After the Battle

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***

Three Weeks Later

29 May, 2013. 14:35

Peter Parker's flat.

Spider-Man.

- I've realised that I have more to offer the world than what can blow it up," the charismatic man with the espagnole beard rose to his feet and walked to the pulpit, "so I'm announcing that I'm shutting down the weapons development division of Stark Industries until further notice.

No sooner had the famous billionaire playboy finished than several dozen reporters rushed to ask him questions, which the bald man who had replaced Stark began to answer.

- As you have heard, Mr Tony Stark the famous tycoon and gun maker has made a shocking announcement.

It was this broadcast that I came across as I was bolting stabilising elements to the boot of my suit.

Stark. Another problem.

And things were just starting to get more or less back on track.

The battle with the Sinister Six had had a sobering effect on me.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to question Octopus about Osborne. Still, it was a bit overkill to rip his tentacle out, though he deserved it. Anyway, George said he'd keep me posted.

I returned home on a high, taking my trophies with me. Felicia was about to jump out the window in her tight suit, but I calmly intercepted my girl and kissed her. I remember Mary's surprise, though she soon got her sweet tooth too. Anyway, that night the girls didn't ask how it went. They were too busy.

The next morning I realised I was at a stage where life had more or less stabilised. There was a job, a shady income, even service in the Shield. I had resources, useful acquaintances, some ambition. And then, like a blow to the head, another possible genetic change. I realised it was time to pull myself together. I was too tormented by personal ideas about my "hero's journey", philosophising about killing, my own methods.

How stupid.

I fought six villains, all at the same time. But I didn't have to kill any of them, because I was no longer a snot-nosed rookie with only naked strength. I was trained in the Shield, I had the skills, the knowledge, the basis for further improvement. I don't have to fight alone, I have Raj to watch my back, and I know I can rely on him. I'm getting abilities I shouldn't have and it's further proof that I need to take life into my own hands.

It's funny. Could the fear of possible death, not in battle but because of my own body, have affected my judgement like that?

Good thing it doesn't matter. Maria did her research and gave her final judgement - I'm mutating. It is incredible, but in my body woke up dormant X-gene.

But my joy was short-lived. The pains returned, and even though my mutation was natural, it is not known what served as a key determinant for it.

Nor do I know what I might end up with.

Unknown to Dr. Crawford, but I vividly remember the image of a six-armed, grey spider-monster with six red eyes and huge chewing jaws. He came to me in my nightmares for weeks and I realised that, since there was no cure for the mutation, I would do my best not to turn into an unintelligent monster.

With Fury, our working relationship became a cold war. I'd never been eager to command his army of supers, but the mistrust of him over the Fierce case was a very unpleasant sting. So for weeks, I've been steadfastly ignoring all calls from Shields. You made me an agent? Great, but I'm not going to be another faceless soldier. That's what I told Natasha, and the red-haired spy promised to discuss the situation with Nick, though being a messenger in our silence was clearly not to her liking.

I decided to devote the freed up superhero time to solving my problem and making further improvements to my costume.

I decided to use the trophies from the Sinister Six.

Raj, without problems "regurgitated" fragments of Beetle's jetpack and his wings, in fact, they are fragments of the same system and the wings are not just a beautiful correspondence to the image, but a necessary mechanism for manoeuvring. I am familiar with the technology, I still laughingly remember the first time after our battle I took the mercenary's boot. 

So, first of all, I decided to integrate the Beetle's flight technology into the suit. So on my back I now have something like a backpack in the form of a Spider, and the main propulsion elements have been transferred to the boots. For manoeuvring, I put a webbed net between my arm and torso, which looks like a spider's web.

Once I'd finished with that, it was time for a test run. I was pleased. It's not a full Beetle jetpack, but in case of a fall from the same aircraft carrier, I can land without problems or even gain the necessary speed for planning, which will resemble flight.

Actually I'm not complaining, Spiders don't fly, they plan.

So the end result is a kind of neutered Iron Man repulsor system, but in the Spider way. I also built into the boots some retractable claw-like outgrowths copied from the boots of the Vulture suit.

The second useful acquisition was Shocker's miracle gauntlets. Their properties of creating shaking energy waves could be useful in various life situations, so instead of breaking them as I had done last time (idiot), it was decided to integrate the technology as well.

