Part 19

Tragic Romances

By Skytower

Wanda lay in bed feeling the warmth from Johnny’s body. The youngest member of the Fantastic Four was a good lover but she’d still had to teach him some moves. He hadn’t minded of course.

Where do I want this to go, Wanda thought as she looked out of the window of the Baxter building. Why did I do it in the first place, she wondered.

Her motives weren’t the only thing that was bothering Wanda. Everytime she reached a climax there was a shift in her sense of self. For an instant she was someplace else, someone else. The experience didn’t lesson the joy of the orgasm but it was still there. She’d been seeing Johnny for two weeks now and…

Johnny drowsily shifted his position in the bed and Wanda took the opportunity to slip away from him. She stood up and gazed down at his nude body, a body that she now knew very well. Too well? He was a good lover but…

Wanda sighed and padded into the bathroom. She needed a shower to wash off the sex and she needed to get back to the mansion. Tania was running through her first team battle simulation today and Steve had wanted them all to be there.

As she let the hot water run over her body Wanda thought of Steve, picturing him nude and found herself getting aroused. The shock of that arousal hit her had and she leaned into the water stream. She was going out with Johnny, she shouldn’t be thinking about Steve. But the feelings persisted until she switched the water from hot to cold.

“What’s wrong with me,” Wanda whispered to herself just as she heard the Avengers emergency signal coming from her clothes in the other room.

Tania winced slightly as Jan settled the ice pack onto her ankle. She was sitting on the couch in the mansions living room. Jan herself had a bandage on her right arm and another on her left wrist. Tania was still in her Ultra Woman costume but Jan was wearing a comfortable white bathrobe.

"Only two weeks as an Avenger and you're doing fine," Jan said. "But you really have to learn to duck when someone throws half a wall at you."

"I did not think the Wrecker was as strong as that," Tania said. "I certainly didn't think he was strong enough to battle Thor."

"He hasn't been for a few years," Jan said walking over to a reclining chair and sitting down. "But he was originally given that power to battle Thor. I guess he got in touch with Karnilla and she boosted him."

The door opened and Carol walked in. She was dressed casually in a pair of brown slacks and a white shirt and carrying a tray with three drinks on it.

"Well not bad for your first all-out battle," Carol said putting the tray on the table and handing Tania her drink and then Jan hers. "Cap was impressed."

"I'm glad he was," Tania said. "But I feel that my part in the battle was small."

"We all tend to feel that way once Thor really lets loose," Jan said sipping her drink. "But then I usually feel small all the time."

"Better stop her now Tania," Carol said "or you'll be getting nonstop short jokes from here till doomsday."

They all laughed and Tania sipped her drink. It hadn't been an easy fight. She wasn't quite used to being on a team that was so well organized or to super villains who came in packs. The Wrecker had brought his crew along with him in some strange obsession he had about killing Thor. For some reason they seemed to think that killing Thor would grant them a higher status. To Tania it was pure idiocy, but to the people of New York it was terror. Two city blocks had nearly been demolished. But they had been defeated and Tania had been pleased to discover that her stamina had finally returned.

"I wish I'd been there," Carol said. "God I feel so useless here."

"Jen is working on it," Jan said. “Don’t feel bad, Wanda almost missed it too.”

“I never thought I’d see her and the Human Torch together,” Carol said.

“It looked like they were having an argument afterwards,” Jan said. “Any word about Mystique?”

“She’s still out,” Carol said. “I think she’s faking.”

“Jen doesn’t want you going near her,” Jan warned.

"I know but I wish I could work on it," Carol said sitting down. "It wasn’t me! White Owl and Crimson Valkyrie have never met me, how the hell do they think it was me?"

"Carol I've battled alongside both of them," Tania said. "They wouldn't lie."

"I'm not saying they did," Carol said "or that they are, but it could've been anyone in the Ms. Marvel costume. Hell Jan sells them on the website."

"It’s part of a charity thing," Jan said when Tania looked at her, “I meant to talk to you about it later. Action figures too.”

“And there are Ms. Marvel bondage kits on vBay,” Carol said. “Complete with costume.”

Tania was about to bring up the blood splatters when the phone rang. Carol picked it up.

"Hello?" She paused and Tania saw her face go from hopeful to crushed. "Okay, thanks Reed. Tell Sue I said hi."

"The blood is authentic?" Tania asked though the look on Carol's face told her all that she needed to know.

