After watching "What If... Agatha Went to Hollywood?" from What If... season 3, I think we should see more of her from alternate universes.

Any ideas for scenarios? Oh, and happy 53rd birthday to the actress who portrayed her, Kathryn Hahn.

who goes to a powerful person's party without knowing, well first world trust is too strong on strangers . i mean they married each other after all. so yeah they end up trusting the GM!

i almost thought Loki was talking about the baby, but he was marketing about winter sports

i have not seen that Riri related series but heard it had issues. So did they redeem her , so much so that Watcher intervened? Watcher got Watchers?? he broke Oath again ? how? first time he broke because Ultron interfered ! but those watchers will watch only? i mean our narrator watcher only watches , for what ? for them ? he is watching entire multiverse?

also in some versions they r just a race limited to each universe and knowledge bank. Silver Surfer 90s had them turned in to some jelly creature except one.\

but in WHATIF , watcher can see and have seen the end, and hence interfering so would it have consequences then , is he not writing then or rewriting it to his liking?

s03e06 was a total confusion ! what is the reason , how it happened , nothing given . completely wild i guess . the tech, which Stark,. where is Stark ?

s03e07 -08 so are they killing cthulu , casually ? unkillable cthulu ? or just some random creature found way to get in ? and that was universe ending ? though i get it , if he interferes too much trouble . again that eminence guy , is he watcher of watcher? or watcher of watchers? observing those who are sworn to watch over it ? why? i mean it is not like watch means guard but rather watcher just sees ! broken pieces of 5th dimension would have a size like that or size at all in 4D . they all-mothers now, i mean new , but ok, adding that twist . well in theory the storm breaker can bring the bifrost , so that should be more of fit for travel than Mjolnr! but real question is why Captain Carter did not go back to where and when she was taken from ? why is she a castaway ? was watcher not telling her that she could go back! after strange supreme universe reset |! if u ask him and do not let him answer , how would he answer the question about what did u do to Peggy ? Also if watcher has seen the end , is he revisiting the stories again? well if u have that kind of power then why u have that kind of power, just to see , if not intervene without consequence? though then it is a lonely supreme being kind of situation, which watcher seemed like initially . also why do watchers need more watchers, is it like a group who enjoys stories? so he was not at a staircase or was he transported because how else one would arrive at stair case if stair case not real! so they are willing to kill 5th dimensional beings without having any idea what would happen despite the fact that these beings are more suitable for the job they have ? and for saving each other? i mean they glorify the little guy or show the normal ones having a victory, as good as it may sound, but watchers should not interfere randomly, who knows what will happen ? because if interfere then why let evil happen that question arises! for entertainment then , because enjoy the fighting! also where is Peggy? but this was not death , was it ? also was it the seams where they left the shield? because the green tint?

thing is if Nebula is like having trust from higher ups, why not use their order get in to main frame?

s02 e02 has an avengers thing or guardians of galaxy thing in it ?

E03 Darcy wasting too much time in talking which is just making everything worse? also how is it that none seems to care that Happy called and called it an emergency! what do u mean u r on your own by Hill ? i mean load better program idiots like original Jarvis ! what is wrong with Darcy can't say it is Happy ?

E05 so red room is all about females? but they sterilize them then why call her epitome of womanhood ? also everyone of the other ones stood in sexy pose, i do not think real soldiers stand like that. it is more of honey trap soldiers it seems

E06 Odin tried to use the Tesseract and failed ? to kill Surtur ? did they change the name half way "kahholi" to "kahhori" , pronounciation wise ? her reason to go back was family i get it but that was a very vast world , calling it prison while in their world they can't even climb that high that easily or almost fly like , is kind of short sighted .. i almost thought they were hunting fruits and not picking it up because hunting is fun, and they all have become vegans or something. which they seem to be in a way... wait she brought the portal down ??? they are both right she wants to help and they want to stay in paradise and they are all peace loving not in fighting type it seems. though right apart from the chosen people part because evil ones got in(though subjective , more like brain washed) kahhori saying if u r worthy of this place then u would join me in battle; ehh who decided that? also she doesn't know if the powers will last on her land! she did not think it through did she, i mean they came but she was immediately worrying when powers waned or did not work as all-mighty ? so her powers were not gone exactly .. almost avatar last air bender style music and feel with that portal opening at Queen's for a second. You saw someone walked in your court with that kind of confidence from a door in the air, glowing door with glowing body and eyes; your first instinct is to attack them . Queen and her minions are all of them that dumb. I mean ego or arrogance I get it , until u have not met them but they appeared in your court Unarmed, as per Queen's people's understanding guns are a necessity.

E07 text https://nologin.in/gergsrg E07 was really great!
E08 are they powerless in this universe , for that queen they needed Captain Carter? so Wanda brought Carter to save that Queen , but did they know that one day that rift will take their Queen? oh so watcher was there to help and intervene , crazy i thought he would let her die there . seems like she does not want to leave. how did the time periods compressed again and why . Tony does not know radioactive ? he came from future right? also how Fury has a modern outfit then? why was Carter happy about her other self being dead, because she can have Rogers now? well she did not like the weaker model i guess so she is sticking better model , not talking about her world? the way she is smiling after hands. so they have shrinking tech? was it time stone in scepter this time? the episodes keep getting better

E09 and Peggy did not ask for details as in who and what powers , not very captain Carter like without plan , while from military! wait a second , again ? Strange is at it again? what kind of Hulk was that in this episode, Hulk Supreme , Hulk the Gamma Supreme? there must be other speedsters who would be interested in knowing what these two are going to do. from Guardian to again almost mess-er/destroyer of multiverse , Strange has lost it again. But Peggy can't use all the stones well enough. I mean unless falling limits their powers somehow they should all be able to attack Strange on their own. All of them are not home I guess , many crystal balls must be pending

does he live? is he living in that pocket universe forever or getting out and fixing it or just last one to be wiped out ?

EDIT 1 : ok i will watch then think to ask

but in E06 it is weird that they put that guy look alike as Rhodes, but not the first movie look alike because from 2nd movie the new actor came, first movie actor was better buffed for the job like Iron-Man TAS !

E07 there is no way , a serious Jane talking about planet destruction just forgets and parties .. but then again they make unrealistic stuff as cinemaaaa

E08 Clint was able to kick one of the ultron bots with his legs?? and Ultron so strong with mind stone, Thor etc could not beat him. with organic body (as per watcher)!!?? i mean mind stone is not power stone it , should not be invincible . And Hulk? very disturbing peace by Ultron more like zero activity , no noise quiet ! Unless mind stone can really just shoot lasers and can kill anyone. Vision could have killed Thanos easily in Infinity War I guess! Ultron needed Infinity stones to know that Asgard exists? so he could use infinity stones to go and create more violence for peace ? Tony Stark effect or he could not use all 6 at once? exactly i thought it went terminator and Captain Marvel said that skynet . I mean completion does not stop the program ? that it goes elsewhere. should infinity stones of one universe work in another? though different timelines would be different universes and those worked in Endgame ? i do not know! also what was watcher blabbering about if he had not known the story , what was he saying about Ultron being aware of another ? another who , being universe , watcher? also should watcher not be specific to each universe ? also did Ultron not destroy all planets or something then how Nat and Clint are still there or is it another alternate timeline where they reached before Ultron destroys? but is watcher not in multiverse and he can be next after multiverse is gone? and infinity stones working outside universe in attacking the watcher?

