MARVEL/DC: DOCTOR IN THE MULTIVERSE

"All I know is that the gravity field stopped," Lynn said, placing another cup of coffee in front of Bruce.

"Then there was some chatter over the comms about a masked man. I didn't catch the details."

Bruce picked up the coffee cup and inhaled the aroma, but he didn't drink.

"That masked man destroyed the World Engine with his bare hands and personally killed General Zod, Supreme Commander of the Kryptonian Military Guild."

"Oh."

Lynn's expression displayed just the right amount of surprise—not too much, not too little.

"That's pretty impressive."

Nick Fury's single eye lingered on Lynn's profile.

He really wanted to ask one question.

Where were you when the masked man appeared?

But he didn't.

Because he already knew it would be pointless.

He had asked similar questions after the Battle of New York.

Lynn's answers had always been flawless.

Unassailable.

The difference between Lynn and the masked man was simply too great.

One was a lean doctor standing roughly six feet tall, weighing less than two hundred pounds.

The other was a giant of a man, nearly six-foot-five, with a build that looked as though it had been carved from reinforced steel.

That disparity couldn't be explained away with makeup, platform shoes, or simple disguise techniques.

Unless Lynn possessed some method of radically altering his skeletal structure and musculature.

But in Fury's understanding, such abilities belonged only to a handful of mutants, shape-shifters, or extraterrestrials.

A private doctor from New York?

Even if he had superhuman abilities, it sounded absurd.

Fury silently shook his head.

Maybe he really was overthinking things.

"Well then."

Lynn set down his coffee cup and folded his hands over his knees.

"You two didn't travel all the way to this godforsaken place just to bring me the latest world news, did you?"

Fury and Bruce exchanged a glance.

"I'm here to settle your battlefield medical fees," Fury replied.

The words sounded as though he had swallowed barbed wire.

Lynn's eyes immediately lit up.

"Speaking of that, I'm completely awake now."

He pulled a tablet from the pocket of his white coat.

Clearly, it had been prepared in advance.

The screen displayed a detailed expense report.

Lynn handed the tablet to Fury.

Fury accepted it and skimmed through the document.

His expression changed immediately.

The first half looked relatively normal.

Battlefield deployment fees.

High-risk operation surcharges.

Medical equipment depreciation costs.

All of those had precedents dating back to the Battle of New York. Although outrageously expensive, Fury had already expected them.

What truly changed his expression were the additional clauses at the bottom.

Article 1: Lynn receives full research and analysis rights to the Kryptonian scout ship wreckage recovered in Metropolis.

Article 2: All mutant, extraterrestrial, and enhanced-human biological samples archived by S.H.I.E.L.D. from its founding to the present shall be accessible to Lynn without restriction on sample type or research category.

Fury carefully placed the tablet on the control console.

Very carefully.

"Do you understand what you're asking for?"

"Yes."

"The Kryptonian wreckage involves alien technology that could alter the global balance of power. Access to it isn't something I can authorize alone. It requires approval from the World Security Council."

"Then get it approved."

"The sample archives are even less likely."

Fury's voice hardened.

"Do you know what's stored there? Mutant genetic data. Live extraterrestrial organisms. Biological weapons intercepted during Cold War operations. Enhanced-human research. Some of those files date back to the Strategic Scientific Reserve."

"If any of that leaks, the consequences would be catastrophic."

"I didn't say 'leak.'"

Lynn shrugged.

"I said 'grant access.' I'll look at the data, conduct my research, and leave. Nothing leaves your database."

Fury felt his temples begin to throb.

"During the Battle of New York, you asked for one billion dollars. This is far more expensive than that."

Lynn calmly took a sip of coffee.

"And this time the enemy was far more dangerous."

"Last time it was Chitauri infantry supported by Leviathans."

"This time it was a civilization capable of terraforming planets and carrying out planetary-level military invasions."

"The risk increased dramatically."

"So did my consultation fee."

Fury inhaled slowly.

"You didn't even treat anyone."

"You said yourself that you remained inside the medical pod the entire time."

"I went out to treat patients."

Lynn sounded perfectly justified.

"You deployed me to Metropolis to establish a field hospital."

"I established it."

"My medical pod remained operational for three straight hours under gravity fluctuations generated by the World Engine."

"I was on standby the entire time."

"The fact that nobody arrived needing treatment isn't my responsibility."

"Then why are you charging this much?"

"Because you hired a battlefield doctor."

Lynn spread his hands.

"If a hospital hires a surgeon and no surgeries occur that day, the surgeon still gets paid."

"That's basic business logic."

Fury opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

Because he couldn't find a flaw in the argument.

As usual.

"Unless..."

Lynn raised one finger.

"You've decided you don't want me on future battlefields."

"If that's the case, we can erase today's bill."

"And the next time one of your agents gets blown apart by aliens, enhanced humans, gods, robots, or whatever the universe throws at you..."

He smiled.

"Don't call me."

Fury's eye twitched.

That wasn't a gamble he could afford.

During the Battle of New York, Lynn had saved Clint Barton's eyesight, stabilized Captain America's critical injuries, and successfully contained the Hulk's rampage.

Without Lynn's medical support, the Avengers' casualty rate would have risen dramatically.

Fury closed his eye for a brief moment.

"I'll do my best to secure access to the Kryptonian wreckage."

"But the biological archive is non-negotiable."

"You'll receive a maximum of three visits."

"No more than eight hours per visit."

"You will remain under constant supervision by S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel."

"Five visits."

"Unlimited duration."

"Monitoring is acceptable."

"But the observers aren't allowed to question what I'm reviewing."

"Four visits."

"Deal."

Lynn immediately took back the tablet, revised the terms, and handed it over again.

Fury stared at the updated agreement.

Then he picked up the pen.

His fingers paused.

For two full seconds.

He wondered whether he had once again been manipulated by this shameless doctor.

The answer was obvious.

Absolutely.

Unfortunately, he had no alternative.

He signed.

Lynn stored the tablet away before turning toward Bruce Wayne, who had remained silent throughout the entire negotiation.

Bruce sat calmly in his chair.

His coffee remained untouched.

From beginning to end, he had simply observed.

Like a spectator.

But Lynn knew better.

Bruce Wayne was never merely a spectator.

"Mr. Wayne."

Lynn smiled.

"You didn't come here today just to watch Fury sign paperwork, did you?"

Bruce remained silent for several seconds.

Then he asked:

"What do you think about that masked man?"

"I don't know him."

"I didn't ask whether you knew him."

Bruce's gaze sharpened.

"I asked what you think of him."

Lynn considered the question.

"A very powerful individual."

He paused.

"But his attitude could use some work."

"Based on the reports I've seen, he tends to threaten people whenever negotiations become inconvenient."

"He also seems to lack basic social etiquette."

Bruce's lips twitched.

It was difficult to tell whether he wanted to laugh or sigh.

"Lynn."

Bruce lowered his voice.

"You've changed a lot recently."

Lynn adjusted his glasses.

"Mr. Wayne, people are supposed to grow."

"Standing still is just another form of regression."

The two men looked at one another.

Silence filled the room.

Countless thoughts raced through Bruce's mind.

The exact moment the masked man appeared.

The exact moment Lynn disappeared.

The location where the masked man vanished.

The distance between that location and Lynn's medical pod.

The overwhelming force that had sent Faora-Ul flying.

The punch Lynn delivered during the Battle of New York that had launched the Hulk backward.

Every clue.

Every inconsistency.

Every coincidence.

All the clues pointed in the same direction.

Visit /ShiroTL for more chapters.