Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel. I also don't own any characters here except for the OCs.
Trigger: None.
Warning: It's clear, y'all!
Navigating the Curve
By Juliette Lyst
Sleepless
Main Universe
September 12th– 12:28 PM
Baxter Building – Lower Levels
Only a few seconds passed before Johnny placed the pads on Jennifer, one of them low on the left side of her chest, while the other was placed further up on the front of her chest.
"She's in V-Fib," Reed noted after a quick glance at the monitor.
"Understood!" the blond young man stated. "Charging to 150!"
"You clear?" Johnny asked, looking at Susan.
She nodded.
"You clear?" Johnny addressed Ben.
He nodded.
Johnny took position at the head of the bed and placed the paddles in place. "Clear!"
The resulting surge of energy made Jennifer's shoulders jump as her back arched briefly from the burst of electricity.
"Almost… almost…" Reed spoke, focused on extracting the invading creature from the green woman's abdominal cavity. As he had hoped, the electrical current was influencing it along with his actions.
The symbiont continued to fight him, but it was becoming sluggish, pushing more and more of itself away from Jennifer to fight off the weapon used against it.
Once enough of it was already climbing onto the robotic arm, Reed smirked, shoving the arm into a tight spin, twisting the thing up and yanking it away with all the strength he had. "Need containment!" he called.
Susan hurried to do that, bringing over a black steel box.
Without preamble, Reed hurled the symbiote into the container, only for Susan to slam the lid shut immediately.
"Still in V-Fib!" Johnny spoke as he saw Reed removing the creature.
"Shock again."
Johnny went to do just that. "Charging to 200! Clear!"
This time when he shocked Jennifer, the readings on the monitor went back to normal.
"Back to sinus rhythm," Susan announced.
The three men in the room focused on the monitor. The room was quiet as they waited… After a few minutes, they knew the rhythm would stick.
Exhaling in a rush, Johnny allowed his shoulders droop as he removed the pads from Jennifer's body. That was way too close, he thought, relieved they were all there to help their friend.
Reed worked to inspect the surgical site, looking briefly to see if there were any other golden remnants of the creature to be found. "We got it all," he spoke, working to carefully clean the edges around the wound before stitching it up. "I need to let Reed know what happened," he said, "I also want to learn more about their Jennifer."
Susan nodded. "We need to send Mary Jane home as well," the blonde frowned, remembering how distraught the redhead had been during her talk with Peter.
"If you're sure," Reed replied. He was very concerned for the younger woman.
"Well…" Susan's words faltered, and she blinked a few times.
"We have a spare room here. Just in case," Reed needlessly reminded her.
Understanding, the blonde nodded. "I'm worried about her too."
At current, Mary Jane was sleeping on one of their couches. They had not taken the time to study her closely before.
Now?
She looks so sick… Maybe it's a broken heart? Susan wondered. It wasn't every day that you find a loved one you thought was dead… suddenly alive somewhere else.
And married too, with a child on the way.
Maastricht
Unknown Hospital
September 12th - 7:30 PM
Still worried about her test results, Liz sat up in bed, once again reflecting on the choices she'd made before things got to this point. The room she was in had glass doors, so she could easily see who was coming... and whomever it was, they'd be able to see her. The exposure made her feel uncomfortable.
That was such a bad idea… she told herself, feeling frustrated. If she'd never given into the idea of a beefed-up Goblin virus, she wouldn't be here. While she was in this isolation suite, she had plenty of time to think… I should have pulled out the moment I noticed how eager Norman was.
She should have suspected something when Norman begged to be the main subject to test the virus.
And now what have I done? the blonde felt chills racing up and down her spine. If she was infected with the Goblin virus, the symptoms were only going to worsen.
She'd told absolutely no one about what was going on with her. Those who had worked under her would have no clue.
And the infection would spread… unchecked.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she sighed. "Of all the stupi—"
"Good to see you awake Miss Allaine," one of the doctors remarked through the intercom, lightly taping on the glass. He was in an isolation suit to minimize the risks of infection.
The blonde lifted her head.
"You gave us quite the scare earlier."
Liz nodded, wondering what had happened to her while she was in the hospital. "Sorry about that," she murmured, a frown in place.
"Even so," Another suited man spoke through the intercom after walking up to the glass door. "We need to inform the parents of the students that were exposed."
Looking at the door still, Liz's eyes widened.
Knowing that she could hear him and understand his words, the man resumed speaking. "You brought your son to our school."
Clearing her throat, Liz winced, hearing the rage in his voice.
"We've had to evacuate the school because of the infection—which we were only now informed of."
Frightened once she understood what he meant… guilt began settling in heavily. All I wanted was to get away from America… as soon as possible.
She had most seriously accomplished that, but now there was an entirely different problem she was facing.
Had it been worth it? She could see herself being driven out of this country. And where would she go then?
"I'm sorry," she replied, shoulders drooping. "I never meant to hurt anyone."
"You said you have a child?" the doctor at the door asked, surprised. He glanced briefly to the other man with him.
Liz nodded. "I do. A son… and I am so very sorry for what I've done."
The doctor frowned. He and his team had been working tirelessly to try and figure out what affliction she had. He hoped that her plan hadn't been to infect anyone. But that was really anyone's guess.
In her chart, neatly tucked away under paperwork from various tests being done… was her actual name. Sighing audibly, he shook his head. By coming into the hospital, she had exposed more than half of the staff there… himself included.
What should I do? he asked himself. He knew that the Americans would just love to get her back. The agents from the US were literally grinding their teeth while waiting for his approval. If I dismiss her, he thought, turning around and walking down the hall. Will it accomplish anything? The suit he was in was extremely uncomfortable.
He would have preferred to wait out this illness elsewhere, but if half of the staff was out for self-isolation, what would happen to all their patients?
No. Dismissal was a bad idea. Until we figure out what exactly is going on… she won't be able to leave. Now, he was grinding his teeth together too. Just what did you do us Elizabeth…?
His shoulders sagged as he walked past patient rooms. He was so frustrated! Honesty went a long way to mend fences or even build new ones. As he paused, he peered into each patient's room. Nearing the end of that section, he stopped, swallowing hard.
It took him a moment to gather himself. There is no excuse for any of this…
He knocked lightly on the partially closed door.
"You can come in!" a woman spoke up from inside the room.
