I don't own Spider-Man.
The moonlight shone through the windows, illumination an archway to create shadows visible. Something that Peter found to be useful as he chased after the shadow lacking a body to cast it, that quickly blended into the darkness and made Peter pause to look around warily. He had blocked all the doors and had gotten in by smashing through the window, so unless his target planned to leap out of a building he was trapped.
When he had first heard the stories of the ghost who stole jewels and attacked women in their homes, he had admittedly found it a little far fetched. Of course then he looked at himself and acknowledged that there may be some truth to the stories, and he was more convinced that there was something going on when he saw the women those stories were about, and after two months of investigating he had found the one responsible. Dr Noah Boddy, a genius scientist with an ironic name who has spent way too much time reading H.G Wells' The Invisible Man and seemed to enjoy following in the fictional protagonist's footsteps.
"I would give up Dr Boddy. There's no way out and if I read your notes correctly, your invisibility formula won't last much longer." Peter shouted into the darkness, his voice muffled somewhat by his mask which Peter has found does a decent job in making him sound less looks the sixteen year old he really was.
"I can make more Spider-Man, I have it all memorized. Destroying my notes has done nothing but been an inconvenience." Boddy's voice echoed throughout the room which made Peter look around intently to try and see something that showed where he was. "I will kill you and sneak out while these idiots are distracted by your corpse."
"I wouldn't bet on that Boddy. People way more impressive than you have tried and failed to kill me." Peter told him honestly as he thought about the freaks he has dealt with over the last year. While none were noteworthy enough, threats like the Empathoid and the Scorcher were far more intimidating than an invisible scientist who never worked out and spent every hour of every day indoors.
"Besides the police know you're responsible Boddy, even if they don't believe the whole invisibility thing. They found all the jewels you stole and with no money to get new materials, I'm afraid you won't be making that formula any time soon." Peter continued as he took a few steps forward and turned around, beginning to wonder if there was a way to draw Boddy out when he felt it. The warning inside his head that told him of any immediate danger and which made him act on instinct, leaping forwards and looking back to see a knife cutting through the air where he once stood.
Peter took several steps back while Boddy continued to swing the knife in his direction, the moonlight from outside the windows glinting off the sharp metal. Eventually Peter took and chance, striking his left fist out and making contact with something that he felt break. He heard Boddy scream and drop the knife while blood began to form across invincible skin, giving Peter an even better target. While he was never fond of the lessons, it was times like this that he was grateful uncle Ben taught him how to fight. All it took was taking a few light and calculated jabs to where Boddy's stomach would be, knocking the air out of the criminal's lungs before reaching with both hands to grab Boddy's head and slamming it to the ground. After checking for his pulse to reassure himself he was still alive, he made sure his wrists were exposed enough and began to spray webbing to keep Bossy trapped to the floor. He didn't want to risk getting the webbing all up his sleeve again and this way the police can see Boddy's unconscious form until the formula wears off.
Speaking of the police Peter could hear them coming up the stairs and trying to break through the doors, meaning it was time to make a quick getaway. However as Peter approached the window he had an idea that he couldn't resist. So with the wind making his coat flap dramatically he waited until finally the door was smashed open and the first officer came in, freezing in shock when he saw the masked vigilante. Peter turned his head and tipped his hat at the officer and those behind him, smiling with childish glee as he did, he then leaped out of the window just as the police started to regain their wits. Yes he knew that it was bold and perhaps a little risky with him relying on his spider-sense to warn him if the officer would shoot, but he did it for two reasons. Firstly, the more bold and risky he was the less confident criminals will feel about facing him. And secondly, he would be lying of it didn't make him look amazing.
He grabbed hold of the top of the widow and us ed his momentum to swing himself up and land on the wall, crawling swiftly to the roof while ignoring the police on the ground. Once he was on the roof it was easy to start making his escape as despite the good he has done I've the year, the police were still reluctant to help and trust him which was for a good reason. Many of them were on the take and while Peter knows arresting them would accomplish nothing, he hasn't been shy about smacking a few around while advising them to stop listening to crooks to get some information. Unsurprisingly none have listened to his advice and all of them want him in prison, presumably to watch as he is torn apart by the inmates.
