After Gwen left, Miles stood atop the tower where the water tank loomed, gazing into the distance. The cool night air wrapped around him, offering little comfort as he grappled with his emotions.
Jefferson Morales, Miles's father, watched his son with a sympathetic expression before turning back toward the party, where his promotion to captain was being celebrated. Rio Morales remained behind, her eyes filled with concern as she observed her son.
Miles, sensing her presence, sighed and said, "I can hear you being quiet, Mom."
Rio, her voice soft with hesitation, replied, "I, um... I hope I didn't ice your game, man."
Miles smirked, trying to lighten the mood, "No one my age says those words in that order, Mom."
Rio's eyes softened as she continued to look at her son. "It's just hard to see my little man not be my little boy all the time."
Miles nodded, understanding her struggle. "Yeah."
Rio approached Miles, standing beside him as they both took in the expansive night sky. The stars twinkled above, a silent witness to their conversation.
Rio turned to Miles, her voice steady but gentle. "Papá, you know you can tell me anything."
She looked deeply into his eyes and, in Spanish, said, "No hay mentiras entre nosotros." (There are no lies between us.)
Miles hesitated, feeling the weight of her words. He was about to reveal his secret when he hesitated, choosing to share something different instead. "Well... I'm..." but he decided against disclosing his identity as Spider-Man. Instead, he said, "I'm sorry I was late."
Rio's eyes softened further, and she urged him, "Go." She was referring to Gwen, encouraging him to follow his friend.
Miles looked at her, puzzled. "What?"
Rio smiled, a touch of warmth in her eyes. "She seems like a nice girl."
Miles raised an eyebrow, a mix of relief and suspicion in his tone. "Is this a trick?"
Rio shook her head, reassuring him. "It's not a trick."
Miles chuckled, a bit more relaxed. "Geez. What are you...?"
Rio interrupted, gently reaching out to adjust Miles's hoodie. "Let me fix you. Just..." As she made the adjustments, thankfully not noticing the Spider-Man suit beneath, she continued, "For years I've been taking care of this little boy, right?" Her fingers deftly adjusted the jacket, smoothing out the wrinkles.
She gently adjusted his hoodie, smoothing out the fabric with tender care. Her eyes were filled with a mixture of love and concern as she looked at her son. "Making sure he's loved, that he feels like he belongs wherever he wants to be." Rio said softly, her gaze steady and filled with emotion.
Miles blinked back tears, his heart swelling with the warmth of her words. He swallowed hard, trying to hold back the torrent of emotions. The stars above seemed to flicker in sympathy, and the cool breeze rustled the leaves around them, adding to the poignant moment.
Rio continued, her voice trembling slightly with mixed emotions. "He wants to go out into the world and do great big things. And what I worry about most..."
Miles looked at his mother, his eyes filled with emotions
Rio's voice grew softer, almost wistful. "Is they won't look out for you like us. They won't root for you like us."
Miles whispered, "Mom."
Rio's fingers brushed gently against Miles's face, her touch tender and affectionate. "So here's the deal. Wherever you go from here, you have to promise to take care of that little boy for me."
Miles opened his mouth to respond but found himself lost for words. His emotions were a tangled mess, making it hard to articulate his feelings.
Rio leaned in closer, her voice firm but loving. "Make sure he never forgets where he came from. And he never doubts that he's loved." Her eyes were intense, a mix of hope and worry reflecting in them.
Miles remained silent, overwhelmed by the depth of her sentiment. The night around them was still, the city's distant lights casting a faint glow that bathed them in a soft, reflective light.
Rio's fingers lingered on his chest, her touch gentle yet insistent. "And he never lets anyone at those big, fancy places he's gonna be in and tell him that he doesn't belong there."
Miles placed his hand over hers, feeling the warmth and strength of her presence. His eyes were misty, and his heart ached with the depth of her concern and love.
