Talking, Preparing

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***

13 June, 2013. 8:00 am.

Queens, Basement of the Parker house.

Peter Benjamin Parker.

With a slight sigh, I lean back in my chair and look around at what I've managed to accomplish in a few hours.

- Like this," I say, looking at the costume I've created.

"Looks like a great job to me, Peter," the symbiote says respectfully.

"Thank you, brother. Maybe actually heed MJ's request and get involved in her project as a fashion designer?"

"Talent is worth the cut, Bearer."

While I'm chatting with the symbiote, I don't notice a new actor in the basement.

A hand touches my shoulder and I, immersed in my thoughts, jump up from my chair, to my shame, shrieking.

- Jesus, Peter, you don't have to shout like that.

- Aunt May?! Why are you sneaking up on me? I nearly had a heart attack!

- Well, I'm sorry, darling. - However, Auntie couldn't hold her laughter for long. - You were so ridiculously frightened.

- Yeah, just like Leslie Nielson, - a little grumbling, I sit back down. - What are you doing up so early?

- I heard a rustling in the basement.

"I warned you."

I ignore Raj's cautionary remark.

- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just had to.

- I see," Aunty walked over to the table and examined my work, "I take it from the symbol that this is related to your other line of work?

- Yes," I sighed tiredly, "and I'm afraid I have something important to discuss with you.

- Of course, darling, but not until you've had your coffee and breakfast.

I'm stifling a yawn.

- Thank you, Auntie, you're lovely.

Let's go to the basement exit.

***

An hour later.

The main tower.

A beep sounded to announce that the lift had ascended to the penthouse.

As soon as the doors opened, a fit young woman in a red cape that left much to the imagination walked gracefully wiggling her hips into the office of the head of one of New York's largest and most powerful gangs.

- Hello, gorgeous," Deadpool whistled and waved foolishly, who had been sitting in the chair for about twenty minutes, waiting to be collected.

Elektra only tsked in response.

- You know, it's not very polite to ignore a greeting! God is ashamed of you.

- Where's Swordman? - Nachios asked the question in response in a neutral tone.

- Mr Target? I think he's late, like you.

- Been busy," the Greek folded her arms under her breasts.

- Boyfriend? A girl? Or maybe a battery-operated toy? - Wade said in an innocent tone.

The brunette gave him an angry look in response.

- I'll shut up.

A moment later, the door to Kingpin's office opened.

- Please, come in," Fisk's faithful assistant, who was always hanging around his employer, invited them in.

The Swordmaster was already seated in one of the chairs in the room. The mercenary threw his colleagues a slight arrogant smile and continued to toss the knife.

Once Deadpool and Elektra had taken their seats, the crime lord turned away from the panoramic window and spoke.

- 'So, everyone's all set, good,' Wilson turned to the mercenaries. - The trap for the heroes is prepared, according to rough estimates, our agent will transmit the necessary information very soon, and the ambush will be organised closer to tonight, until then I advise you to rest and prepare.

- All right! - Wilson lovingly stroked the hilt of one of his katanas.

***

At the same time.

Nelson and Murdoch's office.

Daredevil.

Matthew sat in his office, sorting through cases. Being a pro bono lawyer in Hell's Kitchen might be a noble occupation, but it didn't take away from the influx of clients with complex, penniless cases.

While the blind lawyer was deep into Mr Ditkovich's insurance fraud case, his best friend Foggy Nelson came in, smiling and overweight as ever. But in Foggy's case, the adage that a good man should be many was true.

- Hi, Matt! - Foggy greeted his friend cheerfully.

- Hey, mate," Murdock leaned back in his chair and asked with a slight smile, "why so happy, Nelson?

- Did your super senses tell you, Mr Man Without Fear? - ironically arched an eyebrow at the co-founder of the firm.

- Even a blind man would notice your idiotic smile," Matt retorted.

The man in the bow tie laughed in response.

- Yeah, you're right. Just had a great time with Allison," Foggy said dreamily.

- That prosecutor? - Daredevil himself went back to studying the insurance case.

- She's a real sweetheart.

- I'll bet she is, romantic.

- You don't know anything about love, redhead.

- Yeah, well, I don't.

The best friends' quarrel was interrupted by a knock at the door.

- Come in," Nelson said in response to the knock.

The door opened.

- Mr Nelson, Mr Murdoch, there's someone here to see you," the blonde woman let the young man into the room.

- Thank you, Karen.

The secretary-assistant nodded and left.

The boy continued to fidget at the door.

- Please, come in," Matt pointed to the chair in front of him.

The brunet gave Foggy an uncertain look, but after a good-natured smile from Nelson, he walked over and sat down right in front of the blind lawyer.

- Now, what brings you to us, young man? - The red-haired man began with his hands folded.

