Fractured Mind

Chapter 15

Peter Parker had a huge grin under his mask.

He was swinging through the city in complete euphoria as the brisk wind rushed past his face. He had already stopped two gas station robberies and three muggings in the last couple hours alone. The cheers in the crowds of people as he swung past the buildings gave him an intense elated feeling.

Dusk was beginning to set over the city. Peter was about to do another sweep through the city when his cell phone began to ring. He pulled it out and saw Mary Jane was calling him.

"Hey, beautiful," he answered.

Mary Jane laughed into the phone, "it sounds like you're in a wind tunnel."

"I'm just having one last swing through the city. You home yet?"

"Yes, I'm home. Aunt May is too. I'm kind of bummed out though," she said in a dull voice. "Are you going to be home soon?"

"Yeah. Yeah, what's wrong?" he asked as he turned around and headed home.

"Well, it's not a big deal, and I guess I can't blame them. I missed the main auditions for this new play called Dream in a Midnight Meadow, and now I'm basically going to have one of the smallest parts, that way I won't have to memorize as much since tickets begin selling next week."

"Okay, well, I'm on my way home. Maybe we can watch more of that show you like so much, uh the one with the two drug dealers? And I'll—I'll pick up a pizza on my way home!"

"Sounds good, Pete. Love you, see you soon," she said and hung up the phone.

Peter landed in an alley behind Ray's Pizza Place, quickly put on his clothes over the suit, and put his mask in his pack. He hurried inside and ordered a large pepperoni pizza to go; he had come here once before and liked that the pizza was usually a ready-to-go place. He wrinkled his nose at the greasy smell of the pizza joint. The employee, his name tag read Kevin, informed him it would be ready in a few minutes, so he nodded and stood over by the wall to wait.

The door chimed, signaling someone else walked in, and Kevin let out a bark-like laugh. Peter looked up and was alarmed to see Flash walk through the door.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my nephew, Flash!" he greeted warmly as he stepped around the counter to pat him on the shoulders.

"Hey, Uncle Kev, just came in to grab a bite. You still have those big slices I like?" he asked.

"Of course! Of course, just hold on I'll go grab one for ya, and it's on me," the larger man said as he hurried to the back room. Flash called out a thanks to him, and then turned around to wait at the table, when he saw Peter.

"Parker?" Flash said as he walked up to him, not noticing how tense Peter got.

"Hey, man," Peter answered. What was he playing at? Peter was sure Harry would have told the others Spider-Man's name by now. Out of all of them, Flash would have known who he was. Or... had Harry not said anything?

"What are you doing at this end of the city? You work out here or something?" Flash held out his hand to shake Peter's. Peter didn't detect ant signs of hostility; he just seemed like the same old Flash from high school. With a moment's hesitation, he shook his hand and smiled.

"Nah, I'm just picking up some dinner for—for my aunt and I."

"Cool," Flash nodded his head as his uncle came shuffling back from the back.

"Here you go!" the man handed him a plate with an over-sized slice of cheese pizza. "Did you hear the news today?"

"What news?" Flash asked as he took a huge bite of the pizza.