Interlude 16

 

(Emma Frost)

 

April 4th, 1997
Khan Incorporated
Morning

 

It was in the Headquarters of what had originally been Oscorp but now is known as Khan Incorporated that Emma found herself in. Emma straightened her pantsuit, she was about to meet her new boss, Jean Grey. From what she heard, the girl freshly graduated from high school and was about to enter college to obtain an MBA in business and study genetics and engineering.

At least that is what Samira Khan, the person who hired her for Jean said. This was the moment where she would move up in the world, she had already gotten everything pertaining to her job as a PA, signed all the contracts and NDA necessary to keep her employer's secrets.

Opening the door to the office her new employer was in, Emma spotted a tall gorgeous redhead that immediately gave her body image issues. She was the right balance of curvy and fit, she wore a black pantsuit and spectacles that Emma was sure she didn't need. Jean Grey sat on a chair behind a black desk and stared at Emma.

"Hello, I am Emma Frost, your new Personal Assistant." Emma said as she entered further into the office after closing the door.

"Hello, Miss Frost." Her voice was beautiful, low and warm.

The redhead looked at her from head to toe with a smile. "I've been dying to meet you after Samira told me all about you."

Emma took the chair and sat as she said with some hesitation, "Nothing bad… I hope?"

Jean waved her perfectly manicured hand, and Emma also noticed the strong calluses in her palm. This showed that the younger woman before her was the kind to be active in some kind of sport. "No, don't worry."

The redhead flipped her hair contemptuously. "As a matter of fact, I have been contacted by a certain Winston Frost, the CEO of Frost Technologies, and would you believe that he threatened to make my life really interesting if I dared to hire you."

"Oh…" Emma closed her eyes, sure that she was going to get told that Jean couldn’t hire her after all… but contrary to her expectation, Jean Grey said, "I told him in no uncertain terms to go fuck himself and that he would soon hear from my attack lawyers if he dared to mess with me."

Opening her eyes wide in wonder, Emma asked dumbly, "You did?"

Jean raised her perfectly trimmed eyebrow when she heard the question. "You thought that I would listen to the old coot? He has less money than me and I have dirt on him a mile long."

Damn that girl was fearless, Emma liked her. "That's amazing, but… How? Did you have him investigated?"

And this is when this meeting derailed, the girl made a terrific and evil smile.

<No, I stole all the blackmail materials from his mind.> Emma reeled back in shock, she heard that vocally and at the same time in her mind.

Jean stood up and leaned forward, her hands on the desk as she stared at Emma. <I am like you, a telepath. Did you really think that you would be hired by a normal individual, a slip of a girl who doesn't know what she's doing?>

Emma fell from her chair and crouched by closing her eyes, and putting her hands against her temple. "Please stop, I…"

Jean tilted her head as she looked at her, then she gasped in shock. <Oh you don't know how to project your thoughts yet? Ah I see you're in receiver mode only.>

Emma tried to turn away and run but she suddenly felt herself being grabbed by invisible hands and as she struggled she was made to turn toward Jean Grey as she said, <I am also a telekinetic, you can't run. You work for me now, Miss Frost and I take care of my employees. You have nothing to fear from me, I am just going to touch your temple and we're going to have a little bit of a training session.>

The desk and chairs disintegrated, turning into dust; and Emme felt herself floating toward the redhead who then struck her body with a palm strike while saying, <Why don’t you… Embrace Eternity.>

Emma felt herself be pushed out of her body and be sucked into a golden portal and become blinded by light. 

FLASH!!

 

# # #

 

Astral plane
Jean's personal ectoplasm island

 

Slam! Boing! The brunette felt herself land on a soft surface. Emma reopened her eyes to see herself into a dark space with millions of different colored stars and rainbow  rivers spilling into a lake. This entire place was an island floating in space, it was majestic; in the center of the lake was a giant ash tree with gem-like leaves. There was also a flaming bird in a nest at the center of the trunk.

The flame bird opened its wings and stood from its nest and then jumped; it started flying toward Emma who finally realized how big the bird was. At least truck sized, she started running but discovered that her feet didn’t touch the grass.

