"Wow, thank you so much! I promise I'll pay full price next time," I said, waving at Mr. Aziz as I headed for the door.
With the pizza in hand, I made my way to my usual spot.
"Mmm," I hummed as I set the pizza box down on the ledge of the Chrysler Building. Rubbing my stomach, I smiled. It was time to dig in.
"Nothing beats eating pizza and enjoying this view," I said, taking a seat on the edge. The city stretched out beneath me, a breathtaking canvas.
The chilly wind brushed past me as I gazed out at the sea of lights flickering to life. The murky gray and white clouds overhead added a gloomy yet oddly peaceful vibe, like the kind that made you want to curl up somewhere cozy but still left you smiling.
I noticed Christmas lights already being put up around the city. "A little early," I muttered to myself, "but I guess it's to help calm everyone down."
Taking a bite of pizza, I closed my eyes for a moment. "Good pizza," I mumbled with my mask off, savoring the flavor. Looking at the box, I smirked.
"Joe's Pizza, huh? Yeah, I'm definitely becoming a regular. This stuff is *amazing.*"
I turned my attention back to the city, the slice in my hand momentarily forgotten. The view always got me thinking.
"Hmm," I muttered as I clenched my fist. "Life feels so different now."
By the time I was on my third slice, I pulled out a notepad and pen from my bag. "Alright, time to get serious."
I jotted down a quick list:
**1. Improve my fighting skills.**
"I've been getting by on instincts and general knowledge, but that's not enough," I murmured, tapping the pen against the paper.
**2. Find a way to train seriously.**
"Maybe I could join an organization," I thought aloud, before shaking my head. "Nah, too many rules and politics. They'd either use me or get in my way."
But then an idea struck. "Wait, what about Marvel HQ? That's different. They just scan you, and if you pass, you're in. No schools, no strings attached—just training. Like a superhero gym."
I scribbled the thought down. "Yeah, I heard Stan Lee founded it to help powered people control their abilities and be less dangerous in public. And he did all that while being a regular human."
Leaning back, I looked up at the sky. "Man, I wish I could've met him. Truly one of a kind. It's sad he passed away a few years back."
I sighed, the thought lingering. "One thing no one can escape is death. Sooner or later, it comes for us all."
Looking down at the bustling streets below, I let the thought settle before returning to my list.
**3. Figure out a way to make money.**
"I need to find a way to support myself," I muttered, flipping the pen in my fingers. "Living off scraps and handouts isn't going to cut it."
An idea popped into my head, and I laughed lightly. "What if I hit a drug spot, take out the bad guys, and just… keep a little for myself? A man's gotta eat, right?"
I paused, shaking my head. "No, not yet. I'll leave that as a last resort."
Snapping the notepad shut, I stuffed it back into my bag. "Alright, first things first—let's check out Marvel HQ and see if this place is worth it."
With that, I stood, stretched, and pulled my mask back on. As the wind picked up, I leaped off the ledge, swinging through the city toward Marvel HQ. "Let's see where life takes me."
…
"How are the plans progressing, Simon? Everything on schedule?"
"Yes, sir," Simon replied confidently. "We'll be ready for the mayor's rally by midnight. That gives us a solid 15 hours to double-check everything."
"Good. Make sure nothing is overlooked—I want this to go perfectly. And what about that bug man you mentioned before?"
"Spider-Man, sir," Simon corrected. "It seems he was busy today. Reports say he saved some women from a car accident which involves a bridge incident as well."
"I see. Do you think he'll be a problem for us?"
"That, I can't say for certain, sir. But if he went up against you—or anyone from Sections A or S—I believe he'd lose. He may be skilled, but he's not on that level."
"Fair assessment. Now, what about the metahumans and the cybernetic experiments we've been tracking? And the 'cyber freaks'?"
Simon nodded, his tone turning more serious. "We're still gathering intel, but it seems Alon Musk and Zark Zuckerberg have made significant advances in their respective fields. Musk has pushed the limits of human-machine body modifications, while Zuckerberg claims to have successfully created enhanced humans—metahumans, as he calls them."
"And what of Osborn?"
"We've been finding it harder to track Elon and Zuckerberg; they operate mostly in the underbelly. Osborn, however, has been more active, especially in his work with human and animal DNA splicing."
The man leaned back in his chair, a dark grin forming. "Yes, I know. If it weren't for Osborn, none of us would be where we are now. His breakthroughs paved the way for everything. Including... this."
"Indeed, sir," Simon replied, nodding. "You stole his research, and thanks to my team and the other scientists, we refined it—made it usable. Though... the side effects remain."
"That's enough reminiscing for now," the man interrupted. "What about Musk's body modification work in the underbelly? Any updates?"
"Yes, sir. Musk has officially opened his cybernetics manufacturing facility to the underbelly. For the public, he's promising to roll out body modifications within two months."
"I see," the man muttered, steepling his fingers. "Musk is always ahead of the curve. He's making the impossible... inevitable."
"It makes sense, sir," Simon added. "After the alien ship attack, the world hasn't been the same. The emergence of these new beings has made people desperate to evolve. Even the mutants have started coming out publicly."
The man's gaze hardened. "True. The attack changed everything. And it's brought more players into the game. Now, about the item we've been discussing—do you have a plan to acquire it?"
A sly smile crept across Simon's face. "I might, sir. Tell me—have you ever heard of someone named Black Cat?"