Earth 616

"What's the damage?" Iron Man asked.

The Illuminati were reunited around holographic images of the last moments before Magneto turned off Earth 7622's energy.

"We essentially lost collaboration from the European Union." Mr. Fantastic said. "The Balkans swore allegiance to Latveria. Victor, apparently, has his own evacuation plan, and they won't question it. Our alliance with the US is flickering. Even when I get the energy back on, the damage the Sinister Six caused to their defenses is monumental. The naval defenses are gone too, battleships, submarines, and aircraft carriers. They lost it all."

"We know exactly what they're doing here." Professor X said. "They want to force our hand, make us give up on our plans so they can destroy this Earth without our interference."

"That's not gonna happen." Black Bolt gesticulated.

"He's right, we can not give them what they want." Black Panther said.

"More people are going to die." Dr. Strange said.

"That's blood on their hands. But we can not allow them to force us out of our plan."

"I'm afraid that at this point, the gems will be the ones forcing our hand."

Meanwhile, in a secret lab on an artificial asteroid between the Earths, the Infinity Gems were kept. The work of Reed Richards, since they failed to stop an incursion the last time, a machine connecting them and harvesting their power to stop the incursion to go forward. So far, it worked, but something was happening: a tiny crack in the orange gem, the Reality Gem. The crack got a little longer.

Detroit, Earth 7622

Sage was sitting on her living room couch carefully hygienizing her pick with alcohol. She was ready to lobotomize herself, pick on the eye, hammer about to hit. Somebody knocked on her door.

"Go away!" She shouted.

They knocked more violently. She angrily put down her pick and went to open it. The moment she saw her visitors, her anger faded into amusement.

"Finally,an interesting development." A smiling Sage said. "Come on in."

Hughie, Soldier Boy and Punisher all entered Sage's apartment. It was filled with books, not like a library, more like she was living in a storage room.

"Hi, I'm- -" Hughie was about to say when Sage interrupted him.

"Hugh Campbell, FBSA senior analyst who clearly went AWOL since you're hanging with Soldier Boy who killed the Crimson Countess as revenge for her and the rest of Payback's betrayal. You found me based on my appearance on America's Next Supes when I mentioned my neighborhood and you three spent the whole morning asking people around where I lived. Now you're here because you think I can help you escape this Earth."

"Now that's a superspade if I ever met one." Soldier Boy said. "How did you figure my old team stabbed me in the back?"

"The cover story made no fucking sense, you abused them for years until they came to a breaking point and Countess died in a very mysterious explosion which no one paid attention because of the murderous second Earth on the sky. But I did, I pay attention to everything."

"I was afraid you weren't going to be here." Hughie said. "With your powers I thought you'd have a golden ticket to the other Earth."

"Superpowers don't mean shit to them. When I applied to move, their countries' governments all requested university degrees and work history as evidence of my value to them. I'm on the bottom of the list. But hey, if I'm lucky I can get to one of Black Panther's colonized planets before he and the other supes destroy this planet."

"That's why we're here, Sister Sage- -"

"Just Sage. The 'Sister' part was Vought's idea."

"Ok, Sage. We have a way out, we just need some help making it work."

Punisher put the Sinister Six's device on Sage. It was a white device with a broken screen with some sort of orange energy around it.

"Pass." Sage said.

"What?"

"I said I pass. Earth 616 is now 0.12 degrees closer than it was yesterday, first change since the Incursion started. Whatever the Avengers are using to keep it from progressing is running out. A relevant amount of the scientific laws of that universe are different from ours, who knows how this thing even works. I won't spend my last moments hanging out with the preppy boy who hosed my grandma for protesting."

"Okay, chocolate, let me tell you how it is- -" Soldier Boy spoke.

"Saying that won't help- -!" Hughie said.

"Listen!" Punisher shouted. It was the first word to come out of his mouth since Sage first saw him. He removed his trenchcoat. "See around the skin of my joints?"

"Subtle difference in coloration." Sage pointed out. "On your neck too."

"Would you believe me if I said I was Frankenstein's monster for a while?"

"I would, since you obviously came from Earth 616."

"I was also an angel and before I got here I was in a prison in space."

"The space station up there."

"The Peak Orbital Station. I also met a version of me from an alternate future who became the Spirit of Vengeance and travels around space."

"Your point?"

"Where I'm from, anything can happen. Anything. You're assuming the only scenario is destruction but there's about 500 other things that might happen. If you help us, who knows where this will take you, it's still better than sitting here and waiting for death."

Sage took a whole 2 seconds to consider her answer, which to her might as well be a week

"I'm gonna need electricity if I'm gonna study this thing. I'll need some stuff to get the power back on."

With perfect timing, the lights on the apartment came back.

