YAGKYAS '13: The Exiled Prince (part II)
Title: The Exiled Prince
By: tea_diva
Two weeks later the Tesseract is stolen from a classified S.H.I.E.L.D research facility, Hill almost dies, one of their best agents is compromised (which in this case means being hypnotized in seconds flat and without a word being spoken, and suddenly becoming a very helpful and incredibly bad guy), and S.H.I.E.L.D (and all of Earth, actually) is hopelessly, hilariously, outmatched by their latest adversary.
They're scrambling, no other word for it. While agent Romanoff is sent to bring-in Walt Hasser, and agent Hill is tasked with sweet-talking Ray Person into answering his phone, Kocher finds himself knocking on Fick's apartment door. He's not sure what to expect but when Fick opens the door his green eyes immediately flash to Kocher's cheek where the bruise has faded to nothing. "Agent Kocher. I apologize for hitting you, I was out of line."
"Forget about it."
"No, it wasn't right. I wanted to apologize sooner but … my cellphone isn't working and it wasn't a conversation I wanted to have over a phone line that Director Fury is probably monitoring."
"Oh, well…" Kocher debates whether he should inform Fick that his cellphone is also monitored but figures the guy is probably assuming the cell is safe because it doesn't physically plug-in anywhere, which could lead to explaining satellites and frequencies and shit that he doesn't have time for so he settles on saying, "It's fine, really. I understand. I'm sorry too."
They stand there, Kocher in the hallway and Fick blocking the door, which is sort of suspicious since the guy usually has impeccable manners. "Can I come in?" Kocher prompts.
"I'm sorry, this isn't a good time for me. I've got company over." A pinkish flush spreads over Fick's face as he says this. If it were anyone other than Captain America Kocher knows the conclusions he'd be drawing here. He double-checks, just in case but Fick's clothes are all in place and look just as well pressed as always. There's a dark smudge on the fingers of his right hand that Kocher thinks might be charcoal, but other than that the guy looks pristine.
He feels bad when he's forced to say, "I wouldn't insist, but it's an emergency. S.H.I.E.L.D needs your help."
Fick steps out of his apartment, the door slamming behind him in his haste. "What happened?"
"That's probably better discussed in your apartment."
"What happened?" Fick repeats, his voice firm and demanding, it's what agent Hill has referred to as the man's 'Captain' voice. Kocher didn't get what she meant until just now.
Keeping his own voice low, Kocher finds himself answering, "We're under attack. An alien from the planet Asgard, who calls himself Loki." He's expecting Fick to catch on the word 'alien' or maybe 'planet'.
Instead, Fick's brows pinch together and he murmurs, "Asgard," and the way he says it speaks of a level of familiarity that's surprising. Like it's not the first time he's heard the name.
Again, Kocher's eyes shift from the charcoal smudges on Fick's hands to the door that the man is blocking off. How many people does Fick know these days, outside of agents? Can't be all that many. The only other time Fick has put himself between S.H.I.E.L.D and something else, it was a blond bartender that Kocher hadn't really been all that interested in until he'd earned a punch in the face just for asking to be introduced.
Right now, Fick is an immovable wall between Kocher and the apartment door, and though the guy's hands are loose at his sides it wouldn't take much for him to spring into action. Kocher meets Fick's steady green gaze squarely. "Nate," he says. "We're in over our heads. If you can think of anyone who might be able to help us right now…" Fick flashes him a dark look and glances away, but Kocher continues, "We've got a Hulk, and a guy in a metal suit, and we've got you. But this Loki guy is basically a god and…"
"I signed up for this," Fick says, cutting him off. "I knew once I went through with Doctor Erskine's procedure that a part of my life would be this." His gesture indicates Kocher and the crappy apartment building, but Kocher knows it also means the surveillance, the tests. "I knew what I was getting into."
Kocher can understand that. Hell, he can even sympathize, but if it's the difference between stopping Loki and being enslaved, well… "Please."
After a tense stretch of silence Fick nods. "I'm not promising anything except that I'll ask. And if the answer is 'no' then you need to back off. Are we clear?"
"We're clear."
"I'm assuming you want me at the Hub? I'll be there in twenty minutes."
Kocher is standing at the front entrance of the Hub seventeen minutes later when Fick strides in, a familiar blond figure shadowing his steps. Colbert doesn't look much like a Norse god of thunder, not that Kocher has seen a lot of those around, just that Colbert is dressed in faded blue jeans and a blue T-shirt. True, the T-shirt fits snugly enough to indicate a toned physique, but having muscles doesn't necessarily indicate special powers. Kocher knows, he's pretty buff and he can't summon rain and lightning, which is one of several abilities that Thor supposedly has (if 'The Children's Guide to Norse Gods and Goddesses' is worth anything.)
"Agent Kocher." Fick's quirking smile is present in full-force, he looks strangely proud when he says, "This is Brad Colbert."
"We've met." Kocher extends his hand and is somewhat relieved that Colbert's grip, while strong, isn't unduly forceful. "Should I call you Colbert, or Thor?"
"I prefer Colbert," the blond says. "But I suppose either would be equally valid."
___________________________________________________
Whatever hope Kocher had that Thor, Brad, Colbert, whoever, would swoop-in and save the day is more or less gone when the guy explains that he's pretty much just an average mortal. Standing in the Director's office on the twenty-third floor of the Hub between agent Hill and Director Fury, it's a bit of relief to realize he's not the only one feeling disappointed.
"No offense," Directory Fury says to Colbert while he shoots Kocher a particularly irritated glare with his one good eye. "But we're facing the imminent threat of global annihilation, so would you mind explaining to me how your presence here isn't just wasting time that I don't have?"
Kocher expects the blond to look chastened, or to get irritated. Instead, Colbert draws himself up straighter, his hands clasped behind his back in a perfect mirroring of Fury's posture. "I didn't come here to fight. Loki is my brother. I came here to negotiate."
"Okay," Fury drawls, and then adds sarcastically, "So which one of you was adopted?"
Colbert doesn't even blink. "Loki is born of the Frost Giants."
Fury nods like this is all making sense. "So he's a Frost Giant who claims to be from Asgard, and you're his human brother from...?"
