Arc Six. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Six. Book Worm

Natasha curled up on the chair, lazing after he had taken her into his home and spent time fully satisfying her, letting her take a quick nap and then come out, looking for coffee and snacks. Peter shook his head, it was early and the barest hint of sunlight crept through the large windows. Most of the girls would still sleep for another hour but he was always a light sleeper, more so since his change. Boundless energy meant sleeping four or five hours was now normal for him and rather than complain he just adjusted and filled his days with more work.

"So, you off until the term starts or do you have a mission you can tell me about?" he asked Nat as she nursed her coffee,

"I'm in trouble for Stark. He's complaining we set him up, that with MJ and then your involvement with Pepper, that it was all faked to get to the drone." and Peter scowled and shook his head,

"Once Liv gets her hands on it it won't matter," Even if she had to build one from scratch she could after examining both the Iron Man suit and the Goblin armour, she had fabricated two extra harnesses with just the machines in the warehouse, she could build an Iron Man suit with her eyes closed. As he thought about the harnesses, he wondered if they should redesign them, allowing for the symbiote's power, without encasing it in a full suit, he added a mental note to get the metal analysed somehow. If it was as special as Erik said, it might make a tougher but lighter armour.

"I recognise that look, and whatever you've schemed, stow it for now. We'll handle Stark, he can't touch you or Liv now you work for Shield, and sure, I slept with him but really, it was disappointing and we can actually use that against him."

"Well, you're more than welcome here, but uh, it's going to be boring and messy, with a few months until term starts I'm going to work my ass off to get the place finished. We've got the cash and materials are easy enough, just need the muscle power." but Nat shrugged,

"I don't mind, I can help if you like?" and Peter nodded.

"Done much construction work? Wiring, plumbing?" and of course Nat shook her head,

"Then no, superpowers and power tools don't mix, I don't need you hammering a nail six inches into the concrete cause you forgot you're enhanced," and Nat laughed and sipped her coffee.

"Guess I'll just freeload then."

Peter snorted, it was a common theme in the warehouse, but as long as there was food, the bills were paid, and the taxman got his receipts at the start of the year then Peter didn't mind.

The pair talked until a sleepy quartet crawled their way from the various homes and Peter started breakfast. One advantage of enhancement, as well as the symbiotes, was no hangovers. The amount of alcohol needed would probably be too much to drink and as they stretched, yawned, and ate the group all got ready for their various days.

Each one, in turn, was hugged and kissed goodbye and lastly, Liv stood, apprehensive of her first full day at Shield. The lab environment was familiar enough but to be working again after so long was just strange, especially after her last job was less than voluntary.

"You'll be fine," Peter smiled and kissed her gently, "just be the badass we know you are," and she took a deep breath and nodded in affirmation.

"Right, just another job, no overbearing boss to deal with, thank you, dear," and she leant up and kissed his cheek. "Be home at five," and as Liv left it was just Peter and Nat in the warehouse.

"So, Fel and I usually tidied up, trained and then spent the day, uh doing stuff, so what's your plan?" but Natasha simply stood and let the shirt fall to the ground with a small grin on her face, smiling as Peter watched it fall to the floor,

"Right, straight to that then" and Peter pounced.

Across Town Liv was making her way through Shield security checkpoints when Agent Rumlow approached her, "Hey, lookin' good doc," he said with a smile, his cheerful personality infectious, and Liv smiled back,

"Good morning to you too Agent Rumlow," and he smirked and shook his head.

"Nah doc, not so good, so Brock or Crossbones. Agent Rumlow, it's too stiff, we're gonna be real close soon enough, so first name or nicknames,"

And Liv raised an eyebrow,

He laughed, "oh no, shit no doc. I uh, I'm the pilot for the armour. So uh, we'll be workin' together from now on," and Liv shook her head.

"Crossbones?" and he rubbed the back of his head,

"You know, pilots get a call sign, that's uh mine, like on the flag." and Liv nodded,

"The pirate flag you mean?" and he laughed.

"Well doc, we all gotta like something right? Some kids it dinosaurs, some kids it's uh ninjas, me, I always liked pirates what about you eh?"

"Robots, Brock. Most definitely robots." and as she lifted her security pass to gain entry to the lab, Brock showed his to the guard and held the door open for her.

"So, you're in charge but I need to be here to get briefed on each step of the dismantling. If I'm the pilot I gotta know what systems might be difficult, plus we need to get me up to speed on operations and any technical problems I might find in the field."

