Author's note – Helllo guys. So sorry I took an awful amount of time to write this chapter. Actually I had my semester exams. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer - I don't own any characters of Marvel.

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Spidey stared at him.

The Strategic Homeland and Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division

S.H.E. . Standing right in front of him.

Was any of this real?

Aliens descending from the sky, a billionaire flying in a metal suit, a century old war hero, a giant green monster and a god and this was the very last thing that he actually needed.

Come on!

The SHEILD is a government organisation to put it simply dealing on espionage, a law enforcement and a counter terrorism agency, a last line of defence against humanity.

Or so he thought it to be.

Spidey took a long hard look at the aircraft that looked something that just felt other worldly. And then Peter looked at the people who flanked the so named Agent Coulson. There was a male agent and a female agent. Both of them had hard faces, no bull-shit type face cuts.

Spidey could make out a nasty blue black bruise up on the male agent's cheek but overall he looked strong, had a confident demeanour. He was a clean cut Caucasian with dark brown hair and probably brown eyes. He was a six foot one, maybe a foot or two more, give or take. Peter could see that he had a solid athletic toned built, an excellent physique that he had attained after years of combat training. A slight frown upon his otherwise good looking fierce face.

And as for the female agent, she looked to be an Asian with brown hair. She had a petite body frame, a stoic facial expression along with her hands were placed on her hips in an akimbo fashion, made her someone that she should not be fiddled around.

Well, practically both the agents had a rather uncommunicative demeanour, which was fine by the way. Well what could he expect? He could expect such an organisation to be anywhere near vapid.

Well, that is how government agents looked, right? All tough, forged under extreme forces and the countless missions.

Anyway and the other three agents who were at the ramp's entrance, were fairly young compared to the three biggies that stood near him. Maybe a year or three older that himself, maximum.

Spidey suddenly felt, some minor twitching of MJ's limp body.

Shit. She was hurt. He had to do something, maybe ask them for help.

Wait, but could he really trust them?

Lately he had been having a lot of trust issues and maybe the day is not far away, he might end up having a withdrawal symptom or something.

He was just about to take off, when the middle aged agent spoke up.

"Spider-man, you can bring her over, let my team look after her. She looks pretty bad and who might know, she might end up having a severe concussion…"

Spidey took one look at MJ.

Lord!

She looked too battered, all bloodied and maybe a bashed up forehead. Spidey's head was too screwed up. Maybe he had to trust them anyway. If he didn't listen, maybe she might end up having something serious.

Peter looked back at the agent who was walking hurriedly towards him followed by the three other agents who were near the ramp –the fairly young agents.

The one with flowing hair looked cute and beside him came a boy with a boyish handsomeness lingering over his face but the worry on his face, made it a bit comical. They looked friendly enough.

But when they neared her, Peter felt a sudden urge to pick herself and run her away with her.

Well, how could he not?

People freakishly strong, an unknown man with a fist on fire, agents dropping from the sky and now the only thing left now is his imagination altered into reality.

Well, he wouldn't be surprised if that even happened.

The long haired female agent sat down in front of MJ's limp body. She gave a kind concerned look to Peter trying to reassure him. Then she moved her hands over her wrist feeling her pulse.

"She is weak. We have to prep her for surgery." She said in a thick British accent.

Then she quickly looked at the wound to her head that had already turned blue black by now.

"She has lost a lot of blood. And there is something in her head wound. Fitz, give me a hand, we have to move her to the BUS immediately."

Ok, the boy is Fitz. He was a blond with short curls all over his face.

"Yeah, I will hold her legs and you take a hold of her head ."

Fitz had a thick rich Scottish accent.

"No. both of you stand down, I will take her inside if you insist so much."

Spidey had a certain malice in his voice. He couldn't simply help it. These supposedly "agents" were a bit too young to perform complex surgery but her hands looked experienced, the she was moving them across MJ's forehead completely ignoring the warning that he just threw at them.

"Ok, then.. um.. Spider-man? Bring her inside. Quickly, do not tally." She said urgently.

Spidey Placed one arm around MJ's back and the other underneath her knees and lifted her with ease into his arms and broke in to a small jog. Her head rested lightly on peter's shoulder, some of the dried up blood sticking to his costume.

Peter felt like crying. MJ was supposed to be his responsibility.

