chrysalism. n.
the amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm, listening to waves of rain pattering against the roof like an argument upstairs, whose muffled words are unintelligible but whose crackling release of built-up tension...
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New York, New York. May 21st, 2017. 4:58 am. Avengers Compound.
Malone yawned as the car pulled up to a security gate, her eyes half-closed, slumped on the window in the backseat of the car Happy'd loaded them into moments after the private jet touched down. A punch to her shoulder jolted her awake.
"Get up, we're here," Kenny just about squealed. She rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times, it had been a long day. Before they left for the airport, the band was packing up all their equipment for hours. They had waited until the last minute to pack up the instruments to get the most practice time possible before they left for New York. They were all pushing 24 hours awake. She looked out the windshield and saw it, Avengers Compound. A sprawling modern white building with walls of glass. Happy drove the car around the circular drive and stopped in front of the door, the band piled out and grabbed their things from the back while Happy used his keycard to unlock the front door.
"Okay, so, you're all going to have keycards that you have to keep up with; you only get one. These will unlock the doors so you can come and go as you please. They also unlock the doors in the studio, so you can go in there whenever," Happy explained as he passed out the ID cards on Stark Industries lanyards. "The first person you'll meet, Friday."
"Good morning, Mr. Hogan. The time is 5:00 AM," a panel of windows lit up like a computer screen, just transparent - as the female voice echoed.
"Hello, Friday. This is the band Stark signed," Happy talked to the air, much to the astonishment of the 4 people behind him. "Friday can do anything you ask her to, so just holler if you need something. Uh, your floor is the 5th, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms. Full kitchen, all of that. If you make a grocery list with Friday, she'll send it off to one of the assistants and they'll be delivered to you. Any questions?"
"Uh, are we allowed to interact with The Avengers?" Ryan asked like an excited child.
"Well, most of them like to keep to themselves, but," Happy was cut off by the sound of footsteps. He stiffened at the noise, not thinking anyone was supposed to be awake. "Hello?" He called. The footsteps drew nearer, and a silhouette of a man came into view. Cole instinctively put an arm in front of Malone protectively.
"Happy?" The voice called.
"Oh, Barnes?" Happy relaxed, but Cole didn't budge. A broad guy stepped into the light. He was wearing a long-sleeve black T-shirt and jeans, hands stuffed in the pockets. He had shoulder-length brown hair and a scruffy beard, Malone could barely see the features of his face in the fading moonlight. "What are you doing up?"
"Just, walking, I guess," the man answered, his voice low with a tone of slight fear. He eyed the 4 people standing behind Happy, his eyes stopping on the brunette girl and staring at her as she stared through him for only a moment before moving his gaze back to Happy.
