CHAPTER 10: A NEW DEVELOPMENT

"Every day brings new choices."
-Martha Beck

"Are you a superhero?"

The hooded girl's steps faltered for a moment before returning to their previous rhythm. "A superhero?" She said, looking down at the small girl that was currently following her, with a raised eyebrow and a sort of grim amusement dancing below her otherwise blank expression. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, because you helped me… Though I don't think I've ever heard of you before…" The younger girl trailed off, uncertain.

"Kid," the teenager sighed, "First of all, I don't need the hussle and moral bother of being a superhero, and second, If you or anyone had heard of me before, I'd be dead by now."

"Why?"

"Look kid, just go home, you're too young to be walking around alone at night."

"I can take care of myself." The girl huffed.

"I'm sure." She scoffed. "Sure looked like it when I saved your ass."

"Well not all of us have superpowers..." The small girl muttered, causing the teen to stop walking.

"Where the hell did you hear that?" She hissed.

She paused for a second and her hand relaxed against the phone, "That's not my name."

She was answered by a snort, "You never told me your name."

"So logically, my name is Maugrim?"

"Well, like I said, you never told me your name."

"That was not our agreement."

"Hey! I'm not complaining!" There was a pause on the line, "Will you ever tell me if I was right?"

"About what?"

"What your name used to be."

She sighed in exasperation, "Someday. I might. Why the sudden interest? You never pressed for an answer before."

"I heard you were in London again, take you back?"

"Where on earth did you hear that?" She snorted.

"The CIA."

"You mean you illegally hacked into the CIA. You said you were going clean."

"I blame you. You're the first person I ever met who could do stuff like that."

"Andy, I'm a lousy role model." She argued. "Besides, you're avoiding the question, why did you call?"

"Maugrim, this isn't a social call." There was a pause, "If I'm right about who you were-"

"I never said you were."

"Maugrim!"

The tone of that word made her pause, "What happened, Andy?"

"If I'm right…" Andy stopped, taking a deep breath.

"What is it kid? Spit it out!"

"Alright." She sighed, "Maugrim, your sister is missing."

Your sister is missing. She froze. "What?" She whispered.

"I'm sorry." Andy said hesitantly, knowing that saying stuff like that wouldn't help. Maugrim had always hated that kind of expressions. She had always told Andy that it was better to tell it buntly or say nothing at all, than to cover it up with sprinkles and glitter and then have the illusion ripped out. Andy didn't necessarily agree. She waited for some kind of response but there was none. "Are you oka-"

"I'm assuming you know what this means?" She cut her off. Andy sighed inwardly at the newfound coldness in the answering voice. They both knew she was avoiding the question.

"Yes." Andy said hesitantly and a slight tremor entered her voice.

"Then you know what I need to do."

Andy took a shaky breath. "There's..." She hesitated, "There's nothing you can do." Andy said, her voice now trembling obviously.

"Andy, you know damn well that I have no choice."

"Maugrim, if you do this," She pleaded, "You might die."

"I think it's a bit more likely than 'might' die."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Act like it's bloody nothing!"

"Then how should I act, Andy?" She growled. "I was planning on doing it anyway, your call has just confirmed the urgency of the matter."

"All right. What do you need me to do?"

"Sir, you've got a new message."

"If it's shield again, tell them I'm busy."

"It appears to have originated from our current Jane Doe's drive."

Tony stopped what he was doing and slid his chair towards the computer, "Show me."

A small dialogue box stared back at him, it was completely blank except for a small button in the lower right corner. Tony clicked it with a small shrug. Almost instantly a new window opened and a single message appeared.

W/: Don't tell Fury yet, wait 72 hours, after that you are free to tell shield everything you want.

A few seconds later, the message dissappeared. Tony sighed and took a big gulp of coffee, "Jarvis, I'm gonna need a cheeseburger."

"I will inform your assistant right away sir."

"Thanks buddy."

"Miss Red?" Stuttered a nervous man as he entered the room. His eyes flitted to the unconcious girl hanging from the ceiling before going back to staring at the floor.

"What?" His boss answered, annoyed at being interrupted again. She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Spit it out."

"There's news from our contact at Shield." He gulped, "There- There's a copycat sending messages on your behalf."

"What?" The man's eyes widened as he watched his employer's go red and he instinctively took a step back, but he was too late. The small blade slit his throat in an instant.

"Oh Red." Sighed a man in annoyance, "Must you always do that? That's the fifth one this week!"

"Shut up Weston. That copycat could have ruined something!" She growled, turning towards the expensively dressed man.

"Oh come on Red!" He grinned, "Don't be so dramatic. This might be a good thing. Now that Shield believes them to be us, they'll be too focused looking for them."

"Exactly! I thought you said it was our turn, but we can't do that if they don't even look our way!"

"Calm down Red, we don't want another soldier dead today, we'll have no men left by the end of the month if you keep up like this."

"Fine. At least this way I can play a little while longer." She said looking back at the girl hanging from her wrists.

"That you will."

A/N

That was a bit shorter than usual, but it's all for today. I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, I hope you will like the way the story is heading. I'll try to upload a new chapter in a couple of days, if not, then it should be up by the end of next week.

See you guys later!
-GMR