Fisk leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he studied the image of Ethan — the man who had dominated headlines across every major news outlet more than once.
Ethan Carter— the one who brought down not one, but two green monsters with no casualties.
Fisk closed the file slowly and looked up. "If you think I'm going to take out a superhero who stopped two rage monsters like they were toys... then I'm afraid you've severely overestimated my ego, Norman."
He leaned back in his chair, swirling the wine in his glass. "My n aren't built for that kind of suicide mission. Even I have limits, and poking that hornet's nest isn't worth it."
Norman leaned forward slightly, a glint of frustration in his eyes. "I'm not asking you to take him out. I'm not that delusional."
He turned the file back to himself, flipping to another page. This one had a label on top: IMMUNE Protocol.
He pressed a finger against the word. "This," Norman said firmly. "I want this."
Fisk's eyes flicked to the docunt. He tilted his head. "The serum?"
Norman didn't answer imdiately.
Fisk narrowed his eyes. "Why do you want that, Norman?"
"That's not your concern," Norman said coolly. "I just want that formula — by any ans necessary."
Fisk studied him for a mont before chuckling. "You tried to replicate it and failed, didn't you?"
Norman said nothing, but the subtle twitch of irritation on his face said it all.
Fisk chuckled, the sound deep and slow. "I see. You want to use that formula as a base for your own little projects. Not a bad idea, but the risk... well, the risk is colossal."
Stealing a high-level biotech serum wasn't sothing Fisk would normally consider. Not because he feared the consequences—Fisk feared very little—but because he understood the weight of such an action.
There was one ti when Fisk had tried to steal from Aeon Biotech, acting on a request from soone else. His n had gone in to grab a supposedly "simple fertilizer." They never returned the sa.
When they were found days later, they couldn't even walk or talk — reduced to a state worse than infants. They had no mory, no control, and no comprehension. It was like their minds had been wiped clean.
Since then, Fisk had avoided all involvent with Ethan Carter or Aeon Biotech.
It wasn't just about stealing from a powerful company. It was about stealing from Ethan Carter. And that na alone now carried weight, maybe even more than Fisk was comfortable admitting. No, this wasn't a job for blunt force or street thugs—it required precision, leverage, and an exit strategy most people didn't even know how to imagine.
Fisk had resources. He had power. But going after Ethan's creation? That required more than muscle and money. It required a damn good reason.
It was not out of fear of Ethan alone, but fear of whoever — or whatever — had done that to his n.
At first, Fisk suspected the mutant girl. But even telepaths he hired couldn't penetrate the minds of the affected. Either she was extrely powerful, or soone else — even more dangerous — was protecting Ethan and Aeon Biotech from the shadows.
Now, watching Ethan's rising influence and sheer power, Fisk was certain: the man held far more abilities than he let on. And with two powerful mutant won and even the X-n behind him, it just wasn't worth the risk. So, Fisk let it go.
Fisk stood up before pacing slowly behind his desk as if walking through mories.
Fisk currently had three nas that occupied the back of his mind—three individuals he knew he needed to be cautious of.
The first was Ethan Carter, the man who made headlines as if it were a daily routine. Power, influence, and unpredictability—Ethan had all three in spades, and that made him dangerous.
Second, the red-dressed rat—soone new, soone bold—who had recently started interfering in Fisk's operations. Small hits at first, but they were getting bolder, smarter. It was only a matter of ti before it escalated.
And finally... the ghost from his past. Soone—or so organization had stolen a large sum of money from him nearly a decade ago. Not just stolen—vanished with it. No na. No face. No motive. Just gone. They didn't taunt him. They didn't make demands. And perhaps most unsettling of all—they suddenly stopped.
Fisk had thrown every resource he had into uncovering the culprit. He tore through his own organization, interrogated allies and enemies alike, spent a fortune on cyber experts and intelligence networks, rcenaries, even mystics—but nothing. Not a single clue.
At first, he was livid—furious beyond words. But as ti dragged on and every lead turned cold, that anger began to curdle into sothing else.
Dread.
He never said it aloud, but in his gut, he knew—whoever had done it wasn't ordinary. He had the distinct feeling that digging too deep might bring consequences even he wasn't ready for. Eventually, with no trail to follow and instincts warning him to back off, he let it go.
But he never forgot.
And deep down, he knew... that loose end wasn't finished with him yet.
Norman didn't respond imdiately.
Then Fisk then turned to face Norman who folded his arms. "I didn't say we go in blind. I'll provide the tech. The tools and the funding. I just need you to help get the formula."
Fisk raised an eyebrow. "You sound desperate."
Norman t his gaze. "Are you in or not?"
The Kingpin studied him for a long mont.
A bitter thought crossed his mind—Was he... chickening out? Was fear really dictating his next move?
