Chapter Seven

May, 25th, 2010

Washington, D.C.

The Triskelion

"What do you mean they want to keep him?!" Fury exclaimed, not believing one bit what he had heard.

Coulson pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in irritation. Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't give up Jack so easily. Why couldn't he have realized that before? He had left Jasper shortly after the cave-in, but he had promised to come back with some news.

He reluctantly looked over, knowing that Fury's outburst had alerted the attention of the others present in the room who, unfortunately, had focused on the conversation now.

"You didn't really expect them to let Jack go without a fight, did you?" Fowler directed the question more towards him.

"And why not? S.H.I.E.L.D. has enough security to keep him safe from MECH," Barton scoffed.

Janet frowned at him. "Are you saying it's their fault that June is dead?"

"Clint's right. Airachnid and MECH had already come for Jack before, and it's likely that the kid won't be let out of their sights. Plus, the only place they can operate freely is an old missile silo. Who's to say that they won't let him leave?" Romanoff defended Barton firmly.

"If you guys are so worried about his safety, then why not…" Coulson looked at Fury. "Why not just let Jack go live with him?"

"Coulson, you damn well know why," Fury grounded out.

"Look," Fowler said, "I don't know who you're talking about, and I know you have your reasons as to why, which I agree to, but—"

"It's your guys' fault that she's dead," Barton shouted. "If you hadn't kept the transformers a secret from the entire world, much less from us, we'd still have one of our best agents and we wouldn't be in this room having this damn conversation!"

"Okay, that's enough," Hank intervened. "Fowler's not the bad guy here. He's just doing his job. And besides, what are the chances that he wants to stay with them?"

Even Fowler looked at him in disbelief. Quite honestly, he was the last person they'd expected to defend the special agent or anyone of the military.

"Wait, what? So, you're saying that he can stay with these giants all that he wants to?" Janet was incredulous.

"No, I'm saying that maybe the boy doesn't want to leave just yet. Maybe we should let him decide on what he wants to do. He's sixteen years old! He should be able to decide where he wants to live until he's of age."

"Are you sure? Who's to say that they won't let him be kept there against his will?" Natasha questioned.

"Who says they will, though?" Coulson said. "Believe me, I've been around them long enough to know that whatever he decides, they won't have any trouble with it."

"You're planning to do what?!" Ratchet shouted shamelessly from where he stood, listening in on the conversation between Jack and Tiger. The medic's outburst caught the attention of the others and made the other teenagers cringe.

Banner had been staying at the base since his untimely arrival. He hadn't hulked out since the cave-in due to the presence of the children. Unfortunately, Miko had monopolized most of her time pestering him about the Other Guy, asking him how it worked and other stuff.

Now, he was starting to experience what would be a full-blown wrath. He quickly picked up a copy of The Jasper Daily. Raf used that example and hid behind the safety of his laptop.

Jack hung his head and groaned. Why hadn't he asked her to speak with him privately? He reluctantly looked over at the rest of the occupants in the room and inwardly cringed when he found all five Autobots staring at him. Before he could say anything to defend himself, Tiger placed a hand on his shoulder and stood up.

"Ratchet, we've discussed this. And this is his choice, after all. But even if it could affect anyone, he is still a ward of S.H.I.E.L.D., meaning that he is now their responsibility. You can't just force him to stay anyways."

"And why not? This is the safest place for him," Ratchet scoffed angrily.

"Seriously? What, are you just going to detain him?" Tiger shot back. "I've met a lot of people who had to move away simply because someone close to them has died. Do you really want him to cope with those memories just like that? What if something happens that can trigger him badly. I bet you've never put yourselves through that during the war, have you?"

"Who says the war will last that long?" Bulkhead cut in sharply.

"And how long have you been butting heads with the Deceptions?"

"Look, guys." Jack redirected their attention back to him. "Tiger's not the enemy here. She's only doing what she's been told. I'm not leaving because I actually want to, but…"

He then began to describe the regular procedure most minors went through once they lost their parents, with Banner providing information for the parts that he wasn't so sure about. Due to his status, he should have gone into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s care, but Fowler had been able to pull some strings, allowing him to finish his school year. He thought the worse would be over now, and he would allow the Autobots to process this information, when Miko finally spoke up. Jack was honestly surprised she'd stayed quiet for so long.

