Chapter 27: The Parker Luck and the Webs of Deceit part-2
A shimmer of light enveloped Peter. Suddenly, his shabby suit looked like it was worth ten thousand dollars. The mustard stain vanished. The fit was impeccable.
Peter stared in the mirror. "Whoa. Did I just... hallucinate a fashion makeover?"
(No time for questions! Move! And don't web-swing all the way there; the wind will ruin your hair. Take a cab. Wait, you are broke. Fine, web-swing, but stay low and use the "Hair Gel of Absolute Hold" I just applied to your scalp.)
.........…..
Location: The Broadway Theater District.
The theater was glowing with lights. Paparazzi were swarming the red carpet. Mary Jane Watson, looking stunning in a green evening gown, was standing near the entrance. She was smiling for the cameras, but her eyes were scanning the crowd, looking worried.
Standing next to her was Julian Sterling.
Julian was everything Peter was not. Tall, blonde, effortlessly confident, and wearing a suit that actually cost ten thousand dollars. He had a hand hovering protectively near MJ's waist—not touching, but close enough to signal possession.
(There he is,) Ethan growled in Peter's mind. (Target acquired. Julian Sterling. Look at that smug grin. He knows you are late. He is banking on it.)
Peter landed in an alleyway three blocks away. He quickly changed out of his Spider-Man mask and pulled on his "Nanotech Tuxedo" jacket. He sprinted toward the theater.
"I am here! I am here!" Peter panted, bursting through the crowd of photographers.
MJ's face lit up when she saw him. "Tiger! You made it!"
Julian's smile faltered for a microsecond before returning to a mask of polite condescension. "Peter! Good to see you. We were worried you got held up... delivering pizzas?"
(Strike one,) Ethan noted. (Classist joke. Peter, hit him back. But be classy.)
"Actually, I was wrapping up some photography work," Peter said, straightening his holographic tie. "Capturing the beauty of the city. You know, the parts you cannot see from a limousine window."
MJ suppressed a giggle. Julian's eye twitched.
"Well," Julian said, checking his diamond-encrusted watch. "We should get inside. I arranged for a private box. The best view in the house."
"A private box?" Peter asked. "I thought we had tickets for the mezzanine."
"I upgraded us," Julian said smoothly. "Mary Jane deserves the best on her big night, doesn't she? Besides, the mezzanine is so... crowded."
He offered his arm to MJ. "Shall we?"
MJ looked at Peter. She didn't take Julian's arm. She looped her arm through Peter's. "Come on, Tiger. Let us go see if this fancy box has free popcorn."
Julian lowered his arm, his jaw tightening. (Enjoy it while it lasts, Parker,) Julian thought. (In twenty minutes, Shocker is going to bring the roof down. Literally.)
..........
Inside the Theater - The Private Box.
The play was a modern adaptation of Hamlet. It was going well, but Peter couldn't focus. His Spider-Sense was buzzing like an angry hornet in the back of his skull.
(Something is coming,) Ethan warned. (My sensors are picking up a vibration frequency consistent with vibro-shock gauntlets. Shocker is in the building. He is in the rafters above the stage.)
"I knew it," Peter whispered. "I have to change."
(No! That is exactly what Julian wants! If you leave now, Shocker attacks. Julian activates his 'emergency nanotech armor' that he is hiding under his skin, saves MJ, and tells her you ran away like a coward. You cannot leave this box.)
"But if I don't fight him, people will get hurt!"
(Who said you are not going to fight him? We are just going to do it... discreetly. Do you have your web-shooters on under the tux?)
"Always."
(Good. I am purchasing a Skill for you: "The Phantom Sniper". It allows you to calculate ricochet angles instantly. You are going to fight Shocker from your seat, without anyone noticing. It will be the greatest performance of your life.)
Suddenly, the ceiling above the stage exploded.
Debris rained down. A man in a yellow quilted suit—Shocker—dropped onto the stage, sending shockwaves that knocked the actors over.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Shocker yelled, charging his gauntlets. "The show is over! Unless someone pays a toll!"
The audience screamed. Julian stood up immediately.
"Mary Jane, stay behind me!" Julian announced, puffing out his chest. He reached for his cufflinks, which were actually triggers for his suit. "I will handle this!"
(Now, Peter! Ruin his moment!)
As Julian stepped forward to transform, Peter flicked his wrist under the cover of the balcony railing.
THWIP.
A tiny, condensed web-bullet shot out. It hit Julian's shoelace, tying it to the leg of a heavy velvet chair.
Julian took a heroic step forward—and face-planted directly into the carpet.
THUD.
"Ow!" Julian yelled, his nose hitting the floor.
"Oh my god, Julian! Are you okay?" MJ asked, looking down at the billionaire who was tangled in the furniture.
"I... I tripped!" Julian scrambled, trying to free his foot.
On stage, Shocker aimed his gauntlets at the audience. "I said, quiet!"
He prepared to fire a blast at the orchestra pit.
(Target the chandelier above him!) Ethan commanded. (Bank the shot off the acoustic panel!)
Peter tapped his wrist. THWIP.
A web line shot out, invisible in the chaos. It hit the acoustic reflector panel, bounced at a perfect ninety-degree angle, and severed the support cable of a heavy stage light.
The stage light swung down like a pendulum.
BONK.
It slammed into Shocker's helmet just as he pulled the trigger. The impact threw his aim off. Instead of blasting the orchestra, he blasted the floor, launching himself backward into the drum set.
CRASH-BOOM-BANG.
"Who did that?" Shocker screamed, untangling himself from a cymbal.
Julian finally freed his foot. "I must protect—"
THWIP.
Peter fired a web pellet that hit Julian's other foot, gluing it to the floor. Julian tried to stand and immediately fell over again, this time knocking over a tray of drinks.
.....
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