Hey there Spider-Fans!

First of all, I'll say that the recently released Spider-Man PS4 game by Insomniac was brilliant! No words. I liked the way they portrayed each character so nicely.

So, this story continues fourteen months after what we last saw in the game.

I've been wanting to write this for quite some time now, but managing time could be really very hard at times. Anyways, here I am with the first chapter, and like any other writer, even after editing a lot many times, I'm sure there's room for better.

So please review after reading, and tell me where all I can improve.

Happy reading!

He found the little room very dingy, promising rage, illness, madness and death. There was no sign of ventilation, nor any cleaning. The air was stale. It was dark and desperate, just like the crumpled man seated opposite him in the wheelchair.

"Otto," he said, setting up a very serious tone, "The staff says you refuse to eat or drink. To go out."

Quiet.

"You don't respond to them?"

Quiet.

"You hardly ever move from your place."

"He can't move anymore, Doctor," the prison officer who stood behind him said.

"Yes I know that. But I've heard he even refuses to be taken outside his cell?"

"He cries and shouts."

"And?"

"We try taking him out, but he simply doesn't let us."

"So what did you do?"

"We received orders to let him be, Sir, if it was good for him and others in any way."

"Why, Otto?" he said, turning around and looking at the man before him.

Silence.

He thought for a while, then turned back to the Prison Officer.

"Perhaps, Officer," he said, "You should leave us to ourselves. Or else I don't think Otto here will talk much."

"But, Doctor-"

"It's alright, Officer. I'll be fine. Don't worry. You may just leave."

"I've got orders-"

"Just leave. I'm the one doctor consulted here, and I'm the one who's telling you. If anything goes wrong with you I'll have the talk with your superior. And shut the door please. Thank you."

"I'll be outside."

"Thank you, that will do. And shut the door."

The Officer reluctantly walked out of the cell and gently closed the door.

"Now, Otto," the man said, after reassuring the door was completely shut, "We may come to more serious talks. You interested?"

Silence.

"Please speak up, Otto, because I haven't got much long."

Otto Octavius slowly looked up and stared him in the eye. His face was pale and tired.

"You aren't a doctor, are you?" he rasped.

NYPD Captain Yuri Watanabe hardly compromised her work for her personal safety. That was why Spider-Man found the red streak of Taskmaster's sword slice the air just an inch above his head.

The Taskmaster went for another strike at him and Yuri fired her Glock-22.

"Yuri maybe you should just stay back," Spider-Man suggested, spraying a whole lot of webs in an attempt to block Taskmaster's view.

Yuri ignored his advice.

"I've got to get rid of that sword," she said, "You keep him occupied."

"Priority one," he said performing a back flip when Taskmaster swept his legs at him, "You leave that to me, now, go. Hey," he snapped at the mercenary, "Don't you know you shouldn't do that?"

Taskmaster brought down his sword at Spider-Man, who sidestepped just in time and span around so that he and Taskmaster were back to back, and in the second that followed, drew his hands back so that they were wrapped around him, and, arching his back, pulled his opponent forward.

Somehow, he needed to get him down. But he couldn't.

"Right now I only know one thing," Taskmaster said, catching hold of Spider-Man's foot. He flung him across the room.

Spider-Man balanced the fall and landed on his hands.

"And that is?" he said, trying his best to keep the other guy talking so that Yuri could have a hopeless better shot.

"I've been ordered to make sure today is your last day."

"Really?"

Taskmaster chuckled.

"Disappointed?" he asked.

"Why not? You just ruined my day."

Yuri fired again.

The bullet ricocheted off the back of the hooded head. Taskmaster ignored it and lunged at Spider-Man, sword drawn to slice him in half.

Spider-Man dived back and dodged the blow. He webbed Taskmaster's hands and pulled down, separating the sword from the mercenary. He kicked the sword away and booted him straight on the face.

Spider-Man webbed him and then doubled the layer of webbing.

"I remember you escaped the last time I caught you," he said. Yuri picked up the sword. "Why would the people who want to recruit me want me dead?"

Taskmaster chuckled.

"Apparently," he said, "They don't need you anymore."

"I can tell you're not here for examining my health. So please go ahead with whatever reason you're here for."

The man smiled, which seemed to have surprised Otto Octavius.

"Do me a favour and just tell me all that you know of Norman Osborn," he said.

"You aren't a doctor, are you?"

The man smiled.

"No, I'm not."

"Who wants to recruit you?" Yuri demanded.

"No idea, Yuri. That's what I'm trying to know."

"You'll be hearing from them soon," Taskmaster said, and with a motion of his hands, tore apart the webbing that held him.

"Yuri," Spider-Man said, "Get out of here with that sword."

"I don't need that to kill you," Taskmaster said, and lunged at Spider-Man.

