12Chapter 1: White Walls
Oh my god I read through this chapter like 5 times before posting. It's been nearly a year since I wrote anything so excuse me if my writing is absolute trash. XD
White walls, iodoform, disinfectant, blood, steel, pine trees: this was the scent and sight he woke up to every morning. For a long while he was certain he wouldn't get used to it, to the minimalist cleanliness of the facility, or even the oddly chaotic routine of his own. For people who believed in controlling with a mixture of terror and psychotics, they certainly did enjoy the methodological approach to things. Peter didn't know when he had begun thinking of his situation in introspective. It wasn't like it had ended in any way. It was continuing much the same, if not worse than it had before. Maybe he was becoming numb to the pain, although they had done their jobs and a part of him recoiled like whiplash at their threats. Pain was not something one could easily get used to.
His room was white. That was how he would describe it. So pristinely white. His small bed was white, his walls were white, his toilet was white, his towels were white. It was made for function, nothing was just there for pleasure. To Peter it was soulless like the rest of the facility.
"Patient Spider, report to bay 5"
Almost like clockwork he got up and found his body moving. There were no guards to lead him, no eyes to keep him in check, just pure obedience… and a nano chip in his neck threatening to put him down. Peter wondered if this is what it felt like to be a dog, beckoning to its master's every whim. The thought put him in a sour mood since he quite like dogs.
The winding facility may have looked much the same down every corridor, but Peter knew the differences by now. Each door was automated with a sensory scanning device, and each device was labelled a different number, probably to help out whatever poor evil electrician who needed to do routine checks on it. Peter saw the man come by down a few times, looking largely like the most normal thing down here. The man had dark black hair, shortly cropped, a rather blank face, bright blue eyes that darted around every few seconds and quickly analysed information at a rapid rate.
Peter acquiesced that maybe the man wasn't so normal after all.
"Tommy," he greeted, taking a precious minute to address the man.
"Hmmm… Spider, why aren't you moving along?" the man asked in his signature croaky voice.
"You're more interesting," Peter replied with a frown.
"Conversation is welcome, but are you willing to risk another punishment?"
With the way Tom spoke, it was almost impossible to tell what he was thinking. His face was always set in a firm impasse, the only bit of expression on him occasionally coming through those blue eyes of his. Peter figured if he worked in this boring facility his whole life one day he would end up like Tommy too. He had a hard time keeping his face as impartial. He showed his distaste or excitement openly much to the distaste of his handlers.
"Punishment is getting old," Peter scoffed. "Wish they would just kill me and get it over with."
The disapproval in Tommy's eyes made Peter shrink back slightly. He folded his arms and pouted. White walls, white walls, white walls! White walls all the fucking time! Peter didn't get a response from Tommy after a minute of standing and tapping his feet waiting. Sometimes Tommy did that. He just shut down and went back to work. Peter grew impatient and decided to act petulant. White walls! He shot a web onto the roof and sprung himself up and crawled the rest of the way to bay 5. A few scientists on the way gave him odd looks. Peter scoffed. They were just little baby scientists! Iodoform smelling pesky green horns with show off folders in their hands like it made them look smart. At least wear glasses!
He dropped his eyes down onto the scanners above the door of Bay 5. It looked like every other door, but Peter knew because of the number 008 on the scanner that it was bay 5. The door opened and he crawled into the room, scaling the concrete walls, painted white. He moved to the corner, eyeing his handler sitting comfortably on a black armchair by the corner. A metal bed sat in the middle, several machines arranged around it, a dome shaped pod by the corner. Stravinsky's septet played in the background as his handler, put down his violin. He combed back bright red hair, pushing it evenly in a neat comb. With all that gel it wouldn't be a surprise if his hair was rock solid Peter mused.
"Why are you on the wall?" Kurt asked, pointing his bow at Peter.
"Spider this, Spider that, and I can't climb walls?" Peter asked cocking his head. "You wanted a Spider did you not?"
"Don't be petulant boy," Kurt replied growing increasingly impatient.
"White walls," Peter cursed through hissed teeth. "White walls!"
"I know it irritates you but show some decorum. I'm your handler, not your nanny. Punishing you is beneath me," Kurt admonished, long fingers tapping his bench top with growing anger. "Focus on the red if it helps."
"I need to change my clothes," Peter replied as he jumped down. He plucked at the white spandex hugging at his body tightly. "It's so tight, doesn't leave much to the imagination."
"Trust me child, no one is imagining," Kurt sighed exasperatedly.
