Nathan had intended to deal with the thugs himself, but surprisingly, someone else had stepped in before he could move.
That was a first.
He had spent so long relying only on himself that the feeling of being helped — even momentarily — left him... awkward.
He gave a slight nod, his voice calm. "I'm fine. Thanks for the help."
The girl flashed a bright, carefree smile. "No worries. I like helping people."
She adjusted the strap of her guitar with a casual grace and offered a cheerful goodbye. "Take care, friend. Enjoy your afternoon in Queens!"
With that, she turned and walked away — light-footed, as if carried by the wind.
Nathan watched her go. There was something familiar about her.
The golden-blonde hair tipped with pink, the agility, the way she moved — it all reminded him of someone.
He frowned slightly. "Could it be...?"
It didn't quite make sense. By all logic, this version of Gwen Stacy shouldn't be here. Not unless this universe had integrated elements from other timelines or dimensions — mutants, alternate heroes, legacy programs…
But given that he had already met Zemo and witnessed the rise of Weapon X, maybe this world wasn't bound by cinematic canon.
Still uncertain, Nathan called out casually, "Hey — since you helped me, can I at least know your name?"
The girl paused mid-step, glanced over her shoulder with a mischievous glint in her eye, and replied:
"Gwen."
And then, just like that, she disappeared around the corner.
Just like a ghost.
Nathan got into his car, still processing the encounter.
"Gwen… Ghost-Spider Gwen?"
He couldn't be sure — her abilities hadn't shown anything beyond a strong kick and decent balance. But her reaction time had been fast. Too fast for a normal person.
"Maybe she hasn't become Ghost-Spider yet," he muttered. "Or maybe she has and is just hiding it well."
He shook his head and focused on the road again.
As the car turned down the next block, he chuckled.
"New York City. Less than six hours here, and I've already bumped into Baron Zemo and Gwen Stacy."
"This place is practically crawling with key players."
And that suited him just fine. The closer he was to the heart of power, the faster he could identify threats, steal assets, and accelerate his evolution.
---
Back in a grimy alley a few blocks away...
The three thugs Nathan had embarrassed earlier had regrouped, watching his vehicle disappear into the distance.
"That guy's car was top-notch," one of them grumbled, rubbing his bruised ribs.
"Definitely a big fish," the second nodded. "If it weren't for that damn blonde chick, we'd be halfway to the pawn shop by now."
"The hell with her," the third snapped. "But don't worry — I got us a backup plan."
The others turned to him as he pulled out his phone.
"Check this out." He tapped a few times, revealing a GPS tracking app.
They stared in surprise. "No way…"
The techy one grinned proudly. "I slipped a tracker under his car. Just in case."
"Dude, when did you get that idea?"
"I used to work at Stark Industries, remember? Got fired for 'borrowing' things that weren't nailed down. But hey, I kept the good stuff."
"Then what are we waiting for?" the leader said, grinning. "Let's follow that signal and rob this guy for everything he's got."
---
Just then, two more men appeared around the alley corner — one tall and sullen, the other chatty and nervous.
The thugs immediately recognized them.
"Hey, if it isn't the infamous Scott Lang, fresh outta jail!"
"And Luis! Still running around with your buddy here, huh? How long until you're both back behind bars?"
Scott clenched his fists, but Luis quickly grabbed his arm. "Ignore them, bro. They're not worth it."
Scott exhaled, biting his tongue.
He had just gotten out. The last thing he needed was another run-in with psycho gang types.
The trio of thugs laughed as they walked off, gloating over their imaginary victory.
If Nathan had been there, he would've recognized Scott instantly — the future Ant-Man. But for now, Scott remained a footnote in this chapter, still trying to stay on the straight path.
---
Meanwhile…
Nathan had reached his destination.
The location Klaus had sent him stood before him in the form of a surprisingly modern villa, nestled within a fenced perimeter in a quieter corner of the city.
A sleek yard, trimmed hedges, and an automatic steel gate gave the place a high-end feel.
Nathan raised an eyebrow. "This is the safe house? Damn, Klaus. You don't do subtle."
He parked the car, got out, and walked up to the security panel. With a quick tap, he entered the temporary code Klaus had sent.
The panel lit up.
> "Verification successful. Scanning iris.
Access granted. You now have permanent clearance."
Gate opening. Vehicle detected."
The tall gates slid open smoothly.
Nathan smirked. "That's one way to say welcome."
He drove into the property and parked. For a moment, he just sat in the driver's seat, staring at the villa with quiet appreciation.
Then, his focus shifted.
The trunk.
He stepped out and popped it open.
Inside, X-24 lay like a corpse, completely paralyzed, his body stiff, his eyes the only part of him that moved.
Nathan leaned in and smiled slightly. "Time to get to work."
He hauled the clone over his shoulder and carried him into the villa, heading straight for the basement — already familiar thanks to the blueprints Klaus had emailed him.
The lab was exactly as promised.
Polished metal counters, medical-grade tools, surgical equipment, power supplies, scanners, and even a DNA splicing rig. State-of-the-art tech, likely sourced from old SHIELD labs or black-market Stark gear.
Nathan laid the clone down on the reinforced steel operating table.
He reached for magnetic restraints and locked down X-24's wrists and ankles with industrial precision.
Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.
The clone couldn't move an inch. Even without the neurotoxin, these bonds would hold.
Nathan exhaled, satisfied. "Now even if you wake up early, you're not going anywhere."
X-24's eyes flickered with something between fear and rage.
Nathan picked up a scalpel.
"Let's begin with something simple," he murmured. "A shallow cut. Just to see how fast you heal."
He made a small incision near the shoulder blade.
Almost immediately, the wound began knitting itself back together — flesh closing, muscle reconnecting, skin re-forming — in seconds.
Nathan whistled. "Impressive. Very impressive."
---
Back outside...
The three carjackers had finally arrived, guided by the GPS tracker.
They stood across the street, eyes wide as they stared at the modern villa.
"Whoa. This guy's loaded."
"I told you he was a fat sheep," the techie whispered, licking his lips.
"Let's wait until dark. Then we move."
They exchanged greedy smirks, completely unaware of what was waiting inside.
They thought they were going to rob a rich loner.
They were about to walk into a laboratory. With a monster strapped to a table. And the devil himself taking notes.