For better or worse, Marvel owns all of this stuff, not me.
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Many thanks to my wonderful Beta, Jesuslovesmarina, who writes some pretty cool stories. Go read them!
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Chapter 25: White Queen takes Black Rook
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Two noteworthy alterations I made to previous stuff I feel you should know: for Natasha's battle in Las Vegas is now both more realistic and more difficult for her. Second, instead of it being HYDRA reacting with interest after the Battle of Las Vegas, it is now your friend and mine: Zemo…
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Previously: Loki, disguised as Odin, sets things in motion on Earth, sending both Sif to aid the Avengers in combatting the shadowy forces behind the Hulk-related events, and Lorelei to entrap and take control of the Hulk himself.
As for the Bruce and Natasha, the other Avengers have noticed some new tension and distance between the couple.
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'What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?'
'A guy did me wrong. There've been a lot of people in my life, all of them fighters. Then there comes this guy, who's not like anyone I've ever met; he doesn't want to be a fighter.'
-Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanoff, "Avengers: Age of Ultron"
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Avengers Headquarters
Kitchen
Dawn rose over the home of the Avengers, and already many of the occupants were up and about as the heroes prepared for the new day, while the newest shift of SHIELD agents began to work. The more sane individuals just turned over in bed so they were not facing the sunlight.
Steve was unsurprised to find Lady Sif already eating in the kitchen, but the clothes she was wearing were unexpected: all black, with a leather coat, jeans, and a shirt. Belatedly he realized that no one had offered her anything to wear besides what she had arrived in. Seeing his look, she elaborated. "I brought these hides with me, so as to blend in more."
"Do you prefer your armour?" Steve hedged, and she gave a rueful nod. "You can wear it around us then if you want, whatever makes you more comfortable here."
"Thank you," she smiled and grabbed for another Pop Tart. Thor was correct, we really must bring these back home!
"Later today we'll have to do some training, so that you can judge what we are capable of, and so that we can work on some team-building exercises," Steve continued as he started making coffee.
"That sounds good," Sif acknowledged, noting it was also a polite invitation for her to show off her own abilities. Yes, I see what Thor means. He is a leader before a commander.
"So who is coming over?" Sif asked.
"He's the guy in charge of what's becoming Earth's agency for dealing with extraterrestrial stuff," Steve explained. "Although SHIELD's probably still going to do the bulk of it."
"But who besides the Avengers has any experience with such matters?" the Asgardian asked with some confusion.
"And not much experience at that, even with Asgard," someone spoke up, and the middle-aged figure of Doctor Erik Selvig entered the room. "Sorry I'm so early, but something got canceled and I got here faster than I—"
"Friend Selvig!" Sif beamed, recognizing the man from her brief time on Earth when trying to find Thor during Loki's madness. Remembering her manners she gave a quick bow with her head, "I am honoured to be able to properly meet you now that there is no threat to be dealt with."
"And I you," Dr. Erik Selvig returned with his own abbreviated head bob. "Any friend of Thor's is a friend of mine." Then he gave an ironic smirk. "Half the reason they pulled me out of my lab to make me run the agency. And now that Stark's turned down our offer to work for us, there isn't really anyone to properly talk too."
"Don't worry, Banner's around," Steve reassured the man, knowing that the scientist probably wanted someone to talk to about technobabble that should not count as English. "But are you here to greet Sif as an ambassador?"
"Right, right," Selvig muttered, before turning back to the Asgardian, "On behalf of the
Sentient World Observation and Response Department –you can forget that name and just call it SWORD by the way –we welcome you to Earth but to also ask: what are your intentions?"
Straightening her posture and stiffening her tone, Sif looked the man square in the eyes, "My only official duties here on Midgard, on behalf of King Odin, are to support the Avengers until Thor is available again, with an emphasis on helping them uncover and defeat the ones responsible for the Battle of Las Vegas."
