Chapter 24

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Percy and his new friend Grover were coloring together for a while, going through three or four pages in their books. The teacher seemed fine with letting them do their own thing for now since they weren't being disruptive. There were some kids that kept trying to eat glue, which Percy didn't understand because glue smelt yucky and he thought it'd taste just as yucky.

"Why do you keep looking at her?" Grover asked when he saw his younger friend look over in the direction of a small blonde.

"She has pretty eyes," Percy responded, not noticing how the other was staring at him intently. "Do you know her name?"

Grover shook his head, nearly stumbling as he adjusted his crutches on his arms, "I don't know. I have to use the bathroom."

As Percy watched his friend leave, he couldn't help but feel like he did something wrong, especially when his friend didn't come back after a few minutes. He colored a dinosaur, giving it a bright blue body and orange eyes, but soon found the activity to be boring without someone else next to him.

"Everything okay, sweetie?" Ms. Lamber asked as she knelt down next to where he was sitting. "Why are you all alone?"

"I'm waiting," Percy answered, coloring a small dot on the corner of his page as he fidgeted. He casted his eyes at the blonde that was now done with more than half of her book, "Who's she?" There were two older kids with her now, one that had brown hair like Uncle Birdie and another that had black hair like Jim Jam's was sometimes. They seemed to be pointing towards the door and Percy wondered if they were leaving. He saw Grover with them as was sad to realize his friend wasn't coming back to color with him.

Ms. Lamber turned to look at where he was pointing and Percy couldn't help but feel like he did something very very wrong when she frowned. "I've never seen them before..." She stood up, brushing off some lint off her pants as she did, "I'll be right back, okay? I'm going to talk to them."

Percy wanted to stop her because Grover was his friend and he didn't want Ms. Lamber to do anything. Grover didn't go to the school? There had to be a reason but he didn't know. What he did know was that he couldn't let his teacher talk to them. So, Percy did the one thing he knew other kids his age did to get attention.

His eyes welled up with tears and Percy screamed.

Ms. Lamber flinched in surprise and she whirled around to face the child, her eyes taking him in to make sure he was not injured. She knelt next to him again, asking what was wrong, trying to run her hands soothing up and down his arms.

Percy was a blubbering mess, speaking nonsense as he flailed his arms and cried. Through his tears, however, he could see Grover staring at him and he managed a tiny wink at his friend. He continued to talk nonsense even after the blonde girl, Grover, and their two companions left.

"Honey, are you okay?" Ms. Lamber asked when Percy's crying died down to small hiccups. "What happened?"

"I-I ripped my dinosaur," Percy whimpered as he held up his coloring page that was, indeed, ripped a bit along the dinosaur's tail. "Now- Now I can't give it to my d-daddy..."

Ms. Lamber's face softened and she nodded, "It's okay, we can tape it and it'll be good as new." She held a hand out to him to help the child up, "Come on, let's go fix it." When she glanced in the direction the four children were at, they were no where in sight.

"Okay..." Percy beamed, his tears seemingly forgotten. "And then- And then can I eat my sandwiches?"

"Of course," Ms. Lamber nodded, her lips pulled into a fake smile as she thought about those four people and how Percy started crying only when she got up to confront them. "Percy, did you know those kids?"

"Nu-uh," The six year-old shook his head. "I'm too little."

As Ms. Lamber got the tape, Percy let his gaze wander around the room. As it settled on the front door, his eyes widened with horror and he let the most terrified shriek out as he ran to hide.

Tony was in a board meeting with Pepper, this one hosted in Avengers Tower, when Steve ran into the room. The Stark watched as the soldier's face flushed as everyone looked over at him but the blonde looked straight at Tony.

"Stark, Gabe Ugliano is at Percy's school."

"Go, Tony," Pepper said, already gathering up the paperwork. "I'll handle everything here."

The billionaire didn't need to be told twice as he tapped his earpiece, "Talk to me, J."

"Agent Romanoff and Dr. Banner are inbound to Mini Stark's location. ETA five minutes. Mr. Hogan is already waiting for you downstairs. Despite how urgent the situation is, I felt that it would only endanger Mini Stark should we bring the suit."

"Good thinking, J," Tony murmured before taking the stairs, running down them at speeds that would make Cap proud. In a blink, James was going down the stairs next to him, eyes cold.

James glanced at him, a Slavic tint in his voice as he said, "Right by your side, Doll."

Tony nodded, not even noticing his labored breathing as both he and James got into the back of the vehicle. He didn't even have to say anything to Happy, the driver already pulling out of the area with a hard look on his face.

"Gods, if he touches Percy..." The Billionaire ran a hand down his face, his shoulders shaking with barely suppressed anger.

"I will kill him myself," The Winter Soldier said, voice thick with his Russian accent. "He will not live to see another day. Keeping him alive for this long was a mistake on everyone's part. He will be terminated."

Tony's mouth stretched into a cold grin, "Good."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

This is a short boi but it's cause I have things planned o:

Words: 1,023

Picture: My amazing turtle in the game Turtle Evolution that I have named Arnold

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