Disclaimer: In no way, shape nor form have I ever owned part or parcel of Marvel. I have no investments in Spider-Man, nor in the She-Hulk. I really wish I did though. It would be nice, no?
Trigger: Uhh… Car goes vroom?
Warning: I am sleep deprived. This is one of the newest chapters penned during the 2023 NanoWrimo contest. Sorry if I'm confused. Me being confused isn't new though. Ha! But really…
Navigating the Curve
By Juliette Lyst
My Vision Blurred
Main Universe
September 5 th - 1PM
Maastricht
While she walked, the hooded woman slowed down a little to take in the scenery. This truly was such a beautiful place. As she expected, the man she was following, glanced over his shoulder, saw where she was and slowed down-waiting for her to catch up. "Don't worry," she mused. "I'm fine."
He nodded. "I understand, Miss," his smile when he spoke was a kind one. "Yet, I still need to be sure you make it to your destination safely."
A faint smile crossed her lips then. Augustus was so considerate, even for someone who was under her employ. It was a nice change… from constantly dealing with the never-ending stress. Here, there was only him and the few other staff in her home. Dipping her head gratefully, she walked faster to keep pace with him.
Satisfied with what he saw, he resumed their walk.
How she wished that all she needed was to just enjoy her time. But… that wasn't all of it. Not at all. She was still under pressure to finish paying Reuben for his services in uncovering and exposing the man who had tried to turn her life into an inescapable nightmare. All because I turned him down, she mentally grumbled-angry.
She had that computer whiz to deal with, then her scientists… and the CDC. By the time the government officials had arrived, she'd long flown the coop.
An outbreak of a brand-new virulent strand of the Goblin virus? No thank you!
She'd removed her son from his private school earlier and both of them chartered a flight. The entire ordeal was a challenging one.
The blonde knew that she had very limited time before she would be caught and dragged back.
Was it wrong for her to abandon her company-her employees… with no warning?
Was she in the wrong for calling the authorities on her staff and not warning them?
Was she wrong for skipping out of the country as fast as she had?
She was… But… I had no choice… she thought, resolute. Over the course of several days, she had thoroughly convinced herself that she was completely in the right and had no recourse. That wasn't true at all.
Instead of owning up to her own mistake, because the company ran under her name, she had chosen to turn into a little coward and run for her life. No cares-not one concern for those she left behind. Even Henry didn't know where she'd run to. Phone calls from him went unanswered.
Oh well… Can't do anything about it now. She reasoned. There is, she reminded herself. Go back and turn yourself in! She ground her teeth together, a muscle in her jaw jumping. The last thing she wanted to do was go back to the United States. No telling what the government would do to her for fleeing like she had.
Seeing the rather robust home that she'd purchased for herself, she felt herself relax, only to tense faintly. For a moment-one far too long- she felt like she'd been thrown into a furnace. Her face felt hot, along with the rest of her body. Fortunately for her, the overwhelming heat dissipated after a few minutes.
But it left her sweaty and a little unbalanced.
Just then, Augustus looked at her, gray eyes widening. He hurried to her side and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Do you need assistance, Miss?" he asked, his English slipping just a little in his panic. After speaking, he used both hands to gently support her under one arm.
"You…" she replied, feeling tired now. "You take such good care of me, Augustus… I don't deserve you."
"Now don't say that, Miss," he responded, beginning to feel his racing heart slow back to normal. Slowly and with precise movements, he led her to her home, helping her climb the few steps.
"I'll help you get to bed."
One blond brow rose. "I thought you said it was time for my meal?" Not that she could argue with him the point that she didn't want to lie down. She knew she needed to lie down.
"It is," he responded, a placid expression on his face again. "However, I can request one of the staff to bring your meal to you."
"Oh," she lightly pat one of his hands. "You don't need to do that."
He was quiet, considering her words. Ever since he'd gone into this particular profession, being courteous and helpful was always at the top of his goals for that particular day. Why would he not do anything to alleviate her discomfort? "Then… I suppose you could say that I want to do that."
She blinked.
"I don't understand how an employee in such a position would be unwilling to see their employer as a member of the family."
"I…" her words were caught in her throat momentarily. "Uhh… I'm not used to it. People in my home country aren't as kind."
Dark brows dipped down at her words. "I'm terribly sorry to hear that, Miss."
Once they were through the front door, he moved one hand away gingerly and waved over one of the women that worked in the home.
As she ran over, her eyes widened. "Is something wrong with Miss?" she asked, swallowing nervously.
"She needs to rest," he replied. "I would appreciate if you helped me take her upstairs to her room."
"Of course!" the other blonde replied.
Together, they helped their employer make it to her bedroom. It was slow going though.
For the blonde, each and every step was harder and harder. She was beginning to feel warm again, though not to such a severe degree… thankfully.
"Thank you so much, Primrose," she spoke after they helped her into the room.
Augustus stepped out of the room and into the hallway-giving the two women some privacy.
"It's not problem at all, Miss," she replied, smiling kindly. As gently and efficiently as she could, she helped the blonde disrobe and get into much more comfortable clothing. "Here we go," she murmured, helping the stricken woman recline in bed. Tugging the covers up to her chin, she looked to the door. "You can come back in!"
"Do you want me to go fetch a doctor for you, Miss?" Augustus asked after poking his head in. Stepping in the room fully, it became obvious that he'd been wringing his hands in worry.
"No, that's fine," the blonde replied, waving lightly. "I'll be fine. Probably just exerted myself too much earlier."
"Understood. Your food will be brought up to you soon." Both employees dipped their heads and left the room.
The phone resting on the nightstand buzzed lightly, a text message popping up on the screen.
It read:
Hey Lizzie! Got your latest payment! Not long to go now! I'll be in touch. Reuben.'
Snorting after reading the message, Liz frowned up at the ceiling in her room. Using the back of her left hand, she rubbed the right side of her mouth. I probably should have asked for a physician… she grumbled to herself.
At least she was beginning to feel cooler. As she relaxed, she felt so much better… unaware of any discomfort.
When Primrose entered the room, she dropped the tray and ran to Liz's side. "Miss!" she called. "Miss Allaine!" Looking closely, she noticed that the blonde was breathing, but it was labored. Rushing into the hallway, she cupped both hands around her mouth and yelled. "Ring a doctor! A doctor! Hurry!"
Her cry spurred the entire staff into action, with a few of the male workers hurrying up the stairs.
Entering Liz's room, the men carefully removed her from her bed and escorted her down the stairs.
