They'd discovered that their room was completely dark. They couldn't even see their hands a few inches from their faces. The only reason it had been lit when they arrived was because Hena was creating light herself. She'd shown them that when she dimmed it.

They had no idea how long it had been since they'd been placed in prison. They guessed a day, but it was impossible to know. And Tony had pointed out that when they were confined, people tended to overestimate the time that had passed.

They'd taken turns keeping watch, even though they didn't need to worry about anyone within the room. All of them were paranoid about someone coming into their cell unexpectedly. Hena had stayed awake for the longest period of time, trying to talk to both Loki and her father. With Loki, it seemed as though the connection was just weak, but with her father it was as though her thoughts were hitting a wall and returning to her.

The place had already gotten to Hawkeye pretty badly. There were random screams that sounded as though someone was in severe pain. Something that was easily imaginable in this dark realm. And they never adapted to that.

The thing that scared Hawkeye the most was the fact that some of them sounded like children. They didn't sound like his kids, but that didn't matter. Fortunately, Black Widow was fully awake and aware now. She was of some help to him.

"I've just realized something." Volstagg said, eyes wide at the ground.

"What?" Thor asked, his voice suggesting he wasn't really expecting much. He didn't even raise his head.

"Both Asgard and Anaheim had guards on Midgard." his friend said eagerly "They switched out each day. Odin is bound to notice that they haven't returned."

After a moment to ponder this, several of them perked up hopefully. That is, until Tony spoke.

"But doesn't Loki know this?" he asked "He wouldn't overlook that."

"Where are the guards?" Hawkeye leaned forward pointedly.

There was a grim silence between all of them after he asked the question. Everyone in the cell, other than Black Widow, had something that Thanos or anyone else could exploit. Hawkeye had his children and the others were either immortal, or had some special ability. But the guards, even though they were likewise immortal, did not have anything to offer these dark beings. It would not be irrational to think they'd been executed.

"I...believe there could be two answers to that." Hena said hesitantly "And one is more likely than the other."

"Tell us." Thor prompted with a urging nod.

She took a deep breath, reluctant to say what she thought.

"They could be dead, but Loki has the scepter, yes? They're more useful alive than dead. To continue the deception, he would want the guards to return unharmed. So, all Thanos would have to do is take control of their minds and send them back. This would reinforce the idea that everything is as it should be on Midgard."

She continued to stare at them nervously. Thor sighed, realizing she was probably right. He was glad no one spoke of Loki to her this time. Even though the hatred in the room was obvious, they remained silent.

"He's not responding?" Fandral asked.

Hena shook her head quickly, eyes low "No."

"Heimdall would have been able to tell, wouldn't he?" Sif asked.

"Not if Loki ordered them to act as though nothing had happened." Volstagg answered her.

Hena closed her eyes as if concentrating hard suddenly. Thor glanced at her, but continued to listen to the others. She breathed deeply for a moment.

"Is it Loki?" Thor asked, cutting off Hawkeye. He stared at Hena intensely. She opened her eyes.

"No." she said with a sigh at their incessant asking "But, I just remembered this." she held up her hand, making sure that the mark between her thumb and first finger was very visible.

"Just barely?" Tony asked with dry amusement "Thor's done nothing but think about it since it happened."

Hena looked at the God of Thunder, but her face was distracted "I can use it."

"Do you mean so that they don't kill Loki or me?" he asked.

She shook her head and then paused as if that were also true.

"Yes, that is a another way. But this spell puts my life in danger and as such, there is a way to monitor those I burden with it."

Thor tilted his head, interest sparking in his gaze.

"What do you mean by monitor?" he asked "Can you see Loki now?"

"I have never tried it." Hena replied nervously "I'm afraid it will fail. That would suggest that my powers are more inhibited than I thought."

"Try now then." Fandral said earnestly "It would be best to know if your powers are inhibited anyway, yes?"

Hena hesistated and them nodded "Yes. Yes, I suppose you are correct. This scares me. I have never been in this situation before."

Fandral would have been the one to comfort her, but she just turned, eyes closing as she concentrated again. They waited for several moments, all focusing on her. Then they realized there would be nothing to watch and relaxed slightly.

However, Hena opened her eyes quickly and an image appeared around two feet in front of her. Tony and Captain America, who were closest, stepped away in surprise. The imagine made it seem like the people in it were actually within the cell.

