“Stricklander and the Lady Barbara must both consent to the procedure,” Angor said.

And the gratitude for helping Jim's mother that will help bind your apprentice to you. Fury could understand Rot—he was in a bad place, and it made sense to make as many allies as he could. As long as Rot didn’t forget that the kids were the only reason he was alive.

“And he’ll give up his security why?” Fury asked. He and Rot were alone, save for Thor. The Asgardian didn’t trust Angor, and Angor for his part, seemed to approve. They’d gathered the items needed, and right now all the contents of the changeling’s office were sitting in storage.

Fury wanted to take down the HQ, now, but the problem was attacking before they had the babies rescued risked the changelings vanishing into the crowd. He had people watching and more arriving by the hour, with cloaked RPV’s observing, but they had a network of tunnels that resembled the Paris catacombs.

And that didn’t even cover everyone else. Stricklander hadn’t talked yet, and until he was separated from Dr. Lake, they were limited in what they could do. But the last thing Fury wanted to do was to spook them and find out the hard way that some officer with nuclear release authority in some nation was actually a changeling.

“I do not know,” Angor said. “But if he does not, if he is not willing, it is unlikely that either one will be sane when all is said and done.”

Damn. Dr. Lake might be willing to give up her life, but that was the very last option Fury would consider.

And yet he was dangerous. Stricklander needed to have that hold on Jim taken away from him.

“The Trollhunter returned my soul…” Angor said. “But he has offered more. I will offer to abandon my quest to kill Stricklander… Presuming he does not prove to be an annoyance.”

Fury snorted at that. “Well, let’s talk to the man,”

Inside the cage, Stricklander was laying down, hands folded, in his human form.

“Enjoying the view?”

“It does pall after a while,” Stricklander said. “I—oh, I see you have brought Angor with you. I doubt he’d be disturbed by killing Barbara, so you’d best keep us apart.”

“On the contrary, he’s quite willing to do the procedure, but both parties must be willing.” Fury frowned. “That presents a problem.”

“You mean, I might not be willing to give up my only protection?” Stricklander smiled. “That does seem to present a problem.”

“You would die anyway,” Angor said.

“I would, but I expect it would be a race between you and Thor once the procedure was finished, not to mention Young Atlas.”

“We have the documents from your office—but you never wrote down all the names of your changeling infiltrators. That could be something you could trade.”

“Until you had it, whereupon I would be dead. You could offer me my freedom.”

“That’s not on the table,” Fury said quietly.

“For my murders? Oh, Director, you didn’t get to your position without dealing with those who have killed. I’ve been here for hundreds of years remember? I’ve seen lynchings and pogroms and all the things humans do to each other, and please believe me, changelings had nothing to do with most of that.”

“Maybe not, but you’re here now, and I can do something about you.”

“And thus I have no reason to give up my protection. Barbara may be willing to die, but you are not willing to let her die.”

“And what about your companions?” Fury asked.

“You’ve made it plain what you intend to do with them.” Stricklander’s tone wavered for a moment. “How could I help them?”

“If you were willing to cooperate, fully…” Thor paused. “I could ask a boon of my father. There are other worlds other places you could live.”

“For one generation. We’re sterile.”

“And we didn’t do that to you,” Fury said, and then pulled up a bench, staring at Stricklander. “Blinky told me how your people are seen, not just by trolls, but by Gunmar. ‘Impure’ is the word, right? Impure because they made you that way.” He shrugged. “I can understand, I really can, why you hate the trolls. Blinky says impure, doesn’t even think about it, that he’s talking about trolls taken as infants and changed… It must not have been pleasant.”

Stricklander shuddered. “You cannot conceive of how it felt. Many died not long after.”

“And yet…I also know something.” Fury paused. “You studied the Holocaust, right?”

“For my teaching.”

“Did you ever hear of the medals?”

“Medals?”

“World War I medals. Jewish veterans, people who had put everything on the line for Germany. Some of them even thought that they had been brought to the camps by mistake—they had proven their loyalty.” Fury shook his head. “Didn’t matter. Same thing for some of my ancestors—keep your head down, work hard, show everyone else that you are loyal… Didn’t matter for them when the KKK came calling. I don’t think it’ll matter for you, even if Gunmar wins. After all, why keep the impure when the war you made them for is over?”

“And this is supposed to make me happy?”

