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FEB 09 |
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“This is Only a Test”
I hate job interviews. Thank goodness I’ve only had to endure a few. The worst was sitting in Jonah Jameson’s office as he looked at my first pictures of Spider-Man. I was so thrilled when he said he’d buy them. Then he dropped the bombshell on me when he gave Robbie the headline and story to run along with my picture:
“Spider-Man: Hero or Menace?”
I hate job interviews.
Peter Parker sat nervously, trying not to squirm in his seat. He was being interviewed by the man he had most feared in high school, next to Flash Thompson. At his Aunt May’s suggestion, Peter had applied for an opening as a science teacher at his old high school, PS 108, the former Midtown High.
Not long ago, for some reason, the Daily Bugle stopped buying Peter’s photos. The Bugle had been his primary source of income since high school. Jameson had always bought his photos, no matter what, especially the Spider-Man ones. The shock of losing that source of income was unreal.
His application process and everything else to this point was fine, but then he found out who his job interview was with and his heart sank. His former vice principal- Edgar Forest. The same guy he went to every time Flash beat him up. The same guy who told him to learn how to defend himself. And now he was being interviewed for a job by him.
I can’t believe how much this guy HASN’T changed! I mean, he had that same bad comb-over when I was coming here!
“Impressive Parker,” Forest said. “Freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle. A research position at Tricorp. You’d be perfect for the job. Heh, and the kids would love a teacher like you. Heh.”
“Um, Mr. Forest, I’m not a nerdy bookworm anymore, you know,” Peter muttered. “In fact...”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Forest reached into his desk and pulled out a lighter, started searching for something else, looked at Peter and thought better of it.
Sure, you don’t smoke. It’s not like you can’t smell it in here, behind all that air freshener. Really.
Forest scowled at Peter, and Peter hoped that Forest didn’t have telepathic abilities.
That would explain how he could bust some kids. It actually explains a lot.
“You’re hired Parker,” Forest said. “How does a Biology, Chemistry, and Photography class sound?” Forest leaned back. “It’d only be two or three times a week. We’re on an alternating day schedule. If you can’t handle that...”
“It’s fine,” Peter said. “No problem whatsoever.”
Forest slumped back in his chair, slightly dejected. “Oh. Okay. You start Tuesday.”
“Okay, thank you sir!” Peter smiled, and stood. He offered his hand, but Forest didn’t take it, already going through his desk for a cigar.
“Goodbye Parker.”
Peter scowled, withdrew his hand, and left. Once out of the office he pumped his arm towards his chest.
“YES!!!”
At least something in his life was finally going right.
That Night
Peter slipped on his mask, and adjusted his gloves. He felt like celebrating, but the only reason he had was his new job. MJ had disappeared for some time, presumed dead, and was returned fairly recently. The experience shook her badly, forcing her to take time away from Peter, time to reevaluate herself. Life was hard without her.
He had lived with Randy Robertson while she was missing, but the possibility that MJ was coming back meant he wanted his own place again. With his financial situation, it made it tougher. He needed it though. He needed time on his own as well.
And then there was that Ezekiel guy.
Ezekiel had appeared out of nowhere a week or so previous. He had raised some interesting questions about what Peter knew about his powers. What was even more stunning was the fact that he shared the same powers he did. Had the radiation given the spider the ability to give him his powers? If it had, then how on Earth did Ezekiel get his powers? Peter shook his head.
I’m not worrying about that right now. I’m just going out there and dusting off the jams. Maybe I can get a good picture that Jonah would actually buy! Yeah I can see it now: “Muggers: Heroes or Menaces?”
Peter held out his hand, and fired a webline into the night. He jumped from the balcony, and swung towards downtown. There was always something interesting happening there.
“He’s moving, Dex.”
The tall, dark man lowered the binoculars from his face. He knew that monitoring this area would pay off.
“Tell our... friends to begin their attack.”
“Yes, Morlun.”
Morlun smiled. Now it began.
Peter fired another webline and swung his weight onto it. He repeated the action, then swung away from that line without anything to grab on to. He flipped across the skyline, then fired off another webline. He didn’t have time to throw his weight on to this line. A small whizzing disk severed it just midway between his hand and the wall. Peter felt his spider-sense flare just as he began to fall. Peter fired a line to a nearby wall, swung into it, and flipped over to the wall where the disk had hit. Peter saw it wasn’t a disk at all.
A throwing star? But don’t ninjas use those?
Suddenly several black forms appeared around him, holding up weapons that Peter knew were used by ninjas.
