If you want to help me financially, you can do it on
https://ko-fi.com/neverluckysmile
Brock froze slightly, a flicker of hesitation creasing his brow.
Arthur's words had clearly triggered a spark of suspicion.
That moment of wariness didn't escape Arthur's attention, his lips curled into a subtle smile.
"Mutual trust is the first prerequisite for business," he said calmly. "It seems there may be a chasm between us that's not so easily bridged."
Brock's face twitched, caught off guard by the comment. Suddenly, he shouted:
"Shut up!!"
Arthur blinked. "Hm?"
"No, I wasn't talking to you!" Brock quickly clarified, his voice laced with panic. "I… I might be sick. Anyway, let's end this here. If you like, you can leave a card. Once I recover, I'll contact you."
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"Is that so?" He gave a half-smile. "I thought Eddie Brock was the kind of man who believed in chasing opportunity, not turning a blind eye when it knocks right on his door…"
"GO!!!!!"
The outburst came with a furious roar, guttural, almost animalistic, far removed from a human voice.
Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly. He nodded.
"Understood. Farewell."
He rose, walked to the door, but before leaving, turned back and looked at Brock with thoughtful eyes.
"I have a feeling… we'll be seeing each other again very soon."
Brock's face twisted into something desperate, he practically shoved Arthur out of the room and slammed the door behind him with a thunderous bang.
Standing in the hallway, Arthur's expression grew thoughtful as he stroked his chin.
"Was that… him trying to protect me? Looks like something inside is starting to push through. Not surprising."
He glanced down the hall, mentally reviewing Brock's file.
"According to the data, the symbiote returned yesterday… meaning it's been with him for a full 24 hours already. It must've already said hello to some of the neighbors. But…"
He hesitated a second, then gave a dry smile and turned to head downstairs.
Tonight, there was still one more person he needed to visit:
Dr. Dora Skirth.
Her place wasn't far, but whether he could actually see her tonight would be a matter of luck.
As a researcher tied to the Life Foundation, her schedule was chaotic. Arthur had no way of knowing if she was currently home or at the lab.
When Little Black pulled up at the curb, Arthur activated the Eye of Horus to scan the building.
"Huh. Looks like my luck's holding."
There she was, Dr. Skirth, sitting on her couch, nervously chewing on pizza, lost in heavy thought.
He approached the door and rang the bell.
The moment the chime echoed inside, Arthur noticed something strange: the woman's body shuddered violently, as if struck by sudden fear.
"Oh?"
A sly smile touched Arthur's lips. His eyes darted to a surveillance camera nearby.
With a flick of intent, golden energy surged quietly through his body, silent, invisible, but potent.
The colorless energy was harmless on its own unless shaped properly. But golden energy, that was different. Even when not fatal, it had inherent disruptive properties.
It wouldn't kill, but frying a few security circuits? No problem.
The advantage? Both energy types could be rendered completely invisible to the human eye or any known tech, if Arthur willed it.
Sure enough, a faint wisp of smoke curled upward. The camera flickered and died.
Inside, footsteps approached the door.
In that instant, Arthur changed.
He morphed his appearance, not to anyone specific, just defaulted to the form he could perform most smoothly: Natasha Romanoff.
He tapped his chest. A sleek black suit materialized on his body.
(Who even stocked that in my Disassemble space?) he wondered with internal judgment. Still, the fit was perfect.
Just as he was wrapping up his own mental scolding, Dr. Skirth's voice came from the other side:
"Hello… who is it?"
Arthur lightly tapped his wrist. His voice shifted instantly, to that of a confident, professional woman.
"S.H.I.E.L.D."
He pulled a forged ID from his pocket, angled it toward the now-dead camera, and said clearly:
"I'm here about the Life Foundation. I need to ask you a few questions."
Truthfully, the scam wouldn't hold up long if someone probed hard enough.
But for now… it would serve its purpose.
He came without reason.
No official request.
No backup.
No logic to his visit.
And he came alone, not a single colleague in sight.
That ID flash just now?
It was way too fast.
Almost like he didn't want anyone to actually read it.
A deliberate move.
All the red flags were right there, waving in plain sight, But Dr. Skirth chose not to see them.
Her pupils had shrunk in a sudden surge of fear. After a long pause, she slowly opened the door, shoulders tight, posture withdrawn.
She cast a timid glance toward Arthur.
(Let's be honest: Arthur's best disguise was still Natasha.)
Appearing as a fellow woman, he eased her tension instantly. Skirth visibly exhaled, her body language shifting slightly.
"S.H.I.E.L.D… what is that?" she asked cautiously.
Arthur took a small step back and answered with calculated calm:
"A department that handles the kind of things ordinary people aren't supposed to know, like, say… certain extraterrestrial species."
He gestured politely.
"If you're willing, please come with me."
Dr. Skirth hesitated.
"Give me… a moment. I need to grab a coat."
Arthur simply nodded. He didn't stop her.
His choice to disguise himself as Natasha, to fabricate the S.H.I.E.L.D. cover story, it wasn't just to gain access. It was a tactical decision to prevent panic, to avoid pushing Skirth into a state where she'd do something rash or irreversible.
Of course, if something did go wrong, Arthur could still shut it down in seconds.
Through the Eye of Horus, he monitored her every step.
She didn't try anything strange.
There were no secret messages, no hidden compartments.
Just a frantic scramble around the room, tossing things aside, finally grabbing a coat, dropping her keys in the process.
Everything about her screamed panic.
She was scared. Deeply scared.
When the door opened again, she stood before Arthur.
Trying desperately to appear calm… But her trembling hands and shifty eyes gave her away.
She was terrified. So terrified, in fact, that she couldn't even think clearly. Which made her all the easier to manipulate. She followed Arthur down to Little Black, the sleek black vehicle parked by the curb.
Her eyes widened slightly when she saw it.
It was too futuristic.
Too perfect.
More like a piece of art than a vehicle.
Even without being a car enthusiast, she could feel the unnatural refinement.
Once they were both seated inside, Arthur quietly keyed in a destination.
The car purred to life.
And just like that… the night's next move began.