She'd expected the Helicarrier to at least be a fraction more interesting than it was. She was on her fourth round of the ship and there were no meetings she could eavesdrop on, no fights or training sessions. Everyone was focused on finding the cube, as expected, and she was supposed to be doing the same, but no matter what she did, there was a constant block. Most likely due to the lack of sleep on her part. She was pushing the 35 hour mark, and she could certainly feel it.
"Why don't you just catch a few winks?" suggested Natasha. "I'll wake you if we get a development."
The two women were sat at the table on the Bridge. Natasha was eyeing the computer screens from afar, waiting for a lead, while Kiara laid back, her eyes staring at the shiny ceiling as she let out a long groan. "I can't. Every time I close my eyes, there's just noise in my head. Plus, I can't just stop looking for Clint. I have to find him."
"And you can't if you're tired."
Kiara just shrugged. "I've functioned on less and it still worked. I just need my brain to kick in and I should be good."
"Good luck with that." Natasha mumbled making Kiara roll her eyes.
"See, now that hurt my feelings."
"Please." she scoffed. "We both know you don't have feelings."
Kiara chuckled in response before settling back and drawing her eyes back to the shiny metal panels of the ceiling. She stayed like that for a good 30 minutes, just staring blankly at the ceiling and letting out a loud groan for as long as she could without running out of breath. She was on her tenth groan before Natasha finally kicked her chair, nearly sending her tumbling to the ground.
"Go and bother someone else before I throttle you!" Kiara straightened herself up, fighting the laugh that threatened to tumble from her lips when she saw the wild look in Natasha's eyes.
"Alright, alright." she chuckled, raising her hands in surrender as she pushed away from the table. Natasha merely shot her a glare as she wandered off, once again looking for somewhere to settle until she could actually do what she was there to do. After a while, she was ready to give up and try her luck with Tasha again, but she caught sight of Steve, Tony, and Bruce in the lab, disagreeing about something.
"-safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny. No offence, doc."
"It's fine." Bruce gave him a small smile before he saw Kiara and waved her inside. "Anything new?"
"No. As far as I can tell, it's still on the move. Clint and the Tesseract have separated though. With Clint on the Quinjet, I can only assume the Cube is here already." she explained as she approached the work bench. He immediately went to narrow the field, leaving her alone with Tony and Steve who seemed to be having a stare down. "Everything okay here?"
Both men continued to glare at each other before Tony turned to her with a cocked eyebrow. "So, you're who we have to thank for the narrowed field." he commented, throwing a handful of blueberries into his mouth. "Nice work, kid. How does it work, anyway?"
Kiara cocked an eyebrow. "Sorry?"
"The tracking? Is it mental GPS or something? And what's with the wolf thing?"
She glanced at the three men who were all looking at her curiously and she suddenly felt uneasy. "I-uh...It's complicated." she admitted, combing her fingers through her hair. Tony gestured for her to sit, so she perched herself on the bench. "The tracking is a scent when it comes to humans. Its just a bit stronger. As for the Tesseract, its more like a scar that it leaves. It's so powerful and unique, that it is so obvious when I track it."
"So you have super smell?"
Kiara laughed and shook her head. "No. It's like a map in my head. I can see traces of everyone and everything I've ever come into contact with. It takes a bit of sifting through, but I can track them. On a good day, anyway."
"That's impressive." said Bruce, as he turned away from his work to look at her.
"And the wolf?"
She cleared her throat and diverted her eyes to her fingers, suddenly finding them much more interesting than meeting eyes with Tony. "My-my genetic code was changed and mixed with other things. They shot me up with their own 'Super Soldier' serum, and well, you saw what it does."
"Someone did that to you?" Steve breathed out, shock marring his features.
Tony sat back, curiosity filling his eyes. "What's your story, huh? How did this all happen?"
Kiara nibbled on the inside of her lip and glanced at Bruce before shaking her head. "I'd prefer not to say. It's, um...It's difficult for me to talk about."
"But-"
"Tony..." Bruce said softly, giving him a shake of the head to leave her alone.
"Whatever." Tony shrugged, standing up again. "If you don't want to talk about that. Would you prefer to discuss conspiracies?"
"Conspiracies?" repeated Kiara. "About what?"
"About SHIELD. About this whole thing. About Fury hiding the real reason why he called us in."
"He thinks Fury's hiding something." Steve explained, folding his arms as she looked at Tony with disapproval.
"Correction; I know he's hiding something. None of it makes sense. None of it's clicking into place." It didn't seem too far fetched, and it certainly wouldn't surprise her if it was true. Even when she worked for SHIELD, Fury had always had another agenda in the works. Sometimes for good, sometimes not so much. "Why is he bringing us in? Why now?"
