Chapter Text
Author's Note: A friendly reminder that this fanfiction shares universe with my Rainbow Six Siege fanfiction.
Tribeca, New York
The morning light filtered through the window of the cozy living room of the Zhao family apartment in Tribeca, a detail Tony Stark's fastidious mind probably noted.
Captain America, aka Steve Rogers, sat on a floral-print couch, looking like a very large, very polite man interviewing for a summer camp counselor position in his simple dark blue polo. In contrast, Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, was sitting next to him in a denim jacket and black dress, radiating deep, motherly concern and empathy.
Adam Zhao, Wesley's father, cleared his throat, fixated on Steve's non-superhero attire.
"So, Captain Rogers. It's… it's strange, seeing you without the helmet and the stripes. You look… very big. Are you sure that chair is comfortable?"
"It's perfectly comfortable, Mr. Zhao. Thank you. And please, call me Steve. We're really just here to—"
Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, cut in smoothly, radiating confidence as he adjusted the cuff of his $2,500 charcoal Armani three-piece suit and leaned back on the sofa.
"To cut to the chase, Mr. and Mrs. Zhao, we're here to talk your son. What happened at Jersey City two nights ago wasn't just a win; it was a spectacular, chaotic demonstration of next-level power. And while chaos is fun, it needs an operating system. We can't have this kind of raw, mystic juice running around without quality control. We're offering your son mentorship, training, and a chance to beta-test a life that matters, but I can see that there's some reluctance. Please, share with us your concerns."
Cheryl Zhao, Wesley's mother, sighed as she turned towards Wanda.
"It's the powers. The way Wesley makes those snake constructs with the energy. That's what worries me. How is he going to integrate with the other children? Ignorance is cruel. People see a boy who makes energy snakes and they won't see a lifesaver, they'll see something evil."
Wanda's expression softened, acknowledging the fear with quiet sincerity.
"Mrs. Zhao, I understand that worry better than anyone. My own powers, they were seen as a curse for a very long time. What Project Rising does is take those fears and turn them into focus. They won't see a freak, because they are all kids with powers they didn't ask for. They'll see a teammate who saved Kamala. And as for the snakes, we'll officially refer to them as energy constructs. The Project Rising file will reflect that."
"That's… professional. Thank you, Wanda."
"That's actually… the thing that's been on my mind, Mr. and Mrs. Zhao," Steve interjected, "Your reaction. You're talking about this subject so calmly. When Carol and I had to break the news to the Khans about Kamala's shapeshifting... well, let's just say Ms. Khan initially thought we were selling her daughter on a multi-level marketing scheme and nearly came at us with a broomstick. But you two… you're discussing this like we're picking out college majors."
Cheryl Zhao smiled faintly, exchanging a very specific, quiet look with her husband.
"Well, Captain Rogers, the difference between the Khans and us is that we didn't just find out. We've known about Wesley's uniqueness since he was born. We had a feeling that something like this was going to happen sooner or later."
Tony and Steve's eyes widened slightly. Wanda, however, simply nodded, confirming Cheryl's statement with a serene expression. Adam and Cheryl exchanged another glance, a quiet, long-suffering look that only parents who had dealt with supernatural prenatal complications could share as Cheryl began.
"It's a long story. We were still living in Singapore when I got pregnant with Wesley. I got very sick after a short trip to Japan about two months in. The doctors couldn't figure out why, just wrote it off as the usual symptoms of pregnancy."
"It was only when she was near her delivery date that a friend of ours, a Thai Buddhist monk, realized the truth," Adam continued, "He sensed a presence. A spirit, a malicious snake yōkai from Japan known as a yato-no-kami had somehow entered her womb. Reasons unknown."
"Wait, wait, snake demon? In the womb? And here I was thinking it was just a rough commute," Tony Stark commented as he leaned forward.
"We tried to exorcise it," Cheryl said, "We were terrified. But the moment the monk began the rites, something unexpected happened: I went into labor. The whole hospital ward was chaos. Lights flickering, medical equipment glitching. The nurses and doctors were freaking out, patients hiding under their blankets, but it was an emergency and they had to do the delivery in the ward urgently instead of taking me to a surgical room."
She paused, taking a breath, the memory still vivid.
"A local medium was helping the monk. She interrupted the ritual without warning, saying that the yato-no-kami was fighting with another snake entity that had also entered inside me, one called a tengshe. The tengshe was protecting us both from the yato-no-kami and managed to destroy the yōkai, but it was so weakened by the fight that it… It was unintentionally absorbed into Wesley's soul. Became a literal part of him, right as he was born."
"So, the energy constructs, the speed, the teleportation—that's the residual, integrated power of a protective mythical spirit," Steve concluded.
