Supervillains 2 Chapter 20 (Patreon)

"Only two?" Doctor Wells frowned at the vials.

When I had reported over the comms that I’d had recovered the materials that Libertech had been developing, I had been rushed down to the labs below the bureau by two of our speedsters.

It had taken every ounce of my will not to pad myself with my power. Being carried by one of them felt like I was on a runaway train.

"From what their setup looked like, they weren't making much." What I didn’t say was that I’d stolen one vial, and Emma had taken the other while she flirted with me. In the end, we’d both gotten what we wanted.

And I was glad I’d had another chance to interact with her. I needed more time to bring her to my side. She was warming up to me, and that would be invaluable later.

That she took one didn’t bother me so much as it concerned me she’d use it and hurt herself.

"Maybe they were in a hurry." Wells lifted the vial and let the light shine behind it as she sloshed the liquid in the vial. "But this is still very helpful. We have all of Liberator's notes, but the collapse destroyed his equipment and any samples."

"Are you going to research this technology?" I asked.

"It's coming to a head, with multiple angles of approach." Wells was distracted by the vials. "Don't you want power? I read up on you; you’re just enhanced."

It would have hurt more if it were true.

"Power isn't everything." I used a practiced line. "Besides, isn't most of this pretty unsafe?"

Wells looked better today. It was possible that she'd actually gotten some sleep. She even had used the clip in her hair to actually hold back her hair from getting in her face. "This stuff is pretty stable. It has little risk of side effects, but unfortunately there's so little of it."

She looked at me over the vial. "Interested in helping advance science?" She tipped the vial back and forth, like she was trying to tempt me. "If you let me monitor your changes, I'd safely administer this to you."

I chuckled nervously. "Don't you need approval to use that? There are only two."

"One is enough. Really, a few drops are enough. The chemical is stable, and we'll be able to reverse engineer the process after the others finish mapping the chemical structure. Chemistry is the least of our problems. Coming up with the chemical and the years of testing to find something effective is what all the research is about."

Watching her tip the vial back and forth, I wondered if her helping was the way Lachesis saw it happening rather than me injecting myself.

Now I found myself questioning, just injecting it into myself. Fuck Lachesis and her power.

"You just inject it?" I asked.

Wells felt my curiosity and stopped playing with the vial, pocketing it. "Injection is one way, but based on the Liberator's notes, he was having better results with multiple injection sites. And he also had patients at higher heart rates, simulated with epinephrine shots beforehand."

Screw it. I wanted to boost my power. "Would you be interested in coming to my manor here after work and doing it?"

I would have to rein in my power when she did her tests, but having her administer it was probably the safest bet.

The grin that spread across Dr. Wells’ face was a little too wide to be entirely sane. "Perfect. I'll come over with some equipment."

I was able to enhance the powers of others, but not my own.

This was something I wanted. Hell, it might even be needed, as others were boosting their powers. Today, Antiope had nearly broken my ability to hold her.

There was an actual possibility that there were villains taking monster fruit at the same level as her, and if nothing else, I needed to be able to protect my ladies from that sort of strength.

Multiple supers at Antiope's strength would have been a struggle for me.

"Perfect. You can do the research, but I'd appreciate your discretion." I told her.

"Of course." She happily started packing up her things. Her head bobbing back and forth to a song that must be playing in her head. "It will take me some time to get ready and get over there. Please go ahead."

With that, I left the lab. My team had been busy adding details to the reports that the analyst team had been working on. Poor Stella, paperwork didn't agree with her.

At the thought of leaving, I could feel Mona digging around in my mind and finding that Doctor Wells would join us later that night.

Is that wise, my fated? It would put your secret at risk.

She wasn't entirely wrong. There was a risk with bringing Doctor Wells into my use of the drug, but I knew there was also a risk taking it. The two risks balanced each other out. I’d have to either risk my secret or my life.

Lachesis' prediction didn't come with enough details. Given this option was presented to me, it might be the safest way to take the drug and enhance my own power.

I understand. But do not doubt yourself. You are powerful, my fated. If needed, we can remove the mad doctor after.

That was a chilling thought. The complete monotone to her idea of killing the doctor if she learned was even colder than my own thoughts.

Maybe Emma was right, and I was getting soft.

The encounter with Emma flickered through my mind, the touch and feel of her bringing back old memories.

She is another problem. Mona interjected. Your mentor, while dear to you, is full of potential problems. Most notably, she stole from you and you don't even seem bothered by it.

If I was honest with myself, I knew she was going to steal from me the second I met her in that alley. She had likely been tracking Antiope, not me. Her theft of gems had always been in the name of giving herself more power and keeping her orphanage running.

There was no way that the different power-enhancing drugs were moving across the black market without her knowing. And once she knew, it would be too hard for her to pass up.

That’s when I realized Emma would think the same thing as I had. While taking one enhancer was good, two could be even more powerful. She’d be after the Monster Fruit next.