The flaming bird landed and then turned into Jean Grey. She slowly floated toward Emma and tilted her head with a smug smile. 

"It's you!" Emma glowered at the younger woman. "What did you do to me? What is this place?"

Her hand was covered in fire and the space around her trembled, Emma felt an inconceivable power coming from that simple action, the stars twinkled and exploded, then new ones were birthed. 

"We are in the Astral plane, and I took your Astral body and separated it from your flesh one." Jean's voice was powerful and came from everywhere. 

Emma didn't understand, why her? What did Jean Grey want with her? "Why?"

She extended her arm toward Emma, then with her hand touched Emma's chin. Her eyes were glowing with burning flames. "You're a telepath without control of your own abilities, and I can't let my new PA be that defenseless. Rejoice, I am the strongest telepath on the planet and you'll have the best teaching you."

Emma suddenly felt really, really small right now, to have gotten the attention of someone like that. "Why? What's the catch? Nothing is free in life…"

The brunette had expected Jean to become irritated at her questions, but she said patiently, "You're right. I gain a lot by training you, having a trained telepath as my PA and I get to have one more friend that I can trust; but I guess I can give more incentives.

What do you think about getting triple your salary? Let's say 200k a year to start with and some privileges when shopping for me?"

Emma remembered how Jean was clothed earlier, her outfit looked fabulous and she missed looking her best… she smiled at the powerful young woman and said, "I'm in!"

The redhead let Emma's feet fall on the ground and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Welcome to Jean Grey's telepathy bootcamp! I will give you the basic, then advanced uses, on how to protect your mind and stop other telepaths from accessing it. We're going to have so much fun!"

And Emma never regretted her choice as she was discovering what she could truly do. Jean was a conscientious and methodical teacher, wise beyond her years; and she imparted her techniques into her new pupil who was like a sponge and encouraged to explore her abilities. 

Jean showed her how to interpret the emotions of others, to read and sense the thoughts of someone, and to open up secret conversations and relay covert information. And she finished Emma's lesson by teaching her the ability to create mental shields in herself or others to protect them from psychic attacks. It was really the basics of telepathy and after that, they left the astral plane and returned to Earth.

 

# # #

 

Emma reopened her eyes and she was back in the office with Jean who was still making her float with her telekinesis. The girl was looking at her with a hungry gaze that was flattering. But Emma had to be firm, she used her new skills to brush Jean's mental shield. She was also aware of the mental link that had been forged between them in the Astral Plane that continuously monitored each other's mood and told them their location.  

It was nothing invasive, Jean had wanted to create it just in case because Emma had enemies that would gladly have her killed once she learned about her elder sister trying to kill her. Adrienne Frost was fucked if she ever met Jean Grey.  Emma stared at her wristwatch and discovered that only five minutes had passed in the real world, this surprised her; she swore that she spent days learning how to use her power from Jean in the Astral Plane. 

“Could you please put me down?” Emma asked with an annoyed tone.

Jean tilted her head, then Emma saw telekinetic constructs manifest around her body, like special rope and knots. The redhead teased, “No, I like you in this position.”

Emma blushed.  “Are you into Shibari?”

Jean showed a surprised and yet interested expression. “You know about it?!”

So this was what it was like? Seeing someone with matching taste, she wasn't alone. Emma liked bondage a lot. “I’ve got a healthy interest in it.”

Jean let her down delicately and the construct disappeared. “You've become even cooler now, Frost.”

Emma sensed interest, worship and lust coming from the younger woman. It was disturbing, and flattering… "You're a pervert."

“That’s your fault… I don't meet kinky girls like you often.” She said with a grin.

The brunette realized that they were low key flirting, once again she was caught in the redhead's pace. That was a problem with people like Jean, they were powerful and charming and Emma was attracted to power, money and beauty. And it didn't help that the two of them were bisexual; a condition that that was now understood to be because of her telepathy. 

Jean was more similar to her, but in a realized way; but she felt deep inside that she was seeing what she could be rather than what she was right now. What a strange sensation. 

