[Unknown POV]
—A while ago after Danny Rand escaped from the hospital—
Harold Meachum sat in his penthouse, staring at the flickering surveillance footage with a growing sense of dread. Every angle, every camera, every precaution—useless. Danny Rand had escaped from the hospital, and the culprit behind it remained a mystery. For someone like Harold, who thrived on control and precision, this was unacceptable.
His fingers drummed on the table, his irritation building until he finally exploded. With a roar, he grabbed the nearest glass and hurled it at the wall. The shattering sound echoed through the room, shards scattering across the floor, but it did little to calm him.
"Kyle!" Harold barked, his voice echoing through the penthouse.
Kyle timidly appeared in the doorway, tablet clutched nervously to his chest. "Y-yes, Mr. Meachum?"
"Find out who did this!" Harold growled, his eyes blazing with barely contained rage. "I don't care how you do it. Pull strings, bribe someone, I don't care. Just give me a name. Whoever dared to interfere will regret it."
Kyle nodded quickly, stumbling over his words as he hurried to leave. Harold exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His mind raced with plans, calculations, and contingencies.
"Whoever did this... they knew what they were doing," he muttered under his breath. Danny Rand wasn't just an asset; he was Harold's potential key to freedom—a way to escape the suffocating chains of the Hand. But now, the boy had vanished, spirited away by someone bold enough to slip past both his surveillance and the Hand's.
The air in the room grew colder. Harold stopped pacing, a familiar sense of unease creeping over him. The faint sound of footsteps reached his ears, and he turned slowly toward the entrance.
"Harold," came the soft, measured voice of Madam Gao.
Harold swallowed hard, forcing a smile onto his face. "Madam Gao," he said, his voice carefully neutral.
She stepped into the room, her small frame radiating an authority that demanded respect. Behind her, a group of silent Hand ninjas filed in, their presence as menacing as ever.
"Trouble, I see," Gao said, her eyes sweeping the room, noting the broken glass and Harold's dishevelled appearance.
Harold straightened, his frustration momentarily eclipsed by the need to maintain composure."Nothing I can't handle," he said smoothly.
"Danny Rand managed to escape, but I'll fix it. This is a minor setback."
"A minor setback?" Gao repeated, her tone deceptively light. "You allowed him to escape. Worse, you acted without consulting me or the Hand. You were told to observe, not interfere."
Harold's jaw tightened. "With all due respect, Madam Gao, Danny Rand is too important to ignore. If I'd waited, we might have lost the opportunity entirely."
"And now we have lost him anyway," Gao said, stepping closer. "Because of your arrogance."
Harold's fists clenched at his sides, his pride stinging. "I did what I thought was best. I was trying to secure him for us—for the Hand."
"You presume too much," Gao said, her voice as cold as ice. "You forget your place, Harold. The Hand gave you life, purpose, and power. Everything you are, everything you have—it belongs to us. Yet you continue to disobey."
Her words struck like a whip, and Harold's carefully maintained composure began to crack. "I never asked for this!" he snapped, his voice rising. "I didn't want to be brought back, to be... this!"
Gao tilted her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. "And yet, when faced with death, you begged for salvation. You swore loyalty. Have you forgotten?"
Harold's hands trembled, his anger barely contained. Deep down, he hated her, hated the Hand, hated the chains that bound him to their will. But he also knew the cost of defiance.
"You may hate us, Harold," Gao said, reading the emotions flickering across his face. "But hate is a powerful motivator. Use it wisely."
She raised her hand, signalling one of her ninjas. The man stepped forward, drawing a blade and gesturing toward the shattered glass on the floor. Harold's eyes widened as he realized what was coming.
"Kneel," Gao commanded.
Harold hesitated the last shreds of his pride warring with the crushing weight of his situation. Finally, he sank to his knees, the broken glass biting into his skin. A sharp, searing pain shot through him as blood began to seep through his trousers, pooling on the floor.
