Marvel: The Journey

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*****

In the heart of Los Angeles, in a nondescript house, Henry found himself in an extraordinary experience. As he entered the kitchen, he reached for a glass of water, only to witness the liquid instantly freeze upon contact with his skin. Bewildered, he coughed, and to his horror, he expelled not phlegm, but chunks of ice from his mouth.

As fear coursed through his veins, he bolted up the stairs and rushed into the bathroom, seeking refuge from the terror that had taken hold of him. As he gazed into the mirror, he recoiled in horror at the sight of his reflection. His once-rosy complexion had transformed into an eerie pallor, and the same ominous black marks that had marred Jane Scott's skin now adorned his own.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks: he had contracted the same mysterious affliction that had claimed Jane's life. The last person to touch her body before it was dumped into the lake, he had unwittingly exposed himself to a deadly virus or toxin.

Frantic and desperate for a cure, he wracked his brain for any solution. And then, in a sudden moment of clarity, he knew what he had to do. He had to find Jason Wilkes, the brilliant scientist who had worked with Jane and who might hold the key to his salvation.

With a sense of urgency that he had never felt before, he dashed out of his house and sprinted towards his car. His hands trembled as he fumbled with the keys and frantically turned the ignition. The engine roared to life, and he accelerated down the street, his heart racing with a mix of fear and hope.

A few minutes later, Henry pulled up in front of Jason Wilkes' house, his heart pounding in his chest. He leaped out of the car and dashed towards the front door, his mind racing with a million thoughts. He knew that time was of the essence, and that his fate hung in the balance.

He rang the doorbell and waited with bated breath. When Wilkes finally answered the door, Henry was a bundle of nerves. But instead of a warm welcome, Wilkes was greeted by the sight of a desperate man pointing a gun at his face.

Trembling, Henry stammered out the words, "Get in the car now!" Wilkes was stunned and horrified, but something in Henry's eyes told him that he had no choice but to comply. With a sense of resignation, Wilkes nodded his head and closed the door behind him.

As they made their way to the car, Wilkes couldn't help but wonder what had driven Henry to such extremes. But before he could ask any questions, they were on the road, hurtling towards an unknown destination.

But their journey was short-lived. Within a few minutes, the car's windows frosted over, and the steering column froze, forcing Henry to abandon the vehicle. 

As they ran away from the scene on foot, Henry turned to Wilkes and began to speak, his voice trembling with fear and desperation.

"Listen to me, Wilkes," he said. "I didn't kill Scott. I was hired to dispose of her frozen body, but I wanted to revive the cold case. I duplicated the style of the serial killer to make it look like he was still active. I had to do it, Wilkes. I'm a good cop, and I needed to keep my career on track."

Wilkes listened to Henry's story with a mixture of shock and disbelief. He couldn't believe that he was next to a man who had been involved in such a heinous crime. But as he looked into Henry's eyes, he saw something there that made him believe that there was more to this story than met the eye.

"What do you want from me, Henry?" Wilkes asked, his voice measured and calm.

"I want to lose my pursuers," Henry replied. "And then I want you to cure me. I know that you worked with Scott before she died. You're the only one who can save me."

Meanwhile, Peggy, Val, and Sousa pulled up outside Henry's house.

When they approached the front door, they called out his name, but there was no answer. After several attempts to get a response, they knew that they had no choice but to force their way in. With a well-placed kick, the door flew open, and they rushed inside, guns drawn, ready for anything.

As they searched the house, room by room, they were struck by the eerie silence that greeted them. It was as if the very air in the house was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. But as they continued their search, it became clear that Henry was nowhere to be found.

Peggy's pager beeped urgently, and she quickly checked the message. Her heart sank as she read the words: "Jason Wilkes abducted at gunpoint. The suspect matches Henry's description."

She turned to Val, her voice tense with urgency. "We need to move. Henry has kidnapped Wilkes and is on the run by car. We have to find them before it's too late."

Val immediately sprang into action, contacting LAPD and requesting backup. But he made it clear that they needed non-lethal devices only - Henry was wanted for questioning, not to be taken down by force.

As they raced through the streets, sirens blaring, Peggy, Val, and Sousa knew that they were in a race against time. Henry was desperate, and he had Wilkes in his clutches. 

After a tense and adrenaline-fueled drive, Val, Peggy, and Sousa arrived at the location where Henry and Wilkes had abandoned their car. The sight that greeted them was chilling - the windows were frosted over.

Val quickly assessed the situation and barked out orders. "They're on the run, and they're likely barefoot. Let's move fast and find them before it's too late."

The three of them sprinted through the dense forest, scanning the ground for any signs of footprints or other clues. They knew that time was running out, and they couldn't afford to let Henry slip through their fingers again.

As they ran, they finally caught sight of their quarry up ahead. Henry and Wilkes were huddled together, their breaths visible in the frigid air. 

Peggy's voice echoed through the trees as she shouted, "Henry, stop! Nobody here is going to open fire on you. We just need to talk to you."

Henry's eyes darted around nervously as he clutched his gun, his mind racing with fear and uncertainty. "I'm innocent," he stammered. "I was just following orders. I didn't know what was going on. I swear I'm not a murderer."

Peggy's voice softened as she leaned in, trying to get to the truth of the matter. "Who gave you the order to do it, Henry? Who's behind all of this?"

Henry shook his head frantically, his eyes wide with terror. "I can't say. They'll kill me. They'll kill us all!"

Suddenly, the tense silence was shattered by the sound of a gunshot, sending shockwaves through the air. 

* BANG * 

Henry flinched and braced himself for impact, but to his surprise, he wasn't hit. He breathed a sigh of relief, grateful to still be alive for the moment.

Meanwhile, In the woods, Val tightly held onto the disguised LAPD officer, keeping one hand over his mouth and the other on his broken hand. "Don't make a sound," Val warned.

Taking advantage of the moment, Val reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a syringe. He swiftly injected the officer in the neck, causing him to twitch and fall unconscious. Whispering in the officer's ear, Val said, "Your job is done. You've killed Henry. You can tell Calvin and Whitney that the mission is accomplished."

Val believed that the drug he had administered had induced a hypnotic trance-like state in the officer, making him susceptible to believing whatever Val said.

Val emerged from the woods and joined Peggy, Sousa, Henry, and the LAPD officers waiting nearby. Henry climbed into the back seat of the police car while Sousa took the driver's seat. Peggy and Val got in beside Henry, and the group made their way to the police station.

As they drove down the road, Henry's body suddenly seized up and his skin turned an icy shade. Val saw the look of panic in his eyes and leaned closer to hear his faint whispers. "C-Calvin....F-F-Frost....", Henry stuttered before succumbing to his icy fate.

Peggy and Sousa quickly pulled the car over and exchanged worried glances. Peggy's suspicions were confirmed: Calvin and Whitney Frost were behind the murder of Jane Scott, and now they had killed Henry too.

She looked back at Henry's frozen body and asked, "What do we do with him?"

Val suggested, "We should take him to the Auerbach Theatrical Agency for further investigation. Maybe they can figure out what caused his sudden death."

Agreeing with Val, Peggy and Sousa nodded and they resumed their journey to the agency, leaving behind a trail of questions that needed answers.

The next day, Calvin and Whitney were having breakfast in their lavish mansion. As they sipped their coffee, Calvin couldn't help but grin at the thought of how they had finally resolved their problem.

"You did it, darling. You found a way to make it all disappear," Calvin praised his wife.

Whitney's expression remained stern, "Let's hope we never have to resort to such tactics again. It's not like you haven't already soiled enough parts of your anatomy," she added, giving him a cold glare that silenced him.