"Anyway, let’s go." Jean walked past Emma.

"Where to?" Emma asked as she followed her new boss and mentor by turning to her. 

Jean Grey raised her hand and a golden aperture in space opened, and Emma’s eyes widened as she saw the portal open. The redhead with short hair said proudly, "Your new workplace." 

 

# # #

 

May 6th, 1997

 

It’s been more than one month since Emma started working as Jean Grey’s PA. She discovered what being a Metahuman meant and to accept her powers as part of herself. Being a Telepath was funky and a bit of a curse. Knowing what someone thinks and feels can… sour relationships between humans. Envy, anger, slyness, wrath, bloodthirst and love and lust. 

Emma was learning how to distinguish them all one by one as she didn’t understand the nuances before. Jean explained to her what those nuances in the emotional spectrum meant, emotions were always tied to memories and experiences, those are the building blocks of the mind.

She also learned how to download and upload knowledge and memories without psionic contamination. Jean didn’t want this to happen to her somehow, because it did to her when she had her first try in siphoning a SHIELD agent called Katherine Shane, her personality had contaminated hers. That was why Jean was so tactical when she spoke with people, always trying to find how they ticked to get what she wanted from them; this tendency manifested only with people she didn’t consider her friends or her enemies. At least that was how Emma was psychoanalyzing her boss.

She was made to download the knowledge and skills of many people studying how to fix the mind by Jean. It was the most efficient method, that and experiencing people ‘thinking’.

This wasn’t the only thing she did for the company. She learned how to fire a prototype coilgun that Anvil Industries had come up with, with smart rounds geared toward the non-lethal (electric, chemical sleepy time, etc…). It was the most awesome fun she had since she started working at Grey International; Jean kept asking her to beta most of their products; in strange outfits, bikini, bodysuit or maid uniform.

Emma was being objectified! And she loved it! How can Jean Grey act like a perverted old man while being a woman herself? There’s also the fact that the redhead suddenly turned into her sugar mama overnight. Was Jean trying to buy her? No it didn’t seem to be the case; Emma thought that it was more a case of Jean not having the same sense of value. 

Money meant nothing to her. She showed Emma and turned her entire wooden desk into gold, silver, and platinum. This was eye opening to Emma. It didn't matter though, she still liked material things, so she accepted the gifts being given to her.

Beyond these little things that Jean did, there were the pharmaceutical products that she intended to release, and Emma had to talk her boss into bumping their prices, to give some leeway to the other companies. But sooner or later Grey Pharmaceutical was going to completely take over the market; it was inevitable.

Like she was going to corner the energy market…

 

# # #

 

June 12th, 1997

 

Emma smiled when Jean came out and said that she was moving her company 's HQ to the Silver Isles. This event didn't create a crisis yet, as Grey International hadn't introduced any of their products. That is why Emma arranged for Jean to get an interview with an honest journalist in the payroll of Samira Khan. Lilliana Hynds, was a fun, upright, and objective woman.  

In the interview led by her, on Silver Isles soil, Jean showed the technology she was working on and was going to make available to the world. She started with her fusion reactor, the prototype already able to supply the need for a city the size of New York rather easily.

Then came the explanation about the facilities to cure and heal soil, purifying water and boost the yield of crops. Which would lead to eventual terraformation and reforestation of habitats. Lilliana had even told Jean that she was going to be popular with the green energy crowd, but the middle-east and oil companies were going to hate her for her inventions.

If Lilliana had been critical of the implementation for the first technologies Jean presented, then the introduction of Medi-Gel made her ask questions about how she planned to distribute it, and how she would train medical professionals to implement it. Every question was answered and the solution to expected problems was given. Grey International planned to outsource the creation of Medi-Gel to other countries in facilities that Grey Pharmaceutical would build and maintain.

It was a good time to be alive and see the future happen. Emma liked what they were doing in this company, they were changing so many things for the better...

 

# # #

 

June 27th, 1997

 

By wanting to change the world, Jean Grey made many enemies. Not that Emma's boss and her advisors didn't see it coming. They anticipated the assassination attempts. Overnight the world turned into a place of chaos and conspiracies.  

