Avengers: Legacy

Chapter 2

The sun rises over Newberg, Oregon.

Claire sits at the kitchen table, waiting for Mom to come downstairs.  By the door are three packed suitcases: two big, one small.

The big ones are for her mom.  The small is for her.

"Mom," Claire says when the second generation Korean woman steps onto the tile.

"Claire."  She walks to the coffee pot and pours a glass.  Part of it splashes over onto the table but she just moves on.

"Mom," Claire repeats, then clears her throat.  "I just called Uncle John.  He says he and Aunt Min are okay.  I'm going to take you to their house."

"I can stay here.  With you."

Claire shakes her head.  "Mom, I'm going to figure out what happened yesterday.  I want to find out if it was magic, or God, or a glitch in the computer program, or whatever else there is to explain what happened yesterday."

"Claire, you can't just drop me at my sister's house and leave.  I am your mother."

"I'm sorry Mom, but, with Dad and Thad gone...I don't want to lose you too.  At Min and John's I'll know you're safer than taking a road trip to New York."

"I feel the same way.  I'd rather either you stay or I come with you."

Claire sighs and puts her head in her hands.  "Mom.  Please?  I need to figure this out.  I want to be where they are figuring this out and the best place for that is New York City.  I'll be a janitor for all I care, as long as I am in the room when they find out what is going on.  Can I go, and leave you where you'll be safe?  Besides, I already looked into internship at the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters and it includes room and board for the intern. I wouldn't have somewhere for you to be and I don't want to leave you here alone.  I packed all of our family photos and mementos and important documents in the blue suitcase and your clothes in the black.  Please, humor me?"

"I wish you'd consulted me first."

"I'm sorry.  I wasn't planning on doing this until last night."

Mom stands and walks to her daughter.  She kisses the top of her head.  "I love you.  Stay safe, and call me or email me as often as you can."

"Thank you, Mom.  I love you, too."

An hour later, Claire is heading out on the road, alone.

There are so many cars abandoned on the road that she has to weave slowly through traffic.  She encounters a few lone souls along the way.  They nod to each other solemnly, acknowledging the other's survival and presence.

She starts to drift off.

It's about ten at night in Newberg, and eleven in Colorado, where she pulls off onto a dirt road and parks.

Claire unplugs her phone and sends a message to Mom with her location and a quick note saying goodnight.

Then she climbs over the center consul to start folding down the back row so she can sleep.  It's surprisingly a lot harder than you would think to fold seats all of the way down when you do not want to step foot outside of the vehicle because you don't know what's out there but maybe inside of the blue hatchback it's safer.

Claire pushes the thought from her mind and starts to unroll her sleeping pad and bag.  As soon as she has that settled, she turns off the overhead light.

It's best not to run down the battery when the earth is at half population, and you aren't quite sure how trustworthy that remaining half is, or whether you could even find a nice someone before a not-so-nice someone gets you.

By the light of her phone, Claire eats a bar and a few dozen baby carrots.

It is a wonder what ten hours of driving does to you.  Heaps better than melatonin.