Chapter 11: Is a Twenty Enough?

July 20

Coulson's Office at the Triskellion

It was more than a little frustrating that they still had no intel on either Jessica Drew or Gwen Stacey. No new sources had arisen. No leads. No witnesses. And nothing was lining up.

Coulson was more than a little perturbed too that he hadn't caught Peter Parker's distress call before the general alarm. He absolutely wouldn't have sent Logan in if he had the choice in operatives. And now he had to deal with him going on the warpath. Still, one thing he could say for sure: the guy was relentless in hounding out every lead, no matter how little weight it carried.

And though he hadn't found anything yet, it was clear after talking with Skye that he wasn't giving up, though even she wasn't sure if it was simply because they were missing or if it was a means to avoid Bobbi — which he was also exceedingly good at, it seemed.

Still, he didn't have enough manpower to spare at the moment to take over the search — or to send out forces far and wide and not have it look like SHIELD was trying to sway public opinion by force for their old AD's favor.

"You look like you're ready to do something questionable, Phil," Assistant Director May said as she stepped into his office.

"Not really questionable," Coulson defended. "More like … preventative."

"You think the kids are being targeted," May said, uncrossing her arms and moving to sit on the edge of his desk.

"I think that's the most reasonable explanation as to what's happening here," he replied. "I don't know what they want with them, but … if they're not being taken by someone wanting to use them or their skills, then the only other option is one I don't want to even consider."

"That someone is disposing of them."

"I'd rather not go down that road unless we find irrefutable evidence that points that way, if it's all the same to you."

"So what's your next step?" May asked.

"Keep them notified of what's going on. At least that way they might have a chance to avoid it. I hate to bring them in when they just now got out and into some semblance of normalcy." Coulson paused. "And we'll need to make doubly sure they all have a way to contact us if things do go south."

May nodded at that. "I'll get right on it."

July 24

District Eight

Jess's most recent mission was almost too straightforward. Otto Octavius had moved to Three to get out from underneath Odin's influence and to theoretically get more toys to play with, but all his newest toys and security measures were nothing matched up against Jessica Drew.

This wasn't anything like the mission to Four with Johnny. She didn't need to snatch him — and she didn't need to do much to hide her tracks, just her identity. No one could know who it was that infiltrated Otto's place and shot him point-blank. They just needed to know he was dead.

Once she'd wiped the place clean of prints and made sure there was no way the murder could be traced back to her — or to anything resembling a tie to her or Osborne — she headed back to District Eight with her report.

The flight back to Eight was quiet — the flights always were — though she didn't think she was really paying much attention. When she wasn't on a mission, lately, she just felt tired. Unfocused. But once she was back in Eight, she felt a little more focused, driven. She just needed something to do, that was all.

As usual, once she was in the district, she didn't go to Oscorp through any visible entrances, instead going through one of the many tunnels underneath the building. No one had seen her enter Oscorp since June, and no one would. Those were her orders, and her secrecy was paramount so that she could function well as an assassin and secret agent.

Finally, she made her way up to Osborn's office — not the one that was on the blueprints but the one that he actually worked from. Once she was there, she handed him the camera she'd taken with her, with photographs of Otto's work and notes. There was, after all, no use in killing him and not taking advantage of any advancements he'd made.

"The first dozen pictures or so are unfinished projects… but a particle accelerator… the means to manipulate it… those make up the bulk of the film."

Norman picked up the camera and started to flip through the viewfinder. "Beautiful. Thank you, Jessica." He gestured for her to take a seat. "Your next job will likely be a little more … difficult to handle."

She nodded quietly. "Alright. I'll dress appropriately."

He smirked at that and let out a little laugh. "I'd like you to get me Peter Parker. And ,if you can manage it, that little Morales boy too."

"Morales will be easier. I can bring him in first," Jess offered. "Parker hasn't been seen since Stacy went missing, so he'll take me more time."

