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I sat on the couch, one leg tucked under me as I watched the local news on the small TV across the room. The familiar sounds of Matt moving around the kitchen behind me, prepping supper, filled the otherwise quiet apartment. The aroma of the cooking tomato sauce and garlic hinted at what was to come, but my gaze was glued to the screen.

"...the man's body was found later that night near Hell's Kitchen, authorities have now confirmed. Identified as Charles 'Charlie' Beckman, a well-known philanthropist and former CEO of a tech company, his death has left the community in shock. Beckman was attending a charity event in Midtown earlier that evening..."

My breath caught in my throat. Charlie Beckman. I recognized the man in the photos that flashed across the screen, even though I hadn't known who he was the night prior when I saved him in the alley.

My heart pounded in my chest as the news anchor continued.

"Beckman was seen leaving the event in Midtown. However, his body was later found in Hells Kitchen at the scene of a car crash. The circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear, though authorities have not ruled out foul play."

I felt cold. He had made it out of the alley alright. I had saved him. How had he ended up dead a few hours later?

Matt's voice broke through the silence that had suddenly descended upon me when the news switched to another topic.

"Mags, you alright?" he asked, his tone gentle but alert. He could always sense when something was off, like it was his own superpower.

I blinked, realizing my hands were gripping the edge of the couch cushion tightly. I forced myself to release it, my voice unsteady. "Yeah, all good. Just spaced out for a moment."

"Well, suppers almost ready. Why don't you go wash up." He prompted and I clicked off the TV.

Making my way towards the bathroom to wash my hands I couldn't help but feel like Charlie Beckmans blood was on my hands. The pit in my stomach didn't ease, loosing my appetite.

I didn't know what had happened to Beckman, but I couldn't help feeling like there was something more to his death. Something I was missing.

And something told me I wouldn't stop until I found out what.

After supper, I pushed my chair back from the table, mumbling a quiet "thanks" to Matt before retreating to my room under the excuse of homework. The dinner had felt like a blur, my mind stuck on the news broadcast. My appetite had been nonexistent, and my thoughts refused to settle.

Once inside my room, I closed the door softly and exhaled a long breath. My eyes instinctively went to the corner of the room where my Spider-Man board hung—an array of notes, red strings, and articles pinned up in a chaotic attempt to piece together the mystery of New York's masked hero. A few weeks ago I had been trying to figure out who Spider-Man was, tracking sightings, patterns, and piecing together clues. But that mystery had crumbled the moment I heard Peter Parker's heartbeat.

All of my meticulous work now felt pointless. Peter wasn't the enigma I thought he was. He wasn't some larger-than-life figure that demanded solving; he was just a kid—barely older than me—juggling the weight of the world on his shoulders.

With a quiet sigh, I walked over to my speaker, clicking it on and allowing it to connect to my phone. The heavy sounds of music started to filter out, adding a contrasting background noise to keep me focused.

"I looked out this morning and the sun was gone. Turned on some music to start my day. I lost myself in a familiar song. I closed my eyes and I slipped away."

Approaching the board I started pulling down the pins. The sound of paper tearing disappeared into the loud song as I dismantled weeks of effort, throwing scraps of articles and notes into a separate box without hesitation. I paused for a moment when I pulled down a photo of Spider-Man swinging through the city at night, the streets of New York sprawled out beneath him, a photo taken by Peter Parker ironically. I stared at it for a beat, then crumpled it and tossed it aside.

"It's more than a feeling (More than a feeling) When I hear that old song they used to play (More than a feeling) I begin dreaming (More than a feeling) 'Til I see Marianne walk away, I see my Marianne walkin' away."

As the last remnants of the board came down, the wall stood blank and empty before me, like a clean slate. But my mind wasn't. It raced with new thoughts, new questions.

I grabbed a fresh roll of string, some thumbtacks, and a stack of new papers from my desk drawer. If I was going to dig, it needed to be into something that mattered. Something real. The dead man. Charlie Beckman. And the other crimes around the city. The dirty cops working for someone, a Kingpin. They were all connected somehow. And it wasn't a coincidence that the police had stopped caring. There was something more going on here, and I could feel it.

"So many people have come and gone. Their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on. As clear as the sun in the summer sky."

