Note: This will more or less be a continuation from last chapter; though some time will have gone by. It won't be much though. So, will still be filling in that gap from Kaleidoscope that briefly touched on The Secret Empire storyline. And at moment don't know exactly how long this arc will be. But do know it won't be like Kat's involving The Eternals.
Pushing the swing, laughter accompanies it. "H'gr, R'chl! H'gr!" "You do know our getups are a dead giveaway, so meeting in a public place wasn't the best?!" The light brown jackets with A's on them, covering their upper torsos, partially anyway. None of them bothered to zip them up. "No more than what we happen to be wearing underneath, Walker. Though, I am glad you and Julia were able to make it."
"You did say it was important. And you know where one goes the other tends to follow. What kind of best friends would we be if that weren't the case?!" "Still, we are risking a lot. And even though, they have to relearn their former speech patterns. Having any of the other adults find out is something I would wish to prevent, at least for the moment. So, this conversation will be between the three of us only for the time being. I have been masking us since you two showed up."
"Anything we can do to help. I still remember." Staring at the children, Julia crosses her arms as John stands behind her. Laying his hands on her shoulder, "we'll find her. She is out there somewhere. And we won't stop looking." "Walker is right. But for why I called you here, since you haven't been active recently with this team; and if I weren't a telepath, I would have missed it. But I have started picking up disturbing thoughts from Steven G. Rogers.
Things that if we aren't careful, will spell disaster." "And have you told the others?" "No. They are too close to him. And whatever he is planning is going to be executed soon." "So, sounds like just a hunch, since you haven't told us the specifics." "That is part of the problem, Walker, Carpenter. Even with my telepathy and The Phoenix Force, I haven' been able to get more than what I know already."
"Well, that is indeed a problem. Though, not sure how dire it can still be considered, given that. And what do you expect us to do?" Stopping at the tug, looking down. "R'chl?!" "Go, go, play with the others, David." "To keep you two far from this actually, the others are too much of his inner circle at the moment. So, if I try to approach them, I would more than likely give myself away. And if something goes wrong, then I know I can count on you two."
"And what would you have us do?" "Isn't it obvious, John?" Julia asks. He looks around, "oh no. NO, absolutely not!" "Agent, if and when it comes to that, I am going to need muscles and strength to pull keeping them safe off. And John, you and Julia have both." "But Julia, I get. The issue is me. I am not exactly the best when it comes to kids." "And that is another reason you are perfect, you have to start somewhere, Walker."
"And now would be a good start." Sending out the suggestion, the kids almost immediately flock around them. "W'y a'r th'y d'rs'd l'k Cp'tn A'mr'a and Spd'r m'n, R'cl?" "This is Walker and Carpenter. And they are my friends and here because I need their help. They go by Arachne and U.S. Agent, though. Ted, here, you can manage. John, flex for me."
"What?! Summers-Maximoff, you are definitely not my type." "And you aren't mine, either, Walker. Plus, I am happily married. Now come on, stop being a stick in the mud." Turning at Julia beginning to laugh at this, "Jules?! This isn't funny." Resigning, he gives in, at which, Rachel places Ted's arms around his, letting go. As Julia laughs harder. "I am not here to be a toy replacement."
Ted begins swinging back and forth, as the others gather around. "I'w't to go n'xt." "NO! ME, ME!" "Children, you will all get a turn." Turning to see the man with an eye patch and cigar in his mouth approach. "Took you long enough, Fury." "Yeah, with the message and how you left it. Getting around without any prying eyes wasn't exactly easy and took some time. If what you are hinting at is true, then I am glad you reached out, Rachel Summers-Maximoff."
"Fury, I appreciate you as well. Not just managing to arrange this meeting. But for what you have done with The Kaplans and how it involves William." "Hello?! We are still here. And why must I be a source of amusement?! Hey, kid, let go already?!" Ted stops and stares at him before continuing again. "This is good for you, Walker. Now we know we can count on you if we ever need someone to look after them."
Sputtering, "I am not a glorified babysitter. For …" "R'chl, he s'd a bad w'rd." "I know, Tuc. It's okay. He is being punished; I assure you. Daniels get that stick out of your ass, already. Seriously, I thought you were more professional?!" Julia begins laughing again and harder than before; with Fury smirking, maintaining the cigar between his lips. Feeling a tug on her again, "yes, William?" "I'd't un'dr'std', R'chl, w'y is s'h l'gh'ig a'gn?!"
