Claire: Jessica should be far enough along that you can find out the baby's gender her next appointment. Do you want to find out then?
Pulling out his phoneL, uke read Claire's text. Holding it out to Jessica, who he was walking around the grocery store with, he addressed her.
"Hey what do you think? Should we find out or wait and be surprised?" He asked her with a smile. "I'm good with either."
He wrapped his arms around her, holding the phone out so she could see his text response to Claire. Jessica normally backs away from affection, but it's different for her with Luke. She doesn't just tolerate it, like with Trish, she actually secretly enjoys it. It seems even more so since being pregnant. She leans back into him, her fingers hovering.
"I think I need maximum prep time no matter what. Knowing at least one thing for sure would be something." She crosses her fingers. "Please don't be a girl."
"Ok you know you just set that off into the universe and now no matter what we're definitely having a girl now." He laughs a little. "Just imagine all the feelings you'll have to deal with. Shit I just thought about boys and dating! Shit, we're never gonna get a good night's sleep again! Please be a boy, please be a boy! See what you started, woman!"
"Can you imagine me raising some girly princess? With tears and pouting and ponies? Pink?! No, god, I cannot do a girl. You handle a girl, It would be your fault anyway. You donated the gender chromosome." Jessica half shuddered, half scowled, then sent a text reply back to Claire reading "yeah you can tell us next time"
Luke pauses. "Damn, next time we see her we're gonna know and no turning back after that. Keeping it one hundred. No matter if it's a boy or a girl. It's totally your fault for seducing me. You know I can't resist you in that jacket." He grins, wrapping both hands around her waist and turning her to face him. "Do me a favor, don't teach our kid the difference between good and cheap whiskey till they're at least 17."
He leans down and kisses her quickly. "I love you, Jessica. Want me to make you a birria?"
"Seducing you? Hell, I was minding my own business, working a case, and you just had to follow your dick, get up on my ass." Jessica does a bad impression of Luke, deepening her voice. "Hey white girl, you too white and badass to be in MY club, wanna go at it upstairs?"
She snickers, but her expression gets serious when he talks about the whiskey. "Fuck that, our kid is not going to be me. Or Trish. My kid isn't going to have fucking reasons to reach for booze or drugs so don't even joke about that."
She knows it's probably silly, but the thought of her still ungendered baby being drunk or high upsets her. Luke's kiss doesn't fully settle her, but her expression does loosen slightly. "What the hell is a birria?"
"Yeah, sorry I get it." Luke pulls her into a full hug. "I'm sorry, won't happen again. I like seeing you in your lioness mode ready to make sure our kid is gonna stay on the right path in life."
Luke releases her and settles for just holding her hand as they continue to shop. "Birra is like a taco that has been sent from heaven. It's usually made with goat but I'm gonna use beef. Slow cook it in a nice spicy consomme and you fry the tacos till they're crispy and then you can dip them in the consomme. It will change your life, trust me."
Jessica is a little stiff but then relaxed into his hug. "I want it to have things better than we did. I'm going to screw up plenty without bringing addictions into things. I'm going to really, really try not to drink as bad when it's here. I can't promise no drinking at all, but I want to do better for it. It doesn't deserve to go through shit just because we did."
She blinked, wrinkling her nose when he mentioned goat. "Okay goats are not food, and I don't understand half those words, but as long as it smells ok I'll try it."
"You got taco part right?" He grins at her. "Trust me it will smell amazing. It will be almost as good as sex with me. Almost, I'm not getting beat over a taco."
Finishing up the shopping, they check out and make it back to the truck. Luke pauses before starting the engine.
"Hey, do you want to see him?" He swallows before saying his name. "Do you want to see Philip? I bet they haven't transported him yet and even if they did, he's still your family. I doubt they could keep you From seeing him. Legally he still has rights. So if you want to see him, I'll take you and wait in the truck so just you and him can talk."
He reaches over and brushes some of her long hair off her face. "Damn! You're glowing babe, maybe it's the baby or maybe its not drinking, but you're more beautiful than even our wedding day."
"I don't know, now that I've stopped puking as much, tacos sound pretty damn good," she teased. "You sure?" She goes still, serious, when he brings up Phillip. She knows, though Luke has never said so, how much he must hate Phillip, how much it must take for him not to trash him to her. She swallows, already dreading even as she feels the need to do this, and nods. "Yeah. I want to." She rolled her eyes a little at his compliment but smiles too. "Whatever, I don't even look pregnant. Just bloated."
Luke starts the truck and starts pulling out the lot. "I say you look beautiful. Anyway we can go in the morning. Maybe you can get some closure and maybe some answers. Wish there was a way to expose those doctors for what they did. Well the one that is left without putting unwanted attention on you. I mean you're gonna suffer enough when your sister wants to go maternity clothes shopping with you but I won't be surprised if she shows up to our place with racks of stuff."
He smirks. "Probably a lot of pink stuff. Damn there will be so much pink stuff. I'm surprised with her new ninja skills she hasn't been doing ultrasounds on you while you're sleeping."
"We might be able to, if we forget to mention me being one of his victims. Focus on Phillip and others if they survived and can be found. Or just the dead ones."
She whipped her head around at the comment about Trish. "Fuck, I didn't think about maternity clothes. Every maternity outfit I ever saw has stupid cutesy sayings or cartoon characters, or they look like fucking tent dresses, how am I supposed to have maternity jeans that don't look stupid? Do they even make maternity clothes that aren't for total girls?!"
She can envision the shopping already and literally cringes. "This is your fault."
"How is this my fault? She's your sister, I can't help it if she's crazy like that. Oh wait you meant my penis's fault?" He grins at her. "Oh yeah right I get it now. You couldn't resist me. Because I'm irresistible." He reaches over and gently shoves her and laughs. "Sorry babe. I know you got to do a lot of heavy lifting for a while but I'll be by your side and will do whatever you need. Hell I'll even do my best to run interference for you with Trish. Doubt I'll be able to do much but I'll try."
"Yes. Penis's fault. Also, cliches of what it is to be a woman, and therefore what kind of maternity clothes they want, is men's fault, and you're a man, so you get blamed." She eyes him, considering. "Hm. I can wear some of your t shirts if you own one that isn't yellow. And if I kind of cut and sew the neckline and somehow pull the shoulder width in. Or I can just buy shirts for smaller men, maybe. Pants, I still gotta figure out. I swear, I refuse to wear dresses just because I'm pregnant. Not happening."
