PART 2
DISCLAIMER: Liz, Max, and all the rest are the property of Jason Katimis and the Sci-Fi network. I don't own them.
CATEGORY: Max/Liz
RATING: PG-13, of course
SPOILERS: None. This is an AU fic
At DelucaCorp, the science lab to be precise.
�I don�t like this, Norman,� Mendell Stromm warned. �The formula isn�t ready yet. We should do some more testing first. At least on a primate.�
Norman DeLuca sighed, turning to his assistant.
�Primates?� he asked. �Our contract doesn�t call for primates. The Bureau wants a successful human test subject by next week. Otherwise, MetaChem gets the contract�and DelucaCorp goes under.�
Without stalling, Norman collects various chemicals into a beaker. They converge, glowing a bright green.
�This isn�t like the glider,� Stromm continued. �You�re talking about altering your own DNA. At your age, there�s no telling what sort of effect it will have.�
�The FBI wants their own living weapons for that �special unit� of theirs, Mendell,� he pointed out. �If not from us, then from someone else. Agent Pierce has it in for me. Do you think he�d resist a chance for DelucaCorp to go under?�
He removes his shirt, turning towards the restraining chair in the center of the room.
�I built this company myself�with my own two hands,� he reminded his assistant. �I poured my heart and soul into it�and I refuse to see it burn to the ground.�
He hands Stromm the canister, now sealed.
�Gauge the changes, I want to know how fast it goes,� he ordered him. �One way or another, we decide things right here.�
Norman laid himself down onto the chair, the automatic restraints snapping into place.
�Start the procedure,� he ordered.
�I pray to god this works,� Mendell muttered, as he activated the device.
A glass cylinder fell from the ceiling, surrounding Norman�s chair. He held his breath�this was it. Everything he had worked for. His entire future rested on this formula working.
That�s when it started. His mind went through each effect�the formula was evaporated into a gaseous state, and then released into an enclosed area. There, the subject would breathe it in�
It was working. He could feel it. The formula effecting his muscles�his blood.
But�something was wrong. He started to feel light headed. It must be�he misjudged the dosage?
�STROMM!!!� he yelled. �TURN IT OFF!!!�
*****
�NORMAN!� Mendal Stromm yelled, turning off the device. Immediately, the cylinder raised into the air, letting the mist escape.
He didn�t have anything to worry about, though. The formula only worked when in a condensed space. Out in the open it was completely harmless.
Even so, he couldn�t see anything.
�Norman, are you all right?� he asked.
Then, without warning, a hand reached through the mist�grabbing him by the throat.
He didn�t even have time to scream. All he could do was hear the beginning of the laughter�
�Heh hehehehe�HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!�
*****
The first rays of sunlight shined on Liz Parker�s face, causing her eyelids to drift open.
She felt stiff. That was the first thing she noticed. It was morning�so she had probably been sleeping on the floor all night.
At least she wasn�t dead.
�LIZ?� her father called from downstairs. �YOU UP?�
�YEAH, I�M UP!� she called back, pulling herself off the floor. �Just a little sore.�
Sore? The thought occurred to her. She had to treat the spider-bite now. Go to a doctor so that she didn�t pass out again.
However, when she looked at her injured hand, she received a shock�it was completely healed.
�What in the world?� she asked herself. Liz stood up, and went over to her desk, passing a mirror on her way.
She didn�t make it to the desk, because the mirror caught her attention.
Running back like someone possessed, she examined herself in the mirror. At first she thought that her pajamas, well�shrunk. But that wasn�t the case at all.
Liz grew overnight.
�No way�� she whispered.
He legs were longer now. So were her arms. And both had what looked like muscles on them. Her shirt was even barely above her stomach. She looked like she could give Max�s sister from New Mexico a run for her money.
That�s when she realized that she wasn�t wearing her glasses. She couldn�t see ANYTHING without her glasses.
Picking them off the floor, she put them on. Her vision was blurred. Removing them, she could see again.
�This�this is�� the words escaped her as she tried to form them. It was like she�grew overnight. Even the muscles in her eyes were fixed now.
�I gotta get to class,� she muttered, going into her closet. Hopefully she could find something that fit.
