Haha, guys it's like you've read my mind. The first part of this chapter is on Earth :) 

Enjoy!

Sadly, no fancy edit or music :( I'm a hurry. Hopefully, the chapter will suffice! 

It's a grim scene in the basement of Stark Tower. The room is huge, with low ceilings and light colored paint, and the distant glow-lights on the walls. Couches are spread across the thick carpet, facing a huge screen, which is lit up by various maps, charts, and diagrams.

What makes it so grim is the collection of people inside. It is Monday, been two days since the disappearance of Thea on Saturday. Bruce and Tony are standing against the wall, Bruce looking at something that resembles a giant Ipad, and Tony pressing several of the display panes in front of the large screen. Tony's hair is mussed, the brown strands sticking up everywhere; he hasn't slept much in these seventy-two hours.

The Calen brothers are spread out on the couch. Max looks exhausted, just like Tony, as he drums his legs against the coffee table anxiously, his hands clasped so tightly, it is as though he is choking some invisible being. Kyle, next to him, is glass-eyed and has very messy hair as well. He's on his phone, scrolling through messages and typing.

All four men look up as Thor and Steve enter. They're as tired as everyone else, although the fatigue shows less on the Asgardian's drawn face.

At their arrival, Kyle has swung his legs around the couch and sat up. He's about to open his mouth when Steve talks for him.

"He doesn't seem to know anything about it," says Steve, "We tried everything, short of torture."

"Go ahead and torture him," says Kyle who, at Steve's news, looks both relieved and still worried, "I couldn't care less."

"You could electrocute him," suggests Tony.

"Then he'd be dead," points out Bruce, not looking up from his screen.

"Dead men tell no tales," amends Tony, although there is no light in his voice.

Steve begins talking again, looking down at the ground and then back up, clearly upset about the words he is saying.

"Archer affirms that his brother has been watched carefully in the palace of Ardhigiza, and I doubt Videl could have gotten away from an entire flank of Velah. We still have him down the hall, but honestly, aside from being a sarcastic pain, I don't think he knows anything."

"Well now what?!" exclaims Kyle, throwing up his hands. "Who else would have done this?"

"I have investigated matters in Asgard," says Thor. "Several odd things have been happening, but none that I can positively attach to Thea's disappearance."

"What kinds of strange things?" demands Kyle.

Thor shakes his head, "There have been reports as to odd behavior of some servants. Dazed. Confused. One of the servants turned up missing- his wife and children are frantic. There seems to have been a disturbance in the throne room yesterday, but nobody can remember the precise events. Beyond this, there is slight upheaval in the mountains, near Neidra's estate. More people missing, but nobody knowing why."

"What can this have to do with Thea?" Max, who has not spoken until now, and when he does, his voice is a low rasp. This is because he has spent the last two days yelling at people.

"I do not know," says Thor solemnly, "But Sif, Fandral, and Volstagg are on the search for her. If she is in Asgard's realms, they will find her, and quickly."

"What about Odin?" asks Max, "Can't he do something about it? Some national decree?"

"You forget that though Thea means a great deal to us, she means little to him," says Thor cautiously, "But I did pose the question, and he reacted casually, as I suspected. He has a few search parties out looking, but I doubt they are of high caliber. Hence why I employed my trusted friends."

"Yeah, so maybe Odin kidnapped her," says Max dully, glaring at Thor.

"I know you suggest this from worry," says Thor gently, "But my father has nothing to do with Thea's disappearance. He is doing more than normal simply by sending these search parties."

Max doesn't acknowledge Thor's comment, although his shoulders slump more.

"What's our plan of action then?" asks Steve.

"As soon as you have something to go on other than Kyle's information, then we'll know better," says Tony, "What have we got? A dropped longknife, her phone on the ground, and some burn marks on her bedroom carpet."

"She put up a fight, obviously," says Bruce, "But the fact that she evidently lost points us away from any normal human. And chances are, he or she knew about her power, and somehow bested it. The substances on the ground from the most recent samples I just looked at outside the house show both ash and water, so someone combated her with either water or ice. My guess is ice, personally."

Everyone's eyes swivel to Thor.

He shrugs, "Sorcerers and wielders of magic have a often talent in this area. Both my mother and brother employed it, as do many others now."

"There can't be that many sorcerers," says Max, "Why can't we-"

"I doubt it is anyone from Asgard," says Thor, "Because there were no signs of the mark one leaves if one takes the Bifrost to our realm around the perimeter of the house."

Max falls silent.

"Can someone get to Asgard without the Bifrost?" asks Bruce.

Thor shrugs, "Some very powerful wielders of magic. My brother was one of them. Loki had plenty of holes into other realms. I'm sure there are others, hence why I am still searching in Asgard, as are Fandral, Sif, and Volstagg."

"I have a suggestion," says Kyle, "How about Loki came back from the dead and took her?"

"You know what, Kyle? Your sarcasm isn't needed," snaps Max.

"I'm serious! She mentioned him on the way home too!"

"She mentioned Loki?" asks Thor, "She had already mentioned him right before leaving the meeting. Why? She has never met him."

