Chapter Text
Peter shot out of his seat as soon as the last school bell rung.
His other classmates followed suit. Summer break was finally here and the air buzzed of excitement. Today marked the end of Peter's sophomore year, followed by an entire season of doing anything and everything he wanted: things he didn't get to do during school was in session.
May had promised Peter that'd she'd extend his curfew to 1 AM. This meant that he didn't have to cut his Spider-Man patrols short on a school night. He can sleep in now that he didn't have to wake up at 7 AM and wrestle his way through the subway every morning just to get to school on time.
Peter couldn't help to suppress his grin as he walked out of chemistry, his last class that Friday. A skip in his step as he clamored out of his classroom with excited stupor.
Summer break wasn't the only reason Peter was excited. While his friends and peers were going on vacations or getting summer jobs (don't get him wrong, Peter does actually have a job, Flash would argue otherwise, though), Mr. Stark had planned an entire summer of what he dubbed as 'internship galore' for him at Stark Tower and Peter couldn't contain his excitement.
An entire summer hanging out with the Tony Stark in his personal laboratory? Where Peter had access to every single robotic component and cutting-edge technology known to man? No STEM enthusiast like Peter would ever pass an opportunity like that!
Peter's grinned widened further as he remembered the notebook in his backpack, filled with project drafts that he wanted to go through with Mr. Stark. He couldn't wait to start working on them.
Maybe I should start with upgrading my web shooters first, Peter mused to himself.
He didn't notice Ned appearing next to him, equally beaming with excitement as they both walked down the school hallway.
"Peter!" Ned greeted.
"Hey, dude!"
"I swear, I can't be the only who thought chemistry was dragging on forever!" Ned complained.
Peter chuckled at his best friend. He shook his head at Ned's antics and slung an arm over his friend's shoulder, whereby Ned continued to rant about their classes of the day. It had to be illegal, truthfully, for teachers to be boring on the last day of school. If it wasn't, maybe Peter could petition to Tony about it. The scariest part of that thought was that Tony might actually consider it.
"Yeah, man. I thought I would never hear the end about covalent bonds," Peter said.
Ned was spending his summer break in Hawaii to visit relatives. His parents had spent the last month, before break, planning for their trip. Peter had heard his best friend giving mixed reactions, ranging from excitement ('Because it's Hawaii, Peter!' )to dread ('Man, I'm gonna have every aunt and grand-aunt pepper my cheeks with red lipstick...so uncool').
"Oh, there's my mom. Gotta go. I'll never hear the end of it if I don't finish packing by tonight." Ned gestured to his car where a petite Asian woman was waving at the both of them. Peter waved at her back.
"Yeah, sure. Hey, don't forget to text me!" Peter said. They did mandatory secret handshake and bid their farewells. Before the two teens walked their separate ways, they felt a soft punch on each of their shoulders from behind.
"Bye, losers. Don't spend the summer being boring nerds!" MJ called from behind them before briskly walking to her own car which funnily enough, was right next to Ned's.
Ned rolled his eyes. "Bye to you too, MJ."
Peter bid his own farewell to their curly-haired friend. He turned to his left and was about to walk to the train station when he heard someone calling for him.
"Kid!"
Huh, that sounded familiar, Peter thought. He turned around and saw a sleek black Audi parked in the school's pickup lane. Emerging from the car was a familiar billionaire-slash-superhero and Peter's mentor.
Tony lowered his sunglasses down to his nose bridge to give Peter a pointed look. The middle-aged man lifted a lazy hand, gesturing lazily to beckon Peter over to the car.
"Mr. Stark!" Peter jogged over.
On normal days, the students of Midtown would probably gawk at Tony Stark. Some of them knew about Peter's...internship...at Stark Industries but some students (Flash in particular) called it bullshit. Today, everyone was eager to get home and didn't notice the billionaire suddenly showing up. Midtown High was practically empty now, save for some students still waiting for their own rides home, but their eyes were glued to doom scrolling on their phones.
"I thought we were supposed to start our lab session tomorrow?" Peter questioned as he slowed his jog to a walk. They were supposed to start working in the lab tomorrow. He dug the pockets of his pants to fish out his phone to check the calendar. Did Tony ever mention a change in schedule?
"Yeah. There was some, uh, some change of plans," Tony explained, readjusting his sunglasses. "Why don't you get in the car and I'll explain on the way"
Peter tilted his head questioningly.
He got in the car anyways.
Peter sent a quick text to Aunt May.
Hey May, I'm with Mr. Stark right now and I should be home in time for dinner!
May replied a few seconds later.
OK, honey! See you later xoxo
The sports car weaved through the streets of New York. People of Queens flashed and blurred pass Peter's vision as he situated himself comfortably, sitting shotgun in Tony Stark's car.
