"So how long have you two been looking to start a family?" I asked reading the question off the list Ms. Rusty gave me.
The couple looked at me with slightly sad eyes, hardly expressing the sorrow and emptiness that I saw in the depths of their souls. I was currently standing in for Ms. Rusty, who was in desperate need at the hospital, interviewing a possible pair of parents who wanted to adopted the twins Mel and Melinda.
I'm suppose to be as ruthless as possible to make certain they meet the criteria, or seem fit as parents, by noting their answers, reactions, personalities, and my best judgement.
"Eight years now, my wife and I had always wanted a big family and were well on our way. But when my wife was on her seventh month there was a complication and due to a doctors mistake the children were lost to us." The man explained in a heavy accent that the girls said ame from New Jersey.
I nodded in understand, already have read the background story in the files provided.
"Twin girls correct? I'm trully sorry for your losses, but I should tell you that these are fairly grown nine year old girls. Who also have a knack for pranks and are somewhat troublemakers." I pointed out as they didn't seem to mind this at all.
"Ok what exactly are your plans with the girls after adopting them? It says you live in an apartment complex in New Jersey, would you be moving here or transferring them to a new school there?" I asked as I noted they had rented a house in Queens for the time being.
"Actually I received a well paying job here so we were planning on selling our apartment back in Jersey and staying here. A fresh start." He explained while I jotted somethings down.
"Could you describe your ideal child?" I asked as the questions seem to go on and on.
By the end of the interview, I had personally thought they seemed like a good pair of people. Sure they had their insecurities but they did better then some of the interviewers I've met and seen so far.
As I saw them out to the streets I let out a breath of relief as the wind helped cool me from the heat that was sweeping through Harlem. Apparently we were experiencing Summer as Sam explained to me, one of four seasons that came at an endless cycle.
Today marks a month that I've managed to cope within human society, and have yet to be contacted by any of Father Sulivan's trusted contacts. Entering the premise again I saw the girls conversing about occurrences that happened throughout their day in the living room as I started prepping dinner.
It was odd how accustom I've become of the daily routines of this job, and most of my day seemed so simply planned out:
Wake the girls, get them ready for school, take them to school, clean the place, make sure fridge is stocked, my few hours of free time, pick girls up, feed them, help with homework, cook dinner, and then prepare them for bed.
This all of course if Ms. Rusty isn't here to do so which is most of the time, makes me wonder how they managed without help or if I'm really needed. Tying my hair back and placing on an apron I got write to work rinsing out vegetables and boiling water.
"Alma?" Scarlet asked grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge as the girls migrated to the kitchen, sitting at the dining table.
"What's up?" I asked peeling through the potatoes in just a few moments before starting to dice them up.
"How did your check-up go with Doctor Richards, was he able to figure out the root of your powers?" She asked as I signed releasing the potatoes into the pot of boiling water before starting cut up the vegetables.
The girls were made aware of my abilities after discussing the matter with Ms. Rusty, or Nana as they referred to her. To my relief and surprise they didn't seem to mind, then again I have yet to reveal the extent and darker natures of my abilities.
But that's for another time, or hopefully never.
"He has some theories but he wants to confirm them before fully explaining what could have caused my abilities. But he's been rather kind in helping me better control my abilities, along with Susan and Ben. Johnny however is still being as annoying and troublesome as usual." I remarked using a little to much force then necessary when slicing the lettuce.
Reed has helped me understand my powers to a much deeper scientific level then the others at the temple could. Susan has actually taught me a trick or two to handling my powers responsible with practice and demonstrations. Even Ben let me practice on him which brought interesting results as Reed was able to trace the location from where I draw my powers.
Apparently the scans pinpointed the origin and lead us to believe that it came directly from my heart, I wonder what face they would make if they knew that my powers originate from the infinity stone. Funny to think that the soul stone had decided to burrow its way into my heart, literally.
Johnny was another story entirely, he's so careless and doesn't give a second thought before speaking or doing something. Never thinking about the consequences, we have had numerous arguements about our perspectives in life.
While he says I shouldn't over think so much and live life in the moment, I would always counter that it doesn't hurt to be cautious about things instead of going in blind all the time. Susan says we have a cat and dog relationship, thinking its great we can challenge eachother without actually hurting eachother.
Although in my opinion I sometimes consider figuring out a way to launch him into the horizons when he ignites a magazine I'm reading on fire to catch my attention. Or just because he feels like it, or when he tries to pull pranks on me.
The man has the mentality of a child.
