Going Through Changes -> Peter Parker

22.

Peter was still trying to override the lock. With a yawn, he pressed some buttons, hoping it would do anything. It had to. His friends had a bomb with them. "Initiating trial 247.", Karen announced as she ran her programs to free them. And this time, it worked. With a heavy groan, the massive warehouse doors swung open. He was free to go. "It worked! It works!" Peter cheered. Now he just had to get back to Decathlon to save the day. With a smile, he swang himself through the open doors, not looking back once. His streak of luck was continuing as he was right in time to jump onto a departing truck that could hide him from the armed guards at the area's entrance.

Meanwhile, the Decathlon team entered the Decathlon venue, going through the security check. Once again, it had been wise to have left his praised weaponry back in New York as Liam could march right through the examination without any issues. That would be a different story if the guards knew what he was capable of with his hands only. "You're phone, please." a guy at the entrance held a clear plastic box out for him to place his smartphone in. To make sure no one was cheating. And to make sure he wouldn't hear from Peter. With a glance that could kill, he did as demanded before he followed Michelle to their seats. This was going to be a test, not of his knowledge but of his patience. And that was challenged even more as Flash chose the seat on his right. That boy really needed therapy.

Not that far from Washington, Peter was standing on the back of another trailer truck. "Karen, you have to get me to Decathlon as fast as possible.", he told the suit while dialing on his phone. "Sure thing. Just tell me where it is.". He really could count in Karen. "Right across the street from the Washington Monument.", Peter responded, holding his phone to his ear. Liam wasn't answering. "That's the last known location of a Stark phone. Would you like me to pin it your destination?" "Sure." Peter nodded quickly, having dialed the following number. "Hey, it's Ned. Leave me a message.", his best friend's voicemail told him. Peter sighed, but as soon as the beeping sound implied he could speak, he rambled: "Ned, call me back! The glowy thing is a bomb, and it can explode any minute!"

At Decathlon, the team had entered the final round. There was only one point left for them to win or lose. Liam hadn't distributed much, but that didn't matter as MJ was happily covering for him. "The next correct answer wins the championship.", the Moderator announced in his most serious voice, then read out the question. Liam wasn't listening. He was just staring at the clock, waiting for it to hit noon. That was when he was going to leave. To his left, MJ hit the button once again, plastered on her face that familiar bored and impassive look. "Midtown Tech?" the voice echoed over the speakers. Michelle waited for a second. Then she called out: "Zero." Another second of suspension followed. "That is correct. Midtown takes the championship!" the moderator roared, and Ned pulled Michelle into a good hug. She smiled and wrapped her slender arms around Liam, who was pulled into the team's pile, going for a group hug. Liam couldn't help but get infected with their cheer. They made it. Decathlon was over, and he was closer to sneaking off. Or so he thought.

MJ had other plans. She remained close by as the team made their way out of the venue to go on their celebration sight-seeing tour of the Washington Monument and the area around. As much as he liked her, he couldn't get rid of her. She was just too happy to talk to her friend about all the little fun facts she had read about the Monument. Most of them included slavery or other really dumb decisions of the past that would make her frown. Under different circumstances, he would have loved to listen to her. But yet again, he was distracted by his worries. Right in front of the Monument, Mr. Harrington asked around who would like to take the elevator, expectingly looking at MJ. "I don't really want to celebrate something that slaves built.", she declined the offer. Mr. Harrington laughed awkwardly. "I'm sure the Washington post wasn't built by.." but a look at a park ranger confirming her words with a nod made him stop. "Ok, stay here.", he quickly allowed, which Mj granted with a "Thanks.".

"But Liam is coming with us!" Flas announced, already pulling the other teen after him. Liam shot Michelle an apologizing look, then shrugged Flash off. He was about to dodge the ride entirely as his gaze fell on Ned going into the security check, talking to someone on his phone. As their eyes met, he knew it was Peter. So Liam followed Ned through the check and into the elevator, where he reached over and ripped the phone out of the other boy's grip. "Peter, where are you? " "Liam! The glowy core! It's dangerous!" The elevator doors closed with a soft bing.
"How dangerous?" Liam asked with a frown. "It's a bomb. Don't let it go through an X-ray!" Liam looked at Ned, his gaze wandering to his backpack. "Peter, we just went through the check." He remained dangerously calm. Panic was counterproductive. He could make out a soft, purple glow through the fabric of the back. That wasn't good. "I'll be there in a minute. Please, wherever you are, leave the Monument!" Peter called through the phone. "That's not possible. We are in the elevator right now." His gaze wandered further, settling on the blinking numbers that represented the floors they were passing. The elevator was moving upwards steadily. There was no way to stop it now.
And just at that moment, the energy core erupts with light. Glas was breaking, Liz let out a high-pitched scream, and the elevator was stuck. "We're safe in here.", the tour guide announced, but they all knew they were screwed.