Special Agent Loki Laufeyson

Chapter 67

"I did recruit Gibbs," Fury said, standing in the squad room before the assembled Avengers and agents. Rogers had just asked him his question. "Or, at least, I tried to recruit him."

DiNozzo and McGhee exchanged glances. "I don't know whether to be astonished or not," DiNozzo confessed. "I mean, on one hand, Gibbs could have been an Avenger, but on the other – well, why not?"

"He is Gibbs," McGhee agreed.

"He turned you down?" Stark asked Fury.

Fury sighed. "Yes, he did."

"Why?" DiNozzo queried curiously.

"Did he know the stakes?" Rogers asked.

"I tried to recruit Gibbs long before Loki showed up," Fury corrected. "He told me no."

"Did he say why?" McGhee inquired.

"He said he was already part of a team," Fury replied. "He also quoted your Rule 11 at me."

"When a case is done, walk away," DiNozzo and McGhee both muttered, looking very confused.

"But how does that apply here?" DiNozzo asked.

Fury raised an eyebrow. "That is for Gibbs to tell you."

DiNozzo and McGhee exchanged another, quizzical glance.

"So I was your second choice?" Stark asked. "From outside of S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"No," Fury said. "You were my third choice."

Stark wrinkled his brow. "Third?"

"Gibbs was second," Fury filled in.

"Who was first?" Rogers asked.

"Classified," Fury replied firmly.

"Not for long," Stark declared with a look at McGhee.

"This one is off the books," Fury responded and Stark looked momentarily disappointed. "But right now, we have more important things to tend to than my shortlist for the Avengers."

"Right," Rogers said. "The Chitauri."

****

The Bifrost deposited Gibbs in the Observatory. Heimdall stood by the podium in the center of the circular chamber, hands on the hilt of the large sword stuck in the middle of it.

"Agent Gibbs," he said, almost expressionlessly. But there was a hint of bewilderment in his eyes, like he couldn't believe he had just let an unaccompanied mortal into Asgard. "What brings you here?"

"I need to speak with Odin," Gibbs said, making sure to keep his tone neutral and quiet. "It is very important."

"Is it, perhaps, about the capture of Loki?" Heimdall queried.

"Yes," Gibbs replied.

Heimdall looked over his shoulder toward the city. "Thor is coming to escort you to the Allfather. But your mission is futile. Odin bears great anger toward his younger son."

"That son is the best chance earth has," Gibbs responded as he stalked toward the exit.

****

Thor met Gibbs on the bridge stretching to the Observatory and walked alongside him back into the city. There was silence up until they reached the palace.

"Father refuses to see reason," Thor stated, turning to face Gibbs. "He will not release my brother or Agent Bishop. My mother continues to plead with him, but I do not know what progress she makes."

"Thor," Gibbs said. "Chitauri ships have just come into range of earth. We're running out of time."

"Oh, not again," Thor grumbled as Gibbs strode ahead of him into the palace. The god of thunder sighed and ran to catch up with the agent.

The look on Odin's face was priceless as Gibbs strode into the throne room, Thor on his heels. "What is with this mortal?" he demanded, glancing at Frigga as Gibbs came to a stop before the throne.

Frigga gave Odin a stern look and glanced down at Gibbs. "Agent Gibbs," she greeted. "What brings you here?"

"And who brings you here?" Odin asked.

"No one brought me," Gibbs said. "I came myself, to get my agents."

"Your agents have meddled with the Tesseract," Odin spat. "I cannot allow that."

"Then don't," Gibbs said. "Loki won't do it again. He only did it to rescue Agent Bishop. I need him, King Odin. Chitauri are about to invade and I need all hands on deck. And you have two of my agents. I need you to free them."

"Why should I free them?" Odin asked.

Gibbs looked at the Allfather. "So that he can help protect the world he once fought to own."

Odin sighed. "Agent Gibbs. Why do you want Loki back? Why do you want him at all?"

"Because Loki has become one of my finest agents," Gibbs said. "He has proven himself worthy of my trust. And I take care of my agents. I will not leave him behind when he was willing to die if it would give Agent Bishop a shot at survival."

Odin considered, looking at Frigga. "Odin," she said softly. "Agent Gibbs has done what we could never do for Loki. Let him go. Let him and Agent Bishop go."

Odin's features betrayed a sudden weariness. "All right, Agent Gibbs. I will release Loki to you. But there will come a day when I will call him back to Asgard, and you will have to let him go."

"Agreed," Gibbs said, feeling a slight pain in his heart.

Odin glanced to Thor. "Go, free your brother and the agent."

/**/

SPECIAL AGENT HAS JUST HIT 1K VOTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU!

As you can probably tell, I'm excited about this! Thank you guys so much! I hope you keep reading and enjoying this book! I can't wait for you to see what I have in store for the coming chapters!

Skylar Wittenborn