Chapter 1
"You cannot be serious." I stutter, half hoping Stark was pulling my leg. He had flown over to my house in his famous Iron Man suit. I knew something was up the moment he set foot on my lawn. "I don't even know if I can-if it'll even work on him."
"Would you try?" Tony smiled, batting his eyes. "I'll pay you well."
Dammit to hell. That man was so charming when he wanted to be.
As well as convincing, and I did need the money.
Tony Stark could sell water to a fish if he wanted to.
"I suppose..." I trail, waving my arms in defeat.
How had this happened? Today was like any other day-well, until the Aliens had attacked. Luckily, I had been three cities over when all that had gone down. Now, I was being bribed into digging into the mind of the one who had sent the aliens in the first place.
How had my life turned into this?
"Look, we just want to prove that he's lying. He claims it wasn't his fault-" Tony went into detail, explaining the Tesseract, the Scepter, and what the man was now claiming.
"He claims he was under the same mind control he was wielding. I don't even know why anyone is questioning it, but it's come up, and I need you kiddo. You're the only one I know who might be able to pull this off and we can't send him back to his home planet until then."
I grumbled. "When do we begin?"
Apparently, I began now, because Tony had flown, yes flown, me back to Stark Tower. It really didn't take long to get there, but I was positive I had wind burn on my arms and legs now.
"For God sake, Stark! Next time, send me a car." I groan as he put me down, followed shortly with a thumbs up.
"You got it. No more flying."
"Just take me to him so I can go home. I have a life you know." If you call sitting on the couch watching TV all day a life, I definitely had one.
Stark led me to another part of the building and into a room filled with people. Most of which I recognized.
Others not so much.
The one in particular that caught my eye was the man I assumed to be their prisoner now. His raven-hair hung over his face, but I could still see the small cuts and bruises. Tony had informed me he was powerful and I wondered who it had been to subdue him?
The man's mouth was also muzzled and he was in chains, tied to a chair. The sad look in his eyes almost made me feel sorry for him, but he was a criminal after all.
I mean, how many people had he killed? I shouldn't be feeling sympathy for a murder.
But I did, and I had no idea why.
"Is this the mortal?" A large, blonde man asked. "The one with the gift?"
He held a large hammer and I had this strange feeling he wasn't from around here either...
"Yes, this is my friend, Lily." Tony smiled. "She is special." he cooed.
I rolled my eyes. "Right. Special me. Now, I need everyone out so I can do this."
Everyone stopped dead in their tracks and glared at me. I gave them a stern glare back.
"What? He can't hurt me and this is very invasive. I'd like some privacy."
Why?
Why did I feel the need to talk to him? To reassure him that I wasn't going to hurt him.
He is a murderer- remember that.
"Why do you need to be alone with him?" Tony questioned.
"Because it's polite." I retort. "Seriously, get out!"
I was surprised when everyone had actually left the room, leaving me and Loki alone. Loki. What an interesting name. I was glad I had at least remembered to ask Tony what his name was before they all left. It wasn't like he was going to be able to answer me, or respond back. If I was going to know his deepest, darkest secrets I should at least know his damn name.
"Hello, Loki." I said soothingly, kneeling so I would appear less intimidating.
As if he was afraid of me anyway...
I still wasn't sure why I was acting this way. Maybe it was because he was so damn handsome. I'd hope to think I wasn't so shallow that I'd swoon over a serial killer because of his looks.
"So, I hear something bad has happened to you?"
Loki didn't move and his eyes were focused on the floor, yet, that sad, lost look still lingered. I decided it was best to move on and explain what I was about to do. "Listen, if you are telling the truth, I will know it. I'm going to dive into your mind; your subconscious. Okay, Loki?" I explained the procedure more thoroughly.
Nothing. He was as emotionless as a stack of bricks.
I had expected as much.
I stood and walked around him until I was behind him. Sitting on my knees, I took a few long, deep breaths. If Tony was wrong and Loki was telling the truth, we would both be paying for this in the end. 'Here goes nothing.' I told myself and then quickly placed my hands on the sides of Loki's head. He flinched as I had expected, but I wasn't sure if it was from the suddenness of my hold, or if he was in pain. I could never really be sure.
At least, not until it was too late.
At first there was nothing, but then I began to see it.
Void.
Darkness.
Emptiness.
Silence.
Despair.
Betrayal.
So many emotions, so much pain.
Then there was a white light, but it didn't last.
It had all been a lie, a trick.
Now there was only pain, physical pain.
Burning flesh.
Screams.
Agony.
I could barely breath as I watched all the horrible imagines running through my head.
It was the most terrifying thing I'd ever witnessed, and I'd witnessed some shit.
I could hear it. Taste it. Smell it.
I could see it as if I was actually there, I could feel it.
I wasn't sure when I had started screaming and sobbing, or when Loki started screaming despite his muzzle.
I also had no idea when Tony ran back into the room. I could hear him screaming my name, but I could do nothing to stop the horror.
Loki had been telling the truth and I'd just let Tony Stark talk me into forcing him to relive every horrible moment all over again. I wanted to stop, I wanted to rip my hands away from Loki and make it all go away, make his pain go away, but I couldn't.
It wasn't over; it was far from over.
It felt like hours, but I knew better. At most it had been five minutes.
Five, long, excruciating minutes.
By the time I was able to let go of Loki and the physic hold I had on him, I was in pieces. I was positive he was going to be too. No one could go through that and be forced to relive it and not fall apart.
It was too much. Too much pain. I had never felt such pain. Physically as well as mentally.
"Lily!!" Tony shouted. "Breathe! Deep breaths!"
I hadn't even realized I was having a panic attack until Tony's words set in. God, if I was this bad off, how was Loki faring?
Not much better from the sound of it. I couldn't see, but I could hear. He had broken his chains, that much I knew and he was fighting someone, or a few someones. I heard glass shattering, chairs breaking, along with what I assumed was Loki's grunts, or perhaps screams. It was hard to tell with the muzzle and things were getting fuzzy.
"Tony, I'm going to pass out. I still feel it." I cried, barely able to keep my eyes open.
"Feel what?"
"The pain..." Then my entire world went black.
"What the hell Stark!" Steve roared. He and Thor had finally contained Loki. They had to force him into a cell and sedated him. For his own safety as well as theirs. "What the hell happened back there?"
"I don't know." Tony buried his face in his hands and swallowed. "She must have seen something." he concluded. "God, it's all my fault."
"You were certain Loki was lying!"
"I was wrong." Tony felt so small. "I was so, so wrong."
"I need to speak with the mortal." Thor demanded. "I need to know what she saw!"
"Thor, she's asleep. Leave her alone!" Tony shouted. "Just be patient. She will tell us."
At least, he hoped.
When I woke up I was drenched in sweat. I could still see it; the horrible images that I was sure would never leave my subconscious. I wasn't sure why I was on my feet, or where I even was, but I had to get out of this room.
I had to get to him. I had to find Loki.
I was stumbling through the hallway when I heard Tony, shouting my name.
"Lily!" He ran up behind me, grabbing my waist, turning me to face him. "What are you doing up? You should rest."
"No." I shook my head. "I need to see him."
"Who?"
"Loki."
Tony froze. "Lily, are you sure that's a good idea?"
"I NEED to see him, Tony!"
He swallowed. "What happened to him, Lily?"
"I think the question is what didn't happen to him." I growl, pushing Tony away. "I'm not telling you shit, but know this...
Loki is innocent and I want to see him...
Right fucking now!"