The Evil Within

Chapter 9

As Layla enters the main room her team have been watching the footage of the cell from, she feels their eyes upon them, even though hers are directed at the floor.  She knows they want direction and ideas, but she has none to give.

"Well....that was enjoyable..."  She says jokingly, trying to lighten the sombre mood.

"He is so much stronger than I thought he would be..."  Steve finally speaks.  He looks up at Thor who struggles to maintain eye contact with his friend.  Steve understands and looks away too.

"What is it Thor?"  Layla asks, confused by the men's wordless exchange.  "What do you think we should do to help him?"

After a beat, Thor sighs.  "I don't know."  He admits.

Layla feels herself bristle with nerves.  If Thor doesn't know how to help Loki, then she doesn't think anyone will.

"Well, he's strong."   Natasha begins.  "And he clearly has been brainwashed."

Layla stiffens, irritated that Natasha is just repeating what they already know, rather than coming up with a solution.

"But we knew that was the likelihood Nat."  She replies as calmly as she can.  "The question is, what do we do now?"  She looks around at catches Steve's eye once more.  

"I honestly don't know Lay."  He says, shaking his head.  I wo- "  Something catches his eye and he stops speaking, looking in the direction of what it was.

"Well, there's only one option isn't there."  Tony says, confidently striding into the room.  Layla sighs, knowing he's once again here to take over, irritated that she doesn't have a way to help Loki before Tony can get his idea in.
"Oh, hey Layla."  Tony continues, pretending he didn't know she was there when he first walked in.  "Great mission by the way.  You really showed your worth there...."

Layla feels the steam emanating from her ears.

"Don't do that."  She replies faking a calm manner.  "You know you'd have been fine without you."

"Sure....OK."  He replies nonchalantly as he turns his back on her.

"So what is our only option then Mr Stark?"  Layla asks, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Simple."  Tony replies.  "We are going to have to torture the evil out of him."

Layla gasps, and stands silently with her hand on her beating chest.

"You're joking right?!"  She asks, her mouth now dry.  "That's Thor's Brother!"  She looks over at Thor who has now taken a seat and is looking down at the floor, sadness etched on his face.  "We can't just- "

"Oh we can't?!"  Tony interrupts, fuelling Layla's anger further.  "OK then....who else has an idea of how we can get the bad out of this guy?"  Both he and Layla look around at the despondent faces of their team.

"There has to be another way!"  Layla implores.  "We cannot torture a man when he's not in control!"

Steve sits up in his seat, uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Honestly Lay....it does feel like one of the only options we have."

Layla stands in front of him, starting with her mouth open.  He knows he has let her down with that sentence and he looks down, unable to meet her eyes.

"NO!"  Layla shouts, tears filling her eyes.  "There's got to be another way-and I'm going to find it!" 

With that, she storm out of the room, with her team watching her, with the same sadness in their eyes too.