Chapter 23: Second Chance
Kelsey emerged from the bath, running her fingers through her scalp and squeezing the water out of her hair. Soaking in the tub didn't help her anxiety, still enduring the tightness and the rapid thump in her chest. A sharp intake of breath through her nostrils alerted her, once again, that she had forgotten to breathe. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to breathe out through her mouth and inhale through her nose, repeating it until her heartbeat slowed back to a steady pace, although the memory of that phone call didn't go away, not even the nightmares from before. No matter how hard she tried to suppress or cast them out of her mind, it all returned ten times stronger.
She wanted to tell the agent the truth, but doubt won the battle. What if she told him, and he didn't believe her? What if she returned home without proof of Asgard's existence, only to be declared insane by the same man? What if the man wasn't an FBI agent, and he turned out to be a bum who not only stole her phone but loved to play tricks as well? She wasn't the one who liked to be played for a fool. Kelsey admitted all this was ridiculous, but it didn't stop the walls from building around her, higher than the Walls of Jericho.
Once again, she found herself lost in her thoughts. Nothing was helping her, not even her happy place in the water. She needed a distraction - anything to keep her mind off her troubles. She focused outside, specifically the stars up close and personal, unlike Midguard's stars. Jane would've loved to study them here; it's beautiful. While Kelsey wasn't keen on being an astrophysicist, she understood the fascination and satisfaction of them. She could never forget Papaw's man cave upstairs at the old farmhouse, where he and Nana lived before...
It was no observatory or a Ravenclaw tower. It was a triangle room with chalkboard walls and a window big enough to see everything through a telescope. Kelsey could never get over the pinned star charts surrounded by calculations and notes she could never pick up in science class. The room wasn't cluttered or disorganized like a mad scientist with an unhealthy obsession. At least the man knew how to throw his food away and not leave coffee residue stains or peanut shells scattered over the table. Unfortunately for Jane, she was off the deep end to care for such things, let alone self-care and her loved ones who were still living. Losing a father - a loving, respectable father - took a toll. Kelsey saw that firsthand with Mom. It was like watching a wildfire burn everything that used to be so beautiful, and no bucket of water could save it. Then, a tidal wave came along - another precious life lost too soon, and Kelsey was treading water to keep everyone afloat for her brother and herself.
"Have you been taking care of yourself, Jane?" Kelsey asked in concern. Jane scoffed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. Somehow, their roles reversed - Kelsey became the responsible adult while Jane was the cranky teenager. "I know I'm guilty of staying up late, but drinking five Monsters isn't healthy. That would explain some stuff."
"Like what, forgetting your birthday?" Jane raised her voice. "I already apologized for that! Get over it!"
Kelsey couldn't help but bitterly laugh as another piece of the puzzle flashed before her eyes. If only the mad scientist knew that Kelsey didn't care about her birthday; it was a painful reminder that she was getting older. Then she would blink and find herself outliving her mom's thirty-nine years of life. Any parent would rather have that than the alternative, but it didn't make it better for Kelsey. Mom won't be there for her daughter's high school graduation or wedding, nor will she be able to hold her hand as Kelsey gives birth. All those precious moments were stolen from her. Jane should know better than anyone what Kelsey was going through these past few months, but she didn't care - too busy groveling in her own self-pity and burying herself deep into her work...
Kelsey groaned and splashed the water in frustration. The stars above weren't doing her any favors. Her fingers and toes were turning pale prune, while her arms and legs were creating goosebumps from the cool water. It was time to get out and put on something warm. She reached for the lever to drain the water, only to feel the rain pouring on her head - the wrong lever. She ran her hands over her face, rubbing the drops off her eyelids. Now, she really needed to get out before she got a bad case of hypothermia. Just as she was about to reach the lever on the other side, her eyes narrowed as she noticed something peculiar about the fountain—the pattern lines engraved on the tiers. She didn't realize it was there initially, not paying much attention to details until now. What she was seeing as she traced her fingers over the line was that they were not connecting to stone tubes in between.
"Huh," she noted. Whoever was in charge of building this tub should get their eyes checked. Maybe she can fix it. With that in mind, Kelsey grabbed the middle tier and turned, slightly surprised at how loose it was, as she spun it to connect the lines. "Okay. One down, three to go," Kelsey voiced, moving on to the bottom, only there was some difficulty. Using all her strength, she grunted in response, nearly slipped into the water, and scraped her knee. It was no use; it required Hercules to pull it off. Blowing out some air, she spun the tier above the bottom, only to perk at the sight of the tier and the tube moving with it. "Wait..." Kelsey raised her hands, scanning her eyes at each tier, mainly the bottom. The way the lines were drawn looked to be roots from a tree. It was the rest that needed to be fixed. With that in mind, she shifted the tier above to connect the lines to the roots, then moved on to the next one, climbing on the bottom tier to reach and another for the next two. She was careful not to shift the tiers or slip off, resulting in breaking her neck. Once she connected the lines at the top, she climbed back down and adjusted the fourth tier after slightly shifting it from the climb. She took a few steps back to see the picture - an outline of familiarity.
"It's the tree from the library!" she concluded, feeling prideful from her accomplishment.
CLANK!
Her heart thumped, and her body jolted at the sound. In Indiana Jones movies, completing a puzzle activates a trap - a guarantee to keep something valuable safe no matter what. Kelsey was about to experience that firsthand and wasn't even dressed.
"Uh-oh," she grumbled, only to hear the noise again, but louder. She felt the water draining around her knees and the floor beginning to spin (or maybe it was the tub itself). Either way, she was getting out as fast as possible. She grabbed hold of the pool edge, feeling her feet dragged behind her. "Shit!" She hissed with gritted teeth, throwing her left leg over the edge using her abdominal muscles before lifting the other leg to join it. Then, she no longer felt the ring below her that dropped to the cold tiled floor. Kelsey yelped, rolling away safely from the pool towards the stairwell, not forgetting to swipe a folded towel from the bench to wrap around her body.
While attempting to catch her breath, she watched the fountain spiraling towards the ceiling and opening the floor. Luckily for Kelsey, it was just the floor where the tub took place and not the entire bathroom itself. After minutes of stone rubbing against stone, much to Kelsey's hearing discomfort, the entire kingdom undoubtedly heard it, probably debating between frost giants or an Asgard quake. Did this kingdom have natural disasters? Kelsey wasn't sure. What mattered at this moment, before her mortal eyes, the fountain turned into a staircase which led down to...
"Whoa," Kelsey let out an exasperating laugh. This was the welcome distraction she was looking for. When she was a little girl, Kelsey dreamt of this moment, the months of knocking on every wall in her house, hoping to find a secret hideout like Nancy Drew. She dreamt of a mystery falling into her lap and being the one to solve it. That moment finally came true in time for her birthday - in her birthday suit. That must be remedied if she were to explore the passageway.
She needed to tell somebody, but who could she trust with this secret? Sif and the Warriors Three discussed the possibility of a mole lurking in the castle, secretly plotting another attempt to aid the giants. Anyone could be a traitor, whether it be an outsider who craved attention, a servant tired of living in inferiority, a victim carrying a grudge, lover scorn, or a very close ally that nobody would dare suspect. The possibilities were endless. There was an old saying: keep your friends close and your enemies closer. This could be dangerous, but it was better than the alternative - dwelling on her pitiful self and dying from curiosity deprivation.
