Rowan – Midtown School Bus, Probably Hell
Okay. Let me get this straight for those of you skipping chapters: I'm on a yellow death trap with no seatbelts, full of hormonal teenagers, bouncing over every pothole in Queens like we're in a budget action movie, and I've got the Force screaming in my head like it's playing screamo on repeat.
In short: I hate field trips.
Also, I'm being stalked by a superpowered self-appointed clone girlfriend, the government might be watching me, and I'm still not allowed to use my lightsabre yet.
Yeah. Normal teen stuff.
"Dude, can you sit down?" Peter hissed from the seat behind me as I leaned half out the window. "You're going to fall out and traumatize the underclassmen."
"I'm conducting a wind-based spiritual survey of Manhattan," I said. "Also trying to see if I can spot Fury's bald head from here."
"Which one?"
"Exactly."
Ned leaned forward from his seat across the aisle, munching on a Pop-Tart like it was sacred. "He's been like this all morning."
"I'm vibing, Ned," I said, spinning back into my seat. "Field trips bring out the best in me."
"You literally threatened to Force-throw the vending machine because it ate your dollar."
"Justice has no price, Ned. You of all people should know that."
Outside the window, the Queens skyline flickered past in awkward jump cuts. Glass. Graffiti. More glass. And up ahead, the massive curved walls of the Stark-Oscorp Expo Centre, which apparently was the lovechild of a spaceship and a tech bro's ego.
Peter grinned. "This is goanna be awesome."
"Oh yeah," I said. "Nothing says 'awesome' like multi-billion-dollar corporations showing off death drones and spider robots to a bunch of fifteen-year-olds."
"I'm sixteen."
"Whatever, nerd."
[System Alert: Environmental Instability Detected]
Force Sensitivity: Spiking
Source: Unknown
Threat Level: Subsurface
"The flame and the shadow gather."
I blinked. "Okay. That's new."
Peter frowned. "What's new?"
"Nothing," I said quickly. "Just the Force being cryptic and ominous again. You know how it is."
He gave me the look — the one that said "Are you okay or do I need to call Bucky?"
I waved him off.
But inside?
The Force was… off. Like something nearby was pulsing against it. Not Subject Zero. This felt older. Colder. Like something buried in steel and regret.
Something waiting.
Oscorp-Stark Expo Centre – 10:03 AM
The building itself looked like Tony Stark and Norman Osborn had gotten drunk and dared each other to design something ugly. Giant curved glass panels. Chrome walkways. A hovering hologram of Tony winking every few seconds like some AI dad joke machine.
"Welcome, young minds of the future!" the hologram said. "Hope you brought your genius caps — and legally signed waivers!"
"Can I punch it?" I asked.
"No," Peter and Ned said in unison.
We broke off into groups. I may have "accidentally" wandered toward the restricted exhibits. You know, for science.
That's when I felt it again.
Not the usual background hum of the Force.
This was sharper.
Focused.
Staring.
I froze near a darkened display case showing off prototype weaponized drones. The glass warped faintly around my reflection.
And behind it—
Movement.
Just for a second.
Her.
I blinked.
She was gone.
Like she was never there.
Just me. My reflection. And a funhouse hall of terrifying future tech behind the glass.
"Okay," I whispered to myself, "either I'm being hunted by a Force-stalker with boundary issues, or the Stark hologram gave me a stroke."
[System Alert: Subject Zero — Proximity Detected]
Status: Shadowing
Mental Sync Level: Rising (23%)
"Her mind touches yours when you are weakest."
Yeah. No kidding.
A low hum echoed through the hallway — not from the tech. From me. My blood buzzed. My nerves felt like live wires. Every step I took was shadowed by the feeling that someone else had already walked it.
She was close.
Closer than she'd ever been.
POV Shift – Subject Zero, Observing from the Ventilation Grid Above
There he was.
Alone.
Touching the glass, confused. Radiating energy he didn't know how to hold yet.
She nearly wept at the sight of him.
The lines of his shoulders. The frustration in his jaw. The light under his skin.
He was perfect. Made for something greater.
Made for her.
She reached out with her mind — just enough to press her thoughts into his like water against a dam.
"You're not safe here."
Rowan – Still Not Okay
I staggered back, palms sweaty, heart thudding like a war drum. The Force screamed again — loud enough that I nearly fell into a security drone.
I caught myself and looked around.
Empty.
But not alone.
Never alone.
"Alright, fine," I muttered. "Let's do this."
I stepped off the guided path, ignored the VERY clear warning sign that said AUTHORIZED STAFF ONLY, and slipped through a side corridor that led toward the server wing.
Because obviously when the Force says run, what I hear is investigate.
The hallway was cold. Unnaturally cold. Metal shimmered with condensation.
And at the far end—
A silhouette stood. Motionless.
Female.
Hair tied back. Masked.
Eyes like twin suns trying to go supernova.
She didn't speak.
Just raised one hand.
I lifted mine too, Force tension vibrating between us like a wire pulled too tight.
We didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
Then—
CRASH.
