55 CHAPTER 55 - TALK WITH RAVEN

A/N: The reason I couldn't keep a steady upload last week was because I had two bouts of cold. Well, it's gone now so hopefully we are back to a steady release.

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Now why did I meet Raven of all people in order to draw out the mastermind behind the illegal experiments when I could spend the better part of the day and get it done?

You could either say it was me satisfying my vanity or me just being nice and trying to make someone matter. Whatever it was, the fact of the matter was that this is all but a little experiment for me.

I'm not some super mega mastermind or hidden boss; I just make things up as I go and besides, it's not as if she, Raven, was some sort of irredeemable villain, not that I'm defending her or anything.

"What's all this?" Raven asked as she stood up from her chair to get a closer look of what was spread across the room.

"I still don't know why we need her help." Wanda whispered to my ears as Raven appeared transfixed to what she was looking at – alternated documents by me that only gave the tiniest bits of what was really important. In other words, a bait.

"It's called resourcing, Wanda." She scoffed at my words, not giving it too much consideration.

Raven turned to me and asked, "What do you want from me by showing me this?"

"An in. I know you can find out who specifically is behind all this and when you do, I'll help you take them out."

"Help me take them out? Why do you presume I'd want them dead or even meddle with them?" She asked with no small amount of skepticism.

"Because you want the power that comes with their elimination. I know a little bit about you, Ms. Raven, and like every man of ambition, you desire power… real power, and that's what this gives you." I said.

She scoffed but I could tell she was taking my words with deep consideration. "And what do you really want apart from having someone in such a position?"

I just shrugged nonchalantly at her question. "Not glossing over the obvious fact that it'll prove tremendous help towards your goals, it'll help me regulate some bad elements more carefully."

"That doesn't sound too heroic." She remarked, earning a chuckle from Pietro who had been out of character since we arrived.

I too waved off her words since it's not as if I'm doing anything bad or shady. What I was doing was bound to benefit her more than it'll ever benefit me, and not to sound overly confident or arrogant but the chances of her not accepting were very slim.

After all, who in their right mind will deny a golden chance to become a part of the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle?

"And what if I betray you?" She suddenly asked out of the blue.

I snorted at such a poor insinuation from someone I consider smart. "I think you're mistaken about something, Ms. Raven. I am not in any way going to condone any illegal activities or acts of terrorism from you or any of your future associates. This proposition of mine is purely to ensure a brighter future."

One of the best things about having unlimited access to the internet is having access to most books, besides an unending stream of motivational quotes, is the freedom to learn up on a lot of subjects. Even obscure ones like Sun Tzu's Art of War or even basic psychological ones.

Just being scientifically intelligent wasn't going to cut it against normal people, less alone the 'special' types. So I knew just how to catch slippery people like Raven off guard.

"While I don't know the current nature of your relationship with Magneto, it will be very easy for me to find out. Don't be mistaken by thinking you'll be working for me, Ms. Raven. The only thing I will require of you at the beginning is information and maybe access, but apart from that all the consequences of your action will be entirely upon you and as the one who helped put you there, I will personally take it upon myself to stop you."

The reason why I chose to speak with Raven about this, other than the fact that I knew of her relationship with the Club, was that she was one of the morally gray characters I was comfortable with being in such a position of power.

Quite a fun fact, but the majority of the women characters in Marvel were very dependable people when the skewed relationship shenanigans of the writers weren't being it in the picture.

And also, like I told her, I wasn't really interested in taking over the Hellfire Club. I'd rather get a few people I can rely on in there and let them do their thing; a mutual relationship so to speak.

And besides I know that currently Raven is still trying to make the world view the mutant race in a positive light so yes, manipulation, which I don't think is bad as long as everyone is benefitting.

She didn't reply to words but asked a question. "Was the girl with you the last time involved in the experiments?"

"What girl?" I said with a smile that didn't quite look genuine. I could also feel the slight turbulence behind me and the unmistakable eerie feeling of Wanda's aura leaking out.

Raven nodded in understanding and smartly changed her words. "Can you give me a few days to decide?" I nodded. Well she wasn't outright refusing so it's all good in my books. It's not as if she's an integral part of my plan in dealing with the Club. I just don't want to see such influential power go to waste without being put to efficiently good use.

I got up from my chair and extended my hand to her for a shake which she took with a deadpan staring directly back at me while I held my smile. "I've taken the liberty to put my communication line directly in your phone. Don't worry, it can't be traced." I said.

"Hope to hear from you soon, Ms. Raven."

We left her office and I could practically feel the burning curiosity from my two companions which made me roll my eyes.

Wanda was able to keep it to herself but Pietro showed no regard for that.

"We're cooperating with bad guys now?" He asked however I shook my head. "It's a little complicated, but everything is not always black and white."

"But she's part of Magneto's people, right?" He asked again but this time instead of answering, I replied to him with a question instead.

"And you both once worked with Ultron to destroy the Avengers. Does that make you villains by default?"

"Fuck."

"Yes," I nodded. "It truly is a fucked up world we live in."

We made a turn at a corner but somebody bumped into Wanda and as she tried touching the person who bumped into her in reflex, I stopped her hand from going any further and girl from falling with my telekinesis.

The girl looked shocked and was almost about to panic but sighed in relief when she saw that the person she bumped into was fine.

"I'm sorry. I was a little bit zoned out so I didn't see you." She apologized but Wanda waved it off as nothing with a smile on her face while at the same time giving me a questioning eye since she felt my influence controlling her for a moment.

'She's a mutant, and quite a complicated one at that.' I spoke to her through my mind while giving Anna-Marie, also known as Rogue, a last look before continuing on my way.

~How so?~

'She can't control her powers for shit and it would have been bad for you had both of you made skin contact.' I gave a little overview of Rogue's situation to her as he got into our car and left.

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After Vision left.

Rogue made her way to the cafeteria where she quickly located the normal group she usually ate with which usually consisted of Kurt, Kitty, Scott and Lance.

Since the bell just rang, the cafeteria was quickly becoming flooded and by the time she made her way to their table, she found a new face that usually didn't sit with them – Jean.

She looked at the others and noticed that they all wore pensive expressions on their faces. "What's wrong?"

"Well, Jean here thinks something weird is happening in the school." Kitty said while prodding Jean.

"It's not that I think but something really happened. I don't know how or why, but for more than half of the last period, something happened to my ability." Jean argued.

Lance frowned as he heard Jean's argument. "What do you mean?"

"It felt as if my senses were being suppressed. All the voices that usually filter around in the background all disappeared. It-it's like my telepathic abilities were gone." Jean said frantically, clearly overwhelmed by what she experienced.

"Are you still feeling it?" Rogue asked, breaking her silence.

Jean looked at Rogue and shook her head. "No. It started decreasing as soon as the bell rang and I no longer feel it now."

"…Ah." She didn't know why but she suddenly remembered the group of three she had bumped into on her way here but kept silent since she didn't know whether they were in any way related to Jean's psychic episode.

"We need to tell the professor." Scott finally said.

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