In the surveillance room, Agent Hill assisted Charlie in obtaining a list of recent visitors to Dr. Helen Cho's lab.
"Not many people have been in and out lately. We should find a lead," Hill said.
The list included Coulson, Hill, Carter, Reed, Tony, and Helen herself.
Charlie frowned at the names. The list was useless for the nanotech vibranium theft.
"Tony Stark's the most suspicious," Hill suggested.
Helen, thoughtful, said, "When Tony visited, he didn't act odd. He left quickly, and I was here the whole time."
Hill frowned. "Could someone have disguised themselves as one of us, like the fake Tony?"
Helen glanced at Hill. "You, Coulson, the Commander, or Reed?"
"All possible. We need to check everyone," Hill replied, then shrugged. "Including me."
She turned to Charlie. "Spider-Man, any thoughts?"
Charlie crossed his arms, eyes glinting.
Suddenly, he grabbed Hill.
"Spider-Man—"
Hill gasped, her eyes expectant as Charlie slapped her shoulder.
Buzz~
For a brief moment, Hill's consciousness blurred. She saw her own back and Spider-Man pulling her.
The next second, she snapped back, blinking, as if it were a hallucination.
"Spider-Man, what happened?"
In Charlie's arms, Hill looked confused, her hands behind her back nervously picking at her nails.
Helen, watching, turned away. "Ahem, this is my lab. Take it elsewhere. I won't tell Commander Carter—you owe me."
Charlie's mouth twitched. He released Hill. "Just a routine check. Don't overthink it."
"Check?" Helen's smile turned odd. "I studied in Japan. I know what that was."
Charlie: "…"
Too lazy to explain, he slapped Helen's shoulder.
Buzz~
Under the sudden attack, Helen stumbled, a shadow peeling from her body.
Seeing her soul wasn't a Skrull's, Charlie nodded, catching her to prevent a fall.
As her soul returned, Helen opened her eyes, looking at Spider-Man, and covered her face. "Oh no, now I'm Captain Carter's rival too."
Charlie rolled his eyes, letting her go. "Still a routine check. You're both clear—not Skrulls."
Helen realized, "That wasn't a hallucination?"
Hill mused, "Our souls."
Charlie nodded. "Exactly. Appearances can deceive, but souls don't."
"That leaves Coulson and Reed," Hill said, then recalled something. "You can tell the real Tony, right?"
Charlie smiled, turning. "Yeah, but I'm letting him cool off."
"Get Coulson and Reed here," he added.
"I've notified them," Hill said.
Soon, Coulson and Reed arrived. Charlie checked their souls—nothing amiss.
So…
"Commander Carter!" Hill gasped.
Charlie's face darkened. "That jerk fooled me this long? I'm gonna beat the crap out of you!!"
Three minutes later, in Carter's office…
Carter's soul returned to her body. She eyed Charlie's sudden ambush, calmly adjusting her collar.
"That was rough," she said, expressionless, sitting down.
Charlie lowered his head. "Uh… misunderstanding. Total misunderstanding. Forgive me?" he tested.
Behind him, Hill and Helen exchanged a glance and slipped out.
Carter chuckled. "Soul magic. Interesting. I won't dock your pay this time, but I'm curious—have you used it for anything else?" she probed.
"Anything else?" Charlie's eyes lit up. "I didn't think of that! Great idea. I'll try it tonight."
Carter: "…"
Guess not yet. But tonight? She shuddered.
She needed Banner to invent a soul-field disruptor. Until then, no showers!
"What'd you find?" she asked.
Charlie shook his head. "Nothing. No leads. None of the suspects are Skrulls."
"What if it's not a Skrull?" Carter asked.
Charlie considered. "Even a shapeshifting mutant's soul would reveal their true form. We've got a mole."
"Maybe not," Carter said. "They could've posed as someone, stolen the vibranium, and ditched the identity."
She tapped her virtual computer. "Everyone, come in!"
"Yes, ma'am."
Hill and the others entered.
Carter scanned them. "Any of you black out recently?"
Hill and Helen shook their heads.
Coulson thought. "My job's tough, so any noise wakes me when I sleep."
Carter rolled her eyes. "Got it. Your job's brutal. Hand me your leave request."
"Done." Coulson, thrilled, handed over a pre-prepared slip.
Charlie: "…"
That's an option? Noted.
Finally, Reed's turn. Before he spoke, Carter called Susan.
"Anything off about Reed lately?" she asked the other Fantastic Four members.
Onscreen, Susan shook her head, then paused. "He's more tired. That count?"
"Tired?"
"Yeah, technically faster."
Carter's face darkened. "Not interested in your bedroom humor."
Ben Grimm chimed in. "Last time he visited Banner's island, we couldn't reach him for a bit."
"Hm?" Carter eyed Reed. "What were you doing?"
