Arc Six. Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Eight. A Shield To Hide Your Fury

Clint broke the silence, "yeah, that's great and all, but you know, my hand?" and sucked the last of the shake from the glass, making a slurping noise as he chased it around the bottom of the glass.

Gwen signed, "Of Course Clint, but Curt will be doing your injections, and yours too Agent Fury and Coulson. The girls will be done by me, and don't need to explain why do I?" and while Fury shook his head, the others looked confused,

Gwen sighed with exasperation, "You know, the whole spy bit gets tiresome when you don't explain anything. The formula makes you sick, removes dead tissue and then forcefully expels it. It's different for everyone but a change of clothing and a bathroom are in someone's future." she specifically looked over at Phil, who was a seemingly big fan of not sticking to a diet.

"What? I run," he said, unconvincingly as he ran a hand over his stomach, "I do," as Mariah raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Regardless, if you don't want the boys to see you, then we're doing this separately. Liv has conveniently taken a trip out to clear her head, so boys upstairs and girls down in the shower room."

With the groups separated Peter and Gwen spent the rest of the day treating and enhancing Fury's group of agents. The enhancement process had become second nature to them, having done the group themselves before. Fury suddenly held a hand over his eye, as pain shot through him.

"Motherfucker" he swore as Peter held his eye open,

"Yeah, whatever did this isn't healing with the formula, what was it some kind of poison?" and Fury nodded,

"Yeah, an alien asshole cut me, and it never healed right."

"Not a doctor but I'm guessing whatever they did won't ever heal, sorry Nick but it's the eye patch for you." and leaning over the table Peter handed to him.

Snatching it and sliding it over his head, "So much for the miracle formula. Speaking of which," and Fury motioned over the Clint, who was still missing a hand,

"Yeah, You never told him he would have to remain enhanced to keep it. Only Curts Lizard formula will regrow a whole limb, the Stacy formula doesn't mutate an individual to that degree." As Fury looked over at Clint, he did see the disappointment on the mans face, "So what? Nothing?" and Gwen shook her head.

"We can use him as a test subject for the new CLS, but it's a whole lot of paperwork and a whole lot of conversations. Nothing we can do in an afternoon."

"I bet Laura will be disappointed," Fury smirked, and Clint shook his head.

"A real man doesn't need a hand, Nick," and Peter shook his head. He guessed that as head of Shield, Nick held power, and once you weren't a part of that structure anymore, the effect faded. Clint teasing Fury while the others hid their smiles brought some joy to Peter, knowing he wasn't as full of bluster as he presented.

"Thing is, right now what are you going to do about the accords?" Peter asked but Fury shook his head,

"You don't need to know that, stick with your own mission and leave me to my team," but Fury took out a card, with his own name, scowling photo, and Fists of Fury printed on it.

"Oh no," Sharon said, "we are not being called the Fists of Fury, change it," and Fury shook his head,

"Can't, non-refundable deposit on the team." and Sharon tilted her head as she scowled,

"Then I quit, Agents of Fury was bad enough. You and your damn names, but Fists of Fury, no, not a chance in hell." but Peter held a finger up to his lips and they all quietened down, Staring at him confused,

"You know Doc, it ain't that difficult.'' and as they strained, they could hear Rumlow talking to Liv in the warehouse.

Peter motioned to the group and pointed up, slipping into his armour and extending an arm up and into the hidden hatch mechanism. When he rebuilt the roof he made sure the hatchway was still secure and led into one of his labs. He didn't want Felicia or the others to drop in on him unannounced after a night hunting. The group silently waited as he opened it and thankfully it didn't squeak as he gently lowered it. He pointed to Sharon, and then knelt down, cupping his hand and she nodded. One by one they were given a boost up and onto the roof.

Fury shook his head as he stuck a boot into Peter's hands and he was lifted out of the warehouse and onto the roof, "Well, now we know how you got in and out without our agents spotting you," and Peter shrugged,

As Fury crawled over to the edge, he took out a small mirror from his coat and lifted it over the edge, holding up two fingers and then he crawled back to the group.

"Two cars, meaning at least 6 agents, you don't happen to have a sewer escape route do you?" but Peter shook his head.

"I can swing up, never needed one before, plus, it would be in the bottom of the warehouse, and the meeting table is there, we'd never get to it."

Peter thought for a moment, "Distraction." and took out his phone, "Uh hey, can I ask a favour, and I know, but Fury's good for it?" and after a brief pause, "can you send at least 4 girls to the warehouse, hey, pst, what colour and make were the cars," and after describing the stereotypical black sedan, Peter relayed the information to Felicia.

"Right, give it 20 minutes and some streetwalkers are going to come over and distract them. I can shoot out lines and each of you can either go up or down, your choice. Nick and Clint, down would probably be better, as uh, no strength for the swing."