"Someone looked! They looked! I am beautiful you know?" Peter huffed indignantly.
"Patient is showing signs of psychotic behaviour," Kurt mumbled, purposefully saying it loud enough for Peter to hear, as he wrote it down.
"I am not crazy! It's the walls! Why are they so- so, ugh, white?!"
"Take that up with the interior designer. We have waisted enough time. Iodoform."
Peter straightened up instinctively, although his face was still scrunched in abject disgust. Kurt traced a hand under his chin, toxic green eyes glinting with joy.
"You are beautiful, just like this. Obedient."
"Pervert," Peter retorted, although his face didn't look all that disturbed.
"Perversion or preservation? We are humanity's next stage young Spider. Come along now, show me those fangs."
Peter opened his mouth, his canines sticking out largely admits the rest of his straight even teeth. Only iodoform was said. Peter could still bite into the man's hand and kill him right now. He was still in some control of his mind, although the permanent fog had replaced true clear headedness. But he didn't bite. Kurt put his hands right over his teeth and Peter did not bite down. Once he might have had. Not anymore. Kurt was largely more patient and severe than his old handler. He regretted killing her, and he didn't particularly wish to see how much worse they could do with the next one… although he did wonder.
That's so wrong
Yes there it was, that familiar voice inside of his head. He had dubbed it Jiminy Cricket. He quite liked Jiminy Cricket, he was kind, was friendly, always concerned. Peter had a vague recalling of once always being like that. To think of his past self as 'other' was largely ridiculous according to Kurt, but Peter knew that people didn't really change so drastically without killing themselves first. He apparently hadn't killed himself well enough, which was a huge shame on his occupation, but a large relief on his shoulders. That was one death he would never recover from.
"Everything seems to be working. How are your wrists?" Kurt asked, holding them in his hands.
"Hmmm… they are… wristy," Peter finally said, nose scrunching up in a half smile.
"Two doses of keratin, or another educational movie child. That is your option if you do not give me straight answers."
Peter blanched. Torture or more torture? Wasn't there anything new here? The white walls were bad enough, why did they need more? Of course he would be difficult. He was hurting almost constantly in this drab, boring environment. Threatening him with more pain was beyond idiotic. Maybe they should paint his walls orange and then he'd listen to them.
"White walls!" he hissed, hazel eyes once again fixating on the walls. Peter's eyes came back into focus, as if reality was settling in and he decided to give a curt answer. "Nothing new, it's the same as before. Web shooters make more sense! Think about the different kinds of webs we can install in that."
"And think about the limitations," Kurt replied evenly. "You are our product. We designed you Spider, and a product doesn't have a say. You know that."
"Then take it as a very, very educationally based suggestion," Peter replied.
Kurt ignored him and took out a file. He handed it to the boy who took it blankly. Peter eyed the folder with a mixture of disgust and self-loathing. Why did it feel so good in his hands? He opened it and continued reading, drinking in every bit of information it provided him.
"There's an off base location outside of the Caribbean. One of our assets is still on the loose, frolicking with one of those heroes. She has the potential to be useful so bring her back dead or alive as long as you have a body."
"Where is the extraction point?" Peter asked. "It doesn't say here."
It normally did. Normally it was in and out. A helicopter or a private jet would be waiting for him and then wallah he was out. He took out the bank card in the file and frowned.
"Capturing Wanda Maximoff is your immediate priority, but she has been seen accompanied by Vision, a previous AI of Tony Stark's merged with vibranium and the soul stone. It can be suspected that both Maximoff and Vision have a mental connection of some sort. You will need to assess the extent of that before bringing her back or our base location may be jeopardised."
Peter cocked a brow in response. This was an incredibly ill-thought out plan. Kurt had caught onto the look and decided to elaborate.
"We aren't bringing her back here. She will be shipped off to one of our lab bases. They are more equipped to deal with her. You will get your next orders there."
"Does this mean I don't have to see your ugly face again?" Peter asked with blunt hopefulness.
Kurt scowled. "That's it, you're getting both the keratin and educational movie tonight."
Peter pouted. Jiminy Cricket finally spoke up.
You're so dead
Ok I haven't uploaded a new story in a long time. I kind of wanted to start something new. Also Pipping Strange's "Avenge The Departed" kind of made me want to write something Spiderman related. You should definitely check out that story. It's honestly such an amazing thriller story and she writes it so beautifully. Anyway please leave a review or follow the story if you liked it! Thanks for reading!
