Odin frowned.
This was not an answer he had expected.
The universe was vast. The Nine Realms under Asgard's control were nothing more than the tip of the iceberg. Beyond them lay countless unknowns, even to him.
He did not doubt that Nolan Locke had the ability to travel the cosmos. What he did not understand was why Nolan had chosen to leave Earth at this particular time.
Nolan had no obligation to explain.
"So," Nolan said with a faint smile, "what are your plans for Thor and Loki?"
There was a trace of anticipation in his expression. Every time he saw those two brothers, he had the urge to beat them senseless. Now that Odin had given implicit approval, this felt like an opportunity he could not waste.
"After all, they're in Asgard. You can't expect me to march in there and start trouble."
Odin's gaze deepened.
"They will come. And soon."
Nolan raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly do you want me to do when they arrive?"
"You'll know when the time comes."
Nolan rolled his eyes.
Talking to ancient beings like Odin, who had lived for who knew how many millennia, felt like setting his own brain on fire.
Still, it did not matter. If Odin refused to be clear, Nolan would simply handle things his own way.
"Fine. Then let's talk about payment. Where is the Reality Stone?"
This time, Nolan's tone turned serious.
He needed that stone. Only by securing it could he feel any real sense of control.
Each of the six Infinity Stones possessed different abilities, but all of them were terrifyingly powerful. Among them, the Reality Stone was especially critical. After all, rewriting reality was the very foundation of the Snap.
Odin smiled faintly.
"It's inside Jane Foster."
Nolan froze for a moment, genuine surprise flashing across his face.
"That's impossible."
The Reality Stone had indeed once been inside Jane Foster. But during the Dark Elf incident, it had already been extracted.
There was no way Odin, of all people, would put something so dangerous back into her.
What Nolan did not know was that his own existence had influenced Odin's decision.
Originally, Odin had planned to entrust the Infinity Stones to various powerful entities as his life came to an end, such as the Collector.
But after discovering Nolan and speaking with the Ancient One, Odin had changed his mind.
He handed the Space Stone to the Collector, but the far more crucial Reality Stone had been returned to Jane Foster.
"That works in your favor, does it not?" Odin said calmly.
Nolan let out a quiet breath and nodded.
It did make things easier in some ways. But at the same time, he could not shake the feeling that he had been maneuvered into position.
And he did not like that feeling at all.
"I examined Jane before. There was no trace of the Reality Stone's energy."
"That is because I concealed it," Odin replied. "If you want to obtain the Reality Stone, there is only one way."
Nolan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"When Jane Foster is on the brink of death, the stone will reveal itself to protect her. That moment is your only opportunity to extract it. At any other time, she remains completely hidden. No one can take it, at least not while my magic still lingers."
Troublesome.
That was the only word in Nolan's mind.
How exactly was he supposed to push Jane Foster to the brink of death?
He could hardly walk up and do it himself.
They were not close, but they were not strangers either. There was at least some degree of familiarity between them.
Odin really had a talent for setting up impossible problems.
"Fine. I understand."
Just as the conversation ended, Nolan suddenly felt a chill crawl up his spine.
His instincts flared.
He turned sharply toward the window.
Two figures were racing toward the Locke Tower, one chasing the other.
The one behind held Mjolnir, lightning flickering in his eyes.
"Loki!"
Thor roared, hurling the hammer forward.
Crash!
The reinforced glass at the top of the tower shattered instantly.
Nolan's expression darkened.
Loki landed awkwardly on the floor, and Thor burst in right after him.
They had arrived faster than expected.
Nolan glanced back, but Odin had already vanished.
Of course he had.
"You'd better have a good explanation," Nolan said coldly.
Thor, still burning with anger, ignored him completely. Loki did the same.
Gods.
That was how they saw themselves.
Even though both of them had suffered at Nolan's hands before, the Nolan standing here now appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary human.
And ordinary humans did not intimidate gods.
Nolan understood their attitude immediately.
Good.
That made things simpler.
Without hesitation, he walked straight toward Loki.
Loki smirked. "Careful, Nolan. You might want to consider your situation. That big guy won't hesitate just because you're human."
Even as he spoke, he edged closer to Nolan.
In his mind, Thor would never attack Nolan recklessly. That hesitation was all he needed to escape.
