Arc Eleven. Side Story. Logan. Small Game Hunter

Logan sniffed as he caught the scent of Pym's lab. Rage would never forget it. It was a pungent mix of disinfectant, the mixture he used to create the Pym particles and desperation.

Hank had explained what he was doing, and why but Rage and Logan didn't care. Saving one life by torturing another, especially against their will, was not okay in his book.

Rage was smarter than Cindy, she was born of the great Peter Parker, and she had been born whole. His knowledge and experience with different formulas transferred to her, and the smell of Hank's lab was easy to distinguish, even in a suburban sprawl.

His hunt had taken him across America. In each City he would stop, take in lungfuls of air and stand, eyes closed, listening. It wasn't until he got to Colorado, an eastbound journey from his original base in California that Logan caught the scent of them.

It was faint, but he had expected that. He knew Pym would travel using his technology. Shrinking everyone to hide them safely, while a single person travelled. It was smart, and it was what he would have done, but it didn't matter. The particles themselves gave off a stench, and logan could track it.

That was all he could track though, and he had contacted Liv and asked her to send him files of the group. Rage remembered what they looked like, Hank especially, but Logan had never met them. As their files were downloaded, he saw that Cross Industries had a subsidiary nearby, and as he sent the day, smoking and drinking to calm Rage down, he was going to hit the facility that night.

For a company that had been seized and shut down by the government, there was a lot of activity. Rage could see a lot of armed guards patrolling the perimeter and he shimmered and vanished from sight.

Getting inside was easy. Everywhere was when you could cut through everything that wasn't adamantium or vibranuim. All he had to do was sniff the glass to make sure there wasn't an ozone smell, and listen for the quiet hum of the electric current travelling through the glass,

We can do that, we learned and as Logan's vision shifted he could see the power cable running through the wall, and that the glass he was in front of wasn't alarmed.

Show off, and Rage giggled, 

We know lots of tricks, but the Logan doesn’t like them

Yeah yeah, I'm a punch it till it stops kinda guy, leave the big brain stuff to everyone else,

Hmph, we have two brains now and are twice as smart anyway

Yup, an’ twice as hungry, but shush now, no distractions.

Logan slid a claw into the space between the glass and a symbskin hand gripped it tightly. As he carved through the reinforced glass it stuck to his hand, and he pulled it free.

Yeah okay, I like that one, and he reached inside to unlatch the window.

It was quiet inside the building, and Logan couldn't smell anything other than sterile antiseptic used to wash the floors. Even the normal smell of people was missing even though it looked like a normal lab, with cluttered and untidy workbenches,

Something ain't right, where is everyone?

We cannot feel anything around us, there are no people here.

There ain't? Shit. and Rage wrapped herself around him tighter, it's a trap.

We know, Rage said weakly

Rage sniffed the air and caught the familiar scent of the chemical Pym had used to suppress the Symbiote before, as she slowly weakened 

Get back inside, an’ I’ll take care of these idiots.

She did, sliding back, and slumping to one knee Logan collapsed, falling backwards.

He couldn't see them, as he closed his eyes but he could certainly feel and smell them,

“Very good Doctor Pym. The new gas seems to work perfectly.” an upper-class sound voice said, and Logan could hear the clicking of a cane as the person walked towards him. “But, I do recall you saying that it was a Miss Moon, whereas this is most definitely a man.”

“What? Get back” but it was too late and even from lying Logan was must faster than the man. Near enough to grab he hoisted him up, and seeing the grey-haired bastard, launched the much younger, and frailer man at him.

Another figure appeared, as if from nowhere, catching him. But Logan knew who it was. Hope Van Dyne. Which meant that asshole Cross was probably here as well.

“I ain't gonna make this easy. You let me an’ him have a little chat, and then I leave, otherwise, this ain't gonna be pretty.” Logan stated. Hope was looking up at eh ceiling, while the long-haired young man picked him out of her arms,

“I thought you said it disabled the host, Hank?” he asked, and Logan could smell the sickness on him. Blood disease always gave its sufferer a funny smell, and this guy had it bad.

“Yeah, I know, but I dont know who this is.” Hank Pym, looking haggard and sleep-deprived said. Even the normally neat grey beard and hair were scruffy. “Did Cindy send you? Or Shield?” he yelled, and Hope stood in front of him.

“I don’t care. I won't let you hurt my father.” and she vanished, shrunk to ant size, but for Logan, it didn't matter. He had Rages memories of how it worked, and added her own abilities to his, unconscious or not, and as Hope approached he took a slow breath, leant back on his heels, and with enough strength to fell Sabretooth, smashed a huge fist into her tiny frame, sending her flying across the room.

