Chapter 29: A Friend's Advice

"...In a groundbreaking announcement that has the scientific community buzzing with excitement, the brilliant Reed Richards has unveiled his ambitious plans to create a state-of-the-art spaceship designed to journey to planets beyond our moon! With federal funding secured, this highly anticipated project promises to break barriers and redefine our understanding of space travel, set to launch in just two to four years—though Richards is confidently predicting a finish in a mere two!"

Christine Everhart was on the scene in front of the iconic Baxter Building, capturing the energy of the moment. She exclaims, "While some may question the audacity of such a claim, this is Reed Richards we're talking about! From his extraordinary achievements as a teen genius at just 15 years old, earning the esteemed title of Prodigy, to his groundbreaking innovations at 25 that have transformed our everyday lives, Reed has consistently proven that the impossible is simply a challenge waiting to be conquered! "Get ready, because the future of exploration is about to take flight!"

"Wow! I can't believe we'll be able to travel further than the moon! Do you think we'll actually reach Mars? Just imagine all the discoveries we could make with astronauts conducting live research on a new planet!" Gwen exclaimed as she, Peter, and Harry all leaned in to watch the news feed on her Stark Tablet.

"Won't they just find red sand and rocks? How exciting is that?" Harry asked as Gwen put her tablet away. The sounds of the busy mall echoed around them from the food court.

"Harry, that's just what's on the surface. Who knows what else Mars could hold? Maybe an answer to all human disease?" Peter said with an excited smile. "What do you think, Wyatt? Wyatt?"

"Huh?" Wyatt blinked and looked away from his fries. "Sorry. I was lost in thought. What did you say?"

Gwen leaned forward with a spark of enthusiasm in her eyes, her voice brimming with excitement. "We were discussing Reed Richards' incredible planned spaceship," she began, her tone animated. "Can you believe it? If he succeeds, the spaceship could travel far beyond our moon, venturing into the depths of space where few have dared to go. Just imagine the possibilities! The worlds it could explore, the mysteries it could uncover... Isn't that thrilling?"

Wyatt hummed thoughtfully as he reflected on the topic. "Well… going off of Reed Richards' impressive track record of accomplishments, him developing an interplanetary spacecraft seems very possible for him. Add on the team of genius scientists and engineers that will assist him, he's very likely to succeed. And yeah, you're right, Gwen, Reed's spacecraft could provide humanity with the opportunity to finally explore other planets and make significant discoveries, maybe even helping us to enhance our understanding of the universe."

Or it could give him and his fellow crewmates cosmic powers. Wyatt thought knowingly.

As they strolled through the bustling mall, the group moved from store to store, pausing to admire window displays that showcased everything from trendy clothing to the latest tech gadgets. Laughter and idle chatter filled the air as they exchanged opinions on various items, commenting on the absurdity of some of the fashion choices or the appeal of the newest gaming consoles.

Wyatt, however, remained a step behind, his thoughts drifting far from the playful banter of his friends. The weight of the recent news about the captured mutants in Nevada haunted him, making it difficult to engage in their lighthearted conversation fully.

At one point, Harry received a call from his mother, summoning him home, much to his chagrin. He rolled his eyes, expressing his annoyance to the group before bidding them farewell. Now, it was just Gwen, Peter, and Wyatt left to enjoy their planned movie night.

They stood in line at the concession stand, the aroma of popcorn and candy wafting through the air, when suddenly, Peter's spider sense jolted him. A prickling sensation raced down his spine, leaving him alert and on edge, as he scanned their surroundings, sensing something was amiss.

"Uh, sorry guys, but, um, I completely forgot I told Uncle Ben that I'd help him repaint the kitchen. How about a rain check?" Peter said and quickly left the theater. Once out of sight, he changed into his suit and swung away.

"He's been doing that more and more lately," Gwen said as she turned to Wyatt. "You're not going to ditch me, too, are you?"

