Marvel: A Tale of Shadows

"So, my parents are mutants." That was a generic statement for Laura to start off with. "I don't know much about my dad, only that he was called X-1 by the scientists and my mom said his name was James Howlett. He has similar powers to me, but when they tried to mind control him he escaped and disappeared. My mom is Ophelia Sarkissian, she was brainwashed and could use poisons through any bodily fluids. She managed to help me escape a few months ago but I still want to save her and find my dad if I can." She probably realized she was rambling and took a breath before asking her question. "Can you help me?"

Felicia smiled at her, "you only had to ask." They continued walking into the gym. Ethan was fully healed so he would join them for exercises. While he walked he typed quickly on his phone fully focused.

"Okay, Shield has a file on Ophelia. I can easily grab that. But it looks like James is only mentioned with a physical file in the Pentagon." Ethan explained as they arrived before Paine.

"What are you thinking?" Felicia asked. While Laura was processing what was happening.

"I will be in Washington anyways tomorrow, I'll just go get it. The Ophelia one will be easy enough to grab later today-" Ethan was suddenly interrupted as Laura erupted with tears and crying.

"Waaahhh!" Ethan and Felicia looked at each other while Paine frowned but ignored it. Then Felicia crouched and hugged her and a moment later Ethan joined her. She cried for a few minutes before she stopped.

She was still sniffling when Paine walked up, "are you done kid?"

Laura nodded as she backed up, "yes Mister Paine."

"Good go do your stretches. I have to talk to these two for a moment." Laura walked away to a mat and Paine turned his attention to the couple. "I thought you were still too injured?"

"Nah, I am just about healed up. Might as well get back into it. But I have to make some preparations for the next two days. I have to break into the Pentagon apparently." Ethan explained as he shrugged.

"Hmm… then I think I will join… tomorrow?" Paine asked.

"Ah no, the next day. I got a request for fixing some Shield stuff for tomorrow, I have to drive out tonight." Ethan explained.

"Okay, I will join you. It has been a while and I have been meaning to grab a file from that place. Do you have a method to get in?"

"Working on it. But I think we are just going to walk in the front door as military officers. What do you think?"

"Are you sure? They require security cards with special chips and official papers. Not to mention rigorous searches." Paine explained.

"Actually those things are easy enough for me to fake. We are also sneaking things out and security is a lot looser getting out." Ethan chuckled at the backward security that most federal facilities have. They still have not caught up with the times and the new security technologies available.

It was harder to break into a tech facility then it was to break into most 'secure' federal facilities. Which was part of the reason while he was starting and building an entire company. To hide and work in a secure facility.

Paine walked away while Ethan checked over the information he needed for tomorrow. The ID card was delivered in his mail. The paperwork was printed, his computer and the program he would implement was all set up. He just needed to be at the servers to upload it. He could drive his car-

Wait he was lending his car to Felicia. He guesses he gets to break out his motorcycle. It has been awhile since he pulled it out of the garage.

—--------------------------------

"Wow… this place is huge." The dark skinned British woman observed as she walked into the aweing lobby of SHIELD's Triskelion. She had a slight accent but it was mostly gone from her time living in the states.

"I am surprised you have never been here, Miss Drew. I read up on you, your parents were scientists for us a few years ago." Coulson explained as he led his way through the lobby, waving his badge to get past security.

"Yeah, I know. Why do you think I knew to contact you lot when I started developing powers?" She rolled her eyes while responding sarcastically. "Anyways… who did you say I would be training with?"

"One of our special agents. Codename: Black Widow. We are also trying to figure out how Spider-Man shoots webs so you can do the same gimmick." Coulson explained as he stepped into an elevator. Jessica stepped in behind him and looked around the steel box before it started quickly descending.

"Very edgy, is that all I am going to train with? A female agent and something to make me a spider gimmick? Very American, not giving me many choices. Tell me I can at least choose my own costume."

Coulson frowned but did not respond for a moment. "The tech guys like designing superhero gear when they get the chance. But I will make sure your preferences over your gear take precedence compared to the tech heads."

"Oh, well good. Because I am not going to walk around as some tester for a bunch of nonsense gear. Nor anyyy….." She trailed off as the door opened to a massive hanger inside was a massive metal structure that seemed to be in the process of being built. "What the bloody hell is that?!?"

Coulson smiled as he glanced at her out of the side of his eye. "That will be your future home. The Helicarrier, Shield's Mobile Fortresses. This will be the second one that goes up, the Iliad. The first one, Odyssey, is one of the best military vessels that works directly for the United Nations World Security Council."

"Huh… Is Iliad better?"

