After almost a day - or maybe not a day, simply an amount of time that seemed for Loki like day - he lost hope. No one saw or heard anything. Everybody was either not very observant or didn't want to tell him anything.

Honestly, he thought with bitterness, both options were equally possible.

He actually started to wonder about some other plan, but he had no idea what else could he do. After all, he won't just go and knock all over the houses to find the headquarter of some conspiracy groups was.

Loki already almost decided to try for an hour or even a bit less more and… maybe knock in some door in the hope the owners will be a good host.

But then - the first time since hours - he turned out to be lucky. This time he didn't even have to ask anybody.

The answer came to him itself.

He was just going to talk to another person when he heard a loud voice coming from the crowd.

"Zakaary!"

Loki ignored that at first - he heard people calling each other all day.

"Zakaary!" The call repeated, this time somewhere closer.

"Zakaary, I was looking for you everywhere!" Only then, Loki felt someone putting a hand on his shoulder and understood currently he was Zakaary.

The god turned around trying not to look too impatient and took a closer look at the person who called him.

It was a thick man dressed a bit careless with a square face and a relieved expression.

"You will never believe what happened!" He assured. Loki squinted his eyes wondering how should he act. In the end, he chose moderate neutrality.

"What do you mean?"

"Guess."

Well, just great. Now he was totally dead.

"I have no idea what may that be." Answered finally Loki evasively. The man rolled his eyes clearly excited.

"Then you will think through the way." He said. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway."

Loki frowned. He could try to escape from that, but he decided it was an as good option as any. His previous searching didn't come out to be too successful anyway.

"Lead the way then." Said the god and the man he was talking to laughed while finally moving in the direction of some side street.

"What did they gave you in this gin shop?" He asked mockingly. "The last time I saw you so calm you were recovering after this accident with the Grandmaster's spaceship."

Loki raised eyebrows walking behind the guy's back. That was becoming more and more interesting. Also, he was wondering what kind of accident could possibly be.

"I don't know what are you talking about." He said finally hoping that it will help him somehow. The man he was talking to laugh even louder than before.

"Dear Grandmaster on a cracker." He said and turned left. "You really did take something." He laughed again and then he needed a moment to calm himself down, but when he did he suddenly got a bit more serious. "I shouldn't tell, but… it's not the best moment."

"Why is that?"

The man stopped before the door of a little, old house looking like it could fall into pieces at any moment and answer.

"That…" He paused for a better effect and slowly pressed a handle. "...is why."

He opened the door and moved aside evidently inviting Loki to come in first. The god looked at him with wonder but stepped inside at last.

It was dark - the sun has almost set and there was no light turned on - but he could clearly see someone sitting comfortably in the corner. He squinted his eyes to take a closer look at who is that, but just then his newly known mate turned on the light.

Loki blinked a few times trying to adjust his sight to the jarring bulbs. It took him a few seconds, but once he saw everything clearly he noticed one - well two - things immediately.

The first one was the person sitting on the chair.

If it wasn't a thief he was almost sure he saw in the tower - young, maybe thirteen years old boy almost as much thick as the man who invited Loki in - then it had to be his twin.

The second one was the thing the boy was holding tight in his hands.

The Grandmaster's scepter.

Who would suspect that?

At first, Loki wanted to catch the scepter and run away - they would never catch him - but then he realized he was standing in an awfully unfavorable place - between the two men and not next to the door - and he restrained.

He said instead.

"Is that what you wanted to show me?" Loki hoped it sounded at least a bit like a normal speech of Zakaary. "With that scepter…! Where did you take it from?"

"I stole it." The boy showed off with a content smile. "The security sucks there."

"Yep." The man that invited Loki went inside closing the door behind him. "That's my boy. His first mission and he already succeed." And then he looked accusatory at the god of mischief. "And you doubted that it's possible."

Loki didn't have time to doubt, but he could bet that if he was Zakaary, he probably would, so he nodded.

He started to analyze the situation. Now he could easily grab a scepter and run to the door before anybody will catch him, but he wasn't sure if they didn't have some other weapon. Someone who steals the scepter of the ruler can't be completely helpless.

Finally, he decided on a different plan.

"You have to try it." He said. "What if we've got a fake one?"

"Stop being so suspicious." The man rolled his eyes. "You know you wouldn't like to try it. You saw how it works."

"Not all scepters work the same." Insisted Loki.

"Goddamnit, Zak." The man lost his patience. "These visit in wherever you just been completely messed your mind, you are not yourself today."

"No, dad, let him try." The boy looked rather gloomy now. He pulled a scepter in Loki's side. "If he wishes to become a tyrant he always wanted to destroy, then let him."

Loki didn't wait any longer. He grabbed a scepter but instead of trying to meet someone he threw himself to the door using a moment of inattention.

He was almost safe outside. He even got rid of his illusion to be more comfortable during the runaway, but before he got to went out he fell on someone.

He staggered back trying to catch his balance.

He leaned on a scepter and then finally looked at the person guilty of his failure.

It was Darcy.

"What the…" He started Loki but then he felt someone grabbing the scepter. Okay, that was definitely more important now.

The god quickly considered what shall he do. Melting those people wasn't the best solution, especially with the mortal next to him who would probably try to murder him if he murdered someone on her eyes.

That is if she didn't already come with this intention in there. And as much as he knew he could easily get rid of her, he had enough as for one day and he surely would have to explain to the Grandmaster - who despite all his action clearly liked Darcy - why isn't she with him.

The only thing left to do was dispose of with them in a less… deadly way.

So he turned around hitting a surprised man in a thigh with his leg. As the thick one loosed the handle on the scepter Loki pulled it out of his hands and hit the man in the face with its end.

That was enough to make him fall dazed on a floor.

But he forgot about the thirteen-year-old still sitting in the corner. When Loki looked up at him the only thing he wanted to do was facepalming himself.

The kid was holding a gun.