Chapter 270: Arc Nine. Chapter Two-Hundred Sixty-Three. A Bitter Pill

After the meeting had wound down, Pepper made full use of the bathhouse and added her name to the small alcove of baskets. She would leave a suit there if they had guests but like the others if it was just Peter, and as she was still single, she had no qualms about him seeing her naked once more. She still watched the video they had made, and she had been quite correct. If he was monogamous she would have made a move on him. 

By using the stone, Peter was aware of this, and let the others know but still stuck to his resolution. No casual relationships. Even promising Emma was skirting that line. If she was serious, though, then he had found her attractive, charming, and interesting enough to warrant giving her a chance, and none of the others had objected. After the disaster with Octave refusing to create a symbiote for her, however, she had left to spend some time on her own, and Peter just shrugged. If Emma was unwilling, he wasn’t going to force the issue.

With the list of employee’s delivered and a schedule set up for testing each employee, it was still down to Peter to decide what to do with Gwen and Cindy.

Cindy was detoxing, with Livs supervision, and even if she wanted to be Enhanced it would be his decision. Nat had given her opinion. She would rather lead a team of Enhanced, plus regular security than have a single weak link in the chain.

Poison was bruxing as Peter sat with her on his lap, gentry stroking a thumb over her head. More pets, more pets she shouted and he just quietly laughed to himself. Once more, the decision to allow Poison to rebond with a host was up to Peter, and it was down to whether Poison herself would behave or simply huff and go back to being belligerent.

Finally, Gwen. Her insistence at being Enhanced with not only the new formula but the Mind Stone as well threw Peter for a loop. He had been asked the same by Shuri and had put it out of his mind but Gwen was adamant, and while she would be upset but ultimately accept if he refused, it was still something he had considered himself.

In each situation, Peter had a reason for pause. Cindy had been experimented on by Hank Pym, and if he ever found the bastard he would pay for his crimes, not just against Cindy but Rage as well. But Cindy was recovering nicely and was still willing to work with Peter. Her time with Poison hadn't been bad, in fact, one of the reasons she had willingly let her do what she wanted was because of the intense emotional bonding. 

“I want her back,” was all Cindy said before glaring at Peter, “and I don't give a shit about knowing what you get up to with everyone. I. Want. Her. Back.” and at the moment she reminded Peter of Felicia, and the bad attitude she had when she first got here,

“If she says yes, then we’ll see what we can do.” and she turned to Liv, placing a hand on her arm. Cindy had been brash and angry, but considering what she had been through it was understandable but she was also more tolerable than Felicia had been at the start. She went out of her way to make amends with everyone, including Felicia, before visiting the bakery she terrorised, apologising and paying for the damages.

Opinion? He asked Liv,

She’s fine, no more grating than Felicia, but physically and mentally she’s fine. Well as fine as she can be, Even Felicia has forgiven her, we all remember how unstable we were, and she didn’t have you to help keep her calm. However, if I find Hank Pym, he is going to get a very painful lesson on the line between medical treatments and torture.

Nodding Peter went to his next stop. Gwen's lab, where Gwen was staging into Poison's cage, and the symbskin covered rat crunched a part another wheel.

“So?” and she shrugged,

“I don't care Pete. We never got on, not really, and if Cindy wanted her, just make sure she realised that Poison wants pastries, cock, and sleep. She’s a lazy bitch and if Cindy is our security I don't want to find out Poison is napping when I’m getting my ass beat.” and Peter opened the tank and lifted out the symbiote covered rat,

So?

We miss Gwen, but we hear and we agree, we want to do things, sleeping was better than boring work.

You do realise Cindy will be fighting, training, and probably won't be sleeping with me, ever. She likes Felicia.

Poison huffed, Gwen forgets we used to train, and run and do everything. She made us bored, she wants to write and stare at glass things, we want excitement, and we can see if Cindy will maybe-

No, if you bond with Cindy, no making her something she isn't. She’ll be warned about that, You’ll behave?

We will. Now rub our ears, we like the scritches and the belly rubs, being tiny is fun, 

Peter laughed and sat on one of the office chairs Gwen had at work stations to save her moving her chair about,

“So, Poison and Cindy are dealt with.“

“Just me then, so what's the big deal?” and as he flipped Poison Rat over, he tickled her stomach as she wriggled under his fingers,

“It's painful, and neither Wanda nor I came out unscathed. I mean, she saw visions and well, I think it tried to kill me, but that might have been whatever made Ultron. Either way, it's not good,” and he looked at her, his face frowning in concern, “I just don't want to hurt you.”

“Oh, so we shoot Liv with a laser and I get nothing?” and Peter laughed,

“Yeah, I remember being yelled at for that. So, if, and I mean if we do this, I control the Stone, while Liv monitors you using Octave, full medical before and after, Extremis, transfusion from me, and sure Mind Stone but the second, the second something goes wrong, we stop.”

Gwen took a breath, “and if I go wrong, I need you to promise you’ll stop me.”

Peter lifted Poison Rat and rubbed it against his face before setting her back down in the tank and covering it. As he sat back down he clasped his hands and leant forwards, bringing them to his forehead, “I can’t, I can't make that promise” and Gwen huffed, “but, I don't have to. Gwen, I don't ever want to hurt you, but well, we have people on staff now who should be doing things like that, and well, if they can't beat you, then if any of us go bad we’re in trouble.”

