Violence in the city had seen a sudden uptick in the week following the riots in Zuccotti Park. Small events scattered over the island, stirring its residents and cultivating a low current of unease among all those present in Manhattan. Police patrols had increased in an attempt to stave off incidents and alerts and reminders were going out through the media for everyone to remain calm and vigilant as the city's atmosphere charged with an invisible roiling energy.

Despite the numerous warnings and violent outbreaks, the nightlife of the city remained largely unchanged. The young and beautiful could not be bothered with depressing reports of rioting in the financial district. Happy hours and terrace bars were as always packed to almost overflowing and lines still stretched in front of nightclub entrances. If anything, it could be said that the intensity of the young social scene had increased, drawing out the most unlikely participants.

Darcy smiled faintly as Jane whooped and shimmied about as she stood next to the bar, waiting for the round of shots Natasha had ordered. Normally such a reserved homebody type, Darcy was shocked when Jane had demanded that the group follow up a fairly sedate dinner with an excursion to a nearby club. It was unclear if Jane had even set foot in a nightclub before and Darcy was fairly sure that she had never taken shots of liquor. She dismissed her confusion and wrote Jane's exuberant behavior off as a result of her reunion with both science and Thunderpants.

The bartender set eight small tumblers in front of the women and filled them with very expensive tequila. Not normally a tequila drinker, Darcy had grimaced when she'd overheard Natasha order; however, she wasn't going to turn down any drinks on her road to drunken social tolerance. Clubs had never held much interest for Darcy, but as of late, any situation that placed her in cramped quarters with other human beings was akin to torture in her mind.

She raised her glass, mirroring Natasha's salute to Jane and quickly tossed back the liquid. She watched as Jane struggled to finish the glass, taking several gulps rather than downing it in one motion. The entire situation seemed mildly out of character, but Jane appeared to be happy so she dismissed the odd feeling she had. Taking advantage of Natasha's open tab at the bar, Darcy ordered two more shots of the same liquor. She was here for Jane, but that didn't mean that she couldn't drown her discomfort. The tequila was already filling her limbs with a pleasant warm sensation and she was fairly sure that an additional two shots would push her well past uncomfortable and firmly into not caring. Stuffing a tip in the bartender's jar, she threw back one shot and then the other and pushed her way into the crowd. Time to get her blood flowing and help her body distribute the alcohol in her stomach.

She checked her phone for any message from Lucien that she might have missed as she made her way into the writhing masses. The screen was blank. No messages or calls missed.

"Damn." She cursed as she turned the screen off once more and stowed her phone between her breasts once more.

Lightness had begun to spread throughout her limbs, tingles traveling along her fingers. Her smile was lopsided as closed her eyes as she raised her arms over her head, turning off the part of her mind that worried and allowing her body to move with the music unfettered.

Loki had followed the women throughout the night. Discontent to remain hidden for the entire jaunt, he had altered his appearance and occasionally made contact with the group during their dinner. Thor's woman, Jane, was celebrating her birth. The large group that she had assembled consisted entirely of S.H.I.E.L.D. workers, Darcy and one other woman. She was not like the assistants that Jane had invited and nothing like Darcy. Her eyes were cold, despite the soft and warm expression she turned to Jane and the group. He could smell the oil of metal on her and knew that she was armed.

'Could she have been sent as bodyguard for Jane?' he wondered as he watched their interactions. She was congenial, but withdrawn, her responses and mannerisms obviously an act. The other women appeared unaware or at very least unconcerned with her disingenuous manner.

Stepping out of view of the table he dropped his guise, cloaking himself to get a clearer read on the woman. He slid his hands into her short curly red locks, his touch barely more than a whisper against her flesh. She shivered slightly as he did and scanned the room for threats.

Loki smiled as she reluctantly returned to the conversation, his fingers flexing gently against her scalp as he delved into her mind. His smile broadened as he saw her interacting with his brother and other costumed men. There were spots of static in her mind, as if she had sustained some kind of damage or another had been inside tampering. This made seeing too far into her past difficult, but he was unconcerned with the tender memories of a childhood assassin. He was focused on the recent past, her actions within S.H.I.E.L.D. and her affiliation with Thor. She was an assassin for the organization and had a surprisingly obvious weak spot for a fellow costumed hero.

He pulled back after whispering a few suggestions to her and leaving the faintest trace of his magic inside of her body, creating a craving for physical contact and loosening the staunch inhibitions within her. His influence would spread to anyone she came into contact with as it did with his previous spell.

As he pulled away from the table, Darcy glanced up, staring directly at where he stood.

Darcy pushed through the bodies and made her way to the bar again. The amount of alcohol in her system was not nearly enough to tolerate the grinding and slamming of man parts against her. Jane was barely visible amongst the sea of people in the club. She could just barely see Natasha's head near Jane, dancing, but keeping a watchful eye all the same.

Ordering another tequila, Darcy's eyes scanned the room. She downed the tumbler as soon as it appeared in front of her. She rolled her neck, trying to release some of the tension that was invading her buzz. Making eye contact with the bartender, she tapped on the bar top for another. Finishing her second shot, she pushed away from the bar, turning back to the mass.

A soft hand touched her shoulder, keeping her from slamming into the man in front of her. Shocked, she looked up and met eyes with Lucien.

Smiling, he leaned in close, his lips next to her ear, "Are you following me?"