Work Text
Ylva:
New mission: next friday night, Chicago. Black tie. Briefing: this tuesday, 02:30 PM, SHIELD HQ. See you then. [monday, 09:34 AM]
Loki:
Why is the briefing not on friday like usual? [monday, 10:02 AM]
Ylva:
Because you might need to rent a tux. [monday, 10:04 AM]
Loki:
I'm gonna let you think on that one for a minute, Wolfgirl... [monday, 10:05 AM]
Loki:
You still think I need to rent a tux? [monday, 10:06 AM]
Ylva:
Can you be here this tuesday or not? [monday, 10:08 AM]
Loki:
I'll be there. Can you recommend a good tux rental company? [monday, 10:09 AM]
Ylva:
See you on tuesday, Loki. [monday, 10:11 AM]
Loki:
;-) [monday, 10:12 AM]
After a quick glance at the clock I gather my tablet and my bag from my desk and log out of my computer. The briefing is in thirty minutes and I want to set everything up before the other agents get there. With my bag slung over my shoulder and the tablet under my arm, I have one hand free to wriggle my phone from my jeans pocket when it buzzes.Loki: Be there in 5. [tuesday, 02:17 PM]The message from the future doesn't even raise an eyebrow with me anymore. The phone connection between Earth and Asgard is a bit weird; the time of Loki's messages doesn't always line up with the time on my phone. I learned not to be bothered by it, as he's always where he needs to be, no matter what time his messages indicate. I shove my phone in my back pocket and walk straight into a firm chest covered in dark leather. "Umph!"Loki's hand flies up to steady the tablet that was under my arm and nearly fell to the floor from the impact. "What's the rush, Little Wolf?" His voice is dark and smooth like velvet; I'd know that voice anywhere."You always know how to sweep a lady off her feet, don't you?" I grab better hold of the tablet again, ignoring how Loki's fingers cover some of mine before he lets go of the device.The God of Mischief chuckles under his breath and steps aside to let me pass. He easily falls into step with me as we make our way to the conference room. "How's your grandmother?" he asks, making pleasant conversation."Good, thank you. She's recovering well. Still needs a walker to get around, but I guess that's normal considering her age." My grandmother needed hip surgery last month after tripping over an auxiliary cable at her weekly bridge night and Loki is always one to remember those kind of things. Not something you'd expect from the God of Lies, yet after working together for at least a year and a half I learned Loki has more layers than an onion. He also has the depth of the Mariana Trench and he's more complicated than theoretical physics.Actually, that's not completely true. Yes, he is complicated and he can be a royal pain in the ass to work with, but it's not nearly as hard to be his handler as I expected. Whether it's because of my powers or because Loki is simply more compliant than before, fact is that I am working with him longer than his other handlers have before me. However, he likes to keep up the appearance of being complicated and unreadable. He's also proud and he can hold a grudge like it's his favourite sweater.
On the other hand, he's one of our best agents, even if he's not officially a SHIELD agent. He works with us as part of an arrangement that was made after he infamously brought the Chitauri army to New York almost a decade ago. I think it started as some 'keep your friends close but your enemies closer' kind of deal, though it turned out it was actually a good thing to have Loki on our side; he can do stuff other agents can't. And he's the best at infiltrating as lying is second nature to him.To be honest, I like working with him. He keeps me on my toes and makes the job of being his handler much more exciting than the dull desk job I feared it would be. Loki is also very much a gentleman, although that part of his personality is somewhat warped because of his pride and the constant tricks. Also, he is intelligent, funny and total eye candy. I have caught myself staring at him more than once; he also caught me, which resulted in some embarrassing jokes that I've learned to counter with as much sass as I can muster. Admitting to it is usually the best approach, with anything; the God of Lies hates being lied to, no matter how small or white the lie. And admitting to checking out his ass is not that bad, if you consider his proud - and sometimes vain - nature. He takes it as a compliment, even though he will make fun of you for it. I can take his jokes if it means putting him in a good mood, it's easier for me that way too.The briefing goes well; everybody is here and because this mission is a bit different than other times, everybody is looking forward to it. We are going to steal something, a valuable painting. Of course it's not the painting we're after; the microchip that Hydra hid in the painting's frame is much more interesting. The painting is supposed to be auctioned off at the charity gala and the person buying it will be a Russian oil magnate, who has ties to Hydra and other criminal organisations. Only this man will not go home with the original painting, he will have a perfect copy, provided by SHIELD.
