As the sun cast its warm glow over the bustling back courtyard of Midtown Manhattan Magnet High School, laughter and chatter filled the air during lunchtime.
Among the sea of students, three friends gathered at a picnic table. They eagerly discussed their upcoming adventure to the much anticipated Stark Expo, a spectacular year-long celebration of cutting-edge technology set to unfold in the heart of Queens, New York.
"I can't believe we got tickets to the Stark Expo! I can't wait to see what new inventions they'll be showing off tonight," Peter Parker said to his two best friends in the world. Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn. "How'd your dad do it, Gwen? I thought VIP tickets for the Expo were supposed to be hard to get and super expensive."
"My dad has a friend in the force who gave him the tickets as a thank-you gift. When he gave them to me, I almost didn't believe it," Gwen said as she handed out a ticket to Peter and Harry—leaving behind two tickets in the envelope in her hand.
"This is awesome. Even if I wanted them, my dad would never let me buy the tickets. I guess his little rivalry with Tony Stark runs deeper than I thought." Harry said as he examined his ticket. "Hey, Gwen? What are you going to do with that extra ticket? Planning on selling it?"
Gwen shook her head and placed the envelope in her bag. "No, I plan on asking Wyatt to come."
"Ah, yes. This mystery geniusfriend of yours," Harry said with an unbelieving look.
"Hey, he is a genius. I think he can even give Peter a run for his money," Gwen gave Peter a teasing look. "Besides, I'm sure you three boys will get along well."
"Hear that, Pete? You won't be the group's head genius any longer." Harry chuckled at Peter's unamused look.
"I, for one, am looking forward to meeting Gwen's mystery friend. I always wanted a friend who I could bounce ideas and theory's from." Peter said, raising his hands. Before he could continue speaking, a subtle ring echoed in his mind. Frowning, he ignored his Spidey sense and let the incoming football hit his head. "Ouch!"
The three friends turned to see Flash Thompson and Kenny Kong laughing as they walked over to pick up their ball. "Sorry, Parker! My hand slipped!"
"Flash!" Gwen yelled with a glare.
Peter glared at Flash, his hands clenched into fists below the table.
With my powers, it would be so easy to wipe that smirk off your face… But if I did that, I wouldn't be living up to Uncle Ben's expectations. Peter thought as relaxed. "Very funny, Flash."
"I know! That's why we're laughing!"
••o••o••o••
This wasn't part of the plan. Wyatt thought as he walked through the bustling crowds of the Stark Expo's front gate. His eyes scanned through the faces of everyone in the area before he finally found Gwen. Who turned to him at the same time, a brilliant smile growing on her face.
"Wyatt! Wyatt over here!" Gwen yelled as she waved an arm in the air.
Wyatt smiled slightly and raised his hand. Once he was close enough, he saw Peter and Harry standing near Gwen.
"Guys, this is Wyatt Wilkins. Wyatt, these two are my good friends, Peter Parker, and Harry Osborn," Gwen said as she introduced everyone to each other.
"It's a pleasure. Gwen's talked a lot about you two when we're not discussing trigonometry," Wyatt said with a friendly smile as he shook Peter's hand.
How weird. He doesn't resemble any of the live-action Peter Parkers. Then again, he's much older than his MCU counterpart, too. I guess I can't go off my meta knowledge for this world's Spider-Man. Wyatt thought.
"It's nice to meet you, too," Peter said with a smile. He couldn't help but feel a sense of Deja Vu for some reason. Wyatt's voice sounded vaguely familiar to him.
Wyatt then greeted Harry, and Gwen gave him his ticket. He frowned slightly and looked up at the bright sun above. The Hammer Industries demonstration wasn't until later that night. He figured he had some time to burn before then.
"Alright, boys. Let's go see what the future has in store for us." Gwen said as she led the group into the Expo.
Over the next couple of hours, the four wandered through the vibrant aisles of the Expo, their eyes wide with wonder as they marveled at the myriad of groundbreaking inventions on display.
Peter and Gwen were practically bouncing with excitement at each new piece of technology, their enthusiasm infectious. They eagerly delved into discussions about the mechanics behind each innovation, their voices animated as they shared theories and insights. Wyatt occasionally chimed in, offering his thoughtful perspectives that demonstrated his sharp intellect.
As they navigated the bustling sections filled with dazzling exhibits, Wyatt took it upon himself to buy everyone an array of snacks—crispy nachos piled high with cheese, sweet cotton candy that melted in their mouths, and refreshing drinks.
