Breaking the Void

Chapter 18 - Permission to Date

1 Week Later

(Your POV):
I returned to H.A.M.M.E.R.'s base, fully dressed in my Void outfit. As always, I drew attention as I walked through the corridors, no matter how many times the agents saw me. Here, I had power and my anonymity was the strongest source of it.

"You called me in?" I asked as I walked into my father's office. My mother was already sitting across from him, waiting for me, as was someone I had only met once over the phone. I gave him a nod, "Mr. Erksine."

"So now you will give me respect, huh? What happened to just calling me Jacob?" He replied and I could tell by the slight tremor in his fingers that he was still afraid of me, no matter what charade he used to disguise that fear.

"That was a different situation and got you to listen to me. Now you've listened and earned my respect," I spoke politely, knowing better than to insult him in front of my parents. I didn't respect this idiot crazed with his obsession to recreate his grandfather's achievements and I doubted my parents did either, but he paid the bills and that's what we needed.

"Mr. Erksine has his first mission for you," my mother spoke up, not even glancing over at me. "You are to steal some files."

I scoffed, "really? That's it? You could have just put that on my mission list for the day, don't you think this meeting is a bit excessive?"

"I would wait to here the whole story before making rash decisions, if I were you," my mother warned, bringing my attention to her.

However she did not elaborate and my father stepped it, "Mr. Erksine is hoping that Howard Stark may have had insight on the super soldier serum, having worked with Erksine's grandfather closely when Captain America was born."

"If Howard Stark knew how to make super soldiers we wouldn't need to be tracking down this information because he would have had it patented and used as a source of revenue. I don't see how information into Howard Stark is going to help us."

"Even so, we need to make sure that there is nothing hinted at in his files. I've already sent a team of agents to search Stark Industries, but this file isn't kept there. I suppose that it is too personal to Stark so he keeps it in his tower."

"So you want me to break into Stark Tower, home of the Avengers, to obtain Stark's file on his father?" I clarified, the impossibility of the mission already clear in my mind.

Mr. Erksine must have realized my doubts because he rose from his seat and taunted me, "I am sure that that will not be outside of your capabilities?"

I shook my head, "of course not. How long do I have to complete this mission, it will take much planning if I am to succeed."

"You have until the end of the month if you work actively to meet this task. Otherwise we cut you loose from the program," my father laid out for me and the gears in my head began to spin. "If you need any H.A.M.M.E.R. resources they will of course be at your disposal."

I suddenly remembered the party that Peter had invited me to and a smile spread across my face, concealed by the pitch black of my mask. "Yes, I will need people who can hack into Stark's security, turn certain cameras offline and make sure that his stupid A.I. does not report me."

"I take it you have a plan, then?"

"Did I ever tell you about the kid I was paired with for physics last year? He was an annoying child, but he had brains. Not to mention he was clearly attracted to me. I think I'll see if those sparks are still there."

"Why does this kid help you?" My father asked, clearly annoyed that I wasn't telling him everything.

"Oh sorry, I forgot that you didn't know. He's an intern for Tony Stark and I happened to overhear him the other discussing with his friend that Stark is having a party and he's invited. Permission to date this Parker kid, sir?"

"Permission granted, but make sure that you do not grow too attached. We can not afford your feelings getting in the way."

"Oh please, father, when have my feelings ever gotten in the way? And don't say that little girl when I was ten, I've grown much stronger since then."

"Harry Osborn," my mother piped up. Her dark eyes pierced through my mask and straight into my soul. She knew how much Harry had meant to me and it angered me to know that she was right.

"He was different. I was upset that I had failed my mission, nothing more. This Parker boy is a nuisance, but I shouldn't need to deal with him for long. I'll gain his trust and begin a relationship before the party and then continue it a week or two following so that he does not get suspicious that I simply used him. No attachments, no feelings," I promised both of my parents in an intentionally cold voice. They tried to use my connection with Harry against me, but I wasn't going to let them know just how much it hurt. I didn't let my true feelings seep into my body language and my face was concealed by my mask.

"She does seem quite heartless. I mean, she did seduce my son and drug him without feeling an ounce of regret. He's still upset over that, just so you know," Mr. Erksine tried to diffuse the tension.

I rolled my eyes, "I let him believe that he had scored, there was nothing for him to be upset over. Besides, he was a necessary pawn."

"Well, I may have informed him of what actually happened. Couldn't have my son falling so easily the next time, right?"

"Do what you need to do, Void," my father nodded to me, accepting my mission proposal. "Just don't fail us."

"Never," I replied before leaving my parents' office and completing the rest of my missions for the night.

Once that was over, I swung by Peter's apartment and found him in his room, much to my surprise. I wrapped my arms around him and asked, "what, are you not out on Spidey duties today?"

He placed a kiss on my cheek, "no, I have an English project due tomorrow that I haven't started yet. You're lucky that you took AP."

"Yeah, you should see how much Mills has assigned us so far this year and it's only going to get worse. But since I'm here, do you need any help with it?"

"I should be fine, besides I don't think your class read the same short story. Did you just come by in case I needed someone to clean me up?"

"No, I actually have some good news," I informed him with a smile spreading across my lips. "My parents have a business meeting in China the weekend of Stark's party, which means I'm free to be your plus one."

-

(A/N): Hi I accidentally wrote "her dark ears pierced pierced through my mask" and somehow missed it until my third read through of this chapter and I am now questioning what little proofreading ability I thought I had. But I did have a bit of a writing burst today and finished up this book! I'll probably continue just posting one chapter a day just so I know I'll have time to proofread and everything, but I am feeling really happy with how much I got done!