Electrify - Volume 1 Chapter 11

“Congratulations, Master Maxwell.” The Ancient One said with a smile.

“Not, quite a Master yet.” I replied and walked through the portal.

“Yes, but I doubt that you would stop before achieving that title.” She said and gestured me to follow.

“I was wondering, if I could return to my duties. I will make sure that those will not effect my studies here.” I said and she stopped walking.

“Master Maxwell, we never actually kept you here. You choose to stay, and I see no reason why I should stop you. Though, I will warn you not to tell Shield about this.” She said and disappeared.

I walked towards my room to check my phone and there I got a dizzying news. It was already a week. I was gone for a week and didn’t even realize it. I quickly got changed and headed to my home. I opened up a portal on the roof and quickly ran to the door. Mom opened the door and she smiled brightly before pulling me into a hug.

“Sweetie, did you come home early. Aww, you should have stayed for the entire trip.” She said and pulled me into a hug.

“I am not really back. I was in the city for some experiment for my project, I will be gone soon. I just wanted to see you.” I said and looked at her.

Her frown wrinkles were receding and she seemed happier. Her electrical signature was fine and so was her entire body. I then said my good byes and left for the HQ in my armor. On the way, I read TACT’s notes about progress and a few other surprising things. Warren had somehow become a liaison between Shield and The Xavier’s team, and Miles was shadowing Peter as his protg of sorts. Flynn. Had been called in for an emergency mission to gather Intel about a stolen Shield file and Jessica was developing some anti corrosive agent to neutralize her powers. All of them were doing good in the studies department but the physical department was somewhat lacking. I landed in front of the HQ and was immediately called by Fury.

“Agent Electro, report your whereabouts regarding your disappearance. Immediately.” He said in a calm voice, but I could sense that he was furious.

“I was chasing a lead on a criminal organization.” I said and waited for him to respond.

“Is this related to the warning I gave you?” He asked after a while.

“Yes.” I said and he turned quiet. “It was a trail of whispers and gossip, didn’t turn up anything significant.” I said and heard a sigh.

“Maxwell, I will not warn you again, go after them at your own risk.” He said and hung up.

I kept the phone back, and sighed in relief. I had a feeling that Fury did not believe me for a second but he didn’t poke any further and that was a good sign. I opened up he news section in the tablet and kept scrolling till I found something and I did find something. Apparently, a masked vigilante was going around Hells Kitchen and waging war against the Russians. There was no picture but the word on the street was that he was the devil. Then there was some troubling news that the Loki’s scepter was stolen from shield. That pretty much confirmed that the Shield was dirty or at least some parts of it. After a quick workout, I headed out to the city, stopped a few crimes in Hells Kitchen and kept a looked out for the masked friend.

Shield had a list for the people suspected of being daredevil, and I checked them out just to see if it held water but all of them checked out due to a weird coincidence. I went to the Queens base to hang with Peter afterwards.

“Max, I thought you would be gone for a month.” He said.

“Just came earlier. Peter, I want to talk to you I. Private.” I said and we both went to a secure location with no surveillance.

“Shield is dirty. Loki’s scepter was stolen. This pretty much confirms our suspicion.” I said.

“I know. We need to keep quiet until something stirs. You especially need to stay clear of this.” Peter warned.

“I know.” I said and opened a portal to kamartaj just to see Peters reaction. “Magic.”

“what? How? Oh right Magic.” He said with a sigh. “Fury will have an aneurysm.”

“I know. I am training in a secret place. If you want you can come too.” I said and looked for a reaction.

“Magic? I will think about it.” He said and looked at the portal. “How does it stay stable like this? How much energy are you spending?”

“You can find out.” I said with a chuckle. “Keep an eye on hell kitchen, someone had picked up a mask.” I said and walked through the portal and closed it behind me.

I spent the rest of the next few hours going through books about the magical focus. The kind she showed me when I got here. Alice was helpful in showing the correct books to draw idea from but she also always vaguely told me to not follow her too. While, it took me 2 weeks to get through the books and the scrolls, Alice and The Ancient One both ordered me to stop everything until I found my focus. I then spent the next few day meditating and mulling over what could be it, I even practiced the right Katas and movements but it was just not happening.

“Alice, I need help with this. You said that this would come naturally but nothing is happening.” I said.

“Maxwell, do you just expect to do just a bunch of motions and it will all come to you? Magic, is just about the truths and I don’t think a spy would get that.” Alice said looking up from her book.

“Then help me.” I said looking at her.

