Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

Arc Fifteen. Chapter Four Hundred Forty-One. The Show Must Go On



“I'm afraid, Peter, that today isn't going to go the way you expect either,” the young man said as he grinned at Peter.

Standing before Peter was a quite young and handsome man. His thick brown hair hid a quiet cheeky-looking grin but it was his stare. He seemed to be looking right through you. As the young man walked up to him and stuck out his hand for Peter to shake he got the feeling that he knew him.

“Oh come now, Peter. You think you’re the only one with secrets?” The man said as he felt a familiar mind touch his own.

Charles?

As the man smiled and laughed,  he winked as Peter was about to admonish him.

We all have our secrets, Peter, let's not share them in public, shall we?

Sighing, Peter nodded and sat back.

“You see, Senator Malik, you started a fight that you were sure you were going to win. We’d been too careful. Too well hidden, and the true nature of our powers was forgotten.” As Malik opened his mouth Charles raised a hand, “No, I don't think so. In fact, nobody is allowed to speak or move unless I say so.”

The room froze.

“You were made to forget. You were made to forget that we ‘mutants’ as you like to label us, are varied, as are all people. Some have minor powers and can barely move a bottle cap, but some of us. Some of us are so strong we merely need to breathe to make ourselves known.”

Charles lifted a hand and pointed at Gideon Malik, who stood. “I am a Hydra Agent. I was inducted into the order by Alexander Pierce. Modok is my current handler and I control a cabal of twenty agents who are under the influence of a collar. To escape prosecution, I have killed four men, including my own secretary. In my office, behind a locked wall safe, is a hidden server. On it are all my current files concerning Hydra operations. These include a list of associates and businesses that are fronts for Hydra. The passcode is One Head.”

Charles smiled. “See? That wasn't so hard, was it? And I must say, I am going easy on you.” As Charles turned, “Peter, I need a favour. Pietro was seriously injured, and we could really use your help.”

“Uh sure, I-“ 

But Charles shook his head,  “No I don't need help with Erik. Your limb system, I would like to have a system made for Pietro. Erik is,” Charles sighed, ''Erik is not taking it very well. But let's deal with this mess shall we?”

Charles sat on the edge of the desk.

“You see. This young man was once told something. With great power comes great responsibility. A very wise and astute saying. But, when that is power abused, it is the duty of those with an equal or greater power to correct their mistake." Charles stood. "You hurt my friend's son. You killed several good people with your machines." Peter could feel the waves of anger rolling from him, and judging by the faces of everyone in the court, so could they. He took a moment and closed his eyes, calming himself. "So now, we Augments are going to show you just how much power we really have.”

Charles clicked the remote for the television and it connected to another camera.

“Say hello to our new community. Genosha was hidden, and yet you found us, my school is hidden, and yet you found us. We went bigger. There is nowhere on Earth safe from you power-hungry dictators. So we picked somewhere else.” Charles smiled. “Did you know the moon once shared an electromagnetic field with the Earth? It is fascinating stuff. You see, I was once given a piece of advice, well, my friend was. Read a book, and he and I both did. We had become complacent, become so entrenched that our way was right we forgot that time moves on. So we read, and we do have a lot to share with the world, the main thing being a safe haven for Augment kind. A place so safe in fact, that nobody but Augments can get here.” 

As the camera view changed a bright green and blue globe appeared on the screen.

“Erik wanted to call it Asteroid M, but really, even I’m not that crass.  So, a safe haven for all Augment kind, Avalon.” 

Peter frowned, but still had a small grin, “Really? Avalon. So are you King Arthur or Guinevere?” 

Charles laughed, “I think Erik looks better in a dress, to be honest.”

And the new you?

We took Shaw's research and applied it to heal Erik's eyes and my spine. Don't worry, this isn't one of the technologies we plan on sharing. But I am serious, Pietro cannot be healed this way. Not every power can be copied, and not every person can be cloned successfully.

Charles stood once more. “We will be in talks with every government, and we will be polite to those who reciprocate, but let me be clear. This kind of abuse will not stand. This treatment of my people, of Augment and Enhanced. Will. Not. Stand!”

Peter put a hand on Charles’s shoulder. “I get it, but you also told me not to be an ass, and uh, a lot of people here are terrified, not the point you should be making.”

Charles patted Peter's hand. “No, it's not. That point was for Gideon Malik. He will either face a proper court or we will make sure that this incident is never repeated. Hydra will face justice for the harm it has caused humanity, not just Augments. Our species may be different, but we can coexist peacefully and we have several ideas on how to achieve that. But violence never solved anything. As you should be aware of Peter.”

Peter just shrugged. It was his experience that violence solved most things. 

“Every Augment will be identified, on that we agree. With a simple genetic test, we can identify and protect every Augment born from now on. You will get your database, but we will control it. You will get your registration act but it will be for our benefit. We will put laws in place ourselves. Global laws that one nation shall not stand above any other, and our kind may seek sanctuary from yours. Any attempt to break these laws, or persecute Augments will be dealt with. We have no tolerance for those who would experiment or torture our people for their own selfish gain. And, be aware, there are Augments with powers far greater than mine and much less patience."

Peter had to resist laughing, as Charles had just proved his point. Behave or we won't be talking next time.

