• • 1996 • •

A CLEAN RIGHT hook connected on the young Hispanic woman's face. She sat in a chair, wrists tied behind her back. The man who just hit her smirked and stepped back. She took a breath and looked back at the group of men before her in the dimly lit room.

"Créeme, no es así como esperaba que fuera esta noche." One man said. (Believe me, this is not how I expected this night to go.)

"Sé cómo querías que esto fuera. Confía en mí. Esto es mejor." (I know how you really wanted this to go. Trust me. This is better.)

"¿Para quién trabajas? Lukin?" (Who do you work for? Lukin?)

The other man came up, holding a knife by her face. His boss continued.

"Está paranoico. Cree que todos en la lista negra lo persiguen. Tratando de usurpar su posición." (He's paranoid. Thinks everyone on the Blacklist is after him. Trying to usurp his position)

She raised a brow. "¿Debería ser paranoico?" (Should he be paranoid?)

He snickered. The young woman looked at the knife at her throat and then back at the man.

"En un mundo de cambio constante. De diferentes poderes. No todo está grabado en piedra. Cuando se presenta una oportunidad... hay que aprovecharla." (In a world of constant change. Of different powers. Not everything is set in stone. When an opportunity presents itself...it must be taken.)

The woman didn't respond and kept quiet. The older man smirked and spoke English this time.

"One weak link can break even the strongest of chains. The Blacklist must be preserved, and its Engineers have to be vigilant."

Still, she said nothing and let the older man keep talking.

"And here you are. Lukin sends you to try and kill me. La Loba. Just a pretty face."

Like him, the lady decided to speak English too.

"You think I'm pretty?" She asked with a raised brow.

The man scoffed and moved to a table nearby. It had all the tools he needed to extract more information from her rather painfully. The young man beside her grabbed her face forcefully.

"You'll tell me all about Lukin and what he's planning. What he's told you about the Blacklist. Then you'll send him a message from me." He picked up some pliers and looked back at her. "Well...you might have to write it down."

Suddenly, the lights in the room turned off. The men in the room looked around, perplexed. The backup lights turned on moments later. It gave a red hue to the room.

"Check the next room." The older man ordered some of them.

They obeyed and went out the doorway, checking each corner with their rifles raised. It was very dark, and the only light source to help them was the emergency lights in the room's corners.

A gunman walked past a column, gripping his gun. Suddenly, he was pounced on by an unseen force. He was taken out with a quick stab and cut of his throat.

Three men were left in the room. One looked at the nearby window while another caught sight of their dead colleague. He ran over to the body.

"What...?"

Suddenly, the gunman behind him was grabbed and disarmed. As the assailant held him, he shot down the gunman beside the body and then quickly turned to shoot down the other guard.

He then wrapped his arms around the neck of the man he held and quickly snapped it. He let his body drop and moved on.

Another goon came out into the room. He went toward the stairway, trying to look for any of his colleagues in the dark.
 
He walked some more but was immediately taken out from above by an unseen force.

The three men inside the main room heard the thud and looked toward the door. It was silent for a moment before some suppressed gunfire took out another man.

The older Engineer reached for his gun nearby but was shot in the leg and brought down. The enemy near the woman immediately got behind her and brought the knife to her neck.

At the same time, a man in a dark tactical suit, face mask, and multi-vision goggles came in with his gun drawn. The man shouted at the agent.

"¡No te acerques más! ¡La mataré! ¡Lo juro! (Don't get any closer! I'll kill her! I swear!)"

Immediately, the young woman, who had gotten her hands free long ago, grabbed his hand and then broke his nose by hitting him with the back of her head. He groaned and stumbled back, where she got out of her chair and took him down with a grapple move.

"By the way..." She spoke to him. "Golpeaste como una perra." (You hit like a bitch)

With the surviving targets taken down, S.H.I.E.L.D officials came to secure the scene.

The male agent, codenamed Specter, stood by the cliffside with the young woman awaiting extraction. He was cleaning off the remnants of blood from his karambit knife.

"You know...I had it handled." She told him.

The young man simply nodded and sheathed his knife. She crossed her arms and looked at him.

"What?"

"I know you did, Brie."

The woman scoffed. She never really liked to be called that.

"Aubrey or Guzman. You know the rules."

"I like Brie."

"But I don't. Especially not from you."

The man lightly snickered, then took off his face mask, running his hand along his short hair.

"What'd you get from the catch and release?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Learned that Lukin is at odds with his buddies. The rest on the Blacklist want to take pretty much all he's got."

He nodded. She continued.

"He mentioned Engineers. Could be part of their whole game."

"Engineers? We'll keep it in mind. Report it back to command."

There was a beat as Aubrey looked at him and smirked.

"So...you came all this way for me?" She teased.

The stoic man kept a straight face and adjusted his wristwatch.

"Let's not do this."

"I gave you a deadline...and you showed up way earlier. Like I said, I had it covered."

"We lost track of you. Your comms were off. And Fury wanted to make sure—"

"Michael." She interjected, causing the man to stop and look away from his watch, his gaze now at her.

"What?"

He saw the teasing smile still on her face. Michael let out a chuckle, which was rare from the often serious man, and shook his head.

"All right." He said. "I was a bit worried."

Aubrey looked at him smugly.

"My knight in shining armor."

Soon, she walked away. Michael called out.

"Hilarious, Brie."

She flipped him the bird as she kept walking. He kept his gaze on her, watching her leave the cliffside. He was seemingly...entranced.

He never admitted so, but he often found that to be the case. From their time working together, the frequent flirting, and amusing back and forth, Michael always wondered if something was really there.

Suddenly, his comms sounded, and he was pulled away from his thoughts. He got a transmission from one of his colleagues back at base.

"Extraction is five minutes out." She said.

"Okay."

"Guzman turn out fine?"

"Of course. You know her."

"By the way, Fury's recruit is waiting back at base."

Michael remembered. His superior had hired a new agent around his age and wanted the experienced operative to train him.

"Right. Barton." He replied.

"Yeah, the cute one." She said. "Don't tell him I said that."

"No googly eyes in the workplace, Laura," Michael replied, then looked at his watch. "I gotta call Fury. I'll see you back there."

"All right."

He toggled off his comms. Michael walked closer to the cliffside ledge, leaning against a slab of rock. Upon looking down, he suddenly felt something on his hand and saw a small jumping spider crawling on it.

Michael just gazed at the arachnid as it moved across his knuckles before getting off his hand and crawling back on the rock. He chuckled.

"Freaky little thing."

• • PRESENT DAY • •

THE YOUNG MAN was on the balcony, looking out onto the city below. He was processing what he had just been told about his parents.

Teresa leaned on the doorway, looking at the twenty-one-year-old, her arms crossed. She scratched her head and sighed.

"I get it. It's a lot."

"That's putting it lightly." Y/N replied, still looking ahead.

Finding out that his parents were S.H.I.E.L.D. agents rocked his entire world. Then there was the fact that the woman with him was his older sister...which he still couldn't believe.

"It took some time for me to process it," Teresa said as she stepped forward. "A contact of mine helped me piece it together."

"So what? You just all of a sudden wanted to look into Michael and Aubrey? Your lineage?"

"I was looking into a case that involved two classified names. I...pulled some strings...did things I shouldn't have done...and unearthed their identities."

