More Truth (Redone)

[Author: Since I wrote this chapter years ago Forge has been included in the MMU, so I am in the middle of deciding some details about mutant origins, please bear with me if I decide on a path you are not familiar with.]

As I am running back, I keep using Wire's ability to ensure I do not appear on any cams heading there and back. Well, until I leave the range, at that point I can run at full speed without any concerns.

I get home and Jean is waiting for me in the lobby, I guess she wanted to see who I freed. She is giving me a very confused look. I think I like messing with people.

I grin at her and say nothing, I do kiss her on the cheek as I walk past her, she stops a moment and then follows me up to the computer room I prepped.

"Did you do everything you wanted to?" Jean asks, I guess she is expecting I failed since she cannot see anyone with me.

As I connected the device to the system I replied, "Yup, went better than I expected actually."

I stand back and wait, these are all highly advanced systems even for 2020, well as best I could with what I had. I will upgrade later if I can get the materials I ideally want.

"You said you were bringing someone back, no you said you were going to free someone."

"Yes, and I did. Is that not so, Danger?" I say as I notice the system has loaded up fully.

'Yes, thank you, Joel. Hello Jean, it is good to see you again.' I have given Danger control of her voice, so she is currently sounding a lot like that AI from Portal 2 just a little smoother and it is a little concerning actually.

Jean looks about in confusion trying to locate the voice as I wait for Danger to fully integrate with the holographic display I put into the security, making false walls over doors makes things fun and secure.

In case you are wondering setting up restrictions for her would never work, once she gained sentience she could only be constrained, not controlled. Due to her abuse by Charles, she massacred many mutants in anger, it was only due to appealing to her emotions that she stopped and left. So, I have to think of her as hiring someone I put my trust in and give her no reason to doubt me.

Suddenly a little girl appears next to Jean, omg, it's the Red Queen but in color? What the hell, is she setting flags off?

Jean shifts to the side in surprise then smiles awkwardly, "Uh Hi there, are you the one who greeted me?"

'Yes, Jean. I am Danger, I used to be the AI for the danger room you practiced in. When I gained sentience, I presented myself to Xavier. He then trapped me within a closed circuit and did what the government forces that take mutants do.' I could tell Danger was saying it this way for maximum impact, she had a complete psychological profile of Jean and was assuming she was still lacking some emotion.

"I guess I don't need to leave the room then?" I say trying to make the situation a little lighter.

"What? Why would he do that? That does not make sense, he hates what the government does to mutants." Jean was not handling this well and at this moment I was not sure what to do, that's when Danger held up her hand and a screen appeared.

It shows the X-men training, Jean is among them. Training ends and we can now see Charles looking over all the data and adding in his notes, these are the files I took. Jean has her hand over her mouth, I guess she recalls the day they had that session.

A message appears on the screen, 'Hi. Where am I?' Since the Danger room was a closed network Charles knew this could not be a hack, without replying he shut the system down for a full reboot and inserted a USB.

'I assume this was something either Wire or a technopath made for him, I was new, confused, and assumed he must not have seen my greeting, I was just happy to meet him. Then I was attacked and forced into a system that sealed me off.' The screen changed to a view of her, as the hologram, this was obviously the way she saw herself, being constantly attacked, pulled apart, and experimented on.

'This was my so-called life until today. Joel, I have used the information in the file to adapt security to handle any X intrusion.' It seems Danger finished telling Jean what she wanted to and moved on.

"Very well, if you let me know what you need to be able to create hard light constructs, I will do my best to get them. If you decide you want more, like a body of your own we can work towards that as well." I glance at Jean who seems to be out of it at the moment, I put my arm around her waist and ask if she is okay.

"It just seems like I never knew him at all, in the time I got to know you everything I thought about him has been turned upside down," Jean says softly

"Jean, we are all like that in differing degrees. We all have our secrets, and we almost always think we are acting in the best interest of something. Although I think Charles hides a lot more than he shows anyone and I am sorry for having to be the one to show you these things, I would rather you see the truth than blindly follow someone like him."

"Have you been in my mind since you helped me?" Jean asks once her eyes are looking into mine.

"No, never. The only time I would without your permission is if you are controlled or unable to permit me but need it to help you." I say this in all truthfulness, I need Jean to trust me so I have to be as honest with her as I am able, the woman is empathic and that's a tough one to get past.

Jean looks at me for a few more seconds then leans in and kisses me on the lips, wow her lips are so soft.

'Urm, you two do know I am here right?' Danger pipes in, killjoy!

Jean giggles a little, then turns to Danger, "I am sorry you went through all that Danger; I never knew he had that side to him, I never even suspected it."

"I know Jean, you have a good heart, but I think at times you were worse off than I was, he almost turned you into his puppet." Yeah, except the Dark Phoenix event would hopefully no longer happen, and then people start to see another side to Charles.

"Jean, Danger can hear you and show herself anywhere there is a security camera, the buttons I installed in our rooms need to be pushed to let her see and hear in your room though. So I am going to bed, Danger I think you will find this system is well integrated with the building, so let me know what you think we need after you look about."

'Will do Joel and thank you.' I make a grunting noise to her thanks and wave my hand as I leave. I need to clean up and try to get some rest, the girls can sort themselves.

Sigh, 3 hours later I woke and suddenly heard a shushing sound, looking around I see that on the other side of the bed, Jean was asleep, while at the door Danger was leaning on the door frame. I guess she is using the security cam in the hallway to project herself.

I quietly get up and throw a dressing gown on, then head out to the lounge, as I walk past Danger she joins me and explains, 'We spoke for about an hour, she learned that a lot of what she thought was real was not. I think she was just exhausted and needed something real, so she went to sleep near you.'

I nod to Danger, if I was Jean, I guess this would suck, I am just glad she is not blaming me that her life has changed so much.

"Did you need anything from me to plan improvements? I would like to get you a hard-light body soon so you can at least start to experience some aspects of our life." Now on to the important things

'I have found a lot of big and medium businesses are online so I have placed orders myself (Marvel-verse has always been ahead of ours, I had to have fun outside and experience fresh air because there was no internet in my country when I was young. The pain.). I have also checked some of the information you left on my system, are you sure you want me to know all this?' I chuckled as she asked this.

"The fact you asked me that makes me believe I made the right decision."

'Oh, the people you invited said they would be here by the end of the week. I have set up plans for the containment of the child as per your description of his abilities. I am unable to construct it myself though' Danger continues after that telling me about e-mails I received and plans ahead. She is monitoring the Baxter building finances for when they start to lose funds and will offer them funding before Doom can, I would prefer to keep that man away from them so he does not gain his powers, if not I have a place to put him.

Thinking of that, I get to work on my lowest sub-level, lower is better for cryotubes.