Control decides

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***

27 July, 2013. 11:00 am.

Peter Parker's flat.

Spider-Man.

The last few weeks I would describe as nothing less than, equalising.

Taking Raj's advice to heart, I set about tidying up.

Back home, after the Strange, Racer and Mephisto story, I relaxed in the arms of my girls.

We decided to all stay home together that day.

After Fey decided to take a sabbatical from all things Hardy Consolidated for another week, Mary was also busy planning how to integrate study, work and theatre into the circumstances of her pregnancy.

But all of that was after we'd relaxed: going on dates, walking around Central Park, checking out Felicia's penthouse downtown, even if Mary didn't understand why. And sex, of course. A lot of sex.

And so, after being mentally and physically relaxed for almost two days straight, completely oblivious to everything else, it was time to get back to business.

First of all, I went home to Queens and spent time with Aunt May, who had recently returned from the hospital. I'm sure she had a lot of fun, because it wasn't just one nephew she was getting support from, but all four of them, for May's return was as much a celebration for them as it was for me.

In the process, I picked up my genetic copies one by one and told them my plans for the future and the Web Warriors' involvement in them.

Cain's eyes lit up as he realised how much trust I was showing in him, and he agreed without question to replace me as an agent, or to solve all my problems for me. I handed him the Rukt suit and told him that from now on he would act as Agent Venom in the Shield if necessary. I thought that would be enough for the time being, and the clones weren't babies, they were Spider-Men in their own right.

Ben understood my idea, rejoiced at the information that MJ was pregnant, asked why we hadn't told the family about it yet, and, having received an exhaustive answer, calmed down. I asked him how he was doing on the love front, and, enjoying the sight of an embarrassed Raleigh, went to pester my sister.

Delia, on the other hand, was more surprised by the boys' behaviour. She took the information about my suspension from Spider business and teamwork calmly, though I felt some sadness from her, but when I told her that Mary Jane and I were going to have a baby, a storm erupted in her emotions: shock and disappointment mixed with guilt.

I made a note in my head to deal with it as soon as I had resolved the primary issues.

The next day I began my grand project, but before I started I had to go to the Baxter Building.

On the way to the lab, I ran into the entire FF, who, for the first time in my memory, were spending time together for a family film night. This was nothing short of a hint from the universe.

After wasting some of the Four's personal time, I explained that I was going on a little holiday, that I might be out of touch for a long time, and that the team would probably be able to get together with my brothers and sister more often than with me.

The FFs nodded, understood, and sat me down on the couch, encouraging me to spend more time with them.

Eh, still this team is more of a family and no other way.

Towards the end of the evening, I intercepted Reed as he was heading back to the lab for his Negative Zone portal experiment and explained the situation to him to get some unstable molecules on promotion. At my "joke" about magic, he laughed and without question allocated me the material I had yet to make a new suit out of.

Then I got to my lab and, with the help of a bunch of tentacles that Raj had organised for me, began to collect all the equipment I could use for the experiment. It was not much, it was compact enough, and, most importantly, it looked like it was designed to be carried by symbiotic tendrils.

Having slightly "frozen" access to my personal laboratory, I went home, where I turned my small chemical corner into a proud home laboratory. The equipment supply was somewhere on the level of Shield's labs.

There I began an experiment designed to crack the genetic code of Captain America's blood and gain access to the super-soldier's serum.

The challenges, of course, were just beginning. I examined Steve's blood sample, but there was nothing special about it, except for very good regenerative reactions and increased glucose uptake, which explained the regenerative functions of the cells.

But since I had Raj's confirmation that there was a secret, I kept digging.

For three days, practically without sleep, I ran the sample through all the devices, extracted in the computer the results of simulations of all possible genetic chains and, it seems, memorised the locations of all the antibodies.

During this time Maria got in touch with me and I rested from studying Cap's blood, switching to the results of my own samples.

The data left over from the Jackal was a great help to Crawford. She'd had an idea of what my blood was capable of before, but she'd never had evidence like the information Warren had recorded during his experiment before.

Eventually, Maria confirmed that my X-gene, after awakening and my rolling back the 'evolution' mode with the drug, had begun to rearrange itself. Not only had it gained a few extra strands, but it had embedded itself into my DNA, as if mimicrying all other human cells.

I could only find one analogy for such an action. For example, mutants like NEWT, Mystique and the like, when they mutate, their appearance changes or initially takes a certain form: flippers, scales, cat's eyes and so on. In my case, after the Spider-form was rolled back, the enhancement went inward rather than outward - organic web, increased strength, Stings.

