" Believe in Me, The God of Lies"

Chapter 3

The Hero

*

"Loki, stop sulking. You got what you wanted, didn't you? Odin finally saw how unfit Thor was to rule," Sigyn said, slightly annoyed, crossing her arms over her chest.

I lowered my gaze, feeling my shoulders slouch slightly.

"They lied to me, Sigyn! All my life, they made me believe I was a failure. How many times have I been insulted and called Ergi! But the Jotuns are very different from the gods! I'm not even sure if there's a difference between men and women among the giants!"

My best friend's face softened slightly, a hint of understanding in her eyes. She then uncrossed her arms and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"That never stopped you from embracing your feminine side, did it? That's why I've always admired you. You don't care about what others think."

I sighed deeply, letting a tinge of resignation creep into my voice. "There's a reason they call me the god of lies, Sigyn... There are things I've hidden from everyone since I could walk..."

"Like the fact that you're still just a young man ?"

Caught off guard by her remark, my eyes widened slightly. "Wha... What?"

She burst into laughter. "You've barely gotten past your teenage crisis, Loki. What kind of friend would I be if I hadn't noticed?"

"Why didn't you tell me that you saw through that charade?" I exclaimed suddenly.

She shrugged slightly, her smile widening. "You didn't seem like you wanted to talk about it, and you know I'm not one to insist."

A sigh of despair escaped my lips, my eyes fixed on the ground. "My life is such a mess."

"Do you ever see the positive side of a situation?" insisted the goddess.

Exhausted, I looked up at her. "Where could I see the positive side? I just learned that I'm a stolen Jotun relic, an adopted child. And now, I find out that Tony is in mortal danger, and I can't go to Midgard to help him. Oh, and I almost forgot, one of my dearest friends has been trapped in ice for 80 years!"

A mischievous smile spread across Sigyn's face, her eyes twinkling with a playful gleam. "Remind me, are the Jotuns immortal?"

Reflecting on her question, I answered a moment later. "Of course not, they..." My words suddenly froze as the answer became clear to me. "They are mortal..."

"And all this time, you could have roamed Midgard in your Jotun form instead of staying invisible," my friend pointed out.

I furrowed my brow, perplexed by this perspective. "I would have been seen as a monster in their eyes..."

"Turns out Tony could really use a monster like you to set him free. And while you're at it, don't forget to say hello to Steve for me. I heard Jotuns are experts in ice manipulation."

A wave of apprehension engulfed me, my thoughts swirling in the whirlwind of emotions. I knew Sigyn was right. But the Jotuns... that race had always terrified me. The recurring nightmares of my childhood suddenly took on a deeper meaning. That monster with crimson eyes haunting my dreams wasn't just a mere illusion but a buried memory. Being one of these ice creatures filled me with terror.

I swallowed hard, trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart.

"You're right..." I murmured, straightening up. "I can't remain passive now that I finally have the means to help them."

The goddess's eyes lit up with a satisfied gleam.

Closing my eyes, I then searched within myself for the spell concealing my true nature. After a few minutes of intense concentration, I finally felt the cold energy of ice envelop me...

*

Heimdall greeted me with a wary look, his piercing eyes scrutinizing my new face as I approached him.

"Prince... Loki?" he asked, his voice tense with uncertainty.

"I need to go to Midgard," I declared firmly.

He shook his head slightly, his eyes reflecting the inner conflict he was experiencing. "Your father has forbidden any excursions to Earth until further notice. Thor will have to face his punishment alone."

My voice grew more insistent: "It's not my brother I want to rescue, but a human."

A slight frown creased his face. "A human?"

"Can you tell me where Tony Stark is right now?" I asked, trying to maintain a semblance of calm despite the urgency that gripped me.

"He... He's held captive in what appears to be an underground location in Afghanistan," Heimdall replied, his expression turning darker.

"Would you teleport me there?" I pleaded, locking my gaze with his.

"Loki..." he began, but I didn't let him finish, hoping my words would strike a chord with the man.

"If you refuse, I'll find another way, Heimdall. But time is of the essence. Please. This human is crucial for the preservation of Midgard."

"If your father asks me where you are, I won't be able to lie to him," he warned, sighing. Then he activated the Bifrost before us.

I nodded, giving him a grateful look.

