Chapter 9 - Interrogation
When it became clear what Fury was asking her to do, Maria couldn't look at him. She shook her head, dropping her gaze to the desktop and the multitude of files spread out between them. It was years of information. Every legend, fact or speculation they'd accumulated about the God of Mischief.
She didn't want to be used against her child's father. It was a low blow, especially after her tearful display in the meeting.
Stupid pregnancy hormones!
"You have a rapport with him," Nick impressed, sitting forward in his chair. "Use that connection."
The baby squirmed, resulting in a powerful twinge of nausea. Or, perhaps it was the request that sickened her.
"No, Nick."
"Do you prefer the alternative? We need those locations."
Torture. That tactic carried a more profound burden on her soul. If she could do something to spare Loki, no matter how distasteful, Maria knew she had to try. Though, after the failed negotiations and violent interruption, she doubted Loki would cooperate.
"I don't think he'll tell me a damn thing now."
"Give it your best shot."
Maria pushed carefully to her feet, turning to Thor who waited at the door. Of all the people the director could send with her to question Loki, how did the hated older brother get the job?
They left the office, stepping into the closest elevator to descend to the detention level.
Thor regarded her with uncertainty.
"It is true then?" he asked in a low, respectful tone. "You carry Loki's child?"
Maria stared at the numbers counting down on the controls, fighting the urge to touch her stomach. She realized how bad this all looked and felt— like a betrayal.
"You're wondering why I didn't tell you before, when I begged you to find him for me."
He didn't sound angry when he said, "I think I understand why you didn't."
"So what do you really want to know?"
The elevator stopped and doors opened. He followed her to the end of the hall then grasped her arm as she reached for the fingerprint scanner.
"Do you care for him?"
Was it wrong to want Loki? Her colleagues seemed to believe so. Loki was their enemy, no matter what bargains Maria had struck with him or the trials he and she faced together. After wrecking so many lives, how much should it matter that he had saved hers? Of course, Loki meant more to Thor than the others. The child would mean more to him too.
"No," she answered, though there wasn't much conviction in her voice. It felt like a lie, but so would saying yes. No was the safer response.
Thor's frown showed that he'd noted the uncertain tone, but he released her without comment so she could activate the door.
S.H.I.E.L.D. built Loki's cell months ago on the off chance that he might be apprehended. The walls consisted of a sturdy, transparent material manufactured at Stark Industries, yet enhanced with technology from Asgard. Energy coursed through them, acting as a magical dampener and delivering an intense shock to anyone who got too close. There was minimal furniture in the cell, even the small table and chair had been removed, leaving the bed on one side and an open toilet, shower and sink on the other. A slew of cameras recorded the prisoner's every move while two armed soldiers stood guard.
Loki sat on the bed's edge, his feet flat on the floor, hands resting palm up on his thighs and eyes closed, giving the impression that he was meditating. He remained still and calm, as if he didn't know they were there, or simply didn't care.
Maria assumed Nick would be monitoring the upcoming interaction, and Thor allowed her to lead, standing a full stride behind her.
"Thanos's forces fled Nidavellir a few hours ago, but they didn't reappear in Svartalfheim or at those coordinates you gave us," Maria said.
She paused, hoping he would have a response to the information, but he didn't stir or speak.
"Please tell me where he could be?"
"Please." The word slithered from his lips, which curled ever so slightly into an accusatory smile.
Maria tried to not be irked at his mocking.
"Let's be honest and civil."
He took in a long, deep breath, which puffed out his chest. He lifted his cold gaze to settle on her.
"I already gave you information out of the kindness of my heart, and look where it got me. I would suggest that we discuss the terms, but from your look, I can tell you have nothing to offer me. Might as well commence with the unpleasantries."
Thor moved forward to stand with Maria, causing Loki's smugness to fade.
"Be as stubborn as you like, Brother, but your information becomes less valuable every time Thanos reveals the location of a passage. You can help us get ahead of him. Earn yourself some leniency. Or, you can sit there while more innocents die and anyone who may care at all comes to resent your unwillingness to sacrifice your pride."
