Chapter Five
Everyone in the world knew who Tony Star was. Even I, who had barely paid attention to the catastrophe in New York, knew his face and name. If people didn't know him for his company, they knew him for the Stark Tower, and if they didn't know him for that, they definitely knew him for his exploits as Iron Man. I vividly remembered seeing the news coverage when Tony Stark bravely announced to the entire world: "I'm Iron Man." The alien invasion of New York only fueled his fame and skyrocketed him to the status of pop culture icon.
Stark had made a major splash in the financial scene as well. He was a pioneer in his industry, a billionaire giant and an investor's dream. My firm had advised a number of clients to invest in Stark's company, and the results had paid off tremendously. He was a well-oiled machine that showed no signs of slowing down. It made sense that he was here, but his presence at just the other end of the hall almost made the stakes of my job seem higher. No wonder my boss had been so excited about this.
Over the next couple of hours I stole glances over to his table and watched him with curious eyes. He had a lazy posture, a calm and fluid demeanor, and his body language communicated his confidence and sense of self-importance. He was one of those men who knew his place in the world, and wasn't afraid to flaunt his importance. I had heard that he was arrogant and self-obsessed, and after observing just his body language for a couple hours, I could definitely see that this was true.
The crowds started to thin just before noon. I was very happy for the upcoming lunch break. My feet were aching in my black heels, and I wanted nothing more than to sit down, eat, and nurse the headache that was already starting. At noon the crowds disappeared altogether, and the vendors started to pack up their tables for the break. Now that there were less people, I had a clear view of Tony Stark's table. There was Stark and a couple of men in business suits working with him. His logo gleamed an electric blue on the wall above his head. He strutted around proudly with a smirk that resembled both pride and amusement. He seemed to be enjoying all of the attention he had been receiving over the last few hours.
He must have sensed me staring at him because he suddenly looked right at me. I smiled and turned away, cursing myself for looking like a gawking idiot at one of the most prominent businessmen in the world. To keep myself busy I helped my co-workers re-organize the brochures and business cards into neat, orderly piles, all the while stealing glances at Stark's table.
His presence here intrigued me for a number of reasons. I knew he was here because of the prestige of this fair, but I found it a tremendously ironic coincidence that he was in Boston at the exact same time as Loki. Of course I knew that Stark was a key player in Loki's defeat in New York and in his (supposed) capture. I wondered if Stark knew that Loki was here in Boston, and if so, what he intended to do about the villainous demigod. Or maybe this was all just some massive coincidence?
Suddenly I saw a woman emerge from the crowd of men in business suits over at Stark's table. I gasped when I saw that it wasn't just any woman. I immediately recognized her reddish-blond hair, freckled cheeks, and her gorgeous smile, for it was the woman I had seen in Starbucks yesterday. She adorned a black woman's business suit, and her hair was neatly styled in a bun on the back of her head. From the way she and Stark spoke with each other I could tell that they were more than co-workers.
"Emily," Marshall said, snapping me back to reality, "a bunch of us are going to Firehouse Subs for lunch. Do you want to join us?"
I hadn't really thought about my lunch plans yet. "I dunno, let me think about it," I replied absent-mindedly.
I turned back to Stark's table and gasped audibly when I saw who had just joined them. The man I had seen from Starbucks yesterday had appeared, and he was talking to Stark and the woman. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but Stark's expression was a combination of annoyance and indifference. The woman, however, smiled broadly as she spoke and kept tugging Stark's sleeve.
Phil, as the woman had called him yesterday, was wearing the same black suit, white shirt, and black tie as yesterday. He blended in with all of the other black suits, but something about him made him look like someone out of the CIA. He had his hands in his pants pockets, and he spoke confidently, despite Stark's repeated attempts to ignore him. After several attempts, Stark finally managed to break away from the conversation. He headed toward the hall exit, which was right next to our table. I tensed up when Stark strutted over towards me, with Phil not far behind him.
"Phil, for God's sakes I'm not interested," Stark said, throwing up his hands, "I'm kind of working right now if you can't tell."
"This is a matter of national security, Stark," Phil replied, frantic to keep up with the businessman.
"Whatever cataclysmic thing is going on now can wait a few hours until I'm done here," Stark replied. "This is really kind of important, you know. I've got a lot of investors to reel in, if you know what I mean."