How could he let himself go all haywire? He couldn't protect her from those freaks and now she was almost dead.

All of this was his fault. She was his responsibility and he had failed her.

He felt like breaking up. He felt so broken up inside. It was like he was living example of pure failure. Nothing else mattered to him. The only thing that kept him going was the feeble pulse of her wrist that was too painful to hear. It was so painful, just like the faint periodic flutter of a butterfly's wings.

He knew that he had to be strong. He had to bring help her. He just could not fathom if anything ever were to happen to her. Denuding himself of all unpleasant thoughts, he followed the two young agents when he saw the third agent make an eye contact with her team mate. She gave a light nod to her and rushed inside.

Silent conversation of course.

Just as he was about to enter the air bus through the ramp, he could not help but noticing the bright red vintage looking convertible. It was a typical Chevrolet corvette. He wondered how come such an old piece of junk was doing in something so high tech.

Peter was amazed how people could still hold on to such a model. Peter half envied the agent whoever owned it. It was something worth looking at. Well you never actually ever get to see one of these now a days. And besides that it stood beside a Lexus suv. There was a lab just facing the garage where the young female agent with the curly blond hair ran up to the panel that was attached near the door and punched in the security code furiously. These young agents seemed experienced. They never faltered for a second, both of them completely focussed on the problem at hand.

As the door swung open, the other girl rushed inside. The English girl quickly slipped into her operating coat and motioned Peter to make lay her on a small operating table. Peter quickly rushed in to the operating table and slowly placed her on the steel bed making sure that she receives no shock on her head and then carefully pushed the rest of her body in symmetry along the bed.

Peter took a step back.

"Spiderman, let us handle this." Said the curly haired boy with so very sincere eyes that he had last seen only in Gwen's.

Speaking of Gwen, he had to tell her what happened.

Shit! Shit! All of this was a mistake. He had to break it to her. Someone needed to know and Aunt may and Watson as well.

Spidey slowly paced backwards from the lab till he reached the entrance point of the room. That was when he saw ran his eyes through the entire room. He had never seen such advanced stuff ever in his life. All the equipment here, they were top of the class, no compromise, from a test tube holder, a centrifuge, Bayesian inference, beam splitters, motion estimators to every other equipment.

All his attention was now strained on the agent with who quickly moved to MJ's head and bent down, the male agent scuttled behind her with a tray of surgery equipment. Spidey didn't want to see the operation. Surgery, blood and gore had always been his weakness. He could handle minor injuries but now operation on the head was a bit too much. He turned his head when he saw the ramp making a whirling sound, slowly closing up. He quickly ran up to the hatch when he saw the agent Coulson.

"Hey what is all this?" Spidey was spooked. He was now in the custody of Agent Coulson's team and he didn't like it at all.

"I am sorry Spider-man, but you must understand we must remain in air cause the next target just came up. Its in California. And if you are thinking of informing Aunt May and Gwen Stacy, your high school girlfriend, don't worry. It has already been taken care of, web head or should I say Peter Parker."

Peter froze right where he stood. He could not feel his legs anymore. The sudden lurch of the air bus did not make him falter his stance. For Christ's sake, he wore a mask. He never exposed even an inch of his skin and there it is. People just simple seemed to see right through his mask.

Is this a joke? First the man with the blazing fist and now a group of secret agents. At this rate, the only one left to know his identity was The President.. Oh wait, they might have already informed him. These stupid wannabes work for the government don't they? Maybe this is already out in the press. J Jonah Jameson won't leave him in peace. His life will be screwed big time. Spidey slowly took off his mask and looked at Agent Coulson. His eyebrows knitted together.

"What is the problem with you people? Why do know all this stuff? I wear a mask for a reason, can't you people simply let it be?" Peter didn't have energy to be angry any more. He looked at Agent Coulson with contempt and sadness.

Isn't this all a joke?

"Peter I know what you are going through…"

"What?" Peter cut him right at the middle. He lost all his calm and composure. He clutched his mask hard, the veins of his hand where it was clutched bulged unnaturally that was, without a doubt pumping large pints of blood.

