Chapter 6: "Sevens and Twelves"
July 2
District Six Suite
Kamala was laid out on the floor of her suite room, already changed out of the parade outfit. She had her feet up behind her and her chin in her hands, trying to watch the television Darcy had shown her how to use so that she couldn't hear her mentor loudly talking about how great his tribute was this year.
Tribute —singular.
It wasn't like she expected much from the Red Skull ... it was just kind of totally intimidating when he would start giving Brock detailed tips on how to kill people, and she was really very sure he was giving him tips on how to kill Kamala because of the way he was talking about height, build ... yeah. That kind of thing.
Plus, there was a lot of talk about not being 'slowed down' by the other kids, and basically, Kamala wasn't hiding, she was just… using the TV and not actually sitting on the bed but behind it. Not hiding... just using her surroundings. That was totally what was happening here.
She popped her head up when the door opened, but instead of her district partner or her mentor, it was Darcy, the escort, who only took about ten seconds to spot Kamala and shake her head as she closed the door behind her.
"You know ... you don't have to stay in here all the time. There's a den on the ground floor, and you can get to the roof as long as you don't royally piss of Black Bolt."
Kamala tipped her head at Darcy for a moment. "Yeah, but I don't really know where… anything is, actually," she admitted.
"Well, why don't we head up to start," Darcy suggested. "You kinda look like you could use some fresh air."
"Probably," Kamala admitted, letting Darcy lead her out past Schmidt and Brock, who had now moved on to the best ways to break a neck that had Kamala shuddering. "I wish they'd stop," she whispered to Darcy as they hit the hallway.
"Yeah, fat chance of that happening," Darcy said dryly. "He does this every year. It's disturbing."
"Is that why you know how to get to the roof?" Kamala couldn't help but smile as she asked it.
"It's actually my job to know how to get everywhere around here?" Darcy said. "But I end up on the roof every year with every girl tribute that goes through —including his very own daughter, who more or less got the same treatment you have."
"So he's just stupid. He's not actively trying to kill me?"
"Oh, he's actively trying to kill you, and he's a stupid ass." She held a door open for her. "This way."
Kamala followed Darcy through, but she was still frowning. "He's my mentor, though. He's supposed to help, right?"
"Don't say that too loudly around him," Darcy advised. "He's supposed to. He never really does, though. You wouldn't believe how crappy he treated his own kid last year."
"Someone should give him what-for," Kamala said with a little heat before she wavered a bit and wrapped her arms around herself at the elbows. "You know… someone he's not, um, actively trying to kill. Like I need a mentor trying to do that plus all the other kids."
"If it makes you feel any better, your mentor can't actually hurt you," Darcy promised.
"It sure feels like he wants to," Kamala countered. "I think he's mad because I screwed up the parade being, you know. Little? And no one really talked about Brock."
"Honey, he'd be mad if they had Brock in a spotlight the whole time," Darcy said with a wave. "He doesn't know how to be nice or reasonable at all."
"So, how'd you get stuck with him?" Kamala asked curiously as they reached the roof. "You're not nearly mean enough."
"Just bad luck," she replied before they came to a quick stop at seeing that the roof wasn't vacant.
"Marcy, right?" Logan said, watching both of them as the door closed behind them.
"Darcy, actually."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, born that way," Darcy replied before she reached over to where Kamala was half-hiding behind her and draped her arm around her tribute. "Mind sharing the rooftop?"
"Red Skull being an ass again?" Logan asked.
"Always," Darcy nodded, and Kamala just sort of stared between the two of them.
"My offer stands," Logan replied before he gestured to the open space. "And it's plenty big enough for more than just us."
"What offer?" Kamala couldn't help but ask, watching her escort and the newest victor wide-eyed.
"I offered to chuck him off the roof last year," Logan said with a little smirk. "No takers."
"Oh, could you?" Kamala asked before she pressed a hand over her mouth. "I mean… you really shouldn't, but he —he shouldn't be a mentor. At all." She glanced around the roof before she added in a whisper, "Ever."
"There seems to be a collection of those," Logan agreed with a nod. "Come on over. Clara and I were just bitching about her brother."
"Oh. Um." Kamala glanced back at Darcy, but when her escort seemed to be content to just head back out the door, she sighed. "Okay. That sounds…okay."
When she took a seat, Clara introduced herself about a half a second after Logan did. "I didn't catch your name," the little blonde said with an encouraging smile.