A tiny dent appeared in the side of a medical storage cabinet and Hope regrew to her normal size, shaking her head, she growled and huffed at him.

Logan let out a slow breath and centred himself. “Hard way it is then.” and he took a stance, “but I ain't backing down.”

The young man, straighten out his lab coat, “before you all kill each other, while I am employed by Hank, I have nothing to do with whatever grievance you have. May I leave?”

“I dont care,“ and he felt Rage stir within him, as his own powers cleansed her of the toxin Hank had used, “Hope too. Rage ain't mad at you, just Hank.”

Hope stood, and checked the new gauntlets around her wrist, “You think I'm gonna let you kill my dad?” she yelled and Logan heard a whine and then she fired a blast of electricity at him, making his muscles contract and shake. “Ha,” she shouted and shrinking again she flew at him once more, spending him flying this time with a well-aimed punch to the gut.

Rage was still recovering from the toxin Hank had used, but Wolverine wasn't taking shit from anyone, especially an untrained wannabe. As he lifted himself and shook away the last of the electricity he shook his head, “Now I know why Pete hates electricity.” regeneration was fine, but gas, poison and electricity affected the body without harming it, in this case, causing his muscles to twitch uncontrollably. 

“So, daddy's little girl wants to fight huh?” He closed his eyes, smelt for the zone from her gauntlet, and as he heard the whine, dived to one side.

The blast hit the steel cabinet behind him, and he rolled, lifted himself and took a coaster from the PC next to him. With pinpoint accuracy, he threw it at Hope, and it exploded as her wasp's sting discharged against it.

“Yeah, that's what I figured,“ he said, and now everything became a projectile.

Hope couldn't move fast enough, and while they weren't the heaviest objects, with her size and his accuracy, the attacker threw everything at her, even lifting a compter bench as launching it her way, She could easily avoid the larger ones, but the smaller pens and letter openers, even the coffee mugs hurt as they showered her with pieces.

“Give up, an’ let me talk to daddy. Then you can all leave,” he said as he whipped at her with a mouse of all things. She exploded its body and he just pulled it back, reversed the cord and smacked her with the USB plug on the other end. He was persistent and more than a match. With the crazy monster lurking under his skin, he was going to get past her eventually, and her father wouldn't survive.

“No!” she yelled, and using the experimental formula they develop, grew into a fifty-foot tall woman. The man looked up at her,

“Well, that's different.” and struggled as she knelt and simply grabbed him. He screamed as she crushed him in a giant hand and as he gripped him with both hands, the scream turned to a roar. He was really heavy, much heavier than a person should be but it was when the roar turned guttural and three blades sprang from each hand she almost dropped him in surprise.

She did drop him, as he plunged them effortlessly into her fingers and she screamed and shrunk in pain,

She never had a chance to retaliate. He roared once more and slid forwards effortlessly. The first blow took her at the waist and even with the thick armour designed to hold the Pym particles in place, his class slid effortless through it, and it came free.

She didn't care though, as the second blow nearly took her head off. There were no claws, but that didn't stop the concrete heavy fist from lifting her from her feet with a sickening crunch as her jaw shattered.

She flew back and slid along the floor, and the ma stood huffing and clenching his fist, “who’s next? which one you assholes wants to fight the Wolverine huh?” and he pointed a finger at the young man, standing in front of Hank, “You, you wanna piece of this?” and he stalked towards him.

“I am, afraid not. I would prefer to avoid bloodshed, and if I may, administer aid to Miss Van Dyne.”

Logan growled and the claws slid back, “yeah I did hit her a bit too hard.” and he pointed at Hank, “You. Stay there.” for a moment he paused, and Rage rippled out, covering him once more.

He stood watching over Hank Pym as the young man hobbled over to Hope, “I'm afraid we need to get her to hospital. You shattered her jaw and the puncture wound in her abdomen is bleeding quite badly.”

“Shit,” Logan said, and patting himself down he produced a pack of cigars, “Hey, you got a light?” but as he saw the bench with medical instruments, he saw the bunder lighter and lit it. ”You run and I hurt you. You do any of that gas shit again and I let Rage eat you.”

Hank nodded, clearly wanting to rush to Hope but unwilling to anger this man any further.

Logan leaned over Hope, “You got some medical memories in there?” he asked and Rage spread out two tendrils from his arms. Once sunk into the wound and over covered her jaw.

“So, Hank. Silk here is mighty pissed at you, and now you an’ I are gonna have a chat. She’ll be sore, and she’ll be pissed for a few days, but she ain't dying, and you can thank her for that.”

