Marvelous Twist #69

"Well, there was someone I had to kill at any cost in that prison..." Bullseye said with a smirk, his tone oozing with wicked satisfaction. "One of your colleagues was kind enough to inform me that my father was there," he added nonchalantly as if recounting a casual conversation.

Evan's demeanor remained outwardly composed, but the fiery glow in his eyes and the palpable heat radiating from his body betrayed his inner turmoil. "And you repaid his kindness by slitting his throat and burning down the entire building," Evan retorted, his voice laced with controlled anger.

Bullseye chuckled at Evan's visible agitation. "Oh? I see you're already fired up and ready to fight. Fine by me—I've yet to repay you for your kindness as well..." he remarked, confidently brandishing his sword.

Evan, however, had other concerns. He turned to the approaching Storm, who floated in the air. "Get those two out of here. Domino knows what to do with the suitcase..." he instructed her, his voice determined.

Black Cat wore a blank expression but spoke with a hint of self-interest. "Yeah... I'd be happy to let you take care of this guy, but there's still the small matter of my payment," she pointed out matter-of-factly. "You won't be able to tell me about my father's whereabouts if you're dead," she added, her motives clear.

"He's being held in the deepest, off-the-records level of Ryker's Island," Evan disclosed his voice steady but tinged with a hint of somberness. "Some big shot tried to recruit him. He refused, and this was the result," he explained further.

Black Cat regarded Evan skeptically for a moment, suspicion evident in her expression. However, after a brief hesitation, she tossed the suitcase toward Domino, who deftly caught it. "This better not be a lie," Black Cat warned, her tone firm. 

She wasted no time, immediately turning on her heel and making a beeline for the edge of the rooftop.

Bullseye, however, wasn't willing to let her escape so easily. "And where the hell do you think you're going?" In a swift and deadly motion, he retrieved two shurikens and sent them hurtling toward Black Cat, who was attempting to leap to the adjacent building and make her getaway.

Evan, ever the protector, swiftly intervened. He intercepted the incoming projectiles, slapping them away with his bare hands. "Hell is where you're going, I'm afraid," Evan retorted as Black Cat jumped off the rooftop and vanished into the shroud of the night.

Behind him, Storm gracefully landed next to Domino. With a gentle hand, she took Domino's, and the two women ascended into the night sky, leaving only Bullseye and Evan to confront each other on the deserted rooftop.

...

As they soared away into the night sky, Storm couldn't resist casting a second, more inquisitive glance at Domino. "So... you and Evan—how long have you known each other?" Storm inquired her expression a curious blend of interest and amusement.

Domino, perceptive as ever, arched an eyebrow in response to Storm's tone and expression. "Is this the kind of question where I'll get dropped if I give the wrong answer?" she countered, her voice laced with playful skepticism.

Storm only responded with a bemused smile, not giving away much. 

"Oh, you're no fun. No wonder you and Evan get along so well..." Domino remarked with a chuckle at Storm's continued silence.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the lack of reaction. "You don't have to worry about me. Evan's not even remotely interested in me—says I'm too unstable for his tastes..." she quipped, injecting a note of humor into the conversation.

Storm maintained her calm demeanor, though a faint smile of amusement played at the corners of her lips. "I'm not worried, just curious..." she replied casually.

Domino seized the opportunity to continue their playful exchange. "Are you now?" she inquired, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips. "Let's have coffee sometime. I'll be sure to tell you everything there is to know about the busybody known as Evan Shepherd..." she added, extending an invitation with a wink.

...

Back on the rooftop, the clash of blades between Bullseye's sword and Evan's knife created a tense standoff. Despite his enhanced physical capabilities due to the Extremis Serum, Evan couldn't hide his deepening frown as he grappled with the incredible pressure radiating from Bullseye's body.

Bullseye had already pushed his physical strength to the limits of what a human could achieve, but Evan, powered by the Extremis Serum, was, by all accounts, a superhuman. 