"I… I don't know," Reed said, racking his brain.
Ben laughed. "Haha, when you almost wet yourself meeting Banner."
Reed: "…"
He glared at Ben onscreen. "No need to bring that up."
"No, the Commander's questions need honest answers. No secrets."
"You idiot."
"You little garbage, challenging me? Duel!"
They bickered across the call. Carter, fed up, cut it off.
These guys were useless—no solid leads.
But Reed's island visit with Banner raised flags.
She met Charlie's eyes. "I'll handle this, but keep the soul magic secret. Skrulls can't know."
Charlie nodded, opening a portal and vanishing in a spark circle.
Reed, envious, said, "So convenient!"
Carter realized something. "Damn, Banner's back. He's probably at the island."
…
On a sea island, the sun blazed, sea breeze blowing. Atop a hill, Charlie gazed at the horizon, feeling serene.
He spread his arms, embracing nature. "The air's so fresh, the world's so beautiful."
Self-hypnosis complete, he headed to the island's lab, planning to surprise Banner.
He hid, sending his soul to the wooden cabin.
But something was off.
His ethereal soul passed through the floor into an underground lab, now a massive base.
"Odd. Banner's not this extravagant."
Charlie frowned, delving deeper.
Carter's funding for Banner's lab was misused.
The base stretched to the seabed, encased in a transparent energy shield. Mechanical assembly lines came into view.
Clank clank…
Whirrr~
Parts moved along lines to a factory.
There, Charlie saw familiar Mark suits.
"What's this?"
His heart stirred. This must be the armor army Charles mentioned.
Rows of Mark suits lined a warehouse, green-skinned Skrulls installing remote-control systems.
Boom~
At a seabed testing ground, two unmanned suits battled under Skrull control, sparks flying.
In a nearby command room, green figures schemed.
"Found Banner yet?"
"We've sent people, but no sign of him."
"Damn, if he returns to S.H.I.E.L.D.—"
"He won't. We posed as S.H.I.E.L.D. and attacked him. He's done with them."
"If he wants revenge, our people will be exposed."
"No way. We copied his memories. He'll suppress his anger, not unleash it. He can't control the guy inside."
"Good."
"Haha, we owe Banner. Without him, Carter wouldn't have funded our iron army."
"Her money's not much, but it laid the foundation."
"No one suspects we're here."
"Soon, we'll succeed. Once we deal with Carter, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s ours."
"Haha, can't wait. Shame Spider-Man's back. We couldn't take S.H.I.E.L.D. before his Resurrection Match."
"No biggie. He's busy with mutants."
"Their leader's trouble. That pesky bug might not win."
"If Spider-Man dies again, we'll have time to seize Earth. Then the mutants are done."
"Wait, news."
"What is it?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s nanotech vibranium for Spider-Man's suit was stolen."
"Some greedy fool took it."
"The fake Tony's caught. They'll suspect us."
"Heh, they won't find us. Relax."
The Skrulls planned, unaware of a ghostly head in the corner, watching.
"Carter funded the enemy?" Charlie was speechless.
Nearly 300 unmanned suits—pricey.
Tony supplied tech, Carter the funds, Skrulls the labor.
None of this involved Spider-Man.
Carter hit the jackpot—if she could reclaim the suits.
Charlie decided to play middleman.
His soul zipped to the surface, reentering his body.
Buzz~
He stepped through a portal.
Back at S.H.I.E.L.D., Carter's office was empty.
He found Hill. "Where's Carter?"
"She went to see Banner."
"Banner…"
Charlie's eyes narrowed. "Got it."
From the Skrulls' talk, Banner was a fake.
He hoped Carter kept quiet, or he'd have to silence her.
He reached Banner's lab. "Hey, Dr. Banner, how's it hangin'?" Charlie waved.
Seeing Spider-Man, Banner flashed a guileless smile, no cracks in his facade. "Hey, Spider-Man, good to see you."
As they greeted, Carter held a green vial, curious. "This is your breakthrough?"
Banner nodded. "Yup. I've erased Hulk's consciousness. This serum gives me his power without losing control."
Carter beamed. "My funding paid off."
Charlie quipped, "Oh, it paid off big time. Worth every penny."
Banner scratched his head, all innocence. "Thanks to Captain Carter. Nick Fury's too broke to fund me."
"Yeah, he's a pauper, only good for cotton picking," Charlie added.
He took the vial from Carter. "Since Hulk's gone, Dr. Banner, let's finish our fight."
"Fight?" Carter and Banner blinked.
"Yup, fight." Charlie eyed Banner. "Our last bout wasn't fair—Hulk's a nutcase. But you? That's different."
Banner got it, looking sheepish but inwardly thrilled. "Really gotta fight?"
Get Spider-Man's mutant genes, and they could churn out Skrull Spider-Men.
Earth would be theirs!!