"However he did mention that there was someone who could be of great help in my department. Someone who has even greater understanding then himself, he went to go meet with this man for further consolation." I said recalling that bit of information,
Although the more I think about it the more I begin to realize how uneasy he was about it. Perhaps this man wasn't someone he normally went to for these kind of things, now it makes me feel guilty thinking I pressured him into asking for help.
"The only thing new I did today was interview some potential parents, but you guys already know about that." I recalled as Mel and Melinda brightened up at the news.
"Other then that it was just a normal day for me, getting familiar with the city bit by bit, hanging out with Sam. However I find myself at the public library most of the time, taking Dr. Richards advice and brushing up on the histories, sciences, and technologies of the world-"
"Boring! If your so interested in studying and junk why not go to school?" Scarlet asked not caring for the educational factors of my day.
"Aren't I a little too old for that?" I asked seasoning the salad as they all kinda of stared, or inspected me.
"Well your about 16 years old right, then you should be able to attend high school." Scarlet also stated bringing to tilt my head in confusion as I turned off stove.
"High school?" I questioned as they all facepalmed as I placed food on the table.
Mel and Melinda both grabbed me by the shoulder as they all stared at me with what I would describe as being dumbfounded.
"You have much to learn." They all said in unison as I felt incoming lectures coming my way.
"Guys... Is this an intervention?" Sam asked confused as to why he was tied up to a chair.
One moment he was returning back from hanging out with Alma, the next moment he was closed in a sealed room alone being knocked out by gas. This was a first for him but he was less freaked out when he woke up to see his teammates White Tiger, Powerman, White Fist, and Spiderman seating in front of him, just a little though.
"Alright who is it?" Peter asked as the rest of his team were staring at him in his living quarters.
"Ahh what?" He asked confused not understanding what could have caused them to take such measures.
"You've been sneaking around with, avoiding training for, meeting up, and talking to someone in secret. It's been affecting your work ethic and not to mention has us a bit concerned." Peter remarked as he shined my lamp at me before I squinted.
"Really how so?" Sam asked as Peter started blowing bubbles out of a fake pipe before speaking.
"How about not retorting back to anything I say, absentmindedly walking into things, always staring off into the ceiling or wall, and worst of all... The happy humming." Peter summarized walking around in his Sherlock Holmes outfit before coming to a stop.
"Alright you've caught me." Sam responded as the rest of the team looked surprised.
"Dang it Sam we just want to help you- Wait what?" Peter asked surprised at how easily he admitted it.
"There is someone I've been seeing, now could you guys untie me I'm starting to feel the rope dig into my skin." Sam replied as not a moment sooner White Tiger clawed him free before he proceeded to dust himself off.
"Oh ok well- ahem- who is it?" Peter asked reframing his list of questions.
"I can't tell you, not unless you swear not to tell Fury, it's a matter of great importance." Sam stated seriously as the other four exchanged looks.
"We're your family Sam, we have your back no matter what." Danny stated as Powerman griped Sam's shoulder in reassurance.
"Alright well I guess I should start from the beginning, it all started a month ago..." He started as the others got comfortable for this long tale.
"Remember the entire alien crash landing situation Fury wanted us, specifically me, to stay out of?" He asked as the rest of the team nodded recalling the event.
"You mean the entire "I feel a disturbance in the cosmos" thing, how could I forget?" Spiderman lightly chuckled but he could see his friend was serious.
"Remember that night when someone had detained the Juggarnaut? Well I met that very person, or rather they accidentally crashed into me while jumping through roof tops." He recalled pulling out his phone and searching through his data.
"That was the first time I met Alma, the girl I've been looking after for about a month now. At first I was very suspicious about her motives on Earth until I contacted Gamora and Rocket about the situation." As the team nodded understanding so far.
"As it turns out she is a member of the Temple of the Ancients, a very secretive group of priest and priestesses who practiced and studied the magics and teachings of the universe. A bunch of nonsense if you ask me but they were well respected." He summarized as Luke raised arrow in confusion.
"Were?" Sam signed stopping momentarily from scrolling his phone to look at them.
"Although it has not been officially broadcast, the members of the temple were all massacred. And to make matters worse, Peter recognized it has the work of Yondu although they doubt the crime will be ever pinned of them." Sam stated grimly as Peter was getting more and more surprised by his story.
"I thought Yondu and his crew were Scavengers, or bounty hunters, why go after those people?" Danny asked as Sam shook his head, not fully knowing the answer himself.
"I'm not sure but I know Alma knows, but I gave her some space after I delivered the news. After all it's not everyday you hear everyone you've ever know and grew up with are all dead." I remarked as Ava grimaced in understanding.