"From Asgard."
Kocher swears he sees the corner of Fury's eye twitch. He glances over at Fick who catches the look and rolls his eyes, shaking his head in exasperation. Fury asks, "Are there many humans on Asgard?"
To which Colbert answers, "There aren't any humans on Asgard."
The Director's irritation is plainly evident to everyone except Colbert, apparently, who remains inscrutable. "Are you being deliberately unhelpful or is this simply accidental stupidity?"
Colbert smirks. "You told me not to waste your time, I am merely attempting to be succinct." Then his smirk shifts to a sly grin as he adds, "For the record, I don't believe stupidity is ever accidental."
"Noted." Then Fury sighs and nods his head, "Okay. Begin at the beginning."
Colbert is concise in his explanation, which means that when the man is finished his elucidation on how he was stripped of his title (crown prince) and his powers (numerous and widely varied), and banished from his home (the palace) and his planet (Asgard), Kocher has more questions than he does answers.
How the man went from being essentially a god to tending a bar is only cursorily explained by the fact that the first two people Thor met when he landed on Earth were Evan and Jennifer who took him in, fixed him up with a false ID and gave him a place to work. Kocher doesn't see how witnessing someone drop out of the sky could incite that level of helpfulness, but Fury is looking impatient as it is so his questions will have to wait.
"At the moment we’re struggling to figure out what it is that Loki wants," Fury says. "Got any ideas?"
"Loki has been coveting a throne since we were children, I think he means to take Earth as his kingdom. If that's the case, he won't be alone. He'll have an ally, someone who can provide him with an army."
"And you think you can make him see reason?"
"I believe it is my duty to try." Colbert's gaze shifts over to Fick and then returns to Fury. "Loki and I are my father's only children. I am mortal now; even if my father died tomorrow I could not ascend the throne. I believe the allure of ruling Asgard will be greater than the prospect of subjugating Midgard."
"Which begs the question," Hill says. "If he's naturally next in line to rule Asgard, what's he doing here at all? How can we be certain he isn't already king of your planet and simply intent on expanding his territory?"
Again Colbert shifts a glance Fick's way. Kocher wonders what part of this already complex story is being held back but he stays silent. Colbert shakes his head slowly. "Odin-Allfather is not yet dead. Even in this mortal form, I would know were that the case."
There's not much they can do from the Hub that a whole bunch of other (specifically trained) S.H.I.E.L.D agents aren't already doing. About the time they are wrapping up an impromptu brainstorm on Loki's possible tactics, agent Romanoff calls in to report that she has successfully wrangled Hasser onto the Helicarrier. "He's suspicious as hell, sir," she says over speakerphone. "But for the moment I think I've managed to convince him we're not interested in 'the other guy', but rather what Hasser can do to help us find the Tesseract."
"Good," Fury says. "We're on our way to you. Get him working right away."
Kocher is tasked with ushering Fick and Colbert to the roof where a jet is already waiting to fly them over to the Helicarrier. Just as he's leaving the office he hears Fury order Hill to arrange for the hammer to be shipped along with them.
"It's not going to fit on the jet," Hill points out.
"However you need to get it done, just get it done."
"But sir," she says. "Colbert said he can't wield it anymore."
Whatever Fury says in response is lost when Kocher lets the door close. "This way, gentlemen," he says to Fick and Colbert, and starts walking.
___________________________________________________
Loki makes the first move. Or the second move or, actually now that he thinks about it, Loki has been making all the moves and S.H.I.E.L.D has been desperately fumbling around in response, reacting rather than on the offensive. Hopefully that's about the change.
Loki attacks the opera house in Stuttgart and when the report of a positive ID is made Romanoff heads off to start prepping a jet. "Suit up, Captain," Fury says to Fick, and then turns his attention back to surveying the main flight deck.
Kocher's the only one who catches the whispered argument that Fick, clad in his modified suit and carrying his vibranium shield has with Colbert (still in jeans and a T-shirt) at the foot of the jet where Natasha is waiting. He doesn't catch how it starts but it ends when Colbert snarls, "Is that an order, Nate?"
Fick says, "Brad." That one word manages to convey Fick's apology as well as his insistence, that he's speaking as a captain concerned for the welfare of a fellow-soldier, and also as a man concerned for his friend - his lover, or whatever they are to each other because Kocher hasn't figured that out either.
It's perfectly evident that Colbert wishes to protest further, and also that he is distinctly unhappy, but Fick wins. The jet takes off and Colbert doesn't even stand to watch it go.
He's there to meet it when it returns though, waiting a few feet to the side as Ray Person comes striding out in his shining red metal suit, the face-plate pulled back. He's dragging a man along behind him, Fick bringing up the rear. Kocher realizes that the man being unceremoniously hauled around wearing thick electronic handcuffs must be Loki, and he spares a glance over to Colbert, searching for any family resemblance.
Both men are tall, Loki a few inches shorter and with considerably less build. There's a lean and hungry look about him, and though his eyes are a similarly pale blue to his brother's, Colbert's gaze is steady and clear and his brother's looks glazed, almost manic. "Brother dear," Loki drawls when he lays eyes on Colbert. His voice is posh and dripping with insincerity.
Colbert shifts and Fury says, "Wait." Apparently there is enough of a promise in the tone for the blond to comply.
The alien trickster demigod gets locked up in a glass tube built to withstand the Hulk himself in his prissiest mood, and everyone else returns to the flight deck, to the large round table where they start brainstorming how to get Loki to cooperate. They need to know where the Tesseract is. Fury turns to Colbert. "You said you wanted to negotiate."
"Isn't that exactly what Loki will be expecting?" Fick pipes up.
Kocher sees the muscle in Colbert's jaw jump, but the blond nods agreement. "Nate's right. He'll be expecting that play."
Later, while Romanoff goes to interrogate to their prisoner, Kocher restlessly patrols the ship. In situations like this he feels more of less superfluous. He's a field agent, just like Hill and agents Romanoff and Barton. The difference is that Romanoff had some pretty freaky and intensive spy training before she jumped ship and joined the good guys. Barton might not have been trained by any Russians, but circus-folk are their own brand of intense and scary, and there's a very good reason as to why the guy is nicknamed 'The World's Greatest Marksman'. There are posters to prove it, even.