"Yeah right like you can sew." He smirks at her. "Baby no offense but the only thing domesticated about you is the whiskey you like. I'm sure we can find something that won't look like it came from a circus clown's closet. I'm sure there is an American Badass section at some online store. And for the record I don't wear yellow, it's mustard. Anyone with eyes could see that."
After a short drive they pull into the garage to their building and take the elevator up to their floor. Down the hall they can see Danny waiting by the door holding a large bag, the smell of fried dough coming off of it.
"Yo," Danny says, waving with his free hand.
Luke can't wave with both hands full of groceries. Hey, what's up?" Luke says gesturing to Jessica to unlock the door. "What's going on? Please tell me it's not more bad news! Cause we had enough of that.
And while we're at it..No more reading my wife's chi, the last time you did it you dropped a bomb on us."
Danny looks confused. "Oh but I thought you two were happy about being parents, did you have a change of heart?"
"Yellow," Jessica counters, rolling his eyes. "Bright, almost day glow yellow. Please keep in mind our kid will not be wearing your favorite color regardless of gender. It isnt a bumblebee or the sun."
Jessica does unlock the door but first snatches the bag out of Danny's hand. "That smells like it belongs in my mouth. Mmm." She glances up when Luke questions Danny, pausing in opening the bag. "Yeah, what are you doing here? Is Trish okay?"
She reasons to herself he wouldnt come bearing donuts if she wasnt, but still. "Yeah, come on, Trish shouldn't know I'm knocked up before I do, and you knowing is creepy. Like you x rayed me."
"Just gonna take a man's doughnuts like that? Your wife is mean Luke," Danny grins at them. "No I'm not here with bad news. In fact I here to help."
Danny hands Jessica an envelope from his pocket. "Here you go, kind of figured if I had a brother who was about to be sent to a super max prison for people with super powers," Danny pauses and his tone more compassionate, "Despite what he did and who he hurt, I'd at least went to say goodbye. Those are passes to see your brother. They're moving him in 72 hours, so you should go while you can."
"Oh." Jessica is genuinely thrown by his kindness. "I sorta thought you put the baby's future name, sex, and body stats in there or something. This is way less creepy."
She holds the envelope in her hands almost delicately, pressing her lips together and blanking her face out of feeling before looking up at Danny. "Thank you. I'll go tomorrow."
Luke walked in and places the groceries on the counter. "You want to stay for lunch, I'm making Birria."
Danny looks up at Luke. "Vegetarian remember, but think I can have some consommé. Listen I have something to ask you Jessica."
Pulling a box out of his pocket, he opens it and shows her an engagement ring with a circle of diamonds embedded in a very dark metal ring. "Do you think she'll like it? Better yet do you think if I ask her she'll say yes?"
Luke walks over and grabs the ring, holding it up to the light.
"DAMN! That's a lot of diamonds and what's this made from?"
Danny snatches it back and hands it to Jessica. "I can't tell you what the band is. I saw it in North Africa and it called to me, the diamonds I had added when I got back."
"Well damn a mystery," Luke says. "Well I'm impressed, but what the hell do I know?"
"I plan on taking her to the gardens in Kun-Lun where we had our first date but I really don't want to rush her." Danny pauses. "Do you think you could subtly see if she's open to it with me?"
Jessica practically grabbed the ring box from Danny, examining the ring closely. "Not surprised, kinda stunned you held out this long. You guys are kinda nauseatingly into each other. This isn't her usual girly girl style, but it looks fierce, I like it. She's trying to go all ninja so I think she will too. As for subtle?" She snorted. "Are you kidding? Luke would be better at that than me. I'd have to pretend she's some client I don't know to play subtle."
Danny's eyes get wide and he smiles. "You really think she'll like it and will say yes?" Danny asked her, his voice slightly higher than usual.
"Of course she'll say yes," Luke says from across the room. "And it's not because of your money, that's why I'm with you, not her."
Luke laughs as he walks up to Danny and places a hand on his shoulder. "Just kidding, I may not be able to tell the difference between yellow and mustard apparently but I can see you two light when you're together. It's sweet sappy, sickening but beautiful. Makes me and Jessica want to throw up sometimes but that's just because we're both cool. So so much cooler than you two."
Luke smirks and ducks as Danny playfully tries to hit him.
"Such an asshole, Cage," Danny says but doesn't mean it, turning his attention to Jessica. "Seriously I've hunted assassins around the world, defeated an actual dragon. But my God the thought of doing this and she saying no leaves me paralyzed. Jessica I need you to find out somehow if I'm moving too fast for her or reading something that isn't there."
"SHE LOVES YOU DUMBASS!" Luke shouts from the kitchen.
"SHUT UP CAGE! AND YES IT'S YELLOW!"
"Did someone just pull your balls, you went into a near soprano for a sec there," Jessica snickered, handing Danny his ring back. "He's right, we are both way cooler than you without trying even a little bit. And you are a dumbass. Have some faith in her and maybe try opening your eyes, she clearly does love you and will no doubt be overjoyed. Also open your ears, there is no way she hasn't said she loves you yet. She says it to me way too much, so come on."
Danny ignores the joke about his voice and hugs Jessica. It's awkward and long but he doesn't care. Even Luke is a bit shocked seeing it.
"You're right, both of you are, I'm gonna ask her this weekend to go with me to Kun-Lun and I'll ask her to marry me."
" There you go Danny!" Luke says from across the room. "And when she says yes Jessica and I will cut back our teasing to about 80 percent." He looks at Jessica. "Yeah you'll be lucky if she drops to 85 percent. Look we just found you and Trish the perfect wedding present! You can thank us later!"
Danny had released Jessica from their awkward hug and rolls his eyes. "Don't you dare stop teasing me Jessica, I know it's your dysfunctional way of showing affection.
Luke laughs. "Meh sometimes she just sees an easy mark and goes for it. But I'm sure its mostly the dysfunctional stuff too."
