"Cousin Anna, don't you need to… go over to the police station today to help my dad?" Gwen asked, sitting on the sofa with a Pikachu the plush toy hugged close.
Anna chuckled and replied, "I'd rather not get roped into dealing with all those reporters by your dad. Didn't you catch the news this morning?"
She picked up the remote and turned on the TV. There, George was addressing reporters, speaking to the media about last night's events.
"Last night, the NYPD faced an attack from high-tech terrorists. Fortunately, Iron Man and Spider-Woman, two of our city's heroes, successfully thwarted the assault."
Watching her dad's statement, Gwen couldn't help but wonder aloud, "But it was really the Emperor who beat the Green Goblin. Why didn't Dad mention him at all?"
On the other side of the sofa, Alan smiled knowingly. Back in the sewers, he had specifically told George not to mention him in public, and it seemed George had honored his request.
Anna shared her own theory, "It's likely what this 'Emperor' requested."
Alan blinked in surprise—this woman was sharp, frighteningly so. Only Gwen, who remained in the dark, simply nodded in agreement.
"Right now, the police station is completely surrounded by reporters from all media outlets, all hoping to grab an exclusive story," Anna continued, looking at the scene captured on TV. "I bet Uncle George is having a hard time figuring out how to get his officers out on duty."
From the TV footage, Alan could already imagine George's frustration. He was supposed to head over to Osborn Industries for an arrest early in the morning, but with the station besieged by reporters, leaving was nearly impossible.
Just as Alan had guessed, George was in his office, pacing back and forth in irritation.
"Chief, we can't get rid of the reporters at the entrance," a detective reported helplessly.
George sighed, glancing out the window at the crowd of reporters. They couldn't use force to clear them, and he was forced to endure it. If he denied them interviews, they'd just turn it into a story about the public's right to know, which would be the end of his career as chief.
"How's the arrest warrant coming along?" he asked.
Another detective stepped forward and replied, "Rejected. Given that the target is Norman Osborn, a renowned figure in both the scientific and business communities, the court advised against taking action without concrete evidence."
George punched the wall in frustration. It was exactly as he had expected, but hearing it still stung. This was the power of celebrity status. Society treated famous figures with care, and unless there was solid evidence, higher-ups wouldn't allow George to make a move.
As he considered his options, George suddenly thought of something. "Anna left last night, right?"
Turning to the two detectives, he asked, "She stayed somewhere nearby?"
"Correct. When we contacted Dr. Anna this morning, she said she found a place to stay nearby."
George raised an eyebrow. "Where did she stay?"
The detective continued, "Not a hotel. She mentioned it was at a friend of your daughter's."
"My daughter's… friend?" George's mind clicked. "Alan…"
If he remembered correctly, Anna had only just met Alan, and now she was staying at his place… Did being handsome really make such a difference?
Shaking off the thought, George turned to an officer beside him. "Give Anna a call. Tell her we need her help here and let her know we couldn't get the arrest warrant approved."
"She'll be here in no time," George added confidently.
"Understood," the officer replied.
…
"Cousin Anna, now that you're back, when are you planning to leave?" Gwen asked cautiously.
Anna rolled her eyes at her. "I just got back, and you already want me gone?"
Then, as if on purpose, she glanced at Alan and remarked, "There's an old saying that fits perfectly—'It's hard to keep a grown daughter at home.'"
Alan caught on immediately, realizing she was teasing him. "Cousin Anna, have you studied Asian culture too?"
Anna nodded, "When I went abroad, I had the chance to learn all sorts of things including Asian culture."
Alan nodded knowingly, understanding exactly who she was referring to. Gwen, however, looked puzzled, not quite catching the meaning behind Anna's words as she watched their exchange.
Just then, Anna's phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she muttered, "One of Uncle George's officers… What could they need from me?"
As soon as she picked up, Anna asked, "The arrest warrant didn't go through, did it?"
After a moment, she nodded, "Alright, I'll be over right away."
Hanging up, she glanced from Gwen to Alan. "Well then, I'll leave you two to your little world," she said with a grin.
Gwen blushed instantly, but managed to say, "Take care, Cousin Anna."
Only after Anna had left did Gwen finally breathe a sigh of relief. Whenever Anna was around, she always felt intense pressure.
Even Pikachu in her arms seemed relieved, letting out a soft "Pika…" before jumping down and scurrying into the kitchen, where Alan had left his breakfast.
Watching Pikachu, Alan chuckled, "Poor little Pikachu had to put up with so much. I wonder when Cousin Anna plans to leave. She can be a little intimidating."
"Oh, by the way, Alan," Gwen said suddenly.
"Hm?" Alan looked at her, curious. "What's up?"
"This morning, I tried turning on Red Queen, but it wouldn't start. What's going on?"
"Oh, nothing to worry about. Red Queen is upgrading," he explained, glancing at the clock on the wall and smiling. "It should be done by now."
Alan took Gwen's hand and led her back to the sofa, opening his laptop. As the screen turned on, the familiar virtual figure of Red Queen appeared with eyes closed, as if she were sleeping.
But this time, her red avatar had blue lines running across her face and body, making her look more dynamic and complex.
Gwen leaned in curiously. "Red Queen's design seems a lot more detailed now."
Alan nodded in agreement. The old Red Queen had been too plain. On-screen, Red Queen's eyes slowly opened, meeting the gazes of Alan and Gwen. Both noticed that her expression was no longer so blank—instead, there was a spark of liveliness in her eyes, making her seem more human.
Seeing them, Red Queen greeted playfully, "Good morning, Master and Miss Gwen. That was a wonderful nap."
Gwen immediately asked, excited, "Red Queen, did your upgrade finish?"
"Yes, Miss Gwen. From now on, I'll be able to provide even better data support during battles. Plus, your suit has reached a whole new level."
"Awesome!" Gwen cheered, practically like a kid.
Alan, satisfied, smiled as well. He knew that, with the addition of Skynet AI, Red Queen's intelligence had far surpassed previous levels, possibly even exceeding Ultron in the future.
"If that's really the case…" Alan's eyes brightened with a new thought. "Maybe… I can actually…"
Before he could finish, Red Queen interrupted, "Master, Miss Gwen, the new suit has arrived."
"And our new home will be ready to move into tomorrow…"
...