The Heir to the Spider

A Marvel One-Shot

As Aaron sat in his gray bedroom, blood rushing to his head and the sound of the other orphans' footsteps echoing through Saint Mary's Home for Lost Children like a heard of elephants, he couldn't help but scoff at the cheerfulness that paired with his younger rampaging fellows. Sure, it was common for young kids to make friends with each other to deal with their situation. Aaron knew it was a common coping mechanism, one he had even considered using once himself, but being the oldest orphan in the building, he also knew it was a small comfort to a lingering pain all if not some the kids would have to deal with eventually; Especially if, like Aaron, nobody would even consider adopting them for… certain reasons. Aaron had been here his entire life. He was told that he was dropped on the doorstep and had been there ever since. He had no recollection of his family, and the orphanage had no information on file, so one of the Sisters took it upon herself to name him Aaron, but there was one strange thing about Aaron that was soon discovered. Something that he and all the sisters of Saint Mary's discovered when he was 5. He, upon retrospect, was a mutant.

It was discovered when the orphanage was at its emptiest, him and the nuns being the only occupants at the time, one of the younger Nuns called Sister Clarice fell from the balcony of the second floor carrying a string-wrapped stack of bibles. Aaron was on the other side of the room on the first floor when it happened and when he saw her fall, he leaped from a sitting position and caught Sister Clarice in one arm and the stack of Bibles in the other. He was as shocked as she was that a young boy like him could do this and so were all the Nuns that were witness. However, this was not uncommon to see in this world and unlike the populace they did not shun him or fear him for his abilities. Instead they tried to help him and keep him safe at the Orphanage. If you're wondering why he was not sent to the Xavier School for Gifted youngsters right away, you must understand what had happened to the mutant and superhuman community. A terrible Second civil war had broken out between super-villains and Hero's a good ten years before Aaron, killing many including some of the more famous ones, such as Spiderman, Captain America, Hulk, Ultron, Venom etc. Due to this cataclysm, the American government took drastic action with the help of a man called Spencer Smyth Junior and created Super-empowering suits of armor which were mass-produced and distributed to all the law enforcement agencies to detain those that were a problem and created a law that all those with powers must be government sanctioned and registered with oversight much like the original accords from the forgotten first civil war. Those that didn't sign these acclaimed "Capital Accords" were labeled fugitive and imprisoned and many safe havens for those with powers such as Xavier's school were dispended and shut down. So, in short, the best thing for Aaron's safety was to keep him hidden at the orphanage. The Nun's felt this was there God given responsibility, since it was here that the boy was dropped without a name.

They cared for him through the years, educated him in all aspects including chemistry which he was very fond of. They taught him how to live a moral life and they all considered him the son they never had. They even helped him to control his powers as best they could by helping him find the limits of his strength, speed, and even helped him understand some of the stranger abilities he had, like his growing ability to sense danger before it happened and, the strangest of all, his ability to stick to solid surfaces like a spider. But, with all this special treatment and special powers came a price. Unlike the other children, Aaron was pushed to the side for most adoptions, for the Nun's labeled him for his own safety as "a child with major special needs" in hopes of finding him a truly dedicated home but this basically cut him from being even considered for adoption by most couples. Almost all to none glanced at him, and because of this, Aaron had become bitter and resentful of the other children, finding them naïve and sometimes unbearable.