"That's what the monk and the medium determined," Adam replied, "When his powers first emerged, we taught him to hide it. What happened two nights ago was the first time he'd let it all out voluntarily."
The conversation was abruptly interrupted by a door opening. Wesley Zhao, wearing a slightly wrinkled, navy-blue Tottenham Hotspurs jersey, slumped into the living room.
"Did we really have to go with the prenatal spirit possession origin story? And it's not just the snakes. It's also apparently the reason why I can understand and speak both Japanese and Korean fluently without ever taking a class," Wesley muttered to his mother, but loud enough for everyone to hear
Steve turned to Wanda, asking, "Wait, you knew about the, uh, snakes? Why didn't this come up in the Project Rising briefing, Wanda?"
Wanda offered a calm, unhurried explanation, looking directly at Wesley.
"Because, Steve, this isn't new to the Zhaos, and it isn't new to me. I've been quietly assisting Wesley for years. The Zhao family first moved to Jersey City from Los Angeles when Wesley was eight, after a minor flare of his power slightly injured Wesley's childhood friend, Anya Corazón."
She gestured toward Wesley, who shrunk under the weight of the collective gaze.
"I connected with them through certain mystic channels, and I've been helping him stabilize the energy and understand his own magic for the last nine years. Them moving into New York last year made it significantly more convenient for me to monitor and help."
"I see… Wanda's involvement changes the tactical assessment, but not the core issue: Wesley, you chose to help Kamala at Grove Street, and you were outstanding. But now, we need you to tell us, right here, right now, what you intend to do."
Adam Zhao watched his son, a mixture of pride and deep anxiety etched on his face. He stepped forward, putting a supportive hand on Wesley's shoulder.
"Captain Rogers, Mr. Stark. We are giving our consent for Wesley to be a reserve member of Project Rising. Not because we want him fighting supervillains, but because we need the framework. Miss Maximoff has been invaluable in helping him gain control on his abilities, but we all know this mystical energy is still volatile. Being with the Avengers, having access to Wanda and other magic specialists, is probably the only way to ensure Wesley doesn't inadvertently hurt himself or others."
Cheryl nodded firmly, her initial worry about the "snake" receding slightly in favor of her son's well-being.
"It will also help him develop more confidence. He's spent nine years terrified that he would wake up one day and turn into a monster. Perhaps working alongside other exceptional kids will show him he's just exceptional, not monstrous."
Wesley, caught between the Avengers' expectations and his parents' love, let out a deep sigh. He ran a hand through his hair, the Spurs logo on his jersey seeming to sag with resignation.
"Look, I'm going to be straight with you all. I don't like the idea of fighting crime. I did it two nights ago to help Kamala, that's all. But I also get the subtext here. Better the Avengers knocking on my door with a recruitment package than someone like Baron Mordo or the Shadow King showing up to kidnap me. I'm in. On reserve. Provided I never, ever have to wear spandex: The jacket Wanda gave me is perfectly fine."
Tony clapped his hands together, standing up to stretch his stiff, expensive suit, then walked over and offered Wesley a handshake that was both firm and reassuring.
"Deal! The no-spandex clause is totally enforceable. Welcome to the show, Rift, if that's what Kamala's calling you now. And trust me, every one of us, even Tony, is better off with a team to watch our back. We'll see you at the headquarters in an hour for introductions and training gear."
Avengers Tower, Manhattan, New York
The main room of the Avengers Tower was cool and softly lit. Patriot, serious and focused, stood closest to the television in the room, his arms crossed over his chest. Hulkling was leaning against the wall nearby, while Gravity hovered slightly above the floor, rocking lightly on his own self-generated gravity field.
In front of the television, which was replaying footage from the recent fight at Jersey City, Ms. Marvel pointed a finger at the television screen, where a teal blur had just snatched her pixelated form out of the villains' grasp without them realizing
"Okay, so here's where Wes- I mean, Rift, intervenes. See how Ampere's electricity cable just… snaps? He's too fast for their tracking. He saved my butt, full stop."
Rayshaun tapped a control, freezing the image on a close-up of the mysterious Rift standing on a rooftop.
"Technically, he's fast enough to defy our standard surveillance frames. Zero usable data on his energy signature. But ignoring the tactical nightmare for a second, what is with the look?"
Gravity slowly floated down to stand next to Kamala, squinting at the image of Wesley's uniform.
"It's… edgy. I mean, I wear a blue and white jumpsuit, so I don't get to judge, but check out the jacket. It looks like a WW1 aviator jacket and a street hoodie got spliced into one, right? And those snake-like stripes running down the sleeves. Then the tactical pants and the lower face mask…"
"It's certainly unique," Hulkling commented, "Less 'super-team' and more 'vigilante with a highly specific aesthetic.' He looks like an edgy ninja version of the Rocketeer."
