Mason Baker

Volume One

Spidey's Side

When Spidey met Mason, he was running through alleyways after losing control of his form making people think his father was loose. Spidey stopped him "What's the rush Sander?" He saw it was a kid, "You're not Flint. Who are you?"

He told Spidey as his legs turned to sand when he stopped moving "Spidey what I did was an accident."

Spidey responded by telling Mason "I understand, I can help, I know a way you won't hurt anyone, and that you can train."

Mason explained "I don't think you can help me. I keep turning to sand, I don't even think you can get me away from here."

Spidey said "I know someone who can help with that, I might even be able to arrange it so that you can train with your dad."

Mason said "I knew you'd help me if you can. So what do I do?"

Spidey said "I'll call my guy who can get us out of here. Try to see if you can collect yourself." Spidey gestured to the sand on the ally ground.

Mason said "I can't, my sand usually comes when I run but now that I stopped I can't get it back, I just don't know how."

Spidey said "I'll consult my guy on that too then."

Spidey called Brick Nathans on his wrist communicator, he said "I found our Sander, he's just a scared kid probably a legacy. He couldn't even hold his form while I was talking to him. He didn't try fighting me, he just wants some help. I think some training and a lot of sand will do the trick."

Nathans said "I'll send someone to your location, and Spidey don't make promises you can't keep. He won't forgive you for that, remember what happened with Flint." Nathans called in a team of agents for containment on Mason.

Mason looked at Spidey when the team arrived, Spidey said "It's okay, they're here to help. They're just going to collect your sand so we can get you somewhere safe." The agents were geared up, probably expecting a bit of fight, Mason put his hands up in surrender as he slowly walked to them. After they got Mason contained Spidey boarded the transport jet to go to the SIGO Helicarrier.

On the Helicarrier Nathans called for Spidey onto the bridge, "What's up Director Nathans?"

Nathans said "We need to talk about Sander's son. I understand that you told him that you could arrange it so he could train with his father."

Spidey said "I told him he might be able to train with Flint, not that I could arrange it sir. But maybe training his son could help Flint with his reform program, we did say that we could help him so we should."

Nathans said "If you'd let me finish, I agree with your statement. I actually called you in to congratulate you. You acted very mature with that situation, on that note what's your plan from this point on?"

Spidey said "I think the best thing would be to place Mason on a deserted island where he can train while he can't control his form and we can keep an eye on him. What's your plan, Brick? I mean Director Nathans." Mason had introduced himself while they were waiting for the transport jet.

Nathans said "I was thinking we contain him here, but your plan sounds better considering we're dealing with a legacy who can't control his powers. You're not acting like yourself, Peters."

Spidey said "I'll web your eyepatch if it'd make you feel better Bricky."

Nathans said "I spoke too soon, we're done here. Now get out of here and get with the rest of your team. I got another mission for you." Spidey left, Nathans met his team.

Nathans said "After your last mission was a failure, Spidey showed some maturity in dealing with a reported Sander incident."

Jaguar said "Wait, you gave Webster a mission against Sander."

Comet said "Webster was mature."

Cage said "This is not happening." Nathans cleared his throat to get their attention.

Nathans said "This mission resulted in the capture of Mason Baker, Sander's son. As a legacy Mason has the potential to be more powerful than Flint which is why we put Spidey on the Sander case, it seemed the reported Sander was more unstable than Flint has shown to be in the past. Your mission is to help us move Mason to a containment area."

Nathans used a big screen. First he had a image of Mason next to his sand form, then he showed Mason next to his father above small images of their sand forms, finally a map of the island they're going to move him on with small image Mason next to it.

Nathans said "Mason trusts Spidey which is why I have you on this mission. Mason is being moved on Spidey's recommendation rather than attempt containment here."

Cage asked "I just have one question. When do we leave?"

Nathans answered "As soon as Spidey gets Mason on the transport jet, Mason is not being moved in a containment device."

Spidey said "Mason said he cannot hold his form so there may be a problem with that."

Nathans said "I also need you to get a power dampener on him so that we can safely transport him." Nathans slid a small box containing the power dampener wristlet to Spidey, he said "Once on our techs will need to calibrate it. Understood?"

Spidey said "Yes sir."