"Which is were you come in," I say to Loki.He inclines his head at me, having been quiet the whole time while I explained what we're going to do and how it will play out. "This is a gala, right?" he asks."That's correct.""With music and dancing?""You've guessed right again." I wonder what he is up to. I can smell he's setting up a trap from a mile away, yet I have no other choice than to walk right in it."And you want me to go in alone?" There is the beginning of a smirk playing at his lips."Not alone. As I have just explained, there will be four other agents at the gala to assist you.""Yes, the fine gentlemen and the lady that are present here." Loki waves a hand at the other agents that are sitting at the table. I can see Barry Luschek already starting to roll his eyes at Loki's antics; we all know there is something coming. "Now, they all have jobs to do at the gala, either running around with a photo-camera, handling our comms or bringing people drinks as part of their cover.""Yes..." I stretch the word out, waiting for the axe to fall."Who is going to dance with me?" Loki's grin is like daybreak, lighting up his face.Most of the people in the room react with no more than a small sigh; they have worked with Loki before and they know he will always try to have some fun during a mission. Last month his idea of fun was rigging the slot machines in a casino, making them hit jackpot with every other quarter. I have only just finished the last bit of paperwork on that stunt. Luschek is the only one to make his disagreement heard with an annoyed groan; yet instead of making some snide remark Loki ignores him this time, keeping his eyes fixed on me."I'm sure you can find yourself a lovely dance partner at the gala," I tell him. "And if you don't, you can always get the job done and get out without dancing.""You're coming with me, Wolfgirl," Loki answers a little saucy. "No-one will be coming without a plus one that night. You can be my plus one!"There is no arguing with Loki, he is adamant to go to the gala with date. He's got a point too; without a date he will be forced to mingle much more in order to not get noticed as the lonely guy that is lurking around. And this is why I come into work friday carrying a garment bag. Inside is a dress I once wore to the opera, when my grandmother took me to see 'Lady Butterfly'. I was a little younger then, but luckily the dress still fits. It's quite modest; navy blue with long sleeves, a sweetheart neckline and a slightly flared skirt. I will most certainly not stand out in the crowd, but I consider that a good thing when I'm working.***I meet up with the crew and we all get on a Quinjet to Chicago. In the windy city we go to a former safehouse that is now used as an office for SHIELD. Just a handful of agents work here, and they show us to a large bedroom upstairs where we can set up shop for the time being. Loki has not yet arrived, he'll arrive by Bifrost later.In the bedroom I inspect the fake painting in its protective cover. Loki will take the painting inside and switch the two; something that would be a lot harder to do if it weren't for his magical powers. The guy reminds me of Hermione Granger with her little handbag; his pockets seem to be infinite and multidimensional. He can just stick the painting somewhere on him and pull it out of his magic hat once we're inside.We have an early dinner and then it's time to dress up. Two of the men are dressed as a waiter, in a black suit with a white shirt; they are our back up in case something goes wrong. Agent Patel will be a valet this evening, her main goal is installing a tracker in the Russian's car. MacKenzie will be posing as a photographer, taking pictures of the Russian and his known and maybe unknown associates. Barry Luschek is our comms officer, keeping everything under surveillance from inside a van parked a little down the street. And I will have to wear a fancy dress to act as Loki's cover.Normally I'm not that self conscious when I change in front of my coworkers, but it's a little different when you're changing into your gym clothes or your tactical gear. I will be wearing a dress of a thin silk-like material, which means I have to wear some fancy underwear instead of the sports bra I usually wear on missions. In a corner of the bedroom I rummage through my bag, pulling out the lace bra and panties I know will be invisible underneath the dress. Standing in my jeans and sports bra, with the lacy items in my hands, I can feel his eyes in my back; Barry is not exactly subtle about it. The others are busying themselves by putting on their own outfits, but agent Luschek - the only one who doesn't have to change - has actually stopped typing to stare at me over the screen of his laptop.The door opens and Loki struts in, wearing his usual Asgardian leather armour. "Your champion is here!" he announces with a broad sweep of his arm. His eyes dart over me and fan out to the rest of the room. Loki flicks his finger and suddenly Barry curses, as his laptop screen squashes his fingers when it is pushed close by an unseen force. "Don't stare at a lady, it's rude!" Loki chides Barry, positioning himself between me and the rest