Chapter Text
Chapter One- Frustration
Rated PG-13
–S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier- 7 Days after the Failed Chetauri Invasion- 1 PM- 30 Miles off Atlantic Shoreline
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The drone of the Helicarrier's massive propellers hummed outside as it hovered 35,000 feet above the dark blue waters below.
Thankfully the interior had been soundproofed where repairs were needed after Hawkeye's attack on the craft.
Those repairs, along with the damage the Hulk had created battling Thor and chasing Black Widow through its under-deck compartments, had been finished with enough efficiency to put even Tony Stark on edge. Though he still professed he could always do it better, orders on deck and the duties of the agents aboard, were returning to normal within its many steel and gray regions, the imminent threat of attack or invasion now over.
To a certain extent...
For all the S.H.I.E.L.D agents and other varying staff aboard the carrier, the sounds emanating from its exterior were as audible as hummingbirds wings, faint but still a whisper.
... but to Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner who stared at their prisoner with ardent contemplation, the sounds outside were quite audible.
The prisoner Loki however, was silent...
Bruce, still uncomfortable aboard the Helicarrier chewed his bottom lip as he studied the silent black haired man, wanting him to move or make at least make a snide remark about something.
Almost willing Loki to do anything but just sit there slumped over his bed, staring at the illuminated white floor for endless hours.
“ He's practically comatose. He hasn't said a word since we brought him here. This is a bad idea.” Bruce said as he crossed his arms.
Steve Rogers, present physically but thoughts elsewhere nodded his head and shifted his weight from one leg to the other.
“ Unfortunately, it doesn't matter if it's a bad idea or not. This is the only place that can hold him. For now.”
Bruce shook his head as he pulled his glasses from his front pocket and wiped them before placing them on his face.
“ Cause S.H.I.E.L.D has always been impeccable with its planning.” Bruce retorted.
Just like before when they'd all been arguing together over Loki's intentions, it would seem that they were almost in the same spot.
Whatever they'd planned Loki had been three steps ahead.
He'd let himself been “captured” before, who was to say he wasn't doing it again with the Helicarrier and the other Avengers still in his cynical cross hairs?
While Bruce peeved the situation, Steve eyed the computer monitors around him, displaying news, still surprised at, well; everything.
He was still beginning to understand the technology around him, the new languages, and the dress.
Usually donning his conventional white blazer and khaki combo, Natasha had broken into both his and Banner's rooms, replacing their clothes were more updated “casual” ones.
While the clothes assigned them wouldn't get them on the covers of any magazines, they at least didn't look like single bachelors from the early 90's.
When the two confronted Fury about Natasha's reverse clothing raid, he simply replied it would help them blend better and that it was an important, subtle way to remind the public that the war, including the invasion, was over.
Whenever they'd made appearances of course.
Bruce's response had been less apathetic than his own, but Steve considered it an order and made the best of his new wardrobe.
Onscreen, images of post war torn Manhattan showed pictures of roads clogged with cranes, trucks, and yellow hatted construction workers.
The streets and buildings that had almost all been condemned were still in significant disrepair for a number of blocks where the invasion had most taken place.
Many people had evacuated the city, those that remained were trying to feel safe again in their homes and regain the confidence to go outside.
“..-and who could blame them?” Steve questioned to himself.
Steve knew that as Captain America it was only a matter of time before he was called again to make an appearance to relieve any residual fears left from the alien invasion.
He didn't mind the job, it was similar to what he'd done before he took an icy nap. .. “ Be an icon..”
Bruce unlike Steve, preferred to remain off camera and out of the eyes of the public.
Namely one individual in particular known the specialized department of the military known none other as General Ross who still viewed Banner as a monster and was determined to capture him by any means necessary, even after his disgraced super-serum failure which resulted in the introduction of “The Abomination.”
Banner and had traveled hard and far to the most remote places of the world to get off grid but according to Natasha's first finding of him, the only reason he had remained undetected for so long was because of S.H.I.E.L.D's running interference for him, staving away interested parties.
Bruce had come to understand that for him, there was no where he could run where determined people wouldn't find him.
Instead of running after the battle, he decided to called S.H.I.E.L.D home base and remain under their protection and stay with Tony in his tower.
Unlike other people he'd worried about getting close to, Tony could handle himself and he could always handle the Hulk, should the event ever arise.
Staying with Stark was the safest place in the world for him, so that's where he would stay.
The door behind Steve and Bruce slid open revealing Natasha and Clint who smiled as they walked through the door.
The pair looked as business-like as ever in their casual dark clothes their outfits hardly changing their exterior demeanor.
They'd obviously just returned from some kind of formal meeting or event.
As Natasha entered the chamber Bruce and Steve had been standing in, she looked up from the tablet nestled upon the bottom of her left forearm that had had most of her attention.
“ Alright guys, we're here to relieve you of duty. You'll be happy to know Stark said he is working on a new cell to hold yours truly.” she said gesturing to Loki who had all but tuned out everything going on outside his cell.
