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Hawk took the lead and stepped through the sparking portal Wong had opened.
As soon as he left Universe-616 and stepped into the space between realities, Hawk acted. He split his Seventh Sense into many pieces and sent them rushing through the portal network that linked every Kamar-Taj in the multiverse.
In short, wherever there was a Kamar-Taj, Hawk was there too.
It didn't matter if those universes had their own version of him before. Now they did. His consciousness spread through the multiverse like Celestial seeds, taking root in countless realities.
Basically, Hawk had sent a cosmic virus into the multiversal network.
Next time he traveled through the Quantum Realm, he wouldn't be lost. He wouldn't have to depend on luck or hope to find an Ant-Man to help him get out.
The whole process took less than a second. By the time Hawk's boots hit the stone floor of his own Kamar-Taj, the seeds were already planted.
Anya followed him, dragging her huge suitcase. As soon as Wanda stepped through, the portal shrank and disappeared without a trace.
Wong had not closed it.
Universe-616 had.
As soon as the gateway closed, Hawk could no longer sense Universe-616. It had shut him out, just like Universe-828 did after Gwen was trapped. Both universes had basically blacklisted him.
So why hadn't his own universe done the same?
The answer lay with the World Tree.
When Hawk took the World Tree, he got more than its power. He also took on all its debts. But the World Tree didn't owe his universe anything.
His universe owed the tree.
Therefore, it owed Hawk.
Since it couldn't shut him out completely, the main universe tried to hold him back instead. Its only goal was to stop him from rising. As soon as Hawk returned to Kamar-Taj, he felt that heavy pressure on his shoulders again.
But it didn't matter anymore.
Death had been right. His home universe really was low-end. Reality was pushing down on him with all its strength, but it was only about half as strong as Universe-616.
Still, Hawk figured he should be grateful for that weakness. If his universe had been stronger, he never would have gotten this far in just a few years.
Praise the low-end!!
Hawk let the thought go and reached out to Doctor Strange.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Strange shook his hand, then studied his expression. "Did you find Dr. Phoenix?"
"No..."
Hawk didn't try to soften his answer. "And I lost my daughter along the way."
Strange hesitated, guilt appearing in his eyes. "I'm sorry. It happened too quickly. By the time I arrived, he was already gone."
He still remembered how huge the kidnapper was. A giant Celestial appeared above Westview, blocking out the sky. It was there for less than a second before vanishing, but that was all it took to take Jean.
Hawk noticed the guilt on Strange's face and gave him a small smile.
"It wasn't your fault. You don't need to apologize."
Strange nodded and let the topic go.
Hawk took Anya's hand in one hand and Wanda's in the other. A moment later, all three of them disappeared from Kamar-Taj.
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New York.
521A Palm Street.
"We're back."
Hawk appeared in the living room and right away saw the wedding photo on the wall. It showed him and Gwen together, and he smiled a little as he looked at it.
He had lived at 521A Palm Street in Universe-616 too. Technically, that house belonged to another version of him, but this one felt different.
This was his home.
As he looked at the wedding photo, he finally understood why. Home was never about the building.
It was about the people inside.
While Hawk remained in front of the photograph, Wanda hurried to the landline on the mantel and dialed Westview.
The call connected immediately, but before anyone could answer, someone knocked on the front door.
"Wanda."
Pietro's voice came from the porch.
Westview wasn't far from Palm Street, especially for someone as fast as Pietro. The fact that it took him three seconds to get there meant he wasn't in a hurry.
Wanda rushed to the door and pulled it open. Pietro stood outside, practically vibrating with anxiety.
"Wanda, Jean…"
"Hawk and I already know."
Wanda interrupted before he could continue.
"Don't worry. How are Billy and Tommy?"
"They're safe. The Chloes are with them, along with Mom and Dad. Mr. Chloe hasn't left their side for a second."
"Good."
Wanda finally let out the breath she'd been holding, and some of the tension in her chest faded.
