Scott awakens in a bed.
"Oh, good. You're okay." Steve said.
Hope is standing on the other side of the room, watching him. Scott asks her who she is and then asks if she's been standing there watching him sleep the whole time.
Hope says she was.
"Not gonna lie. That's a little creepy." Maria said. Hope was about to protest, but in all honesty watching someone sleep is a little weird.
Scott asks her why.
Hope says he stole something the last time he was there.
"Technically the last time I was there, I was giving back what I stole." Scott said.
He goes to get off the bed, the floor is covered in ants.
"When did those get there?" Clint asked.
Hope says that they're called Paraponera Clavata and says that they're tropical bullet ants and they're rated highest on the Schmidt pain index.
"They Sound friendly." Quill said dryly.
Hope tells him that they're there to keep an eye on him when she can't. She tells him that Hank is waiting for him downstairs. She leaves.
"I think you might be overdoing it on the whole intimidation thing." Natasha said.
Scott asks who's waiting.
Hank rolled his eyes and sighed exasperated.
Scott asks who's pajamas he's wearing.
"A valid question." Sam said.
Scott asks how he's supposed to do this. He tentatively puts his feet on the floor and slowly starts walking. He says that he won't step on the ants don't bite him.
"Part one of the obstacle course." Scott mumbled, remembering his training.
Hank and Hope are at the table. Hope says that she could take the servers down and Cross would never know. She tells Hank that they don't need Scott.
Scott walks in. Hank says he assumes that he's already met Hope.
Scott says he did and says Hope is great.
"Thanks." Hope said.
Hank says that Hope doesn't think they need him.
Hope says they don't because they can do it themselves.
Hank says he put a lot of effort into letting Scott steal teh suit then Hope had him arrested.
Hope says that they can try this and when Scott fails she'll do it herself.
"Thanks for the overwhelming encouragement." Scott said.
Hank says that Hope is anxious because of a job. He says that Scott must be interested in the job judging by the fact that he's sitting across from him.
"Judging by the look on his face, I'd say he has no idea what you're talking about." Sam said.
Scott asks what job.
Hank asks Scott if he's like some tea.
Scott says he would.
Hank says that he was impressed with how Scott got past his security system.
"It was impressive." Bruce said.
"Thank you." Scott said.
He says that freezing the metal was particularly clever.
"It was." Everyone agreed.
Scott asks Hank if he was watching him.
Hank tells him that he's been watching him for a while ever since he robbed Viata corp. He puts a newspaper on the table and corrects himself by saying that Scott burgled Viata corp.
"At least someone can get the term right." Scott said.
Hank says that Vistas' system is one of the most advanced and its supposed to be unbeatable but Scott beat it. He asks Scott if he'd like some sugar. in the business
Scott says he would. Ants carry sugar cubes toward the cup. Scott changes his mind.
A few people chuckled.
"Wasn't overly fond of having insects handle my food." Scott said.
Hank asks Hank how he makes the ants do that.
"I'm wondering the same thing." Shuri said.
Hank tells him that ants can lift objects 50 times their weight. He says that they build, farm and cooperate with each other.
"I don't think that was the question." Peter said.
Scott asks him how he makes them do what they're doing. The ants are putting the sugar back.
Hank says he uses electromagnetic waves to stimulate the olfactory center. He says that he can speak to them and he can go anywhere, hear anything and see everything.
"Oh. Interesting." Some people said.
"That's so cool." Others said.
Hope says that he still knows absolutely nothing.
"Oof."
Hope says she's late to meet Cross. She leaves.
Scott raises his hand to ask a question.
"Why- why are you raising your hand?" Rhodey asked.
Hank tells him that he doesn't need to raise his hand.
He puts his hand down and says that he has one question. He asks who Hank is, who hope is, what's going on and if he can go back to jail.
"Pretty sure that was more than one question." MJ said.
"I mean to be fair, Hank did just dump a lot on him." Ned said.
They're now in the basement. Hank tells him that he created a formula 40 years ago that can alter atomic relative distance. Scott is confused.
A few others looked confused as well.
Hank tells him that he learned how to change the distance between atoms. He says that that's what powers the suit and it's why it works. He opens a door to a lab. Scott says 'wow.'
"Wow indeed."
Hank says it was too dangerous so he hid it from the world. He says that he switched gears and started his own company.
Scott notes it as Pym Tech.
Hank confimes and says he took on Cross as his protégé.
"Who turned out to be a madman with a thirst for money and power." Hope said.
Scott says that Cross is a big deal.
Hank says that he was his assistant before that.
"Humble beginnings." Pepper said.
