Working Title : Loki & Annie

53 Politics

Agent Romanoff walked through S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ towards Director Fury's office. She had a pretty good idea why she had been called back here so soon. Their special ambassadors had once more returned to speak with Fury and now she was going to be tasked with helping them fulfill their mission. Nat didn't dwell on her feelings about this, she was a professional after all.

She knocked once on the door then entered, spotting the two guests right away. They stood beside each other at an angle that allowed them to see both Fury and the door she entered through. Fury stood with his hands clasped behind his back, the large tinted windows framing him. She didn't linger on the two Asgardians but rather came to stand across the desk from Fury and gave him a nod of her head while mirroring him with her own hands behind her back. "You asked to speak with me, sir." She didn't normally address Fury this formally but then she also didn't normally have dealings with aliens from another planet. Thor being the exception.

Fury didn't miss this opportunity to let the two Asgardian's know how much trust he placed in Natasha. They needed to know he was taking their request seriously. "Agent Romanoff, you met our Asgardian guests this morning. They were unsuccessful in locating Thor though they did find evidence of where he had recently been. I'm assigning you to be our liaison with them until Thor is found."

Nat turned and gave Lady Sif and Fandral a nod of her head while keeping her face neutral. "Of course. It will be my pleasure."

Fandral gave her a wink, "I am certain that the pleasure will be mutual."  

Sif gave an annoyed huff into the silence while choosing to ignore her companion, "You reside in the same dwelling as Prince Thor when he is on Midgard, yes?"

"Yes, though he has other places that he has available to stay at." Nat didn't want to reveal too much. The reason for the two Asgardians looking for Thor hadn't been made clear, just that they had been ordered to escort him back to Asgard.

"Then we will need your assistance to search these places." Sif didn't sound happy which matched her countenance perfectly. "Our need to find Prince Thor is urgent."

Nat took advantage of this opening, "Is there a situation in Asgard?"

Sif paused for a moment before speaking, studying Nat, "We are tasked with finding the Prince, the reason not being given to us. We, like you, follow our orders without the need to know why." Sif placed her hand on her sword hilt.

Fury recaptured everyone's attention, "He's not in any trouble, is he? He's been an ally to our world."

Sif gave a shake of her head, "I can assure you that Prince Thor is not in any trouble with the AllFather. He is simply needed to return home."

Fury doubted that statement very much. As a matter of fact, he would bet his eyepatch that Thor was in some serious trouble with his daddy. The fact he had busted his crazy brother out of prison and was hiding him somewhere was enough to guarantee it. Fury just hoped the fact that Loki hadn't been found on Earth meant that that crazy bastard had been stashed on some other unlucky planet. Because if Loki were here and Thor hadn't mentioned it...

Nat gave a curt nod as she came to the conclusion that the woman wasn't lying. She believed what she had said. That of course didn't mean she was right, just that she believed she was. "And if Thor doesn't wish to return to Asgard?"

Sif scowled, "Why would he not wish to return to his home?" Sif's hand tightened on the hilt of her sword, she had never been subtle.

Nat raised an eyebrow, "I guess for the same reason he isn't answering any of his dad's calls." She shrugged just slightly. "Since Thor's always answered in the past I'm just assuming that he's intentionally ignoring him now." She put a slight curiosity in her words while keeping her face pleasantly neutral and her body relaxed. "He must have a reason."

Sif was insulted by the spy's disrespectful words, even Fandral allowed a hint of dislike to come over his face. They both ignored the fact that they both were pondering the exact same questions. When Sif spoke her voice was sharp, "The Prince," It was made clear she did not approve of the mortal referring to the Crown Prince of Asgard by his first name. "Will return once we convey the AllFather's command." There was no doubt that Sif also hated the offensive reference to the most powerful being in their universe. The AllFather was not a dad. She snapped her eyes to Fury, "We simply require your assistance as befitting emissaries from Asgard."

"Of course." Fury had allowed Nat to speak the questions that he wanted the answers to. This whole situation had the potential to turn into a Mongolian goat-rope. He just needed to know the rules of the rodeo. "Agent Romanoff will be available for your every request."

Both Fury and Nat knew she would use her own discretion to decide how to handle each request. 

Nat gave her attention to Fury first. "If there's nothing further, sir, I'll start by taking them to the Tower. We can draw up a list of locations to begin our search." She turned to Sif with a raise of her eyebrow, "If that's acceptable with you?"

Sif nodded though her words were still curt. "As long as we can begin our search today." Her body hummed with tension, she wanted to take action, not stand around making lists.

"Of course." Nat looked back to Fury for permission to leave.

"Keep me informed, Agent Romanoff."

"Of course, sir."