Chapter 16: Villains
In Heimdall's observatory, two flashes of rainbow light surged in through the vortex and broke apart. Sif lost her grip on Loki in her struggle to maintain her balance and he tumbled painfully over the polished black tile, catching himself on his elbows before a pair of gilded sealskin boots. Loki blanched and slowly followed the fine leather pants up to the gold and silver plated armor until he was staring up into that single, pale blue eye. Behind him, Sif gasped and dropped into a bow, having just registered the presence of her King.
"Odin," Loki rasped out half-consciously, almost as if out of habit, although he had never called him that to his face before. In the drama of the moment Loki's silver tongue had failed him. The Allfather's face twisted into a frightful glare and he swept one arm downwards, summoning heavy chains to wrap around Loki's arms while a cold metal bit flowed into his mouth, sealing itself over his jaw. Loki's eyes nearly bugged out of his head as he coughed and gagged, instinctively fighting against the covering.
Sif sucked in a shocked gasp and stepped forward to intervene. "If I may, your Majesty-"
"You may not," Odin denied. "You have done a great service to Asgard by delivering him to me, and earned a pardon for your past crimes. You may go."
Sif hesitated, looking to Heimdall for support.
"You have been dismissed, my Lady. Now take your leave," Odin warned and Sif haltingly obeyed. "Guards!" the Allfather prompted. Two Einherjar came forward and hauled Loki up off the floor. "Deliver him to my study and secure him. I will join him shortly."
"Yes, Sire."
ASTRAL PLANE
Charles turned to Erik, cupping the magnekinetic's face in both hands.
"What's happening?" Erik breathed, watching the walls around them ripple.
"I have to go," Charles told him tensely.
"Charles?" Erik demanded, seeing the fear in his telepath's eyes.
"I love you," Charles stated, vanishing in a flash of light before Erik could try to stop him.
ASGARD
Loki blinked rapidly at the unexpected shock of Charles' presence flowing through his entire body all at once with less than no warning.
Feeling eager, Charles?
Pardon my urgency, but I believe it's high time that we enacted your Plan B.
Well, if you think it's time... Loki returned with a hint of dark humour.
Charles' presence stretched into Loki's short term memory and he let off a wave of parental irritation. What have you done?
Instead of answering, Loki looked to the opening study door. Odin entered, wearing a pair of strange, woven steel and sapphire gloves over his hands, and an unreadable expression on his face. He walked over to sit against the massive iron desk opposite Loki and looked to the two Einherjar. "Leave us."
The guards exchanged a look, but obeyed nonetheless. Nothing good could come of this. Loki was currently more interested in the strange gloves. Those symbols... Why do I feel like I've seen them before? Charles wondered.
Because you reside within me. They are Jötun imperial markings, Loki responded. He was so preoccupied with the discovery that he almost flinched at the sound of the latch clicking shut in the guards' wake. In less than a second his gaze was glued to Odin's grim face.
"I always feared that this day would come, ever since I brought you home," Odin finally spoke directly to his not-quite-son, filling the suffocating silence that had engulfed the room."There are some sins that cannot be so easily resolved... but I so wanted to try. No matter what you may think of me, I only wanted to do what was right for you, and for my family."
Loki noted fleetingly that he did not say 'our family.' He ran his eyes over the old ruler while he paused and fidgeted in place, as if trying to make himself more comfortable on his unforgiving perch. Loki tugged at his chains while Odin's focus was shifted and the old man looked down at him with a sad smile.
"This is not a punishment. ..I understand now," he confessed "It was my mistake that created this monster." He leaned down in front of Loki's face and the Trickster pulled away as far as his bindings would allow. "It is high time that I take responsibility for what I have done."
Odin reached up and held Loki's head in between his gloved hands, then pressed their foreheads together. Loki could feel the Allfather's dread, grief and grim acceptance leeching in from the points of contact along with a boiling, building pressure. The foreign presence forced its way into his mind faster the more that he struggled to escape it.
"Be still, childe. It will all be over soon." Odin soothed, which only served to encourage his captive's struggling.