Y/N let out a sigh and shook his head. Teresa continued.

"There's a reason why they had their names scrubbed off, why they're so hidden away. It's like what Fury did with Clint Barton and his wife, Laura. There must be a reason why."

"A reason why?" He turned to her and asked.

She nodded and stared directly at him. There was a beat before she spoke, backing up her claim.

"Whatever they were involved in...it's why they chose to leave the agency. Why they settled into normalcy. It's why..." Teresa swallowed and paused for a second. "...why they gave me away."

Y/N kept looking at her and did so rather somberly. He started to fully realize how the revelation must've affected her. The entire time, she probably knew one set of parents, a different family, but now she found out it was a lie.

"I want to find out what." She added after composing herself. "And...I want to settle it."

Y/N took in what she said and let out a scoff.

"You want to settle it?" He asked. "What do you think this is? Mission Impossible?"

"That's basically what S.H.I.E.L.D does."

"Really? Like Tom Cruise-Ethan Hunt shit? That's—"

"Look." She interjected and took out a folder she had. "There are some things I was able to uncover here."

He took the folder and looked into it. It had sheets of text, blurry pictures, and many blacked-out lines. The young man sighed.

"This is like something out of frickin' Black Ops. What am I supposed to make of this?"

She let out an exasperated breath and took the folder back. Teresa decided to explain it to her oblivious younger brother.

"The agency was looking into something called the Blacklist. From what I could piece together, it was some sort of group. A clan of shadowy types. They pooled together their resources and were close to plotting an attack on American soil."

"Uh..." Y/N droned.

"They were active from the beginning of the 90s but went dark around '99. That's when Michael and Aubrey left the agency. And...the year after I was born."

"So...they must be gone, right? There hasn't been an attack. Unless...9/11 was—"

Teresa interjected. "I actually have a theory that Bin Laden was somewhat part of the Blacklist."

He was in disbelief. The young man shook his head and scratched his forehead.

"And why are you telling me this?" Y/N asked. "Why are you here? What does this have to do with me?"

There was a beat. Teresa clutched the folder she had and looked out from the balcony.

"I need your help contacting Spider-Man."

"What?" He asked with a raised brow.

"I looked into you. You've been taking pictures of him for a few years now. Good ones, in fact. You're close."

"Let's say I am close with him...why do you need his help?"

"There's a target in the city I'm looking into. Got some bad folks connected with him. I need all the help I can get, especially from the guy who knows the ins and outs of the city."

"Heh. I don't know. The web-head is a busy guy. You're just...gonna have to find him yourself."

"Come on—"

"Shouldn't be hard. Hey, you found me. Right, sis?" He said, patting her shoulder before walking back into the apartment.

Teresa rolled her eyes before following him inside.

"Fine. Thanks for making things harder for me. Man, imagine how things would've been between you and me as kids."

The young man just snickered, not really having much to respond with. There was a beat before she continued.

"And I guess I came by just to...talk to you. Tell you what I knew. When I looked into Spider-Man, I saw your name, and it hit me. I looked into you more just to be sure, and that's when it all connected."

Y/N looked back at her. Teresa exhaled and shrugged.

"I don't have a family. At least...not anymore. So to know that's someone is there—"

"It made things better." He finished and nodded. "I get it."

He knew what it was like to be alone, especially the first several weeks after Strange's spell. It seemed to him like Teresa was all alone and just wanted to talk to someone she was related to, even if it meant spilling the beans on the truth about their parents and classified information.

"I'll get going then." Teresa said and walked to the door.

Y/N watched her. The young woman opened the door and looked back at him.

"It was nice meeting you. Maybe one day we can sit down and properly chat."

"Uh...do—do you need my number?"

She smirked. "I'll find you."

With that, she left the apartment. Y/N sighed and sat on the sofa, burying his face into his hands. He was still astonished at what he found out about his parents. He breathed out and looked blankly ahead.

"Shit..." He muttered, then after a few seconds, he remembered where he was supposed to go earlier. "Oh...shit!"

He looked at his watch and saw the time, seeing that it had already been over half an hour since the end time of the tryouts. Y/N took out his phone and immediately texted MJ.

MJ
Everything turn out okay?
I couldn't make it. I'm sorry. Something came up.
I'll call you.

He quickly pulled up her contact and called MJ. A few seconds went by before the young woman answered.

"Hey."

"MJ! Hey. Look, I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I was about to leave and—"

"It's okay."

He was surprised. "Really? I—I know I'm—"

"I said it's fine, Tiger." She replied with a chuckle. "I get it. Out of all people, I understand what you do."

He chuckled, too.

"Right." He replied with a smile. "So, did you make the team?"

"Yeah! I did. Tryouts were tough, but I prevailed."

"That's great! Good for you! You're going to do great."

"Thanks. Everyone was so cool here. Made a few new friends."

"That's cool." He replied. "Hey, look...how about we grab a bite later tonight? In celebration of your induction into the world of collegiate tennis."

"Oooh. Sounds fun. Just us?"

"Uh, yeah. Unless we want to bring Randy in on it, maybe he can get us into the fancy restaurant again."

She laughed. "Nah, it's fine. Something small would be nice. Like...Mick's Diner."

Hearing the name brought back memories for Y/N. It was a place he and MJ used to frequent when they dated in high school. He chuckled.

"Best fries in the city." He said. "Sure, that's all right with me."

"Cool."

"And there, I'll tell you what happened just now. It's—It's pretty wild. Whew."

"I bet it is." He replied. "I'll see you around 8?"

"I'll call you when I'm on my way."

"Okay. Later, Tiger."

The call ended. Y/N let out a breath as he was relieved that flaking on the tryouts would cause some unwanted drama between them.

But as she said, she understood better than anyone how hectic his life was.

• • •

Y/N WAS GETTING ready to meet up with MJ. He put on a fresh set of clothes: a blue tee, dark jeans, and a brown leather jacket.

He walked into the dimly lit living room and bent down to fix his shoes. As he did...his spider sense went off hard.

"What—?"

Immediately, his floor-to-ceiling windows shattered, and a group of men with tactical gear and rifles stormed the apartment. Y/N held up his hands.

"On the floor! Now!" A man shouted.

He kept his hands up. A floodlight from a chopper outside lit up the entire room, which made him curse. If it were dark, Y/N surely would've taken them all out using his powers.

"Target is secured. He's alone." The man spoke into his comms. "No sign of Spider-Man or any other local hero."

"Uh...this isn't about the water bill, is it?" Y/N abruptly asked.

"Gag him." The gunman said.

Y/N scoffed. "Everyone's a critic."

Another armed man put a bag over Y/N's head and then put his hands behind his back. He tied a tow rope around his wrists.

Immediately, the gunmen and Y/N were pulled out of the room via the rope by the chopper. They started flying away as Y/N hung from the helicopter.

Yeah, he wasn't going to tag along for the ride.

Y/N used his strength to break the bindings from his wrist. The bag came off his head as he fell. The soldiers looked down and were perplexed.

"The rope broke! He's falling!"

Nope. Y/N considered it flying to safety.

The chopper flew away, and Y/N kept descending. He immediately used his web shooters and shot a line, swinging away amidst the darkness.