"Wait, so you're just going to live with some random guy that you hardly knew?" she exclaimed.

"I knew Uncle Phil a lot longer than I knew any of you guys," he snapped, and he grimaced. His sudden shift in attitude took her by surprise.

"Coulson is a good man, and he is his godfather," Tiger revealed. "By default, he has more right to take him in than any of us do. If you don't believe me, there's a file on him in S.H.I.E.L.D. Only problem is it's classified, and they are known to be hard to crack."

It was silent for a moment. Raf sniffed and looked down. Miko had all but wilted as she frowned at the floor. Sierra's face looked flustered and pink. Tiger shared a rueful look with Jack. They shouldn't have put this off at the last minute. It wasn't fair to the others. She combed her fingers through her mane-like hair.

Meanwhile, Optimus was taken off guard by Jack's decision to leave. He thought for sure the boy would be happy under their care, to continue his education until he was that of age. If he knew that Jack was still miserable, he would have done and try anything to alleviate the pain he felt.

"You're really leaving us?" Arcee whispered.

Jack just groaned and dropped his head again. This was not going how he wanted it to.

"Hey, kid?" Banner's voice drew their attention to him. "I need you to look at me when I ask you this. Are you absolutely certain that this is what you want?"

Jack looked up at him. "I haven't really thought of anything else in the past few days. I mean, I want to stay here just as badly, but…" He looked at a point in the room before admitting, "Yeah. I really want to do this."

Optimus frowned, recognizing that, in his spark, the boy should have stayed with them, that he belonged under their protection. But Tiger had made a valid point. He would not allow Jack to suffer in the place where his mother died in, and too much trouble was being placed on his shoulders. This was his choice, and he had to make an example for his team.

"Autobots," Optimus stated out loud, his deep baritone voice immediately garnering everyone's attention. "If Jackson wishes to return to the place of his birth, then we must respect his choices and the laws of the humans." Even with his command given, the Bots clearly did not agree with their leader.

"What? That's it? After all that we've been through it's sayonara?" Miko shouted skeptically.

"Hey, I don't like the position that I'm in right now, either," Jack countered.

"Then don't go," Sierra said. She looked back at him. "Can't they make a compromise so that you can stay here?"

Miko perked up suddenly. "Yeah. You can spend the school semesters here so you don't have to transfer, and you can stay wherever you are during the summer time. We'll just have to Skype or text you or just come visit you when we can. I mean, it's not like we won't see each other again, right?" She sat down and clasped her hands together, grinning like that was the best idea she ever had.

Everyone stared at her, like as if she had just exploded before their eyes. Not just by her idea, which didn't seem half-bad, but by her sudden shift in attitude. Jack looked to Tiger, then to Sierra, right before he gazed sheepishly at Arcee. She was scowling at no one in particular, torn right down the middle. He was surprised how hurt she sounded right at the start. Did she truly believe now that he wanted nothing to do with her? He wanted to assure her otherwise, but he was sure that she wanted some space.

"Um, I have to go home now. My abuelos are coming up for the summer," Raf announced.

It suddenly crashed into Jack that this could be the last time he'll see any of the other kids for a while. He let out a shaky sigh and walked up to the younger boy to say goodbye. He, along with Miko, would probably be the only people who would miss him.

As he did, he never noticed the red and blue Autobot staring at him with a guilty look.

May 31st, 2010

Jasper, Nevada

Autobot Outpost Omega One

Optimus had spent most of the week visiting the mines that Arcee and Bulkhead had discovered in the Iron Range. There were still traces of energon, as Bulkhead reported, still settled in the walls of the caves. But if Megatron had learned of it, then it meant he would reorder the mines to be reexamined and mined all over again.

Hence, the reason why he returned so early. The only Autobot in the room was Ratchet, who was busying himself at the controls. It was early in the morning still, which meant that none of the children were at the base. Only Banner and Tiger were present, still passed out on the furniture.

His spark quickened at the sight of them, and a combination of guilt and anxiety pricked at his systems. Four days had passed since hell was unleashed. Everywhere he looked it was full of pain. The place hadn't had that melancholy feeling since Cliffjumper's death.

