Ring Ring…

I held my breath, tightening my grip on the phone and bringing it closer to my ear. I restlessly tapped my foot against the cold concrete ground, my feet unprotected except for the thin layer of spandex. It was a stark contrast to the warmth around me. I resisted the urge to try and pace, there was no space in this booth to attempt doing that.

After the scare from less than a few days ago, I knew that it was a dumb idea to be doing this. Not just dumb, it was risking the limited amount of safety I had. I was letting them catch a trail of where I am. No doubt Hydra would be monitoring any and all calls home. It was so stupid, going against everything I knew I had to do to survive and stay away from Hydra's radar. But... to hear their voices again...

It was the stupidest thing I could possibly do.

But the thing was, I was already going to be risking everything getting on the plane in just a few hours. The chances of being discovered when trying to get on the plane were impossibly high, so getting a chance to say goodbye to everyone would be... nice. I was lucky to have even found that money on the ground, even more so to find this working phone booth.

It was that excuse that allowed me to be standing here. It was better to... to die with them having an idea of where I had been.

Even if the chances of them finding a body were slim.

Ring Ring…

I bit my lip, staring down at the floor as I shut down that line of thinking. They wouldn't kill me, surely? They would just experiment further on me and then I would die.

Ok that wasn't any better.

A flutter of nervousness made my throat feel closed off and my hands shaky. I'm not going to have a breakdown.

What time was it over there, anyway? Maybe I should have checked that before doing this. It could easily be night over there, or they could be at work. I mean, the chances of them picking up some random call were about fifty-fifty and they could easily not be close to their phone. I would be lucky for them to pick up at all...

Ring Ring…

God, this was such a bad idea. And morbid. This could very well be my last chance to say goodbye to them before I was killed... or experimented on. Ignorance was bliss, them not knowing that I could be taken apart, put back together and have acid thrown on by the whims of some random scientist would be better. Anything I would tell them was undoubtedly going to freak them out even more than how they probably already are.

But they already had zero idea where I was or what had happened to us. I knew Ganke would have tried to cover for me but even he couldn't explain away over a month of me being gone. Maybe he told them I had run away? Or I had walked out of the school grounds and gone missing?

I really hoped he hadn't suggested I had run away, Mum and Dad would be crumbling under that lie... I had to make sure that they knew that wasn't the case.

Ring Ring…

If I had been him I would have said that he went to the toilet or something and never came back.

People would be scared and fearful for their own safety but it wouldn't put blame on my own shoulders. The police had probably been called in too to investigate, missing kids were not a joking matter especially at a school like mine. Maybe the school would have been locked down, or kids not allowed to leave as freely as they once were. My stuff would have been searched through, I guess I was lucky I had been carting around my only Spidey suit at the time I was taken. Or... wearing it technically.

Ring Ring…

I knew I was babbling in my brain like any self-respecting Spider hero would do. It... it was a way to deal with things I guess. Or was it a side-effect of something bigger letting me know there was something kind of wrong with me?

I mean, I did go out and get myself punched in the face nearly every night. I'm pretty sure Peter did this too if the way he taunted villains was any way to tell. It was probably the only way he kept sane. It sure was helping me keep sane. I just wanted them to pick up the phone and talk to me, but there was only one ring left. At least there was voicemail?

Ring Ring…

I took a deep shuddering breath. It was fine, I would see them soon... hopefully.

You've reached the voicemail of the Morales family. Please leave a message after the beep.

Beep.

"...Uh, hey Mom, hey Dad. This is Miles." I wondered what it would be like in their shoes, knowing that I had tried to call and they were too busy or asleep to answer. That would be so hard. I could quietly admit to myself that it already was hard, for me.

"I'm okay," I continued, "I'm alive. Not safe, yet, but alive. I really miss you guys and I'm trying really hard to get home. I can't exactly go to the police either, I don't know how many resources the people after me have… But I'm doing my best."

I knew that they would be even more worried now, why couldn't I keep my big mouth shut?

At least now they knew that I hadn't run away?

Except now instead of that, they knew I had been kidnapped or something similar. And not only that, but that they were alive but couldn't seek help to get home because of their fear of what they could do... It would be a hard and painful pill to swallow. And one I now regretted wholeheartedly giving them. It was selfish of me.