"He came in with Logan very shortly after Stacy disappeared," Norman pointed out. "You might need to use your connections."

Jess nodded again. "For that, they'd need to see me. Should I cover my tracks afterward?"

"As a last ditch effort, of course," Osborn replied. "And if you think they'd come looking ... take care of it."

At that, Jess nodded. "Is there anything else you need?"

"How adept is Morse in biochemistry?"

"I'd say she's one of the top minds," Jess said thoughtfully. "But not the top mind, especially not after spending years with a purely … venomous focus. She hasn't had the chance to sink her teeth into any research outside of Hydra for a long time."

"Who would you put at the top, then, Miss Drew?" Norman asked. "I know you'd keep up on that."

"Jemma Simmons," Jess said.

"She's incredibly loyal to SHIELD," he said thoughtfully. "We'll have to either make her an incredible offer or …"

"She wouldn't leave Coulson's team even with the most generous stipend," Jess told him frankly. "The director has a personal stake in her and her lab partner as well."

"Do we need the set?"

"They usually operate that way… but they have different focuses," Jess said. "They're practically inseparable, and one always has input in the other's projects. He's an engineer — an actual rocket scientist."

"Good, good," he agreed as if it was an open and shut shopping outing. "The set then, if you can manage it without giving yourself away. Simmons alone otherwise." He smiled almost pleasantly. "Thank you, Miss Drew."

July 28

District Seven

While there still hadn't been any sign of Gwen, Peter's friends had been doing their very best to keep him distracted, to give him things to do to keep his mind off of his missing girlfriend. And for the most part, he really did appreciate it, though he did find that the morning sword training between Kurt and Logan — when they were taking a break between running down different leads — was actually a blast.

If he caught them at the right time, he could get in on the warm-up, too. Sometimes, he was the warm-up — him and Kurt versus Logan. And when it was a straight up wrestling match, he could even win.

He was halfway down to the ballroom when he met up with Kate on her way from the ballroom.

"What, you're not going to do the running commentary with me?" he called out.

She snorted. "Of course I am. The boys just took their games outside today." She reached over and threaded her arm through his. "Come on, Pete. I'll show you where they're hiding away. I just had to come back and find a friend of mine."

"Somehow, I don't get the feeling you mean me."

"Ah, no. But I'm glad I ran into you anyway."

"Now I'm just sad," Peter said, not sounding it one bit.

"Well, I can promise you that you won't be for long," she said, still pulling him along. "Because America and I have plans."

"And you didn't bring me in on it? No loyalty anymore," Peter said, shaking his head.

Kate chuckled. "Well… you can get in on it now… if you bring your camera."

"Oh? Um … it's ... in Coulson's... or... what was Coulson's office."

"Great. We'll pick it up on the way," Kate said with a nod. With that, she halfway dragged him along with her to pick up his camera and head outside to the waterfront.

They could hear the fight long before the two fighters came into view. They were working with the heavy bokken again — but even with wood, the strikes were cracking in the air and ringing through the trees, where Logan and Kurt were working at the moment, between trees and over gnarled roots and rocks.

It was already hot out, and it was apparent that they'd already gotten a solid workout, since both of them had their shirts off and were just giving it all they had. And it was also clear that Kurt had been improving this particular style of swordplay by leaps and bounds, even if Logan was still trying to coach him through a few blocks and redirects.

The two of them were locked up, and Logan was clearly telling Kurt how to end it — to redirect his sword — but when Kurt didn't do it quick enough, Logan pushed forward, and Kurt nearly tripped as his foot slipped on the floating pier on the edge of the lake. But the fight kept going — onto the pier.

Fancy footwork gave way to out and out dirty tricks as both of them started trying to throw the other — an all out free-for-all — as they both tried to tip and rock the pier, smirking at each other.

"You wouldn't," Kurt said with a laugh.

"You're the one that wants to be a pirate — better learn how to fight in the water," Logan chuckled back before he stomped hard with one foot, and Kurt's smile fell as he looked up at his best friend.

