DATE: APRIL, 26, 2015, LOUD TOWER, NEW YORK, 12H41M

After a delicious lunch with most of her family, Rita Loud begins to clear the table, though a bit distracted. She decided to do the dishes as she plunged into her thoughts, increasingly worried about her children and husband.

Although she told her daughters that they left early at different times without saying where they were going, she knew very well where they really were. Or at least, where her children were. Lynn Sr. had hurried off to meet Roberto Santiago about eight o'clock in the morning, without even saying where he was going, leaving his wife with a bad feeling.

However, it was not their location that concerned her, but the current situation. Despite her agreement with Hank Pym, the matriarch did not agree totally with his methods, especially to let the young heroes take on a mission after so little training time. Just imagining three of her babies and the young Ronnie Anne fighting villains had already made her uneasy.

Still, she could not deny that Pym seemed to know what he was doing, despite all the secrets. At times like this, she wondered if she had done well to associate with the traveler from another world.

"(Sigh) I do not believe it 's been thirteen years." Rita plunged into her thoughts, letting her memory float to another time...


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DATE: JUNE, 05, 2002, THE TRISKELION, NEW YORK, 13H05M

Among the various agents of the SHIELD marching by the base, Lynn and Rita Loud feel excited to revisit the place that her husband designed. Ever since they left the SHIELD, Lynn's career as an inventor has progressed more and more, while Rita was managing the finances of their growing company.

The Triskelion not only served as SHIELD's headquarters in New York, as it was also where the current Ultimates trained and prepared for their missions. Only with the project's funds, the couple have gotten the kickoff their company needed, and of course a contract with SHIELD for at least another ten years.

They walked a little further down the corridors until Rita felt something in her belly and stopped, leaving her husband worried.

"What is it, honey?"

"It was nothing, dear. I think even after five daughters, I still get a little surprised when I feel something down here." The woman smiled uneasily, gently rubbing her belly. "Although, sometimes, I think this little one already has the strength the others had at eight months."

"Who knows, when she grows up, she will be as strong as Uncle Roberto?"

The couple turned, facing another couple behind them. The man was tall and muscular, while his wife was a beautiful woman who, like Rita, was pregnant, although she was clearly closer to giving birth. The woman wore a large dress because of her pregnancy, while her husband was wearing the blue uniform of the SHIELD.

"Maria! Roberto!" Rita promptly went to the other couple, hugging the other woman. "I did not expect to see you before next month."

"It was a surprise to us, too." Maria hugged her gently, feeling glad to see her old friends. "The old man decided to call in to the meeting today, wanting more confidence people beside him. You know how he can be paranoid."

"This is the Nick Fury I remember." Lynn scratched his chin, remembering the time he received orders from the old man. "How is working with him every day, Roberto?"

"To be honest, it is easier than being one of the Ultimates." "Roberto looked around and began to whisper. "Nevertheless, I hope that he does not want me to wear an eye patch like him."

The two men shared a brief laugh, while their wives just rolled their eyes. Both couples shared a strong friendship while working as "SHIELD's superheroes," but sometimes they had the impression that their husbands still acted as teenagers.

"And how is little Roberto?" Rita decided to leave their husbands aside and focus on their children. "Is he excited about the arrival of his little sister?"

"In fact, he is not very interested in that right now. "Maria looked around, and then whispered in the ear of her friend. "He has powers now."

Rita was puzzled. She already had five daughters, but none of them had even given a signal that they had powers. Not only that, but also the fact that she and Lynn both had favorable genetics for this, whereas Maria was a normal human.

"And you want to keep it a secret?" Rita whispered too, interested in learning more about Roberto Jr. and his powers.

"At least for a while. Last week he tried to climb the kitchen shelves to catch cookies, and when we went to see, he had fallen on the floor and had broken the floor tiles without suffering even a scratch."

"Oh my Gosh! "Rita was stunned, totally shocked by the little boy. "And where is he now?

"My mother came to spend the week with us, so I asked her to take care of Roberto while we were at the meeting."

Rita wanted to talk more about it with Maria, but before she could continue a SHIELD agent approached.

"Agent Santiago, Mr. Loud, Director Fury is waiting for you in the meeting room.

The four looked at each other, knowing that they should not let Nick Fury waiting.

"I think we should talk later."


Soon, In The Meeting Room


In the large meeting room, about twenty people gathered around a round table with the emblem of the SHIELD, while a man was standing looking at the window. He had an authoritative stance, and his fair skin seemed pale and fragile, making his eye patch stand out even more. With about sixty years, most of his hair were almost all white, giving him a look of experience and seriousness. Still, all who were present looked at him with some anxiety, they all sure that the matter was serious.

