Deviation Actions
Literature Text
Chapter Five:
Identity Threat?
It seemed like an eternity for Peter Parker. It took him over an hour to change into his street clothes. It took him Twenty Minutes to desperately cover up his tattered costume. Before all that, it took him three hours to pull himself out of the wreckage and find a way out of the building. He might have safely made it outside into an alley, but now he faced a new problem. Getting home. He could barely move as it was. Each step, each sudden movement caused him intense sharp pain that travelled about his body. His nose was bloody, his face was swollen and he was pretty sure that parts of his body were either mangled or broken. He inched across the street completely aware of the dozen eyes that were staring at him. He had to sit down. He couldn't support himself for another moment. Fortunately, luck was on his side as a Bus rolled up on him and pulled up at a designated stop. He picked himself up off the bench and limped onto the bus. He hobbled in front of the drive, fumbling for change in his jacket pocket. The Driver asked no questions as Peter stated his destination and staggered towards a seat.
Peter gazed aimlessly out of the window, well aware that the other commuters were speculating on the injuries he had sustained. He had heard it all before. The words were all the same to him.
"What's happened to man, Mommy?" "Has that guy been mugged?" "Shouldn't he go to the hospital?" "Looks like he lost in a fight." "The state of that man, he shouldn't be wandering the streets in his state."
"If only you all knew." Peter thought as he wanted to say something. "I've been thrown around by another lunatic Goblin, I've been thrown through windows, escaped death...again, I've sustained heavy bruising, fractured three ribs and I have a hell of a headache. Sometimes I just want to ride the bus in my costume clear as day so that you people would get the message."
The journey took an agonising Thirty minutes but it eventually pulled up on Peter's street. The Driver helped him off the bus, leaving the wounded webspinner to tackle the stairs to his apartment. His hands shook as he fumbled for his keys but was able to open the door. He wasted no time in locking the door and drawing the curtains. He knew the drill in these situations. It seemed like his secret came before his actual health.
"Mary Jane's going to hate me for this." He thought as he limped towards the medical cabinet in the bathroom. "If she see's me in this state, I'll get the whole See what being Spider-Man does to you? lecture. I mean. She's right. She's been right all along, but all this pain comes with the responsibility that I inherited when I gained these powers. I have to admit though, one of these days my body is just going to give up. I'm surprised if I'll live past Seventy."
He left the bathroom, all patched up before he collapsed on the bed spread. His torso was covered in patches and stitches. Mary Jane entered the apartment to the aroma of anti-septic chemicals. She knew exactly what happened. Like Peter, the situation became too familiar.
"What happened this time, Tiger?" she asked as she found Peter, crashed out on the bed spread. "Look at the state of you this time?
"I had a spot of Goblin trouble." Peter joked with slurred words. "He's...big, he's dark and he has the most...annoying laugh."
Peter flipped his body over, revealing the extent of his injuries to his wife.
"Please don't give me the lecture again please?" he said as he anticipated Mary Jane's words. "I'm aware of what the implications are."
"If you do Peter then why do you do it?" Mary Jane asked as she used a tone of voice similar to Aunt May. "Are you seriously trying to kill yourself?"
"He came after me." Peter replied as he tried to lift his head. "I was ambushed after foiling a robbery earlier on. He calls himself The Dark Goblin."
"What happened?" Mary Jane asked as she rest her hand on Peter's battered face.
"He was rambling on about something. Something about avenging the Osborn family honour." Peter explained as best he could. "My heads still groggy, but I think he was about hurting me and my family the same was as I hurt his."
Suddenly, Peter sat bolt upright, ignoring the pain that was shooting through his boy. He realised something terrifying. What if the Goblin knew his true identity?
"What if he knows?" he said as the reality of the situation began to hit him. "Both Norman and Harry knew that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. What if this new Goblin finds out. It would place everyone I know and love in Danger. You, Aunt May, Jameson, Betty. Everyone! I can't let that happen again. I just can't!"
"Peter calm down. We don't know that for certain!" Mary Jane said as she tried to snap Peter out of his panicked state. "Look There's a huge chance that he doesn't find out. Norman or Harry might not have left any evidence. They might have even lost it. As far as we know, your secret is safe. Now calm down and try and get some sleep. I'm going to phone The Bugle and let them know that you're not going in tomorrow."
"I...I suppose your right." Peter agreed as he slowly lay back on the bed. "I just hope Norman made the error of disposing the evidence. I tell you, that family has a way or accessing databases of all sorts."
"We need a vacation." Mary Jane huffed as she waited for the Bugle to pick up. "I hope I get this shoot in Miami next month. We could use the three weeks of sun and relaxation."
Peter lay there, lost in the darkness of his own thoughts. What if he was right? How would he plan his next move? Would the Goblin discover his secret identity? All of his warning signals flashed. The possibilities were endless. It was Eleven PM and Peter was still awake. Darkness crept into the apartment. Mary Jane climbed into bed next to him and kissed gently. He remained awake as he watched his devoted wife slip into a deep, undisturbed sleep. However, he couldn't sleep. He just laid there, thinking and waiting.
*****
Across the city, it seemed that Dylan Osborn was having a hard time sleeping as well. He spent most of the night searching for information on Spider-Man. All he had was a bottle of Scotch and a warm roaring fire for company. His search eventually took him to The Daily Bugle website and to his surprise, Norman's username and password were left in the user's login box. He logged in out of curiosity. Perhaps his Uncle knew something he didn't. He was able to access the Bugle's databases and pulled an extensive file on Spider-Man. He took his time to read the files, which documented sightings, news reports, video footage and photos. He documented a name. Peter Parker. Spider-Man's unofficial photographer.
"Peter Parker?" he muttered to himself as she poured himself another drink. "Maybe Uncle Norman can tell me more about this Peter Parker?"
He got up and paced his study as he tried to fit the pieces of his next phase together.
"I need to find this Parker guy." he said. "If he can take all these photos of Spider-Man, then surely he must know who he really is. That is where Uncle Norman comes in."
Then, a big evil grin broke out on his face as he felt his plan come into fruition. He was going to crush Spider-Man, even if it meant using his alter ego to do it.
