Chapter 32: Chapter 32

The Fastest Man Alive

Chapter 32

Unknown

 

[Xavier's School of Gifted Youngsters]

Charles sat on one of his school's many balconies as he watched over the exercise drills being led by Logan. On some days It still surprised him, waking up to find his school filled with youths.

The only thing that brought him down today was the new presence he felt driving onto his property. Charles felt the mind of a young female, accompanied by a familiar mind. The mental shield's reminded Charles of someone, but he couldn't place the face.

With a few taps on the side of his chair, Charles brought up the front camera at the gate before the person he felt buzzed in. What he found was a lady and her daughter sitting in the car as they waited for the gate. The daughter had a weird hairstyle of white highlights on brown hair, but her features carried the same air of nobility as her mother.

BUZZ BUZZ

With the gate buzzed in to open Charles couldn't wait to find out why this person felt so familiar, but he would have to temper his excitement with the teenager that might be attending his school. With Logan busy watching over the students, Charles sent out a telepathic call to Dr. Kenny who was currently in the labs with Hank discussing their various findings pertaining to the X-gene.

When Charles reached the front foyer; he found Laura waiting on the railing behind Dr. Kenny as her mother fussed over her choice of clothing. Laura was currently wearing leather pants with plenty of buckles to match her dark blue shirt and black lip gloss.

The good Dr. Kenny was in her normal lab coat that she always wore with the small ketchup stain on the left lapel. Charles chuckled to himself as he watched the mother-daughter pair.

"Good morning," Charles stated as he greeted the mother-daughter pair as he rolled his chair up towards the door. Laura turned around to nod towards him, and that reminded Charles of Logan and his mannerisms.

"Morning Charles, are we getting another student?" Dr. Kenny asked as she opened the door for them to receive the approaching vehicle.

"I believe so, but there is something about the older female that I believe I'm familiar with, but I can't place the face," Charles replied to Dr. Kenny as they watched the pair step out of the vehicle.

"Ahh, Charles your up early,"

"I'm sorry but do I know you?" Replied Charles as he tried to place the face without breaching her privacy by reading her mind.

"Oh, I guess It has been a while since I last showed my true face without the blue."

"Raven, what are you doing here?" Charles asked calmly while using his mind to reach out for Eric or Sabertooth and any of the other backups Raven liked to use.

"I'm here to admit my daughter to your school, why else would I come here, Charles," Raven replied with her nose upturned towards Charles.

"That's fine, but what about your situation with Eric." Charles couldn't help but ask.

"Don't worry about him or my situation, can she learn here or not?" Raven asked as she began to tap her foot.

"Yes, yes, everyone is welcomed," Charles replied as he turned towards the young lady. "May I get your name young lady, do you mind sharing what your abilities are?"

"The names Rouge and I absorb power," Anna replied to the Professor.

"That's a unique name and ability." Replied Charles while he looked towards Raven for more information from the young lady.

"Thanks, Charles, I will be in contact with you after I get back to the company," Raven replied as she turned to leave out the door.

"You're actually working?" Charles asked incredulously.

"I'm more than working Charles I'm making a change. Rouge, sweetheart I'll pick you up at five," Raven replied as she got back into her car and abruptly left, driving down the paveway.

Charles turned a quizzical eye towards Rouge and the rest, but all he received was a shrug from the young lady.

"She does that often. So tell me more about yourself, old man. All my ma' told me was that this was a school for kids with powers like myself." Rouge replied as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Well, where do we begin," Replied Charles with a smile at the young Rouge.

Peter was in his lab, having the time of his life. Not only was he creating groundbreaking technology, but he was also science jamming with two of the greatest minds known to man. Dr. Otto was a man known for his pioneering research in mechanical engineering but had a passion for thermonuclear physics.

Then there was the other Mr. Richards also known to push beyond the boundary of what's known in physics, and they were both here in his lab. Last but not least was Johnny Storm, another mechanical engineering genius but closer to his age.

Other than the marvel of working with such people Peter found himself trying hard to talk Johnny out of adding a flame thrower into the designs on the hovercar.

"Come on; Peter look at it: flamethrower!" Johnny exclaimed as he brought up a quick design of a high yield, low power consumption, spark and a flame emitter that he just created for the front bumper of the vehicle.

"Johnny this isn't a car for you, this is a car for, well I'm not sure who Ben wants me to design this car for," Peter replied as he scratched his head.

"I believe we should just make something and then go from there. For instance, I built these exoskeletal arms of mine to help control the electromagnetic pulses that the solar reactor creates but the designs double as advanced prosthetics." Dr. Otto stated as he used one of his six arms to summon a blank holo-sheet.