"Well, I don't know anything if that's what you're saying, but I do think Loki's jab at Fury was a double-entendre." Tony nodded her for her to continue. "Um, so obviously, it was meant for you. With the tower, it's the first step towards an eco-friendly world."
"Stark Tower?" asked Steve, his nose scrunched up with distaste. "That big, ugly-" Tony merely stared at him, daring him to continue. "-building in New York?"
"It's self sustainable, Steve. Powered by an arc reactor." piped up Bruce. "That's the point. It'll run itself for what? A year."
"And that's just the prototype." agreed Tony, offering both Bruce and Kiara some blueberries.
"It was meant for you on one hand, but for Fury on the other." Kiara popped a blueberry into her mouth as she glanced at the other men. "When I was here before, they were working on the Tesseract then too. I knew it was a bad idea, but the council was adamant to reinstate research into it. I was never told what they wanted to use the Tesseract for. But the power alone, it's...it's massive. I've never come across anything like it. It's strong enough to power anything from weapons, to machinery, to the entire grid of the US, if not more than that."
"Power weapons? Like the sceptre." Bruce confirmed, and Kiara nodded. "Well, the radiation levels are consistent with the Tesseract's. If it could be harnessed, it could power anything that could sustain it."
"Exactly. So, if he wanted to harness energy, why wouldn't he call in the biggest name to help him with it?" Kiara threw the rest of the blueberries into her mouth before resting back on her hands. Tony looked ready to burst with excitement while Steve and Bruce looked uneasy.
"I love it. How scandalous!" Tony beamed, before raising an eyebrow at her. "So why do you think he called us in now?"
"A God just stole the only hope Earth has to potentially create weapons for something a little more dangerous than terrorists. I think it was a priority to get it back. Even if it meant calling in the big guns. But none of that really surprises me. SHIELD isn't all about the people, never has been. My problem is with Loki...He's far too comfortable being here."
"How so?" asked Bruce.
"Well, if you planned to start a war and win the Earth and then you were captured and held captive, you'd be a little pissed about it, right? You'd be doing anything you could to get out; Plotting, threatening, bargaining. Loki's just there. He doesn't seem fazed, doesn't seem bothered. Isn't that strange to you?" Kiara glanced around at the other men who seemed stumped, but she was sure she was right. Loki hadn't talked to anyone since Fury, and he seemed perfectly content in his cell. It almost seemed like he was right where he wanted to be.
Her eyes suddenly bugged as she hopped off the counter "I have to go." she muttered, immediately running out of the lab and heading towards the Bridge. She shoved past people as a million thoughts ran through her head. She thought she knew his game, but she had to be sure, and she had to speak to the only person who knew him.
She pushed past security once she reached the bridge before stopping by Thor who was startled by her sudden appearance.
"Lady Kiara?"
"Loki. He's your Brother? You grew up together?"
"Yes." Thor frowned, confused by her questioning.
"So you know how he works?"
"I'd like to think so, yes. Why?"
"Is he usually angry when things don't go the way he planned, or is he calm about it? Levelheaded?" She was practically bouncing in front of him.
"Loki?" Thor let out a booming laugh. "He hates it! He would sulk for days. If there is one thing you must know about him, My Lady, it's that he relies on everything going his way. He breeds chaos, but he is always in control. When he's not, he can't stand it."
"What about- um, what about weaknesses?"
"Well, he is easy to hurt physically. But he's a master of manipulation, Lady Kiara. You must know that. He'll do anything to get inside your head. You'll need to think ahead to beat him." Thor placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, giving her an earnest look.
"I need to know how I can get into his head."
Thor seemed reluctant, but when he saw the desperation in Kiara's eyes, he knew he had to tell her. "Then you must speak of Lady Liana. His Wife. She is a caring woman, and she would not support what he is doing here."
"Thank you!" She burst out, slapping his chest before she whipped around to face Fury who was waiting for an explanation.
"I need to speak to Loki."
"Are you sure about this?" asked Tasha as she stood in front of the door which led to Loki's cell.
"Yeah. I think I can get something out of him. It's all a play on words, right?" Kiara gave her a crooked smile, trying to hide her nerves. She knew it needed to be done, and if she could prevent needless deaths, she could handle her feelings being hurt.
"Alright." Natasha couldn't hide her disappointment. "But we'll have eyes on you the entire time. And I will have you pulled out if it gets too much."
