MARVEL: BUYING GODHOOD

Emily hesitated a little longer than Sara or Gwen had before moving closer.

She adjusted her gown around her legs, then slowly placed her feet across my lap.

The moment I touched one of them, the pink on her face deepened all the way to her ears.

She quickly looked somewhere else, and I pretended not to notice as I started massaging her foot.

After a little while, I asked, “So what are you studying?” Sara immediately looked toward me, and Gwen did the same.

Emily didn’t seem to notice.

“Energetics. Mostly the chemistry and physics side of it.” I almost smiled at the answer.

Sara had an inactive X-Gene and studied genetics, while Emily had dormant mystic potential and studied energy.

Apparently the irony wasn’t stopping with Sara.

“Then what do you think about Stark Industries’ Arc Reactor?” I asked.

Emily thought for a moment before answering, “Honestly? I think it’s mostly a gimmick.” I raised an eyebrow.

“Why?” She replied, “Because there’s only one. Stark Industries has had it for years, but they’re still only using it to power one building. If it was really that useful, why haven’t they built more?”

I continued working on her foot while she spoke.

Emily added, “I’m not saying it doesn’t work. It obviously does. But maybe it’s too expensive, too difficult to maintain, or they can’t reproduce it. Whatever the reason is, if it was practical, there should be more than one.” I nodded slightly.

“So one working reactor isn’t enough to convince you?” She shook her head.

“Not if you want to call it an actual solution for energy.”

My thumb found a tight spot and pressed into it.

Emily’s back arched slightly before she caught herself.

Her hand tightened into a fist, and she pressed her lips together.

I stopped and asked, “Too much?” She quickly shook her head.

“No. Keep going.” Sara smiled, and Gwen was doing an even worse job of hiding hers.

Emily noticed both of them and muttered, “Stop looking at me.” Sara immediately replied, “I didn’t say anything.” Emily looked at her.

“You don’t have to.”

I started again and couldn’t help thinking about Sara nearly kicking me, Gwen going completely still, and now Emily clenching her fist just to control herself.

Am I a sadist or something?

I pushed that thought aside and asked, “What if Stark Industries has everything needed to reproduce it? The original reactor, the blueprints, all the research, but they still can’t build another working one?”

Emily thought about it before answering, “Then that’s worse.” I looked at her.

“Worse?” She nodded.

“If they have everything and still can’t reproduce it, then it’s not useful technology. One reactor proves it can work, but if nobody can make another one, you can’t use it on a large scale.” I smiled slightly.

“Fair. Then what if you could see another one working?”

Gwen looked at me immediately.

Sara noticed Gwen’s reaction, while Emily frowned slightly.

“Another Arc Reactor?” I nodded.

“Something based on it.

I’ve been working on one.” Emily stared at me, and Sara asked, “Wait, you’re actually building one?” When I nodded, she frowned.

“Weren’t you studying law?”

“I was.” Sara looked even more confused.

“Then how do you know enough physics and engineering to build something like this?” I replied, “Money buys time.” When she continued staring, I explained, “If I need to learn something, I don’t have to wait years going through an entire university program. I can hire professors, researchers and engineers who have spent decades in that field and have them teach me directly.”

Emily nodded slowly.

“So private lessons from experts.” I nodded.

“Physics, engineering, material science, whatever I needed.” Sara finally understood.

“Okay, that makes more sense.” I smiled.

“Or, in simpler words, I’m rich.” Sara shook her head.

“That’s the stupid version of the explanation.” Emily laughed quietly and asked, “Did you actually design the reactor yourself?”

“Not from nothing. I had Stark Industries’ designs.” Emily’s expression changed immediately.

“You have the blueprints?” I nodded.

“And I’ve been improving them.” She asked, “Does yours work?” I smiled slightly.

“The design does.” Emily narrowed her eyes.

“That’s not the same answer.” I replied, “Because I haven’t finished building the improved version yet.”

Sara looked between us.

“So you really have an Arc Reactor project going on?” I nodded, and Emily asked, “Then why did you ask what I thought about Stark’s reactor?” I continued massaging her foot and answered, “Because you’re studying energy. I wanted your opinion before you knew I was working on one.”

Emily seemed to accept that, and after a moment I added, “Also, if energy is what you want to keep studying, I might have work for you later.” Sara immediately laughed.

“There it is.” Emily looked toward her.

“What?” Sara pointed at me.

“He did this to me too. He asks what you’re studying and suddenly he’s offering you a job.”

“I didn’t offer either of you a job yet,” I replied.

Sara gave me a look.

“You were already discussing my laboratory with Gwen.” Gwen smiled.

“We were discussing possibilities.” Sara turned toward her.

“You’re helping him now?” Gwen shrugged.

“Maybe.”

Emily looked back at me.

“So what exactly are you offering?” I answered, “Nothing right now. Eventually I want an energy research division. If you’re still interested in the field by then, you can consider working there.” She frowned slightly.

“You barely know me.” I nodded.

“Which is why I said eventually.”

Sara pointed at me.

“He said almost the same thing to me.” I looked toward her.

“Because you both keep saying the same thing.” Emily laughed again, and the conversation finally moved away from jobs.

I finished her other foot and let go.

Emily lowered her legs and moved her feet around before standing.

After taking a few steps, she looked surprised.

“They actually feel better.” Sara smiled.

“See?

I told you.” Gwen looked toward me and said, “You could always open a massage business if everything else fails.” I stared at her.

“I think I’ll survive without one.” Emily laughed before sitting back down, although she still didn’t put her heels on.

She was obviously still thinking about the reactor because after a moment she asked, “How far have you actually gotten with it?” I answered, “Far enough that I’m confident it’ll work.

I just haven’t finished everything I want to change yet.” Emily nodded slowly before saying, “Then I want to see it when it’s finished.” Sara immediately added, “Me too.” Gwen smiled at both of them.

“You’ll probably regret saying that. Once he starts explaining something he’s interested in, he doesn’t stop.”

I looked toward her.

“That’s not true.” Gwen raised an eyebrow.

“You explained the underground ventilation system to me for almost twenty minutes.” Sara laughed while Emily looked confused.

“Underground ventilation system?” Gwen froze for half a second before looking at me.

I smiled.

“You’ll understand eventually.”

That only made Emily more curious, but before she could start asking questions, Sara stood and stretched.

“Can we go play something again before we leave? I didn’t come here to spend the rest of the night talking about laboratories.” Emily stood too and finally picked up her heels.

“Agreed.”

They walked back toward the arcade machines while I followed behind them.

Sara and Emily were already arguing about what game to play next, while Gwen turned around and smiled at me before catching up with them.

I watched the three of them for a moment before following.

This day had gone much better than I’d expected.