Hank stood, “thank her? That monster, your monster almost killed her.” he yelled, but the young man put a hand on his shoulder,

“And now he is healing her, Hank,” he said and Hank looked at him full of anger.

“You dont know Michael. You dont know how dangerous that thing is.” He tried to explain,

Logan laughed, “yup, cause Rage was just peachy until you tried to kill her, on what, three occasions, and then poisoned her, drugged her and did a whole lot of nasty shit.” as he leaned back against the medical table, “You're a piece of shit Hank and a hypocrite. You wanna feel what it's like to be experimented on, you wanna know? Cause I know, and see, the last guy who did that to me, well, he’s singing in the choir now, an’ the only thing stopping me from makin’ your insides outsides is Rage.”

Hank scoffed, “as if that monster knows compassion.” and he pushed past Michael, “it's a killer, and I did what I had to, to contain it.”

Logan shrugged, stubbed his cigar out on the floor, and a single thread of symbskin shot out of his hand and stuck Hank in the head.

“It ain't a killer, and this is her punishment for you.”

~

Cindy laughed as she, Scott, Sam and Eddie headed toward the old house. Scott had told them that his mentor, Hank Pym would be amazed at their powers and that Sam probably shouldn’t mention who he worked for.

Silk sat and gurgled under her skin, she was happy, she had a new friend and new experiences to live through. Eugene was damaged as was Peter, but Cindy was fine compared to the memories she inherited and was content to let Silk see through her.

~

“This is fascinating” Hank had said as she gave her a physical, “and it lives under your skin?” She didn't even blink as he shone the penlight into her eyes. Silk adjusted her vision for the light, and she nodded,

“It's not an it. Silk. Her name is Silk.”

Hank nodded, “hmm, it's fine, Can I run some tests?” and he snapped on a pair of rubber gloves and lifted a medical tray, with a series of blood sample bottles and several syringes. “Completely painless of course.”

~

Cindy sat and covered her ears. She could what Scott and Hope next door, and while she had smelt them after, this was the first time she was in when they had sex.

You should listen, it is amazing Silk said

No, not ever,

Does the Cindy not like it? We read your thoughts and we know you find the Hope attractive

Do you dare, stop reading my thoughts, stop, listening, just stop.

Hmph, the Cindy should listen and take matters into her own hands, we know you want to, and we would enjoy it as well,

Hell no, I'm not doing that with you there. Can we, I dunno, split for a while?

We cannot, to do so would hurt me.

Fine, but can you sleep, or maybe not listen in?

Silk laughed, we feel your feelings, we would take the result and we would share it with you

Then no, not a chance in hell, and stop asking

Silk was silent and knew there was no arguing.

~

They had spent six months fighting Darren Cross. He had tried to buy the serum, he had tried to steal the serum, and now with his sinister six, he was just going to take it.

She watched Vulture soar and fly at Falcon, trying to slash at him with those huge metal wings, Spider-Man fought with Prowler, and the two athletic and super fast men danced around each other as if they were flirting and not fighting. Ant-Man fought Yellow Jacket, and they shrunk, fought, resized and fought some more.

Her target was that asshole Scorpion. He laughed as she punched at him, his thick muscled chest, and the armour over it taking her blows as if they were nothing. That she could handle, it was the man himself that put her on edge,

“That all you got sweetheart,” he taunted her and she ducked under that fucking tail of his, with acid dripping from the end, “maybe you should go back into the kitchen, or better yet, let old Mac take care of you.” and she screamed and kicked out at him.

Mac Gargan was a profession, and to him, she was nothing, he grabbed her leg and squeezed up her thigh, “nice, I like it when they spread them willingly,” and as Cindy backflipped away in disgust, the look on the man face sent her into a rage.

He is playing with us Silk said in annoyance at Cindy

I know she shouted back. He had touched her ass twice, ran a ran over her chest and now as sliding a hand up her thigh, “AHHH,” she yelled.

Scorpion just laughed and ducked under the wild wing, “You ain't hitting anything like that,” and slid a hand between her legs, lifted her up and slammed her into the sidewalk,

As his thick knuckles ran along the folds in her groin, Cindy shuddered as it send a tingle through her followed by disgust and she rolled away, panting heavily. Everyone else was holding their own. It was just her being picked on, just like always just like her mom, just like her landlord, fucking pigs, all of them

“RAARR” she roared and Silk split, writing tentacles sprang out, with bladed and spiked ends,

“What the hell?” Scorpion laughed as the tentacles flaked at him, his tail was tough enough to endure the blows, but his body armour was slowly becoming scored as the creature flailed madly at him.

