Spider-X: A Spider-Man Story

Chapter 16: Spider-Man

Two parts of Peter's plan change that day. One: after his conversation with Jean about the risk they're all in for using their powers or being discovered as mutant, no way is Peter swinging around New York in a bright red and blue suit.

So he changes his costume. Instead of red and blue spandex with spider insignia, he's gone the route of Night Monkey. A tight, black, dry-fit, long-sleeved shirt and black cargo pants, boots, gloves, and a ski mask. Simple, but effective. And his web shooters, of course.

The second thing his conversation with Jean solidifies is his timeline. He needs to be out now, patrolling, looking out for kids targeted by these mutant hunters. And now that he doesn't have to finish sewing his iconic Spider-Man costume, that timeline is a reality.

So now he climbs out his bedroom window at the Institute, pulls down his mask, and swings into the night.

Spider-Man is back.

**
A petty bike thief, an ATM robber, and two foiled muggings later, Peter sits on top of an abandoned buildings in one of the poorest streets of New York.

Back in his New York, he spends a lot of time in these streets. It was just getting better, the crime rates in the slums. Families starting to feel safe, children playing at the playgrounds, older kids walking to the bus stop. But now he's not in his New York. he wonders how the people there are doing. Do the families still feel safe? Do children go to the playgrounds? Do kids walk to the bus stop?

He'll never get answers to those questions, but he can try to make things better here. Which is exactly why he springs into action when he hears a scream.

He swings around the nearest building to see two men dragging a teenage girl to a waiting van. The van is a similar make and model to the previous abductor's van, and Peter doesn't waste any time in foiling this kidnapping too.

He webs up the two men, hanging them upside down by their ankles on a nearby lamp post. He cocoons them in webs and finally covers their eyes and mouth. That should hold until police get here.

Then he drops down in front of the young girl, who's still shaking. She screams again and crawls backwards as fast as she can.

"Hey, hey, I'm not going to hurt you," Peter raises his hand.

"How-how did you..." she looks frantically between Peter and her would be kidnappers.

Peter crouches down so he's on her level. "I think you have some idea."

She freezes, but stops moving backwards. At least she doesn't see Peter as a threat anymore. Realization strikes her. "Is that why they tried to take me?"

Peter nods. "How did they find you?"

"I don't-I don't know, I was on my way home from the fire department's charity carnival. I volunteered for clean up, when these guys came out of nowhere."

"So you didn't even use your powers?"

She shakes her head, "I can barely control them."

Peter stands up, thinking. How can these people be targeting young mutants, tracking them, even if they aren't using their powers? It makes no sense. Peter extends a hand to help the girl up. "Need a lift home?"

By the time Peter swings to the girl's apartment building, she's in much better spirits. She almost chokes Peter out on the way over here she was squeezing his neck so hard, but she's smiling now, even laughing as he drops them a few feet before letting her go.

"Thank you," she says sincerely, "I would've been toast without you."

"Don't mention it. But if you wouldn't mind..."