A few days had passed peacefully. Meanwhile, Natasha was keeping herself busy.
Apart from her role as the secretary, she hadn't forgotten her other 'unofficial' assignment—monitoring Ethan Carter.
Yesterday, she had even tried sneaking into the mysterious 18th floor of the building. She had failed miserably.
Instead of getting access, she found herself suddenly standing inside her office again, completely disoriented. Ethan had, of course, seen the entire thing through the security systems—and had laughed about it all evening.
'It's just too fun messing with her,' Ethan thought with a smirk as he remembered her face.
And now today he waited near the airport as Jean and Anna had just arrived back and they smiled at the familiar sight of Ethan waiting for them near the gate.
Of course, they often traveled using portals whenever they had free time, and Ethan himself had gone to Japan several times whenever he missed them too much.
It had been a sudden trip, but a fruitful one. The branch in Japan had officially been secured. Land, permits, legal clearances—everything was done.
Building construction work would begin in few days.
"All in all, not bad for a 'sudden trip,' huh?" Ethan said as he drove them home.
Jean chuckled. "Could've been worse."
Anna leaned into his side affectionately. "Could've been better if you were there."
Laughing, Ethan drove them back home. Since it was the weekend, they all agreed to take the day off, relax, maybe watch some movies, and just enjoy being together for once without the looming pressure of business or training.
Later that night, the house was bathed in soft golden light. Ethan sat comfortably in his living room, the last sip of wine swirling lazily in his glass. Jean and Anna were curled up beside him, each of them hooking an arm around his.
Weekend nights like these... they were precious.
Ethan set down his glass before freeing himself from her hold and stretching his arms lightly. From around his neck, he took the silver pocket watch—the Omni-Watch. It pulsed softly in his palm, fully charged.
He glanced at the two women beside him. "I'm going on vacation now.
Anna immediately pouted. "We just came back today, and you're going on vacation? That's not fair!"
Ethan chuckled before tugging her gently closer. "You two portal here every night and sleep in with me on my bed anyway," he said, winking. "So, I don't see the problem."
Jean laughed softly. "It's fine. Just... good luck. Hope you land somewhere you can move those muscles a little more."
"Yeah," Anna grinned. "Stretch those muscles for us!"
Ethan smiled warmly at them both. His hand tightened around the watch. "Be careful, both of you. I'll see you later."
The Omni-Watch clicked open with a metallic snap. A bright, swirling light surrounded Ethan—and just like that, he was gone.
Jean and Anna blinked, adjusting to the sudden absence of light and the stillness that followed.
"I hope he comes back quickly," Anna said softly.
"Don't worry," Jean reassured her, placing a hand on Anna's shoulder. "But..." she paused, frowning thoughtfully, "it's hard to say how much time will pass for him. Every world we went to before... time moved faster there than it does here."
Anna sighed, staring down at her gloved hands. "Yeah... and he's still trying to find a way to help me control my powers," she murmured.
Ethan and Jean both knew—Anna didn't mind so much that she couldn't touch other people. She could touch Ethan, after all—the man she loved.
But still... sometimes, the longing to just feel like a normal girl weighed heavily on her heart.
She never said it aloud, but Ethan and Jean could see it clearly.
Ethan had been working endlessly—through science, through magic, and even forbidden knowledge—to find a permanent solution. He had studied gene dampeners, experimental pills that temporarily shut down mutations, even magical seals that could suppress abilities.
But none of that was enough. He wanted a permanent solution. A real one.
Something that would let Anna control her mutation, not just turn it off like a light switch.
Something like Kevin from Ben 10, who could choose when to absorb powers.
Ethan had gained some scattered knowledge about the X-gene from probing sinister mind previously but nothing concrete had come of it yet.
And so, he used the Omni-Watch again and again. Searching. Hoping. Diving into the infinite Multiverse for answers.
Jean could feel it... even if Ethan never said it aloud. 'He's doing all this because he wants Anna to live like any normal girl,' she thought.
Anna smiled faintly, brushing her gloved fingers together. "I know he's searching for a real solution for me," she said quietly, as if hearing Jean's thoughts. "And honestly... that just makes me love him more."
Jean smiled back with warm and full of hope. "Let's just hope he finds something this time."
"Yeah," Anna whispered. "Let's hope."
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**New universe, with Ethan**
Ethan opened his eyes, the cool metal of the Omni-Watch still resting securely in his hand.
For a moment, all he heard was the distant hum of engines and the sharp, confused voices surrounding him.
He blinked, adjusting to the sudden light.
He was standing inside a luxurious airplane cabin—high-end leather seats, gold trim along the walls, and expensive carpets underfoot. A clear sign this wasn't an ordinary flight.
In front of him, a man and a woman, both appearing to be in their fifties, stared at him with wide, stunned eyes. The man instinctively pulled the woman slightly behind him, shielding her.