After the Vulture incident, Mr. Stark tried his best to keep Peter closer to him than before. Even Happy replied to his messages and calls more often now. Along with their supposed 'internship' undercover, Peter had been spending more and more time with Tony, in the lab or just hanging out at Stark Tower.
And also because Aunt May became a vulture herself after finding out about Peter's after school activities. She chewed both Mr. Stark and Peter's ear off about it and made the billionaire make sure that her nephew stays safe during his patrols.
Still, one would find themselves in an awkward position when a literal billionaire superhero picked you up from school unannounced.
"So," Peter broke the silence, his hands started drumming on his thighs. "What's the occasion Mr. Stark? Are you going to be busy tomorrow? Is that why we're going to the lab today? Because I have this crazy idea to vamp up the iron spider suit-"
"Slow down, underoos," Tony snorted, turning the wheel, he made a turn to the right.
Cogs were turning in Peter's head. He knows this intersection. Turning left would lead to them to Stark Tower, not right. "Mr. Stark, not to be back seating you while you're driving but...you made a wrong turn?"
"Oh, we're not going to the tower. We're needed at the compound."
Peter looked away from the window to stare Tony. "Huh, why? Did something happen?"
Tony sighed. Peter couldn't tell what expression he had on. Tony's always donned the darkest and most obscure sunglasses made by designer brands. Today's pair were significantly more obscure than usual.
"I wish I knew, kid. All I know is that Fury called for all hands on deck. Including you," Tony said. He briefly sneaked a glance at Peter before continuing, "Nicky was practically begging me to bring you in."
Puzzled, Peter raised his eyebrows. "Fury? Begging?" Nick Fury was a lot of things. Peter has him Fury plenty of times, to which Peter finds him dauntingly scary. There was no creative mind in the world that could picture Nick Fury begging on his knees, of all things.
Tony laughed. He adjusted his hand, now resting on the bottom half of the steering wheel. They finally reached upstate New York.
"Exaggeration." Tony paused. "He threatened to burst into your school and drag you out to the compound if I didn't bring you there myself."
Peter blanched. Nothing was more embarrassing than to be dragged out of class by a group of black-clad SHIELD agents in front of peers. Flash would have a field day making fun of Peter for getting swatted during school hours.
"What could he possibly want with me? He knows that I turned you down when you offered me to be an Avenger right, Mr. Stark?" Peter turned his gaze back to the car window. They reached the familiar open field and he could see the looming compound building in the distance.
"Geez, don't rub it in. But I wish I knew," Tony said sullenly as they pulled up to the compound's garage. "Can't believe I got turned down by a child." The last part was almost inaudible.
Tony didn't spare anytime, basically throwing himself out of the driver's seat and trudging up the pathway leading into the compound. Peter trailing behind him, struggling to keep up.
When they finally reached the meeting room, Tony threw open the doors.
Peter paused.
Staring at both Peter and Tony were the Rogue Avengers.
"I didn't know we'd have company, Fury," Tony 's voice boomed, one hand still holding the door open.
Director Fury turned to the both of them as they walked through the door, Peter trailing behind Tony.
"Calm down, Stark. They were pardoned, remember? And I already told you this was all hands on deck" Fury calmly said before he rested his eyes (well, eye) on Peter.
"And that includes you, Mr. Parker. Please, sit down."
It was weird seeing the rest of the Avengers out of uniform. It was especially comical to see Captain America out of his usual red, white and blue getup. Steve Rogers was dressed casually in regular blue jeans and a form fitting white T-shirt.
Around the table the rest of the Avengers already took their positions: Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Sam Wilson, and Bruce Banner. Even Bucky Barnes was there, sitting next to Steve, his new vibranium arm giving off a dull metallic sheen.
After the fight in Leipzig and the amendment of the Sokovia Accords (which Tony signed on Spider-Man's behalf), Peter became well-acquainted with the ex-rogue Avengers. Finding out that Spider-Man was just a teenager from Queens were met with mixed reaction from the team that ranged from quiet disposition from Wanda and Natasha to raging disproval from Clint, Sam and Rhodey.
Surprisingly enough, Bruce, Steve and Bucky were neutral, refusing to comment and make the stringent atmosphere even worse. Tony, thankfully, calmed the rowdier of the bunch, just enough to explain that he'd be responsible for whatever happens to Peter.
It was like getting his own chaperone and Peter wasn't at all mad about it.
Both Peter and Tony made their way to the two vacant seats at the end of the table.
"Tony, Peter," Steve greeted as they passed him, a thin-lipped smile on his newly shaved face.
"Rogers," Tony said nonchalantly, taking his seat on Peter's left.
"Hey, Cap." Peter smiled politely. Steve give him a wistful smile in return. He waved the rest of the Avengers in greeting, out of politeness.
