Chapter 40

I turned to the Devil Arm tab next, glad to find I had just enough Red Orbs to buy my first Angel Weapon. Osiris. It was a transformed ornate Scythe with two handles, a thick shaft, and a long cursive blade.

It cost 350 Red Orbs, and I was tempted to summon it immediately. Still, I knew better, realizing that my trailer was probably bugged.

Instead, I settled for looking through the weapon list, bringing up their descriptions.

Rebellion (Bonded) Grade 1, First Evolution (0/500 red orbs)

A transforming longsword gifted to Dante by his father, Sparda, and a conduit for his bountiful demonic and Angelic abilities. 

Abilities: Low-tier energy affinity, low-tier enhanced durability

Arbiter (Unlocked) Grade 1, First Evolution (0/500 red orbs)

An oversized battle-axe and one of the two demonic forms of Rebellion. Bears the primal force of eruption with each swing. Deals 2 times the damage Rebellion does at the base. Damage and weight drastically increase with demonic energy.

Abilities. Low-tier Eruption and explosion manipulation, low-tier weight manipulation.

Osiris (Unlocked) Grade 1, First Evolution (0/500 red orbs)

The first angelic form of Rebellion, Osiris, is a light-speed scythe that delivers fast, reliable damage while allowing Dante to embody the weightlessness and agility of an Angel. Deals 0.5 times the damage of Rebellion but moves 25% faster. Damage slowly accumulates with Angel Energy infusion and the innate Feed ability.

Abilities: Low-tier Wind manipulation.

Ebony & Ivory (Unlocked) Grade 1 (First Evolution (0/500 red orbs)

Dante's trademark pistols. Engineered to withstand Dante's superhuman speed and dexterity without ever seizing.

Abilities: Low-tier energy bullets, low-tier enhanced durability

I'd just finished reading the last of my notifications and switching to my regular clothes when I heard the knock.

The door eased open, and Natasha peeked in. "Director Fury wants you."

"Never said you could come in," I said, slipping on my shirt. I caught Natasha's eye lingering for a second too long.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before, Kid," Natasha said, ducking out.

I followed after. "Oh, it's kid now."

"You might swing an axe as tall as you are, but you still look like you belong in high school."

"I think saving the world warrants an early graduation," I quipped as we arrived in front of a black SUV. Natasha nodded me in, but I had to get one last lick.

"Tell me you didn't have as many bodies as I did when you were my age."

"You say that like it's a good thing."

With a roll of my eyes, I entered Fury's SUV and found myself sitting across from the director of SHIELD. His intense eyes fixed on me, and he began.

"Well, you said there was more you had to tell me. Let's hear it."

"What I am about to say is for the ears of your inner circle only?" I began in a low voice.

Fury raised a brow. "The car is bullet and soundproof. No one else is listening."

Well, that was not entirely true. Shin, the OAA, and a few other people could hear us if they wanted to.

"Captain America is alive."

I watched for Fury's reaction, and it was priceless. His face lost all color, and his mouth twitched slightly before he finally spoke.

"You're not kidding, are you?"

Honestly, I expected more resistance, but having just proved myself to be a somewhat reliable Clairvoyant, it would be shortsighted to ignore what I had to say, even if it sounded a bit nutty from his perspective.

"Unfortunately, I'm not," I said, leaning into the chair.

"Where is he?"

"Where the world left him," I said. "Underneath the Ice."

"You can't mean…"

I shrugged. "Call it magic, Alien tech, or a miracle, but Cap's heart is still pumping."

Fury was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "You've told me how your eyes work. Unless you made a trip to the Arctic we don't know about, you shouldn't be able to know."

"I took a look at a history textbook," I said. "Sometimes, I need to look at the real thing before I know for certain, but other times, a picture is enough. Which neatly brings me to the second revelation of the day. And you might want to hold onto something for this one."

Fury muttered a curse under his breath and tapped one of the panels in his car. It opened up, revealing a mini-bar.

There was an old bottle of Scotch and some glass. Fury gingerly poured one for himself and took a sip.

We were barely past noon, but I understood. It'd been a long day. He likely spent the last hour justifying his mobilization of forces to the board and explaining what I was– A clairvoyant devil.

I chuckled, just imagining their reactions.

"Nothing for your guest?" I asked Fury.

"You're 19."

"And I've been killing Demons since I was five, and I just saved the planet. I think I'm a bit overdue for a drink."

"That's fair," Fury conceded. "But I'm not fixing your drink. Pour it yourself."

It was an odd issue to dig his heels down on, but I picked up the glass and poured one out anyway.

I took a careful sip and savored it in quiet.

God, I miss alcohol.

Fury emptied his glass with a long swig.