Gwen initially hesitated, her independent nature kicking in as she tried to decline. However, Wyatt's warm smile and dismissive wave of her concerns quickly convinced her to indulge. Peter's face lit up at the generous offerings, and even Harry, accustomed to a life of luxury, accepted the food with an appreciative nod.
As the boys talked amongst each other, Gwen watched with a small smile. She was happy that both her best friends and new friend were getting along.
Eventually, night fell over them, and the highly anticipated Hammer Industries Demonstration was coming up.
Despite all the fun he had been having interacting with Gwen, Peter, and Harry, Wyatt had a job to do. Thanks to the alarm he had set up earlier to sound like a ringtone, he had acted as if he had just been called into his part-time job.
"Are you sure you have to go? Can't they have someone else cover?" Gwen asked.
"That's so not fair," Harry said.
"Ah, man. I heard that this next event isn't one to miss," Peter said just before Gwen gave him her infamous 'the look'. "I mean, I'm sure it won't be that impressive."
"It's alright. Besides, my manager made it sound like I was the only person available, so it is what it is," Wyatt replied. "It was nice meeting you two, but duty calls. We should do this again sometime."
Peter blinked at Wyatt's words but nodded in agreement, as did Harry. Gwen, feeling a bit disappointed, also nodded. Harry noticed her reaction and frowned slightly. "I'll record the event for you. That way, you can still see it," she offered.
"You're the best, Gwen!" Wyatt exclaimed with a smile and began jogging out of the Expo.
"If we leave now, I think we can still get some good seats. Let's go!" Harry said, pulling Gwen and Peter away from waving goodbye to Wyatt. "Come on, you two!"
Peter and Gwen followed Harry as he made his way through the crowds. As they moved, Gwen turned to Peter and then glanced back in the direction Wyatt had gone. After a moment of thought, she turned back to Peter.
"So, what do you think of Wyatt?" she asked as they entered the Expo's main pavilion, which was quickly filling up with people.
"He seems like a good guy. I like him," Peter said. "Still, it feels like I've met him somewhere before."
"Really? Well, he spends a lot of his free time at the library. Maybe you've seen or heard him there?"
"Maybe…"
"Hey, you two! Hurry up! I snagged us these great seats over here!" Harry called out as he hovered above three seats near the center of the pavilion, annoying a few other visitors in the process.
"Well, let's not keep him waiting," Gwen said as she and Peter took their seats.
••o••o••o••
A glimmering silver Audi pulled up beside the main entrance of the grand pavilion at the Stark Expo. Two elegant women exited the vehicle, dressed beautifully for the evening's event. These women were Pepper Potts, the CEO of Stark Industries, and Natasha Romanov, who was currently undercover as Natalie Rushman and serving as Tony Stark's ex-assistant.
"I'll keep the car down here, all right?" Happy Hogan, one of Tony Stark's longest and most loyal employees, said from behind the wheel.
"Thank you, Happy," Pepper said as she and Natasha made their way into the pavilion to find their seats.
Upbeat music blasted through the pavilion speakers as a large logo for Hammer Industries illuminated the massive screen on stage. Justin Hammer, the CEO of Hammer Industries, danced onto the stage, enjoying the rhythm of the music. As the song came to an end, he approached a glass pulpit at the front of the stage, wearing a broad, self-satisfied smile.
"Yes! That's what I'm talking about! Thank you all for being here. Ladies and gentlemen, for far too long, our country has put its brave men and women in harm's way. Then the Iron Man arrived, and we thought the days of losing lives were behind us. Unfortunately, that technology was kept out of reach. That's not fair. That's not right. And it's just too bad."
Pepper groaned at Justin's words. "Oh, Lord."
"Well, that's petty," Gwen said.
"Regardless, it was an impressive innovation that grabbed headlines worldwide. Well, today, my friends, the press is faced with quite a different problem—they're about to run out of ink," Justin joked, earning a few quiet claps and a cough.
Coughing in embarrassment, he motioned for two people at the edge of the stage to remove the pulpit. "Get that out of here. Ladies and gentlemen, today I present to you the new face of the United States military: the Hammer drone! Army! Navy! Air Force! Marines! Yeah! Yeah! Woo!"
The stage began to whirl and shift as rows of large, militarized drones rose into view. Each group of drones was designed to represent its branch of the military, equipped with specific equipment and weapons. The audience clapped and cheered, impressed by the sight of the rows of drones. Their enthusiasm further boosted Justin's ego.
"That's a hell of a lot better than some cheerleaders, let me tell you. But as revolutionary as this technology is, there will always be a need for humans to be present in the theater of war. Ladies and gentlemen, today I am proud to present to you the very first prototype of the Variable Threat Response Battle Suit and its pilot, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes!" Justin said, pointing to a lone figure rising from the center of the stage.