Peter couldn't help but admire how beautiful New York seemed at this time of night, and if someone were to capture a picture of what Peter saw right now they wouldn't know what New York was actually like. They would think its a wonderful city filled with a multitude of cultures and people that somehow learned to live together. They wouldn't see how it was simply a boiling pot where like everywhere else in America the poor got poorer, the rich dropped to working class while some even got richer over the suffering of others. And while this was going on evil existed in many forms, from the abusive husband and father taking out his anger over how his life has turned out to the gang leader who was let free without even a slap on the wrist, which left the innocent defenceless. Sure Peter still believed good can win and that evil will get its comeuppance in the end, but despite everything that happened I to him and what he's done since getting his powers he can't honestly say New York has changed. Perhaps he has been naive but he had sort of been hoping that there would have been something different by now. His duel responsibilities as Spider-Man and a photographer for the Daily Bugle hasn't led him to discover any change, except for a few children playing a game they call "Spider-Man and outlaws" which often ended with arguments over who should be Spider-Man which while flattering it isn't exactly the impact he wanted. While May and Ben often told him that while it might be hard there were more good people than bad people if you looked, to Peter still felt like New York was a city where wolves watched for any of the innocent sheep to make a mistake so they can swallow them whole.
He was drawn out of his thoughts when he found himself perched on a rooftop staring out to a familiar apartment, and he cursed himself for coming here. He spent months looking at Felicia's home and hoping she has will let him talk to her, but even when he finally accepted she wanted nothing to do with him he still ended up subconsciously coming here. Since what happened with the Crime Master she has made no contact with him and it couldn't be any clearer that she wanted nothing to do with him, yet he often finds himself back here hoping that something would be different while knowing that it never will. And he couldn't blame her as whatever that bastard did to her was so bad she has practically locked herself away and when she does come out she always wears a mask.
Despite the pointlessness of it all Peter remained where he was, losing track of time and observing her apartment while the guilt inside made him so distracted he didn't notice the figure standing next to him until he coughed. Peter leaped back in surprise while wondering why his spider-sense, as he called it, didn't alert him to whoever it was. He guessed he got his answer when he recognised the man to be Lippy, Felicia's trusted bodyguard, and judging from his causal posture the reason Peter wasn't warned was because he didn't intend to hurt him.
"Miss Hardy has noticed you always coming here, and had considered asking you to stop." Lippy said before Peter say anything, his voice cold and full of judgment presumably for the role he played in Felicia's disfigurement. "However it occurred to her that it would make things easier to contact you since you tend to come here fairly regularly, and despite how people tend to get hurt around you she believes you can be useful."
Peter was speechless, still a little surprised and definitely more ashamed by his words, and Lippy reached into his coat and pulled out a book. He handed it to Peter who took it, noticing how it was recently brought due to the cover but has been used regular which was obvious from the wear and tear of the pages. He moved to undo the strap and read it before Lippy gestured to him to stop.
"No, read it where no one will see you. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to, we don't need word getting out about Miss Hardy's association with you." Lippy explained and Peter pushed the book into the inside of his coat, which was somewhat difficult due to being little too big. "We don't expect you to update us on what happened, we just expect you to find out what's happening. If it doesn't stop we'll just assume you failed. If things go back to normal, don't assume that means you're forgiven."
Peter stood there for a few seconds while Lippy reached into his coat to pull out a cigarette and lighter, and when Lippy was finally breathing out smoke Peter realised this was meant to be the end of the conversation. But despite getting the feeling that this wouldn't end well for him, Peter had to ask.
"How...how is she?" he asked in a meek voice which visibly annoyed Lippy. The man was silent for a moment, to the point Peter thought he wasn't going to answer, until he finally spoke.
