"Where are you putting your hands?" Gwen blushed, pulling Ethan Hayes's hand away.
"It's not been that long since I last saw you. I missed you." Ethan wore a wicked smile.
"No, I promised Tracy I wouldn't stay in your room tonight, no matter what," Gwen said hesitantly.
Ethan held her in his arms. "Then make a quick decision. By the way, I've got a new application for my super abilities. Want to try it out?"
"Super abilities… in that way?" Gwen's curiosity flared, though her eyes betrayed her hesitation. Youth and adolescence sparked their curiosity, and the lack of restraint was evident.
"Of course you can. Having powers isn't just for fighting," Ethan's gaze trailed down to Gwen's slender legs, noticing their strength and grace—truly a weapon of the Ghost Spider.
"I'm full of bad ideas; I'm going back," Gwen said, hesitating briefly before turning away. But Ethan didn't let her go that easily. A water dragon curled around her, binding her gently.
"What are you doing?" she asked, surprised.
"I want you to try fishing for the moon in my water." Ethan smirked.
"Fire and ice," Gwen murmured with a shy laugh.
Ethan had already made up his mind. He believed that if Gwen knew all his secrets, she'd likely resist. His solution was to conquer her, both mentally and physically, to make her accept his unique ways. After all, he didn't write Fifty Shades of Grey for nothing.
Meanwhile, at S.H.I.E.L.D…
Nick Fury's patience was wearing thin. "So, S.H.I.E.L.D. dispatched all resources and still couldn't track Spider-Zeng Peter and Green Goblin Harry?"
"Second-level genes? You're telling me two conflicting genetic powers can combine to create even stronger abilities? Think about what you're saying," Fury said, comparing it to the experiment that created Captain Steve Rogers, the greatest hero in the nation's history.
"To this day, the Captain is the greatest hero," Fury continued. "Hulk's appearance was an accident, uncontrollable; even Professor Bruce can't manage it. But Peter and Harry… their performance goes beyond anything we've seen."
Black Widow and Hawkeye were silent, envisioning an overwhelming army of spider-monsters. Natasha Romanoff broke the silence. "Sir, my real worry isn't Osborn; the ice demon's strength is already beyond anything imaginable. What worries me is HYDRA, especially if they're involved with Dr. Connor."
"You know HYDRA's ambitions," she continued. "If they create an army of monsters, it'll throw the world into absolute chaos. The victory of World War II will mean nothing if HYDRA's influence resurges."
Fury nodded gravely. "HYDRA has to be neutralized, and decisively."
Hawkeye added, "I agree, sir. We can't allow HYDRA the chance to create that army."
"We'll proceed carefully. The monster army cannot come to fruition. Find Dr. Connor, even if it means eliminating him," Fury ordered, shifting his attention to the battle raging on Devil's Island in Los Angeles. The mysterious disappearance of Professor X only added to Fury's concerns.
"Hill, I need a sample of the genetic serum Osborn produced." S.H.I.E.L.D. had its own scientific resources, courtesy of founder Howard Stark, which still hadn't been fully exhausted.
Elsewhere, the S.H.I.E.L.D. conference room was tense. Natasha spoke, her expression troubled. "HYDRA's intentions are clear. If we can't stop them, they'll change everything."
Barton nodded, his jaw tight. "Yes, we can't allow the monster army to rise. We're barely holding our own as it is."
"I understand the stakes," Fury replied. "HYDRA is buried deep. We have to bide our time and strike decisively."
Nick Fury glanced at a world map dotted with red circles: New York, Los Angeles, Siberia, New Mexico, Washington D.C.—all global hotspots that made him painfully aware of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s limitations.
In the meantime, Fury instructed Natasha to travel to Siberia to locate her former teammates. "Bring them back," he ordered, promising to give them positions within S.H.I.E.L.D.
Natasha accepted her mission, understanding that her real purpose was to track Dr. Connor. Barton was dispatched to Brazil to locate Bruce Banner, though Barton was reluctant, knowing how challenging that would be.
Fury's final plan involved reuniting the Avengers, sidestepping the Black Bolt and Namor factions for now. Yet, he couldn't shake the thought of the "superman-like" figures in Hell's Kitchen, particularly Jessica Jones. Her encounter with the military left them wary of tangling with Ethan, who had been proven to be a force to be reckoned with.
For now, the focus was on recruitment and finding leverage where it could be found. Ethan might be more accessible than HYDRA—but as Natasha cautioned, dealing with Ethan was never straightforward.
Back at Osborn, Ethan awoke to find Gwen's annoyed expression.
"First, you ruined my spider suit," Gwen started. "Second, I told you not to spend the night here. Now I'm late."
Ethan chuckled, though Gwen stormed off, leaving him with only a mischievous memory of their time together.
Osborn Group employees greeted Ethan with a new level of respect, now that everyone understood he was effectively the new boss. Stark Industries might be growing in strength, but Osborn's new strategy shifted its focus to energy and medical care, steering clear of weapon manufacturing despite having filled the gap left by Stark's exit.
As Ethan browsed his phone, he noted the capture of Magneto, who'd been stripped of his powers and held under guard. The "healing potion" was proclaimed effective, but Ethan smiled knowingly. He understood the limits of such "cures" better than anyone.
The landscape was shifting. In a rural county outside New York, Ethan soon found himself standing before a tombstone in Wizel School for Gifted Youth, contemplating the gravestone of Cyclops and Jean Grey, and the meaning of their "deaths."
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