"Hello!"
Pietro blinked.
A girl peeked out from behind Wanda and waved at him with a big smile.
It was Anya.
Something about her seemed different, but Pietro didn't think much of it. He just figured Hawk had teleported her from Westview.
He couldn't have been more wrong.
Anya looked him over before casually dropping a bombshell.
"Wanda only showed me pictures of you as a baby. I never expected to see you alive today."
Pietro froze.
"What do you mean, alive? We literally just…"
"Because you're dead in my universe."
"Dead?" Pietro turned toward Wanda on instinct.
The relief that had just returned to Wanda's face disappeared. She met his bewildered stare, shook her head, and stepped aside to make the introductions properly.
"This is Anya Phoenix from another universe. And yes, in her universe, you died."
Pietro was stunned.
He stared at the girl standing before him in a black track jacket and tight jeans. Now that Wanda had pointed it out, he could see several differences.
For one thing, this Anya was older.
"Wait." Pietro looked at Wanda in disbelief. "How did I die?"
Wanda opened her mouth, but Anya answered first.
"You got shot."
Pietro scoffed and glared at her. "I'm Quicksilver. I'm the absolute... second-fastest man alive. Do you know how slow bullets are compared to me?"
"Doesn't matter. You still got shot during the Sokovia crisis."
Anya shrugged and pointed her thumb at Wanda.
"Don't believe me? Ask my sister-in-law."
Pietro snapped his head toward Wanda. She met his stare, sighed, and nodded.
"She isn't lying."
"No way." Pietro was completely stunned. "How the hell do I get shot?"
"Probably because of your ego," Anya replied bluntly. "My brother always says you should be proud but not arrogant, and confident but not cocky."
Pietro inhaled slowly and stared at her. "Alright. Now I believe you're from another universe. The Anya I know isn't nearly this savage."
Anya gave him a bright smile. "Yours is the sweet and gentle version. I'm the smart and tough one."
Suddenly, Anya had an idea. She turned to Hawk, who was behind the bar pouring a drink.
"Brother, can I go to Westview and meet my little sister?"
Pietro glanced at Wanda again, questioning the strange phrasing.
Wanda remained silent and gave him a small but unmistakable shake of her head.
Don't speak. Don't ask. Don't get involved.
"Go if you want," Hawk replied.
He knew exactly what kind of trouble Anya planned to cause, but he wasn't going to stop her or get involved. Both versions were his little sisters, so the safest choice was clear.
Hawk stepped out from behind the bar and handed Pietro a freshly poured glass of bourbon.
"Catch a ride with Pietro if you want to go to Westview."
They were back in Hawk's home universe now.
This was his territory.
He couldn't protect every part of deep space, but the Sol System was Hawk Phoenix's territory. On Earth, after he'd threatened extinction-level payback enough times, no one was foolish enough to go after his family.
Pietro accepted the glass and prepared to drain it, but Hawk's casual dismissal made him pause.
"You're not coming?"
"I'm going to the Osborn Estate to find Peter."
Pietro turned toward Wanda. "What about you?"
"I'm going with him." Wanda answered without hesitation.
Her choice wasn't about avoiding the chaos of two Anyas in one house. She just wanted to find her missing daughter.
Wanda maintained a perfectly serious expression as she glanced at Hawk. He returned the same deadpan look.
They looked at each other and silently agreed.
Hawk placed a hand on Pietro's shoulder.
"We're counting on you."
Pietro frowned and looked between Hawk and his sister.
He could tell something was off...
They had left together, come back together, and now they were acting way too strange. He couldn't prove it, but his instincts were warning him.
"Are you two just trying to avoid going back to Westview?"
Hawk and Wanda shook their heads in perfect unison, their expressions solemn.
"Jean is lost somewhere in the multiverse," Hawk said. "I need to find her as quickly as possible."
"Exactly," Wanda added. "Jean is still out there. We need to focus on bringing her home."
Pietro stared at them in silence.
"…"
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