Song chapter: Heaven Bent by Lady Lamb
I was lying on a bed in a quiet, dark room. Above me, the three bright stars of Orion's belt flickered through a skylight, along with a brilliant, full moon. The dim light of the moon allowed me to see I was back in my apartment. My bedsheets were pulled up to my chin and pushed underneath my sides, making me feel like a child who had been tucked into bed. A child. My parents. I groaned in agony as my heart became struck with grief. How could anyone withstand this amount of pain and live?
"M-Mom…Dad," I cried, pulling the sheets tighter around me. "Come back."
I whimpered softly in the dark, waiting for the pain to ease, but it never did. I was alone and afraid, wanting nothing more than to hold my parents and hear their voices again.
I cried until my body ran out of tears, and then I cried some more. Hours later, the early light of dawn cascaded across my room, bringing with it a new day full of more pain. I tiredly climbed out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. My reflection in the mirror brought me to a standstill. There was a large bruise in the crease of my arm, but that wasn't what shocked me. I looked like a ghost. My mom would have been appalled by the state my hair was in. It was matted and greasy, resembling a dirty bird's nest.
With wide eyes and shaking hands, I began manically brushing the tangles out of my hair. When I was finished, my hair felt softer than it ever had before in my life, but it wasn't enough. I could hear my mother complaining about how flat and grimy it looked.
Still unsatisfied with my appearance, I trudged my way into the shower and began scrubbing the dirt and blood off from earlier. As I watched the floor of my shower turn from white to brown, I was left with a sickening feeling that could only be described as pure loathing. My failure to protect my parents led to their deaths. It was my fault. And I hated myself for it.
I'm an orphan.
The emptiness inside of me was begging to be filled with something – anything – to make the terrible feeling go away. I stepped out of the shower and grabbed the nearest robe, loosely tying it around my waist. The thin, black silk clung to my wet skin and stopped mid-thigh, far shorter than I remembered it being. After once again brushing my hair, I could see my mother's nod of approval. With a sigh, I left my bedroom in search for something that could fill this hole in my heart.
The liquor cabinet would surely have something to do the trick – no matter how temporary it may be. As I made my way across the apartment, I became aware of how unusually empty it seemed. Where was Mar-Vell? For some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was forgetting something.
I became still, dumbly staring at the dark, empty hallway as I tried to recall what happened last night. The forgotten memory pulled at my mind, trying desperately to resurface.
The hospital… blood… SHIELD agents…
A voice…
Purple eyes…
Ronan.
"Karen, turn the lights on," I ordered, eyes open and alert.
"Yes, Silvia," she replied. A second later the hallway filled with warm light, allowing me to see as far as the living room. Finding the space empty brought more disappointment than I imagined it would.
I shook my head and continued forward. It was a foolish idea to think Ronan was here. Obviously, whatever I saw last night was a stress-induced hallucination.
When I entered the kitchen, I expected to find Mar-Vell waiting for me, but it was empty. On the kitchen island lied my cell phone, though I didn't remember putting it there. I tiredly glanced at the home screen and found hundreds of missed calls and text messages, mostly from Tony.
Oh, so now you want to talk? It took my parents getting murdered for him to pick up the phone.Well, too little, too late, Tony.
With a sigh, I opened the liquor cabinet next to the refrigerator and grabbed two bottles of Richard Hennessey Cognac, and quickly started on one of them. By the time I left the kitchen, the bottle was half empty. I continued to drink as I headed back to my bedroom, the brandy burning my throat and chest in the most satisfactory way. Slowly but surely, I could feel it washing the pain away.
There were only a few sips left when I approached my bedroom door. Thanks to my empty stomach, I was already feeling its effects. After a particularly large gulp, I finished the remainder of the bottle and began starting on the second one. Upon entering my bedroom, I immediately stopped. There was a man sitting on the chaise lounge, looking at me expectantly from the corner. His expression was far too calm and controlled for someone who just broke into my apartment. Plus, he wasn't exactly dressed for murder. An all-black suit and dress shoes were hardly appropriate for strenuous exercise.
"What the fu-" I coughed, slowly backing up. He remained sitting, watching me patiently as I inspected him more thoroughly. In my intoxicated state, I was far less threatened than I should have been. In fact, I found myself oddly mesmerized to the mysterious man. There was something familiar about him that I couldn't quite place. His olive skin was smooth and gleaming, reminding me of a river pebble. His complexion contrasted beautifully with dark, walnut hair which was swept backwards, highlighting his dark, thick eyebrows. When I peered into his eyes for the first time, I felt my throat immediately tighten up and my knees buckle beneath me.