"Nnnm!" Loki screamed into the bit in his mouth. "Nmmshhh!" The gloves were glowing now and he could feel his consciousness beginning to be rearranged against his will. Charles! Now would be the time!
Odin squeezed his eyes shut and sent one last surge of power through the gauntlets, Loki's wide eyes flashed brilliant blue. His struggling ceased and he went limp in the Allfather's grip, staring ahead, expressionless and unseeing. Odin released the limp form in his arms, carefully placing him against the back of his armchair. He reached one trembling hand out to cup the side of Loki's cheek and survey his work. He had felt the very moment that Loki's consciousness evaporated. The briliant mind that he'd known for so many centuries, erased in an instant. A single tear slipped down his cheek, and he shut his eyes, forcing his emotions down and brushing it away. The King rose and made his way to the door, his face an emotionless mask. If he'd had the energy, he would've been curious about seeing Fandral chatting with one of the guards.
The blond looked over at him. Then he caught sight of Loki, and all of the color drained from his face.
"Sire! What-"
"You will take the prisoner to be treated by Lady Eir. Not a word is to be spoken of this."
The knight gaped at him.
"Now. Go!" Odin barked and stormed off down the hall once his underlings had leapt into action.
Fandral watched him go, stunned, but quickly snapped himself out of it. He pushed past the Einherjar to kneel in front of the catatonic Trickster.
"My Lord!" One of the guards objected, he was too preoccupied to care which one.
"Oh. Please, no!" Fandral murmured to himself looking Loki over more closely, surprising him with the sincerity of his concern.
"I bid you step back!"
Fandral continued to ignore the warnings as he inspected Loki's bindings, then the locks. Then leaned over Loki and patted his cheek. "Come on. Please..."
"Sir Fandral, stop!" Lieutenant Rorik commanded, grabbing the knight's shoulder. "Step away from the prisoner!" He tried to pull the knight back, but Fandral yanked his arm free and rounded on him.
"How dare you! Have you no heart, Rorik?" he snapped, pinning the Einherjar with a look of utter distain. "Look at him! You knew this boy! We both watched him grow into the man he is today. Guarded him, taught him! You cannot believe that child could ever deserve this!"
"The Trickster cannot be trusted," Rorik disagreed or perhaps recited, resting a hand on his sword. Fandral's eyes flicked to the weapon, then he turned away toward Loki. He glared at the guard standing behind Loki's chair, then stopped to think. A small smile quirked the blond warrior's lips.
"You are a cautious man, Lieutenant. I can accept that," he conceded, turning to offer Rorik a handshake.
The lieutenant eyed his hand skeptically, but seemed to figure that he was safe with his men there to back him up. He accepted, and was immediately suckerpunched out of consciousness.
"Unfortunately, it is I whom you should not trust," Fandral confessed. His smile grew at the sight of the other three guards vanishing in a familiar wave of golden light.
Loki's eyes opened.
"You almost had me fooled for a moment. It would have been a cruel trick," Fandral remarked happily, before looking around at the real guards lying at their original stations in the corners of the room.
Charles watched him speculatively while removing Loki's chains. They had switched places just in time, shielding both their minds from further corruption. "Would you rather that I simply allow my mind to be snuffed out?" This isn't to plan, he consulted Loki, You know this man; what should I do?
"I would never wish for that," Fandral objected, genuinely insulted by the insinuation.
I am prepared to switch back if you so desire, Loki offered coolly.
No. You're agitated. I won't have you killing people, Charles decided.
Fandral pulled them to their feet, choosing to ignore the motionless Einherjar.
He is standing rather close, Loki reflected. Shove him back a step.
Case in point,Charles replied before addressing Fandral's unspoken question, "I haven't killed them."
Fandral gave him a funny look. "I had no doubt of that."
Fine. He is an honest man. We play along for now, in order to see what we can make of this, Loki concluded, watching Fandral pop out into the corridor to incapacitate the remaining guards.
He ducked back in to grab Loki by the wrist and lead him out. "Come along. We are both fugitives now!" he stated with characteristic enthusiasm.
"At times I fear that there must be something wrong with you."
Fandral positioned Loki against a wall behind him so that he could check around the corner. "A flaw!" he said happily, "By all means, tell me when you find it!" He then darted around the corner to take out three startled, and strangely resigned-looking guards.