of the room, with his back to me.There's an awkward silence for a moment, but soon the room is filled again with the sounds of rustling clothes and the clacking of a keyboard. Loki softly hums a tune I don't recognise, probably an Asgardian song. I quickly change into the lace underwear and step into my dress. Agent Patel pulls my zipper up when I turn my back to her. I'm a little more curvy than the last time I wore this dress, but the fabric is a little stretchy and it still fits fine."Don't you have to change too?" agent Patel asks Loki, adjusting the lapels of her burgundy valet jacket.Loki smirks at her and a green ripple of light passes over his body, replacing his leather armour with a tuxedo in dark green velvet, paired with a black shirt and a black bow tie. Mirroring Patel's move of adjusting his lapels, he turns to me. He looks me over, taking in the dress I'm wearing. "You're not gonna wear that."I'm taken aback by his brazen statement. I'd expected a compliment, not this. "Why not?""Because you're going with me," he smirks. "And I want to show you off!" A green flash and a weird tingle all over my body and suddenly I am wearing a gold sequin dress that hugs every curve in a very, very good way. Loki smiles appreciatively. "Much better, my little wolf. Much better."I look down at the dress I'm suddenly wearing, running my hands over the fabric. It's made of tiny sequins, subtly glittering in the bad lighting of the room we're in. It has a fitting bodice before it flows down from my hips in soft lines. A split in front of my left leg gives me more room to move, but it's nicely closed when I'm standing straight. Loki even put my hair up and adjusted my shoes to matching gold stiletto heels.Agent Patel looks me over appreciatively. "Wow, Ylva, you look stunning!"
I'm suddenly a little shy, feeling the eyes of all my colleagues on me. The other agents all nod in agreement with Patel, even Barry. Loki has a smug smile on his face.
My colleague gently pushes me to the door. "Go check out yourself in the bathroom downstairs, there's a mirror there," she urges me.It's not a big mirror, but by standing on my toes I can see most of my outfit. The gold dress has a subtle, sexy neckline, going over my shoulders to plunge down in a low back. My hair is pinned up, with some loose strands framing my face. When I bring my hand up to gently feel my hair, I notice the bracelet I'm wearing. It's a thin gold chain with a single green stone; an emerald, I guess. Loki is nothing but a perfectionist.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The others have all gone to take their places. The gala is being held at a private mansion at the edge of town. It has a long driveway and our limo is driving slowly up to the main entrance, waiting in line with the other limos and fancy towncars that spill their passengers onto the red carpet one by one.I'm in the back of the car, sitting next to Loki, running my finger underneath my new bracelet. Loki's magic never fails to amaze me, and so does his attention to detail. When the others were out of earshot I thanked him for my impressive outfit; he waved my thanks away, simply telling me I now match his colour scheme better. A bit vain, but hey, I'm not one to complain when I get to wear a beautiful dress like this!"Are you ready, Mrs. Miller?" Loki asks, looking at me from the side. There's a gold wedding band on his finger, matching the thinner band I'm wearing. Again, Loki's eye for detail is perfect. I was relieved he simply handed the ring to me so I could put it on myself; this whole mission feels too much like a date already. Loki is looking splendid in his dark green tuxedo and he was very courteous with helping me in the car."Sure, it'll be fun." I look back at Loki, who winks at me."I'm counting on it," he says, leaving me to read into that however I want.Our car is finally in front of the red carpet and our driver - one of the Chicago agents - opens the door for us. Loki steps out first, holding his hand out to help me out of the backseat. To the side I recognise agent Patel in her valet uniform, standing ready for the guests who drove themselves here. Closer to the doors is MacKenzie with his photo camera, taking pictures of the people who are coming in. I'm aware of all my surroundings, although the feeling of Loki's hand on mine, guiding my hand up to the crook of his arm, is dominating my senses right now. It's not like he has never touched me, but those were mostly functional touches, this feels a little more intimate. Loki introducing us as 'Mr. and Mrs. Miller' to the host at the door, handing the man our invitations, doesn't help with the feeling of intimacy.Inside, he helps me out of my robe at the coat check and gets us drinks in champagne flutes. Without making it too obvious what we are here for he leads me to the room where all the items for the auction are on display. There are several paintings; the one we're after is not even the most valuable picture here. There's also fancy looking jewelry, the diamonds displayed in glass boxes. There are more guests here, looking at the items and discussing them with each other.I am admiring a large necklace, heavy with