SPIDERMAN REBIRTH (click below please)
SPIDEY'S REBIRTH part 1
NOW HERE IS PART 2...
SPIDERMAN REBIRTH...continued
***Chapter 8 – Midtown High-Rise*** **Midtown Cineplex, Tuesday 9th February 2009 – 7 pm** The helicopter hovered over the nightlife of this portion of NY City. The man’s eyes peered down with a strange ease as he saw the food-court outside the Cineplex congregating with couples, lovers, and bystanders – young and old. He remembered it easily – his past –
He saw tenements rising like antennas, circuits of fevers of all these New Yorkers, bantering and bustling at various frequencies, with the speaker-loud voices. The man tuned to the NY nightlife broadcast, with jet-lag in his soul, while his insides felt like shattered lens, pulling shards, choking words caught in his throat, as he wondered how long he would feel like this wheel, barely able to maintain its spin. He held her hand there once, just like an in-love couple would do, at the velocity of heartbeats, and at every block, a reminder that won’t stop the intersection of her face, dead forests showing the miles adding up, the days counting down…as he remembered bathing in the dawn of her love…on 2002, New Years’ day…and now he’s changed back into himself…as he feels that in the flames of lost-love, he burns like the paper hearts of dead presidents. The man stared at his reflection in the chopper window – he looks too lost to lose hope, and he wonders that maybe this night seems so dark because the day burns much too bright. As he stares at his reflection, he tells himself ‘Tomorrow I’ll be you!’
That was just a dream on New Year’s Day, he has changed back to himself…and now in the flames…he is cured!!!
“Beck, what the hell are you doing man?” yelled the odd looking character staring him in the eye.
“Huh?” Beck replied.
“Pay attention on the job man!”
“I am, I’m just…”
“Quentin – if we do this job right man, we’re paid for the rest of our lives…plus look at how Oz has souped and pimped us man! Look at these suits! I’ve worked as a senior engineer for him for 5 years – so when I said to him, I ain’t giving my inventions to anyone else unless I get a piece o’ the action…I wasn’t kidding…but bro, as dumb as I sound, I am not going after Spider-Man with a half-ass crew. I wanna go down in the history books – my brains aren’t all I am…those who can, do; but those who can’t…DIE! I came here to kick-ass or to die…and I ain’t planning on dying! So you here with me…cuz that big oaf next to us ain’t saying jack shit! But Oz says he is good…so I’m down…but you bud…you got my back…don’t you? People hear my accent and don’t think I’m an engineer but pal, I didn’t recommend you just so you can mess up man? Oz trusts me…I trust you…he wants to use us…his own men…on this mission…so you forget about that bitch Maria…and that scum Daniel Berkhart!”
“She left me…for him…that sonuva bitch…and they…they burned for it…burned to hell!” Beck replied.
“See?…they got their comeuppance, so did her father Francis Klum, for making her dump your broke ass for some rich science geek…and I personally slit Francis’ throat for you…but now pal, this ain’t that special effects movie bizz you left when you got yah heart broken…you playing in the big leagues now kid…you focused or not?”
Beck replied, “Ready…and able! Let’s spill some spider-blood Adrian!”
Both men bumped fists as they peered out the window at the moon. Adrian Toomes was the devil on the back, and his red suit, amplified with wings of a new metal alloy, shone and reflected into Beck’s eyes. Toomes, moved on from Osborn’s engineer to henchman, for a thrill, but Beck, whose obscure past saw Toomes’ nickname him ‘Mysterio’, was just out to quell the gaping hole in his heart, by filling it with bloodshed and rage! Vulture and Mysterio sat ready for action as the choppers’ blades silently whirred. Mysterio barely noticed that Vulture was still staring at the giant opposite them. What was his advantage to defeating Spidey? Vulture waited with eagerness to see Osborn’s giant in action. He placed his oxygen pad over his mouth, winked at Mysterio…while Mysterio placed his glass-helmet on his head, tuned his suit to an adjusted frequency that he and Vulture set…and watched as the giant peered at them with dark eyes.
Vulture went to the door, slid it open –
“Remember Beck, hit him fast and hard, I’m gonna case the area…blind and stun the spider…then I’ll swoop in…and you Biggie…you’re the final nail…we all clear? Ready?”
Beck responded with thumbs up to Vulture, while the giant slowly nodded his head.
“You sure Spider-Man will turn up?” asked Mysterio.
“Sure he will. It’s been on the radio for the last 15 minutes…and Osborn’s paid off the cops to be late…well some of em’ anyways…he’ll show up!” yelled Vulture as he jumped out the chopper with a wink to Beck.
Mysterio smiled as he sealed his glass helmet, and the giant took a slow, pissed breath, as the door automatically sealed back.
Vulture dropped at an accelerated speed, then he steadied out, before opening the gliding wings…and with that, he controlled his decent…and perched in the sky, with the secondary blades releasing and spreading, and there he was…gliding through the night…cutting like a knife, as he flew to the top of the Cineplex. No one noticed him, as his dark-red blended in the night…
“Que sera sera!” he whispered as his eyes lit with dark intent. The glare of the moon shone with violence and light…and Vulture looked anxious to test the patience of Spider-Man.
***Earlier that day – “Part of me, Wants to live in a fantasy
Quietly, Show you everything you’ll ever need …
I hope you’ll take it
I know you’re faking just a little bit
Come on and taste it…
Just get excited cuz you’re giving in
Come and see -
How the wind in your hair will feel differently…
Catch and release,
The lure above.
Here we are, In the bathwater overflow…
Later on…Don’t say I didn’t tell you so.
Maybe I didn’t but you’re taking it, Knew you were faking just a little bit
Now that you’ll taste it…
No need to fight it cuz you’re giving in…
Follow me
Down the streams of sweat on your body
Can’t believe
The lure was enough!
Do you see?
How the wind in your hair now feels differently
Catch and release
The lure above
Who knows?
How this feeling grows?
Was it truly worth –
Truly worth the starting
Who knows?
Why the engine’s blown
Hope it's truly worth –
Truly worth the parting
Follow me
Down the streams of sweat on your body
Can’t believe
The lure was enough
Do you see?
How the wind in your hair now feels differently
Catch and release the lure above
Guess the lure was enough
Yes the lure was enough!” 
I dropped the guitar to the floor as Gwen jumped at me, and I didn’t get time to finish my serenade…and we were kissing. Missing each other was just too much to take – and after my dream, after last night fighting those criminals…this was where I wanted to be. With her! This was not a scene that Disney would condone, cuz I was losing self-control…we both were. I was giving everything for this girl, she was my Love…since I replaced the
‘i’ in ‘Live’ with an ‘o’; Gwen was my life, my Justin Beiber bitch-singin EVERYTHING. She was my heart and soul…and my hands were loosely firing…and so was hers. I couldn’t care if this were sins of past, present of future, but if I were to die…I’d deal with Satan…for One More Day with her…right now, I was tangled emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically with the girl I loved…so nothing could tear me away from her. Nothing in this whole wide world…wait a sec…what the eff? Spider sense?
“Gwennie darling!” Captain Stacy yelled as he came up the stairs.
I was out her window already, clinging on to the side of the roof; she didn’t know I was doing this via spider powers. Abandon hope all ye who enter here aka her bedroom…her dad would kill me if he found me here. Jeez…I hope no one sees me clinging here in the afternoon…the difference between poison and medicine is the dosage but no amount of vicodin or bullets could save us if we got caught. Thank god I had my pants on…and she had…well most of hers on! I gulped, as my nervousness kicked in I had to pee now! So this is how Schrodinger’s cat felt…alive and dead at the same time! The road to heaven is paved with good intentions…and as I heard Gwen faking sick to her dad, I felt my myopic eyes would soon see the afterlife a bit faster than I planned…and the anger through George Stacy’s palpable arms would be oh so painful! My common sense was tingling…but I’d never compromise for her…not even in the face of Armageddon…or in the face of losing my nuts. I gulped harder this time…this was not my smartest moment!
Suddenly, the spider-sense lulled…and I was back locked with her lips. See…how I was blocked from rational thinking? Her dad was downstairs…my subterfuge and I were back kissing her again. Danger…or Jackass…was my middle name. My heartstrings tethered unwind for her. I kept it pg-13 as I kissed her neck, her cheeks, and her forehead…and of course, her soft lips…maybe I wandered down her chest a bit…but such was her tempting beauty. For this girl, I just wanted her to keep her hands on me, cuz I would never let her body touch the ground…I’d keep her eyes on me…cuz I’d be her gravity…until she’d sleep sound in my warm hands.
“You’re my robot with human hair you know!” Gwen poked.
“Nice hair though…like Zac Efron, not like Jason Lewis or Leo DeCaprio, maybe slightly like Tom Welling…but better than Jensen Ackles, Chris Pine, Chris Evans, Matt Damon or Ryan McPartlin...” I jut back…
“Shaddup meannie!” she bit as she jumped me playfully. I felt ascension, like a king in his realm as I hugged her tightly. This felt right. My eyes pierced the veil of hers, and the visceral beats I felt for her echoed with each touch, and as divisive and decisive as my choices were, Gwen was always the right one…in any given situation thus far. The rip roaring feeling in my gut that screamed catharsis when I touched her made time stand still, and made me never want to leave Gwen’s room…but time was up…today. Her dad was downstairs with a gun, and…
“I’ll see you later…we’ll go see
ATTACK OF CBM – REVENGE OF LEE777!” “Sure thing meannie,” Gwen whispered as she kissed me as I slipped out her window and down the spout, whilst never missing contact with her eyes.
“7pm…Midtown Gwen!” I winked at her as she blew me a kiss…and I grinned, not grasping it as a corny Notebook scene would allow, but grinned and ran off down the street gleefully and with joy! All the while Jimmy Eat World’s ‘Sweetness’ echoed in my head. I was pumped to spend some more time with Gwen later.
**7:15 pm – Midtown Cineplex “Jeez, Pete…where are you…why are you not answering your phone?’ Gwen thought in her mind, and she sighed, as she felt blue. She watched outside as hobo JMS held up his placard,
‘Your God’s an alien…but My God has a hammer!’ and she shook her head, not waiting anymore, and had her ticket torn and headed into the theatre…waiting!
**Same time – Roxxon Administration Building, 2 minutes away from Midtown Cineplex “What the hell are you doing here?” I asked the young lady…my eyes fixated on hers.