~000~000~000~
Erik leaned his back against the counter, sipping his mug while observing the pleasing sight on the dining table. Instead of looking into star charts and Norse mythology, Jane focused on language arts and reading comprehension. The task was difficult for Jane, who had never tutored anybody in school. She always relied on herself to get the job done like a true Foster. Group projects were a nightmare because they either contained the lone wolf doing all the work or someone not pulling his weight, resulting in failure or incompletion. Thankfully, there was a professor nearby in case Jane needed assistance, not that she wanted to rely on him for every homework question but didn't object to helpful techniques for the boy to understand.
"Here," Darcy slid a whipped cream drink across the table for Jane, who slanted her suspicious gaze between the mug and her hopeful intern. Jane cautiously sipped the warm, caffeinated drink, tasting chocolate and caramel. She detected cocoa powder, which melted in her warm tastebuds. No doubt, Darcy wanted to rebuild trust between them. Despite her wisecracks and complaints, deep down, Darcy cared. She made a mistake, no different from everyone else here in the lab and out. Any normal being would ditch this internship after the storm; Darcy almost did. Jane wasn't sure if the college credits tied Darcy here or if she had gained newfound loyalty or a sense of morbid curiosity. Either way, Darcy deserved a second chance; not just that, Darcy's expression showed that she craved something else from Jane - just two words.
"Thank you," Jane whispered, extending Darcy's smile.
"You're welcome," Darcy chirped. Unfortunately for her, the tender moment was short-lived when the neighbor barged through glass doors without knocking as usual.
"Garrett?" Jane questioned, pinching her brows together. Darcy let out a groan, tilting her head back in dismay.
"Garrett!" Erik approached the boy, ready to scold him. "What did I tell you about knocking before-"
"Guys, you need to see this!" Garrett didn't bother to explain, allowing the television to talk for him. He pushed the power button and flipped the station to the desired channel. The scientists and the intern gathered behind Garrett, who settled on the couch. All were watching the WHIH World News. Camera footage rolled the destruction of university property, surrounded by crushed militia tanks and trees. Flashing lights and smoke never settled. A red banner crossed the screen - the breaking headlines entitled: The Incredible Hulk?
"Whoa," AJ breathed, wide-eyed. He ditched the jumbled letters and kneeled in front of the TV for a closer look.
"Yesterday afternoon," News anchorwoman Christine Everheart voiced her report, adding dramatic intensity to her tone. "The entire faculty and students were forced to take an emergency drill. You may think this is about a school shooting, a bomb threat, or maybe a natural disaster tragically taking lives and destroying homes. Let me tell you that no one could have predicted this. What started as a school's urban legend came to life before our very eyes, and I must warn you all that what you're about to see is very graphic and disturbing..."
"Oh my God!" Jane clutched her chest when a humungous grotesque roared and leaped atop a shooting tank. Its bullets didn't physically affect the creature, only intensified its rage. It tore the vehicle apart and threw the shooter an impressive distance, no doubt resulting in serious injury. Another concealed-identity soldier received a massive kick into a tree. Everyone cringed at the cracking sound of bones and saw the pixelated flow of red.
"Hey," Darcy pointed at the founder's statue that crumbled down instantly by the military's shooting. "Our school had a statue like that." Erik's mouth dropped, and his knees buckled, relying on the couch for support. The brick building, the statue, and the hotdog cart near the science department looked familiar, which could only mean one thing.
"Culver University," Christine confirmed everyone's fear. "Nobody thought that this institute in a small town of Willowdale, Virginia, could face something barbaric as this."
The studio uploaded a zoomed photo of the beast, showing its terrifying features.
"Its mean green eyes, that snarling mouth, and let's not forget that bad haircut."
"This happened yesterday?!" Jane questioned.
Garrett nodded, "Yeah, I just found out. I came here as soon as I saw it on TV."
Darcy covered her eyes with a pillow when the footage showed a helicopter unsuccessfully shooting the creature down, not realizing or caring that a civilian was nearby.
AJ's eyes fixated on the monster destroying a chopper, which caused another major explosion and more casualties. He couldn't look away if he wanted to. After all this time, the rumors that spread across the campus and the internet turned out to be true. The Hulk did exist. The adults dismissed it as a Halloween story, but that wasn't the case.
"I knew it!" the boy pointed at the adults, grinning victoriously. "I knew it! I told y'all the Hulk exists! I told y'all a gamma meter-rite gave him superpowers! I knew it!" He ignored Erik's attempt to shoo him away from the TV. No kid should be allowed to watch this level of violence. When words didn't work, Erik had to physically guide the boy away with a pressing hand on his back, ignoring the complaints about being unable to watch good TV.
"Bro, are you serious?" Garrett looked at the kid in disbelief. "Be lucky y'all are nowhere near this school!"
"Does this mean there will be no classes for a while?" Darcy wondered.
"Not now, Darcy!" Erik scolded. He approached Jane, asking for her cell phone to contact his coworkers to know if any of them or a single student were harmed from the rampage. Deep down, he dreaded the worst-case scenario, but it didn't stop him from praying to God for a miracle.
"Hey, I'm here for my six college credits. Okay?" Darcy raised her hands defensively. "I just want to make sure I'm not wasting my summer vacay for nothing..." The intern crinkled her nose, turning to Jane in false sweetness, "No offense, Jane."
"Some taken!" her boss bitterly retorted, handing Erik the phone. He dialed the first few numbers that came to mind, only to reach either voicemail or the dial tone stopped abruptly due to a poor phone signal. To think this day couldn't get any better, a familiar black Lincoln pulled in front of the building.
"Oh great," Jane marched to the glass entrance, coming face to face with the suited agent. Despite the heat outside, there were no drops of glistening sweat around the man's receding head. He must've had a cooling pack installed in his suit, or his sweat glands weren't functioning correctly.
"What are you doing here?" Jane demanded harshly. Coulson ignored the rude welcome by offering a single wave and a smug smile across his face. A cheeky greeting that boiled the woman's blood pressure. She didn't have time for this. Neither did her group. They, too, demanded to know his purpose for coming here. Did he come to arrest them? Escort AJ to child services? Or was he here to take back Jane's journal or confiscate her wormhole that was currently in progress or Darcy's new iPod? The intern whirled around in a panic to hide the device and earbuds in her bra, oblivious to the pair of eyes on her who didn't initially ask for a private show. Garrett wished to tear his eyes away from her chest. Even though it was Darcy of all people, and he would never admit this out loud, not to her directly, she had a-
"Uh, excuse you?" she ceased her task to give Garrett a piece of her mind. If looks could kill, Darcy would rip his soul apart and obliterate his flesh in hell. Without a word, no apology, he lowered his gaze and stepped behind Darcy to conceal her frame from the agent's view.
Coulson tilted his head back briefly, looking at the sky before addressing the aunt.
"I'm not looking for trouble, Miss Foster," he promised.
