The Stark Internship

Part 32

PETER

I try to sleep. But my mind keeps flicking between images. I keep feeling as though I'm on the brink of remembering something, and then forgetting what I was doing.
My head rings, my senses on high alert. There's a voice in my head that doesn't sound like my own. I close my eyes.
'Pete.' Tony says, entering the room. It must have been an hour, 'you remember Bruce?'
'I don't think we've met.' I say, looking at him. I recognise him from TV, but that's it.
'Right.' Bruce says surprised, looking at me, 'well it's nice to meet you then.' He places a couple of black computer chips on my temples and sits back to look at his computer.
'I called Shuri, she should be here any moment.' Tony says, looking to me.
'Shuri?' I ask. It sounds familiar, like I've said that name before.
'Shuri? Sister of T'Challa? From Wakanda?' He says, he stares at me, desperate for some recollection.
'I don't...sorry.' I say, 'should I know this?'
'No. No, you're fine kid.' Tony says, sitting at the foot of my bed.
'Not exactly.' Bruce says, 'look.' He turns the computer to show Tony and me.
'What am I looking at?' Tony asks.
'This is Peter's brain, and this,' he says pointing to a dark wire like line protruding through the image, 'is not meant to be there.'
'So what does that mean? What's it doing?' Tony asks, holding on to his left arm. He looks intently at Bruce.
'It's, as far as I can tell, is...adapting Peter's memories. It's wiping out what it wants and rewiring Peter's mind.' Bruce says, looking from me to Tony, 'it could effectively turn Peter against us. It's definitely powerful enough.'
'So what? How do we get it out?' Tony asks.
'Hold on, what? You mean I'm forgetting stuff? Or like...like it can make me remember stuff that...that didn't happen?' I ask, my voice shaking slightly, 'how do I...know what's real?'
'In short, you won't.' Bruce says, 'and to answer your question, Tony, I have absolutely no idea.'