"Hi there! Ralph, Ralph Owens is the name so you're the tenant there's been so much fuss over hmm?"
"I do hope I haven't been a bother these past few months. My trial will be soon and then I'll be out of your hair so to speak." Morbius typed some results into his laptop computer and closed it putting his full attention on the other scientist. The two shook hands.
"Why you've been no bother at all doctor...?"
"Morbius, Michael Morbius."
"Ah, Morbius the genius that's right." He retrieved a small vial and folded paper from his pocket. "How are you doing? Do you need anything?"
"I was about to order dinner if you'd care to join me.. and what is that you have there?"
"Oh this? I was wondering if you could have a look-see at these blood results for me but well, keep it confidential. You know, just between us. It's for a friend."
Morbius cocked an eyebrow. "Is your ummm.. friend doing any favors for this?"
Ralph sighed. "What do you need?"
"Two things. I need some more clean blood for testing, no chemicals, no anticoagulants."
Ralph nodded "Done."
"And I need a bottle of ouzo and a pack of cigarettes. They haven't been allowing me these things." He had quit smoking before he met Martine but recent stress had him craving the sensation. It's not like I'm going to live long enough to die of lung cancer.
Ralph laughed, "Greek liquor? That's three things but okay, you'll have your things by tomorrow. Try and get me some clear numbers by then. I'll bring my friend by in the afternoon."
"Oh, so there really is a friend?" Morbius chuckled.
"Yes of course. I wasn't lying. You get right on that okay?" He darted off through the lab door in a hurry.
Morbius muttered under his breath. "Great. What fresh hell is this?" The man had looked far from reputable reminding Michael more of a used car salesman than a doctor. He wasted no time getting a sample into analysis and checking his results.
"Gamma radiation destroying cells and cellular destabilization from rapid growth? What kind of trick is this? This can't be human.. It's not remotely stable." Michael cursed. He had hoped it was simply a matter of doing some students grad work for them, this was a life or death situation. Worse yet despite the remission of his vampirism the blood cravings still wracked him on occasion. With his human body incapable of processing blood he hoped the samples Dr. Owens was getting would stave off his crisis. Just a taste would suffice and hold off the pain.
Michael swore once in Greek and set about concocting a serum to counteract the chain reaction going on in the blood sample. He worked all night.
In the morning he called the front office for some black coffee and breakfast which they gathered in short order. Michael inhaled a cheese danish while still working on the serum.
His door creaked open and a young man with curly hair and a moustache peeked in. "Hello? Anyone in here?"
"Yes. Can I help you?"
"Ah, you are umm.. running some blood samples for me?"
"Is this your blood mister..?"
"Just call me Zap and no, it belongs to a friend."
Morbius cussed "Of course it does.. your friend is dying. You need to get them in to see me immediately."
"What?! Dying?! There's no way!"
"I do not joke about such things."
"Look I'll get her but... it has to be a secret."
Morbius raised his hand to his temple and rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "A secret?"
The man looked aghast. "Yes, a secret! Just.. trust me here."
"It's the She-hulk."
"I.. what!?"
"Gamma radiation in the blood for one, I've read Banner's papers just last night, plus female hormones in large doses. Also she's regularly sighted in the area, I'm not an idiot. Bring her in you fool! No time to waste!"
Zapper ran out the door with urgency. Michael watched him speed off and took the time to shout after him "And remind Owens that he owes me!"
The next day the She-hulk barely made it the lab and for that matter so did Morbius and Zapper after an angry protester attacked Morbius. Since they had transported the former vampire to UCLA the protesters gathered in droves and as his trial approached protests were turning ever more violent.
The two men ran back as fast as their legs could carry them to find her already passed out on the laboratory floor.
"Quickly, check her pulse! I'll get the serum ready." Of course the truth was it was already complete but it could hold the cure to his own blood cravings.. he was reluctant to use it for fear of being unable to replicate the formula. He stood holding the flask and pondering his options.
"Doctor hurry!"
Michael looked towards Zap in annoyance but he beheld the woman on the floor not as the She-hulk but as his own ex-fiance'. His thoughts screamed. Why does this keep happening to me? Is it the guilt? What can I do Martine? Just send me a sign!