Around them, a dozen men in dark suits—armed guards immediately raised their guns, forming a protective wall between Ethan and the older couple.
"Who the hell are you?!" one of the guards barked.
"How did you get here?! Hands where we can see them!"
Ethan stayed perfectly still, his expression unreadable.
He could feel their fear, their confusion thick in the air.
'Private presidential jet,' he guessed instantly.
The guards moved quickly, trying to usher the couple away toward a secured area at the back of the plane.
Ethan exhaled slowly and let a whisper of telepathic power drift into the older man's mind.
Images, memories, thoughts spilled into him—rapid flashes of headlines, public speeches, classified meetings.
President of the United States. And the First Lady.
Ethan's lips quirked slightly upward. He knew where he was now.
Before he could say anything, the plane shook violently.
A deafening screech tore through the metal as monstrous creatures—twisted things with too many limbs and gaping maws—ripped open part of the plane's side.
One of the guards turned, raising his gun—but he didn't even get a shot off before he was snatched away, screaming, into the night sky.
The First Lady screamed. The guards opened fire, bullets rattling through the air—but it was like shooting into a hurricane.
Then more creatures poured in.
Ethan exhaled slowly, and then raised a hand—and instantly, three of the monstrous creatures froze mid-air, as if gripped by an invisible force.
With a simple closing of his fist, they were crushed into bloody meatballs, splattering against the walls.
Gasps and screams echoed around him.
The President gawked at Ethan, mouth hanging slightly open.
The First Lady clutched her husband's arm, her eyes huge and wet with fear.
The guards, to their credit, didn't lower their guns—but now their hands were shaking.
Ethan turned to the stunned older man, offering a small, reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Mr. President. You and your wife are in safe hands now."
The guards stared at him, speechless.
More creatures swarmed toward the plane, ripping into the fuselage, clawing their way in.
He flicked his hand, and an invisible force yanked the President, the First Lady, and the closest guards beside him.
With another wave of his fingers, a shimmering golden barrier snapped into existence—The Shield of Seraphim—surrounding them completely.
The President swallowed hard and his face twitched between disbelief and fragile hope.
He clutched his wife tighter, still half-expecting the nightmare to continue.
But it was only getting started.
More creatures began pouring in through the torn side of the plane—crawling, slithering, flying.
Ethan narrowed his eyes and he unleashed sharp waves of telekinetic energy, slamming creatures into walls, ceilings, ripping them apart mid-air.
But they just kept coming.
The President leaned closer, his voice low and hoarse, still trembling. "Who are you?"
Ethan smiled, calm and amused despite the chaos. "I'm—"
He was interrupted by a thunderous crack above them.
The ceiling exploded inward, and something cut a wide arc through the monsters.
A woman landed with a heavy, confident thud between Ethan and the incoming swarm.
She was stunning—tall, powerful, with flowing black hair and piercing blue eyes. A gleaming tiara adorned her forehead, and a sword that crackled with energy rested easily in her hand.
She stood like a goddess.
She turned her head slightly, locking eyes with Ethan and her expression fierce. "Are you protecting them," she asked in a commanding tone and wielded a shining sword pointed directly at him, "or holding them hostage?"
Ethan's eyes widened in surprise.
The President shouted from behind the shield, "He's protecting us!"
The woman didn't lower her sword immediately. Her bright blue eyes flicked back to the incoming creatures—and then returned to Ethan with a nod of acknowledgment.
Before another word could be exchanged, the monsters surged again.
Ethan turned back to the President and his people. "It's time to go home," he said calmly.
With a twist of his hand, a swirling golden portal opened beside them.
Through it, they could clearly see the safe, familiar surroundings of the White House lawn.
Gasps of awe broke out.
"You... you can do that?" one of the guards whispered, stunned.
Thanks to his telepathy, he knows the location of their house and opened a portal inside it.
Ethan guided the portal closer, motioning for them to step through.
One by one, the guards, the President, and his wife jumped through the shimmering doorway.
As the First Lady turned back one last time, Ethan gave her a small, confident nod. She hesitated—then stepped through. The portal closed behind them with a gentle hum.
Now only Ethan and the mysterious woman remained.
The woman lowered her sword slightly before smirking. "You've got some tricks. Are you a wizard?"
Ethan chuckled as his eyes beginning to glow with a fierce bluish-white light.
The plane shook again—but this time it wasn't from the monsters. It was him.
Storm clouds erupted outside the plane, swirling in the night sky. Thunder boomed. Lightning crackled viciously across the heavens.
Wind howled through the breaches, creating miniature tornadoes that tore through the creatures like paper.
"No," Ethan said lightly. "Just a human."
The woman grinned widely, finally stepping fully into the fray. "You're strong. My name is Diana. But you can call me Wonder woman."
Yeah, he is now in DC universe.
She raised her sword high, and the blade seemed to sing as it sliced through the air, cutting down monsters in clean, brutal strikes.
