SPIDER-MAN 4:Deadly Hunt
Fan-Fic by Anil Rickly
Dear Tiger,
I’m sorry it had to be like this…that we had to see things this way…but recent events Pete, well…that was pretty much all my heart could have taken…It burns me with the fire of a thousand suns to say these words to you…but I have to. I’ll never forget your innocent smile, the way you saved me a million times over, and every picture of you in the Bugle, and the kisses we shared…upside down in the rain, in the shadows…or when we got to rightfully do so…holding hands…like we thought we were meant to be forever. But Pete, it seems that Life doesn’t always turn out to be the fairy-tale we planned, it’s not a play, a story, a battle…it is what it is Pete…simply put…Life is Life…it’s a road, smooth or bumpy, with twists, turns and stops that take us anywhere and everywhere. That’s why I have to say this to you now, Tiger, I’m not sure our destinies lie with each other…maybe Fate would bring us back to each other someday Tiger…but til’ then Peter Parker…Goodbye.
Yours now and forever,
MJ
A year and 6 months has passed and Pete still reads this letter. It is brand new, as he has kept this in the best condition ever, he has kept it close to his heart…it should be crumpled but he never lets a crease set in. It’s mint as if he received it yesterday. 18 months and counting and the letter is still in front his eyes.
“Come on Peter, You can’t be late…again you know,” Aunt May bellowed as she knocked the walls of his room.
Pete quickly slid the letter back into its envelope and slipped it under his bed, and pressed the mattress down for weight. He fumbled through his stuff and grabbed his briefcase, all his notes and everything, were surprisingly in proper order, and he looked in the mirror, glanced over at the pic of himself, Aunt May and Uncle Ben…and smiled before darting through the door. He ran to the kitchen to kiss Aunt May, as they were both sharing an apartment in mid-Manhattan, a nice cosy upstairs…just about middle-class, and Pete was feeling a bit more complete with Aunt May back in his perimeter. As he kissed her she elegantly dressed back and looked at him,
“My my…love that suit Pete…fits just like it did Uncle Ben 30 years ago…handsome to the max!” Aunt May gleamed.
“Yep…vintage and roguish…James Dean perhaps,” said a soft elegant voice as the figure inched from behind the kitchen and walked up to Pete.
Blonde hair, flowed like the breeze that takes seagulls to the sky, and casually dressed across the woman’s forehead, in a manner that was unkempt but purposefully so, to accentuate how pretty the lady was. Her baby blue eyes met with Pete’s and her full-red lips pouted as she walked over, full-dress suit, with a slight hint of a sexy secretary in it, and she grabbed Pete’s collar. She jostled him in closer as their eyes met and pulled him in as she fixed his tie.
Aunt May gleefully watched as the two fumbled, with Pete apparently reverting to his high school incapability with girls.
Gwen then went over and hugged May, and swiftly headed to the door, grabbing Pete by the hand.
“Take care of him Gwen…and good luck with the presentation!”
“You know I will Aunt May!” Gwen shot back as her smile swooned Pete out the apartment door, trailing the long-legged beauty as if he was in a trance, with his legs not willing to respond to his brain…but to her gaze.
Both bustled out the building and headed into Gwen’s minivan.
“Nervous Pete?” she asked.
“Umm…uhhh…no….what makes you say that?”
“You’re putting your seatbelt in my slot Dumbo!”
Pete gave a wry smile as they jetted off through the NY traffic.
Empire University -
“Good evening folks, now we present to you Dr. Curt Connors and his team, representing Empire State University, Mr. Peter Parker and Mrs. Gwen Stacy!” the presenter announced to the crowd in the auditorium. There were approximately 20 people sitting, all visually distinguished masters-of-industry, visibly there for one purpose alone.
Connors started off, “Tonight we are here to present to you Ladies and Gentlemen, our research project that we have been working on successfully for the past year, PROJECT: REGENERATION….
As Dr. Connors, followed by Gwen and Peter, would explain, this project was one initiated by Gwen – regeneration studies for lost limbs of animals - as her pet rabbit, Lion, lost its right hind leg in an accident at home, and with her major being in Human and Animal Biology, and distinctions and laurels based on her academic prowess all flowing her way, Gwen decided to initiate this project with Dr. Connors, who himself is missing his right arm, which he revealed in the presentation was due to a terrorist attack in Kuwait while he was on past missions for the Government as a guest physicist. However, he reveals that he studied micro-biology as well as animal physiology before switching his doctorate degree; in fact he has a MPhil in his biology studies, which made him the suitable academic head for this project. Gwen was the driver of this project, backed by Connors, with Peter as the final base…all of them had a rapport and understanding with each other that would pitch results. The group then presented their work and its final result as they lobbied for further academic grants to the people attending their presentation – we saw a picture of Lion’s limb in the very early stages of regrowth. The team postulated that by the addition of a growth hormone catalyst to the pituitary gland of the rabbit, this catalyst can see the anterior pituitary gland produce higher quantities of somatotrophin without adverse tumours or gigantism resulting. The catalyst was conceived by Gwen and Connors as a mixture of peptides, androgen and ghrelin hormones…to stimulate growth hormone secretion within the animal. After a year or so, the team, based on Parker’s calculated final proportions of catalyst finally managed to see their catalyst sample 152-AL yield results on Lion, hence the rush now to attain research grants based on their breakthrough. Following the presentation, everyone met and greeted the team with warmth and acceptance, even Gwen’s father, Captain Stacy was on hand. Aunt May was not there as she had business to attend to, running a homeless shelter in lower-Manhattan, and the Connors family, Martha and son Billy, were also on hand. The evening was one of delight and positive vibe as we see all congratulating the team, but whether the team would be receiving grants was still to be ascertained and would not be for another week or so, according to the University rules, with its own academic legends on hand to monitor Connors’ team proposal that night.
“Come kid, let’s dance” Gwen charged at Pete, whilst her father watched his blossoming daughter with a glimmer in his eye.
“I’m really proud of you Gwen, you and Doc have really done an amazing job with this project” Pete softly tailored as he followed her feet on the floor to the sweet cocktail violin music on queue.
“Well me and Doc were pretty stuck till you came onboard and started working vigorously on the catalyst you know! Connors gleams when he speaks of your work Pete!”
“He shouldn’t cuz it’s you guys who are doing the good, not me!”
Gwen shied away from Pete, bit her lower lip and shook her head, “Always chivalry with you huh Pete? I may have had one too many champagne glasses nerd, drop me home?”
Without realising the inevitable romantic implications Pete said yes.
Gwen’s Apartment –
As Pete and Gwen laughed about the follies at school over the past year, the two nerds giggled and glistened with flirtations. Pete realised that things were going to end up somewhere he wasn’t sure of as Gwen held his hand tightly and warmly.
“Gwen…I’m not sure…”
Before he could concoct any excuse to leave her apartment, she slid in and kissed him gently. Pete could not pull away even if he tried, he did not want to. Instead he let himself free, and wrapped Gwen in his arms and by her waist. The two had waited so long and now they had finally embraced each other. Pete held her…as if she were MJ, and as both fell onto her couch, the nightlight of her lamp faded.
US ARMY Safe-house, Downtown: Queens (that same night – after midnight)
CRASH!!!!
The warehouse gate was broken down, as no alarm rang out.
“Short circuited tha place boys” screamed Shocker. He was dressed in dark-yellow with black zig-zags across his arms. His cowl wore red with yellow threads on it…and his black army boots seemed made to kick skulls in. His arms were most terrifying as they were draped in red-black gloves up to his elbows. The gloves were thick and made of some sort of alloy. He stared over to the small tractor in house and aimed,
“Here’s to shockin ya asses!” as he fired his electric beams towards the tractor and blew it up.