Loki was flanked by two of his guards. They were almost a mix of the the ones in New York and the ones fighting for the scepter. They could only see the God's back, but he held the scepter in his hand. He looked to be surveying something front of him. Hena narrowed her eyes as she attempted to see. It moved forward slightly so that she could view the distance.
Prisoners were being moved into cages similar to the one they had been in.

Loki was giving gestures every once in a while, telling the guards where to place them. He almost seemed to be sorting them into groups. Men, women, children, small creatures, and ones so large it took a whole group of guards to control it. The most disturbing thing was probably his lack of reaction as people begged with the Chitari.

Hena watched, shoulders tense as if she was not expecting what she saw. Or wished it was not in front of her.

Women and children were ripped from each other, leaving them screaming and crying for one another. Thor stared with a deep scowl. Fights would break out, but the guards would break it up almost immediately, not worried about how much they injured the prisoners. Hawkeye looked down as a woman was brutally thrown to the ground, away from a girl even younger than Nathaniel.

Loki was watching this in particular, but then he turned, startling everyone. He was responding to something behind him. Hena instinctively brought a hand towards her mouth.

His eyes terrified her. The dark, shrunken marks around them were clearly visible. They were cold, as if having been tainted by the horrific things going on around him. His skin, usually more pale, had become almost gray. He waited with a narrowed gaze.

Red Skull must have been the one to alert Loki because he walked into the image.

Captain America flinched angrily just as he always did at the sight of the man.

"We have a group leaving for Zener within the hour." Red Skull said to Loki, unaware that he was being observed by those in the cell. He stepped away, implying that the God of Mischief was to follow him.

"For someone who hates this guy so damn much, he certainly seems to enjoy his company." Tony muttered. He shook his head briefly at the pair of them.

"I may join." Red Skull continued "Would you care to?"

"What does Thanos want there?" Loki asked, with a slight curiosity in his voice.

"Just less people to deal with once he claims leadership." Red Skull replied "He isn't concerned with a takeover."

They walked down the hall and entered a room filled with ships ready to depart. Another unknown creature approached them, hands behind his back.

"We're ready Red Skull. What is our destination?"

"Zener." the mutant responded "Kill everyone there."

"There are likely to be children." there was no emotion as the dark mercenary pointed this out.

"Then kill them in sight of their mothers." Red Skull answered slowly and irritably "I should not have to instruct you in every aspect of this mission." he turned to Loki "Perhaps you should go instead of me. After all, you have yet to look a child in the eye and take their life. If you don't go now, Thanos should save the ones we took from Earth when we came for you. That might be the best way to get rid of them."

"You want to get rid of one of our most interesting advantages?" Loki asked, almost as if slightly amused with Red Skull. He turned to leave. But the former mortal followed him so Loki continued "Thanos has not informed you of what we have planned for their home, has he?"

"I know that Midgard is just to be destroyed. I suspect you will be leading that." Red Skull said.

"I know I will." Loki maintained.

They returned down the hallway they had come from. At this point, Hawkeye's blood was clearly boiling.

"We should stop." Hena said worriedly, ready to drop the image.

"No, not yet. We may hear some of their plans." Captain America halted her. She inhaled deeply, allowing it to continue.

The hallway Thanos' servants were in slowly got quiet as they headed deeper down one way. They left the guards, the prisoners, and everything behind as they approached a different corridor.

"If you really desire a way to get revenge on Thor," Red Skull said, making Loki stop in his tracks. He looked over and the two of them stared at each other in the narrow hall.

"We have pinpointed Jane Foster's location." the mutant held out a piece of paper to Loki.
Thor's eyes widened.

The God of Mischief eyed the picture warily.

"That would be a lovely way to hurt him, wouldn't you say?" Red Skull went on, expecting a confirmation "The options are endless. Kill her or keep her for yourself. I mean, I know you're not one to take advantage of a woman, but...who is to say? Bring her back here and let him wonder."

"They're not in love any longer." Loki replied coolly.

"That doesn't matter." Red Skull said with a smile.

So, after a moment more of careful consideration, Loki reached and accepted the picture.

"Thank you." he said, flicking his hand and allowing it to fade with a green shimmer. Red Skull nodded slightly and continued past him.

