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Another Strand In The Great Web – Episode Seven Big Time Part I
Apartment of Harry Osborn, evening
"I can't say how sorry I am Pete. What my father did was unforgivable. Just when I think I can't despise that man anymore he sinks to a new low." Harry said. "If I had known about Little May I swear I would have told you and Mary Jane in a heartbeat. I hope you believe me."
"I believe you, Harry," Peter said feeling awkward about what he had to say next. "I don't know how to say this so I'm just going to ask point blank. Harry, are you experimenting with Goblin Serum again?"
"No, of course not! How could you even ask me!?" Harry said looking extremely offended by the mere allegation.
"I'm sorry but I had to. A campaign rally of a candidate for mayor across from the park where I took Little May in Queens was attacked by a goblin this afternoon." Peter said.
I had no idea." Harry said aghast. "Was anyone hurt?"
"Luckily there was a new hero named Agent Toxin who chased off the goblin before things got nasty," Peter said.
"Wait, Agent Toxin? Why didn't you swing in there as Spider-Man and save the day?" Harry asked.
"I couldn't put my daughter in danger," Peter said a bit defensively.
"I wish my father had cared as much about my wellbeing when I was a kid as you do about Little May's." Harry lamented.
"Sorry, buddy," Peter said putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. "You deserve a better father than Norman."
"Thanks, Pete," Harry said with a weak smile.
"Ahem," A woman said clearing her throat. "Harry, are you going to introduce me to your handsome friend?"
"Ah, Peter Parker this is my girlfriend Lily Hollister," Harry said putting his arm around the caramel-skinned blonde with the brilliant smile.
"Hey you look familiar. I think I recognize you. You're Spider-Man, right?" Lily asked shaking hands with Peter.
"Guilty as charged," Peter said with a nervous chuckle.
"I've never met anyone famous before." Lily gushed.
"I'm not really famous," Peter said. His Spider Sense tingled slightly for some reason. Perhaps it was being triggered by Lily going fangirl on him he thought dismissively.
"Harry, tell your friend he shouldn't be so modest," Lily said. "He's a major celebrity in this town. Everyone knows who Spider-Man is."
"They sure do now, eh Peter?" Harry said with a wink.
"Oh, would you look at the time," Peter said checking his smartphone. "I'm expected home in five minutes my family will be worried if I'm late. Occupational hazard of being a superhero."
"Bye Peter," Harry said waving.
"Bye Spider-Man, I mean Peter," Lily said waving. "Drop by anytime."
"Harry if you can think of any leads that might help with my project any at all, let me know okay?" Peter said.
"Will do Pete," Harry said.
"Bye Harry, bye Lily," Peter said leaving. Unnoticed by Peter or Harry the eyes of Lily narrowed and she scowled briefly the moment Peter was gone.
Residence of May Parker in Queens, half an hour later
"Look what I made for you papa," Mayday said handing Peter a drawing in crayon of Spider-Man swinging through the city after they hugged.
"Why thank you. It's very good." Peter said. "I think it's worthy of a place of honor. I'll put it up on the fridge right now." Peter with Mayday in his arms he went to the kitchen where she placed the drawing on the fridge with a magnet. "How was your day pumpkin?"
Peter listened intently while Mayday related her eventful day. She had watched cartoons after breakfast. Gone for a walk with around the block with Moma. Gone with Grandma and Jarvis to feed ducks in a pond. Play video games with Auntie Felicia when she came by and of course had drawn her excellent picture.
"I love living here with you papa, moma, and grandma," Mayday said her eyes became downcast before she continued. "I hope you'll let me stay papa."
"Of course we'll let you stay," Peter said kneeling down to be on the same level as Mayday. "You're a Parker May you belong here with your family. We love you. We always have and always will"
"If you want me why wasn't I living with you earlier papa?" Mayday said her big eyes full of tears. "Did I do something wrong?"
"Never say that never think that," Peter said pulling Mayday into a tight embrace. "A bad man made us believe you were gone forever. If not for him we would always have been together. The instant we found out he lied we came and got you. I wish we had learned the truth sooner."
Peter felt a burning hatred directed at Norman Osborn well up deep inside him. Through a herculean feat of will, he pushed it down. Think happy thoughts he told himself. Norman Osborn is safely behind bars where he belongs and where he will stay until he dies. He cannot hurt you or your family anymore unless you let him by lingering on the memories of his past crimes.
"Don't ever leave me again papa, promise." Mayday cried.
"I promise pumpkin," Peter said crying himself.
A Highrise Rooftop in New York City the next day, afternoon
"Very good for a rookie." Spider-Man complimented his new partner crime fighting partner Spinneret.
"I missed the flagpole completely. My webline hit nowhere near it." Spinneret said glumly.
"Don't be so hard on yourself. It was your first attempt. Snagging a horizontal flagpole mounted on the side of a highrise isn't easy. Take it from me." Spider-Man said. "By the way do you mind if I call you Spinny for sort?" This was a joke based on the fact Spinneret had a habit of spinning out of control on her quick release landings.
"Only if I can call you Spidey." Spinneret said skillfully deflecting Spider-Man's comedic jab.
"Let's stick with full names thank you very much," Spider-Man said with a mock huff.
