Note: Happy Friday folks! Just a small reminder that I don't own anything Marvel related. I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 3
"Y-your Intern?" Peter sputtered.
Despite the amused look on Mr. Stark's face, he didn't seem to be joking. "Intern, apprentice, Avenger-in-training, whatever you want to call it."
He sighed dramatically and clapped Peter on the shoulder, "In case you haven't noticed, kid, the Avengers are spread pretty thin these days. Rhodey and Agent Romanoff are out on mission to who knows where, Banner and Thor aren't even on Earth anymore, Clint and Scott are on house arrest after the Germany fiasco, and the rest of the team is in the wind." Mr. Stark ran a hand through his hair, something Peter noticed the billionaire did when he was anxious. "Thanks to an untraceable-" Mr. Stark winked at his guests, "-technological security breach on the Raft, Sam and Wanda were broken out. One would have to assume that they're with Cap and his sidepiece with the metal arm. Not even I could find them, even if I wanted to."
Pepper coughed lightly, "Not that you would want to, Tony."
Mr. Stark grimaced at his CEO and girlfriend, "of course not." He turned back to Peter, "Vision hightailed it out of here as soon as Wanda was on the loose, and so we've got to assume they are sipping coconut juice on a beach somewhere in Fiji. Or, at least, she is. I don't think Viz has evolved enough to replicate a digestive system."
Aunt May took a bite of her lasagna before interjecting. "So, what does all of this have to do with Peter? You want a sixteen year old kid to jump into the Avengers because the team broke up?"
Pepper touched May's hand softly and shook her head, "Of course not. Tony's just lonely all by himself here in the compound. He misses having everyone around."
If May and Peter were surprised at Pepper's revelation, it was nothing compared to the look of complete and utter betrayal on Mr. Stark's face. "Why I NEVER…" he started loudly, but after a fierce eyebrow pop from Pepper, he seemed to change his tune immediately, "Okay, okay, fine." Mr. Stark grumbled and drummed his fingers against the table, "Maybe it's a little quiet around here. And maybe I was thinking the kid could come up here on the weekends and work with me in the lab, or train with Iron Man in the gym upstairs. He's lacking when it comes to hand-to-hand combat."
Peter's mind was in complete overload with the insane amount of information delivered to him in less than a minute. Besides Iron Man, only Black Widow and War Machine were readily available for Avengers missions? Everyone else was ether off in space, a war criminal, or hiding out with one. And Mr. Stark wanted him around? And maybe even, heaven forbid, missed him? No, no, that last one was a little crazy.
Next to the day Mr. Stark gave him the Spider-Man suit, this might be the coolest thing that had ever happened to him. Iron Man wanted to work with him in the lab? Wanted to train with him? Peter was just a kid from Queens.
"Y-yes!" Peter practically screamed the word, causing the three adults to raise their brows in amused surprise. He forced himself to take a deep breath and tried again, "I mean, t-this is an incredible opportunity, Mr. Stark, I would be honored to come hang out with you here!"
The billionaire snorted, "I don't know how much 'hanging out' we'll be doing kid, but I like your enthusiasm. If you're going to be my intern, mentee, apprentice-whatever you want to call it, you'll be working hard."
Peter didn't hesitate to nod excitedly, practically buzzing with anticipation. "I won't let you down, Mr. Stark!"
Aunt May smiled warmly at the exchange, obviously realizing how big of a deal it was for Peter to receive this kind of attention from his hero. "I'm sure Peter will be a great asset to your work, Mr. Stark. He could be a little more excited though, if you ask me." Miss Potts and Mr. Stark barked out surprised laughter at May's teasing, and Peter's cheeks warmed up in embarrassment.
Before he could apologize for his abundance of energy, Pepper reached across the table to place her hand over his. "Peter, don't even think about apologizing. I think Tony is just as excited as you are."
Peter turned to the billionaire for confirmation, and he was rewarded with a wink. Freaking yes!
Mr. Stark clapped his hands together loudly, "Alright then. Now that that's over with, let's dig in. My mouth has been watering ever since Pepper asked what my favorite dish was earlier today."
Peter complied and took a bite of the lasagna, his brain still trying to catch up to the fact that he would now be getting to spend every weekend hanging out with his hero-Iron Man.