Unlike the rest of the drones, this militarized suit of armor was actually Tony Stark's Mk. 2 Iron Man armor. Inside the suit was Colonel James Rhodes. However, unlike its original design, the Mk. 2 had been retrofitted with a large arsenal of weapons and repainted in black and gray. The armor made for an impressive and intimidating sight—an actual war machine.
Once entirely on stage, James gave the crowd a sharp salute, instantly followed by all the drones.
"What?" Pepper asked, turning to a seemingly equally confused Natasha, unable to believe what she was seeing.
"Dude! That's so cool!" Harry exclaimed as Peter nodded in agreement.
Justin was practically on cloud nine. Everything was going amazingly well. For all the headaches Ivan Vanko caused, he was worth all the trouble Justin went through. The sheer number of military contracts he would secure from his demonstration tonight would bolster his already considerable wealth.
"For America and its allies, Hammer Industries is reporting for—"
A loud rumble filled the skies above the pavilion, causing everyone to turn back to see a bright light flying in their direction. Like a glorious red and gold comet, Iron Man swooped into the pavilion and landed with a loud clang. As he stood up, the crowd's cheers and whoops shook the stage.
"No way! Iron Man is here too!" Peter said, grinning widely. "Remind me to get your dad a Christmas gift, Gwen."
"You better not take that back," Gwen chuckled.
"We've got trouble. Give them a wave," Tony said as he walked over to stand beside James and waved to the cheering crowd.
"Tony, there are civilians present. I'm here on orders. Let's not do this right now," James replied.
"All these people are in danger. We need to get them out of here. You have to trust me for the next five minutes," Tony said, his voice serious.
"Yeah, I tried that. I got tossed around your house, remember?" James retorted.
"Listen, I think he's working with Vanko."
"Vanko's alive?" James asked, surprised.
Tony nodded and moved to stand directly in front of Justin, his armor adding height and causing Justin to look up at him with increasing dread. "Where is he?" Tony demanded.
"What?" Justin replied quickly, his face revealing no guilt.
"Where's Vanko?"
"…Who?"
"Tell me," Tony said, beginning to lose his patience.
"What are you doing here, man?" Justin asked, stepping back slightly as Tony advanced.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" James shouted, panic rising in his voice. His suit's inner interface lit up with code as it was being compromised. Without warning, the minigun over his shoulder aimed itself at Tony. Behind James, all the drones raised their arms, weapons engaged.
"Is that you?" Tony asked in alarm, bending his knees and preparing to take off.
Peter felt his spider senses tingle and quickly realized that this was not part of the demonstration. "Oh no…"
"No, I'm not doing that! That's not me! I can't move! I'm locked up! I'm locked up! Get out of here. Go! This whole system's been compromised!" James yelled, his face contorted in fear as he struggled against the controls.
Tony flew back and hovered in the air. Sensing the incoming danger, everyone in the pavilion began to run toward the exits.
"Let's take it outside," Tony said, flying straight up to draw their gunfire away from the crowds. As he ascended into the night sky, James and the legion of drones opened fire.
A hail of bullets turned the pavilion into a cacophony of gunfire as the rounds shattered the glass ceiling above. Shards of thick glass began to rain down on the escaping crowds, intensifying their screams as several people were injured.
Realizing their target was getting away, the Air Force drones and James's suit activated their thrusters to give chase. Inside the suit, James could do nothing but scream as he blasted through the glass and into the sky. Following him, the Air Force drones soared into the night.
"Come on! We have to get out of here!" Peter shouted, grabbing Gwen and Harry.
Despite his urgency, Peter had to wait for the stream of evacuees to clear the pavilion before he and his friends could escape. His free hand reached beneath his shirt, where his Spider-Man suit lay hidden.
"Peter!" Gwen cried out in alarm, pointing at the drones on the stage. They were no longer immobile; they were now leaping off the stage. In their mechanical rampage, the drones showed no regard for anyone in their path.
What do I do? I… I have to act! Peter thought, gritting his teeth as he watched a man get knocked aside by one of the drone's heavy arms.
Just as he prepared to throw caution to the wind, Peter looked up and saw twelve glowing reddish-pink spheres. The spheres shifted and transformed into long, jagged blades. In a burst of energy, the blades flew through the air, slicing twelve of the drones into ribbons.
"Wait, is that…?" Gwen exclaimed while everyone in the pavilion watched as Atomic landed on the stage in a crouch.
"He's here," Peter whispered.