[Unknown POV]
—late midnight —
The alley outside Birch Psychiatric Hospital was dim and quiet, the soft hum of the city echoing in the distance. Peter Parker—reborn, calculating, and endlessly ambitious—stood in the shadows, his phantom laptop tucked away in his bag. Tonight, he wasn't Eternal Spider, nor would he rely on any abilities tied to his superhero persona. Brute force or superhuman theatrics? Out of the question. This was all about cunning, precision, and control.
Leaning against the wall, Peter closed his eyes and tapped into the [hive mind]. A vast network of ants within a 1-kilometre radius buzzed in his thoughts, each glowing red on his mental map. The connection was immediate and vivid—he could feel the cold pavement beneath their legs and sense the vibrations of their antennae.
"This is my domain," Peter whispered, a smirk curling at the edges of his lips. "Infinite Eyes."
The ability was powerful, but it had limits. Stretching his control beyond the 1-kilometre radius would overload his mind, leaving him gasping with pain. The farther the ants were, the weaker his grip on them. But within his radius? His power was absolute.
For weeks, Peter had been hoarding ants, collecting them and suspending them in his inventory—a pocket dimension of sorts. Whenever he needed them, they were ready at his command.
Focusing his mind, Peter activated Infinite Eyes. His consciousness extended outward, connecting with the swarm stationed across the hospital and the nearby power substation.
"All right, my little soldiers," Peter murmured, his voice low and commanding. "Time to move."
Through his [hive mind], Peter directed a swarm of ants to infiltrate the power substation. They crawled through vents, over wires, and onto the critical circuits he'd mapped earlier. The closer they were, the stronger his control became. Within moments, he pinpointed the main transformer responsible for powering the hospital.
He guided the ants to the exact wires he needed severed, watching through their eyes as they bit through the insulation. Sparks flew, and the transformer groaned before it shut down entirely.
Inside the hospital, the lights flickered violently before sections of the building plunged into darkness. Emergency generators kicked in, but Peter had anticipated this. His ants had already sabotaged the circuits connected to the surveillance system, rendering the cameras useless.
Peter opened his eyes, the faint hum of the hive mind still buzzing in the back of his thoughts. The hospital was now in chaos, with guards and staff scrambling to figure out what had happened.
"The cameras are down!" a security guard yelled.
"Power's out on the east wing—someone checks the generators!" another instructed.
Slipping into the hospital through a side entrance, Peter moved like a shadow, using his night vision to navigate the dark corridors. His ants scouted ahead, crawling under doors and through vents, feeding him a real-time map of the building.
Through Infinite Eyes, Peter focused on a specific group of ants. He saw Danny Rand being sedated and dragged to a secured room where three thugs were beating him brutally. He also noted two guards standing outside the door.
"These guys are on edge," Peter muttered. "Good. Fear makes people stupid."
With a mental command, he sent a swarm of ants through the ventilation shaft above the guards. The insects poured out like a living shadow, crawling over the guards' boots and legs.
"What the hell?!" one of them shouted, swatting at the swarm.
"Ants! Damn it—get them off me!"
While the guards were distracted, Peter slipped past them and into the room.
Inside, Danny Rand was on the ground, coughing blood as one thug kicked him in the stomach.
"Guys, let's beat the shit out of—" Before the thug could finish, Peter's fist connected with the back of his head, dropping him instantly.
"What the—" another thug yelled, but Peter's calculated strike silenced him just as quickly.
Peter made short work of the remaining thugs, his movements precise and efficient.
Danny, bruised but not broken, staggered to his feet. His K'un-Lun training allowed him to discern the masked figure's movements and demeanour. He stood in a defensive stance, confused but wary.
"Who are you?" Danny asked, his voice low and guarded.
"Danny, it's me—Peter," Peter said, pulling his mask back slightly to reveal his face.
Danny's expression shifted from suspicion to surprise, but he didn't drop his guard entirely.
"You came," Danny said, his tone a mix of disbelief and gratitude.
"You can thank me later," Peter replied with a smirk. "Maybe when you're a billionaire again, you can help improve my poor, miserable life."
Danny gave a small, reluctant grin, but the moment was brief.
"We can talk later," Peter said, his tone calm but firm. "Right now, we're leaving."
As Peter and Danny made their way out, they encountered a reinforced steel door blocking their exit in the basement. Peter feigned frustration, crossing his arms.
[Peter's POV]
"Great… now this," I said, glancing at Danny. I remember in the series Danny broke through with a glowing punch.
"How are we getting out of here?" I asked him, feigning frustration, though I wanted to see the Iron Fist in action.
Danny stepped forward, his expression calm and focused.
"Stand back," Danny said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.
I stepped back and watched closely, intrigued.
Danny raised his fist, channelling his chi. It glowed with a golden light. The air around him hummed with power. With a loud cry, he punched the steel door, and the impact was nothing short of catastrophic. The door buckled and tore off its hinges, leaving a gaping exit.
I couldn't help but whistle. "Okay, that was impressive. You weren't lying."
"Let's go," he said, moving swiftly past me.
As we emerged into the cool night air, the hospital was still in chaos. The power outage had thrown the staff into disarray, and no one had noticed Danny was missing.
I could see the gratitude in Danny's eyes, but there was something else too. A flicker of hesitation, maybe. It made sense. He had been betrayed by those closest to him, people he thought he could trust—his childhood friends. They were supposed to be his family, and now here he was, relying on a stranger he barely knew.
