Search for the Spark
Manhattan glittered beneath a pale morning sun, glass and steel catching the light like shards of a broken mirror. Inside Stark Tower, Tony Stark stood before a 3D projection of New York, eyes locked on the pulsing blue cluster hovering over Queens. He was alone in his lab atop Stark Tower, a glass of scotch untouched beside him, blue holograms flickering across the air. Footage. Sensor readings. Energy traces.
The same colour appeared in every image, that deep, radiant blue.
The kid's light.
The AI's voice was smooth, precise. "Energy readings are genuine, sir. The emissions recorded on 34th Street, as well as subsequent fluctuations throughout the week, share identical frequency patterns. All originating from Queens."
"Queens," Tony repeated with a dry smirk. "Of course. The city's got eight million people, but all the weird stuff happens in Queens."
He sipped his drink, eyes narrowing as he replayed the viral clip again frame by frame, enhancing the faint shimmer of light across the figure's chest.
There it was: energy rippling through a spider emblem. Blue and black suit. Webs that weren't just mechanical, but alive with power.
"Let's see…" Tony tapped at the hologram. "Organic resonance, high-frequency radiation, low electromagnetic distortion. That's not arc tech."
Jarvis replied, "Correct, sir. The energy source does not conform to any known human technology."
Tony frowned. "So it's new. That's either really exciting or really dangerous."
He paused, leaning closer. The glow wasn't chaotic. It pulsed, rhythmic, emotional, almost.
" Some sort of resonance," he mused aloud. "You're reacting to something, kid. Fear? Hope? Guilt?"
The screen flickered, replaying the moment the blue energy flared brightest when Spider-Man had lifted that steel beam to save the trapped child.
"Yeah," Tony murmured softly. "Hope."
He leaned back, pacing across the lab floor. "Whoever's behind the mask has precision. A few dozen incidents throughout the week big and small, zero casualties. Whoever they are, they know what they're doing, or they're just really lucky."
Jarvis's holographic projection flickered beside him. "Might I remind you, sir, that the probability of untrained civilians demonstrating such control with unknown technology is astronomically low."
Tony smiled faintly. "Astronomical. Now there's a word you don't hear every day."
He swivelled toward the screen again, eyes narrowing on the blurred footage of the mysterious figure, blue and black, mask gleaming.
"Jarvis, enhance facial structure."
The image sharpened slightly, but the mask stayed in the way. Tony sighed. "Whoever he is, he's careful. Smart, too."
He stared a little longer. The kid, or man, he couldn't tell yet wasn't flying. He was swinging. That, at least, was something. "Webs," Tony murmured. "Some kind of tensile propulsion. Not bad. Kinetic control's stable, too."
He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "You don't build something like this in your garage. Unless you're me."
Jarvis chimed, "Would you like to begin a search for potential inventors or scientists in Queens fitting the energy profile?"
Tony nodded. "Do it. Cross-reference schools, labs, workshops, anyone in the area with a background in engineering, robotics, or material sciences."
A pause.
"Sir," Jarvis said after a moment, "one anomaly stands out. Midtown School of Science and Technology. Several students recently filed patents under mentorship programs, all in mechanical design and fluid dynamics."
Tony arched a brow. "High schoolers? What kind of kid is building hardware like this before graduation?"
"Perhaps," Jarvis replied, "the same kind who built an advanced AI system in his teens."
Tony smirked. "Touché."
He turned toward the window, looking out over the skyline. "Alright, let's start small. Anonymous readings, remote monitoring. I just want to know who we're dealing with."
The AI hummed in acknowledgment. "Already running scans, sir."
Tony nodded. "Let's see what you're hiding, spider boy."
Across the river, Peter Parker was running late again.
He dashed through puddles, balancing his backpack and a half-eaten bagel, trying not to slip. The ring glowed faintly beneath his sleeve, its warmth pulsing in quiet rhythm.
"You could've at least reminded me to set an alarm," he muttered under his breath.
The ring's reply was calm. You were in need of rest.
"Yeah, well, try telling that to my attendance record."
He reached the school just as the bell rang and slumped into his seat next to Ned, panting.
"Dude," Ned whispered, "you missed morning announcements. They're talking about Stark."
Peter blinked. "What about him?"
"He's looking into that blue energy stuff! MJ showed me a clip. Stark called it 'potentially world-changing.' Bro, if he finds this guy, it's game over."
Peter's stomach tightened. He forced a smile. "Guess he's just doing his thing."
Ned shrugged, oblivious. "If Stark gets involved, this mystery hero's gonna be famous." Yeah,"
Peter murmured. "Or arrested."
That evening, Peter suited up and climbed to the top of an old radio tower overlooking Queens. The city stretched beneath him like a living circuit board glowing, restless, endless.
He closed his eyes, letting the rain hit his mask.
"Feels like they're closing in," he said softly.
Fear clouds the light, the ring whispered. You act with purpose. Do not let their curiosity become your chain.
