Chapter 216: The Parker Brothers' Parents
In the back seat, Silas smiled to himself. The reason Uncle Ben was able to get this Jeep was entirely due to his own behind-the-scenes manipulation.
When Parker Industries selected its "Outstanding Employees," every single one of them was actually a Shadow Ninja—with the sole exception of Ben Parker. The purpose was to put on a show for the real human employees; the rewards given to the Shadow Ninjas, naturally, would just circulate back into the company.
"A reward from Parker Industries?!" Aunt May felt out of touch with the times. What kind of company gives a car to an outstanding employee?
"Yeah, I thought it was strange too," Ben Parker said. "But it wasn't just me. There were forty-nine other colleagues, and some of them in higher departments received rewards even better than mine."
Since maintenance and mechanical repair were relatively entry-level positions at Parker Industries, it stood to reason that employees in more critical sectors would receive even grander incentives.
"You're truly wonderful, Ben," Aunt May said, her face lighting up with a proud smile.
Hearing the praise, Ben tilted his head up proudly. "Of course! Who do you think I am? I'm the husband of the lovely May Parker."
"Just focus on the road," May teased, seeing how quickly a little praise went to his head.
"I'm a pro behind the wheel, trust my skills," Ben said with total confidence.
A pro behind the wheel... Silas nearly burst out laughing.
Peter, noticing Silas trying to stifle his laughter, asked, "What's so funny, Silas?"
"Ahem, nothing," Silas coughed, his face returning to a neutral expression. "Just thought of something funny."
"Like what?" Peter asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Adult stuff. Not for kids," Silas said, pushing Peter back as he tried to lean in closer.
"But Silas, I'm the older brother!" Peter argued. Even though he was technically the elder, it always felt like his younger brother, Silas, was the one taking care of him.
"Peter... actually, there's a secret I've kept from you for a long time." Silas reached out a hand and placed it solemnly on Peter's head.
Peter didn't pull away. He genuinely thought Silas was about to reveal something serious. He looked into Silas's eyes with a gaze that said: Go on, I can take it.
"The truth is... you're actually the younger brother," Silas said.
"..." Peter felt his intelligence had been insulted. He wordlessly swatted Silas's hand away. "No. You are."
"Haha!" Silas laughed heartily. Taunting Peter was always one of his favorite pastimes.
"You know, if your parents hadn't explicitly told us, I really would have thought Silas was the older one," Aunt May said, her voice filled with nostalgia as she listened to the banter in the back.
When they were toddlers, Silas had been much better behaved. Peter was the one who was loud and prone to crying, while Silas was quiet and composed—almost like an adult. Silas never even touched the toys they bought; only Peter played with them. Silas had always felt more like the big brother.
"Aunt May... can you tell me where our parents went?" Peter asked. Memories of them were flooding back. As children, May and Ben had always carefully avoided the topic. Whenever Peter asked, May would vaguely change the subject. Silas, notably, had never asked once.
Silas never asked because he knew exactly why they disappeared. They were dead; otherwise, they would have come looking for them years ago.
Fifteen Years Ago
"Do we really have to do this, Richard?" Mary Parker asked, her expression heavy with sorrow.
Richard Parker sighed and shook his head. "It may be selfish, but I'm doing this for the family." He admitted his selfishness, but he refused to let his entire life be confined and controlled by the Oscorp Corporation.
"Let's leave the children with Ben and May," Mary said, tears welling in her eyes.
Richard and Mary were Oscorp employees—specifically, top-tier researchers in a highly classified department. While working for Oscorp, they had discovered a mutation gene. If successfully tested on humans, it could turn anyone into a "Super-Man."
After the initial excitement, Richard had calmed down and realized the horror: if everyone had the power of a god without the heart of a hero, the world would become a living hell. Crime rates would skyrocket.
Richard tried to bury the research, but he couldn't bear to see his life's work vanish. He decided to narrow the scope. He used the Parker family's specific genome as the foundation. If the experiment succeeded, the Parkers would become the most powerful family on Earth.
Mary had initially opposed the idea—gene experimentation was too dangerous. But under Richard's persistent persuasion, she agreed. They used their spare time and Oscorp's equipment to run their private experiments.
However, due to the primitive technology of the time, they faced the same hurdles as Howard Stark. They failed to achieve the final result they desired. Not only did they fail, but Oscorp discovered their extracurricular activities.
Oscorp didn't alert them immediately. Instead, they assigned the couple a "technical exchange" mission in the UK. It was a trap. They were lured onto a plane, and a "mechanical failure" was orchestrated. The Parkers died in the crash.
The two brothers, left with Ben and May, were adopted. Silas, even as a young child, had overheard everything from behind a corner. He had been only three years old—too young to stop it, barely old enough to understand he needed to stay quiet to survive.
Oscorp didn't pursue the children. In their eyes, two toddlers couldn't possibly know about Richard's experiments. They kept an eye on Ben and May for a while, but eventually concluded they were just an ordinary American couple.
Back to the Present
Silas shook off the memories. He remembered that before they left, his parents had given Ben Parker a box. He wondered where Ben had hidden it all these years.
"When we get back from this road trip, I have something to give you both," Aunt May said quietly from the passenger seat.
"Something?" Peter asked, confused.
Silas's eyes sharpened. He had a strong feeling it was the box from Richard.
"Now I suddenly find this road trip very tedious," Peter sighed, leaning back into his seat. Now he just wanted the trip to be over so he could get those answers.
"Peter, don't say that. This trip might turn out to be very 'interesting,'" Silas chuckled. He wondered just how "thrilling" a road trip would become with Spider-Man along for the ride.
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