"Noé!" the doctor addressed the little girl, smiling at her through the screen on his isolation suit. Just like the other patients on this particular wing, the child was in a clear glass box.
"Hi Doc Vin!" she replied, smiling.
One of the two people standing and looking at her through the glass walls—turned to him. "Doctor Vinke," the woman spoke. "Does she need more tests?" her voice was shaky.
Offering a wan smile, he shook his head. "Not right now, Missus de Jaager. Just came in to check on Noé and see how she's feeling this evening."
"I'm okay, Doc Vin!" the child spoke, smile widening.
The sight made him happy… yet distressed at the same time. He knew that Noé was in pain from her procedures, but put on a brave face. It was quite mature… for a six-year-old. "That's good to hear."
"Will she ever get out of here?" the other person in the room asked. Turning to the doctor, the stress was evident in the man's eyes.
"We want to hold her," the woman added, her eyes wet.
Clearing his throat, the doctor did his best to remain calm and not alarm the girl's parents. "For now, until we can figure out what's going on in here, she's safest inside there."
"But what if she was already infected? What will happen?" the man asked. "She is our daughter! We should be allowed to hug her! Just… in case…" his voice trailed off.
Lowering his gaze momentarily, the doctor swallowed again. "I understand what you mean Mister de Jaager," he began. "Unfortunately, we don't know how dangerous or widespread this illness is."
Both parents turned fully to him.
"As you know, Noé is still going through chemotherapy. Her immune system is almost non-existent. If she were to be let out or you let in, her prognosis would not be good," he had to watch as the child's parents began breaking down.
He watched as they did their best to support each other. Nothing hurt him more than to see patients or their families suffer… and it made his dislike of Elizabeth Allen grow. He understood that she wasn't aware that she was sick… but he began to wonder what exactly she knew about her present condition.
She knew enough to tell us to check her blood…
And… dislike or not, he still had to give her just as good care as he would any of his patients in here. "We will have food brought to you," he spoke in a much softer voice. "But you'll need to eat it in a different area."
"… What?" the girl's mother asked.
The doctor nodded. "The room has to be decontaminated, along with the nurse who will bring her food… before they even go in."
There was so much involved with making sure that even the food was safe for her to eat. And the nurse was also to make sure that Noé was bathed and that her personal bathroom was as clean as humanly possible.
Another worry he had… was how they were going to continue with the chemo. He planned on checking every avenue possible to try to treat the child. If he couldn't figure it out… he'd have to give her parents the sad news.
"If… I understand," the father stated, though he didn't not look happy.
"If there are any additional concerns, we will make sure you know." That said, he turned on his heel and stepped out of the room. At the threshold, he turned again. "Please make sure to take care of yourself as well," he spoke, his tone gentle.
The parents nodded to him.
Then, he continued out the door and into the hallway. He had a lot of do… and none of it made him feel good at all.
Undisclosed Location
"Not bad… not bad at all," a man in a hooded jacket commented. This time, he finally decided to splurge and bought a big screen tv… along with a gamer's chair. That seemed to be the only splurging that he would allow himself. Then again… he did have a nice stack of pork and bean cans now… and a new shiny can opener.
At current, he was eating out one of the cans with a plastic spoon. "I wonder what else you're up to…" he muttered to no one but himself. Elizabeth Allen—he realized—was quite an enigma. While he was still receiving payments, he wasn't sure where exactly the money was coming from.
Alchemax for the time being—was closed. At least he thought so. There was no electricity powering his cameras in there.
For all intents and purposes, her home also was also unoccupied.
Even stranger… he hadn't seen any communications between her and the man she had babysitting her son.
"Just got to adjust the trajectory…" he grumbled, gulping down the rest of the pork and beans. It had been some time since he'd tried to track her at all. His other former boss was behind bars… indefinitely.
The hooded man wasn't stupid. He knew that as soon as his boss' identity was revealed, he'd try to turn it on him.
"Checkmate," Reuben spoke, lowering his hood. Instead of letting it happen, he had gotten ready.
In preparation for being backstabbed while he was doing the exact same thing, he infiltrated his employer's phone and wiped out every trace of interaction between them. He also might have also emptied the man's wallet, transferring the money to himself.
"Turnabout, is fair play," he reasoned. His former boss had tried to have him kidnap and kill Liz's son. Since money was most important to that impertinent man, it was only fitting that Reuben drain all his accounts dry.
In fact, it was very dishonest and a crime to do what he had… but who could catch him really? He doubted that it was possible… Of course, ever aware, he had built an impressive system for both physical, and digital security.
"Oh honey, I haven't look at you in a long time," he said, frown in place. Tossing the empty can on a floor that was already littered with garbage and dirty underwear, he scratched his chin. "Let's see now… where do I start?"
Not speaking now, he started digitally 'hopping,' trying to trace the location of the phone that had last contacted him. The further out it went, the more surprised he felt. Eventually… the check bounced off a location in Limburg. "Odd…" Lightly scratching his chin, he was curious.
What are you running from, Liz? he wondered.
Deciding to track back to the US, he started looking up information about Alchemax. It wasn't possible that she would have voluntarily closed down one of the most lucrative companies he'd seen.
"Why did you leave?" he asked under his breath, still clacking away at the keyboard… pulling up an article about the company. He stretched in his seat and scratched his chest.
Reuben read quietly for a few minutes… then his mouth dropped open.
So… a brand new and upgraded version of the Goblin virus was out there. And the CDC had gotten involved. "Whoa…" he muttered, shocked. "Did she carry that virus over there?"
Now that was a question, one that he wanted the answer to.
He should have known this already, then again, he never was one to keep track of the news.
"A real, live, bona fide modern-day Typhoid Mary," he squinted, not liking his own words.
Not that it was a lie.
Liz had no doubt dragged that virus to another country. If what he was reading was true, she had direct exposure to someone who was infected.
"And I thought I was bad news," shaking his head, he popped open another can and with the remote—clicked the television over to entertainment—rather than using it as an extended monitor. Locating a popular station, he leaned back, listening in.
And wouldn't you guess? All the news broadcasted on every channel he turned to—spoke about the Goblin virus.
Parallel Worlds – Parallel Lives (Alternate Universe)
Apartment C19 – The Ascend
September 13th – 6:25AM
Staring into the mirror, the redhead was gathering her hair into a very messy bun. She kept making faces at her own reflection, trying to gauge what sort of mood she felt like being in… at least for the next few hours.
