Chapter Text
‘Shut up,’ Shauna said.
‘Pay up.’ Sharee held her hand out.
‘I can’t believe this.’ Shauna opened her purse and pulled out a note. ‘All we did with the veil was make him look older and…nobody caught on? They don’t even look alike!’
‘Well, the only people who knew him well were also aware of the…accident,’ Sharee remarked, pocketing the cash. ‘And nobody wants to admit he was killed by a terrified super-powered child he tried to grab. The guys who could say something are afraid that if they do, so will we.’
Shauna paused. ‘Sorry. I had a take a second to dissect that sentence to understand it. Your brain’s running ahead of your mouth again.’
‘Sadly constant problem in this family.’ Indiana Jones walked into the room, pulling off the veil. His white hair instantly went back to its more youthful brown and 99% of the lines vanished from his face.
‘Have fun playing Thunderbolt, pa?’ Sharee asked.
‘There’s something strangely invigorating about being an asshole to Wilson and Barnes.’ Indy sat down at the computer with his great-granddaughters.
For years, he’d had no idea that their grandmother had even existed. But she attracted trouble as much as Indy himself did, so they inevitably crossed paths. Indy had been shocked – and pissed off at Abner. (And if there was any substance in Abner’s belief that neither Indy nor Marion were prepared to raise a child, Indy never mentioned it to his daughter.)
(He found out about the second child at a later date, but that’s another story – and no, it has nothing to do with aliens or Russians; just an overexcited grandson who fanboyed so hard and wanted to meet Indiana Jones initially without realising they were even related. That was a fun week…Fun for Rover.)
‘That’s cause you’re pissed off at both of them,’ Shauna remarked.
‘Both of them are smart enough to know better,’ Indy remarked. ‘And yet the minute Rogers even comes up in conversation, they act like idiots. Of course I’m angry.’
Sharee sighed. ‘You always did hate seeing people squander genuine talent.’
Shauna grinned. ‘That’s why you’re a good teacher.’
Indy cracked a grin.
‘So did you talk to Thunderbolt’s daughter?’ Shauna asked.
‘I did,’ Indy said. ‘She wasn’t too surprised at what happened to him. But she’s gonna watch me for a while before she goes and tells Banner the coast is clear.’
‘Fair enough.’ Sharee leaned back. ‘And I see you’ve already started reviewing the super-humans in Thunderbolt’s custody. Be aware that Wolverine won’t be fooled for a second. He not only looks his enemies in the face, but he knows their scents.’
‘I thought your powers were stripped when Thanos used the Infinity Stones the first time?’ Shauna asked.
‘That doesn’t mean I don’t remember my last two lives,’ Sharee said. ‘Or any of them.’
‘Any others I should be aware of?’ Indy asked.
‘Not as such. Logan will be the only one that clues into you, and I believe you’ve met him?’
‘Yup.’
‘Long as you tell him about his daughter, and get her back to him, he won’t have any complaints.’
Indy nodded and stood up as old Thunderbolt’s phone buzzed. ‘Can’t argue with that.’ He reactivated the veil and took on an indolent tone. ‘Ross.’ He headed out.
‘That is still weird to look at,’ Shauna remarked.
‘Just think,’ Sharee told her, ‘if not for the Holy Grail, he’d have looked like that naturally years ago.’