"It is hard to tell from where this radiation comes, but it definitely increases," Bruce murmured, tapping the keyboard of his laptop.
Fenris stood next to him, pressing his lips together. It was tiring. The Harlovsens were already preparing for threats while the S.H.I.E.L.D headquarter still contemplated what this radiation could mean. Fenris didn't intend on helping at all. They didn't deserve help.
Over the last two days, Fenris had tried to seek out the records of Arne, Erik and Olaf, but every time he had come close to the archives and highly secured storages, Barnes had crossed his way. From all team members, he had been the one that seemed to trust him least.
Even now, Fenris noticed him passing the laboratory, not without sending him a dark glare. Maybe it had been a mistake acting as if he got along with Katta so well. Why should anybody trust him while he seemed to make friends with somebody they hadn't accepted already to be part of their team.
Speaking of the devil, Katta opened the door to the laboratories and took a seat on one of the laboratory tables for her daily check-up.
"Hello, Katta," Bruce greeted her with a warm voice.
"Morning, Doc. Dan," she replied and rolled up the sleeve of her left arm.
"Did you have any more problems with the chip? Mister Charleston told me that it made you a bit uncomfortable in the last days," Banner asked while connecting a small transmitter to her skin.
"No. I probably only needed to get used to it." Katta smiled before shortly looking to Fenris. He retorted to her look with a slight quirk of his eyebrow before turning back to her.
"Everything looks good. Your values are average. Whatever 'average' means in your case," Bruce stated, taking away the instrument. "How are you doing here, Katta?" he asked, turning around to his screens.
"Good, I think." Katta frowned at the question.
"I know that Director Fury didn't choose the most polite way to make you assign to the Avengers initiative. Nevertheless, this is a good thing, and I hope that the time will come for you to decide to stay voluntary," Bruce added.
Katta quickly exchanged a look with Fenris, who almost unnoticeably shook his head.
"Why did you decide to join, Doctor Banner?" Katta asked, standing up.
"It seemed the right thing. After I turned into this." He turned around and motioned at himself. "I've spent a long time hating myself for being me. When I was offered the opportunity to use 'him' to help, I think I just told myself that I could at least do everything possible to save other people."
Katta nodded. "Thank you for your honesty."
"If you need anything, Katta, let me know. I can only imagine how your inner conflict must sound like." He turned back around to the screens, and Katta left the room.
Almost immediately, she heard footsteps behind her but didn't turn around.
"I think I know where the records could be, but Barnes always gets in my way when I try to get them," Fenris murmured, walking behind her.
"This man starts to get on my nerves," Katta whispered back without looking at him. To the cameras, it looked like they were walking one after the other.
"You have to distract him. One hour. That's all I need." Fenris cleared his throat and looked at his watch.
"I don't know. Maybe we should wait a bit." Katta bit her tongue.
"Come again? If you want to stay, Katta, all you need to do is say it. But I must not remind you that they were the ones hunting, fighting, drugging, imprisoning and threatening you." Fenris's voice grew louder as he opened a door and disappeared into another room. Katta followed the corridor, sunken in her thoughts.
Fenris was right. She had no real reason not to flee. The only right thing seemed to go back to the Harlovsen Headquarters, submerge for a while and search for a new job. But something inside her protested against this thought. Even though the Avengers had forced her to stay, they did it for what they thought, good reasons. Every one of them, without exemption, had tried to get along with her, and even Steve slowly seemed to warm up in her presence.
Katta quietly cursed herself for being so emotional. Rule number one for her job: never let emotions hinder your rational decisions. She passed the door of the common room and peered inside. Thor stood in the middle of the room, pointing at his hammer on the couch table.
"Only the ones who are worthy shall be allowed to lift the hammer," he announced. Katta leaned against the door frame, watching the scene.
"That means I'll reign your godly world if I manage to raise this implement?" Tony asked, walking around it.
"That is correct," Thor answered, clapping his hands. Katta met Natasha's eyes, and she patted the couch beside her.
Katta slowly walked over to her and perched herself on the couch, watching Tony rolling up his arm's sleeves. He noticed her and smirked.
"Ah, Miss Harlovsen. You arrive in time to see me inheriting Asgard."
"The hammer will not lift by talking to it," Katta retorted. Sam snorted, trying to gulp down his beer without spewing it out.
Tony turned around, taken aback and grabbed the hammer's handle, making himself ready. It felt like everybody held their breaths as he tried to lift it. Thor started to grin as he noticed Tony struggling. "As I said, Man of Iron. You are not worthy."
Katta watched Tony, letting go of the hammer and falling onto the couch behind him. He panted, shaking his head. "This is not impossible. If I can't do it, nobody can do it."
"Thank you for the performance. Time to get back to work," Natasha smiled, getting up.
"Not that fast. What about you, black widow. Don't you want to try?" Tony raised his head, blinking.
"We both know I'm far away from being worthy," she replied, leaving the room.
"You try it, Harlovsen," Tony commanded.
"What makes you think I could do this," Katta snorted in response, getting up as well.
"Buuuuh, you're a coward," Tony stated, looking at her.
"May I remind you that this coward could easily take down this whole building? Give me a day." Katta raised an eyebrow. "A joke, only a joke," she sighed as she felt half of the present people tense at her words.
"I understood the joke," Thor cheered happily, pointing at her.
"At least one," Katta left the room and headed towards the gym. Running would help her think. Again, she heard steps behind her and sighed. Was a little silence, too much to ask for.
"If you would stop for a second, Miss Harlovsen."
This voice didn't belong to the Avengers or the agents working here. Katta spun around, her hand at her holster. Stephen Strange stepped forwards, his cape floating behind him. Katta tensed but didn't move.
"How did you get in?" she asked suspiciously.
"And I thought you were smart," he mumbled. Then, he stretched out his hand and nodded his head. "I'm a magician, sorcerer, master of the mystical might - call it whatever you want. I thought we were past that."
"I was on my way to the gym. Wanna join?" Katta tried a joke. It was a bad joke. That she had to admit. He sighed and proceeded.
"I'm sure you already know about the threat that is coming, Miss Harlovsen," he said as it was the most usual thing. She slowly nodded, furrowing her brows.
"Do you know what it is?" Katta asked.
"I've seen it, but I can't tell," he stated. "I need you to leave this building, now."
Katta looked at him, surprised. "And why exactly would I do that? If you know as much as I suppose, you'd know how much depends on the fact that I stay."
He opened his mouth and closed it again as if to contemplate what he wanted to tell her. "Let me put it this way," he then said. "Nobody will care about the pictures anymore when there remains nobody who could. You need to trust me, Miss Harlovsen."
Trust him. Katta thought about it. There was no valid reason why she would do what he asked her for. Still, her instincts told her to do it. "When I leave now, will it payout?" she asked, her voice trembling. He nodded
"When you leave now, Miss Harlovsen, I could say yes."
Katta took in a breath. Her guts started to churn. "What am I waiting for, then," she uttered and turned around. A green shimmer shone behind her as she jogged away. Katta needed to get Fenris out of the laboratory. It was time to escape.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hey everybody!
Thank you for making it so far - I hope you enjoy the story. And thank you for every vote, comment and follow - that always makes my day!
FaYeMs