Grace stepped off the plane on a private landing strip at Detroit Metro Airport and went straight to the car that was waiting for her- a vintage Mercedes with a moon-roof, just like one smashed in New York when a very large alien creature had flattened it. She ran her hands along the shining baby-blue hood as she went to the driver's side, already in love with the car before having driven it. One of Tony's men stepped out and handed her the keys. She consulted her GPS for directions to the restaurant and then turned it off, stashing it in the glove box. She turned the key and heard the familiar shrill signal as the glow plugs warmed up, turned the key again and felt the engine rumble to life as she dug through her purse and pulled out the cassette player and emptied it, popping the tape in the car's player. With the windows down, the moon-roof open, and the radio up, she headed for downtown with Joan Jett.
She had always loved Detroit- it's people, the spirit that never quite seemed to die, the inventiveness of people who decided that enough was enough and a vacant lot would be a garden, or a house long-abandoned should be a community centre. She always heard from Tony about the investors who were reviving the city, but in her mind, those people were not the heroes of the Detroit story and never would be. She would always look up to the people who had been no different from her neighbours growing up.
Grace skipped the interstate that would take her straight into downtown and instead took the roads toward Wyandotte so she could travel Fort Street into the city, passing the River Rouge Ford plant and Zug Island. She headed northwest after the bridge and immediately got a phone call from Tony.
"You know that's not the way to the restaurant, right?"
"Yes, Tony," she replied, exasperated, "Which one of us actually has spent time here since the 80s?"
"You. And you're going the wrong way."
"Nope. I'm detouring to pay tribute to everyone's favourite decaying beaux arts majesty."
"I could buy it for you if you'd like."
"You tried that, remember? Didn't work, guy won't sell. Now go away and let me drive."
"No more detours. He's just a few blocks from the restaurant. On foot."
"Well then I've got plenty of time to head down Michigan Avenue to meet him, don't I?" Grace hung up the phone and sighed as the back side of the famous Michigan Central Depot came into view. The building had been one of her favourites since before it was closed up tightly and guarded, back when curious young teenagers could sneak in unnoticed to spend a day exploring the tower, looking out over the city from the roof, and photographing the majestic halls of the train station. If she didn't have a mission to complete, she would have stopped to take a few pictures. As she drove down Michigan Avenue, she waved to the field at the corner of Trumbull and, reminded by it that there was a game on, turned off Joan to tune it in. Baseball in Detroit was one of the first signs of spring, a charm to ward off the temperamental Michigan winter for a few months before it returned shortly after the World Series. Again, had Tony not been hovering nearby, she would have stopped, slipped through the fence, and walked the field once again, the memories of childhood baseball games some of the few she remembered with fondness.
It did not take her long to park her car in the Renaissance Centre garage and to make her way into the building to the restaurant with seating on the Detroit riverfront. She received a text message as she approached the host telling her that Loki was sitting on the patio.
"Hello, will anyone be joining you for lunch today?"
"I'm actually meeting someone who's already seated...he just doesn't know it yet," Grace winked.
The host smiled, "Ah, well, go ahead and surprise him. I'll send a server over with a menu as soon as you're settled."
Grace knew eyes were on her as she crossed the dining area- while the Renaissance Centre was home to multiple nerdy conventions that attracted unusually colourful crowds, it was not normal to see someone quite like her in a restaurant like this. She didn't mind, though- she had accepted when she dyed her hair the first time when she was twelve that she would attract a certain type of attention.
When she reached the patio, she slid into the seat across from Loki, dressed sharply in his suit jacket and scarf; he lowered his menu to inspect his guest. She waved.
"Hello?"
"Hi. I'm your lunch date."
He was genuinely confused, "My lunch date?"
"Yep. You didn't know you had one, but here I am. Grace. Grace Stark." She extended her hand to him.
Loki tentatively shook it, "Ah." Their server brought over a second menu and a glass of water. "To what do I owe the, er, pleasure of your company, Miss Stark?"
"It's Grace, please. I don't need to be reminded constantly that I'm related to Tony. And I'm here because I volunteered to be. Your other options were considerably less happy and didn't involve either of us getting to have lunch on the riverfront, so don't get snarky with me or I'll leave and let Tony do things his way."
