London, England
"Ay.you. Ah know you," says the drunk.
"Nah, I think ya had a bit too much ta drink there."
"I.I.I want another drink," laughs the drunk wildly.
The bartender takes his glass from him.
"Oi! I was drinkin' that!" shouts the drunk.
"I tole you before when you start harrassin tha customers I ain't gonna serve you no'moe," says the bartender.
"S'ok, really. Give tha guy back his drink?"
"Hmmm.'kay, but if he starts again ah'm throwin his ass out," says the bartender.
He puts the glass back on the counter. The drunk takes it and swigs down the remainder of the glass.
"Like ah was saying, ah know you," says the drunk.
"No yah don't friend."
"Sure ah do," insists the drunk. "You're that guy. You know.that Spider-Man guy."
"Hmmph."
"Yeh. It's you all right. You're dat bloody Scarlet Spider. Ah what's you're name? Ben O." says the bartender.
"Ben O'Reilly."
"Yeh! Is it really you?"
"Yeh. It's me."
"Ah tole you!" shouts the drunk.
"So why don't you do it any moe?" asks the bartender.
"Well," says the man. "I got a sign from God."
"Uh sign from God?" asks the bartender. "What'ya mean?"
"Well. It was about ten years ago."
London, England
September 16, 1992.
".The Police have no suspects following the disappearance of Elisabeth Braddock, daughter of wealthy Power Plant Owner Brian Braddock. Our sources say that the kidnapper has asked for ownership of the power plants as ransom."
"You 'ear this?" asks Ben.
"Yeah. That's some crazy shit isn't it?" replies Gwen, his lover.
He looks up at her on the couch.
"I love it when you talk dirty," he jokes.
He looks up at her on the couch. She has on his oversized gray sweater, black sweat pants, and has her snow-white hair up in a messy bun.
"It's such a shame about that pour girl," she says. "I wish someone would do something about it."
Ben looks down to the floor for a moment thinking to himself. He gets up and sits on the couch next to her.
"Gwen, I have a very important question I need to ask you. But before I do I need to get some things off my chest," says Ben.
"Like what?" she asks.
He takes a deep breath in.
"Gwen, honey," he says, taking her hand. "I'm a mutant."
She looks at him for a moment in disbelief.
"You."
"I know this may come as a shock but I needed to tell you," says Ben.
"You thought I didn't already know?" asks Gwen.
"You knew?"
"Of course I knew," says Gwen.
"And you don't care?"
"Well of course I care. It just doesn't bother me," says Gwen.
Ben kisses her hand.
"I love you," he says.
"I love you too," she replies.
He moves in to kiss her mouth.
"Are you the one on the news?" she asks.
"What?"
"The Spider. The Scarlet Spider. Is that you?"
"Yes."
"Before I knew I always worried about you. You never told me where you were going or what you were doing and."
"And?" asks Ben.
"And.If I had known I would have said no."
Ben looks rather shocked.
"I have lost friends who.were crime fighters. I never got over them and I don't want to go through the same with you. I love you Benjamin."
"I.can't stop doing this Gwen. Not now. I have to save that little girl. You said it yourself," says Ben.
Gwen gets up and moves toward the door.
"I know you have to do this but I just can't stand by and watch yourself be put in danger. For Christ sake's that electric fellow damn near killed you.and on TV!" says Gwen.
"Gwen."
"I don't want to come home from work and read in the paper that my boyfriend was beaten to death by a guy with a fishbowl on his head," says Gwen.
She opens the door.
"You have a double life to lead and I.just need someone with a single one."
Present.
"Oi, that's rough," says the drunk.
"Yeh," says the bartender.
"That wasn't what stopped me," says Ben. "I had a responsibility to that little girl."
Braddock Manor
September 17, 1992.
"Yeh. Inside the new power plant main reactor. Bring the power of appointment," says a voice over the phone.
"Do you have my daughter?"
"Yeh."
"Let me talk to her."
"Daddy? Please daddy I want to come home."
"Okay that's enough. Bring the money, Mr. Braddock.personally."
Click.
"Hello? Hello?" says Mr. Braddock.
Mr. Braddock pushes the stop button and rewinds the cassette.
"Daddy? Please daddy I want to come home."
"Daddy? Please daddy I want to come home."
He puts his hand through his slicked back black hair. A tear forms in the corner of his eye but he wipes it away.
