Chapter 25.
I was sitting at the vanity in a pale blue Grecian styled gown, hating myself for putting on their clothes but it was better than the alternative. I did not like how exposed the nightgown left me feeling, and even though the the straps of the gown left my shoulders nearly bare, I felt more covered in the dress. I was doing everything I could not to cry since talking to Loki, he knew about the pregnancy and promised to find me. What scared me now was the retribution I was about to face from Stephen, my hand went up to my neck as I thought about how he tightened the necklace on me. There was fear, and then there was absolute terror.
What would he do to me now because of my escape attempt? I looked in the mirror at myself and shook, afraid not for myself but for so much more. I put the necklace on, hoping that pleasing him would make him decide not to do anything awful to me. My fingers shaking as I picked up the hair brush and tried to smooth my hair. The door clicked open and Stephen walked in, followed by the man from last night. My heart started pounding in my chest and he stood over me, his hand out for the brush and I gave it to him. He walked around behind me, tapping the brush in the palm of his hand. All I could do was think about how heavy the silver brush was, he moved behind me and I tried not to shake.
"I cannot say that I am disappointed by your wanderings last night my dear." He said and stood behind me, gathering my hair back carefully and beginning to brush it with long, slow strokes. His fingers working between the strands, I was disgusted by the contact and did my bet to not let it show.
"I will have to reward Marcel later for finding you however, I was quite overjoyed to hear you had not gone too far." He continued, Marcel opening the door again and taking a tray of food from a man on the other side. He placed it on the table for me neatly, nodding his head toward me in greeting. Stephen put the brush back on the vanity and picked up the earrings, putting them on me and brushing my chin with his fingertips. The traced my collarbone with his hand and smiled at my reflection, his eyes memorizing every detail.
"Do it again, and I will amputate both of your legs at the knees. That is the only warning you will ever get, am I understood?" He said and I nodded, folding my hands in my lap and shaking.
"Yes." I said and his hand cupped my elbow, standing me up so that he could look at me.
"You are perfection, and it would pain me greatly to destroy something as lovely as you." He said and guided me over to the table. Marcel lifted the cover on the food and I looked down at the fresh fruit and toast, there was fragrant tea as well but I had no appetite.
"Nothing to say my dear?" He said and looked at me, I shook my head and shivered again. He sat back in his seat across from me and motioned Marcel over, he walked over and bent over at the waist as Stephen whispered something to him. Nodding his understanding, he left the room to fetch something. I wiggled my toes in the powder blue stiletto heels I wore, hating the shoes with a passion.
"Eat, I know you have to be hungry. We will also be counting the flatware when the tray is taken away, we cannot leave you with the temptation to run and make phone calls again." Stephen said and I picked up the fork, I wanted to stab him in the eye with it to get him to stop staring at me. Instead I ate a bite of the mixed fruit, being rewarded with a smile. I picked up the toast and ate a slice, sitting back and chewing it quietly. He watched me closely, studying the way I ate everything. Treating me like a creature kept in a zoo, locked up and for his entertainment.
"They are going to come for me, I think you know that though. They are not going to spare a single resource in hunting you down either." I said and ate a few more bites of food. He frowned at me and studied me briefly, making sure I had swallowed before he stood up and walked around the table toward me. I popped out of the seat and backed away from him, finding myself in the corner and shaking. He stood over me, taller and menacing, despite the stiletto heels I wore.
"So afraid, and cowering back. My dear come here, I only gave you a warning earlier." He said and held his hand out to me. I took it and he guided me back to the chair, crouching down next to me and turning my face toward him.
"I know they will come, and we are ready for them. After you eat, I will escort you to the conference room, and you will meet your most devoted followers. I am so pleased to say that they are quite excited to meet you." He said and his hand slipped behind my neck. I pulled back and he chuckled to himself, letting me go and returning to his seat.
"Famine, War, and Conquest?" I asked, forcing my heart to stop pounding in my chest.
"Sadly, War was a great disappointment to our cause, we will have to replace him. However, Famine and Conquest are waiting to meet you." Stephen said, gesturing toward the plate in front of me.
"I am full." I replied and he frowned at me, I sat back in the chair and he studied me more for a long moment.
"Nonsense my dear, you need the nutrients as well. Now please, eat a little bit more. I can't have you famished before lunch now, it would be unbecoming." He said, his hand closing into a fist. I picked up the fork and ate more, playing it smart for once in my life. He relaxed and his hand opened, crossing his legs and I bit into another slice of toast.
"Is it to your liking?" He asked me and I nodded. Biting into a kiwi slice and smiling.