Charles stood and adjusted his cuffs once more. “It was a pleasure Peter, oh and I think Jean wishes to see you. I had to stop her from leaving, as we were not ready to reveal ourselves.” He pursed his lips. “She has been upset with me, as you can imagine. I would consider it a personal favour if you could calm her down, maybe before she destroys something.” 

Peter chuckled to himself and shook his head, “I’ll head there next,” he said with a smile.

“Good, good. Gentleman, Ladies. I will be in touch with President Ellis. Until then.” The room seemed to blink, and Charles vanished. Peter watched him leave, easily walking past the frozen security. 

As his powers faded, and the room took a collective breath, the cacophony of questions and anger began. Aimed at the man who had already left, but also at Peter, who he now realised shouldn't have stayed.

As Malik banged the sound block he tried to shout over the angry crowd.

Yeah, I think you should have run, Peter told him, this doesn't end well for you.

Malik glared at Peter but he pointed to the Assembly Hall doors. The two security guards were receiving orders from another Senator. They had begun to unholster their guns, and as one pointed at Senator Malik, he paled and began to rise.

No, I don’t think so, Peter applied mental pressure on the man, forcing him to sit back down. I agree with Charles. You set this up. You are responsible for those deaths, and really, I’d turn your brain into pudding, but, someone has to take the blame. I just don't think you imagined it was going to be you.

The room went into lockdown, as more guards were called. Eventually, Gideon Malik, cursing about mutant filth, was taken away in handcuffs. Peter knew if he was slippery enough they would cut some kind of deal, but his political career was over at least. Once they got into his safe, he was done.

The courtroom had erupted in a cacophony of shouting questions and threats. Charles had made his point, a little too well mused Peter. Everyone in the room was shaken. An Augment with the ability to control people was what the law was supposed to protect them against. While Charles had proven that the law was ultimately flawed, he just proved it was needed.

Peter could hear the questions being shouted at him and moved to one side as a can of soda was thrown at him.

“Quiet!” He roared. He closed his eyes and sighed. As he looked down he also realised that Charles had left two things. One was an envelope and the other was this giant mess. A mess that was now being directed at Peter.

“If I may Senators. With the Augments taking over negotiations with the president isn’t this a bit.” He shrugged. “Pointless?”

“Mr Parker, there is still some confusion as to your Enhanced identity. There are conflicting reports that you actually have several identities. It is part of this investigation that we find out if you are the criminal known as Venom.”

“I'm afraid that goes beyond the scope of the investigation." Matt stood, "Mister Parker's powers and alter ego are both listed in the Shield database. The Director of Shield has issued a statement that Mister Parker is not Venom. This is a witchhunt, and I am advising my client to be silent."

"I can assume that you are going to deny all of these accusations?" The Senator who replaced Mailk asked.

"My client is here to account for his actions over the rogue Sentinel program, nothing more. Senator Malik is now a known Hydra agent, and as such is biased. My client is not on trial."

The Senator looked at the others, who shrugged. “It is the finding of this committee that Peter Parker is cleared of all wrongdoings. That his identity be kept secret and that there is no connection to the villain known as Venom. You are quite correct Mister Murdock. Hearsay and rumour do not constitute evidence or proof of guilt.”

As he smiled and stood, he knew it was over. He slid the envelope into his pocket, and with Matt exited the building.

The Senate was still to debate the new revisions to ARCA, but this time with input from various groups. No one would be left out this time, and Peter knew it would be Gwen who would have to face that round of debates.

He patted Matt on the back, shook his hand, then hailed a cab. Everyone was waiting for him back at the warehouse, and he really wanted to shower.

As the group sat patiently Peter took a breath. "It worked. Matt's ace was Charles, who apparently stole Shaw's cloning tech and is not twenty-ish." He had trumped Peter’s ace, the updated X-Gene scanner, but it had all worked out in the end.

Liv raised an eyebrow, "Really? So we can assume this technology won't be shared?"

Peter shook his head, "Nope, he said it doesn't always work."

"Well, that's a pity, I mean, who wouldn't want to be twenty," she said slightly annoyed. Charles was a theoretical geneticist and had no experience with modern cloning techniques. Liv figured if she could get her hands on it, she could make it work.

"Uh, Liv. no offence but you might not be physically twenty, but Octave makes you look twenty," Gwen added. "Plus, cloning is confusing. Are you the clone or the original? And are you really Liv or just someone who thinks they're Liv? Just," Gwen laughed, "Just take it that Pete really doesn't care how old you are, and has the bite marks to prove it."

“That is uh, very true,“ Peter said. He leaned back in his chair, mentally exhausted from the day. "I think I want a swim, but kinda hungry. So, food?”

It started with Gwen, who gave MJ a look, who then smirked at Natasha. Natasha reached behind her and unclipped her bra and then threw it at Peter. Liv followed by shimming her skirt off and with one foot, flipped her panties at him. Carol undid her pants but wasn't wearing anything underneath, and neither was Felicia. Hexen slid away from Wanda, Talon copied and both women were naked. "No," Wanda said as she turned. There was no way she didn't know what she was doing as her hips swayed as she walked towards the bathhouse, "Food after."

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