"You need to be reminded of your place," Gao said, her voice calm but laced with menace. "Your impulsiveness jeopardizes our plans. If you cannot control yourself, I will find someone who can."
Harold gasped, his breathing uneven as the glass cut deeper into his knees. His pride screamed at him to rise, to fight back, but he knew it was futile.
The ninja withdrew his blade, and Harold slumped forward, his head hanging low. Gao took a step closer, her eyes narrowing as she observed him.
"This is not just about your failure, Harold," she continued. "Someone else was involved—someone skilled enough to bypass our surveillance, someone who freed Danny Rand under our very noses. Whoever they are, they pose a threat. And threats must be eliminated."
Her voice softened, almost thoughtful. "But also... I am intrigued. Few dare to challenge the Hand, let alone succeed. Find them, Harold. Discover who they are and bring them to me. Alive."
Harold glanced up at her, his defiance momentarily subdued by curiosity. "You think they're worth studying?"
"Perhaps," Gao said, her gaze distant. "Or perhaps they are simply another pawn to be crushed. Either way, I will know."
She turned to leave, her ninjas falling into formation behind her. At the doorway, she paused and glanced back at Harold.
"Danny Rand is important," she said. "But so is discipline. Do not make me question your value again, Harold. The Hand does not tolerate liabilities."
The door closed behind her, leaving Harold alone in the oppressive silence of the penthouse. He slumped onto the shards of glass, his body shaking with a mix of anger, pain, and helplessness.
As blood dripped onto the floor, he stared at the monitors, his thoughts churning. Gao's words rang in his ears, her icy tone a constant reminder of his servitude. He hated them—Gao, the Hand, all of it. But he also knew he couldn't escape. Not yet.
One day, he promised himself. One day, he would be free of their control. Until then, he would play his part, biding his time and waiting for the moment when he could finally break the chains that bound him.
..
..
—The Morning After—
[Peter's POV]
The sun streamed through the curtains, far too bright for my liking. I groaned, dragging a hand over my face as yesterday's chaos replayed in my head. Becoming the Eternal Spider, breaking Danny out of that hospital, and working with Dr. Connors was enough to leave my mind in overdrive.
But there was more. I wasn't just mentally exhausted; my body was reacting to the changes in ways I hadn't expected. The new fusion of genes, the heightened senses, and my enhanced strength—everything that made me superhuman—also came with consequences.
As I woke up, I felt that frustration again, looking down at the hard cock underneath my loose shorts. My body felt rigid, tense, almost painfully so. Sexual frustration. It was an itch I couldn't scratch, a constant undercurrent to everything now. The more powerful I became, the more it nagged at me, something primal simmering beneath the surface. It wasn't just physical strength that had grown. It was desire, too.
"Hah… calm down, little guy!" I patted my tensed little brother, who seemed like he was begging to be released. "Don't worry—you'll have your playground soon," I smirked, thinking about who was going to be my first prey.
"Anyways, let's see what Danny is doing." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, activating my [Infinite Eyes], as yesterday I had already left ants in Chikara Dojo and commanded them to stay near Danny and Colleen as much as they could.
Through the blurry and static-filled images, I could make out the sparring between Danny and Colleen. My heart tightened when I saw Danny use some mystical move, pinning Colleen against a wooden pillar. It wasn't just a martial arts move—it was... too close. Too personal.
A flash of jealousy sparked through me before I could suppress it. I broke the glass of water I was about to drink, and the broken pieces stabbed into my palm as blood seeped out.
"Ugh…" The pain brought me back to reality, but Axotal's regeneration kicked in, mending the wound and healing my palm without leaving any scars.
"Focus, Peter," I muttered, calming down the churning jealousy that I thought I wouldn't feel but did. It reminded me, deep down, that I'm just a normal human being.
"No matter what… I ain't letting anyone steal what's mine." I got up and entered the bathroom, turning on the cold shower.