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MISADVENTURES IN PARADISE
xviii. DAMAGE CONTROL

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REPORTING LIVE:
RILEY STARK ADDRESSES THE NATION'S FORMER CAPTAIN AMERICA, JOHN WALKER, FOR THE FIRST TIME!

24 hours ago, tragedy struck in Latvia. Sergeant Major Lemar Hoskins, better known as Battlestar, was struck down in a confrontation-turned-fight against the Flag Smashers. In a fit of rage, John Walker chased after the man presumed to be Hoskins's killer and brutally murdered him in a public setting using the Captain America shield. Since then, the United States has claimed jurisdiction in Latvia, and John Walker has officially been denounced from his title as Captain America. Walker will no longer act as an Avenger or representative of the United States.

Riley "Valor" Stark enters the spotlight to address this newfound controversy in an interview for the national news. Everyone looks to the brightest Avenger in this dark hour, and we seek to understand the question of why. What went wrong?

"Good morning, Miss Stark. This situation has certainly sparked a lot of unrest across the globe, so let me be the one to thank you for speaking up as soon as you could. Could you open up about your feelings regarding this situation?" the news reporter asks.

Dressed in professional attire, Riley folds her hands in her lap and ignores the camera fixated on her face. "What happened in Latvia is horrifying. There's no other way to say it. It is a true tragedy to lose a man as devoted and honorable as Lemar Hoskins, but I am equally as devastated hearing how Walker killed that young man, Nico. Lemar and Nico may have been on opposing sides, but they were still people. At the end of the day, every single life lost was a person. This never had to happen, but instead, it was enabled."

"Oh? Could you elaborate on that?"

"Well, the Flag Smashers are radicalized terrorists — or revolutionaries, depending on what side of the coin you're on. They formed on the foundation of perceived mistreatment following the Blip. Before becoming the Flag Smashers, they were used by our government to keep our economy afloat by giving them jobs during the Blip. But that was all taken away when these people couldn't be used anymore, which is how I believe the Flag Smashers actually got their start. Opposing ideas and purposeful ignorance will always become explosive," Riley explains.

"Would you say someone can be blamed for all of this?"

"I... don't know. What the Flag Smashers are doing is just as terrifying as what Walker did in Latvia, you know?" Riley admits. "I'm actively involved in amending this entire conflict, but I will admit that I understand the Flag Smashers' frustrations. I can't imagine living somewhere, in a place where things are working in your favor for once, and having that suddenly taken from you. I would feel betrayed and disappointed, too."

Riley hurriedly adds, "Again, I do not condone their actions, but I can't help but remember how these are all people. Parents, siblings, children. What they're doing is wrong, but you have to understand where they're coming from in order to fix this, right? These are real human beings, and we've done them a great disservice by pretending we're listening to them. We can't cherry-pick who we care about and who we save, especially in a country that prides itself on equality and liberation."

"Well said, Miss Stark," the reporter acknowledges. "Do you perhaps blame yourself for not being present in Latvia?"

"I will always take it to heart when things go wrong. I can't help it, it's the human part of me. But I've grown to accept that I can't take the blame for everything that goes wrong, and centering myself in a tragedy that I wasn't involved in seems counterproductive," Riley confesses. "That's why I work so closely with my team, to prevent bad things from happening. This wouldn't have happened if everyone on the field was on my team from the beginning."

The reporter nods. "I understand you've chosen to remain silent regarding John Walker and his rise to fame up until now. It's been speculated that your silence transpired due to your loyalty to Steve Rogers. Do you think Steve is the only one who can be Captain America?"

Riley shakes her head. "No, of course not. That's the glamor of having a costume and wearing a mask. Anyone can be wearing it. Your neighbor, classmate, friend, family member. Anyone. Helping people and doing the right thing doesn't have a face. It's all about heart."

"Do you think Steve would have done what Walker did?"

Riley scoffs. "No. Steve has always understood what it means to lose, and despite that, he's never acted out of anger the way Walker did. Anyone who claims to be Captain America should act exactly how Steve would. Because the truth is, there would never be a Captain America without Steve Rogers. That doesn't mean he'll be the only one ever. It means he's the standard."

"So, you condemn John Walker, then?" the reporter persists.

