Back at his fried chicken store, Lynn hadn't opened for business today, and he figured he probably wouldn't be running a fried chicken shop anymore. After all, in just one night, his financial situation had undergone a complete transformation. Although he still didn't have much money in his name, he was no longer a pauper in reality.
That guy Deacon had quite an extensive business empire. Most of the bars and nightclubs across New York's districts, as well as various high-end clubs, were somehow within his business territory. However, he only managed these specific affairs and hadn't expanded into any other ventures.
"Looks like he's truly focused solely on the Darkhold, barely touching his business empire."
Considering Deacon's own ambitions, this didn't seem unrealistic. Clutching the page from the Darkhold in his hand, Lynn began to hear faint whispers in his mind, seemingly tempting him to find a suitable time to read the page.
Now wasn't the time. He needed to find the right moment and read it only when it was safe.
Chthon was a malevolent deity with whom there was no room for compromise. You were either his slave or his enemy. Though Lynn was interested in this world's magical powers, simply approaching the Darkhold wasn't a good idea.
"Lynn?"
Jessica's voice pulled Lynn back from his wandering thoughts.
"You're back?"
"You're still here, huh."
"I..."
Lynn walked into the store and patted her head, then said:
"Your foster parents can't be found. I went to your house, and it's been vacant for a long time. Kilgrave probably did something, and your foster parents are likely dead."
Lynn stated bluntly.
"Is there any chance they're still alive?"
"It's possible, since I didn't find their bodies. But now that Kilgrave is dead, finding out where they went won't be easy.
Alright, let's go to the police station."
"Mmm..."
"Wait here. I'll get the car."
————
Meanwhile, in Washington DC.
"Phil, do we have any results?"
"Melinda and I went to New York, but we didn't find any problems. That momentary high-energy reaction left no trace. Overall, Director, there's no noteworthy intelligence."
"The vampires aren't causing any trouble?"
"Generally speaking, it seems that 'Blade' just triggered some internal warfare among the vampires. Besides that, there doesn't seem to be anything worth paying attention to."
"Hmm..."
Fury stroked his chin as he looked at the rising sun in the sky, deep in thought. Coulson, however, clearly had his own concerns. He pulled out a file and tossed it onto Fury's desk, saying worriedly:
"Director, Tony Stark's situation doesn't look good. He's being held by the Ten Rings. Do you really think he can build some kind of super weapon in a cave?"
"Phil, you still don't understand Tony Stark. He's Howard's son. That old man left him a set of puzzles that no one has been able to solve to this day. If he can't escape from that situation, then he's not Tony Stark."
"I..."
"Don't worry. If he really can't escape on his own, I'll find a way. For now, set aside the Stark matter and investigate the vampires in New York. I feel like something's not right."
"Yes, Director."
Fury nodded, and Coulson walked out. Just as he reached the doorway, he saw Agent Hill about to enter, timing it perfectly.
"Good morning, Agent Hill."
"Melinda is waiting for you outside, Coulson."
Passing Coulson, Hill stood before Fury.
"There are strong energy fluctuations in Mexico, and the relationship between the Academy and the military seems to be deteriorating..."
Fury shook his bald head, covered his face with his hands, and took a deep breath before saying to Hill:
"Can you give me some good news first and save the bad for later?"
"Oscorp just drove a scientist insane in New York. He turned into a humanoid lizard and went on a rampage, but fortunately there weren't many casualties. Spider-Man did a good job."
"Hill."
"Yes?"
"Let's go have breakfast first. Our cafeteria has good food."
——
"What do you like for breakfast?"
"Egg toast."
"Probably can't get that. There's a sandwich place up ahead, let's make do with that."
"Then forget it. I already ate fried chicken at your shop."
"Don't get jealous when I'm eating later. I won't share with you."
Lynn had rolled down his window and was resting his cheek on his hand, watching the busy people on the bridge ahead. It seemed traffic was jammed, with car horns blaring all around. Several tow trucks were still busy at work up ahead.
He could see several wrecked cars being slowly moved to the roadside. Many drivers around were cursing, apparently having been stuck here for quite some time, almost late for work.
But Lynn was in a good mood. He vaguely remembered this scene from his memories, and perhaps soon he'd see JJJ's news reporting on the tips his informant had provided.