Spidey went to the lab, Mason was there looking out of place and very confused in a scared way. Spidey said "Hey, they're gonna move you. I need you to put this on so we can move you somewhere you can train. It's a power dampener, it'll keep you from turning into sand. Ok?"

Mason took the wristlet and put it on, Spidey said "They're going to calibrate it so your powers won't work on the plane."

Mason said "Okay, where we going?"

Spidey said "We're going somewhere you can train where you can't hurt anyone."

Mason said "Alright." Spidey nodded to the techs, they calibrated the dampener then Spidey took Mason to the transport. Mason tensed when he saw Spidey's team, Comet smiled when he saw Mason's face.

Jaguar helped Spidey out "It's okay Mason, we're friends."

Zen Fighter said "Namaste friend Mason," then he said something out of a fortune cookie.

Cage said "We don't understand it either, just go with it."

Comet said "I don't get why we have to do this escort mission."

Cage shoved him as they boarded., Comet said "Hey."

Cage said "Just shut up, you're more annoying than Spidey."

On the transport jet, Mason said "So are you sure about this?"

Spidey said "I think this is the best for you, yes."

Mason looked at Comet "What about him?"

Spidey said "He's just upset that he didn't get mission to begin with." Mason nodded, when they got to the island the team walked Mason out.

Cage said "Could this get any simpler? We're just supposed to walk Mason off the plane then leave."

Spidey said "No, we're supposed to escort Mason here then help SIGO get their gear set so they can help Mason with his legacy powers. That's why we're here, and Cage you do know that this isn't like Flint. Nathans said that legacies have been proven to be more powerful than their parent, so Mason might be more dangerous than Flint. Which is why SIGO needs to set up here where Mason can learn to use his powers and SIGO can keep an eye on him. Make more sense now?"

Comet said "So we're here to help SIGO setup here then we leave because Mason might be more dangerous than Flint. What's SIGO gonna do with him here? And when did Nathans tell you all this?"

Spidey said "Nathans told us all this stuff about legacies. I don't know exactly what SIGO's plan is aside from keeping Mason here. I suggested Flint train Mason here, Nathans said it's a good suggestion but I don't really know. I'm so out of the loop."

Jaguar said "We didn't get to make a suggestion, and we're all out of the loop on the director's plan."

Comet said "Why did you get to make a suggestion? And when did you?"

Spidey said "Relax Bucketeer I suggested it to Mason. You know how Nathans is, he knows everything. When I got to the Helicarrier, Nathans called for me, he thought I promised Mason after he told me not to promise Mason anything. He said it wasn't a bad idea but I don't really know if he's gonna use my idea or not. Don't get your bucket in a bunch, okay?"

Zen Fighter said "Spidey, I hate to interrupt but I think Mason is losing his cool." Zen Fighter pointed at a sand monster forming in front of Mason.

Spidey looked at Mason who was still wearing the dampener, he said "That's not Mason. He's still wearing his power dampener, the techs calibrated it to him specifically."

Spidey looked back at Mason to find the monster gone and a SIGO person in its place. Spidey walked over to Mason, he asked "What just happened? Where's the sand monster?"

The SIGO person said "We just cleared the area of the remaining living sand. It seems something shed it."

"Like Sander," Spidey turned to see Agent Phillips walking up to them, Phillips turned to him "Spidey you can remove the dampener off Mason now." Spidey did, as Phillips pulled out his badge for the subordinate agent "This whole island needs to be swept for the living sand as you call it, we don't need any accidents happening with Mason and this living sand."

The SIGO person said "Yes sir, we've already cleared most of this island."

Mason said "Wait, this is an island? I mean I guess it makes sense. What's a legacy? Why were you and your team talking about them? What happens now?"

Spidey answered the first three questions "Yes it's an island, I told you we were taking you somewhere you can't hurt anyone. A legacy is a child of a supervillain, you're father is Sander so you're a legacy that's why we were talking about legacies, I was explaining why we were here."

Phillips took the last one "Now we're going to keep you here while we help you learn to control your powers and we figure out how strong your powers are." Mason was young and short so Phillips came closer "This is to keep you safe as much as it is to keep others safe from you, we'll take care of you." He went back over next to Spidey, "Spidey, a word?" He walked away.

