Chapter Twenty-one
Loki could count on one hand the number of times he had begged for something, in his very long life. But this time he would do so on his knees if had to.
They stood in front of a panel of government people. Fury had used the words, "less is more", and decided that he and Loki would be the only two SHIELD members in attendance. And while the others were not excited to be left out of the meeting, they said they understood.
Of course, then they immediately decided amongst themselves they were going anyway. Fury stopped them at the door, and told them they could wait in the hall, it was as far as they got him to relent. So they made themselves comfortable to wait.
After Fury made sure they were going to keep their "no questions asked" promise, he started explaining what his teams had discovered. Loki stood quietly at his side, dressed fully in his armor.
Fury had not been happy about that, "it makes it look like you are trying to intimidate them. Not exactly the feeling we are trying to get across here."
But Loki just looked him straight in the eyes, "I am going home after this meeting. Whether these people agree or not. I need my father's help, and I am not going to let them stop me. If my appearance intimidates them, well then, so be it."
The look in Loki's eyes, made it clear to Fury, that arguing with him right now, was not a good choice. So he let it be.
"Director, how can you say Asgard is not involved, when all the evidence YOU provided, says otherwise?"
Fury sighed, "because you are twisting the information I am giving you to make it sound that way. Asgard is being setup here. By a man who was here on this planet once before. I have the records of his past visit, if you will just look at them." He shook a stack of manilla envelopes at them.
"But you have no physical evidence that this man is responsible for what is happening now. It is only your word, and the word of the man standing next to you. How can we take that at face value, considering the source of the information?"
Fury started to get a bit nervous, as he noticed Loki's shaking hands, clench into shaking fists. He reached over, and placed a hand on Loki's arm. Giving him a shake of his head. Loki stretched his fingers out, and folded his arms across his chest, as Fury continued his argument.
"The evidence we have is sufficient. You just need to have an open mind to the idea, that you might be incorrect about your assumptions of Asgard. That city we discovered has been proven by reputable sources to be almost twelve hundred years old. And the Asgardians haven't stepped foot in it for that long. Loki can attest to that. As far as the purpose of the city, let this man return home, and ask Odin. He is the only one who can truly answer that question."
One of the men chuckled, "reputable sources? My sources say Tony Stark is one of those. How can you even say reputable with a straight face?"
Loki couldn't take it anymore. He spoke quietly, and calmly, but the anger in his voice was unmistakable. "Tony Stark is a genius. He has done more for your investigation, than all of your scientists combined. But that is irrelevant." He shook his head, and looked down for a moment, collecting his thoughts.
He looked back up, into their eyes. "This man, that has done all of this has taken my family. My wife, and my children. Does this mean nothing to all of you? Do you not have families of your own?"
He stepped closer to them, and held out his hands. "I have to return to Asgard. I can, and will send someone back with the answers you seek. Please, I was considered a God to your people, not that long ago. And now here I stand needing your help. Listen to what the Director has told you. He is correct, and the answers you seek to save your people, all lay within Asgard. Let me go home. I beg of you."
"And what assurances do we have that you will return? Or that you will send someone else?"
Furious, Loki took another step forward, and raised his hand. Fury reached out and grabbed Loki's arm, as the people on the panel all flinched, some even leaning back in fear.
Fury shouted, "because he will take someone with him. Someone of my choosing, who has something at stake in the situation. Phil Coulson is my best agent, and he will not let Loki fail. Trust me when I tell you, he has a lot to lose, if Loki can't get the help we need."
The men and women all looked at one another, until finally one of them said, "we take a vote?"
"Majority rules."
Tony laid on the hallway floor right outside the conference room. Bruce stood next to where he laid. "Get up, that floor is probably disgusting. Plus you are getting some angry looks from security." He nodded his head in the direction of a very annoyed looking man.
Tony sat his head up enough to see the man, and gave him a wave. "If they are that annoyed, then maybe they should just let us in. We've been out here waiting for hours."
"It hasn't been hours." Steve grumbled from across the hall. "It just FEELS that way."
Phil paced back and forth between them for the thousandth time, and looked up in surprise as Natasha Romanoff, and Clint Barton approached.
"Thanks for inviting us to the meeting guys. We haven't been looking everywhere for you at all." Natasha said, her voice dripping in sarcasm.
Steve smiled, and reached to shake their hands. "Didn't know if you were even in the country. But glad you are here."
"So what do we know?" Clint asked, looking down at Tony with a confused expression.
"Nothing. We know nothing. They won't let us in." Phil answered
"Relax Agent Coulson, they can't ignore all the evidence we have found. They have to at least agree there are a lot of questions as to what is going on." Natasha responded, she walked over and leaned against the wall, folding her arms across her chest.