Purple.
I grabbed onto the wall to catch myself from falling. "Wh – who are you?" I asked, dropping the empty bottle.
He calmly stood up and approached me, stopping only when my back was pressed against the wall. "You've grown," he said, looking down at me curiously. His eyes dimmed darkly at the brandy bottle in my hand. "But I see your fascination with alcohol has not diminished," he muttered disapprovingly.
There was only one man who could possess such a voice. "Ronan," I whispered, staring at him with shock. "I thought I was hallucinating…"
He nodded. "You lost a significant amount of blood," he said quietly. His arm moved beside him as if he wanted to reach out and touch me, but it just as quickly returned to his side.
There was a long, awkward pause. "You're taller," he said, breaking the silence.
"I thought you were bald," I replied uneasily, looking him up and down. "And you're white." It was beyond weird seeing Ronan with white skin and a full head of hair. In the past I often wondered what he would look like if he were human, and now I found myself missing his smooth, blue skin.
Ronan raised an eyebrow at my disappointed tone. "As a Kree I require more nitrogen to breathe," he said, holding up his shirt. Strapped to his side was a rectangular, metal box with several valves. "The gas temporarily alters the pigmentation of my skin. Is my appearance truly that repulsive?" he asked with a smirk, lowering his shirt.
"No, not at all," I replied a little too eagerly. The sight of his smooth, defined abs left me feeling surprisingly flustered. "I mean, you look good – fine – you look fine," I finished awkwardly.
God, what is wrong with me?
He gently took the bottle out of my hand and held it by his side. "Mar-Vell informed me of your parent's deaths," he said uncomfortably. "It is… unfortunate."
I nodded dismissively and snatched the bottle from his hand, making him stiffen with annoyance. That had to be the worst consolation I've ever received. I plopped myself down on the bed and continued drinking, trying my best to ignore his disapproving his stare. I didn't want to feel anything at the moment, especially guilt or shame. As I drank the brandy with renewed vigor, Ronan began slowly strolling about the room, stopping every now and then in his inspection to glare at me. I had forgotten how judgmental he could be.
After a few minutes of his silent judgement, I put the bottle down and faced him. "Why are you here?" I asked, unable to mask my annoyance.
He glanced at the bottle in my hand with contempt. "Terra is no longer safe for you," he said.
I snorted sarcastically. "Nowhere is safe for me, Ronan," I said tiredly. "Just tell me why you're really here."
His eyes wandered across my face, slowly and meticulously searching for something. "I promised to return for you, and so I have," he said, his frown growing more prominent.
I set the empty bottle on the nightstand and rolled my eyes. "I'm really tired of people lying to me," I said, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
Seconds passed and he remained quiet, watching me coolly, until finally he faced me square-on and took a step closer in my direction. "Very well," he said firmly. "Given your temperament and taste for inebriation, it appears you are not adept at protecting yourself nor keeping your abilities under control," he said, looking down at me with dissatisfaction.
"What are you talking about?" I asked defensively. Shit, what did Mar-Vell tell him?
He gave me a furious glare. "Do not play ignorant," he said, slowly pacing in front of me. "You murdered a Terran within public view, you exposed your powers and thus have drawn the attention of an Asgardian – not to mention Thanos, whom you contacted for reasons I cannot fathom – and then there is the matter of my spy whom you injured in a childish tantrum after destroying irreplaceable Kree property," he finished with a scowl.
"Well, when you put it like that…" I mumbled nonchalantly.
Suddenly, Ronan's face was only inches away from my own, fuming with anger. I stared back in surprise as he leaned over me, forcing me down until I was lying on my mattress. "You senseless woman! Do you truly not understand what you have done?" he shouted angrily. "Tell me, are all Terrans as ill-minded as you or is it just you? I'm beginning to think it's the latter," he growled, placing his hand on my shoulder.
The soft sensation of his fingers on my skin caused me to softly shudder, which didn't go unnoticed by Ronan. He lowered his head into the curve of my neck and inhaled slowly, closing his eyes as he breathed in my scent. And for a moment, time stopped. The only thing moving was my chest, now rising and falling more quickly by the second.
"You are returning with me to Hala, effective immediately," he ordered quietly.
My body clenched up at his words. "You're joking, right?" I scoffed angrily.
He raised his head from my neck to look at me, rage lurking in his eyes. "We leave tomorrow morning," he said, his voice low. "I suggest you gather your belongings."
I took an unsteady breath and glared at him. "You don't own me, Ronan. Earth is my home. If you have a problem with that then get out," I hissed.