Jack had suddenly gone missing. He had just vanished in the dead of night. There was no call, no warning. He had become a runaway, and a call to the police station was made right away.

The cops had started to investigate only that afternoon, questioning all of his friends and former co-workers. Raf had blurted out about Jack's connection to S.H.I.E.L.D. Because of it, the cops' ongoing theory that he had just decided to skip town and return to Washington, D.C. Optimus didn't buy it. Tiger's remaining presence at the base along with the spiders was proof enough.

Not wanting to think about that now, Optimus approached Ratchet instead. He immediately reported, "June Darby obviously must have had an interest with cats and spiders based on the designs. She somehow managed to use a method of cross-species modification to make the spiders a lot more mammalian than arachnid."

"How so?" Optimus asked.

"Spiders, as I recall, do not have a skeleton. See this?" He pulled up an image and a description of a typical spider. Much to Optimus's surprise, there were traces of bone structures, although very thin and hollow. "There are other few things of them, but I'm still trying to figure them out."

"And Jackson?"

"There was no sign of trauma or injury that occurred in all fifteen of them. Although, I suspect that there were previous ones that had died before she managed to find the right algorithm to replicate the results." Ratchet pulled up the information he had gathered. "Jackson said that he had been bitten by one of them before, but that one was still undergoing its transitioning. I believe the spider that had recently had completed its transition."

"Thus it would have no effects unless it has fully mutated," Optimus saw what Ratchet was getting at. "But now?"

"I've detected a…delicate matter of sorts with Jack," Ratchet said, keeping his voice low in case Tiger or Banner woke up or if any of the others had come in.

"What sort of matter?"

"His health is still on top. In fact, there were no signs of defect or transmutation—" He shuddered, remembering that horrifying movie Miko made them all watch of a man slowly turning into a fly-like creature. "But something in his blood and tissue is something unlike what I've seen before."

"What do you mean?"

"While he is showing no signs of any abnormal features, the rest of the tissues are actually bonding with the spider's. I had to take a deeper scan to see for myself…" Ratchet looked back to where Tiger still slept. "I don't know how to say this, Optimus, but unless I take a look at June's own notes, I can't pinpoint what it is correctly."

"I do not believe it to be in any of our power to put Jack in such a position, nor should we be blaming his carrier for something like this to happen. There may be more to this than what we have gathered. Hopefully this is not known by the wrong ones."

"Primus forbid what would happen should anything be found out," Ratchet grumbled.

"There is no way I want Jackson to attract any more attention than he currently does."

"Then he should be staying here with us, not somewhere that has minimum knowledge of our existence on Earth. Keeping him safe under our watch should be made our top priority while we make it last."

"That is not my choice to make," Optimus protested. "This has always been Jack's call, and I am willing to make it up to him for his mother's death. Agent Fowler and the men under his command can help us keep him safe from harm, even if—"

"If what?" Ratchet was not one bit pleased how his leader was reacting to this. "Optimus, you think you are doing the right thing like this, but they always end up backfiring. You think you can save him, but this is his life at stake here! Do you even know if he'll be fine where he is at when he leaves?"

Optimus looked over to where Banner and Tiger were resting. It would be a while before he could determine what was coming. Whether it would be good or not, Optimus was not sure if he was prepared to allow the boy to venture off on his own.

"I admit that I share your disappointment and sadness in Jackson's choice, but I do not wish to confine him here against his will. If he truly does wish to return to where he was born, then so be it. However, if something should happen, then we will discuss this with him and the director himself."

"Just be careful, Optimus. That's all else I have to say." Ratchet looked over Optimus' shoulder and tensed. Optimus followed his gaze to the doorway. Arcee was standing there. Her arms were hanging to her side, but her fists were clenched.

"Arcee. How much have you heard?" Ratchet asked.

"Enough to know," Arcee answered bluntly. "Any word on Jack yet?"

"Nothing yet from him, the children, or from Fowler," Ratchet informed her. "But I will let you know the minute he calls."

The monitors flashed with a beep. Frowning, Ratchet checked to see what was setting it off. He checked the monitors, only to gasp.

"What is it?" Arcee asked, hoping to get into battle.

"I…I don't know," Ratchet replied. "It's a foreign energy signal that just beamed down from the sky."

