ă€ŠDragons Among Heroesă€‹


 Chapter -1 - Notes

    I''ve been a huge fan of Legend of Dragoon (LoD) since I was a kid. It was one of the first games I played on my Play Station. If you haven''t heard of it here is the link to the wiki.

    legendofdragoon.fandom.com/wiki/The_Legend_of_Dragoon_Wiki

    The MC will have the 8 dragoon spirits which he will have to unlock along his adventures so as to earn his power. Now, I know that in the game some of the powers were rather limited compared to some of the ones I could have chosen for the MC so I will be adding somethings that a player in the game wouldn''t be able do as well as add some original spells to the mix. The primal dragons will be sleeping inside their respective spirits and the canon vassal dragons as well as original vassal dragons will be put in at some point in the story.

 Chapter 1 - Press Start

    I''m sure you have heard the stories of people dying and being reincarnated into another world with either powers or some sort of cheat that makes them severely over powered. My story is similar except it wasn''t just me that died, no it was me and two of my best friends getting axed by fate via a car crash off the side of a steep cliff. Hollywood worthy, right?

    Let me start from the beginning. My name is Devin Price. I''m your average American high schooler with a pension for video games. Me and two of my best friends, Darrel and Damien, are all big gamers with an extensive record. We had saved up money and decided to go to a gaming convention before we split up for college and were on our way back when fate had decided to intervene.

    "Yo Devin, did you see that girl in the Chun Lee cosplay yesterday? Whoo wee!" Darrel grinned while Devin steered them through the mountain pass that would take them out of California proper.

    "Yeah, but the one in the Bayonetta get up was so much better." Devin said as a lecherous grin split his face while reminiscing of the brunet that he had ogled on the way into the convention on the first day.

    "I can''t wait to get back and unpack all the stuff we managed to score!" Damien said while daydreaming about the lucky scores they had managed to find at the various booths. It was at this moment that two of the wheels of his car decided they had enough of the road and promptly exploded from the heat causing the car to swerve left then right before slamming directly into the guard railing. Unfortunately, the guard railing had seen it''s fair share of crashes already and quickly was torn asunder as the car with all of the boys in it did a swan dive.

    They say that your life flashes before your eyes when you are about to die and Devin can officially say his was kind of short what with him being nineteen. He saw all the things he had done, all the things he hadn''t. He really should have asked out Kelly Lee Stafford when he had the chance. Then the regret of not being able to say good bye to his parents seeps in. Devin was an only child due to complications during his birth, but his parents were still the best anyone could ever ask for. It was at that moment that they hit a boulder and everything went dark.

    "Argh! Where am I?" Devin asked as he sat up and looked around. At first, he thought he had gone blind, but soon Devin realized that he was sitting in a void of darkness. Then he realized he wasn''t alone. About ten feet away was both of his buddies, still out cold. Getting up Devin walked over and gently shook them both while calling their names. Neither woke up so he had to resort to drastic measures. Damien was grabbed by the collar and slapped repeatedly as he was notorious for sleeping through even a bucket of water. After about a half dozen slaps, he finally came to life with a short shout.

    "Wha-?! Hunh?!" he said as he looked around in confusion.

    "Wake up!" Devin shouted at him.

    "Where are we? What happened?" he asked as he started to take in his surroundings.

    "I think we''re dead man. Help me wake up Darrel so we can figure out what''s going on and what we''re gonna do." Darin said as he moved toward the last of their trio. Darrel is a little bit easier to wake, but due to the circ.u.mstances they followed the same procedure as Damien. Soon, the duo had him up as well and began to explore.

    "Are you sure we''re dead Devin?" Darrel asked.

    "Yeah. I remember the accident, but after is as dark as this place." he said.

    "I hope we aren''t in Hell. I got the wrong name for that." Damien said with a small amount of nervousness under his attempt at humor.

    "No, you''re not." Said a voice that seemed to ring through the entire space. Spinning around we saw an older gentleman standing near us in an expensive grey suit with white pin stripes. A neatly trimmed beard on his face and slicked back hair in a salt and pepper color.

    "Hey, uh, who are you?" Devin asked as his friends wandered back to his sides.

    "I go by many names, but you guys can call me Peter." The old man said with a nod.

    "So where are we exactly?" Darrel asked with a slight amount of curiosity.

    "You boys are in an area we like to call ''The In-between''." Peter said as he gestures to the surrounding darkness.

    "Veryˇ­homey." Damien says still looking around nervously as if the devil himself is gonna jump out at him.

    "Ah! Just a sec." Peter says before clapping his hands twice causing the darkness to become a blinding white like a rip off of the Matrix.

    "Ah, much better. Now then, let me explain. You boys are here due to a clerical error on the part of us here in the Afterlife. You see there are three other boys with the same last names that were supposed to be "taken" before they robbed a bank in San Diego. On behalf of those in the clerk''s office we sincerely apologize for the mistake." Peter says to each of them as they all have their jaws sitting on the floor, or whatever the three were currently standing on. Devin recovered first.

    "So, you''re saying that we died because someone upstairs forgot to double check our first names!" He said completely at a loss for how unreal their cause of death was.

    "And location, but I digress. Now here is what is gonna happen to you three. Each of you will be moved to a separate room to be processed. You will be given a chance at another life. Unfortunately, due to various cosmic rules and regulations we can''t send you back to your original plane and we can''t send all three of you to the same world. What we can do is check your karmic levels and give appropriate compensation before releasing you three back into life in separate worlds." He said as a massive glass globe on a pedestal appeared next to him.

    "What kind of compensation are we talking about?" Damien asked with curiosity and mild excitement as he knew that stories existed on the internet about this kind of thing happening. Never thought that it would happen to them though. He also had some sadness as he wouldn''t be able to see his friends again after this was over.

    "It could be many things, from abilities to items and even immortality." He says making all of us excited. With a wave of his hand two doors appeared.

    "Now if you would, I need two of you to step through a door so we can get started." Peter asked. Damien and Darrel both stood in front of a door before turning and looking at Devin.

    "Good luck man. Hopefully we''ll see each other in the future maybe." Darrel said with a thumbs up and Damien nodding his head in agreement.

    "You guys too. Stay safe." Devin said in return with a wave. After the two disappeared along with the doors he turned back to Peter.

    "OK, just place your hand on the side of the glass and hold it till it beeps." Peter says as Devin stepped up and placed his hand on the glass. It began to glow starting at red, then orange before stopping with a beep. Stepping back Devin noticed that Peter had a small frown causing his heart to sink.

    "Uh, did I do bad?" Devin asked with concern while Peter stared at the globe.

    "I wouldn''t say bad. You are just barely below average. This does limit somethings." Peter says still studying the globe before turning around to look at the nervous teenager.

    "Here''s what we can do. We can give you a system for powers, three items, and a new world. The system will be made from something familiar so as to lessen the difficulty some. Video games since you are a gamer along with your friends. The items will be chosen so that they complement the system and the world that you will live in will be chosen at random but not from the same genre that your system is from. That''s what I can give you based on compensation alone." Peter said as Devin had even levels of happiness and fear. Happiness for how much compensation he was getting, but fear of just what he would get.

    "As for your karmic reward you get one choice to make in the reward selection. You can choose your system, or you can choose the world you''ll be sent to, or even choose one of the items to go with your system." Peter said causing the teenager to frown in turn.

    "Why only one?" Devin asked with his head tilted.

    "If you had been AT average then you would have gotten two choices, but you were just shy of the mark." Peter said with a stern look reminiscent of a father lecturing his son.

    "Is there any way for me to get that little bit now?" Devin asked with slight hope and more than a little desperation. Devin dreaded what could be the end result of the RNG process could be.

    ''Please don''t give me Dark Souls for my world!'' Devin repeated in his mind.

    "Hmmm" Peter intoned as he stroked his beard as Devin leaned in with anticipation.

    "Nope!" Peter said simply with a smile as the boy fell on his face.

    "Now, lets get this over with so we can get you home." Peter said while cracking his knuckles. Devin thought long and hard, considering the pros and cons carefully before looking at Peter.

    "I choose to select my world." Devin said. Peter revealed a grin as the globe disappeared and a button with a giant wheel similar to "The Price is Right" appear in its place.

    "Alright step up and see what you get. I can guarantee that all of the selections we have for the systems are based on the games that you have played in the past as promised for familiarity." Peter says giving Devin hope for the best. Walking up and tapping the button moderately. The wheel starts to speed up, becoming a blur before starting to slow. Each tick of the wheel causing the tension to go higher. Tick, tick, tick. Soon it stopped and the result made the teen''s jaws drop.

    "Legend of Dragoon! WTF!" Devin exclaimed. How had this happen? This was a play station original from before he was born. He had played it as a free download on the network and had enjoyed it, even completed it 100%,but this was ridiculous! Devin could just feel the pity he would have gotten from his friends if they had been here.

    "Alright, now the items will be generated when you reach your new world so let''s choose where you all will be going." Peter seemed to be in a hurry now. Devin had already chosen his world, as he had decided it back when he had made his choice for their selection.

    "I want the Marvel Universe." Devin said quickly as the worry of his system would not stop eating at him.

    "Great! Now If you are ready I''ll send you off." Peter said as he looked at a watch under his right sleeve. Stepping up and nodding his head, Devin firmed his determination as there was no use in complaining now. Plus, he was still getting powers which was better than nothing.

    "Good luck kid. See ya later!" Peter said before he raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

    The last thought that Devin had before disappearing was," Did he just give me ''The Snap''?"

 Chapter 2 - Tutorial

    Devin opened his eyes only to see black once again.

    "Oh come on!" Devin said with a complaining tone while slowly getting up. It was then that he noticed that this time around his body was missing. He could see a grey outline of his body but there was no details. It reminded him when he had seen ''Truth'' on Full Metal Alchemist.

    "What is going on?" Devin thought as he examined himself as well as the space he was in. Soon a *DING* rang out from behind him. Turning around he noticed that there was a message window floating in the air.

    [Welcome to the Dragoon System! Would you like to begin synchronization? Y/N/]

    With his face scrunched in confusion at the option to refuse he tapped the ''Yes'' option. to begin.

    [Syncing. Please wait one moment.]

    [10%]

    [23%]

    As a loading wheel spun with the percentage underneath, Devin began to speculate why he was given the option to refuse. Did it mean that he would come back to life without powers? Was it a glitch or error in the system?

    [53%]

    [72%]

    "Thing loads as fast as my old phone." Devin muttered as he watch the percentage increase.

    [82%]

    [99%]

    And that was where it stopped increasing. Devin waited and waited for that last percent but it seemed like it wasn''t gonna change.

    "You''ve got to be shi..." Devin began to shout before he was interrupted by another *DING*.

    [100%. Thank you for your patience. Would you like to start tutorial? Y/N?]

    "What is this system?" David thought as he pressed the ''Yes'' option again. Soon another screen popped up and surprised Devin at the contents.

    [Welcome host! This is the main menu for the Dragoon System interface. You currently have 4 tabs available to access. {Status} {Inventory} {Spirits} {Shop} {Party}.

    Status will show your current status as well as those in your party.

    Inventory is where you can store and manage any and all items that you will encounter on your travels.

    Spirits will be where you can check which Dragoon Spirits are currently unlocked and at what level they are. There are other features to this tab that will unlock once you have reached a certain point.

    Shop allows you to purchase items, equips, spells and even bloodlines from the different races.

    Party is split between {Allies} and {Lovers} and are self-explanatory.

    Do you have any questions host?]

    "Ok, pretty standard explanation. How am I going to be reborn into the Marvel world?" Devin said as he looked at the menu.

    [Host will design a body that will be dropped into the intended world.]

    "That explains the lack of body." Devin said while looking at the outline that indicated his hand.

    "Can we start on the body customization?" Devin said with slight excitement.

    [Beginning customization process.]

    Soon a window popped up with a copy of his appearance in the human body template. Devin liked his looks for the most part, but felt that a little tweaking here and there would be ok. Spice things up a bit. So he changed his plain brown hair to black while changing his eyes to blue-grey color that reminded him of blue steel. He left his skin alone as he didn''t want to be really pale or super tan. He did increase his height to 6''3" so that he wouldn''t have to be looked down on by all the people he might meet. Devin wanted to be handsome, but not to the point where it became obnoxious and a problem. So with a few other minor adjustments he decided that he was finished with the basics.

    The last thing on the body check list was the aesthetics. He added a roman numeral 13 to his right wrist on the inside for Damien and a pair of circling wolves on his left arm chasing a sun and moon for Darrel. He added a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt. Next was a pair of black boots and a leather jacket to round things out.

    "There. All done. Now what?" Devin asked the system.

    [Congratulations! World start process being initiallized. Host will now be dropped into designated world to begin new life.]

    At hearing this Devin slowly became unconscious as his sight began to fade.

    The first thing that Devin noticed was the whistling of air around him as he groggily opened his eyes.

    "Getting tired of this happening." He stated as he finally opened his eyes fully. At first he wasn''t sure what it was that he was looking at. Tons of green interrupted by small patches of blue, grey and brown. It was then his brain kicked in and realized he was looking at an aerial view of a forest. It was beautiful. Until he realized that he was headed straight for it in a free fall surrounded by a burning aura with only seconds left till impact.

    "Oh you motherfu..." Devin shouted as he soon struck the earthen forest, ploughing a deep trench through the soft earth before finally stopping at the base of a large pine tree upon impact with the large tree. Devin slowly stood up and dusted himself off while alternating between spitting out debris and cursing at everyone involved, mainly Peter and his system.

    "System! What just happened? Are you guys TRYING to kill me? AGAIN!" Devin said while he looked around at the coniferous forest around him.

    [Host,you were told you would be dropped into this world multiple times during the previous explanation.]

    "I didn''t think you were talking literally! So where are we currently?" Devin said as he checked himself and found all the changes he made were in place so far since he couldn''t check his reflection yet.

    [Relax Host, you were given an aura shield that helped to take all the impact from the landing. As for where you are, you are currently in a coniferous forest situated in New York.]

    "Ok, can you pull up my status menu." Devin said. He wanted to check it before he started anything just in case. *DING*

    Name: Devin Price

    Age: 21

    Lvl: 1

    Health: 120/120

    PA: 50

    MA: 0

    PD: 50

    MD: 0

    SP: 0/0

    MP: 0/0

    EXP: 0/100

    "System what do these stats represent?" Devin asked as he stared at the status screen in confusion.

    [The first two are your attack stats. The first is physical attack and the second is magical attack. The third and fourth are your defense and similar to your attack they are physical and magical defense respectively. The last two are Spirit Power and Magic Power. Spirit Power is needed to activate the Dragoon Spirit once you have unlocked one. Magic Power is the energy you will need in order to use spells in your dragoon form. Again prerequisites are needed before you can utilize this.]

    "Sweet! Magic! Also system can you call me something other than host?" Devin asked with slight annoyance after his initial enthusiasm.

    "Customization is possible for System AI. Would you like to customize your system AI? Y/N?]

    Pressing yes caused a list to open. Clicking on the box labeled ''Name'' Devin entered ''Alice'' for a name. Gender was check marked with ''Female'' and what surprised/horrified him the most was the ''Title'' menu.

    "What are these options?!" Devin shouted as he gazed in shock and horror.

    ''Titles''

    1. Host

    2. Master

    3. My Lord

    "Forget it! I''ll figure it out later. Now to find civilization and maybe when I am in the timeline." Devin declared as he picked a direction and started walking.

 Chapter 3 - Ready Additional Players?

    |S.H.I.E.L.D. Hovercarrier|

    "You wanted to see me Director Fury" a red-headed woman in a black body-suit said as she stepped through a silver door to see a bald man with an eye patch and black trench coat sitting behind a desk. He didn''t react right away but continued to type away at a glowing keyboard built into the desk.

    "Agent Romanov, I have a mission for you that you''ll need to leave for immediately." Nick Fury stated as he looked up with his single eye.

    "You and Barton will be taking a quinjet to the designated drop point where you will meet up with a local contact to start the investigation. The briefing and necessary files have been uploaded to you. You''ll have 8 hours to prep and board the jet." Fury said as he turned to look out the windows at the blue sky and clouds passing by.

    "Yes sir, do you need me to notify Clint?" Natasha asked as she took a step back towards the door.

    "No, I''ll notify him in a few minutes. Dismissed." Fury stated before turning back to the monitor in front of him.

    "Yes sir." Natasha said as she opened the door and stepped out. A dozen steps down the walkway she sees her partner walking towards her in his usual black vest and combat pants. Upon seeing her his expression perked up.

    "Hey Nat! You get called as well?" Clint said in greeting before stopping before the red-head. The two had known each other since Natasha had joined S.H.I.E.L.D. with Barton being the one to recruit her from her previous employers after she had burned those bridges.

    "Yeah, Director Fury is waiting for you." Natasha said with a smile.

    "Great! Hopefully this won''t be like the Cambodia Incident." Clint said with a mixture of humor and self-deprecation from the memory from the past.

    "Yeah, let''s hope." Natasha said as the two moved past each other, but as Natasha moved down the walkway she got a feeling that this mission was only the beginning of something bigger.

    |Xavier''s School for Gifted Youngsters; Salem Center, New York|

    A large office covered in wood paneling and shelving surrounded a large oak desk and a group of individuals who were waiting for the last two individuals to arrive. Shortly the door to the office opened and in rolled a bald man in a motorized wheelchair wearing a grey suit with a white dress shirt and burgundy tie. Behind him is an African-American woman with white hair wearing an off the shoulder blouse and skinny jeans. As both move into the room the others move out of their way as the man in the wheelchair moved around the desk to where a chair would normally be.

    "Thank you everyone for coming." said the bald man as he looked around the gathered people.

    "Chuck, what''s going on that you called the whole group?" a man in the corner with wild hair and sideburns asked while he stood with his arms folded.

    " I have found two new mutants that I am going to send you all to meet and hopefully convince them to comeback to the school Logan." said Xavier as he looked first at Wolverine then the rest of his team.

    "The first is a young woman named Jubilation Lee. She lives in Beverly Hills, California and her powers have manifested just recently. Her parents are aware of her powers and have hidden her away out of fear for what they might mean. Scott, Emma, Ororo and myself will go speak with him. Logan you will take Beast, Piotr, and Kurt to look for a young man known as Robert ''Bobby'' Drake. He is living in Long Island here in New York. His powers have manifested but not even Bobby himself has realized it. Beast will take lead." Xavier explained while looking at the faculty surrounding him.

    "Everyone prepare as fast as possible as we don''t know if Magneto will also be looking to recruit these young mutants as well." Xavier says as the others excuse themselves to prepare. Soon only two others besides the Professor are left in the room.

    "Professor, why are you sending so many for just two new mutants?" Emma Frost asks as she stands in front of the desk with a hip c.o.c.ked and arms folded, her expression showing a combination of contemplation and mild confusion. Wearing a white, cropped corset top connected to an also white cape, followed by a pair of white leather pants and heeled boots.

    "Emma, there was a third hit from Cerebro and this one is troubling." Xavier said with his fingers steepled in a point.

    "Is it a powerful mutant Charles?" the woman, Ororo ''Storm'' Munroe, asked from the side of the desk where she had moved after everyone was dismissed.

    "No Storm. This is something else. Cerebro couldn''t pinpoint the source, but it is powerful. I don''t know its intentions, but the feeling of it has me not only unsettled, it has me worried severely." Xavier said, causing both women to look at each other with matching worried frowns on their faces.

    |Baxter Building; Manhattan, New York|

    It was just another day in the thirty-five-story building, whether this could be considered normal is based wholly on the occupants. On one of the floors Steven Richards, along with his roommate and best friend Ben Grimm, are having lunch. Ben was contemplating visiting his girlfriend Alicia Masters while munching on a sandwich and Reed was going over his notes on an ongoing project. Soon a door whooshed open showing a hurried Sue Storm. Looking over the room and spotting the men at the table caused her to run over.

    "Reed, we''ve got a problem!" Sue said as she approached the duo, causing them to stop eating and give her their full attention.

    "What is it Sue?" Reed said as both men stood up.

    "One of the sensors picked up a high energy reading in a stretch of vacant forest here in New York." Sue said causing both men to become concerned but also confused as high energy readings can mean many things.

    "Show me." Reed said as all three moved towards the door and the elevator that would take them to the lab. Soon all three arrived at the lab to see Johnny Storm staring at a monitor.

    "Sis, what''s going on?" Johnny asked as he turns around and seeing his sister and the others.

    "We''re about to find out Johnny." Reed and Sue both state as they all step up to the monitor. Tapping on the keyboard while looking at the monitor, Reed proceeds to go through the data. Soon he releases a breath.

    "I have good news and bad news." Reed states still looking at the monitor.

    "Well, don''t leave us hangin'' stretch." Ben said with minor frustration.

    "The good news is that the energy doesn''t match anything we have come into contact with so far. So, we can rule out any of the other sources like Doom." Reed said allowing the other three to breath out a sigh of slight relief before Sue asks a question that raises the tension again.

    "What''s the bad news Reed?" Sue asked while Ben and Johnny looked at each other with scowls that read ''Why did you have to ask?''.

    "The bad news is that the energy is one that I have never seen and I have no idea what the source could be. It also disappeared roughly two minutes ago. Last known location was in a remote stretch of forest and the levels at their peak were equivalent to a large reactor." Reed said causing the others to tense up at the thought of a that much energy just walking around loose.

    "What do we do now stretch?" Ben said as he felt this could be something big.

    "For now, I''m gonna monitor the situation and keep an eye out for further readings." Reed said as he began to type away at the computer.

    "In that case, Me and Johnny are gonna go down and check the last known location to see if we can find anything." Sue said as she turned toward the door causing Johnny to dash over to her side calling dips on driving. Ben being a little lost at the moment decided to do as he was originally planning and turned to the door as well, stomping away as he thought ''Alicia and me are gonna need a movie marathon and a truck sized popcorn for this to relax away''.

 Chapter 4 - A Pair of Wild Siblings Appeared!

    Devin had been walking for roughly 2 hours and he still couldn''t find his way out of the forest. No change in scenery, nothing.

    ''Tree''

    ''Tree''

    ''Oh, look! A fern!''

    ''Wait, that''s just a small tree. Damn! Wish I had a map.''

    "Wait, Alice do you have a map function?" Devin asked as he stopped in his tracks.

    [Host, I do not have a map function]

    "How am I supposed to get out of here?!" Devin shouted as he began walking again. Soon a clearing can be sighted through the trees. Getting excited that maybe he could finally get out of here, Devin began to run towards the space with excitement pumping through him. Breaking through into the clearing that excitement turned to dread as he realized that it was the same one he had crash landed in.

    "Is this what my new life is going to be?! One big joke?!" Devin screamed at the sky. Huffing after releasing his rage, Devin took a second to calm himself. With one last sigh, he removed his jacket and set it on a broken tree before having a seat himself.

    "Screw this! Alice, open the menu. If i''m going to be stuck here I''m going to figure out this and get started on my powers." Devin said looking at the newly opened menu. Soon Devin realized that there was a new tab in his index labeled "Notifications" sitting at the end of the menu bar.

    "Alice, What''s with the new tab?" Devin asked with a puzzled look, wondering when this tab had been added.

    [Host, this tab was added soon after you started walking. The option for notification of new notifications hasn''t been turned on so you weren''t notified.]

    "Wonderful! Open it would you?" Devin said as he rolled his eyes. Looking over the opened tab, it reminded Devin of an email menu. It consisted of a single unopened option labeled "Good Luck!" so he tapped on it with his finger. It expanded to show a message and what looked like a button with a red present on it at the bottom. The message read as such.

    Dear Devin,

    As promised we have gone through and selected the 3 suited items that we promised to compliment the powers you were given.

    1. A private dimension that only you can access for the purpose of storage that hosts 8 planets that you can have your future vassal dragons live and rule over.

    2. You can purchase 1 spirit from the shop for free to jump start your rise to power.

    3. You will be given an identity here in this world that comes with all the items that are necessary such as I.D. with history, a starting amount of money, and a property with a fully customizable house.

    Warning: You will have to select the property yourself at a later time.

    Now I know that the last gift wasn''t exactly a gift pertained to your powers but necessary for your new life. Use it well. I look forward to seeing how you handle this new chance.

    Good Luck!

    Peter

    At this Devin was excited about the first two gifts, but had mixed reactions on the last one. Finally he settled on being grateful as having to start over without a past would be hard for him, especially having just arrived to this world.

    Clicking on the gift box opened a new window that showed the three options that were listed in the message before. Next to each option was a button that said "Collect" on it and 2 out of the 3 were lighted up. The only one that wasn''t was the one for the identity and house. Peter did say that he wouldn''t be able to collect that until he found a spot later on. As Devin wanted to click on the buttons to collect his gifts Alice decided to interrupt his thoughts.

    [Host, there is another update that has come through. Would you like to accept the update? Y/N?]

    "Yes, but before that please turn on the notification option to notify me of all messages and updates." Devin said as he looked at his surroundings.

    [Done. Now updating.]

    While Alice was updating Devin was trying to figure out if he should select his first spirit or if he should keep exploring the system. The spirit is his and there is no time limit so he could receive it at any time. He was gonna keep looking.

    *DING* [Update finished. How would Host like to proceed?] Alice asked.

    "Anything new that I should know about Alice?" Devin asked as he stood to stretch his legs.

    [Yes, a new tab has been added to your menu.] Alice answered in response.

    "Open the menu again please." Devin asked with a new excitement. Opening the menu Devin could see a new tab labeled "Missions" in between the notifications and party tab. Opening it Devin found one new mission in the menu. {Find a way out of the forest} and the rewards are 150 Exp, 1 weapon of choice and a skill manual for said weapon. This answers how Devin was gonna learn how to use weapons as he had guessed he could by the weapons from the shop.

    "Alice open the shop menu please." Devin said to his system causing another window to pop open, showing weapons, armor, and various other items from the game as he could remember.

    "Alice limit the shop to weapon manuals only" Devin ordered. Soon all of the items disappear except the books and over a dozen books for weapons ranging from broad swords to daggers are in the shop. There were weapon manuals for weapons that weren''t even in the game which confused Devin.

    "Alice why are there weapons and manuals for them in the shop that weren''t in the game?" Devin asked as he scrolled through, even seeing a manual for a scythe.

    [Host the game was a product of humanity and the system expands the concept that was created from the game and extends it for the greatest maximum benefit for host. As such there are more weapons and skills as well as items and even more.]

    Taking everything in that was said ratcheted up Devins excitement even more. More weapons, more items, and more options. Then something from the message before clicked that caused him to open the filter option manually to type in ''Vassal''. The results dropped his jaw. There were 8 Vassal Dragons labeled ''????'', but this excited him regardless. In the game there were only 3 Vassal Dragons that were shown and all were bosses that had to be battled and defeated with one that was hinted at but was never shown beyond a corpse that was shown at one point. So this meant that he could tame these Vassal Dragons for his own use.

    "Alice can you tell me how I can unlock the Vassal Dragons?!" Devin asked at the boiling point of his excitement.

    [Yes Host. There are 3 requirements in order to tame a Vassal Dragon. The first is you must have the corresponding spirit unlocked. Second, you must level that spirit up to level 5. Lastly you must have encountered that Vassal Dragon out in the world and defeat it. Only then will you be able to tame it.]

    A frown briefly flashed across Devins face for a second before his grin returned. Yes, there were requirements, but it was a goal to work towards and the thought of commanding 8 dragons while flying across the battlefield with armor on and weapon in hand sent chills down his spine. Now he had a goal and now to start he had to find a way out of this forest and complete the mission.

    Grabbing his jacket, Devin looked around with a new level of enthusiasm at getting started. It was then he heard some kind of jet or plane flying close by. Scratch that, it''s over head and is slowly coming down in the clearing. As it lands Devin begins to wonder not only who this is, but how was he going to explain why he was in the clearing with what looks like a plane crash without the plane.

    How was he going to get out of this?

    Easy. Lie.

    |Sue Storm P.O.V.|

    As I landed the fantasticar as Reed liked to call it. I could see the trench that had been carved through the soil ending at a particularly large pine tree. Then movement catches my eye and I see a man with black hair looking up at us with a leather jacket in his hand. Soon the jet was on the ground and I released the latch that sealed the c.o.c.kpit. Both Johnny and I jump out. Before I can even say anything, Johnny has already shot his mouth off.

    "Hey Buddy, who the heck are you?" Johnny shouted at the mystery man. He may have said it rather rudely but it''s what I was wondering as well.

    "You know, where I come from a person introduces themselves before demanding someone else''s." the mystery man says with a heavy dose of sarcasm while raising his right eyebrow.

    "I''m sorry about my brother. We think he might have been raised in the family barn at some point." I say as I glare at my brother who just looks back at me like I said he smelled.

    "It''s fine. My name is Devin Price. Now, may I have your names and how can I help you?" Mr. Price said to me with a smile.

    "My name is Susan Storm and this knucklehead is my brother Johnny Storm. We are here looking into a disturbance that occurred roughly 3 hours ago in this clearing. Now can you tell me why you are here when we show up?" I ask as I look at him with a feeling of suspicion creeping through me.

    "I was walking through the woods and I heard a large boom and decided to see what happened and I found this. It looks like an airplane crash, but I can''t find any parts or an aircraft anywhere." Mr. Price said with a long look at the trench. That suspicion still hadn''t left me, but his excuse seemed plausible.

    "Ok, we''re gonna take a few readings and look around for a bit if you want to head out. We''ll take it from here." I say as Johnny sighs and starts moving towards the jet to get the equipment out. As I turn to assist him Devin speaks once more.

    "Actually, I don''t know how I got here so I''m actually a little lost. You two wouldn''t happen to be able to give me a lift, would you?" Mr. Price asked as I looked at him in surprise.

    "Yeah, but you will have to wait till we are done." I say to him only to see his smile turn into a grin that caused my suspicions to rise even more.

    "Thanks, you''re a lifesaver."

    As me and Johnny begin our work Mr. Price just sits on a fallen tree and watches. We spend an hour going over the scans and readings but we find nothing and just as he said there wasn''t any debris or anything to give a clue to what happened. We packed up and Johnny helped Devin climb into an empty c.o.c.kpit while joking about something. Funny that they started off on the wrong foot, but are now fast friends. As we lifted off only one thought kept repeating in my mind.

    ''Who are you Mr. Price?''

 Chapter 5 - Wanting Something Does Not Give You the Right to Have It

    Have you ever had a moment where the only thing that was happening was an uncomfortable silence among 3 individuals?

    That was my reality at the current moment as the Storm siblings gave me a lift out of the forest. I knew that if I said anything that it would mean opening a pandora''s box of questions from Sue and Johnny was mercifully taking a nap. I knew that it wouldn''t last long as Sue could be as bad as Reed when she wanted to know something, but staying silent could only last so long and if summoned by Lord Murphy a crack appeared in the silence.

    "Mr. Price, I don''t know why you were in those woods but I suggest that you try not to meddle with what ever produced that crater we saw." Sue said as she stared ahead with a blank face. Devin knew that she doubted his story, but for her to actually warn him against meddling was slightly surprising. He decided that even with his perfectly viable story there would be some doubt, but not nearly enough to warrant a warning and suspicion. Best to stick to the story for now.

    "I''m sorry Ms. Storm, but I have no idea what you are talking about. I''m was there by coincidence and curiosity, nothing more. All I wanted was a nice walk through the woods." Devin said with what he hoped was an innocent look and a smile. A quick glance out of the corner of her eye signaled that what he said wasn''t being believed.

    "I''m sorry Mr. Price, but I don''t believe it one bit. We get a massive unknown energy reading and when we go to check it out you are already there claiming to just so happen to be there while passing by on a hike through the woods while wearing clothes ill-suited to that very activity. Yes, very believable." She said with quite a bit of skepticism and a large dose of sarcasm lacing her voice.

    "Believe what you want Ms. Storm, but that''s all I have to say. You have no proof nor an alternate explanation, yet you are dead set on painting me as some nefarious person with a hidden agenda. All that is left is for you to get me back to the city and I''ll be on my way." Devin said with a small bit of frustration beginning to creep into his voice. After that the silence returned once again to oppress the atmosphere once again. Only being broken once more as Johnny woke up with a particularly loud snort and asking if he missed something when they were just a few minutes away from the city.

    Devin watched as Sue landed the aircraft on a landing pad that was situated on the roof of the Baxter building. As all three hopped out of their c.o.c.kpits they crossed to an elevator. Descending down the building they arrived at the ground floor upon which Devin and the siblings exited and began to walk towards the doors to the street.

    "Well it''s been fun, but I have somethings to take care of and not a lot of time left to get them done. So I shall bid you both goodbye and head out. Thanks for the lift and good luck with the UFO or whatever it was." Devin said as he shook Johnny''s hand.

    "Good luck man! Don''t worry we''ll take care of what ever that was. Sooner or later." Johnny said with a smile before giving a small wave and turning on his heel to go back upstairs. Devin decided to git while the gittin was good. He didn''t make more than a half dozen steps before Sue''s voice stopped him.

    "Good luck Mr. Price and remember our little conversation. Hmm?" Sue said as she had her arms akimbo and her hip c.o.c.ked with what had to be the hundredth critical look of the day. This prompted Devin to turn around and throw a little bit of caution to the wind along with the flames of his temper being stoked with frustration.

    "Don''t worry Ms. Storm. I''m sure whatever came out of that crater doesn''t have any grandois plans to take over the world or mass genocide, but if it helps you sleep better I''ll make sure to stick to my own business and leave the crater alone." Devin said with a knowing look before turning and walking out. Devin made it a point to disappear among the crowd as he wanted to get away from any prying eyes. As he continued to walk Devin heard the notification sound go off, but ignored it in favor of finding a secure spot to stop. He walked for several blocks before happening upon a large park with small cl.u.s.ters of people doting it here and there.

    ''What is it with me and nature so far?'' Devin thought as he found a small wooden bench to rest on. It was at this time that he decided to check his rewards and stats now that he had completed the mission that had been given as well as what next. It was also a chance to try something he had thought of in the elevator on the way down the Baxter building.

    ''Alice open menu please'' Devin thought and soon a screen popped into his vision.

    1. Stats

    2. Inventory

    3. Spirits

    4. Shop

    5. Party

    6. Missions (1)

    7. Notifications (0)

    ''Open {Mission} tab please'' Devin ordered next with anticipation.

    {Find a way out of the forest} (Cleared)

    Rewards: 150 Exp, 1 weapon of choice w/ accompanying skill manual

    [Accept? Y/N?]

    Clicking yes not only caused a a chime noise to go off, but Devin could feel his strength rise and notification that he had leveled up with the next one requiring 200 Exp though he already had an extra 50 left over. Devin had decided to go with the basics of the game when selecting his weapon and manual. So he purchased the Basic Broad Sword and technique. Soon info rushed into his mind causing a small level of discomfort that soon passed. Next he opened the notifications and hit collect on his first two gifts which opened two new windows. The first had the list of the available Dragoon Spirits that he could select and the second was a small window notifying him that a new tab was added called {Warp}. It was he was looking at the first window that he noticed something missing.

    ''Alice, where is the Divine Dragoon Spirit? it isn''t listed.'' Devin said as he scrolled back and forth while looking for said spirit.

    [Host, there are requirements that need to be met before it can be unlocked.]

    ''Ah, I see. In that case I choose the Red-Eyed Dragoon Spirit. It lacks support abilities but makes up for it with pure offensive capabilities. Plus fire is always useful in most situations.'' Devin reasoned as he clicked on his selection. What he wasn''t expecting was for a searing pain to shoot through his chest, dropping him to his hands and knees from the bench. After a few minutes of agony the pain abated and Devin sat back on the bench.

    "What the hell was that!" Devin exclaimed as he held his chest, breathing raggedly.

    [Host, the spirit has been embedded into your chest to prevent loss or theft.]

    "A little warning would have been nice!" Devin yelled before realizing he was speaking aloud again. Pulling down the neck of his shirt showed a red gem-like orb embedded in the left side of his chest with a black, slit pupil just above his heart.

    ''Great. Alice can I retract this or can I hide it somehow?'' Devin asked in case of loosing his shirt. Nothing says abnormal like a half-dollar sized orb stuck in your chest.

    [Host, just will it to retract and it will. Then will it out and it will return.]

    After experimenting a couple times he released his shirt to finish his last few objectives before he sorted out the house/identity situation. Checking his stats showed that they had risen with his leveling and his magic stats were unlocked now that he had a spirit in his possession. Now there was only one question and one task left.

    ''Alice how do I know if the spirit has been filled with enough spirit energy to activate?'' Devin asked as he stood up and began walking towards the entrance to the park.

    [Host, there are three ways to tell. The first is through the {Spirit} tab. The second is that an alert can be turned on that will notify and remind you and lastly as the spirit fills a glow will begin to emanate from the spirit itself.]

    ''Right. Also, Alice designate host as Master or Sir. The Host thing is getting annoying.'' Devin said as he hit the street and began looking for a place to put his new home in this world.

    [Adding...Added, designation changed]

    **********************************************************************************************************

    Fifteen minutes later found Devin strolling through an area that is currently being developed as a residential area but so far they hadn''t even broke ground yet except for the planting of a sign that said ''Pleasant Acres: Coming Soon!''. Devin being the wonderful person that he is decided that this was a possibly a good place to settle down. Take some work off the developer''s hands and all.

    "Alice, before I accept the house just how much space will it take and can it be adjusted?" Devin asked while pulling up the tab once more.

    [The house will take up an adjustable amount of room that includes the full property such as yard and such. In addition since the house is fully customizable that means the yard is as well Sir.]

    "Great! Let''s get started!" Devin exclaimed as he hit collect again. Soon a map of the area popped up in a window causing a frown on Devin''s face.

    "Alice, didn''t you say you don''t have a map function?" Devin asked with an neutral tone.

    [Affirmative]

    "Then why is there one in front of me?" Devin asked now with a cold tone taking the place of the neutral one.

    [...]

    With a sigh Devin began his work on his house as he felt a vein pulse in his temple. He increased the property size to include a few dozen acres of land. He cleared a space for his house and both a front and backyard as well as a large and very deep pond in the backyard that was encased in thick trees on three sides, the front being left open. He placed a double storied bas.e.m.e.nt in the ground first, filling the bottom level with room for his armory and vault which will store armor/weapons and other dangerous artifacts respectively. The second layer with a medical area, war room, and a store room for supplies would be where he planned all future missions. Then he topped that with the first story of his house which contained the living room, kitchen, and library. With the second story he added six bedrooms including his master bedroom with a massive bathroom. He anticipated guests since he might meet other heroes eventually. Finally, he added a massive garage for the collection he would hopefully build in the future. With the last touches like a long drive way leading to the garage and a beefed up security system Devin had finally gotten his new home.

    He spent the last few hours of the day adding the furniture and electronics to the bedrooms and living room, plus all the equipment to the lower levels, including appliances and food in the kitchen and books in the library. The vault, armory, and storeroom all stood empty as he had nothing to place in them just yet, but he did add any and all medical equipment necessary for the "Med Lab" as he liked to call it. By the time he finished off the details of the interior he was exhausted. He locked down the house and trudged into his room before ditching his clothes on the floor and crashed on the bed. His last thought before sleep claimed him was that he would need to check his doc.u.ments in the morning as well as figure out a means of making money. Not even a minute later soft snores can be heard from Devin''s collapsed figure.

 Chapter 6 - Life is all about resolve. Outcome is secondary.

    A blinding light shone through the window onto Devin''s face. Scrunching his face in annoyance Devin wondered if his mom had opened the blinds in his room again as he slept. Lifting his head up and cracking open his eyes, Devin observed his surroundings. The room was vaguely familiar till the memories of his death and yesterday flooded in reminding him that his parents and friends were gone. A small pang of sadness and some loneliness throbbed in his chest before he squashed it in favor of the thought that his friends were off on adventures and his parents wouldn''t want him to slip into such depressive thoughts.

    Hopping out of bed and throwing on his clothes from yesterday, Devin decided that he would continue to move forward for both his family and friend''s sake as well as his own. First things first though he needed to sort out his income problem as food doesn''t appear from thin air and money doesn''t grow on trees.

    A small package on the dresser caught his eye to which he walked over and picked it up. Taking the top off he found all the doc.u.mentation that he was promised for his new life. His new ID with his name and photo. A small marble was rolling around in the bottom of the box. Picking it up, Devin observed the swirling black and white pattern before turning to his system for answers.

    "Alice, what is this thing for?" Devin asked as he held it up to the light.

    [Master, this contains all of the necessary memories and knowledge about your background. Just crush it.]

    Following the direction given, Devin clenches his hand pulverizing the orb into dust. Soon the dust rose up into the air and streamed up Devin''s nose freaking him out before the memories and knowledge start streaming through his mind. He came from a small middle-class family and had gone through college for technologies and biology. During his second year of college his parents died in a car accident. Now he travels the world as a private defense contractor for various organizations, advising them on various matters. This could be a blessing in disguise. This way he can practice his abilities and gain spirit points to fill his spirits and level them up.

    Devin was gonna stow his new doc.u.ments, but a thud noise got his attention once more. Looking into the box again he found a new, black leather wallet along with a new phone. Pulling both out and setting the box back down Devin stared at it for a full minute to see if something else appears. Nothing happened to so Devin assumed it was done. He placed his new phone in his pocket and his new wallet in the other before starting toward the door before another thud was heard.

    "Why do they do this? They''re watching this laughing." Devin said as he moved to the box and find two stacks of cash this time. Picking up the money and weighing it in his hands Devin saw the box disappear. Placing the cash in his inner jacket pocket Devin left the room to get his day started right.

    Entering the kitchen and pouring a bowl of cereal for himself, Devin began to ponder what to do first until his eyes landed on his shirt sleeve and a drop of milk that had dripped off his spoon and soaked into the material. That had decided what would happen next, clothes shopping. One of the few things that could not be stored when he was stocking his house. The food had appeared when he had finished the kitchen and toilet paper had appeared in the bathroom. Everything else wasn''t present.

    An hour of travel later and he was standing in a massive, two story shopping mall that was filled with numerous people. Store after store he walked by. He''d visit a shop and continue on and when he had visited a half-dozen shops, he decided to stop on a table in the central food court. Three or four bags in each hand filled with clothes and other items for the house. What he hadn''t thought of was how he was gonna get all this back to his house. After a minute he decided that he needed a car or truck, but that wouldn''t solve his problem immediately so something else would have to be considered. It was then he remembered that he had an inventory. Could outside items be stored? Time to find out.

    ''Alice, can outside items be stored in my inventory?'' Devin asked as he watched the people meander through their lives.

    [Master, some items can be stored while others cannot. If the items are bigger than a certain size then they can''t be stored. Also, you have a limit of 99 for each item. More than that, the excess will be left out.]

    ''Got it.'' Devin said as he stood up and collected his bags. Finding a place that was isolated would make sure that no one questioned why a half-dozen bags disappeared into thin air. He found a small area designated for smokers that was empty and quickly stored his purchases before stepping out once again. He had one last shop to hit and then it was off to the auto-dealers to purchase a vehicle.

    Stepping into the shop flooded Devin''s nose with dozens upon dozens of smells and scents. The bathroom had been stocked with toilet paper, but soap and shampoo weren''t so he was gonna grab something and leave. He found hand and body soap, before turning to grab the shampoo. Unfortunately, he bumped into someone and causing them dropped their basket which he had caught at the last second to keep it from smashing into the ground.

    "Sorry about that I didn''t see you there." Devin said as he faced the person who he had bumped.

    "It''s fine, I''m also at fault since I wasn''t looking as well" said a beautiful brunette in a grey and lavender suit and skirt combo. Her hair pulled up into a neat bun and black rimmed glasses perched on a pert nose above full lips coated in cherry red lipstick.

    "Here ya go." Devin said as he handed the basket back to her.

    "Thank you. My name is Jennifer Walters." the now named Jennifer said holding out her hand.

    "Nice to meet you Jennifer, my name is Devin Price." Devin offered while taking her hand to shake. As he shakes her hand, he notices that her grip was unreal. Putting two and two together Devin realized just who he was talking to and also who she is related to.

    "Nice grip you have there." Devin commented as they released each other''s hands. A small blush and a bit of embarrassment appeared on her face.

    "Yeah runs in the family." She said placing the hand on top of the one holding the basket.

    "Cool. So, Mrs. Walters, are you on your lunch or on your way home?" Devin asked as he glanced at her grey suit before looking around the shop for where a good shampoo would be.

    "Ah, I actually got off early because my case got dismissed. I''m a defense attorney." Jennifer said as she walked along side Devin as they finish their shopping.

    "What about you?" Jennifer asked as they neared the register.

    "I am a private defense contractor and just moved into a new house near here." Devin offered as he pulled a few bills out of his inside jacket pocket.

    "Wow, I''ve heard of your profession, but never met anyone who has it." Jennifer said.

    "Yeah, pays the bills." Devin said as he tried to play it off as nothing big. They continued to walk and talk as they moved through the mall. They stopped here and there as Jen, as she said to call her, had a few stores to stop by. Soon it was time to part ways as Jen had to head home and look at her other cases and Devin still had to find a car.

    "Well Jen, it has been a pleasure to get to know you. Maybe we can meet again in the future." Devin said as they approached the entrance to the mall.

    "Yes, it has. Here''s my card, it has my number on it. Maybe we can get some lunch sometime." Jen said while removing a card from the pocket on her left b.r.e.a.s.t while offering a gorgeous smile.

    "Yes, though I hope it''s not for business and more for pleasure." Devin said as he gave her what he hoped was a charming and possibly saucy grin. It must have been right if the blush that appeared on her face was anything to go by. As they split ways Devin found himself smiling at how good this life was going so far and the few characters he had met so far. There might also be something more in the future as well, maybe.

    Thirty minutes later had Devin signing a series of papers on a brand new, four-door truck and another thirty minutes later saw him getting in and driving home. As he pulled into his drive way, he noticed a new message on his phone labeled ''Unknown''.

    "Mr. Price, my name is Wilhelm Strom. I am a representative of the Sokovia government. We would like to hire you for a consultation on a base that we have recently reclaimed and repurposed. We are willing to pay well just for the consultation as well as additional payments should you agree to a long-term contract. Please contact me at this number and ask for me personally. Have a good day." A male voice said through the speakers of his phone. Well this came sooner than imagined. Devin wasn''t too sure where he was in the time line, but with the knowledge of The Fantastic Four existing and who knows what else there is it might be a good idea to see which incarnation of Sokovia this was. Plus, it might be a chance to grind some Spirit points.

    *Bing*

    [New Mission: Investigate Sokovia]

    [Rewards: 200 Exp, 1x Weapon w/ manual, 500 Shop Credits]

    Well, that decides that. Looks like I''m going on an adventure.

    Seeing as it was late in the day and the time zone difference would mean it was the middle of the night there so Devin would have to call tomorrow to set up the appointment. For now, dinner would be the next objective for the day. A simple dinner and a quick shower helped to clear away the clutter of thoughts from the day. As Devin climbed into bed his last thought before unconsciousness claimed him was ''Tomorrow was going to be interesting in so many ways''.

 Chapter 8 - Any Leader Worth His Salt Always Has A Backup Plan

    Days had passed and the work was nothing if not consistent. Devin had scouted the old concrete building and found that the structure was sound and safe though he couldn''t say the same for the old wiring and the other fixtures. He told Strom that they would need to rewire everything and replace the pipes for the plumbing. He even had teams reworking some of the surrounding area to make it easier for surveillance. As he made these plans for them as well as giving orders for more, Devin was doing some scouting and research of his own. He couldn''t find anything suspicious as of yet, but from the knowledge Devin had he knew that it was more a matter of time rather than a possibility. Devin didn''t notice anything out of ordinary till a full week had passed.

    It was another day of work. Checking on the progression of the workers and the various projects. Devin was looking over a blueprint that he had made for one of the rooms when several trucks came rumbling up the road. This absorbed Devin''s attention as confusion filled him as there wasn''t any materials due for a couple more days. Walking over to the trucks to inspect what was going on. Devin was given a clip board with lists on it. Computers and consoles for lab equipment made up the majority of the equipment contained within, but there were a few items that raised his eyebrows due to what they corresponded with in his memories and knowledge. There were equipment for genetic testing as well as chambers that could be used for who knows what. That was as far as Devin got before the clipboard was removed from his hand by Mr. Strom with a frown on his face.

    "Sorry Mr. Price, but these aren''t apart of your tenure with us." Strom said as he signed several sheets on the clipboard before placing it back in the driver''s hand.

    "Actually Strom if you plan on powering those things then I need to know if what we have wired and installed so far is sufficient for the job." Devin said as he folded his arms in front of his chest.

    "Don''t worry Mr. Price. We just need you to help with the basics and the security, the rest will be done by the staff later." Strom said as he turned on his heel and walked away. Devin knew that he wouldn''t be privy to all the secrets, but the glimps he got at that list of equipment set off some major warning signals in his head even though he had barely any basis to base his suspicions on.

    Once the day was done and Devin retired to his room he spent time looking up the items on that list and didn''t get very much. Frustration began to set in when his phone rang on the night stand causing Devin to check the caller ID. Seeing that it was from New York caused his frustration to transform into confusion, an emotion he had become slightly familiar with in recent times.

    "Hello?" Devin said as he answered the call.

    "Hello Mr. Price, this is Susan Storm." said a familiar female voice through the receiver.

    "Ah! Ms. Storm how are you? How goes your investigation?" Devin said with mild surprise lacing his voice. He hadn''t expected to her from her or any of the other Fantastic Four for at least a little while longer. It is possible that he wasn''t able to completely erase her suspicions and knowing her character she probably talked to Reed as well. It would explain how she was able to find his number out.

    "I am good Mr. Price, thank you for asking. The investigation is the reason I am calling because we have some other questions to ask you about what you saw. We would also like to check you out physically as we are unsure if there might be any side effects to being exposed to the energy that we found at the site." Sue said alarming Devin. Devin could out right refuse, but that would make him look suspicious and they would continue to probe into his actions. He didn''t want to reveal his abilities just yet if he could help it.

    "I''m sorry to say, but I am currently not in the US at this time and I wont be back for at least a few more weeks possibly." Devin said as his thoughts raced at how he could possibly circ.u.mvent the discovery of his powers.

    ''Alice would anyone be able to detect the spirits while they are hidden inside my torso?'' Devin asked his system.

    [Negative master. The only way that the spirits can be detected would be either through activation or if the spirits were filled with spirit energy and exposed at the same time.]

    ''What about an x-ray? Would they show up on that?'' Devin asked.

    [Affirmative as the spirits are physical items they would show up though I am unable to tell what the results would be.]

    "Is that so? Would you be open to scheduling a meeting here at the Baxter Building as soon as you get back?" Susan said with a persuasive tone to her voice. Seeing as they were looking for energy readings then Devin should be able to get away with making the appointment, but just to be on the safe side he needed to be as vague as possible.

    "I would love to but I am not sure exactly when I will be getting back. Would it be ok if I called you back once I get home and we can schedule an appointment then?" Devin asked as it would give him some leeway as to when it would happen.

    "That sounds acceptable Mr. Price. We hope to see you soon. Have a good night." Susan said to him in closing.

    "You as well Ms. Storm. Good night." Devin said as he ended the call. Well, that just happened. Now not only did he have his investigation here to worry about, but now he had that to look forward to. A minute of quiet contemplation lead to Devin shelving that problem for later. How could he find out more about the equipment? It took a full minute to realize that thanks to his new history he might have some contacts that could enlighten him.

    An hour later and several phone calls later and Devin had his answers. An old college acquaintance who works in genetics had given him a rundown on the pieces of equipment he could remember. Apparently the equipment that they were bringing in was usually used for experiments involving genetic modification and therapy. When Devin heard this he started to get ideas on where this could be leading to. In the movies Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were siblings from Sokovia and were experimented on in a secret AIM base, but in the comics as well as the x-men movies they were children of Magneto. Devin didn''t even have a way to find out as the only ones who could give him an answer were people he didn''t want to encounter right now either.

    The new day saw the advent of a plan being implemented for future use. Arriving at the site, Devin went through his usual schedule of checking on the worker''s progress and addressing any problems. It was as he was checking the security systems that he slipped a small thumb drive into a slot and uploaded a ghost program before retrieving the drive and continuing with his day, As he was checking the supplies he snagged some leftover explosives from the blasting they had to do when they were making room for certain projects. He took a walk while everyone else was on lunch to hide the pilfered explosives in the walls of the perimeter wall so that should the need to bring it down arrive then he would have the ability to. The rest of his preparation he could do when he got back to the hotel. Today as well, trucks with what Devin assumed were equipment arrived and were signed for by Strom again. Devin''s stare was apparently too strong as Strom turned to see him staring. The stare off lasted for about ten seconds before Strom turned and entered the building.

    The rest of the day was uneventful with menial tasks to be performed. At this point the majority of his job was almost finished even though the work hadn''t been completed. Walking down the hallway of the hotel Devin noticed that there were three men in gaudy clothes and jewelry surrounding a small figure. After a few more steps Devin realized that the small figure was the girl that he had teased on the first night here. He could tell that she was distressed and was trying to get away, but the men had her surrounded to closely. Devin had had enough when one grabbed her arm.

    "Hey! Leave her alone and piss off!" Devin said as he approached them. The entire group looked up at him. Had surprised looks before they morphed into scowls of annoyance. The girl was also surprised but her''s morphed into a hopeful and pleading smile.

    "This doesn''t concern you so mind your own business!" said creep #1 aggressively.

    "Yeah! Leave if you know what''s good for you!" said creep #2 with arrogance.

    "How about this, you three apologize and then f.u.c.k off." Devin said with arms crossed and a glare on his face. Now the men were pissed and moved to surround him instead.

    "You should have minded your own business, now we''re gonna beat you down and take the girl with us." creep #3 said before charging Devin with his fist c.o.c.ked back for a punch. Devin leaned to the side before tripping and throwing the man head first into the wall, knocking him out cold. The second man rushed in low to try and tackle Devin, but was stopped after Devin planted his feet. Next, Devin wrapped his arms around the man''s waist before picking him up bodily and power slamming him into the ground back and head first. The last man saw both of his friends lose and pulled a switch blade from his pocket before going in for a thrust to the chest. Stepping to the side, Devin avoided the blade while wrapping his own arm around the other man''s and with a quick snap, broke the man''s arm like a twig. His shout of agony was cut short as Devin grabbed his head and drove a raising knee into his face finishing him off.

    Looking at the downed men, Devin turned to the girl to check on her. At some point she had sunken to her knees with a shocked look frozen on her face.

    "Are you alright miss?" Devin asked as he kneeled in front of her.

    "Yes sir." She said slightly dazed. Devin nodded before introducing himself.

    "My name is Devin Price. What''s yours?" Devin asked.

    "My name is Yana Silenko." she said as Devin nodded again before noticing a person in a cheap suit walking quickly toward them.

    "What happened here?" the man said looking at the carnage in the hallway.

    "I stopped these three bastards from molesting your employee." Devin said as he helped the girl shakily to her feet.

    "I apologize for this esteemed sir. I shall have security take care of this right away." the man bowed before producing a radio and speaking into it. The girl was given the rest of the night off and escorted by security home. Before leaving she rushed up to Devin, clasping his hands in hers and looking into his eyes.

    "Thank you so much sir. I will repay this one day." Yana said to him.

    "That''s ok Yana. Just stay safe from now on." Devin said to her before she was led away. After clearing everything up Devin got back to his room and with a sigh he sat down on the bed for a breath. After a minute of relaxing Devin opened his laptop and finished setting up another measure against what ever might happen in that base in the future. The ghost program allowed Devin to create a back door to not only the security but their entire system. He also set up a master code that would allow him access to all of the doors in the future. If Devin was correct in his assumptions then this might be the start to a super soldier program possibly and if so Devin might have to intervene later. Soon the weight of the day''s events began to weigh on him so he decided to turn in for the night. His last thoughts being about what else he could do as a counter measure in case of future problems.

 Chapter 9 - War. War Never Changes.

    You know that feeling when things are going a little too well and you start to think that something just has to go wrong? Well that feeling has been plaguing Devin for a couple of days now without relent. He had woken up the day after the fight with the three stooges and continued with the job.

    The entire time he was on site he kept feeling like he was being watched, but couldn''t discern where it was coming from. As soon as he left the feeling would disappear. It couldn''t have been Strom as Devin made sure that he covered his tracks so as to not be found out. He doubted that it was one of the thugs he had thrashed as their type was usually too cowardly after being defeated. So who could be watching?

    Another thing that was troubling him was that even after discovering the truth about the equipment there was still no update to his mission for investigating Sokovia. What was it gonna take to get the job done? The experience and the shop credits would be nice but the real prize was the weapon and manual. Devin realized in the fight at the hotel that he had some fighting prowess as you couldn''t be an independent defense contractor and not have some skills in both hand-to-hand and weapons like guns and knives, but this didn''t mean he was some hidden master. When he got the reward he would probably select one of the gun options and a manual.

    As the day progressed Devin could feel the pit in his stomach grow worse and worse. He knew that at some point some shit was gonna hit the fan. Once again Murphy decided to drop in to grace Devin with his presence.

    A cry had rang out from a group of workers that were working on one of the storage buildings. Devin looked up to see three men running from around the building holding rifles and wearing what looked like hunting camo. Devin quickly ducked behind a piece of heavy equipment before quickly pulling out his sword from his inventory. Two of the assailants started to corral the various workers in the area while the third started heading towards the table next to the equipment where Devin was hiding. Devin crouched in anticipation of taking out the guy as soon as he was in reach.

    As the man stepped up to the table Devin dashed in behind him and bashed him in the skull with his pommel. Dropping unconscious into Devin''s arms then stashed under the equipment, now all that was left was to take out the last two before Devin could see just how big this whole thing is. It didn''t take long before the two noticed their friend hadn''t come back.

    "Go check out what''s takin'' him so long." the one said while the other nodded and then headed the same place as his teammate. Devin decided that he was gonna try the same take down.

    Closer...

    Closer...

    NOW!!!

    Devin jumped forward but the sound of his boots alerted the man just before Devin could reach him, causing him to turn towards Devin. Devin knew that he couldn''t hesitate even though he had never done it before. Devin drove the point of his sword forward and through the man''s heart. As it exited the man''s back he dropped his gun and clutched what was left of the blade that hadn''t entered his chest. The man had just enough time to look up into Devin''s face and cough out a mouth full of blood onto Devin before the light in his eyes faded and he slipped off of the blade. Devin retracted his blade into his inventory after slinging the blood off it with a quick swing. Next he picked up the rifle the man had dropped and shouldered it.

    Devin didn''t think about what he had just done. He knew if he did then he would freeze up and that could prove fatal. Devin rested the gun so that he was more stable before looking through the scope at the last of the group. He would have to make the shot count. Slowing his breathing and clearing his mind, Devin took aim at the man''s head. Holding his breath and slowly releasing it just as he squeezed the trigger. The man had just turned his head right when the bullet entered his forehead just above his left eye. Devin quickly ran over to make sure that he was down seeing the hole devin turned to the workers.

    "Everyone head for the tree line! I''ll cover you while you escape!" Devin said as he turned to the direction that the three had come from initially. Soon furious foot steps could be heard as the workers booked it to the trees. A couple more baddies rounded the bend and Devin let off a couple of rounds, nailing one in the chest and the other in the throat. Soon all of the workers were out of sight and Devin started to move towards the compound proper. Moving from building to building soon had Devin looking at the front of the main building. There was only one guard at the entrance. Devin had seen that all of the security had been killed at some point as he saw all the bodies littering the posted guard positions. Who ever had set this up was smart and obviously had been doing their surveillance.

    Devin once again withdrew his sword and slowly crept up the side till he was next to the guard at the door. He covered his mouth with one hand while sliding his blade into and through his back to kill him silently. He stowed the man''s rifle along with his own and also grabbed a handgun that was attached to his hip. Opening the door and moving down the halls, Devin was startled by a sudden noise going off near him. Turning this way and that to find any possible enemies, soon Devin realized that the sound was his notification sound for the system. Seeing as he was alone he decided to see what had come in.

    ''Open menu.''

    Soon Devin noticed that a new mission had opened for him so he clicked on it.

    [New Mission: Clear the Base]

    [Eliminate all the hostile combatants within the base.]

    [Rewards: ''Iron Knuckle'' weapon, ''Rouge School Martial Arts'' manual, 750 Shop Credits, & 350 Exp]

    Talk about lucky! Not only would this improve his hand-to-hand, but it would give him more close quarters options. It would also mean one less weapon manual he would need to obtain. Exiting the [Mission] tab and clicking on the Spirit tab, Devin saw that he had gotten Spirit Points from his earlier fights. He didn''t have enough for a full gauge, but a couple more opponents and he would. He would have to save his transformation for either for emergencies or special circ.u.mstances.

    Checking his clip Devin closed his system window and proceeded down the hall, clearing corners and rooms one by one. He found one guy leaning over a monitor typing away. He slowly crept up and put him in a choke hold till he finally stopped moving. Searching his body produced another gun, more ammunition and a knife. Devin stowed the extra gun and ammo, before sliding the knife into his boot. A dozen rooms later and Devin had finally arrived at a large room that he had found out days prior was where they were housing the equipment that had been trucked in. Devin could hear muffled voices and one sounded familiar.

    Cracking the door open very slowly till enough of a gap was clear so that he could slip in, Devin entered as quietly as possible. Sliding up behind a large computer terminal, Devin gently peaked around to see who he was dealing with. There were about half a dozen of the regular guys with one big guy and a scrawny guy with glasses. On the ground tied up were Strom and three workers that were supposed to be doing wiring in an adjacent room down the hall. Devin decided that he wanted to wait and listen while waiting for an opportunity to strike to present itself.

    "I don''t know who you all are, but this is a big mistake." Strom said with slight heat in his tone.

    "Oh don''t worry we are just here to take something small and then we''ll be on our way." said the scrawny man in what sounded like a slight British accent. As one of the henchmen stepped up to a console and began typing.

    "Our government will hunt you and whoever is in charge of your little group down and wipe you off the face of the planet." Strom said with confidence which turned to nervousness as he saw that the scrawny man had once again turned to him and smiled with a creepy grin stretching his face.

    "You have no clue as to who we are or who we work for. But not to worry you wont be surviving this encounter to find out what happens next. Though I will tell you that your government''s research on the mutant gene as well as the proto-strengthening formula will definitely be of use to us." the man said as he stared at the screen filled with information.

    ''So that''s what they needed the genetic equipment for.'' Devin thought as he listened in on what the group was after. Another notification sound was tripped, but Devin ignored it for now so as to concentrate. Devin switched out his handgun for one of the rifles and made his way up into the shadows on the catwalk that ran around the top of the room. He took steady aim at the henchman at the console.

    A hand signal from Mr. Beanpole, as Devin decided to call him, caught the attention of the big guy,causing him to nod and walk towards the hostages. Just as he was about to grab one Devin took his shot. He unloaded a round into the goon at the console''s head before moving on to the next. He had dropped four of the six henchies before everyone took cover. Soon shots were being returned at him, forcing him to run and gun. It took him a full clip to finish off the pawns. What Devin wasn''t anticipating was for the "Big Guy" to suddenly grab a support for the catwalk and rip it out of the ground like a weed. Soon the catwalk started to collapse like a row of dominoes. Devin managed to dive off before he could fall on to the now scrap pieces of metal.

    Coming up from a roll, Devin looked up straight into the blank face of that mountain of a man. Grabbing Devin before he could move the guy held Devin in one hand while he brought back his other for a super powered punch. Thinking quickly Devin pulled his sword and stabbed deep into the shoulder of the arm that was holding him. This caused the hand to let go and Devin to drop. Coughing from the tight hold that had been applied to his throat, Devin quickly moved out of reach while keeping an eye on his opponent.

    ''The dude has super strength, he''s kinda quick and who knows what else he has up his sleeve.'' Devin thought as he slowly circled the muscle headed man.

    ''Wait, he hasn''t talked, grimaced, or anything. What is this guy?'' Devin thought as he noticed the same blank face even though he had stabbed the guy deeply with his sword. He didn''t have long to ponder as the man charged again this time lowering his shoulder for a ramming maneuver. Devin dove at the last second to avoid the attack causing the guy to ram not only through the wall but through all the consecutive walls as well. Soon there was a tunnel to outside formed thanks to the robot-like man. Leaning over and looking through the hole showed a small circle of the outside area from his spot. Looking back at the room Devin found that everyone had left, Strom and the hostages having somehow escaped in the chaos and Mr. Beanpole nowhere to be seen.

    "Sigh, guess I''m gonna have to take care of that Juggernaut Wanna-be, not like anyone else could." Devin said as he prepared for another round. He decided to use his sword and the handgun he had pilfered earlier. Walking through the holes Devin found that the man had stopped once he had hit a dozer that had been parked before lunch and was slowly extracting himself from its now twisted body. Devin decided not to give him a chance to retaliate and dashed forward squeezing the trigger of the handgun as he approached. The bullets riddled his back then his chest as he turned, but didn''t seem to faze him. Devin knew that his speed was slightly greater than his opponent''s so he decided to put it to use. Devin slashed and stabbed as he barely managed to dodge the heavy swings from the man''s arms. Eventually Devin had to jump back and catch his breath. His opponent was covered in cuts and stab wounds with blood slowly trickling from them.

    "He looks bad, but how much more is he gonna take before he goes down?!" Devin said to himself as he panted with his sword stabbed point first in the ground. It was then that Devin saw the first change to appear on the blank face. Soon a grimace formed before the frown deepened, but it was when the eyes started glowing that Devin started to really worry as flash backs to anime from his old world came to him. That wasn''t the only change to come over him. His skin turned a dark charcoal grey and his hair not only grew out long, but turned an angry orange as fangs grew in his mouth. Soon the transformation was finished and the guy now looked like some kind of weird ogre.

    "RRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!"

    the sound wave from the roar hit Devin and caused him to slide back a couple feet. Looking up Devin could only form one thought.

    "Whelp, this just went FUBAR!"

 Chapter 10 - War. War Never Changes. [Pt. 2]

    Devin never thought that there would come a day when he would be in a situation like the one he was currently facing. Holding a sword and fighting what looked like the bizarre love child of Blanka from Street Fighter and an orc from World of Warcraft that had been re-skinned. It took only minutes of combat with the now transformed being for Devin to realize that he was in a losing battle.

    The beast had been boosted in all physical categories. His speed and strength were both on another level, making it so that it was all Devin could do to not get crushed by the tremendous force behind every swing from the massive man''s fists and evasion was done barely by the breathe of a hair. Also the transformation had healed all of the previous damage from his blade and the gunshots. The one time Devin managed to catch his opponent with his sword it left what looked like a papercut so his skin had to have toughened up as well. All in all it looked bad.

    ''This is bad. I can''t leave this guy alone as who knows what will happen later, plus I have no idea if I can even escape. He''s so fast it''s ridiculous!'' Devin thought as he managed to get a minute to breathe by diving behind more equipment after a double, over-head hammer fist exploded, with dust obscuring the area.

    ''I could use the Spirit, but I don''t want to unveil it so soon in front of people and I know that Strom is still creeping around here somewhere. Maybe I can lure him into the woods, away from prying eyes?'' Devin thought as he glanced around at his surroundings. First he glanced around to see if anyone besides him and the titan he was fighting were around, but didn''t see a single soul around. Then Devin checked the distance from his current location to where the edge of the woods was. A rough estimate in Devin''s head guessed that it was about thirty feet to the woods. He''d have to make a break for it.

    Checking on his opponent and still seeing the dust cloud in the air, Devin turned and shot off as fast as he could. About half way was when he heard another roar, signaling that that big asshole had seen him and was about to give chase. The good news about running through the forest was that it slowed both of them down, but was still worse for Devin''s opponent as he had a considerable amount of mass that wouldn''t be able to change direction or even stop easily. So weaving through the thick trees allowed him to dodge the blows a little more easily even though the blows dodged ended up making kindling of some trees while others had fist imprints in them.

    Ten minutes of dodging and weaving later and Devin managed to find a small clearing that would easily allow him the space he would need. Stopping at the opposite side of the clearing and turned, waiting for his opponent to catch up. He didn''t have long as the behemoth came bursting out of the trees. Looking around it finally spotted Devin not far. Devin could feel the energy and power in the spirit start to surge through his body and beyond.

    "RAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Devin yelled out as a fiery energy enveloped his body and limbs before dissipating to reveal crimson armor made from a mysterious metal with a dark, charcoal-colored under-suit beneath. A massive green gem was embedded in the chest. The energy circled his forehead then revealed a crimson headband with seven smaller green gems inlaid in the front. The energy gathered at his shoulder-blades forming twin jets of fire before dissipating as well revealing crimson appendages with ethereal green webbing. Devin was now hovering slightly above the ground now thanks to the flapping of his newly received wings.

    Devin could feel the power surging through his body making him stronger than he had ever felt before. His very being seemed to hum with the potential he now harnessed. Devin looked up at the angry mug of the bastard that had been chasing him like a cat does a mouse, but now no more. Now, he was going to show this living robot what power really was. His excitement peaked as he raised his upgraded sword that had been reforged by the same transformation that had given him the armor and nearly vibrated with power up next to his ear.

    Devin zipped through the air before swinging his blade, the enraged man could feel a sense of emergency somehow from the approaching winged target and raised his arm in an attempt to fend off the oncoming swing. Unfortunately, the raised arm did little except to make an easy target which the descending weapon cleaved through effortlessly. The severed limb flying through the air and landing a dozen feet away. Devin could feel his excitement raise another level and he felt giddy to keep battling as he saw what he had done to his now weakened opponent. As Devin did another run at the now one-armed man he failed to notice the swing of his opponent''s leg in a semblance of a roundhouse kick that caught him in the side, sending him crashing into one of the fringe trees a dozen yards away. It only took seconds for Devin to come blasting back out towards his enemy to land a punch on the man''s jaw breaking it and sending the man flying in turn. Devin knew that something was wrong, but Devin didn''t care at the moment. He wanted to fight more.

    It was only a second later that Devin appeared in front of the giant and foregoing his sword, began to pummel him into the tree that had stopped his previous flight till creaks and cracks could be heard from the poor plant. With one last punch the wood gave way and both the tree and the giant were felled. Devin felt unstoppable! He felt godly! It wasn''t till he heard voices of orders being shouted nearby that a cold thought ripped through the blood-haze that had settled over Devin''s mind like an arctic riptide. He was being consumed by the need to battle and kill. He needed to finish the fight before whoever issued those orders got there and saw his transformation. Devin decided to go all out and try one of the Dragoon Spells. Tossing his sword straight up into the air high, Devin began to gather a massive amount of magical power into a ball in front of him and compress it. Rearing back a closed fist Devin slammed it forward hitting the ball of fire and energy, effectively spiking it into the semi-downed opponent that had just made it to his knees. On contact the orb exploded, evaporating everything in a 15 meter diameter of where it struck. The crater was charred and some parts were glassed from the heat.

