Ch 61 Scott Lang

"So this time it's us?" Scott asked.

"Yeah, you and Hope's heist." Benjamin said.

"This is gonna be embarrassing." Hope said, giving Scott a smirk.

"Eh! Let's just turn it on." Logan said.

That was when a young woman walked into the room.

"So….composed yourself?" Scarlet Witch asked.

"Better late than never, right?" She asked and everyone nodded before turning to Scott, "Hi…Dad."

Scott's eyes widened as he got up from couch and the two moved towards each other. He caressed her face lovingly and said, "You're so…You're so big."

She chuckled as the two hugged. The emotional scene brought smiles to everyone's faces.

"So you're an Avenger now?" Peter asked her.

"They call me Stinger." Cassie said as she turned to Scott and Hope, "My suit has features of both of yours. I can grow and shrink as well as fly and fire blasts. And I can communicate with ants."

"And you made it yourself?" Scott asked.

"I had some help but yeah, I did make most of it myself." She smiled.

"Daddy is so proud." Scott said as he hugged and she chuckled happily.

"So you're here to watch with us…..Ant-Girl?" Tony asked.

"She just said her name was Stinger." Pepper reminded and he nodded.

"Yeah. Couldn't miss out on this one." Cassie said as she took her seat with the future people.

"The more the merrier." Odinson said.

"Yeah right." Thor agreed.

"Let's turn it on now." Benjamin said and started the recording.

In 1989 in a SHIELD base, Hank Pym walked inside.

"Dad." Hope whispered. He looked so young in this. But his eyes already seemed full of pain.

Hank stopped in front of an old Howard Stark, an old Peggy Carter and Mitchell Carson. Howard said Hank was supposed to be in Moscow and Hank said he had taken a detour as he put a vial on the table.

"Dad." Tony said, "Working for SHIELD. I did hear about the disagreement with Pym."

"Pym didn't like SHIELD replicating his technology." Fury said, "Considering Hydra was hiding within SHIELD, good call."

"No kidding." Natasha agreed.

Peggy was shocked as Hank said this was a poor attempt to replicate his work.

"Peggy." Steve said, "Working for SHIELD huh."

"She looks pretty old but recognizable." Sam said.

"I think Hank is very pleased with her either." Bucky said.

Mitchell said Hank was a soldier but he said he was a scientist.

"That guy." Hope snarled.

"Something wrong with him?" Pepper asked.

"Everything wrong with him." Scott said.

"The guy was Hydra." Fury revealed to everyone.

Howard told Hank to act like one and put the Pym Particle to good use. Hank said they had turned him into an errand boy and now stolen his research. Mitchell commented if only he had protected his wife with such ferocity. Hank angrily slammed his head on the table, breaking his nose and said if he mentioned his wife again, he'd show him ferocity.

"The guy looked like a jackass. Good job." Aunt May said.

"Don't mention my mom." Hope snarled at Carson

Carson glanced at Howard who shrugged and said he had said it.

Everyone chuckled as Tony said, "Now that sounds like me."

Hank said he was formally tendering his resignation and Howard said they won't accept it formally. Howard said the Pym Particle was a miracle and asked Hank to stay but he said nobody would get the formula as long as he was alive and walked out.

"Respect." Bruce said discreetly.

Carson said they shouldn't let him leave as Peggy said he wouldn't want to go to war with him. Howard said Hank had beaten Carson at normal size and would be even more dangerous in miniature form.

"Too dangerous for you lot." Cassie said.

Howard said he had known Hank his whole life and he would only be a risk if they made him one.

"That sounds about right to me." Fury said.

In Present Day, Scott Lang was in a prison uniform and was punched away by another prisoner as everyone else cheered.

Everyone looked a bit shocked as Scott said, "It's not what it looks like."

Scott punched the big prisoner but he was unaffected and Scott asked what if he came from the left side before punching his face, staggering him back as he tasted a bit of blood.

"You're not that bad at punching." Hope noted.

"Just don't like punching people that much." Scott said.

"And you're still a superhero." Cassie reminded him.

"He kicks them." Tony said and everyone chuckled.

"I remember." Peter whispered so no one would hear him.

Scott and the guy whose name was Peachy then hugged and said they would miss each other as the others hugged him too. Scott commented they had weird goodbye rituals.

"That's prison for ya!" Clint said.

"The entire prison seems to love you." Rhodes said to Scott.

"He's that likable." Sam said and everyone chuckled.

Scott was led out as Luis greeted him and the two hugged happily.

"Luis." Scott said happily.

"You two look close." Steve said.

"This is the most positive guy ever." Benjamin said.

