Category: Fanfiction (Page 4 of 16)

It was still early morning when Loki teleported everyone back to their base.

“We´ll have to stay here until nightfall.” Fury had told them adamantly. “Once we are back in the hellicarrier you´ll all get your rewards. Until then I´d suggest we get some rest.”

They all felt tired not only physically but emotionally. Not wanting to talk about it they all agreed about getting some rest and scattered to their rooms.

 

Once in his room Loki removed his armour noticing the hole that the steel tube had made on it. He slid his hand through his abdomen; there was no scar that marked his wound.

He remained pensive contemplating his blood stained clothes for a moment before he decided to finish undressing.

“It was a close call.” He suddenly acknowledges in a whisper. “At least it´s over now. But then why do I feel so restless? Like you didn´t knew … stop dwelling about it there´s nothing you can do about it now.” But he couldn´t help wondering. “Is this how heroes feel when they fail? We are no heroes but we tried to save them … and we failed. We did everything we could but it didn´t matter. I really can´t understand how you´re supposed to do this; day in and day out full of this crap. Why Fury does it? My brother? Why even try?”

As the water spray from the shower reached him he sighed. It was comforting to be able to get rid of all that dirt, sweat and blood.

“And if it that wasn´t enough there´s something else bothering me. That tank … it really wouldn´t had hurt me … much. Maybe the others … Now I wonder if Fury promised Doom something too.” He yawned as he finished dressing himself. “I guess I´ll just have to ask Fury about that …” He yawned again. “But I´d better do that on a clearer head.” He had spent most of his energies during the battle, although he still had some magical jewels to replenish himself he votes against using them. “Just in case of an emergency.” He sank into his bed heavily; within minutes he had fallen asleep.

 

When he finally woke up it was well past three in the afternoon. He yawned as he sat up in his bed; he didn´t felt any rested. His stomach grumble loudly distracting him of his thoughts. “All right ….” He said to himself in a joking matter. “You first, then Fury.”

“Loki.” Fury acknowledge as he opened his door. “I thought you would drop by. Let me guess; you want to talk about Doom.” He steps aside inviting Loki in.

“Among other stuff.” Loki volunteered.

” Other stuff? Really? Then if you don´t mind I think we might need a drink.” He opened a bottle of gin and poured two glasses. Loki stared at the glass Fury was offering to him for a second before accepting it; he´s rather be having a strong Asgardian mead but this would have to do. He took a sip and savor it; it wouldn´t get him drunk but at least the taste was acceptable.

“So…?” Fury asked as he sat. “What´s on your mind?”

“Why do it? I mean what´s the point?”

“The point of what?” Fury inquired puzzled by his question.

“This sort of missions. Deciding who lives and who dies. How can you reconcile being the good guys and at the same time working with people like Okanjo? People that´s just …” Loki stopped looking for the right word.

“Evil?” Fury suggested.

“Demonic.” Loki finally said.

“Yes … demonic. Sounds appropriate, doesn´t it? Of all people I thought you would appreciate the irony; using fire to put out another fire.”

“We are nothing like him!” Loki raised up angered by the comparison. I … I never was that cruel … not that I remember.” He had killed people, children, but never like that.

“I know.” Fury grimly acknowledged. “People want to think the world is either white or black; but it isn´t. Most of the time you are smacked between gray areas. Good people do wrong things for the right reasons and bad people do good things for the wrong ones. It´s never that simple.” Fury heavily admitted as he finished his drink. He filled it up again immediately as he continued. “You do what you can and hope for the best, and yes; most of the time you end up with nothing but a heartache. But that can´t keep us from trying again and again.”

“Why?” Loki asked in earnest. “Why don´t you just take charge? I´m quite sure SHIELD has enough fire power to do it. Wouldn´t it be better? Safer?”

Fury let out a small laugh. “Safer?” Your father …” Loki scowled at his reference. “I mean Odin has command over the Seven Realms. Are they any safer because of it?”

“At least I never had to deal with someone like Okanjo before.” Loki spat angered.

“Probably not. What we lack in strength we made up with imagination.” Fury offered. “It´s not always our best feature.”

“Is this a joke to you? All those children…? Loki raises his voice crossed.

“No!” Fury yelled back. “Of course not …” He acknowledged dropping his voice down. “I wasn’t expecting that. Either way it´s not the first nor it will be the last time innocents are caught in the crossfire; you should know that.”

“Don´t get her into this.” Loki growled menacingly.

“Why not? After all she’s the reason you are here.” Fury volunteered dryly.

“Don´t” Loki warned him between clenched teeth.

“As you like.” Fury shrugged his shoulders while he brushed Loki´s comment away. “either way you´ll be back with the Avengers by tomorrow. Why dwell on this?”

“Because …” Loki realized he wasn´t entire sure of the reason. “Because … it wasn´t right.”

“No, you are right; it wasn´t. But taking away everyone´s freedom to ensure peace wouldn´t be either. So yes, now and then people like Okanjo will emerge, but that´s why we are here… to send them back to where ever they came from.” Fury took another sip of his drink before adding. “We might not be able to stop everything bad from happening; and frankly I’m not sure we should.”

“What do you mean?” Loki asked baffled.

“Do you want to play God, Loki? Undisputed ruler of Midgard?” Fury asked him deeply interested on his reaction.

“What?” Loki inquired shocked; unsure of how their conversation had come that way. “No!” He answered, somehow he wasn´t surprised by his own answer.

“Why not?” Fury asked calmly.

“Because …” Loki consider it for a moment. “I wouldn´t be any better than Okanjo If I did it. Not by force at least.”

Fury smirked. “We can´t change the world Loki. All we can do is try to keep it in one piece until people change … for the better. “Fury shrugged his shoulders before taking another sip. “At least that´s what I think. It won´t happen in my lifetime; probably not even in yours or maybe it will. Who knows? Now and then people surprise me in the best way.” Fury smiled pleased as he stared directly at Loki.

Loki gave him a quizzical look before realizing what he meant. “I didn´t…”

“Of course you didn´t. That´s what makes it even better.” Fury told him with a big grin. “Who would´ve guess I would be having a philosophical debate about good and evil with the God of Mischief? Not even Odin would´ve seen that coming.”

Loki laughed amused as he raised his glass before ending it. “Probably not.”

“Now that I seem to have put you at ease about this sordid affair; what else is in your mind?” Fury tilted his head inviting Loki to talk.

“Doom … you … promised him something; didn´t you?” Loki asked staring at Fury sternly.

“Yes.” Fury replied dryly and hastily replied before Loki said anything. “but it’s not what you think.”

“It´s not what I think?” Loki spat in outrage. “I´m not even sure I want to know what you could´ve promised him.” He felt betrayed and asked bewildered. “How could you? After what he did …”

Fury leaned forward decisively cutting off Loki´s sentence. “Come down Loki. It´s really not what you think. As a matter of fact, I need to tell you what is it that he wants.” Fury explained dryly.

Loki got up irritated and started pacing around in disbelief nodding his head negatively. Finally, he stopped and looked back at Fury. Frowning still he asked. “All right. What does Doom want?”

“You.” Fury simply stated.

“What?!” Loki yelled shocked. “Are you out of your mind?”

“He just want to talk to you; alone.” Fury added.

“And you went so far as promising him that? You had no right!” Loki reproached angrily.

“Hold down your horses. I didn´t.” Fury volunteered. “I only promised I would try to talk you into it. Nothing more.”

“And he agreed to such terms?” Loki inquired skeptic.

“He did.” Fury asseverated.

“Then you can tell him you tried and failed.” Loki refused adamantly.

“I could.” Fury admitted. “But I think you should talk to him.”

“You can´t possibly be serious about that! I don’t even want to be in the same room with him; less of all talk to him. I don´t know why he shielded us back in Okanjo´s base but that doesn´t excuse what he did.” Loki replied enraged; his fists had clenched so harshly his knuckles had begun to turn white.

“You are right.2 Fury agreed as he step up. “It doesn´t change a thing; but I hate not knowing. And I´m quite sure you hate that too.”

Loki looked at Fury vexed. “Dammit, he´s right! Even if I agreed to, what makes you think he´ll tell me the truth? How can we know this isn´t another one of his traps?”

“Nothing really. I just hope he does.” Fury volunteered soberly. “What do you have to lose?”

“My patience.” Loki growled between his teeth.

Fury laughed as he finished his second glass. “Best case scenario Doom tells you the truth and we know what to expect form him; worst case scenario you beat his ass. Really, what do you have to lose?”

Loki scowled trying to think of an answer but he had none. “All right.” He agreed reluctantly.

Warning! Graphic deaths ahead.

As the elevator door closed Fury asked Chameleon “Which level?”

“Nine” chameleon dryly answered.

 

After a long silence Sandman was the first to speak again. “What was that about?”

“I don´t know. But we can worry about that later.” Fury volunteered eyeing Loki who remained pensive.

“What could be Doom´s plan?” He pondered. “Maybe he´s trying to befriend with me again … Why? What does he want? Does he really think I´ll fall for that?”

“Loki!” Fury called him out loud. “We can sort that out later. For now, focus.”

Loki nodded his head affirmatively; Fury was right. This wasn´t the best moment to sort out Doom´s intentions.

 

When the lift arrived at level nine Fury told Chamaeleon. “We are here. Where to?”

“To your right, second corridor on your left.” Chamaeleon responded.

The moment they joined them Fury asked angrily. “What´s so freaking important you had to call us down here?”

“See it for yourself.” Chamaeleon answered as he pointed to a heavy looking metallic door with a small glass window on it.”

Fury gave both Mysterio and Chamaeleon a stern questioning look before looking into the opening. After a couple of seconds, he steps back looking shocked, instantly he snaps at Chamaeleon. “What the fuck?”

“Okanjo´s crown jewel … it seems that the super soldiers weren´t his only human experiment.” Chamaeleon informed him wryly.

“They are children.” Fury pointed at the door in dismay.

“Not anymore.” Chamaeleon grimly volunteered. “According to the records we found they are Okanjo´s lead experiment on biological weapons.”

 

While Chamaeleon and Mysterio continued debriefing Fury on what they had found both Loki and Sandman step forward to take a peak into the window. They could see rows of bunkbeds most of them were made but the closest to the door were disarranged. On the other side of the door thirty or fourty children from ages six to twelve were cramped around staring back at their uncommon visitors.

