Calm Wanderer
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(MNIBP) Chapter 31 - The reason for getting the car
🕑 Added 2023-12-19 12:00:22 +0000 UTCThe Highlands, New Jersey, USA.
Ben's P.O.V.
A sudden chuckle coming from the man beside him broke him out of his daydream, prompting him to smile and ask the other man. “Keys?” “On the ignition.” “Thanks!” Ben responded before walking swiftly toward his dream car. His fingers stroked along the hood until he reached the driver's door. He then put his right hand on the handle, pulled it smoothly to open the door, and finally embarked inside that amazing vehicle.
Closing the door, he then put his hands on the steering wheel while muttering. “Chevrolet Chevelle SS 1970... I've finally got you...” “It's a great car, but is it THAT great of a car?” Clint said while getting in the passenger's seat. Ben shook his head absentmindedly while admiring the compartment. “You don't get it. It's not about the car itself, but what it represents.”
Parker noticed the other man's confused face at his words, prompting him to elaborate. “Muscle cars represented freedom when they were created. Or at least that was what those car manufacturers wanted us to believe at the time.” That made the two chuckle briefly before Ben continued. “In any case, that idea speaks to me, but that's not the main reason I wanted this car.”
“What is it then?” At his friend's words, Ben tightened his fist slightly on the wheel, before loosening them up as a somewhat sad and reminiscing sigh escaped him. “It's because...” The silver-eyed man hesitated as those memories were both happy and sad, with the people in them having passed away for a while.
Fortunately, Barton was not insensitive and let him ponder his words in silence. After a brief moment, Ben started. “It's because of my dad. He... He'd always been a car nut and the old man was lucky enough to be gifted with his hands. So, he ended up as a chief mechanic in the army. Talk about following your passion.”
That drew a small laugh from the two men before Clint asked, intrigued. “Is this why you went to the army yourself? Following the family tradition?” Ben's gaze was unfocused as he recalled many old memories, but that did not stop him from answering. “Family tradition, uh? I guess you could put it that way. He never forced Richard and I though. Especially after Vietnam and what that did to him.”
“Did he fight there?” Clint asked before Ben responded while lightly scratching his cheek absentmindedly. “He was in the base most of the time, thankfully. But he did have to go on some missions to do some critical repairs. That's what got to him. Not that he said anything, mind you. Ever the tough guy, my old man.”
“How did you know, then?” “My mom. She told me she could hear him talk in his sleep from time to time. The old man was sweating buckets and even yelling at times, but when my mom tried to speak about it with him, he claimed it was all in her mind. Everyone could hear him in the house but the man insisted that we were making it up... I just...”
Old and dark emotions seemed to resurface as he went to recounting those old stories, making him torn between stopping right there and continuing. Going back or going forward? Interestingly, Ben seemed to have already made his choice after the coma he was put in previously. No more running away. No more letting his demons control his life. And thus he went on with the story despite the pain he felt.
“You know, Clint. The guy was my hero. He was always there when something happened. Always with the right solution. Always reminding my brother and I to stay calm and think instead of letting our emotions control our actions. Never let out your emotions, because they were men's weaknesses. Only women could afford letting those out he said...”
Letting out a wry chuckle, Ben continued while Barton let him pour out his feelings without commenting. “My old man... He was a piece of work. But I know he only wished to help us go through life safely. It's just that his way was too... But I still loved the guy...” He paused for a second to stabilize his emotions before continuing.
“I loved the guy but I was never able to tell him that. Not even once. I thought about it many times, but I was too scared of what he could think of me. Scared that he might think me weak... And... I didn't want to disappoint him... Because just the chance, the minuscule chance of seeing that emotion in his eyes... That terrified me... He was the person I admired the most after all...”
“I'm sure he loved you guys too, brother. It's just... men from that generation were more closed off with their own feelings.” Clint claimed, drawing a small smile on Ben's face. “Thanks, Clint. I...” His words were cut off as he finally realized that tears were running down his face. “...I'm crying...” He muttered, surprised, using his jacket to clean the tears from his cheeks with little result as they kept pouring out.
Smiling wryly, the silver-eyed man stated. “It's been a long time since I last cried... Makes you feel lighter...” After a long moment, Ben's emotions seemed to settle down a little and he continued. “You wanted to know why I got this car, uh? It's because this was the car that my dad dreamed of having but never could. And now that I got it, I feel... closer I guess, to my old man... It's dumb, isn't it?”
The other shook his head and replied. “No, it's not. Everyone's got their own way of coping with our emotions. It's just that yours involves getting an overpriced car.” That joking remark made the two men burst into laughter for a while before the atmosphere cleared up, making Ben feel much lighter than previously.
“Thanks, Clint. For listening to my ramblings.” Patting his shoulder, Barton declared. “Don't worry about it! Since you considered me your brother, that's the least I could do.” The silver-eyed man had a contented smile on his face at those words but did not continue on the subject. Instead, he proposed. “Should we finish the house tour, then?”
With an amused smile on his face, Barton retorted. “Sure! Let's go then!” After which the two exited the car with Ben closing the garage door on their way to the house entrance. Once the two arrived at their destination, they noticed the group was still at the entrance chatting with each other, waiting for the two.
