super long chapter. loki's back...
The only consolation over Loki's arrival to the Helicarrier was that he was going to be imprisoned in a cage that no man can escape from. I wanted to add that Loki was a God, not a man, but I figured that kind of comment would be unappreciated by just about everybody.
I personally felt that bringing Loki here was a huge mistake. He's got a strong will, a twisted mind, a desire to rule, and a sharp wit that makes me want to throw myself into traffic. Bringing him here for questioning is going to be a waste of everyone's time. What they need to do, I surmised, was to attack the hidden base in West Virginia, subdue everyone in there, and take the Tesseract back into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hands. If we have the Tesseract and Loki has no help, then he has no reason to stay here.
But of course, no one was going to listen to me. Even though I was an "agent" now (a term I still hadn't accepted yet), my opinion wasn't on the level of Agent Coulson's, or Agent Romanoff's. So like the technician I am at heart, I slouched in my chair and continued to update security protocols, talking to other technicians from time to time to make sure they were set in place. Maybe by doing that, I could slow down their work in West Virginia.
"Is he saying anything?" Fury's deep voice said quietly nearby. I glanced up from my computer again and saw that he was standing on the second level of the command center, his hands gripping the metal railing tightly. "Just get him here. We're low on time." His eyes swept the room and then he exited the room, still muttering into the mouthpiece.
I assumed he could only be talking about Loki. My assumptions were correct, because no more than 10 minutes later, an announcement was made over the PA system that Loki had been captured. Technicians burst into claps and whistles of victory. Even the guards let a few smiles of relief slip past their rigid expressions. Maria Hill, who stood at the head of the command center, gave a little speech applauding everyone for their hard work. I forced a smile for Kat, who was jumping excitedly.
"Do you want to go see the bastard?" Kat asked with a grin. "I think they just brought him on-board. I'd like to see him brought to his cell."
"I'd rather not," I mumbled.
Kat shrugged and left with two other technicians to watch as Loki was escorted on-board. I kept to my computer, waiting until the procession ended.
Half an hour later, the deed was done. Kat returned, her eyes blazing in victory, and she informed me that he had just been locked in his cell. At that, I stood up and excused myself from command to seek out Agent Romanoff.
I found her in Bruce Banner's lab. I had never been in there before; the room was long, with crisp white walls, the color of science. Three large computer monitors were set up over white counters. His lab was positioned over the hangar.
Dr. Banner was bent over a white tabletop and removed his classes when I stepped in, and he smiled a little. "Hello, Elle."
"Dr. Banner." My eyes slid to the woman standing in front of the tabletop. From what I could see, she was very curvy with curly red hair, wearing S.H.I.E.L.D.'s uniform. At my voice, she turned to face me. She was very beautiful, with inquisitive hazel eyes, a perfectly shaped mouth, and sharp facial features. I was stunned into silence by her beauty.
"Yes?" she asked softly, arching an eyebrow while I stood there like an idiot.
"I've had plenty of lesbians check me out before. It's fine," Natasha Romanoff said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.
I opened and closed my mouth in embarrassment. "I'm not a lesbian."
There was awkward silence in the room. Dr. Banner took off his glasses and glanced between us, looking uncomfortable.
"How about we try again?" Natasha cleared her throat and stuck out her hand. "Natasha Romanoff. I'm usually good at noticing things about people...I guess there's a first time for everything."
I smiled shyly, appreciating her decision to move past the awkwardness and shook it. "Elle Pedagia. Um..." I looked past her and realized that Banner was working on a familiar item: Loki's scepter. It was just another reminder that Loki was here, on this very ship, and I glanced at Banner with alarm. "Where did you get this? Did he give it to you?"
"Sort of," Natasha said smugly, crossing her arms. "I more or less snatched it from his hands."
I reached out and touched the smooth base of the scepter. It was cold to the touch. "Congrats on that, by the way."
"We had some help," she admitted, chewing on his lip with bitterness. "Another Demi-God."
"Another? Do they all just invade Earth when they like?" I stammered, glancing between the two of them.
"Thor, God of Thunder, son of Odin, of Asgard," Natasha explained coolly. "Also known as Loki's older brother. He's on our side, don't worry. I made sure of that."
"So he does have family," I said quietly with surprise. "No wonder..."
"No wonder what?" Dr. Banner asked curiously, setting his glasses on the table.
"Well, he mentioned something about how he used to have a family," I mused. "But that's not what I came here. Um..." I turned to Agent Romanoff. "I have a question for you."
"Yes?"
"Could you teach me how to fight?"
A smiled pulled at Romanoff's ruby red lips. "Why is that, Agent Pedagia? Hasn't S.H.I.E.L.D. trained you enough?"
"I'm a technician at heart, Miss Romanoff," I explained, playing with my belt nervously. "I didn't ask to be promoted to Agent. All I know how to do is...fight viruses and worms." I felt my face warm, but I continued to speak through my embarrassment. "While I was in Loki's custody, I had so many opportunities to escape but I couldn't because I couldn't fight. I don't even know how to throw a punch or use a gun. Sullivan was just a fluke."
