Peter had been patrolling for less than an hour when the sound of a bank alarm carried through the streets below. Several police cars raced past him with their lights flashing, heading toward a large bank near the center of the financial district. Peter changed direction, fired a fresh web line, and swung after them as the recording symbol in the corner of his new HUD continued glowing.
Thick green smoke poured from the bank's shattered entrance, covering the sidewalk and forcing the arriving officers to remain behind their vehicles. Through the smoke, enormous stone creatures appeared to crawl across the building's walls while terrified employees fled into the street. Peter's spider-sense remained mostly quiet, immediately telling him that the monsters weren't real.
"Mysterio," Peter muttered as he landed above the bank's entrance. Peter had spent days wondering how much of that fight had been real, and now the man had decided to announce his return by robbing a bank.
Peter crawled across the ceiling and entered through a broken upper window, avoiding the green smoke gathering near the floor. Below him, several bank employees were huddled behind the counters while floating creatures guarded them. None of the monsters triggered his spider-sense, but the armed drones hidden within their bodies certainly did.
Near the open vault stood Mysterio, wearing his green armor, purple cape, and reflective glass helmet. Bags of money appeared to float through the air around him, although Peter could hear the quiet engines of small drones carrying them. Mysterio turned toward the ceiling as if he had been expecting Spider-Man to arrive.
"Back for round two?" Peter asked as he dropped onto the top of a counter. "I was worried you'd decided to retire after running away from our first fight. Although robbing a bank seems like a strange way to repair your reputation."
"Running away?" Mysterio repeated, his amplified voice echoing throughout the room. "Our previous encounter ended precisely as I intended. You fought shadows while I disappeared with the real prize. That was not an escape—it was a successful final act."
"Sure, let's call it that," Peter replied as the white lenses of his mask narrowed. "But I have a serious question. Why are you doing this? Your technology is incredible. You could be making movies, designing training programs, or earning money without terrorizing people and stealing it from a vault."
Mysterio remained silent for a moment before slowly turning away from the open vault. The creatures crawling across the walls froze, and the green smoke settled around his boots like fog across a stage. "Before the world knew Mysterio, it ignored Quentin Beck," he began.
"I devoted years of my life to the film industry," Beck continued. "I designed illusions, constructed impossible sets, performed dangerous stunts, and created effects that made ordinary actors appear larger than life. Audiences cheered for the stars while my name passed by unnoticed at the end of the credits."
Peter remained still as Mysterio walked toward him, allowing the camera inside his mask to record every word. "So this is about not receiving enough attention?" Peter asked. "Because robbing banks usually earns prison time, not awards."
"It was more than attention," Mysterio answered sharply. "Studios stole my designs and handed them to cheaper technicians. Directors accepted praise for effects I created, and actors built careers upon illusions that would never have existed without me. When I protested, they called me difficult. When I demanded credit, they fired me."
The lights inside the bank dimmed as enormous movie screens appeared along the walls. They showed images of Quentin Beck working behind cameras, constructing miniature cities, and testing holographic equipment while celebrities stood beneath bright lights. Whether the memories were accurate or merely another performance, Peter couldn't tell.
"I spent my life making insignificant people look like heroes," Mysterio said. "Eventually, I realized I no longer needed them. With my drones, chemicals, projectors, and knowledge of human perception, I could create wonders no studio could control. I could become the star of my own story."
"And you decided the best way to do that was by becoming a criminal," Peter said. "You were treated badly, and that wasn't fair, but the people hiding behind those counters didn't steal your work. They have nothing to do with what happened to you."
"They are the audience," Mysterio replied. "Fear, wonder, admiration it makes little difference. People only remember what overwhelms them, and no one will ever overlook Mysterio."
Peter glanced toward the floating bags of money. "And the bank robbery?"
"Great performances require financing," Mysterio answered as he spread both arms. "Drones, projectors, chemicals, and entire armies of illusions are expensive. This bank is merely funding my next masterpiece."