    Devin could tell that the spell wasn''t nearly as powerful as it could potentially be, but due to it being his first time transforming and only being level one for the spirit limited its power. Devin could hear shouts and chatter approaching so using the last of his power in his spirit, he flew away for quite a ways before he changed back, stumbling as he was a couple feet above the ground still when he changed. Now that he changed back he felt exhausted, like he was made of lead and about to fall asleep. Devin managed to find an outcropping of stone and fallen trees that he managed to crawl into before his exhaustion caused him to pass out.

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    [S.H.I.E.L.D. Hovercarrier]

    Nick Fury had been on the bridge overlooking his employees when a voice caught his attention.

    "Sir, we might have a problem." Said one of the agents at a console.

    "What is it?" Nick asked as he turned toward the agent.

    "We are getting readings of massive unknown energy spikes coming from near the Sokovian base that we were monitoring." the agent reported while typing away at the keyboard.

    "Bring it up on the main screen." Fury ordered before a window showing charts and numbers from the report that came in. The spikes in question were definitely a worry as this amount could be labeled as at least a beta class threat.

    "Anything from the agents in the area?" Fury demanded still having his one eye trained on the screen.

    "The reports coming in state that about two hours ago a group of militant aggressors breached the base''s defenses and not too long after a wall exploded and a large individual charged out and managed to destroy a piece of heavy equipment. That was the last report that we have as the monitoring equipment we had installed was damaged by the explosion of the wall somehow and failed soon after the large individual removed himself from the equipment." the agent who had reported the incident stated. Fury contemplated his options while staring at the video footage that had been collected. The video showing exactly what had been in the report. After the third time Nick noticed something in the footage near the end.

    "Pause. Zoom in on the hole in the wall. Clean it up." Fury ordered as the agent manipulates the footage. Finally, a silhouette could faintly be seen standing in the shadow within the hole. The only feature that could be seen was a bar of silver light that cleaned up into the image of a gleaming sword. This confused several agents, but Fury was running dozens of scenarios through his head.

    "Is Agent Sable still on her way back from her previous mission?" Fury questioned.

    "Yes Sir, she is currently en-route." a male agent on the opposite side of the room reported.

    "Have her change course and investigate to the best of her ability." Fury ordered as he looked at the agent that had spoken.

    "Roger Sir!" the agent acknowledged before beginning to type away at the keyboard.

    As his orders were relayed, Nick could only think about how he could get ahold of this power or if this was the doing of an individual then he would need to convince them to come and work for him.

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    [Baxter Building, New York]

    Reed had been monitoring energy levels ever since he had gotten the first initial reading. He also had dedicated a few sensors to monitoring the house of Mr. Price as Sue had expressed her suspicions and concerns about his involvement in the phenomenon. So far there had been no further readings popping up anywhere so Reed had regulated it to the background as he continued his work on other projects.

    Reed had just finished putting the casing on a small remote control looking device when a small alarm began to beep loudly on a nearby computer. Stretching his head over to take a look and seeing that there was a report from the sensors caused him to forget what he was doing. A huge spike in the unknown energy was coming from a secluded region in Sokovia. Conducting additional scans managed to track the energy to a couple dozen meters away from an old base from WWII. The energy reading wasn''t nearly as big as the first but still had an enormous amount of power. Tapping a few keys, Reed contacted the rest of the team.

    "What did you find Reed?" Sue said as she popped up in a window at the corner of the screen.

    "I got another reading on that energy signature emanating from a secluded region of Sokovia. From what I can see it isn''t nearly as powerful as before. This could mean several things, but nothing I can officially confirm right now." Reed replied as he continued tapping away.

    "Alright I''m on my way back right now. See you then." Sue said before the window closed itself. Reed continued checking and double checking as he knew that if this power turns out to be malefic in nature then they would need to know what they were up against and how to stop it.

 Chapter 11 - We all make choices in life, but in the end our choices make us.

    The tweeting of birds danced through the air as sunlight filtered through the branches of trees coated in morning dew. A rabbit calmly searches for food through the leaf litter and pine needles for it''s breakfast. Hopping into a small out cove, the rabbit picked up a new scent that it couldn''t identify. As it approached a large object laying on the ground, the scent grew stronger. Suddenly, movement caused the rabbit to perk up it''s ears and become alert. It didn''t know what had moved, but it was ready to bolt at the first sign of danger. It was then that the object with the strange smell that it had been hiding behind moved and the rabbit booked it back into the woods.

    A groan rang out in the small space as Devin slowly sat up. Devin held his head as he could feel a sticky and sour tang coating the back of his tongue. He felt sore from the hits he had taken the day before from the guy he had defeated. The thought of the people he had killed caused his stomach to flip harshly and bile to rise. Devin turned to the side and heaved as what was left of the contents of his stomach splattered onto the dirt. Devin could feel the guilt gnaw at him as he tried to catch his breath. All those lives, but it was either them or him and Devin wasn''t going to give up this life. He had chosen to fight yesterday and now he would have to live with it.

    Slowly standing up, Devin noticed that his muscles were sore and his joints creaked. He concluded that his body wasn''t accustomed to the power he had been wielding. He would need to somehow gather more spirit points and practice without alerting the powers that be. It was then that Devin realized that since he transformed there might be people searching for another resurgence of power. A particular blonde came to mind as Devin slowly trudged forward. He knew that he needed to get back to the hotel one way or another.

    After what felt like hours Devin stumbled onto the dirt road that lead to the base, but he didn''t know what way was what. The rumble of an engine alerted Devin that a vehicle was coming towards him. Slipping behind a tree just in case who ever was driving wasn''t friendly Devin saw a black SUV speed past. Assuming that that direction was towards the base Devin started following the road in the opposite direction in the hope of reaching town. He trudged as he tried to speculate what the state of affairs were now.

    The base was a mess and would be in need of some serious repairs. The workers probably scared off for good and most likely he was reported as MIA now. He needed to see if he could find a lead on who those people were working for. Mr. Beanpole said that they were members of an organization that was looking for research on super soldiers and mutants. It could be AIM, but they were more likely to collect actual mutants and get their own data than steal others so which other group was responsible?

    It was mid afternoon when Devin finally limped into town and a further twenty minutes to arrive at the hotel. Entering the elevator, Devin punched his floor and watched as the doors closed. A shudder rocked the metal box before it began to rise. Three floors before his stop the elevator stopped and who should appear but Yana the maid. As she looked up she recognized him and a radiant smile graced her face before morphing into a frown at the ragged state his clothes were in on top of the dirt and other debris that was stuck to him from his nap in the forest.

    "Sir are you okay?" Yana asked as she entered the elevator.

    "I''ve been better." Devin replied as he made room for her. Stepping in Yana was now sporting a concerned look as she noticed a slight limp in his steps. Soon his floor arrived and Devin stepped off and began to walk down the hall when Yana called out to him again.

    "Mr. Price, may I be off service to you?" Yana asked as she stepped out as well. Devin was going to refuse her when a particularly annoying pang ran through him from the strain he was still recovering from. The long hike from the woods definitely didn''t help. Taking a deep breath Devin released it in a long, drawn out sigh.

    "I appreciate the concern, but I''ll be fi-" Devin said before Yana approached with a frown again. The girl''s face was constantly changing. Devin knew that look from previous girlfriends in his last life and amounted to a lecture on why he should do what she says.

    "Not to be rude Mr. Price, but I think that you are far from fine." Yana said as she approached him even closer. Devin knew she had a point, he was sore, exhausted, and suffering from the strain of his first transformation. He could use a hot meal and an even hotter shower.

    "Alright, if you want to help then I need a meal brought to my room as well as some aspirin and ice. Work was more eventful than anticipated." Devin said, the last part more of a self comment than a statement. Yana nodded as she turned and started back into the elevator. Devin seeing her leave slowly moved towards his room.

    ''Alice, are all of this side effects from having transformed for the first time?'' Devin mentally asked as he opened his room door. Miraculously he somehow still had his key card in one piece in his pocket though he had lost the paper sheath that had covered it somehow.

    ''Negative sir, the side effects from transformation extend only to the strain on your muscles and the micro fractures in the bones of your limbs. The rest is from the blows that you received as even though the dragoon armor is strong so was your opponent and you still received the shock from the blows. In total the injuries you have from the enemy amount to a severe case of bruising covering your back and a rather large knot on the back of your head from a piece of flying debris.'' Alice spoke, giving him a quick summary.

    ''I''m assuming that practicing with the transformation will lessen the strain of using the dragoon forms?'' Devin asked as he debated on whether to start the water in the shower yet.

    ''Correct, also as you become accustomed to the change the likely hood that you will fall into a battle rage lessens as well.'' Alice said, reminding Devin that he had indeed had that very problem happen. In the game it was stated that humans didn''t have "war" as a part of their nature and that they fight by entering a kind of insanity and it was that "Battle Rage" that was what fueled the spirits in the form of spirit points. So in essence by fighting Devin could gain points, but he also run the risk of being swallowed in that battle rage once he transformed. Now Alice said that practice would help him to control it so he wouldn''t lose himself in a battle.

    Devin was just stripping off his shirt when he heard a gasp behind him. Turning quickly and summoning one of the handguns from earlier Devin found that he was so focused on his thoughts he had missed Yana opening the door and entering. He let out a slow breath from the adrenaline that had shot through him from the surprise and quickly moved to hide the gun from her sight.

    "You shouldn''t sneak up on people girl. One day you might get hurt on accident."Devin said irritably. Yana didn''t hear his comment as she was preoccupied by horrifying image of the purple and black bruising that covered the expanse of Devin''s back. Silently she walked toward him with one small hand raised, but before she could touch the damaged flesh Devin''s voiced snapped her out of her horror induced trance.

    "I wouldn''t touch that if I were you." Devin said with a now calm smirk on his lips at her concern with his condition. Yana turned red as she realized what she was about to do and busied herself setting the cart of food up and placing the bucket of ice and pills on the table. She had also brought a bottle of whisky from the downstairs bar as her father had once been known to enjoy a glass after a rather troubling day of work before everything changed.

    "Is there anything else I can help you with sir?" Yana asked as she folded her hands in front of her with an expectant look. Devin thought about it and felt he didn''t want to be left alone in case the thoughts of what he had done should come back.

    "Stay, tell me more about yourself a bit since we seem to keep bumping into one another so much." Devin said as he motioned to the couch opposite. Yana hesitated for a second to debate whether or not she should,but something about the strange foreign man somehow set her at ease so she took the proffered seat.

    "What would you like to know?" she asked as Devin uncovered the food revealing a large bowl of stew and a chunk of bread alongside.

    "Tell me, how did a pretty, young girl such as yourself end up cleaning sheets, delivering food, and sneaking peeps at your s.e.xy clientele in this wonderful establishment." Devin said with a teasing smirk before taking a bite of the savory stew. Yana blushed at the teasing of how she had seen him half n.a.k.e.d twice now before starting on her past.

    "My parents were poor farmers in a small village near here. I was the middle child of three. I have an older sister, Izabela and a younger brother, Henric. About five years ago our mother became ill and passed away not long after as we didn''t have the money for a doctor or medicine. Our father began to drink all the time in his grief. Izabela found work to support Henric and me as father usually spent all his money on drink. One day we were told that father had gotten in a fight with another man and had been stabbed. He had died from his injuries leaving the three of us alone." Yana recounted with a sad expression. Devin knew that there were people who were without medical aid or necessities living in hard times, but to have an actual individual in front of him was surreal.

    "I''m sorry to hear that. My condolences." Devin said even though it probably meant little after the fact.

    "Thank you." Yana said with a small smile and glistening eyes. With a deep breath and a small nod, she continued.

    "My sister is working in a tavern on the other side of town and my brother is attending a school near the central plaza. We had to sell the farm and now live in a small apartment in the less likable neighborhood." Yana said. Devin frowned at the circ.u.mstances of the young girl. His was telling him to help them, but his brain was telling him that he didn''t really have the ability. Devin''s attention was averted as the ringing of a phone chimed in the air, but from the look on Yana''s face she couldn''t hear it. It was then that Devin remembered that he had put his phone in his storage just in case before he entered the base yesterday. Entering the next room after excusing himself for a minute, Devin pulled his phone out and answered the call.

    "Mr. Strom, what a surprise hearing from you." Devin said after a glance at the ID number.

    "I could say the same for you Mr. Price. What happened after you opened fire on those men?" Strom asked with a note of suspicion. Devin knew that he was fishing for something so his best choice would be to lie his ass off.

    "After I took out the grunts, the big guy punch a hole through the walls to the outside. I did my best to try and take him on, but he went through some kind of change and nothing worked so I decided to lose him in the woods. After a bit he disappeared and I tried to head back to check on everyone when a huge shock wave hit me. I was thrown through the air and hit a tree. I woke up this morning and somehow made it back to town." Devin said as he changed some small details to omit the fact that he killed the guy.

    "Hmm interesting. I hope you understand that we would like to keep the circ.u.mstances of what happened and whatever information you may have heard private. We would be willing to provide a bonus for your silence on the matter." Strom said in his best convincing voice. Devin took a minute to weigh the options of the matter and it was then that he had a brilliant idea.

    "Mr. Strom my food is at the door. Would it be alright if I think over your proposal while I eat and then I''ll call you back?" Devin asked as he rapped on the counter next to him to simulate a knock on a door.

    "Of course Mr. Price. We hope to hear a favorable reply for both of us." Strom said as the call ended. Devin locked his phone and decided that it was time to implement his plan to take care of two birds with a single stone as he walked back in to have a chat with Yana.

 Chapter 12 - If You Have A Dream, Dont Wait. Act.

    Striding back into the room, Devin sat back on the couch as Yana looked at him quizzically. Devin was not 100% sure how to go about breaching the subject, but it still needed to get done. Taking a deep breath and then letting it out slowly.

    "Yana, I have something important I need to talk to you about." Devin said in all seriousness. This caused Yana to become nervous all over again.

    "Yes Sir?" Yana answered with slight trepidation.

    "If you and your family had the chance to leave here and have a better life away from the bad neighborhoods and the asshole customers, would you take it?" Devin asked her as he folded his hands and interlaced his fingers. A look of confusion followed by contemplation creased her brow before she turned to Devin.

    "I would take that chance, but I can''t make the decision for my siblings though." she said as she smiled wistfully at the thought of that dream life before she was snapped out of her thoughts by the clearing of Devin''s throat.

    "Yana, let me put this another way. If I could take you and your siblings with me back to the US, would you go?" Devin asked as he held his hands open with invitation. The shocked look on her face said everything that she had going through her mind. Devin had a brief thought that he might have broken her before she dove over the table and knocking them both along with the couch over. Devin''s bruises screaming at the maltreatment they were receiving caused a low groan to emit from deep in his throat after they had landed.

    "Yes! Yes! Yes! Please take us with you! I promise no matter what you need from us we will do whatever it takes to make you happy as long as you take us with you!" Yana practically shouted as she beamed a smile at him with a look of pure joy and happiness. Devin looked up and couldn''t help but smile as well at the enthusiasm the young girl was showing. He knew that he would have to have a talk with Strom about the siblings, but to see the look on Yana''s face was well worth the work.

    "Okay Yana I will do my best, but you should get up as you don''t want me to get the wrong idea now would you?" Devin said to her. Yana stopped smiling to look down and saw that when she had knocked them over she had sat up on his lap in a straddling position that could be misconstrued by anyone. Soon her entire face, neck, and ears were cherry red and she jumped up and scrambled away in her embarrassment. Standing up Devin just smiled at the teasing he had given. She was to easy and her face after she realized her mistake was adorable as ever.

    "Alright Yana, I''m gonna make a call to get things started why don''t you go home and speak with your siblings and maybe we can meet tomorrow." Devin said as he grabbed his phone and stood up. Yana couldn''t say anything and nodded her head before taking the trolley and stepping out. Devin punched a button and soon the phone began to ring.

    "Hello Mr. Price, did you decide on our deal?" Strom answered. No beating around the bush then, guess we''ll get right to business then.

    "Yes I have and I''m going to refuse your initial offer and give you a counter offer." Devin said as he stared out the full sized window of his room.

    "I''m listening Mr. Price." Strom said with what sounded like he was intrigued.

    "Ok, you give me the original pay for the job, but instead of the additional amount for silence I want you guys to help me get three local civilians visas and all the necessary paperwork needed for me to take them with me when I leave. If you do that then we have an accord." Devin stated as he spoke his demands to the silent government worker.

    "Hmm, that could take some time to accomplish , but it is doable. Give me 24 hours and I''ll get back to you. Would that be acceptable?" Strom asked as he seemed to be looking through something. Devin knew that his request would take some working so that was a given.

    "That sounds reasonable." Devin replied normally even though there was happiness in his heart.

    "If I may have the names of the three individuals just in case my superiors agree?" Strom inquired and as Devin saw no harm in answering gave the sibling''s names to him.

    "I will be expecting a favorable reply tomorrow Mr. Strom. Have a good night." Devin replied using the same phrase that Strom said to him before hanging up. Devin finished his food that had cooled for the most part. Then after taking a hot shower and a couple aspirin, Devin settled in a plush chair with a glass of whisky from the bottle and a bag of ice on his neck to alleviate the ache there. He knew that tomorrow was gonna be another interesting day for everyone.

    ***

    [Yana''s Apartment]

    As Yana moved through the thin door she saw her brother and sister both sitting at the crappy table with a bowl in front of Henric and a glass of water in front of Izabela as she was resting her head on the heel of her hand with a tired smile gracing her beautiful face.

    "Sister you''re finally home!" Henric said excitedly, leaving his bowl empty of it''s contents. He jumped up and ran forward to hug his sister, him being only eight was not afraid to still hug his sister. Yana hugged him back before walking over to join their third sibling. As Yana sat down the the chair''s flimsy legs creaked under even her slight weight, but even so she couldn''t contain the news that she had for her family.

    "Sister I have exciting news for all of us!" Yana burst out as the excitement of the future made her bounce in her already fragile chair. As Izabela looked at her sister, she was expecting her to say that she had gotten a promotion or something of that line, but what came next made her both shocked and extremely concerned.

    "I met a man at the hotel. He''s very kind and considerate. He was the same one that saved me from those thugs that were harassing me. I was talking to him and he offered to take us with him when he goes back to the US." Yana said which caused Henric''s eyes to become stars and Izabela''s to fill with worry and caution.

    "Yana, this man. Do you know what he does for a living? What about his home or better yet what are his reason''s for him offering this to us?" Izabela asked as she looked Yana in the eye. These questions stopped Yana''s excitement as she didn''t think of these questions till they were brought to her attention. Now that she thought about it she had no clue about Mr. Price''s job or other things about him, but the condition she saw him in wasn''t a good sign that what he did was very nice.

    "He offered to meet and explain his offer tomorrow as he was getting ready to rest when I left tonight. We could ask him questions and you could see that he is a great man." Yana said to Izabela as she made a case for the man she knew was truly kind and honest in her heart. Izabela knew that most men in this kind of scenario usually had alternative reasons for their seemingly good-natured charity, but the look on Yana''s face pleading for the chance to prove she was right about this mystery man caused Izabela''s will to give in and decide to at least meet the man.

    "Alright, we will meet this person to see if he is safe and honest about his intentions. If I don''t like his motives or if he seems like he is up to no good then we are rejecting his offer and will have nothing to do with him." Izabela said as she laid out her conditions for meeting the one who made an offer that sounded too good to be true.

    "Sister what is his name?" asked Izabela as she shooed Henric to bed to get some sleep before he had to get up for school tomorrow while complaining that he wanted to meet the foreign mister too.

    "His name is Mr. Price." Yana said to her as she made a simple meal of cheese and bread before she would have to get ready for bed as well. As Izabela help Henric to change his clothes for bed she had one last thought on the matter.

    ''Hopefully this offer is true and doesn''t have an "exorbitant" Price attached.'' Izabela thought.

    ***

    [Devin''s Room]

    The night had been fit though the soreness was a slight annoyance, Devin had still slept like a log. He awoke well rested with absolutely no soreness which surprised him. Walking to the bathroom and looking at his back in the mirror showed that the black and purple bruise that had marred his skin the night before had now faded greatly with only small yellow and green splotches being the only indication that he had any injuries at all. Devin assumed that it was a passive side-effect of having a dragoon spirit as in the game the characters seemed to develop more sturdy constitutions, but to be sure he decided to consult Alice to be sure.

    ''Alice, are there any passive effects that I gain from being fused with the spirits?'' Devin asked as he threw on a fresh set of clothes and ordered some breakfast.

    [Sir, the passive effects of the spirits depends on the spirits that you have unlocked and what level they are. The Red-Eyed Spirit has the passive effects of boosting fire elemental magics as well as other unknown abilities later. Though all of the spirits do have a physical and mental boosting ability so that the longer you are fused with them the stronger your mental and physical capabilities will become. Unfortunately, this does come with some physical changes as well. As time passes you may notice some draconic characteristics bleed into your physical body when you become agitated or have high levels of emotion.]

    This development definitely shocked Devin as he was thinking of some of the draconic beings he had seen in various fantasy works and began to panic as growing wings and a tail would make things impossible to conceal in the future.

    ''Alice just how much of a physical change are we talking?!'' Devin asked as his stomach turned at the thought of being some anthropomorphic hybrid that would be hunted in the future.

    [Master, relax. I am sensing a detrimental rise in your stress and anxiety levels. The most extreme changes will be to your eyes as well as minor changes on your face and arms. There wont be any extra limb growth or extreme physiological changes that are permanent. Even with the changes they only occur during the times of your emotions running high, emotions such as anger.]

    At the mention of nothing permanent or him growing anything extra, Devin began to calm down. If it was such minor changes and only during certain times then he could handle it. Next Devin remembered that he had several missions from his fight at the base he had yet to redeem so he thought to look into them.

    ''Alice, open mission tab for me.'' Devin said as he pulled the trolley in from the bellhop that had delivered it. As he sat on the sofa with scrambled eggs, hash browns, and toast with coffee and orange juice Devin looked at the screen that was now in front of him.

    [Mission Complete: Clear the Base]

    {Rewards: ''Iron Knuckle'' weapon, ''Rouge School Martial Arts'' manual, 750 Shop Credits, & 350 Exp.]

    [Mission Complete: Investigate Sokovia]

    [Rewards: 200 Exp, 1x Weapon w/ manual, 500 Shop Credits]

    [Hidden Mission Complete: Kill Transformed Genetic Berserker]

    {Rewards: 1x Stardust, 3x Spirit Potion, 2x Healing Potion, 1x Healing Fog, 1x Sun Rhapsody]

    The first two missions were known, but the third was a surprise as Devin didn''t remember hearing a chime for the notification. Then he remembered that he wasn''t really focusing on anything other than trying not to die. So his opponent was labeled as a Genetic Berserker by the system, interesting and could also explain why Beanpole was looking to steal genetic research. The rewards were also surprising as the Spirit Potions alone were extremely expensive in the shop. Now Devin could practice if he could find a place where he wouldn''t be found out. The confusion he was feeling was from the fact that he got a Stardust as a reward. In the game they were a collectible for a npc in return for special items. Is this a similar set up or something different, because the npc would say if you collected fifty of them they could grant the holder a singular wish.

    Devin clicked on the {accept all} button as he finished his last bite and took a sip from his black coffee. A DING noise sounded and a notification appeared saying that Devin had new items in his inventory. Another notification appeared saying that he needed to choose a weapon for one of his rewards. Devin ignored the weapon selection for now as he wasn''t sure which one he should choose. He opened his inventory and could see all the "New" item signs all over his inventory. Devin started by clicking on the "Rouge School" manual and the same as last time a small discomfort was had as the info rushed into his mind and soon it was over. He could feel the combined strengthening from both the exp increase and the Rouge School Arts. Soon he looked at the conundrum of the Stardust. A knock at his door interrupted his chance to investigate so he closed the inventory, but only after removing a handgun from the fallen foes last night and creeping to the door.

    "Who is it?" Devin said with a slightly raised voice. Yana''s voice floated through the solid door. What time is it?! Why was she here so early? Did she talk to her family already? Devin looked through the peep hole and saw Yana and another girl who looked in her early twenties with long, wavy brown hair framing a heart-shaped face wearing a pair of brown pants a white button-up shirt with billowy sleeves and a brown vest over top. the ensemble was completed by a pair of low-heeled black boots that encased her feet and calves. If she had hoop earrings she would look either like a pirate or a gypsy. Putting the gun back in his inventory Devin opened the door with a smile on before speaking.

    "Welcome Yana and you must be Izabela correct? Come in and we can talk about the future." Devin said as he bowed and waved them in while greeting them.

 Chapter 13 - You have the power of the hero inside you!

    Closing the door, Devin saw the two girls moving to the living area with Izabela taking in the room and the subtle yet expensive decor as she followed her younger sister to the couch. Devin followed in close behind, taking the couch opposite the siblings and offering them drinks as he still had a carafe of coffee as well as a pitcher of water. Izabela rejected the offer while Yana helped herself to a glass of water. After everyone was settled Devin decided to open.

    "I''m assuming that Yana here has informed you of my proposal for your family to join me at my home in the US." Devin said as he looked at Izabela.

    "Yes, she has and I have a few reservations about this as well as a couple of questions. Depending on the answers you give I may have to reject your offer Mister Price." Izabela said with a serious look. Devin could feel like he was being glared at by an adorable mother cat protecting it''s kittens.

    "Of course I''ll answer your questions to the best of my ability, but I do want to say that there are a somethings that I will have to refuse to answer due to them either being too personal or regarding something confidential." Devin said as he poured himself another cup of coffee. He noticed that Yana looked at her sister nervously before Izabela nodded.

    "Okay, first question. What do you do for work? It must pay well if you are staying in this kind of expensive room for the amount of time since Yana said she first met you." Izabela said as she looked at Devin like she was tying to see through him to his soul.

    "I am a private defense contractor that works for various governments and groups all over America, Europe, and parts of Asia." Devin said as a look of confusion appeared on Izabela''s and Yana''s faces. The two sisters looked at each other before they turned back and asked for clarification.

    "Basically, my job is to advise and plan defenses as well as protecting certain locations and caravans from potential threats, though I tend to work more on the planning and engineering aspects like building and refurbishing former military bases. I also do weapons and equipment disposal for a slight fee." Devin said before taking a sip from his mug. Izabela''s mouth turned down at the thought of living with what sounded like a mercenary, but decided to finish her questioning.

    "So, if we do accept your offer what exactly are we expected to do?" Izabela said as her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Devin knew what she was insinuating and decided to give two offers.

    "There are two options you can choose from. Either I can give you jobs at my house to do in return for money as well as room and board or you can find a job in the city and pay a small amount for room and board. Your brother and Yana will be attending school as, Henric was his name, is still in elementary and Yana needs to finish school as I assume that she left to help support the family." Devin said to the pair. Devin could see approval in her eyes as he knew that some people would be insulted if they thought they were receiving charity or pity. Devin could tell that even as matronly as Izabela seemed she also had a sense of pride.

    "Okay, final question for now. Are you involved in any shady or illegal affairs that could put my family at risk, now or in the future?" Izabela asked as she leaned forward. There was a slight hope in her eyes now as if this question would seal whether her siblings would be happier from now on. Devin took a minute to think as he knew that he would eventually be included in some of the events in the future, especially if Infinity Wars was still gonna happen. Devin decided to answer as honestly as possible.

    "Now? I don''t think there is anyone specifically or possibly targeting me. In the future I am not sure as there are so many things that could potentially happen and I never involve myself in anything illegal or immoral, but I can tell you this. Sokovia will not be a pleasant place to live in the near future." Devin said as he looked Izabela in the eye.

    "What do you mean that it will not be a pleasant place in the future?" Izabela asked as concern laced her voice.

    "Based on the current system in place for the government as well as some of the things that I have heard about the goings on in the world then this place may become a potential hot zone soon." Devin said as he explained with a half lie. He had heard about the goings on in this world, he just never specified when and what world he heard it on. A complicated look crossed Izabela''s face for a moment before she looked like she had made a decision.

    "Even though I don''t agree with your choice in profession I don''t have a problem with the rest of your answers and I appreciate the chance you have given us. I will do my best to make sure that you never regret making this decision should you take us." Izabela said as she stood up and bowed to Devin. Izabela knew that this was a once in a life-time chance for her siblings and was ready to do what ever she had to do to convince Devin to take them with them if it turned out that he was as Yana said he was. Devin was slightly surprised that she had agreed to his plan. Now all he had to do was wait for confirmation from Strom to get everything started and head home. Devin decided to send the girls home for the moment as he didn''t have any news whether the Sokovian government had agreed to his counter offer. After excusing them to go home with promises that he would notify Yana as soon as he knew when they would leaving.

    Devin decided that he would head to the site to see just how much damage had been done. He rented a car and headed out. A little bit later Devin parked his car and looked around the area at the little bit of damage, but surprisingly also at the clean up crews that were hard at work removing the chunks of destroyed concrete as well as an entire team trying to figure out how to load the destroyed heavy equipment that the Berserker had crashed into onto a flatbed semi.

    Devin noticed that the bodies had been removed already. As he continued to look around a black SUV pulled up to the site, right next to Devin''s car and none other than Strom stepped out. His usual suit and tie in place as he strolled toward Devin. Devin on the other hand was busy staring at the hole in the cement wall that was made from the charge of that brute.

    "Mr. Price you seem well despite everything." Strom said in greeting as Devin only looked at him out the corner of his eye before replying.

    "Yes I am for the most part. This seems a little early, but any news?" Devin asked as he took one last look at the damage before turning to walk beside Strom.

    "Yes, I already spoke with my superiors and they have okayed your request. They put a rush on their order and I have the doc.u.ments in the car. We can get them right now." Strom said as he gestured with his arm toward the vehicle he had arrived in. Soon Devin had the manila envelope in his hand. Devin checked and found three sets of visas as well as the rest needed for them to leave.

    "I hope that everything is to your liking?" Strom asked with a slight smile on his face.

    "Yes, everything seems to be in order. Is there any other services that need to be completed?" Devin asked as he set the envelope in the passenger seat for the moment.

    "No Mr. Price. We will take everything from here. We greatly appreciate the work you have done for us and we have your payment in full." Strom said as he handed a tablet to Devin for him to scan his hand for authorization. Devin scanned his hand and handed the tablet back to Strom and he placed it back in the SUV.

    "It has been a pleasure." Strom said as he put his hand out to shake. Devin took his hand and shook firmly at first. Soon his grip turned tight and threatened to crush Strom''s hand as Strom winced in pain.

    "Listen and listen closely. Those three are under my protection and if you or your superiors think of reneging on our deal, then I want you to think back to all those bodies that you had to haul out of here and then imagine just what I''ll do if they follow through. Because I know exactly who''s number one on the list. You understand?" Devin said as his voice got quieter and icier with every word. Soon Strom was almost brought to his knees from the pain that was his hand being crushed. Sweat was beading on his forehead and the color had drained leaving him extremely pale.

    "YES, Mr. Price I understand. I will make sure that we keep our end of the DEAL!" Strom said as he was at his limit and could hear the bones in his hand creaking from the pressure. Devin let go and got into his car to leave, but rolled down the window and said quickly, "Make sure you do".

    Devin arrived back at the hotel and checked with the front desk to see if Yana had a shift later, but was told that she wasn''t do on shift till the next day. Devin headed back to his room to place the doc.u.ments in a safe place as well as to check whether they transferred his money fully. As he stepped into the room he immediately could feel another presence already further inside. Devin silently withdrew a pistol and stepped in cautiously. Checking the living room turned up nothing so the only rooms left were the bedroom and the bathroom. Devin quickly found the intruder and it wasn''t what he was expecting. There on his bed sat Izabela in only an overly large shirt and a pair of white cotton panties.

    "What are you doing?" Devin asked as he put his pistol in the back of his waist band.

    "I am showing my appreciation for what you are doing for my family." Izabela said with a bright red face. Devin could tell that she had never done anything like this, but for the sake of her siblings she was gonna do whatever it took to make sure they have a better future.

    "Izabela, don''t take this the wrong way but I''m not helping you three because I want you or, heaven forbid, your sister. I''m doing it because I saw a chance to help a few individuals that I could recognize potential in. Again, don''t misunderstand. You are a very beautiful and smart woman and that is very attractive, but you should do this kind of thing with someone you have a connection with." Devin said as he grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. She looked slightly relieved and crestfallen at the same time, but Devin refused to take advantage of a young woman in such a way.

    "I just didn''t want you to change your mind and leave us here after giving my siblings such hope. Even if it meant convincing you with my body." Izabela said as her blush returned slightly at the end.

    "I know Bell. Can I call you Bell?" Devin said before asking. Seeing her nod her head Devin continued.

    "Here''s what I need you to do right now Bell. I want you to get dressed and meet me on the couch. OK?" Devin said as he waited for a confirmation. Izabela saw he was waiting for a reply and nodded her head. Getting up and leaving the room Devin headed to the living room to grab the manila envelope and wait.

    In the other room Izabela was changing into the outfit that she had been wearing that morning. She had seen the t-shirt and panties look in a movie she had been lucky enough to watch at an old job a couple years ago. As she pulled on the brown pants her mind was running a hundred miles per hour. Had she just ruined their chance at going to America? What was she going to do if Mr. Price rejected them now because he thought she was loose floozy? How was she going to explain to her siblings? Soon she was fully dressed and placed the over large shirt in a hand bag that had been her mother''s.

    Taking a deep breath to try and calm her nerves she left the room. Walking into the living room Izabela saw that her benefactor was seated on a couch with a large manila envelope on the table in front of him. Walking over slowly she took the couch opposite with not a small amount of trepidation. Devin could see her tension and gave a smile to show everything was fine.

    "Calm down Bell. I''m not mad and I haven''t changed my mind. I have something to tell you as well as something to show you." Devin said as he continued his smile and Izabela soon relaxed.

    "Okay, on this last job here in Sokovia there were some complications and in return for not only my silence, but also because I helped to repel some aggressors, the government was gonna give me a bonus. This was after Yana told me about you three and your past. So, I offered a counter deal and the government agree. Now I want you to gently open the envelope on the table." Devin said before motioning to the item between them. Izabela was shocked to hear that he had passed on what she could only assume was a large amount of money to instead try and help her and her siblings. Looking at the envelope she gingerly picked it up and opened it to find three passports and a bunch of papers she didn''t recognize. It wasn''t till she opened one of the visas to find her sister''s picture and name. It was then that she began to realize just what she was holding and tears began to well up in her eyes.

    "Surprise! I received them today. We''ll leave as soon as you three have packed everything." Devin said before being tackled by a crying Izabela. Despite her age and maturity she had been strong for too long and now the relief had broken the dam. Devin chuckled as he held her till her crying heaves became small shakes and hiccups. Soon she sat up and rubbed the tears from her eyes that were now red and slightly puffy.

    "Thank you." Izabela said quietly as she slowly stood up.

    "You''re welcome. Now, head back and tell the others. How long do you need to pack all of your belongings?" Devin asked as he started to do a list of things in his head to complete as he held the door open for Izabela to exit.

    "We can be ready by tomorrow." Izabela said as she stepped out. Devin nodded his head in acceptance.

    "Alright, bring your siblings as well as your belongings here tomorrow and we will head out." Devin said as he already knew that he needed to start with the airplane tickets.

    "Sure, I''ll see you tomorrow." Izabela said. Just before she left she stepped forward and kissed Devin on the cheek before running down the hall out of sight. Devin smiled as he turned around and closed the door. He had some tickets to buy for three new roommates.

 Chapter 14 - Aint No Rest for the Wicked

    *New York, USA*

    It has been a couple days since Devin and his three new companions have returned to his home. The siblings were cautious upon entering the house, but soon were wandering around and looking at the decor. Each picked one of the spare bedrooms and began unpacking the few sparse belongings that they had. The next day Devin and Izabela took Yana and Henric to get registered with the school district. Henric was going to go to River East Elementary School and Yana was assigned to Midtown High School. Devin recognized the school''s name as the same school that Peter Parker attends with other characters such as Mary Jane Watson, Gwen Stacy, and Ned Leeds. Who knows if they will even be tied in the same way as before? Devin could only guess at certain possibilities at times while others he could predict based on other circ.u.mstances. After returning home after doing some school and personal shopping for everyone, Devin laid down a few rules. The first being that no one was allowed down stairs without his permission as those rooms pertained to his work and they could get hurt if he wasn''t with them. The next rule is that if one of the two kids wanted a friend over in the future then they would need to ask permission from either Devin or Izabela first, just so one of them could make sure an a.d.u.l.t was around. The final rule is that everyone is to clean up their own messes. Izabela had opted to work around the house so as to be more available to her siblings and Devin should he need something. Devin told her that she would get a substantial salary for her work around the house and he also told the others that he would give them an allowance in exchange for chores he could assign them and both agreed.

    The few days back had been going great and simply peaceful, until a single phone call shattered it to pieces. Devin had just settled down for breakfast when his cell phone started ringing. Standing back up and walking over to the counter Devin checked the caller ID and sighed.

    "Hello Ms. Storm. To what do I owe this unexpected call?" Devin said trying to keep his tone even. Can''t this lady chill?! They had only been back a couple of days! Thankfully Sue hadn''t heard his frustration as she greeted him normally.

    "Mr. Price sorry to call you unexpectedly, but we hadn''t heard from you for awhile." Sue said with a somewhat friendly tone.

    "Sorry, but the last few days have been hectic to say the least. I had to settle my new housemates in when I got back and things have just returned to normal." Devin said as he looked out the kitchen window.

    "I''m sorry to hear that Mr. Price. I can call back another time that might be more suitable if that''s ok." Sue said with an honest tone. Devin thought about the pros and cons. On the one hand it would be nice to have a couple more days of peace, but on the other this meeting was inevitable and it could be better to just get things over with.

    Ah f.u.c.k it!

    "Nah this is fine. Let me guess, you want to schedule a time for me to meet you so you can scan me for the possibility that that energy you guys were searching for might have left traces on me. right?"

    Devin said as he turned and walked back to the table just as the kids finished their breakfast and left for other parts of the house. Henric had become partial to the early morning cartoons that he would watch in the living room and Yana had taken to reading the books in the library at all free moments.

    "Right. Would it be at all possible for you to come in today?" Sue asked as Devin finished a bite of food. Man this lady is persistent.

    "Today is fine though I do need to finish a couple things first. How about around 1 o''clock? That sound good?" Devin asked as he finished another bite of food. Devin still had to clean and store the spare weapons that were sitting and collecting dust in his inventory. Devin had decided to keep a pair of handguns in his inventory as well as some spare ammo. Devin had been contemplating the unselected weapon voucher and had narrowed it down to a couple different options, but no definite answer, but he needed to decide. Devin hadn''t been lying that the last couple of days had been busy, getting the three settled as well as checking the status of everything else going on. Devin had seen an article that Tony Stark was currently missing after a demonstration in the middle east. So the birth of iron man was in the process. Other than that the only mentions were the Fantastic Four and an advert for The Xavier Institute. Devin made a mental note to find a way to subvert Professor X''s mind reading abilities before meeting anyone from the school.

    "That sounds fine Mr. Price. I would suggest that you take a taxi as there is rarely any available parking near the building. I will see you soon." Sue said before hanging up.

    Devin took one last bite before cleaning his plate. Devin let Izabela know that he had work to do down stairs and that if they needed him then they just needed to press the button next to the door and talk into it and he will hear them. Devin descended down to the armory so that he could go through his loot. Entering the room, the left side had dozens of racks for hot weapons while the right side had just as many racks for cold weapons and right in the middle of the room was a large work table. Devin unloaded his inventory onto the table so that he could sort through it.

    Combing through everything Devin managed to count 7 handguns, 3 ARs, and a dozen knives of varying size. He also had the Broad Sword that he had received at the beginning as well as the Iron Knuckles which looked like a pair of gloves with metal triangles over the knuckles. Devin got to work cleaning everything starting with the sword. After a couple hours of work everything was cleaned oiled and stored. Devin decided that he would keep the sword, gloves, a pair of handguns, an AR, and a knife. The last bit of work Devin decided to take care of was the weapon voucher that he got from Sokovia.

    ''Alice I have a question for you.'' Devin said as he used one of his pilfered knives to clean his nails.

    ''Ask away master.''

    ''If I were to get a dagger from the shop, what would the difference be between that one and the knife in my hand?'' Devin asked as he flipped the knife into the air and then caught it before stowing it back in the inventory.

    ''Master, all weapons from the shop have two major differences from items that you acquire in this world. The first is that you can channel magic through any item that has been bought from the system while the worldly item can''t. It would reject the magic and possibly explode depending on the amount channeled. The other difference is that weapons bought from the shop will transform with you when you trigger the dragoon transformation, but the items from this world won''t.''

    ''So the items and weapons I get from here aren''t as powerful as what I could get from the system. Sounds like Peter put that limit on to mess with me. I need something swift and quiet since I have plenty of firepower. The sword is good, but not too conspicuous and the gloves lack a one-hit kill factor and I doubt neck snapping would work on everyone, but a blade to the throat is usually final.'' Devin said as he clicked on the voucher then clicked accept. The weapon menu of the shop opened as Devin moved towards the stairs. The only weapon that screamed inconspicuous and silent was the dual daggers so clicking on them and hitting yes to accept, the screen closed and a pair of matching daggers appeared in his hands. The discomfort came and went, leaving behind new knowledge. As Devin looked at his new tools of death he couldn''t help but smile a little before spinning one dagger in his palm before stowing them away.

    Devin left the bas.e.m.e.nt and bid the others goodbye before calling a taxi to take him into the city. Ten minutes later Devin was sitting in the back of a cab watching the scenery pass. He knew that this meeting could go one of two ways. Either he would get scanned and they would find nothing and be home free or they scan him and it sets off every alarm in the building. Even with the reassurance that he got from Alice, Devin still felt that this was going to go anything but smoothly.

 Chapter 15 - Once More unto the Breach

    Looking up at the Baxter Building, Devin couldn''t shake the feeling of slight anxiety and moderate dread. After asking Alice again he only got the same answers he had gotten before. Taking a deep breath and steeling himself for what he might face, Devin stepped through the doors. Walking across the lobby and tapping the elevator button, Devin waited a minute for the doors to open. When they did he got an unexpected surprise in the form of Johnny escorting a beautiful blonde in a strapless c.o.c.ktail dress that only reached her mid-thigh. Blushing and giggling at whatever Johnny had been whispering in her ear, the woman stepped off just as Johnny''s face lite up in recognition of who was standing outside the elevator.

    "Devin! Long time no see!" Johnny exclaimed as he clapped Devin in a bro-hug. Apparently their initial meeting had left quite the impression.

    "Johnny! Sorry, work has been murder these last few weeks and I just got back. How have you been?" Devin said has he returned the greeting as he stepped into the cabin and the doors shut.

    "I''m sorry to hear that. Hey! We should plan a dude''s night out! I could introduce you to some girls I know and we could kick back and relax." Johnny said excitedly. Devin grinned as the energy that Johnny was giving off was contagious.

    "I appreciate that Johnny, but at the moment I am still trying to get settled in still and I have some business with your sister to conclude so that I can get back to my obligations." Devin said tinting his voice with a regret that he didn''t feel. Devin wanted some time off to figure out a way to practice his transformations without being discovered too early as well as do some more research into what else this world had in store. Apparently Johnny had taken what he said in the wrong way, because an evil grin split his face before he leaned in close.

    "Devin! My sister is spoken for already, but I could find someone "suitable" to your tastes if you know what I mean." Johnny said in what can only be described as a sly persuasive voice. Devin shuddered at the thought of what Johnny was implying. Not that Sue wasn''t attractive, but she was far from his type what with the constant grilling and snoopiness. Not to mention the whole Evil Reed thing that he remembered from his past life. The creators of Marvel had basically said that if Reed and Sue didn''t end up together then Reed would go evil and threaten the world. Devin had enough to worry about with all the other bad guys that possibly inhabit this world and all the worlds.

    "Johnny no offense, but Hell no! First off, your sister ain''t my type and second I don''t go near women who are spoken for. I''m just here because your sister asked if Reed could scan me for residual traces of that energy you were looking for." Devin said to Johnny as the smile left the young man''s face.

    "Oh man, sorry about that. I''m usually pretty spot on about these things. Well that explains why you''re here. You''re probably looking for sis and the mad scientist. They are probably up in the lab getting things ready. I''ll show ya there." Johnny said as they rode the elevator up. Soon the ding of the elevator sounded and the doors opened to reveal a large open space with computers and other technological machines covering the walls. The only places without machinery were the windows covering one wall of the room that showed a really good view of New York. At one console was the ever persistent inquisitor Sue storm and on the other side of the room, looking at a tablet was the studious Reed Richards.

    "Sis! Devin''s here. He said you guys needed him for something. Try not to maim him, I really like this guy!" Johnny said as they walked in before he split off and stood off to the side to watch.

    "Of course we won''t Johnny, don''t be absurd! Hello Mr. Price, thank you for coming in on such short notice and I apologize for my brother''s antics." Sue said as she strode up and shook hands.

    "It''s fine and Johnny is great. So, you must be Reed Richard. I''ve heard a lot about you." Devin said as he turned from Sue to greet Reed who had wandered over. He looked just like most of the depictions of Devin had seen. Dark brown hair with silvery-white sides, clean shaven, wearing a lab coat over the Fantastic Four uniform.

    "You must be Mr. Price that Sue told me about. Glad you could come." Reed said as he shook hands as well before motioning further into the room to a table with a body outline.

    "So, what kind of scans are we talking about?" Devin asked as they all moved towards the table.

    "We are gonna be doing three scans.The first is going to be looking for any ambient energy that might be hanging your body. The second will be scanning your body to see if it is producing any energy itself. The last will be a physiological scan that scans to see if there are any changes in your body due to exposure to that energy." Reed said as he tapped multiple times on his tablet. Sue was typing on a keyboard causing the table to glow. The mention of a physical scan set off alarms in Devin''s head as Alice had mentioned that the Spirits could be seen on x-rays to some extent.

    "Okay Mr. Price. Please take your shirt off and lay on the table and we''ll get started." Sue said as she motioned over to the table. Devin stepped up and whipped off his shirt. Laying on the table, Devin jumped slightly from his skin contacting a cold surface. Next a bar emerged from somewhere above Devin''s head and moved to his feet. After another few seconds a yellow light shown from the bottom, bathing Devin''s feet in gold light.

    "Okay Mr. Price. Please hold still and this will be over before you know it." Reed said as he tapped a couple more times. The bar began slowly moving up his body, soon reaching and passing his head.

    "Clear of ambient radiation around his body." Sue called out to Reed. Another tap and the bar moved back to Devin''s feet, this time with a blue light replacing the yellow. Once again the bar moved up and then stopped.

    "His body is clean of any signs of energy." Sue said as Reed tapped for a third time. Back again at it''s starting point, the bar glowed a toxic green and Devin began to get really nervous. The dread kept increasing as the bar crept higher. Just as the bar was reaching the lower portion of his chest and Devin was dreading how he was going to talk his way out of this, a tremor rocked the building. The scan stopped just as an alarm began to go off and Reed began speed typing.

    ''Whew saved by the bell.''

    "What''s going on?" Devin said as he sat up.

    "I''m not sure, but several sensors have been set off." Sue said as she stood beside Reed. The ding of the elevators announced another arrival. A large, orange, golem looking creature stepped out. This had to be the ''Ever-Lovin'' Blue-Eyed'' Thing, Ben Grimm. He was just as craggy as the comics. He was wearing a pair of blue pants and had a four with a circle around it painted on his chest.

    "Stretch, did you blow up the lab again?! What''s going on?" Ben said before noticing the shirtless newcomer.

    "Who are you?" Ben said before Johnny slung an arm around him.

    "Ben, Devin. Devin, Ben." Johnny introduced before ducking a swat from Ben.

    "So your the guy I''ve been hearing everyone mutter about?" Ben said as he walked over to see what was going on.

    "Mutter? Didn''t know my reputation proceeded me." Devin said as he cast a side-ways glance at Sue.

    "Yeah Stretch and Suzie have been wanting to turn you into a lab rat for awhile now. So is that what happened?" Ben said as he glanced at the screen only to look back at Devin.

    "Really? No, That''s not what happened though that is rather interesting news." Devin said as Sue finally glared at Ben before turning back to the monitor.

    "I''m picking up numerous seismic readings as well as some signs of a bizarre energy just under the surface." Reed finally said to the group.

    "Is it the same energy as last time?" Sue asked as she glanced at Devin before looking at Reed.

    "No, it''s very different. This one isn''t as dense as the other one." Reed said while rubbing his chin with one hand before typing once more.

    "I''m starting a search of all recorded energy signatures." Reed said. Soon another massive tremor shook the building this one being even stronger than the last.

    That''s when it happened. A massive sink hole opened up a block away from the Baxter Building, right in the center of an intersection. At first it just was smoking with clouds of dust billowing from it. Then a roar ripped through the air and a creature that resembled a massive, gold fish man climbed out wearing burgundy shorts. He looked like a bipedal oriental carp with arms and legs. Each hand and foot having three webbed digits. On his back was a large fan like fin and next to that was what looked like a pair of massive rockets.

    "Aunt Petunia''s Girdle! What in the hell is that thing?!" Ben said as the creature stood up and was taller than the Baxter Building.

    "I''m not sure, but thinking of where it came from it could be okay to assume this has something to do with The Mole Man." Reed said as he observed the creature.

    "Yeah, but now what?" Johnny asked as he looked at the the creature nervously.

    "Now? It''s clobberin'' time!" Ben said as he stomped towards the elevator with the others following. Devin had just put his shirt on when the others looked at him from the elevator.

    "Mr. Price you may want to stay here till we take care of this." Sue said as the doors slowly closed. As Devin looked at the monitor that showed the massive beast, Devin considered whether to stay or help. He wasn''t sure if he was ready to reveal his abilities yet or deal with all the headaches that would come with it, but he knew that he would feel like shit if he didn''t do anything. Well, he could at least help to evacuate the civilians.

    ***

    Sue Pov

    ***

    Sue was evacuating as many people as possible as the boys tried to restrain that creature from generating too much destruction. People were running in every direction that was away from it and with the size of that thing, just it moving was destroying things and the debris is raining down on innocents. The part that has her confused is that when The Mole Man invaded the last couple of times it has usually been him leading swarms of his followers to attack. This time was different, just one monster and not a single sign of him or others. Soon all of the civilians were gone and the only ones left were the Four.

    "Reed we need to drive it back into the hole if we can." Sue said as she flew up into the air in one of her psionic bubbles.

    "We''re trying Sue but we''re having very little effect on it." Reed said as he wrapped around it''s head. Johnny was blasting it with bolts of fire and Ben was pounding on it''s hunched over back and shoulders. It was at this point that it stopped moving and it straightened up slightly.

    "What''s it doing now?" Johnny yelled as he circled overhead.

    "I''m not sure, but it can''t be good." Sue said. A rumble began emitting from the metal cylinders. It was then that Reed surmised what those were.

    "Everyone, we need to stop those rockets from launching! We have no idea where they are headed or what kind of payload they might have!" Reed said urgently. Soon everyone was focusing on the quickly heating up rockets that were beginning to smoke. Soon smoke could be seen emitting from the body and after a few more strikes it exploded slightly staggering the monstrosity. The other rocket continued to power up as the creature straightened up again.

    Unfortunately, they couldn''t damage the other rocket enough to prevent it from launching. With a massive roar the rocket launched from its back and soared skyward trailing a cloud of black smoke. They did manage to damage it enough so that it exploded not long after launch, far over the city. The joy of success soon turned to horror as the blast turned into a black cloud of vapor that was descending onto the city.

    "What is that stuff?!" Johnny shouted into his comms.

    "I don''t know, but don''t touch it!" Reed said as the creature started to move again. It began to move towards the hole that it had crawled out of it was also at this point that Sue placed a psionic force field around her family members and the creatures head in an attempt to suffocate it. As it started to loose oxygen, the creature became agitated and managed to swat both Johnny and Ben away in it''s struggles. With another flail Reed was launched into a gargoyle on the corner of an old building. It was then that it made a break for it''s hole to escape and standing in it''s way was Sue Storm.

    Bolt after psionic bolt were launched but nothing scratched the monster as it accelerated forward. As it bared down on the blonde it was then that it struck her bubble causing it to burst and her to suffer a painful backlash as she fell through the air. What no one saw was that she was falling straight for the hole that the creature had made.

    "Sue!"

    "Sis!"

    "Suzie!"

    The three men of the Fantastic Four could only shout in horror as they were too far to do anything. Then a shadow flashed near her and caught the unconscious woman. It was Devin! Landing on a car on the edge of the hole Devin held on as the creature jumped into the hole. The force of the jump caused the car to tremble and begin to slide off the edge and into the abyss. Devin ran as fast as he could and jumped just as he reached the end of the vehicle and extended a hand to grab the ledge, but was too far to make it. As the two started to descend into the dark abyss of the earth, Devin had time to utter one last phrase.

    "FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-"

 Chapter 16 - There are No Secrets that Time Cannot Reveal.

    Darkness. That was all that could be scene when Devin opened his eyes. Slowly sitting up Devin could tell that once again his back was gonna be covered in bruises from the levels of stiffness and soreness that pulsed through his shoulders and spine. Looking around Devin could see walls of stone and dirt that arched up and up into the over head darkness. Soon Devin remembered that he wasn''t alone when he had fallen. Standing up and searching the area of what he could see he began his search for the eldest Storm sibling. He soon found her lying a dozen feet away. She look to be fine with only a couple smudges of dirt on her. Devin sat down next to her so that he would know when she woke up and began looking around once again.

    Devin began to notice that since they had fallen into the earth then they should be in pitch blackness. So, how was he able to see anything let alone find Sue? Devin soon discovered that not too far away from their position was a crevice that was leaking a faint glow from it that was allowing him to see. A faint groan from his side alerted him that his unexpected companion had woken up. Devin saw her sit up and put a hand to her head.

    "You alright?" Devin asked as his voice caused her to jump in surprise. Soon Sue was twisting her head back and forth as if she was looking for something. As a look of distress started to show on her face Devin also began to worry.

    "Devin is that you? Where are you?" Sue called out even though he was right next to her.

    "I''m right next to you. Are you alright? Did you hit your head?" Devin said as he moved closer and put a hand on her shoulder to let her know he was really there. Devin was beginning to worry that she had hit her head in the fall and had been blinded. Sue began to feel all over her head and soon she gave up.

    "I can''t feel anything wrong and there isn''t any pain. How is it that you can see in here?" Sue asked as she reported no injuries.

    "There''s some very faint light that I can see coming from a small crack not too far from us." Devin said as he looked from Sue to the crevice and back in confusion before Devin remembered his conversation with Alice not too long ago about him showing draconic features during time of high emotion and stress.

    ''Alice am I able to see right now due to the bonding with the dragon spirit?'' Devin asked as he continued to look back and forth.

    ''Master, you are correct though they are only in the initial stages. Once you bond with the Darkness Dragoon spirit and raise it to level 2 you will be able to see through any darkness no matter what. The Red-Eyed Dragoon spirit at level 2 will give you thermal vision.''

    ''Well that would be helpful now rather than later.'' Devin thought as he turned to Sue.

    "Come on, let''s get out of here." Devin said as he took her hand and helped her up.

    "How am I gonna follow you if I can''t see?" Sue asked with a small amount of sarcasm. Devin didn''t need night vision to know the look Sue was giving him as he was well acquainted with it even before he came to the MU.

    "Put your hand on my shoulder and I''ll lead us outta here. Just make sure that you don''t let go." Devin said as he guided her hand to his shoulder. Soon they were on their way. Minutes ticked by as the two walked slowly. The silence was thick between them and Devin didn''t mind it,but apparently his companion did as it was only very short time later that she spoke.

    "I''m sorry." Sue whispered. Even though she hadn''t said it very loud Devin had heard her clearly.

    "For?" Devin asked as he focused on the glow in the distance.

    "I realize that I haven''t exactly been that great towards you. I''ve been accusing you of being the cause of that energy since we met and that hasn''t been fair to you. Now I''min a situation where if it weren''t for you I would be blind and lost in the dark. So, I''m sorry and thank you. If I can repay you back someday I would be glad to." Sue said and Devin could tell by the tone of her voice she meant every word.

    "Sue I appreciate the apology and I have some words for you. Everyone has secrets and it''s their decision on whether they tell someone or not. You can''t make them because you don''t know what their situation is or the possible trauma behind those secrets. It''s best to let them tell you in their own time. As for your suspicions all I can tell you is that the energy you have been searching for isn''t something you need to be worried about." Devin said. The squeeze on his shoulder told him that he had shocked her with the revelation that he had knowledge on the energy they had been searching for. Just as she was opening her mouth to grill him once again, Devin stopped and spoke first.

    "Sue think about what you were apologizing for a minute ago and what I said about a person''s situation." Devin said. With that reminder Sue closed her mouth and held still. After a minute she looked up and asked one question.

    "Will you tell me when you are ready?" She asked as she looked at where she thought his head would be. She was actually looking at his neck, but Devin understood just fine.

    "Yes."Devin said as he started moving again. It was another five minutes later that Devin realized that the crevice that he had been looking at had been even farther away than he initially guessed and that it was actually a massive fold in the stone wall that the glow was coming from behind. That was when Sue spoke up again.

    "Devin I think I can see that glow you mentioned now." Sue said. This relieved him a little as he now had confirmation that she hadn''t gone blind from the fall.

    "Alright, lets keep going. Hopefully this leads to a way out." Devin said as they continued onwards.

    ***

    Baxter Building

    Reed POV

    ***

    It had been a couple of hours since Sue and Devin had disappeared down the giant hole in the ground. Johnny had wanted to fly down and look for them, but I convinced him that we needed to wait and go in prepared. It didn''t sit well with either Johnny or Ben, but they understood what I meant and that Sue could look after herself. We weren''t sure if Devin would be alright, but there was nothing we could do about that till we got down there. I had taken a sample of the black mist that had been released and was analyzing it as the fantasticar was being prepped. Director Fury already had people cleaning up the scene around the hole and I had personally told him that when I had results for the analysis of the substance I would let him know.

    As I was watching the data flow across the screen when I heard the door to the lab open. Turning I found Ben, my best friend since college, walking in. I watched as he approached with a stoic look on his face.

    "Fantasticar is fueled an'' ready to go. Johnny is already in the hanger waitin''. You ready to go Stretch?" Ben asked as I looked at the monitor again.

    "Almost Ben, that creature was determined to get those two rockets to launched for a reason and I have the feeling that whatever it''s purpose is, we aren''t going to like it." I replied as I searched the data again.

    "Stretch, I''ve known ya for a long time an'' I know that you''s has a lot of guilt from what happened out there. All of us have it, but don''t let it eat ya up in side." Ben said as I turned around and looked at the man that I owed so much to.

    "I know Ben, Thanks." I said. Not even a heart beat later the ding of the computer notifying me that it had finished analyzing the sample of the black substance rang out. After a few seconds of tapping and reading the results,my heart dropped. Ben must have noticed something was wrong.

    "What''s wrong Stretch?" Ben asked as he glanced at the screen I was staring at.

    "We''ve got a huge problem besides rescuing Sue and Devin." I said as I turned to Ben

    "That substance was a mutagenic polysach-" I stated before Ben interrupted with a hand up.

    "Stretch, English please." Ben said as he lowered his hand.

    "Sorry, it''s a chemical that not only blocks a huge range on the light spectrum, but has the ability to mutate organic life through long term exposure." I said as I turned back to the terminal and began typing again.

    "So who''s ever sent that ugly is trying to change people into what? Mini versions of that original ugly?" Ben asked as he stepped up beside me.

    "I''m not sure, but based on wind patterns and the delivery used I would hazard a guess that they were trying to block the sunlight on the surface using the this substance and the mutagenic properties are either the secondary phase or an unknown side-effect." I told him as I ran scan after scan.

    "So what now? We still have Suzie and that guest o'' yours, lost in the dark down there." Ben said crossing his arms.

    "I''m running tests for a way to neutralize it and I''m gonna alert Director Fury about the danger so that once the tests are complete, he can synthesize the neutralizer and distribute it while we go after Sue and Devin." I said as I finished inputting the commands and turned towards the elevator. As we left I pulled a small communicator from my belt and pressed a button.

    "Director Fury, we have a problem."

    ***

    S.H.I.E.L.D. Hovercarrier

    ***

    "Alright. We''ll be ready when the file comes in. Good luck." Nick Fury said as he ended the call with Reed Richards. Placing the small handheld back in it''s slot on the console of the bridge, Nick turned to an attractive woman wearing a skin tight, silver bodysuit. Strapped to her thighs were two silver holsters with silver pistols. Her long, silver hair was held back by a headband that was also silver. Every bit of equipment on her was silver. The only other color visible was her pale skin, dark lashes, and dark, rouged lips.

    "Sable, what do you have to report from Sokovia?" Fury ordered as he looked out the windows of the massive ship''s command deck.

    "Sir, I couldn''t get much from the workers other than there was an attack by an outside hostile force of unknown origins. No one knew what was stolen or what their purpose was. I did find out that there was one person missing and he was the one who killed the majority of the intruders. What''s weird is that no one can remember what his name is or what he looked like. The guy who told me about him managed to tell me that he was some sort of contractor that was working as a boss before he collapsed with blood coming out of his nose." Silver Sable reported as she stood next to the director.

    "So we have a mysterious group attacking government facilities and the one man who put a major hurtin'' on them and might have important information on them has disappeared and no one can remember a damn thing. Great!" Fury said as he recapped the report and ended with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

    "Sir there is one last thing." Sable offered. Fury motioned to continue with his hand as his brain raced.

    "I searched the surrounding area with the quinjet and found what looks to be a massive blast zone." Sable said as she pulled up photos on a tablet before handing it to her boss. As fury looked at the aftermath of what looked like a sizable bomb going off he remembered that there had been a spike of unknown energy in the vicinity and now he was possibly looking at the results from that spike. Warning bells were ringing loud and clear in his mind at the thought of an anonymous person walking around with that kind of firepower unsupervised.

    "Good job Agent Sable. Get some rest we''ll possibly need you in the near future again. Hill, I want you to assemble a team and investigate all people entering or exiting Sokovia that are not of Sokovian nationality." Fury said as he turned from his agent to his right hand woman.

    "Yes sir! Right away." Agent Hill replied as she turned and walked away to fulfill her orders. As Fury watched both women leave with his last remaining eye he couldn''t help, but feel like things were moving in a direction that would leave him with more than just a headache.

 Chapter 17 - Welcome to the Underground

    Astounding was too small a word for what they had found. A large cavern was revealed when they had entered the crevice. The light came from two sources, the first being some kind of glowing, crystal spires that were scattered all along the ceiling and walls. The largest was roughly a foot taller than Devin and twice as thick as his chest was wide. The other source of light was produced by massive, bio-luminescent mushrooms that filled in the spaces between the crystal spires. The giant fungi were glowing in what looked like neon colors like green, pink, blue, and yellow. The air smelled of damp earth and something sour.

    Now that both people could see, Sue removed her hand from Devin''s shoulder and began to observe the wonder they had discovered. While she was looking at the glowing features Devin began scanning for another entrance that could be their potential ticket back to the surface. He finally found it in the form of a small vent of some kind that was punched into the wall just below the ceiling. It was half hidden behind one of the largest mushroom''s cap. It was about the same size as a trash can lid and would be a tight fit for Devin himself, but Sue shouldn''t have to much trouble.

    "This is amazing! These are possibly a new species of fungi that has never been seen before and these crystals, magnificent!" Sue said as she gently caressed the surface of one of the crystal''s glass-like facets.

    "Sue, you might want to focus. We aren''t out of here yet. Once we get back to the surface and contact the others then you can start studying things." Devin said as he stood underneath the hole he had found. Sue had at least enough consciousness to be embarrassed for losing focus. She stepped up next to Devin and looked at the hole he was glancing at.

    "Do you think that that might lead out of here?" Sue asked as she tried to pierce the gloom that filled the tunnel.

    "From what I can see it might." Devin said as he raised an eyebrow in intrigue.

    "What do you mean by ''might''?" Sue asked as she looked at Devin before trying to pierce the gloom again.

    "From what I can see of the tunnel it goes up about twenty feet before it curves off to the right." Devin said as he continued to look up.

    "Well, standing here looking at it wont change anything. Can I give you a lift?" Sue said as she waved her hand and a small platform made of psionic energy formed in front of the two.

    "Sure." Devin replied as he stepped on to the disc before it rose the two into the air. Soon they were before the opening and Devin decided to go first in case they ran into something hostile along the way. They both climbed for minutes before they reached the curve and Devin saw another curve farther up. Time crawled by about as fast as the two did up the tunnel.

    After one last turn Devin spotted a dim light about a dozen feet from their current position.

    "Sue, I can see a light." Devin said over his shoulder.

    "Hurry, I''m starting to lose my grip here." Sue shouted. Devin renewed by the possibility of getting out of the tight confines. Breaching the exit of the tunnel, Devin was disappointed that it wasn''t an exit to the surface, but another chamber. The difference between the last one and this one was that it was massive in size and there was no mushrooms to be found though the crystals were still there.

    "Not another one." Sue groaned as she pulled herself from the hole.

    "Shhhhh!" Devin said as he motioned for quiet. He could hear what sounded like voices coming from the opposite end of the chamber. Waving his hand to signal to stay low and follow him the two crept toward the voices they heard. Soon the muffled voices could be heard clearly.

    "Your creature failed to do as we planned!" a nasally voice shouted from not too far from the pair''s hiding spot behind a crystal. Glancing around the edge slowly Devin glimpsed a short, rotund man with a partially bald head and what looked like a pair of weird glasses on his face. This must be the Mole Man that Devin had heard mentioned. The woman that he was speaking to was head and shoulders above him in height. With black shoulder length hair and pale skin, she looked like a normal human. She was wearing a long sleeved top with a plunging neckline lined with red. An orange skirt held by a wide red belt with matching red gloves. The finishing pieces of her outfit being a pair of yellow high-heeled boots that ended below the knee and a red headdress with three matching red feathers.

    "It was your devices that failed, Harvey." the mystery woman said with a sneer on her face. Devin could practically hear Mole Man''s teeth grinding from where they hid.

    "I told you to never call me that! Harvey is dead! Now there is only The Mole Man." the short man declared as he raised his stone short staff above his head. Devin could feel Sue looking over his shoulder as they listened in.

    "What ever you say. How do we turn this short fall into something substantial?" the lady in the fiery clothes asked as she glanced at her nails in disinterest.

    "Easy my dear Kala, we simply wait and see. I made sure that the payload that was supposed to block the light also had a double effect." The Mole Man said as he tapped the point of his staff on the ground with a chuckle.

    "Oh? What do you mean by that?" the now identified Kala asked as she looked directly at the short man.

    "Lets just say that those sun-lovers wont be the same soon." Mole Man said as he turned and glanced at a nearby crystal.

    "Sue, who are these two? Do you know them?" Devin whispered over his shoulder trying to keep an eye on the two unknowns.

    "Yeah, the short man is Harvey Elder or as he likes to be called now, The Mole Man. The other is the ruler of the Netherworld, Kala. They, along with another man called Tyrannus. They were in a three-way power split, but seeing this I''d say that these two are making a bid to remove Tyrannus." Sue explained as they watched the two converse.

    Soon the two underworld leaders wandered off down a tunnel at the far end while still discussing future plans. The two in hiding stepped out after making sure that the two were gone.

    "So that sounded real bad. We need to get out of here and let the others know that what ever was in those rockets is bad news." Devin said as he looked at Sue.

    "Yeah, but the question is. Which way is out?" Sue said as she looked around. It was at that time that Devin made out the sound of foot falls coming from several directions and in mere seconds the two were surrounded by what looked like dozens of yellow Gollums. The squeeks and muffled growls filled the massive room.

    "Guess finding an exit will have to wait for now, huh?" Devin said as he went back to back with Sue before with a flick of each wrist, a pistol and one of Devin''s new daggers appeared ready for use.

    "Yeah, don''t worry I''ll take care of you and keep you safe." Sue said as psionic energy encased her fists. Her comment raising one of Devin''s eyebrows.

    "Alright, let''s dance!" Devin shouted as he launched into the crowd of gold colored goblins.

 Chapter 18 - Danger Down Under

    An hour and a half. That is how long it took to bring the fight to a stalemate. Devin was ready and willing to continue, but Sue was struggling to keep up. The goblin looking things had backed off into a circle around them and were now cautious of them now that quite a few of their number were either unconscious due to Sue or dead by Devin''s hand. Devin knew that Sue was definitely not happy about him killing the creepy little f.u.c.ks, but she had at least enough awareness to know that now wasn''t the time for an argument. As Devin kept an eye on the horde they still faced, he took a quick glance at their situation and what kind of condition Sue was in. There was still at least a few dozen of the enemies present and maybe four to six joining every few minutes. Sue looked a little ruffled but otherwise okay, but when he checked again he noticed that she had a small stream of blood coming from her nose. Devin summarized that she was beginning to over strain her powers. He needed to do something to take the strain off of her.

    He still had an AR in his inventory, but that would still take time to mow down all of these bastards and he had limited ammo. Devin could pull out his sword and try to channel magic through it, but there was two draw backs as he didn''t know how or to what effect.

    ''Alice, I need a quick and effective way to eliminate the majority of these guys if not all of them.'' Devin thought as he kept surveying his surroundings for any signs of aggression.

    ''Master, might I suggest you purchase a single-use magic item from the shop. You have acc.u.mulated just enough for the purchase of a AOE single-use magic item.''

    Devin had forgotten that there was attack items in the game that could be used to activate different magic attacks.

    ''Alice are these items complicated? I kinda don''t have time to learn how to use something complicated right now.'' Devin thought as a few of the braver enemies took a small step forward.

    ''No master, once you aquire the magical races bloodlines then you will have to learn how to use the actual spells, but simply throw the item into the air and it will activate on it''s own and as these creatures are used to living underground, might I suggest either Dancing Ray or Gushing Magma magic items?''

    Devin filed away a mental note to check out the bloodlines later, but with nothing to lose but some points Devin figured it might be worth the try.

    ''Alice, lets go with Gushing Magma since I get a small boost to fire magics from the Red Dragoon Spirit.'' Devin said with a grin.

    ''Warning: though you won''t be affected by your magic or by heat thanks to the spirit, your partners will be.'' Alice warned as a ding noise sounded.

    ''Alice, I''m supposed to be taking pressure off of her not putting more on her!'' Devin mentally shouted.

    "Sue I might have a way out of this, but it depends on if you can sustain a shield to protect yourself." Devin whispered over his shoulder.

    "That depends, is this gonna be a massive explosion or something more long term?" Sue replied as she looked over her shoulder. Thinking of what he remembered from the game Devin distinctly remembered that the spell wasn''t explosive as that was the feature of the second level spell for the red dragoon.

