Horizon University – Faculty Orientation (Jake's POV)
The auditorium smelled like fresh polish and fake smiles. Jake sat with Rogue in the middle row, Alloy tucked in his bag with one lens poking out, while Horizon's admin paraded the new hires across the stage.
Max Modell called it a "historic expansion." Jake called it… a red flag factory.
First came Kraven. Shirt open, chest scarred, standing like he owned the room. His accent rolled over the microphone:
"Discipline is forged in pursuit. Horizon will learn that true strength is found in the hunt."
Rogue leaned closer. "He sounds like a Bond villain auditionin' for the wrong franchise."
Alloy whispered, voice dripping with static-snark:
"PE teacher? Try apex predator cosplaying as Mr. Miyagi. Somebody check his syllabus — I bet it just says 'Survive.'"
The students clapped nervously.
Then came Dr. Otto Octavius. Physics lecturer. His tie was crooked, his glasses slipping. He shuffled papers like they were the only thing keeping him tethered.
"Energy transfer… mechanical symbiosis… coordination between flesh and machine…" he muttered before catching himself. "Yes. Physics. Physics is what I teach."
The room chuckled. Jake didn't.
Alloy again:
"Current status: harmless eccentric. Future status: eight-limbed chaos gremlin. Bingo square marked."
Next was Dr. Miles Warren, Essex's assistant. His smile was too wide, his handshake too long, his gaze lingering too intently on the students — on Jake, especially.
"Biology is the blueprint of the future," Warren said smoothly. "And students like you… are the ink."
Deadpool meta-cut:
"Raise your hand if you trust the guy literally nicknamed The Jackal. No one? Good. This is why background checks exist, people."
Adrian Toomes followed — older, sharper, eyes like talons. He talked about engineering in crisp, professional tones, but his gaze kept flicking toward Horizon's prototype reactors on display at the back of the hall. His handshake with Modell lasted a beat too long.
Alloy:
"Callin' it now: dude's already got a mechanical wingsuit sketched under his mattress. And possibly Modell's wallet."
The applause this time was thinner, more restrained.
And then — Professor Nathaniel Essex.
He moved with perfect calm, every gesture measured. Black suit, red tie, posture so precise it could've been drawn with a ruler. He spoke only briefly:
"Biology is not merely a science. It is the canvas of destiny. I look forward to guiding you toward understanding."
That was it. No stumble, no humor, no warmth. Just… clinical perfection.
Jake felt a chill crawl up his spine. Alloy went strangely quiet.
Deadpool meta-cut:
"Welp. There he is. The guy whose vibe screams 'I collect creepy porcelain dolls and souls.' Essex, baby, subtlety is dead. And you killed it."
The students applauded again, though softer this time. Essex's faint smile lingered a second too long, like he already knew how the story would end.
Jake rubbed his hands together, static dancing under his skin. This feels like loading the faculty lounge with landmines.
Rogue glanced at him, reading his expression. "You're feelin' it too, huh?"
"Yeah," Jake muttered. "Horizon didn't just hire teachers. They hired trouble."
The faculty filed out, one after another. Kraven like a lion, Otto like a storm bottled too tight, Warren slinking, Toomes calculating, Essex silent.
Jake leaned back in his chair, Alloy humming low.
"Congratulations, buddy," Alloy whispered. "You're officially enrolled in Villain Academy."
The crowd shuffled out of the auditorium, voices rising in overlapping whispers.
"Kraven looks like he hunts people for fun."
"Otto's a genius, but did you see his hands shaking?"
"Warren gives me the creeps."
"Toomes is old-school… but shady."
"And that Essex guy? What even was that smile?"
Jake and Rogue lingered in their seats. Alloy's lens peeked out from the bag, faintly glowing like a nervous eye.
Rogue folded her arms. "Sugah, Ah've been around shady before. That? That was a buffet."
Jake rubbed the back of his neck. Static prickled along his skin. "I mean, Horizon's supposed to be the global hub for talent, right? But half those guys felt like they walked out of a police lineup."
Alloy buzzed. "Correction: supervillain lineup. If we had trading cards, that stage was basically the Sinister Six Starter Pack."
Rogue raised a brow. "The what?"
"Don't worry about it," Jake muttered quickly. He was already trying to untangle the gnawing in his gut.
Essex's words replayed in his head: Biology is the canvas of destiny.
That tone. That precision. Jake had met cold people before, people hiding their real motives — but Essex wasn't hiding. It was like he didn't need to. Like the game was already stacked in his favor.
"Modell wouldn't just… hire all these people without checking," Jake said aloud, mostly to convince himself.
Rogue gave him a long look. "Sugah, Modell's a genius, but geniuses are easy marks. They get so caught up in the shiny they forget to look at the shadows."
Alloy's lens blinked twice. "Plus, HYDRA infiltration history lesson, anyone? Spoiler: they love stuffing bad hires into shiny programs. Bonus points if the bad hires already look like comic book covers."
Jake frowned. "HYDRA? Here?"
Alloy went quiet for a beat. "Let's just say… too many puzzle pieces fit too neatly. Doesn't mean they're the ones pulling strings, though. Feels… messier."
Rogue tugged on his sleeve, grounding him as his skin started to glow faintly blue. "Hey. Don't go spinnin' out on me. We'll keep our eyes open, yeah?"
Jake nodded, though unease lingered like static in his bones. Horizon's shining spires suddenly didn't look like a sanctuary. They looked like glass cages, reflecting predators back at him from every angle.
Deadpool meta-cut:
"Ding ding ding! And there it is — our boy Jake realizing he's basically enrolled in Villain Hogwarts. Somebody cue the foreboding music. No, not violins. Drums. Big, scary drums. Maybe a fog machine too, just for drama."
Jake exhaled slowly, eyes drifting toward the doors where Essex had vanished.
Canvas of destiny.
Whatever game the new faculty was playing, Jake had the sinking feeling he was already part of it.