Secret Invasion Part 1: The Betrayal

Chapter 6

"Finale"

[Upstate New York, New York. Mid 2028]

[The Avengers Compound, 0550 PM]

Peter walks out of the examination room with an ache in his side where the ribcage is still not finishing their healing, his right arm is covered in fresh wounds and dressings because KAREN had to reopen some of the wounds to get the embedded splinters out. His suit was torn but still wearable and he must keep it on considering the reporters flooding the courtyard of the Compound right now. Being the last one to be checked by choice, the others already conglomerated inside a vast hall where there was once the time machine.

Kate got her right dislocated shoulder reset but Doctor Palmer still recommended wearing a sling to let it heal properly, a couple of small cuts adorned her face, sitting atop a bench with a toolkit.

Johnny Storm and Susan Storm sit with each other on a recliner that Harley usually reserved for a nap between work, looking a bit better and regaining colors on their faces.

Harley Keener stood over a terminal with his right arm in a cast and his head wrapped with bandages, cuts, and bruises on his face seems to be irritated by even the smallest movement, overlooking an analysis of the Quinjet’s AI core for any malfunction that almost led to a tragedy.

Logan leaned against the reinforced glass, looking out to a sea of people wanting to take interviews and pictures with their microphones and cameras with an amused grimace. At least they can lend him some of Thor’s clothes even if the pants had to be rolled up. Somehow the guy got his hand on nicotine gum to compensate for his need to smoke after a hard fight, as he claimed. It still amazes Peter how immaculate the man’s healing factor works despite the beating he received back on the battlefield; effectively unmarked.

Bucky Barnes stood with the Shield mounted on his back and in the black suit with his shiny Vibranium bionics arm, looking at Logan with a hint of recognition. Falcon was nearby, chatting with Wanda who got a small smile on her face as she reconnected with her former teammate over the past five years that she’d gone under the radar.

Gwen stood alone with her arms crossed atop her chest and a little slump in her shoulders, relatively spotless just like Logan except for some dirt on her clothes, and still holding on to the gloves and web-shooters. He approached her from behind and snaked a hand around her waist to announce his presence.

“You okay?” Peter asked and heard a dark chuckle escape her lips.

“I should be the one asking; you got whacked around like a rag doll.” A worried smile graced her cute face while her hand lightly landed on his exposed arm covered in small cuts, “I’m sorry about earlier, that was…”

“A mistake, I made some too when I first started this,” His face was hidden underneath the mask, but she could tell he was giving her a reassuring smile “A miss-swing here, too short line there; it’s normal.” His hand rested on her tender belly belying the enhanced muscles underneath, spreading warmth through the contact despite layers of fabric “If you want, I can teach you more about it. There are some techniques and tricks to it that I picked up over the years.”

“I dunno, Pete. Spider’s life seemed a bit too stressful for me,” she gave him a sheepish smile “Worrying about you is one thing, but being out there running away from death was not what I expected.”

“At least let me teach you how to use our powers; you never know when you’ll need them, and it’s not only in vigilantism that you can use them.” He shrugged his shoulders as he looked at the side of Gwen’s face, noticing the wrinkles of thought forming on it. After a moment of contemplation, the sunflower-blonde nodded softly in agreement with his terms. “What do you think will happen if there are pictures or shorts of us swinging around together?”

“My dad will probably put out a manhunt on your head,” Gwen answered with a cackle, feeling a bit better about her screw-up “Like ‘Spider-Man-Hunt’ article by J Jonah Jameson.”

“Oh, no. The puns are contagious.” Peter groaned playfully. Then he led Gwen back towards the others “So, how are we gonna do this?” he gestured towards the sea of reporters outside, held up at the gates by the Iron legions.

“Depends on the fact that whether you want to address the public or not,” Harley started “the Internet is already gushing about you rejoining and speculations around Jonathan Storm’s initiation into the Avengers.”

“Me? Absurd.” Johnny scoffed “I’m perfectly fine within the NYFD, thank you very much.” The handsome blonde nonchalantly replied.

“There are talks about Mayor Harris endorsing the idea,” Kate presented a feed of a public announcement immediately after SWORD had apprehended the specimen from Roosevelt Island, showing Mayor Harris smilingly informing the press that he’s in favor of The Human Torch working with the Avenger and the Fire Department at the same time, clouding the real reason concerning favors and votes in the future. “You can only announce it yourself or deny it now and have to do it later anyway.”

“Ugh! Politicians!” Johnny waved his arms about in frustration.

“What about Mister Logan and Susan?” Peter demanded but before Keener could address it, Logan cut in simply with a ‘no’.

“Soon as this talk is over, I’m gone.” The burly man firmly stated and challenged any of them to object with a narrow-eyed glare.

“Aww, and I thought we could hang out a little like brothers-in-arms,” Peter deflated playfully at the chuckling mutant. “Maybe I can just track you down later, who knows?”

“I told ja; you can’t meet them.” Logan cracked a smirk “I don’t need another teenager there; it’s enough headache already as it is.”

“Technically speaking I’m a young adult, but thank you for the compliment!” he gives the short man a double thumbs-up.

“I meant as in immature.” Logan protested.

“What? I can’t hear ya; my ears still ringing.” Peter mimed the hell out of it and Logan grunted with amused annoyance.

“Will you be needing anything, Mister Logan?” Harley inquired with an inquisitive expression.

“I need to go up north, got anything I can borrow?”

“I can fly you anywhere within the States, just name the place.” Kate offered to him, but Logan refused firmly.

“Thanks, kid, but I prefer traveling on my own.” Logan addressed her with a smirk, turning back towards the others “Let’s get this debriefing over with.”

“What happened before Storm arrived?” Bucky started with an air of authority as his eyes bore into the shorter man with a familiar face.

“Ran into some old friends, pissed them off, and then one of them sic that first one at me.”

“Very informative, Logan.” Peter chided him but Logan shrugged his shoulders in a reply.

“Mind trying again with more details?” Sam Wilson crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the burly man with a scowl.

“Very.” The ducktail lumberjack insisted.

“We need information,” Harley added.

“And you already got them. Look, I’m not your teammate, I’m not your friend, we just happened to fight aliens together and that’s it.” Logan elaborated with a no-nonsense attitude but grunted annoyingly as Spider-Man draped an arm across his shoulder, getting all buddy-like.

“Think of it like exchanging tales around a bonfire; drinks in hand and the warmth enveloping us, recounting our lives to one another and bonding over them!” Not even utilizing his adhesive power, Peter let Logan pry his arm off after a moment.

“It would’ve taken a long time, and I don’t think ya can keep up with me on booze.” The burly man cackled and turned towards the new Captain America “Anything else?”

“…I feel like I knew you before…” Bucky started with uncertainty.

“Maybe you did,” Logan replied with a smirk, “So, ya got any bike that I can borrow?” He saw Captain America and Falcon look at each other for a moment before Bucky sighed with a nod of his head.

“Steve’s old one is in the garage, dunno if it's still running.” The former Winter Soldier said, “It doesn’t need a key, but I’m not sure about the fuel.” Captain America looked at Harley with a curious gaze.

“Spider-Man mod Hydro-engine into it, and I tuned it up a little recently. Should have enough battery for a ride to Kansas, maybe?” The Iron Man cast a quizzical glance at the black-suited vigilante.

“But it’s a one-way trip, though. You’re gonna have to refill two gallons of water into it after that.” Spider-Man confirmed with a nod to Harley and Logan.

“How the hell did you two never publicize these inventions?” Sam Wilson asked in baffled, alternating his eyes between Spider-Man and the new Iron Man while one of the legions guided Logan to the garage.

“Budget. It wouldn’t benefit the public by how much they cost. The best way to do it is if you can let everyone access them, which most of them are not at the moment.” Harley replied.

“We have to cut costs and find suitable substitutes for most of the parts and components so they can be sold to everyone. Right now, it will be like selling expensive toys only for billionaires.” Peter added.

“Not to mention the hassle it will bring from EV manufacturers. Then slanders all over the news. Then PR disasters. Then the possibilities of them being reverse-engineered by unsavory groups.” Virginia Potts-Stark walks toward them, dressed in her business casual topped with a light blue jacket, with little Morgan in tow, and Hank following them at a distance. “We are still dealing with the ‘malfunctioning’ of the Iron Legions from last year, so please refrain a little longer before advertising something that will bring more paperwork to my desk.” She greeted Sam and Bucky with handshakes, Kate with an embrace, and ruffled the hair of Harley Keener then let Morgan loose on Peter. The little girl giggled as she jumped into his arms with a squeal of joy and the most enthusiastic ‘Spidey!’. “It’s good to see you all are okay,” The CEO addressed the younger side of the Avengers, and then her eyes caught the other three strangers in the mix. “Thank you for the help, and I’m sorry for the reporters outside. Should have kept this all under the cover as soon as possible, but Maria Hill was nowhere to be seen.”

“It’s quite all right, Missus Stark. I’m sure my little brother won’t complain about publicity.” Susan glared at Johnny who had been blatantly checking out the widow, smacking him on the back.

“It’s a saving grace having a helipad inside of the building, Missus Stark,” Gwen added.

“It certainly is,” Pepper smiled at them and then turned toward the Avengers, including a former member like Spider-Man, and started with professionalism “Harley, you go first.”

“Why me and not Sam or Bucky?” Iron Man inquired but still checking himself over one last time before retracing the steps that Pepper took from the partitioned announcement section.

“Because Sam and Bucky were not on the scene,” Pepper simply answered, eliciting a groan from the Tennessee engineer.

