Chapter 18
I lean on the suit synthesizer my dad designed "What type of fabric you suggest?"
FRIDAY displays a set of options "The design you submitted was analyzed by my algorithms, I suggest you use a waterproof TPU fabric, it has excellent material properties and micro bonds of a thermoplastic polyurethane membrane"
I hum reaching for my second cup of coffee "Suitable for the color I indicated?
"Yes, I would also recommend a thin layer of cotton, making the suit composition like this"
The hologram changes in front of me and I smile looking at what I'm creating
"Yep, I like it" I rub my eyes and turn to the clock, 2:09 am
"Do you want a special signature in your suit, Miss Stark?" FRIDAY asks
I slump on the high bench and grab a piece of paper "mmmm, let me think about it..."
" 'Tamic', 'GammaTammic' "
I start doodling symbols but my eyelids start feeling heavy. I'll take a break, yeah. Just five minutes.
-----
"Baby..." a poke on my back wakes me up
I lift my head "mmhmm? Where...? oh...mom?"
She gently smiles rubbing her hand in my back "Hey you... you worked all night?"
"Uhhhh... yeah. A project." I rub my eyes as my consciousness starts waking as well. Oh! the suit synthesizer!! I jump to the floor and pace to where the metal design is "Wha-what time is it?"
"Nine fifty, honey... I thought you were at school"
I spin to look at her leaning against the table "I was a little stressed for all the homework so I think I pushed myself just a little"
She purses her lips and walks to the lab's door "Well, rest today ok? I swear to god that you and your father are so much alike... I don't want you to push yourself ok?"
"Yes, mom, where are you going?
"Morning meeting" she steps outside but quickly peeks her head "Hey! How was that party?"
I snort rubbing my temple "Good, yes... a lot of dancing"
Fighting
She cheerfully winks at me and her heels start fading outside. I stumble to the machine and start pushing the button
"Good morning, to access the suits properties please scan your hand, identification is requested"
I gnaw on my lip while placing my palm on the bio-reader. A blue light twinkles and a holographic folder pops in front of me.
"Accessing the files of Tannie Maria Stark" FRIDAY states and the image of the suit I designed starts appearing
My smile gets wider and I poke the hologram to make it bigger "Is it ready?"
"It is. I need voice confirmation to open the chamber"
"Uuuuh, what kind of voice confirmation?"
"Uuuuh, what kind of voice confirmation?"
I jump back when the whole machine lights on. The bottom part opens with a little 'pfffff' and a small cloud of steam rises.
"...Whoa..."
I grab the fabric noticing it's only a one-piece. Peter's gonna annoy me for it...
"This is so cool!!"
"I'm glad you like it, Miss Stark, the only thing missing is the shoes" Friday adds
"Oh yeah, no problem I got those" I turn off the synthesizer and walk to grab my stuff
I hastily fold the suit and shut the lab door. Oh, that's right. No school for me today. Hhhmm, my mood just got better. That's for sure. I lay on my bed scrolling down my phone, I have three missed messages of Harvey, one from Ned, and one from Happy.
I sigh rolling to my side. What should I do now? Probably eat... my stomach's twisting.
I walk to the kitchen and prepare a light breakfast. Start watching TV while doing absolutely nothing apart from breathing. One hour later I take a shower and once I'm ready I grab a book. I slump in my loveseat and three, five, seven chapters are down in three hours. After that, I go again to the kitchen to eat something and turn the TV to have some white noise as a background. The sun is setting in front of the Compound and I go to one of the balconies to admire how the dusk is minutes away.
This is very intimidating... quietness... One is alone with its thoughts. I flutter my eyes adjusting at the change of shades in front of me. I spin away stretching my legs that guide me again to my dad's lab.
As soon as I step inside the automatic lights flick and the speakers start playing my dad's playlist but in a lower volume than he listens to it.
"Hello Mr. Stark" Friday's voice appears
"Oh, I'm Tannie" I correct her and walk near the holograms that show unfinished projects he's working on
"Are you bored? Do you want to play 'I spy?' "
I snort sitting in front of the main table "Maybe later... so uh, remember that folder I once asked you for?"
