Chapter 2
“I said, ‘over easy’, not ‘burned to a crisp’…” Daisy said as he put her plate down in front of her. The party, much to her annoyance, had gotten a little out of hand, resulting in Barry slamming her head into the wall and a near free for all breaking out later for Skye’s car keys. Barry was passed out on the couch still while Skye was propped up against the wall in the hallway by the front door.
“Well, I’ve never been much of a cook.” Scott told her “At least the house didn’t burn down.”
“This time.” She said as she started eating.
“We just need more practice.”
“Remind me again, how did you survive on clam chowder, Ramen Noodles and McDonalds when you were by yourself?”
“I’d run from the Museum to Fulton Ferry and back every morning. Three-mile round trip.”
“…While playing ‘Pokémon Go…”
“…guilty as charged…” He said as he handed her her mug off coffee and sat down with her. “Billings called again while you were in the shower.”
“Ugh…” Daisy moaned as she rolled her eyes “What does that pest want now?”
“She said another network wants an interview.”
“Did she say who?”
“She didn’t go into details, still doesn’t like talking to me for some reason.”
“I don’t know about you, but I don’t remember hiring her as my agent…”
“I think she has a crush on you or something, why else would she go out of her to get herself assigned as our, or should I say your, media liaison officer… God I hate being in the DoD… With our luck, Sherman is going to kept on by the next administration and he’s going to actually make us join the military…”
“Why does she keep getting everyone to talk to me?”
“I think it’s just ‘Girl Power’ stuff. Think about it. Danvers is never around; Romanoff is hard to get a hold of on a normal day when the whole mess about the accords isn’t taken into account… and poor Wanda…”
“I admit that while I do appreciate that… what I would really appreciate is five minutes of peace and quiet when there’s not a camera shoved in my face.”
“The least she can do is get us a case of Goo Gone… I’m sick and tired of having to scrape off the gunk left from tape the lighting crews put down… Nearly lost my deposit on the apartment.”
“Well… what if we turned part of the garage into a studio and leave the cars in the driveway?”
“Sure, where ‘Barney Fife’ can issue his ‘My first Policeman’s kit’ tickets…” Scott groaned
“What…?” His wife asked, giving him a look.
“I got into an argument the other day with one of the guys who handles security here…” Scott said, before he told her what had happened…
Scott was looking over the house, watching a work crew doing some upgrades SHIELD felt were needed when he heard a voice behind him.
“Sir, Can I help you?” a man asked. Scott turned to see one of the private patrol guards the corporation who oversees the neighborhood employs.
“It’s alright.” Scott said to the man “I just bought this property and I’m just inspecting the work.”
“Do you have permission?”
“I’m parked in the driveway. I’ve already closed on the house, it’s mine.”
“I mean for the work.”
“Well, no. I don’t need it.”
“Yes you do. All work must be approved by the corporation.”
“I think if you call back to your bosses, you’ll find I don’t need it. Go ahead, I’ll wait here.”
“We’ll see about that.” The man said as he pulled out his phone.
“Hey Greg, it’s me. I need to check on a work permit. Man claims to be the new owner is having illegal modifications done without… 87 con… Yes, yes he is.”
The man looked at Scott with a worried look.
“Would your name happen to be Johnson?”
“Johnson is my wife. I’m Riley.”
“Says his name is Riley should I… I see…. I didn’t know. I’m not in trouble, am I?”
His face turned sour. VERY sour
“Very… oh… you’re not kidding.”
The man looked up at Scott. Scott moved his hand off his waste and he caught sight of Scott’s badge on his belt.
“I am really sorry, sir, have a nice day, sir…” the man said as he hopped in his little Smart patrol car and drove off.
An older gentleman in a suit walked past as the guard was driving away in a hurry.
“You’ll have to excuse Alex. He thinks he’s the ‘sheriff in this here town’.”
“Anyone ever tell him the city already has a sheriff’s department?”
“Yes. He fainted.”
“With that attitude, surprised no one calls him ‘Dwight’ behind his back.”
“Who says they don’t. Marcus Greives. My wife and I live across the street.”
“Scott Riley.” He said as he shook the man’s hand.
“Getting a lot of work done here Mr. Riley. And without a permit from the corporation, you must know some people.”
“Not exactly who I know, but who I work for.” Scott said. As if on cue, a large van with a SHIELD logo pulled up outside. A team of technicians hopped out and went to work. The work crew who’d been there packed up and left as the SHIELD techs did the final connections.
“Well, I feel better…” Marcus said “I don’t mean to pry… but you wouldn’t know a cranky old geezer name Kent Riley, would you?”
“Let me guess, retired Air Force?”
“JAG corps, 85 to 05”
“He’s my grandfather, and don’t worry, the cranky only got worse until a few months ago.”
“he alright?”
“Oh, he’s fine. No, what happened is my wife and I had a baby and the man has done a complete 180. Becoming a great grandfather seemed to have melted the ice king…”
“I didn’t realize SHIELD paid this well.” Marcus said
“Mom’s side of family actually.”
The two men talked for a few minutes while the SHIELD crew piled back in their van and left.
“1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9…” Scott counted as the men headed out… “huh, thought there were ten. I guess I was seeing things.”
The doorbell rang, interrupting both Scott’s thought process and the story he was telling her.
“I’ll get it.” Scott said.
He walked outside, carefully stepping over the still passed out Skye, to find a familiar face standing on his front step.
“Hey Cousin…” the voice said in an English accent.
“Gwen? What the hell are you doing here?” Scott asked. His cousin was standing on his front steps with a suitcase, a BIG suitcase.
“Can’t a girl visit her favorite…” She began.
“Gwen…” Scott cut her off
“I ran away… we ran away…” She said looking back at the uber in the street where another girl was walking towards them.
“You’re an adult, it doesn’t really qualify as running away…” Scott said before he got a good look at the other woman “Oh no... don’t tell me…”
“Yeah… She’s pregnant.” Gwen said, “I got her pregnant.”