 

Loki paled, this wasn´t part of the plan. Sandman muffled a gasp with his right hand, the children looked sickly and thin; some of them had spots that varied from red to dark brown all over their bodies; at one point he thought some of them were blind. He step back uncomfortable as Chamaeleon ended his report.

 

Loki turned back agitated. “We need to get them out. You really don´t expect us to …”

“We can´t.” Mysterio interrupted him.

“And I wouldn´t.” Chamaeleon added.

“Explain.” Fury looked at them sternly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

 

“We tried at first, but the door has an unbreakable security code. That caught our attention so Chamaeleon hacked into their system to find out what was behind the door that called for such measures.” Mysterio explained.

 

“Not only the door is reinforced with vibranium but it has all sort of security measures magnetic fields, laser fields, it even counts with some sort of facial recognition system. If someone who´s not registered in the system goes in there it will activate a self-destruct system. They really wanted to make sure no one would get in or out unintendedly.” Chamaeleon took a look at them, as no one spoke up he continued. “Even if we could somehow get pass all of this measures there´s still the fact that Okanjo shot them with so many viruses those children are virtually poisonous. And I´m not kidding you about this, if any of us walked in there without a Hazmat suit he would be death within seconds.”

 

“How many of them are there?” Fury asked inexpressive.

“According to the records the experiments began with 200 children; only 33 remain.” Chamaeleon informed him.

“It doesn´t matter how many they are, we got to get them out of here.” Loki told Fury distressed. “It´s not their fault they are here.”

 

Fury looked conflicted. Leaving the children there was condemning them to die of starvation or worse. By the looks of it; it was unlikely any of the children would survive long. But at least they could make them more comfortable before the end. On the other side they couldn´t even get to them; and both their resources and time were limited. As he scowled thinking of a solution he opened the comlink.

 

“Dr. Octopus … is the enemy handled?” He asked sober-minded.

“It will be in a few moments.” Octopus answered almost cheerfully.

“Electro, situation update.” He asked in the same severe tone.

“The remaining officers barricaded themselves in one of the rooms but Venom and I will take care of that in a moment.” Electro reported.

 

“All right.” Fury huffed pensively. “Seems we´ll have full control of the base within minutes. One way or the other we can´t leave them here to die alone.”

Both Loki and Sandman sighed relieved, even Chamaeleon looked more relax.

 

Suddenly an alarm went off; the lights turned red inside the room as the children screamed and hid in terror.

“What the hell is happening now?” Fury inquired angrily.

“I don´t know.” Chamaeleon acknowledged angrily as he pulled out a device from his pocket and started typing on it. Within seconds he spat furiously. “It´s a dead man trigger. If the proper code isn´t inputted every twelve hours, the room is programed to incinerate its occupants.”

“We need to get them out now.” Loki yelled enraged.

“We can´t get them out. We can´t blast through the damn door, all the walls are vibranium reinforced too. If you somehow teleport in successfully the whole room will explode the moment the system recognizes you. And if we found a way the moment we breathe the same air they do we would be dead.” Chamaeleon yelled at him equally enraged, he wasn´t dying for them.

 

“That´s not necessary truth.” Mysterio intervened calmly. “If we can get them out all we need are some Hazmat suits.”

Everyone looked back at him anxiously waiting for an explanation.

“Did I forget to mention I found a locker room filled with Hazmat suits?” Mysterio cautiously asked.

All of them frowned at his answer.

 

“Guys, I don´t think we have time for this.” Sandman suddenly told them as he pointed to a countdown that could be seen in one of the walls inside the children´s room. They only had fifteen minutes.

“Are you sure you can´t just bypass the code?” Fury asked Chamaeleon in hope.

“If I could I would´ve already done it.” Chameleon answered irritated.

“There´s got to be another way, who could´ve had access to this password?” Fury asked again.

“Okanjo and Deiter by the looks of it.” Chamaeleon replied dryly.

 

“Mysterio lead the way, we need to get those Hazmat suits on.” Fury ordered as he opened the comlink. “Electro. I need to know if either Okanjo or Dieter are still alive.” Fury hurriedly asked.

“How the hell am I supposed to know that?” Electro answered displeased. “I´m not introducing ourselves to them before we kill them and my guess is that Venom isn´t even counting.” Electro slyly informed them.

“I don´t need your attitude Electro, we have a situation.” Fury scolded him harshly before proceeding to explain their current problem.

“Fucking shit!” Electro swore out loud shocked by the turn of events. “Are you sure we are the bad guys? Cause I wouldn´t …”

“Electro!” Fury admonished him.

“Ok, if any of them are here we´ll get you the code.” Electro asseverated firmly.

 

“Six minutes.” Chamaeleon stated out loud as they helped each other to secure their suits under Mysterio instructions.

“Electro, what you got?” Fury asked anxiously.

“Just a …” Suddenly a scream could be overheard through the comlink. “Ugh! … a moment.” Electro answered. “We found Okanjo, Venom is … discussing the matter with him as we speak.” More screams could be heard in the background. “And he´s quite enthusiastic about it if I may say so. I´m going to need a raise to pay for a shrink after this…”

“Electro!!” Fury snap at him irritated. “We don´t have time for your rambling. Do you have the code or not?”

“Whatever.” Electro answered displeased. “Yes, we have a code.”

 

Fury smirked relieved as he motioned to follow him. He could hear the muffled cheerful expressions of the rest of the team.

“Five nine, two, one, zero.” Electro repeated Okanjo´s information.

When Fury ended inputting the code the alarms went off. Loki tried to open the door but it wouldn´t move. “Maybe we need another code.” He suggested.

“Worst case scenario we have twelve hours to figure this out.” Mysterio prompt.

“We should be able to get the information out of Okanjo by then.” Chamaeleon volunteered.

“And arrange their transportation to a secure facility.” Fury added.

 

Suddenly all the alarms went off again; the clock´s countdown speeded quickly. Loki tried frantically to pull the door open. “I´m teleporting in.” He said out loud.

“No, you´re not.” Fury grabbed his arm as he told him. “Think of your daughter.”

Loki looked at Fury conflicted. “But …”

“It´s too late.” Chamaeleon grimly informed them as scared screams and painful shrieks could be heard inside the room.

“No!” Loki turned back to the door. He could still make out the silhouettes of the children crouched together as the fire consumed everything.

“No.” He muttered again as he grabbed onto the door witnessing the devastating scene. “Why? What kind of man does that to children?” Angry tears rolled down his face.

 

“What happened?” Electro suddenly asked over the comlink, Okanjo couldn´t stop smirking. He instantly knew the code he had gave them wasn´t the right one.

“He killed them.” Loki growled enraged between his teeth.” “That fucking bastard killed them.” Next he turned to Fury defiantly. “Tell me he´s not walking out of here.”

Fury answered evilly “Of course not, it was never the plan.”

“I´m glad to hear that.” Venom´s purred as he grabbed Okanjo´s head between his claws and began to squeeze.

“What the …?!” Electro complained loudly when suddenly a gushing sound and a hollow scream filled everyone’s comlink. “God!” Electro grumble before throwing up. “Stop laughing Venom! That´s disgusting!”

“He had it coming.” Venom replied dryly. “No one lies to us.”

 

No one spoke again for a few minutes trying to sort out their feelings about what had just happened.

Fury was the first to break the silence. “Is anyone left?”

“Not in our levels.” Electro replied swiftly.

“Dr. Octopus, anyone left in your levels?” Fury asked calmly.

“No, not anymore.” Octopus acknowledged nonchalance. They had all heard everything. By the looks in their faces Octavius knew that both his comrades were thinking the same thing he was, would it had ended differently if they had been down there? It was unlikely, but the thought would bother them for a while.

“All right.” Fury volunteered. “Loki get back to the base and bring all the C-4 and Octanitrocubane you can carry. I want to leave this place as soon as we can.”

Loki agreed, he removed the Hazmat suit as fast as he could glad to be out of that dreadful place at least for a few minutes. “I´m on it.”

 

As he reappeared in the base he had to sit for a moment aware of the knot he could feel in his stomach. He felt angry, disgusted, guilty, sad … he hated with every fiber in his being what Okanjo had done to those children. On the other side he felt glad Venom had ended him in such a horrid fashion. “What does that says from me?” He pondered if Thor would feel the same way he did if he had been in his place. It was hard to picture anyone who would feel anything else but contempt for Okanjo. Surely not even Steve, he probably wouldn´t condone it but he really wouldn´t be upset about his demise either, wouldn´t he?

“There will be time for this afterwards.” He thought as he pulled himself together.

Within half an hour they had wired all the base.

“Five minutes before this place becomes nothing but a bad memory.” Fury stated. “Let´s get out of here.”

“Cough, cough … where … what in Helheim? Cough, cough.” Loki voiced mostly to himself as he tried to figure out what had gone wrong.

 

Everything had been according to plan until a few minutes earlier. He had expected to find some resistance from the miners and the scattered guards of that level, but he hadn´t expected anything like this. He tried unsuccessfully to wriggle out of the rubble that pinned him down from the lower half of his torso all the way down his shins, or at least that´s what he thought he couldn´t see his feet but he didn´t felt any weight on them.

 

“Nothing…” He thought concerned as he stretched as far as he could to get a better view of the collapse that had trapped him forming a small cave. He couldn´t hear or see anyone else around. “Maybe that´s a good thing.” He wryly told himself before coughing again.

The three of them had arrived to the mine through the shaft´s elevator. He had disguised themselves as miners with an illusion to walk pass the guards undisturbed. Their plan included turning off the water pumps that prevented the cave from flooding as well as sabotage the area ground support. Wrecking the water stopcock to expedite the flooding should also complicate the reopening of the mine.

Sandman had been more than reticent about that part of the plan and was glad to be in charge of sabotage the support structures that held the mine ceiling in place.

 

Loki growled frustrated and let his head hang back for a couple of seconds before the cough made him lean forward.

“Dammit!” He spat out loud as he saw his hand covered in blood. With the painful weight of the debris crushing him down he hadn’t noticed he was injured; being immobilized prevented him from finding out just how serious his wounds were.

 

Fury had been in charge of messing with the ventilation system; they had to make sure no one could survive down there after they collapse the shaft. Loki wondered now if that had been a good idea.

“I can´t die here.” He protested mentally as he tried once more to push the rubble without success. He grunted in frustration and pain at his failure.

 

Turning on the water stopcock turned out to be the most dangerous part of their mission due to its location. Placed right in the middle of an open field in the mining level it left no place to hide.