Peter clenched his fist. "Easy for you to say. You don't have to live with detention and a billionaire trying to track you down."
The ring pulsed with something that might've been amusement.
Then he felt it a faint ping, static in the air, like an invisible current brushing past him.
"Someone's scanning," he said, eyes narrowing.
Across the city, in Stark Tower, Jarvis spoke: "Signal disruption detected, sir. Source interference originating from the target zone."
Tony's gaze sharpened. "He knows we're watching."
Jarvis hesitated. "That would require significant technical intuition."
Tony smiled. "So he's smart. Definitely not your average vigilante."
He leaned forward, watching the faint pulse of blue energy fade from his screen. "Alright, mystery man. Let's see who finds who first."
Later that night, Peter stood by his window, mask off, staring at his reflection. The city lights shimmered in the glass.
"Tony Stark's looking for me," he whispered. "How long until he finds out?"
The ring glowed faintly. Truth has a way of revealing itself. But remember, hope does not hide in fear.
Peter looked down at the ring, its blue light reflecting in his tired eyes. "Yeah," he said quietly. "But it can't exactly keep a secret either."
Outside, thunder rolled faintly over Manhattan, not a storm, not yet. Just a warning of what was coming.
Back at his tower, Tony paced between holographic displays as Jarvis filtered through security feeds. Dozens of clips flashed by blue streaks across rooftops, web lines cutting through rain, glimpses of motion.
Finally, one paused.
A teenager in a hoodie. Ducking into an alley seconds before an energy surge.
Tony zoomed in. The footage was grainy, but the shape of the hand was clear — light pulsing beneath the fabric.
"Jarvis, enhance."
The image sharpened slightly, not enough for an ID, but enough for Tony to see it wasn't a weapon. The light was coming from within the skin.
He frowned. "That's not a suit. That's… something else."
"Would you like me to run biometric comparisons?" Jarvis asked.
Tony nodded absently. "Yeah. Start with anyone local. Someone smart, young, this doesn't look military."
A moment later, Jarvis responded. "Cross-referencing educational databases… narrowing search parameters… potential match found."
A holographic profile appeared.
Parker, Peter. Age 17. Midtown High, Queens.
Academic records: Advanced placement in physics and chemistry.
Internship application: Stark Industries, pending review.
Tony stared at the screen, expression unreadable.
"Huh," he said quietly. "Small world."
He leaned back, thinking. "Kid's got the brains, the proximity, and just enough awkwardness to make it believable. What do you think, J?"
"I think you have a habit of finding protégés in inconvenient places, sir."
Tony smirked. "Yeah. Tell me about it."
That afternoon, Peter sat with Ned at their usual table in the cafeteria. Ned was talking loudly about some conspiracy theory involving cloning celebrities, but Peter wasn't listening.
It was only a matter of time before the billionaire genius connected the dots. He couldn't hide forever. Not in New York, and not from a man with Tony Stark's resources.
MJ passed by their table, notebook in hand. She gave Peter that same small, knowing smile. "You look like you haven't slept in a week," she said softly.
Peter forced a grin. "Just…science fair stuff."
"Uh Huh." Her tone said she didn't believe him, but she didn't press. "Try not to drown in it, tiger."
And then she was gone.
By evening, Stark had seen enough.
"Jarvis," he said, fastening his jacket, "prep the car. We're going to Queens."
The AI hesitated. "A personal visit, sir?"
Tony smirked. "What can I say? I like to do my own recon."
The rain had just started again when Peter stepped out of Midtown High, hood pulled up against the drizzle. His backpack hung heavy over his shoulder, half-filled with homework he wouldn't finish tonight.
He turned down the street and froze.
A sleek black Audi R8 was parked along the curb, window rolling down.
"Hey, kid."
Peter blinked. Tony Stark leaned out, wearing that casual confidence that made everyone else in the world look underdressed.
"Uh… Mr. Stark?" Peter stammered. "What are you doing here?"
Tony smiled slightly. "Funny. I was gonna ask you the same thing."
Peter's pulse spiked. "I—I live here?"
"Right. Queens." Tony stepped out of the car, hands in his pockets, gaze sharp but amused. "You know, there's something about this borough. Keeps spitting out geniuses. You wouldn't happen to know any, would you?"
Peter forced a laugh. "Not really. Unless you count my friend Ned."
Tony tilted his head, studying him. The kid was nervous, too nervous. But there was something else, too. Something behind the eyes.
Fear… and something else.
Tony's smirk softened. "You've got potential, kid. Maybe too much. Just keep your experiments small-scale for now, alright? Wouldn't want to set off my sensors again."
Peter froze. "Your what?"
Tony winked, slipping back into the car. "See you around, kid."
The door shut. The engine hummed. And then he was gone, taillights fading into the rain.
Peter stood there, heart pounding. The ring pulsed once, steady as a heartbeat.
He knows.