The gloves themselves were storage devices that channelled the energy stored by Schultz's entire suit. I didn't want to cover the entire suit with special material, and it would have been too dense, so I just rebuilt the technology and added it to the web shooters. Now my throwers can be switched to "sound wave" mode, and at maximum charge accumulation, release a wave capable of throwing opponents several dozen metres away, like the Jedi Force. Or maybe they could be used for something else, the answers are given during the experiments.

The third accessory was collected more for the soul and went more like a dessert. Ock's tentacle.

I had long cherished the desire to create spider-manipulators, as in the notorious "Excellent Spider-Man", only without the abduction of my body Octavius, so with a light heart began to assemble. I had the original technology in my hands, so it was just a matter of resources and time.

The first thing was to decide what to create my "legs" from, the draft version was lying on the table in front of me. Ock's manipulator consisted of an alloy of titanium and stainless steel. And, as much as I would have liked to make the mechanisms from vibranium or adamantium, it was decided to use this composition. However, I supplemented it with niobium alloy, which I managed to buy at a discount from Reed. The place of fixation was decided by the appearance of the very backpack-emblem of a spider on the back. A week of development, clinical trials, a few sleepless nights and boom!

My research had other benefits, for example, I started to visit the Baxter Building almost every day. The FFs have taken me in like family. Reid and I can always discuss science, Johnny and I can goof around or play console games, Sue has apparently adopted Johnny's image of me and treated me like another little brother, and Ben, I suspect, is just happy to have a normal conversation with someone who doesn't see him as a three-metre tall orange block of stone. Even Dr Storm treated me quite favourably, but HERBY disliked me for some reason.

In any case, Reed had given me a small lab next door to his, so now I could pay attention to my personal experiments at night without waking the girls.

Just don't get carried away.

Along with technical upgrades, I've been devoting time to other explorations.

The best rest is a change of activity.

To my problem with mutation I decided to connect all kinds of sources. First of all, I took for analysis from the laboratory our, developed together with Dr Connors, "Gene Cleaner", this little guy, at maximum dosage can even clean my blood from the bite of the Spider, so it is necessary to act with it as carefully as possible. I then decided to plug in my father's notes and my own knowledge on the matter, after all, am I a future biochemist or am I out for a walk? So, at this point the "Parker Cocktail", as I decided to dub the joint project with my father's genius, is in the very initial stages of development, more data is needed. The main thing is to be in time for the mutation to move to the final stage. The nice thing is that I'm not alone in this battle either, Maria is working on her own version of the serum, so we'll fight another battle, evolution!

Weeks of research and development of improvements have been diluted with classic Spider Patrols, and training. Time finally fell out that I was able to devote to myself and teamwork with my alien.

The Coordination Council, consisting of Raj and me, decided to train every two days all the abilities that the symbiote was able to demonstrate. Just kidding: partial polymorphism, technology absorption, mind invasion, and much more.

We flew to the range and tested everything we could think of: the usual, but not often used due to the lack of necessity, transformations of limbs into various cold weapons, piles of whips and whiskers or symbiotic shields. Disguise training, right down to changing my appearance; I look pretty damn good as a green-eyed blond, by the way.

I wasn't too keen on testing whether Raj could heal fractures faster, but I had to sacrifice my pinky for the experiment. The symbiote did it in a minute. Spurring my regeneration, thirty seconds. I don't know what would happen with truly fatal damage, but at this point, the success found deserves the title of "Abnormal Regeneration" or better yet, "Symbiotic Regeneration?"

A nice addition was the Beetle's missile launchers absorbed by the Raj. I don't know what the alien uses as charges, his dead cells or whatever, but the knockback effect is like a regular mini-missile and I'm totally fine with that. Besides, I'm not enough of a science geek to be frantically trying to figure out how everything works. It just works. Although, when I tried to find out about this phenomenon out of idle curiosity, Raj slyly replied that it was a company secret. I didn't really want to.

For the sweetest part, I brazenly called it "Venom Mode". Here again the polymorphism of the symbiote came to the rescue: Raj is able to increase in size by producing additional cells fed by my anger and adrenaline. On the bright side, I have plenty of adrenaline and anger. On the negative side, I may have a symbiote and a well-mannered Raj, but I shouldn't abuse the "poison" mode, because I don't know what the hell can happen to Klyntarz, although my partner says that he's fine and he won't go off the rails. Well, well, well.

And so my days went on, until today. I woke up in a good mood, which the girls reinforced. And, for the past four hours, I've been making final consolidation adjustments to my designs.

I've integrated the technology, I've run the tests, but I haven't integrated everything. I need another three hours of tweaking to make it work harmoniously. I didn't want to turn the suit into a treasure trove of technology.