"Those are fascinating, but I'm more interested in this power source that you're currently using. Tell me, Peter; you said you created a new method along the lines of quantum physics to isolate this particle that you have housed in a stasis field. I believe I have a few methods to better stabilize it." Reed spoke as he began to take apart the reactor housing.

"I can ask Ben about who the car is for later for now let's just create something spectacular," Peter replied to Dr. Otto while erasing the flame thrower from the designs for the third time, but this time the designs did give Peter a spark of an idea about moving forward with the propulsion system. A Tachyon particle generator would work great as the main propulsion and with a thruster system in the atmosphere as well as outer space but would also allow for clean usage in the atmosphere and provide an energy source for weapons fire; Peter thought to himself as his ideas came together in his mind.

"Hey Pete I'm trying to call big Ben, but I can't reach him." Stated Johnny from one of the work stations.

Without looking up, Peter replied, "That's because he is in one of the danger rooms, Johnny."

"What's a danger room?" Johnny asked as he pushed aside all the work he was doing to honed in on the danger aspect of the conversation.

Unfortunately for Johnny, Peter was far too busy in his designs of the hover car's thruster system to give him a complete answer. "It's one of the super training rooms Ben created."

Peter failed to notice the excitement that gleamed across Johnny's eyes as he heard about a room meant for training in their powers. When Peter looked up, it was only because of the flash of heat he felt before someone invaded his personal space.

The person that had done such a thing was none other than Johnny Storm. "Peter, pal buddy ole greatest friend of mine," Johnny stated as he threw an arm around Peter's shoulders. "Lead me to the promised land."

"I don't think you can go down there," Peter stated as he brought up a video feed of the room Ben Grim was in. The room was one of the strength rooms showing a large orange rocky person going at it against a few drones designed by Ben and Alfred. Luke was in the control room, and Ben looked angry as he was going about destroying the drones.

Johnny's face paled as he watched Ben roar while taking out the drones in his anger. Gulp, "Do you think we can book some time down there?" Johnny asked before Peter turned back around to what he was working on.

"Yeah sure thing: but, think about this Johnny-HOVER CAR," Peter replied as he showed Johnny the designs he was currently working on.

"Okay yeah, you're right I can play with robots later; wait if you route the airflow this way you can use it to double as cooling also," Johnny stated as he began to assist Peter with the thruster designs.

Jean watched stunned as she felt the wave of emotions Natasha was giving off as Gwen gave her the details of the first round of scans. Even though Natasha wasn't showing anything on her face, Jean could feel the shock and exuberation flowing off of her older sister figure in waves.

As much as Jean wanted to: she kept herself from reading Natasha's mind for the answer. It's not that Jean didn't want to, but she didn't like to read the minds of people other than her lovers. She would have her talk with Ororo later and then connect with her: but for now, she decided to wait since she was presently enjoying the thoughts Ben was currently projecting.

Jean wanted to go explore the island, but Gwen was busy with Natasha. When she looked over to Felicia's location, Jean almost went to join the platinum blonde relaxing in the sun. But, she had another idea of what to do with her time.

Placing those thoughts aside, Jean began to levitate in a sitting position where she was. With a thought, Jean brought out a cloth that she was currently working on. With some concentration, Jean pulled the cloth apart weave by weave as she slowly unraveled it.

As she slowly worked on it, Jean's forehead slowly began to seep with sweat as her focus heightened to the max. This was a training that Natasha and Ben came up with to strengthen her fine mental controls over multiple structures.

Each strand in the weave had its own tensile strength while also placed in an intricate design. This was a test of mental dexterity, and Jean was enjoying the challenge. Jean focused her mind with one hand unraveling the weave into her other hand.

Jean's other hand though was slowly putting the cloth together back into a scarf. With minor twitches of her fingers, Jean set to her task of training while she enjoyed the sun of the island. Jean flowed back and forth in her location, making it halfway through the cloth before she felt a presence approach her.

When Jean looked up from the location where she was currently floating, she found lady Gaia standing nearby watching her as Jean's hands moved with her practice. What she did notice though was that there were patches of flowers behind Gaia. It was as if each step the mother goddess took flowers bloomed in her wake.

That was interesting Jean thought to herself as she floated back down to the ground to show proper manners to the mother goddess. "Mother Gaia." Jean acknowledged with a slight bow.

"That isn't needed, child, tell me what is this that you are doing with the fabric?" Gaia asked.

