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The cure for a disease that I didn't even understand.
A being I couldn't even scratch.
Things were not looking good for me.
"I need to avoid any world-ending scenario," I sighed, thinking of Hank, the man closest to reaching the Quantum Realm, and the only one that would and could represent a threat to us all, in the search for his wife.
I knew what I had to do.
It was not the best thing to do.
But it was what it was needed.
I needed to make sure Hank would never reach the Quantum Realm.
I needed to bend his will so that he would never think of such a thing, I needed to do, what I did to the King of Wakanda, but to him, but on a much greater scale, because in this case, I would not be influencing his thoughts like I did with T'Chaka, for this occasion, I would be taking his free will in terms of the Quantum Realm.
I didn't like this choice.
But, I didn't have to like it.
This went beyond what I wanted, what he wanted, what everyone wanted.
This was a matter of survival.
I needed to ensure the survival of my daughters, and the survival of earth as a whole.
And if I needed to cross that very dangerous line of morality, I would.
No questions asked.
This was beyond what I wanted, or what I thought to be morally right within my spectrum of morality.
This was what it had to be done.
I had to take his free will.
Because I knew, that no matter what, that no matter the risk, Hank would go for her, and doom us all in an act of selfish love.
Sadly for him, he wasn't the only selfish man in this world, I was too.
"It's time," I sighed, opening a portal to Hank's house; it was time to cross that line I promised myself not to cross; it was time to break the boundaries of my self-imposed morality once again, this time, for good.
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Hank greeted me with a smile, as I entered his house, his daughter playing in the living room with some toys that looked new.
As I walked, Hank started to talk about the possibilities behind the technology I had brought, about how much we could do with said technology.
From his surface thoughts, I gathered why he was so excited, he felt he was close.
He felt that with my help he would reunite with his daughter again.
I flinched, hiding my discomfort with the thought, and my pity for the man.
Maybe I didn't know what it was to love a woman like he loved his wife, but I knew the meaning of unconditional love, and I knew I would stop at nothing to save Emily or Nat.
So I could in some level relate to his plight.
But, this was beyond that, wasn't it?
"Want a drink?" Hank offered with a beaming smile.
"Yes," I nodded, with a tight-lipped smile, as I followed him to the kitchen.
"I bought some of the beers you like," Hank chuckled, opening his fridge, and grabbing a beer, "Here you go,"
"Thanks," I chuckled back, grabbing the beer from his hand.
"So what brings you here?" Hank asked, grabbing another beer from his fridge, this one for himself.
"Nothing, just doing some… damage control," I loosely elaborated.
"Oh, of what?" Hank asked.
"Nothing you have to concern yourself with," Not anymore.
"Oh, well, that sounds ominous," Hank chuckled, taking a sip of his beer.
If only he knew.
Thinking about it, I wonder how he will react in the future when I release him… I doubt he will forgive me, even if I return his wife to him, safe and sound, I doubt he will ever forgive me.
No.
Enough about that, Alex.
This goes beyond such pathetic thoughts, you are not here to look for forgiveness, nor you need it.
You are here to preserve that which you love.
You are here to avoid losing everything you care about.
Even if that means you have to break a man to do it.
Remember what Hydra taught you.
No remorse.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
"Good night Hank," I smiled, as Hank gave me a perplexed look, it was, after all, noon.
"What do you m-" He froze, as my magic entered his head, inducing a heavy sleep on the man, giving me time to work on him.
"Daddy, I want some juice," Hope said, walking into the kitchen, then seeing her dad, she asked with a concerned look on her face, "What happened to dad?"
"He fell asleep," I lied, "Don't worry, he will wake up soon, I reckon," I smiled at her, grabbing a juice box from the fridge, and giving it to her, "Go ahead and play, I will put your dad on his bed,"
Hope being the innocent child she was, smiled, and nodded, "Okay Mr. Walker!" and with that said, disappeared back to the living to play with her toys.
"Hank, one day you will understand," I muttered, turning to look at Hank, putting multiple mental blocks around his mind, about anything related to the Quantum Realm, or saving Janet, forcing him to believe she was dead, that there was no salvation for her.
Which in a way was true.
For now at the very least.
"You did what you had to do," A familiar voice muttered behind me, I knew who it was, I had seen her on my minimap, The Ancient One.
"I know," I nodded.
"I came here to assist you," The Ancient One sighed, "I… I have more experience in the magic tree you are using,"
"Go ahead," I nodded, pointing at Hank, "I already put all the magical barriers I could within his mind, anything you do will be an improvement upon that,"
"Very well," She nodded, walking towards Hank, "What do you plan to do now?" she asked after a few seconds of silence.
"Find a cure," I replied, "The virus is a threat too big to ignore, so I will find a way to erase that threat, the problem is, I have no idea where to begin,"
The Ancient One sighed, "I think I have one,"