Spidey said to Mason before he followed Phillips "It'll be alright, trust me."

Phillips took Spidey to the SIGO jet that was setup to monitor Mason, Phillips said "I was informed you think Flint training Mason is a good course of action."

Spidey said "As far as I know we don't know much about how Sander does what he does, I can't think of any better way to train Mason, I don't think Flint will go all Sander with his son, plus training his son could help Flint with his reform program so that'd make it more worth it for him. So?"

Phillips said "I agree it's the best course of action, especially considering all we don't know. But I want you working on this: his training, Sander, you supervise it and help the agents on this case meaning what they says goes. Understood?"

Spidey said "Yes."

Phillips said "Okay, I want just you on this not the others on your team. Got that?"

Spidey said "I guess."

Phillips smirked "Dismissed."

SIGO setup a system to take care of Mason while he was on the island that day, Spidey's team set up the SIGO issued shelter for Mason. Spidey told the team what Phillips said as they were leaving, Spidey stayed behind to help with Mason' transition to the island. SIGO told Spidey everything Mason needed to know so Spidey could tell him because refused to talk to anyone but Spidey.

After a few days they started to create precautions for Mason's training. After a few months, Spidey took Sander to the island where Mason was being contained for his first training session with his son.

Spidey did introductions "Mason this is Flint, Flint this is your son Mason." He said "Flint's here to train you Mason. Mason this is a containment suit." SIGO had brought a metal suit out that Spidey gestured to, Mason could only control his powers when he was in it. Spidey said "It's for your training."

Mason said "You know I can't use my powers, it never ends well."

Spidey went to say something, Flint cut him off "That's what the suit is for." He glanced at Spidey "Show him the remote, let's show him how it works." Spidey took out the remote for Flint's suit, Flint turned his arm to sand so Spidey could show what the suit does, Spidey pressed the button which paralyzed Flint and made his hand turn back. Flint forced a smile, he said "See?" Spidey looked at the SIGO agents who'd come out when he clicked the remote, a minute later Flint's paralysis went a way.

Spidey said "When I pressed the button the suit paralyzed him when it turned his power off. They can turn the paralysis off and your powers back on, the suit is just for training so don't worry, Mason. Flint is only here for training, your training is a part of Flint's reform program. Don't hold me to this but eventually you might be able to see Flint for more than just training. I can't promise you anything, though. Do you understand?"

Mason said "Yeah, I understand Spidey."

Flint said "Let's begin with something simple, try turning to sand and diving into your suit. Powers are easier to control when on sand."

Spidey said "It's okay, he knows what he's talking about. He's your dad, he's the reason you have your powers."

Mason said "Okay, I'll try it." He turned to sand, fell into the suit, he said "Can you turn the power dampeners on? I can't change back." Spidey clicked the remote on then off. From that point of the lessons on Flint focused on slowly changing form. It took a lot of lessons for Mason to get the hang of changing back and forth, but once he got the hang of it Flink tried showing Mason how to turn his body to sand, which made his containment suit empty so SIGO agents flooded out of the monitoring unit.

Spidey said "Woah, it's okay. Flint get back in the suit it's time to go. Mason, training is over so you need to get out of the suit." SIGO unlocked the suit which opened it as Flint got back into his.

Mason said "So when's the next lesson? Or is this it?" Spidey looked at the agents, Mason looked at them with him.

Flint said "It's okay Mason, you're really getting a hang on your form so I think we're getting somewhere. Okay?" Mason nodded shyly.

After they took Flint away, Spidey said "Well, I got some time before I need to get back. What do you do around here outside of training?"

Mason said "Well, wanna hang out at my place." Spidey knew Mason meant his SIGO issue shelter. Mason took Spidey to the shelter, he said "I got this place all to myself. I guess that's pretty cool."

Spidey said "What's wrong?"

Mason said "Can I trust you? I mean I do trust you, but this is something else."

Spidey said "Yeah you can trust me, you can trust the SIGO guys too. Think about it, what's the worst that can happen. You're already on a deserted island."