    "No, I think it is more of a long term burn." Devin said as he switched out his dagger for what looked like a glass orb with a band of gold encircling it, a red glow emanating from the center. Devin tossed the item straight up as Sue created a pale blue, semi-transparent force field around them. Just as it activated Devin covered Sue with his body in an attempt to help block some of the heat. Soon several columns of blazing energy erupted from around them. Each one growing in intensity until all of the goblin things in the near vicinity were reduced to ash from the intensity of the heat.

    Sweat was pouring from Sue as the little bits of her that wasn''t covered by her suit or Devin soon turned red from the radiating temperatures. Eventually the heat dissipated and and Sue looked around. The ground and walls were glowing from the temperatures that had been unleashed and in some spots she could see chunks of what looked like charcoal, but were in fact pieces of burned corpse slowly disintegrating. As she turned to look at Devin, she saw a sight that was horrifying and awe inspiring at the same time. There standing next to her was Devin, but waves of steam and smoke were wafting off of his shoulders and back. The part that startled her was the change his eyes had gone through, they had changed from his bluish-grey to a burning red with his pupils narrowed to reptilian slits.

    *Giant Hole, New York*

    Ben was checking the last few preps before they entered the giant hole that that monstrosity had dived back into. He would occasionally glance at the other two to check on them. Johnny was agitated to the point where he was bouncing his leg and tapping his arm. Reed was going through the calculations for the millionth time. Ben decided that they had waited long enough.

    "Alright guys lets get in there and get Suzie and that buddy of Johnny''s out of there." Ben said as he hopped into his c.o.c.kpit.

    "Finally!" Johnny exclaimed as he lit up and hovered next to the jet. Reed hopped in and closed the domes as the turbines fired up. Soon the Fantasticar was soaring down the tunnel following Johnny as their main source of light. Ben decided to ask a question to break the silence.

    "Hey Stretch, just wonderin'' but what do we do if''n we run into that giant mook that started this whole thing? Now I''m not saying that I can handle him m''self, but ''e wasn''t too impressed when we faced him the first time." Ben said as he flew them down.

    "Well Ben I''m not sure, but I am confident that we might be able to trap him in an underground area if we find the right opportunity. Our biggest concern is to find Sue and Devin first and get them out of there." Reed replied as he manned the scanners for signs of where the duo could have gone. A few more minutes and the trio found that there were dozens of tunnels lining the main cavity.

    "Reed, can you tell which one of these tunnels sis and Devin could have fallen down?" Johnny asked as he flew from one tunnel to the next.

    "That isn''t possible with how much time has gone by but with some time I could locate them, it would take quite a few hours though." Reed replied as he tapped away at a tablet.

    "Is there another way Stretch?" Ben asked while watching Johnny zip around them.

    "Well we could turn on our electronic tracers and explore each of the tunnels to map out where each one goes, but this possibly could take just as long as the former." Reed said.

    "Well it''s better than just sitting here." Johnny said as he flew up next to Reeds c.o.c.kpit.

    "Alright, lets split up. We''ll leave the empty cars here as a base point and map out the tunnels and hopefully we''ll find them in the process." Reed said as he typed in a couple commands before hitting a red button and both Ben''s and Reed''s cars separating.

    "Good luck!" Johnny yelled as he zoomed down a tunnel on the opposite side of the main tunnel. As Reed shot down another Ben had one last thought.

    ''Don''t worry Suzie, we''re comin''.''

    *SHIELD Helicarrier*

    "Sir, we''ve just received word from Mr. Richards. We have the formula for the cure to the mutagen that was dispersed." an agent spoke out as the helicarrier sat in the sky near the detonation site of the rocket.

    "Good, get the scientists started on manufacturing it so that we can begin dispersing it." Fury commanded from his station.

    "Sir, it has already been sent to the labs, but they have reported a complication." the same agent said as she looked nervously at her C.O.

    "What now? After all we pay them you''d think they''d actually accomplish something. What is the complication?" Fury demanded.

    "The scientists say they need a sample of the source to actually begin manufacturing the cure." the agent said as she shriveled under the one-eyed glare of Fury.

    "Then get on the comms to Mr. Richards and see if they can find us a sample while they are looking for their missing member!" Fury commanded, causing the agent to jump and hurriedly begin typing.

    Turning back to the bay windows of the command center Fury couldn''t help contemplate relpacing a few employees at the moment.

 Chapter 19 - Truth

    Devin knew that something was wrong as he looked at Sue. He could see the shock and a slight fear on her face as he stood up. He had heard a handful of notification sounds go off when the blast hit and he assumed that he had gotten something or, hopefully, he had completed another hidden mission.

    "Sue, are you alright?" Devin asked to which Sue merely nodded her head in a slow fashion. Devin began to scan their surroundings to make sure that there wasn''t any enemies that managed to escape from the blast radius. It was then that he managed to find one that had been unfortunate to have been caught on the fringes and was attempting to crawl away while missing both of it''s legs and an arm. Devin strode over as he summoned his sword to his hand.

    The creature was pitiful to say the least. Both legs had been burned away, one at the knee and the other at mid thigh, the arm stump ended near the shoulder socket, the blackened flesh that was left behind was cauterized with large blisters beginning to appear above it and the blackened nub of the limb bones slightly protruding out. The yellow ooze that they called blood was slowly dribbling out of small cracks that had opened as a result of it''s attempt to get away. The bare back had turned an angry orange color and was soon developing similar, white blisters to the ones on it''s appendages.

    ''Damn, this is nasty. Definitely need to put it out of it''s misery.'' Devin thought as he raised the sword in both hands. His downward stab was met with a transparent, blue, psionic shield halting it in place

    "Sue, what are you doing?" Devin asked as he kept the pressure on the shield with his sword. The goblin creature had stopped crawling and was staring in terror at the razor sharp blade just a few inches from it''s face.

    "You can''t kill it." Sue said with a firm voice as she kept her hand raised.

    "Why shouldn''t I?" Devin said as he turned his head to look at the blonde.

    "It is defenseless. It can''t hurt us anymore. Just leave it be." Sue stated a hint of pleading entering her voice.

    "Sue, I know why you are doing this, but at this point it is better to give it a swift end. It is critically injured and we have no way of saving it. If it weren''t for the fact that the wounds it has have been cauterized for the most part, it would be bleeding out right now. Leaving it here could be worse than ending it. We have no idea where these came from or whether it will even receive help from it''s own kind. They might even kill him themselves as we have no idea what their culture or if they even have one is or with it being weakened they might even possibly cannibalize it. Not to mention the fact that up until a few minutes ago, him and his friends were trying to kill us and I kinda doubt that they would have the same sympathy for us that you are showing right now. If you don''t like it then turn your head and it will be over in seconds and then we can find a spot to rest and recover." Devin listed off the reasons for his decision before giving her at least a little bit of comfort in the fact that it will be quick and mostly painless.

    Devin knew that the only way he could possibly save this creature was if he used the Gates of Heaven spell from the White-Silver Dragoon. In the game it was a full recovery healing spell for the entire party and he remembered that the real life spells were definitely so much more than what was in the game. Unfortunately, he didn''t even possess the White-Silver Dragoon Spirit let alone the level high enough to use the spell. Plus, why would he waste all that spirit power to save a creature that had been trying to kill him? The two''s stare off lasted for almost a full minute before Sue relented with a sigh and turned her head away. As Devin took this as her consent, he turned to finish the creature, but not before he heard her quietly say one last thing.

    "Make it quick and painless." Sue said just above a whisper. Devin nodded his head in understanding. Stepping up to the creature one more and before it could move again he thrust forward with his sword. It''s tip entering the front of it''s throat and severing the creatures spine at the base of it''s skull. Devin withdrew the blade and swung it to remove the yellow blood from it and stored it once more. Soon making his way over to Sue and giving her a hand in standing up. Refusing his aid she stood up under her own power, but as she reached a standing position, she wobbled and was steadied by Devin''s hand. Sue quickly shrugged off his hand and took a few steps forward away from him to get some measure of distance between them. He knew that it would take some time for her to come to terms with what just happened.

    After a few minutes of traveling they found a small outcove to rest in and sat down. Sue sat on a rock and brought her knees up to her chest before wrapping her arms around them in a hug. Devin decided to let her be and check his stats as well as what those notifications that he received as well.

    ''Open Menu''

    ''Open Notifications''

    Devin was surprised at what he saw in his notification section.

    The gain of five levels was expected, but what wasn''t was the notification that the Red-Eyed Dragoon Spirit had leveled up!

    Looking through the rewards given Devin found that with the level up his spirit gauge had refilled. He also noticed that his gauge had increased, which meant that he could stay in his dragoon for a longer period of time. With his level up he also found that he had unlocked a new dragoon spell and a new ability. The spell was called Explosion and was a wide range AOE type of spell so who knows what this real life version would be capable of. This was expected from his knowledge, but the new ability was a surprise. It was then that he remembered Alice saying something about him having a new ability upon level his spirit.

    The new ability is labeled as a passive ability called "Fire Sight" and was exactly as Alice stated, as a type of thermal imaging ability that would allow him to see heat. This might give him an edge in areas with low light. It was when Devin was imagining the possibilities of what he could eventually accomplish when another notification popped up in front of him.

    [2 New Missions]

    [New Mission: Investigate the Invading Forces]

    [Info: Investigate the invading forces that have attempted to invade the surface world and who is leading them.]

    [Rewards: 500 Exp, 500 Shop Credits, 1 Bloodline]

    This mission shocked Devin as he had literally been thinking of checking into the bloodlines as him getting the ability of wielding magic was a dream come true. Throwing fireballs and summoning lightning just about made him drool. In his excitement Devin checked the other mission, but was even more astounded at what he read.

    [New Hidden Mission: ???]

    [Info: Fight and Slay ???]

    [Rewards: 2000 Exp, 1000 Shop Credits, 1 Dragoon Spirit]

    ''What the hell am I looking at?'' Devin thought as he closed and opened the window several times to see if it would reveal more information to him.

    ''Alice why is there info missing for this mission?'' Devin asked as he thought about who exactly he would have to fight and kill.

    {Master, the info on the hidden mission is hidden because you don''t possess the information yourself. The system can''t fill in what you yourself don''t know about the world and your surroundings.}

    ''Ah makes sense. Is there any way to reveal this info?'' Devin asked as he began thinking of all those involved.

    {Master, most hidden missions are branched off of other missions. By investigating and completing the original mission you may find the necessary info to complete the hidden mission.}

    ''Hmm so by working on the mission to investigate the invading forces I might find the missing info. Well call me Detective Dragon, I''ve got some investigating to do.'' Devin thought as he looked forward to having two Spirits unlocked.

    Devin stood up and looked over at Sue in her folded up sitting position. He knew that he had to talk about what happened and what they were going to do now. Striding over to where she was and sitting down next to her, Devin took a deep breath before speaking.

    "Sue I know that what happened doesn''t sit right with you, but at the same time I hope that you come to understand what I did was necessary." Devin said. A resounding silence met him and he knew that there was definitely a chance that his talk would fail. It was when he was getting ready to stand up and leave her to her own devices when she spoke up.

    "I do understand, but it doesn''t mean I have to like it. I do want you to answer a question of mine though." Sue said as she looked up at him with a determined and fierce face. Feeling that it was only fair after everything Devin nodded his head in acquiescence.

    "What are you?" Sue asked, which only confused Devin.

    "Come again? What do you mean?" Devin asked in return.

    You look human and your background shows it as well, but just now not only did you create a massive explosion and pull a sword out of thin air, but your eyes changed. They were bright red and slitted like a cat''s. Are you a mutant or something else?" Sue explained clearing Devin''s confusion. Mulling over what was asked Devin finally replied.

    "I am human, but also part something else." Devin replied cryptically.

    "Are you planning to use these powers for your own gains? For evil?" Sue said as she stood up and squared herself to Devin. Devin smiled before replying.

    "I plan to use them to protect and safeguard myself and those who I care for." Devin said grinning before it morphed into a deadly serious look that sent chills down Sue''s spine and her gut to churn in fear.

    "And if someone or something should decide to try and harm anyone or anything under my protection, then they shall receive no mercy from me." Devin said before silence ensued. Devin soon turned and broke the silence once more.

    "Come on, let''s find a way out of here. Maybe find out what is going on." Devin said smiling over his shoulder before continuing to walk. Sue couldn''t make heads or tails of this man, but one thing is for sure. Hopefully he stayed on the side of good.

 Chapter 20 - Reunite

    For those who expect and prepare for everything, they are rarely surprised. So when Devin and Sue turned what looked like another boring corner and stepped onto a large balcony that over looked a room that resembled a royal court, complete with an actual throne, needless to say they were wondering if they stepped into some bizarre dream.

    The walls of the room were decorated with long, purple dr.a.p.es with golden trim. The throne itself was an ornate, gold chair with purple stitched cushions on an upraised dais at one end of the room. A crimson carpet lead from the dais to under the balcony the duo stood on. It was at this time that the sound of footsteps could be heard coming from somewhere under them, causing them to duck behind the rail and peak at who could be the owner. Soon a single man strode into the room wearing what looked like a red sleeveless shirt and skirt with a gold belt encircling his waist with a massive belt buckle embossed with a downward pointing eagle on it. Two metal suspender looking straps rose from the buckle to his shoulders before connecting to a large purple cape via two gold crown claps. To cap off his bizarre outfit, he had crimson, calve-high boots with matching crimson wrist bracers. He strode with confidence to the throne and sat with a flourish.

    "I hope that Kala can finish the plans soon so that we can dispose of that worthless little runt. I do miss her accompaniment." The mysterious man said before clapping his hands. It was then that the two saw what looked like the grey cousins of the creatures from earlier start to fill the space on either side of the crimson carpet. They were thicker bodied and more heavily muscled than their yellow-gold counterparts. Their skin a stone grey color with glowing red, beady eyes. Devin noticed that there were a few near the edges of the group carrying what looked like some kind of bizarre sci-fi rifle.

    ''This guy seems to know those other two we saw. Kala must be the woman with the permanent sneer and the runt must be the Igor lookin'' dude.'' Devin thought as he realized that if this guy was the ruler of this faction then there might be guards on their way here. What ruler leaves a balcony like this unguarded? It''s just asking to be killed by a sniper if not. Grabbing Sue by the upper arm and dragging her into the corner where the shadows were the darkest, Devin whispered for her to stay quiet. Soon, the pattering of bare feet could be heard before two of the grey creatures emerged onto the balcony.

    ''I can either have Sue turn us invisible and sneak out of here or I can take out both and keep listening.'' Devin considered as he summoned one of his daggers to his hand just in case. He decided on the former as the chances of them being discovered go up if he tried to kill them as any noise could draw attention to their position. Also, Devin just knew that if he did kill them then Sue might just change her mind on him being good.

    Devin whispered as quietly as possibly for Sue to turn them invisible and duck out the way they came. Slipping out the entrance and heading in the opposite direction, the two didn''t uncloak till they were dozens of feet away from the two creatures.

    "Sue, do you happen to know any of these people we have seen?" Devin asked as they continued looking for an exit. The sight of Sue biting her lip told Devin that she knew something.

    "I know one of the three. The others and I have encountered the short one before. His name is or was Harvey Elder. He goes by The Mole Man now." Sue informed after a minute of thought.

    "So, what''s his deal? Is he the typical "Take over the world" type or what?" Devin asked as he moved to a corner and peaked to check if the coast was cleared.

    "He hates the surface world because of the scorn and ridicule that he received while he lived there. He wants to take over as revenge for what happened as well as to expand his rule to beyond his minions." Sue said as she followed behind Devin step after step.

    "Well from what we just heard and what we''ve seen so far I can safely say that Old Moley''s gal pal is colluding with the skirted wonder back there and is planning to back stab him at some point." Devin said. No sooner having said those words did they hear footsteps once again, this time coming from beyond a corner. Devin looked at Sue with his finger to his lips while pulling his dagger again. Seeing his look and the dagger, Sue nodded with a grimace on her face. Devin pressed his back to the wall next to the corner with his dagger at the ready as the steps got louder. Just as the toes of a boot appeared, Devin surged around the corner pinning a person to the wall with his blade to his throat.

    "Wait Devin! It''s Reed!" Sue shouted as Devin stopped himself from slitting the brainiac''s throat. As Sue ran over to them, Devin stepped back and let the arm with the dagger fall to his side.

    "Sorry about that Reed, thought you were someone else." Devin said as he pulled Reed off the wall only for Sue to tackle hug him square into the ground. Devin could only chuckle and scratch the back of his head as Sue clung to a now downed Reed. Reed for his part looked as confused as humanly possible.

    "What is going on?" Reed asked after looking from one person to another.

    I''ll fill you in as we get out of here." Devin said as Sue only gripped tighter.

    ***

    Somewhere Else in the Tunnels

    ***

    "Johnny remind me to kick your scrawny ass when we get out of this!" Ben said as he tossed another of the minions that followed that wierdo Mole Man at a group, mowing them down in the process.

    "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say Ben. Just keep fighting!" Johnny said as he shot another jet of flame at his own group of goblins. As the two continued to fight they didn''t notice that two figures were watching their battle from on high thanks to a tunnel that opened higher up in the chamber.

    "Those irritable cretins are here to try and interfere with my plans once again!" The Mole Man cursed as he wrunged his hands on his staff as a look of disdain became etched on Kala''s face at her companions comment.

    "But not this time I will have them on their knees as I take over the surface world! HAHAHA!" Mole Man ranted as Kala turned to look at the two intruders that had been found. They had been informed by a scout moloid that a pair of intruders had decimated an entire squad with some kind of weird fire ability and ever since they had been on high alert. They had finally found a pair of intruders including one with fire abilities. Kala couldn''t let the plan be delayed any more or else her beloved might become dissatisfied with her and she might be cast aside. Having to accompany this foul little toad.

    Soon the tides of moloids became too much and the two were swarmed by numerous bodies. As the sea of bodies continued to surge the short, little rotund man began to hop up and down while clapping his hands quickly.

    "Now all we need to do is to find the other two and we''ll be unstoppable!" Mole Man exclaimed as he turned and ran down the tunnel to begin the search for the missing intruders. As Kala turned to follow her disgusting little temporary partner, a creeping feeling kept pricking at her mind saying that there is something dangerous besides these four waiting for them.

 Chapter 21 - Disrupting Best Laid Plans

    It took a bit of time to fill Reed in on the things that they had seen as well as the things that they had discovered. Reed was surprised that there were other factions in the underground world. It was more shocking when he in turn informed Devin and Sue about the substance that the rockets contained and what it was capable of.

    "So what you''re telling me is that that rocket ya''ll blew up contained a liquid that not only blocks out the sun, but will turn everyone into a mutant?" Devin asked as he stared at Reed for the longest time.

    "Not exactly. It won''t turn them into the mutants you probably know which are Homo Superior, but most likely a type of regressed mutant that thrives in the dark and can be subverted due to lowered intelligence by The Mole Man eventually." Reed stated as they walked back the way he had initially come.

    "So what''s the plan now?" Devin asked as he glanced at Sue to see her reaction. She looked less lost than when they had been wandering the tunnels just the two. It looked like it was true about these two being made for one another.

    "Let''s start with finding Ben and Johnny then we''ll figure out where to go from there." Reed replied just before a beep sounded from Reed. Pulling a device out that projected a screen in the air above it. A woman appeared on it with wearing the usual uniform for SHIELD agents with her brunette hair in a tight bun at the back of her head. Devin stepped to the side so that he was just outside her viewing range just in case the darkness wasn''t enough to hide him from view.

    "Agent Hill, did your scientists start producing the cure?" Reed asked as he saw who was on the screen in front of him.

    "No Mr. Richards, there was a complication. Our scientists say that they need a sample of the origin to successfully create the formula that you sent to us. Are you in a position to retrieve a sample for us or do we need to dispatch a team to do so?" Agent Hill informed causing Reed to frown in concentration. It was as he was thinking that Sue took over the device.

    "Agent Hill we are still in the underground looking to meet up with my brother and Ben. Once we find them we will start searching for that sample. Is that ok?" Sue asked causing Hill to nod in confirmation.

    "Very well, I will notify Director Fury. Glad to see you''re alright. Hill out." Agent Hill said before the screen disappeared and Sue handed the device back to Reed.

    "Well looks like the field trip isn''t over yet. So we need to find the dynamic duo and then track down Ole Moley so we can convince him to hand over the source of whatever he used for the mystery goo. Lets get going." Devin said as he started walking again only to stop by what Reed said next.

    "Actually we''ll continue on to find Ben and Johnny. I think it would be best for you to head back to the surface for your own surface. I know that you have some combat training, but what we will be facing is beyond what normal soldiers can handle." Reed said as he walked over to stand face to face with Devin. Devin understood what he was saying, but if he wanted the rewards for the missions he received earlier then he needed to continue.

    "Reed you don''t need to worry about me, I can handle myself. Lets just continue and find Ben and Johnny." Devin said before turning and moving on.

    "But..." was all Reed could say before Sue placed a hand on his shoulder and shook her head signaling that he should give up on convincing Devin to leave.

    Soon the three came upon another massive hall like cavern that even the big ugly dude from the surface could move around in easily.

    ''Where are these three finding these caverns or are they so vain as to have them carved out?'' Devin thought as they looked around. Soon movement at the other end attracted their attention. The Mole Man and Kala walked out from yet another tunnel. Devin soon found himself getting sick of all the twist and turns. He wanted open air and blue sky soon.

    "So, the last of the rats have finally scurried out of hiding." the pudgy little man said with a greasy sneer on his dirty face.

    "Harvey you need to stop this! You''re gonna hurt so many innocent people if you continue with this path!" Reed said as he tried to reason with the former surface dweller.

    "How many times do I have to tell you, Harvey is dead! There is only the Mole Man now!" the Mole Man screamed in frustration.

    "And why would I stop when I have the upper hand!" Mole Man said as he waved his hand towards the tunnel he had entered from. Soon a half dozen of the golden goblin creatures that Sue had called Moloids entered towingtwo massive ropes. Not more than a few seconds later two massive carts appeared with Ben and Johnny encased up to their shoulders in a grey cement looking material.

    "Johnny!" "Ben!"

    Both Reed and Sue called out in concern for their captured teammates.

    "We''re alrigh'' Suzy, but we ain''t gonna be much help till we get out of this gunk." Ben called out as Johnny glared at the short villain standing only a short distance from him. Devin could see Reeds brain crank up to eleven trying to think of a way to free the two, but the Mole Man interrupted once again.

    "Haha! I have two and now all I need is you two and then not only will I have the whole set, but there will be no one to stop me! Soon I''ll cover the surface in the my void gel and then i''ll be able to make all of those fools who laughed at me cower before me! Not like they will even know for long before they regress to mutated slaves for me to command!" the Mole Man monologued.

    "Are you quite done? We still need to actually stop them before.." Kala demeaned her companion before being interrupted by a loud bang ranging out and a massive chunk of the concrete stuff covering Ben ripping away. Everyone turned to look at where the source of the sound came from only to see Devin standing there with an assault rifle shouldered with the barrel still smoking slightly. Bringing the weapon down from his shoulder Devin glanced at the group on the opposite end.

    "Sorry to interrupt, but we''re on a bit of a tight schedule and need to wrap things up before things start to go bad up top. So, can we skip the part where you explain everything and move to the part where Ben rips through that stuff and we all start brawling? Besides, we already know what you are doing and why so it''s pointless to listen to you talk Ole Moley." Devin said as Mole Man began to turn purple with rage at the humiliation from being interrupted as well as demeaned. The nickname that Devin had called him being the straw that broke the camel''s back soon had the rotund little man howling in rage.

    "Why you..." "How dare you call me..." the Mole Man sputtered as he grinded his teeth causing his voice to devolve into unintelligible gibberish from his anger.

    "T-t-t-today junior." Devin mocked as he estimated another two burst should free Ben completely. He couldn''t risk the same stunt with Johnny as he could just as easily shoot him.

    "Arrgghh! Gigantus!" Mole Man screamed. Soon the ground began to rumble with the giant steps of something. Wasting no time Devin reshouldered his rifle and released a couple of bursts to rip away enough of the cement stuff that Ben finally ripped his arm free before tearing away the rest and rushing over to Johnny to free him. As he was doing this Sue and Devin were covering him with bullets and Psyonic Bolts leveling all of the moloids that were rushing towards them. Reed ran towards the two leaders to try and subdue them, but the crumbling of the entire wall stopped him in his tracks as the massive being that they had seen on the surface stepped through the ruined wall and into the hall.

    "Kill them!" Mole man howled as Kala dragged him through a tunnel to escape. By this time Ben had rescued Johnny and most of the moloids in the room had been layed flat, wither dead or unconcious.

    "Sis! You''re alright!" Johnny yelled as he hugged his older sister.

    "It''s good to see you too johnny.'' Sue said with a smile. As the siblings separated Johnny saw Devin standing not too far away with a grin.

    "Dude, I knew that you''d keep her safe!" Johnny said has he fist bumped Devin.

    "Yeah, but looks like we have a bigger problem." Devin said as he nodded to the massive creature in the room. As everyone glared at the creature a notification sound rang out in Devin''s head.

    ''Yes! Alice open missions.'' Devin thought in excitement.

    [Mission Completed: Investigate the Invading Forces]

    [Rewards: 500 Exp, 500 Shop Credits, 1 Bloodline]

    ''That''s good, but I don''t have time to select the bloodline right now. What else we got?'' Devin thought as he mentally scrolled.

    [Updated Hidden Mission: Giant Slayer]

    [Info: Fight and Slay Gigantus Solo]

    [Rewards: 2000 Exp, 1000 Shop Credits, 1 Dragoon Spirit]

    Devin''s joy soon turned upside down as he now knew what the hidden mission was. Not only did he have to solo this giant behemoth of a mutant, but he somehow had to convince his new friends to leave him to deal with this alone.

    ''This sucks!'' Devin said as he strode over to Sue as she would be the easiest to convince to let him fight solo.

    "Sue I need you to listen to me." Devin said causing her to look at him with a hint of trepidation.

    "I want you and the others to leave this guy to me and go after Ole Moley and his chick." Devin said causing shock not only for her but the others as they had managed to hear him.

    "Kid you can''t be serious! Look at that thing! We''d have trouble with it let alone a guy like you with no powers!" Ben stated as he waved at the thing.

    "Guys, trust me I have a plan. Plus, you guys need to stop that bastard and get the source for the cure. Go!" Devin said as he tucked his rifle behind him using the strap on it. As the other three continued to argue about him not doing so alone Sue merely studied his face before only asking one question.

    "Devin, are you sure?" Sue asked as she looked into his eyes. Turning to her a glowing red started to bleed into his eyes as he gave a firm affirmative. At that sight Sue nodded before turning to the other.

    "Guys, if Devin says he can handle this, then I believe in him. Lets go" Sue said. Without giving them a choice Sue hurried towards the tunnel that the Mole Man had left through. The other three stared after her before wishing Devin luck and chasing after her. Reed was the last to leave, but stayed long enough to ask a single question.

    "Devin why is Sue so sure you can handle this and can you handle this?" Reed asked as he looked at the other man.

    "Because I gave her a little of the truth and if I didn''t think I could handle it then I wouldn''t have volunteered." Devin replied. Reed stayed for only a second longer before turning and chasing the rest. Devin was standing there wondering if this was truly the right thing but it was too late to change his mind anyway.

    "Well it''s just you and me big guy. So, shall we dance?" Devin said as he exchanged his rifle for his sword. This caused the giant, orange fish-man to tilt his head before roaring at him and charging strait at him, causing Devin''s stomach to drop.

    "F.u.c.k me."

 Chapter 22 - Death and Heartbreak

    Devin only had a few seconds to start running and dive to the side as the giant goldfish bastard charged by him. Devin knew that the guns he had wouldn''t even scratch that thing''s hide let alone injure it. Devin started running for the other side to get enough space between them to start his transformation. Thankfully the fishy bastard was unable to turn and maneuver quickly. Devin could feel the power surging even more than the last time he had changed.

    Soon he was covered once more in the red armor with green accents, hovering slightly off the ground, but with that power came that overpowering urge to kill. Like it was all that he wanted in life was to watch the light of life slowly fade from the eyes of all who stood before him. Devin knew that he would be in so much trouble if he lost control so he kept an iron grip on that impulse to kill. With a quick flap of his wings Devin reached head height for his opponent and waited for the creature to finally turn around. Once the giant did turn, Devin rushed forward swinging the transformed sword. The blade sliced through the orange-gold scales like they were made of butter. Even though Devin had managed to actually damage his opponent, it was like a paper cut to a human. Dodging a swing from his now annoyed opponent, Devin was unsure if magic would be enough to actually defeat this guy. Just cause he can cause big damage, it didn''t mean it would be enough. Devin decided to continue just swinging and taking nicks out of the giant goldfish till he could decide what he could do.

    Swing after swing lead to the chipping away at the massive individual. Like chopping down a giant oak tree one chop at a time. It was when the creature thrusted his hand into the ground and getting it''s arm stuck for a moment that lead to Devin having an idea, but before he could even try to do so a back hand swing flung Devin into the wall of the hall before following it up with a haymaker that crushed Devin even further into the stone. The removal of the fist showed Devin lodged in the wall with numerous injuries showing on the exposed parts of his body. A rivulet of blood slowly ran down from his forehead as Devin himself spat out a mouthful of blood. The armor took the brunt of the impact but with his spirit being at level two there was only so much that can be blocked. Taking stock of his body''s condition showed that he was heavily battered and his left arm wasn''t moving when he tried to use it. If he was going to put his plan into action then it was now or never, because he wouldn''t be able to take that kind of punishment again.

    Devin reversed the grip of his sword in his hand and charged again, this time low to the ground. Gigantus threw a downward punch again and once again his hand got stuck in the stone floor. This time Devin flew between the giant''s legs and up behind Gigantus to a spot on his back where he had sliced in an x pattern earlier. Devin charged his dragoon magic before stabbing the tip of his blade into the center of the cross shape wound. Devin activated his new dragoon spell that he got with his level up earlier, Explosion.

    In the game the spell would start with the main character stabbing his sword into the ground. A line of fire magic would travel towards the enemy before a massive fire circle would form and a dozen or so fire bombs would erupt from the middle of the circle that would then explode on impact with the ground. So when Devin activated the spell instead of how the spell acted in the game the fire magic seared the insides of the giant before the fire bombs formed and then exploded inside the abdomen and chest cavity, effectively killing the creature. What Devin didn''t expect was for the explosions to be so powerful that the entire upper half of the body to simply explode. Devin being thrown across the room before landing on the ground on his back as blood and gore splattered the ceiling before raining down onto the floor and Devin''s battered form. The lower half of Gigantus was left standing for a few seconds more before toppling forward and shaking the ground with the impact.

    "Finally! Damn that hurt." Devin said aloud as his armor disappeared. He chose to lay there for a small period to breathe and recuperate. Devin was exhausted and a quick check of his stats showed that he had exhausted his entire SP gauge and had lost over three-quarters of his health. What he wasn''t expecting was for his level to jump up five levels and a new notification besides the notifications for the completions of the two missions. Opening the mysterious notification showed that there was a system update. Devin closed the notification and opened the inventory and withdrew a Healing Fog.

    As Devin opened the blue bottle a giant cloud of glowing blue mist erupted out before swirling around him and absorbing into his skin. Giving the item a few moments to actually work before testing his body to see if it worked or not. A rush of energy coursed through his veins as every nerve he had felt turned all the way up to eleven. Jack knifing up on to his feet, Devin tested out his previously useless arm to find it back in working order before checking out the rest of himself.

    "Not bad. A little OP, but with the scarcity of them it is kinda balanced. Though I do wonder how Healing Breeze and Rain would work." Devin said as he checked his joints before turning to the tunnel that the FF left down.

    "Guess it''s time for some catch up." Devin said before he took off at a sprint.

    ***

    Sue wasn''t sure what to expect when they chased after Mole Man, but it sure wasn''t a massive Mushroom the size of the Baxter Building. The fungus wasn''t like the ones Sue had seen previously as this one didn''t glow with the bio-luminescence that the others had. This one was a pitch black and a green jelly looking substance could be seen hanging from the underside of the cap like massive green raindrops. They had followed the tyrannical duo to the place they were now, but once they entered they lost sight of them for a short moment due to the surprise of what they found.

    "Eww, now that is disgusting!" Johnny commented on the giant fungus.

    "What is it with this guy and supersized things? First that over sized guppy and now he''s got more mushroom than a pizzeria!" Ben said as he scratched the top of his stony head. A beeping sound from beside them caused them to turn and look at Reed.

    "Guys I believe that we have found the source we were looking for." Reed said as he tapped on the tablet he had pulled from somewhere.

    "I''m getting similar signatures as the analysis that I ran on the mutagen." Reed said as he looked up at the goo.

    "Behold! the crux of my plan to conquer all of you sun-lovers! Haha!" the voice of Mole Man echoed from somewhere. Looking around the team suddenly looked up and found the tyrannical duo standing on a platform roughly a half dozen stories above them.

    "Soon all of the surface dwellers will be degenerate creatures that will cater to my every whim! Then it will be me and my lovely Kala to rule!" Mole Man ranted. The Four started forward to put a halt to everything when a massive energy blast exploded on Mole Man''s back, causing him to stumble over the lip of the ledge only to grasp on at the last moment. Mole Man looked up at the blaster in Kala''s hand with confusion.

    "Kala, what are you doing?" Mole Man asked as the pain in his spine continued to burn.

    "If I was to rule by someone''s side then it certainly wouldn''t be by your side. It would be by my true beloved''s side." Kala stated as she looked down in contempt.

    "But I thought that was me?!" Mole Man said in sadness.

    "No you fool. My true beloved is much more handsome and competent than you you worthless runt!" Kala said as she turned away from the hanging man.

    "Who could that even be?!" Mole Man screamed in anger and humiliation.

    "Me."

 Chapter 23 - End of an Empire [part 1]

    Out of the shadows stepped the man that Sue and Devin had seen sitting in the throne as the leader of the little grey goblins with the high tech rifles. He was wearing the same clothing as before only this time he had what looked like a gold scepter with a massive amethyst set in the top and surrounded by dime sized rubies sitting in the crook of his right arm. He soon stepped up next to Kala before taking her by the waist and kissing her passionately. The longer the kiss went on the more and more infuriated Mole Man became and soon after they broke away from one another he finally erupted into a string of profanities before glaring at the man he had never met.

    "Who are you?!" Mole Man screamed almost at the level of hysterics.

    "I am the true ruler of the underworld, Tyrannus!" the now identified man declared as he raised the scepter into the air and a purple light began to shine from the amethyst before the scepter changed into a golden-hilted sword with an amethyst as the pommel.

    "No! I am the ruler of the underworld! And when I get up I''ll make you rue the day you crossed me, both of you!" Mole Man hollered as he tried to pull himself up before losing his strength and falling back to prone again.

    "I doubt it, because, you see, this is where you die." Tyrannus said before he swept his sword forward slicing through the fingers of Mole Man''s right hand causing him to scream in pain before his left slipped lose and the rotund man fell the hundred feet to the floor cracking the stone on impact. Even though he was a villain to the Four his demise still left them saddened as Sue turned her face into Reed''s shoulder and the boys looked on with grim countenances.

    "Now that that waste of space is gone we only have four little problems left. Seize them!" Tyrannus hollered as numerous grey Moloids streamed into the room and surrounded the Four.

    "Hey Reed, now would be a good time for you to tell us you have a plan or something." Ben murmured over his shoulder as the team went back to back with them now fully surrounded by rows upon rows of little grey men.

    "I''m not too sure what to do, but give me a minute and I''ll think of something." Reed quietly answered back.

    "Well you better hurry Reed because here they come!" Johnny said as he transformed and engaged a small contingent of moloids in front of him as the others dove into their shares.

    ***

    "I think I took a wrong turn at Albuquerque." Devin muttered as he was looking at a four-way intersection once again.

    "This is getting ridiculous! Why do these people need so many of these? Are they ants?!" Devin said as he looked at the other three tunnels. He was about to choose the one on his right when he heard an explosion in the distance from the opposite direction.

    "Well, that was convenient." Devin muttered as he took off running in that direction. Soon he found an opening, but had to skid to a stop as there was only open space after it opened up. Looking down he saw a massive mushroom as well as a massive battle between his new friends and those silver little goblins. On the opposite side, about fifty feet below him was the dude from that chamber earlier and that woman Mole Man was with, but where was the Mole Man?

    "Sigh, well lets get this over with. I need to get back to the surface to check on everyone at home. They''re probably worried about me." Devin said as he drew his dagger and his pistol then backed up a couple dozen feet back. Taking a deep breath then running forward and jumping from his spot, Devin was aiming toward the two on the other ledge first. He reached the ledge just as the guy turned his face to loo at him causing Devin to knee him in the face and launch him into the wall while Kala looked absolutely shocked about what just happened.

    "Sorry about that!" Devin shouted as he back-flipped off the edge with his middle fingers raised before he disappeared below the ledge. Devin descended once more before landing in the middle of a large group of the grey moloids, scattering bodies in random directions and kicking up a cloud of dust as a small crater formed. Soon a form exploded out of the cloud swinging a dagger into the neck of some poor individual before the pistol in the other hand exploded in a hail of bullets that tore through another half dozen enemies. Devin''s entrance shocked his companions more than the moloids as they weren''t expecting him to arrive that soon after having left him to fight that behemoth on his own.

    "Devin are you alright?!" Johnny shouted as he toasted another swath of moloids while dodging blasts from lasers.

    "Yeah! lets hurry and finish this." Devin said as he dodged a swing from a moloid that was swinging a stalagmite like a baseball bat and gave a swing of his own as he switched his sword in for his dagger and lopped off the creature''s head. Soon Devin''s back met a large hard surface that seemed to move. Whipping around and pointing his gun Devin came face to face with Ben and seeing who it was they turned around again and continued to fight.

    "Wish we could have met over a coke and some ribs, but guess this will do huh?" Ben said as he decked another moloid causing him to mow down another half dozen of his friends.

    "Could be worse right?" Devin said as he shot another moloid. Thats when an obect dropped from on high just like Devin except there wasn''t as much dust as his drop. Soon the dude who he had kneed in the face emerged except that he was now sporting a broken nose and some blood splattered on his lower face along with his sword.

    "Do you have any idea who you just offended?!" the bloody man gritted out as he stomped closer to Devin.

    "Honestly? Not a clue, but damn you look a lot better now." Devin said with a grin.

    "I am Tyrannus, The King of the Underworld!" the now identified man yelled a she charged at Devin and clashing swords.

    "Well allow me to send you to the true underworld." Devin said as he broke the lock and began to clash with Tyrannus. Blow after blow the two continued to clash and neither could gain an advantage.

    "You''re good. I''ll admit that, but you''ll never beat me." Tyrannus said as he pushed Devin back causing Devin to slide back a couple feet before he stood up and then looked at his opponent with seriousness.

    Alright, lets get serious then." Devin said as he pulled up everything that he had learned when he got the sword and manual. The two clashing once more went on to last even longer than the previous round, but eventually Devin gained the upper hand and kicked Tyrannus backwards on his ass.

    "How d''ya like me now?" Devin asked as he smirked at the supposed Mighty King of the Underworld.

    "You think you won, but you can''t even comprehend the circ.u.mstances of what is happening." Tyrannus lectured.

    "Oh, I think I do and this is your end." Devin said as he drew his gun again.

    "Everyone freeze or the girl dies!" a female voice rang out as everyone stopped in their tracks. Turning everyone saw that somehow Kala had gotten behind Sue and was now pointing a blaster at her head.

 Chapter 24 - End of an Empire [part 2]

    Time seemed to freeze as everyone took in the circ.u.mstances of the situation. The boys of the FF were worried and wanting to rush over but the pistol sized blaster pointed at the back of Sue''s head stopped them dead in their tracks. Devin started rolling through the options and trying to quickly make a plan as Tyrannus stood up again. As Tyrannus approached Devin stealthily stowed his gun and left his sword drawn. Tyrannus knocked Devin''s blade from his hand and as it spun a half dozen feet out of reach Devin felt a prick at his throat as the tip of the arrogant bastard was leveled at him.

    "See? You can''t hope to defeat me. I am destined to rule once more, both as The King of the Underworld and The Emperor of the Overworld! Hahaha!" Tyrannus ranted before throwing his head back and laughing like a mad man. Devin took the opportunity to look over his shoulder at the others and his eyes connected with Sue''s. He saw embarrassment from getting caught and hidden deep was a spark of determination. For a moment Devin and Sue looked at one another and both knew what needed to happen. Sue gave a barely perceptible nod at Devin, which he then returned. Devin turned back just as Tyrannus finished laughing and glared for a brief moment before a grin rose on his countenance. This confused and angered Tyrannus as he wanted to see despair on his enemies'' face before he died. Finally he asked with irritation clear in his voice.

    "Why are you smiling?! Even the bravest of men wont laugh at their of funeral." Tyrannus spoke as he drew a bit more blood from Devin''s neck by pressing slightly harder on his neck with the tip of his blade.

    "I''m not smiling because of that. I''m smiling because of you." Devin said as he looked Tyrannus in the eye and could see the confusion and frustration mount even higher.

    "Oh? And why, pray tell, are you smiling because of me?!" Tyrannus said between clenched teeth.

    "Because even though the situation that we are in is rather unfavorable, you are making one big mistake." Devin said as he readied the Iron Knuckle gloves and one of his pistols in his inventory and hoped that Sue was ready as well.

    "And what might that be?" Tyrannus asked as he readied to thrust his sword through Devin''s neck and end the insufferable fool.

    "Our determination. Now!" Devin screamed as he swatted the blade away from his neck with the metal knuckels cover his gloves before bringing his gun up and squeezing the trigger. In that half second, quite a few things happened. The first was the actions that Devin enacted. The second was the sound of a blaster going off and a feminine grunt sounding from over his shoulder. The third was the combined shouts of the three boys towards Sue, which Devin prayed was from her surviving her end. As Devin let loose the the trigger of his gun, he could see a black hole in the forehead of Tyrannus and debris that was the contents of his skull fly out the back of his head. Devin pulled the trigger once more and this time put a round into the despot''s chest where his heart should be before turning around.

    Devin took all of the scene in in less than a millisecond. Reed and Ben had subdued Kala, while Johnny cradled Sue in his arms. The scene of Sue on the ground caused Devin''s heart to stop for a moment and his stomach to drop. It took a further second to realize that Sue was still alive and that her shoulder and part of her upper arm was burned and bleeding severely. Devin ran over and knelt next to the siblings as he assessed her wounds. They weren''t fatal, but definitely severe enough that he worried that she could have some permanent damage. He waved his hand behind his back to summon his last remaining Healing Fog and uncorked it. The blue mist then erupted out and settled on Sue like a shroud before absorbing into her skin. As the two watched the wounds on her shoulder stopped bleeding before closing up and finally disappearing all together. The only evidence of the wound being the blood that still coated her skin and uniform.

    "What was that?!" Johnny asked in surprise as he saw that his sister was fully healed now.

    "Trade secret." Devin threw out as he helped Sue stand up.

    "Thanks, where''s Tyrannus?" Sue asked as she spied Ben wrapping Kala in a bear hug to keep her from trying anything else.

    "Dead." Devin said as he glanced at the Moloids that were left. The majority of them had fled after Tyrannus'' death and the handful remaining looked ready to piss themselves in fear. A sigh was all the answer Devin needed to know what Sue thought, but what caught him of guard was the comment after that.

    "I guess it was for the best." Sue said as she looked at the corpse some feet away from where they stood.

    "Huh?" Devin uttered in shock as Johnny looked at his sister like as if she had a second head.

    "Don''t get me wrong, it''s still wrong to kill, but under the circ.u.mstances this was probably the best option that we could have had." Sue said as she crossed her arms and winced as she could feel the odd sensation of the now dying blood on her skin move with her arm. Reminding her of what had almost happened.

    "Yeah, now what do we do with the little goblin dudes and that bitch over there?" Devin asked as they turned and made their way over to Reed and Ben. Reed had pulled some kind of metallic tape out of who knows where and had safely secured Kala so that Ben could have his arms back.

    "Sue are you ok?" Reed ased as he looked her shoulder over and seeing nothing wrong except for the blood.

    "Yeah, thanks to Devin." Sue said as she hugged Reed.

    "That was a gutsy move there kid." Ben said as he clapped Devin on the shoulder with his massive stone hands. Surprisingly Devin barely moved which cause Ben to raise an eyebrow.

    "Some times you have to take a risk and hope for the best though Sue also had a hand in it as well. How did you destroy that blaster Sue?" Devin asked as he saw the blaster scattered everywhere on the ground.

    "Oh, I encased the tip of the gun in a barrier and the expansion of the energy caused the it to backfire and explod. Unfortunately, it happened to be right behind my arm and shoulder when it did." Sue explained with a wince at the pain from before.

    "Ah, well, good job!" Devin said.

    "No, thank you, Mr. Price. If it hadn''t been for you we wouldn''t be in the situation that we are in right now." Reed said as he stepped over and offered his hand to Devin.

    "No problem and please, call me Devin." Devin said as he took Reed''s hand and shook it firmly. It wasn''t till Reed''s hand came away looking like a crushed cartoon hand that Devin realized that he had shook too firmly.

    "Sorry, don''t know my own strength. Now what are we going to do about the, Moloids wasn''t it, and that one over there?" Devin said to change the topic. Reed shook his hand to get it back to normal before looking at Kala and answering.

    "We''ll take her top side and hand her over to Nick Fury. As for the Moloids, they will stay here as this is their natural habitat and now that they don''t have a leader they should be rather harmless." Reed said as he turned from Kala to the Moloids.

    "Sounds good. Now let''s get the cure and get our of here. I think I hear a shower calling my name." Devin said as Johnny, Reed, Sue, and Devin turned to the massive mushroom.

    ***

    It took them roughly five minutes to collect all the samples they needed for the cure. Unfortunately, it took them another 2 hours before they managed to find the separated Fantasticar pods and when they did they found them in working order, but apparently the Moloids had found them too and had put some good sized dents and scratches in the paint which infuriated Ben since he was the one that had painted it and took care of it in the hanger. As they all settled into a pod, with Reed and Sue sharing a pod so that Devin could ride along to collect the one that was left in the main shaft and Ben grumbling under his breathe about "No good, stinking runts", all five soon were on their way home. Kala had been stuffed in a baggage compartment by Ben after a short round of cursing.

    It wasn''t till they had arrived at the main shaft and collected the last pod that Devin realized that there was an elephant in the room that he needed to address concerning his abilities.

    "Hey guys, I need to talk to all of you." Devin said over the comms. Sue knew that this had to be something about his powers.

    "I need you guys to keep what happened with me and my abilities a secret please." Devin asked as they flew.

    "Why? You were so awesome down there! All ''slash'' and ''bang'' and ''Now you die asshole!''" Johnny said as he made chopping motions with his hands.

    "It''s because I know who is waiting up top and I also valued my privacy and don''t want the ''One-Eyed Wonder'' putting his nose in my business." Devin said as Reed and Sue knew exactly what Devin meant as Fury had also tried to get them to work under him in the past.

    "Fine we won''t tell Fury about you and will even help cover you, but in exchange you have to answer some questions when we get back to the Baxter Building." Sue said before anyone else could. Devin frowned as apparently she hadn''t learned her lesson that well back in the underground, but knew that answering a few questions was the lesser of two evils rather than dealing with Nick Fury and SHIELD yet.

    "Fine, but I reserve the right to veto certain questions." Devin said as they could finally see daylight ahead.

    "That''s fine." Sue chirped. Devin sighed as he knew that his hot shower was to be delayed even longer now, but finally they were free and headed back home.

 Chapter 25 - Return to Civilization

    The amount of annoyance with dodging the SHIELD operatives could have been worse, a lot worse. Only having to slump down in the seat so that anyone below the window wouldn''t have a line of sight was a small price to pay for not having to deal with Nick Fury and all of his agents.

    Unfortunately, after about twenty minutes Devin''s curiosity got the better of him and he decided to see why things were taking so long. Peaking up over the edge of the pod, Devin spotted a woman in a skin-tight, silver bodysuit with a matching utility belt and holsters on each thigh. THe only other noticeable characteristic was the paleness of her skin and the platinum colored hair that cascaded down her back. It took a moment of thinking before he remembered that she was a SHIELD agent named Silver something. He remembered her having something to do with Spider-man at some point. Devin had to duck down quickly when she turned abruptly to glance at the Fantsticar randomly. Devin held his breathe waiting to see if she had seen him or not. After five minutes of stillness, nothing happened and Devin relaxed. Soon he could her the other pods opening and muffled voices. Having an sudden idea, Devin clicked the mic button for the coms and could now hear the voices of everyone outside.

    "We will have the cure created and distributed immediately to all those who were contaminated and as agreed we will close the hole and leave the under as is." Devin could hear an unknown woman''s voice say. Devin surmised that was the silver chick that he had seen.

    "Alright, we need to head back and check Sue over. We need to check if she was exposed as well." Reed said as the engines revved up.

    "Alright, we''ll keep you updated." Devin heard the woman say before they lifted up and sped off.

    ***

    As the Fantasticar crested over a building and disappeared, Silver Sable lifted her wrist and taped a spot on her cuff before beginning to speak.

    "Silver Sable to Director Fury." Silver said before pausing for a response.

    "Go for Fury." Silver heard come through.

    "Fantastic Four have just left. They turned over the sample for the cure as well as one of the conspirators that perpetrated the initial attack. I have also confirmed that they have recovered Sue Storm." Silver reported as she turned and walked over to the Quinjet where the other agents were loading up the woman called Kala.

    "Good." Fury replied as nuetral as always.

    "Sir." Silver said in order to catch the director''s attention.

    "Is there a problem Agent Sable?" Fury asked.

    "It''s not a problem per say..." Sable said with a hint of uncertainty.

    "Then what is it?" Fury asked with a hint of impatience lacing his tone.

    "While I was getting an account of what happened down there I felt someone watching me, but when I turned to where I felt it coming from there was no one. I also get the distinct feeling that the Four are hiding something." Sable said as she walked up the ramp and holding in to a rail as the Quinjet took off.

    "Get back to the Helicarrier for now, we''ll find out everything soon enough."

    ***

    On the way back to the Baxter Building Devin questioned Reed on who the mystery woman was to find out that she was called Silver Sable and she was an Agent of SHIELD. Everybody separated to go and change out of their jumpsuits, leaving Devin sitting in the kitchen at the table with a bottle of water. A few minutes later the group all walked through the door at the same time in plain clothes.

    "Have you guys ever thought how weird it is that you guys seem to have this weird synchronicity to some of the things that you all do?" Devin said as they all stopped to look at Devin in confusion. A minute later they shook of the confusion and took a seat at the table.

    "Devin, it is time to honor your part of our deal." Reed said as Sue nodded her head looking determined. Setting his water on the table Devin held up three fingers before speaking.

    "Three things. One, I still have the ability to veto certain questions. Two, Each of you get one question each, if I veto your question then you get to ask another question. Three, I just want to remind Sue of the talk we had in the caverns about respecting privacy and how she seems to have not learned her lesson." Devin said before leveling a hard stare at Sue that in turn caused her to squirm in her seat. The silence and stare lasted for roughly a half a minute before Ben decided to interject.

    "Look I don''t know what you two talked about, but I got my question. What happened to that big guppy that we left you with?" Ben asked.

    "He lost his head." Devin replied simply while moving his hand across his neck. This caused the three guys to look surprised and a little shocked, but Sue only gave Devin a scowl.

    "Now Sue, don''t give me that. I told you what would happen if someone threatened my friends and those I hold dear and I would like to believe that I can count you among that count." Devin said which caused Sue''s scowl to slowly disappear as she knew how important it is to protect those one cares about as well as a small amount of happiness at the fact that he thought of them like that.

    "Fine I wont say anything. Now my question, when we talked down below you said you were human, but something else as well. What is that something else?" Sue asked as she looked into his eyes, hoping to see those glowing orbs with the slitted pupils. Devin had to take a few minutes to debate what to say or if he should use his veto. In the end he couldn''t see the problem as long as he didn''t give any details or specifics on his abilities or background.

    "I''ll only give one word for that answer, Dragon." Devin said with a straight face.

    "Dragon? What does that mean? What does fairy tales have to do with what you are?!" Sue said, getting more frustrated as she piled on more questions.

    "Sorry Sue, but I''ve already answered your question. Reed, Johnny, it''s only you two left." Devin said as he took a swig out of his water.

    "Ooh, ooh! Me next!" Johnny said excitedly as he hopped in his seat.

    "Alright Johnny ask away." Devin said while a small grin crept onto his face regardless of whether he wanted it to. Johnny soon settled down and leaned forward with a serious face.

    "Are you single?" Johnny asked with the most serious and straight face that when the others heard his question, they all had mixed reactions. Reed sighed and shook his head while Ben rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Sue had the biggest reaction in that she face-palmed hard enough to leave a red mark on her forehead.

    "Really Johnny?! After everything that happened, is that the only thing that you can really think to ask?!" Sue said in a strained and frustrated voice.

    "What? I trust Devin. He saved you and he''s never done anything bad." Johnny said before he saw Sue mimic the throat cutting motion that Devin had used earlier.

    "Well, truly bad things." Johnny said with a nervous chuckle.

    "Plus, I could really use a bro to go out on the town with." Johnny said with a laugh. This statement caused the rest to sigh once more for the millionth time it seemed since the whole incident began.

    "Looks like I am the final one with a question." Reed said as he looked at Devin like a mystery to unravel.

    "So it seems, but might I make a suggestion to make it count." Devin said with a small smile still on his face. Reed took his suggestion to heart it seemed as he took a full five minutes to think on it before he looked up.

    "Will you tell us what your abilities and powers are?" Reed asked. This question caused Devin''s grin to disappear.

    "No, I''m gonna veto this question. Not that I don''t trust you guys, but at this time I don''t have the means or power to guarantee mine nor those I care about''s safety. If others found out my abilities then they could potentially find means to use that information against me. Sorry." Devin said with a serious face. Reed once again began thinking but only took a fraction of the time previously used to think of his question.

    "Alright, then what about this? Can we trust you not to abuse the abilities that you have in the future? I ask this because you seem dead set on avoiding the authorities for some reason." Reed asked before explaining his reasoning.

    "Yes I won''t abuse my abilities for the wrong reasons. As I told Sue previously and you guys earlier, the only people that need to worry about me are those who try to harm me or the ones I love." Devin said as he stared Reed in the eye before continuing.

    "The reason I am avoiding SHIELD, not the authorities, is because I have had plenty of people tell me the types of methods that Director Nick Fury will go to to make sure that anyone that he sees as a potential threat is either on his side or neutralized." Devin said causing the four to remember all the times that Fury had tried to recruit them as well as all the times that they had caught him spying on them.

    "Alright, I can see why you want to avoid them and we''ll trust you for now." Reed said as he nodded his head.

    "Well then since I have answered those questions I''m gonna head home. I really need a shower and some sleep as well as a good meal." Devin said as he stood up and tucked his chair in.

    "Let me give you a ride home!" Johnny said as he too stood up.

    "Thanks Johnny, but I''ll just catch a cab. Stay with your sister." Devin said as he threw his now empty water bottle in the trash, but as he passed Johnny he murmured a few words for only Johnny''s ears.

    "Your sister needs your guys'' support now. A lot happened down there and some of it was eye opening while others might be disturbing to her. Stay and take care of her." Devin said has he patted Johnny on the shoulder causing Johnny to gain a serious face and give Devin a nod. Devin walked across the room, but when he reached the door Sue''s voice reached his ears once more.

    "Devin, thank you for your help." Sue said with a lot of sympathy in her voice. With a grin coming back to his face once more, Devin spoke over his shoulder.

    "Your welcome Sue. Stay safe now." Devin said before he opened the door and left.

    ***

    Thirty minutes later found Devin standing in front of his house for the first time in what felt like forever. Nothing had changed, but at this moment it felt like paradise to Devin.

    Walking up to the front door Devin reached for the handle to the front door, but the knob turned on it''s own before the front door opened to show Izabela with dark circles under her eyes. Upon seeing Izabela, a sense of peace seemed to sweep through Devin as it finally set in that he was home. Upon seeing Devin, a moment of disbelief seemed to consume Izabela before she finally recognized who it was that was standing in front of her.

    "Mr. Price!" Izabela screamed before tackling Devin to the ground. Devin caught her so as to keep her from hurting herself. Looking down Devin could see her crying her eyes out on his chest, soaking his shirt through. Another voice alerted Devin to the presence of another person approaching.

    "Sister are you alright? Who''s at the doo..." the voice of Yana said as she rounded the corner only to freeze at the sight before her. Soon the spell that seemed to root her to the spot broke and she rushed Devin as well with tears in her eyes. Soon Henric, attracted by the sounds of crying came charging over to see what was the matter only to find both of his sisters crying into the chest of Mr.Price on the ground.

    "Uh, little help?" Devin asked with a weak smile.

 Chapter 26 - Acclimatization

    After quite a few minutes of crying that soon devolved into hiccups, the sisterly duo managed to pull themselves together enough to let Devin stand up and dust himself off. Turns out they had seen the giant hole on the news and the report that the Fantastic Four had been involved and got worried. So when he had not come home that night they began to fear the worst. When the second day had come and gone with no news or response Izabela had called the authorities to see if he had been hurt, but at the time they were still sorting through the debris. Devin decided to tell them a little bit of the truth so as to give a reasonable explanation seeing as they cared so much.

    "I was indeed caught up in what happened, but I am fine and here now so there is no need to worry." Devin said as he gave each of the siblings a smile to show that everything was good.

    "Are you sure that you''re okay? It looked like an explosion had happened. You aren''t lying to us are you?" Izabela asked before narrowing her eyes in what looked like a suspicious glare.

    ''I''m lying, but not about my health.'' Devin thought before replying.

    "I am fine. I checked myself over and didn''t find anything except for a couple of bruises. Although I could really go for a shower and some food." Devin said as Izabela continued to stare like that would get him to confess anything that he was withholding. The younger siblings merely followed from one person back to the other like they were watching a tennis match going. With a sigh Izabela slumped back against the back rest of the couch.

    "Alright, you go take a shower while me and Yana prepare dinner." Izabela said as she stood up and headed towards the kitchen with Yana following behind. Devin turned and looked at the young boy who was left standing off to the side curiously.

    "Henric, are you okay?" Devin asked as the boy seemed too quiet. Henric seemed to freeze as he looked at Devin realizing that he was now alone in the room with Devin. Henric nodded his head once before bolting out the door like a small rabbit. Devin scratched his head in confusion for only a few seconds before shrugging and turning towards the stairs to get his shower.

    The concern the siblings showed was really touching and Devin appreciated as they were the closest thing he had to a family at this point. That being said Devin could feel an undercurrent of tension in all three of them even if they don''t show it. They were hiding something from him and it didn''t concern his disappearance.

    Turning the shower on to warm, Devin managed to take his shirt off before Izabela opened the door and stepped in with an armful of towels. Seeing Devin shirtless caused Izabela to go as red as a tomato. A sigh from Devin caused Izabela to look up and meet his eyes.

    "Izabela, I expected this more from your sister, but it seems you are truly Yana''s sister." Devin said as he gave her a raised eyebrow causing her to stutter in her embarrassment.

    "I...I..." Izabela stuttered as she tried to articulate a sentence while her face positively glowed at this point.

    "Bela, if you want to see me like this so much all you''d have to do is ask." Devin said as a flirtatious smirk stretched across his face while he pulled the waistline of his jeans down slightly more. This had the exaggerated response Devin was looking for as Izabela threw the towels onto the bed and ran back out the door, slamming it shut. Devin removed the rest of his clothes and grabbed a pair of towels from the bed before heading to the bathroom.

    Stepping into the heated stream of water allowed Devin to relax for the first time in awhile or at least since that initial call from Sue that day. Clearing his mind, Devin replayed the events that had happened and it was at this time that he remembered the two new prizes he had worked so hard to earn. With a thought Devin brought up the mission window and clicking on the rewards acceptance showed numerous rewards, but only two had his attention. Devin saw the vouchers for the bloodline as well as the new dragoon spirit.

    Looking through his memory Devin knew that there were seven spirits left, six if he ignored the Divine Dragoon Spirit since he can only get that after getting the others. Each one was powerful, but after the situation that came about with Sue becoming a hostage, Devin realized that even with the amount of firepower he had with the Red-Eyed Spirit he couldn''t heal unless he spent all of his points on healing items from here out. His best option is to pick a Spirit with healing capabilities which narrowed down his choices to three.

    The White-Silver Dragoon Spirit had numerous healing abilities, but few offensive abilities. The another is the Darkness Dragoon Spirit that has offensive abilities with various side-effects including a spell called Astral Drain that sapped an enemy''s life to heal the user and anyone allied with the user. The only problem with this ability''s healing was that it could heal physically but couldn''t detoxify or heal mental problems that were afflicted. The White-Silver could remove these problems easily.

    The last choice was the Blue Sea Dragoon Spirit, but this was possibly the worst option as he would have to level up the spirit to unlock the healing spell Rainbow Breath which is similar to the White-Silver''s spell but doesn''t heal 100% of the damage if remembered correctly. The only thing that Devin wasn''t sure on and was a little nervous of was that in the game the White-Silver Spirit was able to revive allies after their health had depleted and they died and Devin worried about if this was possible, not because if it should fail when the time came God forbid, but if it should succeed. What would be the result?

    Devin weighed the three options back and forth carefully before coming to a decision. Just as he was about to click on the accept button he froze as another memory from when he first arrived in this world surfaced. The memory of when he accepted the Red-Eyed Spirit and the pain he had received produced not just a little bit of hesitation on his part. Better ask Alice, just in case.

    ''I am not a wimp, I am not a wimp, I am not a wimp.'' Devin chanted before taking a deep breath and letting it out.

    ''Alice.'' Devin called out in his head.

    ''Yes master?'' Alice responded as always. The one constant in all of this.

    ''When I accept this new spirit will it be as bad as last time?'' Devin asked with his fingers crossed it was the contrary.

    ''Sir, it will not be the same.'' Alice said causing the tension to pour out of Devin. Unfortunately, it returned tenfold a few seconds later.

    ''It will be multiple times what it was last time.'' Alice said causing Devin to dread what he was about to do.

    ''Why is it so much more painful?'' Devin asked as he wondered what it would be like once he got the final spirit.

    ''In order to gain power there must be a price. Strength can''t be attained without sacrifice. In order to prove that you are ready for the weight and pressure that comes with greater power you must endure the trial of the fusion.'' Alice explained as Devin thought about it, causing him to harden his resolve.

    ''Ok, what about the bloodlines? Does that come with a trial?'' Devin asked so as to make plans for the future. Just in case.

    ''It isn''t really a trial per say, but the first bloodline is extremely painful as the entire body is remodeled to the race that is chosen. After the first time the pain actually lessens by considerable degrees with each additional one.'' Alice replied causing Devin to bang his head on the wall of the shower as the water still poured over him.

    ''Alright, thank you Alice.'' Devin said as he started to was off the dirt and grime from the underground.

    ''Your welcome, Master.'' Alice said before going quiet. Looks like I''ll have to find a secluded place away from the others to accept the rewards tomorrow. Finishing up with the shower, Devin stepped out and toweled off before stepping back into the room and pulling out a black tee and a pair of jeans. He padded barefoot down to the kitchen to see how the others were doing. Looking into the kitchen, Devin saw Izabela and Yana finishing up the food. Izabela saw Devin peaking in and a look of embarrassment flashed across her face before she his it away.

    "Devin can you get Henric for dinner? I think he is in the living room watching TV." Izabela asked as she set a bowl full of salad on the table.

    "Sure." Devin said simply before turning around and taking the few strides to the living room. Devin saw Henric sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the TV watching some cartoon about five men in spandex uniforms fighting a monster and displaying weird poses while shouting out something about gin something or other. This made Devin question whether he should allow Henric to watch TV anymore.

    "Henric, it''s time for dinner buddy." Devin said. This caused Henric to press a button on the remote to pause the TV and jump up, a smile now on his face as he started to tell Devin about the cartoon show, occasionally strike one of the poses from the show.

    ***

    Dinner was delicious and Devin washed the dishes while Henric rinsed. Everyone spent the rest of the night in the living room doing various things. Henric continued his show while Yana read a book on the couch. Izabela had taken up knitting and sowing to pass time and was currently working on a scarf in shades of lavender. Devin was using his laptop to order the equipment he would need to set up his media tracking system to keep an eye out for information on various individuals he knew would be essential. He had meant to do this when he got back from Sokovia, but that had gone south quick.

    Eventually everyone decided to turn in for the night and saying goodnite. Devin had just finished changing into his white, cotton sleep pants and T-shirt when a knock on the door sounded.

    "Come in." Devin said. Soon the door opened to reveal Izabela once again, wearing a pink silk pajama set.

    "Is everything okay?" Devin said in concern for why she was here so late.

    "Um, I need to talk to you about something." Izabela said nervously as she wrung her hands.

    "Sure. Come in." Devin said as he offered Izabela a seat on the bed while he stood. They stayed that way for more than a minute as Izabela seemed to collect herself and what she wanted to say.

    "Before I say anything I want to ask you a question. What would you do if one of us was not normal?" Izabela asked as she peaked up at Devin even more nervous than before.

    "You''ll have to explain a bit more. Are one of the kids sick or something? Are you?" Devin asked as he ran through various possibilities of what she could be talking about.

    "No, not sick, but if one of the kids had a special talent would you be okay with them?" Izabela asked, now even more nervous. Even bordering on scared.

    "Bela, if one of you indeed have a special talent then that is great, but you''re acting like I would throw you all out because of this for some reason." Devin said in confusion before he remembered what "special talent" could mean in the Marvel Universe. Izabela relaxed slightly at his reassurance.

    "Izabela, are you saying that one of the children might have powers?" Devin asked, which caused Izabela to freeze in fear. It was only after a minute of silence that she finally responded with a silent nodding of her head.

    "Bela, I won''t throw you all out just because one of you developed an ability. I would have taken you all in even if I had known you all had powers from the beginning." Devin said as he gave her a kind smile. At the sight of that warm smile, Izabela finally began to truly relax. She then began to tell Devin how there were a couple a couple of kids bullying Yana and Henric at school and after Devin went missing strange occurrences began to happen around the both of them.

    "So that''s why Henric looked so lost and sad when I came back this afternoon." Devin commented as he rubbed his chin in thought.

    "Your disappearance hit him really hard. When we lost our father years ago it was hard but because of him always being passed out drunk or at the bar, Henric rarely saw him, but you are the closest thing Henric has seen to a father figure, despite the short time he has known you." Izabela told as she looked at the man who had basically pulled her and her siblings out of the mud and made them shine with his kindness. Silence one again resumed as Devin digested this new information, but it was Izabela who broke it.

    "So, what happens now?" Izabela asked as she hoped that Devin had a plan.

    "Tomorrow all four of us are going to sit down and have a chat. I want to know more about what is happening at the school as well as what happened when these strange things happened. I also need to tell you three something as well." Devin said as he rearranged his priorities for tomorrow in his head.

    "Okay, thank you." Izabela said as she stood up from the bed with a relieved smile. Stepping forward she wrapped her arms around Devin''s midsection while laying her head on his chest in thanks. Devin returned the hug.

    "Bela, even if the whole world would turned their back on you three, you will always be able to count on me." Devin whispered before letting her go and stepping back. Izabela reached up and swiped away some moisture at the corner of her eye before once again saying thank you. The two then bid each other goodnight and headed to bed. As Devin''s eyes closed and he drifted off, Devin began to make plans for tomorrow and the future.

 Chapter 27 - Understanding

    The next day arrived all too soon as it were. Devin changed clothes before heading downstairs, only to find Izabela already preparing scrambled eggs with ham, cheese, and olives. Devin wandered over to the fridge to retrieve the orange juice and a pair of glasses from the cupboard. Sitting down the two enjoyed a meal quietly before the children came down half asleep and rubbing their eyes.

    "I''ll get you both some food." Izabela said as she took Devin''s plate with hers to the sink. Devin only said good morning and watched both the kids and how they behaved. Soon everyone was full and about to disperse when Devin spoke up.

    "Henric, Yana, please have a seat." Devin said with a serious look at both. This got the two youths attention as well as the nervous look on Izabela''s face. The two sat down again, slowly lowering themselves into their seats.

    "Firstly, I want to apologize for worrying the two of you. Your sister has told me about how the two of you view me and I promise from here on out to be more careful, but I want you to know that I will always come home no matter how awful things look. Okay?" Devin said looking each in the eye, seeing the nervousness in their eyes.

    "Also know that no matter what happens I will always be there for you three. If you need to talk or you need help with something then please feel free to come and talk to me. I will do my best to help you solve the problem as well as be proud of you." Devin said, causing Yana''s eyes to mist up and Henric to look down. The thoughts that they had about him throwing them out because of the unspoken events that they were trying to conceal were now making them feel uncomfortable to the point of feeling slightly ill due to their own mistrust.

    "That all being said, I''m hoping that we can talk about what is happening at school as well as these unusual gifts that you have started noticing. Relax you two, you two will still be staying here regardless of what is going on." Devin said easing the pair''s fearful looks as Yana''s eyes nearly popped out of her head in shock and Henric''s did the same after jerking his head up from staring at his lap.

    "Yana, Henric, it''s okay. I''ve already talked to Mr. Price. Nothing is going to change. We''re safe." Izabela said as the two settled at hearing their sister''s reassurances. For the next hour or two the two youths talked about the bullying and what they had found out about their powers.

    Turns out that about a week after starting school a group of girls and boys began bullying Yana and Henric had found out since Yana usually picked him up from school before they head home. He had gone looking for her after she hadn''t shown up and had found the group of bullies cornering his sister against the school building. Needless to say what was said next caused Devin to see red, prompting him to close his eyes as he could feel his eyes change to the slitted red draconic eyes he now had thanks to his leveled spirit.

    After seeing his sister being bullied Henric had tried to step in but had then been added to the bullying, shoved and pushed around by the boys as the girls dumped trash from a nearby trash can on Yana. Soon after the two fell silent as they noticed that Devin wasn''t looking at them and both thought that they had disgusted him with their weakness, but that was when the crack of the wooden table breaking under Devin''s hand startled all three of the siblings. The amount of strength he had just displayed caused each to worry about what was about to happen.

    "Relax you two, I''m not mad at you two." Devin said as his eyes were still closed, but he dusted his hand off to remove the leftover shards from his hand.

    "Then why won''t you look at us?" Henric said, surprising Devin and Izabela at how bold and forward he was being.

    "That is because if I open my eyes now I will show you something that could scare all of you and I don''t want that." Devin said confusing all three siblings. It was at that moment that Yana had a look of shock and surprise before hesitantly asking a question of her own.

    "Then does that mean that you have a special gift like Henric and me?" Yana asked as she looked curiously. Devin knew that here was no way to get out of answering this one, plus it might help them trust him more.

    "Yes I do, but mine is different from yours." Devin said causing them all to be surprised then looking at him all the more curiously. Devin could hear Izabela muttering about how that was why he came home fine from that massive event downtown.