“Jeez ya frickin idiot! No more noise fool!!!” shouted a figure that emerged in a dark green hood and suit behind Shocker.
Shocker snarled, “Who made you team leader Gargan?”
“Huhhh…I don’t need to be anointed when I got the goods to lead this dance fool!” Gargan responded, as a protruding green metallic tail emerged and aimed towards the safe placed on the metal table.
“The key’s in there and baby, they don’t call me Scorpion for nothing…watch me sting without the combination you electric freak,” and with that he shot a white acid onto the safe and melted the door. Gargan walked over and grabbed the key, and then stared at the 6 foot 6 inch giant that emerged from the dark, equipped with a covering grey bio-mech suit and a horn draped on his forehead. All that could be seen for this guy was his ugly face.
“Rhino, insert the key please” Gargan requested as Shocker sulked in the corner.
Rhino walked over to the vault, inserted the key, turned clockwise and the air-locks hissed…
“LOCKS OVER-RIDDEN, PLEASE ENTER FINAL CODE TO FACILITATE OPENING” the computer voice sounded.
“Great…WTF” Shocker added.
“Well Shocker, the locks are open but we need a code for the gate to turn…a lil nudge so to speak..” he smiled wryly as he saw Rhino take 20 steps back then charge into the door, smashing the vault open.
“Jackpot Scorpy!!!” Shocker slicked as he eyed the vault.
“Hells yea…after this score we won’t hafta work for Bossman ever again, we’d be cut loose…maybe we’d overthrow his ass and run his show for him…we aint noone lap-dogs!” Gargan agreed.
“NOOOO…it is empty!” sounded the juvenile-speeched Rhino.
“What?” Shocker added
“Where’s the weapons?” Scorpion yelled.
“Look’s like someone gave you a 9 for a 6…or is it the other way around?” Spidey quipped as he shot a web bolo onto the face of Shocker and threw him through a stack of crates.
Spiderman swung through a window atop the roof without the gang knowing and unleashed on them.
Rhino charged at Spidey as Spidey engaged and avoided Gargan’s tail. Spider-sense kicked in and Rhino knocked Gargan out cold. Rhino turned only to be met by a flurry if blows from Spidey. Spidey found the mech suit a tough customer as he decided to aim for Rhino’s exposed face. But Gargan crept to his knees and shot acid at Spidey, but Spidey dodged it and let it glaze Rhino’s suit. Rhino’s suit began sparking as it caught fire…Rhino then charged at Spidey who tripped him with a web-line and using his strength slid him across the floor. Spidey then wrangled Gargan and tied his tail above his head and flung Scorpion straight into Rhino and the momentum knocked both through the warehouse wall and they fell 15 feet onto the pier below.
Spidey then felt a shock as Shocker fried the ground, and then aimed shots at Spidey.
“C’mere Webhead clown!”
“Now no need for name callin…especially since you brought yuh circus into town!” as Spidey shot at him.
Down on the pier, Rhino was out cold as his suit was fried. He bled from the head but was still alive as Gargan stumbled over to feel his pulse.
“Gotta ditch you big man, Sorry bout..” but before Gargan could finish a fist shot out of nowhere and a muscular man in what seemed to be a camouflaged ops gear kocked him out with bare hands. As Gargan’s vison faded, he caught glimpse of the man’s eye…and the necklace around his neck…the pendant was white and seemed three inches long…looked like a long cat’s tooth.
As Shocker hid in the rubble, and charged up looking for a kill-shot,
“Well beware of leaks buddy”
Shocker looked at his feet as his hands charged and the ruptured water-lines by Spidey had seen the leak trickle and hit his foot.
Shcoker exclaimed “Oh Shi..”
Blzzzztttt!!!!
Shocker flew at least 20 feet across the room as he hit the floor, smoking.
Spidey felt his pulse, “Alive and Arrived! Now let’s see ya playmates!”
But when Spidey warily made his way outside, he was shocked to see what lay on the pier. None of the criminals were there, Spidey swore they’d be unconscious. All he saw as he dragged Shocker out for the police to catch was the suits that Rhino and Scorpion wore. But Rhino’s suit was missing the horn and Scorpion’s missed the tail. Where were the men inside the suit and who took them out of the suits?
What the hell happened to the tail and the horn?
All these lingered in Spidey’s mind as he webbed Shocker onto the pier pole and swung off.
Gwen’s Apartment –
Gwen leaned over to hug Peter, but instead embraced a pillow with a note – Sorry but emergency called. Aunt May came down with flu. XOXO Pete!!! She grinned and then stared out the window at the stars.
May and Peter’s Apartment –
“How was your night? You got in pretty late? Heard you left with Gwen after the function?”
“Teasing huh Aunt May?” Peter embellished as he joined her at the kitchen table while drying his hair.
She smiled as she stuck her tongue out.
Peter looked over to the envelope compartment on the fridge. At the table he saw an electricity bill, and he glared.
“Aunt May, I’ve got the bill this month.”
“Nonsense!” she echoed
“We’ve stayed here for the past year and not once have I helped with the rent. You won’t even let me help with the groceries. I know the Bugle and the research assistant gig doesn’t pay much but something’s up and I’ve been meaning to ask you a while now Aunt May…How can you afford this place and pay the bills without my help? I mean no disrespect but I love you and I need your honesty!”
May sighed as she looked Pete in his eyes.
“We were left money Pete. Harry Osborn”
“What?”
“After Harry died, his lawyer and Butler, who also got the rest of Harry’s will, informed me of our situation. He demanded we receive it. He named us his immediate family, his mother and brother! I couldn’t say no Pete as it was his wish…and the money would be liquidated to Osborn’s rackets of science if we didn’t. I’m sorry for not telling you Peter but I was trying to protect you”
“I don’t get it Aunt May, why did you never tell me?”
“Because he left me money and this apartment…bought for life! And he left you something too Pete…his mother’s wedding band. He got it from Norman and he left it to you Peter…on one condition…that you marry MJ with it.”
Pete sat stunned. He was shocked and speechless.
“I’m sorry Peter but I didn’t know how to tell you about the money without mentioning the ring. Eventually I knew I’d have to bring this all up but I didn’t know how…you were finally getting over MJ and growing closer to Gwen…I’m sorry but I felt this secret was one I had to keep for everyone’s betterment”
As tears flowed down her cheek, Pete got up and hugged her, kissed her and hugged her again with greater might.
“I know what it is you went through Aunt May, but sometimes the secrets we feel the need to keep are the ones that we need to share with the people we love the most!” and he took a deep breath as he removed his jersey, revealing what he wore under it.
“Aunt May…I’m Spider-Man!”
They sat for hours and hours as Pete broke it down from moment one to the current day. It was as if May was reading a book or watching a movie. She cried, but with tears of joy, as did Pete for the weight of his secret was now off and he was happy and relieved, after all, May was the best mother he could have asked for.
“I just wish Uncle Ben was here to see the man I became and hopefully he’d be proud of me!”
“He is my dear boy, he’s proud of his hero, his son…as am I. Our Peter, Our saviour of NY CITY. Our Spider-Man!”
As they hugged, Peter’s phone began buzzing, “Peter Parker. Where the hell are you? We gotta find out how is it a criminal electrocute-guy is brought into custody and mysteriously dies of gas-poisoning. Find your rear here now…now…now!!!” the voice yelled over the phone.
Aunt May screwed her face as she recognized the voice loud and clear, “Jonah on the loose huh?”
“Yep. Crazy and ranting…nothing new” Peter replied as he threw a shirt on, grabbed his gear and headed for the door
“No web-swinging today?” Aunt May sniped
“Thought the subway seemed better as an option this morning” Peter teased as he left the door.
Aunt May smiled as it closed.
