Manda was reading a book on her bed unlike Nat and Flint we didn't share a room. I knew for them it was a habit they had since they first met so it wasn't weird for them. For us though it was different.
"Sammy will you pass me my hot cocoa." Amanda was curled up under a soft blanket.
"It smells weird." I sniffed the strange aroma.
"It's Mexican Hot chocolate, Ashlyn made it with me." She smiled.
"It's smells like Christmas…" l smiled
"Duh, It's cinnamon. Have a sip." She handed the mug to me. I let some of the warm liquid fall into my mouth. It swept across my tongue, velvety and aromatic, with subtle hints of cinnamon and cayenne. It was good.
"Yum!" I exclaimed. Amanda seemed very satisfied with my response.
"I am glad you like it," Amanda smiled. She was very beautiful, with that warm tan skin and chestnut hair. I had chosen a good one. Our relationship was not perfect but we were seventeen year olds, it wasn't supposed to be. Nat and Flint didn't seem to get it. They only rarely got in fights and after at most two hours apart they were fine again. It pissed me off a little bit. Manda was my first girlfriend, a girl I had dated longer than two weeks or one night. I could hear the soft muffled voices of Nat and Sterling in the other room. That was another human being I got annoyed with. He was and when I tried to take him off his high horse Nat who was like his sister would threaten to kill me.
"What book are you reading Mandy?" I stood behind her trying to read over her shoulder.
"Animal Farm." She smiled, her warm chocolate eyes the same color as the drink.
"That sounds like a children's picture book." I laughed and jumped next to her causing a small drop of her hot chocolate to fall on her bed.
"Sam!" She exclaimed before setting her hot chocolate down on her night stand.
"Sorry!" I threw my hands up she rolled her eyes.
"Thank you!" She huffed and went back to her book and let her hot chocolate sit on that night stand the blue patterned ceramic mug was just sitting there. It looked lonely, sitting all there alone.
"What's the book about then?" I looked over her shoulder.
"Well, it the book reflects events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and then on into the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union." She explained.
"Oh, neat." Was all I said, staring once again at the abandoned mug.
"It really is" She muttered
Not feeling needed, I left Manda to her book. I headed into the main room to find a beautiful girl sitting on her laptop. She had messy front bangs and long strawberry blonde hair tied back in a sleek ponytail.
"Hey," I called across the room not my smoothest move.
"Hello," She said flatly her head snapping up from her laptop for a few seconds.
"I am sorry but we haven't been introduced, I am Sam Mckinley." I made up for my entrance with a very charming introduction.
"I know who you are… " She snapped pushing up slender black frame glasses. "I am Cora Potts, most people call me Corey." She said flatly and slid her glasses back down to her nose.
"So what crazy superpower do you have?" I asked curiously.
"None, I gather intelligence for missions. I create a list of possible missions and it is up to the bosses and Maggie to pick which ones the NAI go on." She typed violently as if trying to hammer in her point.
"Nai?" I asked confused. She rolled her eyes.
"The New Avengers Initiative. It should be NAIT New Avengers initiative for Teens, I find it a much more appealing acronym," A new girl entered the room answering my question. She was pretty too just not my type. She was a classic star-spangled girl, brown hair curled neatly and styled down to her neck. She had wide chocolate eyes and high cheek bones, she was dressed in a vintage blue skirt suit. Her little mary jane heels clicked as she walked over.
"Hello, , I am Margaret Hill but everyone around here calls me Maggie," She shook my hand a bright smile on her face. She was totally Sterling's type. Her classic features and attitude would get her attention from .
"Cool nice to meet you Maggie," I managed to pull my gaze from Corey to make eye contact with Maggie.
"Well I just came to hand in the mission drafts from committee." She handed Corey a copy.
"So, I'm guessing you two work together." I smirked
"Yes, with Amanda your girlfriend right? She the new mission coordinator or strategist or whatever," Maggie smiled before turning to leave. Corey was bent over her computer still typing.