Under the monotonous work I decided to turn on the TV and came across a report about Stark, whose speech caused another myriad of memories. I really hope there is no Thanos in this universe.

Looks like the end of my quiet days.

My woeful musings were interrupted by a phone call.

Without a second thought, I answer the unknown number. If it's a scammer, I'll at least practice my sparkling humour.

- Pay attention.

- You know, I get it, Cold War with Fury and all that, but not answering my calls is fucked up," the irritated redheaded spy said into the phone.

- Sorry Nat, I'm ignoring all calls from my communicator," I lean back in my chair, "what did you want?

- You'll be needed tomorrow, Agent Spider, so clear the day.

- Natasha, didn't I tell you that-

- Yes, yes, yes, - Black Widow interrupts me, - you won't be a six, a common soldier and blah, blah, blah, but you're still an agent, besides, - Romanova smirks, - you'll like the task.

- Let's just say I'm intrigued," I encourage the woman to continue.

- The Shield's science department managed to unfreeze a super-soldier that had been in the ice for the last seventy years, and the director decided that he could use a chat with the guy from New York, how's that for interesting?

I jumped up and down on the spot, barely able to contain my excitement.

- Please tell me you're not joking?

- See you tomorrow, Spidey," the spy ended the conversation with a smile.

Holy crap, is the real Steve Rogers for real!

"Carrier, you're extremely horny, is everything okay?" - standard question from Raj.

"You betcha bro, I might be meeting a legend tomorrow."

Still, as much confusion as the news brought by Romanova has brought, I have a conversation scheduled for today that should have taken place a long time ago.

I leave the mask where the data is being downloaded, gather my equipment, put away my suit, and leave the house.

*

Two hours later.

Queens.

I walk leisurely through the small streets of a quiet neighbourhood and think back to my childhood. All the walks, the bike rides through the streets, the hikes with Uncle Ben and our family dinners. It's like it was all just yesterday.

"Bearer, are you sure you're sure about your decision?"

"Yes, Raj, I'm sure. I should have told May the truth about myself a long time ago. There should be no secrets from the family."

"I'm glad you're ready to get rid of another stone on your soul, but you didn't want to worry your aunt, she has a heart condition."

"I'm well aware of that, Raj and I'm not an idiot and I'm not going to jump on the ceiling immediately after entering the house, with words like that, May."

"Yeah, that would be quite a sight," the symbiote complemented ironically.

"You know I've been asking May for a week when she's going to be alone at home, if Anna's going anywhere, and lo and behold, Mrs Watson and the Todd couple have decided to visit MJ's mum in Boston. Perfect timing. Besides, I have faith in my aunt, she's tough enough and will handle everything."

"Then I agree with you completely, Peter."

I reach my house and press the doorbell.

A minute later May opens the door.

- 'Hi darling, it's good to see you.

We hug.

- Come in, darling, I've just baked a banana cake.

We go inside and I close the door.

We go into the kitchen.

- Aunty May, let me make the tea and slice the cake, and you go into the living room and have a bite to eat, what do you say?

- Don't be silly, darling, your aunt isn't so old that she can't have everything ready by noon," Mei smiled and took out the plates.

- That's not what I meant at all," I rub the back of my head uncertainly.

- I know, Peter. Why don't we do it together then?

- All right.

I help my aunt get everything ready for the meal. In the process, we discuss little things: her work, my studies and other joys.

- Peter, Mary Jane was so happy after her production, I'm sure the girl has a great future in the theatre," May hands me a mug of tea.

We sit down on the sofa.

- Yes, I agree and it seems the directors are of the same opinion, Carrot says she's been offered the lead role in the play.

- That's great! Be sure to call me when the dates are known. I hope her acting career doesn't interfere with her studies?

- You know MJ, she's a bright, energetic girl who can do anything," I put the mug down and sighed deeply. - May, I have something very important to tell you.

- I knew it! - Auntie throws up her hands. - You're cheating on Mary Jane with Felicia, am I right?!

- Um.

- Peter, we raised you to be such a good boy!

- No, May, no, I'm not cheating on anyone," I start laughing involuntarily, "how could you think that?

The laughter gets much louder.

- Really? - the woman looks terribly embarrassed, "oh, it's not comfortable.

- I really have something important to tell you," I laugh and become more serious.

Mei straightens up and looks at me with all her attention. I take the woman's hand.

I take a deep breath.

- May, I'm Spider-Man.

