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I passed the two days with Coulson. Now that it was time for Loki to make an appearance, I was confined to a lounge on a lower level. There were always people flitting around the edges of the room. I didn't recognize anyone. I sat uncomfortably on a couch in the middle of the room. I entertained myself by making up stories about the agents I saw. When I got bored of that, I slept. A couple of times, I got up and found some food in the kitchen portion of the lounge. I might have been allowed to watch tv but I didn't feel like asking.
As the day wore on, everyone became more and more agitated. The nervous tension made the air unbreathably thick. I watched the sunlight begin to fade and realized that the whole day was almost gone. It was when the sun turned the clouds blood red that anything happened.
/
Banner was not enjoying the wait for Loki to make an appearance. The tension was really getting to him, he had almost lost control twice. Finally, he had gone down into the workshop with Tony. He found the man studiously tinkering with some sort of machinery. When Banner stepped out of the elevator, Stark greeted him warmly. "So," he said with a grin, "Fury's takeover finally get to you?" Bruce nodded. "I had to get away for a bit."
Tony and Bruce spent the rest of the afternoon working on one of Tony's side projects. When the alarm was finally sounded, they almost grudgingly tore away from the project.
/
I was half asleep again. Boredom leads to few other options. My half closed lids shot open at the blaring of the alarm. The room had become suddenly chill and everyone vibrated with nervous energy. Then he appeared, a frightening visage standing in the center of the room. Several shots were fired but he waved a hand and they stopped to hover in the air.
No one else tried to take a shot. I realized that I too had a gun but had failed to draw it. I decided that taking it out now would be counterproductive. I might have better luck using it later.
Suddenly, a thick muscled arm wrapped around my throat and I was dragged backward a few steps. Loki turned and looked at me and my attacker with mild amusement. A cold blade tip pressed to the small of my neck just below the collar. Loki chuckled. "Do you really think you can threaten me? She is of no value. Merely an entertaining pet."
Barton's voice rumbled against my back. "Then why did you keep her? Why go to the trouble of maintaining her well being?" The point of the blade bit sharply into my skin. "Maybe I should just get rid of her for you. Make it impossible for you to use her anymore." The metal dug deeper into my flesh, prompting a sharp breath from me. A tiny trickle of warmth dripped down my sternum.
/
Natasha could hardly believe what Clint was doing. It was not unlike him to threaten others in this way, but he had never gone this far before. This threat was not a ruse. Clint would have no qualms about killing the girl. He seemed fervently determined to hurt Loki in any way he could find. Natasha could not fathom what sort of damage Loki did to prompt Clint's behavior.
Natasha stayed carefully concealed and tried to find a way to stop Clint without inadvertently helping Loki. She didn't have to wait long before the answer strode into the room.
/
Steve found himself in the middle of a rapidly deteriorating scene. Loki watched with an amused expression while Hawkeye pricked a red flow from Elizabeth. Rogers found himself acting to protect Elizabeth before letting himself think. "Barton! Stand down!" His authoritative manner drawing the momentary attention of everyone in the room.
Natasha took this opportunity to act. She leapt down from her vantage point and delivered a swift kick to Barton's elbow. Her foot struck the complex of nerves in the joint, forcing Barton's fingers to release the knife. At the same time, Steve flung his shield at Loki.
/
Thor watched the whole spectacle unfold from an adjoining hallway. He found himself wanting to act but confused as to whom was the enemy. His brother or his teammate? Unable to decide, he simply stood with mjolnir dangling useless in his fist.
/
Bruce was feeling useless as he always did. He had opted to watch from security cameras instead of risking the safety of others by joining the battle. He watched as Barton's manner went from calm and controlled to angry and vengeful. He found himself pitying the archer. He understood the rage that coursed in the Clint's veins. After all, it coursed in his as well.
/
Tony had escorted Banner to the security booth S.H.I.E.L.D. had set up in his tower. The last thing Stark wanted was a big green rage monster loose in his home. He figured that all of the extra agents would be able to take care of Loki till Iron Man got there. Now, he hovered just outside the window as Steve's shield came crashing through the glass.
He caught the gaudy metal disk and made a mental note to pester the captain about the damage later.
/
Rogers knew he had moved too slow when his shield passed through the air where Loki had been just moments before. As the disc shattered the thick glass, he saw Stark reach out almost leisurely to grab the disc. Assured that his weapon was safe, he turned to Barton. Clint was looking dumbly at his empty arms. Just behind him and Natasha, stood Loki and Elizabeth.
/
I couldn't decide wether I was glad to be away from Barton or not. An old saying popped into my head. Out of the frying pan, into the fire. I dismissed the thought. This was no time for being distracted. Reaching into my waistband, I pulled out Coulson's gun. With a tiny spark of pride, I managed to arm it on the draw just as Phil had shown me. Twisting away from Loki's loose grip on my shoulder, I aimed the gun at the dark man beside me. Pulling the trigger, I hoped that maybe shooting Loki point blank would have an effect.
Contrary to my expectations, it did. The bullet tore a hole through his leather armor and into his side. His face froze in an expression of surprise and horror.
/
Thor watched in horror as the projectile penetrated the weak side panel of Loki's armor. He hardly knew that he was screaming till his own voice reverberating in his ears nearly deafened him. Loki met his frantic gaze for a moment before collapsing into a heap. Thor pushed past several agents and took the room in a few long strides. Gathering Loki in his arms, he strode out onto the balcony and looked to the sky. "Heimdal!" His desperate cry echoed even after the flash of light had enveloped them both.
/
Time seemed to slow to a near standstill. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I watched the emotions flit across Loki's expression. Disbelief giving way to confusion leading to a strange look of betrayal. Thor's voice ripped through the air and Loki turned to look at the hulking blonde. The thump of Loki hitting the floor drove the sharp point of guilt into my chest. Loki reached out and grabbed my wrist. pulling me close, he muttered something i couldn't quite hear. Thor reached Loki and batted me aside. His touch driving the stake even deeper into my heart.
When Thor was carried off into the light, I felt time return to its normal speed. Suddenly there were people all around me. A few people thumped my back in congratulations, others shot me looks of understanding or even pity. Before I knew it, the jumbled faces of the agents had dwindled to only a few stragglers. I still stood where Thor had shoved me. My heart was beginning to slow its pace and my body started to register its tiredness. My mind had yet to catch up to these things though. The scene replayed incessantly in my head. I felt hollow, as though I would float away.
Steve was the first to try and speak to me. It took me several moments to grasp that his lips were moving. Finally, when he put a hand on my shoulder, I was able to make sense of the sounds he made. "...Elizabeth, can you hear me? Are you alright? Elizabeth?" I nodded numbly.