But now also, due to the extreme conditions of the threat to my life, the Spider-Monster mode of transformation has awakened, slumbering somewhere inside until the right moment. Perhaps my training with Strange can help me learn how to activate it when I need it?

In any case, Maria's findings not only shed light on the changes in my own body, but also gave me ideas on how to finally advance my own research.

So much for my scientific giftedness. It was as if I'd had an epiphany, of course, the secret was that the super soldier formula had mimic Steve Rogers' standard DNA, amplifying it but not replacing it.

My hunch made me happy, and I started experimenting with renewed vigour, again without interrupting my sleep for another four days. It was good that the bedroom was well soundproofed and the girls slept peacefully without me disturbing them.

And finally the deed was done. I'd found the key components in the blood sample.

The only thing left to do was to structure the entire derivative of cells in the correct biological order, effectively reconstituting the serum.

While all the mechanical replenishment was handled by the devices and computers, and I was left to keep an eye out in case of any difficulties in the calculations, I set about making a new suit.

It had been a long time since I'd had access to unstable molecule fabric, but the main drawback was the process of making it, the cost and all, so all Reed had to do was store it in a warehouse. Good thing I got some of that gold too.

I had originally thought of creating a suit like the Spider from the Future Foundation, a kind of anti-symbiotic uniform, but that idea was discarded as the familiar red-and-black colours came back into my imagination. Now that the opportunity had arisen, it was time to plagiarise one of the best spider suit designs of all time, at least in the top 3.

It took a day to make my perfect costume, or I don't want to call it anything else, because it's hard to find a better material than unstable molecules. From the famous costume of Otto Octavius' excellent Spider-Man, my version of the uniform differed by the bluish tint of the black elements of the costume, and the grey lenses of the mask.

I transferred all the tricks of the past into this suit, including a technical upgrade of the mask, in which I not only built a communicator and a computer analysis system into the lenses, but also, remembering the conversation with Cap, built in a voice-altering vocoder and even an anti-gas filter.

The backpack with manipulators smoothly moved to his back, as did the improvements to the boots with the glider.

The new tech suit version 2.0. left me satisfied.

Now, hopefully, in the event of spontaneous mutation, unstable molecules will ensure the suit stays intact.

Finished with the uniform, I went back to the tech-generated serum code.

And for a second I just savoured the triumph of the recreated super soldier serum.

But there were still some very, very important little things to be done: the recreated formula had to be matched to Mary Jane's DNA and a trigger had to be found to activate it instead of the notorious vito-rays. It didn't feel right to irradiate my pregnant girlfriend, even if it was for business.

So I had to go back to my second option, which I was saving in case the super soldier serum didn't work out - creating a means of transferring my spider genes.

I only needed to take some of Jackal's data, then a little of Maria's research, combine it with my own knowledge, and in theory I was ready.

Take my own sample, cleanse it of the X-gene and the rest of the "faulty" elements, then stabilise it and voila, weakened spider abilities in their purest form. It's a good thing I'm so gifted in genetics, otherwise my bold experiments would have remained unrealisable fantasies.

In the end, after another week of infusing the serum, the two mixtures were in my hands. All that remained was to combine them and adjust them to Mary's DNA. Carrot didn't like needles, but I was able to draw some blood from her.

A day to combine my designs and I had Parker's serum matched to a specific DNA strand in my hands. Now we have to see if this cocktail works, and if it doesn't, if it won't cause any unwanted changes in Mary's system that will affect the baby.

It's good to have the best drug testing machine at hand.

"What do you think, Raj?"

"Your development is amazing, Bearer."

"Thank you, of course, but what about its primary purpose?"

"Congratulations, you've recreated the super soldier serum and enhanced it with code for your spider abilities, coming up with a working alternative to vito-rays for activation."

"Will it work?"

"Seventy per cent chance. And one hundred percent that there will be no ill effects on the body of your female and your offspring," the symbiote said confidently.

"Oh, how I wish that were true, brother."

"What do the sensations say?"

"Complete confidence of success," I share what I really feel.

"Then let's not let the doubts assert themselves!"

"Agreed," I respond to Raj's emotional speech with a smile.

Now it's just a matter of waiting for MJ to return with Felicia from Queens. The girls decided, while I was working on recreating the miracle serum, to visit the family back from Boston, and they had to, because Mrs Anna Watson had done the impossible: she'd brought Mary Jane's mother, who'd finally reconciled with her daughter. So it's fun out there now.

