Chapter 23
The elevator dinged as the Spider-Man and the Iron Patriot walked through the doors, the boy's jaw hanging down upon seeing the building's interior. It was like a hotel lounge and an MIT laboratory were combined into one as steel tables covered with building materials and holographic images were lined up around the edges of the room.
Peter turned to the side to see a large glass pane on the left. Behind it was a long line-up of armor designs, each a different version of the Iron Patriot and all shining in the daylight. Scientific equipment of all shapes and sizes were scattered about as computers were loading up substantial amounts of information each second.
At the center was a ring of couches, creating an almost-homely atmosphere. Peter couldn't help but let a smile cross his face as it dawned on him that this was where the original six sat. Where they came together and, well, assembled. This kid from Queens was standing in what was basically a monument to superhero history.
"Welcome to the penthouse," Osborn grinned, "It's a bit of a mess at the moment, but it is what it is."
"Y...You're the guy! You're the one who bought Avengers Tower!", Peter exclaimed, "I mean, everybody's been wondering for years! I mean, who could buy this place from Mr. Stark? What would they do with it?"
"Yes, we wanted to keep it all hush-hush. We only fully acquired it after the Snap. Certainly was not a cheap acquisition, this place, but every penny was worth it."
"But-But why Avengers Tower?"
"What can I say? Stark didn't want it anymore," Osborn shrugged, "And besides, you see a familiar building, you put more trust in the company behind it, am I right?"
Peter couldn't help but dart through the grand glass doors and enter the lab, gazing at each of the suits of armor before him, "Did you make all of these?!"
"Every single one myself," Osborn nodded, "Not easy, I might say, but I prefer to be hands on when it matters."
The boy stood before the suits, finally finding it in himself to stand still, "This...This is incredible, sir."
"Oh, stop. You're making me blush," Osborn joked.
Slowly, the boy's smile dropped as questions began to cross his mind, "Why did you bring me here, sir? What are you working on?"
"Right. Smart to ask questions. Understandable," the inventor exhaled, brushing his hand across a suit's arm calmly, "Here's the thing. We are both now ex-Avengers. No longer a part of Earth's mightiest heroes, but that doesn't make us no longer heroes, now does it? Hell, even Earth's mightiest aren't so mighty anymore."
He turned around, trotting past the teenager and towards a holographic dashboard, "The Avengers are the big super-team nowadays, but they don't have a monopoly on super-people working together as a unit! We're not the only people out there looking to do some good these days."
"True, b-but-"
The older man ignored him, continuing to tap away at the dashboard, "Besides, after seeing our buddies back there, I doubt they're gonna last long. Who knows? Maybe we'll get the name to ourselves. Or go for something more original,I don't know."
"Wait, ourselves?", Peter's brows raised, latching onto that statement.
Behind him, he heard something click. He turned to see the lineup of armors begin to spread out from the center with a new display case rising from the floor. The boy's reflection stared back at him from the polished metal doors of the case before it slowly opened up, revealing a suit illuminated by blue lighting.
Except this suit wasn't another Iron Patriot suit.
"Yep," Osborn smiled brightly, "Ourselves."
It was armored but still sleek enough for Parker to move around in. While the top part of the suit was the classic bright red, black coloring covered most of the suit from the chest down to his legs, a black spider logo covering the entire chest rather than being just a tiny part of the center. Silver web-shooters were attached to the wrists, Peter being unsure if they had any actual web formula within them. The lenses of the suit were goggle-like and bright white, Parker's eyes focusing on them as he imagined his face under that mask.
"Ain't she a beauty?", Osborn pulled Peter into a side hug.
"You...You made me a suit?", Peter asked, eyes widened with wonder.
"Well, it's certainly not a car, now is it?", the businessman snickered, "Yeah, this puppy's been in the works for some time now. Over 200 forms of web-attacks programmed. Universal translator and infrared vision installed. It's superior in every way."
"Some...Some time?", Peter asked.
Osborn placed a firm hand on the kid's shoulder, "Pete, I've been interested in your for a while. A bright mind, badass powers, what's not to be fascinated by? And during all two days I've spent as an Avenger, give or take a few hours, fighting alongside you...I don't think I've ever trusted someone so quickly."
