Drone

II

II

Phoebe was sure this was illegal. She wasn't sure how she would explain it to anyone, but she was absolutely sure it was illegal.

She pushed uselessly against the door that barred her in the very plain room she had been locked in at least fifteen minutes ago. 'Plain' was probably too descriptive for the room; there was absolutely nothing in it but the single light bulb hanging down from the ceiling and herself. The only way in or out was the door that Phoebe had been pointlessly pushing and banging against since she had been so unceremoniously thrown inside.

It wasn't bad enough that she was sure that this counted as kidnapping, or at least being held against her will, but Jean had been ripped from her grasp and her sister didn't exactly go kicking and screaming. Phoebe had thought about screaming herself but being trapped underground in a room that had only one way in or out probably meant that no one would hear her. And even if they did, the only people around to hear were all loyal to Wasp.

That didn't stop her, however, from verbally berating anyone who was standing beyond her door. She was sure there was a guard there, she heard them shuffling as her curses and threats become more vulgar and imaginative. However, they were mostly ignoring her.

Which was what made it so surprising when, as she was in the middle of a particularly interesting threat involving fish hooks, the listener's backside, and a bucket of leeches, the door she had still been pushing against suddenly opened. Phoebe, unprepared for the sudden opening, collapsed into an undignified heap and found herself looking at a pair of black leather boots.

Cursing herself quietly for the fall, Phoebe scrambled to her feet and found herself looking up into the startlingly blue-green eyes that she had a feeling would haunt her memory for years to come.

Wasp had thrown back his hood setting his untidy black hair free and proving that it wasn't the shadow of the hood that had made his eyes glow the way they did. It seemed to just be a feature of his eyes. Eyes that were looking down at her, still slightly amused, but so direct and piercing that Phoebe would have felt uncomfortable from them alone if she hadn't already felt so disturbed from being locked in the small room.

“I must apologize.” he said without preamble and with a sincerity that surprised her.

“What?” the question fell from Phoebe's lips without her meaning it to.

“I had not realized what Jean had done.” he continued, walking forward. Phoebe automatically backed away from him and realized all too late that that was exactly what he wanted because the door shut behind him, locking them in together. “I just finished speaking to her and she told me the truth. Believe me, Phoebe, I hadn't intended Jean to run away like that. It was wrong of her and I apologize.”

“Oh...well...” Phoebe tried to think of something to say but nothing came to mind. She found herself wishing he would look away, those eyes of his were trapping her, stealing her thoughts. It didn't help that his voice was low with a strangely hypnotic pitch to it. All at once, she realized why people would follow him. Just from apologizing, Phoebe found herself wanting to forgive him.

She shook her head and tore her gaze away from his. “Whatever!” she said in what she hoped was a fierce tone. She mustn’t look at him, she decided. She couldn't let herself fall into his eyes again. “Just bring me Jean. I'm taking her back home.”

“Of course.” he nodded. “But, before that, I must talk to you about what you saw-”

“You mean that creepy ceremony thing?” Phoebe snapped, glaring at him. She regretting the act immediately because he hadn't looked away at all. She didn't know anyone who stared so directly, without wavering. “Thanks for reminding me. What, exactly, were you doing to my sister?”