Having given Peter the special gift he had prepared, Richard didn't linger. He left with Steve and Bucky, returning to the lab together.
If they could help the latter recover even a fragnt of his mories from the ti he was brainwashed, it would bring them one step closer to completely eradicating Hydra.
"I actually have a question."
On the way, Richard suddenly turned to the two n beside him. "You both know very well that Reid of LexCorp has the strongest telepathic powers on this planet. So why not simply ask him to use his powers and expose Hydra directly?"
Steve gave a helpless smile and said, "Richard, I know because of your personal experience, you put great trust in LexCorp. I wish I could see it the sa way. But the truth is, neither I nor Tony are willing to place all our hopes on sothing as mysterious and intangible as telepathy."
Richard thought it over and understood. Steve and Tony might have already accepted that Arica's future would be tied to LexCorp, but they still kept a margin of independence. As long as they didn't beco overly dependent on the company, then if the day ever ca when LexCorp, Luthor, or Reid went astray, they would still have the ans to deal with the problem.
"It isn't just that," Steve continued, shaking his head. "Even if Luthor and Reid never do anything wrong, once the whole world depends entirely on them, a single accident could bring everything to a halt. Hydra hasn't even been fully wiped out on Earth yet. And what about the universe? Or even parallel universes that might harbor threats we don't know about? We can't let our guard down just because those two are powerful. The weak still have responsibilities of their own."
His words carried weight, and they were true.
Even Reid and Luthor themselves hoped that people in this world would think the sa way Steve did.
Luthor was only human. Although Reid had summoned him through the system, he still had an eventual end to his life. Judging by his portrayal in the comics, he might live around four thousand years.
Reid, on the other hand, was different. His lifespan, reinforced by nurous powers absorbed from superhumans, stretched almost without limit. He could live as long as the universe itself, perhaps even beyond its destruction.
But precisely because of that endless existence, it was inevitable that he wouldn't rule Earth forever. One day, he would step back and return the planet to its own people.
Richard was shaken by Steve's words, though he also realized sothing else. Such a broad, forward-thinking perspective didn't quite fit the war hero standing beside him. What the man had really felt in his heart was probably just a cautious wariness toward Reid and Luthor. As for the talk of the universe, parallel worlds, and unseen dangers… that had to have co from soone else.
"Who told you all of this?" he asked directly.
Steve knew there was no point trying to pretend to be smart in front of n like Richard. He admitted the truth at once.
"During the months I was in hiding, both Hank and I believed no one could find Bucky and . And it was true. Without LexCorp's satellites, even Tony couldn't track us down. But there are always exceptions."
His voice was filled with deep emotions as he spoke, the mory stirring sothing heavy inside him. Steve had to admit, he was no longer the unique, unmatched Captain Arica. In this age, even without powers or Super Soldier Serum, there were people capable of defeating him.
"It was Batman. From Gotham. Using nothing but his own deductive skills, he found where we were hiding. Then he gave that warning I just repeated to you."
He stopped there, not wanting to go into detail.
But Bucky, who was in far better spirits now that Tony had forgiven him and given him a path to redemption, couldn't resist sharing the story himself.
"At first, Steve thought Batman was a Hydra agent. Since he ca without the suit, just in his real identity, Steve didn't recognize him. Then without a word, he attacked. But guess what? The mont he stepped outside, he triggered at least six traps in a row. And during the fight, it was even worse; he was caught off guard at every turn. Batman had even predicted which foot Steve would step out with. In less than five minutes, the great Captain Arica who had once beaten Hydra was knocked flat on the ground, his body paralyzed by electricity. With all his enhanced physique, he still couldn't resist."
"Bucky!"
Steve's face reddened, his composure faltering. Very few people could rattle him like this, and his childhood friend Bucky just happened to be one of them.
This little episode, while embarrassing, brought the four of them closer together. And that bond mattered. After all, in the years ahead, they would need every ounce of trust and camaraderie if they were to truly wipe Hydra off the face of the Earth.
* * *
New York City.
In the comics, Midtown High had nurtured three superheroes, and it was also the school Spider-Man attended. But years earlier, it had been bought out by LexCorp and renad LexTech High.
And that wasn't all. With the vast resources of LexCorp backing it, LexTech High quickly expanded. Branches were established in the form of LexTech Middle and LexTech Elentary.
It was LexTech Elentary that had arranged the recent visit Peter and Harry made to Stark Industries.
The transformation of Midtown High wasn't the real point, though. That was just Reid, the Marvel fan who had co to this world, amusing himself with a small indulgence.
What truly mattered was the way LexCorp's involvent reshaped Harry's life. At LexTech Elentary, his talent shone brighter than in the comics. He received an education far superior to what even Norman's presence could have provided.
And since Norman wasn't around to raise him, Harry avoided the flaws of a spoiled rich kid. Without the safety net of inheriting his father's empire, his potential was pushed to its limit.
That was why LexCorp's schools poured resources into him. Luthor was the purest embodint of ritocracy. In his eyes, only those with ability had the right to claim anything.
"I'm ho, Mom."
After finishing the visit to Stark Industries, Harry left the private plane arranged by the school and returned to his house in Queens.
"Harry? How was it? Did you enjoy the trip?"
Emily, once praised alongside Norman as a brilliant researcher, had long since left her career behind. Now she was a full-ti housewife. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on NovєlFіre
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