The elevator started rising, and the car was silent, like most elevator rides are when there are strangers grouped together. Peter was the only one who was really a stranger, though, and he was a boy, and clearly not a threat to anyone else on the car. One of the young toughs who was standing protectively beside an older man – Peter didn't need Alec to tell him he was a bodyguard – looked at him instead of through him.

"Are you one of those dance kids?"

Peter was startled by the question but was well aware that even the tiniest of those kids who were there for their competition were all better dancers than he was. He shook his head and even smiled, slightly at the thought of competing against the tiny tots and losing spectacularly.

"No. I can't dance."

"Your dad should have taught you," one of the other bodyguards said, more relaxed than usual since they were in a small, enclosed room and there wasn't any threat to his boss.

Peter realized he recognized the man as one of the guys that had been with King in the park when he'd stopped Peter and MJ in the park. With a quick reminder from Alec, he didn't allow that to show.

"He tried…" Peter replied. "I don't have the rhythm for it."

The men in the elevator chuckled at that and Peter glanced at King, who looked a little pale, himself but was studiously not looking his direction.

"You need to stay very calm," Alec said. "He's the only one who knows who you are, but we need to keep it that way. Right now none of them are a threat to you; they're just going up to their meeting."

"Okay."

Easier said than done, of course, but Peter didn't have a chance to stress it. Several things happened at once, suddenly, and with very little warning.

His stomach – which was already a little tense – gave a slight lurch. He heard a grinding noise that sounded loud to him but probably wasn't. Then there was a lurching motion to the elevator, and it jumped, and then lurched, again, sending several of the riders to the floor with surprised curses. Then it stopped – and the lights went out, leaving them all in darkness.

OOOOOOOOO

"Where's Peter…?"

Ned rolled his eyes but grinned at MJ and Flash who had just walked over with the rest of the team. Now that the round was over, the lights in the room were all on and he could see them better. They looked pleased with themselves – as they should, since they'd won yet another round and were very close to making the finals. He couldn't wait to listen in on the call when Peter told Shuri so she could update her brackets.

"He left his study book in the room and went to get it."

"He missed watching me win the round?" Flash asked, looking annoyed.

"You didn't win the round," Abe said, shaking his head. "Not alone, anyway."

"I know." He didn't look willing to acknowledge it, though. "Are we going to go study for the next one?"

Since Harriman was standing with them, as well, he shrugged, looking at his schedule that he pulled out of his pocket.

"We're supposed to have lunch, next," he told them. "Why don't you guys stay here, and I'll go see if they're ready for us, yet."

Reminding them that their lunch that day was going to be the fancy buffet.

"We can study until you get back," MJ told him – and the team. When a couple of them started to complain, she held up a hand. "We're ahead, now, guys. I want to stay that way."

Like a mother hen rounding up her chicks, MJ gathered the team and headed to one side of the room, which was emptying as the other team discussed lunch, as well. It was clear they were looking forward to it.

"Mr. Harriman thinks that the next round is going to focus on the higher maths," MJ said, looking at the study book in her hand. "So we'll want Ned and Peter for that. But there's a good chance they'll throw in literature and arts, so Abe and Betty – and me in case they throw any outriders."

"Sounds right," Ned agreed, feeling smug because he knew he was their math wiz. He lifted his wrist – the one with the very cool Avenger watch on it. "I'll call and see where Peter is…"

Flash rolled his eyes.

"Put away your stupid watch and use your phone like a normal person."

He didn't have an Avenger watch and was jealous, of course, so he was an ass about it every time Ned used his. And Ned knew it, of course, which was one of the reasons he did it. Ned wasn't above baiting Flash when the opportunity came up, after all. He figured Flash deserved it for being such a jerk, before.

Before Ned could reply – or call Peter – Harriman was back.

"Come on, kids," he told them, rubbing his hands, cheerfully. "Lunch is ready and it looks amazing."

Most of the team hurried over – winning was hungry work, after all – but MJ hung back with Ned.

"Peter's probably on his way," she told him before he could pull his phone to call his friend. "The SHIELD people aren't going to let him loiter."

"True."

Ned shrugged and walked with her out into the wide corridor. Their lunch smelled amazing, and he was hungry, too.

OOOOOOOOOOO

The elevator wasn't completely dark – and the overhead light flickered crazily, illuminating the people who were in it. Peter was tucked in a corner – put there when the much larger men had all piled into the car – and he hadn't fallen, since he'd been able to grab the safety rail. A couple of others had, as well, including King and one of his men. The other old guy had, and he scowled at the younger man – the one who had been asking Peter about being a dancer – who had been standing by the control panel, but was now picking himself up off the floor of the elevator car.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing!" he looked at the control panel, but it was dark, now, and not even the floors they'd pressed were lighting up, now. "It's all turned off…"

He pressed the button for the penthouse floor, but nothing happened. One of the others reached around him and pressed it, as well – and then several of the other buttons, too.

"They're dead, boss," he reported, looking at Joel – although Peter decided that the other older man was some kind of boss, too. Another mob boss?

"That's exactly what he is," Alec agreed. "He's from the west coast and is here to meet with some others. King is an ally of his, and he trusts him – which is the only reason he'd have gotten into an elevator with him, no matter how many armed guards he has with him."

"Oh." Peter realized that he'd said that aloud when everyone turned and looked at him. He hesitated. "Oh, no…" he added, trying to look younger than he was – and scared. "What's going on?"

"Looks like the elevator is stuck," the younger bodyguard said. He pressed all of the buttons, now. "Must have been a short, or something, because nothing's working."

"Use the phone," King said, gesturing to the small door under the control panel. "Call the lobby and let them know."

He did what he was told and opened the door, pulling out a phone and holding it to his ear. And shrugged.

"It's dead."

There were eight people in the elevator, and all of them had cell phones. But Peter was the first to pull his out, since he was youngest and the one who used his phone like it was second nature – which it was.

"Call the lobby," the west coast boss said, looking at Peter. "Let them know what happened."

Peter nodded.

"Okay."

He opened the search engine to look up the hotel.

OOOOOOOOO

"Somethings going on…"

Natasha frowned, glancing at Clint, even though it was Barnes that she was talking to, just then.

"What's up?"

She was still at the hotel, trusting Barnes and a few SHIELD people to keep an eye on things – easy enough since the kids were all on the top floor and the mobsters were in the penthouse. Everyone was out of the way.

"I'm not sure," Barnes admitted. "But the convention people are looking tense and the receptionist person is on the phone and looking panicked. Two of the mob guys just came down to the lobby, too, and are-"

"One of the elevators is stuck," Clint interrupted, listening to his ear bud and knowing Natasha had taken hers out to be able to hold a conversation with Bucky. "There are a bunch of the mob guys in it," he added. "And FRIDAY says Peter's in that elevator, too."

Romanoff frowned.

"Seriously?"