Even after nightfall there were miners working everywhere. Okanjo had established too twelve hours shifts to ensure the vibranium extraction never stopped. Because of the properties of the mineral itself the extraction process was done the old way; with pickaxes and chisels. Explosives were banned from the mine; even a small explosion in the wrong place could bring all the cave down instantly. For the same reason their plan didn´t contemplated explosives except for the shaft itself; their plan was to weaken the structure everyway they could and let gravity do the rest.

 

Reaching the water stopcock wasn´t a problem, no one was actually guarding it. But once Loki opened it the sound of running water altered all the miners and guards of the vicinity something was happening. With one swift move from his spear he broke the valve; for a second he smirked satisfied, they wouldn´t be able to close it.

 

“Cough, cough” Once more his memories were interrupted by his current predicament. “Where are they?” He inquired worryingly. They wouldn’t just abandon him there, wouldn’t they?

 

When the first miner arrived and tried to impale him through the back with his pickaxe Loki successfully blocked his attack with his spear turning around unexpectedly. It had been a good thing Steve had convinced him to spar with him a couple of times, he knew just what to expect from the super soldier’s strength and speed. The miner and him exchange a couple of blows more before Loki crossed him with his spear.

Within seconds he was surrounded by twelve more miners. Using both magic blasts and his lance he took care of them; but more miners were arriving to take the place of their fallen comrades.

“Thor would probably stay and fight.” The thought unexpectedly pop in his mind. In a split second he evaluated his options, he had only minor cuts and bruises and he could probably take a couple dozen more miners. “Yes, he would.” Loki thought to himself. “But then I don´t have me to bail myself out when things get out of control.” Next he ran to a scaffold nearby, moving to higher ground seemed like a good idea at the time. If things got too messy he hoped to reach the elevator shaft just as Fury and Sandman did after finishing their own tasks.

 

As pain intensified on his left side he complained loudly as eh shut his eyes closed instinctively. Carefully he tried to slid his hand under the rocks and twisted steel tubes from the scaffold. He couldn´t reach under then, though he wasn’t sure what good could it done if he had been able too. He still had no idea of what his injuries were, healing himself with a chunk of rock or piece of steal embedded in his body was the epitome of a bad idea.

“I need to get out.” He anxiously gazed at his surroundings again. Trying to blast himself out magically would only cave everything down over him and teleporting was as bad an idea as healing himself. “This can´t be happening.” He could feel his breathing becoming agitated as his options slimed down. He closed his eyes fighting hard to withhold the tears he could already feel stinging his eyes as he mentally pleaded. “Please Norns … don´t … don´t let this be the end. Not here, not like this … not now.”

He still didn´t knew what had caused the explosion that provoked the landslide that had brought the mining scaffold down along with a good size of the wall. The guards had begun to shoot at him when he reached the top levels of the scaffold; maybe they had hit a vibranium deposit.

“If the water reaches me …” Suddenly he remembered the open stopcock. Once again he tried to release himself from the rubble over his torso unsuccessfully when a sound made him turn left. For a moment he held his breath terrified of the possibility that the water had finally reached him.

“Sand…” He let out a small laugh. “Thank you Norns.” He thought grateful his time wasn´t over yet.

Within a few minutes Sandman had removed all the debrief that formed the ceiling of Loki´s small cave.

“There you are.” Nick Fury´s voice greeted him. “For a moment we thought we had lost you.” Next he knelt beside Sandman to help him release Loki from the rocks that covered his body. “Shit!” He suddenly spat as he removed a big rock from Loki´s left side.

Loki looked down worryingly; there was a steel tube coming out of his abdomen just below the waist. “Dammit!” He spat in return before leaning up to get a hold of it.

“What the hell do you think you´re doing?” Fury grabbed the tube himself trying to stop him.

“I´m getting it out.” Loki asseverated.

“You don´t know if it got though an artery. Remove it and you could bleed to death.” Fury added somberly.

Loki smirked weakly, his face was covered in dust, bruises and blood. “Don´t tell me you´re worried about me.”

“No, I couldn´t care less about your sorry butt.” Nick lied as he smirked. “But a certain someone would kill me if you didn´t make it.”

Loki looked at him puzzled for a couple of seconds before he realized he was talking about Leah. “Oh! Right.”

Then Fury added to keep Sandman from asking anything. “Yes, your big brother would kill me If I didn’t get you back.”

Loki smirked again. “Don´t worry. I don´t intend on dying here.” He reassured Fury as he got a better hold of the pipe; frowning he took a couple of breaths before forcible pulling it out with a painful growl. Panting he placed his hands over the now open wound as his aura lit. Within a few seconds the only proof of his wound was a small hole in his armour and quite some blood.

As he laboriously sat up he asked. “What happened?”

“One of those stupid mother fucker guards hit an acetylene tank. They nearly did our work for us; you are lucky this part of the mine is in high ground or we wouldn´t had been able to pull you out” fury explained.

“Speaking of that. We should get moving.” Sandman interrupted them. “All that water is making me nervous.”

“You are right. We should get going. Are you ready for more action?” Fury inquired trying not to sound worried. Even if Loki looked all right using all that magic to heal himself should have a cost.

Loki dusted himself before answering. “Yes. Let´s get the hell out of here. I´ve had more than my share of mines already.“ Next he took a look around it looked deserted.

“We took care of those who didn´t die in the explosion.” Nick answered Loki unasked question. “That´s what took us so long.”

Without any further comment they directed themselves to the shaft´s elevator. In their way fury picked up a couple of acetylene tanks, when both Loki and Sandman looked at him questioningly he told them with a grin. “They make a nice explosion.”

When they reached the elevator they wired the lift with explosives before starting their way up. Once in the second level Fury set the timer before sending the elevator back down.

“Let´s get out of here.” He quickly added. The second level was a battlefield by now. Doom, Rhino and Octopus has succeeded in driving all the troops deployed outside into the base.

“Octopus report.” Fury ordered in the comlink.

“All the troops are in and the base is sealed.” Octopus replied sharply.

“Elektro?” He asked next.

“Moving to the officer´s level. Mysterio´s gas worked like a charm. Too bad it didn´t lasted long … and FYI … I´m a bit scared of Venom right now.” Venom´s mad laugh could be overheard.

“Mysterio, what´s your status?” Fury finally asked.

“Umm, we´ve disable all the weapons, but … I think you need to come down here.” Mysterio sounded nervous.

“What´s the problem?” Fury asked irritated.

“You´d better see it for yourself.” Chameleon answered.

“Fuck!” Fury coursed out loud before motioning Loki and Sandman to follow him. “Can you get us to the labs?” He quickly asked Loki.

“Sure.” Loki smiled as he pulled out a card from his clothes.

 

Suddenly a big explosion shockwave could be felt right behind them. When Loki turned back he couldn´t believe his eyes. One of the tanks had fired upon them but Doom had shielded the unsuspecting trio from the explosion. His armour looked a bit scorched.

Loki couldn’t understand what had drove Doom to protect them. Fury and Sandman were thinking probably the same thing because none of them moved looking open mouthed at Doom who suddenly looked back and yelled. “Move it fools!”

That snapped them out of their trance.

“To the elevator.” Fury ordered.

Next Loki went to wake up Fury who wasn´t at all pleased to see him.
​​
“Fury, we need to …” Loki started to say when Fury snapped at him.
​​
“Loki! I thought we already went through this. I don´t care how young are Okanjo’s soldiers or if they had all been brainwash. They might be teens, but they are teens with guns. Goddamit they are guns themselves! Need I remind you that you´re not immortal?”
​​
Loki growled displeased by his last comment, he knew it. “I agree” He dryly answered.
​​
Fury raised his eyebrows surprised as he added. “All right. Then what do you want to talk about?”
​​
“About how to get this mission done right without getting ourselves killed in the process. 10 against two thousand or more … the stakes are too high for my liking.” He answered grimly.
“Ok.” Fury accepted as he walked back to his room “I´m listening.”
​​
Loki walked in and closed the door behind him before getting Fury up to speed. “I´ve just talked to Mysterio, he thinks he can produce enough paralyzing gas to spread through one maybe two levels.”
​​
“We won´t have any certainty about how long will it work on the soldiers.” Fury reasoned.
“No, we won’t. That´s why we have to act quickly and time this to the minute.” Loki agreed.
“Sounds like you have a plan.” Fury acknowledged.
​​
“I do.” Loki confirmed slightly nodding his head affirmative. “I´ll teleport Mysterio, chameleon, Electro and Venom to the third level, as soon as Mysterio has spread the gas he will go to the labs with Chameleon and start working on properly disabling any threats.”
​​
“While Venom and Electro …” Fury pointed out.
​​
“Yes …” Loki agreed with a scowl.
​​
“You´ve spend too much time with the Avengers.” Fury offered.
​​
“Maybe.” Loki accepted. “But I still know when things have to be done. It’s not honourable but it´s the closest to mercy we can offer them.”
​​
Fury pondered his words. “Right.” He agreed heavily; he too wished there was another way but even using the Tahiti program to erase the soldier’s memories in the remote case they were able to imprison them was far-fetched. He wasn´t even sure the deleting memories process would work on them with their healing factor. Leaving them loose in an unsuspecting world would be like setting loose a pack of rabid wolves between a placid heard of sheep; he simply couldn´t do it. “What´s the rest of your plan?”
​​
“After the paralyzing gas has been spread Octopus, Rhino and Doom will attack their outer perimeter. We need them to draw everyone back inside the base so we can seal it. Once inside they can help Venom and Electro finish the job.” Loki volunteered disgruntledly.
​​
“All right.” Fury agreed with his hand on his chin. “What about Sandman, you and me?”
​​
“The three of us will go to the mine to make sure that reopening it ever again proves to be … inconvenient.” Loki ended explaining his plan with those last words.
​​
Fury stayed silent for a moment mentally searching for the plan’s weak point. “I´m not sure this is fool proof but at least is better than what we had. What does Mysterio needs to get this plan going?”
​​
“We´ll find out in the morning.” Loki volunteered displeased.
​​
“Then we should try to get some rest.” Fury offered as he stood up to show Loki to the door.
Loki stood up ready to step out into the hallway when Fury suddenly stopped. “And Loki…”
Loki looked up intrigued, had he forgotten something?
​​
“Good job.” Fury congratulated him looking back he added. “You´ll make a fine addition to the team once this is over.”
​​
Loki looked surprised by fury´s compliment. “Um, thanks … I guess.” It was the first time Fury had told him anything of the kind.
​​
As he walked back to his room Loki dropped into his bed. As he closed his eyes he sighed. “You’re not immortal.” Fury’s words echoed in his ears.
​​
“I know.” He thought to himself. “Regardless of my sentiments on the matter once we are there I won´t hesitate to do whatever it takes to survive. Whatever it takes to come back to them.”
​​
With that las thought he surrender to dreamless sleep.
​​
As the day progressed and all the preparations had been made there was nothing left to do but wait. Loki retired to his room; it had been a while since he had been in a war… a war yes, there was no mistake there. It would be war.
​​
He was familiar with the excitement before a battle but now one thought weighted heavily on his heart; what if …
​​
​​There were so much he hadn’t told her, so much he wished they had shared. Writing a letter was pointless; if they didn´t succeeded there would be no one left to deliver it. A communication was out of the question as well as a visit or a spell. He needed all his strength for tonight.
“I´ll just have to make sure to come back.” He told himself out loud moment before he raised from his bed. “Whatever it takes.” He muttered as he put his helmet on.
​​
His accustomed armour was too flashy for this mission. He had magically made himself a new one, opaque grey that matched the darken green shades of his clothes. However, he had not changed the original design of his helmet that now portrayed the same opaque grey that his armour. Daggers as well as a short sword were hiding between his armour and clothes in case he had to defend himself on a body to body fight. A three-point spear completed his attire.
Shedding his mind of any concerns he walked sternly to the entrance of their base. His bearing betrayed his royal education. The feeling was oddly familiar; going to battle to defend his realm once again. Midgard had become his realm unexpectedly despite the fact he no longer desire to rule it.
​​
Fury watched him as he arrived and smirked, he had never seen any resemblance to Thor until that moment. “Finally! Are you ready?”
​​
Loki smirked back. “I’ve never been more ready.”