I tacked Beckman's photo onto the wall first, followed by notes I'd scrawled from the news broadcast earlier. Found in an alley in Midtown being beat up by dirty cops. Later died in a car crash in Hells Kitchen. I tapped my finger on the note, my brow furrowed.

I began linking notes together, scribbling down rough descriptions of the police officers. The cops were something I had overheard my dad talking to Foggy about months ago. Corrupt officers looking the other way, getting paid to keep certain crimes buried.

But who was paying them? What if the police aren't just ignoring these deaths? What if they're involved?

"It's more than a feeling (More than a feeling) When I hear that old song they used to play (More than a feeling) I begin dreaming (More than a feeling) 'Til I see Marianne walk away, I see my Marianne walkin' away."

I chewed on my lower lip as I pinned a series of articles about police misconduct in Hell's Kitchen. There was a pattern here somewhere, I was sure of it. Cops that had too much money, too many nice things for people working beat patrols. And then there was the rise in superheroes and crimes. The police simply dropping cases because the superheroes like Spider-Man or the Avengers would handle it.

"When I'm tired and thinking cold I hide in my music, forget the day. And dream of a girl I used to know. I closed my eyes and she slipped away. She slipped away."

I stepped back, eyes scanning the growing web of connections on my board. It wasn't connecting just yet, but it would, I was sure of it. There was something much bigger at play, something hidden in the shadows of the city. The dirty cops. The crimes. Beckman.

The police couldn't be trusted to handle this, and Matt... he wouldn't like where this was going. But I couldn't just sit by and do nothing. I had to do something. I could do something.

I crossed my arms, staring at the web of evidence. There was a killer out there, one that had taken Beckman—and likely others—out of the picture. Someone powerful enough to pay off cops and make people disappear.

And whoever they were, I was going to find them.

Even if it meant I'd have to let the devil out to do it.

"It's more than a feeling (More than a feeling) When I hear that old song they used to play (More than a feeling) I begin dreaming (More than a feeling) 'Til I see Marianne walk away."

. . .

Peter pulled Sophie aside as they were wrapping up their volunteer shift at FEAST. The bustling energy of the community center surrounded them, but Peter's expression was unusually serious. Sophie could sense something was on his mind, but she didn't expect what he was about to say.

"Hey, Sophie, I need to talk to you about something. It's... kind of big," Peter started, scratching the back of his neck, his eyes darting around to make sure no one was within earshot. They stopped by a quiet corner in the staff hallway.

Sophie raised an eyebrow, intrigued but cautious. "What's going on, Peter?" She worried.

Peter took a breath, his words tumbling out quickly, "So, me and Maggie, we—uh—we kind of discovered something big last night. Like, a case. A serious one. And... well, I think we're officially starting a team to investigate it."

Sophie blinked, taken aback. "Wait, what? A team? I thought Maggie gave up on that. What are you even talking about? What case?" The words sprang from her mouth before she could catch any of them.

Peter quickly recapped the events of the school dance—the attack in the alley, Charlie Beckman whose death was plastered all over the news, and the police involvement. Sophie's mind raced to keep up, her surprise evident.

"And Maggie didn't mention any of this?" Peter wondered with his own confusion.

"We were at the dance together and she just told me that she had to step out, she didn't say a word." Sophie said, crossing her arms in mild frustration.

Peter shrugged, looking apologetic. "Yeah,  maybe she wants to keep it on the down low. But this is gonna be something deep and we're gonna need all the help we can get." He explained, hoping that he could convince Sophie, not giving me a chance to avoid a team any longer.

Sophie stared at him, trying to process everything. I was always direct and confident, but Sophie had noticed something different in me when I returned. And now this team idea? It was starting to excite her.

Before Sophie could respond, Gwen poked her head around the corner, still holding a basket of laundry. She must have overheard the conversation because her eyes lit up with excitement.

"Wait—did you say you're starting a team? Like, a superhero team?" Gwen's voice was eager, a spark of enthusiasm flashing across her face. "Can I join? I've been—."

Peter's face immediately turned guarded. He plastered on a smile, but it was obvious he didn't want Gwen involved, something else behind his eyes. "No. Uh, Gwen, it's a it's for seniors. Yeah, it's a school thing, really boring." He lied and she could see right through it.