275 Pearl Street, New York City Earth 7622

Victoria Neuman made her way into the FBSA building. They worked with the aid of gas lanterns. Once the lights were back on, the entire building applauded.

Someone Victoria did not recognize was waiting at the door—a brunette with glasses wearing a white blouse and black skirt.

"Can I help you?" Neuman asked.

"Jennifer Walters, I'm your new partner from 616 by order from the White House—your White House, to be exact." Jennifer told her, shaking her hand. On her other hand, was a cup of coffee.

Neuman accepted the handshake and immediately could tell something was off with her. There was something in her blood. It wasn't Compound V, but something she had never sensed before. It made her uneasy, as though her powers would not work on Jennifer.

"You okay?" Jen asked.

"I'm fine." Neuman lied.

"If you say so. I have a question for you?" Jennifer asked.

"What is it?" Neuman asked.

"I'd like to ask you in private." Jennifer added.

Neuman accepted and brought Jennifer into her office.

"What is it?" Neuman asked.

"Hugh Campbell, your Senior Analyst, hasn't been in the office for a while." Jennifer told her.

"He broke his arm." Neuman lied, wanting to keep her knowledge about Hughie knowing her secret a secret.

Jennifer looked unconvinced.

"Really, because I've heard different. Hughie was last seen with his previous unit, the one he was with while national fugitives." Jennifer told her.

"I know, sorry, we're trying to keep this under wraps for PR." Neuman stated.

"Yeah I'd feel nervous working for someone who could blow my head up with a thought." Jennifer casually admitted, drinking from her cup of coffee.

"I don't know…" Neuman stated.

"Save it, I already know everything about your whole head-popping escapades, Nadia. I'm not here to get into a fight with you. Trust me, it won't end well." Jennifer told her.

Immediately, Neuman's demeanor changed.

"Then what do you want?" Neuman coldly asked.

"Control over the FBSA and before you ask. You don't have to worry about you-know-who. So try not to go behind our backs like you did with your dad." Jennifer told her.

Neuman knew they were referring to Homelander's sudden change in behavior seen on TV. When she privately made a plea for the sake of her daughter, Homelander callously refused her suggestion. They could get to Homelander and get him to step down. Not only that, they knew her secret. Neuman did not trust Jennifer, but only had one offer.

"One condition, you help my daughter." Neuman stated.

"Consider it done." Jennifer said.

They tensely shook hands. Just then someone entered the door.

"Victoria, we just got word of a break out at Red River." The analyst told her.

Neuman paused upon hearing that.

Vought Tower

A-Train was walking down the corridor when he saw someone approach him.

"A-Train, hold up." Homelander's voice.

A-Train tensed up upon hearing Homelander approach him. He slowly turned around and saw that he was smiling. However, there was something off about this smile. Usually, Homelanders' eyes would be wide open. Now, his eyes had a sort of casual look.

"What is it, sir?" A-Train asked.

"You don't have to call me that." Homelander told him.

A-Train was silent, and he had acted like this for a while since the alliance with Earth 616.

"Okay, what is it?" A-Train questioned.

"It's about Blue Hawk." Homelander told him.

A-Train tensed up.

"Don't worry, I'm not mad. We're doing an expose." Homelander told him.

"What?" A-Train genuinely stated.

"The guy was a murdering racist. He doesn't deserve to go down as a hero." Homelander told him.

"But what about… Your fans… I mean, they liked him. Ashley told me that." A-Train strained.

Homelander seemed to tense up for a moment. A-Train studied his strained expression—it was almost like he was trying to fight something—until he slowly shook his head and returned to his previous state of mind.

"It's not the end of the world losing a few of them. I can get plenty of new fans." Homelander told him as he walked away.

As Homelander walked away, A-Train tried to distance himself as far away as possible. He should have been glad to hear this news, yet it didn't satisfy him. He killed the racist son of a bitch, and yet his brother was still crippled for life. Blue Hawk would be condemned, but only because of something that was happening to Homelander. He was broken out of his thoughts when he felt someone grab him. It was The Deep, and he looked furious. His wife Cassandra was present looking just as angered, if not more so, than her husband. Although, A-Train couldn't tell who her anger was directed at: not him.

"Hey, bro!" Deep told him.

"What?" A-Train asked.

"Dude, I just got fired! Again!" Deep told him.

A-Train didn't seem surprised to hear about this. If only because he had figured out his new state of mind, Homelander decided to end his power struggle with Starlight.

"Well?" The Deep asked.

A-Train simply rebuffed his former teammate, he couldn't find it in himself to taunt him one last time.

Payback Mansion

Frenchie slumped against the couch still trying to process Butcher's death. Kimiko rubbed his back.

"I fucking can't believe it." Frenchie said.

"I know, I mean… By Homelanders' hands too." MM remarked.