Kocher is just a guy. He was a Marine before he was a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, he's a good shot with just about any weapon (except a bow and arrow) but he's not breaking any records. He can handle himself in a fight. There was a time when he had a pretty solid ego when it came to his capabilities, but that was before he saw Captain America in action, or the Hulk. Before Person invented a whole robotic suit of armor. Before a hammer fell out of the sky that no one could budge.
Not that he has a complex or anything, but hanging out with superheroes puts things into sharp perspective. Kocher is smart but he's not genius-level smart. He can say this with confidence after he swings by the labs and hears Person and Hasser geeking-out over gamma radiation and finishing each other's sentences as they fiddle with knobs and dials and propose theories and tests that might prove or disprove those theories.
He's strong, but he's no Captain America. He's pretty cunning but he's got nothing on Romanoff. His anger-issues certainly don't come close to Hasser's. Kocher is just a guy, the way that Hill is just a girl. Woman. Geez. But even Hill has a whole ship to command while Fury turns his attention to Loki and more pressing matters. Kocher's at loose ends because a field agent isn't any good on a plane, and even if there is action coming their way he isn't likely to be called in.
His patrol takes him along the upper deck of the cargo bay, empty except for the massive cut of dense rock into which Mjolnir is lodged. Just as he's starting a circuit along the catwalk he catches hushed voices and spots Fick and Colbert. How he missed them is a mystery, especially as Fick is still in his brightly colored suit, though his shield isn't readily visible. Their faces are difficult to make out in the shadows, and their posture gives nothing away. They stand side-by-side, about a foot of space between them.
"I'm going to have to talk to him," Colbert is saying.
Fick nods. "I know."
"This ' S.H.I.E.L.D' organization might have the best interests of Midgard in mind, but I don't trust them when it comes to my brother."
"I'm not asking you to trust them?" The emphasis in Fick's tone is pointed.
Colbert sighs. When he speaks again his voice is quieter. "I won't be responsible for the death of innocent people. Nate, he's here because of me. Whatever it is that's been awakening my abilities, he must sense it."
"Could it simply be that your dad's starting to forgive you?"
Colbert snorts. "I haven't been doing anything especially princely in the past few months."
"I don't know..." Fick tips to the side as he considers. "Maybe that's the point?"
"Are you suggesting that I'm arrogant, Nate?"
There's the sound of a dry laugh. "I wouldn't presume."
"I'll have you know there is a difference between modesty and lying."
The laugh only gets louder. "Of course."
"Even as a mortal, on my worst day, I am still more capable than half the plebeians on this boat. Stop laughing," Colbert adds, jostling Fick's arm gently. "I've taken a vow to defend Midgard with my life, and that still holds even if I am stuck in this mortal form."
"It's not all bad, is it?"
"I'm over three millennia old, Nate. I used to be able to fly, to say nothing of my superior strength and ability in combat…"
"That's still pretty impressive. You're stamina, I mean," Fick jokes.
"My healing abilities were unmatched by most everyone, except perhaps Eir. I was practically invulnerable, and that's without mentioning my command over the weather, or the time travel or…"
"Okay, I get it. Geez!"
"It's not all bad," Colbert whispers, and Kocher can't stop his eyebrows from jumping almost clear off of his head when the blond wraps a hand around the back of Fick's head and drags him forward into a kiss.
All assumptions of Fick's level of innocence fly out the door when he turns the chaste touch of lips into a proper lip lock. Kocher squeezes his eyes tightly shut and concentrates on reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in his head.
When he next tunes-in he's apparently missed a portion of conversation because Colbert is vowing to rain death and destruction down on all of S.H.I.E.L.D if at any point they take it into their heads to torture and or kill his brother.
"Neither one of us is gonna let that happen," Fick says, entirely serious. "We'll find some way to get him back to Asgard."
Kocher leaves when they start kissing again. That's one question answered at least, and in keeping with the trend, about three more raised in its place because, Colbert's powers have been resurfacing? How long has that been happening? More importantly, what exactly does that mean?
___________________________________________________
By the time the sirens go off all hell has already broken loose.
They've lost one of the engines and they've been boarded by an untold number of hostiles. Person and Fick go off to take care of the engines; Hasser and Romanoff are trying to deal with the hostiles, which rapidly becomes complete pandemonium when Hasser shifts and ends up smashing anything and everything he can get his hands on, friend or foe alike. Kocher's first stop is the armory where he grabs the biggest gun he can find, which happens to be an untested prototype. Then he heads to Loki's cell.
He gets there just in time to see Colbert's tackling leap that would be nothing but impressive if not for the fact that Loki turns out to be a mirage, a trap set in place in order to capture Colbert in the glass prison. As Loki's visage flickers out of place the door slides shut, and the real Loki rocks on his heels looking smug. "Are you ever not going to fall for that?" he taunts, stepping away from the control panel.
"Mother fucker!" Colbert snarls, pounding a closed fist against the glass.
"Oh dear," Loki tuts. "It seems you've acquired quite the foul mouth in your exile. Mother would be appalled."
Colbert gets his chance to try appealing to his brother's better nature, and since Kocher has no reason to believe that Loki in fact possesses even a fleck of what might be construed as a better nature, he arms his weapon.
This turns out to be quite lucky, because when Colbert says, "Take my life, and be satisfied," Loki actually reaches out to press the big red button that will jettison the glass prison out of the helicarrier and send it plummeting to earth. Colbert included.
The good news is, the untested prototype works just fine. It sends a staggering blast out of the barrel and cuts an impressive whole through three walls in the plane. It would be even better if Kocher managed to hit Loki, but it turns out the bastard was just another mirage.
