Chapter Forty-Two - On Thin Ice
Clint shivered so hard that he heard it in his breathing; and it took extra effort to hold his bow steady. About five feet ahead of the archer, Diani lead their group in her fox form, which afforded her better vision in the gloomy tunnels and the advantage of more sensitive hearing and scent detection. The fur would surely keep her warmer too. Mitzi stayed at Clint's side, carrying both her longsword and Diani's dagger.
"You're gonna have to tell me about Wraith Hunters sometime," Clint whispered to the Elf.
"It's a good story," Mitzi told him. "History that many have forgotten."
Three of Farbauti's warriors followed behind with their clubs and two glowing ice orbs. Their distrustful glares and combined chill in the cramped space added to Clint's discomfort.
"That is the way to the prison," the group leader said, gesturing to the left as they reached a junction.
Mitzi stopped when Diani did and put out her arm to slow Clint. Diani's head moved to one side then the other, her nose up and ears turning in as she evaluated. Then she shifted her body to the right, looked back at them and gave a small whimper.
Clint activated his power, straining to see into the darkness beyond the light of the orbs. "What is it?" he asked.
"I see nothing," the leader said, his tone brusque. "Move on."
"What's down that way?"
"Empty rooms."
The Jotun did not look to be in a compromising mood.
"Watch our backs," Clint said to Mitzi. He gestured Diani to take the lead down the left passage and they soon came upon a reinforced door at the end. This proved an unusual sight as he'd noted a general lack of doors throughout the expansive cave and tunnel system running through the mountain. He approached the door, scanning around its edges for any signs of tampering.
"I really hope this isn't booby-trapped," he commented to Diani who waited between his boots. "Maybe you should back up."
Diani complied, slipping around him.
At that point, everything Clint did was slow and methodical. He lifted the latch, pushed open the door and peeked through the doorway at the top stair. He detected nothing so far, other than what might have been a whisper in the darkness below. Moving onto the stair, Clint recalled the vision he'd had, focusing on Bad Loki's movements as he descended into the prison, noting how he stepped and if he skipped any stairs, which he hadn't. So, Clint kept close to the wall and started down.
"Who is it?" a hushed voice asked.
Clint stopped, his attention now on the small lantern situated on a slender, stone pedestal in the center of the room. The lantern's flame was green and fairly limited, yet magical energy radiated from it.
"Friends," Clint replied.
Another voice made a quick shushing sound and warned, "He'll hear you."
Clint peeked into the first of the cells. He caught faint movement in the darkness and a definite chill coming from that direction. "Hey, I'm Clint," he said, keeping the volume of his voice low. "Can you tell me what's special about this lantern out here?"
The form approached. It was a female Jotun slightly taller than Clint. Her expression grew more fearful as she got a closer look at him and accused, "You are Asgardian."
"I am Human, actually," he explained, "and here to help. Tell me about the lantern."
A second chill washed over Clint as the leader stepped up beside him. "Speak, child," he said. "The lantern is magical?"
"Yes. The Bad Man listens. When it shines bright, he is watching."
Clint scanned the space again now that his eyes were better adjusted. "Anyone else watching?"
"Sometimes. He has helpers."
The leader produced a large master key from a pouch dangling at his side. He slipped it into the keyhole, unlocking and opening the cell door, which creaked so loudly it put Clint more on edge.
Diani stood halfway down the stairs. Clint caught her gaze, pointed to his own eyes then waved her back up to the door. She nodded, seeming to understand that this was a request for her to help Mitzi keep watch. Since she had yet to leave her fox form, Diani had to jump one stair at a time.
The leader made his way around, unlocking each door. The last cell was empty, confirming to Clint that Bad Loki had indeed taken the boy who had spoken out against him. The other seven children gathered at the staircase, starting the climb with the Jotun adults.
Clint waited, willing to go last to avoid being surrounded by the combined chill of the group. He focused on the lantern, which hadn't brightened any, as he backed up the stairs and into the passage.
The Jotun returned the way they'd come, but Clint found the twins once again stopped at the junction, crouched low and looking down the opposite passage.
"We heard a noise," Mitzi whispered.
"Let's check it out." Clint caught the eye of the leader. "Coming?"
The Jotun hesitated, gesturing the other men to continue on with the children before he fell in line with Clint's group. They crept forward. The passage connected to a cavern with decorative archways leading out of it. The location looked familiar to Clint, possibly the same he'd seen in his vision of Farbauti and Ashaunti.
