Rise || Marvel

《36》He's a Friend From Work

(Song: This Is Our Time - Fireflight)

《 Tia's POV 》 

Huh, a cat.

"We're being chased! Why the heck are we hiding behind a rubbish bin staring at a CAT?!"

Damn, he's right. Insert pouty face here.

Granted, Harley was doing a rather good job at not freaking out in our current situation. Maybe he's used to seeing weird stuff go down.

"Where do you suggest we do, then?" I retorted. I was actually genuinely curious about what he would suggest.

"Well, I dunno!" Harley peeked around the edge of the bin, "I don't really know this city that well! Haven't you got some friends that we could go to for help?"

"First of all, I could burn that creep to a crisp," I grumbled, hoping to the high heavens that this statement could be true, "Secondly, if this guy is really after us, I don't want to drag anyone else into this! ESPECIALLY if they're innocent civilians!"

"...Fair enough. I'm still confused. We look super suspicious just crouching behind a bin," Harley deadpanned, rising to his feet. Still crouched down, I rabbit-hopped after Harley as he edged back onto the street.

"What is with kids these days..." Grumbled an elderly man walking past, shooting me a weird look, "Always acting like they're high on sugar... Or worse."

He shuffled away, muttering under his breath. I gaped after him in amazement, not even offended at the snarky comment.

"Holy shit, did we just get a Stan Lee cameo?" I whispered excitedly, craning my neck to peer after the man, but he had unfortunately disappeared into the thriving crowd already, "Aww, damn! He didn't stick around to say hi!"

Then, just to add to my habit of tripping over, my phone ringtone started blaring from my pocket, causing me to face-plant a lamp-post, and Harley to nearly stumble over his own shoelaces.

"So, Vally wasn't kidding when she told me you're insanely clumsy...!" Laughed a female voice. A pair of shoes stopped beside me. A familiar shade of dark pink dyed hair swayed slightly in front of my vision.

"I have a special skill-set. Also, what the hell sort of nickname is 'Vally'?" I grunted, allowing the helpful hand Sonia was offering me. She was dressed in a sundress and jean jacket, and had her hair in a pair of plaits.

"Nuh uh, no negativity!" Sonia smiled widely. I snorted, quickly pulling out my phone and pressing the 'Accept Call' button upon realising it was from Shuri.

"What just happened?" The female voice demanded immediately, "You came back into the lab, then the power went out and I heard some loud smashing noise?"

"Unfinished business," I mumbled.

"Not meaning to interrupt, but Stalker Guy is just across the street and is staring at us right now," Harley piped up quietly. I followed his gaze. Sure enough, Shady Dude was now crossing the street (weaving uncomfortably through the traffic).

"Call him Shady Dude... It's an established nickname of sorts... We gotta go," I groaned, "I'll call you back later, Shuri. Harley, this is Sonia. Sonia, this is Harley. Welcome to chaos. Do you still have that little taser-like thing Tony gave you?"

"Huh, oh... Yeah... How do you even know- nevermind," Harley slipped his hand into his jacket pocket, where I noticed the outline of his fist clenched around some sort of object.

Nice.

"Er, what's going on?" Sonia chirped, smiling in polite confusion while glancing back over her shoulder as the three of us speed-walked down the street.