It was all horribly arrogant of me. Not just my lack of fear against attack now that I’d taken precautions against it, but me making decisions for the whole world in regard to the core of the planet. Yet, fighting wasn’t what I was about, never had been. I helped in other ways, I was a mad scientist and conjurer, not a brawler.

  It wasn’t that I lacked the instinct or nature to want to protect people. On the contrary, nothing could be further from the truth. I just did so in different ways save sea monster threats. I took care of what those other superheroes couldn’t.

  My interest was to improve the world and increase quality of life. To help where the superhero and supervillain fights ended, and the cleanup began. That’s what my story and legacy was about, saving the world as we knew it in my own way. Making the world a better and safer place, backing off from the insane place it found itself in, due to the creation energy reactor core of an alien ship. One dose two centuries ago, and the other just four years ago.

  I could admit though, there was a little bit of showing off involved. I’d always had to hide my true potential of harnessing and controlling meta-energy with technology to fly under the government’s radar, but that point was moot now.

  Point being, I never claimed to be perfect.

  She said, “I noticed you never said you were a titan.”

  “I had second thoughts on that one point. Once it was known a titan mad-scientist was even possible, that means someone else could quicken and follow in my footsteps. Chances are high they’d follow in my footsteps and take it to a good place, but there’s a small chance they’d go supervillain and try to take over the world. In short, I hid it for the same reason that Adamantine hides his true ability from the world.

  “It’s bound to come out at some point, but I saw no reason to rush it. There’s also no way to prove it.”

  She said, “You also called it alien energy.”

  I shrugged, “That’s what most people think of it as. Creation energy is my own term, and fits better, but understanding was more important.”

  She got up on her knees and started to rub my shoulders. Fucking hell, I was so damned spoiled.

  “You spoil me, my sweet minion.”

  She giggled, “Is that going to be a new thing?”

  I shook my head, “Minion jokes? Only until it gets old, so sometime tomorrow I’d imagine. You’ll always be my sweet naughty Thea, love, and baby.”

  She kissed the top of my head lovingly, and I moaned lightly as she worked the knots out of my tense shoulders. Saving the world unilaterality without permission led to a lot of stress.

  “I see. Although being your cock-slave minion is kind of appealing.”

  I snorted.

  She said, “But I do like the others more. Huh, you were just moved to the supervillain database, and all Super Max locations have orders to take you down the next time you show up for a counseling session. That project has obviously been revoked. They also dispatched a scientific team and several agents to your public lab.”

  I was afraid of that, and not at all surprised.

  “Make sure there’s nothing there they can use, otherwise let them have it. There’s nothing there they don’t already have. Other countries?”

  She shook her head, “No response yet, outside of paranoid speculation. I suspect they’re waiting to see if the U.S. is successful in bringing you to heel first. It’d be a lot easier to steel the technology from a bloated government than a paranoid mad scientist with self-destructs.”

  I laughed.

  “How about the supervillains I successfully rehabilitated?”

  I wasn’t sure how I’d react, if they decided to throw Kaya or all the other lives I’d turned around back into the Super Max. I didn’t see any advantage in doing so, but the government could be petty at times, and they hated supers besides.

  She shook her head, “Nothing there, I’ll let you know if they decide to undo all the good work you did and put out warrants for their arrest.

  “Have a bot bring us out some coffee, or if you want something else. That feels really good, baby.”

  She grinned, “Thank you, master. It’s my pleasure to serve you in all ways, my love. Coffee will be two minutes, since I have to brew some fresh.”

  We chatted and flirted playfully for the rest of the wait. Outside of shutting down the rest of my government involved projects and labeling me a supervillain there were no further developments. Clearly, I was now persona non grata with the U.S. government.

  Stupid really. They should’ve used me for what I was willing to give instead of shooting themselves in the foot to no benefit.

  The superhero team from San Francisco was a lot closer than Seattle, but they timed it so both teams and the homeland security team arrived at the same time. My property shield was tight around the house, meaning nothing stopped the hero teams from flanking us on the beach to the left and right, while the human tactical team moved in around the house.

  The press helicopters were about a quarter mile away with zoom lens cameras, and they’d been there the last ten minutes or so.

  The super teams just looked intimidating. It was the tactical team lead that spoke.

  “You are under arrest. You will surrender to us your person and all technologies associated with unapproved actions in the core of our planet. Your arrogance in this regard is beyond the pail. Your A.I. will also be confiscated.”

  I shook my head as I stood up.

  “Just to make it clear, I could’ve teleported away long before you got here, or just hid inside the house behind shields you can’t get through. The only reason I’m standing here is to demonstrate my technology can’t be defeated. You’d have better luck taking down Mythic, and you know how that’s gone the last three years. This is the only confrontation you get, to prove my words earlier tonight, otherwise I’ll be a ghost.”

  I looked in amusement at the telekinetic, a rather attractive redhead in a full-bodied light blue and white suit.

  She said, “My power can’t reach him, or his associate, it’s like they aren’t there.”

  I waved, “Sorry, that’s so rude of me. This is Thea, my A.I. and partner.”

