Special Agent Loki Laufeyson

Chapter 23

It was the following morning when Tony woke up, heavily hungover from his night on the town. Bishop, Gibbs, and Loki were already awake, Gibbs snappish from lack of coffee, Bishop grumpy from a bad night's sleep, and Loki just angry with pretty much everyone right now. So DiNozzo's moaning just agitated the rest of the team further.

"Sorry, Boss," DiNozzo murmured plaintively as Gibbs slapped him on the back of the head. With a deep, long moan, the agent cupped his head in his hands. "I didn't think it'd be that strong."

"We'll talk about this when we return to D.C.," Gibbs growled. "Where is Thor with Ducky and Abby?"

Loki placed the tips of his fingers to his forehead, looking worried. Everyone fell silent as a servant brought in breakfast, which Bishop practically attacked. The other three weren't very hungry.

Just when Gibbs was about to go out to ask about Thor, the god of thunder entered the room, Ducky and Abby in tow.

"I can't thank you enough, Gibbs, for convincing them to let me come here!" Abby exclaimed. "This place is awesome!"

"It's fascinating," Ducky added. "I've never seen anything quite like it."

Gibbs nodded absently. "We don't have time to sightsee. I need you guys to see the images of the energy source in Loki's brain. The Asgardian healers can't identify it."

"Which should say, quite clearly, that no one else can," Thor muttered.

Abby shot a glare at Thor. "Don't doubt us, Thor! You'll jinx us. All right, Gibbs, where's this image?"

"Get the healers, Thor," Gibbs ordered. The thunder god sighed and left, returning with the head healer in tow.

Within moments, the soul forge had been activated and the image of Loki's brain was floating before them. Abby, Ducky, Bishop, and Tony all gasped at the sudden appearance of the image, and then Ducky and Abby approached it.

There was silence for a long time as the medical examiner and the forensic scientist studied the image. Loki lay still on the bed and Thor, the healer, Gibbs, and Bishop stood together, giving them space. Tony stayed on the couch, hand to his head.

"Jethro," Ducky said finally. "This reminds me of something."

"You've seen this before?" the healer demanded, looking astonished.

"Yes," Ducky answered as DiNozzo moaned. "I was privileged enough to be part of a study conducted by S.H.I.E.L.D., which had us examine the structure of the energy within certain supercharged weapons wielded by Hydra, a secret organization within the Nazi Party. This has a similar look to it, although it has its own unique makeup, not unlike the individuality of fingerprints."

"By Odin's beard," Thor said into the shocked silence. "Who would have thought the NCIS medical examiner knew more than Asgard's best healers?"

The healer glared at Thor.

"What was the energy, Duck?" Gibbs asked.

Ducky frowned. "Well, Jethro, they didn't tell us everything. They just had us examine the energy and pronounce our diagnoses. Most of the information was classified. But this is made up of the same basic matter as the one I studied, I'm certain of it."

Abby raised her hand.

"Yes, Abigail?" Ducky called. "What is your question?"

"Oh, I don't have a question, Ducky," Abby said with a grin. "Just an observation. This source reminds me of something, too."

The healer's mouth dropped.

"What do you got, Abs?" Gibbs asked.

Abby pointed to the image. "The way this energy conducts itself makes me think of a Trojan horse."

Thor wrinkled his brow. "It doesn't make me think of a horse."

"No!" Abby exclaimed. "The computer virus."

"I'm not a machine," Loki grumbled.

"I know you're not, Loki," Abby assured him. "But the way this energy is situated and appears to be acting, it looks like a Trojan horse."

"Do you mean to tell me that someone put a computer virus in Loki's head?" Gibbs demanded.

"No, not at all!" Abby answered sprightly. "It's not a computer virus, Gibbs. It's a person virus."

"Like the flu?" Bishop asked in confusion.

"No!" Abby exclaimed. "It's a computer virus, for people. Beautifully constructed, I must say. And judging by its location, it knows exactly what it's targeting."

"And what is that?" Loki asked.

"Your memories," Abby said. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Duck-Man, but its headquarters are within the cerebrum, which holds memories. And it's connected to every part of your brain. Whoever's controlling this virus seems to be either wanting your memories, or is using them to make you react in certain ways. It's through the memories that the controller has access to the other regions of your brain."

"Are you saying Loki's been hacked?" Bishop asked incredulously.

"Glad to see you show some concern," Loki remarked, casting a glance at Bishop, who rolled her eyes and looked away.

"Yes, "Abby answered. "This person-hacker will be able to use Loki to do what he wants without it incriminating him. Basically, Loki's like a sleeper agent, except he doesn't even know it."

"Now I do," Loki mumbled. "Excuse me, but you're carrying on this conversation right above me."

"How do we get rid of this Trojan horse?" Gibbs asked eagerly.

"There's no way," the healer muttered.

"I'm not completely sure," Abby said slowly.

"Thank you!" the healer exclaimed, looking at Abby.

"But," Abby added. "I don't have a degree from M.I.T. in computer forensics. But we all know someone who does!"

"McGhee!" Bishop realized.

"Exactly," Abby enthused. "If anyone can get rid of this virus, Timothy McGhee is your man."

"Amazing," the healer murmured.

"I'll go get him," Thor sighed.

"Wait," Gibbs said, holding up his hand. "Is there any way we can bring a soul forge back to Earth with us, so we can continue this examination back at NCIS?"

The healer and Thor exchanged glances, and then Thor nodded. "But one of you will have to learn how to use it."

Abby waved her hand in the air. "Me! Teach me!"

Gibbs nodded at the healer. "Teach her. Loki, get up. DiNozzo, on your feet. Get ready to leave." He turned away. "We're heading home."

/***/

Abby and Ducky figured it out! Well, most of it, anyway. Can we get a round of applause for NCIS?

What do you think of their diagnoses? Do you think McGhee can figure out how to get rid of it? And I'm guessing you can figure out who's the controller, judging on Loki's revelation from last chapter. 

Thanks for reading! Please, don't hesitate to comment and vote! Let me know what you think!

Have a good day!

Skylar Wittenborn