She didn't have to speak. Her eyes said it all. The heavy anchor of disappointment was chained around my ankles as I dragged myself to Agent Hanna's office. Dr. Banner followed close behind, hanging his head, and twiddling his thumbs. When the door closed, my heart sank. This was going to be my last day here, for sure. There couldn't be any possible way for Dr. Banner to pull me out of this grave.
I took a seat in front of her desk as she fuzzed with the clutter she'd collected. Banner leaned against an old sand-colored filing cabinet and crossed his arms solemnly. The only way I could describe the atmosphere would be downcast. A dense cloud of discomfort billowing out, curling into itself as it clashed against the walls. The silence was nauseating. My eyes passed between Banner, Hanna, and the mountain range of clutter.
"Gods, just say something. Anything," I pleaded in my head.
Of course, she didn't. No one said anything for a while. Banner and I just shared a glanced as Hanna flipped through pages, as if she was buying her time. Trying to make us feel awkward and distressed. I wouldn't put it past her.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. The squeak of the chair made Hanna's eyes snap to me. I froze. They were intense black holes intent on devouring me. Her mouth pressed tight in a thin pink grimace. Her dark arched eyebrows were harsh narrow lines, aggressive ridges marred her forehead. Yet, I still felt nothing from her. It was almost refreshing to be in a room with normal people. Not having to feel every emotion at all times. They fell into the background. I was able to filter my emotions from theirs.
Guilty. That was the main one. Scared was another. Anxiety was there too, slinking around, causing my heart to wail against my chest. If she would just say something.
A folder slammed on the desk. I jolted in surprise. Hanna was eyeing me up and down with fierce eyes. She could've sawed me in two. Anxiety was building inside me. I needed to twitch, fidget, bounce my leg, or something. I was going to crazy in this petrified state. Not only that, but I could feel my skin crawl, like it was trying to escape, and wiggle away to hide.
She took a deep breath and parted her lips. Thank the gods. Finally, she sighed, "What the hell was that?" Her eyes flipped between Dr. Banner and me. "Well?" she huffed.
"Look, she was having a hard time and I thought maybe it was because Loki-"
"The prisoner," Agent Hanna corrected Dr. Banner curtly.
"Yes, the prisoner. I thought that Miss. Bright's depressive state was a result of...the prisoner's current emotional state. When we first brought him in, she reported on having insomnia as a direct result of his refusal to sleep. So, I put two and two together," Banner explained.
"That's a lie," I yelled suddenly, "it was my idea, not his. I convinced him to let me into Loki's cell."
"The prisoner's cell," Hanna exhaled through clenched teeth.
"I didn't need much convincing, Miss. Bright. You had a sound argument," Banner smiled kindly.
Hanna pinched the bridge of her nose, sucking in full lungs of air. There was a vein in her head about to pop. "Miss. Bright," she began in an agitated voice, "The prisoner is the reason you couldn't sleep. He's also the reason you had a panic attack, correct?"
"No, that's false," I snapped coldly.
Hanna quirked an eyebrow. "Is it now?"
I was suddenly filled with courage. Maybe it was spite. Loki was right. I didn't like the way she spoke to me either. I didn't like her cocky attitude and hostility.
"It is. I was suffering from an episode of PTSD, which hindered my ability to complete that day's session with Lo-the prisoner," I stated.
Hanna wasn't convinced. She relaxed in her chair and glared at me with suspicion. "P.T.S.D.? As in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder," she asked as she opened a file. Her finger skimmed a piece of paper as she muttered words to herself. "Can I ask what from?"
I swallowed hard. I didn't want to think about him again. His face was a scribbled-out blur in an old photo album. Yet, I could still feel his arms lock around my waist. His dead weight dragging me down below the inky black waters. A look of panic must have rushed across my face because Banner immediately perked up.
"I don't think that's appropriate," he noted.
"Maybe if she talks about it amongst her peers, she'll be able to overcome it, and we won't run into this in later sessions," Hanna replied with raised brows.
"Obviously, it's a sensitive topic," Banner persisted.
"It's okay," I muttered, my voice cracking only slightly. I brushed away a stray tear. "A few years ago, I was in an abusive relationship. During one of our fights, he committed suicide in front of me. It's been difficult to form relationships since. Physical contact, emotional vulnerability, it all seems to trigger my anxiety."
