Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to X-Men or Marvel.
Chapter Twenty-One: Web
Dr. Forrester was standing behind his table. He looked over everything. He had it, he finally had it. "I've finally got it," he said.
"What do you mean," Vanessa, his assistant, asked.
"I mean, I've got it. The formula for turning mutants into humans." He picked up a vial and stared into the liquid inside.
"That's incredible sir! We must get this out!"
"No, not yet. I want to be absolutely positive it will work. I want to test it on a very powerful mutant, to make sure it will work."
"Who? Magneto?"
"No, not Magneto. I mean one of the most famous mutants this world has ever know. And by this time tomorrow, the world won't give a damn who he is."
The two robbers jumped in the back of the car as the driver hit the gas. "How much did you get," the driver asked.
"There's gotta be like, two million in here," one of the robbers said.
"Bermuda here we come," the other robber said, and they all laughed to each other. Suddenly the car jolted to a stop. "What the hell was that?"
"I don't know," the driver said. He pressed down harder on the gas. The wheels screeched on the pavement, but the car didn't move an inch. The roof of the car ripped open. I figure in red and blue stared down at them.
"Hey can you guys give me a lift uptown," the figure said. The three men scurried out of the car. "Hey you can't park that here!"
The figure shot some kind of rope at the two robbers. It stuck to their backs, and the man pulled them back. He fired some more, and they stuck to the side of the car. "Now where did he run off to," he asked himself. He spotted the driver running down an alley. "There he is. Hey, you forgot you're change!"
The driver sprinted down the alley. If he could just get to the end and disappear around the corner, he'd be safe. He turned to see if that thing was still there. He seemed to have vanished. The driver turned around, and ran right into something. He tried to pull away, but it was all sticky. The more he struggled, the more he became entangled. He looked up. It looked like a giant spider web.
The bank manager stood outside of the bank. The masked man jumped down and handed him the bags of money, all wrapped together in a sticky substance. "Thank you so much," the manager said.
"All in a days work for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man," Spider-Man said. He shot some webbing into the air, and he flew up into the air.
Spider-Man sat perched on top of a building. "When will they ever learn," he said to himself.
"Help," he heard a woman scream form down below.
"I need a vacation," he said as he jumped down to the ground. He shot some webbing and swung down to the ground. A woman was standing on the sidewalk. "What's the matter miss?"
The woman reached into her purse and pulled out a gun. She fired a single shot into Spider-Man's neck, and he collapsed onto the ground.
David unloaded another box. He was working at an internship for Dr. Forrester. He was one of the best scientists in the field of gene manipulation. A recommendation like that would have him at any school he wanted when he graduated.
"There it is," he said, reaching into a box. He pulled out a smaller box and went out to Forrester's laboratory. "Dr. Forrester, that ammonia you ordered is in." David stopped suddenly.
Dr. Forrester and his assistant, Vanessa, were standing by a giant tub filled with liquid. Hanging over the tub was a cage, and inside was a man. "What are you doing," David said. "Do you know who that is? That's Spider-Man!"
"Yes Mr. Jekyll, I know exactly who it is," Forrester said. "He's the perfect subject for the serum I've been working on."
"You mean to kill the cancer virus?"
"That's what I told you, yes. What I didn't tell you is, it's actually designed to destroy the X gene in mutants. And what better way to test it than on the world's most famous mutant? Spider-Man!"
"You can't do this!"
"I have to say, I agree with him," Spider-Man was beginning to regain consciousness. "I can't say I appreciate your hospitality." Spider-Man grabbed the bars of the cage. He screamed as electricity flew through his body. He was tossed back onto the floor.
"I wouldn't do that again if I were you," Forrester said. "I also wouldn't use any of that webbing of yours. The bars have built-in sensors. They'll electrocute anything between them, including your web.
"Now, the question is, what do we do with you, David?"
Anytime you're ready Hyde, David thought.
Vanessa pulled out a gun and shot David in the neck. Instantly, everything went black.
David woke up on his back. He was laying in a bed. He could see in his peripheral he was still in Forrester's lab, and Forrester was standing over him. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out.
"Don't waste your breath," Forrester said. "And I really mean that. I've just injected 30 cc's of tribucinol into your larynx. You won't be able to talk, or move, but more importantly, you won't be able to turn into that creature of yours. Yes, I know all about you. You think I don't run background checks on all my interns?
"After I found out you were a mutant, I asked an old friend for your file, to see exactly what kind of mutant you were. Naturally I was intrigued to learn what you could do. After I've tested my serum on the 'amazing Spider-Man', I'm going to give it to you. You'll thank me later. Now then, Vanessa, prepare to fill the tub."
Vanessa threw a lever, and the tub underneath Spider-Man began to fill with a green liquid. "I don't suppose we could talk about this," Spider-Man said.
I might not be able to speak, David thought. But I can still think. Professor, I need your help.