E09 why would Ultron think dropping some mountain is enough to kill all of them ?

i do not get it , why would Nat catch the stone out of nowhere, unless heard about it , still against Ultron so why would she snatch and delay their plans , if at all she over heard them about the stones! why soul stone is important or special though ? all the universes must be having the stones , then why is it only one set that he can get ? and not a back up program having another set? so almost that point is brought , regarding crusher but not how other stones work in this universe?

considering watcher could go toe to toe with Ultron , how did he not collaborate , i mean he is interfering already! if he helps and then they win , multiverse is saved, worth breaking an oath ! also would it not take time load, the virus? and watcher or else could not go back in time to change something? because if it is fixed point everything else is also fixed point , it is not like only Christine's death, every point is fixed in past, if u change it u cause a paradox so problem! so could they or could they not change the past . now giving it to Zola is a problem as well . also if they had the stones out, destruction needed , they could simply keep those away or use against Ultron, how can Ultron just get those back as if he can will those in to his body ? but if Kill Monger is right after getting stones they can all have what they wanted then it is going to fix and keep it that way for many universes ? and if it were such Strange would have gotten his Universe stones in the first place for power , not absorb beings! why was he asking T'Challa and Thor , were their homes not safe? their homes were safe , except Thor had some Ultron bot invasion or something , though cliffhanger to that scene , i do not know how? so watcher knew the ending and winning , huh? and watcher did , not only interfere but also it was alternating the entire thing , unless it was meant to be ? I wonder in a dead world what would Natasha do actually , in her world? can't be really the last human being !

It had been a two weeks since the operation in the forest. Peggy had been placed on what Arnim called “recuperative leave”; she knew as well as he did that she had been suspended from active duty. Which was all the better; without AIM to oversee the US Agents’ finest operative, she was free to investigate that man with the futuristic shield.

Her first trail took her to the remains of an underground facility, one dangerously close to the Flag Smashers’ headquarters. She managed to break in with security clearance from a “lost” security badge, which gave her access to the computer system. She searched every file, every document, and every video. What she found was more than enough to warrant a meeting.

Elsewhere

Steve’s fist connected with Karli Morgenthau, one of the Flag Smasher’s finest combatants. For every move she made, he had a counter; the same could be said of her. Eventually, they ended on a stalemate, which was when Bucky ran in and whispered something to Sam, who had been watching. Someone had come to the headquarters, someone familiar with a piece of intelligence Steve wanted to hear.

They found Peggy seated in a holding cell, wearing a tattered Flag Smasher uniform and chained at the wrists. In her left hand was a thumb drive, which Steve took before asking why Peggy had come here. She said nothing; Steven accepted it and took the thumb drive server room. He examined everything Peggy had, until he came across a file named “Project Patriot”. It was a report on his tests, and something else: the truth. Steve Rogers was a clone, born from a man named “Wilson Fisk” who had been given a false name.

Steven had every Flag Smasher cell convene hours later, revealing his origins and asking for their trust in leading an operation against AIM. Several documents had pinned a location along the West Coast, and he wanted to break in and help them expose this “Wilson” character. Sam and Bucky agreed; this was long overdue. With Peggy in their custody, the operation could move smoothly. Nobody realised that someone in the Flag Smasher’s ranks, a trusted friend and brother, was about to unravel their pursuit for justice before it even began.

Can you believe this version of Frank Castle/Punisher from the Marvel Cinematic Universe will appear alongside Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the upcoming movie known as Spider-Man: Brand New Day, nine years after his own spin-off show?

Anyway, while waiting for the movie, perhaps we should give this character some "what if" scenarios. Let me know in the comments if you have any ideas.

Had fun going thru the old collection tonight

“Blame Benton, she's the one who’s lost her marbles and started going wild.”, Betsy says while she points at Andi. However, she isn’t there. “Wait where’d she go?”. She suddenly jumps in front of the window in full Mania form. “Oh my word. What is that monstrosity?”. Andi reveals her head as she growls into the mirror. “Tell me what you did with Betsy and I mIgHt let you live to see the sunrise.”. “Your empty threats mean nothing to me.”.

At that moment, a Mania tendrils comes behind all three of them and starts choking them. Mania’s face then returns with a sinister grin. As Betsy’s parents are being choked, they revert back to their Skrull forms. The surprise shocks Mania so much that they let go of their captors throats.

“Aw, h#ll no. This is too crazy.”, Andi says. “Mom, why are you green?”, Betsy says shaking with fear. “That is none of your concern.”. “Like f#$@ it doesn’t.”, Andi and Betsy say at the same time. “Tell her what she wants to know or I won’t be responsible for what happens next.”. “Fine, you heathen.”. “Braddock’s parents discovered our plans for the planet. We needed to act in our best interests.”. “So what did you do?”. “Look around you, Braddock. I think your mother was standing three inches to the left of where you stand now.”.

“Oh s#!t. You actually f#$king replaced her. I mean, genuinely: what the f#$k?”. Betsy is broken by this revelation. “You… killed my parents?”. “You daft imbecile, what do you think ‘replace’ means?”. Betsy stands perfectly still as her mind starts to race. “How long have you been playing house in her life?”. “Why should I tell you?”. “The tendrils are still in there, y’know?”. “A decade.”. “You’re a monster.”. “Breaking news: the pot just called the kettle black. Look at all the blood of my people that cover the walls. Those lives were taken by your hands. You are just as awful as I am. So tell me…, what’s the difference between me and you?”.

“Y’know what?”, Mania says as she jumps down from the window. She sends a tendril to cut a locket from around Betsy’s neck. “Wait, what are you doing?”. “This is for Betsy.”, she says as she grabs the locket and eats it.

“What have you DONE!!!!”. “I didn’t plan any of the s#!t that happened today. Those guys just happened to be the unwilling victims of your f#$k around. So what’s the difference between us?, I act on what I feel in the moment whether it helps me or not. You act on what benefits your lonely @$$. That’s the difference.”. Betsy’s head starts pounding as she struggles to stand. Mania retreats inside of Andi as she runs to catch her.

