The Pirate And His Sea

Chapter 16: How Loki Found Out

(This is not my chapter and the credit of the characters goes to their respective authors)

Loki was not rash. He planned and he schemed and he took every opportunity presented to him. He did not rush into battle recklessly like Thor and his warriors Three. He set his traps and learned about his enemies, weaving his deadly web long before the battle started.

Midgard's invasion was no different. Even with an army at his back, Loki was not going to abandon his tricks. Months before the date of the invasion, he punched a hole in the cosmos and appeared in a dirty back alley of a mortal city. He wore a glamour that shortened his hair and turned his features Asian and his eyes a dark brown. Unassuming and common; perfect to fit in with the bustling crowds of Norway.

Of course, Norway was only his landing point. With a quick bit of godly scrying, he was on his way to the director of SHIELD's quarters.

The best way to find the weak points of Earth's greatest defense was to take its strongest leader. With Nick Fury captured, he could see how the organization scrambled. Their panic would make it perfect for him to analyze their procedures.

Fury's abode was rather humble – a comfortable brick building settled among inconspicuous neighbours. The first two floors belonged to the director, and the top two to a reclusive author and a social service lawyer. With a quick bit of magic he slipped through the thin window panes like mist and alighted on the hard-wood floors.

The place had fairly good security, pinhole cameras whose feed remained within the house (no chance of someone hacking it) and the alarms and locks would keep most mortals out.

Loki was not a mortal, however, and he crept to the couch in the sitting room, where his target slept. It was midday, but Nick Fury must have been very tired because he slept heavily without any awareness. He did not stir as Loki leaned over his resting form, though that was because of Loki's handy cloaking trick. With a twisted smile, he waved his hand, and he and Fury both disappeared.

But, not in accordance to Loki's plans, another great power who had taken to watching over Fury stirred.

"Damn," Hermes said, staring down at the empty apartment, "Percy won't be happy to hear this."
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True to Loki's heritage, he quickly settled himself in a place that was both remote and cold. With the aid of a few enchantments he secured his base, because while Antarctica might feel comfortable to him it could be deadly to him mortal captive.

Fury was bound to a great pillar of steel he conjured, and Loki contented himself with strengthening the wards against technology until he woke. The chocolate-skinned spy was a very still sleeper, aided by the minor spell he'd put on him, and the minutes before his awakening were as heavy as stone.

Several minutes after their arrival, the spell lessened, and something in Fury's primal mind registered that all was not well. He woke quickly, with only the opening of his eyes to give him away. He swept his gaze across the small cavern they were in, and stared at Loki when he'd located the (one) exit.

"Who are you?" asked the man, his voice raspy.

"Hmm," Loki said, eyes gleaming in the light cast by the one brazier he'd lit, "I'm sure you'd like to know that very much."

He saw the director's jaw clench, and amused himself with the thought of Fury's wrath being aimed at a fake identity. Giving the mortal the smirk that he knew infuriated everyone, he propped his chin on his fist. "And before you ask why I'm doing this – panic always reveals the weaknesses of every colony. I plan to take advantage of such a situation." Because there were always little things that Fury would not be able to fix before the invasion that would allow him to take SHIELD down easily.