"Do you know a why I wear this mask? Huh … ? This fucking stands for something. It is hope. Making the people believe that it is safe outside. Somebody is out there to watch you. And this mask helps me protect the people that I truly care. Not like you all fake wannabe agents jumping out, taking people hostage. This is not at all fine. You all fake government agents.. you know the only thing that stupid agents conspire against, is your own country. You all should just leave us alone, let us do our jobs in peace and mind your own damn businesses in the sky sipping martinis and whatever you all prefer." Peter waited and sucked in gusts mouthfuls of air. Allowing himself to calm down. His face was all red and flustered over. Eyes were bloodshot and corner of his eyes seemed to be glistening. He was sobbing silently. He had never ever broken down, at least not in this way, not since his uncle Ben passed away.

Peter was broken. All of this was too much to fathom in. All he just wished was to run away, some place far away and remain in a place where could he lie down relax, be free, completely unencumbered of whatever was in store in for him.

Peter fell on his knees, his face buried beneath his latex gloved hands. Peter could make out his the distorted facial muscles trying to find desperately let go of the anguish that was building up... like venom.

"Hey webhead, get a hold of yourself, we just don't care what you are going to think of us but right now just keep in your mind one thing, we have come to help you … mind you, only to help."

Peter looked up at her. She was the agent who was ordered by the British one to get her fetch something. Whatever it was, looked important enough.

"How come you of all people would understand what I have been going through? Just leave me be or I might end up doing something that all of you will regret"

Her face was straight faced but her faced cut looked a tad Asian. Maybe someone was Asian, her father or mother. Well, she was right in a way. SHEILD was helping to patch MJ up. How could be he so vile?

The agent was taken a little aback by those sudden words and she could not think of anything more. She quietly went back to the British agent.

"Skye, let him be. This is not the first time, I have witnessed such an outbreak. Its common among young heroes. Let him figure it out itself." So saying Agent Coulson stopped near him and placed his right palm on Peter's shoulder. Peter could feel the warmth of his huge hand seep through his suit and gave him a slight shake.

Peter looked up at him expectantly, through his tear stained face. "When you are ready, come and meet in my office. I have something to show you." Saying so, he gave a warm smile, a smile that was eloquent to a strong ray of sunlight tear through the dark clouds forcing all his doubts and remorse at bay.

As Agent Coulson moved through the pathway, preferably to his office, he said "Agent Ward and Agent May meet me at my office."

Peter pulled his puffy eyes and looked at the agents. They were staring at him the whole time staring at him the whole time quizzically, before finally turning their backs on him and followed down the same short pathway that that Agent Coulson had been.

Maybe his office is down there. Peter thought.

The whole carriage was brightly lit. He slowly stood up and calmed his nerves. Peter knew that he had to play along with these people. SHEILD were the good ones, everyone knew about that. HYDRA were the rotten ones. Still, Peter knew better not to ever meddle in secret organisations. They had secrets, secrets that could question a man's foundation. Maybe it is for the best. Maybe they are what that is actually stringing all people together and above all MJ is getting treated.

Speaking of MJ, what is up with her? He had to look for her. What is happening inside? Peter stood up slowly, his legs had grown numb. He took some time to get the blood circulate though his legs.

Extremely unpleasant. Peter slowly limped and stooped a little. He could actually feel the hot pulsing blood coursing through his veins.

I have to be strong, at least for her. She had to endure so pain. Only if I had been careful enough. Peter scolded himself as he limped to the cubicle laboratory. He stood a few steps away from the clear glass and peered through it staring right at her hand. Her jacket had blood stains all over, precision instruments, scalpel and other medical scissors lay strewn all over the plate in a disordered fashion laced with her blood. Peter had to know what was going on inside? What had actually happened to her?

The last thing that he remembered is that there was something stuck in her head as reported by the medical agent there, who was working with precise quick movements. He looked at the boy who was standing beside her. His right hand clasped his mouth completely. Seeing him, in such a terrible state, Peter wondered what had actually gotten in MJ's head that even the agents were shocked.

As he tried to assess their feelings towards, what exactly they were thinking, he could feel the slow rumble of the engine that was now starting up. It was just like a dragon that had been sleeping for so long, waiting to unfurl its wings, as though the only home it had, was only the open blue sky. He could feel the slow lurch slightly as the turbines started to move at its full speed pushing the ground below, trying desperately to attain height. As it reached a certain height, the repulsors, powered up completely releasing huge air gusts. Peter slowly walked to a nearby window to take a look outside.