"Reed is absolutely sure," Carol said. "Both the blood on my costume and my blood-alcohol level. And when the leader of the Fantastic Four is absolutely sure then…"

"Then this frame up is even better than we thought," Jan said as Carol let her voice trail off.

"Or I did it."

"That is not an option that we can accept," Tania said.

"I don't mean that I did it in the way that I really did it," Carol said. "But my mind's been tampered with before, someone may be pulling my strings again. I put in a call to the X-Men, Charles should be here sometime tonight."

"But that's not admissible in court," Tania said.

"But it's a start," Carol said. She started to pace and then stopped and headed toward the door. "I’m going to work off some steam in the gym."

"Let me keep you company at least while you workout," Tania said. "You did say you wanted to learn some Amazon wrestling techniques."

"What about your foot?" Carrol asked.

"It won't be a problem," Tania said.

Carol hesitated for a moment and then nodded. They looked at Jan.

"No thanks," she said "after battling super villains all day I like to relax in a hot tub for a few hours not wrestle in a gym."

Tania followed Carol and was secretly glad that Jan wasn’t joining them. It was starting to be more and more natural to be alone with Carol. Tania knew that a strong feeling was growing within her for Carol. She wasn't sure if Carol felt the same way. She wasn't even sure if she should allow herself those feelings. Though she had been raised on an island of women and found pleasure in their company both sexually and otherwise, Tania had always felt drawn to men. But she could not deny the attraction and Tania was beginning to wonder if it was it because Carol was her perfect mate. Legends told that there was a single perfect love for everyone one who walked the Earth. Were those legends true? Except for a quick temper she could not find anything about Carol that she didn’t like. But how did Carol feel about her?

Part 20

Intimidation, part 1

There were five of them. A few more than Athena would normally like to fight alone considering how big and dangerous they looked. They were all dressed in black bulky outfits and Athena could tell low-grade exoskeletons when she saw them. On the other hand the way they moved told her that they didn't know what they were doing with those suits. Instead of going into the bank and tearing off the vault door they had stood on the outside of the bank and pounded their way through the wall. About the only thing they had done right was to kill the alarm system. Two of them were already down thanks to her shock bombs. With a spinning kick she sent another one back through the hole into the wall and then slipped away as the other two rammed each other trying to get at her.

"Bitch!" One of them said. The other echoed his words and added a few more of his own.

"Did you really expect me to let you rob a bank?" Athena asked planning her next move. The flaw in the exoskeletons was easy to spot now that she had a chance to look at them.

The men charged at her and Athena met their charge by diving low and between them then coming up in a spinning move and grabbing their backpacks. She dug in her fingers until the metal and plastic gave. Sparks flew out of the suits and the men fell to the ground writhing helplessly as their suits command logic failed. Athena turned to face the last one and froze for an instant. The man was half in and half out of the hole in the wall. Webbed there.

"Hope you don't mind the help," a jaunty voice said from above her.

"Spiderman!" Athena exclaimed relieved. For a moment she had been sure it was another villain.

"Everyone says that," Spiderman said assuming a pose of mock surprise as he clung to the wall above the robber. "I wonder why?"

"Surprise and recognition?" Athena suggested. She was surprised to see the red and blue costume in her city. She'd seen it a million times in the papers of course and online and in many blogs. Hollywood starlets weren't photographed as many times as Spiderman was. "I don't mind the help but aren't you a little bit out of your territory?"

"I'm a citizen of the world!" He proclaimed waving his arms dramatically. "Actually I just wanted to ask you about Ms. Marvel. Are you sure it was her?"

"I didn't want to believe it either," Athena said "but I saw her do it."

"But are you sure it was her?"

"What do you mean am I sure?" Athena demanded. "I saw her fly to the ship, I saw her rip a piece of the railing off and I saw her throw it into Destiny's chest. I can't be any more sure than seeing it with my own eyes."

"It just doesn't sound like the Ms. Marvel I know," Spiderman said. "She just wouldn't do it that way."

"That's how it went down," Athena said.

"You ever meet her before?"

"Just that night," Athena said.

"So it could've been just someone in her costume," Spiderman suggested.

"I guess," Athena said.

"So you'd say that in court?" Spiderman said.

"The defense will bring that up," Athena said.

"But if you bring it up…" Spiderman started and Athena interrupted him.