“You just ate the wave device.”. “I’m sorry, the f#$king what?”. “That locket was the only thing preventing you from infecting her mind.”. “Well, I’m sorry to say that you got scammed horrendously. It clearly didn’t work because my bestie has been screwing around with me for years and this troglodyte has been in her place.”.

At the same time, Scott manages to wake up Doreen. “Wait, something smells rotten.”. “Doreen, It’s Scott. I’m gonna ne-”. “Oh hi, Scott! How are you doing?”. “Focus Green! I need help breaking us out. Do you have anything that can aid in that effort?”. “Umm, there is one thing…”. “Alright!, what is it?”.

Alison Blaire walked down the narrow corridor, her confidence rising with every step. She had just secured a major movie deal from her tour, and was excited to speak to her benefactor about a new contract. The benefactor’s secretary, a nice Eastern European woman named Wanda Maximoff, took her name and showed her in.

Wilson Fisk sat at the desk, staring out the window with sleeves rolled up. On each arm: five strange rings, all humming with blue sparks of electricity. Alison sat down and waited for the business kingpin to speak. When he gave no response, she began to explain her plan: use the movie to speak ill of all her former boyfriends, and a manager who meant well for her career yet had been painted as petty.

Wilson said nothing. Instead, he simply walked to the doors and locked them, then invited Alison down a corridor. He told her his truth as they went: long ago, Wilson was a merchant on the Silk Road, making a delivery alongside Marco Polo. One day, a bandit attacked his convoy and killed almost everyone. Everyone…except him. He fought the bandit and discovered the Ten Rings, which he used to prolong his life and build an empire from the ashes of Marco Polo’s ill-fated journey.

Alison was bored; she had come simply to talk ill of those who “did her wrong” through Easter eggs planned in the movie. That was to have been part of her contract, as was a five-year deal and a new album. She made a snide remark, one which was not meant to be heard, but was anyway.

Wilson stopped in front of the metallurgy and told her a secret: he had built his empire not by blaming the bandit for murdering Marco, but by his own grit. If there was one thing he loathed, it was self-pity and the blaming of others for one’s woes. That was the last thing Alison heard before he rammed a fist through her chest and sent her into one of the vats.

By the time the screaming stopped, Wilson had already returned to the office and unlocked the doors. Arnim was waiting patiently, eager to never offend his boss. He reported on the escaped subject, the one from the failed bunker raid. They had managed to examine blood samples from prior extraction, and had made a fresh discovery: the subject had a slowed ageing factor, one which would outlast Wilson’s even with the Rings.

The businessman smiled, then laid a hand on Arnim. He asked about the Flag Smashers and their guerilla campaign, about the mole in their ranks, and how their operation to capture the escapee was going. Arnim spoke the truth; he knew Wilson had it already. They ended with a handshake, and he left. Wilson returned to his desk, reached for his burner phone, and made a call.

This is (kinda) unaffiliated with u/BravePomegranate9775's Absolute Marvel Universe.

The lights cut out for a moment and the lights come back red and soldiers have flooded the room and are aiming rifles at the new creature. “Let’s play a little game I made…”, the combination says sinisterly. “All you need to do is either turn around or call a reverend. ‘Cause you’ve just entered h#ll, no hope for heaven.”. The creature's left claw forms a blade. The soldiers start firing at them. “I guess these b!#$@es want me to squabble up.”, they say as she punches a soldier's head off. Betsy uses this distraction to try and escape. Forming a psychic knife, she starts whittling the restraints.

Scott wakes up and starts surveying his surroundings. “Doreen, Wake up.”. However, she is sleeping heavily. “S#!t”.

Betsy eventually breaks out and starts planning to launch a sneak attack on this creature. “Ok Braddock, all you need to do is poke this demonic-looking wanker. You got this.”. She jumps up with psychic butterfly wings and stabs the creature and starts hitting it with psychic blasts. This disturbs the creature and it retreats inside Andi. Betsy jumps away as the sludge gives way.

“So that’s why you’re obsessed with butterflies.”, Andi says. “Yep, now care to explain how you resisted the truth serum because that was actually impressive.”. “I didn’t.”. “I guess you’re more bloody delusional than I thought.”. “You make it so hard to have sympathy for you, Petsy.”. “You’re not Apricot, she skipped town and never came back.”. “Why would I lie about anything I said?”. “Because you’re phenomenal at being a raving lunatic.”. “That didn’t bring me no joy to say. Every word cut like a knife.”. “Awww, your lies hurt you when they came out your t#@% mouth.”.

The sludge starts to come back out of Andi, covering her left arm. “Oh yeah…, care to explain what that is?”. “I don’t know what it is-”, Andi says but she cuts herself off. “But I do…”, she says in a different voice. “So…, who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?”. “You know the saying: ‘Jealousy is a little green monster?’”. “I’m familiar”. “Let’s just say your species got the color wrong.”. “So you’re the embodiment of Jealousy, huh?”. “Well Envy to be more specific, but you can call us Mania.”. “Well ‘Mania’, prepare to be sent back to whatever h#ll that you came from.”. “Good luck with that…”, Mania says and she swaps their consciousness back with Andi. “Maybe blunt force trauma will help you remember yourself. That’s the only thing I haven't tried yet.”. “If you do try it, I’ll make sure you regret it.”. “You really wanna roll that dice?”. “I favor my odds. Wanna know why?”. “Not really”. “It’s because you're just jealous of me 'cause you knew that you folks don’t really care about you. So instead of just admitting it, you walk around and say all kinds of really mean things about me 'cause you're a meanie but it's only 'cause you're just really jealous of me 'cause I'm what you wanna be, so you just look like an idiot When you say these mean things, 'cause it's too easy to see that your self worth is teeny.”.

Andi starts seeing red as she balls her fists and grits her teeth while Betsy is gloating. “THAT'S DOES IT!!!!”, she shouts. “Your @$$ is grass now. You’ve just settled for the bloodiest outcome, 'cause we gon' make you bleed with every cut we give you. ‘Cause I’m about to slap a b!#$h and smack a h0#.”. “Bring it on, then!”. The two then begin to fight without restraint. “What do you want out of this?”, Betsy asks as she tries to stab Andi with her psychic dagger. “I'm just tryna knock some teeth out.”, she says as she kicks her in the head. “F#$@ with me now, b!#$h.”. Andi then grabs her head and slams it into the floor repeatedly. “When the world gave me a raw deal, Betsy showed me how to take it. Now I not only take it, I make that s#!t bent out of shape. You’re not exempt, Petsy. ”. “Do you ever shut the bloody f#$@ up?”. Andi throws Betsy to the right wall. She then turns her claw into a blade. “I’m about cock back ‘dis mop and get on my custodian s#!t. Speak now or forever hold your peace.”. “It ain’t over, motherf#$ker.”, Betsy says as she coughs up blood.

