Jane's research brought us to Puente Antiguo, NewMexico.
I was happy to be back in a warmer climate. I'dmissed the heat from Australia, course it would have been better toalso be near some water source but perhaps it was best I wasn't.
Our new lab base was housed in an old motor shop,Smith Motors.
And if the close quarters weren't insentive enoughnot to go visiting my soulmate, I got the feeling that someone waswatching Jane a couple weeks into us researching some strangemagnetic storm activity in the desert.
Perhaps slightly paranoidly I began to squirrel awaybits of Janey's research in spots all over Puente Antiguo. Then Icalled Rikki on a payphone and gave her a code message of clues towhere the items were just in case. Rikki was always on the moveunlike the other girls, and had always been the best confidante fortop secret things. Plus she understood more accurately my desire forsecrecy than the other girls did.
It was one such call that Rikki stopped me fromhanging up.
"Mischief is in trouble. I haven't been able to seehim clearly. Each time it becomes more and more unclear. I'mscared..." She paused, "Something is wrong."
I nibbled on the inside of my lip, a bad feelingstirring at the bottom of my gut.
"Ok keep me updated."
Rikki wouldn't let me go yet though, "What aboutyou? Besides the MIB have you got to see your sweetheart?"
I let out a low laugh, "No space to go and visit."
Rikki sighed, "Hang in there, Darce."
***
Jane had called in Erik Selvig, an old mentor, afterour investigation into the storms had yielded consistent results. Hewas kinder than others who sneered at her research, still he lookedupon her excitement with a bittersweet gaze.
Not everyone had seen the impossible happen like Ihad.
One night we prepared to go out again, unknowing howmy world would be turned on its head again by doing so.
We parked in the middle of the desert where thereadings had been spiking for several weeks. We'd been waiting formore than a hour waiting for the storm to arrive, still Jane stoodresolutely stared up at the stars devices in hand. The computersbuzzed and I looked out the window waiting for it too.
Despite the blank dark night my protector tinglestold me something different was going to happen tonight.
"Wait for it." Jane diddn't even glance at hermentor, her gaze not seeing how dissapointed a look he was givingher.
He'd already expressed his opinion about her chasingstorms before we headed out that night.
I looked behind to see Selvig turning toward Jane,they'd bent down from where they had been looking out the van'ssunroof.
"Jane, you can't keep doing this."
But Jane was in Science Mode. I patted our go-bagwith snacks glad we had enough to last the night. I was glad to havesome hot coffee in a thermos, we were prepared to wait out the nightif we had to.
Jane was looking over the data on her computerschecking the monitors for signs that a storm was approaching.
"The last 17 occurrences have been predicable tothe second."
I looked out the window, "What's different thistime?"
Jane shook her head, "I've double checked theparameters everything is exact."
Erik spoke up, "Jane, your an astrophysicist notsome storm chaser."
I tapped the scientists shoulder, "Mr Selvig,there's been something different about these storms. Its not just theatmosphere that changes."
Jane pointed her pen in my direction, "Exactly.There's a connection between these atmospheric disturbances and myresearch. I wouldn't have asked you to fly out here unless I wasabsolutely sure."
The corner of my eye caught something and I looked atthe rear-view mirror.
"Jane, its coming."
Jane looked out the back window to see lines of lightin the sky, it almost seemed to be forming something.
"What is that?"
Even Selvig looked perplexed.
I geared up the van, "We are heading toward it,yeah?"
Jane clambered over the backseat into the frontpassenger seat and I called out to Selvig, "Buckle up!"
Selvig peered out the windows, "That's not a subtleaurora."
"Go!" Jane shouted and I drove straight towardthe storm, excitement stirring deep inside me. I hadn't seensomething like this since Australia and it was phenomenal.
Jane looked over at me her eyes wide, "Get closer!"
"On it!" I stepped on the gas, I didn't have tolook in a mirror to know I had a manic grin on my face.
