Above All Shadows [Loki Timetravel fic - Completed]

42. Iridium

'Loki, the extra equipment you requested has arrived,' Coulson said, interrupting Loki's efforts to make sense of what Loki suspected was SHIELD's attempt at a motivational poster. 'It's all being set up in the back.'

'I'd best make sure it's done right,' Loki responded.

Whatever their faults - Loki was familiar with SHIELD's arrogance and the tale of the organisation's spectacular fall from grace - they were efficient. By the time Loki strode into the makeshift laboratory, they had already brought in the newly delivered equipment and were pulling apart the rigid, metallic cases in which it had been packed. Loki hurried to lend a hand, though less out of a desire to be helpful than the need to know exactly what he had to work with.

'How many spectrometers do we have access to?' he asked. 'Or, perhaps, the more pertinent question is - what's their geographic spread?'

Coulson too had jumped in to help with the set up; he was presently trying to untangle a bundle of cords and fit them to the correct sockets. 'We've secured help from a number of European partners, the Japanese, the Argentines... It's a delicate situation. The Australians got antsy when, as a precaution, we asked whether they could redirect their over horizon radars and such.'

'So you're playing down what happened?.'

'Panic seldom helps.'

'There's a substantial difference between panic and a considered appreciation of the gravity of the situation.' Loki plonked a monitor down onto the plastic fold-out table. 'I've seen what Thanos' men can do; don't make the mistake of thinking this isn't serious.'

Coulson's lips twitched and he seemed to force himself to keep his voice level. 'I assure you, we're taking this very seriously. If I might remind you of one thing? Your people brought the Tesseract to this planet. You made us a target.'

Loki conceded the point with a tilted nod and turned to help a pair of junior agents, who struggled to assemble the test boxes they were unpacking.

After the best part of an hour, the room started to resemble a functional laboratory. But when Loki took a step back and took stock, he had to wonder if he had just wasted everyone's time. Barton had found a place to hide where no spectrometer, radar, satellite or SHIELD spy could track them. How likely was it that Fury couldn't find a similar calibre of hiding hole?

Or what if Thor's right and they left already?

The thought sent Loki's heart racing, but as he considered the logic of such a move, he found himself dubious. Gamora might have been satisfied to claim the Tesseract for Thanos. But she wasn't alone and Loki didn't think she was the one giving the orders. Ebony Maw outranked her. And he was a fundamentalist. He would remain until he brought balance to Midgard - a task he couldn't accomplish unless he had an army under his command.

As for Tyr, his presence made sense the least. Loki had led the attack on Midgard because he had been promised the planet when everything was done and dusted. Tyr had never exhibited any sort of megalomania towards Midgard. In fact, knowing the man, Loki suspected Tyr would consider the Midgardians too far beneath him to be worth the trouble of conquering.

'That was then,' Loki said to himself. 'The Titan can twist a man until even his closest no longer recognise him.'

Coulson's head jerked in Loki's direction. 'Pardon?'

'Just thinking aloud, Agent Coulson,' Loki replied. 'Presuming that Ebony Maw or his accomplices want to use the Tesseract again, they would want to stabilise it. Otherwise they'll just have a repeat of what happened at your research facility. I think there's a way to do it and have a wormhole that remains open for however long you need it to.'