The REM Trials

Chapter 7

I knock on the door to Mum's new apartment, dread filling me with each resounding thump. This is going to be the first time my mum and I will be in the same room for more than five minutes since I got out of the hospital from the second incident with Henry. Not to mention, she's the one that shipped me off like an unwanted package to Dad.

The door swings open to reveal my Mum, her long light hair pulled up in a high ponytail. "Lia," She whispers with a smile that's not as forced as it was when I last saw her, "C'mon in. I've almost got all your boxes in your room whenever you want to unpack or go through them."

I nod with a forced smile and desperately rack my brain for a decent conversation topic. "So—um—how was the trip?"

Mum lets out a heavy sigh and rubs the bridge of her nose when she notices my nervous disposition. "Don't do that to me, Amelia. I've told you a hundred times, I didn't send you here as a punishment. You needed help that I couldn't provide, and it was killing me to see my baby girl in so much pain like that."

"I know. It's actually been nice out here. The kids at school don't gawk at me, Dad actually looks me in the eye, and even Pepper doesn't flinch when I move too quickly." I tell her with a bitter grin. "Not to mention, no one's busting out microscopes and waivers to do medical testing on me."

"Jim only wanted to help." She counters with crossed arms. "He really wants to make it up to you for everything."

"Well, he'll get plenty of chances now that we're back in the same country." My bag falls to the floor with a thump relieving my shoulder of the pressure. I drop my head as Dad's voice and advice rings through my head. "I'm sorry. I know I've been a bit of a priss lately, but Dad's helping me work through everything."

Mum nods her head and closes the distance between us to wrap me in a hug. "Yeah, but I haven't exactly been the best either. Maybe you could stay for dinner, and we catch up?"

"I—I'd like that, Mum." I question as I pull away. "Will Jim be back in time to join us?"

"Probably, it depends on how long it takes for him to get himself settled at the lab." She brushes a strand of hair behind my ear as her eyes trace over my features. "Sometimes I can't believe how much you look like Tony, yet somehow exactly like your Grandpa."

"Nan always said the same thing." I grab my bag and turn to the hallway. "Anyway, I'm gonna go unpack before dinner. I'm pretty sure Dad said that he wants me to stay here tonight while he and the team work out some stuff."

"I don't even want to know what's he gotten you into." Mum complains and turns back to her maze of boxes. "Just remind him what happens if he drags you into trouble."

"Will do, Mum." I call over my shoulder and peek into the rooms I pass by until I find the one with a piles of boxes labeled with my name. The walls are already painted a slate grey, bed pushed into the dimmest corner, and curtains already hung to block out extra light.

I let out a sigh as I tumble onto my mattress. It feels weird being under the same roof as my Mum after over three months of living with Dad and the team. I'll admit I've grown accustomed to the quiet footsteps and almost constant buzzing of more than a few people around. This just feels like a step backwards.

Something about it just doesn't feel right. Not just staying here, but with the flimsy excuse Dad gave for why I needed to out of the Tower. He seemed pretty worried about something when he called.

Maybe it has to do with that secret project he's been working on. I bite my lip as my mind mulls over ways to get my mind off of it. "ARTI, can you scan the boxes and give me an itemized list of contents? If I have to unpack everything, I'd rather do it strategically."

"Right away." ARTI retorts and soon enough the list displays across my lenses and shifts with each box.

"And, while you're at it, can you maybe open the backdoor in FRIDAY's system to find out what my Dad's working on. I'll talk you through it while we work."

It takes four boxes and a dresser full of clothes before I finally get to the bottom of the secret project and what's bugging my dad, which happen to be two separate things. And the moment I understand the latter, an all consuming guilt washes over me. "This is why snooping is wrong, Lia."

Is there a 'worst daughter of the year' award or mug? 'Cause I know what I should get for my birthday. I deserve something horrible after this kind of violation of my Dad's personal life.

I tap my phone against my leg and debate whether or not to call him to make sure he's not doing something stupid. Except, in doing so, I basically admit to my dad that I know exactly what he didn't tell me or want me to know.

But right now, I'm more worried about him than how mad he'll be that I found out.

The phone rings a couple times after I press it to my ear. "Hey, bug. What's up?" He opens, and I can hear the strain in his voice. "Don't tell me, your Mom is already driving you nuts?"

"Not yet. She's mostly just having me unpack my room while she orders takeaway and searches for the movie collection." I pause and fiddle with the fabric of my sweatpants. "I actually was calling to check up on you."

"Why would you—?"

"I know Pepper left." I say as quickly as I can before rushing to continue on. "Also, you're going to do a presentation at MIT and didn't tell me? You know, it's on my list of universities to look into."

"How did you find out about those things?" There's a pause before he finds the answer on his own. "Nope, don't answer that question. I have a better one. How did you get into my system?"

"It's a long story. Plenty of loopholes, backdoors, and unrefined coding methods. Trust me, I am not proud of it and can help you fix the system later. The main point is that I'm really sorry for snooping and wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'll live, bug." He tells me with a heavy sigh. "But, I could use some company on my MIT trip this weekend. It will give us plenty of time to talk about your misdirected skills and the morals of breaking into my system to snoop."

"Sounds good to me. Just remember I did it with the utmost love in my heart." I tell him with a nervous smile that he can't see. "I'll see you in the morning, Dad. I love you."

"Love you too, bug." He replies happily before hanging up.

I smile down at my dark phone screen and feel a little accomplished knowing that Dad's doing okay. Except, it only lasts for a moment before Mum pokes her head in. "Food's here, and I got one of your favorite movies queued up."

"Great. I'll be there in a second." I tell her with a forced smile. There's something I didn't bring up with Dad, and it's bugging me. Maybe he doesn't know about it yet, or maybe he hasn't said anything since it's not public knowledge. Either way, I have a sinking feeling in my gut about it.

It doesn't take a psychic or a meteorologist to see the storm brewing, and I have a feeling that the Sokovia Accords might tear us all apart.