Second Chance

Chapter 7

"Director?" I say as I knock on his office door.

"Yes, Secret, come in." I close the door behind me.

"Hey, so have you heard from Cassie? She was supposed to make her routine signal a couple of days ago, but she never did."

"I'm sure she just hasn't had the time. Going undercover is very time consuming. She is using all of her energy right now to play her part, and the signal probably just slipped her mind."

"Yeah, you're right Uncle Nick. I'm just worried."

"I know you are kiddo, just stay hopeful. She will make contact soon enough." I nod and leave the room. I still can't help but think something has gone wrong. Cassie has been my best friend since our freshman year of high school. She understood me. Even after everything that had happened to me, she still stuck by me. Through the good and the bad, it was always us. And when we were recruited by shield, we talked about how it could only get better from here. But right now, I have a bad feeling about all of this. I head back to my room, and sit down on my bed. I try to push Cassie out of my mind, but it is proving to be difficult. I look over and see Loki flipping through the channels of the TV. His posture shows confidence, but his face shows complete confusion.

"You know, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit is a pretty good show." I say as he is reading its info.

"I still do not understand why anyone would be interested in the life of a yellow cleaning utensil that lives on the seafloor in a house made of fruit. Not only is it highly unrealistic, but it is also just repulsive." He says as he makes a disgusted facial expression.

"You mean spongebob? Yeah, that show is definitely not for everyone." He ends up picking law and order, and sits at the end of his bed, watching the TV closely. It's kind of been fascinating to watch him this past week or so. He practically learns something new everyday. He now knows how to work the coffee pot, beside the occasional forgettable moment when he doesn't put water in it, and gets made at midgardian technology. He can somewhat work the TV. It took several days to explain what actors and actresses were. He understood them in play references, but he did not get how they could just stare into a camera and express such emotions. He also made several comments about how midgardian performers are weak hearted and wouldn't last a day in a real theater. He has even gotten better about taking his food. He actually meets me at the slot, and takes it himself compared to me having to levitate it to his nightstand every meal.

"So when are you going to tell me about your other hideouts?" I ask.

"You are so persistent. It's quite annoying." He mumbles while his concentration next leaves the TV. Fury agreed that he would not tell Thor of Loki's whereabouts as long as Loki proved to be useful. If he can give up some of the locations to his other hideouts, that would be more than useful.

"Tell you what, how about we make a deal?" He asks.

"What do you have in mind?"

"An information exchange. You tell me somethings about yourself, answering my questions completely, and I'll tell you a hideout."

"Sounds simple enough. I do have a few boundaries you cannot cross. You may not ask me what my real name or nor can you ask me to remove my mask."

"Well, shall we seal our deal with a kiss?" He chuckles. "So, explain to me how you came about such extraordinary power."

"Are you sure that's the question you want to lead with, that story is fairly long and could take up some time?"

"I've got an eternity to listen." He smirks.

"Alright, well. Here it goes. My father experimented on me in order to save my life when I was 10 years old. When I woke up I didn't notice a chance until I realized my eye color and hair color had changed. My temper was even worse than before, and everyday since then I've been finding out new powers that I have and how to use them."

"That answer was not nearly sufficient enough. I can see how you are holding back most of the information. There must be an explanation to your power."

"But that's just it. Even with me leaving out some rather painful and emotional details, there isn't an actual answer. My father was a deranged scientist. He only cared about trying to make his experiments work. And the only time he cared about me, was when I became an experiment."

"You said earlier that he saved your life. How so?"

"I was in a car accident and was barely alive. He pulled me from the crash and tried using all of his experiments, all of his new chemicals, and all of his time to revive me. I didn't wake up for three days, and when I did, my natural features had been changed and I ended up with powers beyond my own recollection."

"Should you not be grateful for him giving you life?"

"Yeah, I should. But I'm not. I didn't choose to be this way, and nor would I ever."

"Ah, so look what lies underneath that tough act. You are just like those weak actors, are you not?"

"Yes. I am." Smiling to myself, seeing as I am an actress.

"Alright then, have any pen and paper?"

"Uh, sure." I had him a notebook and pen through the slot and he hands me one piece of paper back. On it is an address to a hideout.

"If I had my magic, I might see to trick you. Lying is one of my many talents, but I shall hold up my end of the bargain. That is just one of several places."

"Thank you, Loki."

"Do not thank me child. I have not done anything for you."

"Yes you have. You just don't know it yet." I smile and run out of the room. I race to Nick's office, run in, and smack the paper on the table. "One down." I say breathing heavy.

"Well done Secret. We will have some of the team assemble for this one. You get back to breaking down Loki. "

"But Nick, I want to go with. What if-"

"If Cassie is there, I will bring her with us myself."

"Oh, OK. Thanks." I smile a faint smile. I still do not have a good feeling about this. Her not signaling. What if she has been compromised?