55

Brett's POV

The reception was ready, as we finally arrived our security ran over to us, giving us a quick sweep in case any we picked up any bugs. Saffron and David both went together ahead, Chloe walked with Simmons and Ming decided to stay with me, as part of our creeping-out-SHIELD plan.

Then we were led in. Ming looping her arm around mine, looking quite excited now. I let my eyes wander, smiling as well softly as I saw Talbot talking to a few others ahead of us.

"Let's go over." Ming encouraged, taking the lead at that point. "Cornel Talbot." She called, catching his attention. He turned, mildly surprised at being called out like that.

"Raven. Blaze. Good to see you." He said, shaking our hands after a moment then glanced to the people he was talking to. To me, all seemed familiar but I couldn't place it. "Theses' are our hosts of our conference, Raven, Blaze, They run the Soul Company industry that's building up in Bahrain."

"Nice to meet you. Er…Blaze." One of the men, Russian from the accent. Who was it… I knew but I couldn't place my finger on it. The sceptical tone in his voice was easy to read at our names.

"Nice to meet you too." I smiled shaking their hand. "Thank you for taking the time to here and meeting with us. I can assure you it will be worth it."

"I'm looking forwards to it." A female Australian voice came. I looked to see almost familiar woman stop next to us.

'These people are from the conference about the inhumans.' Chloe realised. 'Ellen King. Xiao Chen. Anton Petrov, Haruto Takimaua. Nathi Zuma.'

"It must be big to have Talbot's Military so invested in it. I've heard the vague stories as well so I hope not to be disappointed." Ellen King carried on.

"And a….gathering after? Seems too soon to celebrate it." Xiao Chen said, almost concerned about it.

"If there is a positive response to our products then it fits perfectly, if not then it's a chance to catch up with our nation and to find ways to improve our works." Ming explained, the attention going to her.

We could read King eye Ming carefully, glancing down at the bump as well.

Rude. Ward thought after a moment. I don't like King.

"How long has this company been starting up?"

"4 months" Ming answered, "But we've achieved lots of break-throughs with our work, merging Quin worldwide and Cybertek to create a much better and successful business."

"Well we shall see, Raven. But I must ask, are those your real names?" Chen asked curiously.

"Nicknames that stuck. But I recently changed my real name to Raven Wen." Ming answered, blending her last host name into it very smoothly. A last name always had no questions.

"Brett Dalton but I prefer my nick name if you won't mind." I didn't want to bring up Grant Ward into it since that could travel to Christian pretty quickly. Something none wanted. Not yet. My last host names would be a perfect fit. Plus, back at Bahrain, our staff were working In our…history into the system.

"How many of you are there?"

"Please, let's not interrogate them just yet." Talbot jumped in after a small sigh from Ming, her hand rubbing over her stomach.

"Thank you, and See you once the reception is over." I smiled gently then led Ming away.

"Starks's here." Saffron said, appearing at my side, jerking her chin towards the side of the room. I followed her view to see Tony Stark talking quietly with a few others. Pepper was alongside him. Nothing too strange, she'd keep him on a leash and would help represent Stark industries.

"Why don't you go and talk with him?"

"No, not yet, my skin temperature will get his attention" She denied after a moment. Wanting to but knowing she couldn't just yet. Stark wasn't stupid. He was a scientist and he would of course know the temperature drop. No one's skin was colder than ice.

"I will." Ming said chewing her bottom lip after a moment. "I think he wouldn't feel pressured or threatened in the business sense by me." I knew for the other fact that she would get to meet the real Tony Stark, not his actor counterpart from our last life.

'Weird…Hunter's double and Trip are here.' David called, projecting the images of Hunter standing like the security, not looking out of place. Trip as well but in a different location. They hadn't spotted us yet. But the glasses they both wearing suggested there were camera's in them. Shield Watching with them.

'Yep' Nick clarified softly from his place in SHIELD. Not interfering with us for reasons.

"See you at the conference room." Ming said, patting my chest and parted to talk to Stark, knowing I had it handled here.

