Temptation

Setting the Trap

"What are you going to do with me? Kill me? If you are, then just get on with it!" Zola stared defiantly up at her. His piggy little eyes squinted from behind the wire-rimmed glasses.  His mouth twisted in a grimace she desperately wanted to forcibly wipe from his face.

She took a breath, saying nothing, and clenched her fists.

He'd been sitting in the plain little room, on the plain little chair, wearing the far less than plain handcuffs of Loki's design for the last two days.

They allowed him to eat and drink and, in a limited way, do the absolute necessities of life, but no key on Midgard would ever have opened them.

Not that opening them on Midgard was the plan. Oh no, not at all.

Eva released the held breath and smirked at Zola. "You think I would give you an easy way out? Do you actually think I will show you compassion where Loki will not?" She walked over and ran a hand over his shoulders as she circled him.

She bent down and whispered in his ear, "You see, you are far more valuable alive than dead. Bait is ALWAYS more appealing when it's wriggling, don't you think?" He tried to look round, but she turned his face away so that she could hiss in his ear. "And YOU, my dear Dr Zola, are bait of the finest quality."

She stood up and walked to the door, but before she could open it, Zola spoke.

"Then tell me one thing. How did you do it? How did you break the conditioning? It was perfect." He seemed genuinely non-plussed. She smiled, leaning a hand on the frame. She shook her head.

"Ah well, there's the thing. You forgot one thing. I'm Asgardian. Your simple mindtricks didn't work on me. I just let you think they did." She winked and walked out, leaving a seething man, thumping on the desk in front of him.

As the door closed, the language emanating from him was of a type that Captain America would have collapsed in a heap on hearing.

She walked into the main room and plonked herself down beside a snoozing Loki. His hair flopped on his forehead, his lips parted as he gently snored. She smiled. She had no idea how he did it. He could sleep at the drop of a hat, anywhere, any time.

"Wake up, sleepy," she whispered into his ear. "Time to go Elf hunting...." she taunted him softly, her lips grazing his ear, her breath warm.

He didn't open his eyes, but his lips now formed a smile. "You say the most romantic things..." he murmured, turning his head towards her. She kissed his lips tenderly. "Thank you." He said as they parted.

"For what?"

Loki sat up and smiled, opening his eyes and seeing her beautiful face made him happier than he'd been in centuries.

"For being brave enough to take this on. For facing and beating Zola. For standing up to Odin. For believing that we could be together and most of all?" He took her hand and kissed it, "for loving me when I struggled to love myself."

She didn't say a word. She just leaned forward and kissed him tenderly. "And I will always love you. Now, we have to get Malekith to take the bait. Once we have him, all this will be over, and we can get on with the rest of our lives again."

Loki looked at her sharply, sudden fingers of cold fear wrapping around his newly tender heart.

"T...together?"

She smiled gently, nodding. She kissed him again. Any excuse was a good excuse. "Together."

Satisfied, Loki stood. "Ok, let's go. It's time to remove the cloaking spell and head for Asgard. Whatever happens, we have to get Zola to the palace. Odin will have the palace guard on full alert, ready to destroy Malekith the moment he appears. We can only hope Heimdal is his usual sharp eyed self.....

Odin sat on the throne, letting the tirade of abuse wash over him. Frigga stood by his side, a hand on his shoulder. She was trembling. It pained her to hear the words spilling forth.

"Traitor... twisted... evil... betrayal... disappointment... " Thor looked up, finally out of words.

"Are you quite finished?" Odin asked more quietly than anyone would have believed he was capable of. For a moment, Thor paused, then nodded. "Good. Now, you listen to me, Thor Odinson." Odin stood and walked down the steps to where his son now stood, red-faced and incredulous.

"This reaction is exactly WHY I got your brother...."

"He's not my brother... " The irony of the statement lost on none of them.

"I got your BROTHER involved." Odin couldn't have made his feelings clearer, "because I needed someone with the guile, the finesse, and quite simply the cunning patience to reel the Elves in.  Going in like a Bilgesnipe on heat would solve nothing. You are impetuous, blunt, and about as far from scheming as its possible to be. Now, Heimdal is looking out for not only Loki and Eva but also Malekith.

As soon as Loki emerges from hiding, Malekith will realise he's been double crossed. He'll come after Loki and Zola. That's where you come in. You and the Asgsrdian Army must defeat him once and for all."

Thor paused, then a thought struck him. "You said Heimdal is looking out for them?" He looked from his father to his mother and back. Odin nodded.
"So you trusted him and not me?" The hurt in his eyes plain to see.

Odin, for once, felt a pang of remorse.  "It was not a matter of trust. It was simply an attempt to keep the plan secret.  From SHIELD, from Malekith. The more who knew...." he paused, and Frigga stepped down to Thor's level.

"Thor, my poor boy," she stroked his face, resting her hand on his cheek. "This is how your brother has felt his whole life. Now, perhaps you appreciate that?" She smiled. "But you? You are able to take that pain and turn it to empathy. Go now, don't resent your brother's role in this.  Help him. "

Thor nodded.  "Yes, I do understand now. We must be ready, Malekith will come with the anger of a thousand years of frustration. And, " he paused, "Don't forget SHIELD, they are the ones who put Zola in place in the first place.  They want Loki locked. I have a feeling they'll send their best."

There was a loud crashing behind them, and the chamber doors opened, two guards flying in and landing in a heap not far from them.  Everyone turned, shocked.

As they watched, IronMan appeared, dragging an incapacitated but alive Heimdal behind him.

"Well, well, if it isn't The Brady Bunch. Good to see you again, Point Break. Now, which way to the Prodigal Son?" He dumped Heimdal on the floor, moaning.

Frigga knelt beside him as Heimdal tried to apologise. "Shh, it's ok, we'll get you to the healers. Lie still."

"I'm sorry, my Queen... he tricked me...  I dont know how..."

"It matters, not Heimdal." Odin spoke, then looked at Tony.

"Stark, by disabling Heimdal, you have quite possibly destroyed everything. You and SHIELD may have caused the very disaster you hoped to avoid." He strode away to the door.

"Thor, Stark, with me NOW. We need to be ready. Now we will have no warning."  He took off along the corridor, cloak billowing, and Gungnir in hand.

Thor looked at Stark. "You should not be here, metal man." He growled.

"Then don't take my stuff." Was the terse reply.

As Frigga watched, the two of them left, a strained silence decended.

"My Queen, I must get back to my post. The Bifrost is defenceless, and Malekith could attack at any moment." He struggled to stand, the stunned effect from Tony's blast wearing off. Frigga nodded.  She knew there was no choice. 

"Go. Go and protect us." She helped him stand.  He started to walk away, still a little unsteady. "Heimdal?"

"Yes, your majesty?" He turned, his golden eyes blazing with determination.

"Don't die?" She smiled, the soft spot she had for him showing for a brief moment.

Heimdal smiled knowingly. He nodded and spoke softly. "Yes, your majesty."

His footsteps echoed away down the hall, and Frigga sat on the throne, no one there to be shocked. She closed her eyes in a silent prayer.

Valhalla, she knew, was about to receive more heroes.  She prayed those dear to her would not be amongst them.