Disclaimer: Everything that is owned by someone else is disclaimed.
AN: Sorry it took so long with the updating, had a cold but I think it's wavered enough and Halloween and the new Sunday dinner thing my Mom has conducted, being homeschooled, blah, blah, blah. Anywho, thank you all for reading this sixth chapter and I hope you have a spectacular time doing so.
"Thor, we have to tell SHIELD. Loki is an enemy of Asgard." Natasha Romanoff said.
They had locked Loki in a small room with a small bed and no windows and Loki could hear them from the other room.
Every yell bellowed in retaliation against Loki made him flinch and shudder and even shake a little, because though he could not even see them he knew they had all the control over him and at that moment he was sickly reminded of his hopelessness against the Chitauri and their true leader and it made him feel as though he would vomit.
He had told Thor much but he had yet to tell him one thing. He was now human. How would Thor react? He would find more shame in him, that's how Thor would react and Loki did not want him or anyone else to see anymore weakness than they already did.
"Thor, we have to be reasonable about this." This time it was Banner that chimed in. Oddly enough, this surprised Loki, for though Mr. Banner was intelligent and his logic was usually sound, he seldom spoke. Loki didn't think he was insecure, just a little introverted and Loki could relate to that. And there was the fact, he noted, that Mr. Banner and Ms. Romanoff seemed rather pleasant with one another. He never would have guessed Romanoff one for anything romantic, but somehow it seemed to fit. Though he could not find any wisdom in the folly that is courting with someone you are simultaneously working with, especially in their line of work.
They were going to take him to SHIELD, he just knew it. Thor could argue with them all he wanted to, but they were going to give him up to SHIELD after he was done helping them. He should have been able to anticipate this. He supposed he had been having a difficult time being thorough with any plans he created, due to… other worries and difficulties.
"Look, Hercules," he heard Mr. Stark begin. He wondered why Stark was always branding people with nicknames, the references of which he usually did not recognize; he found it rather annoying. "We can't have Rudolph—" Who is Rudolph? Are they not supposed to be worrying about Loki? "—living here forever. I hate to say this but SHIELD needs to know about this shit." Ah, Stark was simply calling him by another one of his many nicknames.
Though Stark was often crude and flippant when he spoke, there was usually an underlying logic in his words. Loki supposed that was why the others dealt with him so patiently; he was a genius after all. "I understand how you feel about your bro…" Tony started again, "Wait, no. I'm lying, I've never had a brother so I actually wouldn't know. Sorry, I'm rambling now. I ramble a lot, too much in fact. You know, I think by now I could call rambling a sort of hobby—"
"Stark, that's enough!" Mr. Rogers practically yelled at Stark. Rogers was highly officious and self-righteous, he reminded Loki of the soldiers on Asgard. Though Mr. Stark did in fact deserve the Captain yelling at him, for his rude behavior.
Oh, gods… They were going to take him to Asgard again after SHIELD, weren't they? Yes, yes they were.
He wished he could see Asta just about then. She reminded him of his— Thor's mother, Frigga.
..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..
Barton was finally there, walking on the footsteps that lead to the entrance of Avengers Tower. He had parked his car in an apartment not far from there and had walked the rest of the way there. No good ever came from raising suspicion, so he had to be as inconspicuous as possible.
He had never been one for planning and had always been rather rash so he was lucky SHIELD had taught him to be better at learning to conquer his impulses. That's why he took his best bow, with his best arrow, the arrow Thor had given to him before he, Barton, left SHIELD and the avengers for good for if he ever needed it. The arrow might not be able to kill the 'god', Loki that is, but it will certainly have a torturous effect on him.
Barton wasn't usually so… Sadistic, but in regards to Loki he was too vindictive and filled with anger and hatred to consider the morals of the situation very clearly. Loki had taunted him too long already.
He doubted Thor had wanted or expected him to use his gift, the arrow, on his brother, but honestly he didn't give two squirrels up in a tree if Thor cared or not. This was his time for justice and he needed his vengeance more than anything. He'd be lying if he were to say that he hadn't dreamed of this since after Loki left earth.
..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..
Tony was getting a bit annoyed with Steve and his blind faith in Thor and the rest and their blind faith in SHIELD, well, except for Bruce who he doubted really cared as much for authority as Nat. The guy probably just wanted the crazy-ass Christmas tree to be out and gone and Tony couldn't blame him. Loki was a danger to them all. But, truth be told, they were most safe with Loki being in the tower. After all, Tony hacks into SHIELD all the time as a hobby-like pastime to see what the men in black are up to and SHIELD hadn't even found out yet. They're a bunch of dumbasses! Loki is much safer in the confines of Avengers Tower. For now, that is. They couldn't babysit him forever.
"I thought humans had unsurpassable compassion." Thor argued dramatically.
"Well, guess what? We don't— Thor, it is our duty. We have to hand Loki over to SHIELD." Natasha argued.