Then, the image dissipated. Everyone looked at Hena, who was just continued to stare at the cell wall.

"Do you see now?" Captain America asked quietly, making sure not to sound aggressive again. He allowed her to ruminate in silence, his question more rhetorical.

"We've got to find a way to get out of here." Black Widow said seriously "If they take another army like the Chitari to Earth, they will wipe out everyone."

"That's what they want." Hawkeye said "They just want it gone and out of their way."

"Heimdall has to realize something is wrong." Volstagg said in frustration and just a hint of desperation "There isn't a way that Loki can maintain the images of us from this far away."

"I don't know how far his powers stretch." Thor replied with a scowl "I've never really known."

"He can't control the new guards that Odin sends there." Fandral said, as if it had just occurred to him "When they get there, they will be alerted to the fact that we are nothing but images. In fact, they may have already."

"Unless they traveled there to take control of them as well." Hogun replied grimly "We simply don't know how long it has been. We cannot assume anyone would realize anything by now."

"I would imagine it has been almost two days." Hena said quietly "And if my mother and father have been trying to speak to me, they will know something is not right by now. It doesn't look like Odin and them communicate personally though. So, we will have to send word to him another way."

Thor remained silent as they spoke, looking relatively subdued. Red Skull was correct. Even if he and Jane were no longer courting, he did not wish anything against her. And it made him sick to think of anything happening to her just because she'd known him.

Several hours more in the cell started to take a toll on all of them. Even though being able to see what Loki was doing had given them somewhat of a brief escape, hearing the ominous plans but not being able to prevent them was driving everyone crazy. They were relatively surprised someone hadn't lost it by now.

Thor was still quiet, pondering over the possibilities of Loki's revenge. Hena, being the only one to really tell what he was thinking, finally came over to him. His Asgardian friends were vaguely aware of his feelings for her, but not enough to understand his current concern.

"Are you alright?" Hena asked sympathetically. She kept her voice quiet, as not to let the others hear. Thor glanced back at her.

"I know what you've been thinking about." she admitted "I'm sorry you are worried about Jane."

He let out a deep breath "All of Midgard is in danger."

"It's not wrong to be worried about one particular person." Hena assured him. Thor gave an uncomfortable shrug.

"I am worried that they will bring her back here and use her against me." he said "And Loki wants to hurt me as he feels I hurt him. I fear for what he would do to her if he finds her."

"I don't believe Loki intends to take her." Hena said.

"He's threatened her before. When I returned from exile." Thor replied, sounding a bit angry.
"But he never sought her out when he came to Earth. He only said it then to provoke you."

"SHIELD took her into protective custody." Thor said "I doubt he found it worthwhile to find her then." he paused "Hena, believe me, I have always tried to see the best of Loki. Even when he came to Earth. He killed a friend before me when I was helpless in a cage. And I was still willing to make amends. He was not. There is no reason for me to believe he wouldn't kill Jane."

Surprisingly, Hena just reached over and took his hand. Thor looked down at it for a moment.

"Loki would face repercussions from me if he did that. He spoke to all of you when you first arrived. But he has not come here yet. This tells that he does not want to face me."

Thor rose his eyes to her face, realizing that he believed it could be something else.

"You said he was angry with you. Are you sure this is not his way of getting revenge? He is very good at that." he said bitterly.

"I don't believe so." Hena replied "I suppose it is always a possibility though."

"I'm sorry to be negative." Thor said with a sigh "But, being stuck in here is maddening."

And, right then, he had a vague realization of what it must have been like for Loki during his year in prison. Except he would have been alone. He briefly felt sympathetic, but it quickly faded as he remembered why he himself was here in this cell.

"I know. Everyone here is on edge. I've been maintaining the emotion equilibrium as best as I can." Hena said. Thor's eyebrows went up and she nodded.

"You're trying to keep us calm?" he asked quietly.

"Thor, it has been more than three days since we were put in here." Hena said "I know that. But if anyone else knows, they'll become even more agitated."

"I can't feel that you are doing anything." Thor replied questioningly.

"I am keeping it subtle. It can become harder when the person is actively resisting it." Hena answered. He suddenly became aware that she was almost as old as him. She seemed younger, but there were times when her wisdom outshined his by far.

Thank you for the reviews! They help so much :)

And please review again! :D