The Sage of the Mind

Disclaimer - The rights of the respective characters are with their respective owners. I don’t mean to violate their intellectual property rights and thus, only my original characters are my IP. 

The Sage of the Mind: Chapter 59 [September 2010, Day 1 of the Stark Expo]

–Axle Riddle–

Well, this was quick, he thought to himself as he watched Nick Fury, along with Natasha Romanoff arrive straight into Manhattan in a helicopter. Fury’s trust in him had certainly reached new heights if he was so confident in coming here, in his domain where he was the undisputed power holder, without much backup.

Thinking from Fury’s perspective though, it must be incredibly frustrating to be in that situation but in Axle’s perspective, it was incredibly amusing to watch Fury, and to an extent, other higher authorities, bend themselves in front of him because they simply didn’t know enough about him.

And that was one of the main reasons he was never going to reveal himself to the world. The world would never, if he could help it anyway, see him personally leaping into action. He believed that his powers would be more than enough and if they weren’t, it’s not like his physical prowess is anything to be awed about.

Sure, he could bend steel and jump higher than multiple-story buildings in a single leap, but that didn’t mean that he had the sheer versatility that he did with his Telekinesis, especially when combined with his spatial awareness.

He still took regular hand-to-hand combat classes with Frank though and he was sure that Frank had caught on by now, to the fact that he never sweated, was never tried, never had to take a break, or caught off guard by anything that Frank or the other students did, Frank had yet to say anything about it. 

He could see that Frank was giving him a noticeably tougher time than the others, especially in the spars because he outclassed everyone in his class a long time ago. Yet, he never really did anything about it, and that kinda made him respect Frank more.

The ability to not give a fuck and mine one’s own business is a trait that is very rare in the marvel universe which is filled with goody two shoes who would not hesitate before putting their nose where it does not belong.

Well, he was one to say, he was the biggest peeper the planet had ever seen, aside from the Watcher but he operated on a cosmic, nay, multiversal scale so that utter hack didn’t count.

“I heard that!” He could almost hear the whispers in the smooth suave voice of the Watcher, but that couldn’t be right, he was sworn to non interference, right?

Anyway, he, once again made sure to flood his presence in the designated SHIELD safehouse where the Random Beautiful Agent was still snoring away, it was still 7 in the morning so he could excuse her for that.

Now, Axle Riddle, the helpful senior executive whose role no one in the office knows about, would have excused that. The Green Guardian, he might have excused that but Nick Fury?

Nick, the one eyed spymaster of Earth, Fury? Well, he was about to see what would happen then in real time as he maintained a curtain of silence around the Random Beautiful Agent, helping her sleep better.

Jeez, these people are making her sleep in the same safe house, day in and out with all that she could ever need, delivered straight to her door, plus a handsome salary to boot. Damn, this was a bed-rotter’s wet dream. Not to mention all the benefits she must be getting, being an employee of a technically extra government but still coming under the government for all intents and purposes.

Fury and Romanoff were joined by another squad of armed SHIELD agents who then began escorting them straight to the safe house. The poor girl was about to get the attack of a lifetime. He didn't know if she was informed beforehand about the visit and simply overslept or was unaware of the visit entirely. He bet on the second option, mainly because Fury was a paranoid fuck.

He was also keeping a close eye on the news cycle as well. The Stark Expo was shut down, clearly. After all the damage that had been done to the physical Expo as well as to the brand now that it was revealed that an active terrorist attack happened on US soil, the Expo was bound to go down in flames.

The good news was Justin Hammer and Hammer Industries as a whole were officially things of the past now. The clear cut proof Hammer Industries Drones attacking and terrorizing the Expo were circulating on the web anyway but the final clincher was the evidence that was released about Hammer helping Vanko escape from Jail and then having him work to create the Arc Reactor technology.

Another lawsuit that Stark Industries had slapped on Hammer Industries, Justin Hammer himself as well, further hammering down the nail that was the bankruptcy of Hammer Industries. No matter what anyone says, Pepper Potts was a vicious woman when it came to business.

His neck snapped to the side as he sensed Bruce writing something on the pad that had been designated for him. 

Before he could respond, however, his eyes widened as he almost choked on his breath, reading the message that Bruce had written with clearly shaky hands on the pad.

“Betty is gamma irradiated” 

Shit!