“Ummm….nothing,” she nervously replied.
“What the F are you wearing and why do you have the girl tied up…and what did you steal…and how do you plan on getting outta here?” I grimly asked. I was pissed…my date was missing me…and I was irate. Don’t wait to strike til the iron is hot, but make it hot by striking…and I was gonna strike…I could not care less about this catwoman wannabe burglar…but making me stand Gwen up…that’s alls I can take and I can’t take no more!
“One more step and she gets it…”
The burglar had a wig on, I could tell, a grey-white wig…and she wore goggles…to conceal…what her eyes?
“I like Catwoman kay?…I’m kinky with leather like that…and plus, with a chest like this, why not look sexy on the job?” as she held the young woman to her chest, with a knife to the lady’s throat.
I didn’t panic as I saw the lady’s nametag, ‘Jessica Drew’…I remembered she left my high school last year…and now it seemed being employed as an intern at Roxxon would cost her…her life…
I couldn’t let anything happen to Jessica…so I improvised…
Within a split second, I shot webbing around Jess’ neck…and as this burglar freaked out at the protective web I shot, she flung the knife at me…and I easily ducked it…and as I caught Jessica…
“Don’t worry about me…the police should be here any minute now…the silent alarm went off already! I don’t know what’s taking them so long!” Drew yelled.
I left her and darted after the burglar. As I bended the corner, I ducked a roundhouse.
“Black Cat…that’s me you punk!” she whispered as she engaged me. She was swift, fast as a cheetah, and damn she landed on her feet…she was agile as I saw in her flips…but her combos were amateur…she was scared…I could tell from her motions…they were not even one-tenth flawless…so as I dodged and waited for the opening…
“Take a hit Spider-Freak!” she screamed with her high pitch nauseating voice, but as she flung her fist and let her guard down, my kick to her elbow and my arm around her waist, allowed me to drop her on her back…pinning her down!
“No…let me go…you son of…no man…will…ever pin me down again…”
“Listen woman…you’re under arrest…you can’t just..”
“It’s a setup you fool!!!” She yelled at me.
My spider-sense kicked in…as I heard the window behind me break, but as I got up someone flew into me…straight into my gut and torso…and shot straight through the wall with me…and kicked my ass like a punted football straight into the streets! I landed on the Mazda below, crushing the roof…and as I stumbled to my feet…my eyes blurred…and my sense burnt…
“What the heck?” I yelled…
I began seeing flashes…like those 70s LSD trips…hippie music videos…
“Owwwww!” I yelled as my eyes and head rang loudly.
I barely glimpsed little capsules being tossed on the ground but their flashes blinded me wholly…felt like I was hallucinating in a fun-house…I felt high and intoxicated as my retinal cells felt hot. Like someone placed images in my mind.
“How’d you like my psycho-therapy wall crawler!” yelled a voice.
Suddenly I felt a hand at the back of my head, my sense was off…too much pain in my nervous system, and all I was seeing was blurry sights of the buildings and cars around…before another hand caught my face…my sense couldn’t detect these attacks…too much cerebral confusion…and as I tried to find some sense of what was going on…I felt myself lift off the air and flung into a wall…and before I could grasp anything…I was travelling in the air again…and I was still seeing pixies…
“Haha…seems Osborn’s suit and my tech match perfectly!” Beck laughed as he watched Vulture tote Spidey away!
Suddenly, the heavy thud footstep of the giant appeared behind him,
“How’d you get him to see ghosts Beck?” the guttural voice growled.
Beck stepped back, and reluctantly answered…
“Well…Notorious BIG…my capsules…emit hallucinogens and other chemicals to give a false hypnotic sense…I dazed him…made him see illusions and blurred reality before him…I fracked with his CNS bud!”
“Holographic attacks…on his mind” the giant replied.
“Exactly,” a surprised Beck replied, “it’s like I drugged his mind!”
“Good!” the giant yelled as he laughed and took off…after the Vulture and Spidey.
“What the…” Mysterio wondered as he saw the giant taking off, with lust and rage in his eyes.
**The Cineplex snack section – “You know I’m glad we found each other…I never saw this coming…a dumb jock like me…and a smart girl like you…after Gwen dumped me…” Flash couldn’t finish his sentence as he was interrupted.
“Well, Peter didn’t want me neither…said he wasn’t ready to commit…not so young…but look at them now huh…Gwen and Petey…the golden couple! Hypocrites I say!” Liz Allan teased as she wrapped her lips onto Flash’s and his arm around her waist outside the Cineplex.
“Guess things happen for a reason!” he whispered.
Liz recalled the poem Flash plagiarized for her 2 weeks ago –
“I never knew what I would do
If anybody tried to take you away
And your beautiful boy won't wait for you
Because he's busy with the stars and the fame
And I don't know why I breathe
It's taking too long for me
Can we speed up the process, please?
Or show me the one I need
I need…
Somebody crazy enough to tell me
I will love you…
Till we are buried,
Our bodies buried close together
In the cemetery weather
I never knew what I would do
If anybody tried to speak your name…
I would tear down their house and
I'd burn my way around the brightest memory of your face” “Buried next to you huh?” Liz teased.
“Well I’m not ready for a commitment,” he teased back!
“Just like puny Parker!” she heckled.
“Puny but ass kicking…trust me!” Flash sighed.
“Well what’s the reason for us getting together jock-boy?”
“So I could make Pete see how unlucky he was to never keep you!” as Flash moved in for a kiss again.
“MOOOOOOVEEEE!” I belted out at the top of my lungs!
CRASHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I went straight through the crowd in the court in front the Cineplex, knocking away all the trays, tables and ice cream and food/drinks.
“Everyone run!” I yelled as my panic set in!
Liz grabbed up Flash and they joined the fleeing crowd as screams clouded my ears. This flying winged guy and the fishbowl man had done a hell of a job on my ass…
I stumbled to my feet groggily, and my sense started to clear up…
But it tingled as I caught sight of her…in the crowd fleeing, Gwen…and for a split second her eye caught mine…
And the tranquility was at ease…a shoulder charge sent me straight into the vending machine…head first…and I was down for the count…my eyes could see barely…but this was a different assailant…with a dark brown/reddish suit…with a leather helmet or something so…he looked close to 7 feet…and he was built like a rubbish truck…
“You met Vulture…and Mysterio but…Nothing…nor anyone…can stop…the Juggernaut! I don’t wanna kill yah…I just wanna knock you out cold, ” he eerily spoke as he started gaining momentum again…and as he headed to me…I could barely move…my sense kicking hard…
“If you’re not gonna kill someone…then don’t tell them that…it gives em a distinct advantage,” I muttered but as I rose…
BLAMMMM! A sewer cover slammed into his head and sent him reeling into the table set adjacent.
“Thank God for the Ninja Turtles!” I whispered, as I saw the Black Cat delving into the sewer to make her escape…seems she had one ounce of right left in her…shame cuz the other 2 guys were coming straight for me…
As the man flew down, Vulture, I heard by now, I spun a bolo…
“It’s a bird…It’s a sparrow…It’s a vulture!” as I shot it into his face and sent him into the rails.
As Mysterio grabbed into his pouch, I lassoed him and flung him into the showcase…through the glass…and suddenly, the tide shifted…till Juggernaut grabbed…me…bear-hug…big….huge…
“Awoooowwwwhhhhh….I don’t love you, you don’t complete me,” I yelled for eternal pain…
Through all this, my eyes were surveying to make sure Gwen was not around, I couldn’t risk her being in this area…my head was not in the game…it was on worrying about her…
“What are you cops doing? Shoot them…they’re killing Spider-Man and endangering civilians!” yelled Urich.
“Sir, we can’t risk ricochets, we’re not snipers!” yelled the commanding officer
Geoff Johns! As I began passing out, I saw Vulture and Mysterio emerge, and their plan was to fruition, attack and subdue me in this crowd, amongst human shields…I was gonna die in front the beloved NY crowd…in front the cinema I made out with all my chicks…and ohh…I was never gonna feel Gwen again…
“Pshhhhewww!” Suddenly a shot rang out…and the truck tray on the street nearby was shot open at the lock…and canisters of LPG tanks fell to the ground…
“Shitttt….someone’s sniping!” yelled Toomes as he grabbed Mysterio and ascended…
“Arghhhh!” yelled Juggernaut as the second shot caught his shoulder…he dropped me…and the third shot…was the smoke screen…for me to escape…the crowd was clear…so the last shot blew up a canister…and sent Juggernaut pacing for escape.
“You had me at hello,” I whispered as I shot off into the night…and I saw Uncle Ben’s car parked at the 2 storey lot…and caught sight of him hastily packing away his rifle and heading out…no cameras in that condemned place…smart move Uncle…always the thinker…always with a contingency plan…
Urich was relieved, but the cops were flabbergasted at this battle in town.
Robbie watched the news…
“SPIDER-MAN AND COHORTS LAUNCH TERRORIST ATTACKS ON NY!” JJ yelled…but Robbie ignored him and his ranting for his headline, as he felt the same as Ben, twas a close call…and Spider-Man seemed to be meeting his matches now…NY was not the same!
***Chapter 10 – Breaking the Broken*** **Saturday 13th February 2009 *Parkers’ home, lunch time – “You okay there kiddo…took a long time to heal this time!” Uncle asked.
“That’s cuz this time he took a hefty beating huh Pete?” interjected Connors.
I was in my bedroom, I was recuperating…and in fact, I was a day away from feeling right as rain.
“The swelling is gone, no broken bones, no muscular tears…my sight is back…I’m feeling better!” I replied.
“Well…we’re in a pickle cuz we have to do some investigating today Pete…” Ben replied.
“You should be clean and clear…I isolated the hallucinogens and toxins…and am still analysing them…they are unlike other compounds I’ve seen…they are complex and possess substrates that seem familiar but baffle me a bit…they aren’t in Reilly’s or NYESC files…so I hafta keep working on them…especially to get the final antidote,” Connors spoke as Aunt May served tea.
“Ben, I don’t like him coming out of bed so early, we already had to lie to school and say he was caught in the crossfire at the Cineplex Tuesday night…and we had to lie also…”
I cut Aunt May short, “To Gwen…I lied to her…again…” I sighed as I dropped my head into my pillow.
“Ahh…such is the great romance of the 21st Century…can’t take back Tuesday Peter…but we need to find out who and why they attacked you…was it a hit?” Connors cut in as he slipped into his jacket and hat to depart.
