Chapter 8
40
fricking
minutes
sitting on the floor waiting for my dad to get out, waiting for some answers, thinking about what he's there where Peter Parker lives...
"Yeah, I know my way out" dad's voice rings in the hall and I hear the door creaking "Thanks for that walnut date loaf May! Peter needs to talk to you about an excursion coming up!" I see through a corner that my dad closes the door. What I do know? should I follow him? or should I knock on Peter's door...
As soon as he enters the lift, I take out my phone and call Happy.
"Hap, hey...where are you?"
"In the tower now, security stuff"
I sigh not taking my eyes from the door "well, just wanted to tell you I'm just arriving at the house, safe and sound"
"Oh god, that's great, do not tell your dad about this ok?"
"Of course, I'm going to eat something and just do homework, have fun" I end the call and step in front of the apartment debating whether to knock or not
But I do knock. Instinctively I knock. And feel panic running in my veins. What should I tell him? I need to think of an excuse quickly. But I'm startled when the door opens revealing the same woman I saw. Wavy hair with soft highlights, white blouse and she's young.
"Hello!" She flashes her pearly teeth at me
"He-Hey, I'm Tannie and I'm looking for Peter Parker uh ... I... need his help with a tech situation" I smile at her, she seems nice
"Oh of course dear, come in. I'm May, Peter's aunt" She crooks her hand for me to step in "Is Peter waiting for you?"
I rub my hands nervously "Yes! he... is"
"Perfect, I'm preparing some salad if you want to... want something to drink?" she walks to the kitchen and quickly scan the area "oh! I know what you'll love, I prepared some walnut date loaf, pretty good recommendations" she winks at me in the kitchen
I nod "Yes please, you're very kind" I smile at her and she offers me a plate with a piece of loaf
She gently pushes me in front of the hall "C' mere... that's his door" she points out
I mouth a soft 'thank you' and proceed to step further. Quickly opening the door. The first thing I catch a glimpse of is his very messy desk. I slide myself inside and shut the door behind me. He looks up sitting n his chair and he almost falls
"Ta...Tannie! what are you doing here?" he clears his throat trying to stop his wobbly voice
"I need help with a project and I asked Ned for your address...I hope that's ok..." I innocently shrug and he stands up walking in front of me
"oh yeah sure!" he rubs his hands in his pants and quickly spins to awkwardly organize the chaotic blankets in his twin bed "please take a sit, sorry it's a little messy hehe"
I snort and stride to perch myself in the edge of the bed "it's ok... nice house, your aunt is friendly and young..." I bring the small piece of food to my mouth
"Maybe you shouldn't eat that" he points at the loaf in my mouth "she's not the best cook" he breathily laughs and the bitter taste actually confirms it but I painfully swallow it "so... uh, what do you need help with?" he shifts in his chair
"Oh yeah" I take my backpack and open it, taking a notebook
It's now or never
"I'm stuck in this question you see... what was my dad doing here?" I dart my eyes to his contracted pupils and unblinking eyes
"wha... what do you mean... Tannie?" he coughs and slumps his back against the chair
"I saw my dad's car downstairs and then I followed him and he comes here and it happens that this is where you live... coincidence?"
"He... umm... I applied for a internship at your dad's foundation October foundation?"
"September" I correct
"That and uh ... I got accepted so he came here to congratulate me and to tell me about a trip I'm doing...work yeah" He stares back at me, still no blinking, I see how he doesn't even flinch when he speaks
Well, you got your answers spying Tannie. Was waiting for something juicier.
I scratch my head "Oh... cool I guess...well, congratulations Peter. My dad's a little tricky to work with but you'll be great. Wait, wait... a trip?"
He leans forward, shoulders and hands relaxing "Yeah is part of the internship, to Germany..."
Germany? isn't where the Barnes/Rogers situation is taking place?
I quickly blink "When are you going?"
"He told me that tomorrow... so I don't know for how many days may be just the weekend? Need to talk to May though"
I stay quiet processing everything, what are my dad's intentions? Something smells fishy.
His snort breaks my train of thoughts "You really don't need help with something right?"
