Special Agent Loki Laufeyson

Chapter 43

Gibbs slowly walked through the squad room, towards the Avengers. Loki and DiNozzo were still standing behind him, Loki looking a bit queasy and DiNozzo rather astonished. Bishop and McGhee, seated at their desks, were both regarding the Avengers with totally different expressions. Bishop looked very wary and was leaning back in her seat while McGhee was actually half rising from his chair, staring at Stark with his jaw dropped.

Gibbs came to a stop before the Avengers and lifted an eyebrow at them. Thor looked down uncomfortably.

"I'm assuming you're Agent Gibbs," Stark declared.

"Why are you here?" Gibbs asked, moving his right hand behind his back. He stuck his pinky finger and his thumb out of his fist and waggled his hand slightly. Then he pointed to his left and upwards, hoping his team got the message.

He inwardly grinned with Bishop picked up her phone and began to dial.

"I thought I just said why," Stark said. "We're here to take over."

"That's what I said, when I first showed up," Loki told DiNozzo in an undertone. "It'd didn't exactly work then, either." DiNozzo snorted.

Gibbs looked past Stark, at Thor. Stark followed his gaze. "Yeah, Point Break told me."

DiNozzo frowned. "Point Break's a movie. It's the one with Keanu Reeves and the surfer bank robbers in the presidents' masks." He started to say something else about the film, but Loki elbowed him into silence.

Stark grimaced and looked back at Gibbs. "We will handle this case from now on."

Gibbs allowed a slight smile to touch his lips. "No."

Stark cocked his head. "What was that? No? Maybe you didn't hear me."

"I heard you," Gibbs enunciated. "It's you who didn't hear me."

"Gentlemen," Director Vance called from the second floor. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

The Avengers all looked up at the director as he started down the stairs, his eyes pinned on the Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Gibbs glanced at the group again, taking in their gear. All of them, with the exception of Thor, were dressed in civilian clothing, but Gibbs could see their weapons. Agent Romanoff wore a double holster, Barton had his quiver slung over his shoulder, and Stark was wearing aligner bracelets on his wrists for his Iron Man suit. Captain Rogers had his iconic shield strapped to his left arm, and Thor was carrying Mjolnir. The scientist Bruce Banner was the only one without a weapon on him.

"Yes, actually, there is something you can do for us," Stark said to Vance. "You can tell your lap dog here to hand over the Samson case."

Bishop flinched and DiNozzo and Loki both stepped forward, coming to stand behind Gibbs with their arms crossed over their chests. Both of them were glaring daggers at the Avengers.

Stark looked arrogant and confident, like he had every right to walk over anyone in his way. He was just as annoying as he had been all those years ago.

"Mr. Stark," Vance said. "Agent Gibbs is NCIS's best agent, and I will look the other way if he decides to kill you here and now."

"We won't," Romanoff said.

Vance just looked at her. "Agent Romanoff, S.H.I.E.L.D. does not have jurisdiction over this matter. It will remain our case. If you'd like to help, you're free to do so, but NCIS will continue to work on this case."

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said. "Show the Avengers to the door, please."

DiNozzo stepped forward. "This way, if you please. The exit will see you now."