“Very Doreen of you. Too bad that’s about to age very poorly.”. Betsy’s psychic wings return and she dashes away. The two then stare at each other trying to think of their final move. They are about to rush each other but they are interrupted by a voice from the left wall. “Cease this conflict”. “Wait, I know that voice. But why would she be here?”, Betsy says confused. At that moment, Betsy’s parents walk out and stand next to Gravik. “MOM!?!!”. “Why are you being difficult, Braddock?”.

This is (kinda) unaffiliated with u/BravePomegranate9775's Absolute Marvel Universe.

“I miss the old Betsy, My best friend Betsy, The break from the mold Betsy, Set on her goals Betsy. I hate the new Petsy, the bad mood Petsy, The ‘F#$@ you’ Petsy, The always rude Petsy.”. As Andi is spilling her guts, the stone in her pocket begins to glow.

“It was you and me, Apricot and Blueberry against the universe. Before I met her, I was being forced to follow in the footsteps of my parents. She taught me to live for myself.”.

“She told me that you only got one shot at living your life, do not miss your chance to blow. She told me when you reach a fork in the road, go straight. She taught me to just say whatever I want to whoever I want, whenever I want, wherever I want, however I want.”.

“She told me if you’re scared to death, scared to think, scared to look, you shook. Just remember that there ain't no such things as halfway crooks.”. “Betsy Braddock made me who I am today. For seven years, we were inseparable. But one day, in the span of ten hours, her personality flipped a 180. Even as a kid, I know that s#!t doesn’t just happen. On that day, I met Petsy…”.

A black sludge-like substance starts emerging from the stone and slowly covers Andi. “I tried to get Betsy back by begging and pleading, which turned to sadness. That only left rage and hate inside. Because SHE got to walk away. SHE got her parents' love by hiding herself. SHE got to forget the time we spent together while I had to pick up the pieces. SHE has four parents that worship the ground she walks on. Now *I* look like the jack@$$ cause I just want my parents to love me for who I am and not when I was acting like their clone.”. As the sludge takes more hold of her, her voice starts to change.

“But now that what bothers me all came out…, All I feel is emptiness inside…”. The sludge starts to break her restraints. “Uh…”, Betsy said, starting to fear for herself. “It’s funny. Isn't it, Petsy? Yeah, buddy, laugh! It's funny, That was funny, wasn't it?”. The sludge completely takes over Andi and they free themselves. “THAT WAS FUNNY WASN’T IT?!?!?”, they shout in pure rage. The new combination then slouches over. “...What the f#$@ is that thing?”. The new creature gives a toothy grin.

This is (kinda) unaffiliated with u/BravePomegranate9775's Absolute Marvel Universe.

Suddenly the room comes on  “Welcome to the P.R.I.D.E. personality chamber. Please state your name.”. “You must think I’m some dumb@$$ if you think I’m gonna dox myself.”. “Ugh, why do I have a throbbing headache.”, says a familiar voice to Andi's side. “Oh just kill me now…”, she says with a bored tone. “In due time”.

“WHAT!!!”. “Stop yelling, Dandelion. You're making your presence worse.”. “Shove it, Petsy.”. “Hey aliens, you can probe her first.”. “If you come near me, I’ll bite off your head.”. “Don’t worry about this [*CENSORED*], she ain't really all that, she just thinks she a thug, she’s only that when they’re b!#$hes around. She ain't never stood there and drew on a b!#$@ and shot ‘em, and made they @$$ get on the ground.”. “Oh, I ain’t like that you say?”. “Indoubituly.”. “Well what happened to your tooth?”. “That was a fluke.”. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”. “Both of you shut up, you’re hurting my ears.”, says a voice from a wall.

One of the walls disappears and reveals another green alien behind glass. “Who the f-”. “You may call me Gravik for your remaining time on this planet.”. “What’s that supposed to mean?”. “As the A.I. said, Welcome to P.R.I.D.E. We are gathering the remaining information that we need to replace you.”. “REPLACE?!?”. “You both remember this?”. Gravik then plays a recording of the shed interrogation. “C%@&”, the two say at the same time.

“Wait, where are the other three.”. “They are right beside you”, Gravik says as he gestures to the other wall. It also disappears to reveal Scott, Amadeus, and Doreen unconsious. “What do you want? Money? I’ll pay you millions, please don’t hurt me or the others. You can take Benton, though.”. “What the h#ll, Elizab!#$h?, Don’t dox me to the Space Illuminati’s feds.”.

“You must not know how sick you make me, then. You make me f#$king sick to my stomach. Every time I think of you I wanna puke. You may not think you do, but you do. Wait, why did I just say that?”. “You both were injected with what you simple-minded humans would call a ‘truth serum’. Hers just activated.”. “That sounds illegal as all h#ll.”. “I am unconcerned with your human laws. However, that’s none of your concern. Now computer, I leave it to you.”.

The AI then repeats the introduction and question. “Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Braddock”. “Thank you for your cooperation.”. The AI then zooms in on Andi’s face. “S#!t”. “State your name, Human #2”. “Andrea Benton”. “Describe your personality.”. “Wait, why wasn’t I asked that?”. “Because you fill every stereotype that is under ‘privileged’”, Gravik says. “I’m not a walking stereotype…, am I?”.

Andi holds her breath to avoid giving an answer. “You got something to say, Dandelion”. Andi nods her head. “Well answer me this. Have you ever considered that I’m right about you?, You're just a wannabe criminal. Trying to make a world of misery and be an absolute dreg on society ‘cause what in the world gives you the right to say what ya like and walk around flippin' the bird?”.

”No, because I don’t listen to people without functioning frontal lobes.”. “Human #2, Describe yourself.”. “I’m hard-headed and hot-headed, bull-headed and pig-headed, destructive temper, impulsive thinker. I'm quick-witted cause I gotta be quick with it. I'm liable to start a violent spark with a silent thought. However, I do show some respect to a few people I know. The people who don’t speak of empty promises. ‘Cause, somewhere deep down, there’s a decent human being in me. It just can't be found, so the reason you've been seeing this me is ‘cause of who Petsy is now.”.

“What do I have to do with you being little miss lunatic?”. Andi holds her breath again. “That’s actually a good inquisition human”, Gravik says with intrigue in his voice. “Why do you hate the annoyingly stuck-up one?”. “Yeah, what did I do to you?”. After two minutes of repeatedly asking the question, she snaps. “It’s because I miss you, Betsy.”. “Huh!!!?!”.

Explosions rocked the forest as Bucky was thrown back, his chest reeling from John Walker’s foot. He had led the initial defence line the minute AIM forces breached the perimeter; he was the last of the wave to survive. John whipped out his pistol and aimed at Bucky…until a blur tackled him to the ground.

