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The last several weeks had been a mix of hurried activity, combined with chaos, along with long periods of the doldrums. For a prisoner accused of the assassination of the President of the United States, security is naturally tight and the location of his imprisonment a rather strongly kept secret. Oh there certainly were a good chunk of people in the know, and not to mention that ever since he'd been taken into custody a rather serious storm cloud seemed to be over Washington D.C. Yet for the Asgardian known as Loki Odinson… he'd been out of the limelight for a good chunk of time.
All of that changed Sunday morning when word got out to the newspapers that he was to make an appearance in court. The reporters exploded into a rush of activity, hurrying about, mobbing their contacts, staking out the likely places. It wasn't until a few hours into the morning that more information was gained and when the mob descended upon the Superior Court of D.C.
For a time the reporters hung around outside until finally… eventually the cavalcade rolled up. A quarter of long black cars with agents hurrying out beforehand. There was little to no heads up and the extraction was quick. There he was for a moment, the man of the moment. Picture bulbs flashed, and with a smile the man from another world held up his hand and offered a small smile even as he was ushered forwards by several men in heavy coats. It was straight into the courtroom and to business.
That left just a few of the operatives outside to answer questions.
Yes, Loki Odinson is cooperating.
Yes, he's consulting counsel and may offer a plea soon.
Yes, he does maintain his innocence, though there are other matters to consider.
It was chaos, and it was wild, and yet the man accused of the crime. He seemed to love it.
*
Down at the end of the hallway, Steve Rogers is seated and wearing a simple black suit, white dress shirt and black tie. If anyone bothered to stop and notice, they would probably recognize him, but this was his attempt at blending in. He's seated on the bench, chewing on some sunflower seeds as Loki spills out into the hallway and things get hectic.
Steve wipes off his hands and stands, looking for Sue, as it looks like the booking is over and it's time to get over toward the "holding facility" (which is actually just a nice house out in the country that Loki can come and go from as he pleases, provided he disguises himself).
*
With her hair tugged in a ponytail, dressed favourite yellow a-line dress, and a black jacket easily worn overtop, Sue Storm manages a tight smile as she turns a corner to join Captain Rogers. Her black high heels clap authoritatively against the floor and her posture is near perfect. Yet something in her eyes wears uneasily. Crow's feet line her eyes while deep shadows encircle them. She's feeling well enough to be here, but one of the Fantastic vagrants lingers along the side of the hall.
She stands next to Steve and manages a crisp smile, "Captain Rogers," she greets easily enough as her hands tuck into the pockets of her dress.
A small smile tugs at her lips; it's weary, but present.
*
Inside the courthouse things are just as hectic. There are representatives from over a dozen law enforcement agencies present, everyone wants their piece of the pie, the key to future funding, a little bit of the fame that comes with being in the picture.
Sheriff Leavelle stands at one end of the hallway in his white cowboy hat, having been insistent on getting the primary credit for the collar despite Hoover's demands otherwise. He's holding court with some members of the press who have been allowed in without any of their cameras, merely to take notes. Then down the other way is Chief Layton of the district. Despite having nothing to do with the investigation, it's still his jurisdiction that's being used for the formal proceedings… so important to get in those shots with the press.
And then there are the lawyers. A group of rather well to do individuals hired some to speak on behalf of Loki, though he had no idea who had put them up to it. Or claimed to have no idea. They hounded the proceedings constantly, but such is due process.
Inside the hall, it's a circus. The noise is loud, people are talking over each other, even as things get done inside the court room. The Asgardian is sequestered for a time, though it takes perhaps ten minutes for the motions to be made. It's only after that when the various groups start to gather to get ready for the procession back out of the place.
*
"Hey," Steve replies and gives Sue a faint smile. He gives her a bit of a double take. Something seems off about her, but he confesses to himself that he does not know her well enough to pick up on how she's feeling. "Kind of a zoo, huh?"
Pause.
"Seeds?" he asks, shrugging his shoulders as he offers the young woman his bag.
*
A tight-lipped smile follows the question. "It really is a zoo," few with disagree with Steve's assessment. Sue chuckles at the notion of seeds and her head shakes slightly at the seeds, "No, but thank you. Food doesn't agree with me much lately." Her smile extends slightly and she shrugs.
The doors open and procession moves, prompting Sue to give a small tick of her head. She traipses after the Loki entourage, steps increasing in pace with a sharp staccato. "Show time~" she virtually sings.
*
And out into the hall saunters the procession. Sheriff Leavelle slips into the group as the lawyers come after. A group of uniformed police officers motion to clear the hallway, their movements clean and precise while they scan the area and take steps to keep things moving. Yet all the while the Asgardian moves along with a rather calm look to him, a faint smile playing about his features as he moves. So many law enforcement officials, so many agents and operatives, all keeping security tight.
Steve might recognize a few faces in the crowd. Agents from the FBI, the CIA, there's even a SHIELD agent who gives the man a nod in passing. And then the time for casual reflection is gone when the Asgardian walks past, the hub bub brushing past. For a moment he glances to the side, catching Sue's eye in passing. A faint nod is offered, recognition, acknowledgement perhaps. But then the crew are angled for, instead of the front doors, for the basement and the car park beneath.
It's to the stairs that they go, footsteps heavy and echoing loud in the enclosed flight. Down to the exit carpark to the motorcade…
And then suddenly the press is there. Those double doors open and there are lights flashing, television cameras jammed forwards, and reporters all hustling for the story.
"Loki, Loki! Teddy Aames, Washington Post! Why did you do it, Loki?!"
