Spider-Man SI

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***

Queens neighbourhood of Forest Hills. The Parker house. One week later.

- Peter! Come on, open up! Please!

My sister's voice, muffled by the closed door, reached one ear and came out the other. The new brush, just unpacked, continued the difficult task of brushing teeth. I decided to call Petra my sister, even mentally. To get used to the fact, so to speak. In the meantime, the word excited me every time I thought of it. And it was... pleasant. Unexpectedly nice.

- Come on, Pete! Well, I really need it!

The brush hurt my gums. Hmm. I'm not sorry, am I? No, you're not. Well, why not help your little sister? Especially if she really needs it...

Spitting the paste mixed with blood, I pulled the latch blocking the door from the inside. The door immediately swung open and a small blonde creature burst into the bathroom. Sis. Or maybe sis would be better? Hmm...

Careful not to disturb my gum, which was too stiff, I continued brushing my teeth. Yeah, sis sounds softer, but sister is a bit too formal.

- H-hmm...

Interesting. Maybe I should ask her myself? What's her favourite? Glancing down, I looked at the object of my thoughts. He was pulling down a large pink T-shirt with two interlocked hands, which made the cat's face painted on it acquire a slightly creepy expression. Petra's bare feet bounced on the cold tile. Is she bouncing because the floor is cold or because she 'really, really needs it'? Judging by the hunted look she cast at the water pouring from the tap - the latter.

Still, I won't ask which is better. I'll just do the math. Here.

- Pete, I HAVE to! - the girl finally pulls herself away from the water.

- You have to do it. - I shrug. - I'm not embarrassed of you.

You should brush your teeth for at least five minutes. That's what it's for.

You shouldn't have heeled me in the jaw. And who, pray tell, sleeps across the bed?

It's my own fault, though. I shouldn't have let her in. She's scared, you see, alone in the room. I might be scared too! Only it's scary NOT to be alone. But how do you explain it to her? I don't know. That's why I'm angry because I didn't sleep well.

It's not like I've had thoughts like that. I've never had any inclinations. I'm not interested in loli, thank Odin. But not so long ago, I was sharing a bed with Gwen. My body remembers.

- Hyah! - My sister's punch was noticeably sharp. She may be skinny, but she's got a sharp bone.

- All right, all right. I'm out of here. - I tell the crimson-haired girl and go to the kitchen. I need to brush my teeth after all.

My aunt stood at the table and cut a light salad. A chop was roasting on the cooker. Uncle was drinking a compote assortment and reading the New York Times. The idyll of a quiet and peaceful family life. Why did they get up before us? They're worried.

I nodded hello to them, went round Aunt May and sat down at the washbasin. I rinsed the brush and put it in a clean mug. I'll remember to put it back later. He scratched his chin thoughtfully, a little stubble was present. But it was too lazy to shave, and it was busy.

- Peter, did you wake Petra? - Uncle took his eyes off the paper.

- I woke her up, I woke her up...' I muttered grimly. - She locked herself in the bathroom. Probably for a long time.

Shall I run round a bit? There's plenty of time.

- Maybe I shouldn't have woken her up so early. There's no rush.

I just shrug my shoulders. If I woke her up, what am I supposed to put her back to bed? I sigh sorrowfully and go to the first floor. I pull on sports shoes and trainers, unplug the player, hang the headphones around my neck. Now I'm going outside. Half an hour of measured jogging accompanied by good music. Pleasure!

I come back from my run through the backyard. I quickly climb up to my window. It's not hard, even if I were a normal person, I could easily climb up. So I'm not really afraid of being seen. I throw off my slightly sweaty outerwear and get in the shower. Yeah, I timed it right, the bathroom's empty. I rinse quickly, get dressed and go down to the kitchen. Petra climbed up on a chair with her legs, drinking milk and biscuits, while asking something from her aunt.

- Sit down properly, little one! And where are your trousers? - I try to make my voice more stern, but it turns out weak, jogging and music lifted my spirits. - What if I walk around the house in my knickers?!

- Go ahead. I'm not embarrassed of you! - I'm not embarrassed. I'm not embarrassed.

- Don't listen to that bore! - smiles auntie. - Drink your milk. Can I get some more?

Oh-ho-ho-hoyushki. They'll spoil the little one! But how small is she?! She's a great girl! But she's too skinny. But let them spoil her. It's not hard for me to grumble sometimes and act like a stern older brother, is it? No problem.

- Nope... - sighs heavily, and pats herself on her tummy.

I quickly chewed my portion and went to get dressed. I thought it was unnecessary to dress up in a suit. I just pulled on a fresh shirt and not too wrinkled jeans. I also brought my Walkman, I wanted to go for a walk.

- Hey! Are you going already?

- Yeah. - I nodded. I ran into the kitchen and finished my compote.

- Can I come with you?

- Watch cartoons.

- Oh, Pete!

- What are you gonna do with me until 2:00?

- Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please!

- Let him come with you, Peter. - Ben's smiling.

What's the matter with you? You can't let her have everything! What kind of a monster she'll be in two years of this kind of parenting!?

- Can't I be busy? А? - I'm truly indignant. - Fine. You watch it. But you'll have to spend an hour with my terribly boring friend.

I was more than completely sure Petra would back down.

- Hooray, hooray, hooray! Let's go!

- Put your clothes on first, miracle...

I suppose I should have expected something like this...

I wasn't really surprised when Petra took my headphones off and took away my Walkman. Now I had to waddle along next to the happy person. Of course she has music!

The only thing left to do is think. So, what have we got so far?

S.H.I.E.L.D. This organisation has given me a lot of headaches and just as much food for thought. These guys and gals are gathering mutants under their wing. And they wanted to recruit Petra, too. And now I'm not so sure they wanted the girl. I can't say for sure, but she was probably just a reason. A reason for the agents to be able to come to our house. Not to be self-centred, but they were probably interested in me. I'm not interested in the whole organisation, just the head of it. What does Nick Fury want with me? I can't say, I can't even guess.

Nick's been acting really weird with me. Not like the head of a secret government organisation. I wasn't even recruited, not even tried! It's not that I think so highly of myself, but they could really use a capable operative. There's a reason they're looking for other mutants, isn't there?

They talked to me frankly, no doubt trusting me with small secrets. One could assume that this was my way of writing off my debt for helping them fight Deadpool and his friends. But as it turned out, I did more harm than good. Then what did I do to deserve being Nick's mate? I mean, really, she wasn't in love with me, was she? No, her behaviour was strange, but I could see no sign of love. Rather she was possessed by a sadness, a barely perceptible trace of which I managed to detect at the time. But why? Does she feel guilty about me? I can hardly believe it. And why would she? Is she my real mum? That doesn't make sense. If I had a father, I'd think about it.

Well, never mind the silly thoughts. I don't know why, but the fact is, she's willing to help me without asking for anything in return. Perhaps if I had agreed to stay, I would have learnt the reason for her actions. But I doubt it. It's the first time I've met her. Despite the agents she's sent, and the information she has about me, I get the feeling she's still forming her attitude toward me. A personal opinion. So to expect complete honesty from her during our first meeting would be foolish. I wouldn't reveal my soul to the first person I met either.