It happens in slow-motion. Kocher stands stands there bracing the gun and processing the fact that Loki has once again used the same magical trick. He becomes aware of the 'thump thump' sound of Colbert's fists on the glass of his cage, the blond is shouting something that Kocher, whose ears are still ringing, can't make out. He hears the swish of fabric right behind him though, and just as he's turning to face what can only be Loki - creeping up behind him like a coward - there is a resounding smash and the whole right-hand wall crumbles as a zooming mass blasts through it and continues on-course, knocking the scepter that Loki is holding ready to stab through Kocher's chest right out of the bastard's hands and shattering the glass of the holding cell to land with a solid 'whump' in an outstretched hand.
"Holy shit," Kocher breathes at the same moment that Loki says, "Oh perfect."
Colbert is standing amidst the broken shards of his prison but he doesn't look anything like he did a moment ago. For one, there's a massive red cape billowing behind him and he's in some kind of weird, tight-fitting dark-blue armor. Mjolnir is resting easily in his right hand and he raises it, pointing it in his brother's direction. "That would have been a nasty trick, brother."
Loki sneers. "I'm not done yet, brother."
There's a sharp twanging ache that shoots up unexpectedly in Kocher's right side. Dazed, he realizes it is a knife wound. "You son of a …" he begins to says, glaring at the black haired figure standing beside him, but before he gets all the words out Colbert - Thor - shoots forward and Loki has better things to do than be cussed out by a dying man. Like try and defend himself.
Staggering away from the fray Kocher props himself against a wall and then drops onto the grated floor, pressing both his hands painfully against his side as he tries to staunch the blood flow. "I hope he smashes your face in with his hammer," he says, and then lets his eyes close.
___________________________________________________
When he opens them again he's lying in the medical wing on the helicarrier and Fick, Thor and Person are standing at the foot of his bed. "We haven't crashed," Kocher says by way of greeting.
Fick smiles proudly. "I fixed the engine!"
"Fuck that," Person says, rolling his eyes. "You pulled the red lever, is what you did, and even then you were late."
Both of Fick's eyebrows jerk upward, defiant. "I rewired the control panel."
"With my help!" Ray retorts, crossing his arms.
"Gentlemen," Thor - Colbert - drawls. Both Fick and Person snap-to immediately.
Kocher notes this with some amusement. "You know, when you said you were Thor, I sort of thought you were bullshitting us," he says, which earns him a strangely pleased looking grin from the blond. "Is this how you usually look?" he can't help asking.
Colbert glances down at his armor. "More or less. Is that a problem?"
"No!"
Unhelpfully, Person starts to snicker, and Colbert's gaze darts back and forth between them, clearly perplexed.
"I think," Fick says as he casts a pointed and disapproving look in Person's direction. "What agent Kocher means is, it's an impressive look."
"I see," Colbert says in such a way that implies that he doesn't quite see but is willing to write this off as human peculiarity. Then he brightens. "The doctors say that you are stable. I'm glad."
"Oh," Kocher says. "Good. And thanks for … you know."
"No need." At least Colbert seems just as awkward. "I apologize for my brother…"
"No need." Funny, but Kocher had actually managed to forget about that oily bastard. "Where is Loki, anyway?"
"Walt's looking after him," Person says with a slightly sadistic smile. "You sure you're okay, buddy?"
"I'm fine. They've got me on some pretty strong drugs I guess, but I don't feel a thing."
"Good boy." Person claps a hand on Kocher's shoulder. "Anyway, blondy's brother told us where the Tesseract is. Apparently he's about to unleash all manner of hell on New York."
Kocher starts to get out of bed but is halted by a bite of pain in his side. He settles for glaring at his visitors. "What the hell are you waiting around here for?"
"Easy, bro!" Person holds his hands up in mock-surrender. "It's all totally under control. Oh hey, and Romanoff wanted me to tell you that Barton's back. Or she's pretty sure he is, but she's keeping him under close watch just in case. It's all pretty much just wrap up."
"With the small exception for the alien army that's set to invade Earth," Fick corrects, sounding chipper.
"Subduing the Chitauri forces will be child's play." Colbert hefts Mjolnir, grinning like a little kid who's just been promised a day at an amusement park.
Person's grin is eerily similar. "Yeah, what he said!" They both offer him the same sharp little nods, too, before they go striding out of the hospital wing, which makes Kocher slightly worried about what the future might hold.
"So." Kocher raises an eyebrow at Fick. "You and Thor, huh?" In answer, Fick does a pretty striking impersonation of a strawberry. "Isn't that weird for you? I mean, he's basically a god…"
Fick's eyes shift toward the door that Colbert just left through. He smirks. "There's only one god, agent, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that."
Kocher sniggers. "Wouldn't that be an interesting world," he says.
"I'm glad you're okay," Fick says with a smile. "Truly. But if you'll excuse me, I am being repeatedly informed that the Avengers are assembling on the flight deck."
In response to Kocher's inquisitive look Fick pulls an earbud radio from his ear, holding it out until Kocher can hear the tinny sound of Person saying, "Avengers assemble! That's a great line! I'm patenting that line!"
As Fick picks up his shield and heads out to save the day Kocher settles back against his pillows. He's sure he rests his eyes for only a moment but then there's the snap-hiss of a pop-tab being opened and when he opens his eyes again Hill is sitting in a plastic chair pulled up to the side of the bed drinking a soda. There's a cut on her left cheek and some of her hair has slipped out of the bun she's wearing but she looks mostly unruffled.
"Do you have time to be hanging out here?" he asks.
In answer, she takes a sip from the can. "Fury's gloating in front of the Council about how awesomely the Avengers Initiative has worked, leaving out a few key points of course like how Hasser basically destroyed the entire lower deck of the helicarrier, and a couple of buildings. The team radioed in a few minutes ago to say that they've successfully retrieved the Tesseract but that they won't be back for a while because they're stopping by a local shop for some shawarma. Apparently Person got hungry and Fick thinks it'll be a good team-building experience," she says, as a side-note. "Also, Loki has been properly detained, this time with a little help from the magically delicious Thor…"
"Captain's called dibs already," Kocher says with a smile.
"Really? Too bad." She shrugs. "I can still ogle his arms though. Anyway, to answer your question," she props her feet up on his bed and smiles. "I've got the time."
Just another day at S.H.I.E.L.D, really, and all at once, Kocher is reminder of why he loves his job.
