WARNINGS: A tablespoon of bullying and a teaspoon of a terrible boss (Nothing terrible really)
FBI headquarters, New York City April 16, 2020
"It's not normal."
"What do you mean, not normal?" Asked Robert Johnson. The man had been working on the case for years without a single lead. Maybe the heartbroken cries of the couple that lost everything or that this case would be his only failure, but this FBI agent never forgot even when he discovered the victim's corpse. Today he was presented with a new lead. The victim was living and breathing, a twist that no one ever saw coming. Sure the child was hurt, but he wasn't some charred corpse six feet under the earth.
"The child's DNA is..." The young agent began. "Well, it's different. It shouldn't be like this. Honestly, I don't know what to make of it." She sighs and glances down at her paper. This is a massive case, the most influential of her career, and failure is not an option. "Some of the chromosomes is like... wrong. I think it's mutated."
"Is it natural?"
"No, no, it's more a Captain-America-experiment mutation." She holds up the paper in front of her boss. "See that number. It's too high. It should..."
"I forgot everything I learned in biology." Johnson snaps as he pinches the bridge of his nose. This case is more important than he thought. A mutated son of an Avenger earns the case an Avenger level. He would never see it again, and that can't happen. Everything he had rested on him solving the case. No one would question a promotion to director, and to have Ironman owe him. Him. Nothing could stop him.
"Walker, sit down." He motions loosely to the chair in front of him and leans forward as she uncomfortably sits down. "You know how important this is. Right?"
"I mean, it is Tony Stark's son, so yeah." Agent Walker laughs lightly, shifting in the chair.
"Yeah." He copies her with a fraudulently smirk. "And if we tell people about the mutated DNA, then we will lose this case. You don't want us to lose this case, do you?"
"No, Sir. But..."
"But nothing. This case can make your career." Agent Johnson smiles, leaning back comfortably in his chair. "You can have an office like this, or." He motions around at his grand ornate office, then moves extremely close so that she can smell his breakfast. "You can sit in the crowded bullpen at your small messy desk for the rest of your career. Never promoting. Never going out into the field. All your coworkers will leave for better jobs, but you will stay. Life will pass you by, and you will be nothing. Your wife- What her name?"
"Cara." She whispers, clenching her eyes.
"Cara, right, Well Cara will leave you and the child you wanted to adopt. You need that recommendation, right?"
Agent Walker nods, her breathing accelerates. He was attacking her family, but what could she do to stop it. He is her boss.
"It would be a shame if it didn't turn out as well as you hoped." Fake sympathy enters his voice. "You're just not reliable, and the idea of you taking care of a child is laughable. That might cancel the adoption. You don't want that Agent Walker, do you?"
"You wouldn't do that." She threatens, her fists curling up into a ball. A heavy silence pervades the room.
"Yes, I would." Johnson whispers and chuckles, falling back into the chair with a smug look on his face. "So you are never going to speak a word about mutated DNA, are you?"
Agent Walker sits back and addresses the situation. Refusing would lead to losing her family, the one she always wanted, and if she agrees, then he would win. There were no good options. She sighs; family is everything. Of course, she does not want Agent Johnson to win, but the adoption matters above all. "Fine, you win." Quickly rising from the chair tightly gripping the DNA papers.
"I'm glad you see my side." He smirks, annoying confidence fills every word. "Oh, Agent Walker. I will do it. Don't doubt me."
"Of course, sir." Fake smiling as she closes the door. He might have won today, but she will wipe that awful smirk off his face one day.
Stark Tower, New York City April 16, 2020
"Peter Parker. Peter Parker!" Ms. Jones calls, but the boy is in oblivion, trapped in his world by his soundless headphones. They are his savior, saving him from the horrors around his uncomfortable seat on the old school bus. That may sound drastic, but after suffering through Flash's taunt for seven years, calling it horrors is an understatement.
There is a small spick in his spidey sense, as a rolled-up ball of notebook paper bounces of his head, drawing out from his comfortable bubble. Peter quickly yanks off his headphones and sends an annoyed glare at Flash, laughing with his friends. How was he going to survive this trip?
