Nick Fury is my Uncle -COMPLETED-

Chapter Three: Things Are About to Get Real

Chapter Three: Things Are About to Get Real

Steve Rogers: What's the matter, scared of a little lightning?

Loki: I'm not overly fond of what follows...

-From the Avengers

I looked at the phone for a second and then turned back to the closet. “Back to step one,” I said. I pulled on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans and grabbed the gun from the safe, along with the case of bullets.

I sat back on the bed and simply stared at the gun. I’d never actually seen a gun except for in movies. Almost as if by their own free will, my fingers slid the bullets into the chamber as if it were nothing.

Ryder had said to tuck it into the waistband, so I did. If he ever got caught with this, he’d be expelled in a snap, and a lot more than that. That made me even more nervous.

The glasses, where were his glasses? I found then on the bedside table and slid them on my face. Suddenly, everything was so much clearer.

I put the bullets back in the safe and swung it close. The closet wall immediately slid back into place. I pulled on the jacket Ryder usually wore too, hoping no one would notice the bulge of the gun.

Then again, I’d known Ryder for most of my life and had never noticed the gun before. I slid the phone in my back pocket, grabbed Ryder’s backpack that was sitting by the door, and then headed downstairs.

Ryder’s dad, or, should I say, Luke, was halfway out the door.

“C’mon, kid, you’re late. I almost left you behind,” said Luke.

“Uh, sorry, Dad,” I said. That sounded weird. “What about Seth?”

“Devin’s picking him up, like always,” said Luke, looking at me weird. “Are you feeling okay?”

I thought my cover was blown. “W-what? I feel fine.”

Luke frowned, as if he didn’t believe me. “Are you sure you’re up to this? Being back at school full time?”

I nodded, “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”                  

“Call me if anything happens, okay?” he said.

“Sure,” I said.

What had that been? Ryder had missed a lot of school lately. He said it was strep throat. But Luke had never struck me as the sensitive type, more like the parent who says ‘you’re fine, go to school’ when you’ve got a headache the size of China.

I pushed the thought aside and followed after Luke.

We exited the house and I climbed into the passenger seat of the car. The ride there, Luke stayed silent. He must not have been a morning person.

We pulled up to Holden High School. Before I got out, Luke grabbed my arm. "Ryder, if anything happens, call you know who first, okay? He'll know what to do."

"Whose..." I stopped myself and carefully disengaged my arm from Luke's grip. "I will, Dad, promise."

I had almost slipped. I had to ask Ryder about this. I couldn't risk making that sort of mistake. 

Luke sat back in his seat, looking dissatisfied. I got out and slammed the door, not brave enough to look back.

There was no one hanging around the front of the school, which must have meant everyone was inside. I was late.

Oh, yeah. I had forgotten. Ryder was always late. If he was here at all.

I hurried up the front steps and through the main doors. The halls were practically empty. I winced when the one-minute bell rang. I was never late for class, never.

Well, I already had practice having panic attacks, so it was all good.

Then something horrible stuck me. I did not know where Ryder’s locker was. I did not know what his combination was. I didn’t even know what his first class was. We didn’t hang out very much at school.

I snatched out Ryder’s phone and texted him.

Where is ur locker? What is ur combo? Where am I going?

I restrained myself from adding fifty exclamation points.

Ryder – or me, I suppose – was quick to reply.

271. 15-23-28. Mrs. Brooks. LA.

The last bell rang. I returned the phone to my pocket and tried not to sprint to Ryder’s locker. I was going to be late anyway. Briefly, I wondered how Ryder had known where to go.

I found his locker and had to redo the combination eight times before it clicked open. I shoved his backpack in and rifled through it. There were two binders inside labeled Math and History.

Not good. This was not good. Had I left the LA binder at Ryder’s house on accident?

This may seem like a silly thing to be freaking out about, but you don’t know me. I am so organized that I color code my homework. If I get a B, I cry.

Then I glanced up at the top shelf and saw the other three binders sitting there. I exhaled, relieved, and grabbed the LA binder.

That’s when I sprinted.

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Kay so that's that.

Hope you enjoyed.

I just started that quote thing. If you know any good movie quotes, I'd love to hear them.

Ironman voted for this. You should too.

No, he really didn't, but you should vote anyway. It would be awesome if he did though.

And Hulk followed me.

He didn't either. But you still should. :)