Life was good-wait no. Life was freaking amazing.
XX
"Get up, Alexandria." Joey commanded, his voice clear and strong from the viewing stands.
Alex struggled to push up to her elbows, spitting blood onto the worn mat. Her bones quivered, and her muscles refused to move another inch, so she fell back onto her stomach.
Her instructor let out a huff of displeasure, but moved away when Joey strolled over to their position. Alex noticed that the family members kept a wide berth of the Boss' son since she arrived eleven months ago. At first she believed it to be out of respect, but the wild determination in his eyes made her think that maybe it was more out of fear.
She averted her eyes when Joey crouched down next to her. He waited a beat before addressing Alex in a low, quite tone that was probably meant to comfort her. "Alexandria, what promise did I make to you when I took you in?"
"That you would keep me safe." She answered immediately, finally raising her gaze to meet the brown eyes that always gave her a surge of warmth.
Joey held his palms out, "And what do you believe I hope to achieve by having you take these martial arts classes?"
Alex chewed on the inside of her cheek, exhaustion still racking her body. "You want me to be able to protect myself even without my abilities."
"Exactly!" He snapped his fingers right next to her ear, causing her to flinch. "You are a strong girl, Alexandria, and I want you to learn that you always, always need to get back up when you are knocked down." Joey slid his hands around her sore arms and pulled her up to her feet. "You are destined for great things, mi figlia. When you fall, I want you to rise up, high and magnificent like those skyscrapers in the city that you like so much."
A familiar stirring wormed its way into her chest, and Alex took a deep breath. Joey was right, what happened that night could never happen again. She needed to be strong, with or without her powers. An image of the lone World Trade Center rose to the surface of her memories, and she pulled away from Joey's grip.
Alex turned towards her instructor and held up curled fists, ignoring her shaking arms. "Go again."
XX
Alex shook her head, retreating back into Marco's arms. "No, no I can't do this."
Joey's face fell with disappointment, and Alex felt her gut wrench. She would do anything for the man she now thought of as her father, she really would. But this was asking too much. How could anyone be so cruel?
He knelt down so that they were eye level, and she had to fight the instinct to shrink back. Joey gripped her chin and pulled her closer. "Alexandria, you are eight years old now. Do you believe you are old enough to be a part of this family?"
She nodded her head, her heartbeat picking up wildly. They were all she had now. If she didn't have the Genovese family, then she had nothing. She had no identity. No home.
"Then you are old enough to help protect us. That man in there has information of a plot to hurt the capofamiglia. To hurt my father, your grandfather." His deep voice sent chills crawling up her spine. "You are the only one who can help, mi figlia. This family saved you two years ago, and now you have a good enough grip on your abilities to help save us. Can you do that?"
She didn't want to. Alex wanted nothing more than to leap into Marco's arms, to have him escort her back to her bedroom where she could curl up and hide away. She didn't want to hurt anybody.
But he wasn't giving her a choice. The man in there was threatening the Boss, and Alex had been here long enough to know that was unacceptable. The Five Families were untouchable and dangerous, but none so more than the Genovese Family. If she was going to grow up to be strong enough to protect herself, Joey was adamant that she needed to get over her aversion to their methods. This was a test, and she was failing.
The room fell silent as a figure appeared in the doorway. She broke away from Joey's grasp to find the capofamiglia's eyes on her. Alex's breath hitched, and she immediately dipped her chin low out of respect. Joey backed away as her grandfather approached.
"Alexandria, look at me." She complied shakily. "Come. We are in need of your services." Alex might be able to say no to her father, but nobody, nobody said no to the Boss. She wetted her lips and reached out to grasp his outstretched hand. His mammoth paw gripped hers tightly, and he led her into the next room. It was spacious enough, with organic earth lining the ground and columns of fire staggered along the walls. Her own personal torture chamber.
There was a man standing in the middle of the room with chains gripping his wrists, holding him in place. Slight bruising could be seen across his cheek, but otherwise he was healthy. They were waiting for her do the rest.
Alex looked up towards her grandfather, silently awaiting his instructions.
When he spoke, the sound echoed around the room, almost tangible. "I will give you one last chance to reveal your employer's name."