"But she told me soon after that if they were hired by who she may suspect then they likely didn't find what they were looking for and have some very bad people angry with them, but if it was a random raid then they definitely wasted their time there. Either way she didn't tell me exactly what it is they were searching for, for my own safety, but should the time present itself... Well she said something strange to me when telling me that." Sam recalled scratching the back of his head in confusion.
"What did she say?" Peter asked eagerly, getting way to absorbed into the story.
"She said should the time, please don't hate her for it and it was always something out of her control, not something she wanted. Whatever the case I've been her tour guide for the past month and been taken her to see Dr. Richard Reed to help further diagnose her and her powers." Sam concluded finding a picture of Alma on his phone before passing it around to show them.
"That's her? Wow she's pretty cute, you sure she's not human because she sure looks like it." Peter said absentmindedly as he passed the phone to Ava.
"From what Mr. Fantastic says she is partly human but she was not born nor raised on Earth, that and the rest of her DNA reads something else... Unknown." He said not sure how to put it to words.
"You said she had powers, what kind exactly?" Ava asked passing the phone to Danny.
"Not very sure on what kind as they vary quite a bit, but from what I saw she can see into people's souls, copy peoples powers, and manipulate life force." He said skeptically as Danny seemed intrigued by this information as he passed on the phone to Luke.
"Copying people's powers I understand but what do the other two mean?" Luke asked as Sam seemed stumped for words as he himself didn't understand but luckily Danny knew more on the subject.
"Life force is something all living things have, from the smallest of plants and animals, to be able to manipulate life force is almost like necromancy, otherwise know as bringing the dead back to life. However being able to see into ones soul is like looking into ones being, everything is exposed such as memories, fears, powers, will, what makes a person different from another." Danny explained as it did help further elaborate but still someone confused everyone.
"So basically she's an alien necromancer who can read your mind, thoughts, and also take on your powers." Ava simplified as everyone seemed to be on the same page now.
"Sure if you want to look at it like that, but I'm sure there's more to it." Sam stated as Luke gave him back his phone before closing it.
"So... When do we get to meet her?" Peter asked as Sam seemed to think about it for a moment.
"Well we are going to see Mr. Fantastic tomorrow, apparently he went to talk to someone of interest who could help someone in Alma's department..."
"So you don't know anything about her?" Reed asked the man as he shook his head frowning at this news.
"I'm sorry Mr. Fantastic but I'm afraid I know nothing on this matter, the only thing I know in recent news is the massacre at the Temple of the Ancients and even that is only on a need to know basis. Other then that there is nothing that comes to mind." He remarked placing down his cup of coffee before walking down his hallways with Reed following behind.
The mans day had started off normally, well as normal as it gets having returned from a long trip, when Dr. Richards demanded a word with him. He seemed reluctant to do so at first as he was already exhausted but not he really wished he hadn't decided to meet with him now.
A teenage girl that carries the same DNA as him, showing abilities like his own, even sharing a great physical resemblance with him had crashed landed on Earth on the run from people who had massacred the members of the same Temple as she. The poor man hadn't even made himself a cup of coffee when all of this was presented to him, but he certainly knew he was not dreaming.
But he would be lying if he said it didn't peak his interest, she said she didn't trust them with the whole truth but maybe she would listen to him. Or better yet he could get to the bottom of this, he couldn't possibly have a child and a teenager at that, not by normal means.
"I would however like to meet this Cosmo, or Alma as she calls herself, and perhaps we could get to the bottom of this without involving S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers. Things always get messy when their involved, especially since you can't scientifically explain magic." He remarked entering a room with shelves of books and summoning circles.
"Yes that would be best, but there's something I haven't told you yet..." Reed stated as the man seemed not to give him mind at this point, peering into a large container holding water.
"She doesn't know that your her father, all that we've told her is that there is a man who might be of help in her department." The man nodded in understanding as he mumbled a few things under his breath while looking into the crystal clear water.
"Probably for the best that I handle it, I don't want her jumping to conclusions especially when I have no answers to give. Now I have some important matters to attend to, would you mind leaving be?" He asked as an blurring image began to appear.
"Of course Sorcerer Supreme." Reed stated on his way out, meanwhile the blur began to clear to reveal a sleeping Alma all tuckered out.
"Please call me Dr. Strange."
Alright after school officially ending and all loose ends getting tied up I can finally put some quality time into my stories. Although I feel this story is finally going somewhere and not being brushed under the carpet.