After getting Thor a change of clothes from a nearby thrift shop to replace his dirt-stained tunic with a simple flannel shirt and jeans that barely fit his massive frame, they all piled into the vehicles and headed to a local diner on the edge of town, a greasy spoon with vinyl booths and the smell of coffee lingering in the air. Jane and Erik slid into one booth with Thor, who eyed the menu with curiosity as if it were an ancient scroll, while Mark and Darcy claimed the booth across from them.
Darcy settled in opposite Mark, propping her chin on her hand as she fixed him with a curious smile. "So, spill, where's a guy like you from, anyway? You don't scream 'small-town New Mexico' to me."
Mark leaned back, folding the menu as he replied. "Up from New York, actually. Figured I'd take a bit of a holiday, get out of the city for a while."
"And you decided to spend it doing science?" Darcy said with a raised brow, her tone teasing as she stirred sugar into her coffee.
Mark laughed. "It relaxes me in a way, tinkering with ideas, figuring out how things connect. Beats sitting on a beach staring at waves, I guess."
She tilted her head, intrigued. "What do you do back in the big city? Besides holiday science quests."
"I sell electronics mostly," Mark said, "but that's just a side gig to keep busy. I've got enough saved up to be comfortable for a while, and if I need more, I can always pick up something quick."
Darcy snorted, sipping her coffee. "I wish it were that easy—I'm interning for college credit and barely scraping by on ramen and energy drinks."
Mark smiled, turning the question back. "What about you? What's your story, Darcy?"
She shrugged, as she adjusted her glasses. "Political science major, but I got roped into this astrophysics gig for the credits—thought it'd be boring star charts, but nope, it's all wormholes and crazy storms. Pays the bills, kinda. What about relationships? You single, or is there someone back in New York wondering where their science nerd ran off to?"
Mark chuckled again, meeting her flirtatious gaze. "Single, yeah... focusing on other stuff right now."
Before she could press further with a playful follow-up, movement caught their eye as Thor stood up from the other booth after a hushed conversation with a rough-looking local at the counter.
Mark and Darcy got up quickly, crossing to Jane and Erik's booth where the others looked puzzled. "What happened?" Mark asked.
Erik spoke before Jane could, rubbing his temple in exasperation. "The man's crazy—he thinks he's the Norse god Thor and that he has to go reclaim his hammer Mjolnir from some site in the desert, fifty miles west of here."
Mark shrugged, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Stranger things have happened."
"No they haven't," Erik said, shaking his head as if the words could ward off the absurdity, his face flushing like he was on the verge of madness.
Darcy burst out laughing, clapping a hand over her mouth. "Oh man, Erik! you look like you're about to pop a vein."
They hurried outside after Thor, catching him as he strode down the sidewalk, the large man turned to Jane with a hopeful look. "If you would take me to my hammer, fair maiden, I would be in your debt, I would tell you all to wish to know or the bifrost."
Jane glanced at Erik, who gave her a subtle shake of his head, and she sighed. "I can't... it's too far, and we can't afford to get mixed up it's the government."
Thor nodded graciously, offering a bow to the group. "Then I bid you farewell, friends,?may your quests fare well."
"Hey, Thor! wait a moment," Mark called, stepping forward.
Thor paused, turning back with a raised eyebrow. Mark approached and said, "Hold up, if you need a ride, I can take you there; it's not too out of the way for me if you don't mind waiting for a bit."
Thor's face lit up with a broad grin, clapping Mark on the shoulder. "A noble offer, warrior, I accept, but I shall begin the journey on foot to honor the path; meet me if you will."
Mark rolled his eyes good-naturedly as Thor started walking westward without another word. Shaking his head, Mark turned and walked back toward the lab, figuring he could check in on Jane's setup before catching up. Mark arrived back at the lab just as a fleet of black SUVs pulled up outside, their doors opening to reveal men in suits who started wheeling out crates and loading them with Jane's equipment as if it were routine inventory.
Jane stood in the doorway, her face flushed with anger as she argued with the lead agent—a mild-mannered man in a tailored suit and sunglasses. "This is my life's work, you can't just take it all; I need those instruments to continue my research, and without them, everything I've built here grinds to a halt!"
Mark stepped inside, his presence drawing eyes as he cleared his throat, "Is there a problem here?" He asked, and suddenly the agents paused in their tasks, exchanging subtle glances that betrayed a flicker of unease.
The lead agent turned, his composed expression faltering just a fraction before he recovered, "Mark Grayson," he said with a nervous edge that he tried to mask.
Mark raised a brow, tilting his head slightly. "Do I know you?"