Primrose followed closely behind, worrying her lip. United States
Baxter Building - 6AM
"If I thought I hated hospitals before…" Jennifer muttered, once again finding herself hooked up to machines in the medical lab. She even sported a brand new nasal cannula.
Reed was leaving nothing to chance.
That unfortunately left the jade powerhouse in essence 'plugged into' the building. Not that she could get herself untangled, even if she wanted to.
Reed was extremely resistant to the idea of her moving far at all, except the to the bathroom. Even for meals, he'd restricted her to the room.
"I now apologize from my future self," she spoke, frowning. "To my past selves. And I also suggest you all be happy without having random things shoved into everywhere. Orifice or not."
"Am… I interrupting?" Johnny asked, poking his head through the door. He was planning on visiting Jen anyways, but became deeply concerned when he heard her talking to herself… again. Narrowed viridian-hued eyes stared at him. "Interrupting who, Johnny?"
"Ah…" the blond opened and closed his mouth a few times. The young man decided it best he not respond to that. "Never mind, Jen," he replied, smiling. "Came down to see how you're doing."
The green woman used her right arm to point to all the tubes and lines coming out of her left arm. "Gee, Johnny," she remarked sarcastically. "I'm doing absolutely fine." Jennifer stopped speaking long enough for him to hear the whirring sound from the oxygen machine.
"Whew," he spoke, holding both hands out and pushing them down. "Calm down. It wasn't a loaded question."
"Nothing is loaded lately," her gaze flattened further.
Blond brows rose at that one, uncertain if he'd just been insulted or not. Moving over to the lone chair in the room, he picked it up and set it next to Jennifer.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
Seating himself neatly, he rested his left ankle on his right knee,
arms folded. "Sitting," he replied, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"No, I got that, flamebutt," she replied. Sniffing lightly, she attempted to shift herself carefully in bed.
Seeing exertion on her face-something the young man was never used to seeing, he got up to offer some assistance.
"No, Jonathan…" Jennifer spoke, her voice firm. "I can do it."
He shook his head, running his fingers through tousled blond locks. "I know you can," he replied, softening his tone. "But I still want to help."
Pausing, Jennifer looked up at him, swallowing hard. "You shouldn't have to," her words sounded hollow. "… I've never felt so weak in my life." It seemed that as soon as she was back in the lab… whatever strength she had flew the coop. It could have been from the fluids being pumped into her, the reality of what was happening beginning to sink in… or the fact that she was unable to stop it.
He bit his bottom lip. "So?" he replied, trying to lighten the mood. "I remember a certain green someone lifting and carrying me out of the cold room."
Snorting, Jennifer didn't offer resistance when he moved closer this time. "If you're sure, hotshot," she responding, smirking when she heard him suddenly grunt. "I hope you remember that you are a lot lighter than I am."
"Light in what sense?" he asked, feeling strained as he managed to help Jennifer get into a more comfortable spot in the bed. Unseen by her, he was grinding his teeth together… and praying he avoided developing a hernia from this.
Tsking, Jennifer shook her head. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Johnny."
"Nope!" he replied, straightening up and trying to not-so-obviously stretch his back.
Both of them heard a loud crack come from one of his ligaments. Jennifer's cheeks darkened, embarrassment flooding her face. "Ah-"
"Even if your brain doesn't get it, your body certainly does." Johnny froze in his stretching, blushing now too.
"… What's going on in there?" Susan asked, right outside the door. She didn't want to assume anything, but had unfortunately overheard
the tail end of their conversation." "Not-" Jen began.
"Jennifer here is explaining to me-" as he spoke, he watched Jennifer's eyes widen. "Just how durable Hulk's skin is."
Susan was quiet for a moment, trying to digest that. "… Why would you even ask her about how strong her skin is, Johnny?"
The blond smirked, winking at Jen. "Not hers, sis!" he replied. "Hulk!" Susan scratched her head.
Not hearing an immediate response. "You do know him, right?" the young man asked. "Massive guy, big as a mountain it seems." He held in a laugh when he saw Jen roll her eyes. "Has gone toe to toe with Ben… and it didn't look good for either of them."
Pursing her lips, Jennifer spoke. "While his body is resistant to bullets-like mine, he still has some of the same weakness."
Intrigued, Johnny gave her his full attention. "Such as?" Jen squinted.
"Oh come on!" Johnny exclaimed. "I'm not going to do anything with the information!" Except maybe be better prepared if her dear cousin loses control and we have to deal with him…
"Promise?" Jen asked.
Holding up his pinky finger, Johnny moved his hand over to her. "Promise." he responded, grinning when Jennifer took him up on the officer.
"As far as I know, he still has to breathe," she frowned suddenly. "I think…"
"You think?" Susan asked, stepping into the room. "You don't know?"
"Sue…" the green woman began. "It's not like we have the sort of relationship when I can expect a daily or even a weekly phone call."
"Right…"
"I can't remember the last time Bruce reached out at all." Expression falling, Jennifer-for a moment-displayed how hurt she was. "I have no way to reach him either." Her eyes drifted to the IV line. "He has no clue what's happened to me."
"If he saw the news, he would know," Johnny reminded her.
"He would need to watch it to know," the green woman retorted. "He's always on the run-from everyone-that I doubt he even remembers what it's like to have a working television." Or indoor plumbing… she mentally added.
Susan frowned.
"I'm sorry," Johnny breathed. He couldn't tell her he understood, because the situation with Jen and Bruce was completely different. Still… the idea of not having any family nearby? That hurt.
"It's fine…" the jade giantess murmured, still struggling with her emotions. "I…" Her voice trailed off, eyes widening.
"Jen?" Susan spoke, walking to her friend's other side.
"I… I-I… I don't…" Jen's words were slurred, her entire face reflecting how weary she felt.
"… Johnny," Susan spoke, trying to remain as calm as possible. "Go get Reed."
"Reed?" the young man asked numbly, afraid. He wasn't sure what he was seeing.
"Jennifer," Susan spoke, resting a hand on the green woman's shoulder and squeezing. "I'm right here." Looking at her brother, she raised her voice. "Go get Reed! Now!"
Staggering to his feet, Johnny raced out of the room.
The green woman's eyes turned to Susan-fear in their depths. "Jen!" the blonde called. "What's wrong? What's hurting?"
Instead of a normal response, the green woman's lips trembled, as if she was attempting to communicate… but she wasn't able to make the connection.
Oh no… the blonde paled, unsure of what was happening. Or why it was happening. She let her gaze trail down, seeing the fingers on Jennifer's left-hand trembling-but the right side… it was unusually still. "Jennifer!" Susan addressed her friend, making sure she still had her attention. "Blink for me. Can you hear me? Once for yes." If not… there was no secondary option.
