AN: Sorry it's been so long. School started again and I'm really busy. I hope to update at least once a month. Thanks for all the reviews/favorites/follows. I hope you enjoy!
I own nothing.
Chapter Five:
With the hyper-jet invisible to the naked eye and cloaked against radar, it was all too easy for Clint to pilot the jet into the thin atmosphere surrounding the desolate moon upon which The Other and his master had built their fortress. The place hadn't changed since Clint and Loki had last been there. The place was bare and rocky; thick gray dust swirled around bare expanses between mountains with terrifying cliffs. Behind the intimidating structure where Waverly was no doubt being held captive, was a volcano belching poisonous gasses into the already barely breathable air. Clint decided to land the jet on a small outcropping of this volcano. If, for some reason, the hyper-jet's cloaking device failed, the seismic activity of the mountain itself should cover up the power signature of the jet. Touchdown was a little rougher than Clint had anticipated, causing Loki to slide from the copilot's seat and bang his head loudly against the control panel.
Clint could barely suppress the smile that was attempting to crawl across his face. "All right there, hard head?" Clint snickered at his own joke. "You sure you can be the sneaky one? Just go bang your head around a little. That'll cause a distraction."
Loki got to his feet, rubbing his head. "Oh ha ha. Very funny. I would come back with a scathing retort but my head is still ringing. Besides, I am more concerned with rescuing Waverly at the moment."
That shut Clint up at once. The smile gone from his face, he swiveled in his chair to face the jet's onboard computer. He pressed a few icons on the touch screen, then entered in a long number; Waverly's I.D. number. Without turning away from the computer, he said to Loki, "This should find Waverly in a sec, assuming she still has her badge. Since we don't have a schematic of The Other's fortress, you'll just have to follow the blinking red light."
"What? I supposed to drag this infernal contraption with me?" Loki waved his hands about the cockpit.
Clint, forgoing an eye roll, shook his head. "Gimme a sec." With another swivel, he turned the pilot's chair around, leapt from his seat, and ran back into the cargo area of the jet. He returned, not only with his bow, but with the bag containing the equipment he thought might be necessary for the job. Clint took his seat once more and then dove into the bag.
"This," he said, sitting up with a thin black rectangle in his hand, "Will lead you to Waverly." Clint plugged the device in the computer. "You follow the red light on the screen."
Loki forced his voice to remain level when he asked, "And what red light are you talking about?"
It was then that Clint realized the computer hadn't located Waverly yet. Dread filled his stomach and he glanced back at the screen. He quickly reentered Waverly's I.D. and ran the search again. Clint held his breath while the computer worked. After an agonizing minute, nothing.
"Damn it!" Clint swore.
Loki raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"She doesn't have her badge. Computer should have located her by now."
Loki shut his eyes for a moment and took a long even breath to calm himself. He felt his heart rate quicken and a cold sweat was beginning to crawl down his neck, but he forced himself to not think about his fear. "We need a new plan."
Clint nodded. "We've come this whole way undetected, I think we can slip in the fortress just as easily. Let's get in, split up, and locate Waverly. Whoever finds her first will radio to the other one." Clint reached back into his bag and pulled out two of the ear pieces Loki had seen so often in the Avengers' ears. The god knew this to be the way the agents of SHEILD communicated with one another. Loki took the communicator Clint offered him, and with a little difficulty, screwed it securely into his ear. Loki knew he could easily communicate with Clint telepathically with his magic. He didn't have a problem violating the privacy of the archer's mind (again), but he was NOT about to let Clint in his mind. So, Loki settled for the strange Midgardian device now digging uncomfortably into his ear.
While Clint explained the rest of the newly formed plan, the archer swung his quiver over his shoulder and Loki picked up his spear. "When one of us finds her, we'll meet back up get her outta there and bring her back here. Then we'll face The Other together."
Loki nodded. "Unless I come across him before finding your sister."
Clint shook his head. "I think we should face him together. If one of us dies before we get Waverly…." Clint trailed off.
"All right," Loki said. "We spilt up, avoid detection, do not confront The Other. Find Waverly, meet back up, then we destroy him."
Clint agreed and headed towards the jet's hatch.
Loki followed him. "I just have one condition."
Clint looked back at the god of mischief with his eyebrows raised. "And that would be?"
"I get to deal the death blow." Loki brushed past Clint and headed out onto the desolate moon. Clint couldn't help be shiver at the murderous look in Loki's eyes.
Waverly was pacing her cell. Wild plans of escape kept forming in her mind. None of them, of course, would work seeing as she was powerless. Her only way of escape would be to avoid being injected with the antiserum or somehow convince The Other to let her out of her cell. Yeah, Waverly thought, like that'll happen. Maybe she could escape her cell without her powers. Pick the lock or something old school like that. It was possible; if only there was something she could use to pick the lock. The only thing in the cell besides Waverly was the trickle of dirty water that fell from the ceiling into a puddle on the floor.
A thought struck Waverly like a bolt of lightning. Before putting her desperate hope into action, Waverly crossed across the stone floor to the bars of her prison. Smashing her face against the cool metal, Waverly strained to look down the hall whilst listening with all her might. There wasn't any sign of The Other, no thundering footsteps in the distance. Turning back, Waverly hurried back to the corner of her cell. She plopped down on the cold, dirty floor and sat cross-legged with her back the cell door.
Waverly felt her breath come in quick, nervous gasps. She took a deep breath to calm herself. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the breath slowly out through her nose. Waverly opened her eyes and stared at the puddle of gray water. With a trembling hand, she lifted one finger and held it just above the water.
Maybe, by some small chance, by some miracle, the antiserum had worn off just enough for her to use her powers for a second. Just a second. That was all it would take. She would make a key, a pick, something that would get her out of here. She would just need a little spurt of power. It had been awhile since The Other had injected her with a dose of antiserum. Maybe, just maybe, this would work.
Waverly took a breath and concentrated with all her might. She stared at the puddle of water without blinking. Digging deep inside herself, Waverly searched for the source of her power; that feeling in her stomach, the tingling in her hands and feet that meant she could control the water.
She thought she saw the water ripple, but then nothing. She felt nothing. There was no jolt in her gut, not rush of adrenaline. The antiserum still had control over her body. Her powers were useless. Waverly let her hand drop to her lap and she hung her head.