xp_logs | Not So Amazing, The Plan

Miles and Ganke talk about Kyle's warning not to pursue Jumbo Carnation's killer and make a decision that probably has Kyle headdesking even from miles away.

“You’ve been avoiding me all afternoon,” Ganke accused Miles as they walked into their dorm after classes had finished for the day. “Will you tell me what the hell happened at lunch already?” A long evening of homework awaited them, but that clearly wasn’t going to happen unless Miles gave in. He knew Ganke too well to think that he’d drop it just because Miles didn’t want to talk about it.

So rather than risk getting into an argument that would end with Miles spilling the beans, anyway, he just sighed and fished out the business card from his pocket to hand to Ganke.

“Xavier’s School? Isn’t that the mutant school in Westchester County? What, are they trying to recruit you? How do they even know you’re a mutant?”

“Can you talk any louder, please?” Miles asked sarcastically. “That guy knows I’m Spider-Man. Are we gonna tell everyone else, too?”

“What the fuck.”

“You told me it’s secure! Vine and Instagram and email. But that’s how he found me!”

Ganke shook his head. “That’s impossible. It’s all separate accounts with different passwords and you use nearby wifi half the time so you’re not on your mobile data.”

“None of that matters. There’s a trail or something he followed. And if some cracker teacher can do that so easy, then anyone else can, too.”

“OK, OK, it’s no big deal,” Ganke replied in a tone that suggested that yeah, it probably was a big ass deal. He sat down at his desk and opened his laptop. “We can delete your accounts. It’ll suck but, you know, as long as Spidey is being Spidey then that’s what matters. You don’t have to be all Tyler Oakley, too. It’ll be fine. It’s cool.”

Miles had done a decent job of repressing for most of the afternoon, but it all threatened to spill out now. His heart was beating so hard in his chest that he could feel it and he was suddenly very warm. He pulled off his shirt to reveal a tank top underneath that was getting coated in nervous sweat.

“If they found me then they can find you, too,” said Miles, his voice trembling. “And my parents, and your mom, and Uncle Aaron. He said I should stop. I thought, maybe I should to keep you all safe. But then there’s Jumbo. His killer’s still out there. He could kill more people. He has to be stopped. I have to stop him.”

“Maybe . . . maybe you don’t. Did you see the files that you copied last night? I read them after you left lunch. The cops don’t think it was a hate crime. Jumbo C was in debt. They looked at his financial records. It could’ve just been a hit.”

“Then that just means that instead of the Klan running around Brooklyn, there’s a person who murders other people for money.” Miles shook his head vehemently. “No, I can’t let that go, either. He’s just going to kill someone else. That’s literally the type of bad guy that Spider-Man is supposed to stop. But then that puts you and everyone close to me in danger.”

“I’m prepared to take the risk,” Ganke declared. Miles raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “First off, this is classic superheroing. This is what the mask does. I don’t care. And B) you can’t be the only one who’s great responsibilitying here. You do good, Miles. I believe in you. And I keep telling you to do all this stuff. I can’t back out now just because I might be in danger. I can’t leave you like that. Richie would never do that to Static.”

That brought out a snort of laughter from Miles. “Static and Richie? That’s what you’re going for?”

“Am I wrong?”

“I don’t have dreads and you’re not gay. Mostly.”

“Oh wow, you’re funny.”

Miles’s amused grin faded away quickly and he miserably buried his face in his hands. “Ugh. So what should I do? We’re too far in to stop now.”

“All right, then let’s finish it.” Miles peeked through his fingers and saw that Ganke had stood up from his desk, hands on his waist in a triumphant Superman-esque pose. “This is what I think. If you’re really worried about it, then this can be your last mission. But go out on a win. Bring this guy down and show everyone what Spider-Man’s really about.”

“We still don’t know who it is, though. If it was just someone he owed money to . . .”

“I’ll look more at the file,” Ganke said reassuringly. “But maybe there’re clues at Jumbo C’s place in Bed-Stuy. Maybe letters or something on his computer. It’ll be much easier to sneak in there than the police station. Then we find out who it is and boom, he’s gone, we win, and you can retire.”

Kyle’s warning ran through Miles’s head again. This was a really good way to get hurt or worse. But still. He’d made a promise that could save lives. That meant something.

“All right. I’ll go tonight after curfew.”