Peter faltered as he heard this, thinking about how he himself didn't feel like opening up to the man.
"That's why I'm thinking you, me, and whoever else we find, we start something new. Better. Our brains, some other guy's brawn, we can do a lot of good work together," Osborn grinned, "I've already got plans for a press conference."
"Press conference?", Peter asked.
The wealthy man turned so his whole body was facing Peter, looking down at him with excitement, "Downstairs, an assembly full of reporters, journalists, you name it, all of them have been invited to see the grand unveiling of this city's, this world's new super-duo. The Patriot and the Spider-Man. Just suit up and get ready to make a lot of people happy."
The two stared at one another's eyes, trying to read how the other felt and what the other was planning. This was not the first time Peter's been in a scenario like this before but that was before he was ready to take on bigger things, do more for the world. Now, he's been up against aliens, drones, the United Nations. He should be ready for this. He should say yes.
But instead, "Sir, I...I can't."
"Sure you can," Osborn pointed to the Spider-suit, "It's not nano-tech, but you just gotta push the button at the back for it to open up and-"
"I mean I can't do this. Be a part of this...team you've got planned."
Osborn's ecstatic attitude slowly turned down a notch as he scrunched up his eyebrows, "I'm sorry, what now?"
Peter sighed, looking down at the tiled floor, "I'm...I'm grateful for all of this. I really am...But I don't think this is right for me."
"I'm sorry, you're turning me down?", Osborn asked in disbelief.
"I...I want to be more than a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. I really do. But right now...I don't think this is it," Peter admitted, trying his best to put this gently.
"Hard not to take this a little personally."
"I'm not saying I don't want to work with you again! I really do! It's just...I don't know. I think I need some time to think, sir", Peter explained, "Try to get an idea of...of where I want to go from here."
"I mean, it's not like I'm asking for you to abandon the neighborhood or give up your secret identity to the world. I just feel like your talents would really be of use to my...To our team."
The teen looked like he wanted to make a different choice, but he stood his ground, "I'm sorry, sir, but...I can't do this."
The billionaire stared at the spider for what felt like an eternity, an unreadable look on his face as he examined the child before him. After a moment of pure uncomfortable silence, he sighed.
"Alrighty then. I'm not gonna be the guy weighing you down here. You're a man, you make your own decisions," Norman raised his hands up as though it was in defeat, "But at the very least, Peter, could you at least think the offer over?"
"Sir-"
"I mean, c'mon," Osborn chuckled a little, "It's what Ned would want...Right?"
Peter faltered at the mention of his friend, remembering how he was most likely trapped in some cell at S.W.O.R.D.'s facility. Osborn wasn't wrong. If Ned knew about this, then he would've definitely supported Peter joining this new team. But then again, after everything in Wakanda...Was Ned's judgment ever really the best?
He relented, hoping his response would satisfy the man, "I'll think about it."
A small smile crossed Osborn's face as he clapped once before pointing finger guns at the kid, "Perfect! Now we're talking! Look, whenever you finally get the chance to make your decision, just come on down here!"
Out from underneath his business suit, Osborn pulled out a small card, "Full-access to this level of the building, our state-of-the-art labs, everything a little brainiac like you would die for."
Peter took the card into his own hands and stared down at it, seeing the Oscorp logo gleaming onto his face, "Are you serious?"
"Of course!" Osborn exclaimed, "As far as I'm concerned, whether you're in a super-suit or a business suit or even in your pajamas, you're a part of the Oscorp team. You can bet on that."
The earnest look in Norman's eyes brought a genuine smile to Peter's lips. Being pulled into the moment, Peter raised his arm out.
"Thank you, sir."
The businessman grinned before reaching out and taking the boy's hand, giving it a firm shake, "No problem...Spider-Man."
Peter winced a little at how tight the handshake was before heading off for the elevator.
…
"When did my life turn into a damn sci-fi movie?", Rhodes breathed as he and the other heroes were lead into the command center of S.W.O.R.D.
"When was your life ever not a damn sci-fi movie, Rhodes?", Sam muttered as he watched several ships like the one they arrived in start to land behind them.
