away suspicion."
"Maria, she decked me in the face twice."
"You're a skilled fighter, you couldn't fight her off."
"She's a goddess with budding immortal strength. I was out cold."
Maria shook her head. "I don't know. That will be up to Fury, but he's away at the moment. Until further notice I have to hold S.H.I.E.L.D down and make sure nothing goes wrong."
"Nothing will go wrong. They're gone and they'll probably leave the country soon. They'll be someone else's problem. They might even go back to their own world."
"That's not good enough." She said in a stern voice.
Natasha was listening in. She eyed Clint suspiciously, but eventually turned to Hill. "I think we may have to track them down. Make sure that they do not start anything."
"That will start something between them." Clint said. "Loki is paranoid and Sigyn doesn't have all her screws in place. If we walk in there, they'll be prepared with everything they have."
"So, that means they're a threat?" Hill asked, walking toward Barton. Clint forgot she was a tall woman and the two were nose to nose with each other. "If there's a threat against S.H.I.E.L.D we need to contain it."
"Obviously, but they didn't seek out to kill everyone, they went to look at their history. Maybe they just needed to know something." Clint rationalized.
"And since when did you start defending them, Clint?" Natasha asked. Her eyes narrowed and her voice was very low. "A few years ago you would've led the mob. What's gotten into you?"
His eyes darted to hers. He wasn't getting soft. He was trying to be logical. He knew S.H.I.E.L.D's procedures. They didn't have the same protocol as police did. Most of their crimes were covered up to make it look like accidents. He only feared what they would do.
"What are you suggesting, Natasha?" Clint asked. "I'm not weak for them—"
"Not even her?" She hissed. "They are dangerous and they have to be dealt with. It's Maria's call anyway. Not yours."
"If you do not understand it, Natasha, do not open you stupid mouth about it."
Natasha seemed unmoved by his sudden stance and looked up to Hill. "It's your call, Hill."
Hill did not take another moment to spare. She turned to Victoria who had her feet up on the table and her head back. Natasha rolled her eyes and Hill slammed her hands down on the desk to wake her up.
"Hand!" Hill exclaimed. Victoria's eyes shot open from behind her glasses. She placed her feet down on the floor and rubbed her eyes.
"I apologize, Director Hill." She said. "I was up late getting Sigyn's file together for Fury and he isn't here."
"You can give it to me." Hill said. "I think we'll need all the background we can. But I need you to look up any possible addresses that they could've taken in the past five years."
"I already have an idea." Victoria mumbled and got up to leave.
"Maybe Victoria was leading into something." Clint urged. He wasn't going to give up that easily. "We should wait until Fury knows—"
"Forget it," Hill said. "Fury placed me in charge when he was called away, Barton. Now, Natasha, set up several agents and a few foot soldiers and we leave tonight."
"But Hill—"
"We're done here." Hill said. "Suit up and get doing and do not make us late."
Natasha's lips curled slightly, but when she spotted the devil eye glare of Clint, it was almost gone. Only left was the knowledge in her eyes that she got her way. Clint forced himself down the lockers to get ready.
Loki hadn't slept a wink in the last two days. His eyes were heavy and when he happened to pass the mirror in his bathroom he caught a glimpse of the dark shadows under his eyes. There was stubble on his chin and he finally changed out of the clothes he had worn for over a week. When the children had awakened earlier that day, he had to explain several times why they had to stay in the bedroom while Sigyn prepared their bags to leave and prepare food.
He was relieved when they all fell asleep around the late evening. He sat up bed with the revolver close to his side and moved Helena's arm from around him so he could leave. He cracked his neck and back before looking at the clock.
"12:01 am." It said.
They had less than four hours until they left the state. He passed the time by taking a shower, shaving and cutting down his nails. And even when he had finished that, he still had only let an hour pass. He rested on the bed next to Sigyn who was holding Noah on her chest. Loki kissed the top of his son's head and ran his thumb up and down her arm.
"I hate that aftershave." Sigyn whispered. Loki looked down at her to see her eyes were still closed.
"It's all I had left." He whispered back.
"It's still horrible. It's strong."
"Sorry," He replied.
She looked up at him and shrugged. Her lips curved into a deep smile and she blinked up at him. "Where should we settle?" she asked.
"I don't know. I'd rather go—" He was going to say home to Asgard, but that was not an option. "How does California sound?"
