A Love Out of Time

Chapter 17

Natasha pulled a gun on Loki, and Clint threw out his hand.

"Wait!"

But the gun had already gone off, and the bullet passed right through Loki.

"It's just an illusion!"

Loki grinned. 

"Well, we appear to be at an impasse."

Fury turned to Coulson. 

"Lock the building down. No one gets in or out."

Coulson ran out of the room. Thor was already striding forward.

"Brother! Stop this! You will be hurt!"

Loki raised his eyebrows and pressed his palm against his chest.

"I? I will be hurt?" He chuckled. "Nay, brother, this time I have the advantage."

Fury scoffed.

"You have no army, you have no weapons, and you can't get out!"

Loki's grin only widened.

"Precisely. And neither can you. All of you are trapped in my cage, and I will not play nice." 

His image faded away.

"Good luck, Avengers."

The afterimage dissapeared a moment later. Fury sighed.

"The building is locked down. Thor, could he be broadcasting this image from outside the building?"

Thor shook his head. "I do not believe Loki to be capable of casting great distances."

Fury nodded. "Then he's inside and he's near. Thor, you're with Rogers. Hawk, you're with Romanov. Stark with Banner. You'll clear every floor, starting with the highest. Each floor that has been cleared will be locked down. He'll have nowhere to run."

The orders were confirmed with simple nods.

"He probably intends to pick each of us off slowly, so be on your guard."

He looked straight at Steve. 

"You two, you've got the top floor. Get moving."

Steve and Thor walked to the elevator and stepped inside. The doors slid shut. Steve swallowed. He could feel Thor's anger radiating off.

"How did he get out?"

Thor shook his head.

"It shouldn't have been possible. He was locked in cuffs that blocked his magic."

Steve sighed.

"How can we tell which one is an illusion?"

Thor's shoulder settled uncertainly. 

"I-I will know. I am his brother."

Just as he finished his speaking, Loki materialized in the elevator.

"Will you, brother?"

Steve jumped back, and Thor's outstretched hand passed right through him.

"Loki!"

Loki laughed maniacly.

"Oh yes, brother! You can see through my illusions, can't you?"

Thor's stance grew weak at the sight of his brother. 

"Please, Loki. Stop this madness. You will only give this world more reason to hurt you."

Loki's smile turned vicious.

"Why? So that I can live the rest of my life muzzled like beast?" He shook his head. "No, brother. I will rule this world. The humans need a leader. There is so much chaos, so much war."

There was a powerful fervency in his voice. 

"I can put an end to it."

Steve pushed forward angrily.

"By slaughtering countless innocents?"

Loki seemed to just notice his presence.

"You are primitive and weak. Your lives mean precious little to me."

A strange smile twisted his lips.

"Ah, but with a worthy ruler, perhaps your people could accomplish something."

Steve looked ready to pound Loki's face into the wall. 

"We weren't made to be ruled by you!"

There was a ding, and the elevator doors opened. Two heads turned to look. Natasha started to step inside and stopped.

"What? What are you guys still doing here?"

Steve glanced at the corner. Loki was gone.

"Didn't you-um, didn't you press the button?"

Thor looked just as sheepish.

"I thought you had."

Natasha rolled her eyes.

"Come on, guys! Move over!"

She pushed into the elevator, Clint, Stark, and Banner behind her.

Stark's brow was furrowed.

"Were you guys just standing here the whole time?"

Steve shook his head.

"No, we were-um, talking."

"Yes! With Loki!"

"That's right!"

"It was one of his illusions!"

Clint looked slowly around the elevator, then shook his head like they were both idiots.

"Right."

Natasha pressed the top three floors and the elevator shuddered as it moved upward.

The silence felt awkward to Steve. He caught himself looking at Natasha's back and turned away. When all of this with Loki was over, they would have another talk.

The doors opened on the third-to-highest floor and Tony got off with Banner. Clint and Natasha left them on the next floor. Finally they shuddered to the top. Thor forged out at once.

"Alright, Loki! Show yourself!"

A man walking nearby jerked and looked wide-eyed at Thor as he shuffled quickly away. Steve stepped in front of Thor. 

"Oookay, I don't think Fury wanted us to cause a mass panic. We need everyone out of these floors, but quietly."

He had barely spoken when a trim female voice came over the intercom.

"All employees, we regret to inform you that there has been an emergency in the building. All employees are asked to vacate their workstations and gather in the cafeteria. Thank you."

Thor listened patiently.

"And he who refuses to leave must be Loki!"

Steve nodded. "That's one possibility."

"The elevator has been locked down. Please use stair towers."

Steve let out a deep sigh.

"Let's go find him."