Here's a long chapter full of feels. Enjoy, my darlings!
Chapter 29. Powerful, Dangerous & Betrayed.
"Won't the Avengers know you're missing from their Tower if you're here?" John asked suspiciously.
"No, stupid mortal. I am here, and I am there" I said, using my hands to explain myself.
He burrowed his brow, confused, before his face lit up as he realised what I meant.
"Oh. Oh. Like, time travel?"
By the Norns. Really? Such an idiotic creature.
"Like, no" I mimicked his tone. "Like, clones. Illusions."
I started walking towards the door, tampering a little with the cameras and their most recent records of the mortal.
"Oh." That was the only thing he answered before going after me. His footsteps made an awfully loud noise against the gravel ground. He was going to ruin everything even before it started.
"Wait, are you the real one or the copy?"
"This Loki you are seeing is the original, at least a part of him."
"What does that even mean?"
"Think and use that little grey head of yours" I prompted.
He stayed silent for some moments before speaking again.
"That's something Sherlock would say."
I rolled my eyes.
"Do you expect me to comfort you?"
"No; it's just that…" He composed himself. "Never mind. Let's go."
"We are already going" I pointed out. "And now shut up."
As soon as we entered the lounge, Tony suddenly let go of me. There were, apart from the omnipresent Avengers, Fury and Pepper. I raised an eyebrow. I understood the director's presence, but not the woman's.
"Loki is back" Stark announced cheerfully.
"I am not back" I corrected, stepping away from the engineer. "I am, however, here."
I swept my gaze around the room, pausing a moment on each one of them.
"You are not going to say you are burdened with glorious purpose, are you?" Clint asked, his arms crossed defensively.
"Why, agent Barton, would that be a problem?" He just narrowed his eyes but I could see his arms tensing. "No, my intentions here are to merely talk. I do not wish another war. You would not survive."
Stark groaned in exasperation at that. I ignored him and started to pace the room, slowly, to build tension and make them anxious. They were so serious and fun to watch when they were nervous.
"Are you going to tell me why I have come here?" asked Fury from behind me.
I turned to look at him and looked surprised.
"I don't know. You tell me, why have you come here, director?"
"Stop playing games, Loki, and just say what you want" interrupted Captain America. He was wearing normal clothes, not that assault against good taste he called costume. One could not take him seriously wearing that.
"It's not what I want to rather than what I am forced to ask" I answered, trying to look tired. "I want to know why SHIELD is working with Amora."
"The Enchantress?" Steve inquired. "How could you know—"
"I have my sources" I replied mysteriously.
"I told him" said Thor at the same time. The fool couldn't just keep his mouth shut, now could he?
I glared at him and he twitched in the spot.
"Anyway, I wish to know why" I repeated.
"She's useful" Fury answered vaguely.
"I figured out that much on my own, thanks." I smiled at the man unpleasantly. "How exactly is she useful?"
"She has understanding of magic none of us possess. And when you left so suddenly, brother, we feared…" Thor trailed off, unsure at the silence of the room.
Oh.
Oh.
So it was about me. They feared me, what I would do since I wasn't under their constant surveillance.
I felt powerful and dangerous, but also betrayed. They thought I would do anything? After everything that had happened? They fully knew I wasn't quite myself during the attack on New York, but still, there had been plenty of time for them to realise I wasn't that reckless psychopath.
"You fear what I will do. You fear me." I smirked. "So you seek the pitiful aid of a disgraced sorceress. Charming."
I walked around the room, slowly circling them. I paused in front of Stark.
"Because your readings and analysis of my magic weren't enough. Because apparently you can sleep with me but not trust me" I accused, piercing the man with my gaze, and he swallowed.
"That is unfair" said a female voice from behind me. I turned, irritated by the interruption, and saw Stark's assistant looking directly at me.
"I'm sorry, are you an Avenger now, do you work for SHIELD or…?"
"I live here."
"And why would you live…?" I stopped and glanced at Stark, who was looking anywhere but me. I noticed he had covered the hickeys from before with makeup.
"Do you have something to tell me, Anthony?" I asked, my voice silky and sharp, carrying the promise of pain.
I didn't know the place as well as I would like to to feel comfortable with entering here, but I did have approximate knowledge of its blueprint. After my magic had been restored, and fearing an intervention from SHIELD, I had infiltrated a couple of times in case I was locked here somehow. Wouldn't hurt to know the enemy's lair a little but, now would it?
But the events on the other side were not making it easy to fully concentrate on not getting lost in the SHIELD facility. This place was built like a labyrinth, with its long corridors and unknown order.
"Make me a sign if you see any cameras" I asked John. He wouldn't be able to see the guards before I sensed them, but maybe he saw a camera I had overlooked.
"Isn't it easier to make ourselves invisible or undetectable or something instead of breaking every camera? And what if they see us before you alter their records?" the soldier wanted to know. He had surely picked up Sherlock's fondness for annoying questions.
