* * *

"YOU READY?" Holland asked Malea, as she stood with a suitcase pressed to the side of her leg. Malea nodded from beside Holland, holding her duffle bag around her shoulder.

     "Your jet is ready, Miss Stark. I have informed the driver about the location of your hotel." F.R.I.D.A.Y spoke through the speakers.

     "Thank you so much, F.R.I.D.A.Y. I don't know what we would've done without you."

"If you would go up to the roof, the pilot has landed, and is waiting. Have a safe journey, Miss Stark, Miss Danbury."

"Thank you F.R.I.D.A.Y. Make sure to keep secret of this to Tony." Malea spoke, as she began to hike up a set of stairs that would lead to the roof of their condo, with Holland keeping in trail.

While the two girls were making their way to the roof, Lea couldn't help but doubt what Holland planned. She hadn't even known what they would do once they had reached the Compound.

After a short walk, they had reached the top of the condo. There it was, the jet as scheduled, but there was also a guy standing in front of it. Malea and Holland had just thought he was apart of the plane crew, so they casually walked over to him.

The guy was quite young. He had broad shoulders, and quite a smart stance. He also had the appearance of a 17-year-old, so he would have been thought to be the same age as Holland. And adding to his already impressive features, his chestnut hair and his crystal clear eyes, if one would pay attention. To most, he would have been thought to be quite attractive.

     They approached him. "Is the pilot ready?" Holland asked, dragging her suitcase to a halt.

     "If you're asking me, then yes, I am." The guy replied. There was a British ring to the way he spoke.

     Holland crosses her arms. "I was asking the pilot."

     The guy laughed. The kind of laugh, as if Holland was missing something out. She narrowed her eyes at him. "I am the pilot."

     "You're kidding?" Came from Malea, bobbing her head to the side slightly to get a good look at him. He shook his head.

     "Aren't you a little bit young to be a pilot?" Holland asked, as if to almost offend.

     "Aren't you a little bit young to be on a jet, alone?" He retorted.

     "Are you not meant to be in school?"

     "And you aren't?"

      This competitive throwing of comments from both Holland and the young guy in front of her had been going on for a while now, and Malea was getting tired of it.

     "And aren't you guys meant to stop flirting so we can fly this bloody bird?" Lea butt in, motioning her hands towards the vacant plane.

     "If you could go into the jet, we may be able to start our journey as Ms. Danbury has suggested." The pilot led the way up the small ramp, motioning for Holland and Lea to join him.

Once the had entered the body of flight, the two girls had their bags put in a small compartment on board. They had then seated themselves on seats adjourned to each other.

After 10 or so minutes, the aircraft had been in the air and seemed stable. It was only an hour between Queens and where the Compound was, so it wasn't that much of a journey.

"Is everything fine?" They heard a voice come from the door of the pilots dock, and turned to see none other than the pilot himself. Malea and Holland had presumed he turned the autopilot on, enabling to check on them both.

Malea turned from where she was -- attending to one of the coffee machines decorating the side of the plane. Smiling at the pilot, she answered him. "Everything is great, thank you." She sat back on her leather seat, a brewed hot chocolate in hand. Lea had never been one for coffee, she had always preferred the comforting spread of the hot, frothy liquid on her tongue.

"You know, now that we've taken off, can you give us some answers?" Holland spoke up.

"Like what?" The pilot gave back.

"Your name to start with. You didn't tell us your name. Not to mention the fact that you're a pilot this young, and how."

The pilot sat in the chair opposing Holland. "My name? That's Alex -- Alex Evans. As for the story of my occupation, that's a whole other long story."

Holland reclined herself in her chair. "Go, ahead, tell us. We have," she checked her watch, "45 minutes of a journey left, I'm sure we can use that time with your 'long story'."

The pilot, now known as Alex, grinned. "If you say so." he got himself in a comfortable position, before taking off with his story. "I guess I've always been interested in aircraft and piloting. Whenever me and my family would go on holiday, I would always ask to visit the pilot in the cockpit before we would take off. After my father passed away when I was 12, I decided to really start off my career.

"Since then, I began to fund for my own money, to help support my mother and sister whenever I left the house. I took a part-time job, but seeing as most people wouldn't want to take a 12-year-old employee under their wing, I just volunteered myself in a charity shop, and once I got enough experience I kicked off with work.

"Once enough money had gotten funded, pledged myself at flight school at 14 years old. No, I haven't learned how to fly a proper plane, just jets. Then my instructor referred me over to Tony Stark, and he had approved of my skills and put me as one of his jet-flyers. Then, I had to move all the way from England, as you can tell by my accent, to America and I guess that's where I am now. A 17-year-old pilot who just happened to be working for Tony Stark."

Lea nodded her head, approving and making sense of his story. "And what about your education?"

"When I was in England I just continued my studies as normal along with piloting, but when I came to America I had gotten a tutor. The thing is, she is elderly and also taken in as sick."

"I'm sorry, Alex. Is there anything we can do?" Lea asked.

"Actually, yes." Alex answered, taking Lea by surprise. "I know who you guys are -- the daughter and adopted daughter of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. And I also know that you are trying to keep all of this," Alex motioned to the travel they were sat in, "a secret. So in return, for keeping this to myself as well as getting you transport, could you put in a small word?"

"To who? And about what, exactly?" Holland asked this time.

"Tony Stark. I know any day my tutor could be gone, and I'll have no source of education after that. So if you could maybe get Tony to consider putting me into Midtown High, which I know you guys also attend, if that could be my return favour?"

"Don't worry. It's the least we could do. Do you have anywhere to stay while we're here?" Lea asked.

"F.R.I..D.A.Y actually booked me into the same hotel as you guys, so I'm sorted."

"Thank you, again, for this. Are you sure there isn't anything else we could do in return?" Lea downed the last of her hot chocolate, placing it on her armrest after.

"Nah, this is enough. Besides, accompanying two beautiful girls on a secret mission has been fun enough." Alex grinned, as he walked back to the cockpit in order to schedule for landing.

Lea, untouched by the compliment glanced over at her sister, whose cheeks were bright, clearly blushing.

"What?" Holland asked as Malea was giving her a weird look. Lea motioned to her blushing cheeks, which only got shaken off by Holland. "Oh, shut up."

* * *

so we have a new character! honestly, I hasn't expected to have him in from the start, I guess it was jus a little spur of the moment decision. that gif up there is a little gif of my babe Robbie Kay, who will be playing Alex. I do hope to have him in some more parts of this story, but he won't be a main. thanks for reading!!!