Hank says he thought he saw something in Cross and perhaps he was the son he never had. He says he was brilliant but as they became close Cross started suspecting that Hank wasn't telling him everything.
"Well, I wasn't. But that's not the point." Hank said.
Hank says Cross heard rumors about Pym particles and became obsessed with recreating the formula. He says Cross conspired against him and voted him out of his own company when he wouldn't help him.
"Reminds me of Obadiah." Rhodey said. Tony, Pepper and Happy nodded in agreement.
Scott asks how he could do that.
Hank says that Hope is the board's chairman and she was the deciding vote.
"That sucks."
Hank says Hope came back to him when she saw how close Cross was to recreating the formula. He says that the process is volatile and whatever isn't protected by a specialized helmet can affect the brain's chemistry. He says that he doesn't think Cross realizes that.
"He doesn't." Hope said.
Hank says that Cross isn't the most stable guy to start.
"You got that right." Clint said.
Scott asks what Hank wants from him.
Hank says that he believes everyone deserves a shot at redemption and asks Scott if he does too.
Scott says he does.
"That's a nice sentiment." Gamora said.
Hank says that he can help Scott be with Cassie again if he helps him with the job. He asks Scott if he's ready to redeem himself.
Scott says he is.
"I would do anything for Cassie." Scott said quietly.
Scott says his days of breaking into places and stealing shit are over, then he asks Hank what he wants him to do.
"About that." Hope said, laughing a little.
Hank tells Scott that he wants him to break into a place and steal some shit.
Everyone laughed.
Paxton, Maggie and Cassie are eating. Paxton gets a text that reads: 'Lang's 'LAWYER' is Dr. Hank Pym, as in Pym Tech.'
"The one track I forgot to cover." Hank said.
Maggie asks Paxton of he's going to be home for dinner.
Paxton tells her that he'll pick something up and tells Maggie to text him. He gets up.
Maggie asks if he has good news.
"For him? Probably. For me? No." Scott said.
Paxton says he doesn't know but it's news.
Cassie asks him if he's trying to find Scott.
Paxton says he is and tells her that he wants Scott to be safe.
"In a jail cell."
Cassie says she hopes Paxton doesn't catch him.
Everyone let out a surprised laugh.
Cross walks into the lab. The lamb is now in a cage. The device is used on the lamb, it works.
Everyone gasped. He figured it out.
"Uh-oh."
He holds up the cage, then flicks it, causing the lamb to fall.
"Anybody else suddenly uneasy because of the glint in Cross' eyes?" Quill asked.
Hank and Scott are looking at a screen. Hank says that this isn't the first time those guys have tried to get her hands on game changing weaponry. He shows a picture of Carson and says that he's SHIELD's ex head of defence.
The SHIELD agents winced.
He says that he is in the business of toppling governments and says that arson always wanted his tech. He says that Cross will unleash chaos upon the world if they don't steal the yellowjacket.
"My god."
Scott says that he thinks they should call the Avengers.
"Really, Scott?"
Hank says that he spent half of his life trying to keep his tech out of a Starks hands and he is not going to give it to one now. He says that it isn't some cute technology like the Iron Man suit.
"That was uncalled for." Tony said.
"He just hates the Stark name, as you can tell he doesn't really like Howard." Hope explained.
"Understandable." Tony said, Howard was a bot of an asshole.
He says that this could change the texture of reality and then says that the Avengers are probably too busy dropping cities out of the sky.
"Trying to stop that from happening actually." Natasha said.
"And technically, we blew it up, We didn't drop it." Tony said.
"That- that's not helping." Bruce said.
Scott asks why he doesn't send the ants.
"Because they're ants." Hope said.
Hank tells Scott that they're ants. He says that they can do alot of things but they need a leader. He says they need someone who can infiltrate a place that is designed against infiltration.
Scott tells Hank that he's a thief, he says he's a good thief but this is insane.
"He's right."
Hope enters and says that Scott is right and Hank knows it. He says that Hank knows what Cross is capable of and she was against using Scott when they had months but now they have days. She says that she's wearing the suit.
Hank tells her no.
"Oh."
Hope says she knows the facility inside out and she knows how Cross thinks. She says she knows the mission better than anyone.
"True."
Hank tells her that they need her close to Cross or the mission won't work.
"He'll get suspicious." Maria said.
Hope says that they don't have time to screw around.
"No you do not." Clint said.
Hank tells hope to listen to him.
Hope says that Scott is a criminal and she's his daughter.
Hank says no and slams his hand on the table.
Everyone flinched at the sudden shift in Hank's tone.
Hank sits down and Hope walks away.
Scott says that Hope is right and asks Hank why he doesn't wear the suit.