"Cybertronian?" Optimus asked.

"No. It's new!"

"I'll go get Bulkhead," Arcee said.

"Get me for what?" the Wrecker in question said as he entered the room.

Arcee pointed at the screen. "We've got a boogie that just appeared from out of nowhere."

"Well, let's go and see what we're up to," Bulkhead stated, bashing his fists together.

Optimus shook his helm. "We cannot be too sure of what it is yet. It is not of any familiar origin, meaning we cannot have everyone out in case they believe they expect hostility.

Bulkhead was baffled. "What? But, Prime—"

"However, Ratchet, I should need you out there with me," Optimus said.

"Me?" Ratchet checked for a reason.

"If this is an individual who has been hurt upon impact, then your assistance should be needed."

"Optimus, no offense, but this isn't even a fair choice," Arcee said angrily. "First you allow Jack to leave, and now you're having us stay put in here?"

Optimus glared at her. "I know you are upset, Arcee, and so am I for Jackson's decision myself."

That was a statement Arcee didn't expect from him.

"But this is the land of opportunity, freedom, and choice. Denying him that choice will only take away the little freedom he has. For that, I cannot allow anyone to participate in anything outside of reconnaissance until we can fully accept that this is what he chooses," he told her firmly. "And hopefully to know that he is safe once again. Ratchet, let's go now."

Ratchet nodded in understanding. He typed in the coordinates to the energy source's location. Ratchet and Optimus disappeared through the vortex. Arcee had been caught off guard completely by Optimus's response that she hadn't noticed the bridge was shut down until Bulkhead waved a hand in front of her.

"Cybertron to Arcee. You okay?"

Arcee shook herself out of her stupor. "What? Oh, yeah. Just tired, that's all.

Bulkhead glanced at the monitors. "So, any word from Jack?"

Arcee shook her helmet. "I'm not sure if he will ever be okay. I keep saying he'll pull through it, but he just hasn't been much like himself since June's passing. I guess…I guess he's given up on me."

"Cee, don't say that. He hasn't left you when Airachnid first showed up on Earth. He practically stayed here to make sure you were okay after he got back. Of course he cares about you. If he had, he would never have come back here at all."

Arcee looked at him, like she was about to challenge him. The monitors on the screen started to flash again. Arcee grumbled as she walked up to the screens. There was an indication that someone was coming towards the old silo.

"Decepticons?" said Bulkhead.

"That looks like Sierra's ride," Arcee said.

"Well, Prime's orders," Bulkhead said.

Arcee scoffed. "Yeah, but—" She barely had time to finish as Sierra came roaring into the base. The screech of the tires was enough to wake Banner and Tiger from their slumber.

Sierra ripped off her helmet, gasping for air. "Jack," she choked out. "Jack just called me this morning." She swung her right leg over. "He's okay. He's…he's in Front Royal right now."

Arcee vented out in relief as Bulkhead said, "Thank, Primus."

"Yeah, he hitchhiked to Las Vegas, and he took a bus from there. He got off, though, in Colorado to see the Maroon Bells. Can you believe it?"

Tiger laughed when she mentioned the notorious twin peaks. "That sounds like Jack, alright," She wiped at her eyes.

The sound of engines roared as Bumblebee came inside. Miko and Raf jumped out of him so he could transform.

"Oh, my god — there you guys are! I just—"

Miko threw her head back and groaned. "Oh, no! She's here! And I thought we'd have the base to ourselves."

"Miko!" Bulkhead and Banner exclaimed simultaneously.

"Would you knock it off?" Tiger said at the same time.

Raf just looked at her before turning to Sierra. "Jack's okay. He's out back in Washington."

"I know." The red-haired girl pulled out a piece of paper from her jacket. "He said he was sorry, and he wanted me to give you guys this." Then she tapped a finger against her chin. "Although, I don't see why I should let you guys know after the way you treated me," she said to Miko.

"What?" Miko stiffened.

"Miko, just apologize to her," Raf said.

Miko got down on her knees and clasped her hands together. "Sierra, I am so sorry for acting like a bitch. I'm just upset that Jack just up and left us, that's all. Can we have it now?"

Sierra glanced at Bulkhead. "Should I?"

Bulkhead shook his helm. "I wouldn't."