I just have to see what I can expect from her in the long run. The mere fact that she kept my identity secret in front of the rest of the organisation speaks volumes! But that's okay. What are the limits of her favour with me? How much help is she willing to give me? It's very delicate. On the one hand I need to know what to expect, but on the other hand if I overdo it, I'll be in trouble!

When Nick hinted that I could, um... count on her help, I thought about asking about Cat, Felicia's father. But I couldn't risk that. I had other thoughts about how S.H.I.E.L.D. could help me, but I had to put them on hold for a while. I had to come up with a distracted request in emergency mode. One that I wouldn't lose anything if Nick refused, but one that would be hard to fulfil. The idea of arranging for me to meet Nemore was perfect. So perfect it was more like a joke. If you think some punk kid wants to meet the ruler of the sea! Sounds like a silly thing to say!

But that's even better for me. Nick won't go for it, I'm pretty sure of it. He'll turn it into a joke and that'll be the end of the story. Like I said, I don't care, I've got nothing to lose, but now I can safely guess the extent of Fury's credit. You can only count on small amounts of money. At least for now.

But if I do get a meeting. If such a miracle happens... Well, then you can make ropes out of her and not hesitate to climb on her back! I don't know what the relationship between Nemore and Nick is, but in any case, it won't be easy to get him to meet an unknown teenager who thinks too much of himself. Nemore's not some dick from out of town! He's the king of Atlantis! Well, or just a prince for now... I don't see much difference.

I doubt a simple American, Peter Parker, can expect to meet the Queen of England without a solid protectorate. This is despite the fact that Atlantis is probably not a constitutional monarchy, but a real one, hence the king there is really a king, not a buffoon with a crown.

So much for kitten pies. I basically have to wait for my second meeting with Nick. That's when she will decide on her attitude to me, and then I can expect a portion of new information. In the meantime, I need to forget about S.H.I.E.L.D. and its leadership for a while.

Or do we?

There's still the matter of Felicia's father. While she and I have been working together to get him out of a horrible prison, he turns out to be quite free. And apparently, he's not the least bit part of the organisation!

Eh... it's hard to remember what it took me and Gwen to bring Felicia to her senses when she found out about our misadventures. How hard it was to get her to realise that he didn't mean to kill her. Or rather he didn't know he'd shot his own daughter.

In any case, the situation with this Old Man, is not clear. Perhaps he really was in the dungeons, but then Nick thought that such a talent should not go to waste, and persuaded him to work for himself. That's a perfectly acceptable option. Or the thief nicknamed Cat never existed, and it was just a mask of a talented agent of Shch.I.T.a, who knows....

- The little one. - No reaction, walking ahead of me, enjoying herself. I had to take her headphones off. - Hey, babe!

- Hey! What are you doing?! Give me the headphones! I honestly took them from you! - Wow! That's a lot of outrage!

- Yeah, yeah. Sure. - I put the headphones in my backpack, I'll get the Walkman later.

- Oh, gross! It's not nice to hurt the little ones!

- The little ones? Have you looked in the mirror lately? It's about time you had a herd of boys following your skirt! - The little one got all glowy and faded away. - Let's go for a walk, miracle....

On the way there was just the right shopping and entertainment centre. We had a lot of fun in all the departments. The little one tried on a lot of clothes! It was like nothing at home. My blondes had packed her wardrobe with clothes! But to her credit, she didn't ask me to buy her anything. She just seemed to enjoy the procedure. We stood around for a while and looked at the skating rink. There was no time to go there, but seeing Petra's burning eyes, I promised that we would go skating sometime. We stopped for a bite to eat at a pizzeria. Personally, I was not hungry yet, but the little one reminded me of a food processor. I understand, of course, what caused such a food frenzy, but I made a note to myself. Do not fatten her up!

Anyway, we explored every nook and cranny of the shopping centre. I was getting a little tired.

- Oh! This is it! - I finally found the electronics section. - Let's go back here, and to university.

- Pete, what are you looking for? - The little one asked.

- I can't find my camera! I must have lost it somewhere. I want to look at the prices. - After looking at different models and prices, only sighed heavily. My hobby will cost me a fortune!

- Well, how did you choose?

- I chose it! But I can't afford it yet. Come on, let's go and see what else they've got. - in a couple of minutes we were standing at the headphone stand. - What do you think of these? Do you like them?

- You have headphones, don't you? - wondered the girl. - Hee-hee, or have you decided to change your image?

- Why is that?

- Well, they're pink! Can't you see that? Hee-hee.

- It's always like this! You want to buy her a present and she laughs! - I take offence.

The counsellors are standing nearby. Two young guys, quietly laughing at us. I notice one of them giving Petra's arse a dirty look. Hmmm... that's a strange feeling... very similar to the feeling I get when I notice similar looks on my Gwen. There's a wild mixture of jealousy, spiced with pride - 'Look what a girl I have! Losers!'. Now it was something similar, only anger dominated! Anger at those bastards undressing my underage sister with their gaze!

How extraordinary! And how pleasant inside from the realisation that in this world I have one more, dear person more! Isn't that happiness?

- Me?' Petra whispered, so that no one but me could hear what she was saying. - No need, Peter. You wanted to buy a camera! You don't have to waste money on me! You hear me? I'm sorry.... I get it.... I won't touch your headphones anymore and.... here you go! - she handed me a Walkman.

- Silly girl! - I'm hugging the fool. - How could you think that?! I wouldn't spare anything for you! If you want it, you can have it forever! I just thought you'd want some girly ones, pink ones with ruffles.

- Ruffles?

- Well, I don't know what you like, sorry. Don't worry about the money. - I'm smiling. - I've got it! But I don't have enough for both, so I'll buy a camera tomorrow!

- Really? - An incredulous tone.

- Of course!

My close relationship with Gwen, and my friendship with Felicia, has taught me to always carry cash. What can you do? You never know when they're going to go shopping or something equally costly. Not that I'm complaining.... But I used to be free to go out on the town with just a couple of dollars for travelling. And I had enough...

- Well, not the pink ones! And certainly not the ones with the ruffles! You don't know anything about women's tastes. I can't believe Gwen puts up with you.

- I'm amazed!

Petra quickly picked out her earplugs and her Walkman. Ignoring the guys, I found a girl counsellor and asked her for some music. She happily agreed and for a tip she threw a couple of dozen popular songs on the player. Petra was radiant, and as soon as we went outside, she immediately pulled the purchase on herself. But she listened to the music from my player, because 'You've got more interesting music.'

- Hey! Tiger! I flinched. Only one person had ever called me that... once.

- Hello, M.J. - I said coolly enough.

It's a nickname she made up for me when I was a kid. I don't know why, but she liked the nickname so much that all the years we'd been friends, she'd called me that all the time. At first I was angry, I thought she was just messing with me. Still, I never looked like a tiger, especially with glasses.... But later I got used to it.

A tall red-haired girl approached us. Petra gave her an interested look, and even deigned to pull her headphones down around her neck.

- Hello!' said the little wonder.

- Um... hello...' MJ said hesitantly.

