Perfect Liar - Loki

Welcome

A/N - The plot of this chapter onwards is if there was a larger time-space between Loki's escape and Loki getting to Stark Tower.

-

The flight in the jet was a short one, but it felt as though it lasted hours in the silence that could slice through the ice cold air. Neither spoke, and neither wished to speak.

The silence had given Amira room for reflection, and given her position, she concluded one thing: those 'heroes' had failed her. When she caught Rogers in a lie, it was confirmed that she had no way out. She was forced to Loki's side by them. Something in her told her to justify it. Not taking Loki's side, but opposing those she assumed to be on the ship.

In that moment, fueled by anger of betrayal from that group, she realised: she had to commit to her side the way they did to theirs, immensely. If they were to back her into one corner, the least she could do would be to fulfill that position.

Her busy mind was interrupted by Loki asking one of the blue-eyed men that he somehow controlled, "where is Barton?"

The response was nothing but, "Romanoff got back to him first." Which caused Loki's eyes to roll in disappointment.

Amira's instincts kicked in, "train me and I'll take his place."

He looked at her, somewhat confused by such a bold assumption that he would allow it, "what is this newfound confidence that you could be my first in command?" He scoffed, "'Train' you implies you cannot even fight, what use is that to me?"

"Look me in the eye and tell me you do not think it would be a good idea."

His eyes pierced her own, subtly making her breath hitch. "I do not" - Lie.

A smirk drew on her face, "liar."

"Your mediocre ability is proving more an inconvenience than anticipated."

"Would you have preferred I stayed behind, the only one that I seem to be aware of that can detect your deception, working against you?"

He let out a low laugh, "and that was going to happen, wasn't it?" He nodded his head forward with narrow eyes at the final words, and it made Amira nervous to a degree. "Die in an airship or be here were your options, and look what you chose. You're not the only one that can deduce lies, only I don't need an ability for that."

Before she knew it, she felt a cold point touching the centre of her chest. Her concentration on Loki's face had distracted her from how he was now holding the sceptre to her chest.

Her breath paced significantly faster as it rose and fell before the bladed weapon to her chest, "what are you doing?"

Loki's brow furrowed as he made eye contact with her yet again, noticing a fear in her eyes where he expected to see a blue fade of control layer over them.

The sceptre pulled away from Amira's chest, allowing her chest more room to breathe excessively, freely.

His eyes flicked rapidly between his weapon and the woman before him. "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I said..." He suddenly shoved his forearm to her neck, she felt a sharp pain on the back of her skull as he pinned her harshly against the cold metal walls of the jet with just his arm. Loki's facial expression became maniacal, the same expression she had seen when he threatened Romanoff. His head tilted slightly upwards to look even moreso down on her than he already did from his height as he repeated himself painfully slowly. "What. Are. You. Doing?"

It took a moment for her to recall she was obliged to answer, she made an attempt to speak, but it became evidence to both of them that the pressure of a forearm to her throat made that rather too difficult. Loki eased the pressure, but not enough to appear merciful. With the sensation of armoured leather leaving her neck she lifted her head to meet his by but a a couple of inches. She allowed the remains of her confidence to surface, and whispered, "never lay a hand on me again."

He scoffed with a low laugh, not faltering at her resilience, "regretting our decision now, are we?"

Did she? Perhaps slightly, however, it was hardly a decision- let alone was she happy about making it.

"Off." She tried to push him, but he hardly moved.

"You didn't answer my question. What are you doing to stop it?"

"Stop what?"

"I think you know."

"I do not."

His eyes narrowed, "Do not lie to me."

"Not that good at detecting lies now, are we? If I was lying, I'm sure you'd know, and it doesn't seem that you do."

Loki's expression was unchanged; A lingering, cold glare remained set on her as he moved his hand away. She didn't move as he paced to the other side of the craft.

The silence of the flight was long, almost painful.

It seemed odd that Loki voluntarily did not have the last word. He was at a wall, unable to use his most common defense: lying. This fact led him to realise Amira's point in persuasion. Perhaps it was more of an advantage to him for her to be on his side.

-

After what felt like hours, Amira felt the jet lowering, slowing, and eventually coming to a halt.

As the back of the jet opened, the same way it had once when she made the decision to jump out of it, she felt a warm breeze hit her with light force. She stood as close to the exit as she could, waiting for the slow opening to be accessible, hoping that it would be fast enough for her to leave before Loki.

Of course, that wasn't the case. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she felt his presence to her right. Closing her eyes with a quiet sigh she broke the silence whilst they waited, "where is this?"

"Barton arranged it. Named it a 'base' or something around that term."

"I'm aware it's a base, but where is this?"

"I don't know." His mumbled response made her head turn to face him for the first time since the incident, but he had his eyes fixed forward, and she failed at concealing a small laugh.

"What's amusing?"

"Perhaps that you don't know the location of something you are entirely in charge of?"

"I don't know the name of every area in Midgard- so Barton arranged it." It somewhat sounded like he was defeated by the mere geography of a foreign planet, and that was amusing.

Before she could speak, the exit was entirely open, and Loki sped ahead in large strides. After a few meters of the plain outdoors, she caught up with him, where he was unlocking rusted metal double-doors.

As he effortlessly opened the heavy-looking doors with a singular pull of each hand, she looked up to him; his expression was entirely blank, yet concentrated on walking through. Loki's hand waved at his waist's height and ushered Amira to follow.

It was a dull hallway. Cold. Beige concrete walls met with nothing but stairs going downwards. Noise of voices began to increase in volume as she, Loki, and the silent pilot of the jet made their way down the stairs.

Amira couldn't stop herself from breaking the lessening silence. "Elaborate. So what exactly is this place?"

Loki was silent until the bottom of the stairs was reached, where lab-like PVC strip curtains hung from the doorway, with a very dim blue glow from them. He pushed through the plastic barriers as she followed.

"You'll reside here like everyone else. You may prefer to use the word home, but I choose to not."

It wasn't welcoming. Not at all. It was fueled with sarcasm; the equivalent of telling someone to enjoy their stay in a prison cell.