"This is practice for control of strength and dexterity of the mind Lady Gaia," Jean replied, showing Gaia what she was working on. "Each strand needs its own amount of pressure while also in a complex knot. This is for me to also think through while removing the strands."

"And what of your Phoenix flames do you practice with those also?" Gaia asked the young redhead before her.

That brought Jean to a pause because even though she had a few flare-ups with that fire ability of hers, Jean wasn't sure about how to bring it back out but what she did know was that she was missing a clue. Ben had told her it was rubbing a few air molecules together, but Jean felt there was much more to her type of flame.

"Would you have some advice about how I might be able to use it Lady Gaia? Jean asked hopefully to have more control over her powers and abilities.

"Normally the rules forbid one such as I to interfere with another's chosen but since you will be sitting on the same pantheon as my own chosen. I believe a piece of small advice wouldn't be against the rules. Look inside child and connect with that which you were born to." Gaia stated with a smile towards Jean as her eyes twinkled

That was a puzzle for Jean because her abilities didn't show until not too long ago. With a wave of her hand, Jean placed the things she was working on aside. Connect to that which I was born to; Jean thought to herself as she settled down into a meditative position.

Jean remembered a statement that Ben told her a while back while he walked her through mental defenses. The mind is the most powerful thing we could ever have in our lives, and the mindscape allows one to access their inner being. Being a telepath had always given Jean a step up in such a thing. But after setting up her mental defenses as Ben asked, Jean hadn't explored her mindscape much after sorting and placing her memories within a mental library.

With a slow breath out, Jean delved into her mindscape past her barriers and into the warm and inviting library representation of her mind. Nothing was missing or changed to Jean's sense, and everything was as it had been since she was last here. Jean's mindscape was an extensive recreation of the manhattan library from top to bottom, but the most significant difference was the size of the books and also flying books going around.

Jean smiled at the flying books representing her memories while walking down the aisle towards the center of her mind. Within the center was a large, circling globe Some of it was filled in the center representing the places she visited, but some of it was blank and Jean made a mental note to fill it in more. Jean smiled at the small note, floating away before turning back towards her search.

Jean wanted the location of that flame, and Gaia stated that she was born to its connection. So Jean searched out for the feeling, and right below her, a red line glowed in her path. With a smile on her face, Jean followed the red-lined path.

As Jean walked along the path, she found that it leads further down into the depths of her mind than she thought it would. Along the side of her mental aisles were her memories of her childhood. Jean's early birthdays and her kindergarten years were all along the sides as she walked, but Jean ignored them as she followed the red line.

Jean walked and kept on walking along the aisle as she made her way past memories that she thought long lost to her. Then, as Jean walked past the last aisle that contained her earliest memories of learning to walk, Jean found a glow lighting up from the back.

"Child you have finally come to claim your birthright." A voice from beyond the glow stated to Jean as she walked towards the voice.

"And might I ask who you are and why have you taken up space within me?" Jean replied to the voice.

"My child, my name is the Phoenix, and you have been chosen to take up my mantle." The Phoenix stated as Jean walked closer towards the voice. When Jean finally approached the voice, she found a bright flame red egg sitting on top of a pedestal.

"What is your mantle?" Jean asked as she watched the egg with trepidation.

"I am a gardener of the cosmos little one. I trim the branches of dead or dying civilizations and planets, then breathe new life into planets to begin a new cycle of life." The Phoenix stated.

"There are aliens out in space?" Jean instantly asked as the thoughts of adventure sparked within her.

"Yes, but that is neither here nor there. The question is, do you accept my power?" Asked the Phoenix.

"Okay, the last question would this take me away from my loved ones?" Jean asked with her hand hovering over the egg.

"Once you have reached maturity with my powers; yes, there are duties that would need to be performed. I will not force you to do these things unless you have forsaken your duties once I come calling." The Phoenix stated towards Jean, "Ooh and you should hurry your advances with your mate; Gaia has stolen an advancement for her own chosen."

"What do you mean?" Jean asked skeptically with her hand still floating above the egg.

"Accept my power and go take a look." The Phoenix replied with mirth in its voice.

With that said, Jean placed her hand over the egg. Before she knew it power, unlike anything Jean knew flooded within her. On the outside, Gwen and Natasha watched as Jean was covered within a cocoon of red feathers.

[Elsewhere]

I was flying low along the ocean with Ororo as Maya flew around us in a spiral of flames. I watched as Maya flew below Ororo to try and catch one of the leaping fish while I flew in low wrapping an arm around Ororo's waist as we watched.

