Chapter 30: Little Talks

"Wait... are these?!"

Alex looked down at the envelope her grandfather gave her. Inside were six tickets to one of the most talked about events of the decade! Alex heard her grandpa chuckle at her reaction. Immediately, she jumped up and hugged him tightly.

"Yup, just a few tickets to that Stark Expo thing you keep talking about." Grandpa said. 

"How?! These tickets are impossible to get for the opening week!" Alex spoke in excitement.

"I sold a closet to one of the event organizers." Grandpa said with a proud smile. "He was happy to give them to me when I called."

"Just promise me you and the family will enjoy yourselves."

Alex happily said that they would. Looking down, she finally noticed that there were six tickets, not five. "Wait, there's an extra ticket."

"Ah, that's for you to bring a friend along." Her grandfather said with a knowing smile.

Alex felt her cheeks tingle as she turned around and saw Harvey help her father carry a mattress down to the basement. 

Today was Saturday, and her father wanted to host a barbequee for the whole family. Naturally, he asked her to invite their recurring dinner guest. It was also the day Haley decided to move all her stuff down into the basement, where she would be staying from now on. Luke and Manny were also helping carry stuff down as well.

"Ahh..." Alex squeaked out.

"Just promise me you'll enjoy yourself." Grandpa said as he brought her in for a half hug. "You deserve it, Honey."

"Thank you, Grandpa."

"Don't mention it, kiddo." Grandpa said as he let go of her. "I'm gonna go help Phil get the grill going."

Alex nodded as he walked off to the kitchen. Holding up the tickets, Alex inspected them and smiled in excitement. The expo is still a couple of weeks away, Causing her to shake in anticipation. Alex couldn't wait to see all of the inventions scientists worldwide would be showing off! Hopefully, Tony Stark would go over the Iron Man suit he created a while back. It was truly a fantastic piece of advanced technology.

"Careful!"

"It's alright, I got it."

Alex turned to watch Harvey carry Haley's dresser on his own. Her sister was hovering close to him as he carefully walked down the stairs. Haley's face was anxious as she held her hand near Harvey's back; Harvey smiled as he easily carried the heavy piece of furniture.

"Have Luke help! You could hurt yourself!"

"Don't worry, Haley." Luke said from up the second floor he had a box in his hands. "Harvey is pretty strong. He's got this."

Alex nodded absentmindedly as she looked at Harvey's arms. The biceps were causing the shirt sleeves to strain against them; his muscular forearms rippled as he moved. Alex shook her head and placed the tickets back into the envelope. 

"Alex, What do you got there?" Harvey asked as he stopped and looked at her.

"Oh! Just some tickets Grandpa gave me. I'll tell you about it later!" Alex pocketed the envelope and then walked over to Harvey. She grabbed the other end of the dresser and smiled at him. "There. That should take off some weight."

Harvey smiled and nodded at her. "Phew, that's better."

They then made their way down to the basement and placed the dresser down where Haley wanted it. Alex released a deep breath and looked around. The dresser was the last piece of furniture left to move, leaving only smaller items and boxes to be brought down.

"That's the last of it." Harvey said as he stretched his back, making a show of being tired. "Nice room, roof girl. Very comfortable."

"You think so?" Haley said as she set down a box on her bed.

"Oh yeah. I'm sure you and Alex will enjoy not having to share a room anymore." Harvey said, looking over to Manny as he set down a large box. "But I'm sure you'll miss each other."

"I don't think so." Alex and Haley said simultaneously.

"I'm just happy I don't have to listen to her say 'OMG, No way!' over and over while I'm studying." Alex said with a roll of her eyes.

"Please. Like when you go on about math and science, and that iron guy is so interesting." Haley said while rolling her eyes.

"Oh yeah! How about when-!"

"Okaaay! How about we all go upstairs and join the barbeque?" 

Harvey said as he grabbed her and Haley's shoulders and pushed them upstairs. Alex huffed and looked over to Haley, ready to give her a look. Alex stopped and noticed Haley looking to the side; her cheeks were red, and she seemed to lean back a little into Harvey's hand.

"Haley, You okay?"

"OH! Yeah, Yeah. I'm fine, just fine." Haley said oddly. "I'm just... Tired. You know? Moving all those boxes can be exhausting."

"But you only carried three boxes." Manny said from behind Harvey.

•••

"Harvey, You alright?"

Luke asked as he looked over to his friend/big brother figure. Harvey just sat still, looking at his untouched burger. Harvey looked up at him as he sat down next to him.

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah... Actually, no." Harvey said as he leaned back in his chair. "Listen, Luke. A while back, this secret organization approached me."

Luke's eyes widened, and he almost choked on his hot dog. Looking around, he saw his whole family talking and eating, wholly occupied. Luke slid his chair over and whispered.

"...What did they want? Was it the FBI or CIA?"

"Neither. This group isn't well known, but they're more powerful than those two." Harvey whispered.

"What did they want?" Luke asked while seemingly drinking from his cup. "Is it about you being The Ghost Rider?"

"Yes, they found out who I was." Harvey then looked down at his cold food. "They told me there are more people out there with powers and abilities."

Luke was surprised that there were more people like his friend. How many? Thinking back, he remembered a video one of his classmates showed him. It showed off a man in red and gold armor. Iron Man, they called him. Was he one? While Luke felt excited at the prospect of more super-powered people, the memories of Harvey fighting that fallen angel in that shopping mall brought him back. 

Sure, these people were fun to watch. Luke also knew they were dangerous. His uncles and sisters could have been seriously hurt that day. Many people could have been killed that day if it wasn't for Harvey. Swallowing, Luke looked over to Harvey.