"Oh! I'm Kamala Khan," she said, trying for her own little shy smile. "I guess I didn't make a big impression."
"It's not that," Logan assured her. "We didn't watch the Reapings."
"Well, that's a relief," Kamala said as she let out her breath all at once. "That was… that was really —it's not gonna help me at all."
"Don't worry about that," Logan told her. "You'll get help in there one way or another."
"Hello, have you met my mentor?" she asked with one eyebrow raised. "If I get something from him it'll be, like, a bottle of wolf pheromones so I die faster from big ol' mutt-wolves or something."
"Who says it'd be from him?" Logan asked.
"Um. The rules," Kamala said quietly, as she sat on her hands, but Logan leaned forward with a troublemaking smirk.
"The rules don't say a word about anyone else not helping you," he said in a quiet rumble. "It's just strongly weighted that way. It'd probably just cost more, as far as I can figure."
"Oh!" Kamala's eyes widened as she realized what he was saying, and then she started to shake her head. "Oh, no, no —no, you —you have two tributes, and her brother's a jerk, so you should work on them—"
"I have people tripping over themselves already to 'help'," Logan told her. "And others whining that I'm in the wrong district. Don't worry about it."
"No, but really —really, you shouldn't waste your money on me."
"I'm not," he said.
She laughed quietly and rubbed the back of her neck. "It's okay. I know I'm bloodbath bait. That's what my mentor said."
"You so aren't," Clara said with a shake of her head. "No way."
"Um, don't know if you've noticed, but I don't really look like —well, you?" Kamala gestured at Clara and then herself.
Logan and Clara shared a look before Clara told her what she thought. "My brother has made me watch for years. I can spot a bloodbath death, and you? Are not it. You're smart enough to run when the bell rings instead of going for the bait. You just need a team." Logan was nodding his head in agreement as the two of them watched her.
"I so can't team up with my district partner," Kamala pointed out.
"Why would you want to? Guy's a psycho," Logan said. "Look outside your district. Make friends."
Kamala glanced between them. "D'you think … I'm a fast runner, and I'm good at hiding, and I'm actually pretty good at things like poisons, well, identifying them anyway, and…." she started to pick up speed as she tried to list off things that she could bring to an alliance.
"I like her," Clara said to Logan in a stage whisper that was absolutely meant for Kamala, and the smaller girl blushed when she saw the way the two of them were watching her. "And Scott already pulled in Alex —or he wants to."
"Fine by me —it's your group," Logan said before he turne to Kamala. "Try a few things out in training, and if you want to skip hand to hand, I'll work with you up here myself."
"Would you really?" Kamala blurted out, then clapped both hands over her mouth. "Sorry. That was loud."
Logan smirked crookedly and shook his head. "I don't see why not. You're both smaller than most of them, and I know for a fact the hand-to-hand guy doesn't take into account littler people. He couldn't do a thing for 'Ro, and you're about her size."
"Well, I'm as old as she was too," Kamala pointed out. "I'm hoping I'll get taller, but… Ami's only five feet…"
"If 'Ro was around, she'd tell you what I taught her," Logan said softly.
"Did you teach her how to make that battery thing?" Kamala asked, sounding honestly impressed. "Because that was a work of genius!"
"No, that was Stark, I think," Logan said. "I taught her how to kick a guy two feet taller than her in the face."
Kamala grinned at that and nodded. "Well, I've never kicked anyone. Or hit anyone. So…"
"You can practice on me," he said. "You'll do just fine."
"Are you sure I shouldn't ... maybe I should stick to food and hiding and traps and stuff? I'm not a fan of violence."
"If you're going to team up with us, I for one don't want you to get in a pinch and not be able to fight back," Clara said. "He can take it." She shoved Logan in the shoulder as she said the last bit with a grin. "He gets into it with my brother all the time."
Kamala took in a big breath before she nodded. "Okay. If you don't mind ... that… that actually sounds like a really good alliance. I'll try hard to listen, too. Don't worry! I'm a good student," she swore, which only had Clara and Logan smiling at each other all over again.
Down in Twelve's suite, America had taken the time to change and shower and to check in on Billy, who was in his room rewatching tapes of all the Reapings, memorizing names and faces so he could introduce himself properly the next day during training.
"Hey, I'm ducking out for a sec," she called in. "You gonna be okay here?"
Billy waved his hand her way. "I'm fine. Just like the last eighty times you asked me."
