Ace of Hearts [Loki Laufeyson] BOOK I

Meeting Jaylynn Sydney

 "Agent Sydney, Fury needs you to come in early today." Natasha Romanoff, one of Jaylynn's good friends, told her over the phone. "He said something about repairing the Avengers' jet and that it was important."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be there in an hour." She said tiredly, flopping out of bed and putting on a pair of skinny jeans, a white shirt, a black leather jacket, magenta scarf, and a black beanie. "Tell Fury he shouldn't wait for me. There might be traffic."

"You have a motorcycle, Jay. Just cut traffic." Clint said into the phone.

"Jeez, how many people do you have on this call?" Jay asked, chuckling lightly as she grabbed her keys.

"Just Clint and I. He wouldn't stop pestering me."

"Well, I should go. Can't text and drive, right?" Nat agreed and ended the call. Jay hopped onto her motorcycle and put on her helmet, driving out of her garage and speeding off down the road.

When she got to the SHIELD base, she parked her motorcycle in her special spot and got off, taking her helmet off and walking to the entrance. She scanned her badge and walked in, heading up the elevator to Fury's office. "Where's the jet at?" She asked after she reached his room.

"In the Hangar. The Avengers are coming by later to get it and bring it to the tower, so be quick."

"You got it." She gave a mock salute before heading to the hangar. She spent most of her days in the hangar repairing jets, vehicles, building weapons, and more. Her life was practically in the hangar. She scanned her badge on the huge metal doors, watching as they slid into the walls before she sauntered inside. She set her keys and backpack on the metal table that had her scattered blueprints, notes, and papers strewn about the surface.

She took off her scarf and jacket, laying them on the back of her spinny chair before walking over to a large metal shed. Jay took out her toolbox and went back to the jet, raising an eyebrow at the number of bullet holes. The whole left wing was torn out, and it was a miracle that they even managed to get the jet back to the base.

She climbed up the side of the jet, setting the toolbox down and getting to work. A few hours later, she had almost finished the repairs when her friend, Jacob, walked in holding a box. "Hey, Jay!" He greeted, smiling at her as he set the box on the table.

"Hi, Jacob. What's that?" She asked, looking at the package suspiciously after she set her tools down.

"Dunno. It's for you, though."

"Oh! That'll be my new deck of cards." She smiled, sliding off down the side of the jet and walking over to the box.

"For a deck of cards, that seems like an awfully big box," Jacob observed, hopping up on the table and sitting down.

"Well, they aren't just cards, remember?" Jacob has been the only one that she's told her secret to. "They're from that guy that sells flame resistant cards." She needed fire-proof cards because she often makes them explode.

"You really need to stop buying stuff from that guy. He's sketchy as crap."

"Yeah, he is, but he gets the job done." She opened the box and took out the deck of cards. "Ooh! He even packed the extra deck I asked for. It has carbon-based serrated edges on the cards so I can take them on a plane through the metal detectors. The blade edges are actually sharper than you'd think. I sent him blueprints and he had his engineer make them." Jay put the cards into her bag, resuming her position sitting on the wing of the jet. "I can tell that's not the only reason you came by to see me?"

"Yes, I wanted to tell you that SHIELD is putting a squad on capturing Atlas. Apparently, Fury thinks you're a bonafide threat." Jacob started fiddling with one of her tools. "Understandable, I guess. Loose cannons are always a possible threat."

"Gee, thanks, Jake." She rolled her eyes as she finished repairing the large jet, jumping down to the ground.

"You know, you have a perfectly good ladder leaning up against that wall. It's just gathering dust at this point."

"I'm aware," she took the wrench out of Jacob's hand and dropped it in her toolbox, "and I don't care," Jay smirked, wiping off the grease from her face with a towel and throwing it over her shoulder. "What do you think they're going to do when they find me?"

"Probably lock you up and question you. Then Fury will see that you aren't evil and he'll add you to the Avengers."

"Ha! That's a longshot." She laughed, taking off her beaning and running a hand through her hair. Her jeans were stained, as was her white shirt. Her arms had grease stains on them as well. They were suddenly interrupted by the intercoms.

"Agent Sydney, to the main conference room immediately." Fury's voice said, prompting Jay to roll her eyes.

"I'll see you later then, mate?" Jacob nodded and she left the hangar to the elevator. A couple minutes later, she waltzed into the conference room to see the Avengers all sitting down at a glass table. "You called?"

"You finished the repairs on the jet?"

"Like you asked. Now, why did you need me to come here in person to confirm it?" She asked, crossing her arms and scrutinizing the Avengers and Fury.

"I thought you should be here to talk about this new threat that has come up. Seen as you're our top engineer, you might have some ideas about how we can catch Atlas."

"Who is she, again?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow as she sat down next to him.

"Jaylynn Sydney, but call me Jay." She put her feet up on the table, popping a stick of gum in her mouth. "And for your information, I don't see why we have to bring her in. I mean, she's fighting evil with her magic. Isn't that's what SHIELD does except with their own power?"

"Agent, you need to put your feelings for this vigilante aside and help." Fury said, glaring at her.

"Well, it's not like I'm best mates with the girl. I don't do the whole fighting thing. I just build what people tell me to build, and improve their idea. Why would I know her weakness? If she even has one, that is." She muttered the last part, trying to come up with anything that she might be vulnerable to. "Oh, I do know who she's after, though. Guy calls himself Ashtaroth, or just Ash. He's been stirring up trouble in Harlem. That's about all I know." She told them, picking at her nails.

"Maybe we could set a trap for her?" Steve suggested quietly.

"She'll be too smart for that," Jay said nonchalantly, observing each of them. Suddenly, their discussion was interrupted by flashing red lights and someone yelling over the intercom.

"South wall is under attack! Intruder seems to use some sort of magic!" Jay immediately sat up, knowing exactly who it was. 

It was Ashtaroth, and somehow, he figured out who she was and where she works.