"She rarely leaves her room, and when she does it's mainly to show people that she's in charge. She's more suspicious of people, which in the short term has made sure nobody tries anything but in the long term that won't end well. And finally, she hates spiders. Now get out of here and do your job."
His every word fuelled Peter's guilt and self loathing, forcing the vigilante to leave in shame. He began making his way home while the feel of the book was a constant reminder of what happened to Felicia and why he must do everything in his power to help her with whatever this was. Clearly it was something only he could do, presumably something she couldn't investigate without annoying the wrong people or even worse exposing herself to an attack, but that only made his mind race with possibilities. He made himself move faster so he can read the book as soon as possible and he was nearly out of breath by the time he climbed into the window of his room.
He was careful as he slipped out of his outfit, which he hid safely in a box under his bed except for the mask which he placed above his wardrobe. That way of May finds the box for whatever reason she will just assume Peter is holding onto Ben's old uniform, instead of using it to run around as a vigilante. He put on his pyjamas which were old and definitely in need of being washed, and pulled out the book from his coat which he then put on the side of the wardrobe to keep it safe. Sitting at his desk he flicked on his lamp and opened the book to find photos, slips of paper and messy writing that he at first had trouble understanding. But after going through everything he eventually he came to see that the book was documenting disappearances, in particular the disappearances of Felicia's employees.
Apparently the first to disappear was Frances Barrison back in December who was a dancer at the Black Cat, and at first it was believed she was working somewhere else. It was only when the other employees who knew her personally explained to Felicia that she had disappeared completely that she had Lippy and her men discreetly look into it. They found nothing out of the ordinary and there was no one who wanted to hurt her, thus they gave up and focused on work. Then the next month two other girls went missing and a regular client named Sullivan Edwards, who always visited the Black Cat on the same day and had moved stressed to a waitress that if he doesn't show up something would have happened to him. The bartender had been worried and looked into it, and had come back describing the same thing as with those missing girls. His place showed no sign of an attack or forced entry, and everyone said that their last memory of him was acting the same as usual. Over the last two months more of Felicia's employees went missing, all in the exact same way without leaving a trace.
This was without a doubt odd, but it still took Peter a moment to figure out why she came to him. He understood why she didn't involve the police, as they would either not care or would be in the pocket of one of her rivals, but it took some thinking to understand why she sings have her men look into it. Because anyone wishing to take over her territory would see her affection and concern for those who work for her as a weakness to exploit, going beyond mere kindness between employer and employee. If the Spider-Man was to look into the disappearances then it wouldn't raise any suspicions as everyone would assume he was just doing what he usually does, saving damsels in distress while presumably punching out the madman responsible.
Eventually his eyes glanced away from the book for a second to see the sun rising, and he groaned as he realised he's been up all night. With stopping Bossy taking longer expected, his detour to Felicia's and then spending him time reading the book he's wasted any chance of getting sleep tonight. May has been noticing the bags under his eyes and was starting to get stricter in when he slept and for how long, as well as forcing him to do different things that should help with sleep. He needed to start developing a stricter schedule or she might start checking on him in the night, which would cause way too much trouble for him. Despite knowing he had to get up in about two hours, he fell into his bed anyway in an attempt to relax.
However not even that was an option for him as his mind was too concerned with everything he had read and formulating plans on how to investigate this. He needed to deliver some photos for the Daily Bugle to help May with money and he had promised to help her later today with the welfare centre, but he didn't think he could survive another sleepless night leaping across the city. He was always exhausted and unless someone was shooting at him, it was pretty much a struggle to move for him. So by the time his cheap alarm clock went off, he was still wide awake and even more tired.
He forced himself through his morning routine of a quick shower and cleaning his teeth with a toothbrush that hurt more than it should, and soon he was dressed and in the kitchen making coffee for himself and May. He rarely had breakfast these days and while May kept insisting he should since they had enough, whenever he thought about it all he could remember were those times when Ben went hungry so May and Peter could eat. Sometimes it got so bad Ben didn't eat for days, and the image of Ben trying to reassure him while looking like he was going to die wasn't something Peter would ever forget. He did his best however to clear his mind of those thoughts when he saw May walk in, and he smiled as he finished making their coffee.
