Small World | Peter Parker

chapter four

Can't today. Liz replied to Michelle's message in our newly created group chat. MJ wanted to meet up at the library, but Liz immediately shut her down. Meeting up with friends was the continuation of her response.

K replied Michelle. I didn't get a chance to write anything but decided to leave it at that. We will establish a schedule later. For now, I just wanted something to snack on and watch movies at home.

I sighed, grabbed the bag of chips from the shelf, and headed down the long aisle toward the fridges. I had to find another place to buy my snacks and drinks since the corner shop I found this morning was closed because of the robbery. I walked by it earlier and saw the sign stating it was closed.

After a short walk, I found this convenience store near my place. It was the closest one I found, which didn't bother me because it was only a ten-minute walk from my apartment.

I figured I would have to respond to the group chat while waiting in line. I am free tomorrow. But I received no response after I sent my message.

"You ignored my messages," I heard a voice next to me. I jumped up, almost dropping my stuff. I spun around and glared at the owner of the voice.

"Peter," I shook my head. "Why are you always sneaking up on me?"

"I thought you were more observant than that," he responded. He grabbed my stuff and placed them on the cash register for me. I grabbed my wallet, but he had already given the cashier money before I could grab my card. "I got it,"

"You didn't need to do that," I grabbed a ten-dollar bill and handed it to him. He shook his head and pushed my hand away. "Here, take it,"

"I don't want it," he said, taking his change from the cashier. "Just accept it,"

"Why are you so nice today?" I muttered as we exited the store. I sighed, looking around the busy street. He was still holding my chips and pop as we headed down the direction of my apartment.

I started getting nervous. If Peter wanted to talk about the assignment, we couldn't do it at my place. I didn't have the opportunity to clean up either. "I'm always nice to you," he opened my bag of chips and ate one.

"Hey," I grabbed the bag from him and stuffed it inside my bag. "That's not yours,"

He laughed, chewing on my chip. "Let's go," he ushered me forward. "I need to sit down,"

"We're not going to my place," I shook my head. "Let's go somewhere else,"

"My place?" His eyes widened. He seemed to look nervous as he fidgeted with his hands. "Aunt May knows I'm Spider-Man, she knows I have to respond to emergencies or deal with some stuff with Mr. Stark, but I've never actually had a girl over,"

I laughed. "We don't have to go to either place. Let's just walk,"

He sighed a breath of relief and nodded.

There was a loud ringing in my bag, and I quickly unzipped it. It was the second phone. I rushed over to the alley near us and grabbed the phone. I answered it. "Hello, this is Morgan Blair. I am checking in at-" I glanced at the time on the screen. "4:45 pm,"

Peter was staring at me. He had followed me into the alley, and we stood there awkwardly as I spoke to the unknown voice behind the phone. "Morgan," he started.

I held my index finger to my mouth, glaring at Peter to shut up. "Yes," I repeated into the phone. "I'll be home soon,"

The automated voice continued. "Miss Blair is expected to email the progress notes by Sunday,"

"I will," I replied, trying to steady my voice. "Same time as always,"

After a short pause, the line went dead.

I closed the line immediately, even after it went dead. I stared at the phone, and I realized how dead I was. By Sunday? They were insane. How was I supposed to find intel by then Sunday?

I threw the phone in my bag out of frustration. "Okay," I huffed, looking at Peter, who looked slightly scared as he continued to watch me. "We're going to have to go to Liz's party,"

A mischievous smile slowly appeared on Peter's lips. "Alright, I'm helping you,"

I shook my head. "You can help by keeping watch. You can't interfere until something goes wrong," I sighed. "You know that already,"

"But-" he interrupted, but I shook my head again. "Morgan, I have to do something. I can't just watch you get hurt,"

"Peter," I tried to stop him from walking off. I stood at the same spot, watching him turn the corner. "Aw, come on," I whispered under my breath.

There was no point in fighting him. He's proven to do the complete opposite of what I ask from him. I had to go after him and try to explain what I wanted him to do at Liz's party.

I quickly walked around the corner and stopped short when I saw Peter leaning against the concrete wall. "I'm helping you," he muttered. "There's no 'but,'"

I sighed, defeated. "Peter, this is something completely new to you. It's important that you can't interfere,"

"How will I interfere? We find the mole, and then we use it as a lead," he whispered under his breath, standing closer to avoid being overheard. "You, Aunt May and Ned are the only people who know I'm Spider-Man. Other than Tony and Happy,"

"If word goes around Spider-Man is tracking the organization, then the lead will disappear," I tried to explain. "Peter, we could lose this whole operation,"

"Then I go as Peter, not as Spider-Man," he grabbed my hand. I froze and stared at our hands. I couldn't get close to him, not like this. Not when he could put the girls at risk. "You and I are a team,"

"Okay," I squeezed his hand. "After we finish this assignment, I'm gone. I have to disappear when this blows up,"

He sighed. "Then we'll just take our time,"

I rolled my eyes. I started walking, and Peter followed. "Not when I'm giving a deadline, I have to find the mole by Sunday,"

"Then let's create a list. We know it has to be one of the guys on the football team," he went on, rubbing at his neck. He continued naming guys on the football team that he found suspicious based on their history of girlfriends. However, none of them went missing. Not like the girl in the debate or cheerleading team.

"Okay, so what we know only so far is that two girls are missing," I said, grabbing my drink from Peter. He looked lost in thought as I grabbed it. "Abigail Smith and Lela Summers, both of them disappeared from one of Liz's parties two weeks ago,"

"None of the people at the party knew what happened from the last time they were seen to the time they were reported missing," he continued. He grabbed my drink and took a shot. He ignored my protest as I watched him drink the rest of it. "There's a four-hour window,"

"And since the news of Liz's party broke out about her dad, more people attend her parties," We found a park bench to sit on. Peter stretched and groaned loudly beside me as I grabbed my cell phone. "At some point, whoever tips off about the girls are becoming more confident they won't get caught,"

"And it's been almost three weeks since their disappearance," he muttered. "When a girl goes missing, their chances of being found declines after the first forty-eight hours,"

I sighed. "That's why I was called in,"

He looked up at me, squinting at me because the sun was in his eyes. He covered his eyes with his hand above his head. "So, how many times have you done this again?"

"A few," I said, taking my chips out of my bag. We might as well finish the rest since Peter had opened them. I held it up to him, and he took the bag. "DC was my last assignment since moving here,"

"Where we met?" He grinned, and I nodded. "I thought you were getting attacked, but it seems like you had everything under control,"

"I'm good at what I do," I smiled as I took my bag from him. "Especially getting information out of goons,"