Jessica didn't even bother to get a chair. Instead she just slowly slid down onto the floor, eyes never leaving the computer screen that taunted her with horrible, world shaking information.
It felt… wrong… that the info was so innocent looking. It should have been in a sinister looking file with the screen black and the letters red. That she had found it in some dark room in some villain's lair instead of…
Jessica looked about. For the first time TRULY looked at Miguel's work space and what it had become. How he had slowly kept the window barriers closed so the Nueva York morning rays couldn't shine in and blocking the beautiful nights when the light-pollution barriers kicked on so that the citizens could see the sky in all its glory. How he had come to prefer the area be completely dark. How the screens had gained an orange tint because 'its easier on my eyes' despite the fact that actually having a normal light source would have been far better! How he'd removed the personal touches he'd once had, making the entire thing rather sterile and cold…
"Oh god," Jessica whispered, "I'm in a supervillain lair."
She didn't want to think that way about Miguel, of course. He had become her friend. Helped her out after the death of her uncle and when Captain Rogers had died battling the Green Goblin. Had given her something to work towards, to look forward too. A promise that maybe her child could live not just in a better world but a better multiverse.
And yet…
"Why didn't he tell me?" she said softly as she looked up at the traitorous computer screen that had taken all she thought she knew of the world and dashed it into pieces. "All these worlds…"
Lyla chose that moment to speak up, popping up next to her. "So, here's the thing about Miguel," Lyla said as she, for once, didn't zip about the room, teleporting from place to place rather than simply walk. Instead she just was standing there one moment and the next she was sitting on the ground next to Jessica. "He's a scientist."
"Almost every Spider-Man is a scientist," Jessica found herself saying.
"Yeah. But he isn't like the rest of them and I'm not talking about the future tech or his powers or even his name. Miguel worked on all sorts of projects and he only one time walked away from one that didn't go as he expected. And considering that led him to becoming Spider-Man… listen, doesn't matter. The point is that Miguel, when he gets it in his head that something is right, doesn't let go. He just assumes if things aren't going as he thought that he made a mistake…" Lyla's mouth twitched. "No, scratched that. Boss man doesn't do 'mistakes'. Its more that there is some outside factor he hasn't figured out yet. Yeah… yeah, that's the better way to put it.
"If an experiment fails it isn't that his theory is wrong. Its just that he hasn't worked out everything yet. If something comes along that doesn't fit what he believes is the answer he doesn't take that as proof that he is wrong. No… Miguel figures that there is something that will tie it all up together. String Theory but only for his ideas. You follow?"
"…no," Jessica said, tone bitter and hard. "How can he think like that?"
"I mean-"
Jessica snapped her head at the AI. "DON'T defend him!" she snarled. "Stop it! I don't care if its in your fucking programming to be loyal to him stop giving him a pass!" She waved wildly at the computer. "All those worlds… all those worlds that prove he is WRONG! That canon events aren't real! That survived!"
'More than survived,' a traitorous little voice whispered in her head. 'Thrived.'
It had been utterly stunning to look them over. Hundreds of Earths where canon hadn't come to pass. Where Peter Parker saved his uncle and the world didn't shatter. Where Gwen Stacy lived and was married to Peter and no crumbling of reality. Where captains survived and the world just kept spinning. And it wasn't just one where canon events were stopped… there were ones where NOTHING happened.
Earth 2510 was a world where Uncle Ben walked in on Peter first discovering his powers and the family sat down, discussed what had happened, and worked together to figure out what to do. Where Ben Parker got to watch his nephew graduate from the Police Academy and become a cop, later a detective who nabbed so many criminals that he was nicknamed 'Spider-Man' because he seemed to have woven a web around all of New York. Where Ben Parker died at the ripe age of 98 learning that his namesake, Ben Parker II, had asked his girlfriend to marry him and she'd said yes.
Earth 145, which Jessica had thought had been destroyed long before any of them had gotten there… only to learn that no, it was still around. It had suffered a horrific event called The Blackout that caused every planet in the universe to lose all technology, reverting everyone back to the stone age. But that had been a century before Penny Parker had been born and she was helping guide her world back, discovering new energy sources. Her uncle and aunt were alive… hell, her PARENTS were alive!
Earth 617-Z, a world where Peter Parker had formed a quad with himself, Mary Jane, Gwen Stacy, and Bruce Banner of all people and was living a happy life.
Again and again and again. Worlds where canon didn't happen or was shattered and… everything was fine. Nothing bad happened. Nothing at all.
And Miguel knew about it.
"Bastard," Jessica murmured to herself. "He knew… he knew there was a chance that Miles could save his father and… and he didn't care. He still attacked him. Ordered me-"
Her mind flashed to her slamming her motorcycle down on Miles, hearing the sickening crack in his body.
It had been a while since she'd gotten morning sickness so she couldn't blame it for her turning around and retching onto the floor.