"Sounds good," Selvig smiled, relaxing his posture. "If you need anything let us know, but we'll stay out of your hair. I say that as both the Director of SWORD and as a friend."
"I am grateful," she smiled in return.
XXX
Romanoff-Banner Apartment
Bruce slowly made his way around the apartment he shared with his wife, both of them being studiously quiet except for making sure that Laura had all that she needed before the three of them went to join the Avengers for breakfast.
Just man up and talk to her about it! Bruce thought as he tried to berate himself into action, but still he did nothing. He still did not know what to say, and was afraid of making things worse.
Unknown to him, Natasha was having the same concerns, and was equally frustrated. He just won't listen to reason!
They had talked and talked about it, but whenever they started to raise their voices Bruce would just get up and leave their apartment. And so the silence stretched out between them.
XXX
New Avengers Headquarters
Lounge
(Two weeks later)
Bruce glanced up at Wanda as she entered the room, looked back at what he was doing, and then returned his attention to her when he realized she was limping badly. "Twisted my ankle during a run," she explained. "Can you look at it?" she casually asked the man who she had once had attack an innocent city and whom in turn had threatened to murder her.
"Sure," Bruce sincerely answered his friend, while she turned her attention to what he had been watching.
Sif and Natasha were sitting across from each other with a chessboard between them, each of them missing most of their chess pieces, and Wanda had seen far less ominous faces while engaged in mortal combat.
"They've been playing for three hours now," Bruce explained. "Yeah," he added in understanding when he saw her shocked look. "Took Sif an hour to learn how to play it right beforehand, but the two of them've been deadlocked this whole time."
Wanda blinked, "Didn't Natasha beat Vision at chess once?"
"Twice actually," the synthoid corrected as he entered, throwing Wanda a concerned look. "I'd thought I'd learned how to compensate for her unpredictability, but only learned that she had spent most of the first game leading me astray for the follow-up game."
Wanda blinked. I feel sorry for Laura growing up. The mind games with her mom will be scary. Sratch that, if she's half as good as Natasha, I feel sorry for Bruce.
XXX
Special prison block
"So what're we watching today?" Bucky asked from inside his cell.
"A few pop culture movies," Sam explained, "but we're saving the best for when you're cleared and free."
Noting the deliberately optimistic explanation, Steve elaborated, "They say they're best with friends and family. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and some others."
"But you're not allowed out in public until you've seen them," Sam teased, "it's the law."
"So what are we watching?" Then Bucky frowned in confusion at the video cover. "Why Frozen?"
"It's in a lot of pop culture, and Disney's plastered it everywhere they can reach," Sam defended.
Not fooled, Steve just smirked. "You just want to watch it, hoping that between being in a secure cell and with a baby to take care of, that Natasha won't catch you and your guilty pleasures."
"I still don't know how she found out about Big Hero 6! I was alone at home when I was watching that!" his friend groused.
XXX
Later
Lady Sif nodded in understanding as Bruce Banner finished outlining the latest project he was working on, a collaboration with Dr. Selvig in his scant free time. Should I mention that Asgard abandoned that line of study because it was too inefficient compared to alternatives, or do I let them figure that out for themselves? What did Thor do in cases like this? If he remembered what we had been taught about this in school…or was paying attention to these scientists… Before she could decide however, Bruce paused and reached into his pocket to pull out a vibrating plastic object. Sif's brow furled in puzzlement. "What is that?"
"A cell phone, a personal communication device," he answered, a little distracted. "We've got an Avengers meeting, something SHIELD's concerned about."
XXX
Briefing Room
"SHIELD has a problem," Agent Maria Hill began the meeting.
"You do know that Stark would be having a field day with that, right?" Natasha threw in. "Listing off examples for his own entertainment."