Kyle shoots Max a significant look, and then turns to Thor, "She just asked if Loki had any kids to inherit the throne of Asgard, 'cause we were talking about the whole Neidra-Fjodr thing. And I said no, he doesn't."

"It's true," acknowledges Thor, "Loki has had several passionate affairs throughout the years, but no children, not that I know of. Besides, it is almost impossible to conceive a child between two Asgardians without a special potion of fertility."

"That's beside the point," says Kyle, "What if he took her?"

"Loki is dead," says Thor fiercely, in an injured sort of voice, "I saw him die and felt him die in my arms. And even if he weren't, he would have no quibble with Thea, or any of you. He has never even met the child."

"Okay," says Tony, turning this conversation away from dangerous waters, "So our best guess is some powerful sorceror. We need to check on Earth too- we have some powerful minds here too, believe it or not, but we'll keep our Asgard squad going. And this, by the way, almost completely erases Videl from the running. We can probably let him go by now."

"Not yet," says Steve, "I told him that he'd be here for a week, mostly for insubordination." He considers this, "He did seem rather upset about it."

"Good," says Kyle, "The more suffering Videl gets, the better."

"He doesn't look too good," says Steve, "Tired. Messed-up. Thin. Something's eating him."

"Don't know, don't care," says Kyle, looking at Tony, "Now what? We wait?"

"That's all we can do," says Tony, "Wait, and use computers. Nat and Clint are already out there, using their 'contacts' to try to get information. I'll drop a line on them letting them know that they need to start searching for more 'specialized individuals', as, I think, the government calls them."

After a few more minutes of tense conversation, Steve, Tony, and Thor depart, for the portal room in order for Thor to get back to Asgard to check on the progress of Sif, Volstagg, and Fandral.

Bruce looks at the Calen brothers, "Heard from Jack? How's he doing?"

"Jack," says Kyle, accentuating the name almost mournfully, which is rather uncharacteristic of him, "Is in shock. And worried sick. According to Barney, he has probably slept three hours over the past two nights. He had been the last one to technically talk to her, over the phone."

"He in school?" asks Bruce.

"Yep. Probably one of the first times Barney has had to force the kid to go. But he thinks it'll do him good. Distract him. Lord knows we all need distractions right now."

*

That afternoon, in a small room, world away, a small girl is lying on a cot, not moving. Her breathing is raspy and unsteady, and her lips are so red, they are almost ruby. One of her legs is hanging off the bed, but the thick, raven-black hair has been moved from her pale face, and a sheet has been thrown over her small body.

She awakes with a start, gasping, and clutching her head. Sitting up, she presses her fist to those swollen, bloody lips and begins to cry, to finally cry, tears leaking out of her big green eyes and onto her inflamed cheeks. She closes her eyes and leans against the wall, her shoulders shaking as she sobs.

When the door opens, Thea's cries stop so suddenly, it is almost though she has been plugged. Her eyes turn from pained and miserable to dark and defiant as immediate as the turning off of a lightswitch.

"Are you in pain?" asks Loki shortly. He's carrying a fur cape thrown across his shoulders, the same one he had given her before taking her up to the mountains.  

She stares at him, narrowing her tear-streaked eyes at him, and then bares her teeth at him, her lips cracking at the motion and beginning to bleed again.

"You're not an animal, Theodora," he snaps, "Stop that."

"Why wouldn't I be?" she snarls, evidently trying to control her choked voice. She succeeds, and licks the blood of her lips viciously, "You're an animal. If you're-"

He crosses the room and seizes her shoulders, then shakes her. She bites back a cry of pain, as he growls, "Hush your mouth. You need to learn how to respect people, young lady!"

"I do respect people!" she says sweetly, "But we've just determined that you're an animal, so I don't know if you really qualify."

He throws her back against the wall in disgust, "Get up. We're leaving."

"Where are we going?" asks Thea, "Hell? It would be a lot better than here."

"Don't think I won't slap you again if I warrant it necessary."

"I dare you," says Thea, "I actually dare you."

"Or what?" he taunts, "You'll use your little fire on me?"

"Hit me again," The way she says it is almost like a threat, "I dare you."

He contemplates his daughter, tilting his head. Then, he takes a step forward and smacks the side of her jaw.The sound resounds like a gunshot in the tiny room.

She grits her teeth, and although she does not cry, her arms have started to shake.

"Now then," says Loki brightly, "Now that that has been established, I suggest you get up right now."

"Where are we going?" she asks in a guttural voice.

"To an estate outside the palace," says Loki coolly, "Owned by an acquaintance of mine. Neidra."

"Neidra!?" Thea squeaks.

"You've heard of her?" inquires Loki, "I'm not surprised. Enough of this now. Let's go."  

"I'm not going to her, I won't, I won't!"

"Oh yes," smiles Loki, but there is not a shred of happiness in his smile, "You are."

UH OH :} WHat's gonna happen?

Have to run and grab dinner before going over to my best friend's house for a sleepover ! I'll respond to any comments and questions through my phone :) 

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