Chapter 5

Dario carried the shoebox over to his desk with the countenance of a child preparing to open his gifts on Christmas morning. Setting the box down on the deep brownish-red mahogany desktop he removed the top, setting it aside, grinning as he gazed down at the gu.

"Finally…"

Dario reached into the box, gripping the gu, lifting it, startled as the vessel glowed a bright green. As the glow faded he found himself holding the eagle shaped finial.

"What the hell?! That bitch!" Dario exclaimed, his face reddening in anger, his expression murderous.

Gripping his tie and ripping it from around his neck, flinging it away, Dario emitting a deafening roar as his body began to morph and grow larger, muscular, his suit jacket and dress shirt beneath tearing under the strain, the remnants falling to the floor. Thick, coarse brown fur sprouted over the skin of his torso and arms. The structure of his face altered to resemble a bull, coal black horns extended from both sides of his head, the pupils of his eyes glowing a fierce red.

Closing his hand around the finial that now appeared far smaller in his enlarged palm, he crushed and bent the metal into an unrecognizable ball. Snorting before roaring once again, he hurled it across the room at the opposite wall, knocking a vase off a pedestal to shatter on the marble floor.

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Two suited men armed with semi-automatic rifles stood at the ready outside the elevator in the parking garage as the doors slid apart…revealing it to be empty. Stymied, one of the two leaned into the elevator, his body suddenly flying backwards as if thrown by an invisible force to sprawl on his back over the hood of a luxury car, the windshield of the vehicle cracking in a spiderweb pattern, the alarm beginning to shriek, echoing through the garage. The second armed man, gawking at his comrade, found himself hurtling back into a concrete pillar, his body limply sliding down it into a heap at its base.

Loki and Boda, Vanar still clinging to her, her arms securely wrapped around him, appeared from out of thin air as they reached Boda's vehicle, Boda running around to the passenger side and throwing open the door, quickly lowering herself into the passenger seat, holding Vanar, as Loki opened the driver's side door, jumping in and magically producing the key in his hand, inserting it into the ignition, starting the engine.

"What's going on?" Vanar asked, hearing the blare of the car alarm, his eyes squeezed tightly closed, "Can I open my eyes now?"

"Not yet," Boda answered as Loki threw the car into reverse, backing out of the parking space, putting it in drive and accelerating away.

"I should have stolen a better car," said Loki as he pushed the gas pedal to the floor, two more armed and suited men rushing out of a door, spraying bullets at the passenger side of the vehicle as it sped past down the garage ramp.

"Are we in a movie?" Vanar asked, hearing the gunfire, his eyes still closed, his head resting on Boda's shoulder.

"It's only a four cylinder. It's ten years old. It's the best I could afford. I wasn't expecting to be using it for Bonnie and Clyde shit," Boda informed Loki.

"Mommy! You said a bad word!" Vanar scolded disapprovingly,

"Yes, bad Mommy. I think she deserves a spanking," Loki said with a sly grin.

Loki circled the last level of the garage, racing towards the exit to the street, the arm of the barricade across it, four additional armed men standing in front of it.

"I suppose it's a good thing Arvid didn't join us," Loki said as he barrelled full speed towards the men as they raised their rifles, aiming at the car.

The men began to fire towards the vehicle but were only able to get off a few shots, leaving bullet holes in the windshield as Boda lowered herself and Vanar below the level of the dashboard, Loki pushing the hatchback's engine to its limit, the four men diving out of the way as he sped towards them, narrowly escaping being run over, Loki tearing through the flimsy barricade, almost sideswiping a car, its driver laying on the horn as Loki turned the wheel hard to the right, tires squealing.

"Can I open them now?" Vanar asked after Loki had put more distance between them and the highrise.

"Go ahead," Boda said, Vanar raising his head from her shoulder, opening his eyes and blinking them, looking over at Loki in the driver's seat, staring at him in wonder and recognition.

"It's you! Gold Helmet Man!" Vanar exclaimed, "Where's your helmet?"

"It wouldn't fit in the car," Loki answered, "Gold Helmet Man?" Loki glanced at Boda.

"My painting," Boda explained.

"You could have told him my name at least."

"It's better than what he called you first. I made him change it."

"What?"

"Horny Guy," Boda said with a smirk.

"He's not wrong," Loki said with a smirk of his own.

"No, he's–" Boda began before drawing in a sharp breath as if in pain, "Ahhhhhh….Vanar, baby, climb into the back," Boda said, Vanar scrambling between the driver and passenger seats to sit in the middle of the back seat.

"Are you alright?" Loki asked, turning his head to look at Boda with concern, noticing a red stain on Boda's blouse near her right side above her hip.

Boda moved her fingers under the right side of her blouse, removing them and holding them up, red with blood. Though bullets could harm Asgardians and their impact was painful, most types rarely caused more than a minor flesh wound to Asgardian tissue.

"It's alright. I'm ok," Boda reassured Loki, "Watch where you're going," Boda said, Loki turning his attention back to the road.

"Mommy…seatbelt," Vanar said, fastening his.

