Spiders HQ
"Black Panther?" Ben asked as he sat on top of the ceiling. Panther was down below holding a food tray out in front of her. Waiting for food to be handed out.
"Just Panther..." She said with a flicker of annoyance in her voice.
Panther started to move down the line so Ben jumped down from the ceiling to follow her. He accidentally bumped into a Spider Soldier and wondered why his spider-sense hadn't gone off. Then he remembered he'd lost it.
"Sorry!" He said apologetically as he chased off after Panther. "White Panther?" He asked as he caught up to her.
Panther looked puzzled. She wasn't wearing her mask but Ben hadn't seen her without her super suit before. Black and grey light armor made out of some type of metal.
"My costume isn't even white!" She said as she sat down at a table. Ben sat across from her. They stared awkwardly at each other before Panther went to work on her meal.
"So what's your name?" Ben asked.
"PANTHWA" Panther said in the middle of her food.
"No. Your real name. Are you related to the original Black Panther?"
Panther stared at him.
"I'm related to the White Tiger. The third one. Ava Ayala." She pointed at an amulet around her neck. "Her Granddaughter. So that means I'm related to the first White Tiger as well."
"So why are you called Panther then?" Ben asked. "And why a black costume?"
Panther shrugged. "Panther sounds cooler. Black's more stealthy then white anyway."
"I think your new teammate will have a problem with that!" A voice rang out. Ben looked up to see his Aunt Madame Web stood with a man dressed in a white costume with a cape shaped like a crescent moon.
THUNK!
Ben jumped back in surprise as the white dressed man stabbed a moon like dagger into the middle of the table. He glanced at it for a second before stepping backwards like he was in control of the situation.
"Name's Moon Knight." The Man said as he stared at Ben. He held a hand out. "Nice to see you again Spidey."
Ben frowned. "Again? When did we-"
Madame Web raised her hand in the air stopping Ben in the middle of his question.
"We don't have time for this." She said. "Ben how's your training been coming along?"
Ben was quiet for a moment before he thought about what his Aunt had just asked.
"Uh... just fine Aunt Web! Yesterday I took down Panther a dozen times!"
Madame Web frowned. "Panther how's his training been doing?"
Panther shrugged again. "Passable. He'll need backup. What's the mission?"
"We've found an asset we can't afford to lose. An Omega Level Mutant is traveling with the X-Men along with a dozen or so refugees. They need smuggling into the city."
Ben straightened up to give off a mock salute.
"Sure thing boss! Who's gonna be my backup?" He asked. Moon Knight's mask creased slightly as he smiled.
"This here's a stealth mission. We get those muties and then we get them back here. So as few people as possible are coming with you." He jabbed his thumb towards himself before pointing towards Panther. "So we're coming with ya!"
"If you're coming with me on a stealth mission shouldn't you be wearing black?" Ben asked.
"Exactly!" Moon Knight gave a thumbs up as he turned to walk out of the refectory. Ben and Panther watched him walk out.
"We're not going to get along... are we?" Ben groaned as he face planted the table.
__________________
Months Ago...
"You've failed me Mr Fisk." The Supreme Commander said. His body masked in shadow as he looked out of the Skyscraper window. "My alliance doesn't have room for failures... like your pathetic assistant Dr Max Warren." The Commander glanced back at the badly twisted contorted body of the dead Doctor.
Desmond Fisk sniffed on the floor as he knelt before the omnipotent being. "Please sir. I tried to stop the Spider-Man situation."
"And you failed. You will be replaced and forgotten. Hopefully by a far superior replacement."
Desmond had only one chance of getting out of this situation alive.
"But... but why waste this Superior replacement's time?" He stammered out. "If this person is as talented as you say it would be a shame to waste his time on something as menial as killing a small band of rebels."
The Supreme Commander paused as the sunlight glinted on him for a second, Desmond thought he could see the hints of a smile on his face.
"Are you suggesting you would like to finish the job?" He asked with pure curiosity as if he was playing with the idea. "That I should... give you a mere slap on the wrist and let you go about your business?"
"No... sir... what if you gave this new replacement the Ferrum power... and let me temporarily take control of Ferrum's Research and Development?"
The Commander paused as he thought about the idea for a second. "You have one year. If you fail at this second chance at life I will allow Scalphunter or Iron Claw to keep you as a training dummy." Desmond could feel the Commander's power wrapping around his mind. "Do you understand?"
A shiver went down Desmond's spine. "Y- yes... my... lord!"
"Good. Be gone." The Commander turned back to the window as the sniveling Fisk whimpered out of the room.
_________________
Presentish Day, Ferrum Research and Development
"I've been meaning to ask Warren how did you cheat death?" Fisk asked.
Dr Miles Warren glanced up from his computer. The screen showed pictures of super powered androids and mech suits. Fisk even caught a glance of the word "Electro" before Miles covered it up.
"What do you want Fisk?!" Warren asked with annoyance. "I'm busy doing YOUR job!"
"Spidercide failed."
Warren rolled his eyes. "Obviously! However there was a benefit from this! We now know the Spider-Man's true identity! He's one of the original Spider-Man's relatives. Named..." He glanced at the computer screen as the file of Ben Kairos appeared.
"Why wasn't I informed of this?" Fisk asked.
"Frankly sir... because you're an idiot." Warren answered. "Anyway we checked the file the school had on him. Sent Iron Soldiers backed up by the new Mysterio units. Turned out it was a fake. We have no idea who this kid is." Miles Warren frowned with a look of annoyance.
"Then we need to get ready. Get them all ready. Searching the nearby areas."
Warren looked puzzled. "Get who ready sir?"
Fisk turned to walk out the door. "The Sinister Syndicate." He said as he walked into the elevator and closed the door shut.
To be continued in Spider-Man/Magneto!
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