It wasn't like he had to confront Ethan Carter directly. No, this wasn't a head-on war. It was just about acquiring a formula—stealing it from a company. Granted, it wasn't just any company... but still.
If fear was enough to stop him from doing business, from evolving, from staying ahead—then maybe he didn't deserve the empire he'd built.
He couldn't afford to be ruled by caution. Not now. Not when others were making moves in his city.
No more hesitation.
Just like he had plans for that red-dressed rat crawling around Hell's Kitchen, it was ti to deal with Ethan Carter... strategically, quietly, and without rcy.
Then he sighed before sitting back. "We'll need more people. Not quantity but quality. We need... Professionals."
Norman smirked. "I have so in mind."
Fisk's fingers drumd against the table. "Then let's talk more."
The two powerful n leaned in, the night deepening as shadows thickened across the room.
--------------
The next day, Ethan made his way to the Baxter Building, accompanied by Didi.
With Diana now overseeing the company and Jean and Anna busy with their wedding preparations, Ethan couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. Their wedding is still a month away... just how long do they think they need to shop? Thankfully, they hadn't invited him to join them.
For reasons even he couldn't fully explain, Ethan had never been able to adapt to the dangerous and unpredictable thing known as shopping.
So, he decided to spend the day catching up with friends. Maybe he'd even drop in on Victor. He had only seen Victor once since he beca the Ruler of Latveria years ago, and they hadn't had much contact lately. It felt like a good ti to change that.
Didi, arms looped through Ethan's, looked around the Baxter Building with wide-eyed curiosity. As they stepped inside, they were greeted by an older man wearing dark glasses. Sothing about him sparked a mory in Ethan. He gave the man a polite nod, but his brows furrowed slightly as they followed him to the lift.
Just as the doors slid shut, realization struck Ethan. His eyes widened in surprise.
'No way... that guy looked just like Stan Lee.'
He couldn't believe he hadn't recognized him sooner—especially with his photographic mory. Before he could get lost in thought, Didi noticed his expression.
"What's wrong?" she asked, tilting her head.
Ethan shook his head slightly, a playful grin forming on his lips. "Nothing. Just thinking about how I ended up dating... well, literally Death."
Didi rolled her eyes before brushing her long hair behind one ear. "You say that like it wasn't your choice."
He smirked, clearly enjoying himself as he leaned in a little closer, his voice low and teasing. "Co on. Admit it—you find charming."
She gave him a mock glare. "Rember your punishnt, Carter. No touching your girlfriends until the wedding."
With a mischievous grin, she took a small step back, creating a bit of distance.
"That's just cruel," Ethan groaned. "You girls get to touch all you want, but I'm not allowed to touch you back. This is psychological warfare."
Didi simply smiled, unfazed. "Nah. You'll adapt. That's your whole thing, right?"
Ethan let out a dramatic groan just as the elevator doors opened—and standing there was Johnny Storm.
With his usual blazing grin, Johnny spread his arms wide. "Ethan Carter! You absolute wild man!" He pulled him into a friendly hug.
He pulled back few seconds later, "Damn, man! Look at you. You took out Sinister and didn't invite . You should've called ! Even if the Fantastic Four is busy, I would've shown up. I can't forget the Harlem incident. I wanted to be there to roast those two green giants myself."
Ethan chuckled. "It got handled... mostly. But hey, next ti, I'll save you a spot."
Johnny's eyes then landed on Didi. He gave a charming smile and extended his hand. "Johnny Storm. F4 Inc."
Didi shook it with equal charm. "Didi. Just a woman trying to live a normal human life. And also—girlfriend of Ethan Carter."
Johnny blinked. His smile faltered as he turned to Ethan with wide eyes. "Dude... another one? That makes, what... three now?"
Ethan sighed. "Four. And I'm marrying two of them next month."
He walked forward casually, Didi following, leaving Johnny frozen in place with his mouth wide open.
"What the actual—" Johnny muttered a string of expletives before scrambling to catch up.
They entered a grand hall where Susan Storm stood, holding a Tempad in one hand and frowning at a news report on the screen.
Tony Stark had just been ambushed by a mysterious attacker—soone wielding twin electric whips powered by an Arc Reactor embedded in his chest. The news anchor was in full speculation mode.
"Tony Stark once claid it would take decades to replicate his technology. But now, an unknown figure has not only matched it, but surpassed it. Who is this man? And what is his connection to Stark?"
Susan paused the video as she spotted the group and smiled warmly. "Welco."
Everyone exchanged greetings, and Johnny wasted no ti blurting out, "Did you know Ethan has another girlfriend? And he's marrying two next month!"
Susan smiled knowingly. "I know. And please, don't compare yourself to him. It won't end well."
Susan had t Didi before but still didn't fully understand what drew Ethan to her. He already had Anna and Jean—two strong, amazing won in his life.
