Beth and the Beast

Chapter 12 - Down

At Stark tower Loki laid in Tony's lab. He was connected to a lot of monitors and machines. His heart was still beating, but he was very weak. His body was covered with big wounds, cuts and bruises. On a chair nearby, his clothes were laid down, totally covered in blood. Bruce overlooked him and the monitors. Tony made his way to the lab to check on Bruce and see how Loki was. >>How does it look Bruce?<< he asked, not sounding worried at all. Bruce looked up from the monitor to face Tony. The look on his face showed more worry than Tony. >>He has some major inner damage, but J.A.R.V.I.S and I are working on it. I'm not sure if he is going to survive it. On the other hand, it's Loki. He's always up for surprises.<< Bruce replied. Tony took out his phone to text Thor, but before he even could start typing, the laboratory door swung open, and Thor came in. Sad, he looked at his brother and a tear ran down his face. >>How is he doing Banner?<< Thor asked. Again, Bruce had to tell that he wasn't sure if Loki would make it through. Then the three of them stared at the monitors.

A few hours went by, but Wanda was still with Beth. They had made food and talked. Wanda was now the only one who knew Beth's story and how she ended up in New York working with Jane. The two had developed a solid connection and enjoyed spending time together. When they sat down to have dinner, Wanda needed to ask her something important. >>Do you love him?<< Beth looked at her confused. >>I don't know what I feel. I mean he is really important to me and I don't want to lose him. But he's a god. What would a god want with a human?<< she answered and then got lost inside her thoughts. >Do I love him? Isn't it a bit early to call it love? But if it's not that, what is it that I feel? What if I don't get to tell him that I feel something for him? Oh god, please let him live! I don't want to be alone again. I just found someone that I trust. Don't take him from me. I'm so scared of losing him.< Then she forced herself to stop thinking about the bad things that could happen. But worry was almost all she felt right now. She looked at her food and slowly pushed it from side to side on the plate. It tasted awesome and she didn't want to disappoint Wanda, but Beth wasn't hungry at all. >>You need to eat!<< Wanda said when she noticed that Beth didn't really eat. Beth looked at her. >>I know. I'm just not hungry.<< Beth explained. Wanda took her fork, put some food on it and handed it back to Beth. >>I insist that you eat now. If anything happens you need to be strong enough to take it. Whatever that might be. Believe me, I know what I am talking about.<< she said in a serious tone. Beth nodded. >>You are right.<< and then she ate, even though she didn't feel like it.

At Stark Tower Tony and Bruce where still trying to stabilize Loki's condition. The damages inside him made this task harder than they could see right now. Thor was waiting at Stark Tower for anything to happen. Sam, Bucky and Steve were to support him. >>This might not be the right question to ask right now, but do you know why your brother got involved with hydra?<< Steve wanted to know. Thor shook his head. >>I don't know. Maybe they offered him something. Loki never does anything if there isn't some kind of advantage for him. He should've know how dangerous they are.<< It made no sense to him at all that the mighty god of mischief worked together with an organization of humans. Never had Loki ever thought anything good about humans. >>Something must have gone wrong. Hydra only kills their partners if something goes wrong.<< Bucky said. Thor looked at him. >>Beth said he woke up and stormed off. And he told her to stay where she was. Do you think they planed an attack and Loki didn't show up in time?<< Thor asked. Bucky shrugged. >>Could be possible. Didn't she say Stark Tower might not be safe?<< Suddenly they looked at each other. Steve stood in front of the window and looked over Manhattan, when suddenly he saw something coming on the horizon. >>Guys, I think you need to see this.<< he said and waved them over to the window. A huge flying object was moving towards the city. >>Oh no.<< Thor said. >>We need to get the team ready. Bruce needs to stay here, and Wanda needs to stay with Beth. Who knows what Loki told them before they made him suffer for his wrong behavior or whatever?<< Steve noted. Then he took his phone and called Nat and Clint to get ready. Thor made his way to the lab to tell Tony that he needed to get ready immediately.

>>Tony! Get your suit ready. Hydra is attacking!<< Tony turned around and ran out of the lab. Everyone met at the entrance of Stark Tower. People on the streets already started panicking and ran around. A huge plane like thing started to darken the sky above Manhattan. Tony changed into his suit and flew up to scan the plane and find out what was going on. War Machine helped him from the other side. On the ground the Avengers helped the police to evacuate the people.