"You—"
"—can't just leave a dangerous criminal lying around? You took the words right out of my mouth." Natasha said.
"No… I… what?" Thor said, confused for a moment. "NO! Loki is my responsibility and I am fully capable of keeping him out of mischief!"
"Thor you have to listen to reason. Loki's a criminal and a murderer. He has caused mass genocide." Natasha argued.
"How dare you say that?!" Thor yelled.
And then they began talking, no yelling, over each other and interrupting each other's sentences like there was no tomorrow. Natasha was calm, for the most part, but her voice was raised almost as high as Thor's booming voice. His face was red with anger and frustration and maybe a little sweaty. She was completely calm on the outside, but her clenching fists told a different story; one consisting mostly of frustration. He started spitting as he yelled, mouth writhing and eyes as heated as fire. Okay, maybe the writhing part isn't really true, but nonetheless this row was getting really, really loud and kind of abusive.
"Okay, guys." Tony said over the noise. Steve had begun arguing as well, in his whiny Steve voice. Bruce tried to speak over all the noise in an attempt to be the voice of reason, though he looked to be giving up at that point.
Loki was probably laughing by now. Tony knew he could hear them through the walls. Tony was suddenly hit with a sense of déjà vu.
"Okay, guys." They still didn't hear him. "OKAY, GUYS…" they still didn't hear him, "OKAY, GUYS!" He finally yelled through the top of his lungs and everyone jumped a little, or at least he'd like to believe. And then there was an awkward silence.
"Oookay, guys." Tony started, "Look, Loki says he knows where the king of Asgard is… We can't really fully trust that he's telling the truth, villainous god of lies and all that, but what have we really got to lose? A game of monopoly? All he has to do is tell us where Odin is. He doesn't need to do go with us. We can just keep him here while we follow his direct—"
"NO!" Thor yelled. Everyone looked at him strangely, "I mean… Loki must go with us, how else will I be able to look after him? He must accompany us." Thor finished, obviously stuck in his ways. Fantabulous.
Tony sighed. He really wanted to bang his head on something… or better yet he wanted to bang someone else's head on something.
Thor looked at them as they looked back with unconvinced faces.
The big man opened the door to the little room Loki was confined in and practically dragged his brother out by the arm.
"Look!" Thor said to the avengers, gesturing to Loki.
Tony looked a moment. Loki looked startled and confused, his eyes wider than usual and he was kinda jumpy looking as usual. He also looked as though he were fighting back a whimper over the arm Thor was gripping and that seemed rather silly given his status... "Yeah, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking at." Tony finally said.
Thor practically growled in frustration. "Look! Does he look like he currently has any malevolent motives or feats to carry out?" Thor asked.
"Umm…" Tony got right in Loki's face and looked into his eyes before backing away with a leap, like Peter Pan, "Yes. Yes, I think he plans to make us watch re-runs of Barney and friends. Nefarious indeed."
He heard Bruce sigh in quiet exasperation, probably rubbing the roof of his nose right about then. Poor guy needed a break.
"Do NOT jest over this, Stark." Thor growled, still gripping Loki's arm. Tony grimaced at how bruised his arm would be if he were Loki, since this was obviously hurting Loki himself to some small extant. Wow.
..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..
Barton knew the tower well, though it had been a while since his last visit.
The tower would automatically allow him entrance, understanding his status as a former and potential future officer of the mighty avengers.
"Computer, where are the avengers?" He knew where he would find the avengers, he would find him too.
'The Avengers are inside the secondary living room.'
Barton listened to the computer as he followed the pathing leading to the avengers and Loki.
..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..
Thor was still gripping Loki's arm. Natasha was giving Loki her rare evil death glare she only gave those whom she truly despised and not just trying to intimidate. Bruce looked like he was having a small migraine. Tony was having a small migraine.
"Let's just look at the basics." Tony started, "If two plus two is—"
"Tony—"
"—IF two plus two is four…" Tony began again, glaring at Steve slightly. "Then plus means adding." He began gesturing with his hands, "If Loki plus info on Odin's whereabouts equals finding Odin and having an annoying demigod for a short limited while I don't see what the huge deal is. We use Loki's knowledge to our advantage, find Odin and send them both back to Ass-gard where they belong."
Suddenly, something zoomed pass and Loki fell out of Thor's grip onto the ground with a thud.
Red stuff… Blood spewing everywhere and an arrow sticking out of the arm that Thor was gripping just moments ago.
Loki was shaking violently, his face turned pale and his hands quivering as Thor knelt down beside him.
"Thor, I need you to move." Bruce said, as he knelt down beside Thor and Loki.
Tony recognized that arrow from somewhere… He turned to see where the arrow had come from and... Crap.
Thank you for reading this and I am sorry for the epically evil cliff-hanger :'( (I was Dr. Gregory House for Halloween, if anyone wants to know.) Until next time,
P.H.