The journey through the Bifrost proved much faster than traversing the branches of Yggdrasil on foot. In a whirl of colors and light, I suddenly found myself in a dark and dusty place.

"Did it work?" I heard a voice behind my shoulder.

Turning swiftly, I saw a disheveled Tony Stark looking at me with a hint of madness in his eyes. In his hand, he held what seemed to be an oil lamp.

"Step back, Stark! If it's really a genie, it must be malevolent!" declared a middle-aged man wearing worn-out clothes and a graying beard.

"If it's the genie of the lamp, then he's supposed to be at my service, right?" Tony retorted, sporting a wide grin.

"What are you talking about exactly, Stark?" I replied, frustrated that I couldn't understand a word of their strange conversation.

"I rubbed this lamp, and all of a sudden, you appeared like magic! Just like in the Aladdin movie! So I guess genies exist, and you owe me three wishes!" Tony insisted.

A heavy silence fell, charged with bewilderment.

"Of course, to play along," the man added, "I'll use my last wish to set you free, I promise!"

"I'm the one who came to set you free, Stark! I don't understand what this lamp has to do with it! And I'm not a genie!" I exclaimed, directing my words to Stark's companion.

"So, what are you?" the older man asked, his tone wary. "A mutant, perhaps?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm here to help you. Where exactly are we?" I replied with determination, trying to make sense of our situation.

I suddenly realized that we must be in some sort of underground location. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, indicating the ambient humidity. Rock walls surrounded us on all sides, creating a sense of confinement. An array of old machinery cluttered the floor.

My attention was then drawn to Tony. His face bore marks of hunger and fatigue. Although I was still angry that he devoted his life to the arms race, I couldn't help but feel a deep affection for him. He was one of the humans I had protected throughout my long existence, but there was something special about him. A bond even stronger than with other mortals...

My eyes then landed on an object glimmering on his chest, and I moved closer to examine it.

"Are you injured?" I asked, a note of concern in my voice as I hurried toward him, searching for signs of wounds or pain.

The man quickly moved away from me, clearly frightened.

"Whoa! Easy there, Jake Soully! It hasn't healed properly yet!" he exclaimed.

I stopped abruptly, realizing how threatening my appearance might seem. I slowly lowered my hands, trying to allay his fears.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," I said in a calmer voice, attempting to reassure him.

Tony regarded me with suspicion but also a glimmer of hope.

"So, you're a mutant sent by the X-Men?" he finally asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

"Sort of," I replied with an enigmatic smile.

Tony raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

*

"Well, Ali Baba had them 40 thieves, Scheherazade had a thousand tales, but master, you in luck 'cause up your sleeves ! You got a brand of magic never fails !" Tony sang, lying on the operating table.

I was doing my best to improve the functions of the machine in Tony's chest, but this human was truly exasperating.

"Are you sure he didn't get any shrapnel in his brain as well?" I absentmindedly asked Yinsen, who was working on the armor by my side.

"Sometimes, the line between madness and genius is thin..." the man replied, continuing his work.

" Hey!" Tony exclaimed, looking offended. "Am I the only one who's seen the Aladdin movie in this room?"

Neither Yinsen nor I bothered to respond.

While Tony sulked in his corner, I carefully screwed a new piece into his Arc Reactor.

"Are you some kind of genius among genies?" he asked, clearly unable to remain silent for even a minute.

"I've already told you, Stark, I'm not a genie..."

"Yet, I distinctly remember wishing very hard to be healed, andTada! Here you go!  You repaired and improved the reactor that keeps me alive!"

"You were at risk of palladium poisoning if I hadn't intervened quickly."

"That's why I deduced you were a real genius! I myself hadn't thought of that poisoning detail. Now, let me focus, I have to make my second wish: Genie, I wish you'd get us out of this cave!"

"That's the plan," I impatiently replied. "In a maximum of two days, we'll be free."

"Couldn't you just teleport us out of here, the same way you came?" Tony asked hopefully.

"I can't transport humans with me," I grumbled.

My jaw clenched in frustration, I thought that it would have been so much easier to transport Tony through the branches of the world-tree. However, I was incapable of such magic in my Jotun form. I could barely produce a bit of ice and make myself invisible. I felt like a junk wizard. However, my divine form did not allow me either to have a solid material envelope in the eyes of adult humans. This form was therefore my only salvation if I wanted to save Tony, Yinsen and Steve.

