Issue #4

-- The night before the Avengers gathered --

Iron Man, Captain America, and both of the Nick Furys sat around a table in the Avengers tower. Nick Fury the 1st and Iron Man were trying to gauge whether all the brain damage from the time that Captain America spent on the ice had finally caught up to him.

"You want to put all 6 of them in one team? 2 rookies, a hothead, a wild card, and a Hulk, all being led by the person I actually trust the least out of all the Avengers? Even more, than the people that I have never met before," Nick Fury the 1st said in exasperation

This was a new Avengers team that was no longer privately sponsored but now contracted out to the government. Captain America was put in charge of the new Avengers team and had complete control over who joined and how it was handled. He also held all the responsibility though.

"Nick's right, Cap. You can't put them all in a single squad. What if the rest of us are busy and can't help them out?"

"That's entirely the point, Tony. We need teams that can work independently. Their team covers all the minimum requirements to work. They can do it. I believe in them," Captain America explained himself once again.

The others gave up on trying to persuade him. Hopefully, the team would work out as he planed. Or at least, they would be disbanded before something truly horrible happened.

-- 1345, Avengers Tower, December 6th --

Jack arrived outside the house with the last of his luggage floating behind him and Bean in his arms. He had been slowly moving in over the past week. He had met several of the members but still didn't know who his squad was.

He walked up to the front door and placed his Avenger's ID on the scanner before he was allowed entrance. Jack entered the elevator and was about to take it to the 18th floor when he heard a woman shout.

"Hold the elevator!"

Jack held his hand on the button to keep the elevator open as he waited for the woman to arrive. When she entered, Jack flashed the woman a smile.

"Hair looks a little messy today, Susan. Been rushing around?"

"A word of advice, Jack. Never tell a woman who knows she is having a bad hair day that she is having a bad hair day," Susan shot a fake glare at Jack but he could see the playfulness in her eyes. "Oh. So that's the famous Bean?"

The pair had met a few days ago and hit it off. Susan said Jack reminded her of her younger brother except he was more responsible while Susan reminded Jack of Emma except that Susan was more playful.

Susan Richards-Storm was the same age as him but was much more accomplished. She already had her Ph.D. and was married with 2 kids. She went into space earlier that year with 3 other individuals and ended up gaining superpowers. She was an absolutely wonderful person. If the woman had one flaw it would be her taste in men.

"Thanks, Susan for rushing ahead and getting the elevator. Oh, hello there, Jack."

'Speaking of the devil,' Jack gave Reed a small smile before going silent and playing with Bean

A young man in his mid-20s rushed into the elevator. His rugged appearance would make one assume he did not take care of his appearance, which he didn't. If the man was focused on an experiment, he would ignore everything. Eating, bathing, his children, and even his own wife.

"Hold the elevator!" commanded a voice filled with arrogance and pride

Jack sighed and kept his hand on the button.

'And here comes the other one.'

A man that appeared to be in his 30s and who was wearing a speedo entered the elevator. If not for his pointed ears and the wings on his ankles, most would assume that he was your everyday pervert. But this pervert was Namor, the king of Atlantis, longtime friend of the Avengers, and Susan's boy toy that she kept flirting with even though she was married.

Namor entered the elevator and glared at Reed who returned the glare. He then smiled at Susan before finally nodding towards Jack. Jack was able to finally let go of the button and the elevator started traveling. The atmosphere in the elevator was suffocating to Jack.

'I can understand why she is still married to Reed. They have been together since high school, been through life and death, have kids together. All good reasons to stay with him.

I can understand her wanting to be with Namor. He's handsome, actually pays attention to her and shows interest, is royalty. All good reasons to be with him.

But can she please pick between the two? The tension between the three of them is almost as bad as what Emma described the tension between Marvel Girl, Cyclops, and Wolverine to be like. Hopefully, I'm not on a squad with any of them.'

They rode together until they reached the 15th floor. That was where Jack and the Richards-Storm family were staying along with a few other heroes. The people in charge of room assignments at least had enough common sense not to put these 3 on the same floor.

After hopping off the elevator, Jack said a few kind words to Susan and Reed before he went to his apartment. The place was fully furnished yet had a minimalistic design to it. Jack set down his Bean who immediately turned around and left through the front door.

Jack shook his head at this. Every time they had been coming over, the dog would leave his owner at the first chance he got. At first, Jack was worried. But then he noticed that Bean just liked being around the other pets of the tower.

Looking at the time, there were still a few hours before the press conference where the new Avengers team and the squads would be announced. Then there was the party after. Knowing that he had a full day and late night, Jack decided to take a nap.