Influence

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***

7 June, 2013. 17:00

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

Spider-Man.

I get out of bed and look at the electronic clock left on the dresser beside the bed. It's five o'clock in the evening. That means it took me three hours to do my flight debriefing and sleep-meditation.

Busy, I feel as rested as I do after a regular nap.

"Raj, why am I so awake?"

"While we were in your mind, then your body slept," the alien explains to me.

"But shouldn't I be tired mentally?"

"From your brain's point of view, everything that happened was a dream, so no, you shouldn't be."

"Interesting."

I walk over to the wardrobe and pick up my, hastily thrown on, classic red and blue suit.

- Took you on this unexpected adventure, didn't you, old man? - I clutch the fabric in my hand.

"Wearer, are you talking to the clothes?" - The symbiote comments snidely on my line.

"Yes. Shut up," I smile at Raj's teasing. - "Besides, it's not your place to get worked up about it, my alien suit."

In the midst of the banter, I push back the double bottom of the wardrobe, revealing a view of the spare suits hanging, including the high-tech upgrade.

- Well," I take the red-and-black suit off the rack, "it's time.

I change. Suit top, bottom, gloves, boots. I hold the mask in my hands and then put it in my pocket.

- Raj, organise the disguise," the suit is a little hard to hide under the baggy clothes.

The Klintarian calmly creates a mirage of civilian clothes. It's a good thing we've been practising keeping control of the disguise.

"What's the plan, Peter?"

Walking towards the exit of the house.

"Stop an old friend from making a monstrously wrong decision."

Closing the door behind me.

*

An hour later.

New York University.

Dr Curtis Connors' lab.

Curt stood over a microscope, studying the readings of his Lizard DNA-based regenerative serum. Need to make sure, run all the tests, before taking it.

The scientist touched his palm to the stump of his shoulder. The man had thoughtfully removed the prosthesis. He can't do that anymore. Ever since his arm was torn off when he was a military doctor, Connors has felt incomplete.

And those around him: students, colleagues, passers-by, even Billy and Martha, they don't care, they've never directly or indirectly labelled his problem, treated him as an equal.

But they don't. In the animal world, cripples are doomed to extinction. Kurt was tired of feeling inferior, especially now that there was an opportunity to regain a long-lost limb.

Connors was pulled from his musings by the sound of the door opening.

The man looked up and saw Peter Parker, his best, albeit often truant, student, his lab assistant and right-hand man, at the entrance to the lab.

Heh. Ironic turn of phrase, "right-hand man."

- Sorry, Doc," the brown-haired man rubbed the back of his head, slightly embarrassed, "that was too loud.

- It's okay, Peter," the russet-haired man went to meet the student, "What brings you by? Not finished with the experiment?

The two shook hands.

- Not quite. I came to see you.

- Interesting. Decided to pay off all your school debts in advance? - Connors smiles.

- That would be nice," the brown-haired man returns the smirk. But I'm not here for that," Connors said, his voice growing serious as he glanced down at the prosthesis on the table, "but I'm not here for that.

- Then," Connors walked over to the computer chair and sat down, "I'm listening to you carefully.

The boy rested his palms on the desk.

- Look, Doctor, how long have we known each other?

The scientist was surprised by the question.

- Let's see. The lab asked for data on you at the beginning of your senior year, and now you're graduating, freshman year. Simple maths. Nearly two years.

- How well do you think we've got to know each other?

- You're my best student and a great lab assistant, if you were a little older and less lazy, I could safely call you a colleague. You're great with my family and Billy still thanks you for that skateboard you gave him for his birthday," Kurt smiled, "we could be called friends. Don't ask questions, Pete.

Parker, however, did not share his companion's cheerful mood and exhaled deeply.

- Then tell me the truth, Doc, as a friend," he said, his brown eyes looking intently at the man, who had staggered slightly from the attention. - You're not going to test the Lizard's regenerative serum on yourself, are you?

Connors turned grey.

- How do you know? - The complacency in the scientist's tone also evaporated without a trace.

- I've observed the strain on your...position," he nodded lightly at the prosthesis, "but the risks are extreme, Doctor.

Kurt rose to his feet and turned away.

- Don't talk about something you have no idea about," the man reflexively touched his shoulder, "you have no idea what it's like to lose a limb. Not being able to lift your own son high above your head without him feeling the cold of metal instead of the warmth of his father's hand.

- Yeah, Doc, you're right, I don't understand it, but I'm well aware that the retromutation effects of the serum can have extreme consequences.

- There's a gene purifier.

- Yes, there is. But who's to say it'll work, who's to say your changes won't be irreversible?

- We tested it on mice.

- Are you now, really, comparing the complexity of the strand structure of human DNA, replete with different genomes, to mouse DNA, YOU, Geneticist?

