Spider-Man:

The Shadow Spider

Beginnings

James Parker, The older brother by two years of Peter Parker the photographer for Daily Bugle. Their Parents were secret Agents, CIA Agents (that eventually became S.H.I.E.L.D) and they died in an airplane accident while Peter was given to our uncle and aunt for safety. As for James he stayed with his Parents and even went onto their trip to a new place to which James wondered why they had to leave Pete behind, but before his mother could answer she realized something was wrong and grasped a briefcase then James hand running towards the end of the plane. "Jimmy, sweetie I know you have so many questions and I truly do wish I could tell you, but I need to get you someplace safe." she brushes his hair back as she smiles at him with tears in her eyes then kisses his head and hugs him tightly, "I love you so much, so so much and your brother…tell him that okay? Tell him that for me."

Mary helps James put on the parachute that was near the exit as she places the suitcase into James' arm as she gives him one last kiss as she pushes a button blasting the door off. "I wish I could've seen you boys grow up and turn into men that we would have been proud of.." She then shoves James out just as gunshots are heard with the voice of his father shouting for Mary and the plane begins to spiral out of control. "MOMMY!"

As he free falls from the sky, he takes a look down at the wreckage and flaming plane as he starts walking about it trying to find his parents' bodies with tears building up in his eyes and eventually he finds his mother's body with her hand out reaching to grasp his father's hand with James falling to his knees as he begins to cry loudly with the fire noise canceling it out.

James just lost both of his parents and now he was on his own, away from family and people he knew. This was a strange place with not much on him but the gameboy advance his parents got him and the briefcase that his mother had given to him.

Once he dried his eyes, he placed the handcuffs that are on the briefcase on his wrist and then pulled the cord to open up his parachute to begin the slow as he carefully descended down to the ground then cut the ropes of the Parachute to start walking away. It took James days of walking, weeks of traveling and jumping in between schools, months of collecting more money to have enough to go back to the states and eventually years to even get close to Peter, but when he had enough money he packed up his belongings and took the first plane to New York!

Once he arrived there he decided to first go see his future landlord first so he called a cab and asked the cabbie to drive to 22-12 119th St,College Point, NY 11356. The cabbie drove straight up to the building and James got out and took his bags out the trunk, thanked the driver and then walked up to the building.

.

James rings the doorbell to his new place of residence as the owner of it who is renting it out comes out wearing a Tux and looks like a rich man especially with that goatee he is sporting. "Hello sir, my name is James. I believe we've talked online." The man just smiles as he sticks out his hand to offer James a handshake which James does do, "Great to finally meet you James, my name is Tony Stark." James just does his typical smile while nodding as he thinks, Tony Stark…why does that name sound familiar?

Tony turns and walks into the place as he motions James to follow him, "Come on in, take a look around then we can talk about your rent." James raises an eyebrow as he figures the price it was listed for was the price of rent, but James just sighs as he lifts up and carries in his bags as he takes a look.

The second James enters he sees to the right of him there is a mirror with framed up pictures with pre packaged images in them as well as a lamp, to this left there is a nice cozy sofa, some more frames, and some paintings. "Follow me James, there's even more up here." Tony states as he walks up the stairs with James walking after him.

Up on the second floor there is another couch, a bit yellow though. Some chairs and a lounge chair where one can just prop up one's own feet all near or around a decently made dark wood table with a large curvy T.V. with stairs leading to the third floor that is an outside balcony of sorts. "This might seem like a third floor, but it honestly just a nice little roof patio for your place, the sun beaming down on you, a very nice grill, enough chairs and tables here to hold a party for friends and family, a table with an umbrella if it starts raining or if you want to avoid the sunlight, and then you get to look out and see the river nearby."

Tony then leads James downstairs back to the first floor then down to the semi basement, "Here are the two bedrooms and the bathroom, so what do you think of this little boat house?" he asks as he looks at James. James just takes another look around as he nods his head, "It's a very good house, though I take it swimming in the water is not allowed." he states causing Tony to chuckle a little, "Oh na, you can swim if you want. No one is going to stop you honestly, I can hand you the papers now and you can decide to sign them now or after you had it looked at." Tony places the papers on the table on the first floor as he looks at James, "Just take your time and settle in Parker." He then walks out and gets into his red/gold lamborghini and takes off.

James places his bags and stuff in the master bedroom as he then pushes a wall to reveal a secret storage and places his mother's suitcase inside of it, places a code and then closes the secret storage as he gets a cab to head towards his work place that apparently a big deal in the big apple, the daily bugle. As his cab pulls up to the big triangle-like building with giant letters on the roof that reads, Daily Bugle.