Rio's gaze softened, but her resolve remained strong. "And when he comes home, and he better come home..." She pointed at his chest, her finger making contact with the fabric of his hoodie as if emphasizing her words. "You're gonna be early," she added with a firm nod, then patted his chest gently. "And you're gonna be holding a normal, nice cake."
Miles chuckled softly, the sound a bittersweet blend of amusement and sorrow. He looked at his mother, his emotions a mix of gratitude and sadness. "Yeah, okay."
Rio's expression turned serious again. "You gotta promise, Miles."
Miles nodded, his voice steady despite the emotional weight. "I promise."
Rio smiled through her sadness. "Don't get lost."
Miles replied with a small, reassuring nod. "Mm-hm. Okay."
"Cool." Rio said, her tone softening.
Miles leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to his mother's cheek. "Bendición, mami." he said gently.
Rio chuckled with tears in her eyes. "Que Dios te bendiga."
She looked at her son one last time, her gaze a mixture of pride and sadness. "Now go. Get out of here."
Miles nodded, turning to leave. As he walked away, he glanced back at his mother one final time. Rio called out after him, her voice carrying a hint of playful reprimand. "And when you come back, you're still grounded."
Miles laughed awkwardly, the sound echoing softly in the night. "Hahaha."
Rio's smile was tinged with sadness. "Yeah, I'm smiling like it's a joke, but it's true."
Miles sighed, his shoulders relaxing a bit. "Yeah, I figured."
As he made his way down, the city lights twinkling in the distance, Miles looked back at his mother one more time. "See you later. With a cake."
Rio watched him go, her heart heavy with love and pride. The night continued on, the city's sounds a distant hum as she stood alone on the tower, the night sky above a silent witness to their heartfelt goodbye.
...............
Another Universe (Earth - 1947 universe)
In a hidden S.H.I.E.L.D laboratory, the room buzzed with activity. Fluorescent lights cast a harsh glare on the white walls, and the soft beeping of machines filled the air. At the center of the room was a secure container holding the Power Stone, which glowed with a faint, eerie light.
Loe Halloway, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D, stood in front of the container, studying the stone intently. Despite being from another universe, the Power Stone emitted a faint energy like a 10 percent of its power.
Loe's eyes, sharp and calculating, shifted from the stone to Bruce Banner, the leader of this operation. Bruce, a highly respected scientist in his own right, stood by a cluster of monitors and scientific equipment. Bruce was an accomplished scientist, but at this moment, he was just an ordinary man without the Hulk's powers.
Loe broke the silence, his voice steady but carrying an edge of urgency."How is it? Did you find any properties or characteristics in the stone that we can utilize?"
Bruce turned to face Loe, his expression thoughtful and analytical. "Well, Director, this is certainly intriguing. The stone emits gamma radiation, which is something we haven't encountered before in this capacity. We might be able to harness its energy for a range of applications."
Loe nodded, clearly pleased. "That's good to hear. I'm counting on you, Bruce. This could be a big breakthrough for us."
Bruce adjusted his glasses, his mind racing with possibilities. "The gamma radiation could be used to enhance our technology or develop new energy sources. We need to study it more to understand all its potential uses."
Loe nodded and then gaze drifted back to the Power Stone, his thoughts clearly preoccupied. "I hope this time I could help them. I could help Michael this time."
As the team worked diligently, the laboratory filled with the sounds of scientific equipment and the occasional murmur of conversation. The Power Stone, with its mysterious energy, remained at the heart of their efforts, a symbol of hope for what they might achieve.
Loe watched the stone, determined to make the most of this opportunity. He knew there were many challenges ahead, but the promise of what they could accomplish with the Power Stone gave him hope.
...............................
Gwen, clad in her spider suit, swung from building to building, her movements swift and precise. Her watch, an advanced piece of tech, beeped as it tracked the spider signal she had planted earlier.
"Come on, come on!" Gwen muttered to herself, her eyes scanning the city below. The glowing screen of her watch showed a map with a blinking signal indicating the spider tracker's location. "Aha, found it!" she exclaimed as the signal pinpointed the area.
