Loki Laufeyson - Reunited
Loki Laufeyson - Reunited
We stood at the base of the terrorist group's hideout, a lavish building that stood tall – its’ opulence mocking the darkness it harboured within. Intricate patterns adorned the stone façade, and gold leafing shimmered in the early morning sunlight, creating an eerie contrast to the dark clouds in the distance. The flight had been tense but short, though the sunrise had made it feel longer.
"Stay alert." Tony warned, his voice low and steady as he adjusted the armour on his forearm. The rest of the team nodded, their expressions grim with resolve.
My eyes frantically scanned the area, searching for any hint of Amelie's location.
"Any sign of her?" Bucky asked me quietly, concern lacing his voice as he looked around the small, solid pergola we were all crouched behind.
"Nothing yet." I muttered, trying to keep the raw emotion from seeping into my words. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a reminder of the urgency of our mission.
Bruce furrowed his brow, his gaze distant and thoughtful. "We need to be cautious. They'll be expecting us."
"Then let's not disappoint them." Tony's voice was grim, but resolute. "We're getting Amelie back, no matter what it takes."
Clint rolled his eyes. "We can't just go charging in. Likelihood is that they're keeping Amelie somewhere in the centre of the building, somewhere difficult to infiltrate from the outside."
Natasha nodded, her demeanour calm as she focused on the task at hand. "We can't give them time to get to her before we've found her. Plus, in this light we'll be easy to spot."
"Alright." Tony hissed, gesturing to the others. "What's your plan Barton?"
"Wait." Thor interjected, his voice a low rumble. "There aren't that many guards in front, we could take them out before anyone even notices we're here."
"Really?" Clint shot back, an eyebrow raised. "And what if someone hears and sounds the alarm? What are you going to do, barge through them all like a bowling ball, muscles?"
"Your snarky comments won't help us now." Thor retorted. "We need stealth and precision, and that is my specialty."
Clint barked out a quiet laugh. "You're kidding right? You're about as stealthy as bloody duck mate."
"Guys." Bucky said, his voice hard. "We don't have time for this."
"Agreed." Bruce chimed in, his resolve wearing thin. "The longer we argue, the more danger Amelie is in. Tony, your call."
Stark was silent for a beat. "Barton, lead the way."
We followed Clint as he climbed up onto a nearby wall and then onto the roof. He and Ms Romanov stepped lightly, easily weaving their way around the chimneys and different levels. The rest of us were less graceful, particularly Thor and Bruce who walked crouched on all fours, clinging haphazardly to the roof tiles.
I tried to ignore the trepidation that gnawed at me, focusing instead on the sound of our footsteps echoing over the tiles.
After a while, Barton brought us to a large air vent, carefully removing the top so as to not make too much noise. The vent lead down to a darkened utility room, one side dedicated to several huge washing machines and industrial-sized dryers, the other covered in the house's services, pipes, and wires, as well as a large, loud central-heating system. The darkness of the room was a shock after the early morning sun, rendering me sightless while my eyes adjusted.
"Stay alert." Clint whispered as he crept forward, his eyes darting from side to side.
"Of course." Natasha replied softly.
My heart pounded with anticipation as we moved through an open door and deeper into the building. So close, and yet Amelie seemed impossibly far away.
Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the abrupt shrill of an alarm. We froze. Panic clenched my chest, had we already tripped the alarm?
Tony cursed under his breath. "They must have known we were coming."
"Focus." Bruce urged, the tension in his voice betraying his own fear. "We need to find Amelie before they decide to move her – or worse."
"Right." Clint said, determination etching his features. "Let's move, follow me."
My mind raced as we hurried through the building, every door and hallway a potential hiding place for the woman we searched for. The alarm continued to scream in the background, a constant reminder of the danger we all faced as we ran through the halls.
We rushed along the corridors, deftly avoiding any where the sounds of commotion echoed through to us.
As we rounded a large and ornate archway, a figure abruptly slammed into Thor at full speed, knocking them backwards while he remained rooted to the spot. We ground to a halt as my brother instinctively reached out to steady the unknown person.
"Amelie!" Tony cried out, nearly collapsing as he rushed forward to meet her. He grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking as he checked her over, seemingly uncertain that she was genuinely in front of him. "Amelie!! Thank God, you're alive!"
"Tony?" Amelie gasped, her voice strained from exhaustion.
I stood rooted to the spot, feeling a dizzying mix of elation and fear. My eyes drank in the sight of her, her sudden appearance a shock to my system. Her delicate face was flushed with exertion, her golden hair mussed and tangled, but it was the bruises and cuts that marred her wrists and ankles - evidence of the cruelty she had endured, that ignited a white-hot anger within me.
"Amelie, are you sure you're okay?" Tony asked again, his grip on her tightening as he swayed slightly.
"Tony, I'm honestly fine." She insisted, looking around at the others as relief flushed over her whole being. As her eyes met mine, time slowed. The life in her tired eyes seemed to crack through what composure I'd managed to cling to, my knees buckling under the sheer elation that she was still alive.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Bruce was grinning as he nodded affectionately at Amelie.
Thor patted her on the back, his eyes bright and alive. "You are strong. I am proud of you, little Stark!"
Amelie rolled her eyes slightly at the nickname before turning back to Tony. Her eyes widened as a small gasp escaped her lips. "Tony? What happened to you? Are you okay?"
Stark laughed breathlessly. "I am now kiddo. I'm never letting you out of my sight again."
"But you're hurt!" Amelie insisted, studying his face.
Bucky walked forwards, a genuine smile on his lips. "He had to make sure he made a dramatic entrance. We'll tell you all about it."
