Chapter Thirteen
✭
Peter woke up to a pounding on their front door.
Jolting out of bed, Peter was lost in a mess of blankets, his limbs all tangled up, while he heard Aunt May's footsteps as she rushed to get the door. He wasn't even out of his room before the FBI were swarming into the house. All blue jackets with big yellow letters, badges and paper warrants being waved in the air. Peter didn't even have time to be embarrassed about not changing out of his Star Wars pajamas before he was corralled into the living room with Aunt May.
It was just a swarm of noise. Voices, half-shouting, filling the air at six in the morning. The sun had barely risen. Cabinets being opened and closed. The closet being torn apart. Bedrooms invaded. Even Uncle Ben's office, that sacred, silent place, opened and tossed like it was just a storage room.
Just watching it made Peter so terribly angry, watching one of the agents accidentally knock down one of Uncle Ben's model planes. It's wing and prop snapping on the floor. The agent having the grace to wince in apology before scooping it aside.
It took Peter a very long time to remember that Mia wasn't here.
That was to be expected. He already knew that. Mia hadn't been home in several nights.
He was more surprised when the FBI never found her shield. She kept it under her bed, it wouldn't have been hard to find. Unless Aunt May had moved it. Or… or someone else took it.
Not that he had time to ask about any of that, between Agent Jones launching incessant questions at them and blatantly ignoring the ones Aunt May was throwing right back at them, between shouting "Don't touch that!" Or "Hey, be careful, that's antique!"
The agents kept trying to pull her focus back on them.
"Mrs. Parker, are you aware that your niece may be involved with dangerous criminals?"
"Oh, you mean besides the people who kidnapped her?" Aunt May snapped back, pulling her bathrobe tighter around her shoulders. "Do you mean those criminals? Or maybe you're talking about whoever is behind taking my daughter away these past few months, that your beloved FBI has done jackshit about?" Aunt May gave him a sweet smile. "I just want to make sure we're on the same page."
The entire time, her hands were white-knuckling her phone, locked tightly in her fists. Peter was just glad he had the foresight to grab his own phone first before the FBI busted in.
"Ma'am, this isn't about that —"
"It isn't? Oh, well, excuse me for expecting you guys to do your jobs sooner rather than later," May replied, teeth bared. "Or are you only interested in Mia when she's a criminal instead of a victim?"
Agent Jones didn't have time to answer that before Peter asked, "Where is she? Where's Mia? Is she under arrest?"
His mind was reeling at the possibilities. Just last night, Peter had seen her. After a week gone missing, she finally came back. In the same clothes, looking half-starved, her mind frayed to hell. It made Peter sick just to think about. His hands clenched and unclenched. He should've stayed. He shouldn't have left her there at Bucky's.
Maybe she did something in that week missing. Something caught on camera. Maybe the FBI had just caught up.
Agent Jones fixed Peter with a frown. "When's the last time you saw Mia Fletcher?"
Peter had just opened his mouth when Aunt May answered. "Not since a week ago, when she left for DC. Or did our missing person's report not have that on file? Sure took you guys long enough."
Peter blinked in surprise, but snapped his mouth shut. He didn't know why Aunt May was lying, but decided to go with it.
Agent Jones shifted uneasily on the seat he had commandeered, avoiding their burning gazes. "We haven't found your niece, Mrs. Parker. We're here to investigate allegations made against her."
"Allegations? Of what? By whom?" May demanded, alarmed.
"We have information that indicates that Amelia Fletcher was an associate of a HYDRA operative known as the Winter Soldier," Agent Jones explained, and Peter's blood went cold. "That she was there in DC of last year, when the Triskelion was attacked. We're here on orders of Secretary Ross to confirm the legitimacy of these claims."
"Last year?" Aunt May's cheeks flushed with rage. "This has to do with last year? Are you fuckers crazy —"
"Aunt May!" Peter interjected before she could get the FBI up in arms about slander. Could they get arrested for that? He hoped not. Holding up his hands, he tried to play mediator best he could. "We don't know what happened in DC, okay? We thought Mia had been taken hostage by HYDRA. That's what you guys told us!"
