Watching the two men argue, Wanda couldn't make sense of their complicated relationship at all.
"Hey… what's going on between them?" she asked softly, glancing at Renzo beside her. At the moment, he had taken on a human appearance, looking no different from an ordinary person.
"That's not important," Renzo replied calmly. "We just need to follow him." He pointed toward Scott.
Wanda nodded and gently took hold of Renzo's arm.
Meanwhile, the argument seemed to come to an end. The two men had reached some kind of agreement.
"Let's go, Scott. I'll let this slide—for now," Paxton said, dismissing his partner. He and Scott got into the police car and headed toward Scott's home.
Just as Paxton was about to close the car door, a hand stopped it.
Renzo's face appeared outside. "Mind giving us a ride? I think we can help."
Scott and Paxton exchanged a glance, then nodded. Having two Avengers along would only improve their chances.
The ride was silent. The atmosphere inside the car was stiff and awkward.
Before long, they arrived.
"So many police cars…" Wanda murmured in surprise.
"Maggie!" Paxton shouted.
"That guy—a freak—he's got Cassie!"
Scott didn't hesitate. He rushed straight into the house.
Wanda instinctively moved to follow, but Renzo stopped her, shaking his head. "He's got this."
Wanda hesitated, then chose to trust him.
Inside the house, little Cassie faced the strange man in the yellow suit, her voice trembling slightly. "Are you a monster?"
"Do I look like one?" Darren Cross said softly, stepping forward and grabbing her. The gesture was unsettling.
"Let her go!"
Darren turned as Scott burst in. Cassie looked up, eyes wide. "Dad? Is that you?"
"Hey, Peanut," Scott said with a smile, then looked at Darren. "You should pick on someone your own size."
In an instant, Scott hurled a shrinking disc at Darren, reducing him to a tiny figure. Cassie seized the moment and ran out of the room.
Scott shrank as well, engaging Darren atop a toy train.
Though Scott had the help of his ant swarm, Darren's suit was more advanced, firing laser blasts at him.
They fought back and forth, hurling toys at each other. But toys were still toys—none of it could truly harm them. A model Thomas the Tank Engine was flung aside with ease.
Scott tossed enlarging discs at Darren, but they were deflected. One struck the ants, another hit the train, blasting a hole through the roof.
Paxton couldn't hold back any longer. Stepfather or not, he loved his family deeply.
"I'm coming, Cassie!" he shouted.
Suddenly, a giant ant—larger than a dog—appeared in front of him. Startled, he slipped and fell backward down the stairs.
The ant burst through the window, sending Maggie and the nearby officers into a panic.
"Your dog is out of control!" someone shouted.
Wanda stared at the enlarged ants in astonishment, gripping Renzo's hand. "That's…?"
"Pym particle technology," Renzo said, a faint smile crossing his face. Perhaps… just perhaps… it could one day help him return to his original world.
Wanda nodded, not entirely sure she understood.
Inside, Darren fired wildly, tearing through the room.
"Stop! I'm a police officer!" Paxton shouted—only for Darren to casually shoot the gun from his hand without even turning around.
He didn't notice Scott climbing onto his back.
"No… it has to go smaller!"
Scott tried to break into the suit's core.
"It's made of titanium alloy!" Darren snapped, flinging him away. The two continued fighting in the confined space.
Bang!
Scott slammed into the wall, shrinking further.
"Where do you think you're going?" Darren blocked Paxton and Cassie, lasers aimed directly at them.
Paxton stepped in front of Cassie, shielding her with his body. His expression was resolute. He would protect his daughter—no matter the cost.
Just as Darren prepared to fire, his suit began to malfunction. His body flickered between solid and intangible, parts of him shrinking uncontrollably.
"I love you, Cassie!"
Scott shrank down to the molecular level, infiltrating the suit and destroying it from within.
Until… he became smaller than molecules themselves.
Darren's body destabilized and vanished completely—gone without a trace.
"Everything's quiet…" Wanda said softly, looking at the now-silent house.
"Wait," Renzo murmured.
His gaze seemed to pierce through the walls, observing what was happening inside.
Scott drifted in the Quantum Realm, faintly hearing a woman's voice—but it was too distant, too indistinct.
"Peanut!"
Suddenly, Scott snapped back. He activated the regulator in his suit.
A violent surge of energy burst through the room, like a miniature black hole collapsing in on itself.
Scott reappeared, full-sized, pulling Cassie into a tight embrace, smiling warmly as he held her.
"Alright, alright. Reunions are always touching, Scott," Renzo said as he finally stepped inside. He had deliberately avoided interfering with the course of events. After all, this moment was tied to the future—one wrong move could cost them their only chance to change things.
"Who are you? Are you a bad guy?" Cassie asked timidly, hiding behind Scott, her wide eyes full of innocence.
Wanda's expression softened instantly as she looked at the little girl. Something deep inside her stirred.
She's so adorable… how can someone be this cute?
A gentle, almost maternal warmth filled her gaze as she watched Cassie, reluctant to look away.
Renzo, oblivious to Wanda's expression, turned to Scott with a smile.
"I've already reported you to Captain Rogers. He thinks highly of you—and hopes you'll join the Avengers. Contribute to protecting the world."
"Captain? You mean Captain America?" Scott's jaw dropped. He practically stammered. "I… I can join the Avengers? I just… shrink and grow… I'm not that useful…"
"Don't say that, Scott. You're important," Renzo said, patting him on the shoulder in a meaningful way.
Scott's eyes lit up, completely misinterpreting Renzo's words as recognition of his potential.
Renzo didn't stay any longer. It was better to let things unfold naturally.
"Let's go, Wanda. Wanda? Wanda?"
He called her name twice before realizing she was still staring at Cassie.
'This might be a problem…'
Do women really have some kind of built-in maternal instinct?
He called her a few more times before finally snapping her out of it.
Taking her soft hand in his, Renzo led her away.
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