AN: So I have not been getting any alerts for this story. Not when I post an update and not when someone reviews, so I hope you all are having better luck with that and that you're enjoying the story, so far!
OOOOOOOOO
The meeting was a pretty long one, even for them.
There was plenty to go over, after all; between strategies for the different competitions that they were going to be having and then – of course – a refresher of the rules for the international variety. Then, too, Harrington reminded them of the rules and security protocols that were put into place, as well for them and the other teams.
By the time it was over it was definitely time for a meal. They were all looking forward to the informal get together, too, but that would happen later that evening – to give the other teams that had traveled much farther than the Americans a chance to settle in and catch a nap and a meal of their own. It was already a bit of a disadvantage for them to travel so far, so it was only fair to give them all the time they needed.
"Got everything in hand, Michelle?" Harrington asked the team captain, who nodded.
"Yes."
"Everyone at the main ball room on the third floor by eight o'clock," he told them all.
There were assorted nods, and the meeting broke up. The kids started separating into their usual pairing, but even as Ned and MJ headed for Peter, Flash took hold of his arm and pulled him to the far side of the room.
"I need to tell you what happened, Peter."
"What? When?"
He wondered if it was anything serious, but Alec was quick to reassure.
"It doesn't seem to be."
"When I was in the lobby," Flash said, waving Ned and MJ away with a hand and a scowl. "This kid came up to me and asked me if I knew you."
"What kid?"
"One of the Japanese kids. He asked for you by name."
"He's probably an Ironman fan," Ned said, hearing the comment as he and MJ had walked over. Neither one of them took orders from Flash, after all, and both were quick to check if the older boy was returning to his normal treatment of Peter. Both were relieved that it didn't seem to be the case, but more than willing to join a conversation that didn't – technically – include them. "Everyone knows who Tony Stark is and it's not a secret that Peter is his son."
"It didn't seem like that," Flash said. "This guy didn't look like he wanted an autograph."
"What did you tell him?" Peter asked.
"That I know you, of course."
Of course.
"Did he say what he wanted, then?" Ned asked.
"No. He said he wanted to talk to you, though."
"Everyone's going to want to talk to you," MJ pointed out. "Especially since they all must know we're going to have a day at the compound with the Avengers. I bet the other teachers and team captains had to beat hopefuls away with sticks when that was announced."
"Probably."
Their own team had had a huge rush of applications to join over the summer. Not because of the international competition, of course, but because through Peter everyone on the academic team were fairly familiar with the Avengers – and they hadn't been shy about posting those photos that they'd been allowed to put on their social media. Photos of Avengers and parties at the compound. Suddenly being on the team didn't mean you were a super nerd, you were the luckiest nerd in a school of nerds, and Harriman had been forced to weed out those who wanted the excitement of hanging with the Avengers against those who were really interested in being on the team for the competition aspect. In the end, he'd opted to keep the team as it was and wait another year to see what changes needed to be made.
After the competition.
"The price of fame," Ned told him, smirking, making Peter roll his eyes.
"What's his name?" he asked Flash. "Did you ask him?"
"He said it when he introduced himself," the older boy replied with a shrug. "I don't know, though. He spoke soft and he was talking fast. Nicorette, or something."
"Nicorette?" Ned rolled his eyes, too. "That's smoking gum, or something, right?"
"It's not smoking gum," MJ said. "It helps stop smoking."
"I'll tell Natasha," Peter decided. "She can check and make sure it isn't anything serious."
Flash's eyes widened, slightly.
"Do you think it is?" he asked, looking excited at the idea. "Maybe he's really some kind of spy, or something, looking to infiltrate the-"
"International competition and steal the cheap – but impressive looking – trophy," Ned interrupted, sarcastically.
Peter and MJ smiled. Not surprisingly, Flash didn't. Peter didn't want to start the week the wrong way, though, and he held up a hand.
"I'll tell Natasha," he repeated. "She can check it out. Thanks."
"Wise man," Alec said, approvingly.
"I'm not going to get grounded for ignoring something," Peter silently told the ancient sorcerer. "It's probably nothing, but at least no one can yell at me for ignoring it."
"We're going to go get something to eat," Ned told him. "Go talk to Natasha and meet us in the deli."
"Sounds good."
He wasn't sure that he was actually allowed to go anywhere but that floor of the hotel, yet, and he'd need to talk to Natasha anyway.
OOOOOOOO
Natasha was in the ball room, of all places, when she got the message from Peter that he wanted to talk to her. Rather than stop what she was doing, she asked him to come to her, and was waiting for him with Bucky when he walked into the large room.
Peter grinned at the man, pleased that he was there – not for the security of having the formidable Winter Soldier guarding him and his friends – but because he liked seeing him engaging in anything that made him feel like he was accomplishing something.
"Where's Steve?" he asked.
"He's at the convention center," Barnes replied. "With Barton. They're checking potential lines of sight."
Which wasn't a really big concern since it meant that there would be snipers involved – either trying to shoot someone involved in the competition or trying to shoot someone who was trying to injure someone involved in the competition – but Peter already knew that they were going to be thorough when it came to possible threats.
One of the reasons he was there to see here, after all.
"Where's Stephen?" he asked her, knowing that Strange had been in the hotel, earlier.
She smiled.
"He left."
"To report to Tony and Pepper?"
"That's my guess. He told me that he isn't interested in checking in with Tony every day when it comes to this thing, but you know he will if it makes Pepper feel better about her baby being away from home for so long, this time."
Peter rolled his eyes, amused. Especially since Pepper rarely called him her baby – and Natasha did all the time.
"But she doesn't have to worry about you from afar," Alec pointed out. "She's here, hovering."
"True." He looked around at the preparations, seeing flags for all of the countries that were participating being hung in various locations around the room. "Flash said one of the Japanese kids came up to him in the lobby and asked about me, personally."
"Because you're Tony's son?" she asked.
Peter shrugged.
"Probably."
"Maybe not, though," Bucky said.
"Maybe not," Natasha agreed. "What did he say to Flash?"
"Just that he wanted to talk to me. It's probably nothing," he added. "But I figured I'd better let you know."
She nodded her approval.
"Do we have a name?"
"He said he introduced himself, but it was fast and soft. Nicorette? Something like that."
Romanoff didn't need to write it down. Neither did Bucky.
"I'll check him out. Good job."
Peter shrugged, again, but he was pleased that she didn't look concerned.
"Did you clear everything, here?" he asked her. "Am I in the clear?"
Meaning could he wander the hotel and convention center, now? She understood the question just fine, and to his relief, she nodded.
"Just stay on the grounds," she told him. "No sneaking out – no matter whose idea it is."
"Yeah," he grinned. "I won't do that."
"And keep your watch on," Romanoff added.
"And listen to your gut," Barnes said, always amused that a killer like Natasha Romanoff had been toppled by a scrawny guy like Peter Parker.
He smiled.
"I will."
She shooed him away with her hand.
"I'm busy, kid," she told him lifting her nose, snootily. "Go find someone else to pester."
"And don't talk to strangers," Bucky told him.
"Everyone's going to be a stranger," Peter reminded him, already turning. "But I'll check in with you guys."
"You do that."
The boy left and Barnes turned to Romanoff.
"So what are you going to do about this kid?" he asked, curiously.
Obviously, she wasn't just going to off him, or something.
"I'm going to check him out."
Just to be sure.