A lucky blow took the tip of his tail off, and even as the caustic acid he could spray dribbled, it hissed and burned not just him but the monster as well.

It screamed in agony and two tentacles shot out, one grabbed the tail and the other wrapped itself around him, dragging him close. He rained punch after punch into her, but it was uncaring, even as he saw her flesh deform it just sprung back, and he hoisted himself up, using her own tentacles as leverage and with both feet pushed back against her stomach.

Silk screamed in anger, her prey had escaped and she huffed and the mask covering her face slip open revealing a mouth of jagged teeth,

Scorpion took one look at her, and saw the mess she was making, “yeah, hey, Prowler, switch me.” and without caring, he stepped back, grabbed Prowler as he moved to avoid Spider-Man and threw him at the monster.

Prowler only had time to utter “huh?” as he was face to face with the creature. It was one of Venom's brood, with the same jagged mouth and the same crazy look. He had no chance, and the two thick tentacles that held Scorpion sliced through his armou and pierced his stomach.

Silk screamed and dragged him closer, her hands became sharp blades and she shrieked as she stabbed him over and over, ignoring the blood and viscera pouring from him.

The others had stopped, the fight was evenly matched, with both teams well trained and well equipped, but this. Nobody signed on for this and Silk threw Prowler to the ground and began to tear into him, ripping at his skin and dragging organs free.

Yellowjacket laughed, “some hero, everyone, fall back.” and he snorted, “leave the good guys to clean up their mess.” He hadn't gotten Pym's formula, but this was even better. A hero killing someone in cold blood, yeah, he would have Hank begging him to buy the formula, just to cover his legal fees.

~

Silk huffed as she tore at the man, she hated them, she hated them all, always fighting and taking her things, always flirting and laughing, always reminding her she was the youngest and the weakest.

She hated them all, and as she tore at the man, she hated him too. She hated having powers, she hated being alone, she hated Flash for his stupid guilt, and she hated Peter for his stupid weakness, she hated her mom for her intolerance, she hated Hope for ignoring her, and she hated Sam for his condescending attitude, and she hated Scott as he fucked Hope, she hated them all

We love you, Silk said and Cindy stopped. Her hands shook as she lifted them and saw the blood, her mind didn't register what the red lump in front of her was until Scott moved and she looked up at him,

“That's enough Cindy,” and as she recognised the purple armour and those stupid wrist blasters, she knew who this had been. He was barely recognisable, and steam still drifted from the ruin that was once his chest. She had carved into it, and nothing remotely human remained. He was dead. Scott looked down, and then at Cindy

“I, I didn’t” she looked up at him, and Silk changed back, taking the blood and gore with her, “I, please. Help me,” she said, tears forming in her eyes.

Scott sighed, “You killed him,” and Sam landed

“She did, but we can't leave him or her like this.” and Eddie nodded

“Fine.” and Scott removed two blue disks from his belt, “but you are off the team until we know it's safe.” and pressing both he threw them into tho the body and it popped and vanished.

“What did you just do?” Sam asked, “We should have taken him with us,”

“I shrunk him without limit. No evidence, other than some blood.” HE explained and shook his head. “Spider-Man, can you restrain her?”

Eddie nodded, “I think so.” and Silk sat motionlessly as he wrapped her in webbing. “Sorry Cind, but,” and she just looked at him with red eyes. She felt a small sting at the back of her neck, and the world faded into black as Scott regrew, holding a sedative pen they carried for emergencies.

~

While she showed him her pain, she took the missing pieces of her own mind from him, and Hank remembered,

~

“She killed someone?” he asked the group as they returned, carrying the unconscious Cindy, He shook his head, “get her to the lab.” and as Eddie carried her down into the basement, Hank caught Scott's arm, “tell me exactly what happened.”

The next thing Silk knew was pain. Cindy was unconscious but she felt a fire running through their veins, no, just hers.

“I know you can hear me. Cindy told me you hear us, but can't communicate. You made Cindy do those horrible things, and I’m going to save her from you.” she heard hank say

No, please, your wrong, she made us, she made us! But unable to move, unable to rouse Cindy the helpless symbiote silently screamed as the poison coursing through Cindy ate at her.

Rage could feel his anger at her, the burning hatred at what she had done to Cindy, but it was useless, every time she tried to get near, tried to explain the pain wasn't hers it was Cindy's she would be doused, screaming in agony as the liquid nitrogen froze her already damaged cells.

