Strangers on this Road

Chapter 9: Actions Have Consequences

I slowly shut the door to my bedroom, the sound of silence allowing me to breath as Loki remains asleep. I silently make my way down the hall, clutching my room pass tight in my hands as I try to avoid all the creaky floorboards. My heart begins to race as I get closer and closer to the stairs, my mind screams at me to just turn back and go back to bed. Just cuddle back with Loki, forget who's downstairs and just...not worry, but I can't do that. I need answers.

I put my room pass to the reader and it lights up green, the door opening slower than the last time I saw it open. I take one last look down the hallway before walking through the door and it closes behind me. With each step down the stairs, my body gets colder and tenser, but I persevere. Once I reach the bottom, I take a deep breath before heading towards the cell room, a place I have only seen once. Tony promised me that I wouldn't see this room often, and...he made good on that promise.

I push open the door, my eyes widen at the sight...not cells or bars, but see through, glass circular containment pods. I don't know why I expected it to look so medieval, but I certainly wasn't expecting this. In one of the pods, one of men curled up in the middle, presumably sleeping and in the one in front of me, those dark brown eyes. The man standing near the glass with a smile on his face, how is this possible?

"My, my...you certainly have grown, little one," his smile turns to a smirk. He walks closer to the glass as I remain frozen in place. He looks exactly the same, "you look surprised, little one. I must say, I never expected to see you again either. What a delight?"

I take a small step forward, trying to ignore all my instincts telling me to run away while I still have the chance, "how...how is this possible? You-you were just a stranger, how do you look the same as you did back then?"

"All in good time, Miss Strange. Now, I'm curious, do the rest of those Avengers know your down here," he asks me and I remain silent. My eyes darting across the room from time to time, just so I can look away from him, "they don't...how exciting. I assume you're down here for answers about our files on you, little one."

He walks until he gets right to the glass, he leans on the glass with one arm, "the team is just gonna question you anyway. You might as well just save yourself some time and answer my questions." I hold my head up high, keeping my hands behind my back to hide their shaking.

He lets out a little chuckle, his eyes beckoning me to come forward, "my dear, you certainly cannot think that you would get answers that easily," he begins to saunter around his cell, as it doesn't even bother him, "I believe you think I am far smarter than that."

"Oh yes, so smart that you allowed yourself to be captured, beaten and caged like a mere wild animal," he pauses in his walking, slowly looking up to me. Those dark brown eyes glaring daggers into my soul, "I would not pretend to be stronger while you spend your time here. I am the one on the outside and you...I have nothing much to say to a caged beast."

He lunges towards me, fury in his eyes as his fists slam against the glass, the alarm starts to ring accompanied by the flashing of red lights. My heart begins to race faster than I believe it ever has before as I stare at the point of the contact he made with his fists, a crack begins to form. The sound of multiple footsteps get closer and closer until I hear, "Astrid! What the hell are you doing down here?"

Tony yells at me, I feel him push past me to inspect the glass, the man takes a step back, admiring his work. Bruce and Steve quickly follow suit and I turn my head slightly to see Bucky, Wanda and...Loki, not looking at the glass, but at me. "Get her out of here, now," Steve instructs the three of them, "we can talk about this in the morning, just get her out of here."

Bucky firmly grabs my upper arm and begins to walk me away from the cells, "Oh, Miss Strange," the man calls out to me, I forcefully push Bucky away to look at him. He gives me that kind smile that now fills my heart with dread, "it was a pleasure to see you again and I shall answer but one of your many questions, Elijah, my lady. My name is Elijah."