  Thea beamed at me, probably because I’d named her my partner, then waved.

  The tac team lead said coldly, “This is your last warning, surrender. I’m authorized to bring deadly force if you refuse.”

  I shook my head, “Don’t you people listen. I refused twice already. Maybe the third time will sink in. Go away.”

  The man looked frustrated, also a little nervous, though he was obviously trying to conceal that last under a mien of self-righteous anger.

  The Frisco team lead, a rather fetching golden blonde in a two-piece super suit said, “Do you believe yourself to be above the law?”

  I pondered how to answer that for a second.

  “No, I obey the laws, and have always worked within the system. The only thing that’s changed my good standing with the government is I have something they want at any cost. Sounds like they’re breaking the law, or don’t believe it applies to them. Keeping my personal knowledge and technology from the government is not breaking the law, and last I checked no country had claimed the center of our planet as their ground. I didn’t break any laws, and this is a farce meant to get my technology.

  “A rather predictable one, at that. Based on fear and greed, and all while hiding behind cries of national security. I won’t submit to false arrest, or abused authority, is that clear enough to you. I am above that, but only because you can’t back it up.”

  She accused, “You illegal hacked news channels.”

  Thea said smugly, “No charges have been filed for that, nor has any media outlet deigned to press charges for the story of the year. This is nothing but a smash and grab operation by the U.S. government against one of its own citizens in otherwise good standing, only legal because they deign themselves above the law.”

  The team lead scowled at the press choppers, “Take them down.”

  The tactical team opened fire with their plasma and rail gun multifunction rifles.

  I took a sip of coffee, raised an eyebrow, and then they all disappeared in a flash of light. It was a bit ostentatious, but Thea and I had agreed on that signal.

  “Before you ask, I sent them to Washington, D.C.”

  She asked, “So if they did press charges for that, you’d surrender?”

  I shook my head and made a face, “Nope. Sorry. I’ll feel bad about it though.”

  I was mostly serious there.

  Thea said, “He didn’t want to do it, but the message was critical. Tensions throughout the world as far as governments have already cooled slightly, and there’s been an effect on rioting as well though that’s slower. But the point is moot, the media companies haven’t pressed charges.”

  The Seattle lead said, “Enough, we have our orders. Take them down.”

  Fire exploded around me, and the telekinetic tried to take me down using the beach to hit me indirectly. The gravity guy got nowhere, neither did the mind controller telepath. The energy wielder, their energy was sucked out of existence as soon as it got close, and the sonic managed to punt an ally about twenty feet but we didn’t move an inch as our shields absorbed the sound.

  As each attacked, they were teleported back to their city. It didn’t take long until all that was left was the two leaders. They waited for the sand, fire, and smoke to clear, only to see me taking a sip of coffee. They both attacked, but their hearts obviously weren’t in it, and I let them both get in a few swings before sending them back to their cities.

  I was honestly embarrassed for them all. Like Mythic, I had no intention of using violence against superheroes, or fighting back at all.

  “Expand the house shield to the edge of the property, and then take us home.”

  Thea replied, “Yes, master.”

  We disappeared.

  Chapter Fifteen

  She had improved our quarters on the ship as she’d said. There were no windows in the ship, but you wouldn’t know that standing on the inside of it. The walls on one side of the living room, kitchen, and bedroom all showed what was outside the ship, which was currently Mars. They looked like real wall-sized windows, but they weren’t. Still, my animal brain didn’t know that, so the holograms were still effective and good for my mental health. I didn’t feel closed in at all.

  Hell, our quarters weren’t even anywhere near the edges of the ship.

  The living room had warm grayish white leather couches and a holographic wall screen television, as well as warm redwood end and coffee tables. There were also some holographic paintings on the other two walls, as well as a diffuse lighting that didn’t seem to have a source.

  The kitchen was full, with an eight-person table and stainless-steel appliances. The tile was a light brown a few shades darker than the walls, and the counter tops were light brown marble and the cabinets a richer dark brown.

  The bedroom looked almost identical to the one in the house, save the window wall didn’t overlook the ocean, it overlooked Mars. It was all very homey. The ship was pretty large, almost a half mile long and third of that in diameter on average, if a little wider in the back and thinner on the front. It had plenty of lab spaces, the bridge, an empty for the moment landing bay, and of course engineering where all the various technologies were based including Thea’s core.

  Thea said, “Welcome home.”

  “You are my home, love.”

  She bit her lip as her eyes danced.

  “I’ll miss the beach.”

  I waved a hand, “Well go to public beaches, or a small uninhabited island if we want a private one. We’ll work, eat most meals, sleep, and fuck up here, but our play time will still include the Earth most times. I refuse to live in a vacuum or lose my new friends and allies to neglect.”

  She asked hopefully, “Bedtime?”

  I grinned, damned right, and I gave her naughty orders which had her breathless.

  “Master?”

  “Yes,” I asked a little distractedly. It was the following afternoon, and I was in one of the ship’s labs. I was in the middle of a set of computations for the atmospheric purifier. Something that would’ve been impossible without my current knowledge, the idea of air purification systems outside to combat air pollution was just ridiculous. But the idea of scanning for and phasing pollutants such as chemical, biological, or simple smoke directly from the air was more than possible.

