CHAPTER 54 - MEETING RAVEN AGAIN

[Vision POV]

Ever since that day, Wanda and I made it a joint pastime of ours to visit the criminal underbelly of the city at night and serve 'justice'. Honestly it was just a way for us to have something fun doing in the meantime while also killing crime. Efficient.

It was also funny how Wanda was quick to get a moniker after just one night out. The criminals called her the Witch, a name which wasn't that far off from what she actually was.

As for me, I was just known as the guy who followed the witch – The Man. A very… basic name if I were to give my honest opinion. Not that I cared that much for it.

That aside, the reaction of the team when I told them I had killed the Goblin was lackluster to say the least.

Sure the man was worth a few billions but at the end of the day he got consumed with his greed for power and became one of the most hated people in present time.

Some part of me wondered how Harry would take it. How would his life be? But then I'm reminded that what happens is no longer under my control. Quite hypocritical some might say, but it's the truth.

What am I to do? Make him an Avenger? Hell no. If he goes down the same path his father took, I'll be the same one to reunite him with his dad.

"Vision, I need your help." Natasha called me over with those words so I left what I was doing, which was joining Banner and Sarah in turn Davis into our guinea pig, and went for Natasha.

I met her in what was quickly becoming our conference room going through a few data snippets.

"You require my assistance?" She rolled her eyes at the way I spoke but it wasn't as if I was doing it intentionally.

Sometimes the way I speak goes back and forth between sophisticated and casual speech.

"There's over a ton of data here and I was wondering if you could just… simplify it for me." At least she had the decency to look a little embarrassed by her request.

I sighed and waved my hand over the holograms, copying, downloading and perusing through everything there in a split second. "You know I'm not some convenient 'everything made easy' guide, right?"

"Don't be such a sour puss about it and I won't tell anyone you and Wanda have been sneaking out at night for a little… rendezvous." She said with a sly smirk on her face as she leaned against the wide oval table that also functioned as a holo-projector.

I sighed, fully aware of her penchant for teasing. It also didn't help that she was very well aware of what we did at nighttime, both Wanda and I.

I sighed in defeat, fully knowing it would be mine if I decided to be headstrong against her teasing and brought her attention back to the matter at hand.

"Norman's case?"

"Hmm." She nodded, "But it's not the only thing. At least I think so."

I was able to pick out a few things and with it, "Interesting. It's no surprise Ross had a hand in Osborn's pie but it seems that both of them had a familiar benefactor."

This was the modern age where a lot of things could be done by proxy and that was what those at the top did, also conversely the reason why it was hard for me to find the main person behind this.

I pulled up the data I had gotten from the Facility where Laura was made and turned to Natasha. "What can you notice?"

She looked at the data strings and also the communication lines, and then focused on the nature of the three research and I could see the light of realization dawning in her eyes.

"They are all based on the super soldier serum. Norman might have been lacking in his but it's all human enhancement, not to mention how the other two experiments perfectly compliment each other." She said while giving them another perusal and came to the likely conclusion. "It's like two parts of a whole."

I nodded at her words. "That's because it is. Though different, the success of one will directly facilitate the success of the other. I guess we found our missing link."

"But what is the link?"

"That is a lot easier to find now that we have a solid trail. It's virtually impossible to fully hide one's actions in today's age."

This will take some computing time but I'm sure I'll be able to pick up who's really behind all this.

I have a list of a number of bad guys who perfectly fit the memo but due to the incongruity of this timeline and also my lacking knowledge of everything Marvel, I have no other choice except going the long way.

Natasha looked at me with curiosity and asked, "And how are you going to find the trail?"

It's funny how she thinks I'm going to find the trail but I'm not going to question it.

"I…" Now that I think about it, how about I just make someone work for it? "I think I know just someone who'll be more than happy to help us sniff out the trail."

°°°°°°

[Bayville High School]

Being bored for too long can make someone make a not-so-smart decision that they never would have made all things considered. And that also stands for the man with the largest thought processing power this side of the galaxy has very seen, me.

Walking through the empty halls of Bayville High alongside me was Wanda and Pietro. The reason I declined Laura's request to follow me wasn't because I didn't want to, but because of the telepath in this school, Jean Grey.

I don't want the accidental scenario where she picks up on any of her thoughts since the little girl has been made aware of who her unintentionally biological father was, and by extension the group he worked with.

Wanda and Pietro were pretty much immune to mind reading at her level, unless something out of script happens and she goes full flame on. That's also not counting the fact that I'm here.

Knocking on the door of 'Principal Darkholme', we waited for a few seconds before getting the affirmation to come in. We have manners and shit after all.

Raven's face when she saw us was completely hilarious and I had the feeling that if she didn't already know a little about what I could do, she would have already gotten into a fighting stance or made a flight decision.

"Am I being apprehended?" She asked with such a calm voice that actually impressed me because I knew she wasn't faking it in the slightest. This only made me remember the kind of life she's lived through the century.

I chuckled as I took the seat in front of her while Wanda and Pietro stood behind me. "No such thing, I assure you. Ms. Raven, or do you prefer Mystique?" I asked with the same composed tone that she regarded our presence with.

I was dressed in a black blazer suit with a grey shirt underneath, coupled with a pair of fine cut trousers and shoes to match. Pietro dressed the same way but with a white shirt instead while Wanda went for a dark red shirt with black blood splatter design and jean trousers. Overall, we looked business. Something I probably picked up from Stark's configuration of the Jarvis matrix.

Raven shook her head, "Raven is fine," she said and then gave Wanda and Pietro a scan before finally locking her gaze with mine and continued. "Forgive me for asking but if you're not here to apprehend me then why are you here?"

I started. "I believe we have conflicting interests."

She snorted with derision at my words and replied. "And I thought the 'heroes' don't do business with the villains."

"And that's the reason why they fight all the time. It's my belief that understanding should first be reached by any confronting groups and only when they can't reach that should it dissolve into a fight." I remarked. "And I believe there's a chance for understanding between us which entirely depends on you." I added.

That seemed to have gotten her hooked as I could practically feel her rising interest despite the unchanged genial smile on her face.

"Hoh? Then pray tell what this conflicting interest is? Like you said, it'll be best if we can come to an understanding." She said and leaned forward ever so slightly, a casual motion but also one that made her cloth naturally tighten against her body and made the outline of her luscious body very visible.

Damn, she's good. Unfortunately, there's no way something like this can ever work against me. I mean, I live literally next door to the Black Widow.

As if not noticing her very natural actions, I nodded with my most prominent graceful smile. "Very well then." I snapped my hands and the windows in the room closed and the curtains rolled over, blocking any outward source of light.

The lights dimmed and before Raven could panic, everything went alit with holographic images. "How would you like to help me help you, Ms. Raven?"

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A/N: Before any of you flood the comments section saying 'called it', I just want to clarify that Vision is not going to be a villain or even stay heavily on the anti-hero part.

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