Loki woke up with a sense of clarity, the murky drug induced cloud around him had dissipated. His dry throat was dry as sand and beckoning for cool water like it always did in the early mornings. Loki rose up from his bed carefully expecting another dizzy spell, instead his limbs functioned normally. The water he swallowed was fresh and...cold, even the cell lacked the damp heat of earlier. a cloying heat not unlike the sweltering steam bath's in Asgard, one of the many public places he favoured to ignore lest he was forced to socialise.
Loki peered around watching carefully if anything had changed in his surroundings. He found none; instead he remembered parts of a discussion, flaming red hair and a look filled with pity. "Romanoff." His voice sounded broken, raw from shouting. She had understood enough of what he said in between the lines to undo whatever the bitter medicine did. Loki detested the aid with every fibre in his being, however as much as he wanted to wish her a slow torturous undoing. He was unable to do so, for in her pity The Black Widow had given him the means to escape. No trickster would be foolish enough to let such a golden opportunity go to waste.
Whoever monitored the cameras and temperature was seeing either old or repeated footage in a loop. Otherwise a barrage of field agents would have rushed in already shouting for him to "hold his hands in the air" while they held him at gunpoint. Only the cage remained to taunt him, thick solid bars meant to hold a beast. Loki wasn't anywhere near strong enough to bend them. Oh , but he could break them now ,his scruffy beard did nothing to hide the amused wide grin.
The air around him was rich with moisture, Loki licked his lips and tasted traces of salt. wherever they held him he was close to the harbour, with any luck he was still in New York as well. Salt water might be a bit harder to temper, yet with the sub-zero temperatures of his nature Loki was sure he could temper it. With a swift fluent motion Loki tore the blanket off him and dunked it in the bucket, water soaked into the fibres, making it heavy and wet. This time Loki welcomed his inherent power, embracing it wholeheartedly and pushing aside any feeling of disgust. With a fast well trained motion Loki pulled the wet cloth backwards twisting it with a flick in his wrist. He wielded the blanket like a whip, snapping it, curling it around the metal bars above his head. Loki chose to freeze it, harden it with cold enough to bind, enough to twist and break. All metals had their weak points, even if they suspected it could withstand the hulk. It could not withstand a frost giant with a single focal point.
Feeling the bars groan and crack under his focus, lighted a wonderfully feeling of euphoria inside Loki. With a final surge of cold, he tore a hole in the metal sky above him, creating his very own small portal to freedom. With the towel in place as leverage he pulled himself up, grabbed the bars and hoisted himself out. He still felt the wound caused by Barton's arrow, yet it was as if it had been driven to the background of his consciousness, just a small ache to worry about later.
Loki absorbed his surroundings, trying to find either the fastest or quietest way out of the compound. With a sharp creak a metal door opened not far from him on the far right, taking the choice away from him as Loki his in the shadows. Two sets of footsteps entered, one self-secure and steady. The other shuffling, lazy, a younger person perhaps.
"I can't believe i drew the short straw. Now I'm stuck here with you. I mean, it's not like this bastard is going to jump up and surprise us."
Loki settled for incompetent, clearly one of them was foolish enough to underestimate him. Having guards like this almost felt like a personal insult. S.H.I.E.L.D. would definitely regret hiring such bumbling idiots.
"Shut-up Cleveland and do your job." Grounded the other in annoyance. " Just be grateful your shift is over soon. After this you can go back to playing Galaga for all i care." The other man sounded more alert and experienced, not older but hardened by battle.
"I swear it was just one time! Christ i can't believe Tony Stark caught me of all people." Sighed Cleveland wearily.
"Count yourself lucky it wasn't the director." Close by the agent swiped a card or such, a loud beep confirming his clearance .almost leaving an echo in the room. "Did you bring your pass?"
With the soft click of a button something unlocked at Loki's right side." Got them it here Barney buddy."
"I am not your buddy Cleveland." Noted the stricter agent while he pressed his right hand on the last digital lock. The reader scanned his fingerprints, flashing a green ok signal when they proved positive.
"Fuck its chilly here." Mumbled Cleveland under his breath
"Wait, What?"
"I said it's fucking cold down here. And that creepy fucker down here giving me the..."
"Get out of there now!"Yelled the older one with an alert voice.
Loki smiled viciously at the shocking look of fear and realisation on his opponents face. "I will make you regret that insult."
"Wha..."
Loki knew he had to make due with this small opening in their defence to create advantage, before the elder agent snapped to full attention. Using the other man in front of him as a step stone Loki leaped and struck fast. hit foot hit Cleveland in the chest and shoulder. Another well-aimed punch knocked him out cold, literally. Where loki had struck him frostbite was numbing the skin, perhaps in the future he should hold his powers back a little. Casualties where something he would prefer to avoid for now, lest he end up in a similar situation again. In front of him the older agent had released the safety of his gun.