Both couples entered the room and sat together between the empty chairs, so that Lynn and Roberto were sitting side by side, with Rita in the right of her husband and Maria in the left her husband. Still, there were two empty seats across the table, a normal chair next to Rita and a special armchair beside Maria, clearly for the director of SHIELD.

Although none of them made any sound, they could recognize each other, immediately realizing that this was a closed meeting with the presence of the people the director trusted, that by what they knew meant that everyone was present.

The room was silent for a few minutes, no one daring to talk to the director of the SHIELD, until the door to the meeting room opened again. Everyone looked at the door, surprised by the appearance of an unknown man. He was wearing a lab coat and his blond hair was very messy, and he had deep circles under his eyes. He was carrying a file folder in one hand and a large plastic cup of coffee in the other, and he walked like he was going to faint at any moment.

"I'm glad you joined us, Mr. Pym." Fury turned, looking very unhappy at the scientist.

"Dr." The man corrected grumpy as he sat next to Rita. "Dr. Pym."

"Okay, whatever. Sit down please, and we can begin. "

The scientist continued his moodiness, but sat down in the vacant chair beside Rita, placing the cup and the folder on the table. Fury decided to ignore him and went to his armchair, focusing on not showing how worried he was about the subject.

"Well, first of all, I would like to thank everyone for attend this meeting. Most of you know that I would not call so many people to a private meeting unless the situation was really urgent. That said, I want to note that the issue that we will discuss is of the utmost importance, and should remain secret. Right now-"

"Could you go straight to the point, Hasselhoff? " Pym spoke with a certain arrogance in his voice, leaving everyone shocked at his boldness. "Just be a man and admit that you messed up big time."

Fury looked at the scientist with deep contempt, though he was trying to get rid of the guilt and shame he felt. He knew he had made a serious mistake, but he did not want to show weakness in front of the people present. Although he trusted them, he knew they would be terrified if they knew how vulnerable he was. He could not let that happen, and he could not let anyone disrespect him in such a way.

"Dr. Pym, if you're so willing to talk, why not continue?" Fury stared defiantly at him with his one eye, showing that he would not be intimidated.

"It would be a pleasure." The scientist stood, grinning victoriously. "Unfortunately, there is no right way to say it, so I guess I'd better get right to the point. The Hulk is on the loose again."

The mood was tense around the table, while Fury, Roberto and some others were just embarrassed. Pym seemed to enjoy the reaction of the people in the room, making him smile briefly. That, until one of the others decided to speak as well.

"That's no big surprise." Lynn said, arrogantly. "I mean, the Hulkbusters are not renowned for their intelligence."

Hearing this, Pym immediately felt offended, glaring at the Loud patriarch.

"In fact, as head of the science division of the Hulkbuster Unit, I can assure that the fault was not ours." He reached into his pocket and removed an ID card with his picture, as well as a military-looking symbol. He looked at the man with disdain, putting the card again in his pocket. "Actually, it was thanks to me that the Hulk was captured and remained in our custody for over a year, until recently director Fury convinced the President to let SHIELD had custody, only to let him escape."

At this point, everyone focused on Nick Fury. Not only those who were surprised by the revelation, but also those who knew of his plans. Still, Fury did not miss the inflexible attitude.

"I think you're exaggerating, son. Before being a green monster, Dr. Banner was one of the most respected scientists in the country. Not only that, but there was also the possibility of using the strength of the Hulk to help the Ultimates. "

"I'm sorry to say that Nick, but I'll have to agree with him this time." Lynn attracted everyone's attention, getting slightly embarrassed by what he said. "Not that I admire the Hulkbusters, but even they realized that it was best to keep the Hulk imprisoned."

A great debate began between the people at the table. Some agreed with Lynn, while others argued that the risks were acceptable, though others preferred to remain quiet.

Rita and Maria were just watching the discussion, seeing how everyone did anything but present a solution. Rita then realized that Pym had sat down again, preferring to drink his coffee instead of going into the discussion. Although the Loud matriarch could not understand what it was, something in the man seemed to arouse some curiosity in he. She looked at director Fury and realized he was looking impatiently at Pym, as if waiting for him to say something. It was then that she realized he must have the answer.

"What do you suggest we do, Dr. Pym? After all, it was your team that captured the Hulk last time."