“Hi! Everyone,” Harley took the podium and firmly gripped the edges with his hands, looking at the seated reporters in front of him “I guess many of you have some questions about the recent incident?” Out of all the selected twenty, there were only two that didn’t raise their hands, Harley observed quickly and picked one at the far side of the room.

“Good evening, Mister Keener. Sara Harding, New York Times.” The dark-haired woman in her mid-forties stood from her seat and offered him a curt nod of her head, which he repaid in kind. She started “Certain rumors are going around that Mister Jonathan Storm, or as the city assigned the Human Torch, will be joining the Avengers after today. What can you tell us about this?”

“To be honest with you, Miss Harding, that didn’t even in the discussion behind the covers right there,” Harley pointed at the cut-off room behind him, “What I can tell you is that Mister Storm has proven himself to be courageous and dutiful, and it would be an honor to welcome him into the Avengers if he decided to apply for the position and pass the assessment of the World Council.” Harley elaborated and paused for a little “I would leave the details and in-depth discussion to Colonel James Rhodes if you need more answers.”

“Mister Keener. Edward Brock, the Daily Bugle.” A buff man with short blond hair stood afterward “What was the presence of Spider-Man cooperating with the Avengers implied? Is he rejoining the Avengers?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it, Mister Brock?” Harley looked back and his eyes met Peter’s, then turned back to the reporters “I can’t possibly answer it for him, but I can say that he’s still a valuable asset in situations similar to this, whether or not he’s holding a position in our organization.”

“Katrina Plake, CNN.” A Latina in her mid-twenties coming up next, the frameless optics on her face evaluated her attractiveness “Various sources suggested that the villain known as Doctor Octopus has been relocated from the Ravencroft Institute, can you tell us anything about this?”

“No comment.” He quickly dismissed it, wouldn’t be good to say anything without details.

“Where and what is the threat on Roosevelt Island?” Katrina changed the subject to another well-guarded secret.

“It’s out of my capability to say,” Harley answered with a polite smile.

“You are kidding me.” Peter groaned as he finished ranting against the idea of Susan making an appearance on the stage to Pepper.

“Afraid not, Spider-Man.” The mature redhead answered with a concerned look and hooded eyes looking at the fair-haired younger woman “The World Council voted in favor of recruiting Jonathan Storm and Susan Storm into the Avengers Initiative, and they are also specifically insisting on reassessment and reinstating of Wanda Maximoff.”

“Bloody hell! Can’t we have our own decision here?!” Johnny blurted with dissatisfaction “What if we don’t want to?”

“Doctor Storm can maybe deny the application based on the fact that she’s just a civilian and an agreement never to use her powers publicly again, but you are working directly under NYFD which means that you are also under the direction of the City of New York and Mayor Harris, thus obligated to accept the initiation,” Kate answered for the older woman with a sympathetic gesture to the blond man.

“I can deny it?”

“Yes. The repercussion is that if you are ever caught using your powers in public in any circumstances, NYPD or the Thunderbolts is authorized to apprehend you, then you might be forced to be registered into the Sokovia Accord in exchange for a reduced sentence on the RAFT.” Captain America addressed the question calmly and apologetically.

“What? You can’t treat us like criminals!” Susan exclaimed with frustration, but the weight of Peter’s hand on her shoulder stopped her from going further.

“Of course, there are leeway and loopholes around this,” Sam added, looking at Spider-Man “Take Webs for example, since the 2026 renewal, he was classified as a Beta-level threat along with the Defenders. Meaning that they are in the local authority’s hands until proven too dangerous.” Sam paused a little to recall “But after the assessment by experts, both of you,” He pointed at the blond siblings “are classified as Alpha-level or even Semi-Omega. That’s the level that bypasses local authority and directly prompts The Council’s intervention. Now that Secretary Ross has done his sweet-talking, it means the World Council can send in the Thunderbolts to deal with any of you as soon as a slight violation against Superhuman’s Regulations occurs.”

“This can’t be happening.” Johnny was frustrated and paced around. Susan, however, took the blunt and searched for a seat to sit upon, contemplating the predicament she was in.

“If it’s any consolation,” Pepper started with a sympathetic smile, “The Avengers provide some benefits for membership. The details will be privately hashed out after the public announcement.”

Peter led Morgan towards the hunching Susan, kneeling in front of her, and waited until Susan reached for his offered hand.

“Are you sad?” the little redhead innocently inquired with a worried face, her little hand reaching and lightly patting the head of the blonde. The act brought out a stunted chuckle from Susan and a look of adoration from Gwen.

“No, I am not. I appreciate your concern, young lady.” Susan replied as she looked up towards the girl’s cherub face and felt a tug on her heartstrings as Morgan’s innocent smile returned. “My name’s Susan, but you can call me Sue.” The little thing offered her hand for a shake, and Susan took it softly.

“Morgan Stark! Spidey calls me Morgie and Harley calls me Morg.” The wide smile lessens the weight on her shoulders.

“And what would you like me to call you?” Susan gathered the nine-year-old up under the armpits and set the little Stark on her lap. Peter observes the scene with an amused expression.

“Morgan! It sounds more mature.” There’s a flair in her speech that was a perfect blend between Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.

“Morgan it is, then,” Susan affirmed as she enjoyed the calming presence of holding a child close, yet there was something that piqued her interest “Why did you only call him Spidey?”

“I…can’t remember his name?” Morgan harbored a look of confusion on her face, prompting Susan to look up at the topic of their conversation to be greeted with a shake of his head and a non-verbal ‘later’ as he lifted his mask. “So, I just call him Spidey.” The little head bopped lightly as the little girl agreed with herself.

“That’ll be all for the interview, ladies and gents,” Harley tiredly announced, “I do have another announcement to make, I think?” He signaled FRIDAY and the partitioner lifted into the ceiling, joining the areas together, and revealing a roster of people. “Wanda Maximoff will be rejoining the Avengers after a well-deserved vacation.” The auburn-haired beauty stepped onto the stage draped in her red robe resembled that of the sorcerer’s, standing shyly with her hands in front. “Jonathan Storm, the Human Torch, will be applying for the Avengers Initiative membership.” The blond followed Wanda’s step albeit with more ease against public eyes, greeting the cameras with his infamous charming smile. “Fortunately, Spider-Man refused to bother all of you with his atrocious puns and lame jokes. He’ll be available for those of you who are adventurous enough to seek him on rooftops or in dingy alleyways of Manhattan from 5 PM until his bedtime at 10 PM.” Harley gained a bout of cackles from the reporters. Peter poked his head from behind the cover with a squinted lens.

“Don’t give them ideas, Keener!” The vigilante exclaimed with a groan, then looked over to the reporters “Ya’ll can’t see my handsome face until, at least, after our third date. I’m not a picky eater, just FYI.” And he retreated.

Gwen and Susan had already walked together to the far end of the hall, leaving him with Pepper and Kate. Pepper excused herself to assist Harley with the questions surrounding their recruit and Wanda, then Kate gestured for him to follow her; some cameras caught still images of them walking together and starting some rumors among fans and across the internet. “How are you doing?” Kate started with her eyes occasionally inspecting his torn and dirty suit.

“Fine. Still feeling some numbs on the ribs, but nothing more than that.” He returned the gesture and jutted his chin towards her braced arm “You?” his hand reached the middle of her back involuntarily, guided by proximity and nostalgia.

“Not my first dislocated shoulder, probably not the last, too.” Kate looked back at him, noticing the familiar pressure on her back, prompting the recollection of the moment from the recent battle, but she bit the emerging nostalgia down, reigning in the surging emotions inside herself. “Harley said you are going to Morgan’s birthday?” The question prompted a look of shame on his face.

“Yeah. I missed the last two, and…as he said; Morgan’s the best thing he left for this world. It’s only fair for us to take care of the little demon to ensure Tony’s legacy.” Peter said with a solemn sigh “And I don’t wanna be dragged there by Hank.” He added a lighthearted joke at the end, typically.

[Manhattan, New York. Mid 2028]

[The Stacy’s]

“Thank you, Peter.” Helen Stacy said as Peter unloaded most of the dinner plates onto the cozy round table while George, Howard, and Gwen were in their seats talking and stuffing themselves with snacks and drinks. Gwen reserves a seat at her right for him while facing her dad with Howard at her left. He quickly skipped to the vacant chair beside Captain Stacy and pulled it out for his girlfriend’s mother.

“Don’t mention it, Missus Stacy,” Peter replied and took his spot at Gwen’s side, noting the nervousness on the petite blonde “I only did it so that you wouldn’t chase me away from your daughter.” Helen Stacy giggled lightly at the attempt to lighten the mood and placed her hand on top of her husband’s, who took Howard’s which continued to Gwen’s and his. Peter completed the circle by taking Helen’s free hand. “FYI; I still don’t know the verses just like last time.” Peter sheepishly informed the others and enjoyed a quiet chuckle that he managed to draw out from Gwen.

“It’s fine, Pete. I’ll lead.” Gwen informed the table and cleared her throat a little, then started “Dear Lord, we thank You for your love and this meal. Please bless our conversation as we enjoy food and one another’s company. Please guide our words and lead us toward fruitful discussion. We thank You and love You.” Peter mumbled along as best he could; out of the two of them, he was the one most detached from religious practices, but he’d always be willing to join in if anyone asked him to. The choice piqued interest in her father’s mind as evident in his expression “In the name of Your son Jesus, we pray, amen.” All of the family members recited and waited momentarily before breaking the circle to dig in on their dinners. Topics have been discussed, ranging from mundane to work-related.

“I planned to go see Mister Li at FEAST on Monday, hashing out the details about the lodging and my roommate,” Gwen informed the table as she finished with her plate, suspiciously in a greater portion than what she usually ate which confused her mother “and things that Francine expecting me to do over there.”

