Marvel: Shadow Monarch

The next morning, he found a secluded area in Central Park where he could complete the daily quests without drawing attention.

The run took him through various neighborhoods, each with its character and rhythm.

From the financial district's glass towers to the residential areas where normal people lived normal lives, Manhattan was a study in contrasts that never failed to fascinate him.

The notifications appeared as he completed the final kilometer, bringing his daily quest to a close.

As he jogged down a busy street in Midtown, he picked up on a commotion ahead.

A man in a torn jacket was sprinting down the sidewalk, clutching a purse while shoving pedestrians out of his way. Behind him, an elderly woman was shouting for help, pointing after the fleeing thief.

Petty crime in broad daylight. Some things never change.

Without breaking his stride, Lucien positioned himself in the thief's path.

At the last second, he extended his leg slightly, sending the running man tumbling across the concrete in a spectacular sprawl. The purse went flying, landing safely on a nearby bench.

"What the hell—" the thief started, then stopped as a web line caught him around the torso, pinning his arms to his sides.

Spider-Man dropped from a nearby building with his characteristic grace, landing next to the webbed criminal with practiced ease. "Thanks for the assist, citizen. Always nice when—"

The web-slinger froze mid-sentence as he got a clear look at Lucien's face.

"You..." Spider-Man said, his voice carrying a mixture of recognition and uncertainty.

Lucien placed a finger to his lips with deliberate casualness. "Shhhh."

The simple gesture carried enough authority to stop whatever Spider-Man had been about to say.

Lucien pointed toward a nearby alley, then walked in that direction without looking back. After a moment's hesitation, Spider-Man followed, leaving the webbed thief for the approaching police officers.

The alley provided enough privacy for a conversation, though Lucien was aware that even here they could be observed. Spider-Man's body language suggested he was still processing recent events—uncertain but not hostile.

"Thanks for helping me out back there," Spider-Man said finally. "I mean, with Otto. I felt trapped in both my own body and his at the same time. It was..." He paused, struggling for words.

Lucien raised an eyebrow. "Both bodies?"

"It's complicated," Spider-Man replied quickly. "Leave it at that."

Lucien nodded, understanding that some experiences were difficult to explain and probably not his business anyway. The important thing was that Peter Parker was back in control of his own life.

"So Fury says you'll be working with us occasionally," Spider-Man continued, his tone becoming more conversational.

"As long as they pay money, yes," Lucien confirmed.

Spider-Man chuckled, and there was genuine amusement in the sound.

"You know, most people who get recruited by SHIELD either do it for patriotic duty or because Fury gives them the 'fate of the world' speech. But you? You just want to get paid. I respect the honesty."

"Duty doesn't pay much, does it?" Lucien replied with a slight smile.

"Tell me about it. You know how much it costs to keep a superhero costume in good repair?"

"And don't get me started on web fluid expenses. I should start charging criminals a convenience fee for stopping them."

The easy humor was vintage Spider-Man, and Lucien found himself relaxing slightly. Whatever psychological effects Otto's possession had caused, Peter's fundamental personality seemed intact.

"Alright, I should get going," Spider-Man said, preparing to web-swing away. "Gotta catch a few more criminals. Crime rate's increased since we're short on heroes, and apparently some people think that means it's open season for crime."

"Stay safe out there," Lucien said.

"You too. And hey—thanks again for everything."

Spider-Man launched himself into the air with practiced ease, swinging between buildings as he continued his patrol. Lucien watched him go, then resumed his own routine.

The rest of his workout passed without incident, though he noticed more police sirens than usual echoing through the city streets.

Spider-Man hadn't been exaggerating about the increased crime rate—with most major heroes off-world, criminals were definitely taking advantage of the reduced superhero presence.

After completing his exercise routine, Lucien made his way to one of Manhattan's premier electronics stores.

The selection was impressive even by his standards, featuring technology that pushed the boundaries of what was commercially available in his previous world.

He selected two laptops and two phones that were equally impressive—Samsung Galaxy S29 Pro Ultra Plus model.

He also stocked up on groceries, selecting ingredients for meals. Fresh vegetables and good quality meat, along with some spices.

The trip back to Meridian Towers involved juggling multiple shopping bags and two large electronics boxes.

Anna was sitting on their couch when he entered, staring out the window at Central Park with an expression he couldn't quite read. She turned when she heard him come in, but her smile seemed forced.

"Shopping spree?" she asked, noting the various bags and boxes.

"Thought we could use some proper equipment," Lucien replied, setting everything down on the kitchen counter. "Two laptops, two phones, and enough food to cook real meals."

