HOURGLASS

Chapter Three

Soon after they left the destroyed remains of what had once been the Avengers facility, Pepper had taken Charlie and Eden to a secluded two story house next to a small lake. Charlie's leg healed quickly, resulting in her only having a limp for two days. Pepper had introduced the two to Charlie's sister Morgan, who was pretty shy since she suddenly had a big sister who was real and a new friend. Tony had told her about his daughter before but just that she was a superhero. 

The young girl carefully cracked open the door to her bigger sister's room, watching her quietly as the occupant already inside looked out on the lake where the funeral had taken place. The waters quietly rippled from gusts of wind, and as Morgan watched, Charlie suddenly grabbed at the nearby dresser. A full-body shudder rolled through her frame, and she slowly went to her knees, as if she was fighting to stand. She leaned forward until her head touched the cabin wall. 

"Charlie?" Morgan asked, quietly walking towards her sister. When she got close enough to see her face, she saw Charlie had been crying, tear tracks running down her face. Her mouth was moving but no sound was coming out while her eyes were glassy.

When she didn't respond or acknowledge Morgan's presence, she got up and ran to get someone. Azul, meanwhile, was trying to figure out what was going on with her user. She ran through her and Costa's files at lightning speed until she came across a recurring phenomena. 

Morgan burst back into the room with Pepper, who frowned and made her way to her daughter with Morgan nervously trailing behind.

"Azul, do you know what's going on?" Pepper asked the A.I. who was quiet. 

The watch on Charlie's wrist lit up, shining holograms of recordings and stills from both her and Costa. "I believe Charlotte is experiencing a vision from one of her classmates, Marcus. I have reason to suspect he has abilities occurring naturally. He has contacted her in the past with them."

Suddenly Charlie completely went limp, flopping onto her side on the floor. Pepper gasped and knelt down next to her just as Eden burst in, taking in the scene briefly. 

"Eden, do you know what to do?" Pepper asked, having gingerly lifted the teen's head into her lap. Eden's eyes were focused on Charlie's face when she noticed her brow furrowed minutely.

Eden shrugged, starting to fidget with her hands out of nervousness until Charlie stiffened. Without warning, she shot up, wincing as her head spun briefly. "We're needed in New York. Some new bad guy." She spotted Eden twirling a flower in her hands. "Suit up, garden girl, our ride is almost here." Eden quickly bolted to her room, which was right across from Charlie's, only to return as Charlie herself had slipped hers on with ease. 

Charlie opened her arms, and Eden jumped into them, squeaking when Charlie swung her round to her back. Eden easily latched on while Charlie put her mask on. Costa came online, lighting her HUD.

Eden peered around, seeing Pepper and Morgan still standing practically next to them. "So what now?" 

The eyes on the spider suit narrowed, and Charlie took a step back.

"321!" Charlie exclaimed just as the floor disappeared from beneath them, replaced by the skyline of New York. Eden yelped and gripped onto her partner tighter as the wind whipped past them. Charlie's bug eyes narrowed a bit, as though thinking about something, then grew in size. "Eden, see that thing in the sky?" She asked, and the youth in her arms nodded. "Take him down. I'll give you a boost." She then basically threw the kid towards the... man?... seeming to hover in the sky. Eden flicked her wrist and a vine lassoed around the man's ankle, and with a harsh yank the man fell off the stones he had been standing on.