Liv cast an eye over the armour and then at Brock, "we might have a singular problem right now Brock, can you stand next to the armour?" and as he stood she lifted her hands and compared them. "Hmm. If the armour doesn't have a resizing option I'm afraid Brock you might be out of luck." and he looked at her and one of the other techs,

"Can you please get me a full list of Mr Rumlows physical measurements, and I mean all, we don't want a plate clamping shut on something he might need," and Brock frowned,

"You mean?" and Liv nodded,

"I'm afraid so Brock. While very impressive, your rather full figure might be too big for the armour, Tony Stark is no special agent,"

Brock laughed, "you mean I'm too muscular to fit?" and shaking his head, "well, that's a first, but what with the measuring." and it was Livs turn to laugh,

"See that plate there," and she used a pen to point at the groinal plate and he nodded. "Well, if you're rather ample in that department you don't really want that to clamp shut too tightly do you?" and as the realisation dawned on Brock, he laughed even harder,

"I don't think Stark will hand out that measurement doc, but sure, we can do a complete scan. Better safe than singin' soprano, yeah?" Brock turned to one of the lab technicians currently cataloguing the ammo they had removed from the weapon systems, "yeah, get the imager over, we need a full-body scan of me and the suit's interior, anything else doc? Might as well if we need to pause." but Liv thought for a moment but shook her head,

"It might be worth taking the internal weapon systems out first while we scan you. That way if the armour is large enough without them we can use exterior weapons systems instead. Bulkier and a bit more intimidating but maybe worth it," she tapped the pen in her lips as she spoke, "yes, keep working while we set the scanner up, we'll do the armour after."

"Sure doc," and Rumlow walked off with the tech to set up a 3D imager while Liv stared at a diagnostic tablet of the suits systems.

While she could see the comparison to the Goblin suit, Stark had really outdone himself, it was comparing a Model T Ford to a fighter jet. The basic principles were the same but really nothing else was. Even the arc reactor fitted to the drones chest plate was an improvement of her design and she swore, cursing Norman and Harry for depriving her of her most informative years. Rather than working on her own projects, she was stuck under their thumb, wasting her talent. As she sighed she tapped several of the controls on the tablet and shoulder and leg-mounted micro missile launchers slid out.

Looking over the table she found the tool she was looking for, and with a look of stern determination began to disassemble the weapons systems. Thankfully Tony had been insightful enough the weapon systems were modular, sliding in and out once a restraining bolt had been removed. Once their control wires had been photographed, catalogued and then carefully unsoldered, the two shoulder-mounted launchers and the two circular thigh launchers were sat on a table,

As Liv stood staring at them a bare chest Rumlow walked back into the lab, carrying a t-shirt, "so, whatcha thinking doc?" Liv turned and cast an eye over Rumlow, his chest was thick with muscles and while she appreciated the hard work the man had put into his physique, it was nothing compared to Peter,

"Hmm, that red and gold are gaudy, and really, we should either go for a dark camo green or copy the standard agent armour colours and go for dark grey and black. But I won't be the one wearing it, so I guess that might be up to you." and as Rumlow paused before sliding the T-shirt over his head,

"Well doc I wanted to call it the Crossbones but got voted down by Fury, so it'll be War Machine," and Liv rolled her eyes,

"So black and grey it is then, given the Director's lack of imagination. Yes, once we have the top layer of armour off, send it for stripping and respraying won't you." Liv stared at the reactor again. "We can't use the Stark tech for the chest reactor and the whole operating system will need to be purged before we even think of letting any kind of power into the systems, who knows what traps and tricks are buried within the armour."

"Uh Doc, we had it on already, and nothing happened, it was fine," Rumlow said as Liv lifted a tablet, freezing as he spoke,

"Shut everything down now, all electronics, tablets, phones, watches, any smart device capable of interfacing with a network, personal or otherwise." and everyone froze but stared at Rumlow.

"I'm in charge, my arse. Do it," and he shrugged,

"You heard the lady," and the lab became a hive of activity.

"So, want to explain before we get a security team here and activate cleanroom protocols,"

"The armour contains a sophisticated operating system, capable of interfacing and infecting any system you tied to it. Any system Brock, including the Shield servers that you are all currently using for your internet access. I mean, who was stupid enough to allow an unknown electronic into an unsecured lab? Please tell me the network in here is isolated and running on a private server and not just behind a firewall. If Tony left any kind of trojan horse or worm in there it could be all over the system by now, Stark could have access to all of Shields files." and taking a step back Brock put his hands on his hips,

"Really?" and Liv nodded, "Fuck. Right cleanroom protocols are now in effect. Sorry doc, we ain't going home for a while." and as he walked over to the door he hit a big red button surrounded by black and yellow warning tape. As he hit the button the lights dimmed, the doors locked and everything powered down.

"Right, you heard the lady, devices, all of 'em. We do a clean wipe, reinstall of personal items and a shutdown and dismantle of our own servers, with no hardware left unsecured. We've got a long day ahead of us people, so let's get it done and let's do it right. Sorry, Doc, you too, phone, watch, anything that can be compromised, I need to take them all," and Liv fished in her pocket and handed over her phone,

"Glad to be back?" Rumlow asked her and as Liv scowled he laughed, "good thing the coffee machines one of those crappy filter types, or we'd be drinking vending machine and believe me doc, Shields budget is great if you want a decent gun, but coffee, you'd be better drinking your own piss," and as Liv snorted, he laughed.