Loki and Ingrid 47

Emptiness

Space travel is the easiest thing in the world if you just breathe. Just sit in the void and let it swallow you, waiting. It’s almost peaceful, if it weren’t for the others.

          “Lyd? Are you with me?”

          I hear a female voice somewhere above me in the void.

          “It’s Sif.”

          Fuck. I don’t say anything, but I want to laugh bitterly, remembering everything. I hate them. I hate all of them. Why do I even care about anyone? I don’t. Caring about people makes you vulnerable. Nobody wants to show weakness especially in front of Thanos. The name sends chills down my spine. The son of a bitch can die a slow, painful death, and I want to be the one to slay him. For Gracia.

          “Hey. It’s ok, we’re here.” I can feel my feet on solid ground again, somewhere, some way. I’m very, very cold. I open my eyes. The floor is golden and, well so is the entire room. Fuck that sheen.

          “I can’t make contact with the others,” says Sif, “No readings.” As I feared…no, expected, but feared all the same. I have to remind myself not to care. I nod.

          “Are you ok?”

          I nod again. I don’t say anything. I was never good at talking to others, other than spewing pure venom.

          “Curse Loki for making me invisible,” I finally spit it out, all the ill will. “I could have taken them, too. Now I have more blood on my hands.”

          “Don’t count them out yet. I’m waiting to hear anything before I contact Thor.”

          “I’m pretty sure Thor hates me. And you kinda have everything since you’re his girlfriend.”

          “I’m not his girlfriend,” says Sif, loudly, “So you can shut up. Let’s go.”

          “Go where?”

          “We’ll since we’re on Sovereign—”

          “What? Oh, God!”

          “Auuughhh!” I hear a scream as a figure falls from the void into the center of the room before getting up and charging. It’s Aisha. I begin to shoot.

          “You think?” She spits, “You think?”

          She has me pinned to the wall now, electricity running through my body. I clinch my teeth as she advances. “Tell me, where’s the girl?”

          “The girl?”

          “The girl who knows way more than she should. Kill her.”

          I try to clear my head for a moment as I see Sif out of the corner of my eye, still standing ground.

          “40,000 units if you kill her. Unlimited wealth. Bounty.”

          “You think I want to work for you?”

          “You almost turned your brother in for a bounty,” she sneers, “But something stopped you. You’re soft.”

          “I did that because my friend was being held captive, but Thanos KILLED her.” I’m still angry.

          “That was Loki’s fault, made me care.”

          “100,000 units if you bring him alive.”

          “I don’t know where he is.”

          “Why don’t you want me to kill him.” I say.

          “We need to know everything he knows.” Her voice drops to a sickening whisper. “Everything. Not that I don’t want to kill him. You think you’re the only pathetic one? I knew Aura like nobody did.”

          “I don’t care.” I said it. I don’t. I don’t care about Aura or Lysha or Proxima or any of them. They can all burn.  

          “You won’t accept the offer? Too bad. Since you’re the only one who knows where you are.” I close my eyes. I’m ready for it. I don’t care what she does to me. Even if I knew where they were, I wouldn’t tell her. I know I wouldn’t. I know, I’ve made up my mind.

          “I truly don’t know where they are. They might be dead.”

          “That isn’t good,” says Aisha, “Because we need Laufeyson. To ascertain the location of the stones. And his brother.” Her eyes gleam. “Or, do you happen to know where he is, pretty girl?” She grabs Sif by the throat and staring, “Do you know?”

          “No.”

          “I don’t believe you for a second.” She laughs. Glancing back at me. “Bounty hunter. You tell me where they are, make the deal, or I’ll snap her neck.”

          I freeze. I don’t. Know. Even if I did, I wouldn’t say. I’d let Sif die. I hate myself. I can’t save everyone and I don’t care. I hate what Loki did to me, every second. I hate him. But at the same time, I can’t kill him. We’ve already been down that road. I can’t kill him, if only for Ingrid, the needy, dependent bitch. I care about her, far too much. I care and I wish I didn’t. She’s so needy, so worried. Always goes back to him.

          “Xandar,” I lie, “They’re on Xandar.”

          “Do you think I believe you?”

          I’m cold. I can’t think in a sane manner. And at this point, I don’t care. “They’re on Jotunheim,” I say, “Let. It. Burn. I can find Odinson.”

          Sif gasps as Aisha drops her and focuses her attention on me. “200,000? 3?”

          “I settle for no less than half a million.” I say. “I’ll bring him to you, alive. The others can die. They’ve proven they won’t do anything for you. They’re on Jotunheim,” I repeat. “Let it burn.”

___

The beeps echo around the control room with a piercing wail. No readings. “Lady Sif of Asgard, do you copy?” His voice echoes around the small room as I try to remain silent, drowning. I have nothing to say. I just want to go, away.

          “Lydvor, do you copy? Repeat, do you copy?”

          “Do it.” I know he doesn’t want to. But Thor is the only one who might know. Loki changes the dials on the communications panel and starts tracking again. “Thor Odinson, do you copy. Repeat, do you—”

          The alarm at the back of the ship begins blaring. I turn to Loki frantically on my way to the ship’s controls. “Something’s coming in. Cut communication. We’re being tracked! Cut communication!”

          All is silent as I try to fly away from the oncoming ship. It’s homing in on us, now. “Get out of here!” I shout, “Get out, Loki, the ship’s going down.”

          “You’re mad if you think I’m going to let you travel again.”

          “I didn’t say—”

          “You’re mad, Ingrid.”

          “No. You are if you stay here.”

          “If this ship is going down—”

          “Stop.” It lingers in the air for a moment. I flip the radio back on. “Tk-47, do you copy? Repeat, do you copy? Firing in 5—”

          “I copy.” I say, “Don’t shoot.”

          “Surrender now.” Says the eerie voice. “We know who you are.”

Loki pales at the sound of it. “Proxima.”

          I nod.

          “I’m not surrendering to her.”

          “Do we have another option here?” I whisper.

          All is silent, as Loki’s hand reaches for the power switch.

          “What are you doing?” I shout, but it’s too late. The ship is powering down, and it won’t be too long before it sinks into the void.