diamonds, when a middle-aged gentleman starts talking to us. He and his wife are also checking out the jewelry, the woman wearing some expensive looking diamond earrings of her own. "That is a fine necklace, are you thinking of bidding on it for your wife?" the man asks Loki.Loki steps around me to glance at the necklace that tapers down to a large round diamond, surrounded by smaller cut stones. Then he straightens out again, standing really close to me; his hand goes up to my face and his fingers trace my jawline. When he speaks, it is with that velvety undertone. "It is a pretty necklace, but my wife doesn't need shiny jewelry. Her beauty alone lights up the room.""That is such a lovely thing to say," the woman coos, smiling warmly at us while I try to hide a miniature heart attack from Loki's words. "How long have you two been married?""Almost a year and a half," Loki answers, not skipping a beat and gazing lovingly in my eyes. "Isn't that right, darling?" He lifts my hand up to his lips for a feathery kiss."Sounds about right," I answer with a smile, thanking whatever deity there is keeping watch tonight for my voice being steady. What on Earth is he doing?! My heart has skipped not one but at least four beats in the last minute and I do not like that!When the couple has walked on to check out the other items up for auction, I discreetly kick Loki in the shins. "Can you turn the charm down a little?!""What is it, Little Wolf? Am I making you uncomfortable?" His megawatt smile is tempting me to wipe it off his face.I roll my eyes at him and walk back to the main room, where a string quartet is playing cheerful tunes, to find the bar. Loki follows me a few steps behind, giving me some space. I order a stiff drink and he does the same. Nipping from our glasses we watch the crowd. Loki spots the Russian the moment the guy walks in, a tall-legged blonde on his arm. He nudges my arm to alert me and I move a little over to get a good view. The Russian is a well known guest, he is immediately greeted by several people. A couple of minutes later I hear Barry over our earpiece: "Car is tagged." Patel has done her job, the first part of our mission is done.Meanwhile, Loki has stepped in closer to me, so we can talk quietly about the Russian and the people he is talking to. Agent MacKenzie is following him too, making pictures of the people around our target. The Russian is not the only business mogol associated to Hydra who is present here tonight, which worries me a little. "You would almost think this is a Hydra party, not a charity auction for the children's hospital," I say to Loki in a hushed voice.He nods, having recognized more people too. "Do you think that will be a problem?""Depends," I reply, taking another sip of my drink. "Let's hope they are not all here because of that painting and the microchip.""It could just be a coincidence," Loki says. "Or not. We'll have to find out.""I'm starting to regret your dress choice," I tell him and he immediately turns to me, looking at me questioningly. "I couldn't hide my holster underneath this dress; now I have no weapon on me.""Aren't you a weapon on your own?" His tone is light, yet there is a grave hint to it. "Besides, I'll be right next to you the whole time; you don't have to worry." He turns his gaze back to the crowd, though his body is still angled towards me, his arm leaning on the bar behind me. I can't help the warm feeling that spreads through my stomach at his protective demeanor; his words are genuine, that much I can tell.That warm feeling in still there when MacKenzie approaches us with his camera ready. Loki stands up straight, his arm moving from the bar to my waist, posing us for the camera. This time I don't mind his closeness, it feels more natural now and when he lets go after the photo is taken I regret that for a split second. I quickly shake that emotion off; we're working here! Besides, this is Loki, the God of Mischief and Lies; it won't take long before he does something to annoy me again.One of the agents who doubles as a waiter discreetly fills us in on the time schedule for this night. The auction will be starting in little less than an hour, during which the room with the displayed items will be closed. That will give us the best opportunity to switch the paintings. Now we only have to kill some time until the auction starts and with Loki at my side that isn't hard. He's a master at making small talk with everyone and he moves us through the room, weaving in and out of the circle around the Russian. I simply move with him, smiling and nodding and talking along. Loki still introduces me as his wife, yet he's not laying it on thick anymore and things are more casual, relaxed even. I find myself easily playing the role of the wife, throwing in some casual touches of my own - my hand on his arm when I laugh about something he said, leaning in to say something to him. I don't even have to think about it, it feels natural.It's a good thing my interaction with Loki is something I can do without much thought, because I have to keep my wits about me when we talk to the other guests. We avoid talking to the Russian directly, although I do exchange