For obvious reasons, Jean's room was one of the remote peaks of Kamar Taj. I threw on my Red Trench coat so I didn't freeze to death, and It took liberal use of Devil's Eye to see through the illusion that Yao and some of the other masters had spelled into the walls of the hut at the very top.
As I walked past the barrier, the hut's door swung open, and Jean came running, nearly bowling me over with a fierce hug.
"You're awake!"
"Aaagh, Jean!" My entire body wracked with pain from cosmic burn. Immediately realizing her mistake, she untangled from me, wincing at her carelessness.
"Sorry about that," she muttered. "I just assumed you'd heal after you woke up."
"Still covered in burns," I groaned, "though I'm working on something that could help change that."
"Dante," Jean said with a severe look and conflicted voice. "We have to talk."
No good conversation with a girl started with that.
"I know," she declared.
"About?"
"Everything Dante. I know about your deal with the Phoenix and the other entity controlling you," Jean said, looking me straight in the eyes.
Fuck me.
Of course, she fucking knew. The Phoenix refused to heal me. What made me think it would keep our deal a secret from its new host, with whom she was trying to curry favor?
"I would've told you everything if I could," I said, and I genuinely meant it.
"I wear a mask with everybody, Jean, and as sad as this might sound, you know me better than anyone. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my…benefactor."
"Benefactor is putting it mildly," Jean said with a frown. "The Phoenix told me that he has hooks in your soul."
Her words made me wince, and I touched my chest. "Sounds about right."
Jean took a bold step closer and touched my chest as well.
"I'm not mad," she said in a low voice. "You're as much a victim as I am. The way she spoke about this Shin guy, he didn't give you a choice, did he?"
"No, not really." From the second he snatched up until this very moment, every action I'd taken had been in service of him. I had plans cooking behind the scenes, but the more I learned of his reach and power, the more I realized how truly hopeless my situation was.
Shin was not your run-of-the-mill bad guy. He was all-powerful, or as close to it as one could realistically get.
I didn't think escaping him was flat-out impossible, but even with my affinities, Nephilim heritage, and magic, it'd be pretty damn close.
"I'm not happy that you lied to me, Dante," Jean said, bringing me back to the moment, "but throughout everything, you were always there when I needed you. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't been there to stop me from killing those agents."
Yikes. Shit would've really hit the fan if that happened.
I wrapped her up in a tight hug, even though it hurt like a bitch. "I promised I'd be there for you, and I keep my promises."
I was glad Jean had regained some of her former clarity. Things could've rapidly devolved otherwise.
"Don't ever lie to me again, okay?" Jean said as she pulled away.
"Sure," I said. It was a lot to ask, considering all of the lies that I had told and Jean's…contentious track record, but the Ancient One was right. I was stuck with her for better or worse, and I needed somebody I could be completely honest with.
Besides, Jean was probably the only person who could keep up with me over time.
"Fury called," I said, finally getting to why I'd come. "He needs our help, more specifically, your help with a problem."
She looked up at me as I measured my words.
"Some people have taken what went down at the mansion and Xavier as an excuse to try to pass new laws that will see mutants everywhere herded, registered, and militarized," I said. "Fury wants you to get in the head of the leader of the movement—his boss—and make him see things from our point of view."
She pulled away.
"Like Xavier did?"
"Likely," I said. "And he wouldn't be asking if he had any other choice. We have less than 24 hours to act, or we'll be forced to come in and register. The rest of the mutant population will follow shortly after."
Jean had a far-off look in her eyes as she stuttered in terror. "I-I don't think I can—"
"And that would only be the beginning," I said. "They're already investing in technology that ensures they can eliminate most mutants if they had to, no matter how powerful they functionally are. There's also the experimentation…" I swallowed. "Logan was not born with that Adamantium skeleton."
Jean had grown deathly pale. "I can't stay out of this, can I?"
"No, you cannot," I said. "You have to make a choice. Do we give up ourselves and fight the system from the inside, do as Fury said and gain a powerful mole in Pierce's organization, or kill Pierce and face the repercussions?"
Jean folded her arms. "Yao told me about the demons as well. They're the bigger threat. The world cannot be divided right now."
"So, what will you do?" I asked.
"What do you think I should do?" she asked, and I winced almost immediately.