Gwen frowned. "I can handle myself, you know. I'm not a kid, Peter."

Peter's smile tightened. "I know that, Gwen. It's just... this is not something you want to get wrapped up in."

Sophie glanced between the two of them, sensing there was something more to Peter's reluctance, not knowing the full story. He clearly wasn't keen on bringing Gwen into this team, no matter what she could bring to the table. And Gwen didn't look impressed by his behaviour.

"Well, I'm gonna head back and check in with Andrea." Sophie decided, opting to give them some space to work out whatever this was.

"Peter, I can help." Gwen tried to convince him.

"No, Gwen. You aren't ready." He shut it down right away.

"Fine. But you'll know where to find me when you need help." With that she turned her back, walking over to the laundry room to continue her task. Peter slumped his shoulders, feeling defeated. First Maggie didn't want to start a team, now Sophie was excited about it, then Gwen overhears and now she wants to join as well.

What was he getting into?

My phone buzzed on the desk, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen finding the caller ID.

I frowned with confusion, swiping to answer the call. "Hey, Sophie."

"M! Oh my God, why didn't you tell me?!" Her voice was practically a shout, excitement and confusion blurring together on the other end of the line so loudly I had to pull the phone away from my ear.

I blinked, caught off guard. "Tell you what?"

"About the team! Peter told me everything. You guys are officially starting a team, and you didn't even fill me in? You're working on a huge case! I mean, why didn't you—Maggie, you gotta catch me up on everything, like right now!" Sophie was rambling in a way I had only heard when she discusses musicals.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, letting out a sigh. I could already picture Peter's awkward attempt at explaining himself to me.

"Sophie, slow down," I said firmly, sitting down on the edge of my bed. "First of all, we're not 'starting a team.'"

"But Peter said—" Sophie started, cutting me off before I could continue.

"Yeah, Peter said something," I interrupted, shaking my head. "Look, I'm not trying to start some superhero squad. Im investigating something big, and I'm not gonna lie—it's dangerous. There's stuff going on in this city that most people don't even know about. I'm just trying to figure out who's behind it all. But this isn't a game, Sophie. It's real, and it could get ugly and I don't want to put anyone else in danger."

Sophie's excitement faltered a bit, but her curiosity and concern remained. "Maggie I'm seriously worried about this. It's not something you should do alone. Peter was right, you need help and we are gonna help whether you want us to or not." She stood her ground.

I sighed again, knowing I had no choice but to bring my friend into this mess with me. I couldn't keep her away from this if Peter had already dragged her into it. "Alright. Fine. I'll catch you up. But not over the phone."

Sophie was quiet for a moment. "Okay, where do we meet?"

"Get Peter and meet me at the abandoned apartment above Fogwell's Gym in Hells Kitchen," I said, my voice taking on a sharper edge. "I'll explain everything once you're both there."

Sophie hesitated. "Wait, that's the gym your grandfather used to—"

"Yeah," I cut her off. "I'll meet you in thirty minutes."

"Okay, we'll be there," Sophie agreed, though her voice still had a hint of unease.

I hung up and stood, pacing the room for a moment before grabbing my jacket. I glanced back at the board on the wall—lines connecting names, faces, and events, with the man behind it all looming like a ghost in the middle of it.

I didn't know exactly who was pulling the strings. But I did know that I was about to pull Peter and Sophie right into that tangled web.

For a moment, I wondered if this was a mistake. If I would be better off alone. But there was no turning back now. I'd made my choice, and the truth was, I couldn't do this alone.

With a deep breath, I left my room and headed out the door. It was time to bring Peter and Sophie up to speed. Whatever happened next, we were in it together now.

I waited in the dimly lit, abandoned apartment above Fogwell's Gym, pacing back and forth across the creaky floorboards. The old place smelled faintly of dust and sweat, but it was the safest, most secluded spot I could think of for this meeting. I needed to lay everything out for Peter and Sophie, to explain just how deep we were already in.

A soft creak from the stairwell caught my attention. I turned as Peter and Sophie entered the room, Peter looking cautiously around while Sophie's wide eyes took in the eerie space of our designated meeting spot.

