Sera –

I spat at him, causing a deep throaty chuckle to echo around the prison. I looked behind Matthew's at the prisoner who was now staring straight at me, his deep green eyes glittering in amusement. He had sharp cheekbones and pure white skin that I ached to touch. Who was this man?

'Shut up, you fleabag!'

The prisoner's amusement turned to pure anger at Matthew's statement instantly transforming his appearance into one of pure terror. This man was dangerous. Terror leaked out of him like a warning beacon. A beacon that Matthew's was blatantly ignoring like the idiot he was.

'Matthew's. I don't hurt those I don't deem fit.'

My grim expression and statement should have warned him but he just smiled at me.

'He's harmless. Watch.'

He strided confidently over to the chair the prisoner was tied to and punched him across the face. The chair fell backwards due to the force causing the bang to echo again. The prisoner didn't move. Matthew's kicked the chair away from him, only to opt for something much worse. He drew out his knife from under his coat and began slicing it into the man's face, red coming to the surface instantly.

Matthew's was mad. Why was Fury allowing him to do this? And how was the prisoner not making a sound? He should have been screaming by now. Instead he was smirking, daring Matthew's to hurt him more.

'Not satisfied midgardian?'

Matthew's grin faltered and was replaced instantly with fury. The prisoner's voice was smooth and calming with a mischievous hint to it. It seemed like music to my ears. Why was I so drawn to him?

'Seraphina. Hurt him.'

I didn't move.

'Hurt him God damn it!'

Who was this man? As Matthew's shoved me forwards in front of him, his smirk faded. He seemed to be sizing me up, preparing himself for whatever was coming before plastering the grin back on his face.

'Scared midgardian?'

Yes. Yes I was, but not of him. I turned back to Matthew's.

'You want me to hurt him. You need to take the band off. I cannot torture him like you want me to with what little I have. You want pain, you take it off.'

I folded my arms over my chest. I'd been careful to use the key words he wanted to hear – hurt, torture, pain. Anything to trick him into giving me back my true power so I could kill him. He grumbled in agreement. The prisoner began to laugh again behind me.

'Being ordered around by a female, Agent? My, my. What little backbone you have!'

He knew exactly what he was doing, taunting the man at each corner. That's why I had been called. Matthew's was running out of patience. He stepped forwards to hurt him once more but I stopped him.

'Let me.'

I sent him a wave of the strongest pain I could muster in my current state. He didn't move but instead frowned and narrowed his eyes at me as Matthew's chuckled.

'Not so invincible now, eh? God. Pfffff! Not even close.'

God? What was he talking about? Who was this man? The prisoner glared at him, through me. The danger was getting bigger. Matthew's better be quiet if he didn't want to be killed, by me or by him.

I ripped off the IV that was attached to my right arm. My head finally didn't hurt any more. They'd taken the band off as I'd agreed to help Matthew's but not before I had practically signed my life away. SHIELD didn't trust me it seemed.

A loud bleeping started much to my annoyance. They'd probably set up monitors so that I couldn't escape once I'd woken up and I'd activated it when I'd ripped the IV out. Matthew's came in immediately, turning off the beeping. Thank god. Even with the agents standing behind him, he wasn't safe. He was far too trusting and had no idea of just how much I was capable of, but even as powerful as I was I was not strong enough to get out of here alive by myself, (Even if I could kill a few hundred first).

'You ready?'

Was he serious? I had just come out of surgery and he was already asking me to hurt the prisoner?! This guy had no sympathy what so ever. I slowly stood up, testing my balance. I was surprisingly stable. I could feel the fire flowing through my veins. I felt more alive than I had in the last few months. I was back. Fully. Finally.

As I followed him back to the circular prison I started to feel queasy. Even though I had killed over three hundred people in my time I still didn't like the thought of harming (or killing this man if Matthew's had his way) without knowing who or what he had done.

The prisoner was sitting on the lifeless floor, surrounded by what I could only assume was his own blood, just as we had left him. He snapped up his head as we walked in, analysing the situation once again. His green eyes burrowed into me once more and I found myself becoming shy under his constant unwavering gaze. He smirked as we came closer.

'Back for more already?'

I couldn't help but laugh, causing Matthew's to glare at me. The prisoner smirked wider. Seriously, who was this guy?

'Hurt him.'

