As much as she didn’t want Priya to feel like this was something she had to navigate on her own, Nadia knew how easy it was to get into your own head about these things.
Nadia hastily threw her jeans and button-down on over her Wasp suit—ugh, she was going to be so sweaty later—and emerged from the corner. She slid down behind the counter next to Priya.
“When did you learn how to do that?” Nadia asked.
“I told you, I’ve been busy,” Priya said, raising one of her eyebrows with a slight smile.
“And you didn’t feel like you could learn this in the lab?”
Priya looked down at her plant before looking back at Nadia. “Maybe. I think so. I just needed some time. You know?”
Nadia gave Priya a smile. She knew. Maybe a little too well.
Priya’s brows knit. “Hey,” she started, “are you feeling all r—”
Movement caught Nadia’s eye; she leapt back up. Priya might have handled the action here, but they still needed to figure out what was causing all the fuss. Nadia ran over to the nearest tourist, a middle-aged man in a baggy T-shirt and oversize sneakers. He was as tied up as everyone else on the block, the greenery holding strong against his struggles.
“Excuse me,” Nadia said, approaching him. “But is this a prank being filmed for YouTube, or—”
She stopped. The man stared right at Nadia.
And his pupils were blown wide open.
Nadia stared at him for a moment before regaining her senses. She had to figure out what was going on here—and it never hurt to start by asking. Right?
“Why are you doing this?” she said, approaching the man more carefully, now. He was restrained, but she didn’t know how long Priya’s vines would hold. And his eyes…they just weren’t right. “Can you tell me what’s going on here? Are you working for someone?” The man just stared. “Are you on drugs?”
That got a laugh out of the man—a startling, maniacal laugh that made the man sound almost completely divorced from reality. “No. I just…” He laughed again. “I just wanted to.”
Nadia shook her head. That didn’t make sense. Every single person in the Square just…wanted to cause massive property damage? At the exact same time?
Cool. Very cool. Not at all creepy or terrifying. Taking a step backward, Nadia unlocked her phone and hit the S.H.I.E.L.D. button. She’d made the app herself. It called S.H.I.E.L.D. And it did it fast.
“Janet’s coming,” Nadia said, rushing back to Priya. “Tell her it’s like Crédit France. I have to get Margaret out of here and I have to get back to work.”
“Right; her,” Priya said, sitting down on the sidewalk, her plant safely tucked between her crossed knees. She paused.
“What?” asked Nadia, a little impatient. Margaret could walk out here at any moment!
Priya looked down at her lap. “Don’t you think you should maybe…stay? We can work on Like Minds after. I’ve been thinking about Tai’s bee thing.…”
“Margaret and I have a thing to get to.” Nadia frowned. “And unless you want her asking about your magic plant…”
Priya considered. “Good point.”
Nadia smiled. “You’re very cool, did you know that?”
“I try,” Priya laughed. “Now go. I’ve got this till S.H.I.E.L.D. gets here.”
With a nod, Nadia rushed back into the store. Margaret had pulled a pint of ice cream out of the freezer and was holding it against her head. She looked at Nadia and blinked.
“Everything okay out there? Your shirt—”
Nadia looked down and noticed her button-down was all askew—and her black-and-red Wasp suit was showing through around the waist and neck. She tucked herself in hastily.
“Thanks. We have to go,” Nadia said, leaning down to take Margaret’s ice cream.
“I told my team to send Priya a VERA to hopefully make up for some of the damage—”