Chapter 33: Chi Manipulator 

Paradise Night Club, Harlem 

A sudden sensation of ants crawling across Cole's mind struck him. It was only his instinct that kept him from reacting. His first thoughts were to lash out, assuming in the faintest seconds that he hadn't been afforded immunity against the Purpleman. 

Immediately, he became alert. 

The sensation was foreign and unexpected. Utilizing his greatly enhanced mind at that moment, he quickly realized it was not The Purpleman compulsion ability but someone annoying looking for him. 

Although aware that the individual seeking him was a woman, he quickly pushed her away. 

Misty Knight

Misty immediately noticed Luke's statuesque form, arms locked to his ribs, his hands opening and closing. He was fighting. His thick skin must've afforded him some resistance. 

Her part was to come in behind Jason. Jason would engage Killgrave, the mutated name, while she approached the struggling Luke. She looked at the mask in her hand. This apparatus would help him resist. She just had to throw it, and the strange tech would enclose around Luke's face.

It seemed like, at every turn, someone with powers was showing up. She had the Red Hood, Spider-Man. The latter had caused the eye of Stark, so they hadn't approached him. 

Misty let it be known she knew who he was and where he lived. His address was a dead end. He didn't use the orphanage or iceberg. Jason Todd didn't exist unless the system fixed that part after one hundred percent. 

Cole Stephens 

He sighed in indignation at the SHIELD agent. He ignored the overt duplicity. Misty Knight and SHIELD having his identification wouldn't affect his current plans. Jason Todd would become a known element of SHIELD while Red Hood remained secret. 

He pondered. Could he utilize Jeremy's Persona? Granted, he hadn't received a rating for the boy, but he had thought a lot about the Persona system. Jeremy having a hidden parameter wasn't too farfetched. That did lead to him personally, Cole Stephens persona. 

He shoved that distraction in the back of his mind and stared forward, his mind spinning with contingencies and ideal takedowns. In theory, he could have dealt with them both if he had been able to use his Red Hood persona. 

Killgrave wasn't a frontline combatant; he was sure the man wasn't a pushover, but his physicality had long past the likes of the Purpleman.

Luke Cage's strength and potent invulnerability made him resistant to small fire. He cut his eyes to Misty; she was peeking into the room, measuredly listening to the psychotic man ramble. He summoned his utility belt, silently replacing the gaudy Hermes belt he had purchased as a disguise. 

Luke's strength has always been a topic of discussion. During his series, he was made to be extremely weak; he reckoned Captain America of the movies wouldn't have had trouble with that version of the man, but this one before him wasn't the series' actors. 

He would've even said it was the same man from the '90s comic; the only difference was Luke was ball instead of that jheri curl style he had in the comics. Comic Luke could exchange blows with the Thing and Incredible Hulk. He needed to tread cautiously.

If he had known he would be dealing with Luke, he would have planned and prepared more contingencies. At this stage, he couldn't show abilities similar to Red Hood. He had already decimated the thugs on the bus. The analyst would easily connect the dots if he showed up here unmasked and recreated the same results.

"On the count of three." He whispered. Cole reached toward his belt and removed two miniature smoke bombs. 

Misty nodded, raising her service weapon upward prepared. They simultaneously counted to three. 

The canisters rolled across the floor, the dials spinning as thick smoke billowed outward, quickly obscuring their breach. Keeping his eyes on the man, Cole raced forward. 

The smoke didn't hinder his vision. He could still see the smirking menace, cold, calculating countenance. 

Killgrave paused his monologuing and smiled brilliantly. Cole's stomach churned, and an indescribable feeling consumed him.

[Enhanced Investigation]. A mistake has been made; something is wrong. Cole's eyes darted around, consuming the room unbothered by the thick smoke that obscured all parties. To the side, the smoke didn't cover Luke; his imposing figure was superimposed over the thick gray smoke. 

