The Thief

10: The Tin Man

Ember's P.O.V.

Once Carrots and Katniss leave the room, I begin to tap out a song on the desk, this is dull. Deep in thought, I run several scenarios through my head, trying to work out if Alex and Ghost made it.

Katniss has chased all of us together so they know that Alex and Ghost exist, but whether they think their capture is important is another matter.

Alex hasn't done anything to personally annoy and humiliate an avenger, nor has he demonstrated having any powers, which he doesn't have by the way. The only reason they'd go after him would be for helping me or on suspicion.

If they took Alex but not Ghost then Ghost is stuck in London, that will be difficult. If they did take him then they would be able to figure out information about me since Alex has my passport. But, they could just be asking to see when I'll tell the truth.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see, there's no way for me to check when I'm constantly being watched by the Avengers.

After five minutes have past, the door swings open again to reveal a smug genius billionaire playboy philanthropist. Although, I don't know why he's smug, Thor caught me not him. In fact I'm the reason he probably had to spend a couple of hours fixing his suit, although I won't take all the credit. Thank you Alex.

The tin man swaggers across the room at painfully slow pace and flops himself down on the chair opposite me. He swings his legs up onto the table next to mine and, like me, leans the chair back onto its back legs. This should be interesting...

We sit like that for a while, his brown eyes staring into my fake blue ones. I don't know if they figured out I am wearing contact lenses but I had a spare pair up my sleeve.

Although I have the patience to sit and wait for hours, his piercing gaze is slightly unnerving me so I begin to speak. "So who talks first? You talk first? I talk first?" They must think I'm some fangirl since that's the second reference I've made today, not that they'd be wrong but...

He stares at me before a cocky smile spreads across his face. "I do believe that by saying that you actually decided who talks first." Stupid smartass! Plus, who actually says 'I do believe.'

"And the devil speaks!" I reply with my best impression of a circus ringmaster, throwing my non-handcuffed arm up in a dramatic motion to emphasise my point. I know, I'm wierd like that.

He raises his left eyebrow slightly and inclines his head in a thoughtful manner before replying. "I'm curious, what does it feel like that every time you look at your reflexion you see an immoral thief?"

Ouch! That kinda hurt, but two can play at this game... "I don't know, what does it feel like that every time you look at your reflexion the mirror shatters because it's too ashamed to bear your face?"

His annoying smirk grows even bigger before he replies, "I heard while you were on the run you went to a haunted house and they offered you a job?"

"Are you always this stupid or are you making a special effort today?" I've had insulting conversations with Alex since I was little, I'm not going to be the one to drop out.

"Anybody who told you to be yourself couldn't have given worse advice. You need to be more unique, like me!" Wow, the tin man is really as full of himself as I've been told, maybe I should deflate that ego a bit.

"You're not that unique, I've seen plenty of people like you, but usually I have to pay admission." I tell him. His eyes flicker slightly in annoyance but the smile never leaves his face.

"I'd love to ask how old you are, but I know you can't count that high." He says smugly, still smirking.

I quickly think of a reply and answer him matching his tone of voice. "I heard you're a ladykiller, they take one look at you and die of shock."

"They say opposites attract, so I sincerely hope you meet someone attractive, honest, intelligent and cultured."

"You can't speak, you have the charm and grace of an intoxicated water buffalo." Take my word for it, intoxicated water buffaloes have absolutely no grace, I've seen them before.

He opens his mouth to speak again but closes it immediately afterwards, his smile spreading further across his face. He turns to face the two-way mirror and smirks, again, pointing at me, "I like her."

"Thank you tin man." I answer confused.

"So I have just one question..." He says and I sigh, I thought he was more fun then that.

I wait looking at him with one eyebrow raised as he feels around for something behind his back. Pulling it out he offers it to me.

"Blueberry?"

A/N:
I know this is not as long a chapter as I usually write but I couldn't resist ending on that. Thank you Robert Downey Jr. for being just so amazing.

-TheBookThief11