Hill ignored her. "SHIELD's been keeping an eye on various US militia groups for years, but all of a sudden a particular one started receiving significant arms shipments," Hill brought up images of men in US army uniforms handing over suspicious looking boxes to armed civilians, apparently in the middle of the night. "All of those soldiers were once loyal, law abiding men, a few of them have never even gotten a parking ticket, but for some reason they're shown handing over some pretty dangerous stuff, risking serious jail time. A team of agents was sent in a few days ago to retrieve the gear and neutralize the militia group, non-lethally," she added as she saw some of the looks she was getting. "We lost contact with them shortly afterwards."
"You think they've got an Enhanced or Gifted?" Rhodey asked.
"Specifically against this group's credo. In fact, they want to kill them all. Especially the Avengers."
"Charming."
"Satellite coverage?"
Hill shook her head at Romanoff's remark, "Bad quality. Just as the team went in, the militants activated something that's affecting any readings, especially with the bad weather in the area."
"That's pretty suspicious," the super-spy noted, her face not betraying anything. "Something else from the US military maybe?"
"Hence why we're asking the Avengers for help in case they've got something else, but only as back-up. Other agencies have gotten wind of this group, so SHIELD's organized a multi-agency operation to help win back some goodwill after HYDRA."
"I can't go," Wanda informed them with a shrug, "my ankle's still pretty bad."
"It might be best that we hold some of our numbers in reserve," Vision added. "We don't know what the Appendix might attempt next."
"Or someone else," Natasha agreed.
"But if we don't know what we're dealing with here, it might be best to go in strength," Falcon argued.
"I should go to scout it out a bit," Natasha volunteered.
"And SHIELD's sure there's no Enhanced involved?" Steve asked.
"As sure as we can be," Hill promised. "We picked up some of their military suppliers, and they all claim they were paid off when they really needed some fast cash, so nothing suspicious there. Plus given the size of the force we're sending in, we're not concerned."
There was silence as this was considered. "I shouldn't go," Steve concluded after a few moments. "Captain America arresting American extremists could polarize the issue, and the same if we go in with too many big guns."
"I'll go then. I can stay discrete unless it's absolutely necessary," Bruce broke in.
Everyone stared at him, but Natasha was all but glaring, before turning to Captain America, "That sounds great!" she sweetly declared. It was unnatural.
"Uhm, 'kay, then I guess me too, for support," Wilson added.
"Discretion is not my thing, but I can hang back with SHIELD for back-up," Rhodes offered.
Lady Sif looked troubled before speaking up. "As much as I wish to help deal with this crisis, I must continue to prepare myself for the challenges ahead. And with Bruce and Natasha participating, I am confident all will be well," making the couple wince at the reminder of their newfound intergalactic prestige.
XXX
CIA Headquarters
"Any questions, Agent Carter?"
The young blonde woman nodded impassively at her superior. "Why is SHIELD agreeing to work with us on this Op?"
"We received the same intelligence as them at about the same time, and they initiated the offer, probably to try and mend fences. This won't pose any problems, will it?"
Agent Sharon Carter just smiled, "None at all. I'll just have to make sure my cover as an FBI agent is intact."
"That will be handled. You'll be meeting your FBI counterpart tomorrow, and you'll both establish your identity as recent partners. But I was referring to you spying upon SHIELD and the Avengers."
She actually snorted at that. "Again, it won't be a problem. At the absolute least, SHIELD needs a few checks, and there's definitely something going on with the Avengers that they're keeping secret. The question is what." In reality, there were a few issues for her in this, such as how she had formerly been the young and yet rapidly rising SHIELD Agent Sharon Carter, a.k.a. Agent 13.
When Captain America when he had revealed the truth about HYDRA and Project: Insight, she had been one of the first to support him, turning against her "colleagues" to stop their insane plan. Afterwards she had gone to join the CIA, and she was being honest to her boss about how she felt about SHIELD: they had run unchecked for too long, with the world's salvation only coming from a man who was supposed to have been dead, and a lot of luck. Carter still believed in the organization, yet she also knew that it was still a work in progress, still becoming something that could protect the world, but also deserved to.