"This place is... something," Sophie said, her voice bouncing off the empty walls.

"It's not about the looks," I muttered, waving them over. "Come on, let's get started."

Peter walked up to me first, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. "Maggie, are you sure about this? Starting this case?"

I shot him a sharp look, leaning over the table. "You already did that when you told her we were 'starting a team,' didn't you?"

Peter winced but didn't argue. Sophie, standing right behind him, raised her hand, mockingly defensive. "Hey, you need help on this. And I'm your best friend, I'm with you through all of it." She pointed out.

I gestured for them to gather around the old table, presenting the board to them. "Alright, here's everything I know so far," I began, my tone serious.

"It all started with Charlie Beckman, the guy who we found being attacked in an alley by dirty cops. He was fine when he left us but was later found dead in a car crash. The police didn't care, and there were rumors of cops being paid off to keep quiet about certain crimes. After digging deeper, I found out that Beckman was speaking up about these crimes, though he didn't say enough for me to pick up anything helpful."

Sophie leaned forward, her brow furrowing. "So, what connects any of this?"

I gestured to the board in front of us. "All of these crimes with cops not doing anything, it has to be related. Beckman spoke out and someone wanted him silenced. And I'm assuming that someone is behind all of this."

Peter was silent, his arms crossed in front of him as he stared at the web of information displayed before them. "You think there's one guy behind everything? All of this?"

"I'm almost certain," I said, my voice cold with conviction. "And I have this feeling... this itch, that this case is deeper than we know. It's not just about one person or one death. It's something bigger. Something that's going to get a lot worse before it gets better."

Sophie's eyes widened, glancing from Peter to me, her excitement bubbling up. "So, are we... are we actually doing this? Like, for real? Are we starting a real team of heroes?"

I stared at her for a long moment, the weight of Sophie's question settling in the air. Part of me had been avoiding that exact thought. But deep down, I knew I couldn't take on something like this alone—not if this Kingpin was as powerful as I suspected. And not if I wanted to make it out alive.

I let out a slow breath. "Yeah. I think we are." I nodded, finally giving in.

Peter's head shot up, his eyes wide with surprise. "Wait, what? Seriously?"

Sophie, on the other hand, let out a squeal of excitement, bouncing slightly in her place. "I knew it! I knew we'd be a team! This is amazing!"

I rolled my eyes at Sophie's enthusiasm but couldn't help the slight smile that tugged at the corner of my lips. I looked at Peter, who was still trying to process what I'd just agreed to. I had finally agreed to start a team, something he had been trying to convince me for weeks.

"Look," I said, turning to him, "I know this is a lot, and I didn't exactly plan for this. But we're in too deep to back out now. If the Kingpin is as dangerous as I think he is, we can't face him alone. We're going to need each other. So, yeah... a team."

Peter rubbed the back of his neck, clearly torn. "Maggie, I didn't mean for it to turn into something like this. I just—"

"I know," I interrupted gently. "But now that we've uncovered this, we don't have a choice. If we don't stop him, no one will."

Sophie beamed, practically glowing with excitement. "So, what's next? Do we, like, pick codenames or something? Get matching suits?"

I shot her a stern look. "No. We don't start suiting up just yet. For now, we keep working this case. We dig into the crimes, connect the dots, and figure out how deep this goes. And then, once we know more... we work together to take our mystery villain down."

Peter stood up, his expression more serious now. "I'm in. Whatever this is, we do it together."

Sophie hopped to her feet, still grinning. "This is going to be so cool."

I crossed my arms, my eyes hardening as my mind shifted back to the case. One man was already dead because of this. "It's not going to be cool, Sophie. It's going to be dangerous. But if you're really in, we'll need to be smart. Careful. And ready for whatever comes next."

Sophie nodded, her excitement dimming just slightly as the weight of my words sank in. Peter exchanged a glance with me, his face reflecting the seriousness of what we were about to face.

I gave a final nod. "Alright. Let's get to work."

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Question of the day: Do you think Gwen will join the team?

The next chapter will be posted tomorrow! And please let me know what you think in the comments!! Your feedback and encouragement means the world to me and encourages me to share each new chapter!

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