"Yes, Mom." Kiara rolled her eyes good-naturedly, earning a smack from Natasha. With a final smile, Kiara slipped through the door quietly and made her way up the steps towards Loki's cell. It was nearly identical to what she'd been confined to just the previous day, but he certainly looked less bothered than she had been.
As she reached his cell, she stood for a few moments, waiting for him to catch on, and she knew he had the moment he started chuckling. "Of all people...I thought you'd be the last person they'd send."
"What can I say? I get a kick out of proving people wrong." She shrugged and folded her arms.
Loki hummed as he approached the glass, easily towering a head above her. She narrowed her eyes, not trusting him even behind the glass. "I'm sure...I'm assuming you're here to get information out of me?"
"That's the plan." Kiara nodded. "But first, I want to know about Clint."
"Ah, Agent Barton. A friend?" Loki cocked his head at her and let a patronising grin spread across his face.
"A dear one." Kiara ground out, doing her best to keep her temper in check. "How long do you have to be in here before he's free of your control?"
Loki smirked and trailed his eyes from her head to her feet, seemingly fascinated by her. "Your naivety is amusing, I have to admit. But I'm afraid Agent Barton won't be released until I want him to be, Darling."
"How about if you died?" she wondered.
"You can't kill me. You all need me alive, so no matter how many times you threaten me, I know you will never carry it out." Loki stepped back, a triumphant smirk on his face making Kiara hum as she debated whether a lecture from Fury was worth it. It definitely was.
With a smirk, she walked over to the control pad and tapped the screen making the hold open. The intense winds had her hair blowing around her face as she gazed at Loki who was unbothered. "You won't do it."
"Won't I?" She gave him a cruel smile and slammed her hand down on the button and the cell was gone. She heard terrified screeching, followed by a hard smack as Loki collided with the floor. Chuckling, she raised her hand and the cell floated back into its original position with a flustered Loki laid out and panting hard. She approached the glass as the clamps took hold of the cell once more and crouched down near him and hummed. "Dear, dear, I wonder what sweet Liana would think of all this..."
The moment the name left her mouth, she saw the effect it had on him. He immediately tensed, and his eyes softened enough that he looked almost harmless. Almost. As if a switch had been flicked, he launched himself at the glass, fury burning within his green orbs. "You dare speak about her you filthy mongrel!"
Kiara cocked her head at him, a faux expression of guilt reaching her face as she stood. "Did I hit a nerve? Shame. Now, let's get one thing straight, shall we? I'm the one in control here. Not you. I'm not a SHIELD agent. I'm not a hero. So I have no care how your death affects them. You don't have anything to hold over my head. You have no power over me."
She watched as Loki's posture relaxed, the fury dying in his eyes before he began chuckling at her. "Are you sure about that?" She frowned in confusion. "You are so very naive, my Dear. Your friend's life rests in my hands. I don't think you're in a position to be making threats. In the time it would have taken for me to reach the ground, I could have made him slash his throat ten times already. So, I regret to tell you that your attempts are futile.
Kiara sucked in a sharp breath, her confidence visibly dropping as her frown deepened and her shoulders slumped, earning another bout of laughter from Loki. "Oh, don't look so disappointed, Darling. You never stood a chance." His tone was nothing but compassionate, but it only angered her more. "Your abilities are...interesting. But I've heard all the tales. I know everything. The child who would topple the world from it's pedestal. It's almost poetic. But that was his aim, was it not?"
Kiara was frozen, her entire body becoming tense as she fought the burning behind her eyes. "It's a wonderful idea, I'll admit. No one would suspect a child to be so ruthless and bloodthirsty." Her nostrils flared as she clenched her fists, shame now replacing her anger. "He went to extreme lengths though, didn't he? Creating a weapon is one thing, but you...Well he turned you into a monster. One that strikes fear into the hearts of the children and adults alike."
"I suppose we have that in common, don't we?" she hissed, her eyes narrowing into a glare.
"Oh...Is it a sensitive subject? Well, I can imagine all the slaughtering did take a toll on you. Did you tire of seeing the bloody mess you'd made? So many deaths. So many pointless deaths." He pouted with fake pity, but his eyes gleamed as he watched her react to his every word. It varied between anger and fear, before it settled on pure, untainted pain. Loki approached the glass once more and cocked his head at her.
"I wonder...Do you think your friends would be any match for you?" he hummed, making Kiara's eyes meet his, panic filling her expression. "Alpha. Blood. Bullet."
She let out a choked gasp as she pushed herself away from the glass, her hands clenching as she shook her head fiercely. "Please! Please don't! I'll do anything!"