It happened when they went shopping in London. They were at Oxford Street, London's most famous shopping street. Emma had felt the moment when the assassin made a beeline for them while Jean was in the fitting room. Jean had pulled Emma in the room and hugged her, teleported the customers and sellers in the other rooms and deployed a forcefield around them.

Emma felt the conviction of the assassin as he pushed the detonator… and the world shook. Fortunately, the store wasn't destroyed, Jean had just taken precautions to contain the explosion in a telekinetic bubble. At the same time Emma had pilfered as much information as she could from the suicide bomber.

"This isn't the only attack planned, boss." There was a second attempt in the works, but Jean was going to have none of that.

Jean sent her most trusted agent, Clint Barton to apprehend the terrorist cell charged to take her out. The operation was fast and clean, and the liberal use of a pain grenade and their newly acquired technology for jamming radio signals made it easy to stop the terrorists from escaping or killing themselves with a bomb. They tried to release the poison in their fake teeth to not be taken alive, but this was anticipated as well.

Jean brought Emma to the interrogation of the leader in her personal prison at Egypt base, the one called the bird cage. Cell Block Sigma was comparable to Guantanamo Bay, a holding facility. This was a place that the UN or Amnesty International would consider a major breach of human rights and a violation of the Due Process Clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth amendments of the United States Constitution. But Jean Grey and the people who worked for her didn't care.

"This is Jean-Land, not the USA." Jean had told her. Emma was learning at the feet of a ruthless woman it seemed. In a way she could understand why she was doing this.

In the end the ones who ordered a hit on Jean were the Saudi Royal Family. That is how operation King Fall started, the goal was to scout the entire country, assess their threat level, their finances, and collect the dirt on the important figures in the country. It took three days for Jean, Chimera and Emma to collect all the information, blackmail and dirt on everyone of importance.

This entire affair showed Emma a new side of Jean that she really liked. She ordered the AI under her control to raid the Saudi's Royal Family of their money and she stole their physical assets, cars, yachts; and she burned down their villas, lofts or castles all around the world.

She killed them as well, and only spared the really little children that she put into reputable orphanages all around the world; and the sex slaves were collected and treated. What some of those girls went through chilled Emma's heart and steeled her determination to never let anyone do this to her.

The rest of the operations were led by Barton and Hill; they consisted of eliminating the religious extremists in the country and destabilizing the land politically and leaving them without leaders. In the end Saudi Arabia would be no more, the land will be divided between Kuwait, Jordan, Yemen and Oman.

Nethertheless, this wouldn't be the only attempt on Jean's life happening this year…

 

# # #

 

July 10th, 1997
USA, New York
Manhattan
Grey International subsidiary
Star Lab

 

Emma was simply disgusted by what had been currently happening. Her father, Winston Frost, sent an assassin to kill Jean because she's an 'upstart' trying to change the status quo. Let's just say that he would be regretting his choice later. Emma made a proposal to Jean who said, "I will be thinking about it… I like having you with me too much."

This touched Emma that she was wanted that much by the redhead, it was flattering…Anyway, while Jean was readying for entering college, the US government tried to force her to only sell Medi-Gel and her other products on North American soil. After some digging, Emma realized that this was a scheme from the big pharmaceutical companies who might go bankrupt when Jean’s star products hit the market.

Jean, Doctor Kinney and Morse had simply laughed at the attempt and let the UN and other countries stop that attempt. The US was under threat of sanction if they continued to play bully and tried to monopolize the new medical tech. Let’s say that their credibility tanked internationally for that stunt. The assassinations and kidnapping attempts by middle-eastern nations doubled when what happened to Saudi Arabia was discovered.

There were twenty-seven attempts by energy companies and some other organization called Weapon-X and the Hellfire club to kidnap Jean as well to get access to the fusion reactor technology. Fortunately, the Blackhawks foiled the attempts quite easily; those companies and nations didn’t seem to want to give up. SHIELD was in direct opposition to Emma’s boss.

