UNRAVELED ~ STEVE ROGERS [3]

Chapter Eighteen

"It's not a problem buddy. We're glad to have you," I said, trying to be hospitable. Scott glanced over at me and it took a few seconds for realization to sink in.

"Oh! Wow! You're Toxin! I didn't even know because, well no mask but, wow, awesome. My daughter loves you. Big fan," he rattled, and I nodded a thanks while Steve smirked at my red ears.

"Hey man!" Scott said to Sam, who grinned just a tiny bit. Bucky was still over by the car, afraid to come any closer.

"What's up Tic Tac?" Sam said, crossing his arms.

"Uh, good to see you. Look, what happened last time when I..."

"It was a great audition," Sam said with a smile. "But it'll...it'll never happen again."

"They tell you what we're up against?" Steve said, getting down to business.

"Something about some...psycho assassins?" Scott said, unsure.

"We're outside the law on this one. So, if you come with us, you're a wanted man," Steve explained. Scott grinned like he knew something we didn't.

"Yeah, well, what else is new?" He said.

"We should get moving," Bucky said suddenly from the car, and we all turned to face him.

"We got a chopper lined up," Clint added. Suddenly the air blared, and I was reminded of the sirens from the CIA building.

"Dies est eine Notsituation. Alle Passagiere musson den Flughafen sofort evakuieren," a man over the parking lot PA system said, then repeated. I listened again to catch the fast German words.

"They're evacuating the airport," both Bucky and I said in unison. I smiled at him, but it quickly disappeared.

"Stark," Sam growled.

"Stark?" Scott said, confused. Steve looked around, is eyes serious and determined. It was a look that gave me shivers down my spine.

"Suit up," he commanded. Bucky opened the boot of the Mini and pulled out our gear, throwing me a bag with my suit, mask, and silver case. I raised an eyebrow at Steve as he collected his suit. He cleared his throat.

"Right. Uh, Wanda and Keight can take the van. We'll stay out here," he said. I winked at Wanda and stepped into the van, and when she followed she shut the door with a clang. As Wanda began to change, I tore off my dirty white blouse and opened my case. Pulling out two needles, I uncapped one and drove it into my forearm. Wanda eyed the seconds needle as the liquid buzz filled my veins.

"You're not taking two, are you?" she asked, her mouth pursed.

"This seems like a two needle situation," I grunted, pulling out the first one and dumping it on the floor.

"But in Spain, you used two and you-"

"Almost blew up, I know. I can handle it. Worry about what you're going to do. You know Vision is going to be there," I said, steering the conversation away from me. Wanda turned away, tying the strings on her corset.

"I don't see what the problem is with him being there," she muttered. I uncapped the second needle, and without hesitation plunged in into my skin.

"Don't lie to me. I'm not a mind reader but I do notice things. You like him," I said bluntly, drawing out the needle and adding it to the first one. Coloured spots danced in my vision as my body fought to absorb and contain the overdose of energy I had forced into it. I grabbed the seat with one hand and steadied myself, pins and needles zip-zapping all along my muscles, and my hands almost burned, glowing greenish-white in the dim setting.

"If I have to fight him, then I will fight him. Just as you will have to fight your brother," Wanda said. My head snapped up.

"How do you know about my brother?" I said with wide eyes.

"The CIA released a statement a few hours ago, releasing your identity to the public. It's, kind of a mess," she explained, her dark eyes pitiful. I swore loudly, a very bad word and I heard a thump on the outside of the van.

"Language Keight!" Sam yelled, then laughed as Steve, I could imagine, glared at him. I shook my head, grateful for the banter before the storm. Spilling off my shoes and pants, I pulled on the dark green fabric of my suit, its familiar vanilla smell comforting. It molded to my body perfectly, and I zipped it up the front. I tied my shoes on again, the leather rough against my hands but still strong. My hood pulled up, I grabbed my mask and was about to put it on when I stopped.

"What?" Wanda said, her hand hovering over the door handle. I fingered the mask, feeling its smoothness for what I knew would be the last time. It had served its purpose, and I would need it no longer. I dropped it to the floor, and lots sight of it in the dim light.

"I don't need it anymore," I said simply, and Wanda smiled.

"You know, you're not so bad," she said, grabbing the door handle.

"I could say the same for you," I replied, winking. She nodded and swung open the door.

There was a thud (Steve's shield on the ground), and a screech (Scott Lang), and two loud gasps (Wanda and I) and a slam (the van door as Wanda and I jumped back inside). We pressed our bodies up against the door, wide eyed at what we had seen when we opened the door. I could hear Scott's embarrassed and defensive yells from outside and Clint, Steve, Sam and Bucky laughing hard out. Beside me, Wanda's shoulders began to shake, and I had a sudden and unusual fear that she was crying, which felt both sisterly and somewhat maternal. But a second later, I realized she was heaving with laughter, a light bubbly sound that was so out of place with our situation, so absurd that I had to join her, a strange laughter that burst out of me so hard I fell to the ground, slapping my thigh and almost crying.

"Stop laughing at me!" Scott shouted at us, and more laughter ensued.

"They're only laughing because they liked what they saw!" Sam said, his voice strained with laughter. This really was the most inappropriate time and place to laugh, but I liked the idea of having a last happy moment before everything went to shit.

"That just makes it worse!" Scott wailed. I wiped my eyes and stood, hauling Wanda up from where she had fallen next to me.

"Here's to my last happy moment," I said, faking a toast.

"How do you know it's our last?" Wanda said, her face worried and naïve. I sighed, running one hand through my hair.

"I didn't say our last happy moment. I said mine."