He wants his flaws! I shall list them! That arrogant, vainglorious, pompous, self-important-
"Do you have a plan?" Charles inquired, interrupting Loki's rant while he followed the taller Asgardian out into the open.
-lecherous, inconsiderate-
"For the present moment, the plan is to run."
"Ingenious," Charles relayed verbatim, "I can see now why my brother always took the lead on hunting trips."
"I've just broken you out of imprisonment. Should you desire to return, I am certain that I could arrange it," Fandral warned, but his smile betrayed him.
-always so bloody pleased with himself, the handsy drunk! Always snoring too loudly whenever we share a tent!
"I somehow doubt that," Charles replied to Fandral, carefully masking his amusement.
I always end up with him! On every trip! Thor never wants to switch, the damn selfish arse, and Sif is a Lady.
Fandral grabbed the front of Loki's armor and shoved him into a dark alcove to hide from two passing guards. The knight locked eyes with him and held a finger up to his lips. Charles nodded. Just to clarify, Loki, is this about him, or is it perhaps Thor and Sif with whom you're truly cross?
Loki went quiet. We could use an illusion to hasten our progress, if you're interested. Despitethe abrupt change of topic, it was clear that Charles' point had struck home.
He reached up and grabbed Fandral's shoulders, engulfing them in a sweep of warm golden light that hid them from prying eyes. Fandral released him and Charles grabbed his arm, leading him on the path that Loki had just dictated to him.
"We must hurry," he whispered to Fandral. "I can only sustain this illusion for a short time."
Fandral frowned inquisitively.
"I'm still recovering from injuries that I received on Midgard," he explained. The alarm bell began to sound, underlining the urgency of their situation.
"How long?"
"Just keep close and follow me."
They had nearly made it to the northeast tower when their luck ran out. Charles stumbled to one side and caught himself against the wall. The illusion flickered erratically, and to make it worse, Sif was standing a little way down the corridor arguing with a squad of guards.
"Loki!" Fandral exclaimed, catching his arm while the guards rushed towards them. Charles pushed Loki's tired body upright and stumbled towards the stairs. Fandral shook his head and threw him over his shoulder, making sure to deposit his indignant ally securely on the next landing before darting back down to handle the guards.
"Hello, chaps! Having an interesting day, I gather," he greeted pleasantly.
"Hand over the prisoner!"
"Terribly sorry, but I cannot oblige you," Fandral declined, watching Sif walk up behind the guards at a more cautious pace. "I would really prefer not to fight you, either. Although I cannot allow him to come to further harm," he continued, then added to Sif, "I would also prefer that you didn't hurt me."
The guards drew their weapons and Fandral deflected one guard's sword while kicking the next closest one into a pillar. To his pleasant surprise, Sif knocked out the guard in front of her with a blow to the back of the neck, then proceded to fend off the other two before they could cause him any trouble. She pushed the last man towards him and he knocked him out with the hilt of his rapier.
"Thank you..." Fandral half questioned.
Sif didn't respond. She just rushed past him up the stairs and crouched down in front of Loki. Charles didn't react until he felt her finger poking under Loki's chin. He opened his eyes and barely lifted his head from where it had tilted back against the stone wall.
"I'm not going back," he stated simply. "You can't make me go back to him."
Sif gave him a long, searching look then stood and pulled Loki to his feet. "Where you go, I go." She ducked under his arm and began to help him up the stairs without waiting for a reply.
AVENGERS TOWER
"Do not ignore me!" Thor bellowed up at the sky above the tower, punctuating his cry with a flash of lightning. "I demand passage! You have stolen my brother from me and I shall find him!"
Another loud crack of thunder rippled through the air around the tower, but there was no sign of a reply. Jane took a step back from the windows. The wind was building again. It had already been an hour since any of the humans present had dared to venture outside. Thor was kicking up too volatile a disturbance for them to join him on the roof without incurring serious injuries.
"What is it, the third time he's done this?" Hawkeye speculated, taking a bite of his protein ration.
