After completing the hunt for the Black Spider-Man, Marcus gathered up the remnants of the Venom symbiote. Using his metallization ability, he forged a sealed iron container, placing the black, viscous fluid inside. Before this alien organism could be safely used as a weapon, it would need to be properly studied—and tamed.
As for the newly infected Spider-Man, Marcus simply slung him over his shoulder, intending to bring him back as well. The Human Torch's corpse, however, he decided to leave behind—a grim "gift" for the superheroes who would soon come looking.
When Marcus returned to New Umbrella Corporation, the small team he'd dispatched to capture Kingpin and Bullseye had already returned. Led by the Winter Soldier, they had completed their mission with ease, and both villains now served under Marcus's control. Unfortunately, neither of them—being ordinary human-type supervillains—had any unique mutations or powers worth exploiting. In short, they were barely qualified to serve as cannon fodder.
Such was to be expected. If Alpha-level mutants like Professor X or Magneto were commonplace, the world would have been destroyed a thousand times over. Mutations of that caliber were rare even in the Marvel universe, and Marcus had long since learned not to rely on luck to obtain them.
Still, with the capture of Spider-Man, Venom, Kingpin, and Bullseye, he had gained four new DNA Enhancement Points, bringing his total to nine. One point had already been used, leaving eight active points—enough to unlock another evolution skill for his zombie forces. This time, Marcus's eyes were set on [Upgraded Bone Spikes Lv.1], a perfect complement to his existing [Adrenaline Lv.1], which enhanced attack frequency.
But he decided to wait. The secret that his zombies could evolve independently was one he had no intention of revealing before the coming battle.
For now, he focused on logistics. Spider-Man, now a freshly infected undead, was placed under Tony's custody for containment. Marcus reasoned that someone who knew Peter Parker personally might have a better chance of controlling him—though the boy's unshakable morality and lack of exploitable weaknesses would make that no small feat.
Still, Marcus didn't plan for Spider-Man to appear in the upcoming Battle of New York. Revealing his ability to subjugate superheroes could expose too much. If necessary, he could always revive the symbiote and reintroduce the Black Spider-Man later—stronger, more obedient, and more terrifying.
The captured Venom symbiote, however, was far more intriguing. Marcus handed the specimen over to Dr. Curt Connors (the Lizard) and Norman Osborn (the Green Goblin). Both were pioneers in biochemical engineering—one having created the Lizard Serum, and the other the infamous Goblin Formula. Marcus trusted that their expertise in mutagenic research would yield results even beyond Tony Stark's technological brilliance.
Whatever might emerge from combining the zombie virus with the Venom symbiote, Marcus knew one thing for certain—it would not be anything human.
With his operations finally in motion, Marcus allowed himself a rare moment of rest. His defenses against the coming human counterattack were now nearly complete, and the stage was set for tomorrow's great battle.
"Time to sleep," he muttered, glancing at the clock. It was past midnight. For the first time in weeks, he would allow himself a full night's rest—before the war began.
---
The Next Morning — Manhattan
S.H.I.E.L.D. discovered the body of the Human Torch.
Deputy Director Maria Hill briefed Nick Fury grimly.
"He was stabbed through the heart from behind—instant death. The scene shows signs of a fight, with extensive burn marks likely caused by his own flames. We also found traces of a strange, black, sticky substance resembling webbing nearby. According to our experts, it's not of terrestrial origin."
Nick frowned deeply. "Another alien organism? Was that what he went after?"
He rubbed his chin in thought, then quickly shook his head. "No. If Johnny had actually found an alien lifeform, he would've contacted us immediately. He's impulsive, but not careless. So why didn't he report it?"
Hill hesitated before replying, "According to Mr. Fantastic's testimony, the Human Torch left the carrier without authorization. He likely encountered this organism by chance. Why he failed to contact us afterward remains unknown."
Nick's expression darkened. "I told that kid a hundred times not to act on his own!" he barked, slamming his fist onto the table. After a few seconds, he exhaled slowly, forcing himself back into control. "Fine. What else did the forensics report show?"
Hill continued, reading from her datapad. "The autopsy revealed heavy electrical burns around the wound—consistent with a high-voltage strike from an advanced energy weapon. About two blocks from the scene, we found the remains of a miniature arc reactor, identical in design to the one built by Whiplash.
"Additionally," she added, "Tony Stark reported seeing an Iron Man–style exosuit flying over New York last night, along with a break-in at one of Stark Industries' decommissioned weapons depots."
She paused. "Taken together—an electric wound, an arc reactor, and the recent prison break incident—all evidence points to the killer being Whiplash. Do you agree, sir?"
Nick didn't answer immediately. He was deep in thought, his one eye fixed on the holographic image of the destroyed arc reactor. Then he asked slowly:
"Tell me, Hill—why would Whiplash leave an arc reactor behind?"
Hill blinked. "Sir?"
"That reactor was based on his father's technology. Even if damaged, it's too valuable to discard. He wouldn't just toss it aside for anyone to find. Unless…" Nick's expression hardened. "Unless he wanted us to find it."
"You're suggesting he planted it on purpose?" Hill frowned. "But why?"
"To prove his identity," Nick said quietly. Then, almost to himself, he added, "Or to shift suspicion."
A terrible possibility began forming in his mind. He looked sharply at Hill.
"What if that reactor wasn't Whiplash's at all? What if it was Stark's—built to look like Whiplash's design?"
Hill's eyes widened. "You think Tony staged this entire thing himself? That he's faking Whiplash's involvement?"
"Maybe," Nick replied flatly. "Maybe not. But we can't ignore the possibility."
Hill hesitated. "All right. I'll have the tech division run a comparative analysis between Stark's and Whiplash's reactor models. If there's any structural overlap or shared components, we'll find it. Though… I should mention, Whiplash's engineering included several innovations Stark himself never documented. Distinguishing them won't be easy."
"Do it anyway," Nick ordered. "And keep this quiet. This investigation is priority one."
He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "Oh—and about that zombie virus vaccine project. You already assigned Stark to the research team, correct?"
"Yes, sir. He's been granted partial access."
"Restrict him," Nick said sharply. "He stays in his lab. No contact with the vaccine's core technology, no oversight privileges. I don't care how much he complains."
Hill exhaled quietly, giving a weary smile. "Sir, are you sure you want to treat him like this?"
Nick's one eye hardened, cold and unblinking.
"If it's necessary," he said, "then yes."
_____
T/N:
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