The newsroom was already teeming with activity when Mary Parker entered. Mary was a young hot-shot reporter for The Daily Bugle. Though she was only in her mid-twenties, Mary had already acquired a reputation as one of the best investigative reporters around. She had a tireless work ethic and was determined to expose corruption wherever it could be found. While in college, Mary had exposed a cheating and paper selling ring, and although it had not made her popular among some students, it had cemented her future in journalism.
"What're you doing here Mary? I thought the doctor told you to take it easy."
Mary turned to address the gruff voiced speaker. "I'll be fine J.J. I'm pregnant not dying," May was seven months pregnant, and the pregnancy had been somewhat difficult. "'I'll only be here long enough to make a few phone calls about this Kingpin guy." Over the past few months, Mary's sources in New York's criminal underworld had begun feeding her information on a new and mysterious figure who had designs on uniting the various elements of organized crime.
J. Jonah Jameson, the Bugle's assistant editor, scrunched up his face in disgust. "Don't waste your time Parker. This "Kingpin" is just a bogyman invented to keep the criminal riff-raff in their place. Besides Richard will kill me if anything happens to you. Now, stop trying to be a hero and go home."
Mary bit back an angry retort as she was seized by a sudden fit of pain. "Jonah… I think you better call 9-1-1."
Richard Parker cursed to himself as he stared through a microscope. "Damn it Phil. The compound is still too unstable. It seems to bind itself to a cell's DNA. It appears as though t mutates the DNA, but the mutation is random. "
"Don't worry buddy. We'll fix it." Phil Watson smiled reassuringly, or at least the smile appeared to be one of assurance. In reality, Phil's smile was mocking Richard. Richard Parker was a brilliant scientist, but he was such a naïve idealist. Richard believed that they were working on a serum designed to enhance the human immune system, but that was just part of the story. Phil had secured a government contract to develop a super-serum to create the perfect soldier. The mutation that Richard saw as a side-effect was actually the project's goal. The problem was that the project was progressing too slowly. Richard was right about the mutation being too unstable. There was no way to know what the exact effects of the mutation would be on a human subject. Phil needed to figure out a way to begin human trials without Richard finding out. But how do you convince someone to let you inject them with an untested mutagen? What Phil needed was someone desperate.
Just then, the phone in the laboratory rang, interrupting Phil's thoughts. Phil picked it up. "Hello. Yes he's here. What? Hang on." "Richard. It's the hospital. Your wife's in labor."
Hours later, Richard and Mary found themselves listening as a doctor gave them their son's prognosis. The brilliant scientist and journalist suddenly felt as if they had lost the ability to comprehend the English language. The doctor droned on using phrases like "compromised immune system" and "slim chance of survival", but the couple remained lost in a torrent of confusion and sorrow. Through his tears, Richard saw that his younger brother Benjamin and Ben's fiancé May had entered the room and were comforting Mary. Richard couldn't take anymore, so he rushed out into the waiting room.
Richard was somewhat surprised to see Phil Watson sitting in one of the chairs. Phil had insisted on driving Richard to the hospital after they had received the call that Mary was in labor, but Richard had not expected Phil to stay. Phil stood up and slowly walked over to Richard. A few moments later Richard had described the situation.
"I feel completely helpless," Richard said. "For all my intellect, there is nothing I can do to help my son."
Phil shared his friend's sorrow. His own wife was pregnant, and he could only imagine his own feelings if their roles were reversed. In frustration, Phil stuck his hands in his pockets, and his left had wrapped around a syndical object. Suddenly, Phil realized that in the confusion following the phone call about Mary, Phil had inadvertently stuck a container full of their serum inside his pocket. In a flash of inspiration, Phil decided that the serum may hold the solution to both of their problems.
"Maybe there is something you can do after all," Phil began as he fished the container from his pocket. "You could try injecting your son with the serum."
"Are you nuts"! "The mutation could have disastrous effects on him. Besides it's illegal," Richard replied.
Phil quickly responded. "Our tests have repeatedly shown that the serum has a positive effect on human white blood cells. Whatever effects the mutation may have, they can't be worse than death. This could be your son's only chance." Phil stretched out his hand toward Richard.
Richard hesitated for a moment before taking the container from Phil and quickly heading in the direction of the NICU where his son was located. As he watched Richard walk away, Phil pulled out his cell phone and dialed.
"Yes," came the harsh voice of the project's benefactor.
"I've found a candidate for a human trial," Phil said quickly. ""It's Richard Parker's son. I'm just not sure how Richard will react once he realizes the true nature of the project."
"I'll worry about Richard. You just keep an eye on that child." The benefactor replied fiercely before abruptly hanging up.
God forgive me, Phil thought.
Mary Parker could hardly contain her excitement. Ten months had passed since the birth of her son, but today she finally got to take Peter home. The doctor's said that Peter's progress was miraculous. With
the exception of an increased susceptibility to allergies and an innocuous anomaly in his blood work, Peter was perfectly normal. The only think that tempered Mary's joy was Richard's strange behavior. Though Richard was happy about their son's improvement, it seemed as if a strange darkness was there just beneath the surface. She would catch him just staring blankly ahead with tears in his eyes. Whenever she confronted him, he would brush it off and return to his old self. Mary just hoped that their son's homecoming would lift Richard's spirits.
As the couple exited their car and headed for the hospital entrance, two gunshots pierced the air. One bullet struck each of the Parkers in the back of the head, and their bodies hit the pavement with a sickening thud.
On a rooftop across the street, a man in a camouflage suit was quickly placing a gun back inside its case. As he made his escape, the sniper spoke into an earpiece. "The targets have been neutralized."
A voice on the other end responded proudly. "Good job. You've just eliminated two of the most bloodthirsty domestic terrorists this country has ever seen. Keep it up, and you're going to go far in this business soldier."
As he heard the distant screams, Nick Fury briefly wondered whether or not that was a good thing.