A half hour later, she was smoothly exiting her apartment and locking the door, clasping a black briefcase.
"I am so glad the garage isn't far," she grumbled, making her way down the stairs, opting to skip the elevator. It wasn't that she was afraid to be in it… she just didn't like how slow it moved.
She was a woman of action, and she didn't tolerate delays well at all.
Coughing a little once she reached her car, she slid into the driver's side, slamming the door shut. She sat still momentarily, gritting her teeth. Her hands were squeezing the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles were white.
Irritation… aggravation… disappointment and hurt. They all were fighting for dominance then.
Not that she was going to let herself be late for work.
Making sure her butt bucket was in place, she pulled a cigarette and lighter out of her breast pocket, stuck the cig in her mouth… and flicked her lighter open before she peeled out of the garage. What a day! she internally grumbled.
Best to be upset before you began your day.
…Right?
7:02AM
Early, as usual, the redhead allowed herself to relax in her car before she headed into work.
As she worked on her second cigarette for of the morning, she stared at the bold lettering on the front of the building. "The Early Herald," a shiny gem in a place filled with so much misinformation and distrust.
"It's not that people lie," she muttered. "It's that they never tell the truth to begin with." Blue eyes narrowed just a bit as she saw a few pigeons fly overhead. "Can't tell a lie if you never tell the truth."
Finishing the cigarette after a few moments, she jammed the end into the butt bucket and got out of the car, a cloud of smoke emerging from her nose and between her lips as she exhaled.
A long, low whistle grabbed her attention.
Glancing to her left, she frowned, slamming her door shut.
"Early again, eh?" the woman standing near the stairs asked, calling across the parking lot. Long dark brown hair was twisted into a series of thin braids that landed midback. Receiving silence and a narrowed eyed glare from the redhead, she threw her head back and laughed.
"Gee MJ," she chuckled, wiping away a tear. "Always in the best mood first thing."
"To what do I have the pleasure, Leonie?" the redhead asked, folding her arms.
"Easy, mama!" the brunette replied, holding her hands up. "You need to learn to relax!"
"… I don't have time for this so early in the morning."
Leonie snorted. "First in the morning, you have all the time in the world," she remarked.
"No," MJ replied. "That would be you, not me that has nothing but time."
Frowning in distaste, the brunette shook her head. "Hurry up! You can air out on the way," she walked up the stairs, pulling the front door open. "We have more work to do on that collapse."
Making a face, Mary Jane joined her. "I take it they're looking for more leads as to who did that, right?"
Leonie blew raspberries in frustration. "Yeah. And now that the Sheriff is back home, everyone's jockeying to have the first exclusive interview with him," she shrugged.
"Sheriff?" MJ asked, absently, offering brief nods to the few coworkers in there.
"Yeah, Sheriff Morris Walters…. Doesn't matter how they get the interview either. Phone, in person, via videoconference, upside down and spinning on their heads. Doesn't matter."
"Walters?" MJ asked, now paying attention.
"Uhh… Yeah?" Leonie replied, confused. Is she just not listening at all today? "Sheriff Morris Walters," her brows pinched together. "Father of Jennifer Walters? Y'unno, that high powered lawyer that went missing months ago?"
"Wait…" MJ spoke, startled. She knew that name. It was the same one she'd seen… on that registry. "Jennifer Walters?"
Main Universe
Baxter Building – Lower Levels – 8:14AM
How long had it been? How long had he sat here?
Ben lightly scratched his head, sighing. He kept looking around at the machinery in the room, feeling closed in. Since the surgery, Jen still hadn't woken up.
There were some positive signs though.
Reed had informed the rest of the team there were indicators that Jennifer's lungs were getting much stronger. In fact, he'd removed the tube from her throat and merely used nasal cannulas on her now… just to provide extra air.
To help.
But… she was recovering quickly without that thing inside her.
"Still feel sorry, Shulkie," he muttered, staring at her, almost completely still, save her breathing. He was angry with himself. Out of all of them, his friend had to endure having that thing in her body… for months.
He could understand her desire to keep her problems to herself, but if only she had said something sooner…
Jen didn't want pity. But she had needed help.
By the time any of them knew what was happening, her life was in danger.
Instead of respecting or at least try to understand her wishes to remain tight-lipped about a problem and not exploding in response… he'd done just that. And it had put an unseen strain on their friendship.
Ben remembered how she smiled with him after the severity of her condition was known, especially when they played games together… but there was always a lingering sadness in her eyes.
A guardedness that hadn't been there before.
It hurt…
He'd brought that on himself.
"I know what I said still bothers you… Reed fixed you right up though. So, your body can heal," his words halted, orange hands flexing, the fingers themselves seeming to itch for something to do. He'd picked the first shift today, but had arrived two hours earlier. "I wish I'd kept my thoughts to myself…"
Each of them had decided to take turns watching over her while she remained unconscious.
Ben volunteered before anyone else could. He wanted… no, he needed time with Jennifer. Alone. So, he could properly gather his thoughts.
A self-conscious part of him also gathered it would be less painful to speak his thoughts to her… while she was still unconscious. Was it selfish of him to handle things like that?
Very much so.
"The last thing I ever though I'd do," Ben spoke… after a long stretch of silence, "Was misjudge you, Jen." His eyes focused on the floor under him. "We both know what it's like to be treated differently. How much it hurts when people assume things about you—things that you know aren't true."
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he wasn't aware his friend was beginning to regain consciousness.
Partially glazed over green eyes blinked open slowly. What? Jennifer wondered, feeling disoriented. Something had happened… she felt pain somewhere, but didn't know why. Her mouth moved, but no words came right away. She frowned, frustrated.
"We're both the same in that respect," Ben admitted.
She closed her mouth, surprised to hear him. He's here? She glanced in his direction.
"Yet… you never treated me the way I did… to you." Ben continued. His voice was guilt-ridden. "I doubt I'll ever be able to apologize enough for that," clearing his throat, the orange man frowned. "Even if you accept, I don't think…" his voice softened. "I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself. I don't think I can Jennifer," his voice broke. "Not with you... Never with you. I always told myself I would never hurt you."
A faint sob escaped him. "Now, I know that there's no chance of…" he trailed off. His jaw trembled, betraying tears filling his eyes.
