He absolutely could not let the Hand set their sights on him. Once they discovered he knew the inside story, they would definitely kill him.
When Peter returned to the Baxter Building, he had barely stepped through the door when he heard laughter from the living room.
Uncle Ben and Aunt May were actually sitting on the couch, deep in conversation with the Fantastic Four.
"Peter! How was school?" Sue asked with a smile.
"Not bad... What brings you here?" Peter was a little surprised.
"We came to see where you spend your time," Uncle Ben said with a smile. "I have to say, Peter, you picked a good place."
"Hey, don't call him uncle. He's not your uncle," Johnny teased from the side.
"Johnny, show your classmate some respect," Aunt May immediately said, coming to Peter's defense.
"Hear that? Respect me, or I'll tell your Aunt May." Johnny burst out laughing.
"I'm going to soak you in kerosene, Johnny," Peter said through gritted teeth.
The elders drank tea for a while, then Uncle Ben and Aunt May tactfully said their goodbyes, leaving the young people some space.
Peter's smile faded, his expression turning serious. "I need to talk to you."
"About your other job?" Sue asked perceptively.
Peter nodded and told them about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s recruitment offer.
Reed sighed. "This is big trouble. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s reach is far too long, and they have enough resources to overthrow a small country's government. What exactly did they say?"
Peter showed them Fury's proposal.
"I think you should accept," Uncle Ben's deep voice came through the communicator. Apparently, he had not gone far. "These are the best terms you can get, and the training could save your life. As long as Fury thinks you're valuable, he won't move against you lightly."
Sue agreed. "The contract terms are airtight. You won't get screwed over."
"If I join, I won't have time to spend with you or my friends." Peter had some reservations.
"Our schedules have always been flexible," Reed reassured him.
"Friends? Weren't you going to be a cool lone wolf?" Johnny teased.
"Ever since the expo, I've become famous at school, though those people are more like hangers-on." Peter shrugged. "But there's one girl who's pretty nice."
"A girl?" Johnny's eyes lit up. "Tell us!"
"No, or you'll go digging up her details on social media." Peter rolled his eyes.
With the serious discussion over, everyone returned to their respective labs. Toward evening, Sue stopped Peter to tell him about the progress on the SA patent.
The lawyers were already handling the paperwork, and a manufacturing deal had been reached with Amazon. Peter would receive fifty percent ownership of the patent and a five percent share of sales. Now he would have a steady, ongoing income, achieving complete financial freedom.
The next day, the students in the classroom gathered around Flash's phone to watch the news again.
The screen showed Alexei, the pilot of the Rhino mech, standing trial. In the end, he was sentenced to five years in prison for theft and endangering public safety.
Peter watched the screen without a ripple of emotion. He knew the guy would break out sooner or later. He just had to prepare in advance.
Over the following week, Peter worked nonstop, juggling schoolwork, research and development at the Baxter Building, and nighttime patrols. The streets were relatively quiet, with only a few robberies and one stabbing that required an emergency trip to the hospital.
But the homecoming dance was drawing closer. Peter found himself actually nervous about this high school dance. Felicia teased him every time they met, insisting that it had to be a perfect night.
For this perfect night, Peter borrowed Uncle Ben's blue suit and paired it with a black shirt, looking both retro and stylish. He also bit the bullet and booked an upscale restaurant downtown, spending more than half a month's allowance.
By Friday evening, Peter was fully dressed.
"You look so handsome, Peter." Uncle Ben helped him tie his tie.
"I really wish you could take pictures here," Aunt May said, holding her camera.
As they spoke, the door opened, and Mary Jane walked in.
She wore a black dress with a mid-thigh hem that perfectly outlined her curves. The upper half was made of sheer fabric, and paired with her carefully applied makeup, she looked so stunning that it was impossible to look away.
Peter froze for a moment, then smiled. "Damn, Mary Jane, I think this is the first time I've been jealous of Harry."
"Thanks, tiger. You don't look bad yourself." Mary Jane smiled faintly.
"Come on, you two, let's get a picture." Aunt May excitedly raised her camera.
"Aunt May, she's not my date," Peter said helplessly.
"Who cares? Get closer!" Aunt May snapped several pictures in a row.
After the photos, Peter leaned close to Mary Jane's ear and quietly wished her well, then pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek.
Mary Jane froze instantly. Peter winked at her, then calmly turned and walked out.
Once he was in the taxi, Peter felt for the Silk-Shooter in his jacket's hidden pocket. He never put any stock in luck. The more special the occasion, the more likely something was to go wrong.
He had brought his suit and mask, hidden beneath his formal clothes.
Arriving at the restaurant ten minutes early, Peter waited twenty minutes at a table by the window. Felicia was late.
He called her. "Felicia?"
"Peter, sorry, something's come up." Her voice sounded hurried.
"What happened?"
Boom!
A deafening crash came through the phone, and a dazzling blue light erupted outside the window. Peter whipped his head around and saw a bolt of lightning strike into the air, arcs of electricity flying everywhere.
"Felicia! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine! There's a monster attacking everyone!"
"Stay where you are! I'll get help right away!"
Peter threw down some cash and rushed out of the restaurant, trying to call Johnny, but all he got was a busy signal. The powerful electrical current had disrupted all communications signals.
He rushed onto a rooftop and stripped off his suit, revealing the black, form-fitting combat suit beneath, then webbed his formal clothes and dress shoes to the wall. The instant he pulled on his mask, he leaped into the night sky.
Anyone capable of causing a disturbance like this had to be either Thor or Electro.
The bustling street was in ruins. A man wreathed in blue electrical arcs floated in midair, laughing wildly as he fired electrical blasts in every direction. Cars were blasted over, and the asphalt was torn up.
"Help!" a woman screamed.
"Shut up, you bitch! Nobody cares whether you live or die!" Electro roared, deadly light gathering in his palm.
"Someone, please save us!" the woman cried desperately.
"I said shut up!" Electro swung his hand down.
At the last possible moment, a strand of white webbing shot out and yanked the woman out of danger. The electrical arc struck the ground, blasting a huge crater into it.
"What the hell!" Electro turned toward the rooftop. "Spider-Man?!"
"I'll give you one chance." Peter stood at the edge, his gaze quickly sweeping the wreckage for Felicia. "Get out of this city and never come back."
"Who the hell are you to order me around?! Nobody orders me around!" Electro roared, sending several high-voltage arcs straight at Peter.
Peter instinctively jumped, and the electrical arcs instantly melted the rooftop where he had just been standing.
"Is that all you've got, light bulb?" Peter swung away through the air, continuing to taunt him.
"Stay still!" Electro attacked wildly, but Peter used his webs to weave nimbly between the buildings, keeping his distance the whole time.
Peter glanced down. Felicia was helping an old man climb out of a mangled car. Her clothes were torn and her hair was a mess, but in Peter's eyes, she looked breathtakingly beautiful at that moment.