"You're not dead yet, Parker. How surprising?" Flash shouts through his laughter as Peter slumps down in his seat. Another ball of paper is thrown over his head and hits the chair in front of him, landing on the sticky floor. Mercy-kill him, please!
"No throwing paper!" The teacher sighs exasperated. This day is hell for her too. "And Mr. Parker, please pay attention as I am speaking."
"Sorry," responded Peter meekly, running his hand through his hair.
"The most important thing to remember is to be respectful. We represent our school, and to have this opportunity next year, we need to be on our best behavior. Ask questions; don't damage the displays, and don't wander off. If you, in any way, do anything you are not supposed to, you will get detention for a month. Am I clear?" Mrs. Jones threatens, looking clearly at Flash and his friends. The students mumble 'yeses' and 'yeahs,' before grabbing their backpack and preparing to stampede out the bus. "Great, let's go."
Most of the class can't wait to get off the bus. The students are pushing and shoving, excited for this once in a lifetime tour. Unlike the rest of the class, Peter wishes he is anywhere but here. Slowly grabbing his backpack, he turns around and meets with his' favorite person in the world,' Flash. The rest of the class was already at the front doors, leaving Peter and his bully.
"Sup, Parker," Flash smirks, crossing his arms.
"Flash," Peter greets with a fake smile on his face.
"I heard from my dad that they are looking for interns. That is why they invited us. Don't mess up my chances, or you'll not make it to the end of the week." The bully whispers, patting Peter on the back. "If that not clear for your dumb brain, then what I am saying is I will kill you."
Peter humbly bows his head and shuts his eyes as he hears the laughter from his bully. The ridiculing sound fades off as Flash exits the bus. Sometimes, Peter wishes he could punch the bully, again and again. Not kill him that would be the opposite of a hero; just send the bully into la-la-land. One punch without using a fourth of his power would do it. Even to show Peter has the superior strength would be sufficient, but no Peter has to keep his identity at all costs. May is all he has left, and he can take Flash bullying a thousand times to protect her. "Love talking to you too, Flash." The young hero sighs to the empty bus, shouldering his backpack to leave.
Peter stands in front of the building towing a hundred stories above, feeling as small as the little ant scrounging for food near his feet. Perhaps the hero should be worried after Fury's visit or Flash's threat, but he can't help but feel excited. The poor orphan, Peter Parker, is standing in front of Stark Tower, a place producing revolutionary technology every day. If that isn't enough, Tony Stark and the other of the avengers eat, sleep, and train here. Tony Stark is his hero. Sure, Thor has an impressive hammer, and Bruce Banner turns green, but Tony Stark made his own suit. The company in front of him is the hero's business. Wow, he is fanboying as much as Ned, which is saying a lot.
Then his genius mind wanders; this seems too good to be true. It's probably a trap. SHIELD must have a top-secret middle-of-the-desert or boobytrap-death-island prison. What are they going to tell May? He is dead, so they could experiment on him till the end of his days. This is it. No more pizza, subs...
Thankfully, Peter is knocked out of his thoughts; literally, his bully, Flash, bumps into him, causing him to fall to the ground. A stab of pain goes through his body from the wound two nights ago. It is healing slower than usual, but he is sure it is not life-threatening, probably. Suffering through the pain, he rises, shaking the dirt and grime off his clothes, and follows his class into the lobby. His jaw drops like his classmates, and Peter thinks the outside is astonishing, but this is on an entirely different level. A smile passes over his face as he glances up to see floors framed with glass balconies. Chandeliers hang down from at least twenty stories, spreading beautiful lights to all the levels. However, the most impressive part is the large block lettered STARK at the back wall. The background is gold, but it is filled with different machines that are continually moving. Peter feels as if he had just won the golden ticket to the Willy Wonka Chocolate factory.
Visitor passes are quickly handed out, and the group goes to security. They check bags for various weapons, but Peter is one step ahead. Instead of going straight to school, Peter went by Delmare's, where he left a bag with his suit. It was a truly remarkable idea because if the Avengers didn't know he was Spiderman before, they would surely see after they found the incriminating evidence. Even with that precaution, Peter is still fidgeting, so it is no surprise when the head of security, Harold (Happy) Hogan, questions the kid.