Jessica stiffens immediately and awkwardly in Danny's exuberant embrace, not feeling threatened, just highly uncomfortable. She very gingerly puts the tips of her fingers on his shoulders in a very uncomfortable, half hearted returning gesture of sorts, looking like it would pain her to actually put her arms around him.
"Do you plan on letting go of me at some point so you can begin that joyous event, or am I attached to you the whole time in your mind?" When he finally released her she made a show of shaking out her arms and rolling her shoulders, as though needing him to physically slide off her. Pointing at Luke, she said, "I did not agree to that. He's lucky if I drop to 95, the shots are just too easy. And I do not show you affection. Ever. Via teasing or otherwise."
88
Doctor Noah Burstein M.D. was a medical doctor and scientist based at Seagate Prison, where he performed enhancement experiments on inmates. The experiment was performed on Luke Cage, who gained enhanced physical abilities. Years later Luke is experiencings surges in his powers. His physical strenght growing isn't what concerns him, it's the lack of control. He's afraid that one day he'll lose control and hurt someone, hurt Jessica or their baby. Luke needs help to know what's going on with his powers and Dr. Burstein is probably the only person on the planet with answers.
Luke had to use some of Danny's vast resources to find the good doctor; seems after the events of Seagate Burstein went to ground and has been hiding from the authorities, who blame him for the destruction and the dozens of prisoners that escaped in the chaos.
Branson, Missouri is not exactly known for World Class Genetic Scientist to retire to, but a great place for one to disappear. There are woods so deep and vast that someone that really wanted to could easily disappear into them. Which made finding him a complete pain in the ass once Luke and Jessica drove as far as the road would allow them.
"Well I guess we walk from here," Luke says, sighing.
They walked along a faded trail that eventually opened into a dirt road.
"Ok this is weird, why is there suddenly a road here?"
They contiinue on for a few more miles and start to come across keep away signs, no trespassing, the usual warning that people put up to scare folks off. Luke looks at Jessica and smirks.
"Seriously what can they do to us? Shoot us...land mines?" He grins but then suddenly stops when he hears a distinct click from below his foot. "Umm baby you may want to step back, I think the universe has a pretty twisted sense of humor and I just stepped on a land mine."
Jessica was more than ready to meet the man who had experimented on her husband against his will, permanently changing his life. She had never been able to confront her own "surgeons," thanks to Phillip, and the prospect of confronting Luke's is especially cathartic as a result. She has spread warned him she can't be fully expected not to land a few good hits on the man.
As the directions Luke has for him lead them to literal woods, Jessica throws him a skeptical look. "Ya know, in the movies, this would be an I told you so."
"What? Its not like I have x-ray vision or something! I thought the signs were a bluff. How does a prison doctor get his hands on land mines?" Luke yelled and then sighed deeply. "Stay back, I'll clear a path!"
He took his foot off the mine and stepped back just as the explosion goes off into his face, it was luckily directed more straight than spread out due to it hitting Luke's chest. He continued to walk forward, setting off 5 more mines; eventually he stops hitting them. Confident the path is clear, he signals Jessica it's safe to follow the path he took. Waiting for her, he examined his charred and shredded clothes. Even the reinforced stuff that he wears can't really hold up against 6 explosions head on, but at least his pants were intact where it counted. Last thing he needed was being in the middle of nowhere with his dick in his hand and his ass hanging out the back.
"Who the hell is this guy?" Luke grunts out.
Jessica gawks, horrified watching the sheer level of carnage that would have happened to anyone without Luke's ability who was stupid enough to waltz into the danger zone. Including herself. She could have been dead or severely injured several times over, and despite knowing her husband's ability, it still amazes her to see proof of it this impressively. She stays in the tree for a few seconds, eyeing the ground with an abundance of suspicion now, and then jumps down, using Luke's larger frame as a shield as she stays directly behind him.
"Exactly how many people come after this guy for him to set that many deadly traps? Is he paranoid, or are that many people pissed at him that are willing to risk their lives to hunt him down through a forest? He clearly doesn't give a damn who he kills in the meantime. Imagine the dearth of wildlife around here."
"Either you're right that he doesn't care or he's terrified that someone really bad is coming for him," Luke says, ripping what's left of his shirt's sleeves off and tosses them to the side.
He continues up the path cautiously, making sure Jessica is behind him in case something else happens. About another mile up they come to a large electrical gate, and Luke can see a fairly large building and a few yards from the gate is a smaller one.
"I bet I can rip this open or you can just jump over and shut it off at that little shack," He grins at his wife. "Let's try to keep the destruction down to a minimum from here out."
"Let me get this one. If another land mine is on the other side, guess my time is up."
Jessica leaps up and over the electric fence, landing nimbly on her feet. She checks very carefully around her before jumping again, this time directly to the door of the shack where she is standing. She breaks the knob off and goes inside, finding the control panel and shutting it off.
"We're good. On the fence, anyway."
Luke pushes the large gate open and jogs up to the shack to catch up with Jessica. "After all this the doctor better be in!" He says through gritted teeth.
The main building was a few hundred yards from the gate. It was a shamble of a two story cabin.
" Looks like he spent more to protect this place than building it," Luke says. "What a dump!"
"SHOW SOME RESPECT!" A voice calls out from behind the door, which is followed by the sound of a round being racked in a shotgun. It's a distinctive sound universally known by all. Luke makes sure Jessica is behind him.
" HEY DOC IS THAT YOU? ITS ME CARL. CARL LUCAS," Luke calls out hoping the doctor would recognize his name.
The door slowly opens up, the barrel of a shotgun pokes out.
"What do you want?" The doctor says from the cover of the door.
Jessica too is eyeing the dilapidated building with disdain and skepticism. "No way that's it. That's probably loaded with bombs or something, a last decoy, and the real place is another mile down."
She moves by reflex, ducking down and behind Luke as the gunshots go off. Still hunched behind him, she hisses "He actually wants to talk to you? After all this attempted murder bullshit? Jesus, insane much?"
She stays behind Luke but speaks too. "You know, weapons are pretty weak defense, he can break that gun in half if he wants, and so can I. Plus I could kill you with my laser eyes." She has no such thing, but hey, it's worked on idiots before, so she throws it out there.
