The luxury yacht rocked violently as it sailed through the choppy waves. It wasn't just the sound of the wind howling from the sea, but also the unmistakable sound of Gwen Stacy yelling in frustration.
By 3 a.m., the storm had subsided. Exhausted, Gwen lay sprawled across the bed. After being bitten by the spider, her body had undergone incredible changes, making her stronger and more resilient. But tonight, she was completely worn out.
Her hand brushed against the torn remnants of the black and white spider suit she had painstakingly sewn together. It lay in tatters on the floor. Silently, Gwen pulled the quilt over her head, falling into a deep sleep.
She twisted slightly, feeling the gap in the bed beside her, and instinctively moved closer to Ethan Hayes.
Ethan, still leaning against his pillow, took a deep breath. She's strong, he thought with a wry smile. Stronger than I expected.
He had underestimated her enhanced physiology. Even with the help of his elemental abilities, keeping up with Gwen had been a challenge. He glanced at the blanket tossed aside in the corner, soaked and forgotten.
Feeling the warmth of Gwen's body against him, Ethan smiled. A strong woman needs to be conquered, he mused, his arm wrapping around her waist. If Gwen weren't a superhero, he might have taken things a little easier. But she was special, just like Jessica Jones. Being in bed with a superhero was more like a fight in an octagonal cage. One wrong move, and you could end up crushed.
Gwen, half-asleep under the covers, mumbled, "No more… I need sleep." She was exhausted, more tired than if she had run a hundred laps through New York City.
Ethan, equally spent, smiled before closing his eyes. His arm still draped over Gwen, he fell into a deep, satisfied sleep. There was something undeniably satisfying about sharing a bed with Spider-Gwen herself.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Black Widow Natasha Romanoff sulked in frustration. She had set up surveillance cameras around Ethan's estate, keeping a close eye on his movements. For hours, she had watched for any sign of him, worried he might be up to something dangerous. After all, Ethan's reputation as the Ice Demon had already landed him on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s blacklist.
Her mission wasn't just to monitor Ethan but to prevent him from turning New York into a battlefield. They had already spent considerable resources suppressing the news about Ethan's involvement in taking down Kingpin.
"I thought I was good at finding people," Natasha muttered to herself as she pulled up the surveillance feed again. She had finally tracked down Ethan, learning he had taken Gwen out to sea on a yacht. It wasn't easy finding them in the vast ocean, even for someone with her skills.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She opened it to find Director Nick Fury standing there, looking grim.
"The Ice Demon took Gwen out to sea," Natasha reported immediately.
"Forget about Ethan for now," Fury replied, his voice heavy. "New York is in chaos."
Natasha's brows furrowed in concern. "What happened?"
"Lizardmen. One showed up on the Manhattan Bridge and attacked civilians, causing numerous casualties."
"Lizardmen?" Natasha's eyes widened. "Is this another experiment gone wrong?"
"That's what I suspect. Someone is experimenting with genetic modification to create super soldiers," Fury explained. His mind drifted to General Ross and the Hulk. "The Lizardman's target was a vice president of Osborn."
He handed a file to Natasha. "This makes two mutants in New York—the Lizardman and the Ghost Spider."
Natasha flipped through the file, noting the theories about the Ghost Spider's identity. One name stood out: Gwen Stacy.
"How did you come to suspect Gwen?" Natasha asked.
"The Osborn Group is a military partner. But with Norman Osborn's health declining, the military recently canceled several orders. Our intelligence suggests they've been working on a defective version of the Super Serum for over a decade," Fury said, his face darkening.
Natasha knew all too well the dangers of the Super Serum. "So Osborn's research led to the Lizardman?"
Fury nodded. "Yes. They've been working on genetic modifications using lizard DNA. The serum mutated the test subject into a powerful creature with regenerative abilities comparable to Wolverine."
"And you want Ethan to deal with the Lizardman?" Natasha asked, realizing where this was headed.
"The Lizardman is out of control. Tonight, people died on the Manhattan Bridge, including students when a bus was thrown into the river." Fury paused. "Spider-Gwen showed up to stop him, but we need to recruit her."
Natasha leaned back in her chair, contemplating the situation. The Ghost Spider, despite her involvement, was someone S.H.I.E.L.D. could work with. The Lizardman, however, had to be taken down.
"Ice Demon versus Lizardman," Natasha murmured. She knew it wouldn't be easy.
Fury left, but Natasha remained deep in thought. The situation was escalating quickly. She'd need to keep a close watch on both Gwen and Ethan—especially now that their paths had crossed in more ways than one.
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