Now that I'm done, I think it's worth a little relaxation and flying. Test the suit out.

I put on my perfect uniform and, disguising the suit, go up to the roof.

In a few movements, I put on the mask and, in free fall, catch myself on the nearest wall of the building.

The process of my carefree flying is interrupted by a call, which is funny, redirected from my phone to the mask, which means that the caller needs Peter Parker.

- At the machine," I answer.

- PARKER WHERE IS THE UPDATE OF THE SITE, YOU PROMISED TO FINISH YESTERDAY?!?!?!? - came out of the phone the voice of angry Jonah.

Man, I told Ben to take care of it.

- I'm sorry, JJ, I'll get it done tomorrow, I'm going into the tunnel, bye," I said.

- PAR.

I'm dropping the call.

A lot of people would ask, Spidey, you're doing science, you're a promising scientist, you're a Shield agent, you're already on the payroll, you even have a share of the mafia's business, so why are you still wasting your time on a penniless job for a cheapskate Jameson, when you have a millionaire girlfriend? Are you a masochist?

I'll tell you. No. It's for the soul.

I'm too attached to Betty, Urich, Robbie, even JJ. I can't just close the Bogle chapter. Lots of fun memories.

I'm interrupted from my nostalgic musings by another call, only on the Spider Line.

- Attention," I activate the line again.

- Hello, Spider, how are you? - comes the distracted voice of Iron Man.

- Well, hello, futurist, good to hear from you. I've been busy for the last couple of weeks, you could say I took a little holiday to solve personal problems, and now I'm floating freely between skyscrapers. How are you?

- You're interesting. I'm calling to show off and at the same time I'm making final adjustments to the Iron Spider costume," Stark says, smiling.

- Already done? - I wonder.

- I'm wondering where I can go to present your backpack.

- Backpack?

- I thought that you hardly have a place to store a full armour like mine, so, having racked my brains, I designed the elements of your armour so that they could be folded into a standard backpack when not in use, and judging by your expressions, you're still a student, and such a feature will come in handy, - GMPF gave me the information.

- Oh, yeah? - I activate the mask's vocoder, - what do you say now?

- Did you get your big brother on the phone? - the brunet's snide remarks.

- Very funny, Stark," I roll my eyes. - But seriously, is it a good disguise?

- It's nothing like your normal voice, it's very deep and even harsh. Simply put, you sound brutal.

- Well, thank you.

- So where do you want me to drop the armour off?

That's a good question. Although I haven't given it much thought.

I got a little mischief on my mind.

- Listen, I'll text you an address in Brooklyn later and I'll meet you there, okay?

- Yeah, no problem, I'll be in touch.

- I'll be in touch, Tony. I'll finish the call.

We'll introduce the Freedom Guard and the Gun Man in advance.

Satisfied with my own idea, I decide to fly to Queens and see what's going on.

I shoot out a web, turning towards the Washington Bridge.

I'd teleport, but there's no hurry.

***

Peter Parker's flat.

Twenty minutes after the protagonist left.

There was the sound of a small rustle in the keyhole, and a minute later the door to the flat slid open.

A teenage figure appeared in the doorway.

- Jen, are you sure it's safe here? - The brown-eyed brown-haired boy said in a concentrated voice.

A low, robotic voice came from the boy's clothes.

- Yes, Benji, I'm sure. Your father left the building at least twenty minutes ago, and I've disabled all of his tracking systems, including the Spiderbots.

- Thank you, Jenny," Parker looked around the room.

I need to be sure of my conclusions.

***

Forty minutes later.

Queens.

Landing in one of the nooks and crannies of my favourite bedroom community, I change into civilian clothes.

The suit is a cannon: comfortable, stylish, high-tech, but no frills, just fabulous.

"I'm a genius! Genius! Genius!" - I'm broadcasting in my mind.

"Remembering cartoons again, Bearer?" - Raj asks ironically.

"Leave me alone, tentacle, I'm in a good mood!" - I reply with a smile. - "Besides, I'm going to be a father soon, and this is a second return to my childhood, so the great cartoon masterpieces will be revisited many times over."

"Yeah, childhood, with a ton of responsibility for offspring," the Clintarian Raj deftly parried.

"What is, is."

As we talk, I reach the house.

I climb the stairs and decide to go in without knocking.

The door turns out to be locked, but a personal key solves this little misunderstanding.

I go inside and even from the hallway I can hear happy discussions and laughter.

I carefully close the door and go on my way.