Peter sighed and raised his right wrist, quietly switching the web-shooter to its web-bomb setting. "I was hoping there might be a reasonable explanation somewhere inside the fishbowl. Instead, you're robbing terrified people because Hollywood hurt your feelings."
Mysterio's helmet filled with green light as dozens of identical copies appeared throughout the bank. "Mock me while you can, Spider-Man. During our first encounter. Tonight, you will learn that seeing through one illusion only reveals another."
The bank vanished around Peter, replaced by a burning city beneath a dark red sky. Hundreds of Mysterios appeared across the ruined streets while enormous creatures rose between the buildings. Peter's spider-sense began tingling as real drones concealed among the illusions aimed their weapons at him.
Peter lowered himself into a fighting stance while the recording indicator continued glowing inside his mask. "Good news, Mysterio," he said. "This time, I brought a camera. So when I figure out how your tricks work, I'll be able to enjoy watching you lose more than once."
The burning city surrounding Peter appeared completely real, from the waves of heat rolling off the streets to the ash falling from the dark red sky. Several enormous creatures charged toward him while hundreds of Mysterios raised their hands at once. Peter's spider-sense suddenly screamed, and he threw himself sideways as a burst of gunfire passed through three illusions before tearing apart the counter behind him.
Peter landed against what appeared to be a burning wall, but his hand passed through the flames and touched the bank's marble column beneath them. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to ignore everything Mysterio wanted him to see. The illusion continued roaring around him, yet his spider-sense only reacted when the concealed drones prepared to attack, allowing him to distinguish real threats from harmless images.
Another warning raced through Peter's body, and he leaned backward as several rounds passed inches above his chest. He fired a web line in the direction they had come from and heard it attach to something hidden inside the illusion. Peter pulled sharply, dragging an armed drone through the image of a collapsed building before smashing it against the marble floor.
The entire burning street flickered for a fraction of a second when the drone broke apart, revealing the bank beneath it. Peter opened his eyes and noticed that the green smoke moved around the real drone's wreckage, while passing directly through the imaginary creatures surrounding him. "That's the problem with making everything look real," Peter called as he dodged another attack. "Reality still has to obey the rules."
Peter watched the smoke instead of the illusions, searching for places where the fog bent around invisible objects. When he spotted several unnatural disturbances moving through it, he fired three web bombs across the room. The compressed webbing exploded through the false scenery and wrapped around the hidden drones, clogging their weapons and dragging them to the floor as the projections surrounding them began to distort.
Mysterio responded by multiplying the illusions until dozens of creatures rushed Peter from every direction. Peter ignored them and leaped toward the ceiling, following the faint outline of the bank that occasionally appeared whenever another projector failed. He found a large water pipe above the suspended ceiling and struck it hard enough to rupture the metal without bringing the surrounding structure down.
Water burst from the broken pipe and rained across the lobby, scattering the green smoke while covering every physical object beneath it. The droplets passed harmlessly through the imaginary flames and creatures, but they splashed against the concealed drones and revealed their outlines. As their lenses became covered with water, the holograms flickered violently, transforming the burning city into a broken mixture of false streets and the real bank.
"You think a little water can wash away my masterpiece?" Mysterio demanded as his voice came from every direction. The remaining drones changed positions, but Peter could now see water dripping from their metal bodies. "No, but it makes the invisible murder machines much easier to find," Peter answered before webbing two drones together and slamming them into a third.
One by one, the projectors crashed to the floor, causing entire sections of the illusion to disappear. Peter's HUD continued recording everything while he moved through the collapsing images, using his spider-sense whenever Mysterio tried hiding another attack among them. Within moments, the burning sky vanished completely, leaving only several flickering copies of Mysterio standing throughout the flooded bank.
Peter studied the remaining copies as water continued falling around them. Most of the droplets passed straight through the false Mysterios, but one figure near the vault disturbed the water as it struck his helmet, armor, and purple cape. Peter smiled beneath his mask and slowly turned toward him. "Found you, Quentin. Next time, remember that holograms don't get wet."
