Chapter Seven
Disclaimer: Marvel owns everything but the plot.
Wanda sat up groggily, feeling disoriented. It took her a few minutes to remember where she was- in her room in Stark Tower. Memories of the previous day (was it yesterday?) came flooding back. Grief for Pietro warred with anger at Tony and Bruce- why hadn't they protected him? She felt a small stab of guilt for losing control the way she had, but ignored it. She left her room, planning to go and ask the 'Avengers' exactly what had happened during their fight with these alien beings.
"Jarvis, where is everyone?"
"Agents Barton and Romanoff are holding a meeting in the conference room on the twelfth floor. They and the other Avengers are discussing the possible reasons for the Chitauri's return. They have asked not to be disturbed."
"Tough." Wanda muttered, a scowl on her face as she made her way to the elevator. "I want to know exactly what happened to my brother."
When she reached the twelfth floor, she looked around. She had no idea where the conference room was, but the sound of raised voices solved that problem for her.
"...you're even here, if you're not going to tell us anything useful! Thor said you had an idea about why the Chitauri were back, which is why we let you sit in on this meeting, but I swear I'm going to use you for target practice if you don't co-operate."
That was Agent Barton, Wanda remembered. The archer. She paused outside the closed door, wondering who he could be talking to. It was a very strange way to talk to a team-mate... A voice she didn't recognise responded to Barton's words.
"I came back to this cursed planet to deal with the threat. I do not have to explain my methods, and I do not require aid from mortals. I would not explain anything, even if I thought there was the slightest chance that any of you fools would understand what I was talking about."
The sound of rapid movement could be heard through the door.
"Clint, no!" That was Romanoff's voice. "Ignore him, he isn't worth the effort." Her tone was one of tight control. "We have more important things to worry about, like why the Chitauri are showing up again now. It's been well over a year since New York. Why not before?"
"Perhaps something has changed between then and now that makes them believe they have a better chance of winning the Earth?"
That was Thor. A silence followed his words. Wanda listened intently, debating on whether or not she should go in there now. Bruce spoke up hesitantly.
"You know, Loki, if you really do know something that could help us figure this out, it would make all our lives easier."
There was another short silence. Wanda imagined that Loki was glaring at Bruce. When he spoke, it sounded as though his teeth were gritted.
"The Chitauri themselves are not the gravest threat here. The being that commands them is the bigger problem. I will deal with him myself. I am only here because Thor insisted upon seeing you all."
"What?" Tony actually sounded affronted. "You don't think we could help deal with this Chitauri overlord, whoever he is?"
"The entity that leads the Chitauri is not one of them, Stark. He is an ancient being, far more powerful than you can comprehend. There is no way any mortals could deal with him."
"You didn't tell me any of this, Brother." Thor sounded puzzled. "When did you work all this out?"
"I am NOT your brother, and I didn't tell you because you would not believe me. I myself wish I was wrong about this, as does Odin. But I sensed the being's power on Earth yesterday, when all Stark's technology went haywire."
Wanda froze upon hearing that. She had been about to knock on the door, to let them know she was there, but Loki's words unnerved her. It almost sounded as if he knew about the demon that gave her her powers. She resolved to keep eavesdropping for now, in the hopes of learning something more.
Tony was speaking again, his voice confused.
"Whoa, back up a minute. What happened yesterday was because of our newest Avenger losing control of her powers after getting some bad news. It has nothing to do with some alien entity, I can assure you."
Outside the door, Wanda hung her head. If only they knew... She jumped as the door flew open.
Natasha was glaring at her as she grabbed her arm and dragged her into the room.
"I knew I heard someone in the corridor."
Every set of eyes in the room were on them. Wanda walked slowly inside, feeling ashamed for being caught eavesdropping, but determined not to show it.
Tony, Bruce and Steve semed unwilling to meet her gaze. Clint was glaring at Loki as though he was his worst enemy, and Loki was looking intently at Wanda, his eyes narrowed, as though he were trying to solve a problem.
Tony cleared his throat. "Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear!"
Steve elbowed him in the side. "Are you feeling any better today, after..." His eyes were sad.