The aircraft moved at a rapid pace vertically, above ground, trying to attain height. And man, it was smooth. It was almost like moving up slowly as if he were in a hot air balloon. Only minimal vibrations that he felt were worth ignoring, only the burnt up helium was all that affected him. But here inside the Airbus, he could not fell anything.

Man, they sure have a sweet ride. No wonder, why they don't leave it? Well, I would have done the same. He retraced his steps towards the laboratory where he saw the two of the scientists working their way. Soon it was just the two of them, whirling their way around the entire the entire room, like they were twins. Looked like they were linked together. Peter couldn't hear a single thing but he could see that she didn't make and single sound and nor did the Scottish accented agent. He just stood there watching the two of them go at it.

After sufficient time, maybe thirty minutes or so, the girl looked away from MJ and the boy took over, like watching MJ's bruised head with some kind of an antiseptic lotion and bandaging her head. When the ordeal was almost over, Peter had been staring at them expectantly, his eyes, pleading at them almost forcing them to say only the good news even though he knew it was bad. The young SHEILD gents did not have any smile on their faces, they were slightly apologetic as the two of them approached Peter. Peter took a step behind and allowed the two of them to decide who would be the one the break the news for him. The two of them argued harshly for some time but after sometimes, they put on their business faces again.

The Scottish agent first spoke "Hello, Spiderman. Before saying anything further, I think it would be just rude on our part not to formally introduce ourselves to you, because you know that all of us up here is already acquainted with you .."

The female agent quickly followed him ensuring a steady flow of speech. "or atleast what you are by the book or off the book. Okay then, I am Agent Jemma Simmons. And this is my friend .."

"Agent Fitz. Leo Fitz. Or you know you can just call me Fitz. She majors in biochem and I in engeering. " He smiled at Peter.

Peter couldn't help retain the grumpy face that he had earlier on. His face broke into a smile. Both the agents looked at him and smiled at him. They were young agents, one or two years older than him at most.

Were agents really recruited at such a young age? Peter looked at them and he instantly felt comfortable as if he could relate to them. They were innocent, at least that was what he could make out, maybe they had seen a lot but there was no hiding that the two of them were actually delighted to see someone of their own age and there was something about them, that made his heart warm. He knew that he could be comfortable with them.

Agent Jemma Simmons spoke up first, her face turning pensive and serious all of a sudden. "You were so right to bring her up here so that we could attend to her. Whatever that remained lodged in her forehead, we have successfully been able to remove it but … "

"But what?" Peter blurted out rather roughly, without actually meaning to.

This time Agent Fitz spoke out, taking a step forward, Peter didn't find it hard to guess that Fitz here was obviously very protective of Agent Simmons. Maybe they even have a thing going on between themselves.
"I guess, it is a bit complicated but the thing is, she might be having trouble remembering who she is which I am sure is temporary.." Fitz said shrugging a little and the rest whatever Fitz said to him just seemed too insignificant to lend his ears to. He looked back at the table where MJ lay down peacefully completely oblivious to where she now lay. Could she really not recognise anyone?

Peter could hardly picture her. The way her green eyes would stare back at the people she once loved? Memories that were worth cherishing? Peter could hear his heart quicken its pace. Another failure. He failed Uncle Ben, Captain Stacy and now it has come to his best friend MJ. It was so heart wrenching that Peter could hear a loud ringing in his ears as though everything faded away. Before succumbing to his own inner demons, there was a sharp yank on his right hand that tumbled and brought him crashing down in the bus.

"Hey are you all right? You look pale" said Fitz as Agent Simmons approached him and looked at his eyes.

Peter shuddered.

Jemma stood near him and stared right back into Peter's brown eyes. She could see that they were all dilated, showing several emotions all at once. The turmoil inside him was evident and understandable. Jemma looked at him with kind eyes. "Nope, he is not doing well. He stressed out."

"Fitz why don't you go and make some tea for the three of us here as I explain Peter what is wrong with his friend Mary Jane."

"Okay, three cups of herbal green chamomile tea coming right up" said Fitz cheerfully quickly disappeared right around the corner. Looked like he was happy to be away from all that was going on. Peter could see that Fitz was shaken. There was something similar about him. He just felt it but he couldn't exactly place it.