“Sounds like an opportunity,” Helen Stacy said with a smile “You can intern in management for the shelter, too, aside from getting your Master’s Degree.” A prideful expression dawned on the older woman’s face as she gazed upon her daughter who was harboring a look of uncertainty. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Howard caught the signs and lightly put his hand on top of his sister’s and squeezed reassuringly while Peter straightened himself up in his seat, pushing it back a little, and cleared his throat “Helen, Captain George,” Peter deliberately gaslit Gwen’s mother that she was not the only one in the dark about the coming reveal “…I am Spider-Man.”

Helen sits with her mouth agape, disbelief washing over her face while Captain Stacy sends Peter a gratitude-filled look regarding the young adult’s consideration.

“I know it might be…shocking news, but I just wanted to be honest with you all.” Peter looked the mother in the eyes as he spoke “I understand that you might be concerned for Gwen’s wellbeing, but I promise that she’ll be safe. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure that.” He looked back at Gwen as a question, and the petite blonde took around a minute to respond with a nod of her head.

“And somehow, I can do this,” Gwen announced and jumped onto the ceiling with her powerful muscles and sticks upside-down looking at her baffled parents. “Without going into details at the moment; I am a mutated human with spider powers, just like Pete.”

“…so, what you were saying is, there are some bastards who polluted the city’s water systems with a modified mutagenic agent; one that which, after combining with two other factors in a specific situation, turned my baby girl into a knock-off version of you?” Helen Stacy summarized as she stood in front of the Spider-Man and her daughter, while George Stacy kept his silence in his recliner chair looking impassively at the scene and scratching his stubbled chin in deep thoughts. “What are the repercussions? What are the side effects of the mutations? What are you going to do about this?!” Helen Stacy frantically questioned her daughter, ignoring Peter’s attempt to answer them.

“And don’t start with designing a suit to be a vigilante like your boyfriend, Gwendolyne,” Captain George added calmly “I’ve had my plates filled enough as it is with Daredevil running around provoking Fisk and Luke Cage parading his Hero for Hire business in Harlem. The Defenders might have gained a positive reputation lately, but they’re still textbook criminals in Harris’s eyes; if there’s another one appears, it will be chaos.” George looked at his daughter and rested his eyes on Peter’s determined face “Now answer your mother’s questions.” His eyes kept on Peter’s nervousness, studying the vigilante intensely.

Gwen took a deep breath and looked up at her mother’s curious face, seeing her arms crossed over her chest reminded her of the childhood she had whenever her grades faltered. “Nothing too dangerous so far? Intense lights and loud noises irritate me more than usual. My muscles can exert more force compared to a similar female in body mass and measurements, so that’s a bit of a hassle in daily life. I can stick to any surface but only with my hands and feet, Pete can do that with pretty much any area of his body.” Gwen explained with practicality as much as she could, considering her mother’s background in biology and general science with her career as a science teacher. She then turned her face to her dad, a bit nervous by his impassive and intense gaze “And I do have the Spider-Senses just like him, but I don’t think I’ll take up a costume any time soon, so don’t worry about it.” Her dad produced only a ‘hmm’ in acknowledgment of her statement.

“Hmm…That doesn’t sound so bad, considering the mandatorily observed deformities that could happen during uncontrolled mutagenic processes.” Helen Stacy mumbled to herself; the other two normal humans could barely catch it, unlike the Spiders who heard it loud and clear. “I appreciated the thought of staying away from dangers, baby, now that you have education coming up and your future to consider,” she paused a little to look at her daughter’s boyfriend with a startled look “No offense, Peter!”

“It’s fine, Helen. I actually do have a knack for putting myself in danger.” He nods along like it’s the most normal thing to say to your girlfriend’s worrying mother “I mean…stopping a speeding truck or a Russian man in a rhinoceros exoskeleton suit? Who does that?”

“A very cool brother-in-law!” Howard commented and gathered all eyes on him, “Potentially?”

“Anyways,” Captain George dismissed his son’s words and addressed the two Spiders in front of him “Thank you for telling us, Gwen, Peter.” He emphasized to the vigilante “I’m relieved that my daughter has no desire to put herself in danger, more than she already was regarding the Roosevelt Island incident,” he squinted his eyes scoldingly at the sheepish Gwen “But what are you planning to do with this…change? Now that you are going to live in Cambridge?”

“Pete can teach me how to blend in with the others, he did that for half of his life already.” Gwen offered with a bit of determination.

“I’m not twelve,” Peter protested playfully, “the years didn’t even cover a third of my entire existence, not including the five years I lost during the Snap.” Then he turned towards the parents “It’s super easy, though; she only has to master the sticky powers so that nobody would be the wiser. There’s also the superstrength,” Peter took a decent stainless steak knife in his hand and looked at the Stacy parents “Sorry,” he sheepishly said to them then easily bent the tableware like snapping a toothpick between the knuckles of his thumb and index finger. “It’s a lot of practice to get it just right, I had to restock my aunt’s entire tableware set when I did it…there’s also a doorknob and a bathroom sink.” He smiled at them as he bent the fork back to its original shape, albeit a bit wonky, and handed another item to Gwen. “Starts with the lightest touch you can do, and build it up.”

Gwen nodded nervously, recalling the moment in panic when she tore the Gatling off of the Quinjet days ago and gave it a try “Oops!” the fork snapped in half almost immediately, two halves flying in opposite directions; one above and another bounced off the table. Peter yelped with a light chuckle as he quickly snatched the flying half in his hand before it could escape the immediate vicinity.

“Maybe a little lighter?” Peter smiled tightly at her.

“…how much did you hold back against those criminals?” Captain Stacy breathed out at the spectacularly failed attempt of his daughter.

“A lot? Not so much against Alexei, though; that suit was impressively durable.” Peter sincerely answered.

“Hmm…now that I think about it, Drake used to tell us how you saved him from that crash. He said you swoop in, tear the door off, and pull him out before the car explodes. Watanabe always mocked that he was exaggerated.” Captain Stacy observed with a sense of awe and a newfound admiration towards Peter Parker; things could have been worse if the vigilante did not possess such a strict morality within, a lot worse than The Frank Castle terror years ago.

“I think you guys need to be more thorough with this, and keep my household items out of harm’s way too,” Helen commented, looking alternatively between Peter and Gwen “Will you make sure my baby girl can live a normal life, Peter?”

“I swear, Helen,” Peter answered with a reassuring tone.

“Aww, you two would make a cool crime-fighting duo!” Howard chimed in.

“Howard, that’s not funny.” George Stacy chided his son. “You don’t want your sister to be in danger, do you?”

“Of course not, Dad!” Gwen’s younger brother groaned “But imagine how the internet would be on fire about Spider-Man and Spider-Woman! ‘Crime-fighting duo! Spider-Menaces!’ that would be hella cool.” The youngest man in the room shrugged his shoulder with a smirk “And it’s not like you’ll have to deal with it for long, you are retiring soon!”

Peter perked up at that and whipped his head in George Stacy’s direction “You are leaving the force?”

The parents took their hands in each with a peaceful smile “Yes. I want to spend more time with Helen and the kids. Being a cop was important, but not as much as a family, and I want them to know that.” He averted his eyes at Peter across the table “I’ve been on the line for…hell, almost three decades!” George Stacy chuckled “Most of that time I spent away from all of them, trying to do right by them. I know they said that they understand it’s my job and it’s an important one, but I don’t think they knew that sometimes I saw the disappointment in their faces when I can’t attend some events or a get-together with the family.” He squeezes his wife’s hand tighter “I missed Gwen’s ballet show in 2010. Howard’s school play in 2014. I even missed our anniversary a couple of times.” George sighed “I missed out on so many moments of my family, and I think it’s time I make myself able for anything in the future.” The last sentence he said while glancing at Peter with a knowing look. “Besides, all of my subordinates were promoted to captains already; the city will be fine, and none of them will be easily swayed by Fisk’s or Lincoln’s money.”

“I’m happy for you, Captain, but now I’d have to be more careful without you there to cut me some slack.” Peter sincerely spoke with a bit of a joke.

“I’m sure Drake, DeWolff, and Watanabe can be reasoned with, Peter.” George Stacy replied with a shake of his head, amusedly.

“Hey, Pete?” Howard voiced to him as they were about to start another round of Mario Kart™ on the couch, George Stacy and Helen Stacy were out for some night stroll and Gwen was in her room upstairs. The vigilante acknowledged with a simple ‘hmm?’ and Howard took it as a queue to continue “Do you plan on marrying my sister?” the surprise caused a good chunk of distance to be established between their characters as Peter forgot the input.

“Well…eventually?” Peter quickly recovered and moved Luigi along the track “Not anytime soon, I think? Maybe in another two or three years? There’s something I have to finish before thinking about that.”

“What is it?” Howard closed the gap between his Princess Peach and Mario for the 3^rd position.

“…A house,” Peter said after making sure Gwen was nowhere near to listening in. Howard stuttered at the reveal and missed his chance to get ahead of Mario.

“A house?” he whispered out of consideration, “Since when?”

“About a month after the Siege. Tony Stark left me a deed on some lovely plot in Rye in his will after the Second Invasion. I’ve been saving some money since I got a stable job at RAC.” Peter said with a proud smile on his face, “In November I might have enough to start the construction on some of the foundations, but it’s still a long way from finishing it.”

“Wow…I…wow Pete! I never thought you’d be this serious about Gwen.” Howard forewent the game and fully directed his attention to the man beside him, noting the look of confusion displayed there by his comment.