"Way better. Unlike the Odyssey it is capable of operating in Earth's lower orbit. It is far better armored, with less but stronger weaponry. Stuff equipped for Ship-to-Ship warfare in space." Coulson explained briefly.

"You expecting a threat to be in space?" Jessica asked sarcastically, getting a surprising reaction of Coulson looking away with seriousness. "Bloody hell I was joking."

As Coulson walked away she followed into the ship, "we already had your things moved to a storage unit. We had your essentials brought here, you can go grab anything if need be. But you will be living in officer quarters aboard the carrier. Even training here for the time being with your spider based powers."

"Yeah you mentioned that. You ever find the spiders?" She asked as she followed him through a hallway on the ship.

"Ahh… unfortunately they moved and were divided through sixteen different moving companies. All of which moved them out of the country. So now we are worried about going through red tape and alerting other groups." Coulson explained as he opened a door and walked inside.

"So what now?" She asked following him inside to what appeared to be a workout room. But there were still boxes with pictures of exercise equipment.

"Now…" he motioned to the room. "You get combat ready and train. While we begin the slow process of international espionage."

—---------------------------------------------------

They walked into their apartment to see a concentrated expression on Jean's face as she attempted to make something.

"What are you making?" Ethan asked as he moved into the living room and set down a few things. While Laura had a sleepy expression while Felicia was holding the rock climbing exercise equipment that Paine lent them.

"Umm… I don't know. I have rarely cooked before. This is hard, it took me awhile to figure out how to turn up the temperature of the thingy. But everything is coming out black." Jean's response was supported by the sudden smell of burnt food which really woke up Laura.

"Eek!" She covered her nose with her hands, "what is that smell?"

Ethan laughed as he walked into his office, "that, Laura, is the smell of growing up without ever learning how to cook properly." There was a scoff from the kitchen.

"I did not have to learn. Until I was sixteen my parents cooked, then when I moved into the X-Mansion we had older mutants and teachers cooking for us." Jean explained while handing the cooking instruments to Felicia who was suppressing her laughter.

"Yet you teach science and what else?" Felicia asked sarcastically.

"I also teach first aid, which is a requirement when students are sixteen years old." Jean responded sarcastically while she looked around for something else to do.

"Aunty Felicia, are you going to teach at the same school as Miss Grey?" Laura asked as she made her way to the couch while covering her nose.

"I am not going there to be a teacher but rather a tutor- and clean up first before video games Laura. I am going to whip up a quick dinner while Ethan gets ready for his trip to Washington." Felicia exclaimed after glancing at her starting up the TV for a moment.

Laura groaned as she stomped her way to a bathroom to clean up.

"Washington? Where is he going?" Jean asked as she decided to clean dishes.

"He is going to the Shield Triskelion, a contact reached out to ask him to do a security patch in their systems. He will be up there to also look through records to help find Laura's parents." Felicia explained.

Jean took a moment as she processed those words, getting a spike as she could suddenly read the young girl's mind. She must have taken off the bracelet she had on to prevent mind reading. Jean shook her head as she focused on not reading the young girl's mind, only glimpsing the young girl's joy at training her body along with her adoptive aunt and uncle. "Does Ethan have any 'contacts' that should worry me?"

"Almost certainly. But he knows basic spycraft so he can spot and lose a tail easily. Not to mention that he avoids making enemies that will come back to bite him." Felicia explained nonchalantly.

"Are those contacts like Miss Potts or the more dangerous version of a person?" Jean asked more focused on talking rather than cleaning the dishes.

"Both." Ethan answered as he set out his motorcycle gear and two helmets on the couch. "But they like staying under the radar and the Xavier Academy is too much under public scrutiny to worry about interference from the covert sector and criminal underworld."

"You know criminals too?" Jean turned her full attention not hiding that she is barely doing dishes.

"Of course, I have to keep contact with some criminals to listen for anything. For instance, apparently an underground mob boss known as the Kingpin has found his Fiancée's family and is making arrangements to meet them." He shrugged at Jean's expression. "Rumors like that are important but easily slip through unconnected people's fingers."

"So you are saying you are okay with having murders, kidnappers, and thrives as contacts." Jean asked, missing the moment that Felicia flinched.

"Ha! Gang murders are rare. Kidnapping is frowned upon so most local gangs avoid it, aside from the Triad. Thieving is not actually that bad for people when done correctly." Ethan explained.

Jean realized she wasn't going to argue Ethan out of his position. "Fine." It clearly was not. She went quiet.

"Not everything is black and white." He whispered under his breath before, quiet but not quiet enough for Jean to not hear his whisper. He looked up from what he was doing. "By the way, change of plans. I am taking you back after dinner."