Copper Feather

11

Rachel waved. "I'd give you a hug, but I'm not a physical human..." Evie grinned, hugging Tony. "Hello, Rachel!" Rachel returned the gesture in Russian, making Evie glow in happiness. The girls walked towards the minibar, Evie grabbing a bottle of lemon water from the many options. They conversed with each other, chatting about anything and everything. Tony stood next to Clint, watching as a friendship bloomed.

A week later, Evie boarded a plane to Ireland. She hugged everyone goodbye, pulling a few boxes and suitcases behind her. The plane doors closed and Evie waved goodbye to her family. Peter watched as the doors shut, his girl disappearing into a place he'd probably regret saying she could go to. Now, who would he rely on to wake him up at one am for a late night pancake? (with a few kisses thrown into the mix). He looked down. He walked into the penthouse but froze when Tony called out his name. "Yeah?" Tony cleared his throat as Clint got into the elevator. "So, Peter... I just wanted to tell you that... well... while Evie is at Serea, she'll encounter... many... interesting people." Peter raised his eyebrow. "It's okay, Peter. You're forgetting Serea is an all-girls school." Peter relaxed. "So what's your point?" Tony looked down. "She'll meet new friends, who she'll probably have to tell about... us. I have everyone else's permission and allowance for their identity to be revealed in certain situations except yours. I just wanted formal permission, otherwise, Evie won't be able to... be honest with her new friends." Peter looked at Tony for a long second. "How many people will know?" Tony blinked. "10 max. The headmaster, Evie's roommates, and a few of her security detail. Evie is an asset to the team, you know that. Losing her would be unfortunate to the team, not to mention severely detrimental to our overall morale. In other words, I like her too much." Peter thought for a moment. "Okay." Tony nodded. "Thank you," Peter responded as he walked towards the stairs.

On the plane, Evie sat down. She'd been told the basics of how the academy worked. It was an operative academy based in Dublin. There were 3 people in a dorm. Evie had no idea who would be her roommates until she got there. Evie sighed. A normally 12-hour flight turned into a 4 hour one with Stark Tech, but it was still incredibly long for Evie. She quickly fell asleep. Her headpiece in her ear buzzed when she began the altitude decline down into Dublin. Rachel in her ear telling her to wake up. She got off the plane a few minutes later, boxes being offloaded into a car behind her. A woman in a suit came walking towards Evie. "Agent Romanoff, I am Agent Reese. Welcome to Dublin. I will be your guide until you reach Serea." Evie nodded.

The woman motioned for Evie to follow. Her instincts kicked in, and she noted the seventeen cameras positioned in the backseat of the car. A fingerprint sensor on the door handle scanned her pointer finger. A mental list of all the things she noted started forming in the back of her mind. The detailing in the car seats spelled out Serea. When they pulled up to the huge brick mansion with stables out to the side, rolling hills for grounds, and small cottages lining the edge of the forest, Evie's heart swelled.

The stone paths leading up to the main doors wandered around flower beds. A lake sat behind the school, water lilies in full bloom surrounding the boardwalk out to a gazebo in the middle of the lake. The red-brick fence with a quite large iron gate opened, and the car pulled through into the driveway. The driveway turned in a circle, surrounding a fountain with a few benches, crowded with students in pale blue uniforms. Evie stepped out of the car after plaiting her hair in a Dutch braid down her back. The doors to the school were propped open next to huge vases of calla lilies. The marble floors of the mansion were hidden by a blue velvet carpet. The carpet was washed with a glow from the stain glass windows on the far wall, bordering the courtyard. Sconces on the wall held beautiful flowers that crept down towards the floor. A table was set up beneath a huge crystal chandelier in the middle of the entrance hall. Women in navy blue suits with the school's crest on them were bustling around the room with amiable grace. Not once did Evie catch one of them hesitating in a step.