There's a Man who Leads a Life of Danger!

Addressing the reader, Stan Lee tells the reader that the following story is not about Peter Parker, but about his parents back before he was born.[1]

A luxurious yacht, the Scheherazade, is moored off the coast of the French Riviera. In the dead of night, a masked figure sneaks aboard, and witnesses Baroness Adelicia von Krupp, a wealthy widow, up to no good. He spies on the noblewoman as she is informed that her associates in India have captured an agent of the CIA who goes by "Agent Ten". Shortly after hearing this, the masked intruder is found out by the ship's crew and manages to escape, but not before sustaining a gunshot wound to the arm. Jumping in the bay, the man in the mask is saved by a scuba diver who is likewise concealed. The two figures surface on a nearby beach, revealing themselves as agents Richard and Mary Parker. As Mary tends to Richard's wound, the yacht explodes, and a helicopter is seen leaving the scene. The two spies retreat to report to their superiors.

At France's US embassy, the Parkers inform the ambassador that they had spotted the Baroness with Guenter Schmidt, a known terrorist, at the Imperial Casino. Expecting trouble, Richard had tailed them to the Scheherazade in hopes of getting information on Schmidt, but now they've been dragged into something bigger after hearing of the capture of Agent Ten. The ambassador tells them that Agent Ten is an operative for a friendly power, and is currently working with the CIA in India. As of the briefing, he has been missing for four days. The Parkers are outfitted for their mission, and while doing so, Richard reminisces about how he met Mary, from his service in the armed forces to his being selected for CIA work by Colonel Nick Fury. Mary, meanwhile, remembers her father, who had raised her alone after her mother passed when she was young. The duo prepares for the worst as their plane arrives in Mumbai.[2]

Richard and Mary spend two days scoping out the city until they finally spot Baroness von Krupp. However, their luck seems to run out as it is Ganesh Jayanti, a Hindu festival, and the streets are packed with people. Amidst the parades and celebrations, the two agents manage to locate the Baroness' hiding spot and incapacitate two thugs with a spy camera booby-trapped with knockout gas. They successfully infiltrate the base only to be captured and put to sleep by the Baroness.

Coming to their senses, the Parkers find that the Baroness is in league with Wolfgang von Strucker and that he has been torturing and interrogating a prisoner. After a week of torture, he has only revealed his name to be Logan. Strucker reveals that Logan is in fact Agent Ten, and perceives him to be of an incredibly strong constitution. As Strucker begins interrogating the Americans, a distraction from Mary provides Logan an opportunity to break free of his bonds. The three captives handily escape the hideout after an accidental gun discharge ignites sensitive equipment and the entire building goes up in flames. The heroes get out unscathed, as do Strucker and Baroness von Krupp. Strucker makes it known that as long as they both are alive, it is their enemies, and not them, who have failed.

Back in the safety of the embassy, Logan thanks Richard for saving him, and congratulates him when they both hear the news that Mary is one month pregnant. Overcome with joy, Richard asks Mary if she thinks they will have a son or a daughter. She replies that she's been quite lucky with men in her life, so she's betting on a boy. Richard assures her that, with the two of them as parents, their son is sure to be amazing.

Recurring Characters

Richard Parker, Mary Parker, Logan, Baron Strucker, Ben Parker, May Parker, Nick Fury, William Fitzgerald (flashback)

Continuity Notes

1. Stan states that this story takes place "25 years ago". Readers should interpret this to mean that it takes place 25 years in the past in "Marvel Time" from the time of publication. This story was published in 1997, and per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616, "present-day" stories were part of "Year Nine" of the Modern Age. Per Civil War #2, Peter Parker states that he was 15 years old when he became Spider-Man. Making Peter roughly 24 years old during the 1997 year of publications. Since this story reveals that Mary Parker is pregnant with Peter here, Stan's measurement of time should be considered factual from the perspective of when this story was published.

2. This story actually refers to city as Bombay. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 as the name of the city was changed to Mumbai in 1995.