Eve and I discreetly made our way towards my secondary, highly secure private office.
I secured the doors behind us, finally letting out a breath I felt like I'd been holding since I landed. Although Eve was clearly thrilled and relieved that I was alive, the reality of the boardroom meeting was heavily weighing on her.
"Mark, this whole situation is insane," she said, pacing across the minimalist office. "These guys are treating you like you're some kind of alien messiah or something."
"It's extremely crazy," I agreed, leaning against the desk in the center of the room.
"Did you actually kill the Coalition's leader?" she asked worriedly, stopping to look at me. "Are they going to come here?"
"Yea, but he gave me no other option. He was dead set on ending everyone with Viltrumite DNA," I explained grimly. "And probably. Which is why we gotta move quickly and get someone like Dinosaurus under control. If the Coalition shows up while Dinosaurus is executing any of his plans, we'll be fighting a war on two fronts."
Eve nodded slowly, absorbing the gravity of it all. "And your powers…" she began. "Are you sure they'll come back?"
"That's what their top scientist told me," I said with a shrug. "I mean, they're evil psychopaths, but they have the tech and intelligence to be accurate about things like this."
Eve walked over, gently placing a hand on my chest. "If the timetable is unknown, then maybe I can speed things up."
My eyes went wide. "You can do that?!" I asked, my expression caught between shock and hope. "Since when?! And does it have anything to do with what you did to Omnipotus?!"
Eve took her hand off my chest and looked at her glowing pink palms. "In a way, I upgraded just like you did."
She took a breath and began to explain. A couple of months after I had left Earth, Omnipotus arrived. He talked about how he was a 'World Shaper' and how he came to consume Earth's energy to replenish his own power.
"The heroes weren't going to let that happen, so we stepped up to put a stop to it," Eve said, her tone growing serious. "However, Omnipotus was far stronger than he appeared to be. He had immense strength, he was highly durable, he absorbed most conventional physical and energy-based attacks, and he continuously grew stronger because he kept absorbing the Earth's ambient energy."
How the hell did they take him down? I wondered in disbelief.
"When he attempted to break down Earth's matter to feed his own reserves, I started restructuring those elements back into defensive barriers and weapons made of non-reactive materials—like dense lead or diamond constructs—cutting off his access to raw environmental matter," she explained.
Mmm, she scienced his ass, I mused briefly.
"However, Omnipotus adapted. He absorbed the energy from the other heroes' attacks and unleashed a devastating energy wave that nearly wiped out everyone. It put me in a near-death state." Eve looked up at me, her eyes intense. "But in that state, I was able to break past more of my mental barriers. I manipulated the atmosphere inside and around Omnipotus into massive quantities of antimatter."
I just stared at her. Antimatter?! Holy shit!
"Once Omnipotus blindly pulled the ambient energy into himself to power up, it triggered a localized matter-antimatter annihilation," she finished, a hint of dark pride in her voice. "It completely bypassed his invulnerability by tearing his physical structure apart at the subatomic level from the inside out, turning his own absorption mechanism into his execution."
I listened in extreme disbelief. She literally turned a cosmic god into a walking bomb.
Eve continued, saying she could tap into her 'awakened' state more easily now, so she could probably jumpstart my cells so my powers would come back a lot sooner.
"What's the catch?" I asked. "What's the downside to using that kind of power?"
"I'd burn up a lot of energy," she admitted. "I'd probably end up in a comatose state if I used too much at one time... but I'm willing to do that for you."
Should I really let her do this? I debated internally. If she burns out, she'll be defenseless. And I need all hands on deck during this time. Man… what do I do?
Suddenly, the image of Dinosaurus's escape tape flashed in my mind, quickly followed by the impending doom of the Coalition, as well as the presence of the most dangerous of them all: Thragg, who was probably in the process of orchestrating some kind of scheme to keep himself in power. I decided immediately that I needed my strength by any means possible.
"Okay," I nodded softly. "Do it."
Eve placed both of her hands flat on my chest. She seemingly transformed right in front of me, glowing a blinding, radiant pink, her eyes flaring a solid, glowing white.
Holy moly, I thought, watching her levitate in front of me.
I felt my entire body vibrate. It felt like a small earthquake was happening inside my ribcage as she kickstarted my enhanced Smart Atoms from their stasis state. A sudden, intense wave of heat washed over my chest.
And then, I felt it.
Deep within my chest area, I felt a familiar, microscopic spark of energy lock into place. One of my atoms had essentially 'woken up.' My powers weren't brought back immediately, but the engine was finally turning over. I knew all I had to do now was wait for the rest of them to follow suit.
Eve suddenly gasped, the pink energy cutting out as she pitched forward, nearly collapsing.
I instinctively reached out, catching her securely in my arms. Eve smiled weakly, reaching up to caress my face before embracing me in a tight hug.
"I can't believe it. I can feel it working already," I whispered. "I can't thank you enough. You're amazing."
