"Come on, guys! ...It's me!" Nancy begged between her screams of pain, "Don't do this! ...Please!"
But no one listened. The former agents dragged Nancy onto the plane and tied her down into one of the seats.
Loki surveyed the damage one more time. The airship fell from the sky. Pathetic S.H.I.E.L.D. agents scrambled to and fro, attempting to right it. The beast broke through their carefully crafted rooms and terrorized the crew. The Iron Man attempted to remedy the broken turbine. Yes, his chaotic work had been done, and now he was satisfied with the outcome. They would all be too busy fixing this mess to think about the next battle he would start.
The back hatch closed behind him as he stepped into the plane and took his seat. The henchmen that had come with him on this plane had already dispersed to their various positions around the interior. Loki smirked, pleased with this new bit of mischief, and turned to look at the girl.
Nancy leaned her head back against the cool metal of the cabin and tried to regulate her breathing. Every breath was excruciating, causing her body to quiver and recoil. Something was seriously wrong. This wasn't just a broken bone. It was worse. Far worse. Something, some major organ, must have gotten crushed during her fall. She was dying.
"And so grows the death toll." Nancy commented, breathless, as she opened her eyes and looked at Loki. "Bastard."
Loki chuckled. The girl had stamina and strength, that was for sure. He shook his head. "Yes. I have not heard that before." He relaxed, slumping in his chair.
"What're you going to do with me?" Nancy asked, trying her best to sit up. She cried out again from the pain. As she curled into herself, seeking some relief from the pain, she glanced around at all of Loki's henchmen. Blue eyes. They all had... blue eyes. "Glowing blue," she gasped, glancing to Loki again, "like your spear. Mind control. Magic."
"Not for you, pet." Loki closed his eyes. "Now shush. I am in need of rest." The next thing he attempted would require concentration, and that meant he needed her to stop talking to him. Hopefully this ruse would work.
Nancy nodded slightly and leaned back again. She wasn't going to tell him she was dying. What good would it do? There was nothing he could do to help her anyway. All she could do was close her eyes and join him in rest. While she sat there, she mused over his usage of the term 'pet'.
"Pet." she mumbled, still wincing from the pain, "Term of endearment. Or obvious statement? Likened unto pet? Or literal pet? Animal. Lower ranking. But... favored." With a blush, she realized she was thinking out loud. "Sorry."
The minutes passed like hours, wandering by in silence. The engines whined softly outside, whisking her away to destinations unknown. The henchmen, flocked around like loyal dogs, remained perfectly still. Eerily still. And the pain in Nancy's side, which was once so excruciating that it felt like the hand of death itself, began to weaken. Ever so slightly, it began to subside.
Nearly five minutes passed without issue, and then her eyes began to feel dry.
"Seriously?" Nancy sat up, wincing again from the pain, "Now?"
She glanced to Loki, wondering if she had woke him, and noticed that his eyes were still closed. Good. The last thing she needed were his taunts about her being so weak and human. Without wasting another moment, Nancy began to fidget, trying to rub her eyes on her shoulder. If she couldn't do anything about the pain in her side, she sure could about the itch in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, trying to lubricate her contacts with her tears. It wasn't working. Nothing helped. She needed her eye drops, but they were in her satchel at her feet, and she was tied as tightly as could be.
Loki sat still, watching her struggle from beneath half-closed eyes. If she didn't stop moving, she would rupture something. It was hard enough to knit her back together while she was still. Now that she was moving, it was near impossible. He held in a groan, lest she hear him and start speaking again.
Nancy rubbed her face on her shoulder again, whimpering softly. She had to make it stop. A pain in her side, an itch in her eyes, and a madman across from her. No, this was too much. She glanced to Loki again. He was still asleep. But the henchmen. They were awake. She looked towards one of them.
"Hey." she whispered as softly as she could, "Hey, you. Hey! Buddy!"
The henchman turned to look at Loki. Loki took stock of the situation, calculated all their weaknesses, and nodded once, slowly. It could not harm anything for her to stop the pain in her eye so that she could sit still while he healed her. Really, was that so much to ask for?
The former agent gingerly released one of Nancy's hands from its restraint. "Oh, thank you, thank you."