What is it David, Xavier's voice came into his head.
It's Dr. Forrester. He's planning to turn mutants into normal humans. He's kidnapped Spider-Man, and he's got me drugged.
I'm sending the rest of the X-Teens at once.
David hoped they'd arrive before it was too late.
"So Doc," Spider-Man said. "Is mad sciencing a lucrative business? 'Cause I've met quite a few of them, and I have to say, the pay doesn't look too great. And you always have that pesky superhero always ruining your experiments, it just seems like a lot of work."
"You shut up," Forrester said. "You and your kind, you have no business on our planet. Soon you, and all your kind, we be exactly as God intended."
"Someone's taken their crazy pills this morning."
"Make your jokes while you can. In a few minutes you will be lowered into that tub, and my serum will mix with your mutated DNA. It will kill the mutated strands, leaving only the healthy ones."
"Kill the mutated strands," Spider-Man said. "Forrester, that would kill me and anyone you give this to! You can't release this to the public, it will kill thousands!"
"You know nothing of my project."
"Forrester, you have to listen to me. If it kills the mutated DNA without replacing it with something, it will cause the body to destroy itself. It will make a person's body eat it from the inside out!"
"You're lying, I've checked my work dozens of times. And if it doesn't work, so what? That's why we run tests first."
"It's ready Dr. Forrester," Vanessa said.
"Good. Congratulations Spider-Man, you're going to be the first mutant to become normal."
"Not so fast," Morph and the rest of the X-Teens burst through the door.
Forrester turned to David. "They must be yours." He sprinted to David's body. "You're in luck David, you're going to get my serum first." Forrester injected a needle into the tube. "Vanessa, lower the cage!"
"Colossus stop it," Morph said.
Colossus jumped up to the top of the tub, and from there jumped onto the winch that held Spider-Man's cage. He grabbed onto it and pulled. The cage began to slow, but it was still moving. "Thanks a million, Metal Guy," Spider-Man said.
"Don't mention it," Colossus grunted.
Morph sprinted at Forrester. He kicked him across the face, knocking him to the ground. Then he grabbed David's IV and ripped it out of his arm. A green liquid squirted out. "I have a feeling I was very close," he said. David looked at him and tried to nod. "Are you alright?"
Forrester pulled out a gun and fired. Morph grabbed David's body and dove on the other side of his bed, but he wasn't where Forrester was aiming. The bullet hit the cable attached to Spider-Man's cage. It snapped, and Colossus reached down and grabbed it.
"As much as I'm enjoying these close calls, would you mind swinging me out of here," Spider-Man said.
Colossus swung the cage back and forth. Once it had a big enough arc, he let go, and the cage crashed onto the ground. The door broke open, and Spider-Man crawled out.
"Alright Doc, you've got a lot to answer for," Spider-Man said.
"I'd like a word with him first," Hyde growled.
"Whoa, where did you come from?"
"Oh God, it's him," Forrester said. He crawled backwards on the ground.
Vanessa ran for the door. "Not so fast," Spyke grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.
"Please, don't kill me," Forrester said.
"Why not," Hyde said. "If I'm not human, am I really committing murder?" Hyde stepped over him. "Answer me!"
"Y-yes…"
"And why is that?"
"B-b-because you're h-human…"
"Is that so? Shall I kill him anyway?"
"Hyde leave him alone," Morph said.
"Why should I? He tried to kill me, and him," Hyde motioned to Spider-Man.
"I think I'd better take care of him," Spider-Man said. Spider-Man shot webbing at Forrester, wrapping him up. "You too, little lady." Spider-Man pulled Vanessa toward him with a web and tied her to Forrester.
"If that's what you want," Hyde said.
"Trust me big guy, it'll do a lot more help," Spider-Man said. "I'll let the government know what he's been doing here. He's going to have a lot to answer for."
"You really think they'll do something about him," Hyde said. "Somehow, I doubt it."
"You never know. They might." He turned to the rest of the X-Teens. "Thanks for your help. If you hadn't shown up, I'd be in big trouble right now." He shook Colossus' hand. "Is there anything I can do to help you guys?"
"I think we'll be fine," Iceman said.
"Well if you ever need a hand, give me a call." He turned to collect Forrester and Vanessa.
Hyde stepped in front of him. "You better see that they get what they deserve," Hyde said. "Or else I will."
"No problem, big guy. I'd shake your hand if I weren't scared to death of you." He threw Forrester and Vanessa over his shoulder. "See you around." He shot a web into the air, and flew into the sky.
"Somehow I don't think the government's going to do much," Hyde said.
"I kind of agree with you," Morph said. "I wouldn't be surprised if Trask helped fund some of his work."
"That just goes to show our job's not done yet," Rogue said.
"Sometimes I don't think it ever will," Morph said. "Come on guys, let's get out of here."