After several days of being on the mend the team was once again on the move tracking Shade towards the south west through the perils of Apache canyon. The quickest route from Washington to Texas by traveling through former Apache land from West Virginia, Kentucky and Arkansas to Dallas Texas ("yeah, ambush alley to Apache canyon I'm going to die out here!").
"Peter!" Colt yelled in his ear "stop day dreaming and look sharp, I've already been shot and left for dead once I really don't want to press my luck any further!" he barked before riding up to Rawhides side,
Shaking his head free of the dust and dirt Peter's focus fell back on the task at hand finding Shade and getting home. The horses trotted at a brisk pace across the ever changing terrain James at the lead with Marek and Sasha behind him followed by Colt and Rawhide with Peter riding next Laura, "you know you don't have to keep hiding your face Peter we all know you're cute under the goggles and bandana" Laura told him.
She couldn't see it under his bandana but Peter was smiling Laura had a point he didn't need to hide his face from his friends especially out in the middle of Indian country, he pulled the bandana down from his face and lifted his goggles to his head revealing his boyish charming smile "I suppose you're right Laura" he smirked bringing a red glow to Laura's cheeks still hardly believing that 2 weeks ago she had him trapped in a barn ready to have her fun with him and now they were becoming friends. The longer they rode the more Laura would subtly drift closer to Peter a smile playfully resting on her lips he was finally warming up to her,
"So if I was right what's my prize?" she giggled nudging his arm "oh can I pick it cause I know exactly what I want" she added raising her eyebrows at him.
"heh-heh maybe when we're not tracking a murderous madman" Peter replied,
"Tease" Laura playfully responded "but I'll hold you to that" she giggled riding up just ahead of him. Peter kept at his pace scanning the landscape the lush green grass the rolling hills and the crystal clear streams ("you guys think if I bought some property out here I'd still own it in the future? Because this is nice")
they rode for hours until Sasha finally veered off the trail coming to a dead stop her face a deep shade of red from holding her breath "ok were stopping cause something reeks!" she choked "there's a pool about 4 miles north of here let's stop and wash up before the stink kills somebody!"
Marek turned to open his mouth but quickly refrained himself when he saw the look on Sasha's face it was a very hard look telling him that arguing with her was not in his best interest. "Yeah let's stop off for a minute" he gulped, Sasha shot him a smug self-satisfied smirk and led the team north up stream into the thick woods and like Sasha told them, there was a deep pool being fed by a stream running down from the mountain.
"Wow and me without my camera" Peter mumbled to himself as he stared at the beautiful sight of nature "ok well ladies first" he chuckled.
"I'm not the one who smells like a cow pen Peter! So which ever one of you forgot to bathe back in Washington is going first!" Sasha ordered and proving how serious she was she drew both her pistols and cocked the hammers "now whose first?" she asked. Almost immediately Laura drew her pistol and pointed at Peter the slightest hint of a devilish smile shot across her face,
"I'll take Peter in" she offered. The entire area went quiet not even the crickets were chirping "something I said?" Laura asked catching everyone's stunned expression but a response came shortly in the form of a ravenous hungry growl just on the ridge behind them in the form of a very hungry wolf. ("Its official nature blows!") The wolf was a mangy grey broad beast with glowing amber eyes and fangs stained pink from its previous kill as it bared down them.
"Don't…move" Marek whispered slowing reaching to his saddle for his rifle "Peter look up at the wolf and tell me its tail position" he ordered,
"Its tail? What's so important about its tail?" Peter shot back while trying to maintain his whisper so he didn't unintentionally aggravate the snarling wolf wondering why Marek was concerned with its tail when there was teeth in the other end.
"a wolfs tail will display its rank in the pack if its low and curled inward it's an omega an outcast meaning there is no pack, but if its tail is high its likely a beta or worse an Alpha in which case we're screwed!"
Realising Marek might have a point Peter slowly turned around and there it was now only a few feet from him staring at him their eyes locked Peter felt his blood stop flowing he could smell the rotting flesh between the wolfs teeth. His breathing ceased, the wolf stared him down snarling and growling. Peter felt his fear send his adrenaline into over drive it began with a slight twitch in his fingers then slowly progressed into a racing a heart rate and erratic breathing "nice doggy" Peter squeaked. Finally after several heart pounding seconds the wolfs front paws arched back as its claws dug into the dirt the moment was almost upon them someone was either going to shoot the wolf or it was going to rip his throat out. The longer Peter looked into the wolf's eyes the more he saw into himself the fear of death was more real now than it ever was facing super villains because super villains were still human and made human mistakes a wolf was one of nature's perfect predators.
In flashes Peter's life began replaying from his childhood he saw himself winning the science fair, later came his first date with Mary Jane at a small Taco stand in Brooklynn jumping into later years when he sat at his uncle Bens grave the sinking feeling of anger and remorse starting to take hold both mentally and physically the guilt of uncle Bens death always has and will always weigh heavy on Peter but he always had help to shoulder this burden Aunt May, M.J, Harry and now his team. Peter Parker, Spider-man the loner and the lone hero. Now as both he had a stronger family one he would die for just as a wolf would die for its pack.
Peter's heart rate gradually slowed down and he raised himself up right "you won't hurt me nor I you" he calmly whispered to the wolf whose hardened amber eyes softened and turned away into the thick woods shortly followed by another dozen wolves "well that was terrifying" Peter shuddered.
