As we fell into step with the motel behind us, I basked in the moment of peace. Sure, my back hurt from carrying a little boy that couldn't walk himself but it wasn't major. My healing factor helped a lot but it hadn't seen a lot of use major has happened injury wise since DC. Honestly, it was all because of Erik. He's the bodyguard I never wanted or needed. Even if he was just motivated by guilt.
We just recovered seventeen Enhanced individuals from a very brutal lab. Now they were resting at some hole in the wall motel until Raven and her people could get to them. They might never recover completely from their torment, but at least they were safe. I hope that Raven knows some psychologists that have experience with childhood trauma.
This was the first military base Erik and I raided. It went rather well but I know the clean up is going to be the hard part. This wasn't at all outsourced to a different company like Trask Industries, this was pure taxpayer dollars going into every scalpel and every volt run through those poor kids. Publicizing their records ensured the public would be in a position to hold them accountable. I think Nat would be proud of my info dump. Maybe I'll get tried for treason too if they ever catch me.
Previously we were raiding corporate properties. One in three carried enough firepower to be a concern, and half of them actually had viable security systems. None of them held more than ten enhanced, and a few of them held none. They contained a space to work on products like the sentinels or other less outright concepts that offered a sneak peek into the end of the world. Most were a walk in the park for a metal bender and a siren. Military bases were a little trickier. They had more experience in violence.
Most of what this lab had done would put others to shame and this was government sanctioned. Each of the Enhanced individuals were innocent of any crime and I made sure that was displayed prominently. The rats that oversaw this base would have nowhere to hide. There were three more bases on the list, and we'd have to get to them quickly before the rats get smart and clean them up themselves.
"Have you done this before?" Erik asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.
"Raiding a military base?" I confirm and he nods. "Yes, several times. We had to be thorough with Hydra. None of us wanted them to come back in a few years. They didn't get into human experimentation on as large of a scale as this, but don't get me wrong, they still did it. They had a lot more bases too. Sometimes we'd infiltrate beforehand, other times we would barge through their front door. They were always hiding behind another trick door somewhere. It's why I focus so much on information recovery—instinct. I don't want any of these sadists escaping into the sewers to come back and haunt us later."
"Us?" He points out with a small smile. I look at him and frown. "You said haunt us later. Does that mean you've considered staying?"
"I'm a coward if I do," I state calmly. That's the tip of the iceberg though. Thanos is waiting. He tore through me, Tony, Peter, Strange and my brother's merry band of misfits like we were nothing. Half of Thor's people are dead because of him, including Loki and Heimdall if what my brother said is true. If Thanos is going to be defeated, we're going to need all of us.
But I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it. The first time was a week ago, after Erik spoke about his past. No Captain America here. I enjoyed not seeing the face of a man that can never reciprocate my feelings everywhere. He's stayed in my past, and I am helping people here. I can ensure a better future here. This universe holds a lot more opportunity, but my own needs me. Strange's sad eyes echo through my head. Of course he knew.
"Your methods are certainly much more subtle to mine," he muses thoughtfully when I don't respond after several long moments. I'm grateful for the subject change and hop on it.
"You are a touch over dramatic. I mean an entire baseball stadium? Really?"
"It served its purpose."
"You're lucky I don't like baseball," I tell him.
"Baseball?"
"It's so boring. Steve used to love it but I'd be over it after four pitches," I complain with an eye roll.
"Who was Steve?" Erik asks. "The ex-fiancé?"
I sigh. He let me out of the last one, I can give him this one. I'm not afraid to share with the class, I just prefer not to. Erik is tricky. I can't tell if he's genuine. There's no reason to suggest he's legitimately sincere. First there's the guilt. No matter how hard he tries to hide it, I know my dear Mr Lensherr has a heart. Even if he claims to have satisfied his guilty conscience when he pulled me out of the Potomac.
Then there's my voice. Currently I'm a bonafide siren. Since we can't measure anything, I can't be sure how much of a long lasting impact I have on someone. Even if I'm not actively using the ability. Maybe he stays close because he feels he has to. I may never know. Odds are I'll be back fighting a purple gremlin before I get my answer.
I can't help but think he's for real though. Even with the doubt.
"Yeah. He's a good guy despite it all. I wish I could be angry at him but it isn't really his fault it didn't work out. Steve's got an interesting story. He crashed a plane and got frozen in a block of ice for 70 years or so, presumed dead. Then they found his body and defrosted him. What seemed like a night's rest turned out to be a lifetime and he never truly got over that first love. Some of his past got dredged up around the same time she died. It didn't work out. Instead of moving on he just buried himself deeper so I called it off. The worst thing he ever did was tell me I was right."
"I'm sorry," he murmurs and I offer him a grimace. He ends up wrapping an arm around my shoulders and I lean into him. I'd miss him when I get back.
"If it weren't for him, I would have never made up with Tony and seen my brother again. It just hurts sometimes. The world changes quickly—and that just means whiplash."
"Come on," he says, pulling me closer. I wrap my arms around him and he pulls us off the ground. We're far enough away that Raven and her people won't notice us when he sets us back down on the flat roof of some building. We can stay here and make sure the motel remains undisturbed until then.
