That's not what I meant by "to go". (Remi and others as requested.)

[soulstealingstark]

It had started with the fourth consecutive evening of not getting more than three hours of sleep. Insomnia and low need for sleep wasn't uncommon in the Stark bloodline, but being pregnant was a game-changer. Nearly the end of her gestation Alexa needed far more sleep than she ever had in her life, but the combination of her fast-working brain and a fast-moving baby conspired to keep her awake. And cranky: a full-on stomping temper-tantrum had been had twice before noon because she was so sleepy but couldn't sleep. Alexa didn't exactly consider it admitting defeat, but she did give in and decide to head down the block to the neighborhood Starbucks for an octo-shot Pumpkin Spice Latte, cup of whip on the side. It technically wasn't on the menu, but Alexa always brought her own cup, a space-dimensionally enhanced contraption that allowed her to appear to be carrying a normal venti cup with about a sixty-four ounce actual capacity. The baristas never seemed to mind. Even throughout her pregnancy Alexa was, much to Remi's chagrin, a regular at the store.

Which is why the barista knew exactly who to call when four weird-looking dudes dressed like extras in a low-budget Hawaiian horror movie blinked into existence, grabbed the redhead's wrists, and then blinked out again leaving behind the freshly-made PSL and the fairly unmistakable growl-hum of alien spacecraft in their wake. In stunned bystander speak? "Um, King Fishdude? Tiki alien guys stole your girlfriend. Or maybe it was that guy from Ancient Aliens. You wanna come get her latte?"

Comments

[aqua_gambit]

Remi didn't recognize the number on his phone. He still answered because it would be insulting to the phone's function not to. The words that came out of the phone did not quite make sense.

"... I, wha?" He forced his brain into parsing. Though the latte mention helped him narrow it down some. "Stole Alexa? At a Starbucks?"

He knew those ubiquitous places were evil. "I'll be right there."

Mostly to figure out what the hell happened to his Alexa. The latte was far and away very secondary.

[soulstealingstark]

By the time Remi arrived at the Starbucks the store's manager was waiting for him with the latte and a very concerned look on her face.

"She just disappeared," the manager explained, noting the confused and somewhat angry look on the Atlantean's face. "I have security video if it helps."

[aqua_gambit]

He held out his hand for the latte. Some part of him, deep down, knew if he did not get his pregnant girlfriend's latte, he would be in trouble.

"Any and all security footage. Any residue left by whomever took her?" He was slowly learning some of the things to ask since he worked for scientific thingamabob.

[soulstealingstark]

The manager looked a little horrified at the mention of residue and didn't answer. She handed him the latte and then motioned for Remi to follow her to the office. He was in luck: the security video was lower-tech than it could have been and thus very straight forward. She queued up the relevant portions and hit play. Four not human creatures dressed in grass skirts and similar things pop up, grab Alexa, and pop out. A glimpse of the spacecraft can be seen reflected in a door.

[aqua_gambit]

"I'll take that as a no..." He followed after the manager when he was motioned to follow.

Remi watched the footage intently. He could not place the tiki aliens off hand. Though he was betting someone at the Future Foundation could.

"I need a copy of either that section of footage or stills of the aliens and the craft reflected in the door." He caught himself almost taking a sip out of Alexa's latte. He wasn't how lo- or hi-tech this system was, but he needed something for the scientists to go off of.

Meanwhile, on Luau...

[soulstealingstark]

For kidnappers, the odd-looking, hula-skirt-wearing, tiki-torch-bearing aliens seemed, in Alexa's estimation, to be pretty cool. They had set her up in what appeared to be a grass hut type structure that sat up on an elevated platform in the center of the community. The hut had lots of pillows and comfortable things and the aliens kept bringing her pineapple, delicious edible flowers, and coffee. Lots, and lots, and lots of the most amazing coffee Alexa had consumed in her life. She was wired to an eleven, but the baby didn't seem to mind and, on one level, it appeared that she'd gotten a free vacation to Hawaii. Score.

"This coffee, is amazing," she said as one of the aliens came up to her hut, presumably to bring more coffee.

[ngm_miscellaneous]

It was getting ever closer for the proper sacrifice. The High Chieftain was taking no chances with this going wrong. Volcanic sacrifices were particular things. So far, their unknowing sacrifice was doing well if not more rotund than what was normally called for.

The High Chieftain brushed a woody hand through his grand mask plumage. He did have one more cup of the nectar of the gods with him. He offered it to the sacrifice carefully.

"Yes. Very good. Have more."

[soulstealingstark]

Alexa laughed softly.

"I think I've already had a week's supply. I'm not sure I can drink much more." She took the cup offered just the same and held it carefully in her hands. "You guys seem awfully laid back for having all this coffee around."