Hank asks Scott of he thinks he doesn't want to. Hank says he spent years wearing it and it took a toll on him.
Everyone in the room found that they related to that statement one way or another.
Hank tells Scott that he is their only option. He says that before Janet died Hope used to look at him like he was the greatest man in the world but now she only looks at him with disappointment.
"I'm not disappointed." Hope said.
Hank says it's too late for him. He tells Scott that this is his chance to earn that look in Cassie's eyes and be the person that she already thinks he is. He says 'it isn't about saving our world its about saving theirs.'
Scott says that that was a good speech.
"I know right?" Sam asked.
Hank tells Scott that he needs him to be Ant-Man.
"And he is."
Scott is in the suit. Hank says that in the right hands the relationship between the man and the suit is symbiotic. He says that the suit has power and the man harnesses the power.
"You need to learn how to harness that power." Clint said.
Hank tells him that he needs to be skillful, agile and fast. He tells Scott that he should be able to shrink and grow on a dime so his size fits his needs. Hope closes the door. Hank tells Scott to dive through the keyhole. He says to charge big, dive small and emerge big.
"Sounds simple enough."
Scott closes the helmet and runs toward the door, and slams into it. He does it again. He does it again.
Everyone cringed each time Scott hits the door.
Hope calls Scott useless.
"Have some faith." Scott scolds playfully.
Scott is with Hope. Hope says that when he's small his energy is compressed so he'll have the force of a 200 pound man behind the fist a fifth of an inch wide. She says that he'll be like a bullet.
"Damn!"
She says if he punches too hard he'll hill someone but of he punches too soft it's a love-tap. She says that he has to know how to punch.
Scott says that he was in prison for 3 years so he knows how to punch.
Hope tells him to show her. holds up her hands and he punches one. She says that was terrible.
"Why didn't you punch me like you punched Peachy?" Hope teased.
Scott asks if she wants to show him how to punch. He holds up his hands.
She punches him in the face, he stumbles back, falling. She says that that's how you punch.
Hank says that Hope has been looking forward to this.
"I'm sure she was." Bucky said.
Hank says that Hope trained in marital arts at a difficult time.
Hope says that by difficult time' Hank means when Janet died.
Hank says that she died in a plane crash.
Hope says that it's bad enough that he won't hell her how she died and asks him to stop telling her the lie.
Hank and Hope glanced at each other.
Hope says that they're working. She tells Scott to get back to work and calls him princess.
Scott asks her of she was going for the hand.
"No I was not." Hope said.
Scott is messing with the suit, Hank walks in. Scott says that he thinks that regulator is holding him back.
"Don't mess with it." Hank said.
Hank tells him not to screw with the regulator because he could go subatomic if it's compromised.
Scott asks what that means.
A few people looked confused along with onscreen Scott.
"It means that he would be smaller than an atom." Bruce said.
Hank says that it means he would enter a quantum realm.
Scott asks what that means.
Hank says that it means he would enter a reality where all concepts of space and time are irrelevant as he shrinks for all eternity. He says that everything he knows and loves would be gone forever.
"That sounds... terrifying." May said.
Scott says that that's cool and says that if it isn't broke.
"Don't fix it." Everyone who knew the phrase finished.
The 3 of them are in the lab. Hank says that Scott has learned about the suit but he hasn't learned about his allies. He says that the ants will be his loyal and brave partners on the job.
"Cool."
Scott shrinks down and walks underground. Hope says that these ones are Paratrechina Longicornis which are also called Crazy ants. Scott finds an orange ant. Hope says that they are lightening fast and can conduct electricity which makes them useful to fry enemy electronics.
"Guess that's where they get their nickname from." MJ said.
Scott says that the ant isn't so crazy. The ant jumps on him. Scott calls it cute. A hoard of ants crawl over Scott who grows back to normal size, coming up through the grass. He says that it was a lot scarier a second ago.
"I'm sure it was." Hope said.
Scott and Hope are sparring. Hope flips Scott onto the ground and twists his arm.
A few people cringed, having had that done to them in the past. It was painful.
They're in the lab, looking at a map of the building. Scott says that it looks like the Futures lab has its own power supply.
Hope says that there is a security guard posted around the clock and they'll need to take him out to deactivate the security systems.
"Sounds easy enough." Clint said.
Scott is underground he asks which ants are next. Hope says that Paraponera Clavata are.
"The bullet ants." Everyone remembered.
A large ant appears behind Scott. Scott says he knows and says that they're the bullet ants that are highest ranked on the Schmidt pain index.
"That's right."
