Horizon Labs, New York City
Peter Parker was standing outside his dream job. He had always been a man of science and now despite still being enrolled at Empire State University, he had been offered an interview to work with some of the world's smartest people. He pulled out his phone and was overloaded with texts from various people, his Aunt May saying, "Good Luck Sweety", his Uncle Ben promising if he got the job that he would buy some Mets tickets to celebrate. The one that stood out was the one from his girlfriend Gwen Stacy, it read, "Peter, I know today is a big day for you and I am so happy for you, but don't forget tonight we have something special planned tonight at ten. " Peter thought to himself, "What was planned?"
Peter entered the building and was stunned to how see how laid back the place. There was a ping pong table next to the reception desk. Peter walked to the desk and then saw him, the big man himself, Max Modell. He walked up to Peter and peter went for a handshake and Max hugged him. Max looked exactly like he did in the magazines. Not like some lab coat wearing scientists more of a Hawaiian shirt ponytail guy.
Max stopped the awkward hug and said, "Peter my boy are you ready for the rest of your life?"
Peter thought to himself and said, "Yeah I think I am."
Max led them to some nice reclining chairs and the both sat down and as they sat Max said, "Peter, here at Horizon we are a family and before I hire anyone even someone as qualified as you, I like to get to know them. I am going to ask you some basic and random questions. Is that okay?
Peter said, "Yes." As fast as he could.
Max pulled out his phone and said, "How old are you, favorite movie, and who is your favorite one of the Avengers?"
Peter replied, "Well. I am twenty. My favorite movie is Empire Strikes Back and Iron-man because Stark is a genius."
Max flipped through his phone more and asked, "Tell me about your family and friends."
"I never knew my parents, but my Aunt May and Uncle Ben raised me. My aunt is in Boston with her sisters right now and my uncle is probably writng some story for the Daily Bugle right now. I don't really have friends. I have a girlfriend.
"What's her major and why and her um… Name?"
"She's a criminology major because her dad wouldn't let her be a cop. Her name is Gwen Stacy."
Max flipped through his phone more and put it away and said, "You passed the SHIELD file test Peter. Welcome to Horizon Labs!"
Peter was confused and said, "SHIELD file?"
Max looked at Peter like Peter should have known something and replied, "Peter, with an IQ like yours, you had to have known SHIELD would have a file on you. Peter there are also a lot of dangerous things here at Horizon. You have the job, but do you want it?"
Peter tensed and replied, "What dangers?"
"Ever since Tony Stark sobered up and dismantled his weapons manufacturing, the head of SHIELD, came to us to make their weapons. That fancy bow Hawkeye uses. Susan Storm in lab 4 made that. Lady Sif's new sword was made by Norman Osborn before he quit. I made Captain America's Shield after the original broke. Peter you are going to be making weapons for the heroes. We have a multiple threats made against us every day. You can have your own lab, but do you want it?"
Max and Peter both stood up and Peter grabbed and shook Max's hand and said, "I have been being beat up since I was six. Not much scares me anymore. I want this job."
Max broke the hand shake and hugged Peter. It was not as awkward as the first one and Peter even hugged back a little. Max broke it off and said, "Your lab is marked number 5. It was Osborn's, you can start this Friday. Since I don't want you going anywhere you have your first two months' pay in your bank account. Look around in your lab and come back Friday and please wear jeans and a t shirt you look ridiculous in a sweater vest"
Peter left and went and saw lab 5. He put his hand on the handle and a voice said, "Peter Parker: Age 20 Level 1" and the door opened. When he stepped in he saw a big empty room with a table in the middle. The light above the table was flickering. Peter walked up to the table and the door shut and he heard a beep. Peter put his hands on the table and looked around. He thought to himself. I am a scientist. A spider climbed onto his hand. The spider was a dark red and blue mixture. It was rather large, but didn't look creepy to Peter.
Peter smiled and said, "Hey Mister Spider. Guess what? My life is good."
The spider bit Peter. Red and blue lights flashed through his head. Peter heard the beep of the door and shot up in the air and he was holding onto the ceiling by his hands and the tip of his feet. Peter was in shock. He let go and he hit the table and fell on the ground.
Images flashed through his eyes. He saw a web and he was at the center was Peter. He saw other people, one looked like him, but he was scarred. The web was torn in most corners. He saw a haunting face. He looked like Dracula, but paler. Peter realized this whole time he saw this web his eyes were closed. He felt a sharp pain go through his left arm. A spike popped out of his arm and Peter touched it. He was sweating like crazy. The spike went back in his arm and his skin didn't even look like it had been flawed.
Peter jumped up and ran out the door. It was much darker now and he saw Max Modell seiitng in a chair. Max came to Peter.
"Peter, you were in their an awful long time is everything alright?"
"Yeah I am fine… Just surprised is all" Peter lied. "What time is it?"
Max looked at his phone and said, "It is a little after midnight."
Peter started to run out of Horizon Labs. He looked at his phone and had multiple texts from his family. Many were asking if he got the job. He had one from Gwen that troubled him.
It read, "Peter, I thought you wanted to meet my dad, I guess you just aren't ready for us to be more than we are. Let me be for a few days."
Peter got mad and started running. He didn't realize it but he ended up in a dead end alley. He looked at his hands and put them on the wall. He then put his feet on and he started to climb. He kept thinking to himself this is impossible. He climbed and climbed and he looked up and he saw that he was forty stories up. He saw the city and he saw the night sky. He heard yelling.
Peter started to run to the yelling instinctively and saw two men with crowbars attacking some man. They were hitting him mercilessly. Peter saw there was a lamppost near them and he backed up and ran towards the end of the building and jumped and landed in the light post. They didn't see him.
Peter dropped from the post and said, "If you are going to beat up someone, at least make it interesting."
The men faced him and they wear dressed in black, one in a ski mask. One threw a knife at Peter. Peter saw it come at him and he dodged it. They charged him and Peter popped out his spike. Then popped it back in. They stopped in their tracks. One of the charged him and Peter punched him in the gut and then the jaw and he went down. The next man started to run away and Peter started to chase him. The man ran and Peter kept up and tackled him and punched him in the face. Peter's spike popped out and he put it to the man's face and just used it to remove the ski mask. He popped his spike back in his skin. Peter punched him one last time knocking him out. He looked around and jumped up onto the side of a building and climbed it to the top and sprawled out on the roof. He thought to himself, "What the hell am I and why did I save that man?"