Chapter 199: Across the Spider-Verse (24)

As Miles, Gwen, Hobie, and Jessica Drew entered the spacious room filled with advanced technology, the door slid open, revealing a futuristic hub of gadgets, holographic screens, and complex machinery. The room buzzed with energy, displaying Miguel O'Hara's meticulous control center. Jessica Drew, taking a step back, said, "You lot go first. I have something to take care of."

Miles nodded. "Okay."

Gwen urged, "Let's go." leading the way.

Hobie, walking beside Miles, couldn't resist causing some mischief. As he passed by the wall, he ripped out a random piece of technology and commented, "Bet this doesn't even do anything."

Miles, slightly exasperated, replied, "Maybe it did before you ripped it out of the wall." He followed Gwen, taking in the room's high-tech surroundings.

Hobie grinned and plucked another piece from the wall, adding, "It's propaganda, bruv. To distract you from the truth."

Miles looked around at the bizarre gadgets and machinery. "And what's that?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Hobie shrugged. "I ain't got a Scooby-Doo, mate. 'Cause that's what they want—keep us guessing."

Miles sighed in frustration. The conversation was making him feel even more out of place.

Hobie, sensing Miles's unease, crossed his arms and asked, "Why you wanna be part of this lot?"

Miles, eyeing the many intricate displays and devices, answered, "To get a watch." His voice hinted at the underlying desire to prove himself.

Hobie scoffed, "Make your own watch."

Miles rolled his eyes. "Pssh, easier said than done."

Hobie, still pulling at random pieces of tech as they walked, said, "Bet you got a nice setup, eh? Nice parents, good life?"

Miles hesitated. "They're fine. I mean, we got in a fight, but..."

He thought back to his parents, the argument, and the pressure they put on him. "They just want what's best for me, so..."

Hobie, now sitting on a rolling chair, slid across the floor and blocked Miles's path, leaning in with a serious expression. "That's a bloody shame."

Miles, slightly annoyed, nudged Hobie off the chair and asked, "Why?"

Hobie stared at him intently. "Cause you're not ready for everybody else."

The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Hobie's nonchalant attitude masked a deeper understanding of the Spider Society's challenges. Miles realized that despite the laid-back demeanor, Hobie was warning him—being a part of this organization was more than just getting a watch or following orders. It was about questioning authority, staying true to oneself, and being prepared for the unpredictable.

As the tension between the two eased, Gwen glanced back, signaling them to catch up. Miles gave Hobie a quick nod, understanding more of what he was trying to say, before continuing down the corridor toward Miguel O'Hara's central command.

As Miles, Hobie, and Gwen continued walking through the high-tech corridor, Hobie turned to Miles and said, "Listen to me, bruv. The whole point of being Spider-Man is your independence."

He looked at Miles with a serious expression. "Being your own boss. You don't need all this." As he finished speaking, Hobie casually plucked another piece of technology off the wall.

Miles quickly stopped him, putting the tech piece back where it belonged. "Then why are you here?" Miles asked, genuinely curious as he resumed walking.

Hobie smirked and slyly pocketed the piece again when Miles wasn't looking. "Looking out for my drummer, is all." Hobie said with a grin.

Miles hesitated, thinking about his own situation. "I want to be in a band. I... I wanna see my friends, and I need a watch to do that."

Gwen, walking slightly ahead, looked back impatiently. "Guys, come on. LET'S GO!"

Hobie raised his hand in a casual peace gesture and said, "All right. Squashed." He then looked at Miles one last time and added with a final note of caution, "But remember, don't enlist till you know what war you're fighting."

Miles took in Hobie's words, realizing there was more beneath the surface of this organization than just being part of a team. He was starting to understand that everyone here had their own motives and that maybe there was more to being Spider-Man than just fitting in.

With those thoughts swirling in his head, Miles hurried to catch up with Gwen as they approached Miguel O'Hara's main control center.

As Gwen, Miles, and Hobie enter the main control center, they find themselves in a large, high-tech room with dim lighting and an industrial atmosphere. The walls are lined with sleek, holographic screens displaying various dimensions and Spider-People in action. The room feels like a nerve center, buzzing with energy and activity. The centerpiece of the space is a towering, cylindrical platform in the middle, where Miguel O'Hara is stationed above them, typing furiously on a floating console while monitoring countless screens.