[ngm_miscellaneous]

He peered at her a little bit. Yes, just about ripe.

"This nectar to us is like your water to you." He wiggled his ceremonial staff a bit. "Do you need relief again?"

One thing he noticed, this sacrifice had to pee a lot.

[soulstealingstark]

"Ugh, yeah. I do. The combination of coffee and baby do not go well for my bladder." She took a sip of the coffee. "I sort of envy that your species utilizes coffee the way mine utilizes water. Coffee is my second favorite thing."

Call On The Way to Luau - Tony Stark

[aqua_gambit]

Remi had not been patient enough. He had scrambled what he could get of the team to head to save Alexa as soon as possible. He was fidget-y in the craft to get there.

Which made what else he had to do unbearable. He put in a call to Alexa's father. Who could probably rush in and actually save his daughter if Remi ended up a dried up husk at the foot of a volcano.

[avengeriniron]

Tony was in his lab working on some modifications for his newest armor when the call came through. He tapped the button for the speaker on the tablet next to his workstation and answered without checking the ID. "You're reached the great and powerful Oz. How may I swindle you?"

[aqua_gambit]

Remi pinched the bridge of his nose. The man sounded like he was in a good mood for once. Oh, well.

"Well, Mr. G.P. Oz, I thought you should know Alexa was abducted by aliens at Starbucks. The Imaginauts are on the way to rescue her."

[avengeriniron]

Tony paused in his work and slowly turned to blink at the tablet. After another beat, he said, "There's a punchline to this, right?"

[aqua_gambit]

"Not really," Remi admitted. He scratched one of his angular eyebrows. "She was abducted by aliens who sacrifice redheads to the god Kalua. Tiki aliens who use heat and fire. So, if I fail, you can at least ride in and save your daughter and grandchild if need be."

At the Luau of Not-Fun - Imaginauts

[aqua_gambit]

Once the Imaginauts landed on Luau, it was easy to figure out where they were going to try to sacrifice Alexa. The big party around the big volcano.

"Alright. We go in. Get Alexa. Try not to let me die. Come back to the craft. And get the hell out of here. Sound like a plan?"

Re: At the Luau of Not-Fun - Imaginauts

[stormy_skrull]

Mary nodded. "Aye aye, mon capitan."

[clobberin_kid]

"I like it when the plan is simple." Jacob added, nodding. Well, simple to remember. In execution? Could be more complicated. "We trying to be sneaky, or should I go in smashing?"

[aqua_gambit]

"Smash. There's no need for subtlety when they've taken my Alexa and child." Remi clenched his fists. He silently swore they would get home. If it was the last thing he could do for them, it would be to make sure they got home safe.

[stormy_skrull]

Mary's form twisted and shifted, becoming a massive, armored creature.

"Let's do this."

And now for the fun part...

[soulstealingstark]

"I SAID I WANT TO GO SIT BACK DOWN!"

Alexa had tried being polite and she tried asking nicely. They weren't listening and the leader dude was, at this point, half-dragging her near the top of the volcano. So Alexa started screaming.

[aqua_gambit]

The Imaginauts had landed and were fighting their way through aliens. Or so Remi assumed as he took to the air and flew toward the volcano as fast as his powers would let him.

He was hoping he was on time. That these aliens hadn't chucked the woman he... he...

... screaming. Familiar voice screaming. In anger. She was alive!

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY ALEXA," he bellowed as he changed course toward the familiar screaming.

[soulstealingstark]

Alexa heard Remi's voice bellow from the sky. That was something of a relief, or would have been if she wasn't in a position where she could actually feel the heat of the top of the volcano.

"REMI!!!!!!!"

She tried kicking at the aliens.

[aqua_gambit]

Remi ignored the heat as best he could. He shoved a wall of invisible force like a bulldozer at some of the aliens surrounding Alexa. Some of them went tumbling down the volcano-side, opening up a space beside her.

Though he would have to tell her later how proud it made him to see a heavily pregnant woman take down an alien or two with viscous shin kicks. Carefully. He wasn't sure how pregnant hormones would take Atlantean pride.

Those that weren't directly near Alexa turned toward the bronzed man streaking out of the sky. They raised slightly glowing tiki staffs and pointed them at him.

"Fils de putain," he said flatly. Glowing things on fire aliens didn't matter. He had to save Alexa.

[soulstealingstark]

Two aliens fell down from her kicks. They in turn slid down the side of the volcano towards the bottom and took out several others on their way down. In the confusion, Alexa snatched a tiki staff from the nearest alien to her and smacked the same alien in the face with it.

"And stop trying to burn HIM, jackasses!"

And now, a predicament. She was no longer restrained by aliens...but her center of gravity was definitely...off.