Chapter 14: Invasion Started

A helicopter lay on the ground engulfed in flames in a desert-like terrain. A man clad in a black trench coat and sporting an eye patch rushed to the aircraft's wreckage. With urgency, he carefully extracted the unconscious pilot and dragged them a safe distance away, mindful of the potential explosion.

A black military vehicle pulled up a few meters from the scene, coming to a halt. Nick Fury, the man with the trench coat, glanced over at the approaching car.

"Any casualties?" Fury inquired, his brow furrowed with concern.

"We have a few men down there, buried. It is unknown whether they're still alive or not," the woman replied, stepping out of the car. She swiftly assessed the situation, her gaze shifting between the burning wreckage and the unconscious pilot.

With a focused expression, she lifted the injured pilot and safely carried them to the car. Fury joined her inside the vehicle, his face still marked with a deep frown. He leaned forward, issuing instructions to the woman known as Agent Hill.

"Agent Hill, I need to convene a meeting with the higher-ups. Initiate the arrangements," he commanded, his concern evident in his furrowed brow as he glanced back at the burning wreckage of the helicopter.

"Copy, sir," Agent Hill acknowledged, her tone resolute.

---

"Hey, what's up?"

"Not much, Pete. Just testing out the suit."

Alex perched on the edge of a towering skyscraper, dressed in a sleek black outfit from head to toe. Beside him, a white mask rested silently.

"So, how's the suit? Is it working out for you, Mr. Ghost?"

Alex shifted his body, feeling the suit's fit and comfort. "It's surprisingly comfy, Pete. You did a great job with it."

Peter's voice came through the communication device, tinged with playful annoyance. "Well, I've been doing a ton of research to make it as comfy and durable as possible for you."

Even without seeing Peter's face, Alex could imagine his friend rolling his eyes as he spoke.

Alex couldn't help but be amazed by Peter's impressive progress. Not only could he freely operate his devices in his basement, but he also had the skills to create such advanced gadgets.

Take the tiny communication device in his ears, for instance. It was as small as the AirPods Pro from Apple, which didn't even exist in this timeline yet. But Peter managed to make it for him. In 2014 people were still using wired headsets, so it was quite a feat.

"Haha, thanks, Pete. I owe you one. Treat yourself to some candies, then, it's on me," Alex chuckled, appreciating his friend's skills.

"I'm not a kid anymore, so no candies for me. But hey, I won't turn down freebies, right?" Peter replied, causing Alex to roll his eyes playfully.

"Anyway, have you noticed any trouble in the vicinity?" Alex asked, looking down at the bustling city below. He had been perched in that spot for hours, getting bored and itching for action.

Not to mention, he didn't want to overstay and risk getting security to get him out. It was time to move.

"Wait, let me check..." Peter replied, his fingers typing away frantically. The sound of the keyboard was surprisingly loud, like a thunderous symphony. Alex couldn't help but wonder if Peter was using a mechanical keyboard with those clacky blue switches.

"...Umm, Alex?" After a few minutes of intense typing, Peter finally found something. "Did you find something?"

"...Yeah, it just..." Alex's anticipation grew, but Peter's hesitation made his mouth twitch uncontrollably. "Spill it already!"

"...You know, the same place." Peter let out a weary sigh, finally revealing the information. Alex's mouth twitched even faster now. It was THAT place. No wonder Peter was so reluctant to share the news.

Letting out a resigned sigh of his own, Alex got up from his seat. It was time to head over there.

"Well, it's better than twiddling our thumbs, right?" Alex quipped, expecting a witty comeback from Peter.

But to his surprise, Peter remained silent. He was left completely speechless.

"Alright, see you later, Pete." Alex turned his body and started walking towards the building, pulling his mask over his face. He walked confidently into the entrance, ready to face whatever awaited him.

And he did so in style—by stepping into the elevator.

Yes, the elevator. The pinnacle of sophistication and convenience. Alex couldn't help but chuckle as he pressed the button to his destination.

"..." Peter remained silent, his mouth still twitching.

"What's with the silence?" Alex prodded, curious about Peter's unusual lack of words.