The Daily Bugle – that afternoon
“Parker. You Buffoon. You email me pics of Spidey wrapping up Shocker-kid, then there’s a Halloween party with costumes, what a hippo and a snake costume?...but how do we know that Spidey didn’t turn on his fellow criminals on the job?”
“Jonah you still…”
“Shaddup Robbie. Parker, last night, less than 15 mins after Shocks was brought in, he died, poisoned…and no one…not a soul in the NYPD knows how”
“Inside job perhaps”, Pete added
“More like Spidey killed him!” Jonah raved, “Listen…and listen well boy… I know you’ve got your research ‘growing legs’ thing going down at school, heck if it were good news I’d mention it in the Bugle, maybe if you guys get funded, I’d think of it, but do you wanna work here kid, maybe be an aspiring editor in the making? I know you got Blue-eyes Stacy bringin ya lunch and crap, and after all the events of last year or so, I can’t blame ya. The red-head did the same job on ya that she pulled on my son, then that Eddie Brock pseudo-alien Spider-Man wannabe crap, then you tripped out into some angry dark Hulk last year dancing up a John Travolta-Kevin Bacon schmuck, and that other kid on the space-glider…AND the frickin sandman! The fight vs Spidey and Ninja-kid…hell…Sandman and that Black-Spidey was crazy!...point being son, last year was like a bad, god-awful, god-forsaken terrible razzie film that we would all just want out of our minds, like we would all just wish it disappear and NEVER EXISTED. It was like God made a mess of plans and that whole stunt was a huge flop and bad memory that we wish we could dream away…well tough sad luck kid cuz it ain’t gonna happen. Last year was like a terrible movie…but it happened so what do we do…we DEAL WITH IT!!! Ya think it’s some kinda movie where we reboot Life???...So yer with Stacy, I hope!!!...yer aunt’s got that shelter goin on…kudos…but I NEED BETTER DAMN PICS FOR MY STORIES PARKER OR I’LL FIRE YOUR ASS SO QUICKLY IT WILL MAKE YOUR HEAD SPIN LIKE THAT SPIDER-HEAD’S WEBS IN THE SUBWAY!!! CAPISCE!!!”
“Yes Mr. Jameson” Peter quipped as he looked at the ground. Betty and Robbie both looked at the ceiling as they all knew Jonah was losing his cool. Peter quickly took the paycheck Jonah crumpled onto his desk and got out of there in a brisk. Betty and Robbie shot him nervous smiles as Pete quickly sped to the elevator. Jonah then rocked back in his chair,
“WHERE’S MY EVENING HEADLINE!!!!!!”
Some dark abandoned Castle – medieval looking building from the 1800s
The strapped man stood in the shadows as he watched his catch in their chambers. They were in some sort of incubation chambers but they were not alive. The equipment hooked up to the chambers showed no pulse, no heartbeats…just flatlines. There stood floating in the liquid, Gargan – with his tail wrapped around his body, and Rhino – with his horn stuck in his heart. They were trophies. Out of the shadows stepped the muscular man, his hair, black with trims of grey, he wore a dark-brown leather suit with spots of black…distinctly made into a camo-outfit, with army boots running black as night. His pendant hung across his neck, the tooth, and his utility belt stood fully stocked, no guns but as he lay his belt on the mantle, one could see several pouches – made for grenades, smoke bombs, a vast array of knives, boomerangs with knife edges etc, and on his back, a large sword. He was made for battle and as he emerged into the light, the hunter smiled. Sergei Andriy Kravinoff smiled as he sat on the throne within the room. The inside of this chamber was spacious, fit for a king, and whilst outside this castle stood dreary and bleak, the inside was modern and fit with the tech of a modern hunter. Kraven sat and glimpsed his captures, trophies and unfitting servants. Upon the wall stood the head of other animals, even a sabre-toothed tiger’s head lay on the mantle, besides lions, elephants, hippos, rhinos, snakeskin 30 feet in length, a giant shark’s fin, and most glaringly, a black suit, seemingly blended with a synthetic leather and animal skin, with the darkness of space, jet-black, with the cowl in the shape of a panther, next to a gleaming spear. Kraven smiled as he scoped his panther trophy. Kraven smiled wider as his mind flashed back on his hunts, his kills, all stemming from his black-ops missions within Russia’s Red Guard Unit, his expulsion from the unit or retirement as he called it, for excessive killing on missions and mental instability, and his further training which saw him evolve into a mercenary that hunted in the jungles, mountains, cliffs, snow etc. He was a soldier and his theme now was to hunt the world’s pests as he saw fit – his fair game – criminals, heroes or vigilantes. He wanted a challenge – a death wish of sorts to be the best hunter in the world – a suicide mission where he would kill till he was killed. He rocked back as his monitor showed focus onto Spider-Man. He smiled evilly as he sharpened his sword
One Week Later
“This is hell Gwen, the leads on the Shocker case are few and far between. How’s the project coming? Any word from Connors since he’s been sick?”
“Nope…I called Martha but she says he’s out with it badly…serious case of the flu apparently…or food poisoning?...she didn’t sound too sure but she said he wasn’t acting like himself”
“Well genius gets sick sometime huh?”
“True. You should tell me! So ummm…are we gonna talk about that night Pete? We haven’t spoken since and I know you’re no dirtbag…it’s just that there should be no weirdness between us, I know JJ has you busy but please you making time for me, dinner at least?”
Pete’s eyes shrunk, “Sure thing. I’ll swing by your house tomorrow night. Promise. But right now this case is getting thick for me so I hafta run Gwen. Tomorrow I swear!”
Before she could respond, Pete hung up and slid on his mask in the darkness of night. He was upside down outside the mortuary where the autopsy was being done on Shocker…aka Herman Schultz. Spidey waited for his contact to come out the back patiently.
“You here?”
“Friendly neighbourhood wall-crawler here Ben”
Urich quickly whispered, “The place is crawling with cops since the assassination, and while you may or may not be in their good books, I cant play biased towards you so my info is a secret to you. The NY Post ain’t the Bugle but heck if I lose my job over you”
“Got it goggles. Spill before I kick ya nads back to Hell’s kitchen with your red-devil!”
“Schultz was poisoned. Cyanide pellet found in the air conditioning in his holding cell, only dissipating for him and him alone. This was no ordinary job, whoever did this wanted him dead, with no chance of spilling, this poison is used to hunt game such as elephants for ivory in Africa, Shocker was dead before he hit the floor.”
“Where’s his suit. Maybe we can find leads on that, check the make-up and engineering behind it? Aint the same being done on the Scorpion and Rhino suit?”
“Well WEBBIE, NYPD just got nicked again – the suits were stolen from the custody transfer van…an hour ago after the bridge. They trying to cover it up in hopes they recover it in time so they don’t look even more incompetent but kid – this is way over their heads. Someone is pulling major strings to make sure this stays dead and buried”
“Jinkies. First the people inside the suit are kidnapped; the Shocker is poisoned; now all the body suits are missing? I need CSI”
“Well, you know the number; if I get any more leads I’ll mail it…do the same for me?”
“Sure thing” Peter lied as he pondered who did all this. This was a puzzle and Sherlock Holmes was needed for this mystery he thought.
That same night at an unknown building
“So what is the synopsis Hammerhead?”
A man stepped forward, “you thugs go to the next room, me and Bossman got words!”
“So, you have answers Hammerhead?”
Hammerhead was tall, over 6 feet, stockish, built like Mike Tyson, with a head that grew wide at the top and a receding hairline. His accent had tinges of the Russian of Kraven, but there could be heard a distinct mix of Bronx in it. It was a weird accent reminescnt of Sly Stallone with some Euro madness in it.
