Finding Odin's Brooch

S.H.I.E.L.D.

I wiggled forward on my belly and peered down the hill. The white security lights illuminated the buildings below us clearly, even at this distance. The size of the complex was daunting.

How did I not realize their museum was here? I shook my head slightly.

"This isn't just SHIELD, this is their headquarters." I looked over at Loki apprehensively.

"I know. It's no matter." His voice was low and unconcerned. He rose smoothly from the dewy grass and offered me a hand. "Just follow the plan and everything will be fine. I need your help finding the brooch. Besides, as I've said, I'd also really like to get my staff back."

I swallowed nervously. "It might not be the same. You know they took the mind stone out of it, and I'm sure they ran all kinds of experiments on the staff itself."

"It's the principle, my dear." His eyes twinkled, but there was an intensity in their depths. "It's mine, and I don't like people touching what belongs to me."

I let my breath out slowly. I need my heart to slow down. We've practiced this, it's okay.

Loki was watching me. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. I, uh, I've never done anything like this, that's all."

"I know. You'll do fine. I wouldn't have brought you if I didn't have absolute confidence in you." Loki smiled reassuringly. "Remember, I'll take care of everything, and if something goes wrong, I'll get us out. You're here with me, so nothing will harm you. As I said, I don't like people touching what's mine."

I stared at him for a moment, unsure how to take his last comment and finally took a deep breath. "Let's go, then."

We moved along, keeping just inside the tree line at the top of the hill. After five minutes of creeping along carefully, I felt Loki's hand close around my forearm.

"Here."

My eyes followed Loki's finger to a what appeared to be a manhole with a barred cover rising out of the weeds.

"You know the plan?"

"Yes." I glanced at him. "You have our way in?"

He flashed a grin and wiggled his fingers. "And all of our illusions, at the ready. Shall we begin?"

I nodded and he pulled what appeared to be a ball of brownish putty from a pocket and pressed it against the lip of the metal. I watched in fascination as the surface rippled and he stepped into it and disappeared from sight. Loki's voice came softly from the darkness.

"It's a bit of a drop. Step through and I'll catch you."

I followed gingerly, bracing myself for an impact, but I landed softly in Loki's arms. He set me down quickly.

"All right?"

"Uh huh."

Loki raised his hand and removed the putty.

I felt his hand close over mine. "Careful, this shaft should angle down in a few more steps."

We dropped to our knees and crawled silently forward. The shaft slanted down, flattened briefly, then turned at a right angle. As we moved downward again, another barred square emerged slowly from the blackness, the space on the other side lit with a faint bluish glow. The shaft leveled off once more and we moved carefully forward.

Loki reached the grating first and applied the substance to the bars. He turned to me. "Ready to disappear?"

"Sure."

He scooted forward through the wavering metal curtain and dropped to the hallway below. I peered over the edge but could see nothing but the floor perhaps five feet down. I felt the eerie sensation of an invisible hand grasp mine to help me slide out of the opening.

The hall was lit by tiny blue track lights set along the side of the floor. I kept a hold on his hand and moved stealthily along until we reached a dead end. My fingers pressed against cold heavy steel and I realized suddenly that I could see Loki again in the dim light. He turned to the door and stood facing it, saying nothing for a moment.

Finally, he pressed his hand to the door. The door rippled and we stepped through, only to find ourselves behind a heavy black curtain.

"The room is empty," he whispered. "Find the first opening." We groped our way from behind the curtain and emerged next to a glass display case.

We were in the museum, completely alone. Workers and visitors had apparently gone for the day, and soft gold lights glowed from inside the cases.

I glanced at Loki. He was tall as ever, but now appeared as a man in his fifties, with a neat reddish blond goatee and receding hair. Small glasses perched on a thin nose. His tag read, "Kurt Mardh, Visitor."

He smiled. "Let's go find the brooch. It should be this way."

Studying the floor plans had paid off nicely. Immediately left and three cases down was the display we wanted. The brooch sat perched atop a swirl of black linen cloth. Even in the half darkness of the deserted museum, the gold shone with a muted, warm radiance.

"Ah, there it is." He handed me the putty. "Hold this against the case."

I obeyed, and he slipped his hand through the glass as though it were the surface of water. As the fingers of Loki's right hand closed over the brooch, his left moved slightly, and a replica sat in its place.

He held out the brooch and dropped it into the small cloth bag I held. At a sudden noise behind us, I stuffed the bag awkwardly into the pocket of my pants.

"Excuse me? Is someone here?" A security guard entered the far side of the room.

"Ah, that's us, right here." Loki raised a hand.

The guard hurried over. "Good evening. May I help you?"

"Absolutely." Loki extended a hand. "I'm Doctor Mardh. I'm a guest of SHIELD, and I left for the day and then realized that I left my briefcase behind." He gestured to me. "Miss Stevens has been kind enough to bring me back here and indulge me when I became distracted by your museum. It really is marvelous."

I smiled brightly at the guard and held out my badge.

He checked the clearance code and smiled back. "Well, you guys are good, but it is after closing time down in this area. Did you find your briefcase yet, sir?"

"No, as I said, I got very distracted." Loki adjusted his glasses and smiled apologetically. "I was in the room, ah... the one where the Asgardian staff is, perhaps?"

"I think that's Lab Twelve." The guard led the way out of the displays and into a hallway. He paused in front of on of the doors and turned to Loki. "All right sir, if you don't mind."

Loki raised an eyebrow.

"You know, we do a quick scan anytime you go in or out, Doctor Mardh." He held up the scanner.

"No problem at all." Loki stretched out his arms.

"While you're doing that, I'm just going to run in the bathroom really quick first." I jerked my head over my shoulder at the door we had passed. "I'll be right back."

Without waiting for a comment, I turned and hurried into the single room. I locked the door behind me and pulled the bag from my pocket. My eyes roved around the space. Where can I hide it? I crossed to the paper towel dispenser and felt at the top for the latch, then tugged on the door. The front swung open with a metallic squeal and I barely caught it before it banged against the wall. I set the bag on top of the stack of brown paper towels and pushed the door shut carefully. Then I reach over and flushed the toilet, rinsed my hands, and left the room.