Massive Disaster 4-9 (Patreon)

The workshop hummed around him like a goddamn mechanical heartbeat, servos and displays flickering in sync because he’d tuned everything to match his pulse—easier to focus when the whole room breathed with him, plus Stark had the right idea about ambiance even if the guy was fictional and also nonexistent in this universe’s media which was depressing as hell when you thought about it but whatever.Already nimble fingers clad tight in fingerless stabilization gloves worked the web-shooter prototype, Zedd tweaking the dispersion nozzle for the third time today. Now, he knew Pedro was gonna break this thing inside a week, enhanced reflexes or not, but he wasn’t gonna hand over something that would be broken easily, no matter what. 

Three polymer samples sat cooling in their molds, each and every one of them different tensile strengths because Zeed still hadn’t managed to crack the flexibility-versus-durability equation and it was pissing him off more than it should.Mark III was close—closer than the Mark II clusterfuck that had exploded in his face yesterday and left him picking synth-silk out of his eyebrows—but close didn’t count when you were talking about keeping Spider-Kid from becoming street pizza mid-swing. Probably.Either way, Zedd had learned not to bet on probably when it came to keeping enhanced teenagers alive, especially ones who thought physics was more of a suggestion than a law. No matter what, even if he had only been working on this for two previous days, he was going to get it down perfectly by today.

Ping. ADAM’s chime hit his enhanced hearing before the holographic face materialized, that smug digital expression already locked and loaded for maximum annoyance. Sometimes he regretted granting the Navi quite so much personality. Then again, bland compliance would’ve bored him stupid by now, and he had enough boring shit to deal with already.

“Boss, you’ve been down here for hours already.” He didn’t hate that particular blend of concern and condescension the AI had only gotten better at after becoming a NetNavi. Annoying, sure, but I don’t hate it.

“I’m fine,” Zedd muttered without looking up, because eye contact would mean acknowledging ADAM had a point, which would mean acknowledging he was basically hiding in his workshop like some antisocial hermit instead of dealing with the shitstorm his life had become over the past week. The dispersion pattern needed another two degrees—too tight and the webbing wouldn’t spread, too loose and it’d scatter like confetti, and neither option was gonna keep Pedro from splattering if his aim was off.

“Objectively false. Cortisol levels elevated, nutritional intake limited to approximately one gallon of chocolate milk since yesterday morning.” ADAM’s diagnostic capabilities were annoyingly thorough, side effect of integrating so deep with the workshop’s biometric sensors. Zedd made a mental note to dial back those monitoring protocols. Right after he finished pretending he wasn’t gulping down dairy like it was the replacement to a full meal. Fat counts as protein, right?

“Don’t remember programming you to be my nurse,” Zedd said, finally glaring at the screen. Web-shooter could wait thirty seconds while he dealt with his overly-concerned digital offspring.

“No, that’s ANGEL. You programmed me to be your number two. Which is why I’m telling you that avoiding Kira and Nina isn’t sustainable.” ADAM’s avatar leaned forward, impressive body language for someone who didn’t technically have a body. “Three days, boss. You can’t just pretend they don’t exist.”

Zedd set his tools down harder than necessary, metallic clang echoing through the workshop with way too much finality. Three days since Nina and Kira had touched down at the spaceport. Three days since he’d gotten the notification. Three days of deliberately burying himself in work instead of dealing with the complicated knot of emotions their return had twisted in his chest like a fucking tumor.

“I’m not avoiding them. I’m working.” The words came out sharper than intended, but ADAM hit a nerve and they both knew it.

“Working on Subject ANANSI’s gear,” ADAM replied, tone dripping enough digital sarcasm to fill a swimming pool. “Very important use of your time.”

Before Zedd could formulate a proper comeback—something cutting about AIs knowing their place or maybe a technical explanation about why Pedro’s equipment was actually crucial to Project GUARDIAN and therefore more important than his emotional baggage—the workshop door slid open with its characteristic whisper-quiet hiss that still sounded like money because everything in this place cost more than most people made in a year.