"Well, as touching as this reunion is. I'll keep this briefing as concise as I can", Fury started. The room darkened as the projector screen turned on to show a picture of a boy with brunette hair with his name displayed at the bottom of his picture. He was similar to Peter's age and strangely familiar...
Harry Osborn
Where had Peter heard that name from?
"You've all heard about Norman Osborn. CEO of OSCORP-"
Tony scoffed.
Fury gave him a pointed look as Tony shrugged his shoulders. "What?" Tony asked innocently.
"Well, we've been employed by Osborn to bring back his son who went AWOL," Fury finished.
It was Clint's turn to scoff. "You can't possibly be serious. Gathering the Avengers just to find a missing kid? Sad, truly. But this can't possibly be an Avengers-level problem."
The projector switched to the next photo. An elaborate school compound, probably centuries old with its beautiful gothic architecture. It looked expensive like those pretentious prep schools that Midtown Decathlon's team sometimes went to for district-level tournaments.
"I wish it were a simple missing child case," Fury paused, "Otherwise, I would have let INTERPOL handle it. But, we've received intel that this school, Harry Osborn's school is no normal academy."
Fury gestured to the projector. "Our agents discovered that this school was founded and used to be operated by HYDRA agents during the war".
There was a collective silence in the meeting room. Peter's enhanced hearing could hear multiple heartbeats escalating with the new information.
The projector switched to the next picture. It was a brown-eyed bald man with a nasty scar running from his right eyebrow down to his right cheek. Multiple other scars littered his face as if he got into a boxing ring with a feral cat. Although, Peter doubted it was a mere kitty cat that he got into a tussle with.
Wilhelm Braun was the name displayed below his photo.
"Wilhelm Braun is the grandson of a high-ranked HYDRA officer, Karl Braun." Fury explained and started pacing back and forth. "The Braun family were German nationals up until the second world war. Karl was tried during the Nuremberg trials and sentenced to death. As for the rest of his family, they were exiled to Switzerland
"After the war, Karl's son Friedrich, established St. Lucia's Academy, located in the Swiss Alps." Fury pressed a button on remote and the screen flickered to display a map of Switzerland, an arrow pointing to where the school was at. "A private all-boys boarding school where Harry Osborn attended. Norman Osborn lost contact with his son a month ago when the school informed him that his son went missing. He was told that the school was trying their best trying to find him, but to no avail. Two more students went missing soon after; their parents being told the same reason."
Fury stopped his tracks and his gaze resting briefly on Peter before moving his gaze towards the projector. From the corner of Peter's eyes, he saw Mr. Stark stiff in the seat next to him.
"We ruled out kidnappers when we sent agents to dig around. Well, as close as they could anyway. The school has military-level security measures, maybe even tighter than Area 41. Meaning, no authorized personnel can get in or out. These measures were kept in place to keep insiders out, but also from anyone inside from leaving. Parents are getting restless. They believe the school is feeding them lies, and that their kids are still within the compound."
Fury rested his hands and leaned his weight on the table, "That's why I came up with a plan to get Mr. Parker to infiltrate the school."
The wave of silenced continued to brandish across the thick atmosphere of the meeting room. Peter swore no one even breathed. Including himself. If a pin dropped, you could probably detect it on a decibel meter.
"No." Tony broke the silence and shook his head vigorously. "Absolutely not! Fury, you promised me you'd keep Spider-Man out of SHIELD's business! Why can't your agents handle this one?"
"Stark," Fury sighed. "Attempts were made. We sent agents on three separate occasions, to be exact. None of them can get past security and background checks."
Fury's gaze settled on Peter, but this time a bit longer.
"I promised I'd keep Spider-Man out of our business, but not Peter Parker. That's why we need him."
This time, a cacophony of protests chorused, mostly from Tony, Rhodey and Sam.
"You can't be serious!"
"You are insane, Fury!"
"This could get him killed!"
"Can I get a say in this?" Peter quipped, thinking no one heard him.
"NO!" Tony, Rhodey, Sam, and Clint chorused.
Peter sighed. He wasn't going to lie. The idea of a spy mission à la James Bond scared him. He was just a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man for heaven's sake. Besides, Peter would rather spend his summer with Tony in his lab back in SI or watching cringey 90s romcoms with May. He'd rather not play superspy to the backdrop of snowy mountains like one would find in The Sound of Music, thank you very much.
Sure, Peter did stop Toomes from robbing Mr. Stark's plane but that didn't mean he was ready for an international super spy mission. And going in as Peter Parker too, not as Spider-Man. Now that scared Peter even more.
"Alright!" Fury boomed. "Just hear me out!"
The noise from the heated debate died down.
Except for one.
