Hanging by a Thread 🕷 Peter Parker

thirteen

Alexandra

Two hours and forty seven minutes. That's how long Alexandra and Ned had been with complete radio silence from Peter. She knew this had been a bad idea, but had Peter listened to her? No, of course not. Because Peter knew better, Peter knew what was best—best to get him killed, maybe!

She paced Ned's bedroom, running a hand through her hair nervously while Ned attempted to get communications with Peter back up. 

"Peter? Peter, do you read me?" He spoke into the com, but there was only static in return. Ned sighed, tearing the headset off and onto his desk. Ned ran a hand over his face tiredly and turned to Alexandra, throwing his hands up in the air. "I don't know what else to try! I can't track his suit, and I can't get in contact with him."

Alexandra also sighed and leaned against Ned's desk, folding her arms across her chest. She knew that Peter wouldn't want them to, but Alexandra was starting to think that calling Tony Stark to let him know what was going on might be a good idea.

"Maybe we should call Tony Stark?" She suggested.

Ned spun in his chair to face Alexandra. "Peter would hate us if we did that!" He said. "He hates asking Mr. Stark for help!"

"So?!" Alexandra replied. "Ned, this could be a matter of life and death! Peter's life!" She felt herself starting to hyperventilate, so she took several deep, calming breaths. "If Mr. Stark can help him, we have to call."

Ned considered this for a moment, glancing back over at his computer screens. He then sighed and nodded. "Yeah, you're right," He replied. He grabbed his headset and put it back on. "I have Mr. Stark's driver—guy, Happy's number. I'll call him." Ned typed a few things on his keyboard and then waited for a moment. "H-hey, Mr. Hogan? Er—this is Ned Leeds, Peter Parker's friend? Yeah, hey—I was wondering if I could talk to Mr. Stark? It's sorta an emergency—"

Alexandra watched Ned anxiously as he spoke to the man on the other end of the phone. She tapped his shoulder. "Put it on speaker?" She asked him quietly. Ned nodded and turned up the volume on his computer's speakers. Suddenly, Happy Hogan's voice broke through. They both winced, and Ned immediately turned the volume down a bit.

"You okay, kid?" Happy asked.

Ned nodded. "Yeah, sorry."

"Right, good," He said. "Anyway, what's the emergency?"

"I really need to talk to Mr. Stark," Ned repeated.

"And I really need to know what this is about before I patch you through to him." Happy's voice was calm, but had a sort of edge to it. Alexandra could have sworn that he sounded annoyed. She wanted to yell at him that her best friend was in danger and at the risk of possibly dying and that if he didn't put Mr. Stark on the phone right then, she would drive to the Avenger's facility and drag the billionaire back to Queens by his ear herself!

But, she held her tongue, letting Ned take the lead with this one.

"Mr. Hogan, please—Peter might be in danger," Ned said.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment before Happy responded. "All right, I'm patching the boss through; this better be a real thing, kid."

Alexandra held her breath while the phone rang several times. This was nerve racking—Peter was in danger (maybe—probably—definitely) and she was about to speak to Iron Man. Well, Ned was about to speak to Iron Man; Alexandra planned to stay as quiet as possible. 

"Peter's friend Ned—this had better be something." Tony Stark answered the phone. Ned didn't respond immediately, seemingly starstruck by the fact that Tony Stark was on the phone with him. "Uh—hello?" Alexandra smacked Ned's arm and the boy jumped up a bit, startled.