"There there Jen! Dr. Morbius has a cure, I promise you'll be okay." The She-hulk laid still without a word.
Michael cussed at his own thoughts and carried the flask to her, tilting her throat and pouring it into her mouth. If he was damned then so be it, but this woman had a chance at life. "There, that should do it."
"She's still so weak doc!" Zap was hysteric.
"I was afraid of this." He crouched down to the She-hulk who now opened her eyes. "Jen? Your name is Jen yes? You have to transform. The serum won't work fully in this state."
"I can't.." She sputtered out the words weakly.
You have to! There is no other choice!" Michael shook her shoulders and she growled.
"Easy doc. She-hulk can be kind of violent."
"I know how that is better than anyone. Trust me." He looked into her eyes. "Try it."
She grunted with effort and for a few minutes Michael and Zapper thought it a failure but soon she shrank down to her normal human form. The woman who now sat in front of Michael was short with brown mid-length hair and brown eyes. Her clothes were in tatters. Morbius took off his lab coat and draped it around her.
"It worked! I'm Jennifer Walters again! I feel better!" She beamed and hugged Zap with abandon.
Morbius smiled and offered his hand. "Pleased to meet you Mrs. Walters. You won't have to worry about your duality from here on, you should now be stable and able to transform at will."
"You mean it?! No more unexpected transformations!? That is fantastic doctor Morbius! I cannot thank you enough! If there is anything I can ever do for you.." She interrupted her speech with a hug around Michael's midsection. Her clothes were still ripped and he could see down her dress. He blushed.
"Okay.. that's quite all right. Please enough hugs... and you can just call me Michael. If you'd like to of course."
Jen let go of the man reluctantly. "Of course Michael!"
He turned his face to avoid her noticing the flush of his cheeks. "Well... I'll be here if you should need me. I'd like to do a follow up blood check in a week if that is okay?"
"Of course! Umm... I guess we should be going. Thank you again for everything!"
They left happily singing songs together.
Michael sighed. Two more weeks to trial but at least he was helping someone, and a hero no less. Not a braggart like Spider-man.
The sudden loneliness was palpable in the lab and he sat down and poured himself a glass of ouzo taking the time to dump the contents of a blood vial into it. Just enough to relieve the cravings and pain. Fuck it, I've earned some time off today. Perhaps Jen will kindly visit me before the trial? He grinned at the idea but felt guilty when Martine stepped into his thoughts. Of course, I've already ruined one woman's life.. why try for another.
Little did he know that two days later he'd be facing down an angry Jennifer Walters who was every bit as formidable as her alter ego.
"You don't have to defend me! It's a suicide mission!" Michael yelled at Jennifer from the seat of his futon. They were inside his room at UCLA which she had invaded, successfully bluffing her way past security with her attorney registration ID. He previously had no idea she was even an attorney, of course.
"So what you're just going to defend yourself in court!? That's a suicide mission!" She paced back and forth in his small student housing carrying her briefcase. She was dressed in the normal lawyer attire, a slick business suit with skirt and grey high heels.
"It's my life to wager and you don't owe me anything!"
"So better to throw your own life away then?!"
He hissed at her with bared teeth and then froze realizing what he had done.
"You're still sick aren't you? The vampire is still in your head."
"Just a bit.." He leaned forward and took a sip of his drink.
"A bit Michael? You just hissed at me."
"I'm sorry.. you reminded me of someone I knew." He covered his head with his hands rubbing his own forehead for a moment.
"Your ex-fiance'?" Jen sat down next to him on the futon.
"That obvious huh? She is a strong woman."
She sighed "Look Michael, I'm your friend. Please let me defend you in court."
"I'm a dead man and you know it. It will ruin your career."
"You know that she'll be there right?"
Michael raised his head up to stare at her in alarm. "What?"
"Martine is going to be called to testify as a character witness. I'd almost guarantee it. The prosecution is going to try to provoke you in any way possible."
"Oh god.."
"Are you going to be able to cross examine her yourself?" Jen sat back and crossed her legs.
"I..." He rubbed his head. "I can't. I don't want you to think that you owe me for saving your life and keeping your identity a secret."
"I want to do it so you can save more lives."
He looked over at her with swollen eyes and sighed. He whispered an exasperated "Fine."
