Where your loyalties lie (Two New Bartons book 2) (completed)

Suit up - Wanda

When the tiny blue car, even older than our van, rolls up next to us, Clint says, "That's them." 

"Finally," I mutter, getting out. "They took their time."

"With a car like that, I don't think they could do anything else," Clint says, and I chuckle. 

How it can fit two super-soldiers and a man who, although not a large as the other two, is not exactly lacking in muscles is beyond me. When Cap gets out, he has to bend down low to avoid hitting his head on the roof. 

Clint walks around the van, saying, "Cap."

"You know I wouldn't have called if I had any other choice," Cap says, shaking Clint's hand. 

"Hey, man, you're doing me a favour." I can hear the grin in Clint's voice. "Besides, I owe a debt." With the last words, he looks around at me, walking up behind him.

Cap turns to me too. "Thanks for having my back."

"It was time to get off my ass," I say, glancing at Clint. He gives me a proud smile as he turns back to Cap. 

"How about our newest recruit?" Cap asks. 

"He's raring to go." Clint heads to to the van and starts sliding open the door. I avoid looking at Pietro as I watch him go. "Had to put a little coffee in him..."

Talk about understatement of the century. Scott drank more coffee than the rest of us put together, ans still managed to fall asleep after. I honestly have no idea how he did it. 

As soon as the door slams open, Scott wakes up with a jerk. Did I help him back to consciousness? Maybe. That's irrelevant. It's not like anyone noticed, anyway. Well, no one except Pietro, but I refuse to look him in the eye, so he doesn't count. 

"...But he should be good."

Scott struggles out of the van. "What time zone is this?"

No one answers him as Clint shoves him towards Cap, saying, "Come on."

Scott takes one look at Cap and instantly starts embarrassing himself.

"Captain America!" he says, grabbing Cap's hand and shaking it long and hard. 

"Mr Lang," Cap nods.

"It's an honour." He glances down at their hands. "I'm shaking your hand too long!"

That'll be the coffee finally kicking in. About time. 

"Wow! This is awesome!" He turns to me, a huge grin plastered across his face. He points at Cap, saying, "Captain America!" He starts to turn back, then pauses and says to me, "I know you, too. You're great!"

I chuckle at his antics. It's unclear whether it's the coffee talking, or if he's trying to cheer me up. Either way, It brought a smile to my face, so I guess it worked. 

Scott looks at Cap, his eyes straying down to his chest. He reaches forward, looking like he wants to feel it, then bails out and grabs Cap's shoulders, instead. "Jeez," he says, squeezing the rock solid muscles. 

Cap looks like he's trying hard (and failing) to judge Scott. He looks back at Barnes as if to say, "Get a load of this guy."

"Ah, look," Scott says, "I wanna say, I know you know a lot of super people, so... thinks for thanking of me."

Another chuckle. Honestly, with the amount of coffee he had, I'm surprised he's not a lot worse. 

Cap nods as Scott turns to Sam. "Hey, man."

"What's up, Tic Tac?"

Do they know each other? I can't see how, Scott lives all the way on the other side of the States. When would they have had a chance to get together? But, if they do know each other, that's probably how Scott ended up getting recruited in the first place.

"Uh, good to see you."

They definitely know each other. There's some serious embarrassment rolling off Sam. Scott is just pure excitement. Well, with just a hint of confusion.

Scott begins, "Look, what happened last time, when I..."

But Sam interrupts him, his embarrassment flaring up even more. He's doing an amazing job at hiding it. "It was a great audition, but it'll never happen again." He chuckles at the last words, the only sign of his emotion to cross his face. 

Cap draws their brief exchange to a close by asking, "They tell you what we're up against?"

"Something about some psycho-assassins?" Scott asks. 

That's not quite what I told him, but okay. It's close enough, I guess.

"We're well outside the law on this one," Cap tells him. "So if you come with us, you're a wanted man."

"Yeah, well, what else is new?" Scott shrugs. He feels almost... disappointed. 

"We should get moving!" Barnes calls from the other side of their tiny car. 

"We got a chopper lined up," Clint says. Do we? That's news.

Suddenly, a German voice fills the parking lot. I can't understand what it's saying, but Barnes says, "They're evacuating the airport."

"Stark," Sam says. 

There's a moment of silence as everyone this in, then Cap says, "Suit up."

Word count: 818