{Chapter: 164 - Spending Time With Daisy Jemma And In The Push Plane With Kira}
After finishing his meal, Aiden sat back in the chair, one arm slung over the backrest, eyes half-lidded with satisfaction as he leisurely sipped on some jasmine tea. The clash with Ben earlier hadn't drained him in the slightest. To Aiden, that skirmish had been nothing more than a friendly warm-up—a roughhousing sparring session between two heavy-hitters who understood each other's strength and temperament.
Ben Grimm, better known as The Thing, was built like a bulldozer made of orange granite. His rock-solid body, immense strength, and stubborn tenacity made him a formidable close-combat brawler. But to someone wielding a Green Lantern ring and the creative energy it offered, Aiden had found the challenge more enjoyable than threatening.
It wasn't malicious. No grudges. Ben just had a habit of greeting other tough guys with punches instead of handshakes. It was his way of saying, "Welcome to the strong club."
Now, with nothing urgent on his plate, Aiden let himself sink into quiet reflection.
His fingers absently traced the rim of the teacup while his mind wandered.
The first issue: his own abilities.
He was strong, yes. The Reality Ring offered practically limitless potential limited only by imagination and willpower. But he knew that wouldn't always be enough, not against the titanic threats lurking in the worlds. He needed more. Not just raw power, but diversity—the kind of power that could catch his enemies off guard.
Fortunately, he had the Push Plane. A pocket universe under his control, a place where he could test, absorb, and experiment with new abilities. All he needed was the right opportunity to open a new dimensional rift and hunt down the right plane.
The second concern: the War Legion.
His team was still rough around the edges, a mixed bag of potential and experience. Elliott, with his deadly double-blade construct, had shown terrifying potential, but that kind of power spike might not happen again. Daisy and Natasha, meanwhile, frequently took on high-risk missions, and if things continued this way, he couldn't afford to keep them so vulnerable.
Daisy Johnson—Quake. She hadn't fully awakened yet, but once her Inhuman powers blossomed, she would become a seismic force to reckon with. In the comics, she had shaken Magneto off his feet and made Wolverine stagger. Aiden smirked at the thought.
"You're gonna shake the world, Daisy," he murmured to himself.
But Natasha... Natasha was different. She was brilliant, lethal, and cunning. But she lacked the kind of supernatural edge that made others on the battlefield unkillable. And that made her a liability. A brilliant one, but a vulnerable one.
He thought of Jemma Simmons next.
The genius biochemist had been holed up in her lab day and night, working tirelessly on the gene-enhancing potion. It was ambitious—dangerous even—but if she succeeded, he'd be able to give power to those who needed it most. Carol. Natasha. Maybe even others. In a world full of gods and monsters, they needed a fighting chance.
He chuckled. "Iron suit? Maybe for now. But I'm thinking bigger."
'I wonder when Jemma could finish her research. Once it succeeded I could give it to the people around me!' Aiden thought in his heart and thought of Carol and Natasha since they were just ordinary people. The DC world is extremely dangerous, it's only a matter of time before he attracts attention to some so he has to find a way for Carol to get stronger so she could protect herself.
Carol could handle an Iron Man suit with ease. Her flight skills were precise, instinctive, and clean. But the suit would only be a temporary solution. Once Jemma completed her work, it would open an entirely new chapter.
Although Tony is protective about the Iron suit it's not difficult to get it. After all, its designs are everywhere in Marvel. He can go back and study for himself. After all they were particularly everywhere in marvel.
He was snapped from his thoughts by the clinking sound of porcelain on wood.
"Here is your food, sir," the waiter said with a polite smile, setting down the packed meals.
"Thank you," Aiden replied, slipping a tip onto the tray.
He exited the restaurant and made his way down a quiet alleyway. With a thought, green light shimmered around him, and he shot into the sky like a comet.
--
When he returned to base, the team was still lounging in the main living area. The scent of the freshly packed Chinese food wafted into the room, drawing eyes immediately.
"You brought food?" Daisy asked, springing to her feet with excitement, barefoot in leggings and one of his old t-shirts she'd stolen days ago.
"Of course," Aiden said, grinning. "Figured you deserved something after all that data-mining you were buried under."
"You're the best. Seriously, marry me," Daisy said with a dramatic sigh and a hand pressed to her forehead.
"Slow down," Aiden teased. "You haven't even tried the dumplings yet."
Jemma appeared from the hallway, lab coat still half-on, glasses perched on her nose, fingers stained faintly with ink and chemicals.
"What's that smell? Is that sesame chicken? Please tell me it's sesame chicken."
"And scallion pancakes," Aiden said, holding the bag aloft.
Jemma raised an eyebrow. "Bribery won't make me finish gene synthesis faster."
"No? But maybe it'll help you take a break for once. Come on, Jem. You look like you haven't blinked in four hours."
Jemma gave him a playful scowl but sat beside him, a little closer than necessary. When their knees brushed, she didn't move away.
"So," Aiden said, passing her a box. "How's the serum going? Any breakthroughs today?"
Jemma opened it and picked at the rice with her chopsticks. "Actually, yes. I've isolated a stable compound with a seventy percent certainty of controlling the mutation factor. If I can reduce cellular collapse, we might achieve consistent results."
"Consistent superpowers, huh?"
"That's the idea. But it's not ready for human trials. Yet."
