Avengers Assemble

Red Assasin

I know he sees the tear. I hear him gasp and turn to look away. Mom taught me to listen.

Mom.

Every time she goes on one of her "trips" she comes back late at night. Tonight is the night she said she would be back.

I can stay up. Dad will never know. Dad is just like Bridger and I am like Mom. Well, Bridger has no brains whatsoever, and I probably couldn't kill a man in a dress. If I could even function in a dress.

I open the door to my room and flip on the switch. The overhead light illuminates my bed and my sad little desk. I sneak to my closet, making sure my brother and dad do not hear me.

Then, I hit an actual switch.

It opens up the secret door behind my Tennis uniform from last year. No one would dare touch something so "nerdy" and school spirited. At least, not in this family.

Then, I hit the button inside the secret door.

Every lair needs at least two things that keep people out of it. This button lowers the floor to the basement, sort of like an elevator. Except this elevator is personal.

I step into my lair, a room hidden behind a wall of bricks in the basement. I fire up all the computers. I have six in total, built from the random pieces Dad throws out. At least I get somethings from him.

While my idiot brother works on building himself up to beat up the guy who almost killed me, I'm going to find who saved me. At least, until Mom gets home. Then I'll ask her all about her trip.

Then I'll ask her to make some real food. Dad's cooking stinks.

I have already taken a mold of the handprint she made in the truck. Finger print analysis should pin point her. I lean back in my chair, letting the machine do the work.

My mind wanders for a bit, finally ending up with the conversation with Bridger, the deck of cards still in my hands. I spin a couple of cards around my thumb, my form of a stress ball. I still don't understand him and how he can't pick up on a few simple Russian words. Or how he thinks he's being a great big brother by pounding the firefighter who simply didn't see me.

Or how he doesn't understand how hard I'm trying.