Now, the jade giantess' eyes widened… in shock. Is… what is he doing? Jennifer distinctly remembered Ben apologizing profusely over how he'd treated her. She accepted, and they moved on with their lives.
Or so she'd thought. She knew that despite her acceptance, his treatment of her bothered her still. Jen had hoped that she hid it well enough.
Apparently not.
"You don't need to worry about that," Ben continued, his voice raspy. The possibility of offloading the regret he had, he'd taken the chance and done so… to an extreme degree… along with unpacking things he knew were better unsaid. He was allowing a very vulnerable side of himself to be shown…
All with the idea that she couldn't hear him.
Jennifer allowed her eyes to become heavily-lidded, feeling even more confused than before.
"Soon enough, you'll be up and running circles around me again," Ben spoke after a long silence, clearing his throat and sounding more like himself. "And dunking on me like no one's business." Resting his head in his hands, he sighed. "I might even let you win a few games," blinking rapidly, he cleared his throat again. "Only the first few games."
"My, Mister Grimm," Jennifer murmured, opening her eyes more and smirking at the shock on his face when he suddenly turned to her. She felt herself falter just a bit when she noticed the tears trickling down his cheeks.
Ben's brows furrowed. "How…" Pausing a moment, he swallowed hard. "How much did you hear?"
Noticing that the conversation had suddenly grown serious, Jennifer bit into her bottom lip. "… how much did you want me to hear?" she asked in reply.
Panic was visible on his face.
Snorting, Jennifer shakily lifted her right hand, reaching out to him. Her lips turned up at the corners as he took her hand in both of his own. "Don't worry," she replied. "It's between the two of us, right?"
Ben's features were frozen, uncertainty in his eyes.
"Give me a hug, ya big lug."
He moved to do just that, being very careful. When he pulled back, he placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Do know that I will take you up on that offer, Ben," Jen added, squinting a bit at the kiss on her forehead. Despite what she'd expected, the touch was surprisingly gentle. "Dunks and all."
Grinning then, Ben once again held her hand.
Jennifer did not pull away.
Neither of them acknowledged it.
"I look forward to it, Shulkie," Ben responded, noticing the amusement on her face.
"Really… Benjamin?" Sticking her tongue out at him playfully, Jennifer laughed a split second later.
"I mean Jen. I look forward to it Jen," he replied, understanding that on some level their relationship had changed.
Little did the two of them know, a second pair of eyes was staring in the room. Johnny had slipped downstairs to take a seat with Ben. He missed Jennifer so much and was worried about her. He saw the green woman like an older sister. What did I just see? the blond asked himself, his heart pounding.
So, it seemed, the human torch had almost walked in on something very personal.
Maastricht
Unknown Hospital
September 13th – 2:36PM
Silence.
It was something that Liz Allen should have been used to.
When she was busy working away at Alchemax, quiet was what she craved most, not needing to deal with the noise that often-accompanied large company offices.
Fortunately, she'd had her office sound proofed. All she needed was herself, her notepads and the computer. Her mind was always abuzz with ideas… brand new designs that could bring more money into her company's pocket.
Right now, though?
I don't even know how Alchemax is doing on the NASDAQ… The thought made her feel nauseous…Not that she needed to worry at all about money. She had more than enough to supply any and all desires of her descendants five generations down.
But…
She needed… no… she wantedmore.
It was the blessing… or maybe the curse… of the wealthy. The thirst for more would never be quenched.
The silence she lived in now was maddening. There was nothing at all to distract her. While there was a television in her isolated room, it seemed that the screen had no remote to turn it on.
Along with the lack of entertainment of any kind, she was without her mobile phone and also without most of the creature comforts she'd come to rely on. Such as the soaps, oils and creams that were all part of her daily routine.
And… she'd noticed that the staff were throwing strange glances her way now, when before they'd been open and very friendly. Even the doctor treating her had a chillier quality to his personality now. Sighing, she perched on the side of her bed, resting her head in her hands.
It was as… she was being punished.
The treatment she was receiving was biased… Lifting her head then, her eyes narrowed to slits. Teeth grinding together, she rose out of her bed, walking to the glass doors at the front of her room.
"You're right," a voice pipped up then.
Liz looked around, swallowing hard. Fresh perspiration popped out on her brow as she began feeling hot again. "Who…" she asked the open air.
"It's all your fault," the voice was closer now. "If only you'd remained in your country—" it continued. "You'd not be treated like this."
"You don't understand," Elizabeth replied, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. "It was too risky to wait."
"Risky for whom?"
The question hung in the air. The longer Liz took to respond, the more upset she began to feel. Wracking her brain, she couldn't find a sound reason for her actions.
Was it selfishness?
Pride?
Or was it fear? The fear that her involvement in the new Goblin serum would be found? She would have faced punishment in the United States over that decision.
She still might if she ever made it back…
"You're right," the voice spoke again… after being quiet for several minutes. "You're selfish, Liz," the disgust was audible. "Selfish and greedy. And…" here, it paused momentary. "A weak and quivering coward."
"How… d—"
"How dare I?" the voice asked. "I think you have the two of us confused by dear."
"No!" the blonde snapped, her temper flaring. "I don't!"
"Really?" the owner of the voice appeared in front of Liz from a gray cloud… one that was slow to dissipate. "Think you're so innocent?" then, a wide and toothy grin was directed to the blonde.
Liz shivered then… seeing her own face.
Clad in a jester's costume, 'Liz' faced herself, tsking in disappointment, the bells on her cap 'n bells… jingling. "Your choices…" she began, pointing a gloved finger at the blonde, "Are going to lead to far more pain and suffering than you can ever begin to imagine."
"But…" Blue eyes widening, Liz scrambled to explain. "I didn't mean to do that!"
"You took no measures to avoid it," 'Jester Liz' reminded the blonde. "Most of us toe the line between normalcy and complete chaos. It all comes down to what we want to do really." The costumed woman walked to Liz's bed and plopped down on it.
"I…"
"Come here," the jester requested, crooking one finger. "Take a seat… and let's review all of the chaos that you've thrown others into."
Pale brows twitched in reaction. Liz didn't want to do it. Agreeing to sit with… that person seemed like a very bad idea. "Uhh… No thanks," she replied, turning away.
Only to be startled at seeing the jester right in front of her.
