Chapter 2 - Recon

The journey to England was a cinch in the suit, though the toilet breaks were less than pleasant, but it was nothing compared to flying back to Afghanistan. He touched down in London shortly after dawn, Jarvis had directed him so of course he landed right by the London Eye and suddenly there were people screaming and pointing and camera phones were taken out. He stayed in his suit and watched the crowd converge upon him chanting Iron Man over and over.

'Official business here people, no need to get excited or frightened, the world is safe I am just dropping by to see a friend.

'Tony Stark has friends in the UK!' One of them screamed excitedly.

'Err, actually she is American.' He winced.

He saw a flash of light and froze. 'Shit, papparazi. Gotta run kids!' He took off and hung low in the air, cursing Jarvis for thinking he should break first and go to Jane's after due to the timezone. 'Jarvis, Dr Foster's house stat!'

'Yes sir, calculating coordinates now.'

'Never land me in a tourist spot again ok?' He chided.

'Anything you say sir, now please follow my directions.'

Tony set off the way Jarvis directed her, still grumbling.

'It's 5am what the hell are so many people doing awake, do the English enjoy lack of sleep or what? No one should be out at this time.' Lost in thought and flying almost on autopilot, confident Jarvis's directions would mean he would not hit a building, he dropped lower as he neared his destination. He was flying along a road when suddenly he heard a shout and looked down.

'Woah shit a horse!' He cried out and banked left. He almost flew right over the top of it and it showed its disgust by standing up on two legs and its rider, who had the large words 'POLICE' stamped across the back of his bright jacket. 'SORRY! We don't have you guys in LA!' He yelled back and returned to his muttering. 'Jesus it is 5 fucking am and someone is riding a horse, what the actual hell. Seriously people don't come out of their house in NY unless it is to go to work.'

He finally descended to the apartment Dr Foster was renting out and suddenly wondered how to approach this. Turning up in full suit was probably not the best idea. He opted for taking his helmet off and giving what he hoped was a calm expression as he walked up to the flight of stairs and knocked on the correct door.

No answer, so he hammered on the door and waited until he heard footsteps.

A dark haired woman with bouncing curls answered the door, Darcy Lewis, Tony thought to himself as he recognised her from Jane's file.

She was scowling and half dressed in a robe and tshirt and looked like she was about to let hell rip when she looked at Tony and stopped dead.

'Oh fuck, oh fuck oh fuck oh holy crap JANE JANE WAKE THE FUCK UP IRON MAN IS AT THE FUCKING DOOR GET UP NOW!'

'Hi there, I'm Tony Stark.' He offered a gaunleted hand.

'Oh shit Mr Stark, can I call you that? I am a huge fan.' She took his hand and wrung the life out of it, Tony was glad it was covered in metal. Before he could break the handshake she pulled him inside.

'Mr Stark,' 'call me Tony,' 'Tony, right, um, Mr Tony, um. Are we in trouble? Because seriously the stuff that disappeared from SHIELD had nothing to do with us.'

Tony frowned at her but decided to ignore the remark, from what he had found out, SHIELD probably deserved it. Scratch that, definately deserved it.

'No, you're not in trouble, I need to speak to Dr Foster Miss Lewis,'

'OH MY GOD you know my name?! Wait did you read my file? Seriously most of it was a huge misunderstanding I mean-'

'It is fine Miss Lewis,' 'Darcy,' 'Darcy, I found it hilarious, loved the part about you tasering Thor, there have been more than a few times I wished I could do that myself.'

Darcy blushed in embarassment and then a door creaking signalled the entrance of Dr Foster. Tony turned round and beamed as Jane came out with hair like a haystack.

'Holy crap Darcy you weren't kidding, I thought you were fucking with me to get me awake.'

'Nice to meet you too Dr Foster.'

'Oh shit sorry hi, I'm Jane and you're well, you.' She looked at him in undisguised awe.

'Tony Stark at your service.' He took her offered hand and shook it firmly.

'Are we in trouble?'

'I was just telling your friend here you are not. I actually need your help, so far as we know, you are the only one who can contact Thor. We really, really need him.'

'Thor, right, what time is it in Asgard I have no idea. Ok well it is easy enough to contact him.'

'It is?'

'Yeah come outside.'

Tony followed Jane in confusion with Darcy trailing after him like a puppy. Jane went out onto the streets and stood in the middle of the *thankfully* deserted road.

'Heimdall! Heimdall! I need you, please hear me! SHIELD needs Thor to come back to Earth, we're,' she turned to Tony, 'are we in danger?'