"I mean, a part of me always thought I'd feel happy. Especially since he called Kimiko a weapon, but now I... Fuck." Frenchie stated he turned to Kimiko. "He's somewhere up there now."

"Heaven?"

"Of course not. Earth 616, they probably took his body there since morgues around here are closed."

"You?" He asked Kimiko.

She was reluctant to answer.

"It's alright, I understand." Frenchie told her. "What about Petit Hughie?"

MM was reluctant to answer, so he looked at Annie, who seemed torn.

The TV soon played footage of Homelander's press conference. They were all collectively enraged at him.

"Motherfucker changed his mind… I can't believe it." MM remarked.

"The merde de poulet probably wants protection." Frenchie bitterly stated.

Annie watched as Homelander shook hands with Iron Man before walking away. That was when she noticed something.

"Something's wrong. He wouldn't do that. Let someone take the spotlight away from him. Especially a guy without superpowers." Annie remarked.

The others soon processed her words. They listened on as Iron Man discussed how the other heroes of 616 would assist their world.

"What the fuck is going on?" MM questioned.

"I think I might have an idea." Steve told them. "Sorry for the intrusion, but I needed to speak with all of you."

MM looked at Steve, fighting whatever remained of his skepticism.

"What is it?" He asked.

"We need Annie to go back to Vought." Steve told them.

"You're kidding me?" MM questioned.

"Let him speak." Frenchie told him.

MM sighed.

"Sorry."

"It's alright, I understand. We think Magneto's group has a spy in Vought. Someone to keep us informed about the situation there." Steve stated.

"What about Homelander?" Annie asked. "He'll know."

"He won't, not right now. Homelander is under mind control. Professor Xavier probably has some sort of telepathic control over him."

"They'd really go that far?" Frenchie asked, baffled.

"You have no idea how far they go. Even with that, I doubt the Illuminati would keep him on a long leash." Steve told her.

"That's what they call themselves?" MM asked in complete disbelief.

Steve let out an understanding sigh.

"Yes, as for Tony. Don't worry about him. I've disagreed with him a lot over the years, but I know he wants to help. It's been his goal for as long as I've known him and the rest. He might not always be right, but he's not malevolent." Captain America told her.

"I'll go." Annie accepted.

"Thank you. You're a true hero Annie. That's something every world needs." He told her.

Annie felt a sense of pride.

"Now, as for Hughie, we'll do everything we can to find him. Spider-Man's taken a keen interest in his situation. He, Ben, and Johnny will look for them." Captain America told her.

"Thank you." She said.

"So what about us?" MM asked.

"You're free to help. We need all hands on deck at the moment." Cap told them.

Kimiko nodded enthusiastically. Frenchie gave a thumbs up.

"I'll stay for the time being." MM remarked.

"Good, we've heard reports of a breakout at a place called Red River. I thought you might know about it." Steve said.
"Red River? It's an orphanage for supes. Usually for those who accidentally killed their families at a young age, or didn't get any money-making powers." Frenchie told him.

"All sorts of fucked up shit happens there. Why, we looking at a breakout?" MM guessed.

"I don't know yet. I'm sending a team to investigate." Steve remarked.

Red River,

Frenchie, Kimiko, and MM tagged alongside Daredevil and the X-Men. They parked the Quinjet in a place not far from the orphanage. They were greeted with cheers from some, but also suspicion. There were chants of "Go home!" from some.

"Like I never left home." Wolverine bitterly noted.

"You from the other Earth?" A cop asked them his suspicions noted.
"Yeah, got a problem with that?" Wolverine asked.

"We're with the FBSA." MM told him, showing them their badges.

"Go on in." The cop told them.

They noticed that the door was broken down, Frenchie examined the doorframe.
"Door looks like someone broke in." Frenchie said.

"So someone broke in?" MM asked.

"Looks like it." Frenchie said.

Daredevil turned to where the cops were. He detected someone he recognized and someone new accompanying her.

The Boys on the other hand were terrified upon noticing Victoria Neuman coming her way, disregarding the woman with her.

"Fuck it's Neuman." MM said under his breath.

"She's…" Frenchie was about to say when Daredevil cut him off.

"We know who she is, but I doubt she'll do it." The Man Without Fear stated pointing out who was with Neuman.

"Well, this isn't where I expected to see another officer of the court. Matt, nice to see you again." Jennifer said shaking his hand.

"Remember the concept of secret identity, Jen?" Daredevil simply replied.

"You're a lawyer?" MM asked.

"By day." Matt replied.

"Jennifer Walters." Jen introduced herself, offering to shake his hand. Kimiko was the only one to accept.

Neuman looked at the Boys.

"I take it by your expressions you already know my secret." Neuman stated.

"Yeah." MM told her.

