The Science of Monsters

I watched them. They watched me. Stark talked in circles. He always does. Romanov glared at him. She always does. Fury crossed his arms and sneered. I wondered where Coulson escaped to. Barlow entered their circle.

“What’s wrong with letting her come home with me,” Stark argued for the umpteenth time. “She’s getting sick here, and at least she’ll be more comfortable with me.” I coughed. “See!”

“She’ll blow sky high if we hand her over to you,” Barlow sneered. Romanov hit his arm.

“For once, I agree with Stark.” She rubbed my back as another deeper cough set in my chest. “We’re killing her here.”

“I can take her back to the warehouse if you’re worried about her being in a populated area.” Stark shrugged. “Now that we got rid of all the suits except one, that space is sitting there collecting dust. I was going to donate it, but it’d be better suited for her.” He turned toward me. “Don’t you think?”

“She doesn’t talk much,” Romanov stated, “anymore.”

“I’m sure.” Stark rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

“She gave me an ear full on take down,” Barlow commented with a glare. Romanov snatched her hand away from my shoulder.

“Sorry,” I whispered while holding Barlow’s cold stare.

“What do you want to do, huh?” Stark kneeled in front of me defeating my staring contest. “Scarlett, do you want to go back to the warehouse?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go.” Stark stood and turned at Romanov. “Get her stuff together. Anything that belongs to her comes with me.”

“Stark…” Fury started.

“She’s coming with me, Pirate,” He growled. “Get over it.”


“I need four ounces of saline and a few…” Bruce trailed off staring at his office cabinet. He got set up in his lab in about a week. Betty Ross didn’t contact him like Coulson promised she would, nor did Thunderbolt Ross. Carson and Parker were his only employees. Carson should have been ordering this stuff, but she’s not always on time. Unfortunately, Bruce couldn’t fire her if he wanted to because that’s General Ross’s job. Parker just walked through the door with his arms full of things he just picked up from Wal-Mart.

“Yeah, now read it back.” Bruce listened intently to the receiver. “That’s it. Now I need it by the end of next week… Okay, thanks.” He hung up the phone and turned his stern gaze on Parker. His eyes slit into glares while the corners of his mouth tilted downward slightly as his nose crinkled causing his nostrils to flare. It was a look that he hated to use because of the memories it drudged to the surface.

“I apologize, Hoss.” Parker shrugged while he ruffled his already messy sandy blond hair. Bruce grimaced through his sternly set features. “My car didn’t start, the alarm broke, my dog ate it.”

“What?” Bruce shed his sternness and replaced it with an unwilling crooked smile.

“Lighten up, man,” Parker laughed. “I’m here now, Car is on her way. She’ll give you them ‘cuses too, but it’s just cause she had a drunken night.” He handed Bruce a cup of hot coffee.

“You’re lucky this is still hot.” Bruce tried to put his stern look back into place, but the 23 year old lab assistant held his goofy grin in place. “I made the stock order. You need to finish the notes from yesterday before noon. We have to start testing today, and I can’t test without my notes.”

“I’m on it, Hoss.” He sat down and schooched his chair beneath the metal desk on the right.

“Stop calling me that!” Bruce laughed before he walked away from the office area as he donned a pea green hazmat suit. He connected the oxygen cord before he went inside the air tight chamber. The sound a vacuum filled Bruce’s ears as the oxygen left the room before the door opened.

“How are you feeling today?”