"Yeah, well, if that changes, let me know." America glanced toward the television screen. Billy was rewatching Eleven's Reaping, and those kids were just tiny. She shook her head and looked back toward her partner. "Go to sleep. If you get your butt kicked tomorrow in training, I am not listening to you complaining."
"You're so thoughtful," he said, sticking his tongue out at her, and she returned the favor with a horrible face of her own before she ditched the suites and headed downstairs. Jubilee had invited her to pop into Seven anytime, after all, and she had a score to settle while she was here —and while she was alive.
She had almost hit the elevator when the door to the roof opened, and Logan, Clara, and Kamala —of all people —hit the hallway as well.
"Loved your entrance," Clara told her with a smirk as they came up to a stop next to her to wait for the elevator. "It was glorious."
"Yeah, well, they needed the message," America said, though she was smirking the slightest bit. "I was gonna go in more understated, let my partner take the glory, but they pissed me off."
"Coulda gone bigger, for as much as they pay attention," Logan replied.
"Yeah, well, they paid attention alright. Kinda ticked about that too. How'm I supposed to get my partner through if they don't notice him?" America grumbled before she put out her hand to Logan. "America Chavez, by the way."
"Logan," he replied as he took her hand. "Nice to have a name for the face finally."
"And a face to the name. I heard Kate telling stories on me last year," America said with a nod. "Which —by the way —sorry I don't believe all that crap, but you are so not her type."
"Yeah, no kidding," he said with a nod. "No offense, but I'm really not thrilled to see you two here. I can practically hear her screaming 'idiot' at the both of you."
"If you think I didn't already give Billy that speech, you're just as stupid as they make you out to be," she said with a wave. "It's his own fault. Teddy would've been just fine, but him? Kid's a bookworm. Can't fight a paper airplane."
"Bookworms will surprise you from time to time. Banner was a bookworm."
"We'll have to see. But somehow, I don't think my bookworm is the Banner type," America replied with a smirk.
"Noted," he said with a nod.
America looked him over for a second before she leaned back in the elevator and tipped her head at Kamala. "What're you doing here, Six?"
"Kamala."
"Okay. What're you doing here, Kamala?" America said, though with a little smile this time.
"Nothing tonight," replied the much younger girl with a troublemaking smile. "Come back again tomorrow."
"Sounds like trouble," America replied. "You gonna tell me now or later?"
"Depends on if you want to play," Kamala replied, and America's eyes lit up.
"Oh, always."
When she looked over to Logan, he just shrugged, leaving it up to her. Kamala leaned forward with a little sparkle in her eyes. "I'm going to learn how to fight."
"Yeah? Thought that's what the next three days were for," America pointed out.
"Not from the trainers," Kamala said. "From him." She gestured at Logan with a proud look on her face.
America glanced at Logan and gave him a clear once-over. "Alright. He's only a little taller than you. Seems about right."
"Tiny fight club," Logan agreed.
She snorted. "You collect 'em," she said with a shrug as the elevator doors opened to the floor for Seven —and she stepped out with Clara and Logan.
"Coming to see Jubes?" Logan asked as they waved Kamala's way before the doors closed.
"Among other things," America said, losing a bit of the easy smirk once Kamala was gone.
"Anything I can help with?" he asked with a little frown.
"Sure, if you wanna hold down your old mentor so I can get a better shot. But I was going to kick him at about hip height, see what I hit to start," America said with a light shrug, though her gaze was hard.
Logan nodded his head for a moment and glanced at Clara, who had one eyebrow raised. "Alright. I hear you. But ... do yourself a favor and punch him in the throat first. He has a tendency to guard things that are about hip height. I'll stick around to make sure he doesn't get a hold of you. He's faster'n he looks."
"I'm pretty fast too," America said with a confident smirk.
"Lead with your left," Logan said before he held the door open for them and Clara started to laugh.
America grinned brilliantly at both of them as she strolled in with them, looking for all the world like she was headed to say hello to Jubilee as she even waved jauntily about two seconds before she spun in place with a left jab to Creed's throat like Logan had suggested and a right kick to follow it up at hip height as she'd planned in the first place.
The big guy went down to his knees with the first hit, which really only made America's kick that much more efficient, though he made a grab for her as he fell and caught a handful of hair and yanked her back closer to him, practically snarling.
