Loki: The Burden of the Throne

Chapter 8

"Did he mention anything more about his brother? Anything else?" Selvig asked Darcy after pulling her aside upon her and Loki's return as Loki sat at a small table inside Selvig and Jane's base of operations, eating the sandwich Darcy had procured for him. After perusing what lay between the bread and seemingly satisfied that it was edible, Loki had taken a bite and now appeared to be enjoying it.

"I did most of the talking, not a surprise, I know. He asked where he could get money and a phone," Darcy answered.

Selvig's phone rang, Loki looking over in their direction at the sound of the ringtone. Selvig took his phone from his pocket as Darcy returned to the table to join Loki and eat her replacement sandwich. Selvig noticed Loki watching him as he answered.

"Hank! Hello...I know. It's been too long. I didn't expect you to return my call so soon. I thought you'd be busy...No, no, everything's fine..." Selvig said as he glanced at Loki before exiting the building to continue the conversation.

Selvig knew that his old friend and colleague, Hank Pym, the founder and CEO of Pym Technologies, a man whose genius...and wealth...made him one of the few to rival Tony Stark in those departments, had once been a consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D, though he wasn't sure of the exact nature of the work he'd done for them. He knew only that Pym had warned him about them in the past and seemed to hold quite a grudge. As succinctly as he could Selvig explained the situation.

"You told him the same thing I'd tell him," Pym told Selvig as he stood in his office, his phone to his ear, gazing out of the window, "Go back for a second...you said he stopped a two ton vehicle...?"

"I didn't mean he actually stopped it. It was fluke timing."

"You're sure about that?" Pym asked.

"There's no way a man-" Selvig began before Pym interrupted him.

"You've heard of Steve Rogers?"

"Of course I've heard of Steve Rogers. You're not saying..."

"I'm not saying anything. Watch yourself. The whole thing could be a ruse. He may very well be an agent himself...one of their experiments. People have been trying for years to replicate the process they used on Rogers. Like I always say, if it was done once, it can be done again."

"You think he may be spying for them? We're studying atmospheric anomalies, nothing S.H.I.E.L.D. should be interested in."

"There's not a whole lot S.H.I.E.L.D isn't interested in," Pym replied, "They could very well be the cause of them. Some new weapons technology. If that's the case...."

"They wouldn't want a couple scientists poking their noses around," Selvig finished, "The whole reason we were out there...we picked up some strange readings, an energy signature. Never seen anything like it, not outside the theoretical. Whatever it was it was over and done before we made it there. I haven't had a chance to really dig into the data yet."

"It may have been a set up so you would meet up with him. Whatever data you have make sure you back it up then back up the back ups off site. If they come after it, it'll be like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, they'll take everything. You'll be lucky if they leave you any toilet paper to wipe your ass," Pym warned.

"I'm planning on taking him out for a drink later hoping he'll open up and give me more information," Selvig informed Pym.

"I want you to check in with me, let me know what's going on. We still don't know what happened to Banner. I don't want to see you end up as the next hide and seek champion."

"I mentioned Banner when I was trying to discourage him. Not by name but it wouldn't be hard to figure out who I was referring to. Maybe I shouldn't have. I'll give you a call in the morning," Selvig said, sounding uneasy.