『BurgerNight』

Later that night, Jack stood over the sizzling cast iron skillet on the gas stove, lightly seasoning the ground meat patties with George's mild garlic and herb steak rub. His eyes stared at the popping fats and liquids that decorated the textured bottom of the skillet.

The smell was intoxicating, it made him want to lean forward. He knew better, burning himself wasn't something on his agenda. So as he turned his head slightly to the side, his eyes rested on a form sitting at the kitchen table.

Hunched over a sketch pad, was none other than the genius Gwen Stacy, tapping her lower lip with the eraser end of a mechanical pencil.

"You know you have plenty of references up in your room..." Jack spoke in a quiet tone, a dead pan expression on his face, his eyes though were more expressive than his faded voice as they flexed at her.

"Hush! I'm thinking," She smirked on over at him as she made herself comfortable in the chair, swishing side to side as she did so.

"...Mmm…" Jack turned his head to look back at the sizzling patties, before flipping them with the spatula that was sitting on the granite countertop beside the stovetop.

Once he flipped the patties, he seasoned the side that was currently right side up, before taking out his blackberry and flipping open the keyboard. His eyes grazed the screen.

Four more missed calls, sixteen text messages. Someone really wants someone dead. Jack smirked slightly as he opened the cellphone. He froze for a moment, a frown across his lips.

Kingpin, also known as Wilson Fisk, has been trying to conscript his services. Thanks to the Kingpin of Crime's connections with Advanced Idea Mechanics, he was also inclined to know his identity.

Letting out a sigh, he opened one of the text messages and took a gander at its contents. His target, or proposed target, was George Stacy's daughter, Gwen. The reason? The Police Captain was heading an investigation that may hinder his criminal and public enterprise. He was becoming a nuisance and a threat.

The question was, why would he choose to use Jack to assassinate a young girl? Let alone a simple Captain of the Police Force? Jack wasn't entire understanding of why. Backing out and opening another text, Jack narrowed his eyes on another target.

How many people did Kingpin want dead?

Norman Osborn was also a target on the list of people apparently. Did the two of them have a falling out? Last he remembered, Kingpin was one of the backers of Osborn's projects.

Did Osborn become greedy, or was he working against the Kingpin? There was no real information in that regard other than a silencing order. So it was likely the latter, there was a possibility that he was working with the police or a federal force to take down the Wilson's Empire.

Jack started opening the other text messages, but they seemed to be just more copy and pastes of the previous ones. That was until there was a picture of him, Gwen and George in the last message standing on the front lawn.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he closed his phone and powered it down before stuffing it into his pocket. "Your dad really knows how to make enemies..." He muttered quietly under his breath.

Gwen glanced up from the sketch pad, "Huh?"

"...Nothing..." Jack shook his head as she wasn't paying attention.

Taking some plates out of the overhead cabinet, he would place them down on the countertop beside the stove before fetching two potato buns and some already prepared toppings from last night's barbecue.

Gwen watched as he systemically moved about the kitchen, apparently knowing where everything was. After several minutes had gone by, Jack walked over to the table and placed a plate down in front of her. A hamburger topped with blue cheese lettuce sliced tomato and bacon strips, no cheese, two scoops of Amish potato and macaroni pasta salad on the side.

Jack then sat across from her, his burger loaded with bacon bits, lettuce, tomato, onions and cheese. His sides being the same.

"So... have any ideas yet...?" Jack asked as he watched her tapping that eraser on her lower lip still, a brow raised. Those shoes, the hoodie, there were plenty of things in her room which gave him ideas.

"I do, I just have to get them down on paper," she scoffed slightly as she put the sketchpad down along with the pencil before picking up the burger.

"...Is that right?" Jack nodded slightly as he picked up his own burger and took a large bite out of it. The flavorful juices enveloping his mouth.

"Don't forget to turn off the --"

WAP!

Jack had used his webbing to turn the dial until the stove-top turned off.

"..Or you could do that," Gwen stared at him from across the table as she crossed one leg over the other. "Show off," she shook her head as she bit into the burger he made for her. "Mmm… Yes.."

Jack stared at her for a few seconds as he was chewing before audibly swallowing and taking another bite. "Sounds like you're having fun over there."

Gwen raised a brow at him, "Not in the slightest," she snapped back sarcastically.

Jack shrugged as he looked towards the one window in the kitchen. His eyes softly looking at its frame, the reflection in the window. A light sigh escaped his lips.

Being hired to kill people was what he was known for, but being told to kill George or Gwen, that was messed up. Especially since they had eyes on them already. Hell, they even sent a picture of him along with the two of them! So he knew his personal relationship.

Shaking his head slightly, he could only think this was some sort of sick twisted test. Was it really Kingpin who was putting him up to this, or was Kingpin just the middle man?

His eye twitched at the thought of AIM being involved with this, or even his parents. Let alone the fact that the moment he was given the chance to be relatively normal, it was being stripped from him without reservation.

"...So what do I get out of helping you become a hero…?"

Gwen looked up from her burger as she was still working on chewing the first bite she had taken. Forcing herself to swallow, she closed one eye before clearing her throat.

"How about a crazy girlfriend?" As usual she was quick to quip.