Matthew's tone hissed his impatience. This guy must have done something to really annoy Matthew's. I turned back to the hostage, voiding myself of all emotion. This was my only chance of escape. He took a step back as he took in my emotionless expression. He knew what was coming.

The next thing that happened took me by surprise. I had wondered why he wasn't tied to that chair but it was obvious by what he managed to do. I was suddenly surrounded by at the least twenty inmates all grinning evilly at me, daring me to attack. What was happening? Matthew's hadn't warned me of this.

I sent a small wave of pain at the first inmate out of curiosity more than anything else, but it disappeared on contact. The others chuckled at my confusion. These were illusions. A small smile came over my face as I realised I was now alone with Matthew's. (well, as alone as I was going to get.) I didn't like killing witnesses.

Screaming filled the room as Matthew's crumpled to the floor in pain, flopping around uselessly like a fish. I didn't have to turn around to know what he looked like. They all looked the same. Shock flickered over the inmates many faces for a moment before it was quickly covered with his usual evil grin. My smirk was just as wide.

Matthew's body stopped flopping as I left him broken on the floor, near to death. I strided over confidently, picking up his head to let his eyes look into mine one final time. I didn't forgive. Ever.

'You should have just left it.'

He stared at me in terror as I let his head smack back into the ground. His shrieks of pain soon filled the circular room again as I gave him the finished blow, turning back to the prisoner as his head exploded sending pieces of burning flesh flying . The walls hissed and smoked as his flesh hit them, burning. Now to deal with the witness. I glared at the hostages.

'Stop hiding you coward.'

I spat the words at him, causing his eyes to narrow. He didn't like being talked down to.

'Watch your words midgardian. You'd do better respecting your God.'

I raised my eyebrows at him.

'God? You've got to be kidding me. And here I thought you weren't another prick.'

His eyes narrowed further.

'YOU DARE DISRESPECT ME MIDGARDIAN?'

I glared as more inmates appeared as he got angrier. I was starting to get under his skin, ruffling his cool exterior.

'I AM LOKI, RIGHTFUL KING OF ASGARD. HOW DARE YOU DISRESPECT ME YOU WHORE.'

'WHORE?'

I swung round, shooting small balls of fire at the first row of Loki's, causing them to disappear. The rest returned to their usual smirk of derision. My glare intensified as my anger spiked. How dare he call me a whore?!

I didn't notice as the guards came in, after Matthew's didn't respond to their calls. They tugged me back away from Loki's grinning expression as I struggled in their grasp. I kept shooting daggers of fire at him, to no avail. There were just too many illusions.

As I was hauled out of the room, I preceded to fight the Agents holding me back. I was too angry to really listen to reason. I just wanted to hurt that bastard. My skin was beginning to heat up, causing them to yelp in pain as they tried to grab me.

'LET GO OF ME!'

I kept screeching in fury as I crippled several agents but more kept coming to take their place. Fury suddenly appeared in all the confusion and grabbed my arms, pushing them behind my back. The agents disappeared only to be replaced with familiar faces – the avengers.

'Calm down Sera.'

I felt Pepper put a reassuring hand on my shoulder and I started to calm.

'Pepper.'

I could feel Steve's apprehension. They all knew what I was capable of. She didn't want to be too close to me right now. As I calmed and stopped squirming in Fury's arms, he let me go. I turned to face the avengers looking at their worried faces. The only one who didn't have a grim expression was Tony who had his usual idiotic expression plastered all over.

'Tony. Stop grinning or I'll wipe that grin off your face for you.'

He mimed hurt as the rest burst out laughing. I hadn't noticed Fury had left until this point. He'd left them to calm me down. Smart move. We all sat down at the table a few feet away and started chatting. It had been a few months since I'd last seen them all together.

'Had a run in with rock of ages, huh Si-Si?'

I gave Tony a confused look. He often mumbled nonsense like this.

'Rock of ages?'

'You know, reindeer games.'

Huh?

'Tony. Stop confusing her.'

Bruce gave me a small smile as Tony started to mutter in annoyance about my supposed incompetence. Natasha and Clint tried to hold back giggles as Steve sat in the corner looking puzzled. Thor was nowhere to be seen to my surprise.

'He means Loki, Sera.'

Natasha had been silent up to this point. I was surprised by the vigour and venom in which she spat the words. He had obviously pissed her off as well.

