Chapter 22
Christmas break arrived before we knew it. Wanda, Steve, Bucky, Bruce and I trained for a few more months. I could call upon my skills without requiring an emotional response to fuel the energy. Using my ability didn't mentally drain me as it did at the beginning.
Tony, of course, wanted me to test my bomb energy strength. With Wanda's guidance, Steve and Bucky's assistance, I can create large or smaller blasts. Some blasts would knock a person on their ass others would destroy the item they're using as a shield.
Pepper planned a press conference to announce the new Avenger. I had a feeling it wouldn't be necessary. Bucky, Steve and Natasha uncovered more HYDRA cells in upstate New York, remarkably close to the warehouse Steven was taking Mary Alice.
They left, along with Clint, to dismantle the latest cell while I remained at home with Tony, Bruce, Wanda and Pietro. I was still learning how to send messages into someone's mind without eye contact. It was challenging to avoid looking at the person. Dad taught me to look a person in the eye while conversing.
Wanda also taught me how to block my thoughts from another person. It was easier for me to grasp than sending a message without eye contact. "When you understand the concept, it will become second nature," she reminded me. "Patience, Steph. You'll get there."
I patiently waited for Wanda to explain the process again. Pietro ran into the room and covered my eyes with a sleep mask. "Try again," he said. "You're overthinking again." Having one of my senses cut off wasn't ideal, but it helped. After a few minutes, Pietro tied my hands behind my back. I kept removing the mask.
A few more minutes later, I was able to send Pietro a message. "Untie my hands before I use my bomb energy to burn it off," I said when I caught his mind's tenor.
"You did it!" Pietro exclaimed. As I asked, he untied my hands. Once I grasped the concept of talking inside another person's head, listening to their thoughts was relatively easy. Pietro agreed to be my guinea pig. I groaned when I read his thoughts.
"The baby shark song? Are you serious? Now I'm going to have that God-forsaken song stuck inside my head all day," I complained. Pietro laughed before running from the room.
Pepper, Darcy and Valerie were waiting in my living room when I entered my suite. "Sit, we need to talk," Pepper said as I approached my couch. I sat between Darcy and Valerie.
"Why are we here?" Valerie asked.
"We have seven days before Christmas Eve. Tony and I have a gift for you," she said while placing a suitcase in front of each Darcy, Valerie and me. "Each suitcase contains a significant amount of money. Use these blank IDs to create new identities. I provided each of you with one set of IDs already created. Disguise yourself as indicated in the photos. Take the first available flight from New York to the new location. Once you arrive, change your hair colour and style, or wear a wig. Use a blank ID to fill in your new name, eye, and hair colour, then destroy the old ID. Take the first flight farthest away from your location using your new ID. Find a house and pay cash only to purchase the home. Hide cash and the ID inside the house. Do not disclose your location to anyone. Repeat the process until you run out of money or time is up."
"What happens if we meet someone we know?" I asked.
"That ID and location get destroyed," Pepper said as she shrugged.
"Why do we need to create these bolt holds? Jacob and I already have some," Valerie wondered.
"You need locations outside of Ram's knowledge. Steph and Steve, Darcy and Bucky also have joint bolt holds. If any of your men get kidnapped, you need a place only you can find," Pepper explained.
I already have bolt holds throughout the US and Europe. Ranger and my other platonic soulmates created them when I injected myself with the super serum. Each man gifted me with an ID and a home. They coordinated their gifts to ensure confidentiality.
Bruce and Ranger entered my suite a few minutes later. Both men carried three messenger bags each. "What's in the bags?" Darcy asked.
"Money," Ranger replied.
"We have more than enough," I argued.
"Babe, Please," Ranger begged.
I walked towards my boss and best friend. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled him into my embrace. "Thank you, Carlos," I whispered into his ear. "I love you."
"I love you, Babe," he reciprocated.