"Now, it's rude to turn your back on your guests… don't you think?"
"I didn't ask you to join me in here," Liz retorted. "So, you should be able to understand that I've never viewed you as welcome in any way, shape or form."
"Ooh," the jester mocked her, shaking upraised hands in feigned fear. "So scary!"
"…" Liz grew silent, not sure what she could say.
"What's wrong, Liz?"
Grimacing, the blonde turned away again.
Only for the jester to be there too. "Cat got your tongue?"
"… No," the blonde replied.
"I see." Here, the jester lifted a cat—the furry creature hissing and clawing at open air to be freed. "No need for you, fluffy!" Carelessly, the feline was hurled behind the jester… only to disappear into thin air.
Elizabeth's mouth hung open. "… What have I done?" she asked no one in particular, frightened now.
"Oh, nothing at all darling!" the jester replied, sliding one arm around Liz's shoulders. "Now then! Onto the show, huh?"
The blonde found herself being led back to her bed.
A projector popped out of thin air, with the jester holding the remote. "I love home movies, don't you?"
Liz wasn't able to speak… beginning to worry that the insanity from the serum was no longer limited to Norman alone.
The projector showed images… in crystal clarity.
Liz watched herself picking up the phone to call the federal government on her own staff. The image froze then… and reversed. The blonde was forced to watch everything she'd done that led to that phone call. In reverse. One image though… looked off. "W…Wait!" she spoke.
The jester hit the pause button, offering Liz a terribly smug grin. "Is there a problem?"
Hesitantly, Liz pointed at the image. It showed her in one of the cabinets where the Goblin serum was stored. "I never went in there," she replied.
"Oh, but you did," the jester replied, playing the video forward.
Liz watched with horror as she drew a dose of the serum into a fresh needle, searched for a good vein, and injected herself. "… W… W—Why?" she asked, shocked.
"You were curious," the jester shrugged, looking at the projected images again. "You wanted to know what made Norman so excited about new the serum… So, you were the first one to try it."
"No…" Liz replied, backing away. "I would remember that!" Wouldn't I? she asked herself. Now… she wasn't so sure.
"Are you sure?" the jester asked, having paused the video again. "Because this is exactly how you remember what you did."
"Why… how could I forget?"
At this… the jester grinned again and looked at Liz, now having pupilless yellow eyes. "Why indeed?" She began to laugh… just as Norman had as the Green Goblin… but with the blonde's voice.
Blue eyes widened… And Liz swallowed very hard, shaking… the trembling reaching her very bones… I was the first…
"Hey!" a voice called out overhead.
Liz looked at the ceiling. "Y… Yes?"
"What are you doing in there?"
Blinking, Liz looked down again, startled to see her feet tucked up to her chest, right hand extended out… as if she'd been holding something.
Like a remote.
The jester was nowhere to be seen.
Undisclosed Location
"What a strange set of events," Reuben murmured, tossing a piece of popcorn in his mouth. Under normal circumstances, he would have been in the middle of catching his mid-day nap. Now though? He had so many questions.
Only one person had the answers.
So… just like he had in the past, he crawled back across the internet, tiptoeing through the security at the hospital Liz was in. He was fortunately able to ping her location off her mobile again. Then… it was just a case of backtracking and grabbing the fishing hook he'd left out for himself.
This time, he didn't stop until he found where she was.
The video feed he'd hacked into told him nothing though.
Unlike his own cameras, there was no audio involved with this one. Scratching his chin, he'd watched quietly as Liz began pacing in her hospital room. By her movements, it looked like she was speaking with someone… but whom he had no idea.
As the agitation she felt increased, Reuben watched as she eventually plopped down on her bed, pulling her knees to her chest. Her right hand reached out as if she was using a remote.
Clearing his throat, Reuben scratched his head and got up to get popcorn.
Which led to now, where her behavior was so unlike anything he'd seen from her before.
Sound filtered in after a moment and Reuben heard the voice of one of the men who worked there. "Huh…" So, it seemed that Liz had no clue what was happening. At least not at first.
"Nothing at all!" Liz responded to the overhead voice. Then, she loosely wrapped her arms around her legs and stared into space.
As the audio clicked out again, Reuben cleared his throat. So strange… he thought. He knew the building she was in was a hospital, but…
"Must be isolated because of that virus?" he wondered aloud.
Much to his alarm, the blonde slowly turned her attention to the overhead camera. Why is she doing that? He hadn't heard anyone else… so why was the blonde so focused on the camera?
Liz got back out of bed and walked right over to the camera, crossing her arms. Her expression became an ugly one as she spoke.
Unable to hear her, the hacker felt alarmed when sound came through briefly on his end.
"Reuben…"
Just as quickly as it was there, it disappeared. In the short span of time that the sound had been heard, the hooded man had vaulted himself over the arm of his chair and was peeking nervously at the screen.
"Who?" the voice of the man came through again.
"I need a better line of work," Reuben mumbled, blinking, and continuing to take refuge behind his chair.
"… Who what?" Liz asked, looking confused again.
"Yeah, I think I can find something better to look at," Still, before he settled back into his chair, he made sure to pull back as quickly as he could without activating alarms in their systems… cleaning up the trail he'd made to get there. "Something safer," he muttered, finally plopping back into the seat. He flipped through a few channels before landing on a retro station.
As the colorful name popped up on the screen, Reuben smirked, rocking a little in his seat at the music from the theme. He even sang along with the lyrics, memories from his childhood coming up so easily… though he'd been very young when he was first introduced to the show. "...seems familiar, like a story from a book. Shake a leg now Wishbone! Let's wag another tail. Sniffin' out adventure with Wishbone on the trail." His grin only widened as the familiar Jack Russel terrier popped up on the screen.
Parallel Worlds – Parallel Lives (Alternate Universe)
The Early Herald
10:49AM
Tapping her pen on the blank pad, MJ grunted, pushing away from her desk. Balled up pages littered her trash cans. For the last thirty minutes or so, she'd been jotting down ideas to deal with their current 'situation…' that of securing an interview with—if not the Sheriff—his daughter.
The redhead's brows pinched together.
Nothing she could come up with made any sense… plus when she looked at the pages, she was drawing circles around everything.
Circles and lines.
Rising to her feet, she grabbed her coffee cup—from one of her favorite coffee shops, swigging down the rest of the caffeinated brew before crushing and dropping the cup into the trash can.