A second, a second and now the living room is filled with the sound of Mrs Parker's own laughter.

- Very funny, darling. Can I get you another piece of pie?

- May, I want to tell you the truth and I hope you don't react violently and get sick, so tell me, are you feeling all right?

- Just fine, honey, but the ongoing banter is getting beyond funny.

- Don't take anything in your hands right now.

Calmly I get up off the couch, walk over to the opposite wall, take off my sneakers and crawl upstairs.

Mei lets out a groan.

I jump down and look at my aunt, smiling.

- I probably should have asked you how you felt about Spider-Man before I did this, because if you hate him...me for something, it's going to be awkward," I try to lighten the mood and rub the back of my head awkwardly.

Mei, however, remains silent and stares at me blankly.

- Auntie, please say something.

In response, the woman stands up and comes closer. I stay where I am and wait for her next move.

Mei places her palm on my shoulder and squeezes it lightly.

- I should have known sooner, muscles like that don't happen overnight, and you've never been a fan of exercise," Mei says, smiling sadly. - How long has it been?

- Almost two years. Before...before Ben.

- So that's how it is," May says thoughtfully and returns to the couch.

I stay where I am, so as not to provoke her inadvertently.

Auntie picks up the cup and takes a sip.

- Sit down, Peter, you're right, we need to talk.

I slowly return to my seat.

We sit silent.

"This is awkward, Bearer."

"You don't say."

Finally, after a while, May breaks the silence.

- So the guy who flies the web around the city, catching criminals and working with the police, that's you?

- Yeah.

Sense kicks in and, to my shock, May gives me a sensible slap on the wrist.

- For what? - I ask in shock.

- Do you have any idea how dangerous what you're doing, young man?! - asks my aunt menacingly, just like when I was a child.

- Yes, ma'am," I answer, looking firmly into May's eyes.

Her eyes soften.

- Darling, you might get hurt. Why didn't you tell me before?!

- Because I was worried about you and I knew you'd be worried.

- Why?! - May stood up abruptly from the sofa. - Why are you risking yourself?! Why are you doing all this?! - woman screams.

- Because....because you raised me to be a good person, Auntie," I rise to follow her and look straight into her eyes with a slight sadness, "because Uncle Ben taught me that with the Great Power....

- Great Responsibility comes," May finishes her legendary phrase with a sigh, "of course," she sits down again.

I sit down again.

The living room falls into silence again.

We both dissolve in our thoughts.

- Everything will change now," May says thoughtfully after a while.

- How? - I ask warily.

- I'll have to go to work, socialise with Anna, my bowling buddies, and I can't tell anyone that my nephew is a superhero," May says, smiling warmly at me.

- So you're not going to chase me out of the house, call me a threat, or cut all ties? - I say my greatest fears aloud.

May's eyes only get warmer in response.

- You know, honey, for such a smart boy, you say some really stupid things sometimes," my aunt hugs me, "thank you for trusting me with your secret, honey.

With tears frozen in the corners of my eyes, I hug May back.

- Oh, not so hard, darling, you'll crush it," Mrs Parker says with a little laugh.

- Sorry," I quickly wipe my eyes.

- I think I need to make some more tea, I have a lot of questions.

I just nod with a smile in response.

***

30 May, 2013, 9:26 a.m. local time.

London, England, Oscorp.

Norman Osborne.

The director of a multinational corporation sat in his office analysing the PR department's testimony. Tony Stark's statement had significantly turned the game of the business field upside down. If Norman had not been the owner of an entire corporation himself, he would have gladly bought a few shares of Stark Industries.

It's no joke to announce that you're shutting down the development department of your most profitable segment. Such a feint opened the way for many young companies to try their luck or for the triumphant return of the old warriors.

Osborne realised, it was time. He'd wasted too much time trying to muddle his tracks. And anyway, Norman wasn't himself at that moment. The serum, the sudden superhuman abilities had hit him in the head, and he had powers beyond his tyrant father's wildest dreams. And then the new superhuman made the stupidest decision he could. To enter the war unprepared, not using his own strengths at all. And that whole Pumpkinhead gang thing .... was a disgrace. Old man Amberson would have laughed.

Norman opened an inner desk drawer and took out a flask of green liquid.

But now the foolishness was in the past. Thanks to Chameleon, he now had his most valuable and irreplaceable resource - time. For which he had paid the mercenary in full.

And finally, here it was, the finalised formula of OZ Serum mixed with Green Globulin. The perfect blend.