"mmm nope, just an excuse"
A knock outside his door booms and I close my backpack again
"Come in!!" Peter shouts
I rapidly scan his bedroom. Dartboard in his wall. Thick books about Algebra and clothes and shoes swinging in the racks of his built-on closet.
"Hi, guys just checking in!" May slowly waves at us
"Everything is fine, Peter helped me, he's so smart" I stand up placing my backpack in my back "I need to go now but I'll see you tomorrow, thanks for the help"
"You're leaving?" Peter lifts his brows
"Yeah, my dad will worry where I am" I spin to May "but thank you for the loaf and for receiving me"
"Anytime honey, let me walk you to the door" she palms my back
I leave the building immersed in thoughts and questions without answers. An internship, a trip to Germany? I walk to the crowded subway breathing the thick and hot air below. After some minutes of being squished between people, I finally step outside where the crisp air of the day hits the light layer of sweat in the back of my neck. I hurry up and walk across the big garden. I place my hand in the bio-reader and tiptoe to my room.
I stay still for a moment, catching my breath and throwing my backpack aside. The sound of steps coming closer makes me slide to the corner of my bed. The door opens revealing my dad.
"Hey!"
"T... where were you? thought you were at the D+A room but no?
"I just arrived from Harley's house... this robotic thing we're doing it's time-consuming" I gulp
He nods and strolls sitting beside me "oh yeah! how is he by the way?"
"He's fine, a pain the 'private parts'"
He snorts gently patting my head "Told you...listen, I'm flying today again to Germany..."
I sigh rubbing my temple "Something smells fishy, dad"
He winces sniffing his hands "Are you sure? I ate sushi in the car but I washed my hands"
"I'm serious dad, what are you not telling me? something is wrong, first the bomb, then Barnes scaping and Steve and Sam following him?"
"It's way more complicated than that Tannie," he tells me with a serious voice
"Then try me, I can't stand being in the dark and not when it's about people I love"
He rocks himself in the mattress and sighs "Let's just say that Steve is wrong about a lot of things ok? he's protecting a dangerous man who was years ago his best friend but that man doesn't even recognize him now and I need to stop him before he actually goes from Captain America to the Criminal of America"
My eyes go wide "You're going to arrest him?"
"I-I don't know but, I have some plans. Time is running and let's just say that the United States of America gave me 36 hours to control this situation... Tannie, please... this situation is bad..." he stands up and walks to the door "I need to go now, take care"
With that, he leaves the compound. I silently stare at the jet waiting for him. His body steps inside and I lean my forehead against the glass. Maybe I can talk to Steve? Sam? This is going to end badly... I can feel it. I look up at the sound of the turbines and the jet takes off.
The sudden remembrance of what I said to Spider-Man yesterday pops into my mind. I have two choices. To do nothing or to try to do something. A deep sigh full of frustration escapes my lips and I walk to my room again, unwillingly taking my books to start studying.
Flipping pages and devouring the chapters, dusk begins to settle outside the compound. The rumble of my stomach waking me so I pace to the kitchen spotting Wanda reading a book and a very creepy Vision staring at her. I start preparing a sandwich when the boom of an explosion makes my body jump. All pairs of eyes fixated outside where a cloud of smoke and fire starts growing.
I quickly jog to the window, Wanda following behind "What is it?"
"Both stay here, please" Vision goes through the window to check
I open my mouth to ask Wanda but in the blink of an eye, she briskly spins me behind her. I see how she compels a knife and throws it. My eyes manage to catch the fast moment and the air stops in my throat seeing Clint pushing the knife away.
"Guess I shoulda knocked"
I jog next to him. Giving him an 'it's been a while' hug
"Oh my god! What are you doing here?" Wanda gasps probably relieved she didn't kill him
Clint rapidly walks forward "Disappointing my kids" He shoots arrows to both sides of the room "I'm supposed to go water-skiing. Cap needs our help. Come on" He grabs Wanda's arm but stops in his feet turning to me "Lock the doors, you stay here, didn't see anything"
But before I could protest Vision goes through the wall.