Jen blinked once.
Susan let out a breath in relief. "Okay… that's good. Can you feel anything on the right side? Once for yes, two for no."
Jennifer's eyes began to tear up, and she blinked twice.
Chilled, Susan pressed further. "Can you feel your legs? Either one of them?"
Jennifer almost responded- almost, but instead of the answer she was going to give Susan, her eyes rolled back in her head.
"… Jen?" Susan spoke, alarmed further when she realized Jen was struggling to breathe.
Right then, Reed burst into the room. "What's the emergency?!" he asked, trying to catch his breath.
"I don't know!" the blonde replied, feeling the tendrils of panic beginning to dig in deep.
Reed grimaced, hearing Jennifer gasping. "Sue, grab the BVM. It'll buy us some time to get the ventilator over here."
The blonde hurried to do that.
"Johnny," he spoke, making eye contact with his brother-in-law. "I need you to help me get the machine in here."
"Me?"
Susan arrived with the needed mask. She tilted her friend's head back, using her index and middle finger under the chin to pull up on Jen's mandible. She was careful to only touch bones and no softer tissues. She readjusted the pillows on the bed and folding them over before tucking them behind Jen's neck and shoulder to elevate her upper body and help maintain the position. Removing the cannula, Susan replaced it with the mask and began to squeeze.
She blonde was on edge, feeling even more afraid as Reed and Johnny left the room. Her jaw trembled.
Echo's Lab - Evening
Eerily still, Echo stared into the tank in front of him. The nanobots were hastily at work, building for him… but this time it was something special. Partially sunken in eyes kept looking as his newest creation began taking shape. The edges of his mouth quivered as he
attempted a smile… but he gave up shortly afterward.
"Why did you do it?" he spoke to no one in particular. Frowning, he turned and stepped over to one of the monitors, punching in some commands. The matrix he was working on wavered momentarily before twisting, slowly taking the shape of a hand. He continued to punch in commands.
His tank was big enough… he could fit more in there. This might be one of my worst ideas… he thought, but that didn't stop him from working. While it was true that the tank in front of him was large enough for an adult man to stand in, what he planned was still ambitious.
Even by his own standards.
He heard the familiar whir from his other bot as it entered his lab and he opted not to speak to it at first.
"Sir?" the bot spoke. "It is time for your evening medication."
Frowning, his upper lip curling, Echo waved the bot off. "I'll get to it soon HEA."
Understanding, the machine walked to a different spot next to the door and settled itself down into a partial crouch.
"So much work!" the bald man grumbled. Turning back to the monitor, he was about to punch in another series of commands when the bot spoke to him again.
"Do you desire food?" another voice asked.
Echo blinked… wondering when Ainslaeigh had come in. The gynoid was at times very unnerving in that way.
Now, the edges of Echo's mouth curled up and he let out an involuntary laugh. He found it so very amusing… that despite all of the people he knew and the different things he'd experienced in life… the only ones concerned for his wellbeing were all machines.
Then, a pang… as he remembered another bot-one that he truly missed. Is it so wrong… he asked himself. To love a soulless machine?
It was doubtful that any answers would come to him any time soon. I need a distraction… he thought with realization. "HEA?"
The bot turned its head to him.
"Get dressed. I'll be taking my medication… and we need to get on the road."
Bobbing in agreement, the bot left the room.
Verbalizing his frustration, he folded his arms and stared from the monitor to the tank. I need to finish sealing off that lab.
It had started off as simple scuffles, but soon it was obvious that there were more than a few interested with what laid in Otto's abandoned laboratory. They were willing to fight for that technology.
Some even willing to kill.
So Echo had displayed wisdom, having some of his nanobots make the journey to snatch up technology that no one would notice gone. So far, he had been pretty successful… but he needed to check on the area all the same.
Once HEA returned, Echo secured his consoles and followed the bot. He almost wanted to laugh, seeing the machine wobbling in its custom suit. The tall thin rushed to get himself changed into more casual attire.
Recently, he had the windows of his vehicle tinted… with the hopes that it would deter people from displaying the disrespectful attitudes that he was always faced with.
He let out another sigh and kept walking. Maastricht
Evening - 11PM
Lashes fluttering, Liz gradually opened her eyes. The bright lights overhead were blinding and she winced, her eyes narrowed to slits. "Awake now, I see," an older man spoke, standing over Liz. He sported a full head of gray hair and a big smile.
She turned her head in his direction.
"You gave us quite the scare, Miss Allaine," his eyes were kind as he pulled a penlight from one of his pockets. "Just going to check your eyes now. I'll be careful."
Even knowing that, Liz still winced when he gently held up her eyelid and waved the light.
"I'm sorry," he spoke. "I'll try to be quick." Quietly, he checked the other eye as well and satisfied with what he found, he turned off the light and tucked it back into his breast pocket. Straightening up, he looked off to the side, speaking to one of the staff there.
Liz blinked, unable to follow the conversation once he switched out of English.
A nurse stepped into view holding a chart and handed it to the doctor. She exchanged words with him and offered Liz a beaming smile. She opened her mouth to speak. After a few words, the doctor interrupted her and said something else.
Liz squinted, still not understanding either of them.
The nurse switched to English. "So sorry!" she spoke, her accent thick. "Good to see you awake! We were really worried about you."
"How…" Liz cleared her throat. "How did I end up here?" It did not take rocket science to tell her she wasn't at her home. And the room has a strong 'clean' scent in it. "And why?"
The nurse frowned. "You came in with a fever," she explained. She was about to say more, but paused. Worriedly, she looked at the doctor, asking him a question.
He responded… in the same foreign tongue.
"We aren't sure how you managed to survive," the woman continued, concern deepening when she noticed how bewildered her patient was. "Your temperature was nearly forty-one. I've never seen a patient come in like that and live."
"We still need to test to see if there's any lasting damage," the doctor spoke, wanting to involve his patient more in her care. Under normal circumstances, his patient shouldn't be coherent at all.
The human mind was a highly adaptable and powerful organ. It could survive significant loss of tissue mass and rewire itself to cope, though the situations where it occurred were rare. Still… it could manage through a variety of different circumstances save a few…
Lack of oxygen could cause irreparable damage… along with excessive heat.
"Damage?" Liz asked, frightened. Her eyes darted back and forth as she glanced down at her limbs, testing to see if she could move. While she still felt all of them, the muscles in her legs were sore, along with her arms.