The real Mysterio raised both gauntlets and fired a concentrated blast toward him. Peter jumped over it, flipped through the air, and fired webs at Beck's wrists before landing behind him. Mysterio cut through the strands with blades extending from his armor, then released another cloud of green gas that filled the space between them and created several fresh copies of himself.
Instead of looking for Beck again, Peter closed his eyes and trusted his spider-sense. The false Mysterios rushed him without creating the slightest warning, while the real Beck approached from behind with one blade raised. Peter ducked before the weapon reached him, caught Mysterio's arm, and threw him over his shoulder into a pile of soaked money bags.
Mysterio rolled across the floor and quickly aimed one gauntlet, but Peter fired a web bomb directly into its barrel. The weapon exploded inside the mass of webbing, trapping Beck's hand against his chest without seriously injuring him. Peter then yanked the other gauntlet away with a web line and crushed its firing mechanism beneath his foot before Mysterio could activate another illusion.
Beck attempted to stand, only for Peter to web both of his boots to the floor. He tore one foot free, but Peter crossed the distance between them and struck the glass helmet with a carefully controlled punch. Cracks spread across its surface as the remaining projectors shut down, leaving Quentin Beck visible inside the damaged helmet with disbelief and fury covering his face.
"All of this technology, and you were defeated by a broken pipe," Peter said as he pulled the helmet from Beck's head and tossed it aside. Mysterio glared at him while struggling against the webbing, insisting, "You have destroyed nothing. Mysterio will return with illusions so perfect that even your precious senses will betray you." Peter added several more layers of webbing around him before replying, "Great. I'll bring an umbrella."
With Mysterio secured, Peter freed the frightened bank employees from behind the counters and guided them through the thinning smoke. He opened the front doors for the waiting police, then showed them the disabled drones and warned them that some might still contain weapons or chemicals. Officers entered carefully while Peter carried the stolen money away from the water and placed it beside the damaged vault.
As the police dragged Quentin Beck outside, Peter checked the recording indicator inside his mask and discovered that the HUD had captured the entire fight. The footage showed the illusions from his perspective, the disturbances in the smoke, and the water revealing Mysterio's real position. Peter watched a few seconds of it before smiling, already thinking of improvements that could help him identify holograms faster during their next encounter.
Once Mysterio had been placed inside the armored transport, Peter approached one of the officers standing near the police barricade. He explained that the camera inside his mask had recorded the entire fight and asked if he could use a police computer to transfer the footage. The recording showed Beck's drones, weapons, illusions, and confession, making it valuable evidence for the case against him.
The officer considered the request before walking Peter toward his patrol car. He opened the trunk, removed his department-issued laptop, and placed it on the hood where he could watch everything Peter did. "You can transfer the recording, but I need to supervise," he explained. "There's sensitive police information on here, so don't open anything except the folder I give you."
"Trust me, officer, I'm only interested in handing over evidence," Peter assured him while taking his phone from a protected pocket beneath his suit. "Besides, breaking into police files while surrounded by cops would probably qualify as my worst plan tonight, and I just fought a man wearing a fishbowl." The officer gave him a suspicious look before creating an empty evidence folder and moving aside.
Peter connected his phone to the laptop and opened the application linked to his new HUD. Since the camera stored its recordings on his phone, he selected the complete video and began copying it into the evidence folder. The officer stood beside him throughout the process, carefully watching the screen to make certain Peter didn't access any programs or files he wasn't authorized to see.
The progress bar moved slowly because the recording contained the entire fight in high quality. Peter waited beside the patrol car while the officer occasionally glanced at the damaged bank and the restrained drones being carried outside. When the transfer reached ninety-eight percent, the laptop suddenly made a soft notification sound, and a message from Gwen appeared in the corner of the screen.
The notification had been mirrored from Peter's connected phone and read, Are you still coming over tomorrow, handsome? I already miss you, and I was hoping we could find somewhere private to make up for all the time Spider-Man keeps stealing from me ❤️. Peter froze the instant he saw it, while the officer silently read the message before slowly turning toward him with an amused smile.
