Chapter 10 : Offer

[A/N :- Well this one was already done. So here Chaw on it. Don't expect more chapter soon. Cause I'm taking my time writing them.]

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When Peter woke up what greeted him first was a white ceiling. He took a moment to gather his wits and check out his body's condition. He first made sure he hadn't lost any limb , finger or eyes and then he looked around to determine where he truly was. It looked like a hospital ward from what he could tell . There were lots of hospital beds and two people in white coats taking rounds.

He contemplated his situation and thought back to what he could last remember . He remembered seeing a black bald man with an eye patch. He could only hope that they weren't some shady organization who kidnapped him to do odd experiments.

Peter was stilling deciding what was better. To run away now or check out what these guys were. 'Either way I am not any condition to fight these guys too. I can still feel the wounds from the battle with the owls. These guys had helped me against the Talons so maybe they are good guys too? ' At that moment one doctor came up to his bed .

" Oh. So have woken up. How are you feeling?" The doctor asked him as he looked at his colleagues sitting at the desk in the corner of ward and gave some kind of signals before looking back at Peter.

"Uhh... Fine. I guess." Peter replied with some uncertainty.

"Any problems with breathing or eye sight? Any headache?"

"No. None that I think of. Except ... My Back. It kinda hurts."

"Yeah well you had many injuries, some fatal wounds too. It's all ok now . You should recover soon."

"...Thanks? Uh, hey listen doc, can you tell me where the hell I am ?" So far his Spider-Sense was not buzzing so Peter couldn't tell wether he was in any kind of danger or not. It wasn't like Spider-Sense could tell about future problems. It only warned him of immediate dangers.

"You are... in a SHIELD Base. We brought you here after you fell unconscious , almost half dead after your battle with the Court of Owls." Someone else answered his question as the man with eye patch entered the ward and made his way towards him. "My name's Nick Fury, Director of Strategic Homeland Intervention , Enforcement and Logistics Division. In short S.H.I.E.L.D."

"SHIELD? I've heard of you guys. You work for the United Nations. Kinda like a mix of FBI and NATO forces."

"We are above them. But yes similar to them. What about you Mr. Parker? Are you feeling better?"

It was at that moment he realised that he wasn't wearing mask. These guys even know his civilian identity too. This made him apprehensive about what they might do to him. Government organization weren't really the good guys in most cases. He had learned this much earlier even before he became Spider-man. He even got first hand experience too a few times.

Fury could easily tell that the kid in front of him was frightened at the mention of his civilian name. The tense expression on his face was easy to read for anyone , let alone one of the best spy in the world.

"You don't have to be afraid Mr. Parker , we aren't trying to harm you in any way. About your identity, There's not much I don't know. We knew about your double life since a long time now.We are busy people but we kept our eyes on you. Shame that we had to meet like this though."

'They already knew my identity since long ago? Since how long? This is giving me a headache now.'

"Where is this conversation heading? Let's get to the point please." Peter sighed while he thought about how hard he had to work to hide his identity.

"Hmm Well we do have important things to talk about and not not much time to do it in. Peter Parker, You are modern miracle . Someone like you is of incredible interest in this complicated world. But as interesting as your case is ... We had no jurisdiction over you...until now."

Fury took in Peter's expression and saw him attentively listening and continued, "With the Court of Owls rearing their conceited head after so many years. And since you got involved in the battle against them ,we finally had a chance and now, It's time we talk."

"With you help, we were able to defeat and capture some of them. We also learned some of their plans. But In the end the Court is really big organization." Fury raised his one remaining eyebrow at the end.

Peter knew he was implying something in that last part so he asked ," So?"

"They have upgraded their game. Trying to create those pet monsters and much more. If they have done that SHIELD has to upgrade it's game too. I need guys with powers. You have powers kid. And I want to you work me."

Peter was shocked for a second and thought through the possible idea of him becoming an agent and while it sounded cool he knew the dark truth of this kind of job. He would gladly be a soldier if asked much like Captain America. But being an agent meant that he was just going to do the dirty work for shield. And so ,"I refuse."

Nick Fury took a moment to say his next words,"Sadly you don't have much say in this Spider-Man. Our psyche evaluation and Intel says that the Court will come back. Stronger than before. And we are both on their list. So wether you like it or not, you are in this game."

"Yeah ,uh, no offense but I don't want any part of this 'Big Boys' world of yours. To be your dog and kill people and clean your toilet in the free time. I don't want any of this. Spider-Man doesn't kills like you people. I'm simply out there saving people from small dangers while you stay coped in here doing so-called observation. You have the whole government backing you. Do something better." Peter wasn't one to let other's decide things for him. Maybe it was a minor flaw of his but right now he knew he was right.

Fury didn't seem bothered at all by the insult. "Like I said , you hardly have any choice kid." His scary one-eyed gaze turned sharp ,"You are an illegal unnatural genetic mutation. You turn eighteen...You belong to me. Either rotting in my jail or working for me . That's the way it is. Unless you turn yourself into a menace to society , there's nothing we can do about you now."

Peter head was now down thinking the words he spoke again and again. What the director wanted to say was clear, He either gives up heroism and become shield agent or they will make him give up and throw him in jail. For all the things he had done this was what he got back.

Nick Fury didn't say anything as he looked at the Parker kid, who was on the verge of emotional breakdown. "Kinda figured you had figured that out already."