Before he could react to his spider sense, he was knocked off the ground and all the breath escaped his body with a single gasp. Taskmaster brought his foot down on him. Spider-Man crossed his hands and stopped it.

Yuri Watanabe fired multiple rounds with her Glock-22 straight at Taskmaster's face, throwing him off balance. She lunged at him with the sword drawn.

With one swift motion that Peter would describe as his own, Taskmaster snatched the sword from her hands and with a shove, sent her flying halfway across the room.

"Yuri!" Spider-Man cried, and got to his feet.

He dashed over to her lying on the floor.

"Yuri, please tell me you are alright."

"Yeah," she said, sighing, "I'm fine. But if I were you, I would worry about him. We need to catch him first."

"I know," Spider-Man said, standing up and brushing dirt off his shoulders. He turned around, "I really hope I'm not mistaken."

Taskmaster laughed.

"As cliche as it sounds, Spider-Man," he said, "You don't know what you are up against. Storm's coming, and you won't even realize when it blew you away."

"Wow and those were dramatic lines."

The window behind Taskmaster shattered and a figure in a ski mask, dressed in black and a red hood swung in.

The last thing Peter had wanted was to involve Miles Morales in this. He was still a teenager and Peter doubted if he could ever stand against the Taskmaster for even a minute. But he was running out of options lately.

"Legs," Spider-Man cried and pulled at Taskmaster's hands with the help of his webs.

Miles fired his webs at the mercenary's legs from behind and pulled.

The mercenary lost his footing and was swept off ground, hitting the floor face-down. The sword bounced off his hand.

"Well, that was quick," Spider-Man said.

"Totally awesome," Miles exclaimed.

"Tell me, Taskie," Spider-Man said, leaning down, "What's going on?"

The villain tried to lift his head, but Miles kicked it back down.

"I'm sorry Spider-Man, I can't help you right now. You can only wait and see what happens."

"Help me a little in wrapping him up, will ya" Spider-Man told Miles, "And make sure to block his eye sight."

"Sure thing," Miles said.

"Stopping me is useless, Spider-Man," the mercenary said, "It's just a matter of time. The storm starts today itself."

"Would you still have your revenge on Norman Osborn if you had gotten the chance?"

The question seemed to have startled Otto.

"I can't. Not anymore."

"Suppose I had made arrangements? Then?"

"Maybe yes," he said after a pause.

The man nodded. He fished inside his jacket and produced a bright red rose.

"Just so you know, there are more things happening around then you can know. Things that are happening right at the moment to be more precise. But that will be all, Otto. Thank you."

Spider-Man's phone rang.

Mary Jane Watson.

"Hello?" he answered it.

"Peter, where are you?"

"Hi! I was at work. Uh…just got over, you know? You called at the right time."

"Well, that's me. But you sure did miss your other work today."

"Yeah, I know."

"I dropped a visit in your restaurant and fortunately for you, I told your boss you had a minor accident today, so you weren't able to show up. So be sure to paint a few bruises next time you go to work."

"You what?"

MJ chuckled.

"You should be thanking me."

"Yeah, I guess."

"You guess?"

"Thanks, girl."

"My work's almost done today. What if I come over to your place tonight?"

"Of course! That would be great, MJ."

"Alright then, let me sum up. I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah."

MJ hung up.

"MJ, huh?" Yuri said, a mischievous smile dangling on her lips, walking past him with the glowing sword in her hand.

"So this puts an end to the Taskmaster chapter," Spider-Man said, perched on the railing at the terrace of the NYPD office.

"Hopefully," Yuri said, unwrapping a mint gum, "If you tell me all about that hiring you business."

"Seriously?"

Yuri gave him such a stern look that he reconsidered his statement.

"Yeah, last time I fought with the guy he said the reason he battled me was to prove if I was worth hiring by the clandestine organization he works for, and I have no idea what it is."

"And?"

"And he said they were offering me in six figures."

"So you were about to accept?"

"What? No! Of course not! And why would you think I would do that? Don't you trust me?"

"I am a keeper of the law, Spider-Man, and it is my duty not to take any chances, even if it's you. No, especially if it's you."

"Well, that hurts."

"I'm just being honest, Spider-Man, and I have no intention to hurt you. It's my tendency to double check at times, although I trust you. What's worrying me is the storm he was constantly talking about. Do you have any idea what it is?"

Spider-Man thought hard about all the criminals he had fought lately, recalled all the conversations he had had with the super villains of the city. Nothing clicked.

"No, Yuri, nothing's popping into my head at the moment. Trust me."

"Yeah, that's no problem. We'll figure it out. All I have to do is extract all the info I can out of him."

"Call me when you need me."

Yuri looked at him with kinder eyes. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Spider-Cop."

"You're saying as if this is the last time we worked together."

"No. We might need your help soon. Who knows?"

"That's more like it."

"So where's your sidekick?"

