Chapter 49: Too Many Wives is a Problem
Secretary of State Ross burst through the laboratory doors, his face flushed with panic and barely contained fury.
"Ryan, who the hell did you kidnap?!" Ross thrust his phone forward, displaying a news broadcast showing Ryan carrying Craig Hollis from his Virginia estate.
The footage had given S.H.I.E.L.D. the perfect ammunition at a critical moment, instantly transforming Ross's political advantage into a liability before Congress.
Seeing Ryan's completely indifferent expression, Ross threw up his hands in exasperation. "Breaking and entering is one thing, but couldn't you have shown some discretion? His wife not only released the kidnapping footage to every major network, but she's now camped outside the Capitol with protest signs demanding his release! What exactly am I supposed to tell the press?"
Ryan paused his microscopic analysis, turned from his workstation, and asked with genuine curiosity, "Wait—you said a wife?"
The examination table had been repositioned against the far wall, with Craig Hollis secured by multiple layers of reinforced restraints designed for enhanced individuals.
Hearing Ryan's question, Mr. Immortal smiled sheepishly. "Actually, there's more than one."
Hollis had remained diplomatically silent since Ross's arrival, and only then did the Secretary realize there was an actual person strapped to the laboratory equipment.
The good news: Hollis was demonstrably alive, which would satisfy the media and political pressure. The bad news: he'd overheard Ross's entire desperate rant about classified operations and political maneuvering. If Hollis leaked any details, Ross's cabinet position would be finished.
Ryan waved dismissively. "He'll need to remain here for the foreseeable future. Let him call his family to defuse the situation. I'll release him when my research concludes."
Ross cast a nervous glance toward Hollis, clearly concerned about potential security breaches. "Are you certain this arrangement is... secure?"
"Don't worry," Ryan said with cold confidence. "He's remarkably reasonable."
"Absolutely!" Hollis agreed quickly. "I'm completely willing to cooperate with any research requirements!"
Mr. Immortal didn't fear death—he feared something far worse than death. Throughout his extended existence, he'd attempted suicide through every conceivable method: high-altitude falls, exotic poisons, military-grade explosives, prolonged drowning. Nothing worked permanently.
According to comic lore, he was destined to outlive the universe itself, witnessing the heat death of all creation.
But Craig Hollis absolutely refused to endure repeated vivisection by Ryan, wake up to find electric drills piercing his skull, or spend eternity locked in a titanium vault at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
Cooperation offered hope of eventual freedom. Resistance promised unthinkable torment.
After weighing the options, Ross reluctantly accepted Ryan's proposal.
"What's the status on your serum development?"
"The experimental phase can begin immediately, assuming you provide test subjects."
Ryan couldn't entirely blame the Secretary. S.H.I.E.L.D. and the remaining Avengers had applied enormous pressure, forcing Ross to suspend approval for human trials until the political situation stabilized.
As a Lieutenant General, Ross could have ignored such interference. As Secretary of State, he was bound by bureaucratic protocols and congressional oversight.
Ross allowed Mr. Immortal a brief phone conversation with his wife before departing the laboratory. He still had considerable damage control to manage, particularly regarding accusations from Nick Fury and the superhero community.
Ryan cared nothing for politics—only his research mattered.
Captain America's serum offered limited new insights, but Abomination's blood samples proved fascinating. Blonsky's transformed blood contained massive gamma radiation concentrations, yet his baseline human blood showed no radioactive signatures whatsoever. The transformation somehow generated or channeled gamma energy from an unknown source.
As for Mr. Immortal, preliminary analysis revealed completely normal human physiology. Ryan couldn't identify any biological mechanism explaining his resurrection ability.
After two days restrained on the examination table, Hollis's entire body ached despite his healing factor's ability to repair tissue damage.
Seeing Ryan preparing to leave for the evening, Hollis called out desperately. "Mr. Ryan, please wait!"
Ryan paused at the laboratory exit. "What do you need, Mr. Hollis?"
"I genuinely want to understand why I can't die permanently," Hollis said earnestly. "I'm willing to fully cooperate with your research. Could you please release these restraints? I promise I won't attempt escape or contact the outside world. Honestly, I'd welcome the chance to get away from those women—they're constantly harassing me about money and property rights."
The request seemed reasonable. Hollis possessed only immortality, posing no physical threat. Keeping him restrained served no practical purpose.
Ryan approached and began unfastening the restraints. "Don't even consider running. If I have to hunt you down, you'll experience pain beyond your current comprehension. Trust me on this."
"Absolutely, Mr. Ryan," Hollis said with obvious relief. "I'll remain within your sight at all times. You have my complete cooperation."
Free movement restored Hollis's spirits considerably, and he became quite talkative.
During lunch hour, Ryan's personal chef delivered a meal to the laboratory rather than forcing him to dine with base personnel. Hollis helped himself to a plate and poured wine from Ryan's private stock.
"Mr. Ryan, is your superpower enhanced strength?"
"I don't possess any inherent abilities."
Ryan had entered this Marvel universe as an ordinary physicist from baseline reality. His desire for self-preservation through genetic enhancement was perfectly rational, yet certain parties seemed determined to prevent his progress.
Ryan's two primary objectives remained constant: advancing his research and achieving greater power through scientific breakthrough. He also maintained several secondary goals, including defeating the Avengers and returning to the 2008 timeline to settle accounts with the Ancient One and that universe's heroes.
Hollis stared in amazement. "You don't have superpowers? You're joking, right?"
Ryan shrugged while cutting his steak. "I research biological genetic enhancement, constantly modifying my DNA to achieve greater capabilities. Unlike individuals like yourself who manifested abilities naturally."
Ryan had reached this point through personal effort alone, with no mentor or support system. He'd endured hardships, setbacks, and opposition—but none of it mattered. No force would prevent him from achieving ultimate power; anyone blocking his path would be eliminated.
Hollis chewed thoughtfully before responding. "Actually, I wasn't born with superpowers either. It happened so long ago, the details are hazy. There was some kind of accident—I remember my consciousness entering a strange realm and being absorbed by intense light. When I regained awareness, I possessed these abilities."
Ryan recalled that Hollis's powers supposedly developed through natural evolution, earning him the designation "Homo Supreme"—the next step in human development.
But that explanation never satisfied closer examination. Evolution required gradual transitions, intermediate stages, incremental improvements. Hollis had somehow bypassed every intermediate phase and achieved the theoretical endpoint instantly. The mechanism made no scientific sense.
Even the Eternals, despite their millennia-long lifespans, remained fundamentally mortal. Celestial enhancement had extended their existence enormously while keeping them within natural law's boundaries.
Mr. Immortal represented something else entirely—true immortality that defied every known principle of biology, physics, and cosmic order.
After lunch, Ryan decided to test Celestial genetic material against Hollis's cells, searching for any interaction or compatibility.
Back in the laboratory, Hollis amused himself with games on Ryan's tablet while the scientist prepared his equipment.
Ryan retrieved Celestial gene samples from the cryogenic storage unit and positioned them under the electron microscope. He drew fresh blood from Hollis and began cellular injection procedures.
As the Celestial genes absorbed ambient cosmic energy and initiated cellular division, Hollis suddenly screamed behind him, startling Ryan and nearly causing him to drop the injection needle.
"Quiet! I'm working!"
Ryan spun around and immediately realized something had gone catastrophically wrong with Craig Hollis.
End of Chapter 49