Electric Storm

Chapter 30: Washington Again

'Ned, Parker, it's Katy.' I knock on their hotel door. 'Can I come in?'

From inside their room I can hear fumbling around and a hushed conversation. I'm not really supposed to be here, but getting caught for sneaking into a boy's room is the least of my worries. Ross wouldn't bat an eyelid and Mr. Harrington has no authority.  

Despite the lack of reply, I decide just to enter anyway. Both heads snap up but my eyes are already on Ned's laptop. 'What are you doing?' 

'Nothing.' They both lie at the same time. 

I stare at them in disbelief. 'That's the programming for the Spiderman suit.' Both eyes follow me as I cross over to the laptop. 'Are you hacking it?... No, you're removing the tracker!'

Parker scratches the back of his head as he avoids my gaze. 'Yeah... look, I gotta follow these guys to their boss before they move again and I don't really want Mr. Stark to know about it.'

My gaze does not shift. 'So you're lying to my dad now?'

'No, I'm not lying. He just doesn't know what I can do yet.' Parker's voice goes all high and squeaky as he tries to cover for himself. 

I scoff at the hypocrisy of his words. "Not lying." 'You know, it's times like this I really wish I'd listened to my dad.'

'Why, what did he say?'

'I don't know. I wasn't listening.' I exclaim. 'But it was probably along the lines of: "Katy, don't do anything I would do and don't do anything I wouldn't do."'

'He said that to me after Berlin!'

'Oh good, a connection.' I roll my eyes. 'You need to be careful Parker, dad's not here right now-'

'Well, he didn't tell me he was going abroad.'

'Why would he? You're not that close.' I snap. Even I'm taken back by the harshness of my words. 

 'Katy, I don't need Mr Stark's help.'

'Parker-'

'But I could use yours.'

I sigh. 'You know why I can't.'

He takes a gentle step towards me. 'Mr. Stark didn't recruit me to replace you.'

'Are you so sure about that?' I half-heartedly laugh. But he remains firm. 

'When we first met, well, after flirting with my aunt-'

I roll my eyes. 

'He said you were in trouble... Mr. Stark just wanted you back Katy. It was nothing to do with me. I only had one job and that was to get you to come home. You said it yourself Katy, the fight in Berlin- there were no Avengers, I'm not an Avenger, but this-' He points to the glowy thing- 'is my chance to prove I can be. Just like you.'  

'Oh, I'm not worthy of that title.'

'Yes you are, you just need to find the love for it again. Like you did the other night.' Parker stares at me, eyes pleading. 

This is manipulation. He wants me to come, to take his hand and be heroes together. I almost do. 'Parker, I can't come with you.'

'But I thought we were partners.'

'No, we're not.' I take a step back. 'Do you remember in Berlin when I said I would never make you break the law for me?'

Parker nods.

'Then why are you asking this of me?'

'Because you've already proved multiple times that you don't care about what anyone else says. You went with Captain America!'