The convicts boarded the buses at 6 o'clock on the dot. It was a long trip, approximately five hours, with dehydrated and starving passengers, whining and disgusting bodily functions performed before me.
Finally, the bus stopped and we all filed off. I was in the middle of nowhere, alone, scared and feeling sick. That is, until I heard someone calling out to me.
"Becca!"
I turn to find Blaine charging toward me. I'm relieved to have a familiar face among all of these strangers.
He picks me up and spins me around, me hugging him back. Losing his footing, he falls, and I slam into the dirt, hitting someones feet. I scramble to my knees, looking up. Loki Laufeyson is staring down at me with disapproval. His horned helmet gleams in the sunlight, his black hair slicked back underneath it. His staff glows a brilliant blue as he looks me over. Great, my first mission and I've already pissed off the one guy I was supposed to get close to.
"What do you suppose you're doing, girl?"
"Reuniting with my friend who I thought was dead?" I mumble.
He cocks an eyebrow, a list shimmering into his hands. "Name?"
I hesitate. "Rebecca."
He flips page after page, appearing even more unimpressed than before. "Rebecca Hollis? Rebecca Swan? Rebecca Terry?"
I stand up, brushing myself off. "Rebecca Talbot. I go by Becca." I add awkwardly.
"Well, Becca," He points his golden staff at me, his eyes turning red. "Watch where you shag with your boyfriend." He hisses.
"He's not my boy-" I snap but am hushed by a murderous look on Loki's face. "Fine. We'll be careful next time."
Loki looks at me expectantly. "Sir." I growl indignantly. He checks me over, clearly unamused. "Detention ward. Tonight. Nine o'clock." He snaps and stalks away, smiling to himself.
After another fifteen minutes of catching up with Blaine, Loki screams over the voices. "Listen up you mulling quims!"
Everyone, startled by the sudden anger in his voice, stands at attention.
"Over the next few weeks, you will be brutally trained. You will work until bloody and callused all over your body! You will sleep only when I say you can sleep and you will obey my every word!"
"Yes sir!" The crowd yells.
"Now go, find your sleeping quarters and report back here at nine."
***
I have no bags, mainly because I don't have the right to own any bags in prison. Therefore, I walk into my room empty handed.
A girl, about my age, stands in the bedroom to the right. She has long, curly black hair, tan skin and a slim, strong body. She turns, checking me over. Everyone I've met today has done that - so why does she make me feel extra unnerved?
"Scrawny little thing aren't you?" She scoffs. She's british.
"Excuse me? No hello, or welcome? The first words from your mouth are going to be 'scrawny little thing aren't you'? Nice to meet you too." I make my way over to the left bedroom, sitting down.
"No bags, Tree Branch?"
"No." I feel the glass tile pressing into my body from underneath me, reminding me that S.H.I.E.L.D expected to get an update every night.
An awkward silence fills the quarters.
"I'm Jade by the way."
"Becca"
"So what's your story?"
"What?"
"What did the world do to you for you to join this murderous bastards army?"
I hesitate before answering, deciding to tell her the truth. "In the battle for New York, my mom was killed by the Chitauri."
"You got a dad?"
"Yes and no. I've never met him." I lie. She seems harmless enough, but I can't take any chances around these people.
"I'm sorry." She sounds relatively genuine.
"I don't want your pity." I snap to make myself sound more intimidating than I feel. Also, I had learned back in my days at the prison that after acting vulnerable, it was nice to bounce back with a strong threat to frighten your cellmate. That's exactly what I intend to do to Jade.
Jade steps back, looking at me incredulously but shrugs it off. "I just want to obliterate S.H.I.E.L.D. They don't deserve all of the praise they get."
"Why," I ask. "What did they do to you?"
"They took my life away." She growls quietly, her posture suddenly tensing. I decide to leave it at that, not daring to say another word and watch her leave the room, a grey cloud following her.