"Oh, no! Not one word from you, Fury." Tony spat. "You're insane if you're thinking of sending a fourteen year-old prepubescent child-"
"Hey! I'm sixteen!"
"This is where you zip it! The adults are still talking!" Tony snapped as Peter slumped in his seat.
Fury groaned, a dejected look on his face. "Look, Stark. I wouldn't want to send him in either but we don't have a choice. From what we've known so far, this school takes private lessons quite literally. All classes are conducted by teachers carefully selected by Wilhelm Braun himself. We have a reason to believe that even the teachers could be linked to HYDRA. The background checks this school does rivals even that of SHIELD."
Poor guy, Peter thought. There was a long pause where no one spoke. This mission meant serious business and if HYDRA was involved, who knows what could be going on behind closed doors?
I mean these students are my age, too, Peter thought.
"Mr. Stark, if SHIELD needs me there, we have to try, don't we?" Peter asked meekly. "I mean if these kids could be in danger, since we're dealing with you know, HYDRA and all, shouldn't we at least try?"
Tony's gaze turned soft at Peter after all the glaring he did to Fury. "I know you've got a big heart and you want to help but I can't let you go in there. You do understand that you'd have to be sent in alone with no back-up. If SHIELD agents couldn't infiltrate this school. Who knows what could happen to you?" Tony said.
"But I'm not like SHIELD agents, I'm enhanced. If anything happens, I have my powers to back me up!" Peter reasoned.
Tony closed his eyes, his fists resting on the table turning white. "Peter, I won't allow it! What would May say if I told her I was sending you on a suicide mission?"
"We won't have to tell her the whole truth! We can just say you're sending me on a student exchange-"
"I don't want to hear-"
"-program and Aunt May won't even think twice about it. Even if she knows the whole truth-"
"Peter-"
"-she'll understand that we're doing this to save those kids-"
"Peter, I said no!" Tony yelled. Mr. Stark never raised his voice like this. Not even for nearly killing those people in the ferry incident. No adult has ever, really. May definitely didn't raise her voice like that at Peter, not even when she accidentally stumbled upon knowing he was Spider-Man.
Dejectedly, Peter backed down, back slumping even further in his seat. No, this wasn't his fight. It was a way between his morals and logic. Mr. Stark was right: this was a death sentence. Far beyond SHIELD agent's expertise considering HYDRA was able to outsmart them at the game SHIELD plays best.
Spider-Man is an unofficial SHIELD agent, only helping around on small missions when they needed the extra hand. Heck, he was barely an Avenger.
Peter Parker is neither of that.
"Ok," Peter whispered, dejected. "I won't do it".
"I have to agree with Tony," Steve quipped. "You shouldn't be putting your life at risk for something like this, son." He turned to Fury. "Why can't Natasha and Clint go? They've got espionage experience."
"Like I said Rogers, I need an agent to disguise themselves as a student. Sending an undercover student is easier because the school doesn't do a thorough background check on the families who want to send their kids there. The more students getting admitted, the more tuition money that goes into their pockets. They're not particularly picky with the selection as long as mommy and daddy have heaps of money stored offshore," Fury replied. "Romanov and Barton are well-known agents. HYDRA can sniff them from a mile away."
"Something isn't adding up," Natasha suddenly said, who hasn't said a word before this. Her hands were clutching the briefing packets on their desk. "Rich kids, heirs to conglomerates going missing? Surely the media would've gone crazy?"
"Yeah. Sounds like kids going missing seem like an everyday occurrence at this school," Rhodey said, his eyes were scanning one of the reports. "Says here they usually turn up after a day or two."
"That's because this school is for rich delinquent kids," Tony piped. "Problem children of rich parents who can't be bothered to handle them anymore."
"How do you know?" Steve asked him.
"Father dearest wanted to ship me off there too," Tony explained. "Thankfully, I got accepted to MIT before he got the chance to."
"Even if they're problem children, why aren't the parents storming the school grounds? I know I would," Clint said, crossing his arms, eyes darkening.
Tony laughed. "Have you met Rockefellers? Rothschilds or members of the European aristocracy, Barton? Those kinds of parents wouldn't be wasting their breath."
"Which is exactly why Norman Osborn has turned to us for help," Fury interrupted. "And also the families of the two other missing boys, of which I've signed an NDA to disclose their identity."
Fury turned their backs to them. Clicking a button on a remote, the projector screen disappeared into the ceiling and the lights gradually turned back on.
"But it seems that we're not on the same page," Fury said. With a dismissive wave of his hand, Fury adjourned the meeting. Sounds of chairs scraping against the floor nearly made Peter bash his head against the wall.
Right as he reached the door, Fury turned to Tony. "Stark, I need you to think about this carefully. We need to send Mr. Parker in there. And he's right. I don't want to imagine what Braun could be doing to those kids."