Ms. Stark [Peter Parker]

Chapter 10| Approval

MARIA
3:21 pm; Thursday- Avenger's Facility

Music blasted loudly as Peter and I entered the lab.

"Come on Brucie, music helps the brain think straight. It will probably help you with- you know- your anger issues."

I turned my head over the corner of the lab, to peek at my dad slightly swaying his body to the rock music, while Bruce focused on the task at hand. Which I am assuming, is setting up the things for us.

"Classical music is what helps the brain, Tony. Not this rock or whatever you call it music." I put a hand over my mouth, trying to cover up my laugh as I watched my dad bob his head to the music. Bruce scoffed in judgment at the man.

"Music is music. Either way-"

"Mr. Stark?" We all turned back to see Peter, watching the grown men with confused eyes. He didn't dare spy on them like me.

"Hey kid," my dad said, then turned to me, "oh and hello tiger." I smiled at my nickname as I shook my head. Bruce glanced up from the tablet in his hand to look at Peter and me, but quickly went back to focusing on the device.

"Come over here you two. Bruce doesn't bite," my dad said, earning a glare from the doctor. I just smiled as I walked over to the table they were at.

I stood next to my dad, as Peter walked across from me next to the grumpy Bruce.

I looked down and observed the table, to see in fact it wasn't a table at all. It was a huge hologram, almost tablet-like. I noticed that the tablet in Bruce's arm controlled the reflector, as the screen would change with the flick of his fingers.

"See this?" Bruce asked as he pointed to yellow marks on a map. As I examined closer, I began to notice the marks weren't just random, but they were at the Avenger's facility.

"This is a tracker. It represents you both," he said without my response, as he began to zoom in.

"Its a tracker on Peter's suit." I looked at my dad to see that he is now interested, as he too looked down at the board. Peter sent him a small frown.

"You still have the tracker on there!?"

"Yep."

My dad had a proud smile on his face as he avoided Peter's eyes.

"Anyway," Bruce said, annoyed.

"Do you see the red tinting around the mark? That represents what we believe T.E.D." I notice a red radiation surrounding the yellow mark.

"Look at the red tint from a week ago." He flipped the screen to what the map looked a week ago, and the red tinting was much farther away.

I put the information together, "So they're getting closer to us?"

"Yes. But we don't know exactly what or where they are, so this is what worries us." My dad had his arms crossed, with his lips pressed into a fine line as he continued to examine.

"So they can be anyone?" Peter finally spoke up. I almost forgot he was there. Both the men nodded, not taking their eyes off the technology.

"We are putting you two out on sort of 'missions'," my dad quoted with his hands.

"Even though we don't know exactly where they are, we have places we suspect they can be located at. So whenever we find the place, we send you two there."

"Which we will be doing tomorrow." I turned my head to see Steve enter the lab, along with Sam at his left side.

"Capsicle and birdie! What a pleasant surprise!" my dad exclaimed, with open arms.

"What do you mean, 'we will be doing tomorrow'?" Bruce inquired, ignoring the obnoxious man.

"Someone working for T.E.D will be at Stanley's bar tomorrow. At least, that's what we think," Sam said, answering the confused scientist. My father furrowed his eyebrows, as it all tried to make sense to him.

"So you're saying we're sending Maria and Peter out to the bar?"

"Wait for what?" Peter instantly said, right after hearing the clarification.

"Tomorrow, at ten, Maria and you will go to Stanley's bar. We will help prepare you tomorrow," Steve talked to Peter, while I let everything sink in.

How would we get into the bar? I mean, most seventeen-year-olds could pass easily as twenty-one but what about ID's?

"How are-" a buzzing from my dad's phone cut him off, while the familiar ringtone came on. Last week I changed it to Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun, and he forgot to change it back. I laughed at him while he sent me a silent glare as he put the phone to his ear.

"Hello Pepper?" he asked, more of commented while everybody remained silent. I heard muffled talking on the other end, but it was hard to make out.

"Crap! Forgot you made that tonight. We'll be home soon. Love you, bye," he said, as he ended the call. Everybody looked at him for an explanation of what was going on.

"Pepper made some food tonight and we were supposed to be back by six." I looked down at my watch to see it was six seventeen. Pepper must be angry.

"So are we going to the bar tomorrow?" Peter looked just at my father, ignoring everybody else's approval besides my father's. He sighed as he looked at Steve, who rose his eyebrows at him.

"Well...?"

"Yes, yes. I suppose so."

I made a small fist of victory, excited this would be my first mission. While Peter, on the other hand, had a look of concern in his eyes realizing we would be going to a not only large but popular bar. Bruce could care less as he worked on the tablet.

My cheering ended though as a finger was pointed straight in my face.

"I don't want you drinking any alcoholic drinks or talking to creeps. You got that?" my dad said sternly to me, as he looked at me with big harsh eyes.

"She's a Stark. Drinking is in her blood," Sam joked, while I wheezed. I thought I even saw a small smile creep on Steve's face.

"Haha, very funny," my dad said dryly, as everybody left the room to head their own ways.