A Shot Through The Heart (Book 1 of Love, Monsters and Magic.)

Chapter 34

Natasha

After a little under an hour of aimless flying around and a rabble of improvised directions, we finally arrived in Manhattan, in the quiet area that Clint had brought me too on the night of our date, when things were easy and relaxed and Clint wasn't unconscious back at base. Steve kept the plane hovering in open air just above the Manhattan skyline and ran over the plan once more.

“Get down to the park and when Loki shows, we'll be right over. Don't do anything you wouldn't normally do, Natasha. One team member down is enough.” He pointed out as he pulled me into a quick hug. Once he let me go, Thor pulled me into a bone crushingly tight hug.

“Take care, Natasha Romanoff. Do what you must.” Thor boomed in my ear. Ouch.

“Thor... Can't... Breathe...” I choked out. He chuckled as he set me back on the floor of the plane.

“Be careful, Natasha.” Bruce said with his usual nervous smile and hugged me quickly. Hugging wasn't something Bruce was really all that comfortable with since his accident so this was a big thing for him. It was a nice gesture, so heartfelt. It meant a lot that he was trying. Last but not least Tony hugged me tight against the cool metal of his gold-titanium suit, with bitter cold seeping through the thick leather of my suit.

“Be careful, Nat. This is Loki we're dealing with. I don't want a scratch on you, d'you hear me?”

“Tony, you sound like my mother.” Everyone laughed lightly at my comment. “I'll be okay. Thanks guys. Steve?”

“Yeah, I'll let you down on a nearby roof, okay?”

“That's great.” The ship skirted over a nearby roof and waving one final time, I leapt from the ship, clearing the short distance to the roof with ease before landing with a neat forward roll thanks to my cat-like instincts. The ship flew off out of sight and left me on my own. Time to swing this plan into action, I thought clapping my hands together. I bound down the stairs of the buildings fire escapes, listening to the gentle metallic tapping my feet made as they met each of the steps with some force, taking the stairs two at a time. If I moved quickly, I could make it to the park in around four minutes. I'd make it in a little over two.

Out in the open streets, I felt bare and exposed like a nerve. I knew it wouldn't take long for Loki to find me and being out in the open like this only made tracking my whereabouts easier for him. I shot down streets at a great speed, down the streets that I once found comfort in walking down but instead of the usual comforting atmosphere, an eerie atmosphere hung like dead weight in the air around me. The area now felt derelict and abandoned as no one had set foot here in many years and cold air was rising. The calm before the storm, I thought to myself. This was going to be interesting string of events. Meeting my target, I arrived in the park in around two minutes and I slowed my pace dramatically. My heated sprint had now been reduced to a gently saunter through the park, although not as relaxed as I would have wished. My mind was alert, my ears tuning in to every insignificant noise around me as I padded on forwards along the tarmac path. A soft chuckle came from somewhere behind me and soft footsteps crunched through fallen leaves that littered the pathway. I instinctively reached down for my gun that was nestled snugly in its holster on my hip. My fingers wrapped tightly around the sleek handle and I pivoted around on my heels, snapping my head around to stand face to face with Loki, the great God of Mischief.

“Hello there, my dear Natasha.”

“Just the person I wanted to see.” I informed him with a cold smile.