Im back! You probably thought I had abandoned this or something, but fear not! After two weeks of procrastinating and threats from my Beta I have returned to Too Late. So hope you enjoy and I'll get back to updating weekly. ^_^
Chapter 17
Natasha immediately noticed that the devices that were built for her torture were not meant for petite human women. The large bulking straps, and the menacing looking levers and machinery were meant for immortal Gods or the nearly indestructible Chitauri. She was screwed on so many levels.
She hesitated only a moment before climbing onto the to-large table, keeping her expression cool, almost bored. She'd been tortured before. Granted, never on an alien spaceship, but how different could it be?
Quite different. All the other times she'd been captured, tied to a chair, beaten senseless, there was always some selfish comfort in knowing that she could end it. She could always give up the information they needed if she wanted to. That when it came down to it, she held the power- on some then there was the weak glimpse of release, when all hope of a rescue mission or escape had been demolished, that once her captures realised she'd never talk, or when there was no more flesh to burn, nails to pull, skin to mutilate, she'd be killed. The pain would end. There had always been a rescue in the end though-or she'd escaped on her own accord. What chance of that was there?
Feeling the metal clamps being secured around her wrists, waist and ankles, she resigned herself for her fate. Loki will come for, she thought to herself, smiling as the first blows were given. He'll always come for me.
"Is it nearly ready?" Clint demanded, wiping the rain from his head. Bruce nodded absent-mindedly from the hastily made shelter that they had constructed for him and Erik to work under.
"It should be ready within the next half hour. I'd rather that it did it's job properly than blow you up okay?" He snapped. Erik jumped at his tone, throwing him a shaky glance. "Should you calm yourself Doctor?"
Bruce took a deep breath and shook his head. "I'll be fine. Sorry Clint- Just give me a little while longer."
Thor glanced at Clint with a worried expression. He tapped Tony on the shoulder indicating him to follow. Tony nodded, deciding for once to be subtle, given that fact that nobody would appreciate his sharp wit right now.
"What's up, Pointbreak? Want me to braid your hair?" He muttered as they walked away from the tent into the pouring rain. Thor shook his head.
"Tony, I will only be able to take one of you with me to The Chitauri ship. I feel that as much as Sir Barton would desire to come it would be a bad decision. He only wishes to save the Lady Natasha and I would hope that this is a mission to rescue my brother as well? Seeing as he did have nothing to do with this."
Tony nodded quickly, grinding his teeth. Thor was right. Even if Loki was innocent, Clint would never help Loki- he'd just grab Tasha and go. He scuffed at the ground kicking at a rock agitatedly.
"Well who are you going to bring, because Clint is going to leap at your throat the second you say he's not coming."
Thor smiled briefly before clapping him on the shoulder. "I was hoping you would accompany me. Your metal suit might me more efficient against the Chitauri defences and... My brother trusts you."
Tony's mouth quirked slightly. "Well I don't know about that, but I'd be honoured to join to you in the glory of battle- or whatever it is you call it."
Hearing a jubilant shout from the others, they jogged back to the tent, seeing bruce holding the small communicator in the air in triumph.
"It's ready." He breathed, connecting it to a very battered, modified looking GPS system.
Turing it on they watched in apprehension, as the machine buzzed and smoked for a moment before showing a confusing stream of numbers. Bruce picked it up gently showing it to Thor.
"Can you read the coordinates?" He asked gingerly, looking relieved when Thor nodded.
He stepped out if the tent, and raised mjolnir to the sky. There was a large crackle of lightning. A slow purple haze spread across the sky leaving a large gaping whole as it spread. Satisfied that it was ready, he nodded to the others. Both Tony and Clint stepped forward.
"No! I can only take one." He shouted, his words almost drowned out by another roar of thunder. He looked at Clint.
"I'm sorry friend- but I must save my brother as well."
Before Clint could react Tony leaped forward to grab a hold of mjolnir. They only heard the beginning of Clint's scream of anguish as they disappeared in a flash of icy blue.
Loki laughed silently at his situation. Admittedly, his cell was far less comfortable than his one on Asgard, and obviously he was in a lot worse shape, after his last torture session, but the essentials remained the same. He was seemingly stuck and was bouncing a ball against the opposite wall. seemingly, fate had a sense of humor.
He didn't dare sleep. His dreams, premonitions, were only stronger and now there was no Natasha to wake to. Natasha. He groaned, resting his head in his hands.
He'd been foolish to allow himself to get attached to anybody on Midgard, but it had been idiotic to even entertain the thought that she cared for him in return. She was everything that he was not- moral, careful, even smarted than him to an extent. He admired her skill in dragging him along until the opportune moment presented itself. Allowing a man to believe he was loved when he was not was one thing- but allowing him to think that his redemption was possible was just cruel. He should have known that she never believed that. Perhaps she even had a hand in organising this his mind whispered Perhaps none of them actually cared, maybe this was planned from the start, Odin organised this, he knew you'd love her, he knew she entrap, and then it would all the more when she slapped you in the face.
At least she was safe. She may have never loved him, but he could no longer deny his feelings. At least she had somehow escaped the fate his nightmares insisted on showing him every time he shut his eyes. Yes, she had eluded destiny. For now.