Texting the Avengers

Part 22

Clint's POV : 

The end of the celebration of life was around 9. By 4 the kids were sent home. We spent the rest of the night drinking and sharing stories about Kyle. 

Kyle was my older brother by a lot. He was 16 years older than me, so we were never in the same house. But he was still my older brother.

Kyle had been diagnosed with AIDS ten years ago. He knew when he would die. We were all prepared for it. When I got the call it didn't surprise me. He had been looking increasingly worse in the last few weeks alone.

He had written an extensive will, leaving some money for us, and his wife. He left a very hefty sum of money for grandchildren, current and future. 100,000$ each. It had been left in a bank account no one could touch until they were 18. 

He had planned his own Celebration of Life. It was an amazing party, he included everything, walls of old photos, accomplishments of our family, a play pen for the kids, everything. 

I headed to the Tower. My family and I were staying there for the week. Lila, Cooper, and Nathaniel were already in bed. 

As I got a cup of water, I pondered life. Kyle was dead. Our parents were dead. That left Amy and her husband, Laura and I, and our kids. Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel. 

What about the reason you named Cooper, Cooper? What about her? My mind thought.

The reason we named our firstborn son that was a sad one. 

15 years ago my sister Amy had a daughter with Alex. She named her daughter Cooper. Five years later, she called us in tears, saying how Cooper was going to Foster Care, how a loving couple adopted her, and how we would never see her again. 

She told us we were not allowed to see her again. How her new parents were moving them out to Oregon, and that it was against the law to see her. She never told us why, just that she had to. 

We never looked for Cooper. She had been taken for a reason, and I was only 29. I should have looked harder! She should be here with us...

The next morning everyone was at the tower. Scott and his family were there, along with Shuri and T'Challa from Wakanda. My family was here, as well as Bruce. Harley was coming at 1 pm.

2 pm : 

"What is going on?" Tony paced around the room. Natasha, Bucky, and I were all in the living room with him. Harley's plane had touched down in New York an hour ago, but still no word. Tony's tracker had turned off an hour ago too. Everyone was tense. 

Suddenly the tv big screen lit up. A muscular man dressed in all black stood in an empty room. Harley was chained to the wall. When Tony saw, he almost screamed. I put a hand on his shoulder. I had kids of my own, and I knew if anyone ever touched them, I'd be livid.

"Stark." The man growled. "If you want your boy back, you will transfer every dollar in your bank account to me." 

The screen turned blank. 

"Oh my god, what am I gonna do! I have to get to Harley!" Tony ran his hand through his hair. 

Nat grabbed both his shoulders. "Tony, we all know you can't do that. We will find him, but not like this." 

By now everyone was in the room. The screen lit up again. It wasn't the man this time. Words filled the screen. 

Harley is in the abandoned building, in the basement. Address is 62537 on Slepnir Road. - C

Everyone stared at the screen. "What are you waiting for?" Tony screamed. "Suit up!"