Wanda shrugged. "Not really...but I don't want to talk about it at the moment. I do want to know what happened to my brother eventually, but right now... I think you all were in the middle of something?" She blushed slightly. "Sorry for eavesdropping."
Tony waved his hand dismissively. "No worries. You could've just come in though. You are part of the team now. Assuming you want to be...?"
"I- I think I would. If you'll still have me, after yesterday's accident?" They knew now how dangerous her abilities were, and she half expected them to say they wanted her to leave.
Bruce met her gaze seriously.
"Accidents happen, Wanda. I once destroyed half of Harlem when I lost control. A bit of property damage to a building is nothing in comparison. Besides, with some training, you should be able to prevent things like that. Just think how much good powers like yours could do!"
Loki frowned. "Power like that cannot do good, Banner. You would do better to be rid of her now."
"I wasn't aware that you had the authority to decide who does and doesn't join our team, Loki." Bruce raised an eyebrow.
Clint glanced quickly from Loki to Wanda.
"Who are you to say that? You don't even know her!"
Loki sneered at them all. "Fine, do as you please. Do not expect sympathy from me when one or more of you dies because of her."
"Get out!" Steve stood up, furious. "You are the only person in this room who is a threat to us."
Loki turned and walked away without another word.
Thor looked at Wanda apologetically. "I am sorry about that. He does not usually dislike someone so thoroughly at a first meeting."
"He's probably just annoyed cause there's someone more powerful than him around." Tony smirked. Natasha shook her head. "I hope that's all it is..."
Bruce spoke up, trying to clear the air. "Wanda, did you want to go and start our meditation exercises now?"
Wanda blinked at suddenly being addressed. She had been staring after Loki, lost in thought. How did he know so much about her?
"What? Oh, meditation. Yes, sorry, I was just thinking..." She followed Bruce out of the room.
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Later that night, Wanda was again unable to sleep. This time, it was because she feared having dreams about Pietro. He was gone, and dreaming of their past wouldn't change that, it would only cause pain...
Bruce had told her what had happened in the Himalayas, about the utter disappearance of Pietro and the alien he had been fighting. The lack of a body made accepting his death difficult, but Wanda resolved that if nothing else, she would fight alongside the Avengers against the Chitauri. They would pay for taking her twin from her. The calming exercises with Bruce had been helpful.
After several hours practice, he had asked her to concentrate on levitating something, and for once, her power had done as she had wanted, and nothing had gone wrong. It was a victory, however small, and it raised her hopes of gaining full control someday, though Bruce had cautioned her that that could take years.
Thinking of her powers brought her mind back to Loki. Could the being he referred to, the Chitauri's master, be the same creature that had cursed her as a child? If it was... he might have knowledge that could help her. Something about him unnerved her, however, and asking him for information would mean telling the Avengers the whole story... After tossing and turning for some time, she gave up, and made her way downstairs. Getting up at night was going to become a habit, it seemed. She made herself another mug of tea, and headed to the library. The atmosphere in there was relaxing and if she couldn't fall asleep, then at least she could read quietly, and not disturb anyone.
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Loki sat bolt upright after a disturbing nightmare. His heart was pounding, even as he tried to reassure himself that it was just a dream. Sigyn was safe in Asgard. She was not a captive of The Other, his mind was just playing tricks on him, playing on his fears... He had not spoken to his childhood friend for many years though, so why had she appeared in his dreams now? He rose and dressed silently, determined to make certain, one way or another, by questioning the human woman who channelled the demon's power, apparently ignorant of its true source. He went and checked her room first- it was empty. Maybe Stark's strange computer could help him, what was it called again...?
"Jarvis?"
"Yes, Mr Odinson?"
Loki resisted the urge to tell it not to call him that. "Where is..." He'd forgotten her name, curse it! "Where is the new member of the team, the young woman?"
"Miss Maximoff is currently in the library, sir."
He nodded resolutely, setting off towards it.
"Mr Odinson?"
Loki clenched his fists. "Yes, Jarvis?"
"The library is in the oposite direction to where you are currently heading, if you wanted to know."
Trying to convince himself that destroying Jarvis would not be helpful, he scowled, then turned and strode quickly in the right direction.