“What do you mean by that?” Peter inquired.

“Well, I mean, you dated two women at the same time. I don’t have to spell it for you how that would’ve looked like for others, right?”

“I suppose?” Peter chuckled and placed the Switch controller down, leaning his back onto the couch “But I never played with dating, dude. It’s hard enough to let people into my life after May’s death, not to mention being Spider-Man as well.”

“What changed your mind about Gwen?” Howard inquired quietly, studying the features of Manhattan’s infamous superhero.

“I remember something from May. She never told me about it, but I saw it on her.” Peter harbored a fond smile as he recollected the moments in time with May’s ever-present joyous radiance and her approach to life. “Losing people is a part of life,” He paused and recalled the moment he decided to ask the petite blonde out not so long ago, proving to be one of the best decisions he’d ever made “but that doesn’t mean you should stop letting them in.” He knows that Ben will always be a presence in their life, and May won’t ever forget him, but by letting herself accept Happy Hogan she finds joy again, even as brief as it was. “One of the most beautiful things about human connection is that, despite the pain it brings, it’ll always be worth it to seek out.” Peter sighed as he leaned back “I met with many who thought they would be better off cutting themselves from other people, they thought that isolation would bring them peace, but the truth is…isolation can only give you a sense of predictable security. Peace is something you can only find within the good people you surround yourself with, a sense of completion in knowing that you are not alone in the world.” Peter smiled at the memories of Gwen’s persistence throughout the times they spent together with her constant comments about him purposefully avoiding people and determination to drag him into as many parties as possible, letting him enjoy a quiet corner surrounded by their friends from ESU.

Ultimately, he found a sense of belonging again in a world inhabited by Gwendolyne Maxine Stacy, a girl who brought joy back into his life.

A girl who made him realize that letting himself be happy again was not a betrayal to MJ, Ned, or May.

A girl who lights up his world with her bright smile.

“Hey.” Gwen greeted him from the windowsill, sitting there looking out at the city lights and bathed in the moonlight like a painting. He thought to himself that he should have a camera on to capture this moment. Her petite frame clutched inside a white linen dress and black underwear, contrasting with themselves to create an allure. Her golden mane was loose and cascaded down to only one side, exposing her collarbone and shoulder on the other to the chilled air of the A/C and the dimly lit bedroom. The way that the moon illuminated her irises mesmerized and enchanted his body to automate until it reached her position like a lured moth.

“I thought you’d be asleep.” Peter breathed into the air between them, relying heavily on the heightened auditory senses to interpret it “Penny for your thought?” Peter sat opposite her, and his eyes studied every little detail bared to them, for the millionth time.

“…This spider thing,” She started, whispery and unsure “How do you feel if I don’t do anything about this power that I have?”

“I’m not saying there’s a god out there,” Peter started with a soft chuckle, stretching his leg to brush against hers “but I believe that things happen for a reason.” he paused, gauging her reaction a bit “It’s up to us to find that reason ourselves.”

“Poetic much?” Gwen jabbed playfully, enjoying his breathy laughs.

“At first, I did this to feel special, to be someone else than just a nerd from Queens.” Peter trailed off a bit, then continued “Then, I did it to impress Tony Stark. To be something more than a local mascot in red and blue.” A smile sparked on his face, reminiscing a fond memory “I can do things that most people can’t; It’s not right of me to not use it for them.” He reached out to the side of her thigh with his foot, lightly brushing it “That’s my reason now. You’d have to find yours.”

“What if I can’t?”

“You will. It’ll come to you.” Peter reassured her and looked out of the window.

[Somewhere. Mid 2028]

[Unregistered SHIELD facility]

Nick Fury stalks the well-lit corridor towards the open space at the center, lined with rows of equipment and custom-made devices, contributing to the center chamber housing what appears to be a synthetic skeleton of a man. Richardt Reinhardt stood in front of the terminal with two of his mechanical arms taking on different jobs all at once while the remaining pair provided support. A team of scientists and engineers paced about with intense air swirling around them, uneased at the presence of the well-known villain in their midst.

“Reinhardt! How’s it going?” The spymaster stopped outside the staging area, separated by layers of reinforced polycarbonate panes and pressurized air. Maria Hill stands at his side, overlooking the team below rather than focusing on the man that her superior’s talking to.

The mad doctor turned around using the pivotal points on his bendable arms and sent a bone-chilling smile at them. “The latest shipment just arrived, Nicholas, I’m surprised at the amount of Vibranium you could procure on such short notice.” The duo arms fixing a piece of equipment earlier retract to regulate materials for the other pair, allowing Richard to elevate himself to eye-level with Nick Fury on a platform. Two men stare at each other with an equal amount of masked animosity hiding behind indifference and corporate politeness. “Now, I only require a little something that was not on the market to use as the core.” He looked down and signaled for one of his assistants to bring him a tablet, then he held it up to the transparent wall “Thank you, Miss Trask, you can go on,” and the assistant returned to her post.

“What am I looking at here?” Fury scanned over the simplistic draft and some notes in gibberish that he had not the intellectual capacity to comprehend. It described a trinket-like object the size of a gemstone with lines and arrows pointed toward it from various technical observations.

“A solution,” Richard Parker elaborated “I need you to procure a Cosmic Radiation Inverter from Reed Richards’s trove of treasures, and then I will need a rare mineral only found in Mauritania; specifically at the site called the Eye of Sahara. An expedition of HYDRA archaeologists traveled there during the years of 1938-1942 and discovered a hidden structure beneath the famous site, an ancient city with evidence of a civilization that existed long before the speculated starting point of modern homo-sapiens erectus, research, and studies were to be conducted at the site before Johann Schmidt discovered the Tesseract and all of HYDRA’s assets were shifted into Schmidt’s grandmaster plan, abandoning all ongoing projects.” Richard paused for a bit, observing the spymasters in front of him for intrigue, and continued “From what I gathered with journals and notes in the archive when I joined the program, the expedition team found an undiscovered concentration of minerals that can hold a vast amount of energy. If we combine the two, we can synthesize a cosmic-energy power source for your Pinocchio.”

“You are attempting to create a lesser version of an Infinity Stone?” Maria Hill breathed in disbelief, her eyes bulged looking at the former HYDRA and alternated her gaze at Nick Fury. “It’s too dangerous, Nick!”

“It’s an endeavor, Maria,” Her name rolled off his tongue so invasively it made her skin crawl “Nothing great comes from comfort.” Then his haunting visage turned towards Nick Fury “What do you say, old friend? Should we discuss further details?”

Nick Fury kept his piercing glare on the mechanical genius in front of him, scenarios flooding his mind prompting the formation of various countermeasures to be interpreted. “…I’ll call in a meeting. One hour from now. Keep it short.” The spymasters then left the staging area and Richard descended onto ground level to continue his work with a newfound sense of excitement.

“Miss Trask, what’s the progression of the controlling AI?” He called upon the personal assistant that Nick Fury installed after he agreed to the terms of the project; Olivia Trask is a woman in her mid-20s with short black hair and a pair of glasses adorning her face, quiet and determined to perfect her work and tasks at hand. A rising star in the robotics community as she claimed, so far shows a promising future with her modifications to his mechanical arms and the bulk of functioning structures done on the project in the central chamber.

“48% done, Doctor Parker,” Trask replied with a proud smile. “The basetemplate you gave me quickened the formation process by 250%! I didn’t know that there were remnants of artificial intelligence like this floating around in the Abyss!”

“One must only know where to seek for the forbidden fruit they crave, Miss Trask.” Richard chuckled softly at the bright-eyed roboticist “How is your project, if you don’t mind me prying?” he controlled two of his arms to assemble another piece of equipment while focusing on her.

“I need to adjust some proportions about the prototype model and redesign the interiors to compensate for the functions. It’s a long way off, Doctor Parker.” Olivia sighed dramatically “Maybe I ought to introduce AI adaptability into the processing unit as well? Make them more independent in missions?” Pure curiosity sometimes breeds naivety, which is what he sees in the young and impressionable woman right now at the moment.

“Excellent idea, Miss Trask. Simply brilliant.” Richard urged her on with appreciation and indulgence; something he figured to be lacking in her family life. “I must thank you again for improving my arms; they were quite rustic before, but now they felt like parts of my body. You are quite marvelous.”

“I couldn’t help it, Doctor. They are beautiful! Your segmental design and functionality design are just!” Olivia expressed her whole being in admiration of the Mad Doctor’s engineering prowess “I thank you for letting me play with them!”

“You’re quite welcome, Miss Trask.” Richard chuckled in reply and returned to his task, finishing the interior of an arm and inspecting it one more time. “Would you mind rechecking the assembly of this one?” He offered it to her with an encouraging smile. Olivia Trask smiled and quickly took the offered item in her hand.

“On it, Doctor Parker!”

“I’ll excuse myself to prepare a presentation on Project Vision,” He casually informed her and walked away towards the separate chamber where his lodging was located. “When you are done with it, please install it following the procedures.” Olivia acknowledged and returned to the Synthezoid arm in her hands.

[Upstate New York, New York. Mid 2028]

[Stark Eco-Compound, Morgan’s Birthday]

Evening Sun painted the horizon of trees and where the river met the sky. Susan Storm pulled her car up to the clearing with other cars and shut down the engine, her eyes immediately drawn to the cozy cabin with some of the family’s friends hanging around with drinks in their hands.

Colonel James Rhodes dressed in his civilian clothes with Bobbi Morse acting as a security guard in her casual wear and blonde hair in a bun. Beside him was none other than Bruce Banner still wearing a summer outfit indicating his rush back from the Atlantic Ocean just for the occasion.