Jean completely ignored a man called Nicholas Fury, the director of SHIELD, and told Emma that he was black listed from the company. It was in complete contrast to how she received Tony Stark with whom she had had multiple  lunch dates with. Emma didn’t like the man much, he wanted to enter a partnership with Grey International and was willing to work under Jean even! “Within reason” he had said. Emma was sure Stark would enjoy working on top of Jean even more, but knew that snowball fights in hell were more likely.

Chimera and Emma were charged to make this happen, because Tony was sincere and Jean explained that he was important for their future space operations. The days passed without any crisis as her boss stayed put at home or trained with her friends and family in the use of her powers. Emma preferred quiet times like these.

Currently, it was late at night and Emma was working in her office; it was located at the top of the forty story building they used as a seat in the USA. What they did there was more benign research on green energy, genetic engineering, and esoteric sciences such as Quantum Physics.

Emma was deciding if some of the more fanciful science projects that their recently recruited scientists could be allocated funding. Build an anti-gravity generator which will project a field and this device was destined for sporting events? Sure why not! An inertia buffer to ease and reduce the forces of gravitational acceleration? That sounded important, Emma would temporarily allocate some funding for that.

It was as she was reading something on miniature fusion reactors that Emma heard a knock on her office's door. "Enter."

The door opened and Emma wasn't surprised to see Jean, she had felt her location thanks to their mental link. The redhead had an easy smile pasted on her face and she wore a wine red short dress with short heeled black boots. "Hey, Emma."

The brunette straightened her square glasses and smiled at Jean. "Yes Boss?"

She raised her chin and threw a thumb at the door. "Wanna have a makeover? We've finished the tests on the body sculpting device and…"

All of a sudden, Emma stood up; this is what she has been waiting for! Body modification without the use of scalpels and implants! "I'm in! Please can you do the procedure to my specifications?" 

Jean giggled. "You bet I can! I will do the procedure myself, with Doctor Kinney."

Fifteen minutes later, Emma was naked and consulting with Jean and Doctor Kinney about what kind of gene or body mods she wanted for herself. Perfect vision, a more efficient digestive system and the option to not get fat at all; light blonde hair, a more curvaceous body with double D cup breasts and to make her slightly taller. Then Jean offered her the enhanced physiology package that she gave to the super-soldier like Peggy or Steve which bumped her life expectancy to 400 years, resistance to illness and a healing factor…

Emma took it and never regretted it. She was quickly ushered into a body sculpt chamber and placed under anesthetic. 

When she woke up, she saw the silver gray interior of the chamber open on the right side, the bright white light stung her eyes and she shielded them with her right hand. Emma sat up and then looked at her hand, it was bigger than before; she looked down and… “Wow, I'm stacked now.”

The chamber’s door opened, Jean wearing a blue bodysuit, half zipped and letting a healthy cleavage show.  “Damn, you were fine before. But now, you’re sexier.”

“Yeah, I agree, I always wanted to be blonde and more curvy.” Emma stood up from the chamber, but her balance was all off and she almost fell, fortunately Jean was here to catch her. 

Jean lifted her and put her on the ground. “Careful, you’ll have to adapt to your new center of gravity; you’ll have a lot of klutzy episodes like this for a while.”

Emma became thoughtful, and suddenly grinned. “Ah, but it is worth it; I get to look like my idealized self and I don't have to go under the scalpel to get it.”

The redhead looked her up and down, licked her lips and said in a sultry tone, “Hey, Ems… wanna give your new body a test drive?”

Emma raised her eyes to look into Jean’s, then she felt the difference in air pressure. They were no longer in the operation chamber but in a bedroom with a lot of red and warm tones. Romantic music was playing and the light shifted to become more attenuated. 

With eyes wide, Emma looked around her and questioned her boss, “Jean?”

Jean pushed her onto the bed and smiled predatorily. “Babe, I’m going to worship your body tonight.”

 

# # #

 

July 25th, 1997

 

Her new relationship with her boss had started really well, she even had the permission of her current girlfriend to put the moves on Emma. And the new blonde didn’t know how she pulled that when she knew that Anna was very territorial with Jean. The redhead had been watching and waited for the perfect time to execute her plan to seduce Emma. Jean’s scheme had been perfect, let Emma get to know her, lavish her with worldly riches, butter her up with everything that she has to offer.

