Wendy's Tale

With lunch finished and with it also being largely a peaceful one Tom and Wendy came back into the living room to join Loki. He had decided against joining the others to eat in the kitchen. He sat in his chair now reading a newspaper. Tom paused, he looked so normal sitting there in normal clothes doing a normal everyday activity of reading the paper. It was time they started looking for those taken from Hiddlesgard by the real Loki.

Tom had found an old fold-out map of London, unfolded it and placed it on the coffee table. Wendy fluttered over and landed on his shoulder. She gazed down at the map.

“We have quite an area to search. London is very big. Anywhere you think we should try Wendy?”

Tom looked across at her. Wendy frowned and then leant forward over Tom’s shoulder. Tom could hear her quietly chirping to herself. She always did that when she was thinking. Tom couldn’t help but have a little smile.

Loki peered over the top of the newspaper, eugh! He rolled his eyes. Such a display, the Midgardian going all wide-eyed and soft over the Wendy. He flapped the pages of the paper and continued reading. Tom ignored Loki and spoke again to Wendy.

"Can you sense anything through looking at the map?" Wendy blinked at Tom then fluttered down from his shoulder on to the map and started waddling around on it.

Tom heard Loki mutter behind the newspaper.

"If you have anything useful to add then please join us otherwise would you please be quiet and let Wendy concentrate. The sooner we sort this the better then you can go back to Hiddlesgard and leave us in peace."

Loki sighed and then folded up the newspaper, he leant forward in his chair.

"You think she will be able to show the exact locations of all them on that map? She has no idea about this city, the map means nothing to her."

"Well it's a darn sight better than just wandering the streets trying this road and that road, pot luck. At least this way we might be able to narrow down their location before we start." Tom was impressed. He was standing up to Loki. He needed Tom. If Tom felt he needed to speak out he would.

Loki was about to return a snide remark when Wendy started bouncing up and down excitedly on the map. She was chirping and pointing with her whiskers. Tom leant over Wendy and looked closely at the map. He smiled.

"Lambeth Road... The Imperial War Museum?"

Wendy bounced and chirped. She was waving her whiskers.

He sat up straight and smiled at Loki.

"I think we have found Freddie!"

Loki hated Tom and Wendy right now. She was a very clever little creature. At least he was now one step closer to getting back to Hiddlesgard.

A short while later Tom and Loki had left his apartment and were walking towards the Imperial War Museum. Wendy was tucked securely inside his jacket pocket. They had left the other Wendys settled infront of the television again. There was a Humphrey Bogard movie marathon on so they were extremely happy. Sparkz had tried to leave with Tom but he had told him no and that he had to stay behind with the others. Sparkz was not at all happy that he had to stay behind so when Tom and Loki were not looking he slipped again into Loki's jacket pocket and stayed very quiet. He was not going to miss out on an adventure.

Once inside the museum Tom had worked out a plan with Wendy. He placed his right hand inisde his pocket and she would tap a finger to show him which direction to walk. His index finger to turn left, his middle finger to turn right. Loki spent most of the time looking at the exhibitions, fascinated by the technology used by Midgardians in battle. Strange machines he had not seen before apart from one. One that flew in the skies of Hiddlesgard. It was piloted by the person they were looking for, Freddie Page. The fact that the Wendy had guided them to this place was no coincidence.

They had been wandering around for nearly an hour before Tom spotted someone very familiar to him, but it wasn't Freddie it was Bill. Bill was here too? He thought it was just Magnus and Freddie. He was about to wave a greeting and go over when he paused and looked closer at Bill. He didn't look like the Bill he remembered. He was bouncy and excitable like a young puppy but this Bill looked exhausted and tired. His eyes were sad and looked sunken and his face was pale. He looked ill. Tom felt a jolt go through him. How long had Bill been here? Then out of the crowd he saw Freddie. He did not look as ill as Bill but did look tired. Freddie gently guided Bill to a nearby seat and helped him slowly to sit. Tom could not believe the difference he saw in Bill. The boy could hardly move. Tom noticed Freddie place a protective arm around Bill and speak quietly to him. Bill gave a weak smile. Then Bill's face suddenly lit up when he saw Tom standing a few feet away. He tugged eagerly at Freddie's jacket sleeve and pointed towards where Tom was standing. Freddie's lips broke into a large grin and he got up and walked quickly over to Tom.

"Oh my god! It is you! God it's good to see you." He shook Tom's hand firmly then let it go, a few seconds later he pulled Tom into a tight hug.

"It's good to see you too." Tom smiled Tom. He looked towards Bill, his face fell. Bill smiled weakly and waved a hand at Tom. Tom smiled back.

"What happened to Bill?" he asked

"Loki happened." Freddie spat. "Bill was the first to be taken, then Hal..."

"HAL?" Tom's eyes opened wide.

"He is here too?" Tom stood looking at Freddie in astonishment.

"Yes as is Magnus."

"Loki told me about Magnus." replied Tom.

Freddie's face grew hard and he frowned.

"You are here with Loki?"

"Yes" replied Tom. He told me about what had happened."

"Don't trust him an inch," shot back Freddie. He gazed around looking past tanks and military vehicles. "Where is he now?"

Tom turned and looked behind him... no sign of Loki.

"He was just behind me..." Tom sighed.

"There in the corner by the tank. Tom pointed to the far end of the room. Loki was standing by a large tank, reading the information about it.

"Make sure he stays far away from me." Freddie sneered.

He pointed towards Bill.

"Poor lad has been here weeks, got disorientated. he tried to find you but did not know where you lived."

"While Loki is busy come over, he's too weak to walk very far."

As they approached Bill got to his feet and wobbled unsteadily.

"Tom, Tom, Tom." his little pale face lit up with his smile.

"Oh Tom I knew you would find us." His legs began to give way. Tom caught him and held him steady.

"It's OK Bill, I've got you."

Tom and Freddie gently guided Bill back to his seat.

They were being watched intently by Loki. He had been watching them all the time but had made sure it did not look too obvious. He had been lurking around the tank for about 15 minutes. He was about to head back towards Tom when he heard a familiar voice.

"You could not stop them teaming up could you?"

Loki turned to face the voice he knew.

"What could I do? The creature remembered him."

"You could have tried harder."

A tall, lean figure in a dark suit walked towards him. He was wearing a patterned silk scarf and had shoulder length black hair. He walked towards Loki slowly and deliberately, carrying what looked like a cane.

"I set you one simple little task and you cannot even succeed at that, and you think you are just like me. You are a pale immitation, a shadow, a reflection."

Loki bristled at the insult from the other. He had only agreed to go along with the other's plan as he had promised him knowledge. Knowledge to go beyond Hiddlesgard. He did not enjoy being toyed with like a cat with a mouse. He WAS Loki too no matter what the other said.

"I shall give you a chance to redeem yourself, stop the Midgardian and his 'pet'. I care not how you do it, just make sure they do not find the others. You know I am watching."

With that the other walked around the side of the tank, once out of sight he vanished.

Loki was now alone again. He gazed back towards Tom. A plan forming in his head. He smirked.

Sparkz sat silently inside Loki's pocket, hardly daring to breathe. He had heard everything...