"You're asking for it, mein Freund," Kurt said before he took a better stance himself and tried to throw Logan off balance.

It was much harder to keep balance when their footing kept moving, and the fact remained that the floating pier wasn't designed for two people to be stomping on it and rushing across it. It was clear that even though the competition between the two of them was ramping up with the splashes of water, they were having a blast. Both of them were grinning as they went back and forth — all the way up until Kurt got a little too far away from Logan when he stomped on the dock — and the Elf lost his footing.

He went over backward with a little 'oop!' just before he hit the water, though that's not to say Logan escaped the spar dry. With Kurt off the dock, he didn't quite compensate fast enough — and in quick time, Logan went over backward too.

By the time Logan surfaced, Kurt had his arms crossed over the dock, though he was still in the water — soaked to the bone with his hair plastered to his head. "Want to go again?" Kurt asked with a grin. With a crooked smile and a little nod, Logan agreed, and the two of them dragged themselves back up onto the dock to get started again, laughing outright — this time with water flying off their 'blades' and hair.

The fight went on for quite a while, though the more that they fell in, the longer it took for them to get out of the water. And when Kurt realized that the score was decidedly in Logan's favor, he let out a frustrated little sound, threw the sword to the side, and simply tackled his friend right off the pier.

"They couldn't even wait to get done training before the hugs started," Peter tutted — revealing to the boys for the first time that they had a highly entertained audience.

"They can't help it," Kate agreed, leaning back with a grin as she watched the water fight.

"My question is how much water weight they're going to shed before they're done," America said with a crooked grin Kate's way. "You know. To compensate for the tiredness. Of course."

"What are you insinuating, Miss America?" Peter asked, though the two fighters were joking quietly past the end of the pier and just swimming around by that point.

"Insinuating nothing. I came here because I was promised a show, and Logan is sadly not living up to his reputation," America replied with her nose in the air.

"I'm not sure I want to be here," Peter said. "And I definitely don't want to take pictures if you're planning what I think you're planning."

America laughed and reached over to ruffle Peter's hair. "Of course you want to be here, Pete. You are the official photographer in this place, right? Did all the weddings? Gonna do mine?"

"Well ... yeah. But …." He gestured out to Kurt and Logan. "They are my friends. And … they could kill me."

"'Could' and 'will' are two different things," America practically sang out to him. "And if they kill you, they're not very good friends, now are they?"

"That … really doesn't help me much," Peter pointed out. "All things considered."

"Games notwithstanding, Pete," Kate laughed. "Nothing counts in there or Logan would be my mortal enemy, so… gonna have to agree with the star-spangled butt-kicker."

America tapped the side of her nose with her index finger. "See? There."

Logan and Kurt were finally making their way out of the water, bokken in hand and still joking around, and positively dripping wet. "Since when did we get spectators?" Kurt asked.

"Since forever back, liebling; you just didn't notice," Kate said with a beaming grin as she bounded over to him — with America not far behind.

"I just came where the show is," America told Logan with a huge grin before she handed Kurt a five dollar bill and shoved a bill at Logan — right down the front of his jeans — and just started to cackle.

Logan swore and took a step back as he glared at her. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I was under the impression you were higher-priced than the others. Twenty not enough?" America asked with a perfectly innocent expression.

Logan gave her a completely unamused look before he narrowed his eyes, threw her over his shoulder, and went running back into the lake. "It's enough to get you a swimming lesson."

America was still shamelessly grinning and laughing all the way through being dunked, with the others just… shaking their head at the whole display as Kate elbowed Peter and Peter steadfastly shook his head and muttered, "Not gonna take pictures."

As America and Logan tried to take each other down in the water, Quill joined the group of them and couldn't help but burst into laughter when he saw what was going on. "Oh, that's beautiful. How come nobody told me they were doing this? We could have taken bets on the winner!"

"Kurt wore him down first," Kate giggled.

