Home | Loki [Book Two]

Chapter Four

The next day, after the Avengers neutralized an insignificant threat, an unknown number contacted Loki and told him to meet on a corner in one of the streets of New York. 

"You'd be stupid to do what whoever-that-was tells you," I said to Loki. "You don't know anything about this person, let alone who they are!"

"Precisely why I should go find out."

"Then I'm going with you."

"You're supposed to be dead," he said. "I don't think a deceased person walking around would sit well if this is some guy who knows us."

"I won't go as Delta," I said simply. "Illusions, remember?"

"It's too big of a risk."

"Not compared to the possibility of you getting killed."

Loki sighed. "Fine," he said. I smiled in victory and turned into one of my past aliases. Bright red, almost fake hair that would have fallen to my knees was pulled back in a high ponytail and tucked into a baseball cap. I was a good two or three inches taller than I usually was. This made up person could have been an actress if it wasn't for her obvious disdain for makeup and anything even remotely girly. 

"How do I look?" I asked in a French accent.

"Completely different, except for the eyes."

"Oops." I changed my brown eyes to blue-green. "Better?"

"I don't believe we've met," Loki said with a glimmer of mischief in his eye. "I'm Loki."

"Claire," I said, shaking his hand, "daughter of the owners of the most successful bakery in Paris, Olympic runner-up five years ago, and homecoming queen."

Loki whistled. "And this all checks out?"

"Yep." I was talking normally now. "She's new."

"Let's go." We walked the whole way downstairs and to the meeting place. With an unknown possible threat coming into play, we didn't want to risk teleportation. 

By the time we reached the location, we'd fallen into a cautious silence. I didn't see anyone I recognized or any suspicious people walking about.

"When did this guy ask you to meet him?" I asked after about ten minutes of trying not to look out of place sitting on one of the park benches. 

"He didn't. Just a location." Loki checked the text again. "I'm starting to think this is some teenager trying to prank--"

"Sorry," a new person said, "I didn't mean to keep you waiting." 

Loki scowled. "What are you doing here, Zeke?"

"I wanted to speak with you about, uh, Delta, but it seems that you have moved on."

"Right," Loki said, "this is--"

"I'm Claire." I took extra care to mask my voice. "I recently moved back to the States from Paris."

"Good to meet you," Zeke said curtly.

"What are you doing here?" Loki asked again

"Before I say this, I need you to know that I had no idea what would happen." He paused to take a breath. "I am the reason that Delta is dead."

"What?" It sounded more like a threat than a question.

"I told Hydra everything I knew about her. Her location, her skills, her people, everything."

"And you didn't think, even for just one second, that Hydra might use that against her?"

"It occurred to me, but I didn't think they would go as far as assassination."

"What did you think they would do?" Loki was nearly yelling now. "Experiment on her? Brainwash her into another assassin to do their bidding? In no way does this situation work in her favor!"

"Look," Zeke said, starting to be defensive, "I didn't know what would happen."

"Yes, you did!" Loki was standing, towering furiously over Zeke. "You knew exactly what would happen. We're talking about Hydra, not some group of pacifists!"

"It doesn't matter anyway." I could see tears in the corners of Zeke's eyes, but he quickly covered them with rage. "Delta is dead, and there isn't anything you or I can do about it."

"You only have yourself and your stupidity to blame for her death."

"As if you were any help when she bled out in front of you."

"That's enough," I said in my normal voice. "By the way, Zeke, I'm not dead anymore, no thanks to you." He barely had time to look shocked before I punched him in his perfect teeth.