“Pete…Gwen’s coming over in 10 for lunch kid,” Ben chimed in, “Deal quickly…I need us to find out how hot this is boy!”
“You okay Pete?” Aunt May asked as she kissed my forehead.
“I’m fine Aunt…I’m good as new.”
“I missed you Pete!” as Gwen lay aside me, hands held tightly.
“I’m sorry my phone was on silent and I couldn’t pick it up…I got caught in the court trying to sneak in snacks for us…good thing you weren’t with me Gwen…when Spidey hit me by mistake and flung me through the stall…God…that was immense…I felt like I’d die!”
“You’d leave me like in your dream?” she asked as her peering eyes turned watery.
“Never…not from autumn…to ashes…would I leave you…I’d breathe Pacific and pull an Orpheus to bring you back if I lost you!”
“I’m Eurydice?”
“No…you’re much more beautiful than her…or Helen of Troy…or Megan Fox!” I quipped as she embraced me more. I imagined myself as Spider-Man wrapping her in my embrace.
She kick-started my heart like an engine, battered and overused, whilst she lay nestled in my romantic overture, and I analysed all love-spying symptoms of her smile, her love…and her soul…as she believed everything I told her, unconditionally…I knew we were meant to Love each other forever. And that made me sick with guilt, like some symbiote drew parasitic sucks off my back…I felt guilt and remorse that I couldn’t tell her my greatest truths…that I was Spider-Man…and that I loved her more than Life itself. When I saw her glimpse in that Tuesday night assault, that memory echoed in my mind when I was strangled by the Juggernaut…her face…saved me…with her loving gaze stretched across my bones…her scent filled with innocence I knew…when I felt the cold front of my life diminishing like blisters through my pores…I saw her breathe…and I trusted her words…to come back to her always…she is the sword inside my stone…my Excalibur…and with Uncle Ben’s aid…I found her…my way back to her again…I don’t think anyone knows what my words mean…or what me and Gwen could be…but I would wait forever, at the skylines, cuz I know…she is The One! I switched on the player…
David Grey – ‘This Year’s Love!’ This years love had better last
Heaven knows it's high time
I've been waiting on my own, too long
When you hold me like you do
It feels so right, oh now
Start to forget how my heart gets torn
When that hurt gets thrown
Feelin' like I can't go on.
Turnin' circles time again
Cut like a knife, oh now
If you love me got to know for sure
Cuz' it takes something more this time
Then sweet, sweet lies, oh now
Before I open up my arms and fall losing all control
Every dream inside my soul
When you kiss me on that midnight street
Sweep me off my feet
Singin' ain't this life so sweet?
This years love had better last
This years love had better last
Cuz' whose to worry if our hearts get torn
When that hurt gets thrown
Don't you notice life goes on
Won't you kiss me on that midnight street
Sweep me off my feet
Singin' ain't this life so sweet
This years love had better last,
This years love had better last,
This years love had better last,
This years love had better last,
This years love had better last, whoa
This years love had better last. “You nearly broke your back Pete?” she asked as she cuddled me.
“Yep…but worse than that…that Tuesday night nearly broke something more important to me!”
“Wazzat?” she asked with concern.
“My heart!” as I looked into her eyes and cradled her.
OSCORP – That same time “You fools! You utter buffoons! One simple job…nab the wall-crawler and you couldn’t handle it!!!” Osborn yelled, “From Tuesday night till now…and we can’t find this impudent wretch Spider-Man? Is he hiding? Is he running away? Is he waiting for us to make another move? Is he planning for us? Is he gonna strike us?”
“What were we supposed to do?” replied Vulture, “Marko had him!”
“But he lost him! Reilly escaped! We can’t find him anywhere in this or any city…and we had him but you…you all messed the job up!” Osborn replied.
“There was a sniper…and not even you or the cops could find the ID on the guy…he’s gotta be a pro,” replied Mysterio…
“Shut the f*#k up!” Osborn screamed as he flung his cognac bottle into a mirror!!!
Juggernaut looked dimly at everyone else…not saying a word.
Back at the Parkers’ home – “Hi. What’s the deal? Yeah no one’s home…I’m resting…prepping!” I anxiously answered as I saw the number pop up…Dr. Connors.
“Yeah Doc? I’ll be right over…asap. I don’t know where Aunt May is but Uncle Ben is by the girl’s place right now! And we need to get through with your stuff before I take on these guys again!” I rambled to Connors over the line, as I swung into costume, grabbed a post-it…and cautiously headed out the window.
***Chapter 11 – Binding*** **That same afternoon – 4pm** “Kid, you got the stuff from Curt?” Uncle Ben asked.
“Everything went well…smooth and swimmingly…for once,” I replied, “but we have some serious stuff to attend to…the doc found some stuff…this well runs deep, deeper and darker than we imagined…”
“How deep boy?”
“Gran Canyon!”
“Sheesh…well I found the apartment of the girl…the Black Cat…burnt to a crisp…the little house she rented…ironically caught on fire that same night…Tuesday night!!!” Ben responded.
“Well…let me ask what happened! I’m looking at her now!” I angrily asked as I stared Felicia Hardy in the eyes!
“Look I’m sorry…for everything…you wanna kick me to Tarturus or the underworld…fine…but I’m sorry!”
“Start at the beginning and do not tinker!” I griped, “Do not move slow like a glacier or stagnant as an isle…gimme everything!”
“Fine…you…shit…last Monday…I got hired…my contact…circulating in a few rare and not-so-legal circles…contact as Black Cat…in case upper echelon powers needed certain jobs done or info stolen…and I was contacted by this number…this is my Black Cell…untraceable…and used for clients only when they wanna contact me…course I case 'em…to ensure they’re legit…but this one…I couldn’t find the ID…never could for this number.”
“And you still pulled the job?”
“Cuz I got a million in my dark secret account…and transferred it asap…so it couldn’t be taken back…and I was promised one more million…if I stole some info from Roxxon! This same client had me steal info before…and I guess I trusted him…whether the info was legit or not, he always paid me, now this was my big bank break – the voice is distorted so I dunno if it’s a man or woman…”
“What kinda info?” I further asked. My lungs filled like parachutes as windows began rushing by in mind. Every test is a crucible of purpose, and this lesson reverberates through my soul…as my heartbeat sped up, I knew something was gonna set me off. Whatever trivial apnoea and rites I stowed were gonna be forgotten cuz the honesty and fear in Hardy’s voice was immaculate.
“The girl I held hostage, Jess Drew, seems her parents, Miriam and Johnathan, went missing a few years ago…after they left Europe with her, and came to Roxxon, and my client hired me to steal the scientific data they brought to the company…but thing is…they never brought any!”
“What?”
“Jessica cracked all codes and all files…the files my client wanted weren’t there…they never existed…”
“So it’s the same as Warren then…what the…”
“No…you don’t get it do you…Jess tripped the button early on, as soon as I came in, and yet we had time to go through all those files after she pressed the button cuz I wanted my extra mil…even if the cops were coming…but the cops didn’t come cuz they weren’t supposed to Spider-Man…my heist was just an excuse…a plausible one to get you there…I realised that when you showed up, when the cops never came…when Jess told me the files that I came for were myth…my client set us up…and used me as bait…that’s why…”
“You told me we were being set up…when the Vulture swooped in for me…”
“Yes…they got the drop on us…”
“No wonder my sense told me this whole situation was off-key, but I could never see this set-up coming, not with the way things have been going lately…”
“During the heist, I called my client, cuz this is the first time I’ve ever not been able to find my loot…but his number was disconnected, hence why I got suspicious and when the cops failed to arrive and you showed up…I got the gist of the setup”
“So why’d you help me with the sewer to Juggernaut’s head?”
“Well…I had to move it to escape…and I needed somewhere to put the cover…his head seemed like the best place…especially as he looked ready to kill you!”
“Yeah…I guess…seems like I had a bit of help all around that night!”
“Wait…how’d you find me…?”
“Your wig…my sidekick…he made a tracer for me…a prototype…and I tested it when we fought in Roxxon…luckily it worked…so even when you burnt your house down…I still found you cuz I knew you’d not wanna lose your work-suit!…Why though? A pretty girl like…”
“Pretty girl into crime? Well, when you go out and at age 15 your boyfriend asks you to elope, you do…then he…rapes…well, let’s say he got his own…in bloody abundance…and then I swore…no man would ever touch me again…and I had nowhere to go…so I turned into something…different…something…a titular machination of what I needed to be…to overcome my rage, compassion, hurt, pain, anger, love, fear…and willpower. Avarice, hope, death…they all factor in…our lives…in mine, they factor in a bit more…I am a creature of conflict and chaos…and I make my own luck…prosper…and live long…I hope…” she sobbed…as I knew not what to do…she was beautiful…elegant…Felicia had blonde hair…reminded me of Gwen a bit…older though…
“You see…Apotheosis isn’t made for us by ambrosia or nectar…but by money…the currency of the world…Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity, it must be produced, discharged and used up in order to exist at all…but such is this bleak world, that sometimes, you have to steal such gratitude…”
“Bullshit speech…it’s wrong and you know it…stealing is frickin wrong…”
“You know you’re a naïve youth when you speak with such innocence…wise up Spider-Boy…cuz if you don’t this world is gonna eat you alive…sad to say!”
“No…I can…protect…”
“What? Protect the world, avenge the city…guy…you can’t save everyone…especially when everyone doesn’t wanna be saved” she whispered as she got closer to my ear…and slipped the tracer back into my hand.
I stepped back, “My sidekick...he…err...umm…he monitored all police calls…and when he got the Roxxon trip over the air, he notified me asap…but he too grew wary when no cops came…and when the radio-chatter failed to alarm everyone to Roxxon he sped over to the city…cuz he, I guess thinks like you, cynical I guess…and he helped snipe me outta trouble…everyone sensed a setup except my ass! I can’t believe we got crooked cops in our system. I am naïve huh!”
“Well…nervous kiddo…you changed the conversational topic really fast there huh…what…I got too close to you? You must have a thing for blondes…cuz I didn’t get you off with my Black Cat get-up but I can sense you’re in a wreck and bumbling right now with my Felicia ID…my real ID. Wow…strange Spidey!” she teased as she pulled me in, “I wonder what it would have been like had I wrapped you up that night?”
“Look I’m sorry for this mess…but I…I have to go…please…don’t turn me in…”
“Only if you leave NY…for good…cuz if I hear you about here again…I’ll arrest you…I swear…I’m giving you this chance cuz you helped me…’
“And cuz you got a crush on me!”