A one-of-a-kind batch, ready to be consumed.

Norman squeezed the flask and put it in his jacket pocket.

Time to go home.

 Commentary on Chapter 63. After the battle.

 Genius, scientist, just a good guy.

========== Chapter 64. Old Soldier ==========

28 May, 2013, 10:27 AM.

Shield safe house

Steven Grant Rogers.

What was happening still seemed like an unrealistic dream.

Just a few days ago he had woken up in a hospital, the atmosphere was relaxing, but as a seasoned soldier, Steve realised something was wrong. At the very least, a radio broadcast of a baseball game that Rogers had attended himself, back in his days of being a puny and sickly guy.

When a nurse entered the room, Rogers' suspicions were strengthened.

- Hello, Captain, how are you feeling? - the little girl asked in a ringing voice.

Of course, HYDRA didn't hire such pretty girls, but Steve was confused by her accent and the general circumstances.

- Where am I?

- At the Allied Medical Centre, you were rescued after the crash," the girl said calmly, leaving the tray of food behind.

- That game," the blond nodded at the radio, "Red Sox, against the Yankees, I was at it.

Fear appeared on the girl's face, and Steve frowned.

- Where am I," Rogers stood up from the bed.

The girl began to stagger backwards, clutching the pen in her hands.

- Captain....

- Where am I!!!

The door to the ward swung open abruptly and two men in semi-military uniforms ran inside.

Steve couldn't help but smirk, these were now more familiar circumstances. As a military man he was more familiar with the principle of hit first and ask questions later.

Rogers dashed towards the first soldier, on his way pushing the nurse who was trying to stick a syringe in him. The supersoldier punched the enemy in the torso, and he was thrown back against the door. The second fighter pulled out a telescopic baton and tried to hit the captain, but Steve blocked the lunge, disarmed the soldier and struck him in the jaw, knocking him out.

- HYDRA should have sent someone more capable," Rogers said over his shoulder as he ran out of the room.

The girl lying on the floor pulled out a communicator.

- This is Agent Kane, Captain Rogers has escaped, repeat Captain Rogers has escaped and he thinks he's being held captive by HYDRA.

Meanwhile, Steve was trying to get out of the building and found that only the ward reminded him of the forties, and outside of it the building was extremely unfamiliar, too new.

Rogers continued to run and was met by three more soldiers with batons. At full speed, the supersoldier slammed into one of them with both feet, knocking the enemy back several metres and knocking out his spirit. The other two, by Steve's estimation, worked well in pairs, as they took turns attacking without interfering with each other and trying to get the captain himself.

- Not bad," the super soldier missed the arm of one opponent, blocking the lunge of the other and throwing them, one into the other.

The fighters weren't lost, but Steve was only concerned with getting out, so he kept running. Flight after flight, step after step, and Rogers found himself in an alley. The captain ran forward, vaguely recognising his native New York.

Having finally overcome, as if the longest ten metres, Steve was amazed, he stood and looked at the astonishing number of screens and flickering lights.

A girl with a dog walked past him, putting some kind of device to her ear. There were dozens of people walking down the street. The super soldier was amazed and just walked forward, looking around. Steve himself didn't notice as he stepped out into the carriageway.

While the soldier was looking around, he didn't notice that there were fewer people on the street, and several rows of service vehicles had taken the place where he was standing in a ring. Armed agents took up positions and waited for orders.

A man in a black trenchcoat and an eye patch advanced towards Steve.

- You've been asleep for a long time, Captain," the spy pronounced, reaching the blond man.

The supersoldier turned around as if expecting an explanation.

- What happened?

- Let me start at the beginning, Captain. My name is Nick Fury, I'm the director of the international defence agency of espionage and tactical analysis, PROTECTION for short, we found you in the Arctic ice after the crash, you've been in cryogenic sleep for the last seventy years," Nick ended with a slight sympathy, explaining.

- Seventy years? - Steve asks in disbelief. - That's impossible.

- But alas, it is, Captain Rogers. I realise you're shocked, but let us take you somewhere safe, there are plenty of civilians around.

The super soldier could only nod and follow Fury, though his thoughts were far away. Steve was escorted to a squad car and taken to the safe house.

Sitting in the car, Steve listened half-heartedly to Nick Fury's stories. As it turned out, his sacrifice was not in vain and the Nazis lost the war. Captain America himself is considered a legend, a true patriot and hero who gave his life for his country and to save people from the Red Skull's missiles.