When I get to the living room, I see a wonderful picture: Aunt May, MJ, and Felicia are sitting on the couch, across from a trio of my clones, all gathered together. To the right on the chair is Anna Watson, and on the left side is all of MJ's family, Gail, Jason holding baby Timmy, and of course Madelyn Watson, my possible mother-in-law. Brrrrr...it's chilling.

But the room is idyllic, everyone is drinking tea, laughing, smiling, telling stories, and I'm sure the Watsons were shocked when they returned to find my new parents already there.

I lean against the jamb of the archway leading into the living room for a while and just enjoy the prenormal family picture, cloning aside. It's just my family and Carrot's family, even Mary and her mother are very warm after a quarrel, idyllic.

First of all my person, which is funny, Anna Watson notices.

- Peter, darling, you've come!

After the exclamation, everyone turns their heads in my direction.

- Hello, people," I wave with a slight smile.

- I was wondering where our fearless leader was," Ben jumped up to me, and we hugged brotherly.

Reilly was followed by the rest of the clones, but it was Delia who gave me the warmest greeting, and her look...I'd have to talk to her.

Now it was Carrot-top's kin's turn.

- Why didn't you tell me your brothers and sister were coming? - Jason asked as we clapped our hands together in a friendly gesture of greeting.

- It was a spontaneous move, but Mae was on top of things.

- Besides, we were in Boston, don't forget dear," Sister Mary spoke up, "Hi Pete.

- Hi Gail," I hugged the girl.

Everyone else decided to stay in their seats, the girls smiled at me and looked at me with glowing eyes, May and Anna just nodded complacently.

Only Madeline remained.

- 'Hello, Mrs Watson,' I greet MJ's mother a little nervously, stopping next to her chair.

The woman raises her eyes to me.

- Hello, Peter," she was silent for a while.

Everyone else was silent as well, watching our interaction.

The blonde rose from her chair.

- I think I owe you an apology for my behaviour," the woman's eyes were wistful, "the girls told me and..." Maedlin hugged me, "thank you, thank you for saving us from him," the matriarch of the Watson family added in a whisper.

I only hugged her back, albeit awkwardly.

The slightly depressed atmosphere was broken by Timmy's laughter, as he broke free from Gail's arms and held his hands out to me.

- Well, you haven't seen Peter in a while, have you? - Gail cooed lovingly over the baby, handing him to me, "Here you go, Uncle.

- Hello, Teamster," I said, tossing the laughing boy to and fro.

- You know, I thought your ability was because of your looks, but he's never been attracted to anyone in your family, even though you and Ben look alike," Jay scratched the back of his head, "What's the secret, Pete?

- The kids just like me, no magic," I winked at a slightly embarrassed MJ. - So what were you two discussing before my appearance interrupted you?

I asked, stepping back and standing between the couch and the chair, next to Mary Jane and her mother, respectively.

- Quite a big decision, actually," my aunt said.

- May I say something, May? - Madeline asked.

Auntie just nodded.

- Gail and Jason have decided to move to Boston with me.

- Really? - I looked at the Todd couple in surprise.

- We're very grateful to Aunt Anna for taking us in during this difficult time, but it's time for us to go back to our hometown and build our lives there," Gail took her husband's hand, "We always planned to live in Boston.

- That's right," Jay confirmed her words. - Besides, it's time for me to get my auto shop back.

- You have a body shop? - Fey joined the conversation.

- I've left it in the care of my friends, and they've been keeping an eye on it, giving me some of the income, but I still need to be there in person," the blond confirmed with a smile.

- So we're moving? - The young family nods at me. - What about your house? - I ask Miss Watson.

- I think I'll just move back home," Anna smiles.

- Or rather, we are," Aunt May adds.

- What?" I'm not the only one surprised this time, but everyone except May, Mrs Watson, and MJ's mother.

- But Aunt May, this is your house," Delia says.

- 'If it's because of us, we'll find lodgings,' added Cain.

- No, no, no, no, my darlings, this has nothing to do with you, though I'd be happy for you to stay, after all, this is your uncle's house, and yours, nephew," May gave Ben a sly look. - I don't want to leave my friend alone, as I understand perfectly well what it means to live in an empty house.

- So do you mean.... for a housewarming party soon? - Reilly awkwardly raised his cup of tea.

Everyone saluted him with their mugs, and Timmy and I just waved, which made everyone smile.

For a while the same atmosphere that had prevailed before my arrival returned, everyone was joking, laughing, just chatting.

After ten minutes, Carrot drew everyone's attention.

- Can I say something? - MJ coughed.

- Sure, honey, what is it? - May answered for everyone.