He immediately flooded his presence into their apartment, foregoing his usual privacy concerns, and immediately scanned Betty down to the smallest level he could. He could not find anything immediately concerning but if Bruce was saying something, it must be true. Bruce would not joke about this, no matter what.

“Did it happen because….?” He asked on, trailing at the end because he realised the nature of his question. Yeah, all the sex they must be having could have resulted in this but they should have used protection every time. Both of them were scientists for God's sakes and as far as he could tell, none of them wanted children, especially at a time when their own safety was contingent on someone else vouching for them.

Bruce nodded with a haunted look on his face, “Yes, it is because of me. Something must have happened but I have triple checked everything. The amount of Gamma Radiation coming off of her is more than the necessary amount for it to be fatal. And it is only growing, at alarming speeds,”

His breath hitched back in his apartment, “Do you mean,  she is pregnant?”

Bruce nodded as tears began streaming down his eyes, and the man slumped down in the chair, defeated. He scanned Betty once again and realised that yes, there was a clump of cells, very small right now but judging by Bruce’s words, it would only grow rapidly.

He didn’t know what to say in this type of situation, especially if the motive was to comfort someone. He didn't know anyone who could either. All he could do was..

“Bruce! What are you waiting for then? You fool, we have to make sure she is safe and sound. Tell me what do you need, scratch that, I will consult with the doctors nearby and if they can’t do anything, we can always call in doctors from all corners of the world,” He said with his air pressure generated voice before immediately zoning on the figures of Fury and Romanoff who were just now exiting the elevators.

At the same time, he mentally catalogued the list of all the specialised doctors nearby, ordered Randall to order everything that Bruce might need in such a scenario, ordered What’s his Face Billionaire to comply with Randall’s list with haste, and also searched for Stephen Strange, who was nowhere to be found in Manhattan.

He debated whether to tell Fury or not but the simple truth was that unless he could call for Wakanda’s help, there was no one who was technologically advanced enough to help deliver a half hulkling, especially if they wanted Betty, the mother to survive.

Stark’s expertise might help as well.

Shit! Why was he panicking so much?

He watched as Bruce just sat there, unheeding of his words, and he was suddenly reminded of the fact that this man had gone through so much loss, and suffering, and for what? 

For the plot? No, he would reject such machinations of Fate. Bruce would get a happy loving family in a safe environment, he would ensure it, damn it!

Just when the man had a semblance of a stable life and a happy enough outlook on life, something like this had to happen and almost screw up his life.

“Fury, I am in an emergency situation of sorts and would love your organisation’s assistance at this point. I would be more than happy to give you all the information you need in exchange for you calling in all the experts you have on Gamma Radiation and its effect on human biology, along with anybody you know who can handle uncommon pregnancies,” He said once he created a curtain of silence around Fury and Romanoff, throwing off their guards a few feet back.

He could see Fury tense and Romanoff’s calm expression crack as they both realised what he had just requested.

Gamma Radiation and pregnancy.

That combination of words did not bode well for anyone wishing for the East Coast to still be standing if Bruce’s child doesn’t make it. Hell, even he was not sure if Bruce Banner’s World War Hulk could ever be contained and that possibility would only become clearer if Betty didn’t make it.

“Call Stark! Tell him I don’t have time for his excuses this time. Get Helen Cho on the line, and tell her to get her ass to Manhattan yesterday! Call in every nerd we have on Gamma Radiation,” Fury snapped orders at Romanoff who nodded and immediately left for the stairs, jumping down floors at a time to reach the lobby faster.

Fury then snapped his glare towards the floor, “You! Take me to Banner!”

“Absolutely NOT!” He growled back. Banner was already in a fragile enough mental state as is. He would not risk Fury risking things further.

“Bruce would remain with Betty as long as we don’t have a solid strategy or unless a doctor needs to personally examine her. We will see what can be done about the child but saving Betty is paramount. Without her, well let’s just say, that even I don’t have confidence of dealing with a Hulk that has his emotions amplified by Bruce’s grief,”

His voice took on a razor thin edge as he replied, “You think the Hulk was problematic to deal with until now, Directory Fury? That was Hulk with Bruce actively hamstringing everything. Imagine what would happen if Bruce LET.IT.GO!”

The paling of Fury’s face and increased heart rate told him all he needed to know.

Satisfied with the warning, he said, “I will be continuously monitoring Bruce and Betty. Make all the arrangements you need, I will see what can be done on my end. Good day, Fury,”

Damn Fate, sending crisis after crisis for the protagonists of the world.

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