“No…umm…I do not…please move your hand there!”
“Oh sorry…thought that was my hairbrush…”
“The brush is on the dresser,” I stammered as I tried to evade her…but she pressed her body onto…my…everything…”
“I promise…I’M GONE…but I’m not the bad person you think I am…all the money I collect…I help rape victims and poor houses…I do so much good…from doing so much bad…but I have to…so no one goes and lives through what I did…that nearly made me kill myself…and I can’t see that happen to anyone else…”
“I’m…truly sorry…for everything…” I whispered, as she slipped her face in close to mine, and she slowly pulled my mask up…showing my mouth alone…
“Felicia…I..”
“You are with another…I know…I could sense that feeling on you for a while since you entered here…But how do you know she’s the one…I thought Brock was my one…I was wrong…I dedicated myself to him and him alone…I never experienced any guy besides him, and after the incident…I never let another man touch or kiss me…never! But I…never met…a hero…pure…innocent like you…Kiss me Spider-Man…and if you don’t feel anything then who knows…you and her maybe meant to be forever…use me as a litmus test…If you feel something when we kiss, then maybe you and her…aren’t meant for each other!”
As she leaned in, I ducked away…smiled…into her ear, “It’s cuz I don’t even have the slightest imploration in my body and mind to kiss you…that I know I love her…and we’re meant to be…”
She pulled down my mask…smiled and hugged me…
“Test passed Spider-Man!” she softly spoke with a whimper in her voice.
“You’re not a thief, you’re a treasurer?…Such are the wires and concepts of breathing huh? Now hurry and get outta here before I arrest you!” I joked.
**Earlier that afternoon, Peter’s room, 3pm**– “Jeez…where is everyone? Aunt May is at the shelter, but where’s Uncle Ben…and Pete why are you missing? You’re outta bed and you should be resting, it aint even a school day! Those girls, Carlie Cooper and Norah Winters, are telling everyone that you’re on your death-bed…those Gossip Girl bitches…and I brought you your projects for final semester…but where are you?” Gwen wondered to herself as she snuck into Pete’s room.
She was trying to call Peter, but she heard his ringtone,
‘Blue and Yellow’ – “Should have said something but I said it enough, by the waste my arms were shaking I’d rather waste some time with you!” “Pete, your phone is home?”
She saw it on his bed…and as she placed the books for him on his study desk, she saw next to his phone…his post-it he left for Aunt May. It read –
“Aunt May, Will link with Uncle Ben. Went to Connors’ Lab for the antidote for the blood toxins. Emergency transfusions required!”
Gwen dropped her phone as she gasped, and she recalled the several appointments Pete had, some she knew he didn’t admit to regularly, with Connors…
“Pete…what’s going on? Are you sick…are you…?” she wondered as tears began filming around her eyes, then she remembered how Pete grew sombre over the past few months, and his dream with the two of them…and how he acted as if he was gonna lose her…and she felt his sacredness…again….but why was he scared? Was Peter Parker dying? A tearful Gwen had no voice, but she needed answers…now!
**Just before Pete went to Hardy’s apartment, 3 pm – “There is the antidote…this vaccine should do the trick…and I’ve got more to inoculate anyone else we see fit…” Connors said as he injected me at the University Lab.
“So everything is gone?” I asked
“Yep! This emergency transfusion will do the trick. You’re safe from that Mysterio guy…even he if he’s altered his compounds…I’ve been able to formulate protection in that dose.”
“As long as he doesn’t have new gases for me” I pondered
“Well…in that case you’d have to run or fight like hell!” Doc replied to me.
Weird thing is…those base compounds…I’ve seen them before…not with Reilly’s work but here in NY…I’m running diagnostics…so to cross reference these compounds…they’re patented I think…but I know I came across them before in research locally! Hopefully later today, I’ll get final word as to where they came from…cuz to use them to make such powerful toxins…this should be illegal! I’ll have to sort through the database from home, cuz if I get caught at Empire doing this, I’ll be in serious trouble…plus I may use Reilly’s data to help with any weird stuff I come across, though it hasn’t been helpful so far with this…”
BEEP BEEP… “Dammit…let me know the word but…I gotta go Doc…I got our cat-burglar…gotta get her before she goes on the lam!”
“Be careful!” Doc yelled as I bolted out his window, “I’ll let you know when I get the info!”
6:30 pm – “Uncle Ben, our line is secure as usual…I’m heading over to Connors’ home right now…I left Hardy’s underworld Cell in the garage for you…pick it up…I tried to run a trace on Cat’s client…but wasted at least an hour or 2 with no success, maybe you’d fare better!” I ended the message to him as I saw an incoming call from Connors. I took it.
“Pete…I got the source…the chemicals…all compounds are proprietary of OSCORP…OSCORP made those chemicals…"
BOOOOOMMMMM! “Connors what was that?” I yelled as I swung through the sky.
“Shit…they’re here…hurry…!” he screamed over the line.
“I’m coming…” I bellowed as my heart beat faster.
“Noooooo! Help!!!!” a familiar voice screamed.
I stopped onto the side of a building…the voice, that scream…I recognized it anywhere…it was Gwen… **Earlier – OSCORP “Carpe Diem Quam Minimum Credula Postero - Sieze the day, trusting as little as possible the future!” Dmitri’s voice echoed over the speaker.
“I have not the time nor the patience to be tested for this. I see myself strangled and dressed for a funeral in black and white, my tie strangles my neck…and I’m seen in this closet, in this cubicle, in this office, just a number on a resume…stored in the mainframe, marked for delete…I see my younger self…an utter failure! I see my weakness Dmitri!!!” slammed Osborn.
“Sir, I too, am up to my neck, drowning in the seconds, ingesting the daily commute of info, lost in the dead subway and plane sleep…as we both lie awake in non-existent beds! I see you tossing and turning, getting up…thriving from 9 to 9, single file with every day like the last my Sir…We wait for the life to start, while it always lies just ahead..”
“Of the curve!” Osborn finished the sentence.
“Before we take these hands, and throw them to the river to wash away the things they never held…before we are thrown to the river, do not drown Sir…before the work day ends!”
“Hmmm…copies…of copies…of copies…when will it ever end?”
“Sir, it never ends…till it gets so bad that the ink fills in our fingerprints, and the silhouette of our faces becomes the black cloud of War, and even in our dreams we’re so afraid that this weight will offset who we are and all those breaths that we took are cancelled in our lungs!”
“Dmitri…last night I dreamt my teeth fell out like ivory typewriter keys…and all these monuments and skyscrapers in NY burned down and filled the sea…and I couldn’t save the ships…the anchor is part of the desk…of my mind…I couldn’t cut free…with water flooding the decks…”
“Sir fear not…memos fade through the currents and computers spark like flares…we can see them before they touch us…we have mastered how to swim…we must raise the fist again! Breathe Sir!”
“How can I Dmitri? My men have failed me…I must send them out again…but I feel like putting bullets in all their skulls!!!”
“No need Sir…I have proof that Ben Reilly is not Spider-Man!”
“What…are you…”
“Patience Sir…all will fall into place! Forget capturing Spider-Man…I know where your data is…the data from THE OTHER!”
“What?”
“Sir, the Mysterio chemicals…they have been extracted and traced…back to OSCORP…by Dr. Curt Connors…seems he wants to dig where he knows a coffin awaits!”
“Why? Is he helping Spider-Man?”
“Sir, this photo…our satellite captured it today…I retraced archives…and saw a few minutes ago…Spider-Man leaving Connors’ lab…and the trace he is running…is from his home…he will crack the trace soon…I cannot stop him…he will ascertain our compounds…but as long as he traces us, well…I’ve piggybacked and traced into his hard-drive…at home…Sir, he has THE OTHER data…I can confirm myself…it is clear and legit…but we…can only extract from the parent PC!”
“We need to pay him a house-call!” Osborn growled, “Why him? Why Reilly sent it to him?”
“Sir, Connors was 3 years Reilly’s junior…we looked at Reilly’s year as people he would trust, his rivals, his friends and enemies and teachers during his time…but turns out after I dug on him, Connors was Reilly’s biggest rival, but Reilly had already left the University…we assumed that the guy who Reilly would leave the data with would be someone who was in the university during his time, but Reilly smartly left it with Connors, who entered when Reilly left the University. And Connors excelled, and perhaps did work that rivalled Reilly…we never considered that Reilly would look at a junior as an equal…especially with the juniors he took on to JACKAL and CARRION and whom he looked down upon…we assumed he had respect only for seniors and equals…turns out he had one junior that he considered a class apart…maybe better than him…Curt Connors…Sir…he gave all THE OTHER to Connors!”
“That’s Spider-Man…he is leaving Connors’ lab…is it Reilly?”
“No Sir, the scans of Spider-Man’s body show that even if Reilly’s height accelerated and his body optimised, he would still be only a 40% match physically to Spider-Man…these numbers do not lie…and I know they do not lie…Sir…unlike your chase of ghosts and spiders in NY, while you went after the crawler…I persisted…and found Reilly! Alive and well…and soon to be ours!”
“I will fence my garden with his bones and picket fence smiles…Dmitri my good Sir, you have done well…as usual…not even a smile from the trenches could fool you…Holden Caufield and his bloody rye would quiver at your intelligence…my boy…you caught the ghost runner on third…the hair trigger that bleeds my wounds! You are my spear! Dispatch my justice like lightning…like thunderbolts! Now son, let us make Connors pay and silence him before he gets out of hand! I will dispatch the necessary men to his home…and I take it you are nearby…with a Tokyo rose perhaps?”
“Sir, I’m in the police station on 34th as we speak…NY’s finest!” “Well then…let us proceed!” Osborn gleamed.
***Chapter 12 – Resolution, Clarity…and Crimson Water*** **Connors’ home – 7:10 pm “Now you’re lucky your wife ain’t home Doc…her pagan eyes get to see a horizon loving the sunset once again! And she better not come with her kid cuz this is about to get real messy!” Vulture yelled.
Connors was flung across the table and onto his workstation. He crushed his phone so the calls to Spidey couldn’t be traced. He was in severe pain!
Juggernaut stood outside the house waiting and watching…waiting patiently!
“Now Doc – What’s up Doc? Get it? Screw it…we need the data…THE OTHER…all of it…now…so unlock your PC…and gimme the data from Ben Reilly or else…” Vulture scowled as he cut Connors with his blade across the back.