Hanna leaned into her desk with curiosity. She seemed satisfied with my response. "Have you formed any relationships recently?"
My blood froze. It should've been easy to just lie, but there was something sinister in her eyes that struck me. Something that made me want to scream and hide. All I could do was shake my head. Hanna shot a questionable look at Dr. Banner with a shrug.
"Look, I'll be real with you kid. I don't need fancy powers to know that you're lying. You clearly have an emotional connection to the prisoner," Agent Hanna declared frankly. She crossed her arms and sized me up, scanning me over with her eyes for the hundredth time. "That's to be expected, given your unique abilities. I just want you to realize that he's manipulating you."
"Not this again," I groaned in my head.
"Just listen," Hanna snapped, "He is manipulating you. You don't have to like it, but you need to accept it if you want our plan to work."
"Our plan?" I asked suspiciously.
Hanna cocked a cruel smirk. I shuddered. Unseen frost trickled through the air as it wrapped around me. A vindictive chill that emanated from the agent with a crooked smile.
"To win him over, of course. Lure him to our side," she said as she laced her fingers together. "We can use his knowledge to keep Earth and her people safe. Asgard's technological advancements can help launch the human race well into the future. Stop diseases we couldn't hope to cure in our age. Explore planets outside our solar systems, Hell, outside of our galaxy."
"And Thor?" Banner stepped in.
Hanna sighed as her smile dropped. "Miss. Bright, you're the Loki-expert. Do you think he had anything to do with his brother's disappearance?"
Her sudden shift made me uncomfortable. Just a few days ago she was badgering me about finding evidence that Loki was a villainous mastermind. I didn't know how to respond. How far would I get if I just got up and ran? I shook my head, panicking inside. Hanna clapped her hands together and smirked at Dr. Banner.
"We'll focus our attention elsewhere in regard to Thor. Don't worry, Doctor, we will find him. I know the two of you are close. Perhaps you can start investigating other leads," she said casually.
Banner wasn't convinced, but he wouldn't say it out loud. I could feel his doubt seeping out of him like crude oil. His eyes were sharp as daggers, burying them into Hanna's back as she turned to face me. She was completely unfazed. Remarkably nonplused. She never struck me as the type to allow this type of silent defiance. I suppose when you're an Avenger, you can get away with more than the average employee.
With her attention on me, I froze once again. Even though my body was screaming at me to run, I couldn't bring myself to do it. My muscles were tight. Fear was high. Her slight smile made it all so much worse. I assumed Agent Hanna was a hardass. Someone who couldn't express happiness while on the clock, which was fine. It made her an excellent S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and I respected her for it. This coy and cunning version was terrifying. It was like watching a lioness play with her food.
"Take the rest of the day off, Miss. Bright. Get some rest. I'll untether the prisoner and have him ready for your session tomorrow. How does that sound?" she smirked kindly.
I was afraid to answer. It felt like a trick. If I said it was good, she'd snap at me and call me an idiot for allowing myself to get manipulated by such a nice deal. If I refused, she'd take it as defiance, and I'd be punished in other ways. Maybe lose my job. I looked to Banner for an answer. He was busy mulling over his own responses. I just nodded again. It seemed to suffice. Hanna dismissed us both and we went our separate ways. Banner said he had work to do and advised me to rest up. It was still early in the day, but I had no motivation to leave the tower. I remained a recluse. Sulking back to my room, I processed the events of the day, reassessing my priorities.
Loki's dossier was closed on my desk. My objectives were scribbled on a sticky note. "Discover the location of Thor Odinson. Find out why Loki returned to Earth. Uncover any potential threats," I read. Did my tasks change? Now I was supposed to use Loki for technological advancement and friendship? Bridge the gap between Earth and extraterrestrial life? Thor was no longer an issue, I suppose. But that didn't feel right. Did Hanna just accept that Loki was visiting Earth "because"? That didn't sit right either. Did I suspect that Loki could be a potential threat? I wasn't sure. Three simple instructions made me question everyone around me. Their intensions, their motives, and how I fit into it. Was I allowing myself to become a pawn in a grand game of chess? Was this just a normal day with S.H.I.E.L.D. when you're dealing with real stakes?