His words broke Peter out of his musing. And he started trying to get out of the bed and get on his feet. He looked around and asked , " My , My mask?"

" It was in tatters.So we threw it away." Nick replied. 'Great lost another suit don't know if I even have any money left to make another one.' Peter cursed in his mind as he got of the bed and started walking away quickly towards the door. He wanted to get out of this place as fast as possible. He stopped at the door and decided which direction he should go before taking left. Based on his senses this was the way out.

As he passed to guards , one of them pressed a button on his chest and said in a low voice,"Sir..? "

"Let him go." Came the reply out of his ear piece and the guards didn't speak anything else and remained standing in their position.

After getting out of the hospital ward Peter was practically running even though his Spider-Sense wasn't tingling he didn't want to stay here. He turned left and right and right and left. This place was like a maze. Tunnels everywhere. He would have been lost if not for his senses. After some time he finally found the exit. As he went out the first thing he saw was lot's of planes , fighter jets to be specific and people in uniform roaming all around the place. 'An airbase?' Peter decided that he should get out of here and started walking in one direction. But something didn't feel right . There was a constant whiring in the ground like standing atop a machine. The air pressure felt different too. And outside the base he couldn't see anything except blue sky. As he started moving towards one direction he soon found out answer to all his questions.

The base , No the ship on which he was...Was flying. 'This big ass ship is literally IN.THE.AIR!!'

And as New York's local hero started questioning his brain wether it has some problem or not , a sound of footsteps came from behind Peter.

"Welcome to SHIELD's Helli-Carrier. Now you know what we are sending after your ass if you decide to become villain." Nick Fury , the Direction and captain of this Flying Helli Carrier stated in an even tone.

"I, huh , How is this possible to flying such as gaint whale to the sky?" Peter was shocked beyond belief.

"Modern Miracle kid. You will find lots of them in this world. Especially if you work for me."

Peter finally came down from his geek high and then looked at Fury again ,"I... I just want to go home. I don't know how long I've been gone for and my aunt ,you should know already, is alone. She would be worried sick and she is sick too."

" Easy there kid. I'm not putting you in jail right now. and don't worry it's not been that long.Ypu were only out for a few hours, currently it's only been 12 hours. That healing ability of yours is remarkable. And as for your home.... Agent Coulson, give Mr. Parker a lift to ground."

Peter looked at the other man behind the director , He was wearing a suit , he looked like a kind, amicable man. Agent Coulson. He didn't speak anything but nodded his head as if in greeting.

Nick Fury continued to look at Peter with his one eye and when it was starting creep him out a bit Fury finally said ," Think about my offer Kid. I'm only telling you this for your own benefit . We will contact you again."

"I will hope you don't." Peter shot back immediately with a pointed look. He was 100% sure that he wasn't going to become a killing machine for this wanna be pirate. He wanted to get back home for now.

Fury didn't give any answers . He just turned around and started walking away while Coulson took Peter toward a helicopter that would drop him near his home.

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Somewhere In Washington DC.

In a closed dark room. There was a big screen playing the the recording of a fight. The fight between Spider-Man and The Talons.

" Well that was very Thrilling. And what a wonderful Gladiator, That Spider-Man." An old withered voice spoke out from the darkness as old woman sitting on a wheelchair with the an white owl mask made her way towards the gaint screen.

"Yes. Yes, he is." A man , who was behind her pushing the wheelchair and also wearing a similar mask , spoke out his thoughts. He continued, "But because of him we have now suffered big loses."

"All the investment we had made. We were so close to bringing SHIELD once and for all. But now it was all for naught. Our plan has been destroyed now by the wall-crawler."

"Oh, Don't worry about that, my Dear. We have many more of those plans. We just have to wake them up . All of them." The Old woman said as she continued to look at the screen.

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Peter finally reached his home . Coulson wasn't a pain in the ass like his boss. He simply brought him to the airport and then prepared a car for him to be dropped near his home, and he was really thankful for that.

When he finally opened his door he found the house eerily silent. So he called out to May. And she came running from the kitchen , looking Haggard and weak , her eyes were red and she was crying. "Peter where have you been for two days? Do you know how dangerous it is outside? You just called once and then you went dead silent. Do you know how afraid I was? Please don't torment me like this. If you have any problem please tell me." She hugged her nephew tightly and spoke in a pleading voice.

For once Peter thought it was best to tell her everything. But then he thought back to his talk with Fury. What was he even going to tell her? That her only family is an illegal spider mutated vigilante? Who was going to be arrested when he turned eighteen?

All these thoughts jumbled up in his brain as he hugged his aunt back.

"I've already lost Ben , now I can't bear to even think that might lose you too. You are all the family I have son." His aunt cried again.

At the mention of Uncle Ben , Peter grimaced. And it all came back to him. His Biggest Mistake. His ultimate Guilt. His Greatest responsibility.

Why he did whatever he did. Why he risked his life all the time. What happened when he didn't. What will happen if he doesn't.

'Fury is right. There is not much choice for me. But I can't tell aunt May this secret. I don't want to drag her into this.'

Peter hugged her tighter and looked at the photo hanging on the wall that contained him , his aunt May and Uncle Ben. 'As for me. Whatever life holds in store for me, I'll never forget these words — With Great Powers , comes Great Responsibility. This power. This is my gift. This is Curse. And i am Spider-Man.'

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