Arc Five. Chapter One Hundred Forty-Seven. Seeing Red

Liv was unhappy and angry. Not only had she been invaded by those Stark Industries idiots but when she had read through the paperwork she knew Peter wouldn’t have signed it without good reason, or that he had been tricked. As Stark had already taken away a lot of her own patents she knew it was probably the latter and her ire at the man grew. but she knew that Peter’s dream of owning his own business had just been shattered. What made it worse was the uniformed man stood at the main gate to the warehouse.

As Peter hung up the phone, after promising to deal with the mess he made, the intercom buzzed and staring at the man in uniform she recognized him as General Ross. He had visited Oscorp before, trying to recruit any wayward staff for his gamma project. As Harry and Norman had a tight leash around her neck, even if she had wanted to she was unable to leave.

She’d seen the news reports and he was quite vocal about the New York Accords and she shook her head knowing full well why he was here. Sighing, she looked over at the new harness she and Peter had been working on and slipped it over her skin. She hoped she was wrong. 

She was also glad Peter and her had a little talk before, seeing the mess that Ultron had created made her realise that she was a weak link in the group once more. After some discussion with Peter and Natasha, it was agreed and as she sat in the warehouse to recover and look over a new training schedule the buzzer had gone.

“General Ross, what brings you here?” she asked as she walked out the gate of the property, the last thing she was going to do was let him inside the warehouse.

“Ah good, Ms Olivia Octavius, You’re under arrest for our involvement with Normans Osborns murder spree. Please come nicely, I don't want to make a scene.” Ross said and motioned towards an armoured truck.

“Hmm, no. the U.S military doesn’t have jurisdiction on U.S soil, and unless the President changed that, then I believe the correct term is go fuck yourself. The charges were dropped, and official notice was given. So I don’t know what stupid little game your playing but I won’t be part of it.”

General Ross shook his head, “The FBI dropped their charges but the military never did, and as for the Insurrection Act, well it doesn't apply when your boyfriend is outed as Venom, he now falls under the New York Accords and I do have jurisdiction there.” As he spoke he gave her a smug grin and motioned over to the ATV that he had arrived.

Liv shrugged and crossed her arms, refusing to budge, “Peter isn't here, plus you mentioned that I was under arrest, make up your mind, or are you just fishing, General?” 

“Fine, I'm recruiting for a resurrection of the gamma project, Banner’s on board but I want someone else who worked on a different formula. I know Conners is around somewhere and I want you as well.”

Liv uncrossed her arms and stared at the general. Walking up to him she poked him in the chest. This conversation had gone on too long and now Ross was moving past gentle persuasion into blatant threats.

“I will offer you one piece of advice before I head back inside General. Curt Conners is engaged to Peter Parker's Aunt. She is the only family member that he had left, and if you touch her or Curt you will witness a shower of shit so big you’ll wish the Osborn didn't miss.”

General Ross snorted, “I'm not intimidated by a pile of goop Doctor. Slime aliens don't scare me and Peter Parker certainly doesn't scare me.”

Liv shook her head, “he should, not just on his own but you should contact Fury and see what he tells you. I said it before and I’ll repeat myself, I have no idea what game you're playing but you won't like it when Peter starts to play.”

“I’ve spoken to Fury, and his opinion on a child has no weight with my own assessment. This isn't over Doctor.”

“On, no you see it is. Peter got tired of shitbags as he called them trying to get into the warehouse.” Liv took out her phone, smiling as she dialled the emergency number Felicia had given her, “ah yes, Mister Murdock thank you, I have footage here of General Ross trying to arrest me, yes at home. Oh no, I have footage, I can send it to you, yes dear, thank you.”

“Now General you were saying?”

As General Ross stared at her, they both heard and then felt the explosion that rocked Stark Tower. Liv laughed, “Well, I guess his first day didn't go so well after all.”

A smirk crossed General Ross’s face, “If the attack on Stark Tower was because of Peter Parker, then as an associate of his I think you should come in for questioning.”

Liv shook her head and took a step back into the warehouse grounds,  “oh give it up you pencil dicked moron. You have no jurisdiction here, no cause, no nothing. If I refuse to go with you you can't even walk onto the property without breaking so many laws you’ll be washing privates for the rest of your miserable career. So why don’t you take that stupid crew cut and that stupid moustache and get the hell out of here.”

General Ross clenched his fist. “Now listen here doctor. If I want to drag that skinny white ass of yours to jail nothing will stop me, and the key won't just get lost. I’ll make your lawyer and Peter Parker my bitch to even find out if you're still alive or not. The hole I throw you in will be so deep that daylight will be a fond memory and mealtime will be a feast of bread and water.”

Liv laughed. “Is that all? Because Normal Osborn severed my spine, he took my life away from me. You’re pathetic, a madman like Norman knew how to threaten people, where all I saw was a pencil pusher bleeding on the ground after Peter was through with him.”

