Chapter 25: 25 Accelerated Plans Part Four

I was in nerd heaven as I opened the gym bag and checked the replacement computer parts I had received from the blind drop. Oh baby, what a haul! I started the laptop up in stupid mode and used it to check the new parts.

It took me a while to go through the upgraded memory chips, the new and apparently clean hard drive, and the SD card that had a basic operating system on it. I checked them for any hidden commands as well and thankfully, they were meant for civilian targets and not for monitoring the agent they were sent to. It would be their job to modify things for surveillance and didn't have any spy modifications.

I easily popped my laptop apart and added in the new components. I upgraded the memory and doubled its capacity, which would be great when I wanted to practice what I had learned from the library about computer programming. I added the new clean hard drive, a replacement network card, and an SD card with the stripped down operating system on it that I could plug into the backup 'spy' slot.

I reassembled the laptop and started it up, hit the button to load the setup screen, and changed the boot option to the built-in SD slot. It would save me a ton of loading time and with a clean hard drive, there was no Stark OS sucking up all of the new resources the laptop now had. I did manage to copy the video and network settings onto the SD card, so I wasn't running it as a bare bones system.

I restarted the laptop and it started in only twenty seconds. I laughed pretty hard at that, because the Stark OS took five full minutes to get everything loaded. I could only imagine what crap that thing loaded into memory, just in case it might be needed at some point. What a laugh that was!

You just needed a call registry and set it to load only when needed and not fill up and use your available memory for no reason. That just slowed your computer down to a crawl for no real benefit.

I checked over everything again and there were no network protocols enacted, no automatic messages sent, and no tracking signals activated. That made me happy. Very, very happy.

I shut the thing down and looked at some of the other things I had ordered. The first thing I did was check the pepper spray containers. Not surprisingly, they were aerosol based and had a huge spray nozzle. That wouldn't do for my purposes, so I took the top apart and pulled off the top of the spray mechanism.

The release valve was almost the right size for my needs, so I added a small adapter from the air compressor kit and then attached one of my prepped and empty web cartridges. I pushed down on it and the pepper spray shot out of the main container and quickly filled the empty cartridge. The sound soon stopped as the pressures equalized and I popped the cartridge off of the attachment.

I did this three more times with the other three pepper sprays and I now had half pressure pepper spray web cartridges. I put them onto the air compressor and gave them the proper pressure setting and then added two of each cartridge to my web shooters. I marked them with a small eye etching to show it was pepper spray, then I pressurized the pepper sprays back to full as well and put them away.

I took out one of the tear gas containers and they were barely pressurized at all, so I drained off the pressure and opened it up to reveal the chemical compound inside. I treated it like web fluid and poured it into the last four containers I had and sealed them with regulator valves and pressurized them with air to the same pressure as my normal cartridges before I put them into the last two slots on my web shooters.

I marked them with a small 'T' and I was now fully loaded. The web shooters were well balanced and felt great on my wrists, so they were finally complete. It gave me a feeling of satisfaction to have them done so quickly, considering I had almost nothing a week ago and now I had Spider-Man's primary weapons.

I took them off and tucked them away as I looked at the clock. I nodded and put the other things away into the gym bag. I hid it in my closet on the top shelf, behind Peter's summer clothing, and went downstairs to cook supper for May and then I cleaned the apartment. I would have to wait until later tonight to start working on modifying the suit for my needs.

*

Doris was making supper for her family as she replayed in her mind the conversation she just had with her daughter about a certain young man that seemed much too mature for his age. The things he had said were quite wise and a little beyond what a freshman in high school should know. His insights alone gave her thoughts pause.

That he had handled the whole thing so well and then accepted all of the blame himself, in front of the entire cafeteria no less, showed a maturity that a normal fourteen year old shouldn't have.

Doris huffed and put the roast into the oven. He's not a normal fourteen year old at all. She thought, then she seriously debated showing Ben's reaction at work to Liz. If she saw that, maybe she would have done something different, or said something different, instead of letting Ben say and do everything during their break-up talk.

She shook her head and went to the counter as she started prepping the potatoes for boiling. A quick peel and dice had them in the pot and boiling away before she realized it, and she sat down to stare at the pot. She had been completely lost in her thoughts over the whole situation and she knew that she shouldn't be. He was just the latest boy that had tried to date her daughter and failed at it.