It did explain why I was gone so long. I didn't run away, I wasn't murdered, just kidnapped.

"Please don't call this number back, it's just a phone booth. I'm so sorry, I'll try and be home soon. I love you guys."

Before I could continue, try and explain what had happened to me, or anything like that, the voicemail ended with a beep.

I let the phone drop from my hands and leaned my head into the wall. I breathed as quietly as I could, trying to calm myself down as my eyes stinging with unshed tears.

I sniffed and absently rubbed my nose. It was okay, it was fine, even if they didn't pick up. They know I'm alive and didn't turn my back on them and my life. It had been more than a month with no contact, without much of a sign or reason as to why I had been gone. I hoped they were okay. I knew they missed me just as much... or more than I missed them.

Please let them be okay. I couldn't even stand the thought that me escaping them and refusing to become a Hydra agent would mean that they themselves were put in a terrible situation. They didn't have my endurance, they didn't have my powers. They wouldn't be able to escape like I had.

I closed my eyes, they wouldn't do that. They couldn't use them as leverage against me because they have absolutely no clue where I was in the first place so they couldn't say "Miles give up or we take them." And Mum and Dad couldn't have me used against them because I wasn't with them.

They were fine. I was fine.

I looked at the phone in my hand. I knew there was one other person I could call, who picked up the phone even if it was two am, cause I was Spider-man and being Spider-man meant I could very well be hurt. He had supported me when I got my powers and freaked out. He had helped me become the new Spider-man. He was a better friend than I deserved. Ganke. I knew he would have covered for me the best he could. I knew that he would do his best to pick up the phone even if he was in the middle of class.

I put some more coins in the machine and began to dial the number. If this didn't work and he didn't pick up, at least he would know I was alive through my parents? I only had five more… whatever the currency was here.

Huh, I guess my phone call would be used in my "case" for the police. Ha, it wouldn't help them much at all. And Hydra was going to use this against me too but I would be on a plane in like two hours anyway so whatever.

Swallowing my nervousness, I inserted a few more coins and pressed the call button and put the phone to my ear.

Ring Ring…

I wiped a hand down my face, silently begging with all my might for this to work. I needed to hear from them. I desperately need to know that they are all okay. I need to hear someones voice. God, please.

They might have been able to accept that I was gone on their end, but I hadn't resigned myself to never seeing them again. It was the one hope that kept me determined enough to run like this. I mean, not wanting to be cut open was a good enough fear to keep me going but my determination didn't just come from my fear.

It came from wanting to see home again, from wanting to live a normal life, from wanting to swing around New York once again giving something back to the community, from wanting to spend time with Ganke and watching mindless shows.

I wanted to live, not just survive. If I wanted to do that I had to get home, and I didn't want- no I wasn't going to let Hydra get in the way.

Ring Ring…

"Hello?" A mumbled, tired voice said. I felt a warm tear slide down my cheek as I smiled, relief making my body feel like jelly. I absently wiped it away.

"Ganke? It's Miles. Hi." I said, voice weak and quiet. He was alive! He was okay! And I had someone to talk to, someone to ask about the state of things back home. Or, at least until my money ran out and the time was up. Then I would be alone again trying to get home.

I shouldn't focus on that right now.

I heard him shuffle around. He was probably sitting up, maybe in shock or surprise. Or he was getting comfortable. He seemed shocked into silence, which seemed rare and almost made me grin even wider.

"Miles? Where the hell have you been!? Do you have any idea what we've been going through? I thought you were dead!"

I winced, "Yeah, well, it's me. Not dead. Are you okay? I mean, how has everyone been?"

"Dude. I should be asking you that, not the other way round." He sighed and my grin faltered. "School has been weird ever since you've been gone. I mean, not just for me. Kids have been freaking out because you disappeared so suddenly. I didn't tell them anything that could give away you know what, so they think you might have run away or something. I just said that I had been sleeping...

"Your parents have been trying to spread the word about your disappearance all over the news. New York has been theorising about where your arachnid side has gone. I even heard about a small group going out to look for you." I had a group of fans that worried about me? What the heck... That was really cool. "Anyway, where are you? What happened and are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Ah... well see, Hydra kidnapped me." I told him, voice dropping off into a whisper.

There was a silence. "Hydra? That's the people Captain America fought, right?"