"We know," Agent Jones said, with a nod of his head. "But that was before we had a full understanding of the situation."
"You mean, before Thaddeus Fuckface Ross was Secretary." May snapped. "We all know he's been gunning for Mia, for months! Now he finally found his chance!"
"In all fairness, Mrs. Parker," Agent Jones said, his face tensing, trying not to react to May's creative interpretation of Ross' nickname. "You haven't seen the news yet."
"What news?"
Peter's phone had just started to buzz when Agent Jones turned on the TV. That's how he knew it was bad. That dread building up before they even flicked on to the news channel. He didn't have to. It was everywhere.
And Peter had to sit there and watch in silence. A single security camera recording of Bucky Barnes and another guy blowing up a van and getting away before police arrive. Peter heard but wasn't really listening when the anchorman spoke, tinny voice distant and far away. The video paused at certain points to circle faces and zoom in on details.
"…Authorities have positively confirmed these men to be Brock Rumlow and a man only known as the Winter Soldier, both agents of HYDRA who both escaped justice one year ago. Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross has declared a state of emergency, as well as an international manhunt to capture the two terrorists. The US government is working with Interpol and various other agencies to locate these men. It is currently believed they may seek sanctuary in non-extradition countries, like Russia or China, or in city-states like Madripoor, located in Southeast Asia, where known associates may also be hiding. Authorities have yet to report what these two agents were doing in the Brooklyn borough, their motives or means of escape. They ask anyone if they've seen anything to please call this volunteer line…"
The video was short, playing over and over in fifteen second increments. Mia wasn't anywhere in the video. Peter wasn't sure if he should be relieved or worried. She had been with her dad. What was Bucky doing? Where was she?
And, at the same, he remembered - her shield. The FBI hadn't found her shield, though it would've been quickly found in its usual hiding place under her bed. Peter looked around, but saw no one parading around with it like they just found the Ark of the Covenant.
It wasn't here. Though it had been last night, because Mia had never come home.
Peter was so busy trying to deduce the meaning of that that he almost didn't hear the FBI agent's next words.
"We found where the Winter Soldier had been staying for the past few months," Agent Jones continued. "But he hasn't returned since the attack. Because of your niece's ties to him, we have reason to suspect there may be evidence here that can help us locate him."
"What about Mia?" Aunt May turned on him, just as furious as before. "Are you going to locate her?"
"Rest assured, ma'am, she is also a priority."
"I hope you mean in rescuing her, bringing her home," Aunt May fixed him with a piercing look, unblinking.
Agent Jones didn't respond to that. "Please, Mrs. Parker, if you could answer some of our questions now. Have you had any contact with your niece since her most recent disappearance?"
"No, and you already know that. I've already told the police everything the last time."
Peter's phone buzzed again and he remembered that he was holding onto it. He glanced down and found both Ned and MJ blowing up his phone — asking about Mia. Asking why FBI was knocking on their doors. His stomach sank further and further.
Ross was going to tear their lives apart just to find whatever he was looking for.
~o~
Federal Bureau of Investigation Official Report
Date: June 26, 2014
Content: Transcript records of family, friends and associates of Amelia Miriam Fletcher, investigating her disappearance and connection to HYDRA operatives.
To be delivered immediately to Secretary Thaddeus Ross for review.
Name: May Parker
Relation to subject: Aunt, legal guardian
Excerpt of interview transcript:
FBI Interviewer: Mrs. Parker, can you please repeat for our record, what is your understanding of the subject's relation to HYDRA?
M. Parker: You're joking, right?
FBI: I am not, ma'am.
M. Parker: Fine, then. For the record [taps the table with her finger], my niece has been and always will be a victim of this HYDRA. They took her from our family when she was thirteen. Faked her death. Is that in your records? They never wanted her to be found again. And you keeping her name out of the news is just making HYDRA's job easier.
