Special Agent Loki Laufeyson

Chapter 21

Bishop gazed around Asgard, wonder in her eyes, as she and Tony walked with Thor and his friends. He had introduced the Asgardians to the NCIS agents; Fandrul, Sif, Volstagg, and Hogan had been interested to meet them. And they were very interesting to meet.

Carrying swords and axes openly, they walked and acted like warriors. Thor referred to them as the Warriors Three. Tony frowned at that.

"You have four friends," he pointed out.

Puzzled, the five Asgardians stopped and turned to Tony. "So?" Thor asked.

"You have four friends, yet you call them the Warriors Three," Tony enunciated. "Why don't you just call them the Warriors Four and show the world that the tough Asgardians know how to count?" After a pause, he added, "Or do you?"

Bishop stepped on his instep roughly. "Ow!" Tony muttered, rubbing his foot against the back of his other leg.

Thor, however, laughed, although his friends looked sore at DiNozzo's latest comment. "DiNozzo, you misunderstand me! Fandrul, Hogan, and Volstagg are the Warriors Three."

Tony grinned, seeing a chance to make a joke. Bishop slapped her forehead, hoping the Asgardians wouldn't take offence at whatever the agent was about to say. "So when you guys go fight battles together, what is it? The Warriors Three featuring Thor and Lady Sif?"

Sif looked angry at that last comment and went for her knife, causing Tony to jump back. Thor just shot Tony a strange look before placing his arm in front of Sif. "He meant no offence, Sif. He does not know our ways." He turned to his other friends. "How about a good beer? Anyone?"

The Asgardians and Tony all seconded Thor's motion, and Bishop shook her head in exasperation. But the group headed out for a bar, and Bishop caught up to them, elbowing Tony in the ribs.

"What was that for?" Tony hissed with a wince.

"We're still on the job," Bishop whispered. "You can't drink."

"Gibbs will never know if I have one," Tony protested. "Besides, he told us to find out what we can. What better way than when they're intoxicated?"

"You'll be intoxicated before they will," Bishop insisted. "Stay away from the beer."

Tony glared at Bishop. "Listen, this is kind of an undercover assignment, no?" he pointed out. "We're supposed to find out what we can to help our current case. Basically undercover. Which means we can't afford to draw attention to ourselves by refusing to have a drink."

Bishop rolled her eyes. "You know Gibbs will kill you."

"Not if we find out anything relevant," Tony retorted, and he hurried off to catch up with the Asgardians. Bishop rolled her eyes, a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. But she ran to catch up with the others, determined to keep an eye on DiNozzo.

The group entered a bar and Thor ordered a round of beers to start them off. When Bishop told him she didn't want hers, Volstagg, overhearing her, swiped her mug and drained it. The NCIS agent stared at him in horror as he wiped his beard and reached for his own mug.

"So, Loki's working with you?" Sif asked Bishop.

"Yeah," she responded. "Can you tell me anything about him?"

Sif spread her hands. "What exactly do you want to know? He was the sour apple out of the six of us. What else do you need?"

Bishop and Tony exchanged a glance, brows furrowed. "You mean bad apple," Bishop corrected.

"It's Ziva all over again," Tony muttered, taking a sip from his mug. He recoiled, a strange expression on his face. "What is this?" he asked.

"Asgardian beer," Volstagg answered. "It's about a thousand years old, and you'll be the first mortal man to ever try it."