___________________________________________________
|<< THE END ||
By: tea_diva
Two weeks later the Tesseract is stolen from a classified S.H.I.E.L.D research facility, Hill almost dies, one of their best agents is compromised (which in this case means being hypnotized in seconds flat and without a word being spoken, and suddenly becoming a very helpful and incredibly bad guy), and S.H.I.E.L.D (and all of Earth, actually) is hopelessly, hilariously, outmatched by their latest adversary.
They're scrambling, no other word for it. While agent Romanoff is sent to bring-in Walt Hasser, and agent Hill is tasked with sweet-talking Ray Person into answering his phone, Kocher finds himself knocking on Fick's apartment door. He's not sure what to expect but when Fick opens the door his green eyes immediately flash to Kocher's cheek where the bruise has faded to nothing. "Agent Kocher. I apologize for hitting you, I was out of line."
"Forget about it."
"No, it wasn't right. I wanted to apologize sooner but … my cellphone isn't working and it wasn't a conversation I wanted to have over a phone line that Director Fury is probably monitoring."
"Oh, well…" Kocher debates whether he should inform Fick that his cellphone is also monitored but figures the guy is probably assuming the cell is safe because it doesn't physically plug-in anywhere, which could lead to explaining satellites and frequencies and shit that he doesn't have time for so he settles on saying, "It's fine, really. I understand. I'm sorry too."
They stand there, Kocher in the hallway and Fick blocking the door, which is sort of suspicious since the guy usually has impeccable manners. "Can I come in?" Kocher prompts.
"I'm sorry, this isn't a good time for me. I've got company over." A pinkish flush spreads over Fick's face as he says this. If it were anyone other than Captain America Kocher knows the conclusions he'd be drawing here. He double-checks, just in case but Fick's clothes are all in place and look just as well pressed as always. There's a dark smudge on the fingers of his right hand that Kocher thinks might be charcoal, but other than that the guy looks pristine.
He feels bad when he's forced to say, "I wouldn't insist, but it's an emergency. S.H.I.E.L.D needs your help."
Fick steps out of his apartment, the door slamming behind him in his haste. "What happened?"
"That's probably better discussed in your apartment."
"What happened?" Fick repeats, his voice firm and demanding, it's what agent Hill has referred to as the man's 'Captain' voice. Kocher didn't get what she meant until just now.
Keeping his own voice low, Kocher finds himself answering, "We're under attack. An alien from the planet Asgard, who calls himself Loki." He's expecting Fick to catch on the word 'alien' or maybe 'planet'.
Instead, Fick's brows pinch together and he murmurs, "Asgard," and the way he says it speaks of a level of familiarity that's surprising. Like it's not the first time he's heard the name.
Again, Kocher's eyes shift from the charcoal smudges on Fick's hands to the door that the man is blocking off. How many people does Fick know these days, outside of agents? Can't be all that many. The only other time Fick has put himself between S.H.I.E.L.D and something else, it was a blond bartender that Kocher hadn't really been all that interested in until he'd earned a punch in the face just for asking to be introduced.
Right now, Fick is an immovable wall between Kocher and the apartment door, and though the guy's hands are loose at his sides it wouldn't take much for him to spring into action. Kocher meets Fick's steady green gaze squarely. "Nate," he says. "We're in over our heads. If you can think of anyone who might be able to help us right now…" Fick flashes him a dark look and glances away, but Kocher continues, "We've got a Hulk, and a guy in a metal suit, and we've got you. But this Loki guy is basically a god and…"
"I signed up for this," Fick says, cutting him off. "I knew once I went through with Doctor Erskine's procedure that a part of my life would be this." His gesture indicates Kocher and the crappy apartment building, but Kocher knows it also means the surveillance, the tests. "I knew what I was getting into."
Kocher can understand that. Hell, he can even sympathize, but if it's the difference between stopping Loki and being enslaved, well… "Please."
After a tense stretch of silence Fick nods. "I'm not promising anything except that I'll ask. And if the answer is 'no' then you need to back off. Are we clear?"
"We're clear."
"I'm assuming you want me at the Hub? I'll be there in twenty minutes."
Kocher is standing at the front entrance of the Hub seventeen minutes later when Fick strides in, a familiar blond figure shadowing his steps. Colbert doesn't look much like a Norse god of thunder, not that Kocher has seen a lot of those around, just that Colbert is dressed in faded blue jeans and a blue T-shirt. True, the T-shirt fits snugly enough to indicate a toned physique, but having muscles doesn't necessarily indicate special powers. Kocher knows, he's pretty buff and he can't summon rain and lightning, which is one of several abilities that Thor supposedly has (if 'The Children's Guide to Norse Gods and Goddesses' is worth anything.)
"Agent Kocher." Fick's quirking smile is present in full-force, he looks strangely proud when he says, "This is Brad Colbert."
"We've met." Kocher extends his hand and is somewhat relieved that Colbert's grip, while strong, isn't unduly forceful. "Should I call you Colbert, or Thor?"
"I prefer Colbert," the blond says. "But I suppose either would be equally valid."
___________________________________________________
Whatever hope Kocher had that Thor, Brad, Colbert, whoever, would swoop-in and save the day is more or less gone when the guy explains that he's pretty much just an average mortal. Standing in the Director's office on the twenty-third floor of the Hub between agent Hill and Director Fury, it's a bit of relief to realize he's not the only one feeling disappointed.
"No offense," Directory Fury says to Colbert while he shoots Kocher a particularly irritated glare with his one good eye. "But we're facing the imminent threat of global annihilation, so would you mind explaining to me how your presence here isn't just wasting time that I don't have?"
Kocher expects the blond to look chastened, or to get irritated. Instead, Colbert draws himself up straighter, his hands clasped behind his back in a perfect mirroring of Fury's posture. "I didn't come here to fight. Loki is my brother. I came here to negotiate."
"Okay," Fury drawls, and then adds sarcastically, "So which one of you was adopted?"
Colbert doesn't even blink. "Loki is born of the Frost Giants."
Fury nods like this is all making sense. "So he's a Frost Giant who claims to be from Asgard, and you're his human brother from...?"
