My Friend Loki: The Price You Pay

Part 7

Now feeling more in my element, I walked back toward the two men sitting at the briefing room table and looked at them carefully.

Taking the glass of water Thor had refilled for me, I took a good sip. I then put it down, and pointed at the file folder, "is that all the information you have on the case?" I casually plunked myself back down in the chair, "If I am to talk to Loki, I need to know everything you do."

I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement form, which I had expected being in such a facility as this.

Although some details still were considered classified, I learned the following...

The team member that was killed - which was somewhere in this facility, although Coulson wouldn't reveal where - was a young woman who was part of a program to test certain tactical equipment from Stark Industries used for prevention/arresting of terrorist activity. While the evidence showed she had fatal stab wounds, she also had certain features that would possibly make things tough to prove Loki's innocence. This program she was part of involved special surgery performed on her person. She was implanted with a neural network and one of her eyes had been replaced with an artificial one, which worked as a camera lens. The tactical equipment and her surgical enhanced abilities worked in synergy, and all data recorded would uplink to the mainframe computer.

Apparently one of the last bits of recorded video before her system fatally crashed, due to some unexplained power surge, revealed Loki's face.

"Look," I said, taking this all in, "I'm sorry to hear of the untimely death of such a brave soul. My condolences to her family." I looked at Coulson, "but... just because Loki's image is the last thing she recorded before she died, doesn't mean he killed her. He could have simply been the last one to see her before she died." Another thought came to me, "computers can also be hacked."

"What are you suggesting?" Coulson said, giving me an odd look. I had a feeling he already knew what I was suggesting. However, I wasn't willing to go there yet.

"I'm suggesting... that I've heard enough for now, and I need to see Loki."

"Of course," Coulson said, closing the folder. Picking it up, he stood from his chair. "I'll take you to him."

"You might want to sit down again, Agent Coulson," I said, then cleared my throat. "Before I speak to Loki, I need some assurances..."

Coulson just looked at me. He was confused.

"What are you doing, Beverlee?" Thor asked, he also confused.

I understood what I was about to do would be considered rash, but clinging to what Thor told me, that no one at SHIELD would harm Loki, I believed this was necessary.

"Well, while Loki is on Midgard, I mean Earth, no matter what and who he is, he is subject to inalienable human rights. And as Loki's friend, it's time I exercised my right to make sure his are protected." I took another sip of water, and looked at Coulson, "I'm sorry, but I don't trust SHIELD in looking after Loki's best interests."

"What assurances are you requesting?" Coulson asked, "or should I say, demanding?" It seemed he was amused at my show of bravado.

"Up to you on how you interpret it," I said coolly, "when I talk to Loki, you are not to record any of our conversation - no video, no audio, nothing. When I am finished, I will impart to you the information that you need."

"That's quite impossible," Coulson said. He looked at Thor, hoping he could possibly convince me otherwise.

Thor shrugged, "it is imperative to learn what Loki knows. Up to now, technology has not helped us in this matter. Time is also of the essence. Loki trusts Beverlee, and her approach to this has merit. I believe we should let her make this attempt."

I looked at Thor, smiled at him, then turned to Coulson, waiting...

"Well, after reading the dossier on Beverlee," Coulson said slowly, in a relenting tone, "and that we don't have any other options, I think..."

"Wait a minute," I spoke up, looking at Agent Coulson "did you just say intel was gathered... on me?" I asked with surprise.

"It's standard procedure. We're not in the habit of letting just anyone in here," Coulson replied, "when Loki asked Thor to seek you out, immediately we had to learn... who you are."

I nodded, still processing all this in my mind, looking down at the table. While I did understand it was standard procedure, my biggest fear was how much they actually had learned about me...

"Beverlee," Coulson said, breaking me out of my reverie, "while I'm not that keen on this plan, it appears it is the only one we have. Give me some time to put this in motion." He then left the room.

"Beverlee," Thor said, putting a hand on my shoulder, "you certainly are a force to be reckoned with."

This time I shrugged, "I just had the right motivation," I said quietly, taking a longer drink of water.