"That is not something I can do," Athena said "I'm not her defense lawyer I'm a witness for the prosecution. If I brought that up the prosecutor would cut me off. She'll probably object when the defense lawyer brings it up. All I can do is tell the truth."

"That you saw someone in a Ms. Marvel costume."

"Right," Athena said. "What else did you expect me to do?"

"Nothing I guess," Spiderman said "but I'm sure she didn't do it."

They both heard sirens and he raised his arm and fired a web onto a far building.

"Look think about it hard will ya?" He said and leapt off the building and swung away into the night.

Tiffany stepped out onto the roof of her building and looked around cautiously. She was in full costume and her guns were drawn. Something had drawn her to the roof. A feeling… a summons… something that she couldn't deny. Tiffany had been mind controlled before but this didn't feel like that.

"Greetings Valkyrie," a voice called from across the roof.

Tiffany holstered her guns quickly and went down on one knee. She couldn't believe it but her heart was actually pounding.

"Greetings Prince Thor," Tiffany said.

"Rise Crimson," Thor said walking over to her. "I wish to discuss with you a matter that has naught to do with the Realm Eternal. I wish to question you about Ms. Marvel."

"What can I tell you Prince Thor?" Tiffany asked rising. The closer she got the more Tiffany felt her heart pound. He was big, powerful: in short he was a god and as a Valkyrie he was in some ways her God.

"I am not sure," he said. "I have fought alongside Ms. Marvel and the behavior you have described doth not sound like the warrior I know. Is there a chance you have been mistaken?"

"Only that someone else was wearing her costume," Tiffany said. "I've have no way of knowing that."

"Then you could have been tricked," Thor said.

"Maybe but I don't see how," Tiffany said. "Not with all the other evidence."

"Tis a puzzle indeed," Thor said. "I am loathe to see an innocent woman go to jail."

"What if she's not innocent?" Tiffany asked. "I know what I saw my Lord."

"You saw a woman in a costume commit a murder," Thor said. "A mask may hide many things more than identity alone."

"My Lord I know what I saw," Tiffany said again. A part of her wondered where this conversation was going. Did he want her to lie?

"Think well of what you have seen Valkyrie," Thor said. "Ms. Marvel is a friend to Thor and she would not act this way."

Without another word he spun his hammer in a circle and launched himself into the sky.

From a rooftop far across the city Tina focused a pair of high powered binoculars at the rooftop as Thor and Crimson talked.

“You could not have known this would happen,” U1trawoman said.

“Not this exactly,” Tina said. She shivered slightly and drew her coat closer. “We anticipated the X-men doing this sort of thing. I guess Ms. Marvel has more friends than we thought. Luckily Destiny clued us in on Spiderman and Thor.”

“If she knows the future why does she fail?” U1trawoman scoffed.

“The further ahead she looks the less accurate she can be,” Tina said. She looked at U1trawoman. Instead of her usual skin tight suit the villainess was wearing a fur tunic and cape as well as a helmet that covered half of her face. Fur boots completed the faux Viking garb.

“There he goes,” Tina said following Thor’s flight with her binoculars. “Are you…”

Tina turned but U1trawoman was already gone.

Crimson watched Thor go and felt her hands shake. He was just a Presence and she’d been totally unprepared for it. She wished that he’d come about something else though.

“I wonder…” She said but never completed the sentence as somebody slammed into her back and knocked her into the roof doorway. Stunned Crimson fell back into the persons grip and one hand held her right arm behind her back while another grabbed the back of her neck.

“Prince Thor was too gentle,” The woman said and slammed Crimson’s head hard into the wall of the doorway. She did it a few times and then let her go. Crimson slumped onto the roof, her head ringing and her vision a bit blurry. A tall woman in Viking garb leaned over her.

“Who…”

“Ms. Marvel is a friend to Asguard!” The woman said grabbing Crimson’s hair and twisting it painfully. Crimson clawed futilely at the woman’s arm as her red hair was nearly pulled from her scalp and she was pulled roughly to her feet. “We look after our friends and we remember our enemies!”

She let Crimson’s hair go and slapped her hard on the face and then punched her between the breasts. Crimson cried out at the impact. The woman grabbed both of her breasts and squeezed hard as she used them to slam Crimson up against the wall. Crimson’s head reeled as it bounced off the un-yielding brick. The woman held her up by her hair and slapped Crimson’s face again and again until Crimson tasted blood. Then the woman kneed Crimson in the stomach hard enough for her to double up gasping for air. The woman let her fall to the roof and then put her foot on Crimson’s neck.