"You shouldn't be able to speak with us right now," the doctor bluntly informed her. He was encouraged when he saw an immediate reaction to her words. Fear in response to his words, though it wasn't a positive state of being, was better than seeing nothing at all. "Your fever was extremely high, Miss Allaine."
"She said for-"
"That's a bit up past one hundred five degrees… Fahrenheit," he added, helpfully. Your other organs should have been compromised to an extent too, but… they haven't."
"Am I sick?" Liz asked. Of course, she knew the answer to the question. She only didn't understand how or why she had gotten sick. I hope I didn't catch anything on the flight here… she thought with dismay.
"You are," he replied. He paused, glancing at his nurse for a moment.
The brunette frowned at him.
"We don't know what's causing the problem right now," he explained. "So, we need to do some tests. Since you are conscious, we wanted to let you know."
"What if I don't want to do any of these tests?" she asked. Though Liz wasn't certain what was afflicting her, she had an idea… and if that was the case… It'll be too late for so many people…
Since making those calls and cutting her ties in America-for the time being-she'd heard nothing more about Norman's condition. A quick check in the news had revealed the sobering truth… There was some virus that was beginning to rip through the populace in New York.
The CDC had already made announcements of the dangers… but it seemed that many people had refused to heed the warning. What started out with a handful of those infected was making a slow, but still gradual trek through that section of the country.
What if it spreads further? she wondered in alarm.
"You condition was nearly critical," he continued. "We had to pack you in ice to get you to cool down."
Blinking, as his words broke through her reverie, she looked up at him. "Ice?" she asked.
Slowly, the physician nodded. "You were in ice for a long time." "Long t-Wait… what day is it?" the blonde asked, alarmed.
"Just about eight hours," he replied. He looked over her chart momentarily, flipping a few pages back. "Yes, right here. It took exactly eight hours to break your fever."
Liz's eyes widened.
"As soon as your temperature began to drop, we pulled you right out of the ice." He scratched his chin, which sported grayish stubble. His focus was on the chart, which detailed additional efforts made to stabilize her breathing. Fortunately, once the fever was reduced, that problem also subsided.
Liz lifted her right hand, staring at it. "Thank you," she spoke, absently. The blonde felt nervous… because part of what the doctor had mentioned sounded very familiar. Her heart reacted to her emotional state, beginning to beat quickly and erratically. What… what have I done? The question turned over in her mind.
Liz thought she had escaped the Goblin virus. That if she put enough distance between herself and Alchemex-she would be safe from the terrible consequences of trying to revive the virus.
Instead, she had dragged that horrible disease over into an entirely different country, exposed people who hadn't done a thing to harm her.
People who didn't know.
Now, Norman was ill… though his current state was unknown and her? This is not good… she swallowed, beginning to feel very lightheaded.
The nurse's attention snapped to the monitor at the sounds, her eyes widening. "Miss Allaine!" she spoke quickly to her patient.
Liz's blue eyes snapped to the nurse's face, though it was becoming obvious that she was having problems keeping her eyes open.
"Calm down! Just relax…" the nurse urgently told her patient, hurriedly slamming a button to ask for additional assistance in the room.
The doctor had already discarded the chart on Liz's legs and was using his stethoscope to listen to her heart.
"I'm… I'm sorry," the blonde spoke, her voice weak.
"Now now, Miss Allaine," he began, not liking what he was hearing in her chest. "There's nothing you need to apologize for."
"Check…" she muttered. "Check my blood," the blonde managed. "Your blood?" the doctor asked. "Why would we…."
The nurse checked Liz's monitor further. "Her temperature is rising again!"
"Soo… so hot." Liz murmured, breaking out into a sweat.
The doctor resumed working on her as more of the staff rushed in.
"So… so sorry," she blonde spoke again, giving up as darkness took over.
Baxter Building Evening - 10PM
Susan was quiet, sitting next to Jennifer. Her head was in her hands, and she rocked slowly in place-trying to understand why . Why was it that their friend was suddenly so ill? Was it tied to that thing inside of her? Why would a friend ever give her such a horrible gift?
The green woman was at current comatose, with a hose down her throat. The ventilator she was attached to was doing a good job of taking over the task of her breathing. Aside from figuring out what was happening to her-respiratory wasn't something he ever thought he would see in someone like her.
"Supportive care is the best we can do for her right now," Reed spoke softly, resting a hand on his wife's shoulder, squeezing lightly.
"It doesn't make any sense," Sue replied.
The sound of heavy steps caught their attention… and both of them were quiet for a time.
Reed sighed, knowing it was Ben. There was no need for him to rush-not right then.
Peeking into the room, Ben eased his massive body through the door. "Sorry I'm late," he spoke, holding a brown fedora in his hands. He was twisting it between his hands.
"It's fine, Ben," the blonde spoke, her shoulders drooping. "She's stable right now… I think."
"She is," Reed replied. "But we can't do much right now. Not without additional tests."
"What happened to her?" Ben asked. It wasn't that long since he'd seen her… and she didn't look this bad."
"Someone she knew implanted something in her body and didn't warn her. From what Jen has told us, this 'DNA packet' turned out to be an unprogrammed symbiont that was supposed to take over the might of the host it was attached to."
"That…" the big man's voice drifted off. What was he going to say exactly? It sounded far too… fantastical. And horrific.
"Also, we saw that it was moving before Jen ended up in here."
"For some reasons… those we don't understand," Susan added. "She suddenly lost the ability to speak… or move on her right side."
Ben's brows pinched together, distress on his face. "Did she have a stroke?" he asked.
"That was the first thing I tested for," Reed explained. "I'm waiting for the films to finish developing."
"I thought those things were instant," he replied.
"They sort of are," Johnny commented. "I don't think any of us want the results to be that."
The scientist lowered his head, looking away from Ben. It was true that everything was ready for his analysis, but he didn't like to consider the possibility. That also meant that he needed to inform her family as to what was happening to her. Remembering what she'd said about her contact with her cousin, he felt uncertain.
"We need to reach Bruce," Reed explained further. He wanted… needed consent from a family member to do surgery.
"Ha!" Ben replied without humor. "We'd have a better chance of turning the sand into the sea."
Everyone gave out a collective sigh at that. Bruce was unreliable… but he was needed.
"We need to find a way to reach him," Reed murmured. He stroked his chin in thought.
"Do we know if he's hiding from S.H.I.E.L.D again?" Johnny asked. "That's a good question," Reed replied. "I'll be right back."
"But you haven't checked her scan yet!" Susan called, watching her husband swiftly leave the room. If anything, he seemed to move faster after she mentioned Jennifer's test results. She could understand that… but still.
