Spider-X: A Spider-Man Story

Chapter 22: Mutant Trafficking

Peter can't focus in class. He'd been out patrolling as soon as he woke from his Scarlet Witch induced dreams. Had he really expected to find Hydra's headquarters right away? Or to see Mesmero wandering the streets of New York at four in the morning? Not really, but after seeing America and Wanda in pain like that, he couldn't just stay in his cushy mansion when he could be out at least looking.

Now he's in History, tapping his fingers against his desk because he doesn't know what else to do. He's out of his seat before the bell rings. He can't stay here.

He turns a corner and narrowly misses crashing into Jean. Her eyes widen but she side steps to stand in front of him rather than letting him go around. "Hey," she says.

"I don't have time, Jean." He moves around her.

She grabs his arm. He could easily shake it off but instead he turns back. "Has the professor talked to you about..." she drifts off but lowers her voice when she sees Peter's expression, "it'll be okay, I promise. He won't kick you out."

Peter waves her off, "it's not that. Really, I'm fine."

"Peter," she catches his arm again, "talk to me."

The bell rings. The hallway is practically empty now, but neither of them move towards a classroom. Peter sighs and leans against the row of lockers, relishing how the locks dig into his back. The slight pain anchors him here. He knows he has to get out of here. He needs to spend every spare moment looking for America... but he has no idea where to start. He can't do this on his own.

"Come on," he grabs Jean's hand and they run out the nearest exit. Peter doesn't stop once they've left the school. He leads them down a block and over until he's sure there are no cameras or people nearby. Even then, knowing Mesmero's powers, he can't be too sure. Plus, he thinks better higher up. "Do you trust me?" He asks Jean. She silently nods. He pulls her closer then shoots a web and swings them up to the nearest roof. Jean squeals and holds tighter, making Peter laugh slightly, given she can levitate herself with her mind.

"What the hell?" Jean pushes away from him and peers over the side of the roof then immediately stumbles back to the safety of the middle of the roof. "I have never cut class before!"

"I didn't force you."

"I didn't think you'd swing me up on a roof!"

"I needed to talk to you, and I can't risk anyone seeing or hearing."

That stops Jean. She takes a deep breath and calms down, "what's going on?"

Peter puts both of his hands in his pockets, "it's going to sound crazy."

Jean just looks at him, waiting. The thought is obvious in her quirked eyebrow. Try me. Peter lets out a laugh without humor and starts explaining. He paces the roof, ignoring how it makes Jean nervous when he gets too close to the edge. When he's done telling her about Wanda, Mesmero, and the girl, America, trapped somewhere, he's still pacing. Jean is silent for a moment, mulling over everything she's just heard.

"That's why you're so distracted today? Because you think you can single handedly scour the entire Earth to find America and stop Mesmero from wiping out humanity?" There's just a touch of sarcasm there.

"Jean, you don't understand. In my world, Hydra is one of the most dangerous organizations in history. They bring nothing but death and destruction-"

"Peter," she walks to the edge with him, "I get it. But you can't do this alone."

"I know, but-"

"But nothing. I don't know how it works in your world, but in this one, we have access to a computer that can locate any mutant in the world plus a whole network of adults to help." She gently grabs his arm and pulls him about a foot away from the edge. "If America is a mutant we can ask the professor to keep an eye out for her when he uses Cerebro. He can look for Mesmero too."

Peter nods. That does make sense. He shakes the memory of the last time he let an adult help out of his head. Jean trusts the professor. Plus, what are the odds a supervillain disguises themselves as a genius old man in order to torment Peter twice in a row? "And Hydra?" He prods.

Jean shrugs, "I don't know. But we can figure it out."

Peter opens his mouth to respond. To argue or to thank her, he doesn't know, but it's cut short when he hears a scream. Not far from here, maybe three blocks south.

"What?" Jean asks.

He listens closer. Mutant hunters. "I have to go," he says curtly, "mutant hunters. Three blocks away. You coming or going back to school?"

"I–Peter–"

"Jean there's no time, I have to go–"

Jean throws her hands up. "Fine! Let's go!"

Peter grins and scoops her up when he jumps off the roof, quickly making their way to the scene of the crime using alleyways and abandoned streets that Peter knows well. Just as he'd suspected, four men corner a young boy, who has his hands outstretched, sparks flying from them but then sputtering out with his fear.

Peter sets Jean down on a fire escape. "Stay here," he instructs. Then he jumps down, landing on one guy's shoulders and flipping instantly, sending him into the dumpster. He shoots a web to close the lid and latches it from the outside. Two other men charge him, but Peter evades their fists and the electric bullets they shoot at him. So at least they're not trying to kill the mutant children, only kidnap. But why?

He knocks one in the temple and uses both feet to kick the second one in the chest, sending him flying into the brick wall and crumpling into a pile. The last man shoots a rapid fire of bullets, but all five rounds freeze in the air, then turn and hit the guy that shot them, sending him to the ground, convulsing. Jean, Peter smiles. He hears her land on the street and run to help the crying little boy.

Peter bends down to the wannabee kidnapper still convulsing. "Why are you hunting children?" He demands.

The sides of the man's mouth begin foaming. "Hail... Hydra..." He stills. Dead.

"Peter," Jean has her arm around the little boy, keeping him facing away from the dead body. Her eyes are wild. "Before he died, I saw his thoughts. Cells. Like a basement. Hydra. And-and a name I think: Stryker."