Now at 16 as he sat in his room, upside-down on the ceiling with the blood still rushing to his head, with the door shut and commonly locked to keep prying kids from coming in. Suddenly he was greeted surprisingly by the new Head Mistress of St. Mary's, who unlocked the door with her key and walked in unfazed by his seating position. "Hello Sister Clarice" Said Aaron in a droll tone. "Watch your tone young man and get down from that ridiculous seating position. You have a visitor" said Sister Clarice in her common soft and chipper tone when she greeted him. With a huff and a plop, Aaron was sitting back on his bed. "Are you telling me I have another prospect? I'm off the market in 5 months. Who wants to adopt a 16-year-old?" He said, not looking up. "Well this man would not take no for an answer and he was very keen on seeing you even with your special label. I thought this might make you….." "happy?" Interjected Aaron as the sister talked. "why would I be happy with more disappointment? It's the ones that get this far that make it worse" Aaron almost choked on the words when he said it, and Sister Clarice wanted to hug him like she had for so many years and tell him it would be alright, but keeping her professional manner in hopes this could be Aaron's chance to be out of this place, she let out a small sigh and opened the door to let in Aaron's interested Party instead. "Come on in Mr. Logan" Said Sister Clarice, and in came a man no taller than Aaron with very wild black hair and scruffy beard, sporting a Brown Leather jacket with Yellow lines over the sleeves covering a white Beater and wearing a pair of ripped jeans and cowboy boots. Aaron could smell burnt cigar in the air as well. They must be desperate to think of this guy as a prospect. Thought Aaron, feeling a little appreciative of the Nun's desperation to finally find him a home.

"Thank you mam uh.. could I spend some time alone with the kid?" Said the man in a gruff and semi-urgent voice. "Of course,", said Clarice with smile and then with the shut of the door, Aaron was hit in the face with a duffle bag. "Quick kid. Pack that bag with whatever you need we need to go" Aaron was shocked with the power of the impact of the bag, but was still able to let out a wild list of "what? What do you mean? Who the Hell are you?". The man clapped his hands loud and Aaron shut his mouth "look," huffed the scruffy man. "time for twenty questions will come later bub, but if you reach out with that extra sense of yours, and you are what we think you are, you will know we need to leave RIGHT NOW!". This sudden info from this stranger shocked Aaron. How did this stranger know of his abilities? Did the Sisters tell him? But then, like a wave of hot air, Aaron's ability to sense danger kicked in, interrupting his thoughts and filling him with dread. He hadn't master this sixth sense of his yet, so he couldn't pin point the danger but whatever it was, it was coming in waves. Like a Bat out of hell, Aaron rummaged his room for what little clothes he had, all like the blue and grey t-shirt and jeans he was sporting already, and was about to go out the door when the scruffy man grabbed with the force of a bear hug with one arm and said "No time for the door!" and in a second, Aaron heard a clash of metal and they busted through the one bar-covered window in his room. Then, like on cue, a fireball followed their heels from inside the building. There wasn't even anytime for those inside to scream. Aaron let out a small squeal of pain as he realized all those kids he scoffed at… all those Sisters that Raised him…. They were all dead in an instant. He wanted to squirm from the grip of the man who had him, but he couldn't move. It was like he was in a metal vice grip. "I'm sorry kid" Said the man as Aaron tried to struggle. "There's nothing you could have done and If you go back you will give them exactly what they want" Then, like a dying fish, Aaron went limp in the man's Grip, tears streaming from his face and his throat getting horse from whaling for those he had lost.

Time seemed to fade after that, as the two entered a black car in an ally a good 12 blocks from the orphanage, silence falling over them like the cold chill of winter as they sat in their seats. Aaron didn't know where they were going and he didn't care. He just wanted to know who tried to kill him and why and, since he was saved by this man, he knew he would get his answer soon enough.

In no time at all, the two of them were entering a warehouse in an area that Aaron knew as old queens and then entered an elevator that just seemed to go down forever. Still Aaron did not say a word, but his curiosity was seen by the man in the brown leather jacket and he said. "Where going to a safe place kid. A place where you can get some answers to what you are and.. why I had to save you."

The door of the elevator finally opened after 10 minutes to show a place that looked like a bunker filled with old computers and tons of tents and bunks as well as tunnels to other rooms; but most prominent was a crumbling sculptor of a skull on the nearest wall under the crumbling dome ceiling. Aaron was amazed by what he saw and then man in the jacket said "It's an old base that belonged to a terrorist group called Hydra. Now it's a haven for people like us. Come on, I'll take you to the Professor. He can give you some of the answers you seek." And then the two of them entered one of the tunnels, Aaron still taking in the bustling safe-haven that was before him.