"SHE'LL DO IT TRUST ME!" Luke yells at the man before turning his head to ask Jessica. "You, you can't do that right? Eye blast folks? You know what, I don't want to know." Turning back to the door. "LOOK I JUST WANT TO TALK, NOW I'M GONNA STEP TOWARDS YOU AND I'M TELLING YOU DON'T SHOOT, IT WON'T HURT ME BUT IT MAY BOUNCE BACK AND HIT YOU!"
Luke steps towards the door and slowly pulls it open to see a scared shitless doctor holding a shotgun.
"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME I DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT TO YOU! THEY THREATENED ME!"
"Who threatened you?" Luke holds up his hands. "You know what, save that for another time. Right now just know I'm not gonna hurt you. I need your help doc, my powers are growing at an accelerated rate-"
"And you're having problems controlling them," the doctor says before Luke could get the words out. He stands up and hands Jessica the shotgun and adjusted his glasses and starts rambling faster than anyone can understand.
"Whoa whoa doc slow down, and how do you know what's happening to me?" Luke asked, following the doctor deeper into the the building.
"I know because it was my experiment, it was my research that they stole and sabotaged," The doctor says, annoyed. "Look short version, Mr. Lucas or Cage or whatever you call yourself these days. The experiment was interrupted, you only got part of the treatment."
The doctor pauses. "You aren't stable, your powers I mean. I never got to stabilize you. You're like an open tap that keeps pouring out water into a balloon. Eventually the balloon will rip open."
Luke looks horrified and grabs the doctor by the collar, lifting him off his feet. "ARE YOU SAYING I'M GONNA EXPLODE OR SOMETHING? WHAT DA HELL DID YOU DO TO ME?"
Jessica rolled her eyes at Luke and smirked, but kept her silence. If he really thinks she has laser eyes, she won't disillusion him. She keeps back, still eyeing the rather pathetic looking doctor with wariness, and is startled when the man actually hands Jessica the shotgun. He isn't too bright for a doctor, is he, giving up his weapon to her? Whatever, she isn't about to hand it back. She holds onto it securely as she listens, frowning, to the men's exchanges.
Like Luke, she is horrified by the doctor's implications. "What the fuck, and you let him go off like that?! You didn't try to, I don't know, warn him his life and anyone else near him might be at stake?! It would serve you right if he exploded right now and took you with him, asshole!"
As an afterthought, she added, "Please don't, babe. That wasn't an actual invitation." To the doctor, she scowls, "You really do have nerve. All those fucking traps to protect yourself, and you leave him on the verge of death. Knew he was coming for you, is that it?"
Luke lets go of the doctor and starts pacing around the room, his mind a complete mess of thoughts. "No no this is not right! I can't go out like this! NO! You see her?" He jabbed a finger at Jessica. "That's my wife and she's carrying our baby! I will not leave them! You have to fix this!" Luke pleads with the doctor, who looks more confused than afraid now.
"I want to help you but look at this place, does this place look like a state of the art genetics laboratory? I simply don't have the equipment here to conduct the experiment again. I came here to hide from you and everyone who blamed my work for those prisoners escaping. I can't...I can't help you. I'm sorry," He says, covering his face and trying not to look Luke or Jessica in the eyes.
"Oh, you damn well can help him," Jessica declared. She stepped in front of the doctor, making it impossible for him to avoid seeing her. "You're scared, whatever, that's fine. Be scared, but you have a bullet proof man and me to protect you. And I happen to have a sister who's a celebrity, with a boyfriend who is the richest guy I've ever heard of. We can keep you safe, and we can get you where and what you need. That isn't an issue." She shrugged deliberately. "Unless of course the real problem is you're telling us you refuse. And I know you can't be that dumb, deliberately pissing us off, knowing what we can do. Right?"
Luke had to sit and think, rubbing the back of his head as he starts to run through everything in his mind. Suddenly his eyes light up and he stands, moving between Jessica and the doctor.
"So wait, you said you don't have what you need here right? I have an idea. You come with us and we'll get you everything you need to fix me. We know Danny Rand, in fact he's as close to a brother as I've ever had, and if you tell him what you need he'll get it. Right Jessica? Plus if you help me, we can try and help you clear your name. My wife there is probably the greatest private detective on the planet. Worst case we'll help you disappear again, but not to some sad place like this."
"You have an idea? You literally just repeated exactly what I said thirty seconds after I said it," Jessica said to Luke, rolling her eyes. "But yeah, doc, what I said is true. We can get you anything and send you anywhere. Just come with us and commit, and we can make it happen." Her hand unconsciously touched her stomach, still not noticeably showing. "You better. Because I am not raising a baby without its father. So you coming by force or free will?"
"Yeah but the way I said it had less of a pull your spine out your nose vibe like the way you said it," Luke says with a small smile on his face.
The doctor looked between them and sighs. "Doesn't seem as though I have any choice in the matter. And If you can get my life back, I guess I have to agree to your terms. Just give me a few minutes to gather my notes."
The doctor goes over to a desk and pulls files out of it. Luke whispers to Jessica, "I don't think it was me or the authorities he was scared of, keep your eyes open, I have an uneasy feeling."
The doctor comes back over with a messenger bag he placed the files in, holding it tightly to his chest.
"Is that everything we need to recreate the experiment?" Luke asked.
"Yes, with this and the equipment you promised I should be able to stabilize you."
"Eh, the way I says it still stands," Jessica shrugs. "Sorry if I'm not nice and gentle to the asshole that did freaky science experiments on my husband against his will."
Jessica doesn't take her eyes off the doctor, nodding tightly as she takes in his words. To the doctor, she says, "Any other potentially deadly surprises for us you have waiting you need to call off? Last chance on that or the spine removal could become a real thing."
"Jessica play nice, the good doctor has agreed to take responsibility for what he did to me," Luke smirks at her. "Now let's get going, we have a long hike back to the truck and I'm starving."
The doctor gives a timid smile as he steps through the door but gets yanked back.
"Let me take the lead." As Luke steps through the door he's hit in the chest by a bullet. He looks down at the spot on his chest where the bullet hit and bounced off.
"MOTHER FUCKER!"
Out in the distance he spots a lone shooter dressed in all black who fires again and again as he walks towards Luke, as if he's expecting to somehow drop Luke. He emptied his Sig MPX twice before he had no more bullets, dropping it the weapon falls behind him onto the ground.
