XXXI
Peggy sat on the meeting table, staring through the holoscreen projecting the security footage. Coulson was briefing the team and the Watsons on the development with Loki but she wasn't paying much attention to that. It really wasn't like they had any new information on the situation anyway. Loki and Moriarty had broken into the Avengers base outside of London but despite clear signs of a search, nothing was taken or hacked. Whatever they were looking for, they had not found it at that base.
Something felt very off to the young SHIELD agent, but she couldn't decide if something was actually wrong or if she was unable to stand the blank expression on Sherlock's face. The detective had completely shut down, his eyes following Loki's actions in the security footage. The only indication he gave of being aware of his surroundings was an occasional nod or slow blink whenever addressed. Otherwise, he was almost inhumanly still, not saying a single word. Both the Watsons and Peggy had even intentionally stated incorrect information so as to get a response out of Sherlock. But he never tried to correct them. He didn't even flinch in disgust at their "stupidity." Peggy felt her heart for break for him.
"Are we absolutely sure something isn't being held against Loki?" John asked. "I mean I don't see him just teaming up with someone like Moriarty for no good reason."
"It is a possibility. Unfortunately, it can also go either way," Coulson confirmed. "They don't exactly call him a trickster for nothing."
"Even so, Director," Peggy started. "Moriarty is a human drama queen from what I've read. I wouldn't think Loki would have the patience to put up with him." She swiped the feed out of the air and back into the table. Sherlock's eyes followed the screen. "Besides, I doubt Loki has much reason to go against the Avengers. They don't have anything he would want."
"That we know of." Peggy huffed. Unfortunately, there wasn't much that could be said. "Without actually talking to him, we can't know where exactly his motives lie."
"And even then, we won't know if he's lying," Sherlock added, finally breaking his voluntary silence. Every eye turned to the detective. "He's a god of lies. If he has been playing us this long, there's no reason he won't continue to do so."
"But even then, he could be lying to protect us," Mary offered. "He could be a double agent."
"I wouldn't hold out too much hope," Sherlock countered pessimistically.
"We have to look at every angle, Mr. Brightside," Peggy noted. "And with your fiancé, there's an awful lot of them."
"Not many of them tip in our favor, Agent Stark." Peggy's eyebrow shot up at that. Sherlock shrugged. "Balance of probability."
"Rookie, he's the god of chaos. He points and laughs at probability."
"She's got a point, Sherlock," John agreed. Sherlock didn't answer but instead got up and left three frustrated agents and two disappointed Watsons.
"Well, that went well," May, who had been watching silently, said.
"As well as can be expected given the situation," Coulson agreed.
"And the fact that it's Sherlock," John added. "I honestly expected him to have a more explosive reaction."
"He's probably still in shock, not that he'd admit it," Peggy noted, tapping an erratic nervousness on the table with her foot. "He doesn't want to build up false hope."
"You think there is any?" John asked, leaning into the table.
"I don't know," she admitted. "But something feels off about this whole 'alliance'. I'm calling shenanigans."
"That's a big leap of faith, Annie."
"We live off of those, Coulson." Peggy noticed John's confused look. "Coulson calls me 'Annie' from my first name. Don't bother asking what it is as I will lie." She began to fiddle at the loose hair at the tail of her braid. "I do think we're missing something. Though I might need a second opinion before I can tell you what that is…"
"Do it." With that, both Coulson and May left, wholly trusting Peggy's second opinion. John rubbed at his face.
"And what can we do?" he asked. Peggy shrugged.
"Be there for Sherlock? Maybe try to get him out of that pessimistic stupor?"
"Oh yeah that'll happen."
"Well, you'll have to try. Whatever we find out, we're going to need him." She began to hop off the table, flipping through the contacts on her phone.
"And who are you calling?" Mary asked. Peggy smirked.
"Now now, Mrs. Watson, if I told you I would have to kill you."
***Burdened with Glorious Deductions***
Peggy whacked at her computer, as if expecting it to find better service due to the violence. "Can you hear me now?" She asked the grey static.