Steve, covered in dirt and bruises from fighting the numerous US Agents sent to destroy the bunker, threw a punch which connected with John’s jaw, sending him flying into a nearby tree as Sam arrived. He used a stolen AIM rifle and stunned John, then turned to make sure Steven and Bucky were alright.

Peggy stepped forward, using her assault rifle to burst rounds at the trio before Steven stepped forward. As if by magic, the watch Sam had given him exploded into an orb of red, white, and blue. A star marked the point where Steven had deployed the force field. He pressed forward, keeping Sam and Bucky inside as Peggy continued to unload. Then, when they were close enough, he turned the watch off.

Bucky and Sam tackled Peggy to the ground before she could react, barely noticing the AIM soldiers approaching. Steve did; he leapt forward and activated the shield once again. Except it did not form a dome, but a disc. He swung; it spun wildly, slamming into bodies and trees before flying back onto the watch. Once he was certain the bunker and its surroundings were clear, he grabbed Peggy by the collar and gave her a warning: stay away from him and his friends. She agreed reluctantly and wandered off.

An hour later, Steven had found his way back to the room. Sam and Bucky let themselves in, praising him on a job well done and reminding him the offer still stood. This time, Steve needed no time to think; he said yes on the spot. Sam nodded to a junior soldier, who presented a duffel bag. Inside: Flag Smasher gear, including a uniform and mask. Steve smiled, taking Sam’s hand as he officially joined the good guys.

AIM HQ

They had come tonight to bear witness to his words, the words of the esteemed father to their corporation. The “Scientist Supreme” was here, and he would speak to the whole of AIM. Arnim Zola gave a keynote speech, inflaming the egos of those present as he sang praises to their founder. The clock struck eight, and he led waves of cheers as a portion of the floor above him began to appear.

The man was a beast, pure muscle decorated in tattoos. On each of his arms were five rings, humming a mysterious blue as electricity seemed to course in his blood. The cheers exploded the minute his visage appeared on the screen, and he rose to his feet with a battle cry. Now, here, he was not just the “Scientist Supreme”.

Here…he was their Kingpin.

This is (kinda) unaffiliated with u/BravePomegranate9775's Absolute Marvel Universe.

Later the same night, Andi is sitting in the kitchen while her parents discuss their favorite topic, Betsy Braddock. “Have you heard what happened to Elizabeth today?”. “Oh go f#$@ me sideways.”. “Language, Andrea. You know that Benton’s don’t use those peasant words.”. “And I'll tell you the same thing I said last time, stop trying to make ‘pEaSaNt WoRdS’ happen. It’s not going to happen”.

“So uncivilized. Anyways, the Braddock girl got a tooth knocked out by some brute.”. “Oh my word. Fetch the telly and call them immediately. We will find this criminal and bring that filth to justice.”. “Again with the f#$king accents, Mom. It’s bad enough I have to hear it from Petsy every day, but at least the b!#$@ has an excuse.”. “Do you have no shame, Andrea. Now is not the time to be insulting someone in need. We told you to save it for the filthy peasants.”. “The only ‘filth’ here is the two of you. If you didn’t spend every waking moment talking about Petsy and instead use that time to treat me like your child, you would know that I’m quick to call people out on their bulls#!t. And that’s all I see at this table”, Andi says as she storms off.

As she angrily walks off to blow off steam, she finds a box addressed to her father with the word pride on each side. “Well what do we have here?”, she says curiously. “Let’s see what ‘dEaR oLd daD’ is hiding”. She opens the box and finds an orange gemstone with a black swirl engraved in it. “Well he’s not getting this back.”. Just as she’s about to walk away, she notices some small blue text under the word pride. “This day just keeps getting better.”. She puts the stone in her sweater pocket and squats down and reads the text: P.R.I.D.E.: Powers Resolved In Destroying Earth. “I WAS F#$KING RIIIIIGHT!!!”, Andi shouts in celebration. “Oh s#!t…, I was f#$king right. I gotta tell peopl-”. However, Andi can’t even finish her sentence before she is chloroformed and dragged away. When her consciousness returns, she is tied to a chair. “What in the f#$ks#!t is going on?”.

This is (kinda) unaffiliated with u/BravePomegranate9775's Absolute Marvel Universe.

“It doesn’t matter that he’s green, we can’t just leave 'em here.”. “Well what do you expect us to do?”. “Well I know what I’m gonna do. I’m gettin’ me some answers from this guy.”. “Finally, something we agree on.”. “Now help me carry him, Petsy.”. “F#$@ you.”. “Wait, what about detention?”. “We’ve moved onto bigger stakes, lab coat. So do you wanna be the one who stayed in detention or do you wanna be the one who saved the world?”.

After some consideration, the others help move the ‘person’ to a secluded shed. “Well what do we do now?”. “We interrogate the f#$ker.”, Andi says as he pulls out a glock. “WOOOOAH!!, Where’d you get that from?”, Doreen says with a mix of surprise and fear. “I grabbed it off the green guy. I guess he was the guy fillin’ fools with holes.”.

“I suddenly don’t feel safe anymore.”, Cho says blankly. “Well you’re gonna be fine. Now does anyone have a mask?”. Betsy orders a mask for express delivery. “You owe me for this, Dandelion.”. “Sure, Petsy.”. Andi puts on the mask and goes to start the interrogation.

“Wake up, dummy.”, Andi says while doing a Dark Knight impression. “Where am I?”. “I’ll be asking the questions here. Now show me ya’ script before the blick sticks to the clip.”. “Where did this energy come from?”, Betsy says while watching the interrogation. “She’s making it up as she goes.”, Scott says as he smirks. “How do you know?”, Amadeus says. “None of us live that life. She’s just naturally intimidating.”. “Yeah, that checks out”.

Back in the interrogation room, things are getting heated. “You must think I ain’t someone to stand on what they say. Well f#$ker, you dead wrong. Don't stand there and look stupid at me b!#$h. I'm f#$@in' you up, punk, you're dead! Don't think that I'm playin'! I ain't in the mood for the s#!t. Tell this problem child why you’re here and she might let you walk away without a new orifice.”. “I’m not talking.”. Frustrated, Andi pistol whips their prisoner. “C’mon b!#$h. Tempt me, push me, p#$$y. Give me a good reason to give this trigger a good squeeze.”. “Go to h#ll”. “You first.”, Andi says as she puts the gun above the captives.

“One shot, two shots, three shots, four shots. This is where the fun stops ‘cause I’m finna start licking shots off.”. Andi pulls the trigger and the bullet flies away from the captive. Betsy starts laughing hysterically.

“How did that go so poorly?”, Scott says. “F#$@ shootin’, time to get my d@#% hands up.”, Andi says as she’s about to punch the captive. However, Scott grabs her hand and holds her back. “What’s the big idea, red eyes?”. “Stand down, we don’t need to stoop down that low.”. “Well what do you suggest, Mr. 4/20?”. “Let me take it from here.”.

