32. Protocols
When the three friends make it back to the hotel the decathlon students are staying at, Becca looks around in awe of the hotel. She points upwards in laughter, "There's a bird up there." She says softly.
Peter smiles at his girlfriend who still is clutching her childhood teddy bear when leans over towards Ned. "You brought your laptop, right?" He asks his friend.
"Yeah. Why?" Ned asks curiously and skeptically.
The boys are quick to get into the hotel room and unpack their backpacks. It was boys with boys and girls with girls but all of the students and Mr Harrington knew that Becca would stay with Peter and Ned, who were sharing their own room.
Peter grabs his Spider Man suit, unzipping both and then hooking his suit up to Ned's computer. What confuses Becca is that he doesn't take hers and do the same. She sits on one of the two queen size beds, sitting criss cross on the bed with Mr Stuffington seated on her lap. "Why don't you do this with my suit?" She asks curiously.
"Because Mr Stark probably doesn't have a tracker in your suit. Where I go, you go and vice versa. That's why Happy mentioned both of us." Peter explains as Ned's computer begins to beep and Peter holds a flashlight in his mouth as he tinkers with his suit
"Good question." Ned mutters, "Why are we taking the tracker from your suit?"
"Uh, because I gotta follow these guys to their boss before they move again." Peter says as he continues to tinker with his suit, trying to find the tracking wire within it. "And i don't really want Mr Stark to know about it."
"So you're lying to Iron Man and Becca's brother now?" Ned questions and Becca raises her eyebrows in suspicion.
"No, no, i'm not lying. He just doesn't really get what i can do yet." Peter says as he aims the flashlight on his suit again.
Becca hesitates, she and Ned exchange looks of concern briefly. "Benji, Buddy's just trying to protect you.. we're not invincible." She reminds her boyfriend.
Peter shakes his head at Becca's comment as he pulls the wire off his suit, "Gotcha." He whispers with the flashlight still in his mouth. "Alright, Happy, enjoy tracking this lamp." He says confidently as he places the tracking wire onto the lamp shade.
As Ned goes back to his computer, he types on the keys and looks over at Peter, "There's a tone of other subsystems in here. Some are even connected to Becca's suit."
"Hm?" Peter hums in reply as Becca makes her way off her bed and onto the one Ned and Peter are working on. She sits beside her friend and leans over his shoulder to read over the subsystems within Peter's suit.
"But they're all disabled." Becca points out and both Peter and Ned look up at her in confusion.
"You read code?" Ned asks.
Becca nods, "Of course. The Red Room trained us how to hack some of the most skilled servers." She states, "I haven't needed to use my hacking skills since the last time i was in D.C." She says with a chuckle at the end in amusement, "When i tracked down where a file was coming from for my Uncle Steve and Aunt Tasha. We met someone named Aaron who really liked my Uncle's undercover glasses." She giggles as she remembers the memory, "Aunt Tasha called them twins and Aaron called Uncle Steve a specimen."
The two boys simply stare in amazement as Becca reveals more about her past and Peter can't help but smile. He had wanted to know more about her life before him but he was always too afraid to ask about it, not wanting to hurt her in any way. But he also knows she isn't as fragile as he thinks sometimes when it comes to her scarred past.
Ned laughs, "Well he is. He's Captain America, or was.. I don't know where we stand. What do I call him?" He rambles, then looks between the couple, "Don't answer that.." He mutters. He then looks at Becca as he sets his laptop in between the two of them, "You want to work on it together?" He asks.
Becca nods, smiling as she shifts Mr Stuffington on her lap. "All these subsystems are disabled by something called the Training Wheels Protocol." Ned says with a laugh and Peter quickly jumps to the other side of Ned to look at the laptop screen.
"What? Training Wheels Protocol.." Peter whispers in disbelief as Ned stifles his laughter. All Becca does is watch the two of them until Peter states, "Turn it off."
"Benji, i don't think that's a good idea. Buddy must have blocked them for a reason." Becca says softly, trying to persuade her boyfriend to just leave things as they are.
Peter groans as he stands up, "Come on, guys, I don't need training wheels." He grumbles as he climbs onto the empty bed and slightly jumps on it, "I'm sick of him treating me like a kid all the time and Fia gets special treatment." He grumbles. "It's not cool." He mumbles under his breath and Becca looks down at her bear, smoothing his fur down in different ways. She didn't want to get into this right now with Peter. She understood completely where he was coming from, but she also didn't want him running head first into danger he clearly wasn't ready for either. But Peter never saw that, all he saw was him being placed in training wheels while his girlfriend didn't have to go through anything like he was.
