Intertwine

49 - Traffic Was Hell

ALINA

It was the woman who spoke. "You've been told that the Avengers protect your liberty, but that is a lie." I already wanted to scream. "They posses superhuman powers, and they are hoarding these for themselves. There are enhanced people, in hiding, all around the world. Do you know how many people could become Iron Man if Tony Stark did not keep his technology for himself? How many people could posses the powers of Wanda Maximoff if they went through the same technological tests? How powerful the human race could be? In time we will show you that the Avengers are not the most powerful of groups to exist. That they can be bested. They survive on sheer luck. You rarely hear about the failed missions, only those glorified by publicity. We think it's time this changed. We give power back. We are the Ascendency. And a message for the Avengers themselves. Bring us the Key, show she is alive, and none of your associates will continue to be in danger."

The screen went black. The video had ended.

"What. The. Fuck." Roara seemed to be speaking for all of us.

"What's their play?" I turned to Loki.

He put his hands up. "All I did was promise to bring them Roara Woodson. That's all they wanted me for. I refused to give them any powers. I do not know."

I stormed towards him, blinding light in my left hand. I grabbed him by the collar, my hand positioned ready to strike. "What aren't you telling us you snake." I hissed.

"I am telling you all I know." Loki replied, grabbing my arm and pulling it off him.

"Want to play?" I asked, head cocked. "I can play." I slammed my palms together creating a mixture of light and dark revolving in a single orb, hovering just above my palms. He'd seen it once before. He knew what it could do. "Tell me what you're not telling me."

"Alina!" Roara shouted. "Cut it out!"

I turned to her, my hands still towards Loki. "Can you not see him? How calm he looks? He knows something!"

"I don't care, stop it now!"

"Why should I listen to you, huh?" I growled. "According to you we're not even friends."

"You hurt him and I'll fuck you up." She rolled her sleeves up.

"Guys come on!" Steve shouted. We both ignored him.

"Have you told her what you can do with that?" Loki was almost gloating. Almost. His voice was edged with worry.

"What can you do with that?" Sam asked. I realized he'd taken some steps back from me.

"You threatened to use it on Roara if I didn't cooperate didn't you, Alina." Loki smirked.

"I didn't mean it." I shot back.

"You did. I was reading your mind Rat." Loki sneered.

"What does it do Ali." Sam asked again.

"It blinds people!" I finally snapped. "It completely isolates them. They can't see, they can't feel, they can't hear. All they know is darkness."

"You were going to use that on me?" Roara whispered, horrified. "If he didn't cooperate?"

"Yes!" I yelled. "I didn't know you yet, I needed collateral on Loki."

"I have to say, the man's screams were horrible." Loki purred next to me. That was the last straw. I felt my hand change to one of light and as I was about to strike I felt something wrap around my hand and pull me down. I looked at my wrist as I fell. A vine. I saw as my head hit the ground a pair of feet run up invisible stairs in the air. And then a blast of water hit me in the face, and I was being lifted off my feet. Scrambling for breath I tried to swim away, but the water was surrounding me. I was going to drown. Roara was going to drown me.