Peter shook his head. He had to get MJ back on her feet. That was the only reason he entered this outrageous humungous aircraft. He would just leave readily no matter how friendly all of them seemed to be, there was something that was nagging him constantly. Like a class test gone bad.

"Peter, you really don't have to worry. I bet she will be fine, just give her some time. You know damage to the head requires a lot of rest. But I am not exactly guaranteeing you that she might be completely alright. There might be lapses in memory. You see, whatever just happened, whatever was lodged in her forehead was quite deep enough which sent shocks on her frontal lobe that could be synchronous to lobotomy. Like maybe she lost a part of herself but I can't exactly figure out how far has her been memory blocked out. But I can assure you that I have assessed the damage and I feel that at most she will have no recollection during the past twenty four hours."

"Are you sure?" said Peter, his voice almost cracking up. He needed all his strength to stop another outburst of tears. These were agents and they professional. He had to be professional as well, pull himself up together and think all of this through.

"Yes of course, don't worry, it will take time to heal her but human brain is one of the most complex organ that constantly astonishes us. It has untapped potential, so whatever just is just happening, think of it as something good. I am sure that something is gonna come out of it. So just try to be positive and let everything sort itself out."

Peter mind raved around, whatever he had heard from the good doctor Agent Simmons here. The only thing that kept him sane was the fact the MJ was really going be okay somehow. He only wanted her in one piece, without any broken bones, or a broken mind. It was like something Peter could never understand. People unable to protect themselves, injuries, dying out … all in a constant circle, taking away piece by piece out of him, every time. Somehow it seems like he will never be free of his own demons.

"Okay, now you could go and freshen yourself and then I think you should you should go and see Agent Coulson. He has something for you." Agent Simmons put a reassuring arm on Peter's shoulder and squeezed it ever so lightly. Peter knew that Agent Simmons was right. There was absolutely no use torturing himself over this incident and he prayed with all his might for MJ to recover as quickly as possible and there was a tiny wish in somewhere along the deepest vestige in his mind that MJ would actually forget this incident had actually happened. True, he felt guilty of it. How could he think like that? He felt filled with guilt but still, he wished for her recovery anyhow. Peter knew that whatever he wished for, it was actually all for the god for everyone around. Peter walked slowly to the lab, where she was lying peacefully now. He looked at her and saw the heart rate monitor showing a steady slow and relaxed heartbeat pulse. He caressed her head ever so slowly. Peter bent down placing his knee cap firmly on the floor. He planted a small soft kiss on her fore head. He had this sudden desire to get inside her head, heal her and remove the incident from her head together. He wanted to do that so badly. Peter buried his head between MJ's fingers. He could get a faint stench of exfoliants, astringent and some form of antiseptic lotion.

He waited for a few seconds and rubbed her hand sandwiching it between his fingers.

Peter knew that it would do no good, simply by standing beside her. He had to freshen himself up and maybe meet Agent Coulson. Maybe he has something to offer. Peter slowly got up to his knees, he could feel the burning sensation on his legs as his heart pumped blood at the previously blocked veins of his legs. He stumbled and worked on his gait, waited, stood for a few seconds and waited for his legs free of any cramps. He slowly walked out of the laboratory as the entrance door swished open to make way for his exit.

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As he made way through the corridor when he was a stairway that what looked like as if it was leading to a floor another floor. Just as he reached the end of a short flight of stairs, he was stunned to see the room that fell onto his eye sight. Right in front of his eyes, he saw what looked like to be something obviously important and catchy as it was a glass in area lit by next generation monitors and computer screens, something that he had never seen in except on his field trip at Oscorp, but these systems seemed to be more advanced. And as he continued in his way inside, he came across a white and a silver kitchen space and the eating area nearby was flanked by five sleeping modules each with a wall monitor and a one way mirror glass. Everywhere was spotless. Even the floor seemed to be made of some kind of light compressed strong ceramic. Right then, he saw Fitz emerge right from the kitchen, nearly knocking him in the process nearly spilling the contents of the cup on him.

"Oh, I am sorry Agent Fitz. I didn't see you in the kitchen, so I just…"

Fitz cut him right off. "Hey, don't apologise for this. But anyway it's alright, and please for the love of God, call me Fitz." Said Agent Fitz giving him a goofy grin. "I see you have been taking a tour around. But I wanted to give you one." Said Fitz thrusting a cup of tea into his hands. Peter brought the cup near his nose and took a whiff of the smell of the clear tea water. There was a sweet fragrance of sweet smelling flowers and a slight hint of … what was it? … apple. Peter was really curious how actually the concoction would taste. He put cup at the edge of the rim of the tea cup and tilted it.