"Yeah Mandy is working with you," I said and started to move toward Flint's room. Sterling was a jerk but Flint was chill. He was just kind of calm and nice. I knocked on his door not wanting to accidentally walk in on Nat and him messing around.
Flint answered the door.
"Natty I told you…" He got to the door. "Oh Sam sorry I thought you were Nat." He shrugged.
"Nope sorry your girlfriend is with Mr. Perfect. I am bored can we talk?" I asked and walked in. His bed was in a nice duvet as if he actually cared the way his room looked, probably Nat's doing.
"So...what do you want to talk about?" Flint had shaving cream on his face with missing a small section. He continued to shave his face. I had noticed the little stubble growing on his chin but Nat didn't seem to mind….or maybe she did?
"I don't know guy stuff, things you can't talk about with Nat and I can't talk about with Manda." I fell back Flint shot me a look.
"I talk about everything with Nat," He laughed.
"Really?" I cocked my eyebrows.
"Okay maybe not everything," his cheeks blushed slightly but quickly faded.
"Can I ask you about you and Nat?" Flint shrugged and started to boil water for tea on a hot plate.
"Sure what about her?" He pulled out a box of teas
"Well I wondered when you fell for Nat and if after that did you ever like someone at the same time."
"Well...After our mentor was killed we were lying next to each other in bed staring at the ceiling and I remember just staring at her sometimes when she was lying there. She and I started becoming close and the closer we got the more my feelings for her grew. My answer to the second question is no, I was attracted to other girls...I slept with other girls because Nat was sleeping with other guys. Nat though was the one I could never replace…" He smiled warmly at a picture of Nat at a cafe wearing a large straw hat and big sunglasses.
"That was France we did some work there once…" He smiled again and looked back at me.
"I am starting to like girls other than Manda...I don't love her as much as when we first started dating," Flint nodded slowly. "You and Nat have been through the same thing?" I asked hoping I wasn't alone.
"Nope sorry, I don't know what to say…" The door opened and Nat walked in white fluffy bathrobe covering her body her hair in a towel turban. She stopped in her tracks.
"Mckinley what are you doing in here," She asked cautiously.
"Guy talk I guess," Flint shrugged.
"Well, I hope you finished it up because I am in need of your attention ." She smiled pulling out some stuff out of her drawer that looked like pj's.
"I know I know rematch." He laughed.
"I call Yoshi" She called from the bathroom. Mario Kart. They were going to spend their evening… playing Mario kart.
"Okay I don't care Yoshi sucks ass." Flint laughed
"He does not!" She laughed from behind the door. I felt like a third wheel.
"So anything else you want to ask about?" Flint turned on the vintage gaming system, the Mario Kart music coming across the room.
"Did you catch the Sox game?" Flints ears perked up.
"Yeah," his lips twitched into a small smile.
"You see I am more of Giants fan myself,"
"At Least you're not a Yankees fan." He smirked "Nat is," He laughed
"Nat! Rooting for the Yankees is like rooting for cancer." Flint whined
"Hey you can root for your team I can root for mine!" She shouted back.
"I am surprised you two haven't broken up over that yet." I leaned back. Nat emerged from the bathroom in booty shorts and a long shirt undoubtedly Flint's .
"We have an arrangement," She walked over and planted a kiss on Flint's lips. It made me a bit uncomfortable, third wheeling hardcore.
"Dinner!" Amanda called from downstairs.
"We better head down" Nat smiled.
"Sure Natty Baby," he kissed her cheek.
"Francis how many times have I told you…" She gave him a mock stern look.
"Francis?" I raised my eyebrow. Nat's face lit up.
"Oh Flint didn't tell you, his real name is Francis John Rider," She smirked evilly.
"Natalia Anastasia Volkov!" He groaned
"I love your name,"
"Oh my God…." I laughed. "Your name is Francis," He winced
"Mckinley you asshole!" Nat sprung up and came at me. Remind me never to insult her or Flint ever again.