"The fourth," Natasha corrected, tossing a ration to the all-but-forgotten Wanda, who was curled up reading on the opposite end of the room.
"There's got to be a better way to do this," Jane thought aloud. The windows trembled violently, causing her to flinch.
"You mean like facing reality?" Clint snarked.
"There's another way," Jane decided, ignoring him. The windows were now threatening to crack.
"He's going to draw the Sentinels to us at this rate," Natasha observed.
Clint got up and stormed over to the balcony door. "Hey! Tone it down okay!? He's not even listening!" he shouted into the storm.
Wanda rolled her eyes and threw the edge of her quilt up over her head like a hood. Jane hastily descended into the lab and slammed the door shut behind her. She really did not need to witness another confrontation.
"Ah..." Tony breathed, wincing at her from his place, curled up on the foot of the medical bed. Loki's curtain had been torn completely off of its fastenings in 'the fight that will not be mentioned.' It really hadn't been much of a fight. It was more Thor hearing Tony's carefully edited recounting of Loki's conversation with him, and deciding that it was all Tony's fault. This led to his chasing the poor, suitless Tony Stark into and around his lab until he managed to catch hold of him and throw him through a sapphire-glass divider. Needless to say, Tony was feeling sore.
"Sorry. I didn't see you there," Jane apologized. "I had to get away from the others. Now Thor and Agent Barton keep picking fights with each other and I... I just got free. I can't deal with that."
"I get it." Tony lifted the cold pack off of the side of his head and looked around. "Does it have to be here? I mean, this is my lab. I've got dibs. I'm not dealing with your boyfriend again. I'll use the suit on him if I have to."
Jane smiled. "I don't think it's going to come to that," she assured him. "I don't even think he really blames you for what happened anymore."
"Uuum, he does," Tony corrected, standing up and heading for the coffee machine in the far corner. "'Course he does. I blame me. I was the guy Loki came to when he thought that he was about to get kidnapped, and I didn't stop it."
"It doesn't sound like that bothers you much."
"It did."
"Past tense?"
"Heading that way," Tony said, drawing the display on his worktable forward with his fingertips and throwing it into the air as a hologram. "JARVIS, get the lights." The lighting dimmed, highlighting the multicolored display that Tony was rapidly shifting around in search of something.
"Oh wow," Jane breathed, stepping closer as Tony expanded the hologram and a cloud of tiny holographic lights flew through her to fill the entire lab.
"I told you; it bothered me. When problems bother me..." Tony searched through a cloud of color and tiny lights, then dismissed it. "I fix them."
"These look like stars," Jane observed.
"That's because they are. You know that SHIELD facility Thor mentioned us breaking into?" Tony pointed to a system floating an arms length between them as he passed. "That's us. Right there."
"You stole this."
"I restole it." Tony shrugged off her appraising look. "Semantics. It's advanced alien tech. I don't know whose, but definitely not theirs."
"...Okay, so what are you looking for?" Jane inquired, accepting the excuse with surprising ease.
"Loki."
Jane stared at him.
"I tagged him." Tony indicated the back of his neck. "When we were having that drink. Seemed like the thing to do."
Jane looked at the holographic display of the cosmos in awe, then turned questioningly toward the inventor. "How?"
"This is a galactic scanner. From what I can tell it's main purpose is tracking, using liquid synthetic tracers, like the one I marked Loki with," Tony explained. "I've checked. The tracer's live. JARVIS is sifting through the data to locate him. It's just a matter of time."
"And when we find him?"
"I'm still working on that part," Tony admitted. The pannel beeped and the hologram expanded to show a single point in space, highlighted bright green. "We found him. The hard part is our next step."
Jane smiled. "I think I can help with that."
ASGARD
Sif led Loki over to the balcony gate and helped him sit down. Fandral brushed past her to look out the window.
"They will have sealed off the stairs by now," Sif noted, as the other warrior crossed behind her to check the far window.
"We're surrounded," Fandral reported, glancing back over his shoulder at Loki. "I do hope that you have a plan."
"Not to sound bitter, but there is only one other way out of this," Sif countered, making her way out onto the old stone balcony. She stared down at the massive waterfall that filled the view below. It was doubtful that even Loki's most potent magic could protect them from the crushing force of all that water, not to mention the drop.