Everyone was silent as Rita was talking to the scientist. Of all present, she certainly was the most influential after the director, and if she decided to talk to him, then it should be the right option. Everyone looked at the scientist expectantly, making him blush slightly.

"Well, to tell the truth, people do not usually ask for my opinion." The scientist scratched his neck with a certain uneasiness, looking down. "Usually, General Ross only asks for results, without even considering my opinion."

"Well, we did not act like that in the SHIELD." Fury tried to be a little less rude, despite keeping the same serious expression. "What is your opinion on the subject, Dr. Pym?"

"(Sigh) To be honest, I do not consider Bruce Banner a threat. In fact, my cell was made specifically to prevent him from transforming into the Hulk. "

"Are you crazy?" One of the SHIELD officials said, looking at the scientist in disbelief. "If you work for the Hulkbuster Unit, you should know better than anyone how much he's dangerous!"

"That's exactly why I know he's no threat." Pym grabbed his folder and distributed photos of partially destroyed machines. "Since becoming the Hulk, Bruce Banner tried to reverse the process that created the Hulk. He was not successful, although some of the blame is for the Hulkbuster Unit, since we always interfered in his experiments before he could complete them, resulting in an appearance of the Hulk."

"So you're saying that your personnel is responsible for mosto f the damage caused by the Hulk?" Fury did not seem surprised by what Pym said, but by the fact that he admitted.

"I would be lying if I denied it. The goal of General Ross is to eliminate the Hulk at all costs, despite the fact Banner basically want the same thing. If they could reach a consensus, I believe that my work would be much simpler."

"So... what do you suggest?" Roberto looked at the man with a certain dislike, figuring he would suggest something silly.

"Basically, I'm working on a special prison, directly involved with my other project, called 'Helicarrier'."

While the others were confused, Fury suddenly felt interested in the subject. It was as if Nick Fury and the helicarrier were made for each other.

"Well, talk more about it. I believe that this can be of great importance in the future. "


...


After about three hours in a room, Nick Fury closed the meeting. Though still a little concerned about the Hulk, all were more interested in Hank Pym's ideas. Or almost all.

Nick Fury, accompanied by the two couples, was wondering how it would be to command the SHIELD aboard a Helicarrier, so he did not pay attention to Lynn Loud and his complaints. Even if didn't like the scientist, he had to admit that Pym's ideas were not only functional to capture the Hulk, as would also be useful for the SHIELD in the future.

" I still do not believe it! An air fortress! How didn't I thought of that before?"

"Well, not everyone thinks the same way." Roberto put his hand on his friend's shoulder, trying to comfort him. "It is likely that he only thought of it because of the Hulk."

That did not help much with Lynn's self-esteem, but he decided to let it go. Rita, however, had a strange feeling. It was almost as if Pym had some sort of secret, as if he were hiding something of the utmost importance. Despite being curious to know what it might be, she knew that her focus should be on her family, especially the baby in her womb.

"Excuse me, could I have a moment of your attention?"

Fury kept walking, while the two couples turned to see who wanted to speak to them. They were soon surprised to see the military scientist.

"Dr. Loud, I would like to emphasize that it is an honor to find someone with your reputation." Pym smiled and reached out smiling amicably, leaving Lynn a little sheepish.

"Well, I believe that the feeling is mutual, despite not having heard about you before."

"Let's just say that I am a person of some discretion. Still, I hope we have the opportunity to meet again. I'm sure we could do great things together." Pym looked at Rita for a moment, smiling even more. "And by the way, my congratulations for the little boy. I hope he becomes a great man, just like his parents."

Pym then turned around, leaving the four confused.

"How does he know it's a boy?" Rita looked curiously at the man who walked away, increasingly intrigued by his attitude.

"Wow, I think that was weird in a whole new level." Maria turned to Rita, giving a brief wink. "And we know what's weird."

Rita smiled. This had certainly been an unusual situation, but considering what they had both seen, it was not so out of the ordinary. At least it seemed that they would not see Hank Pym soon.


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DATE: OCTOBER, 12, 2004, LOUD INDUSTRIES, ROYAL WOODS, 18H19M

The building was almost empty, except for a few people who were already getting ready to leave. Among them was the president of the company.

After another exhausting day of work, Rita was ready to drive to her house and spend a pleasant night with her children. She would like to be with her husband, but he was on a business trip, closing a contract to make some kind of new vehicle. Sighing, she got into her car and headed for her house, eager to finally see her little angels again.