“Excuse me gentlemen,” Spider-Man said, “but I believe you’re looking for Daredevil. He lives in Hell’s Kitchen which is that-a-way.” Peter pointed in the general direction of Hell’s Kitchen. The ninjas make no outward reaction, but Peter’s spider-sense flared. He ducked. He could feel the throwing stars buzz over his head.
“Hey!” Peter cried. “No fair! You could poke someone’s eye out!” Spider-Man jumped into the air, spraying a net of webbing over the heads of the ninjas. Several quickly drew their weapons and cut the web, but some weren’t fast enough, and were held tightly by the sticky goo.
Spider-Man jumped at the remaining ninjas, five in number. He connected with one’s jaw with a crack, and kicked another in the gut. Two came at him with their katanas.
“Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to run with pointy objects?” Peter cracked as he sprayed webbing over the blades. “Kids these days!” Peter flipped over their heads, and lashed out with both fists, connecting at the base of each ninja’s skull. They both collapsed in a heap.
“Wasn’t there one more of y-?!” Spider-Man was pushed forward, and hit his head on the concrete rooftop. Darkness pushed its way into his vision, as Peter blinked to clear his sight. He felt his consciousness slipping, as the ninja grabbed him, and turned him onto his back. Peter could see the ninja’s sword held in a killing blow.
Well, this is it. Life sucks, then you die!
Morlun’s eyes narrowed. He lowered the binoculars and turned to Dex.
“They’ve disobeyed my orders,” he growled. “Take care of that one.”
Morlun’s servant nodded, then raised the rifle to his shoulder...
Peter saw the blade descend in slow motion. He knew unless he could clear his head he was a goner.
Wait! Only the first seventeen years of my life has flashed before my eyes!
The report of a gunshot filled Peter’s ears and the ninja’s head snapped back. Spider-Man jumped up, his head cleared by the shot. He looked around, trying to see the glint of gun steel. Nothing.
He looked down at the ninja and looked away holding back bile in his throat. Nothing could survive that.
Well, except Wolverine.
Peter looked around one more time, trying to find the shooter. He couldn’t see anything.
Either someone really wants me alive, or...
They want to kill me themselves.
Peter swung back to his apartment. He tore off his mask and rushed to the bathroom. After vomiting, he stripped from his Spider-Man costume. He noticed a small patch of dried blood on his arm, probably where he slid after getting knocked down. Slipping on a pair of gym shorts and a tee-shirt, Peter found the rubbing alcohol, and returned to the bathroom to clean the wound.
A fresh gauze bandage on his arm, Peter went next to his answering machine, and punched the button to hear new messages.
*BEEP*
“Peter, this is MJ. I’m still out of town, but I should be back in New York soon. We’ll talk then. I’m sorry Peter. I still love you. Bye.”
*BEEP*
“Hi. Um, Peter, this is Betty Brant. I just wanted to call and see how you were doing. I know this separation thing’s probably tough on you. If you want to go out to dinner and talk about it, well, I’m almost always free. Give me a call, okay?”
*BEEP*
“Pete, it’s Randy. Give me a call. I’m sorry man.”
*BEEP*
“Peter, Matt. Call me.”
Peter ran his hand through his hair, and picked up the reciever. He placed it between his shoulder and ear and punched out a number. He listened to it ring three times before someone picked up.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Betty? This is Peter...”
The infuriated leader of the ninja clan stood in front of Morlun. The being merely folded his arms.
“You promised none of my men would die!” the man said in slightly broken English. “And not only did one of them die, your stooge was the one who killed him, not the target!”
“And you promised that no attempt on the life of the target would be made,” Morlun said. “You breached the contract, not myself. I wish it didn’t have to come to this. I’m truly sorry for your losses.”
“Losses- HNGH?!” Morlun’s hand wrapped tightly around the man’s throat, cutting off his air completely. Morlun then lifted the ninja into the air. As he kicked helplessly, his followers moved to assist their master. Morlun looked at them, his eyes flashing red for an instant. In that instant, Morlun drained a fraction of their life energy- an act, although insignificant in the long run, causing great pain.
Morlun turned back to the ninja master. The man’s lips were now turning blue, and his fight was dwindling. Morlun rose his head and cocked his wrist slightly. With his neck snapped, the man was dead before he hit the floor.
“No one disobeys Morlun,” he stated to the nearly unconscious ninjas, then strode away.
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To Be Continued...
Next: In Amazing Spider-Man #1: A new beginning for the world’s greatest web-slinger! Peter starts a new job, settles into a new apartment, and begins dating a new woman! He can handle all of that, but can he handle Morlun? Find out as Tests and Trials begins in Amazing Spider-Man #1!
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