[Third person POV]
Peter reopened the portal leading back to their base, the edges glowing faintly as the team solemnly shuffled inside. No one spoke. Their heads were hung low, their steps slow and heavy. As the last person stepped through, the portal quietly sealed shut behind them.
Without ceremony, the team collapsed into their respective seats around the meeting table. Each of them released a tired sigh, the air thick with unease. Peter rubbed his eyes and leaned forward, breaking the silence.
"Alright, Aria," he said, his voice low but firm, "show us what you've got… What did you learn?"
A faint hum filled the air as Aria hovered upward and floated toward the center of the room. She raised her hand and summoned a vivid, three-dimensional holographic map of the eastern United States, the image expanding until it hovered above the metallic table like a glowing blueprint.
"Well, for starters," she began, her tone serious and focused, "I received an alert about a strange development involving Bruce. He left New York… with Betty."
The others exchanged glances, brows furrowed in confusion.
"That alone wouldn't be alarming," Aria continued, her hand flicking to zoom in on the map. "But considering Bruce would have informed us before leaving the city—especially if Betty is involved—it struck me as... off. Their relationship is complicated, as we all know, and discretion is usually a priority."
Two bright dots pulsed on the map, rapidly crossing multiple towns in quick succession, their movement tracing a line far beyond New York's borders.
"As I zoomed in on their trail, I discovered something peculiar," Aria said. With a flick of her wrist, she opened several floating tabs showing high-definition CCTV footage, each video recorded from angles placed around the city—courtesy of Peter's custom surveillance system, the same one he had Bruce help design to discreetly monitor urban activity.
On screen, the footage showed Betty's car driving calmly down a highway before a shimmering ripple in the air revealed a hidden hovercraft. It deactivated its cloaking mechanism, a hatch opening directly in front of the moving vehicle. The car drove in without hesitation, the hatch sealed behind it, and the craft launched into the sky at incredible speed.
"I only caught this because my sensors flagged abnormal aerial movements above the city," Aria explained, her voice clipped. "I backtracked its flight trajectory and calculated its path. Based on all data… it's heading toward North Carolina."
Gwen leaned forward, resting her chin thoughtfully on her knuckles. "That makes sense," she muttered. "There are several off-grid military installations in that region. Remote, well-guarded, and easy to hide a captive... or conduct experiments."
MJ frowned, her confusion evident. "But why would Betty take Bruce to a military facility? That doesn't add up. She hates her father. And she loves Bruce. I can't see her kidnapping him willingly."
Aria's face darkened, her expression troubled. "That's because… I don't think she's in control."
The room went quiet.
"I did a deep dive through the spider-bot network," Aria continued. "After recalibrating their systems manually, I discovered something disturbing. Their data logs had been tampered with. For weeks now, they've been feeding us false information. Someone—something—has compromised them."
Her holographic form flickered with intensity as she pulled up additional footage. "And when I finally managed to reboot their core programming… this is what I found."
The display shifted to eerie footage from within the supposed base. Dozens of uniformed military personnel shuffled aimlessly through the halls, their movements sluggish and robotic. Some bumped into one another with no reaction, while others stood completely still, their eyes glazed and lifeless, their faces slack with blank expressions.
"What the hell…?" Lizzy whispered, leaning closer.
"They look brain-dead…" Gwen murmured, eyes narrowing.
"Are they being… mind-controlled?" Harry asked, voice edged with unease.
Aria nodded solemnly. "It appears—"
Suddenly, all the spider-bot feeds dissolved into white static. The lights dimmed for a moment as everyone froze in place, a creeping chill falling over the room.
The static hissed, loud and chaotic, before slowly giving way to a clearer image.
Without hesitation, everyone activated their suits, which spread across their bodies in a flash of light and energy. Faces were masked, identities hidden.
Then, a figure began to take shape on the screen—a green figure, surrounded in shadows, holding a dismantled spider-bot in his hand.
"Hm… So Kraven has failed," the figure said casually, his voice calm yet menacing, laced with arrogance. "Expected, but not disappointing. His success or failure was never a critical variable in my equation."
He lifted the spider-bot closer to the screen, its lens cracked and flickering.
"Now, you're all wondering who I am," the figure said, his gaze piercing even through the screen, "what my connection to Kraven is, what I've done to your dear friend Betty… and what I want with Dr. Bruce Banner."
