Love between the Multiverse

Chapter two

Stephen walked towards the busy street and looked around for orientation. The building he was searching for was only a few feet away from him. America’s powers really were getting better with every time she used them.

He crossed the street and neared the Baxter Building with the huge statue in front of it. He stopped for a moment to scrutinize his own face that stared straight forward with a blank expression. His face was clean shaven, just like in all the other similar worlds he had visited
so far. The presence of the statue hopefully meant that his other self no longer was alive in this universe.

Stephen shook his head. It was a dreadful thought indeed but it had to be this way if he wanted to achieve for what he came for.

He climbed the few steps and knocked on the front door even if he was certain that his presence was noticed already.

After barely a second the door opened. Two of Ultron’s androids stared at him with green lifeless eyes. This was the first difference that Stephen discovered. Everywhere else the robots had been equipped with yellow lights, not green ones. Stephen had been aware that not everything would be the same. He only hoped that this
minor difference didn’t had too much of an impact on why he had come here in the first place.

There were millions over millions of different universes. It really was highly improbable that America had found a suitable one this time. Yet he had no other choice than to wait and find out.

“Dr. Stephen Strange”, the metallic voice of the android greeted him. ”You will be taken into custody and be guided to the Illuminati."

“Can’t say that I missed you obedient tin cans”, he muttered loud enough to be recorded by the microphone on the android’s body which was connected to whoever was listening.

He lifted his head to search for the surveillance camera to gift it a sly grin and a wink of his eye. Without turning his gaze away he stretches his arms out with his wrists presented to the robots.

Only when the cold metal of the handcuffs came in contact with his skin he lowered his head again. The construction that held his hands together now had a similar design to the ones Christine developed in the other universe. Stephen wouldn’t be surprised if she was a scientist here as well.

This handcuffs although didn’t appear so clunky since they were much thinner and lighter. Apart from that they apparently had the same function.

To keep his magic contained.

It didn’t matter. He didn’t need it for his future intentions. And if everything would go wrong he still had America to bust him out.

Together they practised many hours until America had been able to locate him even from another universe. She was so good at it by now that Stephen had no doubts she would find him again if necessary.

“You will be scanned in search for any unknown germs that could be dangerous to the human population”, one of the androids said.

The lifeless eyes of the robot changed into a cold blue colour. Stephen imagined how the ray scanned his whole body through his clothes and under his skin. He stayed completely still during the process. When the robot made a step back eventually an irrationally unpleasant feeling stayed behind. He shivered in discomfort.

“You are obliged to hand over the cloak.”

Stephen sighed. He knew it would be inevitable to leave his cloak behind. Yet he was so used to the weight of it around his shoulders that whenever he didn’t wear it something was
missing.

The cloak must have sensed his uneasiness as well because it avoided to be grabbed by the robot.

“It’s fine”, Stephen reassured the cloak as if it was a pet that needed to be soothed. “I will retrieve you later. I promise.”