Now Diana and Didi? And sohow, all of them were okay with each other. She couldn't help but wonder how he managed it. anwhile, she struggled to maintain even a single relationship.
She shook off the thought as Ben Grimm lumbered out from the kitchen, holding a comically large tal cup filled with juice.
Spotting Ethan, Ben's face lit up. "Hey, look who it is!"
He made his way over, careful not to shake the entire room with his heavy steps.
Ethan laughed as Ben approached and shook his hand. "Good to see you again, Ben. Still working on your protein intake?"
Ben held up the cup like a trophy. "You bet. So of us gotta maintain the boulder bod, you know."
They'd all been briefed about Ethan's visit, so everyone was prepared.
Everyone... except for one.
Soon, mbers of the Fantastic Four settled into the plush seats. The room was modern and sleek, bathed in warm ambient lighting that subtly shifted hues, hinting at the advanced tech embedded in every wall and corner.
Ethan leaned back comfortably on the couch, Didi seated beside him, her gaze wandering as she soaked in the atmosphere of the most famous scientific hub in New York.
Once everyone had taken their places—Johnny lounging with casual flair, Ben stoic but welcoming—Ethan broke the silence with a glance around.
"Where's Reed?" he asked while looking around.
Susan let out a soft sigh, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "He's in the lab upstairs," she said. "He says he's been onto sothing lately."
Ben, who had been resting his massive arms over the back of the couch, now straightened and turned serious. "It ain't just 'sothing,' Sue," he said in that gravelly tone of his. "So strange energy signatures have been appearing from space. Not local. Reed's trying to pinpoint where they're comin' from... and at the sa ti, he's been ssing with interdinsional portals."
He paused, glancing at Sue with concern. "He's been... gettin' more obsessed with it. Barely eats. Barely sleeps."
Susan didn't respond imdiately. Her expression tightened, eyes flickering with a shadow of worry before she forced a composed smile.
Ethan's brow furrowed slightly. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Did you hear about what happened to Stark?" he asked trying to shift the conversation.
Susan nodded slowly. "Yeah. I saw the footage."
"I don't like it," she added, her voice soft but firm. "It feels like soone's pulling strings behind the scenes."
Even though Ethan understood what was going on with Stark, he was still debating how to approach him. He couldn't just walk in and say, "The solution to your problem is in your father's old videos—specifically the 'Key to the Future' model." That would raise more questions than answers.
He wanted to get involved with Tony—not just for strategy, but because deep down, Stark had always been his favorite hero. Even before the transmigration, and still now, that admiration hadn't changed.
Ethan then gave a brief glance toward Didi, who tilted her head, catching the hint but staying quiet.
"I wanted today to be different," He smiled. "Just wanted to enjoy a normal day with my famous F4 friends. If you guys still have ti for ."
Ben cracked a smile, one corner of his rocky mouth lifting. "You ain't gotta worry about that. We always got ti."
Johnny, finally composed after snacking on whatever was nearby, raised a hand. "Just let us know if you need backup for your future adventures," he said with a grin. "Even if I still can't wrap my head around your... poly-love situation."
Ethan chuckled, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smirk. "You'll live. Besides, you should focus on your own love life. Heard your last date ended in flas. Literally."
Johnny groaned, throwing his head back as the others burst out laughing. Even Susan chuckled, and Ben slapped Johnny on the back with a solid thump.
"That's not even funny," Johnny grumbled, though a smile tugged at his lips. "It was just one ti..."
"Third ti this month," Ben muttered with mock seriousness.
Johnny groaned dramatically. "One ti. Just one ti, I lose control in a hot tub and suddenly I'm a cautionary tale."
Ben chuckled. "You an a flamin' joke."
Johnny turned to Ben with a smirk, eyes gleaming mischievously.
"And what about you, rock-for-brains? The only date you've had this year was with a vending machine. And even that rejected you."
Ben's eyes widened, and Susan stifled a laugh as she nearly choked on her drink. Didi gasped in amusent, hiding her mouth behind her hand.
"Hey!" Ben started.
"Nope. Don't even," Johnny raised a finger. "You kicked the poor machine and it still didn't give you the chips. That's cold, man. That's heartbreak."
Ethan burst out laughing, nearly doubling over.
"You win this round," Ben muttered with a grumble, though the corners of his mouth twitched upward in a reluctant smile.
Johnny leaned back, arms behind his head, proud of his verbal victory. "Still got it."
Trying to steer the conversation back, Johnny stood up and stretched dramatically. "I'll go drag Reed out of the lab before he builds another transdinsional microwave by accident."
As he walked toward the elevator, Ethan leaned back with a quiet chuckle, eyes drifting upward—towards the lab, and towards the mysterious signatures Reed was tracking.
Sothing was coming. Sothing big.
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