He heard sounds and turned toward them, stepping through the nearest archway and inching down the short passage. He stopped before he reached the end, flattening out against the wall while he took in the view through the open doorway ahead. Clint saw hundreds of reddish cylinders stacked chest-high in bunches with short fuses.
"What are those?" Mitzi asked with unease.
"Explosives. Dynamite."
"A trap? Bad Loki knew we were coming?"
"I don't know, but I'm guessing there are enough explosives in there to cause significant destruction to these tunnels."
Again there was a noise from the room beyond and everyone tensed.
Clint continued down, his gaze shifting and bow ready. He peeked around the left side of the doorway seeing thousands more explosives stacked along the walls and in a large pile in the center of the room. Resting atop or along the base of the stacks were weapons and objects of various functions and sizes. From their glowing auras, Clint assumed these items were the magical artifacts stolen by Bad Loki and that their positioning with the dynamite was intentional.
A sudden growl from Diani made Clint turn his head in time to see her lunge from concealment toward a figure crouched down on the right side. With a leap, the fox sank her teeth into the arm of Marcus Rodriguez who snarled then slammed her against the jagged rock wall.
By the time Clint got turned around, Diani was crumpled on the floor, having been jolted out of her fox form.
Marcus dashed behind the dynamite pile. Instead of pursuing him around to the right, Clint stepped to the left, clearing the doorway so Mitzi could get to her sister.
"Give up, Marcus," Clint said, "or you're a goner as soon as I get a clear shot."
Rodriguez's flat response was, "I have fulfilled my purpose."
The Jotun cleared the doorway, moving to come around the pile from the opposite side.
"Heimdall," Mitzi called out, "Diani is seriously injured; and Clint says we're surrounded by explosives called dynamite."
"That's right," Rodriguez said. "I only have to light one of these fuses. It doesn't matter which. The whole mountain could come down."
The tone was too cold for the compassionate Marcus Rodriguez that Clint had worked with for over a year and considered one of his best soldiers. One glimpse at the blue glow in the Mexican's eyes told Clint the truth. His friend was now separated by layers of madness, unable to break free of the double's commands that directed his thoughts and actions independent of his own will.
I know what it's like to be unmade, Clint thought. He wouldn't wish the experience on his worst enemy.
Hawkeye whipped around the pile, spotted the lighter in Marcus' hand and the bulk of his armored vest and went for the kill shot to the throat. It took two seconds, maybe less, for his body to register the injury before Marcus collapsed, but Clint was too late.
One short fuse was lit.
It was a moment for action, but no solution struck him. Even a retreat was out of the question with the amount of explosive power about to be unleashed.
The Jotun lunged forward, snatching the fuse between his large forefinger and thumb and extinguished the flame with his freezing touch.
Clint gasped and gripped at his chest, feeling an overwhelming rush of relief. "Great reflexes," he complimented the Jotun between deep breaths.
The Jotun appeared amused by Clint's reaction. "Tell your people that the great warrior Mabrun, son of Nagrun, saved your life."
"It's a deal," Clint agreed, shedding the elation as he crouched down beside the body and spreading pool of blood. The natural chocolate brown of Marcus' lifeless eyes stared as Clint pocketed the lighter. "I'm sorry, my friend," he said, hardening himself against the emotion and reverently closed the man's eyes.
Mabrun leaned closer to bathe Clint's features with his corrosive chill. "He was your friend?"
Clint refused to flinch as he met the warrior's harsh stare. "Yeah. Marcus was a good man, when he was himself."
With an accepting nod, the Jotun reached his hand toward the dynamite beside them.
"Don't touch," Clint warned. "Frozen dynamite is usually safe to handle until it starts to thaw, but we can't take any chances. We've got to find a way to get all this out of here; and Diani needs medical attention."
"If we can't touch them…?"
"My people can find a way to do it safely, if Farbauti will allow it."
The Jotun stood, looking around as he considered. "We must guard this room," he decided. "Help will come."
Dr. Lloyd met Loki, Thor and Cami at the garden entrance of the command center as they landed. "Anyone hurt?" he asked, making a quick visual inspection.
"You should look her over," Loki said, glancing at Cami with firm insistence.
