The Ides of July // Loki - Book 1 ✓

Chapter 17: Invasion of Stark Tower

THE SOUND OF CONCERN in Jarvis' voice sends the room's occupants to their seats, excepting Anna and Loki, the former who is staring at Tony with a look of confusion and the latter watching the girl with amusement.

"What the hell is going on?" Tony shouts at Jarvis, drowning out Rhodes' concerned voice coming through the speakerphone.

"Sir, they've breached the building," Jarvis replies. The screen at the front of the room comes to life with feeds of the building's security cameras as a team of armed operatives sweeps through the ground floors. "They'll be here in less than five minutes."

"Stop them," the billionaire slams his fist on the table, causing Anna to jump. "Shut down the building."

Bruce coughs, "Are you sure that's a good idea, Tony?"

Tony whirls to face him, eyes crazed and bloodshot with liquor and lack of sleep. The alarm screams in the background, and Thor takes a step toward the two of them. Rhodes' voice breaks through the noise.

"They have Pepper, Tony," he repeats. "If you don't come quietly, what will that look like? What about her?"

"The good colonel is correct, Stark," Thor affirms. "Whoever holds the Lady Potts will likely keep her until you surrender yourself. Were I in your predicament with Jane, I...I believe I would only have one choice."

Loki snorts, his shoulders shaking with muffled laughter.

"Got something to say, Reindeer Games?" Tony snaps at him.

"It takes three of you to form a semi-coherent thought," Loki sneers back, "And yet it's still rife with stupidity. 'Save the girl.' It's all very gallant and noble."

"No one asked for your opinion," Bruce tells Loki, putting a hand on Tony's shoulder as he seethes at the Asgardian god. "Tony, c'mon. Let's go."

Loki laughs, kicking up his legs on the table, and lifts his hands behind his head to relax into them. Thor glowers at his insolence, while Tony lowers his body into the seat at the opposite end of the table. His shoulders slump forward while the room waits for him to respond, with nothing but the sound of the alarm filling the room.

"I have to turn myself in," Tony mumbles, running a hand through his already mussed dark brown hair.

"Because the heroics have worked in your favor thus far," Loki snickers, allowing his piercing green eyes to close.

Tony explodes.

"What would you do, huh? You're a war criminal. If they find you, you're as good as dead." He shouts, his seat flying out from behind him as he jumps to his feet and lunges at Loki from across the table. Thor steps between them, Loki's eyes opening in a flash, as the god of thunder gently restrains the disgruntled man of iron.

"You don't even know who they are," Loki hisses, sitting up and letting his shackled hands fall into his lap. His eyes are filled with venom as he stands slowly before Stark, allowing the gravity of his threats to sink in. Recognition sets in his features as he realizes that the man is right - his own safety is at risk - then he glances at Anna before turning back to Stark. "Or am I mistaken?"

"Rhodey?" Tony asks, whipping around to look at the phone. Rhodes clears his throat to acknowledge that he's still on the line. "Who are they?"

"U.S. Army Special Ops," Rhodes tells him reluctantly. "They're working under orders of General Carson, Tony, and we both know he doesn't use the most 'traditional' methods."

Loki's eyes widen. Fear flashes in them for a split second before behind replaced by a veneer of rage. It seems the repercussions of his actions in New York not long ago might come to face him sooner than expected, and he wasn't too keen on the idea of ending up dead or imprisoned on Midgard.