The Valiant (The Seventh Avenger)

Chapter 29

~Three Months Later~

"Hey Happy, can you drive me and Peter to the movies?" I ask. "Michelle and Ned said that they can't make it and I've been dying to see this movie."

"Are the two of you going to do anything else?" Happy asks as Tony walks into the kitchen.

"Maybe grab a bite to eat at a pizza joint," I simply say.

"Wait, what's happening?" Tony asks.

"She's going to the movies with Peter," Happy says and Tony looks over at me, not smiling anymore.

"Are the two of you dating?" He asks. "'Cause if you are I'm going to have to have a talk with this kid and you're too young to be dating."

"Tony relax, we're not dating and I am not ready to be in a relationship at the moment. Plus, if we were dating I wouldn't have given it away that easy," I joke but Tony stops midway to having a drink of his coffee.

"Kid, seriously are the two of you dating?" He says.

"No, the only reason the two of us are going is that Ned and Michelle couldn't make it. I'll keep in touch with you and Happy," I raise my wrist to show him I still have the bracelet on that analyzes my heartbeat, "and I still have this thing so you can track where I am. I promise I will be careful, I'm just trying to keep the normal life until the end of the school year 'cause I don't know how much I'll be able to see them after that."

"OK, but only if you keep in touch, OK? Do you need any money?" Tony says as he pulls out his wallet.

"No, no I'm all set, thank you though," I say but he still hands me three twenties.

"Pay for the movie tickets and the pizza," He says, "as a way to make up for him not being able to come over here."

"Thank you, Tony," I hug him and look over at Happy. "Is it Ok if we leave now, the show is in two hours and a half but we don't know how long it will take us to get there?"

Happy nods and says bye to Tony before following me to the elevator. I pat Bella on the head as we pass by her. She's housebroken and I just returned from a walk with her to Central Park. Her tail wags and I give her a kiss on the forehead before the doors close between us.

~One Hour Later~

"Happy Birthday, Grace!" Peter comes into the car and hands me a gift wrapped in blue with a green ribbon. A black car passes by us as we sit there for a few moments, Happy looks back at us through the rearview mirror, his eyes looking between us as we both look at the gift.

"Peter you shouldn't have!" I say, my birthday was in a few days and I wasn't really expecting something big from anyone.

"Go on! Open it!" He says but Happy interrupts us.

"Sorry to break up the whole celebration, but which movie theater are you going to?" I give him the address, we're going to an AMC which will take us about a half hour to get there from Peter's house depending on the traffic. I look at Peter and smile before tearing the paper apart to see a box. I open the box and a large scrapbook sits inside. We begin to drive back towards the city, weaving our way through the streets to get to the city quickly by avoiding traffic.

"Peter, you shouldn't have," I say and take the book out of the box.

"Actually, Michelle, Ned and I worked on it and since I was seeing you today they thought it would be best for me to give it to you."

"Thank you," I say and I couldn't wipe my smile off my face but it suddenly disappears when Happy says four simple words.

"There's someone following us." I turn my whole body around to see a black van with two men sitting in the front. Both of which are wearing sunglasses which is strange due to the fact that it is getting dark out, the guy in the passenger seat is holding something up to his ear. I twist my body back around.

"Happy, get us out of here," I say, there's something up and these men must know that I'm in here. All of a sudden Happy pulls out his cell phone and begins to dial a number before putting it up to his ear.

"Grace!" I look over at Peter in time to see another black van come charging towards us at least 65mph. I feel the lurch of the car but Happy was too late, the car plows into us and we flip over one-two-three times before stopping over upside down.

"Happy! Happy!" He groans in the front seat, a large gash slices the left side of his face. I burning sensation comes from the right side of my head and I place my hand against it which comes back with blood soaked onto it. I quickly unbuckle my seatbelt when the sound of tires screeching comes from outside, I fall to the ceiling and reach over to Peter's side. "Peter, I need you to run, I'm going to kick the side of the door out and you need to run."

"What about you?" He asks and I shake my head. "No, I'm not leaving without you!"

"Peter that's flattering and all, but I need you to call Tony Stark," his eyes widen, footsteps are barely heard outside of the car due to the fact of the car hissing in the front. Mumbles sound and a butt of a rifle is placed against the window before being pulled back and smashing it. I cover my face and block Peter from getting shards hit against him. I pull my foot back and kick the window off its hinges, sending it flying in the opposite direction. My hands push Peter out of the car as I follow, I hand him my phone before screaming at him to run as I turn around, but it was too late. The butt of a rifle comes at me and hits me in the face, forcing my vision to fill with bright white light.

"Grace!" Peter's voice comes from somewhere. I groan when I try to move my head but I am greeted by pain instead.

"After the boy!" A man shouts near me. My eyes pop open and despite my head's protest, I force myself to stand and summon flames to surround my arms, my jaw clenches from the pain pounding in my head and my body throbbing. I open my eyes and try to focus on the blurry images that surround me. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Did you truly believe you would get away that easily?"

A pinch comes from my neck and quickly numbs as my neck slumps along with the rest of my body. I collapse to my knees as the flames quickly disappear from my arms, I man grabs onto me before I collapse. I knew one last thing I had to do before I get forced into sleep. I reach out towards his mind and make him know that Happy is dead despite the fact he is alive. The last thing I hear is Peter struggling against these men as a door closes, the last thing I smell is gasoline, and the last thing I feel is me being lift off the ground as my heart drops and my bracelet being taken off.