Cami indicated the adhesive bandages on her cheek and ear. "I got these and some bruises before Cedar Falls."
Lloyd nodded. "King Odin sent word to the Zovodna. Jorn and Mahlora are waiting with Queen Frigga to examine you. Hopefully they will figure out what's going wrong with your magic."
Loki sent Cami off with a quick kiss then followed Thor into the command center where new personnel bustled about. In fact, an Asian woman Loki had never seen before with determined, angry features strode up and delivered a swift, powerful punch that stunned and scattered his senses.
"Was that necessary?" Thor demanded.
"Oh yeah," was her smug reply. "He's getting off easy."
Loki squelched the urge to cover or touch his throbbing jaw. He blinked until his vision cleared from the pain then his frame steeled and breath caught as he spotted a ghost moving through the gaping crowd.
"I think you've made your point, May," Agent Coulson said.
He looked quite solid and alive with his almost smile and cool, confident stare. Loki could even smell his subtle cologne, intensifying the memory of their last encounter, which came flooding back to further agitate his unease.
"How?"
"It's classified," Coulson replied pointedly. He looked pleased by Loki's confusion, but said nothing more over several, uncomfortable seconds.
Steve Rogers stepped up. "Sir, with all due respect, now is not the time for this."
"Agreed," Coulson said, though his gaze remained focused on Loki.
"We have news," Maria Hill reported to the whole room. "First, Clint and the twins have found a huge stash of dynamite and magical artifacts beneath the Jotun capital."
King Odin added, "In the past when the city was under attack, the Jotun sent the women and children into the tunnels to hide."
"And now they have no safe place to retreat," Thor said.
"Which leads to our next problem," Maria said. "Our scouts in the Jotunheim have seen activity in multiple areas surrounding the capital. It appears that Loki and his mages are preparing something, but we don't know exactly what it is, only that he ultimately plans to kill every last Frost Giant."
"Also, Diani has been injured," Rosner said, his features lightly flushing with color. "We need to convince Queen Farbauti to let a rescue team into the tunnels."
The crowd parted as Odin approached Loki. "Make the plans," he said to the commanding officers, "while I speak with my son on this matter." He took Loki by the upper arm, guiding him out to the edge of the gardens as the sun cleared the horizon to start a new day.
"You want me to talk to Farbauti, to forgive her, but you don't have the right to ask that," Loki snapped, his throat tightening. "She cast me out to die!"
"I can't make you forgive anyone for anything, Loki. I want you to understand the facts that have very recently come to light. There are truths that even I did not know."
Loki stared at him, thinking his open attitude had to be a trick, but not sure what retort to use. He allowed Odin to continue, staring at the brightening colors of the grass and flowers as once again everything he knew about himself seemed to unravel.
Odin sensed his doubt at the news. "Agent Barton saw it in a vision," he restated, "and Ashaunti confirmed. Farbauti defied Laufey to save your life."
Loki stepped away from Odin, shaking his head with confusion and disbelief.
"She now knows you are alive and were raised in Asgard by me."
"I'm to be dangled in front of her as an enticement to cooperate."
Odin kept moving forward every time Loki stepped back. He said, "I'm asking for this favor, Loki, not commanding it."
"I don't know what to do." He confessed, "When you sent me to serve the Frost Giants, I was brazenly mean and disrespectful to Farbauti; and she never knew my true reason for hating her."
"If you don't feel you can face her, I will send someone else."
"And if she won't agree?"
"We'll do what we must."
Loki pondered and worried as he accompanied Coulson and Natasha through the bifrost. The Jotun guards at the site were big, even for Frost Giants, and made him feel so weak and small. Coulson did most of the talking with Natasha throwing out some strong points that finally convinced the guards to pass along their request. Though Loki had not been identified to the guards, Farbauti and her sister appeared to know he was coming before he stepped into the chamber.
The queen sat stiffly upon her throne with Ashaunti seated at her right. "Prince Loki," Farbauti said in cool recognition.
Standing tall in his agency uniform, Loki respectfully acknowledged her. "Queen Farbauti."
"Your friends have not returned from the tunnels, though two of my warriors and the children did."
Coulson said, "Those still in the tunnels are in trouble, your majesty," and briefly described what had been reported through Heimdall's contact with them.
"Please," Loki beseeched her, "allow us to bring in a team to deal with this threat. If those explosives go off, many could die."