"That's thoughtful," Anna said, though her tone suggested her mind was elsewhere.

Lucien studied her for a moment, noting the tension in her shoulders and the way she kept glancing toward the window.

Something was definitely bothering her, but he decided to give her space to bring it up when she was ready.

"I'm going to grab a shower," he said. "Then we can set up the devices and figure out what we want for breakfast."

Anna nodded absently, already turning back toward the window.

Minutes passed as he was finally done with the shower.

He was just finishing getting dressed when the doorbell rang.

Who could that be?

They'd only been in the apartment for a day, and aside from Galacta, they didn't know anyone in the building.

Anna's voice carried from the living room, sounding surprised. "I'll get it."

Lucien emerged from the bathroom, curious about their unexpected visitor.

Anna opened the door to find a woman with distinctive red hair and sharp green eyes. She wore casual clothes—jeans and a leather jacket—but carried herself with the unmistakable bearing of someone who could handle herself in any situation.

"Yes?" Anna asked, instinctively cautious.

"Is Lucien home?" the woman asked, her voice carrying a slight accent that was hard to place.

"Yes," Anna replied, then called over her shoulder. "Lucien, someone's here for you."

Lucien appeared in the doorway, taking in the visitor with immediate recognition. Scarlett Johansson's face was unmistakable, even in person.

"I'm Natasha," she said, extending her hand. "Fury sent me."

Black Widow. In his apartment. Asking to come in like she was delivering pizza.

"Come in," Lucien said, stepping aside.

Natasha moved through their apartment with professional awareness, noting exits and sight lines while maintaining a conversational demeanor. "Nice place. Feeling like home?"

"Yeah," Lucien replied, settling into one of the chairs across from where she'd chosen to sit. Anna remained standing near the window, her earlier mood now explained by whatever intuition had been bothering her. "Why did Fury send you?"

Natasha attempted what might have been a smile. "Can't a girl just drop by to say hello?"

The look Lucien gave her suggested he wasn't buying that for a second.

"Right. Straight to business, then." Natasha reached into her jacket and pulled out a manila folder.

"We found the other mutant facilities. Eight of them in total, all located in different parts of the country."

She slid the folder across the coffee table.

Lucien opened it, revealing photographs, floor plans, and intelligence reports that painted a picture far worse than what they'd experienced.

Eight facilities. Eight more prisons where kids like them were being held, experimented on, and treated like lab animals.

A wave of cold anger washed through him as he flipped through the documentation. His expression remained neutral, but Anna must have sensed something because her face visibly stiffened.

"SHIELD is ready to help with shutting them down," Natasha continued, watching his reaction carefully. "But there are inconsistencies in the intelligence we've gathered."

"What kind of inconsistencies?" Anna asked, speaking for the first time since Natasha had arrived.

"There's an organization behind all this. Something bigger than just illegal research." Natasha leaned forward slightly. "From the facility you escaped from, they were sending blood samples to one of these other locations."

That got his attention. "Our blood samples?"

"They're trying to create something. What that would be is something even our best analysts can't determine. But whatever it is, they think Mutant DNA holds a key piece of the puzzle."

What could they be trying to create? I thought they wanted to test the limits and study more about mutants.

"The Director says he's ready to help you shut down every one of these facilities," Natasha said. "Question is, are you in?"

Lucien looked at the files again, at the photographs of buildings that looked disturbingly similar to the place they'd escaped from. Kids were trapped in those facilities right now, going through what he and Anna had endured.

"I'm in," he said without hesitation. "But all the mutants that are captured get their freedom. Complete amnesty, new identities if they want them, support to rebuild their lives."

"Also...I don't want people like Spider-Man on this, I want someone who—"

He looked at Anna for a second, then continued,"... does not have any problem with killing."

Natasha stared at him for a second with no emotion on his face.

"That's no problem at all, I will take care of that," Natasha replied, pulling out her phone. "Let me get your number so we can coordinate."

They exchanged contact information. Anna remained silent throughout the process, her expression unreadable as she watched the conversation unfold.

"I'll be in touch soon," Natasha said, standing to leave. "And Lucien? Thank you. What you went through, what you both went through and survived—it's going to help us save a lot of people."

She let herself out with the same quiet confidence she'd arrived with, leaving Lucien and Anna alone with the weight of what they'd just learned.

As the door closed behind her, Anna turned away from the window and looked directly at him.

"Lucien," she said quietly, "can we talk?"

.....

POWER STONE GOAL: 700 ( 1 Extra Chapter)

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