CHAPTER 25: MESSGAGE OF WARNING
Norman Osborn was back in action and he was back with a vengeance it seemed to him. He felt better then ever and already he had given Trask all he needed for his Sentinel project. Thanks to the designs of that the Spider Slayers were already nearly complete while they were being put through the testing phase.
Once Trask started on his campaign against these mutants, Norman would go after those at the mansion for future genetic samples. It had been very interesting when Trask had come to him for the Sentinel design parts and after a little coxing Trask let him in on everything. To think there were living weapons out there with powers that could make one person into a literal army.
So when he offered to help Trask with dealing with this 'mutant threat' the fool had jumped at it. Little did Trask know that Osborn had set up a genetics lab for those mutants. Their genetics would lead to breakthroughs in both genetic weaponry for the new century to maybe even medical advances.
In fact as Norman was sitting in his main office he was looking up scientist that would be key for that project. He already was thinking of Professor Miles Warren there since his cloning work was closely related to it. But there was one man he had finally got for this. He was highly recognized with his works in genetics.
That was who Norman was waiting for he was about to get up when he suddenly got this flash of pain as he pitched the bride of his nose. He had been getting headaches lately most likely stress related. He sighed to himself sitting back waiting for it to go away, 'Maybe I should take it a bit easy. Although Octavius is still out there and I'm swamped. I should spend some time with Harry at least.'
After all, his son did come to visit him in the hospital and he was glad although he had wished that his son would have at least hadn't been so…Weak in front of him like that. Why couldn't his son be a bit stronger? Maybe it was his fault in not being there well anyway he couldn't change the past. While waiting he went into his private files on his computer.
He was reviewing the information that Trask had given him but he had been gathering any other data as well. He was interested in this Parker boy when he found out that he had been at his home recently with Harry he had someone sent to that room to get a DNA sample.
A few strands of hair were found and were being tested so far. He was told there were some interesting results from the first band of tests on the DNA structure. But when he did go after those mutants in the mansion he would need help. He had already found someone that could be useful in dealing with that.
"Mr. Osborn your appointment is here," The voice came through the intercom on his desk.
He hit the button on the pad, "Yes send him in."
The doors opened and a man of average height with short dark hair and matching goatee. He wore a very nice dark suit with red tie as he walked in. The man had an air of confidence and maybe a bit of ego that went with being highly intelligence and known for it. "Ah Mr. Osborn, I must admit I was at first not sure if your offer was something I wanted to pursue. But when you said you were offering me the change at breakthrough genetics I must say…You got my attention."
Osborn gestured for him to sit down. "Thank you for coming Dr. Essex please take a seat."
He watched as Dr. Nathaniel Essex took his seat across from Norman he crossed his leg and folded his hands over them as he leaned back with a grin on his face. "Now then what exactly do you have planned for my talents?"
"What if I were to tell you that there is a new gene in the human gene pool that has come to my attention?" He asked leaning forward on his desk. "A gene that holds secrets the likes of which men and woman have only dreamed of but now made into a reality?"
Dr. Essex grinned a bit more at the sound of this, "Then I would say…Tell me more Mr. Osborn, do tell me more."
-Bayville-
Peter was back out in the night suited up again thankfully that little prank war had ended. Although given the incentive Logan gave them to stop as well as running them all into the ground for the last week in training helped. He had been too tired that entire week to do anything other then just lay in bed with sore muscles.
But at least he managed to squeeze in a few dates with Rogue and for once those hadn't turned out to be disasters. He was swinging over the night streets just feeling the cool air move against his suit, so far things had been a bit quiet. The Brotherhood had also been a bit quiet well quieter at least, there was still that thing with Sandra giving Kurt and Rogue nasty looks. Max was being his usual 'charming' self and the two other new members not being that subtle either.
But at least there hadn't been any more all out fights, but he got the feeling that may not be that far off. They seemed a bit too focused lately like they had a real purpose. Peter just sighed and mentally shrugged as he landed on a building top.
He kind of wished they had a spy with them so they could at least know what was going on. But whatever it was it was out of his hands. He sat back just enjoying the quiet, so far things weren't too bad in his life so why was he waiting for the other shoe to drop?
"You're getting paranoid Parker," He muttered to himself. Although he will admit that he was actually getting a bit bored. He looked to the heavens, "Okay normally I ask for thing to be quiet and then something nasty gets sprung on me. How about if I ask for some excitement? Will I just get a nice small crime or will Godzilla show up?"
He waited a few minutes and so far nothing. He was about to swing off when he heard a mashing of glass and looked to see a few guys with bandanas over their faces trying to load up the front merchandise of a electronics store into a van. "Well finally we're on the same page," He said to the heavens and jumped off the building.
The three men were hurrying to get as much stuff into the van before the cops showed up. Two of them went to pick up a large full screen TV. "Oh damn this thing is heavy," One of them stated.