some words with his date for the evening; I admire her dangly earrings and she compliments my choice of dress. We do try to talk to some of the other Hydra associates, to get some idea as to why they are here. Getting valuable intel out of those short conversations is hard, yet we can't risk talking to them for too long. It has to look like simple chit-chat between people who never met each other, not like we're fishing for information."Actually, I never heard of the hospital before. The owner of Altgeld Gardens Gallery brought this auction to my attention," a barrel chested man tells me pleasantly, when I ask him if he is familiar with the children's hospital that will benefit from tonight's auction. "I'm actually here for the Krausberg painting that is being auctioned.""Ah yes, from his Seven Sins collection," I reply, secretly grateful I looked into the other paintings that are being auctioned tonight."Exactly," the man says, picking up a hors d'oeuvre from the tray of a passing waiter. "And if I can decorate my home and help some poor children at the same time, I'll be happy to do that."The other people that we were able to pin down as known Hydra associates all tell a similar story; they are not here because of the charitable cause of this evening, they are here because a certain Chicago-based art gallery informed them about the auction. It looks like that art gallery is worth looking into, yet that is something for later date. Tonight, we have just one painting to worry about. Besides, Barry has already put the intel through to headquarters.All the while there have been people dancing to the music of the string quartet, yet I had thought nothing of it until Loki turns to me and holds out his hand. "May I have this dance, my lady?"My hand automatically goes up to meet his, though my brain tells me to check the clock. "Isn't it almost time for the auction?""Yes," Loki answers simply, guiding me towards the dancefloor with my hand in his."Shouldn't we get ready to... you know..." My protest is half-hearted and on some level I know that is wrong; I should be more focused on the job, not look forward to dancing with the prince of Asgard. I square my shoulders and when he feels my arm stiffen Loki stops walking.We're at the edge of the dance floor; he looks me over and seems to know what I'm thinking about. For a second I notice something unreadable in his eyes, something... I don't know... soft? It confuses me until it is replaced by a glint that is much more familiar. "I am not leaving tonight without a dance, Wolfgirl," he says mischievously, pulling me forward by my right hand, bringing it up in dancing position when I set foot on the dance floor. His other arm moves around my back, locking me in without actually touching me. "After all, what is a gala without dancing?"Loki makes me step back in the right direction by sheer proximity, leading me in the first steps of the dance with just his one hand and the angle of his body. Then I feel his other hand land just below my shoulder blades, touching the skin that is bared by my low dress. "Is this okay?" he asks quietly and I realise he is asking permission to touch me.I nod my consent and Loki places his hand more firmly on my back, guiding me over the dance floor. He is calm and precise, expertly using the space that is given to us. I stare at Loki's bow tie - the black bow just a little crooked -, following Loki's gentle directions. Dancing is something I've always loved, although it has been years since I've did any ballroom dancing. That doesn't matter when I'm dancing with the Asgardian prince though; it's remarkable how compliant my body is under his touch, he can even make us do some more advanced steps without faltering. However, for the most of it, Loki seems content in simply moving us around the dancefloor at the rhythm of the music. I glance up at him and he seems to have been waiting for me to do that, immediately catching my eyes. My first reaction is to look away and I can feel my cheeks heat up a little. From his amused huff I know Loki has noticed my awkwardness and I force myself to meet his eyes again. I will not let him get the better of me! He gives me a cute lopsided smile and makes us do a double spin in the corner of the dance floor.Although his hands don't do more than holding me in a formal dancing position, I can't help but read something more in his touch. It could be my imagination that he is holding me just a fraction closer than necessary, or that he holds my gaze just a second longer; maybe it is simply caused by dancing together, which can be a pretty intimate act on its own.Whatever it is, my mind is giving its own spin to it, making me hyper aware of every movement of his hand on my bare back, of the way his breath fans my cheek or shoulders when he pulls me in for a spin. It should make me more nervous, or at least a tad uncomfortable, yet it doesn't. I enjoy it; I could do this all night.All the while we haven't said a word, simply dancing together. So when Loki finally speaks up, it is like he is breaking an enchantment. "It's showtime, Little Wolf."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"It's showtime, Little Wolf."
