Infinite Evolution: Daniel Park in Marvel

The cold morning air was sharp as it cut through the thin walls of the safe house, but Daniel hardly noticed. His thoughts were thick, his mind tangled in knots, pulling him in every direction. The events of the previous night, the violence, the escape—it all felt like it had happened to someone else, someone who wasn't him.

But the weight of the gun in his hand when he pulled the trigger, the cold detachment in his chest afterward—it *was* him. And that realization dug deep into his skin, gnawing at him like a phantom that wouldn't leave.

He leaned against the window, staring out at the quiet street beyond. The world outside seemed calm, almost normal. How could it be? After everything they had done, after everything they had stolen, the world should feel like it was teetering on the edge of chaos.

Hill was in the other room, going through the encrypted data they had risked everything for. He had asked her once what was in it, but she had just told him to wait until she knew more. She'd always been like that—no wasted words, no explanations unless they were necessary. It was part of why he trusted her, and part of why he felt like a stranger to her now.

The morning passed in a haze of quiet tension, the hum of the safe house's barely functioning appliances the only soundtrack to the silence that hung between them. Daniel knew Hill was busy, poring over the data, trying to make sense of what they had. But he couldn't focus. His mind kept drifting back to the soldier's face, the one he had killed, the one whose life he had taken without so much as a second thought.

"You're not him," he whispered to the reflection of his own face in the glass. "You're not him."

But the words felt hollow. He *was* him. He *had* become him. He couldn't deny it any longer.

Footsteps echoed behind him. He didn't need to turn around to know it was Hill. She wasn't the type to sneak up on anyone, but she had a way of moving so quietly, so decisively, that her presence always felt like a force rather than a sound.

"Get some rest," Hill said, her voice as steady as ever. "I'm almost through the data. We'll figure out our next move soon."

Daniel didn't respond. He couldn't. His throat felt tight, like it was full of something he couldn't quite swallow. She probably didn't even notice, or if she did, she didn't say anything. Hill never said anything. And sometimes, Daniel wondered if that was the point.

The silence that followed stretched on until it felt suffocating. They didn't need to talk, not really. Not now. But somehow, the quiet between them felt like a reminder of everything they weren't saying—everything Daniel didn't know how to say.

-———————————————————

Later That Day

The evening sun was sinking low when Hill finally spoke, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

"I've got something," she said, her eyes sharp as they met Daniel's. "The data—it's big. Bigger than we thought."

Daniel's stomach churned. He had known that, on some level, but hearing it out loud made it feel more real. What were they up against? What had they just unleashed on the world? "What's in it?" Daniel asked, trying to keep his voice steady, though he could feel his heart beginning to race.

Hill didn't respond immediately. She just stared at him for a long moment, as if weighing how much to reveal. Then, she handed him a small device, a portable screen that flickered to life when he touched it. The contents of the data spilled out in a blur of numbers, codes, and words that Daniel couldn't immediately process.

"It's a full catalog of Vanguard's operations," Hill said, her voice even but carrying a weight that Daniel could feel deep in his chest. "Black sites, secret weapons programs, covert military operations in dozens of countries. They've been building something—a new kind of weapon. Something... bigger than anything we've seen before."

Daniel stared at the screen, the words blurring together. Each line felt like it was dragging him deeper into the rabbit hole. There was so much, too much. He couldn't process it all. His eyes flicked up to Hill's, searching for some kind of reassurance, but all he saw was determination—hard, implacable. She was already calculating their next move, already thinking ahead. "We have to stop them,"

Daniel said quietly, more to himself than to her. Hill didn't hesitate. "We will. But we need to move fast. The Vanguard won't waste any time trying to hunt us down now that they know we have this. We're not safe here anymore."

Daniel nodded, feeling the weight of the moment settle on him. He had known the mission wouldn't be over just because they'd made it out alive. He knew the stakes. He *had* known. But standing here, in this quiet house, staring at the screen in his hand, it all felt so much bigger than he had anticipated.

The Vanguard had always seemed like a distant shadow, an enemy lurking in the background. But now, they were coming for him. For Hill. And for the data they held in their hands.

"We'll need a new plan," Daniel said, the words finally forming as he forced himself to focus. "We can't stay here."

Hill didn't answer right away, but the flicker in her eyes was enough. She knew the situation as well as he did. They didn't have time to waste. But for the first time, Daniel felt like the weight of what they were doing—the weight of what *he* had become—was pressing in on him. The violence, the survival, the lies—they were all starting to bleed into one another. He had thought he could control it. But now, he wasn't so sure.

-———————————————————

Later That Night

The safe house was quiet again, but this time, the silence felt different. They had already packed their things, already prepared to move again. They couldn't stay here. The Vanguard was too close. Daniel could feel it in his bones. He glanced over at Hill, who was preparing the next leg of their journey. She was always the one who took charge, who made the decisions, who knew what needed to be done. And yet, there was a distance between them now. He could feel it, even in the air.

"You're not a killer," Hill said, her voice soft, almost as if she were speaking to herself. Daniel blinked, surprised by the words. "What?" Hill didn't look up. "I know you. This… this isn't you. But it's who you are now. And you need to accept that."

Daniel felt the floor drop out beneath him. He opened his mouth to argue, but the words wouldn't come. Maybe she was right. Maybe he was something else now. Someone else. The door creaked open as Hill finished preparing their things. She shot him a quick glance, her face as unreadable as ever.

"Let's go," she said, her voice steady. "We don't have time." Daniel followed her out into the night, his mind still churning, still grappling with the truth. He had crossed a line. And there was no going back.