*****
Later, in the science lab, Liz could hardly concentrate.
It was bad enough about what happened this morning. But Kyle Valenti, get this�hit on her on the bus. Until he realized she was Liz Parker, that is. Suffice to say there were a lot of laughs at Mr. Valenti�s expense.
Then there was Max. He wasn�t on the bus today. That meant she was without her usual lab partner.
�Hey, where�s your specs?� Maria asked her as she sat down. �Switch to contacts?�
�Uh�yeah,� she responded. Maria was her best friend, but she wasn�t quite ready to talk about what happened that morning.
�Good move,� Maria told her. �Look at you. You�re a dish without them. Ok, nowhere in my league, but still�what is that?�
Maria pointed to the chemicals that Liz was mixing. She was using a tiny funnel to pour them into silver cartridges the size of a 9-volt battery.
�Just something I�ve been working on for the final project,� she told her friend.
�You�re not going to blow up the school, are you?� Maria joked.
�No!� Liz sighed. �It�s an adhesive. Really strong�
�You mean like glue?� Maria asked. �Can I try?�
Maria reached for one of the silver objects, but Liz grabbed it from her.
�Don�t, Maria!� Liz warned her. �It�s not ready!�
Maria looked at her�slightly annoyed.
�Its molecular structure is a bit unstable,� she explains. �That�s how it works. Once mixed, the chemicals expand when they�re exposed to oxygen. That�s why I made these vacuum-sealed containers. Just one dose of this stuff makes twenty gallons of �glue��
�Cool,� she said, and walked away.
Liz just sighed, and went back to work.
*****
�Deluca!� Special Agent Daniel Pierce hollered as he marched into the genetics lab at DelucaCorp. �Do you have the formula ready or not?!�
Pierce hated Norman Deluca! A civilian who thought he could boss a federal agent�one of the FBI�around. It was preposterous. Especially Norman, who thought he was so smart.
He didn�t even like the possibility of a �super solider� for his team. He was a human, and he knew he could get the job done himself. He was close, he just knew it. Those aliens he had chased around the entire country for years�they were in New York. He could feel it. And no mutant freak that the bureau came up with was going to stop him from getting his hands on those aliens.
Especially not one Norman �graciously� bestowed upon them.
�NORMAN!� he hollered again, then tripped over something. He couldn�t see what, because that weird green mist was covering the floor.
�Slob,� he muttered, and knelt down to see what it was. Maybe a pipe�or some broken machinery.
He gasped when he saw it was a human body.
�Stromm?!� he asked, then checked for a pulse.
Stromm�s neck was broken.
�Damn it!� he whispered, and took his gun out of his jacket. �This is the FBI! Come out where I can see you!�
�Hehehehehehe!� a voice called out from the darkness. It sounded half-amused, half-mocking�and half maniacal.
�Is that you, Norman?!� he asked the unknown voice.
�No!� said the cackling voice. It certainly didn�t sound like Norman. �Don�t insult me!�
�I�m warning you!� Pierce called back. �I�m armed!�
�HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!� it laughed again.
Without another word, Pierce fired in the direction the voice came from.
�HAHAHA!�
His shots went wild, reaching ever single inch of the darkness.
Pierce took a deep breath. He was going to have a hard time filling out the paperwork for this one.
He turned to leave�
�MISSED ME!� the eerie voice yelled. �MY TURN!�
The sound of a jet followed, as the green mist began to get thicker.
Then something cut through the air�something sharp. It buried itself into Pierce�s shoulder, cutting deep.
�AHHHHGH!� he screamed, as blood started oozing out.
Pierce fired again�but he only had one bullet left.
He needed help�now!
He ran for the door. If he could just make it in time�
He didn�t get the chance. Something else was thrown ahead of him. The second it landed, the doorway collapsed in an ear-shattering explosion.
The force through Pierce back several feet, falling into the mist.
�AHA-HAHAHAHAHA HA!� the laughter continued, now sending a chill down Pierce�s spine.
For the first time in his life, Daniel Pierce was�afraid?
�You sad, pathetic little man!� the voice said again�this time very close.
Pierce felt something pick him off the ground. Then, he flew across the room, crashing into a nearby wall.