"Of course not," Coulson said with a quick cough, straightening his tie. "I am Agent Phil Coulson of SHIELD."
The tone in the room shifted palpably, the air growing thicker as Mark frowned, his gaze narrowing while he crossed his arms. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Coulson replied, managing to keep his voice calm though a bead of sweat formed at his temple; the other agents had frozen entirely, as if hoping to blend into the background.
"I'm on holiday," Mark said simply.
"No surprise with how busy you've been," Coulson added, attempting a casual smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
Mark's frown deepened, and he gestured toward the crates being loaded. "Why are you confiscating Dr. Foster's equipment?"
Coulson cleared his throat again, glancing at Jane, "We're investigating a security threat in the area, and we need her records and atmospheric data to cross-reference with our findings, standard procedure to ensure public safety."
Mark interrupted before he could finish. "A copy of that would do, wouldn't it? From my point of view, it looks like you're stealing her property."
Coulson opened his mouth to respond, but Mark continued without pause. "Maybe I should go visit the director, see what he has to say about this."
Coulson paused for a long moment, then nodded curtly to one of the other agents. "Put it all back... carefully."
As the agents began unloading the crates, Coulson turned back to Mark. "We are the good guys, you know... I hope you know that."
"I hope that's true," Mark replied tiredly, holding his gaze until Coulson looked away.
Coulson then addressed Jane, his tone professional once more. "I'll send someone by later for a copy of the atmospheric data, hopefully it shouldn't take long."
She nodded, still processing the turnaround. "Fine, I'll have it ready."
Coulson signaled to his team. "Everyone, pack it up—we're done here." The agents filed out quickly, engines revving as the SUVs pulled away.
Once they were gone, Jane, Darcy, and Erik turned to stare at Mark as if he had just sprouted wings and flown right out of the lab, their expressions a blend of shock and bewilderment.
Mark grinned, touching his cheek self-consciously. "Do I have something on my face?"
Darcy broke the silence first, her voice laced with incredulity. "What the hell was that? Are you like their boss or something... or a major shareholder with veto power?"
"SHIELD does not have shareholders," Erik interjected dryly, though his eyes remained wide.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful," Jane added, "but why did they listen to you like that?"
Mark sighed, leaning against a table as he chose his words carefully. "I have some unpleasant history with SHIELD, and I'm in a position where they're trying to make me happy, let's just keep it at that."
The group exchanged glances, curiosity burning in their eyes, but they respected his boundary with nods, though Darcy muttered something about "mysterious hot guy vibes" under her breath.
Jane stepped forward then, wrapping him in a massive hug that caught him off guard, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "Thank you, for keeping my life's work safe; I don't know what I would've done if they took it all."
Darcy piled on next, squeezing in with a laugh. "Yeah, and I'm just a little jealous she got the first one... my turn now."
Mark chuckled, patting her back before glancing at Erik. "You next?"
"I'll pass for now," Erik said with a wry smile, shaking his head.
Mark grinned wider, then straightened up. "If you all don't mind, I'll be back later, I'm going to go give Thor a ride to where Mjolnir is; guy's got a long walk ahead otherwise."
Darcy perked up immediately. "I'll come! Beats reorganizing the lab for the tenth time today."
Jane hesitated but nodded. "I want to, but I have to get all this equipment sorted before it gets jumbled. Erik, you mind helping?"
"Not at all," Erik replied. "We'll hold down the fort."
Darcy and Mark headed to his car, the desert sun beating down as they crossed the lot, with her flashing him another playful smile along the way. He unlocked the doors with a beep, holding the passenger side open for her with a polite smile. "After you," he said.
Darcy slid in with a grin, buckling up as he walked around to the driver's seat and started the engine, the AC kicking on with a welcome blast of cool air. "So, New York boy on holiday, tell me more about this electronics side gig," she said as they pulled out onto the main road. "Fo you fix phones orrrr build robots in your spare time?"
Mark chuckled, keeping his eyes on the empty highway stretching ahead. "A bit of both actually, I tinker with custom builds, like high-end computers or gadgets people need fixed; it's relaxing, plus the money is quite good."
"Sounds nerdy, but I think nerds are hot," Darcy replied, leaning back in her seat and crossing her legs toward him. "I'm more of a poli-sci girl, but Jane's got me doing all this astrophysics stuff now; it's cool, but half the time I'm just making coffee and holding up a dish while she gets readings. Any crazy stories from the city?"
He glanced over with a smile, shifting gears as the car picked up speed. "Plenty, but most involve bad traffic or weirder customers; one guy wanted a PC that could 'unplug him from the matrix' in the end I just built him a VR rig. Your turn, what's the wildest thing that's happened in this lab gig?"
