The invitation to the party was a nice gesture, although Dahlia wasn't certain as to whether or not going was a wise idea. Samantha had suggested she bring Thor. That was a comical thought, so much that she actually entertained it. After all, despite her strange, growing relationship with Loki, she was certain he was not one who would be interested in attending a ball.

So, she called Thor.

"So, did Sam or Jerry say anything to you about a social event?"

"A social event?" he repeated. Then, he followed up. "Oh, you mean the mission?"

"The mission?" she questioned back. "No, it's a party. Like, a masquerade or something."

"The very same. Did...she not tell you it was a mission?"

Dahlia was confused. Lowering the smart phone slightly from her ear, she wondered if Samantha was really trying to rekindle their friendship, or if she really just wanted her help.

Why couldn't she just tell her? Dahlia would have been fine with the whole truth.

"What is the mission?" she asked.

"Her former employer recently let go a rather dangerous worker. His name is Keith Carr. Word has it he's very pissed and very exceptional at making deadly concoctions."

"Is he a threat to this gathering, then?"

"Most likely."

Dahlia nodded. "Exciting." Sitting on the bed, she looked at the gown that draped from the door on a hanger. "Let's go together. It'll be fun."

The party was in a week, which gave her time to regroup from the laborious task of eliminating the Nightmares. It was nice to not have to pull tentacles out of her cleavage and slime out of her hair for a change.

During the next, few days, it was peculiar that she hadn't seen any sign of Loki. Whether this was a good thing or not, she couldn't exactly decide. Was he even on this plane of existence, or in another dimension entirely?

It was a struggle, keeping her musings off of the mischievous god. She had to find extra work just to keep her hands and mind busy.

Time went by quickly, so much that Dahlia found herself in the courtyard with Samantha, who was dressed in an elegant, royal-blue gown, and her husband adorning a suit that matched in color.

The strangest thing was being on Thor's arm, who wore a suit nothing like she was used to. It wasn't that it looked bad, as it did make him look quite charming, even with the shorter hair and eyepatch. It was just so...

...Human.

As they stepped inside the giant estate, they were almost immediately greeted by a server with a tray of drinks. "Champagne?" the gentleman offered. Dahlia took one, as did Thor, but neither of them seemed keen on sipping from it just yet.

"Can you tell if it's poisoned?" she asked him quietly.

"No, but I don't think he would have the guests drop this early," Thor muttered back. He sniffed discreetly at the rim of the glass, and then dipped his finger in it and tasted it. Poison still could harm Asgardians, but it had to be a good amount to have any effect. A full glass would be enough, but a drop was just enough to have Thor shaking his head. "It's safe. For now."

Dahlia sipped her drink, watching other attendees of the ball. Everyone was dressed elegantly, and it faintly reminded Dahlia of a movie she had seen in this world with a beautiful girl who attended a ball with glass slippers, only to lose one of them.

A four-member orchestra played on an elevated platform on the far side of the giant room, and just a few yards from them were a couple of tables consisting of snacks, all placed in front of a tall statue of a woman holding what appeared to be a cornucopia holding gold coins. Instantly, Dahlia's eyes lit up. Before she could take more than two step, Thor tugged her back by the arm.

She pouted slightly.

"We need to be careful," he advised. "Just because the drinks aren't spiked, doesn't mean the food isn't."

"I suppose," she sighed. She wished she had eaten before coming.

For the first hour, they merely watched. The music was a bit different to what she was used to, as was the dancing that some of the guests performed. Dahlia was reminded again of the Asgardian dances that she once attended. She smiled faintly at Thor, deciding to strike up a conversation.

"Remember Freyr had crashed one of Frigga's parties because he couldn't keep his hands off the women there?"

"I see your memory is returning to you," he said with a smile. "Yes, I recall him being quite drunk that she had a couple of men escort him out... quite forcefully, I might add."

Dahlia laughed. He was right. More and more of her memories had returned to her over time, especially over the past, few weeks. Some that were less comical, even, such as the fight against Hela.