It was late at night when Loki finally returned to his room in their improvised headquarters. He dropped in bed overwhelmed by his current situation.

“As long as you remember at the end of the day why are you doing it you´ll be fine” Clint words echoed in his mind. “I hope he´s right.”

He had been thinking for hours trying to come up with a solution that didn´t involve killing all of Okanjo´s army but he had found none. Even taking some of the soldier’s prisoners represented a big risk, not to mention that imprisoning them all was as the Midgardians said pissing into the wind. At one point he had even considered going to Frigga for help, but dismissed the idea quickly. Even if she could somehow forgive him for all that he had done and agreed to help there was always the risk of running accidently into Odin. Not even his mother would be able to shield him from his father´s wrath. Suddenly he realized it was the first time he had thought of them as his family in a good while.

“Why do I keep calling them my parents?” He thought to himself frowning. “Probably the same reason I keep calling Thor my brother.” He sighed as he mentally reprimanded himself. “One problem at a time.”

“It´s useless, we´ll have to do this Fury´s way” He reluctantly accepted his role on their mission. “But now, I´d better come up with some strategies to improve his plan, there´s too many holes on it and I intend to get out of this in one piece … for her.” He wondered what Leah could be doing at the time. Or would she be as sleepless as him? Would her nightmares had left her alone? Was she all right?

Fury had assured him that Andrew would contact them should anything serious happened.

“No news is good news” Fury had told him at a point.

“That’s the most moronic statement I have ever heard” Loki complained to himself as he wondered what would Andrew call something serious.

“If Doom hadn´t tried to kidnap her and Eerika we wouldn´t be in this mess.” He growled angered as he tossed in his bed. He was glad their current headquarters had enough rooms to accommodate them all in separate rooms. If they had been forced to sleep in the same room … he might have accidently given Doom a piece of his mind.

“He crushed her. She even … how could she ever thought Eerika and I would be better off without her?” He sighed displeased. “He ended the job the drunk driver started …. And regretfully I continued.” He sat up crestfallen. “If only I had made a better job protecting her. Sometimes I really don´t know why she loves me, but … I´m glad she does. Maybe I should follow Bruce´s advice and take her on vacations once this is over. Just the two … no the three of us. That would be nice.” He laid back onto his bed smiling.

“I wonder if …” He nodded his head negatively. “Why do I keep doing this to myself?” He admonished himself mentally again “I cannot set foot in Asgard again, not until Odin forgives me, and that’s not going to happen … But I miss her, she might not be my real mother but she´s the only mother I’ve ever known. I wonder if she knows about Eerika… Stop dwelling on it Loki!” He sighed, he could even imagine his mother playing with Eerika in the palace gardens. “Finally a baby girl, she would be thrilled.” He smiled sadly at the thought.

“Will Leah be all right?” He couldn´t stop wondering, but he wouldn´t risk scrying for her. At least all would be over soon; they had decided to strike on their enemies the following night. They would seize the opportunity to cause the biggest damage possible before their troops could react.

“There must be a better way.” He pondered looking at the ceiling. “One that also buys us enough time to dispose of all the chemical and biological weapons permanently. I´d hate to come back to clean up another mess because a spill up mutated due to the vibranium and caused another problem. Maybe …” He suddenly got up and walked over Mysterio´s room. He anxiously knocked as he waited for Mysterio to get up; busting into the room and startling a supervillain wasn´t a good idea. He knew first hand that strike first find out later was an unwritten rule they all abided; and also the best way to survive in their world.

As he heard some noise he kept knocking until a rather angry and dozy Quentin opened up. “Whoever the fuck is knocking at …? Loki! What the hell do you want at this hour?”

“You can complain later.” Loki ignored his outburst. “I need to know. That gas you use to immobilize people … can you make enough of it? To spread it through an entire level, maybe two?”

Quentin scratched his head. “Umm, yes I think so … I might need some chemicals and figure a way to disperse it, but yes, I think I could do it.”

“How long do you think the gas would work on the super soldiers?” Loki asked anxiously as a plan formed in his head.

“Their metabolism is what? Four times faster than a normal human … maybe 7-10 minutes.” Quentin volunteered, that wasn´t much time.

“Can you increase its potency? Make it last longer? Maybe 15-20 minutes?” Loki inquired in hope.

“Maybe … I would have to make some tests.” He volunteered.

“We don´t have time for tests, we are striking tomorrow!” Loki growled frustrated.

Quentin looked at him with a scowl as he tried to come up with a solution, finally he told him. “I´ll ask for the Doctors’ help, and even Doom´s If I have to. It will be ready.”

Loki frowned displeased, he hated to have to rely on Doom’s help but knew they didn´t had a choice. “All right” He reluctantly agreed.

“Fine. Now unless you need to ask me something else I´m going back to sleep.” Quentin told him before yawning, noticing Loki´s bemused look he added. “Handling chemicals is better done in the morning with a clear head.”

Loki couldn´t argue with that. “Are you sure it would be ready by tomorrow?” He asked sternly.

“Not if you keep grilling me.” Quentin spat annoyed.

Loki felt quite irritated himself but getting into a quarrel about it wasn´t the best idea. “Start working on that gas first thing in the morning. I want it ready as soon as possible.” He started walking away but changed his mind and turned back. “And Mysterio … don´t confuse my haste to resolve this matter with weakness. Don´t forget who you are talking to.” He stared directly into his eyes.

Quentin paled, Loki could squash him as a bug if he wanted. “No … I´m just moody when woken up. I didn´t …”

“Forget about it.” Loki interrupted him. “Just make sure the gas is ready on time.”

“Yes, I will.” Quentin quickly replied.

As he got back to his room Loki laid down again trying to calm his mind from the whirlwind of ideas that flooded his mind. Mysterio was right about something he´d better get some sleep too. He sighed upset, he too had become accustomed to sleeping with Leah by his side; he felt as if a part of himself was missing. If everything worked out, he should be back at her side in a couple of days’ top. There was nothing else to do but to concentrate on the mission. Except for a constant nuisance … Doom. Besides of being an incessant reminder of Leah´s downfall he was also a risk. He had to make sure he couldn´t get his hand into any vibranium … what if they divide into more than two teams?

After Andrew left Tony walked right back to be with Leah. “So? What did he say? Are you in trouble?”

“Umm … actually … no.” Leah answered shrugging her shoulders; she hardly could believe it herself.

“You are kidding me! For a moment I thought he would send you to the looney bin.” He confessed with irony.

“I´m not crazy!” Leah adamantly defended herself; then she looked at her injured hands. “Even if …” She didn´t knew how to end her sentence; even if she understood her reasons they didn´t seemed to justify her actions.

“What´s wrong?” Tony asked concerned by her change in demeanor. “I was just messing with you. I didn´t meant anything by it. I really don´t think that …”

Leah interrupted him. “No, it´s not that.” She sighed. “It´s just … can we just stay in my room for the rest of the day?”

“Sure, we could. But why?” Tony asked baffled by her request.

“I just … I´ve had enough for a day.” She answered in a gloomy voice.

“Enough of what?” Tony asked her out loud; suddenly he realized what she had meant. “You don´t want to face everybody else, am I right?”

“They´ll find out soon enough anyway; I just … I can´t do it, not twice in a day …” She didn´t knew how to explain it to him.

Tony looked at her confused. “Ok. You know what? We can´t keep doing this. I need you to tell me what´s going on. Exactly what is it that you can´t do twice?”

Leah looked at him nervously; he was right, she needed to tell him. “It´s just that … every time.” She sighed disquiet.

“Leah you can tell me anything. What´s bothering you?” Tony tried to comfort her as he held her hands gently.

Leah bit her lower lip as she nodded her head in agreement. “Every time I screw up since … since Doom … most of the time … most of you don´t get angry at me any more … you just give me this look. I can´t stand that look, so full of pity. At first it just bothered me but lately …” She stopped for a moment as she sighed again, why was it so hard? “Lately I´ve been feeling that … that maybe you are right to look at me that way. That it doesn´t matter what I do or how hard I try I´ll always be a screw up, that I´ll always be the damaged one, that I do deserve your pity cause I´m never going to get any better.” She kept her gaze to the ground.

“Leah …” Tony was speechless, he had no idea. “I … I don´t know what to say. Why didn´t you told us you felt like that?”

“I didn´t wanted … I´ve caused enough trouble already … I know you didn´t … I didn´t wanted to hurt your feelings.” She looked at him apologetically; it sounded worse than how it had sounded in her mind.
“Instead you just let us hurt yours.” Tony motioned her disaprovingly.

“I know; it sounds really bad said like that.” Leah acknowledged. “I´m sorry; I just didn´t knew how to tell you. And every time it happened I just felt angrier at myself and … Tony I’m so sorry I snapped at you in the morning.” Leah apologized heartily.

