All this was originally going to be at the end of the last chapter but the aftermath got so much going on that I decided to make it a two parter.
Peter found himself in another black and white memory and in front of him was some fancy sports car and he saw that inside working with a tool box down below the wheel was a young man. Then he heard the sounds of muttering and Peter saw that the young man at the car heard the muttering himself and ran away with the tool box to hide and Peter saw that it looked like a much younger Martin.
Hiding he watched with his head down as coming to the car was an older young man who looked like he had an arrogant air to himself wearing sunglasses. "Someone forgot to take the keys of of the car again; father needs to see about that as they should be more careful... Imagine if some burglar made off with it; I would make sure that the servant pays for this..." muttered the man as he began putting on the engine and the younger Martin looked away as if he was regretful.
"You should have stayed far away Spider-Man; this arrangement was perfect... You openly protect the city by taking care of these monsters and crooks and I keep the crime in Chinatown under control and make sure to silence any wannabe new Kingpin before they can get anyway." a vision of Martin in his superpowered form appeared before Peter.
"What was that... What did I just see?" Peter demanded at the vision going to punch it but it went through it as it was a vision and another one went up in front of him.
"I rarely want to talk about my brother Brian; dodging the subject in interviews and I hate to speak ill of the dead and he was my brother but... He was also a lazy and arrogant; saw no need to put effort into things or take things seriously. Donations to schools allowed him to pass and he counted on being the first born to make sure that he was set for life; ready to inherit the family business and was counting on other people running it for him while he focused on parties and fancy cars. I remember thinking about all the good I could do with the money and business if I was the heir while Brian would just waste it... The first hard choice that I ever had to make..." Martin said as Peter paused as he thought about it.
"Your brother... Killed by a car crash... Did you..." Peter muttered stunned and shocked; hoping that it wasn't true.
"It broke our parents' heart when he died and the crash ended up smashing the car so much that no one would be able to see that the brakes had been tampered with; the guilt never left me and I grieved as well. It wasn't easy going through his funeral and our parents fell to their heartbreak not long after. Yet; all the good that it brought... More than 10 years of FEAST and so many people helped and causes supported... You have to make the hard choice in order to do good..." Martin said as Peter was silent.
"What you... You can't be... You have to turn yourself in Mr Li... These powers and what you must be thinking knowing that you got your brother killed... What it could do to you..." Peter said as Martin's vision got a Demon mask to try and force on Peter.
"Join us Spider-Man... Imagine the good that we can do..." Martin told him as Peter focused hard on his willpower as he felt the pressure but then pushed back.
Back in the real world Martin was pushed back as he glared at Peter and he began sending webs at Martin but he turned into his Mr Negative form and used the energy to get out. Martin then began sending blasts at Peter which he dodged and Miles then went to attack Martin with his gloves.
"What are you doing?" Peter was almost screaming at Miles as he went and pushed him away.
"Helping. We can be partners... Costumed vigilantes?" Miles asked as they both had to dodge blasts from Martin. "Wow... You make this so easy... How exactly did you get your spider moving about powers?" Miles asked as Peter pushed him away.
"Ever see this Pixar movie called the Incredibles; beloved for a reason... Anyway in the first act; there is this annoying fanboy of the main hero younger than you that thought that because he had fancy gadgets then he could be an actual superhero despite how young and inexperienced he was. He declared himself the hero's sidekick and thanks to his recklessness; a dangerous bad guy got away, people almost died and the incident helped get superheroes outlawed... I am not saying that you are going to be a jealous ungrateful vindictive monster but do you see where I was going with this and how dangerous this life is? Especially for someone so young as I can tell you first hand as I got my powers when I was about your age..." Peter was telling him.
"I don't want to kill superheroes and I am not going around in shorts; I just want justice for my dad! I was nearby when he died and I never got to say goodbye!" Miles screamed as Peter was silent thinking of himself after his Uncle Ben had just died. Miles ended up pushing Peter back when he was late in reacting to his Spider-Sense to another blast from Martin.
The sounds were attracting attention and soon some passerbys who had their phones out and it seemed that Martin was overloading himself with his powers; "Not used to actually fighting with those or having to extend so much power..." Peter remarked as Martin sent out a blast that blinded them and soon he was gone to their chagrin.
Peter then ended up slinging to a nearby tall wall and Miles getting his bag ran to it and rant up to it. "Mind if I go there and quickly change..." Miles whispered pointing to the side of a door leading to the top and Peter sighed as he nodded. Soon Miles was changed and Peter went and got him to put him down on the ground.
"The responsible part of me is saying to tell your Mum but I get you you are coming from but seriously consider this just your only free pass... Do you think that your claws or other gadgets are going to protect you if you have to fight Mr Li again or Colonel Jameson?" Peter warned him as he web slinged away to get changed himself.
The Brand Corporation main office and Harry was watching the news report asking if Spider-Man and the new Prowler were partners as they were seen working together against some unknown super powered villain with the police refusing to comment on the case but Martin Li the owner of FEAST which was nearby had gone missing upon being asked for questioning if he saw something when returning to FEAST around the same time. Plus the report of the attempted robbery by 'Beetle' and arrest after defeat by Firestar with him turning out to be wanted criminal mercenary Abner Jenkins.