If there was one thing she hated, was the fact that she had to drive home for almost an hour every day. Lately, both she and Lynn Sr. did not have much time to spend with their children, especially Lori, who had already been able to use superpowers. Rita's greatest fear was to come home one day and discover that her children had blown up the house in a childish fight.

If all went well with the project her husband was doing for the new building in New York, she would work just a few stories below her new home on the roof of the building. Staying so close to her children every day would not only be wonderfully enjoyable, but would also allow her to develop their interest in continuing their family business.

Of course, what she wanted was for her children to be happy, but she knew the superhero world was too dangerous. Aside from she, Lynn Sr. and the Santiagos, there were not many former members of the Ultimates who were still alive. Still, the fact that their children had powers did not mean they would try to risk their lives to save the world. Secretly, what Rita most wanted was for at least one of her five children to fly, so she could teach everything she knew.

The matriarch was distracted in her thoughts and did not realized that the road was deserted, and that there was a big shadow over her car. Before she knew it, the car was surrounded by a golden energy, coming from what looked like a black aircraft.

From her experience, Rita knew she was being abducted, but before she could try anything the aircraft gave a powerful boost, reaching an absurd speed. She tried to think of something to do, but in less than two minutes she spotted what looked like a runway of an aircraft carrier. The aircraft landed vertically, releasing her car next to it.

Rita got out of the car and was ready to retaliate at any moment, trying to adjust her vision to see the dark vessel. She was emanating energy into her fists when the lights were turned on, and she saw a man standing a few meters from where she stood. She decided to approach with caution, and as she approached she saw that the man was familiar.

"Good night, Rita." Pym smiled cheerfully, making a brief bow. "Sorry if I was a bit rude, but the matter is of extreme urgency."

"Dr. Pym?" Rita lowered her hands and stopped emanate energy, getting perplexed. "What's going on?"

"Believe me, I'll explain everything. But first of all, I would like to give you a warm welcome to the Watcher, the first helicarrier of this world. "

Pym held out his arms, and it was then that Rita saw the altitude they were. She was shocked to learn that there was already a functional helicarrier, but was confused whether she was a guest or a hostage. Maybe even both.

Pym went to the nearest door and entered the huge vehicle, soon followed by a intrigued Rita. They walked down a few corridors until they reached a wide space that looked like a laboratory and living room, and they sat in some armchairs in front of a small table with tea, coffee and a bowl of warm cookies.

"I know it's an unusual situation, but believe me when I say it's strictly necessary. I need you to listen to what I have to say, and this is of paramount importance. "

Rita picked up some tea and started to listen to the scientist. Although she was still suspicious, she felt she should listen to him.

"I read some of the secret files of the Ultimates, so I know that you and your husband are familiar with time travel and aliens. To be more precise, this is about me. "

"So, you're some kind of traveler from another time?" Rita was not too surprised, finding the somewhat ironic situation. " Should I assume then that the helicarrier is not your creation?"

"In fact, the helicarrier should not exist in this timeline, but as I came here with my own helicarrier, I thought it best to patent and manufacture some of them to the SHIELD, as this can help with what is to come."

"Let me guess: the less I know about 'what is to come', the better."

Pym looked at her with some curiosity. "You seem to be taking this very well."

"As you said yourself, I've been through it before. As you said yourself, I've been there before. Of course, it's among the confidential stuff we can not tell even to our children, but it's not so unusual."

"So I think I can be direct. Yesterday, your husband, Roberto Santiago and Nick Fury participated in a closed meeting with me, General Ross and the Secretary of Defense to discuss whether or not SHIELD would take my Helicarrier project, and we reached an agreement. Your company will take over the project and will have the patent, but one of the helicarriers will be specially designed for me to contain the Hulk definitely. "

"Honestly, I didn't thought you were still working on it. I mean, the Hulk has not been seen since he ran away two years ago. As far as we know, Bruce Banner can already be cured."

"Not really." Pym looked around and then whispered. "He's here."

Rita stood perfectly still.

As much as she was not bothered by Hank Pym, just knowing she was in the same place as Bruce Banner made her totally terrified.

"You're telling me that I am in an air fortress, several feet tall, with a human time-bomb?"

"I know this sounds like a bad idea, but believe me, this is the safest place in the world."

"And why the scientist who hunts the Hulk is covering up the man he was supposed to capture?"

"Bruce and I have a plan to stage his death and give him a new life, but that's not the point at the moment. What really matters is that before that he will help me with Phase 2 of my nine-step plan, that will ensure that this world still exists in the next century. "

Rita became a little less terrified of Banner, but was concerned by what she heard. Pym would be involved in something so decisive?

