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𝑰𝑻 𝑻𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑺 𝑻𝑾𝑶
-𝒔𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏
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          "YOU DON'T need to raise your hand, Scott." Hank said in a gravely voice.

"Sorry," Scott blinked. "I just have one question. Who are you? Who was she?" Scott quickly glanced at the vacant seat in front of him, referring to Hope. "Who is she?" he pointed at Christina. "What the hell is this? And can I go back to jail now?"

Hank rose from his chair. "Come with me."

Scott watched, star-struck as Christina and Hank left the room. After a moment, he followed. They walked down the hallway before departing down the stairs into another area of Hank's home.

"Forty years ago, I created a formula that altered atomic relative distance."

"Huh?"

"I learned how to change the distance between atoms." Hank repeated. "That's what powers the suit. That's why it works."

Hank entered the code to a door on the other side of the room, opening to to reveal the operations; blue prints, various bottles, and other unused gadgets.

"It was dangerous." Hank grabbed the Ant-Man suit, placing in the main countertop. "It was too dangerous. So I hid it from the world. That's when I switched gears, and started my own company."

Christina watched as Scott looked around the room in amazement. "Pym Tech!"

"Yes." Hank confirmed, walking away to grab two viles; one red and one blue before returning. "I took on a young protégé called Darren Cross."

"Darren Cross." Scott repeated. "He's a big deal."

"But before he was a big deal, he was my assistant. I saw something in him. The son I never had, perhaps. He was brilliant. But as we became close, he began to suspect I wasn't telling him everything. He heard rumours about what was called the Pym Particle."

Hank held up a small tube, filled with red liquid. "And he became obsessed with recreating my formula. But, I wouldn't help him. So, he conspired against me and he voted me out of my own company."

"How could he do that?" Scott wondered.

"The board's chairman is my daughter, Hope. She was the deciding vote. But she came back to me when she saw how close Cross was to cracking my formula. The process is highly violative.

"If one isn't protected by a specialized helmet, it can affect the brain's chemistry. I don't think Darren realizes this and you know, he's not the most stable guy to begin with."

"So, what do you want from me?" Scott asked, glancing between the two when Christina moved to stand beside Hank.

"Scott, I believe that everyone deserves a shot a redemption. I gave Chris here one when I hired her to spy on you. Do you?" Hank asked in return.

"I do." Scott answered hesitantly.

"If you can help me, I promise I can help you be with your daughter again. Now, are you ready to redeem yourself?"

"Absolutely." Scott nodded in determination. "My days of breaking into places and stealing shit are done. What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to break into a place and still some shit."

"THIS ISN'T the first time these guys have tried to get their hands on game-changing weaponry. This is Mitchell Carson, ex-Head of Defence at S.H.I.E.L.D.. Presently in the business of toppling governments. He always wanted my tech. And now, unless we break in and steal the Yellowjacket and destroy all the data, Darren Cross is going to unleash chaos upon the world."

Hank sat with Scott, keying in on Hank's mission.

"I think our first move should be calling the Avengers." Scott mentioned, pursing his lips.

Hank sighed, standing from his seat. "I spent half my life trying to keep my technology out of the hands of Stark, I'm sure as hell not gonna hand-deliver it now. This is not some cute technology like the Iron Man suit. This could change the texture of reality. Besides, they're probably too busy dropping cities out of the sky."

Christina moved her eyes to the floor, remembering the news on Sokovia.

"Okay, then why don't you send the ants?" Scott asked, following Hank.

"Scott, they're just ants." Christina reminded.

"Ants, they can do a lot of things, but they still need a leader." Hank added, seeing realization wash over Scott's face. "Somebody that can infiltrate a place that's designed to prevent infiltration."

"Hank, I'm a thief, right—I mean, I'm a good thief, but this is insane." Scott said, shaking his head.

"He's right, Hank. And you know it. You've seen the footage and you know what Cross is capable of. I was against using him when we had months, and now we have days. I'm wearing the suit." Hope said, stepping away from Christina, who she stood beside. Hope moved to the table, laying out a blueprint for a female-designed insect suit.

"Absolutely not!" Hank snapped, turning to her.

"We agreed I was!" Christina argued, joining in.

" I know the facility inside and out. I know how Cross thinks. I know this mission better than anybody here."

"We need you close to Cross. Otherwise, this mission cannot work. If anyone would go; it's Christina, but she's not either!" Hank raised his voice into a yell.

"We don't have time to screw around!" Hope yelled back.

"Hope, please—"

"He is a criminal!" Hope jabbed a finger at each person whilst she spoke. "She's your caretaker. I'm your daughter!"

"NO!" Hank screamed, ending the argument.

There was a thick tension as Hank sat back in his chair with a sigh. Hope stared at the back of his head, leaning back on her feet.

Scott glanced at Chris before between the two family members. Hope looked at Scott, sending him an off-putting smile before she left the room. "She's right, Hank. I'm not your guy. Why don't you wear the suit?"

"You think I don't want to?" Hank asked, glancing at Scott. "I can't. I spent years wearing it, and it took a toll on me. You're our only option.

"Before Hope lost her mother, she used to look at me like I was the greatest man in the world. And now, she looks at me and there's disappointment.

"It's too late for me, but not for you. This is your chance. The chance to earn look in your daughters eyes. To become the hero that she already thinks you are. It's not about saving our world. It's about saving their's."

"Damn, that was a good speech." Scott scoffed, nodding his head.

Christina rolled her eyes, pausing from reading Hope's blueprint.

"Scott, I need you to become the Ant-Man."

note.
sorry for the long hiatus!
i'm back. anyone still out here?

also, i apologize for the shorter
chapter, next one will be longer!