"It's not my place."
She grabbed my hand. "Please."
Silence. The answer came slowly.
"Option one is out because we can't afford to be passive about this," I said. "Letting the government build weapons that can wipe out the mutant race will leave the planet vulnerable when the horrors of the universe come knocking. And I think option three escalates an already complicated situation. Our only real option is…"
"Option two. Do as Fury suggested," Jean realized, letting go of my arm, conflict evident on her face.
I knew the kind of girl Jean was. She'd agonize and rationalize every action till kingdom come, so I lowered my Adept Tier mental resistance skill, giving her a front-row seat to the mental and emotional tug of war I'd already put myself through as I trekked up to see her.
While we would be risking a lot trying to dominate Pierce, the alternative was not sustainable—always reacting to HYDRA's plottings.
We were never going to win by going high while our opponents went low. And don't even get me started on the demons.
Was executing my plan probably going to change Jean forever? Yes, but not giving her the chance to stop the genocide of millions would've warped her more.
Ultimately, it was her choice.
Jean wrapped me up in the warmest hug. She looked up at me, and for the briefest moment, it occurred to me that she might feel something more than just friendship, but I quickly dismissed it.
She was a teenager, and I was 27 when I died. It'd be crazy to even entertain it.
---
"So, you have to kill people to get stronger?" Jean asked with an incredulous look as we walked down the hill. I had started the painstaking process of detangling the complex web of lies I'd maintained to keep my secrets safe and myself alive. She was taking some news in stride, others, not so much.
"Well, it's a bit more complicated than that," I said, "I don't just go about killing people. Though, between the Alien invasions and the—"
"Wait, did you say invasion!" Jean piped up, bringing us to a stop. I spent the next five minutes telling all about Quellitrax's invasions and how my Patron set it up so that I could get experience and fight off an Eldritch monster god who was hungry for my soul.
"Now that you're here, though, I could always point you at a threat I'm unsure about and have you flatten them," I grinned.
"So, you think that's all I'm good for, flattening things and brainwashing people?" she teased.
"Don't forget burning them," I laughed. "Can't leave that one out."
Jean laughed, but I heard the tension in her voice. She still felt guilty about the Phoenix burning me. I patted her on the back.
"Hey, it's not your fault," I said. "You didn't soup up the big guy and send him after me. The bird did that."
"But I feel like the Phoenix is part of me now," she said, with a hint of fear slipping into her voice. "I hear her voice in my head, and I feel her power flowing through my veins. I could really hurt somebody if I let myself lose control."
"Hurting people might not necessarily be bad," I said. "The professor deserved what was coming to him, as does Pierce. Peace was never on the table for monsters like Hydra or the demons. But you can't afford to lose yourself to the violence either. Controlled chaos," I said. "That's the key."
"Well put," Yao said as she appeared beside us. "Fear will only limit you from relinquishing all control. Controlled chaos is the key to mastering your vast psionic power. The knowledge you stole from Xavier can help you improve faster, but nothing is a substitute for experience and meditation. It's a shame you're being forced into the field so soon. Given the severity of the situation, I suppose it's for the best."
Yao opened a portal, leading us into the training yard I'd stumbled upon earlier. Master Mordo and Kaecilius waited for us dressed in their sorcerers' robes alongside a small band of War Sorcerers.
As the ancient one explained, they practiced more lethal branches of Eldritch magic developed to combat demons specifically.
"So, you're the infamous Nephilim," Kaecilius said, stepping forward. "You don't look like much."
"Neither do you," I snorted. "Do we need to continue this dick-measuring contest, or would you rather fight some demons."
Mordo stepped forward. "Forgive my colleague's impetuousness; it's just that when the Sorcerer Supreme said two of her newest disciples would be joining us. We were all rather…taken."
I spotted Yao watching us from behind, patient and scrutinizing.
"I'd be upset too if my boss took in two new apprentices overnight," I said, swaggering forward. "So, instead of listing our long list of accolades, how about we just let our skills on the battlefield do the talking for us," I said, passing alternating looks between Kaecilius and Mordo.
"Speaking of which, do you have any of your fancy uniforms left? I can't go walking around the battlefield in just a trench coat."
I saw the slightest bit of amusement creep into Mordo's features while Kaecilius seemed even more angry.