And the blonde decided to take Jean's offer; her negotiation skills had been perfect, just the fact that she could switch between genders was amazing, there won’t be any problem for their future offspring. But… let’s not put the cart before the horse; there must be things about Jean that she needs to know before Emma could put marriage on the table. There was competition as well, Wanda and Cindy might object, despite her having Anna-Marie’s go ahead.

Beyond that everything was going well, with the company and their lives, despite… the assassination attempts and the corporate espionage happening almost constantly. The spies and plants trying to enter the companies were unable to pass the telepathic check or the background searches on them.

Jean, Emma, Anna and her friend had a big day today. The redhead is one of the bridesmaids for Margaret Carter who will marry Steve Rogers aka Captain America. It was mind blowing how connected her boss and girlfriend was. It was too bad that they couldn’t participate in the bridal shower that they had for Peggy Carter, Emma would have liked to speak with the woman in a more intimate setting.

But it wasn’t to be, Emma had to settle Jean’s ex and her family to the Silver Isles because she might want to speak with this Cindy girl. Emma didn’t like her much, she clearly felt guilty about putting them on break because she was still under the influence of that brainwashing chip that she had been implanted with. Emma didn’t know why she wasn’t already on her knees, begging Jean to take her back. They barely had time to prepare their makeup and their dresses, but they were still on time.

Jean had loved being part of the wedding ceremony, and she spent a lot of resources on the army of drones which were taking pictures and recording everything for posterity. 

Jean was wearing the bridesmaid ugly below the knee length light pink off shoulder dress with a asymmetrical skirt, Emma didn’t envy her; can you believe that Jean still rocked the dress despite it being so ugly? But Jean didn’t care, her eyes were more on Emma, Anna and Wanda. Emma had gone with a sky blue bustier high waisted dress that showed off her legs, while Anna went for a mid-length dark green keyhole dress with a godet skirt; Wanda was more provocative, as she had commissioned a ruby purple knee length shell topped dress. All of this was paid for by Jean and made by The Janet Van Dyne. 

Too bad that they didn’t mesh well with the theme of the wedding; it was like being back in the forties where the dresses were more conservative. The music was vintage as well, the musicians performing old songs. There were many people that Emma recognized, the current minister of defense, the… POTUS and a ton of senators and military people current and retired.

“This wedding is super posh.” Wanda said while holding Jean’s arm and feeding her some canape.

“There’s this oldie ambience from the 40’s.” Anna-Marie was swaying at the soft music playing.

Jean swallowed the creamy french cheese puff that Wanda had given her to speak while using a tissue to wipe her lips. “Well yeah, they’ve been waiting for so long to get married, I don’t begrudge them wanting some of the magic of their time back to marry.”

Emma nodded, this was so romantic; they’ve waited fifty years or so to find each other again, and Jean helped them by making Peggy Carter young again and his equal physically. The redhead had a vested interest in making her surrogate grandmother happy, and this said everything Emma needed to know about her new… girlfriend. She was loyal and giving, and ruthless toward her enemies.

Speaking of enemies, Emma sensed a cloud of hatred and self-righteousness coming toward them, just like Jean who voiced with an happy tone, “Oh no, Emma, Anna, Wanda… we’re being flanked~”

Coming toward the four young women was a black man with a black and silver eyepatch, he wore a dark blue smoking jacket; he was also armed with concealed weapons. Emma couldn’t read his mind because he was wearing one of the knock-off psionic blockers. It wouldn’t stop a powerful telepath like Jean and Emma, but it would warn the user that he is being read.

Emma hated those devices, but she understood that they were important for their own side, but when the technology was in the hands of their enemies? It was bad. Director Fury stopped before them and focused only on Jean. “Grey, you’re a hard girl to get to.”

Jean drank the rest of the flute full of non-alcoholic beverage. Jean smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes as she said, “If it isn’t dread pirate one eye, and yeah I thought that me blacklisting you and SHIELD would be a great way to make my point that I don’t want anything to do with you.”