    "Now that being said I would like to hear about what you two have been seeing and what you two can do if that is alright? Maybe I can help you make sense of what you can do and help you control them." Devin said as he finally could feel his eyes revert and then open to see both kids smiling at him.

    It took another hour for the two kids to explain what had happened and what they had experienced while he was gone. Yana told about how when she was upset or angry then wierd things would happen to water fixtures and other water sources near her. Devin was getting a Percy Jackson vibe from this wondering just what the extent of what she could do as well as what her upper limit could possibly be. Then it was Henric''s turn to explain what was happening to him. Henric said that he noticed that it started when those bullies were pushing him around. He got really angry and just wanted them all to disappear, but could do anything to make them stop. Right after the group left, Henric got up only to notice that his fingernails had gotten really long, like claws and his eyes felt different. This puzzled Devin as the claws power sounded similar to what he had saw from Sabretooth, but Henric was young and his mutation might not have fully manifested yet.

    "Okay here is what we are going to do. Starting tomorrow I will be teaching both of you some self-defense for if those idiots try to corner you again. Actually lets make it all three of you so that I know that if an emergency occurs then you''ll be safe." Devin said as he looked from the two youths to the eldest sibling giving them all looks that said this was non-negotiable.

    "I will also be going down to the schools on Monday with Izabela and discussing this with the principle. This needs to stop now and if need be I will also be making a call to a lawyer friend." Devin said as he remembered Jennifer''s business card on his dresser.

    Finally, we will also be testing to see about your powers. I want for you both to train yourselves on how to control them and possibly use them appropriately. These powers are gifts and you both have the responsibility to use them responsibly, not in anger or for personal gain."Devin said as he gave them the most serious look he could possibly muster, making both kids nod seriously in response.

    "I promise that we will make you proud of us sir." Yana swore as she made a cross over her heart, with Henric following suit.

    "I''m already proud of both of you, but I appreciate your promises all the same." Devin said as he smiled warmly at them. This prompted the two to run over and hug him giggling. With a return hug and a ruffle of hair Devin sent the two outside to play. A comfortable silence descended between the two as Devin slowly sipped his OJ.

    "Thank you." Izabela said with an ocean''s worth of emotion filling her voice. With a wave of his hand Devin dismissed it as nothing and stood to put his glass in the sink. It was as Devin was leaning down to set the cup down that he felt a pair of full lips on his right cheek before their owner disappeared out the door. Devin was stunned by what happened, but knew that it was just her showing her gratitude for what he had done and what he would soon do. But now Devin had something to take care of before everything got busy again. Time for some pain.

    ***

    [Salem Center, New York]

    Once again there was a large group of individuals standing in a room surrounding the same bald man. This time though the number of people was smaller than previously.

    "Chuck, we have got to stop this I''m getting the strongest sense of deja vu from this. It''s weird." Logan said as he was once again leaning against the window sill, getting a few nods from others.

    "My apologies Logan, but a matter has come to my attention that may need us to take care of. A few months back I got a reading while using cerebro that has garnered my attention." Professor Xavier said as he looked at his team.

    "Is it another mutant that needs to be contacted Professor?" Kitty Pryde asked as she remembered Piotr and the others going to talk to a kid named Bobby here in New York.

    "No Kitty, this signature is different from others. The reason I''ve been keeping an eye out for it is that it isn''t like any human or mutant I have ever seen." Professor X said causing the others to look at one another in surprise.

    "What do you mean Professor? Different how?" Scott Summers asked as he adjusted his visor.

    "I don''t know Scott, but recently I found two new mutants and when I went to check on their backgrounds I found that same signature in the same vicinity as them. I want to go see if we can convince them to come to the school, but I am not sure what this abnormal signature could mean." Professor X said as he looked at the others. Scott looked at Emma while the others gave looks of confusion.

    "So what do you want us to do Chuck?" Logan said as he unfolded his arms and stepped up to the desk before placing his palms on the surface and leaning forward.

    "As soon as Beast returns at the end of the week, I want the full team to head over and talk with these two youngsters as well as see just who or what is the cause of this signature." Professor X said as he looked at his team.

    "Do you really think that that is necessary Charles? Isn''t it a little much?" Emma asked as everyone began heading towards the door.

    "I hope that it is just me being overly cautious, because the alternative just could be so much worse." Charles said as he stared out the window.

 Chapter 28 - Trouble on the Home-front

    A few days had passed and it was now Tuesday. Devin had been spending a few hours everyday teaching all three of the siblings self-defense. Henric took to it like a fish to water while Yana had the hardest time as she was very uncoordinated. Sunday was the first time Devin got a look at Henric''s and Yana''s mutations. Devin had both of the potential mutants doing some meditation to see if they can draw their abilities out with their own willpower and caused a reverse of the self-defense results.

    Yana was seated in the backyard near the pond and after just a few minutes of observing Devin noticed that the water was starting to ripple in two different spots this ripple then turned into what can only be described as two water spouts rising up from the surface of the pond. Yana opened her eyes and became so excited by her discovery that the two spouts dispersed back into the pond from her loss of focus. As she returned to her meditation Henric decided he wanted to show his powers as well. Sitting in a similar position Henric began to try to meditate, but his excitement turned to frustration and soon anger as nothing seemed to change.

    "Relax Henric, focus. Getting impatient and angry won''t necessarily help you." Devin said as he could see the crease in Henric''s brow from his frustration.

    "But Sis was able to do this so easy, why won''t mine show. I''m doing the same thing as her so why won''t they work?!" Henric shouted before scrubbing and ruffling his hair in agitation.

    "Maybe that''s what the problem is. What are you thinking about when you meditate?" Devin asked as he crouched before the young man.

    "I''m doing like Yana, clearing my mind and thinking of peaceful things." Henric answered as he stared at Devin in confusion. This caused a chuckle to leave Devin''s mouth before he answered.

    "I told your sister to clear her mind and think of water in its various forms. To think of waterfalls, the waves on the ocean, and other things like that. The reason is that she said that pipes would burst and fountains would overflow when she was under duress. You might have a different trigger." Devin said as he explained the reason behind what he had told Yana earlier, which Henric might have heard snippets of.

    "Ok, so what should I be thinking about?" Henric asked as he now felt embarrassed about not paying attention.

    "Close your eyes and get into position." Devin instructed to which Henric followed.

    "Now I want you to think back to when you noticed the change and what was happening at that time. Think about what you were feeling and what you wanted at the time." Devin instructed softly as he watched Henric''s face for any change no matter how minute. Soon he saw Henric''s nose start to scrunch up just seconds before his eyes squeezed shut and a soft noise seemed to reverberate from deep in his throat. It was then that Henric''s eyes snapped open and a set of ten claws burst forth from the tips of his fingers, each only maybe an inch long. His eyes a bestial yellow with what looked like vertical slits or possibly ovoid shaped pupils looking back. Soon Henric seemed to snap out of the thousand yard stare he had and looked around.

    "Congratulations Henric, you''ve done it." Devin said as he smiled at the young man. Another look of confusion crossed his face before he looked down at his hands and noticed the claws on his fingers now. It was at that time Henric followed his sister''s example and started to dance around in excitement. Once he settled down, Devin noticed that Henric still had the claws and eyes and became worried that he might have to do something as the kids had school the next day.

    "Henric, I want you to close your eyes again and think of peaceful things like you were doing in the beginning." Devin said which Henric followed immediately without question. Soon the claws retracted like they were never there and hopefully the eyes changed back to normal. This was proven true a few seconds later as Henric opened his eyes to show them back to their normal form and color.

    "Ok Henric, here is what I think I''ve found out about your powers. They are triggered by what ever emotion or feeling that you were focusing on. They seem to include your eyes as well as the claws that you grow. I''m guessing that the eyes give you enhanced sight and the claws are probably extremely tough. It will take some more time to see what else you get, but there is a word of caution for you." Devin said before looking Henric dead in the eye with a serious look that had Henric swallowing his nervousness.

    "Your powers stay activated till you clear your mind and enter a state of calm. This means that for the moment your powers will stay active unless you decide to put them away and that means that if you don''t then others will see the changes. The other thing is that we don''t know if there will ever be a time where you won''t be able to deactivate them so I want you to promise that you won''t use them unless you absolutely have to ok?" Devin said to which a chill of fear ran down Henric''s spine.

    "Relax Henric, you''ll be fine regardless of what happens in the future. We will all love you no matter what." Devin said as he brought the child into a one-armed hug. The two separated and soon the call for lunch from Izabela brought the trio into the house for food.

    ***

    The next day was Monday and that meant that not only did the kids have to go to school, but that Devin and Izabela had a meeting to attend with the administration of Izabela''s school. The two had decieded to wear more appropriate clothes as to make an impression and have them take the two more seriously. Devin pulled out an expensive suit that he had gotten in case there was a time where he had to meet with important individuals or formal occasions. The pants, jacket, and tie were all a pitch black color while the dress shirt was a crimson red color that looked like fresh blood.

    Izabela had a white, ruffled blouse and a black pencil skirt that ended just above the knee. A pair of low-heeled shoes were pulled out as she folded her voluminous hair up into a tight bun. Soon it was time to go. The first to be dropped off was Henric and as he waved goodbye the rest saw a couple of other kids run up and greet the boy in a friendly manner before they all ran off to the school entrance.

    Soon it was Yana''s turn and after dropping her off at the front entrance, Devin drove over to the visitor parking lot and found a spot. Soon the duo were entering the main office and speaking with the middle-aged secretary seated at the front desk about meeting with the principle on an important matter. Seconds after the secretary paged the principle about his guests a voice that made Devin irritated and Izabela''s skin crawl came through loud and clear.

    "Make up some excuse and get rid of them Ms. Moss. I don''t feel like dealing with any of those poor nobodies." the voice came out as clear as crystal. At hearing this and standing face to face with the secretary, she at least had the graciousness to at least look ashamed of what was just said. Waving with his hand at the paging system and raising an eyebrow in inquisition, the secretary nodded in acquiescence to his silent request. Devin reached over and pressed the button before speaking loud and clearly.

    "Well then I guess this poor nobody will end the formal talks here and go see if my lawyer is available to issue a lawsuit." Devin said before releasing the button and turning towards the door. Him and Izabela took two steps before the door to the principle''s office nearly ripped off it''s hinges as the door was yanked open by an obese man in his late thirties to early forties with a large bald patch and swinging jowls that were both being mopped by a pink handkerchief pulled from the b.r.e.a.s.t pocket of his brown suit.

    "Who do you think you ar..." The words that were being spewed with heat soon stuck in the man''s throat as Devin leveled the coldest glare he could at the rotund man without activating his dragon eyes. Thanks to the intimidating suit and his defined features combined with the cold glare, Devin cut a figure that looked like the Devil coming for his due.

    "I''m sorry but who are you and what can I do for you?" the man managed to wheeze out past the feeling of what felt like a steel knife in his windpipe. It was at this time that Ms. Moss the secretary awoke from whatever fantasy daydream she had been in with the tall, dark, and handsome stranger that had walked in only moments ago to address the question for the principal.

    "This is Mr. Price and Ms. Silenko. They are here to discuss with you about a problem with some of the students harassing and bully their child as well as her younger sibling Mr. Lynch." Ms. Moss said as she batted her eyes at the handsome younger man in the hope of earning his attention.

    "Harassment and bullying? Do you have any proof of these things actually happening such as names or eyewitnesses?" Mr. Lynch demanded as he now found some kind of boost in confidence.

    "I have a list of all the students that were involved in the bullying here and both of the kids said that they would speak about what has been happening." Devin said as he handed over a list of names he got from Yana the night before. As the now identified Mr. Lynch looked over the list of names a constipated look soon found its place on his features making him look like a depressed toad. It was at this point that the principal crumpled up the paper and threw it in the trash can next to him, infuriating the duo.

    "Mr. Price, hearsay is not proof and each of those students you have listed are major contributors to this community. On the other hand we have a your student who has just started arrived here and started school from who knows where and has contributed nothing and I will not offend those students and their families without solid evidence." the worthless, greedy little jackass said as he turned to go back to his office. A tug on his jacket sleeve told Devin of Izabela''s concern and anger.

    "Fine then, I will get cold, hard evidence and when I do it won''t be us talking then. It will be my lawyer serving you papers." Devin said in a cold, polite tone. The slime-ball turned back around with his face turning purple.

    "Is that a threat Mr. Price?!" Mr. Lynch shouted as he now resembled a giant purple boil ready to burst.

    "No, no. That wasn''t a threat. I don''t make threats. I make promises and I always keep my promises." Devin said as he glared once more before he gathered Izabela and walked out walking tall. As they drove away from the school Izabela left a text for Yana to try and get anything in the future on video while Devin reassured her that he would take care of it. Pulling a card out Devin dialed a number with a malicious smile on his face before the other party finally picked up.

    "Hello?"

    "Hello Ms. Walters."

 Chapter 29 - No Pain, No Gain

    After talking for a half hour and setting up an appointment to meet Jen as she told Devin to call her, at a small restaurant for lunch and to talk about his problem the next day, Devin hung up just as they were arriving home. Izabela said she wanted to do some practice on her self-defense forms and Devin couldn''t blame her as that creep Lynch made even Devin''s skin crawl and would be a good way for her to work out her frustration. Devin told her he had some business to take care of in the bas.e.m.e.nt and that he would be up later, but for them to not disturb him. Nodding her understanding, Izabela wandered off to her room to change and Devin left for his room to change as well before heading for the bas.e.m.e.nt.

    He had decided to accept his rewards in the medical facility as he wasn''t sure what the changes from the bloodline would be and might need some healing after going through the transformation of his bloodline. First he would start with the new spirit. Stepping into the room, Devin crossed to the operating table and removed his shirt. Laying on the cold, sterile steel table and speaking a simple command of "lock" that caused metal restraints to emerge from the table and wrap around his wrists. With a thought the rewards menu was opened and the selection menu for the spirits in front of Devin and a second one selected the White-Silver Dragoon Spirit. Devin needed a healing power and this would help in the future should he need it.

    With a deep breath in Devin mentally clicked accept. The pain was instantaneous and searing in its intencity. If the first one was a two out of ten then this had to be at least a four, maybe even a five. If this was only the second spirit he got then he was horrified at the thought at what he would feel when he got to the Divine Dragoon Spirit. After about five mintues the pain began to fade and Devin could catch his breath. Once the pain was completely gone Devin willed the spirits to emerge to see what they looked like.

    Just above where his heart was emerged a bright crimson orb that looked like a polished marble made of ruby with a black slitted pupil in the middle. The object he was checking for was the second orb that emerged from his chest to the right of the first and to the left of his sternum. It was a pristine, milky white orb with a black slitted pupil similar to the first. After staring for a few minutes Devin willed them to retract and the two half-dollar sized orbs slowly submerged back into his chest.

    Soon Devin realized that it was time for his greatest trial, the awakening of a bloodline. It had been a great debate on whether to get the Gigantos'' immense strength and durability or the Wingly''s magic and physical attributes. In the game the Gigantos were giant humanoids that stood about seven to eight feet tall and had awesoe amounts of strength and durability even though there were only two ever seen in the game. The Wingly''s were a platinum haired race that had access to magic as well as the ability to fly using a pair of energy wings that projected from their shoulders. It was also indirectly stated that the race as a whole had a lifespan that stretched centuries if not millenias long depending on the individual.

    There are other bloodlines but these two presented the greatest benefits at the moment and after careful consideration Devin decided on the Wingly bloodline. It had the greater potential, especially if it meant that he could learn how to utilise magic while still in his regular form. Plus the ability to fly when ever and where ever was also super tempting. After a couple clicks and a few breathes to steady himself, Devin accepted his reward. Immediately the pain ripped its way through him. This pain made the pain from his first reward feel like a papercut. This felt like Devin had been bathed in acid before being set on fire and chucked into a meat grinder. Devin tried not to scream but it was futile as his tormented wails soon ripped from his lungs as he thrashed in the restraints endlessly.

    Devin lost track of time as his only thought was to survive this pain and everything he had yet to do. His body was drenched in sweat and it felt like days had passed, but Devin had no clue as to what was happening outside of this all encompassing barrage of sensation. It wasn''t much longer before the pain began to lessen by small degrees starting at his extremities and moving towards his core.Soon Devin was able to stop screaming as his voice had long given out and he could take quick shallow breathes to help recuperate the oxygen he had lost with his exhalations.

    After laying still and staring at the ceiling for an eternity Devin spoke the release command for the restraints and slowly sat up. He felt sore everywhere. The first change that he noticed to his body was that his vision seemed sharper than before. THe colors seemed sharper and things felt clearer on the whole. The next was a lock of long platinum colored hair that swung past the corner of his eye as he sat up. Reaching up Devin grabbed ahold of a lock and stared at it before he noticed that it was slowly changing back to his original black color.

    After that Devin spent a bit of time stretching and checking his body for changes. He felt stronger and faster than before but he wasn''t sure just how much until he could check it out later. The only other changes he noticed was when he checked in a mirror and saw that his facial features had seemed more refined and handsome. When he tried to channel his new magic on his own he noticed that his hair once again turned platinum and a tingle similar to an electric current was felt in his hands. Unfortunately, no magic manifested which Devin realized was a good thing as who knows what might have happened considering he was below the house currently.

    ''Alice, open up the menu please.'' Devin thought as he headed upstairs to shower off the sweat and get a change of clothes.

    1. Stats

    2. Inventory

    3. Spirits

    4. Bloodlines

    5. Shop

    6. Party

    7. Missions

    8. Notifications

    After looking at the menu Devin noticed that there was a new menu option labled ''Bloodlines''.

    ''Alice, what''s with the new menu option?'' Devin asked as he stripped off his shorts and boxers before throwing them in the basket with his shirt.

    ''Master, this will help you keep track of what bloodlines you have gained as well as the thickness of that bloodline.''

    ''Thickness? What do you mean thickness?'' Devin said as he stopped adjusting the knobs of the shower and asked.

    ''When you get a bloodline it is like when you get a dragoon spirit. It is at its most basic and base level. In order to raise the thickness of that bloodline you will need to utilize that bloodline''s power repeatedly and it will gradually strenthen.''

    With the flick of a thought Devin opened the new menu and saw the various bloodlines list but only one was highlighted. The highlighted name was Wingly and there was a bar next to it with only a fraction of it filled and a number reading 5% at the very end. The question that Devin had now was that if he got to 100% then would that give him the power equivilant to Melbu Frahma or Faust in the game who were the leaders of the Winglies or not.

    With the warm water soothing away the phantom pains from the rewards, Devin decided to leave those questions for another day. But there is one thing that he needed to check and that was whether he could buy a magic tome or something to help him learn magic. Opening the shop as he lathered himself with soap he typed in magic and found what he was looking for. There was a total of five magic tomes: 3 levels of elemental tomes, 1 tome of status spells, and 1 tome of augmentation spells. Each one higher in price than the last, Devin had enough for the first two levels of elemental spells as well as the augmentation spell tome, but Devin only bought the first level elemental tome as he had the feeling he was gonna need to buy other things very soon. Similar to when he got the weapon manuals there was a slight discomfort before a rush of knowledge entered his head.

    Stepping out of the shower Devin was thinking about how to take care of the school problem when he rememebered a fruit of his research months earlier. One Jessica Jones of Alias Investigations could help to dig up some dirt on that sc.u.mbag Lynch. As Devin was musing about doing this an errant thought entered his head. Why was Alias Investigations even around if the whole of Jessica Jones started AFTER the events of the Avengers? Devin paced as he thought about how this could have happened. After about ten minutes of pacing and then getting dressed, Devin decided that the change in timeline was due to this being a Marvel universe but not strictly the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Opening his phone, Devin found the number from months ago and hit dial. At first he thought it was gonna go to voice mail, but a female voice answered on the second to last ring.

    "Alias Investigations."

    "Is this Ms. Jessica Jones?" Devin asked as he sat on his bed and pulled a pair of socks on.

    "Yeah, what do you what?" the now identified Jones asked.

    "My name is Devin Price. I want to hire you to look into a principal named Carson Lynch. I''ll pay whatever you ask." Devin said as he slipped on some sneakers and stood up.

    "As attractive as that sounds, I''m a little busy at the moment. Try again in about a week." Jones said as she sounded like she was gonna hang up. Devin decided he''d have to use some of his knowledge on the Marvel Universe if he wanted things to go smoothly.

    "I know why you drink Ms. Jones. I know why you dread going to sleep and when you do you wake up in a sweat and terrified. And I know who did that to you." Devin said as he stood at the window looking out on the backyard. He could see Izabela out in the yard practicing punches and kicks in a tank top and jogging shorts.

    "How?! Who are you?!" Jessica''s voice came through in an angry and scared tone.

    "Relax, I have no association with that man, nor do I intend to spread this information to anyone else. I mearly wished to get your attention and offer some information and help on top of the fee for your services." Devin said as he turned away from the window and walked towards the door, intent on some lunch.

    "Why should I trust you? I have no idea who you are, but the fact that you know this means that you have some connection to him, no matter what you say." Jessica layed out as Devin decended the stairs.

    "True, but the fact that I know about this and haven''t contacted you till now speaks to the fact that I have no desire to be apart of this little hatred you two have unless I have to. You are more than welcome to come hear the information that I have as well as my proposal of how to aid you before agreeing to help me." Devin said as he opened the fridge and pulled the fixings for a sandwich out.

    "Fine, but I am bringing someone with me so that there is no funny business." Jessica said with a tone that sounded like stubborness and defeat.

    "That is fine Ms. Jones. Bring whoever you need. Would my home be fine with you? As I live outside the city and I do have some responisibilities that require my attention here." Devin said as he continued making a sandwich.

    "Fine, I''ll be there soon." Jessica snapped as Devin could tell that he got under her skin quite deeply.

    "Then I will see you soon." Devin said as he hung up and placed his sandwich on the table with a bottle of water.

    ''Alice.'' Devin thought as he took the first bite.

    ''Yes Master?''

    ''The Mind Purifier consumable item, is it a one shot or does it have a lasting effect now that it''s in real life?'' Devin asked as he prepared to deal with the super strong detective.

    ''Master, Mind Purifier only works once to clear any present afflictions and only lasts for about thirty seconds.'' Alice responded with.

    ''Damn, well that''s not going to work. What about the armor and accessories? Can they be given to another person?'' Devin asked as he took a sip of water. Izabela was finishing up her forms in the backyard.

    ''Any individual must be added to your party before they can be given any item from the shop.'' Alice stated matter-of-factly.

    ''Ok can I add a person, give them an item, and then remove them without them losing the item?'' Devin asked with hope.

    ''No, if that person is removed from the party the items given will automatically return to your inventory. It is a safety feature that keeps loned items from being used against you.'' Alice said before explaining which made sense to Devin.

    "Guess she''ll just have to stay added." Devin said not realizing that he had spoken aloud.

    "Added to what?" Izabela asked as she finished closing the door.

    "Ah sorry. I was thinking out loud. Oh and before I forget there is a private investigator coming over in a little bit. I asked her to help look into our disgusting little friend Lynch." Devin informed her so that she wouldn''t be surprised at people coming over.

    "Ah! You are so kind to go out of your way like that. We don''t deserve the kindness you have shown us." Izabela said with a frown.

    "Relax, it''s no big deal." Devin said as he waved his hand in dismissle. As Izabela left to shower and change Devin looked out the window and thought about just how much he still needed to accomplish. The thought of gaining even greater heights sent a chill of excitement and thrill down his spine as a massive grin split his face.

 Chapter 30 - Dynamic Duo and the Deal

    Devin sat for about an hour and a half before he heard a forceful knock on the door. Standing up and crossing over to the entryway of the house Devin wasn''t sure what he''d find on the otherside. Opening the door, Devin saw two people on his door step. One was a rather attractive looking woman with dark hair, brown eyes, and pale skin wearing a pair of grey jeans and a black t-shirt with a leather jacket and a pair of black boots. The other person was an African American man with a bald head and goatee wearing a grey t-shirt and blue hoodie with a pair of blue jeans and Timbaland boots.

    "You must be Jessica Jon-" Devin started to say before being punched in the jaw and flying back several feet. Landing on his back Devin slowly propped himself up with one arm while his other hand slowly rubbed the ache out of his jaw. Looking up found Jessica rubbing the knuckles on one hand with a look of surprise on her companions face.

    "Guess I kinda deserve that." Devin admitted as he got up from the floor while cracking his neck.

    "Yeah and you''ll get even more than that if this turns out to be anything more than what you said." Jessica said still having not moved from the doorway.

    "I can assure you that this is benefiscial for both of us. Please, come in." Devin said as he started for the kitchen before stopping once more and looking back.

    "Oh and one more thing. You only get one freebie." Devin said as his eye turned red and his pupil became slitted for a fraction of a second before returning to its normal form to warn the two newcomers against further action. Seeing the eye change both Jessica and her companion stopped short with shock and worry before comtinuing to follow.

    "Please have a seat. Would either of you like something to drink?" Devin asked as he turned to the two while they sat at the table. The man that Devin knew as Luke Cage shook his head as Jessica only glared. Devin meerly raised his hands in surrender before turning to the fridge and pouring a glass of juice. Soon he returned to the table and began to speak.

    "Okay, so I know who Jessica is and vice versa, but we haven''t met Mr. Cage, so let me introduce myself. My name is Devin Price and I have called Jessica here in order to ask her to help me with some business and to help her with a problem with her past." Devin said shocking both Jessica and Luke, before Luke surged up out of his seat.

    "Who the hell are you?!" Luke demanded as he glared at the man sitting in the opposite chair slowly sipped from the glass of juice in his hand. Devin set the glass down and looked at both of his guests with a neutral face.

    "Mr. Cage, I am an independant defense contractor that just so happens to know some things about a few notable individuals that happens to include the both of you as well as a few others. As I told Jessica all I want is to set up a mutually beneficial transaction between the two of us and she asked that she be able to bring a friend to guarantee her safety during this meeting and I agreed. Hence your presence." Devin explained as Luke slowly lowered back into his seat.

    "So what is this job that you went so far to convince me to take?" Jessica asked with a bit of frustration lacing her voice.

    "I have two charges that live here with their older sister and they have both recieved discrimination against them from both other students as well as the principal at their school. I want you to investigate the principal and see what you can find on him as I believe that he is taking bribes or other such things from some of the wealthier families that have students that attend the school." Devin said as he explained to Jessica what he wanted from her.

    "Okay, but what does that have to do with what you said on the phone?" Jessica asked as she leaned forward with a glint of desperation in her eye.

    "I have items that not only can clear the effects of your past from your mind, but keep it clear should your past come to visit you again." Devin said only glancing at Luke once before saying in a code that only Jessica would understand. Luke looked from one to the other in confusion but didn''t say anything as Jessica''s look of desperation changed to one of hope.

    "Fine I''ll take the case, but if your measures don''t work out then you better be prepaired for when I come back here. What''s the guys name?" Jessica said with a sharp glare before pulling a notebook out of her jacket. It was then that Luke actually spoke up.

    "Excuse us for a minute will you?" Luke said before he dragged Jessica out of what he thought was hearing range.

    "Jessica are you sure about this? Dude seems hella shady and those eyes ain''t normal." Luke whispered before glancing at Devin to which Devin just waved with a small smile.

    "Luke you don''t understand, if he''s telling the truth then this might be my best chance of getting past my past. This could help us big time once we find Kilgrave. I''ll be careful okay?" Jessica said with conviction and what sounded like a plea for his understanding which surprised Devin. In the comics Luke and Jessica had eventually had a kid and married, but in the show they had this off and on relationship with nothing solid. Then the two of them returned to the table after a couple more minutes of talking about Lukes concerns.

    "Everything okay?" Devin asked with a smile.

    "Yeah, would it be okay for me to give you an email and you can send me the information that you have on this guy?" Jessica asked as Devin could tell she wanted to get to the real part.

    "Sounds reasonable. Alright on to the part you actually came for." Devin said as he passed his hand over the table and a green bottle of liquid with metallic swirls appeared next to what looked like a headband with a crimson feather attached and the other was a chopstick-like hairpin with a small silver bell that seemed to shine even in the low lighting they were in.

    "What I mentioned on the phone is a two step process. The first being that you will have to down this liquid here and then you will have to wear one of these items here." Devin said as he gestured from the bottle to the items.

    "Wait, how do I know that this will actually work." Jessica asked as Cage looked at Devin like he had just said pigs can fly.

    "You don''t but I don''t make it a habit of putting on the guise of a snakeoil salesman either." Devin said as a frown graced all three people faces. Devin had spent some of his hard earned shop credits on these but this was beginning to wear on his nerves.

    "How bout this I don''t have a way to demonstrate these items currently, but I have another item that I can demonstrate if that will help." Devin said as the two nodded in acceptance. Devin drew one of his daggers from his waist which had the two up and out of their seat in seconds ready for a fight. Devin only gave them an amused eyebrow raise as he slid the edge of the blade along his palm drawing a thin red line of blood before stowing the dagger again.

    Devin was surpsised that he only managed such a thin line that only beaded with blood here and there as the flesh of his palm felt denser than previously. It seemed that his new spirit was changing him again. Devin then pulled out one of his healing potions and poured it on his palm and took a sip before stoppering it and stowing it in his pocket. Right before the pairs eyes the cut seemed to evaporate. It was then that they looked at the green bottle before them and nodded at each other.

    "I take it that you''re both convinced now?" Devin asked as he looked at both in turn.

    "Yes." both uttered at the same time.

    "Good, down the bottle in one go and then pick one of the items." Devin instructed as he down his juice. The health potion tasted like lavender and blueberries and was a little strong for his tastes. Devin had barely finished his juice when Jessica slammed the empty bottle onto the table with a grin. This caused Devin to chuckle at the girls antics, but when she looked at the items she got a confused look once more.

    "Is there a difference between the two?" She asked as she looked at each in turn.

    "Yes the one on my left is the Phoenix Plume and it dispells a large assortment of unatural mental afflictions from outside sources that includes bewitchment. The one on my right is the Magic Ego Bell and it only dispells bewitchments. Each should work against HIM." Devin said as he looked Jessica in the eye. After a second of hesitation she took the bell stating it wouldn''t attract as much attention as the headband with the feather.

    "Alright well with that done is there any questions left?" Devin said as he clapped his hands together and stood.

    "Do you happen to know where Kilgrave is?" Luke asked as the couple stood to.

    "No, if I did he would have already become a small pile of ashes already." Devin said as he had a hard look that said what would happen if the two should meet. Devin had no problem wiping that worthless monster off the planet.

    "Thanks you I''ll be in touch as soon as I find anything." Jessica said as she started walking towards the door with Luke following.

    "Alright I will be waiting and Jessica?" Devin said causing the two to stop and look back at him leaning forward with his hands interlaced and his elbows resting on his knees as a predatory grin grew on his face.

    "Happy hunting." Devin said as the two nodded then left.

    ''Well that was productive.'' Devin thought before he spoke aloud again.

    "You can come out now Izabela." Devin said as he waved his hand and stowed the headpiece in his inventory.

    "Sir, are you okay? I heard a commotion, but didn''t want to interrupt as it seemed everything was under control." Izabela said as she stood in the doorway with her hands folded in front of her in a floor-length, red peasant skirt and an off-the-shoulder blouse.

    "Yeah, everything is fine. The kids should be here any minute." Devin said as patted her shoulder as he passed with a smile. As Izabela watched him walk upstairs a frown turned down the corneres of her mouth and creased her brow.

    ''He is doing so much for us, maybe too much. I will need to talk with the other two to see if we can come up with something to repay him.'' Izabela thought as once she lost sight of her benefactor she moved towards the door to wait for her siblings.

    ***

    Devin had just sent what intel he had on Lynch to Jessica and then decided to start with that project that he had planned while he was overseas. He began by ordering numerous monitors and other computer equipment. He then pulled up the system menu.

    ''Alice, is it still possible to add onto the already existing foundation of the house?'' Devin asked as he waited for his AI''s response.

    ''Yes though you do have to pay a small fine in the store.'' Alice said as the option was opened in the store. Looking at it Devin saw that it was only 25 credits for an edit so he paid quickly and then added a room to one of the bas.e.m.e.nt levels, next to the war room for a network of computers to help monitor for news of certain special individuals. Soon the ground work was done and all Devin had to do was wait for the electronics to come. Hearing the kids return from school devin headed down to see how their day was and enjoy time with everyone as he thought of all the things that would be happening soon.

 Chapter 31 - Of Roses and Thorns

    *The Next Day*

    Devin woke up slowly and stared at the ceiling of his room. He knew that he had plenty of things to do today, but he wanted a few minutes to just lay back and relax. Yesterday was interesting and when the kids had come home he had questioned them on whether there was any change in the bullying situation. They had reported that they hadn''t seen the bullies that day but there was always tomorrow. Devin had all this power now but the hardest obstacle he had encountered so far was a small group of bullies.

    *sigh*

    "Guess I should get up and take care of things before I meet Jennifer." Devin said as he stood up and began changing clothes. As he walked out of his room and down the hall Devin noticed that Izabela''s door was slightly cracked open and everyone usually kept their doors closed. Devin stepped up to the door and heard voices from within.

    "Mr. Price has been doing so much for all of us. He has been going out of his way to make us at home and happy, but we haven''t really done much of anything in return except for cause him more problems. So we need to think of ways to try and repay him for what he has done." Isabela said behind the door. Devin could only guess that she was speaking to her siblings. The subject of their talk really put him at odds with himself. He wasn''t doing all of this in return for something, he was doing it because he could.

    "We could make him something!" the young voice of Henric sounded out enthusiastically. It was then that another feminine voice sounded in.

    "We could but that still isn''t enough. He has saved us from our problems and I owe him for saving me back at the hotel, but I kinda doubt that we will ever be able to repay what he has done for us." Yana said as her voice went from frustrated to sad. Devin thought that it was time for him to step in.

    "You three dont need to worry about repaying me for any of this." Devin said as he leaned against the door frame with his arms folded across his chest. The sound of his voice caused all three siblings to jump and spin around in surprise. Soon looks of embarrassment were seen on their faces as they realized that they were caught red handed.

    "Like I told Izabela back in Sokovia, I am not doing this for any ulterior motives. I am doing this because it is the right thing and I have the means to do so. So, while I appreciate the thought, I dont want you three going out of your way to do things for me out of some sense of obligation. Ok?" Devin said as he walked forward and looked ech of he siblings in the eye. Devin soon saw that each of the siblings relent and nod their heads.

    "Good, now lets get some breakfast." Devin said as he turned to the door. He stopped when he heard one of the siblings speak up again.

    "Mr. Price, Devin wait. I want to talk to you for a moment. Yana, Henric, go ahead and head downstairs and get breakkfast." Izabela said as she then turned and dismissed her siblings who then left. It was then that Izabela walked over and closed her bedroom door with a determined look.

    "Bela, what''s the matter?" Devin said as he became confused and worried that something was wrong.

    ''Was I too harsh or something?'' Devin thought as he looked at Izabela and her serious gaze.

    "Devin, do you really think so little of us?" Izabela asked as she slowly took a step forward.

    "No, of course not!" Devin said as he looked at her like she just mentioned she was hideous or something.

    "Then why wont you let us do something for you? Is it really that bad for us to do something meaningful to show how grateful we are?" Izabela countered as she took a few more steps towards Devin causing him to take a step back in surprise. Izabela continued to advance as Devin tried to reason with her while stepping back in retreat.

    "Devin, here is what is gonna happen. We are gonna figure out something to show our gratitude and you will enjoy it. I will not take no as an answer. Do you hear me?" Izabela said as she backed him up till he was up against the wall and was now pressed right up against his chest with her own voluptuous one. as she glared into his eyes in defiance.

    "Sure, but could you back up a bit?" Devin said as his face began to glow with slight embarrassment. It was then that Izabela realized her position and her own face became bright red with her own embarrassment causing her to turn away from Devin and cross her arms over her chest.

    "Sorry." Izabela whispered over her shoulder.

    "No, it''s fine." Devin said as he smiled at her to show he was fine. It was then that Izabela surprised him again. As she turned around and planted a forcful kiss on his lips. The contact causing his eyes to shoot wide and his body to freeze. What felt like an eternity but was actually only a few seconds soon ended as Izabela pulled back and averted her eyes as she waited for Devins reaction. As his body soon returned under his control, Devin looked down at the young woman.

    "Bela?" Devin said softly.

    "I''m sorry!" Izabela said before she ran out of the room, leaving a confused and flushed Devin alone.

    ''What just happened?!'' Devin asked as he gently touch his lips.

    ***

    A Few Hours Later

    ***

    Devin was driving down the road on his way to the restaurant where him and Jennifer were to meet to talk about the school. Devin had tried to look for Izabela after their kiss in her bedroom, but she was nowhere to be found. After speaking to Yana he found that Izabela had said she was going for a walk and ran out the door. Devin decided that he would speak with her when she was ready.

    Pulling up to the restaurant Devin spotted Jennifer sitting on a bench infront wearing a grey pencil skirt with a matching jacket with a purple silk blouse underneath. Her hair was put up into a neat bun at the back of her head and a pair of low heeled dress shoes completed her outlook. Devin jumped out of his vehicle and strode over to her with a smile.

    "Hey there. Hope you didn''t wait long." Devin said as he stopped next to her.

    "No, I just sat down after checking in." Jennifer said as she stood up and shook his hand again.

    "Great, lets head in." Devin said as he held the door for her.

    "Such a gentleman." Jennifer said with a smirk as she passed by.

    "Of course, always for the fair and beautiful." Devin said as he waved his eyebrows with a cheesy grin on his face causing Jennifer to laugh. Soon the two were seated and their orders placed.

    "So you told me that you were having some problems with a school that might require legal actions." Jennifer said as she pulled a legal pad out of her briefcase and placed her black rimmed glasses on her nose. Taking a quick sip of his water Devin nodded.

    "Yeah, I have two younger charges living with me along with their older sister. The younger siblings have been getting bullied by some of their peers and when the older sister and I tried to speak with administration about it the principle said that he wasn''t gonna offend the wealthier families over a couple foreign students. I believe that he is taking some bribes from those wealthy families and allowing the children of those families to get away with severe offenses." Devin explained as Jennifer is writing down details.

    "So, we have descrimination and possible illegal activity. Have you got any proof yet?" Jennifer asked as she looked up over glasses.

    "Other than their testimonies? Not yet though I told both kids that if they are bullied to record it on their phones. I also hired a private investigator to look into the principal." Devin said as their food arrived. Jennifer had ordered a salad and Devin had gotten a sandwich.

    "Who did you hire to investigate the principal?" Jennifer asked as she ate a bite of her salad.

    "Jessica Jones from Alias Investigations." Devin replied as Jennifers eyebrows rose in surprise.

    "I take it you have heard of her?" Devin said as he swallowed a bite of his own lunch.

    "Yeah, rumor has it that shes a P.I. on retainer for Hogarth and Associates. I''ve had some dealings with Jeri Hogarth through work though I''ve never met Jessica." Jennifer said. A chuckle from Devin peaked Jennifers interest which prompted her to ask what he found so funny.

    "Just seems like it''s a small world." Devin said as he took another bite. Soon it was time for Jennifer to return back to work and Devin to return home as a notification on his phone notified him that the electronics had arrived at home.

    "Let me know if anything changes or happens." Jennifer said as she shook Devins hand again.

    "Of course, we''ll have to do this again soon." Devin said as he returned the handshake.

    "Sure, I would love that." Jennifer replied as she entered her own car and drove off.

    Devin simply watched as a sudden tightness in his gut warned of a coming storm.

    ''Guess getting sent here wasn''t gonna be as easy as I thought.'' Devin thought as he turned and headed home.

    ***

    [Salem Center, New York]

    Charles Xavier was rolling through the gardens followed by Wolverine and Storm as they discussed their plan now that Hank Mccoy was back.

    "So, when are we heading out Chuck?" Wolverine asked as they saw a couple kids playing on the basketball court.

    "Tomorrow Logan, I want to see if we can help these kids as well as meet this mysterious source." Professor X said as he turned a corner and continued.

    "Alright, but I just want it known, I don''t think Slim or Frost should go." Wolverine said as he comtinued to follow.

    "Is there a problem Wolverine?" Storm asked as a frown raced her lips.

    "I don''t know, but I have the feeling that Frost is up to something. I mean you know that her history isn''t the greatest, especially with her dealings with the Hellfire Club." Wolverine growled out as they passed one of the ornamental shrubs.

    "She has been a great team member and has given us no reason to doubt her yet." Professor X said before Storm added on.

    "Plus she could also say the same of yourself. Give her a chance as we all have." Storm said causing Wolverine to growl before releasing a groan in concedence.

    "Fine, but when she stabs us in the back, expect me to say I told you so." Wolverine said as they turned the final corner to the garden.

    ***

    Elsewhere in the X Mansion

    A platinum blonde woman was talking hushedly to a small oval device as she stood in her room that she shared with one Scott Summers.

    "Everything is going according to plan. I have found several good new recruits for the club and we are leaving tomorrow to investigate this supposed mystery that Charles is so concerned about." Emma Frost said as she looked out her window at the three individuals walking the gardens.

    "Good keep it up and soon we will have the power to make us invincible." a male voice said through the communicator.

    "Remember our deal. I do this and you hand over my sister." Emma said as coldly as her last name.

    "Of course, of course. Just rememeber betray me and it will be her end." the voice said as the oval device shut off. Soon the door to the room opened and Cyclops entered.

    "Emma, you okay?" Scott asked as he entered.

    "Of course." Emma said with her usual charm.

    "Okay, Professor said that we will be all heading out tomorrow to meet the new mutants and investigate that disturbance so he said to be ready." Scott said as he then leaned down and kissed Emma.

    "Yes, I''ll be ready. And what a surprise this might turn out to be." Emma said as she turned in Scotts arms and looked out the window once more.

 Chapter 32 - Unexpected Guests of the Super Persuasion

    Devin had gotten to work immediately upon getting back to the house. He had looked for Izabela as soon as he had walked through the door, but found that she was giving him the cold shoulder only answering in short, clipped sentences which only confused him even more than the kiss did.

    ''I don''t understand what is going on with her?'' Devin thought as he left her alone. He decided to give her some space and then try again later. Maybe she''ll open up more then. He transferred all of his new electronics to the new room below the house and began to create his setup. After a few hours Devin had finally completed what he wanted regarding his new system. He had roughly a dozen monitors arranged on two of the walls with a main monitor resting on a desk in the corner. He then booted up the system and began setting up an interface that would automatically scan for key individuals across not just the country but also the world. Devin started with the various members of The Avengers and then moved on to other groups as well as individuals. In the end he now had a continually updating search going that would look for roughly three dozen individuals and groups comprising of both heroes and villains.

    ''Too bad I can''t make an A.I. like Jarvis, then I could just let him do all the work.'' Devin thought as he started heading back up for dinner. Upon entering the kitchen Devin found Izabela sitting at the table and decided enough was enough.

    "Bela, we need to talk." Devin said firmly as he stood across the table from her. She merely looked up for a minute before looking back down at her hands resting on the table top and nodding slightly.

    "Bela, what is going on? First you kiss me then you avoid me and then you act like I offended you. Talk to me Bela." Devin said as he dragged a chair around next to Izabela and then sat down facing her.

    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean for it to end up like this." Izabela said quietly. Devin motioned for her to go on.

    "I''ve had these very confusing feelings for awhile and I wasn''t sure what they were. Then when we had that conversation and we were in that position it felt right and I wanted more. Once the kiss was over, I realized what I had done and was scared that I might have ruined our friendship so I thought it best to avoid you till I could figure things out. I finally thought that if I denied my feelings that things would return to normal, but instead it backfired. Again, I''m sorry." Izabela explained with tears beginning to form in her eyes.

    "Its okay Bela, I understand. I''m flattered that you would think about me that way. So let me ask you this next question. What do you want to do now?" Devin responded. Devin needed a moment to think about his own feelings too. Was he ready for a relationship? Izabela was an attractive woman and he enjoyed her company thoroughly. In the end he decided to leave it up to her. Devin didn''t have to wait long for her reply.

    "Though I do like you I think it is best for the both of us to wait for the time being." Izabela said as she gave Devin a nervous yet determined look.

    "If that is what you want then that is fine by me, but if you should change your mind just let me know." Devin said as he placed a hand on her shoulder which caused her to smile. Soon after they made dinner and not long after everyone headed to bed.

    ***

    The Next Day

    ***

    The next morning everything returned to how it had been before the awkwardness. Everyone had sat down and had breakfast together while talking and joking. Once everyone had finished eating the two youngest headed to the livingroom while the elder two cleaned up. As the last few dishes were cleaned and washed, the doorbell sounded. Devin looked at Izabela in question as tey heard Yana get up to check who it was. Just as Devin was drying his hands off he heard the sound of converstion and soon his name was called by Yana.

    "Yes Yana, is everything okay?" Devin asked as he turned into the livingroom and looked toward the front door. There at the front door was a bald man in a suit sitting in a wheelchair with approximately a dozen other individuals behind him. Devin recognized the man as well as a few of the other individuals that were with him as Charles Xavier and his merry band of mutants known as the X-men.

    "Yana, Henric please go help your sister finish in the kitchen please?" Devin said and as they looked at him with confusion they saw the serious look that was on his face and did as they were requested.

    ''Alice, do I have any defence against telepaths?'' Devin hesitently asked as he finished drying his hands while the kids left the room.

    ''Master, it would be advisable for telepaths to avoid trying to infiltrate your mind as the ferocity and madness that the spirits feed on creates a natural barrier that could result in mental trauma if encountered or forced. Though if a telepath is either extremely talented or experienced then they could get through. In this case I would suggest equiping the Pheonix Plume''

    Devin mentally nodded as he ask for Alice to equip the item which appeared on his upper left arm that was facing away from his new guests. Having finished drying his hands he stepped forward to greet his new guests.

    "Hi, can I help you?" Devin asked as he looked from Xavier to the others.

    "Hello, I am Charles Xavier, founder and headmaster for Xavier''s School for Gifted Youngsters. I was wondering if my associates and I could come inside and speak with you for a few minutes?" Xavier stated while trying to be as pleasant as possible.

    "I know who you are Professor Xavier as well as quite a few of your associates and honestly I have been expecting at least a couple of you to show up for a while now, but I honestly wasn''t expecting to have your whole team show up on my doorstep." Devin said as he looked first at Xaviers shocked face to the others. Devin saw that a few of the team members turned and whispered to each other.

    "You''re welcome to come in though most of you are gonna have to stand." Devin said as he opened the door and walked back into the room. He watched as the various individuals walked in before sitting on one of the couches. The siblings soon came in from the kitchen and seeing all of the new arrivals hesitated nervously before moving over to sit on the same couch as Devin. After everyone was seated and introductions done silence came over the room. It was then that Devin spoke.

    "I am assuming that the reason why you are all here is to recruit both Yana and Henric here to your own school like other mutants?" Devin asked surprising his guests again.

    "So you know about us and the school." Xavier said to which Devin nodded.

    "You are correct that we are indeed here to recruit both, Yana and Henric you said, to our school, but we are also here because I sensed that there is a mysterious energy and presence here that we feel is dangerous and now that I have had the chance to meet you I can feel that same feeling coming from you Mr. Price." Xavier said as he looked at Devin with a raised eyebrow. This caused a bit of surprise to cross Devins face before it disappeared.

    "Sorry to interrupt here Chuck, but I just want to add that this guy isn''t human." Wolverine informed from the corner of the room.

    "Are you sure Logan?" Xavier asked as once again the others of their team looked at one another then tensed as a frown crossed Devins face.

    "Oh I''m sure Chuck. My nose never lies and this guy smells unlike anthing I''ve ever encountered." Wolverine said as he looked at Devin directly.

    ''Damn! Guess the Bloodline changed how I smell somehow. I''ve managed to conceal everything so far then these guys show up and everything is getting revealed. Guess I''m not as good as I thought.'' Devin thought as he sighed.

    "Well guess I can blame those reveals on your abilities and being caught off guard. Wasn''t expecting any superpowered guests today, but no use crying over spilt milk." Devin said aloud more for himself than the others in the room.

    "Let me just state that I have been training both Yana and Henric on their powers. They are both accepted and loved here in this house and it will be their choice on whether they join your school or stay here." Devin said as he looked Xavier in the eye.

    Professor Xavier on the other hand was having another problem all together. He had tried to gain access to Devins mind a couple times now and kept hitting a wall so far. Upon using more power in his attempt to gain access he found himself in a dark void with a creature unlike anything he could have imagined. It was massive and blood red in color with six green eyes, three on each side of its angular head. Its head was connected to its body by long neck and had three, plated peaks rising on its back and two short legs coming out from sides under two more plates. Each leg ending in a three toes each tipped with a razor sharp claw. As Xavier looked up at the awesome creature in front of him an earth-shattering roar ripped through the space throwing Xavier from the space and slamming back into his own mind in immense pain.

    "Professor!" exlaimed Ororo Munroe as well as a couple others as Xavier was rocked back in his chair while groaning in pain. A few others usch as Wolverine prepared for a fight. While they checked on the professor, the siblings looked from Devin who sat there calmly to the man in the wheel chair trying to understand what happened finally someone spoke.

    "What did you do to him?!" an angry Cyclops demanded as he glared at Devin.

    "I did nothing. I''m assuming that your dear professor tried to gain access to my mind and suffered backlash from my mental defences." Devin stated. Devin knew that that is exactly what happened as he confirmed it with Alice while they were checking on the downed man.

    "You''re lying!" Cyclops shouted as his optic visor began to glow. It was then that Xavier actually managed to speak.

    "No he isn''t, Cyclops. It is just as he stated. I apologize for that rude behavior but I felt it necessary to protect me and my team." Xavier said as he sat back up straight in his chair.

    "Oh I know it wasn''t for that reason, but I''ll leave it be. Just be warned that if you had tried any harder then you wouldn''t be concious right now or worse." Devin said which caused Xavier to raise his eyebrow again.

    "If I may, what was that creature? It didn''t feel like a mental construct but more like a seperate entity." Xavier asked as he looked at Devin then each of the siblings in turn.

    "We all have our secrets professor. I don''t expect you to share yours so don''t expect me to share mine." Devin replied.

    ''Not that I don''t already know quite a few of your dirty little secrets.'' Devin thought.

    "Shall we move on? Now about that mysterious energy/presence that you felt as well as your little reveal Wolverine. What do you intend to do about it?" Devin asked as he looked from Xavier to various members of the X-men. Devin pushed his senses to their pinnicle so as to be ready if he needed to fight. He held back his eyes though so as not to startle anyone.

    "We only wish to know what the intent behind that power is and whether it is a threat to us and other mutants, though I am wondering what the explanation behind what Logan discovered." Xavier stated. Devin relaxed a little as he sensed no lies in the statement.

    "I''ll tell you the same thing I told the Fantastic Four. I have no ill will towards anyone, though if someone were to even think of harming those I consider friends or loved ones then I will remove them from the face of this planet." Devin said as he gave Xavier a hard look. It was then that Devin heard the sound of someone walking up the drive due to the crunch of gravel underfoot.

    "Are you expecting anyone else?" Devin asked as he looked from Xavier to Cyclops and then Wolverine.

    "No, why?" Xavier asked before his face changed and a frown creased his face. A sigh escaped Devins mouth as he stood up and walked over to the front door to open it. Just as he opened it he found a man in a burgandy suit and cape with a matching helmet on his head standing at the door with his hand raised and a slight look of surprise on his face before it became a smile.

    "Hello, I am..." Magneto got out before Devin interrupted.

    "Erik Lehnsherr, aka Magneto. Master of Magnetism and leader of The Brotherhood of Mutants. Xavier your buddy is here!" Devin said before yelling over his shoulder, causing Magneto to frown before Xavier appeared in the entry way causing Magnetos frown to deepen even more.

    "Hello Erik."

 Chapter 33 - Talks and Assaults

    Devin knew that he now had a powder keg on his hands with the arrival of The Brotherhood. He knew that at the best of times the two groups had a very fragile truce and at the worst they were trying to murder each other. Knowing that there was a chance that something might go down at any minute as well as there not being enough room in his house for everyone, he decided to move this gathering to the backyard. Once everyone was settled Devin finally took a look at who had showed up.

    Behind Magneto was the ever present usuals of The Brotherhood. There was Mystique, Blob, Toad, Pyro, Avalanche, Quicksilver, and Scarlet Witch. The one and only oddity was the presence of another woman with her dark hair pulled into a bun at the back of her head helping to display an omega/trident tattoo on her left cheek. She also had a piercing through her bottom lip and a choker around her neck. Her leather outfit consisted of a jacket, corset top, and pants along side a pair of low-heeled combat boots. She looked familiar to Devin, but he couldn''t quite place his finger on where he knew her from.

    "Let me introduce my fellow brotherhood mutants. This is..." Magneto began before Devin interrupted once again.

    "I know who the majority of you are. The only one I''m unfamiliar with is the lady with the facial tattoo." Devin said as he waited for her name.

    "My name is Callisto, d.i.c.k!" the now identified Callisto replied seemingly upset that Devin knew everyone but her.

    "Ahh. The mutant that is able to sense other mutants as well as their abilities on top of having high-speed movement abilities. Interesting." Devin said and it was interesting as Callisto wasn''t an original member of the Brotherhood. She had joined Magneto in the third movie and had eventually died at the hands of Storm.

    "What! So you know my abilities, but don''t know my name?" Callisto demanded now upset.

    "Oh, I know your name and your abilities, but I had no idea what you looked like." Devin said as he waved off her indignance with his hand like it didn''t matter. This caused Callisto to take an aggressive step forward but was stopped by Mystique.

    "But..." Callisto started but was shushed by Mystique.

    "We''re here for a purpose. Don''t forget that." Mystique said as Callisto looked away.

    "I apologize about that. We are here to give an invitation to the two newly awakened children to join our brotherhood where they will be welcomed with open arms." Magneto said.

    ''He''s just as bad as Xavier.'' Devin thought as he then heard one of the X-men snort.

    "You mean to turn them into your henchmen and killers." Cyclops said as he folded his arms.

    "No better than the hypocrisy of what Xavier teaches all of you." retorted Avalanche.

    Before the two sides could escalate their aggression any further a loud bang was heard as Devin slammed his hand flat on the surface of the table he had placed in the backyard for him and the two mutant leaders to sit around. This had the effect that Devin was looking for, in that everyone stopped and looked at him. Some in shock while others in interest.

    "Remember where you all are standing. This isn''t your mansion or the Savage Lands so behave." Devin growled out as he looked from Cyclops to Avalanche with his best human glare. Just because Xavier and crew knew that he wasn''t exactly human didn''t mean that he had to tip his hand to Magneto and crew.

    "Who do you think you..." Avalanche started before he was silenced by Mystique as well. Cyclops seemed to be slightly better as he gritted his teeth before calming down some.

    "Now, before I have to repair my property because someone shot their mouth off I want to get down to brass tacks. I assume that you are both here for the same reasons for the most part. To try and recruit my two charges to your causes before the other can and I have already told Xavier so I''ll tell you the same thing Magneto. The choice to join or stay is up to the two though I would strongly caution them from joining your little group." Devin said as he interlaced his hands in front of his face as he glanced from one mutant leader to the other before leaving off on the Master of Magnetism.

    "And might I ask why you would be so biased against me and mine?" Magneto asked as he raised an eyebrow in intrigue nonplussed in what was said.

    "Besides the blatant supremacy vibes of your group as well as the numerous assassination/homicide plots and genocide attempts on top of how you treat those who follow you. Hmmm, beside all those minor things there is the blatant hypocrisy that you believe in considering your background." Devin replied with dripping sarcasm before turning completely serious with his last words. In return Magneto didn''t try to deny those accusations in the least.

    "Those were merely actions in response to the mistreatment of us and our fellow mutants. As for the supremacy portion, Homo Superior is as the name states superior to mere humans." Magneto replied as easily as talking about the weather. A snort from Devin had the two leaders looking once more at the younger man.

    "There was another man in Germany roughly half a century ago who claimed the same thing and look at what happened to him. How is what you are spouting any different?" Devin asked as he looked Magneto in the eye. This finally broke the elder mans calm demeanor.

    "They are completely different!" Magneto gritted out.

    "Sure, another part that I have a problem with concerning the children going to your side is that they still have an elder sister that hasn''t shown any mutant possibilities and I doubt you have family visiting time." Devin stated causing the kids to frown at the thought of never seeing their cherished elder sibling ever again. Then Devin turned towards the Xavier camp as he could just tell that they were on the verge of commenting so as to capitalize on that last statement.

    "I am also hesitant to let them join your group either. Though you are slightly better than The Brotherhood, you still have plenty of strikes against you." Devin stated as he looked at Xavier as well as some of the senior members.

    "Could you elaborate a bit?" Xavior asked as some of the X-men looked quite offended at his words.

    "Sure. Yes, you do provide education to your students as well as competent training but the problems that I have are how many team members and students have you had to bury since forming the school? How many enemies do you all have that would see not only your team, but also the entirety of your school obliterated. Would Izabela and I have to worry that an enemy from your past or some new enemy looking to make a name for themselves would show up and after the dust settles having to bury one or both of the kids? You see what I am getting at?" Devin said as he didn''t sugarcoat anything which had two reactions amongst the X-Men. Some looked down in sadness and shame of those lost for varying reasons, while others got angry that Devin would dare state that they would possibly put their students in harms way.

    "Now before everyone gets themselves riled up anymore I will admit that I can''t claim that I can keep them 100% safe either, but for the most part I don''t have anyone gunning for me either and I won''t be forcing them to do anything that is illegal or against the morals that they have. Again it is their choice but I have said my piece here so I will talk to the two and see what their decision is." Devin stated before standing up from his chair. After a couple steps Devin stopped once more.

    "And Xavier?" Devin said over his shoulder.

    "Yes?" Xavier replied curiously.

    "It is their decision so you and Miss Frost should keep your minds to yourselves." Devin said as he leveled a knowing look at the bald man before flicking his gaze to the platinum-haired woman next to Cyclops. He then gathered the siblings and walked towards the back door.

    The four were a mere dozen feet from the sliding doors when Devin picked up the sound of a gun slide being racked from far off. On instinct he pulled the three siblings down and hollered for everyone to hit the deck at the same time that Wolverine did them same. The release of small objects peppered the ground and surrounding area as a couple dozen armed men charged out of the tree line of the surrounding forest in full tactical gear. Devin pushed the siblings towards the house as he made a pistol appear in his hand and returned fire, hitting a couple of the soldiers before having to duck behind one of the decorative walls that surrounded the patio.

    The other groups were in a worse position as they were out in the open when the opening volley had been released. Devin could see a few of the members of both sides had been downed but seemed to be breathing which confused Devin. It was then that he noticed that the rounds that were fired weren''t bullets but small tranq darts with a small payload of some kind of clear, yellow liquid. So far the only ones the X-Men that were still up were Cyclops, Wolverine, Emma Frost, and Colossus while Kitty was helping move the rest of the downed team, including Xavier, to a safer location. Rogue was up in the air, but could only dodge bursts of rounds as she became a minor distraction.

    On the brotherhoods side only Magneto, Mystique, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Callisto managed to avoid getting knocked out, but this didn''t last long as Devin observed Scarlet and Callisto taking rounds to the arm and neck respectively. It was then that Devin saw a large object fly out of the woods towards the downed mutants. It looked like the mech from Aliens with two pincer-looking claws on its arms which was followed by a second. It was at that moment there was another explosion and a scream coming from the house that sent a chill down Devins spine.

    ''NO!'' Devin thought as he raced low to the ground towards the house to avoid getting hit. Upon bursting in he found the front door had been blown open and the unconscious forms of Henric and Yana in the grasp of another mech while Izabela futily thrashed in the arms of two armed men before a third hit her in the jaw with the butt of his gun. It was at that point that Devins vision turned red and an inhuman roar ripped from his mouth, causing the men to cover their ears. As Devin leaped forward his mind blanked and the last sounds he heard were the screams of dying men.

    ***

    Devin regained his faculties a short time later, but how much later Devin was unsure. As he took stock of his surroundings Devin noticed a few things, his house was destroyed. Fixtures broken and furniture overturned or destroyed and in pieces. He then noticed the blood splattered around the room and the pieces of their assailants that were mixed in with the savaged furniture. It soon came back to him what had been the cause of his black out.

    ''Izabela, Henric, Yana!'' Devin thought as he began his search. He soon found Izabela in a corner of the room still unconscious, only a nasty bruise starting to form on her jaw as the only indication of her being hurt. Devin continued to search but found no trace of the younger children. Turning to the back doors Devin raced outside to find that there were several members of each team missing as the ones who were left checked on those still unconscious.

    "Has anyone seen Yana or Henric?" Devin asked as Kitty walked past. This caused a few of the X-men to look nervous. His question wasn''t answered by them however, but by one of the few remaining Brotherhood members, Mystique.

    "They were taken along with Xavier, Magneto, Frost, and Scarlet Witch." the azure woman replied which made Devins heart thud in his chest.

    Yana and Henric had been kidnapped.

 Chapter 34 - Bad Company

    Careless. Devin had been too careless and now Yana and Henric were kidnapped by an unknown organization along with the leaders of two of the most well-known, and powerful mutant groups. He wanted to be careful about who found out about his abilities and what he was capable of so as to avoid trouble in the future, but now that hesitation had lead to this.

    It was then that a burning and all-consuming rage rose up within Devin causing the edges of his vision to darken and a metallic taste to coat his tongue. He would find the kids and the ones responsible for this attack. Who ever thought to do this would regret their decisions when he showed up and force fed them their own entrails.

    As Devin''s rage soon cooled and coalesced into steely determination and a coldness that would send shivers down the spines of any observer, Devin saw that a couple of the men that had attacked were still alive and relatively unharmed, only knocked out. They would be the ones to tell him who had ordered the hit and maybe what the goal of this ops was.

    "We need to find out where the others were taken so we can rescue them." Kitty and Nightcrawler both said as the X-men had gathered and discussed what to do while a dozen feet away was Mystique and what was left of the Brotherhood probably doing the same. The two groups were interrupted when they saw that Devin was collecting a few of the unconscious men they had downed and was dragging them by an ankle each towards the house with a cold look in his eyes.

    "Wait! Where are you taking them?" Cyclops demanded to know which caused Devin to pause for a second to reply.

    "First off, I''m not part of your team so watch your mouth Summers and second, while all of you are busy talking I''m gonna find out where this garbage came from and where they took Yana and Henric. So, stay out of my way Boy Scout." Devin said as he began walking forward again.

    "How are you gonna do that? We don''t have anyone to read their minds now that all of the telepaths are gone." Mystique chimed in as Cyclops'' temper flared. It was then that Devin looked over his shoulder at the two groups and what they saw startled almost everyone. Devin''s eyes had changed to a bright, burning red with a white reptilian slit for a pupil instead of a round, black pupil. They could also see what looked like scales beginning to grow at the corners of his eyes and along his temples.

    "By any means necessary." Devin said before turning around and disappearing into the house. It was a full minute before the majority of the two teams slowly relaxed. The only ones that hadn''t been too affected were Wolverine, Mystique, Storm, Rogue, and Cyclops though each of them had different reactions than others as well.

    Devin had dragged the two into the house and tied them up separately, one in each room down in the bas.e.m.e.nt One man he strapped face down onto the table in the medical room while the other was tied to a chair in the War Room. Devin made a mental note to add holding cells just on the off chance this were to happen again in the future.

    Devin remembered that there was a way to interrogate people without having to resort to the more nasty methods that he had seen in the first Punisher movie that might work well with this situation. He gathered the necessary supplies while the man was unconscious. He pulled a steak from the fridge and placed it in a pan and put that on a small table beside his prisoner and then sat down nearby for the man to awaken.

    It was a few minutes later that the man finally showed signs of waking up. As he looked around with the limited movement his position allowed, a look of confusion then apprehension crossed his features as he finally remembered what had happened. After another look he finally spotted Devin watching him.

    "No one is coming for you. Your friends packed up and left already. They probably think you''re dead." Devin said as a new nervous look appeared on the tied down mans features. Devin dragged his chair over to the man so that he was literally right in front of the mans face.

    "Here is what is gonna happen. We are gonna spend some quality time together and at some point I''m gonna ask you a few questions. Ah! Don''t say anything just yet as I want to give you a little incentive to tell me the truth first." Devin said before he raised his hand in front of the man and snapped his fingers. This caused a small flame to appear above his index finger''s tip. Devin had found that thanks to his new bloodline he had minimal control of the seven elements that correspond with the spirits. He wasn''t good enough to actually cast spells yet but something like maintaining a flame the same size as a match''s was easy. With a little concentration Devin intensified the flame till it was an eye-stinging white similar to a cutting torch that became extremely uncomfortable that close to the man''s face.

    "2000 Degrees. Hot enough to turn steel into butter. You see it doesn''t hurt at first, it''s too hot. The flame sears the nerve-endings shut, killing them. That''s when the shock sets in and all you''ll feel is cold. Then you''ll smell burning meat and after that? Well you''ll wish you''d never set foot near this place." Devin said before he stood up and moved to the side of the table out of the man''s line of sight.

    The man for the most part immediately started to thrash and beg, but Devin continued forward. With a wave of his other hand, an ice shard appeared. Devin then put the flame to the steak and half a second later touched the ice shard to the man''s back which started him screaming. Devin continued this for a few minutes before leaning forward towards the man''s face.

    "Looks like I''m burning off the last of that holiday fat." Devin said before he moved back and continued. After a few more minutes the man finally agreed to talk. Devin set the shard down on the tray but kept the flame going.

    "Remember if you lie to me, we get to restart where we left off." Devin said while waving the flame around in front of the man. The man was more than happy to tell Devin everything. The man that had sent them was William Stryker who Devin knew as the former leader of the Weapon X Program. As Devin continued to ask questions he found out that Stryker is out to destroy all mutants to save mankind from damnation. Stryker had gone full holy war on the mutant community. The location of the base was located beneath a lake in the north called Alkali Lake which was the same lake in the second x-men movie. Unfortunately the man wasn''t high enough to know what Stryker''s plan is though if it involves two powerful telepaths, a reality warping woman and a man with enough magnetic power to rearrange the Eiffel Tower into a rubics cube then it wasn''t anything good.

    Devin gripped each side of the man''s face and looked into the man''s eyes with a smile on his face.

    "Thank you so much for cooperating." Devin said before he torqued the man''s head quickly to the side and broke his neck. Cleaning up everything and leaving the body on the table for the moment. He left the room and entered the room with the other man to find him awake and terrified.

    "Oh good you''re awake. So you''re next up for twenty questions, interrogation edition." Devin said as he summoned the flame again to the tip of his finger. Needless to say the man complied immediately without any problem. He even admitted to having soiled himself. While the man broke down and started crying Devin started considering how to dispose of the bodies when Alice finally chimed in.

    ''Master, you have finally accessed two new features. Would you like to hear about them?''

    "Yes Alice." Devin said as he continued to wonder about body disposal possibilities.

    ''The first feature is the Dual Transformation ability. This allows you to use two spirits and their abilities at once. The drawback is that you use twice the spirit power so you will have less time duration. The requirements for this is for you to have enough spirit power and the dragoon spirits need to be within a level of each other.''

    ''Alright that means I''m not restricted totally to a certain set of abilities.'' Devin said as he put the previous thoughts aside so he could think about all the new possibilities.

    ''The second new feature is that you have unlocked one of the micro-worlds that were given to you as a part of your transferal to this world. You have unlocked "Ember Fields" which is the fire world that is tied to the Red-Eyed Dragoon Spirit.''

    ''Perfect timing Alice!'' Devin thought as he walked over to the last of the two prisoners and snapped his neck as well.

    ''Alice how do I send things to the micro-worlds?'' Devin asked as he untied the corpse from the chair.

    ''Master simply hold your hand out towards the object or person in question and say "Transport to" and then name which micro-world you would like it sent to.''

    "Great!" Devin said as he aimed his hand towards the corpse.

    "Transport to Ember Fields." Devin said as the body shimmered before disappearing. Returning to the medical room he did the same again with the other body.

    "Alright now the only thing left is to get geared up. Then I wipe this little group as well as that piece of trash Stryker off the face of the planet."

 Chapter 35 - Compounds and Conversation

    It didn''t take Devin long to fully arm himself. He had checked his spirit levels for each spirit and he was sitting at about 2.5 on Red and about 0.75 on his new White-Silver spirit. Now all he needed was a lift to Alkali Lake and he knew just the people to talk to.

    As he stepped outside he first noticed that most of the people that had been downed by tranqs were now up and moving. Devin knew that talking to Summers was a waste of time so he walk up to Wolverine as Devin knew that the man would be invested in finding Stryker as much as him.

    "Do you prefer Wolverine or Logan?" Devin asked as he finished one last check on his gear.

    "Either one bub." Wolverine replied

    "Alright, I know who took the others as well as where, but I need your help getting there." Devin said as he holstered a pistol on his right thigh.

    "Why are you talking to me instead of Scott then?" Wolverine replied as he kept glancing at the Blackbird.

    "Because the person who orchestrated all of this was one William Stryker." Devin replied low enough for only Wolverine to hear. This in turn caused the man''s neck tendons to crack loudly as he turned back to look at the younger man.

    "Yeah and like I said I know where they are but I need a ride and I know you want to go so give me a lift." Devin said as he looked at the Blackbird himself.

    "Fine, but Stryker is mine." Wolverine said as he started for the Blackbird.

    "Finders, keepers." Devin replied as he also headed for the aircraft. As the two opened the ramp they only took a couple steps up before stopping at the sight of the people at the top of the ramp. Standing there was Nightcrawler and Kitty Pride.

    "And where do the two of you think you are going with the Blackbird?" the voice of Scott Summers asked from behind the two. Devin looked over his shoulder to see not only the X-men, but the brotherhood standing behind them with expectant looks.

    "Field trip, very boring, we''ll be back soon, bye." Devin said as he took another step before a hand came down on his shoulder stopping him from moving forward. At this point Devin was beginning to get annoyed at how the others were wasting his time.

    ''I really need to steal a quinjet once I do have to deal with SHIELD or figure something out.'' Devin said as he turned his head to see the armored hand of Colossus on his shoulder.

    "Piotr, please remove your hand." Devin asked politely as he looked the man in the eye.

    "I''m sorry friend but I can''t allow you to take the jet." the deep voice of the metal-coated mutant responded.

    "I''m sorry too." Devin replied as he reached up to the metal hand and with a flurry of movement had managed to flip the man onto his back in under a few seconds as he summoned a dagger to his hand, the tip barely a centimetre from the pale orb that was Colossus'' eye when a voice called out for Devin to stop.

    "If you keep getting in my way we''re gonna have a problem." Devin told the rest as he didn''t move at all from his current position.

    "We aren''t trying to interfere or stop you. We are merely trying to help you." Ororo stated as she stepped forward with her hands raised in a calming gesture.

    "All of you will only be in the way. Wolverine and me are more than enough to handle things." Devin stated as he planned on wiping every last person from Stryker''s group and these people would only get in the way.