She will involve you when she goes for the Monster Fruit. At least from my understanding of her in your memories, she is hesitant to take much risk on her own. We know that the producer of Monster Fruit is very cautious and likely has taken many precautions to protect themselves. Emma will most assuredly contact you for help before attempting to collect some for herself.

I chuckled. Mona's assessment was probably right. Emma liked to take things rather than be handed them.

She would do exactly as Mona suggested and steal it.

Thank you. Though, you are spending a lot of time in my mind.

As I sent that to her, it felt like she was curling around my brain and settling in.

Your encounter with Emma was interesting. You really care about her, in a deeper sense than maybe even Stella.

I didn't like the idea of comparing my relationships with each other. That was unfair to everyone. Time with each of them was different and based on different situations. To try and compare them was not a productive exercise.

Sorry. I understand. But your time with Emma is full of warmth. Even if the two of you were villains together, it made you feel good.

I nodded to myself, realizing I must look a little crazy to those around me. But Mona was right. I’d been cast off from society, and Emma had accepted me. At that time, my parents had died, Kim had condemned me in a press conference, and I’d heard my aunt calling me a monster. It was hard to have much self-confidence at all up against that as a child. I’d been rejected, and I rejected everything else in turn.

It was only then that her comfort had wormed so deeply inside of me and fill voids that shouldn't have been there.

I paused, realizing it wasn’t that dissimilar to Mona.

You finally get it. She affirmed.

I winced, suddenly worried about opening that wound for her.

Pausing in the hallway, I sat on a bench to get into a deeper conversation with her.

Don't worry. I am aware of my own shortcomings. Mona told me. There was a heavy sigh from her. My mother and... that man... damaged me. Scarred my mind and made me reliant on this connection for happiness.

I wrapped her tendril of telepathy in as much comfort as I could imagine. You don't deserve that.

Her mind curled around my own, snuggling into the comfort I provided. The thought of sex with me just happened to rub off.

That's what she wanted, the physical connection with me. I’d held off until that point, wanting to make sure it was at the right point in our relationship, that it wouldn’t mess her up more. But now I wondered if waiting was the best answer.

I understand your intentions, but I don't think I'm going to heal. At least, not in a short span of time. There are holes, ones that won't fill themselves.

I didn't need a psychic connection to see the innuendo. But the mental images she had of sucking me off made it perfectly clear.

But the image she presented in my mind was like déjà vu. I realized she had transplanted herself as Stella from my time with Stella two days earlier.

Yes, I am experiencing sex along with you when you are with the others.

It was a little voyeuristic. Well, far more than a little. But it didn't make me uncomfortable. I had accepted that she rode around in the back of my mind at all times. Sometimes, like the present moment, it was nice to have somebody who understood how I was feeling without having to put it into words.

Just wait until you let me participate. I know exactly how you like it.

I chuckled, my mind already starting to spin through images I knew she could see. It was definitely tempting.

Accept that this is who I am. Even if what has been done to me has left scars, it is who I am. Despite your good intentions, I would like you to stop being so resistant. I’ve seen every bit of your mind, and I want to be with you. I don’t believe it would be the same with any other man who gave me this connection. It’s you I want, Miles.

She pushed more thoughts and feelings toward me, trying to show me how much she cared for me. I understood, but I wanted to help her.

Please, stop pushing me away. That isn’t how you help me. Take me in completely and then, when I start to understand, let me take my own steps.

I thought about it a moment longer. While I still wasn’t sure that Mona wasn’t getting wrapped up in us because of the connection, I could admit that there was no certainty in any relationship. I’d trusted Stella, Angelina, and Melody. It was only fair for me to give Mona the same consideration, even if there was this mental tether her power created.

I needed to accept her choices.

Thank you. We are almost done with the analysts. Also, the one with fox ears really wants Stella's help to get in your pants.

She doesn't need saving.

The thought flickered across my mind, and I hated it the second it happened.

That is true. With that, Mona pulled away from my mind. She must be busy wrapping up with the Analysts.

As I stood, I noticed Victor walking down the hallway in my direction.

I was not entirely in the mood to deal with him, but apparently it was going to happen as he stopped in front of me. "From what I hear, you busted a large operation today. Even recovered what was left of Libertech's research."

"Yeah, better than saving kittens." I said flatly.

Victor's jaw tensed. "I want a second team, or to rotate the heroes in my current team."

That caught me by surprise, but it made sense. Kim had clearly said that Miss Point City was holding him back.

"Want me to rotate in a talented newbie? I could give you one of the best in the new class, but I want them to stop crimes. I won't have their talent wasted."

Victor nodded slowly. "Do it. Miss Point City needs to come off my team, though, or she's going to lead any new girl around by the nose."

I shook my head. "We'll give you a second team. Maybe even a manager under you to help manage them both in the field?"