"You don't have to follow us," Charles muttered out, almost quietly enough to go unnoticed.
Sif whirled around, pinning him with a look which plainly spoke of madness. "What?! That's your plan?"
"Can't stay here," Charles confirmed.
"You're out of your mind!" Sif accused.
We'll be fine, Loki dismissed. He was feeling surprised and vaguely uncomfortable with the trust that Charles had in him. He had never been comfortable with the phenomenon of blind faith. That was probably it.
Fandral walked over to face him. "You know something that we do not?" he questioned hopefully. There was a clamoring sound from the stairs and Sif hurried over to guard the doorway.
"Always," Charles relayed with a faint smile.
"Fandral!" Sif called, already fighting off the encroaching squadron of guards.
Fandral drew his sword, stealing one last glance at Loki.
"It's time to go," Charles decided, pulling Loki to his feet and heading for the balcony. By the time that his accomplices had noticed, Loki was already balanced on the balls of his feet on the carved railing.
"Loki!" Sif shouted. The guards fighting her halted, shocked by the sight.
"I told you. You don't need to follow." Charles let himself fall back off of the balcony, and Fandral darted after him.
Sif hesitated, looking from the empty railing to the guards, then fastened her double-edged sword to her back. "Damn you..." She ran past and dove off the balcony after the reckless trickster.
AVENGERS TOWER
Jane and Tony looked up from the tabletop screen, at an unexpected flash of red from the hologram above.
"JARVIS?" Tony inquired, looking with apprehension at the now untinted hologram of an alien solar system.
"I'm sorry, Sir. I have lost Loki's tracking signal."
Tony slumped forward over the table. "We ran out of time."
"Maybe not. JARVIS, resume the signal scan, starting with the ones closest to this one," Jane requested, indicating the system on display.
Tony arched his brows at her.
"I have a hunch," she admitted. "Loki's the one who gave me the idea of using the spacial rifts. If he was desperate, he'd think of it too."
"Only if he was deperate?" Tony verified.
"You didn't see what it did to him."
"Oh, good," Tony responded. "And here I thought that using them was starting to sound like a bad idea."
"It was mostly psychological. Thor and I passed through just fine," Jane tried to reassure them both. It wasn't quite as convincing as she'd hoped. The hologram flashed green again, closing in on a solitary white and blue gray ball of ice and rock, orbiting a cold blue star. "You don't think..."
Tony straightened, eying the forbidding sphere. "I really hope I'm wrong."
The two exchanged a look and Jane hurried out of the lab to find Thor.
ASGARD
Just a few feet away from the rushing white water a strange emptiness swallowed up the falling Asgardians. It was a impossible, unwelcome feeling. They were absolutely nowhere. Time ceased to exist. Everything did, until-
JÖTUNHEIM
Loki's back smacked into a slab of unforgiving, white ice with a loud crack that he really hoped came from the ice. The impact with the unfairly-solid glacer knocked the air out of him and he bounced off to land face-first in the snow. He rolled onto his back just in time to have Sif land hard on his chest.
"Ah!" Charles coughed out on behalf of both of them, then a thought suddenly occured to him. "Fandral?"
Sif rolled off of him and shook her head. "Too sensible, no doubt."
Charles choked out a laugh as the intense cold began to overtake them.
Good, Loki approved He is far too heavy.
"W-where are we?" Sif asked, sitting up.
"Where do you think?" Charles relayed.
It would be best if we reverted, Loki instructed.
Ah, right, Charles acknowledged, feeling the biting cold ebb as Loki's white skin turned deep blue. He held up one hand to watch. The sight made him miss home. Before Loki could ask about it, the thoughts were chased from his mind by a blade being pressed to his throat.
"Sif?" Charles gasped.
"Enough of these games. Who are you?!" Sif demanded, crouched over him with a murderous expression.
"I don't know what you're-" Charles interrupted himself in response to the ominous press of Sif's dagger. "Wait! Wait! Regardless of what you might think, you're still cutting Loki's throat!" He glared at her through Loki's blood red eyes. Sif eased off a little but didn't release him.
