CHAPTER FIVE

STEVEN SCORES
BIG TIME.

"-where have you been?" The woman's eyebrows creased in what looked to be frustration and concern.

"Layla?" Steven exclaimed, looking up at her from the ground, eyes blown wide.

Layla rolled her eyes, "Steven, you could've gotten yourself killed!" Penny screeched from her spot on the sidewalk. She saw out of the corner of her eye how the woman turned toward her in confusion.

Penelope brushed off her clothes and quickly held a hand out to the girl, ignoring the sounds of car horns blaring at them. "Uh, hi. My name's Penelope."

Layla's gaze dropped from the young girl's hand as she looked down to Steven again, "you have a child?!"

Steven, having finally found the time to stand himself up, sputtered as he tried to respond. "What? No, this is my friend. She's my neighbor."

"So now you're dragging a kid into this? Come on Marc, you're smarter than this." Penelope just stayed silent, retracting her outstretched arm and she observed the conversation. "You left me in the dark, didn't tell me a single thing, but suddenly your fourteen year old neighbor knows everything?"

"Actually, I'm seventeen-"

The grown ups payed her no mind. "I don't even - I really don't understand?" Steven's voice cracked as she pulled an extra helmet from the compartment in her seat.

"Here," She spoke softly, handing the helmet to Penny.

Penelope nodded in thanks, waiting for something to happen with baited breath. "Where- where are we going?"

"Back to Marc's place." She stated simply. "Get on."

Penny made a move toward the bike before Steven spoke again, "don't I get a helmet?"

"I only had one extra." She shrugged, sitting back down onto the bike. Layla nodded her head in the direction of his apartment building, trying to get the two to hop on.

Steven put out an arm, motioning for Penny to take a seat before Layla stopped him, "uh-uh, weight distribution. Heaviest in the middle."

Penelope didn't know who this Marc guy was, but she was sure Layla made the comment just to upset him.

••

"What the hell is going on? Is this Steven the latest identity for you?" Layla finally questioned once they were on the road. With the wind blowing past her ears, Penny had a hard time hearing. She was starting to think that this really was why she was put in the back.

"-I figured you were using a coded message when we spoke on the phone.." She continued, keeping her eyes straight ahead.

"How did you find me?"

"How do you think I found you? I tracked your phone. I thought that was what you wanted me to do when you turned it on." She spoke softer, Penny really had to strain to hear her.

"Right- right, yeah.." Steven seemed to be in shock, the words that came out of his mouth sounded slurred.

"You could've given me any sign that you were alive. I thought that you were in danger." Her voice cracked, she was going to cry. Penny made eye contact with her through the side mirror. "I thought you got kidnapped again. I was just thinking, y'know 'he's got the suit, he'll be fine.' And then I thought, 'well what if he gets ambushed while he's not wearing it? What if he doesn't have it-'. Will you stop clasping my shoulder like that?!"

Steven quickly let go, "sorry!" He squeaked.

"Feels like I'm riding with a Victorian Duchess." She rolled her eyes. Layla made eye contact with Penelope once again through the mirror. "And what's with the kid? Does her mother know about this?"

"Nope." Penny smiled, not catching the glare Layla sent Steven over her shoulder.

"This is child endangerment, Marc! I'm not qualified for this- do you see the spiral you put me through? I'm still your wife."

Penny's eyes widened at the statement. She patted Steven on his shoulder - which she was tightly gripping in fear of falling off. "Good job, buddy. Who would've thought!"

"That seems very backhanded, Penn-" Steven started, raising an eyebrow and turning to glance at the girl. He stopped mid sentence, looking back at Layla once again, "Did you say w-wife? Are we married?"

Layla scoffed, rolling her eyes. "We've lost whoever was chasing you, can you stop the act?"

"This isn't an act, this is how I talk!" He stuttered.

"Alright, fine. Get off my bike," She made a move to pull over.

"No, no. I'll tell you everything. Just, please take me back to my flat." Steven pleaded, tightening his grip on the woman.

••

"Miles?" Penelope questioned as the elevator door opened, revealing their floor. The boy sat outside of her door, seemingly waiting for her arrival.

"Hey, uh, sorry. I knocked but there was no answer.." He stood up, eyeing Steven suspiciously. "I was worried about you after what happened in the park."