Jane scanned the area, not seeing any black vans parked outside, only a Lincoln - his car. "You came alone?"
"I come in peace," Coulson promised, raising his hands in surrender. "I thought you would appreciate hearing an update on our investigation."
Our investigation? Jane questioned whether Coulson included her or referred his agency, "You mean, you found something about Kelsey?" Her voice betrayed her. Instead of sounding so tough, hope softened her demeanor.
"I'll tell you face to face without this barrier between us," he gestured to the door, his way of asking to come in. Darcy shrugged in dismissal to that lame excuse. They all could hear him just fine outside. Let him suffer in the heat a while longer. Give him a taste of his own medicine. As tempting as it was to let him suffer, Jane knew that Coulson wouldn't have come in person instead of calling unless it was crucial, like finding her niece. With that in mind, she opened the door, ignoring the grateful nod in her direction.
"So?" Jane pressed as she folded her arms, pinching her skin tightly from the suspense. She ignored the bang and metallic footsteps nearby, alerting the group that their star witness had ditched his pity party upstairs to join them.
"What are you doing here, Son of Coul?" he demanded, no longer barking orders like last time. However, his tensed muscles showed he was mentally preparing to take action if necessary. He was like a dog on a leash, ready for his master to unhook the chain and order the attack.
"I must speak with you, Dr. Blake," Coulson was unfazed by Thor's low-level intimidation as he explained, sarcasm laced his voice as he stated the man's alias.
Jane's frown deepened, scoffing in anger, "Seriously? You drove all the way out here, tricked me into letting you in, just to talk to-"
"I did not trick you, Miss Foster-"
"Doctor Foster," Jane corrected him, not that she cared for formalities, only wanted to have some entitlement to her character. Someone who can be taken seriously, and while Coulson learned not to underestimate her, he didn't see her as an equal. "You're wasting time, Agent Coulson. If he is the reason why you came here, I suggest you drive your ass back to your camp!"
"I don't think you want me to do that."
"Oh really? Is that another threat?" Coulson's eyes slanted at her in a challenging manner. Jane wasn't intimidated; she had enough.
"I want to hear what really happened that night - the night that Kelsey disappeared. The whole truth."
"We told you what we know now if you don't mind-"
"You told me Kelsey disappeared when the tornado showed up, yet you didn't explain why Dr. Blake was after the satellite."
"Sir, we both know that thing you're investigating isn't really a satellite. So why don't we stop calling it that?"
Coulson raised his brows and pursed his lips at her logic, "Very well, Dr. Foster. How about we start calling it this instead?" Coulson opened his folder and lifted a page for all to see. "Look familiar?" Everyone was shocked to see a printed web article about the Mjolnir. Its picture was almost identical to the one at S.H.I.E.L.D's base camp. Erik squinted his eyes and leaned forward to get a better look.
"I find it odd that the hammer looks exactly like the object of interest. And what I find most peculiar is that Dr. Blake looks exactly like... " Coulson showed off another page article and picture of the hammer's owner - the god of thunder, "him." Coulson finished, smirking at his audience's reaction. Nobody said a word. They didn't think that Coulson would believe this magical theory, too.
"Well?" Coulson pressed. "Is there anything you guys want to get off your chest? Anybody?"
He can't have my iPod! Darcy subconsciously crossed her arms to protect her assets. She and everybody else endured the intense silence that didn't last too long.
"I did it!" The boy's outburst earned odd looks from the others. "I cheated Hawkeye in a game of Goldfish! There! I said it! Please, don't arrest me! I'm too young for jail!" The agent closed his eyes, suppressing an exhausted huff.
"I knew it!" Darcy exclaimed, jabbing an accusing finger at the kid. "I freakin' knew it, you sneaky, little twerp!" She held out her hand, "Where's my winning wager?!"
"Darcy?!" Erik and Jane cried, appalled to hear that Darcy was gambling money with a seven-year-old.
"Gonna spend it on Kelsey's present," AJ replied.
Darcy's anger subsided slightly, pursing her lips, now intrigued, "Really? What are you gonna get her?"
"Kelsey always wanted a fish, so I was gonna buy her one for her birthday." Everyone took the time to awe at the boy's sweet gift, ignoring its deception. Even Darcy wasn't mad anymore, under one condition.
"You better put my name on it."
"And mine!" Garrett added.
"Anyway," Jane returned to the essential matter, addressing Coulson, "We have nothing to say to you. What you showed us is only a coincidence."
Coulson raised a brow, "Coincidence? Is that it, Doctor Blake?" He picked up an exchange of nervous glances between the students and the man in question, who was clenching his jaw, clearly stressed about something. That's when Phil Coulson knew he was getting warmer.
"How about this?" Coulson returned the pages inside his case file, "If you tell me everything you know, I will play you guys a recorded phone conversation between me and Kelsey."
There was another moment of stunned silence before Jane roughly grabbed the collar of Coulson's jacket. Questions spat through her lips rapidly. "You really talked to her? Where is she? Is she okay? What did she say? Where is she?!" Garrett and Erik pulled her back, prying her hands off the man. They told her to calm down, which didn't lessen her heightened emotions.
"Where is Kelsey?!" she cried. "Tell me where my goddaughter is right now?!"
It took a while for Jane to settle down and finally have a proper discussion with everyone. The group reluctantly accepted Erik's painful suggestion of telling the truth - the theory - no matter how ridiculous the possibility seemed. Then again, they had just watched The Hulk wreaking havoc on TV. Nothing could be worse than that. Coulson refused to go into details about that incident.
Thor was well aware of his realm's lack of mortal technology. He assumed that Loki had kept his word and found a way for Kelsey to contact Midguard, but Thor wished that the call was made to Jane, not Coulson. Nonetheless, he was grateful that Loki pulled through.
"So let me get this straight..." Coulson cleared his throat, slowly processing this incredible story, "The twister is actually a Bi-Frost that can transport one person anywhere, and Dr. Blake is actually a god from another planet?" Coulson turned to Thor, "You said your father had banished you here in this world, and you think Kelsey is up there in yours?"
"Correct," Jane huffed. As much as she didn't want to tell this agent everything, she had no choice. Her selfishness had cost her so much.
"It's a beautiful theory, I admit," Erik grumbled, "but the hypothesis alone won't convince the police nor the scientific community, not without hard evidence."
"Fortunately, for you all," Coulson assured, "I'm neither one. I've come across the impossible many times."
"Even the Hulk?" AJ asked.
"Yes," Coulson nodded, "especially Doctor Banner and his scientific experiment with radiation gone wrong."
"Cool!" the boy beamed.
"And as for the hard evidence, we received intel about a pop-up twister in California similar to yours that didn't hit the weather radar."
"Really?" Jane asked.
"Yes, luckily, there were no casualties, although they did leave a mark," Coulson showed the group a comparison between two photos of the Bi-Frost's mark - an exact match to the one AJ took in the desert.
"Unbelievable," Erik's mouth remained open, fighting the urge to faint.
"According to eyewitnesses, two individuals exited the cloud - unharmed. Both dressed like they were ready for a renaissance fair," Coulson showed Thor sketches of the questionable individuals. Thor's heart thumped faster at the sight of the ponytail goddess and the long-bearded soldier who could easily be mistaken for Jase Robertson from the Duck Commander incorporation. "Recognize them?"