Nina stood in the doorway.Zedd’s enhanced nervous system catalogued a dozen details before his conscious mind could catch up and probably a dozen more his conscious mind was actively trying to ignore: newly-shortened hair framing her face in clean lines that emphasized her cheekbones and made her look like some corporate executive instead of the girl who used to steal his hoodies, confident posture that spoke of months in boardrooms learning to command attention instead of curling up next to him on shitty colony furniture, the way she’d filled out during their time apart, curves more pronounced beneath practical colony wear that probably cost more than his first omni-tool. His chest tightened involuntarily—attraction and regret and that particular kind of longing that came from seeing someone you’d lost become even more beautiful in your absence, like the universe was actively trying to fuck with him.

“ADAM told me you were down here,” she said, voice carrying that familiar Miami cadence with soft consonants and rounded vowels that used to make him think of home before he realized he didn’t actually have one of those anymore, though there was a new edge now, professional precision that hadn’t been there when she used to ramble about her business classes while he pretended to listen instead of staring at her mouth. Her eyes swept the workshop, taking in the organized chaos of his current projects—probably cataloguing everything for potential market applications because that’s what her brain did now—before settling on him with an expression he couldn’t quite read and wasn’t sure he wanted to.

Zedd shot a glare at the nearest screen, where ADAM’s avatar wore a distinctly smug expression as he brushed non-existent digital dust off his red shoulderpads. “Traitor.”

“Papa, you hurt me when you say these things,'” ADAM replied, digital face splitting into a grin as he stuck his tongue out. “I’ll leave you two alone to catch up.” The NetNavi’s screen winked out, leaving Zedd alone with Nina for the first time in well over a year.

Silence stretched between them, not uncomfortable but loaded with everything they hadn’t said during their attempts to maintain long-distance. Zedd found himself cataloguing changes in her appearance with the same clinical detachment he used for technical analysis—confident posture, subtle makeup enhancing natural features, expensive clothing that spoke of corporate success and financial independence.

“You look…” Nina started, then paused, eyes widening as she took in his appearance properly. “Dios mío, Zedd. What happened to you?”

Zedd glanced down, suddenly aware of how the Rebirth serum’s changes must appear to someone who hadn’t seen him in months. Tight blue t-shirt emphasizing his newly-muscled frame, additional height putting him well over six feet, towering over her five-foot frame, general aura of enhanced physicality that came with being an artificial super soldier.

“Been working out,” he said, aiming for casual and missing by about seventeen miles because apparently his mouth had decided to take the day off from being useful. Technically true if you counted the extensive physical conditioning required to adapt to enhanced capabilities as working out, which he did because the alternative was explaining that he’d injected himself with experimental super-soldier serum and become basically Captain America with worse social skills. “Colony life keeps you busy and shit.”

Her eyes went sharp, judging carefully as hazel eyes roamed his tight body all over as if vivisecting him the way he had done to Hector. “Nobody gets like this… not just by working out or anything,” she bit her lip, the woman in front of him shaking her head as she did so. It’s like you’re… a whole different person.” Granted, she wasn’t wrong. He was taller, bigger, broader… everything inside and outside had gotten a tune-up.

Nina stepped closer, close enough he could smell her perfume—something new, expensive, definitely cost more than his first omni-tool which wasn’t saying much because that thing was basically scrap metal held together with hope and electrical tape but still—and his enhanced nervous system started cataloguing everything. Everything down to the way her heartbeat elevated, pupils dilated, body temperature up point-seven degrees, and fuck why was his brain doing this right now when he needed to focus on literally anything else. He knew she found him hot, he found her hot, but he couldn’t do anything about that… not right now. Things were already awkward and even if she wanted to, bending Nina over the workbench the first time he saw her would make things even worse.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

Mind racing, cycling through explanations—growth spurt, colony diet, maybe some bullshit about gravity differences except Nina had been here five years so she’d know that was crap—anything excepthey I injected myself with experimental super-soldier serum and became basically Captain America situation. Not that she would even know what the hell a Captain America was.

“Growth spurt?” he offered, going for humor because humor was his default setting when everything else failed spectacularly. “Maybe I’m just a late bloomer. Finally figured out how to eat my vegetables and shit.”

Nina’s expression said she wasn’t buying it for a microsecond, but she let it drop—filed it away for later, probably, because that’s what she did now. Her attention shifted to the web-shooter prototype instead. “What’s this supposed to be?” Fingers careful on the device, examining it with that focused interest that used to make his chest do stupid things. And apparently still did. Yay, guess it wasn’t just teenage hormones. Go meeee.

