-(.:.)—

Loki strode through the hallways of Stark tower, focused on the task at hand. The young Midgardian had been following him for ten minutes, but he had chosen not to tell her that he knew. He was amusing himself by watching her try to stay hidden, following his lanky frame. He focused his energy directly behind her, and willed a holographic copy of himself into being.

"You're going to have to move faster than that if you want to keep up," his double told Darcy. She jumped, instinct causing her to lash out at him, only to see Loki disappear in front of her. The real Loki ahead of her paused, looking back at her over her shoulder. "Come on, then. Hurry up."

She scrambled to catch up to him.

"You're going to wherever he is, aren't you?" she asked. Loki didn't answer, just pointedly walked toward a door that led to a balcony outside of the tower. He looked at the sky.

"Heimdall, we would like to return." He held out a hand to Darcy, raising one eyebrow. She hesitated only a moment and then put her hand in his.

The now familiar pull of light transported them to Asgard; and this time, instead of being transported elsewhere, Loki dragged her away from where the tall, golden helmeted guardian stood, and toward the golden city.

"Hey keyman," Darcy called. "Apparently we're in a hurry. See ya later." There was a moment where Darcy thought that maybe blindly following the least dependable person in the universe may not be a good idea, but she knew Jane was hiding something from her, and she would bet 5 bucks it had to do with Peter Quill, and 10 bucks that Loki knew what it was. She quickened her pace so that she wouldn't lose track of where he was going.

"The pathways to Knowhere are not within Heimdall's sight," Loki was explaining, without bothering to look at her or explain what the heck he was talking about. "I alone know where to find them." He was leading them now away from the bifrost and toward what looked like a garage of some sort.

Loki entered a door, gesturing for her to stay where she was; moments later the front of the garage did in fact open, and Loki emerged, seated in what looked like a cross between a motorcycle and a glider. She scrambled to seat herself behind him.

"How does this thing work?" She asked him.

"Hold on," he answered, and the machine bucked forward, causing her to latch her arms around him and hang on for dear life. They raced along and then lifted into the air; Darcy closed her eyes, afraid to look. She wasn't usually afraid of heights, but this seemed ridiculously dangerous. Loki was racing toward what looked like a giant waterfall draining from the rivers of the floating city; she ducked as they passed underneath the waterfall, soaking them both, and then emerged in a cave. They continued to race along the cave floor toward a light at the end; Darcy blinked as they flew out of the cave and into the bright light.

The light dulled almost immediately, and as her eyes became accustomed to the environment, she saw that they were in a grungy, industrial area. Loki must have used an illusion to mask the motorcycle plane; where before it had been brilliant and gold, now it was as grungy as its surroundings.

"Where are we?" she asked him, scanning the area around them.

"Knowhere," Loki answered. "In ancient times my ancestors slayed a great being called a Celestial. Its head became the Knowhere planet. Stay close to me, it is not a place for an ignorant Midgardian." Despite the insult, Loki didn't have to tell her twice; Darcy had no desire to wander out on her own in this strange place. So this was where Sif had taken the Aether? What kind of place was this to hold something so dangerous?

Loki led them through alleyways and streets, past gangs of alien ruffians, toward a small doorway attached to a run-down old warehouse building. He opened the door and gestured for her to follow him.

The warehouse was dark, but a light shone from an office in the back. They made their way in that direction, their footfalls echoing in the empty space. As they approached, Darcy could see that the office was small, seating space and shelves full of neglected items, but that there were cells attached to either side. Most were empty, but in one- Darcy's stomach jumped- she saw Peter Quill.

Loki had reached the door of the office; an armored guard sat inside, only acknowledging Loki after finishing some kind of sandwich and letting out a belch.

"What?" The guard asked.

"I am Loki, King of Asgard," Loki said. Darcy opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it when Loki gave her a look. "I am here to purchase a prisoner."

"Is that so," the guard answered.

"I have an agreement to return to the boy to his father, he has paid a hefty price for his return." If Peter Quill heard them talking, he didn't let on, appearing to be asleep on his cot in the cell. Darcy gave him sidelong glances as Loki negotiated with the jailer. He was a little bit thinner than last she had seen him, but still wore the same red leather vest and aura of adventure.

Loki must have convinced the guard, because they were now headed to Peter's cell.

"Quill, get up," the guard barked. Peter made a show of stretching, with a fake yawn.

"Aw, mom, just five more min—" he stopped, spotting Darcy, his blue eyes going wide. "Darcy. What are you—"

"Stand, boy," Loki ordered, interrupting. "You have been purchased." Darcy looked at the tall, imposing Asgardian. Often it was difficult to figure out Loki's motives. Was he faking it to save Peter, or did he actually have some kind of evil plan in mind? Peter did stand; Loki waved his hand and glowing shackles appeared on his wrists.

The guard unlocked the door and dragged the prisoner out by the shackles.

"Now what about my 50,000 units?" Loki grinned at him, the kind of evil villain grin that gave Darcy chills.

"Let's say that I will take custody of Mr. Quill here, and in return I will let you live." The guard started to protest, but Loki waved his arm, and the guard was suddenly suspended in air. "I'll take your non-response as agreement."

Peter was gazing at Darcy.

"Darcy, you found me," he said. She glared at him, her anger at the last words he had spoken rising to the surface.

"Loki found you," she said. "I just went along for the ride." Loki waved a hand again and the shackles disappeared.

"We need to find a ship," Loki said to them. "We need to get to Sparta."

"Oh cmon," Peter said, talking to Darcy as if Loki wasn't there. "Admit it, you were looking for me."

Darcy fumed. What an ass. She turned to him, eyes blazing.

"Actually, I'm glad we found you," she said. "I wanted to show you what it was like to be with a Terran." Before he could respond, she had drawn her taser gun, pointed it at his chest, and pulled the trigger.

-(.:.)-