"Wait a minute, Mr. Ryder, Mr. Parker," Phil called out as Max and Peter were about to leave.
"We'd like to have a talk with you both," Phil said, approaching them with a friendly smile.
Max looked at him, returning a sly grin. "And who's 'we' exactly?" he asked, his tone with hidden knowing smile.
Phil maintained his smile, standing a bit straighter. "We're the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, a organization form of various countries coming together and pooling their resources...."
Max cut him off, raising an eyebrow. "And what does this 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' do?"
Phil smiled, not missing a beat. "S.H.I.E.L.D. — that's a good name, right?" He then continued, "We protect Earth from various super-level threats. Like this one," he said, motioning toward the now-absent Destroyer.
Max tilted his head slightly, eyeing Phil with a curious smirk. "Didn't see you doing much protecting."
cough!
Phil cleared his throat, trying to maintain his composure. "Well, we had our men ready to handle the situation, but... seeing as you were more than capable, we let you take the lead," Phil replied, his smile not faltering despite the slight jab.
"So what do you want?" Max asked looking at him.
"Your powers could be of great help to our cause," Phil said, taking out a standard business card and handing it to Max with a small smile. "I can't do the card trick you pulled earlier, but here's mine."
Phil continued, "Whenever you're ready, our director would like to speak with you. Use this number to reach us." He then turned to leave but paused to add, "Once again, thank you for handling that threat."
As he started to walk away, Phil stopped and turned back. "By the way, where are the robot parts?" he asked, remembering the Destroyer.
Max, still glancing at the card, responded without much thought. "The Destroyer? It disintegrated into darkness. My touch erased it from existence."
Phil's eyes widened for a brief second, then he nodded, suppressing his surprise. "Well... good to know," he said before finally heading back, leaving Max and Peter alone once more.
As Phil left, Thor's Asgardian friends approached Max. "Thank you for guiding Thor back to the light," Sif said sincerely.
"If you had intervened, he might've been reduced to a mortal, forsaking his own lineage," Sif added.
Max shrugged. "It's okay. I did it for selfish reasons anyway. I wanted to fight him," he said, smiling, and the others nodded, sharing the grin.
"You are welcome in Asgard. Please come. There are many warriors who would love to forge a sincere bond with a fighter like you," Volstagg said, clapping Max on the shoulder.
Max nodded. "I'd love to."
As they began to leave, Erik, Jane, and Kyle approached Max and Peter.
"Sorry for yelling at you earlier," Erik said, a bit sheepishly.
Kyle chuckled. "Didn't think you were actually doing it for Thor."
"It's okay," Max said casually. "I was handling the situation."
Then he added with a sly grin, "Our little superhero team could use scientists like you. If you three are interested."
Peter perked up, looking at them curiously. "Are they scientists too?" he asked, eager.
"Yes, they are," Max replied. "Even those black-suited guys acknowledged their excellence."
"That's not something we're particularly proud of," Kyle said with a chuckle, making everyone laugh.
"So?" Max asked, looking at them expectantly.
"Give us time, let Thor return, and we'll tell you," Jane said with a smile, as Erik and Kyle nodded in agreement.
"Okay," Max said, and both he and Peter got back in their car. "See you around," Max called out, and Peter waved goodbye as well.
Jane, Erik, and Kyle bid their goodbyes as they headed back to their small hotel.
"I wonder when he'll return," Jane said softly.
"Oh? Already missing him?" Kyle teased, causing Jane to blush slightly as Erik just smiled and followed them.
******
"I should book the return ticket now, even our college sent a notification about the Oscorp tower tour," Peter said, checking his phone. Max nodded, eyes on the road.
'Oscorp tower tour, huh,' Max thought to himself as he drove. 'Soon, Peter will gain his powers, but just Spider-Man powers? That's not enough. I want him to have something better,' Max mused, a plan already forming in his mind.
"How's it going with Mary?" Max asked, snapping Peter out of his thoughts and causing him to nearly drop his laptop in surprise.
"What do you mean?" Peter asked, his voice a little too high, clearly caught off guard.
Max smirked, giving him a quick side glance. "You know what I mean. Mary Jane? How's it going between you two?"
Peter turned a little red, fumbling with his words. "W-we're just friends. She doesn't see me like that."
"Yet," Max added with a grin. "You're gonna need more than your clumsy attitude to catch her attention, you know."
Peter chuckled awkwardly. "Maybe I should focus on not tripping over myself first," he muttered, scratching the back of his neck.
Max laughed, keeping his eyes on the road, his thoughts still on the upcoming Oscorp tour. 'Just wait, Peter. You have no idea what's coming.'
***
At Oscorp Tower, Norman Osborn stood alone in his sleek, state-of-the-art lab, surrounded by glowing monitors and scientific equipment humming in the background. His sharp gaze was fixed on a series of test results displayed on a large screen. A subtle smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he read the data.
"Soon..." he whispered under his breath, his fingers lightly brushing the scarred skin on his lower face—evidence of the hereditary disease that had plagued his family for generations.
His voice was low but filled with determination, "This hereditary disease... no longer will it hold me back."
Norman's reflection glinted off the screen, the scars visible beneath the artificial light. His expression hardened as he straightened, looking at a framed picture of his son, Harry Osborn, sitting on his desk. "For you... and for myself," he mumbled, clenching his fist. "I will conquer this, no matter the cost."
****
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