As she finished her sentence, the door finally opened and Fury and Loki exited. Loki looked surprised at everyone there waiting, and it almost made him smile.
Fury held up his hands, as multiple voices started asking questions. "Alright everybody. They are willing to listen, even though they still won't be persuaded that Asgard is not at fault here. There is a lot to discuss, but there isn't time. Coulson, you will go with Loki to Asgard. Assist him in getting us some help here, and get back ASAP. Got it? Everyone else? Back to SHIELD, we still have a lot of work to do."
They all turned, and headed down the hallway except Phil. "Director? Leaving right now to go to Asgard? I want to help, but what if something happens to Wendy while I'm gone?"
Loki clapped his hand on Phil's shoulder, "I know I am asking a lot of you. But I need your help, please come with me, and I promise to have you back here as soon as I can."
Phil nodded his head. "Let's go."
"Thank you for opening the gate so quickly." Loki bowed before Hiemdall. He knew the man hated him, but he still did his job, regardless.
"Of course your majesty." He looked from Loki, to Phil with suspicion. "Where are princess Lucy, and the children?"
Loki's eyes filled with tears, and he flinched in pain, "I wish I knew great one. We need to be on our way to the palace immediately, or I would gladly tell you everything. We must go."
Loki ran across bi-frost, with Phil right behind him. Phil did his best to ignore the wonder around him, and focus on the task at hand.
When they reached the other side of the bridge, Loki turned to Phil. "This is where I will be needing your assistance. We have no horses, and it will take us far too long to walk. I am going to have to teleport both of us."
Phil looked at Loki skeptically. "All the way to the palace? Can you do that?"
Loki looked down, "no I cannot. That is why I will need your help. I do not know how close I can get us, I have never tried to go such a distance. I once transported Lucy from the stadium to the palace, and it exhausted me. This is twice that distance, at least. It will drain me completely to do this. I may even fall unconscious."
"So I need to carry you the rest of the way then?"
Loki gave a sad smile, and put a hand on Phil's shoulder. "Things are far heavier here, than on Midgard. You will not be able to carry me. You will have to find us help. Someone with a horse that we can use to make up the rest of the distance. Do you know how to ride?"
Phil nodded his head, but was quite uncertain as to whether riding horses at home could be compared to the giants they rode here.
"Ready then?" Loki asked tentatively.
Phil just stepped forward and nodded his head, and before he realized it happened, they were standing in the middle of a deserted street. Phil looked around, and was grateful to see the palace only a few city blocks in the distance.
He turned back to Loki, who was trying to steady himself. Finally he just reached out for Phil, and collapsed. Phil attempted to lower him to the ground, but Loki was right, the man felt like he weighed five hundred pounds. He did his best to slide him to the street, rather than just dropping him in a heap, and then turned to look for help.
He ran to the door closest to his location. Having no idea what was waiting on the other side, he pounded on it and waited patiently.
A tall man opened the door, and looked down quizzically at Phil. "Yes? What can I do for you?"
"I need your help. Do you have a horse?" Phil was trying not to sound as frantic as he felt.
"Of course I have a horse. But I cannot just entrust it to a complete stranger."
Phil pointed to Loki still laying in the street. "I have Prince Loki with me, I need to get him to the palace as quickly as possible. It's an emergency."
The man looked over Phil's shoulder at Loki, and then back at Phil with a worried look on his face. "The prince, does he live?"
"What? Oh yes, yes he is alive. Just unconscious. I don't suppose you have anything that would help with that too?"
"Of course. Give me a moment, I'll be right out."
He closed the door in Phil's face, and for a second Phil was sure the man was never coming back. He ran back to Loki, and started slapping his face, trying to get him to wake up. A moment later, the man knelt next to Phil.
"Here try this, just hold it under his nose. If that does not work, pour it down his throat."
Phil took the bottle of strange looking liquid an looked at the man, "this is safe right?"
The man sighed, "I would not kill a Prince of Asgard. His state was brought on by using too much magic, am I correct?"
"Yeah, I guess so. He tried to teleport us to the palace, and this is as far we got." As Phil was speaking he opened the bottle and waved it in front of Loki's face. Nothing happened.
"He must drink it. Pour it down his throat, it will work quickly. I will retrieve my horse."
The man left quickly, and Phil tilted Loki's head back. He looked at the green stuff in the bottle, and grimaced. "Well, sorry buddy. This stuff looks awful, but we gotta do this." He said, as he poured the liquid down Loki's throat.
It took about thirty seconds, and then Loki's eyes fluttered open and he started to cough. "Thank goodness that worked. I did not want to have to give you mouth to mouth.".
