The Defender

Out of Time

Interrogation day. The amulet's in my pocket. My mind is ready. But my heart isn't in it today. It keeps saying that I shouldn't be doing this. But I have to. I've learned to ignore my heart when I have to.

I'm the last one to arrive, with my illusioned cloak wrapped around me. The prisoner has made some dents in the walls, even without his powers. He's strong. But now, he's chained to a rope of wires which are attached directly to Thunder's hands. Instant lie detector.

"You!" the mutant snarls, straining against his chains. "You're the b*&$@ that stole my amulet!" I smirk and pull it out of my pocket as Thunder shocks him.

"You mean...this?" I ask, tossing it up, catching it, and repeating.

"Give it!" he growls, his chains going extremely taught, getting him another good shock.

"No," I reply, grabbing it. "But I must know. How on earth did you happen upon an Infinity Fractal?" He gasps and his eyes go wide.

"So you know," he says accusingly.

"Yes," I reply. "And I also know without this..." I drop it. "You have no powers. " I raise my foot over it, poised to crush it.

"No!" he yells, straining hard. "Don't!"

"Then you listen to me," I say, walking closer. "If you don't want your powers gone in a heartbeat, then you will not attempt to kill us. You will fight with us and not against us. If you dare try to defy us, then your powers will be gone." I pick up the amulet and glare at him. He snorts and relaxes.

"Fine," he sighs. "Okay." I smile.

"I had a feeling that you would cooperate." I turn and begin to walk out.

"Wait!" he calls. I stop and turn my head to the side. "Don't hurt my team," he says, sounding broken, like I once was. "They're just trying to help."

"By stealing?" Reflection snarls. "Is that what you think help is?" He starts to say more, but I hold up a hand to stop him.

"Help what?" I ask after hesitating.

"Help my friend," he says desperately. Paralysis and I exchange glances. Then we both look at Martyr. Her eyes glow and her hair and clothes flow out as if she jumped in water. Then it suddenly stops and she's normal.

"He's not lying," she says to me.

"Why would I lie," he says, tears clouding his eyes. "When my friend is going to die?" My expression softens for a half a second when I remember the epic battle I had with SHIELD. I remember Josh, lying there on the ground, dying. If Peter wasn't there, then Josh wouldn't be now. I close my eyes and reopen them.

"What do you need?" I ask quietly. Reflection's face darkens. He grabs me by the arm and drags me out.

"What are you doing?" he whisper-yells. "He is the enemy, Kier. You can't just help him out of the blue."

"His friend is dying," I hiss back. "Wouldn't you do the same?"

"We cannot let your bias be our demise," he replies. "Look, I know you've had a rocky past. We all have. But that doesn't mean we can let it influence our decisions. He will send his gang back to get us. We can't risk that."

"I can make sure he's on our side," I argue. "My illusions can-"

"No!" Reflection bursts out. He sighs and continues quieter. "No. You can't hide behind your illusions. You just can't. You have to face the real world."

"Oh, and you have?" I snap. "You've been cowering behind your father's reputation as one of the most dangerous villains of all time. You know what? I bet you don't even have powers. You'd just like people to think so to ensure you aren't ridiculed as you once were, as a child at school." I ignore his shocked, hurt, and scared expression. Im used to getting that type of reaction by now. My anger is like a blizzard, coming suddenly and fiercely before disappearing in a flash. I turn and morph into a blackbird, flying off. I hate when I get mad like that. I know too much to be safe. I fly to my rafter and turn into my normal form, curling up and sobbing into my knees. Sometimes I wish I could just die. I make myself invisible and let myself cry. Once I'm all cried out, I fish my StarkPod and stick my earbuds in my ears. I scroll through my music, choosing my new favorite song, Pompeii by Bastille. The chorus comes on and I hum along.

And the walls kept tumbling down

On the city that we love

Great clouds roll over the hills

Bringing darkness to all

But if you close your eyes

Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all

And if you close your eyes

Does it almost feel like you've been here before

I'm gonna be an optimist about this

I'm gonna be an optimist about this...

The words fade as my memories come, memories of the recent past. My memories of Tony, when he brought me to SHIELD and helped me recover from the tranquilizer. I remember how shocked I was, how no one had ever treated me like that before. My mind jumps to Peter, my first actual friend. I remember how he saved me from my chill and how heartbroken we were when I left. Then my mind jumps to the mattress warehouse, where Peter betrayed me. I remember the run and the night I had, the dreams. I remember the morning, when Peter apologized. I remember Josh and our week. Then I remember my father's goodbye.