Hank wanted her gone from Cindy, seeing the young woman as a surrogate for his distant daughter. He was adamant that Rage was a parasite, no matter what Cindy told him. Eddie had told him the stories of Venom destroying drug dens and then attacking both him and Flash and killing John had tainted his perception of the creatures. He would remove it and save her.

Rage fed back the suffering, tha biting cold that froze her cells, the numbing pain of the sedative as he tested out different strengths and the burning heat of acid and alkali as he tried to tear her from CIndys body.

Then came relief, he had figured out how to make her sleep while allowing Cindy to remain awake, and Rage felt angrier, he was actually happy he had lobotomised her, her rage swelled and she fed it back.

“Stop!” Michael yelled as Hank's body went taut. The veins on his neck bulged and his eyes fluttered and rolled back in his head, “You’re killing him.” and the small symbskin tendril disconnected,

“Nope, all we did was let him feel what he did to us, if he can't take it, then that's his problem.” Rage said, and Logan lit another cigar, “He tortured a living creature, and she let him feel what that was like, and well,“ and he pointed as Hank fell over. Michael listened to his chest, “a heart attack seems like nothing.”

Michael snorted, “He was trying to save the young woman. I have read the files, and seen the recordings. That creature.”

“Is a living thing, not a monster not a toy for you to fuckin play with.” Logan stood, “He tortured her, he did things to her that the last lab I came from that did that I burned to the ground. You saw him. I felt what he did. He never even asked why, all he did was make her suffer.”

Michael grabbed a pen of adrenaline and injected it into Hank, listening to his heart slowly start again. He simply sat back down, “so then. Why?”

Logan laughed, “they dont make us feel anything. All that pain and anger, that was Cindy. She had a crappy life, and a newborn symbiote dont know any better. She took that pain into herself and amplified it. Silk didn't make Cindy a monster, Cindy made Silk a monster.”

Logan had seen the lives of Peter and Flash, of the hurt they inflicted on each other, and how they dealt with it. Peter swallowed it down, buried it, and Flash lashed out at everyone. An innocent creature, newborn and unaware could only learn from its host, and from those two, Silk had learned to fight, to hurt, and to rage. 

The Klyntar were innocent, it was their hosts that were the monsters.

~

Hank awoke with a jolt, feeling drained and aching all over. Michael was still dressed in his usual white lab coat and seeing hank awake lifted his arm, and checked his pulse.

“So, how are you feeling?” Michael asked as Hank tried to stand but was pushed gently down by the younger but much weaker man.

“I just found out I tortured an innocent creature. How do you think I feel?” Hank said, lying back down.

“I already knew that. I meant the heart attack the stress caused. Logan explained everything, and while she is also very angry at him Hope is recovering nicely and is already awake.” Michael paused for a moment to listen to Hank's chest with a stethoscope, “although, she did try to punch him once more. Not that it went particularly well.”

Hank huffed, “Did you tell him?” but Michael lifted the stethoscope from around his neck, and shook his head, “coward” and this time as Hank got up Michael didn't stop him.

“Yes, it is hardly my place to inform our guest about our rescue operation, or that he just ruined it completely by incapacitating Hope.” Michael said, “and you certainly cant. The stress from quantum shrinking would have severely damaged your body, now. You’d die before you finished even one per cent in reduction.”

Hank paused and sighed, “do we have anyone else we can contact?” but Michael shook his head

“With the mess in New York, all superpowered individuals are laying low. Scott and Sam are being moved department and Eddie.” Michael paused

“Eddie what?” Hank asked as he finished buttoning his shirt,

“Eddie now works for AIM, along with Cindy,” Michael said,

Hank scoffed, “I had heard, but” and he shook his head, “What if we ask him?”

Michael laughed, “Oh Damien already contacted us. He’ll help, but you already know his price.”

Of course, he did, the Pym formula was what he wanted the most, especially after Wakanda sent their crack agents to recover and erase everything he had on the other formula Erik had given him.

There was only one other choice.

~

Logan sat listening to Rage as she talked excessively about her time with the group. It hadn’t been all bad, and she liked the closeness Cindy felt at being part of a family.

He was sitting on the back steps of Hank's house and didn't even bother to look as Hope, Hank, and Michael approached him.

“Mr Logan. I know things aren't great but I have a proposal for you.” Hank started, and Hope huffed and crossed her arms.

“You made a mess, and we want you to fix it.” she said, “you and your monster.”

“Hope,” Hank said, laying a hand on her shoulders, “I,” and he paused, “I may have been wrong in my assessment, but I was trying to save Cindy.“ 

Hank sat down on the step next to Logan.”I, We were Shield agents, Mr Logan. My wife and I, and during a mission my belt was damaged. When I shrank it caused damage to my body, so, my wife shrunk herself to stop a missile, and in doing so became trapped in the microscopic realm.”