�You think I�m afraid of you?!� his attacker spat. �You�re nothing to me. A weak, stupid thing to be squashed!�
Another blade flew through the air, digging itself deep into the flesh of Pierce�s leg. He screamed in pain, as a shadow hovered over him.
�You want to know fear, Daniel?!� his attacker asked him. �I AM FEAR!�
A large, armored glove lifted him off the ground into view. Pierce finally saw who it was.
Then he screamed in absolute horror!
�AHHHHHHHHH!�
�HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!�
*****
Manhattan�around lunchtime. A motorcycle streaked through the streets. On it was a man on a mission�at least in his own mind.
When it finally screeched to a halt on a corner, there, waiting for him�was Max Evans.
�Where�s Isabel?� Max asked.
The driver removed his helmet, showing the face of Michael Gurin underneath.
�Couldn�t make it, Maxwell,� Michael answered his friend. �Besides, we can handle this ourselves. Something about Tess?�
Max nodded.
�I�m worried,� he admitted. �She�s becoming more�aggressive towards people. The way she talks about humans, it�s like she hates them.�
�I�m not too crazy about them either,� Michael mentioned.
�We have to live amongst them,� he reminded his friend. �That means tolerance. And it doesn�t help that she�s using her powers out in the open��
Michael�s eyes go wide.
�Wait�hold it!� he said. �Out in the open?�
�Yeah, for frivolous things,� Max continued. �Selfish things, like grudges, or self-interest. She�s going to get us caught.�
�Have you talked to her about this?� Michael spat. �I never liked the girl�and I�m not going to be exposed by��
�No one�s going to be exposed, Michael!� Max assured him. �We�ll confront her about this�together.�
Even so, Max didn�t know exactly what he was going to say. Tess was becoming more unstable with each passing day. He didn�t know how much longer he could keep her under control. The rage inside her kept mounting.
And heaven help them all when the day came that it all exploded.
*****
A little bit later, in the school cafeteria�
Sitting down at her usual table, alone, Liz Parker�s attention was caught as the two newcomers entered the room.
The first one was Max, of course. She recognized him easily. The other�she didn�t have a clue who he was.
�You don�t expect me to actually eat here, do you?� Michael asked, a little annoyed.
�Michael?!� Max responded, turning back to him for a second. �Come on�Tess� table is over there��
Then, something interrupted his thoughts. His eyes focused on the table in front of him.
The same table Liz was sitting at.
Oh my god, Liz thought. He was looking at her. At her? What was so special.
Then it occurred to her: she looked completely different today. Max must have some huge attention to detail or something.
�Liz?� he asked curiously. �Did you lose your glasses or something?�
He walked right up to her. Michael, becoming annoyed, gave Max a warning look.
He didn�t notice.
�Oh, no�� Liz answered him. �Contacts. I just switched��
�You have really nice eyes,� he cut her off. �I mean�I just never noticed them before. With the glasses, I mean��
Liz blushed.
However, across the room Tess was watching the entire display. How dare the little dork start hitting on HER boyfriend like that. Just who did she think she was?
�Oh, this is Michael Gurin,� Max said, introducing his spiky-haired friend. �He went to school with Isabel.�
�Hey,� Michael introduces himself, then walked over to where Tess was sitting.
�I�ve gotta go,� Max sighed. �Talk to you later?�
Liz doesn�t answer. She just nods, grinning like an idiot.
With a small laugh, Max goes off to join Michael and Tess at the table, leaving Liz to slump down in her chair.
That was just great. Bravo, Miss Parker. Max Evans finally notices you, and you completely space out? What, no drool to go along with it?
She took a sip from her carton of milk�
*****
�What do you think you�re doing?� Tess spat as he sat down.
�What?� he asked. �I was just being friendly��
�Too friendly,� Michael added off-handedly.
�To a human?� she added.
�That�s what we�re here for, your attitude,� Max pointed out to her. �The way to talk down about them as if you were superior��
�That�s because we are, Max!� she corrected him. �They�re hairless apes compared to us. Why should we pretend otherwise?�
Now, it was Michael�s turn to step in.