He could taste crisp apple and a very sweet fragrant flower like smell that further elevated the taste. Peter knew thought that consumption of tea would be soo very exotic. The light, airy, palpable taste coupled with honey was something equivalent to an elixir. It was simple mind blowing …

Fitz gave him a tour of the BUS and showed him a brief tour around the entire station.

"Officially it is a mobile command station, but we call it the BUS. We find it best to use shorthand when in the field. But everything had to be so, you know because of the danger." Even Agent Simmons accompanied him and followed him around. Peter could feel his scientific curiosity start to surface once again when he heard the two young Agents go on and on about Microbiology and rocket technology. He wondered if it was so very easy for them. He looked at the two of them and he could see a lost part of himself stowed somewhere far away locked deep within, he had never felt like tj=his, meaning homely, people who he could have an actual conversation other than Gwen. It is not that that he didn't enjoy with her but spending time with these agents made him see a whole new perspective of things that he could never even imagined ceasing to exist. They were agents for a reason and Peter could see that now. They were brilliant. Their thinking was something entirely different that got him very curious right from the start. They didn't mind him tagging along as Peter spoke and spoke to them regarding varying fields. The thing is that Peter was gifted in his own way. His enhanced intellect and being a geek, he could join Fitz and Simmons who accepted him wholeheartedly. Sometimes he saw an elder brother and a sister in them but he could not help noticing peculiar connection that they shared, the way the two of them looked at each other or sometimes even the manner by which the two of them completed each other's sentences.

As they were moving around the BUS, there came another moment when he stumbled upon Agent Skye, as she was typing away furiously, on her laptop. Peter could see the excessive strain could very well, show the veins that were exposed and throbbing at her temples. She turned around and looked at the three of them, eyeing Peter with a certain hostility.

"Oh, Skye, I hope you have met our guest on-board Peter Parker , known as Spider-man, New York's web slinger. And Peter, this is agent Skye. She is a gifted computer and electronic hacker."

Peter could fell his heart beat spike up. It was Agent Skye, on whom he had previously screamed at. He felt guilty for doing so, now that his mind had calmed down, significantly.

"Hello, there … um … Agent Skye. Pleased to meet you." Peter was a little shaken about it when he first took a look at her. It looked out like, she was gonna lash at him any second now …

"Humph, whatever." Said Agent Skye without even bothering to look up at him, barely acknowledging his presence.

Simmons said, "Come on Skye. Don't be rude. You know, things have pretty harsh when you first joined us." Said Agent Simmons trying to reason out with her.

With a sudden outburst, she jumped up from her bed, her hands clenched with enough force, making her knuckles bulge out distinctively from her fingers. Her sudden reaction made Peter move a few steps back.

"What does Mr. Spiderman, over here think when he screamed at me like that? I don't know how come the two of you are even hanging out together. But just get out of my sight before I start throwing things at him and you as well Simmons." Said Agent Skye as she flung the door right on their faces. Peter felt bad. He knew he was too harsh. He should not have lashed out so strongly at her.

"I should apologise her. I know that I should have not said it too harshly but.." said Peter putting his head down. It was a bad move. He had just been to a cool BUS and he was already making enemies.

"No, no just don't be. She just has a lot on her mind right now. Well, I should say it is very unlike her to be so rude, maybe there is something that is setting her off. I should speak to her. Fitz why don't you take Peter and continue the tour around and don't forget …"

"To take him to Coulson's office." Both of them said synonymously. It was weird. There was an uncanny connection, more like a brother and a sister sharing the same head, same conscience. He found it cute.

"Yes of course" said Fitz.

"He needs to know what is going on. Okay then, see you around" Said Agent Simmons as she disappeared around behind Agent Skye's bunker, closing the door behind her.

"Well then mate, I think you should probably go to Coulson's office and see what he has to tell you and if want you can freshen yourself up. You can use the washroom. It is just around the corner and freshen yourself up."

"Thank you, Fitz. I loved the cup of tea that you made for me. I haven't tasted anything like this. Who knew tea would be soo pleasant?"