"Thanks for the ride." James says to his driver as he hands him his tip and walks out of the vehicle and heads inside the building. As James makes his way to the front desk, gets a visitor pass then gets into the elevator and takes it to the newspaper floor of the Daily Bugle as he walks up to a rather beautiful looking woman with brown hair and eyes, wearing a nice black dress along with some pearls. "Hello miss, I'm here for John Jonah Jameson? I have a meeting with him."

The Receptionist looks up at him and raises an eyebrow before looking back down at John schedule, "Ah, right the transfer from London Eye news well it's nice to meet you. I am Betty Brant or Mrs. Leeds but I prefer to be just called Betty." She stands up and starts walking towards J.J room with James following after her as she knocks on the door, "Hey Boss, the new guy from London Eye is here so stop arguing with Peter and just pay him."

James eyes widen when he hears Betty say Peter as he looks past her to see his brother causing his eyes to get a bit watery, but shakes it off as he needs to not only be professional but he needs to talk to Peter in a better time and not at the Daily Bugle. "Alright, alright I'll pay for the pictures Parker, but next time get me something a bit more. If I am to prove Spider-man is a no good villain I need proof!" Peter just rolls his eyes as he walks towards Betty and James, Peter looking at James, "Nice to meet you, hope you have better luck with this old stubborn man. I'll see you later Betty."

"See you soon Pete and remember to get flowers before you head over there." Betty states to remind Peter as he nods and walks out, James gulps as he needs to try and focus on this introduction to John but after seeing Peter his thoughts are muddled. "Hello?" Betty says, waving her hand in front of James face, snapping him out of his thought process as he looks at Betty, "You can go in now." James nods to her and then walks in as Betty closes the door.

"Welcome Parker, gonna need to call you by your name in front of the other Parker I have in my employment but that is neither here nor there. So come sit down and let's talk." J.J. asks him, as James decides to go sit down and looks at Him, "Well Parker, tell me… Why would you want to join the Daily Bugle? You seem to be a well known reporter for the London eye, why come here and be forced to start all over?"

"That is a simple question with a simple Answer. While I have enjoyed my time over in London, it is time for me to return to America for my friends and family that I have not seen in over Twenty years." James answered as J.J. just nods while looking over his resume then looks back at him, "I see, well you do have the criteria of what we need but I want to give you a test first. Consider an evaluation test, I want you to track down and follow this Spider-man that has been terrorizing this city and find out his identity!" James just raises an eyebrow as that is quite a very unusual request, "I am assuming if I do find out or don't…I'll be getting paid for my services because this is clearly something I would do normally if I was hired but if you are trying to just use my services and not pay me then I will have to walk out of here an-" J.J. suddenly slams his hand onto the desk as he looks at James almost pitfully, "Yes, I will pay you and rather you find out his identity or not is not an obligation just being able to follow him is good enough, you will have the job." James looks at J Jonah as he decides to stick out his hand, "Alright then…I will accept the challenge and report back to you in a month or two about any updates." J.J. looks rather relieved but also excited as well as having a, 'I got you' type face as he shakes James hand.

After James walks out of the office he notices Peter walking out of the building as well with flowers in hand as Betty wishes Peter good luck causing him to raise an eyebrow as he thinks that he doubts that is for their parents and his grave sense they been missing for quite a while but it's not the anniversary of when they left so he decides to place his Plaque on a table that seemed free and empty then takes off after Peter to see where he is going.

As James follows Peter, he winds up at a graveyard where he notices Peter walking up to a rather elderly woman who turns to welcome peter while giving James a good look at her face seeing that it is their Aunt May, I wonder if uncle ben is coming too? James thinks as he watches the two from a far just talking with James noticing Aunt May having flowers in her own hands as they both placed the flowers down with Aunt May crying while Peter helps her to a nearby bus stop to head home.

Once they walked away, James walks towards the tombstone to see what it says while wondering why his uncle didn't come with them? However, he soon realizes the reason as he notices the words on the tombstone. "Here Lies Ben Parker; Beloved Husband and Uncle may he find peace in the after life." James' eyes widened seeing that their uncle had also passed away and it was clearly four days and some years after their parents died. "Uncle…no…" James drops to his knees as he begins crying as he just punches the ground in anger.

His first day back to New York and it is already a heartbreaking day, he finds out that his uncle is dead and that his own brother works at the Daily Bugle where he going to be working at as well, and to top it all off his new boss wants him to track down and find this Spider-man just to then uncover who he is behind the mask…At Least his landlord is a good man so far, but he seems to at least look rather iffy to him. The place is great and the rent is no big deal but why did it seem like he was just waiting for him to come into town? Does he…know who he is? Is he after the briefcase that James has of his parents?! All he can do now is go home, sleep, and hope for a better day tomorrow.

On Top of a building across the street at a church there is a man there looking down the scope at James Parker as he walks home, "This is Hydra Scout 1, I have eyes on the package…ready to take him in."

TO BE CONTINUED!