"I realize that," Phil replied, "but this is more important. Now if you would please just come with me, it won't take long-"
"Phil," Stark interjected, "it's my lunch break, and I'm hungry."
"But-" Phil started.
"No buts!" Stark said, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm in Boston, therefore I am going to get some Boston chowder. Have you ever had the clam chowder here?"
"I confess I haven't," Phil replied.
"Really?" Stark asked, genuinely surprised. "Come on then, I'll treat you. And then you can tell me all about how the world is going to end again."
They were walking right by my table as he said this, and then they were gone.
"I'm gonna pass on the subs, Marshall," I announced, "I'm craving clam chowder."
The Hynes Convention Center and the Sheraton hotel are both attached to the Prudential Center Mall, which like every mall in the world has a food court. Within this food court was the infamous Boston Chowdah. It is well known, and I knew right away that this was the place Stark was headed for when he said he wanted clam chowder.
Sure enough, I found Stark and Phil already in line at Boston Chowdah. The food court was absolutely packed, as it usually was, but, the crowds today were much worse because of the events in the Hynes and Sheraton. The lines for food were enormous, and the line at Boston Chowdah was no exception. Fortunately, I had kept up with Stark and Phil, and therefore was only two spots behind them in line, so I could hear every word they said.
"I still can't believe you followed me all the way to Boston for this," said Stark, "I mean honestly, I'm flying back to New York in a couple of days. Couldn't this wait?"
"Unfortunately no," Phil replied. "But this really isn't a good place to talk about-"
"Oh, Phil, relax," Stark said, patting Phil on the back reassuringly, "no one's listening. And actually, neither am I."
"Stark, this isn't anything to joke around about,"
"You want a bread bowl?" Stark asked, completely ignoring his flustered companion.
"No, I'm actually not that hungry," Phil replied.
"Hmm, a shame," said Stark, reading the menu and continuing to ignore him.
The line moved fairly quickly, and it was soon time for Stark and Phil to order.
"So, do you want a bread bowl or what?" Stark asked.
"No, just a cup is fine," Phil replied, still flustered.
"Oh come on you gotta get a bread bowl," Stark said teasingly.
"Can I help you?" the man behind the counter asked.
"Ya two medium clam chowders, both in bread bowls," Stark replied, to which Phil rolled his eyes.
"Ma'am, can I help you?" another worker said to me.
"Ya, small clam chowder in a cup please," I replied.
I kept a close eye on Stark and Phil as I paid for my food. I had every intention of sitting near them because my curiosity had now been peaked. I followed them as they wandered the food court looking for a table, taking care to keep my distance to avoid detection. After a little bit of wandering, Stark led us to a slightly less-crowded section of the food court near Pizzeria Regina. There were a few empty tables directly to the right of the pizza vendor, and this is where both of us ended up sitting. From where I was sitting, I could see all of the workers behind the counter of Pizzeria Regina, busily taking orders, passing around pizza slices, and cashing out customers at the registers. My table was the closest to the pizza vendor, and Stark and Phil were at the table right in front of me, also next to Pizzeria Regina. I pulled out my phone and pretended to be engrossed in it as I listened to their conversation.
"Really, Stark, this is not a good place to discuss this," Phil muttered.
"Phil, if you want to talk to me, now's your chance," Stark replied without the slightest attempt to keep his voice down. "Because after this I'm going back in there, and I'm not talking to you anymore. Now come on, what is all this fuss about?"
"It's about New York," Phil replied.
"Ya, what about it?" Stark asked, eating his first spoonful of chowder. "Oooh that's good," he said, gesturing at Phil, "try yours."
Phil complied, smiled, and agreed with Stark's sentiments about the chowder.
I nibbled on my chowder and continued to pretend to play on my phone. My heart raced at the impending conversation, which I was now certain was going to involve Loki. Stark and Phil sat there for a moment eating, and all the while my heart continued to pound.
Suddenly, I saw a green light flicker out of the corner of my right eye for a split second. It was coming from Pizzeria Regina. I turned my head and nearly choked on my chowder when I saw him. He was barely recognizable, and he definitely was not there a minute ago. He had just appeared out of nowhere, and no one but me had seemed to notice it, not even Stark, or Phil, or the Pizzeria Regina workers. I blinked a few times and rubbed my eyes, convinced that I was seeing things.
