Yawn!
Max fluttered open his eyes. His body stirred in the seat as he stretched out his arms, gradually positioning himself comfortably before sitting straight.
"Hm."
His eyes wandered around, sweeping his surroundings with furrowed brows.
"Hm… what happened?" he muttered in confusion as his hand shot up to his temples, which still echoed with a subtle ache.
He noticed his forehead dripping with sweat, his body damp, sticky and moist.
Frowning and troubled, he clicked his tongue and pulled out his handkerchief, brushing the sweat aside.
With a deep breath, Max looked around. He was still in the parking lot near Aunt Grey's café.
"Why am I napping here?" Max gazed outward, scratching his cheek.
It was unlike him, unbecoming even to doze off anywhere, especially in public. Moreover, it wasn't even safe.
After living in New York for a while now, he had at least a basic understanding of the city's crime rate.
Although not openly discussed, there was an unspoken understanding: New York had enough crime to make every citizen cautious, alert, and, ideally, prepared.
Marvel truly isn't leaving any stone unturned, prepping the city for its coming heroes and also, heroines.
"I offered Jessica a job, then…" he tried to recall what had happened. "She made excuses, but I came out strong, and later…"
His gaze blurred. His brain froze for a moment.
Anyone watching him at that moment might've been shocked and terrified at his seemingly unconscious state, despite his eyes remaining wide open.
His pupils had turned completely white and upturned. Meanwhile, he was muttering something unintelligible. "Jessica asked for more time, and I left and then… slept here."
Suddenly, his gaze refocused, the haze vanishing. Max looked around, confused, then something clicked, and his eyes lit up.
"Yes… Jessica asked for more time and told me to call later," he nodded to himself, somewhat refreshed and a little more relaxed.
"Hm… I must've worked too much. I should take a break today." He massaged his shoulders and let out a long sigh; part languid, part relieved.
He clicked the ignition. Within a moment, the engine roared to life, its sound reverberating through the ground and the car's mechanical structure.
He swung the wheel and began driving home. Although he felt like something somewhere had gone wrong, he brushed it to the back of his mind, unsure if it even happened.
He also noticed his watch; he had spent a few hours napping in the car. However, now, he wanted to avoid such tiring thoughts.
His heart, for some inexplicable reason, longed to reach home quickly. His gaze occasionally drifting back to rear mirror, searching for something as if someone was tailing him.
However he found nothing suspicious at all.
Yet, He didn't even glance at or slow down for corners or curves, speeding straight through the roads all the way.
Soon, he found himself before the Knight Mansion. Taking a sudden curve, he pulled his car into the garage.
Within the boundary of his home, he found a semblance of security, and a subdued sigh of relief escaped his lips.
He rested his head back on the seat, closed his eyes, and began to take a brief respite. He had no idea why he had felt suffocated, his heart thundering ever since he woke up in the car.
But he calmed himself soon enough. His motto of not lingering on unknown more than necessary once again grounded him.
He stepped out. And as he made his way toward his room, he noticed Grandma Martha walking toward him.
A shadow of a smile crossed his face. His previously depressed eyes found their light again. He nodded to her, his steps quickening.
"What happened, Max?" Martha's brows creased in concern as she noticed his pale face. She closed the distance between them abruptly, her palm gently reaching for his cheek.
Her touch didn't bother Max. In fact, he found comfort in her warmth. He shook his head and forced a grin. "Nothing—just need some rest."
He avoided mentioning anything troubling. He knew Grandma Martha well. She'd lose sleep if she sensed even a hint of unrest in him.
Martha raised a brow in unease, yet she nodded slowly, accepting his persistence. "I've noticed you're working too much these days. Let's take a break for now. Nothing's more precious than your health."
Max admitted as much and complied with her reasoning. He also mused that his health might have suffered due to his current lifestyle.
Although his past self in his previous life had been used to excessive working hours, this new body seemed more comfortable with a complacent, relaxed lifestyle.
He made his way to his room and leapt onto the bed, sun-kissed through the window, sinking into the soft mattress. Soon, he found himself in a deep sleep.
After his nap, Max felt refreshed, and most of the ambiguous suffocation had vanished. He even felt like nothing substantial had happened to him that day.
He chalked it all up to his rushed, exhausting week as the sole cause of his sudden collapse.
Gradually, he resumed his life and began visiting Cell Labs once again the next day with renewed energy, delving into research on the T-virus and other business matters.
Thoroughly invested in his experiments, he slowly forgot what had even occurred that day, other than his conversation with Jessica.
Thus, a few more days passed until his team finally negotiated with Cell Labs and reached a decent conclusion.
….
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