That was when it hit her. He hadn't failed like the others. Her Addy actually liked Ben, even approved of him, and he didn't object at all about Liz dating him. It had been Liz that had screwed things up this time and Doris thought about that. Her mind tried to justify Liz intentionally trying to sabotage it, just because her father wasn't fighting against her and liked her choice.

Doris sighed, because there was nothing to be done about it now, not with Ben telling Liz that he wasn't ready for their relationship. She decided that she would warn Adrian to not bring it up and she would tell him after supper about it all.

She went to the pantry to grab a can of mixed vegetables, opened them, and added them to a small pot to warm up when it was close to the time to serve supper. She didn't know why she felt sad that Liz and Ben weren't going to be an item, only that she did. Not having him coming around, even though it had only happened twice in as many days, had her feeling a loss that she couldn't explain.

*

May was so surprised when Ben came home from work several hours early, that she couldn't pretend she wasn't staying up intentionally to wait for him. She hadn't even changed for bed yet and still wore pants and a blouse and not her sleepwear.

“Ben? What are you doing home?” May asked and tried to not look nervous.

“I came home for you, of course.” Ben said and laughed at her surprised expression. “I know I've been worrying you with my late nights and I don't want you worrying about that anymore.”

“You... you know?” May asked.

“How could I not? You've stayed up every night waiting up for me.” Ben said and walked over to her and went to hug her, then stopped. “I need to shower first and then I'll give you a hug.”

“Ben, you...”

“I can't promise I'll be home this early every night, mainly because some of the things I need to do take time.” Ben said and then smiled. “I just want you to know that you're a priority for me, okay? Everything I do is to help you as much as I can.”

“Are you doing drugs?” May asked and she saw the shocked look on his face.

“May... what... why would you ask that?” Ben asked.

“You've been having fuller days than I do and you're still full of energy. You work hard every night, much later than most people do, and you come home and despite being dirty, you're not exhausted like you should be.”

Ben opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, then sighed. He held out his arms and rubbed inside the elbows, to show her there were no needle marks.

May was going to say something, then Ben held up each hand and showed her the spans between the fingers above the fleshy web connecting them. He then kicked off his cheap sneakers and pulled off his socks to do the same thing and showed between his toes.

Before May could tell him that was enough, he took her hand and dragged her up the stairs. He took her into the bathroom and took the top off of the toilet and waved at it, then reached behind the tank and pat it several times to show there was nothing there, then he took her hand and brought her into his room.

Ben let her hand go and opened his desk drawers and moved the contents around for her, then he went to his bed and lifted the mattress. There was nothing underneath, not even dust bunnies, and he dropped it and reached for the bunk bed that didn't even have a mattress and only stacked plastic containers.

“S-s-stop!” May exclaimed. “Just... stop.”

Ben stopped and walked back over to her. “I've never done drugs in my life, as short as it's been here. I don't know where to go to buy them and I haven't heard of anyone at school using marijuana, probably because it's a mind-numbing drug.”

May's face flushed red with embarrassment.

“I usually rest on the bus ride back here after a long day. I fell asleep a couple of times, too. It was pretty relaxing.” Ben said. “I've also walked home a few times, because sometimes I'm so pumped up after a hard workout.”

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“Ben, I... I'm sorry. Please don't be angry.” May said. “I didn't mean to accuse you out of the blue like that. I was just so worried that you were staying out so late and...”

“I'm not angry that you care so much about me, May. I could never be angry about that. It actually makes me feel happy.” Ben said and went to hug her, then stopped again. “I still need a shower, so that's two hugs I owe you.”

May couldn't put into words how bad that made her feel. She had accused him of something that she had no proof of and his response was that he was happy about how much she cared about him. Tears came to her eyes and she stepped close as she hugged him tightly.

“May! You're getting your clothes dirty.” Ben said and hugged her back.

“I don't care.” May said and tucked her head into his neck and let the tears flow. “I'm sorry, Ben. I'm so sorry.”

Ben rubbed her back to comfort her. “I told you that you don't have to be sorry. I'm glad. Really.”

“You're... too good... to be true.” May said and let out several sobs. “You should be... ranting and raving at me.”