"Hearing you is not the problem with this connection, Peggy," A voice answered through the haze. "Hang on. Let me try something on my end."
"Alright," Peggy agreed, pulling out a metallic red and gold package on her desk. She smiled at the card tucked under the overelaborate bow, signed Enjoy the trip down memory lane! Love, Dad. "You would think the most technologically advanced country in the world would have better Wi-Fi."
"It's more likely the fact we're trying to cover up the connection so SHIELD doesn't discover us."
"Mmm true." She opened the bright package, grinning at the leather bound and sticker covered journal as a picture started to fizzle its way onto the screen. Peggy began to flip through the yellow-edged pages. "Hello again, cousin. Nice to see you." Sharon Carter returned her cousin's wave from a darkened room. "You turn into a vampire while hanging around Wakanda?"
"Oh no. Steve's still asleep," Sharon explained, nodding to the blonde-tufted lump on her bed. Peggy scrunched her nose at the sight, half playfully. "Oh shut up."
"I didn't say a word."
"You were thinking it."
"Yes. Yes I was."
"Well, your disappointment has already been quite noted."
"Thank you."
"Now is there an actual reason you're risking jail time to talk to me?" Any other time, Peggy would have made some sort of snarky comment, simply for kicks. Instead, she tucked the journal into a secret compartment of her desk before leaning closer to the computer.
"Actually, I do," she admitted, tapping her foot on the floor. "There be trouble brewing in London Town."
"From what you and Aunt Peggy have told me, there's always trouble in London Town."
"Loki trouble," Peggy elaborated. "He hased supposedly turned on us." Sharon shrugged. Peggy's nose scrunched again as she predicted Sharon's response.
"Well, given his history, are you really surprised? He did throw your dad out of a window." The younger agent chose to ignore that last bit.
"Yes. I am." Agent 13 looked confused at Peggy's calm confession. "Something about this whole thing feels off. An Asgardian who nearly toppled New York and the Avengers decides to form an alliance with a human criminal? It makes no sense." Peggy's chair began to squeak in rhythm with her foot.
"Got anything to back up that claim?"
"Just my gut." Peggy was surprised to see Sharon shrug with a chuckled. "What?"
"Best tool an agent can have. Got anything we can look at?"
"Crappy security footage. Can't tell if Avengers base needs an update or if they're scrambling the signal somehow." Peggy began to tap at her keyboard, bringing up the security footage of Loki and Moriarty. "I've looked at it a thousand times."
"Tell me there was a break in there somewhere." Peggy remained silent. "You know the longer you stare at something, the more likely you are to miss things."
"I know. That's why I called you." Sharon sighed, shaking her head.
"Alright. Let's see what we can find." Peggy sat and watched as Agent 13 went to work analyzing the footage. Her fingers began to trace the keyboard as she watched Sharon work. The only new thing Peggy had been able to find was the fact that Loki turned to stare into the camera. Unfortunately, with the Trickster that could mean everything or nothing. And maybe that was what was tripping her up.
Just about everyone who had read or heard about New York saw Loki as that monster still. On the other side, Sherlock had managed to blind himself to the god's darker tendencies due to their relationship. Or at least so she feared. Fact of the matter was Loki always did what was good for Loki. The god was chaotic neutral personified. Peggy couldn't imagine Moriarty really had anything that could sway Loki's allegiances.
"Oh, this could be useful," Sharon announced, derailing Peggy's train of thought. "Look at Loki's eyes." Peggy looked.
"He's blinking a lot."
"It's Morse code. He's blinking in Morse code."
"Oh? Really?"
"Told you you'd miss something."
"I can't read Morse code."
"What kind of spy can't read Morse code?" Sharon asked, incredulous. "Here write this down." Peggy quickly scavenged her desk for a pen and paper. "S-T-O-N-E," Sharon read as Peggy recorded. "V-I-S-I-O-N. Stone Vision?"
"That's what it says," Peggy confirmed, mulling the words over in her head. "Stone vision…" Peggy's eyes widened. "Stone. Vision. Vision's stone!"
"Beg pardon?"
"Loki wasn't just helping Moriarty into that base. He was trying to warn us."