Chapter 28
AN: Thank you so much for the support. As I am currently writing two stories in unison I am going back to updating every second day for a little while.
"Who are you?" Natasha asks Charles curious, though she is extremely curious about who could be in danger.
"Tash, this is our good friend Professor Charles Xavier," Peggy introduce. "Charles, this is Tash," Peggy explains, even though she knows Charles already knows that.
"It's very nice to meet you, Professor," Natasha says.
"You too, Natasha," Charles says, smiling at her.
"Mr Jarvis…" Peggy stars to say.
"I'll get Miss Tasha to school," Jarvis says, causing him and Natasha to leave.
"Come in, Charles," Howard says, letting him into the house. "I need to get to Stark, stop the board getting us back in the weapons business, but I'll be back as soon as I can," Howard explains. "I know you must be desperate Charles, but I cannot let my company go back to mass producing weapons," Howard reveals. "I'll help as soon as I can," Howard explains.
"I understand," Charles says, and once he does Howard leaves.
"Let's go talk in my office," Peggy says to Charles, and the two of them head down to Peggy's office, it being more than clear that Charles is tense.
A little while later Peggy and Charles are still in Peggy's office and Charles has explained what is going on to Peggy, who is standing up and pacing back and forth, looking extremely concerned.
"Of course, I'll help," Peggy says, without hesitation. "All you ever have to do is ask, but Charles, this is a big job. Even with Howard's tech, and your abilities, we can't do this jus the three of us," Peggy admits, pausing to look at her.
"You're not considering your own skill," Charles informs Peggy. "and abilities," he adds.
"I'm good Charles, but I'm not good enough for this," Peggy admits. "If we want a chance of succeeding, of saving the people we need to save, we need help," Peggy explains.
"I have a couple of mutants. Jubilee, a telekinetic by the name of Prudence, and a man named John Wraith," Charles explains. "They are willing to help, actually they are quite insistent," Charles admits.
"That's good, we're going to need their help," Peggy realises. "We might need some SHIELD agent help too," Peggy admits, and as she does Charles looks hesitant. "Charles, we are going to get one shot at this. We need to do it right, give ourselves the best shot," Peggy tells her friend. "I will make sure it is only people I completely trust," Peggy explains.
"Mutants and Agents of SHIELD working side by side," Charles says, looking like he is considering the words by saying them out loud.
"It's what you dreamed would be possible one day," Peggy tells him, knowing that because of the conversations she and Charles have had. "We can keep it secret. SHIELD will never keep an index or list of any mutant," Peggy promises, knowing that as long as she lives that will keep the promise. "But neither of us can do this alone, Charles, that's why you're here," Peggy reminds him.
"Let's make the calls we need to make," Charles says, and Peggy nods in understanding.
A while later Peggy and Charles have been joined at the house by Janet, Hank, Michael, Jack, Daniel, Rose, Gabe, Dugan, and mutants Jubilee, Prudence and John. While Peggy completely trusts Lian she knows, and Lian assumed, that she cannot risk Lian needing to tell the CIA what happened as she is still technically a CIA agent; despite the fact that she has been a SHIELD liaison for years.
As introductions have finished being made everyone is looking to Peggy and Charles, who are standing together, for answers.
"We have a mission," Peggy says. "Lives are at stake and they're counting on us," Peggy explains. "but this mission is going to be different," Peggy reveals, wanting to make sure everyone understands what is going on.
"Mutants and SHIELD will work side by side," Charles says. "We will work together to save those who are in an incredible amount of danger, enduring horrific things," Charles explains.
"Daniel, Rose, Gabe, Jack. I need the four of you to stay at SHIELD. To cover for us, to make sure no one questions where we are, and handle anything else that occurs," Peggy explain, trusting those four to handle that.
"Of course," Rose answers.
"You've got it," Daniel assures her.
"Let's talk about what we know," Peggy says, and they do exactly that.
Feeling annoyed that it took him longer than he was expecting to convince the board to focus on technology advancements rather than weapons, Howard is finally arriving home. Assuming it is where he will find everyone Howard heads to Peggy's office, though he goes via his lab where he leaves something he created for Charles.
Walking into Peggy's office Howard finds Peggy, Charles, Michael, Dugan, Hank, Janet, Jubilee and two people who Howard assures are mutants sitting around.
"Hey, how'd it go?" Peggy asks her husband curious.
"Took some debate, but it's accepted that Stark Industries will not be manufacturing weapons," Howard explains. "We're just going to have to move up the timeline for some of the other items," Howard explains.
"Are you going to get them done in time?" Hank asks curious, as he is aware of what Howard is working on, and how ambitious it is.
"Should do," Howard admits. "What's going on?" Howard asks, and once he does Peggy and Charles, with explanations from the others, explain what is going on.