So she had joined up with the CIA, fudged a few details in her resume while using her talents to hide a few other things, and had quickly earned herself a reputation for a reliable and highly talented field agent. Not only was she still making the world a better safe, with accountability and safeguards in place, but as she rose through the ranks she had greater opportunities to also keep an eye on not just SHIELD, but also the Avengers; being her own form of oversight for them.
While she believed in Captain America, and knew she would follow him into hell itself if need be, her time spying on him had made clear that he was inexperienced and even naïve regarding subterfuge and hidden secrets. It was possible that the recent insanity in what was once Las Vegas, and all of the other rumours she was hearing, were because Rogers was being kept in the dark about some things again. Important things. This way, with this mission, she had a chance to find out for herself.
"So I'm looking forward to getting some answers for that," Carter finished with a confident smile, eager to get to work.
XXX
SHIELD Mobile HQ
The Black Widow's expression was a professional poker face as she took in the assembled agents from both the FBI and ATF, with SHIELD providing the muscle and the people skilled enough at diplomacy to make everything work. In theory the Avengers would not even have to move a muscle, aside from her own recon work.
There were a few familiar faces however, such as Agent 13, Sharon Carter, who had been SHIELD's agent on-hand to watch over Steve and his apartment, and had later been on the frontline with the loyalists who had recognized the true intentions of HYDRA's moles when Steve had later revealed their existence. But she's supposed to be a SHIELD double-agent within the CIA right now, not FBI. Probably to check in on us for the CIA, Natasha mused.
Acting in defiance of how everyone else was avoiding looking at the Avengers right now, Carter stepped forward, with a man also in a bullet-proof vest reluctantly following behind. "This is FBI agent Nick Fox, and I'm his partner, Agent Sharon Carter," the blonde introduced herself, "and of course we all know who you guys are. Nice to meet you!"
"Same here," Bruce smiled, and Natasha twitched her lip up to seem a little friendlier in turn.
"Surprised to see you coming along," Carter continued, looking at Bruce, "I thought you were more of the lab guy?" When you aren't a figure of mass destruction, was the unspoken implication.
"Just trying something new," he calmly told her, while fastening on his sidearm a little awkwardly. Carter also took note of how while he was staying by the Black Widow, there was some distance between them and a sense of awkwardness, Just how cohesive are the Avengers really? she wondered.
"Cool. Now, from what the techies are telling us, it looks like the militants are scattered throughout the compound, but far enough apart from each other that we should be able to sweep through easily."
"I thought I was supposed to go first?" Natasha politely asked.
Carter shrugged and gestured at a man in his mid-forties, who was apparently running the show. "Change of plans."
XXX
Avengers Headquarters
Wanda smiled and cooed at Laura Romanoff-Banner. The little girl was growing up so fast, but was still so, so, sooo adorable!
Laura was running around now, getting into everything she could and keeping everyone on guard. Who knew where she would end up next? Gun safety was now a matter of life and death (their own lives that is, not the kid's, if Natasha found one unsecured). Fortunately, all of the New Avengers were all very fit and able to keep up with her. Except Wanda. More time in the gym, she promised herself as she pulled aside a chair to get around the couch after the baby, little less time on psychic powers. Of course she refused to use her abilities around Laura. While powerful and versatile, she dared not risk their use around someone so fragile, especially for such a needless reason.
Despite how tired she was, Wanda could not remember being happier, except during her visits to the Barton farm. You'll have a future, Laura, she promised. The childhood and life that I, Natasha, Bruce, and the others never had. The life that was denied to us because powerful men believed that they could do whatever they wanted. While Stark had not personally launched those missiles at her hometown, it had been his corrupt business partner that had made it possible. The life Steve almost missed out on if not for those powerful men enacting the New Deal to save the economy and not improving it since. In Sokovia, Wanda had grown up with wealthy and healthy men preaching about equality and the greater good to starving masses. She knew what sort of support a government, the powerful, should provide its people and those under them.
