"I've got bad news, and I've got really bad news." Tony declared as he walked into the room.
"I am not sure what I want first, there are so many great options," Barton replied sarcastically.
"Loki is back on Earth and there is no way to contact Thor."
"Wait, which did you consider the worse news?" Banner asked.
"I thought I would start with the Loki part, what with that not being the best news I will receive today."
"Being told you had a week to live is better news than finding out Loki is here," Romanov commented.
"What does he want?" Rogers asked.
Tony pointed to the Super Soldier. "That is the question, and that is where we come in."
"Loki is dangerous, twisted and all out crazy, we only defeated him last time because he pissed off Banner enough to turn him into a rag doll." Barton pointed out.
"Well, if it comes to that."
"Tony, no. I can't risk…"
"Look, Banner, Loki wants trouble, without Thor and the magic BDSM kit he latched onto Loki before, we need to do what we know works, and that is the other guy thrashing him." Tony pointed out. The others were forced to agree.
"What are the Avengers exactly?"
Loki turned to see Rebecca behind him. "A group of misfits that S.H.I.E.L.D. use as attack dogs to do their bidding. A few assassins, a super soldier, and a man in a tin suit."
"Captain America, the guy from the forties that they sent to Europe in hopes of beating Hitler and Tony Stark, a man best known for downing whiskey and getting naked with Playboy bunnies I can deal with, but assassins and what the hell is the Hulk doing with them?" Rebecca asked having scanned Loki's mind for the information she needed.
"Why bother asking if you are only going to scan my mind regardless?" Loki asked curiously.
"Makes it easier, besides, it is rude to look into someone's head if they are supposed to be your ally without asking first."
"I take pride in your consideration for me," Loki stated.
Rebecca gave him a bemused look. "They are being sent to search for you."
"Let them look." Loki scoffed.
"You are not worried?"
"They battle themselves more than they battle any other."
"And the Hulk?"
Loki's calm exterior faltered for a second. "I underestimated the beast last time, it will not happen again." He paraphrased her own words.
"I am to assist I take it if he cannot see you, he cannot harm you. That is why me?"
"You have your own score to settle with S.H.I.E.L.D." Loki stated, "That is your duty here." without another word, he turned and left, leaving Rebecca to contemplate his words, seeing in his mind that they were true, and that he was not demanding she help him with the Hulk, but that he would not object should she elect to.
Rebecca watched from above as the Avengers entered the building, smiling that they were blissfully unaware of what they were about to endure, knowing that Fury would be nearby, wanting to make sure everything went to instruction, she concentrated on finding the S.H.I.E.L.D. commander as she kept tabs on them.
"There's no one here," Rogers stated, lowering his shield slightly.
"Loki tricked us." Stark scoffed, "Tricked by the Trickster God, that's original."
"Sir, if I may?" The female voice within his suit interjected.
"Hit me, Friday."
"There is a bogey on the perimeter."
"We're being watched," Stark informed the others. "Where is he?" He asked the machine.
"That is the thing, sir, it is not Loki, it is a female."
"What sort of havoc is he after bringing?" Barton asked fearfully, Stark having made it so they could all hear Friday through their ear pieces.
"And it is definitely a bogey?" Stark double checked.
"It would appear so, sir. She is currently circling the build…" The computer silenced.
"Friday? Okay, we have trouble, I...Why is it gone dark?"
"Dark?" Rogers stared at Stark. "Tony, everything is perfectly fine."
"Then why can I not see anything?"
"She is toying with you." The Avengers looked to Wanda, "I can sense her, she is doing…" Wanda collapsed to the ground and started crying like a baby.
"Okay, what the hell is going on?" Barton drew an arrow back. "Where is she?" He looked around frantically before aiming his arrow at his target. "Got you."
"Clint." Romanov stared at her friend fearfully as he pointed the arrow directly at her.
"Barton, stop stalling and loose," Rogers ordered.
"Steve, AH!" Romanov gasped as though she moved last moment, the arrow shot through her shoulder.
"Damn it, you are supposed to be an assassin, kill her, Barton." Rogers bellowed.
"What is going on?" Stark demanded.
"Mr Stark."
"Wait, who said that?" Tony looked around.
"You know, out of all of these fools, I am actually going to be somewhat disappointed when the time comes to kill you, I liked you, a little."
"How are you talking inside my head?"
"Shut up Tony," Rogers growled.
"I am just having some fun, now, quick question, where is Fury?"
"Fury? Nick Fury?"
"Obviously."
"In hiding."
"That's a lie and we both know it. What is your greatest memory?"
"My….what?"
"Ah, there it is, building your first invention, a water purifier, at four, that is very impressive."
"Wait, how are you able to do this?"
"Your little friend, the girl that tried to see in my head, there is a big difference between her and I, sort of like the difference between the soldier and Thor, Thor was born to his strength, Rogers was nothing but a pipe cleaner until your daddy and his friends decided to start America off on a fine start with its abuse of steroids."
"So, Wanda is just a pale imitation of you, because she was made to be like that, and you are au naturale."
"Perhaps, I suppose we will never find out."
"And why is that, too scared to take her?"
"No, I fear your friend Captain Rogers has already taken care of her enough, for today."
With that Tony was given the ability to see again, but in truth, he wished the voice had left him as he was. "What…"
Natasha was gasping for breathe, three arrows in her abdomen, one in her shoulder, Barton standing over her sneering, Rogers standing over Wanda, who had clearly been thrown across the room from her previous position, blood trickling out of her ear as the soldier reeled abuse at her, and he stood there, unable to move as the door at the end of the room opened and Loki walked in chuckling.
