Still Defiant! SI-OC [Marvel/DC]

48: Consequences

November 6, 2007

"Well, we've finished reviewing the structure. Fortunately for you, the foundations remain intact and with no issues, so there's no need to rebuild everything." Upon hearing the final verdict from the inspector who had been brought in to assess the damage to his home, Ben Parker couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

Peter, who was watching the house from several meters away, eavesdropping on the conversation with his newly acquired enhanced hearing ability, also let out his own sigh of relief.

Only he knew how many sacrifices his aunt and uncle had made over the years to keep paying for the house they lived in. Knowing they wouldn't have to demolish and rebuild it from scratch was a huge relief because he didn't believe they could have done so in the first place. Peter didn't know the exact details about the insurance his aunt and uncle had, but he knew enough to understand it would be much easier to get coverage for repairs than for a total reconstruction.

Though that, too, might be in doubt considering how many people were currently fighting with their insurance companies over all the damages caused by the "East Coast Attack" that had happened a few days ago.

"Ben Parker?" Peter was pulled from his thoughts when a new, unfamiliar voice reached his ears. He turned and saw a man dressed in a suit approach his uncle, giving him a firm handshake once he confirmed it was him.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Mark Taylor, here as a representative of Stark Industries."

Huh? A representative of Stark Industries? Now Peter's attention was entirely on the man.

"Stark?" Seeing the confusion on Ben's face, the man began to explain.

"You may not know this yet, but Stark Industries will soon establish its new headquarters in New York, more precisely in Manhattan. For this reason, our president has begun a massive and entirely altruistic fund to repair all the damages caused to the city during the East Coast Attack that occurred a few days ago. Of course, this isn't something that can be done overnight, and so it has been decided to give priority to families who have had issues with their insurance companies and cannot afford repairs on their own in the immediate future."

Ben couldn't help but frown a little at the last part, not because it was wrong but because it was true. He didn't have enough money to repair the damage to his home, and his insurance company had only been stalling these past few days.

Only… How did this person know? Until now, he'd only discussed these matters privately with his wife.

Seeing the suspicion in his eyes, the man named Mark reassured him.

"I know you have some doubts, but I promise there's nothing to worry about. Stark Industries is doing everything possible to help those affected; investigating thoroughly to identify the people who need priority assistance at this time is just a small part of that."

Ben wasn't entirely satisfied with this explanation, but… looking at the large hole through his house, which had forced him, his wife, and his nephew to sleep in a cheap motel for the past few days, he couldn't help but consider it.

"And you're saying this is being done for other people as well?" he asked tentatively, to which the man responded with a smile.

"Yes, in fact, I've already spoken to some of your neighbors. If you'd like, we can discuss all the details at the meeting that will be held this afternoon at—"

Peter wanted to keep listening, but his attention was diverted when he sensed a familiar presence approaching him, a strange feeling he could only attribute to the odd changes he'd been experiencing since the field trip to Oscorp.

"Peter!" When he turned, he saw his good friend Ned approaching with a big smile on his face.

"Ned!" He ran to him, giving him a big hug that made him let out a small yelp. Peter quickly remembered he needed to be careful and eased up on his grip before stepping back.

"Wow, you really missed me," Ned said, catching his breath that had been squeezed out by Peter's hug. Had he been working out or something? He also felt like Peter was a bit taller than he remembered.

"Sorry, I was just a little excited," Peter apologized, a bit embarrassed.

"Don't worry, it's good to see you're okay. When you told me what happened over the phone, I nearly fainted. Looking at it now, it seems even scarier," Ned couldn't help but say with a hint of fear as he looked at the hole in Peter's house. He was glad that his friend and his aunt and uncle had managed to get out in time and that nothing bad had happened to them.

On his side, although his family had been frightened during the whole incident a few days ago, their home hadn't suffered any major damage, so he could say they'd been a lot luckier than most other people.

"Well, it was pretty scary, but everything's fine now. The foundations are still firm, so we'll only have to repair the damage and not rebuild everything." Then Peter also began telling him about the arrival of the Stark Industries representative and how it was likely they wouldn't have to spend money on the repairs.

"That's amazing! Tony Stark is coming to New York! Do you think we'll get to see him flying around in his armor?! Oh God, I want to take a picture with him!" Ned started getting overly excited, something Peter understood well since they were both science fans—and even more so of a billionaire scientist superhero.

It had to be said that, even though Tony didn't do patrols like Defiant did, he was still quite popular among the general public. Maybe it was just his natural charm or perhaps something else, but his name always made it into the news one way or another.

Of course, most of his fans were concentrated in the United States and nearby areas, whereas Daniel, who wandered all over the world, had stronger and more evident international support.

The two boys chatted a bit longer, quickly catching up on what they'd been up to, until Peter asked a question that changed the cheerful mood.

"By the way, have you heard anything about Jessica? I tried calling her, but she didn't answer." At this, Ned frowned and shook his head.