Skrulls in purple and black uniforms marched around the area like bees in a hive, rushing about to complete their various jobs and assignments. None of them were hiding their green skin or long ears, as though they felt comfortable to reveal their true selves.
The base was full of smaller compounds, bright lights shining about from each window. As the team walked across the shining silver floor, they reached the center, where massive holograms depicting random races and a variety of planets and weapons flashed before their eyes. The emerald aliens typed away at computers and displays, their eyes glued to their work.
"Guess Fury got himself an upgrade," Carol nodded in amazement, "Speaking of which, where's the One-Eyed Wonder right now?"
"Probably skulking in the shadows in a black coat waiting for the right time for a dramatic entrance," Sam rolled his eyes, remembering his brief encounters with the super-spy.
"Fury's currently on a mission elsewhere, alongside my wife and child", the alien general quickly answered, "Which puts me in the troublesome position of leader at the moment."
"Which judging by our current situation, you're doing quite the bang-up job, green bean," Carol pointed out.
"Oi, you ever been put in charge of an interplanetary counterterrorism agency?", Talos squinted his eyes at Danvers, "Didn't think so!"
"So, what exactly do you do from up here?", T'Challa asked, his eyes wide with wonderment.
"I'm glad you asked, Black Flerken!"
T'Challa's brows quickly rose up in confusion, "I beg your pardon?"
The alien simply ignored the king's response and continued, "From here, our task is to monitor the activity of all alien races in the known universe and see if there are any possible threats to Earth or the Skrulls."
"Holy shit, you're the Men in Black?!" Scott gasped.
"And I'm guessing the Kree top that list?", Hope asked.
"Oh, most definitely. They've been after my people for as long as any of us can remember. Lately, they've been acting unusual. Breaking treaties they themselves created, invading territories no other empire would dare to cross. It is peculiar to say the least."
"Now, they're going after a planet that they know is under our protection," Carol noted.
"Actually, from the data we collected, quite the opposite," Talos corrected his ally.
"I'm sorry, what?"
Talos turned and pressed some holographic buttons on a display, a visual of the Accuser ships appearing before them in glowing blue and green light.
"After the Kree's attack on your planet, we've been picking up images and radio chatter from the fiends," Talos explained, "If we're correct, they're currently outside of your little solar system and are making their way towards some other target."
"Wait, they're...they're leaving?", Sam spoke up, his eyes glued to the image.
"Why? One of the main reasons they came was for my nation's vibranium, but they did not get much of it," T'Challa pointed out.
"And they didn't exactly add Earth to this empire of theirs," Rhodes added, "So what the hell's going on?"
"Maybe they had some other plan in mind?" Hope wondered, "Were they after something else?"
"They mentioned wanting to come after Danvers, didn't they?" Strange asked.
"One possibility is that they're regrouping," Talos theorized, "Gathering reinforcements to launch a greater attack on your home."
"They kicked our asses well enough on their own without any back-up. What's the point of traveling lightyears to bring back more soldiers?", Hope questioned.
Scott pondered deeply, thinking of any possible reasons that the aliens who almost destroyed them would turn tail and run away. No Danvers. No Earth. Something's up.
Suddenly, an light bulb switched, "Hey! Hey, guys!"
"Maybe they just finally got tired of us and left. Simple as that," Valkyrie shrugged.
"That's not how they operate. Second the Kree find something they want, they latch onto it," Carol explained.
Scott looked around, "Uh, guys?"
"Could they do anything with the vibranium they did get?" Sam asked, "I mean, we know a little bit of that stuff can go a long way."
"Knowing them, they would burn through what little of the metal rather quickly," Talos argued.
"GUYS!" Scott shouted out.
"WHAT?!" the group all yelled in exasperation.
"Wow. Bit of a harsh reaction."
"Lang, what is it?" Strange rubbed his eyes in growing annoyance.
"Okay, alien dude, you mentioned that the Kree are after you and your people, right?" Scott asked.
"Yes. Why do you ask?" Talos answered, wondering where this was going.
"Well, whenever Hope and I are out on some type of stake-out or tailing someone, we usually send an ant to track it. We see where it goes and we let it lead us to where the guys we wanna take down are hanging out!"
"What're you thinking, Tic-Tac?" Sam asked.
