Starting Over - Loki (COMPLETE)

26) Finding Steve

"I even managed to hire a new PA," Tony complained, leading the way inside. "I was the productive one for the first time ever."

"Perhaps ask them to start the day after tomorrow," Loki advised, going to fetch the poor scientist a drink. "I gather Natasha was more useful than you thought?"

"She's got a decent skillset, that's for sure," Tony agreed. "You'll like the new PA, I promise."

"Glad to hear it," Loki muttered. "Now, Dr Banner, take a seat on the sofa before you collapse, and here's a glass of water."

The bedraggled-looking scientist sat down without question and began sipping slowly at his water. Loki motioned towards the door and Tony followed him into the corridor. Loki quickly filled him in.

"That bastard, Ross!" Tony whispered angrily. "He won't get away with it."

"No, of course not," Loki replied. "Unfortunately we'll presumably have to face trials for harbouring the good doctor but he needs some friends at this point. I'm sure we can find a way to appease the military."

"I have an idea," Tony said, with a wicked grin. "You leave everything to me."

"I don't like that look, Tony. It signals mischief."

"I thought you liked mischief! You pranked Hammer after all!"

"Not evil mischief!"

"This isn't evil mischief!"

"No? Then why are you smirking like that?"

"This is my normal face!"

"... Sure."

*

The next morning, Loki found himself being pushed out of the door.

"It'll all be fine! Go find Rogers!"

"This is all very suspicious, Tony," Loki accused. "What do you have planned?"

"I know what to do to grant Bruce amnesty. That's all I'm doing, sorting all that out. Now you go and find the Capsicle."

"Fine," Loki sighed.

*

Later that day, Loki was on a ship bound for the Arctic. Accompanying him were a handful of S.H.I.E.L.D agents, a doctor, a pathologist and a historian, all ready to unearth the secrets trapped in the ice. With S.H.I.E.L.D's equipment and Tony's technology the trip from Malibu to the Arctic was only supposed to take a few days. Loki had previously estimated that the journey would take eighty hours with the ship going at thirty knots so with two captains taking turns at the wheel they could get there in about three and a half days.

"This is a new one," Natasha admitted, coming to stand beside Loki on the deck with Barton by her side.

The agent and her partner had decided that this particular mission sounded more interesting than wherever Fury planned to send them instead.

"Not gone in pursuit of a dead body before?" Loki asked, amused.