Jenny drove the group back into town. She dropped Ava off at the hotel with plans that she, Loki, and Thor would be meeting up at her place for lunch, which was still three hours away. Ava walked into the hotel and found Loki and Thor sitting in the dining room off of the lobby. She walked in and grabbed a cup of coffee and walked over and sat down by Loki.
"How did your trip go this morning?" Loki asked.
"Interesting." Ava answered, taking a sip from her coffee cup. "We may have some problems."
"What troubles could we possibly have?" Thor asked.
Ava looked around and lowered her voice. "I think the mortals are able to track us...when we arrive and when we leave by the bi-frost."
"What do you mean?" Loki inquired.
"Jenny's cousin, Jane, is a scientist. She's been tracking some kind of something or other...and whatever it was, she was able to track outside of this town. The dates that she tracked it here were the dates of the times that you arrived here." Ava said, looking at Loki. "Then again when we last night."
"When we came here." Loki said.
Ava nodded. "Exactly."
"This could mean that the mortals are ready to join the rest of the nine realms." Thor said.
Ava shook her head. "I lived here for centuries, trust me, they are not ready."
"But they have come a long way over the centuries." Thor countered.
"Yes, they have, but they still have even farther to go." Ava replied.
Lunch time arrived and the trio walked up the front steps to Jenny's house. Ava knocked on the door and Jenny opened it up. "I'm so glad you guys are here. I need someone who speaks English." She greeted them.
Ava laughed. "Too much science talk?"
"Yes, and I apologize in advance for the fact that my living room has been turned into a laboratory." Jenny replied. She then stepped aside for the group to enter the room. They took off their jackets and snow-covered boots before continuing into the house.
They followed Jenny into the living room, where Jane and her friends had their equipment spread everywhere. "You weren't kidding when you said that your living room had been turned into a laboratory." Ava said.
"Sorry about this, but it's the best room in the house for my stuff." Jane said. She then looked up from a computer screen. "I thought it was just going to be you. I didn't realize you were bringing people with you."
"This is my husband, Lo...Lawrence and his brother, Tho...Theodore." Ava introduced, almost using their real names.
"Those are odd names." Darcy spoke up. "But then again who cares when you're all muscley like that."
"Darcy, really?" Jane asked. She then turned back to Thor. "Sorry about her. I'm Jane. That's Darcy, my intern. And this is Eric."
"Why don't we all head into the kitchen and eat the chili I ordered from the diner?" Jenny suggested.
The group followed her into the kitchen and everyone grabbed a bowl of chili. They sat down in the small dining room and began to enjoy the meal. "This is quite delicious." Thor said. "What is it called again?"
"Chili." Jane answered. "You've never had it before?"
"No, but I'd like another." Thor answered, lifting his empty bowl and getting ready to throw it down.
"Then you should go and refill your bowl, Brother." Loki said, looking pointedly at Thor.
"Oh, right." Thor said, getting up and heading back into the kitchen.
Jenny looked over at Loki. "Don't take this the wrong way or anything, but your brother is really weird. Was he dropped on his head as a baby or something?" She asked.
Loki chuckled. "Either that or one of us was adopted."
"Once again, who cares what he acts like? When you have muscles like that, you can do anything you want." Darcy chimed in.
Thor walked back in then. The group sat and ate talking about some really random things. Then one of Jane's machines started making some crazy noises. Jane and Eric got up and looked at their equipment. "It's happening again." Jane announced.
Ava, Thor, and Loki all exchanged looks, wondering what exactly was going on. "Jenny, you know the area, we need you to drive us." Jane said. "Please?"
Jenny sighed. "But..."
"We can clean up." Ava spoke up.
"Alright." Jenny agreed. She then was leaving with Jane and the others.
"Shouldn't we be investigating this?" Thor asked.
"We are." Loki replied.
"But how will we get there?" Thor asked. "We have no horse and they have that motorized machine."
Ava walked up to them holding a set of keys. "When I left, I gave Jenny my car." She said. "It's in the garage. Let's go."
Ava hopped in the driver's side of the car. Loki climbed in the passenger side and Thor got in the back. Ava turned the key, bringing the car to life. She put it in reverse and backed it out of the garage and into the street. She switched gears and then took them towards the forest.
"How did you live on this realm for so long?" Thor asked. "It is very strange."
Ava shrugged. "Midgard isn't that bad." She drove until she found Jane's car parked and then she parked next to it. The group climbed out and went walking through the forest. They were keeping alert for anything that might be out of the ordinary.
They then heard a scream coming from the east of them. They an towards it and found some strange looking creatures standing over Jenny, Jane, Eric, and Darcy. "Where is the portal maker?" One of the creatures asked.
"Who...what?" Jenny asked.
The creature reached a scaly arm out and wrapped his large hand around Jenny's throat. "Where is she? I know she is here."
Ava acted before Loki or Thor could stop her. "I'm here." She said, lifting her hand and flicking it, causing one of the other creatures to fly into a tree. "Now, let her go."
The creature laughed and dropped Jenny on the ground. "You come with us now." He said, looking at Ava.
"I don't think so." Loki said, appearing behind the creature.
"The magic maker, too." The creature said, smiling. "I'll have the both of you."
"You shall have neither of them foul creature." Thor said, coming out of the trees, his hammer in hand.
"And the Thunderhead. My master will be pleased. I will have all of you and your powers."
"In your dreams." Ava said, lifting her hand and using her mind to cause him to fly sideways into a tree.
A fight then erupted between the three Asgardians and the disgusting creatures. As they fought, Loki, Ava, and Thor's clothes changed into what they normally wore on Asgard. The creatures would charge Ava and she would use her powers to throw them back. Loki used his magic to thwart the enemy attacks and Thor naturally used his hammer to stop his opponent.
Loki used his magic to summon a sword from thin air. He stabbed one of the creatures, making it fall. It turned into dust as it died. Ava flicked her hand and caused another of the creatures to fly backward and land on Loki's sword.
The trio finished off the enemy quickly. Loki looked at Ava. "Are you alright, my love?" He asked, all of his copies disappearing.
She nodded. "Yeah."
"Well, that was fun." Thor said.
"What the hell was that?" Jenny asked, grabbing their attention. "And what are you wearing?"
"Yeah, I would like some answers." Jane added.