"In the Aladdin movie, we get a full presentation of the genie in a song. I feel left out! You don't even want to tell us your name!" he exclaimed.

"There are unfortunately certain things I must keep secret... And my name is one of them," I replied regretfully.

"How come nobody's worried that a big smurf like you showed up in this bunker? The surveillance cameras should have alerted our hosts a long time ago."

"Magic," I simply replied. "Your technological devices can't detect my presence. My power allows me to remain unseen."

"Insane!" Tony exclaimed with childlike enthusiasm.

"For a man of science, you seem to accept this magic story quite easily," I remarked with irony.

"That's because, as a child, I've already encountered this kind of phenomena. I even worship a god!"

I choked suddenly, surprised by this revelation.

"A god? I didn't think you were a believer, Stark," Yinsen retorted.

"Indeed. More precisely, the God of the Hudson River in the United States."

"That's... Very specific," the old man replied with a laugh. "I suppose that's where you had your first experience with the supernatural?"

"Exactly! I was barely eight years old, and my parents forced me to attend a charity gala on a small cruise ship. I was like a sideshow attraction for all the guests present. Like a little Mozart or a Leonardo da Vinci of modern times. Life seemed unappealing to me. I found the world bland, and people tasteless. That's when I saw him! A boy my age was observing me from the murky waters of the river. At first, I thought he was a product of my imagination, but his smile told me otherwise. Out of scientific curiosity, I wanted to check for myself. I jumped into the water to join him. I grabbed his hands, and there was no doubt! He was very much real. Then I was pulled out of the water. My parents thought it was a suicide attempt," he joked. "I was never forced to attend a gala again."

"Maybe he was a mutant?" Yinsen suggested.

"No, I know because I think I saw him again a few years later. I had the audacity to throw a bottle of whiskey into the river," Tony continued.

"And what happened?"

"I think he cursed me. I haven't tasted a drop of alcohol since then without it turning into apple juice. And God knows how much I hate apple juice!"

My heart raced in my chest. I couldn't believe it. All this time... Tony remembered me? I wondered how many times he had thought back to that encounter, how many times he had tried to understand what had happened that day?

Snapping out of my thoughts, I noticed Tony yawning with fatigue.

"You should get some sleep, Stark. You look awful," I suggested.

He yawned again while shaking his head in refusal. "Nightmares," he simply explained in a tired voice.

Tony had already told me how he had witnessed the death of young soldiers, feeling responsible for the tragedy. I, too, had experienced many nightmares after the battles fought for Asgard.

Softly, as I continued to work, I began to hum a soothing melody.

I watched with amusement as Tony's eyes fluttered, struggling against sleep.

Gradually, the lines on his face softened, and his breathing became calmer.

"This is the first time I've seen him fall asleep so easily!" Yinsen whispered. "Usually, he talks until he's exhausted..."

"That's very much like him..." I replied tenderly.

The man gave me a curious look, as if he suddenly understood who I was.

"Jesus turned water into wine, they say. Should we see something prophetic in the fact that Tony Stark can turn his whiskey into apple juice?" he finally asked with a touch of humor in his voice.

"Don't make the comparison in front of him. I doubt his ego needs it," I nervously laughed.

"I've always found the way people worship their gods strange," he said more seriously. "I'm an atheist, you see." But who knows? Maybe regardless of our beliefs, there's an energy in the universe that makes sure we get back a hundredfold the love we've given someday..."

In that moment, a sort of unspoken understanding mixed with respect settled between us. While Tony slept soundly, Yinsen and I continued to work on the armor and preparations for our imminent escape.

*

" You got some power in your corner now ! Some heavy ammunition in your camp...You got some punch, pizzazz, yahoo, and how? 

Suddenly, a powerful explosion reduced the prison door to dust. Debris flew in all directions, leaving a gaping breach in our path to freedom.

Without wasting a moment, we rushed into the opening, making our way through the rubble. In the narrowness of the tunnels, a deadly dance ensued. The guards were disoriented, taken by surprise by the sudden escape. Panic reigned among their ranks, giving us a crucial advantage.

