╔════════════╗
𝑰𝑻 𝑻𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑺  𝑻𝑾𝑶
-𝒔𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏
╚════════════╝

          AFTER THE emotional breakthrough with Hope and Hank, things seemed to look up for everyone. Scott mastered growing and shrinking with the suit, was able to identify and control the various species of ants, and actually overpowered Christina in combat.

"The final phase of your training will be a stealth incursion." Hank said, standing in his lab with the other three. "You must retrieve this prototype of a signal decoy."

Hank's ginger tapped on a blueprint of the decoy he was talking about. "It's a device that I invented during my SHIELD days."

"We need it to counteract the transmission blockers that Cross installed in the Futures vault." Hope added, twirling a pen around her fingers.

"It's currently collecting dust in one of Howard Stark's old storage facility in upstate New York." Hank said.

Christina nodded. "Don't worry about being alone," she tapped her ear with a smile. "We'll be directing you the whole time. Should be a piece of cake."

          "IT'S FREEZING! Couldn't you make a suit with a flannel lining?!" Scott yelled, the sound of loud wind almost drowning his voice.

"You're over the target area." Hank informed Scott, all three sitting by a desk with multiple monitors in front of them. "Disengage...now, Scott!"

"Squadron A, go! B, go!" Scott commanded, ushering a swarm of ants out a moving airplane. "C, go! Alright, Ant-thony, please don't drop me this time!"

The three watched on the screens as Scott hopped on the ant's back before falling out the airplane. "Oh, it feels like a big leap from sugar cubes to this!"

"Stay calm." Hank said.

"You're doing great so far, Scott." Chris added.

When Scott got control of Ant-thony, he flew the heard towards the location, only to realize a mistake.

"Uh, guys? We might have a problem. Hank, didn't you say this was some old warehouse?" Scott asked, eyes trained on the Avengers facility. "It's not!"

Hank looked down at the old photograph of the warehouse as Scott cursed him out. "You son of a bitch!"

"Scott, get out of there." Hope said, leaning forward.

"Abort! Abort now!" Hank quickly said after.

"No, it's okay. Doesn't look like anyone's home." Scott said, dismissing their commands. "Ant-thony, get me to the roof!"

"You think he can handle this?" Chris asked quietly, turning away from the mic she used to talk to Scott.

"He's gonna lose his suit." Hank said, holding his hand over his own mic.

"He's gonna lose his life." Hope remarked.

They all watched in anticipation as Scott landed on the roof of the facility, landing on it with a tuck and roll. "Alright, I'm on the roof of the building."

Hope and Chris both paused, eyes scanning the other monitors. When a sudden shadow flew past Scott, Hope leaned forward. "Somebody's home, Scott."

The camera's turned to film Sam Wilson — the Falcon — land on the roof and survey the area.

"It's the Falcon!" Scott gasped, leaning back.

"I had a sensor trip, but I'm not seeing anything...Wait a second."

"Abort, Scott! Abort now!" Hank now yelled.

"It's okay, he can't see me."

"I can see you!" Sam called out before Scott's shoulders fell.

"He can see me." Scott said before suddenly growing to normal size. Reaching up, he unveiled his mask before waving. "Hi! I'm Scott."

"Did he just say, "Hi, I'm Scott"?" Hope asked in disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked in authority.

"First off," Scott said, raising a hand. "I'm a big fan."

"Appreciate it. So who the hell are you?" Sam frowned. Scott padded his feet, slightly posing.

"I'm Ant-Man."

Sam paused, smirking. "Ant-Man?"

"What? You haven't heard of me?" Scott quickly waved it off. "No, you wouldn't have heard of me."

"You wanna tell me what you want?" Sam pressed.

Scott lifted his arm, pointing off in a random direction. "I was hoping I could grab a piece of technology." Sam looked off in the direction his was pointing. "Just for a few days. I'm gonna return it.

"I need it to save the world." Scott laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "You know how that is."

Sam nodded once. "Yeah I know exactly how that is." As Sam approached Scott, he spoke into his wrist comms. "Located the breach. Bringing him in."

"Sorry about this!" Scott hurriedly said before shrinking back down again. Jumping up, he managed to punch Sam in the jaw before Sam took off into the air.

The force of the wind blew Scott off the roof and into the field behind the building.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Hank yelled in his ear, making Christina cringe.

"Breach is an adult male, who has some sort of shrinking teach." Sam informed his colleague, his goggles picking up Scott's tiny form running beneath the grass.

Sam landed on the field, lifting his foot to try and stomp on Scott. Scott dodged his foot, jumping up to hit Sam again in the face. Sam unleashed his guns, rapid-firing into the air while soaring backwards.

Scott rambled our apologizes as he attacked Sam. Sam got fed up before hitting Scott to the ground. "That's enough!"

Seeing Scott jump at him, Sam punched his tiny form, hitting back to normal size. Scott tumbled away, groaning in pain. Sam lifted Scott up, punching him again before taking him to the air.

Scott shrunk once more, escaping Sam's grip. Sam landed again, searching the grass. Suddenly, Scott jumped up, wrapping his legs around Sam's shoulders and pulling Sam with him to the ground.

Back in the lab, Hope nodded at the move, impressed. She glanced at Christina, who smirked back.

Sam launched his jet pack, sliding Scott across the grass while punching his thigh. Scott then shrunk, launching Sam away.

"Nice one, Scott!" Christina cheered, clenching her fist.

Sam watched for Scott, seeing him jump. Unveiling his robotic wings, he slapped Scott, forcing him normal size again.

"...Nevermind." Chris shyly said after.

Scott shrunk once more. "Ant-thony, a little help." Hopping on the ant's back, he flew into the warehouse. Sam quickly followed, the warehouse door closing behind him.

Hank and Chris joined Hope on their feet, searching the monitors.

"I've lost visual." Hank announced.

Everyone held their breaths in anticipation before Sam suddenly bursted from the door, flailing his arms and legs. "He's inside my pack!"

"Sorry!" Scott said from within the jet pack, ripping out random wires. "You seem like a really great guy."

Sam then crash landed into the ground. Springing to his feet, he blinked as his goggles started to malfunction as well. Taking them off, Sam looked around.

Lifting his wrist, his comm went on. "It's really important to me that Cap never finds out about this."

          "THAT WAS completely irresponsible and dangerous!" Hank ranted in the kitchen to Scott, pacing around the room. "You jeopardized everything!"

"Hank, c'mon. I'm sure there's anything way to—" Chris cut herself off as Scott placed the decoy object on the counter.

Hank's eyes grew as he picked up the tool. Hope smirked, leaning forward in her seat. "You got it."

Scott glanced at her, nodding smugly before looking back at Hank. Hank nodded, "Well done."

"Wait a minute." Scott smirked. "Did you just complement me?" He looked at Chris. "He did, didn't he?"

Christina shrugged. "Sounded like it to me."

Hank smiled, turning the device on. "I was good, wasn't I?"

Scott gave a dry chuckle. "Hey, how about the face that I fought an Avenger and didn't die?"

"Let's not dwell on the past." Hank said, examining the device in his hands. He looked up at Scott and winked. "We gotta finish our planning."

When Hank walked away, Scott's shoulder sank.

"Don't mind him." Hope said, scratching her head. "You did good."

Scott glanced at Chris once more, who shot him a wink and a smile.

"Darren," Hank's voice said in the distance, making everyone freeze.