Harry was smirking as he was looking to a special containment safe in his office to see the cannisters of unstable OZ; he then activated a video call to a special mole that he had. "Mr Stone; thank you so much for returning the cannisters of my father's research to me. OZ was his specialty and this belongs in better hands than the so called SHIELD. The gear supplied to Mr Jenkins securely wasn't too shabby and thanks again for finding him." Harry was telling the face of Tiberius.
"A perfect cover and all the destroyed cannisters; no one could really notice the ones that my security managed to get away with. All too happy to lend my assistance as long as it's secure; my aunt and uncle might have become too suspicious about the OZ vials and old Oscorp tech that I sent out to sell to the criminal element." Tiberius told him as Harry nodded.
"Understandable but any help that you can give is greatly appreciated; I promise you a vice president position once Oscorp is redeemed and rebuilt." Harry told him as Tiberius gave a slight nod.
"Well until then Osborn; I would rather be careful than to risk the cushy job that I already have now." Tiberius replied as the call ended.
Peter later was at his apartment having gotten the news and a call from his Aunt May saying that Martin called saying that he had to go away for the time being so she would be in charge of FEAST until he got back. He was silent about this as it seemed that Martin would be making a getaway until the heat died down. He called Liz and let her know about the encounter with Martin; "So it seemed that Mr Li had a dark side before he became Mr Negative... Where he could be and who could believe a fugitive vigilante if you would try and explain this against such a respected person?" Liz was saying and Peter sighed.
"I know... Everything about the Demons just led to shock after shock and it doesn't seem to get easier..." Peter sighed.
"Well how about the new Prowler then? Anything more than you could say?" Liz asked as Peter was silent as he was discrete on the details on that front.
"...Liz; sorry but right now I don't think it's my place to say about him but when or if I can, I will say more... Please trust me..." Peter said as he coudl tell Liz was bewildered at this response.
"As long as you are careful Petey..." Liz said as the call ended and Peter then heard knocking at the front door of the apartment.
He got out of his apartment and there was Myers on the couch watching a baseball game; "You know Pete; someone really should get that..." Myers said as he got a bite out of a bowl of nachos with some already having stained his shirt.
"For the first time in years; I have a true nemesis..." Peter fumed as he got to the door and was stunned to see Miles and Phin there. "Miles... Is this..." Peter asked inviting them in.
"Hello Mr Parker; Phin Mason as it's been a long time... Not since years ago when you had work experience with Miles' uncle." Phin greeted as Peter remembered Miles' friend back then as he got to the room.
"Do you two need help with something?" Peter asked as they gave him a look.
"Spider-Man. He was there at FEAST to find Miles changing into his Prowler gear and earlier you told Miles about the last time you met in surprising details. We talked about it and remembered about how Spider-Man found Mr Davis' lair after earlier you saw that clue along with us..." Phin said as Peter frozed thinking about this.
"So Miles; Phin knows about your dangerous hobby..." Peter asked as they looked more serious at him and Peter was furiously berating himself for saying that.
"No surprise at Phin bringing up me as the Prowler? We talked about it and... It clicked... You're Spider-Man's tinkerer! His gadget man!" Miles said as he and Phin smiled as Peter was stunned.
"I made Miles' gadgets; my grandpa runs a tinkering shop and he has basically made me his pupil and helped me with my inventing. I have been doing a lot with his help and using his 3D printer. 'The Tinkerer' is basically my codename so to speak. Plus I go to Midtown Academy and I saw the awards with your name on it so I know you could very well be making Spider-Man's gadgets." Phin explained and Peter took it in.
"Didn't think too much about where the gadgets came from but this stays between us?" Peter whispered thinking that he could work with this.
"How about this; I only really want to use the Prowler when I really need and your friend had a point about how dangerous it was... Not to mention scary... Any clues we find about Mr Li and Colonel Jameson; we come to you? Plus if we keep your secret then you can keep ours'?" Miles asked as Peter saw this as the blackmail it was but if Miles was willing to keep out of the suit.
Peter then gave a thumbs up and led to them to the door as they said their goodbye; "Don't think that they considered that it's me under that mask... Guess they just have a different idea on who has to be under the mask; a psychological thing... Still it means my secret is safe... Somewhat... Wonder if this would be any easier if Miles was bit by a spider to get powers like the other one was..." Peter thought as he went back to his bedroom; how was Spider-Miles and Captain Spider-Flash getting on since they met all those years ago he wondered.
If you remembered back in the 4th chapter I said I would in time reveal my made up backstory for Martin Li here and the backstory of his father I came up with as explained there came from the complicated backstory of the comics Martin Li who actually was an identity thief. So a man whose inner demons and guilt about what he had done led to his darker alter ego when he got his dangerous powers.
Yeah using the joke of thinking that Peter just makes Spider-Man's gear from the Marvel's Spider-Man cartoon and Otto in the PS4 Spider-Man game (as it initially seemed to be his conclusion) and was used as a cover during Peter's time working for Horizon Labs in the comics. Plus I didn't bring it up last chapter's author's note but Phin making Miles' gadgets; I realised that it's like how in the original Ultimate comics Aaron's gadgets were created and supplied by the Tinkerer.