Liv scowled, “are, are you on fire?” As she saw the smoke rising from General Ross. Not just steam but his uniform seemed to be on fire.

Oh shit, she thought and sniffed, the rank odour of the gamma formula rolled off him like an oil slick and she tried her hardest not to rech.

“You’re a Hulk, you moron. What idiot told you that was a great idea? You stupid stupid man.”

“Red Hulk,'' was all he said, and as Liv watched his uniform burst into flames. All that was left was a giant muscular red man, wearing a tight green vest and combat slacks. It was amusing that even as a hulk Ross still kept the same flat-top military haircut and well-trimmed moustache but another thought occurred to her.

If he had an under uniform perfectly tailored to his now giant frame then this was planned. He already knew she was powered and had taken steps. Whatever plan Ross had for Liv she doubted it was to help make a new formula, and he had come prepared to take her, willingly or not.

“I think I’ll just take you, I ain't got time for this shit,” and as he tore the chain-link fence surrounding the property Liv laughed.

“The formula makes you stupid I bet, cause anyone with a brain and a nose would have stopped right there.”

“I got no idea what you mean Doc, but you're coming with me,” and as he leant forward to grab her with a giant meaty hand it was batted away, and blood dripped from it, hissing as it hit the ground.

“As I said, anyone with a brain and a sense of smell. I am disappointed that the Banner formula only seems to enhance strength and stamina, it's pathetic.”

An arm weaved itself behind Liv’s back as she extended and then retracted it back.

“Leave General, you won't win, not against me, not against Peter.”

Red Hulk roared and leapt at her, Liv sidestepped and two arms stretched out, striking the hulk on the back of his knees.

“Some dinky toy harness ain't gonna save you from me Doc, now get your ass in the van before I beat you and stuff you in the trunk.” As he picked himself up from the ground he shook his head and stretched, “That ain't enough to take me.”

“So it makes you stupid as well, being a fugitive means a lot of free time and recovering from a spinal injury means lots of exercise.” The arms darted out and struck again, as Red Hulk tried to stand, the arms hit pressure points over his body and he felt himself unable to rise off the ground.

“Add in a genius-level intellect and a good understanding of human anatomy and it makes one rather good at fighting. I promised myself that when Harry tried to take Peter away from me that I would NEVER let anyone hurt him, so General, stand down.”

Red Hulk roared and steam rose from his body, the asphalt under his hands bubbled and darkened as the gamma energy from his body heated up the air.

“You think that four toy arms are enough to beat me, to beat the Red Hulk. I'm gonna eat you for breakfast and show Parker what messing with the Thunderbolts gets him.” Ross stretched and his bones cracked as he knelt and wound up another charge.

Liv shook her head, “heat and anger won't save you General,” and the arms darted out again. As he tried to charge her Red Hulk was thrown back as the arms struck but Liv pulled back. “Peter will be mad if I damage the warehouse,” she said as she spied the two palm prints in the path leading to the warehouse, “and I will be billing you for those General but come on, seeing as you want to fight, the street will be better,” and as he roared and leapt at her she simply grabbed both of his arms and threw him at his armoured car.

“Really, what did I just say, your too slow and too stupid to beat me.”

As Red Hulk stood and shook his head. “Maybe, but I ain’t stupid enough to come here without help.” He banged on the side of the armoured car and another soldier appeared. He was small and looked unimpressive, and he sneered as he looked over at the mess Ross was in, and then over at Liv, the four arms waving behind her, poised to strike if he dared to make a move. 

“Her? You got beaten up by her? Shit Ross, if I knew it was this bad I would have stayed in jail but, sure, whatever,” and he grew. Unlike Ross, his skin was still flesh colour but his size was much larger and inhuman. Abomination stood, bone spikes jutting out from his spine and elbows, tearing and ripping away his uniform until he was only wearing a pair of black shorts.

“Now, listen ‘ere girlie, Ross ere got me outta jail, so I promised to behave an’ be a good little soldier if he fixes me, so come on. I ain’t fightin a little, oh fuckin hell.”

While Blonsky was talking, Liv, knowing that two hulks are a problem, let Octave cover her. The dark blue symbiotes maw splitting apart, not just that but she grew, thickening her symbskin into the heaviest plating she could manage. Knowing this would be a brutal fight the now covered symbskin arms grew razor-sharp blades at their ends while her own fingers elongated and glinted wickedly in the sunlight.

“You morons don't know what a good formula is, now leave before I spank you both.” Almost as tall as the two Hulks before her, she hoped the fear pheromone she was spilling out would stop them from attacking.

“Leave? Fuckin ‘ell Luv, I wanna fight more now” and starting to run at her, Abomination swung a fist at her, laughing at the new opponent he had found