"Just hurry with that one," The third said as he grabbed a DVD player and put it under his arm and ran back.
"Yeah well I'd like to see you doing better," The second one snapped back. Then there was a clatter sound. "What was that?"
"Derek did you drop something?" The first one said looking over his shoulder only too see the DVD player on the ground. "What the hell?"
"You know I got to ask you guys something," A new voice said and they looked up startled to see Spider-Man there hanging upside down on a street light with their buddy webbed up hanging there like a perverted Christmas ornament.
"At what point do you guys wake up and go, 'you know I think instead of actually working my ass off I'll just steal stuff. Oh and let's use bandanas over our mouths like they did in the old west'. I mean please, who uses that anymore other then in political riots?" Peter then looked at them, "Although this does have a certain 'LA' look to it."
"To hell with this!" The first guy said shoving the TV to the other one and running off.
"Hey! You asshole!" The second cried out as he fell onto his back pinned by the weight of the TV and looking up at Spider-Man who had his head cocked to the side.
"So much for honor amongst thieves," Peter grinned under his mask.
The criminal looked up at the hero as he mentally made a note to kick the ass of his 'friend' when he saw him again. "Uh…Don't suppose you could let me go?" Peter just shoot webbing out as his answer pinning him to the ground even more. "I'll take that as a no then," The crook grumbled to himself as Peter went after the other one.
What Peter didn't know what that he was being shadowed, in fact for the past fifteen minutes he had been tailed and the only reason his spider-sense didn't go off was because this was all in fun and the shadowy figure meant him no harm. Out of the shadows stepped out Black Cat in her usual form fitting black leather suit that left nothing to the imagination and her flowing white mane of hair was loose as usual.
She looked at the would be criminals and scoffed at them, "Pathetic amateurs, it's people like this that give professionals like Gambit and myself a bad name." She sighed and shook her head and she went after Spider-Man. She had something to talk to him about and this couldn't wait, besides she wanted to see him again.
Sure Gambit was nice and all but Spider-Man was this mystery to her, someone that may be unattainable and if there was one thing she loved it was taking what was unattainable. She caught up to him just in time to see him webbing the last crook to the wall of a building.
Peter after making sure the last thief didn't get away figure it was time for a break so he headed off to the rooftops and sat down on a three story building hearing the sounds of sirens. 'Ah it's so nice to just relax with the petty crimes now and then. Nothing too dangerous and nothing too complicated.'
"Nice work there Spider," Came a sultry voice that he knew instantly.
"Oh god…" He groaned palming his face he really didn't need this. 'I asked for something simple instead I get this…Why must the universe jerk me around?"
He turned and saw the Black Cat there behind him grinning and resting up against a brick wall in a cat-like and somewhat sultry manner. She walked towards him swaying her hips that would make any man look twice. She sat down next to him getting too close for comfort, "Hey there Spider, sorry I haven't been around I've been busy."
"Uh yeah…And shouldn't you be in prison?" He said to her although he would jump up and try to capture her. But seeing that damn cleavage of hers being nearly thrust into his face was giving him a certain embarrassing growth below the waist. 'Okay don't look man look at her eyes. Damn why the hell does she have to look so good. Come on man think of Rogue, think of your girlfriend…Think of her in that suit…Whoa bad idea! Don't go there, think baseball, chemistry anything else!'
She moved a little closer now and started to playfully run her fingers over his chest, "You know I was thinking why can't we be…Friends?"
"Uh…I…I don't think friendship is all you want Cat."
"So? Would that be so bad?" She asked him in a cute innocent manner biting her lip a bit. She knew this look kills a man's will power.
'Oh hell, don't look Peter.' He moved a bit away from her now, "Look Cat I got a girlfriend now."
She paused for a second and she had a guess who it was too. "Well what she doesn't know won't hurt her. Come on can you honestly say that I'm not hotter then her? That I can turn you on?"
She reached for his mask to pull it up a bit for a kiss but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her. "I'm sorry Black Cat…I love her and I'm not cheating on her and you're still a fugitive."
She pulled back feeling rejected and she didn't like that. No one rejected her and it was different especially for a gothic vampire looking wannabe was the reason for it. "Look I came here because I didn't want you to get caught up in what's coming."
That caught Peter off guard as he wasn't sure what she meant. "Get caught in what?"
Felecia mentally smacked herself in the head she hadn't meant for it to slip out. She knew that something was going down, Magneto had been training them and she had overheard enough things there. Things like Sentinel and Magneto talking about someone wanting to start a war with mutants. None of it was good and she knew that given her new enhancements if there was a mutant war she knew what side would be after her.
"Look I've been working and there are certain things that are happening and I don't want to see you get hurt because of it." She couldn't tell him the entire truth she knew that if she mentioned Magneto he would take it badly.