"Alright, out with it?" he demanded.

"Hydra is alive, and they've infiltrated SHIELD."

Fury's glass clattered to the floor in shock.

—

Jean's POV

I sat at the Professor's bedside, my mind swirling with a flood of complex emotions. The conversation between him and Dante played over and over in my head.

It was hard to reconcile the vicious words I'd heard with the man lying in bed in front of me.

He'd raised me after my parents passed and watched after every mutant that needed his help.

Constantly peering into people's minds, I knew that everyone had an ugly side to them, even Scott, even Professor Hank, but I never thought Xavier…

A tear dropped from my cheek, landing on a patch of teal sheets covering Xavier.

I was crying?

I cradled my face, shoving back the tsunami of emotion threatening to spill out.

The last time I was overcome with emotions like this, I nearly took down a section of Dante's domain. I wasn't sure the mansion would survive an episode.

"Are you okay, Jean?" Scott's soft voice startled me. I turned around to see the panicked lower half of his face.

'All this is my fault,' I heard Scott's mind say.

"I should've been here to protect you and the Professor from him," he began, and l scowled.

 "It didn't happen the way you think," I snapped.

"You're defending him!"

"This is not about him," I said, walking up to Scott. "I'm tired of you treating me like I'm the center of the universe. I'm stronger than every last mutant in this building. I don't need your protection, Scott. You weren't with us because I didn't want you there."

"But you wanted him?" Scott demanded, and I nearly lost it.

I could hear the pain in his voice, but I didn't care.

"He knows what I'm going through," I said. "He understands what I am, and he showed me the truth about him," I said, pointing at the Professor. "If you heard the things he said."

Scott motioned to hold my hand, but I pulled away. "You can't let that thug inside your head, Jean."

"Thug?"

"You have to see he's manipulating you if he has you questioning the Professor," Scott said. "Have you forgotten what he's done for us?"

"I remember all too well. But the better question should be, what don't I remember?"

Scott raised a brow. "What are you trying to say, Jean?"

"The Professor is the most powerful Telepath we know. He can put most people to sleep with a thought, erase entire experiences from our minds," I said. "I'm just questioning how much of our past is actually true?"

Scott had a startled look, but he doubled down. "You can't really think…"

"I know exactly what I think," I said. "If he can get inside my head and put up a mental block, then what can he do inside your head, Logan's, or even the Professor? He's like a Father to me, but that doesn't mean he is a good man."

I walked past Scott, stomping toward the door.

"Wait!" Scott reached out to grab my hand, and in the next second, he was airborne. Scott crashed into the wall with a groan. I gasped. I hadn't meant for that to happen. 

I was angry, but not so much that I still couldn't talk to Scott. He needed to know what happened.

"The Professor is poison, Scott," I said. "I know you don't like Dante because you think he's trying to steal me away. What I am about to say is not for him but for you and the other kids. The Professor attacked first, not Dante. I saw everything with my own eyes."

"What!" Scott blinked in surprise. His face flashed with a sudden horror before it was replaced by confusion and doubt. Shaking his head, Scott declared. "No, he'd never do that. You've known the Professor for nearly half of your life, and I've been at the mansion for years. You can't–"

It was my turn to be surprised. "Didn't you hear me? I said I saw it happen."

Scott opened his mouth and then shut it. His eyes glazed over momentarily before he started shaking his head again. "There must be some explanation for this. It makes no sense."

It was my turn to be confused. I tilted my head, staring at him. "No, it doesn't."

On a whim, I took a deeper look– No deeper than I'd gone before— and there it was. Xavier's imprint. Scott's mind had been tampered with. I followed the trail of Xavier's energy and felt for what he'd changed in Scott.

It wasn't his memories or a mental block.

It was far more insidious.

Scott seemed to hold Xavier in higher esteem than just about anybody, even his parents.

I gasped, taking several steps back. How long has this been going on? Who else did Charles have his claws in? Kitty? Colossus? Ilyana? The staff?

"What's wrong, Jean?" Scott said, slowly climbing to his feet, but I kept the distance between us. I was powerful now, but not nearly enough to undo whatever Charles did.

I threw an angry look in his direction, biting my lip.

Maybe Dante was right. I should've let him die.

No, no, then I might've lost my biggest lead.

 "I'm going to fix this," I said slowly, backing away from the door into the hallway.

Scott reached out again, but I slammed the door shut with Telekinesis and held it in place as I hurried away, my mind frantic.

I turned around when I felt a familiar mind step into the opposite end of the hallway.

"Jean?" It was Professor Hank.

"I can explain," I started.

(You know the deal, people. Read ahead on Patreon.com/ArtandCreativeWriting. I'm dropping two chapters there tonight and another tomorrow.)