Y/N planned to make it into an alleyway and either hide or quickly suit up and flee. But before he could even think of a plan, he saw a car speeding toward him as he made a right into a street.

"Oh, crap!" He shouted.

He let go of the line and rolled across the top of the car. The driver grabbed and pulled him in through the sunroof before speeding off.

"Hang on!" They said as Y/N was on his back and trying to sit up.

He finally was able to and got a look at the driver. It was Teresa. The young man's eyes widened.

"What the—?"

"Are you hurt?" She asked as she operated the wheel.

"Not yet, you maniac!" He exclaimed. "Slow down!"

Suddenly, they heard pangs and shots hit the asphalt beside them. The chopper was chasing them through the surprisingly barren streets and shooting.

"Shit!" Y/N reacted. "I mean, speed up!"

"Relax and buckle your seat belt, Y/N." She replied. "I'll shake 'em."

"Not unless there's a jet engine under the hood or you're somehow Dom Toretto!"

Teresa changed gears and went faster before making a sharp left. Y/N held on for dear life as his sister raced away from the chopper.

"Nah, I'm more of a Letty." She said, getting his reference earlier.

They kept speeding down the road. They were nearing the gate of a condemned building, and she wasn't stopping.

"Okay, I've lost the chopper. But only for a moment. We have to time this right, or else we're dead!" She exclaimed.

"W—What?"

"On three, jump!"

Before he could question it, Teresa counted rapidly.

"OneTwoThree!"

The two quickly opened the doors and jumped out of the car, which crashed into the wall by the gate and exploded.

Y/N groaned as he got up. Teresa was already on her feet, and she pulled his arm, running with him out of the alley.

"We can't just leave the scene—" Y/N started.

"It buys us precious seconds!" She interjected and then spotted a cab nearby. She whistled. "Taxi!"

"What are you—?"

"Talk later! Into the cab now!" She spoke over him and then to the driver. "JFK and fast. Don't draw attention."

The driver nodded, and the two entered the backseat. The cab drove off, and Y/N was still baffled by the whole situation.

"What? I—I'm not getting on a plane with you!"

"What's your alternative? Going back to the wrecked apartment you don't even pay for?"

"Hey! My roommate and I have a system!"

Teresa rolled her eyes and looked out the window. She sighed.

"We're both in danger now."

She looked back at Y/N, who was just looking ahead, thinking a mile a minute. He felt her gaze and turned to her.

"What?"

"I didn't notice earlier today...but you have Dad's eyes."

"Don't do that. Not now." He shot back. "And how would you know? You said our parents gave you away when you were one."

"There are some things that just stick with you..." She replied. "And, of course, the pictures I've seen."

Teresa then took one out of her jacket pocket. He showed the old picture to him. It was of Michael, Aubrey, and an infant, Teresa, in a maternity ward.

"Not until last week did I know my last name was L/N at all." She said. "Just that I grew up...adopted."

He looked at the photo in hand. Y/N still had a stunned look on his face. The picture didn't look doctored in any way.

They ended up making it to the airport. They exited the cab, and Teresa grabbed his arm and pulled him to the sliding doors.

"Why would they keep you a secret?" He asked.

"How old were you before you even knew they were spies?"

"Uh...today old." He replied. "Still, there is a lot to uncover. Like—what the hell was that back at my apartment?"

"I'll explain on the way. Right now, we need to get to Monaco."

"I hope you mean Monaco, Indiana, because my passport is back at the—"

"I had a duplicate made." She interjected.

"Just today? H—How did you—?"

"Listen to me!"

Teresa stopped and turned to him. She held up her badge again.

"I'm in the family business. There are very bad people out for the son and daughter of Michael and Aubrey L/N, and they will take us and kill us unless we act. All you need to know this second is that you are my responsibility, and protecting you is within my power."

Y/N was taken aback by her speech and honed in on the words his father emphasized to him. Words that were inspired by what his mother believed.

The young man sighed, nodding. He decided to put his trust in her for the time being.

With her credentials and pull, Teresa was able to bypass TSA and took them straight to a private jet. She really planned ahead.

"Champagne, sir?" The flight attendant asked him.

He was snapped out of his thoughts and looked away from the window.

"I'm fine, thanks. I'm just used to sitting between someone as big as Harambe and a crying baby."

Teresa was across from him, reading from her tablet.

"Relax, Y/N. And don't mope about your place. I made some calls. My contacts have already dispatched a repair crew. The apartment will look good as new by the time your roommate comes back from out of town."

He wasn't even thinking of that. Y/N was still questioning who exactly was out for them.

"Can you at least explain who's gunning for me? For us?" He asked.

She leaned back in her seat.

"Not cogently. Not having been awake for 72 hours. Give me ten minutes."

She let out a breath and crossed her arms.

"You...really do look like him. Like Michael. Our dad..."

The flight attendant came back with a plate of food. "Caviar?"

Y/N declined it, and she walked away. Upon looking back at Teresa, he saw that she was already sleeping. She was really wrecked from her whole week of spying.

Ten minutes ended up becoming over six hours. They landed in Monte Carlo, and a driver took them to a rather fancy hotel.

Y/N got out of the car and gazed upon the large building. He whistled.

"Close your mouth," Teresa said. "You'll catch flies."

They walked into the hotel and were soon checked in. The employees helped with Teresa's things.

"I hope this is on your platinum card because my life savings wouldn't pay for twelve seconds at this place." Y/N remarked.

"Already handled. Adjoining rooms. We have an appointment in an hour. You'll have everything you need waiting for you. Be ready."

They went upstairs to their rooms. An employee led Y/N into his, where he was immediately met with an older man.

"What is this?" He asked.

"Your tuxedo fixing, monsieur." The tailor answered. "Does the gentleman dress left or right?"

"Uh, I dress alone," Y/N replied, moving toward the bathroom. "E—Excuse me a moment."

He went into the room and locked the door, where he quickly undressed and took off the Spider-Man suit he had underneath. He made sure to hide it for the time being.

After, Y/N had a suit tailored for him in his room. He just stood there, wondering about everything. Among those in mind were the people back home, especially MJ.

He was mad at himself. He had basically flaked again and had no means to communicate with her since his phone was back at his apartment. He'd have to find some way to call back to the States soon.

He was on the balcony looking out at the courtyard below. Y/N sighed, also thinking about his parents.

How could they have kept this secret from him? How could they have hidden the fact that they were a pair of renowned agents? How did he have a sister out there in the world?

What else could they have been hiding?

There was a knock at the door. Y/N went to answer it, and on the other side was Teresa, who wore a sleek black dress and heels and had her hair done.

"Let's go, sport."

Y/N grabbed his suit jacket and put it on.

"I'd ask where, but it seems like any question that comes out of my mouth is pointless." He said.

"We learn by doing." She replied. "Depechez." (Hurry)

The L/N siblings ended up going to an extravagant casino in Monte Carlo. They walked into the building side by side as the young man looked around with his hands in his pockets.

"Who lives like this?" He asked.

"I told our contact nothing about having a plus-one in tow. He might overlook me if he thinks we're a couple. Here..." She handed him a few chips. "Busy yourself. But stay in sight and blend in."

He looked at the chips in hand and clenched them.

"Can do."

Teresa went off to do her thing while Y/N strolled nearby. He approached a game table, leaning on it and placing his chips down.