Thor laughed heartedly, "Yes! These are my friends! Sif and Volstagg! My friends have come to Midguard!"
Jane peered at the pages, specifically Sif's sketch. Just as she suspected, the goddess was beautiful. Jane found it hard to believe that Sif and Thor were just friends.
"Damn, she's hot," Garrett said as much, earning a harsh glare from both Jane and Darcy. "But-But not as much as you, Jane," he rapidly blinked, realizing that comment came off too strong, even Thor cringed. "Not that you're hot. I mean, you are. You're gorgeous - sexy." Jane jerked her head back and blinked in disbelief. "Is it okay to say that? Doesn't sound appropriate. I mean, it's not like we're friends or anything - friends with benefits."
"What?!" Jane exclaimed. AJ faced Erik with the same questionable expression. Erik didn't answer as he tried to come up with something age-appropriate.
"Sir, please, just stop," Coulson begged.
"What am I saying?!" Garrett chuckled nervously. "I'm trippin'. You're not that kind of girl."
"Kind of girl? What benefits are you talking about, Sir Garrett?" Thor questioned lowly. He, too, was stuck in the dark as AJ, but he didn't like where Garrett was going with this.
"Smooth move, Brad," Darcy laughed at the teen's flushed cheeks. Garrett buried his face in his hands, refusing to look at Jane's reaction. "You have such a way with women."
"Anyway!" Jane continued before that line of conversation could escalate further. She had to grab Thor's hand to keep him from standing up and scaring the neighbor. No doubt, he was giving Garrett the evil eye. "Did you catch up to Thor's friends in California? What did they have to say?"
"They didn't say anything to us," Coulson gestured himself, "but to the CEO of the Cheesecake Factory cooperation, demanding to have the cheesecake recipe for a birthday party."
Jane's heartbeat raced at that detail, "Kelsey's birthday is in a few days!"
"Don't you mean 'tomorrow'?" Garrett corrected.
"Crap!" she facepalmed.
"And don't forget, cheesecake is Kelsey's favorite cake," Darcy added.
"Cheese in a cake?" Thor furrowed his brows at the odd combination while Darcy widened her eyes as if he said something idiotic.
"You kidding me, Tarzan?!"
"It's Thor."
Darcy pointed at the man accusingly, "This man doesn't know what a cheesecake is!" This piece of information was irrelevant to the case. Tonight, the group discovered many essential things. One: There's more to the universe than meets the eye. Two: Urban legends could be absolute. Three: Thor was a prince from another planet. The fourth and most crucial detail of all: Kelsey was alive. True to his word, Coulson played the tape that brought tears to the aunt's eyes. She reached for the recorder to hug it against her chest, and nobody dared object. Coulson would let her keep it anyway, for he had already made a copy on his computer.
"As I live and breathe," Erik whispered, fighting the urge to offer Jane emotional support by patting her shoulders.
"Okay! How are we still chillin'?" Garrett wondered. "I don't know what's more cray-cray. This dude here-" he gestured to Thor, "being a freakin' god of storms-"
"God of thunder," Thor corrected lowly.
"or the thing we saw on TV?" the teen threw his hands in the air, "What the hell did we see on TV?!"
"Relax, Brad," Darcy commanded nonchalantly. "We are suffering a psychological shock. That thing on TV is a thousand miles away. We are safe. The hunky god of thunder is on our side and will kick that perky green ass if he dares come here and smash this crap-ass town, hopefully, the phone tower. Whoever built that thing should be fired immediately!"
"Not helping, Lewis!"
Darcy shrugged, slapping her hands against her sides, "Well, I don't know what else to tell you. I'm telling you what my Dad tells me whenever I get antsy. He is a licensed psychiatrist, after all."
"Is that all you have," Jane demanded Coulson. "Just the recording and her coordinates?"
"Afraid so," Phil responded. "Kelsey is alive. That's the good news. The bad news is I doubt she'll call her phone again..." his eyes lowered to the floor, feeling almost guilty. "I think I scared her off."
"You think?" Jane knew Kelsey was very cautious and not much of a talker, especially with strangers. The Lifetime TV channel was partially to blame for that. It took a while for her to warm up to Darcy and then Garrett.
"I figured if you call her, we might receive more intel."
Jane didn't hesitate to pick up the phone and ask for the number. Unfortunately, the girl didn't answer after three tries. Jane groaned in frustration, demanding why this girl wasn't answering. Did Kelsey forget her aunt's phone number?
"Leave her a message," Coulson suggested.
"Message?"
"She might still be too scared to answer, unsure whether or not it's you - really you. Your voice is the comfort she needs to drop her guard and call you back."
Jane redialed the number, only this time she followed the automated voice instruction and added her phone number just in case.
"What now?" Garrett wondered.
"We wait," Coulson declared. "Hopefully, she'll hear it and contact you, and when she does-"
"We'll let you know," Jane promised, looking up at him with teary eyes, still too stubborn to let them fall. Not in front of him. Coulson nodded, escorting himself out of the premises. Before he could exit the doors, Jane called out to him again to say one thing - the two most polite words she had expressed to him thus far.
"Thank you."
"No need to thank me, Doctor Foster," he stated her title with sincerity. "I want Kelsey back home as much as you do." He scanned the living area, addressing the group this time, "Take care of yourselves and stay out of trouble."
"Will do," Erik promised before Jane was tempted to slip a snarky remark from her lips. For that, Coulson left the lab and drove his Lincoln back to camp.
"Jane," Thor sat beside Jane, placing his hand on her shoulder, "are you all right?"
Jane shook her head, answering him honestly. She sniffled, wiping away the unwanted tears, "It's not that I'm ungrateful to hear her voice and know that she is okay - Don't get me wrong, I'm so damn grateful for that. I... I just want her to come home."
"I know, and she will come home. My people will make sure of that."
"If that's true, then why haven't they done that already?" she questioned. He paused to come up with a plausible explanation.
"I don't know," Thor answered helplessly, "but we shall find out once she calls you back."
"I hope so," Jane exhaled, resting her head on his shoulder, allowing Thor to rub her arm up and down.
Garrett averted his eyes from the tender affection. The awkward feeling of being unwanted and out of place weighed in his chest; it was time to go. "Well... um... I guess I should go back home before my mom..." he paused, reconsidering his next set of words, ignoring the pairs of eyes on him. "Um... yeah, sorry to bother y'all. I'm sorry for today and everything before that. I know you didn't want me here, Jane, but I... I just thought you should know what's happening in your town and..." Losing his train of thought, he thought it best to end it there. After saying his peace, he turned to leave, and this time, never return.
"Garrett," the angelic voice took effect, ceasing his step at her command. The glistening set of eyes met her way. He didn't wish to see his expression in the mirror. To everyone, he looked like a sad puppy without a home. Thankfully, Darcy didn't call him out for being pathetic. She only leaned her head back and groaned at the upcoming inevitable. What could it be? Garrett knew it wouldn't be in her favor.
"Would you like to stay for pizza?" Jane offered.