"We'll need a pilot," John comments, once they finish explaining to Howard what is going on.
"You've got one," Howard says. "And we've got plenty of planes," Howard admits.
"Good," Prudence, who is a darkhaired, athletic, young woman who is a telekinetic, says.
"We leave as soon as we can," John says.
"Tasha will be home in an hour. I need to explain to her what is going on," Peggy explains, looking at Charles.
"Of course," Charles says, understanding why Peggy will need to do that. "John, take Jubilee back to the mansion. Get what we'll need," Charles requests.
"Of course, Professor," John says, and once he and Jubilee are touching they disappear, causing everyone who hasn't seen mutant powers in action before to be shocked.
"Hank and I need to go get our gear," Janet comments.
"Definitely," Peggy confirms, as Howard looks forward to seeing what Janet and Hank are planning on doing.
"Be back soon," Hank says, before he and Janet leave.
"Charles, considering we've got some time, I've got something I want to show you," Howard explains.
"Sure," Charles says and the two of them head out of Peggy's office together.
After leaving Peggy's office Howard leads Charles to his lab where there is a wheelchair.
"I know you'd never ask, but I made a few modifications," Howard explains. "I made it out of hard plastic, because I know your weird eversion to metal," Howard comments.
"I have a reason for that," Charles informs Howard.
"So, you've said," Howard comments. "But what I'm most excited about, is this," Howard says, pressing a button on the chair, which causes it to hover. "I figured it could come in useful," Howard explains.
"Thank you," Charles says sincerely, feeling extremely grateful what Howard has done for him, as this will allow him to be more mobile.
A while later the Mutants, and Agents of SHIELD, are almost ready to go, but Peggy and Howard, who are with Ana in the foyer, are just waiting for Natasha to come home so that they can say goodbye to her.
"You're going to be a good boy for Ana and Jarvis," Peggy tells her son, who she is holding. "Dad and I are going to be home as soon as possible," Peggy tells her son. "I love you," Peggy says, kissing his head, and once she kisses his head she passes him to Howard.
"Hey Pal," Howard says to his son. "I love you Buddy," Howard says, kissing his head, and as he does the door opens, Jarvis and Natasha walk in and Howard hands Tony to Ana.
"You guys have a mission, don't you?" Natasha asks her parents, as she sees them.
"Yeah, we do Tash," Peggy tells her daughter.
"How long will you be gone for?" Natasha asks curious.
"A few days, maybe longer," Peggy explains, knowing that there is no way to know for sure. "I love you Tash," Peggy says, before hugging her daughter.
"Love you too," Natasha responds, as she and Peggy break apart.
"I love you Kiddo," Howard says, before hugging her as well. "Look out for your brother," Howard says to his daughter.
"Always," Natasha assures her father. "Love you Dad," Natasha says, and the two of them break apart.
"We'll be back as soon as we can," Peggy says, and with one last look to their children, Peggy and Howard leave the house, both carrying bags as they go.
A few hours later Peggy, Howard, Charles, Dugan, Michael, Janet, Hank, Prudence, John, and Jubilee are all in one of Howard's planes, one of the more advance ones, and are flying to the where they need to go. While the others are in the back of the plane, Peggy and Howard are up the front, neither of them having their masks activated as it will help to look different considering what they are going to be doing.
"How far out are we?" Peggy asks curious.
"About twenty minutes, give or take," Howard answers.
"I better go tell the others to get ready," Peggy says, going to stand up, but Howard takes her hand.
"Peg, if this goes badly, or even doesn't go exactly like we're planning; we could lose everything," Howard reminds Peggy, his voice grave.
"If we do nothing we've already lost everything," Peggy tells Howard. "This is everything we aimed to protect against when we started SHIELD," Peggy points out.
"Yeah, it is," Howard confirms. "I thought the war was going to be the worse we saw, but this, what the Red Room was doing to Tasha and girls like her… it seems like things get more horrible as the generations go on," Howard says.
"Yeah, it does," Peggy confirms. "But that's why we've got to keep doing what we're doing," Peggy says, realising that it is extremely likely that they are going to have to do more.
"Yeah," Howard confirms.
I'll go tell the others to get ready," Peggy says, getting up and heading towards the door out.
"Peg," Howard says, causing her to turn around. "I love you," Howard tells her.
"I love you too," Peggy responds, with a smile, and she heads out to the others.
Walking into the main area of the plane Peggy sees everyone happily talking and doing what they need to do to prepare for the mission.
"Suit up," Peggy says, looking at Janet and Hank in particular, and seeing the nods everyone starts to do what they need to do to get ready.
A little over ten minutes after Peggy left the cockpit Howard, who has put on a bulletproof vest and tactical jacket, walks out.