I definitely wasn't seeing things; a pair of familiar emerald eyes reassured me of that. Loki smirked at me and winked. I couldn't believe how well he blended in. He was cleverly disguised as a Pizzeria Regina worker, dressed in black food-service pants, a white polo shirt, and black sneakers. He wore a stained, white apron, and his black hair was held back by a blue bandana. He effortlessly pretended to be one of the employees, fetching bottled drinks and passing boxed slices of pizza to customers. He stood near the register closest to the tables, so that he was right next to Stark's table and mine. While he pretended to work, he kept glancing at Stark and Phil, who were completely oblivious to his presence here. It was clear that he was listening to the same conversation I was.
"So what's going on in New York?" Stark asked.
"It's about the invasion," Phil replied, "you see-"
"Wait a minute," Stark interrupted, "that whole thing's over and done with. I nearly got myself killed, that damn thing had better be done with."
"It's not, unfortunately," Phil replied.
"Oh yes it is," Stark said in denial, "Loki got his ass handed to him and now he's rotting in some prison on Asgard."
"As we were all led to believe," Phil replied. He paused for a moment and sighed. "Two days ago we got a communication from Thor," he continued, "apparently Loki never made it back to Asgard."
I stole a glance over at Loki. A smile curled on the corner of his mouth.
"So then where the hell is he?" Stark asked, looking visibly enraged.
"That's just it," Phil replied, "we don't know. According to Thor, he first thought that Loki had escaped from prison and was hiding somewhere on Asgard. Thor said they practically tore Asgard apart looking for him, but found no trace of him ever being there. Thor is now looking on other worlds to see where Loki might have fled."
"It's a big Universe," Stark replied sarcastically, "the little shit could be anywhere."
"That's the problem," said Phil. "But in his message, Thor said he has a feeling Loki never left Earth."
"Now that is impossible," Stark said, threateningly pointing his plastic spoon at Phil. "I saw that son of a bitch handcuffed with a dog muzzle on his face. I saw him teleport away with Thor. You cannot tell me he never left earth."
"It is still a good possibility," Phil answered. "Come on, Stark, you've seen what he can do, the illusions he can create. He can have you believing anything he wants you to believe."
"No, no, no," Stark said in denial, "I am not hearing this."
"Stark," Phil said impatiently, "there is a very good possibility that Loki is still somewhere here on Earth. We have every satellite and remote camera in the world scanning for him, but it's going to take some time."
"Oh this sounds eerily familiar," Stark growled. "I can't believe we're doing this AGAIN."
"We need your help, Stark," Phil replied, "so far scans have picked up nothing, but we still have a lot of territory to cover."
"So what do you want me to do?" Stark asked.
"Thor has specifically requested the help of the Avengers team," Phil replied, "he wants all of you to help in the effort to find Loki."
"So I'm guessing everyone else on the team's getting the same spiel I am," said Stark.
"As we speak," Phil answered.
Stark sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. His eyes were slightly widened in a mix of exasperation and disbelief.
"Your scans aren't going to do much," said Stark.
"What makes you say that?" Phil asked, continuing to eat his chowder.
"Think about it," Stark replied, "Loki got his ass kicked just a short time ago. He lost his army, he lost the Tesseract, and he lost his glow stick. Now he's on the run from Thor who's hunting him down. This isn't going to be easy like the last time we found him in Germany. He's vulnerable now, so he's going to hide very well. If he's on Earth he's going to do everything in his power to keep low and stay off S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar. In short, you're never going to find him just using cameras."
"What do you suppose we do then?" Phil asked.
"I don't know, I haven't thought of that yet," Stark replied, "but I'm gonna help you find this little slimeball and get him off this planet once and for all."
"I'm surprised," Phil said with a smile, "you're the last person I pictured volunteering for this."
"Let's say it's a personal vendetta," Stark replied, "I want to see him gone, for good this time. Get me Barton. Loki was in his head, he can probably help us out. And Banner too, he's useful. And where the hell is Thor in all this?"
"Thor said he'll be here in a couple weeks," Phil replied, "something about the Bifrost. But he said that he will be here as soon as he can to help in the search."
"It's his brother," Stark grumbled, "he shouldn't be taking a couple weeks."
"He'll come eventually," said Phil. "The entire Avengers team is assembling. They're slowly trickling in. I'll get you the meeting location later today, and we can talk more then. Oh, and Steve is here too."
"What do you mean here? In Boston?" Stark asked.