- Petra, meet Petra. - I thought I'd clear the air. - This is Mary Jane Watson, my childhood friend. - I decided to put a special emphasis on the last word. - M.J. This is Petra Parker, my sister.

The red-haired girl looks at me and at Petra, and only flaps her mouth helplessly. My sister is silent for some reason, too, and stares at me with big eyes. Hmmm... what's she up to?

- You never called me sister...' she whispers quietly. - Thank you... brother!

- You're welcome! - I wink cheerfully, and suddenly I remember my recent thoughts. - Listen! What's the best way to say it? Sister or sister?

- You fool! - I get punched. I have to dodge.

- It's... quite unexpected,' MJ says when we're finally fooled. - But how... like this?

- I'm being adopted! - Petra puffed up.

- Or rather, adopted! - I laugh and dodge the sharp fists again. - Didn't Aunt May say anything to your mum?

- No. Mum once complained that your aunt hasn't been calling or visiting lately.

- I see. - my anger at Watson's gone and I'm talking to her without the cold shoulder. - They've been too busy lately. You have no idea how much paperwork there is to fill out, how many documents to file, how many authorities to go round. And Petra's got to get into school... If it wasn't for Matt, it would have taken months!

- Matt?

- Yeah! Petra's joining in. - He's such a funny bloke. With a cane and red glasses. A lawyer. And he also lies to me that he's blind!

- Why does he lie? - M.J. had recovered a little from such news, and was already smiling shyly at the girl's directness. Or is it her nervousness? Hmm.

- Well, I wanted to borrow his cane... I mean, I wanted to use it... for a while! I crept up and he grabbed my arm! He wouldn't let go! He's blind!

- So tell me the rest of the story! - I'll do it.

- Shut up! - I get another round of sharp fists at me.

- What happened next? - my childhood friend asks with interest.

- He spanked her! - I laugh. - MJ, why aren't you in school?

- Well, you know I sing... sometimes? - Of course I knew about her hobbies, she sang really well. - There was an audition today, so I ran out.

- You're a great singer! Can you teach me how to sing?

- No, I'm not a singer yet. But I hope to be heard. - smiled sadly. - Pete, I'm so sorry about everything.

- It's okay. - I'm just waving my hand. Why did I take offence at her? Well, she had a different circle of acquaintances and different interests. So now I'm supposed to forget all the years we've been friends? It's silly, it's childish. - MJ, I'm sorry, but we're running a little late. Listen, me and Petra and a couple of mates, I was thinking of going out for a walk round town tonight, go to a coffee shop. Why don't you come with us, eh?

- Erm... All right, Tiger! - Meri agreed happily. - I'll see you tonight, then. You've got my number, haven't you? You'll call me.

- Okay!

The red-haired girl, waving, and smiling all smiles, walks away. Eh! That's a good one!

- Tiger!? - I get hit by a small tornado. - Is she serious?! Ha ha ha ha... Tig-g-g-g-g-g-g!

- Shut up! For the love of Loki! Come on, we're really gonna be late.

The university welcomed us with noise, noise and crowds of students. The two of us blended into the hustle and bustle perfectly. Petra's head was spinning with interest, I almost lost it, I had to lead her by the handle! Though not by much, I was running out of time. Having towed my sister to the prof, and handed her over.

- Here you go, and I'm off!

In general, a teacher to be late for class, probably not beautiful, and running through the corridors like an eagle, somehow not in status. But what can you do? Prof, even after returning to work, categorically refused to give lectures, and threw this tedious work completely on me. The bastard! But I had to bear it.

In front of the door to the classroom, I stopped, took a breath, fixed my hair...

- What's up, slackers? What are we gonna talk about today?

***

New York. The day before.

George Stacey rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. When asked what the most stressful job a cop could do, he'd be pretty sure it was paperwork. Being not just a cop, but a captain, he had a lot more responsibilities, and certainly more paperwork to sign, write, and sometimes... make up. George had become so proficient in this art that he had once considered writing a fantasy novel. Unfortunately, the lack of time does not allow the man to start the idea.

The captain was distracted from his thoughts by the ringing of his mobile phone.

- I'm listening! - he answered without looking at the screen. - K-hm... sorry sir! I didn't recognise it! ... That's right, sir! Oh, sorry Gordon, I've been working too hard. Do you want a rest? Of course I will. Yeah, yeah, I got it. I told you, I got it. What? Okay, I'll do it. Thanks for the heads-up. Yeah, take care.

Stacey put the phone down on the countertop. The wrinkles on the captain's face deepened, and he frowned. As he considered the information he'd just received, he automatically looked around his office. He wasn't the kind of man who could just hang there and stare at a single point. That's why he entertained his eyes in such an unpretentious way. There wasn't much to look at in the office. The room, allocated for the needs of the police captain, was not particularly square. Almost all the free space was occupied by shelves with various documents. There was a small table by the window, under which Stacy had hidden a small safe. The most valuable thing in the office was a small sofa. However, George was the only one who considered it valuable. How many nights he had to sleep on it! It was a pity that the sofa did not fold out, but there would hardly be enough space for that. Of his personal belongings, the only thing that could be mentioned was a photograph of his daughter.

Another attraction of the room was a cactus. For two, together with an ashtray, they reigned on the windowsill. The yellowed and shriveled plant, which had lost all its prickles, had been standing there for a long time; it had outlived more than five captains, and was not planning to go to the afterlife for a long time. The new owner watered it almost regularly. Life went on.

George finally considered the unhappy news. Now he had to fulfil the will of his calling superiors.

'Heh-heh! For once, I'll be home on time, and with a sleepover!' - he thought.

Locking the safe, picking up his jacket, the man left his office. At first he thought of gathering his subordinates in the common room, where there was more space. But looking at the tired people, who, as an example of the boss, worked tirelessly to suppress evil in the city, he suddenly changed his mind. The official workday had ended about an hour ago. So Stacey took it easy on all the employees, except for those who had to be on duty tonight. If he was going to allow himself a break, his employees should have a break too! Despite the fact that the cop had been transferred to New York recently, he had already earned quite a reputation among his department, and among the rest of the police.

There were about seven or eight officers waiting for Stacy on the street. These guys had earned their chief's respect through their work, and he could trust them a little. That's why he asked him to wait.

- Greg, you were bragging the other day that old man Dugan had hired a beautiful new waitress.

- That's right! - The stubby, brunette man said bravely, and smiled cheerfully.

- Well, lead the way! Show me!

Soon the whole company was seated at two sliding tables. A busty waitress made eyes at everyone and everyone brought glasses with foam. The pub was small, but clean, cosy and well decorated. There were seldom drunken scuffles here, and if there were, the guys from the department under the captain's command quickly restored order. For his unspoken patronage, the owner of the place regularly donated some money to the needs of the native police. At first George disapproved of such an order of things, but after talking to the owner, he was forced to agree to the terms of the verbal contract. The pub owner's eldest son was also a cop, but died. Honestly doing his duty, as George later found out.

The dead lad's father had essentially been left with no choice. If he didn't make a deal with Captain Stacey's predecessor, he'd have to bow to some gang. The latter was unacceptable for the old man, he honoured his son's memory and didn't want to get involved with crime. So he'd rather just close the pub.

