章節 10: Chapter 10: A Tangled Web
Alex stepped out of the café, the cool morning air hitting his face like a wake-up call. His conversation with Coulson and Maria still lingered in his mind, adding to the swirl of confusion and doubt that seemed to follow him everywhere lately. He didn't know what troubled him more—Hydra's increasing boldness or SHIELD's hidden agendas. Coulson was likeable enough, but there was a coldness in him that Alex couldn't shake. And Maria Hill? She might as well have been carved from stone with the way she scrutinized him.
They didn't trust him, and why should they? He was an anomaly, a nobody who had been plucked from obscurity and thrown into the most dangerous game of his life. But then again, they didn't know just how far out of place he truly was.
As he walked down the street, trying to blend into the crowd, his mind wandered back to the system panel. The lottery wheel. The only thing that truly separated him from everyone else in this universe. The thought of it was always there, nagging at him in the background. The Silver Wheel was within reach, but the points were taking too long to accumulate.
The panel flickered into view again as Alex turned the corner onto a quieter street, away from the hustle of the city.
Points: 45/50 Next Spin: Silver Wheel
Just five more points. That was it. But how could he speed up the process? Interfering with the timeline—changing the course of Marvel's plotlines—seemed to be the key. The problem was figuring out how far he could push things without drawing too much attention. Sure, SHIELD was on his side for now, but if they found out what he really was? That he wasn't just some lost guy on the run but someone who could, quite literally, change the fate of this world with the right spin of a wheel?
That thought sent a chill down his spine. He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and kept walking.
It wasn't just SHIELD he had to worry about. Coulson had hinted at other players in this game, people even SHIELD couldn't control. His mind immediately went to names like Loki, Doctor Doom, and Thanos—beings who played by their own rules and didn't care who got in their way. But there was someone else he couldn't stop thinking about.
Spider-Man.
The thought of Peter Parker darted through Alex's mind like a quick burst of light. This was New York, after all, and the web-slinger had to be out there somewhere. If there was anyone in this city who could understand being caught between two worlds, it was him. Alex remembered Peter's struggles from the comics and the movies—his constant juggling act between his normal life and his superhero identity. The question was, could Alex find him? And if he did, could he even trust him?
Alex stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change. The thought of meeting Peter Parker—or any of the heroes in this universe—both excited and terrified him. But Spider-Man was one of the more grounded heroes, someone who might be easier to approach than, say, Tony Stark or Thor.
The light changed, and Alex crossed the street, his mind racing. Maybe he could push things just a little bit. Maybe, if he could find Spider-Man, he could stir the pot just enough to get those final five points without completely derailing the universe. It was a dangerous gamble, but it felt like the right one.
His feet carried him toward Queens almost instinctively. Peter's home turf. It was a long shot, but it wasn't like he had anything better to do at the moment. Plus, Alex had a theory. If he started meddling in Spider-Man's life—helping him or getting involved in his fights—he could rack up some points. Enough to finally spin that damn wheel.
The thought made his pulse quicken as he reached the subway station. The panel flickered again.
Points: 45/50 Next Spin: Silver Wheel
"Just five more," he muttered to himself as he descended the stairs.
---
The subway ride to Queens felt longer than usual, probably because of the anxious energy bubbling inside him. He found himself tapping his fingers on his knee, impatient, as if the sooner he got there, the sooner everything would fall into place. But what if this was a mistake? What if approaching Peter only complicated things?
He shook off the thought. No. He couldn't afford to second-guess himself now. This was about survival, and if Peter Parker could help him—even indirectly—it was worth the risk.
The train screeched to a halt, and Alex stepped onto the platform, the busy hum of Queens enveloping him. The neighborhood had that familiar, homey feel, different from the constant rush of Manhattan. It was quieter, more suburban, and yet he couldn't shake the sense that danger lurked around every corner. Hydra was still out there, and even SHIELD's protection could only go so far.
He walked through the streets, trying to remember what he knew about Peter's daily routine. School, the Bugle, web-swinging through the city at night—it was all familiar, but he didn't have an exact address. His best bet was to keep his eyes open for any signs of trouble. In New York, trouble usually found Spider-Man sooner or later.
Sure enough, just as Alex was starting to think he was wasting his time, a loud crash echoed down the street. People scattered in all directions, shouting and pointing toward the source of the chaos.
Alex broke into a run, his heart pounding in his chest. As he rounded the corner, he saw it—a van overturned in the middle of the road, flames licking at its tires. And there, standing on the hood, was a figure in red and blue, launching webs at a group of masked men armed with high-tech weapons.
Spider-Man.
Alex's breath caught in his throat as he watched the web-slinger move, flipping through the air with impossible agility, dodging bullets and hurling quips in equal measure. It was surreal, seeing him in the flesh—or, rather, in the suit. But this wasn't the time to be starstruck.
Without thinking, Alex ran toward the scene, ducking behind a parked car as Spider-Man took out two of the gunmen with a well-placed web shot. The remaining thugs were taking cover, firing sporadically at Spidey as he danced around them.
"Come on, guys," Spider-Man called out, his voice light despite the situation. "You're making this too easy. At least try to hit me."
Alex's mind raced. He could see how this would play out—Spider-Man would take down the thugs, the police would show up, and everything would go back to normal. But what if Alex stepped in? What if he helped, just a little? Would that be enough to earn him the points he needed?
Before he could second-guess himself, Alex darted out from behind the car. One of the gunmen spotted him and swung his weapon in his direction.
"Oh crap," Alex muttered, diving to the ground just as the thug fired.
The bullet missed, but barely. Alex rolled to his feet and grabbed a discarded metal pipe from the ground. He wasn't much of a fighter, but he had enough adrenaline pumping through his veins to give it a shot.
"Hey!" Alex shouted, catching the thug's attention.
The man turned, aiming his gun at Alex again, but Spider-Man was faster. A web shot out, yanking the gun from the thug's hands before he could pull the trigger.
"Nice timing," Spider-Man called out, landing beside Alex in a crouch. "But you really shouldn't be out here. It's dangerous, you know."
Alex grinned despite the situation. "Yeah, well, I like to live dangerously."
Spider-Man gave him a thumbs-up. "I can respect that."
The last of the thugs tried to make a run for it, but Spidey quickly wrapped him up in a web, leaving him dangling from a streetlight.
"Thanks for the assist, uh… civilian," Spider-Man said, giving Alex a nod. "But seriously, next time, maybe leave it to the professionals?"
Alex laughed nervously, the adrenaline still surging through his system. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."
As the police sirens grew louder in the distance, Alex slipped away from the scene, his heart still racing. He pulled up the system panel again.
Points: 50/50 Next Spin: Silver Wheel – Available
He couldn't help but smile.
Finally.
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