"...Oh, nothing. Just go ahead and do your thing, Alex," Peter finally managed to say, still speechless.

A superhuman capable of leaping from building to building, choosing to ride an elevator? It was certainly an unconventional move.

"Wow, look at you, young man, trying to save the city, huh?" A middle-aged man in a suit commented as he entered the elevator. He seemed like your typical American salaryman, unaware of the true identity of the person standing beside him.

"Yeah, man! I'm on a mission to kick some ugly, freaking ass and bring justice to this city, you know?" Alex responded with a cheerful smile, playing along with the assumption that he was merely cosplaying as the infamous "The Ghost" who had been making waves in the city.

"I'm guessing you're heading to the basement floor?" the middle-aged man asked, assuming Alex was headed to a cosplay convention nearby.

Alex couldn't help but chuckle internally. "Yeah, is it that obvious?"

"Absolutely! I heard there was a cosplay convention happening there. Are you going too?" the man asked, unaware he was riding the elevator with the real deal.

Little did the man know, he had just encountered the true hero in the elevator, completely oblivious.

"Of course haha..."

"I'm a big fan too. I wish I could still be as adventurous as you youngsters, but age catches up with us." The middle-aged man smiled kindly.

Alex nodded, appreciating the man's perspective.

The man smiled kindly at Alex's response. "That's the spirit! You've got the energy and passion, don't let it go to waste."

Grinning, Alex had an idea. "Hey, why don't we take a picture together? You can show it off to your friends later, and they won't believe who you met today."

The man chuckled and agreed, taking out his phone to capture the moment. "Alright, let's do it!"

Alex moved closer to the man and playfully raised his finger in a Korean love sign.

"Cheese!" they both exclaimed as the picture was taken.

After checking the result, the middle-aged man was satisfied and proudly showed the picture to Alex. "We both look great! By the way, what does that sign mean?"

Alex's smile widened as he glanced at the picture. "It's a good one! And that sign is called a Korean love sign. It's a way to express love and affection. Spread the love, right?"

The man nodded, intrigued by the cultural tidbit. "That's interesting! I'll remember that. Are you Korean?"

Alex grinned mischievously at the middle-aged man's question. "I'm not Korean. But you know what? From today onwards, The Ghost will incorporate that sign into his repertoire."

The man raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by this unexpected twist. "Really? Adding a unique touch to his identity, huh?"

Alex nodded, still wearing a mysterious smile under his mask. "Exactly. The Ghost is evolving, bringing something fresh to his persona."

As the man's curiosity grew, he couldn't help but notice the distinctiveness of Alex's suit. It was different from what he had seen before.

"Speaking of which," Alex continued, picking up on the man's curiosity, "this suit is indeed different. I'm experimenting with a new design, testing it for the next couple of months until I perfect it."

The man nodded, his interest piqued. "Well, now that you mention it, I wonder about the suit. It's definitely caught my attention."

Alex smirked, enjoying the air of mystery surrounding him. "It's a work in progress, but I assure you, it's all part of The Ghost's evolution."

The man chuckled, shaking his head. "You certainly know how to keep people curious. I won't press for more details, but I will eagerly watch your journey."

Alex chuckled in response, appreciating the man's understanding. "Thank you for your support. It means a lot."

As the elevator doors opened on the basement floor, the middle-aged man's eyes widened in disbelief as he was about to bid farewell.

The young man he had just been conversing with disappeared without a trace.

"Where did he go?" the man muttered, thoroughly perplexed by the sudden disappearance. He looked around, hoping to glimpse Alex nearby, but no sign of him.

His mind raced, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Did the young man possess some extraordinary ability to vanish in an instant? It seemed improbable, yet the evidence was right in front of him.

"Did I just witness something... supernatural?" the man murmured, his voice filled with awe and disbelief. "Or, is he really the Ghost!?"

As he walked away from the elevator, still trying to process the mysterious encounter, he couldn't help but wonder if he had just crossed paths with a true enigma.

The legend of The Ghost had just become even more captivating, leaving him with a newfound sense of wonder and curiosity about the world beyond ordinary perception.

---

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