Devil of Menace

10 - Interrogation

"When I first came to Earth, Loki's rage followed me here and your people paid the price. And now again. In my youth I courted war." Thor explains to Coulson as he stares out of the window of the carrier. "War has started yet." I say as Nick and I join the two men. I left Tony and Bruce to their work and I couldn't find Steve but I ran into Fury who asked me about interrogating Loki. "You think you can make Loki tell us what the Tesseract is?" Nick asks bluntly. Thor sighs and turns to us, "I do not know. Loki's mind is far afield, it's not just power he craves, it's vengeance upon me. There's no pain that would prize his need from him." He considers. I offer my opinion on the matter, "A lot of people think that, until the pain stops." Thor looks us up and down before asking, "What are you asking me to do?"

"I'm asking, what are you prepared to do?" Nick replies. Thor thinks for a moment before answering, "Loki is a prisoner." Nick tilts his head in agreement, "Then why do I feel like he's the only person on this boat that wants to be here?" He asks. I turn to him, eyebrows raised in shock of the truth of his question. Thor doesn't answer.

Loki paces back and forth in his cell before stopping. "There's not many people that can sneak up on me." He turns to see Natasha and I stood in front of his cell. "But you figured we'd come." I say. "After. After whatever tortures Fury can concoct, you would appear as a friend, as a balm. And I would cooperate." Loki says, detailing his thoughts. "I wanna know what you've done to Agent Barton." Natasha demands as I take a backseat and watch her, after all I was only there too study Loki not gain information. That's her job. "I'd say I've expanded his mind." Loki grins.

"And once you've won. Once you're king of the mountain. What happens to his mind?" Natasha asks. "Is this love, Agent Romanoff?" Loki queries and I smile lightly at the suggestion. "Love is for a children. I owe him a debt." Nat explains. Loki sits down, "Tell me." He prompts. Natasha pulls up a chair and sits down too. "Before I worked for SHIELD, I uh...well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skillset. I didn't care who I used it for, or on. I got on SHIELD's radar in a bad way. Agent Barton was sent to kill me, he made a different call." She tells him, leaving out my involvement in the matter thankfully. "And what will you do if I vow to spare him?" Loki asks, testing the waters. "Not let you out." Natasha responds, shooting down the first possibility that comes to mind.

Loki laughs, "Ah, no. But I like this. Your world in the balance, and you bargain for one man?" He sneers. "Regimes fall every day. I tend not to weep over that." She says. "We're Russian, or we were." I speak for the first time in minutes. Loki looks to me before turning his attention back on the Black Widow. "What is it you want?" He asks, seemingly sincere. "It's really not that complicated. I've got red in my ledger, I'd like to wipe it out." Nat explains, leaning back in her chair. Loki smirks, "Can you? Can you wipe out that much red?" He asks darkly. "Drakov's daughter? Sao Paulo? The hospital fire? Barton told me everything. Your ledger is dripping, it's gushing red, and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything?" Loki lists. He stands from his seating position, anger consuming him. "This is the basest sentimentality. This is a child at prayer... PATHETIC!" He spits.

He slowly stalks closer to the glass as Natasha remains still, "You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are a part of you, and they will never go away!" His words are aimed at Natasha and yet I feel like they apply to me too. Loki slams against his cell, making Natasha flinch, something I haven't seen the woman do since she first joined the Red Room. "I won't touch Barton. Not until I make him kill you! Slowly. Intimately. In every way he knows you fear! And when he'll wake just long enough to see his good work, and when he screams, I'll split his skull! This is my bargain, you mewling quim!" Loki sneers disgustingly at her. Natasha turns and walks away from the man. Quietly, with distraught lacing her tone she utters, "You're a monster." Loki laughs darkly, "No. You brought the monster."

Natasha spins back around, now poised with no emotion but pride on her face. "So, Banner... That's your play." She reiterates. Loki staggers backwards, "W-what?" He stutters. I press the earpiece in my right ear and say, "Loki means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the lab, I'm on my way. Send Thor as well." I turn to Loki, "Thank you for your cooperation." Natasha and I leave him standing frozen in his cell.

We make our way to the lab but I stop us in the hallway, "Hey." I say softly. "Are you okay?" I ask. She looks down and sighs, "I said what I had to say to get him to answer." She explains. I smile, "I know honey, but that doesn't mean it was easy. I haven't told anyone about anything." I mention. She stares at me, "Steve doesn't know about the Red Room?" She questions. We continue walking as I shake my head, "He knows about the first time, my training, but not me becoming the trainer. I can't relive it for long enough to tell him about it. I have so many regrets and so much blood on my hands that it's best no-one but me knows the truth." I clarify. Nat nods and squeezes my hand, "Sometimes it helps for someone else to know. Especially if it comes from you before it can come from anyone else." She explains.

I smile appreciatively before I rejoin Tony and Bruce in the lab and Natasha goes to locate Thor.