Jack here.

Like I said, things could have been worse.

They could have been much, much better, though.

I spent pretty much the whole early morning hours being questioned about things which I either knew nothing or could say nothing. Agent Thompson didn't take well to finding that out.

They let me and Jack out at the same time, not quite seeming to be satisfied with our answers.

He didn't look much better than I felt, but he reached across and gave my hand a squeeze.

We found Carmen in the main office. Mr. Stark and her were talking. Carmen didn't seem to be paying much more attention to his words than necessary.

"We're supposed to stay here during the press conference," said Carmen, greeting us. "Are you both alright?"

"As can be expected," replied Jack.

"Jack," I warned. "I am at the end of my patience right now."

"Are you sure you aren't coming to the press conference?" asked Mr. Stark, addressing Carmen.

"Perfectly sure."

We probably would end up there anyhow.

"Who's your friend?"

Carmen introduced us to Howard Stark.

"Hello, Mr. Stark," said Jack. "I'm a fan of your work." He started spouting off a whole bunch of technical stuff about... science.

There are a few disadvantages to dating a guy who's got a genius IQ when you don't have one – like that you won't always understand what he's saying.

Mr. Stark seemed to be impressed by whatever it was, though, and the two went off on a tangent about something to do with engineering. I'm fairly good at science, but whatever they were talking about flew over my head and can't remember any of their conversation, sorry.

"Something I've always wondered about Jack," said Carmen. "If he's a genius, why did he stay in normal school so long? Whatever they're talking about is well above high school level."

"Jack's mom wanted him to grow up with other kids and have a fairly normal childhood. At least, that's what Jack told me. He was smart enough that he didn't have to study a lot, and he was always well above the class levels – except for in English. That he took a while to pass. I guess she didn't want Jack to be one of those geniuses like you always see in TV shows – the guy who's ridiculously bright but can't be social or do anything but be smart."

"Like Sherlock from Sherlock?"

I nodded. "You're a fan of Sherlock?" I might not have known Carmen very well, but a show about murders and serial killers didn't seem like her thing.

"No, I sat three seasons through it just to stare at Martin Freeman. Yes, I like Sherlock."

"You prefer Martin Freeman to Benedict Cumberbatch?"

Carmen's face reddened slightly. "No comment."

The craziness of the situation hit me. "Are we sitting in the 1940s talking about two guys older than us who won't be born for at least twenty years?"

"Yes." Carmen began to laugh, and I joined in.

Agent Carter came in to find us laughing our heads off.

She stared at us for a moment, then turned her attention to Mr. Stark.

Jack walked over and joined us. "What was so funny?"

"Just something Carmen said," I replied. "Did you enjoy talking to Mr. Stark?"

Jack's response was in Sciencese, but his smile said it all.

We backed off into our own corner, away from everyone else in the room.

"We're staying here?" I asked Carmen.

She nodded.

"That makes things easier," said Jack. "We just stay here and hide?"

"Probably."

They packed up and left, leaving us with an agent to watch us.

In hindsight, we probably should have realized something was wrong before we did.

The single agent was one we didn't recognize. That should have been a sign. As should his constant getting up and his failure to say anything to us.

No, that didn't tip us off at all.

What did end up telling us something was wrong was the explosion.

The force of the blast sent us all onto the floor. I was blown against a desk, my back colliding with it. The blow knocked the wind out of me and I sank to the ground.

"You okay?" asked Jack.

I nodded.

"Me too," said Carmen.

Dottie marched toward us.

For those wondering why she would be away from something important to get at us, the answer is really complicated. Long story short, we are pulled toward people and events, in various ways. Things just work out like that. I don't understand it really. Neither does Jack.

Carmen was the first one up. She stepped in front of me.

"Hello," said Carmen. Her voice wasn't shaky at all, it was eerily calm.

Jack grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. He pressed something into my hands – a pen or something. Well, if all else failed...

Dottie aimed a gun at Carmen.

"With me. Now."

Carmen moved forward slowly. Her face had gone very white and her hands were shaking.

I didn't say anything. I could barely breathe.

The two left.

The probably hypnotized agent decided to act then, by trying to shoot us. He missed.

I threw my pen at him.

I've always had luck with my aim under stress, no idea why – it hit him in the face.

This proved just enough of a distraction for Jack to move in and try to disarm him.

The disarming move failed.

I vaulted over the desk and slammed into the guy, knocking him off balance. I grabbed the gun myself and threw it as far away as possible.

Jack punched him in the face, sending him staggering back a few steps, then swung a roundhouse kick into the side of his head, knocking him out.

We high fived.

"No need to show off, Jack. I know what you're capable of, you taught it all to me."

"How can we help Carmen?"

"What could they possibly want from Carmen?" I asked. "Did Carmen time travel with Ivy or something?"

"Ivy and Ariel did have that one time they went somewhere in the past but said it was 'too personal' for Ariel to talk about. Maybe Carmen was with them?" Jack shrugged. "But why wouldn't they have told us before?"

"They're probably at that place with Howard Stark's planes."

"Which we don't know how to find."

Things couldn't be worse right now, could they?