Trusting Peter to handle whatever was going on in the city, Wyatt shook his head with a small smile. "No. You're stuck with me tonight."

"Good. I don't know what I would do if you flaked on me, too," Gwen said.

"You'd probably give me the look", Wyatt said.

"What? I wouldn't do that."

"You're doing it right now."

"Ugh, whatever," Gwen rolled her eyes and looked down at her movie ticket. "With Peter and Harry gone, I'm not really in the mood to watch the movie anymore. Do you wanna, I don't know, walk around or something?"

Wyatt shrugged and nodded in agreement. He wasn't in the mood to watch the movie that Peter and Harry had chosen earlier either. His mind was too busy and chaotic right now to focus on some dumb action movie. After leaving the theater, the two of them walked side by side through the streets of Manhattan until they reached Madison Square Park.

"Okay, what's on your mind?" Gwen asked as they took a seat on a park bench. Sitting beside her, Wyatt handed her a vanilla ice cream cone he had bought while he held a chocolate cone in his own hand. "You've had that contemplative expression all day."

"Oh... you noticed that?" Wyatt responded, not attempting to deny it. He had learned that Gwen was very outspoken and stubborn, though she often disguised it under her sweet, bookish demeanor.

"It's a bit hard to ignore you staring at your subway sandwich as if it held the answers to the universe," Gwen said, an amused smile on her face. "Talk to me, Wyatt. What's wrong?"

"It's just…" Wyatt began, pausing for a moment. He had debated whether to lie about his true thoughts, but felt the urge to seek Gwen's opinion on his current dilemma. He knew he had to be careful with his words. "It's about a book I'm reading. You see, the protagonist is facing a tough moral dilemma. He has to confront a significant challenge, but the consequences could change everything for him."

"I see. What's the challenge?"

"He has to go against his nation's government to save hundreds of kidnapped civilians. However, what the government is doing—taking these people—is not seen as wrong by a significant portion of the population. Do you think he should help free those captured civilians, even if it means becoming an enemy of the nation and facing hostility from the people he has served up to that point?" Wyatt asked, leaning forward on his knees, his ice cream forgotten.

Gwen hummed in thought and took a lick of her frozen treat. "Well, I'd like to know more about this book, but based on what you've told me, I believe the protagonist should do what he thinks is right."

"What if what he believes is right turns everyone against him?" Wyatt whispered.

"I believe that's a possibility. Doing the right thing isn't always easy. If it were, everyone would be doing it. It takes a certain amount of bravery and courage to stand up for your beliefs, regardless of what others say. So yes, I think the protagonist should save those people, no matter the consequences," Gwen replied. "Now I'm curious—what's the title of this book?"

Wyatt stared at his ice cream cone and gave it a small lick. Turning to Gwen, he smiled appreciatively. "Honestly? I forgot the title. I just remember this part."

"What? You can't do that! Now I'm even more curious to find this story!" Gwen lightly glared at Wyatt for piquing her curiosity and leaving her high and dry. "Do you at least know what he ended up deciding to do?"

Wyatt chuckled as Gwen lightly pushed his shoulder. "He did the right thing, regardless of what the world says about him… It's like a wise woman once said: even when the whole world tells you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say, 'No, you move.'" Wyatt quoted the woman who founded SHIELD, the legendary Peggy Carter.

"Wow… that's beautiful. Are you gonna tell me who said that?"

"I'm thinking about it,"

At his answer, Gwen gave Wyatt what the group called the look.

As the sun dipped toward the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the city, Wyatt offered to walk Gwen home. They stood at a bustling intersection, the air filled with a mix of voices and distant sirens as they waited for the crosswalk sign to light up.

Gwen, feeling the gentle breeze ruffle her hair, glanced around. A hurried businesswoman clutching her phone, a group of laughing students with backpacks slung over their shoulders, and an elderly man with a cane, and many more. All waiting for the light to change

At last, the pedestrian signal changed, brightening green. The people at the corner began to step into the crosswalk, eager to cross the street and continue on their way.