"Bulk!" Miko glared at him.

"What? You've been acting like a total jerk to her lately. I swear you make that Vince kid look humbler."

Arcee winced. "That was cruel."

"Yeah, well…"

"Sierra, please! What's it going to take for you to fork over the information?"

Sierra placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side. She arched an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

Miko stared at her. "You can't be serious."

Sierra waved the paper in front of her. "Do you want this or not?"

Miko looked at Raf, but he shrugged. She groaned and stomped down the hallway. Banner got up as Tiger skipped down the stairs.

"So," Arcee said, "what is really on that paper?"

"Just the phone number and address to where Jack's going to be living."

Banner gestured for the paper. She cautiously passed it to him, and he unfolded it, his forehead crinkling. "This is in Washington, D.C. But, no, I thought you said he grew up in New York. Why is he moving there?"

Miko took that moment to return. She pushed a key into Sierra's hand. "Here, a copy of the secret fun room here. Now, the paper." Banner gave her the paper, and she unfolded it. "This is legit? Awesome! I gotta make a phone call now."

She disappeared down the hall again, and Sierra clutched the key. The teeth dug into her palms, and she stuffed her fist into a pocket. She was frowning now, and so was Tiger, but for a different reason.

"I don't know why he's going to Washington. But that does sound strange. All I can think of is that Fury's trying to see he dqoesn't get hurt again."

Banner gave her a look.

"You haven't known June like I have. Nine years as a house cat has let in on some secrets. Some that I wish I didn't know."

Arcee looked away. That statement had hit home harder than she thought. Now that she thought about it, what was there that she didn't know?

"Hey, Arcee?"

The sole female's optics flickered in surprise. She looked down and saw Sierra stand close to her, looking up at her.

"Thank you for not judging me for all the stuff that's been happening," she said quietly, as if she only wanted her to hear. "Or if you were, thanks for not saying it out loud."

Arcee was taken back. "Um, no problem." She looked over to Tiger, but she gave her a shrug. Bulkhead and Bumblebee were lounging by the human area, where Banner and Raf were at now.

"Arcee?" Sierra said again.

"Yeah."

"I just want to say that I'm sorry for acting like a stiff sometimes. I get worried, especially when I feel like my life is out of my control. But from an adult's point of view, that happens all the time. And I know how it is when you are close to someone and something bad happens to them."

Arcee was still shocked by the girl's sincerity, but she was also touched.

"My sister and I have always been close since we were little, and I guess it's just…hard to accept that things change and you have to adapt to it. I mean, I knew it would someday, just not like this."

Arcee nodded. "Understandable. There's always someone we feel guilty of staying attached to."

The frozen seas of the Arctic Ocean was a given to make their way inland towards Iceland. They were both glad it was somewhere that cold. Despite its name, Iceland had places that could serve use for them in the cold. Finding the target was the riskiest part here. A cosmic energy signal was enough to alert sensitive satellites and cautious transformers.

That was how Ratchet had spotted the mark on the ground.

Optimus knelt down and examined the print left behind. It was circular and smelled like something had been branded. It almost nauseated him at the aroma left behind. The markings inside of the circle was the most curious of it all, with the odd designs and patterns consisted inside the borders.

If Optimus had also been human, he would not have noticed the trail of footprints that strayed from it.

Ratchet had stayed behind to study the printing. Optimus decided to investigate the trail, his weapons drawn out and activated. The trail was wobbly and not straight out. A sign of the crash lander having slowly regaining their concentration before the steps became straightened out. The path of the fjord then narrowed and lead down to a small coven that would have been invisible in the dark, if not for the small shadow that moved.

"Who goes there?"

Optimus stopped at the source of the voice; a deep boom embedded with an authority that he had never recognized. Upon closer inspection, if the light of the moon would have been fuller, he could see twin sapphire eyes. Their beholder was in a defensive stance, not shying away one bit at the enormous creatures that kept their distance.

The Autobot leader tilted his helm to the side. "What is your name, sir?"

The man was visibly surprised at his politeness, but replied, "I am Thor, son of Odin. Crowned Prince of Asgard."

Optimus frowned. "As in the mythical realm of the gods in Norse Mythology?"