Thor seemed to notice change in her eyes and gave her a quizzical look. "Is everything alright?"

The Valkyrie smiled falsely. "Sometimes I think too much of my memory is coming back. That's all."

"How about a dance to keep your mind busy?" He offered a hand to her, and to her surprise, she was more than willing to accept. It had been many years since she danced.

She would follow his lead into a simple dance, one hand holding hers and the other hand on her waist. It seemed rather strange, especially when she caught Sam's amusing, open-mouthed stare from several yards away.

Good thing Jerry wasn't paying attention.

Thor was only a friend to Dahlia, which was why this didn't leave her in disarray.

However, her attention was diverted as she spotted two, suited men at the top of the stairs on the far side of the room. Somehow, they appeared secretive, quietly talking to one another, leaving her suspicious.

"Dahlia?"

She inhaled, unaware her behavior had been do obvious. "Hm. Sorry, lost in my thoughts," she lied. Conveniently, the song came to an end, allowing her an opening to pull away. "Would you excuse me a moment, please?"

She might have been overanalyzing, which was why she hadn't spoken up about her observation to Thor. Instead, she took it upon herself to investigate on her own. After all, she had been in scuffles much worse than a couple of mortals that were up to no good.

She took a martini glass with her, intending to use it more as a prop than anything else. As she headed up the curved staircase, she did so carefully until she heard a hushed conversation between the two men.

"He said the signal is the toast. That's when you lock the back door. Henry has the front door, and I got the foyer."

"No one is getting out. Or at least, they're not getting far."

Bingo.

It only took her seconds to come up with a plan as she stood with her back against the wall. She gave it a few moments before she would come into view of the two men. Her stealthy steps would turn into a stumble, and she emitted a giggle.

"I'm sorry, I think I'm lost." They both gave her questioning looks, though the taller man on the left seemed slightly humoured. "I'm looking for the lady's room."

"You shouldn't really be up here, ma'am. I'll make an exception, but you'll have to be quick."

"Oh, thank you!" she played, putting her hand on the banister as if she was trying to keep her balance.

Granted, she was feeling rather foolish, but what was important was that it was working.

The suspicious man that offered to show her to the bathroom nodded to the other individual, would take her arm gently, and as they headed down a hallway, Dahlia discovered quickly that the creep had other plans than he was letting her in on.

She kept her act going, however, leaving him to think he was getting away with taking advantage of a drunken woman as he led her into a lounge.

"This isn't the bathroom," she slurred, looking around as if she was dazed. "Did we take a wrong turn?"

"Here, have a seat." He ushered her to the sofa, and though Dahlia was ready for a drastic change in events, she kept her game on. Doing as she was told, she plopped onto the green cushions, exhaling heavily.

"I should get back downstairs."

She would move to get uo slowly, and like she anticipated him to, he would stop her, putting his hand on her leg. It moved towards the slit of her gown, and just as the fingers reached skin, they also brushed on something cool and firm to the touch.

After all, Dahlia made sure to come prepared with a set of daggers, in case things got ugly. She looked at him, her act of drunken stupor dropping like a brick. He looked back at her, as if confused, but before he could understand what was happening, the Valkyrie thrust up her arm, sending her elbow into his chin and sending him back just enough for her to get the blade secured beneath her dress.

Before her target could recover, she tripped him to the floor, and her heel anchored his leg, threatening to puncture it if he tried to get up.

"What is Keith Carr up to?" she demanded, pointing the knife towards his face. He breathed heavily, but sneered up at her. She already knew he wasn't going to tell her without a little bloodshed.

"Crazy bitch, I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm going to ask again." Her foot pressed harder down, and the stiletto's spike penetrated through fabric and flesh, emitting a yell of pain. "I know you're working for him, and he's planning something horrific for everyone in this building, and if you don't tell me what it is..." Dahlia knelt down, which only applied more pressure from her heel, and she pressed the blade to his cheek. "Then I will make this very slow and very painful."

He hollered again, gritting his teeth, and as blood trickled from his pant leg, he gasped out. "Poison gas... in the statue of Fortuna."