"Should we launch the upgraded healing serum immediately for the expo?" Dr. Connors asked with obvious concern as he observed Ben working at his laboratory station.
In his professional opinion, developing an entirely new invention in such a short timeframe would be extremely challenging, while rushing the advanced healing formula to market solely for exhibition purposes would represent a significant financial miscalculation.
"Absolutely not," Ben replied firmly, not looking up from his current project.
The logic was straightforward: Primus was already struggling to meet demand for the original healing serum formula. If they suddenly announced an upgraded version at the expo, their existing military and S.H.I.E.L.D. contracts—which had been paid for with substantial deposits—would immediately become sources of legal disputes. Those organizations would undoubtedly demand contract modifications to access the superior product, potentially costing Primus millions in renegotiation fees and delayed payments.
"We'll just showcase something simple to maintain our presence," Ben continued. "A proof of concept that demonstrates our technological capabilities without undermining our existing revenue streams."
His original plan had been to debut the healing serum at the Stark Expo, using the event's massive media coverage to establish Primus as a legitimate player in the biotechnology sector. But Norman's public relations campaign following the Green Goblin incident had already achieved that goal far more effectively than any trade show could have managed.
Now Ben had a different objective entirely: positioning Primus to acquire Hammer Industries' assets when Justin Hammer's partnership with Ivan Vanko inevitably collapsed in spectacular failure.
He was already investigating the current news.
Ivan had already made his unsuccessful attempt to kill Tony Stark using primitive arc reactor technology, and intelligence reports suggested that Hammer Industries was working around the clock to modify stolen Iron Man designs for mass production.
"I'm planning to develop some security robots for Queens anyway," Ben mused. "This could be perfect timing."
Justin Hammer possessed no genuine scientific capabilities, but he excelled at military procurement fraud. He understood exactly what defense contractors wanted after witnessing Iron Man's power, so he was focusing entirely on developing wearable armor systems that could be mass-produced for military applications.
Ivan Vanko, however, had broader ambitions. His goal was creating an autonomous army of robotic soldiers that could be controlled remotely, eliminating the need for human pilots entirely.
This difference in vision would ultimately doom their partnership—and create opportunities for Ben to exploit.
He had already formulated a plan. After Ivan completed his modifications to the stolen technology, Ben would infiltrate Hammer Industries and make subtle adjustments to the control systems, preventing the Russian engineer from self-destructing the entire robot army with a single command during the inevitable confrontation with Iron Man.
"Those robots will be mine!" Ben declared suddenly, his voice carrying possessive satisfaction.
"What robots?" Connors asked, startled by the outburst as he gently stroked the small lizard perched on his shoulder.
"Never mind," Ben said, shaking his head with a slight grin. "Speaking of property, now that the company is generating substantial revenue, shouldn't we consider upgrading our facilities?"
Connors' expression immediately brightened. "Exactly what I was thinking! This basement laboratory is completely inadequate for our current needs. The breeding chambers can barely support our existing lizard population, and we have no space for expanding into other biological research areas."
He gestured around the cramped workspace with obvious frustration. "More importantly, I can't continue living in the same space where I conduct scientific experiments. The contamination risks are unacceptable from a safety standpoint."
Connors' complaints were numerous but could be summarized simply: he wanted to move the company out of this basement and into a proper research facility with residential quarters that didn't double as laboratory space.
"Don't worry," Ben assured him, his gaze drifting toward the Hammer Industries building visible through their small window. "Soon we'll have an ecological research park and a proper corporate headquarters."
He then turned his attention to selecting an appropriate technology demonstration for the expo. After his experiences on Sakaar, Ben had access to numerous advanced technologies, but most of them were weapons systems designed for warfare rather than civilian applications.
Ben had no intention of developing weapons for sale to Earth's governments or military organizations. The last thing the world needed was more efficient ways to kill people.
After considerable deliberation, he settled on an anti-gravity vehicle as his exhibition centerpiece.
"Anti-gravity system?" Connors asked in astonishment. "Can such a thing actually be accomplished?"
Despite his specialization in biology, Connors possessed sufficient background in physics to understand the theoretical challenges involved. Anti-gravity technology had been a subject of scientific speculation for decades, but practical applications remained elusive.
"I remember Howard Stark proposing anti-gravity vehicles in the 1940s," Connors continued, "but he was limited by the technology of his era. Even today, with all our advances, true anti-gravity systems remain purely theoretical."
He gave Ben a skeptical look. "Even Iron Man's armor achieves flight through conventional propulsion systems rather than gravity manipulation."
"It's not as complex as you're making it sound," Ben replied calmly.
The physics of the Marvel Universe operated according to different rules than conventional reality. In a world where magic and cosmic forces were scientifically documented phenomena, certain technological achievements became far more feasible.
"Besides," Ben added, "I'm not planning to build a true anti-gravity device. I just need to generate sufficient reaction force to counteract gravitational pull. The principle is similar to magnetic levitation, but using different energy sources."
"Aren't you just changing definitions?" Connors asked with widening eyes. "If that's your approach, then Iron Man's armor already accomplishes the same thing. Even the Green Goblin's glider used similar principles for aerial mobility."
"Just tell me whether you're opposed to the concept or not," Ben said impatiently.
He certainly couldn't simply copy Iron Man's technology for display at Tony Stark's own exposition. The irony would be unbearable, and he could imagine Tony's reaction: flying to the exhibit in full armor just to publicly humiliate him for technological theft.
"How about sonic levitation or compressed air systems?" Connors suggested with a shrug, indicating that he couldn't offer much useful technical advice.
