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*****
After Mike delivered all the equipment and materials Nick Fury had gathered for him through the portal to the undersea base, he busied himself for a while. Once he and Jor-El confirmed the base's status and the next things they needed to prepare, Mike opened a portal and returned home.
Stepping through the shimmering gateway, Mike emerged high above his house. In the blink of an eye, he dropped swiftly from the sky.
When he opened the front door and saw the little rascals at work around the dining table, Mike raised an eyebrow.
Luke and Harry were carefully weighing out spicy strips on an electronic scale, then sealing them into disposable lunch boxes.
Meanwhile, Gwen and Mary Jane were scribbling on strips of paper about the width of a thumb.
Peter's job was sticking those slips of paper onto the boxes with double-sided tape.
Good grief. They'd turned it into an assembly line.
Mike suppressed a laugh and walked into the dining room, clearing his throat softly.
The five kids looked up, greeted him, and immediately went back to their "business."
Glancing at the time—it was almost dinner—Mike headed into the kitchen to start cooking.
"No sneaking snacks!"
Gwen's sharp voice cut across the room as she glared at Harry and Luke.
The two shook their heads frantically. "We didn't!"
Peter and Mary couldn't help laughing.
Because the corners of Luke and Harry's mouths were glistening red with chili oil.
Catching their friends' stares, the two boys quickly wiped their mouths with tissues. Then, exchanging a guilty look, they doubled down. "We didn't steal anything!"
Gwen rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever you sneak, I'm deducting from your personal share later."
She went back to work without another glance.
Half an hour later, when all the spicy strips were packed, the five kids sat there inhaling through their noses, mouths watering.
It smelled divine.
"All done? Wash your hands and come bring the dishes."
Mike called from the kitchen. The five exchanged a look, then bolted for the bathroom.
"Dad, aren't we waiting for Clark?" Gwen asked as she rushed into the kitchen.
"He's got a date tonight. He won't be home."
"A date?" Gwen squinted, then gasped. "With Hope?"
Mike nodded, passing her a dish. "Take this out."
"Got it!"
Gwen cheered and carried the food to the table.
With five little "servers" each hauling two dishes, Mike finally handed out bowls and chopsticks. "Dig in."
They thanked him before diving into the food like starving wolves.
Mike chuckled at the sight, but when his eyes fell on the neatly packed spicy strips, his mouth twitched.
The boxes all bore the same name in bold letters—
Supreme Spicy Strips!
How embarrassing.
Shaking his head, Mike silently began eating.
…
Beep beep!
The next morning, a sharp car horn sounded outside the Kent house.
Steve, just finishing his early run, stopped curiously at the sight of a luxury sedan pulling up. When three kids climbed out, his curiosity only deepened.
Moments later, Luke and Gwen also came out of their homes.
"Mike!" Steve called, spotting him walking out with two large shopping bags.
Mike glanced up, gave him a brief nod, and kept moving. That counted as a greeting.
Luke, Peter, and Harry all waved enthusiastically.
After the Battle of New York, the boys had met the Avengers and even taken photos with them.
Which meant that, in their little group of five, everyone except Mary knew exactly who Steve Rogers and the others really were.
Gwen's eyes lit up. She grabbed a box of spicy strips and ran over. "Uncle Steve, here!"
Steve accepted it, puzzled. "What's this?"
"Spicy strips! A super tasty snack—my dad made them. And now I'm the official distributor!" Gwen grinned proudly.
Steve popped one in his mouth, and his eyes brightened.
Not bad.
Seeing his reaction, Gwen leaned in with a sweet smile. "A box is ten bucks. Special deal for you!"
Steve blinked, then chuckled.
"C'mon, Uncle Steve, you're my very first customer! You don't want me to start the day with zero sales, do you?"
Laughing, Steve pinched her cheek. "Alright, wait here. I'll get some cash."
He returned with a hundred-dollar bill. "Give me a few more."
"Sure thing!"
Gwen squealed with delight, ran back to her friends, and waved the bill proudly. They cheered, slapped palms, and handed over nine more boxes.
"Let's roll!"
Gwen bellowed like a squad leader, and the kids piled into Harry's custom luxury car before roaring off.
Mike could only stare, dumbfounded.
Selling spicy strips out of a multi-million-dollar custom sedan? These kids were truly one of a kind.
Shaking his head, he went back inside, while Steve carried the spicy strips to share with the nearby Avengers. He kept two boxes for himself.
When he got home, Peggy Carter was already at the table, licking her fingers.
In less than two minutes, she'd polished off an entire box.
"Peggy?"
She gave him a sly smile. Noticing the two remaining boxes in his hands, her eyes sparkled. "More?"
That so-called "Supreme Spicy Strip" was dangerously addictive.
Steve handed her one with a laugh, then sat down across from her to eat as well.
A few seconds later, both of them were shoveling the strips faster and faster. By the last piece, each had an end in their mouth.
Pop!
Steve's face flushed red.
Peggy seized the moment, slurped the strip into her mouth, and exhaled in satisfaction.
"These snacks are amazing! Where did you buy them?" She licked her glossy, chili-stained lips.
Mike had, of course, used a card to make sure the strips turned out as delicious as possible.
"They're Mike's," Steve admitted, dazed as he stared at Peggy's lips, leaning unconsciously closer.
Peggy shot to her feet, grabbing his hand. "Come on! Let's go to Mike's place!"
She wasn't nearly done yet.
Steve sighed with a helpless smile. Truthfully, he wasn't satisfied either.
As they left, they saw other Avengers heading the same way.
Meeting each other's eyes, they all quickened their pace.
When they finally knocked on Mike's door and explained why they'd come, Mike stared at the cluster of Avengers outside.
The corners of his mouth twitched violently.
"You've all gone mad! Every single one of you!"
(End of Chapter)