"Am I to conclude, then, that you are not going to drag me off immediately to some sort of punishment for returning to this realm while his preference would include such a thing?"
"Let's order lunch and then I'll tell you just what's going on, OK? I don't want to have to leave Detroit any sooner than I really have to. I miss this city. So...what's your pick?"
"I think today I will try the soup and the Mediterranean salad. And you, Miss Grace?"
"I'm a cheese ravioli gal. I've tried most of what's on the menu, and still I keep coming back to it. It's been a few years since I've been here and it's a favourite."
They ordered their meals and Loki watched her uncomfortably once there was no menu he could pretend to ponder and use as a convenient little wall to hide behind.
She leaned on the table and propped her face up on one hand, her fingers resting on her cheek, "So I take it you'd like to know what's going on, right?"
"Of course I would- anyone in my position would have to be utterly daft not to."
"OK, so S.H.I.E.L.D. figured out that the weird energy readings they'd been getting had something to do with inter-realm travel and thought they ought to track down the traveller. They found the Michigan energy signature, scoured their satellites, and decided to talk Tony and his buddies into tracking you down. That meeting turned into only semi-organised chaos. The options on the table were to investigate further to make sure it was you, to show up and apprehend you by force using S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, or, Tony's suggestion, for he and the Captain to drop out of the sky and shock the hell out of you while you were sitting out here and just swoop you out of Detroit and fly to New York. All the options sounded like shit to me, so I told them I was going to get you."
"Mr Stark did not protest?"
"Fuck yeah, he protested. Told me it was too dangerous. But given that the last time he was in Detroit was in the 90s and Steve hasn't been here since...well, ever, I thought all the options sucked and so did their excuses. Besides, S.H.I.E.L.D. knew where you'd been going to lunch here for the last two weeks and Tony didn't let me eat breakfast this morning. Figured I'd join you and get something fabulous for lunch in the process."
Loki very nearly smiled, "You do know that I am dangerous, correct?"
"Yep. And I know that this place is crawling with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and Tony has never had a problem spying on me when I've been out on my own before, so I'm as safe here as I am anywhere. Guess I figured all you wanted was lunch, not the world, and we'd be OK."
"So suppose I do not wish to come with you? What will happen if I take you hostage and flee?"
"Tony drops out of the sky, Mr Star Spangled Steve shows up from somewhere, and half this room gets up from their lunch to show off their guns before you even leave the table- it's not like they aren't listening. You're coming one way or another. I'm just the nice option...and the option that doesn't stop you from getting that soup and salad. And I get ravioli."
Their meals arrived and Grace felt her phone vibrate. She rolled her eyes at the text message and Loki raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. Grace shook her head, "Just Tony. Bitching as usual. So. Are you staying near here? I don't want to make you leave all your stuff behind as we hit the road."
"I haven't been staying anywhere. All my belongings are in a satchel that I checked at the cloakroom."
"Jesus, you've been living on the streets?"
"I haven't encountered anything that would lead me to do otherwise."
"Stark Tower's going to seem like a goddamn luxury hotel after that."
His fork paused on the way to his plate, "Stark Tower?"
"Well that's where they're taking you. I'm not letting Tony take this car from me, though, so he's going to have to figure out if he wants to fly you back, fly the car back along with us, or if we're driving."
"Ah. You seem quite familiar with this place- do you have history with this city?"
"Yeah. I grew up here. Got kicked out of my aunt's apartment when I was twelve and ended up just another homeless kid. Tony adopted me- apparently his folks knew my folks or something...we decided it was weird for him to have a teenage daughter so we just went with the siblings line. I've been back here since quite a few times as an adult. And what about you? Why are you here, of all places?"
"I thought it might be easier to disappear here."
"Well if you're spending most of your time on the street, probably. Just be thankful the weather's been decent. Living on the street over a Michigan winter sucks."
"Might I ask how your ravioli is?"
"It's damn fine ravioli. Your soup and salad?"
"Very satisfactory."
Their server brought out their bill and Grace quickly nabbed it, "It's your last meal in Detroit- my treat." He nearly insisted on otherwise but she shook her head, "Nope, you don't get to protest. Consider it incentive to not make this difficult for me- I don't want to have S.H.I.E.L.D. burning down the remaining half of the city I love to find you."