"Ya, he came along for the ride," Phil replied, "it was for somewhat personal reasons too. He said he wanted to pay you a visit. He also said that he had never been to Boston, so I put him on a Duck Tour."
"And you didn't invite me?" Stark asked jokingly.
"You're working," Phil reminded him.
They both laughed and proceeded to finish their lunch. Their conversation turned more lighthearted, and as soon as they finished their chowder, they parted ways and left. I looked at my phone and saw that the lunch break was drawing to a close, so I quickly finished my now cold chowder and got ready to head back to the Hynes. As I was putting my phone away and putting my suit coat back on, I felt a cold hand brush my arm. My heart stopped when out of the corner of my eye I saw Loki hovering just over my shoulder.
"Good work, my pet," Loki's smooth, icy voice whispered into my ear. Before I could say anything or even fully react, he was gone.
I spent the rest of the fair in a kind of daze. Luckily the crowds prevented me from staring at the Stark Industries booth too much, and I tried everything in my power to keep myself sharp and focused. It was a strain to greet everyone with a smile, and it was even harder to concentrate on the conversations I was having with potential clients. My mind was, in fact, in total chaos.
Finally the event ended. My PR co-workers were practically dancing with joy. "We're booked solid for the next six months!" Marshall exclaimed. Everyone was jubilant, and I pretended to be excited as well. In truth, all I wanted to do was go home and cry, and maybe have a drink too.
I proceeded to help my co-workers pack up our booth. As I was putting rubber bands on all the brochures, fliers, and business cards, someone approached me from behind.
I gasped when the voice of Tony Stark said "excuse me."
I spun around and nearly dropped the papers I was carrying. My co-workers turned around as well, and I thought a couple of them were going to faint when they saw who had just come up to our booth. I myself was in disbelief that this was happening.
I hastily put down the papers and greeted Stark. I held out my hand, and he shook it gladly. His handshake was firm, like a truly accomplished and confident businessman. The reddish-blond woman was with him, and she smiled and shook my hand as well. Her hands were warm and soft, and she too had a firm grip.
"This is my right-hand woman, Miss Pepper Potts," Stark replied, "and my name is-"
"Mr. Stark," I said, "I'm Emily Sanborn. It's an honor to meet both of you. How can we help you?"
"I happened to notice the crowds over here," Pepper replied, "and saw that you're a financial consulting firm. Obviously a well known one, considering the number of people you were drawing."
"We are one of Boston's top consulting firms," I boasted in my sales pitch voice. My heart was racing. I couldn't believe that Tony Stark had come over here, to talk business of all things, after I had just listened to him talk about his plan to hunt down Loki.
"Excellent," said Stark, "because we're looking for investors."
"We're looking to open a Stark Industries branch here in Boston," Pepper added with a smile.
"Very nice," I said, smiling back at her. Even though I was excruciatingly nervous, her smile was warm and comforting, and it helped me stay focused. "I'm sure Boston will provide a very suitable market for you. We New Englanders are very keen on clean energy, and we are environmentally conscious up here."
"Which, funny enough, is precisely why we want a branch in the New England area," said Stark.
Ha, I thought to myself, one of those big, ugly Stark Towers on the Boston skyline? Ya, the Bostonians are NEVER going to go for that.
"We were hoping maybe your firm could help us acquire some investors," Pepper said.
"We advise whatever is in the best interest of the client," I replied. I quickly pulled a brochure and a business card out of the pile and handed them to Pepper. "We would be happy to help in whatever way possible. I'm going to refer you to one of our main consultants. John? You back there somewhere?"
On queue, John emerged from behind the crowd of my co-workers. He shook hands with Pepper and Stark and introduced himself.
"Thank you for your interest," I said, "John here will answer any further questions you may have." I shook Pepper and Stark's hands again. "It was a real pleasure meeting both of you."
"Same, Ms. Sanborn," Stark said almost absentmindedly.
John then took the reigns, allowing me to slip away. He led them over to a set of chairs to the left of our table, and the three of them began talking business. I let out a sigh of relief, and I could feel leftover adrenaline surging through my veins, causing me to tremble slightly. Everything had happened so fast, and I was barely coming to terms with the fact that I had just done a pitch to Tony Stark. My co-workers patted me on the back and whispered words of encouragement and congratulations to me.