“Remember that mortal,” The woman said as she gave Crimson a hard kick to the side of the head. “Remember that!”

Crimson blacked out as the woman flew away.

“That was perfect,” Tina said as U1trwoman landed beside her. “White Owl is on her way here.”

“It was fun,” U1trawoman said, “but we had better go quickly.”

Before Tina could say anything U1trawoman gathered her up and flew away from the building. For a moment Tina thought of objecting and then decided against it. Shadow portals were good but being carried by this powerful woman was better.

Man that was weird, Athena thought as she flew over Tiffany’s apartment building. I wonder if…

Athena’s idle thoughts stopped as she saw Tiffany lying prone on the roof of her apartment building.

“Crimson!” Athena demanded landing next to her. “What happened?”

“Had a visitor,” Crimson gasped the words out holding her side. “Two visitors…”

“Come on let’s get you inside,” Athena said helping her up.

There was a large purple bruise where the asguardian had kicked her. Athena had felt the area carefully thankful that none of Tiffany’s ribs were broken. Tiffany sat on her couch, her mask and the top of her costume off. A slightly smaller purple bruise lay between her breasts and the breasts themselves bore bruises in the shapes of fingers. Athena handed her a strap on ice pack and a hand held one. She hadn’t seen anyone and there was no way to tell how long Tiffany had been out. That someone had sucker punched her friend angered Athena. Just seeing Tiffany in pain… But she was also topless and Athena struggled to keep her eyes off of her friend’s breasts.

“Thanks,” Crimson said taking the bloodstained compress away from her mouth. Athena took it and tossed it into the kitchen sink. “Even with my healing power this is going to show for a while.”

“You never saw her before?” Athena asked firmly putting a lid on her new and surprising feelings.

“I barely saw her this time,” Tiffany protested.

“Well I had a visit from Spiderman who said about the same thing that Thor said,” Athena sat down beside her. “Should we be worried?”

“No,” Tiffany said shaking her head. “One crazy Viking bitch, that’s all. She just caught me by surprise.”

“I’ll get you some coffee,” Athena said getting up.

“What’s that?” Tiffany asked.

“What?”

Tiffany snatched something from Athena’s butte and held it up. It was a small plastic black and red spider.

“A bug?” Athena felt her face growing red with anger. “He planted a bug on me!” She stiffened. “Oh God Tiffany I’m sorry, I led him…”

“That’s ok,” Tiffany said, “this place is shielded. Once you landed on the roof he lost you.”

“Still…” Athena looked at the tracer. “I think I should stay here tonight.”

“No argument,” Tiffany said.

“Tania’s with the Avengers,” Athena said. “Let’s give her a call tomorrow and find out what the hell is going on.”

Tiffany nodded looking closely at the tracer.

Part 21

Just friends?

Carol grunted and strained but Tania kept her grip. Tania was on her back holding Carol against herself. Her legs had scissored one of Carol’s legs, holding it at a right angle to prevent her from rolling over. Tania had grasped Carol’s right wrist with her left hand and Carol’s left wrist with her right hand and pulled them against her body. The result was a little like a straight jacket with Tania’s arms mimicking the long sleeves. Carol twisted and bent but she could not find a way out of the hold short of overpowering Tania's grip and she wasn’t able to do that.

"You can't keep me like this forever," Carol managed to gasp out.

"Wrestling holds like this aren't meant to last forever," Tania said her voice equally strained. "The goal is to hold an opponent for a specified time and win the match. If I wanted to hurt you I'd fight differently."

"Sounds like you count on an opponent to fight fair," Carol said. "How many of those have you run across?"

"Very few since I came to this world," Tania said "but my skills in wrestling have aided me anyway. Just as they are now. You fight to hurt and you expect me to do the same, I fight to contain and subdue. I can fight your way too Carol, but for now I'm fighting my way. And in case you haven't noticed, I've won."

Carol strained one more time and then went limp.

"Okay enough," she said. "You made your point."

Tania let go and Carol rolled off of her. They both lay on the floor breathing heavily. After a few moments both women set up and looked at each other. This time there was no way for Tania to miss the look Carol's eyes.

"You already have fighting skills Carol," Tania said putting her hand on Carol's shoulder "I believe you could beat me in your sort of fight. In the field of battle there are few rules."

"It wouldn't be an easy fight," Carol admitted putting her hand on Tania's arm.