Darcy laughed, pushing her glasses up her nose. "Besides tasing a guy who thinks he's a god? Probably the time Jane dragged us out at 3 AM to chase a storm that turned out to be a dust devil, Erik complained the whole way. Just to double check you're single, right? No city girl waiting back home?"
Mark raised a brow, amused by the directness. "Yeah been so for a few months. You?"
"Free as a bird," she said with a wink. "Though if you're sticking around, maybe we could—"
Before she could finish, they spotted Thor up ahead, trudging along the empty highway, his flannel shirt already dark with sweat under the sun. Mark slowed the car, pulling over onto the shoulder with a crunch of gravel. "Looks like our god could use a lift after all."
They got out, and Thor turned at the sound, his face breaking into a broad smile as he wiped his brow. "Ah, the noble warrior and the spirited maiden you have come to aid me in my quest!"
Mark waved him over. "Hop in, we'll get you there faster than walking."
Thor clapped him on the shoulder firmly as he approached. "My gratitude knows no bounds; you honor me with your assistance."
"No problem," Mark said, opening the back door for him. "Happy to help."
Thor squeezed into the backseat, the car dipping slightly under his weight, and nodded solemnly. "Once I regain my hammer, I shall see you both handsomely rewarded, feasts in Asgard's halls, perhaps, or treasures from the realms."
Mark grinned as he got back behind the wheel. "We'll hold you to that. Now, buckle up if you can figure it out."
As they drove along the highwya, Mark glanced in the rearview mirror at Thor. "So, tell me about yourself—are you the god of thunder from Viking culture? The one with the hammer and the lightning?"
Thor leaned forward, his voice booming even in the confined space. "Do you mean the men who sailed the seas and held great feasts in my name, honoring me with axes and ale? Aye, that is I—Thor, son of Odin."
Darcy muttered under her breath, crossing her arms. "This guy's crazy."
Mark grinned but kept the questions coming, intrigued by the larger-than-life figure. "Why are you here, then—and separated from your hammer?"
Thor sighed, his expression darkening as he stared out the window at the passing desert. "I was unjustly banished by my father."
"Odin?" Mark asked.
"The very same," Thor replied bitterly, clenching his fist. "The frost giants infiltrated Asgard on the day I was to be named the next king; they ruined my grand moment, my ascension to the throne where all would hail me as the mightiest! They tried to steal from us, the Casket of Ancient Winters, and when I demanded we retaliate, to crush them for their insolence, Father would not; he preached mercy, weakness in the face of enemies. So I gathered my loyal friends and my brother Loki, and we journeyed to Jotunheim under the cover of night, where I fought a mighty battle, slaying many of those icy beasts with my bare hands until the ground ran blue with their blood."
He paused, his voice growing more arrogant. "But Father arrived, pulling us back like children from play, and in his rage, he stripped me of my power, cast Mjolnir to this realm, and banished me here to punish me."
Mark listened closely, piecing together the story.
Thor continued, "I just need a chance to explain to my father... he will understand why the frost giants must be brought in line, their aggression quelled before they threaten Asgard again."
Mark looked at him for a moment in the mirror, beginning to understand why his father had banished him,. "Tell me, Thor... if me and Darcy were to attack you right now, what would you do?"
Thor seemed taken aback by the question, blinking in surprise. "I would fight back... and I would win, of course!"
Darcy muttered from the front seat, crossing her arms tighter. "Didn't win the first time."
"After the fight, what would you do?" Mark asked.
Thor frowned, confused. "I do not understand your meaning."
"Would you go and beat Jane? Erik? Everyone in that town back there?"
Thor scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "What a ridiculous thought, of course I would not; they are not the aggressors."
"Then why did you punish all the frost giants for the crimes of three?" Mark replied calmly.
Thor shifted uneasily in his seat, his bravado faltering. "That was different... they are Asgard's enemy, beasts who have warred with us for eons."
"From what you said, your father has a truce with them," Mark pointed out.
"One they broke!" Thor insisted, his voice rising in anger.
"One three of them broke," Mark countered.
Thor fell silent, staring out the window with a troubled expression, unable to find a retort.
Mark glanced back briefly. "You were to be the king of Asgard. Tell me, is war so glorious you would force it on those who only want peace?"
An uneasy expression formed on Thor's face, his brow furrowing deeply. "I do not wish to speak of this topic any longer."
Mark smiled faintly, nodding at the man. "Of course, Thor, it's just something to think about."
(AN: A little chat between our guys on their way to reclaim Thor's hammer. I wonder if he will be able to claim it? Hope you enjoyed it.)
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