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Gwen looked confused, “so wait, you’re agreeing?” and he nodded,

“Logan.” and Gwen leant back and looked apprehensive at him,

“Logan? Shit.” And as she stared at the ceiling, “doesn’t change my mind though, so yeah, if you are willing, then yes.”

“Then set it up. Once Liv gives Cindy a clean bill of health, you get Mr Squeakers back,” but Gwen looked at him,

“Mr Squeakers?” and shaking her head, “such a dork Pete,”

The rat had enough intelligence to give itself a name, only added to by Poison. Dork or not he didn't care. Mr Squeakers was allowed his own name.

“So, I think we should fix Cindy first so that if anything happens, we aren't missing our top scientists.”

Gwen snorted, “yeah don't let Liv hear you say that.” but she knew that without Poison it was probably true right now. The lack of symbiote meant Gwen actually had to wait for the mass spectrometer to finish, had to properly analyse and test each formula she was creating, and it was laborious. She could understand Poisons unwillingness to do this kind of work, even she understood they craved brain chemicals released during vigorous activities, fighting or sex.

Thankfully her time with Stark had taught her all the normal lab procedures, and after an independent assessor had reviewed all her work the diploma and the certification were real. She still had doubts though. After sharing Hexen she knew the torment the stone put Wanda through, and the pain she saw on Peter's face. As she stared at the pen in her hand, was she only doing this so she didn't get left behind, was this only to stay at the top or was she just being stupid?

“Bit of both,” Peter said as he came over and leaning forwards gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Nothing wrong with wanting to be the best, just make sure you really want it though,”

Gwen huffed. She had forgotten that without Poison, Peter and anyone with a Symbiote could read her thoughts, maybe she should get another one, Muse was happy that MJ did fight, so why wouldn't another one.

“Muse gets high on the rush MJ feels when she’s on stage, she fights in her own way,” and Gwen crossed her arms and slumped back down in her chair.

“Didn't think of that.” but no, she was resolute. “Just the gem and the formula, hosting when I'm not fighting seems like I’d be just repeating Poison.” but as she sat back up her face scrunched “but uh, why doesn't Octave complain then?” and Peter laughed,

“Probably because Liv still trains, and yeah, she smokes, drinks and has a lot of sex. I mean, if you thought I was bad, Liv outpaces everyone, even when she’s on her own.” and Peter shook his head as he grinned “I mean if she wasn't a host I’d be holding an intervention.” and as he thought back he had realised a long time ago that maybe Liv wasn't the best person to ask for advice, as she was very much a ‘live in the now’ person and prone to spur of the moment decisions.

“So, it's okay?” Gwen asked as she rubbed her fingers on her palms,

“I can't say I’m not unhappy, but I think, I don't think it’ll hurt you, not just me but Wanda used the Stone again, so with proper care, it’ll be fine. Just you know, no giant mutant head, that’d be weird.”

“Wait, giant mutant head?” and Peter nodded, showing her the picture Ross had sent over with Stern's file.

“The gamma formula reacted with Blonsky’s and Bruce’s blood, so we have ‘The Leader’.” Peter rolled his eyes. Massive intelligence did not grant anyone good naming sense. And as Gwen stared at the photo she saw the green-skinned man, with a giant egg-shaped head.

“That uh, that can't happen right?” she asked as she handed back Peters phone,

“Nah, Shuri sent over some files, they dug them out of one of the alien computers, and we can test what X-gene variant you have. If there will be a problem, it’ll be because of that.”

Gwen nodded, she had already looked at the files and taken blood to test herself. The last thing she wanted was an unknown mutation to occur. She couldn't decide though whether the lack of a special X-gene in her DNA was a good or a bad thing.

The files had three variants on an additional gene that had been implanted back in humanities history. The X-Gene, the K variant and the V variant.

While a full Augmented had the massive X shaped extra gene and it allowed them extraordinary powers. The K gene, the half-formed X gene reacted with radiation to produce the Gamma Enhanced and finally the V variant, the half-formed and the completely inert gene that everyone had. While it could be partially activated with formula, it would only Enhance a person, and they wouldn't gain any special powers. It was also why the super-soldier serum killed Augmented. The serum partially activated their X-gene, causing an imbalance in their powers, ultimately killing the Augmented.

Gwen was a bit disappointed to know she was a carrier of the V variant, but as they tested everyone in the warehouse, only Laura and Wanda actually carried the X-gene and nobody carried the K. Even Peter had the V variant, so in the end, she didn't feel too bad.

Peter had received permission and had passed on their files to both General Ross, Shield, and finally Charles. While he wasn't too happy with Charles's behaviour he was one of the pioneer researchers in the field of Augmented and Peter felt that smoothing out their rough relationship was a good way to get Laura and Wanda help in the future if either developed problems with their powers.

Ross was ecstatic, and Peter sent over their testing procedures. A simple enough cheek swab and a special dye to highlight the gene variant they carried. Peter knew Ross was building a military force, sanctioned by the US government and that the Thunderbolts would eventually become a proper battalion. 

Now he had a way to test for the gene, he would save a lot of people from a very painful procedure, and save a lot of lives. Even if the military ended up with a lot of Gamma Enhanced it was still better than the alternative. A lot of unstable Hulks and a pile of irradiated dead bodies.

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