Her Pet Project

Part 4

Seven hours later, Beth was sitting on the Quinjet with her laptop, cross-checking her calculations, when Nat came and sat beside her. "Do you ever stop?" Nat asked.

Nat glanced at Bucky. Yep, he was staring, his gaze icy and unwavering. "He's a complicated one," Nat remarked.

Beth sighed, "I thought we were getting along, and now it's like I'm either invisible or diseased."

Nat smirked, "Welcome to the world of superheroes and their complicated relationships. He'll come around, or he won't. Either way, focus on the mission."

The Quinjet hummed with the sound of its engines as Beth continued to check her calculations, trying to divert her attention from the unsettling tension. The mission ahead required her full concentration, and she couldn't afford to be distracted by personal dynamics.

As the Quinjet flew over the vast Atlantic, Beth couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension about what awaited them at Project Horizon.

Natasha placed a hand on Beth's shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze. "We've got your back. Just focus on making sure those nanotech gadgets work as intended."

Beth nodded, appreciating the support. "I'll make sure they do."

With determination, Beth turned her attention back to her laptop, mentally preparing for the mission ahead and pushing aside the unease that lingered in the air.

Some hours later, Clint was waking Beth up.

"Come on, Sunshine. The jet is refuelling, and so are we."

Sleepily, Beth stirred. "Coffee?"

"If you get up, Sam and Bucky have gone ahead. Nat's just refreshing up," Clint said as he slipped on a hoodie.

Sorting herself in time for Nat to finish using the bathroom, the three of them headed off the jet and into Paris airport while the jet was being fueled.

Sitting at a café table in the airport, Beth people watched as friends and families hurried, the odd loud business person on their phone and scattered sleeping travellers filled the airport. Her focus was mainly on families; the dynamics were almost foreign.

Dad's carrying or pushing most of the baggage, Mother's looking tired but still managing to herd their children along.

Beth could not help but wonder what travelling with family was like. Her mother could never afford it, and she never wanted to go anywhere with her father. He had long been absent in her life, and for all Beth knew, she could have a large family waiting on his side of the family. However, she was never brave enough to ask her mum because she remembered the look of distress when Beth tried asking.

At this time, she thought of her phone. She should check in with Tony or call her Mum's nursing home for an update. Pulling out the phone Tony had given her from her pocket. She turned it on.

Clint sat down at the table, placing a coffee in front of her. Nat placed three slices of chocolate cake, hot chocolate fudge sauce, and ice cream on her tray. "I thought something sugary would keep our energy up," Nat said.

Clint laughed and grabbed a plate. "You don't need to lie to us," he winked.

"Never lie about cake, especially chocolate cake," Beth added, taking a slice.

Beth's new phone had now powered on, and a flurry of messages, emails and missed calls bombarded it.

Picking up in her free hand, she began scrolling through them. Again, an unknown number had spammed a five-digit number with jumbled text. There must have been about twenty to twenty-five occurrences, but the five-digit number changed, adding a date of 14th May 1995.