'Shitloads.'

'We're in serious danger Heimdall and we need Thor's help.'

Jane took a breath and moved out of the road.

'So...' Tony started.

'Heimdall is the gatekeeper of the Bifrost on Asgard. He can see and hear everything in the 9 realms, so if you call to him he'll hear you.'

'Well that... Is interesting...' Tony stared at the sky in confused acceptance that everything was weird and he just had to roll with it.

The minutes ticked by and they eventually sat down, each tried to invoke some idle chatter, but it was strained and did not last.

All of a sudden the skies began to darken and Jane's head snapped up, there it was, the distinct sound of thunder clashing over head. She leaped to her feet as a very bright beam of light hit the ground with immeasurable force and out of it stepped Thor.

'Jane, my love, what news?' He let her jump into his arms and pulled her close, kissing her so passionately Tony felt he should be looking away. But instead he thought, why can't all the Asgardians, what was it Loki called them? Aesir? Be so unprejudiced, sure he didn't want them all kissing but, if Thor could love a mortal after all he was brought up to know, why couldn't his father be a little less stuck up and a bit more helpful. Not going to get started on his brother though. Bag and cats spring to mind.

When Thor finally tore himself away from Jane he looked over to see Tony and smiled wide.

'Tony Stark, it is good to see you, though it is darkened by the circumstances we must meet under.' He walked over and clasped Tony's hand before pulling him off his feet into a rib crushing embrace, again he was glad to be in his suit.

'Woah ok Hercules, breach of personal space here, what is it with Aesir and that?'

'How do you come to know that term?'

'Not important, what is important is getting you all up to speed with what is going on. Jarvis, tell Fury we have the big guy.'

'Fury? Oh no he is not coming here.'

Wind was buffeted in their direction as a jet came over the tops of the buildings around them.

'I'm afraid I'm already hear.' Came a voice projected from the carrier as it landed.

Once the dust settled down the back of the jet came down and Fury stepped out onto the concrete.

'Stark, we brought you a ride.'

'Oh how thoughtful of you after it took ALL NIGHT for me to fly here by myself.'

'We had to hang back incase our dear Dr Foster decided to be difficult.' He looked over at her and nodded and she promptly turned away.

'Why a jet, surely big guns here and I could have flown back ourselves, I was looking forward to seeing what he was made of actually.'

'Because we need Dr Foster aswell, and I doubt she would enjoy being carried over an ocean.'

'Well there is that.'

'What need do you have of Jane?' Thor pushed her behind him protectively.

'Her mind is what I need, she may prove useful to us.'

'It's ok I'll just stay here whilst you go save the world.' Darcy said sarcastically.

'If I go, Darcy goes.' Jane replied without looking at Fury.

'Does that mean you will cooperate?'

'Maybe, I haven't decided.'

'Good, now please step aboard the carrier and lets get back to New York.'

Fury turned in a flourish of black trench coat and walked back inside the carrier before Thor, Jane and Darcy marched in behind him. Tony followed quietly, wondering what Fury's plan would be this time.

As they sat and stood inside the plane Fury showed them the footage from Tony's encounter with Loki, much to Thor's outrage.

'I have been played for a fool! I told Father he must take precautions but he told me no one could escape such a cell. I told him if Loki can use his magic in it he could get out but my Father said it was contained.' He gritted his teeth and looked like he was trying very hard to stop himself punching something.

'Where Loki is concerned we have all been played, and played very well.' Fury started. 'No one could have guessed any of this would happen.' He finished in a tone that suggested the Aesir should have known damned well it would.

Thor looked up from where he was trying to burn through the floor with his eyes and let out a deel breath.

'I am sorry my brother has done, what he has done all for the sake of getting home. It was alot easier to justify before this information.'

'Yes because at first we put it down to him being mentally unhinged, but now we see he is mentally unhinged and smart as fuck. A bad combination.'

'I understand your feelings Stark but please remember of whom you speak.'

'I remember well, seeing as I still have a handprint on my neck where he pinned me against a wall and strangled me last night.'

Thor looked at him before sighing resignedly.

'So what do you need Jane for exactly?' Darcy piped up as silence fell.

'We don't have enough information to know that yet but Dr Selveig is on leave until he recovers, so you are our best hope in any matters concerning Thor's kind.'

Thor threw him a dirty look but said nothing and went to sit next to Jane, wrapping her tiny hand in his giant mit.

'The others are waiting at base for us and have been debriefed.' Fury said nonchalantly.

'Please tell me this base does not float.' Tony growled.

'No, we have a new headquarters now, very much on the ground.'