"Oh God," Hope whispered, turning to Talos, "The Kree have been having difficulty locating your people, right? What if they found a way to track you through…"
Her and Scott shared a worried glance before they both began grabbing the other Avengers and looking up and down their bodies.
"Uhh, what's going on now?" Wanda asked as Hope pulled at her jacket and inspected it.
"I don't know," Strange admitted as Scott patted down the sorcerer's robe, "But if this guy doesn't keep his hands to himself in five seconds, I'm choking him the cloak."
"We're looking for a tracking device," Scott explained, "What if during the fight, one of those soldiers put something on us?"
"What if they're sending away their troops to create a false sense of security before striking here?" Hope hypothesized, "What if this was part of their plan? Taking out their greatest enemy?"
Both Carol and Talos's eyes widened, horrified at the possibility that their enemies were on their way.
Sam began patting down his own uniform, trying to check if there was anything on him, but found nothing, "Okay, I think I'm good."
Scott squinted his eyes at Sam's back as the gears in his head turned, "Wait...If I wanted to put a tracker on my enemy where they wouldn't see it…"
He pulled the red, white, and blue shield off of Sam's back and turned it over, tugging at the straps on the back and inspecting them closely.
"Shit," the ex-crook muttered as he moved a little out of the way so the others could see better.
On the back of the strap on Sam's shield was a miniscule device. A small black box so small that no one would blame you if you missed it.
Everyone took a step back as the horror dawned on them.
"They have found us," Talos muttered in terror.
"How long do we have before they arrive?" Carol turned to her ally, realizing the grave danger they were all in now.
And that's when the missile hit the base.
…
Peter entered the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor, turning his head to the ground as thoughts filled his head.
For a moment, he was finally an Avenger. He was finally part of something bigger, something greater than himself. The one thing he yearned for since he got his powers, since he met Tony Stark himself. And now? Well, now what was he? Back to being a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man?
He sighed as he listened to the elevator ding with each floor being passed. A small tinge of pain came from his hand. He raised it to his face and noticed a small cut on his palm, trickling a little blood.
"How tight was that handshake?"
That's when the Peter-Tingle kicked in. It wasn't the severe type, the type that would kick in right as someone fired a gun at him or a punch was about to hit him. More the type that would kick in when something dangerous was lurking around.
And from the feel of it, that danger was coming from right under Peter's feet.
"What the-?"
As the doors opened, the boy stuck his head out, scoping the area, only to find nothing suspicious around. Just Oscorp workers and security guards walking around and doing their jobs.
He lifted up a foot and placed it outside of the elevator doors. As it touched the floor, he felt the tingle start to fade a little.
Whatever this is, Peter thought to himself, It's under the elevator floor.
He did a quick check to make sure no one was looking and stepped back in, pushing the button to close the doors. As they closed, Peter could feel his tingle buzz a little more.
"Okay," Peter nodded, trying to figure out what the next step was, "What can I do?"
As he looked around, his eyes turned to the ceiling, an idea coming to his mind.
…
It was a tight squeeze through the ceiling, but it was worth it. Now suited up and ready for whatever was below him, Peter slowly descended down the elevator shaft on a thin line of webbing.
The farther he went downwards, the greater the buzz in his head grew.
Eventually, he reached a point where it felt like his entire body was telling him to run away. He stopped and turned to the right to see two doors, like the back of an elevator entrance. A bright green light shone from it and it sounded like someone or something was moving behind it.
"Smart guy would probably run away from danger," Peter muttered as he reached for the doors and began pulling them apart.
The lens on his mask squinted as he peered into whatever was inside.
And once he realized what he was looking at, his jaw dropped, "What the-?"
Behind the doors was a massive laboratory, an eerie green light covering it. It was like something from a horror movie, like the lab of a mad scientist. Massive weapons of all shapes and sizes were being constructed by workers. Rifles, bombs, missiles, all colored black and green.
Most of the scientists there were working with chemicals. Liquids of all types and colors were being mixed and swirled around in beakers, the scientists recording their formulas on their little notepads.
And the workers were all wearing Oscorp uniforms.
Before Peter could leap in and do something, he heard a sound coming from behind him. He looked into the shaft and saw the elevator on its way down, only seconds away from arriving.