"Even more positive than you, Cap." Cassie told him and everyone chuckled.

"They're not wrong." Scott said.

Luis inquired about the eye and Scott said it was Peachy's goodbye ritual. Luis said he still had the scar from one year ago and was the only person to knock him out. Scott said he hadn't and the two sat in his van and drove away. Scott inquired about Luis' girlfriend and he said, "Oh, she left me." He then continued, "Yeah, my ma died, too. And my dad got deported. But I got the van!" Scott said it was nice.

"You were not wrong about his positivity." Steve said.

"He's got the van!" Logan said.

"He appears to like it very much." T'Challa said.

Scott thanked Luis for everything as he said Scott would be on his feet and no time and also mentioned some really skilled people but Scott said he was serious about not going back because he had a daughter to take care of.

"Family first." Scott said as he exchanged a smile with Cassie.

Luis said jobs didn't come easy for ex-cons and Scott said he had a Masters in Electrical Engineering so it'd be fine.

"You wish." Scott said to his on-screen self.

At Baskin Robbins, Scott in his work uniform welcomed a customer and asked if he would try the Mungo Fruit Blast. The dumb teenager ordered a burger, hot pretzel and mustard tip. Scott said only ice cream and the teenager said anything was hot and fresh.

"I think he might have a problem." Bruce said and everyone shook their heads sadly.

The chief then called Scott in and said he had found out about his record, to his shock, saying Baskin Robbins always found out. Scott apologized, saying no one would hire him but Dale said he respected him as he had stuck it to the billionaire SOBs.

"We seem to be a hated lot." Tony said and everyone chuckled.

"Well, I'm not talking about you, but many one-percenters are pretty corrupt." Hill said and everyone nodded.

Scott said he appreciated having the job but Dale said he was still fired. Scott argued it wasn't a violent crime and Dale said it was a cool crime so he was free to take a Mango Fruits Blast while going out and he wouldn't mind.

"He still needed a clean image I guess." Wanda said and Scott nodded.

"Yeah. Hiring an ex-con even if you like 'em isn't the best option." Scott said.

A dejected Scott walked back home, drinking a Mango Fruit Blast before throwing the container in a bin. He returned to Milgrom Hotel, passing the other residents and went to his room. Luis said he was supposed to be at work and he said he got fired because Baskin Robbins always found out. A dark-skinned man sitting there said Baskin Robbins didn't play. Scott took a waffle as Luis introduced him to the man with glasses working on the laptop called Kurt. He had been in Folsom for 5 years and was a wizard on the laptop.

"Beware of him." Rhodes jokingly said to Tony and both chuckled.

"He's pretty good." Scott said.

The other man was Dave and the two complimented Scott on his robbery but he said he hated violence and was a cat burglar. Dave said he was a pussy and Scott agreed with a sigh.

Everyone chuckled.

Luis said they were overcharging customers and it added to millions. Scott had blown the whistle and gotten fired so he hacked into the security system and transferred millions back to the people they had stolen from while also posting the bank records online. He had then driven the dude's Bentley into his swimming pool.

"Your boyfriend is like a modern-day Robin Hood." Hill said to Hope, trying to get back at her for all the teasing.

"Without the bow and arrows." Clint added and Hope shook her head.

"It won't work." Hope smirked.

Scott asked Luis what he wanted and he said his cousin had talked to a guy two weeks ago about a perfect job. Scott said he was finished and wasn't going back to jail and he didn't care even if it was a retired millionaire living off his golden parachute. Scott said he was out.

"We won't let you." Hope said and Scott shook his head.

An older Hank Pym arrived at Pym Technologies, shocking the guard as he told him he was still alive. He walked inside and the guard asked for ID. Hank took out his belongings and pointed to his picture on the wall, asking if that would suffice and he led him inside. Everyone looked at Pym in awe.

"No one in my company looks at me like that." Tony said and everyone chuckled.

"You have not been outed yet." Pepper said.

Hope greeted him, calling him Hank and he asked if it would kill her to call him dad. She said Dr. Cross would be pleased to see him.

"That is a funny hairstyle." Hill said and Hope shook her head.

"I like it." Natasha said.

"Thank you." Hope told her.

"Traitor." Hill muttered.

Darren Cross arrived, saying he was thrilled and Hank said he was surprised to receive the invitation, asking about the occasion. Darren asked Hope to tell him but she walked off and he commented some old wounds never heal, telling Hank she was in good hands.

"Your hands are the worst." Hope snarled at him.

Darren told Pym he was in for a treat and walked off as Carson arrived and asked him how was retirement. Pym asked how his face was and he walked off.

Everyone chuckled as Sam said, "Now that was a burn."

