Support me and be 30 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/Draco_
For every 5 Patreon memberships I receive, I'll release 15 chapters all at once. Your support means a lot to me.
*****
"During that mission, I fell off a cliff. When I came to, Hydra had already captured me."
At this point, Bucky pressed his metal arm and said, "They fitted me with this thing, wiped my mind, and turned me into a killing machine that knew only the target of each mission."
"When there was an assignment, they activated me. When there wasn't, they put me back on ice."
His tone was flat, but the pain he had endured was unimaginable.
Steve's hands clenched together, veins bulging.
Peggy Carter gently took his hands and said softly, "You haven't exactly had it easy either."
Bucky paused.
Peggy added, "On a later mission, he crashed a Hydra aircraft into the ice and was frozen for seventy years."
Bucky and Steve exchanged a look, then both burst out laughing.
"Ha ha ha!"
They pointed at each other and said, "You got frozen too?"
"Ice-pop brothers."
Tony muttered under his breath.
"Everyone, aren't you forgetting something?" Clark reminded them. "We still haven't found the one controlling him."
Bucky immediately said, "I'll take you to him."
Werner Strucker sat in a shabby rental, anxiously awaiting word from the Winter Soldier.
He paced back and forth, fingers twisting together, mumbling nonstop.
Just then, a spinning golden ring opened in the air before him.
"What is that?"
While he gaped in confusion, a man rushed out.
"Soldier, how did—"
Before he could finish, Bucky's fist drove into his gut. As Strucker doubled over in pain, another fist filled his vision and cracked against his forehead, knocking him out cold.
Bucky hoisted him up and dragged him through the portal.
Two minutes later, Werner Strucker was tossed back out.
After skimming through the man's memories, they found he was just an ordinary person.
Though his father had been Hydra, he himself hadn't actually done anything evil—just lived extravagantly. After locating Bucky, his first order had been to kill Tony Stark.
Who knew the very first attempt would go off the rails?
So, after Mike scrubbed the man's memories of identities and commands, they dumped him back where he'd been.
He really was a nobody…
With Mike closing the portal, the matter of Bucky was wrapped up.
Steve took Bucky away. With Tony settling Bucky's identity issues, everyone else left Mike's house.
Two months later…
At the Kent home.
Sunday, with clear skies.
Recently, the national space agency had sent four scientists to the Explorer space station. They were scheduled to spend a week there, but a sudden cosmic storm swept over the station.
Fortunately, all four returned safely. Though the station suffered damage, it remained within controllable limits.
Watching the news, Gwen propped her chin in her hand and sighed, "If only I could break out of Earth's atmosphere and take an interstellar trip."
She tilted her head toward Mike, who was sipping tea with relish. "Dad, tell me—am I just daydreaming?"
Mike hid a grin but nodded deadpan. "Mm. You're dreaming with your eyes open."
Gwen: 〒▽〒
She immediately pulled out a folded sheet of paper, spread it open, and thrust it under Mike's nose. "Actually, I already have a plan!"
Mike glanced at it—then his eyes bulged.
"Pffft!"
Tea sprayed from his mouth.
"What is this supposed to be?"
"I call it the Gwen!"
Gwen explained proudly.
On the page, a flaming skull sat astride someone in a Superman suit, the two linked together by iron chains.
Expressionless, Mike looked at Gwen. "Don't tell me the one on the bottom is me."
"We can swap in Clark if you like!"
Gwen was magnanimous. She pointed to the design. "You can fly into space, and when I transform, I don't need to breathe. It's the perfect combo!"
"And I even designed safety features—with supplies included!"
She indicated the flaming chains and the backpack strapped to her figure.
Good grief—he hadn't even noticed the backpack before!
"You're dreaming with your eyes open."
Mike flicked her lightly on the forehead.
Gwen rubbed the sore spot. "Dad, at least think about it!"
"Shoo, shoo."
Mike waved her off in mock disgust. "Go pitch it to Clark. I'm not doing it."
"Oh."
Gwen nodded, crestfallen.
Watching her trudge away, Mike chuckled—and couldn't help thinking of the starship under construction in his secret base. A smile crept over his face.
Time to hit up Nick Fury for more materials.
Murmuring to himself, he set the teacup down and vanished.
The Xavier School.
Charles stood at his office window, watching that cocky young man lead Ororo off again, so angry the corner of his mouth twitched.
His beloved student was about to be lured away?
No!
In his mind's eye, a tiny weeping version of himself dropped to its knees and wailed.
"Professor!"
Jean looked at Charles by the window. When he turned, she said, "I knocked, but you didn't respond, so I…"
"It's fine."
Charles pressed his brow and smiled at her. "What is it?"
Jean smiled, produced a cake from behind her back, and set it on his desk. "I just learned to bake this. I wanted you to try it."
"A cake?"
Charles blinked at the tempting treat, accepted the fork she handed over, took a small bite, and smiled. "Not bad."
Jean beamed and let out a soft breath.
"Ch—Charles."
She spoke his name gently. Seeing he hadn't noticed her little ploy while he ate, she secretly smiled to herself.
"Hm?"
Charles looked up. "What is it?"
Jean pointed at his face.
There was a smudge of white cream on his cheek.
Charles touched it and blinked.
Jean, amused, stepped close and wiped the cream from his skin.
In an instant, both of them froze.
"Ahem."
Charles cleared his throat and set the cake aside.
A delicate flush rose on Jean's cheeks. "I—I have something to do. I'll head out first!"
She blurted it and hurried from the room.
Charles touched his cheek and chuckled softly.
"This girl…"
Jean had been his first student, and the one he had invested the most effort in. She had not disappointed him.
Clever, beautiful, powerful.
Only twenty-one this year, and already holding a doctorate.
