Nolan walked Reed, Tony, and Charles through Oscorp's inner sanctum a place most people would never even know existed.
"This wing's run by Connors," Nolan began, gesturing toward a lab where containment pods held everything from mutant reptiles to strange, crystalline creatures. "They handle biological research on Inhumans, mutants, and enhanced fauna."
He kept moving, the group trailing him like kids at Stark Expo.
"Otto's department nuclear energy, exo-suits, the starship fleet." Through the glass, mechanical arms pieced together a battlecruiser's warp core.
"Over there Gordon's lab. Gamma energy, radiation's effect on enhanced biology. Sometimes his work overlaps with Connors."
Tony leaned in. Gamma research was dangerous even by his standards.
"Pym handles Pym Particles and quantum field research. Reed, you'll want to tell him you two speak the same language."
Reed nodded, eyes already tracking a quantum tunneling rig.
"Mystic division's here," Nolan added. "No permanent lead yet. Wanda assists for now teaching that meditation technique I mentioned."
By the time they reached the observation deck, Tony's smirk was gone.
"You're telling me all those enhanced soldiers we saw in Wakanda? Not your top project?"
"Nope," Nolan replied, almost amused. "Steelbody units, Jessica Initiative, the Undying Soldier program Peter's working in—those are downstream. The core work stays here."
Tony was floored. At Stark Industries, he still held the core designs for the Arc Reactor and Iron Man suits.
The idea of delegating your crown jewels was unthinkable yet Nolan was saying he had entire armies of second-tier geniuses working on what Tony would call "company-defining tech."
Charles broke the silence.
"Where do you find that many qualified minds?"
Nolan's grin widened.
"Remember when I got Beast's genetic sample? Cooked up a serum that permanently boosts cognitive potential, temporarily spikes brain activity. Not Hank McCoy-level, but enough for them to refine existing tech. Innovation still needs talent you can't clone genius. But this? It gives me all the second-string intellect I need."
Tony and Charles traded a look both stunned and slightly horrified.
"So, Dr. Richards," Nolan asked. "Which department?"
"I'd like to collaborate with Dr. Pym," Reed said. "Quantum mechanics is my specialty."
"Done. But if you ever hit philosophy conflicts, I can spin up a whole division for you."
He tilted his head. "And the other three from the Fantastic Four?"
"They'll join Oscorp too."
"Fine. Ben Grimm's been unhappy with his… condition. We've got a control-inhibitor that can stabilize his transformations applied through your account."
Truthfully, Nolan didn't need the other three's combat ability Oscorp had plenty of muscle. But giving Reed's teammates a home? That was leverage.
"Norman will finish the tour HR, logistics, the boring stuff." Nolan turned to Wanda.
"I'm heading to Kamar-Taj."
A violet sling ring portal spun open and with a whip of displaced air, he stepped through.
Kamar-Taj – Master's Chamber
The room was as timeless as ever, the same tea set steaming gently.
"Master," Nolan said, sitting opposite the Ancient One.
"The time is almost here," she replied calmly. "My path was flawed from the start. A mortal body was always a limitation. The Dark Dimension's power extended my lifespan so I could guide Earth's defenders… but now, I no longer need to hold on."
Nolan's Tenth-Dimensional soul easily saw the truth that death was already coiling around her form. Centuries weighed heavily; few could survive this long without the same impossible advantages he had.
"So you're letting go."
"Yes. I'll take the fight into the Dark Dimension itself."
"That's Dormammu's home ground. There, his power's infinite. And it risks drawing the multiversal Dormammu's attention."
"I've spoken with Vishanti. They'll shield us from that level of interference on one condition. Once you reach multiversal status, you owe them a favor. Nothing beyond your capacity."
She paused, her tone sharpening.
"In the Dark Dimension, you might seize it entirely. Here on Earth, Dormammu would never linger once he sensed danger."
"Even with you and Wanda, we could be fighting for a long time."
"I've called in one more ally," she said.
~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:
(Just remove the - hyphen to access normally)
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!