"From Asgard."
Kocher swears he sees the corner of Fury's eye twitch. He glances over at Fick who catches the look and rolls his eyes, shaking his head in exasperation. Fury asks, "Are there many humans on Asgard?"
To which Colbert answers, "There aren't any humans on Asgard."
The Director's irritation is plainly evident to everyone except Colbert, apparently, who remains inscrutable. "Are you being deliberately unhelpful or is this simply accidental stupidity?"
Colbert smirks. "You told me not to waste your time, I am merely attempting to be succinct." Then his smirk shifts to a sly grin as he adds, "For the record, I don't believe stupidity is ever accidental."
"Noted." Then Fury sighs and nods his head, "Okay. Begin at the beginning."
Colbert is concise in his explanation, which means that when the man is finished his elucidation on how he was stripped of his title (crown prince) and his powers (numerous and widely varied), and banished from his home (the palace) and his planet (Asgard), Kocher has more questions than he does answers.
How the man went from being essentially a god to tending a bar is only cursorily explained by the fact that the first two people Thor met when he landed on Earth were Evan and Jennifer who took him in, fixed him up with a false ID and gave him a place to work. Kocher doesn't see how witnessing someone drop out of the sky could incite that level of helpfulness, but Fury is looking impatient as it is so his questions will have to wait.
"At the moment we’re struggling to figure out what it is that Loki wants," Fury says. "Got any ideas?"
"Loki has been coveting a throne since we were children, I think he means to take Earth as his kingdom. If that's the case, he won't be alone. He'll have an ally, someone who can provide him with an army."
"And you think you can make him see reason?"
"I believe it is my duty to try." Colbert's gaze shifts over to Fick and then returns to Fury. "Loki and I are my father's only children. I am mortal now; even if my father died tomorrow I could not ascend the throne. I believe the allure of ruling Asgard will be greater than the prospect of subjugating Midgard."
"Which begs the question," Hill says. "If he's naturally next in line to rule Asgard, what's he doing here at all? How can we be certain he isn't already king of your planet and simply intent on expanding his territory?"
Again Colbert shifts a glance Fick's way. Kocher wonders what part of this already complex story is being held back but he stays silent. Colbert shakes his head slowly. "Odin-Allfather is not yet dead. Even in this mortal form, I would know were that the case."
There's not much they can do from the Hub that a whole bunch of other (specifically trained) S.H.I.E.L.D agents aren't already doing. About the time they are wrapping up an impromptu brainstorm on Loki's possible tactics, agent Romanoff calls in to report that she has successfully wrangled Hasser onto the Helicarrier. "He's suspicious as hell, sir," she says over speakerphone. "But for the moment I think I've managed to convince him we're not interested in 'the other guy', but rather what Hasser can do to help us find the Tesseract."
"Good," Fury says. "We're on our way to you. Get him working right away."
Kocher is tasked with ushering Fick and Colbert to the roof where a jet is already waiting to fly them over to the Helicarrier. Just as he's leaving the office he hears Fury order Hill to arrange for the hammer to be shipped along with them.
"It's not going to fit on the jet," Hill points out.
"However you need to get it done, just get it done."
"But sir," she says. "Colbert said he can't wield it anymore."
Whatever Fury says in response is lost when Kocher lets the door close. "This way, gentlemen," he says to Fick and Colbert, and starts walking.
___________________________________________________
Loki makes the first move. Or the second move or, actually now that he thinks about it, Loki has been making all the moves and S.H.I.E.L.D has been desperately fumbling around in response, reacting rather than on the offensive. Hopefully that's about the change.
Loki attacks the opera house in Stuttgart and when the report of a positive ID is made Romanoff heads off to start prepping a jet. "Suit up, Captain," Fury says to Fick, and then turns his attention back to surveying the main flight deck.
Kocher's the only one who catches the whispered argument that Fick, clad in his modified suit and carrying his vibranium shield has with Colbert (still in jeans and a T-shirt) at the foot of the jet where Natasha is waiting. He doesn't catch how it starts but it ends when Colbert snarls, "Is that an order, Nate?"
Fick says, "Brad." That one word manages to convey Fick's apology as well as his insistence, that he's speaking as a captain concerned for the welfare of a fellow-soldier, and also as a man concerned for his friend - his lover, or whatever they are to each other because Kocher hasn't figured that out either.
It's perfectly evident that Colbert wishes to protest further, and also that he is distinctly unhappy, but Fick wins. The jet takes off and Colbert doesn't even stand to watch it go.
He's there to meet it when it returns though, waiting a few feet to the side as Ray Person comes striding out in his shining red metal suit, the face-plate pulled back. He's dragging a man along behind him, Fick bringing up the rear. Kocher realizes that the man being unceremoniously hauled around wearing thick electronic handcuffs must be Loki, and he spares a glance over to Colbert, searching for any family resemblance.
Both men are tall, Loki a few inches shorter and with considerably less build. There's a lean and hungry look about him, and though his eyes are a similarly pale blue to his brother's, Colbert's gaze is steady and clear and his brother's looks glazed, almost manic. "Brother dear," Loki drawls when he lays eyes on Colbert. His voice is posh and dripping with insincerity.
Colbert shifts and Fury says, "Wait." Apparently there is enough of a promise in the tone for the blond to comply.
The alien trickster demigod gets locked up in a glass tube built to withstand the Hulk himself in his prissiest mood, and everyone else returns to the flight deck, to the large round table where they start brainstorming how to get Loki to cooperate. They need to know where the Tesseract is. Fury turns to Colbert. "You said you wanted to negotiate."
"Isn't that exactly what Loki will be expecting?" Fick pipes up.
Kocher sees the muscle in Colbert's jaw jump, but the blond nods agreement. "Nate's right. He'll be expecting that play."
Later, while Romanoff goes to interrogate to their prisoner, Kocher restlessly patrols the ship. In situations like this he feels more of less superfluous. He's a field agent, just like Hill and agents Romanoff and Barton. The difference is that Romanoff had some pretty freaky and intensive spy training before she jumped ship and joined the good guys. Barton might not have been trained by any Russians, but circus-folk are their own brand of intense and scary, and there's a very good reason as to why the guy is nicknamed 'The World's Greatest Marksman'. There are posters to prove it, even.
