Into the Fray {Marvel} ||4||

2. Stragglers

I wasn't sure what to expect from Aria.

She wasn't giving anything away with her facial expression. Tony and I waited side by side.

"It's been a long time," I said gently to Aria, who watched me suspiciously. "This isn't some mind game they're playing with you. I'm really here. He," I gestured to Tony, "is Iron Man. You've heard of him, right?"

"Whispers," Aria finally said quietly. "When you're stuck in a cell, you're lucky if you can hold a conversation with anyone."

I don't understand. Why is she here and not in Asgard? "Well, you're not in a cell anymore. You're free. How did you get here?"

"It's not something up for discussion." Aria tossed her head. "Truthfully, I'd like to be out of this hellhole before anyone tries to stop us."

"Did you knock the rest unconscious?"

"I did." She looked over her shoulder. "But I believe one is still awake. He's injured, so I doubt he'll get very far."

"I'll take care of him," I said to Tony. "You get Aria out of here and back to the jet."

"Can I trust him?" asked Aria.

"I trust him. Is that good enough for you?"

"For now, I guess it will be. All right, Metal Man, lead the way."

"It's Iron Man," Tony corrected her. "Geez, you're an Asgardian all right." He waved her forward. "The fighting should be done outside by now. You sure you want to stay behind, Kia?"

"When I find the straggler, I'll meet you," I said. "Send someone in if I'm not back within fifteen minutes."

"You got it."

As Aria kept her distance but followed Tony out of the base, I stepped over unconscious HYDRA bodies. I lit a small flame in my hand. When I heard subtle movement, I closed in.

I bristled when I saw him. Blood dribbled down the side of his face. He held his left arm close to his chest—he probably broke it when Aria tossed him around like a doll.

"Well, look what the wind kicked up," I said steely.

Seth Joyce sputtered, eyes twinkling at seeing me. "I thought you would've left."

"Little bird told me there was a straggler still in here. I guess that's you." I took my slow time approaching.

He used the wall to sit up. "Come to take me into custody again so I can break free?"

I knelt down in front of him. "It is tempting, Seth, it truly is. But," I grabbed his neck, hoisted him off his ass, "I might have a better plan."

"Gonna kill me, Kiara?" he hissed. "Is that what being an Avenger is now?"

"We protect people from monsters like you."

"You're no better than the evil you fight." He coughed. "You say you save people, but you kill innocents. New York, all those casualties. D.C., all those bodies. The Pentagon."

"The Pentagon was all you," I snarled. "Don't pin this on me or my friends."

"You let it happen, though, all of you. You can blame me, and the aliens, and HYDRA for who became collateral damage, but all that blood is on your hands." He chuckled. "You don't want to face that fact."