" Well now, i had you pegged as the smart one." Loki rose slowly, his menacing stare focused on the remaining shield agent. " How utterly disappointing." The gun kept a steady aim, pin pointing the centre of his chest. However you could see the desperation on that aged face, the fear of facing something unknown, powerful and inhuman. Slowly Loki stepped forward,like a predator stalking its prey. "Fury didn't tell you? What kind of monster i truly am." Ice crackled between his fingers, forming a small but razor sharp pin likewise pointing to the agent's vitals. "You poor sod, i might be unarmed but nowhere near defenceless."
loki revelled in the power he held over the other, who's eyes had shot a frightening, doubtful glance at Loki's ice shard. Meanwhile Loki had noticed a pale band around the man's finger, absent of the ring he normally carried. A family, loved ones to return to, a reason for the agent to stay alive, an opportunity for both of them to get what they wanted. Loki had no defence against a well-aimed bullet in close range, and just like this man he wanted to return unscathed from this dance."I'm going to apply to your reason here, your will to return home alive and well. Oh, don't bother looking surprised, i know a great deal of things. How old is your youngest again?" It was a lucky guess, with at least half the country wishing for such meaningless things as a house, dog and at least two children this one couldn't be the exception.
Loki forced the condense in the air to formulate a second spike. It took all his concentration to make it solid, in time, with practice; this was a skill worthy to be perfected. It negated the use to carry throwing daggers, making his form lighter and more manoeuvrable. However for now, Loki, could not form more than these two. "So i kindly suggest to unarm yourself and stand any wise man would." Loki continued advancing still, his stride self-secure and steady.
"What...what proof do I have you'll not kill me anyway." Nearly stuttered the remaining shield agent.
A devious smile curved Loki's mouth. "I shall give you my word, and I always keep it."The ex-god knew his deal would be accepted, Barney's stance was already wavering.
Carefully the man sank through his knees, bringing his weapon down to the ground. With a soft kick slid away over the cement floor. "There now g...get rid of those things." Stuttered Barney, barely maintaining his earlier composure.
Loki stepped forward. " That wasn't in our deal now, was it? And it's been such a long time since i have played." The ice crusted on the skin of his fist, covering it like a pale white veined glove. His foot slid forward on the floor, a movement meant to draw an opponent's attention.
As expected the agents military training stepped in blocking the mock kick." I should have known better then to trust the words of a liar!"
Loki made one step backwards, evading the blind, angry punch thrown at him. With one hand he took hold of the agent's wrist and pulled, making use of the strike to negate the others balance."tsssk, I do not have the time or the patience to play with the likes of you." Two precise placed hits in rapid succession, one beneath the armpit, another in the back of the neck, and Loki felt the man falling down to to the floor unconscious.
Simultaneously an excruciatingly loud alarm stared blaring in the room. Loki's initial reaction was panic, yet the better part of his brain urged him to search the body of the knocked out shield agent. Soon enough Loki saw the small device hanging on the ... belt, a panic button concealed from vision behind a large pocket containing a Rather old fashioned walkie talkie. Loki pushed the small red button in, midguardians often made simple "accidental" mistakes; it would not be out of the question that a second press would disengage the alarm. Loki rubbed his temples and took the communication device, expecting it to go of any second now. As if on command the lights flickered. " ...What is the si...tion? ...I repeat,...give... Situation." The voice was faint but had a definitive authority to it, feminine, a higher placed officer perhaps most likely somebody close to Fury." ...Sending.. fo...now."
Every muscle in his body snapped to attention, listening to impulses sent by the lizard part if his brain. Run, hide, survive, a desperate pushing chorus sung throughout his whole body. Loki grabbed the gun on the floor, and obeyed the impulse without a second thought, sprinting towards the exit before the entire building was bolted shut in lock-down.
Running as if the wind was beneath his feet he made it through. Doors behind him closed automatic locking his old abode. Loki could hear see his environment now, a older part of the harbour, away from people, slightly sinister, perfect for a S.H.I.E.L.D. or any other company with rather grey morals. Rapid footsteps and a loud yell made him know of the guards closing in on his position. Listening carefully he could decipher several agents. Two following his trail closely, four advancing from the sides between the crate's kept in the dock.. So the ex-god made good use of his adrenaline keeping a steady, desperate sprint towards the end, ignoring the returning throb in his arm and the ache in his stiff legs. He was out of breath and the sting in his side was his human constitution protesting the abuse it took.
Not that Loki cared.
Not with the taste of cool salty air on his tongue, a rising sun and bright white clouds framing New York's harbour. Loki knew was well aware that the foamy waters around the city contained every kind of filth known to man, a cesspool of waste with a city built on top of it. Yet this instant it was his ticket out of here, mucky brown watered down freedom in the best case, a weapon in the worst.