"Answer the question."
Charles swallowed. He could feel the trickle of blood down the side of Loki's throat where she'd pressed a tad too hard. "You promised that you'd guard-"
"Do not test me, Parasite," Sif hissed through clenched teeth, leaning in closer. "Loki might not trust me anymore, but I know him. You wear his skin but you are not Loki."
Charles studied her for a beat. Her agitation was mounting to worrying heights. He found himself doubting that he could dissuade her.
I can talk her out of it, Loki insisted, sensing where this was going.
"Fine," Charles surrendered, holding Loki's hands up in submission. Loki let out a formless surge of negative emotion in objection, and retreated. It was painfully obvious that Charles was on his own now.
"What are you, and what have you done with Loki?"
"A friend, and I can only assure you that he is perfectly safe."
Sif narrowed her eyes, gripping the knife threateningly.
"I don't think so, Lady Sif," Charles said, gaining confidence. "To kill me with that you'd have to murder your own friend."
We're not friends, Loki corrected.
"I don't think we're quite to that point now. Do you?" Charles continued.
Sif resisted for a moment, but then let out an angry growl and retreated. She stormed away a few paces to stalk about on the edge of the glacier like a prowling beast. She was still gripping the dagger in a white knuckled grip.
Loki seemed surpised. That's the dagger I gave her at her warrior's feast. I did not think that she'd kept it.
She doesn't hate you, Charles responded.
Loki didn't answer. He'd just remembered that he was angry at Charles, compounded by the fact that he'd so easily forgotten.
I didn't do that. You did, Charles corrected, unwilling to be accused of meddling.
"Why have you brought us here?" Sif inquired. She was still looking at Charles as though he was something foul on the sole of her shoe, but at least her rage was contained.
"Loki's life was in danger. He thought that this was the most viable escape route," Charles explained, getting up to find shelter. "We should find a cave nearby if his memory serves. We need to get a fire going before you freeze."
Sif grabbed his arm. "No fire. The Jötuns will see it and find us."
"Yes, but the cold will kill you first. I'm feeling the chill, even in this body. That can't bode well for you."
Sif scowled at him. "You said that there was a cave." She waved a hand in front of them. "Lead the way."
ASTRAL PLANE
Erik glared at the scowling woman in the dark, snowy landscape outside the study windows. He didn't like this 'Lady Sif' at all. Not that he wouldn't be behaving the same way if their places were reversed. Loki wasn't anything like Charles. Speaking of which...
Erik watched in the reflection on the windowpane as Loki appeared in Charles' armchair in a ripple of green light. The godling propped his feet up on the edge of the chesstable while he took in his surroundings. Erik's eyes narrowed and he raised a hand, sliding the board away from those offending boots with his magnetism.
Loki watched the board until it stopped moving, then smirked at Erik. "Well, well. That was almost impressive. Who might you be?"
"Don't bother with false superiority, Loki. I know you," Erik replied without turning to acknowledge his guest.
Loki's expression darkened for a fraction of a second, then his cocky mask was back in place. He stood and walked over to peruse the nearest bookcase. The lamp crept out of its hiding place under the sofa and began winding lovingly between his ankles. "If that is so, then it is only fair that you tell me your name."
"Life isn't fair," Erik denied, then turned to flash him a shark-like grin. "As I'm sure you've noticed."
"You're trying to pick a fight with me," Loki observed, bending down to scoop the kitten up in his cupped hands. It purred and rubbed its cheek against his palm, the little traitor.
"Why are you here?"
"You know all about me, why not take a guess?" Loki responded, rubbing indulgently at the back of the lamp's neck with a faint smile.
"I already know. Charles stepped in to save you," Erik informed him coldly. "I wanted to see if you'd admit it."
"Hmm," Loki hummed, more focused on the furball in his hands than the testy magnekinetic. "I do so enjoy these little creatures. They make such pleasing noises, very entertaining. There's nothing quite like them on Asgard. Oh." Loki gently removed the tiny paw from the edge of his sleeve, careful not to crush it.
"It's not even real," Erik pointed out.
"Nor are you, as far as I know. Yet here we are talking."