"What will S.H.I.E.L.D. do to me once they have me?"
"The longer you're with me, the longer you're not with them, and the less likely they are to do something incredibly stupid...or that Tony is likely to do something incredibly stupid. Which given the number of times I've heard him gripe about you throwing him out a window, is just as likely as S.H.I.E.L.D. being dumb. I don't know what they'll do to you, but I'll do my best to make sure it's humane so long as you play nicely."
"Do you not work for Mr Stark or S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"Dear god, no. I'm a graphic designer for a bunch of small-time punk and rock bands hoping to make it big. I draw shit. Tony interrupted my morning to beg me to take notes at his meeting. He insists on paying me when I do stuff for him, but no, I'm not a Stark employee."
She paid the bill and picked up her purse, leaving a generous tip for their server, "Now are you coming with me or letting them take you? I guarantee you I'll be more fun."
Loki sighed, his shoulders slumped, and then he stood and straightened himself, "I suppose it would be most prudent to travel with you, Miss Grace."
They walked out of the restaurant, Grace waving to Phil as she passed, twirling her keys on her other hand. They stopped to retrieve Loki's satchel and made their way to the parking garage.
It wasn't until they were in the car heading down Michigan Avenue that either of them spoke again.
"Did I not kill that man?"
"Phil? Well yeah, sort of, but S.H.I.E.L.D. is a bunch of tricky bastards. Nobody will really talk about how they did it, but he's sure as hell not dead now. Hang on, Tony's calling."
She put the phone on speaker after rolling up the windows and closing the moon-roof, "Yeah, what's up?"
"You've got a demi-god in your car."
"That I do. And lo and behold, it looks just like the car you dropped a giant flying hell-beast on in New York."
"Well now you know that I actually do pay attention to when your stuff gets ruined by the insanity that is our lives- and this one's nicer- the windows all work and no Bondo! So, Gracie, what's the plan?"
"Are you flying this car back to New York?"
"It's all yours, sweetheart."
"Awesome! Then we'll meet you at Metro. But don't pull any stupid shit."
"When have I ever done that?"
Grace rolled her eyes, "Tony, good lord, don't ask that question. Anyway, I'm cruising Michigan. Going to hang up and drive. And stop following me, I can see you up there- the red isn't exactly subtle." She hung up before he could answer.
"We are being followed?"
"Of course. Did you think Tony'd let me drive you if we weren't? Anyway, tell me straight- what are you doing back here? And I don't mean just in Detroit."
"As I have already said, I wished to disappear."
"Yeah, I heard. Why?"
"I escaped my imprisonment in Asgard and was not exactly welcomed back with open arms when they discovered that the news of my death, while convincing, was false. I erred and revealed too much while in disguise...so I fled. I have no doubt your friends will shortly summon Thor to retrieve me. Does it satisfy you to know that I have caused myself such trouble? You seem far too intent on asking inconvenient questions."
"First off, don't assume that the Avengers are my friends. I'm the kid sister, I'm tolerated, but it's not like I spend a lot of late nights drinking and watching bad movies with them. They're Tony's friends. They chill with Tony. I chill with Tony. If that happens to overlap, we might all have a good time, but how the hell do I top their stories? Oh yes, we've been saving the world, what have you done today, Grace? Played pool at a bar with a bunch of aging drunk rockers and cheated at poker. And no, it doesn't satisfy me to know even you can be a fuckup. But I'm curious, so I ask."
"You seem to resent your brother and his friends."
"Nah, I like being alive. Their missions aren't my style. What would my superpower be? The ability to draw psychedelic art to blow the minds of our enemies? Don't be thinking you've found a fellow brother-hating partner in crime. I just have a sense of self-preservation."
Loki softly chuckled, "You certainly are colourful."
She smiled as she turned on the radio, "Damn straight I am, and if you don't mind, I'm going to catch the end of the game. Baseball's kind of my thing."
By the time they got to the airport, the baseball game was over and there was a very large jet waiting for them. Grace was in a good mood- the Tigers had won. She drove the car straight into the cargo hold, took her Joan Jett cassette from where she'd tossed it earlier, and left the vehicle, going around to open Loki's door for him.
