No Such Thing as Normal

Mick wasted no time hunting down Agent Coulson's card once he got in his mom's car, even going as far as lying with the claim of looking for gum. He slipped the card into his pocket, and once they arrived at home he set off to his room to make the call. His nerves rose quickly as the line just kept ringing. "Agent Coulson please answer your phone!" Mick fussed hanging up as it went to voicemail. He quickly dialed the number again growing more anxious with each ring. 

"Coulson here," he sounded quite frustrated, to which Mick didn't care. 

"Mr. Coulson, it's Mick Bellouve, do you remember me?" 

"Bellouve?" Coulson paused for a moment, in that moment Mick was sure he heard squealing tires. "Can't say it sounds familiar in this moment." 

"Kid attacked by Arachnid," Mick said bitterly. 

"Oh, yeah," Coulson said as Mick was sure he heard gunfire in the background, making him believe Coulson was watching some kind of action movie. "What do you need kid?" 

"I may have some super powers now," Mick said, half expecting Coulson to brush him off. 

"What kind of powers?" Mick was surprised by how unfazed Coulson was at this revelation. "Are we talking super strength, talking to animals, flying?" Mick's eyes widened as Coulson continued to list powers. 

"I can shoot webs and I guess you could call it super strength?" Mick shrugged, feeling slightly degraded after Coulson's long list of varying powers. 

"On top of your enhanced healing ability," Coulson didn't sound impressed, but Mick was quite curious about that healing ability he referred to. "Sounds like you inherited some of Arachnids abilities." 

"Inherited?" Mick wasn't sure he liked that phrasing. "How are you so ok with this?" 

"It's not my first rodeo kid," Coulson said firmly. "Is there anything else?" 

"I had a strange vision Arachnid escaped from some holding facility," Mick said somberly. "Please tell me he's still locked up and that was just a bad dream." 

"I'll have to get back to you on that one," Coulson sounded even more frustrated now. "Have you told anyone about your powers?" 

"Yeah, just my best friends," Mick said as Coulson groaned. "They're not going to tell anyone." 

"Please don't tell anyone else," Coulson said firmly. "I'll head your way as soon as I can. Keep a low profile. No more telling people about your powers, I don't care who they are." 

"Yes sir," Mick said, knowing that if he told his mom, she'd panic and think he needed medication to fix his new found abilities. His sisters would probably tell everyone they saw, especially Alice. The phone disconnected, leaving Mick sitting on his bed wondering what Coulson was actually doing. What exactly was the Strategic, Homeland, Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, and why did they have such a weird name, unlike the CIA and FBI. Was it because they wanted to be called SHIELD? He used his laptop to look into them, but didn't find anything. No website, nothing. Even the CIA and FBI had some kind of paper trail to show they exist, but this group didn't? Why? Just what did they do? 

Weeks passed with no word from Coulson, no answers to what his hyper secret organization did, and the constant stream of nightmares of Arachnid hunting him; Mick struggled to keep focus on school. The vivid nightmares of Arachnid hunting and murdering people were beginning to take their toll on his psyche. His eyes had bags under them, his focus was dwindling. He was sure people were going to suspect he was either sick on one drugs if this kept up much longer. 

It didn't help matters that the school was now plastered with flyers advertising the Under the Sea Homecoming dance. The whole school was buzzing with excitement. Even his friends were getting in on the excitement, while Mick was slowly losing himself to fear and dread. 

"Come on dude, you can't miss the our first big event as High Schoolers!" Davis barked, as Mick slumped down against the wall in the shadows of the commons while the majority of the student body enjoyed the morning sunlight before the heat kicked in. 

"I don't care," Mick grunted. "It's not like I even have a date." 

"Then get one!" Davis insisted. "Even Patten manned up and asked a girl!" 

"Hey, you leave me out your nonsense," Patten glared. "If Mick doesn't want to go, he doesn't have to." 

"Even Jerren is going!" Davis belted out. 

"Uh, no I'm not," Jerren shook his head in defiance. "I don't do social events. Honestly, I still don't understand why you three hang out with me." 

"It's cause you have all the cool games at your house," Patten teased as Jerren rolled his eyes. 

"Why don't you just ask Laynie Daniels? We all know you've been dreaming about her since seventh grade," Davis suggested as Mick glared at him furiously. Thankfully the bell rang, giving him a quick out to this terrible conversation. He walked away pretending not to have time to continue as Davis kept on trying to goad a reaction by making kissy faces and chicken noises. 

Mick walked into the band room, shaking his head at just how goofy his friends could be, especially Davis. They'd always been friendly rivals since they were in elementary; racing to see who was faster, they played on the same soccer team for a few years, until Mick dropped it in favor of band. It was there Mick excelled. Music was a huge passion of his; classical, rock, pop, it didn't really matter. If he liked the beat, he could lose himself in it. 

The homecoming buzz didn't fade away after band class. If anything, it was amplified. They were practicing the song they'd be playing on the field for the presentation of the homecoming court, then afterward several of the girls were talking about their dresses and hair styles, while the boys were talking about the girls. It made him start to wonder, should he bother asking Laynie? Would she even say yes? It was a brief thought, quickly brushed away. She was way out of his league, or, she was. Maybe no so much now that he had super powers. Even that thought was hushed by the stark reminder of Mr. Coulson telling him not to tell anyone else about those. 

Mick made his way to Biology I, the intrusive thoughts of asking Laynie to homecoming. It never ended well, sometimes she laughed, sometimes she just said no. Others she completely humiliated him. Clearly he had no self confidence when it came to this. He finally took his seat, back of the room, where Laynie sat a chair up and a row over. 