"Come on bro cut your losses and run," Luke called out.
The man didn't take his advice and charges Luke, in response Luke backhanded him.
" Are you serious?"
"You're starving? You say that like your bottomless stomach is ever full," Jessica quipped.
She starts to follow Luke, keeping herself last in line to maintain keeping a watch on the doctor. When she hears the gunshot, she freezes, then hits the ground, taking the doctor down with her with a fierce yank at his collar.
"I told you to call off your fucking traps!"
Craning her head up enough to try to see what's going on, she can't around Luke's large frame in the doorway but she hears the shots being fired. Heart pounding, she tries to remind herself that Luke isn't in actual danger from this and obviously the shooter doesn't know him if he keeps trying this way.
"Luke, knock him out, maybe we ought to bring this Asshole along for questioning too," she ground out. "Who the fuck is trying to kill my husband with bullets, doc, and how suicidal is he?"
The doctor covers his head with his bag, scared.
"I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT IS, I DIDN'T HIRE ANYONE! I CAN'T EVEN AFFORD CLEAN UNDERWEAR!"
Luke looks back over his shoulder to make sure Jessica is safe before he walks towards the man, who comes in swinging at Luke's jaw. Luke immediately crushes his hand with a loud crunch everyone can hear.
"Come on man you just saw bullets bounce off me, did you really think that through?"
He doesn't hear Jessica's request to take him prisoner until after he had shoved the man, sending him flying into the woods.
"Sorry, from the sound of that landing I don't think he's up for answering questions. Let's get the hell out of here!" Luke gestured for them to get up and run.
Jessica rolled her eyes when the doctor screamed at her. "That's unfortunate, 'cause you've shit yourself about three times since we showed up."
She actually snickered when the man broke his fist on Luke's face. "Yeah, not a scholar, that one. Shame..." To the doctor she says, "Not trusting you to keep up, so just hold on."
She snatched him under her arm like some kind of kid, practically holding him like a football, and stayed behind Luke as she sprinted behind him. "Hope you remember where to go!"
"I remember!" Luke says as he runs ahead, making sure he follows the exact path he took through the mind field so Jessica knows where to run. It looks like they were not being followed, but he didn't let down his guard.
The doctor starts to have a panic attack, screaming at Luke and Jessica. "YOU TWO! THEY MUST BE HERE FOR YOU TWO! I've been hidden for years and the day you show up people are shooting!"
"Be quiet! Stop screaming just in case he has friends!" Luke hissed at the doctor.
With Luke and Jessica's stamina they run and reach the truck in no time and barely break a sweat. Luke points to the back door.
"Doc, get in!" He opens the door for Jessica on the other side and grabs his bag with a change of clothes, changing out of his destroyed clothes. "Don't peek at my ass!" Luke looks back and smirks.
Jessica huffs, hoisting the guard more tightly against herself for a better grip as she continues to run with Luke.
"Calm your tits, even if you're right, you can't be any safer with us than alone. So shut the hell up and stay still so I don't drop you!"
She drops the doctor less than gently as they finally arrive at the truck, climbing in and slamming the door after them. She grins as Luke changes, deliberately ignoring his hiking order.
"I'm your wife, I get that privilege. Where to now, Heroes for Hires? Doc, keep your head down, just in case they follow us. Huh, you think I need to duck down too, or did we lose them?"
"You can look as much as you want, especially since you consider looking at my ass a privilege," Luke grins at her over his shoulder. "I meant the Doc back there."
" Is this a joke to you people!" The doctor protests, his hands shaking as he still holds his bag to his chest.
"Meh, some idiot trying to shoot us is just another average day of the week," Luke says, climbing into the drivers seat and starting the engine. He reaches over and touches Jessica's stomach and smiles at her. "You two good?" Luke asks his wife before pulling off. "Hey doc just relax, you're safe now and in 13 hours we'll be in a secure building and nobody can hurt you there."
He glances over at Jessica again and smiles. "Geesh if a little gunfire has him all messed up like this, should we bother to mention Ninjas, spontaneous combustion, and all the other crazy shit waiting for us back in New York?"
"Ah, gotcha. Hear that, doc, his ass is only mine for peeksies." Jessica smirked, throwing a glance back at the doctor and hardening her tone. "No, not a joke, just a sad fact of our lives. Because thanks to you and people like you, my husband getting shot at is fucking normal to us. Just like me jumping twenty feet in the air or my brother setting people on fire by looking at them. No, the shit people like you did to us, against our fucking will, fucking up our lives for your own amusement, that is not a fucking joke to me at all, so maybe you should remember who it is that just saved your ass before you get that self righteous tone. Because the only reason you're not dead now is I want you to keep my husband alive, do you get it?"
She is starting to get a little louder talking, getting more angry the more she thinks about it. Here is a man at least partly behind the reason her husband could die without warning, the man who has made him look at her with fear of hurting her in his eyes. He symbolizes what has been done to her, what Phillip has become, and she starts to shake as her anger, with a visible target here now, builds up. Only Luke's hand on her stomach grounds her, settling her just enough to breathe.
"Stop fucking talking, doc."
The drive back to New York is uneventful. Whoever wanted the doctor dead clearly thought one assassin was enough. About an hour out Luke finally pulls over to the side of the road and turns back in his seat to look at the doctor.
"So listen, I'm not gonna threaten to kill you like my wife, but I'm betting setting you loose in the middle of a strange city with people trying to kill you won't work out. And yeah doc he was there for you not me."
Luke's eyes narrowed. "So here's the deal. You play games or bullshit us and we'll set you loose and I'm betting whoever is after you will find you pretty quick. Hell the street thugs of this city will fuck you up alone."
The doctor nods that he understands. "I swear I'm not playing any kind of games. In fact on the drive I had enough time to maybe come up with something to keep you stable until I can fix you for good. But you may find it...difficult to obtain the materials I'll need."
"Just tell us what you need and we'll get it. Trust me."
" I need several pairs of those Government inhibitors handcuffs that the government uses."
