Chapter 21: The Audit Concludes – Containment, Communication, and the Chronology Problem.
[ASGARD ROYAL LIBRARY – AFTERNOON]
Odin was overseeing the containment of the Orb. Loki had already used his magic to separate the purple Power Stone from its casing and, with astonishing focus, sealed it within a separate, rune-scribed vault adjacent to the Aether/Flame vial.
"We now hold two Stones," Odin murmured, watching the transfer. "We have never possessed this much concentrated power."
"And we've done it through bureaucracy and deception, Father," Loki noted proudly. "The Asgardian way has truly modernized."
Suddenly, the library doors flew open with a tremendous, non-Bifrost-related smash.
Hela strode in, her leather outfit ripped and scorched, but her demeanor radiating victorious, tired rage. She carried the mangled helmet of Thanos's lieutenant—a clear sign she'd won the fight.
"The audit is complete," Hela announced, throwing the helmet onto the ground. It dented the marble floor. "The enforcement officer proved... inadequate. I destroyed it."
"Welcome back, Consultant Helga," I said, stepping forward before Odin could speak. I gestured toward the runes on the floor. "Please stand here. We need to complete the de-briefing protocols."
Hela, surprisingly, complied, stepping into the containment circle. She looked at Loki. "Your escape was fast. You did not disappoint."
"You provided an excellent distraction, Sister," Loki returned, giving her a small, professional nod.
Odin, finally finding his voice, pointed to the destroyed helmet. "You risked everything, Daughter! Thanos knows we have the Stone now!"
"He knew the moment your Bifrost flared over Xandar, old man!" Hela snapped. "I simply ensured his scout wouldn't report the Queen's involvement. You should thank me for your continued political cover."
Odin fell silent. He knew Hela was right. Her brutal efficiency was exactly what Yuta's plan required.
Containment and Integration
"The next phase begins now," I declared, walking the perimeter of Hela's containment runes. "Thanos will target the remaining, known Stones. The most predictable is the Time Stone on Midgard, held by the sorcerer Doctor Strange."
"A paltry magic-user," Hela scoffed. "I shall rip the Stone from his neck."
"You'll do no such thing," I countered sharply. "We need the sorcerer alive. He's an expert on the Stones and time travel—he's a necessary asset. We need an extraction team that specializes in persuasion and subtle magic."
"Ah, my specialty," Loki purred.
"No, Loki," I shook my head. "Your face is too well-known on Midgard for chaos. This mission requires perfect anonymity."
I turned to Odin. "We need an unseen hand. Someone who can blend into Midgardian society and access the protected location of the Time Stone. Someone who has the discipline to not kill every mortal they meet."
Odin knew exactly who I meant. He sighed. "Jane Foster."
"She knows the Aether's properties, she knows Midgardian science, and she's invisible to Thanos's cosmic sensors because she's already been contained by the Dark Elves," I explained. "We use her as a proxy. But we need a silent guide."
I looked at the newest, most volatile member of the family. "Hela, your power is too disruptive. Loki is too recognizable. But Thor is big, loud, and entirely unthreatening to Midgardians who expect him to be predictable. We send him."
"Thor?" Loki gasped, aghast. "He will simply smash the temple and ask the sorcerer if he needs 'backup lightning'!"
"Precisely," I smiled. "He is the perfect distraction from the real purpose. Thor goes to ask the sorcerer for help stopping the space-worm. While he's making noise, Jane goes in and persuades Strange to give us the Stone."
Hela's New Role
Hela looked genuinely baffled by the complexity of the deceit. "You use your assets for roles they are ill-suited for. It is inefficient."
"It's improvisation, Hela. My Clause Four," I reminded her. "Your role is also changing. You are too dangerous to leave here, and too powerful to hide completely. You need to be where the chaos is, but contained."
I tapped the containment rune. "You will be attached to the new Asgardian Imperial Diplomatic Mission to Vanaheim. It's a peaceful, utterly boring realm. You are going as the Queen's Chief Compliance Officer to ensure their treaties are up to 'current cosmic standards.'"
Hela stared at me, the absurdity of being relegated to auditing treaties for the Vanir hitting her harder than any sword. "You send the Goddess of Death to audit documents?"
"Yes," I confirmed. "You are our failsafe. If Thanos's main forces attempt a direct attack on Asgard, you are the final line of defense. But until then, you practice strategic patience by reviewing paperwork."
Loki dissolved into silent, appreciative laughter.
"It will be dull, Hela," I admitted. "But it's necessary. It shows Thanos we are confident enough to send our most powerful asset away from our core holding. It's a power move."
Hela slowly smiled—a chilling, yet almost amused expression. "Very well, step-mother. But if I find one missing signature in Vanaheim, I will use the treaty scrolls to decorate the realm's main palace."
"That's the spirit," I replied. "Now, Loki, prepare the Bifrost for Jane and Thor. Time to retrieve the Time Stone."
A Chronology Problem
Later that evening, as Loki and Thor prepared for their subtle mission to Earth, I met Odin in the library, the light low.
"Do you trust Hela?" Odin asked softly, the question heavy with centuries of regret.
"No," I replied instantly. "I trust her ambition. It's a predictable variable. She wants to rule the universe more than she wants to kill us. As long as Thanos is a bigger threat, she's our asset."
I opened my notebook, staring at the timeline. "We have the Power and Reality Stones. But there's a problem, Odin. A serious chronology problem."
"The immediate threat of the Titan?" he offered.
"Worse. The Soul Stone," I whispered, pointing to a blank spot on the timeline. "We know it requires a sacrifice to retrieve it on Vormir. But we don't know where Vormir is yet, and more importantly..."
I looked at him, the weight of the original timeline settling on me.
"...In the original story, Thanos had to sacrifice the person he loved most: Gamora. To stop him, one of us will have to go to Vormir and be prepared to make that sacrifice. We have to secure the Stone without sacrificing a hero."
Odin looked out over the glowing Asgardian city. "Love is the fiercest duty, you said. And now, it is the highest price.
"We need to find the location of Vormir," I said, my voice firm. "And we need a plan to pay the price without losing the asset. We need to cheat the system again, Odin."
To Be Continued…