"Cat please if you know anything…"
She shook her head, "Sorry but I can't say anymore." She also knew she had to get back and then quickly kissed his cheek and jumped off the building. She just wanted to give him a warning and hoped things didn't go too bad. Plus she needed to learn a bit more as well on what Magneto's plan was.
Peter only paused for a second trying to put it all together when he went after her the only problem was she was hell of a lot faster then he had last seen her. She was more agile and chasing her was like chasing someone equal to himself. She was slippery as he ran over rooftops and swung over the streets and yet she stayed ahead of him.
But eventually he was catching up that is until he heard screeching tires and a crash. He landed on the side of a building and looked to see that someone had a car accident. Their car had hit a street light and now he had to chose to help and see if there were anyone injured or chase after Black Cat.
He saw her fire a grapple line and swing around a building, "Ah damn it," He muttered and went to help whoever was driving. Although he was puzzled over what she had said and what was going on. Maybe he'd let Xavier know about this and he was wondering what was going on with Black Cat. She sure looked like she had been working out.
-Brotherhood house-
Pietro was in a good mood mainly since Mystique was visiting his father so no more training sessions although he was still in a bad mood about Wanda leaving. He was just starting to get through to her when all this crap came coming down. He thought of asking Lance about her but he didn't really want to talk to that guy.
He was walking into the living room seeing mostly everyone else there. Blob was in the kitchen getting a snack while Todd and Morrie there although sitting apart. Thankfully since Todd had agreed to shower more Morrie had stopped drenching him in water. Although Pietro still thought that funny and it did help keep the gangly teen clean and mostly smell free.
He saw Max there in a chair watching TV with them, Pietro still didn't like the guy. But they needed him and he did give them an edge in power plus he was motivated at least. His eyes fell upon someone else though. Delilah that sexy young woman that had arrived, she was beautiful in a drop dead sexy way and ever since she got here they had this little flirting game.
Normally he could get any woman he wanted hell he did take three girls to that dance but where was the challenge in that? The fact he had to work at it to get somewhere with her made it all the more exciting when he managed to get somewhere with her.
Plus the only reasons he liked those training sessions was to help the team and the fact she wore a tank top with spandex pants. He leaned on the chair where she was leafing through a magazine, "Hey there beautiful tell me how about we cut out for a nice time out?"
Delilah gave him a wicked grin, "Well know I may have to check my busy schedule, there are many men that would like to take me out."
"Yeah but none of them are man enough for you babe," He said back confidently as the others rolled their eyes at the two of them. This little thing had been fun before but this was getting old fast.
"God get a room already," Max shot at them.
Todd nodded his head, "Yeah man this is making my stomach turn yo."
Morrie jerked his thumb towards Toad, "Yeah and this is from someone that eats bugs."
"Drop dead," Pietro said to them before turning his attention back to her, "Come on you never know you may like living in the fast lane."
She smirked at that last part, "Well I do so love to live life on the edge."
"You and me both baby, come one a little dinner a little fun come back here…" He trailed off at that last sentence and she raised an eyebrow. She thought about it and stretched herself out giving him an eyeful. She had to admit he hadn't backed down and maybe it was time for a reward you had to throw them a bone now and then after all.
"Well then okay, but if you plan on any after hours entertainment that depends on how big a man you are on our date."
"Oh trust me if there is you'll see how big a man." He grinned at her.
The others covered their ears groaning, "Oh god the visuals I just got please make it stop, make it stop!" Todd cried out in mock horror. The others weren't helping either making other comments like that, suck as Max claiming that he needed to wash his eyes now or Morrie wanting to throw up.
Pietro just ignored their idiocy but before he could flirt with her more his cell phone started to ring. He frowned as only a certain number of people even had this. He left the room and quickly speed outside away from anyone and took it out.
He saw that it was an unlisted number and had a feeling who it was. He opened it up and clicked it on, "Father?" He always had to call him that, not Dad or Daddy those weren't names meant for him. It was always either Father, Sir or Magneto when he had to talk to him.
"Pietro I need you to keep the Brotherhood indoors in a few days. Something is going to happen soon and when it does I may call you up for assistance. I may not but I want the Brotherhood on stand by." Came the cold and deep voice of his father.
"What's going on?" He asked his father as his mind was thinking of thousands of things that second, "Is this why Mystique isn't here?"
"Yes she's finishing up a few loose ends and helping me. The rest you don't need to know about, don't fail me Pietro." Then there was a click as the line ended. Pietro put the phone away and wondered what was going on. He hated how his father never trusted him with anything important and the fact that he seemed to think so little of him.
He did everything to prove himself to his father but why didn't it ever seem enough? Well he wouldn't fail in this simple task and eventually he would prove to his father that he was worthy of not only being a part of his plans but as a son as well.
NEXT UP CHAPTER 26: PLANS IN MOTION