I honestly didn't give a damn about the business aspect of all this, and I could care less what Stark wanted with our company. My sole concern was the fact that Tony Stark had approached me directly only a few hours after I eavesdropped on his conversation. Did he notice me sitting near them earlier? Did he notice that I was eavesdropping? I didn't think so, but now I was worried. Or was this all just another massive coincidence? I hoped and prayed that it was the later. And I knew that if Stark was going to get involved with our company, I would be seeing a lot more of him.
I made a few half-assed attempts at helping my co-workers pack up, made an excuse of not feeling well, and left. Limping slightly from the sharp aches and pains in my feet, I made my way out of the Hynes Convention Center and back into the Prudential Center. The crowds had not thinned in the four hours since lunchtime, and the mall was still filled with swarms of shoppers. I grabbed a coffee at the Dunkin Donuts in the mall next to the Hynes, figuring that the caffeine would help ease my nerves.
Sitting down over a small cup of coffee did help some, but my head was still burning with curiosity. As I stepped out of the Dunkin Donuts, I couldn't help but gaze at the hotel entrance at the other end of the hall. My heart fluttered at the thought of who was residing just beyond those doors.
When your desire becomes too much to bear, you will willingly come crawling back to me. I will be waiting for you.
After hearing the conversation between Stark and Phil, I was burning with curiosity. I was very tempted to walk through those doors, find him, and demand to know why he was here and why I was being dragged into this. It was clear that I was going to get involved with Loki, with Stark, and with Thor whether I liked it or not, and I wanted nothing more than to know why. I wanted to know what Loki wanted from me. After listening to Phil and Stark, I knew that this whole thing was going to get very messy very quickly. I didn't want anything to do with this, and I was dying to tell Loki that to his face.
It was an impulse of the most idiotic nature. If anything bad happened to me, it was going to be my fault. I should have just let it go. I should have taken a vacation, run far away, and hid until it was all over. I should've… I could've… I would've… those kinds of thoughts have been running in my head nonstop since that moment. The decision I made in that moment was the best and worst decision I have ever made. Again, I am still trying to figure out which it was. But what would have or could have happened if I chose the alternative is irrelevant. I made a decision in that moment, and all of the events that have since unfolded have been a direct result of it. No matter how much the rational, logical part of my brain screamed not to, the wild and dangerous part of my mind decided to make my way over to the hotel entrance.
My body moved slow and painfully, and I thought my heart was going to rip itself apart from nervousness. My chest was tight and breathing was difficult. But I continued on, across the carpeted hallway and over to the elevator. I vividly remembered the day I dropped him off here, and I still remembered his room number. With my heart racing and my hand shaking, I pressed the up arrow on the elevator and waited. It was the longest wait of my life.
Em, you're insane.
I knew I was insane. But I needed answers.
Just let it go.
I can't let it go.
You're going to get yourself killed.
Perhaps.
The light above the elevator glowed. I heard the distinctive ding of the elevator arriving. There was no turning back now.
The elevator door slid open with a soft rumble. As it slid to the side, the outline of a man appeared, a tall man in a black suit and black coat. His pale face was twisted into the slightest hint of an insane smile, and his green eyes peered sharply down at me.
I gasped and took a few steps back. I was not expecting this.
"Well well" Loki purred, striding gracefully out of the elevator. "Look who's finally come to see me."
"You knew I'd come now?" I asked weakly.
"I've been waiting for you," he said, still striding toward me. I froze in my tracks, now realizing what a colossally bad idea this was. But it was too late now.
He towered over me, his eyes gazing sharply down at me, burning into me. All of my independent will and resolve melted under his gaze.
"Come," he said, placing his arm across my shoulders, "let's walk, shall we?"
"Where are we going?" I asked meekly.
He chuckled. "That's for you to decide," he replied. His eyes darted around. Despite his cool and calculating demeanor, I could tell something was making him nervous. Something was definitely wrong, and the thought of what it could be scared me.
He gently pushed my shoulders to usher me along, and I obeyed. My feet were throbbing, and I was in no shape to walk much further. But he was leaving me no other choice. Plus I figured it was probably best to run from whatever was in this hotel that was making him so nervous. His expression darkened as we started to move, and he continued to look around and over his shoulder. He set a quick pace once we left the hotel.
"It's no longer safe here," he growled quietly as we blended ourselves with the Prudential Center crowd. "We must leave, now."