"Sure! File named P.P."
"Is it coded? do you think I can re-"
"Accessing... here you have"
I look up to a bunch of files neatly organized in rows... Videos, more videos... School file? I scroll to the bottom and spot in the corner a spider emblem. I poke it and a black screen pops gradually filling with various words...
"Uh, what's this FRIDAY?"
"This is the key identifier for Mr. Parker's suit. This holds data about his suit and what he does with it... it's part of the Training Wheels Protocol"
With a loud snort, I squint my eyes at the list of commands in front of me "The what?!"
"Mr. Stark wanted to supervise Mr. Parker's activity and to control the functions he installed"
I scroll to the bottom of the encrypted commands "He really loves his names, huh? so uh... what kind of functions we're talking about?"
"Heater, wings, multiple web combinations such as Ricochet, Taser, grenade, Spider tracers, and a very defined Tracking system"
I jerk my head back an wince "Whoa... everything's there?... wait... tracking system? can ..? Can I see where he is right now?"
"Of course, it was the first thing Mr. Stark put in it..."
The hologram shifts as a scaled model of New York and it moves to Washington D.C. where the image zooms faster until a small dot beeps in front of me. A text pops up saying he's inside a hotel. Just as I'm about to poke the beeping light, a red square blocks the hologram. It says 'Suit System Unlocked: IP Adress not verified'
What?
I grab my phone and call Peter. After some seconds a shuffling sounds appear and then a sigh
"Hey, Tannie! sorry for not texting you, the room has room-service and I was lost in a Club sandwich, it had bacon" Ned rambles through the line
"Ned, I'm seeing here that someone breached into Peter's suit"
"oh crap..." Peter's voice sounds further from the phone
"What? why oh crap? are you the ones doing it?"
"oh...uh... yeah, it's me...?" Ned whispers "Peter is removing the tracker of the suit"
I spin and close the doors "He is? why?"
"because I gotta follow these guys to their boss before they move again" Peter raises his voice " oh...gotcha!"
"So... you're lying to my dad... and Happy?"
"Yeah, he's lying to Iron Man" Ned mutters to me
"No, I'm not lying. He just doesn't really get what I can do yet, no offense Tannie" Peter whispers and the line goes silent for some second "...All right, Happy. Enjoy tracking this lamp"
"He actually asked me if Midtown was having an Academic Decathlon..."
"See, man? I'm like a baby for them!"
Ned softly grunts and my finger keeps scrolling down through that interface "You know... there's a tone of subsystems in your suit"
"That's exactly what I'm seeing Tannie!" Ned chirps making me pull away from the phone "but they're all disabled by the-"
"-The training wheels protocol"
"WHAT?!" Peter's disembodied voice gets closer "you knew about this Tannie?"
"Nope, I'm seeing it right now"
"Training Wheels Protocol? turn it off!"
I chuckle at his annoyance "I don't think that's a good idea Peter..."
"Yeah man, I mean, they're probably blocked for a reason" Ned adds
"Come on, man. I don't need training wheels... I'm sick of him treating me like a kid all the time. It's not cool, again, no offense Tannie"
"But you're a kid" Ned adds with a matter-of-fact tone
"Yeah, a kid who can stop a bus with his bare hands, I mean, come on Tannie... you understand right? what if your dad limits your powers because you're a 'kid' ?"
"...Peter, I-"
"I just don't think this is a great idea. I mean, what if this is illegal? what if your dad, Tannie locks me in jail?"
"He wouldn't do that, Ned!"
"Look, please. This is my chance to prove myself. I can handle it. Guys, come on."
"I really don't think this is a good idea..." Ned whispers as I turn off the hologram and hear closely
"The guy in the chair" Peter whispers
"Whoa haha... that's very manipulative, Parker..."
"Ssshhh... Ned, come on..."