Hank opened the door to the lab and Darren said he'd like to introduce a special guest before they began, the company's founder and his mentor- Dr. Hank Pym. Everyone clapped for him as he noticed a model for Cross Technologies behind Cross.

"So he wanted him to see it." Tony noted.

"He is a rat bastard like that." Logan said.

"Wiping his victory in his opponent's face." Loki said, "I know because I used to do the same."

Cross said he had started research on the particle that could change distance between atoms while increasing density and strength. He asked everyone to imagine a soldier the size of an insect, the ultimate weapon. An Ant-Man. He showed old footage of Ant-Man hitting soldiers, zooming into show him and said that's what they used to call Hank. It was silly propaganda to scare the USSR and every time he had asked Hank if Ant-Man was real, he had been told it was a tall tale because nothing that miraculous could be real.

"He is like another Stane." Tony said, already noticing the similarities.

"That he is." Hope said, "Except even more pathetic."

He led them to his lab said he was inspired by the legend of the Ant-Man to shrink a person and now it wasn't a legend anymore as he presented the end of warfare as they knew it, calling it the Yellowjacket. It was a small yellow and black suit. Hope and Hank both looked horrified.

"That thing." Scott sighed.

An automated recording said this could help them return to an age where the powers of freedom could operate freely and the Yellowjacket could manage any conflict on a geopolitical landscape completely unseen efficiently. One day, an army of Yellowjackets would create a sustainable environment. A video demo of the Yellowjacket was shown as well.

"Good thing you stopped it when you did." Sam told him and Scott shrugged.

A man called Frank called it a suit but Darren said it was a vessel and thanked everyone for coming. She thanked everybody and said she would escort them out. They walked out as Darren said Hank looked shocked and he said there was a reason he had buried all this. Darren angrily said now Hank admitted it and that they could have done it together. Hank told him not to do this but he said Hank was the past and he was the future.

"A terrible future." Tony added.

"Such a weapon in the wrong hands could lead to catastrophe." Vision said.

Carson led Darren away, telling him to sell it to him and he'd pay him 20% over the selling price.

"Conspiring together." Natasha commented.

Hope told Hank they needed to make a move and she only needed the suit but he refused, saying it was too dangerous. Hope said they had no other choice but Hank said he had found a guy to her shock. She asked who.

"Me." Scott said.

"The burglar in the quest." Rhodes said and everyone chuckled.

Scott walked into Jim Paxton's house where a birthday party was going on. His daughter Cassie hugged him tightly and happily. He apologized for being late and she said it was on the invitation. Paxton arrived and said he hadn't gotten an invitation. Scott said he wasn't going to miss his little girl's birthday party. He gave Cassie a present. She asked if she could open it now and they agreed. It was some kind of a bunny toy which said it was her bestest friend. She happily said it was ugly and she loved it.

Everyone chuckled as Benjamin said to her, "You look adorable."

"Wait till we get to you." Cassie said and everyone chuckled.

"I believe the term for him is adorkable." Logan said and more chuckles followed.

Cassie went off to show her friends as Scott said child support would come but it was hard to find a job due to his record. Jim said he'd figure it out but right now he needed to get out of his house. The two argued until Maggie arrived and told Scott he couldn't just show up like that. Scott said she was his daughter and Jim said he didn't know the first thing about being a father.

"This guy is being a jerk." Bruce muttered.

Scott said he was telling Maggie as her friend and first love that her fiancé was an asshat. She said he wasn't an asshat as Jim told him to watch his language and she led him out while he muttered he had said 'hat.'

"You're not doing yourself any favors, Mr. Lang." Vision said.

"Yeah I know!" Scott said.

"He is only human." T'Challa told Vision.

Scott told Maggie she could have married anyone but chose to get engaged to a cop. She said he wasn't a crook.

"Low blow." Hope muttered.

Scott said he was trying and had a job and was trying to provide. He said he loved her and wanted to be part of her life.

"And I appreciate it." Cassie said.

Maggie told him to get an apartment, a job and pay child support and then they would talk about visitation. "You're her hero, Scott. Just be the person that she already thinks you are." Maggie told him.

"You always were that person." Hope told Scott, "You just didn't know it."

He nodded in appreciation.

Scott later sat in his van and waved to Cassie as she stood next to Jim. He played the horn of the van and she laughed as he drove off.

"Now that is a nice horn." Bucky said.

"I can see why your friend is so positive." Sam said.

