Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Stalking

2011

Puente Antiguo, New Mexico

S.H.I.E.L.D Crater Investigation Site

One day Later

 

(Omniscient POV)

Agent Coulson as well as several other S.H.I.E.L.D Agents stand across from Erik Selvig as the scientist stands outside the gate entrance to the base.

"Donald Blake?" Coulson questions as the Agents watch Erik for any sudden moves, their weapons at the ready.

"Doctor Donald Blake. He's part of our team." Erik explains.

Coulson eyes the man with a suspicious gaze.

"You have very dangerous coworkers, Dr. Selvig."

Erik's face started to sweat a little at Coulson's gaze, but he pushed through his nervousness to continue his ruse.

"Troubled, not dangerous. He was distraught when he discovered that you'd taken all of our research. It was years of his life, gone! He got depressed, started drinking, and... well, you know the rest."

Coulson's suspicious look didn't leave his face as he studies the old scientist.

"Uh-huh. You mind if we take a moment to verify his identity?"

"Certainly." Erik nods as a S.H.I.E.L.D technician at a nearby computer runs the name, Donald Blake.

Silence settles between the two for a moment as Erik nervously shuffles his feet.

"Y-you can understand how a man could go off like that. I mean, a big, faceless organization like yours, coming in with their jack-booted thugs and stealing private property...is how Dr. Blake described it."

"That doesn't explain how a scientist managed to tear through our security?"Coulson questions but Erick just shrugs nervously.

"S-Steroids. He's a bit of a fitness nut."

A small amused smile come to Coulson's lips but the look of suspicion never left his eyes.

On the S.H.I.E.L.D Tech's monitor, a DMV record from the State of New York pops up reading "DR. DONALD BLAKE". The license photo is indeed a picture of Thor, but the picture looked like it was taken with a cellphone.

The Tech hits a button, and a graphic reading, "SHIELD SECURITY ANALYSIS IN PROGRESS" popped on the screen.

Coulson eyes the screen. After a while, he turns back to Erick.

"It says here he's an M.D."

"H-he is. That is, he was. He switched careers and became a physicist. He's quite brilliant, really. If you would just release him to me, I promise to keep an eye on him."

Coulson returns his gaze towards the computer screen and thinks, looking back at Erick, he sizes the man up in his head before suddenly a big smile comes to his face. He turns to a nearby Agent.

"Release...'Dr. Blake' to Dr. Selvig here."

The Agent looks over at him, surprised. Coulson just nods as the Agent moves to follow his orders.

"Make sure he stays in town for the next few days in case we need to talk to him again," Coulson says as Erik shakes his hand.

"Thank you."

After a moment Thor, hands cuffed behind his back, was escorted out of the base. Four S.H.I.E.L.D Agents kept their gun trained on the man as he was led to the entrance gate.

" Donny! There you are!" Erik yells as Thor looks up, unsure what the hell is going on.

An Agent releases him from the handcuffs as Erik moves to give him a warm hug.

"It's going to be all right, my friend. Come on, I'm taking you home."

He lets go and leads the bewildered Thor toward the entrance gates.

As Thor and Erik make their way past the SHIELD Security Room, Thor notices Jane's possessions and equipment from the Smith Motors lab stacked under a tarp.

He spots Jane's handwritten journal among them. As he passes, he quickly tries to take it from the pile and pocket it, but a powerful grip wrapped around his wrist stopping his hand before he could touch it.

Looking up Thor sees a familiar pair of cold Hazel eyes looking at him through a menacing painted skull mask.

The two stares at each other for a second as the masked Agent lets go of his wrist and moves back to his position beside a smiling Coulson.

Waving at the two Coulson calls out, "Just keep him away from the bars."

"I will!" Erik responds as the pair continue their way out of the base.

Coulson looks at the computer bearing Donald Blake's DMV record. A security warning over the image clearly reads "SECURITY ALERT: FALSIFIED DATA."

He knows the entire story has been a ruse all along. He looks over at Selvig and Thor heading away from the Security Room, his eyes following them outside as they climb into an SUV.

As the pair drive off, Coulson turns to the masked Agent beside him.

"Take a small team and follow them."

************

Puente Antiguo, New Mexico

Rooster Roadhouse Bar & Grill

Two Hours Later

 

Thor and Erik sit at a booth at the back of the local dive. The bartender sets down a couple of mugs of beer and two shots of whiskey. Erik pours the shot into his mug and downs it. Thor follows his example.

"Seems Darcy's a terrible intern, but a talented hacker," Erik says while putting his empty mug on the counter.

Thor downs his drink and looks over at the man appreciatively.

"Thank you for what you've done."

Erik just nods at his words.

"Don't thank me. I only did it for Jane."