"I doubt that," Banner said softly, disapproval in his eyes. "You clearly knew what you were doing. I've seen all the files on this case, and that was a clean shot."
"Files?"
"Dozens of them," Natasha interjected, arching an eyebrow. "Yours is in there as well."
Fantastic, I thought grimly. "I was taught rudimentary gun use," I offered.
"If this place had proper training rooms, I could teach you how to be an expert assassin," Romanoff said wistfully. "No matter. We can practice some basic hand-to-hand..." she trailed off, looking at my arm. "Or not."
"It's only bruised," I said hastily, glaring at Dr. Banner. He smiled at me, clearly not ashamed.
"That was a tight grip, only precautionary measures," he murmured, getting back to his work.
"I'm sure Pedagia will be able to handle it, Bruce," Natasha said with a scoff. "She dealt with that thing, she can deal with a little bruise."
Later that night, I retired to one of the living units on board. I was exhausted from training with Natasha, but by the time I left, I knew how to make a man fall to his knees.
After turning off the lights, I curled up into a ball on the small, hard mattress. I felt so uncomfortable without my mint green comforter with me, or my picture of Megan. This room would hopefully be a temporary living space. Without my comforter, I wasn't able to get any real sleep. I tossed and turned all night, feeling restless.
A few hours later, I became frustrated with my body's inability to shut down and recuperate. For the first time in a long time, I was able to get some real sleep. Then why wasn't I sleeping?
I sat up in the darkness and stared at nothing, feeling a profound uneasiness settle over me. My eyes swept over the room, wondering if he was in the room with me.
The soft blue glow from my watch told me that it was 4 in the morning. If anything, I had four more precious hours of sleep left. But instead, I rolled out of bed and groped for the door in the darkness.
The hallways were quiet and empty when I poked my head out, but the cool air helped to clear my mind. I decided to take a quick walk.
During my excursion, I passed the command center. Whispered murmurs told me that nothing major had happened during my restless few hours of sleep. Outside, the window displayed wispy clouds and darkness.
Halfway through my journey, I realized that my feet were taking me down into the deeper parts of the Helicarrier. And in these deeper parts, you found yourself in the detention level. An unfamiliar tug prodded me to continue.
A small smile touched my lips as I hopped down a set of stairs. I almost felt like a spy as I snuck around the ship, searching.
My steps slowed as I approached a glass door that held Loki's cell. From what I could see, the cell was a large cylinder. I looked down at the card reader next to the door.
Mission over, I thought, pursing my lips. There was no possible reason why I would be given access to this room of all rooms. But I couldn't resist. I slid my I.D. card through the slot. To my surprise, the light beeped green with confirmation, and the door slid open.
Why would I be given anytime access? I thought with bewilderment, climbing a set of stairs. That makes no sense.
The cylinder was larger than I expected, big enough for a car to fit in. The cell was covered with bolts and locks, and illuminated by soft green light.
Next to the cell was a long control panel, covered with buttons and controls I couldn't figure out. My eyes fell to two labelled buttons, one covered by a black panel, and the other a large red button, labeled "panel" and "deploy", respectively.
My eyes searched for the connection between the two buttons. Then I noticed a large hatch beneath the cell.
Ah. It's a threat.
Finally, I raised my eyes to look at the man who had turned my life upside down. Loki was slumped over a long, beige bench, his left arm dangling off the side.
He looked like an innocent child. Like someone who wasn't bent on destroying the world and everyone in it. Asleep, his entire body was relaxed, something that I found surprising considering that he was in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hands.
I shoved the sympathetic feelings out of my mind, and slammed my hand on the "panel" button.
Our reactions were instantaneous and mirrored; he sat up with alarm and looked around wildly, waiting for the cell to drop. I stepped backwards with surprise when the hatched opened beneath the cell, revealing wispy clouds and the night sky. The sound of rushing wind filled the room.
I fixed a glare on my face immediately when his eyes slowly settled on me, and then he began to relax. Loki shifted towards the edge of the bench, clasping his hands in front of me while the panel closed. I crossed my arms defensively, waiting for him to speak.
He stared at me from underneath dark eyelashes. "Elliot," he greeted me in a low voice.
"Loki," I responded coldly. "Enjoying your prison? Or would you like a hot meal?"
He barked with laughter, "No, thank you. No, I've had enough of your disgusting nutrition."
"I'm surprised we fed you at all."
"On Asgard, we are fed like kings," Loki said wistfully, tilting his head towards the ceiling.
"Well, you're under our jurisdiction now, so you should eat what's given to you," I suggested rudely.
"How did you escape?" he murmured, changing the subject. "I'm genuinely impressed."
Please, I thought with disbelief. "How? You mean, after you let your guards roam around, left me unchained in a chair, and opened the door for me?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. I nearly crushed a man's windpipe when I noticed you had left us," Loki answered, widening his eyes innocently. I saw right through his deception. He knew that I saw through it, because he flashed me a knowing smile.
