The party had been going strong for a while, but now it was finally time for me to give my speech.
I stepped up onto the small stage where the microphone was already waiting. As soon as people saw me, the noise faded. The room fell quiet, all eyes turning toward me in anticipation.
I took a breath, looked over the crowd, and began.
"First, I just want to thank everyone who came out tonight. It truly brings me joy to see all of you here—to see the people who helped build this company, now standing together to celebrate its success."
I paused for a moment, scanning the faces in the room.
"But before we talk about the future, I want to give thanks where it's due. The person who has stood by me from the very beginning. The backbone of Omnitech Nexus. Ashley."
I glanced at her—standing near the front, holding Stratos's hand. She looked proud. Genuinely proud.
"If it weren't for her, I'm not sure Omnitech Nexus would exist—at least not like this. She helped build it brick by brick, kept me grounded, guided me toward the right decisions when I was ready to rush in headfirst. She was the first to believe in this dream… even before it had walls."
I turned back to the crowd.
"So please, everyone—join me in giving her a round of applause."
And they did. A wave of applause rolled through the room. Loud, sincere. I clapped too, smiling as Ashley's eyes met mine with quiet gratitude.
The applause faded after a few more seconds, and I stepped closer to the mic again.
"And I also want to take a moment to thank the people I personally hired—those of you I had high expectations for, and who've exceeded every one of them."
I glanced around the room, making eye contact with some of the brightest minds in the building.
"Max Dillon. We met by chance in a bar, after Oscorp let you go. Honestly, to this day, I still think that was one of the dumbest decisions they've ever made. I saw how down you were, asked if you were okay… and that conversation turned into something incredible. I saw your brilliance. And more than that—I saw your kindness. That's what convinced me to hire you. You haven't disappointed me once."
A few heads turned toward Max, giving him quiet nods of respect.
"Michael Morbius. One night, I was scrolling through the internet and found your paper on blood diseases. You were trying to develop a synthetic blood that could help treat them. It caught my attention, so I arranged a meeting.
"What really impressed me wasn't just your mind—it was your heart. You were trying to cure that disease not for fame or fortune, but for your friend—and for others like him. That loyalty, that drive to help strangers, is something I admire deeply. And in just one short month, with our resources, you and your team developed something with the potential to help millions. It's not perfect yet, and there's still a long road ahead—but I'm proud of you. And I know you're just getting started."
I paused, letting the moment breathe, before continuing.
"And Helen Cho. I found your research online, too—and I was immediately fascinated. When we met, we talked for hours about synthetic skin, about what it could do for people around the world. I asked if you were willing to sell your research. I offered you quite a bit of money.
"You turned me down. Every time.
"I remember exactly what you said to me: 'I created the synthetic skin to help everyone—not to profit off of it. I don't care how much you offer. I'll never sell it for that. Science should make the world better—not make people richer.'"
I smiled at the memory.
"You passed my test that day. That's the kind of heart I want in this company. People willing to do good—not build weapons or sell destruction, but actually make this world better. That's the legacy I want to leave behind—not just mine, but ours. Everyone in this room."
I looked over the crowd again, this time with purpose.
"And maybe, just maybe… if we keep doing what we're doing—if we keep putting good into the world—one day we'll look back, at another party like this, and realize that we didn't just build a company.
We built a future."
As soon as I finished my speech, the room erupted in applause. I think I even saw a few people tearing up.
I stepped off the stage, and just like that, the party resumed—but something about the energy shifted. The vibe felt… warmer. Less like a corporate event and more like a reunion. Co-workers laughed like old friends. People mingled with ease. All it took was one genuine moment—and the whole night transformed.
The Next Day
Now, I'm in Sanctuary, running tests on the strand of hair I snatched from one of the Frost sisters. I'm comparing it to a DNA sample I had stored from earlier.
The computer is still loading the results.
Also, apparently, someone at the party recorded my speech. A couple of the kids who came with their parents caught it on their phones and posted it online. I'm not even mad about it. It's blowing up—on social media and the news.
People loved it.
They said it showed how much I care about my team, about the future. They liked that I wasn't arrogant like Tony Stark. Some even gave me a nickname. You know how they call him The Merchant of Death?
Well… they're calling me The Bringer of Peace.
Cool title, honestly. Even if I haven't exactly brought peace to any country—yet. Still, I'm going to do everything I can to live up to it. If not through heroics, then through this company. Through tech. Through hope.
Just then, I heard the soft chime from the computer.
Test complete.
I turned to look at the screen… and there it was.
Well… fuck me. I was right.
That theory I had—the one about the Frost clones?
Confirmed.
Steve Rogers is the biological father of the Frost sisters.
You're probably wondering how that's even possible.
Back in my old world, there was this obscure theory—barely a blip online. A handful of conspiracy forums, nothing mainstream. It suggested that the Frost sisters were genetically engineered using Emma's DNA… and Steve's.
A black-budget side project—trying to create psychic super soldiers with enhanced physical traits. But something went "wrong." The girls only inherited their mother's traits, not Steve's.
No one ever believed that theory.
Except now… I've got proof.