    "Sugar, there is no way that just the two of you will be able to take on whoever this group is on your own! We have no idea how many people they have or what kind of gear they have. It''s better to have the whole gang there just to be safe." Rogue chimed in as she too tried to reason with Devin as Wolverine was beginning to get impatient. With a sigh Devin removed the blade from Piotr''s face.

    "If I say yes I want your word that you wont get in my way as well as us leaving immediately." Devin said as he decided to let them do what they wanted as long as he saved Yana and Henric.

    "Yes." replied Ororo as Devin stood up and then pulled the Russian up before walking up the ramp with only a parting reply of "Good, I''ll hold you to that."

    It took only a few minutes before they were in the air headed North. It turns out that the two opposing groups had formed a temporary truce till after the leaders of their respective groups were found and rescued. This meant that the Blackbird was slightly crowded though not nearly as bad as it could have been. It was at this time that Devin was approached by members of both groups wondering what exactly he could do as the odd man out among the two groups, but Devin had merely deflected any questions with misdirection and dismissals.

    Soon a large lake appeared, nestled amongst the verdant mountains covered in coniferous forest and at the end sat a massive concrete dam. Devin knew that the entrance to the base was located near the bottom left section of the dam and could only be opened from within as the door was made from extremely thick steel.

    Upon landing Devin guided the mass of mutants towards the hidden door, but even a blast from Cyclops and Colossus'' strength couldn''t move the doors. It was then that Devin had an idea. He told Cyclops to focus his beam on one of the hinges. This caused the door to begin to glow red then orange from the heat being used. With his signal Cyclops stopped his powers where Devin used his magic to rapidly cool the glowing metal and soon Devin got the results that he wanted as with a resounding grown the hinge shattered. Soon they had hit the rest of the massive hinges and proceeded inside.

    After the first couple of turns and no alarms and shooting, everyone began to feel that there was something off about the hidden base. Just the commotion that they had caused at the entrance should have lit this place up with activity, but there wasn''t so much as a mouse scurrying around.

    ''Left. Right. Right. Right. Left.'' Devin thought as he memorized the path in. He had pulled a dagger and pistol out and at the ready just in case of an ambush. They soon came to a set of double doors to which everyone lined up against the walls on either side as Devin, Wolverine, and Colossus got ready to breach. on the count of three the groups burst in and found no one. The area was a massive lab with concrete pillars with sections cordoned off using massive curtains made from what looked like yellow vinyl. Inside each area was an medical gurney, most with leather restraints and some with metal, and medical machinery. At the other end of the lab was another set of doors that led to a hallway that split in two directions.

    "Now what?" one of the Brotherhood said with some frustration.

    "Now we split up. Half of us will go left and the other half will go right. Keep in contact so that if one of us finds something then we can alert the others." Devin said as he moved to go right. Mystique and Quicksilver, as well as Storm, Rogue, Piotr and Kitty followed Devin as the rest went left. As they journeyed forward Mystique decided that she had a question.

    "You aren''t human and I doubt you''re a mutant either, so why do you care whether a few measly individuals are taken? Why are you here?" she asked in a low toned voice.

    "Because I made a promise and I keep those. Now answer my question, why are you with Magneto?" Devin said before asking a question of his own.

    "Survival." was Mystique''s simple reply.

    "That is only a small fraction of the truth." Devin stated which caused the blue woman to look at him out of the corner of her eye.

    "Yes survival, but also for a multitude of other reasons that you don''t want to admit. Loneliness, greed, and many other things are why you are with the brotherhood. You don''t have to put on a mask and pretend to be normal but at the same time never getting close enough to anyone, at least for an extended period of time, lest they betray you." Devin stated as he checked a corner for any enemies before moving on, the rest still following.

    "You don''t know what you''re talking about. You don''t know me kid." Mystique said with a growl in her tone indicating she was getting defensive.

    "Yes I do. With Scarlet and Quicksilver, they were raised into this little group thanks to Magneto being their father and even they are having second guesses and doubts from what I saw before we got attacked." Devin said as Quicksilver looked at the man in shock and nervousness as he thought he had hid those thoughts relatively well at the time.

    "But you? I know that in the past you have tried to save many, but you also have harmed many. You tried to be better and now look. You are part of a group that is no better than Stryker''s." Devin said remembering what little he knew of her background only for Mystique to grab the front of his shirt.

    "You know nothing of what I''ve been through nor the ones I''ve lost. I am helping to make the world safer for mutants." it was then that Devin reversed the situation and pinned Mystique to the wall.

    "And in the process making things so much worse for them. There are numerous hate groups and anti-mutant government leaders and personnel now thanks to your activities and those of your group. This is why I warned the kids away from all of you. You are isolated in the Savage Lands with a prospering community, but still you challenge the outside world. Soon this will come to a head and if things don''t change you will be at the losing end of this and you will reap what you sow a hundred fold." Devin said before with a final shove he turned and walked off down the hall.

    "He''s right you know." Storm said as she looked at the back of the man checking another corner.

    "If we don''t try to change and improve relations, we all might lose more than we know." Storm finished as her and the rest walked forward. Mystique soon stepped off the wall and followed.

    ***

    Fifteen minutes of exploring and numerous empty rooms later the group found another set of double doors. Entering they found a large steel table as well as numerous heavy equipment still in the room. At the head of the table was a medium-sized tank filled with a dark silver molten metal that was slowly swirling and bubbling along.

    Everyone spread out and began looking around for clues of where the captured comrades were. Devin headed for the computer on one of the walls to do some digging and soon found something.

    "Guys!" Devin said with a raised voice.

    "What did you find?" Storm asked as everyone ran over.

    "There are records here. Experiments as well as data and research on mutants. From the looks of things this was a military base at one time. Oh shit!" Devin informed as he typed only to stop on a particular folder.

    "What?" everyone asked.

    "Ever wonder how Wolverine ended up with that adamantium skeleton? Well, we''re looking at it. This is where they grafted it to him." Devin said as he began typing again. This caused horrified looks to cross faces as they began to look around with a new perspective of what this room was. This also gave Devin the chance to download the data on adamantium as well as the mutants and personnel to a flash drive before storing it in his inventory. A minute later was when the comms came to life.

    "Cyclops to Storm, we''ve found something. Over." Cyclops'' voice came through

    "Roger we''re on our way. Let''s go." Storm said as everyone left except for Devin.

    ''Alice just how big of an item can I store in my inventory?'' Devin asked as he eyed the tank of molten metal.

    ''Master, you can store an item up to the size of an average double fridge before a space starts to become unstable.''

    ''If I store something does it stay in the same state as when I stored it or is it still affected by time and elements?'' Devin asked as he strode over to the tank and looked down.

    ''The spaces are in a constant state of suspended time and space. Anything that you put in comes out in the same state that it went in.''

    ''Thanks.'' Devin said as he stored the tank as well as the equipment attached to it in his inventory. He then did a quick search one last time and managed to find a small cabinet filled with chunks of metallic stone that he assumed was more of the unprocessed metal and stored that too. Exiting the room he got a strange look from a couple of the others, but waved for them to continue on.

    Backtracking and then following the trail of the other team Devin''s group soon found themselves in a massive chamber with over a dozen monitors surrounding one massive screen to which Beast was tapping away at. Devin leaned forward to see what they had found as the others from his group informed the other on what they had found. A flash of light soon brought everyone''s attention to the massive monitor which now showed an older man with a face full of wrinkles and grey-silver hair with a pair of glasses perched on his nose and a goatee in the same color as his hair covering his chin and upper lip. Devin and Wolverine both recognized the man and growled out his name at the same time.

    "Stryker".

 Chapter 36 - Provocation

    The group all looked from the pair of men to the man on the screen thinking the same thing.

    ''This was the man that took their teammates and friends.''

    As all of the mutants plus one newly minted wingly looked on the man finally spoke.

    "I see that one of you managed to get one of my underlings to talk somehow. Not surprising all things considered. Unfortunately, I had the foresight to redirect the transport with your friends to another area." Stryker said before gracing everyone with a smirk. Devin leaned down and whispered into Beast''s ear without taking his eyes off of the screen.

    "Mr. McCoy, are you able to trace his signal to find his location?" Devin asked lowly.

    "Possibly, though it will take some time for me to do so." Beast replied without looking away either.

    "How long do you need?" Devin asked next as Beast began to type away.

    "8, 9 minutes tops." Beast said as he continued to click away at the keyboard.

    "You''ve got 5." Devin replied as he stood up fully and stepped forward.

    "Mr. Stryker, I''ve heard a lot about you." Devin started, getting the elder man''s attention.

    "And who are you? Another mutant come to plague humanity?" Stryker asked as he raised an eyebrow to look at the unfamiliar face.

    "My name is Devin Price and I am no mutant, though I am not without my own quirks." Devin replied as he looked at the screen with a smirk of his own now.

    "And why are you here? I''m guessing you''re another mutant sympathizer here to help these abominations to retrieve their leaders and friends." Stryker said as he seemed to dismiss Devin as an insignificant detail that will be dealt with.

    "Oh no I am here for more selfish reasons, though you calling mutants abominations is quite the harsh statement considering your past as well as what you have done." Devin said as he crossed his arms and shook his head in disappointment.

    "What is that supposed to mean?" Stryker demanded as his attention was now on Devin fully. Devin for his part only glanced away for a second as Beast held up four fingers signaling that he only needed a couple minutes more to finish.

    "Oh not much. Just that I know about what happened to your son and wife. About how you got stranded in the desert and your wife''s water broke." Devin started while Stryker suddenly became pale.

    "Stop." Stryker asked with a tremble in his voice.

    "You delivered your son and upon seeing him for the first time you found out he was a mutant. In your horror you decided to spare your wife from knowing and strangled her." Devin continued knowing that he was reopening Stryker''s past regrets.

    "Stop!" Stryker demanded slightly louder than his previous request.

    "Then you dropped your infant son off at the closest orphanage and proceeded to crawl into a bottle while also heading the Weapon X Program." Devin was hoping to provoke Stryker even more as having him off center and unconcentrated would give them all the time they would need.

    "I SAID STOP IT!" Stryker howled as he clawed at his hair, squeezing his eyes shut in the hope that it will block the memories from resurfacing.

    "But that''s not the end of it is it? You went back for him and now he''s the lynch pin for this whole little scheme you''ve got going." Devin said as he smirked at Stryker.

    "Who are you!" Stryker demanded as Devin and the rest could tell that Devin''s claim hit the nail on the head. Devin saw a thumbs up from Beast that he had traced the transmission and Devin decided it was time to end this chat.

    "I am the one you shouldn''t have offended. I am the one that is about to come find you and make you wish that you had never been born. So here''s your options, take that pistol of yours and put it in your mouth before pulling the trigger and save me the bullet or pray to your god, because either way you''re about to meet them." Devin said as he pulled out his pistol and shoots the monitor with Stryker on it. The bang had caused a couple of the others to flinch but for the most part the majority didn''t really react.

    "Mr. McCoy, did you get his location?" Devin said as he re-holstered his pistol on his thigh.

    "Yes, fortunately before you destroyed the main screen." Beast grumped at the mistreatment of technology.

    "Then please share with the rest of the class." Devin said while rolling his hand in a ''go on'' motion.

    "After following the signal through a dozen different routing towers and around the world twice it finally lead to an area in the Nevada desert where an abandoned military base should be formerly located." Beast said as he brought a map up on a side screen showing where the base should be.

    "How long will it take to get there with the Blackbird?" Devin asked as he looked at Cyclops.

    "Approximately an hour if we leave now." Cyclops said. It was then that Devin heard a noise coming from down the corridor that leads to the control room. It was the sound of boots on concrete. Drawing his pistol and dagger got the attention from both groups.

    "We''ve got company. Was wondering where all the goons had gone." Devin said as he leveled the gun at the door in preparation for when it opened. The sound of Wolverine''s claws coming out with everyone else getting ready. Seconds passed before the doors exploded open and dozens of men ran in with guns raised which prompted the groups of mutants to either open fire or charge at the soldiers. Devin did both. Running in behind Colossus using him as a giant moving shield got Devin close without getting shot. A slice here, a stab there, and a sprinkling of bullets brought down enemy after enemy.

    The sound of heavy thuds and the hiss of hydraulics announced the approach of the heavy mechs that they had seen at Devin''s house. Three such machines filed in one after another. One was equipped with a giant drill while another had a pair of hydraulic clamps. The third had what looked like a jack hammer and a rivet gun. Colossus charged the drill mech while Wolverine jumped on the clamp mech leaving Devin with the Jack hammer and rivet gun combo.

    Devin placed shot after shot at the c.o.c.kpit with the bullets leaving white pockmarks on the clear window in front of the pilot. Devin began to concentrate the shots in the same space. Once the clip was empty, Devin holstered it while drawing his sword from his inventory and charged. Dodging flying rivets left and right Devin soon was right in front of the mech and drove the point of his sword into the cl.u.s.ter of white spots. It took all of a half-second for the sword to slide through the weakened barrier and into the chest of the pilot. Devin then sent a thread of fire magic down the sword and into the chest of the man, instantly incinerating the heart and lungs of the man.

    Pulling his sword out, Devin looked around at the remains of the enemies which were being mopped up by various members of the group. Devin then spotted a man get up and run for the door to which Devin turned and threw his dagger end over end and into the man''s back. As Devin walked over and pulled his dagger free he turned only to find several individuals staring at him and his sword.

    "Where did that come from?" Kitty commented. Devin didn''t have time to argue or explain. He merely stored the sword in his inventory with a wave, causing eyebrows to rise.

    "We don''t have time for questions. We need to get going before Stryker starts what ever plan he has in mind." Devin said as he walked out of the room leaving several confused people behind.

    ***

    [Somewhere in the Nevada desert]

    Stryker was monitoring the vitals for the various soldiers he had ordered to approach the members of both the x-men as well as the brotherhood. Then there was that infuriating man. How did he know? How did he know about his past when no one but he knew? Just as the darkness of his past began to encroach was when alarms began to sound as a few of the men flat-lined.

    It took less than five minutes before the entire screen was full of a combination of flat-lines and critical signs. Seconds later a man in a lab coat approached with a tablet in hand.

    "Sir, I do believe that our team failed." the scientist told as they looked at his boss. Stryker turned to the room and raised his voice to ask a question.

    "Who made this man a scientist?" Stryker asked as he looked around.

    "I did sir!" came a reply from Stryker''s right. Turning to the man he saw that the man was standing at attention.

    "And who are you?" Stryker demanded. This was the last thing he needed after what just happened.

    "Sir, my name is Captain Asshole, Sir!" the man replied just before a bullet made it''s way into his skull.

    "Great! Another asshole! Just what I need!" Stryker said as he waved his gun around in the air before leaving. The scientist wiped a drop of sweat from his brow as he managed to survive.

    "And one more thing!" Stryker said as he walked back in and aimed his gun again before firing.

 Chapter 37 - Its a Trap!

    Devin had plenty of time to think as they traveled across the country. He knew that when he got the kids back there is a chance that they might need help with this trauma. He would need to up their training too if they wish to continue. Devin just hoped that this didn''t drive them away from him. He didn''t have his original family as they were back on his Earth, nor did he have this world''s version of his family as they were already dead so these three were pretty much the only family he had and he didn''t want to lose that.

    Devin decided to up his own training as soon as this was all over as he still had the feeling of failure from the kids being taken, the taste it left was bitter on his tongue. He needed to find a way to grind spirit points to upgrade his spirits. Devin decided to do one last check on his gear once they were only a few minutes out from the base.

    Plenty of rounds left in his pistol as well as a couple of spare clips. He still hadn''t touched the assault rifle and of course his ever present sword and daggers. He really needed to add to his arsenal. Double checking his spirits he was now full on both.

    ''Note to self, go shopping for more guns and maybe some explosives.'' Devin thought as he waited near the rear ramp while the aircraft landed they had landed a bit off behind a small plateau for some cover. As soon as they were on the ground the ramp lowered and Devin walked down into the sweltering heat of the desert.

    "Mr. McCoy, which way is the entrance?" Devin asked as the rest descended.

    "From what I saw the entrance is supposed to be located near the other side of this plateau near an alcove." Beast said as he tapped away at a tablet that hadn''t left his hand since he got on the aircraft. Devin nodded and turned to the others.

    "Okay we need to split up into two groups. The first group will be going after the ones that got taken and the rest will be going after Stryker and the rest of his little operation. I want Cyclops and the X-Men to go after the others and get them back to the Blackbird safe and sound. The Brotherhood and Wolverine will go with me to take care of Stryker." Devin said as he delegated jobs. It was at this moment that both groups began to protest to their roles.

    "Sugar I think that some of us would be better suited for taking care of the assault on Stryker." Rogue reasoned as a few of her colleagues nodded in agreement.

    "You can''t expect that we would leave the rescue of Magneto and Wanda to those softies!" Avalanche demanded as he glared at Devin.

    "I expect you to shut up and do as you''re told. If you become the weak link in this operation then I''ll put you down here and now. I came here to get those two and take care of this stupid little group. So, either get with the program or get lost." Devin said as he got in Avalanche''s face with his eyes glowing once again causing the guy to become nervous and start spluttering before stepping down. Devin turned and addressed the rest of the group.

    "The reason behind this decision is that I can count on the X-Men to get any and all innocents and captives out safe and sound. The Brotherhood and Wolverine I can count on for maximum destruction and helping me to put a complete end to this bullshit. So are there anymore complaints or can we get this thing going before this old bastard completes his plan and kills everyone?" Devin said as he looked around waiting for someone to speak out, but silence greeted him.

    "Good. Now let''s go." Devin said as he started moving around the plateau cautiously in case of surveillance. As the groups approached the entrance, which was another steel, double door set into a rock face, everyone split into their respective groups on each side of the doors.

    ''Pretty stupid to leave a door like this just sitting here for anyone to find.'' Devin thought. This though apparently had the power to summon the powers of Lord Murphy as two doors opened underneath the two groups. The ones that could fly grabbed who they could as did Nightcrawler, but not everyone was saved.

    "Knew I should have practiced more with summoning my wings." Devin thought as he fell into darkness.

    ***

    [On the Surface]

    "What do we do now?" Nightcrawler asked as he set Kitty down having managed to grab her hand before teleporting.

    "Well we can''t exactly just turn around and leave. I don''t think that we should follow them down there since it''s definitely a trap so let''s do like we originally planned and meet up with them later." Rogue said as she looked at who was left. There was Nightcrawler, Kitty, and Storm while there were two from The Brotherhood that had survived not falling and that was Toad and Callisto.

    "How did you two not fall?" Kitty asked with shock at the two left with them.

    "My tongue can stick to things and is strong enough to carry more than my weight. This bitch decided to grab my leg on the way dow..." Toad responded before getting round-housed in the face by Callisto.

    "Shut it asshole!" Callisto growled as she glared at the downed man.

    "Alright let''s get in there so we don''t lose out on any of the fun." Rogue said as she cracked her knuckles and stepped up to the door and began punching after the fourth or fifth the door caved and fell in.

    "Let''s go." Storm murmured as the last remnants of the groups entered.

    ***

    Devin awoke in a massive room with steel plating on the walls. Looking around found that a portion of the group had also fallen with him. A sound from a window nearby with bars running vertically across it got Devin''s attention as he slowly stood up and stretched. Walking over Devin observed the bars for a second before jumping up and tapping one of the bars with a finger. Returning to the ground unharmed showed that the bars weren''t electrified so jumping once more and grabbing a hold on the bars, Devin pulled himself up and looked into the other room.

    On the ground was the a few of the others who were on the other side of the door when the trap doors opened and all of them were still unconscious. Returning to the ground Devin turned just in time to see Wolverine starting to stand up.

    "What''s happening?" Wolverine asked as he shook his head to clear the fussiness from the landing.

    "We fell for a trap, literally." Devin said as he looked around again.

    "Who else got caught?" Wolverine asked as he looked around too.

    "From what I can see. we got Beast, Colossus, Cyclops, Us, and a few of the brotherhood are next-door in another holding room." Devin said as he spotted a what looked like a door at one end of the room.

    "Great, so all we need to do is cut our way out of this place and then we can get to Stryker." Wolverine said as he looked at the room and the steel plating on the walls and door.

    "Only problem with that is that we have no idea how thick these walls are or where we need to go. I know that the wall between our room and the one next door is at least a foot thick. Even with your claws that will still take time to get through. For now lets get the iron giant up as well as the boy scout and go from there." Devin said as he waved at their three unconscious teammates.

    "Fine." Wolverine growled as he walked towards Colossus and Devin towards Beast. It only took a minute or two to wake everyone up and another couple of minutes to update them on their circ.u.mstances. It was then that the sound of a PA system cued up.

    "Welcome. I''ve been expecting you." the voice of Stryker came through clearly.

    "Now that I have you here I would be remiss from playing my part as a host and not entertaining you for the moment." Stryker said as the four gathered and looked at the speaker. While the other three looked at the speaker Devin activated his eyes and switched to his thermal vision. Looking around he finally found the cameras that Stryker was using to watch them. After locating them all he turned back to the speaker.

    "So I am going to have you stay here till my plan is complete and then I''ll be down to collect your remains. Give my regards to the Reaper." Stryker fair-welled before the speaker cut out.

    "Bitch, I am The Reaper." Devin whispered before turning to the three others.

    "Okay boys I have a plan for us to get out of here. Are you ready?" Devin said as he looked at the others. Seeing nods left and right Devin nodded too.

    "Okay First off lets take care of these." Devin said before drawing his pistol and shooting each of the hidden cameras which startled Cyclops and Colossus.

    "What the hell are you doing?!" Cyclops yelled as he had a finger in his ears to relieve the ringing.

    "What the f.u.c.k was that!" a voice yelled from the window leading to the other room.

    "Looks like the other group are awake." Wolverine stated.

    "We''re trying something to get out of here so hang on and then we''ll come get you." Devin yelled to be heard from the other side.

    "Well hurry up asshole!" a male voice yelled back.

    ''Your pushing it d.i.c.kwad.'' Devin thought as he turned to Scott.

    "I shot the cameras that Stryker was using to observe us so now he''s blind as to what we are doing in here." Devin explained before turning to Colossus.

    "I need you to punch each of the walls as well as the door a few times for me so I can see how thick they are." Devin said as Colossus nodded and walked towards one of the walls. After about three to four punches he would move on to the next. When Colossus was done he was rubbing his knuckles.

    "What ever those walls are made of is pretty solid." Colossus said to Devin who nodded.

    "From the sound of it the outer walls are two feet thick and the inner wall is about a foot. Both are more than likely cement reinforced with steel rebar and covered in tempered steel plating. The door is about a foot thick as well but is solid steel." Devin said before Beast chimed in.

    "Actually the door and inner wall are actually thicker by about three to four inches from what I heard." Beast said to which Devin nodded.

    "Okay, Wolverine I need you to score the door as deep as possible. Then when that''s done everyone stand back and I''ll take care of the rest." Devin said. It took at least five minutes before Devin called it good and told the three to head for the opposite wall.

    "Hey, all of you in the other room. I suggest you head for the wall opposite of where this window is and cover your ears as things are about to get explosive!" Devin yelled as he began to draw on the Red-Eyed Spirit. With a blinding flash of red light Devin stood there in his red dragoon armor and his transformed sword now out. This caused eyebrows to raise in surprise.

    Devin slowly rose up with every flap of his wings before he twirled his sword and a crimson glow appeared in front of his chest.

    "Explosion!" Devin yelled as he twirled his sword into a reverse grip then with both hands on the hilt he dove down and then drove the point into the ground similar to how he had driven it into Gigantus'' back. The difference this time was that a red line of energy ran forward from where the sword pierced the ground to the spot that Wolverine had scored before stopping at the door and pooling near it''s base. Soon an orb ascended up from the glowing pool before plunging back into the pool and causing dozens of smaller orbs to jump out of the pool and explode before the pool itself erupted in a massive explosion.

    Once the sound stopped ringing in everyone''s ears the three X-Men looked to see a cloud of black smoke covering the front of the door. A single flap of Devin''s wings cleared the smoke to show a massive ragged hole in the massive door with both the shredded edges and the ground where the door had been previously was a crater and glowing orange from the massive amount of heat that was generated.

    Devin landed and folded his wings behind him. A quick check of his energy showed that he had used a third of his energy for that. Looking at the surprised looks on Beast''s and Cyclops'' faces and the smirk on Wolverine''s caused a smirk to crease Devin''s own before speaking.

    "And that gentlemen is how you make an entrance."

 Chapter 38 - Enter the Labyrinth

    It took an extra minute to get the other door open to free Mystique and her merry band of jackasses. Pyro had apparently had part of Blob land on his leg when Blob had fallen over from the tremors caused by the explosion and now had to be partially carried by Avalanche thanks now to a broken leg. Pyro was the one that had been running his mouth earlier so Devin figured he''d gotten his retribution.

    The groups headed down the twisting tunnels that were the base. Devin figured that there would be another trap or ambush at some point as there was no way they missed an explosion like that. The sound of boots marching down the corridor caused the group to stop and look at one another before nodding. Blob took front as the other capable fighters lined up behind. Avalanche stayed with Pyro as his abilities would only endanger everyone.

    Blob charged and took the brunt of the gunfire thanks to his ability while the others rushed around him after they had gotten down the hall to get into close quarters and taking the soldiers down. Each of them got two or three soldiers each. Devin had the great idea to only injure one of the last ones by snapping his arm at the elbow. Soon all of the guards were down and the one Devin had incapacitated was groaning every time his are was jostled.

    "Okay, now I want to make this fast. Tell me what I want to know and you won''t die. If you refuse or lie to me then my friend over there is gonna show you what a rectal exam with an adamantium knife feels like." Devin said as he hauled the man up by his shirt front. Wolverine luckily knew to play along and unsheathed the middle claw on his right hand and gave a savage smile.

    "Okay, okay! I''ll talk!" The man shouted as droplets of sweat popped out on his forehead. Thanks to their new "Friend" the group got a basic layout of the facility and what was going on. He didn''t know what Stryker''s end game play was, but he did say that he needed Xavier and Scarlet for it to work out fully. When asked about the kids and Magneto he didn''t have an answer for why they were taken After getting directions to the control room Devin backhanded the man into unconsciousness and the group left.

    "Why are we going to the control room?" Mystique asked as she strode next to Devin at an even pace.

    "Several reasons. The first is that we will be able to hopefully control parts of the facility once we have control over it. Add to that we will be able to tell where everyone is and possibly direct the others to save our friends as well as find Stryker." Devin told as he turned the corner to see four mechas guarding the door to the control room.

    "Here we go again."

    ***

    After entering the main door there was only a short corridor to what looked like an old school lift elevator. This didn''t give what was left of the rescue group hope of safe travels. Piling into the cabin wasn''t too claustrophobic but the trip down was slower than a snail. Everyone tensed when a door appeared and the elevator stopped at it. Slowly the door rolled up and an empty corridor greeted them. Soon the door closed again and everyone relaxed. The tension slowly ebbing out of their bodies.

    "Hate that." muttered Kitty. Another door showed up and this time they didn''t tense as the door opened and this one was empty as well. After the second and third they stopped caring. On the fourth door the group wasn''t even thinking of it. This proved to be a mistake as a group of guards appeared on the other side.

    The two groups stood frozen in place for what felt like a day and a half. Then all hell broke loose. Punches, lightning, and shots were flying everywhere. By some grace or fortune the shots missed but the fists and shocks didn''t. Soon a pile of bodies were layed out in the elevator and the girls plus Toad were standing there, their breathing accelerated due more to the surprise than the physical exertion.

    "Holy crap! let''s not do that again!" Kitty said as Toad nodded his head in agreement.

    "Storm, where do ya think that varmint has stashed the Professor and the others?" Rogue asked as she looked around the mostly empty hall.

    "I don''t know Rogue, but let''s see if we can find a control room or access the cameras." Storm said as she started heading down the hall.

    "You think the others are alright? That was a really high elevator ride and they fell that entire way." Kitty asked as she had to walk quickly to keep pace with the two taller women.

    "Don''t worry sugar, them boys are all tough even that Devin guy." Rogue said with a smile of reassurance.

    "Oh? And how can you tell that pray tell?" Callisto said as she smirked at Rogue. This prompted a look out the corner of Rogue''s eye before she answered.

    "I''ve seen that look in his eye in the eyes of others before and each one was a man or woman that did what ever it took to reach their goals, regardless of what had to be done. I''m sure that he won''t stop till this place and everyone of Stryker''s men are crushed under his heel." Rogue said as Storm nodded to show she agreed. This caused the others to momentarily pause before jogging to catch up.

    Happening upon another door the group pushed through and readied for another fight only to find a long room lined with cages. Each cage held a shivering form in a thin white gown. Some had physical mutations while others looked like normal individuals. Besides the gown the other things that they all had in common was that they each were malnourished, young, and terrified.

    "How can someone do something so horrendous to such young ones?" Storm whispered as she looked in horror at a child that couldn''t have been more than ten years old.

    "This is what we fight against. This is why we joined the Brotherhood." Callisto growled out as she slammed her hand against the side of a cage making numerous children flinch and earning dirty looks from the others.

    "Lets get them out of here while we can." Rogue said as she ripped the lock off a cage and then moved on while Kitty entered slowly and cautiously to help the child within. It was moments later that all of the cages were open and all of the surviving kids and teenagers were standing in a group near the older members of the group. Searching around a muffled voice was finally heard from another room. Rogue and Storm entered to find a young girl with platinum hair surprisingly active compared to the others.

    "Let me out! I need to help my sister!" the girl shouted as Rogue reached for the lock.

    "Who is your sister? We have already released everyone in the cages." Storm said as she opened the door.

    "My sister isn''t in a cage my sister is being forced into help that evil old man to save me." the girl said as she tried to run past the senior members only to be stopped by Rogue.

    "Who is your sister?" Rogue asked as she looked into the girl''s eyes.

    "Emma Frost."

 Chapter 39 - Plans Abound

    "What did you say?" Kitty exclaimed as Storm and Rogue looked at one another.

    "I said that my sister is Emma Frost and I need to help her so she doesn''t have to help those jerks anymore." the girl said as she tried to leave once more but was once again stopped.

    "What do you mean she''s helping the people here sugar?" Rogue asked for clarification.

    "These men in masks showed up and grabbed me in the middle of the night and after awhile an old man showed up talking to a tablet before he showed me my sister and told her that if she didn''t do as he asked then I would end up like the others or even worse." the girl told as she looked at the exit with an anxious expression. Rogue looked at Storm and nodded before turning back to the girl.

    "Okay, what''s your name sugar?" Rogue asked quickly.

    "Cordelia." the youngster said quickly.

    "Okay Cordelia, here''s what we''re gonna do. I need ya to go with the others and help get them to safety. Storm and me are gonna go find your sister and let her know you''re safe and that she can stop helpin'' these guys." Rogue said as she guided Cordelia towards the others.

    "I want to come with you! She''s my sister and I want to help! I-" Cordelia argued but a head shake from Rogue and a hand on her shoulder stopped the rest of what she was about to say. Looking over her shoulder at the owner of the hand showed that it was Storm.

    "We need you to help the others since you probably know more about them than we do. Also if your there then your sister won''t be able to concentrate on helping us stop that old man. Don''t worry, Kitty and Nightcrawler will go with you to help with the others." Storm said making Cordelia look down and nod.

    "Kitty, Nightcrawler, go with and make sure that they get out of here safely." Storm said to which Kitty and her blue companion nodded and began to herd the children out.

    "Um, I think I''ll go with as, uh, added support!" Toad said as he looked with a hopeful expression that they would believe his excuse.

    "Sure, make sure you keep an eye out." Rogue said with slight amus.e.m.e.nt at his excuse. As Toad started to follow the group he got a solemn look upon hearing Callisto call him a coward as he walked past her.

    "Okay, lets keep going. Now we need to keep an eye out for Emma and assume she''s hostile till we can inform her of her sister''s release." Storm said as Rogue, Callisto, and her left the room for another area.

    "So it looks like the whole reason that this happened is thanks to one of your group becoming a turn coat." Callisto commented as she continued forward.

    "Not of her own accord." Storm said with a frown.

    "Doesn''t matter, this is all on your heads." Callisto said only to have Storm step in front of her.

    "I hope that you aren''t having any plans on harming Emma. We will deal with her ourselves." Storm said as she crossed her arms across her chest with a look of disapproval.

    "I don''t think that I can trust you and your bleeding hearts to do anything! So if I have to I''ll do what you can''t!" Callisto said as she got into Storm''s face with an angry snarl.

    "Enough! Storm let''s go. We need to find Emma as well as the others and you, we''ll handle the issue with OUR teammate you just worry about the brotherhood." Rogue said looking from one woman to the other. Callisto brushed past bother with disgust and kept walking as the other two soon followed.

    ***

    "Finally!" Devin grumbled as he looked at the now dismantled mech in front of him. He had managed to pry the arm off and then shove the tip of his sword through the joint and into the c.o.c.kpit of the machine, stabbing the pilot through the neck. The others had successfully brought down theirs as well though Beast was nursing some bruised ribs as one mech had gotten a lucky swipe in and launched him across the hall.

    "McCoy, you good to go?" Devin asked the blue, furry man.

    "Yes, sore but ready." was the response as Beast nodded.

    "Good, now, once we get in try not to kill anyone if you can help it. If we kill everyone then no one will be able to tell us what is going on or where the captives are." Devin said as he looked around at the members of his group. Each nodded back in response. Opening the massive metal doors revealed a room that looked like the control center for NASA. Long rows of consoles with people wearing long, white, lab coats looked up in surprise and fear at their entrance.

    "Alright everybody stay calm and no body move. We aren''t here to hurt you but we will if we have to. If you refuse to work with us then we will have to take drastic measures so please answer our questions. Now, which one of you knows what Stryker''s plan is for our friends?" Devin said before looking around at the assembled group while Beast moved to a computer to begin typing.

    "No one tell him! If we do Stryker will kill us all." one male scientist yelled to which Devin rubbed his eyes in annoyance and sighed.

    "There''s always one who refuses to cooperate. Fine, drastic measures it is then." Devin said as he approached the man who had spoken only for Cyclops to stand in the way.

    "What are you doing Summers?" Devin asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "I''ve been silent up to this point because I wanted to get the Professor back safe and sound, but I can''t condone you torturing one of these scientists." Cyclops said as he folded his arms and widened his stance. Devin saw that Colossus stepped forward to stand slightly off to the side and behind Cyclops. Apparently he also couldn''t stand the thought of Devin interrogating the scientist either.

    "Look Summers, we need to find out what Stryker has planned and one of these scientists might know what is happening. Besides after everything that we have seen and done, you choose now to grow a conscience? No, move." Devin said as he stood only a foot in front of Cyclops.

    "Look Scott we need to stop whatever is happening here and fast. So get out of the way." Wolverine said as he stepped up beside Devin.

    "No Wolverine, this is wrong and the Professor taught us better." Cyclops said.

    "Your Professor has nothing to do with me so get out of my way now." Devin said in annoyance.

    "No." Cyclops said firmly. With that reply the tension in the room continued to rise and just when things were about to explode a clear voice spoke up.

    "I''ll tell you what you want to know." a feminine voice said from the top of the risers with the consoles mounted on them. A woman standing at the top of the risers was looking at Devin with determination. She was an Indian woman in her mid to late twenties with a red mark on her forehead and glasses perched on her nose while gold hoop earrings dangled from her ears. Her raven hair was pulled up and pinned to the back of her head. She had a slim build and was wearing a pink blouse, navy skirt, and low, black heels under her lab coat.

    "Ah finally, someone with some sense. Great! Now please tell us what Stryker has planned and where we can find our friends he kidnapped." Devin said as he smiled at the woman who grew more stern.

    "Don''t say anything Rao. Stryker will-" the man from before started to say before being cut off with a scream as Devin, with a quick flick of his hand, launched one of his regular knifes through the air past Cyclops'' shoulder and into the scientist''s arm.

    "Please keep all comments from the peanut gallery to a minimum, thank you." Devin said as he continued to look at the woman.

    "Now, Miss?" Devin said as he gestured for her to speak.

    "Dr. Kavita Rao." the woman introduced herself as. Devin recognized that name for some reason but couldn''t seem to remember where he had heard it.

    "Dr. Rao, thank you for helping us with this. Once we have what we wanted we will be on our way." Devin said to her with a smile.

    "I''ll tell you what you want on two conditions." Rao said as she held up two fingers.

    "Interesting and what might those two things be?" Devin asked with a raised eyebrow.

    "The first is that I want to go with you as I was kidnapped by Mr. Stryker to help him with his genetic experiments and to keep the mutants that he abducted alive." Rao listed off for Devin. It was then that he finally remembered where he had heard her name before. She was the genius geneticist that had gone missing two months ago on the news the other day.

    "I''m fine with that as long as you don''t get in the way and the second condition?" Devin said as he motioned for her to continue.

    "On one of the upper levels there are numerous young mutants that Stryker has abducted and had other scientists experimenting on. I want your help in freeing them from here. They have suffered enough at the hands of the others and I have tried my nest to either save them or ease their suffering, but they need more help than what is provided here." Rao said as she finished listing off her demands.

    "Sure we can grab them on the way back up once we have settled matters here. So Dr. Rao, what exactly is going on and where can we find our friends and Stryker?" Devin said as he finally gets to ask the questions.

    "Stryker has been looking for a way to wipe out the mutant population. He has been doing experiments to find a means of committing genocide on mutants while leaving the human population unharmed." Rao started causing all of the mutants to frown.

    "So has he found a way to do that yet or are we still in the clear for the moment?" Devin asked as he began to worry for the kid''s safety.

    "He has though we still haven''t tested the final product yet as it was just recently finished and required a certain mutant to operate it." Rao said as Devin knew what he was trying to accomplish.

    "He''s gonna use Xavier to find every mutant on the planet and trick him into killing them using a Cerebro knock-off isn''t he?" Devin said as he looked the doctor in the eye. The shocked look on her face told the whole story.

    "Wait, then why did he kidnap Wanda and Magneto?" Mystique asked as she looked from the doctor to Devin and back.

    "Magneto would be one of the biggest obstacles, especially if he found out what Stryker was up to." Devin said as he looked back at Mystique.

    "The Scartlet Witch was abducted as her reality warping abilities if amplified as well would have allowed Stryker to cleans the presence of mutants from the history of Earth. Thus destroying the very fact that mutants existed." Rao said, causing alarm in everyone including Devin.

    "We need to find that chamber and shut down Stryker''s plan now!" Devin said as a sense of urgency flowed through everyone.

    "I''ve got it!" Beast shouted as he pulled up a map of the facility. Devin walked over to look over his shoulder at the screen. Unnoticed by the others, Devin also slipped the same usb drive that he had copied the adamantium process onto into a slot that began downloading everything they had here as well.

    "The red square is where Magneto and the others are being held. The blue circle is where the Professor and the machine are located." Beast said as everyone else had to examine the map on a larger screen.

    "Mr. McCoy I want you to prime this place for self-destruction. I don''t know about you guys, but I don''t think that this place should exist after this." Devin said as he saw mostly the Brotherhood nod though he got nods from the other as well.

    "Mystique, you take the rest of the brotherhood and go release Magneto and the others and get them topside. Wolverine and McCoy, you two are coming with me to get the Professor and shut down that machine. Summers, I need you and Colossus to head back towards the surface while picking up those captured mutants and keep an eye out for the others, because I''m sure they are trying to make their way down here. Find them and get back to the Blackbird and be ready to take off." Devin started divvying out jobs as he memorized the map.

    "I''m going with you to get the Professor." Cyclops said as he stepped up.

    "No you have your job so shut up and do it. We don''t have time to argue. Colossus grab him and get going. Kitty might need you." Devin said, turning from one man to the other. The mention of his loved one caused Colossus to spring into action. Scooping up Cyclops and trowing him over his shoulder, the giant metal man sprinted from the room before Cyclops could argue followed by Dr. Rao. Mystique and her group hurried up and left as well to get their leader as well as the others. Devin nodded to Beast and Wolverine and ran out leaving a room of silent scientists. Devin stopped for a fraction of a second and peaked back in.

    "Sorry guys but not only did you aid and abet in Stryker''s plan but not one of you spoke up so I guess this is the end of the line. Bye!" Devin said as he smashed the control console next to the door, causing the massive doors to seal shut. The last sight Devin got was the scientists making a mad scramble for the door and failing.

    ''Who knows which ones of those scientists help torture those mutants that were captured and I don''t have time to sort them out.'' Devin thought as he caught up to Wolverine and Beast. A slow burn of rage at what might have happened to the kids made it''s way into the pit of his stomach along with a subtle glow beginning to grow in both dragoon spirits had they been showing.

 Chapter 40 - Rampage

    The three raced down hall after hall, encountering a few squads of men here and there. Stryker must have guessed that they would get loose possibly so he stationed these men to either try to stop them or delay them. Devin and his two companions had just finished off another group of five quickly and now had his thoughts turning towards what he would find when he got back the two kids. Would they be safe? Would they be alive? As his thoughts began to run in circles his rage was beginning to build. His eyes slowly began to grow a deeper and deeper red while his pupil changed from a normal, black circle to a white, slited one.

    "Mr. Price are you alright?" Beast asked as he caught sight of Devin''s change. Instead of answering Devin sped up and began to leave the two behind. Devin turned a corner causing Wolverine and Beast to lose sight of him. Just as they reached the corner themselves they heard gun shots and shouts as well as flashes from the muzzle flares. Speeding up themselves, they turned the corner only to find a dozen soldiers mostly on the ground though one was hanging upside down from one leg that had lodged between two pipes that run the length of the ceiling and another stuck through the cinder block wall with his chest facing the ceiling, his head and shoulders lodged in the wall. Devin was standing in the center of the bodies breathing heavily.

    "Mr. Price are you alright?" Beast asked again as he and Wolverine walked towards Devin. They could see that he had cuts and tears from where the bullets had grazed him. Upon reaching Devin they noticed that small red scales with white edges had appeared around his eyes and the red that had been his irises was slowly spreading out into his sclera. Seeing this the two X-men shared a look at Devin''s appearance. Wolverine reached out to touch Devin''s shoulder to see if he would respond, only for Devin to take off at a sprint again, this time even faster than before. After another second the two followed as even though Devin was unresponsive he was still moving in the right direction to get to their objective.

    It was then that they saw Devin standing in front of a pair of doors similar to the ones that had lead to the control room. He stood staring at them but tilting his head from one side to the other.

    "Hank, are we still on track?" Wolverine asked as he walked up next to Devin to see him still tilting his head like a dog back and forth.

    "If memory serves me right then yes. The room beyond these doors is an ante chamber to the room we are seeking." Beast said as he looked from Devin to Wolverine. It was then that a low growl came from Devin''s throat and he kicked the doors open. As the three entered they noticed that there were two other people in the room.

    The first was a woman of Asian descent with long black hair pulled back into a pony tail. Her slim body was packed into a black, skintight bodysuit and low-heeled boots. Her eyes were the most noticeable thing though as they were a metallic silver color. The second woman shocked both Wolverine and Beast as she was someone they were quite familiar with.

    "Emma, what are you doing here? We thought you were kidnapped with the Professor?" Beast asked as Wolverine began to frown.

    "I''m sorry, but I don''t have a choice Hank." Emma replied as Wolverine shook his head.

    "What does Stryker have on you?" Wolverine asked as he slid his claws out.

    "He has someone that I hold very dear and if I don''t cooperate then I could lose her forever." Emma replied as she turned into her organic diamond form.

    "Why didn''t you tell us? We could have helped you." Beast said with a pleading tone.

    "He was watching me the entire time. If he had even the slightest suspicion then he would have made me regret it by hurting her." Emma replied. Just as Beast was going to give a reply of his own Devin launched across the room, slamming the Asian woman into the wall behind her. The concrete cracking from the impact, shocking not only Devin''s companions, but Emma as well. Devin bared his teeth at the woman as he was now sporting elongated canine teeth in a threatening display. Unbeknownst to the others the woman began to grow out long metallic fingernails each about eight inches long.

    Devin pushed off just as the woman swung her claws in an attempt to disembowel him. Devin landed a dozen feet away on his hands and feet in a crouched position next to Wolverine. It was then that the other three snapped out of their shock.

    "You sure we can''t just help you after we rescue the Professor, Frost?" Wolverine asked as he popped his neck left then right.

    "Sorry, but I can''t take the chance." Emma said as she got into position. A second later with a growl from Devin the five people clashed together.

    ***

    "We''ve got to be close." Rogue said as they stepped out of a hidden stairwell.

    "What makes you say that?" Storm said as she looked one way then the other as Callisto exited the door.

    "I don''t know. Maybe just a feeling, but I think we''re close to the others." Rogue said as she turned left and started walking again.

    "I think you''re lost and don''t want to admit it." Callisto said as she let out a sigh of frustration.

    "Just keep walking already." Rogue said while rolling her eyes in annoyance.

    As they walked they came to a set of double doors that looked like they were important. Then they heard the sounds of fighting coming from the other side as well as the walls and floor shaking that clued them in on something significant happening. As they prepared to breach the doors, Rogue held three fingers up and counted down before Rogue and Storm open the doors and then managed to duck in time for Wolverine to fly through the door and smash into Callisto like a ballistic missile. Looking back in the two saw the carnage as well as Beast and Emma still fighting.

    "Emma stop!" Rogue yelled only for Beast to throw her into a table that tipped over on its side.

    "Beast you need to stop." Storm said as she entered with Rogue.

    "Ororo, you''re finally here! We need to get to the Professor before they can complete their plans. They are gonna use him to wipe out the entire mutant race!" Beast said before Emma launched herself at him in a tackle.

    "Emma! You need to stop! We''ve already rescued your sister!" Storm said as Rogue pulled Emma off of Beast. Emma for her part wasn''t resisting as the news of her sister being rescued settled in her mind.

    "Your telling me the truth? She''s really safe?" Emma said as Rogue let her go slowly.

    "Yes, Kitty and Nightcrawler are escorting her and the others we found out of here right now."

    Emma sagged to her knees in relief that her loved one was now safe. It was at that moment that another figure came flying from the other side of the room in a blur of speed and smashed in to the wall before falling to the ground in a heap. The figure turned out to be the Asian woman and though her outfit had seen better days, she herself looked fine. The others looked from her to where she had flew from and finally saw what had launched her.

    Devin was standing with one foot raised on a barrel that had rolled into the middle of the room. His clothes were in tatters while cuts and scratches littered his frame. A particularly bad cut was situated above one eye and coating that side of his face in a thin layer of blood. His eyes were now glowing fully red with white slitted pupils staring as if looking at their very souls. The red scales with white edges he had grown were surrounding his eyes and temples.

    As they observed him, Devin pressed down on the barrel causing it to slowly crumple like it was a soda can. Opening his mouth released a breath tainted with grey smoke. In his hands was the Iron Knuckle gloves that he had somehow managed to equip in this new state.

    "What happened to Devin?" Rogue asked as this new look felt wrong to her somehow.

    "He''s been like that and it''s only getting worse. It''s like the time Wolverine went berserk." Beast said to the others as Devin started moving towards the woman he had been fighting. She didn''t wait for him to reach her and charged toward him herself. A swipe aimed for Devin''s head was ducked and a punch was returned into her stomach, causing her to lift off the ground before a roundhouse kick launched her back the way she came and into the wall again.

    As the woman tried to stand up Devin appeared and began to rain a flurry of punches that slowly pummeled the woman back into the wall before another kick launched her sideways. Upon landing she stood up only to clutch her head with one hand and shake it like she was disoriented.

    "Where am-" the woman began before a heavy right slammed into her nose again, causing her head to rock back.

    "We need to stop him!" Rogue said as she charged towards Devin as the others nodded and followed suit. This time Devin turned his fists on the others. Perceiving them as either a threat or an impediment, Devin didn''t care. An elbow to the gut doubled Beast over before another slammed him face down into the ground. Emma tried to grab Devin''s arm only for him to grab her arm in return and throw her over his shoulder.

    Rogue finally got a hold on him from behind only for him to slam her into the wall to get her to release her grip. This proved false as Rogue only tightened her grip on him allowing the others to pile on. It was as they were trying to subdue him that Devin burst from the pile with white energy jets shooting from his shoulders allowing him to stay aloft in the air. It was as his hand began to glow that a hand latched onto his ankle causing his wings to dissipate and him to slam into the ground face first. The hand belong to Rogue, but seconds after Devin hit the ground did Rogue herself start screaming and writhing on the ground for a minute before she slowed into pained whimpers. The others gathered around her to see if they could help her when the sound of movement caused them to tense and turn to look behind them.

    Devin was standing up with his face pointing to the ceiling with his eyes closed. Slowly his eyes opened and they were still red though only the iris was burning crimson and the pupil was the same white slit. This time when he looked at them they felt that it was different than before. It was when a look of confusion crossed his face that they realized that something had definitely changed.

    "Um, guys? Where are we and what just happened?" Devin asked then spotting the woman he had been fighting he turned to the others.

    "Who''s that?"

 Chapter 41 - Recovery

    It took a few moments of discussion before Devin knew what had happened. He could only be filled with concern that he not only had no memory of what transpired, but also that this was a different form of what had happened in Sokovia. In Sokovia, when he had fought the berserker, that was a battle l.u.s.t that he was consumed by. This however was a whole different beast that he had been enthralled by. This was more of a murderous rage that wanted to bring down anyone that wasn''t subconsciously recognized as a friendly.

    ''Alice.'' Devin thought as he continued to listen to the others.

    ''Yes, master?''

    ''This was the spirits influencing me again. Wasn''t it?'' Devin thought as he tried his best to get even one memory from his rage moment.

    ''Yes. Remember, war was not a part of Human nature in the game. Humans were able to fight by entering a type of insanity called "Battle Rage" and the Dragoon Spirits feed off of that power. So, any emotions that link to that Battle Rage has the potential to be amplified in order to feed the Spirits. This includes a l.u.s.t for battle as well as your rage.''

    Devin had been relieved that he hadn''t experienced this problem during the whole adventure with the Fantastic Four or when he got the new spirit, but it was back.

    ''Alice will this get worse as I collect the other spirits?'' Devin asked as he watched Rogue sit against the wall unconsciously from zapping his energy.

    ''Yes. The more spirits you have, the more you will need to feed. Though the higher the level of the spirits and the better your mastery of each, the lower the cost you''ll need.''

    ''Great.'' Devin thought as he also thought about the fact that there are six other spirits not unlocked. His attention focused again as Wolverine walked back into the room.

    "Sorry guys. I found another squad out there and got distracted. By the way who''s that woman I crashed into? She''s out for the count on the floor out there." Wolverine said as he walked over and leaned against one of the desks that wasn''t flipped over. It was at that moment that Rogue started to stir. As everyone grouped around her, she opened her eyes to look at everyone. When she spotted Devin she gasped and became nervous before she hid it behind a neutral face.

    "Are you alright Rogue?" Devin asked with concern as she had been one of the friendlier members of the X-men that he had interacted with so far.

    "Yes." was all she responded with as she looked him dead in the eye. Devin knew something was up and he knew that it had something to do with the fact that she had absorbed some of his power when she had grabbed his ankle earlier.

    "Alright, now that we have that all figured out for the moment. What are you planning to do Miss?" Devin said as he motioned for the woman he had been fighting to speak up.

    "My name is Yuriko Oyama. I was originally supposed to bring my late father''s notes to a Mr. William Stryker as he said he would help me perfect my father''s theory of bonding the metal, adamantium to bone. During our meeting I remember being stung by something then nothing until now except for small blurry colored memories. Like looking at a picture through frosted glass." the woman whose name was now known said. Devin knew her not by her actual name but her villian name of Lady Deathstrike.

    "Well this is going to be a bit of a shock, but that process was tested, but only two people have ever survived. The first was our friend Wolverine here and the other..." Devin said as he tried to think of a good way to phrase what was about to be said.

    "The other?" Yuriko said as a weight seemed to settle in her stomach.

    "The other was you." Devin said as he figured it would be best to just get it over with. At first she just stood there while the thought processed then she whirled around and became sick next to the wall. The sound of retching and gagging invoking feelings of sympathy from some of the others.

    "Has anyone looked at the door to the inner sanctum yet?" Devin asked as he decided to give the woman some space to calm herself.

    "Already checking on it." Beast said as he was running his fingers over and over the buttons on the keypad for the magnetic tumbler locks sealing the doors. Thirty seconds later found the doors swinging open. As some of the group rushed in some hung back. two of those being Frost and Cyclops.

    "Scott." Emma tried to speak but was cut off.

    "You should have told me." Cyclops said in a cold tone.

    "I couldn''t. I couldn''t risk my sister. He had eyes everywhere." Emma said in a slightly pleading tone for Cyclops'' understanding.

    "You should have told me." Cyclops said before he turned and entered the room leaving Emma and Yuriko as the last two before Emma took a deep breath and followed.

    ***

    Through the doors was a massive spherical chamber with a path and a platform jutting out into the very center of the room. On the platform were Professor Xavier in his wheelchair, as well as a grizzled older man and a man in another wheelchair wearing a off-white hospital gown. The older man was holding a pistol to the unresponsive Xavier''s head. Xavier seemed to be in a coma and didn''t even look at who had entered the chamber.

    "Welcome, now let''s keep this as a nice civil conversation where no one moves and Xavier here won''t die." Stryker said as most of the X-men tensed up.

    "Let him go Stryker!" Cyclops growled as he entered the room.

    "Forget that! Where''s my sister!" Quicksilver shouted as he stepped to the front.

    "The rest are nearby so don''t worry. Though I do believe that there are too many people for this room so if you don''t mind I would like for the majority of you to step out. The only ones I want to stay are Ms. Ororo, Ms. Darkholme, and Mr. Price." Stryker said as he he waved for the others to get out with the hand without the gun.

    "If you think that we''re gonna leave when our teammates are still in danger you are out of your-" Cyclops said as he was cut off by Storm.

    "Cyclops, he has more than enough hostages so let''s just follow along for now." Storm whispered as Mystique waved for the others from the brotherhood to leave. Soon only the three mentioned were left.

    "So what now? Is this the part where you give us this great lecture about how you are doing this for the greater good and how this is some kind of divine order from a higher providence or some bullshit?" Devin asked as he looked at Stryker with a bored look. Stryker''s response was for him to point his gun and pull the trigger. A severe pain lanced through Devin''s right thigh as the slug entered his leg causing Devin to grunt in pain as both hands clasped around the hole in his leg as Storm and Mystique both crouched in anticipation of who might be shot at next.

    "Your mouth should remain closed you irritating child." Stryker growled as he leveled the gun at Xavier''s head again.

    "Our what? You think that I don''t know how this is gonna work out? You''re gonna sit here and bl.u.s.ter about a bunch of garbage. It''s the same with all insane and delusional old men who try these schemes." Devin said with a smirk on his face as he advanced a few steps forward with a limp. A shot to the left arm was the response that was given by Stryker.

    "I already told you to shut up once. At this rate you won''t live to see those children that were crying for you earlier." Stryker said causing Devin''s vision to begin turning red. A deep breath and remembering that raging wouldn''t help right now allowed Devin to martial his emotions into check. A grin then crossed his face which caused a frown to cross Stryker''s.

    "What are you smiling about?!" Stryker demanded.

    "Well I''m smiling because it shouldn''t be too much longer before I have you pinned under my heel. Though to be honest I wonder is your son even conscious of what is happening right now?" Devin responded as he limped a couple steps closer. He was now about twenty feet from the trio.

    "My son doesn''t have any significance on what is happening right now and how exactly do you plan to get me under your heel exactly when I am the one with the gun?" Stryker demanded as he waved the gun from one person to another.

    "Since he''s the one keeping Xavier in check right now then yes, he''s significant. As for my plan why would I tell you that?" Devin said was the biggest grin split his face and began to unnerve Stryker.

    "Stop smiling! Even you wouldn''t smile in face of your own death!" Stryker yelled as he finally aimed at Devin''s head.

    "Try me bitch." Devin said as he kept the smile going and looked Stryker in the eye. Silence descended in the chamber for a minute before the sound of a gun went off. Devin ducked and the bullet passed overhead and in-between the two women as Devin dashed forward and grabbed the gun just as it discharged again this time nicking Devin''s calf. A solid punch to the stomach incapacitated Stryker as Devin tossed the gun over the edge of the platform.

    Movement from the corner of his eye caused him to look over and look directly into emaciated face of Stryker''s son. It was then that Devin felt a sensation of falling before everything went black.

    ***

    Storm was waiting for a chance to either rush Stryker or to use her powers to try and save the professor, but what she wasn''t counting on was for Devin to bum rush Stryker after getting shot twice. After he hit the elder man he turned and looked at the unknown man in the other wheelchair and froze which confused Storm. Both Mystique and Storm rushed over and checked on the Professor and Devin only to see Devin blankly staring at the unknown man. After a couple shakes the Professor seemed to revive from his trance.

    "Professor, are you alright?" Storm asked as she crouched in front of Xavier. He seemed to look around confused before his attention snapped to and he remembered what had happened and who was involved.

    "Ororo, where is Stryker?" Xavier asked as he looked at one of his long time students and teachers.

    "He''s right behind you. Devin knocked him out after he took you hostage." Storm said as she stood up and prompted Xavier to turn his chair and look at the slumped form of Stryker.

    "Mr. Price are you alright?" Xavier asked after noticing that Devin was standing nearby and not moving. It was then that he noticed who was sitting in front of Devin.

    "Oh no. Mr. Price is in trouble!" Xavier spoke to Storm.

    "Why? Who''s the guy in front of him?" Mystique asked as she searched Stryker for any other weapons.

    "That is Stryker''s son, Jason Stryker. He''s a powerful mutant that can cause others to see illusions through eye contact. He was once one of my students, but he disappeared after he went to meet his father for the first time after he was dropped off at an orphanage as a baby." Xavier said as he made his way over to between the two men.

    "So what is he doing here?" Mystique asked as she then moved to restrain Stryker with his own belt and laces from his boots.

    "Stryker was creating a mind controling substance by harvesting a protein from Jason''s brain. Due to me being too strong for the drug to work on me he had to have his son affect me directly. I''ll need to help Mr. Price escape the illusion before he suffers permanent damage." Xavier said as he reached to touch his head and enter Devin''s mind, but before he could Jason started to convulse and shake while releasing a horrible screeching noise like a dying parrot. Soon the convulsions turned into thrashing as blood began to pour from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Soon he fell silent at the same time that he became still in his wheelchair. Seconds later Devin shook his head and looked at the now dead man that had invaded his mind.

    "Did not know who you was f.u.c.kin'' with." Devin growled before he turned and saw the shock on his audiences faces.

 Chapter 42 - Dynamic Exit

    *Devin''s Mind*

    Devin opened his eyes to a world of darkness. It was a strange darkness where he could see a couple feet from himself, but anything beyond that was pitch black. Standing up he check to see if he could find anything, even a single landmark to tell him where he was. Upon spinning around for the fourth or fifth time he spotted an unfamiliar little girl probably about six or seven years old in an off-white summer dress covered in a floral pattern.

    "Little girl, who are you and where are we?" Devin asked cautiously.

    "Help me! There''s a bad man coming to get me!" the little girl pleaded in a high voice. Devin could feel something was wrong here and it definitely had something to do with this child.

    ''Be careful child.'' a booming voice sounded out from the darkness surrounding the two.

    "Who was that?" Devin muttered as he looked around for another person to step out and reveal themselves. The little girl looked confused as well as she looked around too.

    ''Child, you know us. After all you have us bonded to you within your mind and body.'' the voice came again and this time Devin though hard about what it said until a realization hit him like a bolt of lightning. It was the spirits speaking.

    "How are you speaking?" Devin asked as the little girl turned to him in an even more confused state.

    ''We are bound to you and once we are strong enough we can speak with you. Though I only have enough power for a couple more minutes. This person is an invader to your mind and needs to be expelled.'' the voice, that seemed to take on an authoritative male''s tone, stated which prompted Devin to look at the girl in a new light.

    "It''s not Xavier as he learned his lesson the first time and Emma wouldn''t step in here in a disguise so you must be Jason. Guess I got careless and got caught in your illusion." Devin stated as he looked at the little girl as she seemed to frown in displeasure.

    ''Child we need to finish this before we are out of power.'' the voice rang out again.

    "Fine, let''s show Jason that this isn''t a playground for others." Devin said as a crimson shape loomed out of the shadows and several gleaming eyes of the deepest red seem to glare in hunger before a massive beam of fire shot forth and consumed the little girl. She didn''t even have time to scream before she was gone.

    "Good job." Devin said as he looked at the now scorched spot.

    ''Child, one last thing before I leave. Soon my own child will enter this realm and I wish for you to go and look for her. Bond to her and she will help you in your battles.'' the draconic spirit informed before disappearing into the darkness.

    "Child?" Devin pondered before a word escaped his lips as he was engulfed in a shining light.

    "Vassal"

    ***

    Opening his eyes Devin saw the wall of the domed chamber before looking down at the man who had tried to invade his mind.

    "Did not know who you was f.u.c.kin'' with." Devin said as he turned and saw that Xavier, Storm, and Mystique were looking at him with shock and some nervousness.

    "Alright, now that is over lets ask Mr. Stryker some questions." Devin said as he walked over and looked at the trussed up man.

    "Nice job Mystique." Devin said as he slapped Stryker''s cheek a couple times to wake him up.

    "How''d you know it was me?" Mystique asked as she looked over his shoulder.

    "Storm won''t tie up people and Xavier doesn''t have the ability to do so so efficiently." Devin said as Stryker began to stir. Stryker''s head soon shot up and looked around before he focused on the individuals that were surrounding him.

    "Hello asshole. Now since we win I would like for you to tell us where the other four people you took so we can conclude this little pain in the ass." Devin asked with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes at all.

    "You think that I''ll just divulge that because you asked so nicely? I hope all of you freaks die in hellfire." Stryker said as he turned his head and looked away. Devin stood up and whispered in Xaviers ear.

    "If I can bring that knowledge about the others to the forefront of his mind can you rip it from him so we can get the others free?" Devin asked quietly.

    "Not without possibly damaging his mind." Xavier responded to which Devin gave an incredulous look.

    "Xavier, after everything this man has done and what he almost accomplished you still findit possible to have this moral high ground? Are you kidding me?" Devin asked as he couldn''t quite believe his ears.

    "We have to be better than those we fight against unless we become no better than them. Are you willing to stoop to their level just to accomplish something?" Xavier argued.

    "Xavier, I would become the most abominable monster imaginable if it meant that I could protect those I care about." Devin said as the two men pitted their wills against each other.

    "Fine, but only this once." Xavier finally gave in as he could feel that Devin would use any means to find his two charges. Turning back to Stryker, Devin crouched down once more.

    "Stryker try not to think about our friends. Try not to think about their location or how to get to them." Devin said as seconds later Stryker grunted in pain, scrunching his eyes shut, as blood dripped from his nose. Soon his face went lax and he slumped back onto the edge of the platform.

    "Did you get it Xavier?" Devin asked as he stood up and turned.

    "Yes, it seems that there is a hidden door in the ante chamber that leads to a specially made chamber that blocks most telepathic powers." Xavier told Devin.

    "Well lets go." Devin said as he took a few steps before his injured leg gave out and he fell to the ground to which Storm rushed over and checked on him.

    "Damn it! Of course it had to be now." Devin said as he looked at the hole in his leg that was still oozing blood slowly. Taking his shirt off and ripping it into strips, Devin wrapped them around his thigh and arm. It was then that they heard a beep from behind them. Looking back the saw that Stryker had pulled a small silver cylinder from somewhere and had flipped the cap open. He had pressed the red button that was under the cap and was keeping it pressed.

    "Go to hell you miserable freaks." Stryker managed to get out with only a slight slur to his speech. He then released the button and a massive explosion rocked the entire complex.

    "F.u.c.k! We need to get the others and get the hell out of here!" Devin shouted then yelled at the others. The doors burst open to reveal the others that were looking concerned about what was happening.

    "Stryker triggered a self-destruct. We need to get the others and get out of here!" Devin yelled as Xavier moved to one wall with Storm and pressed several tiles in an order before a panel recessed then pulled up into the ceiling. Quicksilver and Rogue rushed in along with Storm while Devin limped over to one of the desks and unwrapped his leg. He could feel the bullet still in his leg and if he wanted to try and heal it he needed to get it out. Pulling a knife from his boot on his good leg and heating it up with a simple bit of fire magic, Devin needed something to bite. It was then that Wolverine handed him a piece of wood wrapped in cloth with a knowing look and a serious expression.

    "Thanks." Devin muttered before he put the piece in his mouth and prepared to remove the slug. As he began to pry the bullet out he only let out growls while some of the group had to look away from the bloody act. Soon the bullet was out and Devin spit out the chunk of wood. Luckily the shot to the arm had been a through and through shot so there wasn''t anything to remove. Pulling out his last healing potion caused a moment of hesitation until he remembered that he had the White Silver Spirit now so that was a full heal for another person. Downing the potion didn''t close the wound but at least removed the majority of the internal damage in his leg and arm. Devin then used new strips of cloth to wrap the wounds.

    It was as he was tying the knot that Devin realized that the room was super silent except for the explosions from another part of the base and it was then that he looked over and found that Rogue was carrying Yana out in her arms and the siblings were carrying their father out on their shoulders. Storm helped Henric along as he seemed in shock. Devin hopped off the desk and ran over, ignoring the tightness of the new flesh that had been healed as well as the wound that was still in his appendages.

    "What''s wrong with her?" Devin asked as he looked her over and could see a massive bruise on the side of her head as well as a split lip.

    "I don''t know but we couldn''t wake her when we entered." Rogue said as she looked at Yana with concern. Devin looked over and could see that Henric was shying from other''s gazes. Walking over Devin crouched down in front of Henric.

    "Henric, what happened to Yana?" Devin asked as Henric flinched slightly and stayed silent.

    "Henric I''m not mad and I don''t blame you for any of this, but I need to know what happened in order to help Yana get better." Devin said as he laid a calming hand on Henrics shoulder to which Henric looked up with tears in his eyes.

    "One of the men wanted to attack me and sister stepped in to save me. The man was angry and hit her. She fell down and hit her head on the wall and when she didn''t get back up I lost control. When I woke up the man was dead and sister wouldn''t wake up." Henric said between sobs and when he finished he broke down into uncontrollable crying. Devin picked him up and pulled him into a hug, allowing the young man to cry into his shoulder. He had to try with all his might to not let his rage merge again, reminding himself that the bastard was already dead.

    "We need to get out of here. If we can get to the surface I might have a way to heal Yana." Devin said as he looked at Rogue then the others who nodded. Running back through the doors that Rogue and the others entered through they retraced their steps back to the surface as more and more of the base was collapsing around them. As they were approaching the last stretch the ceiling collapsed and pinned Devin down as Wolverine and the a couple others turned back.

    "No! Take Henric and go I''m right behind you!" Devin yelled as Wolverine grabbed Henric under his arm and turned around as Henric screamed for him to stop. As the others left Devin casted a small earth spell on the rubble and some loosened into sand while others merely shattered to pieces. It was now enough for him to remove his leg and stand up. As he ran for the light at the end chunks of rubble began to rain around him more and more frequently.

    ***

    Once everyone was out of the tunnel they flagged the Blackbird down as it was hovering in the air nearby. Then they turned toward the tunnel waiting for Devin to exit. What they weren''t counting on was for a massive crash to sound out and a gigantic cloud of dust to billow from the mouth of the tunnel. No one could see anything in the tunnel and no sound except for the far off sounds of further collapse could be heard.

    Everyone believed that it was too late. That they should have stayed and help Devin free himself. That it was their fault. Wolverine had to hold back Henric from going in after Devin. As all hope of Devin emerging from the ruined tunnel dissipated they heard it. A rhythmic sound of something hitting stone before a shape emerged from the rubble.

    "Let''s get out of here." Devin said as he stood facing everyone with streaks of dust and blood coating his face.

 Chapter 43 - Revival

    As Devin staggered out of the tunnel, he check the status of his Spirit gauges only to see them maxed.

    ''Guess all that slaughter while I was in rage mode helped that at least.'' Devin thought as he switched to his list of spirits to see that the Red-Eyed Spirit was still at level 3 and the White-Silver was still at level 1 though he didn''t know how far the killing he had done while under had added to it''s progression. He knew that he didn''t need it for what he had in mind.

    "Rogue." Devin called out to the woman in green and yellow. Turning towards Devin Rogue walked over with Yana still in her arms, having been checked by Beast and claimed she was stable though he was trailing behind as he wanted to keep scanning her to monitor her condition in case she got worse.

    "Lay her down here, gently." Devin said as he stood up. Rogue did as he asked as a few of the others gathered around. The rescued children still cowered in a group nearby, but refused to leave as they had nowhere to go being surrounded by desert. Emma and her sister were talking quietly off to the side. Soon Yana was layed in front of Devin and Henric walked over and grabbed Devin''s hand.

    "Can you help sister get better?" Henric asked while looking up at Devin with tears in the corners of his eyes.

    "I''m gonna try. Go stand by Storm and I''ll do my best, okay?" Devin said as he pointed to Storm and gentle pushed Henric towards the woman. As Henric reached Storm Devin reached for the spirit. Soon a blinding, white light enveloped him. The light turned into a towering column with the shadow of Devin inside with glowing white feathers swirling around the pillar before everything flashed again and revealed Devin in his new armor. It looked similar to his Red-Eyed armor except the plating was a gleaming silver while the under-suit was a turquoise color, the membranes of the wings matching the under-suit.

    As Devin hovered down to stand beside Yana, the rescued children couldn''t take their eyes from his form as in their eyes Devin looked like an archangel had descended. Likewise the others couldn''t look away as this change was surprising to all of the mutants. Devin felt his magic surge as a bow made of energy appeared in his hands as a massive portal appeared in the sky at the same time to show a massive celestial body that looked like the moon from another planet. Devin pulled back on an invisible string causing the bow to bend as an arrow made from the same energy as the bow formed in his hand. Pointing the arrow at the moon before whispering the name of the spell and releasing the energy arrow.

    "Moon Light." Devin said before the arrow soared through the sky and seemed to hit the orb in the portal, causing it to shine brighter. Seconds later a beam of light shot down from where the arrow hit to enshrine Yana in an circle of white magic. As the others watched the bruise that had been on her head rapidly began to fade till it completely disappeared and the split in her lip sealed itself. As the magic faded Devin emitted another flash of blinding light and was back to normal.

    Everyone held their breath as they waited to see if what Devin had done worked. With one final deep breath Yana''s eyes slowly fluttered open and she slowly sat up raising a hand to hold her head.

    "What happened? Where am I?" Yana asked as Henric rushed his sister to give her a hug while Devin kneeled in front of the two with a smile. The rest smiled at the fact that the girl was now healed and reunited with her sibling.

    "Come on. Let''s get out of here." Devin said as he stood up and limped toward the Blackbird with the two kids following.

    ***

    As the Blackbird took off and was now a speck in the distance. There was nothing around except for the dusty ground and a tumble weed as it rolled by.

