2014-05-03 - The Doctor Is In

Dr. Pym is back. The Microverse Outpost is shut down and mothballed. I.e. it's stuck in his desk drawer for now. The machine is built. It stands looming over one examination table, looking like something out of 'The Fly.' Unfortunate visual reference that. Hank smiles at his handiwork and removes his welding goggles. He rubs his chin and realizes he has to shave. The Outpost was running low on supplies and he had to conserve water. That and he forgot the razor blades. This is about the time when after being home for 14 hours in blissful productive solitude he realizes he should really call Jan to tell her. After all the woman risked explosive decompression for him. That's love! He fumbles for his holocard to contact her. Better that than have her pop in before he calls.

There isn't a worry about Jan popping in before calling. She is currently sitting up in the guest room of the Mansion, and presently is just short enough to have her wings out, which means she is 4 foot, currently. She sits on the bed, with her holoID sitting beside her on the bed. She bends her left wing down around gently, studying it carefully. The chuck of translucent membrane that was taken out in Chicago is healing nicely, but there is still a little raggedness to it. "At least I can fly with it now." is the softly murmured response from Jan, spoken to the empty walls of the room.

<> The most annoying ringtone in the world. Hank thinks it's funny. People from the phone company already came down and told him stop loading it on people's phones. They get to chose the ringtones for you they said. Hank said they were infringing on his right to self expression and then ones who didn't change it back were doubtless the ones who still had 12:00 flashing on their DVD players and not worthy of discussion. The men left muttering that maybe Dr. Richards would help them out or Mr. Stark. Not the right thing to say in front of Hank. Anyway it was the holo card and those aren't part of the phone company's fiefdom. <>

Those blue eyes shift towards the holoID on the bed beside Jan. She knows how to program a DVD player, but she also left that particular ringtone on, for one person only. She releases her wing, returning to her normal height before picking up the holoID and answering.

"Hello, handsome. Returning to me from your voluntary solitary confinement?" There is a hint of teasing in Jan's voice. She is happy to hear from Hank, that is certain.

Dr. Pym resists the urge to do a backflip. He says, "Yes. I was completely misled about the possibility of conjugal visits. I released myself on my own recognizance. Get Nat down here. I believe I can put Plan Alpha into motion for her right now. Uhm ... you didn't hear anything more from those phone company goons did you?" If you think he's going to let that die, you don't know Hank.

The voice drops....adopting a tone Hank may know. A more serious tone. "There has been a new development. Are you in the lab? It is best if you hear it from me in person, rather than over the holoID." Jan shifts, standing from the bed and snatching the ID into her hand. "I'm already in the Mansion...if you are where I think you are, I will be there in moments."

Dr. Pym says darkly, "Yes. You'd better get down here and tell me." He holds his stomach as if in pain as he signs off.

As promised, Janet walks into the laboratory minutes later. The holoID is slid into one of those pockets on Janet's costume as Jan closes the door behind her. She first glances at the technological marvel constructed, then turns her attention fully to Hank. "Henry, dearest. While you was busy constructing your device, there was something new that was discovered in regards to Natasha. Do...do you really want to know?"

Dr. Pym says, "Yes. Should I sit down?" Yes the man who head butted MODOK and nearly killed him has a soft side, where several people are concerned actually. You don't want to rattle Pym's soft side. MODOK did.

"It would probably be best that you do." Janet paces...walking away from Hank as she tries to decide the best possible way of phrasing her news. It is with a sigh that she turns, those blue eyes locking onto Pym's. "There is no easy way of saying this, so I am going to come right now and say it." There is a deep breath, then a torrent of information. "The Natasha that we have been interacting with....the one pregnant with twins....is a clone. She isn't the real Natasha. The real Natasha was kept prisoner in Chicago by a group called the Agenda, I believe. Kept in cryo stasis, to continue to clone Black Widow's for certainly no good." There is a pause...then the shoulders drop. "I know...because...because I was there. I went with Clint and James. I saw it with my own eyes."

Dr. Pym does sit down. He taps his chin thoughtfully. "Did the clone do any damage to us? Is our security compromised? What was her mission?" He's working holo controls as he speaks. Truth is Tony is probably better at this as he designed many of the systems but Hank isn't called a genius with any sarcasm, except by Reed maybe.

Reed is a wise guy at times.