"Misty, it's a trap," He shouted, but it was too late. Misty body froze, her hand outstretched, an all too familiar purpling hand clasped around her wrist, the apparatus clambered against the floor.

"Men's plans and gods laugh; life is unpredictable; fortunately, that's no longer a concern for you,” Purpleman said whimsically.

Before he could even formulate another plan, Luke's large, meaty hands slammed together, unmistakably one of the Hulks' moves. The explosion of air and sound shook the room and dispersed the smoke inside the office.

Mable stood, shotgun in her hands, pointed at him, awaiting orders. His eyes darted back toward Luke's, but the shrill scream of the Special Agent resulted in him diverting his attention in the worst of times. 

Killgrave, now ultimately purple, held her against him as he sniffed her hair, his purple hand roaming across her body, cupping her breast before approaching her face. He snapped the mask off and licked the side of her face and neck. He eyed me, smirking.

"Pity, such an ability would have been useful, but you seem resistant to my own. At least partially." He chuckled. 

"I wonder what else you can do?" He said, enjoying himself with the Agent in his hand. 

"Reckon, I'll find out soon enough."

"But, thank you for handing me this beautiful woman." He smacked his lips. "I was wondering who I would enjoy next after I had my way with Jessica. A man needed variety, and I have never tasted dark meat."

Cole's sense flared. He threw a hasty defense as a massive black fist smashed into him. Luke screamed in anguish, still able to hear what was being said. 

Cole had been shot and hit innumerable times; even the Brazillan mutate had pushed him, but nobody had put him on the brink. He was hurt, badly hurt. 

Blood spilled from his mouth. His vision clouded. He had shattered the wall. His enhanced physique hadn't helped much, but give him a few breaths before his [Inhuman Healing Factor] began almost immediately repairing his mushed body. 

Cole blinked, unconsciousness threatening to overwhelm him. He felt his body shift, but it wasn't from his efforts. He was being dragged across the floor by Luke. 

Luke had dropped him in the middle of the room. Purpleman enjoyed himself as he started to toy even more with the Agent. Luke remained looming over the prone figure. Hatred-laden eyes burned into the Cole figure. 

The pain began to subside. His healing factor had already righted the worst wrongs. The pain he should have experienced didn't occur. He remained down; they didn't know he had a healing factor, his figure was bloody, and his healed wounds wouldn't be spoken of by the puppet Luke. 

They didn't know what he was capable of, and now that he could tank a direct blow from Luke, unadorned in armor, he wasn't nearly as bad off as he assumed.

At that moment, he began to meditate in an untraditional way. The bio-electricity at the center of his being had been unearthed instantly. The ingrained knowledge went as far as muscle memories as he could recall Jason Todd's struggles in training with the mystical order of monks and the subsequent training with Lady Shive that taught him the deadliest martial arts that could, if he willed, prolong his foe's death.

The system chimed inside his head, forcing the screen to appear before him. 

[+2] Chi Manipulation: Host mastery of martial arts has made him skilled in sensing and manipulating Bio-electricity energy. 

[Augmentation] The host Chi can enhance physical and supernatural parameters and intensely focus his Chi to increase healing and recovery time.

He closed the screen quickly, not needing the visual distraction. He heard footsteps; someone neared, standing directly behind Luke. 

He chuckled in realization. The Iron Fist in the series was squatting on a dragon egg with this ability. Chi's manipulation wasn't unique to him alone, and that part confused him. Why wasn't humanity using this ability? He dived into his memories for an answer and was awarded one immediately. Chi was in everything, but everyone wasn't capable. He would have to see if he could train his people, especially the squishier ones. 

His body became imbued with bio-electrical energies. Pushing past his limited understanding of Chi had been unexpected. He planned, using his limited ability, and put down Luke. 

Speaking of Luke, the artificially mutated brute fists were still clenching and unclenching in protest. He hadn't recall how. Still, he remembered Luke having a subtle resistance against The Purple Man's control.

Purpleman tapped Luke's shoulder, forestalling his movements. Cole acted. He delved into his ingrained training, spinning on his back, a capoeira ground move. 