Wanda had just finished reading The Hobbit, and was looking for something else when Loki crept up behind her. His heart was pounding, he was determined but afraid. She turned when he got close- he grabbed her by the throat and threw her against the wall, pressing his arm across her neck. Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to scream. He pressed harder. Her voice came out a strangled yelp. She stared at him, terrified. A red glow was beginning to surround her hands.
"I want to talk to him," Loki snarled, bringing his own magic to bear against her, trapping the red glow in green.
Confusion mixed with the fear in Wanda's eyes. "Talk to who?" she choked out. He couldn't really want to talk to the demon, surely? Unless- the thought made her shiver- unless they were secretly allies...
"He knows." Loki pulled a knife from his jacket and pressed the point to Wanda's chest. He felt the tip slice through her shirt and into her skin. She gasped with pain.
"Talk to me, or I'll kill your chosen one." Loki's face was pale, but determined.
Wanda stared at him with mounting fear, feeling more and more tired... she realised too late what was happening, and couldn't stop it. She blacked out.
Loki watched, desperate, as the woman's head lolled when she passed out, then she slowly awakened again. No...not her, Him. Her eyes glowed scarlet, and a cruel smile twisted her lips.
"Well met, little king," she drawled mockingly. "Oh, wait. You are not a king. You were defeated, a weak child!" His/her voice was utterly non-human, and so full of burning hatred.
Loki felt the magic blast before it happened, but his powers were no match. He was thrown across the room, cracking hard against the wall. The woman, the host, viewed him with a smile, her whole body engulfed in a crimson aura.
"Where is she?" he gasped, ignoring the blinding pain.
The creature possessing the mortal body smirked. "Your foolish friend, Freyja's daughter? She is being... minded by my other avatar, to ensure you do not interfere with my plans. I knew you had worked out my secret when you returned here. Stay out of my way, and your precious Sigyn might be returned to you, with no permanent damage. Cross me...and I will make you watch every moment of her slow death. Do I make myself clear?"
Loki thought frantically. He didn't have a prayer of defeating this being, even if it was confined in a mortal form. He tried to play for time.
"Why does one such as you need to resort to possession, anyway? You did not need such methods all those centuries ago, in Asgard..."
"When you unleashed me, you mean? Yes, that was an amusing interlude, until the cursed sun god intervened... to answer your question, Jotun runt, at present, this is the only way I can manifest on Earth. I will change that soon enough, however, when I gain full control of this host, and wipe out the human personality completely. It is only a matter of time." He/she shook her head, as if Loki was amusing her. "And you need not think that you are doing yourself any favours by delaying me in conversation. No-one will come to investigate down here, and no-one will believe you later, Prince of Lies." She laughed mockingly.
Another concussive blast of scarlet energy erupted from her hands, and Loki screamed in pain as it made contact. His last conscious thought was about Jarvis...at least this scene had been recorded by the intelligent computer, so that even if he died, the demon would be exposed.
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Clint stumbled down the stairs, rubbing his eyes. He had not been willing to go to sleep while Loki was in the tower, but Fury had insisted on him and Natasha staying there, to 'keep an eye on our resident psycho God.' Muffled thumps and voices, accompanied by bright flashes of light from downstairs had prompted him to investigate. Jarvis was for some reason unable to see what was happening on the lower floors. It was unusual for Stark's AI to malfunction, but not unheard of. Clint would have bet his bow that Loki was involved somehow- the lying son of a *****.
He made his way stealthily to the library, since the lights in there were on, and the door was open. He walked into the room and froze.
Wanda and Loki were both unconscious, lying several feet away from each other. Neither of them had signs of obvious injury, but there must have been some sort of fight. He checked Wanda's vital signs- she was deeply unconscious, as far as he could tell. He resisted the urge to kick Loki as he walked past.
"Jarvis? Wake up the other Avengers. Looks like Loki's up to his old tricks again." Clint prayed the AI's glitch was over with.
"At once, sir."
Clint folded his arms and waited. This time, even Thor would have to admit his 'brother' had crossed a line. There was no way he was working with them now, after attacking a team member without provocation, though no doubt the 'God' would have a very convincing story to tell, explaining why his actions were justified. Clint kept his eyes locked on the Norse God's unmoving form as the other Avengers filed in to the library to see what was going on.
To be continued...