The Cube.
It has already been mentioned many times, but it bears repeating here that this was the Gamma Base located in the Arizona desert. Originally, the US military used this site to develop a gamma bomb capable of releasing massive amounts of energy, as well as to conduct research into replicating the Erskine Serum using gamma energy.
The reason Bruce Banner turned into the Hulk was precisely because, just as the gamma bomb was about to undergo its detonation test, he discovered a reckless teenager speeding into the blast zone on a moped. He ran over to drive the kid away, but the bomb's yield calculations were flawed, causing it to detonate prematurely. Following that incident, it wasn't just the Hulk who emerged; a vast number of other personnel were transformed into a slightly weaker tier of gamma monsters.
Consequently, the original gamma testing area was sealed off, replaced by the "Cube Gamma Containment and Research Center," or simply the Cube. A massive cube with one corner embedded into the desert served as the primary containment facility for the entire research complex.
The four members of the Wrecking Crew were brought here by the Ultimates.
"I don't understand why we had to bring them here. Although the ones locked up here are also monsters, they clearly aren't your run-of-the-mill monsters." The elderly Patriot frowned, staring at the four securely shackled men, before muttering, "This reminds me of the time I participated in those experiments."
Rhodey provided a concise and direct answer, "Supposedly, this was General Ross's requirement. Right now, there isn't a more suitable prison for holding superpowered individuals anyway."
Among the prisons designed for superpowered individuals, the Mansion was managed by the Avengers. The Raft was originally under United Nations management, but for a long period following the mass breakout, it was left entirely unmanaged. It wasn't until after the Kang Dynasty that a certain eastern nation took charge of it, allegedly planning to handle its maintenance and reconstruction.
Meanwhile, the Vault was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s specialized prison. Its physical structure was a colossal, slender tower of staggering height, situated in a highly peculiar location within the Arctic Circle, with its security jointly managed by the United States, Canada, and Russia. Therefore, only two superpowered prisons remained under the direct jurisdiction of the United States: the Mutant Response Division mutant detention facility and the Cube.
An MRD facility was definitely out of the question. The current President Ellis belonged to the Democratic Party; he inherently supported civil rights movements, advocated that "superheroes protect America," and showed considerable favoritism toward the X-Men. Combined with the miscarriage of the Mutant Registration Act proposed by the Republican Party, the MRD's days were growing increasingly difficult, leaving them on the brink of bankruptcy.
Carol walked up to a cell. Inside was a man who looked like a living skeleton—emaciated to the bone, with distinctly green skin and hair. He sat there in a straitjacket, staring dead at the living people outside. As she watched, she heard General Ross's introduction from beside her.
"This man is named Anthony Mortensen. Before turning into this ghostly shape, he was a respected English professor in Arizona. But because of a certain monster, he became like this. We call him Half-Life, because he looks like he only has half a life left."
General Ross walked over, introducing the inmate in the cell directly opposite Half-Life, "This one is Philip Sterns, a gamma scientist back in the day. After being caught in the gamma bomb blast, he turned into this massive, red entity. He possesses multiple personalities, but they aren't exactly... stable or conversational."
"Quite strange, isn't it? The chief culprit who manufactured this disaster is celebrated outside like a hero, while the victims are kept here, looking neither like humans nor ghosts."
Carol turned her gaze toward General Ross, "I don't consider you a hero either, General."
"...I wasn't talking about myself."
"Did I remember it wrong? Weren't you the one who pushed for the gamma bomb and the cracking of the Super Soldier Serum back then? Or was the person who allowed his daughter to date a scientist he didn't like in the slightest, all for the sake of his project's results, someone else? Or perhaps? I remember other gamma monsters are locked up here too, like Blonsky, or like my former teammate Zzzax. Weren't you the one who demanded their creation?"
General Ross paused for a long moment, then suppressed his rising anger to retort, "I am not a monster that destroys an entire country the moment I get angry."
"Then you should count yourself lucky that someone, after enduring such things, only destroys everything out of anger, rather than for some other purpose."
Carol cold-bloodedly left the four members of the Wrecking Crew behind, then led her people away. As an active-duty military officer, Rhodey politely offered an apology before catching up with the others. General Ross watched Carol and her team depart and let out a cold snort, then turned to his subordinate soldiers, "Take these people to the laboratory."
"Yes, sir. Also, regarding Dr. Samson's side..."
General Ross knit his brows, "Ignore him. Let's go."
Meanwhile, deep beneath the Cube, a massive gamma laboratory was fully operational, where a large number of human subjects had been warped into irreversible and twisted monsters. Most of these people were vagrants or prisoners; even if they died, they didn't fall within the scope of census statistics, and nobody cared about them.
Sitting inside a pure glass enclosure right in the center of the laboratory was the Leader, his oversized head bobbing as he played a game of chess. Generally speaking, his opponent would be a supercomputer or himself, but today, an Asgardian prince sat opposite him.
"What do you think of the people I found for you? They can absolutely survive your little scientific games and become excellent monsters."
Loki looked at the Wrecking Crew being pushed into the laboratory, a smile surfacing on his face. Spider-Man had guessed that he was the one who granted the Wrecking Crew their superpowered abilities, but so what? Could he possibly know what the Leader intended to do? No, Spider-Man didn't even know the Leader existed.
"There is little value in them becoming excellent monsters. The key point is that we need this country to possess monsters of its own." The Leader was still playing chess there, but to anyone else, the seat opposite him was completely vacant. Moving a piece, the Leader remarked, "Ross is still somewhat hesitant, still unwilling to accept the most self-evident truth: if you want to oppose a monster, if you want to defeat a monster, you must become a monster."
"It's not that he's unwilling to accept it; he's just unwilling to become that monster himself. He didn't seem to carry much of a psychological burden when he created that Abomination thing."
Loki couldn't help but chuckle as well. Then, after pondering for a moment, he offered a suggestion, "It seems that big green brute will have to steal the spotlight a few more times before our friend here is willing to personally transform into a monster and match wits with monsters."