“ Has he even eaten anything?” Bruce asked curious.
Clint chucked at the open question as he began unfastening the tie that had been around his neck.
“ Who cares if he eats? Who knows what he eats? He may not even be human.” Clint spit out, venom prominent in his voice.
He had not enjoyed being manipulated by Loki, a pawn in his service, another instrument to be used against his allies in his quest for world conquest.
He leaned against the wall, letting his angry eyes fall to the floor.
Bruce scoffed “What classifies as human theses days?” he whispered too low for Clint to hear.
Steve heard the comment but provided no retort, for the thought had crossed his mind too in his mental processing upon meeting Thor, Banner, and Loki.
He sighed exaggeratedly, crossing his arms as Bruce had still staring.
“ Well, we need to make sure he eats otherwise he's no good to us. Unlike his brother who we're still trying to revive. We lose him then we'll have nothing and I don't think Earth is ready for anymore intergalactic visitors.”Natasha said as she walked over to the far end of the room to a side panel computer promptly turning off the news and bringing up current readings of Loki's body.
She planted herself in a seat and leaned over the desk and pressed a call com button. “ Agent Romanov to chow hall. Bring a fresh plate of food up to holding Cell 6 please.” she requested.
There was some chatter on the other end as the line clicked off.
“... It doesn't matter how we feel about him.” she continued “ He's the only shot S.H.I.E.L.D, or the U.S., has at finding out if any more aliens are coming to Earth and how can we stop them before it's again too late.”
Steve nodded not wanting to press the argument further but Bruce's thoughts on the situation were not so easily put off.
Bruce walked over to the computer where Natasha sat, moving himself to her eye level. “ Are you sure this a good idea?” he asked lowly.
Natasha turned only her eyes toward him. “ This is fine, it's all a part of plan to get Loki to Tony's new cell in New York.”
Bruce scoffed rubbing his head frustrated. “ The more you people talk, the worse I feel. Why is that?”
Clint laughed. “ Come doc, don't be like Steve.”
“ What?” Steve inquired as he craned his neck toward them.
Bruce turned his head about. “This doesn't feel like a deja vu to you guys? It doesn't matter, we shouldn't even be here.” he finished starting to pace the floor.
Steve nodded brushing off Clint's jeer. “ Bruce is right. We need to be with Thor. Who is with him anyways?” he asked.
“ Fury, Hill, and half of the world's finest scientists, including Reed Richards.” Clint repeated, apparently having been asked the question before one too many times.
Bruce smiled. “ I know Richards. Good man. He and me go back a ways on the study of Gamma radiation.”
“ How far back is that exactly?” Clint asked sarcastically grinning as he ran a hand through his hair.
Bruce glared at him, returning to his spot next to Steve, who continued to eye Loki through the clear cell's screen.
“ I wouldn't give him attitude just yet Barton, he's the doctor that's gonna be scanning your brain tomorrow.” Natasha added smugly.
Bruce ignored the banter invite and planted his feet where he had been.
“ We should go visit Thor. We should be there in case he wakes up soon.” Bruce said aloud leaning toward Steve.
The door behind them buzzed and Natasha walked back over to the entry door which swiftly parted to the side where an agent stood with a plate of sliced meats, fruits, cheeses, and bread.
Before Steve could reply, she intruded onto their conversation responding to Bruce's comment.
“ Negative. When Thor wakes up, we may shock him. He's been out for a while and we don't know how he'll be when he comes to. It is for that reason we have Jane Porter to his bedside. Not that she didn't fight to get there on her own.”
Steve ran a hand through his hair. “ I still think we should be there if we aren't needed here.”
Clint found himself another seat in a chair and plopped down, clinking his shiny black shoes unceremoniously on the computer panels edges.
“ Don't worry Cap, we've got this. We're a team. We defeated the aliens, closed the portal to space, and caught the bad guy. Rest easy, things are looking up.”, he stated confidently.
Natasha smacked Clint's boots to the floor, her facial expression looking more like an older sister reprimanding a somewhat old tolerable younger brother.
“ I don't normally agree with relaxing, but I do in this moment. We've done our jobs and done them well. The immediate threat has been handled, now we just have to deal with the clean up. Things will get better. You can both relax now.”
Steve rubbed his chin and Bruce followed suit a moment later. “ I'll relax when Loki's in chains with a tag or something in his mouth.” in a huff, Steve departed the room, plainly still uneasy about the whole situation but obviously needing to gather other thoughts together.
Bruce eyed Clint and Natasha who just lingered in the silence Steve had left behind. “ He's right ya know?” he whispered, facing the slumping and distant Loki.
Clint rolled his eyes, knotting his hands behind his head and leaning back. “Steve'll be fine and so will you and so will we!”
Bruce eyed him slightly frustrated, “ Do you think this is a game?”
Clint tilted his head slowly to the side.” Do you think this is work?”
