The Avengers: Featuring Salem Ridge

Loki's Game

Loki leaned against the cell wall casually, as though this were a conversation between two friends. "I met someone," he replied as he examined his nails, his expression light. "And he showed me the truth."

"What is this truth?"

"That I am a king," Loki said quickly, his voice growing in volume. "And that I have every right to rule as my brother does. So why not start with his beloved Earth?" Loki raised an eyebrow at Salem.

Salem shook her head, unconvinced. "Who is this mystery person? The same person who allowed you to be captured? Who let the Avengers beat the shit out of you?" she scoffed. "Some friend."

From Loki's expression it was clear that she had hit a nerve. His jaw clenched, and she saw his fists tighten at his sides. She was suddenly very aware of how close he had gotten to her, and in a moment of weakness Salem glanced up at the camera in the corner of the cell. Loki followed her gaze.

"Ah," he chuckled slightly, backing away. "So my brother is still watching." Loki looked back at Salem, his gaze lingering. "They must not trust a girl to interrogate a god."

Salem had really had enough now. Loki was right, Thor and Fury were surely watching their every move through the camera, and as long as Loki knew that he wasn't going to give away anything. She made a quick decision. Salem shifted her weight, and decided to try a new tactic. She lowered her open hands to her sides, her palms facing the floor. She kept her eyes on Loki, who was standing before her with a puzzled expression. A dark mist began to emerge from her outstretched palms, covering the floor of the cell. Salem twisted her hands slightly, and the mist spread to the walls, climbing up to the ceiling. The camera in the corner of the cell was now covered in a dark fog, as was the rest of the cell. Salem smiled at Loki's shocked expression. Now no one could see them.

"How about some privacy?" she asked, cocking her head to one side. "We have five minutes before they can get that door open," she said, gesturing to the locked cell door. "It's just me and you."

Loki looked around anxiously, his calm composure momentarily disrupted. He looked to one side, and Salem saw a flash of something on his face. She squinted, trying to get a closer look. At first glance she thought he seemed to be wincing, as though he was in pain. She noticed something on the side of his cheek, the one facing her.

Were those - burns?

It looked like the left side of Loki's face was covered in burn marks, his flesh peeled back exposing pink tissue underneath. Salem remembered the screams she heard when she had tried to reach him earlier.

What was going on?

Before she could fully process what she was seeing, Loki turned to face her again, and whatever she saw was gone.

Salem slowly took a step closer to Loki, her movements cautious. When she spoke her voice was softer. "What happened to the scared boy I saw on Asgard, who begged for his father's forgiveness? Where is he now?"

Loki's expression twisted, his eyes glowing blue. "He died when he fell off the bifrost," Loki hissed through his teeth.

Salem felt raw emotion radiating off of him, and all her senses told her to run, to leave this cell right now and to never look back. She was here, prey for the predator, and even with all her strength she was still finding herself terrified of Loki. Terrified of his inability to regulate his emotions, terrified of what he might do to her given the opportunity. Maybe covering the camera was a bad idea. She swallowed deeply and fought down the urge to escape. Salem leaned in toward Loki, fighting to keep her voice level.

"I don't think he did," she says quietly. "I think he's in there somewhere, lost."

Loki was growing pale and shaky right before Salem's eyes. Like a man overcome with illness, a leper. Loki stabilized himself against the cell wall. He looked at Salem with a pained expression.