"Going somewhere?" a voice asked.
Inhaling deeply, MJ lightly shrugged. "Need to take a walk."
"Out of ideas, huh?" Leonie asked, popping up out of her seat.
"No!" the redhead replied immediately. After a moment of silence, though, she nodded.
"It's not that hard, Red," the other woman remarked, walking over and lightly nudging MJ with her elbow. "But I can understand the need for a walk."
Though annoyed, the red-haired woman held her tongue and headed towards the doors, her friend right on her heels.
The two women walked in companionable silence for a while before Leonie spoke up. "I'm not sure what it is about this story that has you on edge," she began. "But you can tell me about it. I won't speak a word of it to anyone."
Pausing in place, MJ looked at the woman… one of her few friends at work and sighed. "It's complicated," she replied, resuming her walk.
Rolling her eyes, Leonie quietly walked behind her friend. As the walk continued, the brunette checked her watch and prayed that they would return before their absence was counted toward their 'break.' Maybe I should get a sandwich while we're out, she wondered. MJ is more upset than usual.
What it was over though… Leonie had no clue, but she got a hint when she accidentally walked into her friend when the redhead abruptly froze in place. "Mary Jane," she murmured, frustration on her features. "What was…" her voice trailed off as she noticed where her friend's attention was focused. "MJ?"
Blue eyes narrowed as she continued to watch… You have got to be kidding me…
Ahead Of Them
"So, we'll be headed out soon," Peter remarked, holding Jen's hand. "Morris said our belongings arrived safely."
"That's good to hear," Jen smirked, grinning up at him. "Still… we do have a lot to talk about, don't we?"
Peter sighed. "Yeah, we do."
Pout in place, Jen lightly tugged on his hand.
He easily let her lead him to a bench where they could sit to talk. He noticed how quiet Jennifer was, but held his tongue. It was obvious something was troubling her.
"I still don't like the idea of you leaving," she finally said. Her hands lightly flexed, and she fixed her attention on her left hand… on the wedding band there. "I'm scared I'll lose you."
There we go, he realized… frowning. "Jenny," he began. "I told you that want the three us to go together."
"I doubt they'll find a way to get Chip and myself over there in time," Jen replied, running her fingers through long, dark, locks, displaying that she was more agitated than it seemed.
"They have to," Peter replied. "Jen, do you really think I'd let them pull me away from you? From both of you?"
Jennifer looked away. "But… what if I still lose you when we get there?"
Peter's brows pinched together. What does she… "I'm not sure what you mean." At her silence, he reached over and gently led her chin back in his direction with a finger. "How would you lose me when we get there?" Is she worried about the fighting? If so, she hadn't mentioned it before.
Biting her lip hard, Jennifer sucked in a deep breath and sighed. Not replying directly to his question, she forced a smile in place, not making eye contact. "It doesn't matter, Pete."
"No," he replied. When glistening brown eyes met his, he felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. "It does."
Further Back
Now Leonie was staring as well, but why she had no idea. MJ had been completely silent when she spotted the couple. Does she know either of them? She noticed her friend flinch when the man reached out and touched the woman he was with.
"What's going on?" Leonie asked, upset when MJ didn't reply. Getting directly to the point, she stepped right into the redhead's view, planting her hands on her hips. "Let's try this again…"
"What are you—"
"What is your problem?!"
Ahead Of Them
"There's a whole lot that can happen after we get to your universe, Peter," Jennifer replied, her brave façade beginning to crack. "You could get hurt… Killed, Pete."
"But—"
"You might just leave. They always say the grass is greener on the other side," As soon as the words left her mouth, Jennifer closed her eyes, sniffling.
Shoulders sagging, Peter pulled her into a hug. "When I made my vows, Jen, they weren't conditional. I hope you realize that, sweetheart." Pulling away, he saw how her face was scrunched up. "Come here," he spoke, his tone light.
Jennifer barely held in a sob before Peter enveloped her in his arms again. Now, she couldn't hold back and sobbed openly into his chest.
Peter gently rubbed her back. "The grass is a lot nicer here than there, Jen," he replied.
"Wasn't there someone you left, Pete?" Jen asked quickly, upset still. "Someone that you miss? Someone you can see again when you go back to your world?"
"Uhh… actually," Peter chuckled faintly. "Yes… and no…"
"What?" Jen asked, peering up at him. "What do you mean?"
Inhaling and pulling a tissue from a pack in his pocket to give her, he offered her a smile. "Remember when we were speaking with Reed and Reed about what to do with their Jennifer?" He waited as she accepted the tissue and nodded before using it to clean her face.
"Yeah," she murmured. "They were both deliberating over whether or not to do surgery on her."
"Well…" Peter continued. "Earlier, I'd spoken to my ex-fiancée there too."
"… What?"
"Yes. I explained to her in no uncertain terms that we would never be together… ever again."
Jennifer's brows rose sharply at that. "Really?" That was certainly news to her.
"Yup," Peter replied, nodding firmly. His hand gently rubbed her side. "I explained that not only was I married, but that I had a child on the way. I told her that things would be very different when I returned. I wanted her to understand that."
"How…" Jennifer cleared her throat. "How did she take it?"
Before Peter could respond, he became aware of two people walking toward them. He went to speak to them and froze—the words seemingly turning into concrete in his throat.
Confusion on her face, Jennifer looked as well. "Good morning!" she greeted them, offering a large smile.
Clearing her throat, Leonie returned the smile. "Hi!" Briefly, she glanced at MJ… noticing how mortified the redhead looked. "My friend and I were wondering…"
"Leonie," Mary Jane begged, trying to stop what was about to happen.
"Do you know anything about what's been happening in this city?" the brunette already had a notepad in hand, which she flipping open to a select page.
Sighing, Jen looked at her husband… surprised that he still seemed stunned. About what, she had no clue. "In relation to what… exactly?" she questioned.
Eventually, Peter closed his mouth, lips thinning into a tight line.
It was not a smile.
"We're looking for residents who might know something about the collapse at the warehouse…" Leonie's words trailed off when she saw how wide-eyed the man looked. What's his deal? First her friend was acting strange… now this man was.
"What collapse?" Jen asked.
Peter grimaced. No one had mentioned it to her, seeing it as unimportant. That was proving to be a mistake.