"I know, right. Actually, it was Simmons who brought the tea. She says it was a gift and I just brewed it. So its technically her, who you should be thanking."

"Of course, of course. I will. Let me just place this cup in the sink." Said Peter as he started to move towards the kitchen.

"Oh no. I would do that. You just wash yourself and there are some fresh clothes waiting for you in my bed, inside your backpack. Change into them."

"How did you guys know where I keep my backpack?" Peter was stunned. At least he wasn't ready to hear that. Then even knew where he hung his back pack up.

"Well, you are dealing with SHEILD right now."

"Right. Okay then.". It will be best if he doesn't question any agent why, how or anything like that. They know everything. They simply defy logic. Basically, it is just encroachment of his privacy.

"Yeah, freshen yourself up and meet Coulson. It is up those stairs."

"Yeah, will do." Said Peter cheerfully as he made way into Fitz's room.

Peter slowly turned the knob on the door and the door opened up noiselessly. Peter peeped inside. He took a step inside and made sure there were no hidden cameras in the room ad in the bathroom. The room was so quaint. It was painted in white. There was a small cupboard where a neat pile of clothes lay which was Fitz's. There was a table and a chair which had a few odd electronic items strewn around haphazardly. The bed was a little bigger than the usual single person bed. It looked comfortable enough. It just had Peter's bag on the bed that remained unzipped. At this point he just didn't care if they really rummaged his bag pack. They were government agents and they always have to be sure that he was really not someone who would be threat to their BUS. Peter bolted the door from the inside and freshened up. He changed into the casuals that was still intact in his bag. He stowed the suit inside, pulled it over his shoulder and came out from Agent Fitz's room. He slowly quietly looked around and so one loitering about in BUS. He quietly made his way through the stairs which had Coulson's office. As he made to the top floor, he found a huge mahogany door that had SHEILD's logo embossed on it beautifully. He politely knocked the door.

"Come in" a rasped voice came out from the door behind. Just as he took a step forward, the swung open. He saw Agent Coulson sitting behind a huge table, like a school's principle does.

"Here, take a seat." Peter quietly sat himself behind the chair.

"So Peter, I get that Agents Fitz and Simmons have helped you. I will go directly to the point. You know why I have let you come here of all places? I never allow people on this mobile base of SHEILD, let alone see it. So whatever I am going to tell you is extremely important and I hope you maintain that. Do I have your word?"

Agent Coulson looked at Peter's eyes, calm and commanding, someone not to be messed around.

"Yes, you can trust me. I am a treasure chest. No amount of prying can reveal anything."

"Well, don't you people swear on the name of mother or father someone you respect that you won't say a thing? That what you young teens normally do, right?"

"Uh … well I thought, it will not be appropriate in any way to swear near agents."

"Okay then, what can you tell me about this?" Agent Coulson pushed the Steel Serpent wrapped paper towards Peter as he placed his elbow on the table and looked at him earnestly.

Peter took one look at the paper. He knew what Agent Coulson wanted to know. He knew that it would be better if told him everything. So Peter slowly started to narrate how MJ worked upon the article on the Steel Serpent, his first encounter with those meth heads, how Gwen had referred the compound as extrimis. Agent Coulson became particularly interested when he mentioned extrimis, leaving out the golden fisted warrior entirely. He did not want to bring another equation into whatever problem they already had, but the main reason was that, somehow he couldn't trust them and since he was helped by the iron strong fist, he thought it to be the best if he left him. He helped him and maybe there was a reason why he hadn't revealed himself to the world so far, there was a reason; and he respected that. But Agent Coulson, on the other hand, kept poking and prying Peter with more and more questions regarding the extrimis – where he heard about that, everything about it. But when Peter could not mention anything other than whatever crude half-baked information that Gwen told him, well technically it was not even half baked, Phil Coulson heaved a sigh. Peter could not exactly make out if it was relief from his solemn puckered face, if he should be worried by it.

He sat back resting his back on the chair so that he did not have to stare at those intense brown eyes. Peter put his head down, unable to think exactly what he should exactly do next. Agent Coulson, seemed apparently satisfied, then slowly started to speak stressing in each and every word as he continued to speak.

