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Another Strand In The Great Web – Episode Twenty-Nine Edge of Time
Parker Residence in Queens, afternoon
"Is Peter in some sort of trouble?" Aunt Man asked the two young men who appeared at her door saying they were police detectives.
"Not at all, ma'am. We merely want to talk with your nephew about something he may have seen." The black-haired young man said.
"Do you know where your nephew is right now, ma'am?" The brown-haired young man asked.
"He said something about attending a school trip this evening. I remember my husband Ben and I signed a permission slip. What was the name of the place?" Aunt May wondered aloud.
"Is it General Techtronics Laboratories East by any chance?" The brown-haired young man said.
"Yes, that's it. How did you know?" Aunt May confirmed. She took a closer look at the brown-haired young man.
"We are police detectives, ma'am, it is our job to know such things." The black-haired young man said.
"Is something wrong ma'am?" The brown-haired young man inquired when he noticed Aunt May staring at him intently.
"You look very familiar. Have we met before?" Aunt May said.
"I don't believe so ma'am." The brown-haired young man said.
"We've wasted enough of your time, ma'am. We should be running along. Thank you for your cooperation." The black-haired young man said.
"You are most welcome officers. I hope my nephew can tell you whatever you need to know when you locate him." Aunt May said.
"Goodbye, ma'am," The black-haired young man said. Aunt May waved them off as they left.
The pair quickly walked away from the Parker Residence. "Given the time of day and date, I shouldn't be surprised he isn't here." The brown-haired young man said.
"So, what now, Pete?" The black-haired young made said to his companion.
"We agreed, no real names in public, Miguel," Peter said in annoyance. "What if someone had heard you?"
"Ah, right," Miguel said. "Sorry, my bad. So, what's our next move, partner?"
"You should suit up and head to Midtown High School, shadow my younger self make sure he's safe," Peter said. The pair had spent several tense hours in 2104 healing their wounds for as long as they dared before heading back in time to confront Spider Reaper.
"What'll you be doing why I'm playing secret chaperone?" Miguel asked.
"Getting us an insurance policy," Peter said. "From what I've seen of Spider Reaper he is both cagey and tough. I want to be ready for him this time."
"What do you have in mind?" Miguel asked.
"I look up an old friend before he was a friend," Peter said cryptically. "May I borrow Lyla? I'll likely require her special talents."
"Sure, just be careful with her okay," Miguel said handing Peter his specialized wristwatch.
"Don't worry, she'll be safe with me," Peter said.
While Peter wanted nothing more than to save his Uncle Ben he knew doing so could very well jeopardize all the good he had done as Spider-man. Maybe, if he was lucky, however, he could save another Ben. Peter was painfully aware that Miguel would not approve of him "changing the past" but from Peter's point of view his future, including Ben's possible demise, was yet to be written. He only hoped he was making the right choice.
Stark Mansion 890 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, a short time later
"Yes," A somewhat younger and haggard looking Edwin Jarvis said answering the door. His mouth was soon agape due to the strange sight which greeted him.
"You don't know me yet, but you will and I really need your help," Spider-Man said.
"Who in the name of all that's holy are you?" Jarvis said.
"I'll explain everything if you let me come inside," Spider-Man said.
"Why not," The long-suffering butler sighed. "No doubt you are one of Master Tony's colorful friends from his many, many drinking parties. Please come inside. Make yourself at home." A resigned Jarvis showed Spider-Man inside the mansion closing the door behind him.
General Techtronics Laboratories East several hours later, evening
Spider-Man tapped Spider-Man 2099 on the shoulder causing the latter to nearly jump out of his skin. "Don't ever do that again. You almost gave me a heart attack." Spider-Man 2099 said.
"Sorry, I keep forgetting you lack true spider sense," Spider-Man said. The pair were crouched high up among the interior steel girders which supported the ceiling of the massive building. Below them, the students from Midtown High School including fifteen-year-old Peter Parker milled about looking at various exhibits. "I take it Spider Reaper hasn't put in an appearance yet?"
"Not hide nor hair," Spider-Man 2099 confirmed.
"Odd," Spider-Man said. "He should have made his move already. I wonder why he hasn't?"
