Chapter 342: Arc Twelve. Chapter Three-Hundred Forty-Two. Conspiracy Theories
After returning to Avalon, to avoid any suspicion, Peter and Kitty recharged her oxygen and finished discharging the last reactor before Charles sent a message to Breach, and the group then headed back to the warehouse.
"Charles, you need to stay," Peter motioned to the sitting area next to the breakfast table, "I think it's Cindy's day for the pool next door, you can stay and listen if you want, or head there and relax. We might be a while." Peter said to Breach and Kitty, who looked at each other, grinned, and headed through the security door.
"There should be clean suits in the alcoves, if not, we've got new ones," he shouted after them, "oh and plastic glasses if your drinking,"
"So Peter? What has you so riled? You can hide very well, but Kitty is obviously upset." Charles asked him, as Peter made a separate pot for tea. Even though Ororo was an infrequent guest, he had ordered a teapot and fresh leaves for when she or Charles visited.
"It's better to do a show than tell," Peter said as he held out a hand. It was always easier to share information mind to mind, and as Charles watched the memories he sank back and rubbed a hand over his forehead.
"You think they removed us from Avalon to stop us from finding their base?" Charles asked.
This was not a good development, especially with some of their ACDs remaining on the surface. The plan would have to be changed, and he would ask Erik to make sure that everything from Avalon was removed, even if it meant crushing the whole structure.
Peter nodded, as he filled the coffee pot and made a fresh batch, filling both a coffee pot and the teapot with hot water. "I couldn't feel their minds, but I'm not as strong in that department as you are. They have the equipment, but maybe the troop's arrival would have registered to your powers."
"That is plausible, but no offence Peter but my powers are sensitive enough that I should have felt the minds of the people there. Erik never made mention of feeling any new strange metal either."
Peter rolled his eyes and shrugged, "and we have no idea if the Asgardians have power blocking technology, or if you can even read their minds. I've tried with Thor and I can't, it's not the same."
"You think alien minds are impossible for us to read?"
"No, I think you need practice, like learning a foreign language."
Charles stopped, "that does make sense. So, the big question is what exactly do we do about it?"
Peter leaned back, and took out his phone, "I have Liv analysing some blood, let's see what she says, and then maybe call Coulson."
"Shield? Do you not think that might be a little," and Charles frowned, "stupid?"
Peter laughed, "No, not to tell him, to find out what he knows. I'm pretty sure a powerful telepath like yourself can find out if he already knows about a giant alien base on the moon, or if the Asgardians are lying to us."
Charles grinned, "and I thought you objected to me using my powers like that?"
Peter laughed and ran his hands through his hair, "I think global emergencies count as a pass."
"But we do also know that Director Coulson is aware of my powers, and if he is on their side, I doubt very much he'd agree to meet me. And if the Asgardians have power blocking technology, that he wouldn't have some?"
Peter sighed, "that is a very good point. And I doubt he'd meet here, as he knows we're in contact." Peter frowned, "Maybe keep a watch out for any tails, it's not the first time I've had to watch my back, and if he has Augments on his side, he might be using them to mask whatever they are doing."
Charles stiffened. "That is also a very good point. I can use Cerebro to check." Peter straightened up, remembering a forgotten issue,
"Oh, not Cerebro but uh, I was wondering if I could buy a danger room from you?"
Charles snorted, "now? You ask that now?" and Peter shrugged,
"It would be a great excuse as to why you have Augments here at all hours. Without raising suspicion. Not in here though, I want it next door, in the rafters like my place. That uh, won't be an issue will it?"
You do realise the projection technology alone is worth millions?"
Peter shrugged, "Gwen makes that in a week."
"And that it cannot be programmed for anything sexual," Charles said with a pained look on his face.
Peter felt there was a story behind that, but while he grinned, he kept that question for later. "We don't need holograms for that Charles," and he was also pretty sure that if someone, Liv, he thought to himself, wanted it for that, they would probably reprogram it themselves.
The warehouse door opened and in walked Gwen with Liv, "we got your message, and hey Charles." Gwen said as the pair slipped into more comfortable clothes.
"So, more problems?" Liv asked and Peter nodded, "well, that's a pity, as now it gets even more complicated."
Liv lifted her phone and projected a slideshow to the large screen TV they had access from the kitchen area.
"We have four samples, and we have four aliens." She said, and the four were side by side, with a fifth, marked Thor underneath.
"Sample one matches Thor, so we can assume that they are Asgardian, or two very closely related species. Sample two matches the altered DNA from Carol, so we already know that is Kree, and the last two are completely different again, and dont match anything we have. So, and unknown, and possible Xandarian."
Peter sighed, "So, it's not just one alien invader but four?"