This felt oddly comforting like we were already a family watching over our little one as she got up to mischief. With Ororo in my arms, we floated for a moment while we watched Maya play with the fishes.

We stayed like that for a moment before I turned Ororo around in my arms to face me. Ororo had a challenging quirk playing at her lips before I wiped it away by bringing her in for a kiss. My world exploded with colors when our lips touched.

Ororo tasted like sugar, spice, and everything nice: the heady mixture of her essence within the taste of my weather goddess kiss was intoxicating. One of my hands slipped from Ororo's waist to take a nice firm hold of her perfect peach of a cheek, while the other hand went to support the leg that came up on my side.

Our tongues dueled as we indulged the pleasure of the kiss we shared. Before I knew it one of Ororos hands wrapped around my back pulling me closer to her. That was when the light show began between us, from my chest golden lightning appeared to mix with the white and blue light that shone out of Ororo.

I felt another connection of longing and being, but this wasn't the rush of emotions that I normally received from Jean when she connects to me mentally. I followed the connection that I felt forming within me.

The connection felt like a cool spring breeze on an early morning like the clean smell after a rainy day and the warmth that comes from the sun. Instinctually I felt I knew who this connection would lead me to, but I had to follow it to be sure that I wasn't mistaken.

I delved deeper, and when I felt like I had arrived, I found an African beauty looking right back at me with a smile on her face. Before me was a nude Ororo in all of her glory; when she looked me up and down, I came to realize that I was also all-natural.

Before I could say anything or do anything, Ororo was already in front of me. Ororo stood watching me as her chocolate nipples slowly hardened against my chest. There was no need for words between us as Ororo picked one of her legs up, and I placed my hand around her waist for support.

Our eyes held a steady gaze, but I could feel the heat coming off of Ororo's core, tempting me to sink right in. Yet, I held back as we slowly ground together in this spiritual union. As we stood there within the space we were in, I felt the tease of her lips as her slick folds slid along my shaft, then with one rapid thrust I plunged to the hilt as my head poked its way into her womb.

Ororo's eyes went white, and they shone with an otherworldly light as I felt my own power flowed forth from me to meet her own. I felt a sense of completion before we were both ejected from the space, and we were back to the outside world.

"What was that?" Asked Ororo as she leaned into my chest while we floated mid-air. "I feel connected to you now and not just through Maya."

"I believe we have a certain mother goddess to talk to," I replied back as I checked my internal chronometer stunned that only a few seconds passed us by.

"Come little one," Ororo called out towards Maya with a flourish of her hand. When Ororo flourished her hand for Maya to come over towards us from playing with the fish, I noticed a ring on her finger.

When I noticed that I looked at my own hand to find the same thing on my ring finger: on my hand was an extremely detailed ring that was ethereal; I could see it, but I couldn't feel it, and it wasn't on my skin as a tattoo. On the ring were glyphs that reminded me of the ones I looked at within Alfred's programming. The thing that set these apart was that these glyphs rotated around my finger, and when I focused on it, I felt Ororo more clearly within me.

"Ororo your hand let me see it," I stated as I brought her hand to my face to take a look and I found the same thing. On Ororo's finger was the same intricate golden ring with the same glyphs that rotated on my own. I held up my hand to show Ororo that I had the same thing.

"Does this ring represent what I believe it does?" Ororo asked me as she looked at the ring on her finger.

"I believe that it might stand for far more than you might imagine," I replied to Ororo as I went into detail about what happened when I focused on my ring. Ororo raised her perfectly arched eyebrow at me as she went over what I told her and tested the features of the ring herself.

"I do not believe that mother Gaia would do this without reason. Let us go and ask her." Ororo stated as she picked up Maya and flew back towards the island. Turning around mid-air, I flew back towards the island using my gravity control right behind Ororo.

We flew back over the forest, lakes, and everything in between us until we arrived back at the clearing where Gaia was standing. When we got back, everyone was standing around a large red egg. Jean was nowhere in sight, and I was beginning to get more than a little pissed off.

:Calm yourself, and we shall get answers: Came Ororo telepathically. That new ability of Ororo could only have come from the ring, and it made me wonder what else they could do. Placing those thoughts aside, I touched down on the ground beside Ororo while greeting my mother and Rosie.

Taking Maya out of Ororo's arms, I gave her to my mother and asked her to take care of Maya for a moment while I walked back to confront the earth goddess. I was getting a weird mix of emotions from Ororo since she was already over there talking to Gaia.