"The final instruction for you three ladies," Pepper stated. "One woman per hour arrives and leaves the airport. Send a message through JARVIS once you've booked the initial flight. Shut down the phone and leave it inside a locker." She gave each of us a locker number and combination. "Memorize the combination."
"Darcy, you're first. Valerie is second, and Steph is third," Tony announced as he entered the room. "Don't tell anyone you're leaving, and don't say goodbye. Darcy, you have one hour to gather everything you need. Ranger will drive you to the airport." I took notice of the time. It's now 2 pm. My time to leave is 5 pm.
"Remember to be home on Christmas Eve by 4 pm. Stay safe," Pepper reminded us before giving us hugs.
I hugged Valerie and Darcy, whispering, "Stay safe. I love you." They reciprocated. I reminded Valerie to leave all jewelry behind.
Bruce, Tony and Ranger bid us farewell and left us to sort out our travel. I decided against packing additional suitcases. It would save me time at the airport. I'll wear nondescript clothes that I can conveniently trash. My rings and other jewelry are locked away in Steve's safe. Why go through all the cloak and dagger routine and give it away from the rock on my finger?
Digging into the farthest corner of my closet, I found an old blond wig from my Trenton bounty hunting days. I compared the colour to the ID Pepper gave me. It was a very close match to the colour she selected. My hair would be slightly longer than the passport, but it wasn't an unreasonable length. In the photo, I have brown eyes, which means I need to buy novelty contacts. Unless I packed my contact lenses from the Halloween Party a few years ago, I would need to locate a shop. I searched through a few more bags of Halloween costumes and found several containers of contact lenses. Huh, I don't remember having this many. When I examined the cases, I discovered they were higher-end coloured lenses. I sent a silent thank you to Pepper. She thought of everything.
I've been closely monitoring the time. Darcy is already gone, and Valerie left a few minutes ago. As I was rearranging the money in the messenger bag, Ranger entered my suite. "Babe," he whispered. I knew it would be difficult for him to see me leave.
"Hey, Batman," I joked. "Why are you here?" Thankfully, I had the wig, contacts and my clothes already packed in a bag. I moved some money from the messenger bag to my suitcase. It barely fit, but I made it work. The bag containing my outfit, wig, and shoes is on top of the remaining money.
"I'm your ride," Ranger replied. His chin motioned towards my messenger bag. "You made it work."
"It was bound to happen sooner or later," I joked. We discussed my future at Rangeman. I'm keeping my position but will follow the protocol implemented for the men with current government contracts. Ranger got me to sign a contract amendment outlining the rules when I go on Avenger missions.
"Time to go," Ranger announced. I grabbed my items and followed him through the secret passageways to exit the tower. Steve was waiting for me at the exit. Tony told us not to say goodbye, so I assumed I wouldn't see him until I returned.
"I couldn't let you leave without seeing you," Steve said before hugging me. He poured all of his emotions into the chaste kiss we exchanged. "I love you. Please stay safe."
"I love you too. Don't go crazy," I said before getting into Ranger's car. Ranger was sitting in the car silently laughing. I could see his shoulders shake as I buckled into the seat. "What's so funny, Batman?"
"You and Steve exchanged our common goodbye saying," he replied.
"Huh, I guess we did. Onward Batmobile!" I shouted. Ranger laughed as he drove from the parking garage beneath the tower.
We talked nonsense as we drove towards the airport. My departure time was going to be a little later than expected. Traffic was backed up for miles. I wasn't in a hurry to leave. It would shorten the time I had available, but you can't control Manhattan traffic. Once we passed the traffic blockage, it was smooth sailing.
"Take care of yourself, Babe. I love you," Ranger said as he removed my bag from the back of the SUV.
"I love you too, Carlos. Take care of my nieces and nephews," I said while hugging him.
"I will. We'll make sure the children stay safe," he promised.
Ranger waved as he drove away. I pulled my bag behind me as I approached the washroom to change into my new clothes. Nobody was in the restroom when I opened the door. Using the end stall, I changed my clothes and braided my hair. The wig fit over my braided hair. I used the mirror to make sure my hair got hidden from view. The brown contacts stung my eyes slightly, but I'll get used to them soon enough.