Gwen looks up at the platform where Miguel stands. "Miguel." she calls out, her voice echoing slightly in the expansive room.

A slow, mechanical hum resonates as the platform starts descending, lowering Miguel toward them. The mechanism is deliberately slow, almost as if it's designed for dramatic effect. Gwen glances back at Miles and says, "Yeah, I know it's slow." She gestures upward with a slight smirk, "But it's his thing."

Miguel's platform finally reaches ground level, revealing him standing tall, with a commanding presence, surrounded by floating screens that display various Spider-Man missions. Each screen shows different Spider-People engaged in different tasks across the multiverse. The glow from the screens casts sharp, flickering shadows across the room, adding to the tense atmosphere.

Gwen steps forward and introduces them, "Miguel O'Hara, meet Miles Morales."

Miles, trying to lighten the mood, smiles and says with a chuckle, "Hey! ¿Qué tal, tío? (What's up, man?)"

Gwen shoots Miles a quick look of mild surprise, and Miles, noticing it, grins proudly, "I speak Spanish." Then, turning back to Miguel, he continues, "te traje una empanada (I brought you an empanada)," gesturing with his hand toward a small, neatly wrapped empanada he's holding out.

Miguel's expression remains cold and unimpressed. He takes the empanada from Miles with his web, but instead of acknowledging the gesture, he nonchalantly tosses it straight into a nearby trash bin without breaking eye contact. "Qué maravilla (How marvelous)." he says in a slow, sarcastic tone, his voice dripping with disdain.

Hobie, standing a bit behind Miles, glares at Miguel, his expression growing serious. He takes in the situation with an air of quiet defiance.

As the platform fully descends, Miguel steps off and approaches the group, now at eye level. His towering, muscular frame contrasts with the sharp, precise movements of the floating screens around him. The screens flash different Spider-People in action, but Miguel remains focused on Miles with a cold intensity.

Miles, still trying to be enthusiastic, says, "I'm excited to get going."

Miguel's reply is laced with sarcasm as he responds, "Oh. Great." The words are flat, devoid of genuine interest.

Miles, undeterred, continues, "I have new ideas on how to catch Spot."

Miguel doesn't even look at him, instead keeping his gaze fixed on one of the screens. "Oh. Wow. Uh-huh." he mutters dismissively.

Miles presses on, hoping to break through Miguel's icy demeanor. "He just wants to be taken seriously, like we all do."

That finally gets Miguel's attention. He turns his gaze sharply toward Miles, his eyes narrowing. "Uh huh, oh." Suddenly, without warning, Miguel grabs the trash bin and flings it at Miles, causing the empanada to spill out, still intact.

Miles is taken aback, completely shocked by the hostility. Before he can react, Hobie swiftly shoots a web at the empanada, yanking it toward himself. He casually takes a bite, completely unfazed by the tension.

Miguel's glare intensifies as he addresses the room. "He's worried about Spot." Then, turning his focus entirely on Miles, he says with a growl, "I'LL worry about Spot!"

Miles, now genuinely confused, looks to Gwen for some kind of explanation. "What did I do?" he asks, his voice tinged with frustration and hurt. Gwen immediately steps in front of him, positioning herself protectively between Miles and Miguel. Her stance is firm, her eyes locked on Miguel in silent defense of Miles. The glow from the surrounding screens reflects off her determined expression, making it clear she's not backing down.

The tension in the room is suddenly broken as Gwen steps forward and says firmly, "Miguel! It's not his fault."

Miles, confused by the entire situation, echoes back, "Fault? Hold up."

Miguel, seething with frustration, shouts at Miles, "You blew another hole in the multiverse!"

Gwen immediately jumps in, trying to calm the situation down. "He doesn't know any better, Miguel."

Miles, growing more confused and defensive, asks, "I do know what… not know what?"

Miguel's intense gaze shifts from Gwen to Hobie, then back to Gwen. "But you did, Gwen," he accuses.

 He then turns to Hobie and sighs in exasperation, "And you… I'm just gonna try to ignore you," he says while massaging his temples, clearly at the end of his rope.

