Gwen sat down on a bench by the roadside, long legs slightly crossed, finding a comfortable angle. "So, where is your investigation at now?"
"Beneath Kingpin's Fisk Building lies a super-scale large particle collider. The source of the Brooklyn earthquake and... well, the root of our dimensional travel."
Jordan paused for a moment, realizing he'd probably just wandered in. But since even Peter Parker from the MCU was here, one more person riding the wave wouldn't make much difference.
"So your investigation is already ahead of mine." Gwen rested her chin on her hand, listening intently. "Then what's our plan?"
"Reboot that machine. Find a way to reverse its program." Jordan made a fist bump gesture with his hands. "Restore the order of spacetime, then destroy it."
"Wow! That sounds like a big event!" Gwen exclaimed.
"Wait a moment!"
Peter crossed his arms in front of his chest, making a stop gesture. "I understand the logic, but I'm still completely confused! Who is Kingpin? Why would he do this? And has technology in this world reached the point where it can interfere with spacetime...?"
"None of that matters." Jordan quickly interrupted the spellcasting, seeing Peter about to start rambling again. "What matters is: who among you knows how to operate that collider?"
The three stared at each other.
Gwen raised her hand. "These large devices are often on physically isolated, independent networks. To hack into them, we need a key that can be inserted into the host." She made a gesture of turning a key to open a door.
"So here's the question." Peter shrugged. "Where's the key?"
Gwen crossed her arms and spoke of intelligence she'd gathered earlier. "I know a place that's also one of Kingpin's properties. I think it can at least help us figure out how that big guy works."
"Wait, it's Kingpin again? I don't think I've ever heard of him in my universe. Can anyone tell me just how rich he is?"
Seeing the two weren't very interested in the topic, Peter scratched his cheek. "Then what are we waiting for? Are we just going to wait for them to bring the keys over?"
Prompted by Peter's words, a realization struck Jordan: Alchemax was likely in a state of total meltdown. He snapped his fingers, his expression shifting. "You know," he muttered, "you probably shouldn't have said that."
"You don't think..." Jordan began, catching the attention of Gwen and Peter. They turned to him, sensing the change in the air. "You don't think we're the only Spider-People in this world, do you?"
Hudson Valley - Alchemax Facility
Amidst a barrage of laser beams, Miles, dressed in a Spider-Man cosplay suit, appeared to nimbly dodge left and right. In reality, he'd already fallen and gotten a head full of bumps.
The thrill of infiltrating the Alchemax company was matched by the agony of being chased and beaten by a bunch of researchers wielding laser guns.
"Hey Peter! What do we do now?"
"What do we do?" Peter punched the pursuing Doctor Octopus away, snatched the computer host that had been taken by tentacles with a web, and tossed it to Miles behind him. "Split up, kid! I'll hold off the enemy for you!"
"Are you sure? But there are so many of them..."
"Just go! Let's move!"
Tough tentacles made of synthetic materials pierced into a tree and continued climbing. Doctor Octopus raised her hand to wipe blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes behind goggles were full of obsession and madness. "You are the best research material. None of you will escape!"
"Shit! Sorry, I think I swore just now, but she's a supervillain! Don't just stand there, kid, let's go!"
Queens, New York
The three strolled along streets of an ordinary neighborhood during working hours. Very peaceful.
Rows of two-story houses lined the roadside. No courtyards. You could see your neighbor's room just by drawing back the curtains.
This environment had been part of many children's childhoods. For example...
"Hey, this is it! I recognize this place. I lived here almost the whole time before Aunt May moved!"
Peter exclaimed.
The three stopped at a detached house with a mailbox at the door reading "20 Ingram Street."
Jordan pointed to the text above. "Even the house number is the same?"
"Uh, let me think. At least the community name is different."
"Then we've come to the right place." Jordan gave Peter a push. "Go knock on the door."
Peter grumbled and, as was his habit, raised his hand and used spider silk to ring the doorbell.
"Sorry, we're not meeting any fans today..."
The door opened a crack. An elderly woman with gray hair spoke apologetically.
Then she saw a young face.
The old woman opened the door and walked out in disbelief.
"Uh... I'm a little unprepared." Peter MCU said, somewhat bewildered as the old woman walked straight toward him. For a fleeting moment, he remembered the figure lying in the ruins. "Aunt May?"
"It's me." Aunt May gently stroked Peter's face, her eyes filled with a mixture of reminiscence and relief. "You've gotten younger. And you've gotten shorter."
Peter, like a child who'd done something wrong, gently hugged Aunt May. "Uh, yes... I mean, I'm sorry. It sounds unbelievable, but I actually come from..."
"Another parallel universe?"
Gwen and Peter exchanged a surprised glance. "You knew?"
"Of course." Aunt May smiled, turning around and beckoning them to follow. "Come with me, children. You don't think you're the only ones who thought of coming here, do you?"
"Hey!" Gwen nudged Jordan with her elbow and whispered, "You knew all along?"
Jordan remained calm and tapped his head with his index finger. "Just logical reasoning."
"Like hell I believe you!"
The three followed Aunt May to a small hut in the backyard that looked like a storage room.
"Hey, I know this! The secret base!"
Aunt May chuckled and placed her hand on the wooden door.
After identity verification succeeded, the mechanical door disguised as wood opened, revealing an empty storage room that was actually an elevator shaft leading underground.
"Perhaps this secret base is a tiny bit more advanced than I imagined..."
Peter couldn't help but sigh when the scene he'd imagined, which should have been similar to his own little spider workshop, didn't materialize.
Jordan and Gwen followed closely behind as the elevator began descending.
As the elevator slowly descended, Peter Parker's meticulously crafted Spider-House in this world was finally revealed to everyone.