There was a quiet deliberation between the sisters before the queen spoke again. "My people feel I am foolish to allow Asgard and S.H.I.E.L.D. into our borders, especially now that your forces have been spying outside our city. I am placing great trust on the word of my sister and the sincerity of Clint Barton that this story of the blood sorceress and your evil-hearted twin is not a ploy to destroy us."
"I am not known for my trustworthiness or good deeds," Loki admitted. "In light of past events, I am the last person to which you should listen."
"Are you here seeking redemption?"
Yes, he thought, and this is an intriguing group for me to be making confessions.
At the edge of his vision Agent Coulson was watching him, but Loki pushed through rising reservations. "I seek peace with those I have wronged. I also wish to earn some peace for myself as I have done terrible, unimaginable things."
"You have much to atone for," Farbauti said. "Summon your team, but know this, Prince of Asgard, you will face my wrath like none other if you betray me."
Clint was up and pacing again, attempting to keep warm. The twins shivered too. Diani's features were pale and tense with pain from her injuries, which included a possible concussion and jaw, neck and back fractures that forced her to remain still on the freezing floor. Mitzi stayed close to her, speaking in soft, reassuring tones and trying to share body heat.
At least Mabrun was being kind enough to keep his distance.
Clint's communicator blipped, picking up the Scottish accent of Dr. Fitz. "Agent Barton, please respond."
"This is Barton," Clint said, amazed that a signal had reached him under the mountain.
"We're using drones to map the tunnels and relay our comm signals. What's your status?"
"We secured the threat, but Diani is badly hurt."
"A team's heading your way. I estimate their arrival within five to seven minutes."
"I appreciate the heads up. Thank you."
When the sound of rushing, heavy footfalls in the distant passage reached Clint's ears, he stood and drew his sidearm to cover the doorway. The first man to come into view was Grant Ward, Coulson's specialist. Ward halted, lowering his own weapon then continued into the room when Clint holstered his gun and waved him forward. Behind him, Tony, Bruce, Doctors Simmons and Lloyd, Volstagg and, to Clint's surprise, King Odin filed in.
"Yikes," Tony said from within his Iron Man armor. He turned his head, scanning the room while JARVIS began a detailed analysis of the threat.
The doctors got down with Diani, rattling off questions about pain levels and testing if she had sensation in her outer extremities.
Ward reported, "Agent Rodriguez is dead—fatal wound to the throat."
Bruce and Odin gathered the artifacts, placing them with care into Volstagg's large arms.
"Steve," Tony said through his comm, "the path is clear. We're securing the magic stuff. Group One will be out of here in a few moments."
"Have you decided our move with the dynamite?" Steve asked.
Bruce turned to Tony, activating his own earpiece. "I say we just encase it all in ice and leave it alone. It's not likely to ever melt in this climate."
"I agree," Tony said. "Ask the queen to have some of her mages accompany Group Two."
Clint was listening and watching everyone work, trying to piece together their plan. "Tell me what to do."
Odin and Volstagg drew near. The king touched Clint's arm. "You're leaving with us, Agent Barton."
"What? Why?"
"Agent Romanoff insisted," Odin said, his tone poignant.
"Diani is in shock," Lloyd said. "We shouldn't attempt to carry her out of here without a backboard and neck brace."
Odin assured the doctor. "No one needs to move."
A bright, whitish-blue flash hurt Clint's sensitive eyes. When he blinked his vision into focus, he found they were back in Asgard within the stuffy healing room beside the glowing, bubbling pool of water. Healers rushed forward to assist the doctors and Mitzi with Diani. Ward pushed up from his knees beside Rodriguez's body, giving Clint a sad, respectful nod. Sif, Fandral and Hogun stepped into the room, taking some of the artifacts from Volstagg.
"We will get these analyzed and to the vault right away," Sif promised Odin and ushered the Warriors Three out ahead of her.
By then, Clint realized that Tony and Bruce had not accompanied them. He stared at Odin, who also started away and hurried to fall in behind him. "Now what?" he asked, his tone a little on edge and desperate to understand as things were happening so fast.
"Preparation," Odin said, walking with quick, long strides. "You might have thwarted the double's plan to use the explosives against the Jotun, but he has other mischief in the works."
"Okay. Where do you want me?"
"Loki and Cami have returned. I suggest you meet up with them and your bride in Loki's rooms. I hear there is troubling news."