She walked in after he was settled; her makeup perfect, her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, she wore a blue shirt with khaki shorts. Her emerald green eyes sparkled as she greeted her friends before taking her seat. Mick swooned. How he wished that she'd greet him like that, or at all. Three years of being infatuated by her, and never once had the courage to speak to her. That had to change. He took in a deep breath to build confidence, then it all shattered when she sat down. Powers or not, she was way out of his league. Her beauty versus his nerdy, long haired, lanky self. There was just no way this could work. 

"How many ways have you asked her?" Casey, the boy who sat in front of him, asked as he started pulling his notebook out. 

"What?" Mick asked frantically. "Asked who, what?" 

"Zero," Casey nodded. "Want me to help?" Mick's eyes grew, he shook his head and stammered trying to get the word no out of his mouth. This was enough to catch Laynie's attention though. 

She looked between the two boys, seeing the sheer nervousness and sweat on Mick's face. "Are you feeling ok? Would you like me to get Mrs. Layman?" 

"N-no, I'm fine," Mick stammered. These were the first words she'd ever spoke to him, and she thought he was sick? How in the heck was he supposed to ask her to homecoming if she thought he was sick? "I-uh, I was just well-" 

"Do you have a date for homecoming yet?" Casey interrupted, both to Mick's relief and horror. 

"I did," Laynie said then shook her head. "But we broke up. So now I'm on my own." Mick was completely in shock. 

"Have anything you'd like to say to that Mick?" Casey looked at Mick who was awestruck at the fact not only was he in a conversation with Laynie, but she was single as well. "My friend Mick here doesn't have a date either, just saying. Maybe you two could go together?" 

"Maybe," Laynie looked at Mick with a friendly smile. "But I won't go with a guy who doesn't actually ask me." 

Mick couldn't breathe, did she really just imply it would be as simple as that? All he had to do was ask? It didn't matter that it would be just friends, it would be a date with Laynie Daniels! That alone would make it the best night of his life. "Wouldyouliketogowithme?" The words came out all jumbled, again humiliation. Why was this so hard? Laynie just smiled at him. 

"Sure," she started writing on a small piece of paper. "Here's my number. Call me and we'll start figuring out what to wear, and if you want to go out and have dinner with some friends or something?" It was as if time itself stopped. The room was spinning, he was overjoyed. It all shattered when the vision of a monstrous looking Arachnind filled his mind. The beastly man had torn the doors off of what looked like a school cafeteria, stalking his way through crowds of students. It had to be true, that monster was looking for him. 

"You sure you're ok?" Laynie asked as Mick felt the cold sweat pouring down his face as he came to. 

"No," Mick panted. "I'm not." Laynie quickly caught the attention Mrs. Layman as the tardy bell rang. Mick was then escorted to the restroom by Casey. He didn't make it to the commons before his breakfast unloaded on the concrete. Casey continued to help Mick despite this, carrying him with Mick's arm over his shoulder until the reached the restroom. He then set off to the office to let them know about Mick's condition.

Mick couldn't remember how, but he ended up in the office, curled in the chairs. He assumed they called his mother, but she oddly wasn't the one that showed up to check him out. Mr. Coulson was. Somehow the man had permission from his mother to pull him out of school, and bring him home. With some assistance, Mick was brought to the black SUV that had a barely visible logo of what appeared to be an eagle inside a circle, and the words Strategic, Homeland, Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division wrapped around the circle with a SHIELD spelled out underneath. 

If it wasn't for the sickly haze, he probably would've questioned all of this, but given the circumstances, he had no wits about him. After getting buckled in, Coulson looked over at him from the drivers seat. "You look like you've been through hell." 

"I can't sleep because I see that monster, apparently I can't even stay awake either," Mick grumbled. 

"We're not going to let him find you," Coulson insisted. 

"So he really did escape?" Mick asked.

"Unfortunately," Coulson sighed. "Still trying to figure that part out. Now it's my turn for questions; are you in control of your powers?" 

"I think so?" Mick said timidly. "I struggled for a few weeks with the webs, but wearing sweatbands seems to keep any accidents at bay. The strength is easy as long as I don't try to participate in sports. I'm a little too competitive sometimes, so it doesn't end well, and the reflexes go hand in hand with the strength. And you said something about healing?" 

"Oh you definitely have a healing power, but that's not something from Arachnid, everything else seems to be though," Coulson stated. "Makes me wonder if it's all going to be permanent or temporary."

"That would be disappointing, lose these cool powers after getting used to them," Mick sighed. 

"Would make you normal again," Coulson suggested. 

"I don't want to be normal," Mick admitted. "I kind of like being special." 

"I'm not surprised at all. A teenager wanting to be something more than normal," he chuckled. "It's like every story ever." 

"Thanks," Mick groaned. 

"Just keep your feet on the ground kid," Coulson said with a frown. "I've seen what happens to people who get big headed in your situation."

"I'm keeping a low profile," Mick's frustration was seeping through his tone. 

"I know," Coulson said as he pulled into Mick's driveway. He then pulled a phone from his pocket. "Use this to contact me directly. Just know, we've got a team watching out for you. You're not alone in this." 

"Thanks," Mick frowned, while it was reassuring that whatever SHIELD was, they and Mr. Coulson were watching his back, but they couldn't contain Arachnid. So how much assurance could that possibly provide? 

"Get some rest kid. Get to feeling better too. I'm sure you're going to need to bring your A-game for that homecoming date you've got," Mick stared at Coulson unsure of how to feel. 

"Thanks," Mick said skeptically, climbing out of the SUV. "I'll keep in touch.