"What's your name?" The abrupt question comes from a voice behind Peter, causing him to jump a few inches in the air.
The young hero shifts and faces a straightforward man in a suit. "Umm. Me?"
"Yes, you." The comment continues with Happy's eye roll.
"Peter... My name is Peter Parker." He stammers, but not in a damaging way. Though Happy understands stuttering implies guilt, Peter's stammering appears to be nervous. This causes the head of security to do something he doesn't normally do, smile. What could he say? Even if he had only met Peter a second ago, there was something special about the kid.
"Well, Mr. Parker, have a good tour," The usually grumpy man says.
"Thank you, sir." Peter lets out the breath he is holding. That was a close call.
The group commences the tour in the Hero's Hall, where memorabilia of all the heroes' journeys is displayed. The hall was expensive and modern, filled with their armor, weapons, and the best practical jokes. Each display was titled with their made-up names and nicknames. While the room is a classy dark, bright spotlights illuminate their most prized weapons. All the studio focuses on the picture in the center. It is of a family, not related by blood, but a family just the same. It was taken at a restaurant; the six were huddled around a round table, looking as if they went to hell and back, but smiles covered everyone's faces.
Peter notices the woman standing in front of the picture. She does not turn around as the class enters, but he can tell she knows they are there. A black hoodie and baseball cap conceals her face; still, Peter can recognize the stress in her body language. While the remainder of the class admires the hero's weapons, Peter goes up to the lady as he is always the hero. They stand side by side, gazing at the picture in front of them.
The woman tilts her head slightly to her side, gauging the kid. "Want an autograph?"
"What?" Peter glances at the woman. His eyes widen in recognition. "You're the Black Widow!"
Her index finger moves over her lips in a shushing motion. "Yes, but let's not announce it to the rest of the class."
"Sorry," Peter whispers. "Is the offer for the autograph still available."
"Only one." A small smile appears on the woman's face.
"Thank you so much." Peter starts his ramble as he grabs a piece of paper out of his backpack. "My friend, MJ, we are not close anymore, but if she ever found out about me meeting you and not getting an autograph, she would kill me. Ned would too, but I'm more worried about MJ because I feel she can get away with it. Not that Ned wouldn't get away with it, bu-"
"Ok, ok, So, who is this for?" Natasha says, reaching for the pen and paper.
"Didn't you hear- umm. MJ. She admires you. You and Pepper Potts are her role models" He rambles almost jumping with excitement. "I think she would smile like a huge smile. She doesn't smile a lot. I don't know why. Do you think there is something there? I mean, I don't want to pry, but there must be a story, or maybe I am reading too much into it."
As Peter continues to talk about everything, Natasha grabs the paper, trying to find a place to sign. Seeing none, she leans the scrap against the broad picture, covering the face of Tony Stark. They weren't that family, that team anymore; why should she be respectful.
"Should you do that? It might scratch the- Nevermind, I am sure you know what you are doing." Peter starts but then realizes she could kill him in over a thousand ways. Not that he thought she would murder him, still better safe than sorry. Changing from his talkative-self to a more timid one, he shuffles from one foot to another, staring intensely at his shoes.
"It's fine," Nat mumbles, finishing her signature, "It's not like we're that family anyways." Saying softly so only enhanced ears could hear. Peter's eyes widen in shock at her confession, but he does not glance up until a paper is shoved into his eyesight.
Grabbing the paper and pen, he smiles, "Thank y-" But the Black Widow vanished like a ghost. Did that even happen? He studies the writing to make sure he is not insane, or not any more than he already is. His lips tug upwards as he reads the neatly written words.
"MJ, your friend told me I am your role model. My life has given me many difficulties, but I stood strong, and I faced them. Don't let people break your confidence, and if you get this kid to admire you as much as he does, then I'm sure you will do great things. - Natasha Romanoff"
Peter laughs to himself. What just happened? He met the Black Widow; he had a conversation with her, The Black Widow, An Avenger. Then a disheartening thought crosses his mind. What if she planned the encounter? He glances at the paper again, this time as if it is the plague. No, Peter, he reasons, she was friendly and didn't seem like she was scheming on assassinating or kidnapping him. Concluding this was a genuine encounter, he stores the paper and pen in his backpack and follows the rest of the class heading out of the Hero's Hall.
