Fire and Ice

•2•

Even in the rain, Kate's hands light up, the flames still small, contained. "Both of you, stop!"

The fire catches the eyes of both men, and they listen, watching her. The agent says nothing, but Blondie points to her hands. "Pardon me, maiden, but your hands are... burning."

Kate makes the flames grow, despite it being more difficult in the heavy downpour. "Yeah, they kinda do that."

"Oh," he says. "Carry on, then."

She raises a brow at him, walking closer, getting to what she wants to know. "What exactly is it that you're here for... sir?"

"Mjolnir," he replies easily.

"Ma-what?"

"My hammer," he amends, causing a thousand things to go through Kate's mind, none of her questions being answered, but she now has about a dozen incomplete theories.

"Oh, so that's yours?" She wants to ask him everything now, but she knows she'll have to play this right to get answers — and to protect the research.

Blondie looks at her like she's crazy. "Yes, that is what I said."

If it is his... "Can you lift it?"

"Of course I can."

"Good. Because I can't." She can only imagine what Coulson and Clint are saying, provided they've figured out what she's doing just by watching her. "But if I let you go in there and try to lift that thing like King Arthur or something, you have to stay and answer all my questions. Understood?"

Blondie's brows furrow. "Who is this King Arthur you speak of? I wasn't aware there was a king here."

Here? Surely he doesn't mean America. Where is this guy even from? "Okay, now I think I have even more questions," Kate says to herself. She looks at the man, covered in mud, still looking up at her from the ground. "Do you promise? Scout's honor?"

He bows a bit, his hand on his chest. "I promise most solemnly, maiden."

"Just so you quit calling me that, my name is Kate. Cool? Cool," she says. "And if you break your promise, there will more be guards where the others came from. And this time, there will be me." She makes the flames grow yet again.

He nods, glancing at her hands with curiosity. "Does that hurt you?"

"Hey, I'm asking the questions here, bub. And no." It's just concentrated heat, streaming up her arms to her hands, which are hot. But not burning. Not anymore. She sighs. "Look, you understand the terms of this verbal contract, right? We have a witness here, this is official." She glances at the agent, who's watching it all, ready to spring into action at the first sign of trouble.

Blondie nods again. "I understand the terms of our pact, yes."

"Good." Kate gestures to the base. "Come on."

She leads the man back inside, cautious, the agent not far behind. The flames in her hands shrink again when they walk through the hole in the plastic.

"Dr. Carson..." Francesca trails off, and Kate glances at her and Dave.

"He says the hammer's his, he's gonna lift it," she replies.

"Oh, my gosh," Dave mutters.

"And he'll answer all my questions afterwards," Kate adds, eyeing Blondie, confirming.

He tears his eyes away from the hammer, nodding at her. "Yes."

She expects him to go to the hammer immediately, but even as he looks at it again, he glances back to Kate as if asking permission. She gestures to the hammer. "Then... go for it, I guess."