"After the Oscorp trip ended, I didn't hear from her again. I also tried to reach out after the attack, like I did with you, but unlike you, she didn't pick up. Maybe we should go to her house and check on her?" At his suggestion, Peter quickly nodded. He'd wanted to go earlier, but with everything going on, he didn't want to leave his aunt and uncle alone. Now that things seemed to be improving, it seemed like a good time for him to check on how she was doing.

"I'll go let my uncle know," he said and quickly entered the house, where he found his uncle inspecting the damage in the dining room. It seemed the Stark Industries representative had already left.

"Uncle Ben, I'm going to—" Peter didn't finish his sentence when he saw his uncle frowning and looking up with a puzzled expression. Following his gaze, he spotted a football-sized hole in the ceiling, and it took Peter a second to realize it was right below his bedroom.

"What do you think could have made it? I don't see any debris around here in that shape." At his uncle's question, Peter didn't respond; instead, he quickly went up the still-intact stairs, skipping a few steps.

"Hey! Be careful!" Ignoring his uncle's words, Peter reached his bedroom door and pushed it open abruptly.

He bypassed the mess around him and focused on one corner—the corner where he kept his mini-fridge, where he stored chemical samples for his experiments, where he had kept the corpse of a strange mutant spider he'd killed…

The device was still there, the door still tightly shut, but the familiar hum it usually made when powered on was gone, as if it had either turned off or stopped working. Absentmindedly, Peter flicked the light switch, causing the bulb in his room to turn on.

It seemed that the electrical system in the house was still working, so why wasn't his mini-fridge running? The answer was already circling in his mind, but he didn't want to accept it yet.

With a bit of nervousness, he approached and slowly opened its door.

Only to find a football-sized hole inside, going all the way down to the first floor of the house.

Well, damn…

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That same day, somewhere else.

Commissioner James Gordon exhaled the smoke from his lungs, letting it form a thick white cloud in front of him, his tired eyes filled with deep thoughts that were interrupted when the door beside him opened, allowing two figures to step out, one of them seated in a wheelchair.

"Is it confirmed?" Gordon asked, unable to hide the hope deep in his voice.

The middle-aged man in the wheelchair remained silent for a moment before nodding.

"It's her. All the tests indicate it; there's no doubt, even if her face is gone… she's dead." There was no sorrow or regret in his words; they were spoken so coldly that many wouldn't believe he was speaking of someone who had once been his wife.

And hearing it, James Gordon almost couldn't help but smile—almost.

"Well, well, it seems that even with all this disaster, something good happened in the end."

Thomas Wayne snorted at the commissioner's words, his one remaining eye narrowing with a cold gleam.

"Don't declare victory so soon. This could be a well-prepared deception; it wouldn't be the first time, and you know it." The smile on Gordon's face faded as quickly as it had appeared, and a sense of fear and doubt began to creep into him.

"D-Do you really think she could have faked her death again?"

"No. This time, there's a body and enough evidence to say without a doubt that she's dead—but that's exactly what makes me doubt it." It all felt too simple, too… ordinary, yet everything indicated that it was true.

Thomas wanted to believe this time it was final, but his natural pessimism and paranoia kept him from accepting it fully.

"This is bad… if she really is alive and free, things could get very ugly. The recent incident on the East Coast has already caused crime in the city to spike in ways I haven't seen in years. We don't need someone like the Joker returning to the streets to make it worse…" The stress lines on Gordon's face deepened suddenly, and Thomas understood why: in his current state, the commissioner must have realized there'd be no one around to stop the lunatic clown if she came back.

"Don't get so nervous. Or are you forgetting we now have a kid in tights flying around the skies?" His comment earned an audible scoff from the commissioner.

"I don't like relying on strangers for these things, and you know it." It wasn't that Gordon had anything against Defiant, but he wasn't particularly fond of him, either. Besides, it was clear to anyone paying attention that the hero tended to focus more on the global stage than the local, which could make it tricky to get his help in something urgent and unexpected.

Gordon, like many other law enforcement officers, had noticed the new pattern criminals had adopted since Defiant's appearance—using the time he was somewhere else in the world to keep committing their crimes until he was back nearby, at which point they'd scurry to hide like the vermin they were.

Of course, it wasn't as if this worked all the time. After all, tracking Defiant was no easy feat, and before you knew it, he could be right behind you, ready to ruin your day and whatever evil scheme you were running.

It was precisely this unpredictability that made Gordon doubt he could count on Defiant's help—at least not in the same close capacity he'd had with Thomas back in the day.

Sure, if the city started to crumble for some reason, Gordon had no doubt the hero would arrive in record time to help. But this wasn't about helping after everything had already gone to hell; it was about doing everything possible to keep things from going to hell in the first place. And that job required a more… specific focus, so to speak.

"Whether this is a trick or reality, don't worry too much. We may both no longer be able to operate at the same level as before, but… just as the old wither away, the new generations start to mature, ready to take over."

Thomas spoke with wisdom and great calm, causing Gordon to raise an eyebrow, intrigued, as the image of his daughter—who had just joined Gotham's police force—flashed through his mind.

Could he really entrust such responsibilities to her when the time came?