The already-quiet room seemed to grow eerily silent. I winced with discomfort as he pushed all of his weight onto me. "If you think your return is negotiable, you are sorely mistaken," he said, digging his fingers into my shoulders.
Even as I felt the strength in Ronan's hands, I found myself doubting his power over me. Months ago, this little display of power would have surely left bruises on me. But now, his tight grip felt more annoying than painful. He didn't feel as heavy as I remembered either…
I grabbed ahold of his hands and slowly pried them off of me. "I told you," I said more confidently, "to get out of my house."
The shock in Ronan's eyes was enough to make me smile, which seemed to only infuriate him. Before he could make any sudden movements, I pushed him off of me and sent him flying across the room. The wall shook as his body slammed into it with more force than I had anticipated.
Oh, shit.
As he slowly rose from the floor, I found myself holding my breath with anticipation. When his eyes finally met mine, I involuntarily stepped backwards and trembled. If looks could kill, I would have dropped dead right there. The man I thought I loved had vanished in an instant, and was replaced by the monster I met my first night aboard the Dark Aster. My mind immediately went into survival mode. Next to me, my empty bottle sat on the nightstand. In its drawer lied a fixed double edged blade. Strapped to the bottom of my vanity was a semi-automatic 9mm pistol.
Ronan stood across from me, his eyes calculating and his mouth tight with unease. Being the experienced solider that he was, he immediately noticed my eyes scanning the room and his face grew ten shades darker.
"Choose your next move very carefully," he warned.
His arrogance only spurred me on. "I'm not going without a fight," I stubbornly replied.
He opened his stance and glowered at me. "So be it," he said.
Trying to stay one move ahead, I reached to my side and grabbed ahold of the bottle. Without hesitation Ronan began charging at me, shaking the floor with every step. The bottle went flying across the room with astonishing speed and crashed into his head, shattering into thousands of pieces. Unphased, he continued sprinting towards me. I reached into the drawer beside me and retrieved the knife, diving out of his way at the last second. His eyes coldly regarded the cold steel in my hand before continuing his advance. As he came closer, I became filled with dread when I noticed how calm and collected he appeared. My experience in combat was nearly nonexistent, whereas Ronan had enough experience to control his own fleet.
What the hell am I doing? Maybe we can talk–
My thoughts were interrupted as Ronan began delivering one counter strike after another. I found myself barely hanging on to the knife despite my best effort. Although I was the one with a weapon in my hand, I was constantly on the defense. My reflexes were no doubt faster than they were, but Ronan's skills and experience far surpassed my own.
Fighting Nebula was a piece of cake compared to this fucking nightmare. There was no time to strategize – let alone think – because I was always in a compromising position. After miraculously twisting my way out of a dangerous chokehold, I paused to adjust my robe which had fallen off my shoulder. Unwavering and merciless, Ronan smirked and landed a strategic jab to my throat which had me stumbling backwards and coughing. His hand came crashing down on me again and this time I managed to block it with my forearm, for once leaving him vulnerable and open to attack. I seized the opportunity and lunged forward, driving my knife towards his chest. With wide, furious eyes, he twisted away from the blade at the last second and reached forward, grabbing ahold of my wrist.
Before I could break free of his grip, his forehead slammed into my nose, causing me to scream and drop the knife. As I stumbled backwards reeling with pain and holding onto my bleeding nose, I watched Ronan coolly glare at the knife on the floor before kicking it under the bed. He proceeded to walk towards me with his fists clenched tightly at his sides.
I spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor between us. "I think you broke my nose," I muttered angrily.
He stopped and narrowed his eyes at me. "You nearly stabbed me," he growled.
"But I didn't," I retorted defensively.
His face wrinkled with fury. "Because I stopped you," he snarled hatefully, causing me to flinch.
I swallowed nervously. "Just leave me alone, Ronan," I said, slowly making my way to the door. If I couldn't overpower him, then my next best option was to run like hell.
The crease between his brows deepened as he watched me back away. "I pledged to protect you" he said. "And as of now, you pose the greatest threat to yourself." Like a predator, he instinctively chased me. For every step I took, he matched it with one twice as wide.
Halfway to the door, I abruptly felt a hand on my shoulder. "What's going on here?" Mar-Vell asked behind me. When I turned to look at him, his eyes immediately widened with surprise. I wanted to tell him it looks worse than it feels, but then I would have been lying.
He stepped in front of me protectively. "What are you doing, Ronan?" he asked.
Ronan's frown deepened with anger. "She is returning with me to Hala," he said, still glaring at me.
