MARVEL -BLACK SPIDERMAN

"I don't understand."

Antonia Aguilar frowned, her expression a mixture of confusion and determination as she faced Dr. Ryan's visible frustration.

"I strongly advise you not to meddle in certain matters—especially the ones you're holding in your hands right now," Ryan said as he stepped forward, his eyes darting nervously between her and the documents she clutched.

Antonia hesitated, scanning his anxious demeanor. "Why are these files so important to you?"

Ryan forced a tight smile and stretched his hand toward her. "Just hand it over, and I'll explain everything, including my breach of protocol. But for now, I need you to trust me."

Still hesitant, Antonia looked at him suspiciously before surrendering the CT scans. "Fine. But these raise more questions than answers, Dr. Ryan. What are you hiding?"

Ryan clutched the documents tightly, exhaling in relief. He carefully avoided her gaze, knowing how precarious the situation had become.

"These are private medical records," he said tersely. "Confidentiality is not optional in this profession."

Antonia, however, was no fool. "I find that hard to believe. Those scans show something that defies everything I know about medicine. Tumors don't behave like this. It's... something else entirely."

Ryan's jaw clenched. "Whatever conclusions you're drawing, forget them. This has nothing to do with you, Dr. Aguilar."

"Does it involve Peter Parker?" Antonia's voice dropped, her instincts honed by years in the field.

Ryan stiffened, a flicker of panic crossing his face. "You're overstepping your bounds, doctor."

He motioned toward the door, his tone sharp. "You've seen enough. Leave now."

Antonia hesitated, torn between pressing further and retreating to process what she'd just witnessed. The scans replayed in her mind—a grotesque, spider-like structure fused with human anatomy. She had never seen anything like it.

Finally, she nodded, stepping toward the door but not without one last glance at Ryan. "This isn't over."

Once the door clicked shut behind her, Ryan slumped against his desk. He retrieved the CT scans, carefully placing them into a shredder. The papers disappeared into the machine's gnashing teeth, reduced to unrecognizable strips.

"That's one less risk," he muttered to himself. Yet the unease in his chest didn't subside.

---

The Next Morning

Antonia arrived at the hospital with dark circles under her eyes. The events of the previous night had left her restless, her mind racing with unanswered questions.

"You look exhausted," Dr. Stephen Strange observed as they prepared for surgery.

"Just a rough night," she replied curtly.

"Insomnia, huh?" Strange adjusted his surgical cap, his tone light. "You know, in psychological terms, that means you were probably awake in someone else's dream."

Antonia rolled her eyes beneath her mask. "You're a neurosurgeon, not a dream therapist."

"Still," he continued, "if that doesn't help, I suggest taking an actual break. Sometimes the brain just needs to hit the reset button."

"Thanks, but I'll pass."

They walked together toward the operating room, but Antonia suddenly stopped mid-step, her thoughts shifting to the previous night.

"Strange," she began hesitantly, "what do you think of Peter Parker?"

"Why ask me that?" he replied, curious.

"You two seem... familiar. Like there's some connection."

Strange chuckled. "You mean aside from him slapping me once? Look, there's something about him—like he's carrying a weight most teenagers don't. But beyond that, I can't say."

Antonia nodded thoughtfully. "Do you think he's... normal?"

Strange raised an eyebrow. "No one's truly 'normal,' Antonia. But if you're asking whether he's hiding something, well... maybe. But that's none of my business."

Antonia wasn't satisfied, but she let the conversation drop as they entered the operating room.

---

Midtown High School

Peter Parker stepped onto campus, immediately sensing something was off. Whispers followed him through the hallways, but he paid them little attention.

"Peter!" Gwen Stacy's voice broke through the noise.

Turning, he saw her holding up a newspaper with an enthusiastic grin.

"Do you know what the two most shocking events of the 21st century are?" she asked playfully.

"No idea. Enlighten me."

She flipped the paper around to reveal the headline: "Two Spider-Men in New York: Heroes or Harbingers of Chaos?"

"Apparently, the second one is the appearance of a new Spider-Man," Gwen said, her excitement palpable.

Peter raised an eyebrow. "And the first?"

"JFK's assassination in 1963," she replied. "But honestly, who cares about ancient history? This is way more exciting!"

Peter chuckled despite himself. "So you're a Spider-Man fan now?"

"Both of them, actually," Gwen admitted, her cheeks flushing. "Helping people like that—it's inspiring, don't you think?"

Peter hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "It's not always that simple. Heroes can't fix everything."

"But they can try," Gwen countered. "That's what matters."

She folded the newspaper under her arm, her expression turning contemplative. "If I had powers like that, I'd use them to make a difference. Wouldn't you?"

Peter gave a noncommittal shrug, the weight of his own secret pressing heavily on him.

---

Elsewhere in New York

Dr. Ryan wasn't the only one grappling with secrets. Deep in an unassuming laboratory, an ominous presence stirred within a containment tank. The alien organism pulsed faintly, its movements almost hypnotic.

"This specimen is remarkable," a shadowy figure murmured, monitoring the tank's readings.

Unbeknownst to Ryan or Peter, their lives were on a collision course with forces far beyond their understanding.

For now, the truth remained hidden. But as Antonia Aguilar delved deeper into the mysteries surrounding Peter Parker, she would soon discover that some secrets could never be contained.

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