"In any case, it's better that I leave now, I have... a funeral to prepare. It was good to see you again, Gordon," Thomas finally said his farewell, with no intention of saying more or continuing the conversation. Gordon snapped out of his thoughts and nodded at him, then turned to the second figure, who had been silent until now, and also bid her farewell.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk much with you, Miss Selina." The woman gave him a small polite smile, not seeming concerned about having been ignored until now.

"Don't worry, Commissioner, maybe we can have a longer chat some other time." After saying that, she nodded in farewell and began to push the wheelchair, taking Thomas with her.

Watching their figures retreat, Gordon couldn't help but think that his old friend had been quite lucky to adopt such a devoted daughter. Surely Wayne Enterprises would be in good hands when the time came.

'I wish my Barbara were that kind,' thinking of his daughter and her more recent attitude made his heart ache a little. Sure, he was her boss now, but she could at least call him dad when they were alone, right? Instead, she almost always addressed him as Commissioner Gordon.

'I miss when she used to run into my arms every time I came home from work.' Thinking of those days, both happy and complicated, brought a warm smile to his face, a smile that was soon replaced by a serious and somber expression.

'Maybe you're right that the younger generation could take over in the future, but this old body still has a lot left to give, Thomas, and as long as I'm here, I won't let that darkness reach my daughter.' After all, he was her father, and no matter how strong, independent, or capable Barbara became, it was his job to protect her until his heart stopped beating.

With that resolve inside him, he began to leave as well, ready to continue his work as Commissioner of Gotham City. . . .

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Later, elsewhere in New York.

"-That's why, despite this recent crisis, I believe canceling the Scientific Innovation Expo is a big mistake."

There were some low murmurs, and the boardroom remained in a tense state until Franklin Storm stood up, causing everyone to fall silent.

"What Susan says is right. Many young people with brilliant futures are counting on us, and we can't abandon them or back down now when they need us the most."

With father and daughter working together, the meeting soon leaned in their favor, and almost unanimously, all the board members of the Baxter Foundation decided to support their decision.

After all, even someone like Tony Stark had begun providing large-scale humanitarian aid. If they backed down now, it could deal a serious blow to the foundation's reputation, and that was something they weren't willing to allow.

Soon the meeting ended, and people began leaving the room one by one, until only Franklin Storm and his daughter remained.

"That was a good speech," her father said, and Susan smiled, showing her bright white teeth.

"I'm glad. I spent all night preparing it." When Susan heard that the board of the foundation had begun considering canceling this year's Scientific Innovation Expo due to the attack on the East Coast, she knew she had to do something to prevent it.

Fortunately, it had been easier than she expected, or she wouldn't have known what else she could have done to convince them. Of course, it helped that her father was on her side in this.

"Well, it's finally over. I thought I was going to have to wait all damn day. So? What's the verdict?"

The pleasant atmosphere was interrupted by a third voice. Susan frowned and turned to see her annoying younger brother enter the boardroom as if he owned the place. His appearance was quite out of sync with the formal attire she and their father were wearing, with the only indication that he was part of the foundation again being the white lab coat carelessly draped over his body.

"Johnny, I thought you were busy working on that secret project you keep bragging about." Hearing her, Johnny couldn't help but scratch the back of his neck, feeling a bit uncomfortable, and quickly tried to change the subject.

"Uh, yeah, well, don't you know that taking breaks every now and then is essential for getting great results? But let's not talk about me. You still haven't answered me. How did the meeting go? Did those old wrinkled guys cause any problems?"

"Those 'old wrinkled guys,' as you call them, are the respectable scientists who help our father run the entire foundation. Maybe you should show them some respect." At his sister's reprimand, Johnny clicked his tongue in clear irritation.

Foreseeing a conflict between his children, Franklin Storm stepped forward and quickly interrupted the conversation.

"If you want to know, everything went well. The Expo will proceed as scheduled."

Watching her brother and father begin to chat, Susan sighed inwardly, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. This development... though it didn't seem like it, the truth was that she didn't dislike it. Sure, she and Johnny still had a rather tense relationship that they needed to fix at some point, but in the end, he was her brother, and she loved him—even if he was an idiot.

She just hoped that this time, he would really take advantage of the opportunity and not mess it up, because she didn't know if she could forgive him again if he did.

"Hey, Sue, you coming or what?" The blonde was pulled from her thoughts when Johnny called out to her. Before she realized it, her father was already outside the boardroom, and her brother was just a step away from leaving too. She quickly finished gathering her things and hurried to catch up with them.

Walking alongside them as they chatted casually, the girl couldn't help but smile more warmly this time. The world might be going crazy these days, but at least her family was back together again.

She hoped it would stay that way for much longer.

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Note:

And a new chapter! This time to pick up some of the plot threads that were left open a while ago, as well as to show a little how the fight with Graviton and its consequences are affecting the world. Of course, there's still a lot to cover, as trying to fit everything into a single chapter is tricky, but I think it works well as a first look.

Could this be considered an interlude since Daniel doesn't appear? Well, either way, let me know what you think, and if you notice any errors, please point them out so I can correct them.

Finally remember that You can already find the next chapter of this story on Patreon ( patreon.com/EmmaCruzader ) All the support received is appreciated ;D