Jack stared at her when she referred to herself as crazy. He really didn't know how to respond to this proposal. Make her a hero, and become her boyfriend? This sounded more like something she wanted than something that would directly benefit him. "I… Um…" Clearing his own throat, he sat there for a few moments in rapid thought. "Hmm..." They've known each other since last year. This had never been a thought, not to him at least, but it wasn't a bad idea, right? It'd give him even more of a incentive to protect her, right?

Jack spoke words that he never thought he'd say, going along with what she had offered, being his semi-agreeable self as he tried to make it sound like he'd barter. "...How about half-crazed?"

"Doable," She shrugged one arm as she giggled to herself. "So..." She immediately began to change the subject, "I was thinking of making my costume black and white with--"

"Red?"

"And some vibrant blue shoes," Gwen grinned at him as if she had already come up with the design in her head. "I'll just have to put it on paper..." She stared down at the sketch book.

"How about we draw somethings up tonight and show each other tomorrow morning?" Jack lulled his head to the side slightly as he made this proposal. If she didn't draw something up, he'd definitely have something. Though he was sure she would have the final product by tomorrow. She was smart, a genius by right and she was creative to begin with.

"Hm… I suppose," She leaned her elbows onto the table as she took another bite of the burger, looking over him with her big blue eyes as she chewed.

An hour and three burgers later, Jack cleaned the skillet before pulling his school jacket on and tucking the strap of his satchel over his shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow, Gwen."

"Ciao," She said dabbing the surface area around and on her lips with a napkin as she then followed him to the front door. "Sweet Dreams," she'd playfully nudge him in the side with a knuckle or two.

Jack glanced over at her, and nearly jumped out of his skin as she tugged his satchel and pressed her lips against his cheek in a quick peck.

Collecting himself, he blinked at her, not having expected the action.

A smug look on her face, she lightly pushed him towards the door. "Get going," she murmured as if she didn't want to leave, but she wasn't pouting, which he saw as a contradiction.

"Mmm... Want me to come back later... Sleepover...?" Jack rested his eyelids halfway.

Gwen raised a brow at him, "Just because my dad likes you, doesn't mean he won't shoot you if he finds you in my bed." She'd quip before quickly closing the front door once he was out onto the porch.

He was pretty sure he could hear her squealing on the other side.

Jack stared at the door for a few seconds before shrugging to himself, opening his phone again and powering it up. He didn't hesitate to go back to his house next door. Like her house, it was two floors, with an attic, and a basement. There was even a garage, but he didn't own a car, though he could afford one.

Since he was a year older than Gwen, this also meant that he could get a driver's license without the consent of an parental guardian.

Scratching the side of his head, he waltzed right inside his house and dropped his satchel onto the armchair beside the door. Then closed and locked the front door.

Looking to his powered up phone, he would scroll through these contracts. These orders, were just requests. He could ignore them, but he could also threaten the Kingpin. He had a child, and a wife, that Jack could use as leverage.

Letting out a mildly aggravated groan, he padded on over to the nearby couch and flopped down onto the side. He flicked over to the image which had been sent to him, of George Gwen and Him. Pressing the save button, he watched as it was downloaded before pressing the reply button.

'Mister Fisk...' He began to type on the little physical keyboard, then paused thinking of how he wanted to word this. 'Gwen Stacy and her father are under my protection. If you don't want an unfortunate accident to occur, I believe you should take a step back. I will however, eliminate Norman Osborn, without payment, as a sign of goodwill. Do not underestimate me.'

He pressed send. A few seconds later, the phone had the 'Message Sent' affirmation notification popup at the bottom of the screen.

Pulling up the contact list, he pressed the center button on the highlighted name Eddie Brock, and hit compose message. 'Evening Mister Brock, I saw the front page... Does your paper always have a controversial headline? You hired me for a job, I expected you to come out on top with your side of the deal.'

He pressed send, followed by the affirmation notification.

For the first few moments, there was nothing, until his phone vibrated in his hand.

'Do you think you can threaten me and my family and get away with it!? You should be the one not underestimating me, you bug eyed freak!' The Kingpin had texted him back.

Jack raised a brow at this, 'Do not underestimate me,' he repeated the last line of his last message to the man, pressing send.

After he sent this he finally got a response from Brock.

'Sorry Bud, I am not the one who chooses the headlines... Jonah Jameson warped my story and title to fit his interests and opinion over you. I did however, keep up my side of the deal. And since it's that time of the year... Text me from your new number soon, I think I have another idea to spruce your way into the good graces of the public.'

Sitting up on the couch, he glanced over towards the coffee table which practically divided the living room in two. He plucked the multi-frequence voice scrambler off the table and highlighted George Stacy's name.

Three rings, forwarded to voicemail. Jack Dialed again. Three rings, forwarded to voicemail.

"...George..." Jack uttered under his breath as he called again.

Two rings and suddenly there was a click, "Hello? Who is this and how did you get this number?"

With a garbled voice, Jack spoke through the voice changer, "Captain George Stacy. Are you watching Kingpin this evening and into the early morning?"

Silence ensued for a few seconds, shifting could be heard in what sounded like the interior of a police cruiser. A couple muffled voices, and then he returned.

"Yes... Is there any reason in particular the Recluse has my number?"

"...Don't bother tracing this call, you won't get my location... I'm calling you to inform you that Kingpin attempted to hire me to eliminate you... I declined, keep your wits about you, Captain. I currently don't have overwatch..."

Jack hung up the phone, took out the SIMS card, battery and SD card before getting up and dropping the phone into the garbage disposal of the kitchen sink.