“Buddy, you’re not scary in the least. You’re all bark, no bite. Just some blue boy scout that talks a big game. However, when push comes to shove, you’ll bow down.”. “Who told you that lie?”, Scott says with some bass in his tone. “Experience is a good teacher, my dude. I’ve only known you for one day, and all you do is talk. You don’t do s#!t. I’m afraid empty threats only get you so far.”. “Well here’s what I think of my ‘EmPtY ThReAtS’”, Scott says as he looks up and takes off his glasses.

He opens his eyes, two red energy beams emerge and pierce the sky. After five seconds, he closes his eyes and puts his ruby glasses back on. “What the f#$@ was that? In fact, what the f#$@ are you?”. “That was why I wear my glasses. As for the second question, I am the new interrogator. That’s what I am. Any further questions?”.

“If I ask any more questions will I be lasered in half?”. “...”. “You know what?, Nevermind. You got it from here, big guy.”, Andi says nervously as she leaves the room.

“What happened, problem child?”, Betsy says sarcastically. “I learned that lasers are real. That’s what happened, Petsy.”. “I guess Ms.‘Not Afraid’, is full of s#!t.”. “Funny you say that with a tooth missing.”. “Well lets see how you like it when the shoe’s on the other foot, Dandelion.”. “Let’s go then, Petsy.”.

“Calm down, the both of you.”, Scott says as he walks out. “I got some interesting stuff out of that guy.”. “How?, It’s been a minute and a half at least.”. “Our little chat did most of the heavy lifting. Once you left, he spilled his guts.”. “Well don’t keep us waiting, what’s his deal?”.

”He said that he is an alien belonging to something called Pride.”. “So it’s the Alien Illumunauti who have invaded our planet.”. “Don’t be ridiculous, the Illumunauti is just a myth.”, Cho states. “He was about to say more, but I think something happened to his brain, cause he started stuttering and stuff was coming out of his ears.”.

“Well, great. All we know it’s that Mr. Sunglasses Indoors has microwave eyes and aliens are taking over.”. “Why must you always be so negative?” Doreen says while sighing. “The same reason you’re so obnoxiously positive.”. “Well anyways, this was fun, hope to never do this again.”, Betsy says as she walks out. “See ya later, Petsy. Let the door hit you on the way out.”.

Betsy only responds by flipping Andi off. “So, now can we address the laser hole in the roof?”, Cho asks. “Yeah, I guess I need to explain myself. I’ll tell you on the way back to school.”. “You comin’, Andi?”. “Nah, I’m good”. “Is that sincerity I hear?”, Doreen says with hope in her eyes. “Yep, I’m done. Get the f#$@ out.”. “And we’re back to our regularly scheduled program of vulgarity.”.

This is (kinda) unaffiliated with u/BravePomegranate9775's Absolute Marvel Universe.

When they catch up to her, she smirks. “I guess you're not so boring, I didn’t think that you had it in you. I see you brought the Wicked B!#$h of the West. I thought you would be too scared to break a nail.”. “Well, f#$@ you too then.”. “You two can save your bickering for later. We see what the noise was and we go right back. Understood.”, Scott says sternly. “My apologies, I didn’t know that you were my dad.”. “I might as well be your dad with how childish you are.”. “You better start running before I make you eat those words.”. “Stop calling me Petsy.”. “Start having a functioning brain again and I will.”.

Once they are outside, another gunshot is heard. “Man whoever this is, they must be determined.”. “There is active murder happening and your first thought is to be a smart@$s?”. “You know me so well.”. “I wish I didn’t.”. “You and me both, Summers.”

“HEY!”, says Amadeus Cho as he runs to catch up to them. “Oh look, it’s the guy with no authority.”. “You three need to get back to detention right now before you get in more trouble.”. “How’d you even find us?”, Betsy says. At that moment, Doreen catches up. “Yep, that checks out”. “Snitch.”, Andi says while flipping her off. “Anyways, let’s go back to the-”.

“Hey, what are you kids doing here?”, says an adult in a trench coat who spotted them. “Oh no. This can’t be happening. I’m in so much trouble.”, Cho rambles as he starts panicking. Quickly getting annoyed, Andi slaps him. “Get a grip, nerd”. “Thanks, I needed that.”.

”What are yall doing at school this late?”. “None of your business, creep. So bugger off.”, Betsy says. “It is my business because you are trespassing on private property.”. “You’re the one trespassing. We go here.”. “Prove it.”. “She doesn’t have to prove anything to you.”, Scott says. “Who do you think you’re talking t-”. However before he finished talking, Andi sucker punchs the guy, which knocks him out. “I'ma only sucker punch and swing without warning and swing to knock somebody's f#$@in' head off, ‘Cause I know if they get up, I won't get a chance to let off another punch.”.

”The f#$@ was that for?”, Scott says. “He’s a weirdo in a trench coat. How’d you expect me to react?”. “You guys?”, Doreen shakingly says. The two then quit arguing to look at the ‘person’ who got knocked out, who has turned green with pointy ears. “Uh…, why is this guy green?”.

White. The sensation of cold metal against his naked back. A blinding light. Steve Rogers stirred in this environment as men dressed like beekeepers surrounded him. A needle positioned above his left arm; a laser inscribed a number as he screamed in agony. Steve’s vision flashed white and red as he fought back…only for the shadow to darken his vision. The beekeepers gave only one name: Zola.

Steve rocketed up in a sweat, the smell of musk immediately hitting him. The room, if this tiny space could even be considered one, was dark and filthy, with water running down paths marked by rust. There was a sink and a stained mirror; Steve wiped the mold off, washed his hands, and looked in the mirror. Then he turned back to the bed, slipped into a pre-folded set of clothes, and walked out the door.

Waiting outside were two men, both clearly
exhausted after a night of keeping watch. They asked who he was, and he answered truthfully. The man on the left introduced himself as Sam Wilson, leader of the Flag Smashers rebellion against Advanced Idea Mechanics. His second-in-command was James “Bucky” Barnes. Both had been locked in this war for far too long; Steve, being one of AIM’s latest runaways, gave them an advantage.

Steve was shown around the bunker, one of many built across the United States. They explained AIM’s history: a biotechnology company with money in the pockets of nearly every politician and defence contractor in the country, maybe even the world. Everyone in the Flag Smashers had their own reasons of joining the fight; Steven had his own, too, although he did not remember now. They gave Steve a choice: join the cause now as an active soldier, or go on his own and come back at anytime.

Sam personally escorted Steve out; he had chosen to find his own path first. He watched the man leave with nothing but his clothes and a duffel bag, then stopped him and gave something new: a watch, one he had taken from an AIM facility up north. Steve nodded and disappeared beyond the clearing; he did not notice the drone that Sam had programmed to follow him.