With a quick burst she snatched up a giggling Laura and looked the little girl in her eyes. I promise you, she swore in Sokovian, we will do everything to help you grow up in peace. Not the peace of holding a gun to people's heads; but real peace.
And Wanda chose to believe that Laura's bobbing head meant she understood, and was thanking her "aunt."
XXX
Militant Compound
Later
The various agents were slowly moving their way through the militant compound, but so far everyone was calling in: "No contact."
"Something's not right," Carter hissed as she and her partner and their own squad swept through the quiet buildings. Seemingly endless rows of drab buildings with bits of garbage and junk equipment scattered about, but no sign of anyone living here.
"Agent Carter, channel five," a voice broke in from one of the ATF operatives, signaling that he was calling her on a radio frequency that the Avengers had not been given the encryption for. "I just saw Dr. Banner. Isn't he supposed to be back in the rear?"
Frowning, the ex-SHIELD agent almost contacted the Avengers themselves to ask what they were playing at, but stopped herself. "He's probably afraid we're too far ahead to help us if needed," and in fairness everyone did want as much space between themselves and the Hulk to get out of the way if it became necessary. "Keep your distance, but keep an eye on him."
XXX
A finger brushed against Falcon's cheek from behind, and then he knew clarity.
XXX
They never even saw it coming.
Cracks of gunfire shatter the silence, and Agent Fox goes down. Carter snapped around, gun raised, with only careful training keeping her from panic firing even as the rest of her team dropped unmoving. The shooter was Bruce Banner.
Unable to get away, she rushed forward while he was still adjusting his aim and plucked the gun from his hand. He punched her. Hard.
"Banner! What's wrong with you!?" she snapped, but was suddenly on the defensive against the middle-aged man. Aikido, along with some other training, she automatically processed, but how's he this good!? He's just a scientist, a nerd, he—ah, right, and survived on the run for years. Guess he's tougher than he looks.
The two fighters danced back and forth, trading blows, with Carter at a serious disadvantage: if this was indeed the real Banner, then she dared not hurt him. Dared not make him angry. Dared—
He broke her wrist.
Got her arm into a lock that was textbook SHIELD and snapped it while she was distracted. We're almost dead anyways, she hissed to herself and drew a knife with her good hand. "Why, Banner!? Or is it really even you!?" she demanded of him.
"Oh, it's me," he reassured the CIA agent with a look that screamed fanatic to her, "and I'm honestly sorry about this, but she told me to show her what I'm capable of. I hope you don't mind."
"Great," she grunted as he ducked back under another swing, "mind control. So I've got to get you angry."
"Yes, well, problem with that," and then he kicked her knee and made her hit the earth. "I can't get angry anymore."
The last thing she saw was his fist.
XXX
SHIELD Mobile HQ
"Sit rep," Rhodes ordered as he stood in his War Machine suit.
"All clear," Wilson's voice cut it over the radio. "Dumb luck took out the original SHIELD team after they'd almost handled it themselves. They're alive, and these idiots were still trying to get their act together. Frankly, they didn't even need us."
XXX
Militant Compound
Bruce was serene as he straddled the downed SHIELD agent and beat at the man's face despite the struggling attempts to make him stop.
Nothing. No drugs, no meditation, nothing, had ever granted him such inner peace. Not even Laura and Natasha? a voice tried to ask, but was too muffled.
He remembered his ongoing fight with her. No argument, no discussion, just letting it stew between them these last few weeks. He did not have to worry about that anymore, did he?
The desperate agent finally started to actually fight back now, weakly flailing at Bruce to make him stop, but pain meant nothing to Bruce. His tolerance and self-control were too well honed. Pain was just another trigger for anger after all. For It.
But I don't have to worry about that anymore, Bruce reminded himself with rapture. The Goddess said that I don't have to use the Other Guy! That I should just stay happy and calm!
So he kept on hitting.
Finally, the agent stopped moving, but the doctor within him made a quick diagnosis and confirmed that it was nothing too serious. And if it is, then maybe he just isn't worth serving the Goddess Lorelei, he concluded with some mild regret.