"He is being a fuddy duddy, that's all, William." The boy looks between them. "And I needed them because there were things that we needed to discuss." "S'pr'hro st'f?" "Yes, Tuc. Superhero stuff. We are going to leave soon, so if all of you want a turn, you are going to have to hurry. Julia can carry you all as well." The children have formed a line at a certain point.
Seeing that Kate, Sean and Mariah are left out, with each of their arm's taken by the other children; the three are currently wringing their hands. "Come here." Immediately, following her command; she places them around Fury's arms. "Please put that out already. And not around the kids again." Seeing that he is about to challenge her over this turn of events; he quickly shuts his mouth, seeing the glint in her eye. And the children displaying their excitement at getting a chance as well.
Standing in front of the house, "and if he happens to be spying on us, what then?!" "It will be fine. I have hidden the memory deep with your subconsciousness." "That isn't exactly comforting, Rachel Summers-Maximoff." "Maybe doesn't sound that way. But even with all the technological advances, not even he and his cohorts would be able to penetrate it.
And even if he does manage, we will find you before all that torture can occur. It isn't really like we would leave any of you high and dry. Especially not after doing us the favor of keeping them safe if or when things go sideways. Particularly James, the other children might turn out to be of no consequence to him. His son of course would be another story. He would stop at nothing to have James and Sharon with him; with whatever he is planning. So, for the time being, you will continue to lay low. And I will get back in touch with you; and not the other way around."
Opening the door, "come it's time to go inside. Say goodbye." "G'by, F'r, J'la, J'n!" "Listen and keep minding her." Fury adds. "Make sure you wash up and I will start getting dinner ready. And I want all of you to behave meanwhile. Again, thank you for this. And until we find out more, it really is best that we keep our distance from the rest of them." She closes the door, making her way to the kitchen.
Entering the living room "okay, dinner is ready!" A smile gracing her face at seeing all of them huddled together, fast asleep. Going back to the kitchen, she begins straightening up. Putting everything in its place and the food in the refrigerator. Before once more making her way to the adjoining room, picking each of them up. Carrying them to the room before placing them on the bed, "R'cl?!" "Shh! Go back to sleep."
She fell asleep just after going through their night ritual. Each tucked into bed after their bath. As the pounding at the door begins, awakening all of them. "Shh! I need all of you to be quiet!" She tells them seeing that they want to start crying. "I KNOW YOU ARE THERE, RACHEL SUMMERS-MAXIMOFF. I WANT MY SON AND THE REST OF YOU TO SURRENDER!" "I need all of you to try to go get shoes. Hurry! And don't try to make any noise!"
Each quickly climb off the bed, as she keeps James with her. Getting his in the meantime, covering his mouth when he is about to say something. "But it's my d'dy!" "Whoever that is, that isn't your dad. He has never raised his voice like that before, has he?!" James shakes his head. "Good, you want to see your mom, don't you?!" "YES!" The front door is busted down at this. Just as the others return. "Hang on." Concentrating, they are all gone the next moment.
"Rachel?!" The children close to her. James still in her arms. "Mariah!" "D'dy!" Each running to their parents. As James begins looking around, "what's wrong, James?!" "R'cl, wh're my m'my a'd d'dy. I w'nt my m'my a'd d'dy!" As the group begins to disperse, the white clad woman begins approaching. "James." He squirms at this, "m'my!" Putting him down, he instantly makes his way to Sharon who picks him up. "Thank you, Rachel."
"Was bringing them here the best thing, Rachel? Your responsibility was to keep them safe and away from all of this." "And they are. No place is safer than them being with their parents for now. Though, it might be an even better precaution James and Sharon are hidden somewhere else?!" "She's right. If Steven really has gone rogue, then they aren't safe even with us." "But where could we hide them?!"
"Natasha is right. If he has turned against us and taken over the government, remaining hidden and safe is going to be hard for all of us. We should keep the kids with us. None of them are more important to him than James." Clint says. "But then what does that mean if he gets a hold of the rest of them?! We all know none of us would be willing to sacrifice any of them." "Rachel is right. Tell them." Fury adds, approaching them.
Looking at all their expectant faces, "don't be mad. But I have been suspecting something like this for a while." "RACHEL?!" "WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING?!" "Because for some reason, my telepathy had been unable to pick up everything when I tried. I had only seen glimpses and not enough. And if my suspicion had been right, like it obviously was, tripping him off by approaching all of you would have been detrimental. Until now, you had been in his inner circle. And now we can't linger any longer here. This would be one of the first places he would search for us."