“And I´m sorry I overcrowded you.” He scratched his nape, it hadn´t been her fault alone. “It´s just that … you´ve been through so much I just wish … I don’t want … it´s just that … I want you to be safe and happy. Seeing you having a nightmare; it just drove me crazy because I can´t protect you from that, none of us can. I don´t want anything happening to you anymore.”
“I know Tony. But you can´t protect me from everything.  And I need to know you have faith in me; I need to know you trust me, maybe then I will be able to do it myself. I just want to know I´m not completely useless.” Leah admitted.

“You are not completely useless” Tony responded adamantly. “And I´m sorry if we ever made you feel that way.”

“It´s not your fault; I should´ve said something sooner.” Leah told him with sincerity. Maybe if she had she wouldn´t … she looked at her hands worriedly.

Tony looked at her hands too. “I know you don´t want to, but I really think you need to talk to everyone and let them know how you feel.”

“Maybe.” Leah agreed reluctantly. “But I´d much rather get scolded by Bruce again than facing that look.” She dreaded to think about the look in their eyes when they finally saw her injured hands.

Tony hugged her. “Forget about that, just tell them how you feel. And when Loki gets back make sure to tell him too.”

Leah closed her eyes as she let Tony´s warmth comfort her; suddenly she asked gingerly. “Can’t you tell them for me?”

Tony scolded her immediately. “Leah!”

“All right. I´ll tell them myself.” Leah pouted as she reluctantly agreed.

“Tony is right. If it bothered, you so much you should´ve said something sooner.” Bruce suddenly told her; he was about to enter the room when he overheard them talking.
“Bruce … you heard everything?” Leah asked embarrassed.

“Yes. I´m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I didn´t wanted to interrupt you either so …” He apologized while running his hand over his hair nervously.

“It´s all right Bruce. Tony is right I should talk to all of you about it.” She shrugged her shoulders. She didn´t wanted to do it, but knew she had to.

“Stop worrying, they will understand.” Tony reassured her. “Now let´s grab lunch. I´m quite sure you missed breakfast too.”

Bruce immediately scolded her. “Tell me you didn´t.”

Leah pouted slightly. “I´m sorry?” She didn’t knew what else to tell him.

Bruce nodded his head negatively as he sighed loudly next he rubbed his forehead with his palm. “Stop skipping meals Leah! You aren´t invulnerable you know?”

Leah bowed her head down while he scolded her. “I know Bruce. I´m sorry. It won´t happen again. I know I keep saying it every time this happens but I really am. And there´s something different this time, I don´t feel so scared any more. I …I” She frowned uncertain. “I don´t know how to explain this.” They had always been there at her side, but somehow she had felt alone; not anymore.

“You don’t have to.” Bruce volunteered, he and Andrew had talked for a good while. Even if he hadn´t told him anything specific he had been rather optimistic about Leah´s recovery. “Andrew told me he believes you will get better and I want to believe him.” Bruce acknowledged. “Now, don´t disappoint us.”

“I won´t.” Leah promised.

As the tree of them walked into the dining room Clint spat shocked. “What the hell happened now?” He had noticed Leah´s splinters the second she walked in.

“I … I …” Leah stammered taken by surprise as she instinctively took a step back.
Bruce intervened. “She broke two fingers on each hand; but If you let her explain. We have much to talk about.” Next she gave Leah a small push as he invited her to sit.
Leah sat nervously rubbing her palms. “First of all I want to apologize to all of you about this morning; I know I screw up.” She frowned abashed by the memories. “I … I´m really sorry. I shouldn’t had said any of those things. It´s just that …” Next she explained them what had happened that morning leaving bits and pieces out of her recollection. The last thing she needed was making them worry.
Everyone listened attentively. One by one they became self-aware about how they looked at her.

“Why didn´t you said something before?” Clint asked her bemused.

“I´m not sure … at first I thought it would pass. That if I somehow got better you wouldn’t have a reason to look at me like that anymore but things just got worse. I don´t know, I felt foolish.” She lowered her gaze discomforted.

“There’s no point on dwelling on that.” Steve told them. “What´s important is that now we can do something about it.” They all agreed with him. “Leah …” Once she looked up he continued. “We have to reach an agreement so that this kind of thing does not happen again. I think I can speak for all of us when I tell you we only want to do what´s best for you. But if you don´t tell us how you feel or what you need we can´t help you. “

“I know Steve. I´ve been so wrapped on sorting things out by myself I forgot I didn´t had to. And I just made an even bigger mess.” She sighed as she looked at her splinters.
“What happened?” Natasha asked calmly.

Leah sighed again before telling them. “Tony and I got into a big fight earlier, and I kind of lashed out at the punching bag.”

“Leah!” Natasha scolded her while giving Tony a disapproving look.

“I know.” Leah whined. “I just was so angry I couldn´t help myself. If Tony hadn´t found me when he did …”

“But I did.” Tony interrupted her. “We both said things we shouldn´t have but we worked it out.”

“All right.” Steve acknowledged, seemed neither Tony or Leah felt especially talkative about their fight. “Does Andrew know?”

“Yes, he does.” Bruce asseverated. “Curiously he thinks that lashing out was good for her. He even said it might have been worth some broken bones.” He ended with irony while looking at Leah.

They all looked surprised by his last statement. Leah knew he was still angry at her for being so careless and shyly volunteered. “I´m sorry.”

“All right.” Tony told them chirpily. “Now that we all know what happened can we eat? I´m famished! “ He had skipped breakfast too, but mostly he was eager to change the subject.

When Clint served Leah her plate she looked worryingly at it “How am I supposed to…” was her thoughts when Tony interrupted them.

“Do you need any help?” He animatedly offered.

Leah looked at him and then again at her plate. “I don´t know.” She answered doubtfully; she had broken her middle and ring finger of her right hand and her ring and baby finger of her left.  “Let me give it a try.” She finally answered.

“All right.” Tony agreed.

After a couple of minutes fidgeting with her cutlery Leah gave up. “All right.” She sighed displeased by her defeat. “I might need some help.”

Tony quickly snatched her plate before she could change her mind and started cutting her food into small pieces. She wouldn´t have much trouble just to pinch them. “Leah, I´m afraid you are going to need help with tons of other things, like bathing for example.”

Leah ducked into the table; she knew he was right but she hated it. She mumbled something beneath her breath, she hadn´t expected anyone to hear it except she had forgotten about Steve who suddenly busted laughing.

“What?” Tony asked intrigued.

“Ahh, nothing.” Steve answered trying not to laugh.

“She said something, didn’t she?” Tony asked again.

“I don´t think she would like me to repeat her words. “Steve volunteered.

“What did she said?” Clint asked too.

“Leah?” Steve asked politely.

Leah suddenly answered their question without raising from the table. “I´m not bathing until Loki gets back.”

Everyone busted laughing.

“It´s not funny.” Leah complained without moving.

“I´m sorry. I know it´s not funny to you, but it’s hilarious for us.” Tony admitted still laughing.

Leah raised her head giving Tony a dirty look that clearly spelled I hate you. “At least can you tell me if you can build some nanobots?”

Tony ignored her stare and plainly told her. “I´m afraid no. We simply don´t have the materials necessary.”

“Can´t you just go out and get them?” Leah asked frustrated.

“And risk Loki´s anger?” Tony asked surprised. “No, he left clear instructions about not leaving the mansion unless there was an emergency. And I´m sorry baby but that …” He pointed to her hands. “… that doesn´t qualifies as one.”

Leah sank her head into the table again. “I’m so death.” She exclaimed disheartened.

“Come on it´s not that bad.” Tony tried to reassure her.

“Really? You don´t think Loki is going to freak when he sees this?” Leah raised her hands as he gave Tony an annoyed look.

“Don´t worry Leah” Thor intervened. “He might beb very upset at first but i´m sure he will understand.”

“You really think so?” Leah asked in hope.

“Yes, I do.” Thor volunteered. “And look at the bright side, he´ll certainly heal them for you.”

“Either way.” Tony interrupted them. “I was going to suggest Natasha helped you. You´ll be more comfortable.”

“All right.” Leah sighed, it didn´t seemed like she had much of a choice.

Loki looked attentively at the base entrance; he could see some transports and troops deployed in the field surrounded by the rock formation he was hiding in. The dense jungle vegetation protected him from any unwelcomed eyes. He had been there for a long time; enough to notice that most of the officers were members of Hydra, their arrogant ways betrayed them. Okanjo´s army was composed mostly of young people of not more than 30 years, probably even younger. The discipline with which they followed orders and their almost mechanical movements surprised him; even Asgardian soldiers didn´t showed that level of discipline at such a young age.

Something was wrong; Okanjo should´ve recruited them a very early age to get that kind of result was his first thought; although according to the reports Okanjo hadn´t been in power long enough, he must have cut some corners somehow. Then it occurred him, the only way he could´ve manage to create this kind of army in such a little time was if most if not all of his army was composed of brainwashed super soldiers. It was unlikely that they were all volunteers; he must have forcible recruited them. That could work either in their favor or against them.

Suddenly he remembered the mission directives, no prisoners, no witnesses; he sighed annoyed. If someone had told him over a year ago he would be having second thoughts about killing he would´ve laughed in their faces, but too many things had happened; he wasn´t the same man he once was.

He cursed both Doom and Fury under his breath; if it wasn´t for them he wouldn´t be in such a position. He knew he didn´t had a choice, not if he wanted Fury to fulfill his promises; he would have to do whatever it took to accomplish their mission successfully even if he despised himself for doing it.

“How did this happen?” He questioned himself mentally. “When did I became so soft? I would have had a problem killing them all if I hadn’t met her. Is this really what I want? To be like … Thor? To strive to do the right thing? Is she really worth it?” He immediately answered his own question vehemently. “Yes, she is.”

With that final thought he discarded his reserves about the mission and resumed his surveillance; it was just one mission, the only mission of this sort he would embark on ever again. “What had she said to Doom? Oh, yes, that she would forfeit her soul for our sakes, it seems it´s my turn to make good on her word.” He sighed decided, he couldn´t lose her, he knew the price when he accepted the mission.

He needed to gather more information, walking undetected to the base wasn´t a problem; he could just shapeshift into a soldier and mingle in. What worried him was how to move inside the compound without restrictions and not raise any suspicions. He would have to get a closer look; he needed to understand their enemies better, learn about their ranks, uniforms, rules and procedures if he was going to successfully infiltrate them. Becoming invisible was an attractive option, but although he could hide without a problem of the security cameras; doors opening by themselves would certainly call someone´s attention. No, a simpler solution would be best.