Nancy instantly grabbed her bag and rummaged through it. Within moments, she found her bottle of eye drops and tried to unscrew the lid. ...Tried to... unscrew... the lid. Unscrew. Unscrew the lid. Come on, darned thing! It was on too tight for her to unscrew it with her fingers. She put it in her lap and tried to hold it with her legs, hoping to be able to turn the lid with her hand. That didn't work either. Finally, she settled on trying to unscrew the lid with her teeth.
Still too much struggling. Did the woman not know how to hold still? Did she not realize he was trying to help her? No, of course she didn't. Because he didn't want her to know. "Help her," Loki commanded. He had to do something to get her to stop her squirming.
The henchman snatched the bottle from Nancy's grasp, unscrewed the lid, and handed it back to her.
"Thanks." Nancy said, blushing, as she took it back. She hadn't realized her charade had woken the madman. She put a few drops in her eyes, blinked a few times, and looked around. Ah, much better. So much better. Now, if she could only take care of that pain in her side. She handed the bottle of drops back to the henchman. "Back in my bag, thanks." She looked at Loki, thankful that he'd allowed her out of her misery. "Thank you."
With little ado, the former agent returned the bottle to her bag and returned to his post.
Loki raised an eyebrow at her statement. "Mm." There was no time to talk. He had to knit her wound before she started thrashing again. Who knew such spirit could be so taxing? He had other plans for that spirit, but now he almost wished she had been a tamed woman. At least now she had ceased her struggles and sat still enough he could concentrate.
Nancy leaned towards him as much as her side would allow. Really, the pain was more of an ache now. How could it subside so soon? Was... was he healing her? No, that would be impossible... wouldn't it?
"Are you still resting?"
Loki sat still, eyes closed, much too focused on fixing her to respond to anything she said. If she didn't shut up, he'd have to have one of the former agents put a gag in her mouth. He was quite sure that she would be more thankful if he finished healing her than if he allowed her to pick his brain. In the long run, it would be worth it. For both of them. He let out a long sigh and hoped his ministrations would be done soon. At least the blood flow seemed regular again.
Nancy frowned and sat back again. He still wouldn't talk to her. He'd gush his mind to everyone else, but kept absolutely silent with her. With a large, dramatic sigh, Nancy reached for her satchel again. She wasn't really able to do much else than take more notes. Within moments, she produced her notebook and pen, and began to write:
Allowed henchman to help me, yet still refuses to speak to me. Not entirely bad, I suppose. Shows some compassion, but not much.
James was injured while trying to save me. Unsure of his state.
Observing those under Loki's control. They are able to respond to stimuli, but must look to him for commands. Eyes glow like the jewel in Loki's scepter. Going to test the extent of mind control.
Nancy looked at one of the henchmen, smiling brightly. "Since he won't talk to me, will you?"
The man remained unmoving, staring straight ahead.
Fine. Don't move, then. Determined to get some sort of reaction, Nancy reached into her satchel again, producing a sharpened pencil. Let's see if he reacts to pain. She reached across the narrow aisle and poked the guy.
The man looked down at her, clearly disapproving of her preferred method of attention gathering. "Please don't prod me. I'm not an animal."
"Prod. Not a typical word for an agent."
Agent under mind-control still uses manners; says "please". Does not like being compared to an animal. Still able to make the comparison. Used the word 'prod'. Not typical of an agent. Displays characteristics of own personality, while unable to think fully for himself.
"Are you able to think cognitively?" she asked the agent, "Do you understand where you are?"
"What do you think I am, a guinea pig?"
"Wonderful metaphor!" Nancy exclaimed, furiously writing more notes.
Displays another metaphor. Guinea pig. Not something Loki would be supposed to know about. Also, more characteristics of own personality. My hypothesis: the agents retain themselves while being forced to submit to Loki's power.
"How long have you worked for S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"Ma'am, I'm not sure what you're getting at, but I don't appreciate being treated like an experiment. Excuse me." The man turned away from her.
Does not appreciate being treated like an experiment. Still has feelings and the ability to feel! Still has a heart!
The agent made his way towards the cockpit, effectively shutting out her interrogation.
"You still have a heart!" Nancy called after him, "Remember that!"