"Okay." I smiled, then looked to Saffron and began to walk with her slowly though the milling people.

"How you feeling?" She asked after a moment.

"Nervous, as expected. Grant is quite calm and quiet which makes it a lot easier to handle this."

"Yes, I've noticed that as well. Victoria likes to be the more background person until she get's her avatar body."

"Raven calls them Dollies." I chuckled.

Her expression turned to an amused look, her head turning to the side to look at Ming talking calmly to Stark. Not worried. I felt not connection there to talk to her. They didn't need any distractions.

"Interesting, I feel that's a sticking name to them." She remarked.

"Yes. Those I've also noticed you and Shifter haven't been around as much as Quake and Simmons."

Saffron shrugged, "I know. But I've been finding myself occupied in other projects. I don't feel so close to it all so I don't need to get into it all. You and Raven have the Dollies and the baby to deal with, I can take over a little more once you've got that to deal with."

"Well…thanks. I guess." I scratched the back of my head, feeling a little bad about her not being around so much. She laughed a little, rolling her eyes a little.

'Ooh Trip can see you two.' Chloe called, her and Simmons holding a glass of Champaign, snacking a little on the passing nibbles from what I tell from her image. This is when I really began to feel Ward come from his mental background state.

Oh dear.

Calm. They understand you're my host.

Like it makes it any better. Ward's annoyance was showing on my expression, Saffron's ice cold hand breaking me out of thoughts. She let go a couple of seconds later, slipping her glove back on, distasted of my temperature. Natural opposites. I hated the cold.

"Should you really be standing so close?" Simmons said, grabbing a new glass, coming over to us but in the sight of Trip, "I know your…opposite. Is it no uncomfortable? Hot and Cold?"

"Bearable, next to each other but touching… yeah, not so much." Shaking my head with a shrug, surprised as Simmons handed a glass to me and Saffron. Even through her gloves, the Champaign seemed to get obviously colder from the cold steam that rose from it. Giving a sharp glance, Saffron tripped the freezing Champaign into the plant over her shoulder, setting the almost frozen glass on the side.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry. I keep assuming…" Simmons gazed to the glass, remembering that whole issue.

"It's okay. It's just I do miss the tastes if it all." Saffron sighed, patting her arm gently, then headed away, missing Simmons's shudder at her cold touch.

"You know, standing near you and Snow It's kinda weird. Hot one side of my skin but freezing on the other." Simmons folded her arms. "It's…noticeable."

I nodded at what she was saying. "I know… I sometimes wish I could bring down my Temperature a little. I can heat up but I can't cool down past 96.6 Degrees." And that was the temperature I was settled at now than my usual.

"Still, that's very hot. Human's natural body temperature is at around 37 degrees. High or lower, we die."

I resisted making the "I'm not human" comment. Not here anyway. Too many ears.

Wise. Came the snarky remark from Ward.

"Well, I can only hope not many of then will pick up on it." I shrugged to Simmons, getting my attention back to her than my thought or Ward. "We have about...ten minutes before the reception ends. Is our Patient ready?"

To show our product we needed and had a patient to heal. It took some persuading and a consent form to bring him here with his parent. It had been something our staff had enquired. But it was a win win all around.

"Yes. He's being set up in the off room. Asleep from what I last told. His Mother's quite anxious."

"Understandable." I agreed. "But knowing her Son will be walking again is a motivator."

"Hhm…" Simmons sighed, looking away. Seeing a tray of nibble pass, I manged to sweep a hand full, the cheese melting a little as I did so.

Ten minutes seemed to pass quite quickly, Simmons moving to talk to Ming, her conversation with Stark ended. Chloe walked with me out to the room. But I felt Nick broadcast the thought that Hunter had managed to slip into the room but Trip hadn't.

I took a seat at the end, Ming next to me, Chloe on my other side with David and Saffron on the other side. Our products were on the table, covered by a silver cloth.

One my one, the remaining seats began to fill. Talbot sitting beside Saffron while Stark was the closest to David. The rest was random.

'Here we go.' We all thought to each other, making ourselves more confident.