  I turned to her with a smile as I saved, “What’s up?”

  Thea said, “Faith wants to see us, she said to teleport directly into her home, so the press and both our governments don’t get wind of it.”

  I felt a thrill at that, finally. One way or another, I’d know. I’d given it a lot of thought the last week, and I wanted her in my life.

  I stood up, and I conjured up casual khaki shorts and a collared pullover. It matched the casual way my love was dressed, in a body-hugging thin cotton summer dress. White with flower designs. She looked wickedly innocent in the thing, and seductive beyond belief.

  She smiled, “You look yummy, master.”

  I winked, “So not even half as good as you?”

  She blushed at my compliment as I held out my hand, and then stepped forward to take it. I used the ship’s teleport system to drop me in Faith’s living room.

  She smiled nervously at us and was on the couch. She looked delectable as well in a simple pair of short red cotton shorts, and a light blue halter top which showed off her flat toned stomach, delicious lithe curves, and about half her generous heart shaped C cup cleavage.

  “Hi. Take a seat?”

  My hands itched to touch her, I could tell she wanted me right away, but I could also tell she was nervous about something, though not what. So I behaved and sat next to her on the couch, just outside her personal space as I turned my body slightly toward her. Thea strolled over and sat demurely behind me on the arm of the couch.

  “So, what’s up. I can tell your nervous, but not why.”

  She blushed. No doubt correctly deducing that I could tell she was also wound up and wanted me in that moment.

  “I… am yours. I have been since last week, Jon. That’s why I left so suddenly last week, before you could see it in my eyes.”

  I frowned, “You’ll have to explain that logic,” even as I reached out and pulled her against me, and then up on my lap.

  She looked as startled as she was pleased, as my fingertips teased the skin of the small of her back, and my other hand rested on her waist.

  “Well, I didn’t expect it to happen so fast. You were… perfect, everything I needed and wanted, and nothing I didn’t want. You were perfect that night,” she shook her head, and tried to get her thoughts in order, but was obviously flustered and turned on by being pulled into my lap.

  She bit her lip, “Okay, let me start from the beginning so it makes sense. I came there to tell you about my personality, and the side effects of that on our third date. I’d also hoped we’d be compatible in bed, and you’d treat my submissiveness in bed and out without showing any… perverted thrill or thoughts of owning me. I also figured it would tell us if the promise of our strong chemical attraction came through or not. Those were my expectations, tell you what a freak I am, and see how you treated me and if you were as good as I hoped you were in bed. That was the sum of my expectations that day.

  “I figured I’d go home after that, and hope you called me for a fourth date. That over time, weeks perhaps, we’d hopefully come to that understanding, and you’d be ready to take care of me and I’d be ready to trust you. Follow so far?”

  I nodded, “Yes, I totally exceeded expectations,” I quipped, half playfully.

  She giggled, “So did I, I saw the surprised awe in your eyes, and I also saw the respect and amazed gratefulness at me picking you and loving you, instead of a greedy desire to claim me.”

  She shook her head, “Anyway, my expectation of our third wondrous date isn’t at all what happened. From my point of view, I’ve already been living with this strange personality and need to find a man I could trust not only to cherish me, but not abuse me even while feeding my submissive desires with intimacy and joy. Not to take it to a dark place. I already knew all that.

  “So when you seduced me, pampered me even in my submission, rocked my world with the best sex I’d ever experienced in my life, and more orgasms than I’d achieved in the last year in one session, it was powerful for me. You were perfect, sweet, deliciously firm and commanding in bed feeding my submissive need that way, but also at the same time somehow the most generous lover I’ve ever encountered. I got off on following your orders, they turned me on so much, but at the same time I’ve never felt so spoiled and doted on in bed. Both of you. Between that, the way you so easily accepted the talk before that on the beach, and you promised me you wouldn’t abuse it. I was totally primed to fall for you.

  “And I did, the moment you cuddled up with me, showered me with kisses and sweet caresses. I felt warm, so safe in your arms, and cherished as well as protectively possessed. I couldn’t help but think if you were that protective and possessive with me due to shallow affection through body chemistry, what would it be like when you truly loved me, if we fell in love.

  “I’d never been surer of anything or anyone in my life, despite being too early, it was what my heart, body, and warmth demanded.

  “In that moment I became yours. My heart, my warmth, my desire to support and succor, my need to obey you in all things, it all became yours in that moment. It still is yours, and I want nothing more than to be stolen away by you both and join you in your new home, or to have you here. Either way, I can teleport back and forth to Ottawa to patrol, and of course Team Titan.”

  I nodded when she ran down, “Okay, still not sure why the week then. You could have stayed that night, and never left.”

  She kissed me softly, sweetly, and lovingly.

  “I know. Like I said, it’s my thing though, the way my quickening changed me. I had those expectations for more than one reason, besides the fact I never expected you to sweep me off my feet and do everything right that night.