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The look on Peter Parker’s face is tremendous. Tired, terrified and horrified all at the same time. I had to draw that look! I barely listened to what the teacher was talking about while I furiously drew in my sketch pad. I caught enough to see why Peter had his reaction, we were going on a field trip to Stark Tower!
I almost let out a laugh. I covered it up with a cough, but even that drew the attention of Peter. Damn his enhanced senses.
Oh, yeah. I know he’s Spider-Man.
I’m observant, and not actually a dummy. He and Ned are terrible at keeping secrets. It’s hard not to laugh in their faces when they think their “code” is anything special. Just listening to them for twenty minutes would expose everything to anyone who isn’t brain-dead. Which is why Flash hasn’t figured it out yet.
I’ve known Parker for years. From a 14-year-old near-sighted, asthmatic with no appreciable physical skills, overnight to a someone who catches pencils thrown at them from behind. Who can hear their name whispered from the other end of a crowded hallway. Oh, don’t forget the Abs. We mustn’t forget the abs.
That’s not even taking into account the fact that Spider-Man shows up in DC, (no Peter). Spider-Man stops the Vulture during Prom, (no Peter). He’s late for class when Spider-Man saves a bus from a horrific crash etc.…. After a while, it’s almost easy to plot out his schedule. If I listen to the news in the morning, I can tell if Peter is going to be late for class. I watch the bruises fade over the course of a morning or watch him limp to first class and run normally during gym. Enhanced healing. This is not rocket science folks.
I quickly look around the room, which is still is chaos, everyone is excited. Ned Leeds looks like he might pass out. I don’t think he has breathed in the last two minutes. If I had more red pencils, I would draw his face.
Eugene Thompson makes some snarky comment to Peter about the Internship. Well, that was expected. That’s going to be his mantra until this is over. Boy, is he going to be surprised. I really don’t know how involved Peter is with an Internship, but I know he’s involved with Stark. The suit Spider-Man wears screams Stark involvement. For someone who has sworn off any military involvement, his own armor and others like his, debunk that truth.
There were enough press accounts of Spider-Man fighting along Stark in Germany, and he shows up in the new suit soon after. It doesn’t take a genius, (but it helps!)
On the way out of the classroom, I grab a permission slip. Normally I wouldn’t want anything to do with a corporate hegemony like Stark Industries, but this promises to be very entertaining.
Sitting with Ned and Peter at lunch was hilarious. Peter was beside himself with panic, and everything Ned said just made it worse! “Will Iron-Man be there? How many Avengers will we see?” I truly believe Peter is a little green. I didn’t even have time to eat my lunch, I was so furiously sketching Peter during the whole lunch period. It was hard not to laugh, but luckily, those two were both pre-occupied. The only thing that ruined it was the continuous diatribe from Eugene about Peter’s internship. Even my response to him only shut him up for a second, then he tried another tack. It’s amazing the teacher’s and staff allow this, but his parents are both rich and powerful, another condemnation of our system.
I half expected Peter not to show up for the bus when we were scheduled to leave for the field trip. As it was, he was the last one there, but that is so common, that it would only be alarming if he was early. Mr. Harrington was leading the tour, and surprisingly, Principal Morita was going with us.
Peter hadn’t even reached his seat when Eugene started up again. It’s interesting to watch Peter’s reaction. Initially, there will be a tenseness, his hands may start to ball up into fists, but he quickly relaxes and accepts the taunting. I know he doesn’t have to accept the bullying, he could literally pound Flash into dog meat, but he would become the thing he doesn’t like in the process. God, this self-sacrificing nobility is archaic, but totally Peter.
This time Eugene is promising to take pictures for Peter on the camera he stole from Peter at the beginning of the year. It was a new Stark Phone, not even released yet. Even that didn’t prove anything to Eugene that Peter must have an Internship. He is so dense.
It’s all I can do to keep a giggle from coming out. I’m drawing Peter as fast as I can, he looks so pathetic. To get his attention I said to him, “Hey Loser, did someone steal your puppy? Seriously nerd, you look like you’re ready to hurl. Make sure you send it Ned’s way, it’ll make a great picture for the yearbook.” I smiled as I held up my phone like I was ready to take the picture. His face was priceless.
Sitting next to Peter was Ned, who seems totally oblivious to Peter’s problem. He is keeping a running commentary on how far away the Tower is and counting down the streets.
We arrived at the tower and were herded like cattle into the glass and gold Stark self-testament to his own self-perceived greatness. Gaudy and overdone, it is still an inspiring sight if only it’s excess. We are met by a girl with the name badge of Sarah. She started handing out badges to everyone and sputtering on about how lucky we were for our tour. Even here, Eugene had to mouth off, and still the teachers didn’t do anything about it.
We all got our badges to everyone but Peter, which elicited another comment from Eugene, but the Sarah talked to Peter about his own badge, which he pulled out and clipped on his collar. For the first time in weeks, Eugene looked unsure of himself. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mr. Harrington slip the Principal money of some currency, possibly the result of a bet? Too funny. Obviously, Principal Morita believes that Peter actually interns here. Too bad Mr. Harrington!
As we went through security, the computer voice welcomed Peter personally, and with the highest clearance. Eugene made another comment about janitors needing clearance and I noticed the teacher slipping the principal more money.