"Sorry," I shrunk back
"You shouldn't talk Clarence Samuel Mckinley," Flint smirked. I blushed. After we all got past the weird names. We got downstairs.
Amanda was bent over the oven. Damn she had a nice ass.
"Hey Sammy I made your favorite food, Enchiladas!" She walked up to me a big smile on her face Ashlyn beside her. The two were getting along famously and we had barely been here two days. I reached for one.
"No touchy!" She slapped my hand away.
"Amanda…" I jokingly whined
"You'll burn your fingers." Ashlyn smiled sweetly.
"Enchiladas!" Thomas ran down stairs.
"Thomas…" Ashlyn sighed
"What?" He asked innocently.
"You're so loud, I made enchiladas before you know." Ashlyn sighed
"I know…" He whined
"And if you keep running around like a maniac you'll fall and crack your head open." Ashlyn continued "And blood is really hard to clean up."
"Nah, just use hydrogen peroxide" Amanda smiled "gets the stain right out."
"Bleach works better Flint and I would know," Nat said flatly
"We get that you and Flint are like super assassins but when you talk about cleaning up blood it scares the majority of us." Amanda laughed. Soon the whole group was sitting down together eating enchiladas.
"So let's go around the room, and tell our stories." Sterling suggested. The place went quiet.
"Okay I will go first," My story was easy. "My parents are wealthy tech CEOs. I was not exactly a good child. Straight A's were easy but behaving wasn't . I threw some awesome wild parties," I laughed reminiscing. "Then I started making weapons and blowing up stuff that belonged to people I hated. I got arrested and my parents tried to find an out. The CIA gave them one." I smirked satisfied.
"So you were a spoiled brat that never got punished for his actions great backstory" Corey rolled her eyes. I was getting kinda pissed off at the hot girl.
"What is your backstory?" I asked the asshole girl that was clearly so into me.
"I was raised in the middle class, I got straight A's and graduated early then my Aunt Pepper offered me a position so I took it. Unlike you I worked my way here." She growled.
"You are so into me, Amanda she is trying to steal me from you," I called back to her.
"In your dreams," She laughed at me.
"I was born in Russia my father was a Spanish politician. My mother got pregnant with me and gave birth when she was pretty young than she was brainwashed to forget me and they left me on the streets to die but I was picked up by an orphanage and adopted by the SDTA where I met the beautiful Scarlet, a few months ago I was reunited with my sister and we were turned back to the light side." Dimitri spoke next. I noticed that Scarlet was missing. Sterling wasn't here either but that was a good thing. Nat noticed he wasn't there and shook her head.
"Where is Scarlet?" Nat asked curiously.
"She is flying around to keep her wings in shape." Dimitri shrugged. It seemed legit.
"So, who wants to go next?" Amanda asked. Nat raised her hand.
"I was born in Moscow, and raised in New York, until I met Sarah our mentor that got me to travel out to her base that was where I met Flint. We did a lot of low key hits at first police offices, mayors, governors things like that. Then we stole super confidential files from the pentagon, but Sarah got killed there. That is when Flint and I stopped hating each other," Nat said. Flint set his hand softly on her knee.
"So you guys bonding and Kumbaya-ing," Tony walked in a smug smirk plastered on his face.
"I don't Kumbaya," Nat snapped.
"Touchy touchy." He laughed
"What do you want Mr. Stark." Sterling had appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Only to tell you that I am going away and I tricked more avengers to babysit."
"Great… Who are they?" Dimitri sighed.
"You will see maybe your sister will stop by," laughed Tony.
"NO!" Dimitri looked distressed.
"Cool new people!" Amanda jumped up into the air in joy. I think she was just excited to meet more Heros.
"I hope it is Ant-Man or maybe Falcon or hmm what about Captain America!" Amanda was still fan girling.
"Well I don't know who is coming all I know is that someone is getting called in. I am here to say bye, and don't burn the place down...I am talking to you Mckinley"
"Hey!" I threw my hands up. Stark walked out of the room and the table went silent.
