Inside Stark Tower, the tension in the air was thick.
"Any movement?" Steve Rogers asked, his arms crossed as he stood beside the holographic display.
"Not yet," Tony muttered, his eyes narrowed at the shifting energy signatures on the screen.
The pattern was… strange.
Faint bursts of energy.
Appearing. Disappearing.
And always moving.
"Midtown," Bruce said quietly, adjusting his glasses as he analyzed the data. "It's staying in that general area… but it's not consistent."
"Like it's trying to stay off the radar," Natasha murmured from where she stood by the window, her eyes scanning the streets below.
"Clever," Tony muttered, but there was no amusement in his voice.
"Clever doesn't matter," Steve said, his jaw tight. "We'll find it."
Tony exhaled slowly, his fingers tapping against the glass surface of the console.
"The energy signature is… weird."
Bruce frowned. "Weird how?"
"Not alien," Tony muttered. "Not magic either."
"Then what?" Steve asked, his brow furrowing.
"That's the problem," Tony said. "It's fluctuating. Almost like…"
"Like it's adapting," Bruce finished quietly.
Tony nodded.
"That's what's bothering me."
"And you're sure this thing is dangerous?" Steve's voice was calm, but there was an edge of concern.
Tony's jaw clenched.
"Whatever it is…" His voice was low. "It's not playing by the usual rules."
Natasha's eyes narrowed. "Do we have anything on who we're looking for?"
"Not yet."
"Facial recognition?"
"Nothing."
"DNA?"
"Clean."
Steve's expression darkened. "So… all we have is an energy signature."
"Yep."
"And we're just waiting for it to make a move?"
"Yep."
"Great."
"Relax, Cap," Tony murmured, his eyes glued to the screen. "It'll show itself."
He wasn't so sure about that.
But he'd be damned if he let something slip past his radar.
"Whatever it is…" Tony's voice was quiet. "We'll catch it."
Meanwhile…
Alex strolled down the bustling streets of Midtown, hands in his pockets, doing his best to act normal.
"Okay… stay cool…" he murmured under his breath.
The Omnitrix was quiet now.
No glowing. No weird pulses.
And most importantly…
[Sexual Satisfaction: 100%]
"…Thank God."
His body felt relaxed for the first time in… days.
The heat was gone.
The ache was gone.
And his dick was finally staying where it belonged.
But even with that relief…
His eyes still wandered.
Everywhere.
His head turned before he could stop himself, his gaze automatically locking onto the first woman that passed by.
Tight jeans. Damn.
Her curves bounced perfectly with each step.
Alex swallowed hard and forced himself to look away.
"Focus."
But then—
Another one.
This one in a short skirt that rode up just enough to show off her toned thighs.
"Holy shit…"
His jaw clenched.
"They're everywhere today…"
He tried to keep walking.
Eyes forward.
"Don't stare. Don't…"
Another woman passed.
Legs for days.
Her top was so tight it left nothing to the imagination.
"…Seriously?"
Alex groaned under his breath, shifting uncomfortably as he kept moving.
[Sexual Satisfaction: 100%]
The reminder was still there, glowing softly in the corner of his vision.
But…
"Why the hell am I still looking?"
His cock was soft. His body was satisfied.
But…
His eyes wouldn't stop.
" I'm turning into a damn perv…"
It was like his brain was rewired.
Even after getting off, he couldn't stop noticing…
Everything.
"Goddamn…"
His eyes dipped again.
A woman in tight yoga pants.
"How the hell are they all dressed like this today…?"
Alex bit his lip, forcing himself to look away.
"Focus… focus…"
But his body was too aware.
The Omnitrix wasn't pulsing.
But it was still there.
Waiting.
Watching.
And Alex knew…
"If I let this build up again…"
He didn't want to finish that thought.
"…Not happening."
He kept walking, his jaw tight, his mind racing.
"Stay calm. Stay cool."
But the heat was still lurking.
"They're everywhere…"
And deep down…
Alex knew this was only a temporary break.
If he didn't figure something out soon…
This wasn't going to end well.
Back at Stark Tower…
"Energy spike."
Bruce's voice was quiet but sharp.
Tony's head snapped up.
"Where?"
"Midtown," Bruce murmured, his eyes narrowing as he traced the movement. "But it's faint. Like it's… stabilizing."
"Stabilizing?"
"Yeah." Bruce's jaw clenched. "Like whatever it was… just cooled off."
"Cooled off?" Steve's voice was tense.
"That's new," Natasha muttered, her eyes narrowing.
"Why would it stabilize?" Steve asked.
Tony's jaw tightened.
"Because whatever's causing this…" His voice was quiet.
"…just got what it wanted."