Loki stood, sauntering close to look Thor in the eye.
"Your speeches are getting so articulate. Father will be proud. I do hope someone writes that one down for posterity."
Thor tensed, his hands fisting at his sides and eyes narrowing with anger. He set his jaw, appearing to hold back a brash retort.
Maria pushed her way in front of Thor, which put her dangerously close to the barrier.
"I get it," she said to Loki. "You're in a bad situation. You think you have to be deceitful, argumentative or treat everything like a joke if you're to survive. That's what you've always done, but it didn't help you escape from Thanos, did it?"
"I have paid my debt for your assistance."
Maria disregarded his comment. "Cooperation," she stated, putting extra emphasis on the word, "and trust—"
"Put me in here!"
He turned away in a rage, kicking at the leg of the bed, which knocked the frame wildly askew and sent the pillow and folded blanket tumbling off.
Thor argued back, "Your crimes put you in there!"
Maria touched Thor's chest plate, tapping it gently to draw his attention to her and signal that she needed him to calm down. Her eyes pleaded with him to let her handle Loki. He got the message and gave her some space.
"Come here," she requested of the trickster in a more tender tone.
Still glaring, he returned to stand before her.
"Stop acting like you care, Maria. Face it, we use each other. The trickster and the spy. Those of our ilk nurture deceit."
At face value, Loki was right, but the depth of his upset and the pressure building in Maria's core told a truer tale.
"I'm not only a spy, Loki," she said, "and I'm pretty sure the trickster alone wouldn't have carried me on his back through the snow."
He shook his head, too hurt and dejected to have internalized her full meaning. She wished they weren't in this position because she had no choice but to continue applying pressure to get what they needed from him. Loki was stubborn, but also wounded in a way. Maria had to aim for the hole in his defenses, strike hard and really make him bleed.
She set the trap, using a softer voice to convey a sense of being on his side and lure him in.
"I didn't want it to be like this."
Again he shook his head, seeming to say that he'd expected this outcome all along.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"That you won't get to see the baby. That he'll grow up learning all the awful things you've done."
She might as well have stabbed him in the heart. His features went slack at these words and gaze fell to the floor between them like the fight and hope were draining out of him.
"Leave me," he uttered.
"I don't want to."
"I cannot be the man you desire me to be."
The situation appeared to be breaking down, yet Maria saw this change in him to be a sign of actual progress. Time to flip the script.
"You are knowledgeable, clever and strong," she admitted, "and full of determination and resourcefulness. So you crave a little attention. Don't we all at some point?"
"Compliments are useless."
"Facts," she declared. "You said you couldn't be the man I wanted. I'm just refuting that claim."
Color rushed back into his features as he gave a low chuckle.
"I'm not in love with you, Maria. Give up this tactic."
Maria was more a realist than romantic. She gave him a sincere smile, not concerned with his claim as he didn't always mean what he said, and the slight pout of his mouth hinted that he wasn't so sure of his true feelings.
"Why are you wasting time?" he pushed on. "Just let them do their worst."
She caressed her stomach. "This child needs a father."
When Loki scoffed at this assertion, Thor broke in with a frustrated growl.
"He cares more about himself than any of us."
Of course he does, Maria thought, realizing that the idea would be reinforced in Loki's mind every time someone voiced it.
How many times did a person have to hear a criticism before it became their own truth? Plus, he'd been running, hiding and fighting for his life for months.
"Can we talk this out?" she asked Loki, hoping to catch and keep his gaze on her. She feared that Thor's impatience undermined all her efforts. "Is there anything I can say that will make a bit of difference?"
Loki looked over her head to leer at Thor. "I'm done dealing with twits and dullards."
Those fierce, spiteful words stung more than Maria could have imagined. A quick lump formed in her throat.
What just happened? she wondered.
