In The Shadows

Chapter One

"Blair!" Happy called. "Over here!"

"Coming, Dad!" I shouted back. Waving goodbye to Petra, I headed for the gray minivan waiting for me in the carline.

"How was school?" he asked as he pulled onto the street.

"Fine," I replied shortly, then added, "You know, you don't have to pretend to be my dad in private. Not that my actual dad is any better."

He didn't respond. We fell into silence as Happy waited impatiently for the traffic to ease up. Finally, we arrived back at home.

It was giant, spacious, and definitely qualified as a mansion. White, with black accents and a lot of glass, it was as modern as modern could get.

I entered the hall, tossing my backpack to the side carelessly, and kicked off my shoes. I then proceeded into the kitchen to make myself some cereal. However, as I grabbed the cereal from the pantry, I heard voices in the living room.

"-the only solution," A familiar voice said.

"Are you sure? It seems a bit extreme," Dad asked - my real dad.

Placing the cereal on the counter, I strolled into the living room to find Uncle Fury and my Dad sitting on the white leather couches, seeming to be in the midst of a serious conversation.

"Hey Dad, hey Uncle Fury," I greeted them. Plopping down onto the couch next to Uncle Fury, I snuggled up to him. He smiled at me, which would be considered a rare occurrence if it was anyone else. But he had always had a soft spot for me, an apparent fact.

He put his arm around me, and I asked, "What's going on?"

"Blair..." he started, "There's been a development. A rumor's been going around that Stark has a daughter." My eyes widened.

"Oh," I replied, at a loss for words.

"We've decided it's best for you to go into witness protection, just for a bit," Dad explained.

"Can FRIDAY come with me?" I asked. It was clear that their minds were made up; all I could do now is try to get as much of my old life to come with me as possible.

"No," Uncle Fury denied, "We can't risk anyone connecting you back to your father." I frowned.

"My phone?" I tried. He shook his head.

"My computer?" Same answer.

"What about my friends?" I demanded, "They'll be curious. They'll ask questions, and they might track me down!"

"Your friends will be told you are switching to a private boarding school and no electronics are allowed," he informed me. I groaned as he continued.

"Furthermore, you will be issued a standard phone and computer, both average for a girl your age based on statistics for your new location; Don't worry, no harm will come to your belongings, given that you'll be returning - and hopefully soon. You'll be trained on how to blend in and then sent to your new location, which is in Cincinnati, Ohio." I sighed.

Well, I thought, here we go...