Marvel: The Journey

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*****

Val crept through the desolate ruins of the Isdoyne Energy Headquarters, his senses heightened and alert for any sign of danger. As he cautiously made his way deeper into the wreckage, his eyes caught sight of several large trucks emblazoned with the unmistakable logo of the Roxxon Corporation.

His curiosity piqued, Val drew closer to the trucks and peered inside, only to see a vast array of objects and debris that had been hauled away from the destroyed building. It was clear that Roxxon had been hard at work scavenging the remains of the energy headquarters, snatching up whatever they could get their hands on.

As he surveyed the scene before him, he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. His eyes narrowed as he watched the group of people from Roxxon Corporation scurrying about, hauling off various items from the wreckage.

It was then that he noticed an elderly man standing nonchalantly in front of a sleek and expensive car, taking a long drag from a cigarette as he observed the activity. The man's presence only heightened his suspicions, and he knew that he needed to approach the situation carefully.

Val moved swiftly and silently, closing in on his target with stealth and precision. With a powerful strike to the back of the man's head, he quickly incapacitated him and began to search his person for any clues.

As he rummaged through the man's belongings, his sharp eyes fell upon a small pin with the emblem of the Council of Nine. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the pin was also adorned with the unmistakable logo of Roxxon Corporation.

With a small smile of satisfaction, Val pocketed the incriminating pin and slipped away from the scene.

An hour later, Val entered Peggy's house through the front door and couldn't help but notice the state of disarray that the hallway was in. The walls were cracked and the floor was shattered, suggesting that a fierce struggle had taken place.

His instincts told him that something was gravely wrong, and he wasted no time rushing inside to investigate. There he found Peggy, calm and collected, methodically going through her investigative work.

Then, Peggy looked up and greeted him with a calm but curious expression. "You're back?" she said, her eyes flickering with a hint of concern. "What did you find?"

"Wait! What happened here while I was gone?" Val asked, his voice trembling slightly.

Peggy's expression was grim as she recounted the harrowing events of the past few hours. "The man who ambushed us at the hotel, Rufus Hunt, launched an attack on me earlier," she said, her voice low and steady. "But I was able to turn the tables on him, interrogating him for information about the Arena Club and the shadowy Council of Nine that lurks in the background."

Val's eyes widened in shock as he listened to Peggy's tale. "And what of Hunt?" he asked.

Peggy's expression was solemn as she replied, "He's dead." 

Val's expression changed to one of mild indifference when he heard that Hunt was dead and he tossed the pin towards Peggy, who caught it deftly in her hand. "I managed to procure this pin from an old man who seemed to be involved in the suspicious activities I witnessed at Isodyne Energy," Val explained.

Peggy's eyes flicked towards the pin, a look of recognition dawning on her face as she studied it closely. "This is the same type of pin that Dottie had," she murmured, deep in thought. "It seems that our suspicions were well-founded."

Turning to Val, Peggy's voice was grave as she continued. "This means that Vernon Masters was likely a member of the Council of Nine and that Roxxon Corporation is also deeply entrenched in this web of corruption and deceit. We have our work cut out for us."

"We should investigate Jane Scott's body," Val suggested firmly. "Wilkes mentioned that she was studying Zero Matter before her untimely death. It's possible that she was exposed to it and suffered the tragic fate."

Peggy nodded in agreement, and the pair quickly made their way to the County Cold Storage Building to carry out their plan. However, as they approached the storage area, their ears caught the sound of hushed voices. Instinctively, they ducked behind one of the nearby bodies and peered cautiously around the corner.

What they saw next left them stunned. Standing before them, mere feet away, were Calvin and Whitney. And in front of them lay the lifeless body of Jane Scott. 

As Val and Peggy watched from their hiding spot, their breaths held in disbelief, they saw Whitney Frost hover her hand over Jane's lifeless body. In a shocking display of power, black tentacles emerged from within her palm and began to enter Jane's body, draining her of the remaining Zero Matter. Whitney's expression twisted in ecstasy as she absorbed the dark substance, moaning in pleasure.

To their horror, Val and Peggy watched as Jane's body slowly returned to a normal state, the black marks on her skin vanishing as Whitney consumed the last traces of the powerful energy source. Val's voice was barely a whisper as he turned to Peggy, his eyes wide with shock. "She...she survived the explosion," he muttered. "The Zero Matter entered her body."

Peggy's face was grim as she watched Whitney clench her fists, a wide and crazed smile on her face.

With a crazed look in her eyes, Whitney turned to Calvin and demanded more power. "This isn't enough!" she spat. "I need more! More power!" Calvin looked at her, clearly concerned. "How will we do that?" he asked. "There isn't any Zero Matter left."

Whitney paused, her mind racing. "I need an atomic bomb," she declared finally. "It's the only way to open the rift and absorb more Zero Matter." Calvin nodded silently, and the two of them left the storage area, leaving Peggy and Val behind to process what they had just witnessed.

Peggy's expression was grim as she looked at Val. They both knew that the situation had taken a dangerous turn and that they needed to act fast if they were going to stop Whitney's plans. She gestured for Val to follow her, and the two of them quickly made their way back to their house to discuss their next course of action.