"EMERGENCY MEETING NOW."
Never before had Sophia sprinted so fast in her life. After pulling herself together enough to find oxygen returning to her lungs, she snatched the framed photograph from her mother's office and suit, stuffed the two in her backpack and raced through Queens. Even going so far as to almost get hit by a taxi. Twice.
She knew my mother. She knew my mother. She knew my mother!
The thought consumed her the entire walk to Lottie's penthouse. Yes, the woman mentioned Sophia's mother before. But this revealed that she was familiar with her in a way that Sophia never even considered. Had they been friends at Oscorp? Did her mother work with her on that--that horrible serum that's inside of her now? No. No, there was no way. But how could she know for sure?
She couldn't. Not until she found her.
"STOP!" Lottie yelled just as Sophia entered the girl's apartment and threw her bag on the couch. "Where's the pizza?"
"Yeah, where's the pizza?" Harry asked, appearing from the second floor and walking down the staircase. "Did you postmate?"
Sophia was scrambling to pick up the remaining brain cells she had left. Her brow rose as Harry joined Lottie on the couch opposite her. "There is no pizza." Lottie let out a quiet gasp. "And what are you now--her roommate?"
"Kinda, yeah," Harry answered bluntly. "Until her parents decide to come back."
"Which, based on my calculations from years of experience, could be another four months." But Lottie locked eyes with Sophia, the message behind her gaze loud and clear. Harry doesn't want to go home to an empty apartment.
Ignoring the tug at her heart, Sophia tried to collect herself. "I found a lead."
Almost instantly, her friends' shoulders stiffened and their gazes darkened with intensity.
"Where do we start?" Harry asked.
Sophia pulled out the notebook and photograph, stunning her friends when she asked if they recognized the woman her mother was hugging. Instead of answering, they responded with grave nods. That was her. She wasn't just seeing things.
"This means she wasn't just some assistant scientist that Oscorp hired for this project. She's been apart of Oscorp for years. Which means we can find all the information we need in their records. Harry, do you still have access to Oscorp's database?"
Frustrated, Harry pulled at his hair. "No. As soon as--you know--passed, I was deemed too young and inexperienced to take over the company. So some big shot is running the show and took it upon themselves to take away every account I had access to." Harry remained quiet for a moment, the room heavy with the weight of whatever he would say next. "But . . . I think I could get in. It would take some time for me to get through the layers of firewalls and virus defenses, but I could get in."
"Are you talking about hacking?" Sophia questioned. "Do you really think you could do that?"
"I would always screw with the system to give the employees trouble as a kid," Harry said with a smirk. "I'm at least familiar enough with how the hardware is built that I can work off of it."
"How long do you think until you get in?"
"I don't know. A week. Maybe two? But I'll try to get into it as soon as possible."
That was a start. If they could manage to find her documents, they could have her name, an address, records--everything. It finally felt like all the answers she'd sought after these past few months were finally within reach.
Harry was already on his feet before she could say anything more. "I'm going to go get started then. Hopefully, they left the security fairly the same after the transition to new management. Mind if I keep this photo for now, Sophia?"
"Yeah, go ahead. Just be careful with it."
"Of course," he said, picking up the frame before walking back upstairs. "Now can we actually get some pizza here? It's gonna be a long night."
"That's all you, Lott," Sophia said, grabbing her bag and rising from the couch.
"Where are you going?"
Slinging the backpack over her shoulder, Sophia turned to her friend, giving a wink.
"Downtown."
☽☽☽
"Ned, I told you I couldn't go out tonight so can you explain to me how I'm here walking with you right now?"
Peter and Ned were strolling down the streets of Queens, Peter all too aware of the fact that Prayer would be expecting him around now. But his best friend showed up right as Peter was getting into his suit, Aunt May letting Ned inside just as Peter flung his costume on top of the piles of clothes in his closet, May shrieking when she saw Peter in only his boxers.
When the embarrassment finally passed and he was fully clothed, Ned practically dragged him through the streets, going on about some big sale at their favorite comic collectibles shop.
Ned sighed. "Because you've been nothing but a tub of walking lard with gelled hair ever since Sophia dumped you. Plus, they're having a half-off sale on all their Star Wars gear tonight only--and I need that death star set, man."
Peter stopped in his tracks, already feeling his face go red. "Sophia didn't dump me. We were never even together."
"Then why has she been avoiding you since your date?" Ned paused. "Are you a bad kisser?"
"What?! No! No--I mean, I-I don't know." Peter gave a frustrated sigh, picking up his pace. "Look, man, Sophia's been through a lot, okay? Everything with her house and her dad . . . that would be tough for anyone to handle. If she wants her space from me, I gotta give that to her." Though that didn't mean that she needed space from Spider-man.
"Yeah, man, I get it. Not everyone at school can say they were attacked by Goblin. But maybe cool it on the love-sick puppy dog eyes you give her every time she passes you in the hall. It's a lame look."
