All My Life

42| Missing out

Peter's pov.

My eyes fall upon the time visible at the corner of my mobile and I sigh upon noticing how long I've been up. 3:30 am. It's late, a bit too late and there's no denying that dad would literally make me skip school just for me to sleep the whole day out and he won't face a single opposition from others either. I take in a deep breath, trying to convince myself to just close my eyes and sleep, even if only for a small amount of time but my eyes remain glued to the mobile screen and my brain wide awake.

I scroll through the 11 images which Ned had sent for what seemed to be the hundredth time. My eyes fixed upon the pictures of the weapons and I can't help but run my hand through my hair as I feel the anxiety build up in my chest. These are the same guns, the same ones that those attackers had during the Code Red and there's no denying that. What are the odds that the attack could be correlated to the criminals I chased? Tere's a huge standard gap between the two, one being an Avengers level treat and the other one seeming noting more than some petty crime. So, how is it possible for the two to be interconnected? It makes no sense at all.

I finally come to the last image. The map. What was it even supposed to mean? Three different markers pointing at three random locations with no criminal connection that had been recorded in the police files. Ned made sure of it. After staring at the map for so many times, the locations have been copied into my brain, the image flashing by my eyes each moment I close them and yet, they make no sense. Not in the slightest.

What am I missing? There has to be something!

I feel my eyes droop as each passing second makes it harder for me to keep them open and yet, all I can think about is the weapons and the maps. I can't help the dread that seeps into my bones and the very thought of them.

Something's wrong, again...

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Tony's pov.

I stare at my best-friend unblinkingly as he speaks his doubts and observations out loud. "So, you're telling me that Ross is up to something and you have no idea about it when you yourself are a colonel?"

"Tony, you know Ross. He's a sneaky little bastard." I rub my palm across my face. Another problem on my already full plate was not something I needed, not when someone out there has the courage and the sources to threaten me about my very own kid after murdering his aunt.

This is a mess...

"Is the transfer done?" He asks, hinting towards the weapon stock transfer. Somehow, it feels as if everything is connected, as if it's an intricately woven web of distractions all pointing towards a single aim. This mere intuition makes me second guess the decision of shifting upstate. Those weapons are too dangerous to fall into someone's hands, especially Ross. They hold the power of such destruction that no nation is ready for.

"Ongoing."

"Let me guess, you haven't even started the transfer of the big ones, have you?" I remain silent. All the weapons that are transferred are the low-level ones, not a single one of them even remotely as advanced as the one down in the warehouse.

"Those things are advanced, Rhodes. Too advanced."

"What's worrying you, Tony? This isn't just some suspicions. What happened?" The images of the last mission flashes by my eyes. The only thing standing out except Peter's interference was the weapons those people had. They weren't some ordinary guns, no. They were different, far more advanced. Not as much as the ones in the warehouse but relatively so.

"Nothing. It's nothing, Rhodes..."

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Peter's pov.

"You found something?" Ned asks before stopping in front of me as I push the locker door shut. "Nothing. I-" I clamp my mouth shut upon noticing MJ walking towards us and I feel my heart speed up at the thought of what I had planned.

Gosh, what are the odds that I'll even survive...

"What are you losers up to?" I watch as she squints her eyes suspiciously in our direction making me and Ned gulp audibly, simuntaneously.

"Forget it." She breaks the uncomfortable silence that had fallen over the three of us. Is it really a good idea to approach her? I mean, she is way out of my league, I'm not even sure what she'll do to me if I somehow managed to offend her.

This is a mess...

I am jerked out of my thoughts by Ned nudging me in my ribs and then looking back at MJ while I find myself regretting my decision of telling him about the stupid, stupid idea.

I can't do this...

"By the way," Her eyes snap to me and I can see Ned glancing between the two of us from my peripheral vision and I fight the urge to hurl him out of the window for making the situation a hell lot more awkward than it already was. "Are you planning on attending this lame Homecoming?" I suddenly feel the heaviness of the permission slip in my pocket, dad's freshly signed piece of paper flashing by my eyes.

Nope, I can't do this. Not today...

Sadly enough, there is only today, seeing that the program is happening tomorrow and everything's a huge mess. "Uh, Yeah. I guess, yes."

This is so awkward...

I push away the urge of crumbling the piece of paper and tossing it away, knowing I can't. Not only will it sorry dad, it will also make the newly bought suit by Ms Potts completely useless. I can't afford that, not when everyone is looking forward to it a lot more than me.

I watch as she rubs the back of her neck, almost as if she was just as uncomfortable as me before she speaks up. "Mind joining me?" My mouth goes dry after hearing the question as I feel relief flood into my veins.

Holy shit!

"No, he doesn't mind at all!" MJ and I turn to Ned in shock as he almost yells in excitement and I wish for the ground to swallow me right here. "Ned! Shut up!" I sneer at my best-friend and then hesitantly turning towards MJ, still at a complete loss of words.

"I'll take that as a yes. See you tomorrow, losers." She mock salutes in our direction before casually walking out and I turn to Ned in disbelief only to recieve a similar expression in return.

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

A/N

So, a double update, huh? It's getting juicy, isn't it?

Honestly, today I was going through the chapters and I remembered how different the story is than I had previously planned. I mean, it was going to be a pretty simple fanfic and then I just decided to add some bombs and look where we are.

Well, ignore the rant and that's it for today. I hope you guys enjoyed it.

See ya! ;)