Virginia Stark and Wanda Maximoff busied themselves at the outdoor dinner table with Kate Bishop helping them. Harley Keener hauling Morgan Stark around on his shoulder, sightseeing the Hudson River with Gerald the Alpaca accompanying them.

The closest ones to the parking area were Happy Hogan and Hank Armada, Morgan Stark’s bodyguard. The tall and former military man was the first to notice their car and quickly approached “Can I help you?” He asked as Susan rolled down the window, allowing his eyes to scan the trio in the car, two blondes and a brunette that he recognized “Oh! Come on in, Mister Parker.” Hank smiled politely “Welcome to the party.”

Peter got out of the passenger seat and opened the door for Gwen with his hand forward for her to take. The petite blonde emerged with a simple white short-sleeved shirt and a pair of slacks in black, her hair done in a braid. He went to the driver’s side next and helped Susan out of the car. The renowned biochemist wears a cocktail dress in a light-blue palette and her fair hair cascades down one side of her shoulder, makeup only brushed on ever so lightly. When they asked him about the specifics of Morgan’s presents, he told them that the best to get the little devil was treats and delicious food, so Susan took it upon herself to bake a packet of chocolate chip cookies in advance while Gwen went with Hobie’s takeout.

“Hey, Happy.” Peter greeted the rotund man with a firm hug, looking back at the duo of blondes after noticing Happy’s curious gaze, Peter chuckled lightly before properly introducing his dates “Gwen Stacy, and Susan Storm; my girlfriends.” Then he turned towards the woman “Happy Hogan; an old friend.”

“Glad to finally meet you,” the former bodyguard of Tony Stark warmly greeted them with a handshake each, discreetly admiring the beauty and a sense of intelligence coiling around both women. “I hope Underoos here didn’t prove to be a headache to any of you.”

“He’s getting there, Mister Hogan,” Susan interjected with a fond smirk.

“Good to know we are not the only ones who suffer, Mister Hogan,” Gwen added dryly with a straight face.

Happy chuckled along with the girls at Peter’s annoyed groan and gestured for them to get inside “Please, call me Happy. Come now, Pepper made a beef stew tonight.”

Peter hangs around the back as Gwen and Susan take in the sight of the cozy cabin and greet the Colonel and The radiologist superhuman. Susan and Bruce Banner seem to recognize one another’s contributions to the science community while Gwen geeks out at the renowned Professor Hulk. His eyes met with Kate's as the archer averted hers from arranging the dinner table, a smile exchanged between them as Peter finished greeting Colonel Rhodes and Bobbi Morse.

Leaving the girls to chat with the others, Peter approached the secluded pair of Harley and Morgan, loudly walking as if to announce his presence to them and the Alpaca. Morgan craned her neck sideways and beamed brightly as her eyes caught his silhouette closing in on them. “Hey, Morgie,” He greeted firmly with a smile as Harley carefully let the little Stark down from his shoulder and the mass of a soon-to-be-ten-year-old girl collided into his waiting arms. “Happy Birthday.” The little girl grinned toothily at him and coiled her arms around his neck, asking to be lifted off the ground, Peter obliged without any help from his arm as he made Morgan’s body stuck to his skin and stood up.

“Parker.” Harley greeted him casually, his eyes still looking out at the scenery of nature.

“Keener.” A chunk of the animosity between them dissipated since the Roosevelt Incident, but years spent apart had instilled unspoken barriers around both. “Thought there would be more people coming.” He reached the spot about a couple of feet to the left of the New Iron Man, eyes cast at the running water and the dusk-painted horizon.

“Bucky and Sam got some emergency assignments. Danvers and Thor are still off-planet investigating some strange cosmic activities.” Harley said casually, keeping the details behind closed doors as much as possible “Scott and Hope are doing some Quantum Realm expeditions. Shuri and her brother sent a gift.” Harley cast a sideway glance at the vigilante and Morgan “…Thanks for coming.”

“Don’t mention it,” Peter replied with a solemn smile tugging on his lips, tickling Morgan after she pulled his hair playfully. “How’s Johnny’s initiation?”

“Still in process, but with Mayor Harris’s endorsement it’s likely to be done faster than usual.”

A silence stretched between them again, but not quite as intense and overwhelming as before. “His suit; your idea?”

“Not really. I came up with the concept, but Mister Richards got the solution.”

“The adaptability of the fabric is insane; it would’ve been great if the Avengers could share some of the technologies like that.”

“Take it up with the boss, I’m just a junior engineer,” Peter replied lightheartedly, enjoying the breeze.

“Maybe I will. Who knows? With RAC and Stark Tech’s alliance, we could do something great together.” Harley paused for a breather and turned back toward The Hudson. “By the way; the nanite tracker on Logan shows that he was somewhere in Westchester before the signal was cut; I guess someone might have noticed.”

Peter furrowed his brows disapprovingly at the Iron Man, but kept his voice calm “Why did you do that? He won’t trust us with that kind of behavior.”

“It’s just a procedure, Parker. We can’t protect the world if we don’t know all the cards.” Harley replied calmly, hands slotted into his pockets, and spun around, signaling for them to follow him back into the dinner party as most of the guests had already settled in their seats. Susan and Gwen reserve a seat between them for Peter just to the right of Morgan’s, Kate sits beside Wanda to Pepper’s left side, and Harley gets a spot beside Colonel Rhodes which is a direct opposite to Peter’s. The left side closed the end with Happy and Hank while the left seated Bobbi Morse.

The dinner went relatively well and uneventful, the food was great, and Morgan was just a delight to prod and tease as always.

“Happy Birthday, you little rascal.” Colonel Rhodes smiled as he gathered the little girl into a hug, planting kisses on the top of her head.

“Can’t you stay a bit longer, Uncle Rhodey?” With the biggest puppy eyes ever, Morgan attempted to persuade the former Avenger, to no avail as the councilman is immune to it.

“No, Morgan. I have urgent business to tend to, but I’ll be back in a week, maybe we can go get ice cream together?” He set her down on the wooden floor of the cabin and descended the staircase with Bobbi Morse in tow. “Be good to Pepper, okay?” the little girl waves her hand and sends him off with a goofy smile.

Harley found Peter on the swing all by himself, with a bottle of beer in his hand, looking over the moonlit river. “Your girlfriends were looking for you, Parker.” The Tennessee genius greeted with a casual tone, standing at the side overlooking the same scenery.

“Just want some quiet time, Keener,” Peter answered with a swig, sighed deeply, and scanned the flowing water with a look of nostalgia on his face “You still have that schematic of the Purifier?”

“Yeah. Sitting inside the archive, The UN wants to regulate defense forces in each location before the launch. Somehow, they don’t want the Iron Legions to be guards for the water stations that we wanted to deploy in South Africa; conflict of political influences, maybe?” Harley shrugged his shoulders with annoyance and frustration.

“It’s kinda funny,” Peter chuckled darkly “that many are afraid of losing favors over letting people suffer when they can just…help.”A tone of anger was a new addition, Harley mused. “Have you ever thought about how we’ll be if we have a hivemind?”

“Hypothetically?” The question caught him off guard, but Harley gave it a thought.

“Sure.” Peter shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly.

“We should be able to equalize resources and wealth throughout the entire planet in about a month; sure, there’ll be no more billionaires or even millionaires left, but personally, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.” Harley sincerely answered with adamant conviction “With the right central figure, everybody will be fine.” Then he turned towards Spider-Man “What brought this up?”

“Nat Geo, there’s an episode on ants last night.” Peter nonchalantly replied.

“Figured.” Iron Man chuckled lightly, inhaling the cool air into his lungs. “Are you rejoining the band?”

“…Nah.” Peter took about a full minute before answering the question, refusing to take his eyes off how the running river playing with the dying glean of the Sun “Too many restrictions and interventions, if somehow the Avengers regain control over themselves, who knows? But right now, I’m good with just local disturbances and occasional supervillains here and there.”

“Right.” Harley sighed deeply, took something out of his pants pocket then handed it to Peter “Finished it last night, I’d say she’s 86% recovered. It’s not perfect but that’s all Fri and Karen could do.”

Peter glances at the offering of data cache, black, and no bigger than a penny. He took it in his hand and a sense of joy entered his mind. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Both shared the serene air for a while, before Peter started a new topic of conversation “Doctor Octopus was released under a classified government order.” He paused for a breather “You know anything about that?”

“No,” Harley simply answered “but I bet Fury or Maria does. They are basically running SHIELD behind the Avengers public façade, and I don’t know how I feel about it.”

“Fury is ruthless and unapologetic in his actions to ensure security, but sometimes his methods are…questionable.” Peter runs a million thoughts through his brain, trying to discern the meaning of Richard Parker’s acquisition. “I think we need to know what he’s doing, if nothing else we will be prepared for the worse.”

“I’ll look around, maybe there are digital traces that Fri can look into.”

[Westchester County, New York. Mid 2028]

[Secluded plot of Xavier’s Institute]

The rumbling of the motorcycle’s engine announces his arrival to the kids still out front of the intimidating metal gates, most of whom are newly enrolled; he hasn’t remembered their names and faces yet, but some recognize him and call for the adults.

Not long after, a man walked out of the mansion’s main building; one gigantically tall man “Welcome back to the mansion, Logan.” Piotr Rasputin, The Colossus, greeted him with a device in hand, scanning for any x-gene alteration signs usually done with Mystique’s metamorphosis, and let out a welcoming smile after the result was shown “How’s the trip, old man?”

“Nice and dandy, Rasputin, even got a new bike.” Logan looked over to the vehicle with a disheartening expression and turned back towards the imposing Russian mutant “Can ya toss it far away? Those kids might’ve put some tracking devices into it.”

