"Alright," Steve agreed. "You think this is our best option?"

"For the moment? Yes. If it doesn't work, we can come up with something else. But for now, this is our best shot." Tony shrugged. "It shouldn't be that bad. You might even get lucky and they won't show up." He grinned briefly, ignoring the scowl Steve sent his way.

"I don't mind spending part of my day out at the park or something," Elaine said. "Even if I'm not getting paid for it."

Tony waved that way. "I'll tell Fury you're helping us. I'm sure you'll get your hazard pay." He grinned. "No need to worry about that."

"If I have to call him again about hazard pay, I'm telling him to put us on regular payroll," Elaine said frankly. "Just to be done with it."

Tony snorted. "He may as well," he agreed. "You two are getting more and more involved, after all."

"That's what I said," Elaine replied. "Kae agrees. But anyways, back to the subject at hand."

"Yes. Well, Steve can come back to get you later on, and you two can get settled in at the park. Thor and I will be watching, and the other three if I can get them involved too." Tony shrugged. "Sound like an acceptable plan?"

Steve sighed faintly. If he had to do this, that was as good a plan as any. At least he knew there would be others watching too, in case he didn't spot the gods right away.

Then a thought occured to him.

"Tony, I'll need to borrow your car."

"The plan sounds good to me," Elaine said, standing up. "You all hash out details, I should get back to actually working."

"Alright. We'll let you know." Tony watched her go, and Steve got up to open the door for her. It was habit and politeness, really, not that he thought she couldn't.

Elaine habitually thanked him, and made her way back to the library proper.

"So there's a tentative plan," she commented to Kae.

"Oh? Tentative plan?" Kae raised her eyebrows, looking up at her. "One that you've approved?"

"Thor didn't hit the proper ratio of information-gained to drunkenness-achieved," Elaine said with a bit of a wry grin. "Not surprising. So we're moving on to plan B, which includes Steve escorting me to the park after work in the hopes that we prove too tempting a target to pass up."

Kae's lips twitched, but to her credit, she didn't burst out driving. "Okay. So you two are going to go be live bait and hope that they bite. Gotcha. And you're okay with all this?"

"Mostly," Elaine said. "I mean, I can help this way. And it's not like I'll be alone, right? Crowded, well-trafficked area, someone familiar right there with me, and I'm sure the others won't be too far."

"Yeah. Really, it could be worse," Kae agreed. "Well, it's as good a plan as any."

"Right," Elaine said. "I'll keep my cell phone handy, and I'll let you know when I'm on my way home." Because she knew Kae worried about her when she was 'on her own'.

Kae nodded. "Alright, sounds fair. I'd say have fun, but I guess you'll be on the job technically... Oh, hell. Have fun anyway." Kae grinned.

"I'm getting paid for it, it's a job," Elaine pointed out. She could hear Kae's grin. "And it's not a date! I know you were thinking it."

"I didn't say anything," Kae said with a grin. "I may have thought it, but I never said it. And just because you're getting paid doesn't mean you can't have fun."

"You were thinking it real loud," Elaine said, grinning. "I could hear it. It's not a date. It's a job." And it would stay that way, if she had anything to say about it. Not that she would admit she had a crush on Steve. Nope.

Kae chuckled. "Whatever you say, dearie," she said with a grin. "You'll still owe me all the details when you get back."

Elaine made a face at her friend, but went back to her desk to try to finish her work for the day. The end of the day didn't come as quickly as she wanted it to, but it did eventually arrive, and she packed up her things.

Kae packed up as well and looked out the front door when she heard a car pull up.

"Steve's here!" she called to Elaine. "I'll take home whatever you don't need."

"I've got what I need in my purse," Elaine called back as she got up from her desk. "I'll call when I'm on my way home."

"Alright. See you then." Kae grinned and watched her go. Oh yes, she was expecting to get a lot of entertainment value out of this later.

Steve went over to the door and held it open when he saw Elaine was getting ready to go already.