"If you're trying to get a good headline, then sure, I'll say it. I, Riley J. Stark, condemn John Walker's actions," Riley impatiently declares. "I chose to be silent up until now because I never approved of Walker becoming the new Captain America."

The reporter perks up. "You knew John being chosen as the new Cap was a bad choice?"

"Don't twist my words. I didn't know anything about him before he accepted the mantle," Riley coolly scolds. "People act like it's easy being Cap... Like the shield is a trophy that can be passed to any white guy with a military background. But when Steve was chosen all those years ago, it was because he represented what Dr. Erskine believed was a good, honest man. Not because he was in the military or had a certain look or did anything flashy. Yet those were all the reasons why John Walker was chosen. I'd hate to speak on Steve's behalf — trust me, that old man always hated my commentary — but I truly believe he wouldn't have chosen John."

"And who would he have picked instead? Who do you think deserves to be the new Cap?" the reporter eggs on.

Riley falters. But eventually, she answers, "Someone who understands the weight of the shield."

The reporter's eyebrows furrow. "What is there about the shield we don't already know? It's been around for years, longer than some of us have been alive! We all know about Cap and what he's done for us with that shield!"

"That shield means a lot of things to a lot of people. For some, it's justice, equality. For others, it symbolizes pain and suffering, whether it's the Flag Smashers or people similar to them who live here, in America, who have also felt disappointed by how our country treats them," Riley elucidates. "When you pick up that shield, you have to think about what it means to the people and what you're going to do about it. Will you protect them, or will you use it against them?"

Riley continues, "I think John knew this, but I don't think he understood it. The sudden rise to fame can be... overwhelming and blinding. The world I'm part of isn't something that people should be thrust into so carelessly. They should be aware of the dangers we're all susceptible to. I know I wasn't back then, and I'd like to help people like me. But John presented himself in a way where he didn't want my guidance or anyone else's. He thought he had it all figured out. That's his fault."

"Based on what you've said before, do you empathize with John Walker, too?"

"I understand that... losing someone close to you is worse than death. No one understands that better than me. But what John did was cruel and disturbing. And it forever changes what that shield stands for. It forever stains the legacy Steve spent more than 70 years building," Riley emphasizes. "It might be a stupid piece of metal to some, but the shield partly reflects what the Avengers do and our relationship with the people."

Riley adds, "I know there are people who believe I'm some emotionless robot since I was raised by S.H.I.E.L.D. That I don't understand pain or what my actions mean. But the truth is, I grew up hearing over and over again that everything I do is for the people. And I like to believe that's still true. I don't care who I have to stand against. The Avengers are supposed to protect the world, and that's what we'll continue to do. I stand with the people. Always have, always will."

○ ○ ○

   When Riley Stark realized what John Walker did, she became very, very quiet. It was an unsettling silence, the kind of silence that's drawn between a predator and its prey, the kind of silence that guards a barely contained scream. For 10 long minutes, she did not speak a word to anyone.

   But when the rage finally set in, she only saw red. She was so enraged that she managed to use her powers to summon the sun from behind the bruised storm clouds and roast the world with a sudden onset heatwave. Her first solar flare. Blinding, red-hot fury. She eventually calmed down before any real damage could occur, but for a minute there, the Valiant Valor was terrifying.

   48 hours later, she was still exceedingly pissed off, disappointed, and every other word in between. It was no secret that she knew death well. The Grim Reaper stalked her, his cruel hand taking her people, narrowly missing her each time. But something about watching John Walker kill that Flag Smasher was unlike anything she'd ever seen. It was horrifying. His domineering stance over Nico's body... The pleading screams... The crimson blood dripping from the shield... No one should ever have that kind of deranged power.

   At least she somewhat collected herself long enough to do some damage control on behalf of the Avengers. While Sam and Bucky were still leading some investigations on the Flag Smashers in Europe, Riley took over for press control. It was admittedly difficult to not shout, "I TOLD YOU GUYS NOT TO GIVE THE SHIELD TO ANYONE EXCEPT SAM WILSON! BUT NO ONE EVER LISTENS TO ME!", but she persevered well enough... hopefully.

   With everything going on, Riley's interrogations with Carson Belmont were forced to the back burner, and it was now Thursday, April 25th. One more morning until the full moon, one more morning until the next break-in. Why was it that the Avengers were always unable to figure everything out until the last possible minute? Why couldn't there be an instance where they were ahead of schedule?