Mason smiled "I guess you're right. Thing is I have this whole building to myself, the SIGO guys drop my food and stuff off in boxes every day on holographic hoverboards on the beach, I have a remote to the hoverboards built into a wall that auto updates everyday when it does it dings or maybe that's the SIGO guys telling me to get my stuff, the first week I kept getting little tube like things that had notes attached telling me where to open them, when I did open them I got this stuff,"

Mason said explaining his move in, this stuff being the SIGO issue furniture "I get an alert when I have my lessons with dad as they're bringing him, I mean I have the tablet for normal school. Having a place to myself reminds me of when I got these powers. It started slow, little piles of sand would just show up in weird places wherever I went. One time sand fell off my hand when I wasn't looking, it fell right into dinner. My family, my mom's family ate that dinner. By dinner the next day my family was dead. I got scared so I did what my mom told me to do when I got scared, stay put and wait for help. Help arrived in the form of people searching for my family, when the cops came I panicked and ran. I was on my own until that day you set this up. What I'm trying to say is I think I killed my family, or my old family. Like I said when I use my powers things always end badly. Anyway, thanks for everything Spidey."

Spidey said "What happened to your family wasn't your fault. You couldn't control it. You didn't know. If you want I might be able to get you some therapy, to help. In the meantime, you're doing well with your lessons as far as I can tell," There was a knock on the door.

"It's me Spidey, it's Agent Wade." Said the man at the door.

Spidey said "Stay here." He went to the door "What are you doing here Agent Wade? I figured I could stay until the lesson usually ends."

Agent Wade said "I'll have to call it in see if it's okay, the Helicarrier sent a transport for you."

Spidey said "Okay, see ya."

Spidey shut the door, he went back to Mason. He said "Agent Wade's the lead field agent on this. He's in charge of taking care of you. When Flint left his suit it set off alarms so he had to order agents to subdue him because HQ has to give him the green light before he can okay that. He's the highest ranking agent here, he reports to the lead agent. Agent Phillips, the guy you met the first day here. He's my boss too. Wade's your case agent out here. Okay?"

Mason said "I guess. So you didn't have the green light to come here, that's why he came out. You were supposed to leave with my dad."

Spidey said "Yeah but Wade's gonna see if I can stay until your training lessons usually ends. Do you want me to see about a therapist coming by every once in awhile? What do we do now?" There was a ding after he said that.

Mason said "That's the supplies, they usually only come once a day. They already came right after I finished school lessons. I'll steer them here, only SIGO can update the remote at least as far as I know." He went to the door, they'd been talking in his room, Spidey followed.

As Mason went to the screen by the door, Spidey said "They don't tell you anything do they? Outside of those notes they sent and when you have a training lesson."

Mason turned, "No, you and my dad are really the only ones who ever say anything to me. I think the SIGO guys are scared of me. Maybe it's just orders." He went back to steering the hoverboards, opened the door so the boards went right inside. He opened the boxes, inside the first box was clothes.

Mason said "What the? It's not laundry day. That's not for another two or three days." He opened the rest and put everything where it went. Spidey walked to an empty shower looking thing.

Mason said "Don't go in there, that's the." Spidey was already in, the door closed, it scanned him then a power vacuum activated after it shut off the door opened.

Spidey asked "What was that?"

Mason had already returned to unpacking everything, he said "That gets rid of sand or in my case it does the same thing as my containment suit. It's for when I lose control of my powers or someone gets hit with living sand, at least as close as I can figure."

Spidey said "So after my team and I left they just use electronics with you, no human contact aside from me and Flint."

Mason said "You know what Spidey, you're a genius that's exactly how things are."

Spidey said "I thought the point of training you was so you can leave here someday, I thought they'd at least have armored agents interact with you."

Mason said "Nope, not that I care. Can we talk about something else?"

Spidey said "This is your place, you choose."

Mason finished unpacking the boxes, he said "Well there's not much to do, you can leave if you want."

Spidey said "Alright then."

Spidey talked to Director Nathans after he left, he told Brick about problems he saw with how Mason was set up and that they need to solve them to make Mason less dangerous. Brick probably agreed because he told the team they can visit with Mason anytime as long as they do it as high school kids SIGO chose as recruits.

Zen Fighter said "The Director's change of heart is somewhat unnerving."

Cage said "Yeah. He told us we're off the case and to leave Mason alone after we built the shelter, now he's telling us we can visit anytime after training."

