I left the X-Men feeling better than I did entering.
Jean and I spent some more time together, catching up, having fun. In the end, I left with a lighter heart, more accepting of what my situation was.
When I returned, Ben and May could tell I was feeling better. They smiled at me and I just smiled back. My dad didn't spend much time at home these days — he was far too busy helping SHIELD with tracking and locating HYDRA bases.
School had let out for Christmas vacation, and I spent all my time at the Baxter Building working in my lab. I decided that Xavier was right — I didn't have to be Spider-Man, but...I could still be useful, right?
The week went by quickly. I spent most of it working on a special project in my half-destroyed lab. I thought over what Xavier had suggested — superhero training camp. It honestly sounded like a good idea.
If this universe was anything like the 616 Marvel world, then it's going to be filled with people with abilities, and almost all of them will need some way to hide their identities. So I decided to make something to help with just that.
It was called the NEXUS helmet. I designed it with some pointers from Tony himself. I emailed him a few times and he gave me a few brilliant pointers.
I designed the helmet in such a way that it could collapse into a tablet — something that was reasonable for anyone to be carrying around on their person.
The helmet was shaped like the one I used to have from my Spider-Man costume, sleek and well ventilated. Its internal systems were state of the art and had everything from a HUD to a phone-like interface.
It wasn't as expensive as Tony's helmets with their fancy display tech, but it still wasn't cheap. It cost nearly fifty thousand dollars, not including labour charges. So far I only had this one model ready — I was going to have to make some capital before I could turn this into a business that just gave out tech like this for free.
But Tony did have one tiny little suggestion, just a tiny adjustment. He insisted on an AI system being present inside the helmet to assist the wearer. I outright refused, but he went behind my back and hacked into the helmet, downloading and installing an AI in it anyway.
Needless to say, I was pissed.
Now I found myself in my lab, alone, testing the helmet I had created and the AI Tony had forcibly installed inside.
"Testing AI capabilities, experiment number five," I spoke into a recorder before putting it down and tapping the helmet, "hey, can you hear me in there?"
"Yes sir, how may I be of service?" she asked in a polite manner. That's right — she. Tony gave me a female AI. Wonderful.
"Can you search the web for any sightings of illegal activity?" I asked.
"Certainly, Mr. Parker," she replied, "there are currently three crimes reported: one robbery, a car jacking on Fifth, and a man ready to jump off a roof a few blocks away. Do you wish me to plot a course?"
I paused. The words jump off a roof stuck with me. I sighed, "ah...no, not yet. Access my phone's contacts and send the address to Johnny Storm's number."
"I'm sorry, sir, but I don't find anyone listed under that name."
I groaned, "oh, right. Ah, send it to 'Flaming Poo', work — not personal."
"Understood, done," the helmet spoke, "will there be anything else, Mr. Parker?"
"No, thanks, eh...hm, I suppose I haven't given you a name yet, huh?"
"No sir, you haven't," the AI replied.
"Hm...how about...Sexy?" I smiled.
"Sexy, sir? Isn't that a bit obscene?"
I snorted, "you were made by Tony Stark — I suggest you get used to that." I picked the helmet up and pressed a button on its left temple, causing it to collapse onto itself, the internal hard plates shifting and forming an extra-thick red tablet that I put into my back pocket.
I walked out of my lab and into the den. Johnny and Sue were sitting on the couch watching TV. "Johnny," I called out, gaining his attention, "there's a jumper out in the city about to take a dive. I've sent the location to your phone."
Johnny's eyes widened, "shit! Right, on it!" He leaped off the couch and took out his phone for the location. He then jumped over the balcony railing and soared into the air, heading straight for the jumper in question.
"How did you find that out?" Sue asked questioningly.
I held up the red tablet, "I finished her initial test runs. So far, it's perfect."
"Did you apply your Parker Blood system into it?" Sue asked as she motioned me to pass the tablet to her.
"Of course," I did so. Immediately it transformed into its helmet form, causing Sue to put it on and look it over.
"Hm, this is very good, Peter — I'm impressed," Susan replied, "anything fun in particular?"