�You�ve been using your powers out in the open?� he asked, angrily. �Are you trying to get us all killed?�
�I was careful��
*****
Liz put her carton down. However, to her surprise, she couldn�t let go.
It was stuck to her hand. Like glue.
�What?� she asked herself. Did some of the adhesive get on her hand.
Panicking, Liz shook her hand wildly, trying to get it to come loose.
Unfortunately, it did. The carton flew across the room�right towards Tess.
It hit her in the back of the head, spilling milk all over her.
�EWWW!� she yelled.
What followed was the entire cafeteria laughing at her. Even Max and Michael couldn�t contain themselves, and started trying to repress their amusement.
However, the wide-eyed Liz Parker was panicking right now. She made a beeline straight for the door.
Tess saw her.
�Parker!� she spat, and followed her.
*****
What the heck just happened in there?
Liz examined her hand as she hurried down the school hallway. There was nothing on it. No evidence of the adhesive at all.
So why did that thing stick to her hand?
She didn�t know. She couldn�t even think about it now. Not with that buzzing in her head. She couldn�t concentrate.
�Spider bite�� she thought. The spider bite did something to her�of that she was certain. It repaired the muscles in her eyes�maybe something was wrong with the tendons in her hand now.
She needed to see a doctor. She needed to tell Grandma Claudia. She�
�she needed that buzzing to STOP before it drove her insane.
But it didn�t stop. It kept getting stronger by the minute. More irritating�more noticeable�screaming in her head for her to�
�to�
�get out of the way?
She ducked to the side, just in time to avoid a fist from connecting with the back of her head.
How did she know?
She turned around to see Tess Harding behind her, trying to stare her down. A crowd started to gather.
�What do you want?!� Liz asked.
�Somebody�s developed a backbone, huh?� Tess spat.
Behind her, Max and Michael ran up. They couldn�t get through the crowd.
�Tess!� Max warned. �Just leave her alone.�
�Stay out of this, Max!� she hollered back. �This is between me and the bookworm!�
Liz took a deep breath.
�I don�t want to fight you, Tess!� she said. �Just leave me alone.�
�Oh, I wouldn�t want to fight me either�� the blonde answered. �You have NO idea what you�re��
Tess threw a punch, which Liz sidestepped with ease.
It was so easy, too. Somehow, to Liz, it was like she was moving in slow motion.
That wasn�t the case though, she realized. She was moving faster.
A LOT faster.
�Stay still!� Tess yelled, and punched her again. This time, Liz bent over backwards, ducking it.
That�s it, Tess thought. She didn�t want to do this, but the little &@#$ had it coming.
Tess felt the power build up in her, preparing to attack Liz with a force blast.
She let it loose, but then something amazing happened. Liz leaped into the air, somersaulting directly over the path of the blast.
She landed on her feet�almost as surprised as Tess was.
That was impossible, Tess thought. She was completely unathletic. She couldn�t do that�
NO ONE could do that.
Without any warning, Tess started trying to hit her again. But this time Liz didn�t even try to dodge. She just moved her arm in front of her, blocking every single hit with inhuman speed.
Then, with a swift motion, she kicked Tess in the stomach. The force was so strong that it sent Miss Harding flying across the room, crashing into the lockers.
Everyone just stared at Liz, their mouths open in shock.
�Liz?� Maria asked, just as surprised.
But before anyone could say anything, she took off running.
*****
She finally stopped about five blocks away. She just needed to catch her breath�to think.
Liz had never beaten anyone in a fight before. Heck�she�d never BEEN in a fight before. But somehow, it was a easy as falling off a log.
Tess never stood a chance against her. She even knew what was happening before�
That�s when the buzzing sensation hit her again. Liz turned around just in time to see a truck heading right before her.
She had to get out of the way. But there wasn�t any time�
Almost on instinct, she leapt out of the way�and what a leap it was.
She went sailing through the air, at least a dozen feet off the ground. Flying through the air until his hit a nearby building�
�and stayed there�
�stuck to it by her fingertips.
�What�s happening to me?� she whispered in horror.
TO BE CONTINUED...
NEXT: Tess becomes more and more out of control, and Liz experiments with her newfound powers.