Chapter 10: Another One Falls

July 15

District Eight

It was mid-morning by the time the little group of awesomes got out of the police station, even though it had been early when they stopped by to chat with Gwen's dad and get as much surveillance and intelligence as they could on both Gwen and Jess.

The man was at his wit's end with his daughter's disappearance, and though the three of them were certainly sympathetic, it was clear that Mr. Stacey needed a break.

"We'll let you know if we find anything new," Kurt promised the frazzled chief. "With a little luck, I'm sure she'll be home for dinner in no time."

"If SHIELD can't find her …" Mr. Stacey said.

"We're not exactly SHIELD," Logan said.

"Technically, we're foreign agents now," Kate added with a little grin. "We're on loan from Seven."

"And we are the best," Kate added, grinning confidently and draping her arm around Kurt's shoulders.

With that, the little group had left Commissioner Stacy to carry on with his forces while the three of them got down to work, deciding to start with Hydra's trail, since, as Logan had said, Norman wasn't going anywhere. They could find his ivory tower whenever they wanted to.

By that time, there was a little rain — a summer shower that made trying to track down the jerks that had come after Bobbi much harder. But it only lasted for a little while, and the sun was already coming out again as the three friends hit the outskirts of the district, following the nearly nonexistent trail.

Nearly.

Between the three of them, they were able to find the abandoned warehouse that practically screamed 'hideout' the closer they got to it. The few green-clad guards on duty were easily dispatched or avoided, and in no time at all, Kurt and Logan were sneaking into the warehouse, while Kate had climbed the roof to get a good angle on the bad guys.

So Kate was the first one to see Werner Strucker pacing angrily in front of an older woman who seemed to be a prisoner… Kate narrowed her eyes and pulled herself around to a different part of the roof so she could get a better line of sight, outright glaring when she recognized May Parker.

"Don't play games with me," Werner snapped her way, and at his tone, Kate was already stringing an arrow ... and another two just to be sure. "I know you know where they are. I know your little nephew is here, in this district."

Kate narrowed her eyes as she pulled back the arrows on her string.

"Oh, this … just isn't going to work for me," Logan said, cluing Kate in that she wasn't the only one watching this trainwreck. "You got this creep, Hawkeye?"

"When I say go," she replied low, "you grab the sweet old lady."

"On your mark," he agreed.

She took in a deep breath and held it and said "go" on the same exhale in which she let all three arrows fly — two in Werner's chest and one through the back of his head — and then she was already stringing more arrows for the Hydra creeps who thought it was a good idea to kidnap May Parker.

Before May could even process what had happened, Logan rushed forward, with Kurt covering him, and simply scooped her up and started running. "Those creeps bothering you?" he asked.

She looked relieved for a moment before she nodded. "Oh yes."

"We've got Petey back in Seven already," he told her.

"And what about Gwen?" she asked.

"No sign of her … anywhere," he admitted.

May looked downright disappointed at that, glancing over Logan's shoulder to see Kurt with both blades singing — handily taking care of things there — amid several of Kate's arrows.

"There aren't that many of 'em," Logan said, guessing what May was thinking.

"Peter's not with you?" she asked.

"No," he said. "He's with friends, though. He was too upset to go — and likely he'd have been beside himself if he knew you were there."

"Yes, I suppose that's true," May had to agree, frowning and falling silent for a moment until they were farther from the warehouse and well away from danger. "So we'll be going to Seven, then?" she asked as he set her down and she patted the wrinkles out of her dress.

"If it's all the same to you, I know Petey for one would feel a lot better knowing you're safe."

"And I'd feel better being able to see him," May said with a firm nod. "Though if you're here looking for Gwen, I can wait, of course. You can take me back with her."

He let out a breath and let his shoulders drop. "To be honest, this was our best lead," he admitted.

May matched his dejected expression for a moment before she reached over and put a hand on his arm. "I'm sure you'll find her all the same," she said before she pulled him into a brief hug. When she released him, though, she had an entirely different expression on her face. "And when we get there, you must introduce me to your wife." She looked almost stern. "I can't believe you, Logan. Pulling something like that. What about the rest of us who would have liked to see that for you?"