"Lady Gaia you have interfered twice today and I would like answers," I said as I walked up beside Ororo protectively. I wasn't even aware that I did such a thing subconsciously, but Gaia noticed and smiled towards us.

"I have only helped my chosen along her path," Gaia replied calmly to us.

"What path is that Lady Gaia?" Ororo asked Gaia with a slight bow of her head.

"You will one day walk the path of a goddess child. I have only secured your seat at his table." Gaia replied as she smiled pointing towards me.

"Lady Gaia I would like a straight answer please," I stated towards Gaia.

"Do you know what a ley line is child?" Gaia asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"No," Answered Ororo

"Ley lines are lines of power that run across the earth that can be used for magic or other rituals," I told Ororo before Gaia could say whatever she had prepared.

"Yes, well this island is a node," Gaia replied with a smile.

"And what did you do with such a node Lady Gaia?" Ororo asked.

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"I formed the ring for the match," Gaia stated with a smile on her face like the cat that caught the canary.

"Was this the reason I couldn't use my abilities?" I asked Gaia as I caught onto what she might have done. The ritual must have had something to do with us facing each other as equals and not powered individuals.

"Yes," Gaia smiled at me while I placed the parts together.

"These rings my lady; what are they for?" Ororo asked as she held up her hand for Gaia to see.

"Marvelous! It has been more than a few millennia since I have witnessed one of such power. Child you are the earth mother to his sky father." Gaia smiled as she held up Ororo's hand to examine the ring closely.

"I would think this is a monumental thing to happen, so why would you set this up Lady Gaia," I asked the mother goddess.

Surprisingly Gaia snorted at me like I was a fool, "Ororo is my chosen, of course, I would set her up to be your first wife. You allowed me to preside over the match and I took the opportunity to make sure my chosen wins before the mortal and the chosen of life and rebirth" Gaia returned, but before I could say anything Ororo placed a hand on my arm.

It would seem that Ororo caught a flash of my anger. I was not happy that neither Gwen nor Jean had a chance. I was not happy at all, but Ororo kept me from blowing up on the elder earth goddess like I wanted to.

"I appreciate your assistance Lady Gaia, but I would have liked to win on my own merit. I believe an explanation on why there is a large red egg, and one of our companions is missing are in order." Ororo stated with such a regal tone that I was stunned by her quick change in attitude.

:We will speak of this another time with only the two of us, my dear: Ororo spoke telepathically to me as she looked towards the red cocoon.

"The chosen of life and rebirth has reached for the power within," Gaia stated, but that didn't give me any comfort at all. The Phoenix was more than a force of cosmic nature, and I wasn't sure about how Jean would come out of that thing. There was only hope in my heart since I kept Jean away from Charles and his tampering.

Turning away from Gaia, I floated over towards my family and the large egg containing Jean. Rosie was in hushed whispers with Natasha, so I left them to what they were talking about. Gwen had a few flowers in a jar and ready to go, but she was currently standing in front of the egg with Felicia's arms around her as she waited for Jean to emerge from whatever was going on inside.

My mother, on the other hand, was off to the side, reading a children's storybook to Maya as she pointed out the pictures. So I floated there next to Gwen and Felicia as we waited for Jean. Felicia's phone buzzed which allowed me to know that the construction bots had a tower up and we now had service on the island. Although when Felicia checked her phone her face grimaced at what was displayed there.

"Kingpin wants me to pay a visit to your building after you leave for his meeting," Felicia told me as she looked over the details on her phone.

"I won't be taking part in your takeover of Fisk empire," Gwen stated between us.

"That's okay," I replied to Gwen as I placed a kiss on her forehead. "Go ahead and let Fisk know you will do it for twice the normal price because of the security the building might have."

"Done and done, surprisingly he took that price," Felicia stated with some surprise in her voice.

"He's feeling generous because of the money he is sure to make with the NX5 distribution rights," I replied with a grin.

We fell back into a companionable silence for a while, Ororo came to stand with us as we waited for Jean to finish before I could say anything though Gaia walked up to us all with a smile on her face.

CRACK!

My heart lodged itself into my throat as I turned around to see what had become of Jean. Before us, a roaring flame came pouring out of the feathered egg in the colors of gold and red-tinged with a shade of green and orange mixed in.

The flames flooded amongst us, but there was no heat to the fire. What I felt was the force of life filling the air all around us. Changing my sight, I watched as Jean rose up with the visage of the Phoenix.

Jean was breathtakingly beautiful; her hair was let loose down to her waist. Flowing locks of scarlet red hair roiled around Jean with small licks of fire played at the tips. Behind Jean was a large bird of prey made of flames as the feathered egg disintegrated into the wings of fire.