To take responsibility for the fate of all those employees who would lose their jobs in such a case, Stacey considered above his capabilities. So he shook hands with the old man and a couple of other people who also wanted to do business with the police rather than criminals. The employees got a raise on their official salaries. The raise under the new captain had increased nicely. The officers did not forget this, and for the most part, they had developed a respect for their newly appointed superiors.

Taking a few big gulps, George emptied the litre container. Yes, the beer is good! The man put the glass on the table and looked round at his subordinates. They looked at the chief with interest. They all knew that he was not a particular fan of beer or other alcoholic beverages. So he'd called them here for a reason.

- Gordon called me. - He didn't keep quiet for long. - He gave me some information privately. Orders will come within the week, but there's no doubt about it.

- What are you talking about, Chief? - Greg couldn't take it anymore.

- I'm talking about our friend. The wall climber.

- A spider? - someone wondered. George nodded.

- You all remember his joke on Hammer? - The boys murmured their approval. - He wasn't the only one he'd messed up back then, the feds were furious.

- Did they--

- Yeah. They got permission to arrest our friend. We'll have a piece of paper coming down soon.

Everyone was stunned silent and digested the news. Spider had proved many times that he was not just another costumed hero! He often acted together with the police, not apart from it. He did real good, and he didn't disrupt operations. Yes, no doubt, the guy had his own peculiarities, for example, he never hesitated to clean out the pockets of the bandits he caught. It was illegal, but everyone who knew or guessed kept quiet. Unlike them, he doesn't even get paid a salary. It's a small thing compared to how many cops he's saved!

- So we're gonna put him away?

- We'd have to catch him first. - George said thoughtfully. - He's a tricky one, isn't he? That's why I think we should warn him! I'm sorry, Stenolaz, but I'll have to arrest you. So turn yourself in. - the man smiled broadly.

Dumbfounded by the news, the policemen mirrored the emotions of their superiors. Indeed. Well, there was an order to detain, well, let the feds themselves navel-gazing, and they, ordinary cops, and so have something to do!

- And we need to warn Spidey as soon as possible. You know, so he can pack his bags!

Everyone laughed, and joined in a drink. The new waitress, as if she had been waiting for it, took away the empty containers and soon brought new portions.

- Yes, the assistant head of the department is a great bloke! - suddenly realised one of the people present. - You can see that he even cares about future prisoners!

- Mm-hmm. - The second glass suddenly hit the captain's overworked brain and he decided to call it a day. - He promised he'd let some of the other captains know. But I hope you'll share the big news with your colleagues. Just in case.

- Of course, Captain!

- Yes, sir!

- You can count on us, sir!

Stacey said goodbye to his colleagues, paid for his beer. He even complimented the old master on his good staffing.

He didn't want to appear in front of his daughter with even a slight noise in his head. So George didn't take a taxi right away. He walked a little through the streets of the city, and only when he realised that he was in complete control of himself did he catch a car. Anticipating how happy his daughter would be at such a sudden surprise as 'a father sleeping at home,' he took the lift. Taking out his keys, he thought for a moment. What if Gwen wasn't alone? Maybe Peter had dropped in for a visit? Well, good if that was the case! We could talk about the wedding! Heh-heh-heh-heh.

Turning the key in the keyhole, he opened the door. Examining the hallway for extraneous male shoes and clothing, he exhaled disappointedly. But he noticed an unfamiliar pair of women's shoes. Had his daughter bought a new pair of shoes? Music was playing loudly in the flat, and the man carefully made his way into the hall.

- But why are all men such bastards?! - sobbed the familiar voice of Gwen's friend. Felicia's, I think.

- Eth... eth... it's the mystery of the ... ick ... universe! - echoed her daughter's drunken voice.

- Exactly! Y-you're ... eek ... right mate! Let's have a drink!

- Come on! Oh! Daddy-daddy! You came home?! Did you catch all the pres... prostitutes... well... those...?

- He's here! He loves you! What about mine? He didn't even recognise me! Bastard!

- Um... I think I'm gonna go. - The man said in a confused voice, but was not heard. The girls burst into tears, and Gwen began to comfort her friend.

George quietly retreated from the hall. He went to his room, changed his clothes, and just as quietly left the flat. Women's drunkenness, and even tears, was beyond him. Perhaps as a father he should have stopped the outrage by now. But he promised that he would tell his daughter later, tomorrow for example..... Let them vent their emotions now.

The man wandered mindlessly around the city. He didn't want to go back to work. If it's a day off, it's a day off! So just to walk along the streets and look at the evening city is also a holiday. Isn't it? He wasn't sure, because he'd forgotten when he'd last taken a holiday....

Suddenly some sounds caught his attention. Very distinctive sounds, familiar... There was a fight going on somewhere nearby! Unbuckling the clasp from his holster, he ran his hand over the handle of his pistol, calming down, but did not take it out. For now. Rushing towards the sounds, the man soon enough, after passing a couple of small alleys, came upon the scene. One man was lying on the pavement, howling. Two more were coherently pouncing on some woman. In the couple of seconds that George watched the action, he appreciated the victim's talent. She fought skilfully, and if it weren't for the clothes, which were not suitable for it, she would have easily coped with her opponents!

The cop didn't hesitate any longer. A quick dash, so that the opponent does not have time to react, and a series of perfectly placed blows to the head takes the criminal out of the game. The last guy left on his feet wastes his time staring at the unexpected help that came to such a horny victim, and he pays for it. 'Victim' takes a heel to his foot. And claps her hands over the guy's ears. Stacey's punch is just a control shot to keep the perp unconscious longer.

- Thank you! - the woman says thank you sincerely but gravely.

- Captain? Captain Watanabe? - exclaims the man in surprise.

He knew his colleague superficially. They had met a few times at general meetings, but they had never spoken. Somehow there had never been an occasion before. She was very young for her position, even more so! But it was said that the woman was very clever and hard-working. Which made it possible at that age to take her chair. If she wished, she could mark and on the highest position, good merits she had, as well as solved high-profile cases enough.

The young woman was very attractive. Fragile in appearance, short. Her black hair fell to her shoulders. Her face bore a shadow of Oriental beauty. And this particularly stirred Stacy's mind. She looked nothing like his wife. But there was something about this woman...

- Oh! It's you!' the woman smiled weakly, catching her breath. - How unexpected! Do you patrol the streets yourself?

- No. - Stacey smiled at the little joke. - Just thought I'd take a break, go for a walk....

- Ha-ha! Can you believe I decided to take a break too?! - she laughed a little nervously. - Went to the theatre! Captain, do you mind if we use the first name? No? Good! Then just call me Yuri.

- George. - he nodded slightly and pulled out his mobile phone.

Half an hour later, the squad loaded the bandits into the car, and drove off, blinking merrily. Yuri had managed to tidy herself up a bit in the meantime, and was now shivering from the cold. It was a chilly evening. George, noticing the outrage, threw his jacket over her. The captains' faces were dangerously close together.

- Yuri, shall we... continue our holiday... together? - Stacy whispered in a hoarse voice.