I stepped around Mar-Vell. "I told you I'm not fucking going anywhere!" I shouted, now on the brink of hysteria.
Ronan straightened himself up. "You've grown far too confident in your abilities, Terran," he said with a sneer.
Mar-Vell pushed me back behind him. "Let's all take a deep breath," he said calmly. "Emotions are extremely high at the moment. Perhaps we sh– No! Stop!" he yelled as I began blasting Ronan with my hand.
I smiled as the blast forced him off his feet and threw him backwards on the floor. He held his hands protectively in front of him and glared at me through the yellow stream of light. My face fell as I watched him manage to stand up even under the force of my blast.
Mar-Vell grabbed my shoulder. "Get out of here before he kills you," he urged.
I glanced uneasily at Mar-Vell and then back at Ronan, who was now baring his teeth at me.
"I will hold him off for as long as I can," he continued, "but I cannot fight him. Go, now! Run!"
I closed the palm of my hand and turned on my heel, quickly dashing for the door. However, I failed to reach the hallway because I was struck in the back by something hard and heavy – my bed. I fell forward and crashed into my vanity, which immediately splintered under my weight. I growled angrily and rolled over onto my back.
"Do you know how expensive this was?" I yelled as I lifted the two ton bed frame and threw it at him.
My eyes scanned the surrounding area, looking for anything else to use against him. Among the wreckage, my 9mm pistol shone like a new dime. I immediately began crawling on the floor towards it. In the background I could hear Mar-Vell desperately pleading with Ronan to stop.
"Ronan, have mercy," he begged. "Her parents just died."
A large foot came crashing down on my hand before I could grab the gun. I looked up just in time to see Ronan's other foot heading straight for my face. In a rush of adrenaline, I stretched my fingers open and hit him with one my strongest blasts yet, sending him flying into the ceiling. His groan of pain that followed made me feel sick to my stomach.
I hesitated briefly before being ushered away by Mar-Vell. "Go!" He yelled, pointing to the hallway.
With tears in my eyes, I sprinted down the hallway and maneuvered my way through the house. Ronan's furious yells that followed made me cringe.
"Stop this madness!" Mar-Vell shouted in the distance. Several grunts followed, and then there was a loud crash.
"Stand down, Captain!" Ronan barked. "That is an order!"
I whimpered with fear when I didn't hear Mar-Vell's voice anymore. In fact, I didn't hear anything behind me. As I turned down one of the main hallways, I came to a halt and glanced over my shoulder. There was no one there. I looked forward again and screamed when I saw a fully armored Ronan standing directly before me. He scowled furiously and pointed his hammer forward, hitting me with a powerful wave of energy.
"No," I moaned as I went spiraling through the air. Before I even hit the floor, Ronan sent another painful blow in my direction. My back collided roughly with the slate tile, knocking the wind out of me.
I groaned in pain and clawed at the floor, trying to stand up. Suddenly, the world began spinning in several directions. Up, down, left, and right all became irrelevant. I was seeing the world through a giant, colorful kaleidoscope. My hallway was now split into eight different hallways, each rotating in a different direction. I took a step forward and found myself suddenly standing on my ceiling upside down, trapped in some sort of hellish optical illusion.
"What are you doing to me?" I screamed, clutching the sides of my head. Even my voice sounded distorted and unfamiliar. His footsteps slowly approached me, though I was unable to determine his exact location.
"I've placed you in a time-motion displacement field," he said, his calm voice resonating all around me. "In such a place, a weak mind begins to disintegrate in a matter of seconds… so I've heard," he finished coldly.
I fought the urge to faint and concentrated on the sound of his voice. I aimed my hands in what I assumed to be his direction and thrusted them out, shooting a long stream of yellow light. Much to my horror, the light split into four different lines and each came soaring at me in every direction.
"Oh shit," I gasped, holding my hands out. I tried to absorb as much of the energy as I could, but it proved to be too much. The burning hot energy hit me like a brick wall, slamming into every side of my body. For a moment, all I saw was blinding white pain.
When I came to, I was lying naked on the floor at Ronan's feet. The tattered remains of my silk robe were scattered across the floor, some of them still smoking from the blast.
The world around me had returned to normal, but I remained nauseous and disoriented. I inhaled unsteadily and began shaking uncontrollably. Whether it was from fear or the cold floor I wasn't sure. My mind was still reeling from whatever the hell just happened to me. How could Ronan's hammer be responsible for such a bizarre thing? Where was I? Was it magic? My heart sank as I realized just how little I actually knew about Ronan.