The bird was recognized as the Phoenix spread out towering over five stories tall as Jean floated within its core while we watched with bated breath. Jean's eyes slowly opened, and a gasp escaped my lips and those around me as I looked into her burning red eyes.

For a moment I felt a chill go down my spine because I thought the Phoenix had finally come calling for its due. We stood off facing each other as I felt we were mere moments from having to fight Jean in some sick rendition of the Dark Phoenix

Jean's eyes were so piercing from her position floating in the air that I felt as though she was looking into my soul. Jean surveyed us all before the flame bird flowed back into her body. Slowly I floated up towards Jean with Gwen by my side as we tried to find out who was within Jean's body. If this was the Phoenix, I would fight with all my might to stop it; I understood what Gaia said and what I hoped for, but the reality could always be different.

The flames of the Phoenix receded back from Jean's eyes, and Gwen and I were greeted with Jean's bright emeralds. Jean held up her hand as she tested the changes to herself while we both watched her. Then Jean turned and gave us a smile, and we knew then that it was our Jean.

I released the breath I didn't know I was holding. Gwen was the first to rush into Jean's opened arms as I floated in behind her, enveloping them both in my arms. Jean turned to face me as she finished a sensual kiss with Gwen.

Jean leaned in, and we shared our heady kiss as we connected mentally.

:It would seem both Gwen and I lost our chance at being first.: Jean telepathically stated to me as I indulged myself in the new taste of Jean, she tasted wild and impassioned, and every time our tongues dueled a spark of burning passion was transmitted through my nerves.

:We have so much to talk about: I transmitted back mentally to Jean as I held Gwen to us as we floated in the air.

:Yes, we do Mr. Married man: Jean replied with a chuckle in my mind.

:Married?: Came a Voice within our mental bond that sounded so much like Gwen. When I turned towards her, Gwen's eyes were wide with disbelief at what she heard mentally. Ororo must have felt my internal panic because, within moments, she was now floating beside the three of us.

"We will have to clear up a few things," I replied to Gwen as I was sure that Jean already knew from viewing the memories of the situations.

"Yes, it would seem that Gaia is not playing fair," Jean stated with a smile as she hung off of Gwen's back.

"No, she is not, but I believe that Gaia isn't the only one we have to be worried about," Ororo sated with a raised brow towards Jean.

"Oh, you speak of the Phoenix within me?" Jean asked with a smile on her lips. "I don't need the Phoenix's assistance for me to win."

"Neither did I need Gaia's. My ways would have placed me first." Ororo stated imperially.

"Yet you lost even though you won this round." Replied Jean coolly.

Ororo didn't even answer back to Jean's statement and only returned a smile at her. I could hear the metaphorical glove being thrown between the two.

"So would anyone like to explain what's going on with this whole married situation?" Gwen asked, looking me in the eye.

"Well the powers that be above us decided to intervene and place bonds of marriage between the souls," I replied watching Gwen.

"And what does that mean exactly?" Gwen asked with narrowed eyes.

"They are using this chance to align themselves with Ben," Jean said with a shrug.

"Even if they have made a choice for us, it is still up to us to pick our path." Replied Ororo as she turned back towards myself and Gwen.

"I concur with that." Replied Jean with a nod. "Only we can make our choices for ourselves."

"Alright fine, but know that this is not okay," Gwen stated, turned around, and flew back down to the family.

"So tell me what are the plans with the island," Jean replied as she spun mid-air.

"This will become a nation once everything is completed, but there are things I have to do before this can become a true haven," I replied with a shrug.

"What are these things that need completing?" Ororo asked as she rose an elegant eyebrow at me.

"I need to purchase a construction company or at least partner with someone I can use to funnel the supplies needed and then I have to make sure that the island and future generations are safe. Bolivar Trask and his entire bloodline need to be hunted down with the sentinel program while it's still in its infancy and before the mother mold comes online." I replied seriously, and that stopped Jean from playing in the air.

"That's more than a little harsh don't you think," asked Ororo

"They are the ones who create the inhibitor collars in secret and sell them to the world," Jean stated as she looked at me. "They also have a secret registry of meta-humans they gained from camp X-ray."

"Jean stop, those are things you shouldn't share," I replied sternly as I closed down my mental shields. "I'm not looking to start a war and information like that can easily spark a world war."

"What is she talking about Ben, and what is the sentinel program," Ororo asked sternly as she got in my face.