"I'm real."
Loki glanced up at Erik and flashed him a fake smile. "Of course." He then placed the lamp on his abandoned seat and strode over to the door. "This place is where Charles likes to disappear to, when he's not poking about in my head..."
Erik crossed his arms and turned his back on the obnoxious visitor. Charles had just reached the cave mouth, and Sif was now arguing with him over whether they should start a fire. Behind Erik, Loki unlocked the door.
"That's been misbehaving," Erik announced as Loki opened the door, then smiked when the alien blanched. Faced with the Void mere inches away from his pure consciousness, Loki somehow managed to go several shades paler than he already was. Erik smirked. He knew that it was nasty of him to enjoy that. It's good that Charles isn't here, he decided. Loki slammed the door shut and locked it, startling the lamp. It hid under the desk while Loki went to reclaim Charles' seat.
"Do you realize what that is?" he asked, failing to sound perfectly calm. Erik turned back to him with an air of pleased nonchalance.
"Of course I do. It can't harm me," he replied, making himself comfortable on the sofa with the intent to read. He opened the book and almost began to read.
"So far the best thing about you is your cat," Loki remarked, leaning forward to inspect the chess board. Erik's eyes were locked on him, unwavering.
"It's a lamp."
"Hmm. I see." Loki moved Charles' knight into position, causing Erik to bristle. The metal in the room began to vibrate with an ominous hum. "In that case, your lamp just shat on the rug," he informed Erik and vanished, smirking, in another flicker of green light.
AVENGERS TOWER
Jane ran burst out of the elevator before the doors were even fully open and darted up to the deck.
"THOR!" she shouted into the storm as loudly as she could. "THOR! WE NEED YOU!"
Below her, Clint and Natasha exchanged a look and rolled up the map and papers they'd been studying in their search for Peter. Wanda watched them, but didn't outwardly react. She'd been like that ever since her return, wandering around on silent steps. She hadn't spoken a word.
"THOR! THIS IS IMPORTANT!" Jane insisted, and Thor finally turned to face her. The storm gradually died down enough that she could join him outside without fearing for her life.
"What has happened?" Thor inquired, watching Jane pad over to him on quickly reddening, bare feet.
"We found something. You should come down to the lab and see," Jane explained, rubbing at her arms.
Thor tucked his hammer into his belt. "Heimdall can see just as clearly as ever no matter where we discuss it."
"I know, but it's cold out here," Jane admitted with a little smile.
Thor returned it as best he could, beckoning for her to lead the way.
"What's going on?" Clint asked.
"We found Loki," Jane said descending the stairs.
Thor stopped short behind her, surprised. "I know where he is. My brother is a prisoner of Asgard."
"Not anymore," Jane corrected, pausing by the couch to wait for him. "He's escaped. His signal blacked out and reappeared on a smallish ice planet a few minutes ago. We're guessing he's using the leftover spacial rifts to jump worlds."
"He is on Jötunheim?" Thor fretted.
"Probably. Your father's men will be busy handling Loki's prison break, but that won't keep them distracted for long. If we can locate the corresponding rift on Earth... somehow. Maybe we can get to him first," Jane replied, trying to look hopeful despite the dread in her gut.
"That sounds like a longshot," Natasha noted.
"This is it," Wanda observed unexpectedly, causing everyone but Agent Romanoff to jump.
"Wanda?" Jane questioned.
"This is why you were sent after me."
"But..."
Wanda pushed the blanket off of her shoulders and walked over to join Jane and Thor. "I can get you through the passage. You're taking me with you." Natasha crossed behind her and wordlessly picked the quilt up off the floor to fold it.
"I do not believe that is wise. Jötunheim is an unforgiving realm. You would not fare well there," Thor disagreed.
"Too bad," Wanda stated calmly. "I'm the only one who can actually see the distortions. Either we're both going, or no one is." She smiled at the couple in front of her, seemingly invigorated by the quest ahead. "So, when do we start?"
A/N: Thanks for reading. Special thanks to icanhearthedrums for reviewing and for her support when I was struggling with this. Hopefully, the struggling doesn't show... Anyway, I hope y'all like this, and to hear what you think.