Pietro tried to spring off the bed and strangle the invisible man.
He moved an inch—
And promptly collapsed back onto the mattress.
"Ugh… my back…"
"Cut the drama," Antony said flatly, kicking the bedframe.
"The women are coming up any second. If you don't want Wanda seeing you… free-range and flapping in the wind…"
He gave him a pointed look.
"Get dressed."
Pietro let out a weak, tragic laugh.
"Boss… right now the only thing I've got left is my mouth."
Antony turned toward empty air.
"Silas. You're up."
"What?!" Silas yelped. "This is my job now?"
"Unless you want me to do it?"
Antony's eyes flickered faintly red.
"…Fine. I'll do it," Silas muttered instantly.
He shuffled toward the closet, grumbling under his breath.
"Unbelievable. First I have to witness naked speedster shame. Now I'm dressing him."
"Pietro, you owe me two favors for life. I have never done something this disgusting."
"Hurry up! My underwear's hanging off the lamp! Grab it!" Pietro barked.
Invisible hands snatched up the silver bodysuit from the floor.
"Lift your leg! Stop squirming!"
"Hey! Watch where you're touching!"
"Shut up! If you don't want your sister walking in on you naked, cooperate!"
"Easy! Everything hurts!"
"Deal with it. That's the price of being a stallion."
Antony shook his head and walked toward the door.
"You've got five minutes."
"And clean the room. I don't want anyone smelling the aftermath."
…..
Down in the main hall, the "battle" had essentially become a one-sided beatdown.
Without her mind-controlled servants, Lorelei's combat skill alone was laughably inadequate against a fully empowered Jane Foster.
"Boom!"
Mjolnir slammed her into the wall, cracking reinforced concrete.
Lorelei coughed up blood, hair disheveled, crown long gone.
"I am… Asg—"
Smack.
Jessica stepped in and backhanded her.
"Asgarde what? This is Earth."
Scarlet energy coiled around Lorelei as Wanda tightened her grip midair.
"For Pietro…" Wanda whispered, crimson light flaring brighter.
She didn't know what exactly her brother had endured.
But the fact that he hadn't appeared during the fight told her enough.
Lorelei screamed as chaos magic compressed around her.
"That's enough," Pepper said calmly, stepping forward with the enchanted muzzle Silas had recovered earlier.
"Let's silence her."
Click.
The metal restraint snapped over Lorelei's mouth and activated.
Her magic sputtered.
Her power collapsed.
All she could manage was muffled panic.
Within minutes—
Tony and Barton, restrained inside a Vought medical transport, stirred as the enchantment dissipated.
Ten minutes later…
…
The bedroom door opened.
Pietro sat fully dressed, back straight, hands neatly on his knees.
The picture of repentance.
Antony stood by the window, gazing out at the skyline as if nothing at all had happened.
"PIETRO!"
Wanda rushed in and threw her arms around her brother.
"You're okay!"
"You must've suffered so much…"
Pietro winced—his ribs protested—but he forced a smile and patted her back.
"I'm fine, Wanda."
"Boss got here in time."
He shot Antony a grateful look.
Antony turned and nodded with gentle composure.
"Well," he said smoothly, "the circus is finally over."
"Let's call it a successful evening."
-----
The Next Day
V.G.D. Global Defense Headquarters
Jane Foster sat at her desk, twirling a Montblanc pen between her fingers.
"'Lady Thor'?" she raised a brow. "Isn't that a little… comic-book spin-off?"
Antony clasped his hands behind his back.
"It's branding, Jane."
"It signals empowerment. A new era. A challenge to outdated god-kings and patriarchy."
"Trust me. Social media will lose its mind."
Jane sighed.
"You win."
"I owe you."
The pen scratched across the paper.
Two documents finalized:
Vought International – Chief Scientist of Deep Space Exploration & Dimensional Defense
Superhero Registration: Codename 'Lady Thor'
Contract activated.
Inside Antony's mind, the system chimed.
Ding! Special Character 'Lady Thor – Jane Foster' has officially joined the team.
Special Popularity +30,000
New Team Skill Unlocked: Thunder Bond
Antony's pulse quickened.
Oh, that was good.
Thunder Bond:
Designate three team members for linked resonance.
No matter the distance—even across galaxies—they contribute to Team Assembly stat amplification.
Additionally, linked members share partial divine lightning resistance.
That meant dispersed squads. Interstellar deployment. Still buffed.
Excellent.
"Welcome to Vought, Jane."
He smiled warmly.
"Or should I say… Lady Thor."
Jane stood and extended her hand toward Mjolnir resting on the coat rack.
Hummm.
The hammer leapt joyfully into her palm.
"Just call me Jane."
"I've got work to do. If I'm going to lead a dimensional defense initiative, I intend to earn it."
"I expect nothing less," Antony replied.
He nodded toward the hammer.
"You planning to carry that everywhere?"
Jane glanced at Mjolnir.
"It doesn't seem eager to leave me."
"And honestly… I don't think it wants to go back to Thor."
"It has good taste," Antony said lightly.
A hammer-wielding astrophysicist?
From a branding perspective, it was gold.
Jane left to assume control of her new laboratory division.
Moments later—
The door opened again.
Natasha Romanoff stepped inside.
Black training suit. Leg still wrapped in bandages.
Still lethal.
"I don't recall approving wounded agents roaming my headquarters," Antony teased.
"In the Red Room," Natasha replied coolly, "this wouldn't even qualify for a bandage."
She sat down and picked up the remaining contract on his desk.
Without reading a single clause—
She flipped to the last page.
Signed.
No hesitation.
No theatrics.
Just a name.
Natasha Romanoff.
Antony arched a brow.
"That was fast."
She leaned back slightly, eyes calm but sharp.
"I don't like being someone's pawn."
"And I don't like owing debts."
Her gaze held his.
"You saved me."
"So now I'm here."
The room fell quiet for a moment.
Antony smiled faintly.
"Welcome to Vought, Natasha."
Outside the glass windows—
Storm clouds gathered over Manhattan.
Somewhere deep within the system interface—
The Thunder Bond pulsed faintly.
A new constellation of power had just formed.
And this time—
It wasn't just about lightning.
It was about allegiance.
--------------
T/N:
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