"He… Miguel…"
"He's still a good person," Lyla said but even to Jessica it came off as weak. "He just-"
Every alarm began to sound, stopping Lyla from defending her boss… and most likely saving her from finding out if Jessica could delete her through sheer force of will.
"What is that?" Jessica asked. "Prison break?" Because that was all they needed: the prisoners from other universes staging an escape. It would have been a bad day with Spider-Society at full strength… it would be a nightmare with how fractured they currently were.
But Lyla shook her head, popping over to a terminal. She didn't actually NEED to look at it but rather it was to direct Jessica's attention to it. "An incursion. M-multiple ones in fact."
"An incursion?" Jessica asked, worried.
"Yeah, it-"
But Lyla never got to finish as instead another voice began to play throughout Miguel's lab.
"Spider-Society, months back I warned you what would happen if you harmed another innocent. I told you that you were not welcome in the multiverse… that the children of all realities were under MY protection. I threatened to expose all of you but stayed my hand, convinced that you could learn. You… have not. And thus you leave me no choice. To quote a wise man: you are monsters. That is the role you seem determined to play so it seems that I… must play… mine. The one that stops the monsters."
"Chris Chase," Lyla whispered.
"Spider-Chaos," Jessica muttered, anger and worry warring within her. It shouldn't have been a concern. He was just one man against the entire Spider-Society. They had members stronger than him, faster than him, smarter than him…
But Chase had also defeated Miguel. Beaten him bloody and then dropped him off in a desolate universe. It had taken 3 days to find him and Miguel had ordered a capture order on him… and no one had seen him again. Attempts to get to his Earth had failed as he had somehow managed to lock his universe away, blocking them. Jessica herself had dealt with him before he'd taken on Miguel… while it had been a close fight he'd won thanks to his strange powers and his even stranger allies.
And now he had arrived in Nueva York… leading an army of heroes.
At once Jessica was on the move.
"Lyla, do I still have secondary command status?"
"You do," she confirmed.
That was good. It meant Miguel hadn't gotten so paranoid that he'd decided to lock her completely out of the chain of command.
"Send an alert to the entire Society. Let them know we are under attack. You are also to not inform Miguel that I saw those files."
"If he asks me-"
"He won't," Jessica said even as the barrier for one of the windows opened, allowing her to feel the cool air of Nueva York hit her face. Without another word Jessica leapt out of the window, touching her watch to signal her motorcycle to come to her location. A few quick weblines had her landing on top of it as it sped down 3rd Avenue, racing towards the sounds of explosions. People were scrambling in a panic but Jessica, much to her own disgust, had to ignore them. 'Stop them here and you save millions,' she thought, trying to justify abandoning to citizens to their terror as she rode on. 'We have to hit them hard and fast, before they can dig in. We do that and we can drive them out.' She touched her comm. unit. "This is Spider-Woman. I'm heading up 3rd Avenue towards a series of explosions. Anyone copy?"
She got back only silence.
"Damn it," she muttered, hoping that it was merely the invaders hacking their system and not that the Society had broken down so much that no one was willing to fight.
Traffic thinned out and so did the people around her, allowing Jessica to put on a burst of speed. One sharp right turn and she found herself staring at a women in her twenties with purple-dyed hair, pointed ears, and an outfit that looked like a Renaissance Fair had crashed into a rock concert. All around her were Skrulls though they were wearing elven robes and seemed to be focused on making sure buildings were empty.
"So… who are you and what are you doing here?" Jessica asked.
"Cassie Strange. Sorceress Supreme." The invader smirked. "And I think Spider-Chaos was pretty clear about why we are here."
"I don't know what you heard-"
But Strange cut her off. "Miles… the one you tried to rip away from his father and his home and send him back to a world where he would have died, slowly melting into goo? He STILL has nightmares about 'The Bad Lady'." Jessica winced at that; she hadn't know Miles was a clone… and when she had learned she'd assumed that they could help… they had Ben Reilly, after all, he could- "He's also my godson."
"Well," Jessica said softly, "I guess that's that then." She revved her motorcycle, knowing she was in for a fight.
"Yup."
And then behind her a portal opened…
…and Jessica's eyes widened in horror as an ULTRON stepped out.
8 feet tall. Gleaming silver metal. Massive mouth twisted in a grin. Wearing a New York Patriots Jersey and backwards hat-
"…what?" Jessica said, startled as reality caught up with her.
"Ul-Tune?" Cassie said. "Drop us a beat to kick these bitches ass too."
"Aw yeah!" Ultron declared at the lights in his mouth began to strobe through all the colors of the rainbow. "You know I got a good one to get your blood bumping! Hello Nueva York!" He rose in the air and suddenly in front of him was a holographic DJ set up. "This Ul-Tune, New Chaos City's premier DJ bringing you all the hits! Ain't no strings on this shit! Now then, let's make some noise for your saviors, a'ight?"
Jessica could only stare as a guitar began to play over every speaker in Nueva York City, filling the air with its strumming as Cassie Strange walked towards her.