Natasha remained focussed, not allowing her relief to interrupt the mission. "Not yet. We need to get out of here first."
"Right." Clint agreed, taking charge once more. "Follow me, everyone. We have to move fast."
As we began to move, I couldn't help but steal small glances at Amelie, marvelling at her resilience despite everything she'd been through. Her strength and determination only served to further fuel my growing affection for her.
The thought of retribution danced through my mind, but it was the love and gratitude that swelled within me that truly propelled me forward.
My eyes widened as I realised what I'd just acknowledged to myself.
I laughed harshly under my breath. Not something to dwell on now.
Tony still held onto Amelie as if she were a lifeline, his eyes betraying a fear I knew all too well. "Are you okay, kid?" He asked for what seemed like the hundredth time, his voice laced with concern.
"I'm okay, really." Amelie replied, her voice barely audible over the blaring alarm.
A sudden burst of gunfire from behind caused everyone to duck and take cover. It was clear that our presence had not gone unnoticed.
I immediately manoeuvred myself in front of Amelie, using my body to shield her from view. Tony kept his grip on her arm, spinning round so that he was in front of her, repulsor up and armed. The familiar noise echoed through the hall as the attackers held their fire.
"Stay low." Clint instructed, his bow at the ready.
We all remained like that for a few moments, locked in waiting for whatever was going to happen. The scent of fear and determination pervaded the air, mingling with the metallic tang of blood from Tony and Amelie’s wounds.
My mind raced.
Bruce's eyes darted wildly around the room, seemingly calculating the odds of our escape.
I clenched my fists, magic already sizzling at my fingertips. "Stay behind me, everyone." I whispered urgently, my voice thick with protective resolve.
"Be careful, Loki." Amelie whispered back, her eyes wide.
Clint chuckled. "You're not having all the fun." He quipped.
"Let's take them out quickly." Commanded Steve, his shield raised defensively.
"You got it, Cap." Bucky replied, his metal arm whirring into action and an excited grin on his face.
The fight erupted instantaneously, a chaotic whirlwind of blasts and energy. I hesitated for only a second before summoning my magic, projecting copies of each of the attackers back at them so that they faced themselves before summoning blasts of energy.
I could feel the strain using my abilities was taking on me, the power feeding off of me to maintain it's own energy.
"Get away from her!" Tony roared, blasting an attacker with a repulsor beam as he got too close to him. Amelie stumbled back as Stark dropped his grip on her, her breath ragged and eyes wide with terror.
My eyes narrowed, my heart pounding as I assessed the threat before us. Three dozen attackers stood between the Avengers and their escape, but there was only one thing on my mind: Amelie's safety.
Summoning as much energy as I could, I teleported to her side. "Stay close to me." I whispered fiercely, grasping her hand tightly as protective instincts surged through me. I could feel her trembling ever so slightly, but she nodded in response, her eyes filled with trust and determination.
I focused on shielding Amelie from harm, each swipe of my hand sending bolts of magic flying towards the enemy, ensuring none laid a finger on her. Every strike was calculated and precise, my desire to protect her fuelling my determination.
The strain of maintaining my defences was evident and my body ached, but I refused to falter.
"Are we winning?" Amelie asked, her small voice barely audible above the cacophony of battle.
"Of course." I reassured her, gritting my teeth.
As quickly as it had begun, the fight ended, the remaining terrorists lying unconscious or writhing in pain on the floor. The Avengers exchanged weary glances, their bodies bruised and battered but their resolve unbroken.
"Let's get out of here." Steve urged.
"Right behind you, Cap." Bucky chirped, seemingly unaffected by the fight, throwing a lose salute towards Steve.
I glanced at Amelie, relief washing over me as I saw that she was still standing, still safe.
Stark pushed past me, grabbing Amelie by the arm. My grip tightened briefly before I let go.
"Let's make this quick." Tony said, his armour humming to life as he charged his repulsor beams. "Have that, you bastards." He quipped to the fallen enemies, turning on his heel to continue down the corridor.
“Now now, not so fast.” A cold voice said, echoing down the hall.
We all turned as three men came into view, wearing dark suits and flanked by armed guards. I glanced at Amelie as she faced the strangers, recognition in her eyes… So these were the leaders, the head of the snake so to speak.
The tallest stepped forwards, an air of smugness around him as he smiled, amused. Stark’s eyes flashed with fury. “Oh hey. You must be our host.” Tony’s voice rang against the marbled walls, the fake cheerful tone eerie in the quiet. “Well all I can say is thank you for providing your guys to vent our frustrations on before I blast you into pieces, you absolute son of a bitch.”
The man chuckled. “Careful Mr Stark, I was beginning to like you.”
“I don’t give two shits what you think of me. You think you can kidnap my niece and just go on with your life.” The false cheeriness was gone from Stark’s voice and replaced with a menacing steel. “I’d gladly slit your throat and leave you to bleed out on your posh floor but we’re actually leaving now.”
Tony turned to leave again, Amelie’s arm firmly in his grasp, but the man continued. “I’m surprised your pet scientist wasn’t able to figure out what our serum was.”
Bruce’s eyes widened. He was standing at the very edge of the group, as far from the fight as he could get. I suddenly realised that he hadn’t been part of the battle, and neither had The Hulk.
Stark laughed humourlessly. “I don’t care what it is.”
“Oh I’m not sure I believe that.” The man stated simply.
“If you want to monologue be my guest but we wont be here.”
The man laughed again. “Have your lab rat look over the papers your niece has stolen." His cold eyes flicked to mine, a smirk on his lips. "I’m sure he’ll find them… enlightening.”