Scott said nothing.
He simply walked back to the small bed, lay down, and continued playing dead.
Steve didn't press him. He left with Barton and Sam.
Meanwhile, in the surveillance room, Scott's feed was being displayed in real time. Coulson stood behind the monitors, watching thoughtfully. Beside him sat the Ant-Man helmet.
Soon, Steve and the others entered.
"Coulson, any progress? Have you traced the signal?" Steve asked.
Coulson shook his head.
"Not yet. The helmet uses extremely advanced encryption—we haven't cracked it. But…"
He paused.
"But what?" Sam asked.
"The suit Scott is wearing… I feel like I've seen it before. I just can't place it."
Coulson frowned, trying to recall.
"He said he's Ant-Man. Does that ring a bell?" Sam added.
"Ant-Man? He said that?" Coulson's expression changed instantly.
"Yeah," Sam nodded.
Without hesitation, Coulson grabbed a nearby tablet and began searching. Moments later, he pulled up a file and projected it onto the main screen, drawing everyone's attention.
"Ant-Man," Coulson began, "was once an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. His real identity was a scientist—Dr. Hank Pym. Back then, S.H.I.E.L.D. was still the Strategic Scientific Reserve. Pym worked alongside Howard Stark and Peggy Carter."
"However, due to an incident, the three of them had a complete falling out. Pym left the organization shortly afterward."
Steve studied the image of Hank Pym on the screen.
He didn't recognize him—by that time, Steve had already gone down with the plane into the Arctic. But judging from the records, Pym would be quite old now.
"During an experiment, Pym accidentally discovered a particle capable of shrinking or enlarging matter at will," Coulson continued. "Later, S.H.I.E.L.D. tried to acquire his research. He refused. That became the breaking point."
"The security director at the time intended to use the particles to arm an entire army."
Coulson brought up more detailed files.
"After leaving, Pym founded his own tech company. He also developed a suit that could harness the particle's abilities. Eventually, he created a device to control ants—hence the name 'Ant-Man.'"
"So Scott inherited Pym's suit and became the new Ant-Man?" Sam asked, looking at the schematics now displayed on screen.
"Very likely," Coulson nodded. "And Scott's reluctance to talk probably stems from Pym being behind all this. Pym has never had a good relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D.—there's… history there."
"Then it's simple," Sam said. "We go straight to this Dr. Pym."
"It's not that simple," Steve interrupted.
He had already pieced together part of the situation.
"Scott mentioned they're carrying out some kind of mission—something that could affect the fate of the world. If we approach Pym directly, we might alert the wrong people."
If Darren Cross caught wind that the Avengers were involved, he would become far more cautious—or disappear entirely.
"Coulson, keep tracking the signal. Let me know the moment you get anything."
With that, Steve turned and left.
He already had someone in mind—someone who could approach Hank Pym without being detected.
---
Late at night, Hank Pym and Hope sat in the basement, both at a loss.
They had watched Scott get captured by the Avengers. Without the Ant-Man suit, they had no way of stopping Darren Cross.
"What do we do now?" Hope said, staring at the frozen frame on the monitor—Sam and Barton dragging Scott away.
"We never should have trusted him. You saw it yourself—he doesn't follow orders. I told you from the beginning, I should be the one wearing the suit."
"I doubt the Avengers will harm him," Pym said, rubbing his forehead. "What worries me is them getting their hands on the Pym Particles. If they use it recklessly…"
His worst fear might already be coming true.
If the Avengers had the suit, they essentially had access to the particles.
"Don't worry, Dr. Pym. We won't do anything to your suit."
A voice suddenly sounded behind them.
Both Pym and Hope spun around instantly. Hope dropped into a combat stance without hesitation.
They were shocked.
The house was heavily secured with advanced alarm systems—yet nothing had been triggered.
Worse, neither of them had noticed when this person appeared.
"Relax," the woman said calmly, stepping forward. "I entered quietly because I didn't want anyone else to notice."
She sat down casually in a nearby chair.
"Natasha Romanoff. Avenger. Captain Rogers sent me to speak with you, Dr. Pym."
"An Avenger?!" Pym and Hope were both stunned.
Scott had only been captured hours ago—and now the Avengers had already found them.
"Don't be so surprised," Natasha said, crossing her legs. "You're not exactly hard to find. Dr. Pym is quite famous in the scientific community."
"Finding your residence wasn't difficult."
Though she appeared relaxed, those who knew her understood—it was all a façade. A veteran spy, Natasha never let her guard down.
"Why are you here?" Pym asked.
"For Scott Lang," Natasha replied smoothly. "As the original Ant-Man, don't you have anything to say? For example… sending someone to break into an Avengers facility?"
Her gaze shifted toward Hope, noting her stance—trained, capable.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Pym denied.
But Natasha read people for a living. His reaction was transparent.
"Dr. Pym," she continued, almost lazily, "we're aware that you were forced out of the company you built. And recently… your protégé—what was his name? Cross?—has been making quite a few suspicious moves."
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