Logan drew on his cigar, “well, it dont take a mind reader to know you were planning on rescuing her, and I’m guessing that Hope was supposed to do it.”

Hank nodded, “but, shrinking while injured can cause complications. And I would like to ask.”

Logan shrugged, “sure, Rage knows you ain't really a bad man, just a bit of an asshole, so sure.”

Hank looked over at Logan, “I was uh.”

“What? Expected animosity, maybe some more violence?” and Hank nodded, “I went through a rough patch, did a lot of bad things, and the first thing I learned is not just to forgive but to let go. You did a lot of shitty things, and Rage won't ever forgive that, but letting go of the anger at you is the first step to dealing with the pain, and rescuing your wife.” Logan took a draw on his cigar, “maybe she’ll smack some sense into you,”

You just want to brag to peter that you have been somewhere he cannot go

Logan laughed as Rage scolded him, so what? I did say I was going on a journey, it's about as far out as you can get, an’ dont you be sittin’ there think you won't be doin’ the same. I know you little critters love to share what your hosts have done

Hmph, we are not gossipers, we share important information to encourage growth and help each other

Sure, you just keep telling yourself that, an’ I can always hold off going back to New York, maybe spend six months just campin’ out

Hmph hmph, bad Logan. Teasing us, we know you miss the Selene and wish to 

Hey, that's enough, an’ no sharin’ that either

Rage just chuckled, see, we learn, we can tease the Logan just as much

Logan smiled, “Yeah, so, you zap us with a shrink ray or what?”

Hank shook his head, Hollywood had a lot to answer for. Shrink ray? How amateur.

Michael helped him back into the house, as both now needed a cane, while Hope stayed behind.

“I still don’t trust you, and dont think for one” but Logan sighed and held out a hand.

“Sorry I stabbed you, but that damn belt needed to be taken care of, but uh, take it” He nodded down at his hand, and Hope apprehensively lay her hand in his.

Hello Hope, we are happy to finally talk to you

Hope pulled her hand back, staring at Logan, “was that?” and he nodded.

“They ain't got mouths, and can't talk, so how else you think they communicate?” and she clapped her fingers against her palm a few times nervously before taking her hand again

I am sorry I scared you, but we are happy to speak

Uh, do I just, think? Hope asked

Yes yes, we talk with the mind, although Logan is not good and needs to touch, I think the Cindy called it being a muscle brain.

Hope laughed as Logan rolled his eyes

So uh, hi, Silk. Uh, Rage

We changed it, to make ourselves feel better, but Logan does not like Silk, so we kept it,

Hope really didn't know what to say to the creature,

So, do you sound female because of Cindy, or are you a girl?

We sound like Cindy, we learned to talk with her, and now this is how we are, but we do not mind being bonded with Logan, he is interesting, he likes to smoke, drink and lay with women, all things we enjoy as well.

What the hell? I told you not to share stuff like that, an’ Hope dont need to know

Yes yes, Hope laid with Scott every day, we could hear them, and smell them after, she is not a prude, unlike you. You are boring old man, Hope is sexy young woman with 

But Logan pulled his hand back before Rage could finish,

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. Seems me an’ the snot need to have a little one on one time.” 

As Hope watched Logan walk back into the house, shaking his head as he talked to the creature, she was sure she heard a raspberry being blown.

~

Logan felt like an idiot dressed in what looked like a tight-fitting spacesuit, but considering the professor once suggested bright yellow and blue jumpsuits for the X-Men, it wasn't so bad.

“We have completed our Quantum tunnel. When it activates, the suit will connect, shrink you down to a size we recorded from Scott, and then lock onto Janet.” Hank explained, “When we were Shield agents we wore transmitters, as shrinking made us hard to keep track of.”

Logan nodded, as did Michael, wearing a similar suit. He was coming for medical backup. As a fully licensed doctor, if Janet was hurt or unable to be resized back to normal levels Michael could at least bring back a professional diagnosis on her condition.

Hope stood to one side, she was happier to know that Silk was now happy, and not the mindless monster they all thought she was. Being stabbed still hurt like a bitch though, and forgiving Logan for keeping her from the mission would take a little longer.

As the machine powered up, the square row of energy conductors began to pulse,

“Once you have located Janet. Resize with her if you can, if not, return and we can spend another mission.” Hank asked them. They had prepared a larger vehicle, with supplies and medical equipment if necessary. Today was a scouting mission, and while they had hoped they would find her, even Hank would admit he wasn't optimistic.