"Good. Because I have the perfect guinea pigs on another plane," Aiden said, eyes twinkling.
"You're joking. Right?" Jemma asked, but he didn't answer. Just grinned.
Daisy plopped down beside him, resting her chin on his shoulder. "You better not be turning random people into Hulks."
"No gamma radiation," he replied, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "Promise."
Jemma's fingers hesitated at her box. Her eyes lingered on the pair of them for a moment longer than necessary. She looked down quickly, cheeks tinged with pink.
Aiden noticed but didn't say anything.
Later that night, after the food was gone and the team had dispersed, he found Jemma still in the lab, tinkering with her formula.
He leaned against the doorframe.
"You know," he said softly, "I admire your dedication. But even geniuses need sleep."
She smiled faintly, not turning around. "Sleep is for people who aren't trying to rewrite human genetics."
He walked closer, slow and deliberate. When he stood behind her, his voice dropped. "I think you enjoy having an excuse to ignore how charming I am."
She finally turned, trying to look stern. "You're insufferable."
"And yet, you keep sitting next to me."
Jemma looked up at him, lips twitching. "Because I like your ideas. Not you."
"Sure. Must be my theories on accelerated cell bonding."
Their eyes locked.
"You're impossible," she whispered.
"But not unlikable," he replied, leaning closer.
She swallowed, breath catching slightly. Then she stepped back and cleared her throat, clutching her notebook.
"Good night, Aiden."
He chuckled as he turned to go. "Good night, Jemma. Don't dream about me too much."
He made sure to flash one last grin over his shoulder before vanishing down the corridor.
Once the base was still and silent, Aiden stood alone in his room.
He whispered, "Push Plane."
With a soft hum, he vanished into a different dimension, ready to test the serum—and maybe, find new power lurking in the multiverse.
---
As the silver shimmer of energy peeled away, the world blurred for a brief moment before sharpening again—walls reformed, the light dimmed, and the familiar hum of machinery returned. Aiden stood alone in a room at the base of the Push Plane, surrounded by muted gray walls and sleek steel floors, the air sterile and quiet. Midnight. The silence of the hour amplified every breath, every step.
But Aiden didn't linger long in his quarters. There was someone he needed to see.
With practiced ease, he slipped out into the corridor, his footsteps silent against the floor. The halls of the base, though advanced, were minimalist—only the faintest green neon glow lit the corners. His destination was clear. He reached Kira's quarters in seconds. The door, as always, was unlocked. Trust. Or maybe something else.
He pushed the door open gently, the hinges silent. The room inside was dim, bathed only in the soft glow of a low bedside lamp. Aiden stepped inside without a word, closing the door behind him with a click.
A subtle shift under the blankets. Kira stirred.
She blinked, groggy at first, golden hair splayed over her pillow like sunlight spilled across linen. Then her blue eyes adjusted, and recognition sparked.
"Master…?" she breathed, her voice a sultry mix of surprise and soft warmth. She sat up slowly, the thin strap of her tank top slipping down her shoulder in the process. She didn't fix it.
"You're back?" she asked, her eyes searching his face—relief, happiness, and something unspoken swimming behind her gaze.
"I am," he said quietly, and moved to sit beside her on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped under his weight, bringing them closer.
Kira was already leaning toward him slightly, instinctively, like her whole body was drawn to his presence. She hadn't seen him in days—not in the flesh. Sure, she'd monitored his energy signature on the base's systems, even secretly checked the recordings of his last disappearance, but nothing compared to having him here.
"I brought something for you," he added, pulling a vial from inside his system.
The liquid shimmered—an iridescent hue of blue swirled in the tiny container.
"This is a prototype gene potion. Jemma's research is getting close to stabilization, and I think you're the best person to analyze it before any trials happen. I want you to look into it—really look into it. Don't let anyone take risks with it until we know it's safe."
Kira took the vial delicately, fingers brushing his. Her touch lingered longer than it needed to.
"You can trust me on this." she said softly, a trace of mischief in her tone.
Aiden met her eyes. "I trust your instincts more than anyone's."
Kira smiled, pleased. That cocky, teasing edge she always carried was returning, warming up like a purr behind her words. "Then I guess I better not let you down. I'll take a look first thing tomorrow."
"There's no rush," Aiden replied with a small smile. "Tonight's yours. Rest."
Kira tilted her head, her eyes narrowing playfully. "You say that like I can actually sleep now that you're here."
Aiden chuckled. "Don't tell me you missed me that much."
"You've been gone for days," she murmured, nudging his shoulder with hers. "You're lucky I didn't lose my mind."
"And you've been good while I was gone?" he teased.
Kira rolled her eyes but grinned. "Define 'good.'"
That earned a laugh from Aiden. She loved getting that sound out of him. His usual calm, stoic demeanor in front of her cracked just enough to show the real man underneath. The one she still cared about, even if she rarely said it outright.
She shifted on the bed, sitting cross-legged now, wearing nothing but the soft tank top and a pair of shorts—her skin glowing in the lamplight. She made no effort to hide her body. With Aiden, she never had.
"You know…" Kira said slowly, twirling the vial between her fingers, "...if this stuff actually works, maybe I'll take a dose myself."
He raised an eyebrow. "You already have one of the strongest pusher abilities I've ever seen."