'Thank the gods.' Tony threw his hands up in mock prayer.

Now it was Fury's turn to throw a dirty look.

The rest of the ride consisted of discussing possible ways this new threat could come about and figuring out exactly how screwed they were.

When they got to the base even Tony was impressed. It was a good size and not conspicuos for once.

They were led through a series of rooms, stopping briefly for Tony to get out of his suit and put it in an alcove in the armoury, next to Steve's partiotic spangle suit, until they came to a large room with a curved table inside of it.

'This is where all debriefing and meetings will take place, the others will be here shortly.' Fury gestured to them to sit down.

Tony took his seat, he knew it was his seat as it had his name on it. 'Stark, T', thank god they didn't try to use his real name.

He looked at Thor swivelling the padde chair round in undisguised elation and watched Jane and Darcy awkwardly take up unmarked seats at the edge.

Captain Rogers was the first to enter, clasping hands firmly with Thor and before clapping Tony on the shoulder. Tony grabbed his hand and shook it heartily before enquiring after him. Ever since New York he had come to like Steve greatly and they had met up with the others to eat a few times since.

Black Widow and Hawkeye entered shortly after, both looking out of breath and Hawkeye sporting some fresh bruises on his arm.

'Natasha don't tell me you finally gave into his advances.' Stark cheered in way of greeting.

'No, he just lost to me 5 times in a row in a fist fight in the gym.'

'Wouldn't be right to hurt a woman.' Clint called over as he shook Thor's hand and greeted Jane and Darcy, who then had their hands kissed by Steve as he introduced themselves. Darcy looked as though she were about to faint and Tony smirked.

Clint came over to Natasha and pulled Tony up into a rough embrace whilst Natasha stood with her arms folded and a faint smile on her lips.

'I had to let her win, would only be right.'

Natasha stomped on his foot. 'Either conceed that you lost or we fight here and now and they will announce the victor.'

Clint howled and hopped away from Tony.

'God I forgot how vicious you are Romanoff, I love it!' Tony laughed.

'Man up Clint.' She smiled at him before greeting the rest and going to sit down on her chair. Each chair had a little insignia underneath, Fury had really gone all out with the room. His had a mask, Thor's a hammer, Natasha's a spider, Clint's an arrow, Steve's a shield and Banner's a green face. God he must have loved that. Though granted, since New York Bruce seemed to have found inner peace with his demons, he had dropped by often to come and poke around in Tony's workshops and labratories.

Dr Banner scuttled in last, still slightly nervy but Tony noted with joy that he seemed alot more confident in himself.

'Bruce Banner my favourite Avenger!' Tony cried out, and Hawkeye made an offended noise behind him.

'Tony, how're you doing. You really need to stop getting manhandled by gods, it's becoming a habit.'

'Hey between getting manhandled by Capsicle and manhandled by the Asgardians I'd say I should feel priveledged. Not everyday you get molested by the stuff of legends. He put his hand on Bruce's shoulder and walked to their chairs together, he was overjoyed to have seen Bruce was situated to his right and Steve to his left. He could provoke on one side and discuss science on the other. Fabulous.

'Don't you guys just love these chairs? I mean wow Fury I feel spoilt.' He exclaimed loudly once everyone was settled, purposefully as Fury opened his mouth to speak.

Fury glared at him through his good eye for a split second before pointing a remote to a large screen opposite them. It flashed up with a still screen of Tony being strangled up against a wall by Loki.

'Not my most flattering photo I'll give you that.' He offered, hoping to hide his embarrassment.

'Gentlemen, and ladies. We have a serious issue on our hands, had anyone else come into contact with Loki?'

'It seems to be just Stark.' Steve replied.

'We need to know why?' Fury turned to Thor.

'I do not know Director, I could hazard a guess or two. Either Loki sees Stark as the weakest threat to him, something I do not believe. Or my brother has interest in him. Maybe for his weaponry.'

'He did seem very interested in my arc reactor?' Tony raised his eyebrows at Thor.

'Your arc reactor rendered his sceptre useless to mind control, it is only natural Loki should develop an interest in it.'

'Peachy, I'm not telling him a damned thing about it. I value my life too greatly.'

'Don't be too hasty Stark, Loki has information to give and it is clear he will need some persuading to go into detail about any of it. We could use information that he wants to barter for information.'

'Um, hello? No, I do not want him knowing how to kill me easily. Nor do I want him knowing anything about the arc reactor. So far as we could figure out he didn't actually figure out exactly what it is, though he obviously wants to know. I do not like the idea of a war criminal knowing about the power of that. Especially seeing how easily he wielded the Tesseract.'

