Blind Success {Book 1 - Blinded Trilogy}

9 - Rehabilitation Phase 1: Denial

"Pietro and Wanda Maximoff. One has a hyper-fast metabolism, the other uses mental telepathy. He's fast, she's weird." Maria Hill to Captain America, Avengers: Age of Ultron

Ever heard of the expression 'Caught with your hand in the cookie jar'? That's what I felt like. Also the phrase 'Caught like a deer in headlights' comes to mind. I was in major trouble. Everyone was looking at me and I really just wanted to crawl into a ball and hide away from their accusatory gazes. I could feel pity radiating off them in hot waves; the silence was choking.

Shifting uncomfortably, I jumped when Bruce placed a hand on my shoulder. "Andrea, why did you take it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I tried to keep the shakes out of my voice; to try keeping as level-headed as I could to keep my nervousness in check. I don't think I did a very good job. Thor walks over to me and I can literally feel the heat radiating from him. Blinking a few times to keep my eyes focused, I slowly lift my head and look at him. He was roughly the same height as Loki and I will admit that it scared me.

"Lady Holmes. If I may?" I was confused, having no idea what he was asking to do. Shakily I look towards Bruce for help. All I got was a slight nod before turning back to Thor. He lifted a hand, instantly making me take quick steps back until I run into Bruce, who holds my upper arms in a firm grip.

"He won't hurt you Andrea." Bruce whispers, soothing me a little but also succeeding in making me more nervous. I don't know what made me take the steps back but I knew I didn't want anything to do with anyone from a different realm.

"Bruce... Let me go..." I struggle against him, trying to pull away while my heartbeat accelerates. For an unexplainable reason, I felt more scared than I normally would have in a situation like this. Thor walked towards me slowly again as I shrunk back into Bruce, trying to put as much distance between me and Thor as I could.

I felt coiled; poised to strike at the smallest of movements. Thor had got within 3 steps of me when I snapped and swung my feet up, collecting his jaw and successfully pulling out of Bruce's grip. Thor stumbled away, putting a hand to his nose which was bleeding from the force of my kick. I didn't stick around long to find out what would happen. I high-tailed it out of there, running from the room with as much speed as I could, trying to outrun those I could hear running after me. I made it all the way to the front door before almost running into Stark in one of his Iron Man suits.

Stumbling a few steps back, I turn and start running the opposite direction down the street. Breathing accelerated, feet pounding on pavement, I continue to run, dodging people left, right and center, little kids running rampage from their parents, skateboarders who think they have the right of way and people talking on phones who refuse to acknowledge that there are others walking around them.

The telltale of sound of a quinjet catches my attention, my head turning upwards toward the sky to see the infernal machine. Looking around, I try to find a way away from them. I pushed myself harder at some stage running into some random skateboarder and stealing his board. He yelled profanities at me so in return I turned and flipped him off before continuing on. I could feel my adrenaline spiking as I rolled down the street.

Making a sharp left, with some help from a light pole, I suddenly come to a halt and press up against a building, watching as Stark flies over buildings no doubt scanning every one of them. Time to disappear.

Loki's P.O.V.

I will admit I actually look forward to Svala's visits. It gets a bit lonely down here with only the occasional animal that I create with what magic I have access to. I don't hear a lot from inside the building, my thoughts overcoming me more often than not.