I nodded, before remembering where I was. "Uh yeah. They wanted to make super soldiers out of me I think."

"Super soldiers? What the heck? Did they want to clone you or something?" He asked, obviously confused.

"If they are then I don't know about it. They more or less just tested out all my powers, but most of the time they treated me at least half decent. Um, they were trying to make me into a soldier though. They offered me a position as one."

He chuckled, though it sounded strained. "You? A soldier? I can't imagine it, sorry dude."

"Honestly neither can I. I accepted at the time so they wouldn't kill me or something and escaped. Also, they said that I could see Mum and Dad again if I joined them... How are they doing, besides the obvious?"

"Sorry I haven't talked to them much. But they're unharmed if that's what you wanna know."

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "That's good." Then I remembered something and grinned. "Hey wanna know how I got out?"

"Sure?"

"I climbed through the vents, found the vehicle bay, and rode out of their on a motorbike. You honestly should have seen their faces." My grin had returned full force.

"Holy moly dude I wish I had been there." He breathed, voice light for the first time in our conversation.

"It was amazing. I mean, except for the part where they followed on other vehicles and I had to escape into a river and broke my wrist probably but I'm not entirely sure cause no x-rays but y'know still. It was amazing."

There was a long pause.

"Miles. Seriously?"

"What?"

"How did you not bring up that you freaking broke your wrist? Doesn't it hurt?"

"Um, it happened like a week ago. It's almost completely healed, I think. The swellings down and it doesn't hurt that much unless I strain it I swear." I reassured.

He sighed, "Okay whatever. Where even are you?"

"Ya gotta give it a guess," I said, smiling a little again.

"Hmm… well, it's not in the US then if you're saying that, right?" I confirmed with a short 'mhm'. "Um. Asia?"

"Nope."

"Australia?"

"Nup."

"What about… the Middle East?"

"Not there."

"Africa?"

"Yep."

There was a pause.

"Which country?" he asked.

"Wakanda I'm pretty sure. Wanna know something really weird? Turns out it isn't third world at all. It's actually super advanced."

"The heck? Aren't they supposed to be filled with farms or whatever?"

"That's what I thought too. I was honestly surprised to find a phone booth here, its that advanced."

"That's really weird. How are you getting home then?"

I paused, looking down at my wrist a moment.

If I told him, he might be reassured but Hydra would be on to me. I wanted to tell him... but I couldn't risk my safety. I had already broken my wrist and that had been super painful, but I knew that if Hydra got to me they would make that seem like a scratch.

"Sorry, Ganke... but there's a huge chance they're listening in on this conversation. Just calling you was a dumb idea. If I tell you then they-"

"I get it," he interrupted, "just stay safe. I still can't believe that they were the ones to get you."

I chuckled weakly, "me too. You would have thought that since I'm such a small time hero they wouldn't even glance in my direction. You know what they told me? They said that because I was so small and untrained they thought I was an easy target for their 'project.'"

"... I guess that makes sense."

"Hey! You calling me short?"

"Totally not, I'm calling you 5"8 above ground level-"

Beep, beep.

I sighed, sagging again, "Ganke, I'm going to have to go now. My calls about to end and I barely have any money. Sorry. Also, if I never get home…"

I could say so much, "I miss you", "Don't come after me", "I'll be okay", "You're my best friend", "tell Mum and Dad I love them", "I couldn't have had a better friend." But none of that would help. He knew all of that, we both knew that I was not in a good place right now and I could very well die. So instead, I paused for dramatic effect and said, "please delete my internet history."

I beamed as I heard him laugh, even if it sounded weak and sad. "See you later Miles. Try and get home without any more broken holes. You know I'm crap at first aid, anyway."

"I'll try. Look after yourself," I said, voice going soft. I ended the call before I could hesitate any long and put the phone back on its stand.

I could feel a warm glow in my chest, feeling lighter than I had been able to for so long. I had missed him, going from talking every day all day to nothing had been hard. Having anything at all, even for as brief as it was, was like a breath of fresh air.

But another part of me ached with a numbing sadness. That could very well be the last conversation I ever have with him - with anyone back home. I knew it had been heavy on both of our minds as we talked, even if neither of us said it aloud. Nothing we told ourselves or each other would have reassured or changed the sad reality of it all.