Frank came out of the stall as Darren apologized about his deep concerns for the Yellowjacket. Frank washed his hands as Darren gave him paper and he said it's be nice to do whatever they want but there were laws. Darren said the laws of nature transcended the laws of man and he had transcended the laws of nature. Darren threw the paper away as Frank tried to protest but Darren shot him with his Shrink Gun, turning him into a puddle of protein. He cleaned him with a handkerchief and flushed him, mockingly apologizing.

Everyone's jaw was dropped as Pepper said, "What the hell?"

"He is really, really sick." Aunt May said.

"He is too convinced about his power." Steve said.

"Twice the pride, double the fall." Peter said to lighten the mood but it didn't work.

Darren later sat with Hope in a restaurant and said he had been thinking a lot of gratitude and had now decided gratitude could be forgiveness. He had spent years carrying anger for Hank Pym and devoted his genius to him instead of working anywhere. He had chosen his mentor poorly and told Hope she didn't even have a choice and he never believed in her. Darren said it was a shame what he had forced them to do but they should be grateful as his failures as a mentor and father had allowed them to spread their wings. Hope told Darren he was a success and deserve everything that came his way.

"You did deserve everything that came you way after this." Hope said as she exchanged a glance with Scott.

Scott sat in his van, feeling depressed as he wrote in his pad that he could see Cassie after 377 days after taking care of the expenses.

"But that's more than one year!" Peter said.

"Which is why dad needed the money." Cassie told him.

Luis and Dave were playing a video game inside as Kurt worked on his laptop when Scott walked inside and drank a beer, asking about the tip to the delight of the other three. He needed to know where it came from and it had to be airtight.

"Well they're excited." Thor said and everyone chuckled.

"It's in their blood." Odinson said.

"I can see that." Wanda said.

"You will see it even more soon." Scarlet Witch told her.

Luis then started as the flashback to the scene happening was shown, "I was at a wine tasting with my cousin Ernesto. Which was mainly reds, and you know I don't like reds, man. But there was a ros that saved the day. It was delightful. And then he tells me about this girl, Emily, that we used to kick it with. It was actually the first pair of boobs I ever touched."

"We did not need to know that." T'Challa said.

"Over-excited story teller." Tony said.

Scott told him it was the wrong details and had nothing to do with the story. Luis then continued, "So, uh, he tells me that she's working as a housekeeper now, right? And she's dating this dude, Carlos, who's a shot caller from across the bay. And she tells him about the dude that she's cleaning for. Right? That he's like this big-shot CEO that is all retired now, but he's loaded." In the flashback, Emily's lips moved at the same time as Luis told his story, "And so, Carlos and Ernesto are on the same softball team, and they get to talking, right? And here comes the good part. Carlos says, "Yo, man. "This guy's got a big-ass safe just sitting in the basement, just chilling." Carlos' lips moved in the flashback at the same time as Luis' story as he continued, "Of course Ernesto comes to me because he knows I got mad thieving skills. Of course, I ask him..."Did Emily tell Carlos to tell you to get to me what kind of safe it was?" And he says, "Nah, dawg. All she said is that it's super-legit and whatever's in it, it's gotta be good." Both his and Ernesto's lips moved in the flashback at the same time as the story.

"Okay, that was…." Peter trailed off.

"He is a nice story-teller." Wanda said.

"He should tell bed-time stories." Cassie said, "He is good."

"He is the best at business." Hope said and everyone chuckled.

Scott was confused as the others explained there was an old man with a safe gone for a week and he decided to work with that.

"My old man." Hope smirked.

"And the safe didn't have money." Scott sighed.

The three then bought equipment and worked on it for a while, eating and drinking as they did that and planned the heist.

"The planning." Bucky said.

Kurt disconnected the landline on the heist day as Luis said if something went wrong, he had Scott's back. Scott said that won't happen as he leapt up the fence while Luis muttered he loved when Scott got cocky and Dave was impressed by the jump.

"You haven't seen anything yet." Scott said.

Scott then climbed up, opening the window and going inside as he eventually found a fingerprint scanner, shocking everyone as they hadn't prepared for that.

"What're you gonna do now?" Clint asked.

"Improvise." Scott said.

Lang ran upstairs and opening drawers, found a tape, a ring, and some glue. He put the tape over the ring using the glue and put it over the stove, heating it up. He then ripped out the part of the tape on the ring, recreating a fingerprint and running back to the scanner, used that to open it.

Nobody could stop themselves from clapping as Tony said, "Damn man! That was….."

"Really, really awesome." Peter finished.

"Smart." Steve said.

"Resourceful." Wanda added.

"Thanks." Scott shrugged.

"That was pretty impressive." Hope agreed.