Ned glances between Becca and Peter before his eyes landing on his best friend, "But you are a kid." He says, "And technically you're dating an older woman." He points out, "Becca's life experience tops all of ours combined."
"Yeah, but I'm a kid who can stop a bus with his bare hands." Peter points out as he swings his arms while bouncing slightly on the bed. His face then flushes pink slightly as he remembers that Becca is more than twice his age. He keeps forgetting they're not the same age, that she was born in 1945.
"I just don't think this is a good idea, Benji." Becca says and Ned nods in agreement with their Miss America.
"Right, I mean, what if this is illegal?" Ned comments.
"Look, please." Peter says as he falls off the bed gracefully and lands beside Ned, leaning against the side of the bed, "This is my chance to prove myself. I can handle it. Ned, Fia, come on." He pleads, "You'll be right there with me, Fia." He points out and Becca sighs.
"We really don't think this is a good idea." Ned says, still trying to not give into Peter's pleas. But what Peter says next seals Ned's fate in all of this.
"The guy in the chair." Peter whispers.
Ned rolls his head back, "Don't do that."
"Come on." Peter pleas with a slight smile, "I got my girl, she's by my side in everything, now we need a guy in the chair."
Ned sighs and glances over at Becca who hasn't looked up from Mr Stuffington until this moment. She looks out the corner of her eyes at the boys, sighing, "Do it." Becca mutters softly to Ned. The guy in the chair taps a few of the keys on the keyboard and Peter's suit whirrs to life briefly and lights up, signalling to the three that the Training Wheels Protocol was disabled.
It doesn't take long for Peter to get dressed in his suit as well as Becca. The two zip up jackets over their suits and Peter has his backpack. Becca glances back at Ned who is sitting on the bed watching them and Mr Stuffington sitting neatly beside him. "Take care of him, okay? He's older than i am." She mutters with a small smile.
Ned chuckles softly but nods, "We're just gonna chill, don't worry. He's safe." He promises his friend. Becca knew it was childish but Mr Stuffington was one of the only ties she had to her five short years of her past before she was ripped away from her home.
Peter chuckles as he pokes his head out of the room briefly then turns to look at Becca, "He'll be taken care of." He reassures his girlfriend, then looks over to Ned, "The glowy things, it's evidence. Keep it safe, all right?" He tells his friend. Ned nods, reaching over on the bed and grabs it. Peter then looks down at the tacking hologram on his wrist, "They're moving." He says as he and Becca leave the room.
"Be careful." Becca hears Ned tell them.
They start to make their way towards the exit of the floor they're on until they see Liz walking into view wearing a bathing suit. Becca's heart clenches and Peter knows it kills her inside to be missing out on normal fun school activities like swimming with friends in a pool. He was sure she'd never even done that. And he was guilty of keeping her from them.
"Hey, Liz.." Peter mutters as Becca stands frozen in her place beside him.
"Perfect timing." Liz says with a smile as she passes the couple, "We're gonna go swimming. Come on." She tells them and the rest of the decathlon team brushes past the couple. Peter glancing at Becca and grabs onto her hand.
Flash rounds the group, running behind the rest of the classmates and goes to hit Peter on his butt but Becca's reflexes grab Flash's wrist before he can do it, "Please don't make me need to call my brother again." She says to Flash, "He was quite upset that I got in trouble but you didn't." She states and the bully stares at her in shock.
"Whatever, assassin freak." Flash snaps and then runs off to catch up with their classmates, clearly upset that Becca had gotten the upper hand again.
Becca looks back at Peter and Liz, seeing amused expressions on both of their faces, "What?" She mutters confused and the two shake their heads.
Peter grabs onto Becca's hand with a small smile, the same hand that protected him, without even thinking about it, from Flash's bullying. "We were- we were going to go study in the business center." Peter lies and Liz looks between the couple.
"I'm sure." Liz teases but shakes her head, willing to play along with the obvious lie. "Peter, you and Rebecca don't need to study. You're, like, the smartest couple I've ever met." She points out to them, causing Becca to sheepishly smile, shaking her head to try and dismiss the compliment. "And besides, a rebellious group activity the day before competition is good for morale."
"Hm?" Peter hums in curiosity. Liz clearly knew Peter was lying for himself and Becca, but probably not in the same way Liz was thinking.