"You didn't hear about it?" Leonie asked, brows high. "The one that the Sheriff was in?"
"Sheriff?" Jennifer asked, starting to not like where this was going. No one had mentioned anything about a warehouse. Or a collapse. Is that why he was in a wheelchair? Her father had mentioned something about an accident and a mistake he'd made. He never mentioned this.
"Yes. Morris Walters," Leonie continued, scribbling a note in her pad. "He was trapped in the collapse of a warehouse some time ago…"
"Pete…" Jen muttered between grit teeth. "You never… you didn't tell me… that dad was…" She couldn't even look at him. The brunette couldn't understand why information of such an important event was kept away from her.
That explains it… Leonie thought, alarmed. This was none other than Jennifer Walters, the Sheriff's daughter. But wait… she glanced over to MJ. How does she know her?
"We…" Peter nearly swallowed his tongue at the glare Jen sent his way. "Figured it would be best not to tell you directly. It seemed fine at the time…"
"I am—We are so sorry, Miss Walters!" Leonie exclaimed, making it a point to keep her voice low. "We didn't know!" At least I didn't know…
"Missus Parker," Jennifer replied, correcting her. The woman in front of her, now someone she knew was likely a journalist, seemed unaffected by her words. The redhead next to her though…
"Yes. Apologies Missus Parker," Leonie replied smoothly. "Again… We didn't know that you were—"
"It's fine," Jen cut in, closing her eyes, just wanting this to be over.
"We could maybe set up an interview at a different time?"
MJ just shook her head. Leonie, while pleasant at times, could be cutthroat when it came to nailing down unknown details of a story.
Yet…
Hadn't that been what she wanted to do once she realized who Peter was out here with? She'd wanted to grill Jennifer, to make the smaller woman uncomfortable… until she saw her belly. Then realized she couldn't. If she did that, MJ knew she'd feel like she'd kicked a puppy. Plus, Peter was right there… and he was not looking happy at all to see her.
"Why would you want that?" Jennifer asked. "Wouldn't it make more sense to try to find the man himself?"
"Ah…" Leonie blinked. "It would, yes… but there's no direct way to reach him."
"There is…" Jennifer grumbled. "Just look in the phone book!"
Frowning, Peter rose to stand, gently pulling Jen up with him.
"If you change your mind…" MJ jumped in then, offering Peter one of her cards. "We're always ready to hear from you!" She kept her tone light, but her eyes said something else entirely.
Peter instantly read what she wasn't saying, accepting the card. "Thank you, ladies," he began. "But we have somewhere else we need to be." He looked at Jen. "Come on, Jenny," he smiled at her, reaching out for her hand.
"You baby me too much," Jennifer grumbled, taking his hand.
"Well, you are having my baby so…" Peter made it a point to look away from the two women as he led Jen away from them.
"Pffeh! Not an excuse, Pete!"
The two journalists stood there while the couple walked off.
"Wow…" Leonie murmured, having not expected that. "Never thought we'd run into Jennifer of all people…"
"Yeah…" MJ commented, folding her arms. That didn't look like a recent pregnancy… Her eyes narrowed. I wonder how far along she is…
"You never told me you knew her!" Leonie exclaimed, turning to her friend. "You… Uh… Mary Jane? Everything alright?"
This time, the redhead never replied. Her gaze was fixed forwards, feeling a mixture of anger, betrayal, and disappointment. Part of her even felt… He never wanted a child with me…
"MJ?"
Main Universe
New York
September 13th – 11:02 AM
Baxter Building – Lower Levels
"But… I don't understand," Johnny replied, shoulders sagging. All he wanted was to spend some time with Jen… and now this.
"Not hard to understand, Hotshot," Jennifer replied. The green woman was propped up in bed and with the bandages on her arms from IV lines and the cannula in her nose… she should have looked helpless. That wasn't the case.
As usual with the She-Hulk, even when not at the top of her game, she still gave off an air of authority… displaying a clear lack of fear.
Johnny, like many of them there, knew that much of what Jennifer showed to the world… it was all a farce. She got scared just like they did. She was weak at times… no matter what she wanted others to think. Her recent health scare was proof positive of that.
Yet… "It is," Johnny replied. "It's my turn," Johnny stated, gesturing to Ben. "Or at least it will be at noon."
"It's not noon now," the older woman reminded him. "For the time being… wait your turn!"
Johnny's features screwed up in distaste, but he turned and walked away. "I will be back at noon!" he called.
"And not a minute or second sooner!" the green woman yelled back at him. The expression on her face was… "Now, tell me more," she spoke then, glancing at Ben.
"I've been following all the tips out there," Ben frowned, shaking his head. "Whoever they are… they're good at disappearing."
"It's just… stupid," Jennifer commented, sighing. "I thought when I got the envelope in my office that all of this madness would be over and done with soon."
"At this point, everyone knows it's not Peter though," Ben remarked.
"But it's the exact same MO… has been for months."
"It's also a waste of paper," the orange man muttered. Standing, he sighed loudly.
"I just want to know why." Jennifer's jaw tightened at the stare she was on the receiving end of. "Some bozo out here is littering the streets outside of stores he's broken into… as if he's rubbing it in the face of New York's finest."
Ben snorted.
"And he never stopped either. Matter of fact, soon as Spider-Man was gone, everything increased. More crimes… and a lot more murders."
Both heroes gave each other a long look… one of mutual frustration and understanding.
"Think paperboy is behind it?" Ben asked.
"The thefts?"
"No…" Ben shook his head. "The murders."
"Huh," Jennifer worked her jaw a bit. "It would make some sense… but no. I don't think the perp wants blood on his hands."
"What about when he sent you that package?"
Now, the green woman grew tight-lipped. She did not like talking about her own experience with the "Inkblot Thief." Everything in her life had turned upside down after that. Both professionally, and personally.
Ben frowned.
He understood. It was a touchy subject for his friend. But any information he could get about this person would help.
There had to be more for them in mind… than just annoying the residents.
But…
Jennifer was being more stubborn than usual about this.
"And… they're working on containment," Ben remarked, changing the direction of their conversation. Seeing the question in those green eyes, he elaborated. "Goblin virus, remember?"
Jennifer grimaced. "Yeah. Eww."
"Anyway," Ben continued. "CDC's issued some harsh orders… and of course many of the residents here are ignoring it."