"I was just about to call you." he said as he placed her cup on the table, with May smiling gratefully.
"Thank you Peter. I guess you didn't get any sleep last night?" she asked as she pointed at his face, taking the cup and sipping it gently.
"No, but it's fine. I'll probably just go to bed after I help you at the centre if that's ok. How much are we doing today?" Peter asked her, putting on a smile which wasn't completely fake. While he was tired he was proud of May in how she helped people less lucky than them. He didn't know how she convinced anyone to help at soup kitchens or share what little they had but somehow she did. Ben always said that May could find goodness in anyone and make them listen to it, describing her as a nagging angel on your shoulder which earned him a playful slap when his wife heard him.
"No you'll go to bed after you're done at the Bugle. I can get help today." she told him with a shake of her head while getting up to get started on her breakfast. "And starting tomorrow you will be having three meals again today. I put up with Ben's chivalry because it made him charming but I won't be having it with you. That's probably the reason you don't get any sleep, you're too hungry."
"Aunt May, I'm fine. Really." Peter told her, but unfortunately at that moment his body decided to betray him as a yawn forced its way out of his mouth. May looked at him expectantly and Peter reluctantly nodded in defeat, and she smiled smugly once he did. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and they both looked at each other in confusion and surprise.
"Now who could that be? Can you go and see who it is Peter, and tell them they better have a good reason for being here this early?" May asked him and the teenager nodded before heading towards the door.
When he opened it he was greeted by the sight of a girl, looking to be the same age as him, with light brown hair and hazel eyes that looked at him with nervousness. Just from looking at her Peter could tell she was wealthy, from the way she was dressed to how she held himself which actually made him worried what she was doing here. He was admittedly a little resentful and distrustful of the rich, mainly since experience has thought him they are nearly always bad people profiting on suffering, but he didn't want this girl getting hurt by anyone.
"Can I help you?" Peter asked when the girl didn't speak, making her jump and fidget with nervous energy.
"Umm, hello. My name is Teresa Durand." she replied and she was silent again, just looking at him while Peter stared back awkwardly.
"Nice to meet you Teresa. I'm Peter Parker." he said after a moment of silence, looking back at May in the kitchen who was starting to observe what was happening. "Can I help you with something?"
"Yes, or at least I hope you can. Really this isn't a bad thing or anything." Teresa babbled for a moment, before taking a deep breath. "I think your my twin brother."
Peter stared at her, blinking slowly as he took in what she had just said. Then without a word he began to shut the door at which point Teresa's hand host out, pushing against it. Peter could easily shut it but he was still so surprised by what was happening that he let Teresa start talking again.
"Listen I known this sounds crazy, but I have proof. I have my adoption papers and my birth certificate here." Teresa told him as she reached into her purse and pulled out a few pieces of paper. "Everything here proves my parents were Richard and Mary Parker, that I have a brother named Peter and that-"
"I don't know what sort of game you're playing, but it's not funny." Peter told her as anger seeped into his voice. "I'm not even sure if I have a birth certificate but I know I don't have a long lost sister because if I did I'm pretty sure my uncle and aunt would have told me."
"What's going on Peter?" May asked as she suddenly walked up from behind him, looking at Teresa with worry. "Is there something wrong?"
"Everything is fine aunt May. This crazy girl is insisting she's my twin sister. Don't worry I'll take care of it." Peter replied and he was about to shut the door on Teresa when he saw the look on May's face. It was one of such complete surprise, happiness and hope that Peter paused, and he only became more worried when she looked away from Peter with shame. "May, what's wrong?"
"Peter, this will be a shock to hear." she said hesitantly, placing a comforting hand on his. She took a deep breath as if what she was going to say as the most difficult thing in the world, glancing at Teresa as she did. "But the truth is, you do have a twin sister."
Tell me what you think and if there are any spelling mistakes or sentences that don't make sense.