Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Avengers. Arie is mine. But I give all credit for the rest of them to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they rock!

One week prior

21 May 2014, Thursday

Montero High Library

"Hey Arie."

"Sup."

Aiden frowned as he settled himself into a seat next to Arie. He eyed their surroundings, bemused.

"I didn't know that you knew where the library was." He nudged her lightly. Have you been in here before?"

Arie rolled her eyes. "No. I had to ask for directions." She shrugged. "It seemed as good a place as any to mope."

"Bad day?" Aiden sympathized.

"Bad month." She snorted.

"Ah, right. Your friends."

Arie squinted. "In hindsight, I'm not so sure I can call them that."

Aiden furrowed his brow. "You guys ate lunch together, right?"

"Well-yeah," Arie admitted, "but-"

"And partnered up together in class?" He pressed.

Arie shrugged.

"And studied together and played pranks together and encouraged each other and fought together and went to the dance together and…you endorsed them." Aiden paused meaningfully. "You even solved a crime together."

Arie opened her mouth to protest and Aiden shook his head. "I know the Avengers got the credit, but you and your friends had a part in it. That's what Benny told me anyway."

"Well, Benny has a big mouth." Arie grumbled.

Aiden laughed. "True! But is he wrong?"

Arie sighed, then shook her head.

"Like I said" Aiden pointed out again smugly. "You solved a crime together."

Arie stood, arms crossed. "But did we?" She grabbed her backpack and strode out of the library. With a muttered curse, Aiden followed after her.

"Hey!" He said once he'd caught up. "What's that even mean?"

Arie sighed, and paused in the hallway to lean up against the lockers. "It means…where is Cam?"

"Cameron Davis?" Aiden's eyes widened.

Arie shrugged. "A case is only really solved until everyone's accounted for, the villians apprehended, and the motive is determined."

"And Cam's still missing. But they got Parkk."

Arie made a face. "You know as well as I do that Parkk is no mastermind."

"You think he has a partner?" Aiden wondered aloud.

"I think he has a boss." Arie countered. And Aiden shook his head.

"Maybe. But the missing kids are back, why search for a boss who's probably halfway to China by now?"

"What about Cam?" Arie asked again.

Aiden sighed. "The police don't believe Cam's disappearance is linked. You've read the papers."

"I've read the cover-ups." Arie retorted, and Aiden threw up his hands.

"Do you really think that little of our police?"

Arie just shrugged. "They spend the entire time those kids were missing with their fingers up their butts and focusing on covering everything up instead of working the case. The papers tell us that Parkk won't talk; about Cam or about his motives. And the police just left him alone. They're saying Cameron just ran away. They said that about all the kids…and they were wrong. They're wrong about Cam too…I can FEEL it."

"Okay…so where is he?" Aiden asked reasonably.

Arie grinned. "That's the question. But the other kids aren't talking…."

"And you're going to take no for an answer?"

Arie got a faraway look in her eyes. "I never have before."

"So try again."

Arie nodded contemplatively.

"There you go. If they saw Cam, you'll know he's connected. He was the second one to disappear, so one of them must've seen him if he was taken too."

"That gives me a lead on Cam." Arie agreed. "But I really need to talk to Parkk."

"That lunatic?" Aiden made a face. "Why?"

Arie began to pace. "To find out why he did it of course!" The police only talked to him for maybe five minutes…and he said nothing, and they gave up. If I could just see him…I know I could get him to talk! Maybe I could find out about Cam, or who he's working for, but mostly….I just need to know why he did it."

"Why is knowing his motive so important to you?" Aiden asked confused. "It's over. Everyone's safe. Isn't that the important part?"

Arie's face went solemn. "The why is the most important part, Aiden. And it's not over until we know what happened to Cam."

Arie groaned, breaking the seriousness of the moment. Then she smiled sheepishly. "I sound nuts, don't I?"

Aiden smirked. "No more than usual." He laughed when she threw up her arms in agitation, but he caught her attention once more. "Hey. You wanna know what I think?"

Arie paused. "Always."

Aiden pinked slightly. "Well. While I didn't know your friends very well, for the most part, I liked them. Besides totally ditching you out of nowhere, they were really good for you. Around them, you changed…and for the better. They helped you become more open, quicker to laugh, more apt to have fun. But the old Arie; who maybe didn't laugh so much, was more prone to study than play…the one thing I miss about her? She never left any questions she had unanswered."

Aiden shrugged. "It sounds to me that right now…you have a lot of unanswered questions. And MY question is; is there enough of the old Arie in you to follow your gut?"

He winked and began making his way down the hall; whistling happily.

Arie considered what he said. Then she laughed.

Aiden was right.

And she had answers to go hunt down.

Okay, wait a second. She goes to hunt down answers, and somehow a week later is tied up and on record?

Did she make someone mad?

Did she get too close?

Next chapter up...when I feel like you've suffered enough!

I do love the way you humor me, like I've said before! And I'd LOVE to hear your theories!

~CLC~