- I know this is hard to digest," Nick continued to say as they reached the Shield's residential building.

- I still find it hard to believe what's going on, but at least I'm sure you're not HYDRA," Steve said, looking around the flat Fury said he'd been assigned.

Nick himself glanced at the captain, as if asking for an explanation.

- No offence, but they wouldn't have hired a Negro for Hydra," Rogers said seriously.

Though Fury thought he was joking.

- The famous humour from the forties?

But Steve didn't get the joke.

- By the way, what happened to them?

- HYDRA? - Nick asked. Rogers only nodded. - After the war, they were brutally persecuted for their crimes, many were arrested and sentenced to death. Today HYDRA is considered to be completely destroyed.

- Good," Steve said.

There was silence in the room for a while.

- If you don't mind, Director Fury, I'd like to rest.

Nick only nodded in response.

- If you need anything, there will be an agent on duty outside the door.

The spy walked out and the super soldier was left alone with his thoughts.

***

30 May, 2013. 12:27.

The flat of Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson and Felicia Hardy.

Peter Benjamin Parker.

- So, how do I look? - Stepping out in front of the girls in my new, technologically advanced outfit.

Felicia and Mary Jane are semi-reclining on the couch. After my question, Fey is distracted from her laptop and MJ from braiding Hardy's hair.

- You know, Petey, I always admire you when you're in black, and a splash of red doesn't make the suit any worse," the blonde gives her assessment.

- I agree with Kitten, you look very spectacular, Tiger," adds Carrot-top.

And yet I've completely redesigned it, in the process incorporating new technology into my backup suit. I decided that if I was going to go that far, I needed to completely redesign the suit. I ended up with something between the original red and black spider costume* and the first version of the Superior Spider-Man costume**. Personally, I really liked the new "technological" costume.

- The thick lenses look unusual, but the red and black colours complement each other harmoniously," MJ continued to say with the appreciation of a seasoned designer, "and the metal Spider on the back is awesome. Is that a backpack?

- Sort of.

- You're wasting no time, Spidey," Felicia leaned back on the couch and began to curl her fingers. - Your classic red and blue outfit, the black suit made of "smart material" or whatever you call that thing, and now another one with all sorts of technological gadgets.

You girls don't know about Shield's tactical jumpsuit and Rukt's suit.

- That's why there is a legitimate question, - the blonde gets up from the couch, comes to me and pokes her index finger accusingly at the spider emblem, - where is my new suit?

I take off the mask and, smiling, press the girl to me.

- You'll be a good girl and I'll give it to you for your birthday, - I kiss Fey.

However, the kitty-caprice continues in a jokingly canny tone.

- But it's in December.

- Then wait till I think of something, for you and MJ.

- What?" the redhead was surprised to find herself entering the dialogue.

I put my arm around Felicia and escort her to the couch, Mary moves a little, and the three of us settle in comfortably.

- Of course, I love you both immensely and want you to be safe. Sure, Fey's a superheroine herself, and MJ's got her hand-to-hand combat skills, but I think you both deserve something more.

- What's that? - Carrot asks excitedly, clenching me on the right side, impatient. Felicia duplicates her actions on the left.

- I haven't thought of it yet," I hasten to snap at my women.

The girls immediately turn gloomy.

- However, - I hurry to dispel the frown, - I'm ready to give you something now.

I go to the table and take out the previously prepared boxes, one black and the other red.

- I think you can figure it out.

I hand the girls the boxes and they immediately tear open the packaging.

- Wow," MJ pulls out her bracelet, "Tiger, these are your web shooters, right?

Fey pulls out her kit, done in black and with a gold engraved cat.

- The kitty's throwers I've modernised, will make it easier to release her rope hooks. And you, Carrot-top, will be able to throw webs, I've customised the click mechanism for you.

- Thank you," the girls hug me.

A knock on the door distracts us from making nice.

Oops.

I jump up and run into the room.

- Just a second," Mary fixes her hair and goes to the door. Felicia, on the other hand, walks briskly back to her laptop.

MJ walks to the door and opens it.

- Miss Watson, I presume? - asks a red-haired young woman, taking off her glasses.

- That's right, and you are? - A slightly wary look in her green eyes passes over the stranger.

- Natasha Romanova, perhaps Peter mentioned me? - says the owner of blue eyes a little snidely.

- Yes, he did," the look changed from wary to, as the spy could tell, slightly jealous, "come in.

Mary let her companion inside.

- Thank you," Natasha stepped in and almost immediately bumped into the blazing blue eyes. There's no hiding of jealousy here.