“Well uh boss…”
“Shut the frack up you buffoon and let me tell how badly you and your goons have mucked this up for me!!! The intel you received and I verified was to be used by Shocker and those 2 circus clowns to raid the warehouse and get the SHIELD weapons they confiscated in the past. I planned to build prototypes of them to suit my needs but what do I get you imbecile. Nothing. The info was plain bullshit and my men got nabbed fool! The suits…can be traced back to me…God knows where the hell Gargan and Rhino is…they ditched or got napped or whatever, but they left suits to trail! And Shocker, that ass, he got held in costume. This was supposed to be a smash and grab Daniel Ocean job! What comes next you moron?”
“Sir, well, If Schultz is in custody, he had to be killed so he wouldn’t rat, and all the 3 suits had to be kidnapped so they can’t be traced to you and your firm Bossman, and we keep searching for Gargan and Rhino, so we bury them mouths shut also!”
“Excellent…except we don’t know where the 2 asses are, we didn’t kill Shocker, and we don’t know who sprung the suits!!! MY SUITS!!!”
“Uhhh…you right boss”
“Damn right I am right” said the bald headed figure as he shot up from the seat. He folded his sleeve up to reveal a tattoo of a vulture on his right forearm.
“I swoop down and find the carrion of society, thugs like Schultz, Rhino, you and Gargan and make you all worthy champions for my causes. I worked as one of Norman Osborn’s main engineers, stole so much data from him and equipment and science and tech when his company tanked, when his son died, and with all the stuff I swooped on, I made this private little firm, this criminal syndicate, our tree-house boy-scout society where we could use our tech and evade Spider-Man and the cops and run this town fool! My designs must be found Hammerhead…or else we risk it all coming down on our heads…and mine aint hard as yours thug!”
“Yes Sir” said Hammerhead as he walked away, gritting his teeth in rage.
Later that same night at Kraven’s castle
The hunter is seen draping wires to Shocker’s costume on its stand as he peers over to see the Scorpion and Rhino outfits standing also. He has a grim smile on his face.
“You Americans love Halloween…no?”
Next Day
“So you wanna talk yet buddy?” Spidey jerked as he nailed a right hand into the thug’s head. Spider-Man obviously had a hell of a fight as the lower part of his mask was torn but his identity still safe and sound. The thug swung back and hit Spidey hard and then charged, but Spidey ducked, shot a web up to the rafters and elevated with a kick that knocked the villain flat on his ass. Of course, pics were being snapped.
“So…Tombstone?..they call you?...whatever…who took them and where are the suits? Word is your gang is hot!”
“Didn’t do nun. We wouldn’t bring the heat down on our heads. We don’t deal with anything cept our lil bank capers”
Spidey tied him up, and was pissed as he realised he had no leads still. He was on the clock for Jonah, as Connors was still out sick, and worse yet, Tombstone just probably cracked a rib or two. Spidey needed rest and he swung home. He was bruised, insult to injury he thought.
That Afternoon at Aunt May and Peter’s apartment
Peter was knocked out like a kid. Out cold as he slept. Aunt May had taken his Spider-Man outfit out the drier and helped stitch it together as good as new. It sped to 6pm as Aunt May decided to read the paper and Peter continued his rest. He was weary as there were no leads on the case, and his mind was in a blur. But he was fast asleep and for the first time in a year, Pete’s mind was elsewhere and not on MJ. He was tired and rightfully so. All the crime-fighting and all the studies he carried out with Gwen and Connors were taking its toll…but a welcome toll. As he dozed and snored lightly, he felt a light press on his cheek. Gwen had kissed him lightly as he lay. He jumped up looking to see if his costume was about but Aunt May had it tucked away.
“Ummm….I decided to pick you up…in case you forgot…OUR DATE?”
“Of course I didn’t” Pete lied as he leapt out of bed, “Just gimme 10 mins to change”
“I’ll be in the kitchen”
Pete struggled to dry up after his rapid shower and then he jostled into a wrinkled shirt as he came out, but to his shock he saw the dinner table draped in red and candles lit, wit dimmed light. Gwen had brought dinner to Peter. Aunt May had dressed and was now about to leave the room when Gwen uttered,
“The presentation night Pete told me you got ill, you better Aunty?”
“Umm…yeah she’s fine now” Pete interjected stammering as Gwen stood a bit bemused.
“I’m fine now dear” Aunt May said as she winked at Pete and took her leave for the shelter. Pete stood in awe at Gwen and her design, a lovely black dress that shone her eyes, cut right below her thighs. Pete saw beauty and sexiness, and all he thought of was how could he not have noticed her till now. As he stepped forward and she blushed with her head downward, he tucked her chin up and passionately kissed her. She slowly bit his lower lip as they stumbled into Pete’s room, completely forgetting the dinner they had set out for. Pete kissed her with the might and desire that now stood to reciprocate the love that Gwen harboured for him for nearly 2 years now.
Suddenly Pete’s phone began buzzing off the hook.
“Jonah I bet…ignore it handsome”
“Yep” Pete muttured under his breath, but his Spider-sense subconsciously gazed an eye to the caller, and the ID showed Martha Connors. Pete stopped biting Gwen’s lip and grabbed the phone off the dresser,
“Look! Martha???”
He answered quickly as Gwen realised the uncertainty of the situation.
“Peter – come over quickly. We need to speak with Gwen. It’s Curt. Something has happened. It’s gone all wrong Peter. Something’s happened to Curt…he’s transformed into…some…thing….Hurry…me and Billy are okay but the lab at home is in a mess…Hurry!”
“Gwen we hafta get to the Connors…now!”
Pete and Gwen dressed quickly, locked up and shot over via Gwen’s car to the Connors’.
Connors’ residence –
Pete and Gwen were ushered in to the house by a pale-looking Martha. She was shaking like a leaf, with dark circles under her eyes, and she was hoarse voiced as she was blatantly in shock. Her eyes were red and teary.
“Where’s Billy?” Gwen asked.
“He’s upstairs packing. I’m taking him to my mother’s in the morning…after I alert the police”
“What happened here Martha?” Pete asked as she took them to the underground lab at the house where Connors did the majority of his private and most astute work. The lab was in shambles with equipment and small flames everywhere. There was smoke and chemical scents abound with low visibility.
Someone or something had thrashed the lab. It seemed like an animal had gotten loose…but what kind Pete wondered. The equipment and concrete slabs that were displaced could only be done so by an explosion or something incredibly strong.
Gwen gasped as she caught sight of claw marks, all over the place.
“It’s Curt…he did this”
Martha began recalling the events –
She showed Peter and Gwen the letter from the board of trustees. Pete and Gwen were horrified when they saw the letter stating that their project would not be granted further funds, but all their work would be now transferred to the US GOVERNMENT DEPT. – R & D programme. The rejection letter stated that Gwen’s team would be credited with initial start-up but now the University sold the work and all rights, as they belonged to the University and not the individuals or group, to the Government. Connors and co. would not be able to continue the work they started and wanted to finish. All they would be getting is minor credit. Gwen was stunned but still saw no reason for Curt to go over the edge, but Martha clarified.
“Here’s his diary” she said to Pete, “but he confided all in me. He kept nothing back kids. When Gwen came to him, and the results were positive, he wanted to use this to further test on humans, on himself…he wanted his arm back Peter.”
Pete looked around and realised that catalyst samples and protein additives lay all over the place in test tubes and broken beakers.
“He was testing the formula on himself at home, wasn’t he? That’s why he was heart-broken when we lost the work to the Govt.” Pete realised to Martha
“Yes” she whimpered
Gwen was speechless.
Pete trembled, “his hard-drive Martha is it destroyed? We have to look at what happened to him”
Pete and Gwen were handed a broken laptop, his personal one, with the hard-drive inside intact, and they quickly hacked and uploaded all into Billy’s PC. They were shocked at their findings.