Scott asks if the ants remember him from the bedroom. An ant charges toward Scott, who grows to normal size through the ground.
"I mean to be fair, that does look pretty scary." Quill said. "To have an ant, which is now bigger than you, charging at you."
They're in the lab. Hope says that the yellowjacket pod is hermetically sealed and the only way in is through a tube that is about 5 millimeters in diameter.
Scott asks why he has a sick feeling in his stomach.
"Yeah, me too."
Hop says that the tube is protected by a laser grid that can only be powered down for 15 seconds.
"Well shit."
Hank says that Scott will need to signal the crazy ants to blow the servers, retrieve the suit and exit the vault before the backup power comes on.
A few people hissed in a breath.
Scott is looking at an ant through a magnifying glass. Hope says its a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus.
Hank says that its a carpenter ant and it's ideal for transport.
Scott recognizes it and names him Ant-thony.
"Ha! An ant pun." Peter said.
Hank says that that's good because Scott is going to need to learn how to control him. He tells Scott to tell Ant-thony to put sugar into th teacup. The ants do nothing.
"Come on... do something." Ned said.
Scott and Hope are sparring. Scott finches her in the stomach, causing her to pause. Scott, mockingly, asks if she's okay. She punches him in the face, and flips him down, head-locking him with her thighs. He taps out.
"Don't get cocky." Hope said.
Scott is tending to his wound. Hope walks in and watches. Hope tells him that Hank wants him outside for target practice.
"That doesn't look good." Rhodey said, referring to his wound.
They are now outside. Hank is holding two disks. He says that the suit doesn't have weapons so he made those discs. He says that the red one shrinks things. He throws as disk at a bottle, shrinking it. He says that the blue one enlarges things. Scott throws a disk at a gnome, enlarging it.
Everyone laughed.
Scott is underground, with some ants. Hope says that they're called Solenopsis Mandibularis.
Hank says that the fire ants are known for they're bite and have evolved into remarkable architects. He says that they're handy to get him in and out of difficult places.
"I never realized how interesting ants could be." Shuri said.
Scott is trying to get the ants to put the sugar in the tea. Hank tells him that he can do it.
Scott rips the earpiece off and says that the ants aren't listening to him.
"Or you're just not doing it right." Hope said.
Hope tells him that he has to commit and mean it and says that there can't be shortcuts or lies.
Hank says that throwing insults into the mix isn't doing anyone any good.
"He's right."
Hope says that the don't have time for coddling.
Hank says that their focus should be on helping Scott.
Hope asks if that's where their focus should be.
"Anyone else feel a little bad for Scott, poor guy just got himself thrown into the middle of this family drama." Clint said.
She grabs the earpiece and a group of ants appear, they start putting sugar in the tea, more appear and start covering the light.
"That's a little creepy." Valkyrie said.
"Yeah, I see it now." Hope said.
Hank snaps her out of it. She walks up to him and says that she doesn't know why she came to him in the first place.
Hank says that they can't do this without her.
"That's right."
Hope is in her car, Scott gets in with her and tells her that she needs to lock her doors because there's some weird people in the neighborhood.
"Well, thats one way to start a conversation." Bucky said.
Hope asks him if he thinks this is a joke. She asks if he knows what Hank is asking him to risk and says the he as a daughter.
Scott says that he's doing this for Cassie.
"I would do anything for Cassie." Scott said again.
Hope tells Scott that when Janet died she didn't see Hank for 2 weeks.
Scott says that he was in grief.
Hope says she was too and she was 7. She says he never came back in any way that counted.
"I am sorry. It wasn't fair to you, that I did that." Hank said.
She says that Hank sent her to boarding school. She says that she thought, with everything at stake, that they might have a chance at making peace.
"I am glad that we finally did." Hope said.
Hope says that Hank still wants to shut her out,
Scott says Hank doesn't want to do that and says he trusts her.
Hope asks Scott why he's here.
Scott says that it proves Hank loves her. He says that he's here because he's expendable and she must have realized that by now. He says that Hank would rather lose the fight than lose her.
"You know, you're not actually terrible at the whole comforting thing." Hope said.
He goes to leave. Hope says she didn't know Scott had a daughter when she called the cops on him. She asks what her name is.
Scott says her name is Cassie.
Hope says that it's a pretty name.
Everyone smiled.
Hope tells Scott that he has to clear his mind nd he needs to make his thoughts precise. She tells him to think about how badly he wants to see Cassie and use that to focus. She gives him the earpiece and places a penny on the dashboard.
"Will it be a lucky penny?" Ned asked.
She tells him to open his eyes and think about what he wants the ants to do. Some ants arrive and lift the penny. The ants spin the penny.