"Yes." I said in return, picking up another piece of the green fruit and eating it quickly. Marcel returned with another tray, on it was everything to administer the serum. I set the fork down and rested my hands in my lap, Stephen picked up the syringe and cleaned my shoulder with the alcohol pad.
"It makes me happy to see you cooperating, I may have to give you another gift soon." He said and inserted the needle in my arm, leaning close as he pressed in the plunger. His breath was hot on my neck as he pushed my hair back over my shoulder, I felt a tear trace down my cheek. I was disappointed in my self for not fighting back, and I should have, I should have lashed out to protect myself. I should be doing more, but I was scared and alone in this.
"I know every last thing about you my dear, and I also know you are protecting something. Behave yourself, and I will let you keep the bastard growing inside you." He said and picked up a sheet of results from blood they took from me while I was out from the tray. He knew, and he set the pages down on the table, turning my face toward him and kissing me. Inside my head, I screamed and made deals with whichever deity was listening to end the contact. He pulled away and looked into my eyes, his hand sliding down my cheek and laughing in my face. I shook and did my best to not cry, the violation was too much for me.
"You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that my dear. You have made me very happy." He said and smiled at me, his hand ghosting over my shoulder. He stood back up and extended his hand, guiding me to the door and putting a hand on my back.
"Let us meet your devoted servants now, we all have a gift to give you."
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Fury paced and looked troubled, Loki turned the small ring over in his fingers. The friend of Lilliana had found a written confession from the men who took her, they knew where she was and they were ready to strike at any moment. A map and satellite image of the island was displayed in front of them. The man stopped pacing, studying the faces in front of him and let out a measured breath.
"How sure are we that this letter you found is not a wild goose chase? Because I am not entirely sure that we should launch an attack on American soil based on a found confession alone, especially one from Agents tied to The Horsemen. Plum Island is not exactly remote by any means, there are homes, families on the banks of that bay across from it. If we do not plan this carefully, then we risk civilian causalities. Convince me that this is not a fools run." Fury said, his eye darting from one face to another. Loki dropped the ring around his neck and it made a small sound as it tapped against his armor. He could not believe what he was hearing, and refused to even think that they were going to abandon her when they were so close to getting her back.
"The prefix and area code from the number she called from is Long Island based. Marilyn Manson found records using her program, that show Ghemma Pharmaceuticals purchasing the island from the government over a year ago after operations and disease research stopped and they moved to the Midwest. Exactly how much more proof do you need?" Stark said and Loki felt some respect for the man. Rogers let out a long breath, crossing his arms and checking his cell phone yet again for any activity.
"I still do not like it. You had one phone call from her last night, you said she was going to make contact again. There has been nothing since then, how do we know they have not moved her from that island?" Fury said and shook his head again, rubbing his good eye as he spoke.
"On top of that, they have another threat in the form of some genetic mutations they baked up. We have no idea when they are going to use them either, I want Ms. Hawthorne back as well. But, I am mot willing to risk lives, civilian or our own on what we have now. A hunch, and a very big one at that." Fury said and everyone gathered looked as if they could not believe what they had just heard. Loki stood up, walking toward the man and staring him down. Fury returned the glare and they circled for a moment.
"We have given you proof enough, we are sure this is where The Horsemen are holding Lilliana. Why do you refuse when you made her a promise of safety, that promise you could not keep. They attacked her, injured her, and snatched her away under your nose! Your word was nothing when she needed that security most! Any yet, she stayed and aided you in this madness." Loki said to the man, his rage at a boiling point. The sound of her fear laced voice still in his head and the shaking quality it had as she choked back tears, fueling the fire that roared in him. Feeding the flames, and making it burn hotter.
"She stayed of her own accord, she was fully aware of the risks." Fury said, stepping forward and continuing to stare into Loki.
"She stayed because you asked her to, she had more than any of us to loose and she stayed because you asked for her help." Rogers said, walking up behind Loki and standing next to him. He regarded the man next to him in his faded leather jacket, smiling at him thinly.
"I am aware that emotions are running high, given the revelation of Ms. Hawthorne's condition. But we must approach this in a calm manner, flying into this without thinking it through could get someone killed. So sit down, and think this all through in a rational way." Fury barked, Loki and Rogers stood their ground. Wanda walked up and stood with them, her arms crossed as she pinched her lips together.
"I know what it is to be a prisoner, I say we try this island. If you refuse, I will go alone. It is a risk I take on my own, and I want to help my friend." Wanda said, her stance set and Loki found himself respecting the woman.