Spinneret could not but smile underneath her full face mask. "And that's why I married you. I'm in love with your sense of humor."
"Here I thought you married me because of my mad parkour skills," Spider-Man said.
"Well, that along with the fact you can rock a skin tight leotard yummy." Spinneret said in an exaggerated husky voice.
"Likewise honey," Spider-Man said cocking his body to the side with his hands on his hips.
Both spider themed heroes burst into laughter. Their moment of brevity was short-lived, however. A cobalt blue robot with eight insectoid like legs and a scorpion type tail land between them on the rooftop. The size of a minivan the robot fired laser beams from its tail first at Spider-Man then at Spinneret.
"Crap a Spider Slayer!" Spider-Man exclaimed avoiding the blaster bolts. "Looks like its time for combat training partner."
"No worries I'm on it." Spinneret said she attempted a kick but the Spider Slayer dodged at the last possible second. She tried again with the same result.
"Allow me," Spider-Man said. He aimed a punch at the Spider Slayer but also came up short. He tried a second and then a third time with similar negative results. "Odd, I should have hit it." He added after some thought. "I have an idea. Go left I'll go right." Spinneret nodded her understanding.
When Spinneret struck from the left the Spider Slayer dodged in the opposite direction. Spider-Man's fist smashed into the body of the unit. He pulled out a handful of circuits disability it.
"I should get this stuff home where I can analyze it asap," Spider-Man said.
"Trouble," Spinneret asked.
"Could be, I'm not sure yet." Spider-Man said.
Secret Hideout of Alistair Smythe
Alistair Smythe watched via remote video uplink the battle between his latest creation and Spider-Man & Spinneret. Curse the arachnid's counterpart! If she had not been there the Spider Slayer might very well have successfully defeated Spider-Man and brought him back to Smythe. No matter the test unit was but one of many its lose was meaningless in the grand scheme of things. He fed the data from the confrontation into his mainframe disseminating the results to his swarm. They would learn from their fallen comrade how to avoid similar mistakes in the future. Next time Spider-Man & Spinneret squared off against a Spider Slayer, or several, their tandem techniques would prove less advantageous. In the meantime, there were other fish to fry as the saying goes. Namely that traitor J. Jonah Jameson!
"You're next Jameson." Alistair Smythe said bringing up the businessman's biographical information on his many monitors. "Not even the Spiders will keep me from skinning your miserable hide!"
Residence of May Parker in Queens, evening
"Under normal circumstances, I'd be in," Peter said talking on his smartphone as he sat alone in the living room. "I have to keep my head down right now. I hope you understand Johnny."
"C'mon Pete I went to the mat for you on this one. The others weren't keen on you joining the Future Foundation." Said the voice of Johnny Storm the Human Torch.
"Nice to know how little confidence I inspire in my fellow superheroes." Peter half joked. Unsure if he should be offended or not by the fact that other than Johnny the Fantastic Four apparently harbored such a low opinion of him after their years of mutual involvement.
"Please, Pete don't make me beg," Johnny said.
"I can only join if MJ can come along," Peter said. There that should put an end to this.
"I'd love to recommend her for membership Pete but no normies allowed, that's Reed's rule." Johnny said.
"Hey tell Reed his policy is racist. But not to worry MJ has powers of the same sort I do," Peter said enjoying the fact he was, in essence, teasing his best male friend in the superhero community. Whereas Felicia was his best female friend in the community.
"Since when," Johnny asked only half believing Peter.
"Since a few weeks ago," Peter said.
"Sure, bring her along. The more the merrier." Johnny said calling Peter's bluff. "See you both bright and earlier next Monday morning at the Baxter Building. Check in is at 7:00 am sharp."
"Johnny wait I-," Peter said. He heard a click. Johnny had hung up on him. The nerve of some people. "Nicely backfired Parker." He grumbled.
"Hey MJ are you doing anything next Monday?" Peter called to his wife who was in the next room.
"My schedule is pretty open these days." Mary Jane joked. "Why do you ask?
"The Fantastic Four have a thing going on they want us to take part in," Peter said nonchalantly.
"What sort of thing?" Mary Jane asked becoming suspicious.
"Oh, you know the standard. Solve all the problems of the world in a day or maybe two, bake a cake if we have anytime left over." Peter said.
"Peter how could you agree." Mary Jane said clearly unhappy.
"Johnny asked me a favor. You know I can't see no to him he's Johnny." Peter said.
"What about Little May? Did you bother thinking about our daughter before you agreed to join this, whatever it is?" Mary Jane said. "Our custody petition is still pending. You know Child Protective Services are watching us like hawks. How could you do this to us, Peter?"
"Knowing Reed it'll only be a series of seminars or something. I highly doubt there's any danger or otherwise reckless behavior involved." Peter reasoned.
"But you don't know that for sure." Mary Jane said.
"I resent the institution I would knowingly put custody of our daughter in danger," Peter said becoming irritated.
"I resent the fact you didn't consult me before your agreed for us." Mary Jane said. "I thought we were a team both in life and in the superhero business."
"We are," Peter said.
"Then act like it." Mary Jane said.
"I need some air," Peter said getting up from the sofa. He brushed passed Mary Jane on his way outside.
To Be Continued