Agent A: Displaced

Do Not Disappoint Me, Mortal

The transfixed agent pushed her door open without knocking. "He wants to see you," he said, glazed eyes fixed straight ahead.

She sighed and followed him down the corridor, enjoying the rub of the plush carpet on her bare soles. Panic rose at the memory of their last conversation and she tried to push it down as she reached the kitchen.

"You summoned me? Master." She tried to keep the sarcasm from her voce, but it wasn't her most successful attempt.

Loki stared back in amusement. "I have a task for you."

Anything to get out of this apartment, she thought.

"I need you to retrieve something for me." He pushed a large roll of paper towards her. She reached out to stop it curling up again; surprised to see the floor plan to a large brownstone mapped out on the page.

"You will find it there" He pointed to one of the rooms.

"And what is it?"

He laid another piece of paper over the plan, showing a line drawing of an intricate amulet covered with carvings and inlaid with numerous gems.

"And what is it guarded by?"

"Enchantments, magical traps, maybe a dull-witted guard," he waved his hand as if they were mere trifles.

She felt herself smiling. It sounded like a walk in. "Is that all?"

"It will be empty this afternoon. My men will go with you and make sure you return."

Her cheeks burned with sudden embarrassment, running hadn't even crossed her mind. She had been too focussed on the thrill of a mission, but he'd been one step ahead of her. The walls seemed to press that little bit closer.

She pulled on her SHIELD jumpsuit, one of the other agent hovering at the edge of her room. As they went to leave the apartment, Loki was waiting at the door. Wordlessly he handed her back her curved dagger which she fitted snugly into the sheath over her hip. The other three holsters hidden in her uniform hung empty, but one weapon was better than none.

Loki lifted her chin until she was looking deep into his eyes, unable to break his gaze. "I will see you when you return with what I've asked for."

She gave the briefest of nods, unable to move much in his grip.

"Do not disappoint me, mortal," he growled as she stepped out of the door.

Her first deep breath of fresh air, though tainted by the lingering smell of the city's trash, felt good in her lungs. She craned her neck back to catch a glimpse of the wide open sky, but rough hands pulled her onwards.

"No need to grab," she hissed at the agent.

"There is no time for staring at the sky, you have a mission to complete," he replied monotonously.

"Great," she muttered, allowing herself to be dragged along the busy street. He lead her to the brownstone Loki had shown her the plans to and she stood back nervously as the agent jimmied the door open with his blade.

"If you do not return within the hour I will come for you. Then I will drag you back to that apartment where you will be killed, slowly and most painfully," the agent warned.

"Charming," she replied, slipping through the open door.

The sounds of the outside world faded as she took in the cavernous wood-panelled entrance hall. The air was thick with dust and gave no hints as to what awaited her in its rooms, but magic pressed against her limbs, making her progress up the sweeping staircase slow.

Clutching her blade she crept up to the second floor, with nothing but the increasing layers of magic to disturb her mission. Stepping out of the stairwell she looked around to see the walls covered in high bookshelves, the floor littered with low tables and display cases, reminding her of a haphazard museum.

The steady burn of excitement inside of her grew and she had stop herself from running straight into the room. Taking a few deep breaths to slow her hammering heart, she inched further into the room.

It was filled with strong magic, which pushed against her as she went further into the room. She was thankful that whatever ill-intention the magic held for intruders, it would have no effect on her.

Loki's trinket rested on a dusty red velvet cushion in a case in the middle of the room. Predictably, the case was locked, with no key in sight. She smoothly pushed the tip of her knife between two panes of glass and wrenched it towards her, shattering the glass in the process.

She held her breath, not daring to move incase someone came running. But they didn't come, the brownstone truly was empty. She grabbed the trinket and stuffed it into her jumpsuit before sprinting back to the stairs.

She descended the stairs quickly, keeping her footsteps soft.

"Did you retrieve what he asked for?"

"I did."

The agent nodded briefly, before grabbing her arm and marching her back to the apartment.

Loki was waiting at the door for them, arms folded as he leant against the frame.

"Do you have something for me Little One?" His voice was low and threatening.

She nodded, hand reaching into the inner pocket of her suit and slowing drawing out the requested item.

His face split into a greedy smile as he wrapped a hand around her wrist, pulling it closer. With his other he plucked the trinket from her fingers.

"Good girl. Go have a bath and get changed. Dinner will be in a few hours." He stepped aside to allow her back into the apartment.