MORE POWERSTONES!!!
---
[Spider-Man Set] [Noon]
The set buzzed with a low, constant energy. Cables snaked across the ground. Crew members moved as usual, carrying gear, checking marks, adjusting lights. The fake alley wall stood nearby, wide and solid, textured to look like brick and grime.
Chloe sat in a folding crew chair under the shade of a building. Trixie sat beside her with her legs swinging, juice box clutched in both hands. Her eyes were glued to the set like she was watching the world's coolest field trip.
"He punched him really hard," Trixie said, wide-eyed. "Like, really hard. Bam!" She swings her arm.
Chloe nodded. "He did."
"And Flash flew back," Trixie continued. "That was awesome."
Chloe smiled. "It was. But that's for the movie. Don't try to hit anyone at school."
"I know," Trixie took a long sip of her juice. "Is he going to climb the wall for real?"
Chloe looked toward the fake wall, then toward Alex and Andrew. "Sort of. Movie real. It's all the trick of proper camera angles."
"Oh," Trixie nodded. "Do you want to act, Mom?"
"No, I'm a cop, remember," Chloe said after a moment.
"So, cops can't act in movies?" Trixie asked with a curious expression.
"No, they can, but there are rules and regulations they must follow and needs permit," Chloe replied.
On set, Alex was talking with Andrew, tablet tucked under his arm. Andrew wore a casual hoodie jacket and jeans, scuffed sneakers on his feet. He looked focused.
"Okay," Alex said. "This is not a superhero moment yet. This is Peter exploring his superpowers."
Andrew nodded. "So more surprised than confident."
"Exactly," Alex said. "You try something small. It works, and in your head, you are thinking, 'OMG! I have superpowers, what else can I do? So, that surprise becomes curious and then just fun. We'll take one step at a time."
Andrew took that in. "Got it."
Alex stepped closer to the wall and placed his palm against it. "Step 1. You touch it first. Nothing dramatic. Just contact. Then you pull away like you are not sure if it was you or the wall."
Andrew mimicked the motion in the air.
"Then you focus and try again," Alex added. "This time, you notice that you got a proper grip, just by touching the wall. So, you crawl slowly at first, completely overwhelmed and surprised, while picking up the pace. Then you stop halfway and look down with a large smile. Now you are excited. This will all depend on your expression and body language."
Andrew smiled slightly. "Okay. Got it."
Alex nodded. "Good. The camera is locked. We will keep it simple. Let the moment breathe."
The stunt coordinator walked over and gave Andrew a quick rundown, pointing out where the hidden grips were and where to place his hands and feet. They attached the safety rope to his waist and the foam floor, in case he falls. Andrew listened carefully, repeating the steps back a couple of times to make sure.
A few feet away, Trixie leaned forward in her chair.
"Alex looks serious," she whispered.
"He is working," Chloe said softly. 'He looks cool when he makes that expression.'
Alex clapped his hands once to get attention. "Alright. Places, everyone."
Andrew stepped into position at the base of the fake alley wall. The camera crew adjusted slightly, making sure the angle sold the illusion. The FX team gave a thumbs-up. The safety team gave the green light.
Alex took his place by the monitor.
"Scene G2," he called. "Take one."
He raised his hand.
"Action."
...
Peter walked into frame, breathing a little heavier like he had been running. He stopped in the alley, hands on his knees for a second, then straightened. He looked around to make sure no one was there.
Then he placed one hand on the wall, but he didn't feel anything.
He frowned, pulled his hand back, stared at his palm.
Then he tried again.
This time, his hand stuck.
Peter froze.
Slowly, carefully, he pulled his hand and watched it peel away with effort. His eyes widened. He touched the wall again, then added his other hand. Both stuck.
A breath left his chest, half laugh, half disbelief.
He shifted his weight forward and placed one foot against the wall. It stuck too.
Peter laughed under his breath, nervous and amazed, and pushed himself up.
For a moment, he lost balance and slipped, catching himself just in time. He pressed his forehead lightly against the wall, steadying his breathing, then tried again. This time, he climbed higher.
Peter climbed a little more, then stopped, chest heaving. He looked down, fear creeping in now that he understood how high he was. But soon it turned to excitement as he climbed higher before jumping onto the rooftop.
...
Alex watched the monitor closely.
"Cut," he said.
"How was it? Do you need a retake?" Andrew yelled from the rooftop.
Alex gave him a thumbs-up. "It was good. Prep up for the next scene. You're going to jump from one building to the other like five times."
"Finally," Andrew replied loudly.
"You sure you want to do the stunt yourself? It's not too late to step back," Alex asked.
"I'm good. I want to do this," Andrew replied. "I want to experience the whole thing and do all the stunts myself."
"Well, as long as you don't throw up," Alex said with a chuckle.
Alex turned and glanced toward the chairs. His eyes found Chloe and Trixie. Chloe gave him a small smile and a thumbs-up. Trixie waved both hands excitedly.
Alex smiled back, then turned to the crew.
"Reset," he said. "We'll resume in fifteen."
Trixie leaned back in her chair, juice box empty now.
"This is the best day," she said.
Chloe rested a hand on her knee. "Yeah," she said quietly. "It really is."
...
[15 minutes later]
The safety team moved in with practiced ease. Harness straps went over Andrew's shoulders and around his waist, snug but not restrictive. One of the technicians tugged on the lines, checking tension, then nodded to the others. The ropes ran upward, connected to the large crane-like rigging above the set. Below, big foam floors were set up. The rooftops were also covered with the paddings to prevent any injuries.
Andrew rolled his shoulders once, testing the fit. "Feels fine."
The stunt coordinator stood in front of him, calm and clear. "You run straight and jump. First rule is never look down." He pointed his fingers forward. "Always look forward and don't fight the pull. The lines will carry you across safely."