“No. But I can’t let you go. You committed murders and not long ago. I can’t overlook the threat you pose. But I don’t hate you because you’re changelings.” Fury gestured at Thor. “Maybe you take his deal. Maybe your people, the ones who haven’t committed crimes, or who are willing to make restitution, can stay here or elsewhere, but us? We’re the only ones around who dislike you because of what you did, not because of what you are. But if it gets to a war, I can’t help you, because I have to protect what’s mine.”

Stricklander sighed. “Even among changelings trust is difficult. We’re taught that from birth. But you’re asking me to betray the only people I have ever had.”

“No. I’m asking you to quite possibly save them.”

Stricklander paused. “I will tell you what I know Director Fury, but other members of the order have information I do not. Gunmar was never eager to have any one person become irreplaceable. If they know you have taken me, and I would not be surprised if they do, they will evacuate the Order Headquarters, taking what they can and setting traps.” He sat up, looking at Fury. “You will try and save the ones you can. No ‘shot while trying to escape’.”

“My word on it.”

“And myself?”

“You have too much blood. Blood in living memory. I can’t overlook that.”

“And so I know you’re telling the truth,” Stricklander said. “Well, I have no more cards to play. I will do my best to assist Angor Rot.” He paused. “Well, do you have anything to say?”

Angor chuckled. “Your plots were always too complex.”

“Yes… I suppose they were.”

“Doesn’t this require a heartstone?” Blinky asked, staring at the book.

“No. You are no sorcerer,” Angor growled. “I will be channeling the power through myself. A heartstone could be used but that would also destroy her memory of the time she was enchanted.”

“But—but the pa—”

“I am no stranger to that. Angor looked down at Stricklander and Barbara. ”It remains to be seen if they can endure it.”

“Can I stay with her?” Jim asked.

“Jim, Angor said it will be painfu—”

“It might be wise, Trollhunter,” Angor said. “To show her why she must endure.”

Jim gulped. That sounded terrible.

“I will remain, Master Jim.”

“Thank you, Mr. Blinky.”

“No others,” Angor warned. “Especially not you, Apprentice. Your control over your magic is weak and might contaminate the working.”

“I… Okay.” Claire and Toby patted Jim on his shoulder and then left.

“Prepare yourselves,” Angor said, and then put Barbara and Stricklander’s hands together.

Jim saw his mother shudder at the touch.

“Remain in contact for the entire process.”

“Bar—”

“Enough Walter. It will be over soon and then we will never need to see each other.”

“Yes. I suppose that’s the case.”

Jim stared down at Stricklander. He wanted to hate him, and he still did, but he looked so defeated. For a moment Jim tried to reconcile the teacher who had almost been a second father, with the changeling who had so casually tricked and and murdered people.

And it was hard.

But then Angor began to chant in a deep voice, and Barbara’s eyes found Jim’s.

“It’ll be okay, Kiddo,” she said.

Not long after that, the screaming started. Jim felt Blinky’s hands grip him by the shoulders.

“Courage, Master Jim,” Blinky said. “Your mother is strong.”

In the lounge, everyone was sitting, waiting. Toby and Claire were on a couch, holding hands as they watched for the door to open, the muted PA announcements the only other sound. Captain America was waiting with them, the others off on their own duties.

After what seemed like hours, the doors opened, and Jim came in, tears running down his face, his forearm purpling where someone had gripped it. Blinky was holding him by the shoulders, half-supporting him. He looked at Claire and Toby and opened his mouth, closed it, opened it…

“Lady Barbara is fine,” Blinky spoke for Jim. “She is resting. But the process… Was terribly painful. Angor was returned to his… quarters, but he said that much of her memory of the process, of the pain, will be muddled.” The troll took a shuddering breath. “A mercy. I will not forget—” he looked at Jim and shook his head. “But she is okay, Master Jim, remember that.”

“I—” Jim didn’t complete the word as Claire and Toby grabbed him in a hug, holding him like their lives depended on it.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“As soon as Stricklander is awake,” Blinky said quietly. “He will inform us of all changeling infiltrators in the human government.”

“And then we’re ready to move,” Steve said.

“Your planned meeting with the trolls of Trollmarket may be difficult…” Blinky said. “They are barely used to the Trollhunter and his friends and your appearance might…”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be diplomatic,” Steve said. “We won’t have Hulk take the lead in negotiations.”

Blinky sighed. “Vendel will have my head.”