Duncan always knew that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s patience had its limits, but for some reason, they never took further action.
"Are they that well-funded?" he wondered.
Life went on as usual. Duncan and Dumdum maintained their tense coexistence as neighbors, occasionally playing Robin Hood—spending and re-spending the same stack of cash, seemingly enjoying the repetition.
"The Queen has laid a total of 14 eggs so far. Two haven't hatched yet, but the others have produced 11 Xenomorphs," Duncan said, counting his forces on his fingers while keeping an eye on their mental states.
This bordered on a unique form of telepathy.
During this time, Duncan didn't leave his home until Blade, unable to hold back, came knocking again.
"You know I hate coming to your place," Blade said as he walked in, adjusting his sunglasses. He glanced around and spotted a few Xenomorph couriers but not the crowned Xenomorph Queen. "And now you've got even more pets. How do you manage that?"
"How do you manage to make vampires so miserable all by yourself?" Duncan shot back.
"Power. I'm strong," Blade replied bluntly.
"That's my answer, too. I'm strong, so I believe I can achieve extraordinary things."
Blade didn't buy it. He assumed Duncan must have cultivated these creatures long ago and was only now releasing them.
"Get to the point. Why are you here? I probably won't sell you any more acid," Duncan said.
"I don't need it. I took down a punk who called himself the Blood God. Your weapons were a big help. But now, some vampires suspect you and are plotting against you."
"Let them come. Maybe wiping vampires off the face of the Earth is a good idea," Duncan mused, seriously considering the notion.
Blade's eyes narrowed. "Are you serious? That's nearly impossible—unless you can engineer a vampire virus. But plenty of people have tried that over the years with little success. You'd have better luck with your mutant-targeted serum."
"Hah, you think dealing with mutants is easier than dealing with vampires?"
"No, it's harder. Mutants are more complex and pose bigger problems. Focusing on them would yield greater rewards, which is why most scientists go in that direction. Vampires are just parasites leeching off humanity," Blade replied.
Duncan smirked and set the tone for the conversation. "Then I'll let my power 'leech' off the vampires."
Blade silently noted Duncan's apparent disdain for vampires—possibly due to a form of human supremacist ideology. Or perhaps he was faking it, motivated purely by the benefits of hunting them.
But what benefits? Aside from their hoarded wealth accumulated over centuries, vampires offered little else.
Finally, Blade got to the point. "I need your help with something."
"Are you asking on your behalf or on behalf of your team?"
"I haven't officially joined them yet, so it's me. Reliable people are hard to find," Blade said, his expression unwavering. "I got intel about a crazy general obsessed with the super-soldier program. He's even mobilized troops to capture a certain green, walking blood bank."
"You want me to deal with that green guy? That's no small feat. A few months ago, I saw some reports about him online," Duncan said.
Blade gave Duncan a peculiar look, shocked by his imagination. "What makes you think you could even get involved with the Hulk? That guy could shatter your pets with just a roar."
Was Duncan crazy? Or were today's young people simply this reckless?
"Well, I'm lucky to have you remind me," Duncan said, nonchalantly.
Blade studied Duncan's expression, trying to determine if his confidence came from ignorance or if he was hiding something. He leaned toward the former—anyone familiar with the Hulk's power would be awestruck. A green titan capable of casually tossing hundreds of tons around, whose strength only grew with anger, was beyond comprehension.
"I'm not asking you to fight the Hulk," Blade clarified. "I'm after those who covet his bloodline. Your little pets seem agile and combat-ready. They could help take some of the pressure off."
"But why should I get involved in such a dangerous affair? Just because someone's assessing my threat level?"
"Look, I don't know how much you've figured out, but doing what you can within your abilities won't hurt. Your power hasn't reached a level that truly scares them, but they won't let you act freely, either. You're smart—you probably anticipated this when we first traded," Blade said.
He stared into Duncan's eyes. "You're deliberately showcasing your talents, aren't you? Maybe it's time to expose yourself a little. Using their resources to grow stronger is a solid move."
"Don't get me wrong. I have no intention of joining you guys. I'm just giving back to society," Duncan replied with a dismissive wave. It was true that he would have to take this step eventually, and using Blade as a springboard seemed like the perfect opportunity.
Taking a file from Blade, Duncan skimmed through it quickly. He soon understood S.H.I.E.L.D.'s real focus.
Their primary target wasn't the Hulk but rather Mr. Blue, who had already conducted genetic experiments on the Hulk's blood.
Blade's attention was on Mr. Blue because of his ties to a special vampire—Baron Blood. There was likely a troublesome blood trade happening, making him a target for elimination.
From Blade's perspective, who knew what horrors could result if top-tier vampires consumed Hulk's blood? It was too dangerous.
"Got it. You want me to track and intercept Mr. Blue, right?" Duncan asked. "Let's be clear—my services don't come cheap."
"One million dollars."
"Two million. This is life-threatening work. Plus, I want all the intel you have on vampire populations and strongholds," Duncan said.
Blade gave Duncan a long, meaningful look. Asking for such comprehensive intel suggested either recklessness or immense ambition.
What exactly was it about vampires that fascinated Duncan?
Blade couldn't understand the correct "use" for vampires, but Duncan believed he did.
They were numerous, individually strong, and capturing them was profitable.
What could possibly be more rewarding than hunting vampires?
If not vampires, then who else? Mutants?