- My brother," the boy faltered, "Tommy got mixed up with a bad crowd. Our mum died and our dad drinks non-stop, my brother had to drop out of school to get a job at the grocery store, but he's still short of money," the boy sniffled, "I think Tommy's doing something illegal and that's why I came to you," the brown-eyed boy raised his head and looked confidently at the lawyer with the red glasses.

- Why us? - Matt asked with mild interest.

- The word on the street is that Nelson and Murdoch helps everyone who can't be helped anywhere else.

- Oh, what a fame we have, Matt?

- Yeah, I heard," Daredevil almost stifled a grin, "what's your name?

- Lucas.

- Nice to meet you, Lucas," Murdoch stood up from his chair and picked up his cane. - You're right, I'll try to help you. Do you know where your brother and his company might be right now?

- They usually congregate at Jarvis Junction, near the Sharpness Club.

- Thank you. Stay here for now. If you need anything, ask for Mr Nelson and Miss Page.

After adjusting his tie, Murdoch left the building.

*

Half an hour later.

Jarvis Street.

Matt, in his superhero persona, climbed onto the roof and began to listen to his heightened senses, trying to gather all sorts of information about his surroundings. A few blocks away, the air conditioner is malfunctioning. There's a dog barking on the other side of the neighbourhood. But right now, the focus needs to be on what's going on downstairs.

Daredevil listens.

His enhanced hearing overcomes the barrier of the concrete walls and Matthew begins to hear everything as if he were in the next room.

- I don't know, Freddie, it's a lot of money, but it's also a lot of risk.

- Stop taking the piss, Tommy! If we want to get into the big boy league, we have to take responsibility," the guy called Fred stood up. - You can continue to make a living on second-hand equipment or courier work, but it's not every day you get to be part of Ambala's own operation.

The name of the head of crime for most of New York City slid unpleasantly into Daredevil's mind.

So Fisk, this was no longer an easy case.

The Hell's Kitchen defender fired the tip of his war club, to which a tether was attached, and flew towards the back door of the club.

Daredevil kicked in the door and made his way to the back of the building.

All along the way, the Guardian Devil met no resistance, as there was no one there. The hero walked to the place where he heard the conversation, but no one was there.

- Come out," Murdoch suddenly said, "all of you.

People began to flock to the centre of the dance floor.

- Wow, Daredevil," the guy who had been talking jumped down from the step and began to play with a baseball bat, "you've got a lot of nerve coming into our den.

- Word on the street is you know about some Kingpin operation, I want to know what it is.

- Kingpin? Who's that?

- That's a bad one.

Judging by the number of heartbeats, there are at least eight opponents in this room. And only one of them is more afraid than willing to crush Matt's skull.

Daredevil misses a bat overhead strike, lunging back at his opponent with his foot. Matt throws both batons, which ricochet into the heads of two of the fighters, knocking them out.

Six to go.

The defender of Hell's Kitchen jumps up and punches the guy trying to hit him with his chain in mid-air. The superhero returns the favour with a fist to the bridge of his foe's nose. A clean knockout.

Five.

The two opponents grab metal pipes while Daredevil got his clubs back. A duel of sorts ensued between the two. Murdoch blocked the attacks with his pipes and caught his opponents and brought them to the ground with underhooks. Once the two fighters were on the ground, the Man Without Fear landed knockout blows on two of them.

Three.

- Stop standing there, Tommy," the green-eyed blond shouted, lunging at the Hell's Kitchen hero.

Daredevil blocked the lunge with his bat, retaliating by punching Freddy under the breath and knocking the spirit out of him. The guy coughed and fell to his knees.

Striking the ears of his last opponent, and knocking him out at the elbow, a barely out of breath Matt turned to a shaking Tommy.

- Run.

The second the hero spoke, the brass knuckles the guy was armed with fell, and he ran out into the street.

- Now let's talk," Matt walked over to Fred and lifted him up by the chest. - Answer me, what's this Kingpin operation you've been talking about!

- Fuck you!

In response to the insult, Murdoch punched Freddie in the face.

- Did you know you can knock a man out with one precise, measured blow? Most likely, yes. But what not many people realise is that if you know how to hit, a man won't lose consciousness after fifty blows. So tell me, are you ready to survive all those punches?

After Daredevil clenched his palm into a fist, Fred swallowed.

- There, that's some really massive shit, mate! Really big dough. Nick said the big boss was getting ready to deliver some cool weapons. Stuff he was planning to use against you and your mates.

- What? Matt got closer. - What are you talking about?!

- That's all I know, honestly! Tonight, it'll be tonight at the warehouses. Greens 4.

- Got it.

Murdoch loosened his grip and the kid went down.

- I suggest you cut the crime or I'll be back.

Daredevil walked towards the exit, thinking about the information he'd received.

Some kind of weapon. This is serious.

You may need some help.

***

Same time

Queens. Parker residence.

