New York — Fisk Tower — Top Floor — Evening
Perched atop the imposing Fisk Tower, Wilson Fisk sits behind his desk, facing Silver Sable.
The atmosphere is tense.
Behind him, slightly to his left, Hammerhead stands perfectly still, like a threatening shadow.
— "So, Fisk... explain this whole situation to me."
— "Take a look."
Remaining perfectly calm, Fisk turns his computer monitor toward her.
Images and videos of Spider-Man play across the screen.
He is seen fighting criminals, swinging between skyscrapers, and soaring through the skies of New York.
Silver Sable carefully watches each video without taking her eyes off the screen, all while maintaining a puzzled expression.
— "So that's... this 'Spider-Man'?"
Fisk slowly nods.
— "According to the reports I've received, he's been around for about a year now. Since then, crime in New York has dropped dramatically... and my business is on the verge of bankruptcy. At first, I had someone handling things here on my behalf. But because of that... thing, I was forced to return home."
Silver Sable casually crosses her arms.
— "Hmm... I see. And do you have any useful information about him? Anything that could help me? He doesn't seem like an ordinary person."
Without saying a word, Fisk simply shifts his gaze toward the motionless shadow at the back of the room.
The message is understood immediately.
The figure slowly steps out of the darkness and into the light:
Tombstone.
He walks forward until he stands to Fisk's right, his expression cold and unreadable.
— "Tombstone will be your source of information. He'll answer your questions as best he can, since he's the one who knows that thing better than anyone else here."
He pauses briefly before adding:
— "However, I strongly advise you to call in your team of mercenaries. This isn't prey that should be taken lightly."
Silver Sable simply nods.
Then her eyes shift toward Tombstone.
— "And him? Will he be joining me during the operation?"
— "No. Tombstone will remain with me."
— "Very well."
She prepares to stand, but Fisk stops her with a simple wave of his hand.
— "However, I'd rather make one thing perfectly clear."
— "And what's that?"
— "If you fail... you fail. There will be no compensation for trying. And if you lose against that creature, you'll likely end up in prison. So make sure you succeed, Sable."
Silver raises an eyebrow slightly.
Far from irritating her, the warning amuses her.
She takes it as a challenge.
— "Hey. Have I ever failed a single mission? You already know the answer, and that's exactly why you called me."
Every bit of her confidence shines through her eyes.
— "So let me do my job... and be ready to pay me the agreed amount."
Silver Sable's words provoke neither anger nor surprise from Fisk.
Quite the opposite.
He already trusted her abilities, but that confidence only reinforces his decision even more.
A wide, falsely friendly smile appears across his face.
New York — Manhattan Rooftops — The Next Day — Day
Hanging upside down between two buildings, Spider-Man takes a selfie with the two criminals he has just taken down.
A small camera is attached to his wrist.
— "I hope Jameson will finally be happy with this! Seriously, that guy drives me crazy! Every time I bring him pictures, it's like he's never satisfied!"
Spider-Man stares at the picture he just took for a few moments before letting out a small sigh.
As he thinks back to the job he had accepted a few days earlier, a memory naturally resurfaces.
One of a conversation that had changed many things.
In the kitchen, Peter, Gwen, and Aunt May are sitting around the table.
Several stacks of bills and letters are scattered in front of them.
The atmosphere is heavy.
— "Is it true, Aunt May?"
— "Unfortunately, yes... I may have overestimated our financial reserves..."
Peter frowns slightly.
— "It's true that Aunt May hasn't been able to work since her accident with the six-armed guy. But I thought we still had enough savings... she's the one who told me that! Or maybe... maybe she lied to me...?"
Gwen lowers her eyes slightly.
— "It's my fault. The fact that I moved in with you may have also increased the expenses a lot..."
Aunt May immediately shakes her head.
— "No! I forbid you from saying that, sweetheart! It's not your fault! I just need to go back to work...!"
She tries to stand up.
But Peter and Gwen gently stop her at once.
— "Hey. This isn't your fault, Gwen."
Peter gently places his hand over his girlfriend's.
That simple touch is enough to reassure her.
Then he turns a firm look toward his aunt.
— "And you, Aunt May, still need to rest! Do you remember what the doctor said a week ago? It's still too early for you to go back to work!"
— "I know... but if I don't work, we won't be able to pay the bills, and everything will keep piling up..."
Silence fills the room.
Peter thinks. He analyzes the situation. Then, in a moment of weakness mixed with determination...
He makes a decision. He no longer sees any other solution. Peter takes a deep breath before slowly raising his head.
His eyes become determined.
— "No... I'll get a job and earn the money we need."
The moment those words leave his mouth, Gwen and Aunt May both jolt in surprise. Seeing their reaction, Peter's confidence wavers slightly. He clearly hadn't expected such a response.
— "W-What? I'll find a job and bring home some money. It's not rocket science!"
Aunt May lets out a small laugh filled with both tenderness and embarrassment.
— "That's adorable, sweetheart... but it's not that simple, you know..."
At that moment, Gwen makes a decision as well.
— "I'll help him!"
Peter and Aunt May immediately turn toward her in surprise.
— "Gwen... you don't have to do that, you know?"
