Marvel: Gene Extraction

Chapter 18: Doctor Octopus and Spider-Man

Ethan released Hope.

The moment she was free, she launched herself at him again, a sharp knife-hand strike aimed at his neck.

Ethan simply tilted his head, catching her hand between his cheek and his shoulder.

"You—" Hope was speechless. It felt like every attack she made was effortlessly neutralized.

Ethan let her go again, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at her fuming face. "I was born for battle. You're just a dabbler. How could you possibly be a match for me?"

He wasn't lying. He had been training in martial arts since he was a child, and his combat experience was vast. In a fight, he didn't even need to think; his instincts took over, guiding him to victory.

This time, Hope didn't attack again. It was clear she had finally realized she was outmatched.

"My fists aren't what make me dangerous," she said, her pride refusing to admit defeat. "It's my technology. My Wasp suit can shrink and grow. You'd better not be lying to my father, or I promise, I will find you and make you regret it."

Ethan's expression suddenly turned cold. "Miss van Dyne," he said, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone, "do you realize that if it weren't for your father, you would probably be dead by now? I despise being threatened, especially by someone so weak."

Hope's face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

"Hmph. You'd better take my words to heart," she spat, "or you will regret it." She turned and stalked away, her face burning with humiliation.

Hank Pym had a lot of stuff. Boxes of strange and wonderful machines, and even several containers of live ants. Thankfully, the Transformer was powerful enough to simply carry it all back to the private island.

Upon their return, Ethan set Hank up with a comfortable living space and a fully equipped laboratory. He shared some of the quantum theories he remembered from the Ant-Man and the Wasp movie, then departed once again.

Hank had been skeptical of Ethan's claims, but after hearing his advanced quantum theories, he was convinced. The information Ethan had given him had opened a door to the Quantum Realm he had never known existed.

Ethan left the island so quickly he didn't even have time to say goodbye to Dr. Cho. He had received an urgent message from Nexus: Doctor Octopus and Spider-Man were fighting.

Although in the Spider-Man 2 movie, Doctor Octopus dies at the end, sacrificing himself to destroy his rogue fusion reactor, Ethan's arrival had already altered the timeline. What if he died prematurely?

Ethan piloted the Transformer, pushing it to its top speed as he flew towards New York.

WHOOSH!

In its jet form, the Transformer tore through the sky.

It didn't take long to reach the city. When he arrived, he saw Doctor Octopus and Spider-Man battling on the side of a skyscraper.

Ethan flew the Transformer closer. "Doctor Octopus! Spider-Man! Stop fighting!" he boomed.

The two combatants paused, looking up at the massive, twenty-eight-foot-tall robot hovering before them.

"Who are you?" Doctor Octopus demanded, his voice full of anger. He had been on the verge of defeating Spider-Man, and he was not happy about the interruption.

"My name is Ethan Hunt," he replied. "I'm here to help you."

"How can you help?" Doctor Octopus scoffed. "Do you have tritium?"

"Yes, I do," Ethan said. "And I've also developed a highly stable, artificial element that can be used for cold fusion. The robot I'm piloting right now is powered by it. If you agree to work with me, I will provide you with all the resources you need for your research. Anything you want, I can get it for you."

"Do you have a tech empire at your disposal?" Doctor Octopus asked. Extracting large quantities of rare elements required a massive infrastructure, something he, despite his brilliance, lacked. It was the reason he had been forced to align with Harry Osborn in the first place.

"The robot you see before you should be proof enough of the advanced technology I command," Ethan replied. "Don't underestimate me just because I don't have a flashy company name.

"Right now, I'm working with the brilliant South Korean scientist, Dr. Helen Cho. With my funding, she's developing nanotechnology and a Regeneration Cradle. I'm also working with Dr. Hank Pym, the creator of the Pym Particle, to explore the Quantum Realm. I have also acquired the memories of Dr. Arnim Zola, the most brilliant scientist of World War II. Surely you've heard of him. And Tony Stark? I'm sure you know who he is. My AI took control of his and forced him to give me his private island. My team may be small, but it is composed entirely of geniuses. If you join us, I guarantee your artificial sun will become a reality."

Doctor Octopus was moved. This was an offer far greater than anything Harry Osborn could provide. Not only would he have unlimited resources, but he would also be able to collaborate with other brilliant minds. "And what would I have to give you in return for this... partnership?"

"Share the results of your research with me," Ethan replied.

"Fine. I agree," Doctor Octopus said. He then turned his glare back to Spider-Man. "But first, I'm going to squash this spider." He still blamed Spider-Man for the failure of his first experiment. He believed that if Spider-Man hadn't pulled the plug, he would have been able to control his creation. The thought filled him with an unquenchable rage.

Spider-Man quickly swung to a safe distance. "Ethan! You said you were here to help us! You helped him, what about me? Can you please get him to let Mary Jane go?"

"Doctor Octopus," Ethan said, turning his attention to the enraged scientist, "for my sake, can you let his girlfriend go?" He needed Spider-Man's genes; otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered to intervene.

Doctor Octopus shot him a dark look. "If you want to work with me, don't meddle in my affairs," he snarled, sending his mechanical tentacles lashing out at Spider-Man.

Spider-Man shot a web, swinging to safety just in time.

CRASH! The tentacles gouged deep holes in the side of the building, and Doctor Octopus used them to scuttle across the wall like a monstrous insect.

Watching the two of them fight, Ethan felt a headache coming on.

What was he supposed to do? He needed Doctor Octopus's fusion technology for his Transformers. But he also needed Spider-Man's genes. With them, his human form would be enhanced with incredible agility, superhuman reflexes, and a host of other benefits. He couldn't let either of them die.