Dante sat alone in the suddenly too-quiet private dining room and picked up the termination file Maria Hill had left behind. He flipped through it slowly. The crimes listed were real assassinations and covert operations. But they’d been done when she was a brainwashed weapon, not a free agent. The Mastermind had kept this file in reserve like a loaded gun, waiting for the perfect moment to pull the trigger.

"Spirit."

"It wasn’t supposed to proceed this way," she said. "Someone discovered what Natasha was planning to dismantle the Telepath’s grip on SHIELD. They moved preemptively to stop her."

"Natasha’s suspension for a few weeks."

"She would gain your sympathy and gradually shift into your circle, using this as a base to build trust... and a romantic relationship." The Spirit didn’t seem proud to admit this. "Your fondness for her would’ve blinded you to everything. This was Fury’s long-term operation to pull you into the Avengers Initiative."

"I was already doubting her, but whatever." He gestured to her. "Go on."

This would explain her zoning out during the dinner. She might’ve gone through it with anyone else, but with him... she felt like she owed him too much. The whole evening had been built around a purpose she had ultimately been unable to carry through.

The Spirit went silent.

"I framed the choice where refusal felt like a failure of loyalty to her colleagues." The flame around her skull flickered. "I really wanted her to form a relationship with you. It would help me a great deal."

Even though Natasha had regretted it in the end, the fact that she had agreed to manipulate him still stung. He considered her a friend after everything they went through in Asgard. He joked with her and trusted her. If she’d just asked honestly, he would’ve helped her in a heartbeat. The SHIELD’s mastermind would’ve come after him in the future anyway.

"WAIT!" The Spirit screamed in a voice filled with urgency. "What about Natasha? Are you going to leave her to rot forever in SHIELD’s prison?"

Before, killing her would’ve been impossible. But with cosmic awareness, he could absolutely annihilate her existence from this universe. He might just have to pay for it with one day of rest, which was nothing in the grand scheme of things.

He raised an eyebrow. "Move. Don’t make me use Death’s powers to kill you."

"Get your fake Youtuber apology out of here." He crossed his arms, glaring at her. "On second thought, why don’t you manipulate me into doing your bidding? That comes pretty naturally to you."

She tilted her skull down. "I feel terrible. How do I convince you I am truly apologetic?"

"I am begging you... oh great Death’s Companion, please show mercy."

"Three months?!"

He snapped to close the portal and drew another one on the side. The Spirit came to block this portal as well.

"Three, or I’m leaving. I can teleport through mystical energy or ask my companion to get me out of here."

When this was over, he wanted nothing to do with Natasha.

"You...!" The Spirit growled. "Fine! I’ll be your slave for three months."

The Demoness was one of those people who only took respect for granted. After today, she would fully realize the worth of respect.

"We can’t make hasty decisions. The Widows are under constant surveillance from SHIELD."

"We wait until they lower their guards," the Spirit said, nodding in agreement. "In the meantime, I shall keep you updated on Natasha."

The Spirit gazed at his back. "How can you be so cold to your bride? Do you not believe your loved ones deserve a chance?"

With those words, he stepped through the portal and closed it behind him. After sitting blankly at the bed for a few minutes, he went to the bathroom and washed his face. He wiped the water with a towel and observed himself in the mirror.

He shook his head. What Natasha did had nothing to do with how he had treated her. If anything, she had regretted her actions because of guilt. He didn’t have to change himself due to one woman when so many others loved him for who he was.

The door creaked open. The footsteps immediately confirmed it was the mutant with the sharpest nose.

She watched him from the bedroom with her arms crossed. "Do you want to play games?"

"Bedroom games."

She clicked her tongue, pure disappointment on her face. "I heard about your visit to the arcade. I brought you some gifts."

"I’m not like you," she said, grinning. "Silvija paid, but I asked her to buy them. Credit is mine."

He was curious what had Laura grinning ear to ear.

One pull at the wrapping bow uncovered the box. He ripped the tape and checked the contents. Inside was a Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3’s sitting under a stack of game discs for both consoles.

He pushed the box away and hugged Laura in his arms. "Thanks."

"You’ll teach me how to play. Then we can play together."

"Let’s go!"

At the Xavier Institute, the silence felt heavier than usual.

Scott hadn’t come out of his room. Food left outside his door disappeared, which was the only evidence he was still inside. Bobby and Warren had been gone since yesterday evening without a message. Hank had locked himself in his lab, only the occasional crash of equipment conveying his living status.

Ororo stirred the pot and felt the same restless ache in her own chest. She, too, was finding it hard to justify staying here. Xavier’s promise wouldn’t be realized without taking a fight to SHIELD. More importantly, she wanted to soar freely like Jean and help those in need.

A sharp knock echoed through the mansion.

She opened the heavy front door and found Erik Lehnsherr standing on the step. His sharp, authoritative gaze swept over her, then past her into the quiet halls. The long coat and straight posture made him look much younger than he was.

"Not as well as I’d have hoped," Ororo answered calmly. "Then again, fate has hardships for all of us. Only through overcoming them can we better ourselves."

"An incident happened. It’s better you hear it from Professor."

Ororo stepped aside and let him in, closing the door softly behind him. Erik took the stairs to the Cerebro room.

Erik checked his watch. "What happened for him to be there this early?"

Erik accepted the explanation with a curt nod and followed her to Charles’s quarters. Ororo opened the door and flicked on the lights. Xavier laid on the bed tucked under a thick blanket.

Xavier opened his eyes and sat up, which meant he wasn’t sleeping. He had been thinking.

The two had decades of friendship despite all the prior disagreement. SHIELD’s oppression had brought the two closer into becoming real friends.

A sudden crash from Charles’s room stopped her cold.

Ororo’s eyes widened. She turned the heat off and rushed back upstairs.

"He killed your student—he killed an X-Men—and you’re lying there. How can you accept that, Charles?"

"Returning violence with violence is not the right way."

Ororo landed outside the room and swung the door open, but Erik wasn’t present. A cold wind blew in from the open window. She moved to the window, yet Erik was nowhere in the view. He had already flown off to find Dante.

Charles sighed. "I don’t think I can, Ororo. He has never listened to me."

She closed the window and pulled out her phone. "I’m going to stop him."

"No, Charles. You have no right to stop me."

"Miss Ororo!" Jean said cheerfully. "I miss you so much here. You have no idea—"

"He left for Felicia’s home half an hour ago. He’s having dinner with her parents."

"Text me Dante’s number and Felicia’s address."

"I can’t be certain of the possibility. But if Erik reaches him tonight and neither of them chooses to stop." She flew up in the air and gazed at the bright city under the sky. "Half of Manhattan might be leveled."

"Erik." Jean gasped. "Shit, I’m going to help him."

"Dante."

They might be close to each other in age, but he always showed her respect.

"Erik? Magneto?"

"He can come," he said in a firm voice. "I don’t want to run away."

"Then stop him. If he shows up at Felicia’s home, I’m going to kick his ass."

You can read more Chapters on my Patreon!