False Alarm

As I protected Peter and Gwen protected Hansen, a huge blast that should have happened, never came.

Even our spider-senses didn't flare up.

"Umm, why did you jump?"

We looked back, staring at the man suspiciously, who has just gone Extremis surgery and gained the power to be a bomber.

"You are not a Jain, are you? What's your real name?"

I precisely chose a Jain patient because they are from a group that are least likely to become terrorists.

But he is a Muslim? The most deadly religion along with Christianity? And judging by his shout, he is devoted... that means that he is dangerous to society...

"Umm, I am sorry. Yes, my name is actually Muhammad Yusuf. But I am not Pakistani. I am Indian, I swear!"

He put his hands up, resigning that his real identity has been revealed.

"Why did you hide your identity? Are you a spy? From Al Qaeda? Pakistan? ISI? Jamaat-e-Islami? Iran? Hamas-"

"Look! That's why! Everyone is just so suspicious of Muslims. I didn't have any opportunity in India, so I wanted to came to USA, but then, 9/11 happened. So I used this fake identity. All muslims aren't terrorists!"

I sighed. While what he was saying was logically true, a muslim from Indian subcontinent with the power to explode? Who has been hiding his identity? Who is to say he isn't a Pakistani. And there are many terrorists within India, though they aren't state sponsored.

My intuition of Spiderman badluck is telling me that letting this guy live will somehow create a new terrorist organisation of suicide bombers that won't need to suicide for bombing people.

"Oh. Sorry for assuming things."

Gwen apologized, letting her guard down. Dr Hansen and Peter did the same.

"Ah. I apologize too. You know how bad the US media is, always trying to brainwash us."

I apologized at went close to him, and raised my hand.

"How about working on my project? Mr Muhammad? I need your expertise in chip making."

"Anything for my savior-"

Then sleep for a bit.

I swiftly knocked him unconscious, pulled out a sleeping injection that I had in my pocket just in case if he went berserk, and put him into deep sleep.

"Dr Hansen, please run some tests on him, and remove the Extremis implant. We will just say that the experiment was only able to heal him a bit."

Gwen looked at me suspiciously. Dr Hansen didn't care and started doing her job, and Peter was also looking uncomfortable.

"Harry, you are suspicious of that guy?"

"If he can fake his identity, he can also be lying to our face. Better to be safe than sorry."

She was displeased by my nature, but as soon as I kissed her, she forgot about the issue.

"You two, don't disturb me in my surgery. And Peter, you can go."

Dr Hansen kicked us out, and the night passed.

Gwen's phone rang, and it was her Dad's.

"Oh shit! I didn't return home yesternight too!"

She put on her clothes, and left. And I sighed.

It was a good thing that he revealed his identity in the moment of joy of getting healed. I better don't take any chances.

I went to Dr Hansen's office in the underground facility, and she was taking medical reports of the patient.

"I have removed the Extremis implant from his brain, but some effects of it will still linger. Like, his paralysis and blindness is cured. And while he doesn't have the ability to produce blasts any more, his brain activity is faster than before.

I will need to observe him for a while to know any side-effects, but, you shouldn't have told me to remove the Extremis from him. I wanted to observe if the blasts could be controlled. We will need another test subject."

I sighed at Dr Hansen's frosty tone. Well, she cares about Extremis more than its consequences. If she had aligned herself with Killian in the OG, who was threatening the US government and was planning to assassinating the President, the possibility that she hasn't removed the implant from him completely isn't really zero.

"Dr Hansen, please do remember one thing. Your project also has the contributions of Tony Stark, my funding, and my girlfriend, Gwen completed it. If a wrong person gets his hands on it, the blame will also fall on us.

Are you sure that you have completely removed the Extremis from him?"

"Are you suspecting me!?"

"No. I just want to make sure that there aren't any bad accidents."

"What kind of accidents are good anyway?"

I put my hand on a sofa in the office, and lifted it easily with one hand, surprising her.

"Please check the patient one more time. Afterall, you have to do the same thing on my father as well. Put Extremis to heal him, and then remove it after it has healed him so that there aren't any accidents.

As for the blasting ability, I think we will need to test that somewhere remote."

I stared at her for a moment and then left.

But, I was secretly watching her from the ceiling, hiding in a blind spot from the CCTV.

She looked around after I left, and then, went to the operation room. After some hours, she came out, and sighed in relief.

As expected, she didn't really remove the Extremis from him huh.

Geez, I know that she has ambition, but can't she be a bit more patient?

Shortly after, the patient, Muhammad Yusuf woke up, and Dr Hansen explained the excuse that I told her to. And gave him my card.

Now, I have to keep an eye on this guy to make sure he isn't a spy or a terrorist, or connected to anyone like that.

I tailed him for the whole day, but he went straight to my office at the investment firm, only to be disappointed that I wasn't present there. Then, he went to watch a 3D movie since his vision has returned.

Seems like it was a false alarm. Well, my spider senses certainly didn't go off at that time or even now.

And, this treatment seems safe.

I smiled, and took a taxi to Dad's home. I am going to give him a very good news.