"It's better than spandex, guys. Give him a break," Ms. Marvel complained.
Patriot ignored the wardrobe critique, zooming in on the aftermath where Rift's teal energy constructs had bound the three villains.
"The look is secondary to the capabilities. The fact remains, he helped Kamala take out three villains using teleportation, enhanced speed, and these mystic energy snake constructs. He's powerful. But if we can't predict him, he's dangerous to us, too. The question is whether we can integrate a walking strategic wildcard."
Hulkling straightened up, looking at his leader as he folded his arms again.
"Kamala trusts him, Rayshaun. And Captain America and Wanda wouldn't have brought him in if they didn't think he was salvageable. We just have to make him trust us back."
Patriot let out a quiet breath, running a hand over his buzzcut.
"I wasn't trying to say anything bad about him, Teddy. I'm not worried about his intent; I'm worried about his lack of discipline. His power set is volatile mystic energy combined with dimensional travel. Since Kamala mentioned he was very reluctant about becoming a crime fighter, it's probably better for me to see his abilities and behavior for myself, up close, before we take him into the field."
The tension was broken as Gravity, still squinting at the footage, innocently pointed to the frozen image on the screen, where Ms. Marvel was ensnared by glowing cables.
"Also, Ms. Marvel got tied up. Again."
Ms. Marvel's jaw dropped.
"Hey! Greg, what the heck?"
Teddy chuckled, shifting his weight.
"He's got a point, Kam. You've been on eleven field missions with us, and you've been captured in five of them. That's a roughly forty-five percent capture rate for someone whose entire power set is dedicated to not being confined. You're a rubber band! You're supposed to be tying people up, not the other way around!"
"Oh, come on! You guys are making it sound like I enjoy being a kidnapped damsel! It's unfair!"
As the three teens descended into playful argument, Patriot pressed the bridge of his nose, exhibiting the quiet suffering of a team leader constantly having to herd super-powered cats. At that moment, the calm, familiar voice of the Avengers Tower's A.I. butler cut across their bickering.
"Pardon the interruption, young interns. Captain Rogers, Mr. Stark, and Ms. Maximoff have returned from their engagement, accompanied by a young man who appears rather shy. Given the context of your current mission debrief, I believe he is your new teammate."
The briefing room door hissed open, and the three Avengers entered, followed by Wesley Zhao. Wesley, still wearing his soccer jersey, jeans, and now carrying a duffel bag, looked like a nervous kid on his first day of school—which, essentially, he was. He avoided eye contact, shuffling his feet slightly.
Captain America stepped forward, projecting calm authority.
"Team, this is Wesley Zhao. You know him as Rift. Wesley, this is Patriot, Hulkling, and Gravity. And, of course, Kamala."
Wesley's face brightened momentarily only when he looked at Kamala, offering a genuine, relieved smile.
"Hey, Kam. Um, guess you got what you wanted."
"Don't worry too much about it, Wes! We were just saying how awesome you were."
The shift back to the other heroes was visibly awkward as Captain America continued: "As discussed, Wesley is joining us. He will start off as a reserve member of Project Rising—part of the group of young vigilantes who are still being assessed for integration into the main intern team."
Hulkling offered a warm, easygoing smile and a relaxed hand.
"Hey, Rift. Theodore Altman, aka Hulkling. We're glad you're safe and here. We'll cover your back."
Gravity zipped forward excitedly, doing a small, slow loop in the air.
"Rift! Awesome! Welcome to the team! Can you show us the teleporting trick later? Just one, really quick one? I want to measure the gravitational displacement!"
Wesley managed a tight, polite nod to them both. Then his eyes settled on Patriot, who maintained a rigid, scrutinizing posture.
"Welcome, Rift. I'm Patriot. We require full transparency on your capabilities. We're a team, and protocol ensures safety. Try to keep up, kid."
The single word, spoken with Rayshaun's characteristic seriousness and slight air of command, acted like a key turning in a lock. From Wesley's body emerged a massive, translucent head of a snake, crafted entirely of shimmering, crackling teal energy, hanging in the air over Wesley's shoulder with a look of annoyance on its face.
Wanda Maximoff facepalmed from her position near the door, sighing softly.
"I knew this would happen."
The snake's head swiveled its glowing eyes to focus on Patriot, and an unnerving voice with a calm, sly female tone, hissed into the room.
"Who is the one in stars and stripes that dares call my vessel a young goat? How arrogant, and utterly unnecessary, so to speak."
The snake's head bobbed exaggeratedly, performing an impossible sniffing gesture in the air.