Even with his face hidden, Peter could feel himself blushing beneath the mask. "That's, uh—that's definitely classified information," he stammered while hurriedly dismissing the notification. "Very dangerous, highly romantic evidence. You should probably forget it immediately before my secret weapon discovers that someone else read it."
The officer laughed and raised both hands innocently. "I didn't see anything, Spider-Man," he promised, although his grin made it obvious he would remember the message. "But it sounds like you have plans tomorrow, so you might want to make sure fighting criminals doesn't make you late." Peter muttered that facing Mysterio had somehow been less embarrassing and watched the final percentage disappear.
Once the video finished copying, Peter safely disconnected his phone and checked that the evidence file could be opened. The officer played the beginning of the recording, confirming that it clearly showed Mysterio inside the bank and captured his confession. "This will make the detectives' jobs much easier," he said as he closed the laptop. "Thank you for staying and giving us the footage."
"No problem," Peter replied as he returned his phone to its protected pocket. "Just remember that the fight is evidence, while the message is protected by superhero-girlfriend privilege." The officer laughed again and thanked him before carrying the laptop back toward the other investigators, leaving Peter eager to escape before anyone else asked what Gwen had written.
Peter fired a web line toward the nearest building and launched himself over the police barricade. As he swung away from the bank, he opened Gwen's message through the HUD and began thinking of an equally flirtatious answer.
As Peter swung away from the bank, he opened Gwen's message through the new HUD and carefully dictated a reply. I'll come over tomorrow, beautiful. Spider-Man promises to return your boyfriend before then, although you might have to convince him to leave once he gets there. He read the message twice, smiled beneath his mask, and sent it before beginning one final patrol route through the city.
The streets had grown quieter, but Peter still interrupted two muggings before leaving Manhattan. The first ended when he webbed a knife to a brick wall, while the second ended with both criminals hanging upside down from a streetlight as their victim called the police. Peter remained nearby until officers arrived, then disappeared across the rooftops before anyone could ask him for another statement.
Several blocks later, his spider-sense warned him as a man forced a driver out of a parked car and climbed behind the wheel. Peter landed on the hood before the car could move, webbed the steering wheel in place, and pulled the keys from the ignition. "Public transportation is cheaper and usually involves fewer felony charges," he told the stunned carjacker before webbing him to the seat for the police.
Once his final patrol route was complete, Peter headed toward home, only to feel those familiar unseen eyes following him again. He changed direction repeatedly, swinging through narrow alleys, crawling beneath an elevated train line, and circling around several buildings. Whoever was observing him remained distant, but Peter refused to lead them anywhere near his home or reveal where he changed clothes.
Peter performed several strange movements through the city, sometimes dropping toward the street before reversing direction with a web line or crawling along the underside of a bridge. Eventually, he reached an abandoned maintenance building where the uncomfortable sensation finally disappeared. He waited in the darkness for nearly fifteen minutes before changing into his clothes, hiding the suit inside his backpack, and making his way home on foot.
By the time Peter reached his bedroom, exhaustion had begun catching up with him. He placed the mask and web-shooter beside his workbench, connected his phone to a charger, and intended to examine the HUD recordings for only a few minutes. Instead, he fell across his bed without changing out of his clothes and was asleep before he could even pull a blanket over himself.
When Peter finally woke, bright sunlight filled his room and the clock beside his bed showed that it was already noon. He groaned at how much of the day he had slept through before remembering his plans with Gwen. After taking a quick shower, he sent her a message saying that he was awake and asking if she was working that day, promising to come over immediately if she was free.
Gwen answered before Peter had finished getting dressed, telling him that she had the day off and had been wondering how long her sleepy boyfriend intended to keep her waiting. Peter smiled as he pulled on a clean shirt and replied that he was leaving now. He packed his phone, wallet, and a few emergency supplies into his backpack, leaving the Spider-Man suit behind so he could spend the afternoon as Peter Parker.