Phil helped Loki sit up, right as the man came back with his horse.
"Are you alright my lord?" The man bowed low before Loki.
Loki nodded, and recognized the man from the marketplace. "Yes. Thank you for your assistance. I will have your steed returned to you, as soon as we reach the palace."
"Of course your majesty, there is no hurry. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
Loki tried to remember the man's name, to thank him properly, but his mind was still foggy. Phil reached his hand out and shook the surprised man's hand. "Thanks buddy."
Loki climbed to his feet, and was able to climb up behind Phil onto the horse. Phil shook his head, he was about to ride a giant horse. It was by far the craziest thing that had happened in a very long time, and considering his job, that was saying something.
He maneuvered the animal slowly towards the palace, knowing if Loki fell off, he was not going to be able to get him back on. Loki wobbled, but managed to stay upright. He was pale, and looked completely exhausted.
When they finally arrived at the base of the palace stairs, Phil murmured that he was never happier to see security guards in his life. He called out to them and they came running over.
"Prince Loki? Are you alright? What are you doing here?" One of the guards said, as two other lifted Loki from the horse, and held him on his feet.
"I need to see my father...emergency..." He managed to mumble, before he passed out again.
The guards looked to Phil. "Odin, We need to see Odin right away."
The guard next to Phil, frowned. "The Allfather is not here. He and Prince Thor have been away for days now. The queen sits on the throne, until his return."
"Then take us to her please."
They were quite a site stumbling into the throne room. Two guards carrying the still unconscious Loki, and Phil following with two more guards in tow.
Frigga climbed to her feet, as they entered. And when she recognized her son, she gasped.
"Loki!? What has happened? How did he get here?" She placed her hands on her son's face, pushing his long hair back and looking in each one of his eyes.
Phil cleared his throat, "um, I'm sorry ma'am, but there is a lot of explaining to do, and not a lot of time."
Frigga looked up, and seemed to notice him for the first time. "Agent Coulson! Where is Lucy?"
"A LOT of explaining, ma'am."
Frigga huffed, and looked around. "Place him in his chair." She turned to a young girl, that Phil recognized from his last visit. "Kayla, fetch Alfie. Send him for the healers, and retrieve me a vial of draught from the cabinet in Lucy's chambers."
"Yes your majesty." The girl said, she bowed, and ran for the door as one of the guards opened it for her.
Frigga then turned to the guard that had been in the room with her. "Gunnar we need Sif, and the warriors three here immediately. Find them."
"As you wish your majesty.". He ran out the door, taking two of the guards with him.
Phil was amazed at the woman's grace. She was completely calm, and seemed to know exactly what to do, despite having absolutely no idea what was happening.
She ran to her son, and knelt in front of him. She removed a band from the bottom of her hair, and pulled Loki's hair back out of his face. "Wake up my boy, I am here. What has happened?" She whispered it softly to him, like a lullaby, as she softly brushed her hand over his face. When he didn't open his eyes, she turned to Phil. "Tell me everything."
Phil had never seen a woman multitask like Queen Frigga. She gave orders as people entered the room, sometimes without even looking to see who it was. She hovered over Loki, who was finally conscious enough to speak. She was constantly holding his hand, or touching his face. She sat on the floor at his feet, and refused to move, as the healers worked. All while listening intently as Loki and Phil explained their entire situation.
She didn't even lose a step when she was told about Lucy and the children. Phil thought he saw a tear make its way down her cheek, but she wiped it quickly and went back to work.
They were still in the middle of their story, when Thor's friends arrived. The four of them bowed before Frigga and Loki, and Sif spoke for all of them.
"Your orders my queen?"
"Find Odin and Thor. Today. I don't care what they are doing, or where they are. Find them, and bring them home. Skylanas has been to Midgard, and he has taken our daughter, and grandchildren."
All four were quick to their feet at her words. "It will not take all four of us to find them your majesty. Surely there is something more we can do?"
Frigga nodded her head, "yes, yes maybe you are right. Split up, two go for Odin, and the other two need to start asking questions. Try going to some of Loki's less reputable friends." She looked over at her son, who nodded his head.
"What information are we seeking exactly? Sif asked.
"Lucy and the children were moved from Midgard to another realm. We are not sure which one." Loki managed to say. "See if anyone has heard anything about their movements, or anything else that is unusual."
"Of course Loki. I am sorry for what has taken place. We WILL find them, I promise." Fandral added.
And with that the four of them headed out of the palace at a run.
Phil crouched down next to Frigga, "Now what?" He said softly.
She looked up at her exhausted son. "Now, Loki's guards take him to his room to rest. And you and I? Well, Agent Coulson, we wait."