Special Agent Loki Laufeyson

Chapter 10

Loki sat at the interrogation table, to all appearances calm. Bishop, Ducky, Vance, McGhee, Jimmy, and Abby, joined by Loki's powerful Avenger brother Thor, stood in the observation room, watching Tony play with his pocket knife, flipping it around casually in front of the god of mischief as he sat waiting for Gibbs.

"That is not a wise man you have in there," Thor commented gravely.

"We know," Vance said. "He tried to escape NCIS custody."

Thor looked at Vance askance. "I was referring to your rapscallion human agent. My brother is a fool, but not that foolish."

"He tried to take over New York," Bishop pointed out.

Thor looked at her. "And here is your agent, playing with a knife around the king of daggers. Not good for self-preservation."

Vance reached for the intercom. "DiNozzo, put away your pocketknife. Playtime is over."

DiNozzo glanced back at the one-way window, reflective to his eyes, and threw out his hands in protestation. "But Director! I was enjoying frightening the prisoner."

"You are not frightening him, mortal," Thor said. "You are merely raising his level of contempt for you."

Tony glanced at Loki, who had one eyebrow raised at the sound of his brother's voice, and put the knife away.

The door to the interrogation room opened and Gibbs entered, holding a file.

"Finally," McGhee said. "We can get this show on the road."

Gibbs sat down at the table beside Tony and placed the file in front of him. "So, Laufeyson, do you want to explain why you attacked two federal agents over a petty argument?"

Ant, boot.

Thank you, for your cooperation.

Loki shook his head to rid himself of the memories of the last interrogations he had received. First Nick Fury, telling him of his prison's design, and then Black Widow, trying to figure out his plan.

The second one hadn't gone well at all. Loki decided to learn from his past mistakes and not repeat them here.

But when Loki mulled over Gibbs' question, he found himself asking the same one. Thor's called me worse.... Even Father – Odin – had worse names than "puny." So why? Why did I attack him? I must say, Tony DiNozzo is better than Odin, by a longshot – and easier to get along with than Thor. More inquisitive, not as stupid.

So why? What's my problem with being called puny?

The Hulk's words resounded in Loki's mind.

Puny god.

Loki winced as a stabbing pain pierced his brain. He turned his head to the left as he gritted his teeth, closing his eyes against the pain. As Gibbs started forward, he held out his hand to stop him.

In the observation room, Thor frowned. "What is he doing?"

Ducky looked at the god of thunder. "I was just about to inquire the same of you."

"Don't play games with us, Loki. It won't work," Vance said into the intercom. "Gibbs, please continue with the interrogation."

Loki shifted in his seat and blinked a few times to clear the pain from his head. It was reduced to a mere throbbing behind his eyes, which was bearable for the present.

"Are you going to answer the question?" Gibbs asked.

"Take your time, if you're having trouble remembering," Tony added. Loki looked at the bruise on DiNozzo's face, saw the hurt he had inflicted on his fellow agent. He almost felt sorry, almost felt guilty.