The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the café, mingling with the sweet scent of muffins that had just come out of the oven.
Outside, Manhattan continued its usual chaos, but inside, a warm atmosphere reigned, bathed in the golden light pouring through the windows.
It was almost four in the afternoon, and although there were quite a few people, the place had a calm air.
The noise of conversations was soft, like a constant murmur, interrupted only by the whistle of the espresso machine.
But that afternoon, almost all eyes were fixed on the television mounted in a corner, replaying footage of the burned residential building.
The cameras focused on the firefighters and police around the site, and in the middle of them, the flaming figure that had gently placed an elderly woman on the ground.
-"I'm telling you, that wasn't human," muttered a middle-aged man, holding his black coffee.
-"Could be a mutant," responded a woman, lowering her voice as if just saying it was dangerous. "With all the weird stuff happening lately… I wouldn't be surprised."
A couple sitting closer to the screen debated heatedly.
-"That guy is a hero!" insisted the boy, pointing at the slow-motion image of the fire-covered being carrying a child in his arms.
-"A hero?" snorted his girlfriend, stirring her coffee with a spoon. "If someone like that appeared in front of me, I'd run. He looked like… like a demon."
From another table, an older man flipping through a newspaper looked up.
-"Whatever it is, it saved lives. That's the only thing we should care about."
Conversations overlapped like a constant buzz. Some customers argued about government conspiracies, others claimed it was a messenger from hell and recited Bible verses, convinced the end was near. A group of students near the door laughed among themselves:
—"If it's a mutant, they're probably hunting it already."—"Bah, mutant, alien, whatever. The guy looks powerful. I'd hire him to put out fires."—"Or to start them," joked another, provoking nervous laughter.
At one of the more secluded tables, away from the bustle, a young fifteen-year-old boy listened silently. His hair was freshly cut, still damp at the tips, and he wore new, simple but clean clothes, a stark contrast to his former appearance. In front of him were a half-eaten burger, a chocolate muffin, a plate of fries, and a cup of hot chocolate with cream beginning to melt.
He didn't take his eyes off the television. His fingers played absentmindedly with the napkin, but his gaze was fixed on the image everyone was talking about: the flaming being setting the elderly woman down, with an aura of fire lighting the street like a scene pulled from a nightmare… or a miracle. No one in the café paid him any attention. He was just another customer.
He took a sip of hot chocolate, lowered his gaze, and continued eating silently. The city was talking about him, a demon, an angel, a monster, a hero. And there he sat among them, invisible.
-"So this is how Spidey feels, with everyone talking about him without knowing he's there… curious."
He had saved all those people from the building, and now many criticized and denigrated him, but… he didn't feel bad; he knew he had done the right thing.
People are free to say what they think; as long as he did the right thing, what others said was just extra.
He would have liked to speak a little to reassure everyone, but his transformations had a time limit.
So he had to save them and then flee; he wouldn't want to transform back and waste everything he had done in the library.
Then I found Midtown Hostel, which offered a shower for $5.
I just had to buy shampoo and soap.
Once clean, I went for a simple haircut and bought some clothes.
What I had before?I donated it to a church.
And then I stopped by this café; I was hungry, and now I had money, so I wanted to fill my stomach.
With all that, I have $127 left from the $200 I withdrew from the bank.
-"Feels good to have money for basic needs."
I look at the food on the table.
-"I know I ordered it, but this combination is really weird… if I were in my other body, this combo would send me running to the bathroom for hours."
After finishing the meal, I get up from the table and, nodding to the café staff, leave the café.
================================================================
The sun was slowly setting; it should be around five in the afternoon.
I looked at my "bed," the small refuge where I spent the previous night.
Honestly, I thought it would take longer, but Ultra T's natural abilities allowed me to do more than just gather information.
Thanks to that, I no longer need to stay here; I can stay in motels and make some investments to get money… should I get a job? Maybe.
For now, I need to come up with a plan.
The Chitauri invasion is around the corner, and the whole city will be a battlefield.
Many people will lose their lives, so I have to do something.
I look at the place one last time and leave.
I need a place, a phone, and a laptop.
I buy everything without paying much attention to prices.
-"One night, please," I say while handing over the money. The receptionist gives me a ticket and a room key.
Once inside, I close the curtains and sit on the bed, with the two devices in front of me…
-"I don't know exactly how much time I have left. If I try to piece the events together… I'd say three days. I could go to Stark Tower and fight Loki… but there are variables… I could go and fight, risking that he's not alone… I only have ten minutes per transformation, and Loki is an experienced illusionist and close-combat fighter with daggers."
I start turning the dial, thinking about each option I could take…
I trust I can beat him with some of them, but the uncertainty overwhelms me.
Can I deal with Loki and potential combat variables in just ten minutes?
He also has the scepter with the Mind Stone and the Tesseract.
I'd only make a fool of myself… and if he manages to brainwash me like he did with Clint in the movie, it would only make things worse.
I press the dial.
My skin dissolves into a shiny metallic liquid, flowing and recombining. In seconds, every fiber of my body reorganizes.
I slide to the laptop and start digging through SHIELD files.
Loki escaped, the Avengers are divided.
