Unexpected

Ringing in the New Year

Despite the darkness and horror of everything that went down in Miami, the rest of my Christmas day and the few days leading up to New Years was quaint, quiet, and pretty darn picturesque. No one would have guessed that I lived a life full of aliens, demigods, agents, and world crises if they'd seen my grandmother and I bake cookies and prepare other treats for the small New Years party we were throwing, or my grandfather and I shoveling snow, or the three of us all together in the living room with steaming mugs and our new books clasped in hand. It was peaceful and happy, just playing boggle, listening to my grandmother chat, and giggling whenever Grumps nodded off while watching the news. It reminded me of old times when my life was average.

Of course, a little bit of Miami swooped into the news and thus into our little bubble of contentment. Such a catastrophe as the destruction of the Roxon Corporation's oil rig couldn't go unnoticed by the press. When Grumps called Grams' attention to the screen the day after Christmas I looked up and watched the newscaster describe the event as an oil fire gone terribly wrong. S.H.I.E.L.D. no doubt had their hand in the cover-up. I had to admit they were good, though at the same time I cringed a bit internally at the blatant lie being told to the public. They had no idea what had really gone on. With a trained face I gaped at the devastation of the rig along with my grandparents.

A few days later it was announced that the vice president of the United States had been arrested. The news said that they didn't know why, but it was suspected that the vice president had been caught up in supporting illegal actions to gain the position of president.

"I saw that he claimed he did it for his family," Great Aunt Lori said over a hand of cards on New Years Eve night. Our intimate party of my grandparents and I along with Great Aunt Lori and Great Uncle Jim, and a few other friends of my grandparents, including my Grumps' shooting buddies, had decided a small party of games, finger foods, and brightly colored plastic bowler hats would be fun. I'd invited some of my own friends to join us, but many were out of state for school or work, and the ones that were nearer to our hometown had plans with their own families or boyfriends or whatever. Of course with such huge news being spewed on the television, it became a center of conversation.

"Well, I'd like to know what he did in the first place before I learn his reasons for it." Grumps grumbled as he drew another card, scowling at it. Apparently it was not the card he was hoping for.

I knew what had happened. Once I'd seen the announcement on the news, I remembered the call Stark had made to the vice president while we'd been on the boat driving to the oil rig. I'd called Agent Jenkins shortly after, having made an excuse to my grandparents that I needed the lavatory. She'd informed me that he'd been the political patron for the Mandarin, hoping that Killian's work with Extremis would be able to make his little granddaughter walk again as one of her legs was missing from the knee down. As I sat here now at the table though, watching my Great Uncle munch on guacamole as he played a card, I obviously couldn't tell them this.

"I've heard so many conspiracies about it that I'm just sick of it." Kari, one of my grandmother's friends said, playing a five of hearts which set us all into a groan of defeat.

"I'm with you there." I agreed, laying out my cars on the table to count my points. Honestly, I kept so many secrets these days, and having them all talk about the vice president and the oil rig was not helping me, "Anyways, it's New Years Eve! Midnight's in two hours and we'll be in a new year! A better year, hopefully! We should focus on happier, less conspiratorial things, like how I'm gonna beat you all next hand!"

"Oh really?" Earl asked leaning back in his chair as Grumps took note of everyone's points for that round. Grumps' shooting buddy's general competitiveness had been getting the better of him all night, "You haven't won a single round yet!"