"Ms. Hawthorne was fully aware of the risks, she was never in the dark about what she stood to loose." Fury said and Barton walked over and stood with them, letting out a resounding sigh.
"I like Short Round, and my wife with kill me if I go home and tell her that I did not try to help her. It is a woman thing I guess." Barton said and Fury let out a measured breath. He was loosing control of this team, and factions were being made according to their consciences. Loki squared his shoulders and Stark raised his hand, Rogers looked at him and groaned.
"Yes Tony, you can give us all the toys." Rogers said, Stark rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"I was just going to ask if I could be the baby's Godfather. But if I get to provide the cool toys, then count me in." Stark said, propping his feet on the table and smiling smugly at Fury.
"Someone has to fly you idiots, I guess it is me." Natasha added, sitting back in her seat and Loki smirked at Fury. He had won, and they were going to get her.
"You will form a plan, one that limits civilian causalities and property damage. Do not make me regret this decision, anything on that island, organic or not is fair game." Fury said and Stark smiled, raising his hand, and grinning at Loki.
"I have something special for you, and I know you are going to love them." Stark said and pushed from the table, monitoring for Loki to follow him. Loki let out a breath, following the man who irritated him constantly.
"Now I know you, and you are a man with simple tastes. Guns never were your thing, but knives always were. Thor told me that by the way." Stark said as they walked, pausing briefly to let the man think. Loki did everything he could to not throttle the man, they were wasting precious time and they needed to get Lilliana back before The Horsemen harmed or moved her.
"Please come to the point of your ramblings Stark, I do not believe that we have much time before they make a move against us or her." Loki said, crossing his arms in irritation. He glared at the man in front of him and they continued walking.
"Keep that attitude, and no presents. Anyhow, I got a hold of a manufacturer in Austria, they supply knives for their Special Forces. Some of the best knives in the world have been designed by this company, and this is one of the results." Stark replied, opening the lab door. Loki walked in and looked at the hard shelled case on the table. Stark patted him on the arm and grinned, he walked to the case and clicked open the latches on it. Lifting the lid to reveal two one foot long knives, he lifted one out and liked the weight of it. The long, twisted blade of the knife had tree edges that came to a point, converging in a corkscrew. Loki was impressed by how balanced they were, and the craftsmanship was remarkable for the weapon in his hand.
"Beautiful Stark." Loki said and picked up the second one, liking the feel of the round hilt in his hands. He flipped one and caught it, bringing it around to the stance of a knife fighter.
"Titanium alloy, not cheap, but sharp as hell. These both set me back a coll ten thousand, but hey, only the best for the guy who wanted to be King. This is the deadliest knife known to mankind, the blade is designed to corkscrew in. Leaving a hole that requires a team of skilled surgeons to fix, and can cause the victim to bleed out in seconds. I give you the Jagdkommando. Think of them as a wedding gift from me, and please don't go stabbing Thor with them." Stark said and handed him the sheaths for the weapons. He admired the knives again, putting them back in the sheath and nodding. Something creeping into him as he rested his hand on the case, his other hand finding the ring around his neck. He felt a tic at the corner of his mouth, Stark reached out and grabbed his arm.
"We will get her back Loki, right now she is there. Probably tapping her foot and calling you all kinds of rude names, that sassy way she crosses her arms when she is annoyed with you." Stark said, smiling to himself. He removed a flask from his pocket and passed it to him, both men sharing a drink for their lost friend. Loki took a long drink, savoring the warm tasting liquid and smiling back at the man in front of him.
"Not her better qualities, but that is most likely the case at the moment." Loki replied, laughing to himself.
"I am really sure that is true. But, you have to hand it to her, literally. A woman that short can't reach anything. How does Thor not step on her?" Stark replied, taking another drink and laughing at his own joke. Loki chuckled and found himself fracturing a bit inside, he could see her becoming angry with Stark. Her height was always a sore spot for her, a random memory of her trying to reach a book in the library above her head. He had to hand it down to her and saw her annoyance in herself, warning him against making a comment about her stature with a look as she stomped away with her arms filled.
"I am going to kill Johanasson for this, there is no safe harbor for him. I have a special Hel planned for him Stark, I will say that." Loki hissed, taking the drink from him and swallowing more of it.
"Take a number, because I want a piece of him too." Stark replied, picking up the case and handing it to him. Loki's hands closed over it and his fingers gripped the plastic, making it pop in protest under the pressure. He smiled at Stark, a look of pure venom on his face and licked his lips.
"Let's go get your Princess." Stark said and threw the now empty flask on the table.
"She is my Queen. Hel will hold no surprises for The Horsemen." Loki replied, his rage becoming an inferno.