Ethan rolled his shoulders, feeling the storm answer his call, lightning dancing eagerly across his arms.
Beside Diana, he lifted his hand—and a dozen monsters were ripped apart mid-air, shredded by razor-sharp wind currents.
Their movements synced almost naturally.
Diana with her deadly grace, cutting down anything near.
As another wave of monsters swarmed forward, she glanced sideways at him, eyes glinting with fierce joy. "You never did tell me your name," she shouted.
Ethan still smiling as lightning split the air behind him. "Carter. Ethan Carter."
"Well then, Ethan Carter," she said before spinning her sword with a flourish. "Let's clean up these monsters."
"Alright." Raising both arms, he summoned two raging tornadoes inside the plane—small enough to fit, but strong enough to tear the monsters apart.
The creatures screeched as the whirling winds shredded their flesh, hurling them against the cracked walls.
Ethan's eyes burned with bluish-white fury as he pointed a finger, and bolts of pure lightning rained down.
The cabin creaked under the weight of the battle. More creatures lunged from every corner.
He raised his hand, and a sharp arc of electricity lashed out, blasting three monsters into charred, smoking heaps before they even touched the ground.
The very air around him roared to life. He spun his hand in a tight circle, and a miniature tornado erupted in the center of the aisle, sucking in the closest creatures with a howling shriek and ripping them apart mid-spin.
Beside him, Diana was a blur of gold and blue.
Her sword gleamed as she cut a precise, brutal path through the monsters.
Each strike was a work of art—clean, efficient, devastating.
One creature leapt at her from behind. Without even turning, Diana thrust her sword backward, impaling it through the chest before ripping the blade free with a fluid twist.
Their movements were synchronized and instinctive.
Ethan dropped a group of creatures with a massive bolt of lightning, the thunderclap shaking the entire plane.
He looked across the battlefield at Diana. "You're not bad with a sword," he called out.
Diana laughed, "And you're not bad with a storm."
More monsters poured into the cabin and the plane is already groaning under the assault. It was a miracle it was still holding up.
He then could hear the pilots frantically calling for help—panicked, desperate.
Without wasting a second, he flicked his wrist. Golden portals shimmered to life around them.
The pilots, mid-scream, were gently swept up and pushed through the portals—vanishing safely to their homes.
The plane, however, was a lost cause.
"Time to take this party outside," Ethan muttered before flicking his fingers.
With a deafening BOOM, he blasted a massive hole through the side of the aircraft.
The rush of air was instant, tearing seats and debris outward into the open sky.
Diana didn't even flinch. She leapt gracefully through the hole into the open night sky.
Ethan also followed her but the plane plummeted below them and is a falling wreck, but the storm above raged even harder—Ethan's doing.
Dozens of winged monsters took to the air, circling them like vultures sensing blood.
Ethan hovered mid-air with his body glowing faintly with lightning crackling around him.
Diana floated beside him before narrowing her eyes.
The monsters attacked in waves as Diana used her sword and shot forward like a missile, carving a graceful, deadly path through the creatures.
Ethan raised both hands—and the storm answered. Tornadoes spun down from the clouds, catching entire groups of monsters and hurling them like ragdolls into the heavens.
Bolts of lightning speared down, exploding monsters into ash.
One monster, a bit larger than the rest, dove at him with a shriek.
Ethan caught it mid-air with a telekinetic grip, yanked it close—and drove a brutal fist into its face, cracking its skull like an egg.
Another tried to claw his back. He spun mid-air, grabbed it by the leg, and hurled it into a waiting tornado.
Meanwhile, Diana was a whirlwind of divine fury. She spun, kicked, and slashed with her sword, every move precise and beautiful.
A creature managed to latch onto her arm.
She simply smirked, twisted, and hurled it into a bolt of Ethan's summoned lightning.
"Nice teamwork," Ethan called, hurling a cluster of smaller monsters away with a blast of telekinetic force.
Diana flew beside him mid-air, "I'm starting to like you more, Carter," she said with a fierce grin.
"Feeling's mutual, Princess."
They dove back into the battle together and ended it in few minutes.
The last monster let out a gurgling screech before dissolving into mist, shredded by Ethan's final blast of lightning.
Silence settled over the battlefield.
Only the low rumble of distant thunder and the occasional crackle of static energy lingered in the air.
Their eyes met—and after a moment of heavy breathing and battle-high adrenaline—they both chuckled.
Diana arched an eyebrow, "You're very good... for a storm-slinger."
Before Ethan could reply, a rush of air stirred around them—different from the aftermath of his own storms.
A new figure descended from above, cutting cleanly through the clouds.
A man dressed in blue, a crimson cape billowing behind him, hovered effortlessly in the sky. The iconic "S" symbol gleamed on his chest. The man floated closer, glancing around and then looked at Ethan and Diana and asked in a tone that was half-shocked, half-impressed, "So... you two managed to kill all the aliens here, huh."
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