Tonight was not Spider-Man’s first meeting with the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
In fact, Peter had first met Nick Fury a month earlier.
Although Peter had only been active as a Superhero for two months, his outstanding performance had already caught Nick Fury’s attention.
Nick Fury had therefore extended an invitation to Spider-Man, proposing the creation of a Spider-Man Support Team centered around him.
The team would provide Spider-Man with dedicated assistance, allowing him to fight Supervillains more efficiently.
Had the invitation come from a Nick Fury in any other Multiverse, Peter would have refused without hesitation.
The Nick Fury of this universe, however, was somewhat different.
The Multiverse Peter currently inhabited was based on the 2012 Ultimate Spider-Man Animated Series.
Although Peter had only watched the first season, that was enough for him to understand Nick Fury’s character.
Nick Fury in this universe was one of the rare caretaker-type Directors of S.H.I.E.L.D.
He developed new equipment for Spider-Man, devised tactics for dealing with Supervillains, and cleaned up the aftermath of their battles.
He was nowhere near as manipulative or unpredictable as the Nick Furys from other Multiverses.
Working with him was a very reasonable choice.
Peter had therefore accepted Nick Fury’s invitation and passed the S.H.I.E.L.D.
Field Test with outstanding results.
Nick Fury had come tonight to deliver some good news.
Spider-Man’s Support Team was finally complete.
…
…
S.H.I.E.L.D.
headquarters was located aboard a Helicarrier hovering three thousand meters above the ground.
As the plasma trails from its jet engines gradually faded, the Quinjet landed smoothly on the Helicarrier’s deck.
Peter and Nick Fury stepped out of the Quinjet and entered the Helicarrier.
Nick Fury led Peter through a maze of twisting, interconnected corridors.
Without the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
guiding him, even Peter would have struggled to find the right path.
After several minutes of walking, Nick Fury finally brought Peter to a special room.
The room was enormous.
Its walls and ceiling were made of alloy, while high-tech instruments of various sizes occupied different sections of the space.
At the center stood a man in a white lab coat.
Behind him was a large object concealed beneath a red cloth, lending it an air of mystery.
“Let me introduce our resident scientific advisor, Dr.
Curt Connors.
He specializes in physics, biology, and mechanical engineering.
He is, without question, a brilliant scientist.”
Nick Fury gestured toward the man who had been waiting for them.
Peter’s interest was immediately piqued.
He was extremely familiar with the name Curt Connors.
After all, that was The Lizard’s real name.
However, the Dr.
Curt Connors of this universe had not lost an arm, which meant he had no reason to become The Lizard.
In his human form, Dr.
Connors was extraordinarily intelligent, a Supergenius on the same level as Doctor Octopus.
It was hardly surprising that Nick Fury had discovered him and recruited him into S.H.I.E.L.D.
Peter extended a hand and shook Dr.
Connors’s.
After exchanging a few words, the two were formally acquainted.
Dr.
Connors regarded Peter with open curiosity.
As a brilliant biologist, he had always been deeply interested in genetically mutated Superhumans.
“Dr.
Connors, introduce Spider-Man to his new equipment.”
Nick Fury’s voice interrupted Dr.
Connors’s thoughts.
“Of course.
First, we have our newly developed next-generation Web-Shooters.”
“Spider-Man, hold out both hands with your wrists facing upward.
Yes, just like that.”
Dr.
Connors pressed two streamlined, capsule-shaped Web-Shooters against Peter’s wrists.
The new devices automatically fitted themselves to his suit, then projected a three-dimensional S.H.I.E.L.D.
emblem above them.
“They have twice the web-fluid capacity, insulated materials, light-powered energy systems, and an encrypted communications module.
They also include a three-dimensional holographic projection system capable of displaying maps, building layouts, text, and images directly in front of you.”
Peter whistled, impressed that so many functions had been integrated into two compact devices.
Just what he would expect from The Lizard…
“They are a little big, though.
Kind of bulky.”
Although Peter complained out of habit, he actually enjoyed the feeling of receiving upgraded equipment.
“If you dislike them that much, you can return them right now.”
Nick Fury held out his hand.
Peter immediately refused.
“I never said I didn’t want them.
They might be a little bulky, but at least they solve the problem of carrying my phone around.”
“You know, designing a Superhero suit without pockets was a terrible idea.”
The corner of Nick Fury’s mouth lifted slightly.
He had clearly expected Spider-Man to like the new equipment.
Do not judge people by what they say.
Judge them by what they do.
That was one of Nick Fury’s guiding principles when evaluating others.
Spider-Man’s new equipment, however, consisted of far more than a pair of upgraded Web-Shooters.
The Spider-Man Support Team assembled under Nick Fury’s leadership was filled with talented specialists.
Led by a multidisciplinary genius like Dr.
Curt Connors, the technical team had already designed a range of high-tech concept weapons for Spider-Man.
One of them was the large object concealed beneath the red cloth behind Dr.
Connors.
“Next, allow me to introduce the Spider-Cycle!”
Dr.
Connors pulled away the red cloth, revealing an angular, futuristic motorcycle.
Its body was painted gray and blue, with hard mechanical lines that gave it an imposing appearance.
Peter, however, did not seem particularly interested.
“It looks cool, but I still prefer swinging around on webs.”
Dr.
Connors had anticipated that response.
“According to my calculations, traveling from 80th Street to 34th Street takes you three minutes and forty seconds, while also consuming a considerable amount of web fluid.
The Spider-Cycle can complete the same journey in only one minute and thirty seconds…”
“Hold on, Dr.
Connors.
It seems we won’t need any further explanation.
We have a real combat situation that can demonstrate the Spider-Cycle’s usefulness.”
Nick Fury interrupted them.
A beam of light shot from his watch and projected an image onto the wall.
The projection showed a man wearing brown and yellow exoskeleton armor.
His overall appearance resembled a massive bear, and he was furiously hurling police cars out of his way.
Judging by the bank entrance behind him, he had apparently been robbing the bank when the NYPD intercepted him.
Unfortunately, the NYPD was completely incapable of handling such a powerful Supervillain.
All they could do was fire their small-caliber handguns at his armor, dealing virtually no damage while proving that they had not abandoned their posts.
That was the NYPD’s most embarrassing predicament.
No matter how often that loudmouth Jonah Jameson declared Spider-Man a menace, whenever a true crisis arose, all the police could do was pray for Spider-Man to come to the rescue.