- I take it you're Miss Hardy?

- That's right, Miss Romanoff, isn't it?

- That's right.

The strange dialogue is interrupted by Peter coming out of the bedroom.

- Natasha? - I'm surprised to see the Widow.

- Hey, Agent Spider, why are you not wearing a shirt?

- Because there is no need to barge in without warning, - I put on my top, - why are you here?

- Very welcoming," the spy rolls her eyes. - Mission, mentorship, Captain America, remember?

- Captain America? - the girls ask in two voices.

- Yeah, the real deal," Nat nods.

- Cool, huh? - I smile at the girls. - I get to meet a legend.

- Everyone congratulates you, - Natasha says a little annoyed, - let's go, we're late as it is.

- I understand, - I come up to the girls and kiss them goodbye, - see you tonight, I love you.

- Love you too.

We leave the flat, go down the lift and sit in Romanova's car in complete silence.

- You know, I guessed something like that, but I didn't think a guy like you likes to...experiment in relationships," Natasha starts talking as soon as the car pulls away from the house.

- A guy like me? Is that worth taking offence to?

- You know what I mean.

- Honestly, not really.

- Pete, I may look young, but I've lived long enough and I've seen a lot. I don't mean to pry, but inviting another person into bed is not a sign of a strong relationship.

- You just don't see the situation from our perspective," I smile at Natasha, "but it's nice that you're worried about me, Mum.

I move my head away from the flying slap.

- Don't be sarcastic, I just don't want your romantic heart to be broken.

- Then you definitely don't have to worry.

We get to Shield's safe house quickly enough, and it's only on the stairs that I freeze, noticing a very important fact.

- I'm not wearing a suit.

- И?

- You know damn well I can't go to Captain America's without a costume.

- Pete, I'm no psychology expert, but I don't think Cap's gonna be well-served by a guy in a bipedal spider suit.

- Come on, I'm sure he's seen worse in the war. Besides, it'd be weird if Peter Parker started going on Shield business.

- It's not weird, you've been on an aircraft carrier, trust me, the right people made the right judgements.

- Oh, great.

- Oh, come on. You don't trust your secret identity to a national hero? Besides, it's not like we're gonna tell him you're Spider-Man. Just a guy from New York volunteering to show the beauty of a city that's changed in 70 years.

- If you look at it this way.

We go inside and walk to the right flat.

Halfway down the corridor, Nick Fury comes out to meet us.

- Agent Romanoff, Peter," the spy says nonchalantly.

- Director," Natasha greets me.

- Nick," I reply.

- 'Let me speak to Mr Parker, Agent Widow.

Natasha throws me a look of encouragement and moves on.

- You're ignoring the calls.

- I'm sure Natasha relayed why.

- You're pissed off because I decided to focus you entirely on more important missions and suspended you from running the, as yet unformed, Team.

- Don't get me wrong, Fury, I have absolutely no ambition to be the leader of your Shield Team. To fulfil an ambition? Maybe. But I'm also a loner by nature, and I was more angry because of the real reason you were motivated - mistrust.

- I trust you, Peter, but you're an interested party in the Firs case," Nick said

- That's why I'm here? To meet the ideal of obedience to orders and heroism, so that, God forbid, I don't have any doubts about Shield, right?

- After meeting Captain Rogers, you'll be needed on the Aircraft Carrier, Fierce demands another meeting," Fury went on.

- You didn't answer the question, Nick.

However, the spy has already left.

I sigh and move on.

Natasha is waiting at the right door.

- How'd it go?

- How do you think it went?

The Black Widow just shakes her head and rings the doorbell.

- Just a second! - comes from the door.

We look round and wait.

After a minute, a blond man with wet hair opens the door.

- I'm sorry, I thought I'd have time to take a shower.

- It's okay," Natasha replies.

And I just stare. I'm looking at Chris Evans. I have to google whether this actor exists here, because if he has a sudden twin brother of this magnitude, it would be embarrassing.

- Please, come in," Steve lets us inside.

We go into the flat.

- I'm already familiar with Agent Romanoff, but not with you, young man, - the super-soldier extended his hand to me, - Steve Rogers, nice to meet you, - and a wide white smile at thirty-two. This guy's got charisma.

- Peter Parker," I shake his hand, "it's an honour to meet you, Captain. Ever since I was a kid I grew up on comic books and stories about you, my uncle was a fan, you inspired him.

- It's nice to know that what I did helps people to this day.

