Web of Infinity: Chapter 1 –
A New WebMax woke to the smell of slightly burnt pancakes and the creak of a lumpy mattress. His eyes darted around the dim Queens bedroom—posters of Einstein and Tesla peeling from the walls, a cluttered desk piled with circuit boards, and a dog-eared X-Men comic tucked under a physics textbook. This wasn't his sleek 2025 apartment with its VR headset and energy drinks. He was in Peter Parker's body, 18, a senior at Midtown High, Earth-616, early 2000s, before the spider bite.
"Holy crap," he muttered, stumbling to the mirror. Scrawny frame, messy brown hair, nerdy glasses—Peter's face, but Max's mind. A Marvel fan who'd read every issue, Max knew Peter's story: a genius wasting his brain on spandex, poverty, and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s manipulative games.
"Not me," he said, clenching his fists. "I'm building a better life—wealth, power, no hero nonsense."
Downstairs, Aunt May's voice called, "Peter, breakfast!" Max steadied himself, slipping into Peter's role.
The kitchen was cozy but worn, linoleum peeling at the edges. May, graying but warm, set a plate of pancakes on the table, her eyes tired from late-night budgeting. Uncle Ben, still alive, flipped through the Daily Bugle, muttering about rising taxes. Max's stomach twisted—Ben's death loomed in the comics, tied to a mugging or worse.
He could change that, but he needed an edge first. Peter's brain was a goldmine, and Oscorp's lab held the key: a radioactive spider and, if Max's fanboy instincts were right, maybe something bigger, like an Infinity Stone. The Reality Stone had surfaced in odd places in the comics—Oscorp could be hiding it.
"Peter, you're quiet today," May said, brushing a hand over his. "Everything okay?"Max forced a smile, mimicking Peter's earnest tone.
"Just thinking about school, May. Got a science project." Her worry softened, but he saw the stack of bills by the toaster. He'd fix that—no more scraping by for the Parkers.
At Midtown High, Ned Leeds greeted him in the hallway, his round face lit with a goofy grin.
"Yo, Peter, ready for the physics quiz? Bet you ace it." Max nodded, sizing up Ned—loyal, decent at coding, but no ambition. Max would pull him up, make him a partner.
"Yeah, Ned, let's crush it," he said, scanning the crowded halls. Flash Thompson, the resident jock, lobbed a paper ball at "Parker," sneering, "Heads up, loser!" Max dodged instinctively, sharper than Peter ever was, and tossed it back with a smirk.
"Aim better, Flash." The jock blinked, thrown off, his crew chuckling. Max wasn't here to fight—he'd win allies, not enemies. Neutralizing Flash would take strategy, not fists.
In physics class, Max breezed through the quiz, Peter's brain firing like a supercomputer. While the teacher droned, he sketched a tutoring app on his notebook—a simple platform to connect students with mentors, scalable for profit. It was a start, something to ease May's bills without drawing attention.
Peter's desk held another gem: a half-built web-shooter prototype, just springs and chemicals. Max's 2025 tech knowledge saw potential—stronger polymers, variable settings, marketable as a security tool.
"This could sell," he muttered, sketching upgrades. But powers came first. The comics pinned the spider bite at Oscorp, and Max needed that edge to outsmart threats like Norman Osborn, Oscorp's ruthless CEO, whose ego rivaled Reed Richards'. Speaking of Reed, Max had plans—Susan Storm deserved better than that cheating, universe-wrecking jerk.
After school, Max texted Harry Osborn, Peter's friend and Norman's son. "Hey, any chance of an Oscorp tour? Science project research." Harry replied fast: "Dude, tomorrow! VIP pass." Max grinned, pocketing his phone. The lab would give him spider powers, maybe more. He'd read fan theories about Infinity Stones in Oscorp's vaults—Norman was shady enough to hoard something like the Reality Stone. If it was there, Max would take it, no heroics required.
Back home, May was cooking dinner, humming softly. "Peter, you're home late," she said, frowning. "No trouble, right?" Max hugged her, smelling her lavender soap. "Just planning, May. Gonna help with those bills." She smiled, but her eyes searched his, sensing a change.
He'd have to be careful—May was sharp, and he couldn't let her suspect powers or his real identity.Upstairs, Max dug into Peter's computer, hacking Midtown's alumni network with ease.
He found a Baxter Building symposium next week, hosted by the Fantastic Four. Susan Storm would be there, likely fed up with Reed's arrogance. Max's lip curled—Reed, the guy who'd cheat with Alyssa Moy and nearly destroy Earth-616 with his experiments. Max would charm Susan, not as a playboy, but as a partner who valued her brains over Reed's ego. It was a long game, but Max was patient.
As he tinkered with the web-shooter, his mind raced. Oscorp tomorrow meant powers, maybe the Reality Stone. Norman would be a problem—his mercenaries and ambition screamed trouble. S.H.I.E.L.D. was worse, sniffing out kids like Peter for their wars.
Max wouldn't be their pawn, nor would he let Thanos, out there somewhere, ruin his plans. The comics hinted at the Mad Titan chasing Infinity Stones. If the Reality Stone was on Earth, Max would keep it safe—and use it.
He leaned back, staring at Peter's ceiling. "No torture, no self-doubt," he vowed. "Just me, Susan, and a future I control." A faint hum came from his bag—the Oscorp data drive he'd pocketed last week. It glowed faintly red. Max's pulse quickened. Tomorrow, everything would change.