"Loki, are you single, is there a lady in your life?"
"Loki, New York Daily Press, Did the commies put you up to it?"
*
"Yeah, well if you're going to get sick, give fair warning, huh?" Steve says as he begins walking towards the vehicle he and Sue will tail Loki and the authorities in. "If it's the flu, I'm sorry and we can stop for some orange juice. If it's pregnancy, well, congratulations."
Steve approaches the car and opens the door. It's a sweet, cherry red sports car. Ever since James Bond came out, the government has been putting a bit more effort into their equipment, apparently.
*
Nathan Bridger, dressed in his lime green suit, black thick-framed coke-bottle glasses, of Daily Bugle notoriety, follows the throng of people, keeping as close to Loki as possible. "Loki! Loki! Some are suggesting that your act was one of terrorism? What would you say to your critics?" The lanky, tall reporter closes the distance as much as he can between himself and Loki himself. "Do you have a comment for the Daily Bugle?"
"I'll try to remember — " Sue's nose wrinkles at the remark. Well. That's early to discuss. Her expression takes on a nearly pinched quality. " — thanks? Mum's the word though," her eyebrows lift expectantly. "We haven't even announced our engagement," it's been a bit of a whirlwind the last two months. She follows to the car and waits outside it.
*
Turning to the side as he continues to walk, Loki flashes that now somewhat famoust smile to Nathan, "I would tell them that they are curiously interpreting my words and perhaps they're being disingenuous." He offers to the man even as he seems to look past him and let the flow of the law enforcement officials carry him along like a wave of humanity leading him towards the four dark vehicles lined up for the extraction.
On the periphery, however, the police officers continue to try and establish a cordon, to push back against the press of bodies and get some room. One jostles the television camera, causing viewers at home to lose focus for a moment. To the right of the screen a man turns to press another reporter out of the way, a man known as Ichabod Jones to some, to others he's one of those SHIELD agents from the Bull Pen. "Clear out, stay back."
Yet even as he says this the man turns smoothly, stepping back into the flow of the procession. The movement he makes is clean, without a hint of a tell. One instant he's working crowd-control, and the next his hand goes to his front pocket and withdraws a curious device that looks like a cigarette case with several wires and a focusing lens. It seems like the most natural thing in the world as he brings it up and suddenly there's a bright greyish glare of light that casts the entire scene in a curious hue. A glare of light that lashes out with the whiplash speed of hurtled plasma that flashes straight into Loki.
*
The door hangs there as Steve springs into motion. He closes the distance in three incredibly quick steps and gives launch, attempting to tackle the shooter even before the echo of the weapon stops ringing in everyone's ear. As he approaches, he only realizes that the shooter is a SHIELD agent at the last moment, and Steve feels a bitter pang of betrayal just before he comes upon the man, eager to bury him into the cement.
*
The sound of the weapon has a reactionary forcefield forming around Doctor Storm. The ping of psionic energy falls moments later when Sue bolts to a run, chasing after Steve full speed ahead to close the distance between her and Loki.
The weapon emits array that spreads outwards, wholly intended to not leave its target room for a getaway, but simultaneously creating victims among the bystanders and press interested in the case.
*
Even as Ichabod Jones goes down under the weight of Rogers' impact, the damage is done. Several other bystanders collapse as portions of their body seems to come apart, breaking into small fragments and collapsing to the floor as if turned to dusty remnants of human beings. Voices rise, screams cry out, and then the energy fades, blast corrected by Sue's instinctive effort.
Yet amongst the chaos the reporters, those not running for their lives, are still recording and taking pictures. They catch on the small screen as Loki reels back, the blackish energy having scorched his arm and lashing up his body. First his hand turns to dust and scatters amongst the ashes, then his arm. He reaches for it as if to stave the reaction with his grip…
"You fools!" His voice rises angrily, echoing ominously in the acoustics of the enclosed car park. "Do you have any idea what you've done!" He cries even as he staggers back, the contours of his body glowing brighter and brighter as if some form of energy were reaching critical mass. Only for that energy to release as he explodes.
*
Steve is punching Jones and does his best to kick the weapon away. It's only at the last moment where he realizes that Loki is in trouble. He reaches his hand out towards him, but it's too late.
*
Without giving it a second thought, having closed the distance, Sue's hands lift. Invisible psionic energy forms a solid bubble around the increasingly kinetic Loki. The bubble becomes increasingly solid, aiming to contain whatever energy output the Asgardian is about to release. There's little more she can do than contain whatever output is about to happen.
*
The pressure forming underneath Loki's skin bubbles, almost as if he is boiling from the inside out. Cracks in his skin begin to form, allowing the glow within to seep through in increasingly growing crevices of his very insides. The pressure continues as Loki curls into himself. The burst of light rips him apart from the inside out — spreading almost like a newborn star contained inside that forcefield.
The loud resounding bang of the explosion spreads and brightens across the scene. The flash of light blinds those in the vicinity, emitting a large displaced light into the world, and acting as a beacon from the centre of the courthouse steps.
It's fortunate that the forcefield holds, protecting the bystanders from Loki's explosion. It was too late, however, to protect them from the weapon in the first place. Many lay across the pavement, wounded by the black array of chemical energy that spreads across their beings.
The device that caused the chain reaction lingers on the pavement as well, slowly melting into nothing but composite metals along the sidewalk.
Convinced the madness has, momentarily, ended, bewildered, Sue's hands lower. The black scorch on the pavement, and the crater created by the Asgardian's untimely exit from the worth remain the only evidence that something ever lingered there.