Abduction

Chapter 3

“What did you see in that park? Who did you see there?” The man with the eye patch, Fury, asked Valda once again.

            “I told you yesterday. I didn’t see anyone besides my friend.” Valda glared at him in frustration, first she had been knocked out, then interrogated until they grew tired of her and put in a cell, and now a day later they went back to questioning her again.

            “Are you sure?”

            “Yes!”

            “Do people normally go missing in these woods?” Fury questioned.

            “No, but I swear I didn’t see anyone take Sybil. I heard her call my name and then nothing…” Valda shook her head. “She was just gone. My best friend… You said you would help me find her but I have no clue what you’re asking me about. I’ve told you what I saw and heard.”

            “Our agents are working on finding Loki and your friend now.” Fury assured her before looking back at the one-way glass. “Is she telling the truth?”

            A red haired lady came in shortly after he spoke and nodded. “Yes, everything checks out.”

            “Let her go and follow me then.”

            “Right away Director.”

            The lady unchained Valda from the table and she rubbed her wrists while scowling. “They didn’t need to be so tight.”

            “We can’t have anyone escaping from them now can we?” The lady shrugged.

            Valda glared at her but it was replaced by a look of curiosity as they walked out of the room and through hallways filled with agents. “Where am I?”

            “S.H.I.E.L.D.’s helicarrier.” The red head said. “We help save the world from people who threaten it.”

            “Like New York?” She questioned. “That alien attack that was all over the news?”

            “Yes.”

            “Do you think Sybil is okay?”

            The woman stayed silent as they continued to follow Fury through the maze like halls until they reached a lab where two men were working inside. They looked up as Fury entered and the one with the goatee glanced at Valda questioningly.

            “Who’s the kid?” He asked as he walked over, closely followed by the other man with curly brown hair and a tired expression.

            “This is Valda, she’s the friend of Sybil.” Fury explained. “Valda, this is Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, they are helping to track down Loki and your friend. For now Natasha will be keeping an eye on you to keep you out of trouble.”

            “What about Thor and Rogers?” Natasha asked. “I thought you were calling them in.”

            “Rogers will arrive in a few days, Thor on the other hand… we have no way to contact him at the moment.” Fury informed her. “All we can do at the moment is wait and hope he can show up to help us.”

            Valda looked around in awe of the fancy technology in the lab as the other talked, surely if they had all of this they could find Sybil… they were the Avengers after all! They had to find her! Then another thought came to mind, her parents didn’t know where she was or what happened to her, what would they think when she didn’t come home? Natasha seemed to sense her worry and walked over to put a hand on her shoulder.

            “Come on, I’ll show you around.” She offered.

            “What will my family think?” Valda finally asked her thoughts.

            “They’ll miss you, have police looking for you, but at the moment I think it would be best for them to think you’re a run away or dead. If they know where you are it could put you in danger as well.”

            Valda nodded in understanding before continuing to walk through the halls. Natasha would point out places to her that were important like the training room, where they met Clint Barton practicing his shooting, the conference room, the cafeteria, the flight deck, and of course her room and the other Avengers’. By the time they were finished it was dark outside, Natasha led her back to her temporary room and was about to leave when Valda stopped her.

            “Do you think Sybil is even alive?” Valda was half afraid to hear the answer but it was beginning to gnaw at the back of her mind.

            “Knowing Loki, she probably is. I don’t think he would take her without a reason.” Natasha answered truthfully. “I’ll be back in the morning to get you and take you to breakfast, be ready to get up early.”

            Valda watched Natasha walk away before turning around and closing the door behind her. The room she was staying in was small and bare with only simple things inside like a bed, nightstand, bathroom, and a dresser with a few clothes inside that resembled the other outfits the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had been wearing. She sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed with the light off. Valda knew she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, no matter how hard she tried. All she could think about was how Sybil could be dying at that very moment at the hands of some evil man named Loki. It hadn’t been her fault, it hadn’t been anyone’s fault, but it still made her feel guilty to think about how she had been so close to Sybil when it happened, a few more seconds and she could have distracted Loki… though it would probably have gotten her killed. Despite the dark thoughts going through her mind, Valda finally drifted off into a fitful sleep full of blood and death of her best friend, whom was like a sister to her.