The rough edge of Ronan's boot suddenly dug into my ribs, forcing me over onto my back. His chilling, furious stare terrified me.
"Code RE–" I yelled, attempting to alert KAREN.
"That is enough," he demanded. "It was a mistake returning you to Terra. Your insolence and disregard for order is more apparent than ever before– no doubt a result of your time here. Terrans are a failed species, I see that now. Their ignorance is appalling. Their foolish ideologies are humorous at best. And their arrogance will be their downfall. I will not allow you to become one of them. Your stay here is at an end."
By the time he finished, my anger and need to prove him wrong were at an all-time high. "We'll see about that. KARE –" I attempted once again.
Before I could finish, he lifted me into the air by my neck. The crushing force of his hand surely would have killed a normal human, but as for me, it only made me feel insanely light headed. Knowing I didn't have long before I lost consciousness, I grabbed ahold of his wrists and used my remaining strength to attack him with my powers.
For a moment, I felt the world come to a harrowing halt. The hot, yellow energy was circling around his arms and torso, but he didn't even flinch. No wonder Mar-Vell didn't want to fight him - his armor made him practically invincible. Ronan smirked at my attempt to hurt him, and I found myself severely regretting my decision.
"A mere half-Kree you may be, but what you symbolize is a full-blooded embarrassment," he said quietly.
My eyes shot open at the sound of a loud, piercing alarm. A second later, KAREN's voice echoed throughout the house.
"Code RED in full initiative," she alerted. Despite my precarious position, I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Better late than never…
A low, rumbling sound began to form at both ends of the hallway. Ronan took a long, deep breath and released me from his grip.
"What have you done?" He asked, his voice full of contempt.
I shrugged my shoulders. "I didn't read the manual," I replied.
Then, I watched in amazement as the hallway became filled with blinding, white light. Ronan disappeared from view as I was suddenly lifted and flown through the air by some unseen force. I opened my eyes to see an armored robot - very similar to Tony's Iron Man suit – with its arms wrapped around my torso, protecting me like a shield. Behind me, explosions erupted every second. A picture of my family and I fell from the wall and shattered onto the floor as a violent quake rippled through the apartment. We were flying fast enough to make my head spin, twisting and turning every now and then to avoid debris. I had no idea where we were going, but I was thankful to be away from Ronan.
We reached the foyer a moment later, but much to my surprise we continued down another hall. It was long and narrow, lined with mirrors from floor to ceiling all the way through. To my right, our blurred reflections passed from one mirror to another. Then, quite unexpectedly another figure emerged from the darkness. I shook my head in disbelief at the sight. Ronan was flying. Is there anything he can't do? I thought as he closed the gap between us. The armored robot suddenly released me. I dropped to the hard, slate floor and continued rolling forward, barely missing Ronan's feet as he passed over me. The robot projected a force field as Ronan's hammer came crashing down on it. It was instantly crushed. And just as quickly, six new ones appeared and surrounded him, each blasting him with incredible weapons which should have leveled a city block. Again, I was picked up by another robot and ushered away as Ronan was distracted.
As we made our way past the armory, I determined where we were going – the safe room. There was no way Ronan would be able to penetrate its adamantium walls. Or at least that's what I was hoping for. When it came into view, everything else around me seemed to blur as I became focused on its shiny, grey doors. I was only seconds away from escaping Ronan.
That short moment of relief was gone when I heard the furious Kree behind me. "Try as you may, you can't escape your fate, woman."
I glanced over my shoulder to see purple light heading towards me. Are you fucking kidding me? I braced myself as the robot was vaporized by the blast, causing me to once again fall roughly to the floor. I landed at the edge of the safe room, only inches away from sanctuary. A few yards away, Ronan was sauntering towards me victoriously.
He held his arms out to his sides. "Is that all you have to offer?" he asked arrogantly. I looked around curiously, waiting for the answer.
I groaned with disappointment when nothing happened. "I gues – " I said, gasping as I was forcefully pulled backwards.
My view of Ronan was obstructed by a wall of metal. I looked around to find myself lying in the safe room alongside another armored robot. I rolled onto my back and sighed with exhaustion.
"Resistance is futile," Ronan announced behind the door. I tiredly stood up and looked at one of the many screens, watching him pace back and forth outside.
I hit the speaker button and smirked. "It's not futile if it pisses you off," I smugly replied.