Andrew nodded, eyes locked on the gap between the two rooftops. It was not huge, but it looked big enough when you stood at the edge and imagined missing.
Alex stepped closer. "Take your time. Don't rush it. If you feel off, we stop. Your safety comes first."
Andrew looked back at him. "I got it."
The camera crew finished setting up. One camera sat wide, framed to catch the full jump in one clean shot. Two others were positioned tighter, ready to catch Andrew's face as he ran and leapt. The director of photography checked the monitor and gave a thumbs-up.
...
Chloe and Trixie went on roof of the building. It was the direct opposite of the main set. There were a few camera crews. From here, they will get a complete view of the scene.
"Is he really jumping?" Trixie asked with a worried look on her face.
"Yes," Chloe said. "But he's safe."
...
On the main rooftops, Andrew walked to his mark and stopped. He took a breath and shook out his arms.
Alex moved back to the monitor. "Quiet on set."
The chatter faded.
"Scene G3," Alex called. "Take one."
"Action."
Andrew started running.
At first, it was measured and controlled. Then faster. His sneakers hit the rooftop with solid rhythm. He reached the edge and jumped.
For a split second, there was nothing under him.
Then the ropes caught, smooth and clean, pulling him forward and up. Andrew positioned his legs like he was told, eyes wide, breath caught somewhere between fear and thrill. His body arced through the air and landed hard but clean on the second rooftop.
He stumbled one step, then dropped into a crouch, hands braced on the ground. He looked up, laughing breathlessly, pure disbelief on his face.
Alex watched the monitors, eyes tracking every frame.
"Cut."
A small cheer broke out among the crew. The safety team moved in immediately, checking the lines and Andrew's footing.
Andrew looked over the edge and then back at Alex. "That was insane."
Alex nodded. "You good?"
"Yeah," Andrew said. "Yeah, I'm good."
Trixie clapped hard, bouncing in her seat. "He flew!"
Chloe smiled, her eyes still on the rooftops. "He did."
"Alright," Alex said to the crew. "Check the ropes. We'll keep up the rhythm and make it perfect."
So, the shoot continued...
Andrew jumped five times without any injuries or accidents. Thanks to the smooth shoot, the mood on the set was great.
...
[Lunch break]
Alex had set up a small folding table with three chairs inside one of the set buildings. Chloe opened the containers and the smell of tomato sauce and spices filled the room. She set the food out.
Trixie climbed into her chair and leaned over the table. "This smells really good."
Chloe smiled.
Alex handed Trixie a fork and sat down across from them. "Wow! Spaghetti with sausage and meatballs."
They started eating.
"This is really good," Alex said. "I give it a solid 9 points."
"Really?" Chloe raised an eyebrow. "So, did anyone ever got 10 points?"
Alex pointed his finger at his face. "Me."
Chloe chuckled, shaking her head. She wanted to argue, but she knew how good he cooks.
They ate for a bit, just talking about small things. Trixie talked about the jump again and how Andrew looked like he was flying for real. Chloe listened, nodding, occasionally adding little explanations when Trixie's imagination ran too far ahead.
After a few minutes, Alex leaned back slightly and looked out through the open doorway.
Andrew was sitting near his trailer, sitting on the steps with a paper-wrapped sandwich in his hands. He was scrolling on his phone. The rest of the crew had scattered in groups, laughing and talking, but he stayed where he was.
The thing is, today's shoot is only with him, so the others weren't present. And he had no one to talk to.
Alex watched him for a moment.
Then he looked at Trixie.
"Would you like to meet Peter Parker?" he asked casually.
Trixie froze, fork halfway to her mouth. Her eyes widened. "Can I?"
Alex nodded and pointed toward Andrew. "Yeah. Run over to him and ask him to join us for lunch."
Trixie slid off her chair. "Okay."
"Be polite," Chloe said quickly.
"I will," Trixie replied, already halfway out the door.
They watched her run across the set, ponytail bouncing. She slowed as she got closer to Andrew, clearly trying to remember her manners. She stopped in front of him and said something they could not hear.
Andrew looked up, surprised. His face shifted from confusion to a small smile. He said something back and shook her hand before looking toward Alex.
Alex gave him a simple nod as he got up and dragged another chair to the table.
Andrew quickly finished the sandwich and followed Trixie back.
She walked proudly beside him, like she had just accomplished something very important.
When they reached the table, Trixie announced. "This is Andrew. He is Spider-Man."
Andrew laughed softly. "Hi."
Chloe stood and offered her hand. "Hi. I'm Chloe."
Andrew shook it. "Nice to meet you."
Alex gestured toward the chair. "Sit."
Andrew sat down, a little hesitant at first. "Thanks. This is really nice of you."
Trixie climbed back into her chair and looked between them, clearly pleased with herself.
"We have spaghetti," she said. "And lemon tart."
Andrew's eyebrows lifted. "That sounds amazing."
"It is," Alex said. "Trust us."
Chloe passed Andrew a plate and served him. He thanked her again and started eating.
"This is really good," Andrew said after a bite. "Seriously."
Chloe smiled. "You are welcome."
For a moment, everything felt calm. Just people eating together like friends. Trixie talked about Nacho and how he slept on her hoodie. Andrew listened, looking interested, asking her questions and laughing when she answered too seriously.
"President of Mars?" Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Now, that's a big goal."
Alex watched the scene quietly, then reached for the lemon tart and cut another slice...
...
After lunch break... The shooting resumed...
---
[POWERSTONES AND REVIEWS PLS]
Support link: www.patr eon.com/UnknownMaster
[4 advance chs] [All chs available for all tiers] [No double billing.]
+ [Castle 4 chs Early access]