Ben didn't mind the lack of input. He activated his Grey Matter transformation, shrinking to his enhanced intellectual form to immerse himself in the engineering challenges. Fortunately, his analysis of Tony's armor components and the technological innovations he had observed on Sakaar provided substantial inspiration for the project.
While Ben worked, Connors approached with his pet lizard, resembling an elderly man taking his parrot for a daily walk.
"Incidentally," Connors said, "now that the company has grown beyond our original scope, we can't continue operating with just the two of us..."
"We have Harry," Ben corrected without looking up from his calculations.
"Fine, three people..." Connors began.
"Excuse me, you're forgetting about me, Dr. Connors," Eunice interjected with artificial coldness.
"Four people, then. But it's still insufficient for our current needs. We require additional employees: custodial staff, security personnel, administrative assistants, and people skilled in business negotiations."
Currently, Harry and Norman were handling virtually all of Primus's contract negotiations and order management. For a company of their size, with Ben frequently absent and Connors possessing neither the temperament nor the expertise for business dealings, this arrangement was unsustainable.
After listening to Connors' arguments, Ben found himself agreeing. As the company expanded, it would indeed require more specialized personnel to handle increasingly complex operations.
Originally he had only considered hiring additional scientists, but a successful company needed far more than research capabilities. Even Tony Stark relied on Pepper Potts for administrative management.
Ben set down his tools and scanned the laboratory with his enhanced Grey Matter vision. "Any good candidates in mind?"
The response came not from Connors, but from Eunice. "Yes, several promising applicants, sir."
The AI projected a series of professional resumes into the air for their review, each one displaying impressive credentials and relevant experience.
"Although Primus hasn't officially announced any hiring initiatives," Eunice explained, "the healing serum's success has attracted numerous job seekers who have submitted applications through our website and email systems."
Ben stroked his enlarged Grey Matter cranium thoughtfully, pretending to consider the options. The resumes Eunice had selected were indeed impressive—perhaps too impressive for a relatively new biotechnology company.
However, Ben wasn't deceived by the professional presentations. Among these supposedly legitimate job seekers, he suspected the majority were actually spy seeking to infiltrate Primus and steal the healing serum formula.
The most obvious evidence was the presence of a familiar name among the applicants: Natalie Rushman, known to him as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Natasha Romanoff.
After her cover had been blown during the recent incident at Stark Tower, Natasha could no longer continue her assignment there. Apparently, she had decided to try infiltrating Primus instead.
"Are you interested in this particular candidate?" Eunice asked, noticing Ben's extended focus on Natalie's resume. She magnified the document for easier examination.
"She previously worked for Stark Industries?" Connors observed with surprise.
"If you're interested, I can arrange an interview invitation," Eunice offered.
"No," Ben said quickly, cutting off the AI's suggestion.
Connors found his reaction puzzling. "What's wrong with her application?"
"Too many red flags," Ben replied, shaking his head. "These women are dangerous."
"Are you concerned about industrial espionage? That seems unlikely if she's coming from Stark Industries. I doubt Tony would engage in such unethical behavior."
"Maybe Tony wouldn't," Ben agreed, "but who said Tony was the one behind her application?"
He dismissed all the resumes with a wave of his hand, clearing the holographic display.
"Be patient for a while longer, Doctor. We have too many secrets to protect right now."
"This facility is too small and too vulnerable. If we hire additional personnel now, the watch's capabilities will be discovered and publicized. That would create problems we're not prepared to handle."
Connors nodded in understanding. "The technology in that device is extraordinary. I can't imagine what kind of advanced civilization could create such sophisticated biotechnology."
The alien transformation capability bore surface similarities to the lizard serum's effects, but the underlying principles were completely different. And the transformations were just one aspect of the device's capabilities.
More importantly, the alien forms possessed devastating combat potential. While the Omnitrix hadn't been designed as a weapon, humans had always demonstrated remarkable creativity in weaponizing peaceful technologies.
Ben leaned back in his chair, transforming back to his normal form as he considered their options. "Tell you what, Doc. Once we get our new facility set up, we can start hiring. But for now, we need to focus on the expo and expanding our operations."
"I understand," Connors said, though his disappointment was evident. "The sooner we can move out of this basement, the better."
"Trust me," Ben said with a knowing smile. "It'll be sooner than you think."
Meanwhile - Somewhere in Hell's Kitchen
While Ben focused on developing his anti-gravity vehicle, a conspiracy against Spider-Man was taking shape in the shadows of New York's criminal underworld.
Bullseye moved through the dimly lit corridors of an abandoned warehouse, his destination a meeting that would determine the next phase of Kingpin's war against the city's costumed vigilantes.
He found Madame Gao waiting in a sparse room furnished only with a low table and traditional floor cushions. The woman appeared to be in her fifties, her slight frame and unassuming appearance masking the deadly capabilities that had made her one of the Hand's most feared leaders.
The assassin had to resist the urge to check his weapons. Something about Madame Gao always made him feel like prey rather than predator, despite his reputation as one of the deadliest killers in New York.
"What does Kingpin require of me?" Madame Gao asked in accented English, her tone suggesting that while she would hear Bullseye's message, she was under no obligation to comply with any requests.
The relationship between Kingpin and the Hand was complex—part competition, part cooperation, depending on how their interests aligned at any given moment.
In the narcotics trade, they were rivals fighting for market share and territorial control. But they also shared common enemies that threatened both of their operations.
Previously, their primary concern had been Daredevil, the costumed vigilante who had been systematically dismantling their street-level distribution networks. But over the past month, a new threat had emerged: Spider-Man, who had proven even more effective at disrupting their carefully constructed criminal enterprises.
And now, according to recent intelligence reports, there were two Spider-Men operating in New York City.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Support me at [email protected]/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~