Even though I was new to hero management, I wasn't new to management. Giving him this concession would go a long way to smoothing things out between us.

That and he was under me. This was what Kim had been pushing me to do, to start building teams up under me.

"I'd like that." Victor smiled and clapped me on the shoulder. "Also, you were a tough son of a bitch in the bathroom. Where did you learn to fight?"

"Streets. I grew up in a rough neighborhood." Time with Emma had been a large part of that.

He nodded to himself, seeming to feel like that helped him in figuring me out. "Okay, well, I'll leave you to it. Sorry about before."

I gave him a nod, glad that we’d cleared the air.

"Miles!" Stella jumped on my back, and I had to take a step to steady myself. "Time to go home before they give me more paperwork."

Her wings flapped and lifted me off the ground.

"You aren't supposed to fly in here." I grunted under the pressure of her hug.

"Do we need to wait for Doctor Wells?" Mona asked, still wearing her mask, though she was in normal clothes now.

"Nope, I don't think so." It had sounded like she would be arriving on her own later.

"Doctor?" Stella grabbed my head and twisted it so she could see my face. "Are you sick?"

"We'll talk later. Come on." I grabbed her horn and dragged her head to the side, using enough of my power that she couldn't resist.

Stella moaned and licked her lips. "Going to be a rough play sort of night, I can feel it."

"Can you think of something other than sex or food for just a moment?" I rolled my eyes and turned to Melody for a more stimulating conversation. "How did the paperwork go?"

"Fine. Boobs McGee over here...” Melody pointed at Stella. “... smashed the place up, and we had collateral damage paperwork to fill out. We had to justify the level of destruction." Melody rolled her eyes. "But those guys had been tough."

We stepped out of the Bureau into a warm summer evening. "Antiope called them muscle for the Monster Fruit group. I'm worried about just how many strong supers are working for them. Leaving you three on your own today was a stupid idea."

Stella lifted me off the ground, and the three of them took flight while carrying me.

"Was it worth it?" Melody asked as soon as we had some distance between us and the bureau.

"Yes. We have samples of Libertech's power enhancement drug, along with an agreement from Doctor Wells to administer it to me at the manor tonight."

Melody and Stella both snapped to look at me. "Master, are you serious?" Stella whined.

"Yeah, what if she learns about your power?" Melody asked.

Stella waved that concern away. "That’s easy. Then we just kill her and have Jelly Bags and Twinkles destroy her body. I’m more concerned about the risk to master."

"Lachesis's prediction said the drug would be safe for me. As much as I dislike her, the predictions have been good so far. Without them, we wouldn't have found Antiope so easily." I was happy everything was moving along.

Mona flew close to our group as we turned towards North Point Prison to pick up Angelina. "He also met Emma today. She stole one of the vials from him, and he doesn't seem to care."

"You met Kitty Cat and didn't tell us?" Stella gripped me tighter. "If I didn't know better, you were stepping out on me with her."

"We do have a past, Stella. But I'm not going anywhere. And Mona made a good point. Emma will probably come to me when she needs help to steal Monster Fruit. Her information could even help us get to it faster."

Emma had some tendencies that actually reminded me of a cat, like only coming when she wanted something.

"Also, never call her Kitty Cat unless you want to lose an eye." I added, knowing that Emma was sensitive about her mutation. She'd been made fun of for it as a kid.

"I'll fight her and win the right to call her what I want." Stella replied nonchalantly. "No one else dislikes my nicknames."

"No one thinks it is worth fighting you over." Melody countered.

Mona shrugged. "Twinkles isn't bad. And Miles secretly likes being called Master, but only because he sort of likes feeling in charge as a man."

"MASTER!" Stella squeezed the life out of me. "You should be more honest with your feelings."

I had to insert a wedge of force to lift her arms off of me to breathe. "Do not crush me. Yes, sometimes I like to be in charge. Everything is so female-led now."

"What a travesty, girls buy you drinks." Melody rolled her eyes.

Despite being generally the moral compass of our group, I was amazed how much Melody didn't see.

"Let me buy drinks next time, then." I chuckled, pushing away all the other thoughts. I had enough weighing me down.

"A bar sounds fun. Can we go to that one you took me to?" Stella asked excitedly, bouncing as she flew.

I helped level us out with a little kinetic energy. Stella’s bouncing was making me feel a bit sick.

"Why the hell do you like that place? We were attacked by Bactimen there." I asked.

Stella started swaying back and forth as she flew, upping the nausea quotient. "But it seemed like a ton of fun before that happened and they were pretty chill."

She seemed serious, so I simply said, "Maybe tomorrow."

Stella latched onto the idea while Mona dug around my mind for more context on the bar story.

"We could use some downtime. Maybe even Obsidian will come." Melody said.

"Bar tomorrow!" Stella announced. "Now, one of you two go get Jelly Bags. My hands are full."