The man rolled his eyes, “This isn’t how it works, Jean. Let me tell you how this works.” He straightened the lapels of his suit.

Jean’s arms snaked around Wanda and Anna’s waist and she tilted her head. “Oh, you have something to teach? I’m all ears; you have two minutes.”

Emma watched as the man coughed and started speaking. “You could be of great help to this country, Jean; this world is darker than you think. Sooner or later you’ll need help from me and the organization I represent. I appeal to your sense of duty, the US needs your expertise and technology, see it as giving back the privileges you were born with, your rights and freedom. I’m willing to bury the hatchet between us, and enter into a fruitful partnership with Grey International.”

The blonde stared at this man, he certainly had balls to come here demanding cooperation after what he did. It was at this point that time stopped around them; Fury looked around him, noticing that the venue and the people had gone silent. Suddenly, they weren’t in the hall of festivities anymore. Emma guessed that Jean had brought them back into the astral plane.

Jean let go of Wanda and Anna-Marie and walked up to Fury. Eyes burning with inner flames. "No, you have no idea of what is truly possible or what exists out here.”

Images of giant creatures with tentacles the size of the sun passed next to them; there was a silver man on a surfboard standing before a planet while a tall giant bigger than the Earth stood eating a populated world. Again the images around them shifted to show creatures with golden chitin devouring through an entire world and converting the inhabitants into creatures like them.

Then they were back hovering over planet Earth, then once again they were in the hall of festivities. Jean turned her back to him, while holding onto Emma’s hand and linking their fingers. “You know nothing of how dangerous this universe is, Fury. You only want to see the USA on top, me? I’m working to protect the planet and everyone on it. Our goals don't align. Anyway, why would I work with you again? I tried that before and… you betrayed me, Fury; and spit on the hand I held to you. I don't give second chances to thieves.”

Emma smiled at the shocked face of the spy; then she showed Jean the time. “Oh, time's up. Good bye, Nicky.”

And the four young women moved away, directly toward Elaine Grey who it seems was coming to their rescue and glaring at Fury.

 

# # #

 

2 hours later…

 

After dancing and eating a lot, Emma was dancing with John Grey, Jean’s dad. The man was questioning her about her intentions toward his daughter. She could understand him, she was just out of a bad break up. That Cindy girl can call it a break in their relationship as much as she wanted, but she essentially broke up with her boss. Emma gave him assurance that she was well taken by her daughter and that she would make her happy; she was already doing it.

“Maybe Jean needed an older girl in her life…” John joked and implying his support of their relationship.

Emma smiled in victory, now she needed to work on Elaine, Jean’s mother, who was wary of her. However, she didn’t have more time to think of a plan of action as she heard Jean swear out loud. “Fuck!”

“Language!” The groom, Steve, shouted at her.

Everyone looked in disapproval at the redhead who seemed to not care at all. Jean stomped toward Emma, calling her mentally. <Emma! Come here!>

Emma didn’t like how panicked she felt that Jean was over their mental link. <Jean, what's going on?>

<We’re more fucked than I thought; we must get on top of this right now!> The redhead said, a storm of psionic energy disturbing her control over her mental power.

<Jean, you don’t make sense!> The blonde hugged her younger girlfriend to calm her down. It was after Jean started her breathing exercise that her mood settled, barely.

Jean’s dress was a bit wrinkled as she stepped back from Emma and said while whispering, <I just met someone, a woman. Catherine Langford, and… I read her mind.>

That wasn’t new, Jean read the mind of everyone passively to detect their intentions; but what she has seen must have been disturbing. Emma asked soothingly, <Yes, and what did you see?>

Jean looked into her girlfriend’s eyes and spoke mentally. <A portal to the stars, War, Death, Slavery. If I don’t get on top of this, we might get our world invaded by slaving alien snake parasites!>

 

---

A/N: This is interlude 16 and it's from Emma's pov, I hope you liked how informative it was.

If you are looking to get early chapters and read all the good stuff I haven't posted to the public yet, support with the link below:

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