I don't even know how to break this to Steve. "Hey Cap, surprise—you're technically the dad of five psychic clones." That's going to be an awkward conversation. And Peggy? I have no idea how she's going to take it.
This just got a lot more complicated.
Well, now that I've satisfied my curiosity about the Frost sisters' DNA… it's time to shift gears.
I've got an interview today.
Yep. The interview. It's happening in just a couple of hours, and it's in National City, at CatCo Worldwide Media.
And my interviewer? None other than Cat Grant herself.
I remember her from my old world, I know how she is. The woman practically redefined media. Fierce, smart, impossible to shake—and brutally honest. I almost can't wait to finally meet her in person.
And not just her...
Kara Danvers—aka Supergirl.
Well… not yet. She hasn't decided to become a hero. Not officially. But I'm still looking forward to meeting her.
I used to watch her show back in my old world. I know she's a good person—brave, selfless, always willing to do the right thing even when it's hard. There's a real strength behind that smile of hers.
April's been telling me a lot about her lately. Honestly, I think April sees Kara as a true friend—not just a mission, not some target for recruitment. The same goes for Winn too.
I'm happy for her.
April deserves that kind of connection in this new life—real friendships that aren't tied to danger or survival. Just people who care.
Yeah. This is going to be awesome.
General Hale's POV
It's been months since I last saw Ruby.
She's safe. I know that. Arsenal made sure of it. But that doesn't make the silence any easier. I miss her—every single day.
And no matter how much time passes, I still can't forget the look on her face… the day she found out the truth. The day she realized Hydra was willing to experiment on her. Kill her.
Her face said it all: betrayal, heartbreak, disappointment… pure despair.
She looked at me like I was a stranger.
And maybe I was.
In that moment, I saw the entire chain of mistakes—every choice I made, every time I told her to act like a soldier instead of a kid. I should've left Hydra the moment they impregnated me. I knew better. But I stayed. And now... all I have are regrets.
Still, I'm doing what I can to make it right.
I've been keeping my end of the deal. I've been leaking everything I know about Hydra to Arsenal. Reports, names, locations—every dirty secret I can get my hands on.
What's strange is… every time I upload something into the secure folder we agreed on, it's just gone within minutes. Like someone's sweeping it instantly.
He must have someone on his team who's very good with computers.
But honestly? It doesn't matter. As long as the information gets to him, and as long as it helps take Hydra down piece by piece... that's enough for me.
It's the least I can do.
I just hope what I'm doing now… is enough to bring Hydra down.
And maybe—just maybe—I'll get to see Ruby one last time before they lock me up for good.
I'm not naive. I know how this ends for me. No matter how much I help dismantle Hydra, no matter how many secrets I give up… I've still done too much. I've killed for them. Helped orchestrate experiments. Sacrificed innocents.
There's no happy ending waiting for me. No redemption arc.
But if Ruby gets to live a good life—if she's safe, free, and smiling—then that's enough. That's all I want now. Even if she never forgives me. And honestly? I wouldn't blame her if she didn't.
Still… I wish I could look her in the eye, just once more. Say I'm sorry. Tell her how much I regret everything. Not being the mother she needed. Not giving her the childhood she deserved.
I wish I had a second chance.
But that kind of miracle doesn't happen for people like me.
As I prepared to upload another Hydra file to Arsenal's drop folder, something caught my eye in the decrypted directory. A file buried deep in the archives.
Subject: Winter Soldier
I froze.
I'd heard the rumors, of course. A ghost story. Hydra's greatest assassin. A man who didn't miss, didn't hesitate, didn't leave witnesses.
But I never believed he was real.
And yet... there it was. A full file. Coded logs. Mission reports. Possible locations. Conditioning methods.
Hydra's ghost wasn't a myth.
He was real.
Peter Parker's POV
Right now, I'm sitting in class, trying not to drift off—but my thoughts keep wandering. Honestly, the last couple of months have been pretty amazing.
Me and the Web-Warriors? We're killing it in New York. Crime rates are way down—like, almost non-existent. We don't always work together, but when we do?
Unstoppable.
Seriously. We haven't run into a single bad guy yet who's been able to slow us down. With things so quiet lately, I've actually had time for a normal life.
And not just me. All the Web-Warriors. We've even got a patrol schedule now—some of us go out while others stay off-duty. Simple. Efficient.
And best of all? Beth's finally stopped side-eyeing me and Cindy every time we bail after school. I mean, I get it—we've been super sketchy, and she's way too observant for her own good. But now, with time to breathe, I can actually hang out and not lie every five minutes.
I was pulled out of my thoughts when the classroom door opened—and in walked someone I'd never seen before.
She looked about my age. Black hair, confident walk. Definitely Latina. And… yeah, very beautiful.
"Sorry to interrupt, ma'am," she said politely. "I'm new here. Keemia Alvarado."
"Oh yes," the teacher said, standing up. "i were notified you'd be joining us today. Just pick any open seat."
Keemia nodded and scanned the room for an empty desk.
I don't know why, but something about her felt… different. Not in a bad way. Just… something I couldn't put my finger on.