Alex clenched his fists, ready to throw a punch.
But unexpectedly, the situation took a turn he never could have predicted.
He stood there, stunned, watching the chaotic scene unfold.
Captain America lay injured, and across from him, someone wore an expression of confusion mixed with fury.
Alex's mouth twitched slightly. He was just as bewildered.
So that was it. The Essex Company had mistaken him for Captain America that day.
They hadn't come for the real Captain America—they were after him.
And in doing so, they'd surrounded and attacked the real one by mistake, leaving him bruised and bloodied.
Judging by Captain America's face, he still hadn't figured out what was going on.
He didn't understand why he'd been ambushed so violently.
Well, to be fair, a super-soldier fighting with a shield did look an awful lot like Captain America. A common enough mistake.
Alex stood frozen for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.
"So, they were after Captain America... well, then that's not my problem," Alex muttered to himself.
He turned and walked into the nearby supermarket, as if nothing had happened.
Captain America getting beaten up? What did that have to do with Alex?
Captain America was having a terrible day.
Thanks to the Sokovia Accords and the global controversy that followed, the Avengers had become public enemies. They'd kept a low profile, staying indoors to avoid further backlash.
Now that things had calmed down slightly, he decided to step out and clear his head.
It was supposed to be a relaxing walk.
Instead, he ran into a hostage crisis.
Naturally, he stepped in, saved the hostage, handed the kidnappers to the police—and ruined his morning in the process.
Still, he figured he could salvage the afternoon.
That was until a group of well-armed mercenaries jumped him out of nowhere.
They didn't even hesitate.
Just beat him down—an elderly man in his late eighties—with no warning or explanation.
Three of them were even stronger than normal humans. He tried to escape, but they were relentless.
He still didn't know what he'd done to piss them off so badly.
It was just one of those days.
In a narrow alley, the Essex mercenaries continued their pursuit.
Team 290 cut him off, forming a pincer movement.
Several fighters blocked Captain America's path and launched a full assault.
Gunshots rang out—one even hit one of the attackers when it ricocheted.
The alley was too tight for a proper gunfight, so they resorted to hand-to-hand combat.
Captain America gritted his teeth and sent one attacker flying with a punch. "Who the hell are you people?!"
Donald, the squad leader, charged in and sucker-punched him.
Boom!
Captain America slammed into the wall, his entire body screaming in pain.
Donald yelled, "Captain America, give back what you stole!"
The words caught him off guard.
Then it clicked—earlier that morning, he had rescued a hostage from the kidnappers. That's who they were talking about.
He pushed himself off the ground, blood dripping from his mouth. His eyes narrowed.
"So... you're just a bunch of thugs."
He wiped the blood off and said coldly, "Sorry. Once I've rescued someone, I don't hand them back."
Donald's face darkened. "Very good. Just like the legends say—Captain America, full of pride."
"But have you considered the cost of crossing us?" he sneered. "You're an old man stuck in the past."
He wasn't wrong. Captain America had been frozen for seventy years, and biologically, he was pushing ninety.
The insult only made him angrier.
Donald gave the signal. "Take him down. We'll make him talk."
More fighters rushed in.
Captain America didn't have his shield today—he'd left it behind for what was supposed to be a quiet outing.
Even so, he fought back hard, taking out several mercenaries.
But then—
Two Wolverine clones joined the fray.
They didn't have Adamantium claws—just bone.
(Adamantium was rare, and Essex had already depleted their stock with X-24.)
These new clones weren't as strong or fast. They didn't heal as well either.
But they were still dangerous.
With their addition, the tide turned.
Captain America was slashed multiple times, gritting his teeth through the pain.
Donald called out again, "Hand over the hostage."
Captain America responded with a punch that dropped one clone and a kick that snapped the other's bone claw.
The clone howled in pain.
Then Donald struck again—Bang!
Captain America flew back, crashing hard.
Donald sneered, "You're finished."