Eve smiled against my shoulder. "I know. But you can mention it more."
She leaned her chest against mine, grabbing my face and giving me a very certain, sultry look. "So... how are you going to thank me for my good deed?"
SWITCH WITH MEEEEE! my libido screamed in my head.
"Hell nah. I'm solo-doloing this one," I told it, firmly shutting it down.
My hands found their way to Eve's waist, pulling her against me. "The best way I know how."
I leaned in, capturing her lips in a deep kiss. Eve kissed back instantly, her hands tangling in my hair. The relief of being alive, of being back together, spilled over as things quickly started to get more intimate. My hands slid down to the bottom of her suit, preparing to pull it down—
But as I shifted my angle, my eyes fluttered open for a split second, landing on something hovering in the corner of the room.
Anissa was floating near the ceiling, her arms crossed, silently observing our every move with a completely unbothered, analytical stare.
I practically jumped out of my skin, shoving myself backward. "Jesus Christ!" I yelled, my heart leaping into my throat. "Have you been there the whole time?! When did you even come in?!"
Anissa simply smirked. "I'm never to leave your side," she replied smoothly. "My orders were absolute."
Eve whipped around, her romantic haze instantly vaporizing. She rolled her eyes in utter disgust. "Yeah right. That sounds more like a pathetic excuse to me."
"You may rationalize it however you want to, Human," Anissa said, slowly descending to the floor. "But it's the reality of things."
Anissa then gave Eve a knowing, condescending smile and glanced at me. "Something you should learn to accept."
Eve glared at Anissa, raising her fists as they instantly began emitting that terrifying pink energy again. "Like hell I will."
Anissa glared back with a sinister, bloodthirsty smile. "Perhaps I must demonstrate the distance in strength between us for you to get it through that thick head of yours."
Eve floated a few inches off the ground."Bring it on, you psychotic bit—"
Oh, no! Not again! I thought, looking frantically between the two of them. I gotta call someone! I gotta—
Relax man, my Libido interrupted my panicking. You're thinking about the situation all wrong. Have you learned nothing?! Take control of the situation like before.
T-Take control?! I fired back. Are you not up to speed on the situation we're in?! If we intervene, we'll die!
You're overthinking things, it said. Look at the situation more clearly. You've got two baddies in front of you that want to prioritize your safety above anything else. You are the key to getting them settled. You are the ONE my boi.
I watched as the pens, datapads, and chairs in the room started to levitate from Eve's rising aura. Mmm, I don't know about that.
Trust me, my boi, it said reassuringly. Just tag me in and I'll handle things.
I don't know, this doesn't seem like the type of situation even YOU can han—
I SAID TAG ME IN BITCH! it roared. WATCH AND LEARN HOW SOMEONE GREAT HANDLES A SITUATION LIKE THIS!
Okay, okay. Damn, I surrendered, letting go of the steering wheel.
The shift was instantaneous.
Libido Mark stepped right into the space between Anissa and Eve. Without a trace of hesitation or fear, he reached out, grabbing both of them gently but firmly under the chin, using his thumbs to smoothly caress their cheeks.
"Ladies, ladies," he began, his voice dropping into a raspy, effortlessly magnetic cadence. "I know that you two may not see eye to eye... but resorting to actions detrimental to my health isn't the answer."
The two of them stared at him for a moment. The sheer audacity of the move completely derailed their aggression. Slowly, the pink energy faded from the room, and Anissa's rigid posture relaxed.
Libido Mark continued, his gaze shifting between their eyes. "We can't have this go on every time you two see each other."
Anissa spoke first. "You're right," she murmured, stepping back slightly. "I have allowed myself to lower to the levels of this Earthean woman. How unlike me."
Eve threw a side-eyed glare at Anissa, but the fight had left her body as well. "Yeah, you're right. There are bigger concerns to worry about," she said, looking back into Libido Mark's eyes. "My bad."
From the passenger seat of my own mind, I watched in pure shock. That actually worked?!
Of course it worked, you fool, Libido Mark responded back to me inwardly. We've been digging in the hot red-head's guts so efficiently that we've already got her wrapped around our fingers, and the hot brunette proclaimed to want the same thing. It's a win-win. There's no possible way you could ever mess this up.
Libido Mark turned his attention back to the duo. "It's fine. These things happen," he said, wavingoff their actions with a charming smile. "But why is there so much hostility between you two, anyways? It feels like there's more to it than y'all are letting on."
Anissa tilted her head, looking completely unbothered. "There's nothing much to it," she said flatly. "I just explained her role to her when it came to her little… entanglement with you."
Entanglement?! I questioned internally from the backseat. What the hell does that mean?!
Libido Mark raised a charismatic brow at Anissa, while Eve practically vibrated with rage. "And that would mean...?"
Anissa smiled in a way I already recognized as deeply, dangerously sinister. "I simply explained her purpose as your little pet."