“Are sure certain?”

“Pretty damn sure about it, bub.” Logan gestured lazily and started his way into the mansion while Colossus effortlessly grabbed the motorcycle and then yeeted it across the road into the dense pine forest. Logan walked through the long corridor lined with decorative pieces and mottos that Kitty insisted on putting up as motivations for the younglings.

The resident emo, Ellie Phimister, nodded her skin-headed head in his direction as a form of silent greeting, to which he replied similarly. Piotr found the young teen wandering the countryside, running away from the Church of Humanity, and then took her into their care years ago.

“Ah! Welcome home, dear friend!” Storm’s recognizable voice greeted him from atop the staircase, dressed in her usual off-white outfit contrasting beautifully with the tone of her skin. The Windrider descends with her powers to gather Logan into a firm hug with a chuckle of joy. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“Likewise, Storm,” Logan replied with a hum as they parted and Ororo continued with her path.

“Make sure to go see Hank in the lab for check-ups, and dinners at 8.” With that, The Thunder Goddess disappeared from his sight into one of the adjacent rooms. Logan continued on his way passing the mass hall with some of the junior and senior students lazing about chatting among themselves.

Last year they took in around five more students of various mutations ranging from simple physical alterations to full-on energy projections; Mandy, Veronica, and Ramone are of the latter bunch in the Beta-level category, meaning that they are, at maximum, equivalent to a hand grenade explosion. Kirk and Brandi got their body parts altered; the arms in Brandi’s case had turned into spiky limbs resembling porcupines while Kirk’s calves and feet had devolved into hands and forearms. Kirk was the only one who noticed him and used his right leg-arm to wave his foot-hand to greet him, eliciting a snort out of Logan.

Walking past the Little Church, his eyes and nose caught the presence of Anna-Marie and Logan decided to make a detour into the Christian section of the vast hall. The southern belle stood with her head hung low, hands clasped into a praying gesture and eyes closed. Her auburn curls decorated with streaks of white were enough to distinguish her from the crowd without even considering her mutations. “Hey, kid,” Logan announced his presence softly, not wanting to interrupt her prayer too much, and stood silently at her side, looking at the small crucifix statue that some of their students and staff paid respect to now and again.

“Thought ya wouldn’t be back for another year, Logan,” Anna-Marie started with a tinge of joy after finishing her prayer and turned towards the burly Canadian with her greeting smile, lighting up her beautiful face with its radiance. “How’s the city fared for ya?”

“About as much as you can expect. Cars, seas of people, city’s stenches, oh, and a very annoying tween dressed in tights.” Logan grumbled with a hint of a smirk as Anna-Marie giggled at the final detail “It was like talking to Kitty when she’s high on sugar or something.”

“I woulda love to see that.” Anna-Marie gestured for him to follow her and took the duffel in her hand.

“I can carry it just fine,”

“Ah know, but Scott said I have ta get some muscles in. Figured I shoulda started sooner than later.” Anna-Marie beamed at him and led the way upward the stairs to the residential section of the mansion.

The twenty-room floor houses most of the occupants; both students and teaching staff, with Charles Xavier’s room at the end of the hallway to the left. To their rights, ranging from the first to the tenth, were the rooms of Kirk Lazarus, Veronica Hargraves, Ramone Estevez, Mandy Nelson, Yukio, Eleanor Phimister, Brandi Howards, Jubilation Lee, Illyana Rasputin, and Jean Grey, respectively. Mirroring the other side were those of Bobby Drake, Kitty Pryde, Piotr Rasputin, Anna-Marie, three vacant rooms, His, Ororo, and Scott Summers. The southern belle phased right through the wooden door with his belongings and unlocked it from the inside with a proud grin.

“You two playing bets again?” Logan commented and entered his room to find it was left just the way it was the last time he was here; a simple bed with a hard mattress, simple cover, a pillow, and neatly made by Kitty’s tendency to keep things organized even if it was not hers. He adores that about the Deerfield chatterbox.

“Nerd just so happened ta got this weird idea in her pretty little head that she can beat me in poker, gotta keep up the reputation, ya know?” The Mississippi mutant shrugged her shoulders casually and set Logan’s duffel down on the bed then made her way to the burly and shorter man, gathering him into a hug with a deep sigh “Welcome back, old man,”

“Good to see you again, kiddo,” Logan smiled a little and patted her on her back as a form of reciprocation before parting themselves from one another “Where’s the Punk and Kitty?”

“Might be in the Danger Room, Little Miss Pryde came up with some upgrades she wanna try on the dummy, and Bobby went down there as a test pilot.” Anna-Marie answered his question as she reached the door, and turned around as she was about to leave Logan to his privacy “Don’t ya dare miss the dinner tonight, Logan! I’ll send Piotr up here ta drag yer hairy ass down there if need be!” with her passive-aggressive threat heard, Anna-Marie strode down to the first floor, whistling and with a skip in her steps.

“Again!” The melodic voice of the petite Illinois girl cheered on towards the Iceman facing the newly-configured dummy inside the underground dome, while she perched on the platform above as the shutter door slid open revealing the sight that she didn’t think she would be seeing again so soon. “Logan!” Kitty announced his name with joy and jumped onto him, coiling her arms around his neck and weighing her feathery-light-lithe being onto him, giggling all the while as the burly mutant swirled them around a little.

“Alright, alright! Quit squirming, ya little weasel.” Logan’s tone shifted into a brighter and more joyous one as he set the girl down “How ‘bout that? Ya grew up! Although not that much…” The prod earned him a light swat on the shoulder and an adorable pout on the Deerfield mutant.

“I am taller!” Kitty protested as she indicated to the long-lived man the differential of their heights, now that she was almost surpassing him by an inch.

“Comparing to mine is not saying much, Kitty.” He replied with a chuckle and patted the top of her head fondly, just then, Bobby soared towards them using the ice he generated as a ramp. “How’s it going, Punk?”

Bobby groaned with an air of exaggeration and then descended beside the pair, shaking hands with Logan with a smile on his face, “Seeing your face kinda ruined the mood, Logan, but welcome home.”

“What are y’all working on?” Logan directed the question toward Kitty and saw a prideful smirk plastered on her lips.

“I thought that the old adaptability matrix Hank installed was a bit outdated, and my friend in MIT got her hands on some…interesting piece of computer. Figured we could use some advanced training with all of those things happening lately.” Kitty gestured to a single dummy downstairs, fashioned the same style as years prior. “Maybe we can have a run at it with the team later? I’d bet that Rogue wanna do it.”

“Is this some kinda payback for the poker game?” Logan prodded with a smug.

“Oh, that was some spectacular play, Logan, you should’ve seen it,” Bobby commented.

“Glad to see you again, Logan.” Scott Summers emerged from the study and Logan walked past the hall towards the mass area, his crimson lenses shade balancing on the bridge of his nose, and the brunet curls combed neatly atop his head. The greeting went by pleasantly, but it was all a formality and a show of hospitality that Cyclops showed as convicted by his role as the X-Men’s leader, rather than genuinely enjoying the burly man’s presence so nearby.

“Scott.” Logan replied, “How are things?” Keeping the civil air around them, Logan started walking again seeing that Scott also heading for the mass area as well for the dinner that Ororo mentioned.

“The Church of Humanity’s presence in New York started to rise again. Magneto and his cohorts are still in hiding, surely plotting something.” The brunet leader replied. “How about you? anything interesting about Mystique or whoever she was working with?”

“Yeah. Told you all about it tonight, call in the Team.”

“James.” Greeted Charles Xavier as he rolled into the Cerebro dome followed by Jean Grey, “Everyone, thank you for coming.” The Professor stopped in front of Logan, who was standing near the terminal with Hank McCoy making some last-minute adjustments to the machine. “I hope you are feeling better after the battle on Roosevelt Island?”

“Don’t worry about it, Charles, I’m too stubborn to die so easily.” The last part he said with a smirk towards the eye-rolling Jean at the back, enjoying the low rumble he gained from Scott Summers at the interaction. “Are you feeling alright, old friend?”

“I’m getting better now, James, thank you for your concern.” The man still looked haggard and tired almost all the time, but the glint had returned to his eyes and the colors regained “Jean’s help tremendously accelerated the healing process of my neuron systems.”

“It’s the least I can do for getting dusted away for five years, Professor,” Jean replied with a tinge of worry painted on her beautiful face masked behind a soft smile. “Can we start already, Hank? The Professor still needs some rest.”

“Of course,” The blue furball replied enthusiastically as he handed the Cerebro helmet to Logan, “Relax and take a deep breath, Logan. The discomfort is your body’s instinctual response.”

Logan donned the helmet and gritted his teeth through the onslaught on his brain until the sensation subsided after a moment, next, Jean approached him and placed both of her hands on either side of his head. Their eyes met in a silent question of consent until Logan nodded. Images and voices rushed through the staff members of the Institute as amplified by the combination of Jean’s telepathic potential and the Cerebro, regaling the story of Logan’s hunt for Mystique in Manhattan; All from the arrival until the Avengers Compound’s farewell. After a minute or so, Jean released Logan’s head and prompted Hank McCoy to take it off the keeled-over mutant; mental link and mind projection are taxing and can leave long-term side effects on the participant, luckily Logan’s healing factor negates the long-term part of the problem for himself.

“Will Spider-Man prove to be a problem in the future?” Scott asked with an air of professionalism towards the others.

“He is annoying, but he has a good heart. We do have some history of well-meaning people ending up doing bad things. I’d say we keep an eye on him for now.” Ororo offered with a thoughtful expression, analyzing the interactions between Logan and the Spider-Man in her mind.