"We weren't exactly planning to go swimming," Kurt pointed out.

"Yeah, with those two, nothing's ever planned," Quill chuckled, ducking Kate's playful smack. "You guys better come in, though," he said, this time in a louder tone. "Coulson's on the line."

Kurt nodded and called to the two still splashing back and forth in the water. "Children, it's time to go see Dad," Kurt said loudly, though he couldn't quite get through it without laughing.

"Five more minutes!" America called back in a falsely high-pitched, whiny tone as she wrapped her arms around Logan's shoulders from behind, still trying to pull him down with her.

"You know how he doesn't like to wait," Kurt giggled as Logan walked out of the water with America still pulling.

"Come on, knock it off," Logan told her. "Maybe he's got word on Jess and Gwen."

America sighed and relaxed her grip at that. "Yeah, good point," she had to admit, though she couldn't resist adding, "but you're keeping the twenty."

"I'll give it to GoGo. Won't even dry it out first."

"Don't tell her where it's been."

"She'll know when I hand it to her — still there."

America just started to cackle at that, as the others shook their heads and Quill had to offer her a support so she could walk up with the others still laughing the way she was. But it was infectious — even Peter couldn't stop chuckling as they made their way up to the manor.

When Kate glanced over at the two sopping wet ex-victors, though, the corner of Logan's mouth twitched just the slightest before he said. "This is on you."

"You act as though I have some kind of control over her," Kate said in a scandalized tone.

He started toward her determinedly. "You're gonna get it."

Kate giggled and darted behind Kurt, who was laughing with his arms around his middle at their antics. "Nu-uh!" she called out, sticking her tongue out at Logan.

"Like he's gonna hide you," Logan said before he grabbed Kurt and yanked him away from her — then started chasing her down. When he caught her, he wrapped her up in a tight hug and started shaking his head hard — making sure she got as wet as he was able to pull off. "America, I think she needs a hug from you too."

"Oh, for sure," America agreed, making sure to rush over before Kate could get out of Logan's grasp so that she could grab her best friend and bring her to the ground — wringing out her long and curly hair in Kate's face as Kate laughed and tried to escape.

"Should I be worried that my fiance and two married persons are the only wet ones here?" Gogo asked from the door as the motley crew finally got up toward the mansion.

"Probably not," Logan replied as he and Kurt got closer, though as promised, he reached into his jeans and found the bill America had shoved down for him and slapped it in her hand. "I'd be more worried about how that got down there. Tell her that's not the best place to leave her cash."

Gogo stared at Logan for a moment before her gaze found America, though when America saw it, she broke down laughing all over again as Gogo rushed over to "get on her case," which was next to impossible at that point anyway with how much America was laughing.

With the two girls occupied, the rest of the group headed down to Coulson's old office, where the director himself was waiting for them — on the viewscreen setup. He raised an eyebrow when he saw the state of the group but just shook his head at them, opting not to question them on it for the time being.

"There's been a new development," Coulson told them once they were all in the room, looking entirely serious. "Otto Octavius was found dead a few days ago — and this morning, one of the old escorts from the Games was found murdered as well."

"Which escort?" Logan asked.

"Harold Hogan, from Three," Coulson said. He let out a sigh. "It seems someone is targeting people connected to the Games." He quickly glanced Peter's way. "There's no evidence to substantially connect these deaths to the other disappearances, but all things considered, we have to assume one or multiple people is targeting you."

"Why?" Peter asked. "What's anyone got against your friendly neighborhood Spider-man?"

"I wish I could tell you you've got nothing to worry about," Coulson told him with a heavy sigh. "There are any number of reasons. It might be someone who follows Stryker's ideology that the Tahiti process is unnatural, going after anyone related to it. He's been getting some attention as a candidate in the race too, even if he's not as big as Hill or Osborn."

"But if that was the case, why Otto?" Quill asked. "I mean... I know he acted like a freak, but he was honestly just born that way."

