Follow Your Arrow

1: 06

Fury said, "War hasn't started yet." He walked in. "You think you can make Loki tell us what the Tesseract is?"

"I do not know. Loki's mind is far afield, it's not just power he craves, it's vengeance upon me. There's no pain that would prize his need from him."

"A lot of guys think that, until the pain stops."

"What are you asking me to do?"

"I'm asking, what are you prepared to do?"

"Loki is a prisoner."

"Then why do I feel like he's the only person on this boat that wants to be here?"

Thor didn't answer.

INT. HELICARRIER DETENTION SECTION - NIGHT

Loki walked back and forth inside his glass cell. Suddenly, he stopped and said, "There's not many people that can sneak up on me." He turned to see Natasha standing there.

"But you figured I'd come," Natasha replied.

"After. After whatever tortures Fury can concoct, you would appear as a friend, as a balm. And I would cooperate."

"I wanna know what you've done to Agents Barton."

"I'd say I've expanded their minds."

"And once you've won. Once you're king of the mountain. What happens to their minds?"

"Is this love, Agent Romanoff?"

"Love is for children. I owe them a debt."

Loki sat. "Tell me."

Natasha pulled up a chair as well. "Before I worked for S.H.I.E.L.D., I uh... well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skillset. I didn't care who I used it for, or on. I got on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar in a bad way. Agent Barton was sent to kill me, he and his brother made a different call."

"And what will you do if I vow to spare them?"

"Not let you out."

Loki laughed. "Ah, no. But I like this. Your world in the balance, and you bargain for two men?"

"Regimes fall every day. I tend not to weep over that, I'm Russian... or was."

"What is it you want?"

"It's really not that complicated. I've got red in my ledger, I'd like to wipe it out."

"Can you? Can you wipe out that much red? Drakov's daughter? São Paulo? The hospital fire? Barton told me everything. Your ledger is dripping, it's gushing red, and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything?" He stood, angry. "This is the basest sentimentality. This is a child at prayer... Pathetic!"

---

Tony and Bruce continuously worked at their monitors.

Loki voiced, "You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers."

Hill checked every view screen in the bridge and Fury oversaw.

"You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are a part of you, and they will never go away!"

---

Steve opened a steel crate. Angry, he looked behind him and looked back into the crate. The crate was filled with an array of HYDRA weapons.

INT. HELICARRIER DETENTION SECTION - NIGHT

Loki slammed his cell, making Natasha flinch. "I won't touch the Bartons. Not until I make them kill you! Slowly. Intimately. In every way they know you fear! And when they'll wake just long enough to see their good work, and when they scream, I'll split their skulls! This is my bargain, you mewling quim!"