Danny turned to me, his words genuine but still unsure. "Thank you, Peter. You took a risk for someone you just met."
I grinned, feigning nonchalance. "It's all good, man. I had a hunch—or maybe just a gut feeling. You seem like a solid guy. And anyone with powers like yours? I'm sticking around."
I gave a glance at his iron fist, looking back at him. "And let's just say I did it so you owe me one. When you get back to being Danny Rand, you can help me out with a few things."
Danny smiled a quiet warmth in his eyes. "I don't know how to feel that you trust me."
I chuckled. "Trust's earned, Danny. But for now, I'm just going with what feels right."
The cold night air in Chinatown wrapped around us as we walked down the street. The hustle of the city felt distant, almost muted by the chaos we had just left behind. I turned to him after a beat. "You got somewhere to crash?"
Danny's face faltered for a second, then he shook his head. "No… I've been kind of winging it."
"Never mind. Come on, let's go to Sensei's place," I chuckled, leading the way toward the Chikara Dojo where Danny was supposed to go originally.
Soon, we reached the outside of the Chikara Dojo while Danny explained how he ended up in a psychiatric hospital. He also mentioned that his so-called childhood friend, Joy, was the one who orchestrated it. I already knew why—they were scared he'd claim his inheritance and jeopardize their cushy positions in the company.
"Hm?" I paused, hearing muffled sounds from inside the dojo. Fighting. I glanced at Danny, whose expression mirrored my concern.
"Let's go," he said, about to rush inside.
"Wait!" I grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. "How do you know they're not here for you?"
"What are you saying?" he asked, clearly confused.
"Think about it. Don't just show yourself—they might be after you. Let's see if Sensei needs help first," I said, already climbing up to the balcony. I motioned for him to follow. He hesitated but eventually joined me.
Peering inside, we saw Colleen Wing engaged in a fight with several men in black. She was wearing a loose sports bra and tight shorts, her movements precise and calculated. It was clear she was handling the situation just fine.
'Ah, Ward must've sent these guys to look for Danny,' I thought, narrowing my eyes.
Colleen moved like a seasoned warrior, landing every strike with ruthless efficiency. Her flexibility and skill were mesmerizing.
I glanced at Danny, silently signalling him to stay hidden unless it became necessary. He nodded reluctantly.
"I told you already—there's no Danny here! Now get the hell out!" Colleen snarled, kicking one of the men so hard in the stomach that he collapsed onto the floor, groaning in pain.
"Danny Rand escaped from the hospital! He's dangerous!" one of the intruders wheezed, clutching his stomach.
Colleen scoffed. "I can handle myself. And let me tell you something—nobody sneaks into my dojo and gets away with it."
With a swift kick, she sent another man crashing into the wall. The rest, clearly outmatched, staggered to their feet and scrambled out of the dojo.
'She's badass and wild,' I thought, thoroughly impressed. 'Every move—so precise. And that flexibility… the more I know her, the more I want to break the strong-willed woman mentally and conquer her on my knees.'
'Ehem, calm down your darkest desire Peter, 'I reminded myself and focused on her as she dealt with the last man.
Once the intruders were gone, Danny ignored my silent warning and jumped down from the balcony.
"Really?" Colleen turned to him, her expression a mix of annoyance and disbelief.
"I thought I already did you a favour today by sending your things to Joy," she said, raising an eyebrow. She grabbed some ointment for his bruises.
"I didn't have anywhere else to go," Danny admitted sheepishly, glancing at the broken lock on the main door.
Colleen sighed. "How did you even get out?"
Danny hesitated, glancing toward me. I stepped forward, pulling back my hoodie and mask. "Hi, Sensei."
Colleen turned to me, her eyes widening slightly before narrowing into a sharp glare. "Okay, what the hell are you doing here?"
She looked between me and Danny, her expression shifting as realization dawned. "You helped him, didn't you? Why?"
I raised my hands defensively. "Yeah, I did. He called me, and I couldn't just stand by while he's suffering. He's the real deal."
Her expression hardened, her arms crossing. "Why did you have to involve my student?"
Danny sighed, guilt evident. "I'm sorry, Colleen. I didn't have a choice."
She turned to me, her voice sharp. "Peter, you're just 17—a kid. You shouldn't be caught up in this mess."
I frowned. "Sensei, don't treat me like a kid."
Danny looked at me, confused. "Wait, you're 17? You don't look it. You're, uh… pretty built for a teenager."
I smirked. "Well, that's the result of my training."
Colleen sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Whatever. Danny, you can stay here for now, but you're leaving tomorrow. I don't want more trouble."
She turned to me. "And you, Peter—don't do anything this reckless again. You don't know what kind of mess you're getting into."
I shrugged, grinning. "You'll see soon enough that I'm not just some immature teen."
Colleen gave me a tired look. "Are you staying too?"
"Nah. If my aunt finds out I'm not home, she'll freak out." I chuckled, stepping forward. On impulse, I gave her a brief hug. She tensed slightly but relaxed almost immediately.
"I'm sorry, Sensei. I didn't know where else to bring him," I said, playing the part of a guilty but well-meaning teenager.
She sighed, patting my back briefly before stepping away. "Just let me know next time, alright? I don't want my students dragged into unnecessary trouble."
As she stepped back, I grinned. These little hugs had become common between us after sparring sessions and all the time we'd spent together. She probably saw me as a younger brother or something, though I didn't give a fuck, and that wouldn't change the original path that I have paved for her in future.