Loki's words bring my surroundings back and I notice how the people are gathering at the far end of the room, where a podium is erected for the auctioneer. A white screen is mounted at the wall for the purpose of showing pictures of all the items up for auction. Now, it shows the logo of the children's hospital, together with the names of all the companies that contributed to this auction. Without me noticing it Loki has brought us to the side of the dancefloor that is closest to the room where the auctioned items are displayed. He spins us for a last time and actually dips me at the end of the spin, his fingers splayed wide upon my back. Slowly he moves me back up until I am lined up with his chest again. My heart is in my throat as I catch Loki's gaze; he seems as reluctant as I am to let me go.Then we both step back at the same time, our arms dropping to our sides. "Thanks for the dance," I tell him, my voice a little more timid than I was going for.Loki flashes me a warm smile. "It was my pleasure, Wolfgirl."Over his shoulder I suddenly see something I don't like: near the entrance to the room with the paintings there are two broad shouldered men in grey suits that weren't there before. "Who are they?" I whisper at Loki, following him as he changes his route to the bar instead of going straight to the room. "Barry, did the Russian bring his own security?"My earpiece gives me the answer shortly. "Possibly. They got in a minute ago. I think..."Barry suddenly stops talking and a tense minute ticks by before he speaks up frantically. "Patel was made! Hydra knows we are here!"
Shit.
"We gotta move fast," Loki says, having heard the same thing. "They might not know yet we are after the painting, maybe they just think we're shadowing the Russian."There is a double door to the room with the auction items, a bloke in a grey suit on each side. They are successfully staring everyone out of that room; the people that were still there are gingerly making their way out, giving the men a wide berth. I probably would have done the same thing if I was just here for a fun night out. Getting stared down by a clone of a typical Russian Bond villain is enough to run shivers down your back; bad shivers, not the good ones I got when Loki brought me back up from that dip. I shake my head to dispel those thoughts; tonight has been a little confusing on the emotional front to say the least. It's safe to say I've got something to mull over in the near future. Yet right now is not the time to think about whatever unwanted feelings blossomed as a result of getting Loki's undivided attention; better yet, it might be wise to stomp those feelings as far down as possible. Loki has got a job to do and I will have to help him do it.Next to me, Loki seems to have his mind on the task at hand, a small frown between his eyebrows as he scans the room. To get to the painting, he has to go through the double doors; it's the only way in. The God of Mischief looks around him and grabs me by the elbow. "Get them to close those doors, and make sure nobody gets in."I have little time to think about how - and why - I am gonna do that, because Loki already nudges me forward. I quickly grab an abandoned champagne flute from the bar and saunter over to the men in the grey suits. Just as I had hoped, they stop me when I want to walk in the room. "The room is closed, Madam," the left one says, holding up his hand as if to stop me when I take another step. His accent is barely noticeable, yet I am pretty sure this man is from Russia too."The doors are open," I point out wittily, gesturing with my glass to the doorway. "I want to look at the pretty jewelry!""The room is closed." He really is a typical James Bond villain, the lack of brain cells to form a sentence longer than five words included. The guy even has the bad eighties haircut."Aww, come on... My husband said he is gonna buy me something pretty," I coo, making sure to sway a little at my feet. "I want to see what he is gonna buy me. It has to be really pretty."When the James Bond villain only stares at me, trying to scare me off like he did with the other people, I take another two steps in the direction of the room. He steps in front of me, jerking his head to his colleague who starts to close the doors. "The room is closed, Madam," he repeats again.The doors shut with a satisfying click. "You guys are no fun!" I prick my finger in the man's chest, almost spilling some champagne on his suit. He grimaces a little, yet he doesn't say a word and keeps staring at me until I make my retreat.I walk back to the bar, resisting the urge to look over my shoulder. Loki is nowhere in sight, I have to assume he has found a way to get into the room and switch the paintings. I can't leave the party right now: it would be kind of odd to walk away when the auction has just started. Without anything better to do, I join the crowd that is watching the auctioneer. He is taking bids in that rapid way of talking that always seems completely fake and over the top to me. The Krausberg painting that the fat man was after is up for bids and I can see him raise his chubby hand to place another bid. There are several other people bidding, yet none of them are known Hydra associates. The fat man ends up being the highest bidder; he got what he came here for. 