"As long as we could get a home near the ocean. It'll remind me of Vanaheim."
Loki smiled at that. She took his hand in hers and kissed his wrist. "You should sleep. You'll have to drive in a few hours."
Loki nodded, but kept his hand wrapped tightly around the revolver and his eye on the door. His eyes started to become heavy and his head tilted downward with his chin in his chest. He wasn't sure how long he had drifted off for, but he felt someone shake him gently.
His eyes shot open and he caught the blue of Sigyn's eyes. "I hear someone." She whispered.
He listened for a moment and heard their door open. "Stay with the children." He replied.
"But—"
"Stay." He said, walking slowly toward the door and opening it slightly enough for him to slip out. He saw a group of bodies making their way through the house. The one leading the pack was a large built man. His eyes went around in the dark until he was staring straight into Loki's eyes. It would've been unwise to shoot now he had to get them away from the bedroom.
"What are you doing in my home?" he asked pointing the gun at him.
"He's armed!"
That's right. It's just me, crazy little me.
Loki pushed past him, only turning back to shoot him in the knee as he passed. The other agents attempted to tackle him, but he slipped from his grip. One pulled his gun out and shot Loki in the side.
He didn't feel the hot burn of the bullet until several seconds later when the burn penetrated through his skin. He stopped and saw the blood soaking the side of his shirt. Then the pain came. He hated his mortality. He looked between all of them who fired the shot. He spotted a man with black hair and his gun still directed toward him.
He aimed for him and fired again. He missed and by then another bullet struck him in the shoulder and the next one in the chest. He fell to the floor, his own blood dampening his front and hair. The pain was incredible, but he wouldn't let them have a chance to hear him cry in agony. His vision began to blur as the taste of iron in his mouth became too strong.
The agent who shot him looked down at him. "Get Blue to the hospital immediately." He said. "He'll make it." He said. "Shoot him again."
"What? But sir—"
"Do it!" He barked. "And you all on my left go upstairs and help Natasha with the little woman. Just remember, they fought and we had to defend ourselves."
His voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it. His last thoughts were of his wife and children. He heard a female voice scream and then several shots being fired. He exhaled roughly and closed his eyes. A single tear rolled down his cheek.
He didn't hear the next shot.
The children awakened at the sound of the first shot and Sigyn covered them with her arms. She held the Taser out in case she needed to use it. Her skin was wet and clammy with sweat and her whole body was shaking with fear.
"Is daddy okay?" Helena whispered.
"I don't know." Sigyn said. "Mummy and daddy loves all of you." She said before letting several tears fall down her cheek. Her mind wouldn't accept the possibilities of her husband being killed. She began to get flashes of her past. The classic saying of life flashing before one's eyes wasn't an exaggeration. She began to remember what they did as children, her wedding, their first fight, them lying in the grass and gazing up at the stars. She was regaining what she had lost, but the price was too great.
Victor's eyes began to tear as they gazed out the window. He saw a woman with wavy red hair for a brief moment before she disappeared.
"Mum?" He said.
"What is it?" She asked her eyes toward the door. She tried to
Victor watched as a woman appeared again as she entered through the window. Helena screamed and Sigyn shot the Taser at the woman. She missed by inches. The woman barely had time to react before Sigyn threw the Taser at her. The young children behind Sigyn caught Natasha off guard. The oldest one had his arms wrapped tightly around the younger ones. It gave Sigyn just enough time to pull out the knife and make a jab at her cheek. Natasha caught her senses and ducked out of the way.
"Come quietly and I won't have to hurt you."
"Not a chance, bitch. Stay away from my family!" Sigyn made another jab for her, but Natasha's skills were far beyond hers. The heard another shot and Sigyn froze. Natasha twisted Sigyn's arm behind her back and pressed her down in the floor.
"Everything is clear—" The woman said before a rush of men came in. "It's under control."
"Move!" One said, pulling Natasha out the way. Sigyn used this opportunity to get up and rush for her children. Several shots rang through the air. She felt a small pinch on her hip, shoulders, chest and legs. Her vision went black as she felt her entire body fall.
Clint held his arrow steady on the building opposite of the apartment. For the first time in his long career he was shocked. He didn't want to believe he saw the woman his friend slaughtered by his team. Did Natasha tell them to do so? That wouldn't be. He didn't care about calling in, he packed up his arrows and bow and rushed down the stairs to the apartment.
He wasn't prepared for what he walked into.