The decision to avert Ultron, made with such a heavy heart in the previous chapter, had left a deep, quiet ache in Alex's soul. He had chosen the greater good, sacrificing potential heroic destinies for the survival of the timeline. But there was no time for regret. The Watcher's presence, though silent on his moral struggle, was now a persistent, urging pulse, pushing him forward. The cosmic threat was still looming, and he had to ensure Earth was as prepared as possible. His focus now shifted to the next major pre-Avengers events he knew were coming: the chaos surrounding Iron Man 2 and the relentless pursuit in The Incredible Hulk.
He sat in his hideout, surrounded by the holographic glows of his journal and smartwatch. His mind, honed by direct neural downloads of advanced science and strategy, worked with terrifying efficiency. He needed to make strategic moves, subtle yet impactful, to mitigate the damage of these upcoming events and strengthen key players.
First, Iron Man 2. Alex knew the problems: Tony Stark's palladium poisoning, the emergence of Ivan Vanko (Whiplash), and the arms race with Justin Hammer. His previous intervention with the Arc Reactor blueprint might have made Tony's tech more stable, but it wouldn't solve the poisoning or prevent Vanko's grudge. Alex needed to target specific vulnerabilities.
He decided to focus on two areas:
Accelerating a Cure/Solution for Palladium Poisoning: If Tony could find a new element, a cleaner power source, faster, it would save him from much suffering and distraction.
Mitigating Vanko's Threat: Not directly stopping him, but perhaps subtly providing Stark Industries with a countermeasure, or insights into Vanko's type of technology, before it became a full-blown threat.
He began his digital hunt. For the palladium poisoning, he searched for any public research papers on rare element synthesis, or even obscure geological studies on undiscovered minerals. He found a forgotten article from the 1960s, a theoretical conjecture by a fringe scientist about "sub-atomic element creation" through exotic energy fields. It was dismissed as pure fantasy by the mainstream scientific community.
Perfect.
He pulled the article onto his journal's display. The Watcher's hum intensified, recognizing the vital importance of this theoretical pathway. Discovery. Cure. Purity. He poured his intent into the document.
As his fingers brushed the holographic text, the hum became a vibrant roar. The faded words and crude diagrams on the article pulsed with a golden light, transforming into complex schematics for a "Compact Particle Accelerator for Novel Element Synthesis." It included theoretical pathways for creating stable, non-toxic energy sources – essentially, a blueprint for the "new element" Tony Stark would eventually discover in the original timeline, but now presented in a far more advanced and accessible form.
"Item: Obscure 1960s Scientific Article. Action: Enhance. Reward: 10x Enhanced 'Blueprint for Compact Particle Accelerator & Novel Element Synthesis.' Capabilities: Theoretical Pathway for Non-Toxic Arc Reactor Fuel, Accelerated Element Discovery Protocols, Integrated Mini-Accelerator Design. Note: Cannot be re-used for 10x reward."
The mental drain was profound, leaving him momentarily light-headed. This was a massive enhancement, a leap in fundamental science. Now, for delivery. He couldn't risk sending it directly to Tony. Instead, he crafted an anonymous, encrypted data packet and injected it into the private network of one of Stark Industries' subsidiary research labs – one known for pioneering work in theoretical physics, but not directly involved in Arc Reactor development. He disguised it as a complex, unresolved data puzzle, hoping some brilliant, curious scientist within the lab would stumble upon it and bring it to Tony's attention as a fascinating intellectual challenge. This would make it Tony's "discovery," albeit accelerated.
Next, The Incredible Hulk. Alex knew General Ross's obsessive hunt for Banner, and the eventual, devastating rampage of Emil Blonsky as the Abomination. He couldn't stop Ross, but he could potentially mitigate the collateral damage caused by the Hulk, or even subtly influence Banner's ability to control his transformations.
He decided to focus on providing Banner with a scientific edge, a potential solution for his gamma problem. He searched for any available public domain research on bio-molecular stabilization or controlled energy dissipation. He found a minor, university-published paper on advanced biochemistry and cellular regeneration. It was basic, but it had the right foundation.
He pulled the paper onto his journal. The Watcher's hum was a low, urging thrum. Control. Stability. Mitigation.
He touched the holographic text. The paper dissolved into a stream of complex data that reformed into a sophisticated biochemical formula.
"Item: University Biochemistry Paper. Action: Enhance. Reward: 10x Enhanced 'Neuro-Chemical Stabilizer & Targeted Gamma Radiation Dissipation Protocol.' Capabilities: Theoretical Calming Agent (reduces Hulk's aggression), Controlled Gamma Energy Absorption (reduces collateral damage), Pre-emptive Transformation Suppression. Note: Cannot be re-used for 10x reward."
This was huge. A theoretical calming agent, and methods to absorb gamma energy! Alex knew he couldn't directly give this to Banner – the man was practically invisible to the world. But he could get it to someone who might eventually reach him, or even use it to subtly influence the military's approach. He decided to anonymously upload a sanitized version of this data, stripped of any overtly "Hulk-specific" language, to a secure, but widely accessible, online research database used by independent bio-engineering firms. He hoped a curious, ethical scientist might pick up on it, and that, eventually, this knowledge could find its way to Banner himself, or influence military research away from dangerous amplification and towards controlled containment.
He worked for hours, meticulously routing his digital breadcrumbs through ghost servers and encrypted channels, making sure every intervention remained untraceable. He was playing a long game, planting seeds that might not sprout for months, but which he knew were vital.
Every piece I put in place now could save lives later, Alex thought, the hum of the Watcher a constant presence in his mind. This isn't just about winning; it's about minimizing the cost. He was becoming less reactive, more proactive. His understanding of the Golden Finger's potential and the Watcher's true purpose – strengthening Earth – was deepening. He was also becoming more adept at navigating the murky waters of covert influence, turning theoretical breakthroughs into tangible, future-saving assets.
He closed his eyes, leaning back against the worn chair. He meticulously reviewed his projections on his journal, comparing his interventions to the original MCU events. The lines were already diverging significantly. Tony Stark would likely discover the new element faster. Bruce Banner might find a path to control sooner. The world was slowly, incrementally, becoming more prepared.
The groundwork was being laid. The stage was being set for a stronger world, one subtle alteration at a time. The cosmic storm approached, but Earth, thanks to its unseen architect, would be better armed for the inevitable clash.