Karma - W. Maximoff

Chapter Eighteen

"The Sokovia Accords have revealed the truths behind the heroes we wish we knew. Captain America has refused to sign, Thor Odinson and Dr. Bruce Banner are out of our contact, and we have now realized the identity of the Phoenix. Her real name is Alexandra White, a twenty-seven-year-old who lost her parents and brother in a car at thirteen and was then experimented on by HYDRA."

Alex sat in the office, watching news coverage on herself for the fifth time that hour. She could've left the office, but she didn't want to. She wanted to know everything that everyone knew about her.

The doors to the room opened and Tony walked back in. "I have something for you."

Alex spun around in her chair, head in her hands. She blinked once and rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"

It was obvious she had been crying. It had only been hours since Tony had left, but she looked exhausted and like she hadn't slept in days. "First I'm going to apologize. Second, I need you to look into something for me."

Alex was handed a file by Tony. He stood there with his arms crossed as he watched her read the information. She threw it down on the table, shaking her head. "I'm not doing it."

"Why not?"

"He's a kid, Tony."

"You were a kid." Tony shrugged. "He's older than you were."

Alex licked her lips and huffed. "It was HYDRA, I didn't have a choice. And second of all, I'm not going to babysit a fifteen-year-old."

"I wouldn't call it babysitting, I'd call it making sure he doesn't destroy my suit."

"A suit?" Alex was genuinely surprised now. "You're giving a random, fifteen-year-old kid a suit when it took you weeks to even trust my ass with a coffee machine? Who the hell is this guy?"

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"Hey, May." Alex turned her head up from her spot sitting on a couch. She had been waiting for over an hour with Tony and this kid's weird aunt and she just wanted to get this job down.

"How was school today?" May Parker asked as Peter walked into the living room, humming.

"It was okay. This crazy car parked outside-"

Peter froze in his spot, taking out his AirPod. He noticed the two Avengers sitting on his couch and spit out the water he had just drank. "Um..."

"Mr. Parker. Hi!" Alex said with a faked cheery attitude, jumping up from her seat.

"Hey! Uh, I'm Peter." He awkwardly said. "What... what... what are you doing here?"

"It's about time we met. You've been getting my emails, right?" Alex was playing the role of Tony's secretary. She hated it, and she knew he loved it, but since her face hadn't been revealed to the public she didn't feel like explaining to Peter's aunt who she was.

"Yeah. Yeah." Peter said, glancing at them with confused glances. "Regarding the..."

Alex was ready to step in for Peter so he didn't have to continue but May beat her to it. "You didn't even tell me about the grant."

"The September Foundation. Remember when you applied?" Alex said cheerfully, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. The hair had now completely turned to its original dark brown and Alex hated how it made her look.

"I approved, so now we're in business." Tony took a sip of the cup of coffee May had given him, smiling at her.

"You didn't tell me anything, what's up with that? You keeping secrets from me now?" Alex chewed her lip, waiting for a response from the teenager.