Fallen Star

Fallen Star Chapter 3

Loki sat back in a plush, L-shaped white couch that fit into the corner of the lab. He winced as he lifted first his left foot, then his right, and propped them up on the short table in front of him. He already felt the pain killer—odd little colored beans he had swallowed with water—begin to numb his headache, but the throbbing tension in his side did not ease. He was not about to make mention of it, however. These women clearly were not medically-minded, nor very well equipped. Besides, he hated being touched.

Jane sat across from him on her armless desk chair, one leg tucked up underneath her, her delicate hands folded in her lap. She stared down at the small table where Loki's feet rested, her eyes distant. Darcy stood even further away, near a large computer screen, arms crossed, biting her lip and watching him. Loki's mouth tightened.

"You seem disappointed."

Jane started, and her dark eyes flicked up to his. Loki's jaw clenched involuntarily, for the effort of speech had sent raw pain down his side, but he betrayed nothing on his face. Jane's mouth worked for a moment, then she gave a nervous smile, glanced down and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"No, I, um...I was just expecting someone else. When I saw that phenomenon in the desert again."

"The Midgard bridge," Loki corrected. She glanced at him and nodded, then resumed her distant stare. Loki did not relent.

"You were looking for Prince Thor."

Now he had both women's attention. Loki cocked his head at Jane.

"You expected him to return here so soon?" He shot a quick glance at Darcy before turning back to Jane. "Well, that seems unrealistic, don't you think? Even if the bridge hadn't broken—his banishment had just ended. He would want to see his family."

"He was banished?" Jane's gaze sharpened. "Why?"

Loki did not answer right away, gauging whether or not he should reply—but then the glass door at the far end opened and an older man strode in, his head down, his brow furrowed. He unzipped his gray jacket and scratched his head.

"Well, Jane, I'm supposed to meet Nick Fury tomorrow in the middle of the night. He wants to debrief me so I can debrief you, and then he says he found something..." The man trailed off and his footsteps slowed as his head came up, and his solemn gray eyes found Loki. Loki looked right back at him, but said nothing.

"Jane," the man said, and Loki detected a faint accent in his deep tones. "Who is this?"

Jane got up and faced him, her frame going stiff.

"Erik, we—We detected another anomaly—another tornado bridge like Thor used to go back and forth from Asgard. So I—we," she gestured to Darcy. "Went out to look for him. For Thor. Only it wasn't Thor, it was Fenris." Jane glanced back at him. "He was a guard on the...the Something Bridge when Thor fought Loki—"

"Loki?" Erik cut her off. "The Norse god of mischief?"

Loki's mouth quirked a little and he glanced down to hide his amusement. Based on the few occasions the Midgardians had encountered him, he knew why they would come to this conclusion about his character. He was rarely in an equable mood when he visited.

"I suppose so," Jane shrugged. "And Thor broke the bridge, to save the Frost Giants, which caused a huge explosion and knocked Fenris off the bridge. He fell here, and hit his head, so we—"

"Almost ran over him with the van," Darcy concluded. Jane sent her a burying look.

"What?" Darcy protested. "It's true."

Erik turned on Jane.

"You went after another one of these anomalies without me? Didn't I tell you not to go out into that desert without at least telling me what was going on?"