Chapter 55

Harry, Megan, and Marie joined Lois and Mary Jane, driving up to the Van Dyne Industries press conference. They were all the guests of honor to show up at that location.

"So, Jan's pretty excited about whatever's going on?" Megan asked.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it myself," Lois said. "She and Lana's been doing some good work, but there's also a few surprises. She says she's going to change the world, and granted, everyone wants to do that, these days. But, I really think she's confident."

"I just hope no one comes after the technology to use it for the wrong reasons," Mary Jane said.

Mary Jane jested, however, Harry and Megan exchanged an extremely uneasy look. Harry knew Jan's security had been top of the line, but just because security had been top of the line, it did not me a sufficiently skilled individual or maybe a determined one, would not find a way around it.

The car pulled up outside. A pair of guards made their way around and scanned them. Megan, Marie, Harry, Lois, and Mary Jane beeped.

"Ah yes, the Kent party," one of the guards said. "Don't worry, Ms. Van Dyne and her assistants are looking forward to meeting you, as is her business partner."

'Business partner?" Mary Jane asked.

"Emma Frost," Harry said without missing a beat.

"Are you kidding me, she's...she's actually here?" Lois asked. "I've been trying to get an interview with her for years, but she's a busy woman. And she's working with Jan."

"Emma doesn't really do projects unless she thinks they're worth her time," Harry said. "So, that gives me plenty of confidence that Jan's doing is worthwhile."

"Well, Emma's just one person's opinion," Marie said. "An opinion which holds a lot of weight in certain circles and one which Jan likely will take very seriously."

Harry only encountered Emma a couple of times, in passing, and maybe exchanged a couple of sentences. Emma had been a very busy woman. And extremely gorgeous. Megan eyed Harry with a knowing smile on her face, but did not say anything because it was time to head up and see what this project of Jan's was all about.

"I know this sounds like a cliche, because it is, but when this project hit the ground running, it really took on a life of its own."

Jan met them personally when coming up from the elevator. The bubbly and excited woman bounced about. Lois, Mary Jane, Megan, Marie, and Harry followed her up from the parking guard and back into the elevator. Jan really did not need to come down to greet them.

"So, how much of a world changing event are we talking about?"

"Clean energy, and perhaps a way to help fix any further damages caused by Global Warming," Jan said. "Although, climate change is a hot button issue these days, and there are a fair few on my board who don't want me going into this extremely dicey area."

Harry could understand their concerns. Still, Jan wanted to prove she had been more of a fashion designer and more importantly more than Hank Pym's assistant.

"Karen!" Megan called.

A very familiar face popped up at the bottom of the steps. Karen Beecher, Harry and Megan's former classmate at Happy Harbor High, had gone onto other things, and was working as an Intern for Van Dyne Industries. She rushed down the steps, a big old smile on her face and threw her arms around Megan and Harry, to greet them with a very big smile.

"Oh, it's good to see you again," Karen said.

"Good to see you too, Karen," Harry said. "Been keeping busy?"

"Oh, you know it, honey," Karen said. "I would ask if you're busy, but I know how you're doing."

"Karen, we've got it stabilized!"

An excited voice of a teenage girl came from the lab.

"Nadia, they've arrived…."

"Oh, Harry Kent, that's right, he's coming here today," Nadia said. "Hi, I'm Nadia Pym, it's a pleasure to meet you, and you must be Megan Morse, Marie Logan….oooh Marie, I'm really a fan of your work, you've done a lot of good for the word. And Lois Lane, I read your articles all of the time. And Mary Jane Watson...surprised you got into photography….not that you're good at it, but you look like someone who would be working for Jan's fashion company, no offense."

"Trust me, none taken," Mary Jane said.

Nadia spoke without taking a breath. The daughter of Janet's old mentor, she had regarded Jan as an older sister, and Jan had taken care of her, after Hank Pym's demise.

"So, is it true that Hello Megan is having a Broadway Musical and all of the proceeds are being donated to charity to help raise awareness against the poaching of endangered species?" Nadia asked.

"Well, there are talks that are in the works," Marie said. "There's been...a couple of small snags."

"That isn't the Sergei Kravinoff thing, isn't it?" Nadia asked.

Marie frowned, as did Megan. Sergei Kravinoff had been one of Marie's harshest critics of her work. Namely, he called her another ignorant product of Hollywood, who only got into activism to boost her sagging career. While that was unfortunately true for many in Hollywood, as much as Marie hated to admit it, she was genuine in her activism. And Kravinoff had been the star of his own hunting show, which he hunted down some of the most exotic and rare species on the planet.