- Let's...' the woman agreed unexpectedly, realising she was throwing herself into the abyss.

***

New York. Stacy's flat. The next morning lunchtime.

Gwen groaned heavily, but was silent almost immediately. The first thing she felt on waking was a terrible headache! And the barely audible moan she let out made the sore spot even more sore! Cautiously raising herself, the girl was surprised to realise that she had fallen asleep at the table. But that fact paled before what she saw before her!

The kitchen table was littered with weapons! Several dozen knives, some in sheaths, others without. A large army knife was deeply embedded in the countertop right in the middle of the table! Some of the knives were outright junk and defective, but others Gwen, with a quick glance at the steel, determined to be of very high quality and worth quite a bit! But the knives alone did not end the picture.....

Five pistols, among which, if she was not mistaken, there was even a Soviet PM! The headache somehow receded into the background. Gwen with awe and love in her eyes took the Belgian Five-Seven in her hand, her other hand was already picking up the P90 submachine gun, the same brand of FN. Reverently putting aside these twin pistols, she pulled out a ninety-second Beretta from the common small slide. Twirling it in her hands, the girl regretfully set the gun aside, the grip too thick, uncomfortable to grip.

The M4 was on the table in its disassembled state, it looked like Gwen had just cleaned and lubricated it last night before going to bed. An open can of gun oil and dirty hands were proof of that. Unable to tolerate such a mess, the girl quickly assembled the carbine. Silencer, tactical torch, under-barrel 40 mm grenade launcher, laser illumination device... the rifle had a full set of additional equipment.

Austrian Steyr AUG A3 with mounted telescopic sight, German MP7A1, Israeli Uzi, Russian SVD semi-automatic rifle.... and many, many more. Gwen gulped, hands shaking, she stood up and in one swift jerk, completely ignoring the flash of headache, grabbed the McMillan Tac-50! Pressing the American large-calibre sniper rifle to her chest, the blonde began to whisper something barely audible, while stroking her gold and treasure....

This went on for probably half an hour. Until the headache subsided a little, and the attack of passion dissipated. Gwen had absolutely no idea where all these weapons had come from in her flat! The girl carefully placed her cutie on the table. Yesterday, the last thing she remembered was her father's arrival. God, how embarrassing! She would have to apologise. He'd scold, but couldn't she not comfort her best friend? Leave Felicia alone with her problem? No, of course not. By the way, where's the cat?

Rising heavily, Gwen took a few steps towards the door from the kitchen, but then stopped. Slowly she turned round, and cursed softly. Two large black bags lay on the floor. A third was opened and emptied. Bloody hell! Where did they bring so many weapons from!!!

Head aching again, the girl opened the fridge. She happily drank a litre bottle of mineral water. She grabbed a second one for her friend. In the corridor, she almost tripped over Pete's suit and equipment. She stopped at the mirror. It reflected a tall blonde woman, wearing only lingerie, black stripes all over her body giving her a belligerent look. The Amazon smiled sourly and spun around herself. With horror, Gwen noticed the thin scarlet stripes on her taut arse, and a few on her back. Bloody hell, what did they do yesterday!!!? We need to find Felicia right away!

Her friend was asleep on the sofa. The room was a mess, I'd say. Champagne and wine bottles strewn about. Broken vases, curtains and tulles cut with something. And hundreds of green rectangles of presidents scattered all over the room. By Felicia's sleeping side, gold and silverware lay in disarray. Chains, rings, pendants, earrings, hairpins, and other 'junk'! The friend herself was dressed in a provocative latex costume. Black cat ears protruded from her blonde hair.

Gwen shook her head, pushing the memory away. Overcome by a flash of pain from the sudden movement, the girl blushed. Gwen remembered the shop where they had bought the revealing kitty outfit. And also flashed the bloodied face of the lewd salesman....

Noticing the short whip that was lying near the sofa, Gwen blushed even more, and her bottom whimpered....

***

New York State University.

Good thing I only have one lecture today! Plenty of free time! After I had done my duty, I answered the questions of the remaining students who wanted to get bits of information. Their eagerness was understandable to me, so I recommended them the best literature to read, and finally left in the direction of the laboratory.

In one of the corridors I saw an interesting picture. Some murky old bloke was driving a wedge into my girlfriend! 'Miles Warren' was written in big letters on his nametag. Underneath, in small print that I could barely make out even with my slightly improved eyesight, it said that the guy was a teacher. Putting out a pang of jealousy, I went on my way. Gwen didn't even notice me.

- Brother, you're a loser! - exclaimed Petra, as soon as I approached.

- Why is that? - I was dumbfounded.

- You ask me that? You've been bribed to do a job, and they don't pay you for it! Mr Connors, on the other hand, is a clever man. He's dumped all the boring work on you, does only what he likes, and gets a steady paycheck! Lead by example.

- Mm-mm.

Doc looked at me a little guiltily, but at the same time he was trying not to laugh. What a bastard!

- Sorry, Pete. Your little sister's very inquisitive.

- I am! - and I had to ruffle her hair.

- Any sign of Gwen or Felicia? - I thought I'd ask. I had to drop Petra off on someone for a couple of hours.

- Gwen did. She went to meet you, by the way.

- I've seen her meet me.' I mutter quietly. - Listen, Petra, you stay with Gwen for a while. I need to go away for a couple of hours...

- Oh, yeah.

- Don't worry, I'll make it!

- Look at me!

Once again, having ruffled the little one's hair, I said goodbye to the pro and went to the exit. Gwen was still cooing with that old bloke! And smiling sweetly at him! I ducked into a side corridor. We'll talk about what she's doing later.

Maybe I should have stayed and talked to the prof. No, this isn't about Gwen! It's something else. After that story with S.H.I.T., calming relatives, I visited the lab the very next day. I was, to put it mildly, displeased. Empty liquor bottles and a drunk Connors. The failed experiment that was supposed to regenerate his arm and instead turned him into a monster had taken a toll on the man. I thought I'd have to go to some psychiatrist or something... Like, Xavier could help, I guess. But I don't trust those types! A man who can dig into brains.... is dangerous, in a word!

But praise be to the glorious Galactus! When the prof woke up, he vowed not to touch the bottle again! He was eager to take up the new project I proposed. I'm sure he still feels bad about the failure, but I had no idea how to help him. Although...

- Hello! - I shouted cheerfully as soon as the green button on the other end was pressed. - How are you?! ... Yes, sorry! It's been a long time since I've been here. ... Well, unlike some people, I have things to do, things to worry about. ... Yes, yes! Imagine, dear coach! ... And you, by the way, you're neglecting your duties. What do you mean, what responsibilities? Does the name Connors mean anything to you? Doesn't your friend have the same name? You see? He does. So why haven't you been to see him yet?

Without listening to Shark's pathetic excuses, I gave him a little more pressure. I hope he'll deign to visit an old military friend. He's a grown man, but why do I have to deal with such matters myself? No, I understand, Shark got a good beating in the fight with the Lizard, and unlike me he can't recover so quickly. But still.

