Episode 69: Trust Issues!
"A Kamelio?" Peter exclaimed.
In response, Natasha nodded. "Known as the Disguise Master Marémon, they can imitate other Marémon and people using a cloth-like skin that sheds when they change back into their original form. They can also sound like the Marémon or person they are imitating using the Mimic ability, which lasts for one hour with each disguise and that's why the Kamelio impersonating Nick Fury left quickly. But like the Silsaber, Kamelios are very rare because they were exploited by spies during the Second Marémon War with most of them being killed in combat. One individual we know who did have a Kamelio in their possession, though, was Kraven."
"Kraven? I thought he and the other Sinister Six members were imprisoned in the Ryker's Island prison off the coast of Yortown by the Wild Pack."
"They were, but a jailbreak occurred several months ago that was instigated by Kraven. He was accompanied by Mysterio and Professor Octavius, whom the media called Doctor Octopus, but all three of them went missing after the jailbreak."
Peter recalled seeing news stories about the Sinister Six when he was a kid, and remembered being frightened by them. "What about the others?"
"Sandman and the Vulture didn't participate in the jailbreak, but Electro was put in solitary confinement for helping Kraven, Mysterio, and Octavius escape before the prison guards subdued him and his Marémon Eclectric."
"Did Kraven and his escapees take their Marémon too?"
"Yes, and they went missing too. But the prison kept a record of all the Marémon the inmates had, and that's how SHIELD learned Kraven had a Kamelio."
"How did they get their Marémon? Don't Marémon that belong to criminals get sent to a correctional facility?"
"Normally, yes, and so Nick Fury thinks someone stole the Sinister Six's Marémon from the correctional facility they were sent to and shipped them to Ryker's Island in secret. And it doesn't take a tactical genius to figure out who might have helped the Sinister Six break out of prison."
"Team HYDRA…." Peter paused and then said, "If they've recruited Kraven and his remaining Sinister Six colleagues, who knows what kind of damage they might wreak."
Natasha squeezed Peter's hand in comfort. "I know how scared you are right now, and trust me! I've been scared before. Just remember what I'm telling you is speculative at best. Until we find proof of these speculations, though, you need to keep this information to yourself and be wary of whom you trust in the future. My gut tells me that —"
Suddenly, the door to Peter's hospital room opened. MJ and Thor came in, though MJ frowned when she saw Peter and Natasha holding hands.
"Am I interrupting something?" MJ asked, glaring at Natasha.
"Not at all," Natasha said, letting go of Peter's hand. "I was just leaving. Are the two Centurions still around?"
"Yeah, they were standing nearby," Thor said. "They didn't look too happy when they mentioned your name."
"I'll talk to them," Natasha insisted as she headed out the door. "Good luck on your future travels, guys."
"Wait." MJ pulled on the door handle, preventing Natasha from leaving. "Does that mean you're not following us anymore?"
"My priorities have changed due to recent events," Natasha answered vaguely. "Ask Peter for the details."
Then Natasha left with Alexander and Rider following her down the hallway at her beckoning.
"So from what I'm hearing, HYDRA used Rumlow's imprisonment as a diversion to get a Kamelio to impersonate Nick Fury and steal the Mind Stone from Thor along with Veneo, though apparently they changed their minds about Veneo and returned him to Professor Banner at the last minute," MJ recounted from Peter's description of the conversation he had with Natasha.
Not long ago, a nurse came to deliver Peter his regular clothes and a release form. After signing the form, Peter decided to head for the Marémon Care Ward to pick up Spidermin and his other Marémon while Thor and MJ accompanied him.
"Now Natasha thinks the Kamelio is owned by Kraven, one of the Sinister Six who escaped prison recently along with Mysterio and Octavius," MJ continued, eyeing Peter suspiciously. "Though that doesn't explain why she held your hand."
"I was scared," Peter said nervously. "Those news reports about the Sinister Six frightened me as a kid, because I was worried my aunt and uncle could get hurt by them. So hearing that half of them broke out brought up my repressed childhood fears."
"Mmm-hmm," MJ responded sarcastically.
"Lighten up, MJ!" Thor argued. "I used to hold Loki's hand when our father told us scary stories about the Frost Giants when we were kids."
"Holding a brother's hand is not the same thing as holding a girl's hand, especially when she's a stranger to you," MJ said.
"You know," Thor realized. "Since we've been traveling together, I think you've shown jealousy whenever another girl gets close to either me or Pete."
"My irritation with Silvija on the train wasn't out of jealousy!" MJ snapped. "I just thought she was being rude in sitting next to you without permission. As for Peter…I just know that he can be naive sometimes when it comes to girls who want to take advantage of him."
"And you think Natasha was trying to take advantage of me?" Peter couldn't believe MJ's words. "She saved your life on the train when Rumlow tried to kill you!"
"I didn't mean it like that," MJ corrected, stopping in the hallway they were walking down. "But she's a SHIELD agent, so I thought maybe she was trying to seduce you to get information. And what about Felicia? I looked through your phone while you were still recovering, and she sent you a text message claiming she was in trouble. Why didn't Thor and I get the same message?"
Before Peter could think of an answer, Peni suddenly appeared around the corner carrying Spidermin in her arms.
"Peni? Spidermin?" Peter was confused. "What are you two doing here?"
"While Thor and MJ went to get you, I decided to help by retrieving your Marémon, Peter," Peni explained. "Plus, it gave me time to use my Marémon modification skills to give Spidermin an Upgraded form."
To be continued…
