At LexCorp's New York affiliated hospital, whether because of its advanced medical expertise or Richard's influence, Peter was sent there for an examination.
The results came out fast.
Due to being violently thrown by a Hydra agent, Peter's head had struck the cage holding his small pet when he landed. Thankfully, the impact only caused a minor concussion and would not leave behind any lasting damage.
This news made Richard, who was quietly watching from behind the scenes with the report in hand, let out a breath of relief. Yet even as he calmed, his fists tightened.
"Indeed. An organization like Hydra must be destroyed."
Back when they were hidden within S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra had already tried to threaten him, attempting to destroy the family he had worked so hard to build. And now, even after faking his death and disappearing into the dark, they still reached out, harming the people closest to him.
That anger burned inside him, and at the same time it hardened his resolve. Hydra had to be wiped out completely.
For Steve, his relentless pursuit of the organization was from his sense of justice and a direct clash of ideals. He carried no personal hatred.
Richard, however, was driven purely by vengeance. He wanted nothing more than to drag out every Hydra operative and tear them apart piece by piece.
Standing beside him, Mary also relaxed after reading the medical report. But unlike him, her focus shifted to something else she noticed.
"Richard, wait. Look at these parts of the report. It's not very obvious, but Peter's DNA has clearly changed."
An injury report normally wouldn't involve DNA. But the radioactive spider had been bred by Richard and Mary themselves and then entrusted to Peter. They both understood the potential effects such a creature might have on a human body.
"No… don't tell me that spider already…"
A sinking feeling crept over Richard. Although that radioactive spider had been created for his son to one day gain powers, he had always hoped Peter would discover the truth as he grew older. He wanted him to make a choice on his own, to accept or reject those powers after understanding what they were. He had never wanted it to happen like this, through a sudden, accidental bite.
The serum was still the best, safest method of granting abilities. Having a radioactive creature bite someone was bound to bring instability.
The more he read through the report, the darker his expression became. There was no doubt now. His son had been bitten by that spider before it was even fully developed, and his DNA had already begun to change.
"This won't do. I need to see Mr. Luthor. Peter must undergo a full genetic analysis immediately."
In the scientific world, there was a well-known story. Howard Stark, when his son Tony was only seven years old, had condensed his life's work into the model of a future city. He left it for the day the boy would grow up and become wise enough to understand it.
Before his death, Howard finally entrusted that model to his son. Because of it, Tony would later seize control of America's clean energy industry with ease.
Richard's decision to leave behind the spider had been born from a similar idea. That underdeveloped creature would grow alongside Peter, its radioactivity and genetic stability maturing with time. One day, it would no longer be just a source of power, but a crystallization of his life's work.
But no one could have predicted this accident. Right before it was about to be crushed under Peter's falling body, the spider bit its master.
"You're right. We have to go right away."
* * *
Richard and Mary didn't hesitate. But instead of heading for LexCorp headquarters, they made their way to the hospital director's office. After all, the sooner Peter was tested, the sooner they could understand the full situation.
But when they stepped into the office, they found that the man they wanted to see most was already waiting for them.
"Mr. Luthor?"
Sitting comfortably in the director's chair was none other than Luthor himself.
As for the actual director, he sat off to the side, his expression blank, showing no reaction to Richard and Mary's arrival.
Of course, he recognized them. In his heart, he was shocked that the two of them had seemingly returned from the dead. But in a LexCorp-affiliated hospital, where ability was valued above all else, someone who had climbed all the way to the position of director was far from a fool.
Whatever the reason behind their faked deaths, whatever scheme the company was involved in, he had no interest in knowing. His only concern was doing his job well, proving his own worth, and earning the chance to one day serve in the management ranks at headquarters.
"You can leave us now," Luthor said casually.
"Understood, Mr. Luthor."
The director obeyed and left at once, shutting the door behind him with deliberate care. He went so far as to station himself outside, making sure no one else would interrupt or discover what was happening inside.
Within the office, Luthor studied Richard's worried face with a faint smile. He tossed over a document he already had in his hand.
"No need to worry. This accident may have turned a strict scientific research into what looks like a miracle, but so far the situation seems stable. You should be grateful that spider was bred using your own DNA. Its effect goes beyond merely preventing others from gaining superpowers."
Richard scanned through the DNA test and finally exhaled. Just as Luthor said, Peter's DNA had indeed begun to change. The process was slow, nothing like a serum's instant results, but the fact that the transformation wasn't spiraling in an unknown, dangerous direction was already good news.
At the very least, he wouldn't have to worry about his son sprouting eight eyes, six arms, or shooting webs out of his ass.
Thinking it through, Richard also realized something. At first, he had used his DNA only as a safeguard, to prevent criminals from mass-producing enhanced individuals through the spider.
But in hindsight, it was exactly that choice that saved Peter. Because the spider carried his DNA, the genetic changes in the boy's body were gentle, avoiding any harm to his health.
"This is good. Now we can rest easy."
As Richard eased up, Luthor felt the urge to pour cold water over his relief. He leaned forward slightly.
"Don't be too quick to celebrate. Peter's powers will emerge as he grows older. For a child, that is hardly a blessing. We all know the cruelty shown by society when facing those who are different. Even if the future is destined to be an age of heroes, right now Peter is still just a boy, far from being one."
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