"Let me guess. Stay at home?"
"Mm. You'd think so, but no. More of the 'go to the hospital and get checked out' in terms of orders."
"That's stupid," Jen replied, shaking her head. "It'll only stretch the infection out further."
"Don't tell me that," Ben grumbled, crossing his arms. "I already know. But the 'experts' do not."
"Any fatalities yet?" she asked.
Pausing… Ben's brows creased. He wasn't certain… but if it did happen, someone was going to have to pay.
Big time.
And right now, everyone's eyes were on the currently missing CEO of Alchemax. There were plenty of wild theories as to what had become of the blonde. Many assumed she was kidnapped or running for her life somewhere.
Ben, on the other hand, was one of those who believed she had simply fled.
Ran and left a nightmare in her wake.
Did she know this would happen? Ben doubted any of them would know… anytime soon.
"Sorry I missed so much of the party," Jen spoke, her voice softer.
"It wasn't your fault," Ben replied, lightly shrugging. "If we could choose when we got sick, we never would."
"That's true," the Jade giantess agreed. "But… Hmm. Ben?"
"Yeah?"
"What happened to the symbiote?"
"Ah…" He'd patiently waited for her to ask.
The previous day, he'd been angry. As soon as he knew that his friend was stable, he'd hauled off and stomped that containment chamber until it was nearly paste. Then he'd picked it up and hurled it at Johnny, only for the young blond to race outside the building with it… his hands beginning to burn as soon as he exited the room.
The further away from the lower levels, the hotter the flames became. Once he exited the building, Johnny blew the few ashes that remained off his hands.
"It's gone," Ben replied.
"Gone?" Jennifer asked. "Where did it go?"
While Ben was certain the thing was dead by the time he got to it, he wasn't entirely sure. "Let's just say that it's gone and won't be back, alright?"
Jennifer rolled her eyes. "Alright, big guy."
"You have a lot of nicknames for me," he remarked.
"And there's lots more where they come from, Benny boy!"
Two Hours Later…
Reed swiftly hurried down to the lower levels. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator… which had been running slow lately… he nearly tripped over Johnny. "Um…"
The younger man looked up. "Hi Reed,"
"Why are… aren't you supposed to be on duty right now?"
The blond shrugged. "I have an idea," Johnny stated, popping up from the stairs he'd been seated on.
"And that is…?" What a strange day…
"Let's go play some tennis," he replied. "I've been itching to go out."
"And… you wanted to play tennis?"
"Yup!"
"But…" Reed frowned. "You hate tennis."
"Uh… then let's play some squash!"
"You hate that even more."
Johnny turned Reed around and pushed the scientist back up the stairs. "Then we can play basketball!"
"You—"
"Listen…" Johnny began. "Let's just do something… outside!"
"But I need to check on—"
"Which can be done later, right?"
"Huh?" The scientist was confused, but was obediently climbing up the stairs.
"Later, right? Whatever you need to do can be done at a later point."
"While that's true," Reed replied. "I would feel more secure if I—"
"Went swimming! Hey sis!" Johnny called, waving at Susan.
The blonde woman walked over. "Swimming?"
"Indeed?" Reed asked, sarcasm dripping in his tone.
"Yup! Reed and I are going swimming!"
"After apparently playing tennis," Reed added. "And squash and then basketball."
"You hate squash though," Susan commented, scrutinizing her little brother. "And tennis."
"Exac—"
"And swimming too… especially if it's too cold."
"I can change. Let's all go out!"
"Alright… but what about Jennifer and Ben?"
"Ben… will… will join us!" Johnny replied, stumbling just a little.
"Uh… huh." Sue replied. "Aren't you supposed to be taking over from—"
"If we wait too late, we'll lose sunlight!"
"I suppose we're going outside," Reed agreed… reluctantly.
"Yay!" Johnny yelled, in obviously forced enthusiasm.
Maastricht
Unknown Hospital
7:43PM
Lying on her back, Liz stared… unblinking… at the ceiling overhead. She was still turning the days' revelations over in her head. Apparently, she had voluntarily allowed herself to become the first test subject of the new Goblin serum. Why didn't I have a reaction at first? There had to be some sort of reason for that.
Then again… She did remember being told that Norman had taken a far larger than normal dose—intentionally! That was a foolish and risky mistake. Physically and psychologically, Liz was different than the people chosen for the trials as well.
How did I even know what dose to use? As far as she knew, the correct amount wasn't even set until after Norman was up for the test. One of the doctors had visited a half hour ago… to inform her that they were researching more into some strange 'thing' they'd found in her blood samples.
"Only a matter of time now," she muttered.
"Which means…" a voice pipped up.
Liz sat up and turned around, trying to hold in a laugh. Now that she was beginning to understand what was happening, she didn't feel fear.
The jester had returned… and was holding a checkers board. "Up for a few games?"
Sitting cross-legged and facing away from the camera in the room, Liz nodded. "Sure… Umm… No cheating though."
Throwing her head back dramatically, bells jingling, the jester pressed a hand to her chest. "Oh! How you wound me with your words!"
The blonde's smile widened, taking on more of a sinister quality. She wasn't going to be bored.
Not anymore.
"Ooh! And here's your piece!" the jester added, placing a small silver statue of a dog eating a burger in front of Liz. "And this is mine!" At that, the jester put down a silver top hat.
"We're using Monopoly pieces?" Liz asked.
"Doesn't it make the most sense?"
To Be Continued…
Pre-Written Author's Note: Whew! Why didn't anyone tell me I was misspelling Alchemax? Not going back to fix those. Can't handle swimming through all those chapters again. Too old for that!
Apologies to anyone confused.
This note is dated January 10, 2024.
2/1/2024 - I had to fight through a lot to get here. I'm just glad I'm able to keep going with this story. I also just got a gnarly idea… but I wanna see how it plays out before I officially announce what it is. Pretty sure at least one person will figure it out though. You guys are awfully clever.
Author's Note: 7/12/2024 – So… some stuff happened. Umm… Yeah. I'll be meeting with a specialist next month to review most of it.
As far as my writing goes… I'm punching out some notes to get an idea as to what I'll be doing in this fiction and the rest of the stories I'm working on.
Sorry—AGAIN—for being so late.
~J. Lyst
It's about to get wild, so buckle your seatbelts!
XXO