"Crud," Peter winced as he closed the doors and slid a little further down the shaft, watching the elevator come to a stop above him.
He heard whoever was inside exit the contraption before it lifted up and returned to the ground floor.
Peter climbed back up and reopened the doors to once again get a view inside.
And as he finally got a peek at the man who just entered the lab, the confusion that was already in Peter's head only grew.
"So, how we looking?" asked Norman Osborn.
...
"GO! GO! GO! GET TO YOUR BATTLE POSITIONS! RAISE DEFENSES RIGHT NOW!" Talos yelled as Skrulls rushed to protect the closest thing they had to a home.
Carol lit up her fists as she floated into the air to get a better view of what was coming.
From the windows, they could see a fleet of Kree ships flying towards them, firing everything they had at the Peak. The glass was able to withstand the attack for the most part but it was beginning to crack.
"Oh no," Carol whispered, "Talos, your battleships up and ready?"
"Can you cover us while we prepare for battle?" the alien asked.
"Not a problem," Danvers shook her head.
She flew off to look for a place to exit the base as the other Avengers could only watch and wonder what the plan was.
"What the hell do we do?" Rhodey turned to Sam.
"Your suit can withstand space, right?" Sam asked.
"Yeah. It should be able to."
"Wanda?"
"I think I can form a protective shield around us," Wanda suggested, "Keep the air in."
Wilson scoped the area as he watched innocents, Skrull families rushing to get to safety.
"Okay...Rhodey, Wanda, back up Danvers and the green dudes. Rest of us, focus on protecting the innocents. Get them deep into the base, away for windows. Look for escape pods if you have to!" Sam ordered.
"On it," War Machine nodded as his helmet covered his head and he launched into the air.
Wanda formed a bright red shield around her and rose up, using her hands to push it in the same direction that Rhodes flew off to.
As the others suited up and moved out, Sam took one final gaze at the oncoming army and leaped down off of the balcony.
...
"We believe the formula is nearing perfection, sir," an Oscorp worker told his boss, "We believe this new version shouldn't have the defect of the original."
"Oh, which one are you referring to, Doctor Markus?" Osborn asked derisively, "The uncontrollable cackling? The annoying desire for quips? The deformities?"
Markus gulped, "Um...All of them, sir?"
Osborn chuckled, "Alright then. You wouldn't mind giving us a demonstration, perhaps? Bring out the test subject?"
Peter watched as a man was guided towards Mr. Osborn by a few other scientists.
"Mr. Hamilton! Glad you can join us!" the businessman grinned, signaling for the man to come closer, "How're you doing?"
"Little nervous, actually. I mean, I saw the other guys come in and-"
"Don't concern yourself with the failures that were your predecessors. Everyone here has been working day and night to make sure that you and your fellow subjects don't end up like the rejects," Osborn assured Hamilton with a voice like that of a used car salesman, "Dr. Markus?"
Dr. Markus handed a syringe to the CEO, the needle filled with a bright green liquid. Osborn eyed it carefully, his focus never wavering from this "serum."
"Don't worry, Mr. Hamilton. Just one little prick and you'll be a new man."
He inserted the needle into the man's arms and watched as the liquid flowed into Hamilton's bloodstream.
Suddenly, Hamilton began to scream and bend over in pain.
Osborn watched coldly as Hamilton slowly began to change. His veins bugled, turning a light green, and his eyes began to bug out. His back arched as it looked like his spine was shifting under his skin. His teeth sharpened as they slowly became a sinister smile. His eyes turned lime green before a shrill laugh erupted from his mouth.
The laugh of the Green Goblins.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Hamilton cackled as Oscorp security guards grabbed him and dragged him away.
Norman sighed disappointedly and turned to Dr. Markus, "Well then, Dr. Markus, I believe we have another failure on our hands."
"Yes, it appears so."
Peter gulped as he recognized that voice from Washington.
From behind Osborn arrived a troop of Kree soldiers led by Yon-Rogg, all of them carrying rifles.
"Ah! If it isn't our favorite friends from out of town!" Norman grinned, "Did you catch a glimpse of the show over here?"
"Yes, we saw your demonstration, Osborn," Yon nodded, "From the looks of it, apparently, what you do best at is creating abominations and not soldiers."