"22 Black." He said confidently.

The dealer stopped. He and the two other men at the table looked at him with perplexed expressions.

"This is baccarat, sir."

Y/N kept up his assured appearance and smiled. He took back the chips.

"Then I rescind my bet."

Suddenly, his spider sense went off. A bald man came by and stopped behind Y/N.

"Mr. L/N? Would you care to come with us?"

If it weren't for his spider sense, the feeling of the pistol pressed against his back was enough of a warning.

He had enough of the play-along approach.

Y/N elbowed the man and then vaulted over the table. He quickly thought, recalling how the man said us, so Y/N figured he had backup waiting. He needed to cause a distraction.

Before the man could start shooting in his direction, Y/N flipped the table over and onto him. He then ran off toward the bathroom as people sounded off and clamored.

Nearby, Teresa heard the commotion. She looked back.

"What's all that noise?"

Suddenly, a man came up and grabbed her arm forcefully. She faced him and saw the switchblade he had in hand.

"Everyone's attention is someplace else." He said with a stern look.

Before he could do anything, someone called out.

"Not everyone!"

The man's face was hit with a glob of webbing. He grunted and stumbled back before tripping. Three other men with handguns came over and were stunned.

"Spider-Man?!"

The web-slinger swung toward them. "Oui!"

The three were soon engulfed in webbing as well. Two fell to the floor and were stuck there, and the other hung from a web line connected to the ceiling. The hero then spoke to them in a terrible French accent.

"Ze L/Ns—Zey are undair my protecti-own!"

As Spider-Man dealt with them, Teresa looked around amidst casino-goers clamoring and called out for her brother.

"Y/N! Y/N, where are you?!"

Suddenly, a man in a trenchcoat and hat entered the room. He looked at Spider-Man, who was webbing up the last goon. The hero locked eyes with him, and that's when his spider-sense went off.

The man removed his trenchcoat and hat, which conjoined with a sudden and strong gust of wind. It was like a tornado formed inside the casino.

He was now amidst the tornado, wearing a helmet and visor with a silver-white suit. Y/N recognized the villain...Cyclone.

Y/N found out about Cyclone after he had a run-in with Kate Bishop and her team when they were making their rounds around the globe. He was surprised to see him here since he thought he was apprehended.

"Now they're sending costumes after us?" Y/N muttered. "Great."

Cyclone continued to mayhem, and his strong winds pushed everything around the room. Spider-Man called out.

"Hey, Cyclone, where are your manners? Your folks ever teach you not to break wind in a crowded room?"

"Ugh! No one mentioned Spider-Man! Stay out of this, wall-crawler, for your sake!"

He clenched his fists and punched down, causing the cyclone around him to grow and spin faster. It pushed the hero back along with some gunmen still in the room.

Being the good guy he was, Y/N still couldn't allow them to be harmed or possibly killed in the chaos. He webbed the men to the walls and kept them in place.

"There! Be good boys and don't unwrap until Christmas!"

Meanwhile, Teresa was still on the ground. She had a hand up as the winds were blowing her hair around.

"Y/N! Where are you!?"

The web-slinger heard her call out. She was smart enough to put two and two together, so he needed to act fast.

The hero leaped around the room, dodging objects like tables and pieces of concrete from the walls.

"Tell me, bro..." He exclaimed. "Did you know you named yourself after a Baby Bash song?"

Cyclone ignored him and kept up his tornado. Spider-Man used his senses to avoid any danger all while coming up with a plan to take him down.

Cyclone had no natural powers...it was just his suit. It involved complex internal processors for maximum wind power. And to do that...a cooling unit was vital.

Y/N focused on the back of his neck. He saw a device near his helmet that stood out. He figured that was the cooling unit.

Spider-Man webbed it immediately. Cyclone reacted and tried to reach for the webbing, but he was met with more web fluid that started wrapping around him.

"Ghaaaa!" He shouted.

He suit started to get hotter, and the exhaustion of his extravagant feats was getting to him. Soon enough, the winds calmed, and everything became still. Cyclone was now fully wrapped in webbing and hung from the ceiling.

"Who sent you?" Y/N asked as he held him. "Give me a name!"

Cyclone was out cold. There was no way of getting any information out of him then.

"Spider-Man!" Teresa called out from below. "Funny how you're so far from home..."

Spider-Man looked back, taking a moment to come up with a cover. He went with the first thing that popped into his mind.

"Non, Cherie, je suis homme de Arachne! French Spider-Man, oui? We are, how you say, a franchise...? International! Viva le Spider-Hood!"

The young man immediately swung away. French police entered the casino to apprehend the goons and take in Cyclone. Teresa just stood there, confused by the hero's sighting.

"Teresa! Over here!" Y/N, now back in his tuxedo, exclaimed as he ran over to her. "You okay?"

"Seems we both are." She replied. "Thanks to Spider-Man."

"Spider-Man? You mean he was here?" He played coy. "Golly."

"Indeed. Now, follow me to the car."

"We're not here to meet a mysterious man in a fez over drinks?" He asked.

"I came to get a very private address from a friendly counterspy. Accomplished." She held up a chip. "Cash in."

Y/N just put his hands up. It wasn't like he would say no and let her go alone. Teresa nodded and clenched the chip.

"Let's hit the road."

• • •

THEY WERE DIRECTED to a villa a couple of hours away. A housekeeper let them in, and they were led to a large room, where they waited for Teresa's contact.

"Did you even get a name?" Y/N asked.

"Well..." Teresa clicked her tongue. "No."

Y/N rolled his eyes and sat down. Teresa continued.

"My contact in Monte Carlo said this person knows about our parents. They can tell us more about them and what they were looking into."

Y/N scoffed. "Is they even for real?"

"I'd say so." A voice called out.

They all turned toward the doorway and were stunned at who they saw. It was the one and only black man with a scar over his left eye, also sporting a full graying beard. No eyepatch was present this time. He even had a plate with a sandwich cut down the middle.

Nick Fury.

Teresa stammered. "F—Fury?"

"Agent Durand." He greeted and looked at the young man. "Y/N L/N, is it?"

Y/N just nodded. He wasn't sure if the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director remembered who he was and if the spell reversal worked on him, too.

"So I hear that an agent has gone off-grid and has a civilian as her plus one as they look into the depths of their pasts," Fury remarked as he walked closer. "And...they want to know more."

They didn't say a word. Fury went up to them and brandished the plate.

"Sandwich?" He asked.

Teresa shook her head. Y/N also declined.

"Uh...no thanks."

"Good. Because I'm hungry as a motherf'er." Fury grabbed a piece off the plate. "I was just trying to be a good host."

He sat on the chair nearby, putting his plate on the table beside him. Teresa went over and sat on the sofa to his right.

"What are you doing in Monaco?" She asked. "How do you even have this place?"

"I'm Nick Fury. I have a lot of places." He shot back. "Besides, I've decided to settle down a bit after my tenure in space."

Y/N snickered. He thought about asking about Europe and who was in his place while in space but decided not to. That was the past.

"So...you—you knew Michael and Aubrey?" Teresa asked.

"I did. I knew them even before I became director in '95. Once I became their superior officer, I was their handler."

"Wow." Y/N muttered, now feeling the realization that it was all real.

Fury further explained.