Given how the Network head also boasted of Simon Stagg's Understudy show and also aired G. Gordon Godfrey's political commentaries, the man running the network had a very obvious lack of scruples.

"Kravinoff...tried to get me blocked from getting several creatures moved to a preserve," Marie said. "He claims that I'm being irresponsible for removing these majestic creatures from their natural habitats."

"Rich given how he has made his fame by hunting them," Lois said. "And on television as well."

"Yeah, he's...quite something else," Karen said while rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, thankfully I have friends who counteracted whoever is funding him," Marie said.

"Yeah, thankfully, and they should be given a gold medal."

The doors opened and Harry had to admit, when Emma Frost entered a room, she most certainly cast a hell of a presence.

"Janet," Emma said. "Is it ready?"

"Yes, always,' Jan said.

"Harry," Emma said, her expression brightening. "Lena told me how you have acquired your doctorate in biochemistry, faster than anyone else ever had. Even Jesse Wells did not manage that one."

"Well, a lot of hard work and many hours put in helped," Harry said.

The fact Harry could make time duplicates to accomplish the brunt of his studying also helped.

"I hope you remember to sleep, for your sake," Emma said. "Someone with your active social life is bound to crash and burn later."

"I have an amazing amount of stamina Ms. Frost," Harry said.

"Mmm, well we can discuss that at a future date," Emma said. "I believe Janet wants my assistance in preparing for her presentation. I would say to imagine everyone in their underwear, but for some of the people you're presenting to, that might cause your stomach to turn."

Maxwell Lord twitched his fingers when watching the Press Conference.

"And these new power cells will create a clean energy, which will be immune to electrical outages. And will reduce global warming by two hundred percent by the year 2025."

Lord just snorted, and leaned back in his chair. They wasted a lot of time and energy, on what amounted to a pie in the sky dream. Those power cells could be much more than making a lot of liberals feel good about themselves. Of course, if they really cared about the environment, they would live a minimalist lifestyle, off of the grid.

Talking the talk was a lot easier than giving up consumer comforts. Of course, Lord also acknowledged pandering to this crowd, by selling them clean energy, would be a very profitable venture. If Lord had his hands on this power cell technology, he could do so much more.

"And even an EMP blast would not knock out these power cells."

Now Lord had been intrigued about the military applications of this test.

"And Ms. Van Dyne, what of all of the groups who would like to acquire this technology for their own nefarious purposes?" one of the reporters asked. "Over the past few years, there have been numerous robberies, attributed to the group known as AIM. Aren't you the least bit concerned they could get involved and cause you problems?"

"There's always a concern."

"You should be concerned, Ms. Van Dyne," Lord said.

Lord had his share of connections throughout the city. One of them was through the various security contractors, and one of them had been contracted by Janet Van Dyne for her penthouse. Lord had used a similar system to boot.

"You know I want the power cells, right?" Lord asked.

"He's there, you realize that?" the voice over the other end of the phone.

"Yes, I know," Lord said. "And Emma Frost is as well."

The bitterness crept into Lord's voice when looking at the woman. She swiped a government contract out from underneath Lord's nose. And Luthor's as well, and it showed just how ruthless Emma could be. Lord almost had respect for her, if it did not affect his bottom line.

"Make all of the preparations possible," Lord said. "Once we have the cells, we have the power."

Both literally and figuratively. Maxwell Lord reached over to the cabinet. His business partners were running out of patience, due to the number of failures Lord had over the years. Every single time, Superman had been there to stop him.

This time, Maxwell Lord would have the last laugh.

"Oh, don't worry, Marie, I'll be happy to sponsor your efforts," Jan said. "I can't believe someone actually was interested enough in Hello Megan to make a Broadway musical out of it and….a potential reboot?"

"Yes," Marie said. "On Netflix."

"Well, there you go," Jan said. "I mean, it's not like Hello Megan wasn't a...it had it's moments right?"

"Jan, I admit as much as the next person how weak the writing was," Marie said. "I don't think people have made Megan a meme because of the quality of the show, I think they made her a meme because the show was so bad, it was charming. Almost...narmy in a sense."

"In it's own way, it was art,' Emma commented. "I know you've had some trouble with the show, and trouble getting any serious work, outside of voice acting in the years following. It was just like the Simon Trent thing on a smaller level, where he could not be anyone other than the Grey Ghost."