He just stared at her for a moment, not sure which point to address.

"And what's this Peter tells me about a little one on the way? When is she due? I want to be there for that, at least!"

"I'll let Skye answer all that," Logan said, totally off his guard as he helped her into the jet.

"Don't think you can just let her handle everything," she warned sternly.

"No, I just … don't know what you want first," he grumbled.

"A proper hug would suffice for one thing," she said with a sparkle in her eyes. "I don't see you for how long and then you show up married and a father and all I get is carried off and dropped off?"

"You want me to put you back?" he asked.

"Oh no," she said, shaking her head. "But it really is wonderful to see you again. All of you. Is it just you and your team, then?"

"Yeah, Kate's slinging arrows," he said, almost giving her a double take at the speed she was switching subjects.

"Now those two… they're darling together. I know they've been encouraging my Peter to talk to Gwen, even if he's a little gunshy. You know he had a few false starts before all this mess started up," May said, looking toward where they'd come as they waited for the other two to join them. "I'm so glad the three of you are still looking out for him."

"He'd do the same," Logan said, stepping past her to start up pre-flight.

"And who is he with now?" May asked as she took a seat and arranged herself for the duration.

"Wade and Cassie are keeping an eye on him," Logan said.

"Oh, good. I always did like that girl. And Wade… is a good boy when he wants to be, really."

"He's … enthusiastic."

May nodded with a little smile before she managed to spot Kurt and Kate as they were headed back. "Are you still staying at that beautiful home?"

"Yeah," Logan replied, a little distracted. "We're at the estate."

"I hope you have more than just the few of you there. It would feel so empty with all that space…"

Logan nodded absently, trying to balance his attention between May and the mission. The preflight was done, and Kurt and Kate weren't quite there yet. "No, there are a few more. Clint and Natasha, Henry McCoy … Quill, Kitty … Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter just got there yesterday."

"Oh good." May looked honestly pleased to hear it. "I'd hate to hear that you were in that big house all alone. Even with a little family, it is just so… much."

"'Obnoxious' I think is the word you're looking for."

"You were so nice to let everyone stay there," she said warmly. "Peter and Gwen both enjoyed that place more than any of the other places SHIELD had for them after the Games." By that time, Kate and Kurt had arrived, but it was clear she was content just to keep chatting with Logan.

"Well, their room is theirs," Logan said as he tried to head back to the cockpit, though Kate and Kurt both got there first with twin smirks as May Parker just kept showering him with attention. "Hoggin' the stick, Trickshot."

"Oh, but Aunt May hasn't heard about your adventures yesterday!" Kate said sweetly

"I had tea yesterday," he grumbled her way.

"Oh?" May asked interestedly. "Who with?"

"The warlord in charge of Three," Kurt called back.

May turned toward Logan with both eyebrows raised. "And how on earth did that happen?"

"I … speak Japanese. I make a good go-between, I guess."

"When did you learn Japanese?" May asked, genuinely interested and looking almost proud.

"Before my stupid tour," he answered.

She beamed at him. "And how did your meeting go?"

"Fine," Logan said, looking at his hands.

"Tell her about the ninjas!" Kate prompted.

Logan glared at her for a second and didn't turn to May as he said, "They had tea too."

"And they also speak Japanese?"

"Yeah. Pretty much."

May smiled wider at that before she seemed to settle in — with Kurt and Kate both giving Logan huge grins from the front of the plane.

It was going to be a long flight.

July 17

District Four

Johnny Storm had been surprised when, after the war was said and done, Odin had opened his district to victors like him who just wanted to get out of Marvel and put the whole horrible thing in the rearview mirror.

He was more or less just living far from everything, in a little beach house on the edge of the quieter neighborhoods. He had a great tan going on from just sitting in the sun, though he was a little self-conscious about the fact that there were some tan lines — scar lines, really — that just wouldn't turn any darker from skin grafts after the Silver Surfer fiasco and everything else that had been done to save his life.

