Recovering from Superior

Chapter 24

Emma Frost, aka The White Queen, draped herself across Peters couch as he emerged from his room wearing his business suit.

Peter had called her asking for her assistance in something and that she was to wait in his office until his return. Just as he said she was welcomed in to the building and the receptionist pointed her in the direction of the elevators, Peter was indeed not there so she decided to make herself comfortable until his return.

She was rather curious what help he needed from her, from what he said over the phone she quickly gathered that it was something serious but the exact details he left out. Probably due to whatever prior engagements he needed to attend to but she was willing to wait it out.

"Emma. Did I keep you waiting?" Peter asked her casually.

"Only a little, you know it's rude to keep a girl waiting Peter." Emma said with a faux pout on her face.

Peter would normally be first to apologise for his tardiness but times have changed... and this is Emma Frost, someone who he knew played up her part of temptress and seductress quite well and this little show was in no doubt an attempt at both.

"Well... thank you for coming." He said quickly changing to his more business tone. "I'm... having a little problem and I need a telepaths help in solving it. Think you could lend your talents for a while?" He asked.

Emma merely raised an eye at his sudden change in tone, it was no fun for her if he just brushed her off like that but if he wanted to get right down to business... so be it. That just meant she would get her compensation that much sooner.

"I'm sure I can lend you a hand Peter but... why me? I'm sure a guy like you knows many other telepaths you could call on for help." She asked with mirth in her voice.

"I do... but I cannot say I exactly trust them right now. You helped me out with the whole Otto debacle and got my life back on track, so that's why I've asked you and not them." He answered seriously.

Emma suspected that was the reason, she and many of the others knew that Peter had been keeping his distance from all those who had persecuted him.

She couldn't exactly blame him for it either, she looked into his mind and she saw for herself the kind of man that he was. Selfless, heroic, kind, compassionate and so much more.

She even saw moments that she would rightly assume he would've wanted to keep to himself, moments from his life before Spider-Man, including his identity, and she couldn't believe the pain and anguish he had endured all this time.

It moved her deeply. And seeing that he held no Ill will to her or any other mutants, even going as far as protecting and saving them then brining them to the mansion so they'll be safe, was a definite plus.

"Alright then, what do you need me to do? I'm guessing to read someone's mind but whose mind and what am I looking for?" She asked getting straight to the point of her being there.

"The head of my security." He simply said, answering the first part of her question.

"Oh? Think he's double crossing you?" She asked, mused by the reveal.

"Not... exactly. There was a breach in my security and he hasn't exactly got any answers for it. Actually it seems more like he is just as unsure of what happened as I am." He explained causing Emma to be intrigued by the situation.

"Hmmm. If he has problems with specific memories then it is possible he was under the influence of another telepath. Or at the very least someone who can manipulate the mind." She answered his quandary.

"Aren't those two the same thing?" He questioned.

"Not entirely the same but I can understand the confusion. A telepath is someone who can see into someone else's mind but not necessarily have the ability to alter it or control it in any way. Someone with an ability to control someone's actions or to mind control them is in its essence a stronger version of telepathy but without the reading of minds." Emma explained the minute difference between the two sets of powers.