The clock ticks so slowly, although everything in this building feels slow. Dad was adamant that I start going to school, like regular people, but I'm regular. I'm a tiger lily in a sea of white roses, bright and vibrant, exotic, and utterly alone in its difference. The hammer of the bell sends vibrations through the anvil, signaling class is over. I put the book for my Western mythology class. I see two girls standing by the classroom doors, whispering to each other as their eyes lock on me. Im sure they have a lot to whisper about. The 14 year old genius daughter of Tony Stark, adopted the same day he revealed himself as Iron Man, already 3 years through college, and comes complete with a mysterious past. I take a deep breath before advering my eyes, and putting on my coat.
I walk out of the school building, watching colors in the crowd go by, looking for my dad's car, or Happy's car. Instead I find Phil Coulson in a car waiting for me. He wears a smug yet sincere smile and pitch black sunglasses.
"I think you're waiting for the wrong Stark," I say sarcastically.
"No, Ma'am, I'm not. If you would please get in the car," Coulson replies.
"Look Coulson, I truly have nothing against you but I still don't trust shield, not after…," I take a deep breath, then continue, "the point is I'm not getting in that car alone."
"No one will hurt you, Ma'am. Stark Knows you're coming with us. Plus, you're Iron Man's daughter. If you went missing, well, Shield would be much less covert with all that media coverage." He says jokingly. I don't laugh.
I open my phone and call Dad. He picked up on the first ring, quicker than usual.
"Hey, Lee, I may have forgot to mention Shield was picking you up, no big deal, right? They wanted your help, something to do with the tesseract," He says, his tone filled with anxiety.
"It would've been nice if you'd have asked me first," I reply, rather aggressively, and hanging up.
"Ma'am?" I hear as Coulson's voice.
"Yeah, I'm Coming Coulson," I say, "and stop calling me Ma'am, it's weird, makes me feel old."
"Stop calling me Coulson" he responds.
"Your first name is agent as far as I'm concerned," I joke, I hear him chuckle as i open the car door. Immediately I see a set of blue eyes looking up at me. Not just any eyes. It was captain fucking America.
"Aren't you a little young to be here?" He asks me.
"Aren't you a little old?" I say, sitting down across from him- as the chairs in this car seem to be limo style.
"Yeah I'm not a child though," he replies, holding a father-like tone.
"Fairpoint. Truth is I don't know why I'm here," I say.
The car becomes silent as an an uneasy atmosphere fills the space. Then, Coulson opened the door and sits next to me.
"Ms. Stark-" he starts.
"Lee, call me Lee" I interrupt, I've had it with these 'respectful' terms. I know he means well, He isn't going to soften my view of shield with them, nothing anyone says could.
"Lee" He says, drawing out the word as if it confused him. His usual light tone becomes serious as he says, "Someone took the tesseract last night. They took Selvig and Barton too. You have a connection with the cube, you were drawn to it. we were hoping you could help find it again."
"Sorry Coulson, after that thing blasted me across the room, I haven't felt it." I respond apologetically, "maybe I can make a program to trace the cube's radiation signature though."
"You can do that?" Rogers asks.
"That's the least impressive thing she can do," Coulson say, his voice becoming excited.
He opens his mouth to say more, but i shoot him a look and he stops. I don't need Capsicle over here knowing all my secrets cause Coulson happens to be a fanboy. Rogers gives me a suspicious look, as if I'm dangerous. I don't blame him, I know better than most, trust doesn't come easy.
"Who took the cube?" I ask, changing the subject.
"He said his name was Loki, and that he's the brother of Thor." Coulson says as he pulls out his phone to send me the case file.
"Thor, good old Thor," I say, remembering our meeting. Last year they I ran off to New Mexico, One day i got this inexplicable urge to get in a plane and fly Erict. It was the same feeling with the tesseract. It felt like a rope pulling me, and like a moth to a flame, i followed. Next thing I know, a giant medieval metal man almost burnt me alive with its hellfire-expelling eyes. I went back to New York the next day, but I just can't seem to shake the encounter.
With the sound of a cough I was snapped out of my thoughts. I had forgotten about the old man across from me. I put my gloved hand out, which he looks at wearily.
"Ophelia Stark, nice to meet you, Captain Rogers," I say softly.
He takes my hand and says,"I still don't think you should be here."
"I'm stronger than I look, and someone took Barton and Selvig, People I cared about." I say, "I'm not going to sit back and let the "big boys" deal with it."
Rogers looks at me with a fear inducing stare, the kind of stare that a boy meeting his girlfriend's father would endure. Then the man goes and laughs, breaking the mood of the room.
"You've got spunk kid, I'll give you that."
From the corner of my eye i see Coulson smile. I lean back in my chair and look out the window. I see the cars passing by, people living their normal day to day lives. I shake my head.
I can't help but think, what have i gotten myself into.