Looking at them, Ben asked, curious. “Why didn't you get inside?” Natalia then responded. “Andrew, Flint, and Kate would've had to stay outside since you didn't get them the visitor's privilege.” Feeling enlightened, the tall man chuckled lightly while answering. “Fair enough. I'll do it now then.” Moving toward the square metallic box on the right side of the door, Ben inputted the trio's information, asking them to come and register their fingerprint in the closed network.
Once they were done, he also gave Clint and Natalia permanent inhabitants privileges. In case he was not there and they needed to enter the house to protect his family, they would now be able to without a problem. “Are you sure you want to add Clint and I permanently? We all know that's a security risk.” Nat asked half-serious half-joking.
Ben retorted firmly. “As you said earlier, Clint and you are the only people I can fully trust in SHIELD. So I'm not taking any risk. And in case my family's safety is compromised, you'd be able to intervene without problem.” “Alright, then.” The redhead replied. However, she was not the only one with a question, as Marco could not help himself from asking.
“What about us, Boss? Do we get permanent access?” Ben then stared at the man with an indifferent expression until the latter looked away, uncomfortable. “Trust is earned, not due. The three of you will have to earn it and until then, you'll only get visitors' privileges.” That brought serious looks on the three youths who all declared that they would do their best to meet his expectations. Even Marco who seemed frivolous at first sight.
Well, once those people were in the house, whether they had visitors' or inhabitants' privileges did not really matter. So, for Ben, it was mostly a way to show them a path to follow. A path that led to a team, with people whom you could trust your life to without even thinking. That was what he promised implicitly and what they all seemed to understand.
With a small smile, the group then entered the beach house proper. What appeared before them was a pleasant wooden-themed spacious room. On the left wall which separated the garage from the lived-in part of the house, there was a shoe and jacket rack, while on the right was the open kitchen.
After taking their shoes off, the group then continued walking as Natalia started showcasing the different features of the building. After the kitchen, Ben spotted the door leading to the garage on his left while in front of him was a big living room with amazing picture windows that gave them an incredible view of the sea, and, something that delighted the Parkers, a small private beach below, fenced out on each side, which gave them sufficient privacy.
On the left side of the living room was a big bathroom that was quite close to the door leading the their private beach. On the right side of the living room was a staircase leading upstairs, which the group, minus Clint and the ex-robbers trio, scaled to reach the upstairs floor.
Once there, Natalia declared. “There are five bedrooms and one bathroom and there...” She paused as they followed the corridor toward the left of the house which led the the middle of the floor before turning to their right and witnessing an incredible view of a door leading outside. “...That place has the best view of the whole house.”
She added as they went through the door and onto the massive balcony with wooden railings. The gaps had a sort of bamboo screens to hide them from view slightly. “That's...” Ben started but ended up speechless. 'Fortunately', his wife and her best friend were more verbose about the scenery.
“It's amazing!” “I feel like I'm dreaming.” “Aunt May! Mom! Are we really gonna leave here?” MJ asked with an amazed look on her face while the other two kids had their mouths open wide from the incredible vista. Whether it be the sound of waves washing over the sandy beach below, or the simple visual of those same waves going forward and backward repeatedly creating an almost hypnotizing scene for the people present there.
“We are, sweetie.” Madeline replied, herself not looking too sure of her claim. “Yes, you are, little MJ.” Nat however added, which helped the group realize the fact that it was not a dream. The redhead gave them time to admire the view before she said. “Do you guys want to see the rest?” Prompting Peter to ask in confusion. “Is there anything else? From the house's configuration, we should've seen everything though.”
Patting his head, Natalia responded with an amused smile. “You'd be right if the house only had two stories.” The confusion was still visible on the boy's face, mirrored by everyone else's present, but Ben. The latter had seen so many safe houses in his career that he understood most tricks used to hide rooms. And from the redhead's words, he was pretty sure that there was only one place it could be located.
Nat's right index then pointed downstairs and claimed. “You forgot underground.” Everyone looked enlightened at her words and MJ exclaimed. “So there's a cellar!” Giggling briefly at her words, the female agent retorted mysteriously. “Close, but not quite. Follow me!” Signaling them to follow her, she went back downstairs and moved toward the door leading to the garage.
When the group went to the other side, they all noticed the vehicles parked there, with May even making a playful remark. “So that's why you were so excited earlier. No wonder...” Those brought a smile on his face, but he did not reply and instead followed the redhead woman to one side of the room.
Nat then moved one of the cupboards which unveiled a hatch on the ground with the same scanner from earlier. The metal plate was big enough to let two normal-sized people go through once it opened. Or at least that was Ben's estimation. He would need to check to be sure.
“I'll leave you the honor, Ben.” Nat claimed in a teasing tone, drawing a smile on everyone's faces as she gestured exaggeratedly. “Sure.” He replied while advancing toward the hatch. He then crouched down and put his right hand on the scanner for a second, after which they all heard a small click and the hatch started to open smoothly, leading to somewhere below.
“Shall we?” The female agent with an amused smile on her face.