"Oh," She simply started. Watching Steven and Layla out of the corner of her eye. They exchanged a look. "I'm fine, I was with Mr. Steven."

"Hm," Miles only nodded. He awkwardly looked down at his shoes, blowing air from his cheeks.

Penny pegged the mysterious behavior, stepping around him to move toward Steven's door. "I'm okay."

"Yeah," He ran his fingers through his hair, roughing it up. "Did you- do you want to come get some ice cream with me?"

To anybody else, this would just seem like a nervous teenage boy asking his crush on a casual hang out. However, Layla narrowed her eyes at him, picking up on the strange vibes.

"I have to help Mr. Steven and Mrs. Layla with something-"

"Please," He begged, his eyes started to fill with tears. "It's my father."

Realizing that Miles needed some mutual assurance, Penelope hesitantly agreed. "Yeah, I'll go."

He visibly relaxed at that.

Penny turned back toward her friends. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." As she moved to walk, watching as Miles took the lead, Layla harshly grabbed her wrist. She sent a questioning look to the back of his head.

"Come straight back here after, be safe."

••

Penelope laughed with Miles over their cups of ice cream, completely forgetting about the prior mission and all that's been going on.

Their laughter subsided as Penny got a notification on her phone. Gladys.

Hello dear, I won't be able to check up on your grandfather this afternoon. My son's having me over for dinner. X.

"Ah, shit." Penny cursed, closing out of her phone and standing up.

"What? What's wrong?" Miles stood up just as fast, nearly dropping his cup.

"Apparently old ladies don't know anything about giving notice." She snickered at that, "Gotta head back home to check up on grandpa. Thank you again for the ice cream, but I told you I'd pay this time."

"Nope, I asked you, I pay."

She rolled her eyes with a smile, "Alright, I'll see you."

"Wait! Can I walk you?" He flashed a smile, throwing his cup in the trash can as she followed suit.

Penny blushed, she nodded. "Don't you find it weird how you've taken the trip back and forth to my house at least four times now and I haven't even an inkling of where you live?" She laughed.

Miles got quiet for a quick second, "trust me, it's nothing interesting."

He grabbed her hand. Penny looked down, smiling even brighter now. She glanced back up to look at Miles, but he was already looking back at her.

After walking in a comfortable silence for most of the trip back, Penny felt his hand become shakier the closer they got to the building.

"What's wrong?"

He simply shook his head, "Nothing. Why?"

She dropped it, forcing her mouth closed as her apartment building came into view. Penelope's eyes widened at the sight. Layla was on the roof. Simply hanging on by the cement pillar, but on the roof nonetheless. "Holy shit!"

Penelope let go of Miles' hand and ran into the building. Not bothering to wait for the elevator, she booked it up the stairs.

Once the teenage girl reached her floor, she was out of breath, but still in a rush to reach Steven.

"Mr. Steven! Mr. Steven!" She shouted, pushing open his door and nearly falling onto her face in the process.

Steven was sitting, tensely looking between the two unknown people exploring his apartment. He turned toward Penny, eyes widening. "Uh, hi." Steven tried to think of an excuse for her presence: Girl scout, Business Woman, Jehovah's Witness?

The man and the woman turned toward Penny and the ruckus she was making. Penelope bent down, putting her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. "Who the hell are these guys?"

The sound of footsteps approaching behind her didn't startle her. A hand was placed gently on her back, causing her to stand up. Miles' hair was swept back, assumingely from the rush up the stairs, and he also seemed partially out of breath.

The two intruders looked at Miles questioningly. The man's eyebrows furrowed and the woman tilted her head.

"I know what you're thinking," Steven started, voice shaking. "What the hell are two teenagers doing in my apartment."

Everybody squinted their eyes at him, "Well- the answer is quite simple-"

The man reached his hand into the duffel bag from earlier, retreating with a fake passport. "A fake passport and a thief." The woman spoke, tsking. "You best come with us, son."

Penelope glared daggers at them, holding her stance in front of the door frame. "Do you even have a warrant?" She challenged.

"We'll take her too." The woman continued, speaking in a voice meant to mock a child. "Wouldn't want to leave the kids out now would we?"

••

FINALLY GETTING TO
THE FUN STUFF
don't worry about grandpa
I promise he'll be okay!
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