Loki took the time to look around the cell. He tapped on the glass with his knuckles. "Strong glass."
"You're a huge threat. Did you expect a tiny cell?"
"I would have expected one, although I find this prison quite acceptable. It is very roomy." He stood up slowly and twirled around for emphasis. My eyes followed his green cape until it settled gently behind him.
"Glad to see you're satisfied," I managed, my cheeks warming when I realized he had been watching me. He stood relaxed and easy, still smiling at me in a way that caught me off guard.
"What have you come here for, Elliot?" Loki asked curiously, tilting his head like a curious cat while towards the edge of the room. "It is such a late hour for one so young. No..." he stopped in his advance, smiling with disbelief. "Have you come to see me?"
"I've come to rub in the fact that you're in there and I'm out here," I responded without hesitance. "And you'll remain in there until we find the Tesseract, and then you and your famous brother can fly back home." At the mention of Thor, Loki became tense, averting his eyes. I flashed him a smile in return, knowing I hit him where it hurts. "It must be sad to be second best," I added gently, playing with the buttons on the control panel.
"Don't play games with me, mortal!" he growled, clenching his fists. Relaxing quickly, an inquisitive look came into his eye. "However, I must say that...you and I are quite alike."
"I find that very, very hard to believe!" I exclaimed, surprised that he had the audacity to say that.
"We both are second best to our siblings," he stated, watching me intently. I smiled again, just to irk him.
"I'm not second best to Katie. I'm the best." I pointed to my chest for emphasis. "I'm the one who studied computers. I earn more money."
"But, unlike your sister, you bore no children. On your world, you value children above anything. Have you ever even felt a man's touch?" he said very softly, his eyes gleaming in the light.
I lowered my eyes. "That's none of your business," I whispered with embarrassment. "Whatever happens, at least I'm free of you now." I kept my eyes on the panel, staring at the buttons again. If I sent him to Earth, how much trouble would I be in? The idea was tempting.
"Will you be, though?" Loki's voice rasped. "Will you really be able to live a life free of me, once this is over?"
"You think that you're going to haunt my dreams?" I laughed once, tracing the buttons. "Not likely."
"Look at me, Elliot," he demanded softly. "I would appreciate it if you did."
"You don't own me," I retorted childishly, refusing to listen. "All you ever do is order people around."
"You're used to it, are you not?"
That stung. Loki spoke the words simply, curiously, as if he were stating that the sun rises. I raised my eyes then, chewing on my lip as the idea of sending him flying appealed to me further.
"Play coy as much as you like, Elliot," the Asgardian said, raising his hands in surrender.
"You make it sound like we're on the same side, but we're not. I do not associate with you. You do not associate me. You're evil. I'm S.H.I.E.L.D. You're the ant. I'm the boot," I added, quoting him earlier. "You are made to be stepped on."
"Like you mortals are made to be ruled, and I intend to do so with or without your permission," he contradicted, stepping towards the glass. He rested one armor-clad arm above his hand on the glass, casting a shadow across his eyes. "And you have helped me."
"I've done no such thing. S.H.I.E.L.D. apprehended you in Germany because I warned them you'd be doing something stupid." I licked my lips nervously, wondering if the cameras were listening...
All the while, green eyes bore into mine and a cruel smile played on his lips. "Come closer, little one. I want to watch you."
"No," I responded coldly. "You're right. It is late, and I have things to do." But even as I spoke, an unfamiliar sensation filled me, tugging me towards the glass. I took unwillingly steps forward, trying to identify the sensation.
"Is this you?" I whispered in realization, widening my eyes. A playful smile tugged at his lips, and I knew I was right. My feet stopped moving when there was no more room for me to move.
"Watch what?" I said then, remembering he had said something about watching me.
Your face, when I tell you that you have ordered your own demise. You assume that Eric casually asked you about the schematics of this ship?
I stood still when I realized I heard his voice in my mind.
No, his voice purred. This has all been planned, Elliot. With your help, Agent Barton is on his way with knowledge of every crevice on this ship.
I should have known. Selvig didn't even know about the ship. It was Loki, who prompted him to ask about it. Selvig reported to Barton.
Barton was on his way. And with an army.
Like a lost and dazed animal, exposed for the hunter to see, he sighed sadly in my mind. You have three days, Elliot.
I stared hopelessly into pools of emerald green that watched me attentively as he spoke. In that I have given you all you need to save your friends. It is simply up to you to make a choice.
All the fury and frustration of the past few weeks bubbled up and boiled over. "I hate you," I said through my teeth. "I hate you. I despise you. I despise your very being, I despise that you even are allowed to breathe! Of all people chosen to survive, why you?" I exclaimed with vexation.
Loki stood motionless before me, the darkness of the shadow he cast with his arm causing his eyes to gleam brighter. Three days. I will not try to ruin you, but I cannot make any promises.