"Huh?" Garrett's heart nearly changed rhythm at the unexpected gesture. This woman was indeed an angel - an angel he didn't deserve. Jane repeated herself, only for Garrett to deny her. "No, I - I can't-"
"Sure, you can. After everything I put you through - how I treated you," she ignored the widened eyes in reaction to her words, "you didn't have to come here and tell me about Culver, but you did. You are a good friend, Garrett, and I don't normally call anyone that lightly."
"Friend?" Garrett questioned.
Jane nodded, allowing a smile to stretch her face, "Yeah. Friend - just friends." She emphasized, politely shutting down the boy's false hope for something more.
As much as he wished it, Garrett knew that his friendship with her wouldn't last long, considering his track record. His mother's words still haunted him. As painful as it was to hear, she was right: who would be friends with an ex-convict? Throughout this summer, he played pretend, hiding skeletons in a closet and sabotaging a relationship to gain something good - something that wasn't his to begin with. He couldn't continue the charade any longer. These people were too good for him. Even if they had their share of sins, this group did it for good, not greed, unlike him. If she knew the truth, Jane may not want anything to do with him for her godchild's safety. That was fine because she deserved to know - it was time to come clean.
"Jane..." he closed his eyes in brief hesitation. "There is something you need to know about me..." This wasn't going to be pretty. He could easily picture the outcome. He spotted Darcy shaking her head and waving her hands across - anyone could interpret its meaning - don't tell her. What she doesn't know won't hurt her. He could almost thank Darcy for playing the role of Eve, who tempted Adam to disobey God's instruction. Darcy Lewis was the definition of trouble, and her actions indicated that he was on the right track.
"Garrett-"
"No," The neighbor raised his hand, begging the woman to let him finish. "No, Jane, let me finish, please..." His eyes averted to the floor, refusing to look at the suspicious gazes of Thor and Erik, especially AJ's curious ones. Finally, taking a deep breath, he raised his head, solely focusing on her. "It was back in high school in junior year. I was playing basketball at the time and... Everyone was doing it - boosting themselves for good grades - good stats." He grimaced, shaking his head, "It's not an excuse - I know - it was stupid, but with college recruits coming to games, my parents, my coach, my girl - mm," he pursed his lips, quickly rectifying his mistake, "my ex-girlfriend now. Anyway, I felt the pressure and... I felt like I had no choice but to give in - take the shortcut - make 'em proud."
"Garrett-"
"No, Jane, you need to know! What I'm trying is... Well, long story short-"
"Too late," Darcy grumbled, earning a scolding hush from Erik.
Garrett continued as if Darcy didn't interrupt him, "I got caught and spent almost my entire senior year paying for it. I didn't know who I was without basketball, and if I'm going to be honest, I don't know who I am today. But then, you came along, and I thought... Well, whatever I thought, I was wrong, and I'm sorry. I should've told you at the beginning and-"
"Are you still using?" Jane questioned firmly, giving him the stance of an interrogator.
Garrett shook his head, "Nah. Hell - ah, no, ma'am."
"And that's all that matters to me." Out of all the things Jane could've said, Garrett didn't expect that. "You messed up, Garrett. No question about it." His head lowered in shame, only to meet her gaze again at what she said next. "But I can't stand around and say I haven't broken the law for personal gain like trespassing into a federal basecamp."
"Well, yeah, but you trespassed to get your stuff back - to get Kelsey-"
"It doesn't matter. I broke the law and endangered my godson in the process. That was wrong and selfish of me. We're human, Garrett. We're bound to make mistakes, but there is hope for redemption as long as we own up to our mistakes and learn from them." She smiled teasingly and asked, "Remember reading that in your Bible, Garrett?"
Garrett snorted in amusement, "Yeah, many times. Not surprised that Dad didn't tattoo the verse in my brain." He jolted at the gentle contact on his shoulder. Even with his sleeve in the way, he could tell that her hand was soft, opposing her fiery personality.
"You're a good kid, Garrett," Jane declared, looking at him in the eye as she spoke the words sincerely. Before he could disagree, someone else cut him off.
"I couldn't agree more," Thor jumped in, a sad smile crossed his face. Garrett didn't expect this guy to boost his confidence. "He is a far better man than I - a true soldier. Asgard would be honored to have a man such as he to protect their people."
"You really think so?"
"Aye."
"I would pick him to be my partner in a Nerf battle," AJ added.
"I would select him as my teaching assistant for the next term," Erik declared.
"Really?!" Garrett, exasperated, nearly broke down at the overwhelming kindness. Something that he hadn't embraced in a long time.
"Yeah, if you're enrolled in Culver University and aced your studies..." Erik's face fell at the thought of the destruction, "if I still have a job there."
"Seriously, what does this mean for my six credits?" Darcy questioned.
"You just keep doing what you're doing," Jane replied, "and I will add the credits to your transcript." Darcy pumped a fist and mouthed a silent cheer. "And Garrett," Jane focused on him once more, "if you wish to enroll in school, you bet Erik and I will go to the administration office and personally hand them a strong recommendation letter."
"You'll do that? For me?" Garrett glanced at Erik and nearly forgot to breathe as he received a reassuring smile.
"You may not be playing basketball anymore, but that doesn't mean your life is over. We're still here and brought together for a reason. Whatever we're dealing with, we can face 'em head on," Jane squeezed Garrett's shoulder, "together."
The teen's hopeful smile extended wide, "Thank you, Jane... Y-You have no idea how much this means to me."
"No, Garrett, thank you."
"Okay!" AJ reached for Jane's phone in Erik's hand, ending the sentiment, "Can we order pizza already? I'm starving!"
"That's the brightest thing I've ever heard you say," Darcy agreed, snatching the phone from Erik, ignoring the boy's whine to call the place himself and his demand for plain cheese pizza.
~000~000~000~
Kelsey knew better than to explore the passageway alone without notifying somebody. So she left a note in her room in case someone tried to find her. It wasn't formal, and the handwriting looked like a kindergartner wrote it. Nonetheless, it was direct and short.
Hey,
Whoever is reading this, I'm not here. I found a hidden passageway downstairs while I was taking a bath, so I'm going to check it out and see where it leads. I don't know where it will take me or how long I'll be down there but don't worry, I'll try to be careful. If I don't make it in time for dinner, Happy Death Day to me!
But in all seriousness, wish me luck. I need it.
Kelsey
Dressed back in her royal beige attire, she pried a lit torch from the wall that hadn't been doused by the fountain water instead of wasting the battery on her phone.
She traveled cautiously down the slippery steps, using the walls as support since it lacked a rail. She brushed off the cobwebs that caught her face and dodged the rats scampering up the stairs. Five minutes into the passageway, she was already disgusted, almost dead from a fatal fall down the steps, and disappointed as she faced a dead end with a drain grate installed on the floor. Kelsey made sure her feet weren't standing on it.
It didn't last when she found a knob attached to the sidewall with an 'upside down tree' symbol engraved, just like the door to the baths upstairs. Nanna or Loki explained it's an Algiz rune, meaning 'divine might in the universe' or 'elk'. It's supposed to provide protection when it's right side up. However, when turned upside down, the fortune reversed. What would happen if she turned the rune back to its rightful place? She took a chance and turned the knob, activating another commotion. Hopefully, a massive stone wasn't rolling down her way.