He teleported from his current position to only a few meters from their perimeter where he could observe them closely. After thoroughly learning the uniform differences between ranks and many other useful facts he shifted into a young soldier; he contemplated for a moment his current darker skin and uniform. “This should do just fine.” He thought pleased by the result. “Now let´s find out how far can I go into this rabbit´s hole.” He waited for the perfect opportunity and joined a column of soldiers that were returning to the base after their watch had ended.

Once inside he noticed Fury´s assumptions had been right; the first level was the transports hangar. He could see tanks, trucks, jeeps and even some small airplanes and helicopters lined around. “No sign of the armory yet” He thought as he slyly memorized every detail. “It must be on the next level.”

A couple of hours later he returned to their base.

“Where have you been? And why did you turn your communicator off?” Was Fury´s irritated greeting.

“I went to see if your intel was right.” Loki answered unconcerned.

“I thought we agreed that Chameleon would do that.” Fury scolded him coldly as he crossed his arms.

“I decided I wanted to see the place for myself.” Loki told him with a smirk as he added. “You´ll thanks me when I teleport us safely in.”

“You said you could do that successfully without even knowing the place.” Fury sternly answered while looking him in the eye.

“I could, but why risk it?” Loki just brushed off Fury´s comment as if it wasn’t important.

“What do you mean risk it?” Fury asked a mix of anger and concern in his voice.

Loki frowned annoyed; why was Fury interrogating him? He would make sure they get the mission done; what did it matter if he had gone by himself? No one had noticed him.

“Don´t worry about it, as I just said there´s no risk now. No one suspected anything and either way two pair of eyes are better than one.” Telling him that there was always the risk of teleporting in the middle of a crowded room instead of an isolated hallway didn´t seem like a good idea.

Fury grunted annoyed. “Loki might be right. We need all the information we can get.” He thought to himself. “All right; I´ll let it slide … for now. Tell me what you got.”

It wasn’t long before Chameleon returned to the base too; between his information and Loki´s they had enough information to understand what they were up against.

The compound was 9 levels deep, the first level was the transportation hangar; the armory and the mining equipment was on the next level. The 3^rd and 4^th levels were living quarters of the army as well as the kitchen and mess hall. The following level was shared by Okanjo and Hydra´s officers; they had learned that the Hydra leader was Deiter Eberstark. Levels 6 and 7 were the shooting and training facilities and probably also the seat of their super-soldier program. Levels eight and nine were the labs; strictly off-limits unless you had a special identification badge which unlocked the elevator and allowed you to descend to those levels. The last level was the entrance to the mine shaft; the mine had its own elevator and could only be reached from the second level.

“Wouldn´t it be better if we created a diversion and get everyone out of the way?” Loki suddenly asked Fury once they were alone; Fury looked up at him surprised by his suggestion. “That way it would be easier to break in.” Loki added quickly.

“You know our orders Loki.” Fury responded sternly.

“You gave the orders; you can change them.” Loki volunteered.

Fury stared at him for a moment. “All right. Let´s say we do that. Then, what am I supposed to do with hundreds of enemy super-soldiers running around? He asked him defiantly. “Wait until something goes wrong?”

“Many of them are barely in … their teens.” Loki elaborated; it didn’t hurt to try to change his mind.

“I already know that Loki!” Fury acknowledged displeased. “It doesn´t matter. Okanjo and Hydra have molded them to serve their twisted purposes; there´s no turning back for them. We simply can´t afford such assets to fall into the wrong hands. I might not like it either but it´s necessary.”

“But …” Loki tried to protest.

“I said no; if you have a problem with that you can go back right now.” Fury menaced him angered.

Loki clenched his jaw angry at Fury´s negative and answered between his teeth. “I don’t. I just think it is a waste.”

Leah´s and Tony´s argument worried Steve; after some consideration he decided to try to talk to Tony again. It didn´t took him long to find him; he was in the communication room working busily while he ended his second bottle of vodka.

“Tony, what are you doing?” Steve asked worryingly eyeing the empty bottles.

“What does it looks like I´m doing? I´m working!” Tony spat annoyed.

“You know that´s not what I meant.” Steve told him sternly.

“As soon as Loki returns I´m out of here; I don´t want to leave any loose ends.” He replied dryly as he kept working in some wires.

“Tony, you don´t need to do that! I´m certain Leah will apologise to you about this morning. Just give her a chance; she´s having a bad day …” Steve tried to reassure Tony who just kept working as he wryly answered. “Well, I´m having a bad life. I don’t care.”

“Tony I know she hurt you, but you can´t do that. Think about how Leah will feel if you leave.” Steve kept trying to reason with him.

“I don´t know and I don´t care. She made it very clear. I´m done worrying about her.” He furiously glared at Steve.

“But Tony …” Steve started to say when Tony interrupted him.

“I don’t care Steve. Beat it! I´m working.” Tony growled.

Steve sighed disappointed and told Tony before he left. “Just make sure you won´t regret it later.”

“Regret it later? Regret it later!” Tony mumble between his teeth. “The only thing I regret is getting caught in this mess.”

Leah didn’t have a hard time looking for Tony either after her session with Andrew ended.

Tony had piled three empty bottles by the time she arrived to the communications room. As Leah walked in she looked nervously at the bottles. “Oh God! He´s really angry. Dammit Leah! You just couldn´t keep your mouth shut.”

She swallowed hard before frightfully calling his attention. “Tony?”

“So you finally came!” He spat slyly. “Save it! I don´t care.”

“But Tony, I’m sorry …” Leah nervously told him as she clutched her hands.

“I don’t care how sorry you are! I´m not forgiving you this time.” Tony yelled at her spitefully. “I´m done playing this game!”

Leah looked at him hurtfully and gingerly volunteered. “I know I deserve your anger; but please Tony listen to me.”

“Why on hell would I do that?” Tony spat enraged. “So you can tell me again how sorry you are until the next time you conveniently forget and do some stupid bullshit again. No, Leah; if the other´s put up with your crap that´s their problem; I´m done with you.”

“Tony please. I didn´t meant it. I just was so angry …” Leah pleaded anxiously.

“Why should I believe you?” Tony asked her wrathful.

“Because I’m telling you the truth!” Leah cried desperate.

“The truth?” Tony laughed wryly. “Like when you told us the truth about just wanting to take a stroll before you tried to escape? I should’ve learn my lesson then. No, I wouldn´t believe you even if you got Saint Rogers to vouch for you.”

“Please Tony, just give me a chance to explain.” She begged again; she was trying very hard not to cry. Even so, her eyes threatened to overflow with unshed tears.

“And for God´s sake don´t even start crying! The broken girl routine is getting old.” Tony harshly admonished her.

“But tony, please! Think of everything we´ve been through together …” Leah tried to appeal to Tony once more.

“I am.” Tony assure her. “I´m sick of your martyr routine too! Yes, Doom; you can rape me if you let Loki and my child go.” He mocked her merciless. “Who does that?” Tony ranted against her again.

“Tony!” Leah looked at him appalled. “Why …?”

“What?! Does the truth hurts?” Tony mocked her. “You can stop trying. As soon as Loki gets back I’m out of here. And then we won´t have to see each other ever again.”

Leah´s tears pour freely by now; she didn´t even though of defending herself against his accusations; she didn´t wanted to fight with him anymore. She bit her lower lip before gathering herself to tell him. “It doesn´t matter if you don’t believe me. I …am … sorry. You were the best friend I´ve ever had and I´m so sorry I hurt you. I … I will miss you!” Her voice broke; unable to stop the outpour of emotions she ran out of the room crying.

Tony just looked at her leave before resuming his work; after a couple of minutes the full realisation of what he had done settle in. As she stopped working he spat out loud. “Dammit Leah!” Next he rushed out to find her.

First he tried her room, next the interior garden; there was no sign of her in the nursery or the kitchen. He felt too guilty to ask the rest of the team to help him find her; suddenly he pass through one of the training rooms and thought he had heard her voice. As he peaked in he saw a shocking scene. Leah kept ranting against herself while she punched the sandbag placed in the back of the room with all her strength; sand was pouring out through a dozen holes. But what made him open his mouth horrified was the blood smeared all over the bag; the same blood that dripped down from Leah´s knuckles into her arms and clothes. After his initial shock Tony was able to make out Leah’s words between her sobs. “Stop doing everything wrong … stop being so stupid … stop failing every time … you´re doing it wrong … you´re doing it wrong … can´t you do anything right? The accident … your escape … Doom … Loki …. Tony … Thor … stop doing everything wrong … “ She kept repeating the same words over and over in the same cycle as she bawled her hear out completely unaware of Tony´s presence, venting all her anger in every single blow; she didn´t even acknowledge the pain in her bloody hands anymore. She kept playing everything in her mind again and again; she needed to get things right, she couldn´t afford to keep failing … she just couldn´t.

Tony was taken back by the heart-breaking scene; seeing all the pain reflected on Leah´s face made his heart cringe. Swiftly he walked behind her and in one swift move embraced her while pulling her away from the punching bag.

“Leah stop! Please … stop.” He pleaded with tears in his eyes.

Leah looked back at him astonished before wailing. “Tony, I’m sorry! I´ll get things right, I promise. I promise … I won’t screw up anymore. Please, I’m sorry.” She kept crying with her head bowed down. “I´m sorry, I’m sorry!” She was sniffling so hard she was shaking.

“I know, I know, i´m sorry. I shouldn´t have said those things to you. Please stop crying.” He held her tight against his chest leaning his head into hers. For a couple of minutes they didn’t said a word comforted by each other´s presence. It was Leah who broke the silence as she leaned her head to look at his face; with great effort she managed to tell him before starting to sob again. “You are all my family.”

Tony´s eyes watered again after hearing her confession; he turned her to face him so he could embrace her, resting her head in his chest he told her. “And you are ours.”

“I´m sorry.” She said once more.

“Shhh, it´s all right. It´s al right.” He rocked her against his chest for a while until she stopped crying. Suddenly he sighed as he told her in a joking tone. “If I didn’t know better I would swear we are related. We sure know how to make a mess.”

Leah couldn´t help to laugh. She looked up at him as she answered. “Yes, we do.”

“Let me take a look at your hands.” He told her next trying to hide the concern in his voice.

Leah felt like a child about to get a scolding and shyly lift her hands for him to see with a worried expression in her face she realised how bad they look.