Thor glared at him. "It's very real, as much as you two are. Where am I?" He looked around his surroundings. He looked around wildly, trying to make sense of his location. Ratchet had then disappeared.

"Perhaps we can discuss how you came to Earth and why at the base," Optimus said. "The energy beam you have been in could attract much attention from many all around."

Ratchet had appeared with a device in his hand, frowning at what he was looking at. "The markings on this are radiating some sort of cosmic energy that I have never seen in my entire existence. These things are practically right off the chart!" He looked down at Thor. "What exactly was that?"

Now Thor was more confused than ever. "You have never heard of a Bifrost? Or the markings it has left behind?"

"Do we look like we do?" Ratchet huffed out, to which Optimus muttered a warning.

"Thor, please listen to me. The natives of this planet are unaware of outside sources off world. The humans except for few governments are aware of our presence on Earth. If they should ever find out of our whereabouts, there could be catastrophes and consequences. You are of human presence, but I have yet to know your story, and I cannot allow any able body that had just arrived to this world to be a victim of a government. So allow us to take you back to our home in Nevada."

More silence. A slight breeze flew in the air. Thor was even more confused than he was a minute ago. He lowered his head down, looking both miserable and ashamed. He sank to the ground, one leg stretched out as he stared into nothing.

"I know exactly what you are feeling right now," Optimus continued to comfort. "Perhaps how you got here was purely of accident or by punishment. But we all know what it is like to find ourselves on a foreign planet with no means of getting home. So, will you allow us to help you?"

Thor just stared in silence out into the open. For a moment, there was hardly a sound in the night. It was a long, pregnant moment before he gave in.

"Very well. Until I can figure out how to get back home to Asgard…"

Optimus nodded, for it was good enough. He waited until Thor had regained his strength to rise to his feet again. The air felt chilly for the Asgardian prince, and hopefully by morning the breeze would erase their presence.

The ride to the bus station in Washington, D.C. was both too long and too short in Jack's opinion. All he really did while stuck in the buses and out in public places was think. And unfortunately, that was all he could really do.

He knew Fury wouldn't just let him stay, even if Jack got on his knees and begged. He knew the Autobots wouldn't have approved of his choice, yet their reaction still stung. That had to have been why he left so abruptly, just so he could get away to really think, but how he felt hadn't changed.

Jack took in a deep breath. He gathered up his bags and stepped off of the bus. He knew there was going to be definite hell when he got close, but what else besides his life did he have to lose?

"What the hell were you thinking?" Coulson suddenly said.

Jack just looked at him in mild surprise. "Um, what are you talking about?" he asked dumbly.

Coulson pointed at him, then to the ground. "You. Here. Now! Why?"

Jack pretended to look sheepish. "Oh, uh, funny story."

"If I'm not laughing by the end of it, your ass and my foot will have a party. And then I'll be watching Top Gun while you try to pull my shoe out."

"I actually like that movie."

"Jack!"

"Look, I told my friends about my situation, and now they're mad at me! How was I supposed to think when I see them every day knowing they want full custody of me too?"

Coulson squinted at him. "What?"

"Oh, uh, I thought Fowler would have told you after the Bots—"

"In the car."

"What?"

"Get in the car and we'll talk about it." Then he added, "Once we get to our destination, you're calling your temporary foster parents."

"I already did."

"Good. Saves me some of the yelling."

Jack raised up his eyebrows. Coulson was taking this a lot easier than he thought. There was more pent-up anger, but he had to be saving that for the car ride to wherever they were going. Apparently calling your godfather the night before arriving wasn't the best idea.

Jack found himself sitting in the passenger seat of Coulson's government issued car, his right hand gripping the door for some comfort as Coulson drove down the road. Yeah, the guy was not happy. The way he jerked once in a while was the biggest giveaway.

"So what made Tony Stark get on Fury's list?" Jack glanced nervously at the agent.

Coulson did a double take. "How did you know Stark's on our list?"

"Um, a little birdy told me?" Jack said. He didn't want to explain that he overheard Barton and Romanoff talk about him at the funeral.

That roused Coulson's suspicions. "Is that an answer or a question?"

"A little bit of both."

"Holy crap," Coulson groaned. After a few more awkward minutes of driving, he decided to indulge the boy. "Besides the obvious?"