"...What did they want?"

"They want me to join this team they're putting together." Harvey grabbed the burger and bit into it. "A response team to fight off threats no one else can."

"...Are you gonna join?"

"...I don't know."

Luke nodded and looked at his food; he was no longer hungry. After Alex's kidnapping and the attack on the mall, Luke realized the danger of what his friend got involved in. His family members were put in danger because of those who abused their strength. 

Turning to Harvey, he saw the conflict he was going through in his head. What Luke did know for certain is that if it weren't for Harvey. He could have lost Alex in the kidnapping. In the mall attack, he could have lost Haley, Lily, Alex, and his uncles. Luke didn't care that Harvey said it was his fault that the fallen angel attacked. It's not like he told that monster to come and attack the mall and its people. Harvey wasn't responsible for that at all!

"I think... you should do it."

Luke told his friend. Harvey's eyes grew a little, and he turned to him; Luke smiled and turned to his family. Grandpa and his dad were grilling together, discussing the best way to grill a steak. Uncle Mitchell, Lily, and Haley were off to the side, having a heated conversation. Uncle Cameron and Gloria were eating together while discussing hot sauces. Alex, Manny, and his mother were off laughing about something. Alex then showed their mom an envelope, which caused her to smile and hug his sister.

"I'm sure if it weren't for you using your powers to help those in danger. There would be a chance the people I care about wouldn't be here. Talking and having fun with each other." Luke spoke softly. "If you can do that with help, I'm sure even more people would appreciate you like I do."

"At least that's what I think."

Harvey stayed still and nodded. He then raised his hand and grabbed his shoulder, shaking him softly. "You know, Luke. I can see what Alex means by you having 'great potential'."

"She told you that too?"

Harvey laughed as he stood up. "Let's get some of those steaks; I'm feeling my appetite come back."

"Lead the way."

•••

"I don't think bringing that kid in is a good idea, sir."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"How about the fact that he's still in high school?"

Nick Fury turned to look at his agent, Clint Barton; nodding his head, he turned to the other agent in the room. The red-headed woman was leaning against a table, arms crossed. This was Natasha Romanov.

"What do you think, Romanov?"

"Clint's right. It's wrong to involve a child in this."

Fury nodded and walked over to a chair. They were inside one of S.H.I.E.L.D.S. Helicarriers, occupying a large office. Sitting down, he looks over to the large monitor, pressing a button, and a video starts to play. It was of a soldier fighting a giant green monster in a large open field. The monster was using two huge pieces of steel to swipe at the soldier.

"This was taken three days ago." Fury said as he looked at his agent's faces.

"What... is that?" Natasha said she looked at the screen in awe.

"They call it The Hulk."

"The Hulk? Where was this taken?" Clint asked as he watched the Hulk stand protectively before a woman as a helicopter crashed into them.

"Culver University in Virginia." Fury stated. "That green monster, The Hulk, is actually Dr. Robert Bruce Banner. A genius in biochemistry, nuclear physics, and gamma radiation."

"What happened to him?" Natasha asked.

"General Thaddeus Ross tasked Banner to recreate the Super Soldier Serum that created Captain America. However, Ross elected not to inform Banner what he was truly creating." Fury said as he stood up and looked at the paused video. The Hulk's image stood still. "During the experiment, Banner substituted vita radiation for gamma radiation and administered the serum on himself. As a result, he accidentally transformed himself into what you see on the screen."

"Where is Banner now?" Clint asked.

"We don't know, S.H.I.E.L.D. has been ordered to stand down on this. The US military is 'handling' it." Fury exclaimed sarcastically.

"What does this have to do with the kid?" Natasha asked as she looked away from the monster.

Fury nodded and pressed another button on the remote in his hand. Natasha and Clint were surprised to see a skull with its head on fire fighting another monster with a size comparable to the Hulk. The battle lasted for a while, only to end with the flaming skull cutting off the winged creature's head and burning the body.

"You're not saying..." Clint said as he turned to him.

"Yes. That kid is The Ghost Rider." Fury said in a severe tone.

"You could have told us this." Natasha said in a low tone. "You told us he was a dangerous, enhanced-grown man. Not a child with powers!"

"If I told you that, would it have been any easier?" 

"...I would have been better prepared." Natasha said as she looked away. "I wouldn't..."

"What? Hold a gun to his head?" Fury spoke. "Whether I like it or not, that kid is dangerous. Powerful."

"We need to know whether or not he can be reasoned with and if he can be an asset." Fury said as he pointed at a still image of the Ghost Rider.

"A child soldier?" Clint said distastefully.

"No." Fury said sternly. "An ally."

"I'm not on board with this." Clint said, spinning around.

"You won't be. I'm sending you to New Mexico; Something has come up." Fury ordered.

Clint stood still for a while but ultimately nodded; he left the room without another word. Turning his head, he saw Natasha look up at an image of Harvey without his hood and mask on.

"Romanov. You're going undercover at Stark Industries." Fury said as he held a large envelope for her. "I need eyes on Tony Stark."

Natasha slowly nodded and grabbed the envelope from him; she then walked away without another word. Fury released a heavy sigh and looked over to the image of Harvey. A part of him agreed with his two agents. The boy was still young. He didn't belong on the battlefield. But hearing of his escapades as Vengeance helped him decide to bring him in. After all, Humanity was severely underpowered. They needed all the help they could get. He couldn't help but feel like something big was coming.

"Coulson." Fury spoke after pressing a button on his earpiece.

"Yes, Director?"

"Get me, Agent 13. I have an assignment for her."