"Contact me if anything comes up." With everything sorted out, Daniel Davis said his goodbyes to Rebecca, Jill, and the others before heading to New York with his supposed uncle, York.
Having fought alongside Rebecca, Daniel and she had developed a good rapport. She told him to email her if he ever needed anything.
Daniel also met the hurriedly arriving Chris, who finally relaxed after seeing Claire was safe.
"Let's go." Under York's urging, Daniel boarded the plane to New York. York lived in Queens, a place that excited Daniel since Spider-Man was rumored to reside there.
"It's a shame Jill didn't agree to join S.H.I.E.L.D. If she had, Chris might have too." From his chats with Rebecca, Daniel learned that S.H.I.E.L.D. had invited Jill, but she declined.
Although the disaster in Raccoon City seemed to have been covered up, the underlying issues had only just begun. The current president was likely to resign in the wake of such a major incident.
Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. was tracking down Umbrella's top executives, and pharmaceutical companies were vying for Umbrella's assets, especially the various miracle drugs, which they could rebrand as their own groundbreaking discoveries.
In this world with S.H.I.E.L.D., Umbrella wouldn't be able to survive like in the original storyline. After paying hefty compensations, Umbrella quickly declared bankruptcy.
High-ranking military officers who had secret dealings with Umbrella were also being reassigned. The government covered up the truth but didn't absolve those involved.
The military was also pursuing Umbrella's leadership, with rumors suggesting their top leader was General Ross.
Simultaneously, Hydra was secretly contacting Umbrella personnel, their involvement preventing S.H.I.E.L.D. from acting too overtly.
However, these matters were no longer Daniel's concern. He was now in New York, looking through the plane window at the Statue of Liberty.
Upon entering New York, York's attitude changed, losing its previous friendliness. Daniel, having anticipated this, didn't mind.
"Quite a nice little house." They soon arrived at York's residence in Queens. While not the most developed area, it wasn't the worst either.
Hell's Kitchen, where Kingpin and his nemesis Daredevil operated, was the most chaotic part of New York.
In the Marvel Universe, New York was a disaster-prone city, home to many superheroes and villains.
"Our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man probably hasn't appeared yet." Despite New York's dangers, Daniel had his reasons for coming.
New York housed many advanced technologies, including the radioactive spider that created Spider-Man, the Super Soldier Serum, Stark Industries, and, most importantly, Pym Particles. In the Marvel Universe, Pym Particles had extraordinary effects, enabling the Avengers to reverse time.
Only one person knew how to make Pym Particles, and even the genius Howard Stark couldn't replicate them.
Howard's genius was evident from his World War II research on anti-gravity and creating Captain America's shield, which could withstand Thor's hammer.
Not to mention the new element Howard left for his son.
If Howard couldn't replicate Pym Particles, it showed their complexity. However, with his Op-Op Fruit abilities, Daniel might succeed where Howard couldn't.
Pym Particles, the Arc Reactor, the Mark series armor—Daniel believed he could uncover their secrets using his powers.
In Marvel, the rich rely on technology, and the poor on mutations. But the wealthy can combine both, as exemplified by Black Panther with his Vibranium suit and Heart-Shaped Herb.
Many Marvel events stem from the Super Soldier Serum injected into Captain America. Bruce Banner became the Hulk due to the serum and gamma radiation.
Even Norman Osborn's company had the serum.
"The room at the end of the hall on the second floor is yours." Upon entering the house, York's disdain was evident as he directed Daniel upstairs and then made a phone call.
"It's me. I'm back. I'll come by tomorrow."
"I need to go to school." The next day, Daniel directly told York.
"School? I got you a job. Go work." York dismissed Daniel's protest and drove him to a desolate street with graffiti-covered walls and occasional vagrants emerging from dark alleys.
They stopped at a garage-like building, where a tattooed man led them inside.
Through a dim corridor, they entered a brightly lit room where eight men were gambling at a long table.
"This kid, right? Not bad." A scar-faced middle-aged man examined Daniel, nodded approvingly, and signaled to an underling, who handed a large wad of cash to York.
"Where are we, Uncle York?" Daniel feigned fear, hiding behind York.
"Damn, did he sell me?"
"Shut up. Who's your uncle?" York impatiently tried to pull Daniel out.
"Don't move." Daniel grabbed the gun from York's waist and stepped back, aiming it forward.
"Quick reflexes, kid." The group was initially stunned but then laughed, noticing the safety was on.
Only York wasn't laughing, angered by Daniel's defiance.
"Fuck." York moved to seize the gun.
Bang.
The gun fired, grazing York's ear and hitting the man behind him. Blood splattered, silencing the room.
"Don't move. Bullets don't have eyes." Daniel's calm voice made the others freeze.
Bang bang.
Two more shots, two more bodies fell.
"I said don't move." This time, they took Daniel's warning seriously.
"York, you've got guts." The scar-faced man glared at York.
"It wasn't me. I had no part in this," York stammered in terror.
"Kid, let's call this a misunderstanding," the scar-faced man suggested, turning to Daniel.
"A misunderstanding? I don't think so." Daniel shot backward, hitting a man who had tried to sneak up on him, splattering brains. Raccoon City had taught him to aim for the head.
He retrieved another gun from the fallen man.
"What will it take to end this?" The scar-faced man was now genuinely concerned.
"Simple." Daniel smirked coldly, firing repeatedly, killing everyone in the room with shots to the chest.
"Now you're dead," he said to the bodies.
"Alright, dear Uncle York, what's going on?" Facing Daniel's gun, York confessed everything.
"So you really are my uncle."
York was indeed Daniel's mother's brother but had a history of crime, including drug use, rape, and murder. Despite multiple incarcerations, he had learned more criminal skills each time.
After Daniel's parents died in an accident, York received a large compensation from Umbrella but didn't want to take care of Daniel. Umbrella also likely preferred to keep Daniel in the orphanage.
Seeing Daniel survive Raccoon City's disaster, York saw an opportunity for money. He planned to sell Daniel, either to pedophiles or for his organs, for a substantial profit.
But he had underestimated Daniel.
"You really are a great uncle."
"Don't kill me. They forced me."
Bang.
Daniel shot York in the right chest, ensuring he wouldn't die quickly. He despised such people and wouldn't let him die easily.
"Goodbye, dear uncle." Daniel quickly found gasoline and set the place ablaze.
"Typical Marvel, encountering this right after arriving in New York." He left as the fire roared, destroying evidence. Daniel had watched enough crime dramas to cover his tracks.
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter