45 Chapter 44: New Blood

(Roman: POV)

Emma by my side the two of us stood in the hangar of the airfield I had purchased where we would store the Guardians VTOL's.

Waiting for the others to return.

A huge smile on my face.

Since their mission was a resounding and complete success.

The minute Sage contacted me and filled me in on the details I almost cried a bit.

To think, just yesterday I was showing my team how to operate under my rules, and now they can do it without me.

They grow up so fast.

Moving on.

A few more minutes passed before the VTOL arrived.

When it landed the ramp lowered and Piotr came out first.

Carrying Jason and Lady Deathstrike.

Setting them down on the ground in front of me he stepped back.

Once he did so I opened a portal beneath each of them and sent them to the holding cells I had built on the deepest level of the Command Center.

Floor ten.

Because while both are victims of Stryker, just as much as the prisoners we rescued, those two are different.

Yuriko was brainwashed and might still be so I need to restrain her until the mind control wears off.

As for Jason...I don't even want to touch that can of worms. Dear old dad really did a number on him, and that's putting it mildly.

He's so broken I can't leave him free.

At least until I know he won't try to mind fuck anyone.

So yeah, it's lock up for those two until I say otherwise.

When Yuriko and Jason were handled I motioned for Piotr to get the others and he did.

One by one they all came out of the VTOL until they were all standing in front of me.

"Yo." I said. "My name is Roman Maxwell. For those of you who don't know me I am the one who founded this group who rescued you." I explained.

"Why?" James asked.

"There are many reasons." I replied. "But first and foremost it's because I didn't want to leave fellow innocent metahuman's in the hands of a racist psychopath like William Stryker. Who is dead by the way. My team and I decided to do the world a favor and remove that stain from its surface." I spoke.

"Stryker is dead?!" Clarice shouted.

"What are metahuman's?" Robert asked.

"Did you just say you are one of us?" Kurt asked me.

"Am, can I have some food please?" Sarah shyly asked.

The questions came one after another, never giving me a moment to answer them.

So to make everyone stop I raised my left hand in the air.

Which thankfully made everyone quiet down.

"Thank you." I said. "Now to answer your questions in order. Yes, Stryker is dead and he's not coming back. Same goes for all the people under his command and his base. Metahuman is the term I came up with to describe people like us who have powers. Yes, I am like you all in the fact that I am a metahuman. Finally for the little lady, yes you can have some food. In fact once the introductions were finished I was planning to give you guys a little time to relax before we spoke more in depth. So since the introductions are over, let's eat."

Raising my left hand I snapped my fingers.

The second after I did so several portals opened in the hangar and depisited tables, chairs, a table filled with various kinds of food, a large assortment of beverages, etc.

Once everything was in the hangar the portals closed.

"What the hell?" James spoke.

"Language." I told him. "There is a young girl present." I said.

Referring to Sarah who is looking at me with stars in her eyes.

"Wow, what was that Mr. Roman?" She asked me.

"Magic." I replied. Doing jazz hands as I did.

"Impossible. Magic doesn't exist." Clarice spoke up. "Besides, I can do the same thing."

"True Ms. Ferguson, your powers can do the same things I just did, but can they do this?" I asked.

I then walked over to the table and poured myself a glass of Pepsi from a bottle.

Which started refilling itself right after I did.

I found the infinite beverage enchantment during my studies at Kamar-Taj, and to be honest it was one of the best days of my life.

Since then I've never payed for a drink unless I go out.

Seeing the Pepsi bottle refill all our new arrivals were left speechless, while everyone just rolled with it since they've known about it for some time.

"So Ms. Ferguson, what were you saying about magic not being real?" I asked.

Clarice chose not to speak.

Good.

I didn't want to embarrass her any more.

"Well now that that's out of the way let's eat." I said.

I then started making a plate for myself.

A few seconds after I did do everyone else walked over and joined me.

Soon all of us were seated and eating.

Our rescued captives opening up a bit and telling us a little bit about themselves.

Which I welcomed, despite me knowing quite a lot about them already thanks to a combination of my previous life memories and the intelligence I gathered in preparation for taking down Stryker's operation.

Still, the fact they were trusting us a bit is a good sign.

It will make this next part a little easier.

When everyone was done eating I made my move.

I stood up, which drew everyone's attention to me.

"Alright, now that the meal is over let's pick up where we left off earlier." I said. Looking in the direction of Stryker's prisoners. "To all of you I make an offer. I would like you to join my organization, the Guardians. If you do I promise you protection, training, the chance to save others metahuman's like us in various ways, and a very generous paycheck with some other benefits thrown in as well. But if you do not wish to join us that is totally fine. Should you refuse I will still help you all. I will set you up with new, peaceful lives and give you some cash to get started. Now given all you all have been through I don't expect an answer right now. Take the next few days and think it over. Rest, recover. But I would like an answer by the end of the week." I spoke.

My recruitment speech over I sat down.

Then as soon as I did so Sarah spoke up.

"I would like to join the Guardians Mr. Roman." She said.

"Are you sure?" I asked Sarah. Looking her in the eyes.

"Yes." She repeated. Not an ounce of doubt in her eyes.

Nice.

This kid has spirit, I like that.

"Alright then. Welcome to the Guardians." I told Sarah.

"If Sarah is joining them I am as well." Clarice spoke.

Pulling Sarah proactively to her side after she did.

Telling me the two developed a sisterly bond while in captivity.

Since Sarah didn't break out of Clarice's hold.

"Sure. Welcome aboard. I promise you both, you won't regret joining us." I said.

"I would like to join too." Robert said.

"Me too. If we can save other metahuman's from suffering the same fate as us then I'm all for it." James spoke.

"If the others are joining I guess I will as well." Kurt added.

"Well if that's what you all have decided then like I said to Sarah a moment ago, welcome to the Guardians." I spoke.

Putting a small smile on my face after I did.

Since this is better than I predicted.

I assumed only one of the rescued captives would join the Guardians, but all of them joining is what I truly hoped for.

Especially since this particular group of metahuman's have strong and versatile powers.

Powers which have now been added to the Guardians.

Oh, I can't wait to see how this new blood will improve us.