"Are you in love with her?" Thor questions as Erik's face takes on the look of utter shock.

"Of course not! Jane's like a daughter to me! Her father and I taught at University together. A good man, but he never listened."

This registers with Thor as he remembers his relationship with his own father.

"Neither did I."

Erik eyes him with interest.

"I don't know if you're really delusional, and I really don't care at this point. I just care about her. I've seen the way she looks at you."

Thor looks over at the man, a sincere look coming to his face.

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"I swear to you, I mean her no harm."

Erik studies him for a second before nodding his head.

"Good. If that's the case, then I'll buy you one more drink, and you'll leave town tonight."

A long pause takes place, then Thor nods and takes a drink.

Downing it, a defeated look overtakes Thor's face and he lets out a tired sigh.

"I had it all backwards. I had it all wrong."

Erik watches him keenly. This is a different Thor than he's seen before.

"It's not a bad thing, finding out that you don't have all the answers. That's when you start asking the right questions."

Thor takes in the man's words.

"I was once a triumphant prince who never knew anything else but victory. But that's gone now. For the first time in my life, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do."

Erik sips his drink and then turns toward the lost man beside him.

"Anyone who's ever going to find their way in this world has to start by admitting they don't know where the hell they are."

Thor nods at the wise words.

"Hey, I know you, man." A voice interrupts the two as Thor looks back to see a well-built young man with medium-length black hair that was shaved on the side and tattoos running down both his arms.

A look of intoxication was in the young man's hazel eyes and he carried himself with a drunken demeanor.

The drunk young man sizes Thor up and approaches, belligerent

and looking for a fight.

"You're the one going around town with that hot scientist girl."

The drunk guy reaches the pair and Thor doesn't like where this is going.

"I wouldn't mind her doing a little research on me." The guy makes a rude gesture and laughs at his own words as a look of annoyance fills Thor's face.

"I have no quarrel with you. But she's a lady. You should be more respectful." Thor says while trying to ignore the drunkard.

"And you should shut the fuck up, bitch boy."

Erik looks over to Thor, concerned that he's going to lose it. But, to his surprise, Thor remains unaffected by the drunk guy's baiting.

"I will not fight him," Thor says as he sees Erik looking at him.

"Then it'll be easy to kick your ass. A bitch like you doesn't deserve a fine piece of ass like that."

The guy moves toward Thor but Erik stands, and steps between the two.

"Gentlemen, please. Let's keep our heads."

Suddenly, Erik tries to headbutt the drunkard but is only sent tumbling head first into tables as the man deftly dodges it.

Thor moves to help the old man but is stopped at the drunk guy seizes him up by the collar and pulls him up off his feet.

"Alright, that's enough! Think it's time you leave guy!!"

Everyone looks over to see the bartender aiming a small pistol toward the drunk young man.

The drunk eyes the bartender then places Thor down on his feet before raising his hands in surrender.

"Chill dude, I'm leaving. This bitch isn't worth it anyway." The young man states as he quickly leaves the bar.

Thor helps Erik up to his feet and the two look at each other before laughing at the bizarre situation.

"Another drink?" Erik asks and the pair continue their good night.

Unbeknownst to them, a tiny thin device was placed on the back of Thor's shirt collar.

***********

Puente Antiguo, New Mexico

Smith Motors Lab

One day later

 

(Jack POV)

Darcy and Erik sit at a card table, drinking coffee. Thor holds a couple of plates as Jane makes eggs on a hotplate. She scoops them out onto the plates. Thor takes them over to the table and sets them down before Erik and Darcy. Jane and Thor sit with the others and start to eat their breakfast, all of them looking like a little family.

On a roof across the street from Smith Motors, Agent Cale and I continue our surveillance, bored out of our wits.

I watch the group through the lab window with binoculars as Agent Cale listens to the commlink and then turns toward me.

"The Captain wants an update," He states.

"Tell him they're just eating eggs."

"Scrambled or fried?"Cale jokes as I turn to glare at him.

"Either take the mission seriously or I tell the Captain you slacking and you know he doesn't tolerate incompetence," I state.

Cale nervously clears his throat before returning to the commlink.

"Target is just eating, sir. We'll keep you posted."

***********

Puente Antiguo, New Mexico

 

(Brock POV)

"Target is just eating, sir. We'll keep you posted." The voice reported over the comms.

"Copy, don't take your eyes off him," I order while turning off the comms.

Moving towards the back of another building on the street I take off the bag on my back and pull out one of the many c4 charges I...confiscated from the S.H.I.E.L.D armory.

Planting the charge at the base of the building, I continue to slink through the backstreets and alleyways towards the next building.

A small murderous smile plastered firmly on my face.

************

A/N: Hey guys! As always I hope you enjoyed the chapter and thanks for reading!!

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