Illusions | Loki & Jane

23. Her Courage

"WAIT! DON'T!" He heard the woman he loved cry. She was standing in front of the Destroyer as if it was a man to reason with. Was she trying to stop the attack with words? Loki was sitting on the throne, staring into emptiness, though his mind was connected to the black metal creature. He exhaled harried and massaged his brows. What was she thinking? She didn't even know who was behind all this, was she trying to get killed? Would she really give her life to save Thor - a person she barely knew - so heroically?

She deserved to die, right then and there, if only for her stupidity. However he did not have the heart to conduct it. With a resigning groan he let the Destroyer take her and put her on top of the roof. If he would not be as enraged as he was, he would have found it amusing how she tried to fight the metal giant with her bare hands and feet. He shook his head crossly at the woman. Yes she had more courage than most humans he knew, nevertheless this courage would get her killed some day.

It reminded him of the day, when they had just been on their way home from a company event of his work. He had brought Jane with him a few times to events like that, so that she would see where he worked and she wouldn't get scared again about him cheating on her. Additionally, so that she couldn't find out that he had been lying about his business trips, he imprinted memories into his colleagues' brains about them spending weekends and other days together.
It had been a warm summer evening and they both had a great time, making fun of his employer, since he had been quite drunk. 

"He reminds me of a squirrel." Jane stated, when they walked home - since she always wanted to stroll when it was warm, which Loki didn't mind at all.

The Demigod chuckled at her words. "A squirrel?"

"Yes, because he was eating all the time, having his cheeks crowded the entire evening."

Loki guffawed. His love dared to call Dr. Blois a squirrel.

"And his front teeth! They are huge!" She added, imitating his face with a giggle.

"Yes, you are right." The half god was still laughing, when he wanted to put his arm around her shoulders when four men interrupted him, who came around the corner, walking towards them with angry frowns.

"That is the scammer!" One of the men raised a finger at Loki. "That is the man who stole the money!" They surrounded the black-haired man menacingly.

"Gentlemen!" The God of Mischief stayed calm, looking at them amused. "I did not steal anything from anyone and I really don't know what this posturing is about."

"Our boss, mr. Zhao told us differently." One of them replied. "You are mr. Mckenzie, right?"

"I might be." Loki answered with a smug grin on his face. "Depends on who's asking."

"It's him alright." Another man eyed the Demigod with an angry frown. Loki recognized him as the bodyguard of the client, he had seen one week ago. Mr. Zhao had made a 3 million Dollar deal with the company. The God of Mischief had been there for overseeing the agreement they had retained on paper. In the contract Dr. Blois and he had created, mr. Zhao would sign for a deal, where he would give the company 3 million Dollars and get absolutely nothing back for it.
"His company only rose, because he earned money from my losses." Dr. Blois had explained to the Half-god. "I want to repay him and I am sure you will be able to convince him to sign this contract."
His boss wasn't the nicest person on earth. To say the least, he was very unsympathetically. However, he was a man to Loki's liking. He made it possible for him to test his skills on manipulating. Since he had promised to Jane in silent, that he would not use illusions anymore, he had no other choice than manipulating, however he won and mr. Zhao signed willingly and happily for an offer he could not recline, yet made him lose millions of Dollars.