Peter rolled his eyes as they entered the comic store--a ding alerting the cashier behind the counter reading a comic.
"Half off all Star Wars and twenty percent off clearance. No returns after purchase," the guy lazily recited.
"Thanks?" Peter said as Ned led him to the collectibles.
Every second that passed left him more and more anxious to get to the streets with Prayer. It was hard to believe that he actually had someone who understood this whole hero thing that he could see every day. Obviously, there were heroes like Tony Stark and the rest of the Avengers that he could admire from afar. But Prayer was right there whenever he needed to talk. It was really . . . comforting.
"Oh, man--star destroyers, funkos, lego sets. Peter, look!" Ned lifted a life-size model of the silver and blue robot. "It's an R2D2 popcorn maker!"
"Oh, sick!" Peter said, finally getting intrigued by the piles of stuff Ned had. "What about--"
A shiver ran through Peter's nerves--like spider legs crawling along his skin. Which only ever meant one thing.
Trouble.
Ding!
From across the store, Peter saw four hooded figures stalk into the store, two of them glancing around--their gazes falling onto the cameras placed in the corners while the others focused on the cashier still mindlessly reading away.
"Ned . . ." Peter whispered. "Get into the storage room."
"What?"
"Ned, now!" Peter hissed, shoving him towards the door closest to them, shutting the door after him and putting a broom through the handle to where he couldn't come out. He could hear the faint sounds of Ned protesting as Peter ducked low, watching the scene unfold as the figures narrowed in on the cash register.
All at once, guns were drawn, two of the guys shooting at the cameras in the store, destroying them. A yelp came from the cashier, throwing his book down with shaking hands as the leader drew a gun on him.
"I think you can guess what we're here for, Richie," a woman's voice echoed across the store. "You seemed to have forgotten the money you were supposed to deliver to my guys yesterday."
"Please," Richie barely managed to get out. "You can't keep doing this. I've already paid my debt twice over. This isn't fair."
The sound of a gun cocking was deafening.
Without hesitating, Peter reached into his bag while they continued, his hands digging for . . . where was it? Opening the bag wide, Peter nearly dumped everything out searching for--
"Ned!" He hissed, now remembering his suit laying far back in his closet, untouched as Ned pulled him from his room.
But there was no time to think over what to do as Peter activated the web-shooters beneath his sweater sleeves, leaning over the isle and shooting at two of the thugs' ankles, giving a sharp yank and throwing them to the ground before jumping across the isles out of sight.
"What the--" "Who the hell is there?!"
While they began hunting where he had just been, Peter scooted up the isle and shot at the third henchman, doing the same as before but also firing a second shot that covered his eyes.
"Spider-man is here!" The woman shouted, each of them on alert. "Find him now!"
"Spider-man's here?!" Peter could hear Ned say from the closet.
Peter's heart was on the verge of exploding out of his chest as he maneuvered his way through the store, staying as low as possible while trying to web the weapons from their hands. If anyone caught him and saw the shooters, it would be all over.
So Peter fell back onto the cold ground, eyes wide as one of the henchmen stepped out into the isle he was also on, gun pointed straight at his face.
"Sheila! There's some kid over here."
Her next words took all the breath from his lungs.
"Shoot him."
Peter could see his finger start to pull on the trigger, and just as he went to raise his arm and expose his deepest secret to save his own life, his ears popped as an enormous burst of energy exploded somewhere in the shop, sending the guy flying across the store and into a wall.
Prayer stepped into view.
"Come on, guys. A comic shop? Really? You might as well skip this and just snatch candy from kids."
Prayer had been following another lead around the city, helping put a stop to a high-speed chase through the streets when she swept by the comic shop just as some shady characters stalked inside. Prayer tried keeping her distance until the guns started being drawn--and then she needed to form a plan.
But that plan went to shit the second the guy lifted his gun to seemingly shoot someone in the face. So Prayer activated the energy blast canon in her suit and sent the thug flying. But all concentration was lost when her eyes landed on a startled Peter Parker sprawled on the ground.
Before she could stop herself, Sophia almost said, "Pet--"
A scream from behind her made her turn, hands already aglow as she gripped the barrel of the gun the woman pointed in her face, Sophia's heart stopping as the gun fired, a smirk forming on the assailant's lips.
"PRAYER!" Peter yelled, rising to his feet.
But what she failed to notice was the gun already decomposing under Sophia's grip, releasing her hold on it to reveal the dented bullet turning to ash within her palm, dropping it to the floor with a small ping.
The woman's face paled.
Before she could react, Sophia raised her fist to punch the woman in the jaw, sending her unconscious to the ground as she grabbed the rusted gun and turned, slinging it right into the face of another henchman rushing for her, followed by a hard kick to the ribs that surely broke a few as he fell to the ground breathless.
The last man--the largest of the bunch--caught her off guard and grabbed her arms, lifting her in the air and throwing her through the isles, scattering comics and toy versions of the avengers everywhere.
