Chapter 2

It was hot, incredibly hot in the dark, cramped place they had thrown her in. The air she breathed in felt like she was swallowing rays of the sun, the heat of it burning the fragile human organs. There was this odd want, need that came from her body that she didn't recognize. Her tongue was dry and it wanted something to cool it, something liquid, her mind understood. Even in the heat, she was gasping, and… hyperventilating, she supposed. The ropes dug into her skin, every time she moved the ropes would dig into the skin, rip it, burn it and the warm liquid pooled out against it. In fact, it was starting to dry and crust around the edges. It hurt, badly.

Rafenota tried to cry out for help, but her throat was so dry that an odd, raspy gasp came out instead. The dark compartment jostled, and when she listened, it sounded like they were moving. But to where, she was not aware of. What she needed to concentrate on, she realized, was living, and surviving this horrible heat that was racking every nerve.
She waited… and waited… her mind trying to think of other places- like home. Like the blue ice planet. The feeling of the sun's energy running through her essence. It calmed her, though it did not stop the jostling of her compartment. At some point, she had passed out with a sudden jolt of sickness, the heat becoming too much and her eyes rolled up. The stink of vomit filled the compartment, soon reaching the cab of the truck.

"Aww, man, what the hell is that?`The male covered his nose, opening up the window. He made a gagging noise, sticking his head out of the window. The other male looked at the woman, face skewed up in disgust. She rolled her eyes, but opened her window to flush out the stink.

"Must be alien smell. Trying to make us pass out or something. God damn aliens." She muttered, gripping the steering wheel tight.

"Y'know, maybe she's just having a heat stroke…" The one suggested, face still up in disgust.

"No alien has a heatstroke- she's just playing games with us. We're almost there, now shut up and turn up the music. No alien is tricking me." She huffed, turning up the air conditioning. The cool air filled somewhat through the compartment in the back, the windows having been taped up with black bags. The truck was jostling through the back roads; cracked and uneven. The road was taking them to a large city, one that was very familiar to them. In a few hours, the truck was crawling through the large plaza with huge brilliant screens, people dancing, and one of the boys muttered, "Time Square…"

As the darkness settles, he watches the lights flicker on and the city seems to become the sky itself. The noise, however, is nothing like it- its loud and noisy, and it brings a frown to his thin lips. Loki sits on the window sill, watching the street below him as he plans out his next move. The Avengers- what a bunch of idiots- have scattered… for now. He realizes it's best to pick them off one by one, instead of in a team together. To challenge them together yet again would be to challenge death, he knows. No, he would have to find them one by one, where they were, do away with them, and nothing would be in his way afterwards. He only prayed that Thor did not come to Earth and warn them. That would destroy everything he planned. Yes, he'd have to delay his brother's return.

A loud thud rips him from his thoughts, and the back alley is lit up with the headlights of an old truck that crawls in with withered tires, a tight squeeze. It comes to a screeching halt, three bodies filling out. In their hands are rifles, and the way they move only suggests they are ready to shoot at any surprise. It quirks his interest, only slightly as he leans a little further out.

"Hurry up, before anyone sees." The female seems to hiss at the other men, who rush to the back of the truck. He's not sure what the contraption on the back is, but the windows of it have been covered with some sort of material. He watches, the men dragging out a small body, female, and without clothing. The stench that comes with her reaches his nostrils and he scrunches his face up slightly. Vomit, from what he can tell. He can't make out the face, or anything distinctive about her, but it's the reaction of the female that makes him just a little more curious.

"Fucking alien, clean up the back. Her poison isn't sticking to my truck." She lifts the girls head under the lamp of a door, grinning, "Wait 'til Harvey sees this one- an alien falls out of the sky and right into our backyard. You have the video Earl?" There's a reply as they open the door and drag her in. And now, Loki is quite intrigued. Falling from the sky? Could it be… the female is from Asgard? He'd never seen her face before, but he couldn't risk the possibility. His foot catches the door just before it closes, and he slips inside. The three have moved far down the hallway, a bag over the female's head and turned the corner. He followed after; keeping to the shadows and making sure they didn't notice his presence. They came to a stop by a steel door, the female simply limp in their grasp. There were soft mutters of their voice, a laugh, before they dragged the naked body with them inside- slamming the door shut behind them. Loki paused, tilting his head back as he thought for a moment. In all honesty, he could do away with them so easily, so that they wouldn't be much of a bother. If it was to make sure this child of Asgard did not speak, then so be it.

When she came to, Rafenota was sitting against a rough, chair- wooden, she tried to identify it but her mind refused to work with an empty stomach, utterly exhausted and still sitting on the edges of sickliness. She groaned quietly, opening her eyes to see the smothered material against her eyes. Through it, she could make out the light of a room and figures making their way about her, muttering in some odd- no, that was English. She tried to focus her mind back to that language, and started to understand slowly. They spoke about… an alien, falling from the sky- it was the same thing she'd been hearing before hand. Clearly, her cover as a human had been blown- but if they knew her true identity was, that would be found out soon enough.