Emma really did wish Bruce Wayne would part with the uncut copies of the show he had acquired. The original studio lost them years ago, and the only copies available, was a torrent of the version which aired in syndication in the eighties and nineties, which had been chopped all to hell due to commercials. Emma thought Bruce could make even more money by giving them access to the treasure he sat on, but Bruce, like many collectors, hoarded a very valuable item.

"Well, yes, obviously," Marie said. "And it did push me into my charity work, so it can't be too bad."

"There's a silver lining for everything," Harry said.

"And you've done a lot of work," Emma said. "If Karen Starr didn't have your hooks into you, and Lena didn't demand a lot of her time, I would try and seduce you away myself."

"Well, you could still try," Harry said.

"Mmm, maybe I could," Emma commented. "Although, it's more likely Lena and I will be working more closely together in the more distant future. It's just everything has not aligned properly, at least until now."

"Looking forward to it," Harry said.

"So, how did you think the press conference went?' Jan asked.

"Oh, you smashed it out there," Emma said. "No need to be nervous. You are a people person, even more so than I am."

"Come on, Emma, you can be alright with people," Jan said.

"Only those who are worth my time," Emma said. "Can you believe Maxwell Lord tried to offer me a deal just last week? As if there's anything that a second-rate Lex Luthor could give me which would be worth his time."

"Lord expressed interest in you," Harry said. "You do realize he's in bed with…."

"AIM?" Emma asked. "Yes, I realize that. We had our meeting of the minds, which was unfair to him in some ways."

Dessert had come just right after lunch. The group continued their business meeting and most certainly they had a few things they could do together in the future. It had only been a pity Lena and Karen could not join them, but they were going to touch base sooner rather than later.

Karen Beecher, Nadia Pym, and Megan Morse walked around the lab. Nadia showed Megan a few projects and Karen, being her first week on the job, learned a fair bit talking to someone who had been there for a year.

"I should go clear up my lab space," Karen said.

"Here, let me help you," Megan said.

Megan, Karen, and Nadia swept through the lab space. With Megan almost knocking a sketchbook open. It came open on a page which showed a suit. Karen's eyes widened in horror.

"Project Bumblebee?" Megan asked. "What's that?"

"It's nothing,' Karen said as she tried to snatch the sketchbook away, but Megan turned around to read it. "It's just….just something that I've been doodling when I've been waiting for the chemicals to reach the right temperature."

"Oh, this looks pretty advanced for a couple of doodles," Megan said.

"Okay, fine, fine, fine," Karen said. "It's a super suit….I've been thinking about it...since the night Earth had been split into the kid world and the adult world. Remember that?"

"Vividly," Megan dryly responded.

"I wondered, perhaps the world could use another hero, you know like Wasp or Superman, or someone like that," Karen said. "And I've based it off of some of Pym's old sketches i found in the lab, although I can't get it to work right."

"Oh, maybe I can help with that," Nadia said. "I mean, I know Dad's work like the back of my hand. So if you're having any problems."

"We have real work to do," Karen said. "This is just a silly dream."

"It's not silly, you want to do some good for the world in your own way," Nadia said. "You know something, being a superhero, it would be cool. Working up the ranks, and maybe someday joining the Justice League...although I can't believe they don't have Superman with them. How could you be the elite team of Superheroes, without Superman? It just doesn't make any sense, does it?"

"He chose," Megan said.

"Their loss,' Nadia said. "Seriously though, I can help you make your suit real and functional. I know more about Dad's work more than anyone other than Jan and now…."

A loud blaring sound came over the lab.

"Alarm?" Karen asked. "Shouldn't that be impossible?"

"Oh, no, they're going for the lower vaults," Nadia said.

"Can you get a visual on them?" Megan asked.

Nadia rushed to punch up the security cameras. Someone had been blocking the feed but she got a few images. Just more than enough to give Megan a very clear idea about who was moving around the lab.

"AIM," Megan murmured darkly.

Not them again. They had been like the bad penny who kept resurfacing over the past few years, to cause trouble to anyone and everyone.

Harry and Jan arrived downstairs only for the alarm to hit her.

"Security's been breached!" Jan yelled. "Damn it! They're going for the cells."

"AIM," Harry said.

"Of course," Jan said. "But, the cells aren't the only thing down there. There are other...sensitive...and dangerous projects."

Harry understood what Jan meant right away. In a blink of an eye, Harry armored up into Superman and Jan activated a beacon on her watch which allowed her Wasp armor to come down to her body. She shrank so she could sit in the palm of Harry's hand.

"I'll take us down," Harry said.

Wasp and Superman went off to save the day. Before the AIM goons downstairs could really go shopping and get their hands on the power cells.

Or something worse.