MJ walked purposefully down the grimy New York City streets, dodging other pedestrians, a wide smile on her face. Today's audition had gone great! She had gotten an actual Broadway role, and she couldn't stop smiling. She was absolutely certain that nothing could ruin this day.
Until she saw the sedan with the SHIELD logo on the side. And it had been such a great day too.
A nondescript blond agent in a black pantsuit stepped out, heels clacking on the sidewalk. MJ had froze as soon as she saw the SHIELD car, but there was still some hope that the woman wasn't here for her.
When the agent stopped right in front of MJ and pulled out a shiny gold badge, that hope disappeared completely.
"I'm Agent Davis with-"
"SHIELD, yeah. What do you want?" MJ interrupted, crossing her arms and trying to stare down Agent Davis.
"To talk," the agent continued, unfazed, "SHIELD is starting a new project, and we're looking for those connected to Spider-man to help."
"Help with what?"
"Our new project."
MJ sighed. She was getting nowhere. "Well, thanks for the offer, but I've got to go,"
She turned and walked off as fast as she possibly could without looking like she was running.
Agent Davis followed, and grabbed MJ's shoulder before she could cross the street. The agent's grip was like iron.
"Just come with us and take a look. I'm sure we can change your mind," she said, turning MJ around and leading her back to the car.
"I'm pretty sure this is kidnapping," MJ protested, trying to shake the Agent's hand off her shoulder.
Then she was unceremoniously shoved into the car, with the door slammed behind her.
"Hey!" she shouted, pounding on the widow.
The sedan took a sharp turn and she was thrown to the other side of the car. MJ shook her head and steadied herself. She obviously wasn't getting out of this, so she should just sit back and enjoy the ride.
The car pulled to a stop outside a tall glass and steel building, your typical skyscraper. Agent Davis got out of the car and pulled open MJ's door. She lead MJ through the revolving doors and into a wide lobby, with sunlight streaming through the glass walls. The agent flashed her SHIELD badge at a guard, and he ushered them down a plain gray hall to the elevator. Agent Davis pushed her inside the slate grey metal box and hit the button for the basement.
The elevator dropped so fast it felt like she was on a rollercoaster. She grabbed for a rail to steady herself, but the elevator walls were all smooth cold metal. MJ could have swore she was tossed around the elevator at least 10 times before it came to a jerking stop. Agent Davis didn't even look ruffled.
Before she could even pause to look around, the agent grabbed her arm and pulled her down the hall. Past closed white doors with keypads and labels like Coragyps Atratus Genome Splicing, or Einstein-Rosen Bridge Development. MJ doesn't have time to even contemplate all the shady mad science things happening down here before Agent Davis pushed her into a room marked symbiote testing. MJ had had enough late night worry sessions with Peter to know what that means. And she doesn't like it.
"What you've got in here is really dangerous!" she snapped at Agent Davis before she was shoved into the room.
"You really think we don't know that?" the agent replies coolly, locking the lab's door behind her.
The lab isn't how MJ expected it to be. Instead of the usual science equipment there are ropes, high ceilings and raised platforms scattered around the large space. A few yards in front of her are an old scientist with a clipboard and pen, and a mousy assistant. The assistant stood a few feet back from the scientist and gingerly held a stoppered vial with the tips of her fingers.