“Goodness gracious, why would I rant and rave at you? I get to see you in just a bra and panties practically every day.” Ben said with a teasing voice.

May let out a half-laugh and half-sob as she let him go. “You're terrible to bring that up right now!”

“How else should I make you not feel guilty?” Ben asked and used his hands to wipe at the tears on her face. “I could make you some special brownies.”

“Ben!” May gasped. “I thought you said you didn't know where to get weed!”

“I meant adding chunky chocolate chips.” Ben said with a knowing smirk.

“Oh, you!” May said and gave him another hug.

“I think we both need a shower after this.” Ben said.

“I needed to change anyway.” May said and let him go. “Ben...”

“Don't feel bad about it. You care and that's what matters.” Ben said and grabbed a change of clothes. “That's all that really matters.” He said and kissed her cheek, then he left the room.

“Hey, wait!” May said and followed him into the hallway.

“I thought you said you wouldn't let me watch?” Ben asked with a huge grin.

“Shut it.” May said and smacked his shoulder. “How did you know all the places to hide drugs?”

Ben looked thoughtful and then smiled. “Those are just the most obvious places.”

“But... how...”

“Those aren't the only places.” Ben said and pointed to her chest. “A bra is a great place to hide a baggie or a couple of joints and it even has the benefit of pushing your boobs up.”

“BEN!” May gasped and grabbed herself, which actually did push her boobs up.

Ben laughed and didn't stare at her, even though he easily could have. “You didn't have to check for me. I'm not sneaky enough to hide something in your bra without you knowing about it.”

May groaned and let her chest go. “Go take your shower.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Ben said and stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.

May went to her own room and grabbed her sleep clothes, including her robe. She didn't have to wait long and saw Ben walk out of the bathroom wearing just pyjama bottoms. Her eyes went right to his developing muscles before she realized it. She had kind of felt them when she had hugged him and now she could see that they were rippling nicely. Working hard was really giving him a well formed physique.

She shook her head at that thought and went into the bathroom herself and undressed. She would not look at Ben like that. He wasn't someone that she would ogle, even if he had really strong arms that didn't struggle at all as they carried her to bed practically every night. No, she would never, ever think about that.

May's hands lathered up a bit more than usual with the soap and she would forever deny that she had spent a few extra minutes... cleaning... herself. She dried off and dressed in her night clothes before she put on her fluffy robe, then she went downstairs to see a happy Ben waiting for her on the couch.

“There's the smile I like seeing so much.” Ben commented and patted the couch beside him.

May blushed a little, because she would never admit the source of that smile. She sat down beside him and they had a silent debate about who was going to be the one to cuddle and who would be cuddled.

“Fine.” Ben said with a roll of his eyes and leaned into the corner of the couch for her.

May beamed a smile at him and tucked herself into his side and pulled her legs up as she rested her head on his shoulder. They sat there, feeling content, as they watched whatever it was on the television.

*

I stayed on the couch with May for almost two hours before she actually fell asleep. She looked like she had enjoyed herself tonight, which she hadn't in quite some time. I carried her to bed and tucked her in, kissed her cheek, and went to my room to start working on modifying the SHIELD night mission suit.

Despite how the evening had started, with me being accused of doing drugs, I had enjoyed it as well. I had a hard time not laughing at May's astonished face while I had dragged her around the apartment and showed her all the normal places for drugs to be stored.

Showing off my fingers and toes had shocked her, too. There were a lot of other potential spots on the body; but, I didn't have to show them. May was a nurse and she knew where they were.

The funny thing was, I really wasn't angry at her accusation. I had been spending far too much time out at night doing experiments and she was worried. Doing drugs was just the first and obvious thing for her to ask me about. I couldn't explain what I was actually doing, that I was preparing for a career as a crime fighter because I was going to be needed.

Intellectually, I knew that I was needed right now. There were crimes happening and if I was out there, I could be helping. The problem I had was that I wasn't ready. I needed the suit, I needed to make the protective eye coverings to hide my identity, I needed to practice with my web shooters, and I needed to know how to fight.

I was strong, almost ridiculously so; but, I didn't know how to apply that strength and not kill someone by casually punching them. That meant I had to do something quite important and as soon as possible.

I needed to find a teacher.

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