I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums
Cassie's hand suddenly turned to steel as she slammed it twice against a building.
Oh, what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
She had been ready for the Sorceress Supreme to begin hurling spells and curses at her. After all on her earth Jessica had often trained with the Sorcerer Supreme, having Stephen fire everything he could at her in order to enhance her spider sense. Even if it went off at a fraction of a second her sense would react, leaping out of the way of whatever spell was being cast. It had saved her life hundreds of times and as such she was ready for whatever magic Cassie Strange tossed her way.
Which was why she was startled when, instead of some complex enchantment, the woman turned her left hand into water and fired a geyser of water at her, Jessica leaping out of the way just in time only for Cassie's other hand to turn into vines that wrapped around her chest, just below her belly, thorns digging into her skin and cutting her flesh as she drew her in close enough for her to throw a now steel fist at her. Jessica just dodged that and kicked back, breaking the vines and landing on the ground.
Young hearts, out our minds
Runnin' till we outta time
Wild childs, lookin' good
Livin' hard just like we should
Don't care whose watching when we tearing it up (you know)
That magic that we got nobody can touch (for sure)
"You… you aren't magical," Jessica said as she fired a webline at her motorcycle, snagging it and hurling it at Cassie. The bike had survived rounds with the Thing so she hadn't been concerned about it being broken… but Cassie suddenly gaining Wolverine's claws and slicing it in half? "You're a Skrull!"
Cassie let out an annoyed huff at that. "Great, this dimension has that delusion too." She rose in the air, lightning crackling on her fingers. "If I weren't magical could I control the weather?"
"Storm from the X-Men can do that!" Jessica replied only for Cassie to begin hurling lightning bolts at her.
"Who?"
"I believe she means the Weather Witch," one of the Skrulls called out.
"Ah, thank you Wong," Cassie said before looking down at Jessica, pausing her assault. "Witch. See, magical? Just like I'm the Sorceress Supreme."
And then she dove down, fists infused with gamma radiation.
Looking for some trouble tonight (yeah)
Take my hand, I'll show you the wild side
Like it's the last night of our lives (uh huh)
We'll keep dancing till we die
I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums
Cassie delivered two strong strikes right to Jessica's middle.
Oh, what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die
Jessica groaned, rubbing her jaw. 'This isn't going well, Jess,' she thought to herself, feeling another tooth wiggling; she really hoped she didn't lose it as she was tired of going to the dentist. 'She might want to deny it but she's a Super Skrull… or possibly even a Skrull Queen with how powerful her blows are. They are tough but you've taken them down-'
Cassie grabbed onto some scaffolding and ripped it from the sidewalk before hurling it at her. Jessica leaped away and fired off some weblines only for Cassie to open her mouth and unleash a glut of flames that not only burned the webbing but forced Jessica to do several backflips. She groaned, rubbing her back when she landed; being pregnant and doing stuff like that was not a great feeling.
'-but this one is different,' she thought. 'She has the powers of a Skrull Queen… but she fights like a mage. She… she truly thinks she's magical.' Jessica shook her head, clearing the cobwebs out. 'And your head isn't in the game, is it? So focused on what you learned, how everything is a lie…' She watched as Cassie just hung in the air, watching her with a bemused expression, '…and the sad thing is I'm beginning to wonder if I'm on the right side.'
But just as quickly as that thought came Jessica banished it.
'No. They invaded Nueva York. They are attacking US. They could have handled this a thousand different ways and instead they come into our home dimension? They march in and declare they know what is best and we have to submit? No… no, they don't get to do that. Not on my turf.'
She ignored the voice in her head, the one that sounded like her husband, who whispered this wasn't 'her turf'. Who painted out that Cassie Strange and her friends were only doing what the Society had done a thousand times.
'The only difference is you're the one being told to stand down,' the voice whispered.
Jessica narrowed her eyes, placing her hands on her tummy. Her baby always grounded her-
"Mistress!" a Skrull cried out. "This one isn't fat. I believe she is with child."
"…fuck," Cassie muttered before pulling out a small object from her pocket. "I could have done with knowing that sooner." She held it out in front of her, hands spread around it as it floated in front of her, glowing with an orangish light. Jessica braced…
…and suddenly wasn't in Nueva York.
Instead she found herself in a world with a reddish orange sky.
"What?" she whispered only to start when she heard crying. Looking about wildly she spotted a small little bundle in a bassinet… because that was normal to find in a world where the sky was the wrong color, the ground looked to be liquid, and the horizon went on forever. But she focused on the child's cries and hurried over, checking over the little one. "What are you doing here?" she thought as she lifted the baby up…
…only to realize her own baby bump was gone.
"Welcome… to the Soul Gem," Cassie Strange's voice called out from all around her. "You and your child will be safe here, protected from harm, until the battle is finished and we can determine what to do with you."
Jessica's eyes widened at that before she began to scream at the woman to let her out.
But Cassie never said a word, leaving Jessica and her child completely alone.