"Peter. I am again warning you. Since I have decided to help you on your mission, whatever I tell you, should never ever leave the BUS. Okay, can you promise me that? And also that includes your red headed friend and your blonde girl friend."

"Alright, I accept.". Peter wanted all of this to end as soon as possible.

Agent Coulson, pulled open a drawer that slid smoothly, other than the slow frictionless movement of rollers, he produced a file, a rather old one in fact that maybe had never seen the light of day for soo long, the shield insignia almost a fade away, only the bright "CLASSIFIED" was the only thing prominent on the file. He pushed the file towards Peter. He looked at the brown beige file and opened it up. Peter opened it and the first thing he saw was a group of scientists, a particularly old one in the middle.

"Dr Abraham Erskine was the first person ever to develop the super serum that helped captain Steve Rogers you know reach his peak potential and since then, there had been countless failed attempts to recreate the serum and every attempt had been a failure, every single one of them and extrimis had been one of them. It is completely uncontrollable because of its alien chitauri nature, gamma radiation and the extrimis virus. Its formulation was something so very exotic that made it unstable but you know people always sought to do change inspite of knowing that. A fascinating paradox. They messed around with it and they have made demons. Unstoppable ones out of normal human people. And now we see something similar over here, the symptoms are same but more aggravated. Miss Stacy was right .. Absolutely right when. You said that she overheard a few scientists speaking about it."

Peter nodded. He could understand what was really at stake here. All the countless experimentations on the people, their struggle, the way they submitted themselves and at last. And as he shuffled across the last page, he stumbled across the name Mike Peterson under the headline of "Project - CENTIPEDE" and several photos of him.

"And that's Mike Peterson. He has somehow been able to survive the Centipede program. He is currently under observation. He is doing well. He is our greatest asset. Right now, the drug seemed to have stabilised in him. He is under training right now and stabilised I hope. One of our biggest assets ever."

Peter looked at him, seems to be a decent man, hard to think that he had to undergo so much difficulty, one of the first test subjects to have finally survived the program and obviously, this something pretty big for the government to interfere, but somewhere in the a distant small recess of his mind, harbouring odious thoughts about the compromise of his identity that still was constantly nagging him.

"Agent Coulson, I know you people have plenty of protocols all at risk here but does your boss know about me. Well, my identity?"

"I know what you are trying to say, but I think I should keep your revelation safe with us because I don't think anything good is going to come out of it anyway. Your identity won't be going into our list."

"Wait, you are saying, that you people list people … like a 'list' list?" said Peter utterly confused

"Well, you could say, we actually keep a list of people who have … unnatural abilities to put it in a way. You never know, what they could do to our world, so we keep a strict eye on them. You know about that right, because the world is not ready to embrace these people and you won't be in that list. You are a hero for the people of New York ad I am sorry about our encroachment of your privacy but I have to tell you that it was necessary."

"And what about the others? Are they good?"

"You can trust them. My team is good." said Agent Coulson as he nodded with approval.

"As long as the people I care are protected" said Peter realising that Agent Coulson meant it. He knew this was possibly the best course of action. Agent Coulson slacked his shoulders and got up from his chair, his face was strained due to something that clearly bothered him. Seeing him rise from the chair made Peter get up from the chair involuntarily. Peter had seen enough detective shows and movies to figure out that this was his cue to leave.

"So if we are clear, I would very much appreciate your help in this matter. We know the way you work, its good. You are a lone man army, I see that but you see sometimes help is always an added bonus."

"Yeah I see that. Well, you see I like speaking, you know open to people so that we are on the same page, you know lets me figure out stuff, but if I don't get that opportunity everytime…"

Agent Coulson put an arm on his shoulder. This time it was somewhat firm, like a support. He looked commanding, his face had grown severe with distraught all of a sudden like he had undergone a terrible ordeal once and somehow emerged victorious. he suddenly looked a lot older, a dark terrible shadow cast upon his face, like he had something sinister inside him, like a majestic lion, growling through his contemplative mind that he could no longer hide.

"And in this regard we like very much appreciate your help. We need all hands on deck. They are people not to be messed with. And your help would be very much appreciated along with the team."

Peter considered this for a second, he knew that time had come to end this all, once and for all. And he saw the need for help. And about Mr Kung fu master with a fiery fist, he did not know his whereabouts or when he would exactly show up. He was well on his own right now, and these men in suits were his best bet.

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