Curt was using anabolic steroid enhancers along with excess somatropin from recombinant DNA technology to supplement the catalyst sample 152-AL, which was further combined with lizard DNA, namely skink DNA. As the skink lizard from Connors’ studies regrew tails at a fast rate, he used this recombinant DNA as the base-stock, not rabbit DNA as before, with his human DNA as the foundation. The human DNA was the house foundation, with the walls being the lizard DNA, and the catalyst and supplements acting as cement – binding everything together as one – a final home.
“Peter look at the catalyst composition – look at the structure – that isn’t 152-AL alone!”
“Shit” Pete recognised the additional portion, as he analysed the catalyst content. It seems that Connors further manipulated the catalyst to speed up the limb growth, as all experiments showed slow exponential growth, especially with Gwen’s rabbit. It seemed that after Curt saw the project being sold, he acted brashly and decided to go all in – now or never. He enhanced the catalyst and made a new formula.
“153-AL” Martha whispered. I didn’t know the science behind it but he said it would save him and no one would take this away from him, this would be his. He didn’t care about fame; he just wanted his hand back.
“What was added to the catalyst?” asked Gwen
Pete shuddered as he stood up, clenched his fists and rolled his eyes, “he added DNA and protein from another organism – from the alien symbiote we found last year or so”
Gwen was further disheartened when she saw the worried look on Pete’s face. Pete told her that the symbiote had regenerative properties and when piece broke off, it would reattach to itself, hence why a host would find it difficult to be rid of the symbiote. The symbiote knew how to re-grow and regenerate to re-find itself.
“Gwen there must be a sample of 153-AL about here, we hafta reverse engineer this formula, can we break down the formula so that its effects are negated?”
“There is a syringe in our safe with the final sample” said Martha.
“Good. We need the symbiote sample he used, there must be piece around here…that is if it hasn’t gotten free” Pete sulked.
“In case we need to enhance the breakdown of 153-AL” Gwen added
“The only other place that it could be is at Empire’s lab. Connors’ office is inside, and he wouldn’t take the risk of leaving school with the alien sample…or would he?” Pete questioned.
“The diary” Martha added, it has to be in there somewhere.
“Gwen, you and Martha, head to the school lab and start work, we don’t have much time, with or without the symbiote sample, we have the 153-AL to work with, hurry now! I’ll alert the police, we need him alive but we need all hands on deck to bring him in…if it isn’t too late already.”
The ladies took the diary, the kid, and headed to the University, while Peter called the cops to let them know what happened – an intruder broke in and abducted Curt. Martha told Pete what occurred that night, the crash, explosions, loud screams that she and Billy heard while eating dinner. When she came down, she saw Curt changing– his eyes yellow, his skin swelling green with tough scales, teeth forming sharp spines, and his tongue splitting, and he grew and grew. Peter told the cops to look out for a 7 foot character, but he could not tell them it was a creature of this sorts. He hung up, remembering Martha’s words.
“Curt turned into some kinda lizard, with a tail, huge and green-black, dragging, and when he saw me I ran upstairs Pete…he growled like a dragon, and I heard a crash…he left through the lab window. He looked monstrous and his eyes…looked evil!”
Pete suited up and headed off to look for Curt. As he took air, he saw about 200m from the house, a manhole mashed up, and leading to the underground sewers. He had to follow this path.
“They don’t know his identity…yet. Thank God. Smells like team spirit” he yelped as he swung down.
Kraven’s monitor –
The Russian was adamant and ecstatic at what he was seeing. The footage of the Lizard was over the news now, after Peter’s call to the cops, they were sceptical but now the manhunt was over as the reptile attacked a sushi bar downtown. It was out in the open and people were running for their lives. He then saw Spider-Man swing down, and his eyes lit. With a thick accent, “now it is time. The battle I waited for all my life. 2 for the price of 1”
He got up, placed a tape recorder, with a sticker on it, onto the Shocker costume, and switched off the TV monitor. Kraven walked over to his throne, kissed it and then sped over to his PC. He typed some keys, and then locked the screen, took a deep breath, and whispered, “Death before Dishonour”.
He was suited and armed for battle, and he slung his sword around his back, before heading off to this chopper. It lifted off as he left the castle. He piloted the craft along the starry night and headed into the skyline of inner NY.
Vulture’s Firm –
“Sir, you gonna love this” Hammerhead’s accent screamed as he barged into the office of Bossman, with his phone message tone beeping, to the tune of Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls just wanna have fun’
“What?...you buffoon?” a pissed Vulture mucked
“Cheer up Vulture! I got the address of that sonuva bitch who’s been the thorn in our side, the guy who took Rhino, Gargan and all our suits, looks like my source was right. Here boss…check these pics I got mailed to me…and better yet…”
Vulture interrupted as he grabbed the cell, “hmmm….we have an address…looks like me and you are going castle-hunting” as he smiled and licked his lips.
Downtown –
The Lizard growled with ferocity and guttural rage as it flung the squad car onto the others. Cops were ducking and dodging trying to get folks to safety as Spider-Man engaged the creature. It’s eyes shone flashlight yellow as it lunged.
“Jeez Connors” Spidey whispered, “It’s me Pete”
But the Lizard was different, Connors was not there, it was beast only. Bullets bounced off and ricocheted off its tough skin, and this made it angrier and it continued its assault on Spidey. Jonah, Betty and Robbie were all on the Ritz Cinema rooftop taking in the battle and making notes and snapping pics. Ben Urich was also atop there as he was shocked at what he saw,
“Jeez Jonah. NY huh? Freaks galore” he shot
“Yeah Yeah. Stop stealing my story” Jonah shot back
Robbie stood in awe, but not at the fight but at the griffin gargoyle atop next to him.
“See when you want something done right, do it yaself. I’m gonna sack Parker’s ass later! Why aint he here?” Jonah yelled.
Robbie was quiet as he made sure he alone saw this – his eyes caught the camera that Spidey hooked up on the Griffin to take pics of the fight. Robbie glanced back at the fight and prayed for Spidey to win, for he slowly began piecing together why Pete wasn’t here.
Spidey shot webs to blind Lizard, whose strength overpowered all web-binds, and then Spidey opened a hydrant to knock him off his feet and temporarily stun him. But the Lizard soon got up and charged with all sharp teeth exposed.
Suddenly Peter ducked as his Spider sense told him to and a sewer cover flew past his back and rammed Lizard in the face.
Kraven then descended from atop a truck.
Empire U’s Lab –
At the lab, Gwen followed the directions of the diary. Martha and son were dropped off, as Gwen did not want to implicate the Connors’ family, and she soon found the minute vault Connors had below his desk. It was a small drawer made of carbon steel, and Gwen used the combination in the book, 10-15-19, his son’s favourite numbers, and unlocked the drawer. She was quaking as she took the beaker/vial that contained a cryogenic jacket around it – to contain the symbiote. She saw the symbiote, creeping as it showed life, slithering around like toughened jello, but as she remembered, and from what Pete said, it was supposed to be a black blob. However, after Connors experiments, he had altered the radiation dosage and sound frequency on the symbiote, to slow its metabolism down so that he could extract it DNA for recombination – thus the symbiote seemed to be suffer from what Connors’ diary described as a sort-of-radiation poisoning, weakening its immune system in a sense, and this symbiote was red, with tinges of black spots and stripes. She quickly placed the symbiote in the reactor chamber and started analysing the 153-AL for reversal so that a cure could be found. She had to move quickly.
Battle scene –
Kraven literally shocked Spidey with his suit, and then shot darts at Lizard but they didn’t penetrate.
“Who the hell are you?” Pete yelled
“Hunting my prey” Kraven remarked as he threw electric grenades at Lizard and flung him into a cement truck.