   Fortunately, while Riley was busy, the others managed to get their jobs done.

   Ned created a simplistic algorithm that narrowed down which banks were most likely to be broken into next, ending with three potential banks (because of course, there were just enough banks for each Avenger of the group to investigate). MJ and Roman, aside from exploiting JOCASTA to order pizza, sifted through as many police records as they could find. Although they didn't find anything particularly relevant, they discovered some statements Andrew Belmont made in secret (all of which essentially explained he had no clue why or how his banks were being targeted) and a note left at the scene of one of the break-ins that read:

SHE WILL PAY.

   While it wasn't exactly confirmed that the person responsible for all of this break-in, power outage nonsense was targeting Riley, all clues pointed to her. This person wanted her attention. they just weren't sure why.

   "What am I paying for anyway?" Riley wondered that evening as she lounged with Peter in his bedroom. "You know what I need to be paying for? Therapy! Or classes for this guy to learn how to leave more threatening ransom notes."

   Peter was laying in his bed. Spread across his face was a book he was supposed to be reading for school. "You can't just make fun of bad guys and their shitty ransom notes," he pointed out, his voice slightly muffled.

   "Of course, I can." Riley stood in the corner, invisible as she changed from her professional daytime attire into leggings and a t-shirt. "I've been doing this thing for years. I think I'm allowed to make fun of bad guys for being uncreative. You know, one time, HYDRA tried to convince me to kill Steve, and their methods were way more exciting. They even had the Winter Soldier attack me mid-day. I think I was 13 at the time. It sucked, but I gotta give 'em points for creativity."

   Peter suddenly sat up, his book falling aside. "You were 13 when—!?" But he never finished his sentence. He eyed his girlfriend, who finished changing and was visible again. "Is that my shirt?"

   "Whaaat, this old thing? Pfft, no. I love Star Wars. Chewbacca and I go way back," she taunted. "Speaking of your old clothes..."

   She reached into her overnight bag and withdrew a nicely folded shirt. The corny science pun printed on it made it far too obvious that it also belonged to Peter. As she set it on his dresser, he interrogated, "What...? When did you start stealing my clothes?"

   "You know, for someone who swears his Peter Tingle is so amazing, you never notice when I steal from you," Riley laughed as she sat on his bed and stole his pillow.

   "Okay, first of all, you literally turn invisible! That's not fair! Second, when did May convince you to start calling it my..." Peter cringed. "Ugh, my tingle?"

   "A while ago," she shrugged. "I think it's cute!"

   "Oh, yeah? And let me guess, you think all of my dorky shirts are cute now, too?" Peter challenged. "Weren't you just making fun of them the other day?"

   "What can I say? I like to keep people on their toes!" Riley said, and she would've added that she simply enjoyed stealing his clothes because they were comfy and vaguely smelt like him, but she feared that might sound strange coming out of her mouth. But if Peter knew her (which he did), he would figure that out without her saying it. "So, how's reading going?"

   "Honestly? Pretty good," Peter confessed. "It's... How should I put this? It's riveting! It's inspiring! The way the author writes, I can't take my eyes off the pages!"

   "You haven't read any of it."

   "Yep."

   "And when's your paper on it due?" Riley interrogated. His silence was deafening. "Don't tell me it's due tomorrow."

   "It... may or may not be due tomorrow," Peter nonchalantly said, to which she whacked him with his pillow. "Hey, I've been busy! It's not my fault! Kind of. Sort of. Well, technically— Hey, where are you going?"

   Riley was on her feet again, gathering her wallet. "You're gonna end up working on this paper all night, so we need snacks. You know, your time-management skills are terrible—"

   "Wait, what? Nooo, I thought we were gonna brainstorm the thingy because the full moon's tomorrow night! We have things we need to do that are way more interesting than this book!" Peter whined.

   "You should've thought about that before procrastinating your schoolwork. Didn't we agree that school comes before Avengers stuff?" Riley gently argued.

   "But—!"

   "Not listening!"

   Peter loudly groaned, leaning back into his bed. "You're evil, Riley Stark! And you sound like your dad!"

   Riley waved her hand dismissively. Before she left, she poked her head into his room one last time and teased, "Eu também te amo, Bug-Boy." I love you, too, Bug-Boy.