"As of right now, it's water under the bridge." She told them.

This only infuriated The Boys.

"Water under the bridge?! You try telling that to Susan Rayner!" MM told her.

"You nearly fucked us over two years ago with that shit you pulled in Congress." Frenchie brought up.

"Trust me, they used to share deep fakes of me blowing Bin Laden, so don't expect me to feel bad about them." She told them.

"Well seeing as how you sold out your dad, don't expect us to trust you." MM remarked.

"Fair." She remarked before her expression softened. "Where's Hughie?" She asked seemingly concerned.

"He's not with us anymore." MM bitterly lamented.

This caught Neuman by surprise. Frenchie noted that she seemed to be hurt by this.

"Petit Hughie's not Butcher is." Frenchie told her.

"Oh." Neuman remarked.

He noticed the 616 heroes enter the orphanage. They all decided to follow them. Logan sniffed the orphanage.

"Well?" Jennifer asked.

"None of the orphans died. Most of the blood is from the guards and staff workers." Daredevil noted bitterly.

"The Marauders did this." Logan stated. "Arclight, Blockbuster, Vertigo, Harpoon, and Sabretooth." He said vitriol noticeable on that last name, to the point his claws unconsciously popped out.

Colossus and Nightcrawler were horrified upon hearing that.

"Gott in Himmel." Nightcrawler said solemnly.

"What? Who are they?" Neuman asked.

"Mutant psychopaths who work under a maniacal eugenicist in our world: Nathaniel Essex, Mister Sinister. He has an obsession with harvesting mutant DNA." Nightcrawler said.

Colossus crushed a part of the wall in his grip.

"Years ago, they slaughtered a group of mutants called the Morlocks underneath New York City. I lost a bit of myself after seeing the aftermath." Colossus told them the trauma in his face and tone made it clear he was there. "All so that their master could harvest their DNA." Before letting out a curse in Russian.

Neuman looked horrified and concerned upon hearing that.

"Didn't that Magneto guy say that supes are inferior to mutants? Why does this Sinister motherfucker want them?" MM asked.

"He likely assumes that he can improve upon them." Nightcrawler told him.

"What are looking at? In terms of casualties?" Neuman asked.

"One too many." Colossus solemnly told her. "We must let…"

"I know that goddammit!" Logan angrily snarled as he took a device with an X symbol on it.

"Summers, it's me. We've got a problem." Wolverine said.

Marie was brought to Sinister's lab. It was an ominous-looking room full of strange equipment.

"What about the others?" She asked.

"You needn't worry about all of them. Those who have a glimmer of potential will be spared." Sinister callously told her.

Marie was horrified by every word.

"They're kids, you sick fuck!" She yelled.

"Children doomed to live a life of obscurity as useless sins against nature. Not just their world, but on this one too. Quite frankly, they'll be grateful for this euthanasia." Sinister told her.

"I've read your file. Your powers have great potential. Blood manipulation, grotesque, but extraordinarily useful." Sinister explained. "Did you know you had a sponsor?"

Marie was shocked to hear about this.
"What are you talking about?" Marie asked.

"A former resident of your orphanage. Nadia Khayat, you would recognize her as Victoria Neuman." Sinister told her.

"Why would she care about me?" Marie asked.

"She's a super, just like you." Sinister told her.

"That's bullshit. She works against Vought." Marie told him.

Sinister let out a chuckle.

"Believe all you want. If I'm being entirely honest, I could care less what you believe. What I truly care about are your gifts." Sinister told her.

"You want me to work for you?" Marie asked.

"That would be preferable. However, your cooperation is not necessary." Sinister simply told her.

"If I say no, you don't get my powers." Marie defiantly told him.

Sinister merely smirked at her comment.

"Oh poor deluded child." Sinister told her.

A room in his lab opened up revealing a bunch of tubes. In them looked to be people.

"What… What is this?" She asked.

"Clones. You see, Marie, even if you say no. I could just simply take your DNA and produce a clone who would be more compliant. Admittedly, that would take some time. With that said, I do have other means of forcing obedience." Sinister threatened her.

"Why show me this?" Marie asked, anxiously.

"Amusement, really." Sinister told her. "Do we have an agreement?" He asked.

Marie had used her powers on one of the half-formed clones. She created a blood blade that broke out of the tube. The blade slit Sinister's throat. He clutched the wound, as he choked out green blood before falling down.

"I'm not working for some discount Mengele piece of shit!" She told him before running.

The door shut in front of her, and she turned to see Sinister. He lowered his hands, the wound she had made having healed. He walked over to her, stepping on the clone that had fallen out of the tube.

"You call me, Mengele?" Sinister told her as he grabbed her by the throat and brought her face to face. "Dear girl, I was his mentor." He added with a sadistic smirk.