A Deadly Deception

I. The Escape

I. THE ESCAPE

***NATASHA'S POV***

“Everything going okay, Natasha?” Clint snaps me out of my daze and I look up at him from my half-eaten Reuben sandwich.

“Ugh, don't even talk about it, Barton,” I say, “Why me? Out of everyone, Fury forces me to watch Loki. I can't wait until Thor takes him back to Asgard to atone for his crimes.”

Clint rests a hand on my leather-clad shoulder. “At least it's only for a few more days, huh? Then we'll be rid of that trickster forever.”

I think on this for a moment, before begrudgingly replying, “Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks.”

He's about to say something else when his phone beeps from inside his pocket. He takes his hand off my shoulder and uses it to get his phone out. Of course it's Starktech. Although Tony can be annoying, he is really very smart. Clint looks at the piece of glass that is the standard-issue phone for us and frowns. I wonder what the text says?

“Who is it?” I ask curiously.

“Just Coulson,” he says, “Lunch is over early, apparently. He says he tried to text you, but you didn't reply. Fury needs you to keep a tighter watch on Loki, I guess.”

Now it's my turn to frown. I let loose a sigh. “Really? I have to watch him even more now?”

“It would seem so.”

“Ugh.”

I somewhat agitatedly wrap up the other half of my Reuben and stand. “Guess I’ll see you later then, Clint.”

“See ya, Natasha,” he replies, still a bit immersed in his oh-so-amazing phone.

I take the long route back to Loki’s cell, walking through the many different sections of the enormous helicarrier.

I pass by Banner's lab, where Loki’s sceptre is being carefully examined and stared at by the less-scientific agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. In fact just yesterday I saw Clint in there, staring at it all glassy eyed, until he shuddered unwillingly from bad memories resurfacing and snapped out of the sceptre's trance.

Clint. Speaking of him, why do I think about him so much? I mean, yeah, I care a lot about him, but I do think about him quite a bit. More than I think about other people, I guess. I don't know. I’ve never really understood feelings.

Now I realise that I’ve been staring at the sceptre for the last five minutes. Maybe when you look at it for a while it makes you get lost in thought. Hmm. I shake my head to clear it and resume walking.

There's Steve’s training room, with a pile of broken punching bags sitting in the corner. Man, he goes through those things fast. I guess it helps him deal with it all.

And then there's Fury's office. I quickly sneak past that, not wanting to be caught not doing my job.

Weapons room. Why is that so close to Loki’s cell? That's not a good place to put it. Imagine what he could do if he got into there? Definitely not a pretty picture.

His cell is inside a reinforced room, the only people allowed in are the ones with Level Six access. How lucky for me to be Level Eight. I stop outside the door and scan my identification card. A light above the door changes from red to green and the pressurised door unlocks. I enter hesitantly, not wanting to be here any more than Loki does.

I stop still a few paces out of his line of sight. You won't let him get to you, Natasha. He'll just keep trying to hit a nerve, intimidate you, 'cos he's Loki. It's just what he does.

I step forward a few feet and I can already feel his blue-green eyes boring into me.

“Why, hello, Natasha,” he purrs, “back so soon?”

“Yes, hi, Loki,” I say grumpily, annoyed even though it's been less than a minute.

I turn to face him. There's no point in ignoring him. But when I look into the cell, I see a pair of empty shackles set neatly on the dark green bench, next to a book, an orange he refused to eat because it had a small bruise, and a plastic spork(because he couldn't be trusted not to stab someone if he was allowed silverware, or even plastic fork or knife) And yes, Loki has a bench. A green bench, no less. And yes, it was Thor who gave it to him. But that's not important.

“Argh! Darn it, Loki! Stop with your stupid mind games already! They're getting you nowhere, you hear me? And what's up with this sudden OCD?” I snap.

No reply. Ugh, he's pretending he actually escaped, thinking he can trick me into opening the cell so he can get out and shut me in. Idiot.

“Actually, I’ve already pulled that little stunt, you foolish mortal,” his voice echoes all around me.

“Oh, yes, I'm sure, because you're so glorious, aren't you? You're just a spoiled little boy, thinking you can do whatever you want and get away with it.” I retort.

All of a sudden, I feel his breath hot on my neck. “I am entitled to do whatever it is that I desire. As all you 'American' Midgardians say, it's a free country. Oh, and I assure you, this is no game, my dear. I’ve grown a bit tired of playing games with you, so now I think I’d rather leave,” he whispers forcefully.

I whirl suddenly, grabbing his shoulder armour. This takes Loki by surprise, and it gives me the opportunity to slam him into the wall, hard. He's grinning like a madman and bits of his hair are going in his face. “Feisty, are we, now?” He chuckles a bit.

I slam him into the wall again, silencing him.

“Who let you out?” I demand.

“How charming,” he says, “you really think I'd tell you?”

To this answer he receives a backhand slap across his face. Honestly, I would expect him to fight back a bit more. But then again, he's obviously not in his right mind.

“Here, is this satisfactory?” he asks, and kicks me hard in the stomach, shoving me back a few feet.

My response is to whip my twin Glocks out of their holsters and aim them directly at his face, one for each blue-green eye.

The God of Lies doesn't even flinch. Instead, his reaction is to chuckle a bit and then say, “Well, I must say that I’ve really enjoyed our little chat, but I’m afraid I must take my leave.” he leans towards me, uncomfortably close, and grins. “So sorry I can't stay.”

Then he backs up, still grinning, and gives me a mock two-finger salute.

I fire just as he vanishes in a swirl of green light, twin bullets pinging against the bulletproof glass. I swear loudly.

Well, at least the glass passes the test.

But I'm definitely not going to pass the test when Fury finds out about this.