"Tell me about your team," I urge him. I curve some of the focus off of him and stretch out my back while keeping an eye on the motel.
"Well, I actually fought against most of them at one point," he begins. There's a sadness in his eyes that has me reaching out for his hand. He closes his fingers around my own and continues.
"Angel, she had wings like a dragonfly, spit acid. Azazel, he was a teleporter and made a good mercenary. Banshee could scream and reach a supersonic pitch. He used the ability to fly among other things. Emma was a telepath like Charles. I don't think you two would have gotten along."
"Why not?" I ask quickly before he can move on.
"She had this way with people, liked to pick them apart," Erik summarizes. "You're formidable in more ways than one, you'd make her question herself."
"What about Raven? You still seem to trust her very much."
"Mystique, she lives by her own set of rules. She is a chameleon. Can shapeshift into anyone. Like Charles she has endless compassion, but she knows we won't get a better world without fighting for it."
"You loved her?" I point out with a smirk.
"We were what we needed in a dire situation."
"There they are," I point out the influx of new cars. They were organized, but lacked the same practice that comes from a militia. The kids would be safe.
"Right. Onto the next one then."
XxX
"What's your plan after this?" I ask him as I make dinner. We've been here for three days, waiting on the right time to take care of the last base.
The numbers have been hidden but they've got the space for an estimated 50 subjects, no doubt they'll have more. The military has been covering their tracks, but I know they don't know we have this one...yet. Besides assigning a few extra overtime hours, they haven't made too many changes. Once they caught wind we knew about the last base, they doubled the amount of guards and started shipping out subjects. They haven't started to repeat that habit yet but I know it is coming.
"Good night's rest for starters," he states with a frown, confused at where I'm headed with this line of questioning. I ignore his stare as he walks over and leans against the counter next to the stove and focus instead on the tomato sauce.
"I meant after we're done clearing out bases," I clarify.
"I haven't given it much thought. What would you do? If you didn't have Thanos waiting for you?" He asks and I glance at him quickly to find him looking away, deep in thought.
"I wanted kids," I tell him with a soft smile on my face. "Tony helped me design a house on the lake. There was a greenhouse, chicken coop, and a big porch. Off the grid so we wouldn't have to worry about prying eyes. Then things went south and I didn't want that life with someone that wanted me to be someone else. So I gave the plans and the land to Tony. It's why I was in New York that day. Couldn't hold on forever."
"I'll be honest, you never struck me as a white picket fence type," Erik murmurs.
"What's the point in fighting for a better life if you have no intention of living it when you're done?"
"I suppose you're right...Charles always told me I should pay more attention to my life."
"He may be a hermit, but at least he's a smart hermit," I state with a smirk.
"That's my friend you're talking about," he scolds with a smirk. "What can I help with?" He asks, the smirk turning into a smile as I meet his eyes again.
"You could see if that turntable works? Maybe set the table? I'd say about twenty more minutes, I'm not feeling this tomato sauce, I think it just needs time," I muse absently as he picks out a random record of the five there. When some big band jazz comes on I smile fondly. Now I want to dance.
Instead of sharing my desire, I focus on filling the pasta pot. When silverware floats past me I turn and give Erik a pointed look that's ruined by my smile. I set the water to boil and stir the sauce, humming along to a distantly familiar song. One of the big band songs Steve liked, I'd always complain and tease him but we both knew I secretly liked them too.
"You don't have to hypnotise me to do the dishes," he tells me and I blink out of my stupor and give him a wide eyed look. I really didn't mean to. "It doesn't work on me anyways."
"I'm sorry I wasn't trying to," I state immediately. He shakes his head and waves me off, crossing the kitchen and pulling me away from the stove. "And are you so sure about that?"
"Quite positive, Annabeth. It doesn't work on me unless you want it to, and I don't think you want it too."
"What's this?" I ask him as he sets a hand on my waist and holds my hand gently in his other.
"In my universe, we call this dancing. Perhaps you've heard of it?" He asks gravely, leading me in a small box step. I didn't know he knew how to dance. Actually, I'm fairly surprised he does given his life leading up to now.
"Right, dancing. In my universe we do this facing away from each other," I tell him, keeping a straight face.
"Really?" He asks, surprise maring his confident face.
"No," I tell him laughing. He chuckles and spins me out, cutting off my laughter. I returned to his arms a little bit closer, a peace settled through me.
"Night's like this I can almost forget the outside world," Erik admits, his voice soft. "I shouldn't tell you this, but I am going to hate seeing you go."
"I hate to leave," I admit just as quietly. Pure blue eyes like his have always unnerved me. Their cold tones always seem unwelcoming, surgical, and intense. Someone said that eyes are the window to the soul though and that's very true for Erik. Underneath that cold and resolute exterior, he's kind, and genuinely caring. Kryptonite for a girl like me. I should have ran in the other direction as soon as I saw that confident look in his eye.
As I dissect them, I barely notice we've both leaned in until his eyes flicker shut. I follow suit and relax into the kiss. He's careful and confident like when he moves metal. Forget the outside world. Just for the night. Tomorrow we can return to raiding bases and saving the world. Tonight we can make the stupid mistake of acknowledging our feelings instead of burying them. I'll just rip my heart out when I have to leave for good.