One Week Later
"We're heading out, Uncle Ben, Aunt May!" Peter shouted from the doorway.
Today was the day of the Hammer Industries exhibition, and Peter and Silas were preparing to sneak in to check it out.
"Where are you two going? It's getting late," Ben Parker didn't particularly approve of the two minors going out at night. He worried about what dangers they might encounter after sunset.
"Don't worry, Uncle Ben. We're just going for a walk and a jog in the park. We'll be back soon," Silas quickly invented an excuse.
Aunt May walked into the living room. "Then remember to be careful and come back early."
"Don't worry, no problem." Silas draped his arm over Peter's shoulder, and they walked out the door.
After they left, Aunt May wondered, "Why are those two going jogging in the park late at night?" The park at night was practically a sanctuary for couples; usually, only couples went there. Weren't the two brothers just asking for trouble by jogging there?
"It's also a way to cultivate brotherly affection," Ben Parker said, putting down his newspaper and smiling. He seemed to have figured out the real reason.
Outside
"Silas, I have to say, your ability is simply fantastic!" Peter, already wearing his Spider-Man suit, emerged from the Shadow Realm. Peter had a camera hanging around his neck, ready for the Hammer Industries exhibition. All their gear had been temporarily stored in Silas's Shadow Realm; otherwise, Aunt May and Uncle Ben wouldn't believe they were just jogging if they carried backpacks out late at night.
"Let's go." Silas also put on his black outfit and the Tara Mask, making his voice deeper.
"Your voice is so cool," Peter complimented him.
Seeing that Peter was about to say something else, Silas took the lead and leaped away.
"Hey! Wait up!" Peter quickly shot a web to follow.
The two set off towards the exhibition!
Hammer Industries Exhibition
"Good evening, everyone!" Hammer stood confidently on stage and shouted. He believed that starting today, Hammer Industries would officially replace Stark Industries and become the world's number one arms dealer!
Above, Peter and Silas had already arrived.
"We made it just in time." Peter quickly took out his camera and snapped a few pictures.
Silas looked down at Hammer. This exhibition was destined to fail. Hammer was nothing more than a clown being used by Whiplash, Anton Vanko.
Soon, Rhodey, wearing the Iron Man armor, appeared on stage, which shocked Peter.
"I saw that guy at Freedom City. He even fought with Mr. Stark. I didn't realize he was military personnel," Peter said, pausing his picture-taking.
Silas nodded in response to Peter. A Shadowkhan brought out a chair for him to sit on.
Hammer, at the exhibition, was very satisfied with the audience's reaction. This was the effect he wanted! What was Stark Industries anyway?! And the military! When his Hammer Industries fully rose, the military would be begging to cooperate with them, instead of him having to humble himself to seek them out.
Hammer then introduced the Hammer Drones! There were three types: Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps!
Besides the drones, Silas and Peter simultaneously noticed the people below: Natasha and Pepper Potts!
"It's her?" Peter said.
The Iron Man armor displayed by Hammer won applause from everyone present, except for Pepper and Natasha.
Another Room
Vanko, with his long, messy hair, held a toothpick in his mouth while typing mysterious code.
"Have fun, everyone," Vanko sneered, hitting the final Enter key.
Hammer Industries Exhibition
The moment Vanko finished typing the code, a red light flashed in the eyes of all the Hammer Drones. The Air Force Hammer Drones aimed their cannons at the skylight and fired the first shot!
"Oh no, Silas!" Peter tried to pull Silas away.
Silas, however, was already prepared. He grabbed Peter's shoulder and entered the Shadow Realm, dodging the blast.
Bang!
The shattering glass from the skylight rained down on the people below.
"Ah!" The crowd panicked. The incident was sudden; no one had expected it.
Natasha, who was standing next to Pepper, reacted quickly, leading her toward the backstage operation room, where they found Hammer.
"Hey! This is not where you should be!" Hammer noticed them and tried to shoo them away.
To his surprise, Natasha, without a word, grabbed Hammer's wrist and twisted it, pressing his neck against the control panel. "Tell me! Where is the mastermind behind this!"
"What mastermind? I don't know what you're talking about! Let me go, or I'll sue you for assault!" Hammer tried to resist Natasha, but he never expected a woman to be so strong, holding him completely still.
Seeing Hammer wouldn't talk, Natasha immediately applied more pressure.
"Ah! Ow, ow, ow! I'll talk! I'll talk! At the Hammer Industries Tower!"
Hammer couldn't bear the pain and immediately gave up Vanko's location, fearing his arm would be broken.
"Hammer Industries Tower?"
Natasha released Hammer, snatched a computer from a nearby staff member, and began tracking the communication location between Hammer and the mastermind.
Hammer Industries Tower
"Interesting, there's a computer expert." Vanko stared at the screen. He knew his location had been exposed, and it was time for him to leave.
Meanwhile, at Freedom City, Tony had put on his new Mark VI armor and was rushing toward the exhibition.
"Wait, Sir, the Mark VI has not been tested..." J.A.R.V.I.S. hadn't finished speaking.
Tony laughed. "No, J.A.R.V.I.S., now is the best time for testing!" He was always this confident.
The Exhibition
As soon as Silas and Peter emerged, they saw the chaotic scene.
"What happened?!" Peter exclaimed, but his hands and feet were quick. He shot a web to save a civilian who was about to be attacked.
Silas summoned a Shadowkhan. "I don't know, but we need to act."
"Come on, I wanted to enjoy this exhibition," Peter complained, though his actions were honest.
Silas shrugged, the magic of the Pig Talisman shimmering in his eyes. He couldn't wait. He jumped to the ground and fired a laser beam, cleanly slicing a Hammer Drone in half.
Meanwhile, on the other side, a little boy wearing a Spider-Man mask extended his hand, pressing his ring and middle fingers to his palm, mimicking the web-shooting gesture. A Hammer Drone stood in front of the boy, preparing to attack.
Suddenly, a red figure appeared next to the boy. Bang! The Hammer Drone was destroyed.
"Seriously, that mask has zero aesthetic appeal." Tony took out an Iron Man mask from nearby. "This one suits you." After handing it to the little boy, Tony flew away; he had a lot more work to do.
What Tony didn't realize was that the Hammer Drone's light came back on, flashing on and off. The Hammer Drone struggled to raise its hand, trying to strike the little boy. Peter arrived just in time and crushed the Hammer Drone's power source with a kick.
"Spider-Man!" the little boy shouted, still wearing the Spider-Man mask.
Peter turned at the sound and noticed the Iron Man mask in the little boy's hand. Seeing that Tony wasn't nearby, Peter approached the boy. "Listen, the Spider-Man mask suits you better."
With that, Peter threw the Iron Man mask onto the ground, waved at the little boy, and swung away on a web.
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