   Don't ask Riley why it was easier to confess her love for her boyfriend with words he didn't understand. She was still figuring that out herself.

   Invisible, Riley slipped into the streets of Queens. She was soundless with the breeze, undetectable. Even her shadow failed to follow her as she ducked beneath streetlights and between people. As she wandered through the streets, Riley decided to check her texts.

Father Stank
Verdict's out. I miss you.

Favorite Stank Child
what do you want now?

Father Stank
Can't a father show love and
affection toward his kid? You're
killing me here. Anyway, I can't
find the Channellock Pliers.

Favorite Stank Child
might be in morgan's room.
we had a tea party and ran
out of stuffed animal guests.

Father Stank
Found it. Thanks for painting
it pink, BTW. Totally doesn't
clash with the red and gold
aesthetic I had going for me.

Favorite Stank Child
it was morgan's idea, you evil bastard.

Father Stank
You didn't let me finish. I LOVE it.

Favorite Stank Child
that's what i thought.

———

World's Best Archer
Just got those new trick arrows
you made me. I appreciate it, kid,
but I'm confused. Play-Doh arrows?

Brazilian Chucky (Riley)
thought of it while playing with
morgan the other day! i think it's
my favorite one i've invented yet!!
pym would NEVER think of that.

World's Best Archer
That's because Hank Pym is a genius.

Brazilian Chucky (Riley)
and what am i, clint?

World's Best Archer
The reason why I take out
my hearing aid.

Brazilian Chucky (Riley)
tell your wife i miss her ;)

World's Best Archer
Blocking you now.

   She didn't turn visible again until she entered the store. She was always careful whenever she was in Queens, making sure not to attract too many wandering eyes. Though Riley could admit that everyone knowing her identity made her life easier, it wouldn't be the same for Peter. Protecting him as much as possible was one of the most important jobs she had.

   The store was mostly empty. Against her better judgment, Riley grabbed a few energy drinks. The last time Peter had an energy drink, he literally bounced off the walls (and got stuck a few times in the process). She also picked up his favorite snacks and finally responded to Peter's long string of texts begging her to hurry up and come home.

   The cashier at this specific store was always the same woman. Mrs. Garcia was a short lady with frizzy hair, a beauty mark by her mouth, and a thick Mexican accent. Her 7-year-old son was often with her, coloring or playing with Legos in the back.

   "Hola Señorita Stark. Te vi en la TV hoy," Mrs. Garcia greeted, beginning to scan Riley's items. Hi Miss Stark. I saw you on TV today.

  "¿Tu viste? ¿Cómo lucía mi cabello?" Riley mused, looking past the freshly printed newspapers and magazines. Her face was plastered across many of them, the headlines all resembling a quote she spoke from the past two days. Did you? How did my hair look?

   Mrs. Garcia's laugh was big and warm. "Siempre eres hermosa, cariño mío. ¡No puedo evitar preguntarme cómo no tienes novio!" You're always beautiful, my darling. It makes me wonder how you don't have a boyfriend!

   Riley gasped. "Señora, that's inappropriate! You know I'm too busy for love."

   "Nonsense. You're so young! Fall in love before you end up like me, old and wrinkled," Mrs. Garcia teased.

   As Riley took out her credit card, she dismissed, "You're too harsh on yourself. Beauty doesn't have an expiration date."

   "No, no, no. It's on the house tonight, boss," Mrs. Garcia denied. "A gift for the world's bravest hero."

   "What? Señora, you're kidding! Let me pay, I can afford it!"

   "La la la, not listening!" Mrs. Garcia sang as she bagged the items and shoved them into her hands. "While you're here, my son has been wanting to give you something."

   Mrs. Garcia called for her son, Mateo, who eagerly skipped out of his hiding place in the back. Once he spotted Riley, however, he froze. No matter how many times Riley stopped by the store, Mateo was always starstruck by the Avenger.

   "Hi, Mateo. Got something for me?" Riley warmly greeted, bending to meet his gaze.

   Mateo didn't speak, only shyly withdrawing a folded piece of paper from his pocket. Riley took it and unfolded it to discover a simple Crayon drawing of her and Mateo in the city saving the day. A smile spread across Riley's face.

   "This is amazing, Mateo! Did you draw this yourself?" she gushed. Mateo nodded timidly. "What? No way. You seriously did this yourself? It's really good! I love it, thank you!"