"Yeah, Sexy, show her a map of all the reported crimes currently being reported in New York," I instructed.
"What did you call me?" Sue asked in surprise.
"At once, sir," Sexy replied.
"Woah!" Sue removed the helmet, her eyes wide in surprise, "h-how...an AI?"
I nodded, sitting down next to her, "yeah. Tony insisted, damn bastard."
"I see...you did say you hated AIs, so why did you let him install it?" Sue asked.
"He bypassed my security settings and rooted it into the main system. I can't remove her without reworking the entire system from scratch," I shrugged.
"You're very rude, you know that?" Sexy huffed.
Sue chuckled, "at least she's got a nice attitude," she tossed me the helmet. Immediately I collapsed it into its tablet form.
We sat in silence, the news running in the background. Slowly the air began to feel awkward — the last time we were alone like this...well...things happened.
I cleared my throat, "so..."
Sue nodded, "yeah...how have you been? We didn't really...you know, get a chance to talk after the ah...well..."
"The kiss?" I chuckled.
Sue snorted, "yeah, that. Look, Peter, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry — I shouldn't have done that."
I smiled, "it's fine, Sue, it was just a kiss," I shrugged, "besides, we were pretty lonely back then. And as kinky as making out with my boss sounds, it's not right."
"Plus you're a minor."
"Oh, right, forgot about that," I gulped, "I hope you don't get into any trouble because of that."
"No...probably not," she shrugged.
"So..." I looked at her, "this is one awkward moment, huh."
"Yup," she nodded. Cue the awkward tension once more. Suddenly Sue snapped her attention to the TV, "look, it's Johnny!"
I turned to the TV and sure enough there was Johnny, floating next to the man about to jump, talking him down. We watched and waited for five solid minutes before finally the man agreed to step back. The people cheered and Johnny helped the man climb down to the ground and get into an ambulance.
"Good job, flame butt," I grinned.
"He has his moments," Sue admitted with a proud smile.
"Yeah, he's really matured since he and Liz began going out."
Sue nodded, "she's good for him." Sue turned to me. I didn't realise how close we were sitting. Slowly the scent of maple syrup began rolling off her body, her eyes dilating.
"Sue," I flicked her forehead, "no. Bad girl."
Sue frowned, rubbing her forehead, "what are you talking about?"
"No fantasising about me," I winked.
"I — I wasn't doing that!" she cried out.
I shrugged, "you don't have to lie, Sue — I know I'm sexy as fuck."
"Hey! I'm —"
"Ah, Peter! You're here, I see," suddenly Reed walked in, causing Sue and me to flinch in surprise. He blinked, "is something wrong?"
I hummed, "no, nothing, just a long day. Created a superhero helmet with an AI to market to superheroes — you know, the usual," I smiled.
Reed narrowed his eyes, "right." He looked at Sue before shrugging, "anyway, it's good that you're here. I need to show you something."
I blinked, "ah, okay." Sue and I got up and followed Reed back into his lab.
The place looked newly built, which was true. Almost all his tech had to be replaced since Doom had trashed his lab the most. And while the rest of the lab looked cluttered, the centre of it held a familiar-looking portal that was humming with energy.
I stopped at the door. Sue gasped as she looked inside. I growled, "Richard, you have ten seconds to explain why you built this thing again."
Reed gulped, "I — I wanted to show you that it worked, Peter. We finally cracked inter-dimensional travel!"
"Are you fucking stupid?!" I cried out, the anger I felt when Doom nearly killed me seeping into my voice, "no, you can't be — you're the world's smartest man. And yet I have to believe you must be stupid, because what kind of idiot would build this thing again?!"
"Peter —"
"No, Reed, this is too much," Sue cut in, "the last time you meddled with things you didn't understand, you nearly got us all killed!"
"Some more than others," I growled as I grabbed him by his shirt collar, "when I gave you those blueprints I stole of Spiral's belt, I didn't intend for you to build a fucking gateway, Reed! Turn this off now!"
"Peter, I —"
"No! I don't want to hear it!" I cried out, "the last time you messed with this, you unleashed Doom! And who knows what's on the other side of this thing?! Turn it off. Now!"