My destination was far enough away from the university that I took the underground. It would have been faster on the web, but I didn't want to be in a hurry. I decided to devote the time on the way to making a final decision. Was it worth the risk? Was I doing the right thing right now? All these questions swarmed so strongly under my skull that I couldn't stand it and bought a Bogle newspaper on the way. I know it was cowardly, but it was a weak attempt to delay the inevitable.....

No matter how much I read, the letters were blurred and it was difficult to understand anything. Thoughts still did not want to calm down, tormenting me..... Finally, I couldn't stand it any longer and couldn't bear to be tormented any longer and finally decided to do something stupid! Be what it will be! Tired of doubts! You have to trust yourself, your feelings, and finally spider sense!

Now it was more fun, and I had time to read a couple of articles. Surprisingly, there was not a word about me, that is, about the Spider. I guess I haven't attracted their attention yet, or something. From what I read I was most interested in two articles. The incidents mentioned in the articles happened only tonight, but the journalists managed to find out quite a lot. A group of thieves robbed a jewellery shop during the night. According to a police source, the thieves left no trace, which speaks of their great professionalism. It's clearly not the first time they've done this. And now the police are looking for similar cases in the archives, as, in fact, they have nothing else to do. The peculiarity of this crime is that the robbers were quite selective. They did not rake up everything. They opened the cash register and took only notes from a hundred dollars and more! Of course, in a jewellery shop, in essence, there can't be much change, but for some reason the robbers ignored it. The same was true of jewellery, only the most beautiful and expensive ones were stolen. Simple, without any stones there, or interesting engraving, rings, chains, and the rest remained in their places! Interesting thieves. Definitely...

The other story was striking, too. Turns out last night, there was almost a gang war in the streets! Small ones, but still. Some lucky blokes found someone else's gun store and decided to rob it! The guards of the warehouse were sent off in a surprisingly humane manner, and they started the robbery. The owners of the warehouse somehow found out about what was going on and it started! The shootout was notable, and when the special forces arrived, the fun continued with renewed vigour! A quarter of the city stayed up half the night with gunshots and explosions!

It's a good thing I didn't get a chance to do anything last night. It would have been easy to get a stray bullet in my side.

At last I reached the right stop and left the cramped underground.

In the daylight, the church seemed unassuming. Small, shabby, not at all presentable, in a word. And understandably so. It was a poor neighbourhood. The doors opened easily, and they didn't even creak! Although they are monitored here! Inside, the atmosphere was a bit gloomy. On my last visit, I just didn't get a chance to admire the view. I was in a hurry. Now, the gothic atmosphere, the high vaults... it was impressive. Undoubtedly, inside the temple was also a bit shabby, but you could smell the smell of renovation! There were no workers visible now, and I didn't see anyone alive at all, but some tools, paints, glass, scaffolding, were present.

- Excuse me. - a skinny priest appeared from somewhere. - But the church is closed for repairs.

That's a bit of a strange greeting, or is it just me? I'm not a frequent visitor to churches.

- I've noticed. But I'm not here on spiritual business. I'm actually here to see a friend.

- I'm sorry, young man, but you must be mistaken. I'm the only one here. - the priest was visibly tense and agitated.

If I had no idea of his reaction. I would have suspected something wrong! A gothic abandoned church, and an unfriendly monk.... Sounds like the plot of a thriller, or a horror film!

- I didn't know his ministers could be deceitful. - with my head up, I raised my voice a little. - Yo! Kurt, come on down!

I overreacted. You didn't have to yell. The sound was spreading through the church just fine. Nothing happened for about five minutes. Except for the priest trying to politely escort me out of the room. I kept looking up, only occasionally turning my head. Finally, about five metres away from me, there was a barely audible clap, and there was my acquaintance. The Night Serpent. A faint whiff of grey.

- Did you see me? - The mutant asked warily. Didn't recognise me? I guess so. The priest stared at me doomed. Now I was really scared! The look at the man was as if he decided to knock me with a shovel, and bury me in the backyard.....

- Sure! - I exclaimed with feigned joy as I continued to watch the scary monk out of the corner of my eye. - I told you I can see in the dark! You think I can't be bothered by some pathetic shadows?!

I did spot Kurt easily. He was quietly hanging on a steep wall, painting a picture. Turns out he's a pretty good painter, too. What a versatile person! The blue-skinned guy thought about something, looked at me, and then suddenly smiled happily!

- It's you!!!

- That's me. Peter. I promised I'd drop by as soon as I was free. Sorry I've been away so long, I've been busy.

- Father, this is my friend, Peter. - The boy exclaimed excitedly, and boldly came closer.

As I shook the four-fingered hand, I realised a few important things. Firstly, Kurt was looking at my face then after all. Maybe it was dark and he didn't get a good look, so he didn't recognise me right away. But he did recognise me. It's a little hurtful, on the one hand. But on the other hand, I understand him, and I would have done the same thing. If some masked bloke came into my house, into my attic.

Secondly, he didn't say anything about the incident to his priest friend. That's definitely a good thing. Kurt mistook the demon that possessed me for Venom, but he didn't say anything about it to the minister. So the connection between Snake, the priest, and the church in general isn't that strong. Which is good for me.

If fate brought me together with this mutant, why should I give him to the X-men? It's not a first-class teleporter, it's a dick! They'll get away with it! Since I'd decided to reveal my identity to the guy, I wouldn't let him go until he was on my side. I wasted a lot of nerve taking that step!? I was afraid that Kurt had become overly religious, but I guess not yet. Then I'll strike while the iron's hot.

- You never told me you had a friend. - The priest glared at me suspiciously.

- I'm sorry... I... I... I... thought he'd never come again. - the boy whispered quietly.

- Hey! What are you doing? I promised! - I took offence, pretend.

- I'm sorry, I... I had a hard time believing.....

- I understand. - I said calmly. - By the way! I brought you a present!

- Yeah? The guy's cocktail of emotions was so intense. I was embarrassed that I was changing his fate like that. It was like a lump in my throat to justify that I was doing it out of the best of intentions. But I quickly pulled myself together. I don't know what fate this particular Night Snake had to suffer! And what's wrong with wanting to be his friend?! I really want to be his friend! No bullshit!

- Yes! Shall we go to your room. - or does he have a cell? - I'll show you there.

That scary priest didn't inspire confidence in me at all. I wanted to get out from under his disgruntled and suspicious gaze.

- Let's go!

Kurt led me to the same room where I'd met him.

- Check this out! - I started pulling parts of the gift out of my backpack. A belt, with a massive iron buckle, and large metal rivets all along its length. Two similarly designed bracelets for the arms, and two for the legs. And a headband.

- What's all this for me? - Kurt excitedly blurted out.

Hmmm... didn't even expect that. All these accessories are pretty ordinary looking, nothing fancy. Except for the leg bracelets, that would surprise anyone. But Snake must not have been spoilt with gifts often, that he was so happy to receive my gifts.

- You, you, you. Put it on!

The boy quickly tried on all the presents. The only thing he had trouble with was the leg bracelets. Kurt didn't understand what they were for, and there was a problem. Snake's feet were slightly different from human feet, the foot was long, and he walked, in fact, only on his toes. Because of this, even now he was wearing cropped jeans. The regular ones were uncomfortable. And his shoe situation was sad, too, as he told me. And I could see that he was just wrapping his feet, with a rubberised dark cloth. Good thing his hair was long, so the hoop was just right!

