The Reluctant Hero

Bonding? - Chapter 6

     I awoke to him yelling at the door about being bored and demanding books. I didn't know how much time had passed but I sat up on my cot and observed him. His mannerisms, his demeanor, but mostly his collar and cuffs. They were high-quality gear and I wondered if I could get them off of him. There would of course be defenses, but Loki might be willing to let me meddle with them if it freed him and thus me.

    He turned from the door and saw me concentrating on his neck. "Ah yes, appreciating my adornment from S.H.I.E.L.D. Fancy it for yourself perhaps? A shame they don't let me share," he sneered.

     I hopped down from my cot cautiously so as not to jar my ribs and give away my weakness. He tilted his head up defensively, curious as to what I would do. I took a breath, watched him carefully, and lifted a hand, palm up, hoping he would let me see his cuffs. We stood staring at each other for a moment before he spoke. "May I remind you of how easily I can rend you dead even bound mortal," he warned as he placed his wrists and cuff in my hand.

     It was surprisingly lightweight. It looked almost like connected bracers holding his hands together in front of him. They were far more confining than normal handcuffs. I spent a few minutes feeling them for every nook and cranny, completely focused. I dropped my hands and took a step back. I looked up at him.

     I knew the sections inside the magnet could lose their magnetic properties if they were forced out of alignment, and any violent means could theoretically make this happen. I didn't have any tools so every idea I had at that point would anger him into attacking me.

     "Beyond you then I take it?" he quipped.

     I shook my head but stayed silent. I was still considering the options.

     "By all means then, do what you must, but understand I won't be agreeable if you're wrong and wasting my time."

     Before I could back out, I turned around, ripped off the toilet seat, and used it as a hammer swinging it down hard on his cuffs before he could stop me. While he was in shock, I raised it up and slammed it down again.

     He roared to life then, slamming me against the cell wall yelling, "How dare you strike me?!" His cuff device was shoved into my throat and I was using every ounce of strength to try and pull him off when his expression changed from rage to confusion. He pulled his wrists back, looking at them, and pulled them apart with a little effort.

     I stood there, rubbing my throat trying to pull in a full breath. There was a fire in my ribs, wrist, and throat, but it was worth the success. The pieces of the device fell to the floor. I wanted them but I looked up at Loki first. I wanted to be sure he wasn't going to attack me again if I stepped forward.

     He looked at me as he rubbed his wrists and grinned. "Not bad for a peasant."

     I didn't return the smile, however, but instead, picked up the pieces and climbed back onto my cot to see if any of the pieces would be useful.

     "Surely you don't blame me for my actions. I mean you did attack me," he said jokingly.

     I continued to ignore him. He was a means to an end. We weren't friends and I owed him nothing. A mantra I had taught myself a long time ago to avoid attachments. 

     When I didn't answer, he laid back down on his cot and I silently looked over the device for the next couple of hours.

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     Loki projected his image to join Tony, Bruce, Steve, and Natasha in the monitoring room. 

     "What was that reindeer games? Decided she wasn't injured enough, that you had to add a few injuries of your own?" Tony asked angrily.

     "If she's to believe it's truly I, then I need to treat her as she would expect me to." 

     "He's not wrong. I would have done the same thing," Natasha chimed in. "He has to make it believable."

     "And what have we accomplished with this? She's not talking, she's not buddying up to him, hell she's not even eating!"

     "I don't like this any more than you do Tony, but I think we need to keep going and see where it leads. She may have the information we need but just as important is that we free her from what they've done to her and it may be rough at first, but we'll get her through it," Steve voiced.

     "Then why does this feel like we're no better than Hydra huh? We're manipulating her, imprisoning her, and hell, now we're beating her up too, " he said frustratedly throwing his glasses on the desk. 

     "I agreed to this plan too, but I don't think we can do it for much longer if she's not going to eat. I mean there are plenty of reasons to continue and stop, but the simple issue at the moment is starvation with injuries," Bruce interjected. He looked at Loki. "I think that should be your only priority for now. We can figure the rest out after that."

     With a sarcastic bow, Loki's image vanished.