FBI: We don't know yet that her disappearance is related. We can't announce our assumptions —
M. Parker: Oh, like your assumption that she's actively involved with HYDRA? The Secretary's assumptions that she's a criminal based on, what? I want to see that evidence, agent.
FBI: I'm afraid I can't do that, ma'am.
M. Parker: And I'm afraid you're gonna find jackshit here, G-Man. Now get out of my house.
FBI: We can't do that, either, man.
M. Parker: I'm calling a lawyer.
FBI: Ma'am, this isn't an interrogation —
M. Parker: [speaking on her phone] Hello, is this Nelson & Murdock? Yes, I'm being harassed by federal agents —
FBI: No, wait —
[End Excerpt.]
Name: Peter Parker
Relation to subject: maternal cousin
Excerpt of interview transcript:
FBI: When was the last time you communicated with your cousin, Peter?
P. Parker: About a week ago. We texted about the party she went to.
FBI: When she went to DC, correct?"
P. Parker: Yep.
FBI: Do you anything to confirm she was actually where she said she was?
P. Parker: What do you mean?
FBI: I mean, did she send any pictures? Any proof she was at that party?
P. Parker: Uh, no. It's not really her thing. You can ask the people there, though, they probably took pictures.
FBI: Hm. We also noticed that Amelia doesn't have any social media, her last Facebook post was four years ago. She doesn't have any secret accounts we should know about?
P. Parker: Nope. She doesn't do social media.
FBI: C'mon, Peter. You're teenagers. You all have something.
P. Parker: Not Mia. She stopped using it because she knows you guys can track her through that. Which is what exactly you're trying to do, right?
FBI: We're just trying to help find her, Peter.
P. Parker: Yeah? Well, you're losing three-to-zero. So, uh, good luck.
[End excerpt.]
Name: Michelle Jones-Watson
Relation to subject: Friend, classmate
Excerpt of interview transcript:
FBI: Miss Watson —
M. Watson: It's Jones.
FBI: Excuse me?
M. Watson: I don't go by Watson. It's Michelle Jones. Get it right.
FBI: Uh, okay. Miss Jones, can you please describe your relationship to Amelia Fletcher?
M. Jones: Oh, she's just my cohost.
FBI: …Your cohost?
M. Jones: Yeah, to my YouTube channel. Midtown Conspiracies. Ever heard of it?
FBI: Uh, no.
M. Jones: Oh, well you should watch it. Here, I got it on my phone. [She pulls out her device and begins playing a video depicting her and the subject in a cramped closet-like space, filled with strange sound effects and images flashed across the screen. The video she's showing is about the assassination of John F. Kennedy]. What do you think?
FBI: Erm, it's interesting. Now, if you could put that away, we have more questions to ask, Miss Jones —
M. Jones: So, are we right?
FBI: What?
M. Jones: About JFK, who killed him. Lee Harvey Oswald was framed. So was that Mutant guy. Right?
FBI: We're not here to discuss that —
M. Jones: Okay, then, I've got another question.
FBI: Miss, we're asking the questions here —
M. Jones: [speaking over him] What is the FBI's official statement on the Hulk incident of 2007 and the rumor that one of Ross' army men injected himself with an unknown substance in order to combat the Hulk and was responsible for the destruction in Harlem, and would Secretary Ross like to comment on his past as a reckless general performing unethical human experiments, trying to recreate the super soldier project, during his time in the Army —
FBI: This interview is over.
[End Excerpt].
Name: Edward "Ned" Leeds
Relation to subject: Friend, classmate
Excerpt of interview transcript:
FBI: Have you ever met Amelia's father?
E. Leeds: Yeah, he comes by her place every week or so. Steve's pretty cool.
FBI: Have you seen Amelia or Steve around this man [presents photo of the Winter Soldier, taken from recent footage], at all?
E. Leeds: Who's that?
FBI: He's a known Russian assassin and terrorist, goes by the Winter Soldier.
E. Leeds: Wait, isn't he the guy who killed JFK?
FBI: That's not what we're asking —
E. Leeds: Well, did he, or didn't he?
FBI: We're not here to discuss that.
