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*****
The ease of this operation was truly beyond Phinney's expectations. To put it another way, the Scepter was far more formidable than he had imagined. He couldn't help but wonder what Thanos was thinking, actually being willing to entrust such a powerful tool to Loki.
The Scepter's influence was unique; it didn't alter a person's inherent personality or capabilities, merely their allegiance. Consequently, even with the entire base under his control, daily operations continued without a hitch.
If there was one defining difference Phinney noticed between S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA, it was this: anything S.H.I.E.L.D. could do, HYDRA could do better—and anything S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't do, HYDRA did anyway.
This... is HYDRA!
Whitehall's efficiency was staggeringly high. By the very next day, a comprehensive dossier on Jiaying and Calvin Johnson was laid out before Phinney and Skye.
As Skye pored over the records of tragedy and experimentation, her eyes welled with tears. She had never imagined her parents had endured such horrific suffering.
"Where are they now?" Skye demanded, glaring at Whitehall with a mix of hatred and desperation.
Under the Scepter's thrall, Whitehall didn't take offense at her tone. He replied respectfully, "I hadn't realized they were still alive. Locating their current whereabouts will require a brief investigation."
"Get to it. Find them as quickly as possible," Phinney commanded. "But do not expose yourself or our involvement yet."
Once Whitehall left, Phinney turned to the grieving Skye, offering a grounded comfort. "It's okay. No matter what happened in the past, they're alive. And we're here to help them now."
"Yeah," Skye nodded, wiping her eyes. The urgency to save them burned brighter than ever.
Jiaying was hidden within the secluded Inhuman sanctuary of Afterlife, making her difficult to track. However, Calvin Johnson had spent years operating in the shadows, leaving a messy but traceable trail of chaos.
A week later, Whitehall reported a lead on Calvin's location. He had also discovered a mole—a woman named Raina—who had been lurking in their research labs.
Phinney had a vague memory of Raina. She was an Inhuman whose transformation would be physically jarring, but her ability was top-tier: Precognition. However, Phinney figured that if even the Ancient One with the Time Stone couldn't see the system's future, Raina's visions wouldn't be much of a threat. He remained largely uninterested in her.
Regarding Calvin Johnson, Phinney hesitated before telling Skye. Instead, he decided to scout the location alone first.
The location was a grimy, dilapidated clinic in a neighborhood that looked like it hadn't seen a law in decades. It was mid-afternoon, and the doors were shut. Whitehall's intel suggested the clinic only "opened" at dusk to serve the bottom rungs of the criminal underworld—people with no money and even fewer questions.
Phinney scanned the area, noting several thugs eyeing his clean clothes and expensive demeanor. In the ten-minute walk here, he'd already dealt with two pickpockets.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, a figure shuffled toward the clinic. He wore a stained white lab coat, his hair was greasy and unkempt, and his eyes were hollow and numb. He looked like a man who had long ago surrendered to despair.
"Dr. Calvin Johnson?" Phinney called out.
Calvin glanced at him, a flicker of surprise crossing his face at Phinney's handsome, composed appearance. "If you're looking for a doctor, I'm not open yet. Come back in half an hour," he said flatly.
"I'm not here for a check-up," Phinney replied, stepping closer. "I wanted to talk."
"Kid, I don't care what you want to talk about. I'm busy. If you aren't sick, get lost!" Calvin snapped, fumbling with the clinic door.
"Not even about your daughter?"
Calvin stiffened. In an instant, his numb demeanor vanished, replaced by a feral intensity. He spun around, his large, grime-covered hands lunging for Phinney's throat.
Phinney took a casual step back, easily evading the strike. If he let himself be caught by this level of attack, he might as well retire. "Calm down. I just want to talk."
But Calvin's mind, fractured by years of searching and loss, wasn't interested in words. He lunged again, a low growl escaping his throat. "Daisy... my Daisy! You know where she is!?"
Phinney sighed. He was glad he hadn't brought Skye along yet, though her presence would likely have calmed the man instantly. In this neighborhood, Calvin was a terrifying, super-strong madman; to Phinney, he was barely a threat on the level of a few Chitauri soldiers.
"Stop. Be quiet. Go inside."
Phinney didn't even use his hands. He utilized the Golden Ars Almadel Salomonis to issue a mental command. Calvin's body locked up, and he was forced to march into his own clinic.
Phinney followed him in, glancing at the chaotic interior. Bloodstains marred the operating table, and equipment was strewn everywhere. It was hard to find a clean place to sit.
"Relax and listen," Phinney said, keeping Calvin in a state of rigid paralysis. "Your daughter is doing very well."
Though his body was frozen, Calvin's eyes were frantic with emotion. He tried to speak, but the spell held his jaw tight.
"I'll bring her to see you," Phinney assured him. "She already knows about your past. I came here first because I want you to understand her current situation."
Calvin settled slightly, though his eyes remained wide with a mix of joy and disbelief.
"First, introductions: I'm Phinney Halsey, your daughter's younger brother. After she left the orphanage, my parents adopted her."
"She goes by Skye Halsey now—a name she picked for herself, so don't glare at me."
Upon hearing the name 'Skye,' Calvin became agitated again. Phinney quickly realized he was upset about the name change and explained the context.
"I've helped her awaken her abilities—vibrational manipulation. As for your enemy, Whitehall? I've found him. He's currently under my control at a base. If you want the chance to deal with him yourself, I can give it to you."
Calvin was dazed. It all felt too surreal. He was desperately curious how this boy knew so much.
"In short, your daughter's life is good. But the current state of you and your wife might ruin that. Do you understand?"
Phinney liked to keep things simple, but he knew the situation with Skye's parents required a delicate touch. Calvin was easy—his only wish was for revenge and family.
But Jiaying was different. From what he knew of the future, her priority had shifted from family to the survival of the Inhuman race at any cost. Phinney had to prepare for the possibility that the Scepter might not be enough to turn her heart back to her daughter.
If it came down to it, someone would have to handle the "Jiaying problem." And that was why he had sought out Calvin first.
(End of Chapter)