Special Agent 2: The Dark Soldier

Chapter 41

The Bifrost dropped Loki, Thor, Hailstohm, DiNozzo, Bishop, Sif, Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg off in the observatory. Bishop and DiNozzo staggered on landing, Loki grasping Bishop's arm to keep her from falling. Hailstohm's mortal illusion flickered and vanished, leaving her looking like a frost giantess once more.

Heimdall stood looking down at them from the podium, his hands around the hilt of the massive sword Hofund. His amber gaze was impervious as it moved from the Asgardians and Hailstohm to the NCIS agents.

"I thought the Allfather tasked you four to bring back the princes and the Lady Hailstohm, not Agents Bishop and DiNozzo as well," Heimdall said wryly. "Have they become a part of the retinue now?"

"See, that is why the Warriors Three is a stupid name," DiNozzo panted. "Because look, Heimdall just referred to 'you four.' Not 'you three and Sif.' And from what I've been seeing, you four tend to all do things together anyway. It's not an occasional feature or crossover – Sif, you may as well give up on your solo career and just join the band. You're not going to go anywhere by yourself."

Sif scowled at DiNozzo. "Will you just shut up?"

"Probably not," DiNozzo replied, giving her a slight smirk.

"We brought them because of danger on Midgard," Loki told Heimdall, inwardly smiling at how annoyed Sif looked with DiNozzo. "SHIELD has labeled them as enemies of the US."

"So I saw," Heimdall said.

"Did you happen to see how we can stop Project Insight?" Bishop muttered. "Maybe what our next step should be?"

"Agent Bishop, that is not how my vision works," Heimdall told her. "I can see far in order to protect the Nine Realms, but I cannot see the future. I would have to spend some time watching to find a way to answer your question, Agent Bishop."

"How do ethics work in your line of work, anyway?" DiNozzo asked, frowning. "Do you have to worry about ethical obligations of what can be shared and what can't? Is there, like, gatekeeper-universe privilege? Anything not in protection of the Nine Realms is confidential or something? But wait a minute. If you can't share things aside from what's important to Asgard, then how come you were spying on Jane for Thor?"

Heimdall's expression didn't flicker. "I never said anything on that issue, Agent DiNozzo. The only ethics of my position involve my oath of loyalty to the throne of Asgard."

"And even then, there are loopholes," Loki muttered.

"The Allfather awaits your arrival," Heimdall said to Thor. Thor nodded, and led the group out of Himinbjorg, Heimdall looking out the aperture at the stars as they left.

[----]

Both Odin and Frigga were waiting in the throne room as Loki, Thor, and Hailstohm approached them down the long aisle. Bishop and DiNozzo had elected to wait outside the throne room, not being a part of the Asgard-Jotunheim negotiations.

"So, you have returned at last," Odin said, sounding a little displeased. "Is NCIS more important than negotiating terms of peace and equality with a former enemy?"

Yes. But Loki didn't think Odin would appreciate the honesty right now.

"Allfather, you did not need us to conduct the negotiations," Hailstohm answered respectfully. "I am a warrior, and so are your sons. We sought to provide aid to the Midgardian agents, nothing more. No disrespect was meant. Since Midgard has assumed a more prominent place in the affairs of the Nine Realms, I thought I should be acquainted with the world and its guardians."

"You are warriors, yes," Odin said. "But a warrior looks not for war. They remain ready for it but do not seek it out. Both of my sons have learned this lesson well, I thought. Now we stand in peacetime, and so, even as warriors, must take up occupations suitable to peacetime.