24: Chapter 24 Electro

He absolutely could not let The Hand set their sights on him; once this group discovered he knew the inside story, they would definitely kill him without hesitation.

Returning to the Baxter Building, Peter had just stepped through the door when he heard laughter coming from the living room.

Uncle Ben and Aunt May were actually sitting on the sofa, chatting animatedly with the Fantastic Four.

"Peter! How was school?" Sue asked with a smile.

"It was fine... Why are you all here?" Peter asked, somewhat surprised.

"We came to see where you usually spend your time," Uncle Ben said with a smile. "I have to say, Peter, you've picked a great place."

"Hey, don't call him uncle, he's not your uncle," Johnny Storm teased from the side.

"Johnny Storm, show some respect to your classmate," Aunt May said, immediately protective.

"Hear that? Respect me, or I'll tell Aunt May," Johnny Storm laughed.

"I'll soak you in kerosene, Johnny Storm," Peter gritted his teeth.

After the elders had some tea, Uncle Ben and Aunt May tactfully took their leave, leaving the space to the young people.

Peter put away his smile, his expression turning serious. "I need to talk to you all."

"Is it about your other job?" Sue asked perceptively.

Peter nodded and confessed about the recruitment by S.H.I.E.L.D..

Reed sighed. "That's a big problem. S.H.I.E.L.D. has its hands in everything, and their resources are massive enough to topple the government of a small nation. What exactly did they say?"

Peter showed them Fury's proposal.

"I think you should take it," Uncle Ben's deep voice came through the communicator; apparently, he hadn't gone far yet. "This is the best deal you're going to get, and the training can save your life. As long as Fury thinks you have value, he won't move against you easily."

Sue also chimed in, "The contract terms are very strict; you won't get swindled."

"If I join, I won't have time to spend with you all and my friends," Peter said, somewhat concerned.

"Our schedule has always been flexible," Reed comforted him.

"Friends? Didn't you originally want to be a cool lone wolf?" Johnny Storm joked.

"Ever since the expo, I've become a celebrity at school, though that crowd is more like a bunch of sycophants," Peter shrugged. "But there is one girl who's pretty great."

"A girl?" Johnny Storm's eyes lit up. "Tell me more!"

"Not a chance, lest you go and doxx her on social media," Peter rolled his eyes.

After finishing their business, everyone returned to their respective labs. In the evening, Sue called Peter over to tell him about the progress on the SA patent.

The lawyers were already processing the paperwork, and Amazon had agreed to the manufacturing contract. Peter would receive 50% ownership of the patent, as well as a 5% royalty on sales. Now he would have a steady, continuous stream of income, achieving complete financial freedom.

The next day, the people in the classroom were gathered around Flash's phone, watching the news.

On the screen was footage of Alexei, the pilot of the Rhino armor, on trial. In the end, he was sentenced to five years in prison for theft and endangering public safety.

Peter watched the screen, his heart completely unmoved. He knew this guy would break out sooner or later; he just needed to be prepared in advance.

Over the next week, Peter was running ragged between his studies, R&D at the Baxter Building, and nightly patrols. The streets were relatively quiet, with only a few robberies and one stabbing incident that required emergency medical attention.

But the day of the homecoming dance was drawing near. Peter found himself actually feeling nervous about this high school dance. Felicia would tease him every time they met, emphasizing that it had to be a perfect night.

For the sake of this perfect night, Peter borrowed Uncle Ben's blue suit and paired it with a black shirt, looking both retro and stylish. He also gritted his teeth and booked a high-end restaurant in the city center, spending more than half a month's worth of pocket money.

Friday evening, Peter was dressed and ready.

"Looking sharp, Peter." Uncle Ben helped him tie his tie.

"I really wish you two could take photos here," Aunt May said, holding a camera.

Just as she was speaking, the door opened, and Mary Jane walked in.

She was wearing a black dress that hit mid-thigh, perfectly outlining her curves. The bodice was made of semi-transparent material, and paired with exquisite makeup, she was stunning enough to make people unable to look away.

Peter was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "Damn, Mary Jane, I think this is the first time I've been jealous of Harry Osborn."

"Thanks, Tiger, you don't look so bad yourself," Mary Jane smiled slightly.

"Come, come, you two take a picture," Aunt May said, excitedly raising her camera.

"Aunt May, she's not my date," Peter said helplessly.

"Who cares? Get closer!" Aunt May snapped several photos in a row.

After they finished, Peter leaned in close to Mary Jane's ear, whispered a blessing, and then planted a gentle kiss on her cheek.

Mary Jane froze instantly. Peter winked at her and calmly turned to leave.

Getting into the taxi, Peter felt for the Web-shooters in his jacket's inner pocket. He never took luck for granted; the more significant the moment, the easier it was for things to go wrong.

He had brought his suit and mask, hidden beneath his suit.

Arriving ten minutes early, Peter waited at a window seat for twenty minutes. Felicia was late.

He dialed her number. "Felicia?"

"Peter, sorry, something came up." Her voice sounded hurried.

"What happened?"

"Boom!"

A loud explosion came from the phone, and a blinding blue light erupted outside the window. Peter whipped his head around and saw a bolt of lightning strike into the air, with electric arcs darting everywhere.

"Felicia! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! There's a monster attacking everyone!"

"Stay right there! I'm getting help right now!"

Peter threw down some cash and rushed out of the restaurant, trying to call Johnny Storm, but he only got a busy signal. The strong electrical current was interfering with all communication signals.

He rushed to the rooftop, took off his suit to reveal the black skintight combat suit underneath, and stuck his suit and leather shoes to the wall with Webbing. The moment he put on the mask, he leaped into the night sky.

The only ones capable of causing this kind of commotion were either Thor or Electro.

The bustling street was in ruins. A man radiating blue electric arcs hovered in mid-air, laughing maniacally as he fired bolts of electricity in all directions. Cars were flipped over, and the asphalt road surface was torn up.

"Help!" a woman screamed.

"Shut up, you bitch! No one cares if you live or die!" Electro roared, lethal energy coalescing in his palms.

"Someone, please save us!" the woman cried out in despair.

"I told you to shut up!" Electro swung his hand down violently.

At the critical moment, a line of white Webbing shot out, yanking the woman out of the danger zone. The electric arc slammed into the ground, blasting a large crater.

"What the hell!" Electro turned to look at the rooftop. "Spider-Man?!"

"I'll give you one chance," Peter said, standing on the edge, his eyes scanning the ruins for Felicia. "Get out of this city, and don't come back."

"Who do you think you are to order me around! No one orders me!" Electro roared, and several high-voltage arcs surged straight toward Peter.

Peter instinctively leaped up, and the electric arcs instantly melted the rooftop where he had just been standing.

"Is that all you've got, lightbulb?" Peter swung through the air, continuing to taunt him.

"Get back here!" Electro attacked frantically, but Peter used his Webbing to maneuver flexibly between the buildings, always maintaining his distance.

Peter glanced down and saw Felicia helping an old man climb out of a mangled car. Her clothes were torn, and her hair was disheveled, but in Peter's eyes, she was stunningly beautiful at that moment.