"It's understandable that your weak human mind cannot resist Doom's wondrous creation, but Doom would prefer if his wife actually looked at him instead of spider game.", Victor remarked.
"I'm sorry, but it's simply too enthralling for me.", I put the phone down and turned my palms upwards in apologetic gesture.
"Doom notices you aren't nearly as sorry as you pretend.", he smirked.
"You are the one with mind switch ability.", I shrugged.
"I would never dare to use it on you. Results would be disastrous. My supreme mind, filled with spider game."
"It is very good game. If you ever get bored with selling old patents, you have a bright future ahead of you as a game designer."
"I prefer ruling the world.", he replied. "Although it is interesting to see how your fly proceeds upwards. Which traps are easy for you to pass, which ones are deadly. The game could be useful for testing people. Their intellect, behavioral patterns. Information could be collected and one could write a matrix to-"
"That's why you don't like spider game as much as I do. You think too much.", I interrupted Victor before my spider game would turn into spy weapon. It was mine. He had programmed it for me.
"You are once again filling Doom's mind with indifferent drivel. Try to resist side paths for a second, otherwise a simple announcement will take all day. Tomorrow morning I'm travelling to Latverian Embassy in New York, and I'm taking you with me. I don't trust you to stay here alone, and I need you for UN Day Gala. Since the protection of anonymity has been lost, you might as well appear there with me."
I was slightly nervous when we boarded the plane. Memories of my last flight weren't ones I liked to dwell on. I was secretly relieved when we passed the border and nothing happened.
"We need to discuss our game plan.", Victor said. "If you want, this would be good opportunity to call your friends and ask them to come for a visit. If everything goes as planned, I estimate we'll stay for a week at the embassy."
"You are aware that Jane and Thor are an item?", I inquired. "Thor calls me his little lightning sister because I tasered him when we met."
"You have an interesting habit of rendering others unconscious although you identify as "a good person'. ", Victor remarked dryly. "This trip isn't purely for entertainment, although some of it will happen. I have business in New York, which might take a day or two. I could focus much better if I didn't have to worry about you. God of Thunder would be suitable safety precaution."
"People don't stalk at dark corners waiting to bag me.", I snorted.
"I shall rectify this with next installment of spider game. You don't fully understand your position as Doom's queen. Your friendship with Thor will protect you somewhat from do-gooders of this world, and I recommend you make this connection as public as you can. But I've played this game much longer than you, and I need you to believe when I say: Shield, Fantastic Four or Avengers are not above harming you if they think they'll get to me. My allies aren't any safer. You know Loki. Think carefully of things he has done to his family. He can do much worse things to you. My other associates you don't know, and I'd prefer things to stay that way. It's much better if my enemies and allies see you as a pretty plaything or poor dear girl who was forced to marry the villain and satisfy his vile needs. It doesn't matter how personally degrading those labels will feel. You don't want to be seen as my disciple. You aren't ready for that."
Victor was deathly serious with his lecture. I didn't know how to react. I felt safe at Latveria, and his enemies were somewhat abstract idea, like scaring children with tales of bogeymen. My brush with drunken Human Torch didn't help at all. I let this disturbing idea of real bogeymen to sink in and used my safety valve, humor.
"I need some time to mull it over. But I don't think I can be convincing with "vile needs"-part. One kiss doesn't count."
"You Americans.", Victor sighed. "You are confusing quality and intensity with quantity. Throwing oneself into something with wild abandon is not very satisfying. I've noticed USA as a nation never seems to grasp this idea: either they feel nude bodies are inappropriate or they think that blasting one's all five senses with sex would do the trick. So I doubt Shield will get it either. Degrading one's enemy is very old tactic. You need only to stay quiet, and they will supply wilder details than you ever could. It's not as easy when you know a person you are slandering."
"I was joking. A bad joke, I admit. I do that when I'm nervous."
"You will get rid of the habit when you are fully in command of yourself. Absorbing a new way of thinking will take time, so I will suffer your awful attempts of humor for now. You are progressing, albeit moderately."
I looked sideways at him. I was 90% sure that Victor was laughing at me behind the mask. I had a strong suspicion that his mental supremacy wasn't only reason for those condescending comments. They hinted of very dry and sharp sense of humor.
I took phone from my pocket and sent a text to Jane.
"I'm coming to NY tomorrow, will stay for a week. I need to see you. I'll explain everything."
Answering beep took less than minute.
"I'll send Thor to fetch you. Text when you're ready. Staying at Avengers Tower."
I grimaced.
"She is staying at Avenger's tower."
"If you go in, it's your job to get out.", Victor replied absently. "I'm not going to save you if you insist on being stupid."
"Can't really do Avenger's Tower. Husband will be mad if I do."
"Husband?!"
"Didn't have much choice. Marriage or execution. Will explain later."
"U are starting to worry me"
"Nah, I'm ok. He made me the best cell phone game ever."
It was late evening when we arrived at Kennedy international. I brushed my hair and changed clothes before we started landing. If paparazzi or Shield was going to take my picture, I wanted to look nice. My flowing red dress was Latverian style and looked like Renaissance Fair, but Victor didn't blend in either. Two coats of "Don't touch my tiara" and I was grand.
"Sign this.", Victor handed me a passport with green covers. "Your Latverian citizenship. Diplomatic immunity extends to sovereign's family members. No dual citizenships."
I signed a dotted line and felt a small sense of loss.
"Also, my mother's ring.", he slid a thin, golden band on my finger. "There are bound to be reporters waiting. Storm's Facebook fiasco sparked their interest. Are you ready?"
"Yes.", I said. He offered his arm and we walked out.
The distance between hangar and the parking lot wasn't long, only four hundred meters. I held my head high and tried to look regal. Hand with the ring was easy to discern from side of my skirt, and cameras started clicking as soon as we stepped through plane's door. It was futile to lie to myself. Jane would read the story from morning newspaper.
Embassy car was waiting. The driver opened a door for me, and as soon as it closed behind us, I took out phone and texted Jane.
"You can find me at Latverian embassy."