Jan shakes her head. "No. No damage that I am aware of. We...we have the clone in stasis. With the twins. The speed particles...accelerating the growth of the babies. It is draining the clone. We didn't want to....dispose....of the clone." Dispose. That would have been a word that James would have used. "The real Natasha...seems to have been held for at least a year. She has no idea what happened in the last few months. Siberia, the pregnancy, even being an Avenger. All of that is new to her. Last I heard, she was going to her safehouses, to purge them and establish anew."

Dr. Pym says, "So what the futz was she doing here? Besides ... being Natasha?"

Janet offers a shrug. "I have no idea what she was doing. Maybe she was a faulty clone and thought she was the real Natasha. I don't know." Janet leans against a lab table. "All I know is that there was a lot of clones. Some from our side of the world...some from the other. I...I had to fight a Wanda, Hank. I had to take her out. And....and there was another clone. Someone called Black Canary. I...I..." Janet casts her eyes downward, shuddering at the thought of what she did to that clone.

Dr. Pym leans forward in his chair after giving several diagnostic screens a look. "A faulty clone ... so she doesn't matter? I mean there are laws about reprogramming AIs these days. But a genetic copy gets used abused and ignored? PLease Jan, you did what you had to do with the other clones and I'm sorry you went through it and I wasn't here but the Nat clone? She might be innocent in this. They might have just sent her to fill in for Natasha and then summon her back to debrief her ... oh. So that's why she was spirited away. SHIELD. Security reasons. This is so dirty on so many levels."

Janet Van Dyne shakes her head. "No. That...that isn't the case. Really, honey, you need to listen. This...is not SHIELD's doing. Not in the slightest. I told you. I was there. I saw what was going on. This has nothing to do with SHIELD." She shakes her head. "And I told you, we have the clone in stasis. She is as comfortable as we can possibly make her while also securing her. Please...try to understand."

Dr. Pym says as calmly as he can, "I understand the clone was not SHIELD's doing. But that clone was working with SHIELD for a year. She must have learned quite a bit. SHIELD is not going to let her go. Where did you say she is?"

"I...I don't know" Janet leans back, staring at the ceiling, the walls...anywhere but at Hank directly. "It was Natasha's decision. She...she had Reed put the clone in stasis, then asked him to hide the clone from everyone...including Natasha herself."

Dr. Pym says, "Reed ... I see." Hank gets up and removes his lab coat. For once he's wearing civilian clothes underneath. His costume is in the wash. He pulls his small cell plane out and lays it on the counter and then his holo card. "Remember when I met you in costume for the first time, what did I say?" He removes a very civilian cellphone from a drawer and checks that it's charged.

Janet tilts her head over to regard Hank...and intones. " 'Hello, I am Ant-Man. I am here to help'? Really, sweetie, I had no control over the clone. I didn't even know about Reed until after the deed was done. Natasha...the real Natasha. She doesn't even think I am me. That...that's the feeling I get. She keeps eyeing me as if I shouldn't be real."

Dr. Pym nods. "I haven't helped. I'm not angry with you Jan. But I'm going out for a while. Hank Pym is going out. I want to get some lunch and experience the day and think. Okay? I want to be alone for a while. You have my cell number and I'm going off duty for the rest of the day." He puts on a pair of mirrored sunglasses and gives Jan a kiss on the cheek. "I'm glad you didn't get hurt. I'll call you later. Maybe we can have dinner."

Jan's expression just....falls. And, it is at that moment that Hank sees just how much weight she has been carrying, with the chairperson duties, the fashion business, the school and especially the recent events with the clone fiasco. She nods, slowly. "I understand, dear. It is a lot to take in." There is a slight wince at mention of getting hurt...but hopefully slight enough to not be noticed. After all...it was only a bit of the wing.

"Go on. Clear your head, beloved. I will be here, waiting for you."

Dr. Pym gives Jan another kiss on his way out. He wishes the demons in his head would shut up for a minute. Then at the door he turns reflecting on her expression and says, "If you had it to do over again, Jan, would you let me help you again? Would you be the Wasp again if you had a choice?" She doesn't look at all winsome.

With that question, a bit of the winsome quality returns to Jan's features. With a gentle smile, she offers the answer to Hank. "My dearest Hank, I wouldn't change a single thing. I will always be the Wasp. I will always be your Wasp."

Dr. Pym smiles a little at that. He nods to her and walks out the door. He holds onto that thought and for a time he's able to tell the demons to shut the heck up and go away.