XXX
At the exact same moment, Natasha was trying to get her radio to work. Something was jamming short-range communications. She was more worried however about how Falcon was just lazily flying in circles above the base, displaying none of his military-ingrained caution. Also, none of the militants were firing at him, even though the man should be safely out of the radio interference. Worst of all, her intuition was sending every emergency signal it could to her. Wilson's been compromised, she concluded. Probably parts of SHIELD too, enough that the incomplete satellite reports and other details weren't given enough thought, or were faked up to be made more believable. Probably the request for inter-agency cooperation too, to help convince us not to send too many Avengers. This was a trap baited just for us.
Whoever was involved likely had some way of altering people's minds, but given SHIELD's previous history with Loki, the thralls were probably ordered to develop their own cover for their actions to allay suspicion. Even those army men who had "sold" the weapons had likely been commanded to deliberately make large purchases beforehand so that when interrogated, they could claim they had needed the money. When the militants had offered them a "deal," that had helped strength the deception. Made everyone more willing to walk in, thinking they were in control.
Still, it all seems so crude and rushed, even if mind control was used. If SHIELD hadn't been so overconfident…
She immediately headed off to find Bruce, when a beautiful woman turned the corner. Long, rich red-gold hair, perfect figure, and a light grace as she moved that almost disguised a posture that spoke of being a trained fighter. Despite this, being dressed in military fatigues like the other militants, almost gave her a hint of anonymity.
Natasha shot her.
Three bullets bounced off her forehead.
"Asgardian?" Natasha asked, catching the subtle expressive cues to confirm this, even as the stranger just smiled.
"What gave it away?"
"Just a hunch," Natasha lied, having recognized that same look that she had seen in Thor, Loki, and Sif. Not even the benevolent ones had been able to hide the presence granted from having lived for centuries, or even millennia, with all of the experiences and challenges they had encountered and overcome. Despite all of their efforts, there was always a hint of that when they were engaging with those who were both far younger and far more fragile. Lorelei even had the same smug arrogance and superiority in her gait as Loki had.
Whipping out her batons, glowing blue with power she struck at the woman, but the Asgardian's arrogant smirk never faltered as she sidestepped from each blow. She's received training, Natasha coldly listed off, she's reading my moves and moving faster than I can to dodge around. She's also smart enough to not be hit by an unknown weapon.
The backhand to the chest lifted the Black Widow off her feet and threw her backwards. Rolling as she hit the ground despite the pain, she was up again, weapons still firmly clasped.
"You did better than expected, for a mortal," the stranger praised as if she were doing Natasha a great service. "You anticipated me, and were already moving back to lighten the blow." Then she went on the offensive.
Sparring matches against Steve came to the forefront as the Widow ducked and dodged around attacks, using her batons to deflect attacks, but the alien barely reacted to the electrical bites after the first shock. She's backing me towards that wall, the Avenger's situational awareness told her.
And then a fist got through her defenses and then everything went black.
XXX
"Not bad, but not what I was expecting," the sorceress Lorelei mused aloud. "What in the Nine Realms does Thor see in this planet?"
Dragging the last Avenger by her collar, Lorelei turned the corner to find the Banner straightening up, another downed SHIELD operative at his feet. The rest of the elite squad was sprawled around him, proving that the man was indeed formidable. For a mortal. "I'm impressed that you could do so much in this puny form," she admitted.
The Banner shrugged with modesty, blushing a little at the attention he was heaping upon him, "Natasha's been training me since she stayed at the Avengers Tower. Said it was important that I could defend myself, and I taught myself Aikido while I was on the run." Never once did he glance at his wife who had been dropped on the ground.
"Have they all been accounted for?"
"Yes, except for the men who were sent back with Falcon."
"Good. If there are any other women around," the only ones immune to her powers, "bring them with you, I want them to see this."