    Suddenly a hand burst forth from the ground before pulling the rest of the owner from the dry soil. Standing up was the man that had been shot by Stryker in the head previously. Dusting himself off the man then reached up and pulled the synthetic skin off his face to expose a bald head covered in cancerous, pink flesh.

    "Well, that was an experience. Now, if I head south I should be able to find some authentic chimichangas." the man now known as Deadpool said as he pulled his mask from a pocket and put it on before strolling off into the desert.

    ***

    A few days after having returned the kids were starting to return to normal for the most part. Devin could tell that there were still some problems and trauma left. Henric was having trouble sleeping thanks to nightmares plaguing his dreams. Yana would flinch sometimes when a person would move too quickly and was wary of strangers. Devin had asked them if they wanted to resume their training to which both had agreed readily and enthusiastically.

    Devin decided to go through the files and see if there was any important info that could be of use to him. Most was just data from all of the experiments as well as random files of no importance. Then he found it. A file that was surprisingly encrypted. He started his computer on decrypting the file, but who knew when it would unlock. Devin continued on to the files containing information on the adamantium binding process as well as the different ways that it could be worked.

    The processes required a lot of preparation and careful handling because once the metal cooled it couldn''t be reworked or changed according to the files. Devin knew that Ichir¨­ Yashida would eventually develop a method to rework the metal in order to create his Silver Samurai exo-suit. For now Devin had a couple chances if he was careful.

    ***

    Waking up and showering before heading downstairs, Devin was thinking about what he should work on when the doorbell rang. Walking over with some trepidation as he remembered what happened the last time it rang. Opening the door found a package sitting on his doorstep with a note attached. Devin had all kinds of alarms ringing in his head. Devin pulled out his dagger and quietly checked around the front of the house for anyone, but nothing could be found.

    ''Alice?'' Devin thought as he stood and stared at the package.

    ''Yes?''

    ''Do you think you can scan this package and see if this thing is gonna blow me up before I actually pick it up?'' Devin asked as he looked around once again.

    ''Proceeding.''

    A few seconds later and confirmation came through from the system that the package was indeed safe. Picking up the box and heading back in side, Devin was wondering who had sent it. Removing the card and opening it found that it was a collage of messages from the children that had been rescued from Stryker''s compound, most of them calling him either angel or archangel which was confusing. Another letter was within the other and was a message from Storm.

    She detailed that they were helping to return children to their homes while offering to help them and their parents if they wanted it. Those children who didn''t have anywhere to go back to were gonna be brought into the school as wards instead of an orphanage all of the children were found to be mutants.

    She also made a note that Rogue seemed to be behaving strangely since they had returned and a few of the other X-men thought that it might have something to do with the energy that she had absorbed from him. Devin made a mental note to check in and see if he could find out if his energy really was the cause. At the end of the letter was another offer for Yana and Henric to join the school if they wanted. Devin decided to wait till they were more settled and had helped them to work on moving past the trauma.

    Folding the letters and opening the box he found dozens of pictures as well as individual letters and even a poem or two that he assumed were from the children in the first letter. As he looked at and read each one a smile began to form.

    ***

    "Did you give him the box?" Kitty asked as she drove down the road with Nightcrawler in the passenger seat.

    "Yes, I left it on the doorstep." Nightcrawler said as he opened a banana that was stored in the glove compartment.

    "Wait, I thought you handed it to him?" Kitty asked with a frown on her face.

    "No, it didn''t seem like anyone was home so I left it on the doorstep and rang the doorbell just in case before I left." Nightcrawler said around a mouth full of banana.

    "Kurt, doesn''t that seem pretty suspicious to you?" Kitty asked with an exasperated sigh.

    "Hmm, nope!" Nightcrawler said before taking another bite. Kitty would have face-palmed if it weren''t for the fact she was driving so she instead rolled her eyes and sped on.

 Chapter 44 - Mystic Surprise

    Time seemed to move on quickly since Devin and the kids returned from the desert. The kids had gotten back into their routine as had Devin and Izabela. Izabela was glad to have her siblings back safe and sound though she would frown anytime one of the kids would show some evidence of still being affected by what happened.

    Yana had gotten even more of a fine control on how she manipulated water. She could now create numerous shapes as well as extremely intricate forms. Her current challenge was to see if she could change it''s matter form to either ice or vapor.

    Henric had been working on his transformation speed. His improvement was the most dramatic as he had changes added to his form. He was starting to grow what looked like forest green plates on his back, upper arms, and thighs. It was as he was training with his sister that Yana noticed that when she would cover Henric in water there would be movement on the sides of his neck. When Devin investigated it was found that Henric now had a set of auxiliary gills besides the lungs he already owned. It seemed that he was slowly gaining more and more biological adaptations. One side effect to his further mutation progression was that he was needing more and more protein to which Izabela was having to add more and more meat to the weekly shopping list.

    Devin had been making headway on his research into what was recovered from Stryker''s computers. He was currently setting up the new room that he had added on next to the vault. He had already put the smelting tank that he had stolen of the adamantium metal and was trying to think of what he should cast the adamantium into. He seemed to use his daggers and his sword the most during fights. The only issue that Devin was wanting to remedy before casting was that any weapon that wasn''t from the system couldn''t have magic channeled through it. He needed to learn a way to incorporate that ability into his new weapon.

    Deciding to take a break from his plans as they seemed to be going in circles, Devin decided to get some lunch. It was as he was making himself a sandwich that Izabela walked in with a very puzzled and worried face.

    "Devin there is a bald lady at the front door along with two men and they are all wearing very strange robes." Izabela said as she looked over her shoulder to double check that they hadn''t followed her inside. Devin''s eyes open slightly in surprise as he had been expecting this visit shortly after he arrived, but as time past and there was no sign of a visit from The Ancient One Devin began to relax and believe that there wouldn''t be a visit till after the events of Doctor Strange.

    "Could you show them in and then put a pot of tea on please?" Devin asked as he finished his sandwich and set it down at one end of the table. Soon, Izabela returned with three individuals in different colored robes. The woman in front was wearing parchment colored robes that that his most of her slender frame. Her bald head gleamed in the light coming through the windows of the kitchen. The two men behind her were both grim faced in contrast to their leader''s calm and peaceful one. The man on the left was an African-American man with a clean shaven head similar to his leader''s. He was wearing a golden tunic with black embroidering on it along with matching pants. The other man was of a paler complexion and slick-backed hair in a raven color. The creases at the corners of his eyes spoke of better times but the frown made it seem out of place. His golden tunic matched his fellow master''s but the maroon under clothes set him apart.

    "Greetings to all of you. I am Devin Price. Might I ask who I have the pleasure of addressing?" Devin asked as he waved for the three guests to take a seat at the table. The two men looked at their leader for confirmation on whether to sit or not to which she nodded and grabbed her own seat, the others following suit.

    "I am known as The Ancient One. Leader of the Masters of the Mystic Arts and Master of Kamar-Taj. These are my fellow Masters of the Mystic Arts. On my right is Master Daniel Drumm and on my left is Master Kaecilius. We are sorry for coming to meet you so late but unfortunately there were some issues with a former Master and some problems that had to be handled first and foremost before we could have this meeting." The Ancient One said as Izabela walked around the table setting down cups of tea.

    "Understandable, former members can cause quite the problems." Devin said as this seemed to surprise the two men.

    Upon reaching Devin, Devin whispered for her to head out and do some shopping while the kids were out just in case. Izabela nodded and then grabbed her bag and left. The only one that seemed to have a problem with this was Kaecilius who''s frown deepened as Izabela left.

    "Now, what can I help the three of you with?" Devin said as he took a sip of his tea.

    "We have come because we sensed an entity enter this universe through a massive amount of mystic power and wanted to determine what that entity''s intentions were." The Ancient One stated as she took a sip of her own tea.

    "I see, and have you found said entity?" Devin asked as he remained smiling even as he could feel a slight pressure from the possibility that he had been found out.

    "Mmhmm." The Ancient One hummed an affirmative as she set her cup down on the table. She then looked up and stared directly into Devin''s eyes as her two companions visibly tensed. Devin slumped back with a sigh at being discovered.

    "So what gave me away?" Devin asked as he downed the rest of his tea.

    "You have faint trace amounts of energy that not only have a similar signature as the energy that we felt the first time but could only come from some one that has been using mystic energies." answered Drumm. It was at that point that Devin sighed in annoyance. Then again these guys were masters so the chances of anyone else being able to detect those trace amounts were slim. Maybe the Asgardians might be able to tell but other then them Devin couldn''t really think of anyone else who would be able to tell at the moment.

    "So, where do we go from here?" Devin asked as he looked at the woman with the gleaming head.

    "I would like to ask you a couple questions to see if action is necessary and just so you know I will know if you lie." The Ancient One said as Devin shrugged in acquiescence. He knew that if he refused at this point then he might have to fight the three masters and it was better just to answer a few questions and get them off his back.

    "First question. How did you get here?"

    "I fell from the sky covered in some kind of energy." Devin replied casually.

    "Second question. Who sent you here or did you send yourself?" she asked.

    "I think I sent myself. Don''t quiet remember clearly." Devin said with a shrug.

    "Okay, now what do you plan on doing here in our universe?" The Ancient One said as her two sidekicks leaned in.

    "I plan on living life and doing my job here. I don''t have any grand plans to take over the world or destroy it. I just want to get strong enough to protect those who I have come to care about." Devin replied honestly as two out of the three relaxed. The only one that seemed to stay tense was Kaecilius.

    "I think he is lying." Kaecilius stated as he continued to glare. This caused his companions to frown at him.

    "Why do you think so?" Drumm asked as he looked back at Devin.

    "With the amount of power that was felt on his arrival, he could destroy many areas before we could stop him. Also we have no reason to trust him and for all we know he could have enslaved that woman that was here as well as others using his power." Kaecilius said as he looked at his companions before glaring again.

    "I have sensed no deception from him." Drumm stated as he looked at his companion.

    "Kaecilius, please wait for me outside for the moment." The Ancient One asked as she looked at Kaecilius then back to Devin.

    "But Master I-" Kaecilius said only to be interrupted by The Ancient One with a look. Kaecilius to his credit closed his mouth, stood up, and left, but not before giving one last glare.

    "I apologize for that." The Ancient One replied after a moment.

    "It''s fine, though a word of advice. Keep a close eye on him, I feel a sense of negativity from him." Devin said as he decided to drop a subtle hint at what Kaecilius might do in the future. Being the main antagonist of Strange was necessary, but also that didn''t mean that he couldn''t hope for some extra backup for when Thanos showed up.

    "I shall keep that in mind. Now I believe we have occupied enough of your time so we will excuse ourselves. Thank you for your hospitality." Ancient One said as she and Drumm stood up.

    "Of course. Anytime, though I would appreciate a heads up first." Devin said as he walked with them to the front door.

    "Noted. Fare well." The Ancient One said as Drumm nodded in fare well before they stepped through an eldritch portal and disappeared.

    ***

    "Master are you sure we can trust him?" Drumm asked as they strolled through the New York Sanctum.

    "I''m not sure though I believe that unless provoked he will not be a problem." The Ancient One said.

    "If you are sure, Master." Drumm said as he split off for another part of the Sanctum.

    ''Though the fact that all of the questions except for the last were only half-truths is a cause for concern the fact that he answered truthfully on the last one is a good. That warning about Kaecilius is concerning in the least.'' The Ancient One thought as she opened another portal and stepped through.

 Chapter 45 - Missions and a Plea for Assistance

    After the visit from The Ancient One, Devin decided to make a list of all the things that he either needed to do or he needed to check on. He added checking in on Rogue as he would hate for the energy that she absorbed hurt her after all the trouble she went through to help stop him during the whole Stryker situation.

    The next thing that he needed to do was to check on the decryption of that file as it had to be close to being done. He needed to catch up on the future members of the Avengers and what kind of situations they are in.

    It was at this time that Izabela entered through the door and set some bags on the counter. Devin stood up and began to help her put away the food she bought. As Devin reached to grab a jug of milk his hand came into contact with Izabela''s, both pulling their hands back in surprise. They continued with putting away the groceries before Izabela spoke.

    "Devin, I need to ask you something." Izabela said as she placed a box in the cupboard with her back to him.

    "Yeah?" Devin said as he placed some cheese in the fridge then turned to look at her.

    "I am really grateful for what you did for getting Yana and Henric back safe and sound. My only regret is that I got left here while you went to save them. I have no powers and I only have the few moves that you''ve taught me. I just wanted to ask if there was anyway that I could change that?" Izabela asked as she turned to look at Devin with the most serious look that Devin had ever seen her have.

    "I''m not sure. What exactly are you asking for? Are you asking if I can give you powers or are you asking if there is a way to help in the case of something happening again?" Devin asked hoping that she wasn''t asking for super powers, because this universe is full of examples of that very desire going horribly wrong.

    "I just want to be able to help if something bad happens again. I feel so useless and more like a burden. Yana and Henric have their powers, but I don''t have anything." Izabela said as she wrapped her arms around herself as she looked down.

    Devin could understand where she was coming from. Her only family members were in danger and she couldn''t do anything. Just wait at home for the possible bad news that she was now alone in the world. Devin knew that he didn''t currently have anything that could even resemble granting her wish.

    "I''m sorry Bela, but I don''t have any way for me to make that happen right now." Devin said as he gave her an apologetic look. Izabela only let out a sigh in response as she finished putting away the groceries. It was at this time that a notification sound let off several times in his ear.

    Apologizing once more Devin left the room and headed for the back porch. Once he had stepped out he pulled up the menu and saw that new missions had popped up. The first was concerning the message that he had gotten concerning Rogue. Why it popped up now only the old man who sent him here would know.

    New Mission: All the Rage

    Mission Level: B

    Info: Remove the energy that was absorbed from the X-men Rogue by any means necessary.

    Reward: 1500 exp, Elemental Weapon: Heat Blade, 3x Spirit Potions, 2x Healing Fog

    Devin looked at the rewards with multiple thoughts running through his head. The Heat Blade was a sword that would constantly channel fire through the blade, searing foes on contact and was worth quite a bit in the shop. Same with the the other items. Devin went on to check the next mission.

    New Mission: More Power!

    Mission Level: A+

    Info: Izabela has asked for you to find a way she can help in future crisis. Find a safe way to give her a suitable power to protect.

    Rewards: 1 Dragoon Spirit, 1 Weapon Voucher, 1 Bloodline Voucher

    "Holy!" Devin muttered as he couldn''t stop looking at the rewards. The first and the last were one of the most expensive and powerful rewards he could have hoped for. The question was how was he going to complete the mission? It said suitable power so most likely he couldn''t just try for any power out there. If he could wait till the whole HAMMER tech incident with Whiplash and Tony Stark then he could stash some of the drones and re-purpose them into a Rescue knock off for Izabela. It was probably the safest bet as long as he went over every piece of hardware as HAMMER tech was beyond faulty.

    There were other options that were viable, but the problem was that most of those options included either altering her DNA or are years out from being a possibility. I doubt the system would want him to turn her into a different version of Jennifer Walters'' alter-ego She-Hulk. All he would need to do is watch and keep an eye and ear out for possibilities.

    Looking at his mission menu revealed nothing more for the moment so Devin headed inside. As he was headed for the war room his cell phone began to ring. Looking at the display showed a New York number but it was an unfamiliar one. Pressing the answer button, Devin spoke.

    "Hello?" Devin asked as he wondered who it could be.

    "Mr. Price, this is Ororo Monroe. We met during the problem earlier involving Mr. Stryker." the voice of Storm came through the speaker.

    "Hello Ms. Monroe, I remember you. How are you doing?" Devin asked. There was no reason to be rude or uncorgial to the woman as she was one of the more friendly and likable members.

    "I wish that we were better, but we have a problem." Storm said as Devin had a feeling he knew where this was going.

    "Let me guess, something is wrong with Rogue and you guys are hoping I have a solution that will put her back to normal." Devin said as he turned and looked at the stairs.

    "Yes, we were wondering if you would be able to come to the mansion and see if you could help?" Storm asked as Devin could hear the concern for her fellow X-men teammate.

    "I should be able to head out in roughly ten to fifteen minutes after I take care of a few things." Devin said as he began to think about what exactly he could do.

    "That''s fine we will see you soon Mr. Price." Storm said with a small amount of relief bleeding into her tone at the end.

    "Please Ms. Monroe, call me Devin." Devin said as he turned and headed for the stairs.

    "Alright Devin. See you soon." Storm said as she hung up. Devin reach the landing of the stairs and stowed his phone in his pocket.

    ''Now comes the uncomfortable part'' Devin thought as he headed towards Izabela''s room. It had been some time since the kids had been taken and they had for the most part settled, but since Devin was headed over to the X-Mansion he thought to take them with so that they could see for themselves what they were offered, but he would have to ask Izabela first as she was their guardian.

    "Bela." Devin said as he knocked on the door. Soon the door opened and Izabela looked out. She still seemed down, but didn''t seem as upset.

    "Bela I need to talk to you about something. May I come in?" Devin asked before Izabela stepped aside and Devin entered. Sitting on the bed the two turned towards each other.

    "What is the matter?" Izabela asked as Devin was nervous about her reaction.

    "I just got a call from one of the people that helped to save the kids and they are asking for my help. One of their members is having some problems that might be tied to something that happened while we were trying to rescue Yana and Henric." Devin explained.

    "Okay, but what does this have to do with me?" Izabela asked confusedly.

    "They had extended an invitation for you and the kids to tour the school and I thought that this would be a good opportunity for the two to see if they would like to attend or not." Devin said as a frown creased Izabela''s face.

    "I''m not sure if that is a good idea. We just got them back not too long ago and now we will be sending them off to a new school?" Izabela said as Devin could see that her worry was justified but also a little smothering.

    "Bela, I never said we were gonna send them to the Xavier school, but I think that they should decide if they want to attend. For now though it is just a tour while I help them to fix their friend''s problem." Devin said as he laid a hand on one of hers to calm her. With a sigh Izabela nodded her head in acceptance as Devin smiled.

    ''Now all I have to do is tell the kids.''

 Chapter 46 - Message from Author

    Greetings True Believers!

    Now before everyone gets all up in arms, yes I know I said previously that I hate when other authors release messages like this but I needed more room than the author''s note would allow and no this is not a notice that I am quitting nor am I do one of those re-writes.

    Here is how things stand right now. I have been having serious writer''s block and this is due in part that I am getting a little burnt out. The reason for this is that this is not only my first story, but my only story currently. This has been my singular output for writing and I have been losing track of somethings. So I have talked to my editor and I have decided that I will be taking a hiatus for about 2-3 weeks. In this time I am going to recharge my writing batteries, take a step back and look at the bigger picture of how I want the story to go as well as maybe start an idea that has been distracting me as of late for another story.

    This story isn''t gonna be a serious one and will mostly be for me to work past any more writing blocks that might come about. It will be a multi-universal story with multiple sources and more of a simple action/adventure with RPG and fantasy elements.

    I can only hope that all of those who are entertained by my work and like it will understand. All I can say is that I''m sorry and I will be back that I can promise all of you.

    Peace!

    ArcticRage

 Chapter 46 - Update: Im Back!

    I''m back like a vertebra! Sorry not sorry. Was gonna quote Vegeta but didn''t want to get reported.

    Okay on to the reason for this. The new chapters will start on 10/1/20. I am currently editing the chapters as my editor is currently stuck in an economics class.

    I have also removed some useless parts from the earlier chapters such as the party tab that didn''t make sense in hind sight.

    To everyone that stuck with me through this hiatus, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

    Also if you are interested in my new story just search for Adventurer''s Shop: Fable. I will be adding chapters every now and then to it as well.

    Again thank you for your continued support!

    Peace!

 Chapter 46 - Frenemies

    The discussion with the kids about touring the X-Mansion went over better than Devin had thought it would. Yana was surprisingly calm saying that she would like to talk to others like her and Henric was very excited stating he wanted to see what other cool stuff the X-men had. Devin could have sworn he heard Henric mutter the possibility of them having a tank.

    Devin had found the contact information that was on the Institute''s website and decided to give them a heads up. The phone rang for all of a minute before a familiar woman''s voice answered.

    "This is the Xavier Institute. Can I help you?" the cold voice of Emma Frost answered.

    "Hello Ms. Frost. This is Mr. Price. Remember me?" Devin asked as he looked over the computer monitor he was currently sitting in front of while he called the mansion. He was about five percent away from completing the decryption of the files.

    "Oh hello Mr. Price. To what do we owe this call?" Frost said as she seemed surprised at the fact that Devin would reach out to contact them.

    "Ms. Storm said that Rogue was having some issues with the energy that she might have absorbed from me and asked if I would come over and take a look at her. I am also bringing the kids for a tour while I work. I just wanted to let you know ahead of time." Devin said as another percentage added to the completion count.

    "Ah okay. I know that Rogue has been rather irritable as of recently. She seemed to be having outbursts more often." Frost said.

    "Anything else you have noticed?" Devin said as he thought about what Rogue could be exhibiting with his energy inside her.

    "She has been rather aggressive during our recent training sessions, which is why Storm might have contacted you." Frost said as a hint of reflection seemed to color her tone.

    "Alright, just try to keep her calm and don''t escalate anything till I get there." Devin said as he bid farewell and hung up. He could see that the decryption was finished and that there was only two files that showed up once the encryption was cracked. The first was a a file labeled "Weapon V" and the other was a set of correspondences between Stryker and one Ulysses Klaw.

    "Interesting. What are you two doing talking to one another?" Devin muttered to himself as he clicked on the correspondences to see what they were talking about. After a couple minutes Devin sat back with a low whistle escaping him. The messages were stating that Stryker wanted to purchase a huge amount of vibranium, but Klaw was low on stock and was planning to steal some more from Wakanda. Klaw said that he would cut Stryker a deal if Stryker would send him some support troops. The troops had already been sent, but the operation wasn''t supposed to take place for another week. This might be a chance!

    "I need to take care of Rogue first then I can try and help King T''Chaka so that maybe I can get some vibranium. Worst case scenario I pocket anything that Klaw has." Devin said as he walked upstairs. The other file could wait as Stryker was no longer alive to fulfill it.

    ***

    The four people had gotten up early the next day and had eaten a good breakfast before they piled up into the truck and headed for Salem Center where the X-Mansion is. Pulling up, the building was impressive to say the least. Walking up the steps the double doors opened to show Frost, Summers, Xavier, and Monroe waiting for them. All of them had pleasant smiles on except for Summers as he had his usual constipated look plastered to his mug.

    ''It isn''t a stick in his ass, it''s a whole tree I think.'' Devin thought before he reached out and shook Xavier''s hand.

    "Xavier." Devin said as he shook firmly.

    "Mr. Price, it is good to see you again and thank you once again for helping us." Charles said as he looked at Devin with some sincerity.

    "Of course. Everyone, you remember the X-men?" Devin said as he looked at the three siblings who nodded.

    "Good and this is Izabela. Henric and Yana''s older sister." Devin introduced as various members greeted the elder sibling who greeted back.

    "Okay so Charles, I''m taking you up on that tour for Henric and Yana while I go speak with Rogue." Devin said to which Xavier nodded.

    "Of course! Kitty and Kurt can show them around." Xavier volunteered the two who stepped forward with smiles.

    "Come on! There''s so much to see!" Kurt said before the two teens and the siblings raced off.

    "Wait for me! Are you sure this is okay?" Izabela asked Devin one more time.

    "Yes, now go and have some fun." Devin said with a soft smile. Izabela then raced off after the group. As soon as she rounded a corner and was out of sight the smile fell from Devin''s face only to be replaced with a serious continence.

    "Alright, let''s get down to business. I''ve been told that Rogue has been exhibiting strange and aggressive behavior most likely in correlation to the energy that she absorbed from me." Devin said as he started moving alongside Xavier through the halls.

    "Yes. I''ve tried peaking into her mind and there is some kind of force that is fueling her anger." Xavier said as an elevator opened in the wall paneling.

    "Let me see if I can get anything from talking with her and then we''ll go from there." Devin said as they opened a door to show Rogue breathing hard and sweating in the middle of the danger room.

    "Again!" Rogue shouted at the control room up above.

    "Rogue, this is the fourth time today. Don''t you think you''ve done enough?" the calm voice of Beast tried to reason from a speaker.

    "I''ll say when I''ve had enough. Now, AGAIN!" Rogue hollard up at Beast. Before the simulation would start Devin stepped in and waved at the control room to stop.

    "What are you waiting for! I said again!" Rogue shouted as she balled her fists.

    "Hello Rogue." Devin said as he stopped about a dozen feet away as the doors shut the two inside.

    "You! What are you doing here?!" Rogue said with some heat to her voice and a glare in her eyes.

    "I''m here because your friends are worried about you. You''re not acting yourself." Devin said as he kept his arms folded behind him.

    ''Alice can you scan Rogue and see if it''s possible for us to do anything to help her?''

    ''Scanning.''

    ''Warning: Dragoon Spirit energy detected. Unable to absorb due to mutant ability. Prolonged exposure may result in loss of sanity and possible other side effects. Suggest immediate removal of energy by colliding host''s energy against foreign energy.''

    ''So let me get this straight. You want me to help her remove that energy by hitting it with more energy?''

    ''Correct.''

    ''I hope you''re right about this Alice.''

    "Leave Price. I''m not in the mood to deal with you." Rogue said as she waved him off while heading towards the other side of the room where a water bottle and a duffel bag were laying.

    "I can''t do that Rogue. This energy isn''t something your body can handle." Devin said as he took a few steps forward.

    "And I wonder who''s fault is that?!" Rogue snapped as she popped the top on her bottle.

    "I''m sorry that this happened, but I''m here to help you." Devin said as he move to the center of the room.

    "I don''t need your help! Now LEAVE!" Rogue shrieked. Devin could see her eyes becoming bloodshot and her breathing becoming erratic.

    "No." Devin said as he braced himself.

    "Then I''ll make you!" Rogue shouted before launching herself across the room towards Devin. With no time to evade Devin crossed his arms and caught her punch on his arms. The force behind it launched Devin backwards into the air.

    "Mr. Price! We''re coming!" the voice of Xavier sounded from the speakers. Landing on his feet and skidding a bit Devin looked up with a determined look.

    "No! Stay out! This is the only way to help her." Devin called out as Rogue charged once more. This time Devin was ready. Reaching out and grabbing her outstretched fist, Devin turned and redirected Rogue by throwing her over his shoulder. Losing control of her flight and the awkward angle of her body caused her to slam into one of the walls back first before crumpling into a heap upon hitting the floor.

    Never one to stay down long, Rogue was up and ready for another round. Devin had to finish this quick because if he drew it out longer than necessary then the greater the chance that one or both of them would end up getting injured.

    ''Alice! I know that I need to collide my energy with the one in her, but how do I do that without hurting or killing her?!''

    ''Sir, your best option would be to use an energy arrow from the White-Silver Dragoon. Minimal damage if you hit her extremities and there should be enough mana to perform a healing spell after changing back.''

    "Alright let''s go!" Devin said as a white flash blinded everyone watching and when it cleared Devin was once more in the armor from back in the desert. The flash provided the perfect distraction as Devin flew forward and landed a high kick to Rogue''s chin that launched her upwards. As she flew up Devin charged the energy bow and formed an arrow before pulling it back and launching it at Rogue. Soaring through the air the arrow stabbed into the meat of her thigh and soon both a scream and a miniature explosion emanated from her body as small orbs of yellow energy were released into the air to hover before zooming towards Devin and entering his body.

    Devin managed to catch her as she fell without getting touched before he changed back to himself. It was also at that time that he realized that he didn''t have a healing spell. Focusing his mana on the wound in her leg that was slowly oozing blood, Devin used the power to try and urge the wound to close. The hole slowly grew smaller the more mana that was pumped into it. Soon all that was left was new, pink skin were once there was an injury. The loss of the mana left Devin gasping and covered in sweat as he had to use over half in one go to heal Rogue.

    Soon the doors to the room opened and the sound of pounding feet told Devin that the others had arrived. What Devin didn''t expect a navy-blue clad fist to come sailing his way and land on his jaw. Looking at who had thrown the punch confirmed who the culprit was at the same time as a shout from another person rang out.

    "Scott! What are you doing?!" Emma shouted at the visor-ed man. Devin sighed while rubbing the impacted spot on his jaw before sighing out a couple words.

    "One problem down, one to go."

 Chapter 47 - Knuckle Sandwich

    "Alright, I''ll bite. Why did you hit me?" Devin said as he slowly stood up while keeping an eye on Cyclops.

    "We asked you to come and fix what was wrong with Rogue, considering it was your fault in the first place, but instead you came in here and assaulted her. You are nothing short of a nuisance. I hope you leave those two kids here to learn peacefully and leave." Cyclops accused.

    ''He didn''t even mention that she was the one that started the fight nor that I healed her. Self-righteous prick.'' Devin thought as he looked at the supposed leader. Dusting himself off, Devin slowly rose from his seat on the ground to stand before looking at the insufferable d.i.c.k.

    "Careful Summers, a few more words and I would have mistaken you for one of the Brotherhood. Alright, here''s how this is gonna happen. I''m gonna give you a chance to apologize on the account of your team and how great they''ve been. If not then Xavier isn''t gonna be the only one rolling around this mansion in a wheelchair." Devin said as he squared up with a hard look.

    "Guys let''s not blow this out of proportion. We cans settle this civilly." Xavier said as Storm maneuvered between the two only for Devin to step around her and square up again.

    "I''ve been civil this entire time. Putting up with this ignorant and arrogant prick. I would have continued doing so if he hadn''t decided to hit me, but now I''m done. So, either apologize and piss off or get ready for an ass kicking." Devin said with the last part aimed at the man in front of him. Cyclops didn''t even reply except with an optic blast that Devin managed to barely dodge at the last second. Unfortunately not without damage as the burn line on his cheek indicated.

    "Wrong choice." Devin growled before driving his clenched fist into Cyclops'' midsection. As his fist drove into the man''s gut, the air whooshed out of his mouth in a rush. Cyclops then dropped to his knees while holding his stomach and retching. As soon as he looked up from his curled position, Devin drove his knee into his face which snapped his head back and a crunching noise could be heard from his now obliterated nose. Cyclops laid there with blood streaming from between his fingers as he twitched in pain.

    "Had enough? Feel like apologizing?" Devin asked as he stood there waiting. A few of the others had tried to step forward and come between the two but had been held back by the rest of the team. Scott propped himself up on an elbow while holding his nose. Devin unfortunately was unable to dodge the second blast that was shot a half second after Cyclops sat up. The blast hit him square in the chest and launched him across the room and into the wall where he bounced off and landed face down.

    "Now get your friend, leave the kids, and get out of our mansion." Summers ordered before turning and trying to leave. He only stopped when the sound of laughter reached his ears as well as the others. Looking at the downed Devin showed that he was shaking on the floor before pushing himself up. He was still chuckling when he stood up and turned towards the group. Opening his eyes showed that his iris'' had gone red with a white glowing slitted pupil in the middle.

    "I was gonna let you go with a minor beating and an apology, but now? Now I''m gonna cremate your punk ass and feed you to the plants outside." Devin said as he slowly lifted off the ground thanks to the white energy streams that projected out of his shoulders. This caused the entire team to tense up as the last time that he had taken a form similar to this, he was uncontrollable.

    Devin raised his right hand and generated a ball of fire in his palm. Cyclops visibly swallowed as the ball became roughly the size of a basketball. With a flicker of movement the ball was launched through the air towards the bleeding man. Rolling to the side in a diving movement, Cyclops managed to evade the lobbed projectile, but the punch that appeared inches from his face was not.

    The shot force causing Cyclops to fly away before Devin stomped on his stomach from above thanks to his wings. The sound of cracking ribs was audible to all and this time the rest of the team surged forward. Unfortunately, they weren''t quick enough. Another stomp from Devin shattered Cyclops'' knee making the now broken man to scream. That scream was then halted by Devin''s hand grabbing his neck and holding the man up by his throat.

    "The next time you cross me. The next time you even look at me wrong and I''ll torch your ass. There won''t be enough of you left for your team to find to fill a matchbox. Do you understand?" Devin stated as he held the man up. He relaxed his hand enough that Cyclops could answer and was greeted by a whispered "Yes". Having got his answer Devin dropped the man who crumpled to the ground immediately before stepping away. As a couple of them team lifted him up Devin turned to the others.

    "I make clear distinctions between friends and enemies, but it is still possible for one to change to the other. I see the majority of you as allies at the very least thanks to your help in getting my family back, but Mr. Summers made his distaste for me clear since the beginning and this was inevitable. If you wish for me to leave and never come back I understand, but I hope what happened between me and him won''t ruin this relationship." Devin said as the left over X-men looked at one another. After a few minutes of silence Wolverine of all people spoke up.

    "Listen kid, normally I wouldn''t care for something like this, but if I''m being honest. Scott had that coming." Wolverine said as a few other nodded. The only ones that didn''t were Xavier, Frost, Beast and Storm. Devin figured that since they were the other leaders/senior members they couldn''t quite condone what happened, not to mention that the relationship between Frost and Summers was complicated in the least. Xavier''s silence could have been for any number of reasons since Cyclops was one of Xavier''s biggest kiss-asses.

    "Alright. Well then, I will stay till Rogue wakes up and then we shall take our leave." Devin said as he walked over and sat down next to Rogue, who thankfully wasn''t injured in the fight a few minutes ago. It took another half hour for Rogue to finally stir. Devin slowly helped her to a sitting position while cautioning her to take it slow.

    "What happened?" Rogue asked as she held her head.

    "What''s the last thing you remember?" Devin asked as he stayed kneeling next to her.

    "We were just arriving back at the mansion and now I''m here." Rogue said as she looked up at Devin. It took a few minutes to explain to the confused mutant everything that happened. After he fell silent about the events since, Rogue was now in a depressed mood. Devin could understand but knew that she couldn''t stay that way.

    "Rogue, look at me." Devin said firmly. The upset woman looked up at the man that had helped her.

    "None of this was your fault. No one, not even me, could have foreseen what that energy would do to you. If you want you could even blame me. I''m sorry for you having to go through this, but please don''t blame yourself." Devin said as he looked the mutant woman in the eye. The two stayed there looking at one another for a further minute before Rogue reached up and wiped her eyes.

    "You''re right. I shouldn''t blame myself and I''m not gonna blame you either. Neither of us are responsible for this and I''m gonna just get past it, Sugar." Rogue said as he stood up along with Devin with smile now. Seeing her okay brought smiles to everyone that was still present.

    After leaving the Danger Room and heading back up the elevator, Devin and company found the kids as well as Izabela in a room with a foosball table. After collecting the three and giving farewells. Devin and the group headed back home, but as they pulled up to the front of the house the sight of an unconscious Luke Cage supported by a desperate Jessica Jones.

 Chapter 48 - Healing and Info

    Running up to the couple on his doorstep Devin asked the first though which was obvious.

    "What happened!" Devin said as he help the big guy up as Izabela opened the door.

    "I was investigating a lead on the school principal when I got a call from Luke, but when I got to him he had been taken over by Kilgrave. I knew that he was impervious to bullets and I had to stop him so I shot him." Jessica said frantically.

    "Wait if he''s impervious to bullets then how did he end up this way?" Devin asked as he lead Jessica and Izabela toward the bas.e.m.e.nt stairs as Izabela told the kids to go play.

    "I shot him in the side of his head with a shotgun." Jessica said in a hushed voice as Devin looked at her with an ''are you serious'' look.

    "Well that explains where to look for trauma." Devin muttered under his breath as they finally arrived at the medical room and layed Luke on the table. Assessing his vitals as well as checking his head showed that there wasn''t a mark on the outside of the man but knew what had happened. The blast from the shotgun had basically gave Luke the worst version of a concussion instead of splattering his head everywhere. Devin knew that Luke''s skin, muscle, and bones were near invulnerable, but his organs weren''t and if Devin didn''t do something fast then Luke would die and that would be a problem.

    ''What was it that happened in the show? I know that this happened in the show and that Jessica originally to him to a nurse instead, but what was it she did to help him?'' Devin thought as he looked at Luke''s eyes to double check the concussion theory. Then he remembered, the nurse had put a needle through his eye.

    ''Yeah, that''s not happening. I wouldn''t trust myself to do that for a corpse let alone Luke. Maybe I can mitigate the pressure problem as well as speed the healing with magic like I did with Rogue?'' Devin thought as he stepped up to the head area of the table.

    "Jessica, I''m gonna try to either reduce the severity or heal the trauma from the gunshot, but on the off chance that I can''t I want you to call Metro-General Hospital and ask for Claire Temple. She knows Luke and about his abilities so she can be trusted to help." Devin said before turning and concentrating his mana on Luke''s head to search for any abnormalities.

    "I can''t get a signal down here." Jessica fumed before running for the stairs to head up top.

    "Devin are you sure you can help this man?" Izabela asked as she saw Jessica had left the room.

    "Honestly? I don''t know, but I''m damn sure gonna try." Devin said before diving into his search. Devin scanned for any lethal blockages or obstructions that had occurred due to the concussion and didn''t find any yet. He then began to feed mana into Luke''s brain and willed it to fix anything that had been damaged. At first nothing happened, but after a bit certain areas of Luke''s brain began to light up as the mana began it''s work. Devin smiled for a brief moment before the mana consumption multiplied by a huge amount that left Devin at a loss for breath. He was nearly out of mana and had only fixed just over half of the damage.

    Devin decided that he would stop and rest for a moment and regain some of his mana before continuing. As Devin pulled back he heard a door slam open and Jessica as well as another woman entered. The woman was Claire Temple, an african-american nurse at Metro-General Hospital that had helped both Luke and Daredevil in the past. She ran over and began checking vitals immediately.

    ''How long was I out of it while I was healing Luke? Jessica just left to call her.'' Devin thought as he stepped back and sat in a nearby chair to temporarily rest. Izabela thankfully answered his mental question without him even voicing it.

    "Are you okay? You just stood there for about forty-five minutes not moving and then stopped." Izabela asked as Devin nodded.

    "I think he''s out of the lethal territory, but I need to regain some energy before I can continue or I''ll also be in trouble." Devin explained.

    "I thought you said he was in critical condition? From what I''ve found he might have a mild concussion at most." Claire said as she looked from Jessica to Devin.

    "I''ve mitigated the major damage, but I can''t do more since I''m out of energy at the moment. I had Jessica call you here because I need you to keep an eye on him since I''m not sure if there might be some after effects or some kind of complication." Devin said as he stood up slowly.

    "And who are you?" Claire asked as she kept checking over Luke for problems.

    "I guess you could call me an acquaintance and partner for these two." Devin said as he gestured towards Luke then Jessica who snorted in slight contempt.

    "Now, what are you gonna do about you know who Jessica? Do you need me to help?" Devin said as he turned to the dark-haired woman who stood at the foot of the table where Luke was laying.

    "No, I don''t need nor do I want help. He is mine to take down." Jessica all but growled as she gripped her own fist tightly, her knuckles turning white.

    "All right but if you need help or anything then let me know. Now not to be rude or anything but have you found anything about the principal or the school?" Devin said before asking about the investigation.

    "Yeah, the principal has been taking bribes from some of the richer families so that he will look the other way when their kids get into trouble. He also puts pressure on some of the teachers to give passing grades to those same kids instead of failing grades. I was looking into his personal habits when this all went down." Jessica said as she refused to take her eyes off of the man she loved.

    "Alright, do you have evidence of what you''ve found so far?" Devin asked as he started running plans through his head on his options.

    "Yeah I have photos of him taking bribes and a couple of the angrier teachers that I''ve spoken to have expressed interest in testifying against him as well. I''ll get them to you later." Jessica said.

    "Alright. Also, let me know if you find anything else." Devin said as he walked towards the door.

    "I''ll give you some time and all three of you are welcome to stay here tonight." Devin said as he allowed Izabela through first as the two women nodded in acceptance before he shut the door.

    ***

    The next day Luke had awaken and after a bit of explaining knew what had happened. Luke, Jessica, and Claire all decided that it was time that they left. Devin had reminded Jessica that she wasn''t alone now and that if she needed help all she had to do was ask. She had merely nodded before stepping out followed by Luke and Claire.

    Devin fought on whether or not to track down Kilgrave himself, but in the end he decided that he would wait and see what Jessica and Luke could accomplish before deciding to step in.

    Devin decided to start his plan to aid Wakanda now that he had everything squared away for the minute. He checked and found that the Wakanda embassy was in New York even though it wasn''t built till much later. Devin formed a plan in his head that would allow him to possibly speak with the big shots of Wakanda though the chances of getting to speak with the king was not very high.

    Getting in his truck and traveling down to near where the United Nation''s building is, Devin was looking for the Wakanda Embassy. Pulling up to a large, concrete building that had the Wakanda flag raised on steel poles, the building itself looked like an upscale hotel instead of the embassy of the most advanced country on Earth. Walking up the steps found Devin standing in an impressive lobby with various art pieces decorating the walls here and there as individuals either talked or went about their business.

    "Excuse me, can I help you?" An African man in traditional Wakandan attire asked as he walked up to Devin.

    "Yes, I have an urgent and important matter to discuss with the ambassador." Devin said as he turned around to observe the man he was speaking too.

    "I''m sorry but he is very busy at the moment. Maybe I can help you?" the man informed with open arms.

    "Then maybe you can pass on a message for me." Devin said as he smiled.

    "And what message is that?" the man asked in curiousity.

    "That Ulysses Klaue will be raiding your country for it''s greatest asset soon." Devin said causing a look of shock to cross his face and then for it to transform into one of seriousness.

    "How do you know that name?" the man asked as Devin smiled.

    "I have information, but only for your ambassador." Devin said causing a frown to further grace the man''s face.

    "Fine, I will lead you to him and you can explain." the man said as he turned and started walking.

    "Finally, a chance to get stronger."

 Chapter 49 - Vibing Deals

    Devin followed the man up a set of stairs and into an elevator. While the doors closed the man pulled a small silver card from within his clothing and touched to a spot that looked like it was part of the decorations. Soon the elevator began to ascend and the two men remained in silence. After a minute the doors opened to show a hallway that lead to a wood door that had a carving of a panther on it.

    "After you sir." the man that had been leading gestured for Devin to enter the room first. Devin nodded and walked through only to have a blade at his throat immediately. The blade was held by an African woman with a bald head wearing a leather overcoat and pants. Another woman who was also bald began to pat Devin down for weapons. Devin looked forward at an older man sitting behind a desk. He had glasses perched on his nose and a purple robe with a matching hat. His hands were folded as he waited for the women to finish. Once the pat down was done he was pushed towards the only other chair in the room that was in front of the desk.

    "Please, have a seat." The older man said as he gestured at the chair. Devin knowing that he kind of expected this somewhat when he name-dropped Klaue to the ones with a vendetta against him.

    "Would you like something to drink?" the man offered as the man that had lead Devin to this office sat a steaming cup of liquid on the desk.

    "No, but thank you for the offer." Devin replied as he crossed his leg over his knee at the ankle and interlaced his hands before waiting for the inevitable. The man for his part was calm and collected as he added a couple sugar cubes to his cup with a stir before taking a sip and placing his cup back on the saucer.

    "My name is Ussom Chaba and I understand that you have some information on a man of particular interest to our country." the now identified man said.

    "If that man happens to be Ulysses Klaue then yes, I might have some relevant information that you might be interested in." Devin said as the two women who had frisked him earlier went stiff and a grimace appeared on Ussom''s face.

    "I would assume that the reason you are here is not to give this to us for free." Ussom said as Devin shrugged before speaking.

    "Life is never easy or for free." Devin said as he looked at the women over his shoulders at each of the women to gauge their reactions. The passivity and neutral expression that he saw was anticipated, but also disappointing.

    "What would you like in return for this information?" Ussom asked as he picked up his cup and took another sip of his tea.

    "I was thinking about roughly a hundred pounds of your favorite, secret metal." Devin said, causing Ussom to choke on his tea and the female warriors to draw their blades and ready themselves. Ussom covered his mouth with the knapkin that was laying next to the saucer as he coughed while Devin just sat waiting. Soon the coughs subsided and Ussom regained his stoic face.

    "I have no idea what you are talking about." Ussom tried to deny only for a chuckle to sound from Devin.

    "I hope that this room is secure against sound because I can name it if you want." Devin said which made Ussom frown before looking to the two women.

    "If you truly know about that resource of ours then what''s to stop us from keeping you from leaving?" Ussom asked as the two warriors slowly crept up on Devin in his chair. A chuckle from Devin again froze the two women in their tracks.

    "There are a couple reasons why I''ll walk out of here. The first is that I''ve told numerous individuals that I will be coming here to discuss sensitive information as a precaution so that if I go missing there will be people looking and asking questions. The second is that none of you know what I am capable of and are assuming that you will have an easy take down due to the two women''s training as well as superior numbers." Devin said as he had his head lowered to his chest as he occasionally shook from a chuckle or two.

    "And this would deter us from acting? You are one man. What could you possibly do?" Ussom stated as he leaned forward in challenge. It was at this moment that Devin looked up with his eyes transformed and the shock on Ussom''s face told the two dora milaje that something was wrong.

    "I can do more than you know." Devin said before blinking and his eyes were returned to normal. Ussom stayed frozen for another minute before looking to either woman and giving small nods. Devin could hear the two women move back from his seat.

    "Glad we can all be civil about this." Devin said with a smile.

    "Let us try this again. You are here to give us information on an enemy of our country in exchange for a hundred pounds of a valuable resource." Ussom simplified to which Devin nodded before speaking.

    "As long as it is a hundred pounds of the resource we were speaking about before then yes, that would be correct." Devin said as he wanted to make what he wanted clear.

    "That will be difficult as that particular resource is heavily controlled and not allowed to leave possession of one of our countrymen." Ussom stated as Devin frowned.

    Well then, I guess we are at an impasse then." Devin said as he stood up and pulled on his left cuff before turning and heading for the door. As he tried to pass the two warriors both reached out and grabbed a shoulder each to stop him. Devin held still for the moment to see what would happen as he was ready to draw one of his blades at the drop of a hat.

    "Do I take this as an act of aggression?" Devin said to Ussom as the women''s grips tightened on him.

    "Wait! Let me finish, please." Ussom replied. Devin considered it for a second before looking down at the hands on his shoulders then the hard eyes of the warrior women looking at him, before the hands lifted and Devin turned back. Sitting back in his seat Devin gestured for Ussom to continue before leaning back.

    "If you could give me just a little bit of time to contact some higher ups to see if your proposal is acceptable." Ussom said as he gestured for everyone to calm down and not only to Devin but the warriors as well.

    "Fine, but as an alternate. I''m willing to reduce the amount to half the weigh if I am given all of the equipment that is on Klaue and his men." Devin offered to which Ussom nodded before stepping out of the room. Devin knew that in some of the comics Klaue had lost his hand in his first encounter with the Black Panther. He then replaced his hand with a sonic emitter that was eventually enhanced with an artificial type of vibranium called reverbium which rapidly amplifies and projects sound and vibratory energy until it self detonates violently unless controlled. A grumble under one warrior''s breath alerted Devin of their discontent.

    "Feel free to speak. I''ll hold nothing against you speaking your mind." Devin said as he was genuinely curious just what the trained warriors were gonna say.

    "You are nothing more than another outsider that wishes to steal from us for your own gain." The one on his left said with disgust lacing her voice. Her companion grunting an agreement.

    "If I came here and told you that I had this information and wanted nothing in return then you would still be suspicious of me regardless. Why not ask for something that will help to ensure me and my loved one''s future." Devin reasoned with a flip of his hand. A snort from the one that had spoken was their only refute.

    "Look miss?" Devin lead only to realize that he didn''t know what to call the two warriors.

    "I am Ondati Dzambaba and this is Irindi Khuso." the one that initially spoke replied.

    "Look Ondati, allow me to share a secret with you. Just because you guys like to hoard that special metal like a dragon on top of a mountain of gold doesn''t mean that you and your country will be safe and sound forever. Times are changing and maybe everyone should get on the same page." Devin said as Ondati let out a frustrated growl before walking over and standing in front of Devin in an aggressive stance.

    "You outsiders know nothing about honor or peace. Only greed and violence. You are just like the rest and just like the rest you will be dealt with." Ondati said with defiance in her voice.

    "We shall see." Devin said with a shake of his head as Ussom reentered and sat down and Ondati was now back in her spot, silent as a grave.

    "I have talked to my superiors and they have agreed to your secondary set of conditions though they have a stipulation for you." Ussom said as he leaned forward with his fingers crossed, looking over his glasses.

    "Okay and what would that stipulation be?" Devin said with a raised eyebrow while he steepled his own fingers.

    "They want you to come before the council to report the information in a brief." Ussom said to which Devin chuckled. He found he was doing that a lot today for some reason.

    "Did you happen to mention my slightly abnormal trait?" Devin asked to which Ussom nodded.

    ''Interesting. So either they have a plan to handle me or they don''t believe the man.'' Devin thought as he made it look like he was thinking it over seriously. He was still gonna accept as he now had an idea on how to complete the mission for Izabela, but needed several materials and a set of blueprints that had yet to be created.

    "I accept though I will need a day or two to prep and pack. Are we leaving by airplane or by other transport?" Devin informed before asking an important question.

    "We can give you till tomorrow afternoon to prepare then we will leave for Wakanda by plane." Ussom said as Devin nodded in acceptance.

    "Alright, I will meet you at the airport at 3 o''clock tomorrow. Have great rest of your day." Devin said with a slight bow before turning and leaving. As he passed Ondati, he whispered a short couple of words to her then left. Once Devin was out of the room, Ussom turned to Ondati with a questioning look.

    "What did he say?" Ussom asked of the warrior who was looking at the door that Devin had departed through.

    "He said that even dragons need to be aware of their own greed, lest they invite trouble on themselves." Ondati said as a puzzled look came to Ussom''s face.

    "What does that mean?" Ussom asked hoping for clarification.

    "I don''t truly know, but I hope that we never find out."

 Chapter 50 - The Panthers Den

    Devin had made it home and began to pack after telling Izabela about his latest job and how he was having to travel. She was noticeably worried, but when Devin told her that this might be a clue for her to protect the kids. After that she readily agreed but only after getting him to promise to come home safe. Waking up the next morning Devin grabbed his bag and drove to the airport to meet Ussom.

    He arrived just as Ussom and the two dora milaje were stepping out of an SUV dressed in discreet clothing. The four individuals soon strolled towards the tarmac that had a personal airplane waiting for them to board. Hours later found the group of four departing the plane in the "Capital". When Ussom had said that this was the capital, Devin couldn''t help but chuckle internally. There were a few larger buildings and public places, but Devin knew that the real capital was much grander.

    Entering a large garage, one of the women walked over to a wall and turned a fixture that was mounted on the wall. This caused a wall to slide to the side revealing a Toyota 4runner in black. Entering the vehicle it was a further hour drive till they slowed down and stopped. There wasn''t any noticeable change, but the vehicle then moved forward and once they passed a certain point a massive city seemed to appear out of thin air. It was still a ways away in the distance, but it was still massive and more magnificent than what Devin remembered seeing in the theaters.

    After another drive later and the group pulled up to one the tallest buildings in the city. Devin guessed this was the royal palace. Walking inside was awe inspiring. A massive hall with the symbol of the Black Panther emblazoned on the far wall. Banners hung from the ceiling carried the same symbol while dual statues of black panthers on pedestals flanking a short set of stairs.

    "This way Mr. Price." Ussom said as he started for a set of doors on the opposite wall. As the four walked towards the doors Not only did Devin recieve some puzzeled looks from various Wakanadans, but both of the dora milaje moved to either side of himself as they soon approached an elevator. The doors opened and the group stepped in. This elevator was circular in shape and could have transported a couple dozen people easily.

    "Going up?" Devin muttered under his breath as Ussom pushed a button that glowed purple. Nothing seemed to happen before the doors opened and showed a completely different hallway. Devin was confused before figuring that it was so smooth he never noticed the movement. Walking towards the doors, Devin was stopped by Ussom before the doors.

    "Mr. Price I would like to ask you to remain calm and civil in this room. Past here we have the council that helps to govern our kingdom alongside the king. So, please remain calm and don''t do anything rash." Ussom asked as he looked at Devin with a slightly pleading look. Devin returned his look with one of understanding before replying.

    "I won''t do anything rash unless they do so first. I don''t like resorting to violence unless I am forced to." Devin replied though he could think of a few instances of when this wasn''t exactly true.

    "Alright. Right this way." Ussom said before opening the doors. Inside there were seven people sitting on seven chairs, in front of them was an empty chair, The man in the middle was obviously the king of Wakanda, T''Chaka. Devin strolled in and stood beside the empty seat. He was waiting to be invited to sit as was customary to his body''s information and memories.

    "Please, have a seat." T''Chaka said while motioning with his hand to which nodded and sat down.

    "Thank you your highness." Devin said after having a seat.

    "Now I was told by Ussom that you have gained knowledge on a man of interest to this council. Is this true?" T''Chaka asked as he took on a serious expression like Ussom had back in the embassy.

    "That is true." Devin answered simply.

    "Can you tell us how you came across this information?" T''Chaka asked as the doors opened. In walked another man who was much younger than the others but greatly resembled the king. Devin assumed this was T''Challa the prince of Wakanda.

    "Son, why are you here? Shouldn''t you be visiting your sister down in the labs?" T''Chaka said with a frown at being interrupted.

    "I apologize father, but I have urgent news that I wished to impart on you." T''Challa said as he walked over to his father''s side.

    "It will have to wait a moment. This meeting is also urgent." T''Chaka said as a few of the council members grumbled in discontent.

    "Of course father." T''Challa said as he stood silent by his father''s side.

    "Where was I? Ah yes. Please tell us how you came about this information pertaining to Ulysses Klaue." T''Chaka said while motioning for Devin to explain. Devin noticed a look of anger cross the prince''s face at the mention of Klaue.

    ''Apparently, I underestimated the amount of loathing these people have for Klaue.'' Devin thought. For the next half an hour he gave a rough summary of the events of the assault on the desert base and how he had gotten the transcripts of the messages between the two villians.

    "So, these emails contain information on the location of Klaue?" T''Chaka asked as some of the council members began to mutter amongst themselves.

    "It gives coordinates of their temporary base of operations. It also has details about their plans to assault your home and steal a large quantity of Vibranium to be sold on the black market." Devin said as this really got the council buzzing.

    "And in return you are demanding fifty pounds of Vibranium as well as all the equipment of Klaue and his associates." T''Chaka stated rather than asked. The response to this was rather angry, but Devin kinda expected this.

    "That is correct. I need the vibranium to protect those close to me. It won''t be given to anyone else and I want their equipment as it is most likely either unique or is untraceable by normal means. This can be valuable to me. Like I told your ambassador, if I had just shown up and given the information to you then you probably would think that I was colluding with the man. At least this way we can get on the same level of understanding without the need for suspicion." Devin said as some of the council members grumbled similar comments to what Ondati had said at the embassy.

    "And what is to stop us from taking this information from you? Your so called powers that Ussom talked about? Nonsense! We will not be fooled by mere parlor tricks!" an older man spit as he seemed to seethe at the thought of meeting Devin''s demands.

    "And I told Ussom that I can do so much more than any of you have a clue about." Devin said as he transformed his eyes and looked at each of the council members in the eye before settling on King T''Chaka and T''Challa. The man remained calm and collected while his son seemed to tense up. Each of the surrounding dora milaje readied their spears in anticipation of Devin''s attack. The stare off remained for a full minute before Devin blinked and his eyes returned to normal.

    "Alright, I will agree to your conditions but I would like to ask for your help in stopping this incursion into our kingdom." King T''Chaka said which caused all of the members to begin protesting immediately. A full minute later the clear voice of the king rang out, cutting through all the other voices.

    "Enough!" T''Chaka hollered in a strong tone of command. Immediately all the voices became quiet.

    "He will not be doing this alone. I will be sending my son along as a representative and to make sure that everything goes as needed as well as several dora milaje." King T''Chaka stated as some council members grimaced and others nodded.

    "That is fine by me. When should we depart?" Devin said as he looked from T''Chaka to T''Challa and back.

    "Rest for tonight and you both can set out tomorrow. I assume that the date for Klaue''s assault isn''t that soon correct?" the king asked as he raised an eyebrow along with the question.

    "No. It''s scheduled to begin roughly three days from now. Stryker had sent him some individuals to help, but there wasn''t any information on who he sent or if they had any abilities so I suggest that we make sure that we are careful when we attack." Devin stated as T''Chaka nodded in agreement.

    "Then we will end this here. You will set out first thing in the morning once you have all rested and prepared." T''Chaka said as both T''Challa and Devin nodded their heads in acceptance.

    "Okoye, please show our guest to a room and ask some of the staff to help him to settle in." T''Chaka asked as a woman different than the rest of the dora milaje. She had a more elaborate type of armor than the others though she still had the same bald head.

    "As you wish my king." the woman said before bowing and walking towards the door.

    "It''s been a pleasure King T''Chaka." Devin said with a bow before following the woman tasked with leading him to his room. Hallway after hallway was entered or passed before Okoye stopped at one door in particular.

    "This will be your room for tonight. I will have a few staff bring you food and anything else you might need." Okoye stated.

    "Thank you for your help miss." Devin said as he stepped closer to the door.

    "Do not thank me. Thank my king for his kindness. If it was me, I would have thrown you out of this tower and into the wilds after we had gotten all the information that we needed from you." Okoye stated with disdain.

    "Guess that shows why he''s in charge and not you." Devin said as he opened the door and stepped through. He then closed the door and walked through the small apartment that he found himself in. He spent about a half hour roaming around and checking things out. It was about that time that a woman with hair piled on top of her head showed up with a tray of food and some water in a clear jug.

    Devin ate and decided to crash immediately after so as to be ready for tomorrow. He had only slept for roughly an hour or two before a knocking at his door caused him to sit up with a groan.

    "Hopefully this is important. I''d hate to disappoint the naysayers." Devin muttered as he stood up and threw on a robe before trudging over to the door. Looking through the peephole only showed a pile of braided hair bouncing up and down just below the line of sight that the peep hole could show. Devin slowly opened the door as confusion took hold of him. Opening the door showed a girl roughly the same age as Yana, in her mid-teens and acting like the energizer bunny with a sugar rush.

    "Are you the outsider that my brother mentioned?!" the young girl asked loudly.

    ''F.u.c.k!''

 Chapter 51 - Unexpectant Lessons

    Devin was currently sitting in a chair in the living room area of the guest quarters that he was given. Across from him was the Princess of Wakanda, Shuri. She was sitting on the couch across the table from him. Standing behind the couch at attention is another one of the dora milaje. This one was different from all of the ones he had met though still had similar clothes and shaved head. Devin knew that not only would the princess not leave him alone after seeing the look in her eye, but this was a chance to give her some ideas to help influence the future.

    "So your highness..." Devin started out only to be interrupted by the excited teen.

    "Please, call me Shuri." Shuri asked as she tried to do her best to recover her regal prowess, but failing miserably due to her bouncing in her seat due to excitement.

    "So, I am assuming that the reason you are here is so that you can either interrogate me on something or some obscure reason that I can''t possibly fathom." Devin said with a smile to show that he wasn''t serious. Shuri did smile a bit more at his joke while the dora milaje remained stone faced.

    "I wanted to ask you some questions about the outside world. What''s it like? What kinds of things do you have where you are from?" Shuri said before listing off over a half dozen questions before Devin could stop her.

    "Your father and brother must shelter you well if you are this curious." Devin said with a chuckle and slight exasperation. Shuri for her part looked sheepish at how she had rattled off her curiosity.

    "Father and brother both tell me that I am too young to have dealings with the outside and are worried that I might come to harm. That I should wait till I''m a little older first." Shuri said with some frustration. Devin could understand her feelings as could many others who had been in her place.

    "They are right for being cautious about this. There are dangers everywhere, but at least here in Wakanda they still have options to help you if something happens." Devin reasoned out loud. This caused Shuri to look down in slight sadness. There was a flicker of something on the dora milaje''s face that Devin caught in his peripherals, but was gone when he looked up.

    "I guess you are right. My father is wise and my brother is slated to be the next king eventually. They wouldn''t do something unless there was a reason for it." Shuri said with a note of despondency in her tone. Devin decided to change the subject to lift her spirits.

    "Tell me Shuri, what would you like to hear about?" Devin asked with a grin. He knew that she would grill him severely, but this was also a chance for him to also maybe give a few ideas for her to work on for him.

    ***

    A few hours later, Shuri finally left with a grin and a sleepy look on her face as she clutched the data pad that she had used to copy all the ideas that she had gleaned from Devin into. He had given her the ideas for the sonic wrist weapons that she wouldn''t have created for another few years. He had also given her the idea for improving the kimoyo beads as well as various other facilities.

    "Well that was an experience." Devin muttered as he started to walk away from his door. A knock on the door stopped Devin in his tracks. Turning and looking through the peep hole, Devin sighed before he opened the door once again. Standing in the doorway was T''Challa in a new set of robes.

    ''I''m not going back to bed am I?'' Devin sighed mentally.

    "Welcome Prince T''Challa. What can I help you with this evening?" Devin said as he stepped to the side and gestured for the man to enter with a wave of his hand. As T''Challa entered another familiar face appeared behind him. Apparently Okoye had decided to tag along as his bodyguard or something as she was one step behind him.

    "Welcome." Devin muttered to her in slight annoyance and sarcasm.

    "Mr. Price, I was wondering what your true goal is by stepping into this matter with Klaue?" T''Challa asked as he walked to the spot his sister had just recently departed from and sat down while Okoye stood in the exact spot that the other dora milaje had stood.

    ''Deja vu.'' Devin mentally muttered before walking over and sitting down. He looked at the prince then at his bodyguard before answering.

    "I told your father my reasoning and he restated it for you once you had joined the meeting." Devin replied as he gave them a look of bafflement at their rehashing of what was already said and known.

    "I know what reasons that you gave, but at the same time I feel like there is more in this matter than you are telling us about." T''Challa said with a note of confidence in his voice.

    ''Hmm, he''s more confrontational than his father.'' Devin noticed.

    "Tell me Prince T''Challa, do you consider yourself a smart man?" Devin asked simply.

    "I would like to think so, yes." the prince replied.

    "What about your father, do you think he is a smart man?" Devin asked next.

    "Of course." T''Challa answered with confidence. Now Devin was ready.

    "Then if you could think of the possibility of me maybe holding something back, then what makes you think your father wouldn''t think of the same thing?" Devin asked with a smile. T''Challa opened his mouth to answer before the reality hit him. Why hadn''t his father asked about this possibility?

    "I know what you''re thinking. Why didn''t father think of this? Well the answer is quite simple, he did. He did think of this possibility, but he didn''t ask about it for a reason and that reason is that he knew that everyone has reasons for what they do and sometimes no matter how much you ask or how. You might never find out those reasons. I have my reasons for helping out your people. Will I tell them to you? No, but I will say this once more. I am not here to harm you, your family, or your people. I have no reason to." Devin said. As he spoke he could see the gears in T''Challa''s head spinning. The ever stoic Okoye was still as statue like as ever. Soon the prince recovered and nodded his head.

    "I see. I hope that if you are willing in the future, that maybe one day you may share those reasons with me." T''Challa said as he stood up and reached a hand out to which Devin took and shook it.

    "We shall see Prince T''Challa, we shall see." Devin said as he released the other man''s hand.

    "Please, call me T''Challa." The Prince said as he moved towards the door.

    "As you wish. Oh and T''Challa?" Devin said just as the pair of Wakandans reached the door.

    "Yes?" T''Challa responded with a half turned head.

    "Just a piece of advice for the future. Make sure to keep an open mind and never jump to conclusions. Sometimes you need all the information before coming to a conclusion about someone, something, or even just a situation. It could mean the difference between life and death." Devin said to which T''Challa nodded and left.

    ''Hopefully that advice helps when the Winter Soldier makes his appearance.'' Devin thought before heading back to bed for a few more minutes of sleep as it was now 3 in the morning and he had a long day ahead of him.

    ***

    King T''Chaka had had a long day. The morning had started well, but news had come in that a group of rebels was reeking havoc on the borders to the southeast. Then word of a man with information came in from the ambassador. A man that seemed to be an enigma to him as well as the others that have met him. He seemed to come here out of selfishness, but at the same time there was this nagging feeling that told him that the reasons that were given were more excuses than the driving force behind his actions.

    "My king." a messenger said as she entered the room where King T''Chaka was sitting.

    "Yes?"

    "The observer has come to report now that he has switched out." the messenger stated as another person entered the room.

    "Good. Report!" T''Chaka commanded.

    "Your Highness. I have observed the foreigner as you ordered. He stayed in his assigned room. He did have two visitors. Princess visited with her guard and stayed for roughly three hours. Prince T''Challa was the next though he only stayed for an hour. The foreigner has since retired for the night." the observer reported as T''Chaka frowned. Both of his children had visited the foreigner, hopefully this wasn''t a negative influence for them. He wasn''t too worried about his son but Shuri was at that age where she could be influenced easily.

    "Very well. Continue to observe and report any suspicious activity to me immediately." T''Chaka ordered before the servants bowed in Wakandan salute and left. That same feeling that he had before about Mr. Price''s reasoning was now telling him that this mission was gonna be anything but smooth.

 Chapter 52 - Start the Hunt

    The morning had been relatively simple. Breakfast was delivered to the room roughly thirty minutes after Devin woke up which left him puzzled before chalking it up to some kind of monitoring system keeping tabs on him, maybe in the bed? It was as Devin was downing the rest of his coffee when there was a knock on his door.

    ''Here we go again. I need to start charging people for these visits.'' Devin thought as he set the coffee cup down and walked to the door. Looking through the peep hole Devin paused for a minute before opening the door.

    ''Now I''ve completed the set.'' Devin mentally laughed as he opened the door to show King T''Chaka and two dora milaje. The dora milaje swept in and checked the rooms before they returned to the king and bowed. He then entered and once again Devin was facing the same spot on the couch. Devin did notice that one of the two dora milaje was Ondati.

    ''What a coincidence.'' Devin mentally smirked.

    "Your Highness, to what do I owe this visit?" Devin asked as he finished clearing the table and sat back down.

    "I just wanted to speak with you before you and my son head out." T''Chaka said to which Devin shrugged in acceptance.

    "What do you want to know?" Devin said as he sat back and folded his hands. T''Chaka for his part merely stared at Devin for a minute before speaking.

    "I hope that you will abide by our agreement during this collaboration. I would also like to tell you that a full squad of dora milaje will be accompanying you and my son." T''Chaka said. Devin didn''t miss the subtle threat that was given though. The king was telling him this as a warning that his warriors will be watching T''Challa''s back against enemies, but also keeping him safe from Devin as well should Devin be lying about his intentions.

    "Understood your majesty. Now, I believe it is almost time for us to be heading out so I if you will excuse me. I need to prepare." Devin said as he stood up as did King T''Chaka. It was then that a familiar voice spoke up.

    "My king, may I speak?" Ondati asked from a full bow at the waist. Even with how neutrally the dora milaje always look Devin knew that this had to be abnormal for the other one to show a frown.

    "Go ahead warrior." T''Chaka said a note curiosity in his voice.

    "Thank you my king. Tell me Mr. Price, how do you plan to fight. When we came into the country your luggage was searched and you have no weapons. Do you expect us to lend you a weapon?" Ondati asked as King T''Chaka then turned towards Devin with his curiosity on display.

    "I have my ways of getting weapons as well as other skills." Devin said as he folded his hands behind his back and a smile on his face.

    "So, you plan on stealing them?" Ondati then said to which Devin continued smiling as he answered.

    "From dead enemies? Yes I would." Devin replied. Ondati was about to report when T''Chaka spoke.

    "Okay that''s enough. If Mr. Price is unable to arm himself we can lend him a weapon temporarily for the mission. Now we need to get him as well as the others on their way." King T''Chaka said ending what Ondati was about to say. The king and his guards left, allowing Devin to prepare for the coming mission. Klaue was set up in a cavern that was hidden underneath a large hill to the southeast.

    Devin had his usual arsenal of two handguns, an assault rifle, his buster sword, and his daggers. Another item he brought was the Iron Knuckle gloves as he hadn''t used them yet. Placing all of the weapons in his inventory and donning the Iron Knuckles, Devin headed down to the steps that lead to the palace. There was another pair of SUVs parked at the base of the steps and T''Challa along with the five dora milaje standing next to them speaking with the king and princess.

    "Take care son." King T''Chaka said as he laid his hands on his son''s shoulders.

    "I will father. I will finish this and return to you safe and sound." T''Challa said in his Black Panther suit without the helmet.

    "Good luck brother!" Shuri said with both excitement and concern. T''Challa nodded his head before he noticed Devin standing nearby. The rest turned towards Devin to which Devin finally spoke.

    "Lets get rolling." Devin said as T''Challa nodded once more before giving his father one more look before heading towards the vehicle while Devin got in the other. Three dora milaje got into T''Challa''s SUV while the other two got into Devin''s. It took roughly an half hour for the group to leave the capital''s limits. Devin told the drivers where to head as they had connected the two cars'' stereos so that they could coordinate.

    ***

    Soon they had arrived at a thick forested area that was a mix of branches, thick umbrella-shaped leaves bigger than a trash can lid, and vines roughly the same size as Devin''s arm. The vegetation caused the group to stop the vehicles and get out on foot.

    "We''ll have to be careful from now on. We have no idea if they have boobytrapped the area so watch your step." Devin said as he summoned his bastard sword. He turned to look at the others and they were all staring at Devin with confused stares though Devin wasn''t sure about T''Challa due to his mask.

    "What?" Devin asked as he stared back while holding the sword in his one hand.

    "Where did you get that from?" T''Challa asked as the dora milaje all looked at one another like one of the others might have the answer.

    "Don''t worry about it." Devin said as he began chopping into the thick plants without looking back. The others began to follow after another shared look. Devin lead the way as the dora milaje and T''Challa helped to clear anything that was missed. An abrupt halt almost caused everyone to crash into one another.

    "Why did you stop?!" one of the warriors asked angrily. Devin held up a single finger before reaching down and gently plucking a wire that looked like fishing line. This caused the wire to hum due to the tauntness of it. A few of the warriors sucked in a quick breath at how close they had come to possibly dying. Devin slowly and carefully stepped over the wire and slowly continued.

    An hour later found the group having to dodge the thirteenth boobytrap, this one being a tiger pit filled with pungi sticks, and entering a clearing. From the side they had entered, the group could see a hill that had to be the one they are looking for.

    The group began to move forward when a whistling sound slowly started to ring through the clearing. It took less than a second before everyone figured out what was happening.

    "Get down!" T''Challa yelled as he grabbed the nearest dora milaje and pulled her to the ground as everyone else dove for the dirt. A massive explosion followed by a giant geyser of dirt and plant material rose up into the air. When everyone had stood up a voice was next to be heard.

    "Well, well, well. Fresh meat. Hahaha!" the voice said as Devin and the others looked around. They soon found a group of people emerging and standing opposite of them, also armed to the teeth as well. Leading them was a face that Devin recognized readily and knew was one of the loans that Stryker had talked about.

