Trust | 2 |

Chapter Thirty-Three

"Interesting welcome, but it's good to see you again, too," he said, sarcasm suffocating the end of the sentence.

I didn't move, the energy still gathered in my hands ready to do something. My mouth was open and I started contemplating my sanity while continuing to stare at Doctor Strange. Words were beyond me at this point.

He shook his head, then held out a hand as if to allow me in. "Come on through, we have some things to discuss," he said. I moved my stare from his face to his hand, then back up to his face. "I don't have all day."

I snapped out of my shock and shook away the energy in my hands. "Yeah, yeah, sorry about that." I started to go through, then paused. "FRIDAY, let Tony know I've stepped out for a bit but am safe and will return."

"Of course."

I went all the way through and turned around to watch the portal disappear behind me. The circle spun and got smaller until it just didn't exist anymore. "Woah..." I whispered.

"Ahem." I spun around and saw Doctor Strange looking at me with a raised eyebrow. "May we continue?"

Rolling my eyes, I crossed my arms and stepped up to him. "Okay, you know what? You don't get to be a cocky bastard with me, Doctor. Not only did you call the FBI on me while in a hospital, you randomly created a portal in my room with a new face and told me to go through. I'm allowed to be in a state of awe right now without being judged."

He nodded. "Fair point." With a small wave of his hand, we were suddenly standing in the middle of a great room. I took in the surroundings and saw a pair of doors that looked like they went outside and concluded we were in the entry way. Opposite of the doors was a grand staircase Doctor Strange was standing in front of.

"I need answers. Multiple, at this point. Like, for starters, what the hell? Since when did you gain magical abilities and become some sort of wizard?" I asked him.

Now he rolled his eyes and scoffed. "I'm not a wizard. I'm a sorcerer."

"Oh yeah, big difference there."

He glared at me and I held my hands up in a mock surrender. "The Sorcerer Supreme, to be exact. To make this long story short, I wanted to find a way to heal my hands and found the mystic arts at Kamar Taj. The Ancient One taught me and when she died, I took on her title and now protect the Earth from mystical beings or anyone who poses a threat, really."

I nodded along. "So, am I a threat? Is that why you brought me here?" I asked, worried that I had happily stepped right into a trap. "I guess second time's the charm in this case."

Doctor Strange shook his head. "No, no, you're not a threat." He started to pace a little. "I saw you walking around yesterday. You started to come down this street and then turned and went a different direction. Seeing you made me remember the conversation we had at the hospital- the one where you asked if I could remove the crap from your brain. So I thought about it and decided to bring you here. There's a lot to the mystic arts, and I'm curious if I can use any to remove what you are asking to remove. I'll have to look in a lot of different spell books, but it might be possible."

I couldn't speak for a moment, the second time in the last ten minutes. "Why?" I suddenly asked, throwing us both off.

He looked confused and asked, "Why what?"

"Why do you want to help me? Can we please remember how not even a month ago you tried to have me arrested by the FBI? Why do you suddenly want to help me?" I asked.

We were silent for a moment, and I thought it was possible Doctor Strange didn't even know his own motivations. It's not like we were best friends or he owed me a favor. Hell, we weren't even acquainted in any way. I threatened him and he threatened me after saving my life as a doctor in a hospital- that was the extent of our relationship and yet here we stood in this fancy building, him offering to help me out.