"We are cloaked. But I regrettably agreed to help SHIELD develop a better security system against magic a while ago" I admitted. He looked horrified at that and was starting to panic. I chuckled, trying not to make a lot of noise. "Don't worry, doctor, for I haven't said my assistance was completely helpful. I left some magical blind spots in case that I needed to infiltrate here. Like now."
He relaxed and we continued walking in silence for some more. We found two passing agents and three cameras, which I manipulated easily.
"There is another one there" John pointed out. I had already seen it, but I had yet to alter its records.
"I know." I made a pause and saw the opportunity to get information from this mortal too. "Thanks, though."
He looked confused for a moment, but didn't say anything. Bad approach.
Let's try again.
"I mean, I have already seen it, you weak mortal. Do you think I'm blind?"
Oh yes. That was it. First show vulnerability and then mask it, reaffirming that vulnerability and creating empathy.
He was going to reply but I grabbed his arm and pushed him into a dark corner, covering his mouth.
A woman in the characteristic uniform of SHIELD was chatting with a man, who was carrying a tray with food and a bottle of water.
"Do you know who he is?" asked the woman.
"No idea, but he's been here what, ten days? Two weeks? And the director and agent Romanoff have visited him almost every day" commented the other. At that I started paying attention to their conversation.
"But he's not dangerous, or we would have been warned."
"I heard it was Fury who brought him food until today."
"Rose is going to be green with envy when I tell her we've seen the prisoner."
The two of them disappeared around a corner and I released John to go after them.
"Erh, I… Loki, you were away… I didn't know if you had switched back to evil… And it just… happened?" he stuttered.
"A month, Stark, a month. You couldn't bear a month without running back to your always ready to please whore?" I snapped.
"Don't you dare call Pepper a whore" Stark said, now serious.
"Oh, so you're defending her now. But will she defend you if I tell her what we just did?" Fear glinted in his eyes. He was almost pleading. I drew pleasure from that as I turned and looked the woman straight into her eyes. "Because we just had sex. Tony was screaming my name, not yours; he's climaxed in me, not in you. I was the one to make him beg for more, the one to leave the marks on his neck he has covered to your sight. Tell me, how many times has he been unfaithful already?" I asked wickedly. She glanced worriedly at Stark, who was looking miserable.
"Hey, we're not here to discuss Tony's private life" Steve interrupted.
"Yes, I almost forgot. We're here to talk about how evil I am, how I have betrayed the flawless heroes" I mocked. "Oh, Loki is so bad, and I'm so good and perfect because I'm an Avenger and occasionally I save people."
"You did try to destroy the Earth" Natasha commented.
I rolled my eyes. Always with the destroy Midgard.
"I wanted to rule Midgard, not destroy it" I repeated for the millionth time. "But I won't claim innocence for my deeds. And neither should you."
"We have no blame for your actions" Steve defended.
"Are you sure about that?" I enquired, gazing at Clint intentionally. The man looked ashamed. "What about Clint? Have you punished him? Because I've been in this Tower for the last year and I haven't seen the minimal sign of it."
"He was under your mind control!" Natasha shouted. She didn't usually scream or voice her emotions so clearly, but when she did, it was because of agent Barton.
"So was I!" I answered even louder. "And yet I was stripped away of my magic, my very being, and sent here to live amongst mortals who were not better than my guards in Asgard!"
"We didn't harm you" Tony said quietly, but I heard him.
"Don't you dare say that, because you did. I did not sleep for three weeks right after I arrived. I was barely allowed to eat. I could do nothing all day but get frustrated and stare at the ceiling." I was at your mercy.
Stark remained silent, his face expressionless. But I wasn't done yet.
"Why, please tell me, do you think I started to sleep with you in the first place? You had treated me like nothing more than a slave." His expression morphed, an instinctive denial blossoming across his features. "I saw an opportunity with you and took it. Because I thought that would improve my situation, my despicable condition."
At that point all colour had left his face.
I followed the agents on their way down, until they stopped in front of a black armoured door. The woman swiped her ID card and the door opened. They stepped inside and the door closed behind them with a soft thud.
I hid behind some crates and a moment later John arrived to my side.
"What are we waiting for?" he asked.
"Quiet" I hissed. "We are waiting for the two agents to come out."
He didn't reply.
"So" I started out of the blue. "How long have you known Sherlock?"
"About two years now." He burrowed his brow. "Why?"
"And you've been together all that time? That's impressive, given everything" I observed.
"What do you mean?"
"Someone of Sherlock's intellect usually gets bored really fast. And you are not that interesting." He glared at me, or at least what he thought was a glare. "Besides, you're not easy to put up with."
"That I'm not…?" He huffed. "Sherlock is the one hard to bear."
"Really? I guess you are the only one with that opinion. But you are also who knows him best, aren't you?"