"So how about you Flint?" Ashlyn asked
"Well I guess my story is no different from Nat's" He said lightly Nat gave him a look of sympathy.
"Flint," She said softly.
"Nat leave it alone." He looked down.
"What tell us?" I insisted
"I don't want to, it is my story, I reserve the right to tell it," He protested calmly.
"Please," Amanda begged
"No," He said flatly
"Leave Flint..," Nat started
"Please tell us I really want to know," Ashlyn begged. Flint simply stood up and walked out Nat grabbed his arm but he disappeared up the stairs
"Fine… If Flint is going to be a buzzkill I'll tell my story." Amanda muttered
"Do tell," Corey smiled eagerly. What was her deal?
"My parents were part of a cartel, my uncle put me in Juvie to save his own skin… I escaped several times, through many creative ways, one involving baked goods… But I was recruited out, and met my greatest friends ever." Amanda smiled sweetly
I"I am glad you got recruited Amanda!" Nat smiled at her. Nat acted cold and tough but she was actually sweet and warm once you became her friend.
"Thanks Nat!" Amanda smiled.
"So anyone else got an epic story to tell."
"I was at this school for a little bit…" Sterling muttered "But before then I lived in New York also in a foster home. I had a friend that I left behind when I got into that school. I haven't seen him since. At the school I got a ton of special training, but I got broken out by these crazies." He smiled at the group.
"Sterling, did they take you in for any injections?" Scarlet walked into the door her black shirt clung to her with sweat.
"They took all the guys there, Why?" He looked at the newly entered Scarlet confused.
"Oh Shit, this is very very very bad," She muttered Corey perked up.
"Why?" She asked pulling open her laptop.
"Sterling drink this," She pulled out a bottle of vodka. I licked my lips it had been awhile since my last drink.
"No! It is against the law" Nat looked around confused
"Please Nat like you haven't had a drink," I rolled my eyes
"Good point," She backed off
"Why do I have to drink it…" Sterling looked at the bottle
"If my theory is right you won't get drunk" Scarlet continued
"Why not?" Maggie asked it was the first thing she had said all dinner. Sterling noticed her and by the look on his face was definitely interested in her .
"Because you know the serum that made Captain America super? I think a variant form was used on the boys in that school. Kinda like the stuff used on us just a different form. Which means that school has a super army in its full control."
"That doesn't sound good…" Said Thomas
"That is why I am trying to see if Sterling is super strong naturally or if he has been turned into a super soldier." she turned back to Sterling and poured the liquid into a glass that made it look like water. "In case our babysitter shows up soon," Explained Scarlet and pushed the drink forward. "Now drink." Sterling took a large sip.
"How can you drink this!," He struggled to swallow a second gulp.
"Feeling woozy?" Amanda smiled
"Not really but maybe I have a really good tolerance, like Nat and Flint." He shrugged
"Finish the glass and if you are not drunk, then we need to worry." Nat sighed and grabbed a beer from the fridge.
"Since when do you drink regularly?" Sterling questioned.
"This isn't for me, it is for you if you still aren't drunk, there is still tequila in the cupboard Tony stocked." Nat shrugged.
"I'm a little worried about this," Sterling looked at the cup that was two-thirds empty.
"Sh….. Drink." Scarlet tipped the cup
"Guys, SAM says that are babysitters are coming, you need to finish up whatever mad scientist experiment soon." I looked around.
"No they aren't going to arrive till around midnight. If Sterling gets drunk we will have time to get him to sleep it off." Nat shrugged check SAM's data. By soon it meant that they would be here late tonight or early next morning not in the middle of the day tomorrow.
"I don't think that will be a problem." Sterling held up his empty glass. He looked perfectly normal healthy.
"Check his blood alcohol levels, than do all the normal drunk tests." Scarlet said I watched as Sterling passed every test. Nat's eyes went dark she looked at her adopted brother and shook her head.
"I need to go tell Flint about this…"
A/N
Wooo! That was a long chapter. Feel free to review, I can't wait to share the rest of these kids adventures as it heats up.