Lynn could almost imagine his choice of words.
"This sinister and vicious Spider-Man is again destroying New York's safety and order, staging a self-directed idol drama with a green lizard monster!"
Without outside intervention, that's probably what the news would say.
Soon enough, just as Lynn predicted, the morning news began to broadcast. However, it differed from what he had imagined.
"There are rumors that due to mismanagement at Oscorp, some kind of biochemical disaster occurred last night, causing significant damage in New York City..."
The news was full of condemnation for Oscorp, as if someone had deliberately arranged it. Who knows who had caught Oscorp in a compromising position.
Lynn switched through several radio stations, but they all unanimously condemned Oscorp, stopping just short of saying Oscorp wanted to destroy New York. Interestingly, hardly anyone mentioned Spider-Man.
"Someone's deliberately manipulating public opinion?"
Lynn opened his phone and checked the morning news, indeed seeing Lizard-transformed Dr. Connors rampaging on the bridge.
However...
"Interesting. This time there's no sign of Peter Parker at all. With Dr. Connors in this state, it's impossible for him not to have been caught on camera. Someone deliberately concealed his identity."
"Lynn, what are you looking at?"
"Seeing that the Lizard-Man has finally appeared. Our government is finally showing its hand."
After saying this, Lynn showed Jessica his phone, where Dr. Connors' blurry form was barely visible in the photo. Even with the naked eye, one could tell it was a humanoid lizard-like figure.
"Pfft..."
"Sit tight, we're moving again. Looks like traffic is flowing up ahead."
American efficiency wasn't so bad after all. This road finally started moving, though the honking continued around them. After a while and several turns, Lynn finally reached the breakfast stand.
He handed Jessica a sandwich while taking a hot dog for himself.
"I want a hot dog too."
"Not healthy. Just eat your sandwich."
Ignoring Jessica's request, Lynn started the car before the mounted police could arrive, disappearing around the corner the next second. Better let the mounted police bother someone else.
The police station wasn't far. Lynn found the precinct where he had filed the report, parked in a nearby lot, and led Jessica inside.
"Reports to the left, case closures to the right, confessions upstairs."
An elderly lady spoke somewhat shakily, so Lynn took Jessica to the right.
"What am I supposed to say?"
"You don't need to say anything. I'll provide a logically consistent explanation. Some things are better left unsaid."
Before Jessica could ask more questions, Lynn had already led her into the office.
"Hello, are you the one who filed the report? And she is...?"
"She's Jessica. Thank God, I finally found her. You don't know what happened in between..."
Jessica watched as Lynn chatted away, her eyes occasionally fixed on the wall behind the officer covered with various sticky notes. While Lynn spun his story without the slightest hesitation, he shook hands with the officer, and purple energy imperceptibly crawled up the officer's body.
A few minutes later, a perfectly reasonable story about a missing person had formed in the officer's mind.
However, Lynn's story contained no sexual content. Although the young girl before him still seemed able to chat and joke with him, and didn't show too much fear or post-traumatic stress, Lynn hadn't forgotten her almost collapsing state when Purple Man died.
This girl was just stronger than average people, but that didn't mean she could endure certain triggering stimuli.
Especially since she had seen Lynn kill someone.
The impact of that was unclear.
"Did she go through all this?"
"Believe me, officer, I just want this poor child to get home and rest as soon as possible. As you know, her foster parents' home is now in ruins. Perhaps you could report to your superiors and crack down hard on those underground dirty dealings."
"Without a doubt, Mr. Sidis. I swore an oath on my badge. I will definitely report everything you've told me."
"You're too kind. Jessica, go with this officer to give your statement, and then I'll take you home."
The whole process was full of loopholes, but the officer didn't seem to notice. Lynn also needed to give a statement.
Jessica looked at Lynn with confusion, then at the indignant, tissue-blowing burly officer, and finally just shook her head at Lynn.
"Go on now."
When the girl came out looking exhausted, Lynn was taking a nap in the lobby. Midway through, the officer had regained some rationality, remembered some crucial details, and called Lynn back up to restate his account.
