Chapter 5: Fine Whine

Tony Stark stared at the phone in his hand. "What the hell is Loki doing back here?"

Pepper shrugged. "I guess we are going to find out. Are you going to call Fury?"

Stark considered that and then shook his head. "No. He is on a need to know basis, and I don't think he needs to know… at least right now. There is something… wrong here. What is he doing in Central Park? And… more importantly, who were those three with him? One looked like that dude from that movie everyone was raving about last winter."

Pepper went to look at the images that had been saved on the computer. "Hmmm, you're right. He does look like him. Are you certain this is the real Loki?"

"For some reason, I do think it is." Stark moved to stand behind her, staring at Loki. He touched the screen, blowing up the image of Loki. "And how the hell did he get that back?" He pointed to the scepter. "I thought Fury took it."

Pepper shook her head. "No, it was still out on the patio. I put it down in your lab."

"JARVIS!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Is Loki's scepter still in my lab?"

"It does not appear to be."

"When did you see it last?"

"I believe it was still there two days ago. In the back closet where Ms. Potts put it."

"But it is not there now, right?"

"Correct."

"Damn! That has to be Loki then."

"We are going there?" Thranduil pointed to Stark's tower. "It looks like something out of Mordor."

"Mordor?" Loki looked at his companion curiously. "Where is this Mordor? Is it a not so nice place to visit?"

"Definitely."

"Well, that more or less describes Stark Tower," Loki replied with a chuckle. "I am rather surprised that Stark is actually welcoming me to visit. He was not exactly pleased with me the last time I was here."

"No one was," Sif muttered under her breath.

Tauriel shot her a sharp glance. The two women fell slightly behind the men. "Do tell."

Sif snorted. "Last time, Loki tried to rule Earth. They were not precisely pleased with his attempt and he was returned to Asgard and sentenced to prison for life."

"Life? How did he get out?"

"Thor came up with a plan to save his girlfriend." Sif frowned thinking of Jane. "Anyway, he had us help Loki escape. Loki then helped Thor try to get the Aether back, but I don't know how that ended up. Thor had not returned when I ended up in your realm."

"You do not like Thor's girlfriend I take it," Tauriel commented.

"No, she is not of Asgard. She belongs here on Earth with the other mortals."

"So you are immortal, like us elves?"

"Not exactly, but we do live a long time. Several thousand years at least."

The group had reached the edges of the park, and the sidewalks were crowded with people hurrying to work. Most people simply moved aside to allow them to pass. Thranduil, being a king, accepted the deferential treatment, expecting to be permitted to pass without any obstruction. He did not realize that the weapons the group carried were more the reason than his kingly manner. He simply walked with a slight condescending air about him.

They walked at a brisk pace, eventually reaching Stark Tower. A guard greeted them. "Mr. Stark is expecting you, Mr. Loki."

He escorted them to a waiting elevator.

"What is this box?" Thranduil demanded to know.

"An elevator, sir," the guard replied.

"What is the purpose of this ellyvator?"

"It will transport you up to the living levels where Mr. Stark resides."

"It's safe. Trust me," Loki grinned, stepping into the elevator. The others entered and the doors swept shut.

"We are rising?" Thranduil asked, feeling the motion of the elevator.

"Yes." Loki pointed up. "Stark lives up there."

"He lives in the clouds? How is this possible?"

"No, on an upper level of the tower. We're safe." The doors whooshed open as Loki finished speaking.

"Ah, Loki. Welcome back!" Tony Stark greeted his guests.

"Yes, we just happened to be in the area, so I thought I would drop by. This is Thranduil, King of the Elves of Middle Earth," Loki offered the introduction.

Tauriel almost choked. "King of the Elves?"

Thranduil shot her a glance. "Well, I am the only Elven King of Middle Earth. Celeborn and Elrond are only lords."

Tauriel rolled her eyes. "We will never be able to live with him after this. King of Middle Earth?" She groaned.

Loki cleared his throat. "And, we brought you a gift," his arm swept back towards the ladies who were carrying the bottles of wine.

Stark grinned. "I always did like a beautiful woman…"

"Tony!" Pepper said sharply.

"Pepper…" Stark cocked his head at Pepper. "You know me. Thanks, Loki." He reached out and accepted the bottles of wine and inspected them. "No labels? Special blend?"

"They are the finest wines of Mirkwood," Thranduil said.

"Well… I can't say as I have ever had any Mirkwood wine before. Middle Earth you say?" Stark stared at Thranduil. "You look just like the dude who played that elf in The Hobbit."

"You know of hobbits?" Thranduil's brow furrowed in confusion. "Do you have hobbits here?"

"No, hobbits aren't real. Guy by the name of Tolkien made them up," Stark replied.

"Hobbits are indeed real. I have met one, a burglar hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. He was working for the dwarves," Thranduil countered.

"Bilbo?" He looked at Pepper. "Isn't that the name of the hobbit in the movie?"

"And in the books," Pepper concurred.

"Books? You have books about hobbits?" Thranduil stared at her.

"Sure do. Now, about that wine…" Stark led them into the living room. "Tell me more about why you are here while we have a drink."

Once everyone was settled sipping the Mirkwood wine, Stark looked directly at Loki. "Last time I saw you, Thor was taking you back to Asgard… muzzled and cuffed. Next thing I know, I get a phone call from NYPD."

"NYPD?" Loki looked slightly confused and then realized Stark was referring to the police officers. "Ah, the guards in the park."

"Guards… ah, right. Them. So do tell. How'd you end up back here… and how'd you get your scepter back?"

Loki quickly recounted his tale. When he finished, he took a sip of wine. "So, now we are here. I do apologize for my previous behavior; I wasn't exactly myself."

"Really? So who were you?"

"I would rather not discuss it." Loki closed the subject. "Tell us more about this hobbit book. I did not have the opportunity to meet any hobbits while I was on Middle Earth."

"How did you get there? Then here?" Stark asked.

"I believe the convergence has much to do with it. Have you seen my brother recently?" Loki asked.

"Convergence? Jane Foster was complaining of some odd phenomena…"

"Sir?" Jarvis' voice echoed in the room.

"What is it? I told you not to interrupt me unless it was important."

"I believe you need to see this." The television in the room turned on with a news report flashing across the screen.

"We have breaking news here in Wiltshire, England. Famous scientist Dr. Erik Selvig was just captured here at Stonehenge. A complaint came in that a man was running around naked at the famous monument…"