"They went by Specter and Loba. Michael's specialty was infiltration, getting what we needed and doing what needed to be done efficiently and like a ghost. Aubrey was more...spontaneous. She was on the field and accomplished her mission by any means necessary."

Teresa took it all in. She remembered seeing those codenames blacked out in the files.

"They were damn good agents. They kept a lot of bad things from happening to our country. Hell, they likely even helped save the world a couple of times." He added. "And...they were madly in love. One would deny it...but that whole back and forth didn't last long."

"I wonder who made the first move." Teresa remarked with a chuckle.

"Oh, it was Michael," Fury replied. "As much as he was a square...all monotone and serious...Aubrey was the one who got him out of that shell."

Y/N lightly chuckled. He couldn't imagine his father the way he described. Michael was always bubbly and cracked the occasional horrible dad joke when Y/N was growing up. It was nice to think that his mother made him decide to liven up a little.

"They are great people in general," Fury said. "It's sad...knowing what happened to them. First, there is Aubrey with the attack in New York, then Michael with the tragedy in Long Island. It's terrible. I'm sorry."

Y/N didn't say anything and looked down somberly. Teresa kept her gaze on the older man as he continued speaking.

"During the course of their missions, we were looking into a group called the Blacklist. Their main culprits referred to themselves as Engineers. Your parents got good intel on them and found they pooled their resources together."

"Yeah, I was able to gather that." Teresa replied.

"But do you know of their main plan?"

"Were they about to orchestrate an attack on the U.S.?"

"Not just the U.S. But the whole damn world."

The two siblings were curious. Fury began to clarify.

"Together, the Blacklist was going to construct an army of Sleepers. Large mechs that were once rumored to be a part of Red Skull's initial plan once he won WWII. They ended up creating one and had it stashed underground in the sands outside Cairo...but your parents were essential in stopping it and seizing all of the gold the Engineers had accumulated."

"Jesus..." Y/N muttered.

"Which is why you are important, Y/N," Fury added. "In sealing the Sleeper so it couldn't arise and hurt anyone, your father did it in such a way that only his DNA could open the tomb of it was uncovered in the future. We placed a biometric lock—quite advanced in the day—to keep the Sleeper quiet. And that is...why Y/N here is so important. Only he can unlock it without triggering a five-megaton booby trap."

"With DNA?" Teresa asked. "Why didn't they just take from our toothbrushes—?"

"DNA, voice recognition, facial recognition, and more. Essentially, it was programmed to recognize only Michael. With modern technology, the lock can be fooled—but not without Y/N's natural resemblance doing much of the work."

Y/N turned to Teresa. "Cairo, huh?"

"Sands outside of." She replied.

"That's all I have uncovered," Fury said. "I still don't know who could be behind this. I'll keep digging. But if you want to know more—"

"No, hold on, that may be all there is to this, but you still knew our parents," Teresa said. "We have a lot of questions—me—why was I put up for adoption?"

Y/N chimed in. "Yeah, why were we separated? Me knowing I had a sister could have changed my whole life."

Fury looked at them for a moment. He gave a stern look, and his expression kept them from telling if he would actually give them the truth.

"I don't have an answer to that. I'm sorry. But...maybe you'll find out what you're questioning at your parents' safe house."

"Wait, what?" Y/N reacted.

"It's still there. I'm the only one, at least alive, that knows of it. I've kept it intact and sealed." He got up from his seat and dusted off his hands of crumbs. "I'll write down the address."

They had to go to Switzerland. The cabin was on a snowy cliffside. Teresa and Y/N, wearing their winter attire, made it to the door.

They ended up using a key card they had to get in. The lights immediately turned on, and they were in awe. Despite the dust and cobwebs, the interior was seemingly well-kept.

"The L/N enclave. Look, there's books, diaries, albums from when they were very young." Teresa said as she looked around.

Y/N looked around, too. There were indeed pictures of their parents on the wall...but none of him nor Teresa as an infant. He found it strange.

"There's perfume lingering," Teresa remarked. "You think it was Mom's?"

Y/N took in the scent. It was a familiar smell. Likely from a brand Aubrey continued wearing in her later years. But, he wanted to move quickly and not dwell on that.

"Look, we're here for a reason, and as a science geek, I am dying to root around in that old stuff." He paced around the room. "Hopefully something here will help us better understand what the hell happened with the Sleeper and Cairo."

Immediately, a hologram appeared before him, and an automated voice spoke. Y/N stood there, stunned.

"Cairo. Protocol 2784.34. Reference: Reich's Hope."

"Whoa!" Y/N reacted.

"Like father, like son," Teresa said. "It thinks you're Dad."

"So what do I—?"

"Lean into it."

Y/N started moving the physical hologram. He spoke.

"Reich's Hope—tell me what—no, don't tell—show me."

The hologram displayed a map surrounding them and almost covered the entire floor. The AI sounded.

"Reich's Hope. Holographic recreation uploaded for viewing, Agent L/N."

"Jackpot!" Y/N exclaimed. "A map! Where exactly the Sleeper lies and how to gain access. Looks like we're finally two steps ahead of whoever's after us."

Teresa was awed by all of it and let out a delighted sigh.

"We did it, Y/N. Together. It's wonderful—" She said. "I suppose we're done here."

"Relax. We can spare a minute or—"

Immediately, his spider-sense went wild. It felt like zero to light speed in no time. In flashes, he saw missiles being shot at toward the cabin.

"Teresa!"

Y/N acted fast, grabbing and picking her up easily as he sprinted toward the window. At the same time, a flurry of rockets hit the house, blowing the entire thing to smithereens.

A flurry of smoke and fire now replaced that snowy cabin on the cliffside. The chopper that shot the rockets immediately left the scene, believing they dealt with the L/N siblings.

Meanwhile, Y/N was holding on to the side of the cliff, his fingertips sticking to the flat rocky surface. He held Teresa's arm as they dangled thousands of feet from the ground.

"Y/N..." Teresa gazed up at him and was in awe. "You..."

Y/N looked down, seeing that the explosion had torn his jacket, shirt, and some of his pants...revealing the Spider-Man suit underneath. He stared back at her.

"Yeah."

"I knew it."

"Don't be a show-off. Right now, let's concentrate on staying alive. Let me pull you up."

Y/N grunted as he tried to climb up. Teresa looked up, seeing a singed photograph flailing toward her. She tried to reach for it.

"Teresa, both hands—!" He shouted at her.

"Just a second!" She screamed back and ended up catching the photo. "Whew, caught it."

"Teresa! I almost dropped you. What the hell are you doing?"

"Looking out for my brother." She held up the picture. "This one's yours."

Y/N just stared back at her before letting out a snicker. Teresa ended up climbing up and grabbing onto his shoulders. The young man started climbing.

"Also?" Teresa added. "You don't speak a word of French, do you...?"

• • •

TERESA AND Y/N made it to Egypt. They were in a jeep and drove down the road of the small town on the outskirts of Cairo. They also sported a new set of clothing since their previous attire was basically shredded in the explosion the night before.

"We don't have to do this. Now that we've solved the mystery, you can go back home." She told him.

"What? And give up show business?" He joked.

"I'm serious."

"Look, whoever's been trying to maneuver me into this isn't going to let up. We go to the vault. They will reveal themselves." Y/N started taking off his jacket, revealing his Spider-Man costume. "Did they teach you nothing at spy school?"