Which he was grateful for. He just liked being alone and not answering questions about it.

So it took him completely by surprise when, while he was sitting out in the July sun and leaning back with his arms behind his head and his eyes closed, a person-shaped shadow got in the way of the sunlight, and he peeked one eye open.

No one ever came up his way.

He raised an eyebrow when he saw that it was Jessica Drew and sat up a little better, with a small smile. "What brings you all the way down here?" he asked her, the smile turning into something a little more winning as he made space for her to sit beside him on his laid-back chair if she wanted.

To his surprise, Jess did sit next to him, though she didn't say anything, her head tipped to the side.

Johnny's smile slipped a bit, and he let out a small breath. "If you're here to do the SHIELD recruitment pitch, I really don't—"

"I just never took you for one to go to Four," she replied finally.

Johnny let out a little laugh and waved his hand. "Yeah, I don't get involved in the hoity-toity nonsense and the honor-speak. I'm just here for the sun and sand." He grinned at her. "You look like you could use a little yourself."

"I probably could," she said, nodding. "I did pack a few suits. Want to help me pick one out?"

Johnny's grin got wider at that. "You don't strike me as the type to need help," he teased. "Not that I'm saying no, mind you."

She just smirked and looked over the top of her sunglasses at him. "Maybe I'm concerned with tan lines."

"Hey. Low blow," he grumped a bit.

"Not what I was getting at," she laughed. "Didn't think you were going to be so sensitive."

"I'm a sensitive kinda guy," he said, this time with a slightly more teasing sort of look. "So, where're you staying, anyway?"

"Down the beach," she said.

Johnny grinned at her for a second before he hopped to his feet and offered her a hand up, draping an arm over her shoulders once she was up. "So," he said. "There's a few good coves around here that are perfect for privacy if you like that kind of thing."

"That's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for."

His grin widened as he started to lead the way, shaking his head at her. "Man, the war ending thing sure loosened you up."

"It was nice to watch SHIELD step back too," she said with an easy nod. "They're not as in your face — and I don't think they have any of the victors anymore."

"That can't be true. There were people like you and Bobbi and Rhodey… I mean, you guys and SHIELD were tight."

"Well, Rhodes, yeah. But Bobbi retired, and I'm just tired of looking at that stupid eagle."

Johnny looked honestly surprised as they made their way down the beach, and he tipped his head down to catch her expression. "You? Really?"

"I never forgot who put us in there, Johnny," she replied, her tone turning harder. "You might have volunteered, but most of us were hand-picked."

Johnny shot her a little rueful grin. "Yeah… well, didn't know what I was volunteering for, did I?" he asked, though the smile fell at the subject. None of the people that had survived the Games had come out the other side of the war untarnished, not to mention the rest of what the Capitol had put them through… He shook his head and forced the smile Jess' way. "Besides, you rocked the victor look."

"You're one to talk," she replied with a little laugh.

"I make everything look good," he said with a dismissive wave.

"We'll see," she said with a smirk.

He just laughed at that as they found their way to the rocky surroundings of one of the coves. "Come on, Jess; it hasn't been that long since the Games. I've still got it."

"I have to wonder … you are getting older."

"I am not. You wound me, Jessica Drew," he said, shaking his head.

"You're in your thirties."

"I look just as good as I did in my twenties. Be real." Johnny was still laughing as he offered her a hand up over some of the rocks into the secluded little area.

"You don't look any different than you did when I won. How's that?"

Johnny shrugged. "I'll take it," he said, still with a wide and teasing grin. "Toldja I still look as good as my twenties."

They'd just reached the spot he'd found weeks earlier, and she had to laugh at his cocky grin. But instead of encouraging him, she looked up and down the beach. "This really is pretty isolated. Do you take all the younger girls you find out here?"

Johnny turned her way with an eyebrow raised at the question. "Hey, hey." He paused. "Alright, one."

She laughed and shook her head before the smile fell. "I really am sorry then."

"What about?"

He barely felt the pinprick before Jess stepped back, looking completely conflicted. "It'll be easier this way... No fighting," she said as he went slack.