36 Fuller Place, Queens, Brooklyn, New York City
The next morning, I waited outside Peter's house, leaning against my car. As I watched him approach. I could already see he had changed his posture more upright, and there was a alertness in his eyes definitely due to spider sense. His powers must have awakened by now.
Time to begin the act.
As Peter came closer, I greeted him with a nod, observing his movements carefully.
Marcus: "Morning, Peter. You seem... different today."
Peter paused, his brow furrowing slightly, surprised by my observation.
Peter: "What do you mean?"
I pulled out a handheld device from my pocket, its a screen with data.
Marcus: "This is a prototype scanner for detecting genetic mutation. It's designed to identify mutants, though it's still in its trial phase."
Peter's eyes widened, a mix of surprise and uncertainty crossing his face. He stood still, watching as I waved the scanner near him. The device beeped softly, flashing a series of data.
Marcus (frowning thoughtfully): "Hmm... interesting. The results aren't conclusive, but this indicates you might have some kind of mutation."
Peter's expression shifted. It was fear, but also a flicker of understanding, as though something inside him clicked.
Marcus: 'He must be thinking he became a mutant because of his power now.'
Peter: "A mutation? Like... being a mutant?"
I nodded slowly, giving him a moment to process.
Marcus: "Possibly. The scanner's not 100% accurate yet, but it's detecting something... unusual. Whether it's related to an X-gene or something else entirely, I can't say for sure. But your recent changes, your changes they could be tied to this."
Peter stared at the device, a mix of curiosity and concern on his face.
Peter: "What exactly is this scanner? How does it work?"
I shrugged, playing it off casually.
Marcus: "It's a trial product I've been developing. It's designed to detect genetic anomalies specifically those associated with mutants. But as I said, it's still not perfect. I am working on improving its accuracy."
I am not actually lying since I am making for a device to locate the mutants. So, if there is a threat like Apocalypse comes to rule the world, Magneto wanting to transform every human into Mutants, etc. More importantly to locate strong mutants and keep watch from far. Unlike Fury I don't want to control everything. I just want to keep Earth safe. If possible I may transfer them to other world like Transformers and any other suitable world.
Marcus: "Look Peter I know you have lot of questions about your parents, about what's happening to you. And I'm willing to tell you everything you want to know. But first, I need to do a full-body scan. It'll help us figure out exactly what's going on with you."
Peter hesitated, clearly torn. He had every right to be cautious, but I knew his curiosity was going to get the better of him.
Peter: "A full-body scan? What does that involve?"
Marcus: "It's harmless. Just a more detailed analysis than what this handheld scanner can provide. It'll give us clearer answers about what's changed in you. If you are not comfortable then I inform your Uncle and Aunt."
Peter bit his lip, thinking it over. He wasn't the type to blindly trust people, but he won't want involve his Uncle and Aunt that is for sure.
And after a long pause, he nodded.
Peter: "No, Need to inform them. Alright, Let's do the scan."
Marcus: "Alright. Come with me, then. I'll take you to our facility, and we'll get this started."
I opened the car door for him, and after another brief moment of hesitation, Peter got in. As we drove off. Soon, I would have a clearer picture of his potential.
Peter's POV
The ride to Marcus's mansion had been silent, but the atmosphere shifted once we entered his massive estate. The high-tech security, and the sprawling grounds all of it screamed rich.
When Marcus led me through the mansion, it felt like I was stepping into another world. The deeper we went, the more high-tech and secretive everything became. Eventually, we reached his personal lab, and that's when the real surprises started.
The lab was massive, filled with devices and technology that I'd never seen before. Monitors covered the walls, each displaying various streams of data. There were machines, scanners, and medical equipment that looked like something straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Marcus: "This is where we'll run the tests Peter. I assure you. Everything here is safe."
I nodded, still taking in the sheer scale of his lab. He guided me toward a central scanner a large, circular platform with glowing lights embedded in the floor. It looked like something built for a full-body scan.
Marcus: "Step onto the platform. This is a special scanner I've developed. It's designed to analyze genetic markers, specifically for X-genes, but it can detect much more than that."
I hesitated for a moment, but then stepped onto the platform. The lights flared up around me, and I could feel the machine hum as it powered on. Marcus began tapping commands on a nearby console.
Marcus: "This will only take a few minutes. Just relax."
The lights around me scanned up and down my body, and I could feel a strange sensation, like a low-frequency vibration pulsing through me. After a few minutes, the scan finished, and the platform powered down. Marcus stared at the results on his console.
Marcus: "Interesting..."
Peter: "What did you find? Am I... a mutant?"
He looked up, a slight smile on his face.
Marcus: "No, you're not a mutant. You're still fully human. But something has changed. Your DNA has been altered, and it's not from an X-gene. It seems the spider genes have integrated with your DNA, giving you spider-like abilities."
Spider genes? That sounded insane.
Peter: "Spider genes? How is that even possible?"
Marcus leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms thoughtfully.
Marcus: "The data suggests that the spider's DNA has somehow bonded with your own. You've essentially gained the traits of a spider—enhanced strength, agility, reflexes, and possibly more. But the most puzzling thing is how it happened. Did you take something from Oscorp like a serum or came in contact with anything related to spider."
I felt a chill run down my spine. I hadn't told Marcus about Oscorp.
Peter: "I didn't take anything from Oscorp. No serums, no specimens. I just... I was there on a tour, and I got bit by a spider. One of their genetically modified ones."
Marcus raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Marcus: "A spider bite? That makes sense. Your father, Richard Parker, worked on those spiders. He must have designed them with his own genetic markers that could bond with his DNA. But why would he do that?"
I was still trying to wrap my head around everything, but one thing gnawed at me.
Peter: "Is there going to be a problem with me? I mean... this can't be normal."
Marcus shook his head reassuringly.
Marcus: "For now, everything seems stable. You're not in any immediate danger. But I'd like to run a few more tests over time, just to make sure there are no adverse effects. Genetic integration like this can be unpredictable, but so far, you're showing no signs of rejection."
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
Marcus: "Unfortunately, I have some pressing matters to attend to right now. But don't worry, I haven't forgotten about your parents and Curt Connors. Everything I have on them is with Athena."
Peter: "Athena? Who's that?"
Marcus smiled knowingly. A holographic projection of a woman appeared beside him, her form seemed digitized.
Marcus: "Meet Athena my AI assistant. She manages a lot of my data and operations. She can provide you with all the information you're looking for."
Athena turned to me, her voice calm and smooth.
Athena: "Hello, Peter. I've compiled all available data on your parent and their research, as well as Dr. Connors that I could collect is here."
I stared at the hologram, still amazed by everything I was seeing. Marcus really was on another level.
Peter: "This... this is incredible."
Marcus: "You'll find Athena very capable. I'll leave you two to go over the information for now. But remember, Peter, I'll be checking in on you regularly. We need to ensure everything stays stable."
I nodded, grateful for everything Marcus was doing to help.
Peter: "Thank you, Marcus. I really appreciate it."
Marcus: "Don't mention it. Just focus on your new powers and to talk Athena if something weird happens to you."
With that, Marcus turned and left the lab, leaving me alone with Athena. I had come looking for answers, and I had found of my parents, Oscorp, and now my own powers all of it was coming together.