Teresa just glanced at him before rolling her eyes.

They made it to the spot they remembered the holo-map designating them to. There were some ruins in the middle of the desert.

"This was the spot on the map." She said. "Not much left. Why don't you get dressed for work? Use your spider E.S.P. or something?"

Y/N put on his mask.

"Nah, it doesn't work like that. Besides, we don't need it. I've been doing this a long time...and I know there's always more to find, maybe..."

He looked around the floor and found a handle in the sand. He pulled it and lifted the hidden hatch.

"...if we poke around."

Teresa stepped up to the hatch and looked down at it. The young man clicked his tongue.

"Spider-sense buzzing a bit. You get the lockpicks ready, just in case..."

The two were able to go down. They walked through the underground ruins, lighting the dimly lit area with flashlights. The walls were filled with writing and hieroglyphics...mostly of Third Reich symbols.

"Weird..." Y/N said. "These Engineers...were they Nazi fanatics?"

"I believe they had the same mindset. Invasion. Cleansing. Making an empire. Taking over. Ya know."

They kept walking. Y/N took off his mask in case they ran into anything and was able to scan his face. Sometime later, a thought popped into his head.

"You think...they could've been HYDRA?"

Before Teresa could respond, a booming voice called out. It echoed through the room.

"Spider-Man!"

Weirdly, there seemed to be a white flash and haze before them. Seconds later, several men appeared, along with a well-dressed man in the middle. It was like they just popped into existence.

"What the...?" Y/N muttered.

"Well, well...this is quite the surprise." The man said.

"Who are you?"

"How could I have been blind all these years when it was just right in front of me..." He stepped forward. "The world-renowned Spider-Man and freelance photographer Y/N L/N, son of Michael L/N, one and the same! This changes everything."

He gritted his teeth. "You still haven't said who the hell you are, asshole."

The man chucked and folded his hands in front of him.

"I'm Aleksander Lukin. Former Engineer. Blacklist member."

Portrayed by Pierce Brosnan

"Lukin. I saw your name in the files." Teresa spoke. "You went dark in '99. None has seen you since."

"All thanks to your father...a traitor."

The two siblings were confused by the last statement.

"What are you talking about?" Y/N asked.

"He was my friend. I helped him become who he was...and he just threw it back in my face."

Teresa scoffed. "You're crazy. He wouldn't frolic with a terrorist like you."

Lukin smirked and looked directly at the young woman. He began to explain.

"I found him on the streets as a child. I sent him to the school that indoctrinated him. I paved the way for him to be recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D. He was my key on the inside. He was like me..."

The siblings were perplexed and didn't want to believe it. Lukin continued.

"He was a part of HYDRA."

Y/N was stunned. Teresa was baffled, too, but her expression had a tinge of anger. Lukin continued to look at them smugly. The woman went for her gun on her waist.

"I wouldn't, Ms. Durand." Lukin glanced at a man beside him, who wore a helmet and a glowing red visor. "Mentallo, remove the psychic cloak. Let them see every gun. Every soldier."

The man did as told, and seconds later, a haze was lifted, and the entire room was filled with mercenaries. His abilities were able to bypass the hero's spider sense. Y/N instinctively put an arm in front of Teresa.

"Don't let me interrupt, Mr. L/N," Lukin said. "Continue. Open the vault, or we kill your sister."

"How did you even find us?" Y/N asked.

"Mr. Flumm here was essential in tracking you down. His mental powers are rather impressive. It's like he can feel where you are.... and you two have played along perfectly. You were being chased by agents on my payroll. You basically led me here. For which, I thank you."

The gunmen raised their rifles at Teresa. Lukin continued.

"Y/N L/N won't let his sister die. And I know Spider-Man won't let anyone die. So I repeat...open the vault."

Y/N glared at him and balled his fists. He spoke sternly.

"I can take you down before they can pull a single trigger."

"But can she? Shall we find out?"

The sound of the men locking into Teresa was prevalent. Immediately, Y/N called out angrily.

"Okay! You win! Do you have the slightest clue what you're asking me to unleash, you crazy son of a bitch! This Sleeper, the thing you helped create, do you know what it will do to Cairo?"

"Of course, I know." He replied. "I'm counting on them to deal with the Sleeper while I take back what's rightfully mine. The gold."

Y/N let out a breath and looked back at Teresa. The girl shook her head and spoke lowly.

"Y/N...don't."

He didn't say a word. After a beat, the young man made the choice to save his sister at that moment. He looked up at a symbol engraved on the ceiling, and a hologram immediately scanned his retina and face.

"Identity confirmed."

Soon, there was rumbling. The walls cracked, and the floor began to shake as well. The soldiers, Lukin, Teresa, and Y/N, tried to keep their balance as the trembling continued.

A large bulky mech crashed through the walls moments later. Behind it, at its feet, was a pile of gold bars.

It started to scan the area, where it quickly detected the humans.

In an instant, the Sleeper charged up and flew toward the ceiling, where it broke it open and made it out of its underground abode. Rubble and chunks of rock fell everywhere and even crushed a couple of soldiers.

Y/N looked through the dust and shouted. "Teresa!"

There was so sign of her or Lukin. He thought about looking for them but gazed up and remembered the Sleeper now free from its vault. He needed to stop it before it could destroy Cairo.

Spider-Man put on his mask, swinging upwards and out of the vault. He landed before the Sleeper, who towered over him like a skyscraper.

"Oh, hello, handsome! Fancy meeting you here."

The mech whirred and turned to Y/N, its eyes glowing green. Some metal tentacles came from his sides, making look much more formidable. The hero felt way out of his element.

"Uh...hi! Do you know my toaster?"

It immediately wrapped its tentacles around him, and the hero attempted to break free.

Back in the vault, some soldiers were recovering and looking for a way out. One found Lukin and helped him up. Second later, two of the soldiers were quickly shot down.

"You're not walking away from this, Lukin!" Teresa shouted with a pistol in her hand.

Lukin yelled back.

"Why fight, my dear? You need me! Who else but me can protect you from being hunted, captured, and tortured by every criminal on earth...once they hear that you're the daughter of the Specter and Loba? That your father was once HYDRA?" He chuckled and grinned. "That you know Spider-Man's true identity?"

There was more rumbling. Teresa quickly moved and avoided some falling rubble, all while she shot at Lukin, who was behind cover.

"Damn it!" She cursed.

"I do enjoy manipulating orphans. They're so gullible!" Lukin shouted.

Teresa kept moving. Suddenly, a group of soldiers appeared before her. They just stared at the young woman, and she noticed they had a hazy look. She squinted a bit and gritted her teeth.

"Get...out...of...my..."

She reached for a rock on the ground and picked it up before swinging it at the soldier directly before her.

"HEAD!" She shouted.

Teresa ended up hitting Mentallo in the face, knocking him down and causing the rest of the soldiers around him to dissipate.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man fought with the Sleeper. He was trying to find a way to shut it down. The robot ended up wrapping its tentacles around him again.

To make things more brutal, the mech decided to fly in the air and their battle was now in the sky. Below them was the city of Cairo.

"Come on!" Y/N grunted. "Gut it out, Y/N! Everyone's counting on you!"

Using his strength, he tore away the metal actuators, letting out a shout.