Kocher is just a guy. He was a Marine before he was a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, he's a good shot with just about any weapon (except a bow and arrow) but he's not breaking any records. He can handle himself in a fight. There was a time when he had a pretty solid ego when it came to his capabilities, but that was before he saw Captain America in action, or the Hulk. Before Person invented a whole robotic suit of armor. Before a hammer fell out of the sky that no one could budge.
Not that he has a complex or anything, but hanging out with superheroes puts things into sharp perspective. Kocher is smart but he's not genius-level smart. He can say this with confidence after he swings by the labs and hears Person and Hasser geeking-out over gamma radiation and finishing each other's sentences as they fiddle with knobs and dials and propose theories and tests that might prove or disprove those theories.
He's strong, but he's no Captain America. He's pretty cunning but he's got nothing on Romanoff. His anger-issues certainly don't come close to Hasser's. Kocher is just a guy, the way that Hill is just a girl. Woman. Geez. But even Hill has a whole ship to command while Fury turns his attention to Loki and more pressing matters. Kocher's at loose ends because a field agent isn't any good on a plane, and even if there is action coming their way he isn't likely to be called in.
His patrol takes him along the upper deck of the cargo bay, empty except for the massive cut of dense rock into which Mjolnir is lodged. Just as he's starting a circuit along the catwalk he catches hushed voices and spots Fick and Colbert. How he missed them is a mystery, especially as Fick is still in his brightly colored suit, though his shield isn't readily visible. Their faces are difficult to make out in the shadows, and their posture gives nothing away. They stand side-by-side, about a foot of space between them.
"I'm going to have to talk to him," Colbert is saying.
Fick nods. "I know."
"This ' S.H.I.E.L.D' organization might have the best interests of Midgard in mind, but I don't trust them when it comes to my brother."
"I'm not asking you to trust them?" The emphasis in Fick's tone is pointed.
Colbert sighs. When he speaks again his voice is quieter. "I won't be responsible for the death of innocent people. Nate, he's here because of me. Whatever it is that's been awakening my abilities, he must sense it."
"Could it simply be that your dad's starting to forgive you?"
Colbert snorts. "I haven't been doing anything especially princely in the past few months."
"I don't know..." Fick tips to the side as he considers. "Maybe that's the point?"
"Are you suggesting that I'm arrogant, Nate?"
There's the sound of a dry laugh. "I wouldn't presume."
"I'll have you know there is a difference between modesty and lying."
The laugh only gets louder. "Of course."
"Even as a mortal, on my worst day, I am still more capable than half the plebeians on this boat. Stop laughing," Colbert adds, jostling Fick's arm gently. "I've taken a vow to defend Midgard with my life, and that still holds even if I am stuck in this mortal form."
"It's not all bad, is it?"
"I'm over three millennia old, Nate. I used to be able to fly, to say nothing of my superior strength and ability in combat…"
"That's still pretty impressive. You're stamina, I mean," Fick jokes.
"My healing abilities were unmatched by most everyone, except perhaps Eir. I was practically invulnerable, and that's without mentioning my command over the weather, or the time travel or…"
"Okay, I get it. Geez!"
"It's not all bad," Colbert whispers, and Kocher can't stop his eyebrows from jumping almost clear off of his head when the blond wraps a hand around the back of Fick's head and drags him forward into a kiss.
All assumptions of Fick's level of innocence fly out the door when he turns the chaste touch of lips into a proper lip lock. Kocher squeezes his eyes tightly shut and concentrates on reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in his head.
When he next tunes-in he's apparently missed a portion of conversation because Colbert is vowing to rain death and destruction down on all of S.H.I.E.L.D if at any point they take it into their heads to torture and or kill his brother.
"Neither one of us is gonna let that happen," Fick says, entirely serious. "We'll find some way to get him back to Asgard."
Kocher leaves when they start kissing again. That's one question answered at least, and in keeping with the trend, about three more raised in its place because, Colbert's powers have been resurfacing? How long has that been happening? More importantly, what exactly does that mean?
___________________________________________________
By the time the sirens go off all hell has already broken loose.
They've lost one of the engines and they've been boarded by an untold number of hostiles. Person and Fick go off to take care of the engines; Hasser and Romanoff are trying to deal with the hostiles, which rapidly becomes complete pandemonium when Hasser shifts and ends up smashing anything and everything he can get his hands on, friend or foe alike. Kocher's first stop is the armory where he grabs the biggest gun he can find, which happens to be an untested prototype. Then he heads to Loki's cell.
He gets there just in time to see Colbert's tackling leap that would be nothing but impressive if not for the fact that Loki turns out to be a mirage, a trap set in place in order to capture Colbert in the glass prison. As Loki's visage flickers out of place the door slides shut, and the real Loki rocks on his heels looking smug. "Are you ever not going to fall for that?" he taunts, stepping away from the control panel.
"Mother fucker!" Colbert snarls, pounding a closed fist against the glass.
"Oh dear," Loki tuts. "It seems you've acquired quite the foul mouth in your exile. Mother would be appalled."
Colbert gets his chance to try appealing to his brother's better nature, and since Kocher has no reason to believe that Loki in fact possesses even a fleck of what might be construed as a better nature, he arms his weapon.
This turns out to be quite lucky, because when Colbert says, "Take my life, and be satisfied," Loki actually reaches out to press the big red button that will jettison the glass prison out of the helicarrier and send it plummeting to earth. Colbert included.
The good news is, the untested prototype works just fine. It sends a staggering blast out of the barrel and cuts an impressive whole through three walls in the plane. It would be even better if Kocher managed to hit Loki, but it turns out the bastard was just another mirage.