"...You're kidding," Osborn scoffed, "I upgrade your tech. I help you get inside Wakanda and Strange's place, and, if I recall, provided you with a plethora of soldiers."
"If you speak of the green monstrosities you gave us, they are far from the perfect warriors you promised us," Yon snarled, "They're barely controllable, cackle constantly, and they do not represent the Kree ways in the slightest. Your serum turned them into animals and you wish to do the same to my own people?"
The two stared off one another, glaring right into each others' eyes.
Osborn smile returned, as though he were putting on a brave face, "You a fan of Greek mythology?"
"Do I seem the type who's interested in your backwater planet's myths?" Yon-Rogg answered honestly.
"So I take it you've never heard the myth of Arachne?"
The Kree remained silent, waiting to see where this was going.
Osborn let out a small laugh, "I figured. You see, the story goes that centuries ago, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, she hears that a woman on Earth, a mere mortal named Arachne, is rising up. Claiming to be the greatest spinstress in the world, her work on par with the gods."
Peter felt chills run down his spine as the once jovial man spoke with such intensity. Such passion. He walked over to Markus's workstation and began mixing chemicals, playing around with the same serum that transformed Hamilton into a cackling maniac.
"Angry, Athena destroyed Arachne's creations. Told her she was nothing. Out of shame and horror at upsetting the gods, Arachne hanged herself," Osborn sighed, "But Athena, she took pity on the poor girl. With a magic liquid, she turned the young woman into something beautiful. A being that could spread its web and fight back when the time comes. Who would be feared by insects great and small...The first spider."
A hush came over the lab as Peter watched with anticipation, trying to decipher where this was going. Osborn reached into a pocket in his coat and pulled out what looked like a small red vial.
He poured a red liquid into the beaker filled with green liquid and watched it bubble, smoke billowing from it. As he stirred and began filling a syringe up with the substance, he continued his story.
"People view it as a story of pride. Or the limits of humanity," shrugged the businessman, "But me...I see the message differently. We have such potential in us to rise above the masses. To become gods ourselves…"
The businessman slowly walked over towards the Kree soldiers with a gleeful look on his face.
"All we have to do is roll with the punches and adapt into something...greater."
And with that final word, he plunged the syringe right into neck of the soldier right next to Yon, the alien screaming as the green formula was injected into his body. Peter covered his mouth in horror as the Kree dropped to his knees and began to yell in pain.
Yon grabbed his coat and pulled him closer, fuming with anger, "WHAT HAVE YOU-?!"
"Wait for it," Osborn smiled.
Everyone watched as the Kree's body shifted. His muscles bulged as he began to grow in size. The sounds of his bones shifting in place could be heard even by Peter. Slowly, the soldier rose back up and roared mightily. The soldier's body was now far more muscular, having gained several inches in height as green veins glowed under his blue skin.
Yon and his brethren watched in amazement as one of their own has now become a being worthy of the Kree army.
"H-How did you manage this?" Yon asked.
"What can I say? I'm a master of my craft," Osborn smirked, "So, I take it our deal is complete?"
Yon eyed the human before nodding, "You will provide us with the formula and give us as much of this miracle serum as your people can make."
"And in exchange, you provide me with the vibranium you collected, access to your technology, and you leave my planet alone."
"Wait," Yon raised his arm to stop Osborn from walking off, "How do we know this serum makes us as powerful as you promised."
Osborn thought to himself before an idea came to his head, "How about a little demonstration. Some one-on-one action with the big man over here."
The enhanced Kree grunted, "I can feel my strength coursing through my bones. What puny human do you have that can fight me."
A small laugh escaped the billionaire's throat as his eyes lit up, a joyous plan coming to his head, "Why, the peeping tom by the elevator of course!"
Peter's eyes widened.
"Come on down, Spider-Man!" Osborn called out.
The boy could only gulp and whisper, "...Oh shit."
And I'm back! Sorry for taking so long to update! Lately, when it comes to New Avengers content, I've been spending a lot more time on my Instagram edit account than this fic. However, I do plan to return to this and continue to update this story.
Thank you for your patience and for reading this chapter! Comments are always appreciated! More to come soon!