The Old Gods | Book 2

Eight: A Choice

"Picture this: white sandy beaches, palm trees, a mojito sitting in the sun. Waves crashing at her feet with a resort behind us. How does a trip to Hawaii sound?" Tony Stark, adjourns, as he skips down the stairs of his multi-million dollar mansion in Malibu California, just off a cliff. "Just a quiet time away. Me and you?"

Pepper, his assistant and lover, replies standing in the lobby. "I don't know about Hawaii, right now."

Tony gasped, shocked and hurt. He gets to the last step and stops. Standing in the lobby of his home is a tall dark man casting a very dark shadow. Tony sighed coming forward. "Let me guess." he began. "Boy band?"

Nick Fury shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Something more important than you or I."

Tony cocked a brow. "You have my attention." he comes to stand by Pepper Potts, who turns to face Nick Fury. He is wearing the same old black coat and eye patch. He reminded Tony of the character Blade.

"We have recently lost a significant individual." he started.

"Can't have been important then." Tony remarked.

Nick Fury chuckled. "Oh, you have no idea. Said individual was lured and captured by a secret enemy organisation to Shield."

"Isn't that Hydra?" questioned Pepper Potts.

"Yes." Nick almost sounded salty about it.

"Who did they take?" she asked, curious.

Tony stopped her. "Isn't that why you have your Shield?" he then motioned to his white lounge by the oceanic view. "Whisky?" he offered.

"No thanks. We are running out of time. Every second we waste is a minute gone by that said person could be dead and they are extremely valuable. Off-world valuable." He stated, very strongly. "And if said special person is dead, then Earth is going to have to suffer the wrath of the gods."

Tony stopped halfway to his lounge. "Which ones?" he almost laughed.

"You ever heard of Odin and Thor?" asked Nick. "The gods the Vikings believed in?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, they're very much real. Three years ago Thor landed on Earth. Thought he was a threat turned out to be a big cuddly bear." said Nick.

"So, who's the missing person?" Tony asked, unsure if he wanted to know. "Don't tell me you lost Thor because if what you are saying is real, then I don't want Odin knocking on my door." he laughed. It all sounded like a big joke to him.

"Neither do I. Which is why I'm here, Tony. The missing person is, in fact, a goddess of Asgard and Vanaheim. She's a princess of two realms. Two - fucking - realms. A lesser goddess known as Sigyn, goddess of Fidelity. Wife of Loki."

Pepper shook her head. "I'm not one for religion, but I've never heard of her. Thor and Loki, sure I have. But if Loki is the Trickster god..."

"Then we are going to have some very powerful and pissed-off gods that are going to come looking sooner or later. And they used YOUR device to capture her. Remember the sonic one? Mind telling me how Hydra got ahold of that?"

Tony shrugged. "Still don't know her." he continued to his lounge.

"Exactly. And Hydra knew everything." he sounded angry, not just with himself. "They have her, Tony. Possibly torturing her for information. She arrived shortly after Thor and she has been peacefully roaming the Earth until now. In the beginning, she helped out with some jobs, but it wasn't until I pulled her back in that Hydra had a plan to kidnap a fucking goddess of Asgard. She's a kind and tortured soul and I need to find her quickly and I know you have the devices to do that. I need your help, Tony."

Tony laughed, pointing. He took a sip of the whisky he poured. "Never thought I'd hear you say that!"

"And I never thought I'd be saying it. But this is far bigger than you or me."

"If she's a goddess, like you claim, then why doesn't she break herself out?"

"It's more complicated than that, and you know it."

Pepper marched over to Tony, furious, she took the glass from him. "Have you been listening?" she spat. "She needs our help."

"I want to be in good faith with the gods, don't you think?" suggested Nick Fury. "Rather have them on our side than be the enemy."

"He's right." said Pepper.

"I have everything you need to know on this." Nick Fury placed a hard drive on a table by the door. "Tell me if you change your mind." and Nick Fury left the mansion.

Tony slumped into his white sofa with Pepper Potts standing over him. He looked at Pepper, and she was glaring at him. "We're helping." she said, and it wasn't a question. She went over to the hard drive and brought it back to Tony. She held it out.

He didn't have a choice. Tony took the hard drive and headed for the spiral staircase. This time he went down them. It took him to a glass door where he entered his massive garage, Pepper close behind. He demanded Jarvis close the shutters and turn the room black.

"Yes sir." a voice replied. Automated shutters closed all the windows until they are delved into darkness. Tony sits at his computer set up and plugs in the drive. "Jarvis, bring up all the files." he said.

Holograms brought the files to life before their eyes. Documents and documents and history files and video recordings. In the center is a life-size scan of the goddess in question. Her computerized face had Pepper in awe. She was still beautiful and so ethereal. Waves of braided white hair sit perfectly at her breasts. Rounded pale face, and soft blue eyes. Her dress cascaded around her in layered Asgardian material, Celtic patterns, and golden armour.

"Wow." said Pepper.

"Read it to me, Jarvis."

"Yes sir. Sigyn, daughter of King Iwaldi and Queen Freya, princess of the realm Vanaheim. Goddess of Fidelity, wife of Loki, and princess of Asgard. Birth year; unknown. Age; unknown. Exiled from Asgard approximately three years ago she was employed under Shield until she chose to travel Earth in her solitude."

"Why was she exiled?" asked Pepper.

"Reason unknown." replied Jarvis. "There are only two mentions of the goddess in the Poetic Edda. Short stories, sir. One of her marriage to Loki, and the second, is where she cares for him in a cave after his arrest. She proceeds to hold up a bowl to prevent the dripping snake venom from harming her husband."

"How touching." remarked Tony. "So we barely know anything about her apart from that?"

"Correct."

"When was she taken?"

"Under 12 hours ago."

"Show me."

Video footage pieced together from security surveillance and recordings from scared and screaming bystanders shows the goddess fighting with a strange man at first before they moved in on her. He recognised the device they used to subdue her. His own.

And then she was gone. They whisked her away and she was gone.

"We have to help her, Tony." pleaded, Pepper.

He sat back in his seat looking at the hologram of the goddess and her beautiful blank stare. She was looking at nothing at all, but her eyes were on him. He felt like he was being watched... what if Nick is right? The gods are watching him right now. And they are coming for her with hostile intentions.

"Jarvis."

"Yes?"

"Run me diagnostics. Run traffic lights, anything with a camera, and find her. You know what to do."

"I'll do my best."