I try every possible way to locate Loki, but I can't find him; after leaving the Helicarrier, it's like he vanished. I know he will place the machine in Stark Tower, but I wanted to try finding him to gather some information.
I connect to all city media; Loki opened the portal in the city to demoralize Earth, showing his power, and all the casualties in the city would serve as an example to those who dare oppose him.
If I give a warning, he would just change the location or activate it prematurely.
And I can't risk it.
I leave on their servers an urgent, timed emergency alert for immediate evacuation.
Meanwhile, I free the two devices from any anomalies and line trackers.
I would like to do more, but I can't risk changing the course of events. I know what will happen, but I can't prevent it; at least I'll do everything I can to minimize damage.
The only thing left is to rest. I also need to make some kind of suit and mask.
I don't want anyone to accidentally see me when my time runs out…
Now that I think about it, it would be a shame, but… I have money.
I look at the laptop… I could… yes… I have the phone; I can buy another one later.
After waiting a while, I press the dial once more.
My body shrinks, I feel my brain expand, everything around me is analyzed reflexively, and reality appears greatly simplified.
Every detail of the motel room is recorded in my intelligent eyes. No tools are at hand, only an old CRT TV in the corner and a basic laptop on the bed. I analyze their components: chips, wires, boards, screws, and springs scattered everywhere. Every piece has potential; you just have to know how to combine it.
First, I need a multifunctional tool that allows me to cut, hold, and solder.
I extract springs from the TV tube, combining them with connectors and small gears from the laptop.
With metal plates from both devices' chassis and some wires, I assemble a mini versatile device, capable of manipulating small parts, holding them steady, and making precise cuts.
My intelligent limbs act quickly and in coordination, adapting each component to the function I need.
With the tool ready, I focus on the helmet.
I disassemble the laptop's electronic parts: the processor becomes a visual analyzer, the speakers a voice modulator, and the cameras or sensors enhance vision and hearing. Plates and wires from the TV integrate into the frame, forming a lightweight yet slightly durable structure that fits perfectly on my head.
Every piece connects and reconnects precisely, guided by my extraordinary intelligence.
Within minutes, from an empty corner with limited resources, a functional helmet emerges: compact, capable of enhancing my senses and altering my voice. The improvised tool is ready for future adjustments.
While the helmet takes shape, I detect another need: my presence cannot be tracked. Motel cameras, city security systems, any sensor that could detect my energy or form… all of that could compromise me.
Using the same CRT TV and laptop, I start extracting chips, resistors, and coils.
Each component is analyzed in milliseconds; my Grey Matter mind calculates how to alter electromagnetic signals and image patterns to create an electronic invisibility field.
First, I connect the laptop's processing chips to generate a signal that interferes with nearby cameras and sensors.
Then, the TV plates serve as conductors and amplifiers, creating a small device capable of projecting a spherical inhibition range around the immediate area.
The result: a compact inhibitor, the size of a child's fist, which I can place in the room or carry with me.
Within its radius, no camera can detect my shape, movements, or energy emissions.
Even the helmet can integrate it, activating or deactivating the field with a simple gesture.
With the helmet ready and the inhibitor functional, my task is complete.
It took me four hours to finish everything, transforming every ten minutes, the need to eat, and the perfection demanded by Grey Matter… disassembling and reassembling everything three times just because I didn't like the inhibitor's performance or the helmet's voice change.
At least the room isn't a mess; yes, there are components on the table, but otherwise, I was very organized while transformed. I like everything in place for maximum efficiency… damn, in that form I'm a compulsive perfectionist.
I collapsed on the motel bed, feeling the cheap mattress give under my weight. My limbs trembled from exhaustion.
The multifunctional tool I had created and the helmet rested beside me, ready to use, but I couldn't do more for now.
I closed my eyes, but my mind wouldn't stay still.
Images of Manhattan kept spinning in my head: people running, the fire devoured by my fiery form, the families I managed to save… and I knew the invasion was tomorrow.
Every second counted, every decision could mean life or death for thousands of people.
I felt a knot in my stomach. It wasn't fear, at least not entirely, but a mix of responsibility and anxiety.
I know what I can do, I know my abilities, but the magnitude of what's coming makes me tremble even now.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.
-Tomorrow… everything will change. And I must be ready.
The phrase echoed in my mind as I let sleep begin to take me, aware the night would be short and that dawn would bring the greatest test of my life.
The last thought before surrendering completely was a mix of determination and fear:
-I have to save them… all of them.
My eyelids finally closed, letting darkness envelop me, while my body rested and my mind began preparing for the coming storm.
================================================================
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
A GREAT BATTLE IS COMING, AND OUR PROTAGONIST CANNOT PREVENT IT.
FOR NOW, THIS IS ALL. TOMORROW THE ACTION WILL BEGIN, AND MANY HEROES WILL CROSS PATHS IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THE CITY.
TELL ME, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE IN IT?
WHAT ALIENS WOULD BE BEST TO USE IN THE INVASION?
WHAT DO YOU THINK OUR PROTAGONIST COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT OR MINIMIZE THE DAMAGE?
I'LL BE READING YOUR ANSWERS.
STAY SAFE :)