"Whoa!" Kelsey shielded her head from fallen pebbles. The light upstairs from the bathroom was no more, so much for returning to where she came from. However, the stone wall before her slid to the right, revealing a circular room with a wheel in the center. The cool air became stuffy. The smell of mildew and burning logs strengthened her senses, making breathing unbearable.
"Okay, whatever you do, Kelsey, don't panic," she whispered, only to snicker at her poor attempt to relax. It was easier said than done, and she knew it. She wished Darcy was here with her. She always knew what to say to put Kelsey at ease, especially when she wasn't the type to sugarcoat a situation. What would the intern say?
'When there's a way in, there's always a way out.' Kelsey learned that from playing the Nancy Drew games, only Nancy Drew was a fictional character. Still, she hadn't explored the room yet to determine whether or not this led to a trap. With that in mind, she proceeded inside and draped the collar of her dress over her nose to block the odor. Shining the light around the stone walls, she found another opening - a possible way out. She descended a few flights of stairs and discovered a barred wooden door. Kelsey lifted the bar off its hooks and slowly pushed the door open, peeking into another castle area. Kelsey stiffened at the sight of glass cages occupied by Asgard's most wanted. This must be the dungeons. Much to her dismay, one prisoner nearby noticed her, alerting his cellmates. All reacted and expressed their needs, like food, a ticket out of jail, or some pleasant company. The girl grimaced in disgust at the latter.
"What are you all bellowing about this time?" A guard hollered nearby. Kelsey quickly backed into the passage and shut the door, holding the torch between her knees to bar the door shut. The guard couldn't get in if he decided to investigate the prisoners' accusations.
Hurrying back upstairs to the circular room, Kelsey stopped halfway to find something sparkling in the firelight. Kneeling near the corner step to take a closer look, she picked up what looked like a ring that had been abandoned for some time, missing its gem centerpiece. "I wonder who this belongs to." This was it—her very first clue to this mystery. Whoever owned this ring knew the passageway, and judging the ring's style and size, it used to be an engagement ring or a promise ring belonging to a woman. Because the robe lacked pockets, Kelsey had no choice but to stuff the ring in her bra, so much for dusting fingerprints, not that she could obtain them from its neglectful condition.
Returning to the circular room, she approached the centerpiece, a pillar with a helm around it. Using her free arm and hip as leverage while holding the torch with the other, she pushed, only to be shoved back by the wheel, catching her off guard - losing her footing and nearly bumping her head. Fortunately, dropping the torch didn't lose its light or set her robe on fire, but she could feel the room spin on its own... or were the fumes making her dizzy? Was Kelsey to blame or someone else? Holding her breath and closing her eyes, she endured the sounds of falling pebbles, stones sliding against one another, and... Was she hearing scattering rats or footsteps?
Why do I get a feeling that I'm not alone down here? Kelsey could be wrong. The creepy atmosphere and the unpleasant company of rats and spiders had already gotten the best of her. It didn't help that she explored the passage by herself, nearly regretting not taking a buddy with her. Then again, who could she trust? There was a list of suspects with possible motives. Once she felt like the worst had passed, Kelsey regained her footing away from the wheel and shined the light on the walls again, finding the opening tunnel to escape. Maybe she should take her chances with the guards and jailbirds.
Except in this tunnel, no stairs led her back to the prison. Instead of stepping on solid ground, her foot hovered nothing but air. Kelsey gasped, instinctively keeling over and shuffling back on her bottom. If she didn't have the light or cautious pace of a tortoise, she would've fallen into a pit of eternal darkness - a fatal 100-foot drop to her doom. The sight ignited her nerve endings and shortened her breath. Her mind screamed at her to go back - get away from the pit unless she wished to join the pile of bones below. Were there dead bodies down there? She refused to test that theory or wait for a ghost to toss her in there. The thought of someone creeping behind her like the slashers in horror films encouraged Kelsey to run back, mentally preparing for another jumpscare—a killer to jump from the shadows and slaughter its victim.
Like in the movies, there was always no surprise attack when the leading character was on guard. Kelsey returned to the wheelroom safely, but that didn't mean she was out of danger. This passageway was a puzzle that could lead to her rightful destination or a fatal fall to her death. She had discovered three possible outcomes so far. Analyzing the pillar, careful not to get caught between the wheel's handles, she spotted a peephole drilled in the back of the column. Would it help her or... Kelsey cringed at how Odin lost his eye and must wear the eyepatch as a permanent accessory. No other option, she sighed in dread, stepping between the handles and reaching the peephole on her tiptoes.
'Oh, dear Lord in heaven, please, spare my eye.'
Closing one eye to peep into the hole with the other, Kelsey spotted an illuminating outline of a wolf - Fenrir - a possible Norse symbol for danger. The assumption was obvious, considering her near-death experience minutes ago. Hovering the torch back on the wheel, an idea popped into her head. What if she tried again? Would the room spin again and offer her a less destructive path? Using her hip as leverage, ready for the pushback, she shuffled forward, turning the wheel and the walls in sync. She noted how loose the helm was - little to no effort on her part, meaning someone had depended on this spinning room a lot for shortcuts.
Satisfied to see the death path close and another tunnel open, Kelsey peeked into the hole again to spot another image replacing the wolf: a mallet with lightning rods drawn bilateral—Thor's weapon. Based on everyone's testimony, Odin banished his eldest son and confiscated his powers, including his hammer, which should be stored in...
"Weapon's vault, maybe?" One way to find out. Wasting no time, she stepped away from the pillar to explore the tunnel. Crossing the border, a few steps into the tunnel, Kelsey's ears perked at the familiar sound of the room shifting, gasping in fright and whirling around in time to see the wall closing behind her, sealing her inside the tunnel. Did she do that or... Kelsey listened intently for running feet that didn't come from vermin this time. The room shifted again, yet her tunnel remained sealed shut.
'Oh yeah. Definitely not alone.'
Kelsey could reopen the tunnel by turning the knob on the wall. She could attempt to catch the perp responsible for guiding her to the bottomless pit, but her body automatically faced the path ahead of her. Fighting the assailant was too risky. She had no weapon, no plan, no way out. Seeking the weapon's vault first was her only chance to answer one of the many questions for this mystery. A chance to help the people and repay the royal family's kindness. A chance to prove her worth. She knew herself to be athletically inclined compared to brains. Physical education and history were her favorite subjects, after all. Solving this mystery could boost her confidence and maybe balance the best of both worlds, silencing her voice of doubt and ending this war once and for all.
Instead of descending steps to a door or, thankfully, a trap, there was a fork in the road - literally. She would've been misled into thinking this path was a dead end without a beaming artifact on display before her or the runes engraved on the wall behind it.