"He hasn't because he already did, several times, and learned the past is immutable. Disrupting this timeline will only result in the creation of another alternate reality while this reality remains intact thus rendering the accomplishment of my goal, your retroactive erasure, impossible." Spider Reaper said from a girder located two tiers above our heroes. "Thus I used your friend from the future, relatively speaking, to lure you here." He gestured at Spider-Man 2099. "So I can personally destroy you."
"I don't understand. If the timeline can't be changed what is happening to our home times?" Spider-Man 2099 asked. Meanwhile, Spider-Man discretely inputted a sequence of commands into Miguel's wristwatch which he wore on his right arm underneath his costume.
"Simple, the fabric of reality is starting to unravel due to the many unsuccessful alternations I've attempted to make in this world's history." Spider Reaper said.
"That still doesn't explain how you could even attempt multiple alternations. You need the key card to operate the time gateway and you dropped in after your first usage." Spider-Man stated.
"Fool," Spider Reaper laughed. "I thought you were smarting than this, Peter Parker. Yes, I know who you are. If you must know this isn't my first rodeo as the saying goes. I've taken many rides on the time train. When in 2104 I purposefully dropped the key card so this dolt would pick it up and bring you here." He gestured again at Spider-Man 2099. "Oh, and I copied the protocols into the internal computer systems of my suit same as his little holographic friend did. As long as the time gateway exists I can access it remotely from anywhere in this timeline. Unfortunately, because both Miguel and I are linked into the time gateway neither of us can escape this time loop while the other remains active, believe me, I've tried. Now, if you would follow me to the rooftop where I'll end your pitiful lives.
"And if we refuse?" Spider-Man said.
"I kill young Peter Parker down along with everyone else present here and the cycle starts anew, assuming this universe can withstand the strain." Spider Reaper said.
"We'll stop you from hurting anyone," Spider-Man said.
"Maybe, but do you want to take that chance?" Spider Reaper said they did not.
Rooftop, a short time later
Having no other choice, Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099 followed Spider Reaper to the rooftop. "Before I kill you both I'll tell you a story you might find interesting." Spider Reaper said.
"Do we get to pick the story?" Spider-Man said. "If so I pick Finding Nemo."
"I vote for Tangled." Spider-Man 2099 said.
"Cute, however, I have a different yet no less epic tale in mind." Spider Reaper said. "Once upon a time, there was an intelligent boy who lived a quiet life of desperation with his elderly relatives in a city, not unlike this one. One day, quite by accident, the boy gained extraordinary powers. Rather than use these powers wisely this boy abused them for his own gain. Soon after gaining his powers a criminal he could have easily captured killed the elderly relatives he lived with, the boy's innocence died that day as well. He tracked down the criminal and showed the man no mercy. That night he swore no one else would ever again have to feel the pain he felt. The boy became a man who kept his promise by ruthlessly imposing order upon his chaotic world. He swept aside all those who opposed him. That boy was me. I am the Peter Parker of my world." Spider Reaper said. With a snap-hiss, he removed his helmet to reveal the face of Peter Parker but with a streak of white hair in the middle of his head and a scar that ran diagonally down the middle of his face from right to left. "Imagine my surprise when years later I stumbled upon the Multiverse and discovered I am but one of many spider-powered Peter Parkers, and that the vast majority of my counterparts are deluded heroes who think their paltry efforts can make a difference against the forces of criminally, much like the self-styled superheroes of my own world whom I was forced to dispose of because of their intransigence. I will bring order to every cover of the Multiverse saving countless innocent lives from tragic ends at the hands of hardened criminals, by any means necessary."
"If you are who you say you are you can't do this. Violence is never the answer." Spider-Man said.
"On the contrary. I've found violence is the most direct pathway to lasting change." Spider Reaper said grinning.
"I don't accept that reasoning. I'll never accept that reasoning." Spider-Man said.
"Then you deny what is my counterpart." Spider Reaper said fastening his helmet back on. "True power flows from violence. True power can only belong to those who are willing to stoop down into the mud and pick it up, and only those who stay down in the mire and struggle with all their might can hold onto it."
Spider-Man 2099 and Spider-Man circled Spider Reaper until one stood in front of their opponent the other behind him. They then attacked in tandem. Spider Reaper easily stepped aside at the last possible moment causing the two to nearly collide. Spider Reaper hit the pair with a distortion wave causing them to wobble on their feet. He sprayed them each with purple liquid temporarily distorting their powers in painful fashion.
