13 Chapter 13: The Ghost

After swiftly returning home, Alex was met with a horrified Peter, who had taken refuge there under the guise of completing his homework overnight. Peter's eyes widened at the sight of Alex's tattered and hole-ridden suit, along with the cracks marring his mask.

Relief washed over Peter as he assessed that Alex had no serious injuries. Having grown up together, Alex was not only his best friend but also a brotherly figure.

Shaking his head, Alex couldn't help but smile, acknowledging Peter's concern. Yet, the memory of battling the Abomination still coursed through his veins, igniting a thrill within him.

"Urghh...!" Alex groaned, his exhilaration tinged with discomfort. The intensity of the fight had left his body slightly sore, a reminder of the physical toll he had endured.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Peter asked, his expression filled with concern. However, confusion soon flickered across his face as he continued, "But there hasn't been any news about an incident in Harlem. Are you certain there was a bad guy there?"

Alex let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes in response.

"Just wait, it'll make headlines soon enough. Anyway, I'm exhausted. I'm off to bed."

With that, Alex went upstairs to his bedroom, leaving Peter alone in the living room. Peter sat down, turned on the TV, and eagerly awaited news reports.

As Alex had predicted, news of a terrorist group's attack in Harlem eventually flashed across the screen, filling Peter with excitement. Just as he was about to wake Alex to share the news, he noticed that his friend had already fallen into a deep sleep, leaving Peter slightly flabbergasted.

"How does a person fall asleep so quickly? This guy must be an alien," Peter muttered to himself.

Little did Peter know, there was much more to Alex than met the eye.

The following day, Alex woke up feeling refreshed. His body seemed to possess a remarkable regenerative ability, and he couldn't help but feel grateful for it.

Since it was his first day back at school after the incident, the school had made arrangements to accommodate those who had undergone similar "treatment." This meant that he would be placed in a new class with different classmates once again.

As Alex prepared for the day, Peter informed him about the news. However, their excitement quickly faded when they realized that the media had fabricated the story.

"Well, regardless, I'm going to ride my bike to school today. See you later, Pete."

After finishing his breakfast, Alex bid farewell to Peter, who was still catching up on his homework due to forgetting about it the previous night.

Upon arriving at school, Alex headed straight to his new classroom on the second floor. As he entered, he was greeted by a sea of familiar faces.

"Hey, Alex! How's it going?"

"Hey there! I'm doing well, how about you? Everything good?"

"Yeah, absolutely!"

Among the familiar faces, a girl with long, wavy black hair caught his attention. It was Alexa, one of the popular girls at school. Her cheerful demeanor and radiant smile instantly made her stand out.

Before Alex could engage in some small talk with her, his gaze was drawn to someone in the corner of the room. She was immersed in a book, an advanced biology textbook that even college students would find challenging.

Although Alex couldn't help but notice, it didn't bother him. His focus was completely captured by the person engrossed in the book.

"...Gwen."

Coincidentally, Gwen turned her head and their eyes met, locking in a momentary connection.

Alex's smile widened in response to Gwen's shy smile. It was a small but meaningful moment between them.

However, Alexa, who had been observing the interaction, couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness. She let out a sigh and walked away, realizing that her hopes may have been in vain.

To Alex's surprise, Gwen was still a student at the same school. He had initially thought that her parents might have transferred her elsewhere after the incident. But here she was, sitting right beside him in class.

As the class began, Alex couldn't bring himself to focus on the lesson. Instead, he discreetly wrote a message on a piece of paper and passed it to Gwen. She responded in the same manner, initiating a silent conversation between them.

Lost in their exchange, they didn't notice the ringing of the bells, signaling the arrival of lunchtime.

Alex stood up from his seat and made his way over to Gwen's desk, intending to invite her to lunch together. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the classroom door swung open, causing everyone to turn their heads.

"ALEX!"

"Peter!" Alex exclaimed, his annoyance evident in his expression. Gwen also glanced at Peter, her eyes reflecting a hint of irritation.

Peter had clearly disrupted their moment.

However, Alex's annoyance quickly turned into curiosity when he noticed that Peter was holding a newspaper in his hands. Alex could sense that something important was happening, so he swiftly moved toward Peter, placing a hand over his mouth to prevent him from blurting out whatever news he had brought. With a determined expression, Alex guided Peter out of the classroom.

Gwen's eyebrows arched in intrigue as she observed the scene unfold before her. The abrupt interruption and Alex's urgent reaction piqued her curiosity even further. She wondered what could be so significant that it warranted such secrecy.

"...Pete, you just ruined my time with Gwen this time. I was about to ask her to join me for lunch," Alex muttered, shooting Peter an annoyed look. "What are you doing here? Your school is miles away..."

Peter's expression shifted from apologetic to excited as he handed Alex a newspaper.

"Look, there's news about you in here. And you know what they're calling you now?"

Peter exclaimed, unable to contain his enthusiasm.

"The..."

---

"...Ghost?" Fury gave Agent Hill a questioning look.

Agent Hill nodded in response. "Yes, sir. That's what people have been calling him since he vanished from the scene yesterday."

Fury furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "Any footage of this individual?"

Agent Hill replied, "There are only a few scattered recordings related to the subject. He appears to be highly aware of our surveillance cameras throughout the city, systematically disabling them before disappearing from sight. He has been sighted in multiple locations within a short period of time."

Fury leaned back in his chair, contemplating the situation. "So, not only does he possess incredible strength and speed, but he also manages to evade detection effectively. It looks like we're dealing with another big fish this time..."

Agent Hill remained silent, standing dutifully behind Fury, ready to assist in any way necessary.

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