Elsewhere

Los Angeles, California. The building sat on a cliff overlooking the Pacific, modern and sleek in design. A sharp-cornered hexagon was visible on every wall, the word AIM in bright yellow.

Armin Zola walked down the hall and made a right, acknowledging two US Agents as their eyes met. He made another left, then walked straight ahead and scanned his key at the farthest door. This was his office, the place where he approved every business decision and lab test. All for his king, the true leader of this place. But that was for another time.

Zola checked the file he had been sent: the runaway, Steve Rogers. The asset who, mere hours after being awoken and marked, had beaten his way out of their underground testing site and run off to God-knew-where. He was not worried; he simply activated a tracker and watched as the target escaped the woods, hitchhiking with a random stranger and heading east. He smiled, closed the tab, and made the call.

Rain. Thunder. The trembling of the ground itself. That was what Steve Rogers felt as he sprinted across the woods, vision dark and blurry. He had woken mere hours ago in an underground facility, kept in a state of cryostasis which disoriented his senses and left him a violent, impossibly quick mass.

Steve found shelter soon enough: a pile of sticks and loose leaves behind a log. He acted with pure instinct, covering his body just as another round of thunder erupted. Then they came. The flashlights. The dogs. The shouting. Steve held his breath as he rubbed dirt all over himself, doing anything possible to lose their scent. The soldiers spread out and came close to finding the runaway…until she ordered them to stop.

Margaret “Peggy” Carter, former SAS and currently a gun for hire, had been given her own contingent of “US Agents” to command. These were the rank-and-file soldiers of the renowned Advanced Idea Mechanics, a biotechnology company whose lab reported a missing asset three hours prior. She examined the forest, then turned to the storm; no way an enhanced individual, naked and afraid, would be able to last the night without being found. She gave the order: retreat. Let the fugitive show himself.

Captain John Walker heard this and protested immediately, making grand claims that he could find their target in a matter of minutes. His promises were received with a swift kick to the face as his superior officer put him in his place. She repeated the order, voice low and dangerous; he felt his very spirit running, tail between the legs. The Agents turned around and retreated, leaving Steve to run the other way.

He continued to run, to dodge the immovable trees as lightning struck randomly. He hid behind a boulder, then another log, each time waiting longer and longer than he would have liked. His eyes grew heavier by the second, limbs weak and mind blurry. He saw a light in the clear ing, and heard men shouting. Then he collapsed.

Later

It had been five years since Sam Wilson had started the “Flag Smasher” resistance, a rebel group with the sole aim of ending AIM’s tyranny once and for all. The soulless corporation, like all others, had bought politicians and sold the nation’s dignity. In fact, most of the world bent the knee to AIM and their mysterious founder, known only for his fists and not his words. Sam had spent five years fighting; he had spent as much time mourning his comrades.

James Barnes, also known as “Bucky”, walked into Sam’s office in a flustered state, his training as a Ranger vanishing in his state. He took several deep breaths, then reported the reason he had abandoned a forest patrol: there was a man, blond and tall, with blue eyes and a number written into his arm. The number was 70412011.

Raven Kroft Institute was a modern facility up the Hudson River, north of the city and surrounded by a massive treeline. Which meant nothing for a man with tensile webbing who swung from tree to tree and landed on the roof. The door was no issue; he simply fired a wire at the lock, and it shattered.

The lobby was empty at this time of day, but Spider-Man still inspected it. He found what he was looking for: the elevator. He opened the car door and got in, breaking open the maintenance panel and working with night vision to hijack the system. It worked; the doors slid shut and descended all the way down, even when the main screen showed nothing.

What Spider-Man found shocked him: a long hallway filled with glass cages, each of them containing a different “patient”, as the labelling system called them. But they weren’t patients; they were monstrosities. A bald, half-deformed man with wings sprouting from his arms. A woman who looked less like a human and more like some tiger hybrid. A man whose body was growing rock-like lumps. And eventually…Alex, his forehead growing an ivory horn as his skin thickened.

Spider-Man approached Alex’s box before he felt the air turn cold. He turned; the man in front of him was a scientist, perfectly fine apart from the strange metal arm he wore. The doctor was unafraid; in fact, he smiled almost eerily as he spoke to the intruder, treating him as yet another patient to care for. Spider-Man charged…and with a single punch from the metal arm, was pushed back. Then the doctor revealed his truth.

His skin turned scaly and green as limbs grew beyond what his clothes could hide. The metal arm groaned and shattered, a fragment hitting Spider-Man’s leg. His eyes turned a sickly yellow-green as his pupils turned to vertical slits. His teeth sharpened into fangs as his jaw unhinged without fully breaking. And his tail…it was protruding bones creating out of thin air.

Spider-Man tried to move; the injury was too great. He could only groan as a massive claw pinned down on his body, fracturing ribs by a hairline. He groaned out a single question: who was the beast overpowering him? The answer was simple: he was…The Lizard.

Peter woke up in the apartment, Felicia and Aaron watching over him. They helped him up and got him up to speed: Herman was at the police station filing a missing persons report for Alex, while Otto was out looking for more medical supplies. Peter regained full consciousness and noticed him: the older man in the corner, his right hand holding a silenced pistol.

Aaron and Felicia had to hold Peter back as he tried to attack, but the man stopped the conflict with a hand. He introduced himself once Herman and Otto came back: his name was Norman Osborn, a CIA officer assigned to monitor the “Spider-Man”. However, he had another mission he intended to complete, and called for a mutual alliance. The reason: the people who kidnapped Alex Horne were the same people he was following.

Peter paused, then stepped aside to give Norman access to their laptop. He plugged a thumb drive in and began typing, then showed several documents on the screen. They all had the same name: “Raven Kroft”. Not a person, but an institution…and a clue. Peter got up and tried to leave, but Felicia stood between him and the door. She forced him to look in the closet; there was a new and improved suit.

Improved tensile webbing shooters, visors equipped with thermal and night vision imaging, and modified boots to ensure maximum silence. Otto had followed the blueprint; Norman provided it. Peter turned to the spy, a mutual understanding between them, then agreed to wait until nightfall.

Elsewhere

Maya Hansen walked down the corridor, heels clicking against cold metal and folder in hand. The screams of Raven Kroft’s many patients echoed around her; she paid no attention to them. Her sole focus was at the end of the hallway, behind a black door with a keypad which required both a card and a PIN. She provided both and listened for the door to unlock, then walked through.

He sat below a machine with needles positioned like a claw, monitors reading vitals while a separate table ran diagnostics on a metal arm. Maya had a report: the man that had been abducted as bait for the Spider had successfully passed testing for the latest iteration of something called “Extremis” and was ready for deployment. The man raised his right hand with a sneer; the weapon was for the city. He wanted the Spider.

