The Other Stark

Chapter 28

Tory entered her car and looked at the steering wheel, thinking about what to do. Starting the car, she sped out of the garage.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y, what time does school bells ring?" she asked the AI, the little screen lighting up. The paper she had written an address was placed on the seat beside her.

"Usually at 3p.m, Ms. Stark, why do you ask?"

"Well, what do you think about stalking someone?" the woman asked, heading to Queen's.

"I think that's illegal," the AI responded, making Tory chuckle.

"You are no fun. I just need to check something. It's time to start adding some new talents to the team, don't you think?"

"I guess."

"Then we'll stalk him."

She parked the car in a place where it was easy to see who left the school, the glass in the car too dark for anyone to notice there was someone inside.

Tory had been searching for some solo heroes for some time now. The internet was full of videos, a bunch of them been just edits people thought it was real, but she had found the so-called Spider-Man that New York couldn't stop talking about.

Spider-Man was actually a kid, struggling through his last year in high school. Not that he was having any problem with his straight A's.

Finding out who was behind the mask wasn't as hard as everybody thought. The boy was one of those cute nerds there's always in school, he was a part of the decathlon team, always making trips for tournaments, and every time he travels, Spider-Man appears out of a sudden, in the same place he is, to save one of his friends.

Tory just needed to keep tabs on the group, and found out later the boy she was looking for was Peter Parker.

"Should I approach him?" she asked nobody, but the AI answering right after.

"He'll freak out."

"Yeah. Well... I'll, at least, make myself known," the woman mumbled, her eyes never leaving Parker walking away from school ground, a stack of books on his arms, as she placed the sunglasses on her face, getting out of the car.

"Ms. Stark you shouldn't..." the AI was about to say, but the car door was shut before it could finish, the brunette following the boy discretely.

Peter entered the first alley near his apartment and changed into his "suit", disappearing between the buildings minutes later. Tory knew it wouldn't take long for him to come back, and start looking at the neighborhood from the top of one of the shortest buildings, waiting for something to happen.

...

"You know, it's late for someone who has classes in about four hours to still be out here," Tory said, 10 feet behind Peter, who sat on the edge of his apartment roof.

The boy turned quickly, shooting webs at her, but Tory was quick too, dodging it with swift moves, even though moving like that still hurt.

"Hey... I'm not here to harm you," she warned, getting closer to him.

Parker got up from his spot and stared at her closely. His spider senses told him nothing, so he wasn't worried, but curious.

"Why are you following me?" he asked.

"Just wanted to ask you something, Peter," she told him, looking at the view. It was late, but New York was still awake, always noisy.

"I've been keeping an eye at you since Washington."

"Right," he answered with a sigh, taking off the mask that covered his face.

"What do you want from me, Ms. Stark? I thought you were in a coma or something like that."