   "You do?" Mateo squeaked, holding his hands behind his back.

   "Yes! I'm going to keep this forever. Just watch. I'm gonna come back in 10 years and prove it to you," Riley promised. Mateo grinned, showing off his crooked teeth. "Can you do me a little favor? Give this to your mom for me. She works too hard." She took out a crisp $50 bill from her wallet and placed it in his hands. Before Mrs. Garcia could argue, Riley was already heading out. "Goodnight, Señora!"

   Money was an awkward topic for most people. Yes, it was easy for someone like Riley to give away money, but many were unwilling to accept it. Some felt uncomfortable taking money from a superhero who already worked so hard to protect their world. Others felt embarrassed or defensive about it, swearing they didn't need it when they did. Riley didn't understand this until Peter explained it to her a few months ago. It was why she was so adamant about giving back whenever she could now.

   Exiting the store, bags hanging from her arms, Riley immediately walked into someone. The two gasped in shock, and it was then that Riley realized she nearly collided with Eden Belmont.

   "Oh my gosh! Just my stupid luck, I get to run into my idol again, and I almost knock her over! Are you okay? I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention!" Eden exclaimed. Worry stamped her face. She wasn't dressed in her usual attire, clad with a blazer, loafers, and tailored pants instead.

   Riley shook her head. "Don't be sorry, Eden, it was my fault. What are you doing out here so late?"

   Eden sharply inhaled. "Oh my God, she remembers my name," she whispered under her breath. "Ahem, I could ask you the same. Nice Star Wars shirt, by the way."

   "Huh? Oh, yeah. Big fan of that Chewbacca dude," Riley shrugged. "I wasn't expecting to be caught in it. I'm just visiting a friend."

   Eden giggled. "Your secret's safe with me, Val. To answer your question, I was at my internship, hence the blazer," she revealed. "I've been interning under my step-dad. He's the CEO of Belmont Banks. Started four months ago, which is truly impeccable timing, considering that's when all this break-in BS started. My step-dad doesn't want me working so close to him since he's convinced whoever's been breaking into the banks has it out for him. But I'm too stubborn. I told him I'm keeping this internship for at least a year! Whatever it takes, as you Avengers say."

   "That must be annoying," Riley admitted. As much as she enjoyed small talk, especially with fans, she mostly wanted to get back to Peter.

   "It is! I swear, all I do is run coffee and organize papers. But, on the bright side, I got to sit in on a call with the CEO of Bishop Security today. Finally getting in on the action," Eden babbled.

   "Bishop Security... Belmont Banks works with them for bank security, right? It's pretty impressive that the culprit got past their mainframe. They're pretty rock-solid," Riley noted.

   "Yeah! Oh, I almost forgot you're working on the case! I'm so glad they picked you and not... I don't know, someone else. You're the best of the best," Eden gushed. "That's what I told my step-dad, but he's been so annoying these past few months. He's all E, your safety is my #1 priority. And I'm all, No, your #1 priority is my mom, then your car, then me and Carson. Besides, I'm a 2nd-degree black belt in karate! I can protect myself!" She shook her head, laughing gently before her demeanor changed. "Speaking of Carson, he's been talking a lot about you lately."

   Riley cringed. "I'm guessing he told you about..."

   "About how he blew up in your face for no reason? Oh, yeah. He told me. I was SO mad at him, the way he got in your face about things he so obviously doesn't understand. My crumbly-ass brother and his toe-sized brain, everyone!" Eden vented.

   That caught Riley by surprise. She would've expected Eden to be on her brother's side of the argument. That was usually how it went with twins: they always butted heads until a third party entered the fight.

   "You know, he wasn't always such a spaz about the Avengers, not until last year. He used to like you guys a lot. I think he's just jealous he never got any powers at some point. Like, get in line, dude! I wanna fly, too!" Eden scoffed. "Anyway, I wanna apologize on his behalf. It's not fair for him to get mad at you for things you usually can't control."

   Riley perked up. "Oh, thanks. I mean, he was... kind of right about some things, but we've improved a lot. More organized and all that. New leadership, new protocols," she explained. "If it's not too personal, can I ask what changed his opinion? I just wanna understand his mindset better."