- What makes you think this experiment will fail?! - Finally unable to stand it, shouts Connors.

Peter, however, remains a bastion of calm.

- Because in science, success always comes with failure. And especially in biology, those failures are dangerous to humans," Peter turns to Kurt. - You said yourself that we're friends, Doc, so I'll tell you as a friend, you can always rely on me to help you refine your work, but I can't talk you out of it either. - Pete stops talking and steps closer to the scientist, looking the man straight in the eye. - I can't lock you up, I can't destroy your research, it's up to you, but I can promise you this: if you test the serum on yourself and it gives you your limb back, with no negative outcomes, I'll apologise for my intemperance. But if you mutate, lose control, or all at once, and become a danger to others, including your family, know that I will stop you, by any means necessary, and the outcome will be on your conscience. - Peter turned around and headed for the exit.

At the very door, Parker stopped.

- Think twice before making a decision, and especially think about this: is it worth risking your current, as I can judge from my bell tower, a happy life of a respected professor with a beloved wife and a beautiful child, for the sake of a phantom chance to return the hand? That's for you to decide.

The boy left the lab, leaving the scientist alone with his thoughts.

***

The streets of New York.

Same time.

Spider-Man.

"Do you think, Bearer, he'll listen?"

"I wish he would, Raj. Anyway, I've done everything in my power. All that's left is to back up for the lousiest case."

I cross the road along with a few passersby.

"Where to next?"

"Time to visit our dear police captain, since we were so rudely interrupted last time."

I lose myself in the back alleys and within seconds I'm soaring into the New York sky in my new tech suit.

I activate my communicator and dial George's phone.

- Hello?

- Good evening, Captain, you're being disturbed by a concerned citizen crawling on the walls, are you comfortable talking?

- Hello Spider, - George's voice is cheerful enough, - yes, of course, is something wrong?

- No, it's just that we were so rudely interrupted in the course of our last conversation. By the way, how are the six old-new residents doing?

- Blooming and blooming. Vulture's concussion, Electro's in isolation, the new technology from Stark Industries came in handy. Rhino's mad as a thousand devils, and that unknown guy you called Beetle isn't saying much. The psychologist shared his observations, there's a suspicion that Shocker's lost his mind, what the hell happened to him?

- I don't know, Captain. What about Doc Ock?

- Octavius recovered from the sensory shock, but he hasn't spoken since. The interrogation was inconclusive.

- Perhaps my presence will loosen the good doctor's tongue.

- I don't think your species is even capable of affecting him favourably, not after one of your tentacles has been ripped out.

- That was a battle. So we have no information about his work with Osborne?

- Not much in that direction, but the other.

- The other?

- Where are you now?

- Halfway to the police station.

- Then turn around, I'm home.

- I'll be there in about twenty minutes Captain, see you later.

- How many spoonfuls of sugar in your coffee?

- Two and a little milk, if you don't mind.

End of call.

*

Twenty-five minutes later.

I land in Stacey's front yard and crawl into a tree.

"And suddenly the spider lurked in the shade of the trees," Raj whispered.

"Serenading, mate?"

"Just having fun, Peter."

"That's good. It's good for you."

George comes out of the house, with two mugs and an office folder under his armpit.

I hang upside down from the tree in trademark spider style.

- Greetings, officer," I salute the man.

- You too, New York hero," Stacy comes closer. - I suggest you come downstairs, it'll be uncomfortable to drink coffee.

I listen and calmly jump to the ground.

- Another new suit? - Captain hands me a mug. - You look dangerous.

- Is this good? - I clarify, accepting the vessel with the drink.

- In our line of work? Absolutely. Just don't scare the civilians.

- I had no idea, - I stir the coffee with a spoon. - How's your daughter?

- Good, - the man smiles, - she started to spend a lot of time with her friends and, it seems, she has a young man?

- That's great," I say, noticing Stacey's lips pressed tightly together. - That's great, isn't it?

- А? Of course, it's good, don't pay attention to the old man's reflections, - the captain rubs the back of his head, chuckling, - worries are peculiar to all fathers who have daughters, you know, nowadays there are so few decent young men. Though, what am I saying, even without looking at the suit and your manner, it is clear that you are young enough.

- I am? What gives me away.

- Mostly the jokes and the way you talk.

- That's what it is," I nod.

- Anyway, when you're a father of a daughter, you'll know what I mean.

- Heh.

We spend some time in cosy silence, drinking coffee.

Nothing lasts forever, though, and George puts the empty mug down on the grass.

- I think it's time to get to the point of our meeting.

- I'm listening," I also set my mug aside.

- I've been working on an accident case for a while," Stacey sighs and hands me a folder, "a nice guy lost his uncle and his only close relative was seriously injured.

I open the folder and feel my palms get a little cold.

