The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 69

They didn't even bother with cuffs. Loki had surrendered and they were counting on him to keep his word. I think they knew that he could escape even with cuffs on. He was escorted harshly into the jet and sat down.

"I don't see the woman."

"What woman? Fury told me it was a simple capture mission."

"He was spotted with a woman, possibly an accomplice, on the way into the gala. But I don't see her now."

"Hmm." The jet took off and headed westward. Once we reached altitude, one of the pilots called their higher up.

"Report."

"We have Loki in custody."

"Is he saying anything?"

"Not a word."

"And the woman?"

"Nowhere to be found. Shall I interrogate him?"

"Just get him here, we're low on time." I crawled out of Loki's armor and then two seats over so I could better hear and see what was going on. As soon as I stopped, I focused half of my strength inward and helped Loki push the Mind Stone's control away and deal with what he had done under its influence.

"I don't like it." Steve whispered to Tony.

"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?"

"I don't remember it being that easy. This guy packs a wallop."

"Well, still, you are pretty spry, for an older fellow. What's your thing? Pilates?"

"What?"

"It's like Calisthenics. You might've missed a couple things, you know, doing time as a Capsicle."

"Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in."

"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you." He looked over at Loki, and then to me.

"Romanoff! Your plane is infested with parasites!"

"What?" Steve followed his gaze to me.

"Tony, it's just a little black spider, let it live."

"But I don't like spiders!" He pointed his hand at me, ready to shoot, but then suddenly, thunder crashed and lightning bolts struck. That kind of stuff doesn't happen randomly, somehow, Thor was here.

"Where's this coming from?" I knew exactly what the source was, and it seemed Loki knew it too, he was looking out of the cockpit window, apprehension on his face. Sensing an upcoming conflict, I went back and crawled into his armor again.

"What's the matter? Scared of a little lightning?"

"I'm not overly fond of what follows." A few moments later, there was a mighty thunk on the roof of the jet. Tony Stark put on his helmet and open the hatch without a second thought, intending to go out and investigate, but Thor appeared on the ramp, his eyes finding us–or rather, Loki–instantly.

"What are you doing?" Tony went to shoot him but Thor slammed him with Mjolnir, grabbed Loki by the collar, pulled him out of his seat, took him down to the ramp, and took off. We didn't fly long, Thor threw us down hard on a rocky outcropping of a low mountain.

"Where is the Tesseract?"

"Oh, I missed you too."

"Do I look to be in a gaming mood?!"

"You should thank me." Loki sat up and allowed me to crawl into his hand. Gently, he placed me on the ground and I shifted back into Arista, "Or rather, you should thank us. With the Bifrost gone, how much dark energy did the Allfather have to muster to conjure you here? Your precious Earth." Mjolnir was dropped on the ground.