Ice and Defenders- Book 2 of the Frostbite Series

Thunder and Lightning

Tony, Steve, and I brought Loki onto the Quinjet and strapped him down. Surprisingly, he was rather compliant to the capture and didn't seem to have any plan to try and escape. But we kept a watchful eye on him.

"How's life, Ellie?" Tony asked, breaking the silence. 

"It was as usual, until he came along." I nodded at Loki and he glanced up at me. "How's Pepper?" 

"Good, we finished up Stark Tower, looks beautiful with all the lights." Tony replied.

"Like a Christmas tree?" I glanced at him. 

Tony's eyebrows raised and he looked at me. "My words exactly." 

Fury's voice came over the radio. 

"Saying anything?" He asked about Loki. 

"Not a word." Natasha replied. 

"Just get him here, we're low on time." Fury said before disconnecting.

Steve turned to me. "I don't like it," he said quietly. 

"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?" Tony heard him. 

"I don't remember it being that easy," Steve said. "This guy packs a wallop." 

"I remember it being that easy." Tony said. "Still, you were pretty spry, for an older fellow." 

I rolled my eyes, this was a regular thing for Tony. He often can't keep a serious conversation going.

"What's your thing? Pilates?" Tony continued. 

"What?" Steve looked at him. 

"It's like calisthenics." Tony said. "You might've missed a couple things, y'know, doing time as a Cap-sicle." 

"Tony, quit being cocky." I cut in. 

Tony looked at me and was probably about to say something along the lines of: "You're not the boss of me, Ice Queen." But was cut off by a rumble of thunder. I peered out the window of the cockpit as rain began to patter against the glass. 

"Where is this coming from?" Natasha looked around. 

"Was it not in the forecast?" I asked. 

There was another flash and a loud crack of thunder. 

"What's the matter?" Steve said, and I turned to see Loki leaning forward in his seat with nervous eyes. "Scared of a little lightning?" 

"I'm not overly fond of what follows," Loki answered.

I furrowed my brow and was about to question him when there was a loud thud above us and the plane shook. I stumbled and Steve grabbed my shoulders to hold me steady.

"Were we just struck by lightning?" I asked.

"That was not lightning." Tony said as he put on his helmet.

He walked over to the hatch and pressed a button on the panel. 

"Woah, woah, woah. What are you doing?" I asked.