My confidence vanished when Ronan pointed his hammer at the door. The walls and floor shook under the force of his weapon, but much to my astonishment, nothing else happened. Judging by the look on Ronan's face, he wasn't expecting those results either. The fascination in his eyes quickly transformed into something dark and sinister. I could feel his cold stare seeping into my bones. Not wanting to look at his terrifying image any longer, I sat down on the floor and watched the other screens. In one of them, I could see Mar-Vell lying limply on the floor beneath a pile of debris. Ronan, you asshole.
I glared angrily into the screen, grateful for the impenetrable wall between us. It was only a matter of time before he gave up. But then again, he's the most stubborn man I know. Something flashed in the corner of my eye, diverting my attention away from him. I scanned the screens and quickly found the disturbance.
"Oh, come on," I groaned as Tony and his band of freaks entered my elevator.
I stood up and spoke into the intercom. "Ronan," I said with urgency, "you need to leave now." Ronan scoffed in response.
"Seriously, there's a group of people coming up right now and if they find you I don't know what will happen."
Ronan squared his shoulders and scowled at the camera. "Your attempt to frighten me into submission is insulting," he said, spitting the last word. "This pathetic defense system of yours has been nothing but a nuisance."
I spoke more desperately as the team entered my foyer. "This isn't part of my god damn security system! They're superheroes and I have no idea why they're here. Just go!"
He grimaced and turned away from the camera. "You call them super heroes," he said with disgust, squaring his shoulders. "Let's see if they're worthy of the name."
With a sigh, I leaned forward and rested my forehead against the wall. "Fucking aliens."
Tony
He knew something was terribly wrong when the elevator wouldn't open for him. He had to override every security measure in place just to open its doors. That would only happen if Code RED had been activated – and if that was the case, then Silvia was in serious trouble.
"Do you think Loki is behind this?" Cap asked beside him.
"No idea," he replied. "But if he is, then we can assume he isn't exactly working with Silvia."
"Why would we assume that?" Cap asked defensively. "Maybe she saw us coming and didn't want us getting in."
Tony shook his head and scrolled through the system's coding. "No, it was initiated fifteen minutes prior to our arrival and…"
Thor stepped forward. "What is it?"
Tony frowned as he read the results. "Every defense line has been destroyed… in five minutes. That's…that's impossible."
"How do you know?" Cap asked curiously.
Tony looked at him. "Uh, because I designed it," he said matter-of-factly.
Thor crossed his arms and shrugged. "It's not impossible for an Asgardian. My brother is a highly skilled warrior with centuries of experience."
Cap nodded absently and rubbed his jaw. "Well, he sure can pack a punch."
Tony shook his head, unable to accept the idea. "Either Loki has gone Super Saiyon or something is wrong with the system," he said, returning to the diagnostics report. "These energy readings are off the chart," he mumbled to himself. A second later, the elevator stopped.
"Well, I guess we're about to find out," Cap said.
The doors opened to reveal a suspiciously quiet foyer. As far as Tony could tell there was no one here, but that only confirmed his suspicions. If this was Loki's doing, Tony thought, he would roll out the welcome mat for us. This is something else. The team lined up on both sides of Cap as he led the way down the eerie hall.
"The safe room should be thirty meters on the right," Tony quietly announced.
A quick turn here and there, and the team arrived a few minutes later. Much to their surprise, there was no one to be found in the hallway. However, the floor was littered with dozens of destroyed Iron Men, along with debris from the surrounding walls and ceiling.
"Well," Thor said, rubbing his forehead, "I must admit, this doesn't appear to be the work of Loki. It's far too…"
"Impressive," Natasha finished.
Thor shrugged his shoulders reluctantly. "I was going to say destructive, but yes that works as well."
"Tony," Silvia interrupted over the speakers. "It's not safe for you. Get out of here!" Tony and the team rushed over to the safe room, surprised to find her still here.
He positioned himself in front of the camera. "Sil, who did this? Are you hurt?" he asked full of worry.
He heard Silvia sigh into the speaker. "I'm fine! Please go before it's too late."
"Too late for what?" he asked.
"For your judgement," a deep voice declared behind them. It was at that moment, as Tony felt the vibrations coursing through his bones and the air thicken around him, that he knew this was no ordinary man.
He slowly turned to face the one responsible for such a voice, and much to his disappointment the man wasn't all talk. Instead, he was looking at an impressively tall man whose biceps were as large – if not larger – than his thighs. The armor he adorned was made of a material he didn't recognize either. There was no doubt in his mind that he was from another planet – perhaps even another galaxy.
"Uh, is this the boyfriend you were telling me about, Sil?" he asked lightly.
"I am no boy," the man growled. The team stiffened with caution, surprised by his rapid change of mood.
"I'm going to take that as a yes," Tony quietly said.