'YOU MEAN THAT ARROGANT SON OF A B-'

Tony clamped a hand over my mouth while Steve gave a frustrated sigh. He hated swearing but was exposed to a lot hanging around with us, unfortunately for him. He was still centuries behind.

'Yeah. Him. No need to get so worked up over rock of ages Si-Si. He's not worth it.'

I finally registered the nickname.

'Si-Si?'

I narrowed my eyes as he took a small step back. Bruce put a hand on his shoulder.

'Tony. I've got a good theory for you. Be quiet or she'll hurt you. You want to end up like the agents a couple of minutes ago.'

It wasn't surprising that Loki had pissed Natasha or the rest of them off really. He'd managed to intrigue and then piss me off in the first ten minutes of meeting, whoever that smug bastard was. Clint slowly stood and walked over, handing me a large brown file. The confidential red seal burned into my eyes as I took it from him.

Loki Laufeyson. Frost giant and asgardian royalty. Parents - Odin and Freya Borson, but found out recently he was in fact adopted. Actual son of Laufey king of the frost giants. 'Siblings' – Thor Odinson. Known as the God of mischief and lies. Fluent in sorcery and likes playing pranks on others. Bitter about heritage. In anger attempted to take over Earth to prove to Odin he was rightful king of Asgard when he refused him the throne. Attacked with Chitauri army which were stopped by the avengers. He proceeded to be locked up in Asgard before resurfacing on Earth a couple of months later. Killed 2,743 people (known), injured 1,396 and damages estimated at $42 billion. Destroyed SHIELD aircraft carrier using the Hulk. Attempted to kill Thor by enclosing him in the glass cage he was situated in prior, jettisoning the prison. In Berlin killed a scientist by gouging out his eye as well as several guards. Used powers to manipulate agents including Eric Selvig and Hawkeye.

The file went on and on. This guy was D.A.N.G.E.R.O.U.S! It had taken six of the strongest (mostly genetically enhanced) people I knew to defeat him. I could see why SHIELD was so pissed off at him. No one broke their stuff and got away without paying for it, but that still did not warrant their treatment of him. As much as I loathed the guy they were only making the situation a great deal worse.

'Where's Thor?'

Everyone fell into silence as I looked up from the file. They'd probably been expecting a different response. Had they even told him his brother was here? I didn't condone at all what he had done but Thor should at least be aware of all that was going on right? I had heard him talk fondly of his brother often so I was surprised he hadn't broken SHIELD yet. I still couldn't believe this was the Loki though. Thor wasn't very good at describing people.

'He has no idea does he?'

Steve slowly shook his head as I flung the file at his head in disgust. It missed by a couple of inches.

'How long have you guys known? He's going to hate you all for this. You're meant to be his friends, his friends! How would you feel if your own brother was being tortured by an organisation you thought you could trust whilst your friends knew and did nothing?! Seriously.'

I slammed my palms on the desk in frustration, pain seeping through instantly. Natasha jumped at me as I paused in anger.

'YOU'RE EXCUSING HIM?! Really Sera! I knew you were insane. I can't believe your siding with a traitor.'

She started swearing loudly in Russian as Clint grabbed her arms to stop her from clawing at me. She relaxed as he touched her but continued to expel profanities.

'I DON'T EXCUSE ANYTHING HE DID! HE'S A COLD HEARTED MURDERER, BUT HE'S THOR'S BROTHER. THINK OF THOR'S FEELINGS HERE! PLUS WE CAN'T JUST JUDGE HIM ON SOME FAMILY FEUD WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.'

I sighed before continuing, calming my voice. They would never understand my anger. They would never hear of Cadence.

'Natasha, imagine if it were Clint in that room right now and we all knew and didn't tell you.

She ran a hand through her scarlet curls as her eyes narrowed.

'I'd rip your eyes out.'

'Exactly. Imagine what Thor will do when he finds out. He'll go berserk. No matter how insane his brother is he still loves him.'

I struggled to keep myself calm. It was too close to home. She nodded and apologised before sitting back down next to Clint, placing a shaking hand in his. It wasn't a secret that they were dating here, but if SHIELD found out they would be in big trouble with Fury. Compromised, he'd say. No longer viable or effective in the field together. Too high a risk. They had already been married though for a good six years, so there was not much he could do in my opinion. Although, I had a slight suspicion he, Hill and Coulson knew anyway and just hadn't told us.

But now there was a new question. What were we going to do about that son of a b- … I mean, Loki?