"I'm sorry, you were far too quiet. Speak up."
"Fine! You can represent me! Throw your career away for all I care!" He snarled out the last syllable and regretted it immediately.
Jen glared at him and crossed her arms.
"Sorry.. I know you just want to help me. This is all a bit much."
"Well then client. We have twelve days to prepare you and we have to do this well. One snap like that and the jury will lock you up and throw away the key."
"Or just electrocute me." Michael grinned.
"You have a dark sense of humor you know that?"
"I am aware.. counselor."
The courtroom was tightly packed with people for the eight in the morning trial. Jen made sure Michael had eaten and presented himself well. He had his hair pulled back neatly, his goatee trimmed and was wearing a nicely pressed grey suit. He looked like a standard college professor and his demeanor was pleasant and kind thanks to Jen's coaching. The first half of the day and the evidence had all gone by quite quickly.
"Now remember they're calling witnesses. Do not let them goad you. Stay calm, okay?" She poured him another glass of ice water while seated at the defendant's bench and Morbius looked at her skeptically while taking a sip.
"The prosecution calls the defendant's fiance' Martine Bancroft."
Michael held his breath as Martine walked in accompanied by a bailiff. She took her seat at the witness stand and swore on the bible before she finally looked up and their eyes met. He swallowed a gulp of air forcefully making his throat hurt.
"Ms. Bancroft you accompanied Michael Morbius and Emil Nikos on the yacht on the date of March Twelfth three years ago correct?"
"Yes I did."
"Please state for the court your relationship to the defendant."
"I am.. was his fiance'."
"Was, as in past tense?"
"Yes, I haven't been since his accident."
"Yet you were charged with aiding and abetting him as a fugitive. Is that right?"
Jen stood. "Objection your honor. All charges were dismissed."
The judge nodded. "Sustained."
The prosecuting attorney looked towards the defendant's bench and grinned. The look set Michael on edge so he leaned over to whisper in Jen's ear. "Why is he smiling, the objection was sustained?"
"that's Buck's tell. He's trying to pull something. Watch him." She leaned forward, on edge and focused.
"But you've seen Michael Morbius since the accident that made him a vampire?"
"Yes. Once in here in L.A."
"And you were bitten by him?"
"Yes I was."
"And your miscarriage you had this year was Michael's child?"
Michael's jaw hit the floor and Jen erupted "OBJECTION! Any medical records were obviously obtained illegally!"
The judge sustained but Buck had his desired effect as the courtroom broke out into raucous chatter and Morbius looked near death. Jen glanced over to check on him as he turned his head down towards the floor and whispered "I think I'm going to be sick.."
"Your honor I request a short recess, my client is feeling ill."
The judge sighed. He hated Buck's theatrics. "The court rests for a fifteen minute recess. We reconvene at two." He smacked his gavel hard on the podium.
"Michael, dear god are you okay?!"
"No. No I am not." He lifted his head to stare at Martine across the room as she was guided out by a bailiff. He mouthed the words "I'm sorry" and prayed she understood.
"Your honor we of the jury find the defendant guilty.. of involuntary manslaughter."
The court erupted with noise and screams as each charge repeated the same.
Jen smiled. Thank god, now Morbius will get a light sentence and he can keep working. It was a miracle he was even able to pull himself together after Buck's stunts and the news about Martine. Poor guy, he still didn't look quite right.
Michael grinned up at her but behind the smile were some very sad eyes.
Jen hugged him around the neck while the guards tried to get the crowd under control. "Let's get you back to the lab okay?"
"I can go back to UCLA?"
"Yep, I got a stay for your sentencing until you're in better health so you have time to cure your addiction. They're letting you continue your work. I also have some correspondence here from one Reed Richards for you."
Morbius leaned over "From Reed? How did it arrive so quickly?"
"It's an email. I took the liberty of informing him of your situation after he contacted my cousin. I think he can pull some strings for you. He has a lot of sway with the government."
"Jen I.. I can't thank you enough for what you did but I need a favor."
"I already know. She's at the lab."
"She what?!"
"She has a press pass and I gave her clearance. I said she was helping with the defense." Jennifer smiled at him and he kissed her. Not a little peck on the lips, but a full on lips entwined kiss. When the two parted he apologized profusely.