Special Agent Loki Laufeyson

Chapter 53

"I hope you understand just how inconvenient this all is for me," Dr. Strange said, his eyes pinned on his coffee cup as he stirred the dark liquid. "I am an extremely busy person, Agent Gibbs, and this has a serious effect on my schedule. I had to push back several appointments in order to come to D.C."

Gibbs honestly didn't care that Dr. Strange didn't appreciate being called down to D.C., but he just nodded, concealing his lack of understanding. "We thank you for your willingness, Doctor."

"Can you tell me about the patient?" Strange asked. "Your Director Vance was very close with the details about this operation. I wasn't even given the name of my patient."

"That's because this operation is very sensitive," Gibbs told him, placing a file on the table. "One of our new agents was found to have an energy source located within his brain. It mimics the structure of a Trojan horse computer virus, specifically targeting the memories of my agent."

Strange reached across the table for the file, but Gibbs withdrew it before he could grab it. "The agent's name is Loki Laufeyson."

It took Strange a moment to realize who Loki was, and the surprise flashed across his face. "The same Loki who attacked New York?" he checked. "The Asgardian?"

Gibbs nodded. "He has been released into NCIS custody to make up for his doings there." He now allowed Strange to take the file. "This holds all the information we have been able to compile on the energy source and what it is doing."

Strange frowned as he read through the report of Loki and DiNozzo's fight, the interrogation transcript, and Thor and Loki's story on last night's flashback. Loki had also listed the number of times he had been struck by a headache, a flashback, or pain in general, with a short sentence on the nature of the incident.

"With all due respect, Agent Gibbs," Strange said at last, setting the file down. "His symptoms can be attributed to PTSD. Considering the fact that he seems to have suffered at least the traumatic experience of getting smashed by the Hulk, if not more, it definitely seems like something he'd have. That's not my department."

Gibbs pointed to the Asgardian healer report. "There's an energy source in his head. Can you attribute that to PTSD?"

Strange read through the second report, his forehead furrowing as his eyes traveled down the page. "Hacked," he said thoughtfully. "You believe your agent has been hacked?"

Gibbs shrugged. "It certainly looks like it."

Strange closed the file slowly. "Apparently, this source cannot be removed without doing serious damage. So what can I do?"

"Remove it," Gibbs said shortly. Strange laughed before he realized that Gibbs was serious.

"But –" he started, Gibbs cutting him off before he got any further.

"The Asgardians couldn't identify it. My medical examiner could. The Asgardians couldn't figure out what it did. My forensic scientist could. So I'm going to see if we really can remove it."

Something flickered in Strange's eyes and Gibbs realized it was excitement. A challenge the Asgardians couldn't find a way to conquer was something the neurosurgeon probably didn't stumble across too often.

"All right," he said. "I'll tackle your problem, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs stood. "Follow me."

****

Strange stood in the center of Abby's lab, shaking his head in disapproval. "I can't work down here, Agent Gibbs," he said aloofly. "Why, this is nothing more than a basement."