James Carter shuffled behind the counter of Tech Haven, rubbing the back of his neck as the store's fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead. It was a typical day, nothing out of the ordinary. The usual customers filtered in and out—some hunting for phone repairs, others gawking at the newest gadgets they couldn't afford. For James, it was all starting to blur together—just another day in New York City, surrounded by technology, but somehow feeling like a relic of another time.
He adjusted the display of wireless headphones with a sigh. It had been three years since Tony Stark publicly announced himself as Iron Man, and ever since, the world felt… off. People were starting to expect the impossible. Every morning there was talk of new technology, government cover-ups, or rumors of enhanced individuals popping up in corners of the city. Yet, for James, life remained stubbornly ordinary.
"Hey, man, you good?"
James turned toward the familiar voice of Marcus Taylor, who was leaning against the counter, twirling a pen between his fingers. Marcus was his best friend—an ambitious engineering nerd who was, frankly, too smart to be working part-time at a tech store. His curly hair peeked out from under a baseball cap, and his usual grin was plastered across his face.
"You've been staring at those headphones like they owe you rent," Marcus teased, tapping the counter.
"Yeah, well, they kind of do," James muttered, rolling his shoulders. "Rent's coming up, and these things aren't exactly flying off the shelves."
Marcus chuckled, setting the pen down. "Man, you gotta lighten up. This city's getting crazier every day, and you're worried about headphones. Look around—superheroes are real now! Hulk smashed Harlem into rubble, Stark's building weapons in public, and you're stuck waiting for Mrs. Patel to come in and complain about her cracked iPhone again."
James gave him a half-hearted smile. "Lucky me."
"You ever think about doing something bigger?" Marcus asked, leaning forward. "Like, I don't know, applying to Stark Industries? I mean, with your brain and charm, you'd have it easy."
"Charm? Since when do I have charm?"
"You've got the grumpy, brooding tech guy charm," Marcus shot back, grinning. "The ladies love it."
James snorted. "Yeah, tell that to my dating history."
"Hey, all I'm saying is, the world's changing. Why stay stuck doing the same thing?"
Before James could respond, the door chimed, and in walked a familiar face: Rebecca Martinez. A regular customer, Rebecca worked as a reporter for the Daily Bugle, always chasing after strange stories in the city. Today, she wore a leather jacket over a simple blouse, her brown hair pulled into a loose ponytail. She gave them a small wave as she approached the counter.
"Morning, gentlemen," she greeted, setting her phone on the counter. "Same problem as last week—battery's shot."
Marcus grinned. "What'd you do to it this time? Let it drown in coffee?"
"Funny." Rebecca smirked. "More like chasing weird leads underground. You know, in places with zero bars of signal."
James perked up. "Underground? That sounds ominous."
Rebecca leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "You didn't hear this from me, but there've been rumors of some strange disappearances beneath the city. Construction workers gone missing. Unexplained sinkholes. People swearing they saw cracks in the pavement that led… somewhere."
James frowned. "You mean, like… the sewers?"
Rebecca shook her head. "No, not sewers. Something else. I'm telling you—there's something weird under this city, and no one's paying attention."
"Wait, what are you saying?" Marcus asked, his grin faltering. "Like, secret lairs? Aliens?"
Rebecca shrugged. "I don't know. But it's not nothing. And you know the Bugle—if it's weird, we report on it."
James tilted his head, curiosity creeping in. Strange disappearances? Cracks in the ground? It wasn't exactly Iron Man-level news, but it felt… off. Something in the pit of his stomach told him there was more to it than just rumors.
"Well, if anyone could get to the bottom of it, it'd be you," James said, handing her phone back. "Battery's good to go."
"Thanks, James." She gave him a sly grin. "And hey, if you guys ever decide to do something more exciting than fix phones, give me a call. I might need backup."
With that, Rebecca slipped the phone into her jacket pocket and gave a small wave as she headed toward the door.
"Think she's onto something?" Marcus asked once she was out of earshot.
James shrugged. "Weird stuff happens all the time in this city."
"Yeah, but… underground sinkholes?" Marcus leaned in, his voice playful. "Come on, man. Don't tell me you're not at least a little curious. What if there's some crazy conspiracy down there? Secret tunnels, treasure, maybe even a hidden Stark prototype?"
"Or rats the size of raccoons," James deadpanned.
Marcus threw his head back, laughing. "Ah, come on! You gotta dream bigger, man!"
---
The day passed slowly, dragging on as James cycled through customers with the same issues: cracked screens, faulty batteries, and endless requests for "the cheapest tablet you've got." By the time his shift ended, he was ready to crawl home and collapse on the couch.
Marcus walked out with him, chatting about his latest project—an application for an internship at Stark Industries. As they reached the corner where they usually split up, Marcus gave him a slap on the back.
"Think about what I said, yeah? There's more to life than fixing phones."
"Yeah, yeah," James muttered, adjusting the strap of his bag. "See you tomorrow, genius."
Marcus grinned and jogged off down the street, leaving James alone in the cool evening air. As he stood at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to change, he couldn't help but think about Rebecca's words. Strange cracks under the city. Disappearances.
He shook his head. Just urban myths, he told himself. Stuff like that didn't happen to people like him.
---
But then he saw it.
Right there, in the middle of the sidewalk—a thin crack in the concrete, barely noticeable. People walked right over it without a second glance.
James stopped, frowning. Something about it felt… wrong. Almost like it didn't belong. He crouched down, brushing his fingers over the edge of the crack. It wasn't deep—just a shallow fracture in the pavement—but it pulsed with a faint, almost imperceptible energy beneath his fingertips.
He tapped it lightly.
And then the ground gave way.
With a startled yell, James felt himself plummet into darkness, the sounds of the city fading as he fell deeper, and deeper… until there was nothing but silence.
---
End of Chapter One.
---
Hello, Dear Readers.
I'm not exactly the Author this time. This whole story is written with the help of Chatgpt, and I am only sharing this with you because it somehow came out good.
I put on some interesting ideas for the chapter, and this is what I got in return. I did a few tinkering, but it's mostly AI based. No need for me to lie.
Anyways, If you enjoyed it, keep reading. The story is actually good and I have a proper plan to make it fun.
Peace.