Titanium (Ti)
Atomic Number: 22
Atomic Weight: 47.867 amu
Solid at room temperature; strong metal resistant to sea water, chlorine, and aqua regia; easily oxidized; relatively abundant in the atmosphere
Warnings: Fire hazard, potentially explosive
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"Why am I still alive?" Those are the first words out of Malka's mouth when she wakes to find herself surrounded by people she recognizes instead of HYDRA as she expected. Natasha sits beside her bed with a doctor applying pressure to her shoulder, Steve and Sam standing by the entrance with Maria Hill. What shocks her most is Nick Fury lying in his own bed. "I heard you were dead."
"Nice to see you too, Laska," Fury replies, his voice rough.
Malka sniffles as she pushes herself up, her leg screaming in protest as she swings herself to the side to stand. A nurse rushes to her side to push her back, but Malka says, "I'm fine."
"You collapsed," Steve says from his spot.
"I can still walk." She waves off the nurse.
"Would you just let someone look at you?"
"I don't know if this wasn't clear, but I don't exactly have the best track record with health professionals," Malka snaps, narrowing her eyes. "So, excuse me, but if SHIELD wants to sample my blood again, they'll have to do me the courtesy of telling me."
Fury rolls his eyes. "It was to test how you reacted to Loki's scepter."
She glares at him. "I can stand now, so call off your doctors, please." When he waves a hand, the nurse relents and slinks out of the room. "Thank you." As Malka stands, she wishes she hadn't, but she preservers and reaches the concrete wall to lean against it. "How the hell are you alive?"
"Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, and one hell of a headache—"
"Don't forget your collapsed lung," the doctor says.
"Oh, let's not forget that," Fury nods. "Otherwise, I'm good."
"They cut you open," Natasha says. "Your heart stopped."
"Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work out so great for him, but we found a use for it."
"Why all the secrecy?" Steve asks. "Why not just tell us?"
"Any attempt on the director's life had to look successful," Maria replies.
"Can't kill you if you're already dead." Fury almost smirks. "Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust." His eye lands on Malka first before finding Natasha. Both spies avert their gazes. "How about we move somewhere a bit more comfortable? No doctors."
The group simply moves next door around a small table with seats for all of them. Malka takes a spot beside Natasha, moving the redhead's jacket to get a better look at the gauze. As they settle, Steve takes point in explaining what they've found.
Fury sighs, looking at a picture of Pierce. "This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said, 'Peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility.' See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues."