Loki counted heads, two agents, still closing in behind him but far enough to not be a hassle. Three... he only counted three on his sides, the fourth had slipped between the maze of debris and piled pallets on the right. In this state he couldn't assess the situation as clearly, he would just have to improvise at the right moment and avoid direct combat.
Speak of the devil.
In front of him a shield agent appeared from behind a container, blocking the way with an aggressive stance and a Taser or something alike in his right hand. "Stop! Drop all your weapons and put your hands on your head."
Who do these people think i am, as if i would listen to these measly commands like a common thief.
The black- clothed agent shouted a repeat. " Stand down! Hands behind your back and drop your weapons."
Loki smiled maliciously. He does make a valid point, it might be profitable to drop my arms. Without stopping his advance, Loki bend forward and placed his weapons on the ground as suggested. The thin layer of salt water under his fingers froze slower than Loki liked but fast enough to cover the area beneath the both of them. His opponent's footing started to slip, slipping past seemed almost to easy. Loki ducked and rolled to evade the falling agent, or rather slid past him on the smooth surface of the ice without losing speed. Like a trained athlete he flicked his body, found steady ground under his feet and used the momentum to launch himself forward leaving his opponent struggling to get-up.
The trouble began when he made his first step forward. Humans where prone to loose their mind and make irrational decisions, never listening to commands or subjugating themselves to those that were better. Humans couldn't help to ignore an order to capture if their brain decided to send out a red flag signalling danger.
The first bullet flew right past his neck, nicking the locks of hair tucked behind his ears. Loki's next step faltered and he struggled to remain upright on the unsteady gravel beneath his feet. His enemies gained gained ground unhindered by an exhausted body, while Loki struggled to keep his relentless pace.
The second shot would have been a direct hit, if not for his misstep. Instead it had grazed the soft skin and flesh of his side leaving an angry red trail just above his hip. Loki winched in pain and fell on one knee, he instinctively cupped the wound with the palm of his hand. The cold emitted by the flat surface of his hand was soothing, and the only up-side in his current predicament.
From behind Loki heard the click of a gun, slowly, without taking pulling his hand away, he turned. " I don't suppose any of you are carrying band aid's."
"Put your hands behind your head." Said the closet anonymous shield agent maintaining a careful distance while the others caught up.
Loki had frozen the wound momentarily stopping the bleeding and preventing any swelling or infection to occur. "No bandages? Figures." His other hand rested in the wet dirt next to his knee, ready to preform one of the more older tricks, and fowler, combat tricks. Not that Loki had ever cared about such a thing as honour in a fight where your life was threatened. Only the very brave and stupid, hailed honour above death and freedom. With just a few feet left between him and the water, Loki was not going to let such a foolish thing as "honourable" Asgardian upbringing instruct him otherwise.
He summoned his last reserves and fisted a hand full of gravel and sand, hardening it with frost to form a solid chunck of rock before he hurled it away. The agent was struck right above the eyes and dropped the gun in favor of clutching the sides of his head. Not giving the others the chance or satisfaction to aim and shoot next, Loki sprinted the last few feet to the edge of the dock. Filthy green slime stained the surface of the wall sloping down, a rancid smell of rot rose from the water below that reminded him to much of the sewers. However without fretting or reluctance, Loki jumped from the edge like an expert diver.
Loki broke the surface of the water with closed eyes and a deep breath if air in his lungs. His dive took him several feet deep before Loki unfolded his arms in a schooled stroke, kicked his legs behind him and swam. He'd always been a better swimmer then Thor, his schooling in that aspect of sports definitely paid off now that he rapidly had to create distance. Loki had expected to be bothered by the cold of deep water, instead it felt not quite unpleasant against his cerulean skin. Above him he heard the men shout vague obscenities at their loss.
Beneath him Loki felt a pull;Seas and rivers were treacherous and fickle, prone to drag you to their depths if you failed. Reacting accordingly. Loki let his body strafe to the left, avoiding a dreaded current, and started swimming towards the surface. Now that he was out of direct reach, Loki wanted a breath of fresh air. Stretching out his arm hs fingers almost brushed the surface, when something small but heavy drilled itself into the water next to him. Loki felt the hostile object circle around his body, finding grip and enclosing around his wrists. It's pressing weight dragging him back down into the darkness below. To make it worse something metallic and rigid was coiling up his neck, and as much as Loki tried to tear it off, the binding didn't stop its relentless advance. Panicking he opened his mouth in a silent shout, accidently gulping in a sweep of salt, bitter body convulsed as it tried to hurl out water where air belonged.
Loki looked longingly towards a surface he could no longer reach, while the thing dragged him into deeper the debts of hell.
You guys know what i say, reviews are food for the soul.
And i'm hungry.
Sorry if it is a bit of a shortish chapter.
I hope the few scenes with action in them where ok, i'm horrible at writing actions/combative scenes.