Marvel: Gene Extraction

Chapter 16: Target: Pym Particles

"Nexus, let's head home," Ethan commanded.

"Affirmative, Progenitor."

The jet-Transformer ascended slowly, its cloaking mode activating, causing it to gradually become transparent until it vanished completely, flying silently away from the facility.

A few minutes later, they arrived back at the private island.

As Dr. Cho descended from the jet, she was captivated by the island's paradise-like beauty. She ran around the villa, her face alight with joy, like a child who had just discovered a magical playground.

Ethan watched her, a small smile on his face. Enjoy it while you can, he thought. Just don't come crying to me later.

Forgetting all her worries, Dr. Cho explored the island with boundless energy. She admired the view from the villa's rooftop terrace, went for a hike in the island's lush hills, and played in the surf on the private beach. The island wasn't massive, but it was more than enough to keep her entertained for two full hours.

Exhausted but happy, she finally returned to the villa, a pout on her face. "It's all your fault," she said to Ethan. "I didn't even pack any clothes. What am I supposed to wear?"

Seeing her flushed, sweat-streaked face, Ethan smiled. "Go take a shower. You can wear one of my robes. I'll have Nexus go and buy you some clothes. By the time you're done, they'll be here."

"Okay," Dr. Cho said sweetly. "I'll go take a shower then." The joyous afternoon had put her completely at ease with Ethan.

As soon as she was gone, Ethan gave his next command. "Nexus, take control of one of the Iron Man suits. Disguise it as a person, then go into the city and buy some women's clothes and necessities."

"Affirmative, Progenitor."

The villa's roof opened, and an Iron Man suit shot into the sky.

Some women treat bathing as a luxury, a time to relax and unwind. This was clearly the case with Dr. Cho. By the time Nexus had returned with a full wardrobe and a collection of toiletries, she was still in the bathroom.

Half an hour later, she finally emerged, wrapped in a loose-fitting robe, toweling her hair dry. Her skin was flushed, her face rosy. She looked like a freshly bloomed hibiscus. Ethan's heart couldn't help but beat a little faster.

"Are my clothes here?" she asked.

"In your room," Ethan replied. He then turned to one of the villa's robotic assistants. "Nexus, show Dr. Cho to her room."

"Affirmative, Progenitor." The robot whirred to life and led her away.

A short while later, a vibrant, youthful Dr. Cho reappeared. She was smiling, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She wore a simple white blouse, a pair of tight-fitting jeans, and a pair of cute slippers.

Ethan couldn't help but stare. "You're beautiful," he blurted out.

Dr. Cho's cheeks flushed a delicate pink. "Thank you," she said shyly.

"Dr. Cho, you must be hungry," Ethan said, snapping out of his daze. "Please, come and sit. Nexus has prepared a feast for us."

"Oh, thank you," she said, taking a seat at the lavishly set table.

"This is a vintage '82 red wine. You must try it."

"This is matsutake mushroom, it's excellent."

"This king crab was caught fresh from the ocean by Nexus himself."

"This squab..."

Ethan was a gracious and attentive host, so much so that Dr. Cho felt a little overwhelmed. She was a complete homebody, her life revolving around her research. The secure facility where she worked was inaccessible to outsiders, so she had very few friends her own age and had never been in a relationship.

Ethan's kindness was a new and confusing experience for her. Her heart fluttered in her chest, a chaotic mix of nervousness, excitement, and a little bit of fear.

If it had been Natasha, Ethan never would have been so attentive. But Dr. Cho was different. She was beautiful, yes, but she was also bright, sunny, and, most importantly, innocent. She wasn't like Natasha, who treated relationships like a game. If Ethan were ever to get married, it would be to a woman like Helen Cho.

After a heart-pounding dinner, Dr. Cho made a hasty retreat, unable to handle Ethan's intense hospitality.

Ethan watched her go, a confident smile on his face. "Now that you're here," he murmured to himself, "you're not going anywhere."

He shook off his romantic thoughts and got back to work, compiling all the information he had from the movies about nanotechnology and the Regeneration Cradle so that Dr. Cho could get started on her research. He could have done it himself, of course, but it would have taken too long. He had other technologies to pursue, and he couldn't afford to wait.

The next morning, after breakfast, Ethan took Dr. Cho to the underground laboratory.

"Dr. Cho," he said, "this will be your new workspace. If you need anything at all, just tell Nexus. He'll take care of it."

"Okay, thank you," she said with a sweet smile.

"I have to leave for a while," Ethan told her. "You'll be on your own on the island during that time. Will that be alright?"

"That's perfectly fine," she replied, her eyes shining with excitement. "As long as I have a lab, I could stay here for a lifetime and never be lonely."

"That's good to hear," Ethan said, feeling a sense of relief. She's such a good woman, he thought. Sensible, sweet, innocent, beautiful, and brilliant. She's perfect. If this weren't the dangerous world of Marvel, he could have happily spent the rest of his life on this island with her.

With a final, lingering look, Ethan boarded his Transformer and reluctantly left the island.

His next destination was Hank Pym.

Pym's famous Pym Particles could shrink or enlarge any object. With enough energy, a single speck of dust could become a planet, and a planet could become a speck of dust. With Pym Particles, his Transformers could change size at will, a truly miraculous ability. But that wasn't the most important thing. The most important thing was that with Pym Particles, he could take scarce resources and make them limitless.

Vibranium, for example, was one of the rarest metals on Earth. But with Pym Particles, he could simply enlarge a small piece, creating an infinite supply.

When he reached the city where Pym Technologies was located, Ethan had the Transformer land and transform into a heavy-duty truck.

VROOOM!

The truck's powerful engine roared as it sped down the highway.

SCREEECH!

The truck came to a screeching halt in front of a tall, modern skyscraper.

Ethan got out of the truck. "Nexus, find a place to park."

"Affirmative, Progenitor."

Ethan stood before the building and looked up at the large letters on the facade: PYM TECHNOLOGIES. It was the company Hank Pym had founded to research his particles.

He walked into the lobby and approached the receptionist. "Hello, I'm here to see Mr. Pym."

"Do you have an appointment, sir?" the receptionist asked politely.

"No," Ethan replied, "but if you tell him I'm from S.H.I.E.L.D., I'm sure he'll see me." The S.H.I.E.L.D. name was a very useful key.

If S.H.I.E.L.D. ever found out how often he was using their name to get what he wanted, they would surely fire him.