"Clint! You should not be here"
With a sigh, he fully spins around "Really? I retire for, what, like five minutes, and it all goes to shit" his eyes leaving Vision and go to me "you didn't hear that"
"Please consider the consequences of your action" Vision slowly walks meters from us
"Okay, they're considered" suddenly Vision is electrocuted by the arrows Clint threw making me flinch at the sound "Okay, we gotta go"
I bet my eyes are as wide as they could be, I'm seeing the scene not knowing what should I do. I see how Clint runs but Wanda regretfully sees the tensed body of Vison under the shocks.
"It's this way" Clint points
"I've caused enough problems," Wanda says with her thick accent, Clint frowns jogging to her
"You gotta help me, Wanda. Look, you wanna mope, can go to high school"
"Hey!!" I gasp
"Sorry kid...You wanna make amends, you get off your ass... shit!" Vision breaks from the electric field with the mind stone and immediately pushes Clint to the floor.
Wanda spins to me "maybe you should go to your room...?"
I nod walking backwards around the fight scenario in front of me "yeah, don't worry I'll be there and I won't say a thing" she nods gratefully
Clint's grunts are behind me as I walk to the hall. My lips curving at the crazy idea I have. I reach to my room but only lock the doorknob and close it from the outside.
"I'm doing this...I'm doing this..."I whisper to myself pondering what I'm just about to do
I get out of the house only with the clothes I'm wearing and my phone, I see a car parked outside... this is where they plan to leave, luckily it's unlocked so I open the trunk and get inside. Yep, this is my plan. I rock my body to a more comfortable position and kick whatever is pinching t my back. I take out my phone and text Happy:
After some minutes Clint's disembodied voice appears "Come on"
I cover my mouth hearing how the doors shut. The engine begins to vibrate and the car moves forward. There's no turning back this time. I'm going to where they're going. Period
"What's our next stop?" Wanda asks the same question I have
"San Francisco, California... I know a guy who lent me a jet"
The drive was short and I hear Clint getting of the car and Wanda as well.
"There's a convenience store, you want anything? there's no food at the plane" Clint's voice sounds closer to the back of the car
"I come with you, need some gum," Wanda says and I wait at least two minutes
I half-open the trunk slowly peeking through the small opening. The blinking lights of the small store at the end of the area. With a double check that there's no one there, I fully open the trunk and swing my legs to the ground and close it behind me. My breath getting heavier as I spin to search for the jet Clint was talking about. My legs start running as soon as I spot it in the corner of the runway. I see the attached stairs so I get inside. My eyes hurriedly scan the space to find where I could myself in.
I lower myself to see the pair getting out of the store so I crawl to the end of the jet. I look up to find a closet just in front of the bathroom. I open it and smile when I see it's the perfect size to get in. A small area for me to sit. I curl my body to the confined space and quickly close the door sliding the lock. No light coming inside.
Clint and Wanda start talking but the closet door stifles their voices. In silence, the jet begins to move and the turbines high pitch sound begins to fill the air. Slowly, my body feels the tilting of the takeoff, my stomach rumbling until I doze off.
My head bangs with the wall so I instantly wake up from the pain.
"Auch!" I rub the back of my head uncomfortable stretching my back
"His house's over there, I'll park this thing here...let me go talk to him..." Clint says just in front of the closet I'm in
10 minutes
15 minutes
I lean my ear to the door to hear properly
"Seriously he remembers me? that's so cool man!" someone says with excitement
"yeah yeah, make yourself comfortable, it's a long flight"
"Oh hi! I'm Scott Lang!"
"Wanda Maximoff"
"Wait..." Scott pauses and I hear he walks closer to the closet
Shit
"are those Hot Cheetos? Man, I love them, can I have some?"
"Uh, sure..."
I want Hot Cheetos too...
It's been an eternity now and I'm getting tempted to play something on my phone but I don't have too much battery so I try to sleep. What time is it in New York? 6:30 am, I should put my world clock to the German time zone now... I'm going to sleep, it's the only thing to do here.
Again my head bangs into the wall making me twist my eyes in pain.
"We're here"
No kidding Clint
"Let me see if I can start a car so we can go to the airport"
"Hey, wake up Scott, we're here" Wanda whispers and I try to stay as quiet as possible to hear
"Jesus, that was so fast, I'm so sleepy right now... by the way, where are we going?"
