Chapter 37: Portals and Pasts
The moment the reinforced gate to the training wing slid shut behind them, Adam let out a long breath. The base's ancient walls, enchanted with multiversal threads and reinforced runes, pulsed gently with quiet energy. They were home now—well, one of many.
He passed through the upper corridor of the Dominion Vault, his mind still buzzing with thoughts of Betty Ross and Selvig. Both had integrated far better than he'd hoped. Betty had practically taken over the biotech lab three hours after being shown the mana-nutrient trees, and Selvig? The man hadn't even blinked when he saw a star fragment hovering in anti-gravity containment.
"Quantum rules don't apply here? Excellent. Let me recalibrate my life's work," he'd said, barely looking up.
Adam reached the upper observatory—a glass-domed tower that looked over the glittering mana sea. It was early evening in the Dominion dimension, or at least the mana waves sparkled like starlight. Time was malleable here, but he liked the illusion of a daily cycle.
He sat on one of the chairs he'd conjured earlier that week—obsidian with mana-vein stitching—and leaned back, pulling up the system interface.
[Dominion Roster Updated]
[New Department Heads Assigned:
Arcane Science Division: Dr. Erik Selvig
Bio-Arcana Division: Dr. Betty Ross]
[Facility Expansion Complete: Dorm Wing Gamma, Greenhouse Dome Alpha]
He smiled. Things were moving fast—almost too fast. But that was fine. He didn't intend to live slow.
What he needed now was momentum.
The kind of momentum that required punching new holes in the multiverse.
He pulled out the Dominion Ring, its glimmer reflecting the galaxy-like sky above.
"System," he said, "open portal relay. Destination: New York City, Earth-Prime, Year 2008. Set anchor to location tag Jessica Jones – Alias Investigations."
[Processing Request…]
[Cross-Dimensional Alignment: 86% Match Found]
[Caution: Local Space-Time Tension is High]
[Proceed?]
"Do it."
The air around him shimmered, spiraling outward like someone had stirred oil into water. A single line of light etched the vertical axis before snapping into a full circle. On the other side, a grimy office window blinked into view—dusty blinds, cracked paint, and a neon sign flickering the word "Investigations."
Adam stepped through.
The scent hit him first—New York smog, stale whiskey, and desperation. He adjusted the collar of his enchanted long coat and looked around. His portal had dumped him directly into the second-floor hallway just outside her office. That saved time.
The door creaked open before he even knocked.
Jessica Jones stood there, dark hair tangled, eyes sharp despite the bags under them. She held a bottle in one hand and a crowbar in the other.
"You're either selling time shares or you're here to get punched."
"Neither," Adam said, raising his hands. "But now I kinda wish I'd brought a brochure."
Jessica's eyes narrowed. "I don't do jokes. Who are you?"
"Someone who knows what happens to you in a few years if you don't change your path."
There it was—the flicker in her eye. Not confusion, not disbelief. Recognition. People who'd been broken knew when someone was talking from the future. It was something in the voice. A kind of mournful authority.
"You have ten seconds," she said, lifting the crowbar.
"Kilgrave," Adam said simply.
Jessica froze.
"Yeah. That's what I thought."
Her fingers twitched on the crowbar handle. The bottle in her other hand cracked slightly under pressure.
"How—?"
"I've seen it," Adam said. "Not just as a future, but one of many. And in every single version where you don't work with me, he breaks you."
The crowbar clanged to the floor.
"What do you want?" she asked quietly.
"Same thing you do," Adam replied. "To never be controlled again. And I've got something that can make that a reality."
He pulled from his coat a velvet-wrapped artifact. A black choker with shimmering violet runes floated inside the enchanted wrapping.
"Anti-Possession Collar. Multiversal design. Nullifies all forms of mind control—telepathic, magical, chemical, even psionic. Once bonded, it can't be removed except by you. Also slightly enhances sarcasm levels."
Jessica stared at him like he'd handed her the Holy Grail wrapped in a bottle of Jack.
"What's the catch?"
Adam grinned. "Only one. You work for me. Full autonomy, full pay, zero chains. But you wear my ring and you sign my contract. Betray me, and your soul gets evicted."
Jessica gave a dry chuckle. "You came here offering a creepy collar and a cult membership."
Adam tossed her a black sub-ring. "It's a dimension. With beachfront mana property, free therapy goats, and a greenhouse that grows actual spirit mangoes. Not a cult. Think of it more like… magical Apple. But less evil."
Jessica rolled the ring between her fingers. "You think I trust you?"
"Nope," Adam said. "But you don't have to. Just trust your future self. The one who's free. The one who sleeps without waking up in cold sweats."
The silence stretched long.
Then, slowly, she placed the collar around her neck. It sealed with a soft click and glowed faintly violet.
"Fine," she muttered. "But I swear, if this ring tries to read my thoughts, I'm shoving it somewhere the sun don't shine."
Adam gave a thumbs-up. "Noted. And honestly, I'm now terrified enough to believe you."
He summoned the contract mid-air. The words etched themselves in golden fire, outlining the basic terms. Jessica read it, scoffed once, then signed.
A spark flashed.
[Eternal Vow Activated – Subject: Jessica Jones]
[Emotion Spike Detected – Rage / Catharsis / Defiance]
[Currency Gained: +1,500]
[Skill Fragment Gained: Predictive Movement (2%) → Doubled to 4%]
The moment she signed, something changed. Her posture, her breathing. Like a layer of psychic grime had been power-washed off her soul. Adam saw her shoulders drop for the first time since she opened the door.
He extended a hand. "Welcome to the team."
Jessica stared for a second, then shook it. "I'm not calling you boss."
"Fine," Adam said. "You can call me Supreme Magical Pain in the Ass. Or Adam. Both work."
As they stepped back through the portal, Jessica blinked at the view of the Dominion dimension.
"…Is that a floating mana sea?"
"Yep."
"And those are flying spirit sheep?"
"Technically, they're arcane llamas, but yeah."
Jessica stared ahead blankly. "I'm gonna need more whiskey."
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