Quoted By:
<span class="mu-r">“I’m looking to install some AR tech into my mask’s lenses.”</span> you said. <span class="mu-r">“It’s just a hardware issue, for now. I have my own people working on the software end.”</span>
Phin nodded without even breaking his stride. <span class="mu-b">“Oh, that should be simple enough. They’re relatively cheap, and you get good value out of them.”</span> he explained. <span class="mu-b">“They’re a bitch to repair, but you can obviously afford the cost.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“I appreciate it.”</span> you replied. <span class="mu-r">“Do you mind if I have a look around the back while you work?”</span>
Phin gave you a dismissive wave before pulling back a purple curtain. <span class="mu-b">“Not at all. Take your time. We should still have some good stuff lying around here somewhere.”</span>
You stepped behind the curtain and into the dimly lit backroom, where Phin’s shadiest clients could pick up little knick-knacks here and there.
The first thing that caught your interest was a silver, cylindrical device that fit snugly into the palm of your hand. It looked a lot like a detonator of some sort, but the label above it said “Preprogrammed Fist Material”. Whatever that meant.
With a shrug, you pressed the button on top and waited for something to happen. And to your shock, a thick layer of gleaming metal burst out of the cylinder and wrapped itself around your arm!
It was an actual effort for you to remain calm, as you hadn’t felt your spider-sense flair up. You were staring in awe as your now gauntleted fist flexed and articulated at your command. It was moving <span class="mu-i">with</span> your hand, despite being several times larger than it.
<span class="mu-r">“Whoa…”</span> you said, at a loss for more eloquent words.
Not wanting to break anything, you spent the next couple of minutes trying to deactivate the damn thing. Eventually, you managed to do it by making the same motion that you used to press the trigger. The strange metal receded back into the cylinder, and you gingerly placed it back on the shelf, still feeling like you witnessed something impossible.
Moving on, you found two peculiar looking, roundish objects. They resembled lumpy gray marbles, with a bright orange core. They were being suspended inside a cube-shaped container of what almost appeared to be pure energy.
<span class="mu-r">“Hey Phin, what do these do?”</span> you asked, gesturing at the cube.
Phin raised his head to glance in your direction, and then grinned at you.
<span class="mu-b">“Why, those are ‘Unstable Pym Pebbles’.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Pym ‘Pebbles’?”</span>
<span class="mu-b">“Yup. They can shrink down anything as big as a person, or a car, and imprison it within the marble for about an hour.”</span> he explained.
<span class="mu-r">“Holy shit…!”</span>
<span class="mu-b">“Yeah well, they’re not cheap. I’ve only just started tinkering with them, and those are among the first batch.”</span> he said, beaming with pride as he gazed at the glowing orbs.
Making a mental note to return to this item, you kept moving through the cramped aisles, hoping for something as marvelous as your last two discoveries.
(Cont.)