Sophia landed, hitting her head against the ground, the pain only lasting a second before her body did what it did best and slashed the pain away. Though a startled Peter was now right beside her.
"Prayer, let me help!"
"No," she answered, rising quickly as she could hear the mountain man approaching. "Stay as far away from this as possible. I mean it. I can't have you getting hurt."
Standing to her feet, the enraged man stepped into the isle, barreling down towards her. With a swift click towards the bottom of her arc reactor, the energy in the room condensed and was shoved forward--blasting the man across the store to hit his head against the cash register, falling unconscious.
Lottie is way too good at this.
The four thugs lay on the floor, some passed out, some moaning in pain while Sophia grabbed each by the hoods of their sweaters and threw them into the toilet, locking the door after them.
"Do you have a panic button here?" she asked the cashier, desperately trying not to focus her attention solely on Peter.
"Y-Yes, I already pressed it. The police should be on their way."
"Good," she said, making her way towards the door. "Then I'll leave them up to the rest."
"W-Wait!" Peter shouted after Prayer, who only gave a quick glace before continuing out of the door. He started rushing after her, but quickly realized what he was leaving behind. "Ned!"
Unlatching the storage door, Ned fell out of the closet a sweaty mess but carrying the biggest grin on his face. "Are you telling me I was in the presence of both Prayer and Spider-man?!"
"Spider-man wasn't here," Peter quickly answered. "But Prayer just walked out. Let's go!"
Grabbing his backpack, the two rushed out, Peter suddenly very aware that even if they caught up to the supergirl, he had no idea what to say to her as . . . well, as himself. His own steps slowed as his friend's feet moved forward, a mixture of a squeal and shout coming out of his mouth.
"PRAYER! HEY, MISS PRAYER!"
Up ahead, a petite shadow was about to disappear down an alley, those bright, beautiful eyes penetrating the two of them.
"Yes?" she answered, sounding unusually nervous. "Do you need anything?"
The two rushed up, Ned panting as he said, "I-I'm a huge fan. Man, I didn't see what you did back there, but I heard it! Your videos are the craziest online! Do you really have an arc reactor from Tony Stark himself?"
"What? No," she giggled. "I just have talented people as friends."
"Woah, you're also even cuter in person," Ned mumbled, practically burning a hole through Prayer's head with his gaze. Peter gave him a hard nudge in the ribs, waking him from whatever stupor she put him under. "M-Miss Prayer, I got to be honest, I really don't feel safe walking home now. Who knows what's in these shadows? Right?" Ned pleaded, turning to give Peter a look that said if-you-mess-this-up-we're-losers-forever.
"Ugh, y-yeah. Totally unsafe."
Prayer stared between the two of them, Peter unsure of what she was thinking until he saw that familiar amusement light up her eyes. "Alright, I'll walk you boys home. But hustle. I can hear police sirens and would rather not deal with handcuffs."
"Yes!" Ned cheered, rushing up to her side, Peter awkwardly joining their stride.
"Hey," she said, directing her attention to Peter. "I want you to know that what you did was incredibly stupid. You would have been shot if I hadn't been there. Don't do that to yourself again, do you hear me?"
She said it in the same voice that May used when he was out too late dumpster diving for parts. "Y-Yeah. Sorry . . . "
"But . . ." she started. "That was also really brave."
Heat raced to Peter's face, glancing away in hopes that she couldn't see.
"Miss Prayer," Ned started. "Aren't you usually with Spider-man? Where is he tonight?"
"I'm not sure. I actually haven't run into him yet tonight. I'm sure he's just patrolling another part of the city . . ." she said, really hoping that that was the answer.
"So like, are you and the Spider-man together?"
"Ned!" Peter hissed.
"Together? I mean, he's my partner."
"I saw some stuff online of people saying that you two were together together. Like . . . a couple. Is it true?!"
"What?! No, absolutely not. We're partners and friends, but not that." Sophia was suddenly very grateful that her mask was large enough to cover most of her blush, though she was a tad confused by the red splash of color on Peter's face.
"So do you have someone you like?" Ned asked, followed by some schoolgirl giggle.
"What's with the middle-grade truth or dare questions?" Recognizing this part of town, Sophia knew that they would be pretty close to home from here. Parting between the two, she took and leap onto a fire escape, turning to look down on the two, mouths wide open at her stunt. "I think this is where we part, guys. Think you can make it the rest of the way without me?"
"I'm so scared. Just a little further--"
Peter shoved Ned's face, staring up at Prayer. "Yes, we will be fine."
"Good. Then I'll see you around. Bye, Ned. Peter."
And with that, she was gone. A phantom disappearing into the shadows of the city. Peter stared after her, taking a moment to marvel in how brave his partner truly was. She almost took a bullet for a complete stranger tonight and she handled four thugs completely on her own. It sometimes felt like she was on a completely different level from Peter.
"Hey, Peter?"
"What, Ned?"
"Did we tell Prayer our names?"
After a moment, Peter's eyes widened and the pulse inside his chest paused.
No. No, they hadn't.