With renewed determination, Gwen shot out her webbing and swung toward the location. Her movements were calculated, and she seemed to be on high alert, her focus entirely on her destination.
Miles Morales, also in his spider suit, spotted Gwen as she swung through the city. He initially intended to call out to her, but as he noticed Gwen's cautious and seemingly secretive approach, he decided to follow her instead.
Miles trailed Gwen discreetly, making sure to stay out of sight. His suit's invisibility feature helped him blend into the surroundings. As he followed, he observed that Gwen was heading towards a scene of destruction—a building that had been severely damaged. Outside, police were managing the chaos, their flashlights sweeping the debris.
Gwen, assessing the situation, noticed that the police were preoccupied with the wreckage. Seizing the opportunity, she used her webbing to latch onto a police car. With a swift yank, she moved the car backward, causing it to lurch and swerve. The officers, startled by the unexpected movement, began chasing the car in a panic.
With the police distracted, Gwen slipped through a hole in the side of the destroyed building. Miles, maintaining his invisible form, followed her inside.
The interior of the building was a mess of shattered glass and debris. Gwen moved carefully, her eyes darting around as she examined the surroundings. Her gaze landed on a series of framed photographs on the wall. The pictures featured various scientists from Alchemax, including Olivia Octavius, a face that seemed to ring a bell for Gwen and Miles.
Miles, observing from the shadows, noticed something that made him frown in confusion. There were several dead spiders scattered on the floor, each marked with a number. Their presence was puzzling, and Miles couldn't make sense of their significance.
Gwen approached a damaged workbench, where her watch came to life with a holographic display. She tapped on the watch, her expression turning tense.
"Oh, shoot, shoot, shoot," Gwen muttered as she scrolled through the data on her watch. "Show me what happened." she commanded.
The watch responded with a projection that flickered to life. The hologram displayed a scene from earlier—a disheveled man surrounded by various materials. He was gesturing excitedly as he spoke.
"Spots. That's the thing. I need more spots!" the man said, holding up several items and materials. His voice was desperate and frantic, and his words made it clear that he was obsessed with acquiring more "spots."
Gwen's eyes widened as she watched the projection, realizing the gravity of the situation. The man in the video was Spot, a known villain, and his obsession with "spots" could mean trouble. The connection between Spot and the destroyed building, along with the dead spiders, was starting to make sense, but Gwen knew she needed more information to understand the full picture.
As Spot continued his work, he spoke to himself with a mixture of excitement and frustration. "Ha! Oh, my gosh. It was right under where my nose would've been. I just need a little bit more dimensional juice or whatever."
Spot was busy tinkering with a complex setup of machinery and equipment. He had managed to rig together a makeshift collider, using parts and technology that seemed cobbled together from various sources. The device was linked to the city's power grid, and Spot was adjusting it with a fervor that hinted at his desperation.
Miles, still hidden and invisible, saw the projector's flickering image and whispered in shock, "Shoot." The realization of what Spot was working on began to hit him.
Gwen, too, was alarmed by the sight of Spot's experiment. "Shoot, shoot!!" she exclaimed as she rapidly rewound the projection to get a clearer view of Spot's setup.
Spot continued to explain his work with an unsettling pride. "Never came up with a good name. Branding was never my strong suit. The city power line to my micro collider prototype could generate a little more concentrated dark energy."
Gwen, her frustration mounting, echoed Miles's earlier exclamation, "Shoot."
Miles muttered, "Shoot," his mind racing as he tried to process the implications of Spot's plan.
As Spot continued, he added, "This is what I love about science!" His voice was tinged with a dangerous excitement, as if he was on the brink of a breakthrough that could have catastrophic consequences.
Then Spot's expression darkened with a hint of malice. "And, Spider-Man, I'll make you pay for everything you took away from me."
Miles's heart sank as he heard Spot's threat. The reality of the situation was setting in, and his thoughts spiraled into a mix of dread and frustration. "Fuck my life." he thought, feeling the weight of the impending danger and the difficult decisions that lay ahead.
To be continue