School Gates

As Maddie got to school the following day, she saw her best friend Sandra waiting for her.

"Hey Sandra," said Maddie, hugging her friend as she walked up "You get that history assignment done?"

"Yeah," she said "I don't see the point to History, I mean, why learn about things that have already happened?"

"If we didn't learn History, we would not learn from History," said Maddie "Look at slavery, if we never learned about how bad it was and the history behind it, we would grow up thinking the concept of slavery was O.K."

"Yes," said Sandra "But if History had happened differently, we would be having a different conversation, probably about the merits of slavery, so has History really taught us anything, all its really told us is that if things happened differently, we would act differently today."

"There's more to it than that," said Maddie slowly, as if explaining it to a primary school kid

"No there isn't," said Sandra, while Maddie stuck out her tongue at her. They both laughed.

"I wish you were more honest with me, Maddie," said Sandra, her smile fading "I know there's something you're not telling me, and I know you must have a good reason for it, but I've seen you battle with this secret, whatever it is, I wish you would share it with me, good or bad, we'd still be friends."

"I can't, Sandra," said Maddie "It's not a question of trusting you, I don't want you to get hurt."

"I don't want to push you," said Sandra "If you ever decide to tell me, I'll be there for you."

The two hugged again, but with more feeling than a simple greeting.

Maddie had decided to tell her friend everything, and had just opened her mouth to tell her, when the bell rang for registration.

"I'll talk to you later," said Sandra, running off to her registration class. Neither girl knew, that this was probably the last time they would see each other for a long time.

Registration

Maddie sat in registration, thinking about the little girl she had saved. Jane was a strong girl who stayed on the streets to help others. Maddie considered that that might be what she should be doing with her powers, helping people like Jane.

"Maddie," said her registration teacher Mr Droll

"Yes sir," she asked, looking up from her desk. She noticed that her teacher had company. A black haired man was standing there.

"Could I speak to Maddie outside please?" asked the man of Mr Droll

"Very well," said Mr Droll

Maddie followed the man out of the room.

"Listen very carefully, Maddie," said the man "I represent an important intelligence organisation, we have reason to believe that there is a group of people looking for you."

"Who are these people?" asked Maddie

"They call themselves the Avengers," said the man "And they are evil villians who have destroyed many of our scientific research bases, killing our researchers in droves, trust me Maddie, you need to run."

"I should go to the police," said Maddie, fearfully "They can handle things like this, why haven't you gone to them?"

"The police are taken in by the Avengers' public face," said the man "They have a PR called Janet Van Dyne aka the Wasp, who knows how to make the Avengers look good on camera, as long as the world believes the Avengers are the heroes they say they are, the police will not go against them."

"I'll run," said Maddie "Thank you for this warning, goodbye."

Maddie vanished, leaving the man alone.

"That worked," said the man, before pulling out a com link "Reaper to AIM, she's on the move, it worked just as you said it would."

"Of course it did," said a voice on the other end "Now she will run from the Avengers and right into our waiting hands."