HARLOVSEN - An Avengers Fanfiction

Chapter 19 - Excellent Question

Clint looked up when the door to the conference room opened. Magnus, Arne and Fenris entered, joining the group. Then, Katta and Barnes followed. Katta's lip was busted and sweat covered her face, but other than that, she seemed to be alright.

Erik sat next to Natasha, murmuring things into her ear, while Tony played around with the switches on the wall, dimming the light. "Lame," he mumbled. "Where are the buttons that do the cool stuff?"

Fury cautiously got up and eyed Magnus, who nodded and took a seat. Since this wasn't one of his usual S.H.I.E.L.D institutions, he wanted to be at least a bit diplomatic. Who knows where else the Harlovsen had placed their popular bombs.

"Alright. Now that we are all here and mostly unharmed - and mostly showered," his eyes flickered to Barnes and Katta, "it's time to talk about the next steps." He tapped his fingers on the desk, enjoying the security of this routine movement.

Thor leaned back in his chair. The only clothes large enough for him had been a pair of grey joggers and a red shirt, that looked like it came right out of the lost and found box. Everybody else was decently clothed, thanks to the rather large collection of Harlovsen disguise clothes.

"I'm sure my brother thinks that he has destroyed our every possibility to hide away." Thor began pacing. Magnus raised a remote control and started the screen at the end of the room.

"The reason we knew that Loki would come was the radiation he somehow emits. It only made sense then, that we followed the tracks of radiance through New York. There are a few remnants, but it is the strongest right here." He zoomed in, and Katta recognized Doctor Strange's house.

"That means he already is close to the time stone," Steve remarked, rubbing his temples. Magnus nodded, sipping from a cup of coffee.

"Let me just summarise the situation for us," Tony interrupted. "We have an evil god who turned around super assassins and looks for a stone that does what exactly?" he asked.

Fury huffed. "With the stone, he can control time, which would theoretically even allow him to go back in time and replay the New York Battle."

Katta ground her teeth. This was officially a worst-case situation.

"But that is...how comes that...why didn't we know that Loki is free. Why isn't he in the Asgardian cells, Thor?" Clint asked.

"He is a master of deception. And very powerful. If I had to guess how often he played dead and then came back." Thor sighed.

Tony snipped his fingers to gain everybody's attention. "So that Loki is in New York now, how do we proceed, minding that–"

"Excellent question," a voice interrupted the discussion. Katta turned her head the same time the others did and cursed. It was Doctor Stephen Strange. Erik had pulled out a knife, ready to throw, while Fenris had opted for a gun. From Magnus's stance, Katta knew that his finger was hovering over the alarm button under his desk.

"What is it with you, Harlovsen's and those knives?" Strange tilted his head and looked at Katta. She just shrugged. This whole situation was tiring her out and if this all wasn't coming to reason anytime soon, she would need a strong whisky.

"Doctor Stephen Strange," he introduced himself to the people in the room. "Thank you for following my instructions, Miss Harlovsen," he then addressed Katta. She nodded in return, leaning back on her chair. She had no clock, but by now it must have been a few hours past midnight. The urge to sleep was gnawing on her.

"I don't even ask how you know about this place," Magnus uttered.

Strange waved of. "That is one of the advantages of being a master of the mystical might."