The tour continued through the history of Stark industries. They watched a video of Howard for what felt like days, but in reality, it was only an hour. Next was lunch. It was the usual; Peter receiving his food, only to have Flash steal some and spit on the rest. RIP, fancy, free pizza, a tragic casualty on this one side war.
After lunch, the class traveled to the thirty-second floor, but for Peter, it was heaven. Filled with technology wonders, he thought would only be in his imagination, but now, they were in front of him. A bright smile came over his face as he recognized the various machines on the interns' desk. A clean energy source, a robot, a fantastic pair of glowing shoes, yep, this is definitely heaven. Bubbling with joy, he follows the tour guide to a room with different work stations. She tells the class to pick a spot for a surprise test showing way too much enthusiasm.
As the tour guide continues with the explanation, Peter zoons out. It was apparent what they were doing, so he mindlessly creates the machine, finishing in thirty minutes before the rest of the class. The next assignment is an impossible test, made for real geniuses, the average score is a forthy-eight. Usually, it takes two hours, but Peter finished in one and a half. Checking all the answers over twice, he turns it in.
After the test was completed, Peter lays his head down in his arms, watching people through the glass wall, not in some creepy-I-am-going-to-kill-you way but with a bored I-have-nothing-else-to-do expression. His glassy eyes wander from one stranger to another. Most were boring, either rushing down the hall as if their life depended on it or casually on their phone.
About five minutes before the tour was about to leave, Peter noticed a man talking franticly on his phone. His expression wasn't all that different from the others in the hallway, but it was who wore it that got Peter's attention. A billionaire, the owner of the whole tower, an Avenger, was only a few feet in front of him. Tony Stark was there. There! It took a couple seconds for the shock to wear off when he was finally thinking regularly, he realized Tony's expression was one that he had never seen even after the years watching him on the news. An egotistical smirk or annoyed mask that consistently covered the billionaire's face was gone replaced with something completely different. A second later, after watching the billionaire's facade disintegrate, Peter decided to listen in on the conversation. Who knows it may be about Spiderman? Or nothing that had to do with him. The teen full-heartedly wanted to see either way.
"You're wrong. He- No, he can't be alive." Tony Stark's voice cracked, filled with anger. "And if anyone is doing an investigation, it is me."
"It's not your jurisdiction, sir." The phone muffles the voice, but Peter could still hear the fear. "Agent Johnson has the case. If you have any questions..."
"Oh, I have questions, so many fuc-" The billionaire begin to yell, but remembered where he was. Most of the people in the hallway turned to look at him, then quickly averted their gazes as he noticed. "I'll be calling Agent Johnson tomorrow with Pepper Potts. And Agent Frye, if this turns out to be a practical joke, I will sue." His voice scary calm compared to moments before.
"Sir, it's-"
"End call, Friday." Interrupting the person on the phone, Stark leans against the wall, lifts his glasses, and pinches his nose's bridge. "I was actually having a good day." He mumbles to himself quietly, sighing. Glancing around, he makes awkward eye contact with a brown hair kid. Peter hears the billionaire's breath stop as if he painfully recognizes him. After a second, Ironman shakes his head and strides to the intern labs.
Weird. But so cool.
The tour guide claps her hands to get everyone's attention, causing Peter to lift his head up from its comfortable position. "So that concludes the internship test. Remember, there are only three spots available, and you are competing with the top high school seniors in the city." Her voice filled with so much joy contradicting the groans of annoyance in the class. "I know it seems impossible, but it just might be one of you."
The logical side of Peter knows it is unlikely that he will get the internship, but there is a little drop of hope, bringing a bounce to his step as he walks out of the tower. Sure, Flash threatened him with death for the internship, and Fury could experiment on him for the rest of his days. Still, this was a fantastic day.
(Author's Note: Umm... Hi! Sorry, you deserve an explanation for my horrible updating. My mental heath wasn't the best. Well, I don't think it ever is good, but my friend just went at my remaining sanity with a hammer. Anyways, all your comments mean so much to me. Thank you. Any notes on errors or advise is always welcome. Also, sorry about this chapter being so boring. The next one will be better. 😁)