Raven traced her lips, casting a playful glance at Ethan Hayes. "You know her?"
Ethan's mouth lifted in a sly grin. "Not exactly, but I've seen her before." The thought of Psylocke—the fierce beauty—was exactly his type.
"She's intense," Raven teased, her voice rich with suggestion. "You like that?"
Ethan smirked. "You know just what to do to keep things interesting." The icy ship continued to slice through the Atlantic, leaving a frosty wake across the water's surface. Hours later, as dawn broke, they finally made their way back to Ethan's private beach.
Meanwhile, miles away, Nick Fury stood in the command room aboard the Helicarrier, watching a monitor as a submersible robot descended into the depths of the Atlantic. In the feed, the eerie, frozen wreck of a Ford-class aircraft carrier lay on the seabed, coated in unmelted ice. The icy aura around it had even altered the climate of the surrounding waters.
Beside him, Agent Hill studied the preserved bodies of soldiers still encased in frozen crystal, their expressions locked in the final moments of terror. "Any chance they can be revived, sir?" she asked.
Fury shook his head. "The ice is more than just frozen water—it's crystalized even the cells, making it impossible to extract anything, let alone revive them."
Hill handed him a tablet with a video from Nevada, where Ethan's encounter with Miel Bronski and the subsequent nuclear explosion had been captured. "And San Diego, sir?"
Hill pulled up a satellite image of Ethan standing atop the water as an energy pulse flowed from him, creating a massive tsunami that destroyed Naval Station San Diego and swept through nearby counties.
"His control over water is as destructive as his freezing powers," Hill said, her voice tinged with awe.
Fury looked at her, grim. "It's the military's fear of that power that forced them to surrender. If he wanted, he could cripple every base we have around the world."
They left the command room and stepped into a private office. Fury held up a map of New York. "Natasha Romanoff's assignment didn't work out."
Agent Hill crossed her arms, skeptical. "Sir, sending her was a mistake from the beginning."
Fury was silent, his jaw tight. "The Ice Demon saw right through her. He even knew about the Skrulls."
Hill studied him carefully. "Sir, if I didn't know better, I'd say there's someone on the inside, passing him intel. How else could he know so much about S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
Fury hesitated, then nodded. "I've thought the same thing. I just don't want to believe it." He sighed, shifting the conversation. "The military surrender gives HYDRA a dangerous foothold in the government. They could even gain influence over the Ice Demon."
Hill paled at the thought. If Ethan joined forces with HYDRA, he'd be unstoppable—and global humanity would likely be reduced to HYDRA's slaves. "So what's your plan? Plant someone else close to him?"
Fury nodded, his gaze sharpening. "Yes, and you're the best candidate."
Hill glared at him, offended. "You want me to 'seduce' him like Natasha? Are you out of your mind?"
Before Fury could answer, Professor X's voice suddenly echoed in his mind. Nick, we need to talk.
Fury pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, Charles, let's meet in New York."
Across the world, in a lab buried under Siberian permafrost, Dr. Connor held up a syringe filled with a sky-blue genetic serum. His assistant, Peter Parker, watched him intently. Peter's eyes were alight with anticipation.
"The integration for the third serum is ready," Dr. Connor explained, but he eyed Peter warily. "The risk, however, is considerable. I've been through it myself and wouldn't wish that transformation on anyone else."
Peter nodded, though frustration simmered beneath his calm facade. He knew that if he wanted to surpass Ethan Hayes, he needed to take risks. And if Dr. Connor wasn't willing to move fast enough, Peter had his own connections within HYDRA to take matters into his own hands.
Back in New York, Ethan looked over the waves with Raven beside him. She noticed his expression and asked, "What is it, Ethan?"
"Phoenix has reawakened," he said, sensing the powerful energy disturbance from afar. Though he didn't elaborate, Raven recognized the name. Her heart sank as memories of her former student, Jean Grey, resurfaced. But the Phoenix that now roamed was not the person she once knew.
"Let's go to Long Island," Ethan said. "I'm close to a breakthrough, and the open sea will help."
They arrived at Long Island and set out on the water, where Ethan conjured a vessel of ice using his water manipulation powers. As they drifted, he created an ice-cast grill for their picnic. The combination of his freezing and burning powers made him an expert in controlling temperatures, adding comfort to their quiet escape.
Later that evening, back at S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury paced his office, a look of worry etched on his face. "Agent Hill was right. If HYDRA gets to Ethan, we're all done for."
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