Jessica snorts, eyebrows raised. "Dude, we literally got those last week. For my brother. Is that all? You made it sound like it was hard." She looks over to Luke. "But do you really want your strength fully gone? I mean, I know you talk about leaving this crazy life, but when Ennis was around and actually hurt us, you weren't real thrilled about it."
"Wow doc, I thought you were gonna ask for something crazy like the heart of a virgin or a unicorn horn." He grins at Jessica. "Yeah we can get those no problem."
When Jessica asks him about Luke and the chances of him losing his powers, he becomes quiet for a bit. "I think I'd rather be powerless but still watch our kid grow up, it would be a small sacrifice if I get that chance."
In the back the doctor listens and is taken aback with the conversation. "You would do that? Give up all the power you have?"
"Of course I would. I'd kill or die for my family," Luke answers.
The doctor pauses. "I don't understand you, but I think I trust you."
Jessica goes quiet too, crossing her arms. It makes her nervous and uncomfortable to think of Luke being vulnerable, of needing to protect him as she has always felt she needs to protect Trish. Still, she nods slowly, even as her lips press together.
"Okay. It's your decision. And I want you alive, even if it does mean bullet proof armor is about to be part of your wardrobe permanently now. So let's do this." She smirked a little, giving Luke a poke. "Sure it won't hurt your ego when a woman can kick your ass?"
Luke gives her a small shove. "Seriously I'll be normal not a helpless kitten. I will still bring the thunder."
Luke pulls into the garage at Heroes for Hire. It was too risky to directly take the doctor into Rand Enterprises, and there is no way he was taking him to their apartment. "Lucky for you we're still running low staff and have a floor that is not being used," Luke says, parking in his spot. "From the looks of things nobody is here. Let's take him upstairs."
The floor they go to was as good as it gets. It's got lots of space and Luke can lock the elevator and all the doors to this floor.
"This will do Mr. Cage," the doctor says, looking around.
"I'm glad you dig it. How about that equipment list?"
"Sure, I'll write it out. It will take some time."
Luke nods as he turns to Jessica. He pulled out his phone and calling Danny, telling him as much as he could over the phone before hanging up. "Ok he's on his way. I'm gonna run and get some food and supplies. I have to stay with him just in case, but you should go home and rest," he tells Jessica.
"Normal is still way weaker than me. This will be interesting." Jessica eyes the doctor suspiciously as he writes, trying to read it. She stays close to him, as though worried he will suddenly make a run for it, and immediately puts up a protest at Luke's plan.
"Um, excuse me, if you're getting supplies someone is staying here with him, and that someone is me. Don't even pull the pregnant lady card, I'm not missing a second of this. I've got your back and you can't stop me. You do what you need, but I'm staying right here watching him, and I'm going to be here while he does what he does."
Luke wants to protest, wanting her to rest, but knows his wife well enough to know that's not gonna work. He reaches to touch her cheek and smiles. "Fine, I'll be back in 20 minutes and if you're gonna watch him at least stay off your feet. I mean seriously he's not going anywhere. He needs us to protect him. So be nice. Wait, I've seen your nice, don't do that. Oh, channel your best Trish, be nice like Trish, 90 percent less threatening. You can do that for 20 minutes right?"
Jessica rolled her eyes. "I'm pregnant, not dying. If I can run through a forest carrying this guy while being shot at, I can stand. But I can do Trish nice. Watch."
She put on her best fake, ditzy smile, flipped her hair, and raised her voice a few pitches higher. "Welcome, sir, to our working quarters, would you like a beverage or a snack? Please do make yourself at home."
She dropped the "Trish act" the second Luke left, again leveling the doctor with her best glare. "You never answered, and he's gone now and not here to deflect. So you have me to protect you, and if you want me to do that, you better be straight with me. What the fuck gave you the right to mess with a man's life and body without his consent? Who the hell do you think you are? And why my husband? He's the best damn person I've ever met, and one of the few decent men alive. Why him?"
Doc looks offended at first, but his tone when he speaks is full of shame. "Your husband was a prisoner, property of the state. So to the government his rights didn't matter. Even though I knew it was wrong I needed human subjects and using prisoners was more acceptable loss if something went wrong."
He pauses. "Things went wrong a few times." He pulls out a file that has writing on it and hands it to her. "There is a tab that says Prisoner 29713 Carl Lucas Subject 9. Your husband was my 9th attempt, the 8 before him suffered a variety of side effects. From memory loss, blindness, paralyzed, oh and a complete psychotic break. I'm not an evil man, just desperate to serve my country. And at the time I thought my work was justified."
He stops and sits down, covering his face. "No that's just me lying to myself, trying to make myself believe the ends justify the means. That is how the evil scientists in the movies think right? Truth is I deserved to be in that prison more than your husband did."
The entire scene feels tense, and he's silent for what seems like an eternity when the elevator opens up and Danny steps off with a black case with the S.H.I.E.L.D logo on it.
"Did I interrupt something?" He says with a look of curiosity on his face. "I have what Luke asked me for. Wait where is Luke?" he asked, looking around the room. "He told me to drop everything and come over with these things and he's not even here? I'm in the middle of planning my proposal to your sister!"
"My husband was a human being, and he was innocent," Jessica spat, her eyes darkening with the, body taut with her anger. She stepped closer to him, fists balled. "He was framed, and even if he was guilty, his body doesn't belong to anyone but him. You had no right to violate him like that, or me, or my brother, or anyone! You destroyed 8 men and Luke could have been the ninth! How do you people get off of just breaking and using people's bodies like things?!"
She is breathing heavily now, flickering between rage and the edge of a panic attack, memories of waking up disoriented in the hospital as a teenager and images of a tortured Luke flicking through her mind. She turns away from him, deliberately gathering herself, and is thankful when Danny interrupts.
"He's out. This is the asshole who could have killed him for fucking science, or ego, and the only reason I haven't killed him yet is Luke needs him alive. Also, murder is a villain thing, and even if I'm no hero I'm trying not to cross that particular line." She paused, turning to Danny sharply as his last line sank in. "Wait, what, propose?!"
"Me proposing to your sister. Did you forget already? Wait, I feel like you just glossed over something about this guy tried to kill Luke?" Danny looks at the doctor, confused. "This guy? This guy doesn't look like he can kill any but a cheesecake. Truth be told I'm getting more of a snap someone's neck vibe from you, Jessica."
