"Call off the search."
"What?" Harrison asked his leader. "I'm sorry, you want us to stop looking for Benjamin Miller?"
"Correct." Joshua poured himself a glass of cranberry juice.
"May I ask why?" Harrison asked. A look of realization came across his face. "You plan to have them lead you to him."
"Oh, Harry." Joshua took a sip, a smirk on his face. "Do you really expect me to be so predictable?" He looked down into the liquid in his glass. "That's what Tony expects me to do. Knowing him, he'll attempt to lead us off course."
"How so?" Harrison asked.
"He's most likely aware of the listeners I've put around the building." Joshua swirled the drink around. "He plans to send a search team for Benjamin."
"Why would he do that if he thinks you're going to follow him?" Harrison crossed his arms.
"The search team is a mere diversion." Joshua took another sip. "His actual search team will share their information through notes."
"That's brilliant!" Harrison exclaimed. Joshua glanced at him. Harrison stiffened. "B-But your plan is far superior!"
"You don't even know my plan." Joshua chuckled. "Anyways, he'll most likely send his stealthiest people."
"Romanoff and Barton?"
"Correct." Joshua smiled. "His plan after that is simple. Locate Miller, use him to defeat me, and game over."
"But...why call the search team off in the first place...?" Harrison asked. "If we continue searching, we'll probably find him."
"Whilst Stark has set his little plan in motion," Joshua took a sip. "He won't be as focused on our prize."
"Parker?"
"Correct." Joshua giggled.
"So...whilst he's busy...we kill Parker?"
"Oh, no no no." Joshua shook his head. "All we need to do is make a few calls." Joshua took another sip. "I have a task for you."
"Anything." Harrison stepped foward.
"I want a few Stark Industries employees. Specifically, some people on the robotics team." Joshua hummed, and closed his eyes.
"Converted?"
"Preferably."
---
"Okay, listen up losers." Tony said. He had gathered the Avengers for a meeting. "Joshua has called off his search team. We were able to get Emma to tell us that much."
"...does he expect us to--" Bruce attempted to say.
"This is great news!" Tony clapped his hands together, a smile on his face.
The Avengers exchanged a look, they could all see that Joshua was trying to follow their search team. "It is?" Steve asked.
"We'll advance our searches." Tony smirked. The Avengers looked confused. Tony held a finger to his lips, then pointed to his ear.
Bruce realized what that meant before the others did. "Of course!" Bruce exclaimed. "Who do you plan to send?" Peter shot him a confused look, before he too caught on.
"If it's not too much trouble, I would like to send Steve and Sam." Tony smiled sweetly. "Here's the plan," He picked up a marker and began writing on the whiteboard behind him.
Joshua has planted listeners in the building.
"Understand?" Tony asked, seeing as the look of realization came across their faces.
Romanoff and Barton will perform their search in secret.
He wrote. "As you can see here, Barnes will look around this area." Tony smirked.
The rest of us will pretend to perform an investigation.
"Actually, y'know what? How about we all perform the search?" Tony asked.
"Actually, Tony." Natasha cut in. "Laura is out of town, and I promised I would help Clint watch the kids."
"That's fine." Tony smirked. "You two can sit this one out." He shrugged. "We'll beat Joshua at his own game." He smirked. "You're all free to leave."
---
Ned laughed at Chase. "Dude! Caroline is never going to like you! You're so desperate, it's sad."
"Woah! Rude!" Chase playfully shook his head. "She'll fall for me, she just doesn't know it yet."
"That sounded very stalkerish." MJ commented, not looking up from her book. "And violent."
"Whoops?" Chase shrugged.
All three of them were hanging out at Ned's house, trying to come up with a plan to hang out with Peter. They got very off topic, however, and were now talking about anything that came to mind.
"I mean, maybe Caroline is into stalk--" Chase stopped as he heard a noise.
"What's wrong?" MJ asked.
"Did you hear that?" Chase asked.
"Hear what?" Ned asked. Another thump sounded, all of them hearing it.
"That doesn't sound like your mom..." Chase mumbled. All three of them slowly stood up, cautious. Chase, being the bravest of the three, approached the door apprehensively.
He took a deep breath, before slowly opening the door. He looked down the hallway, and was met with a pair of bright red eyes.
Chase slammed the door, shaking. The sound of thumps became nearer. "We need to leave." He told his friends. "There is a demon outside."
"What?" MJ asked. "This better not be a prank, Simmons."
"I'm not fucking joking!" Chase exclaimed. "There were bright red eyes staring at me!"
MJ and Ned paled. "W-We need to block the door." Ned stammered. He and Chase pushed the dresser towards the door, blocking it.
"We need to go!" MJ yelled, pulling open the window.
Ned lived in an apartment complex. The kind where some windows led to staircases that lead to the street.
They ran down the stairs. "Who was that guy?!" Chase asked. MJ shushed him, spotting someone around the corner.
A woman stood there, staring blankly at the house. "Mom...?" Ned whispered.
The woman shot her eyes to the three. They glowed red as she smiled sweetly.
Chase and MJ began running, before noticing that Ned had stayed behind. "Ned!" MJ yelled. "What are you doing?!"
"That's my mom!" Ned exclaimed.
"She is not your mother anymore." MJ yelled. "We have to go!"
Ned hesitantly nodded, and the three of them began running. "What the hell is going on?!" Chase yelled.
"There's no time to explain! We need a taxi or a bus or something!" MJ furrowed her brow. She looked at a near sign. "We're close to the subway, c'mon!"
A/N:
I have completed this at 4 am.
*
Darius: Tae! Your back at work!
Tae: Ah, yeah. Sorry.
Vine: Yo, dude, what happened?
Tae: It's nothing.
Min: Yeah right. You missed a week and a half because of "nothing"?
Darius: Are you sure?
Tae: Yeah! Yeah...
Darius: Whatever you say, Tae.