Most importantly, after three years of practice, she could now control half of her power.
Smiling, Charles eyed the cake, licked his lips, and pulled it back in front of him.
He had to admit—the taste really was good.
Still… compared to his father's baking, it fell a little short.
Yes—Dad's was the best.
Jean fled from the office and leaned against the wall, pressing a hand to her chest as if her heart might leap out.
She lifted her fingers and eyed the fleck of cream at her tip, then couldn't help but lick it.
So sweet…
She murmured to herself.
Then she snapped to attention, stared at her fingertip, and her pale face flushed scarlet.
Ahhh!
She was going to die of embarrassment!
How had she done something so mortifying without even realizing it?
But…
It really was sweet!
No, no—stop thinking about it! Don't think about it!
Cupping her cheeks, Jean ordered herself to calm down.
"Jean? What are you doing here? Did you need something from Charles?"
A familiar voice sounded.
Jean stiffened and slowly turned her head. Hank McCoy stood there, peering at her in puzzlement.
"Nope! Nothing!"
She babbled, backing away step by step, then turned and bolted.
Hank scratched his head in confusion and wandered into Charles's office.
Jean jogged all the way to the field before stopping.
She breathed lightly—then couldn't help but laugh.
"Jean! Watch out!"
A startled cry rang out, and a basketball came flying toward her.
Jean's eyes flashed. Invisible force surged, and with a flick of her hand, she sent it arcing away.
In an instant, the ball shot off like a cannonball.
"Ah!"
Kitty Pryde squeaked and squeezed her eyes shut.
The ball passed harmlessly through her body and sped on toward the court.
"I've got it!"
With a low shout, a boy named Bobby Drake sprinted forward and thrust out his hand.
A fountain of frost jetted from his palm, freezing the ball solid into an icy sculpture.
Seeing this, Bobby grinned.
But two boys rushed up, yelling, "If you freeze it, how are we supposed to play?"
"Just thaw it,"
John Allerdyce—the long-haired blond with a rebellious streak—said coolly. He clicked his lighter, and a flame swelled into a fireball floating above his hand.
He drew back to throw, and Bobby and the others shouted, "Don't!"
That would definitely ruin the ball.
The Human Torch-wannabe, John, just chuckled and tossed the fireball.
"Ha!"
A burly boy stepped in front of the ball. With a soft grunt, his entire body turned to gleaming metal, and he blocked the flames with his chest.
"Peter, what are you doing?"
John grumbled as another fireball gathered.
"Enough," Jean called gently. "Stop."
John clicked his tongue and waved away the flames.
Jean was a teacher now—and a powerful one. None of them dared cross her.
"Kitty!"
Jean called to the phasing girl.
Kitty pointed at herself, puzzled.
Jean nodded. "Take the basketball out."
"Me?"
Kitty blinked, then blurted, "But I can't control my phasing that precisely yet."
At present, she could only turn herself intangible.
"This is a perfect opportunity,"
Jean said mildly, smiling encouragement. "Don't worry—it's not your ball."
Bobby and the boys: "!"
"I'll try!"
Kitty nodded, strode over, and, under the tense gaze of the crowd, reached toward the frozen ball.
Her hand slipped into the ice. Under everyone's nervous stares, her fingers sank farther in.
Her hand was real, yet it slid through the block like a ghost.
She cradled the ball with both hands and, while everyone held their breath, drew it out slowly.
Just as the boys were about to cheer, Kitty lost control for an instant and her fingers slipped into the ball.
"Kitty! Deep breath—now pull your hand out slowly!"
Jean spoke softly, soothing Kitty's rising panic.
One misstep now, and the ball would burst apart.
Kitty nodded, carefully focused, and eased her hand free.
Thud.
The ball dropped to the ground, and Kitty stared at her hands in delighted disbelief.
The boys finally let their trapped cheers erupt.
"Amazing, Kitty!"
They circled her with praise, then ran off happily with the ball.
Jean nodded to Kitty. "Remember exactly how that felt."
"Mm!"
Kitty stared at her hands, thrilled beyond words.
Smiling, Jean headed toward the small lake on campus.
Along the way, she saw Gambit, Remy LeBeau, performing card tricks for the kids; Cyclops, Scott Summers, running target drills with his optic blasts; Emma Frost strolling the grounds arm-in-arm with Logan; Raven refereeing for the younger ones; and children everywhere—face after smiling face.
In the two years since she had enrolled, Xavier's had changed completely.
It was not only a school—it was their home.
Some here had been rejected and driven out by their families; some had been street kids…
But regardless of how they had arrived, they had all started new lives here.
By the lakeside stood a great tree, and the bench beneath it was where Jean often lingered.
This was where Charles had met her when she first came to the school, and where he had tested her powers.
Now, it was where she trained most often.
Sitting on the bench, she looked at the lake a few meters away, closed her eyes to sense everything around her, then stretched out a hand.
The water began to churn, and a great fish formed from the lake itself leapt up and skimmed across the surface.
At that moment, a girl appeared in the water—her upper body breaking the surface while her fish tail swayed below.
"Jean!"
She called out in mock annoyance. "You again!"
Jean smiled. "I had no idea you were in the lake."
The girl's gift was to turn into a mermaid and move freely underwater.
"You're lying," the girl huffed.
"Ah—caught me, did you?"
The girl widened her eyes theatrically and sank beneath the surface.
A second later, a water ball, flicked by a graceful tail, arced toward Jean.
Jean smiled and sent the watery fish surging to meet it.
Splash!
The two masses burst apart into a thousand glittering droplets that fell like rain.
Sunlight poured down, and a perfect rainbow arched over the lake.
Jean looked at the rainbow and laughed with pure delight.
A life like this was truly wonderful…
(End of Chapter)