There was silence for a moment and then Tania started to lean toward her. She moved closer and closer and Carol did not draw away. Tania felt a stirring deep within her, both physical and spiritual. But just as she was about to offer Carol a kiss Carol shoved her back.

"No!" Carol snapped.

"I'm sorry," Tania said "I thought… I felt… I hoped…"

"It's not…" Carol started and then stopped. She looked away from Tania and then looked back and this time there was a look of fear in her eyes. "Tania in my life I don't think I've ever felt any attraction to another woman. I know I haven't."

"Your culture doesn't approve of it," Tania said. "I've met a few women who have repressed…"

"I'm not repressed," Carol snapped. "Yeah while I was growing up it was different and I know some women who went through hell, but it was never me."

"Then you feel nothing for me?" Tania asked and she couldn't keep some pain out of her voice.

"I feel a lot for you," Carol said with frustration in her voice. "But why? Why now? Tania in my life I've had my mind twisted, ripped apart. I don't know if what I'm feeling for you is real or if someone is just pulling my strings."

"Who? More importantly why?"

"I don't know who," Carol said "but why? Sadism. Watching me squirm. Tania I've got a boatload of enemies."

"So have I," Tania said. "But none of them would want me to feel the joy of love. No one who wishes anyone harm would want them to feel love."

"Unless it's some sort of small part of the big plan," Carol said but her voice wasn't firm.

Tania took Carol's right hand in hers and interlocked their fingers. She held the grip and then leaned forward and pressed her forehead into Carol's. Carol didn't draw away. After a minute or so Tania did.

"Carol you been great to me for the past few weeks. You’ve been there every night. You’ve held my hand through all the nightmares and there is no way I can imagine a villain forcing you to do these things." Tania stood up and offered Carol her hand. "But if you have doubts then there's nothing I can do."

"I do have doubts," Carol said taking her hand and standing up. For a moment she held onto Tania's hand. Then she let go and stood back. "I'm sorry but I do."

"Then take some time," Tania said. "Do whatever you have to do and I'll wait."

“What are you saying?” Johnny demanded.

Wanda finished getting dressed and wished that she were anywhere but where she was. She was in Johnny’s room and they had just finished making love. The sex was great but suddenly empty and Wanda realized that she couldn’t go on with the affair. She didn’t know why but the attraction she’d felt for Johnny wasn’t there anymore.

But the pain in his eyes made her wish that it were.

“I’m saying I’m sorry,” Wanda said. “I like you Johnny and the past few weeks have been great. But I don’t feel it anymore.”

“What don’t you feel?” Johnny demanded.

“I don’t know…” Wanda said. “I…”

“Did you feel it in the first place?” Johnny demanded angrily. “You started this Wanda, you walked into my shower! Now you’re just leaving? What the hell did I do?”

“Nothing!” Wanda shouted. “It’s me Johnny. Maybe I just needed to feel something again, maybe I was desperate for a friend…”

“We were lovers!” Johnny shouted and he burst into flame.

“I know,” Wanda said. “I’m sorry.”

Before he could say anything else she turned and ran out of the room. A part of her wanted him to chase her. A part of her didn’t. Wanda had never felt so empty in her life and her mind searched her soul for clues as to why. The sex was great, Johnny was a great person… If she didn’t love him why had made love to him? What was wrong with her?

Wanda stumbled out of the Baxture building wiping the tears from her eyes and got into the first cab she saw.

“Avengers mansion,” She told the driver and settled back into the seat. She cast one last look at the headquarters of the Fantastic Four hoping and not hoping that Johnny would fly down. But he didn’t.

In the front seat the cab driver pushed the button that started the meter and then unseen by Wanda pushed a second button. The computer in the AIM built cab activated and the well hidden computer in Wanda’s womb activated. By the time the cab reached Avengers mansion the computer in Wanda’s body had transmitted all of the data.

Athena was sleeping on the couch when Tina entered the apartment.

There not lovers yet, Tina realized. Well they’re going to be.

“Slave Girl 3 activate,” Tina whispered.

“Slave Girl 3 confirms activation,” Athena said opening her eyes and sitting up.

“Do you have a sample?”

Athena stood up and walked into the kitchen. Reaching into the wastebasket she pulled out the blood stained compress that Tiffany had used earlier. She handed the compress to Tina who put it into a plastic bag.

“Perfect,” She said. “Where is Crimson?”

