SHE | Marvel's Avengers [10]

Chapter 1 - I Want to be an Avenger!

"Baba, look! It's the bridge!" I shook my father's arm, jolting him awake. The Golden Gate Bridge was covered in cars, with boats dotting the water as we flew over on the way to the Chimera.

 "Calm down, Mzantsi," He scolded, sitting up and rolling his shoulders. We had been in the Quinjet for the past fourteen hours, flying in from Jersey City. 

 "Sorry, Baba. I'm just excited to get to the event," I apologized, shrinking in my seat as I looked around at the other kids holding their comic books.

 "There are so many kids here. I bet all their stories are better," I said insecurely.

 "Don't say that, 'antsi. Your story is the best of them all," He praised, and I smiled, looking up at him. I looked around the Quinjet, staring at all the high-tech buttons and panels in the walls. I was about to burst with excitement--I was on a Quinjet, and I had a chance to meet the Avengers! Whispers of past things people have said to me clawed at the back of my brain, but I banished them to a dark corner.

They wouldn't do anything to me, not today.

"Folks, we're approaching The Avengers West Coast Headquarters on the left," I twisted in my seat, spotting the tall silver building with the big blue A on it. "And will be touching down on the Chimera soon," A grin split across my face as the Quinjet circled the AWCH and landed on the tarmac on top of the Chimera.

I climbed out of my seat, tucking my booklet under my arm as I approached the loading door. It lowered open, the sunlight streaming in and making me squint as it shined into my eyes.

 My jaw almost dropped as I stared at the arch with Avengers Day written across the top of it. Confetti was erupting from somewhere, in red, white, and blue like Captain America and the late Leutenaniant Star.

I walked through the tunnel, staring at the massive statues of the Avengers all in different poses. Cap throwing his shield, Black Widow using her Widow's bite, Thor swinging Mjolnir, Hulk swinging at something, Iron Man striking a pose, and Snakebite hovering above the ground, ready to launch acid from her exposed wrists.

Tearing my attention from the immaculate details, I approached the desk where a woman was sitting and waiting. Comic books were lined up in a row, a monitor and welcome sign also present.

 "Welcome to Avengers Day. Hey there, Finalist! Can I get your name?" she asked.

 "Um, Abila Najafi. And this is my father," I said, resisting calling him Baba like I normally did.

 "Amir," he supplied.

 "The Najafis, great! Make sure to check out our comic scavenger hunt. Collect all 5 and get access to the VIP balcony. Once you've collected them all, just scan your phone at the elevator and you're good to go! Have fun!" she said and we stepped aside.

 "Go, have fun. But stay out of trouble, Abila. And always ndazimela," he warned.

 "I will, promise," I said, before entering the main event. An information board was playing, currently projecting a picture of Dr. Banner with information about his involvement in the discovery of Terrigen below it.

I went over to the Black Widow exhibit, where there was a fake Widow's bite sitting there. I slid it on, aiming at the red bad guys and avoiding shooting the green good guys. There were fake cars that acted as obstacles and the bad guys even had holographic guns. It was fun, and I racked up around two-hundred-fifty points before my time ran out and I had to put it back.

I collected the Black Widow comic, before turning around and heading into the arcade.

Avengers-themed games lined the walls, including a Hulk Smash game with a comic dispenser below it. I went over, putting on the fake plastic Hulk fists, the machine glowing and hissing. I pulled my arms over my head, slamming them down with all my strength. The machine wailed a little, confetti spitting out of the sides as a comic was dispersed.