“Fine. Follow me.” She said with a sigh.

She then took me to the sparring area and asked two masters to set up a barrier. She the pulled a huge scythe from her bag and changed into a form of armor. Soon, after she closed her eyes and a few symbols started floating around her. She then tapped her scythe on the ground a few time and I felt stifled the moment that happened.

“What did you do?” I yelled out and called for my powers but I for the first time did not respond.

“I have sealed them away. Now, we fight.” She said and rushed at me.

She tried to punch me in the face as an opener but I had enough of that from Finn and I easily dodged and pushed her away. She let out a laughed and then really started to bend and twist around my attacks till she found and opening and punched me in the face. It was the first one since Finn. I yelled out and charged at her but managed to kick her stomach, but she took that force and threw me behind her. I smashed into the barrier and fell down. I was missing the little surge of electricity I usually felt when I got hurt. I got up and tried to hit her again but she saw all my moved coming and began to counter everyone of them. In a last ditch move I open up a tiny portal near head and attacked through that, she saw that coming as well. She then grew around 10 more arms and opened ten portals in front of my face. I tried to dodge but the portal moved along with me before I blacked out.

I woke up in my room and saw Alice sitting right next to me reading my book. I felt that my face was swollen but the electricity was helping me heal faster.

“How was that supposed to help me” I asked getting up.

“It wasn’t.” She replied nonchalantly.

“D.i.c.k move.” I grumble and she laughed out loud.

“My word, Mr. Maxwell.” She said wiping tears from her eyes, I chuckled along with her.

I stood up and got into my most comfortable fighting stance and closed my eyes. I began to move as if trying to punch, then moved an oncoming punch to the side. I continued to move solely in instinct till it felt it. A bolt of lightning, similar to a Z shaped. Then a circle surrounded by four other circles. Inscribed in it were ancient words for lightning, strength, speed and clarity. Soon, other characters appeared in the shape of another circle. I after awhile, I has left with 5 floating foci, that belonged solely to me. I opened my eyes to see them in the real world as well. Glowing with a blue light, they hummed with power before dissipating.

“You did it.” She said and came to support me as I fell to my knees.

“Thank you, Alice.” I said and sighed in relief.

The next few day, I spent all my time practicing till, I could summon the focus with no effort. The Ancient One called me and introduced me to my first spell. The wh.i.p.s of vastha. The spell, as the name indicated, called out a whip made of energy. It could become hard or soft, edged or blunt, tangible or intangible, even sticky. It was a very versatile spell. However, my whip could also become electric and shock someone on contact. Alice, said that it was due to my connection with a realm of power.

At the library, Wong didn’t bother me anymore, although he still didn’t speak to me for some reason. He didn’t even bat an eye when I took out a book on necromancy. Although, that did warrant me a visit from the Ancient One. She told me that it was a forbidden art but didn’t stop me from reading all about it. The spells never Inhuman and grotesque in nature. Needless to say, I didn’t practice those but I did find out ways to neutralize them.

It took me a month to become completely comfortable with the Wh.i.p.s and I even integrated them into my fighting style, at least the normal One. The next spell I chose was the Shield of Sharrum. While, I worked on the magical front, I also was working on the Shield stuff. Turns out, Shield chairman board decided that the mutant Agent program was a smashing success due to the achievements of Fynn and Jessica. Fynn’s recon mission helped Shield find a terrorist cell in New York and Jessica’s research produced a corrosive agent that made a lot of Breaches silent and successful. Warren on the other hand became a poster boy for Shields Mutant program due to his Fandom and publicity. Miles on the other hand was devises into Cyber and Field fronts because he excelled at both.

Peter on the other hand was becoming a beacon of sorts, criminals at his sight alone would turn themselves in peacefully. I on the other hand became a background character since, I stopped using electric based attacks. I was usually using the wh.i.p.s or my speed to fight now a days.

“Maxwell, come here immediately.” I heard Ancient One’s voice.

I hurried to the New York sanctum and saw Drumm, Wong and Mordo standing there looking worried.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Someone performed a ritual and summoned 2 demons.” Mordo said.

“We found the source and are going there now.” Drumm continued.

“And?” I prompted.

“You will go with Master Drumm and assist.” The Ancient One said and left..

“Wow, shouldn’t you guys be asking other, more experienced Sorcerers.” I said and they all looked at me.

“They are busy, you on the other aren’t. You electricity will prove lethal to the demons. Channel some here.” Mordo said and handed me a wooden totem.