"It's the reason why Trask and his company need to go Ororo. I think that Charles has been either keeping silent about this or doesn't know about it." I replied with a shrug. "Trask is either capitalizing on us or hates meta's to the bone that he has gone to such lengths. This information can not get out, can you promise me this?"

"I can promise," Ororo stated. I turned to look at Jean, but she was already looking at me with that piercing look on her face.

"You can't go around sharing these things, Jean," I said as I looked at her, keeping my mental shields in place.

"We both know that Ororo is trustworthy." Replied Jean.

"That's beside the point, Ororo could have been the type to have gone off and brought the power of the world to Trask industries. Then that would have created a full-blown war with a company that's creating weapons of mass destruction built to kill us all from the ground up." I replied to Jean with heat in my voice.

"Ororo isn't the type." Jean replied, "But I understand this is another one of those telepath rules."

"Yes, Jean, another one of the telepath rules," I replied as I rubbed my hands across my face. "Yes, Ororo the sentinel program is designed and built around killing meta's, but it's going to go bad in all the wrong ways possible."

"Now I understand why Trask needs to go down, but how will it go wrong," Ororo asked as she shook her head towards Jean's pouting face.

"Machine learning and programming is very unthinking and unfeeling, but that programming will lead it to also focus on humans because, at our base, meta's are just humans with powers. DNA doesn't lie, and these fools are going to create the worst version of Skynet." I replied to Ororo as I brought up what I was able to get out of Trask industries with Natasha's infiltration.

Natasha had left a flash drive that gave Alfred direct access, but after checking the company systems, we found that nothing was on the current servers about the sentinel program. The upside to that was I now have the entire Trask family under watch with a few stealth drones.

This was going to be one of the bloodiest operations, but everyone needed to die once I find Trask and his original master mold.

"You are waiting to find the elder Trask before you make your move?" Ororo asked me as she went over the operation plans I brought up for her.

"Yes." I answered her.

"Your plans for the parts after you trash them?" Jean ask me before Ororo could follow up, but the look on her face said that she also had the same question.

"Use the data they have and the scanning tech to make improvements to our version of Cerebro. Then I plan to slag the rest I refuse for this tech to get into the world. Those inhibitor collars are more than enough." I replied swiftly.

"I think I should be there to check his mind for any hidden stash or contingency plans," Jean said with a hand on her chin.

"I agree with that," Ororo said with a nod of her head.

"Until then I have to make some business deals so that we can start to build up our real center of operations within our haven," I stated as I began to descend back to the ground.

When I got back to the ground, my mother told me about Gwen taking the flowers she found back to the labs. That was fine because the next new bit of news stunned me. It would seem that Natasha was healed by Gaia. That could only mean that even though she was team Ororo, Gaia would still help out. Natasha still had that stoic look on her face, but I knew how much this meant to her.

I ignored that look on her face and gave her a massive hug being sure not to crush her. Then I took her for a flight like no other.

"Put me down you!" Natasha screamed as we went supersonic. Natasha tried to blast me with one of her taser bolts, but I now had my powers, and I was immune. I chuckled at her attempt as we took a fast flight around the island.

"I'm happy about your good news, Nat I truly am," I told Natasha as I flew us back slowly.

"I plan to have Dr. Kenny and Sue look me over once we return," Natasha stated from my arms.

"Do I know about who your upcoming boyfriend of choice would be?" I asked, keeping the entertainment out of my voice. I knew whoever joined this family would be infor a rude awakening.

"No dating for me until we survive the chitauri invasion," Natasha replied before we touched back down to the ground.

"Okay well since you're going back can you call Gunny down to the enhanced lab room," I asked Natasha as I watched her pick up Maya and head for the portal going back.

After Natasha left, I looked around, and Gaia was nowhere to be found, but I wasn't going to complain about that. Rosie and my mother had their shoes off and feet in the water, so I left them alone.

"Felicia I think we should get you some powers if you're going to be the one taking down Fisk," I said as I started to type into my bracer, giving Alfred orders to get the lab ready.

"I'll pass on the flying, but I will take what underoos has." Felicia quipped. I could only chuckle at the nickname she was using for Peter.

"Okay, you can't say that around the labs, or he will figure out that you're the Black Cat," I told her as I tried not to laugh.

"Oh, so he does work with you guys. Ohh I bet it's Peter from breakfast this morning." Felica said as she snapped her fingers, getting it correct with her first try.

"Go easy on my brother okay, he is only trying his best," I replied as I began to think up costume designs for Felicia. The showdown to break Fisk was this Thursday and too many things needed to be completed. "Let's go get your powers and then we will work on your suit and your skills."

