The Avengers

Chapter 6: Cooperation

Phil shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Well, they are repulsive. And they trample everything in their path. When I first came to Earth, Loki's rage followed me here, and your people paid the price. And now, again. In my youth, I courted war."

"War hasn't started yet." Fury interrupted. "You think you could make Loki tell us where the Tesseract is?"

"I do not know." He answered honestly. "Loki's mind if far afield. It's not just power he craves, it's vengeance, upon me. There's no pain would prise his need from him."

"A lot of guys think that, until the pain starts." Fury pointed out. The he glanced over to where (Y/n) was standing. "Does he crave any vengeance towards her?"

Thor looked where Fury was looking, and turned back. "No. My brother may be filled with hatred and rage but he would never harm her, I know this. Why?"

"I'm wondering if maybe we can use that to our advantage..." Fury wondered aloud.

Thor narrowed his eyes. "What are you asking me to do?"

"I'm asking you 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 moved his gaze to the floor, not being able to give him an answer.

...

Loki paced back and forth in his cell, when he paused. He felt another presence in the room, and smirked.

"There's not many people who can sneak up on me." He said, turning to face Natasha.

"But you figured I'd come?"

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

"I want to know what you've done to Agent Barton." She demanded.

Loki shrugged. "I would say I've expanded his mind."

Natasha stalked closer towards the glass. "And once you've won, once you're King of the Mountain, what happens to his mind?"

"Oh. Is this love, Agent Romanoff?" Loki teased.

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

Loki backed up and sat on the bench in his cell. "Tell me."

Natasha hesitates for a moment before telling him. "Before I work for S.H.I.E.L.D, I uh...well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set. 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 made a different call."

"And what will you do if I vow to spare him?" Loki asked.

"Not let you out."

Loki smiled. "No, but I like this. Your world in the balance, and you bargain for one man."

Natasha shrugged. "Regimes fall everyday. I tend not to weep over that. I'm Russian. Or I was."

"And what are you now?"

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

"Can you? Can you wipe out that much red? Dreykov's daughter, São Paulo, the hospital fire? Barton told me everything." Loki stood up and walked over to the glass where Natasha was.

"You're ledger is dripping. It's gushing red and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything? This is the basest sentimentality. This is a child at prayer. Pathetic!" Loki snarled.

"You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are part of you. And they will never go away."

Loki suddenly slammed his fist against the glass of the cage, startling Natasha.

"I won't touch Barton, not until I make him kill you. Slowly, intimately, in every way he knows you fear. And then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work, and when he screams I'll split his skull. This is my bargain, you mewling quim. " He spat.

Natasha gasped and turned away from Loki. "You're a monster." She shuddered.

Loki chuckled and shook his head. "Oh no. You brought the monster."

Natasha suddenly perked up and turned to face him. "So, Banner. That's your play." She realized.

Loki furrowed his brows. "What?"

Natasha put her hand up to her ear and spoke into her earpiece. "Loki means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the lab. I'm on my way. Send Thor and (Y/n) and well."

She then looked to Loki. "Thank you for your cooperation. (Y/n) was right. You do love to talk."

She then turned and exited the room, leaving Loki standing there in slight shock.

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