Marvel: Silver Hand

Alexander Athos walked through the streets of New York, his footsteps steady as he adjusted to the constant noise of the city. Horns blared, conversations blended into an endless hum, and the faint smell of exhaust hung in the air. He needed a place to stay—somewhere low-key, where no one would ask questions.

"Excuse me," Alexander said, stopping a middle-aged man sitting on a bench. The man wore a worn coat and had a cigarette dangling from his lips. "Do you know any cheap places to rent? Preferably somewhere people won't bother me."

The man squinted at him through the haze of smoke. "You want quiet? Try Hell's Kitchen. There's a rundown apartment building there. Full of junkies and dealers. Most people steer clear."

Alexander gave a nod. "Thanks."

He walked away, Celebrimbor's voice murmuring in his mind.

"A place of shadows. Perhaps fitting for us."

"It'll give us privacy," Alexander replied. "And privacy is what we need."

It took nearly an hour to reach the building. The structure was squat and stained, its brick facade cracked and weathered by time. Cigarette butts littered the front steps, and graffiti scarred the walls. The entrance door groaned when he pushed it open, revealing a dimly lit lobby.

At the front desk sat a young woman, probably in her early twenties. She had dark hair pulled back into a loose bun and wore an oversized hoodie. She looked up as Alexander approached, surprise flickering across her face.

"You sure you wanna stay here?" she asked. "This place isn't exactly luxury living."

"I don't need luxury," Alexander said. "I need privacy."

The woman leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Privacy, huh? Top floor's available. It's a mess, though. Water leaks, peeling paint. Two-fifty a month, cash only."

"Perfect." Alexander pulled out the card Emma had given him. "I'll pay three months upfront."

The woman blinked. "Damn. Big spender." She took the card and processed the payment before handing him a key. "Name's Charlotte, by the way."

"Alexander," he said.

She stood and gestured for him to follow her to the elevator. The doors shuddered as they opened, revealing cracked walls and flickering lights. The ride to the tenth floor was punctuated by metallic groans.

Charlotte unlocked the door to his room and pushed it open. The apartment was as bad as advertised. The wallpaper peeled like dead skin, the ceiling sagged with water damage, and the mattress looked like it hadn't been replaced in decades.

Alexander stepped inside. "It'll do."

Charlotte gave him a curious look. "You're not scared of the junkies or the gangs?"

"I can handle myself."

"You could make this place livable," Celebrimbor suggested. "The walls are weak, the ceiling is compromised."

Alexander nodded to himself. "Do you mind if I fix the leaks and repaint?" he asked Charlotte.

"God, please do." She laughed. "I can't afford repairs, so if you want to waste your time, go ahead."

Alexander smirked. "I don't think it'll take long."

Charlotte left, and Alexander dropped his duffel bag on the bed. With a flick of his wrist, molten fire coiled from his palm. The flames moved with precision, hardening into thin tendrils that filled cracks and sealed the leaks. In minutes, the ceiling was smooth, and the walls held a fresh coat of white.

"This world is remarkable," Celebrimbor mused. "The ease with which mortals accept the strange is… interesting."

"They're used to superpowered people running around." Alexander sat on the bed and rubbed his temples. "Let's go for a walk. We need to get a sense of the city before we start looking for Thor."

He left the building and nodded at Charlotte, who sat scrolling through her phone at the front desk. Outside, the city bustled without pause. Alexander headed toward Midtown, where Stark Tower rose like a beacon.

As he walked, sharp screams pierced the din of traffic. His head snapped toward the sound—an alleyway across the street. Without thinking, he sprinted toward it, weaving through traffic with supernatural ease.

In the alley, two men had pinned a woman against the wall. One clamped a hand over her mouth while the other rummaged through her bag. The woman's eyes were wide with terror.

Alexander didn't hesitate. Fire surged through his veins as he grabbed the closest attacker and hurled him across the alley. The man hit the brick wall with a sickening crunch. The second thug turned, pulling a knife.

"Don't," Alexander warned.

The man lunged. Alexander sidestepped and caught his wrist. Fire roared from his palm, searing a silver handprint into the man's skin. The thug screamed as the mark glowed white-hot, the smell of burning flesh filling the air. Alexander clenched his fist, and power surged through the mark. The man's eyes glazed over as his mind fractured, his consciousness regressing to that of a helpless child.

The woman collapsed to her knees, sobbing. Alexander crouched beside her. "You're safe now," he said softly. "Go to the street and call the police."

She nodded, scrambling to her feet and running. Alexander vanished into the shadows before the authorities arrived.

"You've left a mark," Celebrimbor said as they made their way back to the apartment.

"It'll scare others like them." Alexander flexed his fingers. The imprint of the silver hand was gone from his palm, but he could still feel the energy lingering. "No one like them should walk this city freely."

When he returned to the building, Charlotte was watching the news on a small TV. A reporter was already covering the alleyway incident. The camera zoomed in on the unconscious thug's hand, where the burnt imprint of a silver hand was clearly visible.

"The media's calling him the 'Silver Hand,'" Charlotte said, shaking her head. "Great. Another wannabe hero."

"You don't like heroes?" Alexander asked.

She shrugged. "They fight aliens and save rich people. They don't help people like me."

Alexander leaned against the desk. "Spider-Man seems like he helps people."

"Yeah." Charlotte cracked a small smile. "He's the only one I like. The rest? Useless."

Alexander chuckled softly and turned his gaze to the screen. The silver hand glowed on the man's skin like a promise.

"We've made our presence known," Celebrimbor said.

"Good," Alexander murmured. "Let them know we're watching."

He left Charlotte at the desk and stepped outside again, his eyes lifting toward Stark Tower.

"Let's find Thor"