"I know his kind," Thor announced with distaste. "What business have you here, Kree?" he asked.
The alien eyed the Asgardian with equal dislike. "I've come to retrieve something lost to me," he said, gesturing to the safe room with his hammer.
Tony defensively took a step forward. "It doesn't look like she wants to go with you, Romeo."
"I am Ronan, Kree Emperor," he replied hotly. "And as your superior, you will address me with respect."
The team exchanged hesitant looks with one another, unsure of how to proceed.
"Well, Emperor," Cap said stiffly. "With all due respect, we can't just let you kidnap this woman. That's not how things work here on Earth."
The Emperor lowered his gaze to Cap, piercing him with a glare. "Kree law is the only law," he answered coolly. "As a courtesy to her," he said, glancing at the safe room, "You will be granted this last and final warning: kneel before me or face judgement."
Tony unshielded the mask of his Iron Man suit and stepped forward, looking up at the freakishly tall man. "So, does this kneeling entail anything else?" he asked, eliciting a scowl. "Because Cap here is suffering from lock jaw and – "
"SILENCE!" The Kree barked. "Such insubordination will cost you your tongue," he growled, lifting his hammer.
"Ronan!" a man shouted behind them. Everyone including the alien turned around. There was a badly injured man limping towards them, though, upon closer inspection he didn't appear to be human at all. Running from his nose was a dark blue liquid that Tony believed to be blood, and despite his face being bruised and bloodied, he was certain that was the man seen earlier on the news.
"Black Bolt," the man wheezed, "He's – cough – the telecom – cough – now."
Ronan's eyes dimmed darkly. "Not now, Captain."
"But – "
"I'm occupied at the moment," he sneered, returning his attention to Tony once again.
"The Inhumans are under attack," the man said in a single breath. When he finished, he leaned tiredly against the wall clutching his side in pain. Tony and the rest of the team watched apprehensively, waiting for the tall guy's next move.
Ronan's mouth drew tight and thin. "Very well," he said before scowling at Tony. "This isn't over, Terran."
"Another time, then?" he sarcastically replied. Behind him, Natasha cursed under her breath. He didn't need to speak Russian to understand what she said.
The alien's mouth curved into a grim smile, which proved to be more terrifying than he imagined. Despite the fact that he was shaking on the inside, Tony's face remained as cool as a cucumber.
Ronan placed the end of his hammer on the floor, tapping it once against the tile. "I'm looking forward to it," he said, his voice as cold as winter.
Then without warning, the two alien men became cloaked in a transparent force of energy, making them appear blurry and distorted. Tony couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when the men disappeared less than a second later. Teleporting with a hammer was more than impressive.
"Nice guy," Tony quipped, making everyone glare at him.
Cap shook his head. "That mouth of yours nearly got us killed."
"Not I," Thor said defensively. "Kree are no match for me."
Tony bit his tongue to stop himself from speaking, and instead walked over to the safe room. "Sil, he's gone. Come on out," he said, crossing his arms impatiently. Nearly a minute passed and the door remained locked.
The others came to stand next to him, now suspicious and concerned by her silence. Tony cleared his throat nervously. "Hey," he said, tapping the camera with his finger. "Open the door, kid. We need to talk."
When there still wasn't any response, Tony lost his patience. "OK, have it your way," he muttered under his breath. "KAREN," he announced. "Lazarus is in the building."
Cap scoffed next to him. "I didn't take you for a religious man," he said surprised.
Tony glanced at him from the side and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not. It just sounds cool," he replied.
"Of course," Cap sighed.
In front of them, the door to the safe room began producing loud, mechanical noises as it began unlocking. Tony could feel his palms growing sweaty inside his suit. This was not how he wanted to see Silvia again, especially with everyone here making outrageous claims against her. There had to be an explanation for her being with Loki. He shook his head in repulsion as the image of them together flashed in his mind. As the last lock became unhinged and the door lifted to reveal the safe room, Tony sighed with dread.
She was gone. In the corner stood KAREN's last remaining Iron Man, completely untouched and still powered on. He stepped inside the room and looked around, trying to figure out where the hell she might have disappeared to.
Cap walked up behind him. "It isn't looking too good for her, Tony," he said quietly.
Tony held up his hand dismissively as he inspected the room. His eyes landed on the Iron Man again, and a thought came to his mind. He unscrewed the mask of the suit and reached inside, roughly pulling out the sound chip. The others came to stand around him as he downloaded the sound chip into his audio player. When it finished, he paused and took a breath. Please, he thought, don't have done anything stupid, Silvia.