Logan dashed around them and wrapped one arm around Creed's throat and pulled Victor's free arm back so he couldn't get a better grip on America, all while making sure that he was very clearly telling him to let the girl go. But of course, Victor refused —only letting go of America's hair when his vision started to go black around the edges as Logan was choking him out. Even then, though, Logan didn't let him go until he'd passed out —in time for the Sentinels to rush the room.
Logan stepped back from Creed with both hands up, palms out. "I didn't even hit him this time, guys. He made a rush for the girl from Twelve," Logan said. "She was here to talk to the kids about an alliance."
"He's a psycho. Must have it out for Twelves," America agreed without a second's hesitation.
"He does," Clara said. "Said he didn't like her one bit. I can't imagine why, though. She seems charming to me."
The Sentinels shared a few looks, but it really wasn't too hard to believe that Creed had been the instigator, so once they'd cleared the unconscious victor, they more or less left the others to their own devices, and America barely managed to keep it together long enough for the Sentinels to hit the hallway before she burst into a delighted laugh.
"Oh, that was fun. I may have to do that every day until I die," she said. "Priceless." She glanced over at Logan and then crossed the span to hit him in the shoulder with a grin. "And you —that was hilarious."
"What? The secret formula to drop him quick?"
"No, the part where he takes the heat. I had a whole excuse ready, but yours was much better." She was grinning widely, light and laughter dancing in her eyes as she grinned, pleased with the whole scenario.
"Figured it'd hold more water if I lied for you," Logan replied with a little smirk.
America grinned at him even wider before she ran her hands through her long and bushy hair. "Next time, I'll bring a hair band and put it in a ponytail," she said, grinning Jubilee's way.
"Be careful," Clara said as she tipped her head toward where Jubilee and Doreen were watching the whole thing, wide-eyed. "That one has a history of cutting off ponytails."
"Only like … a foot and a half of it," Jubilee defended with her arms crossed. "And he so asked for it."
"He asks for everything," America pointed out with a grin. "And don't worry; I know about the Glitter Queen over here. My stylist is 'starting a line' with her." She grinned obscenely Jubilee's way as Jubilee lost her wide-eyed expression of disbelief and shrugged up one shoulder.
"They've been starting that line for months now," Logan said. "You think they'd announce it already. Especially when they're not fooling a soul."
"Hear that?" America called Jubilee's way. "He called you out on your horrible sneak." She was clearly in a great mood as she dropped into the nearest couch and made herself at home, tipping her head backwards to look up at Clara and Logan. "Thanks for the assist, you two. That's been about, oh, a year in the making."
"I've been fighting with him on a weekly basis more or less," Logan told her as he headed over to pour himself a drink. "If that helps you at all."
"Little bit," America admitted with a sigh. "I'd feel better if it was me, but that's because I'm very hands-on with my revenge."
"He's going to be pretty distracted over the next few days," Logan told her. "Save your energy for protecting your friend."
America's grin fell a bit as she started to nod. "Yeah, I will. I had to do this one thing before things got too crazy — and, y'know. Before I die."
"So. Alliance," Clara said. "We should discuss it since it kinda came up."
"I'm for it if you don't mind my sidekick," America said with a shrug. "And if you don't mind my telling you I'll kill you dead if it comes down to you or him."
"That's kinda how this thing runs," Clara pointed out. "So I'd be an idiot if I expected anything less. How about ... if we run into each other, we ally? I can't think of much that would tick off my brother more at this point unless, you know, we suddenly fell hopelessly in love." She gave America a cheeky kind of wink as she settled in, her knees crossed and her wrists on her knees.
"Seems fair," America nodded with a little laugh and an almost obnoxious grin. "Historically, Twelves and Sevens get along great."
"Until Vic reads the report on how you drove that bus over him," Logan pointed out as he glanced at Clara. "He's going to get his panties knotted up tight over that one." He looked America's way with a little nod. "And yeah. Nothing wrong with Twelve. Ten, though ..."
"Ten's full of psychos, apparently," America said. "I'm telling you now — if they get within a hundred feet of Billy…"
"I'd advise both of you to kill them quick if you get the chance," Logan said. "Seems like for my year, anyhow, the longer that freak was there, the crazier he got."
"Yeah, I noticed," America agreed before she stood up from the couch and stretched dramatically. "So. Kill the psychos, ally with the psycho's sister, and keep the kid alive. Sounds doable, right?"
"When you put it like that, it does," Clara said as she leaned back in her chair and put her feet up on the coffee table.
