A/n: I am dying. Dying inside because it's taken me this long to put up another chapter for all ya'll. Softball is over, but I've fallen into a pit of homework so deep not even the Hulk could pull himself out. As soon as I am caught up, I will be able to update a lot more frequently instead of having these month long periods where I don't. Plus school gets out in 4 weeks (FREAK YEAH!). Thanks for sticking with this story and thanks to all the follows and faves. Enjoy!
Chapter 9
Hayden's POV
As soon as I heard what had happened to Raylin's sister, I immediately set to work. Pulling up the video recording of the surveillance system back at the base, I analyzed each bit of the tape. I quickly jotted down the characteristics of those infiltrating our base and how they seemed to do everything. It wasn't until I had watched it multiple times that I realized something. I realized that I had seen this before. My fingers flew across the keyboard, drawing up surveillance footage from when Agent Barton was forced to help Loki escape from the Helicarrier. It was played until I caught a good, clear moment when I could see Barton's face, then I pulled up the more recent footage.
Stopping it on the face of one of the kidnappers, I looked between the two. It was quite clear that whoever was behind this was either a copy-cat or we were dealing with the real Trickster God. I had no other thoughts but to get Fury to see my findings. No more than ten minutes later, I had put together a folder of information and set off to find the director. There was no doubt in my mind that he would be pleased to know something of who was behind this mess. Especially since we had defeated the fiendish Loki once before and could easily take him down again. Loki would not stand a snowball's chance in Hell against the Avengers. Plus, it will be easier this time around due to the lack of his alien army.
My eyes searched the control room for the director and eventually found him talking with Agent Maria Hill by her desk. I strode over to the two of them with my folder clutched tightly in my hands. As I neared Fury, I straightened just a bit, longing to make a decent presentation of my research. "Director Fury." I called, causing him to turn and look over at where I stood. Holding out my folder, I continued. "I have something you might want to see. It is about the one responsible for Gabby Reddens' kidnapping."
"Well, let's see it then." Opening the folder, he skimmed through the brief notes and observations I made. My eyes scanned his stoic face for any sign of, well, anything I suppose. A few minutes later, he closed the folder and handed it to Agent Hill. "Agent Adams, this is exactly the lead we needed. Loki is definitely the one behind this mess, though I believe he may have an accomplice with the neurotoxin. If we find him, we'll find his accomplice. Hill, I want you to notify every agent on this ship."
"Right away, sir." Agent Hill said before running off to do as she was told.
"Thank you, Agent Adams. Your efforts will not go unrecognized." Fury set the folder down on the desk and turned to me. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I would like you to work with us on tracking down Loki. Someone will fill in for you in the records department while you are assisting us. We could really use a mind like yours for this task."
"I'm in!" I exclaimed. "You won't regret this, director. I promise to do nothing less than my best on this. I'll get to work right away." Director Fury didn't get another word in as I bounded off. My head was reeling with the thought of doing anything but filing reports or files all day long. I would be working with some of the greatest minds in the agency and I hadn't even worked here for more than five years. This was going to be my big break. Soon enough, I'd be making my way to an agent's spot in the control room.
Bruce's POV
"Did you hear the news, Banner?" Tony questioned as he strutted into the lab. I shook my head and continued reading a study about how neurotoxins worked. "Loki is back and he's the one who had Gabby Reddens kidnapped." My head snapped around to look at the annoyance of a man. I wanted to see a smirk on his face and hear him say that he was pulling my leg, but there was no such thing. For the first time since meeting Tony, he was dead serious. "Yeah, not joking this time buddy."
"We should have seen this coming. Loki must have had some sort of fallback plan." I sighed. Running my fingers through my hair, I looked to my right where Tony was sitting. My mind was quickly figuring out a way to track Loki or approximate where he was hiding out. "We can't track him this time around because he no longer has the Tesseract. Perhaps there is a way to track down his magic controlling the people. It must effect their brains in a way that he can control their every action..."
"Therefore effecting the electricity in their brains!" Tony exclaimed, finishing my sentence. "That is genius, Banner. Genius indeed. All we need to do is build some sort of modified electrocardiogram that can scan the electricity of the brain over long distances. Then we can narrow it down to higher levels of electric activity and nab the guy!" Tony crossed the room and sat down at his desk, pulling up a clean virtual blue print. "This is going to be sweet. Have you seen her at all today?"
"No I haven't. Is there something wrong with that?" Tony shrugged his shoulders.
"You two have been spending an awful lot of time together. Just saying..." Tony said, trailing off. "Anyways, I thought that you'd be the first person she'd come to talk to about the whole ordeal. That is, if she hasn't been told already. I haven't seen her since yesterday when you two were eating dinner. Also ran by the med bay this morning and, to my surprise, she wasn't there. She's probably locked herself up in her room, drowning herself in her own tears and misery." Tony continued working and I turned back around to the study I had been reading. My interest in the study had completely left me in the time Tony had interrupted. Another addition to my already disrupted reading was my thoughts of Raylin.
I told myself that she wasn't sobbing recklessly, completely isolated from the rest of the Helicarrier. Raylin was a lot stronger than that. Last night, I had seen her overcoming the fear for her sister's life as well as become a crying mess. Such is the way of dealing with something traumatic as that. If anything, she was most likely taking the day off to gather her thoughts and build the strength to overcome the loss of her sister. I suppose, for that reason, she may not have been told that Loki is behind the neurotoxin poisoning. Better yet, she would be thrilled to hear that we are going to be able to track down the vile man's whereabouts.
Standing up from my stool, I stretched my back and started walking for the doors. Tony was quick to react. "Tell her that, if she wants, I'll happily string Mr. Shakespeare-in-the-park from the top of Stark tower." The corners of my lips curled and I left the lab to search for Raylin. I'd happily string any guy from Stark tower for her... Hulk help too. I cringed at the loudness of the other guy inside my head. He always seemed to shout when he spoke to me. It felt as if Tony had shot a rocket right next to my ear every time he talked. Bruce let Hulk help? An agent was walking towards as I cringed again, giving me a frightened look as she sped up her pace. Yes, I'll let you help. Just be quiet already. There were a couple more moments of silence before, yet again, the other guy's voice boomed within my head. Hulk like Raylin. Raylin nice. Raylin talk with Hulk.
I stumbled and found myself leaning against the wall as a wave of pain rolled through my head. Taking deep breaths, I closed my eyes and tried to calm down. Hulk had not been this talkative since the first few years he had been with me. The sudden change was starting to affect me and I wouldn't be able to hold him back for much longer. I placed my index and middle finger against my pulse, feeling it getting faster every couple seconds. My breaths were becoming increasingly faster and my head felt foggy. Just as I began to feel myself fading and the other guy emerging, there was a hand on my shoulder and a calming voice in my ears.
"You're going to be alright, Bruce. I'm here."
A/n: I know it was a shorter chapter, but at least it is something. I really enjoyed writing Hulk talking to Bruce from inside that gorgeous head of his. Anywhoozles, I'll do my best to update soon and feel free to tell me how you're liking the story. Until next time!