'What we need is to know more about this, we need information. What kind of forces are we up against, what kind of weaponry, how many, how long do we have, can we counter them?'

'My brother may not know all of this.' Thor suggested meekly.

'You can bet your ass he does,' countered Tony, 'and, he is not going to tell us without fucking with us first.'

'So, we have two ways we can do this,' came Natasha's voice from beside Bruce, 'either, we can try and make him tell us, and we all know how well that turned out lasr time, plus we have no idea where he is and he is not about to show himself like he did in Stuttgart. Or we can bargain with him, I'd say try to reason with him-'

'But there's no reasoning with Loki.' Steve cut in. 'First thing we need to do is find him, Thor, can you contact him?'

'The only one who could find him is Heimdall, and if Heimdall has not realised he is free then he cannot see him on Midgard. Loki will not be found unless he wants to be.'

'Heimdall?' Clint asked curiously.

'Gatekeeper of Asgard, wears a sparkly gold suit, big guy. Can see everyone and everything in the 9 realms.'

Everyone stared at Tony.

'What, I had to talk to Dr Foster about something whilst waiting for Thor. I like to be in the know.'

'So what you're saying is we have to wait for him to show up again?' Clint asked.

'He'll show up again, he made that pretty clear in the footage.' Natasha answered for them.

'I have an idea but Stark, you might not like it.'

Crap.

'I want to send you back to Stark Tower, I don't think Loki will show if he knows Thor is around.'

'And what if he doesn't, or just plain kills me.'

'He will not kill you Tony Stark.' Thor said, almost angrily. 'He says he needs you, until your usefulness runs out you will not be in danger from him.'

'My throat says otherwise.' He reached a hand and rubbed the skin, but it was no longer sore.

'That was but a warning not to trifle with him, you know he hasa foul temper.'

'So what, you want me to tiptoe around him?'

'No, I think he finds your brashness amusing, otherwise he would have put you through the wall instead of onto it.'

'Oh wonderful and I was beginning to worry that he didn't like me.'

'It's your own fault, you gave him that drink when we caught him.' Clint's amusement rippled through to the rest.

'I will not let that bite me in the ass, I offered him a drink and he accepted. I was only stalling so he wouldn't kill me, I just didn't expect him to accept after he tried to kill me.'

'Still your own fault.'

'Oh I'm sorry who gave up all the information on us Barton?'

'Hey I was brainwashed don't you dare!'

'Stark that was uncalled for!' Romanoff spat at him.

Thor merely glared at him and he put his hands up to them.

'Ok sorry, you're right, that was out of order Clint I'm sorry. I am just a littled rattled at being turned into Loki's punching bag for Fury's amusement.' He narrowed his eyes at Fury who had an amused look on his face.

'Yeah no, sorry I shouldn't be fucking with you on this one.'

'No, no you're right, I made myself less of a threat.'

'No Stark, I think Loki is very threatened by you. Loki is not interested in the weak, you are an anomaly to him. He cannot figure you out like the rest of us.'

'Great, just great. Always me.'

'Stark, will you do this? I could make you.'

'I'd say you and what army, but we ARE your army Fury so your threats don't hold much ground .' He looked from one face to the other and sighed.

'I'll do it, but so help me god if he tries to turn me into a pulp I am blasting his ass until he never walks again, information or no information.'

'Deal, ok, Stark go home. The rest of you get some rest, we will meet back here in 5 days, with or without Loki's intel. You're dismissed.'

They all got up and went to set about their business when Fury called to Jane.

'Dr Foster, we have a labratory set up for you, well, we have a very large underground labratory and part of it is set up for you, any tools you need can be gotten from where ever it is they are, just tell us. You'll be sharing with Dr Banner and eventually Stark if that is ok?'

'Oh really wow yeah that, that's great. She glanced over at Banner and he smiled.

'Don't worry, there will be no more incidents from me in the forseeable future.'

Jane looked relieved before grabbing Darcy and following him with Thor looking slightly lost trailing after her.

'No awesome sleepovers without me ok!' Tony yelled after them and then waited until everyone had left but him and Fury.

'Loki can override my system, I suggest, for now, you install a second system, seperate from Jarvis's interface incase he figures out how to disable my cameras and security. But, try and hack my system and I will break yours into a million pieces and enjoy watching you running with no security systems.'

'Duly noted Stark, consider it done.' Fury nodded to him and Tony went off to get his suit and go back to the tower. Home. Not that it felt like it.