Marvel: The Journey

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In the lavish mansion of Calvin and Whitney, a sense of desperation and urgency filled the air. 

Calvin's voice echoed through the corridors as he frantically pleaded with Whitney to open the bathroom door. "Whitney! Whitney! Please listen to me, open the door," he implored, his tone laced with worry and concern. The silence on the other side of the door was deafening, as Calvin's heart raced with fear and uncertainty. 

Inside the bathroom, Whitney gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her attention was not on her face but rather on the large, unsightly scar running down the side of her forehead. She lifted her hair to get a better look at it and noticed that the Zero Matter was still flowing within the scar. A chill ran down her spine as she smiled in a twisted and eerie way, enjoying the dark power that had taken hold of her.

Then, as Whitney flung open the bathroom door, Calvin stumbled backward, almost losing his balance. Without sparing him a second glance, she strode down the hallway, her gaze scanning the area for someone specific. Her eyes eventually locked onto a servant, and she approached him with purpose. With her arm, outstretched Whitney began to channel dark energy that she felt building up inside of her. She closed her eyes and focused all of her energy on the feeling, an urge to consume and devour everything around her. 

As she focused on the feeling within her, she felt a surge of power coursing through her veins, and black tentacles began to emerge from her palm. The servant, confused and unsure of what was happening, turned to run, but it was too late. 

The tentacles wrapped around his arms and legs, pulling him back towards Whitney with a sickening force. The servant screamed in terror as the tentacles pierced his body, one after the other. A tentacle pierced through his heart, another through his brain, and another through his throat, until his body went limp and lifeless. 

Calvin's eyes were filled with horror as he witnessed the gruesome scene before him. Whitney's black tentacles had already ensnared the servant, and within moments, he was absorbed into her palm. Whitney let out a moan of delight as the tentacles retracted back into her hand. As if possessed, she clenched her fist and struck the wall with tremendous force, causing it to crack. 

* WHAM * 

* CRACK * 

Calvin recoiled in fear, unsure of what to do or say. He stammered as he tried to speak, "W-Whit-Whitney- I-I-I....!" 

But before he could finish his sentence, Whitney turned to face him and started walking toward him. Fear turned to confusion as she suddenly grabbed his collar and kissed him with ferocity.

With a wild gleam in her eyes, Whitney broke away from the kiss and exclaimed, "Did you see that, Calvin? That was the Zero Matter! Just a tiny bit of it, and look what I can do. Imagine what we could accomplish if we had the power to bend the world to our will. No more war, no more suffering, and you would finally receive the recognition and respect you deserve."

Calvin stood there, his mind racing with the possibilities of what they could achieve together. The idea of wielding such immense power was both exhilarating and terrifying, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at the dangerous path they were embarking on. Nevertheless, he knew that he couldn't resist the allure of the power that Whitney possessed, and he nodded in agreement with her words.

Meanwhile, in Peggy's house,

Peggy sat on her couch and she felt defeated because she had exhausted all her leads in the investigation, and she didn't know where to turn next. Val sat beside her and tried to come up with a new plan.

"Is there any information about Calvin and Whitney that is hidden from the public?" Val asked, trying to find a new angle to approach the case.

Peggy furrowed her brow in concentration and sifted through the information she had gathered. "Yes," she finally said. "Both of them are known to frequent the Arena Club, but we don't have any concrete evidence."

Val's eyes lit up at the prospect of a new lead. "Let's check it out, shall we?" he suggested.

When the night sky blanketed the city, Peggy and Val arrived at the Arena Club, in Los Angeles. The luxurious establishment was alive with the sound of music, chatter, and clinking glasses. They emerged from their car, both dressed impeccably in a suit and a dress, and made their way toward the club's entrance.

When they approached the entrance, a burly security guard stepped forward, blocking their way. Before the guard could say a word, Val calmly embraced him and injected him with a sedative. He whispered that they were invited guests and released the now-compliant guard.

As they made their way inside, onlookers assumed that Val and the guard were related and exchanged greetings. Peggy interlocked her hand with Val's, exuding confidence and poise as they strode into the club without a second glance.

When they entered the club, Val and Peggy were greeted by the sight of high-profile individuals from different walks of life, including celebrities, businessmen, politicians, and US officials, engaging in lively conversations over drinks and refreshments. The atmosphere was lively and vibrant, with the sound of laughter and chatter filling the air. 

Peggy glanced around the club, trying to stay unnoticed as she searched for any signs of Calvin or Whitney. She decided to split up with Val, who would search the main floor while she headed upstairs.

As she weaved through the crowded hallways, Peggy tried to blend in and make small talk with people, hoping to gather any useful information. Eventually, her eyes landed on a piece of newspaper lying on a desk in the corner of the room. Intrigued, she picked it up and read the headlines, which revealed a scandal involving a senator and indicated that Calvin Chadwick was gaining ground in the senatorial race.

Peggy's eyes widened with disbelief as she read the newspaper. She had never heard of this news before and was taken aback when she noticed the date written on it - the next day's date. She quickly realized that the Arena Club was involved in manipulating the media and current affairs at an unprecedented level. She turned around, only to find Whitney staring at her with a malicious grin. Peggy knew that it was time to get out of there before she was caught, and she quickly made her way down the stairs.

Meanwhile, Val scanned the ground floor of the club, his eyes locked onto two elderly men who he immediately recognized as members of the Council of Nine. The men were huddled together, whispering with a high-ranking official from the U.S. military. Curiosity piqued, Val made his way over to the group and listened in as they discussed The Phantom Reaper. 

"We can eliminate our competitors and enemies while blaming it on The Phantom Reaper. The public will be more terrified and demand the government take action," one of the old men said in a hushed voice.

The military officer nodded in agreement. "It's a brilliant plan. The Phantom Reaper is already the most wanted man in the country, and we have the perfect scapegoat for our actions."

Val's face twisted into a cruel smirk as he reached into his suit jacket and produced a sharp dagger. Without a moment's hesitation, he plunged it into the back of one of the old men. As the man gasped and slumped forward, Val grabbed him by the neck and pulled him close, whispering in his ear, "The Phantom Reaper sends his regards."

The other two men were too distracted by the man on stage who began to speak to notice what had happened. Val smoothly twisted the knife in the old man's back and withdrew it, then repeated the same motion with the second old man. As he calmly walked away, he smiled and greeted the other guests, deftly concealing the knife in his suit.

Val caught sight of Peggy descending the stairs. She saw him and headed towards the exit. Without exchanging a word, Val followed her out.

In the crowded hall, Whitney managed to grab Calvin's attention and pulled him into a secluded corner. "I just saw Peggy Carter here," she whispered urgently. "She has seen too much. Our plan cannot fail. We have to eliminate her."

Calvin's expression hardened as he understood the gravity of the situation. He quickly reached for his pager and sent a message. After a few seconds, he turned around to face Rufus, who was still alive with a scarred face and a mechanical arm. "Rufus," he said sternly. "We need you to take care of Peggy Carter and the detective from the LAPD, Val Griffith. Can you handle it?"

Rufus's eyes gleamed with a fierce intensity as he replied with gritted teeth, "With pleasure."