Apparently her efforts to soften him up had backfired onto herself. Surely it had to be the sneaky, manipulative hormones flowing through her system sabotaging her emotions and planting illusions of family bliss. As always, she'd tried to wrap everything up in a neat, manageable package, which Loki callously set ablaze.
"How disappointing," she managed to say, the words further choked by the hot emotion brewing in her chest.
A sudden movement from the baby sent a jolt of pain through Maria's right side. She gasped, her head spinning with the shock. She gripped the throbbing spot at her lower rib cage. The touch only escalated the pain, which seemed to radiate through her middle.
Thor reached for her. "What's wrong?"
Maria shook her head, skirting around the wall of muscle to head for the door. She made it to the hall before another strong pain doubled her over. Tears flooded and blurred her eyes. Every breath hurt, and it was within those panicked moments that Maria guessed at what was happening. The baby was agitated and taking it out on her.
Thor hurried to her aid, picking Maria up when she failed to straighten.
"The baby's kicking. I think he cracked my rib," Maria admitted through strained gasps. "Please get me to the infirmary."
A medical team met them as Thor carried her off the elevator. The God of Thunder insisted on accompanying her and stayed at Maria's side during the doctor's brief examination.
"Without an x-ray, we can't know for sure," the doctor said, "but your rib probably is cracked."
For the baby's safety, the doctor wouldn't give Maria any sort of strong painkiller. He provided a couple acetaminophen and an ice pack instead.
Nick Fury arrived, reporting, "Banner and Stark have been on the phone with Jane Foster and Erik Selvig. They might have a theory of how we can detect the passages connected to Earth."
Thor asked, "Still no sign of Thanos?"
"None." Nick paused to consider Maria. "I hear the baby threw quite a tantrum."
Tantrum had been Maria's assessment of the situation. She felt a pang of guilt having Nick refer to it that way. For all they knew, the baby might have just been stretching very enthusiastically, though he'd stopped moving after the damage was done.
"It's not his fault that he's strong and cramped up in a fragile space." Maria tried to laugh, but the action flared her injury and pushed the amusement and breath clean out of her.
Thor said, "The healers on Asgard would be swamped caring for the wounded. I could go after a healing stone, but Father will likely find use of me, and my return would be delayed."
"Loki could heal me," Maria said with a hint of bitterness, "if he wasn't locked up in the basement."
Nick requested of Thor, "Give us a moment."
With a nod, Thor stepped out.
"Don't lecture me," Maria warned with a wince. "I tried talking to him and failed. Obviously, I'm of no further use to you."
The director considered her, his look intuitive. When he did speak, Fury's tone was almost tender. "I think we moved beyond the standard boss and employee relationship years ago." His hand raised just high enough to come to a rest near hers as if he intended to take it, but didn't.
Maria agreed, still wiping at tears.
"Everyone makes mistakes, and you've suffered a lot for yours."
Though he put up an understanding front, Maria thought she could sense a big but coming as he continued.
"Loki cannot be tamed by force, reason or even kindness. If he suspects that we consider him weak, he rejects our gestures more aggressively."
"If you knew this, why did you send me in there?"
It bothered Maria that he might have set her up for failure, adding further insult to the injury.
"I wanted to shake Loki up, get him off-balance. Between your insights and dramatic exit, I think it worked."
"How so?"
"He's down there right now, pacing his cell. I tried pulling out the guards to see what he'd do without an audience. He didn't stop moving. I don't think it's an act."
She drew in a slow, cautious breath while working the variables around in her mind. They had little choice but to exploit Loki's upset, given his stubborn and suspicious nature.
"So, we let him stew for awhile, then what's next?"
"That depends if Banner and Stark can find these passages. We might not need Loki at all, but we'll keep him simmering on the back burner until we know for certain."
"I guess I'm stuck being in pain."
Nick offered a sympathetic frown with the advice, "If junior acts up again, maybe you should try singing him a lullaby."
Maria winced and dismissed the idea in turn.
"Better get me more ice. This mama doesn't sing."