E. Leeds: It's a yes or a no!
FBI: [long sigh] We can neither confirm nor deny that the Russian agent known as the Winter Soldier was behind the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
E. Leeds: Hmm. Sounds pretty sus, dude.
[End Excerpt.]
Name: Eugene "Flash" Thompson
Relation to subject: classmate
Excerpt of interview transcript:
FBI: How would you describe your relationship with Amelia Fletcher?
E. Thompson: Oh, Mia? Yeah, we totally dated.
FBI: You - you're her boyfriend?
E. Thompson: Was. Is. Sometimes. It's kind of a complicated, on-off sort of thing, different lives, West Side Story, you know how it is.
FBI: I — I'm sorry, no, could you explain? We had no indication Amelia Fletcher was dating anyone.
E. Thompson: Oh, yeah, well, she's a private kinda gal, you know? We're cool like that. Don't have to announce it or anything.
FBI: …Right. Then you'd have close personal knowledge of what she was like in the days leading up to her disappearance, right?
E. Thompson: Er, well, we weren't together at that point. We mostly texted.
FBI: Do you mind if we see your most recent texts?
[E. Thompson hands over his phone].
FBI: … her last message to you was three months ago. Complaining about a raccoon in your attic?
E. Thompson: I thought it was a ghost! I needed it exorcised.
FBI: So, you called her for help? For… for an exorcism? Does she do that stuff often?
E. Thompson: Oh, yeah, all the time! Have you seen her YouTube channel? She's great!
[End Excerpt.]
Name: Elizabeth "Liz" Allen
Relation to subject: classmate
Excerpt of interview transcript:
FBI: How well did you know Amelia Fletcher?
E. Allen: Oh, since middle school, we went to the same place together. She and her cousin, Peter. They were always kind of shy. But sweet.
FBI: Did you ever find Fletcher odd or off-putting, was there ever something she did that you found questionable?
E. Allen: Uh, I don't know. She and that Michelle girl have that weird ghost club of theirs, but I don't know, it seems kinda harmless. I heard they have a lot of followers on YouTube.
FBI: Okay, so this channel of theirs, we've heard a lot about. Did Fletcher ever talk about these conspiracies she believes in?
E. Allen: I mean, it wasn't all conspiracies, that's just the name of the show. Michelle's really the conspiracy theorist, I think the show was her idea. They do all sorts of stuff.
FBI: Like trespassing and breaking and entering. Does that sound harmless to you?
E. Allen: I mean, yeah? They were going into old abandoned houses. I've seen them with cuts and bruises a few times, but nothing scary. They're just like that.
FBI: You've been on an episode or two, haven't you? Have they ever tried to coax you into breaking the law?
E. Allen: Uh, no. We were just sharing ghost stories. I'm sorry, what does this have to do with Mia going missing? Are you saying ghosts took her?
FBI: Ghosts aren't real, Miss Allen.
E. Allen: Says you.
[End excerpt].
Name: Matthew "Wolfman" Appel
Relation to subject: friend, neighbor
Excerpt of interview transcript:
FBI: So, Matt—
M. Appel: Wait, I heard what that other guy said. Mia did not have a boyfriend.
FBI: Er, how did you hear about that?
M. Appel: I follow Flash's Twitter, duh! He took a selfie with your other agent dude. Talked about saving his girlfriend or something.
FBI: He — what?
M. Appel: It's not true. You better have that in writing.
FBI: Mr. Appel, please, this is not about who's dating who. We're just trying to get a feel for the people in Amelia's life.
M. Appel: Well, that other guy is a fucking liar. Also, not Mia's type.
FBI: Okay, okay, I believe you. Now that's settled, could you tell me about that night Miss Fletcher went missing for several hours? How did you find her?
M. Appel: We found her, alright. My dad almost ran over her in his truck.
Noah Appel [father, shouting from the other room]: Matthew!
M. Appel: [shouting, feedback on mic] What? It's true! You didn't even apologize!
N. Appel: Are you really still mad about that?
M. Appel: Yeah, I'm still mad!
FBI:[into microphone] Alright, let's try again later.