"My sidekick? No. He wasn't a sidekick, Yuri. He's just a friend trying to be helpful. I think you scared him. He pretty much flew away after we captured Taskmaster."

"He's a kid, Spider-Man. He could have gotten hurt."

Spider-Man didn't need to hear this. He was already pretty much worried about putting Miles into a hardcore action like today. What if something happened to him? Peter didn't want to take responsibility for another death. Already, he had too much in his shoulder.

"I know," he said, "That's why I didn't want to involve him in the first place. Guess I was running out of options."

"I hope I'll not be seeing much of him again."

"I'll try, Yuri. "

"Good. Now go enjoy with your MJ."

Spider-Man froze. He had hoped Yuri would forget about her in the course of the conversation they just had now.

"Uh…my MJ?"

"The way you were talking to her, the tone in your voice, it was evident she was yours."

"How do you know she's even a girl?"
Yuri chuckled.

"You had called her girl and besides, you just said she. So, don't tell me MJ's a boy?"

"Nah," Spider-Man said, standing up on the railing, "Just my girlfriend. Have a nice day Yuri."

"Every bite tastes good Peter, only that it lacks a little salt," MJ said biting down a piece of the butter chicken Peter had cooked that evening.

The two of them were seated on the sofa at the moment and were switching through the television channels.

Peter clicked his tongue.

"I knew something was amiss," he complained.

"But don't worry," MJ reassured, peeking his cheek, "You're really getting good at it."

"Hmm, if that's so, then, do you think I should cook this for the Sunday meal tomorrow at FEAST?" Peter asked as he gobbled down a piece, "Give them something good and tasty? Instead of only healthy?"

MJ bit her spoon.

"Maybe you can," she said, "But let me help. It'll take a lot of preparation, you know?"

"That… you'll have to," said Peter as he chewed another piece, "I can't cook for a hundred people all alone! But yeah. This thing does lack some salt."

"Told ya."

Peter grew quiet and laid back onto the couch.

"What's the matter?"

Peter shrugged.

"It's Aunt May's birthday tomorrow."

"Yes. I was about to remind you." MJ tried smiling at Peter. "So, butter chicken it is, tomorrow, then? I just love this dish."

"Yeah, It's an Indian dish I learned beside Cashew chicken."

"Nice, Tiger," MJ said, stroking his hair.

Peter managed a smile, "You know, she always used to joke I was better away from the kitchen then in it."

MJ laughed.

"Yeah," she said, "I remember that."

"Just imagine the surprise she would have had if she knew her nephew now works in a restaurant."

"She would be proud," MJ said, patting Peter on the shoulder.

"She knew I was Spider-Man, and she must have been so worried."

"But she knew you were capable enough to return home safe."

Peter nodded absentmindedly.

"Anyways," he said, "Maybe you should put the spices in the meet tomorrow."

"I think that would be better," MJ said, "Remember you forgot to put pepper in the soup once? You were lucky I was your customer. Or else your boss would have been pretty mad."

"Oh man," Peter said, covering his face, "Don't remind me of that. It was such an embarrassment."

MJ laughed.

"And don't leave any dumplings, okay?" she teased.

"Oh, give me a break!"

MJ giggled uncontrollably.

"That was another time you saved me, MJ."

MJ shrugged, still snickering.

Peter's phone rang.

"Spider-Man?" it was Yuri.

"Hey Yuri," Peter said and saw MJ raise a mischievous eyebrow. Peter made a straight face and put the call in the speaker mode.

"I'm heading over to the RAFT. You need to come over too. Sorry to ruin you evening with MJ."

Now MJ raised both her eyebrows.

"But, what's going on?" Peter asked, looking and feeling very uncomfortable. "Any luck with Taskmaster?"

"It's Otto Octavius."

Peter's head shot up.

"What of him?"

Yuri hesitated for a moment.

"He's dead. He's…been murdered."

Peter froze as he felt the ground being swept away from him. His heart began racing. He shivered a little.

"Come over," Yuri said and hung up.

He felt MJ's hand on his lap.

She hugged him and he held onto her. She patted him and gently rubbed him in the back.

"Go," she said, giving him a reassuring look, "Go Peter."

"I'm sorry MJ."

"I'll be waiting here for you?"

"If it's fine?"

"Of course."

Peter nodded and disappeared into the next room.

He reappeared a few seconds later in his Spider-Man attire and strode over to the window.

He turned back to MJ.

"I'll be back as soon as possible," he said.

MJ nodded.

"I'll be here," she said.

He pulled up the window pane and dived out into the night.

So here in the first chapter I didn't show much of MJ and Miles. It will be done in the subsequent chapters.

And each time I post, I'll be proofreading and editing the previous chapters. So, before I post the next chapter, this chapter will have undergone further editing.

So, I once again please request you to leave behind your opinions after reading, as they really inspire me to go ahead.

Until next time!