Spidey said "Nathans means Mason's training not ours. One of Flint's big problems is he's emotionally unstable. I think Nathans wants to make Mason less dangerous by solving the instability. Since Mason is getting better at controlling his powers he's more dangerous that way so Nathans wants us to help stabilize him mentally and emotionally. I think, just theorizing."

Jaguar said "Spidey what did you do?"

Spidey said "I may have visited with Mason after his training was cut short. I might have told Nathans about some problems I noticed. Flint and I are Mason's only human contact, SIGO does everything else with machines. Masons doing great with lessons I though Nathans would start integrating him with a supervised trip to school but I guess this is a better starting point to him." They'd been walking to the hangar from their training, they all stopped.

Comet said "What is he doing here? I thought this was our assignment." Flint was waiting on the transport plane.

Spidey asked Flint "Is there a late lesson? I thought that we came in after lessons." The team was in street clothes acting as SIGO high school recruits.

Flint said "Not that I know of. They told me to wait here, something about helping Mason with social skills. Hey who are you kids?"

Phillips said "These are the teen recruits. Percy and Dylan are academic recruits. Carlos and Amy are athletic recruits. Scott is a space program recruit." Percy is Spidey, Dylan is Zen Fighter, Carlos is Cage, Amy is Jaguar, and Scott is Comet. "This is Flint Baker, we're seeing his legacy who he's been training. His son's name is Mason. I'm the case agent in charge, Agent Phillips. Any questions." They boarded the plane as Philips talked They'd gotten the 411 prior so no questions.

After the plane took off Carlos asked Percy "So what's up with Flint coming? I thought it was just us."

Percy said "That's what I thought too, unless this is all some big trick I think Flint's coming. Let's just act like a team of kids chosen to go on an after school field trip." Phillips walked up in front of the team.

Phillips said "Good plan."

Carlos asked Phillips "Why's Flint coming? I thought Flint was just training."

Phillips said "It's a part of his reform program, he's supposed to help with his son. I was only told about him as he was being brought to the plane."

Percy said "It's cool, Flint's teaching Mason to control his powers. No need to make the Director mad. Right?"

Amy said "Percy are you feeling okay?"

Carlos said "Yeah, you've been acting really weird since you started this whole Mason thing. Now you're acting weird outside of the mask."

Percy said "I'm fine relax. Mason couldn't stay human while standing still when this whole thing started much less control anything."

Amy said "Alright but don't zone out or anything."

Scott said "I just thought of something and we might have a problem with Flint over there coming with us."

Scott explained "Flint thinks Percy and Spidey are two different people. Mason's heard Spidey's voice and seen how he behaves if he meets Percy it probably won't take much for him to put two and two together. What I'm saying is Mason might figure out Percy's Spidey, if he so much as breathes the word Flint could find out too."

Amy said "We all know your Spidey but they don't, I don't think we should risk it. What do you think, Agent Phillips?"

Phillips said "There's two ways we can play this. One: Percy you act like the opposite of Spidey. Two: Percy and Dylan, you play on the academic acceptance cover by examining the lab samples while Scott talks to the pilots about his acceptance cover which would leave only Amy and Carlos going to the shelter but would minimize the risk."

Percy said "Or option three, I run ahead to make sure that Mason doesn't slip. I won't tell him I'm Spidey but I'll check to see if Scott's right by seeing if he recognizes my voice. If he does running ahead will give me time to play it off so that at worst I confuse Mason instead of giving two Sandmen my secret ID. I vote option 3. What do you guys think?"

Dylan said "Option 3 sounds most preferable, this prevents you from pretending to be something you're not plus I have no clue how to do option Two."

Carlos said "I'm with Percy, option 3 sounds best. I think two will look a little suspicious, two kids being brought to a deserted island to examine lab samples and a guy with a future in space talking to pilots. I don't think Percy can do option one anyway."

Amy said "I'm option 3, this is your op Percy."

Scott said "I guess I like option three the most too."

Phillips said "Alright, I think we have a consensus."

Percy said "Just in time too, we'll be landing any minute now."

Amy said "How do you?" As they landed, Phillips held up a comlink wristband as if he was showing it the whole time.

Carlos said "Man you really have that down." As they got up to leave the plane, Phillips gave them each a wristlet.