“Enhanced mobility system,” grateful for subject change because tech was safe, tech made sense, tech didn’t involve explaining why he’d fundamentally altered his biology without consulting anyone including himself really. “Rapid-hardening polymer deployment, integrated targeting systems. Think grappling hook meets spider silk minus the gross factor and the risk of getting stuck to your own equipment like an idiot.”

“For who?” Nina turning the device over like she was trying to reverse-engineer it through osmosis. “This is advanced shit for standard security work.”

Fuck. Already said too much because his mouth had no filter around Nina, never had, probably never would. She didn’t know about Project GUARDIAN, nine enhanced individuals currently learning to be walking weapons of mass destruction, didn’t know about the war he was preparing for while the Alliance played political footsie with threats they couldn’t even see coming.

“Specialized applications,” taking the web-shooter back before she could ask follow-ups he couldn’t answer without violating about seventeen different security protocols. “Nothing you need to worry about.” Yet.Of course he was going to tell her but doing so any time soon before the team was properly ready was just… not smart.

Eyebrows went up at the deflection but she didn’t push, settling into the spare chair instead. “So how’s the company? ADAM gave me highlights but…”

“Valuation’s up since you left,” he said, leaning against the workbench and trying not to think about how natural this felt.

Nina tilted her head, clearly curious, and fuck if that wasn’t exactly the same expression she used to get when he was being particularly ridiculous about something. “I heard numbers, but I don’t really know how much—”

“Three billion percent.” Zedd dropped the figure like a bomb, watching her face for the reaction he knew was coming because he’d always been good at reading her even when he was shit at everything else.

“Three billion percent?” Nina’s voice went into something like a squeak, her eyes going wide before she caught herself and cleared her throat like she hadn’t just made a sound that reminded him of why he’d fallen for her in the first place. “That’s… that’s insane growth for eighteen months.”

“Yeah, well, turns out people pay premium for tech that actually works.” Zedd shrugged like explosive growth was natural consequence of superior engineering rather than technologies that shouldn’t exist for another century, plus a healthy dose of luck and Governor Shen-Abraham not asking too many questions about where his innovations came from. “Governor Shen-Abraham’s been real helpful with regulatory bullshit. Makes it easier to move product when you’re not fighting bureaucracy every step of the way.”

Nina nodded, expression thoughtful, calculating in that way that meant she was already three steps ahead of the conversation and probably working out profit margins in her head. “What about talent acquisition? You must be hiring like crazy to keep up.”

“Some,” Zedd admitted, though he couldn’t mention his most important recent hires were currently learning to use abilities that would make them walking WMDs and also probably violate about seventeen different Alliance regulations if anyone found out. “Mostly focusing on automation and efficiency improvements. Why hire ten people when you can build a system that does the work of fifty and doesn’t need coffee breaks or complain about overtime?”

“That’s very you,” Nina said with a slight smile, first genuine warmth he’d seen since she walked in and it hit him harder than expected. “Always trying to solve people problems with technology.”

“People problems are the worst kind of problems,” Zedd replied, then immediately regretted it as he saw Nina’s expression shift and realized how that sounded coming from someone who’d just spent half a week ducking her. “I mean… not to imply anything, obviously.”

The moment stretched between them silently, loaded with memory of their relationship’s end, how their different priorities and life paths had gradually pulled them apart despite best efforts to make long-distance work when neither of them really knew what the fuck they were doing.“I completed my degree,” Nina said finally, breaking silence that was getting uncomfortable enough to make his enhanced nervous system spike with low-level anxiety that felt like static under his skin. “Graduated with distinction from Whitefall’s business program. Top five percent of my class.”

“That’s… fuck, that’s incredible, Nina. I knew you would.” Zedd felt a genuine smile tugging at his lips, carefully schooling his face and choosing his words to sound like he didn’t know all this already. “What was your concentration?”

“Strategic management with focus on emerging technologies,” she replied, own smile becoming more natural and less guarded like she was remembering why they’d worked well together in the first place. “Funny how that worked out, right? Turns out having a boyfriend constantly developing impossible tech gave me some useful insights that other students didn’t have access to.”