After a quick jaunt that took another five minutes down one of the tunnels, Aaron found they were in another room that was bare except for a large round table and two men sitting by it, one of which was in a wheelchair another that was black and sporting a gaudy necklace. The one in the leather jacket said to the two men talking in a booming voice "You know, I'm always afraid when I find the two of you talking together. It means I'm just going to have to run another errand." The two men turned and beamed when they saw the man standing before him with Aaron. "Logan!" they both said with a half laugh. Then one in the necklace got up with great speed and ran over to give the man a strong grasp on the right arm. "Logan, you shaggy beast, good to see that you got out of there safely and with the boy no less". The man called Logan cracked a slight smirk and nodded his head. "You really should thank the professor and Jean. If it weren't for their predictions and guidance, I wouldn't have even found the boy in time."

"Oh Logan" Interrupted the wheel-chair bound bald man who made his way over to them. "Your always so modest about your own accomplishments" Logan just shrugged. "Still" replied Logan "we were pretty luckily there were no ground forces and that it was just as you said professor. Pyro did a number on the place from a pretty far distance"

"Yes" said the wheelchair man "His powers are much more potent with that suit. I fear all of them are, but we will touch base on this later. For now, I want you to go with T'Challaand I will speak with Aaron about his choice." The two other men shook their heads. "Come Logan. It looks like you could use a beer" said T'Challa as they walked out. Logan made in obvious grunt of excitement and said "Oh, Cat man, have no idea" and then like that Aaron found himself alone with the one called professor.

"Follow me to the table Aaron. We have much to discuss" Said the Professor.

No kidding thought Aaron. Then he heard a voice in his head that was not his own say No need for the sass young one and there is no point in keep it to yourself. You're not the only one with an amazing gift.

Aaron was startled but also amazed. "So, Logan wasn't kidding. you're all like me?" He said with excitement. The professor laughed. "only slightly" he said with a chuckle. "I to bear a special gift, as do all those who are left that reside here, so in that way we are like you, but we do all have our differences. I am what they call a mutant. Others here have gotten their powers in other ways. You however…. Are a different entity entirely"

As they had reached the table at this point, Aaron took a seat in one of the metal chairs that surrounded the table. As he did this, the Professor circled the table and picked up a metal briefcase on the other side which he carried over to were Aaron was sitting. He then set the briefcase on Aaron's lap and said "Open it". Aaron hesitated, for fear began to swell his judgment. In a very short time his existence had somehow become detrimental to people he knew nothing about, but with one look at the Professors eyes, he could tell it was safe and with shaking hands he snapped the briefcase locking mechanisms back and opened it.

Inside was a stack of papers and something like black latex underneath them as well as some metal bracelet contraptions that Aaron had never seen before, but before that lie a picture. A picture that startled him immensely. It was picture of a boy…. Wait… not a boy, a man. A man in a fading colored photo with a woman with the reddest hair he had ever seen. The woman was stunningly beautiful, but it was the man that Aaron's attention constantly snapped backed to, for his face was far too familiar. He had brown hair, just like Aaron. Hazel eyes, like Aaron's. Even freckles like Aaron's. If he didn't know any better, he would have said he was his long-lost father, but he shared no features of the woman, whom the man was obviously in a relationship with in the photo, and he felt extremely attracted to her as well, like… he had seen her before in a dream. A dream of him swinging through buildings and fighting goblins…. A dream of him meeting the man called Logan before…. A dream of him fighting a beast in black and white…. A dream of him fighting a jackal…. And then himself. He then snapped his look up to the professor "What the hell is this?" He said, his voice now, mimicking his shaking body. "Aaron… What you see is your life. This man is you." Aaron could feel tears of confusion welling in his eyes. "But how?" He howled. "How could this possibly be me? I'm a kid!" If he wasn't shaking so much, Aaron would have thrown the briefcase in frustration.