After double-checking everything, I ripped my old clothes and tossed them into the trash. My pants got torn down the seam, making it look like I tore them while squatting. I ripped the shirt down the centre, ensuring the buttons left holes where they were attached. Nobody would dare to repair the clothes.
A few men smiled when I exited the washroom. I gave them a small appreciative smile. There were only a few people ahead of me in the line to purchase flights. I checked the display over the sales counter to see which flight leaves next. Gate 8 had a flight to Chicago in 45 minutes. If I purchase my ticket soon enough, I could catch it in time. Luckily another woman came to the counter to help. The new assistant called me to her counter.
I asked for a ticket for the Chicago flight. There was only one seat available, in first class. I paid for my ticket and ran to catch my flight. It took a lot of control to run at a reasonable pace.
The flight attendant locked my suitcase and messenger bag into a private overhead container. I resolved to travel first class every time. It would be easier for me to keep an eye on my luggage. An attractive man sat in the seat next to me. I declined the drinks and headphones. The fewer places I leave my fingerprints, the better. "Not a drinker?" the man asked.
"Not really. Drinking never appealed to me," I replied.
"Are you a lightweight?" he wondered.
"I don't believe that's an appropriate question to ask a lady," I answered. "Didn't your momma teach you better?" I joked.
"My momma would beat me with a wooden spoon," he confessed before turning back to the magazine he was reading.
I was planning my trip in my mind. If I took the first flight to the farthest location, I could take each subsequent flight closer to home. There had to be wig shops along the way. Maybe I could purchase a lot of wigs in Chicago before making my way through the continental US. I'd have to find another bag to carry them.
The airport car rental desk had an available car and some maps. A young girl gave me the directions to the closest party supplies store. "Thank you for your help. I'd feel guilty if I forgot the decorations," I gushed.
"No problem, miss. Have a great day," she said before turning to help the next customer.
I found the directions easy to follow. Even without my super serum-addled brain, it would have been easy to find the store. It was in the plaza a few miles away from the airport. There was a handbag store to the left and a clothing store to the right. Neither place sold expensive items, but they were adequate for what I need.
The male store clerk was busy assisting a woman and her two small children. An older woman wearing the store uniform offered to help me. She found several quality wigs for me to purchase. At the cash register, Gladys packed each wig inside a mesh bag. She added them to the leather bag I bought from the shop next door. "Did you need anything else?" Gladys asked.
"I have everything I need. Thank you for your assistance," I replied.
"Thank you for paying my wage today," she joked. I waved to dismiss her comment.
I visited the clothing store to purchase a few outfits I need to get me through the next few trips. The jeans were the same brand you could get from any mall store. I purchased a few tops to wear. Each shirt is a different style and colour.
It didn't take long to return to the airport. A different girl was working the car rental desk.
I returned the keys and paid the fuel allowance. After changing my clothes, wig and contacts, I took a selfie. Using the small printer device Pepper gave me, I printed the photo twice and pressed one copy into the blank ID card and the other into a new passport. I entered a name into the form on my phone before printing it and adding it to my ID. My new name is Sabrina Jones. I have dark red, curly hair and green eyes.
My black sneakers got replaced with white sandals with wedge heels. "Hello," I said as I approached the ticket clerk. "I found these shoes in the women's washroom. Do you have a lost and found?"
"We sure do, ma'am," she replied. The woman pulled a plastic bin from beneath the desk. "Just drop them in here." I dropped my shoes into the box and asked for the first flight to San Diego, California. "That flight leaves in 40 minutes, ma'am. It leaves from the farthest gate. You'll need to run to catch it."
"I'm fine with running. Thank you," I said as I grabbed the ticket and ran to catch my flight. Once again, I sat in first class. This time, I didn't have anybody sitting beside me.