He prepared to deal the final blow—
WHOOSH!
A powerful figure dropped from the sky, slamming a kick into Donald and sending him flying.
CLANK!
Metallic limbs extended.
"I'm late. Had a banquet to attend," said the newcomer, turning with a shrug.
It was Tony Stark. Iron Man.
Captain America, barely on his feet, cracked a grin.
Tony looked him over. "Damn, Steve, you look like crap."
Steve groaned, "Try getting jumped by ten guys. See how you look."
Tony smirked. "They wouldn't get that close."
He tossed a shield across the alley. "Brought you a gift."
He turned to Donald and the mercenaries. "So… Steve, what's the plan?"
Captain America joined him, shield in hand.
"Let's send these criminals to prison."
Tony cracked his knuckles. "Great idea."
Donald snarled, "This isn't your fight, Iron Man."
Tony grinned. "I like other people's fights."
Outside the alley, Dr. Rice watched the battle unfold via helmet cam feeds.
He clenched his fists when he saw Iron Man arrive.
"So Stark was involved…"
The weapon used last time—the mini pulse cannon—had been advanced tech. Likely Stark's work.
"So the Avengers have been spying on us."
He seethed.
"You stole X-24 to get our genetic tech. Pretending to be heroes—but using dirty tricks."
"We're all villains in the end. There are no noble people left."
Dr. Rice hissed, "Avengers... you've made an enemy."
Back in the alley, the tide turned.
With his shield, Captain America's strength soared.
With Iron Man at his side, the mercenaries were overwhelmed.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The shield bounced through the air, knocking out enemies.
Steve caught it. "No need to thank me."
Tony raised his palm. BLAST!
A repulsor beam took out an attacker behind Steve.
Tony grinned. "No need to thank me."
Then he kicked Donald across the alley.
"See? They don't touch me."
SLASH!
A pair of bone claws tore across his armor.
Tony winced. "Okay. Almost never."
Captain America smirked and shook his head.
Tony kicked the attacker away, annoyed.
Donald saw the tide turning. "Retreat!"
He tossed a flashbang.
The mercenaries fled as Iron Man and Captain America shielded their eyes.
By the time they recovered, the enemy had vanished—escaped by car.
Tony checked Steve's injuries. "You need treatment. I'll have S.H.I.E.L.D. track them."
Meanwhile, in a moving van, Donald growled, "The Avengers have made an enemy of Essex."
Back at home, Alex returned.
In the living room, Elizabeth was in the middle of an online class, guided by a private tutor—an arrangement made by Klaue to ensure her education.
She looked miserable.
The moment she saw Alex, her face lit up. "Big brother!"
She jumped up, eager to run to him.
Klaue held her back. "No skipping class. Focus."
Elizabeth slumped, defeated.
Alex chuckled and headed downstairs.
First, he checked in on Green Goblin.
The villain sneered, "Figured out how to get rid of me yet?"
He laughed. "You can't. The Goblin formula is perfect."
"If you want to erase me, you'd have to erase Norman Osborn too."
Alex replied coolly, "Don't worry. You'll be gone soon."
He turned to Norman. "I'll free you from him—and when I do, you'll work for me. Deal?"
Norman struggled, face twitching with conflict.
Finally, he rasped, "Deal... Please... end it…"
Alex nodded and left.
He entered his lab—not to modify the Goblin formula yet, but to monitor the city.
He hacked into public surveillance, flipping through feeds.
Eventually, he paused on one.
A muscular, dark-skinned man appeared on screen.
"Hello, Luke Cage," Alex muttered.
He didn't have full access, so he had Kurt tap into deeper systems.
Luke Cage—man with skin like steel.
Perfect for Phase One of Alex's Superman Plan.
The reason he sent Kurt to the New York prison?
Luke Cage had gained his powers during a secret prison experiment.
Alex intended to replicate the data—both from Luke himself and the lab where it began.