Her mind wandered to the tight rope holding her down to the wooden legs of the chair, and the ropes around her wrist and behind the back. It was uncomfortable, making her limbs hum with pain. She tried to wiggle out of the bonds, but the pain shot out sharper into her skin so she stopped with that. A figure moved in front of her vision, blocking out the light. Rafenota could only identify the figure vaguely as male, but she wasn't sure, not entirely. Something cold and hard prodded against her naked stomach- she was sorely reminded that she wore no clothing, sitting bare to them with all these bruises- and a grunt came from the figure.

"You an alien?" His gruff voice asked- more like demanded, she thought. When she didn't not answer, he prodded harder, a click coming from the thing in his hands, "I'll ask again. You an alien?" She realized it was a gun- similar clicking noise to the sniper rifle that she had heard. Smaller, bigger- she wasn't sure, but it wasn't very important. In this state, she was just a human. She'd die if she was shot.

"No, I am not." She replied, hoarsely, her throat suddenly feeling like someone had shoved sand down her throat. She coughed, turning her head to one side.

"I ain't convinced."

"Of course you are not." She snapped, turning her head to him- and though it couldn't be seen, she was frowning. The bag was suddenly ripped off her head, the light so blinding she had to squint her eyes. The moment she could see, the gun was pointed between her eyes and there was a crazy look in the man's eyes. His attention was drawn off for a moment, looking wildly to the sides.

"D'you hear that? Alien girl's probably sent an S.O.S.!" He moved back, jerking his head. Feet moving in the shadows, a door opening then slamming shut. "We're onto you, alien." He hissed, turning back to her- but a thud threw him off. "The hell was that?" He screeched, dropping the bag back on her head before turning away.

The next sounds were incredibly obscure to her, but in hindsight, she'd realized what had happened: Someone had barrelled through the door and taken out the humans occupying the room next to where they held her- in this person's on… odd way. Then, when that was done, this person had kicked the door open and- a sudden burst of cold air made Rafenota shiver. Her body responded by closing her legs, hunching over and griping the rope that held her back. Skin covered in goose bumps, she hoped for some sort of warmth. Instead, the atmosphere seemed to drop two degrees- at the most- and the light of the ceiling was blocked out once again but by a different figure. He did not slouch, nor hold anything in his hands. His shadow stood straight, his head cocked down towards her and slightly to the side.

"Pathetic…" The low voice hummed, sounding somewhat pleasant to her human ears. She ignored it, trying to identify who this was. There was no accent lingering in his vowels, nothing compared to the man who was probably a lump on the floor. "It's amazing how easily you children of Asgard let yourself be displayed so dishonorably; letting those beneath you take advantage of you. Have you no pride? You take the name of your world and insult it." The voice sneered, seeming to draw closer to her. "Speak- tell me what you know of Thor and I might just spare your pathetic, human form." It shocked her that this man new she was of human form- and… what was Asgard? And Thor?

"I do not understand what you speak of." She replied, hoarsely still but better than before. "Release me from these hellish bonds, human." She added, frowning beneath the bag. The man seemed to pause, leaning back for a moment. Once more, the bag was ripped off her head and the light blinded her eyes. "By the name of the Sun, would you stop that!" She hissed, turning her head away from light that once again blinded her eyes. Shaking her head once, the goddess in disguise turned back to him, her pale green eyes searching the man before her.

Immediately, she could tell that this man was assertive, strong, and ready to do what he needed for whatever he needed. It was the way he stood, the way he glared at her, his hands clenched. In fact, they looked as though they would close around her fragile human neck in seconds. Maybe less, if angered enough- which she made note she would try to avoid. Now, now the man seemed to calculate and watch her. He was watching for something but she wasn't sure what. And then, a smirk slipped on his lips as he leaned into her.
"So, you're not of that world- then what are you?" He enquired, reaching out to tug a hair away from her face. She tilted her head down in response, eyes shooting daggers at him. He was nothing special to her- the human face was nothing compared to Cravernius' human form. Rafenota grunted, turning her head away defiantly. It was her oath to keep it secret, to keep what she was hidden from humans. And this man seemed human enough to her—yet what if he wasn't? Her eyes glanced quickly at him, doing the same calculating as she'd seen him do. "Well, are you going to answer or am I going to have to pry it out of you—what did they call you? Alien? Fell out of the sky, too?" He asked, the smirk spreading across his lips when he saw her react. Then, as defiantly- and snootily, she might add- as she could, she turned her head up and away. Nose in the air, her mind registered. Something that came naturally to her- must have been the human ego kicking in.

"Oh, I see the alien has grown in some of the human traits, quite interesting. I wonder, how long will it take for this alien of sorts to become… fully human." He hummed slyly, standing upright again. Loki turned, making forward a few steps before glancing over his shoulder, "I could aid you in your release, 'alien', but I require something in return for the favor." He looked forward again, and she swore the man must be grinning, smiling in some way at her unfavorable predicament.

"And this favor would include…?" Rafenota pried, her fingers digging into the rope to test its durability. Suddenly, Loki turned, coming upon her with such quick movements the female gave a slight start in surprise.

"Your eternal service to me."