"To easy." Spider Reaper said. He added with a hint of regret. "I'm disappointed. I built this confrontation up in my mind into something rather epic yet it has proven extremely anticlimactic."
"Lyla, Trojan Spider," Spider-Man said.
Spider Reaper's gauntlets and helmet sparked as electricity arced uncontrollably through them. "What, have you done!?" He screamed his electronically enhanced voice cracking.
"You're the smart one around here, you tell me." Spider-Man taunted.
"You've somehow infected my tech with a powerful computer virus." Spider Reaper said checking information displayed on his failing HUD (heads up display). "But how my systems are protected by my patented impenetrable cyber security system?"
"I had Lyla piggyback a Stark produced computer virus I scored from past Jarvis on the semi-unsecured subspace two-way connection to the time gateway. We're using the same algorithms remember?" Spider-Man said.
"I'll still kill you and your friend once my systems have purged your virus and rebooted. The process has already begun. In a matter of minutes, my tech will be fully restored whereas you two will remain disoriented by my Purity Formula for a much longer period of time." Spider Reaper gloated.
"So that's what you call this awful stuff," Spider-Man said sniffing the noxious purple liquid which covered him and Miguel. "Well then, looks like I'll have to deal with you before then. Good thing I have access to your dimensional shifter device. I have no idea where these randomized coordinates might send you. Goodbye and good luck, Spider Reaper."
"Next time we cross paths I'll make you suffer y-," Spider Reaper ranted before he vanished in a flash of light.
"Thank goodness that's over with." Spider-Man groaned. His skin burned from the effects of Purity.
"Let's get back to 2104. I'll then send you straight home." Spider-Man 2099 said.
"Sure thing, but first I have something I want to see while we're here," Spider-Man said.
Inside, not long afterward
From their perches high in the steel girders the two Spider-Men watched young Peter Parker undergo the event which would define both their lives, his bite from the radioactive spider. Once the event had unfolded and a distressed young Peter moved on the pair were about to leave when they noticed the radioactive spider was not yet dead. After shaking itself off from the inadvertent throw it received courtesy of the startled young Peter it righted itself and ran along the floor until it touched the bare leg of a girl of East Asian ethnicity. It rand up her leg and bit her when she swatted it away. This time the radioactive spider twitched once, twice then curled up dead the girl, like young Peter before her, none the wiser to her impending mutation. The two thoroughly confused Spider-Men observed her departure from the building alongside the rest of her school group in silence.
"I thought we didn't change anything? No one here saw us, did they?" Spider-Man whispered.
"I pretty sure we maintained or cover." Spider-Man 2099 said. He then offered an alternative explanation. "Maybe this always happened and we simply weren't aware someone else got bit?"
"You could be right. Either way, once I'm back home in my own time I'll do some research see if I can find out who she is and what happened to her." Spider-Man said.
"Good idea," Spider-Man 2099 said. "Speaking of which I miss my own time Alchemax and all."
"Lyla, send us back to Alchemax Headquarters in 2104," Spider-Man said.
"Hey, that's my line." Spider-Man 2099 laughed. A swirling multicolored portal opened up between the two.
"Sorry, Ol' Flattop is right. I can be such a glory hog." Spider-Man laughed.
Alchemax Headquarters New York City 2104, night
When they arrived back in 2104 our heroes quickly discovered everything was still the same. Lyla calculated the space-time disturbance would reverse itself once Peter was back in his own time and Miguel had destroyed the time gateway. Lyla wasted no time opening another time portal after the wristwatch was back where it belonged around Miguel's right arm.
"Next time you want to do some time hopping, take someone else along. I've had enough to last me a lifetime." Spider-Man wearily.
"Duly noted," Spider-Man 2099 said.
"Hello, meddlesome idiots did you miss me?" Spider Reaper said. His gauntlets and mask were still sparking. "My systems have yet to fully squash your virus, tenacious little thing. I won't waste however long I have here with any more words, die!"
Spider Reaper raised his right arm to fire a concentrated beam of thin white energy at Spider-Man before he faded away. Thinking fast Spider-Man 2099 tackled Spider-Mam pushing both of them through the portal an instant before they would have been shot by the particle weapon. Deprived of its intended target the beam passed directly into the control panel of the gateway setting of a chain reaction of explosions which destroyed the unit completely breaking the time loop.