Doc yelled for mercy!
“The cops should be ringing in soon…and I’m gonna crush all of em!” Juggernaut thought as he grinned and waited. But before he could grin, he felt a dumpster land on his back…and threw him to the ground…
“Where is Lady Gaga and frickin Imogen Heap?” I yelled as I webbed Doc’s ladder and smacked him across the head.
“Ha – someone is pissed at me – why? I come to bring you peace, not pain!” as Juggernaut charged…full throttle. I swung to the zenith of the garage…and brought the satellite dish down on Juggernaut’s head…but he dusted it off…and swung at me…missed and cleared a pillar away.
“Vanilla twilight…and some nostalgia!” I yelled as I webbed the heavy pillar pieces of rubble…vanilla and heavy…and smacked them into him…one after the next…cuz I knew his armour and helmet made him impervious…to my blows…even I weren’t that strong…but I could be an adaptive sentry…
“Huh? Where’d you go Webigail?”
I could never tell supple lies – to thugs – and like Daft Punk said – bring it Harder, Bigger, Better, Stronger and Faster…I hot-wired the 4 x 4 and screeched in straight into the dazed thug and rammed him and around 140…and shot out just before in time!
The loutish ruffian of a guard was swirling and swooning…he didn’t expect that…but with gasoline around him…I ignited it with the matches from the vehicle…and blasted him…
“What’s going on out there? Dammit? Hurry Doc!!” he yelled as Connors began to grow submissive. He was bleeding profusely and Vulture was not letting up. He cut him again on the thigh!
“We know Reilly gave you the stuff…you can’t even lie…but time is running out!!!” he yelled at Curt.
Juggernaut was stunned by the arsenal. Malingering? Hell no! I got some endorphins for him…he gets off on pain…and I dropped burning tyre well smack into his face…and I saw his helmet loosen.
Sirens rang out…they were fast approaching!
I just smacked Shirley in the temple…and now he was the gross, slovenly prey…and with shovel in hand…and a sledgehammer in the next…I cracked the helmet off his head…blow by blow…and gazed upon the ugliest bloodiest face I’ve ever seen…he spat blood and teeth out…
“Wuh-Wai-Wait…” he pleaded, “God…”
“Bless you! I interrupted as I smacked the shovel across his head and sent him to sleep. The hammer would kill him, but I wanted him alive and beaten. And with the blow I struck, he wasn’t getting up – how do you stop a Juggernaut?
Knock his temple the f*#k out!!!!! My tongue tied a strong noose…and now I was heading for more blood!
I had to save Gwen and Curt!
Amidst, the sirens, Mysterio quietly stalked his prey…
“Come out little missy…come out and play? I don’t know why you stood so unlucky to be at this wrong place at this wrong time…but you ain’t leaving here alive missy!”
Gwen covered her mouth as she hid in the pool house…Mysterio had no idea on the other side of the house, Juggernaut was out cold…nearly dead.
“Come on Missy...you know…you remind me of someone…a friend…an ole friend…named Maria Klum…she was my love…till she left me for some nerd scientist…worked NYESC…both of em’ worked there…she left me for him…she worked in admin…he was super-nerd scientist…so I did what I had to missy…her blonde head had to burn…so I snuck in…I worked on movie sets with explosives and shit…I was a chemist you know, but I was a pyromaniac…so I did explosions and tampered with circuits and small bombs…but what I was good at…was messing with electrical equipment…including generators…you see…I tampered with their generators at NYESC…and hell…when the place went up in flames…I didn’t even flinch…even got my best friend to kill Maria’s father…that low-life…cuz well…if I couldn’t have her…no one could…and no one will have you Blondie…you gotta die…cuz you know my secret…you and my best friend Vulture are the only 2 people who know this…and you know what else? I still think of her…and love her…and miss her…but now that I see you...I just wanna kill you!!!!”
Gwen gasped…as she saw the shadow coming in her direction.
She was behind the tool shelf…and she couldn’t even breathe! “Aahhhhhhhhhh!!!” yelled Connors as he saw a piece of the Vulture’s wing blade in his right arm.
“Gonna hurt more than that! Heck when Jug’s finished making the cop cars explode outide…I’m sure he’ll want a piece of you!!!” Vulture taunted…
“Stop…Stop!”
“Well..if you don’t log on and transfer the data…well, I’ll just get started kid!!!”
“Reed Rich-Richards…called me an error operator…once…when I lectured him…said..it…it was a man who…who couldn’t see any problem unsolved…he said I was like him…we had to solve all problems…and have plans for everything…see…I have to fix everything…just like Ben R-Reilly was…just like I am…and young Reed is…we’re…error op…op…”
“What the f—k are you blabbering about Connors?” yelled Vulture.
“I’m stalling!” Curt replied secretly as I descend from the rafters and kicked Vulture over the railing.
I couldn’t see his face as he had it covered ninja style…but I swept in and engaged.
He had no real attack moves but his blades were shields and weapons at the same time…and that made him dangerous!
“Run!” I yelled to Curt as I slapped and kicked Vulture…in his gut…and then flung him through a door, webbed him back in, and rappelled him to my fists. And broke him through the piano.
Curt got up limping, took his laptop with his data…and ran to the family PC. It was his backup…and then he started to download all the other work files to his laptop.
Before Vulture could gain a hand, I smashed the flowerpot into his chest and kicked him in the face. He was swaying with pain.
“Now…Now…Don’t whisper a breath missy! I got some meds for you…some lovely mind meds…makes you dream nice dreams…” Mysterio taunted as he stood on the other side of the shelf, with his hand dipping into his capsules pouch.
Gwen was out of breath, crying silently as she saw the shadow coming around the other side – and as she took off, Mysterio grabbed her by her locks…and flung her to the ground…
“Goldilocks – here is the porridge!” as he reached for his hallucinogenic capsules…with Gwen screaming…
“HELPPPPPP!!!!”
I heard her voice but as I turned…
BLAMMMMM!!!!! A gunshot rang out.
I geared to head to the direction of the gunshot, when…
“Hey…I can’t shoot webs…but I can kick your ass,” slurred Vulture.
With that, all his wing blades shot out at me…sharp and numbered around 100…and as I ducked and weaved…my sense worked to its best…but around 25 cuts pierced my skin…none stabbed me though…but heck…
“AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” I screamed, as if my skin were doused with gasoline and set on fire.
“When the rich wage war, it’s the poor who die Spider-Man…and I see you are a poor lil insect!”
“I’m an arachnid!” I slurred as I dropped to my knee, and as my sense warned me…a lamp and a mirror crushed my skull.
“Finished here,” whispered Connors as he dragged himself and his laptop up down the stairs, he was heading to the kitchen to escape…but he was limping. He was searching for an exit, when he felt a hand cover his mouth…muffled and muzzled…his heart began to beat heavily…and just when he felt to give up…and his hand loosened the grip on the laptop…it fell to the ground…but the mysterious man caught it…and held up Connors!
“Relax Sir, I’ve got you,” whispered the man.
He was grey, seemed oldish but fit and strong for his age…he wore a captain’s uniform…NYPD!
“Who – who are you?”
“My men are scouting around and getting into position outside. I’m Captain George Stacy, Mr. Connors!”
“I have no bug spray…but these hands do just fine!” as Vulture crammed a fist into my face…and boy, did that hurt…I’m sure he broke a knuckle there.
Before I could muster a glance up, kicks reigned into my chest…and I couldn’t breathe…I was down for the count…and after kicking J-naut’s ass…to be felled by this creep…I felt wronged!
“Listen…we don’t know how many thugs are outside or in the house…or whoever else is on the premises…but Spider-Man is trying to help and so am I…what’re these thugs after?”
“These goons…want my data…secret science data…collected…over years and research for decades,” Connors yelped as he panted out of breath.
“We can’t let them have it then…if it’s so valuable…we hafta keep it safe…transfer it…and leave the laptop…as a decoy…a dummy…a beartrap…we can’t let Reilly’s OTHER fall into the wrong hands!” Stacy implored.
“Here…push this USB in…hurry…in the end port!”
Stacy complied…
“What will this do…store all the data?”
Connors looked up with weary eyes…he seemed ready to pass out…and he responded,
“Wait 20 more seconds!”
As Vulture took up the major dining chair, and cracked it across my back, I felt wringing bursts on my spine…
“Son of..” I got cut short as he kicked me in the face…
“TIME TO DIE WEBHEAD!”
“Are the files transferred?” Stacy begged.
“No…they’re deleted…gone…all of em!” Connors looked up as he stood sickly, “They’re wiped from existence you bastards! The USB contained a virus to destroy all ounces of data I have here at home…all gone…can never be recovered…not in this lifetime!”
Stacy stepped back…
Connors coughed, “You asked me about THE OTHER…from Reilly…you slipped…I never said anything about those 2 names…I just mentioned data…you sold yourself out cop!!!”
Stacy knocked Curt to the ground and forcefully pried the shard of the wing-blade that Vulture left in his right hand…and whispered,
“I am no cop Connors!” as he held the bloody, dripping blade over Connors, and covered his mouth…no screams to hear!
He then jammed his knee into Connors throat…and his eyes…spoke of Death.
“Daddy!” Gwen cried as she hugged Captain Stacy. He embraced her as tight as possible, and shielded her from the sight of the man he just shot…a single bullet to Mysterio’s head…to protect his daughter.
She had him on speed-dial, and when she went to Connors for answers, she met the thugs beginning their raid on Curt’s house…and she darted outside…with her call made to her father…
“Hide baby…I’m coming for you. I’ll save you. I promise!” were his last words to her before she dropped her phone in the pool by mistake…she waited, prayed and hoped…she couldn’t even say good-bye to Peter…but now…all was safe for her…her father kept his promise…as his men began casing and moving in…
“Dad…I’m scared…where’s Doctor Connors…and Pete?”
“It doesn’t seem like Pete’s here Gwen…I can’t get through to the Parkers…even at home…but the only people we can confirm is some giant my men are booking right now, and this dead guy here who came after you…and it seems Spider-Man is inside with the other assailant, and Connors!”
Stacy took his daughter to the medics on the outside…
“See to her! Men get in positions now!” he yelled as he ran back to the perimeter of the house…under siege…Ragnarok it seemed for Spidey!