Kraven then collected a fist and kick to the stomach as Spidey engaged him, “Leave him alone. You don’t know what you’re doing”
“Hmmph….you animals…defending other animals…even when they are wrong...typical” he shot back as he thrust his knee into Spidey’s belly. But before they could both recover Lizard swept his tail and sent them through a jewellery store window. The creature was still dazed from the grenades and then slithered into the sewers. Kraven struggled up and said, “First I kill Lizard…then you arachnid”, as he jumped down to follow Connors.
“We’ll see about that you Euro-freak” Spidey whispered as he ensued.
As soon as Spidey landed in the dirty sewer water, BOOM!!!!...his spider-sense went off too late…and the wall fell down around him and pinned him underwater. He fell into Kraven’s trap, and Kraven immediately heard the explosion and laughed as he hunted Lizard. Pete was pinned with rubble and rodents and he was barely above water…his vision was blurry and hearing lacking…he got dizzy as his vision faded…he passed out.
Spidey awoke to the sounds of sirens. The NYPD was working with the Fire Dept. to excavate the mess. Luckily, a slab had fallen angled diagonally above Spidey and took the brunt of the weight of the collapse. Had this slab fractured, Pete would have been squashed to hell. As the officials were on site trying to better this disaster, Spidey emerged wounded and battered.
“Spider-man, you all right?” Capt. Stacy asked
“Damn…we gots all kinds of people after the Lizard, FBI, ARMY, special ops, Marine, Coast Guard, you name it”
“Yeah Spidey – I sure hope if you can’t get to him in time, that hunter fella gets to cut the Lizard’s throat”
“Shucks” said Spidey as he removed all giddiness from mind and shot off, “He’s my friend!” he thought of Curt as he spun off.
“Pete! Where the hell are you?” Gwen yelled over the phone.
Via a secluded pay-phone on the surface, Pete called her and let her know the severity of the situation,
“Gwen…I lost 2 hours just now…Spider-Man and some hunter are trailing Connors, but I got pinned in a store and knocked out for a couple hours. I don’t know if Connors is dead, captured or rampaging in blood somewhere. How is yuh status girlie?”
“Pete – I took a sample off the symbiote cuz the 153-AL was resistant to the backward reaction. I had to dose the symbiote with twice the radiation Connors specified to get the reaction within it. I didn’t have the time to generate another 153 sample as that would take me 6-9 hours and I’m doing my best. I used the extra-radiated symbiote to help catalyse the backward exothermic reaction and it seems to have worked on the sample. I broke the 153 down and according to the calculations, it should be able to reverse or at least subdue him…but Pete…I tested it here…it killed Lion. With no time or human test subject I don’t know what would happen. If I miscalculated it could make Connors into more of a beast… but there’s something else Pete…the symbiote began acting violently after I treated it with the gamma, even when placed in cold conditions, it grew darker red…it seems to be evolving Pete.”
“It’s the only shot we have…a hail Mary…listen I am going to get word to Spider-Man…the cops’ll help me…go to the Bugle with the syringe. Make sure you don’t lose the formula! And record everything you do and mail all the info to me so we don’t lose it. Once Connors hard-drive is secure in the office too, we should be good”
“I’ll be at the bugle in 10…you sure Spider-Man would be there?”
But Pete had already begun swinging away, as the phone lay off the hook.
Gwen gathered her stuff and jumped, as she turned to face the janitor. He startled her,
“No worries lady, just doing an early shift!”
Gwen said “Sorry but I’m kinda in a hurry” and collected the stuff she needed, and tended to the workstation and bolted.
“You do ya thing lady” the janitor whispered as he eyed her backside when she left and rolled his eyes. He then grew increasingly interested when he noticed what Gwen left on the Lab-station counter,
“Well sonny – what the hell we have here?” he exclaimed as he alone scoped the place out.
Sewers –
Kraven was wrapping his shoulder. Blood leaked from his mouth and scars from the Lizard’s tail and claws lay across his thighs, cutting through his outfit. He was wounded but enjoying every second – the thrill of the hunt. He analysed the ground and he could see the blood of Connors, the red mixed with off-green and yellow, a kaleidoscope of hell, as he followed the trail. He had damaged the monster with his sharp sword blows, and he knew his vibranium blade and knives would soon penetrate. He moseyed along cautiously as he trailed the blood, through the drainpipe…and to the aquatic section at the NY amusement park Carnival.
Bugle rooftop –
Gwen stood at the top of the building when she felt a breeze and behind her Spider-Man stood.
Disguising his voice, “Ma’am I’m here for the sedative!”
“It’s not…it’s a cure…hopefully”
“Well I aint no scientist but I’ll take what I can get to put this Lizard down” said Pete to throw Gwen off.
“Well bring Lizard back alive…you know…so we can study him!” Gwen stuttered
“Sure thing lady”
“Err…you know Peter Parker?...”
“Ahhh..yeah…nerdy kid…picture-boy…my voyeur…he’s helping the NYPD with the chase”
“Yes…my Peter…listen…please if he’s there when you guys confront Lizard, don’t let anything happen to him, let him come back to me please…I Love Him!”
With a slight pause in his voice, Spidey softly promised, “I’ll do just that Miss”, looked at her eyes wanting to whisper ‘I’m sure he loves you too’ but instead his heart raced as he left the rooftop. Gwen stood there with tears emanating as her stomach turned.
Outside Kraven’s castle –
“Adrian Toomes is no one’s fool. Hammerhead, you and I, we gotta make this fool pay!” said Vulture as he landed the copter. They were in the fields behind Kraven’s castle. Vulture was equipped with gloves that sprouted claws, sharp steel, and there were gliding slices on his back. He looked as fierce as could be. He held two guns – one seemingly a flame thrower as he lit some grass on fire, the next was a usual auto-weapon with laser-target.
“This suit was the prototype that Osborn’s kid re-stole from me and injected a glider base like some kinda ninja crap. I’m sure he put that design to good use…just like his dad. Now I’m putting my own spin on it. Let’s go teach this man that you don’t mess with us!” Vulture shrieked as he walked ahead of Hammerhead.
Hammerhead was geared as usual, silk-suit and no weapons, just bare-hands for brawling, and he followed Toomes but he felt uneasy.
“Sure thing Vulture, let’s go pound his ass!”
Carnival grounds –
Kraven spied calmly, as his sulphur bombs effervescent remained. The Lizard could not smell Kraven’s blood and ploughed through the mud aimlessly. Connors was leaking blood from the side and tail, with piercing darts sticking out. The spear end remained embedded in the side of Connors. Lizard was breathing hard, and was clearly angrier than ever as it pursued Kraven. But Kraven’s traps were too cunning as he smiled. The Lizard stepped into a mud-mine field.
BOOMM!!!!
Hidden in the mud was a combo of electric, smoke and scatter-shot grenades with shrapnel, and all tripped and triggered as Lizard shot at least 10 feet into the air and landed neck first. Kraven prayed it hadn’t snapped as he wanted his vibranium sword to finish it off.
He walked over and peered at Lizard, whose eyes were closing and breathing heavily, chest up and down in a laboured manner. The Lizard was done, defeated by the final trap as shrapnel punctured everywhere. Kraven stuck his sword into the belly and pulled it out, hearing its guttural growl. Kraven lifted the sword and now moved to decapitate the Lizard, when a web line caught the sword and Spidey pulled it from his hands and catapulted it into the marsh.
“Go get it now!” Spidey yelled
“No!!! My sword” Kraven yelled as Spidey swung down and kicked him away from Connors. Lizard was unconscious with eyes closed. Spidey turned and saw the wound from Kraven’s sword, and he veered along Lizard’s body…he couldn’t inject the syringe needle into the tough hide of Lizard so he did what he felt right. He stuck the needle straight into the exposed spear wound and stuck it inside Connors till all fluid emptied.
“Come on God, please let this work” he prayed.