"I don't know," Coulson said. "It's just one possible explanation. It could be we're dealing with someone with a grudge against the Games themselves just trying to attack anyone related to them. Or someone who hated them personally …"

"Doesn't narrow down the list for Otto," Quill said dryly.

"There weren't many acquaintances in common for Octavius and Hogan," Coulson pointed out. "If the two are connected, that does shorten the list if it's personal. But if it's not, if someone is targeting the victors and others related to the Games…"

"Again, you mean," Logan pointed out.

Coulson sighed. "We knew that putting you in the Games would make you highly visible, high-value. But the war is over now. It just seems like some people can't put it behind them. The point is, I'm going to contact a few of the others and try to get a head count, make sure they're aware of what's going on. If any of them feel like they aren't safe where they are, we'll offer them relocation to either the Capitol or to Seven."

"Door's open," Logan agreed.

"And I appreciate that," Coulson said. He paused. "One more thing… If any of you run into whoever's doing this, protect yourselves first. But even a description or a name would be helpful right now. We're coming up empty on our investigations of the murders and the disappearances."

"And we'll be carrying the emergency buttons," Kurt said seriously. "Don't worry. We'll figure it out."

"I'm sure we will. But I want you all safe in the meantime," Coulson said.

"Awwww, Dad cares," America cooed.

"That's Director Dad to you," Coulson told her with one eyebrow raised.

"Thanks for the heads up, Coulson," Logan said. "Anything else on your mind?"

"How is Skye doing?" Coulson asked after a beat of thought. "Really."

"Running the place," he replied. "And picking pretty steadily on everyone."

"Then she's fine," Coulson said with a smirk. "You'll be sure to call me before the big day?"

"I'm sure you'll be around before then," Logan said, nodding. "But yeah."

"I'll see you then," Coulson agreed before switched off the comm — likely to start calling the other, more spread out kids and victors.

Logan turned away from the screen and headed toward the stairs. "Anyone that didn't see that — let 'em know," he said. "Maybe slip a note under Clint's door."

"I got it," Kate promised, already headed out. "Quill, you're on Kitty and Skye duty. If they're still in the whipped cream — which they should be — you'll probably end up getting plastered with it."

"Oh no," Quill deadpanned.

Kate smirked at him as the two of them headed out, though Peter had gone sort of quiet, waiting until the louder members of the group had run out of the room as he hung back with Kurt and Logan until it was just the three of them.

"I want to go back to Eight," he said.

"Mind if I get dried off first?" Logan said with a look.

Peter glanced back his way and bit his lip. "Alright," he said. "I just… we need to go back. If someone's… if they're killing…" He took a breath in that shuddered before he was finished with it. "We have to find Gwen."

"We all agree to that," Kurt said, nodding.

"Alright. Good." Peter nodded once, a little more steel in his gaze. "I'm going to go get my extra web shooters. Meet you at the plane."

Kurt and Logan shared a look between them. "You call," Logan said. "If I do it, I'll never hear the end of it. And even I know better than to head out without a heads up."

Kurt couldn't help but shake his head and smirk at his friend. "Oh sure, you're brave on all but the most dire of occasions," he teased.

"Lets see how you'd feel about things if America was cackling about shoving a twenty down your shorts to anyone close enough to listen to it." Logan gave him a little look. "I'm going to have to explain that crap to Mrs. O'Malley. Unless you want to trade jobs?"

Kurt winced the slightest bit. "No, no, mine is fine," he laughed.

"Besides, I'll bet you that soggy twenty that Coulson's just waiting for the call back."

"I'm sure he is," Kurt had to agree, already setting up the call. "The only question in his mind is who is going with Peter."

"Pretty sure he knows that too."

"Well, yes. But you never know — Natasha or Kitty might invite themselves along," Kurt pointed out, waving his friend off.

"Not if they don't know," Logan called back.

"I'll see you at the plane, Logan."