Natasha slipped into the brig, staring at the pacing gods back. She remained silent as she moved closer to him and continued to stare at the gods back. Suddenly the god stopped moving. She could tell that amusement was beginning to fill him.

He turned to face her, "There's not many people that can sneak up on me."

"But you figured I'd come," Natasha said coolly.

"After," Loki nearly purred. "After whatever tortures Fury can concoct; you would appear as a friend, as a balm. And I would cooperate."

Natasha stared at him, a feeling of frustration beginning to build. She could understand how this being had managed to upset Percy. There was just something about him that rubbed her the wrong way.

"I want to know what you've done to Agent Barton."

Loki shrugged almost casually, "I'd say I've expanded his mind."

Natasha narrowed her eyes and moved closer to the glass. "And once you've won. Once you're king of the mountain. What happens to his mind?"

"Is this love, Agent Romanoff?" purred Loki.

"Love is for children," Natasha responded coldly. "I owe him a debt."

Loki sat down on the cold vacant berth, "Tell me."

Natasha slowly sat down on the chair that was there and stared at him for a very long moment before she took a deep breath and began to speak. "Before I worked for SHIELD, I uh. . . well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skillset. I didn't care who I used it for, or on. I got on SHIELD's radar in a bad way. Agent Barton was sent to kill me, he made a different call."

"And what will you do if I vow to spare him?" Loki asked calmly as if he was in complete control of everything.

"Not let you out," Natasha said firmly.

"Ah, no," Loki said with a laugh. "But I like this. Your world in the balance, and you bargain for one man?"

"Regimes fall every day," Natasha said. "I tend not to weep over that, I'm Russian. . . or I was."

"What is it you want?" Loki demanded.

"It's not really that complicated," Natasha responded as she stood up, staring at Loki firmly. "I've got red in my ledger; I'd like to wipe it out."

"Can you?" Loki asked a smirk slowly growing on his face. "Can you wipe out that much red? Drakov's daughter? Sao Paulo? The hospital fire?"

Natasha felt her back stiffen as Loki said those words. How did he. . .?

"Barton told me everything," Loki purred as he stood up and slowly began to make his way towards her. "Your ledger is dripping, it's gushing red, and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything?"

He sneered as Natasha froze, "This is the basest sentimentality. This is a child at prayer. . . Pathetic!"

Natasha attempted to keep herself from flinching as Loki got closer and closer to her, with only the glass keeping him away from her.

"You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are a part of you, and they will never go away!"

Natasha jumped backwards as Loki slammed his fist against the glass and sneered at her. "I won't touch Barton. Not until I make him kill you! Slowly. Intimately. In every way he knows you fear! And when he'll wake just long enough to see his good work, and when he screams, I'll split his skull!"

Natasha spun away from the god in horror.

She could feel herself beginning to shake a little as Loki finished with, "This is my bargain, you mewling quim!"

She shook her head in disgust as she whispered, "You're a monster."

Loki laughed cruelly, "No, you brought the monster."

Natasha could feel a small smile split across her face as she turned back to face him, suddenly poised, "So, Banner. . . that's your play."

Loki looked flummoxed, "What?"

Natasha turned away and began to walk away speaking into her earpiece, "Loki means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the lab, I'm on my way. Send Thor and Percy as well."

She turned back to Loki and said, "Thank you for your cooperation."

Then she walked out quickly, leaving Loki in his frozen shock.

A smile split her face as she headed for the lab.

She had pulled one over on the god of mischief.

11111111111111111111

Steve was furious. After what he had found in the ship's storage area, he couldn't help the anger that was growing towards Fury and SHIELD. The reason for said anger was held in his hands.

He entered Stark and Dr. Banner's lab and found Fury already in the room with Stark and Dr. Banner.

Stark had just said, "What is PHASE 2?"

Steve dropped the weapon he had brought up from storage on a table and said, "PHASE 2 is SHIELD using the Cube to make weapons." He added to Stark, "Sorry, the computer was moving a little slow for me."

Fury turned to Steve and started to explain, "Rogers, we gathered everything related to the Tesseract. This does not mean that we're. . ."

"I'm sorry, Nick," Stark spoke up, as he moved the computer he was looking at toward the Director which showed off plans for Weapons. "What were you lying?"

Steve watched as the director turned back towards the screen.

"I was wrong, director," Steve said coldly. "The world hasn't changed a bit."