"Give him a few minutes, sis," Johnny spoke, his features downcast. "Shulkie?" Ben spoke, noticing her eyes were open.
"What?!" Susan exclaimed.
Both blonds turned to the bed.
Sure enough, Jennifer's green eyes were wide open again. Her gaze was tracking them, which was very good. She wasn't struggling to get off the ventilator though… which was concerning.
"Jennifer!" Susan yelled once she was next to the green woman. Jennifer winced.
"Too loud?" Johnny asked?
The green woman blinked once.
Susan's brows shot up. She remembers! "Jen, are you hurting anywhere?" she asked.
The green woman looked left, and right for a moment… then blinked twice.
"So, nothing's hurting… that's good. Jen, do you feel your legs at all?"
Jennifer's sudden crestfallen expression told Susan more than words ever could.
"I take it that's still a no…"
Jennifer blinked once-agreeing. She did try to move her upper body a little, but only her left hand was moving.
Moving to her other side, Jenny took her hand and squeezed, amused when she squeezed back. "It's not a good situation," he spoke. "But it's a good thing you were in here."
Jennifer lifted a brow.
"You stopped breathing," he answered. He saw how her eyes widened dramatically. "You're fine now!" he rushed to add. "Right
now, you're hooked up to a ventilator."
Easing her left hand free, Jennifer lifted her arm and felt the tube coming out her mouth. Her gaze wobbled, tears filling her eyes.
"You'll be just fine," Ben spoke, walking into her range of view. "You owe me a rematch, after all. Can't miss that."
Jennifer's lips quivered at the edges, showing her attempt to smile. The big man grinned in return. "No jumping next time, alright?" She rolled her eyes.
"If we're playing fair, Shulkie."
The green woman gestured for something to write with.
Susan went and retrieved a writing tablet and pen for Jen.
Taking it easily, Jennifer wrote out a message and held the pad to Ben.
He read it, trying to suppress a snort of laughter.
"What did she write?" Johnny asked, curious. He looked over the note and laughed himself.
"What?" Susan asked, looking too. The note read:
It's not my fault that you're too slow on your feet, big guy. Maybe if you had two of you playing together…"
The green woman wiggled her brows, amusement in her eyes.
"Maybe Stretch can pull it off," Ben replied, his blue eyes twinkling. "At least for a while."
Jennifer reached for the pad again and wrote a new note, her eyes suddenly serious.
The other three stood quietly, waiting to see what she'd write next. When she was done, she handed the pad over.
It read:
All jokes aside, this is terrible. Has anyone been able to find Jazinda? She's the reason I'm dealing with this. And where is Reed? Normally, he'd be in here too."
"Well…" Susan began. "Reed is looking for your cousin." Jennifer's eyes widened again and then her brows furrowed.
"He thinks we might need to do surgery to help you. He wants to make sure that he gets consent."
"Probably," Johnny began. "In case…" his voice trailed off, and he looked grim. None of them wanted to think about the possibility that Jennifer wouldn't survive a procedure… but it all depended on what was required.
Jen gestured for the pad again and wrote another note. It read:
Why would I need surgery? What exactly happened to me? And it is a waste trying to find Bruce. You'd have a better chance getting water from the moon."
"That part Reed didn't explain exactly," Susan replied. "All we know is that he was discussing the possibility. As for what happened to you… We think you might have had a stroke."
Jen looked surprised.
"We're not entirely sure yet. Reed hasn't read the results." Jen's hand opened and she gestured for more information.
"He'll check it soon. Right now, he's trying to figure out where Bruce is."
Jen gestured for the pad again and wrote another note. It read:
I'm able to make the decision for myself. It's no problem. No need to try to chase Bruce down."
"I'll go let Reed know you're awake." Johnny spoke, smiling. He hurried to find the scientist.
The green woman lightly nodded in gratitude. Elsewhere
A tall, lone figure, all clad in black, quietly approached the remains of Otto Octavious' laboratory.
"Are you listening, HEA?" Echo asked, making sure to keep his body away from direct light. The last thing he needed was for someone else to see him out there. He carefully adjusted the earpiece he was wearing.
"Yes, sir," the bot replied. For its part, the machine was seated behind the steering wheel, awaiting Echo's return.
"Good," the thin inventor replied. It would make more sense, truly, for him to send one of his bots inside. But so far, he hadn't found any problems when the small machines invaded the area to steal away some technology.
Entering the door alone was proving to be a challenge. Seeing the faint greenish glow inside was amusing. The small machines he'd sent had left little 'traces' of themselves… in the form of little lights. The lights, along with the gynoids, robots and nanos… they all obeyed Echo. If he wanted something to stop, he would. If he wanted them to perform, they all obeyed his command.
Of course, as with all things there was a slight margin for error. He'd been in the clear until now.
It was subtle at first. A small scratching nose caught Echo's attention, and he looked around. Hesitating, he continued to look around where he was standing-right at the front doors. Nothing else should be in here… Nothing except his own machines.
Hearing nothing else, he moved further into the building. Using the faint in the area glow to navigate, the tall man made his way further and further down into the lower levels of the lab.
Were the tall man able, he would have planted something to power the elevator… but as it was, everything was turned off. As the levels continued down, he activated the headlight he was wearing. "HEA?" he asked, his voice soft.
"I am still here, sir," the bot replied. In a bit to remain secluded, it had lowered itself down in the seat until all that was visible were the eyes it needed to keep surveillance on the area.
"There's something going on here," Echo continued. "I'm not exactly sure, but something seems off."
"Such as?" the bot asked.
Echo frowned, reaching the basement and staring at the massive double set of doors. "I heard something in here, HEA. I'm not sure if it's a lose wire or…"
"Perhaps," the bot began. "It would be wise to call this venture off for tonight, sir?"
Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Echo rubbed his forehead. "You might be right," he replied. The massive doors sat in front of him still… as if mocking him. He scowled at them, feeling as if it was the same as a personal taunt.
Echo did not like giving up, but knew when he was beat. Before he could move a muscle, he heard that same noise again. "HEA…" he began, slowly turning around.
"Sir?"
"Get here, HEA!"
The giant six-legged figure that he was confronted with was blocking the stairway and his only exit out of the laboratory basement. Light bounced readily off its metallic surface. Glowing red eyes were focused on him.
The bot left the car and rushed towards the entrance of the lab. Most understood the sounds someone made when afraid… and HEA was designed to do the same.