The man didn't seem to be deterred by her presence, which was to be expected. She wasn't exactly the type people went around cowering in fear over. At least, not yet. She was eight years old for heaven's sake. If anything, the man was amused. An ugly smirk donned his face, and he shrugged. "I think you're losing your touch, Joseph. Bringing a little girl down here to scare me into talking? My employer will be happy to know that you've gone senile."
Her grandfather sighed in disappointment. He squeezed her hand and crouched down so they were eye level. "My dear, I need you to make the bad man talk. Can you do that?"
No, she wanted to say. Please let me go back to my room.
Instead, she nodded. The Boss leaned forward to kiss her hair softly before rising back to his feet. He released her, and took a step backwards. Alex swallowed thickly before turning her attention to the man. She steadily reminded herself that he was bad. Evil. He wanted to hurt her family, the ones that kept her safe. It was only fair that she could return the favor.
Alex walked up to him, focusing on his narrowed deep blue eyes. If she used her imagination, Alex could picture the color shifting lighter and lighter until they were like ice. She reached both hands outwards and tightened the pull in her gut. She called on the flames that were contained along the walls, and forced them to dance their way around her thin arms.
The man's eyes slowly widened in confusion, then fear as he watched the fire bend to her will. She took a step forward, and he began to wrench in his chains. "What the fuck is going on? Get this crazy bitch away from me!"
She crossed her arms, sending the lick of flames across his abdomen, and he screamed as the burns etched into his skin.
Her grandfather stood a few feet behind her, and she could hear the frown in his voice. "If you wish to live through this, I would suggest you refrain from using such language in front of the child."
The man cursed again, and Alex swiped her hands upwards, sending the heat across his chest. He choked in pain, the curses steadily disappearing into whimpers. She pushed again, fighting hard to ignore the screams that would implant themselves into her memory.
"Now. I believe you had some information you were about to give us?"
XX
Alex brought her knees to her chest atop the wide windowsill in the living room, staring out at the changing leaves. She sighed heavily and rested her head against the cool glass. "Father?"
Joey looked up from the book he was reading while nestled into the comfortable armchair. "Hm?"
"Why can't I go to school? It gets so boring here with the tutors."
Without looking at him, Alex could guess that his thick brow had furrowed when he set down the book. "You know why, Alexandria. You need to be protected from the outside world. It's dangerous out there for an Enhanced individual like yourself." She heard him rise from his chair, and scooted back along the windowsill so that he could have room to sit near her feet. "Tell me, mi figlia, what would you really like to ask?"
She sighed, meeting his gaze and giving a noncommittal shrug. "There just aren't any other kids here at the mansion. I don't meet anyone my own age."
Joey raised a hand to pat her on the knee. "Children do not belong within our ranks. You are twelve years old now, my dear, and already far more advanced than men much older than yourself. Is Marco not providing you with adequate entertainment?"
Alex wanted to groan and smart off at him, but she had come to learn that disrespect was taken very, very seriously within the Genovese Family. Her father had built a room specifically to punish her in when she acted out, and Alex had no desire to be sent there again. So instead, she chewed on her bottom lip and shook her head, trying a different approach. "Marco is great, that's not the problem. Maybe…maybe I would feel a little better if I was able to take a trip outside the mansion? Maybe to a movie or something? Chaperoned, of course." She added quickly.
Her father stared hard at her, and Alex had to fight down the impulse to squirm. She could tell he was considering it, but she silently prayed for a gesture of good will rather than a trade off. Things like this were never given freely. They were earned.
"Perhaps we could come to an understanding, Alexandria."
Shoot. She shouldn't have asked. She should have just been happy with the mansion, the tutors, and Marco.
A dark grin stretched across Joey's handsome face. "I will agree to grant you a chaperoned trip or two outside of the mansion in return for a task we would normally entrust to Angelo." He watched her carefully as he continued. "An enemy of the family needs to be disposed of. Evidence leaves behind a trail that leads straight to us. You can help us with that."
Alex swung her legs over the windowsill, standing up to pace the room. "No, Father, I-I apologize for bringing anything up in the first place. I-I'm happy where I am. I do not wish to be involved in Family politics."