"Need your help tiny man," Clint says
"It's Ant-man" the man called Scotts corrects. Their voices fading away
There's silence. So I lightly open the door and peek once again, it's empty. I crawl to the door which luckily it's still connected with some stairs. I peer my eyes and see them walking to the parking lot beside the jet. I take advantage that they're facing back at me so I run downstairs quietly following them. I stop when they stop, hiding behind a car. I lift my head and see Clint trying to open the door of a white van. Two kicks more and it slides open motioning Scott and Wanda to get in.
How on earth I'm going to get there?
"Wait!" I hear Scott yelling "I need to go to the bathroom, please"
Clint groans in frustration "Why You didn't go on the plane?"
"I was sleeping genius, jet lag is a bitch!" I softly laugh at his statement and see Clint rolling his eyes
"Well go on, we don't have much time" Clint sighs and walks away, taking his phone and dialing
Now it's only you Wanda...
She rambles through the parking lot only to lean against the other side of the van. This is my chance.
I lower myself as if I'm squatting. Slowly, I approach the van and look to where Clint is. Still talking and Scott meters away. I pinch my lips getting one foot inside praying it doesn't creak. I slide into the back of the van and crawl below the last pair of seats. I curl my legs to my chest and scoot all the way to the corner so no one can see me. Fortunately, the seats in front of me are blocking the sight
"Thanks, guys, my bladder is thankful with you," Scott says sitting in the seats in front of me
"Iugh" Wanda whispers, her voice farther than Scott's
"Ok, next stop Leipzig/Halle airport," Clint says and I pat my pocket and take my phone to search for the airport.
Stupid, I know. But it's until I see the small dot of where I am is when it fully hits me that I'm in fricking Germany and probably grounded until my 80th birthday.
"I'll be sleeping ok? ok..." Scott mumbles
The drive was quiet, except for my stomach twisting in despair. I feel how the van turns too many times until it stops.
"... We're here, level B2, yeah see you in some minutes Cap"Clint breaks the silent atmosphere " they're coming"
"Good... should I wake him?" Wanda snorts
"Nah, let him dream with ants a little bit longer"
It wasn't that long. A rusty engine pops just outside. Another car is approaching. The driver's and co-pilot's door open so I try as hard as I can to hear what's happening outside.
"Cap" Clint speaks, a knot in my chest knowing I'm going to see Steve
"You know I wouldn't have called If I had any other choice" His gravelly voice appears
"Hey man, you're doing me a favor. Besides, I owe a debt" Clint answers
"Thanks for having my back"
"It was time to get off my ass" Wanda speaks
"How about our other recruit?" Steve asks
I hear someone walking to the van and sliding the door, making the light abruptly appear.
"He's rarin' to go...Had to put a little coffee in him, but... he should be good"
I see Scott's body abruptly getting up
"What timezone is this?" Scott says with a drowsy voice
"Come on... Come on..." Clint says and I see Scott walking away leaving the door open
"Captain America!!"
"Mr. Lang"
"It's an honor. I'm shaking your hand too long. Wow! This is awesome! Captain America!... I know you, too. You're great!... Jeez. Ah, look, I wanna say, I know you know a lot of super people, so . . . thanks for thinking of me...Hey, man!" Scott's wobbly voice makes me smile
"What's up, Tic Tac?" Oh man, Sam is here too...
"Uh, good to see you. Look, what happened last time when I-"
"It was a great audition, but it'll . . . it'll never happen again" Sam laughs
"They tell you what we're up against?" Steve asks Scott and I try to slide out of the narrow space
"Something about some . . . psycho-assassins?"
I stop. What? what is he talking about? they must have talked about it while I was sleeping.
"We're outside the law on this one. So, if you come with us, you're a wanted man" Steve adds
Now or never Tannie...
"Yeah, well, what else is new?" Scott says
I cough a little and try to stretch my numb legs gaining some balance and peeking my head out
"Hi!" I simply say and everyone's eyes widen looking at me, even Sam jumping back
Scott raises his hands "oh God! I swear we didn't kidnap a girl!... I don't even know her!!"
Steve sighs, his shoulders heavily dropping "no... that's Tony Stark's daughter" Steve says staring at me