After finalizing the partnership with Oscorp, everything gradually fell into place...
Sean had taken his first solid step toward success. At Dr. Connors' insistence, he shed his status as an intern and lab assistant, officially becoming a co-founder of the research lab.
Once the new drug hit the market, Sean planned to abandon the New York State University lab... its facilities and environment could no longer keep up with his ambitions. For a rapidly expanding research team, it was far too rudimentary.
Sean and Connors had already scouted a new location for the lab in the northern suburbs of Long Island. Construction had already begun.
The land, originally intended for a high-end residential development, boasted lush greenery and well-established infrastructure. Through Wesley's behind-the-scenes maneuvering and some well-placed government connections, Sean had acquired it at a bargain price.
Soon, the new lab would be complete and ready for operation. For Sean, it meant more than just a facility, it was his first true asset, a sign that he was no longer a nobody.
Returning home, Sean found Mindy packing her belongings in her room.
Two large boxes were stuffed with her beloved Rilakkuma plushies, stacks of clothes, and personal treasures... dozens of exquisitely crafted butterfly knives (likely birthday gifts from her late father) and a polished blued steel pistol with a walnut grip, more a work of art than a weapon.
"Somehow, you've accumulated more stuff than me," Sean remarked, eyeing the mountain of boxes, "I swear you only had a backpack when you moved in."
"These are my most precious collections," Mindy huffed, shooting him a disdainful glance, "Ms. Jeannie says a refined, elegant woman must cultivate taste and sophistication. A comic-book collecting otaku like you wouldn't understand."
*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*
Veins popping on his forehead, Sean grabbed the little blonde menace and subjected her to a swift, no-nonsense spanking.
"Mindy Macready, you've been corrupted by capitalist decadence. To save your fragile little soul, you're on dish duty for the next week."
The indignant girl glared at him, but considering his usual generosity with allowance and his willingness to cook and clean, she decided to 'temporarily' forgive his transgression.
After mentally torturing Sean ten thousand times in her head, Mindy cheerfully resumed packing.
They were preparing for a major move. Now that Sean had joined the ranks of the wealthy, staying in this old apartment no longer suited him.
Harry Osborn had recommended a reliable real estate agent, and through their connections, Sean had purchased a luxury penthouse in Manhattan.
Once everything was packed, Mindy tugged at Sean's hand, pouting as she surveyed the empty room.
"Do we have to move? I liked it here. There's a comic shop nearby, and the Burger King is cheap and good. Does Manhattan have those?"
Sean ruffled her hair, "They'll have bigger comic shops, ice cream parlors with way more flavors, and even an amusement park. We'll live in a place much nicer than this."
Mindy's eyes sparkled, her earlier reluctance forgotten. Beaming, she slipped her small hand into Sean's palm.
After losing her father, the void in her heart had been quietly filled by Sean. Two lonely souls living together had given her something she'd never truly known before... a sense of family.
"Will we stay together forever?" she asked, looking up.
Sean smiled, "Yeah."
Maybe picking up this little gremlin had been the right choice after all. Walking this cold world alone would have been far too lonely.
After loading the boxes into their new car, Sean and Mindy took one last look at the apartment that had been their starting point.
It was here that Sean had taken his first steps... where drug lord Frank D'Amico, Kingpin, and even the Green Goblin had fallen before him, each serving as stepping stones toward greater heights.
"Say goodbye to the past, Mindy."
Hand in hand, the two figures (one tall, one small) shared a smile before turning away.
.....
As the last rays of sunset faded beyond the horizon, darkness draped itself over the city...
While Sean settled into his new home, atop the private helipad of Rand Enterprises, a helicopter's blades whipped the air as it descended.
A young man with tousled brown hair stepped out, followed by a dark-haired woman carrying a travel pack. They gazed at the glittering skyline of New York with relief in their eyes.
"Being back in this city... feels strange," the young man mused.
The last time he'd been here, it was to reclaim his family's company from those who had stolen it.
His name was Danny Rand...
Years ago, he had survived a plane crash that killed his parents, only to be taken in by monks of the mystical city of K'un-Lun. After decades of brutal training, he had earned the title of its protector... the Iron Fist...
"The Hand told me there's a war coming to New York," Danny said, his voice low, "That's why I'm back."
His grip tightened around the pendant at his chest, a symbol of the power he wielded, "They destroyed the only place that ever gave me peace. Colleen, I'm going to find every last one of them."
The woman beside him squeezed his hand, "I know you will."
As they turned to leave, the ground beneath them trembled violently. A deafening roar filled the air as skyscrapers in the distance flickered and went dark.
A jagged fissure split the helipad, forcing Danny to steady himself and Colleen.
Staring at the blacked-out city blocks, Danny muttered, "An earthquake?"
...
The tremors radiated outward from Hell's Kitchen, sending cars screeching and people flooding into the streets in panic. Chaos spread like wildfire, overwhelming the police's attempts to maintain order.
Matt Murdock, who had abandoned his Daredevil persona, paused mid-step in his apartment...
Jessica Jones who investigating a missing persons case froze as her coffee cup rattled off the table...
Fresh out of prison, Luke Cage steadied himself against a wall...
All of Hell's Kitchen's street-level heroes felt it... the earth itself trembling beneath them.
Meanwhile, Frank Castle (having barely escaped Wesley's custody) was now bleeding and battered, pursued through back alleys by a squad of Hand ninjas.
He hadn't expected the shadowy organization to be plotting something of this scale...
'This intel has to reach Matt...'
A war was coming to Hell's Kitchen. And the Punisher knew he couldn't fight it alone...
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