Loki did his best to hide his smile. If nothing else, she was amusing. Calling after a mindless vessel that he had a heart, and expecting it to work? Surely, she must be speaking only for her own convenience. Even if they wanted to, the former agents could not hear her. Well, hear her perhaps, but never fully understand what she meant. Their minds only saw farther than anyone else's. They believed this cause to be the ultimate good. And that is why they would remain loyal to the end. Loki shifted with his thoughts, moving to a new position in his seat.
"Sorry." Nancy whispered, looking at him. "I don't mean to keep you awake. I'm just… curious."
"I believe your Midgardian saying is… 'Curiosity killed the cat'."
"But cats have nine lives." Nancy countered with a grin.
"Best use yours wisely."
"The acquisition of knowledge is always the wisest choice," she continued, unafraid, "Even if one loses one's life in the process. As long as the knowledge is passed on."
As long as the knowledge is passed on. An interesting outlook on life. That losing one's life would all be worth it if knowledge progressed to the next generation. And fitting, though she did not yet know it. Loki smirked and closed his eyes again. "You will remember you spoke these words."
"They're the words I live by…" Nancy said with confidence, "And will die by."
"Courageous… or stupid. I've yet to decide."
"Perhaps courage is stupidity. Ninety percent stupidity, ten percent bravery. But, when you figure it out, let me know."
Nancy grinned and went back to her notebook, looking over her notes again.
Of course she thought she had won that argument. Loki let it go and tried his best to rest. Though he had scattered the band of heroes, they would return. He would need all his strength to end them once and for all. He expected his brother would somehow escape the terrible drop in a glass cage, and the Metal Man would no doubt be out for revenge when he figured out where Loki had gone. The madman smiled and leaned farther back in his chair. First the heroes, then the girl. This would be such fun. He found himself smiling.
Nancy looked up and noticed his smile. It was definitely more of a smile than a smirk. It was pleasant, really. Very handsome. She smiled softly herself. She'd made him smile.
Five more minutes passed in silence. Unbearable silence. She needed something to end this torment. This lack of knowing where they were going. She looked at another brainwashed agent.
"Where are we going?" she asked him.
"Tell her and I no longer have need of you." The words practically formed themselves. Here was a woman who thought she should know everything. It served her right for him to keep his own secrets to himself. Which he would, without a single complaint from society.
The former agent glanced to Loki, blinked, and looked back at Nancy. He gave a noncommittal shrug.
"Does he frighten you?" Nancy teased softly, "An agent? An agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Come on. Where are we going?"
Must she push every little thing into the light? Could she not withhold her curiosity and wait to find what was on the other end? Had she not heard the unspoken warning behind his threat to the man with blue eyes? Loki opened his eyes and leaned forward to glower at her. "Do not force me to muzzle you," he threatened harshly. If she had any sense, she would obey.
Nancy blinked and sat back, stunned. He'd just threatened to muzzle her. Knowing what she knew of him, he'd do it, too. She didn't say any more.
Loki sat back, frustrated, waiting for their imminent arrival to Stark Tower. An outrageous beacon of light to the whole of mankind. The place where his revolution would begin. He glanced to the girl, having lost all ability to rest with the insufferable mortal on board. He would have to find a way to contain her. Soon. She could not be allowed to go on like this, refuting everything he said and practically driving him insane. It took a lot to drive a madman insane, and yet somehow she had found the key to his unraveling.
Nancy looked down at her notebook, still trying to gather her thoughts.
Threatened to muzzle me when I tried to remind an agent of his rank among S.H.I.E..L.D. Loses control of self when loses control of others.
Within minutes, the quinjet began to descend. Nancy quickly put her things away and threw the strap to her satchel around her. That's when she noticed it. The pain in her side was gone. Completely gone. She looked at Loki. Had he healed her after all?
"You don't need to drag me this time." She said quietly. "I'll walk."
Loki stood and narrowed his eyes. Could he trust her to keep her word? Or was she trying to trick the trickster? She was there, he reminded himself, to study him. He straightened and decided to take a chance, just this once. With precautions. "Gentlemen, do not leave her side."
"Where are you going?" Nancy tugged at her other hand, waiting for one of the guys to release it. "Are you coming back?"
"I suppose you will have to be patient to discover it."