   "Oh, it's a long story. When the Snap happened, our mom and step-dad were Blipped away, so we went to live with our biological dad full-time. It was really fun, you know. He's the best cook ever, and he's super crafty, especially when it comes to, uh... mechanical... electrical... engineering stuff. But he was really sick with coronary heart disease, as you probably know. Carson mentioned you'd been keeping tabs on us," Eden described. "Anyway, we were sort of waiting for our dad to... you know, kick the bucket. I know it's shitty to think that, but he was in so much pain."

   Eden continued, "Five years later, the Avengers brought everyone back, and life was great again. But Dad was still sick. He ended up dying about a month later in June. Since then, Carson's been a lot colder to everyone, even me. He doesn't talk to people, he doesn't have any friends anymore, and he barely leaves the house. I dunno how I convinced him to join the Decathlon team. I'm glad he did, he's really smart and it gets him out of the house. But anyway, Carson and our dad were super close. I love my dad, but he and Carson were best friends. Losing him was hard, but it was even tougher on Carson."

   Riley's eyebrows furrowed. Although she already knew most of this, something about hearing it spoken aloud by Eden was different. It clicked in her brain differently than it did when she was reading words on paper or listening to JOCASTA's robotic voice.

   "I'm so sorry to hear that. That must've been really difficult on your family," Riley empathized. "I think I understand Carson better now though. You both lost your dad at a time when the rest of the world was celebrating getting everyone back. So... I think, in a way, Carson felt like he couldn't mourn his loss because everyone was so focused on what they got back."

   Eden's eyes lit up. "Wow, you're good! Yeah, that's pretty much it. It's why he blames you more than anyone. The way he sees things, we lost our dad because you came back, even though our dad was already really sick. He associates his death with you, which sounds kinda silly out loud, but it's how he thinks. I mean, Carson idolized our dad. They were birds of a feather."

   Eden went on, her voice softening, "I miss the old Carson. He's changed so much. He's always so... angry. He's always talking about revenge and wanting to... to make you pay somehow. I don't know. The way he talks, it scares me. It's why I like having this internship so much. It takes me away from Carson's negative energy. I was so worried after I found out you visited him the other day. I thought maybe he tried to... I don't know, hurt you. I love my brother, but I don't think he'll ever be the same again. It makes me sad, you know? He's my twin, after all."

   "If you ever feel unsafe, you know you can always call—" Riley tried to say.

   "Oh, don't worry." Eden sniffled and waved her hand, trying to brighten the atmosphere again. "I don't think he'd hurt me. I just don't want you or anyone to get hurt because of him and his grief. I know you can handle yourself, but... like I said, he's changed. I mean, who knows what he's always doing and thinking about when he's alone at home."

   Before Riley could speak again, Eden chimed, "Well, I better get going. I've got a big paper due tomorrow. Don't worry, I won't let Carson know I saw you. And I'm really sorry for dumping all of this on you."

   "Hey, don't apologize. I was the one who asked. I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was so... complex," Riley assured. She placed a comforting hand on Eden's shoulder. "Try to remember that all of this isn't your fault, okay? Grief can change a person. I've seen it myself. But that doesn't mean things can't go back to normal or even improve beyond that. Trust me. Give him some space and let him know you're there for him when he needs someone to talk to."

   Eden's eyes were wide, marveling at her words, drinking them in like they were nectar. "Wow. I knew you were my favorite for a reason. Thanks for the advice, Val. That's really cool of you," she shyly said. "Get home safe! And tell your friend I said hi."

   Riley smiled. "I will. Take it easy, alright?"

   And Eden vanished into the night.

   Despite Riley's invisibility, her concern seemed to emanate all over her body. Finally, things were beginning to line up. Everything was finally making sense, and all fingers were pointing directly at Carson Belmont. All of this was about vengeance and grief, two things Riley liked to think she knew well.

   The break-ins and power outages were pawns in a greater game of chess, and if Riley wanted to take down the king, she'd have to be careful. He might be an ordinary human, but with the controversy with John Walker's murder and the Westview incident from a few months back, the Avengers didn't have a great track record when it came to dealing with (mostly) innocent civilians right now. She needed to be wary and try to avoid death as much as she could.

   Carson Belmont had it out for the Avengers' leader, and if he was as thirsty for revenge as his sister claimed, then Riley would have to be careful when confronting him tomorrow night.