"This is what I meant when I said you were different from me." Said the professor, putting a hand out to Aaron like a caring father. "You, who have been called Aaron, are the first of your kind. You are genetically modified clone of this man who, unlike the ones that came before you, was created as a fetus in a tank and have grown like any born child. You are unique, but your genetics come from this man. Peter Parker aka Spider-Man" On this, Peter couldn't help but drop the case. It was as if something had triggered in him from that name Spider-Man. Dreams, that he had forgotten about, came to him in waves, forming into memories like that of a past life. It flowed rapidly, so much so that he grabbed his head in pain, but it did not last. Suddenly, the Professor voices enter his mind again and said in a calming voice It's alright. I am here to help you process this. I know it is a lot, but we can handle this together and like that, all that came back to Aaron faded back into the recesses of his mind. The pain in his cranium faded, but he laid back, glancing back at the briefcases contents. "So…. I'm Peter Parker?" Said Aaron, his voice still quivering. "No" said the professor with a sense of authority. "YOU are Aaron Parker. Peter is long dead. You are your own person with your own destiny." Aaron smirked at that statement. "Never had a last name before." Aaron said, with a small sense of pride. "It's weird but…. I like it" Then a tear flowed down his cheek once again, and he looked back down at the briefcase. "So why did you show me this? What am I to do with this knowledge?"

The professor looked at him with a wise man's respect. "It is yours Aaron. It is yours to do what you will, but it is best to know you are in danger with such connections. We saved you today for there are forces like us on the opposite side of things that learned of your existence and feel threatened by it. Spider-Man was one of the greatest heroes of the age. When this world became unsafe for superhuman existence, he still felt a sense of duty to continue and protect those who were in harm's way even if it was extremely dangerous. He paid the price with his life, and all of us that are left on the side of good look to him as the example that has kept us alive. He has become the ultimate symbol of hope, and your presence means that symbol could become more then a symbol once again, and change things forever." Aaron was taking all of this in as he moved the files to find a black latex suit and the two metal wrist bands that fit him perfectly. "Do you wish for me to lead a rebellion for you Professor? Cause, that's… kind of scary to think of at 16 year old." Asked Aaron. The Professor smiled. "I'm not entirely asking for that now. We could use your help in time, but now I simply feel you need the tools to defend yourself from those that wish to do you harm as well as a right to know the mantle that lies in your future". Aaron then pressed the buttons that rested on his palm on the wristbands with his two fingers to his palm and a jet of white sprayed toward the ceiling he was pointing. Web he said to himself. "These that lie before you are your web shooters. The documents inside can tell you more about them and more of the past of your previous life, particularly about those that are alive and wish to harm you. Underneath that is the last action suit Peter ever owned. All his others were found and destroyed by his enemies, but we discovered this one on the roof of the Chrysler Building in some old webs." Aaron then unfolded the black full-body suit. It was just his size had on its chest a menacing white spider. It also came with a pair of black gloves and mask with two white spots for his eyes. It was menacing, but charmingly familiar to the memories that Aaron shared with a past life. He then looked at the professor with a stern look. "I hope you understand that I plan to use what you have given me for revenge. Those that targeted me harmed all that I had known and cared for and I will not rest until they pay." The Professor shook his head. "It is your right to seek revenge, but I simply ask for you to consider helping us in the process. You may not know this, but the ones you seek are dangerous and the reason for our shelter here." Aaron considered this and nodded his head in agreement. "Fine I will help, but you must tell me who is responsible for the destruction of the orphanage and where I can find him." Professor smiled "Oh I can do better than that" He said.

Far from the shelter of lone super humans, Aaron faced the Great city of New York from the Tall Empire State building that Aaron was teleported to with the help of the professor and man called Dr. Strange. As the buildings before him shined in the darkness of night, His eyes mainly focused on his target the Oscorp building, Aaron couldn't help but think of the professor's last words to him; 'With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility'. These words were like a fire to his soul, sparking a sense of duty that both him and his past life shared. He was going for revenge, that was certain, but was he going for blood or simply for justice? Only time would tell, but has he stripped down on the tall windy structure and dawned the black and white suit, slipping the mask on last, he felt stronger and more like himself then he had ever felt before in his life. Then, as he jumped with great force from the tip of the building and activated his first strand for a web-swing, he signaled to the unknowing world something they all never thought possible.

Spider-Man was Back.