Gwen’s lips trembled as her eyes teared more and more! As the medic turned his back to tend to his kit, she silently slipped off the stretcher…and made hastily away!
“So…you think of all the bars in the world…you think this is your Casablanca? Answer me Spider-Man! You are an abomination, a blasphemy that makes his bed in the night with mischief…no sutures for you!” Vulture yelled as he pounded my chest and skull.
“You think this mask…this aegis I wear…makes us the same? I am better than you Spider-Man…I am no freak!”
As I felt his hot breath over me, he pulled down his mask; he sensed I had little in me left…
“There's no one in town I know
You gave us some place to go.
I never said thank you for that.
I thought I might get one more chance.
What would you think of me now,
so lucky, so strong, so proud?
I never said thank you for that,
now I'll never have a chance.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in”... “Time to die Wall-Crawler,” he taunted as he ended his wretched tune.
“HELLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!” It was Gwen…Vulture kicked me away…and ran down the stairs. I couldn’t get up…my insides were killing me…I began to pass…out…as Gwen’s screams faded…
“Captain…it’s your daughter…she’s snuck back in…she is in the house…cease all fire!”
“HOLD THE LINE…KEEP FORMATION…DO NOT ENGAGE! I CAN’T RISK IT!” Stacy yelled before whispering, “Gwen what have you done?”
Vulture came across the girl…he was astonished…she was holding a bloodied Connors, his right arm had been cut off…by a wing-blade…and he was passed out in shock. Vulture smiled.
“It’s Chameleon, Toomes…come in!”
“Yeah…”
“Mission is fail. The data has been deleted. Juggernaut has been apprehended and Mysterio is dead! He was shot in his head”
“What? No…it…cannot…”
“Listen, Doc made me out, he saw through my ruse, through my cover as Stacy…I did what I had to do for we had no more to gain from him…Connors paid the price already…he gave little with his possessions…but he truly gave when he gave…of himself…let his hand be a reminder…we are lethal! Now, I snuck out undercover…get out now…I couldn’t radio earlier as the cops have been jamming all frequencies…but I have this window now…Leave the house…now!” said Dmitri as he sped back to OSCORP in his car, still wearing the faux-officer suit.
“Nooo…they’re dead…they’ll pay for Quentin!” Vulture roused.
“Come back in….Toomes…come…” but Toomes tossed the ear-piece away…and grabbed the girl…
“Miss…this doctor will die…and you…are my ticket to hell! I gots no more wings…so let’s give them a show!” as Vulture muffled Gwen’s mouth…and dragged her away, leaving Connors to bleed to death.
I couldn’t even get in contact with Uncle Ben…where was he? I was wounded badly…and I heard her screams…again…under the syncope…muffled…
“We can’t enter the house…we don’t know if there are booby-traps…and we can’t endanger the hostage anymore…if Connors is alive…God…what do we do?” Stacy asked of his men…
“Sir, we have to make the raid!”
“But my daughter…he’ll kill…her,” Stacy replied…
“Sir, we may have no choice!”
“Vulture is the name…remember it…though you won’t make it through this night…tell your friends in heaven…when they ask How Long Is the Night…tell them I was the needle in the thread…the night…is never over!” Vulture whispered
“Please…let me go…”
“You’re a heroine ain’t you…or a damsel in distress,” with an esoteric glimmer he asked.
Gwen was placed in this dichotomy of hell…to fight back…or to submit! He dragged her up the stairs…and Gwen saw it in his eyes…he planned no escape…they were both going to die…Vulture wanted to die…with a bang!
“God NOOOOO!” Stacy yelled as his men held him back…Vulture was atop the house…he was in the gallery…held her in front him…so not even a sniper could hit him, without wounding her…the cops were in a hole…they had no clue what to do…and Stacy was bawling…his little girl…was seconds away from death.
“Captain…listen…now…I think…we have to…we just got orders…to step away from the house…and leave…the girl with the criminal!”
“What…how can we listen…who is the voice over the radio?”
“Sir, he informed me to take a squad…and extract Connors…Sir, I did it already…your judgement is clouded…so I had a team move in an take Connors out…he’s critical…and he’s on his way to the hospital…”
“WHATT? YOU TRUST THIS VOICE MORE THAN ME?”
“Sir…he says for us to step back now…cuz…he…well…he’s Spider-Man’s partner?”
Stacy couldn’t breathe nor believe anything…. he was at crossroads and didn’t know what to do….
The rain took all but a split-second to fall…lightning arrived swiftly…and thunder rolled…it was dark…and the moon…seemed dim!
“NOOOO…WHY ARE YOU STEPPING BACK??? COME SEE MY GLORY…SEE THE MONSTERS YOU HAVE MADE!!!” yelled Vulture as the rain beat down on him.
The police had Juggernaut already on his way to Ryker’s…Connors was near death heading to the ICU…and Stacy…decided to trust the voice on the radio…
200 metres away, Uncle Ben put his radio down…
“No cops around Pete…C’mon kiddo…do your thing…I have no shot here…c’mon boy!”
“AHHHHHHHHH” Gwen screamed as Vulture grabbed her tighter…
“Nooo….” Stacy yelled as the rain dropped…harder and faster…
Vulture grabbed her…
“We have no shot!” yelled the officers to Stacy…
Everything happened in slow motion.
Vulture picked Gwen up and as he slowly edged to the balcony’s tip to throw her over…
“Noooooooooooo….” I yelled as I swung in from the blind-side…obscured by the balcony top…and kicked Vulture in his chest….full impact….but Gwen….
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHEELLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPP”
She went over the edge…my heart beat slower and slower…calm, patience…remember Uncle’s lessons…as I landed on the rails…I saw her…stretching out her left hand to me…and I saw Vulture fall over perpendicular to us…and I dove…after….Gwen….and grabbed her left with my right hand…and then…
1 second later…my left hand…shot the web….and I pulled her in with my right….and swung with my left….around the side of the building….I CAUGHT HER…I CAUGHT GWEN!!!!…
There was no sound…none…I blocked them all out…as we landed…my mask was torn…but just barely enough covered my face…as I quickly turned away…
“Thank you…Spider-Man!”
She grabbed me tightly and hugged me…close…with both her hands around me…
And I saw her…notice my lips as I looked away…and she reached…both her hands grabbed mine…and squeezed…I saw her tears…and mine began to flow…I coughed and walked away…she felt our pulse in the hands…I couldn’t even look back at her…
“Wait…” she asked…but I stepped away…wounded, bloodied and limping…and praying that I did enough…that the darkness and rain…were enough to hide my exposed facial features…I hoped…and as I walked…I saw him…Vulture…impaled…he fell onto Doc’s balcony gargoyle…and fell to his death…impaled on the concrete spear of the broken ornament.
Now the dark begins to rise
Save your breath it's far from over
Leave the lost and dead behind
Now's your chance to run for cover
I don't want to change the world
I just want to leave it colder
Light the fuse and burn it up
Take the path that leads to nowhere
All is lost again, but I'm not giving in
Watch the end through dying eyes
Now the dark is taking over
Show me where forever dies
Take the fall and run to heaven
All is lost again, but I'm not giving in
I will not bow, I will not break
I will shut the world away
I will not fall, I will not fade
I will take your breath away
And I'll survive, paranoid
I have lost the will to change
And I am not proud, cold blooded, fake
I will shut the world away ***Saturday February 13th, 2009 – 8:25 pm*** I am Spider-Man…
and I’m wiping tears away and sobbing like a cookie-selling girl scout…crying like a lil’ bitch-…crying…afraid and scared as hell…
Cuz I’m looking at my first ever dead body…killed by me!!!”
As Gwen’s father and the rest of the force came in…I was already gone…I glimpsed him hugging her…tightly…and as I shot off…I remember the look in her eyes…it was…despair!
It was as if I would never see her…those eyes…ever again!
***Chapter 13 - THE DAY OF ST. VALENTINE*** **Sunday February 14th 2009, Valentine’s Day – 6pm** OSCORP – “Our press release and alibi is sound…Toomes, was fired a year ago…and stole tech and research and equipment from OSCORP…and chemicals he corrupted via his pilfering, made his deal…with Mysterio…and they teamed up with Juggernaut to assault Spider-Man…and force Connors into their gang…their sinister…squadron!” Osborn echoed in his office as he overlooked the city.
“The past is prologue…and now…THE OTHER is lost forever…and I’ll never know if Spider-Man was my creation…my property…but alas, maybe tis better to put that nag to bed…for newer, more prosperous ventures await. Not so Dmitri?”
“Of course Sir, we are the finishers of our faith, we pick ourselves up as the cloud brings the rain…before we evaporate…and we are Legion! Evil is when good men do nothing…but we…do everything!”
“Yes Dmitri…indeed…they say when a heart breaks it don’t break even…well…I lost THE OTHER…AND SPIDER-MAN…but alas, the other half of my heart…I found it…not so…MR. REILLY!”
Dmitri emerged with Ben Reilly and flung him to the ground…
“Welcome to my team Reilly…I have searched for you…far and wide…for years…”
“And we find him…hiding in Latveria…under the name Markov Kaine!” Chameleon added…
“Thank your tracker for me, Dmitri…I’m sure Mr. Kravinoff, Sergei, will enjoy the gifts I sent him!”
“Sir, he is like a brother to me…he was the only man I’d trust to bring Reilly in…alive…trust me…you cannot hide from Kraven!”
“And where is he now? He should be here for me to thank personally?”
“Oh Sir, he found new game…a little loose end to wrap up…a lovely lass…he wanted to pay a visit personally…Felicia Hardy!”
“HA HA – all work makes a dull boy…I hope he enjoys his play!”
“Oh…he will…he will! He has the best games for her to play with him!”
“Pity we see this – Dmitri…how sad!”
“Yes Sir, he was futile…and thus, I made him suffer…agony…slow….”
Osborn showed the paper headline to his cabal –
“CURT CONNORS DEAD IN CRIMINAL ATTACK: Spider-Man sought for questioning!”
“JJ is always doing a hack job on Spider-Man…well, I have no fears…OSCORP is in the clear…and Connors is dead…his lab burnt too…such a shame…I would have liked to go through it inch by inch to see if he had any data relevant to our mission…but time didn’t allow…and Juggernaut…well I don’t think he’ll be talking about our dealings!”
“How so, Sir?”
“I arranged for him to be broken out of Ryker’s but trust me…he won’t spill on our mission…I’ve struck a deal to see to that!
