The morning sun over New York City didn't rise over a quiet horizon; it fought its way through the skyscrapers, eventually hitting the metallic siding of the Fenton household. Nestled in a neighborhood that was surprisingly residential for the big city, the building still managed to stand out. The "Fenton Works" sign on the roof was still prominent enough to make taxi drivers do a double-take. It was a piece of unconventional architecture in a city built on steel and glass.
A week had passed since Danny's encounter with Peter in the library. In the depths of the basement, Jack and Maddie Fenton were hunched over a massive, circular iron frame. The Fenton Ghost Portal was in its infancy—a skeletal structure of wires and reinforced steel. Danny had been staying clear of the basement lately. He respected his parents' focus; they were uncharacteristically quiet about the project, keeping the blueprints "conclusive." He appreciated that it was their work, their passion, and he was content to leave them to it while he focused on his own work in the garage.
By the time the afternoon rolled around, the doorbell rang. When Ben and May Parker stepped onto the sidewalk with Peter, they stopped dead in their tracks.
"Well," Ben said, adjusting his cap with a faint whistle. "I thought our apartment was a bit cramped, but I've never seen a house in the city with a satellite dish that looks like it's trying to talk to Mars."
"It's... certainly a statement piece," May added politely, clutching her purse.
Peter just stared at the Fenton Works sign. "It's incredible. Look at the structural reinforcement on the roof. They must have some heavy equipment in there."
The front door swung open. Jack Fenton, the mountain of a man, always in a bright orange jumpsuit, practically tumbled out. "Parkers! You found the place! Welcome to the laboratory of tomorrow, today!"
Maddie followed behind, wiping her hands on a grease-stained cloth. "Ignore Jack, he's a bit excited. We haven't had any guests in ages."
The families exchanged pleasantries, the warmth of the Parkers clashing gently with the boisterousness of the Fenton's. Inside, Danny greeted Peter with a relieved grin. Jazz was right beside him. "Glad you're here, Peter. Meet my big sister, Jazz."
"The only 'sane' one of the family," Jazz joked, shaking Peter's hand. "Though in this house, that's a low bar."
But the welcoming committee wasn't finished. From the living room, two more individuals, a boy and a girl around Danny's age appeared. "And these are my best friends," Danny said. "Sam Manson and Tucker Foley. We met at elementary school. Been friends ever since."
Tucker was already vibrating with excitement, clutching his PDA. "Danny said you were a science whiz. Peter, tell me—what's your stance on using salvaged server blades for a localized home network?"
Peter's eyes lit up. "If you can manage the heat dissipation, it's the only way to go. But the power draw in an old NYC building can be a nightmare."
Tucker let out a joyous gasp. "I like this guy! Danny, he's a keeper. He actually speaks 'processor'!"
Sam rolled her eyes, though she had a small smile. "Tucker, give him a second to breathe. He just got through the door."
Danny led the group through the house, eventually showing them the main lab. It was a disaster zone of wires and glowing vials. "It's a bit of a mess," Danny admitted. "My parents' work takes up a lot of room. We're staying out of the basement because they're working on something big."
To avoid the chaos, Danny led the boys out to the garage. He had moved his project there to ensure he didn't disturb his parents' delicate work on the portal. In the center of the garage sat a desk covered in components.
"Is that a custom-build?" Peter asked, stepping closer. "Wait... is that a liquid-cooled radiator from an old refrigerator?"
"Good eye," Danny laughed. "Tucker and I spent the last three days scavenging. We found a tech startup that went bust in Midtown and literally went through their dumpsters. We also found a motherboard that just needed a few capacitors replaced."
"And the casing," Tucker added, pointing to the sleek, if slightly scratched, metal frame. "Found that in a scrap yard in Queens. I had to sand it down and rewire the front iOS panels, but it's solid."
Danny picked up a soldering iron. He didn't want Peter to just stand there. "Hey, Peter, I left the final wiring for the cooling pump open. You want to help us close the loop? Tucker's been complaining that my cable management is 'atrocious'."
"Because it is!" Tucker shouted from behind a monitor.
Peter grinned, shedding his jacket. "I've seen worse. Let me see those tweezers."
For the next hour, the garage was a symphony of clicking parts. Sam and Jazz stood back, leaning against a workbench.
"They're like a hive mind," Sam whispered, watching the three boys move in sync.
"It's good for Danny," Jazz replied. "He needs friends who understand the 'nerd' side of him. Especially with everything changing so fast."
Time flew. They didn't even realize that their parents had wandered into the garage. Ben, May, Jack, and Maddie stood in the doorway, watching the three boys huddled over the machine. Jack was surprisingly quiet, a look of pride on his face as he saw Danny working with the boys. Ben and May exchanged a look of pure relief; Peter looked happier and more engaged than he had in a long time.
"Okay," Danny said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Everything's plugged in. Cooling loop is primed. Tucker, you ready with the OS boot?"
"Born ready," Tucker said, his finger over the keyboard.
"Peter?" Danny looked at him.
"Let's see if she breathes," Peter said.
Danny pressed the power button.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then, a soft whir began. RGB lights—a deep, ghostly green—glowed from within the case. On the monitor, the Fenton Works logo Danny had programmed flashed to life, followed by a rapid scroll of code.
"System status: Optimal," Tucker cheered, throwing his hands up. "We did it! It's alive!"
The three boys erupted into high-fives and triumphant shouts. Even in a city where you could buy a computer on every corner, building one from literal trash and making it function at high speeds was a feat of pure engineering.
"That is some fine work, boys!" Jack boomed, finally stepping forward. "Talk about collaboration!"
"It's wonderful, Peter," May said, ruffling Peter's hair. "Just wonderful."
After checking the benchmarks and ensuring the temperatures were stable, the group moved back inside for dinner. Maddie had prepared a delicious roast. The aroma was enough to make anyone's belly protest. The evening was filled with laughter and stories. Jack told wild tales of ghost hunting that Ben seemed to take with a grain of salt but a wide smile, while the teenagers sat together, a new bond firmly established.
When the Parkers finally left and the city lights began to twinkle outside, Danny retreated back to the garage. The silence of the night was broken only by the low, comforting hum of his creation.
He sat down, the green light reflecting in his eyes. He had the hardware. He had the speed. Now, he opened a blank command prompt.
"Alright," he whispered to the empty garage. "Let's see if I can make you think."
He began to type the first lines of code for his next phase:
"Project: A.R.T.E.M.I.S."