Echo swallowed hard as this new construct slowly stalked towards him on all six legs. "W… W-What are you?" he asked, his voice trembling. The last thing the man ever expected was for it to respond!
"I am," it began. "The guardian of this place. State your purpose."
Echo blinked, clearly hearing Otto's voice coming out the bot. "Umm…"
"You are not my master," the bot observed, taking another step closer. "Why are you here? Who are you?" the questions were relentless. "Where is my master?"
"Are…" Echo cleared his throat carefully. "Are you waiting for Otto?"
The reddish glow of the eyes dimmed slightly. "Where is my master?" the bot repeated itself.
"That part… I'm sorry to say…" Echo sighed, frowning and relaxing his shoulders. "Otto is gone."
"Does not compute," the bot replied. "Where is my master?" "He will not be returning," Echo spoke, elaborating.
"Sir!" HEA's voice could be heard near the stairwell.
Abruptly, the six-legged machine rose up on just four of those legs and began going back up the stairs.
"HEA!" Echo called. "I'm fine, don't worry… Though you might want to go back out to the car."
"Sir?" HEA asked, having clearly heard another voice down there.
"Trust me HEA. Go back!" he watched as the six-legged bot continued its climb. "Go back now!"
"Understood, sir." With that, HEA turned and hurried back out of the lab's front door.
Hearing the retreating footsteps, the six-legged bot turned back to the prior one it had encountered.
"It's very good that you are here to protect Otto's lab," Echo spoke as the bot made its way back to him. "Unfortunately, your master won't be returning."
"Where has master gone?" the bot asked. Echo frowned. "He has died."
"Die?" the machine parroted. There was a faint whirring sound as it considered what that meant. "Die… the activity of no longer being
active. No longer alive. Deceased. To be 'gone.'" Echo nodded. "Do you understand?" he asked.
The bot took a few steps closer. "Who are you?" it asked, seemingly making a decision.
"My name is Gunner," Echo replied. "Gunner Berry. I am… an inventor, a builder. Like your former master."
"Former master," it repeated. "What are my tasks?" it asked. "With master gone, who is my master?"
Echo's face fell, and he felt sorry for the robot. "I wish I knew what to tell you."
"I am the guardian of this place," the bot spoke, sounding confused. "I am… W-Without task." That faint whirring noise was heard again. "I am the guardian of this place-"
"It's okay. I understand," Echo said. Sighing, he folded his arms. "What is your name?"
"I am M.A.P."
"… Map?" Echo asked, one brow shooting up. What kind of name… "Mechanical Assistant for Protons."
"Oh…" That wasn't something the tall man expected to hear. At all. Protons, huh?
"What are your tasks… MAP?" he asked.
"I am the guardian of this place," it repeated. "I assist master with various tasks, not limited to modification and manipulation of subatomic particles."
Now, Echo fund himself at a loss for words.
"I am now without further instruction," MAP continued. "I will remain the guardian of this place."
Clearing his throat, Echo sighed.
"That is my task," it concluded. "I am MAP, and I am the guardian-" "'Of this place,' I know," Echo replied. He stroked his chin. "MAP,
how would you like a new task?"
"Master granted me tasks," the bot replied.
"That's true," Echo agreed. "But he is gone now. He won't ever be returning,"
The bot's eyes flickered from red to yellow.
"I'm sorry to tell you that," Echo continued, a bit worried to see the eye color shift. "And you have done a wonderful job guarding Otto's lab. What I am suggesting to you is a new task, on top of the current task you have."
"… What is this task?" the bot asked, studying Echo intently. While the man was unaware, the bot had been running a variety of scans on him-checking heartrate, breathing, and collecting thermal information as well. Everything so far told it that this person… Gunner… he was being truthful.
Pleased to hear the bot was open to it, Echo gestured to the large doors behind him. "I am here to find out more about Otto and his activities," he began. "I do not have the technology to build anyone like you, MAP, but I want to learn more."
"Master did not want others taking his ideas," the bot replied, in a serious tone.
Echo bit his bottom lip, trying to figure out how to get out of this one. Maastricht
September 6 th - 12:01AM
This time when Liz woke, she decided to fully assess her situation before becoming too alarmed. Opening her eyes, she noticed this was a completely different room.
"It's good to see you awake again, Miss Allaine," a male voice called over a loudspeaker in the room.
The sound startled her. Sitting up in bed fully, Liz then realized the situation she was in now. There was clear glass on three-fourths of the room. Behind the layer of glass she saw were two additional layers, each one a distinct distance apart from each other.
"We do have to apologize for this, but we have reason to believe that you are carrying a contagion… one that could be dangerous for all involved with your primary care."
Liz swallowed hard. She couldn't disagree, just be mad with herself. It was selfish to leave… and even worse not to report any illnesses before she entered the country. If she had, she knew she would have been detained and quarantined. This was far worse.
"I'm… I'm sorry," the blonde spoke, lowering her eyes.
"Additional testing will be required in the next few days," the voice continued. "And just so you know… We also have disease control on their way."
"What?" she asked, worried. If they looked deeply enough, they would find out everything… She would find herself being persona non grata in her native country and adopted one.
"Disease control," the voice repeated. "They will be here within the hour to evaluate the test results that we have from your recent bloodwork."
That is… she thought morosely. If I'm not imprisoned first…
A faint crackling sound was heard, which indicated that communication was severed.
Sighing heavily, the blonde felt suddenly ill… realizing that those who were truly close to her were also at risk. Dropping her head into her hands, she began to sob.
Parallel Worlds - Parallel Lives (Alternate Universe) September 5 th - 10PM
Why do I do this to myself? the redhaired woman asked herself. At current, she was sitting on the steps outside her apartment building. She exhaled a cloud of smoke, the remainder of a lit cigarette balanced between her pointer finger and thumb.
Grumbling, she dropped the rest of the cigarette and crushed it underfoot. Then… she decided to take a walk.
Her apartment building had a strict 'no smoking' policy inside. Technically, it was around the perimeter, but she wasn't going to focus on that too much. A walk would be beneficial… would help clear her head.
She was still trying to come to terms with encountering him again. Her jaw trembled, remembering how he reacted… what he said. Even though he didn't exactly look like he had the last they'd met… she knew her husband when she saw him.
Yet… "He didn't even acknowledge our relationship." Even after she threw her wedding ring at him. All he did was step around the ring and continue on his business. Why would he lie?
Grimacing, she thought of the consequences when people realized that he was alive and well. It was so convincing… Everyone had seen his funeral-broadcast across the entire country. As much as she'd been upset at the constant cheating, she was still upset when he died. Death changed everything .
