I jogged along the crowded streets of Queens, pushing against the flow of the screaming crowd, which was already swelled with the after school rush. My usual walk home from school had been interrupted by something much more important. To me at least. "Come on, come on..." I muttered as I pushed another few people out of the way. This was the opportunity I'd been hoping for all week. If I missed this, I might not get another chance.

I'd managed to hack my phone into a police alert network a couple days ago, and for the first time it was working properly. I finally had a chance to get to an alert in time. Just as long as I managed to get there while it was still in progress. I rounded a corner onto the street listed in the address, which was now completely devoid of pedestrians. Sirens were wailing in the distance, and a storefront alarm was blaring down the street. The sound of yelling and gunfire drowned both of them out as I got closer. I snuck alone down the footpath now, swinging my backpack onto my chest and rummaging around inside. I knew it was there. I had put it there. Why couldn't I find it?

I stumbled to a halt as I neared the jewellery store, ducking behind a car as a series of masked men ran out onto the sidewalk. I poked my head out just in time to see one of them cock a shot gun. My hand clasped around what I was looking for, and I wrestled the camera out of my schoolbag. I leant over the hood of the car and aimed it at the robbery. He had to show up. He had to be here. There was no way he wasn't going to-

There was a faint whoosh, and a thud across the street as the red and blue clad figure landed lightly on a window above the robbery. "How sweet. You guys getting these for your girlfriends?" Spider-Man asked, startling the armed men, "You know my aunts birthdays coming up," He fired a web from his wrist, snagging the rucksack from one of the robbers and yanking it into the air, "You mind if I take a look at some of these?"

The robbers opened fire as I tried to take a picture, catching yet another blurry image just as Spider-Man leapt from the now shattered window. I cursed under my breath, zooming back out and trying to focus in on the super-hero as he flipped and jumped around the robbers.

A stray bullet collided with the car's wing mirror, which exploded less then a foot beside my head. I swore, diving under the doors as more bullets slammed into the chassis. I took a moment to catch my breath and flick through the photos, none of which were usable. I was starting to wonder whether or not two hundred bucks was worth all this. I lunged back above the car bonnet and tried to take a few more pictures. All blurry, once again. I looked back to see all of the robbers now stuck to the walls of the building, their stolen goods hanging from a lamp post as a handful police cars arrived at either end of the street. Spider-Man was now no where to be seen.

I leapt from behind the car for the nearest alley, trying my best not to be seen by any of the officers. Mom really wasn't going to be happy if she was forced to pick me up from the police station. I stumbled into a trash can, spinning around to try and catch one last photo as I emerged into a side street.

There was a thud beside me, and I froze, wheeling the camera around. The zoomed-in image in the viewfinder showed nothing but red fabric with a black webbing design. I lowered the camera, stumbling backwards until my back was pressed against a brick wall.

"You know most people run the other direction whilst an armed robbery is going on." Spider-Man said, taking a step towards me as he replaced a set of cartridges in his wrists. He tilted his head slightly. "Hang on, I recognise you. From the ATM robbery across town last week?" I nodded slowly. "You know generally when someone turns up at multiple crime scenes it starts to look a little... Suspicious."

My mouth opened and closed a few times without making a sound. "I, uh..." I held up the camera shakily, "Sorry, I'm doing the uh... The photo contest? For the Daily Bugle?"

His white eyes widened. "A photo contest?"

I swallowed. "Yeah, uh, well there was an add, on their website, and in the papers. The editor is offering like, two hundred dollars for high quality pictures of, well, you..." I laughed a little. "I'm a big fan, by the way." I extended my hand, "I'm Neil."

He shook it. "Spider-Man."

"Well, yeah, of course you are, I mean." I gestured at him, "The suit, and the webs, and the robbery, and... Stuff..." I laughed. It suddenly dawned on me the opportunity that was in front of me. "Listen, I uh... Well, do Do you mind if I you know." I held up the camera once again.

He seemed a little taken aback. "Oh, uh, yeah I guess." Spider-Man leapt backwards, clinging onto a wall. "Do uh... Do you want me to pose, or..."

"No, no thats fine. Perfect, actually." I took the picture, and he dropped back to the ground. "Thanks man, I really appreciate it." I couldn't stop myself from grinning.

"No problem." He nodded. His shoulders relaxed slightly. "But for real, this photo contest. Is there like, money involved or something?"

I nodded. "Well, uh... Yeah. Two hundred dollars, I'm pretty sure."

Spider-Man nodded. He suddenly stood up straighter, clearing his throat and awkwardly placing his hands on his hips. "Just uh... Don't run into more dangerous robberies, and situations and stuff." He nodded again, as if reassuring himself that was a good enough statement. "Yeah, just don't do anything stupid. You could... get killed. Or something."

I nodded. "Sure, yeah of course man. Spider-Man." I corrected myself. "Staying safe. Will do." We stood there in awkward silence for a few seconds, neither of us sure what to do.

"Welp," He launched a web across the street onto a building, "I should get going." He pulled himself up into the air, swinging off above onto the main road. "Good luck on your photo contest!" There was no time for me to respond before he had disappeared into the concrete jungle of New York city, and I was left standing alone in the side street.

"Hey! Kid!"

I turned to see a police officer standing at the opposite end of the alley I'd just come through. Without a second thought, I bolted, reemerging onto a crowded street once again.

* * *

I leant idly on the kitchen counter as I ate my breakfast, trying my best to stay out of the way other everyone else trying to get ready around me. It was a rare occurrence for all four of us to be having breakfast at the same time.

My mom's partner Mike was always up early because of the long commute to his job on the other side of the city. My mom worked mornings as a chef at a diner downtown. Mikes daughter Judy was rarely up before noon, which suited her fine, considering her college courses weren't until two. But of course, there was always the occasional morning of chaos when we managed to coexist.

Judy sat limply on a wooden dining chair with a pair of sunglasses on and a cup of coffee clasped tightly in her hands. She'd been out partying with her college friends the night before, and it was starting to catch up with her. "Here." She muttered, tossing a newspaper across the table. It hit me in the back, the jolt causing me to spill the milk from my cereal all over the floor. "There's your stupid contest. Does this mean I can have my camera back now?"

"Yeah. Yeah sure." I said as I turned around, picking up the newspaper.

"Make sure you wipe that up." Mom muttered, hugging me as she walked out the door.

I fumbled to unwrap the rubber band from around the newspaper. I had to have won. There was no way I couldn't have, with the picture I took. With the opportunity I got. Spider-Man literally posed for a picture. I flicked the paper to straighten out the front page.

"Anyone a few hundred bucks richer?" Neil asked over his shoulder, hastily spreading some butter on his toast.

I observed the large action shot of the web-slinger. It was a great picture... But it wasn't mine. "Seriously?" I asked.

Neil patted me on the shoulder as he left. "Better luck next time champ."

I fell into a seat, scanning the page. "How did anyone even get this shot? You'd have to be like, suspended from a rooftop or something! You've gotta have funding to do this kinda thing. I mean really, who the hell is Peter Parker?"