- Okay, now click here! - I turned a little knob on the buckle. - There! It's done!

- What's done? - The kid doesn't get it.

- Look at your hands! - I can feel my pride swelling.

The serpent brings one hand to his face, and he freezes in astonishment as a wax statue of himself. I can see better from the side. Kurt looks like a human now! His skin is a normal colour, his fingers are five, his eyes don't glow yellow, in general, if it weren't for minor imperfections, it would be just fine!

- But how?!

- P-f-f.... All it takes is my brilliant mind, and a few expensive details! - I'm making a big speech.

Kurt pulled out a small old and dull mirror from somewhere, and began to examine himself. I'm really good! I mean, come on! It's almost like putting this thing together on my knees! Although I'm lying a little bit.... Not on my knees at all, but close. The main thing is that I created it! Of course, so far my Holograph V2.04. is a bit rough, very expensive, but it works! Technologies of Mysterio, some developments of my father, and a little bit of my time and mind to combine it all together, and the device is ready! Undoubtedly, Serpent now sees many disadvantages. For example, when walking through the illusion, parts of the legs are slightly visible. Or the tail appears 'out of nowhere' a few centimetres from the body. Or...

- I don't look like myself! - the boy exclaims slightly upset. He can't get enough! He can't thank me! Oh, well.

- Don't worry, it's all solvable. I've only seen you once, my memory isn't perfect, so I've only partially transferred your appearance. Take off your belt, I'll adjust everything. In the meantime, think of a way to hide your tail. Put it in your trousers or something.

I took the belt and got my laptop out of my rucksack. I put it together and started tweaking the illusion. It took almost an hour, but only because of my inexperience. Being a good photographer, I had no trouble modelling Kurt's face, only understandably with normal skin, and eyes. It's just that the process itself was labour intensive. A face is not like drawing trousers in an editor! By the way, I also changed them, the trousers in the sense, slightly. The bottom part had to be slightly widened to disguise the peculiarities of the anatomy of the guy's legs.

- There! Now it's just right! - I proudly considered no longer a mutant half-demon, but an ordinary schoolboy.

- Cool! - joyfully exclaimed Snake. - Thank you! I don't even know how I can thank you for such a gift!

- You're welcome! - cheerfully. The guy spent another ten minutes twisting his arms, his head, trying walking, jumping. - Don't slouch like that! Straighten up! That's it! Just remember and don't forget it's just an illusion.

- So what? - The boy sincerely didn't understand. - Because now I can walk around the city. In the daytime!

- You can, you can. Just don't shake hands with anyone. I can't change the tactile sensation, so people will feel that there's something wrong with your hand.

- Yeah, really. - He scratched the back of his head.

- And don't make any sudden movements. The illusion might not keep up with you. There are bracelets for that, of course. But if you bend your arm at the elbow, it can be noticeable. I'm still working on it.

Kurt tried it and made sure that I really wasn't cheating. After telling him a little more about all the little things he needed, like charging the Holograph, I suggested we go for a walk. He just nodded like a dummy! Well, it was basically a dream come true for him. Now he could show his face in public, and he wouldn't be poked and prodded like a leper. When I asked him not to tell the priest about my gift, he promised to fulfil it without hesitation. He wouldn't even look me in the mouth, and only agreed with everything. Anyway, we teleported out of the church. Interesting sensations, I must say! It was like going to Hell for a moment.

***

New York. Daily Bugle.

-- J. Jonah Jameson --

- Yes, chief! - The brunette exclaimed and hung up the phone with a trembling hand.

She had only gotten this job three days ago, and unlike the rest of the staff she was still terrified of her boss. She looked at these fearless people and marvelled at how they could communicate so coolly with this monster! The maximum that could be seen on their faces was a slight fright, even a shadow of it. The girl was shuddering at that commanding voice! At home she cursed herself for having agreed to such a 'tempting' offer. Every time before going to bed she promised herself that she would quit! But from time to time, she had the strength to do it, and her pride wouldn't let her just quit. Damn pride.

- Pull yourself together, Betty! You're the secretary to the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle! - she whispered quietly to herself. And even quieter. - Well, only a trainee for now.

If she told anyone she knew, they wouldn't believe it. She was only a senior in high school! Betty Brant led the quiet life of an ordinary editor of the school paper. Yes, her paper had won first place in the whole town, but that wasn't really an indicator, was it? Still, she didn't understand how Editor-in-Chief Bogle had taken notice of her humble person! He couldn't have been the one to keep an eye on some uninteresting school paper and scout for talent, could he? But then why did he call her himself? It's just that one day the phone rang in the house, and her mum picked it up, and then she called her. And he introduced himself and offered her a job. Needless to say, she accepted as soon as she heard the name of the newspaper? One of the best publications in the green apple! You don't turn down an offer like that. Not when you're about to graduate and you're still wondering where you're going to go....

Betty never thought of herself as a journalist. She joined the staff of the school newspaper by accident. Her parents insisted that her daughter learn to live in a social society, not sit in her room all the time and read books. In short, they strongly recommended that she enrol in some kind of club, or preferably two. It didn't take her long to decide. She was too short for women's basketball, and the chess club was filled with nerdy boys. The newspaper, she thought, had a lot in common with books.

Anyway, she never made it as a journalist. Betty couldn't do interviews, she was terrible at taking photos, and it was unexpectedly difficult to play with words! Somehow it just happened that after a couple of months she became an editor. From somewhere she got the will and the strength to subdue the motley crowd that made up the staff of the newspaper. And since then no one dared to cross her in anything. The girl's organisational talent was very strong, and her creativity was simply fountaining.

The girl banished extraneous thoughts and got down to work. The chief gave clear instructions. And she promptly started calling the right people and calling a meeting. Except for him, J. John Jameson, she was not afraid of anyone else, and easily gave almost chopped commands to people sometimes older than her several times. The staff only smiled ironically, and quietly joked among themselves. They said that John had found a protégé to match himself! And about themselves rejoiced that the 'demon-younger' does not work all day, but only after school ...

Sabotage her requests and orders was possible, of course. But including her in the staff Jonah, especially noted that as his personal secretary, the girl obeyed only him. She wasn't the first person Jonah had hired, since high school, in fact. But she was the first person he had immediately given such an important post to. The staff still had little understanding of the boss's motives, and did not hurry to take on the girl the full weight that corresponds to her position.

Soon the time came. J.J. came out of his office. He was unusually quiet, and thoughtful, with only a slight smile just barely visible beneath his moustache.

-Come on, Betty. I'm going to need you. - he said in a quiet voice.

The girl's body was covered in cold sweat. She could practically see the dark aura that surrounded this scary, especially now, man. It would have been better if he had screamed, something she was only slightly but already used to. Right now the man looked like a demon. Overcoming the trembling in her knees, the girl took a pen and a notebook and followed him.

