Bloodbound

5. Howard Stark?

Steve waited in his car for Wanda. Time passed but there was no sign of her. So, he went to check on her. During the year she had worked in his company, Steve had started to care for the twins like his family. The three met up regularly to catch up with each other. He walked into the lab oblivious of the situation.

"Wanda, ready to go?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I was just leaving." She turned to Howard and lowered her voice, "Sorry, Howard."

Wanda and Steve walked to the car. Steve opened the passenger door for her and he got behind the wheel. He turned the ignition and drove out into the streets of New York.

Wanda's mind was still preoccupied with the incident in Howard's lab. She couldn't make sense what had happened. Nothing made sense to her. One minute she was in Howard's lab and the next she was in a house. She wondered who was that child he had. She had known him for over a year and he had never mentioned having a wife or a child. And the photo was really old. It hasn't been taken recently. Wanda's mind was muddled with thoughts as she tried to make sense of the incident.

Steve noticed that Wanda was silent. He always saw her as an intelligent kid who always had some topic to talk about. When he met her outside his office, she was casual but now she seemed distant. Since they left the company, she hasn't uttered a word. She silently stared out of the window, looking at the empty street. Steve's brow furrow in worry as he looked at her.

"Wanda"

There was no response.

"Wanda" he called again.

Still she didn't respond to him.

He reached over and softly touched her knees. She jerked with sudden contact. After a moment her eyes seemed to register where she was and she looked at him. Steve's face was etched with concern.

"Are you okay?"

"Have been better."

"Want to talk about it?"

"No. Not right now."

Steve didn't press on. He turned the conversation where they were going to eat. He left it to her choice. She chose the small Chinese restaurant run by an old man few blocks away from their office. They walked into the restaurant. They took a table for two near the window and ordered their meals.

Wanda was waiting for her food to arrive and her mind again drifted back to Howard. That woman whom Wanda was sure was Howard's wife called the child Tony. Is it Tony as in Tony Stark, Wanda prodded her mind. She would have to lie if she told she had never thought Howard and Tony were related. Their resemblances were uncanny. And their character and mannerism were just a copy of each other. What if they are related she pondered. Even if that small child was Tony, the age difference didn't make any sense. Howard looked the same. The whole thing was giving Wanda a headache. She thought of talking to Howard but was doubtful that it is going to happen by the way he reacted today.

Steve noticed that Wanda barely touched her food. She pushed the noodles around her plate. She seems distant and lost in her own thoughts. Steve wanted to ask what was bothering her but thought not to push her. The owner turned on the television in the corner of the shop and set it in the news channel. It was reporting the death of a newspaper delivery boy. The boy had set out to deliver papers as per usual. But later in the morning he was found death.

"These have been increasing" she said. "The deaths are becoming more frequent"

Steve agreed, "Yeah, ten in the past two months."

"I can't believe that a predatory animal can roam the streets without getting caught. It's just impossible."

"Beats me."

"The attacks have been going on for almost a year. Still the police have no lead. They need to step up their game. I highly doubt this is a work of a beast."

"Why do you think so?"

"It's more of a gut feeling than a theory."

Steve nodded as he chewed the food. He rolled her words in his mind.

"We can't say anything for sure"

They continued eating in silence until Steve broke it. "How is Pietro doing?"

"He is barely home when I get there. I don't get to talk with him recently. He is immersed in his work."

Steve raised his eyebrows at her words.

"Yeah wants to cover the whole attack story. He has been hired to do weekly article about it." Steve noticed the sadness in her voice.

"Don't worry kid. He will be fine."

Wanda nodded and resumed eating.

"Princess Shuri is visiting on my birthday. I could introduce you to her"

"Really?" There was small twinkle in her eyes when she heard the greatest scientist's name.

"Yeah"

"You've got to be kidding me."

He saw a small smile creep on her face. He laughed. "Am not."

"Wait! She wasn't in your invitation list" she said confused.

"We have known each other long. I don't have to invite. She drops in whenever she is free."

"You know Shuri as a friend? Oh my fucking god!" she said laughing.

Wanda was elated to meet Shuri. She grew invested in the conversation and they talked through the dinner. After paying for the dinner, they got out into the night street. The street was crowded with people carrying on their daily life. Wanda pointed to the ice cream truck closing up. They ran before the man closed up. Steve got a chocolate and Wanda chose butterscotch. They walked to the car eating the ice cream.

"I want to ask you something"

"Shoot."

"Is Howard related to Tony Stark?"

Steve coughed. He drank water as he avoided her eyes. "Well.. he.. they are.. yeah they are related."

"Is it something I shouldn't have asked?" she asked concerned.

"It's fine. It's just they aren't in good terms. Some family feud."

Wanda nodded.

"Please, don't bring it up to Howard" he added.

Wanda made a gesture of zipping her mouth.

As the time passed on Wanda seemed more of herself. They joked and laughed as the night wore on. Later, Steve drove her to her home. He dropped her at the entrance. She bid him good night and went inside. Steve drove off into the night.

*****

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