Nevertheless, there was an uncanny quality to the way Bullseye wielded his sword, infusing it with an overwhelming momentum that Evan found himself struggling to counter. Each swing of Bullseye's weapon seemed to carry an almost supernatural force, making it a formidable adversary even against Evan's enhanced abilities.

The sensation that coursed through Evan was unlike anything he had experienced before, defying an easy explanation. While lacking even a fraction of the raw strength Evan could muster with a casual wave of his hand, Bullseye's swings possessed an uncanny precision and timing. 

The perfect execution neutralized Evan's overwhelming advantages in terms of speed and strength. In other words, Bullseye's technique had already transcended the boundaries of a mere human. 

Understanding the origin of Bullseye's newfound strength, Evan couldn't help but release a resigned sigh. His gaze fixated on the sword clutched firmly in Bullseye's hand. 

This sword was more than just a decorative weapon; it was a game-changer. Not only did it elevate Bullseye to absurd levels of power, but the fact that it endured the clash with Evan's Vibranium Energy knife spoke volumes about its exceptional quality.

"That's a powerful weapon you've got there," Evan remarked, his eyes fixed intently on the gleaming sword. "But at the end of the day, it's the weapon's strength, not yours..."

Evan forcefully stomped down on the rooftop, sending shockwaves through the entire building beneath them. Bullseye was caught off guard and briefly lost his balance. Seizing this opening, Evan struck out, aiming a punch directly at Bullseye's face with his free hand. 

However, the extraordinary power of the sword once again came into play. Despite the unsteady footing, Bullseye reacted with astonishing speed, contorting his body to evade Evan's attack.

Evan's fist sailed past Bullseye's head, but the punch was merely a diversion. In a fluid motion, Evan released his grip on the knife held in his other hand and seized hold of Bullseye's sword with his bare hand. The blade cut into Evan's hand as he gripped it, yet he didn't flinch in the face of the pain.

"As long as I take away this sword, you'll be nothing more than the sad piece of shit you've always been..." Evan concluded, a wry smile playing on his lips as Bullseye grappled desperately to free his weapon from Evan's iron grasp.

Despite Evan's unrelenting grip on his sword, Bullseye remained eerily composed. He attempted to free his precious weapon numerous times, each attempt showcasing his unyielding determination. Evan, on the other hand, cocked his fist back, preparing to launch a devastating blow directly into Bullseye's face.

As Evan's fist hurtled forward with incredible speed, Bullseye swiftly realized that the impact of this punch would almost certainly be his undoing. Realizing the futility of his attempts to free the sword in time to defend himself, he made a quick decision. With a deft movement, he activated the sword's mysterious power.

In a startling twist, a majestic white horse with enormous wings suddenly materialized beneath Bullseye, leaving Evan in a state of shock. Before Evan could even begin to process the bizarre turn of events, the supernatural horse launched an attack of its own. With incredible force, it swung its hoof directly into Evan's chest, sending him reeling backward.

As he staggered back, Evan fought to maintain his grip on the sword. However, the blade's edge was razor-sharp, and he knew he'd risked losing his fingers if he stubbornly clung to the weapon. The choice was clear, and with a reluctant release, he let go of the sword, allowing it to remain in Bullseye's possession.

Even though Bullseye lacked the physical strength to cut through Evan's superhumanly hardened muscles in that position, the force generated by the mystical horse's attack was overwhelming.

Bullseye wore a wicked grin as he taunted Evan. "You're completely right. I honestly wouldn't know what to do if you managed to pry the sword off my hand," he quipped, his fingers firmly gripping the reins of the majestic horse with one hand. "But you'll have to try harder than that if you want to take my new toy..." He goaded the supernatural steed into action, prompting it to charge with a light kick.

 Evan's face twisted into a grimace as the ethereal horse thundered toward him. He couldn't help but curse under his breath. "Well, shit..." he muttered, bracing himself for the impending collision.