Phillips said "These have GPS and coms. Percy don't forget to run ahead." As they headed to the shelter in the jungle.

Percy ran ahead, he said "Hey, Mason." as he reached Mason who was gathering buckets of water from the storm drains to dump them in the shelter for the month so SIGO can gather it for God knows what as far as Mason cared.

Mason said "Hey, who are you? How do you know my name?"

Percy called it good for what he was doing, Percy said "I'm Percy, SIGO chose a handful of teen recruits to come here. They told us your name and you're here for security purposes. I ran ahead a ways back."

Mason said "Okay, why did SIGO bring you guys here? There's not much here that can help with a future in SIGO."

Percy said "I don't know, I just found out they exist less than 2 days ago. They said I have a future in science and named me leader of the group. This guy Flint was on the plane with us here, Agent Phillips said he's your dad and he's been training you. Phillips is the lead case agent. Now I'm here, Phillips told us to go ahead. He probably just wanted us out of the way while he talks to another agent." Phillips and the team heard everything on the coms, they went with his cover.

Percy added "I basically hit the sand running. I'm glad Phillips told us to run ahead or else I'd be in trouble."

Carlos said "I guess you won the race. Amy and I are supposed to be the athletic ones. You and Dylan are the academic ones."

Scott said "More like cheated, you ran before Phillips said go."

Amy said "You'll get your rematch on the way back. Now let's wait for Agent Phillips and Flint to catch up."

Dylan said "Who is this Flint anyway? I thought legacies are children of supervillains. They said Mason's a legacy."

Mason said "Flint's my dad as you already know, I am a legacy. Flint's his real name, he's also called Sander."

Percy quipped "A sandy beach is the perfect place for a Sander."

Mason said "I know, I think it's weird too. I just stay here as much as possible, no need to poke the bear. So you're here as some kind of genius, right? I got a question no one seems to know the answer to. When does someone need to poke a bear? Proverbs like that never made sense to me."

Percy said "You probably have some social disability. I'm Percy, spoil sport is Scott, I think you can tell who Amy is, that's Dylan and Carlos is the last one." He pointed to the last 2.

Mason said "Hi. You all already know my name."

Agent Phillips arrived with Agent Wade and Flint, Phillips said "I see you've all met. Guys this is Agent Wade, he's been running things down here."

Agent Wade said "Hi." Kinda unsure of himself.

Flint said "So what now?"

Mason said "I have no earthly idea I didn't even know you were coming. Come in I guess." He gestured to the SIGO shelter.

Once inside, Carlos said "This place is way too clean for a kid's house, no offense."

Mason said "None taken, I didn't clean. There's a set system SIGO made for everything. Most kids' rooms get dirty 'cause they can, it takes less effort to keep this place clean than to dirty it up."

Percy said "Really, so this whole place is yours."

Mason answered "Yeah but I'm pretty much alone on this whole island. They sent me some different food recently, it's in the kitchen over here." He went to the kitchen "I got it after training one day, after the daily supplies." He grabbed some ice cream and bowls "The freezer was in a tube thing with a note saying next to kitchen counter. All the furniture came in like that, it stopped about a week after I got here."

Flint stayed with the teens. The agents hung back to talk. Wade said "So can we reinitiate training even though it might involve Flint leaving the suit? What's this visit really about?"

Phillips explained "Director Nathans says it's meant to develop Mason's social skills, to prevent Sander 2.0. Since Legacies have shown to,"

Wade cut in "Be more dangerous than their parent, that's basic. It's why Legacy Control was invented and why there's the AT program for homeless Control legacies. You're saying Mason might be worse than Flint."

Phillips said "Preliminary tests support that yes. This is to keep Mason's threat level low. Yes you have the green light to proceed as soon as Flint's training is reinitiated. Let's rejoin the others, these visits are a one hour thing with Flint."

As things went along, Mason returned to training and teen visits became more frequent until they stopped and Mason was re-assessed for security purposes on the Helicarrier. They were testing him for the AT program. The Protectors, heroes who ran the AT legacy program had been requesting Mason join since Percy told them about him. SIGO determined he was ready, after moving him they removed any sign they'd been on the island. Flint got a substantial sentence reduction and psychologically reevaluated.