The night air was crisp as Su Zhan hovered above the city, his Aether Lantern ring glowing softly. Whirlwind, the mutant villain, was tightly bound in a construct of green energy. The tornado he had summoned had been impressive, but it was no match for Su Zhan's combined power. Whirlwind struggled, but the more he fought, the tighter the energy bands became.
"Let me go!" Whirlwind spat, his voice edged with both fury and fear. "You have no idea who you're messing with!"
Su Zhan regarded him with a calm, almost amused expression. "I know exactly who I'm dealing with. And you should know, attacking me was a very poor decision."
He descended slowly, carrying Whirlwind down to a deserted rooftop. The city lights flickered below, casting long shadows across the concrete. With a flick of his wrist, Su Zhan tightened the bonds, pinning Whirlwind securely to a metal vent.
"Let's have a little chat," Su Zhan said, his tone casual but cold. "Who sent you?"
Whirlwind glared at him, defiant. "No one sent me. I just wanted to see if the rumors were true. They say you're the new king in town, that you're unbeatable. I wanted to test your strength for myself."
Su Zhan raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "So you attacked me out of curiosity? That's either very brave or very stupid."
Whirlwind sneered. "You think you're special? There are plenty of people out there who want to take you down. I'm just the first."
Su Zhan studied him for a moment, then shrugged. "If you're the best they can send, I'm not worried."
He knelt beside Whirlwind, his eyes sharp. "But I'm in a good mood tonight, so I'll give you a choice. You can keep fighting and end up in a S.H.I.E.L.D. cell—or you can become useful to me in another way."
Whirlwind's bravado faltered. "What do you mean?"
Su Zhan's eyes narrowed, and a faint, predatory smile appeared on his lips. "I mean, you have something I want. Your power. You should feel honored—I don't do this for just anyone."
Before Whirlwind could react, Su Zhan's hand pressed against his chest. The Aether Lantern ring flared, and a surge of energy rushed from Whirlwind into Su Zhan. Whirlwind's body convulsed as his mutant ability—the power to generate and control wind—was forcibly drawn out of him. He gasped, his strength draining away, until at last he slumped to the ground, powerless.
Su Zhan stood, feeling a new current of energy swirling within him. He could sense it immediately: the ability to manipulate wind, to summon and shape tornadoes, to ride the currents of the sky as if they were extensions of his own will. He flexed his fingers, and a gentle breeze stirred around him, growing stronger with a thought.
Whirlwind looked up at him, terror and disbelief etched across his face. "What… what did you do to me?"
"I took what I needed," Su Zhan replied coolly. "You should be grateful. You're still alive. Most people aren't so lucky."
For a moment, Whirlwind just stared at his hands, trying in vain to summon even the faintest breeze. It was gone—his power, his identity, everything that had made him special. He was just an ordinary man now.
Su Zhan regarded him for a moment longer, then turned away. "You should leave. Don't make trouble, and you might live a quiet life."
Whirlwind, broken and defeated, stumbled away into the shadows, not daring to look back.
Su Zhan took a deep breath, feeling the rush of his new power. The wind responded to his thoughts, eager and wild, yet utterly under his control. He knew that with this, his arsenal had grown even more formidable. Fire, ether, green light, and now wind—he was becoming a force of nature.
Just as he was about to return to the island, his communicator buzzed. It was Blink, her voice urgent. "Boss, we've got trouble at the island. Someone tried to break into the ship. Pepper and the others are safe, but the security systems caught a group of intruders. They're not ordinary thieves—they knew exactly what they were after."
Su Zhan's eyes narrowed. "I'll be there in five minutes. Keep everyone inside and lock down the base."
He shot into the sky, moving even faster now with the wind at his command. The city blurred beneath him as he pushed the limits of his speed, the green glow of the Lantern ring and the swirling breeze combining in a spectacular display.
When he arrived, Blink was waiting at the landing pad, her expression tense. "They got past the outer defenses, but the ship's security held them off. Marrow and Chan Ho Yin are sweeping the perimeter now."
"Did you see who they were?" Su Zhan asked.
Blink shook her head. "They were fast and well-equipped. Whoever sent them knew exactly what they were doing. But they underestimated us."
Su Zhan nodded, his mind already working through the possibilities. There were only a handful of organizations with the resources and knowledge to attempt a raid like this: S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra, or perhaps even a rival mutant faction. He would need to tighten security and find out who was behind the attack.
He made his way to the ship, where Pepper Potts was waiting with a group of workers. She looked relieved to see him. "Everyone's safe," she reported. "But they tried to get into the main control room. If it weren't for Blink and the ship's systems, they might have succeeded."
Su Zhan smiled reassuringly. "You did well. I'll handle the rest."
He turned to the security console, reviewing the surveillance footage. The intruders were masked and moved with military precision, but one detail caught his eye: a tattoo on the wrist of one of the men. It was a Hydra symbol.
So, Hydra had made their move.
Su Zhan's expression hardened. He had known this day would come, but he had hoped for more time to prepare. Still, he was ready. With the resources and allies he had gathered, he was more than a match for anything Hydra could throw at him.
He called Blink and Chan Ho Yin to his side. "Double security. No one gets in or out without my approval. And keep an eye out—there may be more coming."
Blink nodded, determination flashing in her eyes. "Understood, boss."
As the night wore on, Su Zhan stood on the deck of the ship, looking out over the island. The attack had been a warning, a reminder that power always attracted enemies. But he was not afraid. He welcomed the challenge.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the wind swirl around him, and smiled. "Thank you for your home delivery, Hydra. And thank you, Whirlwind, for your gift. Now, let's see who else wants to try their luck."
With new power at his command and his resolve stronger than ever, Su Zhan was ready for whatever the Marvel universe would throw at him next.