He found Aunt May in the kitchen drinking coffee and reading through several papers from F.E.A.S.T. Peter greeted her, grabbed a piece of toast, and explained that he was heading to Gwen's apartment. "I'll probably eat at her place, so don't worry about saving dinner for me," he said before hugging her and adding, "Have a good day, May. I'll text you if I'm going to be late."
May returned the hug and told him to enjoy himself, although she gave him a knowing smile when she noticed how quickly he was trying to leave. "Tell Gwen I said hello, and try not to forget that other people exist while you're together," she teased. Peter insisted that they were perfectly capable of behaving normally before slipping out the door, earning a quiet laugh from May as he left.
Peter took the subway toward the station closest to Gwen's apartment, spending most of the ride exchanging playful messages with her. When the train arrived, he stepped onto the crowded platform and followed the other passengers toward the stairs. Near the exit, he noticed a disheveled man stumbling beside the railing with unfocused eyes and movements that suggested he was under the influence of something.
The man suddenly lost his balance and began falling backward toward the concrete steps. Peter moved before anyone else realized what was happening, catching him beneath the arms and preventing his head from striking the ground. "Hey, can you hear me?" Peter asked while carefully lowering him, but the man's eyes remained partly closed and he gave no response.
Peter carried him to the top of the subway staircase, where there was more space and better access for emergency workers. He gently placed the man on the sidewalk, checked for breathing, and felt for a pulse along his neck. The pulse was present but frighteningly weak, convincing Peter that the man needed medical attention immediately.
He called emergency services and explained that an unresponsive man with a weak pulse might be suffering from an overdose near the subway entrance. The dispatcher asked several questions while Peter remained beside him and monitored his breathing. Peter gave their exact location, described the man's condition, and followed the dispatcher's instructions while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
A passing police cruiser noticed the gathering crowd and slowed before turning on its emergency lights. Two officers parked beside the curb and hurried toward Peter, asking what had happened as they approached. "He started falling near the stairs, so I caught him and brought him up here," Peter explained. "He isn't responding, and his pulse feels weak, so I called an ambulance."
One officer knelt beside the man and immediately began assessing his condition while the other guided Peter a short distance away to take his statement. Peter explained where he had first seen the man, how he had caught him, and everything he had done afterward. The officer wrote down his contact information and asked whether Peter had seen the man take anything, but Peter honestly answered that he had only noticed him moments before the fall.
The ambulance arrived within minutes, and the paramedics took over while the officers moved the crowd away. Peter watched as they lifted the unconscious man onto a stretcher and carried him toward the waiting vehicle. Once the officer finished recording his statement, he told Peter that he was free to leave and thanked him for stopping instead of walking past someone who clearly needed help.
"I'm just glad I was close enough to catch him," Peter replied while glancing toward the ambulance. The officer nodded and told him that preventing the fall may have saved the man from a serious head injury. Peter thanked both officers before continuing toward Gwen's apartment, relieved that the stranger was finally receiving the medical care he needed.
Peter finally reached Gwen's apartment nearly forty minutes later than he had originally planned. He climbed the last flight of stairs, adjusted his backpack over one shoulder, and knocked on the door. A few seconds later, Gwen opened it wearing comfortable clothes, and her teasing smile immediately made the exhausting night and unexpected delay feel much less important.
Before Gwen could say anything, Peter stepped forward, placed one hand gently against her waist, and kissed her. She looked surprised for only a second before wrapping her arms around his neck and returning the kiss. When they separated, Gwen smiled and whispered, "I was going to complain about how long you took, but that was a pretty convincing apology."
A quiet cough came from inside the apartment, causing Peter to look past Gwen and discover her mother standing near the kitchen entrance. Mrs. Stacy held a cup of coffee in one hand and wore an amused smile that immediately made Peter's face turn red. "Hello, Peter," she greeted warmly. "You two do remember that the doorway is visible from the rest of the apartment, don't you?"