XXX
SHIELD Mobile HQ
"When are the others coming back?" Rhodes asked as Wilson joined him and the others, a team of other soldiers following behind him.
Falcon just shrugged, "They had some spy work to handle and Bruce is just checking up on the SHIELD agents, but all's good. Felt like I'd come back since there was nothing else for me to do."
"Uh-huh, alright," Rhodes agreed, wondering why something seemed off. All he knew for sure was that his gut was sending off silent warning bells, and he was deathly aware of how he was no longer wearing his suit. Something about one of the technicians saying that the War Machine outfit would distract the other agents while working, especially since the crisis was past…
XXX
Militia Compound
Lorelei preened as the female mortals slowly came around, realizing how they were tied up on the floor, seeing the Banner unhindered and sitting on a chair in front of them in the middle of the room, and taking in the scant bare walls. She particularly enjoyed taunting them with how all their weapons and equipment were off to the side, out of reach and useless even if they could get ahold of them.
After a few moments she deigned to take notice of the redhead's begging towards the Banner, the one her information had labeled as the Banner's mate, the Black Widow. Delicious.
"He can't hear you, you know," Lorelei said with mock sadness, "I told him to only pay notice to my voice and requests. That way there is less that can upset him. In fact, I've done all I can for him, to ensure that he doesn't get angry anymore, and you love me for that, don't you Banner?"
"Yes I do, Lorelei," the grey haired man breathed out, with the redhead paling at this. Always so satisfying.
Still, best not to spend too long on fun and games. After all, SHIELD would soon have some inkling that something was wrong, and then Sif would soon arrive. The last time that the Enchantress had escaped from Asgardian prison, the organization had been crucial in helping Odin's dog hunt her down and imprison her again. Now was the time to act.
"You know," Lorelei said as she gently as she made her way over to where the Banner was sitting down, "I'm sure you can guess where it goes from here. Me and this lovely specimen leave and have the time of our lives," ignoring that glares of hatred from the Black Widow, as her voice became increasingly gleeful, "and I hold control over the most powerful mortal on this world. I can even take him to other worlds; imagine what we could accomplish!"
Then the joy fell from her eyes and only cruelty remained.
"But that's not going to happen," she hissed. "Whoever sent me here, that's what they want! But I? I am Lorelei! And I am no one's pawn!"
"No!" Natasha gasped. "No, don't do it! Please, please don't do it! I'll do anything! Just not that! Please!"
Lorelei gave her a look of bare approval. "So you figured it out. Very good. For a mortal."
"If you just leave, we'll forget about this, all of it," the Black Widow begged, tears threatening to escape, "No one has to know. Asgard won't know, they're too busy right now! Please!"
"I'm sorry, but I really can't. Not after what's been done to me. Whoever it is want's him alive, to use for their own ends," and then Lorelei traced her fingers lightly over Bruce's face, his eyelids dropping with bliss, "and frankly I can't guarantee that I could control his other side."
Natasha was frantically rocking back and forth, visibly struggling to break free of her bonds.
"It's a pity that you didn't bring more males with you, and that the others are unconscious. I don't usually do this sort of thing myself," Loreli admitted in a conspiring manner, "but for something like this, it's best to do it yourself." Leaning over she whispered in Bruce's ear, "Are you still calm, pet? Happy?"
"Yes, Lorelei."
"Bruce! No! Get angry! Get angry!"
"He can't, he really can't. So he can't heal from this."
Serenely Lorelei reached over, put her hands on either side of Bruce's head, enjoying the sound of him moaning in pleasure at her touch, and then she crushed his head like a ripe tomato.
XXX
Author Notes:
I know that in Captain America: Civil War it appeared that the Avenger's base only had Avengers in it, but I liked the implied idea from the end of the Age of Ultron that SHIELD agents were working there, or "former" SHIELD agents now working for Stark Industries ;-) at the very least. Basically to take up support roles, and back-up and everything. Who cleans the place? And no, after AoU I doubt they would accept robots or want Vision to do it all :-P
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