    "Creed."

 Chapter 53 - Battle Distraction Actions

    Across a clearing from Devin stood one of the most prolific killers mutant kind had ever seen and one of the few people who could fight Wolverine to a stand still, Victor Creed, A.K.A Sabretooth. A homicidal mutant with razor sharp claws on each finger and a healing factor on par with Wolverine''s. This man must have been one of the loans that Stryker had sent to aid Klaue in his mission.

    "Do I know you kid?" Sabretooth asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk plastered to his mug.

    "No, but I know about you. I also happen to know a mutual acquaintance of yours." Devin said as he started to look over the dozen men that were standing behind the mutant killer. They each were wearing various different equipment. though they all carried the same type of assault rifle. The men were a mix of both black and white and all of them looked like they were tempered in the various conflicts that popped up across the continent.

    "Yeah? And who''s that?" Sabretooth said with sarcasm and his arms folded across his chest.

    "Wolverine." Devin said as he motioned with his left hand behind his back for his team to get ready.

    "So, you know the runt. I guess I''ll have another fun little tale to tell him later about how I ripped your arms off and beat you to death with them huh?" Sabretooth said with a feral and fanged smile before crouching and spreading his hands to show off the wicked claws that tipped each finger. Devin and the rest readied themselves for what was about to happen.

    With an almost beastial roar, Sabretooth charged forward with the rest of his men following and firing off rounds. Devin and the others charged forward as well with bullets flying around them and a few bouncing off of the clothes and armor the Wakandans wore. Devin met Sabretooth in the center of the clearing where claws met blade in a shower of sparks. The two''s strength seemed equal before Devin was sent flying through the air thanks to a mighty shove from Sabretooth. Devin managed to flip and land on his feet thanks to his Wingly Bloodline.

    Ever since Devin had received the bloodline, he had noticed that his speed, reflexes and hand-eye coordination had all been boosted along with the magical abilities and the shiny new wings. Devin charged forward once more, but this time instead of a contest of strength he baseball slid between Sabretooth''s legs while raising his sword high enough for it to meet Sabretooth''s flesh. As Devin stood up and turned he saw that he had managed to lay open Sabretooth from mid-abdomen to groin, but the depth of the cut was only maybe an inch or so deep. As Devin watched the ends of the gash began to seal together while Creed gave a growl at the sensation of his skin knitting back together.

    ''This is gonna take awhile.'' Devin thought as he adjusted his stance for round two. Creed having now healed, charged on two legs before switching to both hands and legs. This gave him a boost of speed that caught Devin off guard allowing Creed to drive his shoulder into Devin''s midsection. The force drove the air from Devin''s lungs while sending Devin rocketing across the clearing and ploughing through two of the hired guns that were about to tag team one of the dora milaje.

    Devin wheezed a breath out as he cradled his ribs. A few seconds later Devin managed to get back to his feet though he was still wheezing a bit. Sabretooth had been engaged by a pair of dora milaje and was currently throwing them around like a pair of rag dolls with only their armor keeping them from being torn to shreds by his claws. T''Challa appeared next to Devin as a lull in the battle allowed him to take a minute to breath.

    "Who is that man?" T''Challa asked as he looked around at all the other warriors and their situations.

    "His name is Victor Creed, AKA Sabretooth. He''s a mutant and a notorious serial killer. He has a regenerative abilities as well as retractable claws on his fingers and higher than average strength, senses, and reflexes. He''s also proficient in hand to hand and is older than your great grandfather." Devin said with a cough before he collected his sword from the ground next to him and turned to see Sabretooth knock out the last of the two dora milaje.

    "I''ll take him while you and the women dispatch the last of his men then if I haven''t finished we''ll swarm him together." Devin said as he began to channel light magic into his free left hand.

    "Alright but we need to hurry. Klaue definitely knows that we are here now and he might run." T''Challa said as he sprinted off. Devin focused a small orb of light magic into existence above his palm before taking off in the direction of Creed. Creed turned around just as Devin reached him. Devin placed the orb right in front of Creed''s eyes before closing his own and the orb exploded in a bright flash of light that instantly blinded everyone looking. Devin knew that it wouldn''t be permanent, but might give him enough time to subdue him somehow.

    Spots still danced in Devin''s vision even though he had closed his eyes but he could see enough to swing his sword and remove Sabretooth''s right hand. As the limb went flying a random haymaker landed on Devin''s jaw causing him to stagger back. Sabretooth had blood dripping from his eyes but Devin could see him sniffing similar to how he knew Wolverine would when he was sniffing for someone.

    "You think this is the first time someone has done this kid?" Sabretooth growled as he turned his head this way and that seeming to be trying to find Devin. Any second his eyes should regrow and his hand is still lying on the ground. T''Challa arrived by Devin''s side as Sabretooth''s eyes finally regenerated. He reached down and grabbed his severed hand as a massive siren began to sound. Sabretooth''s head darted up to look up into the sky as he listened to the siren for a fraction of a second before grinning at Devin and T''Challa which was slightly unsettling due to the blood that stained his cheeks.

    "Guess time is up unfortunately. We''ll meet again soon and then I''ll make good on my promise." Sabretooth said before turning and dashing off into the jungle. T''Challa tried to pursue but Devin held him back.

    "Why are you stopping me?!" T''Challa demanded to know as the concious dora milaje gathered around.

    "T''Challa we have two unconcious warriors and this whole situation is suspicious as hell. We need to regroup and figure out what is going on." Devin reasoned as the warriors around him nodded in agreement as T''Challa sighed in defeat as he realized the truth of what he was told.

    "You''re right. We should check in while we wait for Zeshe and Adea to wake up." T''Challa said just before the coms that he had built into his helmet sounded.

    "That''s weird." T''Challa muttered as he answered his com. A few seconds later T''Challa went stiff as his hand fell from his ear.

    "What happened?" Devin asked as he saw the prince''s frozen stature. Slowly T''Challa''s head turned slowly to look at Devin.

    "The palace has been attacked. My father and sister have both gone missing and are presumed to have been taken by the instigators." T''Challa said with a clipped tone. Devin knew that this coinciding with what happened with Sabretooth was way too much of a coincidence.

    ''What is it with these old guys and kidnapping people!'' Devin thought as he gestured for the warriors to wake the unconcious women.

    "This whole thing was a distraction somehow and we fell for it." Devin muttered as he thought of how things went wrong. No one was left alive on Stryker''s end to report anything so it wasn''t that, but maybe the fact that Klaue couldn''t contact Stryker or anyone was what tipped him off.

    "Did you know about this?!" T''Challa demanded as he got into Devin''s face. Devin looked into the white lenses of the helmet for a full second before speaking.

    "No. If I had known about this I wouldn''t have been out here with you. I''d be back in the capital kicking Klaue''s men''s asses." Devin said as he walked over and began to sort through the dead henchmen''s pockets and gathering what he could while the groans of the waking dora milaje sounded from nearby.

    "Radio back and tell them that we''re gonna head back and help to track down where the king and your sister went." Devin said as he pocketed everything of use such as lighters and spare ammo, one guy had a grenade which he hadn''t used thankfully. After he had finished looting everything and he stored all the guns and ammo in his inventory the others were ready to head back.

    "Let''s get back and figure out what happened." Devin said as he began to walk towards the direction that the vehicles were and the others followed.

    ''This isn''t gonna be pleasant.''

 Chapter 54 - Break Out

    The drive back to the city was tense to say the least. Devin could feel the gazes from the dora milaje in the car with him. He knew how suspicious this looked to those from Wakanda. It''s gonna look like he lured them away so that Klaue could attack the capital. Devin also wondered how Klaue had even gotten that far into the capital without anyone noticing. With how much technology and surveillance that is found in the nation there should have been someone who spotted his group.

    "Mr. Price, I want to ask this now. Did you have anything to do with this?" T''Challa asked again. Devin knew that he was one of the biggest suspects right now.

    "No T''Challa, but this whole situation seems really suspicious." Devin replied as the SUVs continued through the terrain.

    "What do you mean?" One of the dora milaje asked in his vehicle before T''Challa could, though the silence that followed seemed to suggest that he wanted to hear the answer as well.

    "We leave and as we are approaching the supposed location of their hiding location. We are ambushed by members of Klaue''s group like they knew we were coming. Then while we are engaging that group, another group assaults the capital, getting through all the security and surveillance unseen, to make off with your father and sister." Devin said as they rounded a corner at high speeds.

    "What are you trying to say?" T''Challa asked with a tone suspicion and slight anger.

    "What I''m saying is that I think there is someone that is not only keeping tabs on you, but also reported my arrival and our plan to attack. Once is a coincidence, but twice is a conspiracy and the fact that two unexpected events happened that were related to one another definitely means something is up." Devin said as they could see the capital and the columns of smoke that were probably the results from the attack.

    "Mr. Price, we''ll need to find out what happened and we will get to the bottom of this. I just hope that you are telling the truth about your involvement." T''Challa said as they road through the streets and pull up to the palace. Upon stepping out of the vehicle, Devin was surrounded by dora milaje with their spear points at his neck. Devin placed his hands up in surrender as the rest got out.

    "You are being summoned by the council to be judged as an accomplice and conspirator to the kidnapping of the king and princess." Okoye stated as she glared at Devin.

    "Okoye stop. He had nothing to do with what happened!" T''Challa said as he walked over with his mask removed.

    "I''m sorry my prince but this has been ordered by the council." Okoye said as she waved for Devin and his new guards to start moving.

    "T''Challa, it''s gonna be fine. Remember what I said and look for ANYONE else missing." Devin siad as he looked T''Challa in the eye while emphasizing that one word. The prince nodded as Devin was escorted in.

    ***

    {2 Hours Later}

    Devin now sat in a high tech jail cell. The "meeting" was more of a farce than Devin thought it would be. More like a sentencing without the trial and a metric ton of screaming on top of a pile of accusations. Devin was told that if the king and princess were returned to them safely then they would not execute him. Devin didn''t think that was in the movies, but this wasn''t exactly the movies either. They had tried to find the weapons that he had but after a thorough search they couldn''t find a single thing, not even the gloves he had when he had arrived. Devin had put the gloves into his inventory when all the chaos broke out with the shouting.

    As he was contemplating his options, footsteps began to echo through the corridor where he was sitting. Soon T''Challa appeared in his panther suit with a neutral look plastered on his face.

    "I''m sorry this happened." T''Challa said as he stood in front of Devin''s cell.

    "Don''t worry about this. Did you find anything?" Devin asked as he stood up and moved closer to T''Challa. T''Challa nodded his head in response.

    "I''ve checked the reports and there are only two other people who are missing. One is a servant that works in the palace. She started roughly two months ago and has no previous, reasonable problems to suspect her though it doesn''t rule her out. The other was a secretary and transcriber for one of my father''s advisors. He has been working for a number of years and also has a spotless record, though there was something that caught my eye." T''Challa reported as Devin thought about the two.

    "What was it that caught your eye?" Devin asked as he thought about the possibility that it was one or both of them.

    "The secretary, N''Balli Boso, was from a small vilage on the boarder of Wakanda and his parents were killed in an accident when he was a child. He was adopted by an older couple here in the capital who were in support of revealing our country to the world. His adoptive parents passed nearly six months ago to this day." T''Challa said as he raised an eyebrow that seemed to say "Suspicious huh?" to Devin.

    "We can''t rule them both out, but for now you need to start tracking where they took your family. Knowing Klaue, he''ll most likely try to ransom them for a large quantity of Vibranium. I''d help but I''m not going anywhere right now." Devin said ending with a chuckle.

    "And who says you are not helping?" T''Challa asked as he passed his kimoyo beads in front of a panel that the guards had used to close Devin in earlier. Devin raised his own eyebrow as he stepped out.

    "This could get you in some real deep trouble you know that?" Devin asked as the two looked eye to eye.

    "I believe that you are telling the truth just as my father believed in you enough to send you with me on that mission in the beginning. I just hope that that belief is correct." T''Challa said before holding out his hand.

    "I''ll show you how right that belief is." Devin said as he reached out his own hand and clasped T''Challa''s hand in a solid grip. As the two turned to leave a hard voice stopped them in their tracks.

    "My prince this is a serious offence that you are committing right now." came the voice of Okoye as she and two other dora milaje stepped into the hall directly into the path that Devin and T''Challa would need to take to leave. The two that backed Okoye were a pair of familiar faces to Devin. That of Ondati and Irindi from his first meeting and the beginning of all this.

    "Okoye, stand aside we are going to go get my father and sister back." T''Challa said as he took a step forward. Okoye simply shook her head before speaking.

    "I''m sorry my prince but I can''t allow that. You, get back in your cell. Now." Okoye said to T''Challa before ordering Devin back to his cell. Devin looked from them to T''Challa and back.

    "Uh how about no." Devin said as he drew out the last word.

    "You have no choice. Resist and you will be forcibly detained." Okoye said as the other two prepared their spears. T''Challa and Devin readied themselves as the two groups seemed to wait for the other to make the first move. A full minute passed before Okoye stood up and motioned for the other two to put their weapons away. This greatly confused the two men.

    "What are you doing?" T''Challa asked as he stood up and Devin followed suit though he did remain ready in case this was to throw them off guard.

    "I wanted to see your resolve for breaking out this man though I don''t approve of him coming along we might need his help. Come, walk this way. We have a vehicle prepared." Okoye said as she turned and began walking as the other two warriors followed. Devin looked at T''Challa who looked back before shrugging and then walking after them followed by the prince.

    The group snuck out of the palace after a while of dodging both people and security cameras. They got to the vehicle the three warrior women had stashed away in an alcove where prying eyes wouldn''t notice it. Loading up everyone in the vehicle the wakandans took the seats while Devin climbed into the rear compartment of the SUV.

    "Alright lets get this show on the road and save some royalty!"

 Chapter 55 - Apologies (Not a Chapter)

    I apologize to all of my wonderful readers, I was hit by a bad illness and have been bedridden for about a week now. Most of my symptoms disappeared last night and have been feeling a lot better through out today. So I will begin to finish the newest chapter tomorrow. Again, sorry bout this. I''ll try to have the chapter done for Saturday. Hope everyone else is doing okay! Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/dragons-among-heroes_14485638405508505/apologies-(not-a-chapter)_51009442795281110">/book/dragons-among-heroes_14485638405508505/apologies-(not-a-chapter)_51009442795281110</a> for visiting.

    This message will be deleted when the next chapter is uploaded.

    Peace!

 Chapter 55 - Hide and Seek

    Once the group were out of the capital and a safe distance for them to stop, they then began to figure out where Klaue and the royals could be hiding.

    "We broke you out and you have no idea where Klaue could have taken the King and Princess." Ondati said with no small amount of disappointment. Her ever silent accomplice sharing her severe look.

    ''Everyone is always so critical.''

    "Look, I have suspicions of where they could be holding out. That being said I can''t be 100% sure. If I was then we would be well on our way to kick their asses. So, shall we focus on figuring out where they are?" Devin said as he turned to look at T''Challa.

    "What are your suspicions?" T''Challa asked as he pressed a button only for a small orb to appear and light up. A holographic map popped up midair and showed a map of the country.

    "Okay, we know that at some point Klaue was at that hill we were gonna inspect the first time, but I doubt that they are still there. Their home base is way too far away from here and-" Devin began talking before a choking noise interrupted his speaking.

    "You know where their home base is?!" Okoye asked while the other two and T''Challa looked like they had eaten something incredibly rotten.

    "Yes. Now I believe that if we are able to get an aerial vi-" Devin tried to continue only to have Ondati interrupt this time.

    "If you knew where their home base was why didn''t you report that when you were speaking to the council?!" Ondati demanded as the others frowned. With a sigh Devin stopped.

    "Yes, I knew where their home base is. No, I did not tell the council where it was. This is because at the time it had no relevance to what was happening and it still doesn''t. Now, if you are done, can we focus on narrowing down where the king and princess are instead of talking about irrelevant things?" Devin said before looking at each of the other occupants before looking back at the map. To their credit they all stopped talking.

    "Okay as I was saying. If we can get an aerial view of the outlying areas we might be able to find them using thermal imaging. Since they would have a significant amount of mercenaries and personnel to do this op then we might be able to find them through their collective heat signatures as long as they are outside though the canopy might obstruct things a little." Devin explained as he looked over the map once more.

    "Okay that might not be possible as we don''t really have anyone to access any tech and do the scans. Not without contacting others in the labs which I''m sure would alert the capital to our location most likely." Okoye said as she focused on the map. This gave Devin an idea for later, but for the moment he continued to focus on the present.

    "Okay then. Do we have any knowledge on the subterranean area or cave locations that are large enough to contain roughly fifty plus men including large amounts of equipment and supplies?" Devin asked only for Irindi to point at the map.

    "There is only two such caves that I know about that fit that description. One is usually filled with water at this time of year and the other has a floor riddled with stalagmites." Irindi said which surprised Devin.

    ''She never speaks! I was beginning to think she was mute!''

    "We know that Klaue has at least one mutant and he could possibly have more so the water thing isn''t necessarily a deterrent to using the one cave." Devin said as he marked the two caves along with the hill they were originally gonna raid.

    "Are there any more areas that could be used as a refuge that we will need to check?" Devin asked as he looked at each of the others and getting nothing from them.

    "Alright where should we check first?" Devin asked as he looked around at the individuals around himself one more time.

    "I think that we should check the base that we were going to in the first place just in case they want us to look somewhere else and throw us off." T''Challa said as as Okoye shook her head.

    "I think that the caves might be a better chance at finding the king and princess." Okoye stated as the other two women looked from the prince to their captain.

    "Okay, okay. I have to agree with the prince here. We need to sweep and clear the known before moving on to the unknown. So lets get back there and check." Devin said as the others nodded and the vehicle started up again.

    ***

    Turns out the original base was a dud. When they breached the entrance after ten minutes of searching for said entrance, they found nothing but an empty concrete bunker with empty shelving here and there.

    Moving on to the caves, they started with the cave with the stalagmites first. They approached the entrance to the cave and waited to see if they can hear movement or voices, but the sound of water dripping and insect calls were the only thing they heard. Slowly they entered the cave, weapons drawn and on high alert. It looked like any big, natural cave you''d see on National Geographic, but nothing looked disturbed.

    "Nothing, Let''s go on to the last one." T''Challa said as they turned and began to leave only for something to catch Devin''s eye out of his peripherals. Walking over he crouched down and inspected a patch of dirt that seemed to be disturbed. He then saw what looked like a partial tread from a boot while the rest looked like it had been swept to make the mark disappear.

    "They were here." Devin said as the others ran back and inspected the patch he was staring at.

    "Then they have to be here." Ondati said as she started looking around once more.

    "No, not necessarily. This track is at least a week old so most likely they sent a small team to scout out this place, but lets double check everything. Just in case." Devin said as he stood up again, dusting off his hands. Spreading out everyone was checking for anything that could have been possibly missed. They combed over everything looking for switches or hidden passages.

    Just as Devin decided to take a second to think, he rested his hand on the tip of one of the stalagmites only for it to shift slightly under his hand. Removing his hand, Devin looked carefully at the formation in question and found a hairline seam where the two pieces met. Putting pressure on the tip pf the rock caused it to tip over revealing a what looked like a fingerprint scanner.

    "Found it!" Devin said as he looked at the small scanner. Soon everyone was surrounding the object.

    "Okay, we found how to get in. Now the only question is, How do we activate it?" Ondati said as she looked at the scanner before turning to the others.

    "It looks like either a biometric scanner or a fingerprint reader, Either way we''re gonna need a volunteer to open this thing up for us." Devin said as he gestured with his hand.

    "And where exactly are we going to find your so called ''Volunteer''?" Okoye asked. The faint sound of voices reached their ears and were steadily getting louder.

    ''Speak of the Devil.'' Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/dragons-among-heroes_14485638405508505/hide-and-seek_50937353648261360">/book/dragons-among-heroes_14485638405508505/hide-and-seek_50937353648261360</a> for visiting.

    "Everyone hide!" Okoye hissed as the group scattered for cover. Everyone took a spot, either hidden by stalagmites or large piles of rock. In came two men dressed in shorts and tank tops holding AKs and ammo belts strapped across them in various fashions. The man on the left had on a hat while the other a bandana.

    "You think that Klaue will be able to get the goods from the Wakandans?" Mr. Bandana asked as they continued through the cave.

    "If the Wakandans are smart then he will. If not they might need to crown someone new. Then we''ll kidnap them as well! Haha!" Mr. Hat said before stepping up to where the fake formation was and tipping the top back. Placing his middle finger on the scanner, an electronic beep was heard as the man removed his finger and closed the top of the fake.

    Just as T''Challa and the dora milaje were about to act Devin was already on the two men, daggers in his hands. With two quick swipes, Devin has impaled his daggers straight through the sides of the two men''s necks. A few gurgled noises were the only sounds made before Devin pulled the daggers back and the two men crumpled to the ground.

    Stowing the two men off to the side of the door. Devin waved for the others to enter before following.

    "Lets go say hi."

 Chapter 56 - Down the Rabbit Hole

    As the group entered the hidden base they kept their ears trained for any sign of incoming goons that would have to be either side-stepped or dealt with. As the group traveled the corridors Devin pulled up the menu and checked the level of his spirit gauges. Each one had a single charge thanks to the fight with Sabretooth and would probably be needed depending on how all of this turned out.

    "Quiet!" Okoye hissed as the group split into alcoves that occasionally lined the passageway. As they waited with baited breath, soon the thump of boots could be heard coming down the corridor in a steady rhythm. There was only one set judging by the sounds that Devin could hear. Just as the man came into sight Devin drove his knee into the man''s diaphragm, driving the air from the man''s lungs. Before the man could recover his breath Devin wrapped his arms around the guy''s throat in a reverse chokehold resulting in an unconscious body ten seconds later. Dragging the body into the alcove Devin checked the corridor along with Okoye only to see it clear once more.

    "Let''s go." Devin whispered as the group set off once more. Wandering down the hall lead them to a "T" shaped intersection. A door on either side gave the group a choice.

    "Left or Right?" Devin whispered as they looked from one to the other. Okoye and T''Challa pointed to the left while the other two pointed to the right. This caused Devin to facepalm before nodding to the left.

    ''When nothing goes right, go left.''

    The group piled up around the door before Devin reached his hand out to turn the handle. Peaking through the crack, Devin found another hall filled with doors. Opening the door all the way, the group stepped in and looked at the doors.

    "Where do you think these lead to?" T''Challa asked as he stepped up to a door.

    "I think that these might be the barracks for Klaue''s men." Devin said as he looked at another door.

    "Only one way to find out. Everyone take a door and be ready." Devin said as he grabbed the door handle. Seeing everyone do the same Devin mimed a countdown from three and then opened his door. The room was bare but for a bunkbed on a wall and a pair of footlockers on the other. On the back wall was a simple wooden desk that had an old oil lamp on it. Stepping back out of the room found the others leaving theirs as well.

    "Barracks, just like I thought, but lets check the others just in case." Devin said as they moved on to the next set of rooms. After clearing all of the rooms, the group backtracked to the intersection and started for the right door this time. The crack in the door showed an old open-cage elevator as well as another door. Stepping into the room, T''Challa opened the elevator and looked around while Devin checked the other door. The door lead to a stairwell that descended into the base.

    "Lets take the stairs. It''s quieter and there''s less chance that we''ll run into someone." Devin said as he entered the stairwell and looked over the railing. There only seemed to be three levels including the one they were on.

    "Sounds logical, lead on." T''Challa said as he stepped up beside Devin to look down as well. The group descended carefully as there was still a possibility that someone could be using the stairs for some reason. The group figured that the king and princess had to be on the third floor as Klaue would want them to be as far from the exit as possible. On reaching the third floor the group found yet another hallway with doors that were made in an alternating pattern. These doors were heavy duty steel ones that had a sliding bar that would prevent any one from opening them. In the first room they found food and other supplies. The second room was filled with munitions and other weapons. There were multiple racks of guns, crates of ammo, and at least a dozen types of explosives. T''Challa wanted to rig the place to explode, but Devin told him they had to find his father and sister first.

    The third room was the jackpot for the group. Inside they found that a set of prison bars and a barred gate had been added. Behind this was King T''Chaka and Shuri with their hands bound with rope.

    "Father!" T''Challa said as he rushed to the bars. Unfortunately. as soon as he touched them he was sent flying back and nearly smashing into the wall if not for Devin''s quick reaction in catching the flying man.

    "You okay?" Devin asked as he set T''Challa down to look him over.

    "Yes, though my ears are ringing slightly. What happened?" T''Challa asked as he stood up with a little help from Devin and one of the dora milaje.

    "I think the bars are heavily electrified. Your suit is made from vibranium correct?" Devin asked, getting a nod as he walked over to the bars and examined the areas where the bars met the walls, floor, and ceiling.

    "Then you''re lucky to survive. Your vibranium is highly conductive." Devin said as he found a small metal conductor plate in-between the wall and one of the support bars that ran along the cylindrical bars that separated the group from the missing royalty. As Devin examined the bars T''Challa and Okoye approached to try and rouse the two captives.

    "Father, Sister wake up!" the prince whispered loudly. The two began to slowly wake as Devin continued to examine the plate he found.

    "Can you turn off or nullify the electricity?" Ondati asked as she stepped up to stand behind Devin.

    "I''m not sure. There is a chance that if I break the circuit it could alert Klaue to the fact that someone has broken these two out." Devin said as he went back to checking every spot on the walls. He noticed that T''Challa and Okoye had managed to awaken the two captives and were conversing with them in a different language which he assumed was their native tongue.

    "Hmm. looks like this whole thing is controlled from another location. We are gonna have to find that room before we can get these two out of here." Devin said as he stepped up to T''Challa and informed him to which he nodded.

    "I''m gonna check the last room in the hall. You guys take your time and then we''ll head to the secondary level. I''d bet my last dollar that that is where the control panel for the cell is." Devin said as he got yet another nod. Slipping out of the room, Devin checked that they were still alone and found the hall just as empty. Walking the handful of feet to the last room found Devin standing before another steel door with a half dozen standard padlocks added to the steel bar sealing the door. Devin reached forward and wrapped his hand around the padlocks before wrenching with all his strength. The padlocks snapped like a dry twig and he moved on to the rest. Devin''s bloodline not only gave him enhanced speed, magic, and wings, but enhanced strength though nothing insane. More like just above the strength of a peak performance human. Devin figured that once he got the Giganto Bloodline he would have strength to rival many of the heroes he would eventually meet.

    Opening the door Devin found a single rack roughly two feet tall and three wide sitting on a steel table with four glass tubes sitting randomly in the eight slots. Inside of the tubes was a long bar of irregularly shaped metal that almost seemed to glow with a blue light. This was vibranium! Devin knew that this was one of the materials he was hoping to get from this little adventure. He stowed three of the four and left the tube with the smallest amount out in his hand.

    ''Time for some misdirection.'' Devin thought as he headed back to the cell room with the tube in hand. Stepping into the room found the four still conversing with the king and princess only to whip around and glare at Devin when he opened the door and stepped in.

    "Easy. It''s me." Devin said with his hands raised. The group relaxed at once and motioned him over.

    "What did you find?" Okoye and T''Challa asked at the same time before glancing at one another.

    "Not much. The last room was locked down with a dozen padlocks, but I broke them pretty quick. The only thing I found inside was this tube. Is this what I think this is?" Devin said as he handed the tube to T''Challa who looked at the tube with his eyes wide open in surprise.

    "Vibranium." T''Challa said a he rolled the tube back and forth as he studied the contents.

    "Thought so. Looks like Klaue is running low if this was all I could find." Devin said. T''Challa handed the tube through the bars of the cell to his father.

    "Hold onto this for now. Once we manage to find the controls to these bars we will come and get you out of here." T''Challa said as his father nodded in agreement.

    "Be careful son and Mister Price?" T''Chaka said as Devin turned back to look at the older man.

    "Thank you." T''Chaka said as he nodded his head. Devin merely nodded back as he turned once more and headed for the door. Okoye decided that Ondati and Irindi were to remain behind in the room with the cell just in case Klaue decided to move the pair to somewhere else. The three moved back to the stairwell, but Devin told the other two that he wanted to grab some things from the armory they had found and waved them on saying he would meet them at the second floor door. Devin stepped into the room. He gathered everything into his inventory as fast as possible and soon he had a stockpile of weapons and explosives ready to decimate a small army and he would put them to good use.

 Chapter 57 - Explosive Exfiltration

    As the trio crept up the stairs Devin decided to add some surprises for later. Devin searched through the explosives till he found a half dozen proximity mines. Placing them at specific spots on the stairwell so that they wouldn''t be noticed, he placed them but didn''t arm them so that they can be saved for later. Cracking open the door to the second level found yet another corridor lined with doors.

    ''Why do all evil lairs seem too be long corridors filled with doors?'' Devin thought as the three stepped in with weapons drawn. Devin had his dagger in a reverse grip and his pistol drawn. T''Challa had his claws ready and Okoye had a dagger of her own ready.

    Each room was filled various pieces of equipment or other items. Another room had another rack like the one that Devin had found below with the vibranium in it, but this one was completely empty. Another room had a set up similar to an operating room with the surgical table and equipment. After searching each room and finding nothing they followed the corridor till they reached the end and that was connected to an adjacent hall with one singular door at the end.

    "This has got to be the room." Devin muttered as the other two nodded. Counting down from three Devin opened the door just enough for them all to slip through unnoticed. The room was dim with only the light from numerous monitors illuminating the faces of the numerous men standing and watching the massive screen on the wall that showed footage of the capital as well as all the damage done. Devin could see Creed standing near the front and next was Klaue and what looked like a woman in a billowing black cloak. There were also several dozen men either doing things on nearby consoles or watching the same video feed of the capital as the others.

    "Once we have the vibranium then I can uphold my end of the deal with you guys as well as much, much more. Haha!" Klaue boomed as he then turned and looked at Sabretooth and the cloaked lady.

    "See that you do. My organization is expecting you to deliver on what you promised. If you don''t then they wont let you off easily." the chilling voice of the woman came out.

    "I will, I will. Things have gone off without a hitch so far. Just a little longer and we''ll all have what we want." Klaue said as he turned back to the monitor.

    "Not me, I want that brat that sliced my arm. I''m not leaving here without him!" snarled Sabretooth as he continued to flex his hand that had been disconnected from him not too long ago.

    "Relax my savage friend. Even I''m not sure if you''ll get to meet him again. Isn''t that right N''Balli?" Klaue asked as another man stepped closer from nearby. This must be the secretary that Devin had been told about by T''Challa.

    "Yes sir. I have personally checked on the situation with the man that came to warn the council of our plans and he was imprisoned till the safe return of the king and his daughter. Though I did have to take care of one of the servants as she saw me eavesdropping on the meeting when I should have been working." N''Balli said in a relaxed manner that didn''t show that he was talking about the fact that he had killed a person, but rather that he was maybe speaking about the weather or what he might have for lunch.

    "Damn it!" Sabretooth growled as his fist smacked loudly into his palm in agitation. Devin hearing this looked at T''Challa and nodded his head.

    "What do we do?" whispered T''Challa asked as he looked at the man that had caused all of the problems that they were currently facing.

    "We need to find the controls for the cell first and foremost. Then we can worry about this lot." Devin replied just as quietly. The other two nodded before they split up and began checking consoles here and there to see if they could spot the controls. A minute later Devin and T''Challa saw Okoye wave her hand at them quickly before dropping it so as not to be seen. The two men slowly moved over to her to not cause any sound and attract attention. Soon the three saw a panel that had a row of monitors and panels filled with switches. There were only to monitors lit up at that time. One showed the room where the cell was while the other showed the room where the vibranium was being kept on the rack Devin had found.

    ''Thankfully they were all so preoccupied with what was happening in the capital to not pay attention to the monitors, but where are Klaue''s men?'' Devin thought as he hit the switch labeled open next to the cell monitor. He saw that the cell door popped slightly ajar and the two dora milaje had ran over and collected the King and princess before ushering them from the cell. He then turned off the monitors just in case. As Devin motioned for the two Wakandans to head for the door a loud sniffing could be heard now and Devin knew that what would happen next.

    "Mmm, we have guests." Devin heard Sabretooth sneer from across the room.

    ''Well shit.'' Devin thought as he froze where he was. Devin''s mind was running a mile a minute as he tried to figure out how to get them out of there.

    "Come on out now!" Sabretooth demanded. Devin nodded his head in the direction of the door while holding up three fingers and a flashbang grenade that he pulled from his inventory. T''Challa and Okoye both nodded in acceptance as Devin started to countdown from three.

    "Either you come out of hiding or I''ll drag you out, piece by piece." Sabretooth threatened as Devin heard more than a few people shuffling around from the other side of the room. On the count of one Devin pulled the pin and lobbed the grenade up and over the the machine he was behind. As soon as the thunderous bang went off the two Wakandans sprinted for the door and got out with Devin right behind. Devin channeled enough fire magic into his hand to fuse the metal of the handle and lock so the door wouldn''t open.

    Upon reaching the door to the stairwell, the trio found that the King and the Princess were already at the top of the stairs and headed through the door. A shout of surprise and warning followed as Devin turned for the stairs leading down instead of the ones leading to the surface.

    "Where are you going?!" Okoye and T''Challa shouted after Devin. Devin stopped at the bottom and armed the first mine. As he started back towards the top of the stairs he was arming each of the mines though not moving too quickly after arming them. As he got back to the second floor he could hear the door he had sealed being torn open finally. As he headed for the top Devin placed a couple more armed mines before reaching the top. The sound of pounding feet coming up the stairs as well as the clanging sound of the elevator hinted to Devin that right now might be a good time to run for it.

    "Shit, shit, shit!" Devin repeated as he ran for the entrance as the first explosion rocked the underground structure. Devin made it through the door as the explosions continued and then headed for the cavemouth. After getting out of the cave Devin found that the SUV that they had brought with them was gone and only T''Challa and Okoye were standing in the clearing outside, fully armed and ready for a fight.

    "What are those explosions?" T''Challa asked as Devin caught up to them.

    "I left a few surprises to help whittle down the small fry though I somehow doubt that Klaue, Creed, and the mystery lady are actually dead down there." Devin said as he regained his breath.

    "And you''d be right." came the voice of Klaue from on top of the cliff that the cave was carved into. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=14485638405508505)/explosive-exfiltration_%!d(string=51662398351798808)">#%!d(string=14485638405508505)/explosive-exfiltration_%!d(string=51662398351798808)</a> for visiting.

    "Sigh, it''s never that easy." Devin muttered under his breath as he turned and looked to see the three from earlier standing on the ledge of the cliff.

 Chapter 58 - Slaying the Beast

    Of the three individuals standing on the ledge, Sabretooth looked maniacally happy to see them, Klaue looked slightly pissed, and the hooded woman was still shrouded in mystery due to her hood. As the villainous trio looked at Devin and the two wakandans, an almost static tension seemed to fill the air. This tension was then broken by the deranged laughter of Sabretooth.

    "Finally! Now I can rip your arms off for cutting off mine earlier!" Sabretooth shouted as he jumped from the cliff and headed for Devin. Devin readied himself for another round.

    "You two take care of the other ones. I''ll try and finish this rabid animal off once and for all." Devin said right before he was tackled by Sabretooth and the two rolled away. Devin couldn''t really make heads or tails of just how far they had ended up rolling, though this could have been because he was dodging claws and punches while returning his own punches. Summoning his dagger to his hand, Devin tried stabbing but all of his more fatal blows were being blocked just as much as the superficial ones were landing.

    Devin had just enough spirit points saved up thanks to the previous fight as well as the explosions from just a minute ago to use each spirit once for a short period of time, but he didn''t want to waste it at the moment. Devin and Sabretooth continued to fight it out in close quarters with neither one getting the upper hand. Devin was fast and slipped out of his opponent''s grasp time and again while Sabretooth''s healing factor and brute strength gave him an advantage over Devin. Soon Devin managed to get a foot wedged between the two and shove with all his might.

    "F.u.c.k you!" Devin ground out as he launched Sabretooth backwards through the air and slamming into a tree. Devin stood up with only a split lip to show for the rumble he just went through. Sabretooth on the other hand jumped up and looked no worse for wear. Devin knew that he had to do something either to counter act the mutant''s healing factor or Deal enough damage in one go so as to make sure that he couldn''t heal. Devin remembered that in the movies Wolverine had talked about trying to cut his head off and see if that worked. It had killed that terrible version of Deadpool, though that was with Wolverine''s claws being super-heated so maybe if he channeled fire magic through his blades before lopping off the man''s head then he could actually permanently kill the psychotic mutant. Should probably cremate the remains once he was done.

    With a flick of his wrist, Devin flipped his daggers around before letting a slow trickle of fire mana slip into each blade till the edges glowed orange with heat. This caused Sabretooth to raise an eyebrow in response.

    "Oh, shiny." the mutant said sarcastically, causing Devin to roll his eyes. Devin ran forward to swipe his dagger at Sabretooth only for the man to lean back to narrowly dodge the swipe. Devin kept on the offensive jabbing and slashing as some small nicks landed on his opponent only for them to heal, though slower than a normal cut would.

    "You''re good kid. I''d bet you''d even give the runt a run for his money, but there is one big difference here." Sabretooth said right before he caught Devin''s wrists to keep him from impaling the blades in the mans shoulders.

    "I''ve been at this longer." Sabretooth said with a sneer. The two struggled for a second, back and forth right before Devin made a simple decision and kicked his opponent right between the legs. Sabretooths eyes widened comically right before he staggered back with one hand holding his now injured jewels as Devin returned the sneer.

    "Grow those back." Devin said as he extended his wings from his back. Devin pumped more and more mana into the wings as he waited for Creed to stand up once more. He needed to do this fast. Faster, fast enough that Creed wouldn''t have time to dodge or react so he continued to pump mana into his wings.

    Creed stumbled to his feet as Devin looked up and readied his daggers by adding a sliver more fire mana so that the blades went from orange to white hot. Devin launched himself forward in a blur. Soon there was a wet sound of something solid passing through something wet and then Devin was standing ten feet beyond where Creed was. As Devin turned to look Creed was holding his throat, a staggering step forward was the deciding factor as the jarring force from that step caused his head to slowly tip forward and then detach from his neck. The head bounced twice before coming to a stop roughly the same time as the body hit the ground. Devin waited with baited breath as he watched for any sign of the body to move. When a full minute passed and nothing happened then Devin let out a sigh of relief.

    "Jeez, glad that worked!" Devin said as he wiped the sweat off his brow. Walking over to the body and severed head, Devin was about to torch both when he remembered another little detail from the Origins movie that initially made him ill to consider, but after a moment more of thought he decided to store Creeds body just on the off chance that he might have to go ahead with the idea. Once the head and body were stowed in his inventory, Devin looked for his teammates.

    T''Challa was still fighting Klaue from what Devin could see. The more concerning fight was Okoye and the mysterious woman in the cloak. Okoye was on the ground and seemed to be muttering to herself. Devin decided to check and see what the mystery woman was doing. Looking at the woman standing roughly a dozen feet away from Okoye, Devin couldn''t tell if she was even breathing with how still she was. The only movement was of a slightly pale, yellow fog that seemed to be drifting from underneath her cloak and dissipating into the surrounding air. This fog must be what incapacitated Okoye though how it did so is just as mysterious as its owner.

    "Okoye! Are you okay?!" Devin shouted at the downed woman, but silence was his response. Devin knew that he needed to help her, but in order to do so he needed to find a way around that fog.

 Chapter 59 - The Fog Rolls In

    Devin circled around the fog as he looked for a decent way to get near Okoye. The fog would obscure her figure before clearing enough for Devin to see her once again. Devin couldn''t figure out exactly what the fog would do if he touched it just from looking at Okoye, but whatever its effect was definitely wasn''t something he wanted to be hit by. As Devin continued to circle, looking for an opening, Okoye sat straight up and let out an ear-piercing scream before collapsing once more and curling in on herself to the fetal position.

    "Okay I need to get her out of there soon." Devin muttered as he released his wings once more. Devin kept time of the movements of the fog and soon he saw an opening. Devin blurred forward and reached Okoye in a fraction of a second. Picking her up, Devin turned only to find that his opening had already closed with a wall of swirling, pale yellow fog.

    "Shit!" Devin cursed as he looked for another opening only to find himself in a dome of pale yellow. Devin contemplated his options on how to get out. He could try blowing away some of the fog with a fireball or maybe some other magical means. Devin really didn''t want to use his only transformation on getting out of this, but he might have to. Gathering fire mana into his palm after shifting Okoye to one shoulder. Once he had a full fledged fireball in hand he let it loose and watched as it slipped right through the fog without doing anything.

    ''If the fire itself wont affect it then maybe if I lob it and it explodes near the wall then the concussive wave might do it.'' Devin thought as he generated another fireball. this one he aimed at the ground right before the wall before launching it. The orb of fire streaked through the air once more before impacting with the ground and exploding. The fog concaved from the pressure wave to the point that it became translucent enough to see the outside. Devin decided to lob one more before making a break for it. One more explosion followed before Devin began to run for it. He had to run as he was getting dangerously low on mana and wanted to conserve the last bit just in case so his wings were not extended.

    Devin managed to make it out of the dome just before it closed. Once he was out he turned to look at the woman as he set Okoye down only to see the hooded woman looking in his direction. He could feel her eyes on him even though they weren''t visible. She didn''t move nor speak, just stared at him. Like she couldn''t quite understand how he had managed to escape.

    "Who are you?" a whispery voice said from all around Devin. Devin whirled around looking for the source of the voice.

    ''It couldn''t have been the cloaked lady. I can at least see her mouth and it hasn''t moved.'' Devin thought as he surveyed the surrounding area with his peripherals while eyeing the woman again.

    "Was that you?" Devin finally asked the woman as he flicked his eyes to Okoye to see if she had come around. She had regained a good portion of her color as she had been extremely pale when he had set her down a minute ago, but she still hadn''t moved.

    "Who are you?" the voice asked again as the woman turned fully to face Devin.

    "It''s usually polite to give your name first before asking for another persons." Devin countered as he watched the woman. The sounds of fighting continued from nearby as T''Challa continued to battle Klaue.

    "I am Affliction. Who are you?" the woman said as Devin now believed that the voice was from the woman.

    "My name is Devin. Why are you here?" Devin asked. If he could keep her talking for the moment then it would give Okoye a chance to recover and T''Challa a chance to finish his fight.

    "I was given a task. I need to finish my task." Affliction replied as she continued to stare at Devin.

    "What task was that?" Devin asked as he looked back to check on Okoye. Seeing her still unconscious, Devin turned back and found that Affliction was standing five feet in front of himself.

    "Retrieve the metal from Klaue. I can''t go back without completing my task." Affliction said as she raised her hand palm up. Then an orb of the yellow fog began to coalesce above her palm similar to Devin''s fireball. Soon she lobbed it copying Devin''s actions from earlier. Devin seeing the orb coming his way dove away before retreating to a safer distance. As the orb landed it expanded ten times in size before dissipating. Devin turned to look at his opponent only to see another orb flying his way. Devin began to run as he didn''t want to get hit by whatever that stuff was. Devin pulled out a handgun from his inventory and fired at the woman but as each bullet hit her, a small hole would appear in her body with the same gas that she was controlling was lining the hole.

    "Oh goodie, she''s one of those bad guys. Feels like a One Piece rip off. Eiichiro Oda is gonna sue someone." Devin said as he continued his run. Soon Affliction switched from throwing orbs to a full on stream of pale yellow fog being blasted from her palms like a giant flamethrower. Devin her a feminine groan signaling that Okoye had finally awoken. Devin reangled himself towards his companion as he was still being pursued by a stream of fog. Devin hauled the confused Okoye up onto her feet and began pulling her along.

    "What is going on?" Okoye asked as she finally got with the program and began to run along side Devin.

    "Don''t you remember fighting her?" Devin asked as how could she forget fighting Affliction in the first place.

    "It wasn''t a fight, one moment I was about to engage her when I got hit by some kind of mist and next thing I know it''s like I''m in a horrible nightmare and can''t wake up. After that I woke up on the ground." Okoye said as the pair dodged another lobbed orb before it exploded. As the pair continued their dodging another shout came from nearby before it cut off abruptly. Soon, T''Challa joined them to help tackle the last villain. Though this caused the woman to pause.

    "Looks like I won''t finish my task." Affliction said with a sigh and with a wave of her hand she began to disapate.

    "Hold it!" T''Challa shouted as the woman was disappearing.

    "Don''t worry, Leviathan will eventually come find you and then I will have finished my task." Affliction said right before she disappeared. After waiting to see if the woman was coming back, Devin began to speak.

    "Well we managed two out of three. Let''s get back." Devin said as he started for the trailers.

 Chapter 60 - Return of the King

    After a few minutes of walking Devin and the two wakanadans found the others waiting for them beside the parked vehicle some distance from it''s original parking location. Seeing that everyone was in one piece and relatively unharmed. The group began to buckle in for the trip back with Okoye once again driving while T''Challa rode in the passenger seat. The King and princess were in the back seat with Devin, while the last of the dora milaje were packed into the storage area. King T''Chaka hadn''t let go of the tube filled with vibranium the entire time apparently.

    Devin had raided Klaue''s body and had stashed everything that he thought was of consequence as well as things that weren''t. It had taken a hot minute to get his prosthetic arm removed, but eventually he managed to figure it out.

    ''Never thought, ever in my life, that I would be robbing dead bodies. Or just taking dead bodies period.'' Devin morbidly mused as he remembered Sabretooth''s corpse in his storage, ''Guess things change, sometimes for the weird, but what part of this whole situation isn''t weird.''

    King T''Chaka had been concerned about his son when the group had returned and was currently listening in concentration as Devin and T''Challa took turns recounting all of the happenings that had occurred after his subsequent kidnapping along side the princess and their confinement.

    "Ondati told me some after we encountered that traitor N''Balli and she put him down." T''Chaka said as he frowned in remembrance.

    ''Ah shit, I forgot all about him. Well guess karma got him in the end.'' Devin thought as he remembered the backstabber.

    For the next period of time they traveled in silence, each person reflecting on their experiences from the past day or so. Devin was busy thinking of all the plans he had, not only for himself, but for Izabela and the kids. Some were still a ways off from being feasible until certain events came about.

    ''I need one more piece of the puzzle before I can start on my plans for Izabela and that mission. Yana is basically becoming a waterbender from Avatar so might need to get her some kind of container to hold some water in secret like Katara used to in the show. Henric is gaining new mutations left and right, but the majority of them seem to be physical changes instead of metaphysical. His mutation seems similar to Beast''s mutation though I do hope he doesn''t turn blue eventually too.'' Devin ticked off in his mind as he thought about his adopted family back home in New York.

    At first he was just trying to do something he thought was right when he brought them over from Sokovia, but looking back on it now he realized that his motives were not what he thought they were. He had just died and lost not only his two best friends, but his parents and everything he had ever known. Then he was thrown into a whole new world with a new identity and superpowers that require him to fight and sometimes kill in order to advance. So, when he found others that he could semi-identify with and could kinda understand what he was going through, he was becoming attached to them.

    They arrived at the wakandan capital not too long after though Devin opted for T''Chaka and Shuri to get out of the vehicle so that he didn''t replay the same scene as last time where he gets arrested as soon as he steps foot out of the vehicle. Been there, done that, not happening again. Thankfully, letting the royals go first got all the dora milaje and others to back off. Stepping out of the vehicle next, some Wakandans had complicated looks while others still looked hostile. A handful looked grateful after realizing that Devin had arrived with their king. Devin followed as all three members of the royal family headed up the steps surrounded by dora milaje. Devin then saw an older woman standing at the top of the steps with two dora milaje.

    ''Who is that?'' Devin thought as the group kept up their pace ascending the stairs. Devin got his answer when T''Chaka stepped up to the woman and enveloped her in a hug before Shuri got her turn, then T''Challa.

    ''Guess that''s the queen. Huh, neat.'' Devin decided right before the queen turned to look at him. Freezing on the spot Devin waited to see what she would do. The woman was still resplendent even though she was older. Her skin was smooth and unmarred by age except for the small laugh lines at the corners of her eyes that spoke of happier times in the past. She wore a gown of indigo trimmed with gold designs along the top with an ornate piece connecting the gown to a choker around her slender neck. Perched atop her head was a matching headdress of the same indigo color with her hair tucked up under it as Devin could see the silhouette through the thin material that made up the headdress.

    "You must be the foreigner that I''ve heard so much about these last few days. I am Queen Ramonda, wife of King T''Chaka and mother of Prince T''Challa and Princess Shuri." the woman informed Devin with a regal tone.

    "It is a pleasure to meet you your highness." Devin said as he bowed to the woman before standing up again. She continued to stare at him for a full minute more before she stepped forward and hugged him. Devin froze on contact, not knowing what to do before a whisper entered his ear from the queen.

    "Thank you for bringing my family home safe." Ramonda whispered into Devin''s ear which caused Devin to relax and return the gesture briefly before letting go and stepping back with a smile that matched the one worn by the queen. Looking at the other members of the royal family to see smiles on all of their faces as well. Soon T''Chaka motioned for them to continue on. The now larger group moved on till they reached the council room which was filled with the same people as on Devin''s previous visits. The majority were scowling at Devin until King T''Chaka took his seat with his family standing around him.

    "Why is this foreigner still here. Remove him from here and place him in a cell. He should be tried for his part in this catastrophe." one of the male elders said as he waved dora milaje in Devin''s direction.

    "Mr. Price had nothing to do with what happened. He shall be left alone and will be receiving the negotiated reward from us." King T''Chaka stated as the other elders began to protest before the king raised his voice and demanded silence.

    "This man helped to save not only me and my daughter but also aided my son in eliminating a serious threat to our country. Klaue is dead as well as his accomplices and we have this man to partially thank for that." T''Chaka stated causing some to frown while others seem to still be in favor of kicking Devin out.

    ''Glad to see that the geriatric community is still as ornery as ever.'' Devin thought as a smirk of his own crossed his own features. Soon the meeting was over after roughly another forty-five minutes of retelling the tale of what happened with a generous side of debate/arguing. At the end Devin was invited to spend one more night within the palace while his reward was being prepped for his departure.

    After getting escorted to his room once again and a delicious meal of flaky fish served with vegetables and rice quickly devoured, Devin was relaxing on the couch in the lounge area when a knock on his door alerted him.

    ''Am I ever gonna get away from this deja vu or is this just what I''m gonna have to deal with forever from here on out?'' Devin thought as a heavy sigh exited his lungs as he reached out and turned the handle to see who his visitor was this time. What he wasn''t counting on was to have the king and queen staring back at him from the other side of the threshold.

    "Good evening Mr. Price. Pardon the intrusion, but may we come in and speak with you for a moment?" T''Chaka asked as Queen Ramonda gave a small nod.

    "Oh course. It''s your palace so please come in." Devin said as he stepped to the side and motioned for them to come in with a wave of his hand and a small bow. The royal couple stepped through with Okoye right behind them with two more dora milaje behind her. Once everyone was situated Devin sat down as well.

    "I would like to start off by thanking you once more for rescuing not only me, but my daughter as well. Without you lending a hand I doubt things would have gone as smoothly as they did." T''Chaka said as both him and his wife bowed their heads slightly.

    "It''s fine. I just wish we could have resolved everything without you guys getting kidnapped, but in the end you are all safe and Klaue is dead. Job well done I guess." Devin said as he accepted their thanks gratefully.

    "Another thing that I wish to ask you about was something mentioned by my son as well as Captain Okoye. This woman that escaped at the end mentioned an organization called Leviathan. Have you heard anything about this group before?" T''Chaka asked as Devin rubbed his chin in contemplation while he filed through all the memories he had on the marvel universe. The name sounded familiar for some reason though for the life of him, Devin could not remember where he had heard it.

    "I''m sorry. The name sounds familiar, but I can''t recall where I''ve heard it or if I''m mistaken." Devin said as he shrugged while T''Chaka nodded in understanding.

    "Well we will be looking into this organization and we''ll keep you apprised of what we find." T''Chaka said as him and his queen stood.

    "Sounds good. I''ll do the same if I hear anything." Devin said as he shook the king''s hand once more before the royal pair left though Okoye stopped at the door and said something to the two other guards and bowed to the king before returning into the room and shutting the door. The fact that she was doing so raised a few questions in Devin''s mind at what she was up to. She stood facing Devin only a couple feet from where he stood.

    "Something I can help you with?" Devin asked as the silence was becoming weird for him. A heavy sigh from Okoye was released before she began to speak.

    "I also wish to thank you for saving my life. That woman had me trapped and I probably would have died in her clutches if you had not intervened. I am not in the habit of leaving debts unpaid, especially life debts. So I would like to offer you not only this present, but should you have need of help in the future then feel free to call on me and I will do my best to help you to the best of my abilities." Okoye said as she pulled a wooden case that was roughly two feet long and as wide a his palm from behind her back which confused Devin greatly.

    ''Where was she hiding that?'' Devin pondered as he reached out to take the box. Opening it he found what looked like a spear head with a handle more suited for a dagger than the spear head attached to it. Pulling the weapon from the box Devin noticed a button on the side of the haft, so he pressed it with his thumb. This in turn caused the weapon to telescope out into a full sized spear. Testing the weight Devin stepped back a half dozen steps before twirling the spear before jabbing a few times. A press of the same button caused the spear to shrink once more as Devin nodded.

    "Nice, thank you so much for this gift. I do have a question about your other statement though." Devin said to which Okoye nodded in an affirmative to ask her his question, "If you are the Captain of the dora milaje and I live in New York the how would you be able to help me? Are you even allowed to leave Wakanda?"

    Okoye was about to respond when she stopped. A perplexed look crossed his face as she pondered her own offer. Devin could see that she had the gears of her mind turning at full speed to figure everything else out. He then decided to step in and help.

    "Captain, let me help you with this. There will come a time in the future that I might need your help, but for the moment you can help me by keeping an eye on both the king and the prince." Devin said as he placed the spear back into the case before snapping it shut.

    "I already do though I feel like you''re trying to tell me something else." Okoye said as her expression morphed from confused to seriousness. She then crossed her arms and waited for Devin to respond.

    "Something is coming Okoye and I can''t speak on any details, but what I can tell you is that should either the prince or the king leave this country for any reason you need to make sure that they are covered against any and all threats. You understand?" Devin said before Okoye nodded her head.

    "Alright though I would appreciate more details about this supposed threat." Okoye said with a little heat to her voice.

    "Relax, any threats are a ways off at the moment. I promise to contact you and give you an update before anything should happen. Alright?" Devin said as he held out his hand.

    "Alright, but I should be going now. Have a good night Mr. Price." Okoye said as she shook his hand then headed towards the door.

    "You as well." Devin said as he watched the woman leave. Devin walked to the bedroom to change and get ready for bed.

    ''Well, last night in the capital and tomorrow I get to go home with a little extra something. It''ll be good to see Izabela and the kids, not to mention sleeping in my own bed. Alright time for some shut-eye.'' Devin thought as he laid his head on his pillow and soon was out like a light.

 Chapter 61 - Walk in the Light, Shadows in the Dark

    Waking up to a feeling of excitement and a small amount of relief at the realization that he would be going home, Devin was ready to go in record time. He left the room after a quick breakfast of some kind of rice and vegetable mixture along with a glass of water. Having eaten and left his room Devin walked down the hall only to turn the corner and have a small form run into his midsection before rebounding and falling to the ground. Looking down, Devin found the sprawled out form of Shuri on the ground looking confused while her dora milaje bodyguard kneeled next to her to check if she was okay.

    "Are you alright?" Devin asked as he bent over and offered his hand to the young royal. She was wearing a sleeveless white dress that had a mesh material for the neck and shoulders. Her hair was gathered into two buns on the back of her head. The young girl took his hand before being pulled up to her feet.

    "Sorry, I didn''t want to miss saying good bye before you left." Shuri said as she dusted off her dress before looking up at Devin with a smile.

    "Well then, allow me to escort you outside before I leave." Devin said with a flourish and a bow that made Shuri laugh. They then turned and headed towards where the front of the building was located. They exchanged small talk along the way. Shuri told him that she was still looking into the ideas that he had given her before her abduction. She said she had made some breakthroughs though she was still a bit of a ways off from having a working proto-type. Soon they reached the main hall and the front door to the building. He could see quite the grouping outside through the transparent sections on the ornate doors. Stepping through the doors he found the rest of the royal family as well as Okoye and the rest of her squad. Stepping forward Devin took King T''Chaka''s hand.

    "This has been quite the time having you here as our guest my friend." T''Chaka said as he shook Devin''s hand.

    "I agree with you there." Devin said with a grin before turning to shake hands with T''Challa who grinned back.

    "Maybe next time you could visit without bullets and evil organizations being involved." T''Challa joked as he released Devin''s hand.

    "Yeah hopefully though I''m gonna go ahead and keep my fingers crossed, just in case." Devin said before turning to the Matriarch of the Royal Family and her daughter beside her.

    "Once again, thank you for saving my family. You will always be welcome here." Queen Ramonda said before giving a short bow that Devin returned in kind. Once he was standing back up, Devin saw Shuri step forward and present a small black box with both hands. Devin reached out and took the box from the teen before opening it. Inside was a shiny silver set of kimoyo beads.

    "Thank you. This is very generous of you." Devin told Shuri as she smiled and nodded her head.

    "This way you have a direct line to us if you need it and I can keep you updated on those ideas you gave me!" Shuri replied enthusiastically. Devin could tell that the reason behind the gift was more of the later and less of the former reasons she mentioned. She also probably would want to ask him for more ideas later.

    "Of course." Devin replied with a knowing smirk before turning to see Ussom standing next to the vehicle along with Ondati and Irindi. Climbing into the vehicle. Devin saw that the entire back of the vehicle was filled with heavy duty cases that Devin assumed were the vibranium that had been promised to him. He already had all of the tech and equipment from Klaue and his men though he would need to make a trip eventually to clean out Klaue''s main stash on the coast later. For the time being he really wanted to get home and relax with Izabela and the kids.

    It took Devin several hours to finally arrive back in the states. Between waiting for the plane to prep and then the actual travel. By the time Devin found himself standing in his driveway looking at his house he felt more drained than when he had used the spirits for the first time. Devin walked up the steps of his front porch to the door but before he could open the door it was flung open and Devin was enveloped in a triple hug by Izabela and the kids. Once the situation set in Devin truly felt like he was home.

    ***

    Unknown Location

    Affliction was normally a very stoic and emotionally controlled woman, but reporting a failure caused a very uncomfortable feeling to settle in the pit of her stomach. This was a feeling she was familiar with others having when she was around, but not her. The feeling of fear was slowly twisting her stomach in uncomfortable knots as she moved through the halls that were devoid of any life, the only sounds being the click of her heels on the floor as a sterile white light illuminated sections of the hall every few feet. Eventually she found herself standing in front of a set of heavy, metal double doors. Raising one hand slowly she was about to knock when a deep, basey voice sounded from within.

    "Enter."

    Affliction opened one of the doors and stepped into the room. The room was only lit by the pale green light coming in through the glass window wall opposite of where she had entered. In front of the windows was a large hardwood desk with a massive padded chair behind it. The chair was turned towards the windows so that all Affliction could see was the back of the chair and vague pieces of a silhouette though with the back lighting and the darkness of the rest of the room it was impossible for her to make out any more than what she already had.

    "Report." the voice commanded like before.

    "Sir, the mission was a failure. There was an attack on Klaue''s base by warriors of Wakanda and an unknown man. Klaue was killed by Prince T''Challa and Sabretooth was killed by the unknown man. I retreated when it was clear that the mission was a failure." Affliction reported nervously. There was a few minutes of silence before there was any type pf reaction.

    "This man, does he have a name?" the voice demanded as it seemed to reverberate off the walls.

    "He introduced himself as Devin." Affliction said as she began to fidget slightly.

    "Devin. Tell the information sector to find all they can about this man. He might be the same man that interfered with the operation in Sokovia." the voice commanded.

    "Yes sir." Affliction said as she bowed. As she turned to leave the voice came once more.

    "When your done with that, report to the discipline hall. Failure will not be tolerated."

    "Yes sir." Affliction replied as that fear turned into a lead brick of dread in her stomach while she stepped out of the doors.

 Chapter 62 - Update Possible

    So I''m sure that everyone is wondering what is going on with the story. The reason that I was so late was a combination of IRL and motivation.

    IRL was that not only did I have to attend training for work related matters but it was during my days off and then start a shift directly after so I had next to no time to do anything but work and sleep for roughly two weeks.

    Since I started learning how to write a little bit better I have been contemplating taking a short time to go back and re-edit the early chapters. But motivation has been hard to come by and even harder thanks to some of the comments I''ve been getting as of late.

    To those who have followed to this point I am thankful for all of you sticking with me with everything going on.

    To those of you saying that my characters are garbage and pathetic, I suggest that you find a different story to complain and trash talk on. The fact that you have made it this far proves that you are a fan regardless of what you say.

    So, here is how this is gonna be. I''m gonna do one more chapter and then I''ll decide whether I should go back and re-edit those early chapters to fix some things. I will put that decision in the author''s note so take a look if you are curious or not that''s fine.

    Thank you for sticking it out this far with me and this is not an indicator of hiatus or cancelation, but more of just letting my fans know what is up.

    Thank you for your patience!

    Peace!

 Chapter 63 - Past Tense

    *New York*

    It took Devin a couple days to settle down into a normal routine. The feeling of being alert and warry constantly was tiring and eventually Devin began to realize he needed to relax after being jump scared by Yana coming out of the pantry with a box of Fruit Loops one morning.

    "Are you okay?" Yana asked with concern as she stopped and looked at Devin with a questioning look before slowly moving over to a cupboard and grabbing a bowl.

    "Yeah, sorry. Things were a little tense on my trip so I''m still trying to re-adjust to being back home." Devin said in apology as he grabbed an shiny, green apple from the fruit basket on the table before biting into it.

    "Will me and Henric join you on one of those missions or jobs with you one day?" Yana asked tentatively as she poured cold milk on to the cereal before taking a spoonful and taking a bite.

    "To be honest I would like for neither of you to get involved in these kinds of matters and just have peaceful and normal lives. Unfortunately I know that eventually you''ll both have to deal with these kinds of situations. That is one of the reasons why I am training the both of you." Devin said as he stared at the bite missing from the apple while all the memories of just what could and will happen in the future.

    "What''s the other reason?" Yana asked as she looked up from her bowl. Devin shook himself from his thoughts missing most of what Yana had asked.

    "I''m sorry can you repeat that?" Devin asked as he chomped into the apple once again.

    "What are the other reasons for training us?" Yana asked as she let her spoon clatter into her empty bowl.

    "Ah okay. The other reasons were that if you can control your powers then it would keep yourselves as well as the people around you safe from them activating accidentally or going out of control. Plus you asked to learn and I knew that the both of you wouldn''t miss use them." Devin said as he finished the fruit and tossed the core into the trash can. This seemed to give Yana enough to contemplate as she began to stare at the last dregs of milk at the bottom of the bowl in front of her. Devin decided to let her think about what he had said and left.

    Stepping out the back door, Devin found Izabela doing her forms as well as various punches and kicks in her usual cotton shorts and tank top. Once he had gotten the knowledge of the Rouge School, he had started teaching the siblings about the martial art rather than just basic self-defense. They were still new to the instruction as it has only been a short time so far, but they were progressing smoothly. Moving from one punch to the next before spinning on her heel for a round house kick, Izabela was moving flawlessly.

    Her long auburn hair that was usually cascading down her back in soft waves was done up in a braid that swung like a long, glossy rope behind her with each movement. A slight sheen of sweat could be seen on her porcelain skin from her exertion. Her chest rose and dropped with each breath she took as she stopped to grab a drink of water. It was at this point that Devin realized that he was staring and decided to stop being a creep.

    "Hey, how are you doing?" Devin asked as he stepped forward. This caused a smile to appear on Izabela''s face.

    "I am doing good. I think I am really starting to get the hang of this!" Izabela stated before taking another swig from the bottle of water in her hand.

    "Good, good. I just wanted to let you know that I am looking into that request you made of me not too long ago." Devin said as he looked over his property. This caused Izabela to smile happily.

    "Truly? And what have you found out?" Izabela asked as her excitement seemed to radiate from her. Devin hated to dampen that spirit but he knew that it would still take time for him to safely give her the ability to help protect everyone.

    "Well I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that I have a lead on something that might be what you want. The bad news is that it might be some time before I can get the blueprints and other necessary stuff to make it. For now I''ll keep looking for something else while we wait." Devin said as the smile on Izabela''s face slowly disappeared.

    "Devin if this is becoming too big of a problem then you don''t have to continue." Izabela began only to be cut off with a wave of Devin''s hand.

    "It''s not a problem. I just want to make sure that we are doing so safely. I don''t want to rush things and then deal with possible side=effects or repercussions later just because we didn''t have the patience to do it right the first time. I''ve seen what can happen for wishing for power without first thinking of the consequences of said actions. It isn''t pretty to say the least." Devin said as Izabela swallowed thickly at the thought of what could possibly happen from rushing things too fast.

    "Okay Devin, just let me know if this become too much of a problem." Izabela said as she rested her hand on his upper arm in concern. This only caused Devin to smile in return.

    "I''ll keep that in mind. Now shall I join you for some exercise?" Devin said with a grin causing Izabela to giggle.

    "Sure." Izabela drawled as the two moved out into the grass to continue practice.

    ***

    Once Izabela had grown tired from practice the two had moved back to the house. Devin hadn''t even worked up a sweat while Izabela was soaked. Her cheeks were flushed from the exertion and her tank top clung to her skin. She excused herself to go take a shower and change while Devin headed for the stairs. He still had all the weapons and items he stole from Klaue''s base. Reaching the Armory, Devin took station at an empty table so that he could have enough space for everything.

    Opening his inventory found a mound of items being piled up on the glowing surface of the table. Numerous guns of various makes and models, different kinds of explosives and dozens of containers with ammunition. Then there was Klaue''s left arm that was set on it''s own table. The same went for the vibranium that he had stashed from Klaue as well as the vibranium he had gotten from the Wakandan Royal family. It got it''s own table as well just on the off chance that they had a negative reaction in this universe. Soon Devin got to work on cleaning, repairing, and sorting everything as well as placing it into the various empty spots in his weapon racks. The Explosives as well as the ammo went into specially designed cabinets that would help them from getting damaged or exposed to heat for any reason at all. In total Devin counted numerous assault rifles ranging from AK-47s to a single M16. Ars weren''t their only primaries as there were probably another twenty SMGs as well as two LMGs in the mix and for every rifle, SMG, or LMG there was a handgun to match. Half a dozen claymores, a dozen or two of hand grenades, as well as a single bouncing betty from who knows where and eight pounds of C4 went into one cabinet as the thousands of rounds of ammo went into another.

    Looking at all of the weapons and explosives he was now in possession of he realizes that he could arm a small army if he wanted to. Devin picked up Klaue''s arm and began to disassemble it. The reverbium was separated from the normal materials such as copper and steel that he would place in storage later. Once he had what he wanted by itself he picked up the pieces and moved to The Vault. The reverbium as well as the vibranium were too precious to be left in the armory and he would definitely need them for later.

    Leaving the underground as Devin had taken to calling the bas.e.m.e.nt levels, Devin found himself just opening the door when Henric came running in with an excited look on his face.

    "Mr. Price! I can breath underwater!"

 Chapter 64 - Hell Hath No Fury Like A Dragon Pissed Off

    The fact that Henric, a ten year old boy just came in to tell Devin that he could now breath underwater brought some very concerning things to Devin''s mind.

    "Is that so? How did you find that out?" Devin asked as he continued across the room towards the excited young boy. The boy was excited to the point that he was starting to bounce in place. As Devin got closer to the boy he could now see that his clothes were soaked with water to the point that he was beginning to drip onto the floor.

    "I was outside and I thought I saw something in the pond, but when I went to reach for it I fell in on accident. Next thing I knew I was in the water but I felt fine!" Henric said enthusiastically. Devin was confused at how Henric was mutating, one moment he was going one direction before he got another mutation and he was off in a different direction next. So far his mutations numbered only three now four with this latest addition.

    ''What is the connection between them all?'' Devin thought as he studied Henric.

    "Okay, I want you to go up stairs and change into your swim suit and then you can show me how you breath underwater." Devin said as he waved for Henric to head up top to his room. Henric nodded his head vigorously before running for the stairs. Izabela passed him on the stairs, stopping to watch her younger brother zoom past her and into his room before shutting the door. Turning back around Izabela made her way to Devin with a confused look on her face.

    "What is wrong with Henric?" Izabela asked when she got to Devin. She had showered and changed due to the damp hair that hung down her shoulders. She now had on a long sleeved sweater dress in a cream color with maroon leggings and matching slipper shoes.

    "He found out he has another new ability." Devin said as he looked from Izabela to the door that Henric had disappeared behind.

    "Another? Are these apart of the same mutation or does he have a separate one?" Izabela asked before following Devin''s gaze to the door of Henric''s bedroom.

    "As far as I know mutants can only have one mutation, but that one mutation can lead to several useful applications. For example Yana''s mutation is the manipulation of water, so theoretically she could use that ability to not only create ice and fog, but she could potentially use that ability for things like controlling plants and animals due to how much water is found in those things. Though I would hope she doesn''t come to use those kinds of abilities." Devin explained as he turned to look at her before moving to the living room couch with Izabela following.

    "So this ability could be related to the others he has discovered?" Izabela asked as she seated herself on the couch as well.

    "Yes it''s just not apparent as to what the connection is so far. Henric has a more physical manifestation of his mutation. My biggest concern is that those with physical manifestations do sometimes get stuck in their manifested forms permanently and they have harsher lives than others." Devin said with a frown creasing his brow. This also caused a frown to mar Izabela''s face as well. It was at this moment that Henric came down from his room in a tank top and swim shorts.

    "Alright, let''s see this new ability." Devin said as he stood up and gestured for the two siblings to exit ahead of him. Henric ran towards the edge of the water and was about to jump in when Devin called out for him to stop. Henric managed to skid to a stop on the grass just in time before he fell into the water.

    "What''s wrong?" Henric asked confusedly while wondering what he did wrong.

    "Nothing I just want to check and see if there are any external signs of your mutation before you get into the water." Devin said as he continued towards the water''s edge. Henric tilted his head before realizing what Devin was talking about.

    "You mean something showing up on me?" Henric asked as he waited for the pair of a.d.u.l.ts to catch up to him.

    "Yes, so lift your shirt for a second." Devin said as Izabela and him finally got to the bank of the pond. Henric did so, revealing nothing other than pristine skin. Devin motioned for him to lower his shirt before taking Henrics head in his hands and turning it left and right as he examined Henric''s neck for anything only to find the same as before. With this Devin waved towards the water and Henric let out a childish "Yippee!" before jumping into the water. He stayed under for a minute or so before resurfacing.

    "Anything?" Devin asked as Henric treaded water.