She silently prayed that he would allow her to take it back, but the look on his face just thickened the pit writhing in her stomach. "Alexandria, you can either do this and receive something you wish in return, or Frankie can escort you down to the Fold before I ask you a second time." Alex stiffened at the mention of that dreaded room, fighting to hold down a shudder. "Do you so easily forget the debt you owe this family?"
"No, Father, of course not." She replied immediately, straightening her back and intertwining her fingers. She owed this to them. No matter what her feelings towards the Family's method of doing business, Alex knew she wasn't able to refuse an order. Better for her to at least pretend to do this on her own terms than have to endure the Fold again. "I apologize." She returned to her spot on the windowsill, bringing her knees to her chest and dipping her chin. "I'd be happy to serve the Family in anyway that I can. I-I would also like to accept your offer, if it still stands."
Joey gave her a fond smile and reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "I will speak with Marco about taking you out tomorrow. Tonight, report to your grandfather's office at ten o'clock sharp. Angelo will provide you with the details of your mission tonight."
That night, Alex took her first life.
The next day, as promised, Marco took her outside of the mansion, just for fun, for the first time in six years.
XX
"Are you sure she can handle this, Ragazzo?" Luca asked as he peered out through the tinted glass window into the training room. The Boss, Underboss, Captain, and Advisor stood around, anxiously waiting for Alexandria's final test to begin.
Joey's grin darkened his face, and Marco couldn't help the shiver that crawled down his spine at the sight. "How can you doubt her, Luca?" He gestured towards the screen on the north wall, which outlined Alexandria's results on the last three tests. "The tutors assured us that she was extremely well versed in Italian, Russian, and Spanish, Angelo couldn't stop singing her praises on how well she handled each weapon presented to her, and Master Feong was taken down in sixty-three seconds." Joey opened his arms widely, "What more could you want?"
For her to be a normal teenager, Marco thought. He would never openly oppose the wishes of the capofamiglia orhis son, but the thought of Alexandria taking on thirty of Angelo's best soldiers at once caused a trickle of fear to spread through the Advisor's nervous system. She was only sixteen after all, and Joey had transformed his charge into a weapon.
Luca nodded wearily and returned his attention to the training room. It was no secret that ever since that fateful night ten years ago, each of the Genovese Family's most powerful men were twisted around the girl's finger. Marco still felt sick whenever he thought about how she came to stay with them, but he wouldn't change what happened. The deception was necessary to bring such an incredible child into their lives. While she was more powerful than any of them could have imagined, Alexandria was still the most grounded individual Marco had ever met.
She was kind, deceptively funny, and her sense of loyalty eclipsed all others'. Just the other day, she made him stop the car in the middle of a busy street when a duck and her ducklings were trying to cross. Alexandria didn't hesitate to jump out of the backseat to help them along, flipping anyone off that honked their horn at her.
Of course, while she was busy being too pure for their world, Marco took note of those cars' license plates, and sent a few of Angelo's soldiers to completely dismantle the vehicles later on that night. Joseph's closest associates did not handle the mistreatment of Alexandria well. Over the past ten years, the girl had become like the daughter none of them ever had.
With the exception of young Joey, of course. Marco silently fumed as he considered the fact that the capofamiglia's son was Alexandria's legal guardian, and she had grown to see him as her father. Joey put on an impressive mask in front of the girl, showering her with fictitious love and forged affection, all while manipulating her from behind the curtain. He believed her to be an asset. A weapon. Marco believed Joey to have an ulterior motive to Alexandria's abilities that extended beyond simply offering protection for the Family, but he would never speak out against him. Not if he wanted to keep his head.
Angelo, Luca, and Marco all grumbled their quiet worries and turned their attention back to the training room. "The Asset will be more than successful today, I promise you that. Once she assumes the mantle of Shadowbreath, we can finally take our rightful place among The Commission."
The capofamiglia laced his meaty fingers together and cracked his knuckles, as if the anticipation of the next Commission meeting was getting to be too much. Joseph had waited years for this opportunity. "Alexandria has done well up to this point. I look forward to observing how she handles a small army. She will need to be prepared if we are to pull off what we intend to."
No one spoke after that, knowing it was dangerous to their health to even think about speaking out of term once the Boss ended the conversation. So Marco swallowed dully, sending silent prayers up to the Virgin Mary that Alexandria would fail her task.