"Don't do that..." Ned sighs and I hear fast typing "done"
"Thanks, dude, ok, plan's simple. I'm gonna change and you Ned keep the glowy thing save ok?"
"Okay, okay"
"Be careful Peter!" I yell and hear how the phone is being shifted
"You're off speaker" Peter's voice sound closer as if he's in the room now
"Seriously Peter, you fight and then you go and win the Decathlon"
"You're bossy... but yeah, that's the plan. See you soon!"
He ends the call when all of a sudden my insides twist. This sudden urge to run and to fly, to doge and to punch creeps all over my body. It's asking for adrenaline but I guess it's not my time to go out there. Two hours later and already done with reading and more reading I start pushing my blankets aside to snuggle in the mattress but my phone starts ringing.
"Ned? hey, is everything ok?" I say while getting inside my bed
"no, not all"
I stop kneeled on the mattress "What?!"
"Peter hasn't come back! there's no way to track him down!"
I hunch forward and sigh "Oh god... maybe he's still fighting? why did he remove that tracker?"
"Listen, I'm going to sleep now and I'll call you when I wake up ok?"
"Yeah, please, Ned. Goodnight" I end the call and rub my face hoping Peter is ok
---------
There are these times when I sleep like a baby. When not even my dad's voice or my mom's heels outside in the hall make me flinch under the covers and then there are times when half my brain is still awake and the other is trying to sleep. My body twists, I roll to my left, then to my right, to my chest, and to my back... In the end, I only slept for five hours.
With dark circles around my eyes, I move to the treadmill to shake the worry in my chest. The shower helps just a bit and then I walk to the kitchen. I can't count the times I've flip my phone to check for any texts but there's still nothing. I grunt hopping inside the car earning a long stare from Happy. Minutes into the drive my phone rings and I slide my fingers to grab it.
"Ned! tell me!"
"He is not here, I repeat he is not here... oh no, what if the bad guys took him? What if he's dead?!"
"We're not giving him that... we're the one killing him!" I mutter under my breath
"Agree. Look, Decathlon is just starting and I need to leave my phone..."
"Yeah sure, wait! the uh... you have it?"
"oh yeah, in my pocket, safe and sound"
"Good... good luck" I end the call and lift my head to see Happy glaring at me through the mirror
"So... first, second or third-degree murder?"
"First, definitely. It's one of my teammates.. didn't do his part of the job so..."
He puts his sunglasses and sighs "God bless I'm so old for High School"
He drops me and I walk to the school, I text Harvey but he says he has the flu so he's at his house. I sigh stepping into the hallway preparing myself for just another horrible normal absolute fricking day of school.
HORRIBLE
NORMAL
ABSOLUTE
FRICKING
DAY OF SCHOOL
That 8 hours feel like 5 years. No kidding. I exit the school after a dreadful day just when my phone vibrates.
"Ned! please tell me he's ok?"
"He is, he was so agitated when I talked to him"
A massive airy breath escapes my lips as the weight on my chest decreases for a moment.
"... Listen we all are at the Washington Monument, we'll be there with you tomorrow, take care..."
He ends the calls as I hop on the car. Fortunately, Happy drives like a mad person through the streets saying he's late for work. Once inside the empty compound, I go to the kitchen and eat while doing Homework. I grunt placing my forehead against the marbled counter. This sucks. This really isn't my day.
To relax, if that's even possible, I go to the lap pool and finally showered. Pacing back and forth through the compound is the most entertaining thing to do right now, my slippers shuffle against the tiles as I make ky way to the living room to turn the TV. Cartoons, cartoons, series, cartoons, news, movies, wait... news...
"Ok folks, breaking news, Spider-Man saved a group of students... Natalie are you there?"
"Tyler, Spider-Man swooped in, heroically saving an Academic Decathlon team from Queens. The identity of the masked hero is still unknown"
Images of the broken monument start popping on the screen. Videos of people inside, shouting... Spider-Man jumping... what happened? The long-gone sinking weight on my chest appears once again. My thoughts repeatedly review the videos. I pat the side of the couch finding my phone without taking my eyes from the breaking news.