Peter quickly removed his hand from Gwen's waist and stood straighter, although Gwen merely laughed and pulled him inside. "Hi, Mrs. Stacy," he answered awkwardly. "I was just well, Gwen was I mean, I was saying hello." Mrs. Stacy's smile widened as she replied, "That was certainly a very enthusiastic greeting, but you don't need to explain it to me."
Gwen closed the door and asked why Peter had taken so long to arrive. He told her and her mother about catching the collapsing man near the subway stairs, calling an ambulance, and waiting to give the police his statement. Their amusement disappeared as they listened, and Mrs. Stacy told him that stopping to help had been the right decision, even if it had made him late.
"You helped someone when everyone else might have walked past him," Gwen said as she squeezed Peter's hand. "I suppose that earns you complete forgiveness." Peter smiled and replied, "Good, because I didn't prepare another apology. I mean, I could probably improvise one, but apparently we have an audience."
Mrs. Stacy laughed before returning to the kitchen, telling them that she had work to finish and would be nearby if they needed anything. Gwen guided Peter into the living room, where several blankets and pillows had already been arranged across the couch. Two bowls of popcorn and an assortment of snacks waited on the coffee table beside a collection of movies she had selected.
Peter dropped his backpack near the couch and sat beside Gwen, only for her to immediately move closer and rest her head against his shoulder. They spent several minutes flipping through movies without agreeing on anything. Peter wanted an old science-fiction film with terrible special effects, while Gwen argued for a romantic comedy that she claimed he would secretly enjoy.
"The science in your movie is insulting," Gwen complained while reaching for the remote. Peter held it out of reach and answered, "That's what makes it educational. We can count how many laws of physics they break." From the kitchen, Mrs. Stacy called that Gwen was right, forcing Peter to surrender the remote after realizing he had been outnumbered.
Gwen selected the romantic comedy and stretched her legs across Peter's lap while he wrapped one arm around her waist. Within the first ten minutes, they had already missed several important scenes because they were talking, sharing popcorn, and occasionally kissing. Whenever Mrs. Stacy passed through the living room, Peter immediately pretended to be completely focused on the movie, which only made Gwen laugh.
Mrs. Stacy eventually brought them drinks and paused long enough to ask whether they were enjoying the film. Gwen answered that Peter had spent most of it making fun of the dialogue, while Peter insisted that his commentary had improved the story. Her mother shook her head with an amused smile and warned them not to eat every snack before dinner.
After the first movie ended, neither Peter nor Gwen bothered moving from the couch. Gwen remained curled against him while he slowly ran his fingers through her hair, enjoying the rare feeling of having nowhere else he needed to be. Her mother continued working nearby, and the ordinary sounds of someone moving through the apartment made the afternoon feel peaceful rather than interrupted.
They chose another movie almost at random and allowed it to play while they continued talking quietly. Gwen asked how the new HUD had performed against Mysterio, and Peter explained that the camera had captured the entire fight before mentioning her message appearing on the officer's computer. Gwen's face turned red as she buried it against his chest, especially when Mrs. Stacy looked over from the dining table and asked what message he meant.
"Nothing important, Mom," Gwen answered quickly without lifting her head. Peter tried not to laugh. The television continued playing mostly unnoticed as the afternoon passed around them. Peter rested his head against Gwen's while she traced small circles across the back of his hand, both of them comfortable with the silence between conversations. With Gwen beside him and her mother occasionally joining their jokes from across the apartment, Peter finally allowed himself to relax and enjoy a completely ordinary day.
Peter and Gwen remained curled together on the couch while the second movie played, paying more attention to each other than anything happening on the television. Gwen rested against his chest beneath the blanket while Peter gently ran his fingers through her hair. Every few minutes, one of them whispered something that made the other laugh before they shared another quiet kiss.
From the dining area, Mrs. Stacy looked over and found them sitting with their hands intertwined, completely absorbed in each other. Smiling to herself, she carefully took out her phone and raised it without making a sound. She captured a picture of Gwen resting against Peter while he smiled down at her, then quietly saved it before either of them realized what she had done.