"How much can I know about this?"

"Just the basic. In thirty years, something big will happen, and by then I need to recruit and train a team with those who will be the greatest heroes in the world. I'll train them early so that they are properly prepared, but in the end the fate of this world will be in their hands."

"That sounds really awful, but I do not see where I come in this story."

"Rita, the first I will have to recruit, and to be the leader of this team, is your son, Lincoln."

Rita spat the tea she was drinking, choking on the process.

"My son!? But he's just a toddler!"

"Maybe today, but one day he will be a great hero. He, like all your children, will have superpowers, which will manifest when they are between six and seven years old. At first, Lincoln will hide his powers, but there will come a day when he will have to use them."

The matriarch was totally perplexed, trying to assimilate what he was telling. One of Rita's biggest goals was to have a large family, so that five children still did not seem enough. But if what he said was true, then not only all her children would have powers, but also Lincoln could end up getting involved in dangerous situations. Rita could not think of anything more painful than seeing one of her children having to carry such a burden, but she could not help but feel that if she avoid it, she would be being selfish and condemning the future of all humanity.

"I'm not saying that I believe in you, but assuming that what you said is true, what would you do with my son?"

"Nothing that will harm him. He must grow with his siblings, and will become a good and honorable man. Eleven years from now he would go through a traumatic experience that would make him decide to become a hero. However, you and your husband will create a rule that forbids your children from using their powers away from home, causing him to wait until he reach the age of majority to act. My plan is to save him from said traumatic experience and call him to be my pupil, so I will train him in secret early. "

Although it sounded crazy, Rita could not help but notice that it made sense. She herself had only become a great super hero thanks to the training she received from SHIELD. If Lincoln was properly trained early on, he could really become a great hero.

"And you have any way of proving what you're saying? Being a scientist with access to confidential documents, you could easily come up with a compelling story about being a time traveler."

"Well, I have not focused on what happens to your family, but I know that in a few weeks, a division of Roxxon will be indicted for fraud and environmental crime. Not only this but, as one of your daughters is six, she should soon find out that she has powers, and I believe that your eldest daughter also discovered her powers around six years old."

Rita stopped to think. In fact, she and her husband only discovered their powers at puberty, so it would be strange if all their children discovered their powers in such a young age. Not only that, as a scandal involving one of the world's largest companies seemed to be something that someone from the future would know.

"It seems reasonable. Anything else I should know? "

"Actually, I have a request to make." Pym blushed slightly, deeply embarrassed by it. "I'd like to keep this between us."

"What!?"

"I know it's asking too much, but that's important. To be honest, I wanted this to be a personal matter between your husband and me, but it seems he developed a strong rivalry with me. I fear that, if he knows what I plan, he may decide to make a plan himself just to prove that he is smarter than me."

Although she hated to admit it, Rita knew there was some truth in what the time traveler said. When Lynn let his competitive side take care of him, there was no one who could make him change his mind.

Still, she did not feel comfortable hiding something so important from her husband.

"(Sigh) I'll think about it." She put the cup of tea on the table and stood up. "Now, if you can be kind enough to show me where the road is, I have to go home."

"That will not be necessary" Pym also rose. He reached into the pocket of his lab coat and took out a pen with pictures of ants. "If you decide to help me, just press the button quickly five times and you will come here." She picked up the pen, while he reached into another pocket and pulled out a small remote control, pressing lightly one of the buttons. "Have a good night, Rita."

Before she could say anything, a strange energy involved her, and the next moment she was in front of her house, next to the her car, completely dizzy. For a moment, she considered that she might have had a hallucination, but then she saw that she was holding the pen with ants.

She looked at the sky decisively, as if she could see the helicarrier.

"I hope you're telling the truth, Pym. Otherwise, you will regret messing with my family "


TO BE CONTINUED ...


I had a hard time to do this chapter, but next week is going to be dramatic, since some secrets will be revealed.

As Ronnie Anne's father is the director of SHIELD, this will be the only time we will see Nick Fury, since he retired. For those who do not know, there was a 1998 film about Nick Fury starring David Hasselhoff. Nothing against Sam Jackson, but I like the classic Fury more.

Despite what is happening here, the helicarriers only become active in four years, making the Watcher the only Helicarrier of the world for now.

As for the babies, Rita is only four months pregnant, while Maria is seven. I chose this age difference so Ronnie Anne was a little older than Lincoln, but staying at a close age.

I'll probably do another flashback in the future, but I do not think I'll do another whole flashback chapter.