Chapter Eight

Killing Time

Booth put away his phone. "I told Fury. He said he'd be here as soon as he can."

"What does that mean?" asked Temperance. "He could take ages."

"Yeah, well, if he does and this Loki character kills more people, maybe we can charge him with something."

Mary said, "I doubt somehow that you can charge a man like Nick Fury in a court of law."

Temperance made an indignant noise. "Nobody should be above the law! That's a simple principle of justice!"

Mary smiled. "Justice and the world don't always get along, do they?"

"You're Mary Watson? You're married to Doctor Watson?"

"Yes, just recently."

"Oh! Congratulations!" said Booth.

"Thank you. It's been…exciting."

"Yeah, I bet. Does Sherlock tag along all the time?"

Mary's smile widened. "He was there when John proposed to me."

"Oh my…"

"It was a bit awkward. But it was very—How shall I put it? It was characteristic. It's one of the things I love about him."

"His awkwardness?" asked Temperance.

"Yes, and his devotion to Sherlock. I don't often get to talk about it, so I hope you'll forgive my being so frank."

"Not at all. Many cultures worldwide are much more frank about sexual relationships."

"Bones, sheesh, I'm sure their relationship is not just…Ah, I mean…" Booth stopped. "Why are you the one saying these things and then I'm the one stumbling around to apologize? You apologize."

"For what? I made a statement of fact!"

Mary said, "It's quite all right. I think I've been to some of those cultures you mentioned."

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna go ask the Doctor about this Loki guy." Booth walked off. He was shaking his head reproachfully.

"I suppose I should go too," said Temperance. "I should be the one to hear the details. I may be able to contribute something because of my scientific training."

John walked over to Mary. "They're a bit odd, aren't they?" he said.

"They're sweet," said Mary. "They have no idea how much they mean to each other."

"You think so?"

"I should know. I'm getting quite used to bickering couples."

"Mary, you and I are doing wonderfully!"

"I didn't mean you and me, dear, I meant you and Sherlock."

The Doctor told Agent Booth, "Might as well wait until Fury gets here. I want to make sure I tell everyone everything they need to know."

"Fair enough. So you, ah, you time-travel, right?"

"That's right. You?"

"No. Went to Cancun once."

"Oh, yeah? Never been to Cancun, matter of fact. I've heard it's lovely."

Booth stared. "You have a magical way to travel anywhere and everywhere, and you've never been to Cancun?"

"Nope. Suppose I never got around to it. But tell you what. When we're done here, that's where Rose and I will go next."

"You should, bud. Plenty of snorkeling." Booth looked down. "Listen, I…I'm not the best at apologies, but I'm sorry if I was a little unfriendly earlier."

"Oh, no need for apologies, Agent Booth! Got to do your job after all, can't let some anonymous stranger walk in and ruin good evidence. You can make it up to me by getting me a beer when we're done here. I need to try some American beer. It's been a while since I was here."

"How long?"

"Oh…a hundred and fifty years or so."

"Did you meet Abraham Lincoln?"

"Oh, of course. Couldn't miss that opportunity!"

"Aw, you've got to be kidding me."

As Booth and the Doctor enthused over Abraham Lincoln, Temperance was talking to Rose. "You're from the south of London?"

"Yeah. Born and bred." Rose grinned.

"I have a colleague who works in sociology. He studies the conditions of impoverished families in south London. It's incredibly shocking how unfortunate some of those people are."

Rose blinked. "Yeah… Well, we, erm, manage. And what about you? Are you from around here?"

"More or less. I had a complicated childhood."

"Oh, that's too bad. You seem to be doing all right now."

"I'd like to think that I have established myself in a fulfilling and rational lifestyle. And, thanks to my involvement in the FBI, I can also contribute to the increase of justice."

"Great!" said Rose. "Not everyone can say that. And Agent Booth is your partner?"

"That's correct."

Rose looked around. "Is he…you know, that kind of partner?"

Temperance hesitated. "I'm afraid industrial psychology is not my discipline. I'm relatively uninformed about distinctions between kinds of partners."

"You know! A partner."

"Oh! That kind of partner! No. Our relationship is purely professional. Well, that is, we've formed a strong friendship, in my opinion at least."

"But it's strictly platonic?"

"I'm not sure I would say that. Plato believed that all love is just a search for the Form of Beauty itself as it's instantiated in the particular."

"Right… But you're not a couple."

"That's correct."

Nick Fury had come to hear their theory. He sat in the cafeteria, at the head of the table. They all sat around him, watching the Doctor, whose salad lay on the table in front of him still unfinished.

"Loki. You're sure?" Fury asked.

"That weapon was forged in Asgard. The home of Odin, lord of wisdom, who had to impose order on chaos. It's a constant fight there, reason against madness, wisdom against destruction. That weapon we're looking for, it was trying to impose a tidy pattern onto death itself. It's designed for a world where you need that kind of imposition. The realm of the Nine Worlds is the only realm like that."

Fury sighed very deeply. Then he said, "Twice in a year's time. Loki is one busy bee."

"He's all but tireless. Endless reserves of self-healing power and considerable strength. It's his dual heritage: born of the giants, raised by the gods."

"He was in the custody of his brother Thor last time I saw him."

"Yeah, well he must have escaped somehow. He's the only one who could've gained access to that weapon who would also want to visit Earth for the purpose of killing humans."

Will said, "It, uh, fits the profile. A megalomaniac who believes he's on a grand mission. Someone who treats human beings like animals."

"Burdened with glorious purpose," sighed Fury. "Well, at least it's an enemy we've dealt with before. I'll try to get in touch with Thor somehow. And I'll alert the proper personnel in SHIELD. Thank you, Doctor, you've been very helpful."

"Couldn't have done it without this lot," said the Doctor, winking at Rose.

"I suppose you're not going to let us out of here," said Sherlock. "Not with a mad god on the loose."

"On the contrary," said Fury, "with Loki loose no place is safe. I would advise you to make this your safe haven, but I won't stop you from leaving if you deem that best. It's only a matter of time before we face war again."

Booth said, "A single alien? That's not much of an invasion."

"You'd be surprised what a single human can do," said Sherlock. John shuddered a little.

Fury said, "If there's one thing I learned, Agent Booth, it's not to underestimate Loki. We're all in danger. Together with the rest of the world."