'Our' painting is next and sure enough the Russian is bidding on it. So are other people, yet again none of them work for Hydra. I suspect it's planned, though I don't exactly know why. Doesn't matter anyway, as long as we get that microchip."Where is your husband, dear?" a slightly familiar voice suddenly pipes up next to me. "You two looked like you were joined at the hip, did he leave you all by yourself now?" It's the woman from before, who was looking at the necklaces with her husband. She was super friendly then, yet now there is something icy in her voice."Oh, he just had to go to the bathroom," I answer chirpily. "You know how it is when nature calls.""That's a pretty long bathroom visit, isn't it?" the woman says, squinting her eyes at me."I'm sorry?" This is not good. First of all, why would she say such a thing to a total stranger? And second, if she has noticed how long Loki has been missing, she must have been watching us."Shouldn't you be more at the front of the crowd?" she asks, ignoring my words. "If you want to bid on any items it's not wise to stand way in the back like this, the auctioneer won't even see you! Or are you just watching the people?" Her piercing eyes search my face, there is nothing left from the friendly woman I met earlier this evening; this version of her is only suspicious and hostile. Her words alone are fairly innocent, yet it is her tone of voice and her scrutinizing gaze that gives her away."I'm not a big fan of crowds," I answer innocently. "My husband will be back shortly and he will probably go up front if he wants to bid on something.""Retreat." That single word in my earpiece is enough. This woman is bad news and I will have to get out of here."Excuse me, I'm gonna go see where my husband is. You're right, he is taking too long; maybe he is not well. Enjoy your evening, madam." Without waiting for an answer I turn and walk in the direction of the restrooms. I know there is a backdoor close to the restrooms, I'm counting on it to make my exit through there."Barry? Where is everyone?" I hiss as soon as I am out of earshot, hoping the microphone hidden in my hair will pick up on my words. I don't see any of my fellow agents."Mackenzie had to aid Patel," Barry answers curtly. "The other two had to retreat ten minutes ago to avoid being detected. It's just you and Loki now."I curse under my breath. "And you waited to tell me?!" Barry doesn't reply and I make a mental note to kick his ass later. "Loki? Where are you?"His answer follows shortly. "Busy." The word ends in a low grunt and immediately I start to walk faster. From the corner of my eyes I can see that only one of the James Bond villains is still in place by the double doors; where is his buddy?"Get out, Wolfgirl," Loki demands, his voice low in my ear."Not without you." I'm not leaving an agent behind, regardless of what my connection is with them. The hallway with the restrooms is just around the corner, which is were my exit would be. Now I only have to find the prince of Asgard; he should be around here somewhere. "Where are you, Loki?"Loki groans through the comms. "Now is not the time to be stubborn. Get out. I will be short behind you.""But...""Out, Wolfgirl!" I flinch from the anger in his voice, though before I can protest I hear Barry's voice chime in over the comms."Let the wizard trick his way out as he always does," our communications officer says annoyedly. "You're the one without a weapon, get out before Hydra finds you!""Ugh. Fine!" It goes against my instincts to leave while there is still another agent inside, though if there is one person who can fend for himself, it's Loki. The men are right, I should leave, our mission is over, isn't it? "Did you get the microchip?"Loki's answer is clipped. "Yes. Are you outside already?""Almost." I can see the door at the end of the hallway. It's a narrow corridor, barely wide enough to let two persons through. Let's just hope that back door isn't locked! I walk as fast as I can without running, just a few more yards to go.Suddenly, the door to the women's bathroom opens and the James Bond villain steps through, his hand at his ear because he is talking through his earpiece. "No sight of her yet," he says and stops in his tracks when he sees me; his face splits into a mean grin. "Nevermind," he says, lowering his arms into a loose fighting stance.Two big steps, that is all the distance there is between us. If I turn back and make a run for it, he'll most certainly catch me. Or shoot me. He hasn't reached for his gun yet, but I'm pretty sure he's packing. And I'm not. So I do the only thing I can do: I jump him.Luckily, I've got the element of surprise on my side. It's not the first thing you think of when you see a pretty woman in a sparkling gold dress: you don't think she will literally knock you off your feet. He staggers and bumps into the wall, going down when I plant my stiletto heel in his calf. Yet he is not going down without taking me down with him, his hand grabbing at my hair.Gritting my teeth against the pain - I'm pretty sure he has pulled out a handful of my hairs - I yank my knee up, driving it in his stomach as we hit the floor. The man takes a swing at me, missing my chin but painfully connecting with my shoulder. Another blow nearly knocks me off him, yet I manage to stay put, straddling his chest. He tries to kick me off, making my hands that were going for his throat almost miss target. I fumble for a split second and then my palms connect firmly with his bare skin. My powers rush through me, my heart rate spiking because of the fight and the effort of giving him the full load of my