"Sure."

"The usual. You know the drill."

"He's an agent of many secrets," Jack grumbled.

"So's your mom. But unlike Fury, she fought tooth and nail for them to stay secret." Coulson sighed. "I guess there are some that are not-so-secret anymore."

"Only me," Jack said curtly.

Coulson glanced over at Jack. From the scowl on Jack's face, he had to have been under a lot more stress than he thought. If his friends and those he called family were mad to the point that drove him here, something was up. Because of their desire to adopt him? Coulson could understand that, given that he would rather have Jack under his watch instead of some random agent.

"Um, what exactly were you planning on doing before I called you?" Jack glanced over at him.

Coulson furrowed his brows. "Did you hear what happened during the Stark Expo?"

"Just bits of it from other passengers on the bus. Where are we going?"

"I'm dropping you off at my place for now. Hank's heading up to Washington anyways, because of some bizarre phenomenon that was filmed on camera. We need him and everyone else on board for it. Oh, and if Stark does learn about you, let me know. Natasha's looking for an excuse to kick his ass."

"Funny, considering I don't know her that well."

"You don't know Clint or his family either, but here we all are."

Jack looked away. "Right. But I don't know the other two, and you're leaving me alone with one of them."

"…Touché."

After a minute, Jack asked, "Um, what would Hank make me do?"

Coulson's bunched up his eyebrows and thought for a minute. "I guess by the time we get there it'll be lunchtime. I have no idea what, but I can guarantee you that it'll be a little strange, no pun intended. Anyway, he and Janet are working on a project, but they won't tell me what it is. He'll probably keep you busy with some things, plus that he works with Jefferson Moreau. He works mostly in the engineering department, with numbers and quantum physics.

Jack blinked. "For an agent his age, he has a load in his hands."

"Trust me, he used to live in San Francisco. He was busting his ass off just to keep up with the bills. I'm telling you, gas prices suck over there, so it's understandable from his perspective. Oh, and be careful with whatever twisted plan Janet comes up with. She'll be dragging your ass all over the city."

"So, she's like an older Miko."

Coulson winced, having already met the girl at the funeral. "Yep."

Silas would like to consider himself a patient man. However, he was sick of waiting for answers. The results should have been presented to him earlier, but they weren't.

It didn't matter as he glanced down at the tablet on his desk. He had been surveying the files ever since they occupied the area. He scowled, wondering why he hadn't noticed the similarities beforehand. At least now with Jack's identity known, he would be able to have leverage. The question was: how would he get a hold of the kid?

He closed the files when he heard the machine next to him blare for an incoming call. He smashed the button and snapped out, "What?"

"Well, nice to hear from you, too."

Silas's eyes went ridiculously wide. He hadn't heard that voice in a very long time. However, the old man smirked and leaned back in his chair. "Look who decides to contact me after all these years."

"After what my informants had told me? Rumor has it that you were behind the death of a beloved S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."

Silas frowned. "Keep in mind that I was unaware of their true identities of her. And to be fair, I only handed her over to a…colleague that a personal agenda against her only child. We were promised something better in exchange."

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard that enough times not to care too much."

"Although the last time I recall, you and your pit crew had left us for your own benefit."

"And you're going around messing with people that have a reputation like she did. One that's under the protection of an espionage agency. You know they don't mess around when it comes to those who hold respect."

Silas's smirk returned. "Which is why fate must have allowed this call to happen. I have something that I think you might be interested in."

"I've got more important things on my hands right now, like trying to avoid Damage Control."

"Oh? And what would you do if I told you that this agent was June Darby? That the rumors about her were true."

There was silence on the other end before the man said, "You're bluffing."

"I have the files to confirm your suspicions. And I believe I know where he'll be going once his mother is put to rest." Here he said, "And since we know the identity to both of his parents, I think I have a way to achieve both of our goals." He could feel his caller reeling in shock.

"What? You do realize what happened the last time someone tried to mess with him, right?"

"With the boy in our custody, I believe his father would be cooperative, even if I have to cripple the boy or kill anyone that gets in my way. Besides, we all know that he wouldn't let him be left hanging. What do you say?"

After a silent moment, the caller said, "Leland, the Vulture can do anything."