“I sensed a brilliant mind under such garish colorings and lackluster jokes, at least considering the gadgets he used so far,” Hank added.

“I can only confirm if I can scan his mind, but then again, that’s not a fool-proof method to determine an individual’s true color,” Jean said.

“I don’t think he will be,” Kitty Pryde offered; her presence was allowed because of her history with the team, unlike the other students “But I wouldn’t mind talking to him. No need to prod into his mind against his will, like, at all.”

“Ya just wanna nerd out with him, Kitty,” Anna-Marie teased from the side with a smirk; considering that she’d been with the X-Men for more than a decade now, she deserved to be in a team meeting as well “bet ya wanna talk with him over a coffee and some cakes too, or maybe while he takes ya swinging ‘round the city?” the insinuation made Kitty blush pink and her eyes frantically cast in Piotr’s direction.

“Moving on,” Charles Xavier interjected after a cough “What of Raven?”

“The certain thing was that she was working with Mister Sinister for someone else, but as typical for Raven, she got another client lined up already when she’s knee-deep in some shits.” Offered Logan with a shrug of his shoulders.

“Those green aliens are of concern, no less,” Piotr commented “An organism that can mimic superpowers…could prove to be a formidable foe for us.”

“I would like more information about them, if possible, but first we have to figure out the source of gathered information; whether it would be with the Avengers or somewhere else.” Some of the eyes fell upon Rogue, which made the Mississippi woman retaliate with a ridiculed look.

“Ah don’t wanna siphon anything outta The Avengers!”

“You guys are so ridiculous!” Kitty groaned and turned towards Anna-Marie “Don’t mind them, Rogue. You are the closest person to Mystique that we’ve got, maybe you can shed some light on her plans or motivations for us?”

Anna-Marie sported a look of discomfort at first but complied, recalling the memories she had and gathered from her years of running around within the Brotherhood under Mystique’s tutelage and care. Most of them were blurry and unreliable due to the whirlpool of memories she had siphoned from a myriad of people since her teenage years back in the 1980s. Some aspects of them were even from the alcoholism years of Carol Danvers that came as a complimentary package with the permanent mimicry of the Avenger’s powers. “The things she said, Romulus Augustulus and Destiny, kinda rings a bell…” She paused to ponder and then widened her eyes as a realization hit “You ever heard of the Savage King of Madripoor? Everybody calls him ‘Romulus’ and if the rumors are to be trusted, he’s more of a bastard than Creed.” She looked around and only Charles Xavier seemed to be following her explanation “The city itself housed degenerates and criminals within its island, but Romulus ruled over them all with his savagery and his knights to enforce his rules and twisted laws on the denizen.”

“Sounds like a problem, but how did he convince Raven to go along with his plan?” Logan interjected with furrowed brows.

“There’s one thing she adores more than anything, or one person.” Anna-Marie offered and looked around, then continued “Her name’s Destiny. Mam—Mystique mentioned her sometimes, her eyes and gestures told me all about them. If there’s something that can put a leash on her, it has to be Destiny.” Anna-Marie looked around again and saw Logan had already pieced things together. “Romulus might have captured her or something to similar effect, forcing Mystique to do his biddings, that’s why she hinted at you to plea for help.”

[Doomstadt, Latveria. Mid 2028]

[The small room, Castle Doom]

“I hope your trip was not unpleasant, Mister Essex.” The Monarch sat across the long table and greeted the visitors from far away land dressed in Beige with a pale face. “Please, have a seat. If the meals are not to your liking, feel free to request a replacement from Sean-Pierre, my chef, and he’ll immediately see to it.” Victor Von Doom invited the obscured geneticist to joy him on the royal table as his servants started filing into the hall.

Nathaniel Essex sat down after setting a sealed canister at the side, digging into the prepared dinner as elegantly as a pompous Victorian noble. “Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness. I rather enjoy the ride here; the countryside reminds me of home.”

“I believe you have come bearing gifts, Mister Essex?” Victor inquired after finishing his dinner and about to start with dessert, sipping on a flute of white wine to wash away the savory taste lingering in his mouth.

“I am a man of my word, Your Highness. Clientele satisfaction is my specialty.” Mister Sinister gleefully announced with a dap of the gilded handkerchief at the corners of his lips. “But I implore you to have patience with me here, Your Highness, for the full demonstration might upset your appetite.”

“Von Dooms are made of iron, Mister Essex.” Victor sends a glare at the visitor, causing the Victorian man to gulp down saliva discreetly to keep up his appearance.

“As you wish, Your Highness.” With acknowledgment, Mister Sinister stood up and opened the canister, then handed the object to one of the servants and directed him to proceed. “I have stunted all of the growth process except for the formation of the brain. Thus, making them the perfect CPU for your army.” He explained as his eyes studied the reaction from the Monarch, noting the stoic face on the man as he inspected the abomination inside.

“Would the integration be a problem?” Victor finished and handed the canister of alien fetus back to his servant, who promptly returned it to Nathaniel Essex’s side.

“Not at all, Your Highness. I have crafted their neuron interfaces to be receptive to the schematics that you have provided. Your legion shall rise above the Avengers relatively easily if the squabble on Roosevelt Island was of any indication.”

“Quite an effective advertisement, truly,” Victor remarked to the news depicting the Avengers' battle against the three Skrull clones. “Then again, the reappearance of Wanda Maximoff could be an obstacle we don’t need.”

“If they live and bleed, even a god can be culled. Take Storm, for example,” they continued discussing the weaknesses and exploits against The Wind-Rider herself from years of cultivating information and Sinister’s associative resources in monitoring the X-Men throughout his elongated lifespan. “They still abide by nature’s rules despite their seemingly unnatural abilities, I believe a very intelligent man such as yourself should have nothing to worry about in exploiting them.”

“You spewed only honey, Mister Essex, but flattery and licking boots bear no significance against me.” Victor calmly criticizes and berates the Immortal man, and gestures for his servants to change the beverage of his and Essex’s flutes, “Montgomery’s 1867, only served for the Sablinova royal family, very rare as the grapes only grow in a special plot of land in Symkaria.” The Latverian King informed his guest as he enjoyed the distinct tinge via his nostrils and sipping only a sliver of the deep crimson fermented drink “It’s no perfect wine, mind, but it is very…exclusive.” Nursing the taste inside his throat for a moment, Victor let the liquid cascade down toward his stomach, coating its sweetness all over the lining of his inside.

“Thank you for such a privilege, Your Highness.” Sinister said after finishing his wine and prompted the servant to fill another serving “How’s the occupation, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Smoothly as it goes, Mister Essex. Your prototype super soldiers proved to be a very valuable asset, albeit a very costly one.”

“I only aimed to please, Your Highness. Would you mind if I request a field update during my stay?”

“Of course,” Victor signaled to another of his servants and informed him about the request. The servant nodded and departed quickly. “My intelligence corps should bring reports to your lodge tomorrow at noon at the earliest.”

“Much appreciated, Your Highness.”

[Manhattan, New York. Mid 2028]

[The Zenith Club]

Felicia strode in following Wilson Fisk’s instruction prompting her to be at the establishment despite the hour of the day which she usually lazed about with her cats. Recognizable men are standing around, most of whom are Fisk’s bodyguards and some local henchmen who work closely with the Zenith. A fainted whiff of designer fragrances invaded her nostrils, almost making her gag at the intensity of it all, but ultimately, it was a pleasant smell usually worn by high-society denizens.

The first sight that caught her eye was a pristinely white furred coat hanging on one of the stools, immaculate and tailored from the finest materials if her appreciative eyes could be trusted.

A melodic voice rang from the VIP booth along with a chuckle of deep baritone coming out of her ever-composed and intimidating boss, beckoning her to investigate the source of Wilson Fisk’s amusement. Turning the corner, she is met with a stunningly alluring blonde woman with icy-blue lipstick and eyeshadows, her glacial irises are cunning and possess such a superiority that you can tell by just gazing into them. Her demeanor and body language speak volumes about how she treats those below her, albeit more subtly than most crime lords in Manhattan. The woman, approximately in her mid-20s, dressed in a fashioned corset with contrasting black laces at the front hiding so little of her toned abdomen tastefully.

“I believe this will be a very profitable partnership, Mister Fisk.” The melodic voice said with a hint of giggle, accompanied by a clink of champagne flutes “I quite like the interior and the aesthetic we have going on here! I would love to meet her in person.”

“And you shall, my dear,” Fisk turned toward the incoming platinum-blonde and gestured for her to come to the table “Felicia Hardy, my associate.” Wilson Fisk introduced her to the stranger with a big smile and a comforting pat on her back; a very peculiar set of affections he shows, Felicia mused with confusion. For the times she had known Wilson Fisk, he was rarely smiling even a little, aside from convincing business partners and softening up politicians or CEOs, but now this random woman seemingly made him all bright and giggly. “A very dear friend of mine entrusted her into my care. Felicia is a very talented designer, as you are aware, and got quite keen eyes for arts and valuables.”

“Quite a beauty, too. My, my…” The woman commented as her eyes roamed over the platinum-blonde with a clear assessing gaze harboring a hint of satisfaction “You would do well in my club, Miss Hardy. Very well, indeed.” Following a sensation of mild dizziness, Felicia saw a smirk plastered on the blonde’s lips “Would it be acceptable if I keep her around, Wilson?” The tone shifted like in the old movies of vampires coaxing their victims with charms.

Wilson Fisk, The Kingpin of Crime, The Big Guy, who hates being so chummy in public and rarely lets anyone call him by his first name, obliged so easily that it turned Felicia’s world upside down and made her even more confused about the whole situation.