"Indeed. Just one whiff of your scent tells me this. My vessel is two months from becoming seventeen years of age. While you, you presumptuous squid, are eleven days younger than him! Do not address your seniors as a young goat again."
Wesley groaned, utterly mortified by the invasive psychic exposure and the fact that the tengshe that now shares a soul with him was debating age differences with his new team leader. He slammed his hands against the translucent energy neck.
"You're not helping, Ying. Get back in my soul."
"Be patient, vessel! I am not done lecturing hi-"
With a visible exertion of will, Wesley physically shoved the giant, protesting snake head back into his chest, where the teal energy swiftly collapsed back into his body. He stumbled slightly, catching himself on the holotable.
"I—I am so sorry. That's… that's Ying, the other part of my soul with a mind of her own. She gets triggered randomly. It won't happen again. Also, no idea why she's female, don't ask."
A loud, booming laugh erupted from Hulkling, followed by the high, delighted chortle of Gravity who taunted Patriot, saying, "Eleven days, Rayshaun! You got age-checked by a mythological spirit!"
Patriot, whose composure was his greatest defense, stood frozen, the tip of his ears turning pink.
"It was a figure of speech. And my birthdate is confidential tactical information."
"Thanks a lot, Ying," Wesley complained as he wringed his hands, "You completely ruined my one chance at a decent first impression. You had one job: stay internal."
The teal shimmer spiked again, and the massive, translucent snake head popped back out of Wesley's shoulder, looking indignant.
"Slander is slander, Wesley Zhao! My duty to you is to guard against any threats, and the diminutive star-wearer was attempting to talk down to you through blatant ageism. I was merely defending you from verbal assault."
The snake then swiveled her enormous head toward Kamala Khan, her voice softening into a weirdly sincere tone.
"And now that I am here, I take this opportunity to thank you, Kamala dear. You have proven yourself a reliable friend to my vessel for these last nine years."
Ying gave a slow, deliberate nod of thanks to a grinning Kamala before disappearing back into Wesley's body. The room settled into an awkward silence punctuated only by Gravity's stifled giggles. Patriot let out a heavy sigh, resignation finally conquering his rigid adherence to protocol.
"Alright. Fine. I will work on the way I talk. And Wesley… You work on containing your ancient, truth-telling hype snake."
He turned to the other teens.
"Kamala, you show Rift where he can store his gear. Hulkling, Gravity, let's go prep the training bay. We start with basic evasive drills in thirty minutes."
Tony Stark stood before a sleek, obsidian terminal in his private, immaculate lab. He had shed the Armani suit for a t-shirt and sweats—apparel far more fitting for hacking into international databases.
With a few rapid, practiced gestures, a holographic display flickered into existence, showing the full, classified profile of Wesley Zhao.
"Singaporean, green card holder. Ethnically Chinese, but with an involuntary snake attachment," Tony muttered to himself, "Speaking of complicated family trees… Oh, hello. Korean third cousin on daddy's side of the family, same age, female, currently listed as a K-Pop idol trainee. Seol Hee. Interesting."
He scrolled down, then seamlessly accessed a separate, heavily encrypted database—the restricted index of the multinational counter-terrorism unit known as Rainbow. The screen flashed, displaying a confidential document header: HIGH RECRUITMENT PRIORITY. Tony skimmed the details, finding the name he was looking for.
"Keith Sng Wei Hao. Callsign Riptide. Singapore's Special Operations Task Force, Naval Diving Unit. Clean profile, a number of awards for courage and, according to the family tree I just cross-referenced from the birth certificate, Wesley Zhao's second cousin on mom's side. Well, isn't that just precious. And a distant family member who's an ISD agent, also from Singapore…"
Tony leaned back, a familiar, shrewd glint in his eye. He was looking at a pattern, a potentially influential family network tied to international special operations and now, volatile mystic power.
"The UN and their acronyms get fussy when they find out a genius playboy billionaire inventor is illegally accessing data that shouldn't be in his hands. Especially data linking my new reserve recruit to a Rainbow Six candidate and an intelligence agent. Better safe than sued."
He quickly copied both the Sng and Zhao profiles onto an insulated, encrypted drive and wiped the access logs before leaning back on his armchair, hands behind his head.
"First the Khans, now the Zhaos. Cap's recruiting pool is proving to be… exceptionally interesting. He is going to need a lot more aspirin this year…"
Characters
Project Rising:
1) Rayshaun Lucas/Patriot
2) Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel
3) Theodore Altman/Hulkling
4) Greg Willis/Gravity
5) Wesley Zhao/Rift (Reserve)
Introducing:
1) Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch X-Men #4 (January, 1964)
2) Tony Stark/Iron Man - Tales of Suspense #39 (December, 1962)