"Well, I read that in a Ted Talk, so- I mean that I heard it in a Ted Talk. And i read a coaching book.." Liz rambles nervously with a small smile.
"This is really important for you." Peter mutters softly.
"Yeah. It's our future." Liz states, "I'm not gonna screw it up." She adds and Becca can feel Peter's heart race slightly. She knows he's thinking about his future, whether or not being a superhero full time was worth giving everything he cared about up. "And besides, we raided the minibar and these candy bars were, like, eleven dollars." She says as she tosses one at Becca, the young teenager catching it in shock. "So you two get changed into your trunks and swimsuit and come on." She says with a smile before she rejoins their classmates.
The couple walk past the pool from the rooftop, dressed in their suits. But Becca feels air being sucked out of her lungs as she knows that Peter wont agree to join them. That they still will need to chase after the weapon thugs before they get away from their reach. When she looks over at Peter and she can see the debate in his mind. "Benji.." She whispers.
"I know.." He whispers back sorrowfully. It hurt him to do this, to take away this moment from Becca, and himself. He promised his girlfriend that they would make new memories to replace the old ones she had here in D.C. But in this moment, he wasn't keeping his promise, and it was tearing himself apart inside. They watch as their classmates play in the pool and hot tub without a care in the world. "I'll make it up to you, I swear it." He vows to her as they stand from their squatting positions.
Becca gives him a tight smile, fighting back the bitter emotions she was starting to feel in this very moment. She was torn in two from wanting to help and support her boyfriend in taking down these weapons dealers, they were a clear and dangerous threat. But at the same time, all Becca wanted to do was live a normal teenage life. To be able to do things like go swimming with friends spontaneously and not have a care in the world.
To not have the burden she carries on her shoulders every day as the daughter of Bucky and Mary Barnes, the niece of Captain America himself. Her name itself held massive weight now, she was not a normal teenager, she hadn't been since the moment she was born despite the efforts of her uncles, godparents and mother. It was a hard reality she was still learning to accept.
When Peter places on his mask, Becca straps Peter's backpack onto her shoulders tightly so it doesn't fall off of her on the trip. She then brings hers up over her nose and pulls her hood over her head. A female voice starles the young couple suddenly coming out of nowhere, "Good evening, Peter, Rebecca."
"Hello? Hello?"
"What is happening?" Peter and Becca ramble in confusion.
"Congratulations on completing the rigorous Training Wheels Protocol and access to both of your suit's full capabilities." The voice says to the two of them.
"Ah, thank you." Peter mutters, still trying to figure out what was happening in the first place. He looks at Becca who only shakes her head, still just as confused as he was.
"Why can I hear you, Miss Ghosty." Becca whispers softly as she blinks and protective glasses cover over her eyes and she sees what she would assume her brother could see in his armor.
"I'm not a ghost, Rebecca. I'm the AI Tony Stark and Mary Barnes created for the two of you. Consider me a helping hand." The voice speaks again and Becca looks down at the ground when she hears her mother's name being mentioned.
"Oh, I see." Becca mutters quietly, understanding a bit more now. The AI she and Peter were speaking too was just like Jarvis and Friday.
"So, where would you two like to take me tonight?" The AI asks casually.
Peter stammers as he points to his wrist, "I- uh.. I put a tracker on someone.. he's a bad guy."
"Tacker located." The AI says and both Peter and Becca see a path being routed for them to take in their mask and glasses. "Plotting course to intercept target."
Becca hops onto Peter's back so he can use both arms to swing as he talks casually to the AI, "Okay, well, as long as we make it back in time for the decathlon, it's fine." He states as he shoots out a web and swings onto a moving truck that's hauling multiple cars finally on their way to discover the lair of the bad guys.
They were tense as they stayed crouched on the car haul truck, they were both incredibly nervous about what they were going to find and who they would have to face. But as they were closing in on the thugs, Becca was wondering if all of this was really necessary. She wanted the bad guys put behind bars, but did she really have to be the one to do it? Should Peter?
"One hundred meters from destination and closing." The AI said in both of their ears, "Jump now." She instructs and as the AI said, they jumped onto a small grassy hill. When the couple stood, they looks each other over making sure they were okay and then jogged quietly as they could to see the truck with the thugs. "Detecting three individuals."
Peter and Becca crouched behind bushes, both confused as to why the thugs were here at a random gas station, "Why is their secret lair in a gas station. That's so lame." Peter comments, Becca only shrugs as she stays on the ground and Peter jumps onto a sign to get a better view of the thugs.