"JARVIS, play the last ten minutes," he ordered.
Silvia's voice instantly filled the small room, echoing off the walls and vibrating through his suit as it played through the external speakers. "This isn't part of my god damn security system! They're superheroes and I have no idea why they're here. Just go!"
"You call them super heroes," Ronan replied. "Let's see if they're worthy of the name."
They heard her angrily sigh. "Fucking aliens," she muttered.
Tony visibly brightened. "See? She didn't know why we were here," he said defensively.
Cap came closer and glared at Tony. "Let's finish listening before we make any judgements," he snapped.
Silvia could be heard breathing quickly on the other end. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," she groaned. "What the fuck are you doing here?"
Tony gave his best 'I-told-you-so' look to everyone, stopping when Silvia began speaking again.
"He's going to fucking kill them," she whispered. "That fucking psycho…" She could be heard pressing the speaker button. "Tony, it's not safe for you. Get out of here!"
His own voice entered the audio a moment later. "Sil, who did this? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine! Please go before it's too late."
"Too late for what?"
Silvia's panicked breaths flooded the chamber. "Oh, Tony. Shut up. Please, shut up," she mumbled. "Emperor? That's so fucking weird. Your superior," she scoffed, imitating Ronan's voice. "Don't tell him what to do… fuck. Bad move. Just fucking kneel, Tony. Oh….. shit. Are you trying to die?" she shouted angrily. "Mar-Vell… stop him. Yes… go with him, Ronan. Go, go, go. YES! Thank God. Tony, shut the fuck up you idiot!"
He crossed his arms defensively when he felt everyone's eyes fall on him. "I know, I know," he mumbled, rolling his eyes.
"Well, I can't go out there naked," Silvia interrupted. "But… why are they here? Because of what happened yesterday?"
Tony spoke again. "Sil, he's gone. Come on out."
"No, this isn't right," she mumbled with worry. "Why did he bring them here? Unless… do they know about him?"
Tony perked up nervously. Both he and Cap exchanged short looks with each other, waiting for her next words.
"SHIELD probably wants to bring me in," she whispered. Judging by the way her voice began waiving, he assumed she was pacing back and forth. "They're not putting me in a cage like some freak," she angrily muttered.
"Hey. Open the door, kid. We need to talk."
"Everyone leave me the fuck alone," she growled. "Why can't I have just one normal–"
"OK, have it your way." Tony said. "KAREN, Lazarus is in the building."
"What the fuck?" Silvia shouted. The audio became muffled as the adamantium and vibranium steel started unlocking.
"Shit, shit, shit," she groaned. "I can't… but… no. No, I can't."
Tony listened carefully to Silvia debating with herself. What can't you do, kid?
"Loki."
All at once, everyone's eyes were wide and alert. Tony's heart was pounding with anticipation, hanging on to every word she said.
"Loki," Silvia said again more forcefully. There was still no response. "For fucks sake," she hissed. "Loki, please!" she screamed.
There was a loud, cracking sound, followed by a startled gasp from Silvia. "Get me out of here," she said. "Oh, don't look at me like that."
There was a faint chuckle, making Tony's skin crawl. "With pleasure."
He cast his eyes downwards and walked out of the room, too disappointed to face the team. There was no mistaking the other voice. Silvia was working with Loki – God knows why – and that made her an enemy of SHIELD.
I can't protect you, kid. Not anymore.
Author's notes: Yes, I know, I know. This update took forever. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting! Living abroad has proved to be more exhausting than I imagined it would be. I wish I had more time to write.
So, Ronan and Silvia's reunion wasn't exactly a happy one - but hey at least they're speaking again (kind of?). Before everyone gets all riled up - I promise Ronan isn't disappearing again. Though, some of you might hate him for how he's treating Sil. You would think he would give her a break after the death of her parents, but Ronan isn't exactly the merciless type, is he? What did you think of the ending? We know Silvia is full of issues, but was she wrong for leaving with Loki? The Prince of Lies is anything but trustworthy... but neither is Ronan. Ah, drama. The next few chapters are going to be full of surprises and revelations.
As I've already mentioned, this story is leading up to something much bigger. It was never intended to solely be an OC/Ronan fic. Some of my readers have already caught on to what I'm doing - and thank you messaging me instead of commenting because I don't want anything spoiled for other readers. If you don't know what's going to happen, you will probably figure it out in the next few chapters if you keep up with Marvel. Thanks again for the messages and comments! I really appreciate your support and feedback. Sorry I'm a horrible person for leaving you on yet another cliffhanger. xx