[End excerpt].
Name: Elizabeth "Betty" Brant
Relation to subject: classmate
Excerpt of interview transcript:
E. Brant: Wait, so you've found Mia?
FBI: No, no, we're still trying to find her, we're looking for information regarding the whereabouts —
E. Brant: So, the FBI is interviewing me? Oh, shit, I gotta tweet this! Midtown's gonna wanna know!
FBI: Miss, please don't —
E. Brant: Hey, do you mind if I do a live video?
[End excerpt].
Name: Howard "Howie" Stark II
Relation to subject: classmate, friend
Excerpt of interview transcript:
FBI: So how did you first meet Amelia Fletcher?
H. Stark: At a party. She saved my life.
FBI: Saved your life? From what?
H. Stark: From an evil megalomaniacal robot trying to take over the world.
FBI: Are you talking about ULTRON? She was there in Stark Tower when it happened?
H. Stark: Yeah, Steve invited her.
FBI: Right, her father. I understand you and Amelia share experiences in being kidnapped and held hostage. Was that something you two ever discussed?
H. Stark: Yeah. We also liked to talk about nosy government agents who don't leave us alone, and suck at their jobs.
[End Excerpt.]
Name: Victor "Jonah" Shade
Relation to subject: ?
Excerpt of interview transcript:
FBI: So, er, how do you know Amelia Fletcher?
V. Shade: She was critical in ensuring my creation. My birth, if you will.
FBI: I… Could you — could you explain that, please?
V. Shade: Happily! I was born last year under less than desirable circumstances.
FBI: Last year?
V. Shade: Oh, sorry, allow me to recalculate [short pause] I meant seventeen years ago. It just feels like I've only been alive for a year! [laughs]
FBI: O…okay. Well, it says here that your legal name is Victor Shade, but that you also go by Jonah. Do you care to explain that?
V. Shade: Certainly. Victor Shade was a name chosen for me by my uncle, as a joke. Jonah is the name I chose for myself. Simple, yes?
FBI: Your uncle named you?
V. Shade: Yes, my father wanted to name me after himself, I guess you could say.
FBI: Alright. So, you go to school with Fletcher, correct?
V. Shade: Oh, no, I'm going to a private school, closer to home. Filled with lots of real teenagers, which is what I am, too.
FBI: Um, right, okay. So how did you meet Fletcher again?
V. Shade: Oh, right. Are you familiar with Plato's Allegory of the Cave?
FBI: [sigh] No, but I really hope it's relevant.
[End Excerpt].
Name: Cpt. Steve Rogers
Relation to subject: Father
Except of Transcript
FBI: So, is it true you're Amelia Fletcher's father?
S. Rogers: That's what's in her record, isn't it?
FBI: Yes, but we just want to confirm. We're curious, though, regarding your period frozen in ice. Would you care to explain how all that works?
S. Rogers: No.
FBI: No?
S. Rogers: Nope.
FBI: Captain Rogers, you understand the severity of the situation. We're just trying to get an accurate idea of what your relationship with Miss Fletcher is like.
S. Rogers: Oh, is that so? Could've fooled me.
FBI: Captain, can we be sure that the Avengers will remain uninvolved in this matter? Ross expects you to be impartial —
S. Rogers: Impartial? Are you ever impartial, agent, when one of your family members has been kidnapped? Your own child?
FBI: Well, if I was ordered to —
S. Rogers: Ordered to? Well, I don't take orders from Ross.
FBI: Sir, we need you to let us do our jobs —
S. Rogers: Like you've been doing for the past few months, while Mia suffered? That job? Please enlighten me.
FBI: Er, well —
[End Excerpt].
Note: Full transcripts are enclosed. Please highlight the relevant information (if available) for Secretary Ross to review.
It was late evening by the time the FBI finally left their apartment.
Steve had arrived around noontime and raised some more hell for the FBI on their behalf. Now they were just picking up the mess — Peter, picking up what was left of Uncle Ben's office, while May and Steve spoke in undertones in the kitchen.