Jane was out the window videotaping as what almostlooked like a tornado spiraled toward the grown lit up from withinwith flashing lights.
I got as close as I could without directly gettinginto the blast zone but still it wasn't close enough for Jane.
The impact of the storm to the ground shook the wholevan and I swerved not wanting to be drawn straight into the impactarea.
"What are you doing?" Jane shouted.
"Trying not to get us killed!" I shouted backover the storm.
Jane reached over and turned the steeling wheel, weneared the tornado looking thing.
As I tried to regain control and Jane's hold on thewheel tightened, we screamed as what looked like a figure crashedinto the side of the van. The van gradually slowed to a stop. Istared at my white knuckled grip on the steering wheel.
"I think legally that was your fault." Iwhispered to Jane only to see her jumping from the van with herflashlight.
I grabbed the first aid kit and my taser. I alwayscarried the taser just in case I needed to shock someone in anon-lethal line of defense (I'd been practicing alongside Aleksandr,him showing me Etheralki techniques that helped with my control.)
Outside the van the light from the stars made for amilky gloomy surrounding as we walked carefully side by side.
Jane ran toward the figure laying a distance awaynear the impact section of the storm.
"Please don't be dead." Jane whispered beforelooking around, "Where did he come from?"
I looked up at the stars.
The storm gone only leaving behind what looked like agiant's thumbprint below the figure laying in the sand.
"From up there?" I whispered while Selvig shookhis head.
I came to kneel before the guy who laid out on theground only to watch as he sat up with a gasp staring wide eyed atthe three of us.
The headlights from the van causing his eyes toblink. His gaze was wild and almost afraid like a cornered animal.
"Whoa there big dude, are you ok?"
He let out a groan before stumbling to his feet, hisvoice gruff as he shouted out, "Hammer! Hammer!"
"Boy, do you think that's what it is? Is hehammered?" I spoke in a stage whisper to Jane as she watched withwide eyes as the guy wandered around shouting. "Well he looksuninjured that's good...Maybe slightly concussed, but it could havebeen worse."
Then the scientists' eyes refocused on the giant'sthumbprint on the ground.
"We have to move quickly before this all changes."
Even now a small night wind had started to scatterthe sands across the desert floor.
My gaze though was on the bearded man that mumbledand stumbled around the thumbprint. My hand tightening around thetazer in my sweater's pocket.
Vaguely I heard behind me as Selvig implored to Janeto take the stranger to the hospital.
"Oh he's fine. Look at him." Jane's voice spokefrom behind as she no doubt copied the markings on the ground intoher journal.
The man kept calling out for his father and thenanother, a name I recognized from the hours I'd spent pouring overNorse mythology beside Rikki.
"Wait did you say Heimdall?"
From behind I heard Jane tell Selvig to bring the manto the hospital, while she stayed behind.
The man neared me pointing brusquely.
"You! What realm is this? Alfheim? Nornheim?"
"Midgard," I spoke upon a whim and as he stumbledcloser his tall muscular stature looming, I took out my taser just incase.
"You dare threaten me, Thor, with so puny aweapon."
Electricity flickered as he was downed by my taserand maybe just a little more juice.
As I watched him shudder and fall, still breathingbut unconcious, I turned to see Jane and Erik staring at me with wideeyes and dropped jaws.
"What? He was freaking me out..." My eyes turnedwide and looked back at the downed man...or perhaps alien. "Wait,did he say Thor?" A minor curse escaped me as the implications mademe shake my head.
After I helped Erik get 'Thor' into the van, not wantingto give any clue of my superior strength I looked to Jane and herjournal.
"I would suggest you hiding that somewhere only astrip search could find it."
Jane wrinkled her nose, "What?"
"Whoever he is, that storm is going to bring the wrongsort of attention. Just trust me." After watching her make stuffher journal which thankfully was her smaller one into her bra, Inodded. We got back into the van and took 'Thor' to the hospital.