The whole thing was exhausting. Even more so, given the fact that I hadn't slept a wink in four days. My body was heavy with lead anchor of fatigue. My mind became foggy as I felt my eyelids slip. I welcomed it. I wasn't going to fall asleep at my desk again. My neck was still screaming at me for the last time. Still dressed in my depression uniform, I slinked into bed. Turning my blinds, blocking out the bright afternoon sun, and conceding to the overwhelming fatigue.
It didn't take long. The rabbit hole was shorter than usual. A brisk descend into sleep. I was worried it would be a dreamless rest, but my subconscious didn't betray me.
Where there was once crinkled sheets and a heavy comforter, there was now slick satin and soft furs enveloping my body in a comfort and warmth I'd never known before. I buried my face into a cushy satin pillow, holding it against my cheek as I nuzzled into it. The scent. Rustic mahogany and bitter coffee. It delighted my sense as I inhaled it deeply. I let myself lay there. Languorously stretching once or twice before curling myself back into a happy lazy ball. My hands panned over the bedspread, curiously reaching with my eyes closed. I felt more pillows, silky smooth and exquisitely made. The sheets were satin, or maybe silk. My ignorant hands wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I felt the soft plush fur blankets that span the length of the mattress. It was so much grander than my modest twin. I could stretch every limb in different directions and still didn't touch the edge of the bed. The headboard was made from a strong thick wood. Intricate artwork was carved into its face. A pleasant warmth illuminated the room as I detected the cozy crackling of logs in a fireplace. This must have been my dream room.
I opened my eyes to drink it all in. The chamber was ten times the size of my dorm in Avenger's tower. The bed was massive. I couldn't call it a king. It was like an emperor sized bed, if I had to give it a name. Four black posts, as thick as trees and carved with elegant spirals held a large wooden canopy. A night sky was expertly etched into its black canvas. Gilded stars twinkling above me. I couldn't name these constellations.
A golden shimmering veil was draped around the bed. It swayed delicately, dancing with a soft breeze that blew through one of the many arched windows. Similar golden curtains, thin, and dazzling, undulated like glittery waves. Six braziers stacked with blackened wood filled the large room with warmth as a large cobblestone hearth roared with a magnificent fire inside its gapping maw. I noticed two massive doors inside the room. One on the opposite end, golden, and adorned with sigils I didn't recognize. They were thick and rustic, maybe Nordic in nature. The other was a frosted glass door with an ornate handle. I could hear water patting the floor on the other side. Like heavy rainfall in one designated spot.
I forced myself out of the luxurious bed. It was then I noticed my body was dressed in a long mint green gown that dragged along the black marbled floor. The fabric was light and flowed like a soft breeze over my skin. It was sheer, nearly see through. The only concealing my nudity was conveniently placed lace Gladiolus flowers embroidered along the sides of the gown. Muted golden petals stretching over my breasts.
Lazily, I dragged myself over to the glass door. The handle was warm to the touch and real. As real as a dream could be. It wasn't like the door in my room when I fell asleep. It wasn't fixed to the wall like a decoration. I turned the handle and pushed it open. A spacious bathroom waited beyond the frame. Black marble adorned the walls and floors with shimmering golden veins. My eyes scanned the room, quickly passing over the enormous bathtub and yawning windows, and fell on the expansive shower, barred by steam coated glass. Hot water rained from the ceiling, pouring over a lean dark figure. I watched shadowy hands slide over their wet naked body, savoring the heat as their muscles tensed, then relaxed.
My heart was racing. Nerves a jumbled mess as waves of pleasurable heat rolled through my body, pooling into a tense wave of desire in my lower stomach. My thighs flexed, contracting around my sensitive sex.
His low seductive voice flowed from his sweet tender lips. "Are you just going to stand there and drool?" Loki asked.
I picked my jaw up off the floor and carefully walked towards the door. I hesitated. My hand fixed to the handle. Loki came closer to me. More of his features came into view, passing through the hot mist. I could see the hard muscles of his chest flexing as his tensed under the shadow and fog. I pressed a tentative hand to the warm glass. Resting it there.
"Do you need an invitation?" he purred.
That was all I needed to twist the handle and push the door open, revealing Loki, God of Mischief, wet, naked, and irradiating a lustful hunger.