More than a few of Ben's planes had been damaged, not to mention the general mess made. Peter moved slowly, not just to be careful, but so he could listen in on the conversation in the next room. Steve and May getting their stories straight, sharing what they knew. That message Mia had left on Aunt May's cell phone. The one she successfully managed to hide from the FBI. No doubt their phones were probably tapped now. But Mia managed to call before the FBI got to them.
Aunt May only played the message for him after all the agents had left. Mia's voice still rang in Peter's ears, haunting him.
"Hi, May, it's me. I'm, uh — well, if you haven't seen the news yet, I'm — it's really bad, May, I'm so sorry."
Peter closed his eyes, trying not to lose focus while attempting to glue back one of the wings to the plane. His hands shook with the effort, not wanting emotion to get the better of him.
"I didn't mean for it to happen. But I have to go. I don't know where, but I'm gonna be safe."
He could still remember holding her hand in that closet, trying to coax her out. Mia had been so scared. Her hand, so cold, trembling in his.
"I'm not hurt, I'm okay, but I'm just — I'm going to be gone for a while. I don't know how long. But I love you, okay? And tell Peter I love him, too."
Peter swallowed thickly, and when he opened his eyes, his vision was a little blurry. He carefully wiped his face, trying not to get superglue on his eyelids. He was so sick. So sick of losing Mia. When would it end?
"Please stay safe. I'm going to be okay. Love you. Bye."
She had been with Bucky. Of that, Peter was certain. But then what the hell was that video about, the one all over the news? He could hear Steve and Aunt May trying to make sense of it in the other room.
"… wouldn't do this. I don't know where the video came from. But something isn't adding up."
"Is it possible that he might have — you know…"
"No. Maybe. I don't know. I don't think so. I'm not sure Rumlow has the right… tools, for that. But according to the time stamp, Mia's call came after that video was recorded. He might be alright."
"She didn't mention Bucky in her message."
"I know. She might have done that on purpose. Or she might be alone. Either way, I think it's safe to say that she hasn't been caught yet."
"By who? Ross or HYDRA?"
"Both."
That video. Peter agreed with Steve's opinion, that there was something weird about it. Something in the way it was recorded, the way it fizzled between moments, screen going white with noise and broken pixels before coming back in again. Peter pulled it up on his phone, his interest piqued again. There were dozens of copies up on YouTube, Twitter, wherever else. Peter found one with just the footage and no extra commentary. Watched it again and again. Scrubbed back and forth.
And that's when he found it.
Heart racing, Peter carefully shut the door to Uncle Ben's office, locking himself inside. He didn't want to be overheard while he texted Ned and MJ.
PP: Guys, how soon can you get here? It's about Mia.
MJ: Soonish.
NL: You can't just call us?
PP: Not safe. Better if we talked in-person.
NL: Fine, but I might be grounded.
MJ: At least it's summer, right?
Only belatedly did Peter think to ask Aunt May if it was okay his friends visited, after they had agreed to do so. Aunt May was in such a mess that she just waved her hand distractedly and said it was okay.
"How you hanging in there?" Steve asked, fixing Peter with a sympathetic look. He had arrived in the hopes to get rid of the FBI, but it seemed to have only intensified their search. The apartment now felt uncomfortably quiet, now empty. Peter hadn't even had the chance to check Mia's room, only knew that it was a disaster, too.
"I'm fine," Peter shrugged half-heartedly. In truth, he was jumpy, nervous, excited, but was trying to hide it. He was still in his pajamas, mad enough about the FBI that he didn't change out of spite. "Are the Avengers really looking into this?"
"Of course,"
"Okay," Peter paused, bit his lip. "If you find Mia, I want to be there."
"Peter," Aunt May sighed.
"No, I mean it!" Peter insisted, not wanting to be shot down just yet. "Not when it's dangerous or anything. But— but if she needs someone. I can be there. I can help."
