Marvel: The Journey

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*****

As Whitney Frost walked into the vault, her heart was pounding with delight. She had planned everything perfectly, and this was the moment she had been waiting for. But as she looked at the empty spaces where the uranium rods in the atomic bombs should have been present, she felt her frustration boil over. She let out a scream of despair, "No!!"

Little did she know that Peggy and Val had outsmarted her, taking the uranium rods out and burying them in the back of a motel. 

Calvin stood with a steely gaze, facing the menacing figures from the Manfredi family. The tension in the room was palpable as he gritted his teeth. Whitney, standing beside him, demanded answers, her voice betraying her concern.

"Who did this? Where are the rods?" she asked, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of the missing uranium.

Calvin took a deep breath before turning to the Manfredi men, his voice measured and firm. "Gentlemen, it seems our business here is concluded. It appears someone has tampered with the bombs."

The men exchanged a knowing look before walking away, leaving behind an unspoken warning. "Remember, our services come at a price," they said, their words lingering in the air like a threat. Calvin watched them go, his jaw clenched in frustration. 

Calvin turned to Whitney. "I am now indebted to a lord of the criminal underworld and at the mercy of the Council, and the Council does not trade in mercy!" he exclaimed, his voice raised in anger.

Whitney's face fell as she looked at Calvin, realizing the gravity of the situation. "If nobody had tampered with the bomb..." she started, but Calvin cut her off.

"If we had succeeded, that would have been one thing, but this was a disaster!" he shouted, his fists clenched in frustration. 

With a menacing glare, Whitney Frost suddenly grabbed Calvin's throat and tightened her grip around it, her black tentacles emerging from her hand. "You don't get to talk to me with that tone, do you understand?" she warned him, her voice cold and dangerous. The tentacles slowly entered his skin, threatening to consume him completely, as she continued, "Because if you do, I won't hesitate to kill you." 

With a violent shove, Whitney threw Calvin to the ground, leaving him gasping for air as she walked away toward the security room. Her actions were ruthless, but necessary since Calvin had crossed a line, and he would pay for his insolence.

Calvin stood up and walked away while rubbing his throat, still feeling the tight grip of Whitney's hand. He entered an office, closed the door behind him, and picked up the telephone. Dialing a number, he waited for the call to connect. "Council Headquarters, how may I assist you?" a voice answered.

"This is Calvin," he said, "I need to speak with the Council urgently."

"One moment, please," the voice replied.

Calvin waited his nerves on edge. Finally, he heard a click, and the voice of the Council Leader came on the line.

"Calvin, what is the nature of your emergency?" the Council Leader asked.

"Whitney has gone too far this time," Calvin said, his voice quivering with anger. "She attacked me and threatened my life. We need to have an emergency meeting at the Grand MacArthur Hotel tomorrow."

The Council Leader was silent for a moment, then said, "We will make the necessary arrangements. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Calvin."

Calvin ended the call and took a deep breath.

Meanwhile, Whitney stormed into the security room and quickly scanned the premises as her gaze locked onto the guard responsible for monitoring the CCTVs. With a voice that cut through the silence, she barked, "Check the footage now!" 

The guard scrambled to follow her orders, frantically typing commands into the computer system. Calvin entered the room moments later, his eyes darting between Whitney and the security monitor. 

Together, they watched as the footage revealed a man and a woman stealing the precious uranium rods and making their escape.

Whitney's frustration boiled over as she slammed her fists on the table, causing the guard to jump in fear. "Peggy Carter!" she exclaimed, her anger evident in her voice. Suddenly, she turned to the guard and without warning, grabbed his head with her black tentacles, absorbing him.

Calvin watched in horror as the guard screamed and was consumed by Whitney's power. It was becoming increasingly clear to him that Whitney's exposure to Zero Matter was corrupting her and driving her to madness. He knew that she was a danger to everyone around her, including himself, and that she needed to be stopped.