[If we reach 2000PS by the end of next week I will keep a 2 chapter per day schedule for a few weeks!]
It didn't take long after Eren's call for police cars to roar through the streets, surrounding the motel where he had woken up.
After a brief but intense firefight, the authorities carried out two bodies and successfully rescued Gwen Stacy, who was quickly sent to the hospital.
Gwen was safe, but Eren, observing from a hidden spot, felt a chill settle in his heart.
Two bodies.
The police only carried out two bodies. Yet, he clearly remembered hearing three distinct voices outside the room.
If there were three people and only two were accounted for, it meant one had escaped the police's dragnet.
Eren didn't know who the escapee was, but he knew this spelled trouble for him.
Regardless of whether the group had entered the room before the police arrived, the fact that Gwen was rescued alone would lead them to deduce that Eren had escaped before the authorities stormed the building.
Considering the precision of the police raid, it wouldn't take much for those criminals to connect the dots and pin the blame on him.
When that happened, Eren's safety would be in grave jeopardy.
Two options lay before him.
The first was to seek refuge with the NYPD, claiming protection as a victim.
After all, it was his call that had led to Gwen's rescue. Eren was confident that her father, George Stacy, wouldn't hesitate to help him out of gratitude.
But was it truly safe?
Eren couldn't ignore what he'd overheard during the criminals' conversation. Gwen's kidnapping stemmed from someone within George Stacy's circle of enemies. If George couldn't even protect his own daughter, could he protect Eren?
Moreover, the precision with which the group had tracked Gwen's movements suggested that someone within the NYPD might be involved.
If that were true, walking into the police station could be like stepping into a trap.
"No," Eren muttered, shaking his head. "I can't leave my safety in someone else's hands."
Newly arrived in this world, Eren's instincts were on high alert, his sense of security almost nonexistent. Trusting others with his life wasn't an option he was willing to consider.
That left only one alternative: solve the problem himself.
But first, he needed to return home.
Unlocking the door to the old three-story brick building his mother had left him, Eren stepped inside, only to see Pepper Potts sitting on the living room sofa, wrapped in a blanket and frowning in concern.
Hearing the door open, Pepper turned, her gaze landing on Eren.
Her tense expression softened, though only slightly, as she set the blanket aside and stood up. "Staying out all night isn't a good habit. Care to tell me where you were, Eren?"
Eren froze for a moment, surprised to see her waiting. It seemed she'd stayed up all night.
A quick flash of fragmented memories reminded him who Pepper Potts was.
Pepper Potts.
The personal assistant of Tony Stark, chairman of Stark Industries.
She had been a business partner at his mother's company and her closest friend. After Eren's mother, Carrie, had passed away in a car accident, Pepper had taken care of everything—from the funeral arrangements to the handling of Carrie's estate.
Without Pepper, the vultures circling the inheritance would have stripped Eren of everything. Even the fact that he still owned this building was a rare stroke of mercy.
Pepper had also played a major role in helping Eren get into Midtown High, one of New York's top schools.
Recalling these details, Eren's eyes lit up. Perhaps there was another way forward.
He didn't hold anything back. Eren recounted everything that had happened in detail.
"What?!"
Pepper's face turned pale as she listened.
She had assumed Eren had spent the night at a bar with friends or out with a girl. If that had been the case, she would have merely given him a stern reminder to stay safe. After all, she'd been young once, too.
But Eren's story was far more alarming—kidnapping, gangsters, police raids, and death. This was no teenage escapade.
Recognizing the potential danger, Pepper grabbed Eren's shoulders and said seriously, "Leave this to me. For now, you shouldn't stay here. Come to my place for a few days."
Eren shook his head. "Thank you, Aunt Pepper, but I can't do that."
Pepper lived in a predominantly white middle-class neighborhood. While the area's security was better than Chinatown's, it wasn't impenetrable. Staying there wouldn't guarantee safety and might even put Pepper in danger.
Mistaking his hesitation for stubbornness, Pepper tightened her grip and explained, "Eren, if what you're saying is true, those people have already marked you. Staying here alone isn't safe. Trust me—just a few days at my place, like when you were younger. Once it's over, I'll bring you back."
Before she could continue, Eren interrupted, "I understand, Aunt Pepper. I don't want to put you in harm's way. I'll find a place to hide for a few days. Chinatown is big, and outsiders don't have an easy time navigating it. Don't worry, I'll be careful."
He smiled warmly. "Though I would appreciate it if you could call the school for me and explain my absence."
(End of Chapter)
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