"GNAAAAHH!"

Spider-Man held on as it kept flying. He crawled along its back as its remaining tentacles tried to attack him.

"I have to flip this hunk of junk around, or Cairo's gonna be history!"

Y/N kept crawling and zipped to another side of the mech. He spotted something that caught his eye.

"Retro engines! I gotta web them up...'cause if I do, this thing will start too..."

Y/N did as he planned. The obstruction forced the mech to react.

"Yes! It's banking away as it recalibrates its trajectory!"

As the Sleeper recalibrated, it retracted its tentacles, giving Y/N the seconds he needed to get inside the giant mech. He found a panel and ripped it open, seeing the wires and glowing green pieces of its interior.

"Time for the Sleeper to get his ass back in bed!"

He reached for one large piece and ripped it out. Luckily, it was its primary power source, so it immediately shut down the mech. He and the robot started a free-fall toward the sandy dunes below.

On the ground, Teresa exited the vault and fought off any soldiers in her way. Once her gun was out, she moved to a more hands-on approach, taking them down with her martial arts combat training.

The Sleeper ended up crashing down near where she was. Dust and sand were kicked up, and she shielded her face as she fell to the floor.

Spider-Man came out of the wreckage, his suit torn and blood seeping from his gashes. He grunted and let out a shout.

"Teresa! You okay?! Teresa!"

The young woman heard him and also saw his figure through the dust. She coughed and stood up, about to call out.

Suddenly, Lukin ran in and tackled her. The dirtied man was on top and wrapped his hands around her throat.

"I'm going to kill you!"

Teresa tried to reach for a rock nearby, but Lukin stretched his leg out and pinned her arm to the floor. He continued choking her.

"You're the reason for all this...your mother...if it weren't for her, there would've been nothing stopping Michael from our goal. For years...I tried to find anyone involved with them to snuff them all out! I guess I'll finally start with you."

Teresa reached out with her other hand and tried to grab his face. The man moved to avoid her hands, but the girl was ultimately able to dig her nails into his skin. She scratched him deep, and he yelled.

"Argh!"

With him loosening his grip, Teresa was able to escape his hold and kneed him in the groin. She then landed a right hook across his face and knocked him down.

Lukin groaned and rubbed his jaw. Teresa immediately picked up a gun from a dead soldier and held it at his head. He stared back at her, only for Teresa to pistol whip him in anger.

The man spat out blood and chuckled. Again, he looked at her.

"I was going to kill him. Kill your mother. All of you...for what he did to me." He began and snickered. "Who would've thought he actually had the balls to hide you away just to keep you from me? But...the more I think about it...it's funny."

Teresa kept holding the gun. "What?"

"Think about it for a second. They pretty much got rid of you out of fear. Then, only a couple of years later, they decide to have a son, and that's who they choose to keep and raise. They forgot all about you. No visits. No take-backs. You were just thrown away like trash. A piece of their past that they didn't want to take back."

Teresa grit her teeth as she had the gun trained on him. Anger was boiling within her.

"Does your brother even know what happened to your adoptive parents? Killed during a humanitarian mission in Sao Paolo when you were 8. Hospital fire. Tragic. I heard the Black Widows did that. Then, you were cycled through the system until you were an adult and found your way into the field of espionage. Heh."

She still didn't say anything, but the memories of it lingered in her mind. He continued to taunt her.

"So if you really think about it...I made you. Without me, you wouldn't be the woman you are today. Sure, you might've had a loving biological family, a brother, and some normalcy, but where's the fun in that? Look at you now."

She let out a grunt and pressed the gun to his head. At the same time, Y/N found them and went up to the two. He held his hands up.

"T—Teresa! You got him. Look, I'll cover him while you—"

"While I what? Let him go?!" She shouted. "After what he did to me?! To us?! He can die!"

Y/N quickly took off his mask and called out.

"Not in cold blood! He's not a threat anymore! We don't operate like that!"

She turned to him. "I'M NOT LIKE YOU!"

"No!" He retorted, then quieted a bit. "You are. You work toward good. You are that hero to the people you protect. A hero like Mom. Like Dad. Like me."

Teresa kept glaring at Y/N until her gaze softened. She turned to Lukin, who had the same smug look on his face. He knew what she wanted to do...and he expected it to happen.

And he'd be right. The trauma kept rolling around in her mind the more she thought. The anger and hate built as the seconds went by. She was robbed of what she desired because of Lukin. Robbed of what she felt she deserved.

The long-lasting love of a family.

"I'm not a hero."

With that, she pulled the trigger.

POW!

Lukin fell on the floor, dead. Y/N was stunned and speechless, standing still and looking on at the murder that just transpired. Teresa lowered her gun and panted before dropping it.

"But I did just save the world a lot of trouble by finally getting rid of him."

Teresa walked away. Y/N kept standing there and looked over his shoulder, watching her leave. He let out a sigh and closed his eyes.

S.H.I.E.L.D ended up arriving later that day to secure the premises. Lukin and all of his mercenaries were dead, with Mentallo, AKA Marvin Flumm, being the only one alive. They took him in as he turned out to be their lost asset.

The crashing of the Sleeper and destruction of the vault also ended up burying the gold deeper underground. It was likely lost forever and would never be found.

After debriefing with specific officials, Y/N and Teresa were taken to an airport. He was returning to New York while the woman planned to take a breather in Paris.

"Paris, huh?" Y/N asked. "You know...I was about to go there some years ago until some hijinks changed my school field trip around. Funny enough, it was because of Fury."

"Ah, the Mysterio situation." Teresa replied.

"You remember?"

"Yeah. People at the agency talked about how much shit Spider-Man messed up for them."

"Oh."

Teresa chuckled. Y/N feigned a smile and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Uh...look..." He began. "About what happened back—"

"I don't want to talk about it. It happened. That's it."

"Uh, not that. But what he said about our dad...being HYDRA." Y/N clarified. "D—Do you think he was telling the truth?"

Teresa looked to the side and swallowed. In all honesty, she wasn't sure what to believe. She still didn't even know if all the things Lukin told her about being forgotten and thrown away were true. There had to be another reason they never returned for her...right?

"I guess we'll never know." She replied. "And it doesn't matter. You didn't get brainwashed. You came out as geeky and lame as ever."

Y/N chuckled. Teresa continued.

"You came out good. So that means if he was, something changed him. Changed him for the better."

Y/N nodded. There was a beat before he spoke again.

"If you ever come back to the States, I want you to meet some of my friends. And May. Even Anya. She's...our half-sister."

Teresa simply sighed and didn't respond initially. She looked back at the plane nearby.

"I gotta go." She held out her hand. "This was quite the adventure, little brother. Now go back to whatever life you live as nerd-slash-superhero."

Y/N snickered and shook her hand but immediately pulled her in for a hug. Teresa didn't expect it and was stiff but soon eased into the embrace.

They parted. Teresa smiled before turning around and walking to the jet with her things. Y/N let out a sigh as he watched her.

"Until next time, sis."

• • 1999 • •

THE AGENTS WERE in an offsite location as they waited for the heat to die down. Aubrey had the infant Teresa in her arms and gently shushed her as she fussed.

Nearby, Michael was out of his ripped-up tactical suit and in regular clothing. He walked over to his wife and daughter, sitting beside them.