"Oh! I forgot. Thank you, baby," Boda said, fastening her own, grimacing as she did so, the act causing her obvious discomfort.

"You too, Gold Helmet Man!"

Loki kept one hand on the wheel as he fastened his own seatbelt.

"I've never taken orders from a child before," said Loki.

"Get used to it," Boda said before grimacing in pain once more, holding back a groan, her body tensing.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"I…I don't know…just drive."

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Driving along the same wooded road as Loki had driven the night before to the location where he had seen Arvid off, Loki pulled over in nearly the same place, the burn marks on the road from the Bifrost visible, parking the car.

"Why didn't you tell me what you were planning instead of springing it on me on the way out? He knows where I live. I can't go back! Where do I go? What do I do?" Boda asked.

"It's a big realm. I'll help you start again elsewhere," Loki replied.

"It's just an old cup," Boda said, wincing.

"They said on television it's likely worth less than thirty thousand dollars."

"That's a lot of money for an old cup. It would buy me a new car," Boda replied in a pained voice, looking at the bullet holes in the windshield.

"One of the paintings we took is worth five hundred thousand. Why would he want something worth a fraction of that?"

"Where's Wolfie?" Vanar asked.

"He's at home. I forgot to bring him. We can't go back for him right now. I'm sorry," Boda told him.

Loki held out his hand, the small stuffed wolf materializing in it. He turned to Vanar in the backseat, handing it to the boy.

"Are you a magician?" Vanar asked in awe.

"Something of the sort," Loki answered.

"Can you teach me a trick? I want to pull a rabbit out of a hat."

"Any fool can do that," Loki scoffed, "I can teach you far better and more useful tricks."

"As if I didn't already have my hands full," Boda commented.

Loki opened the car door, exiting the car and walking around to the passenger side, opening the door and kneeling down, raising Boda's blouse a few inches to reveal a bullet wound in her side.

"This should be healing," Loki said as a thought struck him, "The wine…"

"He poured it from the same bottle he poured his own...the salt! What could it have been?"

"I'm neither an apothecary nor a healer. However, there are both in Asgard," Loki stated.

"You can't take me back! Your father will never pass the throne to you!"

"When he learns of my relations with you since your exile the outcome will likely be the same."

"But...you were going to take him back with you anyway?"

"He can't remain here," said Loki, bowing his head, "You know as well as I my father has always favored my brother. It's unlikely he would have chosen me as his heir," Loki said, obviously pained to admit the truth as Boda raised her hand, caressing Loki's cheek.

Loki and Boda simultaneously turned their heads towards the rear of the car at the sound of a vehicle approaching. A black Cadillac came into view, speeding up the road.

"How did he find us?" Boda asked in disbelief.

"It doesn't matter. We have to go. Now!" Loki said with urgency.

Loki assisted Boda to stand. As she leaned against the car, he stuck his head in, looking into the back seat at Vanar who sat playing with Wolfie.

"Vanar…come with me…quickly!" Loki commanded, Vanar unbuckling his seatbelt, climbing up between the seats clutching Wolfie, Loki taking his hand helping him out of the car, "Hold onto my hand. Don't let go."

Loki put a supportive arm around Boda, leading her and Vanar away from the car. As they neared the burn marks in the road from the night before, the black Cadillac slid to a stop past Boda's parked vehicle, the doors flying open, armed men jumping out of the driver and passenger seat, Dario wearing only a button down shirt, sans suit jacket climbing out of the back.

"Anne, let's talk..." said Dario.

"Heimdall! Bring us back!" Loki called out, a moment later the Bifrost descending, its energy knocking the gunmen and Dario back, leaving a second burn mark slightly overlapping the first.

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Heidall appeared curious yet maintaining his customary stoicism as the three entered Himinbjorg from out of the blinding light of the Bifrost, Loki gripping Vanar's hand, his other arm securely hooked around Boda's waist.

"Welcome home," Heimdall greeted Loki.

Heimdall observed the look of both fright and amazement plastered over Vanar's face, the boy's mouth gaping open. He removed the sword from the pedestal that activated the Bifrost and sheathed it, approaching Vanar and getting down on one knee in front of him.

"Welcome to Asgard. My name is Heimdall. What's yours?" Heimdall asked.

"Vanar."

"A warrior's name. Who is your friend?" Heimdall said, indicating the stuffed wolf Vanar clutched in his hand, his other hand still gripping Loki's.

"Wolfie."

"A fine companion. I'm pleased to meet you, Vanar."

"You have a gold helmet too," Vanar commented.

"I do. Would you like to try it on?" Heimdall asked, removing his helmet and placing it on Vanar's small head, holding it to support its weight, "A bit large but you'll grow into it."

Heimdall removed his helmet from Vanar's head, replacing it on his own and standing, for the first time noticing the blood staining Boda's blouse and her condition as she slumped, unable to remain on her feet. Relieving Loki, Heimdall lifted her in his arms.

"She needs a healer," Loki said.

"She shall have one," Heimdall replied, swiftly moving towards the exit of Himinbjorg, Loki leading Vanar by the hand to follow them onto the Rainbow Bridge.