Sean shook the water off his hands, his brow slightly raised. His eyes showed little change, and his tone remained calm as he asked, "And who might your boss be?"
The burly leader didn't answer...
His physique was intimidating, and his muscles strained against his shirt like a beast baring its fangs. The two other men blocking the door were the same, their pupils flashing with a faint green glow.
In the world of the mind, these mercenary-like brutes appeared as murky green shadows... far less pure than the Hulk within Bruce Banner. Their glow was dim like fireflies compared to the moon. They weren't even worth a second glance.
"I suppose I don't have the right to refuse?" Sean asked with a faint smile. There wasn't a trace of panic on his face.
The muscular man's knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists and bared his teeth like a starving predator.
"I'd love for you to try," he sneered.
As part of Hammer Industries' private security force, mercenary captain Bol had handled plenty of dirty work for Justin Hammer.
Moral boundaries and methods were never his concern... especially after injecting that green serum. The sudden surge of power had made him indifferent to ordinary lives.
"Truth be told, I've met plenty like you... leaders of small African nations, tribal chiefs… men with endless wealth or the power to decide fates with a word. Big shots like you always stay calm when facing thugs and robbers, bargaining your way out with chips in hand…"
Bol licked his lips like a slavering hound, eyes gleaming with malice:
"...But when those men meet desperados who don't care about any of that, they beg harder than anyone, ready to even lick my boots for a chance to live. Sean Cyphers, prodigy with a bright future, you'll be on your knees soon enough."
Sean's lips twitched... A guy like this wouldn't even need the Sentinel Armor to be dealt with instantly.
Sean took a slight step forward, but the overexcited mercenary captain added: "A big shot like you must have bodyguards tailing you. But I'd advise against any tricks for the sake of those three lovely ladies with you."
Sean's foot paused mid-step. The killing intent in his heart grew sharper, but his face remained warm and smiling, "I thought your boss only invited one person."
"No. He's far more hospitable than you'd expect." Bol shoved Sean forward, pressing a gun into his back, "Walk out nice and quiet. Get in the black van at the door. Three beauties, each with their own charm… Mr. Cyphers, your appetite's a bit too big, isn't it?"
Sean chuckled as he complied, "What can I say? One woman isn't enough."
Bol snorted and said no more...
This was Manhattan, the most densely populated of New York's five boroughs, the economic and cultural heart of the nation. Openly killing a high-profile genius in broad daylight would cause an uproar. Besides, his boss had explicitly demanded to see Sean Cyphers in person.
After Magneto's rampage through Manhattan, the NYPD had significantly bolstered security and emergency response.
While Hollywood movies might portray cops as bumbling idiots, the reality was far different. As the oldest police force in the U.S., it boasted 34 000 officers, 4500 auxiliary personnel, and eight police helicopters. Once mobilized, they could turn the city upside down.
That was why Bol hadn't taken Sean by force immediately. If the young man's security team were alerted, a full-blown shootout in the city center would earn him a one-way ticket to a steel cage with ravenous hounds waiting inside.
"Tell your driver to pull around back. The front entrance is watched by my guards," Sean said, stopping abruptly.
Bol's expression darkened, but he relayed the order through his earpiece before shoving Sean toward the café's rear exit.
A black Ford idled outside, and the young man was roughly pushed inside.
"What about the girls?" the mercenary captain asked.
"Already headed to the port warehouse," the driver replied.
"Hear that? You'll be reunited with your little harem soon…" Bol pressed the gun against Sean's cheek as a cruel smile twisted his lips.
Nothing pleased him more than watching these high-and-mighty elites grovel like dogs.
"...And when we do, I'll make sure they get a front-row seat to how I treat you, after my boss is done with you of course."
Sean's face remained impassive as he sat sandwiched between two hulking brutes. His hands were tightly cuffed, and a black hood was pulled over his head to block his vision...
...
~New York Port, Abandoned Warehouse~
The door creaked open, revealing the grotesquely transformed Samuel Sterns. His once-lanky frame now bore an oversized head, and his skin was a deep green, like some alien from a B-movie.
"Why so many hostages?" the self-styled 'Leader' demanded irritably.
His plan had only involved capturing Sean Cyphers and Bruce Banner's ex-girlfriend... the former at Justin Hammer's request, the latter as leverage to control Banner.
After injecting himself with a third-generation serum sample, Sterns had come to understand the terrifying power within Banner. Even a diluted version had wrought drastic changes in him.
Every second, Sterns felt new information flooding his mind... photographic memory, effortless comprehension of complex theories, even the gradual development of psychic abilities.
The cost? His human appearance. A small price, in his opinion.
Betty, Gwen, and Maya gasped at the sight of Sterns' grotesquely distended skull, their bodies trembling as they huddled together.
The three women had been lured from the café by a fake waiter claiming Sean had collapsed. Once inside, they were ambushed and brought to this musty warehouse.
"No need to fear, ladies," Sterns laughed, "Your little boyfriend and dear lover will come for you soon. And if he's smart enough to cooperate, I might just break my agreement one more time."
That arrogant, foolish arms dealer actually believed money could buy anything.
But Sterns was no longer the same man... The so-called leader saw Hydra agents and Justin Hammer as mere tools.
From Hydra (posing as S.H.I.E.L.D.) he had obtained the funds for advanced lab equipment. From Hammer, he had received test subjects to refine the third-generation serum.
Once the time was right, he'd throw them all to the wolves and start anew.
With Bruce Banner under his control and Sean Cyphers as his puppet, who could possibly stand in his way?