Tony, clad in his metal armor, stood at the forefront, repelling the guards with a single punch, sending them flying through the air. His armor was unstoppable. Lasers shot out of his repulsors, hitting the guards one by one.

On my side, my ice blade gleamed with a blue light, cutting through the enemy ranks with deadly ease.

However, more guards kept coming, and we soon found ourselves overwhelmed by their numbers.

Yinsen, suddenly snatching a rifle from a corpse, was determined to create a distraction to give Tony and me the opportunity to find our way to the exit.

"This is what I wanted," he reassured us.

"And your family?" Tony asked, desperate.

"They are all already dead, and soon I'll join them," Yinsen replied with resignation. "Never stop multiplying love in the arms of those who love you," he added softly, speaking to me.

The man's cry echoed through the corridors, and a blinding flash of light illuminated the cave, followed by a violent explosion. Debris flew in all directions, and the shockwave threw us backward.

I heard Tony scream his friend's name, desperate. His face was contorted with pain and anger, tears mixing with the sweat on his forehead. We remained frozen for a moment, shocked by Yinsen's loss. But we didn't have the luxury of letting grief overwhelm us.

With a determined gesture, I pushed Tony toward the exit, forcing him to move again. His initial resistance gave way to my determination, and he followed my lead.

More guards awaited us at the entrance, and without further ado, I launched the attack.

My ice blade sparkled in the desert sun, slicing through the air with speed and precision. The guards attempted to retaliate, but they were disoriented by our sudden resurgence.

Tony, regaining his composure, joined me. The repulsors of his armor released bursts of energy, pulverizing any guards who dared to approach us.

A bullet suddenly pierced my shoulder, and I fell to the ground, reminded of my vulnerability as a mere mortal in my Jotun form.

Tony, reacting quickly, rushed to my side, eliminating the man responsible for my injury with a laser blast. He leaned over me, worried and determined to protect me.

"Hold on to me, Hellboy," he said urgently.

"Excuse me?" I grunted, clutching my shoulder.

"The armor can fly! If you hold on to me, we can escape this hell!"

"You couldn't have told me that earlier, Stark?" I replied sarcastically.

Despite the pain, I firmly grasped Tony's arm, holding on to him as the armor soared into the air.

"Your eyes are as beautiful as rubies, did you know that?" he said with a wink.

As I rolled my eyes in exasperation, we rose above the base, leaving behind the chaos and turmoil.

*

Les two days we spent in the desert were particularly exhausting. I had managed to numb the pain in my shoulder with ice. Tony, on the other hand, had finally stopped talking, saving his saliva as our water supply dwindled.

The crushing heat of the desert seemed to drain all our energy. Each step we took in the scorching sand became more and more difficult, our feet sinking with effort. I did my best to relieve Tony from the heat, providing him with some coolness through the contact of my skin. At night, my body produced enough warmth to keep both of us comfortable.

"If Aladdin's genie had the same skills as you, the Prince of Thieves would not have spent his one thousand and one nights in Princess Jasmine's bed," Tony declared one evening as he snuggled against me.

"You really talk for the sake of talking, Stark," I replied, playing along. "But I suppose that's part of your charm."

A peaceful silence settled between us, broken only by the steady breath of the desert wind. The stars sparkled above us, lending their brilliance to the darkness of the night.

It was only on the third day that we saw the rescue team appearing in the sky. Waving frantically, Tony called for help. The helicopter approached cautiously, its blades beating the air with force.

The aircraft landed gently below the sand hills, and a sigh of relief escaped my lips. Tony was safe now. However, I knew my duty didn't end there. I had to help Steve at all costs before Odin sent Heimdall to fetch me.

I cast one last glance at Tony, my heart heavy with sadness and apprehension.

"I have to leave now," I said with emotion in my voice. "Take care of yourself, Stark," I added, feeling my throat tighten.

"Wait a moment!" Tony exclaimed, taking the oil lamp out of his armor.

I looked at him in astonishment, unable to believe he had kept that stupid thing for so long.

"Don't tell me that..." I began, but Tony gestured for me to be quiet and vigorously rubbed the lamp.

" What are you trying to do, Stark?" I asked impatiently, exhausted by his antics.

"I promised to use my third wish to free you, right? So here it is, Handsome Genie, I wish for you to be free!"

