Although logic told Arthur that dealing with a driver over something so trivial was unnecessary, he still spent two minutes teleporting the guy to a motel in New Mexico.
Why? Because Arthur had left a teleportation marker there, and this was too good an opportunity to waste.
Before reaching out to Jane, he had nearly forgotten about the marker, but now it was being put to use—on a driver.
"What a waste."
Returning to the drop-off point, Arthur dismissed the Pen of Thoth and strode toward the looming structure in front of him.
The building was abandoned and incomplete—whether due to financial collapse, corporate negligence, or something more sinister was anyone's guess.
According to the intel Natasha had sent over, this location was tagged as an '084.'
The moment Arthur arrived, he sensed an unusual energy pulsing from within.
"So, can anyone tell me the best way to deal with a building like this..." He exhaled lightly and was just about to activate The Eye of Horus to scan the interior when the roar of an engine behind him interrupted his thoughts.
Glancing over his shoulder, he raised an eyebrow.
A car sped toward him and screeched to a sudden halt.
With a sharp squeal of brakes, three people jumped out.
"You really came." Jane took two steps toward Arthur before shifting her gaze to the building. "Did this place catch your attention too? Is this what you wanted to tell me about last night?"
"Hey."
Besides Jane, there was a man and a woman. Arthur didn't recognize the man, but he had seen the woman before— though they hadn't spoken.
The woman studied him for a moment before turning to Jane. "Why does he look kind of familiar? What exactly did you two do last night?"
Arthur ignored her and addressed Jane instead. "I told you to stop asking about this place."
"'Stop asking'?" Jane frowned. "I just want to know where Thor is!"
"...Why does this feel like a soap opera?" Arthur muttered, rubbing his temples. "Listen, what's happening here isn't something you can handle."
"Oh, I remember you!"
The black-haired woman suddenly pointed at him. "You're the guy who can lift cars like they're made of cardboard! And you had a big gray guy with you, right? After that SHIELD agent showed up, I saw you take off your mask!"
Arthur smiled. "Glad you remember that. But that guy isn't just an agent… he's an Avenger."
Jane squared her shoulders. "Well, in that case, I have two choices for you! Either you take me to see Thor right now, or I follow you inside to see what's really going on here!"
Arthur sighed. Jane's determination was relentless— her longing for Thor had clearly reached an obsessive level.
But something didn't add up. The Bifrost hadn't been destroyed, so Thor should have been able to return to Earth anytime. Why had he been gone so long?
Was he in a new relationship?
That seemed unlikely. Even if Thor was distracted, there should have been some form of contact. He wouldn't just leave Jane waiting indefinitely.
"Heimdall!"
On that thought, Arthur called out toward the sky.
"The god who likes to keep tabs on everyone?" Jane immediately looked up, expecting a beam of rainbow light to descend.
Nothing happened.
Jane deflated, her excitement draining instantly. Arthur, too, was confused. "It's only been a year— has he really forgotten me already?"
"Are you even capable of calling him?" Jane shot him a skeptical look.
Arthur blinked. "Why don't you give it a try?"
"You think I haven't?" she snapped. "I've tried multiple times. No response."
"So, what does Heimdall mean, exactly?" the black-haired woman asked. "Some kind of code?"
Arthur gave her a pointed look. "If you value your future peace of mind, I wouldn't recommend asking that question."
"Wow, is he threatening me?" She turned to the man beside her, feigning offense.
"Should I hit him?" the man asked, clearly unsure.
"I wouldn't," the black-haired woman replied. "Believe it or not, he once tossed a car with one hand. And I don't mean pushed— I mean full-on threw it. If he really tried, he could probably launch you straight to the moon."
"I doubt that," Arthur said. "With his physique, he'd burn up before even breaching the atmosphere."
"Enough!"
Jane was reaching her limit. They were completely ignoring her.
Arthur sighed and met her gaze. "Fine. You also get two choices. Either I take you directly to New York for a while, or you stay here and wait for me. I have things to handle inside, and I'll be back once I'm done."
"You—!"
Jane clenched her fists, furious.
Arthur waved dismissively. "Enough already. I'm starting to feel like a heartless villain here. Just a reminder—I'm not Thor. I don't have to indulge your tantrums."
Though his words weren't harsh, the sheer calmness in his tone made them even more intimidating.
"I can't tolerate this!"
The man beside the black-haired woman tensed, looking ready to step in.
But she quickly grabbed his arm, keeping him from making a mistake he'd regret. The tension was thick, and she had no intention of letting her friend go up against someone like Arthur.
"Fine! Have it your way!" Jane stomped her foot and turned back to the car.
The black-haired woman let out a relieved sigh before flashing Arthur a smirk. "You know, she's actually... well, kind of a handful."
With that, she pulled the man into the car, and the vehicle sped off.
Arthur shook his head in mild amusement and, in a blink, teleported inside the building.
At the same time, he activated The Eye of Horus, setting it to monitor their movements.
At the very least, he needed to make sure they didn't stumble upon the Aether before he did.
"Now, if I do find the Aether… how the hell am I supposed to contain it?"
Arthur frowned, surveying the empty interior. "I still haven't fully mastered the Tesseract, and now I have to deal with the Aether too..."
(End of Chapter)
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