But the whole process went as Lynn had anticipated, without any complications. Runaways and missing persons weren't uncommon, and it only took some artistic embellishment and psychic influence to make the officer forget many important things and overlook key points.
"So are we done with the case?"
"Of course. If we track down those involved in human trafficking, we'll notify you immediately. For now, Mr. Sidis, you should take Miss Jones home to rest."
"Thank you. I'll take her now. She must be exhausted after everything she's been through."
"Safe travels."
A few minutes later, Jessica sat in the passenger seat, staring at Lynn.
"What is it?"
"Which one is the real you?"
"They all are. What? Should I be fierce and menacing to an ordinary person? Have Tom and Jekyll throw them into the seafloor of Manhattan Bay?"
"No, it's just interesting, Teacher Lynn~"
Jessica hadn't known about Lynn's identity as a Midtown High teacher until the officer mentioned it while taking her statement.
"You're recovering well. Let's go back to the store and rest for a while."
"What about that silly big guy? I haven't seen him open the store today."
"Well, I've found a new way to make money, so we probably won't be running the fried chicken shop anymore. You can rest at the store for the next couple of days. I'm guessing you don't want to go back to Queens."
Lynn said to Jessica.
"Lynn, are you serious about teaching at Midtown High? You're not..."
Lynn could guess what Jessica was about to say and replied directly:
"Let me be clear, I may not be a good person, but I'm at least a mentally sound adult. Going to a school to find experimental subjects wouldn't do me any good.
Girl, if you have nothing to do, just use the arcade machine in the store. Don't let your imagination run wild."
Lynn didn't explain further. At the same time, he received a phone call. Taking out his phone, Kara's voice came through.
"Doctor, Maria has arranged vehicles and movers. They'll soon arrive to transport your laboratory."
"Where are they now?"
"I estimate they'll reach your former storefront in about ten minutes."
Sure enough, ten minutes later, a truck disguised as a moving company arrived at Lynn's storefront. Several heavily bundled burly men got out, and Lynn quickly sensed the Kara organism spreading within their bodies through his psychic abilities.
These were vampires under Maria's command.
The truck had also undergone multiple modifications, making it much heavier than it appeared.
"Mr. Sidis, we're here to move your things."
"They're downstairs. Don't bump anything, and follow my instructions. Don't dismantle things you shouldn't touch, understand?"
Lynn's words carried a strange pressure, making these vampires feel suffocated, as if their master was speaking to them. They nodded repeatedly, as docile as winter rabbits.
"If you understand, then get to work."
Jessica, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, wasn't playing video games. She was silently watching Lynn direct those big men as they carried out one construct after another from the basement. Although she couldn't understand any of them, it didn't stop her from watching Lynn give orders with interest.
This process continued until nightfall.
After all, these clumsy soldiers didn't know which parts of Lynn's equipment could be dismantled and which couldn't, so eventually Lynn handled the dismantling himself, letting them act purely as manual labor.
By the time the heavy truck drove away, it was dark.
Jessica, wearing Lynn's shirt, was curled up sleeping on the sofa in the fried chicken store, seemingly unconcerned about the indelible oil stains and smoky smell. Only the sound of soft breathing could be heard.
Lynn checked the time, pulled out a blanket from the storage room, and covered the girl. Then he sat down on a nearby stool.
With one hand supporting his cheek, he looked at Jessica curled up there.
He smiled bitterly, covered his face with his hand, took a deep breath, then stood up and walked outside the store, pulling down the rolling shutter.
Suddenly, he glanced toward the end of the alley.
"I thought we were done with our business. Why are you looking for me again?"
"Why are those vampires working for you?"
"Well... just some minor tactics. What brings you here?"
"Just checking if you're still human, just in case."
After saying this, Blade seemed ready to leave in Lynn's perception, but Lynn called out to him.
"By the way, Blade, have any men in black come looking for you?"
Silence. No voice answered Lynn.
"Seems not. SHIELD hasn't contacted him yet."
The psychic electricity flickered slightly around Lynn's body, causing the alley lights to flicker unnaturally. At the same time, he looked back at his fried chicken store.
"Never mind..."
Whatever he was giving up on, Lynn gently pulled up the rolling shutter and returned to his lair, seemingly abandoning many thoughts.
"Take it slow."