He sets the case down on a table and steps towards her. "I was gonna just drop these off and go home but maybe I should hang out and keep you company till Luke gets back. Hey did you guys find out what you're having? Boy, girl, Tasmanian devil?" he says, trying to distract her. "Just thought I'd ask so I know what kind of gift to get. Dollhouse, baseball glove, or Klingon Batlath."
Jessica stares at him him. "Cling what? Why the hell would you get a baby a cling wrap?" She takes another slow breath, rubbing the back of her neck, and tries to focus on Danny. "Don't know yet. Should find out next appointment. You better get a baseball glove either way though, girls play sports too. You think I was a dollhouse kind of girl?"
"Cling wrap? No I said Klingon," Danny protested. "Damn, what do you and Luke actually have in common besides leather and whiskey? You know what, I don't want to know. Seriously how do you not know that? Hell, I grew up in a shrine and even I know what a Klingon is."
Danny gives her a small grin. "Anyway of course I know girls can play sports. By the way, I can save ya some time and money and tell you right now." Danny stops himself. "Yeah never mind. Don't want Luke pissed at me."
"All those words and yet you still haven't actually said what a Klingon is," Jessica observed. "I'm assuming it must be a nerd thing, since it's you."
She clapped both hands over her ears dramatically, shaking her head. "Stop it, no talking, blah blah blah, can't hear you! Stop x-raying my fetus with your chi, weirdo."
"You're the weirdo," Danny protested.
The doctor watches them for a second, then moves towards Danny. "May I?" The doctor asked, opening the case not waiting for an answer.
He took out multiple sets of cuffs and starts dismantling them. Even with the few tools he brought with him he's inspired and working with purpose. Danny found a corner in the makeshift lab to sit an meditate in. About 30 minutes later Luke returned with and armful of bags, food, water, clean clothes and stuff for the doctor to get hygienic.
"Did I miss anything?" he asked, noticing Danny in the corner and the Doctor working.
"Only that your wife doesn't know what a Klingon or Star Trek is. Seriously that's just wrong!" Danny called out.
"Hey be nice, she's getting around to that stuff sooner or later."
Jessica continues to eye the doctor's every move as he works. She is still standing there when Luke returns and barely glances at him.
"Danny tried to tell me what the baby is, and the doctor admits he saw you as property. Also, I was right. If Klingon is Star Trek, it's a dork thing." She walked over to Luke. "You good? No impending explosions?"
Luke leans down and kisses the top of her head. "No, I'm good for now."
He sits the bags down and pulls out a cheeseburger, handing it to her. "Not sure what Claire will think of all this red meat but I think you earned this for all the trouble." He turns his head towards Danny. "Sorry brother, I didn't think you would come till tomorrow. You really should be focusing on how you're gonna propose to Trish. I mean seriously where are your priorities?"
Danny grunts at him and holds up a glowing middle finger. "Give me your fries or I'll tell you what the sex of your kid is right now asshole."
The doc working in a frenzy and barely acknowledges Luke's return. It's not until the smell of fries hits his nose does he get up and walks over to Luke, slapping a bracelet on his wrist. It locks closed and sends Luke to his knees.
"WHAT DA FUCK?" Luke shouts.
Danny is on his feet immediately. He leaps across the room and grabs the doctor by the throat. "What did you do to him?"
"Just wait! It takes some time!" The doctor struggled to say. "It needs to calibrate!"
Jessica had been so focused on her mission with Luke to reach the doctor, drag him out to their headquarters, and then terrorize him with her presence that she had completely ignored her body- which was standard behavior for her, other than ignoring urges to drink, when not in a pregnant state. When Luke hands her the burger, her stomach growls sharply, and her mouth fills with saliva as she realizes she's been extremely hungry for probably quite some time without noticing it. She then notices a slight shakiness to her muscles that indicates she's also probably tired without having acknowledged that either, and of course, she had refused to sit down or rest like Luke had asked her to. Stupid pregnant body. Whatever, it isn't like she's admitting that, especially in front of the doctor or Danny. She takes the burger and gets to work on it, leaning against the wall.
"Mm. Don't care what Claire thinks, this is good stuff."
She snickers when Danny holds up the glowing finger to Luke, raising an eyebrow and talking with her mouth full. "Didn't know you could just light up one…that would be a really kinky trick in sex. Tried that one out on Trish yet? Is it gonna be part of this proposal?"
Her smirk vanishes immediately when Luke falls to his knees, and she drops the burger, practically jumping across the room to Luke's side. Eyes wide, face growing even paler than its usual hue, she takes hold of his shoulders, searching his body frantically with her eyes for injuries or visible reasons for his collapse. "Luke! What's wrong, are you okay?!"
Her head whipping to the doctor, she screams in a very scary pitch, "What the fuck do you mean, calibrating, what is this doing to him?! You're hurting him!"
Luke slowly becomes steady on his feet again, reaching out and tapping Danny on the shoulder. "Hey I'm good, let him go."
Danny hesitated but slowly lets go of the doctor, who instead of protesting reaches into the bag and grabs a burger, eating as he walks back to his worktable.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Danny asks Luke.
"Of course he's ok. It simply needed time to calibrate to him," the doctor grunts, mouth full.
"I made a promise to help you and I'm going to keep my promise." Luke, now fully able to stand on his own, looks at the bracelet on his wrist. "Wait doc what did you do? Aren't these things things supposed to take away powers?"
"Ding ding. You win a prize. Inhibitors are supposed to take away powers, that is not an inhibitor. That is a regulator. Well a prototype, I'll have the finished ones in a few days. In the meantime that one will keep you from, well going boom! And it will send me data to calibrate the bracers."
"So you're not gonna recreate the experiment?" Danny asked.
"Oh God no! That was a dead end," The doctor says. "Besides, your wife made a good point. I had no right to experiment on you like that, and to be honest the results, your powers, were a complete accident. Not my best work, seriously I have not a clue why your results were different from the other subjects. The only scientific evidence that explains it is luck."
Still shaken, Jessica stares at first Luke, then the doctor, taking in his explanation. As it sinks in that Luke is not only fine, he still has his strength at a more controlled degree, she scowls.