Just as they made their way forward, a sudden cacophony shattered the evening tranquility—crashes echoed, blaring horns invaded the air, and startled screams arose from the crowd. Gwen and Wyatt spun around, eyes wide, as an out-of-control box truck barreled down the street toward them.

"Get out of the way! My breaks don't work!" The box truck's driver screamed in a panic as he tried his best to slow himself down. His hand pulled on the emergency brake as far as it would go, and he maneuvered the truck to avoid all the cars in his path. "MOVE!"

Everyone on the crosswalk instinctively recoiled, their faces pale with alarm. Wyatt, in a blur of urgency, seized Gwen by the arm and yanked her back to a safe distance. As she stumbled away, her eyes widened in horror at the scene unfolding before her. A boy with oversized headphones nestled over his ears strolled forward, blissfully unaware of the impending danger, lost in the rhythm of his own world.

Just as panic surged within her and the urge to scream bubbled up, Gwen caught a fleeting glimpse of a red-brown blur dashing beside her.

Wyatt sprang into action, his muscles coiled like a tightly wound spring as he dashed toward the oblivious child. Time seemed to slow as he propelled himself forward. With a fierce adrenaline-fueled burst, he leaped, extending his arms as he soared through the air. Wrapping them protectively around the unsuspecting boy, he spun them both in a nimble arc, rolling across the asphalt in a desperate bid to escape the encroaching danger.

The massive box truck careened down the street, a blur of steel and decibels, missing Wyatt's foot by a mere five inches. In a fluid motion, he turned his head, eyes locked on the behemoth of metal, and subtly extended a hand toward its ominous wheels from under his body.

In an instant, a dull cascade of crimson light enveloped the truck's underside, illuminating the grimy surfaces as the brake pads seemed to meld to the disc rotors. A resounding, agonizing screech tore through the air as smoke billowed and churned from the tortured tires, which finally surrendered to the unrelenting force and came to a grinding halt, kicking up a cloud of smoke further down the road.

"Hey! What was that for!" The kid yelled angrily as he took off his earphones. He then finally noticed the smoking box truck and realized what had occurred. "Oh man… my mom's going to kill me!"

Wyatt gazed at the kid with a mix of disbelief and concern, his brow furrowing as he stood up slowly. After carefully inspecting the boy for any injuries, he let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Just as he was processing the moment, the unexpected warmth of a hug—almost a tackle—surged into him, catching him off guard. He looked down to find Gwen's anxious face, her eyes wide and searching, staring up at him with a mixture of relief and worry.

"Wyatt! That was amazing! No, wait, that was extremely stupid and dangerous! Are you hurt?!"

"Oh, sorry. I guess… my body just moved on its own?" Wyatt said with a shaky smile.

As applause erupted around them, filling the air with a chorus of gratitude and admiration, Wyatt felt a mix of exhilaration and vulnerability. The crowd's appreciation for his heroism would typically have been a familiar experience, especially when clad in his Atomic suit. But now, stripped of that protective armor, he felt exposed and uncertain, as if the cheers were not for him, but for a stranger.

He managed a shy smile, rubbing the back of his head, his fingers running through his tousled hair in a nervous gesture. Gwen, stepping back to take it all in, couldn't help but shake her head in disbelief. He had just pulled off an incredibly dangerous stunt—an act that bordered on reckless—but there was no denying the bravery it took to put himself in harm's way to save someone else.

As she observed him, something shifted within her. Despite the wildness of his actions, Wyatt's selflessness shone through.

There had always been something remarkable about him, but today, watching him bask in the spotlight, she began to see him in a new light—one that illuminated not just his courage, but also the heart beneath his seemingly carefree exterior.

You're kind of amazing, aren't you, Wyatt? Gwen thought, a warm smile spreading across her face as the realization settled in. It was a moment that marked a turning point in her perception of him.