I look down at the screen and notice a text message of an unknown number.
"Tannie, it's May call me, please"
Instantly I tap the button to call her. After seconds of forwarding, she answers with a loud sniff
"May?"
"Oh honey, you're ok? Peter and Ned are not answering me and I'm seeing the news..."
"May, May... I'm not at D.C. I didn't go to the Decathlon..."
Her sobs echo through the line as her panic intensifies and mine as well. Parker, I'm going to ki-
"Oh, God... Why they're not answering?..."
"I'm sure they'll be back immediately"
"Yeah, yeah, it's just... it's Peter... you know?" she whispers with a brittle voice
Of course, I know... I do.
I trip over my own feet as I grab my jacket "I'm going to the school to wait for them, I'll see you there?"
She sniffs harder "No, no. I'll pick you, they'll be here at least in two hours... I'm heading to your house ok?"
"Thanks, May, see you soon" I end the call and begin to inhale again
I need to know what truly happened. It's Ned ok? the others?Peter?
I fidget with my fingers while pacing back and forth outside in the crisp air of the night. My phone dialing Peter's phone and then Ned's over and over again only to reach to the voicemail. Minutes later, a pair of gleaming lights reflect against the dark trees around. May's car approaches and I run to quickly open the co-pilot's seat and hop on.
"Thanks..."
May spins her head to the window as her throat throbs "Uhummm"
I place my hand in her shoulder squeezing lightly "Hey, they'll be fine..."
She turns to me with raw red eyes "I know... I know.... lets go"
The whole drive I tried to search for updates on the accident., for any kind of press release from the government but there's nothing. Mid into the drive, May hands me her phone to call for Peter yet voicemail again. When we arrive, we weren't alone. The families of the other members of the club were there. Crying and praying as the dim streetlights illuminate the yard.
May parks beside the other lines of cars and both of us in sync sigh. We decide not to step out knowing very well that the tension will immediately stick to us. The coruscating lights of the Police cars make us spin to the street as May gasps and a lump in my throat forms.
But nothing, no bad news. They're waiting too.
Suddenly from the distance, a yellow bus emerges and both of us quickly run out of the car waiting, waiting, waiting. I mean, Peter is alive, yes. But what about Ned? the others? why he didn't come back to the hotel?
The bus parks and the sliding doors open. A blurry body jumps out holding a trophy. It's Flash. More students with pale faces and watery eyes. I spot Liz running to her mom as May drags me behind her through the tumultuous whispers. From afar I catch Ned with his family and my chest lifts a little. He's fine.
"Peter!" May hurriedly runs to him letting my hand go
I stop inches from them seeing how his tired face hides in her shoulder. His head covered in his hoodie and yes. I can feel the chilly wind properly passing across my throat to my lungs. May pulls apart mumbling something to him and she walks away giving me a simple nod.
"Hey..." my voice slides in an almost audible mumble
Peter looks up and rapidly blinks, his shoulders hunching forward "...Hey..."
"You're ok, right?"
He softly nods and licks his lips "I am... we need to tal-"
I gulp shaking my head "No. Not today. One of these days I'm gonna have a heart, Peter"
He snorts opening his mouth to say something but I slightly jump to him. Embracing his. I feel his body between my arms. Oh, he's alive. Yes, he is. Then, another body joins and peek my head to see Ned hugging us.
"Give me some love...."
Principal Morita arrives minutes later telling us that classes will be canceled the rest of the week because the Police Department along with the national government wants to investigate. I don't complain, none of us do.
We wave goodbye at Ned and hop inside the car. Peter's body slumping beside me as May kindly drives me to my place. May steals quick glances to Peter and I do too. His face falling forward while his heavy lids flutter open and then close.
Gently, I pull his head to my shoulder for him to actually doze for some minutes. When we arrive at my place, I rock my body to the door squeezing his hand and thanking May.
I slam my door and jump to the mattress. By far, the worst day ever.