As Loki stood, agents with guns surrounded the car, shouting for her to stand back and for him to put his hands in the air. He hesitantly did as he was told, Grace noting the glint of what appeared to be silver manacles showing under the edge of his sleeves. She simply sighed and leaned forward on the roof of the car as the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents yelled commands.
"Oh for fuck's sake, guys, I just drove him from downtown Detroit through the 'burbs on back roads without you and was fine, why the hell do I need backup now?"
At that, Tony landed outside the plane and walked up the cargo ramp, "Everything dandy, Gracie?"
"So long as the minions don't riddle my new car full of holes, yeah."
"No trouble with everyone's favourite evil demi-god?"
"Nope. Not even a hint of evil. He's been a perfect gent. Now can we please not have all the guns pointed this way? If anyone shoots my car, I'm going to be really pissed."
Tony stepped into the circle of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, "OK, show's over. They're here. Let's get everyone to a seat so we can get back to the Tower."
Steve, in full Captain America gear, met them in the seating area, "Grace- did you have a nice lunch?"
"Yep. Very nice. Were you the reason Tony only texted me once?"
"I did my best, ma'am, but he snuck that one by me."
She grinned, "Good work, mate. I just wish I could stay in Detroit longer. I miss this place."
"Given my reading on the internet about what the city has become, I'm not sure how there's anything there to miss. You will have to tell me sometime."
"Same things that made America great, Steve- resilience. Determination. Creativity. Detroit's got it in droves. Maybe it's not in all the ruin blogs, but it's there. I'll send you some links."
As the engines sprang to life and she buckled in her seatbelt, glancing over to make sure that Loki, seated by Tony, still in his Iron Man suit, had his on. While tall, he looked so small beside her brother in his suit. She waved and he nodded politely in return. Tony glared at her.
"Don't go and be getting to friendly with this one, Gracie. He's not on our happy list."
"Public enemy number one, got it. But you know, he's been a better conversationalist than your friend Clint and was sure a better lunch date than half the people I've bothered dating."
"Gracie..."
"What? You're just jealous that I had a nice, lunch and you were stuck circling Detroit like a bright red vulture."
"No, sweetheart, I'm not. I'm warning you that this guy's dangerous. He lies...a lot."
Grace threw her hands to her face in mock surprise, "Oh my god, I've never encountered a lie before, how so ever will I know if he's telling the truth?"
"Gracie..."
"No, Tony. Just no. I've been your sister for close to twenty years now. My bullshit-o-meter is a fine-tuned machine. I think I can handle this."
"He's also some kind of sorcerer. He used mind control last time he was here, honey, and I don't want that to happen to you."
Loki interjected, "If I may, the mind control was only thanks to the sceptre, which I no longer have and therefore cannot use against your sister."
"Is your bullshit-o-meter registering anything, kid?"
"Nope. I see no glow-stick of destiny. It wouldn't even fit in his bag, which is still in my car. So you're going to have to just accept he might actually be telling the truth."
Tony turned towards Loki, "So what is it this time, world domination? Or just a thing for Detroit? Because I think Dan Gilbert's already claimed dominion over the D."
"Neither. I am attempting to be free a little while longer before I am dragged back to Asgard to my cell in the dungeons."
"You broke out of jail?"
"No...Thor released me without Odin's knowledge so we could take vengeance for our mother's death. I was presumed dead after the encounter and used that to my advantage in returning to Asgard. I unintentionally revealed my identity and fled. I have been trying to enjoy a little freedom before they find me."
"Well you've enjoyed the last of it. Your brother's on his way."
"Please don't let him steal me from your airplane again."
Tony laughed, "Then I guess you'd better hope we don't encounter any unexpected weather on the flight back!"
Loki sat uneasily in his seat for the remainder of the trip. When they arrived in New York, Grace tried to convince Tony to let her drive him in her car to the Tower, but Tony insisted on loading Loki into the black S.H.I.E.L.D. armoured prisoner transport that was waiting for them on the airstrip. Grace drove from the back of the plane and sped through the streets of New York City hoping to at least be able to hand Loki his bag back in-person if she could get to the parking garage by the time they unloaded him. She hated the idea of handing what little he had in the way of personal belongings over to S.H.I.E.L.D., rather than letting him explain himself if there was anything strange in the satchel. Unfortunately, she arrived in time to see him being taken into the building, so she left the bag on the back seat instead.