- This guy's name is Peter Parker and he happens to be a friend of my daughter's. I spoke to him the day after it happened and what I saw in his eyes scared me. The guy is consumed with impotent anger and I'm afraid of what he might do to him.

I listened to Captain Stacy and tried my best to keep my cool.

It seemed to be working well, for the man continued.

- I've seen a lot of decent people ruin their futures because of the sins of the past, so I made a promise to myself to do everything in my power to help the boy.

And I'll never forget it.

- For weeks I worked on the case: I studied all sorts of leads, scattered and contradictory witness statements, even tried to get access to the cameras on the bridge, but the administrative slimeballs put a stick in my wheel. The investigation stalled, to a point.

Distracted from flipping through the materials, looking at George intently. The captain has really done a tremendous job.

- A tech contacted me recently and offered me access to those very cameras, for a fee, of course.

- How much did you spend? - It doesn't matter, I'll pay it anyway.

- Are you kidding me? This Internet hero shook with fear, as soon as I gave him a stern look and showed him the gun hanging in the holster. He gave it to me for free, and I thanked him for doing his civic duty," Stacy smirked.

- You're good, Captain," I nod respectfully.

- Practice," the smile on George's face melts away, "and here's what I actually discovered.

George picks up a folder and, flipping through it, pulls out a stack of the right pictures. The right pictures. I get a serious sense of deja vu, and I can see why.

I flip through the photos.

- Here," Stacey points, "look closely.

There's a van in the corner of the picture, quickly leaving the scene of the accident, but the immediate participants are in uniform.

- This is a distinctive feature, the uniform of a large company, were able to find out which corporation the perpetrators are employees? - I ask the question in an extremely cold tone of voice, but inside I am filled with anger.

Wasn't it just an accident?

- Yes," the police officer's voice becomes steely, "these are Oscorp Industries uniforms.

My heart sinks.

- "Oscorp"? - my voice fails me for the first time.

No. Not again.

I feel a melted anger rising from the depths, true uncontrollable rage.

Osborne.

Osborne again!

I feel a growing tingle in my skull. Spider-sense is kicking in.

Click.

I see myself flying into Oscorp headquarters. Norman is sitting in the office. I grab him and nail him to the wall. But all he does in response is smile.

- Spider?

- I blacked out for a while, didn't I? - I'm coming round from another vision.

- Yeah. Are you okay? - Stacey asks worriedly.

- 'No. But I will be,' I massage my temples, 'have you taken any action on them? - I point to a photograph of the perpetrators.

- I decided to go straight through the chapter. The information had not yet been released to the public, but the police officer was not to be denied. Norman Osborne is planning a triumphant return to New York in a few weeks.

- A triumphant return, I clench my hand into a fist.

- Spider, I told you about this for a reason," Stacy's serious tone makes me focus on the captain's words again, pushing aside inappropriate thoughts of revenge. Until, until now. - You warned me to be wary of powerful men like Norman Osborn, Donald Roxon and the like, and you were right, so I'm asking you to help me with this.

- Of course, George, as always.

- You see, this is a whole different league, they have power, influence, and all we have is proof of the involvement of people working for the corporation.

- Then what exactly do you need my help with, George?

- These trucks. Usually, companies use vehicles with their corporate plates on them, but not this time. And just this confusing detail makes me think that the Parkers' accident was the result of a larger illegal operation that Osborne himself may have overseen.

- So?

- It all comes down to one thing - we need to act legally, carefully and methodically to bring people like Norman to justice, there's no other way, and you've shown yourself to be a patient bloke on more than one occasion and, unlike me or other police officers, you've got avenues open to you that we never will.

- Suggestion?

- Find evidence, any evidence, in company offices, warehouses.

- Testing facilities," I say thoughtfully.

- Yeah, you got it.

- Good.

- Just one favour," Stacey looked inexpressibly serious, "stay out of the lion's mouth, don't contact Osborne in any way, and don't let him know we're investigating.

You're asking the impossible, George.

- I understand," I reply.

But I'm not sure I can do it.

- Good, then," Stacy reached for his mugs.

I was about to leave, but I remembered one important detail.

- One more thing," I turn round.

- Yeah?

- Just yesterday I crossed paths with two very interesting and dangerous individuals, the telepathic twins Roxanne and Roland Haina, have you heard of them?

- It's hard not to know about super criminals in New York," the captain sighs, "the Raft has established that they escaped, have you seen them?

- Yeah and alas, got caught up in their mental attack, so have your guys on guard, don't go in one at a time and stuff, I'll try to find them.

- You got it. So you're after them? - George ran his hand indefinitely around his head.

- Yeah, but I'll be fine. Have a good evening, Captain,' I shot out a web and flew out of Stacey's yard.

- Be careful, Peter," Stacy says quietly into the void.