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! I yelled internally. Has she lost her mind?! Switch back! Powers or not, she ain't getting that off again!
In a split second, I forcefully grabbed the steering wheel, shoving the libido aside and taking full control of my body again.
"What did you just say?!" I demanded, stepping aggressively into Anissa's personal space.
Anissa didn't flinch. Instead, she smiled a thrill-filled smile, stepping right back into my space. "Am I wrong?" she asked, her voice dropping into a terrifyingly casual purr. "She will probably be long gone by the time our tenth child has reached adulthood. So, she can enjoy whatever temporary time she thinks she has with you."
My eyes widened in pure horror. She told her about that?! I thought, my stomach dropping into my shoes. And TENTH?! Does she think I'm a machine?!
I hesitantly shifted my gaze to Eve. She was glaring at the both of us, her pink aura flaring so bright it was lighting up the room.
Oh yea, she's mad as hell, I gulped.
"She said you promised to give her children," Eve ground out, her teeth clenched so hard I thought they might shatter. "Is that true?!"
I started sweating bullets. "Uhhh… uhhh..."
Aye, switch with me and fix this! I frantically yelled at my libido.
...Nahhhh, I think I'm gonna peace out for now, it replied, backing away into the deepest, darkest corner of my subconscious. YOU negotiated breeding rights with this sexy-ass murderous-alien, not ME. I'm clocking out. Good luck, bro. I'm rooting for ya.
W-WHAT! I screamed inwardly. NO NO NO! You said we had this under control! Does this look like it's under control?!
If you think I'm getting in the middle of that, you're crazy! it shot back. Peace be with ya, my boi. But don't worry, when they're ready to get cracked I'll be there. As for now… So long, farewell, Auf Wiederseh'n, goodbye.
Aye, aye, get back here you son of a bit—
"Well?!" Eve barked. She stepped right into my personal space, snapping me out of my internal argument. "Is it true?!"
I looked between the two terrifyingly powerful beauties, my life flashing before my eyes. "Uhhhhhh, well... you see..."
HISSSSSSSS.
Suddenly, the wall panel to our left slid open, revealing a secure pneumatic delivery tube. A sleek, high-tech containment pod rolled out into the room, coming to a halt with a heavy, metallic thud.
My Logistics Lead had delivered the prototype suit.
"Heyyyy, look at that! It's a delivery for me," I said loudly, pointing at the pod with forced enthusiasm.
Thank goodness, I exhaled, wiping a bead of sweat from my forehead. Saved by the fucking bell.
I rushed over and placed my hand on the biometric scanner. The pod hissed open, revealing a highly advanced, physically imposing suit of armor. It was a heavily militarized fusion of Rampage's indestructible tech and my aesthetic. The plating was a dense, matte black and deep blue, highlighted by glowing yellow accents and an illuminated yellow 'I' insignia on the chest.
It's like a combination of my first two suits, I mused, before stepping into the pod.
The armor immediately began to assemble around me, locking over my limbs and torso with heavy, magnetic clunks. As the helmet slid over my face, the HUD hummed to life, projecting tactical data across my vision. I flexed my arms, feeling the immense artificial strength coursing through the servos.
"Aye, check it out," I said, my voice amplified by the suit's external speakers. "Code Iron has been delivered."
Anissa watched the suit-up process, her eyes scanning the metal. She shook her head, thoroughly unimpressed. "A false shell to mimic what you've lost. How inconceivable," she scoffed. "I'm here. I am all you should need."
"Be that as it may, now there's another layer of protection," I replied, rolling my armored shoulders.
Eve was still glaring at me, entirely unamused by the distraction. "How durable is it?"
"Huh?" I asked through the comms.
"Is it durable enough to really protect you?" Eve asked, her voice dangerously calm.
"I hope so," I responded cautiously. "I tested the durability myself with the department that constructed it back when I still had my powers."
I punched the shit out of the material during the testing phase, I recalled internally. Even a high-ranking Viltrumite would have a hard time getting through it. It should have good density and toughness, but... it is still a prototype, so anything could happen.
"Good to hear," Eve said. Her hands flared up, blinding pink energy crackling aggressively around her fists. "How about a test run?"
"Pardon me?!" I choked.
"For once, I agree with her," Anissa chimed in. I turned to look at the Viltrumite, horrified to see a sadistic smile spreading across her face. "I need to know just how tough the material made by these... people to protect you really is."
I looked in disbelief at the two of them. I tried to let out a nervous laugh to brush it off, until I realized they weren't moving. They were completely, and utterly serious.
They're gonna beat the dog shit outta me, I realized, attempting to think up an escape plan.
"Uh, yeah, sure," I stammered, turning towards the exit. "Let's... let's get an area secured first and—"
"Good," Eve interrupted, stepping toward me with glowing eyes.
Ahh, I winced internally as the two unstoppable forces followed me out the room. I might die today.