ᚷᚾᛁᚲᛟᛟᛚ ᚲᚲᚨᛒ, ᛖᚹ ᚾᚨᚲ ᛖᛖᛊ ᛊᚷᚾᛁᚺᛏ ᛁᛚᚱᛇᛚᚲ,
ᛞᚾᚨ ᛏᚨᚺᚹ ᛁᛚᚱᛖᛗᚱᛟᚠ ᛞᛖᚱᛇᛈᛈᚨ ᛟᛏ ᛖᛒᛊᛖᚷᚾᛖᛚᛚᚨᚺᚲ
ᚹᛟᚾ ᚱᛇᛈᛈᚨ ᛟᛏ ᛖᛒ ᛊᚷᚾᛁᛊᛊᛖᛚᛒ
If only Kelsey had a dictionary to translate this. She guessed a few Norse letters that looked equivalent to English: B, C, F, X, M...
'Let's see... CCFB? No. MP? No! MBEM...?'
"Crap," Kelsey grumbled, realizing that English couldn't help her this time. The words she used with the letters didn't make any sense. This was Asgard, not America. She should've known better than to believe she could wing it and figure it out without hints. No walkthrough website could help her solve this puzzle.
"I'm so close, I can feel it," she bitterly whispered from her lack of patience, staring intently at the artifact's blue eye that illuminated a purple light. As tempting as it was to fiddle with the artifact and hope for the best, she couldn't risk activating another trap like the walls closing in on her, being shot by a poisonous dart, or a heavy rock crushing her skull from above. She needed to approach this carefully.
"I need to translate this first," reaching into her bra, Kelsey pulled out her phone that had lost its bars from coming down here. Kelsey expected it as much, though it didn't mean she couldn't take a picture and look up the runes in the library. Once she snapped a few satisfactory shots, Kelsey hightailed back upstairs to turn the knob, reopening the spinning room and cranking the wheel to open another possible escape route. Through the peephole, replacing the mallet image was... Kelsey squinted her eyes, pinching her brows in confusion.
Mickey Mouse ears? What?
That's when it hit her. Kelsey recalled the journey to the courtyard outside. She passed the kingdom's pond, spotting a mini maze of flowers in the center, cream color for the ears and red for the round head, with two exit points pointing at the waterfall and the shorter side of the brick wall. While the Asgardians had never watched a Disney movie, Kelsey couldn't help but joke about how the centerpiece looked precisely like Mickey Mouse.
"The courtyard!" she gasped, ditching the wheel to explore the path. Thankfully, she didn't have to solve a puzzle, face prisoners, or fall into a pit. There was a wooden ladder leading up to a manhole lid. The first three steps from the bottom had been split in half, and their pieces fell to the floor by either the rotting wood or someone's weight. Grasping the fourth step that was still intact, she noted the cold-soaked texture. Glancing at the torch in hand, she had a feeling the firelight wouldn't be helpful for long. She took a deep breath and extended her reach to the fifth, lifting her right leg on the fourth. A brief memo crossed her mind to start adding stretches to her workout routine, only to dismiss it with a scoff. Like that's ever going to happen. Bouncing her free foot to give her momentum, she pushed up, only to hear the crack and feel the wood below her foot break.
"Shoot!" Kelsey instinctively slid her feet in front of the slippery rails and grabbed the sixth bar with her free hand, costing her a torch. The wet puddle below extinguished the light in the room, now hanging helpless in the dark. Grunting in pain and frustration, she leaned her body weight back, still holding on to the handles as if ready to take her mark for a backstroke relay. Her shoes pressed flat against the rail, ready to climb up, one step at a time, yet she must do it quickly, for the ladder was slippery, and it didn't help that she was wearing her Adidas sneakers and was walking on the wet floor earlier.
"Come on!" I've been swimming laps. This should be easy. Then again, this wasn't the ladder from her community pool, and she didn't incorporate dumbells into her strength training. Puffing a few breaths and one grunt, she pulled herself up. Her left hand grabbed the sixth bar while the other barely reached the seventh. After a few strains and slips from her feet, Kelsey fully wrapped her fingers around the bar. She couldn't rest now. One moment could lose her strength and momentum. She repeated the process as she exhaled through her lips, both hands holding onto the tenth (or eleventh) step. Her feet could reach the steps themselves, successfully testing the weight on her tiptoes. She was able to climb normally again. How many more steps were left?
BANG!
"AH!" Kelsey received her answer after pulling herself up and bumping her head against the iron lid. She gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut and her grip around the bars, hissing curses and not caring if she offended the rats and spiders. She almost regretted not using her phone for a flashlight. With her free hand, she took it out to shine a light on the cover to lift it open, not expecting freezing water pouring onto her head, quickly shielding her phone with her body. At least the cold provided a temporary relief for her headache. She climbed into a crawlspace wide enough for two people or one frost giant. She was mindful of her skull this time, though lying face down on the murky water. The smell of mildew intensified. She would undoubtedly smell like a sewer rat, requiring another shower. Great. On the plus side, her phone didn't get wet, so she used its flashlight as her guide to a dead end. No, not a dead end. Her way out. Her ears perked at the familiar sound of gushing water on the other side of the stone wall. This was it. Seeking the familiar knob on the side of the tunnel, she activated it by a single turn. The wall before her parted, revealing a mini waterfall and heaven's light on the other side.
Finally.
Oblivious to the Chesire cat grin on her face, Kelsey tucked the phone back in her bra and crawled outside, ignoring the pool of water below her and embracing another cold shower on her back, which soaked her body head to toe. The familiar bed of flowers - the Mickey Mouse ears was her cue to stand up, refusing to look at the sky just yet. Her eyes needed time to adjust from being kept in the dark for so long, not to mention her lungs lacking fresh air.
Staring at the Mickey Mouse ears, Kelsey couldn't help but feel giddy at what she had just accomplished. She wanted to tell someone - maybe brag a little, again, who? The buzz in her bra pulled Kelsey out of her thoughts. Who was calling her? Was it the creepy guy claiming to be an agent? Refusing to let her confidence fade away at the possibility, she puffed up with pride and opened the phone. There were several missed calls with the same number - not her own - and a voicemail. Curious, she accessed the voicemailbox and nearly collapsed at the sound of her voice.
Jane sounded shaky, all over the place, yet...sincere? This couldn't be her aunt. The godmother Kelsey knew was a hard-head, determined to place science as a top priority over herself or her family. The reception in town was terrible, but that didn't hide the raw emotional plea for her goddaughter to call back - come home. Did Jane say she missed her? Kelsey? The teen, who would much rather stay home alone all summer, questioned every decision her aunt had made thus far, whether it be how she punished AJ if his pranks had gone too far or how many hours she should work a night? Kelsey found that hard to believe.
Still...
Kelsey couldn't help but endure the burn in her eyes as she closed them, muffling her sobs with her shaky hand and trying her best not to drop the phone or her body entirely. She repeated the message several times for many reasons: the pounding heartbeat and crying overpowered Jane's message, reassuring herself that it was indeed Jane calling, and Kelsey did zone out from the shock or the splitting headache. Either way, Jane told Kelsey to call the number at her earliest convenience. Kelsey would call herself a hypocrite if she didn't immediately put that on top of her priority list. Kelsey refused to waste any more time, so she memorized the phone number and-
"Oy! What the bloody hell are you doing down there?"