A highrise rooftop in New York City present day, night
Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099 rolled out of the rapidly disappearing portal. They fell in a heap on the rooftop. After untangling themselves from each other they stood up. Spider-Man 2099 frantically ordered Lyla to access the time gateway only for her to report it had apparently been destroyed.
"I'm so sorry Miguel," Spider-Man said placing his hand on the shoulder of the other Spider-Man. He thankfully noted the area and sky were back to normal.
"What am I going to do, Pete? I'm stuck here in the past." Spider-Man 2099 asked.
"I owe you a great debt Miguel, one I intend to pay," Spider-Man said removing his hand. "You'll stay with me and my family until we can sort out something more permanent."
"Are you sure your family will be okay with me living with them?" Spider-Man 2099 asked.
"While I don't mind I'm not sure about the others." Iron Spider said floating over to the pair. His frizzing suit was more holes that suit at this point.
"Ben, you're alive!" Spider-Man exclaimed rushing over to embrace the sparking and otherwise battle damaged Iron Spider.
"Not so hard, Peter. I'm beaten up pretty bad under here." Iron Spider said wincing.
"But how, I saw you die?" Spider-Man said.
"Jarvis gave me the sealed letter last week. The one you gave him fifteen years ago." Iron Spider said as Spider-Man took a step back. "I pulled back at the last second after dropping Anti-Venom into the generators. My suit took a hell of a lot of damage but it'll repair itself in time, thank you, Stark Tech." He explained.
"Why didn't you tell me you were prepared?" Spider-Man snapped.
"Hey, your note said not to." Iron Spider said. His voice then softened considerably. "Thanks, by the way, bro. You really saved me bacon."
"Look who's talking, bro. You're always saving mine." Spider-Man said. "If the note I sent you via Jarvis, who also gave me the virus I need, was always part of the timeline that means so is the girl." Spider-Man realized.
"What girl and what virus?" Iron Spider said.
"I'll explain everything later. Right now I just want to go home." Spider-Man said. "C'mon Miguel we'll introduce you to our family."
"You'll love them, especially the twins. I know we sure do." Iron Spider said while the trio walked away.
"Hey, what happened to Eddie?" Spider-Man asked.
"I'm not sure. If we're lucky that psycho is gone for good." Iron Spider said even if he did not quite believe his own words.
"We couldn't be so lucky, he'll pop up again," Spider-Man said as all three shared a good laugh.
Unobserved by the trio a slowly regenerating Anti-Venom watched them. The seething madman clung to the side of a nearby building. He was beyond irritated with Spider-Man and his ilk making him out to be the villain and trampling on his holy mission. He would broker their meddling no longer. The next time they got in his way would be their last meeting with him or his last meeting with them he would tolerate no further compromise.
Parker Residence on Western Long Island, wee hours
"Are you coming to bed, tiger? It'll soon be time for work. You should try to get some sleep." Said the nightgown wearing Mary Jane while kissing the neck of Peter who was at his computer in his home study/workshop.
"I'll be there soon, red," Peter said staring at the computer screen.
"Make sure you are my workaholic honey. Even heroes need their rest." Mary Jane said. She placed one more kiss on Peter's forehead before leaving the room.
On his computer screen was displayed a high school yearbook image of a smiling pretty fifteen-year-old Korean American girl who had vanished from the public record shortly after the class picture was taken. "What happened to you, Cindy Moon?" Peter said softly.
To Be Continued
Next up – our whole Spider Fam is caught up in the events of the first true multi-part epic storyline in this series, Spider-Island!
Author's Note One -
I'm using the 616 Canon concept of time travel in this story as explained by none other than Dr. Doom in (fairly recent) issues of Spectacular Spider-Man. Rather than altering the future each change made to the past creates a new alternate universe to many of these being made to rapidly can even destabilize reality itself until the cause is dealt with (as seen in this story).
Author's Note Two -
I tweaked the time since the spider bite from thirteen years when Spider-Man finds Silk to fifteen years to better account for the ages of May and April (six years old). It is clear in the comics Peter and MJ got married after Peter finished college and she got pregnant a bit after that so I say twenty-two or twenty-three makes the most sense for their ages to have been when the baby was born.