A perfect plan.
Thor, indeed, hesitated.
He did not like Nolan, but they had worked together before. And Nolan now seemed defenseless. A stray bolt of lightning might kill him outright.
Still, letting Loki escape was not an option.
What he did not notice was Nolan's expression.
There was no fear. Only amusement.
"Hey," Loki said, now within two steps, "why are you still coming closer?"
He had already seen Thor lower his hammer.
Everything was under control.
Then Nolan moved.
In an instant, his muscles surged, power flooding through his body as the genetic engine activated.
Boom!
Loki hit the ground hard.
His mind went blank.
"I… got taken down?"
Confusion flooded his thoughts.
He had been beaten before. By Thor. By the Hulk. Those were monsters.
But Nolan Locke?
That made no sense.
Nolan looked down at him coldly.
"Have you figured out how to explain this?"
"You damn—"
Loki sprang up, anger flashing in his eyes.
There had to be something wrong.
No mortal could overpower him like that.
This time, he prepared himself, reaching out to grab Nolan.
He was a sorcerer, yes, but he also carried Frost Giant blood. Strength was not foreign to him.
He would slam Nolan into the ground and show him what real power looked like.
The moment their hands met, Loki's face changed.
The force was overwhelming.
Before he could react, his body was lifted again.
Boom!
He hit the ground a second time.
Silence.
"Clearer now?" Nolan asked calmly.
Before Loki could answer, Thor charged in, eyes blazing.
No one else was allowed to beat his brother.
Nolan did not hold back.
He unleashed the full power of a second-generation super soldier.
Boom!
Their bodies collided.
Thor froze.
For the first time, he felt himself being overpowered.
His expression darkened as he stepped back, trying to regain control through technique.
Nolan let out a short laugh.
Thor had experience, yes. But most of his battles were against weaker foes. Against true powerhouses, he relied heavily on Mjolnir.
Nolan's combat experience, though less frequent, was against the strongest opponents imaginable. Combined with Red Queen's combat data, his technique was already refined to its peak.
When both strength and skill were superior, Thor's attempt looked almost naive.
Nolan pressed forward.
A shoulder strike slammed into Thor.
In an instant, Thor was sent flying out of the building, crashing into a nearby structure.
Lying in the rubble, he stared upward, questioning everything.
Moments later, mechanical soldiers surrounded him.
A familiar fear resurfaced.
Not long after, the three of them sat together.
Nolan sipped his coffee casually.
Thor and Loki sat stiffly, not daring to move.
"Now," Nolan said, "tell me why you're here."
The two exchanged a glance.
Finally, Thor spoke.
"We're looking for our father, Odin."
He continued, voice heavy.
"Loki imprisoned him. But when I went to rescue him, he was gone. We searched the other eight realms. Earth was our last stop."
"Loki said Odin might be in Norway. That he sensed our mother there. But we found nothing."
Thor slammed the table, cracks spreading across the glass.
Nolan's eye twitched.
That had been his favorite desk.
"I don't care where Odin is," Nolan said flatly. "But you broke into my building, attacked me, and destroyed property. How do you plan to compensate?"
Thor scoffed. "Asgard does not lack wealth."
Nolan chuckled.
"Do I look like I need money?"
Thor hesitated.
He knew very well how much Nolan earned through weapons deals, especially with Asgard.
Money was not the issue.
This was a problem.
"What do you want?" Thor asked.
Nolan leaned back.
"I don't need money. Your attitude and your actions have offended me."
He paused, then continued calmly.
"By the laws of the Nine Realms, you are now my captives. I have the right to do whatever I wish with you."
His gaze sharpened.
"So think carefully. What can you offer in exchange for your lives?"
"This is Earth!" Loki snapped. "Those laws don't apply here!"
Nolan looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Are you Earthlings?"
Silence.
Thor and Loki exchanged another look.
"We can offer wealth," Thor said slowly. "Or Asgardian magic."
Nolan shook his head.
"Money is just numbers to me. And I'm not a mage. Earth's magic is more than enough."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Try again."
The two fell silent.
They had nothing else to offer.
Finally, they settled back, stubbornly refusing to budge.
Nolan smiled.
"I see. Then I suppose I have no choice."
He set down his cup.
"I'll just have to lock you up."
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