"Hey, Miss Ghosty, what are they doing?" Becca asks the AI curiously.
"Do you want to hear what they're saying?" The AI asked the couple and Peter was taken aback.
"We can hear what they're saying? Uh, yeah." Peter comments, finally feeling like he was on the same level as his girlfriend who was probably already listening in on the thugs's conversation.
"Activating Enhanced Reconnaissance Mode." The suit lady says before Peter can now hear along side Becca what the thugs were saying.
"I got the gauntlet from the Lagos cleanup. The rest is my design." A thug says and Becca intakes air sharply, Peter looks down at her, making sure she's okay before looking back at the truck.
"That's so cool." Peter mutters.
"Can't believe they're still cleaning the Triskelion mess." Another thug, high pitched voice than the other says and Peter instantly looks down at his girlfriend who is frozen in her place behind the bushes. She was one of the main causes of the Triskelion fall. They were talking about messes that her family had caused while trying and succeeding in saving the world.
"I love it. They keep making messes, we keep getting rich." The deeper voiced thug says.
"Target inbound." The high pitched voice thug says quickly.
"They're in the middle of a heist." Becca mumbles, still adjusting to hearing the thugs talk about her family without realizing it.
"We could catch 'em all red-handed. This is awesome." Peter states, then looks at his girlfriend briefly, "Okay, i'm gonna get a little closer so I can see what's happening." He tells her, Becca nods in approval.
"Would you like me to engage Enhanced Combat Mode?" Suit Lady asks Peter and Becca can already feel that that was going to not end well.
"Benji-"
"Enhanced Combat Mode? Yeah." Peter says with a scoff.
"Activating Instant Kill." Suit lady says and Peter's suit eyes narrow and run red, causing Becca to jump in surprise.
"No, no, no, no. I don't want to kill anybody." Peter rambles quickly.
"Deactivating Instant Kill." Suit Lady says.
Peter shoots out a web and takes off from where he was perched on the sign, but the web doesn't attach to anything and he face plants on the cement ground. "What the hell just happened. What was that?"
"You jumped off the sign and landed on your face." Becca and Suit Lady say in unison. Peter tests out his webs against the cover of the gas station, only they're not his normal webs he's used too. The webs are different.
"Suit Lady what's wrong with my web shooters?" He asks as he darts for cover behind a pillar of the gas station.
"Rapid fire is the default for Enhanced Combat Mode."
"Why would i need rapid fire?"
"Would you like to see more options? You have five hundred and seventy-six possible web shooter combinations." Suit lady responds and Becca's eyes are wide in shock. Her brother had gone all out for Peter without ever telling them.
"Mr Stark really overdid it." Peter whispers in disbelief as Becca watches him stare at his hands, most likely trying to figure out his new web shooters. "That one." He says after going through a few combinations. Becca hesitates as she notices one of the thugs starts to climb out of the truck but is called back by one of his cohorts.
"Great, would you like me to set this as your new default?" Suit lady asks as Peter shoots out the web and it begins to electrify the gas station and sign. Causing the lights of the gas station to flicker on and off rapidly.
"Benji!" Becca whisper exclaims, finally deciding to help him by dragging him away from where the thugs could see him is they turned the other way.
"What was that?!" Peter exclaims quietly.
"Taser webs."
"Taser webs? I don't want taser webs." Peter comments as he and Becca climb up the side of the wall of the convenience store onto the roof.
"You seem to be unfamiliar with your web shooter settings. Would you like to run a refresher course?" The AI asks and Becca pales, she and Ned had overwritten her brother's protocols to access Peter's full suit and she was regretting it.
"No, just- you choose."
"Sure thing." The AI says quickly.
Becca and Peter both can hear the trucks the thugs want to intercept approaching, when they come closer into view, Becca can make out three trucks. They both overhear the thugs talking to someone not in the truck, signalling to the other.
The teenagers's eyes widen in fear and shock. Becca can feel the fear ripping through her body. Memories of being dropped in midair and crashing into the freezing cold water hits her mind harshly and she staggers in her crouched position. Peter holds onto his girlfriend as they both watch for the opening to try and stop the heist.
"Fia, i know the memories hurt, but we gotta stop him." Peter says and all Becca can do is nod. "We can do this, the both of us are stronger together than apart, right?"
Becca snaps her eyes over to his masked face, her hand gently placing itself on his cheek, "Stronger together." She agrees breathlessly as she fights the memories flooding her mind, trying to take over and cause her to fear what has already passed.
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