In Queens Wanda and Beth had no idea that their friends were in danger. Wanda knew something was about to happen, but she wasn't aware of the plane that flew right over Manhattan and luckily the apartment was too low to see over the surrounding houses. They had started to watch movie to distract Beth a bit. And Beth felt that it helped, and she felt less worried. Because Beth saw Wanda looking at her phone more often than before, she felt something had happened, so she asked. >>So, are there any news?<< Wanda turned to look at her and Beth saw something in her eyes and felt that something was wrong. >>What is it, Wanda? Tell me.<< Wanda handed her the phone and she saw the short message from Steve.

"We're going to be under attack. Please keep Beth inside the house. Let me know if anything happens."

Beth's jaw dropped, and her heartbeat stopped. >Loki was right. Bad things will happen.< She looked at Wanda expectant. >>No way. We are not leaving this apartment.<< Wanda said harshly. >>We need to help our friends. Wanda please. I want to help.<< Beth replied. Wanda knew it was too dangerous to leave Queens. She herself wasn't scared to get hurt, but she was scared that something could happen to Beth. >>I'm sorry. I can't risk you getting hurt or worse.<< Beth stood up and walked to window. Then she turned to look at Wanda again. >>Can you risk you friends being hurt and not being able to help them?<< she asked angrily. Now she got Wanda's attention. Wanda got up from the couch and walked to the door. >>What are we waiting for?<< And then they both walked out the door.

The streets of Queens were quiet. When they walked their way direction Manhattan, they noticed that the subway stopped driving. The only way to get to Manhattan was a car but they both had no car. Then Wanda had an idea. As they passed some caps, Wanda decided to abduct one. She opened the driver's door, pulled out the poor man that was sitting in the driver seat and waved Beth inside the cap. The streets towards Manhattan were free and so it didn't take them too long to get to the Queens Midtown Tunnel, that was already closed for everyone going to Manhattan. Policemen were guarding the tunnel and it looked like it was impossible to get over the East River. Wanda parked the stolen Cap by the side of the road. >>We need to get through the barrier.<< Beth said. Wanda just smiled and walked towards the policemen. >>I'm Wanda Maximoff. I'm one of the Avengers. Let us pass.<< she almost shouted at the two men guarding the tunnel. One of them talked to someone on his radio unit. Then he nodded and let Wanda and Beth pass. >>That was easier than I thought.<< Wanda chuckled. >>I was 100% sure I would have to use my powers on them.<< Beth smiled. >>Thanks god you didn't need to.<< And so the two of them made their way through the tunnel.

Meanwhile Bruce noticed something was happening to Loki. The monitors started to flicker, and Loki started moving again. Bruce typed something on the panels, but he didn't know what exactly was going on, when suddenly the glass in front of him trembled and shattered. Bruce let himself fall to the ground to stay safe from the glass splinters flying all around. When he got back up from the ground to check on Loki, he saw him standing in the lab, with a huge grin on his face, his scepter in hand and without any scar. He looked directly into Bruce's eyes. >>Hello Mr. Banner. Long time no see.<< he said and walked towards Bruce. Loki pointed the scepter at Bruce's heart and Bruce's eyes turned black. Now he was one of Loki's hostages. >>The mighty Hulk is now useless for the Avengers.<< Loki said and then went through the Stark Tower, as if it was his.

In the tunnel Beth suddenly stopped walking. She felt Loki again. >>Wanda!<< she screamed. >>Loki! He's alive and he's well.<< Wanda stopped too. >>What do you mean?<< she asked. Beth explained. >>I couldn't feel him. The whole day he protected his feelings from me. Now he's back and he is bad.<< Beth feared that he only showed them a projection of him being hurt, so he could be brought to Stark Tower. Everything that happened since last night, meant nothing. >>We need to warn the others!<< Wanda said, pulled out her phone and tried to call the others, but the network was unavailable in the tunnel. >>Shit! No network. We need to hurry to get out of here.<< And so they started running to get to Manhattan as fast as they could.

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Next part is going to be the last part of the story :-(
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