Natasha, still clasping the plate of food walked to the cell and exchanged the old rotting dish for a new one through the exchange window.
Loki, held within, only flicked his eyes toward her, watching her as she slid the small portal closed behind her as left.
His eyes didn't leave her as she brought a chair beside where Bruce stood and sat herself with a tablet in her arms.
Loki smiled at the food she'd presented him.
Natasha begun poking at her screen, noting things as they happened. “ You should eat something Loki.” she mentioned, never glancing up.
Loki rubbed the side of his face.
“ To what end?” he said facing her.
“...- so interesting that they always send the beauty into the cave of the beast. What do you intend to do? Appeal to my better nature as before?”
Natasha, eyes fastened to her screen responded in a monotone voice. “ No, we only want you to stay healthy enough for trial. Besides, we'd hate to have to knock you out and feed you through tubes in your throat.”
“ Speak for yourself Natasha.” Clint chimed from behind them.
Bruce gulped, listening to the exchange. Loki was a clever fox and venomous snake all wrapped in sheep's clothing, the perfect storm of villain, cunning, intelligence, and evil.
Natasha sighed aloud. “ All we are asking for is a little cooperation on your behalf, not ours. But if you can't comply, we can resort to other methods.”
“ Other methods? Where's the sign up sheet?” Clint inquired sarcastically.
Loki, amused no longer, retrieved the platter brought to him and began halfheartedly tasting the varied morsels.
A vibration sounded in Bruce's pocket with Tony's image plastered as the caller I.D.
He walked toward the cells entry to answer.
“ Yes, if your species has proven anything in the events that have recently transpired, its that you are quite unpredictable and..versatile.” Loki remarked.
Bruce placed the phone to his ear. “ Tony, what is it?”
“ Hey ya Hulkster. Has Little Boy Green eaten the grapes yet?”
Bruce inverted his head looking behind him. “ No, but he's about to. Why?”
“Oh no reason, I'm ah..flying one of my new planes under the Helicarrier now. Should be there in 2-ish minutes. You might wanna clear out.”
Natasha pressed a button on her tablet as Loki popped off and swallowed the grapes one by one, chewing them delicately.
As he swallowed the last one, his facial expression changed for a moment before he slumped over, completely unconscious.
Bruce gripped the phone closer to his head. “ How did you kno-”
“Little correspondence with Natasha. You should've figured that by now.”
“ But how did you-”
“ Bruce, jeez there's a sedative in the food. He should be out for a few hours, just so we can be safe as we move him.”
Natasha pressed the power button on the tablet as Clint stood from the chair apparently also in on the plan and walked toward the cell entrance.
“ Bruce do me a favor, I need you to get that cell emptied.. Christ, is it windy under the this thing.” Tony continued.
“ Wait, you're flying? Like in your suit?” Tony laughed on the other end. “ Well no actually I saw Aladdin on Disney yesterday and I decided to build myself a magic carpet!”
“Oh you are just hilarious.” Bruce sneered on the other end.
“Ha! I know. Anyways I got laser links under the cell which will drop Mr. Sleepy Pants Prisoner in nice and easy.”
“ Won't he wake up?”
“ No no no. I'm gonna kinda carry him back to the tower. It's gonna work flawlessly cause I've perfected this whole sneaking thing. S.H.I.E.L.D. should really work on their firewalls and encryption codes.”
“ Mmm I bet you're so good at that.” Bruce mocked.
Behind him, Natasha and Clint had removed the bedding and other little furnishings Loki had in this cell.
Once freed of any obstructions Natasha motioned for them to stand clear as the beneath them the flooring around Loki began to split and disappear.
Tony, in his suit, flew through the hole in a dark gray armor and caught the knocked out Loki as he was about to fall into the awaiting mini Quin-jet hold a good few feet below.
Tony peered at Bruce on the opposite side of the glass hovering. “ Was that a shot?”
Bruce waved back at him with his phone. “ Could be. Guess.”
“ You know, you're still living at my house right?”
Bruce turned and waved. “ Oh that's right isn't it? Guess I'll see you at home roomie.”
Clint smirked as Tony disappeared with Loki and the hole in the floor sealed.
“ Is that where I'll be seeing you there Doctor Banner? The Tower? Clint asked”
Bruce turned his head back as he exited the cell, “ Yes, I suppose that's where you'll find me.”
“When tomorrow?” Clint asked as Bruce continued his attempted escape.
“ Mmm I don't know I'll uhh call you.” he gestured waving his phone, and the man a monster inside him was gone.
Clint stared a moment too long to where Bruce had been standing, half tempted to chase him.
Natasha's voice snapped him back to reality. “ Why do you tease him like that?” she asked shaking her head smiling.
Clint grinned. “ It's funny. We're dealing with all these serious people.”
Natasha opened up her table.” Well I know you aren't talking about Tony, and you should take a lesson from the serious people. We've still got a job to do.”
Clint nodded, dropping signs of humor. “ Right right, I knew that.”
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