"We can swing around back, and make it look like we're here on business." Nick said, crouching lo "take Sharon, Mariah and Clint, I know you're strong enough to carry him, the hand is a dead giveaway. Coulson with me, we can be here on business. I did hear that Dr Octavious told Agent Sitwell to shove himself somewhere painful, it's not unreasonable we'd be here."

Peter thought for a moment and nodded, "I can still hear them, Liv's arguing about the lack of leadership, so we've got time." Peter crouched over to the wall and listened out, "our lady friends are here, get ready," and shooting out two web lines to the water tower, shot out two more to the taller building a bit away, "swing from the tower to get momentum and then swap to the other for the ride, don't drop them, and don't fall. Enhanced doesn't mean indestructible, plus one of you will have Clint."

"I'll take him,'' Mariah volunteered, "what? Laura knows me, and she won't pitch a fit if I manhandling her husband," and Clint shrugged,

"Just don't drop me," and she frowned and shrugged.

"We'll see," laughing and shaking his head he grabbed onto her as she lifted him effortlessly, taking two of the web lines from Peter and began to climb the tower.

Peter watched the trio swing away while Fury and Coulson climbed down another web line at the back of the warehouse and quickly ran across the street to avoid detection. As Peter listened he could hear the agents in the cars forcefully telling the girls to leave and made a mental note to thank them later, and Liv was still arguing with Rumlow downstairs in the warehouse.

With nothing else to do, he lowered himself and quietly closed the hatch. As Liv's voice grew louder, he knew that was his cue to make an appearance, and as he stared down the walkway to the table, Rumlow and Liv both stopped speaking.

"Hey, I get things are stressful but no yelling please," he asked as he grabbed a cup and poured himself coms coffee, "so, no deal then?" and Rumlow smiled and shook his head, rubbing the back of his head with hand, while Liv huffed and crossed her arms,

"Brock here was explaining to me that while I am a great scientist I am not a Shield agent and therefore I'm not in charge." and Peter frowned but shrugged,

"Seems reasonable. So what's the issue?" and Liv moved over and jabbed him with a finger,

"Because I need to know my orders are being followed and not ignored until someone okays them. Peter, of all people I thought you would understand." and shaking her head she stormed off and slammed the door to her home, leaving Rumlow and Peter alone,

"Uh, well, I guess that's that then huh?" Rumlow said, "uh, you think she'll come round?" and Peter nodded,

"Her last boss was a real dick, just be patient and yeah, she will."

Rumlow snorted, "yeah, we know about Osborn, but I really mean that. Will she be okay? Work is work, but uh I dunno, seems a bit personal, you know?"

Peter half shrugged, "I'll speak to her, uh, I'll see you at training, so I can let you know, but once she cools off, she'll be fine." and it was Brocks turn to shrug,

"Well, thanks for the coffee but uh I gotta go, while Liv is great, the armour doesn't pilot itself and I hear Sitwell is making my guy's lives hell." As he sat down his cup the door buzzer went and Fury and Coulson made an appearance, "yeah, definitely time to go, my boss and Fury don't see eye to uh, they don't agree." and Peter tried not to laugh,

Hitting the door buzzer Brock simply nodded at Fury as he brushed past them, and after the door was closed Fury took out a small device and waved it around, "clear."

"We'll stay for a few minutes, give the impression that we're only here on business and then split. Hill and Carter should have gotten away, and once everything calms down you can come back to Shield HQ."

Peter nodded and sat quietly as Fury checked his watch, "long enough, work, tomorrow, no slacking, oh and good job with Flash." and Peter was left alone in the warehouse as they left.

Yeah, think they bought it? He asked Liv.

I have no idea, but if they didn't it won't make a difference, they either suspect or they don't, and with Brock conveniently meeting me while I was out, I do suspect my phone is a tracker at least. Liv was still in her home, lying on her bed with a pillow over her face.

It's all we can do though, this works or it doesn't and we plan for either scenario.

I don't like it though, lying to Fury, don't you think he'll be mad?

A con only works if the target doesn't know it's a target, that's what Nat said.

I'm pretty sure she worded it better than that dear, but I know what you mean. Just, please, with everything remember I love you, no matter what happens.

Peter knew that Brock being friendly might be an excuse to get Liv further on their side, but flirting and being friendly would strain their relationship. Peter knew that and understood, it was painful to know but if they could nail the rat bastards then it was worth it. Of course, Liv had also promised a night of the filthiest dirtiest sex Peter could think of to make sure he knew just how much she loved him, and that had sealed the deal.

As Liv and Peter continued their discussion Rumlow sat with a hand on his chin, staring out the car window as he and an agent made their way back to Shield HQ, "think they know?" and Rumlow shook his head,

"Nah, with what Liv told us, we got Fury and the others leaving. Parkers no good, neither's Nat, but Flash and Liv? I think I can get them on side."

The other agent snorted, "who'da thought Venom was such a pussy, must be all the fuckin women he's banging, makes you soft."

Rumlow laughed, that was something else he was going to do, make sure he got a good woman like Liv away from such a fucking philandering douchebag as Parker.