A team. A real team. Enhanced individuals working together. Protecting each other. Covering each other's weaknesses.
Peter would be the first. Alex's best friend. Someone he trusted.
Someone who trusted him. They'd been through enough together to build genuine loyalty.
But there would be others. Had to be others. Felicia would probably develop her Black Cat abilities eventually based on what he predicts .
Gwen was brilliant and connected.
And beyond his immediate circle, there were others out there. Or would be soon.
The Marvel Universe was filling with enhanced individuals. Mutants. Experiments. Accidents.
People who needed guidance. Protection. Purpose.
'I could give them that. Build something that keeps us all safer. Stronger together than separate.'
But it would take time. Resources. Careful planning. He couldn't just announce "I'm forming a superhero team" and expect people to join. Had to be organic. Natural. Built on trust and mutual benefit.
Peter was step one. Get him trained properly. Protected. Make sure he survived long enough to become the hero he was supposed to be.
Step two was identifying other potential members. People with abilities or potential. People who could be trusted. Who shared similar values.
Step three was building infrastructure. Safe houses. Communication systems. Resources they could all draw on.
A real support network instead of lone heroes struggling alone.
'Years away. Maybe five years before I have something functional. But I can start now. Plant seeds. Make connections. Position people.'
Alex wrote for another hour. Plans within plans. Contingencies. Long-term strategies.
By 2 AM, he had a framework. Not complete. But a start.
He closed the notebook. Locked it in his desk drawer. This was for him alone. Too early to share with anyone else. Even Peter.
But someday, when the time was right, he would build something that mattered. Something that could stand against the threats he knew were coming.
Gods. Aliens. Cosmic entities. All the dangers the Marvel Universe would throw at Earth eventually.
One enhanced teenager wasn't enough. One brilliant mind wasn't enough.
But a team. A real team built on trust and preparation and smart strategy. That might be enough.
Alex went to bed thinking about the future. About protection and preparation. About building something that would last.
He'd started with nothing. A broke teenager dying in a dingy apartment.
Now he had money. Intelligence. Enhanced abilities. Connections. Resources.
And a plan.
'Step by step. Build the foundation. Prepare for what's coming. Protect the people who matter.'
Peter was his friend. His partner now. His first ally in something bigger.
There would be others. Eventually. When the time was right.
For now, Alex would focus on immediate problems. Norman's obsession. Peter's safety. Maintaining his cover while building his capabilities.
But in the back of his mind, always, was the bigger picture. The team that didn't exist yet. The preparation for threats that hadn't appeared.
'I'm playing the long game,' Alex thought as sleep finally claimed him. 'Norman thinks in quarters. Peter thinks in days. I'm thinking in years.'
'And that's how I'll win.'
---
Read more chapters, days ahead of Webnovel Updates on Patreon marvelstark