"Brie...honey..." He began.

She kept looking at the baby until she ultimately cried. Aubrey turned to her husband.

"Michael..." She sniffled. "I—I don't know. I don't know if I can do this..."

"We have to. It's not safe anymore. Lukin knows what I did, and he's got what remains of the Blacklist after me. It's only a matter of time before they find us. Until they find her."

Aubrey understood what they had to do, but it pained her that it was actually coming. She inhaled and caressed their daughter's cheek.

"This fight is unpredictable. It might not end the way we want it." Michael added. "There's a chance we die. But I'm okay with that as long as Teresa is safe."

"I know." She replied. "And...that's all that matters."

Michael nodded and leaned in to kiss Aubrey. Moments later, Nick Fury came into the room. He was joined by another special agent, Marvin Flumm.

"You two ready?" Fury asked.

The couple looked at each other. There was a beat before the man nodded.

"Yes. Yes, we are."

Fury gave them a somber look. Michael and Aubrey said their goodbyes to Teresa, with the parents peppering her with kisses.

"I love you, sweetheart. Now and forever." The man said.

Aubrey looked at her with adoring eyes. "You'll always be in my heart, Teresa. Mi flor."

Fury walked up to them and took the baby. He held her in her hands and then looked at Flumm, who said he was ready.

Michael spoke to Fury. "It was a pleasure working for you, sir."

The director nodded back. He respected Michael and Aubrey greatly.

"You two have saved countless lives. You two are heroes. The masses won't know who you are or your work, but your impact will be seen across the planet. Your daughter will be living in a better world because of you."

Michael and Aubrey appreciated his words. They looked at each other and held hands. They nodded at Flumm.

Fury had to leave the room while the deed happened. He walked out as the couple watched, their gaze not leaving their baby until they were entirely out of the room.

Flumm took out a contraption from a box: a helmet. He put it on, and it started charging up. The man spoke to the agents.

"I've locked it down to the specifics. Once we are done, you will not remember your time as S.H.I.E.L.D field agents. Michael, you will not remember your past indoctrination by HYDRA. You two...will not remember your daughter, Teresa L/N. Is this...what you really want?"

Although it hurt, it was a sacrifice they had to do. Their enemies were after Specter and Loba; if they found them, they'd go after Teresa, too.

After the memory wipe, Fury would scrub any evidence of Michael and Aubrey L/N being the special agents. During the process, they were also going to be mentally re-wired to believe they were a regular newlywed couple moving to New York.

It was what had to be done. They had the power to protect their daughter, and it was their responsibility to do whatever it took to ensure it.

"Do it, Marv." Michael said.

The man nodded. The helmet whirred and activated. Along along with the man's mutant ability, he projected his power toward them.

Michael and Aubrey stood there and let it envelop them...permanently altering their memories and minds altogether.

• • PRESENT DAY • •

Y/N SPENT A little over three days out of the country during the adventure with Teresa. Thankfully, he came back home to a perfectly tidied apartment.

Some of his friends questioned where he'd gone; all he had to say was that he visited a family friend. He wasn't sure how to tell them about his secret sister. Maybe one day he will.

When he returned, he found out that MJ was out of town. A couple of days after their planned date, she went to a tennis meet in Long Island and said she would be back tomorrow morning.

Y/N tried calling her, but unlike last time, she wasn't responding. He cursed himself, believing that she was pissed at him for pretty much standing her up that night when the whole Teresa thing went down. He'd have to find a way to make it up to her when he returned.

Today, he was at the apartment catching up on his missed schoolwork. As he was doing it, he found himself daydreaming about the recent events...more so about his father.

He thought about how he could've been HYDRA. Maybe there was some truth to it. Lukin said he had taken him in as a child, so it I likely meant Michael was an orphan. That would explain why Y/N didn't know any family from his dad's side.

Then he thought about what he did as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. He very likely killed for the good of his country and the world like Barton did as Hawkeye. Then there was also the fact that S.H.I.E.L.D was pretty much HYDRA in disguise for most of the 50s up until 2014. Maybe...Michael had to do things for them.

All that lingered in his head, the question of what he exactly had to do and the people he had to hurt. The people he had to kill. Did he do that because he had to for the safety of the world...or did he do so with malevolent intentions?

He hoped the former. But even then, he couldn't fathom the thought of his parents being killers. He recalled seeing Teresa gun down Lukin...and it sent shivers down his spine.

Y/N wondered if he would ever go down that same path. He was close to doing so with Kingsley last year but stopped himself. But there was still that lingering fear that something would happen to him that'd pivot him back into that state of mind. One of anger and rage. Emotions that would lead to him finally killing someone.

But that's the family business, ain't it?

Suddenly, the doorbell rang and got his attention. He cleared his throat and got up from the stool.

"Okay..." He muttered.

Y/N opened the door and saw a delivery man. He held a medium-sized box.

"Y/N L/N?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"A package for you. From Teresa."

"Oh. Okay. Thanks."

The delivery man left it for him. He closed the door and carried the box to the counter, arching a brow as he examined it.

Y/N opened it, and upon realizing what it was, he chuckled. Inside a container was a baby jumping spider. He held it up and smirked, watching it move its tiny legs.

"You gotta be kidding me."

In the box was a note. He read it to himself.

Got you a pet as a thank you for putting up with all the BS this week. I know, a little on the nose, but you owning a spider just sounded funny.

Y/N chuckled and put the note down. He kept looking at the tarantula in the container and tapped the sides a bit.

"Well, guess I'm your pops now. Wonder what I'll name you...?"

Suddenly, the young man got a call. He quickly took out his phone, thinking it was MJ calling him back.

But it wasn't. Instead, it was a call from Isabella, Indira's mom. He found it rather strange and forgot he even had her contact saved.

"Hello?"

"Hi. Y/N? Is this you?"

"Uh, yes. Ms. Sanduval?"

"C—Can I talk to you later today? It's...about Indy."

Y/N arched a brow. He leaned on the counter.

"What's going on?"

Y/N ended up going to the Bronx and arrived at the Sanduval home. Only Isabella and her mother lived there, as Leopoldo had left long ago.

The young man was served tea and sat at the dining room table. Isabella sat across from him. Nearby was the memorial of deceased family members, which they still had up. Among the photos...was Indira.

"I'm so grateful that you keep giving her those flowers at the cemetery." She told him.

He nodded and smiled, thinking about the Anemones.

"She loved them. I started growing them out on my balcony shortly after we got together. Still do."

Isabella looked at him somberly and touched her mug.

"She really loved you. She talked about you all the time. I—I had never seen her so happy being with someone. You...made her feel special. More alive. I thank you for that."

He didn't say anything and just nodded. Isabella looked down at her mug for a moment before tearing up. Y/N offered solace and reached out to touch her hand.

"I know, Ms. Sanduval."

"I—I—" She sniffled. "I need to tell you something. It's something you need to know and should've known when she died."

Y/N just looked at her. The woman composed herself a bit and continued.

"The autopsy...they—they told me about her. About what they found. And..."

Y/N listened attentively. He didn't know what the woman could've said that shocked him any more than her death already did. But...there was one thing.

Isabella closed her eyes for a moment and took a breath. She opened them and looked back at Y/N, her eyes still teary.

"She was pregnant."