The Director didn't move.

Steve just continued to glare at the man's back.

111111111111111111

Percy followed Thor and Natasha into the lab. Percy walked around Thor and headed for one of the tables. One look in everyone in this rooms mind's and he could tell that an argument was about to take place.

And he would much rather stay out of that.

Dr. Banner had turned to face Natasha and was pointing to the screen, "Did you know about this?"

"You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor?" Natasha responded.

"I was in Calcutta. I was pretty well removed."

"Loki's manipulating you."

"And you've been doing what exactly?"

"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you," Natasha snapped.

"Yes," Banner said, "and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy." He pointed towards the screen again. "I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction."

Percy shifted in his seat on the table. He couldn't tell what Fury was thinking. The man was blocking him now and had been ever since he had entered the room.

Percy watched as Fury pointed at Thor and said, "Because of him."

"Me?" Thor said, sounding stunned.

Percy frowned at that as his gaze slid to Thor.

That was unexpected.

"Last year," Fury said, severely, "Earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned."

Thor took a step towards Fury. He had turned from stunned to slightly angry. "My people want nothing but peace with your planet."

"But you're not the only people out there, are you?" Fury said to Thor. "And you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, they can't be controlled."

Percy stiffened at those last words. "Like me?"

"Don't be silly," Natasha said to him. "Fury wasn't talking about you, Percy."

"There are other people like me," Percy stated, his eyes focusing on Fury. "And Fury's blocking me. So, what exactly did you mean?"

Fury regarded Percy carefully and then let out a tired sigh. "Very well. The Council believed that the other kids who were exposed to the same experimentation could be as dangerous as you are. So yes, the weapons were also developed to control the other kids with abilities like yours."

Percy tilted his head at that, before he gave a measured shrug. Those weapons could have helped him, and Raven take down the other kids and the Kingpin. So, Percy didn't see much of a problem with it. At least Fury had confirmed it.

"Like you controlled the cube?" Captain Rogers spoke up, sounding furious at the idea of kids being controlled like that.

"Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies." Thor snapped. "It is a signal to all the realms that the earth is ready for a higher form of war."

"A higher form?" Rogers muttered quietly; concern clear in his voice.

"You forced our hand. We had to come up with something." Fury tried to explain.

"Nuclear deterrent." Stark spoke up. "Cause that always calms everything right down."

"Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark?" Fury snapped.

"I'm sure if he still made weapons, Stark would be neck deep. . ." Captain Rogers began to say.

Percy just watched what was going on with an unamused frown. This was getting a little. . . dangerous. Tempers were flaring. But most importantly Dr. Banner's temper was beginning to flare and Percy could sense the Hulk underneath it.

He gulped.

Stark shook away his thoughts when he said, "Wait! Wait! Hold on! How is this now about me?"

And then Percy was forced to watch the argument beginning to build.

"I'm sorry, isn't everything?" Captain Rogers nearly sneered.

"I thought humans were more evolved than this." Thor told Fury.

"Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?" Fury responded.

Thor shook his head in disgust. "Did you always give your champions such mistrust?"

"Are you really that naïve?" Natasha said. "SHIELD monitors potential threats."

"Captain America is on the threat potential watch list?" Dr. Banner asked, sounding surprised.

"You're on that list? Are you above or below angry bees?" Stark said to Captain Rogers.

Captain Rogers took a threatening step towards Stark. "I swear to God, Stark, one more crack. . ."

"Threatening!' Stark sneered. "I feel threatened!"

Percy shook his head and began to rub at his forehead.

He didn't know whether he should try to stop this argument or just leave.

This was getting personal, and Percy didn't think he should be involved in this anymore.

Maybe he should call Hill and ask if she needed him on the bridge.

1111111111111111

Clint Barton watched with a small smile as the carrier he was on, got closer and closer to the SHIELD Helicarrier. Everything was going completely as plan.

Over the speaker the SHIELD control officer spoke, "661 Bravo, please relay your pass code. What is your hull, over?"

Clint leaned in close and responded as he transmitted the code. "Arms to ammunition, over."

Then he turned back towards the group in the middle of the smaller carrier.

A small smile appeared on his face as he got out his bow.

Everything was working exactly like Loki had planned.

Sorry for such a long time between uploads. I've been working so much I barely have time to write anymore. I am going to finish this story. That's a promise.