Metallic Lights {Metallic Charms Book #3}

Chapter 21: Questioning

Chapter 21: Questioning

~~~~~~~~~~~{Noel’s Point of View}~~~~~~~~~~~

“All I know is we said ‘hello,’ and your eyes look like coming home. All I know is a simple name, everything has changed.”

I’d been singing that single line from a Taylor Swift song for the past twenty four hours. And yesterday, it had been a line from a Train song, and the day before that, I’d simply stayed quiet.

I’d been on Earth for five days. Back in Asgard I’d dreamed about my homecoming, being welcomed home and being given the opportunity to explain myself –knowing that Thor would back me up, and Jane too.

But it had been exactly the opposite. I’d been informed that I was S.H.I.E.L.D’s number 1 most wanted criminal. I was supposed to be killed on site. But with the bi-frost obviously up and running thanks to the marking I’d left after landing, Fury had some questions for me –the entire agency had some questions for me.

A tiny cell, about three metre by three metres with a metal toilet in one corner, and a concrete block in the other had become my new home. The only time I was allowed to leave this extreme enclosed space was when I was escorted to interrogations or, like three days ago, when I’d been evaluated by Bruce Banner.

I’d been good to see Bruce again. I’d missed him a lot, but I hadn’t quite noticed it as much as the others. But Bruce was like that, one of those people you didn’t realise how much they meant to you until you didn’t have them anymore. He’d taken care of me when I’d been comatose. And in a way, he’d pushed for Tony and I to get together –always leaving us alone in the lab during Loki’s attempted invasion. I hadn’t realised it at the time, though.

I could tell he’d been hurt by my leaving. Angered by it too. I could see it in his eyes; they had a tiny black and green tinge to them.

Bruce sat down on the plastic chair on the opposite side of the desk. Usually in interrogations, there were metal chairs, but I guess Nick Fury hadn’t forgotten about my abilities. He probably thought I was going to hurt somebody and escape –smart man.

“Alright, let’s get started.” Bruce stated, flicking through my medical and psychiatric history. As a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent it was routine to have an psych evaluation at least once a year.

“Where did you go during your time away?” Banner asked calmly.

I stayed quiet. I knew they were watching on the security cameras, and I didn’t want to speak in front of anybody. This was Thor’s secret to tell, not mine. I’d merely been a pawn in his plan. Until he said something to Fury, I wasn’t speaking. I’d promised myself that.

A good five minutes passed with just silence before Bruce sighed.

“Come on Noel.” He pestered. “You know you’re not getting out of here until you tell us something.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t you get it Bruce? I’m not getting out of here. They’re going to kill me either way.” I jabbed my thumb to point at the cameras but my hands hit the plastic zip ties around my wrists that kept me from moving my hands properly.

“But wouldn’t you like to help us anyway?” Banner asked. “If you help us, you might not be killed.”

“I don’t have anything left to live for.” I said coldly. “Everyone abandoned me.”

“That isn’t true!” Bruce exclaimed.

“You’re lying, Bruce. Never took you for a liar.” I glared at him. “But the truth is, you’re looking at me right now the same way almost everybody looks at you –like you’re a monster. And after a while, you start to believe it, don’t you? You switch off the good. But you never did that did you?”