Spider-Man.

- So, Peter, you've got clones created from your DNA by a university professor...

- The Jackal, yes.

- You hid them in a lab that Reed Richards, leader of the Fantastic Four, gave you.

- The Baxter Building, right.

- You want to ensure their appearance in civilian life and you needed to inform me because you want to present your clones as relatives. Oh, and one of your female copies, am I missing something?

- No, you're clear.

- Peter, you do realise how crazy this sounds, don't you?

- Do you? Yes, I do, only now it's my life. And believe me, Auntie, I do my best to limit the flow of madness in my life, and even more so to keep the people closest to me out of it.

May only replied with a heavy sigh.

- So you left the poor girl you told the truth to alone in a place where she can't even talk to anyone about what happened? - Parker said judgementally, sharply redirecting the flow of the conversation.

- That's when you say it like that, the truth doesn't sound nice.

- Did you make that suit for her?

- I don't want Delia's face to be seen. Not yet. Not with spider powers, anyway.

- 'So,' May rose from her chair and clapped her hands together, 'now you're going to go get...Delia and you'll come back here.

- Are you sure? - I looked at my aunt with slight doubt.

- 'Yes, she really needs someone close to her at the moment.

"Your aunt is an amazing woman, Bearer. Even after hearing such a story, still thinks, about the feelings of your genetic copy, amazing," Raj murmured with true admiration.

"Yes, she is.

- Okay, I'm off.

Coming out of the kitchen.

- Be careful, love.

*

Twenty minutes later, I begin to soar through the New York skies, heading for the Baxter Building.

I quickly pass through Time Square and am a few blocks from my destination.

At that moment, I'm overtaken by the ringing of a call.

- Hello? - I activate my communicator.

- Spider-Man, this is Daredevil.

- Hey, Horny, how you doing?

- Slowly, Steno. Listen, are you busy?

- Depends on the urgency of what you're about to ask me.

- You think I can't just call a friend?

- One, you're too pragmatic to be sentimental. Two, oh, how nice, you think we're friends. In honour of that, I suggest you order our logo T-shirts.

- No.

- I'm gonna order one anyway.

- Look, I didn't call you about this at all.

- Oh, I get it. Don't keep me in suspense, O Man Without Fear.

- I was asked to talk to someone today, and in the process I found out about a shipment of some kind of weapon that they say is designed to destroy us.

- By "us" you mean?

- You, me, Iron Fist, Jessica, Luke, maybe someone else.

- Okay. Need some help?

- Yeah. Tonight, warehouse on Greens 4.

- I'll swing by around 8:00, okay?

- That's fine. In the meantime, I'll try and get in touch with the rest of the Defence Force.

- Copy that, Matt, over and out, I'm switching off the communicator.

"Do you think it's wise to be distracted by outside business due to your position?"

"No, but I can't ignore Daredevil when he needs help either. Besides, who knows what kind of weapon it is? And if it's a duck, I'll just go back to dealing with the clone issue."

Landing on the roof of the Baxter Building.

"Sounds reasonable, Bearer."

"So," I enter my personal code.

The doors open and I walk towards the labs.

No one is encountered along the way and I glance at the cameras from time to time.

Everything seems to be quiet.

I get to my lab without any problems.

- You took too long," my clone jumps down from the ceiling and accusingly voices his complaint.

- I'm sorry, but I'm with gifts, - I take my backpack off my shoulder and hand it to the girl, - try it on.

Del looks at the item with interest and steps behind the flask.

I have to worry about a place to change here.

While I'm waiting for my sister, I check the vitals of the other clones. The boys are in an induced coma, the sedatives are fed in certain doses directly into the bloodstream. I wonder if Delia was able to counteract the effects, or did she just need a higher dose?

- Okay, Pete, I admit it's awesome!

I turn round at the clone's voice.

- How do I look? - Del starts twirling around in his tight burgundy suit and striking seductive poses.

I had to make it tight, didn't I? It's all standard issue.

- It looks great on you," I picked up the web shooters from the table and walked over to my sister.

It's funny how quickly I've accepted a clone into my family.

- Here, you'll need them," I hand the bracelets, "do you know how to use them?

With true skill, the girl fastens the throwers on her wrists.

- I'll figure it out somehow.

- I believe you," I snicker.

- You didn't just hand them over, did you? We're going for a walk, aren't we?

- Yes," I went back to the tanks and double-checked the sedative supply, "Aunt May wants to meet you.

Hearing nothing in response, I turn round perplexed.

There is genuine shock and horror on the newly-formed Parker's face.

- Wh-wh-what, Aunt May? - The girl bit her lip. - But I don't know, what if," the brown-haired girl lowered her eyes, "what if she doesn't like me?

I sigh quietly and walk over to Delia, taking her hand.

