Soren stood in the cool, sterile glow of his genetic laboratory, his eyes locked on the holographic display before him. The twisting strands of DNA danced like ethereal ribbons in the air, constantly shifting, unraveling, and reforming under his control.
With a precise flick of his fingers, the human genes were separated from the Hulk transformation genes, discarded like useless waste.
"Pointless." Soren murmured. "Nothing valuable in this."
He tapped a control panel, and the unwanted data vanished in a flickering blur.
Now came the real challenge.
His gaze sharpened on two specific gene strands, one green, pulsating with raw, chaotic gamma energy, the essence of the Hulk.
And the other a light blue factor, rare, refined, and carrying the very modifications that had kept Banner's transformations in check.
"So, this is what they were working on…"
This blue factor was a double-edged sword. It suppressed Hulk transformations, limited his strength, and most importantly, allowed Bruce to maintain control.
"Interesting." Soren muttered, retrieving his gene-modification scalpel.
With steady precision, he made the first incision, slicing away the inferior portions of the blue gene. The holographic DNA trembled under his touch, reassembling into a more perfected form.
"This should do it."
Minutes later, he walked out of the lab, a small pillbox in hand. Inside were two sets of capsules one green, one blue.
Bruce sat on a hospital bed, rolling his shoulder, testing his newly healed body. The residual warmth of Soren's healing energy still lingered in his muscles.
When Soren stepped into the room, Bruce immediately straightened, his eyes flicking to the small pillbox in his hand.
"Well?" Bruce asked, voice tight with anticipation.
Soren smiled slightly and held up the box.
"Congratulations, Banner. You're the proud owner of my latest breakthrough." He said with a smile.
"These blue pills? Take them when you don't want to transform. They'll suppress the Hulk entirely, no matter what."
Bruce exhaled, his fingers twitching slightly as he reached for the box.
"And the green ones?"
Soren's smile widened.
"Those will undo the suppression. Take one before you need to transform, and you'll regain full access to the Hulk's strength, without any limitations."
Bruce's heart pounded as he stared at the capsules, his entire life suddenly resting in the palm of his hand.
"How… how did you!?"
"Let's just say I know my way around genetics."
Bruce swallowed hard, running his thumb over the smooth surface of the pillbox. "This… this could change my life."
"That's the idea." Soren chuckled.
A long silence stretched between them before Bruce finally spoke again, his voice softer this time.
"Thank you, Soren. I mean it."
Soren waved a hand dismissively. "Don't thank me yet. I only had enough materials to make a limited supply. Use them wisely. If you run out, you'll have to come back."
Bruce gave a wry smile. "Yeah, I figured there'd be a catch."
"Hey, I'm running a business here. If you keep showing up like this, I'll go bankrupt."
Bruce chuckled, shaking his head. "I guess I'll try to stay out of trouble, then."
A pause.
Then Bruce's expression grew serious again. He looked at Soren, really looked at him, and saw something he hadn't noticed before.
"You… you could've done anything with my blood. Why help me?"
Soren met his gaze with an easy confidence. "Because I could."
"That's it?" Bruce frowned slightly.
Soren's smile faded just a little. "Let's just say… you're not the only one who knows what it's like to struggle as the world bears down on you."
Bruce studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"…If you ever need something from me, Soren, just ask."
Soren chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind."
The city was still reeling from the battle. Fires burned in the distance, the echoes of sirens cutting through the night.
Soren walked Bruce to the entrance of the hospital, the two men standing side by side beneath the flickering streetlights.
Bruce pocketed the pills and gave Soren one last nod. "I should get going."
"Yeah, you should." Soren agreed. "And, Banner?"
Bruce turned back.
"Try not to wreck another city."
Bruce laughed under his breath. "No promises."
And with that, he disappeared into the night.
Soren watched him go before sighing and stretching his arms.
"After a night like that, I deserve some sleep."
With a flick of his wrist, the doors to Everlife Medical Center slammed shut.
The morning air in New York was thick with tension as televisions in cafes, office buildings, and street-side shops blasted the same shocking news across every channel.
"BREAKING NEWS! Tony Stark, the billionaire industrialist and weapons genius, has gone missing in Afghanistan after an ambush by terrorist forces! The U.S. military has launched an extensive search and rescue operation!"
News anchors, political analysts, and military experts debated the implications on live television.
"With Stark missing, the U.S. military faces a potential crisis… what happens if terrorists get their hands on his technology?"
"Without their primary weapons manufacturer, will the U.S. government be forced to seek new defense contracts?"
Headlines scrolled across the screens:
Where is Tony Stark?
Stark Industries Stock Plummets Following CEO's Disappearance!
Fears Rise Over Terrorists Acquiring Stark Weaponry!
At Everlife Medical Center, Soren was watching the news with mild interest. "So, it begins."
He took a sip of his coffee, musing over the ramifications of Stark's capture.
If Stark was truly dead, the world would change in ways no one could predict. But Soren knew better.
He sighed, shaking his head. "This world still needs Iron Man."
The atmosphere in the Military command center was suffocating. Officers and analysts scrambled over maps, drone footage, and intercepted transmissions, desperately trying to locate Stark.
A grizzled U.S. Army general, his face hardened by years of war, slammed his fist on the table.
"How the hell does a high-profile VIP like Stark just disappear?! He had an entire convoy of armed personnel!"
A nervous intelligence officer cleared his throat.
"Sir, based on satellite imagery, we believe Stark may have been taken by an unknown insurgent group. They!"
"I don't care what you 'believe'! I need damn results!" The general barked. "Every second he's missing is a national security threat! You think terrorists with Stark's tech is a joke?!"
A tense silence filled the room.
Then, the general took a deep breath and exhaled sharply.
"Get me the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D."
Director Nick Fury stood behind his desk, listening as the military leader across from him vented his frustrations.
Fury, ever composed, only raised an eyebrow as the man finished his tirade.
"Let me get this straight." Fury said coolly. "You're asking me, the guy you never trust, to clean up your mess?"
The military leader gritted his teeth.
"This isn't about politics, Fury. Stark's disappearance is a disaster waiting to happen. We need your resources to find him, fast."
Fury leaned back, fingers steepled. "And what makes you think I haven't already been looking?"
The Commander blinked. "What?"
"Come on, General. This is Tony Stark we're talking about. You think I wouldn't keep tabs on the biggest weapons manufacturer in the world?" Fury scoffed.
The general hesitated. "...So you know where he is?"
"No. But I know a doctor with a unique skill set."
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
Fellow Phantoms and aspiring Phantoms to be, if you seek to access advanced parts of this story procced to my shadowy realm of p@treon.
PhantomDream