"Autopilot is enabled. We're less than ten minutes out," Howard explains.
"Okay, it's time," Peggy says, handing Howard the backpack with his tech. "Janet, Hank. You know what to do," Peggy says, looking at her friends who are wearing what looks to be motorbike racing suits, as Howard puts his backpack on his back.
"It's Ant Man," Hank says, before pressing a button on his hand which makes him tiny.
"And Wasp," Janet says, before doing the same.
"John, you know what to do," Charles says, causing John to stick out his hand. Once John is sticking out his hand Janet and Hank jump onto him and once he feels them John disappears.
Seconds after John disappeared with Hank and Janet he reappears on the jet, this time alone.
"Dugan, Michael, Prudence," Peggy says, and the three of them walk over and once they are close enough to touch John grabs all three of them dan they disappear. Seconds later John returns to Peggy, Howard, Jubilee and Charles. "Get us into position and then get back to the others," Peggy says, as they all reach out and touch John, and once they are touching they all, including Charles's wheelchair, disappears.
After seconds of one of the strangest experiences of their lives, Peggy and Howard, along with Jubilee and Charles, appear inside the door of what is clearly a military facility.
"Eyes open," Peggy says. "Charles, any idea how many hostiles we're facing?" Peggy asks curious.
"At least twenty, likely more," Charles explains, as he cannot tell for sure.
"Great," Howard says sarcastically, as he grabs things out of his bag,
"Let's move," Peggy says the four of them continue to walk, Howard using different pieces of tech as he walks, until they get to a very large door. "Wasp? Dungan? Is everyone in position?" Peggy asks through the coms that Howard designed specifically for missions like this.
"Yep," Dugan confirms.
"Yes," Wasp's voice says.
"Planes in position," Howard reveals as he looks at a device he is holding, which he is fiddling with. "And all security cameras are now corrupted. They won't record anything," Howard says, knowing he has also destroyed what has been recorded in the last hour.
"Jubilee, you're up," Peggy says, and once she speaks she side steps so Jubilee sends what look like fireworks towards the door, and once they are close enough they explode, destroying the doors so that Peggy, Jubilee, and Howard, who is putting a piece of tech back in his bag, can walk through and Charles can use the hover capabilities on his new wheelchair to hover through.
Over the next few minutes Peggy, Howard, Charles, and Jubilee make their way through the facility together. Due to their plan of the plane acting as a diversion they are left alone.
"Found them," Hank's voice says, through the coms.
"Where?" Peggy asks.
"Bottom level. South-west side. It's secure for now, but we can change that," Janet explains.
"Everyone get there," Peggy instructs, and that's exactly what they do.
A few minutes later Peggy, Charles, Howard, and Jubilee get to where Janet directed them. When they get there Janet, Hank, Michael, Dugan, John, and Prudence are already there, along with a creature which Peggy, Howard and Dugan unfortunately recognize, a lot of people who are changed to various beds, some of whom are clearly mutants, while others are connected to various IV's, with serums that Howard recognizes by sight.
"How did they get samples?" Howard asks shocked.
"Exactly how you are fearing," Charles informs his friend, and Howard once again finds himself cursing the government.
"Peggy? Howard?" A voice asks, and Peggy, and Howard, turns to look at who it is.
"Logan?" Howard and Peggy ask together.
"I'm so glad to see you that I'm not even going to ask how you look basically the same as you did over twenty years ago," Logan comments, as Michael and Peggy help him get free.
"You know each other?" Charles asks curious.
"From the war," Peggy comments. "It's a long story," she admits.
"Well, hearing it will have to wait. We're about to have company," Charles reveals, as Logan is free, and stands up.
"Prudence, get everyone free. John, Howard, get everyone back to the plane," Peggy says as the autopilot can only do so much so it will help to have the pilot on board, "The rest of us will give you as much time as possible," Peggy explains, walking over to the door in, as everyone starts to do what she said.
"We need the serums too. I'm not leaving it in their hands," Howard says, taking off his backpack, and Prudence uses her powers to move all the serums into Howard's open bag. "Thanks," Howard says to Prudence.
"What can I do?" Logan asks Peggy, having walked
"Are you up for a fight?" Peggy asks curious.
"Always," Logan says, as metal claws come out of his hand.
"That's new," Howard comments, as last time he and Peggy saw Logan they were not metal claws, though he did have them.
"Part of my long story," Logan says, as Howard disappears with John and the first of the people, as what look to be soldiers hurry into the room, and Janet and Hank become small once more.
As the soldiers are shocked by Janet and Hank disappearing Peggy, Dugan and Michael use that to their advantage and start to fight the first of the soldiers in hand to hand. Seeing what they are doing Logan quickly joins in, and Jubilee starts to cause explosions with her powers, which work as a great way to distract people.