As dinner time approached, Mrs. Stacy began moving through the kitchen while Peter and Gwen started another movie. Before the opening scene could finish, the television abruptly changed to a live news broadcast. A red breaking-news banner appeared across the bottom of the screen while footage showed frightened crowds running through the streets of downtown Manhattan.
The camera turned toward an enormous man wearing a thick gray rhinoceros suit as he charged through an intersection. Cars were knocked aside by his armored body, police vehicles had been overturned, and a city bus sat partially embedded in the front of a damaged building. Every step the massive criminal took cracked the pavement beneath his feet while officers struggled to evacuate the surrounding streets.
"We are receiving reports that this unidentified metahuman has already destroyed several blocks of downtown Manhattan," the reporter explained over the chaotic footage. "Police weapons appear completely ineffective against his armored suit, and emergency teams cannot approach the injured. After Spider-Man's recent battles with Mysterio and armed criminals, many New Yorkers are now asking the same question: where is he?"
Gwen slowly lifted her head from Peter's chest and looked directly at him. Peter stared back at her while the reporter continued describing the destruction, neither of them needing to say what they were thinking. Mrs. Stacy remained in the kitchen watching the broadcast, unaware of the silent conversation taking place between them.
Peter stood from the couch and reached for his backpack. "I should try to get some pictures of Spider-Man fighting that guy," he said, making the excuse sound as natural as possible. "If he shows up, photographs of him in action could be worth a lot, especially with every newspaper in the city looking for coverage."
Mrs. Stacy turned toward him with immediate concern. "Peter, that man is throwing cars through buildings," she warned. "Getting photographs isn't worth putting yourself in the middle of something that dangerous." Peter assured her that he would remain behind the police barricades and use his camera's zoom, although Gwen knew he had no intention of staying anywhere near safety.
"He's taken pictures of Spider-Man before, Mom," Gwen added as she stood beside him. "Peter knows how to stay out of the way, and he'll leave if things become too dangerous." Mrs. Stacy still looked uncertain, but Peter promised again that he would be careful and return as soon as he had enough photographs.
Gwen walked him to the door and waited until her mother turned back toward the kitchen. "Be careful," she whispered as Peter placed one hand against her cheek. He promised, "I'll be back as soon as I can," before kissing her goodbye and holding her close for a few seconds longer than usual.
Peter pulled away reluctantly and hurried into the hallway while Gwen watched him leave. Mrs. Stacy glanced toward her daughter and noticed the concern hidden beneath her expression, but she assumed Gwen was simply worried about Peter getting too close to the fight. On the television, the armored metahuman lowered his head and charged through another police barricade.
Instead of heading down toward the street, Peter ran up the apartment building's stairwell. When he reached the roof, he checked that no one was nearby before moving behind the maintenance structure and opening his backpack. He quickly removed his ordinary clothes, pulled on the Spider-Man suit and placed his phone inside its protected pocket.
The HUD activated when Peter pulled the mask over his head, displaying the time, battery level, and live emergency reports from downtown. He climbed onto the edge of the roof and looked toward the distant column of smoke rising between the buildings. "A giant guy dressed like a rhinoceros," he muttered. "I leave the city alone for one afternoon, and apparently the zoo takes over."
Before leaving, Peter attached his camera securely inside the backpack and webbed it beneath an air-conditioning unit. He could return after the fight, take a few pictures of Spider-Man's supposed departure, and use them to support his excuse. It was an imperfect plan, but it would be much easier than explaining why Peter Parker had disappeared seconds before Spider-Man arrived.
Peter fired a web line toward a neighboring building and launched himself from the roof. He swung rapidly toward downtown Manhattan, using longer lines and greater speed as police sirens filled the streets below. Behind him, Gwen remained in the apartment watching the news and waiting for Spider-Man to appear, while her mother quietly kept the photograph she had taken of them only minutes earlier.