It happens in slow-motion. Kocher stands stands there bracing the gun and processing the fact that Loki has once again used the same magical trick. He becomes aware of the 'thump thump' sound of Colbert's fists on the glass of his cage, the blond is shouting something that Kocher, whose ears are still ringing, can't make out. He hears the swish of fabric right behind him though, and just as he's turning to face what can only be Loki - creeping up behind him like a coward - there is a resounding smash and the whole right-hand wall crumbles as a zooming mass blasts through it and continues on-course, knocking the scepter that Loki is holding ready to stab through Kocher's chest right out of the bastard's hands and shattering the glass of the holding cell to land with a solid 'whump' in an outstretched hand.
"Holy shit," Kocher breathes at the same moment that Loki says, "Oh perfect."
Colbert is standing amidst the broken shards of his prison but he doesn't look anything like he did a moment ago. For one, there's a massive red cape billowing behind him and he's in some kind of weird, tight-fitting dark-blue armor. Mjolnir is resting easily in his right hand and he raises it, pointing it in his brother's direction. "That would have been a nasty trick, brother."
Loki sneers. "I'm not done yet, brother."
There's a sharp twanging ache that shoots up unexpectedly in Kocher's right side. Dazed, he realizes it is a knife wound. "You son of a …" he begins to says, glaring at the black haired figure standing beside him, but before he gets all the words out Colbert - Thor - shoots forward and Loki has better things to do than be cussed out by a dying man. Like try and defend himself.
Staggering away from the fray Kocher props himself against a wall and then drops onto the grated floor, pressing both his hands painfully against his side as he tries to staunch the blood flow. "I hope he smashes your face in with his hammer," he says, and then lets his eyes close.
___________________________________________________
When he opens them again he's lying in the medical wing on the helicarrier and Fick, Thor and Person are standing at the foot of his bed. "We haven't crashed," Kocher says by way of greeting.
Fick smiles proudly. "I fixed the engine!"
"Fuck that," Person says, rolling his eyes. "You pulled the red lever, is what you did, and even then you were late."
Both of Fick's eyebrows jerk upward, defiant. "I rewired the control panel."
"With my help!" Ray retorts, crossing his arms.
"Gentlemen," Thor - Colbert - drawls. Both Fick and Person snap-to immediately.
Kocher notes this with some amusement. "You know, when you said you were Thor, I sort of thought you were bullshitting us," he says, which earns him a strangely pleased looking grin from the blond. "Is this how you usually look?" he can't help asking.
Colbert glances down at his armor. "More or less. Is that a problem?"
"No!"
Unhelpfully, Person starts to snicker, and Colbert's gaze darts back and forth between them, clearly perplexed.
"I think," Fick says as he casts a pointed and disapproving look in Person's direction. "What agent Kocher means is, it's an impressive look."
"I see," Colbert says in such a way that implies that he doesn't quite see but is willing to write this off as human peculiarity. Then he brightens. "The doctors say that you are stable. I'm glad."
"Oh," Kocher says. "Good. And thanks for … you know."
"No need." At least Colbert seems just as awkward. "I apologize for my brother…"
"No need." Funny, but Kocher had actually managed to forget about that oily bastard. "Where is Loki, anyway?"
"Walt's looking after him," Person says with a slightly sadistic smile. "You sure you're okay, buddy?"
"I'm fine. They've got me on some pretty strong drugs I guess, but I don't feel a thing."
"Good boy." Person claps a hand on Kocher's shoulder. "Anyway, blondy's brother told us where the Tesseract is. Apparently he's about to unleash all manner of hell on New York."
Kocher starts to get out of bed but is halted by a bite of pain in his side. He settles for glaring at his visitors. "What the hell are you waiting around here for?"
"Easy, bro!" Person holds his hands up in mock-surrender. "It's all totally under control. Oh hey, and Romanoff wanted me to tell you that Barton's back. Or she's pretty sure he is, but she's keeping him under close watch just in case. It's all pretty much just wrap up."
"With the small exception for the alien army that's set to invade Earth," Fick corrects, sounding chipper.
"Subduing the Chitauri forces will be child's play." Colbert hefts Mjolnir, grinning like a little kid who's just been promised a day at an amusement park.
Person's grin is eerily similar. "Yeah, what he said!" They both offer him the same sharp little nods, too, before they go striding out of the hospital wing, which makes Kocher slightly worried about what the future might hold.
"So." Kocher raises an eyebrow at Fick. "You and Thor, huh?" In answer, Fick does a pretty striking impersonation of a strawberry. "Isn't that weird for you? I mean, he's basically a god…"
Fick's eyes shift toward the door that Colbert just left through. He smirks. "There's only one god, agent, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that."
Kocher sniggers. "Wouldn't that be an interesting world," he says.
"I'm glad you're okay," Fick says with a smile. "Truly. But if you'll excuse me, I am being repeatedly informed that the Avengers are assembling on the flight deck."
In response to Kocher's inquisitive look Fick pulls an earbud radio from his ear, holding it out until Kocher can hear the tinny sound of Person saying, "Avengers assemble! That's a great line! I'm patenting that line!"
As Fick picks up his shield and heads out to save the day Kocher settles back against his pillows. He's sure he rests his eyes for only a moment but then there's the snap-hiss of a pop-tab being opened and when he opens his eyes again Hill is sitting in a plastic chair pulled up to the side of the bed drinking a soda. There's a cut on her left cheek and some of her hair has slipped out of the bun she's wearing but she looks mostly unruffled.
"Do you have time to be hanging out here?" he asks.
In answer, she takes a sip from the can. "Fury's gloating in front of the Council about how awesomely the Avengers Initiative has worked, leaving out a few key points of course like how Hasser basically destroyed the entire lower deck of the helicarrier, and a couple of buildings. The team radioed in a few minutes ago to say that they've successfully retrieved the Tesseract but that they won't be back for a while because they're stopping by a local shop for some shawarma. Apparently Person got hungry and Fick thinks it'll be a good team-building experience," she says, as a side-note. "Also, Loki has been properly detained, this time with a little help from the magically delicious Thor…"
"Captain's called dibs already," Kocher says with a smile.
"Really? Too bad." She shrugs. "I can still ogle his arms though. Anyway, to answer your question," she props her feet up on his bed and smiles. "I've got the time."
Just another day at S.H.I.E.L.D, really, and all at once, Kocher is reminder of why he loves his job.
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|<< THE END ||