relaxing powers. I don't want him to feel relaxed or lightheaded, I want him comatose. Now.It's at that moment that Loki appears at the end of the hallway. He takes a sprint towards me, coming to a stop a few feet away. The James Bond villain's body goes slack under my hands and I let go, looking up at Loki. We stare at each other for a second, until I look down and notice how the split in my dress has become noticeably bigger; it has ripped all the way up to the top of my stomach. With the way I'm sitting, Loki can probably see my panties and a lot of skin. It's not like I was concerned with being decent when I took this guy down. Loki doesn't react to my display of skin though, he just looks from me to the guy on the floor and back. Then I feel the same tingle from earlier that day; my dress disappears in a green ripple of light to be replaced by the black bodysuit that is standard issue for SHIELD's tactical gear. Loki changes his outfit too; the green velvet tux transforms into his usual Asgardian leather armour. He reaches into his pocket and tosses me a gun when I get up from my somewhat compromising position on the floor. "Shall we go now, my lady?" he says with a half smirk, gesturing to the door behind me.Loki goes through the door first, checking the surroundings before gesturing for me to follow him. I walk out backwards, my gun trained on the end of the hallway in case James Bond villain number two decides to show up. Just before the back door shuts behind me, I can see some movement down the hall, though I can't see who it is. "Better hurry up," I tell Loki and we pick up the pace, keeping close to the building to avoid detection."Watch it. More men coming round the back," Barry warns us over our earpieces."Fight or flight?" Loki asks, looking over his shoulder to me."Let's try to keep casualties to a minimum. I think we already did enough." I nudge my chin to get us moving again.The mansion we're at is large and wide spread. It's a private mansion, though it is adapted and rented out to host events like this one. Here at the back is a large lean-to with a professional kitchen, with its own entrance and a direct connection to the street for supply purposes. The gate is closed, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem. The four men that round the lean-to on the other hand, they could be a problem. They haven't seen us yet, it's dark and Loki and I find ourselves in the shadow of the wall. But, we are between those men and the back door, which is clearly where they are headed."Time to get close again, Wolfgirl," Loki whispers to me and he doesn't wait for me to react to press me up against the wall.It is just a blind wall, there's nothing that could provide any cover. Yet here I am, sandwiched between a brick wall and the prince of Asgard; talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place! Literally in this case, because Loki is almost flattening me against the wall, his leather armour firm to my chest. He is covering me completely, his underarms up against the wall next to my head. My chin is awkwardly pressing into his armour, to the point where it hurts my neck. I groan a little and try to move my head up; luckily Loki moves his shoulder back a little so I can lift my head to a more comfortable position. And comfortable it is; I find myself nuzzling Loki's neck, my nose and mouth pushed in between his throat and his collar. His hair covers most of my face, blocking my view almost completely. And the little bit I can see is blurred, like I am trying to see through a fogged up window. The first of the men is walking right behind us, not even so much as glancing our way even though we are merely feets apart. I guess Loki is providing a magical cover for us, making use of the shadows. There is a second man right behind the first, the other two lagging a little behind.I try to stay as still as I can, keeping my breathing to a minimum. Still, I can't help but take in Loki's smell. I've always known he smelled good, reminding me of the forest whenever I got a whiff of him. This, with my nose pressed against his throat, is a whole other ballgame. I try to breathe through my mouth, afraid for what I will do if I let myself get intoxicated by his scent. It is bad enough already that my hands are on each side of his legs, just below his hips; there is literally no other place I can put them at the moment. My lips go dry from the air I superficially breathe in and out, trying to get some oxygen in without those damned pheromones messing up my mind. Without thinking I wet my lips with my tongue, forgetting how close Loki's skin is. He immediately jerks away a little, like he's ticklish. He nudges the side of my head with his and I feel his chest rise and fall with silent laughter. Heat flushes to my face like I've stepped into a sauna on full blast.Behind us, the men have discovered their unconscious comrade in the hallway. The two up front quickly call for their colleagues, causing a bit of a disturbance during which Loki and I barely dare to breathe. After some long, agonizing minutes they finally close the door behind them and Loki steps back from me, almost causing me to stagger forward."What was that?" he asks, his eyes glinting with mischief. "You wanted to get a little taste?"I shake myself and take off in the direction of the gate, where Barry's non-descriptive white van already pulls up on the other side of the street. "Not a word about it, Mr. Laufeyson. Not a word!"