“Ex-boyfriend,” Zedd corrected automatically, then winced at his own tactlessness because apparently his mouth was determined to make this conversation as awkward as humanly possible.

“Ex-boyfriend,” Nina agreed, but without expected bitterness which was somehow worse than if she’d been angry. “Though that doesn’t mean I stopped caring about what you were doing. Or that I stopped believing in what Victory Innovations could become.”

Zedd studied her face, looking for signs of deception or manipulation and finding none because Nina had always been direct, sometimes brutally so, but never dishonest even when honesty hurt more than lies would have. “Is that why you came back? To help with the company?”

“Partially,” she admitted, settling back in her chair like she was preparing for a longer conversation than either of them had planned. “I had offers from three major corporations. Arcturus Industries wanted me for emerging markets division. Elanus Risk Control offered senior analyst position with partnership track potential. Binary Helix actually offered me immediate partnership track.”

“But you turned them all down,” Zedd said, reading between lines because he’d always been good at that even when he was shit at reading the obvious stuff.

“I turned them down because they didn’t want me for my skills,” Nina replied, voice carrying disgust that made something protective and possessive flare in his chest like a fucking territorial animal. “They wanted me because I’d been close to you, thought I might have insights into your technology they could exploit for their own corporate bullshit. They weren’t interested in what I could contribute—they were interested in what I could steal.”

Zedd felt familiar surge of anger at corporate predators trying to use Nina to get to him, the kind of cold rage that made his enhanced physiology want to do violent things to people who deserved it, but pushed it down because getting emotional wouldn’t help anyone and Nina was clearly capable of handling herself better than he’d given her credit for. Getting protective now would probably just piss her off anyway, and she’d always hated it when he got all caveman about things.

“So you came back to… what? Show them what they missed out on?”

“I came back because you’re not just building gadgets, Zee.” Big hazel eyes stared up at him, Nina’s smile so real it hurt to look at. “You’re building the future. And I want to be part of that future, even if we can’t be together the way we used to be.”

Zedd clicked his tongue, trying to fight down the spike in his heart rate at the thought that Nina still believed in him and everything he was building even after everything that happened between them. “Company’s growing fast, you know, growth brings attention. Not all of it friendly, and some of it’s gonna be downright hostile.”

“Trust me, I know,” Nina said, and her expression went serious in that way that meant she’d already connected dots he didn’t realize he’d been dropping, which was either good or absolutely fucking terrifying depending on how much of his classified bullshit she’d reverse-engineered from context clues. “That’s why you need someone handling business side who gets both the tech and the market, can navigate political clusterfucks while you’re busy building—”

“Trust me, I get it. Look…” Zedd cut her off because she was right and his brain had probably already decided this three conversations ago while his mouth was still catching up to basic social interaction. It was better to have his own people in place than risk anything with any outsiders even if they were ADAM-approved and Shen-Abraham affiliated but most of it was just the fact that… well, he missed her. “But there’s gonna be projects you can’t—classified work that stays compartmentalized, like, seriously compartmentalized.”

Nina’s eyes sharpened with interest instead of concern, which was definitely a bad sign because normal people should be concerned about classified projects, not intrigued by them. “How classified?”

“People-die-if-it-leaks classified,” Zedd said, then immediately thought shut up shut up because his mouth had apparently decided today was confession day. “Security clearances, need-to-know protocols, documents that’d give your business ethics professor nightmares and probably therapy bills.”

“I can work with that,” Nina said, standing up and doing that thing where she smoothed down her clothes that used to drive him crazy and apparently still did, which was inconvenient. “Long as you promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“Promise not to shut me out any more, not to just pat me on the head and say don’t worry about it.” Her voice cracked just enough to remind him of the girl who used to steal his hoodies and fall asleep on his shoulder while he worked. “I know we can’t… I know… that we’re not gonna be what we were, but I don’t wanna lose you for good, for real.”

Something in his chest unclenched, tension he’d been carrying without realizing it, like a program running in the background finally getting permission to close. They had been good together, back before everything got complicated and he started preparing for wars nobody else could see coming.

“….course I can promise you that, Nee… Nina, I can definitely promise you that.” He meant the words too, far more than he’d expected to. “Welcome back to Victory Innovations, Ms Herra. We’re gonna do some incredible shit together.”