He didn't even wear his ring… It was the most frustrating part-the knowledge that no one else knew.
I guess he thinks he's pretty clever. Blue eyes narrowed. She had hesitated in trying to find out anything else about him at first… but now.
She needed to know.
Walking past a corner store, she paused a moment and backed up. "Hmm…" Features creased in concentration, she walked into the store-emerging less than ten minutes later with a lollipop in her mouth and a black bag in her hand. "I wonder if this will be another late night?" The redhead found herself having quiet a few of those.
A lack of sleep wasn't good for anyone. She was starting to have some twinges in her muscles from it.
Still… "Oh well," she muttered, beginning the return trip to her apartment building. Even as she neared the building, she was concerned about the smell of smoke. She flapped the fabric of her jacket, hoping to dispel any additional smell.
Satisfied that all was well, she started walking up the stairs.
One of the other tenants stepped out right as she was coming in and visibly grimaced. He held the expression, running fingers through his messy brown hair. "Mary Jane, you need to quit," the young man stated, loudly, as he left the area. "That stuff'll kill you."
Narrowing her eyes at his retreating back, she pulled the material of her jacket up to her nose… sniffing. It seems fine. Don't know what he's talking about. Even if he was right, she didn't really care.
Foregoing the elevator as usual, she hit the stairs. Once she reached the fourth floor, she let out a huge yawn and walked straight to her apartment door, pulling out and picking the key correctly.
Twenty minutes later, she was seated cross-legged on her bed… laptop balanced on her knees. The lollipop was still in her mouth. "Hmm," she murmured around the hard candy. Carefully, she was checking public registries… one at a time. It was tiring and she hadn't been at it long. Who knew there were so many "Peter Parkers" in such a small area?
Still… she'd keep scrolling if she could. One entry caught her attention. She was about to dismiss it until she saw a second name attached to it. Ironically, it was a marriage registry. "… You have got to be kidding me…" she gaped, the candy falling out her mouth and right onto the back of her wrist.
No, no, no! It wasn't possible… was it?
Right in front of Mary Jane's eyes was a record of marriage between 'Peter Parker' and 'Jennifer Walters.' Why would… Her eyes narrowed as she took in the date. It wasn't that long ago. A muscle flexed in her jaw as she ground her teeth together. Picking up the candy, she popped it back in her mouth. "He didn't waste any time, did he?" her words were filled with venom.
Now, the search was on.
She needed… no, she had to find out.
Why?
What about Jennifer Walters made her so much better?
Have they been together the entire time? she wondered. Glancing away from the screen, she took in the room she was seated in. At one point, all of the walls had held some sort of décor, of family… and friends. There were also different art pieces that had rested there.
Now… empty walls faced her. Swallowing hard, Mary Jane set her laptop to the side and hugged her knees to her chest. After Peter died, she had lost interest in wall art. The photographs and paintings were in a storage bin in the closet.
At the time, Mary Jane saw no way to move forward… and couldn't see the beauty in the world around her. I never should have become so attached. There was something said for people who fell for their captors, wasn't there? Not that her former husband had held her captive.
Or maybe he had.
Love was what motivated her to stay with him, despite the infidelity. During the course of their six-year marriage, she'd caught him eight times. Each time, he fed her the same line. That he was sorry… that it would never happen again.
Each and every time she believed him and took him back. Even if he roamed, he never suggested separating. The redhead held hope in her heart… maybe one day he would change. Instead, several months ago-everyone had found that he had been killed in the field. Having a loved one murdered was always a fear, but it was so much more acute when that same person kept putting their lives at risk to help others.
She had worried so much over the years… so when she finally found out… she wasn't sure at first what to think.
He was given a state funeral, with many well-known speakers and government officials in attendance. Mary Jane would have been there as well… if she'd known. Instead, the redhead had found out about his death and funeral the same way that many others had… as it was televised.
It hurt that there was no way for her to find out sooner. Because Peter never made his married publicly or even privately known, Mary Jane wouldn't have been seen as next of kin. At the time, she was hurting for two reasons. He never told anyone about her… and even in death she went unacknowledged.
But now… He's alive and well… The hurt and anger she felt inside were becoming an entirely different entity.
Determination set in… of a different kind. Answers were what she wanted-no-needed. She needed to know why he had lied… and she also wanted to confront Miss Walters herself… and find out if she knew anything about it.
Baxter Building Main Level Evening - 10PM
It wasn't often the blond was able to get decent sleep… but Reed took advantage when he had the chance. Judging by the urgency in the alert sounding from the control room, he knew that gift had just been snatched away from him. Yawning widely, he stuffed his feet into a pair of slippers, struggled into a bathrobe and stomped out the bedroom.
He already knew he wouldn't be the only one who woke up from the alert, but he was a little surprised to see Johnny running over in…
"Are those hearts?" Ben asked, referencing the boxers the younger hero was wearing… all covered in red hearts.
"Yes!" he replied. "And what about you?"
Ben just folded his arms, clad in a pair of blue boxers. "Gentlemen," Reed spoke. "Let's put these squabbles away, hmm?" "Says the man in fuzzy bunny slippers!" Ben commented.
"And my sis' bathrobe!"
Unable to resist, Reed looked over himself, swallowing down his shock and answered the alert coming in. Even more surprises were
in store when he suddenly found himself looking at his double. Again.
Long time," the dark-haired Reed spoke.
"Same," he agreed. He frowned. "I take it this isn't a social call?" The other man shook his head. "We're having more problems on this
end."
"Another blip?" the blond asked, already rubbing sleep out of his eyes and sitting at the console.
No… something is making Jennifer sick. Very sick."
"How… how badly is…" Reed felt his mouth dry up at the distress he could read on his double's face.
She's suffered a massive stroke," he explained. "And went into respiratory arrest."
"What?!" Susan exclaimed, walking out to join everyone… clad in her husband's robe and slippers.
"How is that possible?" Johnny asked, shaken to his core. If the She- Hulk from this universe was the same as theirs… That wasn't good.
Ben just stood there, incapable of speech. His brows pinched together tightly.
"A stroke?" Reed asked, Adam's apple bobbing. He couldn't believe he was hearing this.
Unfortunately, yes."
"Is…" he began to ask and then stopped. Did he want to know the prognosis?
Reading the indecision on his face, the dark-haired Reed spoke. "She doesn't appear to have any mental deficits… but she still can't breathe for herself."
"Why wasn't she in her hulk form?" Johnny asked, unintentionally speaking for their leader. "And where was she?"
Reed's mouth dropped open for a moment… and then he licked dry lips. "Actually," he began… "She was in her hulk form."
