The REM Trials

Chapter 8

"You know what? Let's do it." It takes me a moment to really process his reply, before I pull away to look at him with a wide smile. "Do you have a spot in mind?"

"Mhm. Let's ditch our books before we go." Peter's smile makes my heart flutter in my chest and this odd feeling I can place take over. "I think you're gonna love it."

Peter just laughs as I push my glasses up and drag him along to my locker—since it's closest—to dump both of our books. I can't help but grin at him as we sneak through the slowly emptying hallways and make it outside.

It's out behind the main building where people hardly come. The grass grows in a thick, luscious green, clover sprouting in patches, and a quiet that makes even a crazy day calm. This is my special little spot. I spread my arms out wide to show it off to Peter as I sit in the grass. "Welcome to my little sanctuary."

"Well, thank you for sharing it with me." Peter grins and sits across from me with our knees touching. "Do you come out here often?"

"Sometimes, when I get overwhelmed. Being out here—it helps me calm down a bit." My fingers pick at the clover. "It reminds me of this little spot in the park that my mates and I would go to when we needed to get away. We would sit under this huge oak tree and just people watch for what felt like forever. It was always the best little escape. What about you though? Where's your secret spot?"

Peter immediately looks away as he fiddles with the clover. "I—I don't really have a place. I just usually hang out in my room and work on computers or stuff."

"No, no, no. You don't get to leave me hanging like that." I tell him as I stop his fidgeting hands. "What do you mean work on computers or stuff?"

"I—um—I kind of find old computers and electronics to take apart and put together in different ways. It's nothing really."

"Really? 'Cause I think that's awesome." Peter looks up at me with wide eyes at the comment. "I'm always fiddling around in my dad's stuff to see what he's building and how to make something of my own. To be perfectly honest, he's much better than I am with most of it—and I'm sure you are too."

"You sure about that?"

"Positive."

"Why?"

"Because, you're the top of our class—trust me, I checked—one of the strongest members of the decathlon team, and you build computers in your free time? Yes, I am quite sure that you're a certifiable genius. But if it makes you feel better to call it my personal assumptions and opinion, feel free."

Peter just shakes his head at me and changes the subject. I swear, it's only ever around Peter or Dad that I smile and laugh this much.

Except, that all fades when ARTI pulls up an alert across my lenses, and my phone buzzes erratically in my pocket. It continues to vibrate in my hand as I read the mass of alerts. "Oh my—no." The words tumble from my lips before I clamp a hand over them. Tears brim in my eyes as I read about the explosion—at the same meeting my dad's at.

Peter doesn't waste a second before he's at my side. "Is—what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"No, my dad—the conference he's—explosion." I barely manage, but Peter seems to connect the dots and immediately helps me to my feet. "I have to—I need to get back home."

My heart pounds so violently in my chest I swear it's about to explode instead of just me. I almost fall down flat on my face, but Peter keeps a hold of me to make sure I don't tumble to the floor. "Hey, just breathe. Okay? It's gonna be alright. I promise, but first, you've gotta breathe." He tells me as we stop outside the front doors, with me nearly a sobbing mess in his arms. "Do you need me to call anyone for you?"

I tap my watch a couple times and shake my head as ARTI confirms the alert send out. "Th—thank you." I stutter and bury my head into his sweatshirt.

"There's no need to." He tells me over the humming of an engine as Happy races into the parking lot. "Just try to let me know if things are okay? I'll try to call you later and check in." I nod absentmindedly before rushing off to meet Happy in the car.

"Is—is he? Do we know anything?" I grill the moment the car door shuts. "Any ideas on who did this and why? How many injured—or dead?"

"First, Tony's fine. He's a little banged up, but he and Natasha are fine." Happy informs me as he kicks the car into gear. "Second, I have direct orders to get you to the Tower as fast as possible and keep you there. Tony doesn't want you going out under any circumstances until everything is figured out. Third, when you get back, call him. He sent me a message saying he needs to talk to you about a few things."

"I'm already working on securing a private line." I tell him as I type away on my phone, each action mimicked on my glasses. "Do me a favor, Happy. Press the cruise control button twice and lock the doors."

He gives me a weird look but does it anyway. As the doors click locked, ARTI's voice chimes through the speakers. "Car is secure as requested, Lia. Connecting you with Mr. Stark."

"Lia, are you at the Tower already?" Those are the first words my dad says to me when we finally connect.

"That's not important. What happened? Are you actually okay? And what do you need to me to do?" I question and close my eyes to see if there's anything I can figure out.

"Basically the UN meeting was attacked, and according to surveillance footage from nearby, it looks like it was Bucky. I'm a little bit bruised, but the team is fine. What I need you to do is track someone down for me."

"Isn't that a job for a P.I. instead of your teenage, genius of a daughter?"

"Not in this case." He pauses and lets out a huff, "I need you to find that other hero that's been going around on YouTube—the Spider or whatever he's called."

My stomach drops when he says the words. I have an inkling of who it might be, and I don't know if I want to know the truth. A part of me hopes I'm wrong—which will be a rare occasion. "I'll get on it, but first, you have to tell me why."

"It's complicated, but if Bucky did this, then I have a feeling Steve will want to protect him. So I'd like to know I have a team watching my back if it comes down to it. Let's hope it doesn't, but it's better to be prepared."

"Okay. When I get back to the tower I'll get started and let you know what I find."

"No, you're going to pack a bag, grab your laptop, and go to your Mom's. I want you to stay there until things calm down. Trust me, it won't be for long. I just need you to be off the grid until I get back." He says, and I can hear the concern laced in his voice. "I'll call you later to check in. I love you, bug."

"Love you too, Dad." I whisper back before hanging up.

My head starts to pound again. Because while Dad is okay, I have a whole other set of issues to stress over. Such as, my new family engaging in a literal war, possibly getting arrested or branded as an international terrorist if I don't comply, and maybe finding out the secret I've pretending my best friend isn't hiding.

"Try not to forget anything. I won't be able to bring you back, and I doubt you want me to go through your stuff." Happy calls as we get into the tower's elevator, and I immediately head to my room to pack my clothes and the lab to grab my laptop.

Except, halfway to the door out of the lab, I stop. "Dad, don't be mad at me for this, I promise it's just a precaution. And, Dum-E, you better not rat me out." I whisper to the unpowered machine as I rush in the lab and stuff my prototype suit into my bag before returning to Happy in the main room.

"Ready?" He asks and I nod while I adjust my bag on my shoulder.

The entire drive over to my mum's apartment, I keep silently praying that my suit doesn't have a tracker in it, and that Peter Parker has a normal secret—and not a secret identity. Although, I'm fairly certain I'll be wrong on both counts.