The Ides of July // Loki - Book 1 ✓

Chapter 16: They're Coming

THE NEXT MORNING, the group assembled in a large meeting room. Anna, wary of the tall god of mischief occupying the most remote corner, took the seat closest to the door.

She hadn't expected to be invited to stay overnight in the Avengers' Tower, but Pepper insisted. Without any money, she had little choice but to accept their hospitality and was promptly ushered to a modestly-sized bedroom and accompanying bathroom. The room was simply furnished, no more than was necessary, with a simple grey bedspread atop crisp white sheets, but it radiated warmth despite the minimalism. Something about this Tower breathed life to Anna, and she had yet to put her finger on the source.

Sleep greeted her within moments of her head touching the pillow. Her body - exhausted from more than 24 hours without sleep coupled with the events of the day - sank willingly into the soft mattress where she slept dreamlessly until Pepper's light knock woke her 6 hours later.

The strawberry blonde woman had offered her a change of clothes and a towel before leaving for work, allowing Anna to gratefully scrub the layer of dirt and grime from her skin. Freshly clothed in a plain black top and cropped yoga leggings, she was met by Dr. Banner who promptly led her to the conference room where she now waits with her chin resting in her hand for Tony to arrive.

After several minutes of waiting, Dr. Banner disappeared from the room to fetch him, leaving Anna alone in the room with the two Asgardian gods.

Not exactly a fantasy situation.

"Lady Anna," says Thor jovially, more than willing to break the silence. "Do you know of a delightful drink called 'coffee'? I shall be honored to bring you a flagon to warm you whilst we wait, should you desire."

Anna straightens, her cheeks flushed pink at his offer. While it's adorable that such a man - such a god - wants to fetch her coffee, she isn't sure her stomach or her nerves could handle the caffeine.

"No, thank you," she replies. "I'm fine."

Thor's face falls, and she returns her gaze to her fingers. Fiddling with the edge of the soft black fabric, she focuses on the feel of the cotton weave against her fingertips rather than the green eyes glued on her face.

From the moment she walked into the room, Loki hadn't moved an inch. He is refusing to acknowledge her presence, she is sure of it, but she can feel the tension in the air. Only after she spoke did he turn his eyes upon her, emerald green watching her every movement from across the room. The blush on her cheeks deepened to a blazing red, as she is acutely aware of his eyes on her face.

Her mind flashed back to the previous evening when he first threatened her life then attacked her viciously. The red-brown imprint of his hands around her throat now decorated the ivory skin of her neck, a temporary reminder of their brief altercation.

No, Anna refused to look at him just like she refused to touch the bruises on her neck for fear that further pain would follow.

Dr. Banner enters the room with Tony in tow, effectively drawing all of their attention, especially as Stark is drunk. Really, really drunk.

"Oi, Barnum and Bailey, when's the next show?" He cackles at Thor and Loki as Bruce guides him into the room and into a seat. "Get it? Ringling Brothers? You'd make a great circus act."

"Tony, sit down," Banner instructs him as if talking to a small child. Anna can't help but wonder if his patience is some sort of twisted irony related to his 'condition' or due to the fact that Tony Stark is drunk more often than not.

"Stark, are you given to the drink?" Thor's voice thunders across the room, causing Anna to wince. "And at this hour? Have you no sense, man?"

Well, there goes that theory, Anna thinks.

Tony shouts back at Thor a slew of incomprehensible words whilst Dr. Banner attempts - and fails - to calm him down. Thor, clearly outraged at whatever rubbish Stark is spewing, shouts back at him to add to the din. Within seconds, the three are talking over each other in an awkward squabble, while Anna massages the headache creeping in at her temples.

These are supposedly the defenders of humanity. Great.

A slight movement in the corner attracts her eye, and she sees Loki watching them with an amused smirk painted across his features. His green eyes sparkle with mirth, and his thin lips are curled upward across his pale face. He's enjoying the chaos. As the god of mischief, a part of her can't necessarily blame him - and another wonders if he's to blame.

"That's enough!" Banner shouts, his fist slamming against the table.

The room freezes, all eyes on the scientist whose nerves seem to have frayed just a bit too far. Even Loki's smile has washed from his face as all of them are not-so-secretly praying they don't have a visit from the green guy on their hands.

"Bruce..." Tony starts to slur.

"No offense, Tony, but shut up," he snaps, rubbing the bridge of his nose while he sets his glasses on the table.

Thor chuckles, pleased by the chastisement, which earns him a strong glare from Banner and a crude gesture from Stark. He lowers himself back into his seat while Loki and Anna's eyes remain locked on Dr. Banner. The former has no desire to be reacquainted with the Hulk after the damage dealt to him in their last encounter, while the latter is certain she wouldn't survive the introduction. Both are relieved when he slips his glasses back on his face, exhaling slowly, and an appearance of calm falls over his features once again.

"Okay," Banner begins. "We went over the situation last night, and - Anna - unfortunately, this isn't a standalone event. Someone is either feeding SHIELD false information or hacking into Jarvis --"

"No hack, not a hack," Tony mumbles. "Is impossible."

Banner sighs, ignoring him, and continues, "Regardless, it's becoming a major problem. This last case made it international news, and SHIELD is scrambling to find a solution. Director Fury thinks there could be a mole at a high level in the organization, so he's insisted that we work outside SHIELD to find a solution."

A chill runs down Anna's spine as she processes his words. If this isn't the only person who has died, then....how many? How many innocent people have been killed? Her mind flashes back to the photographs of Rifat and his daughters, reeling at the thought, and her stomach lurches in response.

"Normally, I'd say Tony could handle this on his own," Banner tells them, "But given...well, given what's happened, it's clear--"

Tony's phone rings loudly to the tune of Justin Timberlake's "Sexyback" causing him to shuffle in his chair while he locates it. Finally pulling it out of his pocket with a puerile grin, he swipes to accept the call.

"Rhodey, my...my cupcake, you miss me?" Tony answers with a drunken giggle. "I know you did, but I wan' hear you say it. Jussay it."

"Tony, what the hell is going on?" James 'Rhodey' Rhodes voice crackles through speakerphone.

Tony makes a face, "Issa party?"

Thor slaps his palm on his face, while Banner snags the phone from Tony.

"James, this is Bruce," he tells him. "What is it? We're kinda in the middle of something."

"Yeah? Well, this is more important," Rhodey snaps. "You're about to be raided."

Tony's head snaps up, and Thor's hand drops from his face.

"What?" Bruce asks.

"Raided. Full-scale attack on the Tower," the man tells them through the phone. "They're calling for Tony's arrest. They want to charge him for murder - there are talks of war crimes."

The room falls silent for a moment as his words sink in before Tony speaks.

"Bullshit," Tony snaps back. "Real funny, Rhodes. You got me. Ha--"

"They got Pepper, Tony," Rhodes replies softly. "They took her in for questioning an hour ago, and now they're coming from you."

A second later, an alarm screams through the room, and Jarvis' voice comes on through the loudspeaker.

"Sir, we have a problem."

Now Playing: "Rock Bottom" by The Dandy Warhols.