"Great. Then I'll see you and your tall twig partner at training tomorrow. I'll be the one trying to teach the bookworm with two left feet how to… do… anything," America said, shaking her head at the task ahead of her.
"Bring him with if you come to the roof after," Clara said. "I'm sure Logan won't mind another student, right, Logan?" She bumped him with her shoulder, and Logan gave a noncommittal shrug.
"Can't hurt at this point," America agreed. With that, she waved Jubilee's way and blew her a kiss before she headed out. "See ya 'round, Sevens!" she called over her shoulder.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Jubilee made her way over to the two of them. "You guys can't pull that again," she advised. "For one thing, you can't look like you went through a boxing match." She had one finger pointed in Logan's face before she turned to Clara. "But that … that was beautiful. Favorite Creed Ever."
"Like it's even a contest," Clara countered, her arms crossed.
Night of July 2
Tahiti Wing
From the reports Coulson was seeing come in from the staging run the kids had done, things could have gone a lot worse. They could have gone better,too, but, well... It could have been much worse, considering how things had gone during the victory tour.
For the most part, his kids had been able to find hiding places, perches, and pathways that they could use in the Capitol in a few months' time, and both Hawkeyes were reporting in that they'd found great vantage points at the parade grounds.
But not one of the kids who had been sent closer to the palace itself had been able to make any leeway, even with all the intel they had on the ground. In fact, they were learning firsthand that during the Games, the palace security was even tighter than they'd realized.
Natasha had only managed to get to the outer perimeter before something went wrong, and frankly, they were lucky that the security measures she set off didn't kill her outright. They were also lucky that Luke Cage was reckless and fast when he had a partner down and that Wade, of all people, had thought ahead and brought bleach so that any investigative team wouldn't get any forensic evidence to tie back to the kids.
When the transport with his kids got back to the hangar, Natasha and Clint were the last ones to get out, and they were arguing quietly between themselves as it was clear Natasha's right leg would not support her — but she still didn't want to be carried out. Clint had other ideas entirely, and Coulson heard the tail end of his argument as he had her half trapped carrying her out — "and so help me, Tasha, if you screw up that leg bad enough you can't go out on anymore missions while they fix you up, you are never allowed to tease me about Medical."
To Coulson's great relief, though, it looked like the medic courses Rhodey had talked Carol into were working out —Carol had done a great job patching Natasha up, and the young woman looked more annoyed than like she was hurting as she glanced over Clint's shoulder to see Coulson. "Stop fretting. You're just going to dig yourself deeper in the 'dad' hole with the kids if you keep making that face," she called his way.
"Quit deflecting," Coulson called back.
"What, I can't multitask because I got hurt? I've been hurt worse than this."
"You can't shift the focus onto me just because you got hurt. I'm pretty sure pride heals." Coulson tipped his head a bit. "Eventually."
She fixed him with a look as Clint looked smug, so she smacked Clint in the head for his smugness before she shook her head at Coulson. "That place was crawling with death traps. We'll need more up-to-date intel when we go in for real, or you'll have a lot more than a busted leg in Medical for the next batch you send in."
"That's what staging runs are for, Nat," Clint teased.
"We can talk about it in the debrief," Coulson said. "For now, get yourself patched up, and we'll deal with the details later."
"What you don't want to hear about the perch I found?" Clint called Coulson's way as he shifted to carry Natasha to medical. "It's pretty amazing. Watched the whole parade like I was in a theater box seat."
"Sounds like exactly the right spot for you," Coulson said. "Any trouble seeing the stage?"
"Not a lick. Biggest problem will be how many people are there —the second I take a shot, they'll know where I am. But ... I make 'em count," Clint said with a grin before he added, "Katie's got a better hiding place, but she can't see the stage as well."
"You'll both have to show me your chosen spots," Coulson agreed. "Maybe we can just make sure you have a good cover person for your hasty retreat."
Clint gave Natasha a significant look. "Yeah. Hopefully, they're not indisposed."
"Get someone else to cover you, Barton —I'm going for the palace," Natasha said, shaking her head at him.
"Gee, Nat, what would I do without your touching concern and friendship?"
"I shudder to think."
Clint laughed at her as he shouldered his way down to medical. "See you 'round, Van Helsing!" he called out before the door to the medical wing shut behind him, leaving Coulson alone in the hangar to shake his head at their antics.