Liv shrugged "Yes but no. If the Nova Empire has absorbed other species into their guards, then we should expect other species to be on the planet."
Peter shook his head, "but those were Asgardians?" and texting Felica, who was still at the Parker Building, he nodded as she texted him back, "yup, Felicia said they were definitely all Asgardian guards." He laughed, "say that fast ten times."
Liv smiled, "well, yes. So, are we now going to consider that not only is Earth being lied to by the Asgardians, but they themselves are being set up? That there are four groups working towards their own goals and we're caught in the crossfire?"
Peter rubbed his forehead, "This is getting confusing. We have to deal with one thing at a time. Find out firstly if Coulson and the president know. We can take things from there. It won't matter if there are different groups if they are all after the same thing."
"So until then we just sit and wait?" Charles asked as he sipped his tea.
"We can make plans, shore up our defences, but yes. If we go looking for trouble, we might find it, and it might be something we can't handle."
Charles raised an eyebrow, and looked over at Liv, "He finally grew up?" and while Liv laughed, Peter frowned and shook his head.
"We need to be careful. We dont want to stockpile a lot of things and suddenly find out we are under arrest for sedition against a new government, but we also dont want to be caught with our pants down. Selene and everyone are still on Genosha right?"
Charles nodded, "We negotiated with President Ellis for its return. The plan is to allow it to become a free state, we will have elections just like any other state but the republican party has been warned that their usual bullshit won't fly, and there are very few Augment that vote for them anyway."
"And even with Asgard, that's still on the books?"
Charles nodded, "In fact, other than Avalon they are keeping their word. I haven't heard a single law being repealed or changed, and yes I have been keeping watch. We might not wish for this Peter but we are damn well making sure it won't happen."
Peter shrugged, "right, so, make plans, stay low, use Breach and sling portals to travel to gather supplies from multiple places, and wait. I'll get a hold of Coulson, and see if I can get him to spring any more information. Sound good?"
Charles nodded, "There is one problem though." and Peter frowned, "I'm not getting Breach back anytime soon am I?"
Peter could only laugh as Charles smirked at him, "yes yes, very funny. You try herding students, especially the older ones. A private bathhouse and spa, I dont need to be a telepath to know she won't be home anytime soon."
Peter just grinned and shook his head, "I can help it, you try getting anything nearly as nice in New York for under five thousand a month."
"I am aware Peter, and I am also aware of what a bad influence you can be, especially on young women."
"Yeah, not getting a lecture Charles, it's love, not peanut butter. It doesn't get thin and tasteless the more you spread it unless you make it that way. Some people cant make one relationship work, they dont get to comment on mine."
Charles raised an eyebrow, "I was merely concerned that a young sheltered woman would be intimidated by a large group, and that issues might arise." He set his cup down and rested his hand together on the table. "Especially given your proclivity for bathing in large groups. I am aware Breach is an attractive young woman, and that she is free to make her own choices. I am also allowed to voice my disapproval at them."
Peter shrugged, "that's why they are next door. Nobody lives here without being part of it, and nobody is invited over when we're all here unless it's for an event. You dont need to worry, we behave when we have guests."
"While I might not agree with your lifestyle choices Peter, I am glad to see that you are respectful of other people's opinions," Charles said,
"I thought you'd be more open. Weren't you like twenty in the sixties?" Peter replied with a small smug grin on his face.
"I spent the sixties being chased by a madman trying to start a nuclear war, and then by giant robots. After a lot of good people died, I drowned myself in a bottle. I didn't do relationships." Charles said curtly. It was not a period in time he was not proud of.
Gwen stared at the pair, "Yeah, egos aside, can we get back to the alien invasions, and not the who's had the hardest life. Your stupid feud with Stark is bad enough, don't start one up with Charles."
Peter smiled at Gwen. "Sorry," and he smiled at Charles, "Sorry, I get enough crap in the press. It's just a sore point."
Charles waved a hand dismissively and nodded. "I understand that. It's not like I am unaware of how discrimination and rumour-mongering can be. But, we do have bigger issues than us."
Peter nodded, "Alien base, and now multiple aliens all hiding pretending to be either Asgardians or Xandarians. I know." and Peter rubbed his forehead, "But we're going around in a circle trying to figure out who's actually on our side, and who's the bad guy here. If there even is one."
Charles sighed "So, we wait, we prepare, and we keep ourselves busy?"
Peter looked at Gwen and Liv, who both nodded. "So uh Gwen. Can I borrow a couple of million? I'd like Charles to build a holographic training room for us."
Gwen looked at Peter, and then over at Charles who smiled and shrugged, "Holographic? The danger room Laura keeps telling us about?" and Charles nodded. Gwen smiled and rubbed the bottom of her chin. "Can you use it for sex?" and Peter snorted while Charles rubbed his forehead.
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