Radioactive | Bucky Barnes

THOR: CHAPTER TWO

Driving wasn't Rhiley's thing. She was lucky enough to even park without embarrassing herself, especially given the fact she had to walk across town to hide the evidence of her awful parking job. The heat didn't bother her, though. She thrived in it.

The first stop was Isabela's Diner. She had no idea what she was even looking for at this point—maybe she should make flyers asking if anyone had lost a magical hammer.

The moment she stepped inside, the place reminded her of the diner she used to frequent with Phil. Back when they kept their weekly check-ins. She'd tried therapy, but no one seemed to understand the weight of her situation. No one.

Phil didn't try to understand. He listened. They ate. They went on with their lives.

"Hi, dear," the waitress behind the counter greeted her, her smile warm. "What can I get you?"

"Coffee?" She looked at the homemade menu next to her. "How are the pancakes?" 

"Fluffy," the waitress replied with a wink.

"Coffee and pancakes then," Rhiley decided, setting her bag on the seat next to her. Sweat glistened on her skin, and she wore a white tank top. She looked like someone who'd just rolled into town—not exactly like a UFO enthusiast.

What did a UFO enthusiast even look like?

She blinked as the chatter around her grew more agitating. A table of three caught her attention, particularly the man at the table. He seemed to be eating like he hadn't seen food in years. Rhiley didn't stare for long, though. She took a glance and looked back to find her coffee waiting for her.

"Thank you."

"No problem, dear," the waitress smiled. "Your pancakes will be out in a second."

Rhiley lifted the mug, letting the steam warm her face as she closed her eyes and listened.

"Now tell us exactly what happened last night," a woman's voice pierced the air. "Maybe start with how you ended up inside that cloud."

Rhiley almost choked on her coffee. Sure, she was the top undercover agent once, but this was a whole new level of weird—magical hammers? Powers she didn't fully understand?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the waitress. "Here you go," she said, setting down a stack of three fluffy pancakes. "Syrup?"

"Lots," Rhiley smiled.

A man's voice broke in loudly, more of a shout than anything. "I like this drink."

"Yeah, Izzy makes the best coffee in town," someone else added.

Rhiley mentally agreed as she took another sip. "What do you think they're talking about?" Howard, her twin brother's voice, materialized beside her. "They're suspicious," he murmured. "Very suspicious."

Rhiley tried to ignore him, but it wasn't easy. The last thing she needed was another round of her brother's constant commentary in her head.

Howard continued, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Nice hair, though," he added, as the man at the table yelled again, throwing his mug to the floor. The crash made everyone in the diner turn their heads.

"Another!" the man bellowed.

The woman at the table was quick to jump into damage control. "Sorry, Izzy," she apologized. 

Izzy, the owner of the diner, began muttering in Spanish, clearly not happy about the mess. Rhiley, who had some old tricks up her sleeve when it came to languages, couldn't help but stifle a laugh.