----
Nolan's eyes landed coldly on Sphench the last heir of the disgraced Malik family. Gene's memories had already told him everything: she was meant to lead what was left of their legacy.
Sphench knelt on the ground, seething with hatred. The man standing before her had destroyed her family, killed her father, and shattered everything they'd built.
"You've got two options," Nolan said, voice calm but firm. "One take control of what's left of the Malik Syndicate and serve under me. Two watch your entire bloodline vanish from history."
"You're insane!" she hissed.
Nolan tilted his head, genuinely curious. "Hive was stronger than you, and you submitted. I'm stronger than Hive. Why can't you submit to me?"
"You killed my father!"
"I remember," Nolan replied coolly. "But the Malik name still has a few breathing bodies your mother, cousins, aunts. Are you so sure you want to gamble all of them away for revenge?"
Sphench froze, the weight of that threat pressing in. Nolan wasn't bluffing. Every last Malik could vanish if she gave the wrong answer.
"No! The Malik family must not be eradicated!" she shouted, defiant.
Just then, Tony Stark and the others entered. They'd overheard everything.
Captain America Steve Rogers stepped forward, eyes filled with disapproval.
"That's enough," he said. "You're not judge, jury, and executioner."
Nolan slowly turned to him, unfazed. "You've got three seconds. Life... or death."
Sphench glanced back at the gathering Avengers each of them ready to act. If she refused now, she'd be crushed. If not by Nolan, then by them.
Their judgment of Hydra and its remnants was absolute.
"…I'll submit," she said at last.
And with that, it was done. The Malik empire, thousands of years old, was handed over. She collapsed, drained of everything: rage, strength, and pride.
But so long as the bloodline lived, so too did the name.
"You're really letting her live?" Steve growled. "After everything Hydra's done?"
"She's not in control," Nolan said. "Most of them were tools. Some didn't even know the full extent of what they were involved in."
He stepped forward. His presence was heavy. The Avengers instinctively backed up—not out of fear, but instinct. His power made it hard to breathe.
"You really believe that?" Steve argued. "They knew. They were part of it."
Nolan sighed and rubbed his temples. "The Malik Syndicate is my spoils. What I do with it isn't up for debate."
"You can't just—!"
Before Steve could finish, Wanda and Vision shouted in unison:
"Watch out!"
A shockwave burst out as Nolan surged forward. In a blink, Steve was in the air, gripped by the throat, feet dangling, struggling for air.
Nolan lifted him effortlessly. The others could only stare. No shield, no training, no super soldier serum could match this kind of overwhelming strength.
He could crush Captain America like a soda can. And everyone knew it.
Weapons were drawn. Hawkeye nocked an arrow. Quake's hands trembled with rising energy. Falcon's jetpack hissed, weapons at the ready.
A tense standoff.
"Nolan, don't!" Tony shouted. "Killing Cap would destroy everything we've built!"
Nolan's expression didn't change. "I could end all of you in an instant. Now… anyone else want to argue?"
He tossed Steve aside like dead weight.
The Avengers watched in grim silence. Nolan didn't kill out of anger he used it as leverage. His power wasn't a show. It was a warning.
"Well?" he asked again, scanning them. "Anyone else?"
Tony, thinking fast, stepped in. "I believe... once the Malik Syndicate is under Nolan's control, it'll serve the greater good."
He glanced at Steve, now coughing on the floor. Of all the people to challenge, why him?
Through his earpiece, Fury's voice came through.
"Stand down. Seriously. He'll kill you. This guy isn't bound by our rules he's only loyal to logic. There's no moral compass, only outcomes."
Nolan didn't care about good or evil. He cared about progress, survival, and results. That's what made him dangerous.
But also necessary.
Just then, a glowing portal opened.
Baron Mordo stepped through.
"There's been a breach. Dimensional entities. We need your help."
"What realm?" Nolan asked.
"…The Border of Hell."
Nolan narrowed his eyes. That name sounded familiar.
"I'm going."
He turned to Max. "Hold this place down. Get Norman to send support."
"Yes, sir."
Then Nolan looked at Wanda.
"Coming with me?"
She hesitated, guilt twisting in her gut. She'd warned Steve earlier that maybe she should've stood with Nolan.
But when he called, she didn't hesitate again.
"Yes," she said quickly, hurrying to his side.
Mordo frowned. "This is a mission for Kamar-Taj—"
"She has the Sorcerer Supreme's blessing," Nolan interrupted.
Mordo paused. Then nodded. "Very well."
Together, Nolan and Wanda stepped into the portal.
Hell was calling.
----
[Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter]
For early access to advanced chapters on p@treon:
P@treon/iamxeno
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!q