- You have no idea.

- Would you like anything? Coffee or tea, maybe some juice?

- No, thank you, Captain," Natasha hastened to refuse, "I brought Peter because you expressed a desire to explore the city.

- Today? - the captain became visibly animated.

- How about a hot dog, Cap, I know a great place in Queens?

- Let's see, boy, but I'll pay you a return visit to a Brooklyn diner," the blond man said cheerfully.

- Sure thing, Mr Rogers.

- Just Steve," the super soldier left to change.

- All right, boys, I'll leave you to your fun.

- You're not coming with us?

- I'm only supposed to bring you, the rest is up to you, go ahead kid.

With a sexy wiggle of her hips, the Black Widow walked away.

- Are we ready? - asks a changed Cap.

- Sure, let's go.

*

All day Steve and I walked around New York City. Rogers would often stumble when he saw huge screens or strange machinery, so I had to help him out. I tried to be even more cheerful than usual, sharing my stories of life in the places we passed, even if they were quite insignificant. The captain, however, still got a little gloomy from time to time. Though one could understand him. I certainly wouldn't want to wake up seventy years in the future, in a familiar but completely alien world, where people I might have known as children had long since become old men or died. I'm not even talking about my peers.

But there were pleasant little things that brought Steve back to his senses, like the Brooklyn café he'd mentioned that had survived all these years.

That's where we just had lunch.

- God, this apple pie is as good as ever," Rogers said, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

- I admit, it's a nice place," I finished the kebab I'd ordered.

- How old are you, Peter? - Cap suddenly asks, sipping his juice.

- I'll be twenty this August.

- I've known guys a lot younger than you who fought in their own countries. It's nice to know that we won and that this horror has stopped. Still, I don't understand, aren't you a bit young to be working for an organisation like Shield?

- I don't really work for it, I'm more of an occasional counsellor," I sip my Pepsi, "Besides, age is a disadvantage that passes quickly.

I must have chosen an entirely inappropriate set of words, because Cap got sad again.

- Damn, that's not what I meant to say, Steve.

- It's okay, I know you didn't mean it," the blond sighed a little, "it's just that it's very strange, because my current peers are my grandchildren, or even great-grandchildren. And that life...it's like opening my eyes and I'm back in old Jim's cinema.

- I can't say I understand you, but believe me, I know what you're going through.

Rogers just nodded.

- Listen, why don't we walk over to Central Park?

- Yeah.

We resumed the walk and now Steve began to talk about his life. Both before and during the war.

- And that's when Baron Zemo ran off shouting something like, "It's not over yet, Herr Kapitan."

- PHAAHAHAHAHHH," I wipe away a tear of laughter. - You've had quite an adventure.

- Yeah," the super soldier sighed, "I wish I could find someone to reminisce about the old days with.

And suddenly, my mind clicked.

- Listen, Cap, did you happen to cross paths at the front with a short man, literally a metre and a cap, dark-haired, unshaven, likes to smoke and often reminds everyone that he's Canadian, answers to Logan, James Howlett or Wolverine?

- Did you know one, Corporal James Howlett," Rogers was surprised at the detail of the description, "is he an ancestor of yours?

- God forbid, definitely not. But I think I might be able to arrange a meeting for you.

Steve only stared at me in shock.

- It's not a threat, if anything. It's just that he, too, has reached our time relatively well-preserved.

- How's that?

While walking through Central Park, I gave Steve an introductory lecture on the phenomenon of mutation, mutants themselves, their various characteristics, and so on.

- Wow. Of course, our squad used to say that Corporal Howlett was a lucky guy who couldn't get hit by bullets, but not like this," Cap took a bite of ice cream.

- Yeah," I tasted my own treat, "listen, Steve, can I address you as a soldier?

- I don't know how a relic like me can help you, but sure, go ahead.

- If you found out that the command did not trust you and used your position to get what you wanted, what would you do?

Rogers thought for a moment.

- These orders, are they in direct harm to you or, for example, are they aimed at helping people?

- No and, in the long run, yes, - I answer both questions.

- Then I'll tell you something, son, - the super-soldier turned round and now before me stood not Steve Rogers, but the real Captain America from the propaganda poster, and even the lack of a suit didn't spoil the impression. - During the war I did not like a lot of things in the orders of the command, but I put my discontent as far away as possible, because the lives of civilians and my fellow soldiers were at stake. There's no room for personal grievances in a case like this, you know? - and a little smile at the end.

- I think I do.

- More ice cream?