The reinforced window beside me exploded inward as a blast of kinetic Force slammed into me.
I flew backward, hit the ground hard, and rolled to my feet just in time to deflect the next blast with a raw Force barrier.
"She's done playing," I muttered.
Subject Zero – Engaged
She dropped from the vents like a shadow wearing skin, landing without a sound.
She didn't attack again — just stalked toward him slowly, boots crunching broken glass.
"Why do you run from me?" she asked aloud this time.
Rowan stared, hands glowing faintly with Force energy. "Because you're crazy. Obsessed. Creepy. Did I mention crazy?"
"I love you," she said.
He blinked. "Yep. There it is. Full psycho unlock."
She was ten feet away now.
No weapon. No threat posture.
But more dangerous than anything I'd faced since Siberia.
Then she said the worst thing imaginable:
"I know your name."
That stopped me cold.
"I gave it to you," she added. "Rowan. Skywalker. The Force screamed it at me when I was still in my pod. You chose it because it was already yours."
My heart slammed against my ribs.
"You don't know me," I snapped.
She tilted her head, smiling softly.
"No. But I will."
I blinked.
One second she was there — hair catching the light, voice dripping with obsession like a weird perfume commercial — and the next?
Gone.
Just gone.
Like the Force took a breath and exhaled her out of the scene.
Which, honestly, rude.
"Okay. Not creepy at all," I said, backing away slowly from the shattered display case. "Definitely not the worst ex in my life. I mean, she only tried to brain-bond me and declare soul-marriage inside a tech museum. That's fine. That's normal."
Then the alarms started.
ALERT: BREACH IN SECURE ZONE BETA-9
ALL UNITS DEPLOY TO LOWER WEST HALL
POTENTIAL HOSTILE ENHANCED PRESENT
"Oh come on," I groaned, as red lights started flashing.
The hallway filled with spinning lights and angry robot voices. Panels slammed down over exits. Security drones hummed to life like budget Terminators.
Then came the SHIELD agents.
Six of them, full armor, helmets down, rifles drawn.
"Hands where we can see them!"
One of them was already shouting into a comm: "We've got the target! Confirmed ID! Subject Rowan Skywalker—"
"Whoa, whoa," I said, throwing my hands up and backing toward the wall. "First off, rude. Second—did you actually just call me that out loud? Like, in public?"
"Hands! Now!"
"Okay, okay! Sheesh. Do none of you understand sarcasm?"
System Alert: Elevated Threat Response Detected
SHIELD units engaging
Probability of Capture: 92%
Suggestion: ABSOLUTELY PANIC
So I did the only thing that made sense at the time.
I panicked.
And when I panic?
I get weird.
I slammed my palm to the floor, reached into the Force, and yelled the first thing that came to mind.
Which, for some reason, was:
"EXCELSIOR!"
Look.
I don't know why.
Maybe it was the stress.
Maybe it was the billion Marvel posters I kept seeing in this universe like some weird cosmic joke.
Maybe it was the fact that the Force felt like it was laughing with me.
But when I shouted it?
The world exploded in golden light.
The hallway cracked.
Literally cracked. Like someone dropped a marble universe on top of the real one and it didn't quite fit.
The lights burst overhead. A wave of pure Force energy surged outward in a dome, tossing drones and agents like bowling pins. Walls peeled. Gravity hiccuped. My voice echoed like thunder in a comic book bubble.
"EXCELSIOR!"
Again.
Because once is never enough.
When the light cleared, I was the only one standing — hair a mess, clothes smoking slightly, surrounded by unconscious SHIELD agents and a very broken robot leg stuck to my shoe.
I stared at it.
Then looked up at the imaginary camera and said, "Stan Lee would be so proud."
Then I collapsed backward against the wall and laughed like a maniac.
POV Shift – Outside Expo – 10:42 AM
Subject Zero stood atop the roof, staring down at the swirling chaos she'd set in motion.
He was changing.
Faster now.
Stronger.
The Force bent around him like a sun dragging gravity behind it. Her heart swelled.
He had named himself.
She heard the name again in her mind — screamed across radio signals and minds and Force echoes like prophecy on fire:
Skywalker.
She whispered it like a vow.
Like a promise.
And vanished again.
POV Shift – Cerebro, Xavier's School – Same Time
Cerebro pulsed.
A violent pulse.
Charles Xavier gasped and nearly fell from the chair as a psychic wave rolled over him like thunder.
Jean, already halfway into the chamber, caught him.
"What was that?" she asked, her voice tight.
Charles didn't answer at first. His hands trembled. His mind reeled.
"A name," he whispered. "It called itself…"
He turned toward her.
Eyes wide. Fearful.
"…Skywalker."
Jean stared at him. "What's a Skywalker?"
Charles just shook his head slowly.
"I don't know."
End of Chapter 14
Next: Chapter 15 – The Fallout
SHIELD officially deems Rowan a Class-S entity.
Subject Zero begins directly contacting him psychically.
Bucky loses his mind trying to keep him out of the news.
Jean's nightmares begin to include someone who burns from the inside.