“Then, in five, four, three, two and one.” and Hank hit the switch.

For Logan it was weird, it was like being sucked down a long tube while feeling that you weren't moving, not helped as Rage shouted

weeeeeeeee in his mind.

Lights and strange images flashed in front of him, but he had been warned that was normal. He was now shrinking past the atomic level, and the light was the glow of energy from atomic particles receding as he saw subatomic, strings and then finally a strange rainbow-bright coloured landscape in front of him.

He hadn't expected to hit solid ground, or for there to be anything here at all. Scott had been here but was so disoriented from the trip he had only seen brief flashes.

Michael nodded and gave Logan a thumbs up, They couldn't open their suits, breathable air had to be shrunk with them. Even radio waves were useless, as the particles that made them up couldn't travel through whatever was here.

Michael touched his arm and pointed. They could see what looked like mountains in the distance, strange shifting shapes and a thin divisive line between what they thought of as the ground and the sky.

Logan could see something or at least a pair of something heading towards them, and fast. He touched Michael again and as he turned he lifted a card, “Janet” and Logan nodded.

It only took a few moments for the things to reach them. And Logan was glad he had a sealed suit. The first was an empty chested corpse, its jaw hung slack and the white milky eyes stared into nothing as it lunged for him,

Logan, that is Prowler, Rage said as Logan slammed a fist into the creature, and we recognise Janet as well. 

Logan swung around Prowler and put a knee into his back, forcing him down, and with a crunch, broke his neck. Prowler had been gutted by Silk, and whatever this thing was, it wasn't alive.

As he left the corpse flopping limply he saw the woman, Janet. She should have been in her sixties, the same age as Hank, but whatever radiation or weird atmosphere had, she was just as young as she was back then. He had Michael by the throat and lifted him up.

She hissed and Logan saw huge fangs sprout from her mouth, Shit, an Augment he thought to himself and lunged. If she was still alive, then screw it, his body would probably be okay, and the three claws slid from his hand and he took her arm off at the elbow.

Michael writhed on the ground, struggling to remove the still tight hand from his throat. As he prised it free, he threw it to one side and still alive it clawed its way back to Janet, who waited until it reattached itself.

Michael scrambled backwards on his hands and feet and pulled open the mask of his suit, the cough and vomit blood onto the ground, afterwards gasping he took the mask and drew in lungfuls of air, watching as Janet's fingers grew and Logan stapped between them, shaking his head.

Logan, she is changed, she is not like you

Oh yeah, an’ how do you know that?

This place, it is full of energy, we can taste it, and it is like formula, full of power, full of danger.

Shit, then we take care of this and leave.

Logan stepped forward, avoiding the wild swipe from Janet and stabbed his claws into her side under her ribs and up, making sure he severed her lungs before stabbing her heart.

Think that’ll kill her?

No, save Michael.

Logan turned and saw Michael struggling with the still mobile Prowler. He wasn't being overpowered, as the corpse's head flopped back and forth, he wasn't winning either.

Dammit.

Logan stepped and sliced, taking Prowler's head off and grabbed the body and threw it at Janet who was slowly rising to her feet.

Pushing Michael's mask on, he pushed the recall button at his waist and he seemed to vanish rather than grow,

Uncaring he hit the button on his own belt and within seconds found himself back in the lab with Hank and Hope watching with worried looks on their faces.

“Yeah, well, that sucked.” Logan said, “Sorry Hank, but she ain't alive, and I ain't gonna recommend you go back down there.” Logan said as she undid the buckled of his helmet and slid it free.

Michael sat on the floor, “I uh, I need some help.” he said before he collapsed,

“Get the kit,” Hank shouted and Hope moved towards a green box with a white cross on it. She rushed over to Michael and Logan could see the tear in his suit, and the fresh row of teeth marks surrounding his forearm, where the Prowler creature had taken a chunk out.

“Shit, now that ain't good,” Logan said. He would make sure he kept an eye on him, Augment powers were varied, some deadlier than others, and Logan would be there to make sure that if Michael was infected, or if anything happened, it would be stopped.

~

Logan recounted the attack and the condition that both Janet and Prowler were in, and cast a wary eye over Michael as they cleansed the wound and bandaged it the best they could.

“I'm sorry, but Janet was not, a what, Augment? I knew her for over thirty years, and if she had strange powers she would have said.” Hank sighed as he explained, “but we know physics and the normal laws of reality are different in the uh, quantum realm. Maybe Prowler was infected with something, or maybe it was the creature.”