"And you didn't tell us this won't strip his powers before now, why, exactly? God, fucking doctors!" She started to smirk as another thought occurred. "But this one did have one thing to say I liked. 'Your wife is right.' Damn straight, you can repeat that as many times as you want." She touched Luke's inhibitor lightly. "You're really okay? What do they feel like?"
"I feel like myself. Back in control, like I can touch you without being afraid that if I lose focus I'll hurt you," Luke says, smiling at Jessica.
"You two are so cute it's giving me a stomach ache. Oh wow, is this how you guys see me and Trish?" Danny mused, standing between them, smirking and trying to be as intrusive and awkward as possible.
"Go home Danny! We got this," Luke says faking a smile to Danny.
"Fine fine, I got things to do anyway. Let me know if you need anything else." He slaps Luke on the shoulder and walks towards the elevator, eventually disappearing as the doors close behind him.
"You two should go too," the doctor says while he eats and works at the same time. "I have much to do and you'll just get in the way. Come back in a few days."
Luke, feeling more trusting, looks to Jessica. "He's right, let's go home. I want a shower and to sleep in our bed. Hey doc, in one of those bags I put a burner phone, my number is already programmed in. Do not call anyone else, I'll have food sent up on the elevator every few days. Give us some time to find you a place to settle in."
"You would never hurt me," Jessica told Luke seriously, meeting his eyes with hers. "I don't care what you were afraid of, or how strong you were, I know it. You aren't capable, inhibitors or not."
She glared at Danny when he got in between them, giving him a not so gentle push to the side. "I fail to see how we in any way resemble you and Trish. Last I checked, we weren't playing tonsil hockey in front of anyone, or saying a bunch of sappy shit about love and puppies and saving the world. Damn, I touched his bracelet, not his penis."
Looking at the bracelet again, she grinned suddenly. "I gotta say, those kinda make you look like Mr. T."
Giving an exaggerated sigh of relief when Danny leaves, she turns back to the doctor as he encourages them to go, slightly less hostile towards him now that it seems apparent he does intend to help rather than harm Luke, but certainly not trusting.
"What do you still need to do? The things are on his wrists, what else do you have to? I don't need any, neither does Danny as far as I know." She looks over at Luke, reluctant to leave the man alone. "You'd think you're the pregnant one, always wanting to go to bed. He could blow the place up for all we know."
"The man gots nowhere to go, I doubt he's in a hurry to blow up the only place he has to live. Besides bet Danny has insurance on this place. And seriously I need to get some sleep in a bed. Come on, you know you want to cuddle up in our bed with me and sleep for a week."
Taking her hand, Luke leads her to the elevator. "SEEYA LATER DOC!"
88
Three days later Luke returns with Jessica, the place looking more like a working lab because for a few days Danny had equipment delivered. As the elevator opens Danny is already there talking with the doctor.
"Good you're here!" the doctor says with a smile. "I finished them and I have to say it's some damn good work. Come and see!"
Luke is hesitant at first but follows.
"Take that off if you don't mind," the doctor steps towards Luke and opens a case he had on a table.
Inside are two silver bracers. Unlike the prototype these are finished, nothing is exposed. They're lighter, and when Luke puts them on he doesn't fall to his knees this time.
"These are already calibrated to you so no side effects. These will allow you to control how much of your power is contained within your body and even better," the doctor points at Luke, "to some training dummies in the middle of the room."
"I thought those were for Danny to keep himself busy."
Jessica watches the effect that the bracelets have on Luke, finally nodding begrudging approval as they seem to work. "Fine. Looks okay, doc. So since you did do what we asked, what do you need from us now?"
"He wants sanctuary," Danny says, walking towards them. "Seems the good doctor isn't so good. The doctor is a former A.I.M. Scientist. The work he was doing was being funded by A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics), they like to call themselves using science for the world's protection, but they're really just terrorists with lab coats."
The doctor's face turns pale. The shame of his ties is clear on his face.
"This is true, all of it. I worked for them, I experimented on you for them, and after your escape they were finally done with me. Think about 8 failures in a row, and then you escaped. That was the final failure in their eyes. I was marked for termination."
Jessica stared at him, jaw clinched. She isn't sure for a second she can trust herself not to slug him. "Not. Surprised. So what, you want us to keep you as a permant house guest, send you on your way with a new identity, or just give you a full time body guard?"
Luke, still admiring the workmanship of the bracers and only hearing bits and pieces of the conversation, lets Danny speak up.
"I already made arrangements. Agent Perry, the agent that helped with your brother, has checked with his superiors and they agreed. They will give the doctor sanctuary in exchange for turning on A.I.M."
The doctor holds out his hand to shake Luke's. "I can't ask you to forgive me but I hope those will pave a way to someday," he says, looking at Jessica. "Good luck you two."
"Ok doc, Agent Perry is waiting downstairs, we should get going," Danny says, putting his hand on his shoulder and leading the doctor away.
"Right," the doctor agrees and starts to walk away, but stops and turns. "OH Mr. Cage, be very careful clapping."
"WAIT WHAT?" Luke says, confused.
"Just read the manual on the table." With that the doctor leaves on the elevator.
"Is he serious?" Jessica snatches up the manual, paging through it quickly. "What the hell kind of note is that to exit on?" She rolls her eyes, then shoves the book at Luke. "I still hate him. And you're reading every single word of this because if there are footnotes he didn't mention, I'm not cleaning up after your exploded insides."
"Did you both just give me homework? Whatever, I'm gonna read this because I want to not because you told me too. And I'll clap if I want to clap…maybe…after I read just a few pages. And stop saying I'm gonna explode. Don't need you willing stuff into existence. Don't clap?"
Luke looks at the training dummies in the middle of the room, wondering what they were there for. "Oh well guess I better find a quiet place to read this. Hey babe I'm gonna head up to my office. You should reach out to Malcolm, don't you need to find a new office or have you finally decided to use the one you have here? Anyway, don't you think it's time you take on a new client?"
"Did you just give me homework?" Jessica shot back. "Telling me to call Malcolm and get to work sounds like homework to me. You calling me lazy?" She rolls her eyes, flapping her hand as though to dismiss him. "Go read. I have clients, thank you."
At least she is sure Malcolm has a list ready. Same thing.