“Bedroom,” Athena said.

“Show me.”

Athena led the way over to the doorway to the bedroom and Tina looked in. Crimson lay on the bed, nude but the bottom half of her body covered by a sheet. A butterfly night light gave enough light to see by.

“Slave Girl 3 suggestive mode to host subconscious,” Tina whispered.

“Confirmed,” Athena said.

“When I leave you will wake up,” Tina said. “You will stand here looking at Crimson. You will think of her body and how beautiful she is. You will fantasize about making love to her. You will think of how important she is to your life. You will do this until you’re arousal is great and then you will go back to the couch and lay down. Suggestion ends. Confirm.”

“Confirmed.”

Tina went back to the shadow portal and gave one last look back. Using suggestive mode was pushing things a bit, but hopefully she was just pushing Athena in the direction that the woman was already inclined to go. For the plan to work they needed Athena hopelessly in love with Crimson.

After all, Tina thought as she vanished, love is a many splendored thing.

Athena blinked and realized that she was standing at the entrance to Crimon’s bedroom.

Am I sleepwalking, Athena wondered. But as she looked at Crimson’s breasts rising and falling in the regular rhythm of sleep Athena’s thoughts vanished. They could have shared the bed. Tiffany had hinted at it.

Why did I say no, Athena wondered. She felt her body react to sight of her semi-nude friend. Tiffany stirred in her sleep and shifted position. Her movement didn’t cause the sheet to reveal any more of it but Athena gasped in the hope that it would. Athena realized that her hand had drifted between her legs and that her fingers were wet. She was hot. She was hot for Tiffany.

Surprised Athena backed up and headed back toward the couch. It was wrong, it was impossible. She’d never felt this way before.

But as she lay down on the couch Athena’s mind filled with images of Tiffany. Images she couldn’t stop. Images that followed her into a troubled sleep.

Part 23

A friendship strained

“Avengers mansion.”

“Tania?” Athena asked as she heard the familiar voice.

“Athena, how are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” Athena said. “What are you doing at Avengers mansion, still not feeling well?”

“No, I’m better.” Tania said. “I’ve been made an official member while Ms. Marvel is…”

Her voice trailed off and Athena braced herself for the question that she knew was coming.

“Athena are you sure…”

“Tania,” Athena struggled to keep her voice from becoming a growl, “Tiffany and I both know what we saw.” There was silence from the other end and Athena felt her anger grow. “So you tell your new friends that they can stop asking us.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I had a visit from Spiderman last night and he asked the same questions you did.”

“Oh, well I’m sure that he meant no harm.”

Tiffany walked into the kitchen wearing a loose robe and cocked her head at Athena. Athena put her hand to the mouthpiece and mouthed Tania’s name. Tiffany nodded and opened the fridge.

“Unlike the crazy Viking bitch who showed up at Tiff’s building after Thor left,” Athena said. “The one who beat her up and told her to remember that Ms. Marvel had friends.”

“That’s disturbing,” Tania said. “Are you sure she was connected with Thor?”

“Am I sure?” Athena asked and Tiffany looked at her. Again Athena covered the mouthpiece with her hand.

“She wants to know if I’m sure that woman who attacked you last night was asguardian.”

“Tania this is Tiffany,” Tiffany said pushing the speackerphone on button, “She showed up right after Thor left, told me that he was being too nice about it and then tried to punch a hole through a brick wall with my head. She told me that Ms. Marvel had friends on Asguard and I had better remember that.”

“You’ve never seen her before?”

“No and I barely saw her last night before she started pounding me,” Tiffany asked. She wore a helmet mask, if I had seen her before I probably wouldn’t have recognized her.”

“Maybe she wasn’t from Asguard,” Tania suggested.

“Who the hell else would do that to Tiff and say she was from Asguard?” Athena demanded.

“Possibly the same people who are trying to frame Carol,” Tania said. “In the time I’ve spent with her I don’t believe she’s the type of person who would murder like this.”

“Yea, we’ve been hearing that,” Athena said. “Look ask Thor if he knows who it was last night will ya?”

“I will,” Tania said. “I have to go, we have a training simulation in a few minutes.”

There was an audible click and Athena and Tiffany looked at each other in surprise.

“Who was that?” Carol answered as she walked in the kitchen of Avengers mansion.

“Just a newspaper reporter,” Tania said, hanging up the phone. “Nothing important.”

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