"… That shouldn't have happened," Reed replied, floored. He had never heard of either Jennifer or Bruce suffering from the ailments that most people suffered. Not when they were in their hulk form.
We know," Reed replied. Lowering his head for a moment, dark hair with patches of white at the temples slipped forward. His hair was a bit unkempt to begin with, which wasn't normal at all for him. "There's another factor at play," he spoke again, after gathering himself.
"What?" Ben asked, talking a few steps toward the monitor.
It seems that a 'friend' of hers left her a gift… without warning her." "What kind of gift?" Johnny asked.
Reed hesitated, already tired of repeating these words. He felt guilty for the time wasted trying to diagnose her… and all of the accusations he'd hurled her way either verbally or to himself. "She was told it was a packet of DNA. From what she's told us recently though… it was a weapon, from the Skrull."
"What?" Susan asked. This was becoming more and more-
It is a symbiote, designed to take over the host."
"Did it?" Reed asked, brows angling down sharply. He did not look pleased.
At all.
No… it seems that this one is a prototype and as such never went programmed."
"Where is it?" the blond asked.
Reed rubbed his eyes. "My most recent scans found it was attached to her peritoneum."
"That's… not good."
"What is that?" Johnny asked.
The membrane over the abdominal organs," Reed explained. "I'm starting to think that it's reaching to other parts of the body. Somehow."
"It would make sense it that thing was," Susan commented. The brunette was so frazzled, not happy at all with this news. "But… her having a stroke still doesn't make any sense."
It was also moving before we moved her to the room she's in now." "… Moving?" Ben asked.
It was drawing shapes… we could see it. It seems like she felt it a while before that happened."
"Send over the scans you have," Reed replied. "Maybe I can help."
Relief was visible in the other man's eyes. "That's good to hear, Reed." After a moment, he paused. "I also called to ask if there was a problem with your Jennifer."
"Oh," Reed's brows jumped up. He glanced to his wife. "We had a problem on this end too."
Reed, darling," Sue spoke, currently out of frame. "Remember, we have one last test for her feet."
The dark-haired man nodded. "Of course. I remember. I'll be there shortly."
"Test for her feet?"
Yes… I failed to mention. Our Jennifer has been paralyzed from the waist down and on the right side. She's been communicating by writing with her left hand and blinking."
"Our Jennifer," he replied, feeling sick at hearing how things were going over there. "Suffered a seizure, right after we retrieved her." Off the curious stare, he decided to share more. "Someone bailed Titania out and she kidnapped Jen."
A seizure…" he murmured, focusing on that word. "Does she have any deficits from it?"
"We're not sure," he replied.
Please keep me informed," he replied. "I also wanted to state the urgency of resolving this problem with Jennifer. We found out a few days ago that the prior hosts for these prototypes have all died."
"Died? All of them?"
All except Jennifer, and if we don't find a solution soon… she won't be the lone survivor anymore."
"Understood," Reed replied. "Send me your research, and we can discuss this at a more reasonable time."
The Reed on the other end blushed. "Sorry about that. Time is of the essence."
"I would do the same myself."
"… I think we need to go visit sooner rather than later," Johnny spoke, folding his arms.
To Be Continued…
A preview of the next chapter…
Wait," Jen interrupted. "So does Peter belong to that universe?" she asked.
Reed nodded quietly. "He's the one they though lost in that explosion." Looking away briefly, Reed sucked in a deep breath. "There's also a problem on that end. They need his help. It's… it's getting really bad over there."
But…" Jen's voice trailed off, and she looked at Peter. "Are you leaving me?" she asked, her bottom lip trembling.
Peter swallowed hard, taking Jen's hands in his own. "Reed… What are the chances of me being able to come back if I have to leave?"
No…" Jennifer whispered, tears filling her eyes. "Please…" Pre-Written Author's Notes:
9/20/2023 - I know something is wrong with me, because I've been struggling more and more with my ability to spell properly. I can still touch-type… but my fingers rely on my brain to make the proper connections. It is likely a side-effect of one or multiple medications I'm on.
I also want to profusely apologize to my readers for being so late. I was only supposed to be gone for a month or so at the most. Then, I got depressed. Then I got frustrated. Earlier this year, I was put on new medication that has greatly altered how my brain functions. Technically, I'm on three additional medications, but two are from the same physician. The stability I seem to have now is great, but the brain-fog, the extreme fatigue and damper on my creative abilities has been quite disconcerting.
I'm also chugging away at OA, because I should do my best to keep it somewhat up to date. And properly edited at that. NtC understandably takes longer to edit, as each of my chapters average 10,000 words.
There's a bit of unexpected skipping happening with my chapters. Some readjustments. I hope you can understand and not flay me alive. Apologies way in advance. Like super in advance.
11/21/2023 - So, I'm just now returning to this particular chapter. I'm excited but also worried, seeing as I need to write two additional chapters behind this one. My health is… up in the air really.
I'm having a lot of back pain and am starting to worry that it has something to do with the discs in my back. I also noticed the ibuprofen helped, which tells me there might be inflammation in the region too. I should hopefully have gone round to see a doctor by the time this chapter is live.
I hope.
Author's Note: Hey hey there! I hope you've enjoyed the ride so far! I'd like to apologize to the readers who have waited a year or more for an update.
Hate to announce this, but I won't be updating again this year. So sorry!
Now… when you consider that this year will be over in less than a month…
All perspective, eh? I want to post more in 2024 for NtC… I don't want to make any promises though… I hate letting people down. If anything can be counted on with me, it is that I'm very unreliable. For most things.
Just an FYI if you haven't seen them yet… Chapter 5 and chapter 7 are brand new chapters positioned to be smack dab in the middle of the story. It's my hope that they add more 'meat' to the story. Just about errybody had to do the electric slide to the right, save the first four chapters. One of the chapters in NtC was renamed too.
There were a lot of revisions… for consistency and to make the read smoother. I read each and every chapter. My eyes want to revolt at current.
I'll be reevaluating what I plan to do with OA. I don't want to abandon the story at all. The problem I'm running into is what exactly my focus is with that particular piece.
Along with NanoWrimo this year, I took up to writing my first series under titles tied to "Catch & Release," a fanfiction that falls in "The Croods" domain. It's pretty fun. Bit of a nightmare to edit though.
And yeah, drama . Cos, why not?
Also, additional FYI. I can be an idiot sometimes. Not only have I not visited a doctor for my back, but now I have pain on the right side as well.
Ugh…
Catch you next time!
~J. Lyst