His sense went off the hook. Kraven flung two knives at him but he dodged it. The third was a boomerang and he barely evaded that, but Kraven met his face with a flurry of fast kicks and fists.
Lizard was still out and Spidey lassoed Kraven into the ravine nearby to keep him away from Connors. Kraven was strong and brutal as he fought Spidey. Spidey ducked as the boomerang flew past him and roped it in with web and shot it back into Kraven’s torso knocking him into the dirty water. Kraven gasped for breath as Spidey jumped on his chest pinning him down.
“This ends now..who the hell are you and why are you here in NY hunting and murdering?” yelled Peter.
Kraven’s castle –
Vulture and Hammerhead made their way calmly into the throne room. There were no sensors or alarms as they scoped the place, with Vulture’s electronic scan showing no booby traps to set off. They were awed by the room.
“Look at these trophies and kills!” Hammerhead said
“Is that a real sabre tooth tiger-head?” Vulture queried
“Look at this map, what the hell’s a Savage Land and a Ka-Zar? Who is Nabu? His girl?” Hammerhead slurred with his accent
Vulture was distracted as he veered over to see Gargan and Rhino.
“They are frickin dead Hammerhead…but on display like puppets” he said
“Here are the suits boss, look even the Shocker is here”
“Jesus…everything is here that could incriminate us. We gotta clear this crap up and ditch. Wait what is this?” said Vulture
On the Shocker suit lay a sticker, ‘Press Play’ and below was a tape recorder, and so Vulture without thinking pressed play.
Kraven’s voice sounded on the tape with his Russian accent –
“Privet. Good day people. You are here to kill that which is a killer, no? I am known in circles few. Not by my real name. No pictures of me or my conquests exist as I am a ghost – to Interpol, UN and to you. All my kills are kept in my own personal, private collection – the collection of Sergei Kravinoff. My friends, you must know that my parents are wealthy and handed down to me treasures and riches of Moskva czars, but I was alone, a bull in a field of cattle. My rage led me to seek the rose of War. My path took me to the Red Guard Elite Unit of Russia, and our unit was fierce and blood-hungry. But I was too demonic for that group, my thirst grew and I was as you say – fired! But my men in the unit could not turn on me without paying a price, I slaughtered them, the females too, all 15 of my squad. I burnt all, so no one would know I made it out alive and the Russian Elite swept this under the pig-pen! I was free and liberated. To return home and find dead parents leaving me a fortune was blessed, as I took it all, and realised I was reborn, in the fires of the predator. And all those animals in the world, who felt they could not be touched by God, would be touched by me! I took these resources and became this hunter you see before you today. The evil of European cities, gangsters, corrupt officials, and bosses were all felled, but my thirst as a mercenary remained for one purpose – not money – but sport. I began hunting all – good or evil – man or animal – woman or child – so that I was sated. My mind fixated on these animals of society. My first kill of such animal was Mikeal Morbius of Romania, a hybrid some say, or a demon or a mutant, and his ugly head fell to the bottom of the earth at my sword. I was happy with the kill. Soon from Asia to Africa to America, my grip tolled. Then coincidence proved Fate, as my tracking of you Hammerhead, from your past killings in Toirrano to St. Petersburg with the Maggia Blood-Bulls, all dead by my hand now- from leader Jonas Harrow to your brother Ivan, left me with the youngest member of the gang – you Hammerhead. The little runaway giant, Nikolai Torbinski. Your friends with their bull-masks were easy kills…especially your brother, they all hid from their pasts but I showed them the truths of their monstrous ways. Imagine my fortune when I tracked you to NY, under the wing of the Bird Toomes. Hahaha! I watched your operations for many months, your schemes and machinations, and all your dealings with weapons and tech. how destiny proved kind to lead me to this gang of animals – Rhino and a Scorpion. My kind of hunt – but when I took em out on the pier, it was too easy as they had no skill in fighting – just depended on the toys you gave them. I left you the suits as souvenirs but when I realised the implications of letting Shocker live…well I had to stop him from talking so I gassed him out. And my dear comrades, I needed to lure you here, so I took all the suits to lead you here…right now!”
Toomes gulped and stared at Hammerhead.
“You see no one knows this stuff I have told you, but a man, whose achievements are god-like like mine, must spill his jelly-beans on his deathbed, confess all, cleanse soul, absolution indeed hahaha – my comrades, who do you think sent the info to Hammerhead for you to come here? Who do you think gave you the false information for the warehouse heist? It was me and you walked into my den fools. After all, I found the Spider and Lizard, and I know that this would be the last thrill I experience. I have met my matches…a pest of a hero and a true monster and beast. I have brought you here, not to retrieve your tools, or see your dead friends, or my past winnings, but I have brought you here to show you my legacy. I will not be returning to this castle tonight, as I will be ascending to the thrones of glory!”
Carnival Grounds –
“I am no one from nowhere you vile spider!” Kraven muttered as he spat the ground.
“Then it is over…you’re beaten” said Pete as his right fist cracked Kraven out. Spidey sighed as his body was hurt.
“Peter – where are you?” a voice shouted.
It was Gwen and her father, Capt Stacy. Sirens and ambulances blared as the cavalry arrived. Gwen dashed out the car as she ran through the thick mud. She stopped as she crept to the Lizard. She was shocked. He was reverting to human again. All cops and forces were astonished as a man lay before them, Dr. Curt Connors. She cried as she saw him, he was gasping for breath and barely alive.
“Peter!” she yelled as she sped ahead of everyone else.
“Gwen…Gwen!” Spidey yelled without thinking.
Gwen alone heard this voice and she stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Spider-Man.
“Peter – is that you?” she whispered as the voice of the man resonated in her mind. Gwen had finally realised it all. She trembled at her lips as she gazed at Spider-man. Peter looked at her and he realised that she knew his identity. As the cops and co. came into the background, Gwen looked at Peter, smiled and stepped forward.
Peter anticipated her with eagerness and his heart skipped. Suddenly his Spider sense went off
Fwthp!!!! FWTHP!!!
Gwen stopped and looked down at her heart, before looking back up to Pete. Pete’s trapped one of the projectiles with his webbing, but the 2nd one eluded him. His condition after the fight made him not fast or wary enough. He looked over to Gwen and saw her misstep. She looked stunned, her eyes widened, then closed slowly as she fell to the floor.
“NOOOOOOOOO!” yelled her father.
Kraven had shot two darts; the elusive blow-dart stuck her in the chest.
Peter looked over at Kraven; Kraven had a dart in his neck…
“My time has ended on this plane wall-crawler. I failed to kill the Lizard-man, but why kill the Spider-man when I can make him hurt for a lifetime?” said a swooning and swaying Kraven as he began to fraught at the mouth. He coughed up blood as he dropped to his knees, “Death before Dishonour, you bloody animal!” and he hit the ground face first. Dead was the hunter.
Spider-Man was frozen stiff, beneath his mask tears ran, as he looked at Gwen’s father and the officials hustling her into an ambulance.
The medics took Connors into a van, painted all-black with a symbol that Spidey did not know to be orthodox law enforcement. Everyone was hustling, bustling and bundling…and Peter looked at Capt. Stacy and shot away. He knew where he had to be.
Kraven’s castle –
The voice continued over the recorder.
“I knew your ego would bring you here Toomes, as would Hammerhead’s stupidity so I set no traps…bar one. All this comfort in this castle was meant for me…no one else…you keep what you kill…I learned as a young lad. When you pressed the recorder button, an infrared signal was sent below my castle, to a series of 49 boxes. 47 kills I have made…and now 2 more await...these boxes are filled with materials of heaven. No plot is worth hearing without paying the price of admission. Now it is time to collect!”
Toomes and Hammerhead looked at each other with tears in their eyes as they shook in their boots. Before a word could be spared -
BOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!