“Of course, I think Felicia will be a great addition.” He then turned towards the confused woman “Right, Felicia?”

“Um…what’s going on here?”

“That will be all, Wilson. I expect paperwork to be done by tomorrow?” Ordering a crime lord like a valet, the gorgeous blonde gestured for Felicia to take a seat as Wilson Fisk stood like a good soldier receiving an order from a drill sergeant “Oh, and I would appreciate a free replacement for the name, as well!”

“Whatever you need, Miss Frost.” Kingpin nodded a little with a bit of a daze in his eyes and a slur in his voice, and then he left the VIP booth after firmly patting Felicia on her shoulder.

“Okay…what the fuck just happened? And who the hell are you?!” Felicia blurted after Fisk and his bodyguards left the club, leaving only her and the stranger inside a vacant establishment.

Looking closely now, Felicia could make out some distinct features of the blonde; sharp eyes and pronounced cheekbones, slender neck, milky smooth skin, firm ample breasts, narrow waists and wide hips, and a pair of beautifully shaped legs clad inside thigh-high leather boots of pure-white palette. Everything she’s wearing at the moment makes her look ethereal and unreachable, even that smile on her alluring face; although there is a mole, the imperfection only accentuates the beauty within.

“Vulgarity is unnecessary, Miss Hardy. I am here to offer you a very profitable deal.” Frost gestured for her to take a seat, and Felicia obliged against her better judgment like being coaxed to do so subconsciously. “I’m taking over the Zenith Club from this moment onward, and I would like you to be my representative.” Frost leaned over and settled her pretty face on her hands, looking intensely at the platinum-blonde’s mesmerizing emeralds “To my chagrin, I must admit that I do have lots of enemies looking for me. Now, not like I am struggling against their persistency or anything, but they are rather…annoying with their frequency.”

“So, here’s the offer; you take on the role of the manager for the club in my stead, and in turn, I can help you forget about a certain alleyway,” Frost said so casually in contrast to the baffled face and startled state Felicia was in.

“How did you…”

“Are you familiar with the machination of the human brain, Miss Hardy?” The sudden question quelled her fire and Felicia couldn’t help but respond “Every thought running through the brain emits a certain pattern of electrical activity like a radio tower, broadcasting on specific wavelengths that only a handful of individuals can perceive, and rarer still can interpret. Some neurologists theorized that ordinary human lacks a certain type of development in their cerebral cortex to be able to feel and read the thoughts of others, but that’s only half correct.” Frost stood and approached the nervous Felicia with her gloved hand asking for permission to touch the temple of the platinum-blonde, the velvety and cold texture of the glove touched her skin, sending shivers down Felicia’s spine.

‘I am one of the people who were born with a special gift, we are living in the shadow of society under veils and lies for so long.’ Felicia widened her eyes as the woman did not move her lips while the speech flooded her mind ‘but, no more, Miss Hardy. Consider this your down payment for our collaboration in the future.’

With vertigo in her vision, a scene long forgotten from a lifetime ago plays of her mother smiling down at the little tyke in her arms, drops of sweat lining her forehead and the beeping of monitoring devices filling her little ears, yet she can still hear the loving words of her mother just fine “Angyalom, you are so beautiful…” her little head turned and greeted by her father’s younger face, tears welled in his eyes as a grin plastered on his lips “Look at our little star, Walter, isn’t she beautiful?” the conversation between her young parents went on as Felicia felt a lump in her throat. The memory faded after a moment, but it was enough to leave Felicia craving more.

“Some memories take extra effort to resurface on your own, but with a specialist’s help, anything is possible,” Frost announced from her position, standing with her hand on her cocked hip. “Of course, some telepaths are also capable of erasing them as well; the difference is only in the precision of doing so without causing damage.” Without direct contact, Frost moved again with her hand shot forward aiming at the platinum-blonde “Say, I can eliminate the nightmares from your mind, in exchange for your agreement?”

“Why don’t you just force me to do it?”

“I find no entertainment in getting things so easily all the time. Irony, I’m aware.” Frost rolled her eyes with a hint of a smirk plastered on her lips “Also, the effect will wear off after a certain period unless I completely alter the structure of your neuron system, which can prove to be fatal and permanently damaging for both of us. A limitation that every telepath has; if you will.”

Felicia then contemplates the offer deeply, and thoughtfully, she feels like this would be a life-changing decision of some kind.

[Manhattan, New York. Mid 2028]

[The Baxtor Building]

“Sorry for the delay,” Reed Richards announced as he entered the common area where Susan, Johnny, Julia, and Peter were waiting; most of the occupants wore a face of disbelief tinged with anger and confusion. “Would you all mind staying after this? I have someone I would like to introduce to all of you.” Everyone except Johnny nodded their heads in silence, still displaying the collective expression.

“Okay…I take it that everybody present here is aware of the recent incident on Roosevelt Island where the Avengers fought with mimicry aliens impersonating the alterations that the four of us have after Doctor Octopus’s attack?” Susan started as she took a spot beside a projector.

“Of course,” Reed Richard answered, but then he realized something “Where’s Ben?”

“He’s the reason for this meeting.” Johnny gritted his words out, arms crossing over his superhero costume; now dappled with the Avengers symbol on his back.

Reed Richards harbored a look of confusion and looked at Susan Storm for clarification of her brother’s exclamation.

“On May 23^rd, 2028. At 19:14. Nathaniel’s surveillance system outside of the archive got corrupted.” Susan started “At the time, we thought that it was just a malfunction due to the incomplete algorithm of Nathaniel’s AI core, but recently with Edith’s, Peter’s AI, help we managed to restore the recording.” The fair-haired biochemist continued as the video started playing; showing very clear footage of none other than Ben Grimm inserting some kind of a decryption device into the terminal and then removing it after a while “Hidden data logs indicating a duplication process of bio-scans and assessments we’ve made regarding the Cosmic Radiation mutations files and the test records. Also, there are vials of blood and spinal fluids replaced by placebos in the medical vault as well.” Next, the picture of Ben Grimm in his human form has been brought up, the details depicting a date of a couple of days ago at the JFK International Airport “Edith managed to gather the flight manifest, telling us the destination of Ben to be Madripoor; a city-state island located just south of Malacca.” Ignoring the implication of her boyfriend’s illegal AI activity, Susan goes on “We think that whoever it was behind the sabotage might have a base of operation inside that city, and Ben was going there to meet them.”

“How the hell could he do this to us?!” Julia exclaimed loudly after a moment of silence “We opened our home to him and welcomed him! We helped him through all of it just to get betrayed like this!? And now he might be helping some mad scientists create a global threat!?” Takeda looked at Peter with wide eyes “What the hell are the Avengers going to do about this?”

“…the World Council might be keen on reacting, but I know Nick Fury well enough. A simple conversation might suffice in convincing him to act on this speculation.” Peter tapped his optic to send a rendezvous location to Colonel Rhodes via a backdoor pathway “but I have to meet him in person.”

“What are you planning?” Susan asked with concern lining her face.

“Fury might have some contacts within the region, hopefully, but it might come to the possibility of me booking a flight there.”

“We’d have to wait and see then,” Johnny mused “Now, how in the bloody hell did whoever that was cured Ben of his mutation?” the question was distributed towards Reed, Peter, and his sister. “You and Reed took months just to crack the surface, as you claimed, but somehow this person managed to completely reverse the change?”

“And they are capable of gene-splicing alien species with human DNA as well as implementing mutated cells well enough to force a process of superpower manifestation to occur within every specimen we’ve seen so far,” Susan added, her eyes narrowed, and brows knitted “The most certain thing about all of this is that person might be a genius in genetics.”

“Which barely narrowed down our suspects within the scientific community.” Reed Richards added. “Maybe Curt Connors?”

“Doubt it,” Julia interjected, “he works under OSCORP, and despite the questionable methods in the past, Norman Osborn plays a safer game than this. This kind of scandal would backfire so hard on the company.”

“This level of genetic manipulation engineering requires a lot of experience and knowledge, so we are looking for someone who’s relatively seasoned in the field and talented?” Peter offered.

“And famously dabble in mutations…” Susan added with a dawn of realization “Doctor Hank McCoy? He went off the radar for almost three decades now, but back in the 90s he was very prolific about genetic mutations in humans.”

“I read some of his books; mostly Gwen shoved it in my face,” Peter commented with a light chuckle “His writing is okay, but most of them were just speculations and baseless claims, and not to mention he associated himself with Professor Charles Xavier who thought himself a telepath.” Peter shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s why you are an engineer, Peter. Hank McCoy’s theories and speculations hold some truth in them. Some of them were yet to be proven, but all of the things he’d written about have always been thought so by all of the biologists and geneticists throughout history.” Susan lectured him a bit. “Even so, few know of his private life let alone where he lives. It would be difficult for us to find him.”

“I can help.” The alien voice rang out of the PSA system, startling everyone.

“…Edi? How did you—”

“Have you doubted your intelligence at making me, Peter? Not to brag, but Reed Richards’s security mainframe is not that different than FRIDAY’s or KAREN’s.” Edith’s sassy question brought a smile to his face, a joy that Reed Richards does not share.

“Please log off of the system, Edith.” Peter pleaded and Edith did so without complaint. “Okay, so, Edi said that she might be able to cross-reference the data on the internet and Dark Web regarding McCoy’s sightings and behavioral patterns?” Peter narrowed his eyes at the words spewed out of his mouth “That…sounds suspiciously like Skynet talking, but go on,” he attempted to lighten the mood and failed spectacularly. “Last sighting and possible location would be somewhere in Westchester County?”