Chapter 13: A Villain’s Holiday

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Ethan lounged in the bathtub, bubbles slowly dissolving around him, a small grin still playing on his lips from his little figurine skit. But as the playful atmosphere settled, reality crept back into his mind. He closed his eyes and leaned back for a moment, letting the warmth of the water calm his body. Yet, his mind was always racing, planning the next move.

"Enough fun," he muttered to himself, his eye flickering open as the faint glow of his black circles rippled across his skin. "Who knows, they might track me."

With a slow, deliberate motion, Ethan stood, bubbles cascading off his form as he prepared to leave the hotel. He was too smart to stay in one place for long. The Avengers, SHIELD, even the X-Men, they were all probably working together by now, trying to figure out a way to stop him. But they'd never catch him. Not if he stayed ahead.

Pulling on his clothes and stepping out of the bathroom, Ethan glanced around the small, simple hotel room. A smirk tugged at his lips as he thought about how easy it had been to lay low in such an unassuming place. But now, it was time to disappear.

He opened a portal, a swirling black void that seemed to stretch into infinity. Before stepping through, Ethan scanned the room one last time, ensuring he left no physical trace. No loose threads, no DNA, nothing. But he knew the energy signature of his portals was unavoidable. It wasn't perfect, yet.

"Doesn't matter," he whispered, stepping into the swirling darkness. "Let them follow breadcrumbs. They'll always be one step behind."

....

One Hour Later: Avengers and SHIELD

The hotel doors were kicked open, agents of SHIELD rushing in, followed closely by Tony Stark, Captain Marvel, and Nick Fury. Stark's suit, though streamlined, had a faint hum of energy still active from the flight over. Captain Marvel floated in behind them, her eyes glowing faintly as she scanned the area.

"He was here," Tony said immediately, the faint energy readings from the room giving off the telltale signs of Ethan's portals. "JARVIS, scan for residual energy."

JARVIS's voice responded within the suit, "Sir, the quantum disturbance is faint but detectable. The Spot used his portals here recently, within the last hour."

Nick Fury stepped forward, looking grim. "Too late again."

Captain Marvel landed softly on the ground, her eyes narrowing. "He's not staying in one place for long. He's always moving."

Tony pulled out the device he and Bruce had worked on, the quantum disturbance tracker they'd created. It whirred softly, scanning the energy patterns left by Ethan's portals. "He's left a signature, just like before. We might be able to get a direction, but the more he moves, the harder it'll be to pin him down."

Nick Fury's voice was low and measured. "Then we don't give him the time to slip away. Carol, you and Stark track this immediately. We'll coordinate with international teams."

Captain Marvel nodded, already turning her attention back to the skies. "We'll catch him."

As the device pinged, it began locking onto a direction, a faint trail of quantum energy leading away from the hotel. Tony activated his thrusters and took to the sky, with Captain Marvel right behind him, speeding toward the next possible location.

....

Meanwhile...

Ethan, now far from the hotel, opened another portal, stepping out onto the busy streets of Paris, France. The hustle and bustle of the city surrounded him. The Eiffel Tower loomed in the distance, and the smell of fresh pastries wafted through the air. Ethan's footsteps were calm, relaxed even, as if he were on vacation.

A curious passerby glanced at him, eyes widening in recognition. "Hey, isn't that... the guy from the news?"

Ethan smirked, leaning casually against a lamppost. "I get that a lot," he replied smoothly in French, his voice dripping with casual charm. The man hurriedly moved away, unsure whether to alert someone or mind his own business.

As he wandered the streets, Ethan stopped at a famous café, ordering a croissant and a coffee. The flaky pastry crumbled in his hands as he took a bite, savoring the rich taste. "France has its perks," he mused, scanning the people around him. The elegance of the city, the laid-back lifestyle, it was the perfect place to blend in, gather what he needed, and disappear again.

After Paris, Ethan opened another portal, stepping into the heart of Tokyo, Japan. Neon lights lit up the night sky, and the streets buzzed with energy. He wandered into a ramen shop, sitting quietly in a corner as the chef served him a steaming bowl of noodles. He listened to the conversations around him, hearing snippets of chatter about 'The Spot' being seen in New York. People were nervous, curious, and excited all at once.

One man leaned over, whispering to his friend. "I heard he's dangerous... some kind of villain."

Ethan slurped his noodles, smirking. "Dangerous... only if you get in my way."

He spent time in Egypt, marveling at the pyramids before disappearing into the deserts of Morocco, collecting rare materials. Then it was off to Brazil, where he enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro, gathering components from underground markets. Finally, he made a brief stop in Berlin, Germany, securing the last of the high-tech equipment he needed from some unsuspecting black-market dealers.

....

As Ethan traveled the world, indulging in new dishes and experiencing different cultures, the Avengers, SHIELD, and even the X-Men tracked his movements with mounting frustration.

On the news, footage appeared daily of "The Spot" showing up in random places around the world. Some clips showed him dining in famous restaurants, while others caught brief sightings of him entering and exiting portals. Civilians interviewed for the news shared their excitement and fear.

"I saw him in Japan! He was just... sitting there, eating noodles like he wasn't a wanted criminal!"

"It's like he's on vacation," a woman from Brazil said, shaking her head. "Doesn't he care what he's done?"

Back at the Avengers Compound, Tony, Bruce, and the rest of the team watched the news reports, puzzled.

"He's not hiding," Steve Rogers said, frowning. "He's making himself known."

"But why?" Natasha Romanoff asked, leaning against the wall. "What's the end game?"

Bruce paced, his mind racing. "This isn't just random. He's not sightseeing for fun. He's collecting something. He needs specific materials, and he's going to places where he can get them."

Tony nodded. "But for what?"

....

In the quiet moments between his travels, Ethan sat in a small, hidden laboratory he'd created somewhere desolate and far from prying eyes. He examined the materials he'd gathered, pieces of rare metals, quantum energy converters, and high-tech components.

His fingers traced the edges of a blueprint spread across the table in front of him. It was a schematic for a new particle collider, one far more advanced than anything built before.

"This," he whispered to himself, "this is what will fuel me."

The particle collider would allow Ethan to harness the chaotic energy of the spotted dimension, amplifying his powers to levels beyond comprehension. Once it was completed, he wouldn't just control portals, he'd control space itself. With the energy it would generate, he could open rifts large enough to step into other dimensions, other universes.

"And once I enter the spotted dimension fully," Ethan thought, "there will be no stopping me. This world, this universe, they'll be the first... but they won't be the last."

The materials were nearly all in place. All he needed now was time.

Smiling to himself, Ethan opened a portal and disappeared once more, leaving the hidden laboratory in complete silence.

The race against time had begun.