Reed sighed, "y-yeah, alright."
I sighed and let go of him, "thank you." I stepped back as he went to the controls and began powering the machine down. Slowly the green portal being generated closed in on itself and I sighed in relief, "thank God."
"Honestly, Reed, I don't know what you were thinking," Sue scoffed, "once was bad enough."
Reed rubbed his head, "I know, I know, but...I felt bad about what happened to Peter. I figured if I could get this to work, it would prove all that pain I caused wasn't for nothing."
I sighed, "Reed, I don't care about all that. The only person responsible for my pain is Doom, and you are no Doom. I don't blame you for what happened. But by building this machine again...it's kind of hard to think you aren't fucking insane. Like, what if it led to Hell, Reed? You would have literally created a portal to Hell!"
Reed blinked, "Peter, you do realise Hell isn't real, right?"
I rubbed my temples, "believe me, Reed — Hell is very real. There are reports of angels and demons, and I personally know a blue-furred guy who can teleport by travelling through Hell. Chances are it's very real. So let's not take the chance, yes?"
Reed and Sue looked at each other and blinked. Sue turned to me, "we need to have a long talk about the movies you watch."
I scoffed, "I'm not making this up." We walked out of Reed's lab when suddenly the alarms went off. I groaned, "now what?!"
Sue and Reed ran to Reed's terminal. "Doom's trying to hack our system!" Sue cried out.
"He's after the portal's blueprints!" Reed yelled.
"Can you stall him?" I asked.
"We're trying," Sue growled.
"I think I can help," I pulled out my red tablet and turned it into my helmet. Once it was on I called out, "Sexy, can you help secure the servers?"
"Yes sir," she replied.
"Connect her into the machine directly — it should give her a direct line to fight off Doom," Reed instructed.
I nodded as I ran to the portal and pulled out a wire from the helmet, plugging it into the machine. "Entered the mainframe, locating worm, destroying," came Sexy's voice.
I waited for a few moments before Reed cried out, "it's working! Sexy's gotten rid of Doom's virus!"
"Horrible name for an AI," Sue grumbled.
"Oh, don't worry, honey — I think you're sexy too," I chuckled, earning a glare from Reed while Sue smiled coyly.
Suddenly, though, Reed's eyes went wide, "no! No!"
"What happened?" Sue cried out.
"He's gotten into the main system! How?!"
"The worm was a trap," Sue called out, her eyes going wide, "he's trying to activate the portal!"
"Warning: Doom has sent the settings to the portal at maximum range. It can potentially destroy the entire building," Sexy informed.
WOAM!
The green portal reappeared. I stared at its green voidness and gulped, "Sexy, any recommendations on how to stop it?"
"The portal isn't stabilised yet to its full capacity. Any life form that enters now can destabilise the portal and prevent total collapse."
I sighed. 'So basically I have to risk myself.' I knew I had no choice. There was no way I was letting anything happen to the people in this building. And I was the only one who could do it. My healing factor should be able to keep me alive, even if I jump through a destabilised portal.
My mind made up, I spoke, "Sexy, find me a safe place to land."
"Understood, accessing subterminal codes now...location found. Designation: Home," she replied.
"Peter! What are you doing?!" Sue cried out.
I turned to her and gave a mocking salute, "healing factor, remember? I'll be fine. Just get to work bringing me back, alright?"
"No, Peter! Let me! I caused all of this!" Reed came rushing at me.
"Sorry, Stretch," I sent a bio-electric blast that sent him flying back, "but you're the only one smart enough to bring me back." I removed the wire from my helmet, disconnecting it from the machine, and stepped back.
"Location set, sir," Sexy called out, "portal will be stable enough to collapse in twenty seconds."
"Fucking perfect." I ran forward. I think I heard Sue cry out something as I did, but I didn't really listen. I jumped into the green portal and suddenly everything began to spin. My stomach flipped, my body weightless. I came flying around in circles — green everywhere. I think I'm going to be sick.
And then it stopped. Gravity returned and I found myself thrown head first into the ground. I gathered myself quickly and came up into a roll. I looked around — I was on a rooftop in the middle of Manhattan. I would recognise this city anywhere.