We couldn’t go anywhere without someone saying hello to Peter or asking him a question. I don’t think the dweeb knows this many people at the high school! Even Eugene is quiet now, thank God!
One of the first places we saw was a final production area for the new Stark Phone, and we were all given a new phone as a gift. Well, everyone except Eugene, who already has one, the one he stole from Peter. His reaction was almost worth drawing, too bad it included his face. Not wasting the paper on that. Peter however, had a slight smile, that was worth it.
Now the tour started becoming surreal, as several Avengers came in and started carving off small groups to personally tour. The last four of us left were Eugene, Peter, Ned and me. Peter went off with Bruce Banner, Ned looked in awe as Tony Stark took him, Clint Barton looked menacing as he told Eugene to follow him, and I was left with Pepper Potts.
The Pepper Potts. One of the most dynamic women in our culture. Someone who runs a Fortune 500 company, is comfortable conversing with President’s and can kick-ass like the men. She is the one who orchestrated the turnaround of Stark Industries from weapons into areas that help people. She is one of the few people that I have respect for.
She escorted me into a small conference room and motioned for me to sit in a chair. She sat down next to me, and we chatted for a few minutes about the tour. Then she floored me, at least figuratively.
“We are impressed with the depth and insight of your blogs,” Pepper began. “For someone of your age, you show a remarkable grasp of political awareness. Part of the reason for this tour was to meet and greet these outstanding minds of your generation. We would be fools to not look ahead and try and help develop those minds now.”
“So, are you offering me an internship like Peter?” MJ asked.
“Slightly different, but along the same lines. Your skill set is quite different from his, and your viewpoint is refreshingly pointed, which gives a nice counter-point to some of our staff. We need someone to help write and develop the Stark communication for the future. We want opposing viewpoints, from many sides, because only then can we be sure we are looking at the problem from all angles. You, and others like you, will become the consciousness of Stark Industries, helping direct our path in the future. We need viewpoints like yours to help direct the best efforts of the company, helping to choose the proper language to our company statements, contracts, and directives, and avoiding "lawyer speak" to help the people left behind by everyone else. Stark Industries is really trying to be a force for good in the world today.”
“Look, Ms. Potts is it? I really would have like to talked to Tony Stark. I had a lot I wanted to say to him. I can’t work for anyone that puts Peter in danger.” MJ held u a hand. “OH-Don’t even try it. I know. I’ve known for a long time. You can’t go from nerd to hottie overnight, and a hundred other small inconsistencies that is Peter Parker. He doesn’t know I know, and you can’t tell him. But how dare you put him in such danger!”
“How did you find out?’
“I’m observant.” I explained the dichotomy that was Peter Parker. She just smiled. I had the feeling that she was able to read me more than almost anyone I had met. It was very disconcerting.
Pepper looked almost motherly, “If you think you know something about Peter, then you probably also know why. I can’t think of anyone who has a better soul than that boy. Tony is not trying to put him in danger but trying to keep him safe. It’s hard, because he seems to have a unique ability to find an extraordinary amount of trouble.” As she said this, she laid her hand on top of my own. I could feel the empathy flowing through her. Her other hand tapped my sketchbook. She had read me!
“I know, I see the bruises, he doesn’t think anyone does, but I do. Even he can’t fall down the stairs that many times. You’ve got to keep him safe.”
“That’s what we want to do. Look, everyone in this building loves Peter, and only a select few know about his “other” job, but even those that do would lay it on the line for him. But those of us that know about him, know that he was doing his other job before Tony intervened and would still do it without his help. Peter has an ability to wrap himself around others, with his caring, his smile, his brains. I’ve even seen Loki laugh and smile with him, and he’s done more to make Tony grow up than I ever thought possible. Remember, part of our job here is to create press favorable to heroes like Spider-man, which I’ve seen in your blogs. Come help us make a difference.”
Her eyes burned into my soul. “I want to be angry. I had a whole litany of things to say. I wanted to holler at Tony Stark. I want to help Peter.” I couldn’t turn away from her penetrating gaze.
“We all want to help Peter.”
“But working here, it’s the antipathy to everything I am. What if I disagree with the establishment?”
“I expect you to. I want you to look out for the people others are missing. I expect you to strongly advocate for those left behind. You may not win every case, but you will make a difference. Even a small change in policy can affect many. You know how powerful the word is, or at least the right word, at the right time can be. Stark Industries has changed and is changing more. Help us move in the right direction.”
“I can’t believe I’m selling out to the empire.” And I made some comment about the masses and the oligarchy above them, which I firmly believe she was one of the few to understand.
We joined the others back in the main room, Ned was nodding his head like a bobble-head, and surprisingly, so was Eugene, although he had a deer-in-the-headlights looks about him. Peter and Bruce Banner were laughing about some science tech that only they understood. The other students filed in, all of them looked across the room each of them sought out Peter first. I will have to find out what was said to them, but they all have a look of respect on their faces.
The tour guide, Sarah, led us back downstairs and out through security. The building AI said goodbye to everyone, except for Flash, who it detected had a Stark Phone with an unauthorized Sim card. It remotely deactivated the phone. That meant we all had new Stark phones except for Flash. Priceless! Even Peter had a smile on his face for that. That’s going to be another page in my sketch book.
It had turned out to be a pretty good day.