Scott arrived inside and said the safe was serious, made of Carbondale from 1910, same steel as Titanic. Scott said it didn't do well in cold and asked them to remember what the Iceberg had done. Luis said it had killed DiCaprio as Dave said it had killed everyone while Kurt said it hadn't killed the old lady who had thrown the jewel in the ocean.

"That lady was Kate Winslet." Rhodes reminded.

"Wow! What a nice team." Tony said sarcastically and everyone chuckled.

Scott created a freezing agent quickly, telling everyone he had poured water into the locking mechanism and frozen it with Nitrogen. "Ice expands. Metal doesn't." He said as the door burst open but the blanket he had set to catch the screws flying out prevented any noise while a mattress softened the door's fall.

Everyone clapped again as Fury said, "I'd definitely pick you over the Guardians."

"Thanks." Scott shrugged lamely.

Scott walked to the safe but to his shock, nothing was there except blueprints, liquids and a suit with some kind of helmet. He dejectedly said the place only had a motorcycle suit and Luis realized it was a bust, apologizing to Scott. A dejected Scott picked up the suit anyway as an ant watched from above with a small camera attached while Hank watched through it.

"You set us up!" Scott said to Hope, trying to mimic Arnold Schwarzenegger, but failed and everyone chuckled.

"You should gain some more muscle to mimic that guy." Hope said and everyone chuckled more.

Darren and Hope were in the lab as a lamb was led there, shocking Hope as she thought they were testing on mice. Darren said he couldn't go to the buyers with half a breakthrough as he started the experiment and the rays hit the lamb, turning it into a puddle of protein as Hope covered her mouth in horror.

"Lamb to the slaughter." Natasha said sadly as everyone watched with dropped jaws.

"What a sicko." Pepper said.

"He really was." Cassie agreed with a snarl.

Darren simply said the results were negative and told them to bring Experiment 35-C.

"Please stop." Wanda muttered.

Scott washed his face and looked into the mirror, wondering why someone would hide that suit. He took it out and looked at it, finding the liquid. Eventually, he went into the bathroom and put on the entire suit, including the helmet, and checked himself out in the mirror.

"And Ant-Man is born." Sam said as everyone clapped a little.

"Not yet." Scott said, "I will get there though."

"I'm sure you enjoyed." Hope smirked and he sighed.

"That was kind of like Rocky based on what I saw." Cassie said and Scott nodded.

He stood in the bath to admire himself better as Luis, Kurt and Dave arrived and called out to him so he pulled the curtains. He looked at the buttons and pressed them. That moment, he shrunk down to a miniature size and as he got up, everything was huge. He was the size of a stray cockroach in the bath now.

"First trip to the small side." Bucky said and everyone chuckled.

"It was pretty hard for me too at first." Cassie said, "And pretty scary."

"That's shrinking for ya!" Scott said.

He heard Pym's voice who said the world was different from down here, shocking him. Luis arrived and opened the tap as Hank said it was a trial by fire and in his case, water. Scott tried to run but the water caught up to him, throwing him down.

"Ouch!" Pepper said.

"That ought to hurt." Bruce cringed.

"I wouldn't wish it on me." Loki said, "I hate falling."

"I know." Thor said as both chuckled.

"You get used to it." Scott shrugged.

Scott got up as Pym said he was tougher than he thought and then he was thrown through a gap in the floor right on top of a record player where he spun around uncontrollably while the party went on around him. He was thrown down.

"Uh-oh!" Rhodes cringed.

"Tough life, bub." Logan said.

"Bug's life." Cassie corrected and everyone chuckled.

"Yeah, bug's life." Scott shrugged too.

He ran around, avoiding the feet of the dancing people and eventually fell out when a vacuum cleaner sucked him in. He twirled around in it before it stopped. He then burst out of the bag, startling the woman.

"Thank God I'm not the small kind of bug." Peter said.

"Yeah, thank God." Benjamin agreed.

"It's gonna get worse." Scott said.

Scott saw a rat behind him and screamed as it looked big. He ran as it chased him and jumped on a mouse trap which launched him out of the building on top of a car. The driver was startled and then Scott grew back to normal size, startling him even more.

"Not bad actually." Hope said.

"But pretty frightening." Scott told her.

Scott gasped as Pym said he wasn't bad and told him to keep the suit but Scott said he didn't want it and that night, he snuck back into the house and put the suit back before jumping out over the fence. Then the sirens blared and he raised his hands, saying he hadn't stolen anything but was returning something he stole. He then cringed as he realized what he had said and was cuffed.

"Sorry you got busted there." Hope said guiltily.

"No problem. I've forgiven you." Scott sighed.

"Now the real fun is going to begin." Logan said.

"Yeah, it's obvious." Odinson agreed.