“You cover all angles don’t you Sir?”
“And now Cupid’s masterpiece…REILLY…you have one chance to live…just one…please do not screw this up…for your family…knows not...that you live…but May, Jan…the Parkers…the remaining Reillys will be annihilated…. one by one…if you do not work for us…for ME! Please allow me to introduce you…”
“Wait…the data…THE OTHER…it will take lifetimes to replicate that data!”
“Well…lucky for you you have 1 lifetime here!”
“But…you assumed…Spider-Man…he has nothing to do the work I conducted…I didn’t create him…”
“Who said anything about creating another Spider-Man?…My Dear Ben, these are blood samples taken off the Connors crime scene…you will be working in the best lab in the world…right here under my watch…not only will you duplicate, clone… this Spider-Man from these blood samples he left at the scene, but my boy…my team here has come up with a serum…a new project….one that we stand to make greater than
PROJECT: REBIRTH…yes…it is no fable…no myth…I have classified files from upper powers that stand stating its existence…and now…with these files…we have come up with a new formula…a new serum…and this is going to make us bigger than said powers that be…and make me the leader of our armies and powers…a new breed of super soldiers…that’s what we’re working on…and if we can have an army of Spider-Men…why not have them both? My dead friend Mendel Stromm and I worked on it long ago…called it the
GOBLIN SERUM…a serum that has all the effects of the perfect super-soldier…as it made us greedy for power…and to rise to the top of the American ranks…for we are American Sons…and you may not like my hair plugs…but I will not let America be wrecked and destroyed…I will usurp everyone…OSCORP will go on to be our premier militant force…and Reilly…you have no choice…but to join my team…and make this serum…this new formula…work and give us our super soldier army. And we have Spider-Man’s blood to compliment our work…What say you? And know this…I can…and will…kill everyone and everything you hold dear!”
He sobbed…and took a long drawn breath in…
“Yes Sir Mr. Osborn!”
“Good…you have a huge debt to me…you nearly brought my empire down before it even rose back in the day…and the only reason you’re alive is cuz of that brain of yours…now ahem…I own you…and you’ll die my puppet…you work for me…signed your soul to me…I OWN YOU…and you will comply and do as I say!”
Osborn lowered his voice…as he smiled at Dmitri…
“Now Reilly…meet your new team…–
Dr. Otto Octavius,
Dr. Jonas Harrow,
Dr. Miles Warren… No Connors sadly but we have…lastly…ME…NORMAN OSBORN!”
Dmitri interjected,
“TEAM: HOBGOBLIN” “It’s an honour!” Reilly added as he faked his pleasure…looking at the evil intent of Osborn…and Dmitri.
“Cheer up lad…we are going to do great things…demonic and wicked…evil…but great!” Otto spurred on as he hugged Reilly’s shoulders and pulled in a pensive looking Warren. Harrow grinned stupidly!
“Cheers gents – here’s to conquering the world!” Dmitri toasted…as Osborn went via elevator to his private room…
He entered the room…and there was another picture – of the same hazel-eyed lady…he seemed to drift off on during the fray…
I am a million pieces of the sky
I found a way to be alone
I will wait until you want me
Until you finally decide to go home
I am will run this like a lion
Another way to be alone
And I will wait until you find me
Until you finally decide to go home
Diamonds, diamonds – are you all in the sky?
I can't believe all of these beautiful lies
As they surround me I will take a photograph of the sky
Bury me, bury me
Come on, bury me alone in the light
I've never had a reason to take me away…
I want it to be over
But I sit here and wait…
I saw her smiling from the top of the world
I saw her sleeping on, amazing I know
If you lower, lower, lower me down
You lower me clearly, so come and lower me “Happy Valentine’s Day Emily…my Viola Lion…now and forever!” he whispered cautiously as he watched her in her green dress and purple hair-bow, and he bowed…in his room of solace…painted dark green…with tinges of purple around the perimeter. These were the colours that his wife loved to wear…purple and green! 6pm – Parkers’ home I was wrapped in pain…not physically…but emotionally…my chalk outline asunder this dirty sheet…as I tossed the crumpled post-it in the bin…and peered at my phone…it was off…I never turned it on…since I came home last night…battered and bruised…I don’t know how Gwen is doing…she didn’t come over…call the home phone…or ask my family for me…it was as if we were both in separate universes. I dared not go see her…cuz I didn’t wanna lie…to her…or her father…about my whereabouts last night…I was scared…why was she by Connors? Uncle Ben and Aunt May urged me to talk to her to find out why she was there…but I was scared…what if she found out that I was Spider-Man before I got to tell her the truth from my own mouth…some Valentine’s day! As I looked over to see…what’s that…it looks like…Gwen dropped books and notes for me yesterday? I got up weakly and pondered over…when I heard a knock…on my door…I trudged over and opened…
Gwen stood before me…looking as beautiful as ever…and we had no words…just stares…into eyes…and as I opened my mouth, she hugged me…tighter than we ever hugged before.
“Gwen, there’s something you hafta know…please close your eyes…don’t say anything,” I begged as I swept her off her feet.
She kept her eyes closed…and I heard not a word from her since last night…
“Open 'em!”
And when she did…her hair hung down to earth, via gravity…
We were upside down, hanging from my ceiling…
“Pete..” she gasped shockingly…
“I knew you knew from the time I grabbed you in the air last night…from the moment we landed…from the time you saw my lips…from the time we held hands…didn’t you?”
She had an upside down shimmer in her eyes as she knew not what to say…and she was gorgeous.
“Gwen…I am…Spider-Man!”
That same time – Central Park “So when Pete found out that Gwen was held at the Connors’, he called me and…I knew whoever was after Peter…they found out Curt had THE OTHER…I knew they went after Curt to get to Peter…and the data. I was hustling goons and links to find out more about the 3 villains who attacked Pete…but when he called me and said he was going to save Gwen and Curt…I couldn’t be his wingman…not that time…I trusted him to handle it himself…I couldn’t be blue-eyed ‘About a Boy Hugh Grant’, Miss May…I knew if they went after Curt at home, then they’d hit his lab also…if not at that same moment…so I told Pete I’d meet him later at Connors’ and I trusted him to handle and defuse the situation…”
“While you burnt Curt’s lab down…” May finished.
“Yes ma’am…so any work that Pete and Curt had there…any research…it was all up in flames…I burnt it to the ground to save them!”
“And you still managed to save our boy and Gwen?”
“Well…I couldn’t contact Pete…radio and cell waves were jammed with all the interference at Connors’…so I found a nest…but couldn’t snipe em…too much blockage…so I managed to get a window over the airwaves and called in the cops…told em’ to back off…and get Curt to a hospital…cuz I saw Pete getting ready to move for Gwen…and Fate gave me that opportune moment to call in over the radio…I told em to have Stacy’s men back off…leaving it up to Pete…trust! Trust in our son!” Ben boasted
“And he saved the day!”
“He saved the girl!” Ben added to May.
“But the bloodshed – the giant was arrested…not to mention that dead Mysterio…poor ole George, lost his wife…now his daughter nearly got killed – and what about Pete killing Vulture…is Pete gonna be okay?”
“He killed his first criminal…he’ll be stronger for it…plus I think after he sorts things out with Gwen, he’ll know where he wants to go in Life”
“You think she knows…suspects?…after all, what was she doing at Curt’s?”
“Dunno May…but I guess…that’s Love…it’s Trust! We gotta trust em…they’re good kids, they’ll do the right thing!”
“As do you, Ben Parker…”
“Well, they got a great mum!”
“And a great father…”
“With great power…”
“Comes great responsibility…’ May added
“And my responsibility now is to crack this Dark Cell phone Pete got from Cat…it hasn’t been useful yet…but I’m not giving up…I wanna see where it leads us…and from what we gather so far, I don’t buy any crap I see in newspapers, any alibis and business men excuses, I don’t trust the lot of them…something tells me this cell leads back to OSCORP…that guy is too sneaky…didn’t trust him when NYESC was around, and I don’t trust him now…not after Toomes worked and ‘stole’ tech from him and not after the Mysterio chemicals were linked to his company…and the fact that we seem the be hitting dead ends and cover ups left, right and centre…tell me one thing – KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON NORMAN OSBORN! Too many coincidences point to that bad-haired asshole! We’ve been informed by Stacy and company that Curt’s family has been placed…under government watch…hush-hush…but Stacy felt we should know as he’s basically family us!”
“Poor Martha…Pete didn’t take the news well also…”
“Well…I’m gonna be like a hawk on Osborn…this is just getting started!”
“Come Ben, shhh…take it easy…hug me…catch your breath Benjamin…let’s enjoy the starry sky tonight…one night at least, tomorrow you can go back to saving the world!”
“Alright missy…Happy Valentine’s Day!”
“Same to you love!” as May kissed Ben under the lovely night sky.
That same time, Kingston, Jamaica – “I love you Curt! Happy Valentine's Day...err...Happy 12th Anniversary also hun!” Martha whispered as she held 4 year-old Billy.
They had been relocated to this recovery centre…after the death of Connors was faked…Curt was badly wounded…but he would live…
His right arm was lost…but his family was thankful to have him alive…
“Lucky you guys weren’t home when the attacks occurred huh?” the figure asked of Martha.
“Yes…but we’re glad to have him alive here…I’ll take the loss of the arm anyday…once I get my Curt back…I take it we’ll get new identities? So we can live safely here?”
“Yes…Martha…of course…I’ve arranged that special structure for you all…all arrangements have been cleared with the US Government Miss…seems the attacks on your family run very deep into top-secret stuff…we have here some reptilian research work that we’d like Curt to work on…he’d be joined by Henry Pym and Janet Van Dyne…once he recovers…”
“Ma’am we are grateful to the government but we still don’t know who to thank exactly?”
“Martha…just ensure your family is healthy when he recovers…so he can work again…and you guys can be happy…this was organised by us…and your witness protection was initiated by
Mr. Anthony Stark…seems he and we…have some issues with the people who went after your husband…and Spider-Man…well, the people who we believe went after them…as we have no solid-proof yet…but we’re working on it with all leads possible!”
“Thank you…Miss…”
“Carter…Sharon Carter! Deputy Director of SHIELD” That same time –
JJ’s apartment – “Well JJ, you and your wife had us over…lovely steak dinner I must say!” Robbie boasted, as he and JJ enjoyed Cubans in the patio while the women sat inside telling husband stories.