Tony sighed disapprovingly as she examined them. “We are going to need Bruce to take a look at this.”

“But …” Leah pouted with a pleading expression in her face.

“Sorry love; not this time. We need a doctor.” Tony told her firmly.

When they found Bruce Tony approached him; Leah stood nervously behind him hiding her hands which Tony had provisionally bandaged with a piece of his own shirt.

“Bruce, before you start nagging us … we know; we are a couple of fools, but …” He pulled Leah in front of him showing Bruce her injured hands. “We need you to take a look at these.”

“So Andrew, what do you think?” Bruce asked him as they watched through the glass at Leah and Tony chatting animatedly.

Andrew stared at the pair teasingly joking with each other. “She´s going to be all right Bruce. I think we can relax now.”

“But Andrew; she just managed to break four metacarpals not to mention the damage she inflicted on her knuckles. Without the nanobots it will take her a week or more to heal …”

“Bruce …” Andrew interrupted all the time keeping his eyes on Leah and tony. “What do you see?”

Bruce looked up. “They are fooling around.” He finally suggested.

“Yes.” Andrew smiled. “When was the last time you saw her that relaxed?”

Bruce considered his answer for a while before admitting. “When her child was born.”

“So, you would say she looks happy, am I right?” Andrew asked him.

“I guess so.” Bruce reluctantly volunteered.

“Whatever happened it looks like it might have been worth a couple of broken bones.” Andrew suggested kindly.

Bruce looked at them attentively before acknowledging “Maybe … are you going to talk to her?”

“I you allow it I would like to.” Andrew admitted.

Meanwhile inside the room Tony teased Leah about her new splints. “Even with your healing factor you won´t be able to get rid of them before Loki arrives. I would hate to be you when he sees them.”

Leah pouted, she knew she wouldn´t heard the end of it if she had to explain o Loki how she managed to break two fingers of each hand. “You´re supposed to cheer me up, not get me down. What kind of friend are you?”

“The one that puts up with you.” Tony jokingly answered. “And …baby. You´re going to get it!” He nodded his head negatively faking a concerned look.

Leah pouted even more. “That´s not fair. It isn´t all my fault!”

“You´re the one that decided to knock the hell of the punching bag … so it is your fault.” Tony told her with irony.

Leah whined. “Can you make some nanobots to fix my bones? Please Tony…”

“I don’t know.” Tony told her. “What´s in it for me?”

“My eternal gratitude.” Leah suggested hopefully.

“Mmm… I don´t know.” Tony kept teasing her.

“Come on Tony, you´re so smart … I´m sure you could make some with your eyes closed.” Leah compliment him trying to get him to help her.

“Maybe if you compliment my skills again.” Tony joked.

Leah sighed amused. “All right…. Tony …”

Tony hurried to suggest her. “Please help me …”

“Please help me …” Leah repeated.

“Cause you are the only one smart enough.” Tony continued.

“Cause you are the only one smart enough.” Leah repeated.

“And also handsome and great …” Tony added.

Leah whined annoyed. “Tony! Are you going to help me or not?”

“I´ll do my best girl” He finally agreed. “But remember I can´t make you any promises; most of my equipment is in the tower.”

“Thank you.” Leah smiled him with a smile.

They were just changing the subject when Andrew walked in.

Leah´s first thought was “I´m screwed.”

“Tony, could you give Leah and me a minute?” He nicely asked.

Tony looked at Leah´s guilty expression and considered it for a while before acceding.

“I´m out of the rescue team.” Leah plainly volunteered before Andrew said a word.

“Actually not, you´re still in.” Andrew told her with a smile. “Strictly off field till you are healed, but you can still lead the team.”

“But… why? “Leah asked intrigued before adding “I broke my hands.”

“Yes, you did. But I have a feeling you will manage one way or the other. “Andrew volunteered.

Leah expression changed to a thankful one. “I … thank you.” She hugged Andrew warmly.

“No.” Leah whispered agitated in her dream waking up Tony who drowsily complained. “What …?”

“Shh…” Thor shushed him, he had noticed her restlessness too. “she´s dreaming.”

Tony looked at Leah´s concerned expression and replied quietly with a frown. “No, she’s´ having a nightmare.”

Leah whined softly as she tossed in her dream.

“Shouldn´t we wake her up?” Tony asked anxiously.

“I don´t think so.” Thor volunteered in a low tone.

Tony pouted slightly unconvinced of letting the nightmare to continue and turned left to gently shook Bruce who was still asleep.

“Mmm? What…?” Bruce frowned about being abruptly woken up.

“Bruce, should you wake up someone who´s having a nightmare?” Tony asked without waiting for Bruce to be fully awaken.

“Should you … what?” Bruce asked as he yawned.

“Leah´s having a nightmare.” Thor explained. “should we wake her up?”

Bruce sat up as he took a glimpse at Leah who had curled up while mumbling something he couldn´t quiet discern. He scratched his head for a moment before answering. “No, not unless it gets worst.”

“Worst how?” Tony asked impatiently.

“Only if she starts screaming or if there was a risk of her hurting herself or any of you.” Bruce elaborated.

“so we just watch and do nothing?” Tony angrily huffed.

“It might fade by itself.” Bruce suggested in hope.

“what´s happening?” Steve drowsily asked as he stretched beside Thor; he had heard something going on.

“Leah´s havinga nightmare.” Thor explained again.

“Is it bad?” Steve asked concerned.

“Do you know any good nightmares?” Tony asked in irony.

“No.” Leah said softly.

“Did she just answered us?” Bruce asked intrigued.

“I don´t know; she might have.” Tony answered confused. “Are you sure we can´t wake her up?”

“No, Tony; we shouldn´t. You would startle her.” Bruce asseverated.

“I´m sure that´s not a good idea.” Natasha volunteered, both her and Clint had also woken up at the sound of their voices.

“Go back to sleep.” Clint complained while hoping the nightmare would stop by itself.

Suddenly Leah sat up startled by something im her dream, her breathing was ragged, her eyes were unfocused and misty.

Tony leaned to hold her shoulder as he asked. “Leah, are you ok?”

Leah looked at him confused for a moment, suddenly she noticed everyone staring at her; with a big frustrated sigh she buried her head between her hands, her long hair hid the rest of her face. “It´s just a nightmare.” She plainly told them. “Why now? Couldn´t it waited until I was alone? The look on their faces …” She complained mentally. “They think … I´m broken, and why shouldn´t they? Maybe I need to accept I’m never going to be all right ever again.” Regardless of her thoughts she told them. “I´m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Tony asked again as he gently placed his hand over her back.

His touch made Leah snap annoyed. “I said I was fine.” For a second he glared at him angrily before closing her eyes as she sighed with frustration. “I´m sorry. I´m fine.” The moment she opened her eyes she asked. “What time is it?”

“Around eight.” Clint answered drowsily; he had turned his back to the whole scene and was lazily hugging the pillow.

“I´d better take a shower before Eerika wakes up.” She volunteered; without giving them any time she jumped out of the bed and walked to the dressing room. No one spoke again until they heard the sound of running water.

“She´s … angry.” Tony told them bemused.

“Of course she is, you all just had to stare at her.” Clint complained angrily.

“And you weren´t?” Tony asked incredulous.

“Of course I was, I just wasn´t that obvious.” He answered as he sat up. “How would you feel if you were in her place?”

“Angry.” Bruce suggested. “Clint is right; we all need to stop treating her as an accident waiting to happen.”

“But …” Tony began to say when Bruce interrupted him.

“Just think about it Tony; we all have been treating her as you treated me the first time we met on board of the hellicarrier. Take my word on it, it´s frustarting.” Bruce confessed.

“I guess you are right.” Steve volunteered next. “We need to start trusting she will get through this.”

“It’s hard to trust yourself when no one else does.” Natasha added in a pensive tone.

Tony huffed, he knew they were all right but he didn’t felt comfortable with the idea. “so what? We leave her alone?” He asked vexed.

“No.” Thor answered. “We just give her some space. She will ask for our help should she need it.”

As they kept discussing the matter a complete different scene was taking place in the bathroom.

Leah had turned on the shower and crumbled under it; she hadn´t even bothered on removing her clothes.

“I´m never going to make it.” She repeated to herself mentally as she silently cried under the spray of the shower; the cold water hit her merciless but she didn´t cared. She just sat there shivering; at least the cold distracted her from the pain she felt in her chest. After a while of debating with herself she whispered. “They can´t know.” Trembling she closed the shower faucet. “Maybe If I´m convincing enough I can fool myself.” She wryly reasoned as she removed her clothes.

“Do you think she´s all right?” Tony asked worryingly. “She´s been there for a while.”

“Tony … for love´s sake; let her be!” Natasha admonished harshly.

“But …” Tony started to complain when Leah walked out of the dressing room; she had changed into a pullover and jeans. She hadn´t even dried her hair in her hurry to get out; despite her best efforts to hide it the redness in her eyes betrayed her; she had been crying.

“I´m going to check on Eerika.” She informed them sternly before walking out of the room. She felt too angry and embarrassed to be amongst them.

Thor sighed concerned, but knew she would need some space before calming down. He already had made the mistake of overburden her once.

Before anyone could prevent it Tony rushed out to follow her; she was a couple of steps from the nursery when he managed to grab her arm. “Wait! Leah!”

“What, Tony?! What?!” She asked trying unsuccessfully to hide her anger.

“Are you all right?” He asked again ignoring her tone.

“I already told you I am. What else do you want from me? Why won´t you leave me alone?” She growled defiantly. “I don’t need you to watch over me, I don´t need any of you to watch over me. We are not related; we are not family, you are not my brother; stop acting as you fucking were. “

Tony was unprepared for her reaction; as he opened his mouth to say something Leah just snapped. “You know what? I don´t have time for this. Stop following me! And get this through that thick skull of yours I want you to leave me alone!” With that she rushed into the nursery leaving tony alone in the hallway.

“I´m sure she didn´t meant any of that.” Steve said to Tony trying to comfort him. “Just let her calm down.”

Tony expression changed from hurt to angry. “She´s right! Why should I care? After all we are not family, she´s not my sister.” He huffed angrily before turning walking back to his room.

Steve watched him with a concern look on his face before walking back to Leah´s room. Everyone had overheard Leah´s and Tony´s argument and were lost in their own thoughts.

Steve sighed before telling them. “I think we should fix her room up before we leave. And … we should give her some space; at least for a while.”

They all agreed quietly.

