Chapter 5
Loki couldn’t sleep.
She considered going to Times Square.
It would be all too easy to lose herself in the crowds of people on the street, a perfect place to get lost for a while. No one there to know her, no one to judge her.
Usually, the idea would sound enticing, but right now, she didn’t want to be surrounded by so many people. Too much noise, too much light.
She also couldn’t be missing for too long.
The Avengers had been decent to her thus far, but to betray their trust now would spell out disaster.
She decided to go for a walk.
It would be quick, just long enough for her to clear her head. She’d be gone and back before they even realized she’d gone.
Loki kicked a rock down the sidewalk path for the third time in a row.
On the fourth kick, the rock slid off onto the road.
Well, that’s the end of that.
She sighed, looking up at the night sky.
She wondered what Thor would think, if he knew.
He probably wouldn’t care, the oaf.
But what if he did?
Ergi.
How many times had he heard the rumors? How many times did he pretend to ignore them? Did he believe them? Or did he agree with them, too embarrassed to say anything?
A taxi rushed past, bringing with it a strong rush of wind. Red hair blew into Loki’s face, and she brushed it back with an annoyed huff.
She summoned a hair tie, and started pulling it into a hasty braid.
Just as she was finishing the braid, the sound of gunfire and glass shattering somewhere across the street caught her attention.
Someone screamed.
People started ducking behind cars.
Loki located the man with the gun and cast a quick illusion of herself that she’d used earlier that day to create a diversion.
As the man turned his attention to the masked figure, Loki approached from behind.
She grabbed him by the neck, quickly putting him in a choke hold.
“Drop it,” she ordered as a warning.
The man grunted.
“Drop it!”
The gun clattered onto the pavement.
Loki kicked it away.
When the police arrived on the scene, the man had been chained to a lamp post, muttering to himself about sorcery.
The gun had been left shattered alongside the glass.
People were still standing, their eyes warily on the man as the police handcuffed him and led him to the car. A few brave eyewitnesses came forward, speaking of a masked figure that used illusions.
When Loki got back to the tower, she collapsed onto her bed and sighed.
That was nice, but she still couldn’t sleep.
Maybe she should raid the pantry for food. She hadn't eaten since she'd first arrived the previous night, and Stark did give her access to the kitchen . . .
The next morning, when the story came on the news as the Avengers were eating their breakfast, Loki flipped the channel.