A heavy silence fell around us.

"Did it work?" Stark asked. "I've only seen Aladdin once, but it seemed that at the end of the movie..."

I pulled that idiot toward me, kissing him to shut him up. It took him only a few seconds to recover from his surprise and respond to my kiss with equal passion. Our breaths mingled in a cascade of sighs.

When we finally separated, panting, Tony said in a hoarse voice, filled with desire, "Your lips are cold... It's... very pleasant..."

In response, I gave him a mischievous smile. His fingers tenderly got lost in my tresses, creating delightful shivers along my neck.

"Are you sure you want to stay in this horrible desert?" he teased.

"Other matters await me elsewhere," I replied playfully.

"Oh, I see. You're a genie with a very busy schedule. I can totally understand, being a genius myself..."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not a genie..." I sighed.

At my words, Stark threw the lamp over his shoulder.

"Alright, don't get mad. I just don't know how to thank you."

"Don't thank me; I owed you one."

His eyebrows furrowed as his fingers lingered on a particular bead in my hair.

"It's impossible..." he murmured, surprise suddenly lighting up his face.

"Never dare to throw whiskey bottles in nature again, Anthony, or you'll experience much worse than never being able to have a drop of alcohol again."

The man's mouth opened and closed several times as he searched for his words.

"Son of a bitch, it was you?" he exclaimed, disbelief and joy alternating in his hazel eyes.

I let out a joyful laugh before mentally addressing Heimdall, asking him to teleport me to Antarctica. I had a soldier to save...

*

I had forgotten how pleasant Artica could be in winter. I now understood why I had always felt so at home there, following whales during their migrations for all those centuries.

Finally finding Steve's plane, I managed, in my Jotun form, to control the ice so that it melted gently without causing him any harm. He would wake up soon, all refreshed after his well-deserved 80-year-long nap.

In the meantime, I decided to get rid of the dried blood and desert grime that still stained my body. I plunged into the crystalline waters, feeling the cold penetrate my skin. The cold water invigorated me, giving me a new energy.

As I refreshed myself, a sudden realization came over me. I had finally met Tony! The circumstances were far from ideal, of course, but even in my Jotun form, it seemed that he liked me! We even exchanged a kiss!

However, I strongly doubted that Odin would allow me to court him... The strict rules of our Asgardian society prohibited any relationship between gods and mortals. Especially between two men. I inwardly prayed that Heimdall would spare Odin the details of my journey to Midgard.

A noise above the ice suddenly caught my attention. I was still submerged, my senses on high alert. Then, without warning, a hand pierced the ice and grabbed my hair, pulling me to the surface.

A visibly displeased Steve Rogers forcefully slammed me against the icy ground, his eyes burning with rage.

"What are you? An ally of Red Skull? Where is he? Tell me!"

While I may not have been an excellent warrior, I had over a thousand years of close combat training under my belt. So, instinctively, I tried to knock out Steve with a headbutt.

But it didn't go well, as I had forgotten a crucial detail: in my Jotun form, I didn't have the same resilience as an Asgardian. I felt one of my horns shatter upon impact and let out a guttural cry of pain. Steve had a hard head, to say the least.

Unimpressed by my attempts at combat, the soldier kept holding me down. Despite my struggles, he seemed as strong as ever after an 80-year-long nap.

"Speak, demon!" he ordered, tightening his grip around my throat, threatening to suffocate me.

I gasped for air and tried to respond with a muffled voice, "Is this how you treat your savior?"

"What do you mean?"

"I freed you from the ice. It was me."

Steve scrutinized my face with suspicion. Finally, he loosened his grip slightly, allowing me to breathe. He didn't let me go completely, but the pressure was less suffocating.

"Why should I believe you?" he growled with a harsh tone. "You look like one of those creatures serving Red Skull."

The offended hiss I produced didn't do me any favors. Steve was looking at me as if I were a monster, and my heart tightened. I had taken so many risks to save him. A profound sense of injustice flooded over me as I stared into his eyes, blue as ice.

"Come on, Steve... Do we really need to play this game?" I replied. "I should point out that, at this very moment, we are in the middle of Artica. If you suddenly wanted to... I don't know... say, return to civilization, do you know which way to go? Oh wait, I forgot! There are no roads here!"