All the journalists and analysts requested by the chief had already gathered in the conference room. All of them were discussing something heatedly and talking loudly among themselves. But when Jonah walked in, they all fell silent. Bogle's employees stared in surprise at the boss's face. To outsiders, it might have seemed that this moustachioed, solidly built man was happily in the clouds. And they would have been partly right. He was indeed happy. And it was very frightening....

At last Betty saw the truly panicked terror on the faces of the staff. The grey-haired dark-skinned man, that perpetually phlegmatic old man who could calmly endure Jonah's worst outbursts of rage, the one who had been filling in for Betty while she was at school, he didn't hold out first.

- JJ? Is something wrong? - Robbie Robertson asked.

Jonah came to his senses for a second. He looked round at those present. And tossed it briefly.

- A full report on the Spider. Everything you've managed to find out.

Everyone was silent, the boss's unusual behaviour was disconcerting. No one knew how to react. The first to speak up was a relatively young reporter. He was on the verge of being fired, and after thinking about it, he gave up. If he gets fired, the hell with it!

- Sorry, boss. But you gave me a very difficult assignment. I've never been able to find out this guy's real name. All my informants have no idea, my police sources have told me to go straight to the police and cut all ties with me. The only thing I could find out was that he was probably light-skinned.

- Read more! - Betty saw that Jonah was not in a hurry to interfere in the conversation, but was listening attentively. So she took the risk of assuming some of his authority. Specifically, to ask for details, and to ask clarifying questions.

- Well, I found this girl who works at a fast food place. She said that Tkach ordered food from her once. And he left the lower half of his face exposed.

- Proof she's not lying!

- Here. - The guy shuddered and pulled out a picture.

- What's this?

- Weaver's autograph. The girl refused to sell it, but she let him take the picture.

- Fool! - exclaimed the girl in anger. - You had a sample of his handwriting and you're just showing it to us now!? You should be fired!

The poor boy squirmed in his chair, but the rest of the staff were much more relaxed about the schoolgirl's swearing. If someone's swearing at Bugle, it's not so bad. Jonah looked at the girl with a kind of fascination, as if she were a one-year-old child. The chief's reaction was again different from the standard. He didn't shout at the girl who took too much on herself, he just ignored.... Everyone became even more convinced of the correct wait-and-see tactic towards the new secretary.

- In short, if in a week I don't have the original on my desk, blame yourself! - Betty calmed down a little.

The rest of the reporters could do no good at all. Only one was able to give relatively interesting information.

- The cops are very reluctant to talk about Spidey. If they can get anyone to talk, they're mostly positive. I managed to find out that lately they've been asking him for help and joint operations. We can speak of at least three such cases. He's never said no.

- All right. - Jonah finally spoke up. - Or rather disgusting! You haven't learnt shit! Fucking hell! You're completely useless! I'm only paying your wages for nothing! I should sack you, but I'm too lazy to look for new ones. - J.J.'s tone already sounded a little like his own, so everyone breathed a sigh of relief. - All right, tell me, what decision did we make about this insect last time?

- You,' Robbie emphasised the word, 'didn't make a decision.

- What! Robbie, what are you implying?! Are you trying to accuse me of making decisions without consulting anyone?! - Jameson was furious.

- Seven were of the opinion that Tkach was 'just another talentless clown.' Six said he was 'not such a bastard'. - Betty remembered her first day on the job.

It was difficult for her. At the school paper, she was used to being able to boss everyone around. But here she had to restrain herself, she was only a trainee! It was hard to keep her habits in check! Sometimes unbearably difficult. And then there was her immediate superiors. She couldn't understand her boss. How did he feel about her? It seemed to her that he had not yet formed a definite opinion. But how could she do that when he barely reacted to anything she did?! What exactly does he expect her to do?

- You see, you ungrateful scum! I asked for your opinion! So don't fuck with me here!

- J.J., is there any data that might tip the scales? - Phlegmatically asked Robbie, who was actually Joseph, but the chief never remembered the name.....

Robertson was tired. He was far past the age to tolerate the frantic pace of his old army friend. He wanted to take a holiday and go to the islands for cocktails. When Jonah had hired the little brat, Robbie had been overjoyed. He'd seen the likes of her, ambitious young but inexperienced. How they'd already broken down in a couple of months under the press that John's publishing house had turned into. Undoubtedly, this approach had been somewhat successful. As the few who did not break, but re-shaped themselves, they became marvellous 'sharks'! But what about those whose destinies and dreams were trampled, burnt, torn...?

That's why Robbie protected the girl who was vying to take his place as best he could. Her talent was undeniable, he could just feel it! And the man just couldn't let Jonah carelessly break his replacement! She would have her share of trouble! She'd endure whatever she had to endure to gain such invaluable experience! But Robbie will see to it that she doesn't break....

- Not quite, but close. - Jonah instantly calmed down, a demonic smile creeping onto his face again. - I got a call from Hammer.

- The Hammer?

- Yeah. The gun mogul. He's offered our paper very handsome funding if we make the insect look bad.

- Funding is never a bad thing. - cautiously remarked one of the analysts.

Betty froze, she sensed that it could be a lot of money, and she was being privy to this? I can't believe it!

- We've never worked on commission. - Robbie was phlegmatic, he didn't care what Jonah decided, he was just stating the facts. - And our financial situation doesn't need to be supplemented. We're doing quite well for ourselves.

- But why not? - another analyst asked the air.

- What happens if we say no? - Jonah glanced at his secretary .

- ... - Betty swallowed. - 'Surely we're not the only ones he'll order to smear Weaver's name. Hammer's got a lot of power. He's vain, young and stupid. Throwing millions in the air for a perceived offence... The overall campaign could be quite impressive and massive. Plus, the feds have a grudge against weaver, too. They won't be left out.

Jonah smiled contentedly, the little one has a beastly sense of smell. The editor-in-chief himself had been informed by a friend only an hour ago in confidence that the feds were seeking permission to arrest the bug. And this little pussy came up with it on her own. There's a reason he paid attention to her, oh, there's a reason. Maybe he shouldn't throw her in the fire right away.

Jameson did not know of his old friend's plans for the girl. But he'd seen how hard he'd been working lately. That's why he was looking for an assistant. And he'd even taken the risk of departing from his usual way of training new employees. Gave the little bugger a week to get acclimatised.

- So, do we have to agree? - he decided to summarise.

Betty shrugged her shoulders - 'You decide, you're the boss.' Excellent! She's a marvellous acquisition! When will she be done playing dolls and working full time!?

- I sent him away. - threw Jonah. Someone banged their forehead against the table top. - Stacey, prepare a plan against the biggest arms magnates in the world. Hammer, Stark, Colt, you get the picture. Then we'll compare notes.

- I'm Betty! - For the tenth time today, the girl repeated stubbornly.

- What difference does it make? Stacey, Betty...

Jonah smiled to himself. If the little one could come up with a more or less normal plan, she'd deserve to be called Betty. If she wants to be called Betty, she can be happy with that stupid name.

- What about Tkach?

- What's not to understand!? Are you guys retarded? All of you? Idiots! What kind of scum we have to work with! You're clinical idiots! Facts! Give us the facts! We're not going to fight against the rest of the media. I'm not going to make an insect look like an angel! But we will tell the truth! I hope I've made myself clear.