"Firstly, I'm not the only one who thinks Sherlock is hard to put up with. By far. Everyone says so!" I gave him a warning look and he lowered his tone. "He plays violin at 3 am, by God's sake. And keeps heads in the fridge. Do you have any idea of how many times I have found severed body parts where there should be food?"
I gave him another look and returned to stare at the black door.
"You didn't tell me if you were the real or not."
"I told you" I defended myself. "It's not my fault you didn't get it."
"Stop it, I want to know."
"Of course you do." I kept quiet for a moment. "Okay, if it serves to prevent you from talking anymore."
"Deal."
"This body is an illusion. But not for that is less real than the Loki on the Avengers Tower" I explained. "I feel everything that's happening here, and everything that's happening there."
"Oh. And why this is the copy, and not the real?" John wanted to know.
"Natasha would know I am an illusion if that was who were in the tower. Magic doesn't have smell, real people do." I shrugged. "Besides, this is more dangerous than speaking with the Avengers."
"Great."
The door opened again and both of the agents stepped out before going back up, chattering about how annoying the prisoner was, with his deductions. But at least he had cool blue eyes, according to the woman.
Definitely Sherlock.
"You can't be serious" Tony said.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" I asked in return, looking at him with cold green eyes. "I was desperate, Tony."
I turned my back to him to face the rest of the group.
"Cease to work with that pathetic creature called Amora and I shall return" I announced. "If you don't, I'm afraid I will be forced to kill her."
"Why? Because you don't like her?" Clint asked.
"Because Amora is a nuisance at best, but with access to SHIELD technology, she will become more powerful, and she'll betray you" I warned, my eyes not leaving his. "She is not of the good ones."
I despised that terminology, bad and good, as if you could define someone with such a simple word, but it was the only one their thick skulls would understand.
"And we should believe you because you are good" Clint replied.
"No, and that's exactly why you should believe me. I am neither good nor bad. I only play for myself" I explained.
"You can't just ask us to abandon an ally" said Steve. Oh, the ever-present justice poster boy.
"You won't abandon her. You'll just break your agreement. Whatever agreement you have." I thought about it for a moment. "What agreement do you have? What does she get out of this?"
Amora would always get something in exchange; if not, she wouldn't move a finger in the first place. There had to be something she wanted, something she could win.
"That's none of your fucking business" Fury interrupted.
"Well, director Fury, it is. It affects me, both as a sorcerer and as an acquaintance of your little group of misfits."
He answered something I paid no attention to, but it probably was something unhelpful containing motherfucker or some other word of the sorts. I was too caught up in the other body's sensations inside the SHIELD facility. It was time.
"Stop this gibberish" I commanded. "Consider my offer while I'm away. Always a pleasure to fuck you, Tony." I beamed a smile and teleported out.
I moved closer and after checking there were no more agents coming, I inspected the door. A simple keypad and a slot to pass the card. Geez, it would be easier to destroy the door itself.
I touched the black metal, testing its alloy. Then I tapped it twice, before tracing a circle with my fingertips on the cold surface, big enough for me to pass through it. It vanished, and I peeked inside.
There he was, his back to me, sitting on the centre of the room, the food discarded on a corner. I entered the room silently, the hole I had just made closing behind me, and approached him.
"Glaring at your food won't make it disappear." He turned suddenly. "Hello, Sherlock. Pleased to see me?" I asked, tilting my head to the side while smiling mischievously.
"Not surprised" he answered.
"Sure." I made a pause to look at him properly. "They've done no harm, have they?"
"No, I just made fun of their passive aggressive interrogation techniques" Sherlock mocked.
"Good then. I'll just get rid of a soldier about to come and we can go."
I smiled and turned to leave.
"Go where?" the detective inquired.
"So eager to know, my little Sherlock. You'll see."
I disappeared through the hole I had created again, where John waited with a frown.
"Well? Is he in there?" he asked.
"He is."
"Then let's go, shall we?"
"Oh" I said, as if I had just realised it. "You didn't know? Well, I'm afraid you are not coming."
He looked in shock.
"What? Don't give me that crap, Loki. Let's go."
"I would say I'm sorry, but that would be lying. Besides, it would do nothing but add to my reputation" I commented.
He saw the blade flash just before I took a quick step forward and stabbed him in the abdomen, fear tainting his features as realisation dawned on him of what I was about to do. John shook and I hold him.
"I told you it was dangerous" I whispered into his ear, before I let him go.
He fell to his knees, the irony of having him at my feet, kneeling before me, not going unnoticed.
I suppressed a chuckle as I looked at the man for a moment more. Then I went back into the black room, where Sherlock awaited. He raised an eyebrow at the blood on my hands and clothes.
"Ready to go, Sherlock?" I asked, offering him my hand to get up.
"Of course I am" he answered, looking insulted and taking it. "Where to?"
"Shut up and observe it by yourself."
A moment later there was no one inside the prison.