Peter wasn't sure how to get across his meaning. That if Mia winded up… trapped again, in her protocol or whatever, that he could help. She said something about how his face brought her back, and Peter wanted to believe he was special in some way, that he could bring her back in case it happened again.
But talking about it also felt like jinxing it. Still, Steve seemed to understand. He gave a small nod. "If anything happens, you'll be the first to know. I promise."
Peter let out a small breath, shoulders sagging in relief. Captain America wouldn't lie, not to him.
It was about an hour before both MJ and Ned were there; the only food Peter had to offer at this late hour was popcorn and ramen noodles, which they accepted without complaint. Both MJ and Ned looking more than a little frazzled after their own personal experiences, but the FBI didn't raid their homes like they did to the Parker's. Just some very intense interviews.
In his bedroom, behind a closed door, Peter was practically ready to burst with what he's been wanting to tell them.
When he showed them the video, Ned just frowned. "I don't get it. It's the same one we all saw. What's different with this one?"
"You did not bring us all the way over here just to watch it together, did you?" MJ crossed her arms.
"It's not about what's different." Peter shook his head. "It's about what's not there. Look."
He had it up on his computer screen now, for a bigger picture. They all crowded around his desk, leaning in as Peter began tapping through frame by frame, second by second. It was a short video, only a quarter minute long, yet there was so much to go through. "Right there! Did you see it?"
"See what?" Ned and MJ asked at the same time.
Peter scrolled back and clicked through it again. This time, he paused on what he'd noticed, and pointed. "Look, right there. That space next to Mia's dad. Looks weird, right?"
The quality of the video footage wasn't great to begin with, so Peter had to zoom in so they could see it. The very faint shape in the background, almost like a cut-out, copy-pasted over with cloned pixels. In the shape of another person. "I think there was someone else in this video, and they were edited out."
"What?" Ned gasped, leaning in further to squint. "No way. They totally did! I can see the outline!"
"What the fuck," MJ scowled, and then had Peter take it into a video editing program so they could change the graphic visual values. Heighten contrast, play with saturation levels, shadows and highlights and boom — the editing work stood out like a sore thumb, blank space where a person and their shadow had been shoddily erased from the video. "You're right. I bet whoever did this didn't have enough time to go full CGI on this. Are you saying Mia was there?"
"I think she could've been," Peter agreed. Who else would've been there with Bucky? "But that's not all. Look at the video itself, you see how it fizzes out at certain points and comes back. The time stamp looks like it's been added on, too. I don't think Mia was just erased from the video. I think stuff has been cut out entirely, then put back together to… to tell a certain story."
"Like Mia's dad rejoining a super-secret evil agency that's not supposed to exist anymore?" Ned asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Yeah, I can see it."
"Also suspicious that this is the only camera angle that we got," MJ pointed out. "No extra footage, or any other security cameras that might have caught something different, more work to edit. Just this one."
"Like it was planned," Peter concluded. Even though he had already realized it himself, saying it aloud made it all the more real and horrifying. He looked back to the screen. "Someone's behind this. But who?"
"Ross?" Ned suggested. "I mean, look how fast he jumped at the chance to get into our lives. He's wanted the Winter Soldier for ages."
"Doesn't explain how he got Rumlow to play along," MJ pointed out. "Or where he's been all this time. I heard he escaped jail a few months after the fall of SHIELD."
Peter didn't know, either. "I wouldn't put it past Ross, at least. Even if this isn't him, he's not making things better, either. If he finds Mia first…?"
He let that sentence hang, letting the other two come to their own conclusions. The same one Peter had. Ned murmured, "She's not coming home."
"He can't do that!" MJ protested, but even as dismayed as she sounded, it was also half-hearted. Like she knew Ross could. Because he can. "There's gotta be something we can do, right?"
Peter was just about to answer when a knock came at his door. Steve peered inside. "Hey, kids, we just ordered some pizza —" he stopped. Maybe he saw the looks on their faces. Or the fact that the security footage was blown up on Peter's computer screen. Steve's brow furrowed. "What're you guys up to?"
Peter, Ned, and MJ exchanged glances. Then, they started to speak.