Superheroes were globally beloved. Adding them would supercharge the League's popularity.
Compared to the universe James came from, this one had better tools, better allies—and way more potential. He was building something bigger.
And it was only just beginning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kyle Robert began negotiating with representatives from various global regions. It was a back-and-forth for terms, but a few forward-thinking companies immediately accepted League Games' offer: exclusive regional agency rights in exchange for 30% equity. No fees and No upfront charges.
Once those deals were on the table, the remaining companies backed off. If they couldn't win the exclusive rights, they weren't interested in secondary scraps. And honestly, 30% equity didn't seem like much when the upside was obvious.
After the contracts were finalized, James hosted a signing cocktail party. The next day, headlines exploded across the media.
Daily News — "James Gibson Launches Global Campaign. Samira and League of Legends go worldwide, faster than any tech brand in recent memory."
The New York Times — "League Games distributes global agency rights with zero financial exchange—only equity. Overnight, the company positions itself as an international powerhouse. Tony Stark calls co-founder James Gibson a genius."
Global Daily — "Valuation skyrocketing. League Games, founded less than a year ago, approaches the $100 billion mark. Is this the next digital bubble—or the new gold standard?"
James hadn't expected that much press coverage from one cocktail event—but it saved millions in ad spend. It wasn't just about profit. This was about influence.
Hydra had been manipulating Earth's infrastructure for generations. If James was going to root them out, he needed reach. Global reach. Trusted partners in every region. If SHIELD ever collapsed—or if James had to disappear underground—this would be his fallback. A private network strong enough to stand beside SHIELD… or go toe-to-toe with Hydra.
With California squared away, James returned home to New York. The moment he stepped into the penthouse, he froze.
There was a girl in the living room.
Young, Blonde, and seemingly Familiar.
Carlos and Hannah were sitting with her, chatting like it was normal.
"James, you're back," Carlos said, standing to greet him.
"Yeah. I'll be around for a bit. Tony's team is coming to renovate the unit next door. Who's the kid?" James asked, nodding toward the girl.
[Cortana: Facial match found. Chloe Grace Moretz, age 13, Kick-Ass film reference. Role: Hit-Girl.]
James blinked. "Wait… seriously?"
Carlos nodded. "This is Mindy McGrady. She's eleven. Her father was a police officer—killed in the line of duty during the Harlem incident. A cop wanted to adopt her… but he died too."
"Oh… but why is she in our house? Did you adopt her?" James asked, still processing it.
Carlos answered casually, "Yep. What do you think?"
James rolled his eyes. "You brought her home and now you ask me? Not that I mind."
Carlos didn't comment, and James shook his head. "Fine by me. I'll move next door once it's renovated. We'll shift the armory over—this place isn't suited for kids."
"Actually," Carlos said, "I was thinking of just converting the study. She can stay with Hannah until it's done."
James nodded. "That's fine, we don't really use it anyway. How'd this even happen though?"
Carlos leaned back. "Hannah and I were doing some volunteer work after the Harlem incident. We saw a girl crying in the arms of a cop. Turned out it was Mindy. After hearing about what happened, and I guess knowing that Hannah and I might not be having kids, suggested we take her in. Her rental's small, so I said—why not just stay with us? You've got a good sister now."
James sighed. He was in his mid-twenties and suddenly had an eleven-year-old sibling.
"Guess I better get used to helping with homework."
Carlos smiled and led him over. "Mindy, this is your brother James. I told you about him."
"Hello, James," Mindy said. She wasn't shy at all—confident, clear-eyed.
James wasn't sure if she was 'really Hit-Girl. If she was, she'd need discipline. If not, better training.
"Hey, Mindy. Welcome to the team. You can come to me for anything, alright?"
"Thanks!" she said with a grin.
Hannah joined them, beaming. "So Mindy's staying with me until her room is done. Carlos and I are going to make it work."
James could see it—Hannah didn't just like the girl. She was slipping into the role of a mom. And considering how well she and Carlos were doing… it made sense.
James didn't object. He'd be out on missions most of the time anyway. It wasn't really a bad thing, having a family under one roof.
That night, James offered to take everyone out for dinner. It was their first outing as a makeshift family. He drove the Chevy to a nearby fine-dining spot.
After dropping off Hannah and Mindy afterwards, James drove back home with Carlos.
"James, sorry I didn't run this with you," Carlos said, watching the city roll past.
"You don't have to. It's good, having a sister at home with you. She's better off with us than bouncing around the system. Besides… you and Hannah seem to be doing pretty well."
Carlos gave a rare smile. "Yeah. I think we are."