“Well tomorrow, we gotta find this bloody Spider-Man…I want his head…since he’s reared his ugly head…this city is seeing villains coming out the woodwork…”
“Jonah…he is a good force…even Frontline’s short-sighted Urich sees this…”
“Robbie…John…my own flesh and blood…started 2 neighbourhood watch groups…'StarGod and ManWolf'…and they did well…thugs, robbers etc…but I’ll never forget last September, when Spidey came out…those groups thought he was some kind of idol…and stepped up to go after gangs?”
“Jonah…I’m sorry…I’
“No Robbie…they thought Spider-Man was an omen that this city was seeing the light again…tell that to my wife…when both watch groups found their centres sprayed with bullets…and
my son died…”
“Jonah…you can’t blame…”
“I can…and I will…Spider-Man is no gift…he’s a curse! And starting next week I got Betty Brant sending over 2 kids – one from high school…and some other punk from Brooklyn…photographers…small-end jobs…and I’m a use em’ to hunt pictures and show NY that Spidey is a disease!”
Robbie sighed as he knew he couldn’t quell Jonah’s rage, “So who are they?”
“UMM…Peter Parker…and Edward Brock Jr. I think!” “Well Happy Valentine’s Day JJ!” Robbie sarcastically input.
Ben Urich sat at home, cutting clippings of Spider-Man, when he got Robbie’s text –
‘JJ is hot on Spidey’s ass…still’
Ben laughed and sipped his coffee, and texted back –
‘Well Robs…seems our Illuminati club has more work to do to help our friendly neighbourhood wall-crawling Spider-Man!’
Ben chuckled as he sipped his coffee again
That same time –
Queens, abandoned warehouse – “Happy Valentine’s Day Cain Marko!” said the middle-aged man, grey haired, as he stood to show his purple-red cape. He plumped a helmet on his head…
“You don’ remember the last month…it’s okay…you were attacked…viciously…we rescued you…and my friend here, Mastermind Wyngarde, helped heal your mind!”
The other man stepped out the shadows; “Seems your enemies tried to falsely imprison you…but we got you out…I healed your mind…” Mastermind added.
“Uhhh….my eyes burn!” slurred Juggernaut as he opened them. He was unconscious but stuttered to his feet slowly.
“So…now…you ready to join us?” said the caped man, who raised his left hand…and floated Marko’s helmet over to him.
“What?” Marko asked as he grabbed his headpiece out thin air…
Mastermind chuckled as he saw Marko’s disbelief
“In or out? We’re going after your attackers…but you’ll need that helmet if you’re to be of use…to protect that valuable skull of yours!” said the cape
“Trust us!…meet your fellow Brethren…the Brotherhood!” urged Mastermind.
He paused, then slipped the helmet on…
“I’m in…but no funny stuff eh…nows…who we going after, who attacked me?”
The cape looked at Mastermind and smiled, “A group of soldiers…led by your brother…Charles Xavier!”
6:10 pm
Peter’s room – “Uncle and Aunt are gone…dinner…then they’re visiting an old friend who moved back last week…Anna’s her name I think.” We lay next to each other on my bed…I felt no pain again…in fact, when Gwen jumped me…my spider sense didn’t go off…I wasn’t in danger…maybe…this was what was supposed to happen…if Gwen jumping me didn’t set of my Spidey-sense, then this was right…more than ever…
“Pete…why didn’t you tell me?”
“Cuz I was scared…I tried to live separate lives…to be a hero…and then to be your love…but one thing came first…YOU!”
“My dad…he didn’t want me to leave home…I said that I went yesterday to Connors’ to get help for school…and today, I gotta see you for studies…but he still didn’t want me to leave home today…so I hugged him and had Valentine’s dinner…then he dropped me here…he knew I had to see you Pete!”
“I missed you so much Gwen…I wanted to tell you every single second who I was…”
“It’s okay…you were protecting me…”
“But I couldn’t do it anymore…the lies…ducking you…saving the world…when my heart and soul…missed you…seeing you Tuesday night…then having to watch you fall last night…it was too much…that’s why I couldn’t call you since”
“I understand…I do…I really do…I was afraid to see you today…cuz I felt that you…I knew…you were scared to say the truth…I knew from the time you touched me…and our chests met in mid-air…last night…when I felt your heart-beat…I knew you were Spider-Man. Finding the post-it yesterday, seeing Connors’ nearly die, you saving me…twas Fate Pete!”
“I’m sorry I put you in that mess…to see Doc’s arm…to go through that mess with Mysterio…and with Vulture…and the Juggernaut crap Tuesday…”
But I could apologize no more…she kissed me…
And I told her everything about me…and my family…and Reilly…and Connors…and I guess…OSCORP…who probably are gunning for Spider-Man still…for I knew she’d keep my secrets to herself!!!
The thing that made this more difficult was that Gwen was hesitant to see Pete today…because she couldn’t tell him…the man her father shot, Quentin Beck,…was the cause of the accident…the NYESC tragedy…the man who was responsible for Pete’s powers and killing his parents…but Gwen kept it hush…for she didn’t want to relive any bad memories for Pete…as she kissed him, she knew that the knowledge she had from Beck…would do no good if resurfaced…and she shut it…buried Beck’s words away! Mysterio was no more…All she wanted was here and now…Peter Parker, Spider-Man.
“Thank you for being my angel, my hero, and for saving me!” Gwen teased as she it my lower lip…
As I kissed her neck…
“Then you’re my heroine…cuz I’m addicted to you cutie! Thank you for saving me…Gwen Cassandra Stacy!” I replied in full, “If there’s a doorway to your love…I’m knocking so let me in Gwennie!”
As our lips locked tighter, I flicked the radio remote by mistake…Fate allowed us one of our favourite songs…
We'll do it all, Everything
On our own.
We don't need, Anything
Or anyone
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
I don't quite know
How to say, How I feel.
Those three words
Are said too much
They're not enough
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads
I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see
I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world? “Happy Valentine’s Day Meannie!”
“Happy Valentine’s Day Cutie lab-girl…I Love You!”
Her eyes lit up at my non-fear to finally say everything, all truths to her, it was the first real sentiment I said…since I told I her I was Spider Man!
“Oh really?” she teased
“Yes really. 574 times by the way!” as I kissed her, but she broke away…
“I Love You too, Peter Parker!”
And that night, we spent the night together…her dad, my parents…they all left us alone…cuz Fate tossed us that night…to be with each other…how many people get to say they spent their first time…with their greatest Love…their True Love? On the most romantic Valentine’s night...of all nights?…I can tell you how much…
AT LEAST TWO! Writer’s Note: For You, I’ll never forget you ******* *******aka *******
= 7 x 7 x 7
= 3 x 8
...forever!!!
Epilogue – Monday 15th February 2009, lunch time…Pete’s school “Ahem…i think I nailed the chords right…bear with me…” I begged of Gwen as we sat atop the sunny roof having a mid-day picnic…beautiful weather…and a hottie girlfriend. My hands grew slippery as I began -
“Drink up baby doll
Are you in or are you out?
Leave your things behind
'Cause it's all going off without you
Excuse me too busy you're writing your tragedy
These mishaps
You bubble-wrap
When you've no idea what you're like
So, let go, let go
Jump in
Oh well, what you waiting for?
It's all right
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
So, let go, let go
Just get in
Oh, it's so amazing here
It's all right
'cause there's beauty in the breakdown
It gains the more it gives
And then it rises with the fall
So hand me that remote
Can't you see that all that stuff's a sideshow?
Such boundless pleasure
We've no time for later
Now you can't await
your own arrival
you've twenty seconds to comply
So, let go, so let go
Jump in
Oh well, what you waiting for?
It's alright
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
So, let go, yeah let go
Just get in
Oh, it's so amazing here
It's all right
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown” “Bleeeh…you suck!” Gwen quipped.
I put the guitar down and kissed her…
“Jeez…I’d love to spend time with you later…but that bloody BUGLE job…thanks Betty!”
“Sheesh…Pete…you’ll make cash, plus Ms. Brant said it’d come in handy on your resume!”
“Resume? Right...work experience…I forgot about all that…maybe I’ll go work for Roxxon or OSCORP,” I said sarcastically.
“You hate this photo-gig? Imagine if the Bugle closed down…and you had to be a chemist or an engineer or at some other high paying job you hate…what’d this conversation go like now huh?” Gwen harassed with her lovely red cheeks.
I stood on the ledge…and after kissing Gwen, I headed off…to save the day!
It hurt me to leave her there but I had to do what was right…save the innocent, protect my city…and come back to my family…and the most beautiful girl that ever lived…my One True Love…LIKE THE YEAH YEAH YEAH’S SAID – ‘they don’t love you…like I love you!’
Who am I?
You ask?
I am the boyfriend of Gwen Stacy, proud son of Ben and May Parker, Peter is my name…
I AM SPIDER-MAN!” As Gwen watched Pete swing off, in her mind all she could hear while missing him and praying he returned to her safe and sound was –
I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done
And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here
Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear
Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say
To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do
Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear
Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say
Slower slower
We don't have time for that
All I want is to find an easier way
To get out of our little heads
Have heart my dear
We're bound to be afraid
Even if it's just for a few days
Making up for all this mess
Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear “Remember…find her…befriend her…something’s not right with her story…you’re new…so don’t mess it up…this girl may be the key to something I can’t quite finger yet…get all her secrets for me!”
The young lad, with short curls in his hair grew tired, “Sheesshhhhh Yes Sir!” as he watched students pointing at the smoke from the explosion downtown,
“Are you paying attention? I am serious…do not mess it up! This is private business…I took you out boarding school for this…make me proud!”
“Yes, Sir…Goodbye father!”
“Goodbye Harry!”
The lad barely hung up when he noticed the hot redhead walking by,
“Scuse…I’m new here…”
“Wow…a Lions tee…ohhhh…how cute…geeky but cute!” she joked.
“Umm…I’m looking for the science lab…but umm…maybe you can help me find it as I don’t know anything here!”
“Well boy…I just moved here…started today also, but I got my tour this morning…so I know the map already!” the sexy lass responded.
“So you’ll help me tour then?” he asked.
“Face it Lion…you just hit the jackpo…umm no that didn’t sound right at all…c’mon…lemme show you…this way curlie!!” as she led him to the cafeteria!
As they made their way across the quad, both of em’ were stunned at the sight overhead…Spider-Man was swinging above the school and into the smoke emanating from the city!!!!