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*****
Calvin Johnson's expression shifted. He was well aware of his own state; driven by the singular goal of revenge, he had developed a chemical formula to vastly increase his strength, but it came with severe psychological side effects that frayed his sanity.
Seeing the flicker of self-awareness in Calvin's eyes, Phinney knew the man had cooled down. He released the mental grip of the Golden Ars Almadel Salomonis.
Calvin stumbled back a few steps, realizing he could move again. He stared at Phinney, who stood there with unnerving serenity. He opened his mouth a few times before finally managed to croak out:
"Her name is Daisy. That's the name her mother and I gave her."
"You can tell her that yourself when you meet," Phinney replied with a nod. The name didn't matter to him; whatever Skye preferred was fine.
"Did you really capture Whitehall?" Calvin asked, his voice trembling with a mixture of hope and raw hatred. He could still vividly recall the state of his wife that night—the butchery, the agony—and he blamed himself for every second of it.
"You'll see him soon enough."
Phinney didn't feel the need to provide proof. Once Whitehall's utility as a puppet within HYDRA was exhausted, his entire faction would be scrubbed from existence anyway.
"Who are you, really? How do you know all this?" Calvin looked at Phinney again, his gaze deep with suspicion. This wasn't information a normal person could just stumble upon.
"Have you heard of the Silver Knight?" Phinney sighed, falling back on his usual public alias.
Calvin paused. Though he lived a sequestered life, he still interacted with the world enough to know about the mysterious figure who had become a global sensation. "I've heard of him."
"I am the Silver Knight. And I know a great deal about the hidden workings of this world."
Calvin was stunned. He had some understanding of Inhumans, so he couldn't help but ask: "Are you like Daisy? One of the 'Chosen' by that thing?"
Phinney rolled his eyes. "You mean the Obelisk? That's an extraterrestrial artifact. Sky—alright, Daisy—and her mother possess a specific alien genetic marker, which is why the artifact doesn't kill them; it triggers a change. My situation is entirely different, and frankly, you don't need to know the details."
"An alien artifact...?" Calvin was dazed. He knew from Jiaying that the Obelisk granted power to the chosen, but the 'why' and 'how' had always been a mystery to him.
"Let's move on. I came here to tell you that your daughter desperately wants to find her family. But I won't let a reunion become the source of her unhappiness."
"We are family! I am her father!" Calvin's emotions flared again, his fists clenching as his face twisted. The instability of his formula made maintaining composure a constant struggle.
"Calm."
Phinney used the Golden command to suppress Calvin's rising mania. Frowning, he summoned a Sumire Hara Fried Chicken Roll and tossed it over.
"Eat this."
The specialized rolls were designed to induce a sense of profound happiness and relaxation. If they could keep the Hulk from losing his temper, they were more than enough for Calvin Johnson.
Calvin looked at the food, confused, but after a moment of hesitation, he took a bite. He realized Phinney bore him no ill will, and everything the boy had said hit on secrets no one else should know.
As he ate, the chemical-induced rage subsided, replaced by a strange, mellow peace. His face regained a more human look. "I want to know... how has she lived all these years?"
Phinney sat (finding a relatively clean crate) and gave him a summary of Skye's life within the Halsey household.
As the story unfolded, Calvin's face was a kaleidoscope of emotions. Hearing that Skye was happy brought him a sense of peace, but it was shadowed by a sharp, jagged envy—that happiness should have been his to give.
"It's all because of that bastard! Where is he? I want to kill him with my bare hands right now!" Calvin's rage bubbled up again, his knuckles whitening as he glared into space.
"Phew."
Phinney felt a headache coming on. Even chatting with a grumpy Hulk was less draining than dealing with Skye's father's constant mood swings. He used the Golden command one more time to settle him. "I still need him to find your wife. Unless... do you know where she is?"
"Jiaying..." Calvin whispered the name, his eyes softening with longing. After they lost their child, guilt had kept him away from her. He had hoped that if he could only find Skye, the family could be whole again.
"She was in Sichuan... no, wait. That place is dangerous now. She wouldn't be there. She's at... she's at..." Calvin began pacing frantically, rubbing his head as if trying to squeeze the memory out.
"Alright, take it easy."
Phinney was exhausted by the conversation. "I know she's leading an organization now—a group of people like her, with that specific genetic marker."
Phinney shared what he knew of Jiaying's current status, then looked Calvin dead in the eye. "But she might not be the woman you remember. I have one question for you: if it comes down to a choice between your wife and your daughter, who do you choose?"
"In simpler terms: Do we save the mother or the daughter?"
The question left Calvin speechless for a long time. Finally, he glared at Phinney and growled, "I don't choose. We are a family!"
"And if your wife no longer cares about that family?" Phinney asked quietly. "You know better than anyone what she went through. She wants revenge—not just against Whitehall, but against every human who isn't 'her kind.'"
"Skye will try to stop her. And I will too. So, what is your choice?"
Calvin's eyes were filled with a pained, wandering confusion. He had seen the changes in Jiaying long ago, but he had lied to himself, telling himself that no one could endure such trauma without changing. Now, hearing Phinney lay it bare, he realized those changes were the ultimate barrier to the reunion he craved.
"I will stop her," Calvin finally said, his voice cracking.
He chose Skye. It didn't surprise Phinney; despite the madness, Calvin's core desire was the restoration of a family, and in the face of a moral abyss, he hadn't completely lost his way.
"Remember that choice. Clean yourself up. I'll bring her to see you tomorrow morning. If anything happens, call me."
Phinney left a phone number on the desk. Then, right in front of the stunned Calvin, he traced a circle in the air, opening a golden portal, and stepped through it, vanishing instantly.
(End of Chapter)