His imbued legs lashing out, capoeira martial arts in full display as he spun like a top, legs striking out with lightning-like speeds and hitting his opponent with thunderous force. 

He wasn't holding back, not against Luke, especially not against this rapist. Two kicks landed uncontested; the third and the fourth slammed into the stumbling strongman's chest and face, sending the man across the room. 

'Good.' He just needed a moment. He realized it but hadn't let it distract him. He hadn't opened his eyes, but nothing living could hide from his new perception. 

His trademark Glocks were in his outstretched hands. He had to play it carefully; thus, he purchased leg holsters and ensured he was seen removing them. 

Ephemeral energies waffled off him as his chi enhancement hadn't run its course. Unsurprisingly, he sensed tiredness; rare had he ever become tired. Still, his utilization of Chi had come with a physical cost. He enhanced stamina, afforded him another five minutes of concentrated use. 

Incrediduity grew across Purpleman's face. Cole's eyes were like rubies burning on an open fire. He reoriented, sighting Misty Knight, still standing disheveled and double-tapped.

His illusion displacement winked out of existence. The purple suit-clad man stood stock still, two smoking holes centimeters apart, smoke in the center of his head. 

He stumbled, his hands reaching toward the wounds, as blood trickled down his forehead; his purple manifestation continued to recede, his mouth contorted in horror, and disbelief appeared in his eyes. 

Cole brushed past the now-huffing Luke, a trickle of blood on the corner of his mouth. He saw the man's body trying to heal the grievous wounds and left to his own devices. He would recover. Cole sneered, raising his guns again. 'heart shot should be the nail in this loser coffin.' He thought. 

He started to fire before he was sent staggering backward. He groaned. 

'Fuck that hurt.' He said inwardly, picking himself from the floor. He eyed the woman, considering if he should kill her. She was his reason to be here; admittedly, he hadn't known she was still in power and assumed it was her grandson. 

Mabel came from behind the desk. Her face contorted; she leaked so much rage Cole's ring had vibrated on his finger. He looked down and wondered if his ring could duplicate itself. He cast his eyes back toward the scene, gleaning that she hadn't suffered like Jessica, but he made her grandson's gang have their way with the mature woman. 

'What a piece of shit.' He thought. 

She snarled, practically growling her hatred for the man; she pumped the shotgun again, placing it on The Purple Man's head. Cole knew what would occur, but some of him recognized the injustice she suffered. He wondered if this would

be considered kill-steal. He had been the one to lobotomize the man first. 

She screamed and blew his half his head off unceremoniously. She spat on the now headless man, her rage dipping to levels that blocked her thoughts from him. She raised her head and stared at him. Her eyes focused on his pristine chest, his clothes were fucked, but the system would repair it for a fee.

The system prompt chiming inside his mind had assuaged his thoughts. He hadn't the time to read the prompt as another situation was beginning to occur.

Agent declared herself, feebly raising her badge, she pressed her hand against her ear. Coles's eyes narrowed, and he zeroed in on her ear; he hadn't seen her with that earlier. His comms beeped, and messages appeared on the H.U.D. 

Mabel didn't bother with the Agent as she stared at the man she swore she killed before looking back down at the man's body that had controlled her. 

Luke's voice reverberated across the room. He stepped forward, uncaring about the shotgun in Stoke's hand, as he asked her where Jessica Jones was.

Mabel cursed and raised the shotgun toward me, only for Luke's hand to clamp against the barrel and snatch it from her.

In the distance, my enhanced hearing picked up sirens. Firestar messages had already alerted me. The boas drones were hovering over two separate battlefields. X-men had fought against the brotherhood, and Wolverine and Sabertooth were shredding each other; the mad animal that was Sabertooth had already taken a family life and was about to kill two unsuspecting police officers. 

Red Hood: Prepare yourself to leave the redoubt. I'm unsure if Jean has located you or if they know we're working together. 