"Wolf. Fire. Black." Tears were pouring down her cheeks now as she stumbled to her knees, letting out a pained cry. Loki watched with hungry eyes as she hunched over and began trembling. She was covering her ears in vain as her white hair began flaming.
"I'll kill people. I can't do it!. Please don't make me!" she sobbed, finally looking up at him, her brown eyes now blood red. It was quite a sight to see mind and heart fighting one another for dominance over the body. Her eyes were bordering on wild as the animal fought to break out, while her body was doing everything to fight the change. She was distraught, and it only made it that much more fun.
"That's right...You'll kill people. You'll kill every last person on this ship because they were stupid enough to bring the monsters on board." he hissed, before stepping back, his eyes gleaming. "Enyo."
With a terrified scream, Kiara hunched over, hiding her head between her arms, her shaking gradually decreasing. Loki watched eagerly, waiting for his monster to make its appearance, but he was only met with quiet laughter. He frowned, watching as she sat up straight, her hair and eyes fading back to white as she struggled to contain her laughter. Eventually, she slapped her hand over her mouth as the giggles bubbled out of her.
"What? What are you-"
"Dude." Kiara interrupted, her brown eyes alight with humour. "You seriously thought that would work? They wiped that out years ago!" She howled with laughter making Loki's eye twitch. "No, that's too funny. And you honestly thought you knew everything about me?" She beamed at him as she rested her hand against the glass of the cell, a patronising look on her face. "Oh, don't look so disappointed, Darling. You never stood a chance."
Loki snarled at her mocking as he stormed away from the glass, pure fury radiating from him as he pushed his fingers through his hair. "So, your plan was to unleash the Hulk and I, huh? Now that is poetic."
Loki merely glared at her as she practically skipped towards the door. Before she left, she leant against the railing and sent him a genuine, bright smile. "Thank you, Loki. I'll be sure to tell everyone about how you helped me."
She shot him a wink before bursting through the door to head back to the Bridge. She tapped her earpiece, trying to get a hold of anyone, but no one was responding. With a shrug, she assumed they were busy, so she made her way to the lab to warn Bruce and keep him calm. She had a lid on her monster, but she wasn't so sure about whether Bruce had a lid on his. And while she was sure it wouldn't come to that, she still had the entire population of the ship to think about.
As she ascended to the higher levels, she suddenly halted, Clint's scent hitting her like a brick wall making her eyes widen, realising that he had to be close. With that, she sprinted the rest of the way to the lab, and found everyone she needed, but they were arguing with one another about God knows what. "Clint's here!" she exclaimed. "He's here. Loki is trying to unleash the Hulk."
She'd gained everyones attention, but the looks she received were not the ones she was expecting, neither were Steve's words.
"She is a HYDRA operative!" Kiara's blood turned ice cold as she turned to him, panic filling her eyes. "She's a murderer! Controlled or not, she still worked for them. She still killed for them!"
"Not only are you making weapons, you also brought the most dangerous one onboard. She's responsible for Bacharach and San Francisco. And you brought her onboard." Tony snapped, before he turned on Kiara who was staring at him with unshed tears shining in her eyes. He stormed towards her and slammed her against the wall, his hands tightening painfully around her forearms. "I know who you are, alright? I know what you are! Did you get a kick out of murdering all those kids, huh? Did you even care?"
"No, I- I- no!" She was panicking now as the man before her looked at her with the disgust she knew she deserved. All she saw was disgust and hatred and fear. Most of all fear. She could barely hear a word Tony was saying, all she saw was him spitting words at her, anger visible in his eyes like she'd never seen from anyone before. But his words were like white noise as all she could hear was the pounding of her heart and the screams she tried so desperately to block out.
"She was just a child." snapped Fury, shoving Tony away from Kiara. Just a child. Oh, how many times she'd heard that. She was just a child. She was merely a child. But she'd still slaughtered thousands. Her hands were still dripping with blood. The lifeless, terrified eyes of every life she'd taken still haunted her in her sleep. She was just a child. But she was cursed and she was a soulless murderer. She was a monster, and now everybody knew it.
The panic started to rise further and further into her throat as she clawed at her skin to try and breathe. She stumbled away from the wall, the familiar churning in her stomach making her heave and pant for breath. She had to get out. She had to leave. She had to escape. She had to get out. She had to get out. She was so distracted with her own panic that she barely felt the explosion. She barely felt her bones break or the fire envelop her skin. She barely felt anything, including the blow which made everything black.
A/N: Please, please, pleaseee, let me know what you think. I appreciate everything. So drop a review. I hope everyone is well and that you enjoy this new chapter. We're getting closer to the end!
Edited: 03/02/2019