- 'Peter and I have some news,' the redhead stood up from the couch and walked over to me.

- Now? - I'm just asking.

Mary just nods.

I carefully hand Timmy to his grandmother and stand next to my girl, taking her hand and intertwining our fingers.

- Is something wrong? - Gail clarifies with a little more tension.

- Yes, something wonderful," MJ muttered smiling.

Carrot took a deep breath.

- I'm pregnant.

- What?" there was a shocked gasp from everyone who was unaware of the news.

- 'Yes, we're having a baby,' I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, smiling.

- Congratulations! - MJ's sister comes to her senses and throws herself at Mary's neck.

I also get my own hug.

- Oh, I'm so happy for you, darlings! - then May hugged us.

- And we always knew you were destined to start a family," Anna says.

- Pete, know that being a dad is awesome," Jason shakes my hand.

- Mary, my girl, congratulations," Madeline hugged her daughter.

Now the conversations were starting up again.

*

Six hours later.

The family's afternoon snack had quickly turned into a lingering holiday meal.

Ben, Cain, and Jason were about to run out for alcohol to celebrate the news of their nephew's arrival, but MJ rescued Fey and me and, using her acting skills to plead exhaustion, we hailed a taxi and headed home.

The car took us to the building that had become our home, I paid the driver and we went inside, using the lift to get to our floor.

- By the way, Carrot-top, why was your mum so nice to me? - I asked my green-eyed girl, having forgotten to ask this question earlier.

- It's nothing, Tiger, it's just that back in Boston, Gail told my mother what my father had done, and I just confirmed her sister's words," Mary said sadly.

Yeah, my hands still clench into hateful fists at the memory of Philip.

What kind of a bastard would rape his own daughter?

- The important thing is that we escaped before the evening got too crazy," Felicia said professionally, changing the subject. - And now we can spend the rest of the night together," Fey said, snuggling against Mary's other side and squeezing my bum.

- That's right," the redhead confirmed happily as the lift let us out on the right floor. - It's also a good thing you didn't get burned with your magic ring, Peter.

- Hey, I talked myself out of it as a rocker," I replied, opening the locked door.

- But Timmy almost grabbed it," Mary admonished as we walked inside.

- It was under control," I shut the door.

- I don't know about you lovers, but I could use a hot shower," Felicia said, stretching seductively, "Would you like to join me? - the girl said, her blue eyes sparkling.

- Maybe in the process," I winked at the blonde.

- Similar to Tiger's words, Kitten, - Carrot-top sits down tiredly on the sofa.

- As you know, the offer is open-ended," Fey waves her hand, going into the room to get a towel.

I walk over to Mary Jane and start massaging her.

- Tired?

- A little," the green-eyed girl replies with a groan of pleasure. - It's the second month and the pregnancy is starting to show.

- When can we find out the sex of the baby?

- Twentieth week," Mary looks up at me, "and do you want anyone in particular?

- Well, not really," I hug the girl, "it's our baby and it doesn't matter what sex it's going to be, right?

"You're lying, Bearer," the symbiote came out with its opinion at the wrong time.

- 'I'm glad, Tiger,' the redhead relaxed into my embrace with a smile.

"Say you want a son," the Clintarian continued to broadcast in my head.

"You don't have to, some thoughts shouldn't be spoken," MJ had yet to start getting emotional about my attitude or worse, transferring her family's situation to ours.

"If you don't say it, I will," the tentacle suddenly said.

"Are you out of your mind, worm? Stay in my mind and stay out of sight!" - The alien slime seemed to feel immortal.

"And I might take offence, I'm not a dog to follow commands," the alien exhaled unhappily. - "Well, don't forget to talk to your female about taking the serum."

Oh, that's right.

- Mary, there's something I need to discuss with you.

Before the redhead could reply, there was a slamming of the door.

- I'm going for a bath," Fey slipped into the bathroom.

- So what did you want to talk about? - MJ asked, laughing a little at our girl's antics.

- To be honest, I'm a little worried about your safety with the pregnancy, and in general," I said, my voice a little wary, caused by the flow of unpleasant thoughts.

- Pete, come on," Mary Jane takes my hand, "it's going to be okay, honey.

- I know," I calm down a little, looking into her emerald eyes, "but it wouldn't hurt to be safe, would it? - I clarify with a smile.

- And how? - Redhead is interested.

- That's the surprise," I get up and walk to my home laboratory. - I hope you are not afraid of the injection ...

My cheerful remark is interrupted.

The serum. It's gone.