Logan raised an eyebrow and clenched his fist, “No, that wasn't a symbiote, and there was no way that was a normal person. I dont care what you say Doc, Augments have been living in plain sight for decades,” and Logan laughed, “hell, I fought in World War Two.” and Hope snorted

“That would be impossible.” and Logan shrugged.

We have a solution. May we bond with the Hope? Rage asked

“Uh, Rage wants to move host, onto you, to explain things.” and Hope furrowed her brow and looked over at her father.

“It's up to you honey. Logan seems calm enough, and not entirely hostile.” and he whispered under his breath “not anymore.”

Hope shrugged and “So how do we?” and Rage sprang from logan and warped herself around Hope,

“Right so uh, now Rage is on Hope, watch,” and Logan held up a fist and the blade slid out of his hand, “I'm an Augment. I was experimented on in the Seventies by the government who gave me these, cause I was the only one who could,” and Logan held up his other hand and cut one of his fingers off, and within a few seconds it regrew, “do that. Cellular regeneration ain’t unusual, and living for centuries ain’t uncommon either.”

Hope stood, as Rage finished bonding with her, “He isn't lying. And his girlfriend is also immortal, as was another man, one you helped Peter Parker kill. Because,” and he gasped and held a hand over her mouth, “you have a daughter who is a clone.”

“Yup, lots of weird shit goin’ on most people dont know about. AIM’s tryin its best to keep it under control, but even Parker gets out of his depth.”

Hope frowned, “We should move dad, to New York, and help.” but Hank looked over at Michael, “Yes, all of us. Gwen and AIM can offer us enough money and equipment we can stop hiding, and get Darren Cross off our backs.”

“Honey, it's not that simple, Shield,” Hank began to explain.

“Peter took care of that, and “ as her brows furrowed, “Yeah I didn't need to know that. He isn't in Shield's good books either, or Starks. AIM might be the company we’re looking for.”

“Can we discuss it, once everything else is dealt with?” Hank asked rubbing his forehead. He was getting a headache. First a zombie Janet, and now a secret cabal of alien creatures controlling a major technology company. 

“Unlike Logan, we are more capable,” Hope said, “and dad. No, it's not a secret cabal. They hid because everyone, including you, thought they were monsters.” Hank frowned, “telepathy.” and he threw his hands up,

“Great, so now mind reading?” Hank threw up his hands in exasperation, “what's next, teleportation, secret bases on the moon?” and while Logan laughed Hope bit her lip, “oh great, so you know someone who can teleport and there is a secret moon base. So, fairies, magic?” and Hope covered her mouth as she laughed, “oh come on.”

Hope, still smiling patted her father on the shoulder, “I was kidding, fairies aren't real.” and she furrowed her brow, “wait, are they?”

Logan shrugged, “Beats me, Thor was real enough, so maybe.”

Michael lifted his arm and slid it into a sling, “I for one am fascinated. Do you have a card or a contact number?” Logan nodded, and he grabbed a pen from the clipboard nearby, 

“Call this, Gwen Stacy, she’s the medical side of things.”

Michael raised an eyebrow “Stacy solutions? That Gwen Stacy?” and Logan nodded, “my word. Then, while it has been less than a pleasure, Hank. I think this is where we part company. Hope, Logan. I might see you soon”

Logan nodded, He wasn't a doctor, but if the creature had attacked and killed Janet and not the other way around they might have brought something back with them. Hank had given Michael the all clear, but that didn't mean it wasn't okay.

He found his phone, and sent a message to Gwen,

Got a new hire for you, but be careful.

And he then explained what had happened. If anyone knew how to deal with creepy zombies, it would be Gwen and Liv, and if they failed, he was sure Peter would just punch it, which was more his style.

~

Across town, sitting at a booth in a small diner Michael nursed the arm where the creature had bitten him. It would take weeks to heal, but it wasn't important. While his arm ached, he felt much better. Better in fact than he had done for a very long time. He normally ate his meals separately from everyone, as the sterile and often bland food had to be heated separately. He was going to enjoy his first meal in a long time that wasn't boiled into mush.

The diner was busy, and as the waitress served another table, he took out the card Logan had given him, and with his phone, decided it was quiet enough to make the call.

“Hello. yes. James Logan gave me this number. Can I assume I am speaking to Gwen Stacy?” and he paused,

“Excellent, excellent.” there was another pause, “He did, did he? That saves a lot of time.” and he paused again, “Yes, yes of course. My Name. It's Doctor Morbius, Michael Morbius.”

The waitress smiled at him as he lay his phone down, “So sorry, business, and yes. I’ll have a steak, rare. No, in fact. Make it bloody.”