Peter Parker stood on the edge of the rooftop, eyes fixed on the sky where the mysterious figure had disappeared. His voice trembled with emotion as he whispered to himself:
"So… my father's not actually dead…"
"He's alive. He's been alive this whole time."
"And he's been watching me. Protecting me. From the shadows."
Peter's eyes welled up with tears, and he sniffled, overwhelmed by the weight of it all. The thought that his father had never truly left him—it ignited a warm flicker of hope deep inside.
"There must be a reason why he stayed hidden," Peter murmured. "He couldn't reveal himself. Something big… something dangerous must have forced him into the shadows."
A flood of thoughts ran through his mind—comic books, heroic arcs, tales of selfless fathers who bore the world's weight alone.
"Heroes hide their identities all the time to protect their loved ones. Maybe… Dad's doing the same thing. Maybe he's carrying out something bigger than all of us."
In the heart of every child, a father is a superhero—invincible, unwavering, larger than life. And now Peter felt that same reverence rising within.
"Whatever the reason... I trust him," Peter said, clenching his fists with renewed purpose. "He wouldn't disappear for no reason. But I won't be a burden. I'll get stronger."
"I'll become someone he doesn't have to protect."
---
Inside S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters – Strategic Command Briefing Room
The mood was tense.
In the room sat some of Earth's most influential figures: Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Tony Stark, and Clint Barton—better known as Hawkeye.
Tony was the last to arrive, his armored boots still hot from flight. Steel Armor Mark 19 whirred softly as he took a casual bite from a donut.
"I was about to grab dinner and negotiate with a client," Tony mumbled between bites, lounging in his chair. "And then I get this cryptic 'come now' message. What's so urgent?"
"Let me guess—Peter got into trouble again?" he added sarcastically.
But Hawkeye didn't smile.
"It's not Peter," he said, eyes grave. "It's something much bigger."
The entire room shifted as he said it. Tony straightened, sensing the tension.
Hawkeye's eyes turned to Fury, who gave a small nod of approval.
And then, Hawkeye said the words that sent a jolt through everyone:
"Richard Parker… is alive."
Dead silence.
Tony froze mid-chew, the donut suspended in his hand. "You mean Peter's dad? That Richard Parker? The geneticist?"
"He was supposed to have died in a plane crash," Tony muttered. "That's what all the files said."
Tony's gaze swept around the room and landed on Fury.
"You knew," he said, eyes narrowing. "You always knew something was off."
Fury didn't deny it. "The crash didn't kill him. That part… was a cover-up."
"But as far as we were told, Richard was confirmed dead shortly after. Different circumstances."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "So you faked one death to hide the other?"
Fury didn't blink. "At the time, it was necessary."
He passed a tablet to Tony.
Tony scanned the report. His jaw clenched.
"This can't be real… these readings, this footage—"
He looked up at Fury, eyes wide. "He was… gone. There was no way anyone could survive that."
"And yet," Fury said grimly, "he's back."
---
Tony slammed the tablet down. "So what the hell happened? Is this some cloning project? A shapeshifter? A Skrull?"
Clint leaned forward. "I thought it might've been someone else too, but after what I saw… no."
"It's him."
Fury folded his arms. "Explain."
Hawkeye inhaled deeply.
"I was tailing Peter, making sure no threats slipped through the net. That's when I noticed something… odd."
"Someone was watching Peter too. Not attacking. Watching. Like a guardian."
"And then… Abomination showed up."
The room erupted into startled murmurs.
"Abomination?!" Tony echoed. "You're telling me that brute was sent after Peter?!"
"Yes. General Ross is tracking Richard," Clint continued. "They suspect Richard is alive, and they're using Peter as bait."
"They deployed Abomination to flush him out."
Everyone was stunned.
"But here's the thing—Abomination didn't just monitor. He attacked."
"Peter would've died."
Tony's face darkened. "So what happened?"
Hawkeye's voice dropped a notch, and he said with chilling clarity:
"That blue symbiote monster appeared. Again."
Everyone leaned forward.
"You mean the one from the Midtown incident?" Maria Hill asked.
Clint nodded. "Yes. Same power. Same presence. But this time…"
He paused. His voice trembled slightly.
"He fought Abomination."
Tony's eyes widened. "What? And?"
"He beat him. Badly. Not just beat—he crushed him."
"He picked Abomination up like a sack of bricks and flew off."
Another heavy silence fell across the room.
Hill whispered, "That's impossible. Abomination's on par with the Hulk."
"And yet… he lost," Clint said firmly.
Tony rubbed his temple. "You're sure it was him?"
Hawkeye nodded. "Same energy signature. Same spider abilities. And that's where it gets interesting."
He pointed at Peter's file. "You all remember how Peter got his powers?"
"Through a genetically modified spider. One engineered with Richard's research. A spider only Richard Parker could create."
Tony scowled. "You're implying this symbiote guy has those same traits?"
"Exactly," Clint said.
"Which means... either he was also bitten, or—"
"—He's Richard," Fury finished.
---
Tony sat back, stunned. "This is a bit much."
"Maybe he faked his death and kept experimenting. Maybe the symbiote merged with his body, and now he's something else entirely."
Clint added: "Or maybe he's not just surviving. Maybe he's evolving."
Tony grunted. "Then we're not just dealing with a scientist anymore."
"We're dealing with a biological weapon wearing a genius's mind."
Fury's expression darkened.
"And that's not all."
"Do you remember the Ghost Spider?"
The room stirred.
Clint continued, "No one knows her origin. But she has the same powers—spider strength, wall-crawling, webbing—and there's speculation she's Richard's creation too."
"So if you connect the dots," Hill muttered, "Peter's powers, Ghost Spider, the symbiote, and now Abomination's defeat…"
"They all point back to Richard."
Tony stood, pacing now. "If Richard's truly back, we need answers. And fast."
---
Meanwhile – Unknown Facility in Essex
In a dimly lit underground room, a group of shadowy figures convened.
A man in a long coat sneered as he looked at the screen before him.
"Did our operatives get in contact with Daniel Grant?"
Another voice replied, "He doesn't have a choice. He either cooperates… or suffers the consequences."
The room was quiet… then filled with eerie, cruel laughter.
---
TO BE CONTINUED.
---
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