Firestar: Yes! You're back online. 

Firestar: What happened? Never mind. Talk later! X-men, it bothers me that you didn't tell me groups of mutants were out there.

Red Hood: Jumping ship already? You're right to be peeved at not telling you. Unfortunately, you're with me now. Unless you want to breach

 our deal? 

Firestar: That's not what I said! I want to be in the loop. The battle was intense. I'm glad your drones aren't detectable by the magnet guy. 

Red Hood: Here on out, you're in the loop. If the redoubt is secure, I'll head there once I get out of this situation. If it's not, head to Iceberg Lounge. 

Firestar: The Brotherhood, alongside the guy in the wheelchair and the redhead, is headed in your direction. 

Red Hood: Linked the feed to my H.U.D.

He noticed her typing bubble, but they stopped.

Good. Act first; talk later. 

It was time to make my exit. The mission was over, Purple Man was dead, and wherever Jessica was, with her strength and will back, she would find her way; regardless, his part was done.

He tucked his weapons away, his nice suit shredded and stained with blood. Three sets of eyes landed on him.

Misty raised her gun, her eyes and mind clear. Cole smiled devilishly.

"Now," he said low, his fear ability peeling back from him. "Special Agent Knight, we both know that wouldn't work."

His heart palpitated when he felt the sudden tangible weight on his shoulder. He forced himself not to react. 

The system chimed inside his head. Fragment of Fear no more. He had inadvertently caused a melding of sorts. The piece had taken on Persona of Fear, The Bat. 

Misty Knight 

She had known he was hiding something, but looking at those burning rubies that replaced his once beautiful blues had sent a shiver down her spine. She hadn't liked locking mutants and supernaturals up like terrorists. Still, tonight had shown her that if not all of them, then some were too dangerous to be trusted. 

Her eyes landed on the body of the man. Disgust and shame caused her to shake. She schooled her face and pushed down her pains at what occurred and could have if not for the mutant before her. 

"Y… ou're under arrest!" 

She gestured toward Luke. "Luke apprehends him." She ordered. 

The big man cut his head toward me. Misty took a step back, both of their eyes enlarging at the manifestation of the fragment. 

Jason shook his head, still smiling unbothered. She could feel the tangible presence warming its way inside her mind. She wanted to run, scream, and cry, her worst nightmares flashing in her mind, but as quick as they came, they vanished.

"I don't think so," He said as he tossed a small object toward our faces. Luke was shivering but managed to move in front of me protectively. The ball exploded in piercing bright light. 

Cole Stephens 

The flashbang exploded. Luke, realizing it was a flashbang, roared and lunged. Mabel turned and ran toward a back door. He had gained a lot tonight and would garner more for completing the mission. 

He ducked under Luke's attempt at a takedown. His respect for the strongman is growing. Maybe one day they could spar. Cole ran past the Agent. He swiped his wallet to spite her. He laughed aloud, knowing it would anger Misty.

Cole had sped across the floor and dived through the large stained window. He flipped mid-air and shot his Bat-grapple toward another building. 

He had a drone tracking Mable Stokes, and he was in pursuit. 

Jean Grey|Scott Summers|Vanish 

Moments later, Scott Summers, accompanied by Vanish and Jean, emerged on the roof adjacent to the club. 

Vanish and Scott regarded each other, but both parties had decided to stop all actions, a cease-fire of sorts. Scott had already alerted the remaining X-men, not wanting to be outnumbered again. 

Jean pressed both her hands to her temple and concentrated. "Gah. He's blocking me still. I got to try another method." Jean said.

"And what method is that?" Scott asked. 

"You know how people show up unannounced at your door, and you maybe don't answer?" Jean explained, eyes closed, concentrating. 

Vanish face scrunched. "What weirdo does that?" 

Scott blanched, rubbed the back of his neck, and began to look around for any more mundane clues. 

Jean continued, her words scalding. “Psychics can call ahead, as well as nonpsychics, and ask if they can come over."