The team stared in awe as they watched the Wolves leave only James knew and understood what transpired between Peter and the wolf "congratulations kid you were deemed worthy by the Alpha, you looked into the eyes of death and given a pass not to common since the Alpha has to do what's best for the pack…Marek was right you're special" he finished.
"Ok now that that's over with who's going for swim?" Sasha snapped.
Meanwhile in the southern lands of New Orleans Shade and his men arrived at a mansion built on the boarders of the bayou. It was a nice two level house but the inside looked like something out of a horror show the dim lights creating shadows in every corner and short stout man diligently working at a bench ignoring Shades presence, "Octavius! Here's what you asked for" Shade said gently setting down his saddle bag on the bench causing a small sealed bottle to tumble out and the short man scrambled to grab it.
"Watch it you insolent buffoon!" he hissed "this is highly explosive material any misstep in handling it could result serious consequences!"
Shade was a proud man and aside from Marek there was one thing he did not take kindly to and that was being disrespected he whipped around grabbing Octavius by the throat pinning him against the wall on the tips of his toes "listen here! You filthy little mongrel do not forget that you work for Selina as a pitiful scientist therefor you're paid to think and build nothing more, you're an ant that I just haven't crushed under my boot…yet so don't ever yip off to me again because you can be replaced" he growled.
Octavius' face began to turn blue under the crushing power of Shades grip and started struggling to get free but not before Shade slammed his knee into his gut. "Don't forget it worm…now get the bomb built!" Octavius fell to floor clutching his stomach writhing in pain as Shade and his men exited the house closing the door behind them Shade turned to the big enforcer known as Bull. "I hate that little creep when the bomb is done and Selina no longer has use of him load the bomb onto the train then dispose of him" Shade said in a hushed tone.
Bull nodded his understanding as he followed his leader "Shade while we're here maybe we could let the boys get their rest and rejuvenation in, after all there's no reason to rush what with black mask Marek and his team dead in ambush alley"
Shade smiled and shrugged "very well Bull let the boys take a few days" he agreed.
It took a lot of threatening but eventually the guys and the horses were washed and the rank smell was lifted so while the others sat around the slowly building fire Colt was rummaging through his gear for a drink. Peter was still down in the spring pool the cool water felt good on his sore body after 2 weeks of ruffing it on rigid beds, the hard ground and bouncing on a saddle relaxing and slow healing regenerative abilities of the clean mountain water was a nice relief. The cold kept his blood flowing at a brisk pace and loosened his still joints for once since he got here Peter got his 5 minutes of me time with his eyes closed and his head resting on the bank he drifted into his own little world.
"you look comfy" somebody laughed from the rock pile across from him, Peter opened his eyes to see Laura walking over to him and quickly scrambled for something to cover himself with. "Relax Peter the waters so dark nothings visible" she chuckled sitting next to him with a very timid frown "Peter can we talk for a minute?" she asked.
Peter was just a little nervous what with sitting naked in a spring and knowing Laura's not so secret crush on him "umm sure I guess" he hesitated still trying to cover himself up.
"I uh…I overheard you and Marek back at the monastery about him sending you home…"
Peter tensed up with nervous anticipation of what Laura was getting at.
"…I was just wondering where are you from. The way it sounded it was like you're from some different dimension or something" she asked.
Peter sighed a heavy sigh the truth was already half way out and it didn't seem completely fair that the others knew and Laura didn't despite their first introduction she was growing on him. "Laura I'm from the future, a different time I was stranded here by some weird radioactive cosmic storm and what you heard between Marek and myself was him explaining that he might be able to send me home" he replied.
There was no subtlety in Laura's face it was clear she was upset "so you don't even belong here? That's…that's a real shame but if that's the case guess there's no point in putting this off" with that she leaned over and kissed Peter catching him off guard but the peculiar thing was he wasn't fighting it. In fact it almost felt kind of nice his temper was spiking and he was sure the water was turning to steam Laura gently pulled away staring at Peter's surprised face "was it good for you to?" she whispered leaving him in the water still shocked "we'll pick this up later you know after you join us by the fire" she winked.
("Yeah…that just happened, but oddly enough it kind of felt you know ok, is this cheating?"
Angel and Devil Spidey popped up on his shoulders "how the hell could this count as cheating you don't have a girlfriend! Take this opportunity and run with it seriously how often does this happen to you?" Devil asked crossing his arms smugly.
Angel Spidey however did not agree "sure it is you have true genuine feelings for Ava and by partaking in activities with this girl who by the way tried to rape you when you first met just throwing that in there but you have to choose feelings for Ava or just a short fling with the crazy girl?" he was quickly cut off when Devil Spidey shot a web blast at him knocking him off Peter's shoulder.
"Why choose? He's not committed to Ava hell we don't even know if Ava even likes him or if we're going home! Kid considering the circumstances do this see if where it leads its better than having nothing for the rest of your life" and on those final words Devil disappeared.
"He's got a point")
Peter crawled out of the pool and quickly changed to meet the others by the fire sitting next to Laura and lacing his fingers through hers"I'm willing to try this so as long as you remember that it might not last" he whispered ("wow dick thing to say wasn't it?")
"As long as I got you for however long this is" Laura happily whispered back.
So Shade obeys a mysterious Selina and bullies a mister Octavius to build a bomb for a train.
a nerve racking encounter in the forest ends with Peter being judged by a wolf and passed.
and Laura makes her move on Peter.
thanks everyone for the great reviews follows/favourites the support is greatly appreciated thank you all hope you enjoy