The Rise of Hel {Loki Laufeyson} Book Two

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Dust floats in the wind, coating the barren road ahead of us as we drive. It's so quiet in the back that I'm almost convinced that everyone got cold feet and jumped out of the truck, leaving me to wish that I followed them. My stomach is so clenched with fear that I might just hang my head out the window and vomit until my stomach is empty. The only thing keeping me going is the fact that without me, we won't win this thing. We all have integral parts in this mission and if we lose at least one person, we're screwed.

My mind wanders to the promise I made Harry last night. What if I can't keep it? What if Hel's army is more powerful than we anticipated and we all go down in the first round? Images of a burning city flash in my mind, my stomach clenching even more. I can feel it in my throat, forming a lump so i can't swallow. I start to cough, covering my mouth with my elbow and coughing into the fabric of my jacket.

"So, once we reach S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters, we'll all swarm in and break off into teams to carry out our separate missions. When successful, we'll rendezvous back at the front and get the hell out of there before the authorities show up, got it?" Natasha goes over the plan again and again, we all nod. We've been over it one hundred times and it hasn't changed the least bit. We're all nervous - scared of what might happen - what we might lose today. I can feel the nerves in the air, like a dark cloud hanging over our heads, raining on us constantly. We can never dodge it - it's continuous.

I shiver and they all look at me, raising their brows. "I'm fine." I lie and they nod, focusing back on the road. Natasha, Steve, Tony, and I sit up front, squashed in the continuous seat from one door to the other. Steve and his build take up most of the room so I'm sandwiched between Tony and Nat. The others, Thor, Maria, and Sam, sit in the back of the truck with the Anti-Avengers. I can only imagine the atmosphere back there. We're being forced to acknowledge the fact that none of us are safe now and the thought sends another fit of shivers up my spine. I inhale sharply, supressing the urge.

"What if one of us is done with our missions before the other?" Tony asks nonchalantly. He doesn't have the faith in me to trust my tactics.

"Tony, you'll be fine. You've fought by yourself before, what's so nerve wracking about fighting alongside an eighteen year old and her team full of villains?" I counter and he makes a face at me.

"Those words right there - eighteen year old. Although, I will admit that 'and her team full of villains' doesn't help all that much either..."

I try to elbow him but I'm too close so I butt my head into his shoulder. I groan, my temple aching from his bony shoulder.

Looking out on the road, I pray for the best, my dread making my whole body feel heavy. I relax my muscles, bracing myself against the seat behind me and my friends beside me. What if I don't have the strength to do this? What if Loki is wrong and I can't control whatever's going on with me and I end up killing everyone?

"Hey," Steve says and I look up at him. He reaches over Tony and rests his hand on my kneecap. "You'll be okay, kid. Tony will have your back, as will Thor, Harry and the rest of them - especially Loki."

I nod, fighting back fearful tears. I don't know what's going to happen and that bothers me to the extent that I'm tempted to jump out of the truck and back out of it all, but I have a job to do and I'm going through with it no matter what.

"And trust me," Natasha continues on for Steve. "It all turns out okay in the end. Just remember that whatever happens out there - whatever you may have to do in order to fight this and stop her - it will get better with time. Not overnight, over time. It takes time." She says and I nod, avoiding eye contact and staring at my twiddling thumbs.