"Parker, did you hear?"
"Hear what?" In high school, Spider-Man was just a gloomy student who often got stuffed into lockers by the football team captain. He usually wore plaid shirts, jeans, and running shoes—completely unremarkable.
"Kaitou Kid, man! He's insane. He hacked every electronic screen in Times Square and announced he's stealing Deep Sea Blue tonight. We're heading to Times Square to watch the whole thing go down when the exhibit opens tonight. There's still room—wanna come?"
"You guys driving?"
"Yeah, in Charlie's car. You in?" Then he leaned close and whispered in Peter Parker's ear, "Mary Jane's going too."
"Uh…" For a moment, Peter was tempted. But then he remembered—he might have to transform into Spider-Man to stop Kaitou Kid. So, it was better to go alone. "Nah, I've gotta help Aunt May clean the kitchen tonight."
To be Spider-Man meant giving up a lot of social life. That was just part of the cost of being a hero. In some ways, getting bullied by the football captain was almost comforting. It gave Peter a taste of an ordinary life again.
The classmate seemed a little disappointed but understood. Peter's parents were gone, and he only had his aunt. Suddenly, the classmate nudged Peter, gesturing toward the far end of the hallway.
Mary Jane was walking down the stairs with her books in hand, just like a model. Even though Peter and Mary were classmates and neighbors, they'd barely exchanged thirty words. Not because Mary looked down on Peter—he just didn't have the courage to talk to his crush. He could face down armed criminals as Spider-Man, but he couldn't muster the nerve to speak to the girl he liked.
His first instinct when he saw Mary Jane was to turn away. Peter didn't even know why he did that. He wanted to look at her forever, yet he felt afraid.
"Hi, Peter," Mary greeted her neighbor politely.
"Hey, Mary Jane," Peter replied, waving with his back still turned.
His classmate just shook his head repeatedly. "Mary, don't forget—meet at the school gate after class."
"Okay, I won't forget," Mary said, walking past Peter. She added, "See you, Parker."
"See you."
It was pathetic. Peter knew his reaction had been awful, but he just couldn't help it. He remembered the phone number Liu A'dou had given him. Maybe it was time to ask for advice about relationships. He really wanted to know how Liu A'dou ended up marrying someone as amazing as Aida. But not today. Tonight, he had business.
The police originally wanted to shut down Ms. Roberts' so-called "No Boundaries Exhibition," but this woman was unbelievably stubborn. She'd promised during interviews that the event would go on no matter what, and she wasn't about to back down. She even refused the police's plan to clear the area.
The police were stuck. They couldn't afford to offend a wealthy woman with that much influence. Ms. Roberts had strong connections with multiple senators. If they upset her, even the commissioner would be in hot water. Still, the police weren't fools. They began planning security operations to ensure nothing happened to the gemstone.
The private security firm was also forced to make adjustments due to the sudden appearance of Kaitou Kid's calling card, increasing their manpower.
And then came the fearless citizens of New York. Whether it was a superhero showdown or an alien invasion, they always turned out in force, proudly playing their role as enthusiastic spectators.
Reporters had also started pouring in. This was already newsworthy to begin with, but the moment Kaitou Kid's calling card appeared, it became front-page material. Every newspaper and media outlet in New York showed up. Some TV stations even prepared to livestream Kid's heist in real time.
Peter's classmates were mixed into the crowd, but by the time they got there after school, it was already too late. They could only watch from the outermost edge.
"Can't see a thing." Saying the place was packed was an understatement. All they could see were rows and rows of heads.
"Now I get why Parker didn't come." In this crowd, there was nothing to see. Just the back of people's heads, arms holding up phones or cameras, or selfie sticks in the air. You'd need a miracle to actually see Kaitou Kid.
"You crouch and let me stand on your back?" someone suggested.
"Why not you crouch?"
The students argued noisily. Mary Jane craned her neck, visibly disappointed. She'd seen Kaitou Kid's videos online and had been completely taken in by his bold, flamboyant personality. That's right—Mary Jane was a Kaitou Kid fan.
The noise was like a tidal wave, more chaotic than a New Year's parade. People with connections had already gotten into nearby buildings to watch from above.
"Packed shoulder to shoulder. I want to see how this Kaitou Kid plans to pull anything off," said the police commissioner, personally stationed on a rooftop of a nearby building with a high-powered telescope trained on the scene. He could see every expression on the faces below. Truth be told, he'd been shocked too—there were so many people.
"Commissioner, I don't think he's coming."
"If he doesn't show, how are we supposed to catch him?" the commissioner shot back. "Gordon in Gotham might be helpless against him, but are we? I want him to understand—New York is not Gotham. He can't just do whatever he wants here." Commissioner Stone patted his beer belly. "All of you, keep your eyes open. The second that thief shows up, nab him!"
"Yes, sir. Our detectives are already planted in the crowd. The ones closest to the gemstone display are basically all ours. We'll make sure Kaitou Kid has no way out."
"Good. If you catch him, I'll give you all some time off," said Commissioner Stone. He went back to scanning the crowd through his telescope, searching for any suspicious individuals.
The unveiling ceremony was scheduled for six o'clock. It was April 1st, and at six, the last rays of sunset blended with the glow of neon signs and spotlights, flooding Times Square with light. If Kaitou Kid appeared, he'd be spotted instantly.
The commissioner glanced around again, pleased to see his subordinates dutifully keeping watch. Just a thief, nothing to worry about. He was going to make sure this guy got crushed in New York.
Spider-Man had arrived even earlier than his classmates. He was also on a rooftop but wasn't crammed in with the cops. Holding a takeout dinner from a fast-food joint, he munched on his meal while keeping an eye on Mary Jane. His eyesight rivaled any high-powered lens, and he could see her clearly from above. He saw the anxious look on her face—he'd never seen her so eager for anything before.
Slurping the last of his drink and stuffing the final bite of his burger into his mouth, he glanced at the time on the screen below. The unveiling was about to start. The moment Deep Sea Blue was revealed, Kaitou Kid could appear at any time. Time to stay alert.
He'd already done some online research about Kaitou Kid and his unbelievable feats. He just didn't know what kind of entrance Kid would make this time. Thinking from the thief's perspective, it seemed like dropping in from above would be the smartest move—there were simply too many people on the ground to push through. But Kaitou Kid wasn't the kind of guy who followed the rules. Spider-Man figured the thief might appear in some even more astonishing way.
He was ready to find out.