Disclaimers: I do not own any of Marvel's characters. I do own my Loki, a few others, the plot and the some of the backstory. Including my Loki's past.

Chapter 12 Slipping the Leash

It was five in the morning but his curiosity was eating him alive. Loki had slipped in to the Tower late the other night and Tony wanted to know why. He didn't think Loki had done anything wrong but he was curious. What he hadn't expected was Loki to be gone, completely gone. His heart dropped deeper then Mariana's Trench as he stared at the empty hanger. All the tools he had loaned him were clean and on a tray with a scrap of paper. The tools weren't important, for the ship was gone, every scrap of metal every oil stain gone like it had never existed. Perhaps it hadn't existed he thought, "Fool." He cursed out loud in the empty room. "He played us for fools."

He headed back to the elevator trying not to feel the hurt, the betrayal. As soon as he was in the house proper he called for J.A.R.V.E.S.

"Are you looking for Mr. Loki sir," the AI asked. "Because he…"

Tony cut him off, "He left, get Fury on the line and tell him it's important."

"Yes sir, but Loki left…"

Tony cut him off again, "I never want to hear his name again J.A.R.V.E.S. Call Fury he needs to know Loki's gone."

"If you insist sir. Fury is on the line."

"Stark you've better have a good reason for calling me at five in the morning," Fury said sounding, well furious, sleepy but furious.

"Loki's gone. I checked his room and all his clothes, books, and even the ship is gone."

"What about the cat," Fury asked.

"I'm not sure, haven't seen it that much. I don't care for cats. J.A.R.V.E.S. is the cat still in the building?"

"She is Sir. Natasha has her in her room," J.A.R.V.E.S. answered.

"Hmmm I didn't think Natasha liked cats," Tony remarked.

"Loki's played us," Fury said irritably, "Keep that cat locked up. I don't want to take a chance he isn't going to use that cat to hurt us."

"I'll do that sir," Tony replied.

*8*8*8*

Fury was mad, mad at Loki but madder at himself for allowing the trickster to get close, and to think he had let Loki come into contact with the Tesseract! He dragged himself out of bed, got out of his blue flannel pajamas and into dress pants and a white button down shirt. His hands fumbled as he did the buttons, it was one of the shirts he had bought at the mall with Loki. He shook his head irritably as he finished the buttons and grabbed his coat. He called up Agent Hill, "Agent Hill, get me the World Security Council," he ordered.

"Yes Sir," she replied. "And sir, there are a bunch of six foot tall lizards running amuck at the Golden Gate Bridge. Should I call in the Avengers?"

"Yes, call them up," he ordered as he made his way through the Helicarrier to the bridge of the ship.

*8*8*8*

"What do you mean Loki is lose on Earth?"

"You reported that he was dead," another member of the World Security Council snapped.

"We thought he was," Fury defended himself.

"Is he involved in the mess by the Golden Gate Bridge?"

"We are not sure," Fury said, "The Avengers are looking into it."

"We are sending some people to deal with Loki when you catch him."

Fury started, "The Avenger's can handle him."

"We wish we could be sure about that," the World Security Council replied before the screens went blank.

*8*8*8*

Natasha Romanoff did not believe a word that came out of Tony Stark's mouth. She knew Loki; their Loki wouldn't just abandon Sasha. The two were too close for one to abandon the other. She was also sure Sasha was not part of some iniquitous plot to take over the world; she was too sweet to be evil, like Loki was too innocent to be Loki Laufeyson, which was way she had shocked everyone, except Bruce, when she had refused to lock up Sasha. She fired her left hand gun and took out another grey lizard.

"These lizards aren't that smart are they," Stark asked he flew by. She didn't answer. They defeated the rest of the lizards and Tony landed in front of Natasha. "You aren't going to keep ignoring me are you? Please tell me this isn't about Loki."

"Yes, it's about Loki. You have spent more time with him then we have. You should know he's not the menace who tried to kill us last month. You said his ship was nearly fixed. He could have taken it for a test drive," she snapped and headed towards the helicopter.

Clint was already there, "Tasha! What is Loki's cat doing in the helicopter? I thought we left her with Fury at the tower."

"She wanted to come with," Natasha said scooping up Sasha. "Didn't you sweetheart?" Clint fake gagged and she gave him a glare that could kill.

"Leave her alone," Bruce said tiredly, holding his shredded clothes around his hips. She handed him his spare pair of pants. He thanked her then added as he pulled them on, "Besides I believe in Loki. He'll be back."

"So do I," Thor said reaching over to pet Sasha. "My brother will be back for this one."