- Listen, sister, everything will be fine, you are me, albeit, - a slight nod to the chest-two, - with some differences, so do not worry, I'm sure she will accept you as a native, - I lift Del's face by the chin and look directly into her eyes, - you believe me, don't you?

For a second it seemed like something flashed in Delia's eyes, but after a moment it was gone.

- Yes, I do," she nodded confidently.

- All right, put on the mask and let's go.

*

Forty minutes later.

Queens.

We left the lab without any more witnesses, and I had thoughtfully switched off the cameras as we left. H.E.R.B.I. tried to interfere, of course, but that AI was no match for me.

On the flight home, I felt a new affection for Delia, even though flying with someone in the high-rises of New York wasn't new to me, but when that someone had spider powers, it felt different.

Maybe I shouldn't have flattened the spider after the bite, without giving it the opportunity to grant power to someone else. Either way, it doesn't matter anymore. What I did or didn't do, the Spider-Men still showed up, even if they were my clones. It's cyclical.

We landed in an alley, and that's when I realised I hadn't taken care of the civilian clothes for Delia. Idiot.

"Raj, can you give me a hand?"

"Eh, okay."

The symbiote flowed off me and moved over to the girl.

- WHAT IS THAT?! - Shaten exclaimed as the klintarian began to cover her body.

It turns out the samples were collected before Raj showed up. Interesting.

- So you didn't catch him? Well, meet the alien I mentioned.

- So it wasn't a joke?

- No, it was the real truth.

- Insane," Delia only said as the symbiote in disguise mode created civilian clothes for her.

- Welcome to my life.

We walk towards the house, talking to each other in the process. I hope I've managed to calm my newly agitated sister.

- Are you ready?

The girl took a deep breath.

- Yeah, I'm ready.

I nod and knock on the door.

A few minutes later, May opens the door.

- I'm glad you got here so quickly," the aunt says, glancing at the brown-haired girl.

We go in and close the door behind us.

- Well, Aunt May, this is Delia, my clone, aka sister, Deli, this is our Aunt May, I'm sure you'll get along," I introduce the women, and they study each other carefully. - Before things get any more awkward, I think I'll leave you two alone. I'll go and buy Del some regular clothes, though.

I touch the clone's forearm, making telepathic contact with the symbiote.

"Control everything here for now, just don't get into Delia's mind, she's having a hard enough time as it is, okay?"

"Of course, and you can take your time, Bearer, I'm very comfortable on your sister."

I grin at the symbiote's comment and walk out the door.

*

Ibid

When Peter left.

The women looked at each other, hesitant to start a conversation.

- Let's go into the living room, I've made tea.

The brown woman only nodded briefly, as if she were afraid to make any unnecessary movement.

They walked to the sofa and the former Miss Raleigh began pouring fresh tea into mugs.

The newfound relatives sat down on the couch and began to drink their tea.

- It's delicious," the brown-haired girl said quietly.

- Thank you, sweetheart," May replied with a kind smile, setting the mug aside. - To be honest, I have absolutely no idea how to start communication in our situation, so, - Mrs Parker gently took the palm of the auburn girl's hand in her hands, - I'll listen. How are you, sweetheart?

The kind and genuinely concerned tone brought tears to Delia's eyes.

- I...I just don't know how to react," Del squeezed May's hands tighter and brought her other palm to her temple. - All of his memories are available to me, and in a way, a part of me still feels like Peter Parker," she lowered her head, "but I'm just a copy, the result of an experiment conducted by a mad scientist to bring evil into the world, not good. I know that. And I also know that because of all the undeniable facts, I don't deserve to live.

- Don't you dare say that!

From the fury of what she had said, Delia raised her big brown eyes to May and stared at her shocked.

- Ben and I," the woman continued more quietly, with a deep sadness in her voice, "always wanted to have a child, but fate was cruel and we were denied that opportunity. After a while we even considered adoption, but then Peter came into our lives, albeit under such terrible circumstances," May smiled brighter. - That child changed everything and my dream of feeling what it was like to be a parent came true," Mrs Parker touched Delia's cheek with her palm. - We don't choose this life, it chooses us. Appreciate what you have the opportunity to live, dear.

The brown-haired woman placed her hand over May's palm.

- 'Recent memories are very...scrappy, but I remember all of my...his childhood perfectly. Walks, lunches, birthdays, everything. I don't know if Peter ever said it, but he's happy that it was you and Uncle Ben who became his family. And I want to say thank you for those memories too," tears streamed down Parker's cheeks, "for the chance to feel what it's like to have people who love you.

The women embraced.

- I don't care how you came into this world," May said after they broke the embrace, "it's a miracle. I'm glad to welcome you into this house, Delia Parker. Besides," the woman stroked the girl's head affectionately, "I always wished I had a daughter.

In response, Delia only hugged Mrs Parker tighter, tears flowing.