Finding Odin's Brooch

A Complication

I pulled another page toward me and rubbed the back of my neck. God, I could use a walk outside to stretch. I glanced over to where my assistant was hanging a floorplan from a wall hook, then glanced down again at the paper in my hand and frowned.

Both of us jumped as the door burst open. Loki stepped into the room and shot a quick look at my assistant. "I need to speak with Aliana alone. Immediately."

The girl scurried from the room. Loki reached over and locked the door behind her, then sank down in the chair opposite me.

I watched him. "What's wrong?"

He looked at me, eyes dark with concern. "We have a problem. I have another member of my army monitoring Midgard's internet and satellites for various things of concern." He waved a hand at the wall and table. "He's the one who got all these documents for you."

In the last six weeks, I'd spent at least some time nearly every day with Loki to plan how to retrieve the brooch. I had grown accustomed to his moods and humor, and this was the most worried I'd seen him. I watched him seriously, concerned as well.

He pulled his attention back to me. "Anyway, today he was perusing SHIELD communications and discovered that a man named Kurt Mardh has requested a visit to SHIELD to study a metal artifact recovered from the Varmland dig. There is only one in SHIELD's possession. Odin's brooch."

He pushed several pieces of paper across the table. "I asked for additional background on Mardh."

My eyes skimmed the page. "He works as a private consultant in antiquities, for both museums and private collectors. Oh lovely-'Due to the confidentiality of his work, client references cannot be provided.' So, basically, we don't know who he works for or exactly what he does for his clients. That screams shady business to me."

I flipped the page and scanned his personal information. "Danish, Mardh is one of the older surnames in Denmark, an occultist, originally from the Snodolev area." Snodolev... I narrowed my eyes. That rings a bell. I read that name not long ago.

I pulled a folder to me and shuffled through it. "Here it is. The Snoldolev Stone. It was discovered in Snodolev, Denmark and later moved to a museum in Copenhagen. The state dates from between the seventh and ninth centuries and has an inscription in Old Norse. It has three interlocking shapes, similar to a valknut symbol. The inscription..."

I trailed off and my eyes widened as I saw the next words.

"Aliana, what is it?"

I glanced up to see Loki's eyes fixed on my face. "The inscription refers to a man whose father is named Hroaldr. His title is associated with being a wise man or sage to royalty."

Loki leaned across the table toward me. "What else?"

"The rest of the inscription is debated. Apparently, both father and son are from a place called Solhogum. It could refer to the village of Sallov, in the area where the stone was found. Or, when translated literally, it means 'a hall in the mounds.' Oh, my God."

Loki and I grabbed for blank paper at the same time.

"I'm so sorry. Here, will you?" He held out a pen.

"Of course."

He rose and paced to the window. "So, first we have Odin's brooch with Eadgils. It's common knowledge he has it. Second, Eadgils' advisor Hroaldr rebels and is banished to Denmark."

"And that's in the sixth century, by Midgardian dates," I interjected.

"Right. Third, there is a runestone carved in Denmark, mentioning Hroaldr the royal wise man, who came from a hall of the mounds. We know that Gamla Uppsala, where Eadgils is buried, was called by that same name." Loki stared at the ceiling for a moment. "Fourth, a form of the valr, similar to Odin's brooch, was carved on the stone."

I watched him pacing for a moment. "The only thing that's at all confusing is the timeframe of the runestone, but 'son of' in Old Norse is sometimes translated as 'descendant,' so it could have actually been carved several generations later."

Loki nodded. "It's a clue to where to find Odin's brooch." His brow furrowed. "But where does Mardh come into the story, other than being Danish?"

I bit my lip. "Okay, he's Danish, he's an antiquities expert, and an occultist. Somehow he knows or has at least guessed that SHIELD has the brooch."

"It can't be coincidence." Loki shook his head.

"It's not! I know what it is!" I leapt to my feet and located a slim folder on the shelf behind me. "Remember when I started researching, I went through the inventory of what had been excavated and removed from Eadgil's tomb? Just a few weeks ago, we went through the list of what was still known to be there and scheduled for the next removal and study. There were what, four stones with runic engravings?"

"That's it. Of course." Loki stared at me. "He knows the story, too. He's put together the runestone clues and is counting on one of those engravings being Odin's words. He knows SHIELD has the brooch and he wants to access it, either for himself or a client. He must not obtain both, or he will be able to do terrible things."

I looked at Loki, imagining a dozen horrible scenarios. "How do we stop him?"

"We take it first." Loki slid into the chair next to mine and leaned forward. "We will plan this immediately. I will handle retrieving this myself, with just one assistant."

I nodded and picked up the pen. "Okay. Who are you taking? I'll start working on whatever the two of you need right away."

"You."

"What?" I jerked my head up. "I can plan this kind of thing, but secret missions aren't-"

"That's why you are perfect for this. We will plan it together, practice, and execute it. You know what to look for, you can think on your feet."

"Um, I actually have no idea at all how to do something like this."

Loki smiled at me. "You do. You know how to plan this out, you just have to also help me put it into practice. He stood abruptly and strode to the floor plan tacked to the wall. "This is SHIELD's museum?"

"Yes, it is. How do you propose we get in?"

Loki studied the map intently. "Even in disguise, walking up to the front door is too risky. We need to get in secretly but have a plausible reason to be there if we're discovered." He glanced at me. "They also have my staff, so if we're going to break in anyway, I'd like to get that back as well."

"All right." I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "So we need to find a back way in, making sure we don't set off their security, get the brooch and your staff, have a good reason to be there if we get stopped, and then get out." I chewed the corner of my lip. "I suppose it could be worse."

"Agreed. I'll get a couple of other recruits working on the technical aspects, getting you maps and floorplans and such." Loki strode to the door. "I'll be back this afternoon and we can work on more of this." He unlocked the door and turned back to me. "Don't worry about this. You will do brilliantly. I want you to plan this and come with me because I don't trust this mission to anyone else."

I stared at him for a moment. What do I even say to that?

A quick smile flashed across his face, and before I could answer, he closed the door behind him and was gone.