Perhaps failure would be enough to save an innocent girl from the fate her family had planned for her.
XX
Alex moved across the room as nothing more than a vicious blur. Thirty soldiers spun around her expertly, trying to hit their target with even one drop of paint stocked within their guns. Her final test was to incapacitate the enemy without using her powers, and Alex hadn't felt the need to slip up once.
She tore between one of the soldier's legs and swiftly delivered two Phoenix eye punches to his nerve endings, causing the man to cry out in pain and fall roughly to his knees. Alex barrel rolled across his now horizontal back and grabbed the weapon from his hands. She slammed the butt of the gun against the base of the soldier's head, sending him crumbling to the ground.
Alex spun around and pulled the trigger six times in rapid succession, nailing each one of her targets in between their eyes. She flipped to avoid shots from her left, landing right in front of another soldier. As he reached to grab her, Alex crushed her head against his, the force knocking him instantly unconscious, and slipped the weapon from his hands. She grabbed his collar and lifted the soldier up, using him as a makeshift shield against the onslaught of ammunition. Alex deposited him roughly onto the ground and slung the straps of both guns across her shoulders, running straight towards the east wall before ricocheting between it and the adjacent column and flipping upwards towards the ceiling.
She narrowly avoided another round of shots by jumping across the thin ducts, simultaneously pulling out one of the guns and planting four more paintball masks across her targets.
Twelve down, eighteen to go.
Alex made it to the corner of the ceiling in four seconds, ducking behind the only column high enough to provide cover. She caught her breath for five counts, calculating exactly where she heard each of the shots originating from as they hit the backside of her hiding place. "You can do this, you can do this." Alex muttered to herself, pulling out the second gun and positing both of them across her breasts in preparation. She grunted and spun to her left, firing below rapidly as she leaped across the ducts along the ceiling, and circled back.
Fourteen.
Eighteen.
Twenty-three.
Twenty-five.
Ha! She caught her breath as she slid behind the column again. Alex checked herself over quickly to ensure that she wasn't hit-nope, she was clean. Excellent.
Five more targets to go, but one of her guns was out of ammo, so she rolled to her right and chunked it below, directly hitting one of the last remaining soldiers in the forehead, knocking him out cold.
Twenty-six down. Four more to go.
Right before she made herself vulnerable again to take out the last of her targets, a familiar voice sounded over the speakers.
"Alexandria, I would like to see you incapacitate the remainder of the targets with your abilities." Her grandfather's request had her mind churning immediately, trying to determine exactly what he wanted her to do. She needed to be perfect to receive his approval.
There was no doubt in Alex's mind that the entire team was watching from behind the tinted glass, and whichever aspect of her abilities she chose to use would determine if her performance was well received.
Alex deliberated for a few moments before deciding that the majority of her grandfather's top counselors liked a show. Over the past ten years, she had grown to expect the Family's otherworldly bloodlust, regardless of her own feelings towards meaningless violence. Today was about impressing them, so if it was a show they wanted, it was a show they would get.
She focused her concentration inward, and sighed in ecstasy when she felt the powerful pull deep within her gut. Alex capitalized on the tingling feeling that danced within her veins, and leaped down onto the ground. The remaining four soldiers emptied their rounds in her direction. However, seconds before they reached Alex, a solid wall of earth sprung out of the ground and took the hits. In the back of her mind, Alex guessed that the other side of the wall probably looked like a really intense piece of graffiti.
When she heard the empty clicking of her target's triggers, she tightened her fists, and the wall of earth crumbled to her will. Alex grinned at the fear she saw reflected in the soldier's eyes, and took a deep breath in. She sprung from her position, twisting in the air for momentum, and forced a jet of white-hot flames from her enclosed fists. Alex came down on two of her targets' chests with breathtaking force, knocking each of them unconscious instantly.
As the last two soldiers moved, Alex jumped again, bending the air beneath her so that she sailed higher out of their reach, and created a fiery whip between her fingers. She lashed out, sending her elemental weapon across her target's boots, throwing them onto their backs. When Alex landed gracefully, she dissolved the whip, and willed the crumbled earth around her to congregate across her fists, creating a rock-hard gauntlet. Positioning herself between the last two soldiers, who were groaning loudly on the ground, she slammed her weight across their noses, wincing slightly when she felt the bones crack beneath her fingers.