I channel quite a bit till the totem glowed in blue light. Mordo took it and opened a portal, While Drumm did the same. We walked through and saw the dead bodies littered everywhere. Some were clean and untouched while other where ripped apart and even chewed on.

“How many demons are here?” I asked Drumm.

“Just one. But be careful, don’t speak to it or speak to me in it presence.” He said and pulled out two axes.

We were in a ware house and the trail of blood lead to the upper floor. We followed and as we did, the bodies became more and more mangled. We reached the top floor and we saw a single girl, no more that 10 in pristine white dress. She turned around and looked at us. She had a beautiful face but we couldn’t appreciate that due to the lack of eyes and an arm she was chewing on.

“Is there a way to save her?” I asked and he shook his head.

“Her soul has passed, only the demon remains.” He said and charged at the girl.

She opened her mouth to Inhuman proportions and roared at us. I sped up and got closer to her and zapped her to oblivion with a huge bolt of lightning. I slowed down and looked at Drumm. He was shocked, but he soon composed himself and released his focus.

“You never used your powers to spar.” He said as he kept back the axes.

“Didn’t need to.” I said and called back the residual lightning in the air.

“Could have avoided many defeats.” He said and nodded at me.

“I know.” I said and we headed downstairs.

Drumm, inscribed all the bodies with a rune and then burned then away with the brightest flames ever. I opened a portal to the NY sanctum and we stepped through.

“Are the demons this easy to kill?” I asked and he smirked.

“No.” He replied and went away.

The next few day, I spent practically at the Kamartaj learning the Shield. That peace and quiet were thrown out as I saw Tony picking a fight with the mandarin. I began to look into the explosion that nearly killed his friend Happy. There were no ballistics and seemed like the explosion happened out of nowhere. I didn’t actually give up that easily, I scanned each and every face that the went in and out of that restaurant for the past twelve hours and began to run background checks. By me, I meant TACT, I had him sift through all the information and give me a list of suspects. The list was ready in an hour due to there being way too much info to go through. I then began to read the information. There were many criminal elements but the one that stood out like a sore. thumb was a man who worked for A.I.M or Advanced Idea Mechanics corporations. It was lead by a man called Aldrich Killian. There was a history he had with Tony which amounted to about 15 minutes or less. The man himself was essentially an alien or in other words, he had no paper work what so ever. The only reason I was able to connect him to Aim was due to the car he drove to the restaurant was registered to one of the shell companies of Aim.

With, that done I called Tony.

“Hello, this Electro? Sort of busy kid.” Tony said with his overwhelming confidence and smugness.

“Tony, the organization who you threatened in know for deep cover sleepers all over America. You need to be absolutely guarded. Make sure you secure the airspace too.” I said and I heard Jarvis’s voice on the other side.

“How do you know this?” He asked. “Oh, right. Completely forgot about the whole spy thing. Sure, I will do that.” He said and I heard a few beeps and boops.

“Tony, If you need help, call me. Finally, You need to look into AIM, the man I suspect of the bombing worked there.” I said.

“The medical company? Sure, I will look into it. Jarvis you do it.” He said yelled out to Jarvis and hung up.

I was about to return to the spells and books, but Peter called me instead.

“Peter, what’s up?” I said and I heard a sigh.

“There is something going on in hell’s Kitchen. The Yakuza, Russians, The Police and The politicians are working together to smuggle heroin. The purest make I have ever seen.” He said.

“Sounds like a huge drug operation. Nothing to big, just follow the trail till someone does something stupid.” I said.

“I did. I was following a Yakuza member but he killed himself before I could even get close to him.” Peter said and sighed. “Remember the China town incident. It was like that.”

“Now, let’s not jump to conclusions. Tell me what did you find.” I asked.

“The body was in peak physical condition, signs of extensive training, and he was fearless.” Peter said and waited for me to respond.

“Okay, jump to conclusions. These are probably the same guys I saw back then. The organization called the Hand. They originated in Japan. Demon worship. They are basically a bunch of trained assassin’s cult.” I explained. “They have also scared shield into backing off, so if you go after them and get your identity exposed.”

“I know. Thanks for the heads up. Also, I met with the Devil of Hells Kitchen.” He said.

“Tell me.”

“First of all, the guy in blind. He as enhanced senses like hearing and touch. He moves like the Hand members so I am guessing that it is an assassin gone rogue.” Peter said. “I have sent over the files.” He said and hung up.

I did feel that he was a bit miffed when he talked about the new vigilante. I think Peter might have gotten his ass kicked. I got back to the spells.