The man seemed to ponder my words. Suddenly, he grabbed something that looked like handcuffs. Where did he get those grotesque things? When he secured my wrists with them, I realized I couldn't break them.

"They're made of vibranium," he informed me. "If you try anything to escape, I promise you'll regret it."

"I'm terrified..." I said sarcastically, straightening up.

I caught a glimpse of my reflection on the icy ground. "I hope it grows back," I thought, considering my broken horn.

"Now, guide me to civilization. I'm warning you, if I find out you're lying to me... "

"I know..." I cut him off with a bored expression. "You'll make me pay... very dearly..." I finished with a suggestive look.

My amusement was complete when I saw the man's cheeks turn adorably red.

"Don't you have any clothes?" he yelled, trying to hide his embarrassment at my nudity.

I shrugged, still smiling. "I don't need them. My body is built to withstand extreme temperatures. Just yesterday, I was taking a leisurely stroll through the desert with Tony Stark. He's quite a character, that Tony."

"Tony Stark? You probably mean Edward Stark, right? Did he send you to save me? Is your appearance the result of a new experiment?"

I sighed in exhaustion at the extent of his ignorance. So many years to catch up on in such a short time...

"Let's get going before you freeze for good. I'll tell you everything you missed along the way."

*

The journey across Artica was indeed long and laborious. We had to face violent snowstorms, and Steve struggled to keep up. But I wouldn't let him give up. I hadn't gone through all this trouble for nothing, even if this stubborn fool was as determined as a troll.

"Do you really expect me to believe I slept for 80 years?" exclaimed Steve once I summarized the situation for him.

I nodded seriously, knowing my words might sound completely crazy to him. "Yes, that's right. You were trapped in the ice for nearly 80 years. For you, it was like a sort of deep sleep, but for the rest of the world, time continued to pass."

Steve's face was a mix of confusion and shock. "But how is that possible? How could I survive all this time? Did we win the war?"

"I'll explain everything, I promise," I replied gently. "But for now, let's focus on getting you home and adjusting to this new reality."

Steve nodded, still seeming disoriented by all this information. Then he seemed to make a decision and approached me to free me from those horrible handcuffs.

"I don't know how to explain it any other way, but I feel like I know you..." he finally admitted, carefully choosing his words.

I gave him a small half-smile before continuing to walk.

Finally, after days of exhausting efforts, we reached an abandoned military base. Steve was exhausted, but he was safe. I knew that from this post, he could easily call for help.

While waiting for him to make his call, I watched the ships on the icy horizon with a worried eye.

"Whalers," I suddenly understood, my heart bitter.

Would these killings never stop? I would have gladly swum to their ship to destroy all their equipment, to put an end to this merciless barbarity. In my Jotun form, I was now capable of intervening directly.

Alas, I had already involved myself too much in Midgard's life in recent days, and such an action might attract even more attention to me. I dreaded Odin's anger. Would he punish me as he had done to Thor, sending me to Earth for a mortal existence? I wouldn't mind... A life as a mere mortal would answer my wildest dreams, far from divine intrigues and battles.

Then my sensitive ears caught the song of a dying whale, and my vision blurred with tears. How many of these beautiful creatures had died because of human greed?

As tears streamed down my cheeks, I responded to this sister of the ocean with a voice choked with sorrow, letting my words rise into the frigid air:

Pomme

"Who are you?" Steve's voice asked from behind me. "Who are you really?"

I hadn't heard the man approach me, and I quickly wiped the tears from my face before turning to face him.

"Just an innocent little snake..." I replied, smiling sadly at him.

Then strong arms came to hold me in an embrace. The comforting warmth of his hug surprised me. How long had it been since someone held me like this? I could tell you.

"It's you..." Steve murmured softly, his fingers finding in my hair the wooden bead he had carved for me long ago.

I was taken aback by his reaction. How could he finally remember me after all this time? Did he have memories of our past encounter? I remained silent for a moment, searching for the right words to respond to him.

"Steve, I..." I began, but he gently placed a finger on my lips to silence me.

"I don't know how, but I know you're important to me," he said with touching sincerity in his blue eyes.

My heart squeezed at his declaration, and I returned his embrace.

Later, his gaze became serious as he asked me, "Now, will you tell me what made you cry like that? So I can fix the problem..."