The entire castle was sent up in an explosion, and the radius made sure everything and everyone…would go up in flames.
NY State Hospital –
Aunt May and Peter hurried over to 3rd floor of the hospital.
“Where is room 309?” Aunt May screamed
“Hurry” Peter yelped as he saw the police escort around the corner. As he bended it, he and May were deafened. Capt. Stacy was blaring in sorrow. The news had just broken. The poisoned dart had infected her system, too severely, it was too late, and Gwen Stacy was dead. Amidst the anguish, May hurried to embrace her father, and Peter walked over to the door, and through the window, he saw Gwen’s lifeless face, pale and her eyes closed, as if she were sleeping, with lullabies intact. His tears dripped, and lip quivered…as he turned and joined the embrace with her dad and Aunt May. Loss was prevalent that night, everywhere – good, evil, light, dark, in the shadows of this NY skyline, everything was falling apart, like ashes of burning flags, like oil fields, like the sun that was now rising through the hospital window. The night was over, and it took its leave with several lives.
Epilogue –
Martha and Billy kissed Curt goodbye. He was in handcuffs and being escorted into the giant barge. It was an enormous ship. Curt wiped his wife’s tears away and whispered
“Don’t worry honey. It will be better. Everything will be all right.”
Before she could respond –
“Take the wife and kid away…as far as I’m concerned they are accomplices in the first place for letting him conduct these experiments…playing God!” said the woman, slim but fit, in the black official suit, with short black hair. As the family was bundled away, she grabbed the Doc and threw him in the hands of an officer,
“Let’s go. This ship is behind schedule and we’ve got another pickup. This NY is full of freaks and I want em all locked up…like you Connors”
They boarded and descended the elevator.
“Ship takeoff in 10 mins Agent!”
“Good” she responded.
They escorted Connors through the hall of cells, and he was stunned at what he saw. The holding doors were transparent, and the first cell, he saw was a frozen cubicle, and in it he saw a man in a green/black horizontal striped tee…his face and arms were like flaky icicles, snow-cones perhaps…and he recognized the face – Sandman.
The 2nd cell shocked him even more as he saw a man in a straight-jacket of metal, with four metallic protrusions strapped to the roof; the man was incapacitated as he stared at the ground in a trance.
The 3rd cell was stranger as it was apparently a huge aquarium, and as Connors passed, he jumped as he saw a liquid face take shape in the water and re-dissolve as if an apparition occurred.
“Bench always liked parlour tricks” a guard laughed.
“This is it here” said the woman.
She opened the cell, they threw Connors in handcuffed, locked the door with the access code,
“Well Lizard…hope your reptile ass likes it here with the rest of ya weirdoes!” she teased.
“Which prison are you taking us to?” he screamed as the agents ignored him and walked off.
“Hey ---- I have rights! Answer me..dammit…Answer me!!!”
“Hahahahahaha”
Connors heard a laugh coming from the cell directly opposite him, and he peered through. He saw a man in a green long sleeve tee, chained at the feet.
“What’s so funny?” he asked the man
“You are. You think them taking us to the prison? Buddy THIS IS THE PRISON!!! Name’s Max Dillon…Welcome to the Raft!” said the main to a wide-eyed Connors, as the man held his hands apart and showed an electric pulse generating in-between, with a sly smile on face.
“And coming in today, after the events of last night folks, NY city is on red-alert. Major police-raids and watches are being carried out by the Govt. and its ‘secret agent teams’ are on the lamb. Major thanks to Spider-Man and co. for helping end the Lizard’s reign. Police are speculating….”
The man switched off his radio.
“Quiet son! Don’t scare the deer away. We got him trapped in that cave there Jasper”
“Yeps dad!”
Both men entered the dark cave with torch lights drawn.
Jasper noted the van apparently turned upside down atop the road, ahead the cliff.
“Dad you think someone in it?”
“Nahh…deer prob scared the people away. I checked the van out already while you reloaded ammo. It’s empty. I’m sure that’s why the deer ran for cover in this here cave boy”
Jasper and his dad crept into the cave deeper and darker.
“Damn son…it is quiet in this sumbitch” the dad whispered.
Jasper didn’t respond as his light caught what seemed to be a wallet in the sand.
The father himself caught wind of what seemed to be a broken vessel on the ground, and it was cold and hazed nitrogen.
“What the…” the father said as he inspected it, but it was too cold to hold.
“Pa…lookit…this belongs to some guy…a janitor from the city apparently…”
As the father looked to come over, a shrill pierce echoed and something grabbed his foot and dragged him into the darkness.
“Paaaaaaa!!!!!!” but before Jasper could raise his gun, a red/black rope-like lasso wrapped and choked Jasper by the neck.
His breath was dying, as he saw eyes gleaming yellow in the dark. Jasper got slowly pulled in, and all he saw was teeth, sharp, long, pointy…and he heard soft teasing whispering laughter.
Jasper got pulled sharply in the dark…and screams and shrieks continued at the expense of the dad and son.
Dust swooped around the cave amidst the cries, and the wallet lay on the ground with the ID card exposed. All that could be seen was the name on it – Cletus Kasady!
The funeral was over, Peter and Aunt May stood in the blowing breeze as the crowd left the green-grassed cemetery. Aunt May took the few days off her shelter to stay with Peter and Capt. Stacy, who retired immedialtely so that he could move abroad with relatives. Her father got into the black limo, and waved at May and Pete, with a tremble of a smile, he was sad and heartbroken, and he got into the car and made his exit, with tinted glass up.
“He’s still in disbelief” Pete whispered
“As are us all son”
Pete wiped a tear away as Aunt May hugged him.
Robbie and Jonah were making their way into Jonah’s convertible,
“Damn sorry the kid went through this Robbie, he’s the best photographer I have, maybe it’s time for a permanent role eh?”
“He has earned it…and so much more” Robbie winked as they entered the car, “God Bless Peter Parker. That kid’s got heart that we could only dream of JJ”
“True that. May Gwen rest in peace, and may his heart mend with God’s grace” Jonah added as they pulled off.
Pete was staring at the picture of her above the grave, she was amazing to him, and he missed her. He looked over the hill to where Uncle Ben’s grave was,
“We’d look for him tomorrow Peter. Not today. He’s probably busy showing Gwen around the place” May added.
Pete smiled and gently kissed her on the cheek.
In the background, a man dressed in a black suit and an ear-piece stood firm,
“We have confirmed that the symbiote kept at Empire’s lab was stolen, records show that Stacy was the last person there to interact with it as she made the formula for Connors’ change-back. Investigations have led us to believe she did not re-secure said symbiote. The prime suspect we have is the person who came in when she left – log sheets show the janitor, one Mr. Cletus Kasady.”
“Well we hafta find him don’t we?” said the short-haired woman, who threw Connors to jail, as she stood in the vessel control room of the Raft looking out at the Statue of Liberty.
“Negative news being we found his truck overturned outside the city, no body nor trace of him, no blood stains either. Pretty weird stuff. Prints show Kasady was in the vehicle too. We don’t know if he was abducted or if he ran for it”
“Dammit. We need to find out more on this ASAP”
“Affirmative. Agent Coulson out”
“Roger that. Stand by for transmission R-209; Agent Maria Hill over.”
Coulson turned sharply to enter his car, when he bumped into a lady’s purse.
“Sorry Miss. Clumsy me”
“It’s okay. I was just getting into that cab there”
The woman watched as Coulson slowly exited, and she held her purse tightly to her chest.
She stared at Peter and May from the back as they embraced each other at Gwen’s grave.
The lady alighted into the car, and as the cab pulled off, Coulson, looking at his rear-view whistled and exclaimed, with the adolescence of a puberty-meeting youth,
“Whoa mama. That is one good looking red-head!”
**END**