Ororo and the rest of my family stayed behind on the island; it was time to supercharge the Black Cat. Felicia was going to get a dose of normal spider formula mixed with super soldier. The unbreakable formula still caused great pain even though it was reworked, improving the overall potency and reducing the time a person needs to be submerged.

I was at the console as I talked Felicia through what the serums did to her DNA. The formula was set to latch onto her genetic markers and forced their way in while the chamber filled with Vita rays kept Felicia's health up, allowing her body to accept the change without rejection.

"You know you don't have to do this," I said to Felicia as I watched her hands shake in her lap.

"But I do have to do this. I want Fisk broken at my feet by my hands." Felicia replied with a swiftness I wasn't expecting from her. I watched those jade green eyes filled with steel as I looked at her trying to figure out what's pushing her so far.

"Why?" I asked, turning to face the platinum blonde before me. All I knew of Felicia Hardy was from the comics. I had to learn about her if I was going to help her further.

"What?" Felicia replied confused.

"Why do you want Fisk broken and why must you be the one to do it?" I asked, trying to prompt her to open up more about it. I watched as Felicia thought about my question for a while as we sat there.

The computer pinged me letting me know that the serum was complete, but I wasn't going to move forward without her saying anything. Felicia must have realized this because she looked at the syringe containing the serum with longing on her face.

With a few button presses from me, the serum popped back out of sight as I waited for Felicia. That snapped her back to face me, and I could see a small spark of anger flashed across her face.

"I would like to know."

"My father was the best infiltrator around. My mother told me he wanted out when I was younger. His cover position was working for Fisk international. A few years back, I found his journal, his last job was for Fisk, but he never came home." Felicia replied as she balled her hands into fists in her lap.

"So revenge for sending your dad on a suicide mission because Fisk knew he was finished with the life. I can dig it." I replied with a nod while bringing back up the syringe with the serum in it. Felicia held her hand for it, but I paused, "Don't allow this power to change you."

With a nod from Felicia, I gave her the power to make a change. Felicia got up and dropped the bathrobe she was currently wearing before she got into the Vita chamber. Giving her a cursory glance, I smiled as I appreciated what she had on.

Felicia was wearing a black sports bra with a matching pair of boy shorts that had the word Bootiful on the back. I snorted at the sight as I proceeded to get the chamber ready.

"The chamber is going to be held at seventy percent for sixty seconds while the chi saturates your body. Once you reach one hundred percent saturation, we will hold it there for another ten seconds." I told Felicia as I held the chamber open for her.

With a nod in reply to me, Felicia stepped into the chamber while I went back to my control console. With steel in her eyes, Felicia closed the chamber doors. I pressed the intercom while I checked the readings on the holograms.

"In 3...2...1... Begin!" I said over the intercom as I started the procedure.

"So what do you think Gunny," I asked the open air beside me as I watched the clock count down while keeping an eye on the vitals of Felicia in the chamber. The air shimmered showing a tall man in his early forties dressed in shades of dark navy blue commando gear.

"That girl's got grit kid. So tell me what's the plan." Gunny asked as he took the chair, Felicia vacated.

"Give her some money and set her up as a rich heiress gaining inheritance and then have her use her connections and what we get from Fisk to sell the NX5," I replied.

"I don't believe it will be that easy kid," Gunny said as he rubbed at his chin.

"It's never that easy Gunny but that's life and for her to work out. My question is, will you have her back." I asked as I turned towards the man.

"Look I joined up because Allen found me and said it was worth it to fight for you. The ride has been fun taking down those friends of humanity asshats and playing with the toys you provide, but now you want to pawn me off to watch her back. I don't know kid, we will have to see how she does against Fisk." Gunny replied to me as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Giving her a chance is all I can ask you to do," I replied to him as I turned down the chamber in preparation for releasing Felicia.

Gunny went invisible instantly as Felicia made her way out of the chamber. Out of the chamber stepped a flawless beauty of power. Felicia stalked out of the chamber doing that subtle walk that I saw Natasha liked to do when she was on the prowl to hurt someone.

"So how do you feel?" I asked Felicia as I watch her stretch.

"I'm ready to go beat my revenge out of Fisk" Felicia stated as she went down into a split. Then with fluid movements, Felicia rolled over into a flip and back onto her feet. I watched as Felicia tested a few punches and a couple of kicks while she got used to her new upgrades.

"That can be arranged," I replied as I placed the plans into motion.

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