Hobie, ever unfazed, shrugs nonchalantly. "I ain't even here," he says with a smirk, swinging lazily from side to side on a web. "Or here." he adds, vanishing briefly before appearing back in the same spot.

Miles, looking bewildered, turns to Gwen. "What's happening?"

Before Gwen can respond, a familiar voice cuts through the tension. "Hey, Miguel! Go easy on the kid."

Everyone in the room turns around, revealing Peter B. Parker strolling in, his laid-back demeanor instantly lightening the atmosphere.

Peter B says, "He had a terrible teacher. He had no chance." He then grins and adds jokingly, "Well, I'm not the terrible teacher. That would be ... Michael Wilson. He's the real terrible teacher."

Miles's face lights up with joy. "Peter!" he shouts, running toward him.

Gwen, who was already aware that Peter B was part of the Spider Society, simply nods with a smile. "Peter."

Hobie, crossing his arms, smirks and says, "Oh boy, Humbling-Reality Spider-Man has arrived."

Miles rushes forward and hugs Peter B tightly. "Dude!"

Peter B hugs him back with equal enthusiasm. "Miles!"

As they step back, Peter B jokes, "Don't be afraid of my friend Miguel. He just looks scary. He's got no bite." His tone is serious but playful as he glances over at Miguel, who rolls his eyes in response.

"Peter." Miguel mutters in a voice full of annoyance.

Peter B, ignoring Miguel's irritation, looks Miles up and down. "You're growing up on me. You look great." he says, a mix of pride and nostalgia in his voice.

Miles, still buzzing with excitement, responds, "You look solid, you know. You look good."

Peter B chuckles and gives Miles a light fist bump on the chest. "Define 'solid.'"

As Peter B takes in Miles's outfit, he raises an eyebrow. "What happened? You bleeding from the armpits?"

Miles, still overwhelmed, tries to get Peter B to help explain to Miguel. "Peter, you…" But he trails off as he notices something peculiar on Peter B's suit

"Don't worry," Peter B interrupts, "we'll get you a new suit."

Miles, still focused on what he just saw, asks, "Peter, you gotta tell them…" But then he spots the baby carrier strapped to Peter B's chest and stops mid-sentence, eyes wide in surprise. "Wait. What is that?"

Peter B grins and turns slightly to reveal the baby inside the carrier. "Mayday!" he calls out softly.

Miles is stunned. "You have a baby!"

Peter B, unable to contain his laughter, repeats, "I have a baby!" as he looks down affectionately at his daughter.

The light-hearted exchange briefly eases the tension in the room, but the underlying conflict remains. Miguel stands in the background, arms crossed, still glaring at Miles with a mixture of frustration and concern. Gwen and Hobie exchange glances, knowing that things are only going to get more complicated from here. Despite the reunion and humor, the mission's gravity and the stakes looming over them remain ever-present.

...........

Michael Wilson, the Legendary Spider-Man, and his 16-year-old disciple, Peter Parker (Spider-Man Red), enter the bustling Spider Society headquarters. The space is alive with the hum of various spider-powered individuals going about their tasks, their costumes ranging from high-tech suits to classic spandex.

Peter's eyes widen in amazement as he takes in the sight of so many Spider-People. "Wow, so many Spider-Men!" he exclaims, his voice tinged with awe.

Takuya Yamashiro, the Spider-Man from Earth-51778, notices Michael and Peter's arrival and approaches them with a friendly demeanor. "Are you both new here?" he asks, curiosity in his eyes.

Michael, keen to maintain a low profile, nods. "Yeah, uh, Miguel is the one who brought us here." he says, carefully omitting that it was actually his own system that transported them.

Takuya raises an eyebrow but doesn't press further. "Ah, okay. You want to meet Miguel?" he inquires, extending an offer.

Michael's eyes brighten with hope. "Ah, yes, please."

"Follow me." Takuya replies, turning to lead them through the labyrinth of the headquarters.

As they walk, Peter's gaze constantly shifts, marveling at the diversity and technology surrounding them. "Captain, this is wow…" he mutters, his excitement palpable.

Will Michael Wilson and Spider-Man Red be able to assist Miles Morales and the others? Stay tuned for the next chapter.

To be continue