Over the next few minutes the fight continues. Peggy, Dugan and Michael uses a combination of their fighting abilities, weapons, and basically anything they can get their hands on while Logan and Jubilee use their powers, and Charles uses his not to fight but to warn the others of things.
"That's everyone," John says, as he appears.
"Get Logan, Janet and Hank!" Peggy says as Logan, Janet and Hank are currently close together but away from the others. "Then Charles, Michael and Dugan," Peggy instructs, causing John to nod, and he quickly gets Logan, who looks less than happy about being taken out of the fight, Janet and Hank who are currently big, out, and Peggy continues to fight.
As John and Logan leave Peggy pushes off on a wall to kick someone while Jubilee, who is a little way away from her blows up part of a different wall, which falls on people, just as John reappears in the room and takes Charles, Michael and Dugan with him.
As Charles, Michael and Dugan leave with John Peggy knows that she and Jubilee have only seconds to finish this and get close to each other.
"Can you detonate form a distance?" Peggy ask Jubilee, who nods, as she uses a piece of rock to knock one of the soldiers out. "Set the charges, blow the second we're clear. I'll cover you," Peggy says and once she does Jubilee starts to produce her explosions but doesn't detonate them. While Peggy fights with anyone who tries to grab Jubilee.
As John appears again Peggy fires her gun towards the soldiers and runs towards John and Jubilee. The second Peggy gaps John's hand she, John and Jubilee disappear and Jubilee detonates her explosions, causing the entire compound to be destroyed.
Seconds after they left the command Peggy, John, and Jubilee appear back on the plane.
"Everyone okay?" Peggy asks concerned, as Howard runs up to her and hugs her. "I'm okay," Peggy assures Howard via whisper as they break apart.
"We're all alive, and no longer being experimented on," One of the rescued Mutants say. "Thank you," He says sincerely.
"You don't have to thank me. We don't leave people behind, especially not in this situation," Peggy says.
"Let's go home," Charles says, as he knows there are people who require medical attention.
"On it," Howard says, and after kissing Peggy on the cheek her heads back to the cockpit as he knows the plane can travel faster when someone is flying it.
A few hours later Howard has landed the plane at Xavier's mansion and while those who were rescued are getting medical attention, and those who fought are getting checked out to make sure they're okay, Peggy and Howard are walking into Charles's office, with him.
"Drink?" Charles asks curious.
"Please," Howard answers.
"You two should get assessed by medical too," Charles says to his friends as he pours drinks. "You do not have to fear anyone here seeing your biology," Charles assures them as he hands them their drinks.
"Thank you, but my cell protection did what it does, and I wasn't hurt," Peggy reveals.
"Same," Howard confirms, and Charles nods in understanding. "I know I should have seen it coming, but I can't believe the government keep trying to recreate the serum," Howard says annoyed, and he is a little horrified that they are experimenting with it on people.
"Do you think we got all of it today?" Peggy asks curious, as they sit down.
"I doubt it," Howard admits, even though he would wish otherwise. "If they are smart they would keep samples of whatever they have off sight," Howard explains.
"Makes sense," Peggy admits. "Are there other facilities like this?" Peggy asks, looking at Charles.
"If there aren't at the moment there will be in the future," Charles says, with a grave tone of voice.
"Which is why we need to keep working together," Howard says, causing Peggy and Charles to look at him. "There wasn't just human and mutants there today, there was an alien too, and Peg and I have both seen what happens when Alien tech gets in the wrong hands," Howard says, a haunted look on his face.
"Nothing good," Peggy says, thinking about Hydra.
"We proved today that science, skill, and mutants working together achieves incredible things; but I know we cannot do that publicly not now," Howard admits. "But I do know we do trust each other, and we should continue building on that," Howard says, looking between Peggy and Charles.
"What are you suggesting?" Charles asks curious.
"We share advancement, tech, resources, and help each other whenever we need," Howard says. "We do everything we can to make sure places like this, like the red room, don't exist, and destroy them when they do," Howard says. "Today's facility was government funded, and it won't be the only one like it. We work outside the system, to make our own," Howard says, as since Peggy got Autonomy from SHIELD they are pretty out of the system, but he can't help but think that they need a branch even more out of the system.
"I think that will be a very good idea," Charles says approvingly.
"Same," Peggy confirms.
"That telecommunication network I'm announcing in a few months, I think I may just be able to use it to our advantage," Howard admits, looking like he is pondering something, and thinking that if Azzuri agrees then he could be apart of what they are planning.
"That will be helpful," Charles admits, and once he does the three of them start to talk about how them working together, and sharing resources and tech, in secret is going to look like.