    "I think so? I didn''t feel like I need to breath." Henric answered from a dozen feet out.

    "Well then, come on out and we''ll check again." Devin said as Henric made for the bank and once he had managed to get his feet under himself, Devin reached down and help the boy out. The tank top and shorts now filled with water causing them to drip everywhere while the shirt clung to Henric''s wiry frame. The boy once again lifted his shirt and this time there were three slits in the skin just below his ribs on each side as well in the sides of his neck. As they stood and watched the slits started to seal themselves shut the drier Henric got.

    "So, when you are enveloped in water you seem to grow gill slits so that you are able to breath when submerged. Interesting." Devin muttered under his breath as he watched the gills disappear. Some of these abilities seem to indicate that Henric was adapting to his environment, but from his knowledge there was already a mutant that would evolve to both his environments as well as threats. Code named Darwin he was able to adapt to situations and enemies, but this had to be something different. No two mutants had the exact same mutation though siblings could have similar mutations. The Summers brothers were a good example of this.

    "Anything wrong?" Izabela asked as she looked at the gills disappearing as well.

    "Hmm? No, just thinking. By the way where is Yana?" Devin answered before asking a question as well. By this time the gills were gone so Henric released his shirt.

    "She sent me a text saying she was meeting some friends at the library to do some studying. I told her that was fine though she had to be home by eight." Izabela said as the group moved towards the house once more.

    "Good, she needs to make some friends. It''s about ti-" Devin was saying before his phone started to go off in his pocket. Reaching into his pocket Devin checked the screen to see ''Jones'' across the top.

    "Hello?" Devin answered wondering why it was every time he came back from a mission that something seemed to happen with the private investigator. Labored breathing came from the other side of the line which was slightly concerning before a male voice came through the speaker.

    "So are you Jessica''s new source of confidence and defiance?" the mystery man asked causing Devin''s stomach to knot up for a minute.

    "Mr. Kilgrave I presume." Devin answered as questions by the dozens filled his mind.

    "You may know me, but I don''t know who you are. Though Jessica has you down as ''Asshole'' in her phone. I wonder why you have decided to stick your nose into my business." Kilgrave said as Devin motioned for Izabela and Henric to head inside before answering.

    "I had need of Ms. Jones'' talents, so I decided to offer her a deal." Devin answered as he decided to walk around his yard while he talked.

    "Then let me suggest that if you don''t want unfortunate things to happen then I suggest that you cancel your deal and maybe everything will turn out for the better for everyone." Kilgrave said with an even tone though there was a hint of annoyance buried under the cool fa?ade that he put up. Devin knew it was a threat and if Jessica couldn''t deal with it on her own then it was time that Devin did so for her. Especially since Kilgrave seemed intent on including Devin in his plans. The sick bastard.

    "How about this, I''ll give you three choices. First, you can turn yourself in to the authorities and confess to your crimes, spending the rest of your life in prison. Second, you can let Jessica kill your pathetic a.s.s and save everyone the trouble. Third, I will come find you and when I do I will show you that this little phone call was one of the biggest mistakes you have ever made, right before I send you to the deepest depths of hell. So Mr. Kilgrave, what will it be?" Devin said before a short silence ensued. Finally Kilgrave''s voice came back through the speaker with some anger coloring his tone.

    "You should have just listened to me and cut ties with Jessica. Now you''ll wish you had listened." Kilgrave threatened causing a familiar rage to rise in Devin''s c.h.e.s.t and the phone to creak as he tightened his grip.

    "No Kilgrave, you should have take one of the first two options. Now? Now I''m coming for you and I''ll show you just how hot the fires of hell truly are. See you very soon." Devin said before he ended the call. Devin entered the house to see Henric missing, presumably up in his room or the living room while Izabela sat at the kitchen table with a steaming mug clutched in his hands. As Devin entered he saw her look up from the mug with a look of concern.

    "Is everything alright?" Izabela asked as Devin could feel the tension he had released before come back with a vengeance.

    "Yeah, just have to take care of some business with Ms. Jones." Devin said as he headed for the Armory. Make a pitstop to grab some things and then head out.

    "Time for some hunting."

 Chapter 65 - Conviction and Leads

    Devin had gathered numerous weapons from the armory. Assault rifles, pistols, his daggers, and many other items just on the off chance that they might be needed. Hopping into his truck, Devin called Luke''s, the bar that Luke cage owned, just on the off chance that the two Hell''s Kitchen denizens were there. Devin remembered that Kilgrave had ordered Luke to blow it up in the show while he was hypnotized but things were different now. Surprisingly, the phone picked up on the third ring.

    "Hello?" came the deep baritone of Luke''s voice though there was a note of strain like the big man was under some pressure or stress at the moment.

    "Mr. Cage. Glad to see you''re still alive and kicking." Devin stated as he made his way along the packed streets leading to the city proper.

    "Mr. Price, look I''m grateful for the help last time but now isn''t a good time for a friendly chat." Luke said as a that strain reentered his tone once more.

    "I agree. I just had a rather fun chat with Kilgrave on Ms. Jones'' phone and I''m not in the mood for another." Devin said before hearing a muffled conversation take place on the other end of the phone. Soon he could hear multiple voices coming through.

    "So, that jackass has my phone. Great!" said Jones as her voice came through the speaker. It was rougher and had a scratchy quality to it that spoke of something not being normal with the normally caustic woman.

    "Yes, he made a threat that I either break off our deal and make no further contact or something horrible will happen to me and my loved ones." Devin said as he turned a corner after waiting for an elderly woman to cross.

    "Then you need to stop contacting me till I manage to kill him." Jones said gruffly. Devin knew that Jones wouldn''t want to involve anyone innocent in this conflict of hers, but now that Kilgrave was making threats against Devin then this just became personal.

    "No Ms. Jones, it''s too late for that. You see him making threats against me and mine. That is crossing the line and I wont stand for it. So now I will find Kilgrave and I will make him wish he had never been born or at the very least, wish he had let you kill him." Devin said with anger coloring his tone.

    "Damn it Price, Kilgrave is mine!" Jones yelled through the speaker.

    "You''ve had plenty of time to catch and kill him. Now? Now I''m stepping in and if you want I''ll deliver him to you, but I won''t give him the chance to harm my loved ones." Devin stated as he pulled on to the highway headed for New Jersey. Devin knew that Kilgrave had bought Jones'' childhood home using money he had scammed off of a group of gangsters during a poker game.

    "Price! Don-" Jones began before Devin closed the call. It was gonna be just over three hours to get to the house. Of course there is a chance that this wouldn''t turn out to be nothing more than a wild goose chase, but it was a lead.

    ***

    The dial tone through the speaker nearly caused Jessica to crush the phone in her grip. She had been played with left and right by Kilgrave and now Price was being dragged into everything.

    "Jessica, he gave you that pin to protect from Kilgrave''s influence and now Kilgrave is after him. If anyone has a better chance of surviving an encounter with that nut job then it''s Price." Luke said as he moved to take the phone from Jessica. After having safely removed the phone from her hand, Luke guided her to a chair.

    "I know Luke, but I feel helpless in this. This whole thing is my problem and then I get you involved, now Price is involved. If something happens to the two of you or someone innocent I''ll never be able to forgive myself. Too many people have died in Kilgrave''s hands." Jessica said as she placed her head in her hands. Luke looked at her for a moment, deciding how to handle this situation.

    "Then just keep doing what you have been." Luke said as he pulled a bottle off the shelf behind him.

    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Jessica asked though slightly muffled due to her head still in her hands. Luke poured a glass of whiskey and then set it in front of Jessica on the table.

    "Let Price hunt Kilgrave. This will put more pressure on him and eventually he''ll make a mistake. Plus Price said that if he catches Kilgrave before us then he''ll bring him to us." Luke said as he sat down and took a sip from his own glass. Jessica downed the contents of her glass in one go. Taking a deep breath she pushed her hair back and got a determined look on her face.

    "Alright, you''re right Luke. I need to get back to my office and look for the next clue for where he is hiding." Jessica said as she stood up. She circled around the table and placed a kiss on Luke''s cheek and marched towards the door. Luke could only watch with a smile on his face at her determination.

    ***

    -3 Hours Later-

    Devin pulled up to the picture of mundane neighborhoods. The house was a white and light blue town house with a couple small trees in the yard. Devin put the Phoenix Plume on his arm under his jacket before stepping out of the truck. Walking up to the house, Devin could tell that the place was well taken care of at least. Though Kilgrave had bought the place from a guy and his family for roughly a million.

    Looking in the windows, Devin could see all new furniture filling the rooms. Stepping up to the door Devin knocked on the door and waited. After a few minutes of waiting, Devin knocked again just to be sure. Once again no one answered though Devin figured that his hunch was spot on. Devin turned to leave only to hear a voice calling out to him.

    "Excuse me young man?" an elderly voice came from Devin''s left. Looking over Devin saw a little elderly woman in a flowery muumuu and her hair in curlers was standing on her porch in a pair of fluffy, pink bunny slippers.

    "Hello ma''am." Devin called back as he walked down the steps.

    "Are you friends with that man who just bought that house?" the elderly woman asked as she pointed at the house with a knarled, old finger.

    "I guess you could say I''m a friend of a friend. Have you seen him lately?" Devin said before asking for information. The old lady seemed to get a dazed look for a moment before answering.

    "No, he left this morning and hasn''t been back since. He is a bit rude though as he glares at anyone that gets near him or the house." the woman said as she pointed her cane at the house once more.

    "Well I''m sorry for that, he''s had a rough time lately and he hasn''t been dealing well." Devin said with a smile as he opened his inventory and placed a pistol at the back of his waistband just in case.

    "Well just let him know that just cause things are tough that is no excuse to be rude." the woman said as she frowned at Devin.

    "Understood ma''am." Devin said before turning towards his truck. Stepping into his vehicle Devin started it up and drove away. It was at this point that a man in a purple button up shirt and grey vest with dark hair stepped out of the screen door on the elderly woman''s house and stood next to her while glaring at where the truck had disappeared.

 Chapter 66 - Sorry (Not a Chapter)

    Sorry guys, but I''ve been feeling under the weather for quite a few days. I''m slowly working on the chapter between getting sick and sleeping. Might have it out by Thursday, but maybe Friday at the latest.

    Thinking it''s either the flu or food poisoning but no idea either way. Currently writing this from the mess that is my nest of blankets currently making up my bed on my phone.

    Sorry for the delay.

    Peace!

 Chapter 66 - Dark Evidence of Obsession

    The thing with reconnaissance is that most people assume that its either in and out or you spend the entire time sitting in your vehicle staring at a house. Devin decided to take the third approach and just make it seem like he left then just circled through the neighborhood backyards before breaking into the house in question. Walking from room to room, Devin could see the brand new furniture as well as the traces of someone living in the house. Dirty dishes in the sink, clean clothes in the dresser and dirty ones in the hamper.

    "So someone has been staying here for sure. The question being who?" Devin muttered as he continued his examination of the room. Just because there is someone living here doesn''t mean that it had to be Kilgrave. Looking around Devin couldn''t find anything that was out of place until he checked the master bedroom.

    At first look the room seemed normal with the usual queen-sized bed, dresser, and tv stand. Upon inspection something felt off to Devin, the arrangement of the furniture felt off somehow. Looking over each of the pieces Devin finally found that the bed had rolling castors that allowed for it to be moved when the locks were switched off which was bizarre in and of itself. Looking further Devin found a secret compartment that had been built into the back of the headboard, but had been left ajar whether in haste or carelessness. Devin pulled the bed even farther from the wall before prying the compartment open all the way. Inside was a large, leather-bound book that fell out with a thud.

    Picking up the book, Devin weighed it in his hand with a heavy feeling settling in the pit of his stomach to match the heavy tome in his hands. Opening the book it took a full minute of staring at the pages before him before his hands tightened to the point of nearly destroying the books cover. The smoke that started to drift off the pages was even more of a testament to just how bad what Devin was seeing. Devin knew that it was explained that Kilgrave had kept Jessica as a s.e.x slave in the series, but to actually see evidence of just how depraved the piece of shit truly was. Slamming the book shut and taking a deep breath with his eyes closed to center and calm down before he inadvertently transformed or blew the block up in rage. The creak of the door hinge alerted Devin to the fact that he was no longer alone.

    "I wasn''t expecting you to find me so soon." a British accented voice came from behind Devin. Devin took one more breath before holding the book up over his shoulder so that it was visible to the person behind him.

    "See I had an idea of just how pathetic and worthless you were you piece of shit, but this? This is so much worse than I thought." Devin said as he heard a quick intake of breath from behind though he moved the book before Kilgrave could nab the book back.

    "Give me that now!" Kilgrave demanded, probably trying to use his powers to make Devin give him the book.

    "Yeah, that''s not gonna happen. But ya know what is gonna happen? I''m gonna beat you to within an inch of your life before I drag your near-dead carcass out of here to Ms. Jones and then I''m gonna watch as she finally kills you and ends all this horse-shit." Devin said as he slowly turned around, his eyes transformed and glowing with the amount of mana he was bleeding off from his rage.

    "Stop! Stop! I command you to stop! Stooooo-" Kilgrave shouted in fear as Devin brought a fist down in a sweeping arc.

    Jessica and Luke were sitting at a table pouring over any and all leads that could be even remotely relevant. They would follow one that would connect to another that would connect to another and another before dying out soon after, but no matter how many dead-ends they hit they kept trying. Luke had given Jessica the boost she needed to see this mess finished and as well as this chapter of her life closed.

    Soon Jessica and Luke had gone through almost everything that she currently had and decided to take a break. As they were sitting down to some Chinese food that Luke had ordered earlier, the door slammed open causing the two to jump to their feet with their fists raised, ready for a fight. Soon a silhouette started to walk in from the bright daylight outside only to resolve into the figure of Devin walking in with clothes torn and a large leather book under one arm. The two sighed and relaxed back into their chairs as Devin walked over with his jacket and shirt torn and hair disheveled as he flopped into a chair before tossing the book onto the table with a heavy thud. His appearance caused both of them to raise an eyebrow.

    "What happened to you?" Jones asked as Devin sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands before answering.

    "I met your friend Kilgrave." Devin said which caused the couple to bolt up in their chairs in surprise and shock.

    "How?!" Jones demanded as Luke placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her from jumping over the table and throttling the bedraggled man.

    "I''ll tell you, but can I get a drink first?" Devin said as he looked at Luke who nodded. Once there was a glass in his hand Devin began to explain what happened.

 Chapter 67 - Diamond Shock

    After downing his glass and Luke giving him a refill, Devin was ready to tell the pair what happened when he found Kilgrave.

    ***

    [Earlier]

    Kilgrave was scrambling backwards on his a.s.s to get away from Devin after he was slugged in the jaw hard enough for a couple of his molars to become loose. Devin was slowly approaching the downed man with his eyes fully transformed and his Iron Knuckle gloves equipped to his hands. Devin could see the confusion and fear enter Kilgrave''s eyes before the downed man spat out a wad of blood from his split lip.

    "How are you doing this?!" Kilgrave demanded as he finally managed to get to his feet now in the hall of the house as he wiped the excess blood from his mouth.

    "Doing what?" Devin asked as he still approached the vile, little weasel, "You mean how are you unable to control me with your abilities or how did I find you so fast?"

    "Yes! I should be able to make you do what I want! So why are you still able to defy me!" Kilgrave shouted as he finally backed up enough to see the front door. Devin could see the desperate man glance at the door before returning his gaze to him and continuing to try to stare him down.

    "Did you really think that everyone would be susceptible to your little pheromone, mind f.u.c.k.i.n.g? You had to think that there might be someone out there who you couldn''t control or are you really so self-centered that you never considered that possibility?" Devin said as he stopped a couple feet away with an eyebrow raised in disbelief and question. A moment of silence ensued before Kilgrave darted towards the front door yelling for "one of you" to help him. Just a second later Kilgrave dove to the side with Devin hot on his heels and into the kitchen as the front door exploded with a massive shockwave. The shockwave continued on through the front door and slammed into Devin''s c.h.e.s.t and stomach, throwing him backwards into a wall.

    Shaking his head, Devin Looked up and saw a person standing in the ruined remains of the front door wearing a yellow, patchwork body suit with brown pads held on with leather straps. On his legs were what looked like black leather chaps and boots that matched his suit and pads. A power ranger-esque helmet was encasing his head with glowing yellow eyes. The one piece that caught Devin''s eye was the two technologically advanced gauntlets that were worn on both arms. This was one of Spider-Man''s more well known rogues, Shocker.

    Another man appeared a second later behind Shocker in the doorway. This man looked like a walking diamond in a blue costume with a diamond symbol embossed on the c.h.e.s.t portion surrounded by a yellow splash design. Everything from the man''s skin and hair to his very eyes were made of what looked like diamond. This was Diamondhead. A friend of Shocker''s as well as one of the hero Nova''s rogues. Made of diamond with enhanced strength and regenerative abilities that allowed him to regrow or reassemble himself if damaged with a background as a boxer.

    The arrival of the two villains slightly puzzled Devin as the MCU Kilgrave never used superhumans with the exception of the couple characters in the Jones series, but the Killgrave of the comics regularly did.

    ''Guess he learned a thing or two after controlling Jessica and Luke, though where he found these two is beyond me. Plus does this mean that Spider-Man and Nova are running around?'' Devin mentally questioned as he stood up and dusted off some of the splinters that covered his clothes. Kilgrave strode over to the two with a smile on his face though his lip was beginning to swell where it was split. He took a minute to straighten his suit before turning to Devin.

    "If you won''t take my offer to stay out of the way and insist on getting involved then you are another obstacle that needs to be removed. Also since my influence doesn''t seem to work on you then I''ll just have my associates here remove you for me. I''d wish you luck but I''m hoping that you''ll be dead very soon." Kilgrave said as he turned and strode out the door. Devin sprinted to catch the man before he could leave but took another blast from Shocker''s gauntlet to the side that lifted him bodily and threw him into the wall on the other side of the kitchen.

    Getting up from the floor, Devin looked at the two only to see Diamondhead mid shoulder charge. Rolling backwards, Devin dodged the charge causing Diamondhead to plough into the wall that was already severely damaged by Devin''s earlier impact. Devin decided that fighting in such close quarters would be to their advantage so sprinting across the room Devin dove out a window just as another shockwave blew a three foot crater in the wall just to the right of the window he had exited.

    Diamondhead charged once more, this time going for a right hook to which Devin leaned back. As Devin did so he realized that the fist seemed to go by a little slower than usual. Devin taking advantage of this moment stepped into his opponent''s space and placed his hand flat on his opponent''s side before gathering mana and producing a fireball and firing at point blank range. This rocketed Diamondhead through the air and back into the house through the broken down front door.

    Turning to see Shocker a second away from firing another blast, Devin activated his wings before taking off just as the Quilted Northern Man released the blast. Devin concentrated mana into his hand again, this time converting it to light before lobbing it at the villain. When the orb landed it caused a massive flash of light, blinding any who looked at it. While Shocker was trying to get his sight back Devin pitched into a steep dive towards the man. Shocker in his panic started letting off blasts in random directions, making Devin to swoop and evade before flipping mid-air and delivering a powerful drop kick to the man''s c.h.e.s.t launching him into a tree and knocking him out. Walking over Devin crouched down and removed both gauntlets from Shocker in case he woke up. It was as Devin was looking around that a thought came to Devin, as a smile creased Devin''s face the gauntlets disappeared into Devin''s inventory.

    A crash alerted Devin to the fact that Diamondhead was back. Stepping out of the house Diamondhead caught sight of his compatriot down on the ground and growled, actually growled. Devin wasn''t sure how he was gonna stop a living chunk of diamond. He doubted that his iron knuckles would work and blades were useless.

    ''Maybe magic is the answer, but how?'' Devin said as he studied his opponent who was now moving to confront Devin again.

    ''What do I know about diamond? It''s super hard but will shatter under enough force, but I don''t really have anything that can generate something like that.'' Devin mentally tallied as he ducked a punch by the shining asshole. It was when Devin swiped some sweat off his forehead that he had an idea. He remembered from school in his previous life that they had learned in chemistry that when diamonds are super heated they will oxidize into carbon dioxide and disappear and Devin could do fire spells.

    After dodging a few more swipes, Devin began channeling fire mana into both hands once he was sure enough was there he placed them together and channeled the power into another fireball. He then lobbed it at Diamondhead. When Devin lobbed it a small *ding* noise was made in Devin''s head. Upon contacting the ground in front of Diamondhead a Pillar of fire erupted from the spot causing the gem-made man to scream in pain. Seconds later Diamondhead''s arms and legs started to burn with a orange flame and then disappear as his body began to glow white hot. Soon after the geyser petered out and all that was left was Diamondhead with his limbs amputated. Devin was sure that in a few weeks he would be back to his original condition, but behind bars.

    Looking around found the area still deserted and Kilgrave long gone. Devin having lost his chance and now covered in rags since the shockwaves had shredded his clothes. A few scratches from Diamondhead''s punches as well as the blasts were also present, Devin started to walk back to his truck to get his phone and call the cops to come and pick up the two villains and go deliver news of Kilgrave''s escape and get a drink.

    ***

    [Present]

    "So he''s controlling other people with powers to do his bidding? What the hell are we gonna do now?!" Jessica asked as she banged her forehead on the table in frustration, causing a sizable dent to form in the wood.

    "Same thing we were doing before. We track him down and finish this and if anyone gets in our way, then we take them down as well." Devin said as he set his glass down.

    "But how?" Jessica asked as she laid her head on the table.

    "You have an idea of where he is don''t you." Luke said more as a statement than a question.

    "I might have a lead, but I''ll have to check it out after I change clothes." Devin said as he stood up.

    "I''ve got some spares upstairs you can borrow if you want." Luke said as he took Devin''s glass.

    "Yeah I''ll take them. The sooner we get this done, the sooner Kilgrave gets put six feet under." Devin said as he followed Luke.

 Chapter 68 - The Addict and the Fix

    Devin now changed into a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, jumped into his truck with both Jessica and Luke, before turning down the road.

    "So what''s this lead you have that we need to check out?" Jessica asked as she looked at Devin from the passenger seat.

    "That depends on where you live?" Devin answered as he pulled up to a red light.

    "What''s that supposed to mean?!" Jessica asked clearly thrown off by the question.

    "We need to head to your place to find the lead I''m thinking of." Devin said as the light turned green and he started to speed up once again.

    "Are you telling me that there is a clue to where Kilgrave is at my apartment?" Jessica asked with some skepticism lacing her voice.

    "Near it, but yes. Now, which way?" Devin said before Jessica pointed out the next corner for Devin to turn at. It took the trio only a half-hour to reach Jessica''s apartment. Once there all three got out and strode forward before Devin stopped, causing the other two to look back at him.

    "Kilgrave knowns that I''m on to him so that could mean that he''s either going to get rid of any leads he had in place already or he''s gonna turn them into traps against us." Devin said as he stared up at the building in front of them with a pondering look. This caused Luke and Jessica to look at one another in concern before turning back to Devin.

    "So are we alright to find this lead or do you want to call some kind of backup that you know?" Luke asked. Devin stared at the building for a half-second more before shaking his head.

    "No, just stay on your toes and expect the unexpected. Hopefully we can just get in get the information and get out before Kilgrave even realizes that we know about this source." Devin said as he started walking again. Walking up to the building and entered the elevator, Devin and Luke followed as they continued their ascension upward till they got to the appropriate floor.

    Entering the floor to her apartment, Devin then took lead as they passed door after door till Devin suddenly stopped. Coming out of a door next to where Jessica''s should be was an African American man in his mid to late twenties with a wild and disarrayed afro and a goatee on his face wearing a jean jacket over a burgundy t-shirt and grey jeans. He looked up at the three and for a split second there was a look of some emotion that covered his face but was quickly changed to a smile as he waved in greeting to Jessica, leaving the door ajar and forgotten.

    "Hey Jessica, how''s it go-" the man got out before Devin stepped up and grabbed him by the collar before shoving the man into his apartment through the still cracked door before following inside. Jessica and Luke shared a confused and slightly alarmed look before following inside and shutting the door. Luke even looked up and down the hall to make sure that no one just saw what Devin just did.

    "What the hell man!" Malcolm yelled as he stood back up only for Devin to push him into a seat with one hand as Jessica stormed over and grabbed Devin by the arm before jerking him around to face her.

    "I''d like to know the same thing! What the hell are you doing?!" Jessica demanded as Luke joined them. Devin looked at them before turning back to the man sitting down and looking from one person to the next.

    "Malcolm Ducasse. Was formerly controlled by Kilgrave through his abilities before getting free." Devin started before being interrupted once again.

    "Yeah formerly, but now all he is is an addict. What''s that got to do with Kilgrave?" Jessica asked clearly frustrated at Devin for his treatment of the man.

    "I formerly controlled by Kilgrave with his abilities. Not that he was formerly controlled. Kilgrave still has him as his lapdog, just through different means." Devin said as he bent down to look closely at the man now beginning to look nervous. Grabbing the man''s wrist and lifting his sleeve to show the needle marks on his inner elbow. Jessica looked at Devin confused before seeing the marks and a pondering look on her face before the look morphed into one of anger at her now apparent betrayal. Luke managed to grab her and hold her back from beating the shit out of the little traitor.

    "WHY YOU LITTLE-"Jessica began before Devin interrupted.

    "I have a few questions for you Mr. Ducasse. If you tell me the truth then not only will I not let Jessica beat you to death, but I''ll even help you out with your next fix." Devin said as he leaned in close to the shivering man. The mention of giving the man help with his next fix definitely got the addicts attention as he then nodded fervently.

    "Alright, now where do you meet Kilgrave usually when you are passing him information on Jessica?" Devin asked as he looked the man over. He looked for any signs that the man might be lying.

    "We usually meet at this park near where the kiosk is. Sometimes he''ll have a friend meet me and tell me where to go to meet him." Ducasse said as nodded at Devin for his approval. Devin smiled as he nodded before looking at his companions with the same smile and rolling his eyes then turning back to the man.

    "Okay, now what time do you usually meet Kilgrave?" Devin asked and this time Ducasse seemed confused before his face lit up like christmas.

    "I have to be there by a quarter to ten or else he won''t give me any money." Ducasse said as he looked sad at the reminder of a past memory.

    "Very good, now I want you to write down the directions to the park that you meet him at and then you''ll get your reward. Okay?" Devin asked as Ducasse jumped up and yank a piece of paper out of his printer before grabbing a pen and began drawing and writing. Soon he ran over and handed the paper to Devin with an expression like an excited puppy. Devin made a vial appear in his hand which replaced the happy look with confusion.

    "Just drink this and you''ll be fixed right up." Devin said as he placed the vial in Malcolm''s hand and then turned motioning to the two to follow. Jessica stopped for a second to glare once more before leaving and slamming the door.

    "Why did you give him a fix after what he did and why do you carry around drugs with you?" Jessica asked as they left.

    "I don''t." Devin said simply as they entered the elevator again.

    "Then what was that bottle you gave him?" Luke asked as Jessica pushed the button for the bottom floor.

    "It was a body purifier. It''s gonna clean out all the toxins in his body, including the drugs in roughly an hour, which is gonna be rough and horrific to witness. I usually use those for nullifying poisons and other things, but Mr. Ducasse might be of help in the future." Devin said as he opened his truck only for the three to hear an agonizing scream from above them. Devin only smirked and the other two could only look from the building to Devin and back before looking at each other with the same exact thought on their minds.

    ''What kind of devil are we dealing with?''

 Chapter 69 - Warmth

    Devin and company split up for the moment as they had to wait for the following day to have a chance at tracking Kilgrave down.

    Devin rolled up to his place with a deep sigh before hopping out of the truck. Turning to enter the building when he noticed a candy apple green Porsche sitting in the drive way.

    ''I can guess who that is.'' Devin mentally said as he smirked before turning back to the house. Steeping through the door, Devin could hear voices from the living room. Walking through the entrance found Jennifer Walters talking to Izabela on the couch while Henric watches a cartoon on the tv. Devin assumed that Yana was upstairs in her room. The two women noticed Devin enter with smiles.

    "Hello Devin, it''s been a while." Jennifer said as she stood and offered her hand. Devin shook it with a smile before responding a in a carefree manner. Jennifer had stopped by not too long ago to drop off some papers and had hit it off rather quickly with Izabela. The two were as thick as thieves now though Devin wasn''t so sure that was a blessing or a curse for him yet.

    "Yeah it has, though I hope you''ll stay for dinner so that we can talk about something other than business." Devin offered soon after dropping the hand shake.

    "Sure, sounds wonderful." Jennifer responds before they all take a seat on the couches once more. The a.d.u.l.ts continued to talk for a while more before Devin and Izabela stood to go make dinner. Jennifer followed behind intending to help.

    Devin began pulling food out of the fridge while Izabela removed pots and pans from the cupboard. Devin pulled three wine glasses from the cupboard next to the fridge after removing a bottle of wine from the fridge. Devin poured each a glass before moving back to continue cooking.

    Soon dinner was finished and Devin called Henric to go get his sister and wash their hands. Izabela was setting the table while Devin brought out the food. One of the perks of having the Dragoon Spirit of Fire was that Devin didn''t have to worry about burning his hands anymore. As Devin was moving to set down one of the dishes Izabela turned and ran into Devin causing her to slip and begin falling. Devin, acting out of instinct, reached out and caught her in one arm while balancing the hot dish in the other. Time seemed to stop as the two stared at one another. Her chocolate brown eyes seemed to stare straight into his soul. The moment was broken by the arrival of the siblings. The two broke apart to see a smile on Yana''s face while Henric looked confused. Jennifer had a shit eating grin while wiggling her eyebrows at the two.

    "Hey sis? What are you doing?" Henric asked with a confused frown.

    "Nothing. Just slipped and Devin was nice enough to not let me fall." Izabela explained as she returned to grab the last of dinner while Devin placed the food he had balanced on one hand on the table. Soon after Izabela returned and they group sat down to eat. There was plenty of laughs and discussion in between bites and soon everyone had had their fill. Izabela and Yana volunteered for clean up and Henric headed upstairs to finish some homework for the next day. Devin stood on the back patio staring at the stars and moon. The scene reminding him of one of the more well known scenes from the game he got his powers from. The sound of the patio doors opening alerted him that one of the others had stepped out to join in his observations.

    "Beautiful night." the strong yet smooth tone of Jennifer came from behind him.

    "That it is, that it is." Devin replied as the lawyer/superhero joined him at the railing.

    "I just wanted to thank you for the lovely dinner and time. It''s been so long since I''ve sat down and eaten with anyone. Heck, I can''t remember the last time I had a home cooked meal." Jennifer said as a smile graced her features. Devin knew that she still had her cousin Bruce, but Devin couldn''t remember whether or not she had any other family.

    "Yeah, before those three I was the same. Parents passed a few years back and being an only child meant I was on my own for quite a while." Devin said. Devin knew that he was technically stretching the truth with some lies thrown in but he couldn''t exactly tell her the truth. He HAD lost his parents and he WAS an only child, it''s just that there was barely any time between losing everything and him getting to this world.

    "I''m sorry." Jennifer said as her smile lessened by a degree.

    "It''s fine. What about you?" Devin said before he took another sip from his glass.

    "My mom passed a long time ago and it was just me and my dad for a long time. He was awesome growing up and when I graduated." Jennifer said with a grin in remembrance.

    "Was?" Devin asked cautiously.

    "He started getting distant after an accident I had a couple years ago. We haven''t talked in quite a while." Jennifer said as she looked down into her own glass with a sad expression replacing her earlier smile.

    "But enough of that. What was with that earlier moment with Izabela?" Jennifer asked with that same shit eating grin.

    "Nothing." Devin said as he could feel his cheeks heat up slightly.

    "Doesn''t look like nothing." Jennifer said as she pointed at his face causing his face to heat up even further.

    "We are not discussing this." Devin said with finality that caused Jennifer to pout.

    "Fine though I guess we should discuss a little bit of business before I go." Jennifer said as she downed her glass and set it on the railing.

    "Have you heard from your P.I. friend?" Jennifer asked as she leaned against the railing and crossing her arms under her bust.

    "Yeah, unfortunately another case has gotten in the way. I''ve been helping her and her partner eliminate that problem." Devin says with a slight growl at the mere thought of that slime ball Kilgrave.

    "Devin, do I need to brush up on my defense curriculum?" Jennifer asks with concern, unfolding her arms.

    "Nah, just frustrated that this case is getting in the way of getting some peace for the kids." Devin said as he turned with a wain smile.

    "Okay, if you need some help then feel free to ask." Jennifer offered with a returned smile.

    "Of course. Anything on your side of things?" Devin asked in turn.

    "A few things though nothing concrete as of right now. I have a few leads that I''ll be chasing down in the next couple of days and hopefully they turn up some results we can use." Jennifer says with one hand holding her other arm while she rolled her opposite hand.

    "So we''re both at an impasse for the moment. Damn." Devin said muttering the curse under his breath. The ensuing minute of silence hung heavy in the air before being broken by a long and deep sigh.

    "Well it has been fun, but I should be going." Jennifer said as she stepped away from the railing.

    "Yeah, We''re hopefully gonna finish that problem off tomorrow and then we''ll be back on track." Devin said before draining the last of his glass.

    "Keep me in the loop." Jennifer said as she gave Devin a hug goodbye.

    "Of course. Stay safe out there. Times are changing." Devin said as he released the hug.

    "Oh don''t worry. There isn''t anybody that can handle this." Jennifer said with another grin before heading inside. Devin only shook his head with a smirk.

    ''Feel sorry for the poor bastard that decides to mess with her.'' Devin thought as he followed back inside.

 Chapter 70 - Apologies (Not Chapter)

    I apologize to everyone. I know that it seems like one of these come out every other month, but life happens especially when you''ve got as many irons in the fire that I have currently. So, a quick layout of what is happening.

    A promotion at work has not only added responsibilities on to my work but changed my schedule up to the point that I''ve been try to work writing into it for the last 2 weeks and I think I almost have it down so next chapter should be out by this weekend at the latest.

    The other thing is that I kinda wrote myself into a corner. The story so far has Devin and co. confronting Kilgrave in the middle of a park with people around. So it''s taking me a hot minute to figure out how to write this so as to not accelerate things into phase 2 just yet. Phase 2 doesn''t happen for at least another 2-3 arcs that I have planned, including an original arc that will introduce Devin to S.H.I.E.L.D. and co. This was also kinda the reason for the fluff chapter last time.

    Again sorry and thank you for the patience. Couple of quick facts just for the hell of it.

    1. So far I have pulled from the MCU/Netflix series, several comic arcs including from the "Ultimate" series and have been hinting at one of the Marvel Animated Movies for one of the evil organizations.

    2. Henric''s mutant powers were inspired by a character that I wrote as part of a fiction writing contest in my first year of high school. For some of you that is secondary school.

    3. Izabella''s looks in her first appearance in the story was brought about thanks to writing the chapter while my fiance watched some Dungeons and Dragons movie knock-off.

    4. Originally this story was supposed to take place in the DC Universe, but I wasn''t as well versed in all the various factions of DC as I was in Marvel so I switched it up and saved DC for later.

    Again sorry for the delay but if I get the writing right and I get enough time then I might just get 2 chapters out this weekend. So stay tuned.

 Chapter 71 - Back Up

    Devin awoke first thing in the morning early to prepare for his meeting with Kilgrave. Devin knew that this whole situation was gonna be tricky as they had to nab a full-grown man in the middle of the day in a public park. Devin still had everything packed from his first confrontation so there wasn''t much to gather that he didn''t already have.

    Devin began to go over various plans and so far he only had one that had any possibility of working and he was hesitant to use it. Finishing a mug of coffee, Devin went over his plan once again as he said good-bye to the rest and strolled out to his truck. Devin knew that Jessica and Luke were gonna hate this plan but the only alternative involved using either a random civilian or asking a favor from someone, possibly the X-men, which Devin was loath to even considered after the throw down he had with Cyclops.??

    Arriving at the bar once more where the three had agreed to meet, Devin walked in to find not only Jessica and Luke but a man with dark hair cut into a professional, side-swept style with a shirt, tie, and a pair of dark red glasses. His dress coat hanging on the back of his chair as he clutched a cane in a similar color to the lenses of his glasses in both of his hands. The other man was a blonde with close-cropped, curly hair and a five-o-clock shadow to match. He had on a button-up plaid shirt with a zip-up jacket over top of that.

    Upon entering Devin found three sets of eyes on him and an ear turned towards his direction, causing him to pause in his steps.

    ''Danny Rand and Matt Murdock, the Iron Fist and Daredevil. The whole of the Netflix Defenders are now here and apparently know one another. What is going on with this time line! Somethings are accelerated while others shouldn''t even exist and some are right on schedule. Talk about a cl.u.s.ter f.u.c.k.'' Devin thought as he stared at the four superhumans sitting at the table.

    "Luke, Jessica, I didn''t know we were having guests for this meeting." Devin said while trying to sound light and nonchalant while his mind now raced a million miles an hour at this new curveball as well as the implications that could come of it should they still go with Devin''s original plan.

    "Well me and Jess were thinking that since Kilgrave was dabbling into controlling other people with powers then we might need some backup." Luke said as he nodded at the new pair before speaking again.

    "They also stopped by because we hadn''t talked in quite a while and they were checking to make sure we hadn''t killed each other or gotten arrested again in Matt''s case." Luke said ending with a chuckle and a nod at the man with the cane and glasses who also had a half smirk at what Devin could only surmise was an inside joke between the four.

    "Well alright then lets get introductions out of the way and then we can discuss wat to do now." Devin said as he stepped up to the new comers and offered a hand to the blonde first.

    "Devin Price." Devin said as the blonde man took his hand in return.

    "Danny Rand." the now named man replied.

    "Of Rand Enterprises." Devin said which made Rand nod. Devin then turned to the last man and saw that he already had his hand extended for Devin to shake. Devin took the hand and introduced himself once more.

    "Matt Murdock." the man said before dropping the handshake.

    "The blind lawyer from Hell''s Kitchen. I read about one of your cases a little ways back." Devin commented as he took a chair from another table and sat down on it in reverse.

    "So Devin, how are we gonna do this?" Luke asked as everyone settled down to talk.

    "Well before that how much do these two know so far?" Devin asked as he nodded at Rand and Murdock.

    "They know what Kilgrave can do as well as the fact that he forces people into not only slavery but into doing horrifying things to themselves as well as those around them at the command of Kilgrave." Luke said as the two other men nodded.

    "Do they know that there is some personal stakes in this little back and forth we''ve got going with Kilgrave?" Devin said as he motioned to himself and then to Jessica with a raised eyebrow.

    "The gist''s, but not the details since Jess didn''t feel comfortable with talking about what she remembers." Luke said as Jessica scowls at the table after hearing the explanation.

    "Alright then in that case lets begin. Jessica, Luke, and I have confirmed that Kilgrave had a person spying on Jessica and that they would meet at a kiosk in a local park so as to pass off the collected information in return for a special kind of payment." Devin began before a clearing of a throat caused everyone to turn and look at Matt.

    "I do want to remind everyone that I am a legal representative." Matt said with his head bowed. Devin figured that this was Matt''s way of trying to keep them from going to far, but Devin needed to get the end fate of Kilgrave through to the two new comers as well as Luke and Jessica in case they were mistaken as well.

    "Funny, coming from a man with the smell of blood on him. Make no mistake, I am helping these two to put an end to Kilgrave and I''m not talking putting him away in prison, because with his abilities it is inevitable that he will get out of what ever hole you toss him into. No I''m talking a more permanent end to him and I will do it myself." Devin said as he leveled the most serious glare he could at each of them without his eyes changing. The various faces around the table expressed everything from disbelief to acceptance, that last one belonging to Jessica.

    ''Looks like she''s ready to do what needs to be done at least.'' Devin thought on see Jessica''s look before the others erupted into a chorus of objections.

    "Shut UP!" Jessica shouted before slamming her hand flat on the table top causing it to creak with the force. This quieted the three men causing the cacophany of protests, though to Luke''s credit he was arguing more for the fact that he didn''t want Jessica involved in the actual killing of Kilgrave.

    "Devin is right. Kilgrave can''t be contained without the risk of him getting out by manipulating someone and then we''re back where we started, but it''s not just the need to see him stopped, but I NEED to put an end to what ever this is that is between me and him. To put this behind me once and for all." Jessica said as Luke put a hand on her shoulder in comfort due to the raw amount of emotion that came with her explanation. The other two seemed to recognize just how much Jessica was invested in this fight.

    Some time passed before the other two seemed to steel themselves and then look up towards the others, which in hind sight seemed odd to Devin what with Matt being blind, and nodded in a sign of acceptance.

    "We''ll help you all out." the two said one after the other. This brought small smiles to both Jessica and Luke at the solidarity from their two friends while Devin just nodded.

    "With that done, lets get back to developing a plan, because there is a rather big problem that we have to solve before we can subdue and finish this conflict as Jessica put it." Devin said as he gestured with his hand to get things back on track and rolling.

 Chapter 72 - Warehouse Throwdown

    Devin slipped into the warehouse and saw that Jessica and Kilgrave were standing less than a dozen feet from one another arguing about something. but Devin wasn''t paying attention to what was said though he still kept track of the two''s movements. What had his main focus was the people in the black outfits creeping along the rafters. Devin was watching them move along the roof to slowly surround the pair in the center. Devin knew that Jessica''s friends were hidden amongst the abandoned crates and other large objects that were left behind when the place was condemned. It was then that Devin also noticed that the three people that Kilgrave had entranced were hidden nearby as well.

    ''Well, how am I gonna get past this?'' Devin thought as he looked from the "ninjas" on the ceiling, the three backup for Kilgrave, then Kilgrave himself. Pressing his finger to his ear piece, Devin sent a signal that would prompt the others to answer their coms.

    "What''s wrong?" Danny came through as the others chimed in with similar comments.

    "We''ve got a problem. We were right about Kilgrave having backup, but apparently someone else came to crash the party." Devin said as the others waited for an explanation.

    "There are three men that are hiding behind crates in the southwest corner, to your right. There are what looks like a bunch of ninjas crawling across the ceiling amongst the rafters." Devin said before hearing two sharp intakes of breath.

    "You said ninjas?" Matt asked as Devin looked at the men in black attached to the roof.

    "Yeah, outfits, masks, and even swords. Why?" Devin asked as he checked on the situation with Kilgrave to see the two still arguing.

    "Those are members of The Hand." Danny said with tension in his voice causing Devin to curse which was heard over the mic.

    "You''ve heard of them?" Matt asked as Devin re-evaluated the people on the ceiling.

    "Mostly stories and rumors. No interaction till now." Devin said as he turned to look at the three backups for Kilgrave.

    "Any idea about Kilgrave''s backup?" Luke asked as Devin looked them over.

    "The only one that looks even remotely familiar is an African American man with a gauntlet on his left hand." Devin said before another sharp inhale sounded once again through the mic.

    "That might be a guy named Willis Stryker. Street name Diamondback." Luke said to which Devin nodded remembering that all of Luke''s villians were named after snakes.

    "Okay so what''s his gimmick?" Devin asked as he study the other two for clues.

    "The gauntlet gives him enhanced strength or something. He also happens to be my half-brother." Luke said which had Devin surprised for a split second. It was then that Devin noticed that things had come to a head between Kilgrave and Jessica.

    "Looks like things are about to start. Everyone be careful." Devin said as he Pulled an AR from his storage and aimed at the two dozen people on the roof. A minute later all hell broke loose. Devin opened fire on the ninjas killing roughly a third of them before they could find cover from his fire.

    Devin jumped down and saw Luke going for his brother while Danny and Matt were fighting the other two. Looking to the right Devin saw Jessica chasing Kilgrave around a bunch of crates while he screamed for his three slaves to come help him. Soon the remainder of the ninjas dropped down and joined which had Devin working double time to help the others. Every punch from Luke dropped a ninja while him and his brother threw shots at each other.

    Danny was fighting ninjas while trading blows with the man that looked middle eastern with the trench coat. This left Matt dodging random items being thrown at him by the other man in a trench coat which also helped to take out the ninjas that were trying to swarm him at the same time. The fact that the man was throwing random items with pin point accuracy clued Devin in as to who the man was. He was Bullseye. One of Daredevil''s main villians. The third man was still a mystery. With all the ninjas dropping left and right and the actual villians duking it out with heroes, the whole scenario looked like a episode of Power Rangers or something.

    Devin jumped in and began to kill ninjas left and right which he knew the others wouldn''t agree with but these were the ninjas that were trying to take over the city and were behind the scenes in most of the horrible things that happened to Matt and Danny as well as numerous others. Luke managed to slam his brother into the floor before stepping on his back and pinning him face down to the concrete floor. Devin seeing this dashed over while his right hand began to glow with a white-silver glow before pressing his hand to the back of Luke''s brother''s skull. A few minutes later the man slumped unconscious on the floor.

    This allowed Luke to change priorities to helping Danny as he was slowly losing ground between the ninjas and the skill that the other man had which looked to be on par with Danny''s own. A roundhouse kick knocked Danny down only for Luke to run through with his arm extended to clothesline four ninjas while Danny planted his foot on the ?h?st of his opponent and then flipped him over himself when the man tried to jump on him. This slammed his opponent into and through a small stack of crates which then collapsed on him. Devin took this opportunity to grabbed the downed man''s wrist and once again use Purify on the man to which he then slumped down unresponsive.

    Danny and Luke were now trying to stop the ninjas as even though there were only about two dozen of them to begin with there were more that had apparently shown up at some point. Matt was still fighting it out with Bullseye while dodging ninjas and both Kilgrave and Jessica had disappeared in the chaos. Devin had drawn his knife to parry the swords of the ninjas while he wielded a pistol in the other hand. Soon even more ninjas piled into the warehouse. This was both good and bad news. Good news because the hand would want to keep these evens from the public and anyone watching, but the bad news was there were even more people trying to kill them.

    Soon Matt managed to launch himself off to the side as Bullseye threw the lid to a steel drum at him which then hit the corner crate on the bottom of a stack which then caused it to break and crumble. This lead to a domino effect as the stack then fell on top of Bullseye. Devin stabbed a ninja in the th??h before forward rolling under a dual horizontal swing from two ninjas and making a mad dash towards the last of Kilgrave''s new stooges.

    Soon a shout from up high had everyone''s attention to see Jessica with Kilgrave in a headlock and Kilgrave begging for his life. Her three friends began to plead with her to not kill the man in-between attacking and defending. Those pleas fell on deaf ears as with one swift jerk Jessica snapped Kilgrave''s neck, causing the man to pitch forward and bounce like a ragdoll down from the top where he died before slamming into the ground hard with a sharp crack.

    This caused everyone to pause for a minute before all of the ninjas seemed to redouble their efforts which confused Devin.

    ''Why is The Hand here? it can''t just be a chance to get rid of Matt and Danny. There''s more to this.'' Devin thought as he killed another ninja. Seeing how they were getting swarmed Devin started to gather the heroes with an idea in mind. A very risky one, but a plan. Coming up on Luke, Devin kicked a ninja away before speaking.

    "Luke, get to the others and then barricade the doors behind you!" Devin said over his shoulder to the man.

    "What about you?" Luke asked as he slugged another ninja in the face.

    "Don''t worry about me. I''ve got a plan." Devin said before the two separated and Devin began to fight his way towards the center of the warehouse while Luke began to fight towards the others. Soon Luke had the other three as well as the unconscious villians that had been subdued at the entrance of the warehouse.

    "Devin we gotta get out of here!" Danny called as they held off a few stragglers. Devin managed to pistol whip another ninja with his now empty gun before yelling at them them to go. Luke dragged Jessica and his brother out before Matt and Danny followed with their respective villians. Devin continued to fight for a few more seconds before the ninjas seemed to step back, giving both parties a second to breath. Eventually a ninja with red accents on his outfit stepped forward to speak.

    "Surrender. You may die quickly if you do." the ninja said as he pointed his sword at Devin. Devin returned the gesture with his dagger before replying with a shake of his head.

    "Then die!" the ninja yelled as he gestured for the rest to swarm Devin. At this point Devin activated one of his Spirits with a flash of light. Devin floated there in his Red-Eyed Dragoon form with his sword drawn and his eyes a burning red as he stared at the ninja that was supposedly a leader.

    "What are you?" the red ninja asked as they all stared at the being floating before them.

    "Annoyed." Devin said before he dropped out of the air and drove the tip of his sword into the ground which then began to glow and bulge before a massive explosion erupted, engulfing everyone and the warehouse.

    ***

    "Devin!!" Jessica shouted as Luke stopped her from going back. The four watched in silence as the building continued to burn. Soon the wailing of sirens could be heard. Matt and Danny tied the three villians up for the cops to find before recommending that they all should leave. After a second of silent communication the four left down an alley. Once they had left the only sound that could be found was the roar and crackle of the fire.

    On a pier some hundred feet away from the warehouse, there was the sound of water splashing before a hand shot out of the water and grabbed the edge of the pier. This hand pulled the rest of the attached body out of the water to reveal the water-logged form of Devin laying half out of the water.

    "Shit."

 Chapter 73 - In One Piece

    Devin, having pulled himself from the waters around the pier, rolled onto his back and stared at the sky as the clouds glowed orange with the reflected light pollution from the city. Taking a moment to catch his breath and consider what just happened.

    The dragoon armor had saved Devin from the fire and concussive wave, but that didn''t mean it had stopped it from sending him rocketing through the roof and out over open water. Devin had tried to flare his wings but couldn''t seem to get them to coordinate enough to stop his fall though the flapping might have slowed his descent before hitting the water.

    Standing up Devin started walking away from the blazing structure as first responders began to pull up and try to put out the fire. As Devin disappeared into the shadows of the night another shape emerged from them to see the structure beginning to turn into a pile of molten slag and rubble. The light from the fire revealed the shape of a man in a red ninja outfit with black trim, his mask currently around his neck, exposing his face. The man continued to stare at the fire before a man in a smoldering black ninja outfit with the slumped form of a body on his shoulder appeared.

    "Is he alive?" the man in the red asked without taking his eyes from the ruined warehouse.

    "No, we were unable to get to him before the woman killed him." the smoldering man reported as two more men in black appeared and took the body of the man from the injured member.

    "Take him back for now. The leaders will make a decision on what to do with the body." the man in red said to the two before they disappeared with the body. The man in red then turned to the injured man and with a flick of his wrist slit his throat.

    "Failure will not be tolerated." the man murmured before disappearing into the night as well.

    ***

    After finishing his shower Devin proceeded to have an ordinary morning after the chaos he just experienced. A moment of peace before calling Jessica and diving back into the madness.

    ''They probably think that I died in that explosion. Better be ready to duck.'' Devin thought as he made two eggs and some toast. Devin began making more food after finishing his so that the others could have breakfast. The smiles he received after laying out the eggs and toast was well worth the time, though he ended up having to make another four eggs for Henric. The boy''s apatite was beginning to get pretty large. Devin and Izabela would need to be careful so as not having to pack an entire feast for his school lunches. He then wished them a good day and saw them off to school while Izabela headed outback for her daily practice. She was diligent in her will to protect her siblings, Devin conceded as he made note to check on Stark and other current events after.

    Finally it came time for Devin to call Jessica and let them know he was alive so that they could proceed with the investigation of the principle and school. It only took a couple rings before the angry voice of Jessica ripped through the speaker on his phone.

    "You ?sshole! We thought you were dead! Why didn''t you contact us sooner!" Jessica said before a frustrated yell was heard in the background of the call signaling that she had set the phone down and stepped away. Soon Luke got on the line and said pretty much the same except the PG version since Luke never seemed to cuss, ever. Once Devin had talked the two down from their anger they explained what had happened.

    They had left the three villians for the authorities and returned to Luke''s bar to bandage their wounds. Everyone had felt his death as a failure though now that he was alive they could move past it. This was told by Luke as Jessica yelled in the background that she wouldn''t move past anything till she kicked Devin''s ?ss. This brought a smirk to Devin''s face as he found Jessica''s attitude amusing for the most part and he couldn''t blame them for being pissed at his supposed death only for him to come back perfectly fine.

    "Alright, I''m sorry for worrying all of you, but could you put me on speaker now so that I can speak to Jessica without her crushing the phone." Devin said to Luke who switched the phone immediately.

    "Okay, go ahead." Luke signaled.

    "Jessica look you can sock me when I see you next, but for now I need you to finish the case on the school principle before something happens. I''m not saying right now, but once you recover then if you would continue please." Devin said the last part when he could hear Luke inhale to say something, most likely some concern for Jessica''s well being.

    "Jessica, I know that this is most likely gonna fall on deaf ears, but you should really talk about what happened, even if it''s just Luke. You''re a good woman and what you did in that warehouse will eventually catch up to you and I hope you don''t rely on your usual means to cope." Devin said though he should have done the same a long time ago. The fact that he was able to function like nothing happened was a concerning development though becoming numb was a possible reason.

    "Don''t worry, I''m here for her." Luke said as Devin nodded even though he knew they couldn''t see him.

    "Okay I''ll contact the both of you later for progress. Stay safe." Devin said before hanging up. Looking around found Devin in the living room by himself. Taking a seat on the couch Devin decided to check his inventory real quick while he checked for any news pertaining to the warehouse explosion. Soon the voices of news anchors replaced the quiet that had pervaded the room moments before which was a nice background noise while he checked his stuff.

    Looking over the items left he saw that a good portion of his ammo and the clips for it were spent so he would need to replenish that from the armory. He also saw that the AR and one of his handguns was missing so those would need to be replaced as well. Soon a voice managed to break him from his perusal.

    A woman in a red business suit and perfectly styled blonde hair reported on how a condemned warehouse on the pier had exploded last night due to a gas leak and how the only casualties were a small group of homeless people who had been squatting illegally in the dilapidated structure.

    ''So I was right. The Hand covered up that whole thing with some BS cover story, but what was their angle? The chance to eliminate both Ironfist and Daredevil were of course good, but the amount of subordinates as well as the fact that they got even more frenzied when Jessica killed Kilgrave speaks to much more. Were they after Kilgrave?'' Devin speculated before the back door opening and closing caught his attention and he turned the TV off in response.

    "Devin? Is that you?" Izabela''s voice came from the door.

    "Yeah, was just watching some news on the TV. What''s up?" Devin replied before standing and locating the woman. She was wearing a white tank top over a sports bra and leggings for her daily practice. Her hair was still up in a pony tail at the back of her head.

    "I''m heading out to go shopping again. We''re running out of certain things due to Henric''s new apatite. I''ve been meaning to speak with you about it though. Is that normal for mutants?" Izabela said before asking a question as she wiped sweat from her neck with a small cotton towel. Her voice sounded unsure on the use of the word mutant, like she wasn''t sure she was using it right.

    "Mutants are just as varied as normal humans. So it is possible that his apatite might be normal for his type of mutation. We just need to roll with it and make sure that he gets what he needs." Devin said as he gave her a reassuring smile and a nod that she was fine. This seemed to relax some tension in her shoulders as she smiled back.

    "Alright, anything we need that you can think of?" Izabela asked as she passed by Devin on her way to change leaving a notable scent behind her. Devin having gone through a change in his bloodline as well as no longer being human and having some enhanced senses was momentarily caught off guard before shaking his head and replying.

    "No, but thank you for your consideration. Go ahead and buy extra of what ever we seem to be running through and I''ll see about maybe adding more storage to the pantry." Devin said with a smile that Izabela nodded to before excusing herself. After she left Devin frowned slightly, before shaking his head.

    ''Get ahold of yourself Devin.'' Devin admonished himself before turning towards the stairs down to the armory.

    ''Maybe a call to Mr. McCoy to brainstorm some ideas on what Henric''s mutation could be. I believe I can trust the man to be secretive about our cooperation..'' Devin thought as he started downwards.

 Chapter 74 - Conversations and Concerns

    It took only two rings before McCoy picked up the phone when Devin rang him.

    "Mr. Price, it''s been a while. To what do I owe the honor for this call?" Hank asked over the line as Devin paced the racks of weapons in the armory.

    "I was wondering if you would possibly be interested in some theorizing on something I''ve been observing?" Devin answered as he passed a hand over a magazine for an ?ssault rifle to which it disappeared into his inventory.

    "And what would that observation be?" Hank asked with interest coloring the tone of his voice.

    "Henric''s mutation. Though I do hope that you can keep this information to yourself as there are certain individuals that I would rather not have sticking their nose into this?" Devin asked as a hum sounded through the speaker of the phone.

    "I can since it is s?ns?t?v? information. So, what have you seen so far?" Hank said before asking about Henric.. For the next few hours Devin and Hank speculated on what exactly Henric''s mutation could be. Hank did bring up Darwin and his adaptation ability and Devin did admit that he thought it was that very ability, but something about it seemed different.

    It was like comparing the ice making abilities of Yana and Bobby Drake A.K.A. Iceman. They are similar in abilities and capabilities, but there are differences that set them apart. While Darwin''s seemed like a adaptive evolution to preserve his life, Henric''s seems more like he is evolving to any and all possible situations though the eyes and claws seem to speak of a more predatory nature. In the end they had both decided that he had a variation of adaptable evolution that hadn''t been fully manifested due to Henric''s age.

    Soon, Hank mentioned that he had some responsibilities that needed to be taken care of so he had to leave, though Devin said that he would keep observing and update Hank at a later time. Hanging up the phone Devin looked to the clock and saw that time had gotten away from him thanks to the intense discussion. He had already finished refilling his inventory while talking. Heading upstairs Devin decided that checking in on the various individuals of interest could wait till later.

    ***

    *One Week Later*

    The time had passed quietly for the four. The kids said that the bullying was continuing though they couldn''t prove anything. Yana''s locker had been broken into and her textbooks ruined in the bathroom toilets. Henric''s desk was littered with hateful writings. No one ever saw anything and the one time that Devin demanded to see the school security cameras he was told that the cameras were coincidentally down for repair.

    Devin could see that the bullying was starting to affect the kids mentality and this was in turn affecting Izabela. That all changed on a Sunday night just before the school week began.

    Devin and the siblings were sitting in the living room watching tv when the Devin''s phone began to ring. Getting up and answering the phone while moving to a different room found Devin talking to Jessica Jones once more.

    "Hello Jessica. How are you doing?" Devin answered as he stepped through the back door and out onto the patio.

    "I''m better." Jessica said to Devin''s shock.

    "No insult? Who are you and what have you done with Jessica?" Devin joked as he could practically feel her glare through the phone.

    "Don''t push it ?sshole." Jessica retorted with a high level of sarcasm lacing her voice.

    "There she is. Any way, do you have some news for me?" Devin asked after a second. There was a sigh on the other end before Jessica answered.

    "Yeah, I got some news and it isn''t good." Jessica said with a level of weariness that spoke of mental exhaustion more than physical. This made a chill ripple down Devin''s spine.

    ''I''m not gonna like this.'' Devin thought before he answered back.

    "What did you find?" Devin asked as he steeled himself for what the answer would be.

    "Mr. Marvin Lynch. Single with no kids. I''ll skip the unimportant details here and get to what you wanted me to look into. Lynch has been on the take for a bunch of wealthy families like I told you about, but that''s not all. He''s helped to cover up quite a few suicides, making them look like accidents and is in bed with some unsavory jackwads. He''s been suspected as having information on two missing person cases though nothing came of investigating then and I believe that he''s also involved in a couple others. How the hell did this guy get to be the principle of one of the state''s most prestigious schools?" Jessica said as Devin''s temper flared with each piece of information.

    "Is there anything else?" Devin asked as he took a deep breath to steady himself.

    "Yeah a bunch, but it''s more than what I can tell over the phone. I''ll send you a copy." Jessica said as a beep sounded from Devin''s phone.

    "Thanks Jessica." Devin said, his voice tight with anger.

    "Happy hunting." Jessica said as she hung up, a mirror of Devin''s reply not to long ago.

    "Yeah, time to finish this." Devin said as he hung up his phone and began downloading the file.

 Chapter 75 - Step One

    *Warning! Violent & Disturbing Topics This Chapter! Read at Your Own Discretion!*

    Devin knew, even before he got transmigrated, that not everything in the movies and television shows was idyllic. There had to be a darker aspect to those fictional universes as they were based in some way or form on the reality of the person or persons that wrote them in the first place and there is that darkness that obscures the atrocities that are committed that most people never see or hear about unless they either go looking for it, stumble upon it, or it is shown to them.

    This was one of those moments for Devin. Having saw Kilgrave''s little memory book about Jessica, Devin was convinced that he might see other horrible or dark things in this universe that weren''t in the movies since this world seems to be a blend of universes, but there were a few instances that he was hoping wouldn''t be a thing in this universe like the Marvel Zombies or even the spider virus, but it seems like not all the horrible things will be of the Marvel exclusive type.

    Lynch had been busy the last decade. He had somehow been hired as the principle of the school roughly a decade ago and supposedly been taking bribes under the table from some of the wealthier families to look the other way whenever their child had broken some rules or had issues with their grades. This included burying cases of bullying and other things that would have resulted in expulsion. There were even files that suggested that he was connected to the Russians. That he was involved with almost a dozen missing person cases, all of which were teenage girls, as well as two apparent suicides, but there was no evidence to speak to the contrary.

    With every file, Devin''s anger would rise higher and higher. It took every once of control that Devin had not to pulverize his phone while reading the files. Devin knew that he would need to remove this parasite if he wanted to give the kids the peace and normalcy they deserved in their lives. Though thanks to Lynch''s careful maneuvering and the interference from some of the people he ?ssociated with he would need to do things delicately. First, a call to a certain attorney. Then, preparing a nice casket for one pathetic, worthless sac of flesh.

    *One Week Later*

    Devin had been coordinating and planning with Jen all week. Jen said that after Devin had sent her the files, she now had enough to remove Lynch from his position of principle and to move towards building a solid case against him, but Devin had other plans. Devin planned to disparage Lynch''s public image and remove him from his position before dealing with him, so that when Devin did get a hold of him then there wouldn''t be nearly the amount of scrutiny into what happened to Lynch. Devin could feel the spirits fueling the need to find and eliminate the pathetic man. To tear into Lynch and remove the object of his ire once and for all. Devin started keeping an iron grip on that feeling, not letting it control him yet not letting it fade and disappear.

    The final ruling had just concluded and it had been ruled that Lynch was to be removed from his position as principle effective immediately pending a full investigation of the former principal. Devin of course was sitting in the civilian section of the proceedings in the same black suit and red shirt combo that he had worn when he had met Lynch the first time. He sat in the back to avoid being recognized as having Lynch see him and then possibly telling his little friends in high places would make things just that much more of a pain in the rear.

    ''It''s a little weird that I''m okay with planning to murder a man in cold blood so easily, but after reading what I did I can''t help but feel the need to wipe that shit stain off this planet.'' Devin thought as he stood and left, blending with the few people that came to this. Those being a few "Friends" of Lynch''s and some parents that had grievances with Lynch in the past looking to watch him get some form of retribution. As Devin descended the steps of the building that the case was being presided over in, he heard a voice call out to him from the top of the steps.

    "Devin!"

    Turning back to the steps found Jen in her lavender business suit with a black brief case in her left hand. Her other hand was curled into a fist and propped on her right hip that went well with the look of feigned annoyance that graced her features, though Devin could detect that there was a smile just waiting to shine through that fake, thin veil of discontent.

    "Were you even gonna stop and say ''Hi'' Devin?" Jen asked as she made her way down the steps towards Devin as the man in question waited for her to approach.

    "Sorry, figured you were gonna be busy with the case as well as work." Devin answered back to her as she looked him up and down.

    "You look like you''re out for people''s souls Devin." Jen said as she gave him a Cheshire grin that Devin couldn''t help but return.

    "No, not peoples, just one person''s." Devin returned while looking up at the entrance to the building. Trying to keep an eye out for Lynch. Jen noticed that look and coupled with the comment she went from a grin to a frown real quick.

    "Devin, you''re not thinking of doing anything rash are you? I understand that Lynch has quite some problems for the kids and you, but don''t throw away what you have for something as worthless as revenge." Jen said as Devin looked down at Jen once he was sure that Lynch wouldn''t suddenly appear.

    "No Jen, I wouldn''t throw away what I have for revenge. I just want to see this to the end and make sure that Lynch gets what is coming to him." Devin said as he motioned with his head for them to walk and talk. This prompted Jen to nod before falling into step with him.

    "So, we get Lynch out of the school at the very least and, if we''re lucky, into a prison jump suit. But what if he does get out from under the charges?" Jen asked as they stepped onto a crosswalk and passed other people as well as cars.

    "With the amount of bad things that Lynch has done. Karma will come for him, and when it does he will pay for what he has done. Karma''s a bitch like that." Devin said as he waved his hand whilst explaining. Soon they arrived at Devin''s truck and prepared to part.

    "Mr. Lynch has some pretty powerful connections. That lawyer he has doesn''t come cheap and only works for a select clientele." Jen said as if this was supposed to persuade him from his course. All it did was make him chuckle.

    "Jen, sometimes things are a little more cut and dried than most people want to believe." Devin said before getting into his truck and rolling down the window.

    "Sometimes things are just as simple as taking a breath." Devin finished before starting the truck and driving away. Jen watched as the truck rounded a corner before disappearing.

    "Sometimes it''s the fact that it is that easy that makes it that much worse.." Jen muttered as she turned and headed towards her office.

 Chapter 76 - Trial

    Jen wasn''t kidding when she said that that lawyer that Lynch had was good. He at one point nearly had the entire case thrown out, but then Jen came swooping in and brought everything on track. Jen had told Devin that she had received death threats in the mail. Devin offered for Jen to stay in one of the few spare rooms that he had left at the house but she still refused saying she could take care of herself. Devin knew that she''d had to already have had the blood transfusion that made her She-Hulk, but this didn''t mean that he still didn''t worry as did Izabela.

    Though as time progressed things weren''t looking that great for Mr. Lynch and his chances at freedom. Jen had convinced several former school employees as well as numerous other people to testify against Lynch though some later redacted them, there was still enough that things weren''t looking good.

    In the mean time Devin had been making his own preparations. He wasn''t gonna leave things up to the courts as things still had a chance to go south and Devin definitely wanted finality. All he had to do was wait for the right moment. That moment came sooner than anticipated.

    Devin was walking up the steps to Jen''s office in his suit as the next round of hearing was to be in session in roughly an hour. As he approached near where Jen''s office was he could see two men standing next to a limo parked at the curb. One man stepped into the limo while the other looked back at Jen''s office. Devin could see thanks to his enhanced sight that the man currently standing outside the limo was Lynch and he seemed to have a smirk on his face as he turned and entered the limo before it drove off. Devin watched it leave before walking into the building.

    Knocking on the door that had Jen''s name on it, Devin soon cracked the door open and peeked in to see Jen with her head propped in her hands looking at a folder on her desk. At the sound of the door opening, Jen lifted her gaze to see who was entering. Seeing Devin with only his head poked through brought a smile to her face.

    "Hey you. What''s happening?" Jen asked as Devin opened the door further and stepped in before closing the door behind him.

    "Hey, not much though I think I should be asking you that. I saw Lynch and his lawyer getting into a limo on the way in. Is everything okay?" Devin asked as he took one of the two chairs in front of Jen''s desk. Devin all of a sudden caught a whiff of something rancid mixed with the stale smell of body odor causing him to gag.

    "You okay?" Jen asked as she walked over to a mini fridge in the corner and got a bottle of water before handing it to Devin.

    "Yeah, though I can tell Lynch was here. There''s only one person that can smell that bad." Devin said as he down half the bottle to repel the bile climbing his throat at the smell that lingered. A sigh from Jen spoke enough volumes that the smell isn''t the only bad thing that was lingering.

    "Lynch and his lawyer were here to make an offer." Jen said as she closed the file in front of her seat and set it to the side. This made a pit of dread drop into Devin''s stomach.

    "What kind of deal?" Devin said trying to keep the edge out of his voice as he clasped the arms of the padded leather chair just a little harder.

    "In exchange for dropping the charges, Lynch will immediately resign as the principal of the school, he will be on house arrest for six months, and he will be donating ten thousand dollars to the Lost and Found Organization." Jen said said as she waited for Devin to explode. Devin knew things wouldn''t be that easy even with the few witnesses that they had left. When Devin didn''t blow up Jen really started to worry.

    "Devin I''m not planning to take the deal even though the odds are turning once more." Jen said quickly to reassure Devin.

    "Let me guess. More of the witnesses that testified have renounced their claims. Their using this as a chance to get away with a slap on the wrist instead of real consequences." Devin said as he sat back calm and collected even as his eyes betrayed his real emotions.

    "We still have the evidence from Jones. That can get us more though we won''t be able to get the full book thrown at him, a chapter is better than a page." Jen tried to reason and then joke to ease Devin''s anger. All the while Devin was deciding to accelerate his plans for Lynch.

    "Good to know. Well then I''ll leave you to your work then. I''ll talk to you later." Devin said as he stood and made for the door. The sound of his name caused Devin to pause with the door half way open.

    "Devin, we''ll get this guy." Jen said, sounding like she was trying to convince herself as much as Devin.

    "I know we will Jen, I know we will." Devin said as he turned and smiled at Jen before stepping out and closing the door. As he walked down the hall Devin''s smile disappeared only to be replaced by a savage grin.

    ''I just get the end results.'' Devin thought as he stepped out onto the street.

    ***

    At the final hearing, Lynch was mysteriously absent. His lawyer was seated, but Lynch was suspiciously M.I.A. from his seat. Soon the hearing was supposed to start but Lynch was still absent.

    "Where is the defendant?" the judge asked as Lynch''s lawyer stood up.

    "We are still trying to locate him. He disappeared from his home last night and hasn''t been seen since. I have some ?ssociates looking for him as we speak." the lawyer said.

    "We will give him another hour and if he doesn''t arrive then he will be held in contempt of court." the judge decreed as he banged his gavel twice before standing up and exiting.

    Jen looked at the the defense lawyer as he looked at the empty seat of his client in concern. She then looks back at the back row of the court room to see Devin seated who then smiled and waved at her with a smile which she returned before shaking her head at the absurdity of her thoughts.

    Soon the hour was up and still no Lynch to be seen. The judge decided that Lynch was to be held in contempt of court and that there will be a warrant issued for his arrest. At this declaration the court was dismissed.

    ***

    Undisclosed Location

    Areas of the walls could be seen to be pierced with rusted iron rebar and b?r? wires hung from the ceiling. Some rooms were tagged with splashes of color from old graffiti. The figure took flights of rusted metal stairs downward into the depths and darkness. After arriving at one final door, the figure opened it to reveal another figure tied to a wooden chair with a dirty rag in their mouth. Walking over the figure grabbed the bound figure by the hair and yanked their head back to show the bound figure was the missing Mr. Lynch.

    "What do you want? Why are you doing this?" Lynch wh?n?d as he sniffed from hours of crying. The figure''s only response was to lean forward so that one terrifying feature could be seen in the light from the b?r?, singular bulb that hung from the ceiling directly above where lynch sat bound.. The image of an evil looking, white skull.