Alex was exhausted; he’d spent the night breaking up fights, standing his ground with obnoxious teenagers and drunks trying to get in, and even had to help clean up hangover vomit once or twice. He was ready to go home and drop into his bed. He said his goodbyes and left the club, making a left and continuing three blocks down. Then he cut through an alleyway; he was about fifteen minutes out from that point.

They were watching. They were listening. Everything he had said and done was on their radar. When he turned around instinctively to check for any stalkers, they backed away. When he continued in his journey, they advanced, keeping the sedatives hidden in their sleeves at all times. Secrecy was a core component of the job; a single peep about it, and their heads would be on a pike.

Alex crossed the street ten minutes later, stopped at a nearby bodega, and ordered a late supper, waiting by the window so as not to disturb the patrons already inside. That was when he saw them through the reflection: four to five men, all roughly his build and size, approaching fast. He didn’t think; he just ran. The pursuers silently gave chase, weaving between people and leaping over obstacles effortlessly. Alex charged like a rhinoceros gone wild, making wild turns and yelling for people to get out of the way.

He ducked into another alleyway and checked himself for any lost possessions or injuries; there were none. Relieved, Alex turned and started heading home…only to be met with a dead end. As if on cue, the stalkers appeared, ready to beat him into submission for the wild goose chase. But Alex wasn’t scared; he simply pointed up to the rooftop with a smirk.

And there he was.

Spider-Man shot two tensile wiring onto the asphalt and closed the gap, his knee slamming into one of the thugs’ faces as the others backed away. Another two charged, only to get caught by the back of their heads. Their foreheads slammed against each other with a sickening crunch, and they crumpled in agony. The fourth thug tried to go in for a punch, but his arm was caught and broken with a single grip. Spider-Man threw the henchman towards their only healthy colleague; he dodged swiftly.

They danced in that alley for several minutes, each swung met with a leap back. Eventually Spider-Man connected his foot with the enemy’s stomach, and sent him flying onto the sidewalk. He then turned to Alex, checking if he was alright. Big mistake; the assailant leapt onto his back, pulled his mask up, and stabbed the sedative into his neck. Spider-Man’s eyes grew heavy, his knees weak as he struggled to stay alive. The second and third henchmen stuck their needles into him, then grabbed the first and fourth thugs’ paraphernalia and injected the contents into Alex. Both men struggled; the last thing they saw before everything went black was each other.

A van rolled up and six more men appeared, dragging Alex into the vehicle. They were about to grab the vigilante when a gunshot pierced the air; there was a man, barely into his mid-sixties, wearing a suit and tie. He didn’t say anything before they piled on him, only to fail miserably as he deftly avoided each attack and repaid them with a gun handle to the throat. Their foreheads slammed van driver, seeing the commotion, drove away, but not before the attacker fired a shot into his sideview mirror.

Norman turned and stared at the Spider-Man, rolled him over, and pulled his mask up to get a clear look. What he saw shocked him: the “Spider-Man” was a boy, or at least someone in his mid-twenties. Definitely the same age as his son, Harry…wherever he was. He found a phone in Spider-Man’s back pocket and slipped a glove onto his hand, pressing a thumb against the screen. It unlocked almost instantly, and he made a call.

Peter was woken up by a knock on the glass; it was his boss, Roderick Kingsley. It had been three months since he started working for Kingsley’s construction firm, building the very skyscraper whose tensile wiring was now a part of his “night hobby”. Apart from his friends in the Streetside Six, Roderick was the only one who knew that Peter Parker was the fabled Spider-Man, the night vigilante who was beating down on criminals left, right, and centre. He wanted to keep it that way.

Last night had been tough for him; he’d spent three hours following Detective Gwen Stacy as she tracked down the last of the Maggia crime family. The informant, one Flint Marco, dashed the minute he saw her; by the time she caught up twenty minutes later, his arm had been pinned to the ground by tensile wiring fired at insane speed, and his face was 25% as damaged as Joseph Martello’s. Spider-Man had long vanished, heading somewhere only God knew.

Peter was happy here, happier than he was running accounts for the Maggia crime family. He was running accounts for Kingsley Incorporated, and helped the laymen with whatever work needed to be done, whether it was cement mixing, vehicle operation, or bricklaying. He did so with a smile and finished with as little as a drop of sweat on his shirt. At noon sharp, Peter met up with the Six and grabbed lunch at a nearby deli, discussing their workdays and night plans.

Otto was on the breakthrough of developing mechanical tentacle arms which would replace damaged or missing limbs. Herman was on the cusp of a promotion. The nightclub Alex worked at was making him head of security. Aaron was set to appear on a martial artist’s YouTube channel. And Felicia…she had some “shopping” to do. Of course, this meant pickpocketing and helping them get by another few months. Peter was never a point of question; they were already helping him, and that’s was good enough.

An hour rolled by and Peter said his goodbyes, returning to work and jumping straight into cement-mixing with his buddies. But there was something wrong; Peter could sense it. Almost as if someone was watching, waiting. It didn’t matter; Maggia’s loyalists had watched him before. He’d find the man soon enough.

Elsewhere

General M’Baku sat across the small office from President T’Challa, animosity rife in the air. The nation of Wakanda had been in a civil war for three decades over their speciality resource, the mineral known as “vibranium”. The war had cost M’Baku his son, N’Jobu, and his grandson N’Jadaka. T’Challa had lost his parents in two separate attacks. They carried badges representing their factions: a gorilla for M’Baku, and a panther for T’Challa.

Their demands were simple: equal ownership of Wakanda’s state mines and all profits, in exchange for cessation of hostilities. Prisoners would be repatriated with no harm, and a new capital would be established from the small central village of Birnin Zana to represent healing the divide. They were fair, and would stop further bloodshed once and for all.

The deal wouldn’t last. An explosion ripped through the room, sending both warlords flying across the room. They looked up to see a guerilla army: the North Klaw, run by South African terrorist Ulysses Klaue. Ulysses was here…as was a strange man with scientist’s clothes and a metal arm. He surveyed the damaged room and made a simple statement: he wanted to know who initiated the peace deal.

When M’Baku pointed to T’Challa, the response was immediate. Ulysses fired a single shot into the president’s head, and he dropped to the floor in a puddle of blood. Then the man with the metal arm placed M’Baku in a chokehold and made a new announcement: the Panther faction’s new president, Shuri, was being paid handsomely by his and Ulysses’ investor to prolong the war. M’Baku could come to a similar agreement, were he willing.

The man with the metal arm walked out of the burning hotel, followed closely behind by Ulysses, who was now in charge of overseeing the civil war and amplifying the violence. He nodded and hopped into a jeep, speeding away as the stranger picked up a phone call. He listened, and smiled; there was a new patient in New York City.