Kelsey gasped and whirled behind her, gazing at a man kneeling above the waterfall. He had black horns tattooed bilaterally on his bald head, matching his Uru armor, and a bushy ducktail beard that wasn't dramatic compared to Fandral's Geraldo mustache. He was no soldier, lacking the golden armory and weapon (then again, the Warriors Three and Loki didn't have to wear gold for battle, as far as she knew), yet the gnarly look on his face swiped all the bravery Kelsey had before.
The girl's first instinct was to raise her hands in surrender, "Sir-"
"Listen, miss, that water is no good," he crinkled his nose at the thought of someone possibly peeing in the pond. "No telling what is flowing through there. If you're thirsty, we have a well near the training grounds - freshwater guarantee." Then he cranked his neck when a horrible thought came to mind. "Unless some bloke decided to take a piss in there instead of grabbing a bucket..." She struggled to form a proper sentence and could barely get a word out when a uniformed guard entered the scene. He was the definition of a golden boy compared to the dark knight by the mini waterfall, even though he wasn't a strapping young lad anymore. The warrior inherited silvery blonde locks with a matching trimmed Bandholz-style beard, dashing blue eyes, and a pearly white smile. Kelsey could easily picture him and Fandral as rivals if they were the same age. This guard questioned the commotion only to spot the open tunnel and a soaking-wet girl near the passageway. He beamed at the sight below him like a kid on Christmas morning.
"Ah, well. Well. I see you found Asgard's traitor, Skurge," the golden guard declared merrily, patting the man's shoulder.
"I did?" the man called Skurge questioned. The tension in his facial muscles softened, no longer intimidating.
"He did what?" Kelsey asked, sounding just as skeptical as he was.
"Why yes," the official grinned, giving off an arrogant aura that put a damper on Kelsey's mood. Handsome yet vainglorious and ego-centric, like Gilderoy Lockhart from the Harry Potter series. Both were willing to stab people in the back for glory. "The king received notice that a slippery fox shall enter the weapon's vault undetected and undoubtedly swipe the Casket of Winters for those..." the man paused to find a proper adjective for the Frost Giants while snarling in disgust, "monsters. First, we thought it was just a hoax, considering the source was deemed anonymous, or we simply did our job and scared the filthy rodent away. Luckily for us..." he trailed off to cast his gaze on Kelsey. His shadow towering over her; the sun's angle and the wall's height were to blame. "She crawled right into my trap."
His trap? Kelsey couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous he sounded. Even if Kelsey was a criminal, Skurge should take the credit. He found her while the guard was lucky enough to show up in time to participate in this arrest. Wait... her laugh softened into nervous giggles. It just dawned on her that she could be arrested. For what again?
"Oh, my dear," the guard teased light-heartedly, mocking her as he confirmed her worst fears. To Kelsey, this made him even more sadistic. Meanwhile, Skurge was contemplating something, doubtful it was questioning the girl's innocence. "I love to hear that laugh again as you face judgment for your crime against our people." That's when reality hit Kelsey square in the chest, racing her heartbeat.
"Now-Now! Hold on! This is a big misunder-!" Kelsey inhaled sharply through her nose when the spear was pointed in her direction, forcing the girl to keep her hands up. She almost didn't hear the soldier's instruction to climb out of the pond. Instead of questioning his rash judgment, Skurge asked Tyr if he could put in a good word for the king on his behalf. It seemed these two weren't completely different after all. They were embracing the power-hungry train at her expense.
Oh my gosh! Kelsey seethed, pursing her lips. These two. These two deserve each other!
"Absolutely, my friend," Tyr assured, even giving Skurge the honor to cuff Kelsey's wrists personally.
Two words came to Kelsey's mind at this moment.
'Second Chance!'
Right about now, the familiar Nancy Drew bookshelf game menu would pop up on her computer screen, cueing the creepy piano theme. Kelsey could see herself hovering the mouse across the words on one of the velvet bookspines - SECOND CHANCE - before clicking the link to undo her mistake. Unfortunately, she didn't have the option to go back in time. This wasn't a game. She wasn't stuck in a delusional world where life was all fun and games without fear of consequences. This was her reality. If Loki hadn't found her committing treason before, he would most definitely have her executed for stupidity.
"I didn't do anything!" Kelsey consoled frantically as the dark knight jumped into the pond and circled behind her. "Please! Go to my room! I left a note! I left a freakin' note in my room!"
"Turn around," Skurge didn't acknowledge her as he pinned her wrists behind her back. The familiar clink from the handcuffs kicked in the fight or flight response.
"Please! Please," she writhed, "don't do this! It's my birthday!"
"Quit it!" he barked, grasping her shoulders to keep her still. The temptation to kick him from behind was strong. "It is a crime to resist arrest, you know - whether it be your birthday or Merry Unbirthday!" Kelsey was gasping for air, nearly hyperventilating, increasing the headache and the somersaults in her stomach. Tears dripped down her face, blurring her vision.
This is so unfair! Then again, that was her life. It wasn't meant to be fair.
"For your crimes against the people," Skurge began the process once the girl stopped fighting his grip, "I, Skurge of Asgard, arrest you... uh..."
"Kelsey," the girl offered hoarsely. Jane was going to kill her if she found out about this. There was no way in the world Kelsey would let AJ know, for he would've boasted about being the golden child.
"Kelsey of Asgard," Skurge nodded. "Right."
"I don't feel so good," Kelsey winced, trying to ignore the intense kicking within her abdomen. Her head spun, leaving her no choice but to close her eyes and hope the nausea would pass.
"Shut up. I am arresting you and escorting you to the palace, where you shall stand trial before Odin Allfather-"
"Actually, Skurge, Loki is king now - temporarily," Tyr corrected casually before waving him to continue the job for him.
"Oh yeah," Skurge acknowledged before continuing to read the girl's rights (if anyone would call it that) in a dramatic fashion. This guy must have dreamed of this moment his entire immortal life as a youngster. How sweet. Kelsey thought bitterly, though a tiny part of her was happy for him. Dreams do come true if you put in the effort. "You must stand before our king - Loki Odinson - and face judgment for your - you know - your crimes." It had taken him some time to lock the cuffs around her wrists simultaneously, longer when he declined the experienced guard's verbal assistance. Even if Skurge was a warrior, he was clearly out of practice. When the task was done, Skurge guided the mortal around the mouse ears towards the shorter ledge of the brick wall for an easier climb back on land.
To make matters worse and embarrassing to Kelsey, she keeled over and vomited in the water.
"Ugh!" The men expressed, turning their heads away. They couldn't block the smell nor conceal the sounds Kelsey was making: the gagging, the coughing, the puking. Skurge crinkled his nose and closed his eyes, refusing to look down, specifically his soiled boots. He offered an empathetic pat on the back but nothing else.
Meanwhile, Tyr gazed at the heavens and thanked Valhalla for sparing him good fortune. Once the worst had passed, the second the traitor retrieved from the water, he'd take over and personally escort her to court himself. Tyr could see it now. King Loki shall praise him for performing his due diligence and then offer him a promotion: Tyr the Great - chief commander for the Eihenjar. His prideful grin extended at the honorable title.