Alex released her hold on the elements and straightened, still relishing in the flush of power that coursed through her blood. A deadly silence twisted over the room for exactly twenty-six seconds before the sealed door slid open, allowing her grandfather and his team to enter. She held her bated breath, trying to decipher the expressions on each of their faces.
Her father stayed in his place behind the Boss, not daring to make a move towards her until Joseph allowed it. His chocolate brown eyes twinkled, and Alex prayed that the others shared his approval of her performance.
When Joseph spoke, the tension within her chest immediately unraveled, "You have done well, my dear."
Alex bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming her excitement, and sprinted towards his open arms. Her grandfather squeezed her tightly against his chest, placing his cheek atop her thick black hair. "Sono così orgoglioso di te. I am so proud of you."
Joseph released her, and gestured towards his son, who was waiting patiently with a dazzling smile. Joey ruffled her hair fondly before embracing her as well. "You were magnificent today, Alexandria. I couldn't have wished for better results." When he stepped away, he cupped her cheek in endearment.
Alex grinned widely, allowing the elation of passing her final test fill her up. "You really think so?"
Luca, Marco, and Angelo all moved to congratulate her as well, kissing each of her cheeks and praising her excessively. "There was never a doubt in my mind that you would succeed, my dear." The Advisor praised.
The Underboss and Captain agreed, "Absolutely. You have always been the strongest among us."
She fought to keep her emotions under control. Her family, who had spent so much time and energy raising a daughter they never expected, shaping and molding her into the warrior she was today, were pleased with her performance. She had passed the last of her tests.
Alex nodded her thanks to each of them before turning to her father and grandfather. Their eyes danced with delight as they soaked her in. "Does this mean that I'm ready to receive my title, capofamiglia?"
Joseph shared a look with his son and gave a slight nod, allowing Joey to answer for them both. "That's exactly what it means, mi figlia." He looked over his shoulder towards the door and called out, "Bring it out!"
Her father met her gaze again, and she gave him a questioning look. "My dear, if you are going to take on the title of the family's protector, you need to look the part." Two soldiers appeared from the hallway carrying a silver case. They set it on the ground before their superiors, and backed away quickly.
Joey bent down and motioned for her to join him. He pointed towards the sleek black keypad, "Place your thumbprint there." She complied, and felt a jolt of adrenaline when the locks clicked open. Her father lifted the top, and Alex swallowed thickly as she peered at its contents.
A form-fitting catsuit coated in a metallic exterior and decorated with intricate black markings was displayed in front of her. Without thinking, she reached a shaky hand out to stroke it, "What is it?"
"Vibranium, my dear." Joey told her, obvious excitement lacing his deep voice. "The family has been trying to obtain enough material for your suit for ten years. We finally gathered all that we needed a few months ago, and Marco was able to find someone to create what we needed."
She looked up at her family with watery eyes, "T-thank you." The emotion caused her voice to crack, but she didn't care. Her family believed in her so much that there was never a doubt in their minds that she would pass her final round of tests today. They had been trying to make a suit for her ever since they saved her, knowing full well the kind of warrior that she would turn out to be.
"Don't cry, mi figlia. You have earned this title. We are so proud of you." Joey whispered quietly, wiping the escaped tears from her cheeks. He took her arms and pulled Alex up as he straightened. "The Genovese Family will be protected against all threats, now that we have Shadowbreath looking after us."
Alex cleared her throat and grinned up at the people who took her in, "I won't let you down. I promise."
A dangerous grin flashed across Joey's face, and Alex faltered for a moment. Dangerous? Where did that thought come from?
Before she could figure out what she could have been seeing, her grandfather placed his hands over her shoulders. "My dear, are you ready to receive your first mission?"
Alex blinked, more than a little surprised that they already had her first assignment in mind. She was apprehensive, sure, but she should have been expecting this. "Of course, capofamiglia."
"Wonderful. You will be joining us at the Commission meeting next weekend. The Genovese Family has a message we would like Shadowbreath's helpto deliver…"