He tilted his head slightly, as though amused by their silence.
"That was rhetorical, of course. I already know you're wondering. The human mind is a delightful labyrinth of questions and curiosity, isn't it?"
Felicia opened her mouth to speak—but the figure on the screen beat her to it.
"I can't hear what you're saying, so save your breath," the figure said coldly. "Listen well, because I will not repeat myself. I am the next step in human evolution—the one who will lead humanity toward its true potential. Mankind cannot progress without guidance. They need someone to lead them, to show them the path forward. And so, you may refer to me… as The Leader. Your Leader. Everyone's Leader."
His words oozed arrogance, his voice sharp with condescension as he stared into the spider-bot's lens with bored detachment.
Felicia scoffed, crossing her arms. "Anyone else feel like giving him a good whack on that big ol' head of his, or is it just me?"
Harry and Lizzy both nodded in agreement, scowling in unison.
Meanwhile, MJ turned her gaze toward Peter. He hadn't said a word. He sat reclined in his chair, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his mask and hood concealing his expression. But she could feel it— anger and confusion—all of it simmering beneath the surface.
The Leader let out a disappointed sigh, as if already bored of the interaction.
"I can already foresee your next actions. You'll storm in here, try to play hero, and attempt to stop whatever grand design you believe I've set in motion," he said flatly. "But here's the truth: you can't stop progress. You can't stop evolution. The Hulk is the key, and you've wasted his potential by keeping him leashed like a pet, hiding behind ideals and costumes in your make-believe world of heroism."
Then, the Leader's smug smile faded. His eyes narrowed, his tone turning colder—emptier.
"Still, I know you'll ignore my warning. So here's a little incentive."
He snapped his fingers.
Immediately, one of the surveillance tabs shifted—back to the footage of the military personnel still staggering around the base like hollow shells. For a brief moment, nothing happened.
Then—BOOM.
Six heads exploded in unison. Wet, horrific pops echoed through the audio feed as their skulls erupted into clouds of blood and brain matter. The bodies dropped to their knees before collapsing in limp heaps, twitching slightly before going still.
Blood coated the floor, walls, and even some of the remaining soldiers who stood eerily unmoved by the carnage.
Gasps filled the room.
MJ slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with horror. Gwen's breath hitched audibly. Lizzy and Felicia flinched violently in their seats, and Harry—his hands clenched into fists—stood up so abruptly that the armrests of his chair snapped under the pressure.
Aria stared in silence, eyes wide with disbelief.
Peter sat motionless, his fingers laced together. He said nothing. He didn't flinch. He simply watched.
The Leader smiled again, emotionless. "That… is what awaits every single one of these military personnel. You can think of them as hostages, if that helps simplify the situation in your simple little minds. So, consider your next step carefully."
The smile remained, but his tone was final.
"This has been a message… from your Leader. And now… I bid you farewell."
All the surveillance feeds dissolved into static.
Silence crashed over the room, suffocating and absolute.
Then—scrrrch.
Peter calmly pushed his chair back and stood. Not a word was said. The others watched as he walked toward the door, which hissed open to allow him through.
A moment later—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The entire base shook violently, like a miniature earthquake had just gone off inside it. Lights flickered overhead, screens glitched, and objects fell from their shelves. Dust drifted from the ceiling panels.
Everyone braced themselves—some grabbing the table, others looking around in alarm.
Seconds later, Peter returned.
His suit's sleeves were torn and frayed. Blood ran down from his knuckles, thick and steady, pooling in small droplets on the floor behind him. His fists—though bruised and cracked—were slowly knitting themselves back together.
He sat back down without a word. The room was still dead quiet.
Peter took a deep breath, then exhaled sharply. "Sorry you all had to see that," he said, his voice calm now—controlled, resolute. "But my head's clear now. I know what we have to do."
He turned toward Aria, who was still floating slightly.
"Aria," he said, his voice softening slightly. "I know we never got a chance to do your official initiation yet. But I need you to step up. I need you to be a hero today."
"YES! FUCK YES! FINALLY! MY TIME HAS COME!" Aria shouted with uncontained excitement, fist-pumping into the air.
The team stared at her.
She blinked, then blushed.
"Ahem—my apologies," she coughed, straightening up with a mock-serious expression. She performed a crisp military salute. "What do you need me to do, Father? I am at your disposal."
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