— "Yes, I do! I want to! This is my home too! Besides, it's better to have two people working than just one, isn't it?"
Peter hesitates.
— "Yeah, but I don't want you spending your whole summer working..."
Without answering right away, Gwen walks over to him and gently takes both of his hands.
— "If it's for you and Aunt May, I don't mind at all! Besides, it benefits me too! I'll have a little spending money!"
His face is calm.
Almost enthusiastic.
Seeing how convinced she is, Peter hesitates for a few moments before finally giving in.
A small smile appears on his face.
— "Alright... deal."
Facing the two teenagers, Aunt May can't hide her concern.
She remains slightly skeptical.
— "Kids... are you sure...?"
— "Without a doubt!"
— "It's going to be okay, Aunt May. Don't worry. We've got this!"
Seeing how determined they are, Aunt May is gradually overwhelmed with emotion.
Tears begin to well up in her eyes.
She finally pulls both of them into a warm embrace.
The memory couldn't help but bring a faint smile to Peter's face.
Then reality caught up with him.
Still hanging between two buildings, Spider-Man lets out a long, exhausted sigh.
— "You were right, Aunt May... working isn't easy... IT'S A REAL PAIN!"
Without wasting a second, he launches himself between the skyscrapers before landing gracefully on a small rooftop facing the Daily Bugle.
New York — Daily Bugle
He then jumps into the alleyway just below, quickly removes his Spider-Man suit, stuffs it into his backpack, and enters the building under his civilian identity.
Peter walks into Jonah's small office with his hands in his pockets, wearing his usual hesitant expression.
— "Good morning, sir!"
— "Parker! If you're here, I assume you've got something interesting for me?"
— "Yes, here."
He pulls a large envelope out of his bag, hands it to Jonah, then takes a step back.
Inside are several perfectly clear photographs of Spider-Man in action, taking down two criminals.
Jonah quickly flips through them.
He frowns.
Then turns his head toward his loyal colleague sitting beside him.
— "Hey. What do you think, Robbie?"
Joseph Robertson studies the pictures for a few moments.
— "Hmm... I like them. Especially this one!"
He points to a picture of Spider-Man delivering an uppercut to one of the two criminals.
Jonah nods.
— "Great! In that case..."
He grabs the photo without the slightest hesitation.
— "...I'll get rid of this one."
He tosses it at Peter's feet.
Peter is completely dumbfounded by such blatant disrespect.
Robbie grits his teeth.
— "Graaah, seriously?!"
Clearly irritated, he chooses to leave the office before getting any angrier.
Peter, meanwhile, is still waiting for an answer.
— "So... are you buying them?"
Jonah answers without even looking up.
— "...No."
Peter's eyes go wide.
— "But why?! You wanted pictures of Spider-Man, and here they are! They're authentic, and I'm the only one who can actually get them—you know that very well!"
He repeatedly taps the envelope against his hand, hoping to get his point across.
In vain.
Jonah simply shrugs.
— "I've always wondered how you manage to get them, anyway."
Peter lets out a frustrated sigh.
He's genuinely starting to lose his patience.
— "Listen... I really need you to buy these pictures. I need the money... please."
— "And I need pictures that are actually worth something."
— "But—"
Jonah immediately cuts him off with a simple wave of his hand.
A brief silence settles over the room.
Then he calmly continues:
— "Alright... here's what we'll do. If you bring me REAL pictures of Spider-Man in action—not just stopping small-time crooks, but actually fighting a REAL supervillain... I'll give you a one-thousand-dollar bonus!"
Peter freezes.
Completely stunned.
— "O-One thousand dollars?! Are you serious?!"
— "Absolutely!"
— "One thousand dollars... that's huge! With that kind of money, I could really help Aunt May!"
His eyes instantly light up.
— "Alright, you can count on me!"
He immediately gathers up the photos, rushes down the hallway, and bolts out of the Daily Bugle.
At that very moment, Betty Brant walks into Jonah's office and passes Peter in the hallway.
— "Don't tell me you pulled the bonus trick on him again...?"
Jonah doesn't answer. He simply wears a sly smile. Betty rolls her eyes. Clearly exasperated, she immediately walks back out of the office.
— "Poor Peter..."
The moment Peter steps outside the building, he suddenly stops in his tracks.
A sudden realization flashes through his mind.
— "Wait a second... THERE AREN'T ANY SUPERVILLAINS LEFT IN THE CITY! I locked them all up last year..."
He drops onto a nearby bench, completely defeated.
— "That bastard... he planned this from the start! Damn it, I can't believe it!"
He suddenly jumps back to his feet, fully determined to go back inside and tell Jonah exactly what he thinks.
But at that very moment...
Panicked screams erupt throughout the street. They're immediately followed by several police sirens.
— "OH MY GOD, LOOK!"
A woman suddenly points toward the sky. Every passerby instinctively looks up. A man equipped with enormous metallic wings flies overhead, carrying a bag stuffed with cash.
On the ground, several police cars chase after him at full speed. Peter watches the scene for a few seconds.
Then a wide grin spreads across his face.
A genuine spark of opportunity shines in his eyes.
— "Those thousand dollars are as good as mine!"
TO BE CONTINUED.