When Leah closed the nursery door behind her she leaned her back into it as ash let herself slide down. “What´s wrong with me?” She asked herself before answering with irony. “As if you didn’t know …” Eerika´s cry pull her out of her thoughts; as she cleaned her tears with her sleeve she answered in a soft voice “I´m here.”

She stayed in the nursery until it was time for her session with Andrew; she really didn’t wanted to see anyone but knew that if she skipped a session Fury may had left instructions to leave her out of the rescue mission; and she couldn’t let that happen. Clint would surely check on Eerika as he did every time she went to her sessions. Unwillingly she walked into the studio where Andrew was already waiting for her.

Andrew watched her attentively as she sat in; it was obvious something was wrong. “How are we doing this morning?” He asked in a casual tone.

Leah looked at him annoyed. “As fine as I can be.” She spat angrily.

“That´s not true.” Andrew volunteered.

“So?” Leah answered back irritated.

“I thought we had already agreed that you wouldn’t lie to me.” Andrew admonished her.

“What does it matter? I´m never going to get any better than this. I might as well accept it” Leah huffed vexed.

“What happened?” Andrew asked her calmly.

“I decided I should just accept it; everyone keeps looking at me as if I were broken. They can´t all be wrong, then why keep on trying?” She volunteered as angry tears threatened to pour out.

“What happened?” Andrew asked again in a firmer tone.

“What do you think?” Leah wryly asked. “I did what I do best, a mess.”

“Ok, tell me …” Andrew told her sternly.

Reluctantly Leah told him about the incident; as she ended she added. “See? I´m hopeless; you should all just stop wasting your time. It´s pointless.”

Andrew frowned while watching her attentively; she had hit rock bottom; either she snapped out of it or she would drown in self-pity.

“I see.” He told her calmly. “It´s a good thing then that Fury let to me the final decision about you joining the rescue team.”

Leah looked at him panicky. “No, you can’t. I have to be on it.”

“Why? According to what you have just told me, you wouldn´t bring anything positive to the team. Loki will be better off without you.” He told her harshly.

“No, please! You can´t! Fury promised …” Leah pleaded anguished.

“You really don´t think I would let you lead a team, do you? You would most probably get everyone killed including Loki.” Andrew told her slyly.

“I …” Leah didn´t knew what to answer to that; thick tears rolled from her eyes. What if he was right? She thought before breaking down crying; what if he was right?

“He´s not.” A small voice in her interior told her but she refused to believe it.

“I´m sorry Leah.” Andrew added. “But there´s no way that I can in good conscious let you participate even less lead the rescue mission. I think you are right; you were broken even before Doom crushed you. For a moment I too deceived myself thinking you might pull through but as you so clearly pointed out there´s no hope you will. If I were you I might even consider leaving Loki in case he does comes back. You will only be a burden to him; to him and to your child.” With that last comment he stood up. As he was walking to the door a voice stopped him.

“No.”

“Excuse me?” Andrew asked as if he hadn’t heard her; all the time hoping that all that reverse psychology act had finally got through her.

“I said no.” She replied in a more confident tone.

“No … what?” Andrew asked as he turned to face her.

“I´m not a burden.” She told him sternly; she had stood up and was staring at him with her fists clenched. “I´m not a burden.” She repeated. “It doesn´t matter if you add me or not to the rescue team. Loki is smart, he will succeed and in the rare case he doesn´t I have friends that will help me get him back. Even if I´ve been horrible to them I know they will forgive me and they will help me.” Tears kept flowing from her eyes as she told him. “I´m not broken. I will pull myself together one way or the other, they need me … and I won´t let them down. Not any more … I won´t.

Andrew walked back to her with a serious expression on his face, Leah looked at him intrigued; unexpectedly he hugged her. “I believe you, I always did. I´m glad you finally were able to figure it out.”

Leah looked at him confused. “But …” She started to say when Andrew interrupted her. “You didn´t gave me much choice, did you?”

Leah realised what he had done. “You didn’t mean any of it.”

“Not a word.” Andrew confessed with a smirk.

“You tricked me!” Leah complained.

“That, I did.” Andrew acknowledged. “Sometimes the end does justify the means.”

“But … but …” Leah studded uncertain if what to say. “What now?” she finally asked.

“I would suggest you to go look for Tony and apologise.” He offered with a smile. “I think we can call it a day; it was a good session. We can continue this tomorrow.”

“Ok.” Leah agreed a bit unsure; he was right she needed to find Tony and somehow apologize for all the stupid things she had said.

Loki went through the plan in his mind as he prepared for disembarking, it was more like a sketch of a plan which trouble him the most; they would have to gather more information before being ready to attack.

“So, you are telling me that you really don’t have reliable intel about this base?” Loki spat bewildered as Fury first explained him the situation.

“Regretfully no, I don´t. There wasn´t enough time to infiltrate someone.” Fury admitted.

“How do you even expect us to prepare for this mission then?” Loki asked irritated as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well … that´s where Chameleon will come in handy. We´ll need him to corroborate or disprove all the information we have at this moment.” Fury volunteered.

“I like this mission less by the minute.” Loki complained.

“Let´s concentrate on what we have and work it out from there.” Fury suggested sternly.

“All right.” Loki agreed reluctantly with a big sigh. “What do we know?”

“The vibranium mine is 2.4 km deep, the base was built over it; so if we take other Hydra bases as reference there should be only a small number of levels over the mine shaft.” Fury explained him.

“What do you suggest we do about that? Vibranium is practically indestructible.” Loki asked with a concern look on his face; this mission was going to be one of the hardest ones he had ever been on.

“You are right; we can´t destroy it. We´ll just have to content with collapsing the mine… and the base.” Fury agreed, at least they would buy time for coming up with a more permanent solution.

“That´s only a momentary solution; nothing will stop them from reconstructing it again. Especially with Hydra behind them; in a couple of months they will be mining again.” Loki pointed out.

“Do you have a better idea?! Fury spat angered, he also preferred a permanent solution but couldn´t find one.

“Not yet.” Loki admitted. “But there´s another problem; I don´t know if you have considered that the real reason Doom agreed to participate in this mission is to get his hands on some of that vibranium for himself. The rumour says it can amplify mystical powers.”

“Actually I have.” Fury admitted, Doom had been too easy to recruit. “We can´t let him get anywhere near that mine.”

Loki looked at him sarcastically. “How do you propose we do that while we fight an entire base? We simply can´t keep an eye on him at all times.”

“That´s why I´ve been thinking we should split into two teams; the first one will be in charge of sealing the base and preventing anyone from leaving as well as start the cleanup.“ After making sure Loki was listening attentively; Fury continued. “If I were them I would have the vehicle hangar on the first floor; and the armory either on the same level or the next one. There must be two or three levels for the chemical and biological labs which should be on the lower levels, that way they would have a chance to evacuate in case of a spill. Between those levels should be the living and training quarters. Doom, Venom, Octopus, Mysterio and Rhino should be on that first team.”

“Sounds good, but how will you guarantee Doom won´t just abandon the mission and try to seize some vibranium?” Loki interrupted him.

“We won´t have too, Dr. Octopus will take care of that.” Fury revealed.

“Why would he do that?” Loki asked intrigued.

“Because if he does I´ll get him something even better than money.” Fury smirked.

“Better than money?” Loki thought to himself. “And what can that be?” He asked Fury out loud.

“Our Doctor is dying.” Fury simply stated. “His body has sustained too many injuries over the years and is failing; but I promised him we would use every available technology to save him if he … helps us keep an eye on Doom.”

Loki looked at him surprised, he had negotiated every payment except for that one.

“Don´t worry, we´ll deliver on our word.” Fury reassured him. “I already have a team working on that.”

“All right.” Loki finally said. “Any more secret deals I should know about?”

“None that should concern you.” Fury dryly told him.

“As you like.” Loki conceded slightly annoyed.

“On the second team should be Chameleon, Electro, Sandman, you and me. We´ll be in charge of neutralizing the weapons in the labs and setting up the explosives to collapse the mine.” Fury explained over some diagrams he had sketched on the screen.

“I´m guessing you don´t want to risk any quemical or biological spill, even if that could do the cleanup … faster.” Loki volunteer.

“You´re right. Besides the point that not all of us are immune to earth diseases like you there´s the matter of the vibranium, it´s highly mutagenic so I´d rather not spill god knows what around.”

“Known one at least.” Loki added. “You are right; we have no idea what have they been playing with in those labs. But I´m sure you know that incineration alone might not destroy all the threats.”

“I know, but we hardly will have time to neutralize them one by one.” Fury acknowledged grimly.

“Maybe we can.” Loki told him pensively, they would need to have more information to come up with an effective plan.

“We´re five minutes from the drop point Sir.” Melinda informed Fury.

“All right people, get ready to jump.” Fury told to no one in particular.

Loki and Doom eyes each other zealously, as the rest of their team mates put on their parachutes.

“I´m not wearing that.” Loki pointed to the backpack Sandman was offering him. “I have my own means of getting there.” He added with a smirk.

Doom had also refused to wear a parachute; his suit had minor flying capabilities.

Fury gave some final instructions to Agent May before finishing strapping his own parachute.

The back door opened and a strong cold wind flooded the inside of the Quinjet; Fury yelled. “Remember you have a tracking device in your equipment; should you get separated during the landing it will guide you back to the drop point.”

The first to jump was Chameleon, followed by an overly enthusiastic Venom and theatrical Mysterio. Sandman was amongst the last to jump; he had to be pushed out of the aircraft by Fury when he failed to jump by himself. Loki simply teleported to the drop point after Fury jumped. Doom had left the aircraft moments before Sandman did.

Loki watched as some grey spots slowly descended into the jungle. The first one to arrive was Chameleon, he glided into the drop point; it was safe to admit he had done it before.

The rest for the team except for Fury weren´t that skilled and ended up somewhere in the jungle. Doom landed a few seconds before Fury did. The last one to arrive was Rhino who have had some trouble figuring the tracking device operation.

After everyone had arrived they travelled by foot a couple of miles till their provisional base.

In the morning Chameleon left early to infiltrate the enemies base; he had been equipped with all sort of interesting gadgets from SHIELD´s scientists that would allow him to find any vulnerabilities in the base and exploit them.

Loki watched him worryingly as he walked away; the reconnaissance mission would take at least a day. “How will Leah be doing?” He thought to himself allowing the thought linger for a while before grunting displeased; he couldn´t scry fop her to find out.

“I´ll better do some reconnaissance myself.”