Avengers Two: Next Generation

Chapter Three

     Both Kirsten and Ray rushed through the airport. Not only did Kirsten wake up late, but she had to give Ray extra help that morning considering the fact that he had a hangover. They were supposed to meet up with Kali at the airport entrance gate, but of course, she wasn't there and she wasn't answering her phone. Kirsten was just hoping and praying that Kali hadn't gotten shot or stabbed or whatnot the night before.

An hour later, they were both finally in their seats in the plane, but there was still no sign of Kali. Kirsten began to grow extremely nervous and it must have been obvious considering the fact that a man three rows up was staring at her with a sympathetic face. Kirsten nudged Ray lightly trying to get him to pay attention and look at her.

"Huh?" He said half asleep causing Kirsten to roll her eyes.

"Where is Kali? She isn’t here yet. I am starting to get really worried."

"What are you talking about? She is right over there." Kirsten looked over in the direction which Ray's finger was pointing. There Kali was entering through the plane door with a smirk planted firmly upon her rounded face. Kirsten suddenly became extremely anxious but also nervous to find out what Kali had done that caused her to be so late and put that mischievous smirk on her face. Kali quickly sat down next to Kirsten and exhaled deeply signaling that she had had a rough morning.

"What did you do? Why on earth are you so late? We were supposed to meet you at the gate entrance like an hour ago." Kali looked over at Kirsten, causing her mischievous smirk to slowly turn into a full toothy grin.

"I got arrested." Kirsten stared at her wide eyed, not exactly sure if she should believe her friend or not. Yes, she was always known for mischief, but getting arrested, not very likely.

"Are you messing with me?"

"Why? You don't believe me?"

"Honestly, yes, I don't believe you." Kali stared at her with disbelief. She couldn't believe that Kirsten didn't believe her story. Kali was always getting into trouble growing up. Whether it was from punching a kid at school or stealing candy from a store, she always got in trouble, when she got caught of course. "Explain, and then I might believe you." Kali sighed, not really in the mood to explain her whole story. It was quite a long tale, to be honest.

"Okay, I tried to bring a dead guy onto the plane." Kali said, causing Kirsten and some other people on the plane to stare as well. Kali glanced around, cleared her throat, and continued on with her story, but in a much more hushed voice this time. "It all started back at SHIELD. They asked me to pick up a body, which was here."

"Wait, why would SHIELD ask you to retrieve a body?"

"Because, it's a long story, one I do not have time for. Anyways, as I was saying, I put the body in a bag and put it in the trunk of a taxi, along with all of my other stuff. As I was getting my bags weighed and whatnot, the security guards must have noticed how the bag was shaped and they asked me what was in it. Not wanting to lie to them, I told them."

"You told them that you had a body in a bag?!" Kali looked around and noticed that they were getting a lot of attention from the other passengers.

"Shh! You are drawing attention to our conversation. Anyways, stop interrupting me. Now where was I? Oh, right, I told them. So then, they put me in handcuffs and took me to this room where they interrogated me and whatnot. I told them who I worked for, showed them some proof and then they let me go, with a warning of course." Kirsten giggled.

"A SHIELD agent got arrested and was let off with a warning." Both of the girls suddenly busted into fits of laughter, but they soon died down when some of the passengers shushed them. Kali and Kirsten looked at each other with huge grins on their faces trying to hold back the next round of laughter that threatened to make its way out of their mouths. But one glance from Ray, who still had a serious hangover, stopped any other noise from coming out of their mouths.

"What's up with party pooper over there?" Kirsten giggled, but stopped when Ray gave her another one of his famous glares.

"Ray drank a bit too much last night and now he has a hangover." Kali nodded and let out a deep breath.

"Yeppers, that sounds just like the classic Raymond." She said as she pulled out a magazine and began to 'read' the lasted gossip, well, mostly look at the pictures. 

                                               •     •     •     •

     When Kali suddenly found herself bored with the tabloid junk, she sighed and set the magazine back into its slot. But the moment she looked up to speak to Kirsten, she noticed something weird. Everyone was sleeping and it appeared to be dark outside.

'It's night already?' Kali thought to herself. 'How long was I reading that magazine?!' Kali slowly inhaled and placed her face into her palm. She never was good at keeping time, never had been and never will be. After awhile of just sitting in her seat, she abruptly found herself quite lonely.

'You are lonely, dear?' Kali spun around to see who had spoken to her, but found no one. Her eyebrows furrowed as she instantly became confused and slightly frightened. If someone had said something to her, they would have been reading her thoughts. But if someone hadn’t of said anything to her, it meant that she was already losing her mind. 'Oh, you aren't going insane, but you will.' Kali spun around once more, but stopped and stared straight forward in her seat when she began to get strange looks from the other passengers.

"I am going crazy." She began to panic and wondered if this was SHIELD playing mind tricks on her once again. Last time they did, it didn't end so well, for them.

'Oh, this isn't SHIELD, but I am just as evil. Join me.' Suddenly the voice inside her head ceased, leaving her alone in her thoughts completely petrified of what she had just witnessed. Never before had someone telepathically spoke to her. How did they do it? Why now? Who was it? What did they want? Kali suddenly flinched and held back a slight scream when someone touched her shoulder. She quickly turned her head and saw a confused and frightened Kirsten.

"Are you okay, Kali?" Kali exhaled in relief and attempted to slowdown her heart rate. Once she was sure that she was completely calm, she put on a smile and looked back at Kirsten.

"Yes, I am completely fine, just a bit jumpy that’s all." There was absolutely no way that Kali was going to tell Kirsten what had just happened to her. She wasn't even sure yet if she was going to tell SHIELD. She didn't know what she was going to do. But until she knew for sure, no one was going to find out about what had just happened. Kali feared that they would tell her that she was going insane and lock her up in a cage or something, like some sort of animal.

"Hey, are you sure you’re okay? You look really pale. Do you need to see a nurse?" Kirsten said while rubbing her friend's shoulder, in an attempt to comfort her. Kali shook her head, but refused to make eye contact with her.

"No, I am fine, I promise. I just need fresh air." Kali paused and glanced at her watch. "And we are landing in about fifteen minutes, so I should be fine." Kali flashed a reassuring smile toward Kirsten and then proceeded to close her eyes and rest her head against her seat, trying to forget about the horror that had just taken place.