Chapter 12

Tasks drove Peter onward that afternoon. Even as Details coalesced in his mind, he developed Pictures and brought them over to the Bugle. Parker Luck let up enough to allow him to make Bank's business hours. Homework and Other Matters were accomplished in short order.

Now, Pleasant Business and Sordid Accounts awaited….

[Later that Night—Stacy Residence]

Peter still tried to put together the details from Dubois' account. Granted, Context reminded him of his own trip back to Salem Village. Still, Facts disconcerted him. I thought being thrown in that dungeon place was bad? Yeesh! Bad enough those poor people got hanged. The Scarlet Witch and I could've been hanged. But those villagers really tried to burn him? Worse, that hag set him up back there and he was here? Really? Let's hope Gwen and Aunt May had a better day. At least, I have money in the bank. That'll make everyone happy. He knocked on the door.

Stacy opened it. "Well, Peter! I trust you had a good afternoon?" Expectation sparked in his eyes. He stepped to the side. "Joe Robertson told me you were at the Cloisters this afternoon. I trust it was a profitable venture?"

"Oh, it was. I just dropped the kitana exhibit photos with Ms. Mercado. I saw that Professor Tuishiama from St. Nichols College at the exhibit. Mr. Dubois was there too." Peter looked about. "Is Gwen here? I wanted to talk with you. I'm not sure how she'd handle this." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"No, she's on her way home from your Aunt's house." He noted Peter's somber outlook. "Come in. Of course, we can talk." He ushered Peter inside and shut the door. "Did anything happen at the museum?"

"Nothing happened other than some overeager security guards trying to stop me. Professor Tuishiama got me access to the display. She led me down into a crypt-like place. That's where Mr. Dubois was looking at a really morbid tapestry." Grimace contorted Peter's face.

Curiosity raised Stacy's eyebrow. He'd visited the Cloisters on several occasions. "Tell me more, Peter. I remember the Unicorn Tapestries of course. Those, however, are on the main floor. They take up a whole room's walls by themselves. Downstairs, I…" He stopped Room's Center. "Was it in one of the former crypts? Dark colors? Village execution scene?" He turned back to Peter. "Experts have speculated what the demon represents for the past 250 years. They know?"

Peter nodded. "Mr. Dubois says the demon's his dark whatsis. He was drawn back to that village in 1604 by Lichtenfeld's ancestor and the Rider. The villagers tried to burn him at the stake." He rubbed his forehead. "I knew he had reasons for being the way he is. Wow!" He slumped into a chair.

"That's actually the subject of an academic treatise in itself." Stacy shook his head. "The poor man. I've talked to a few historians about Mr. Dubois' work. They're still torn 35 years after the fact whether he really researched it. He did write the book on it. One minute." He limped toward his study.

Mr. Dubois wrote a book about these things? Peter narrowed his eyes. He really went through that? Seriously? How did he research it? He watched Stacy limp back toward him with a thick blue covered tome in his hand. "That's it?"

"Apparently. I called in a favor at Columbia." Stacy handed the book to Peter. "Mr. Dubois apparently researched this book in high school. He'd reached a breaking point senior year. His history teacher challenged him on the whole thing. He took the challenge and set out on nonstop research. He went up and down the eastern seaboard. He and a friend were the first people to look at an archive in 300 years up in Quebec City. He made the connection to your Salem high priestess. He pieced together not only what happened in that village but that original French Duchess and her family. There are two relatives I think still out in the Midwest somewhere. It's real, Peter. All of it."

Peter held the tome in his hands. "He wrote this in high school?" Gulp resounded throughout the room. He opened it and skimmed a few pages. Text read like Professional Academic's not High Schooler. Footnotes referred to Archives not Public Libraries. Account reached from Southwestern France to Canada to Colonial Virginia and Massachusetts.

"Chapter 8, Peter. Look at it." Stacy cleared his throat. He went back toward still steaming tea cup. "You were right to bring this to me in private. Now I know what happened."

Peter flipped ahead to the aforementioned chapter. He started reading. Shock widened his eyes. "They knew we were there? But we…." His hand rubbed his forehead. "Unbelievable! He knows."

"You were trapped in the village gaol, Peter. There are records corresponding to you as Spider-Man and two other strangers, a witch and a demon." Seriousness puffed Signals from Stacy's pipe. "How did you get back there?"

"Stolen time machine. No joke." Peter kept reading. "Good thing they didn't get Doc Doom or the Rider in here." He glanced at Stacy. "Cotton Mather was the Rider's stooge. He orchestrated the whole thing."

"Mr. Dubois said the same thing. The Dark Rider and the Coven used those poor people as a distraction. They escaped Salem as those victims hanged." Stacy saw Peter's shoulders droop. "You saw them, didn't you?"

Paleness bleached Peter's face. Numbness wiped his mind. When Reply came, it crackled with Low and Uneven Whisper. "I still see them, Mr. Stacy. Their feet were twitching. They just hung limp. I…I couldn't save them." He bowed his head.

"Peter, it was out of your control. There was nothing you could've done. Mr. Dubois will tell you it was the Rider's sick game. He's lost his grandfather, grandmother, two teachers and a good friend to this whole ordeal." Stacy put his hands on Peter's arms. "You should let Gwen know, Son."

Fear gripped Peter. "I want to. I don't want her to lose sleep. Still, if I want to be with her, I guess…" He picked his head up. "I have to tell her."

"Of course, you do. She's read that part already. She wants to talk to you about it. Peter, when you stumbled in here that night, everything changed." Stacy set Pipe in Ashtray. "I know you've fought some powerful criminals. Gwen and I have had close calls. We also owe you our lives. She loves you with every fiber of her being." He shook his head. "She's determined to be with you, Son. I'm not going to fight her or you."

"Guess I'm lucky that if I have to deal with this stuff, I have friends to help?" Peter set Tome down. "At least, we can be happy if we're careful?" He sucked in a deep breath. "One thing's for sure. Ms. Mercado likes my work. I keep doing this and Jonah's going to have a fit."

"Oh? I heard she likes your pictures. Perhaps you might get a few safe assignments? That would make me feel better. Gwen would feel better. I've spoken to her about your crime fighting. She grew up with her Uncle and me going out on beat patrol. She'll deal with you." Stacy put his hand on Peter's arm. "I know you'll take care of her."

Affirmation and Purpose set Peter's jaw. Strength returned to his shoulders and back. Color returned to his face. "Every moment of every day. She was talking about a job. I wanted to do something else too. I know Gwen and I are still in school. I want to ask her, Sir. I know it would be an engagement until we have enough money. I…."

Both men heard Throat clearing. They turned to find Gwen standing just inside the door.

Seems that Conversation wasn't as private as they'd thought….