The Avengers

Chapter 10

Inside a van, Selvig and a few other soldiers are driving inside a long tunnel. With the CMS device inside, Selvig carefully picks up the small cylinder shape Iridium with mental prongs and lightly places it in a slot within the CMS. The CMS accepts it. Selvig looks at it, devilishly smiling.

In the Briefing room, on a SHIELD monitor is a photo and record of Jane Foster. Thor looks at her, remembering. With him is Agent Coulson. AGENT COULSON "As soon as Loki took the doctor we moved Jane Foster. We've got an excellent observatory in Traunsee. She was asked to consult there very suddenly yesterday. Handsome fee, private plane, very remote. She'll be safe". THOR "Thank you. It's no accident Loki taking Erik Selvig. I dread what he plans for him once he's done. Erik is a good man". AGENT COULSON "He talks about you a lot. You changed his life. You changed everything around here". THOR "They were better as they were. We pretend on Asgard that we're more advanced, but we... we come here battling like Bilchsteim. AGENT COULSON "Like what?". THOR "Bilchsteim? You know; huge, scaly, big antlers. You don't have those?". AGENT COULSON "Don't think so". THOR "They are repulsive, and they trample everything in their path". Thor walks over to the side of the ship and looks out the window, lamenting about what has happened and what may come. THOR "When I first came to earth, Loki's rage followed me here and your people paid the price. And now again. In my youth I courted war". FURY "War hasn't started yet. (walking in) You think you can make Loki tell us what the Tesseract is?". THOR "I do not know. Loki's mind is far afield, it's not just power he craves, it's vengeance upon me. There's no pain that would prize his need from him". FURY "A lot of guys think that until the pain stops". THOR "What are you asking me to do?". FURY "I'm asking. What are you prepared to do? THOR "Loki is a prisoner". FURY "Then why do I feel he's the only person on this boat that wants to be here?". Thor doesn't answer.

In the Helicarrier Detention Section, Loki walks back and forth inside his glass cell. Suddenly, he stops. LOKI "There's not many people that can sneak up on me". He turns to see Natasha standing there. NATASHA "But you figured I'd come". LOKI "After. After whatever tortures Fury can concoct, you would appear as a friend, as a blam. And I would cooperate". NATASHA "I wanna know what you've done to Agent Reid". LOKI "I'd say I've expanded her mind". NATASHA "And once you've won. Once you're king of the mountain. What happens to his mind?". LOKI "Is this love, Agent Romanoff?". NATASHA "Love is for children. I owe her a debt". LOKI sits down "Tell me". NATASHA pulls up a chair as well "Before I worked for SHIELD, I uh... well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set. I didn't care who I used it for, or on. I got on SHIELD's radar in a bad way. Agent Reid was sent to kill me, she made a different call". LOKI "And what will you do if I vow to spare her?". NATASHA "Not let you out". LOKI laughs "Ah, no. But I like this. Your world in the balance, and you bargain for one man?". NATASHA "Regimes fall every day. I tend not to weep over that, I'm Russian... or was". LOKI "What is it you want?". NATASHA "It's not that complicated. I've got red in my ledger, I'd like to wipe it out". LOKI "Can you? Can you wipe out that much red? Drakov's daughter? The hospital fire? Alex told me everything. Your ledger is dripping, it's gushing red, and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything? This is the basest sentimentality. This is a child at prayer... pathetic!" he said standing angrily.

-Tony and Banner continuously work at their monitors.

LOKI "You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers.

-Agent Hill checks every viewscreen in the Bridge. Fury oversees. LOKI "You pretend to be separate, to have your code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are a part of you, and they will never go away!".

-Steve opens a steel crate. Angry, he looks behind him and looks back into the crate. The crate is filled with an array of Hydra weapons.

In the Helicarrier Detention section, Loki slams his cell, making Natasha flinch. LOKI "I won't touch Alex. Not until I make her kill you! Slowly. Intimately. In every way, she knows you fear! And when she'll wake just long enough to see her good work, and when she screams, I'll split her skull! This is my bargain, you mewling quim!". Natasha turns around, walks away from Loki, disgusted. NATASHA, quietly; distraught, "You're a monster". LOKI, laughs, "No, you brought the monster". NATASHA, turns back around; poised, "So, Banner... that's your play". LOKI "What?", he said staggered. NATASHA, on her earpiece, "Loki means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the lab, I'm on my way. Send Thor as well. (To Loki) Thank you for your cooperation". Natasha quickly walks out, leaving Loki frozen.