"It's okay, Mr. Braddock," says a voice from across the room.
He turns around and sees a man hanging from his ceiling, in a red sculpted leather outfit covered by a blue t-shirt.
"Scarlet Spider? What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to get you your daughter back," says Ben.
Later.
"Why the hell would this guy want your power plants?" ask Ben.
"I don't understand it either. If I sign them over now he won't be making a profit. It's all been disconnected to the city," says Braddock.
"What? Why?"
"We're going to go nuclear," says Braddock.
"What do the plants run on now?"
"Electricity."
"Oh bloody hell."
"What? What's wrong?" asks Braddock.
"Electro."
"Electro?"
"He wants to buy your plant so he can take all of its power. If he does he could be come a.god or something."
"Jesus."
"When do you have to make the drop off?" asks Ben.
"In an hour," says Braddock.
"Okay. Here's what we'll do."
One Hour Later.
Mr. Braddock walks into the noisy reactor. He has a big trench coat on with a hat that casts a shadow over his face. He carries a briefcase.
"That's far enough!" echo's a voice.
Braddock stops.
"Let's see the bloody papers!"
Braddock opens the briefcase and holds up the documents.
"Ere! Take the plant! Gimme me mah daughter!" yells Braddock in a scratchy voice.
A quick moving man hops down from one of the reactors. He is wearing a green business suit and has a lightning bolt tattooed across his face.
"Electro," says Braddock.
"Ay, so ya know mah name?"
"No. But Scarlet Spider does."
Braddock throws off the jacket revealing the dark red leather and blue shirt.
"Spider!" yells Electro trying to run away but is stopped in his tracks. Electro looks down to see his hands have been "webbed" to Scarlet Spider's.
"Ah, ah, ah," Ben says. "You ain't goin anyplace."
Electro spits at Ben's mask and kicks him in the gut. He thrashes back and forth, trying to get loose but it doesn't work. Ben flings him to the ground.
"It's over Electro!"
"Ah don't think it is Spider!" yells Electro and he laughs out loud.
Ben is caught of guard a little and he feels his arm getting warm. Little sparks fly past his eyes.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughs Electro wildly.
Ben's arm begins to burn and his wrists go numb. He tries to shoots the web fluid from his wrists but nothing happens.
"Ahhhhh!" he cries out in pain.
Electro shakes violently as he puts all of his energy into electrocuting Ben.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" Electro continues to laugh as he shakes about.
"Stop it!" screams Ben.
Ben can feel the hair on his arms singeing off, along with the hair on his head. The fabric on his arms is burning off along with his mask.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Ben can no longer take the immense pain and simply passes out. He blinks and wakes up in another time. He is being born the hot white light pours onto his body as he first opens his eyes. People are around him making noises he can't identify. Colors are moving back and forth as he tries to maintain himself. Finally he can see again.
"W.W.Where issss she?" he mumbles.
"It's okay. They've got the girl."
Ben sits up and tries to take in the scene. His arms hurt and he has a terrible headache. There is a gurney with a body bag on it, Electro's. Mr. Braddock and his daughter are hugging, police are surveying the scene, and reporters are trying to get the story.
Ben closes his eyes again wanting to sleep but is soon awakened by a gentle touch, a child's touch.
He can see the girl now with her perfect little face and pretty purple hair.
"Thank you mister Spider," she says.
"Ca.Call me Ben."
"Thank you Ben," she says in her small voice as she reaches up to hug him.
It hurts a lot when she does but he doesn't mind the pain. They had both been through a lot and needed a hug. Mr. Braddock makes his way over to Ben.
"Thank you uh. Mr. Spider," he says. "Thank you for mah daughter."
Ben just nods and watches the two of them walk away from this past week's living nightmare.
He is still in pain, police officers are still collecting evidence, and reporters are still trying to get the story. Ben gets up and limps his way over to the paparazzi.
"Spider!"
"Spider! Who are you?"
"Spider! How do you feel getting back the Braddock girl?"
Ben takes one of the microphones. He slowly pulls the mask off of his face.
"My name is Ben O'Reilly. I am.was the Scarlet Spider. I have fought crime in this city for six months. I have captured a serial killer, stopped forty robbery attempts, saved seventeen little old ladies, and now saved a millionaire's daughter. I have seen horror and I don't want to any more. I am retiring as a masked adventurer."
"Spider!"
"Spider!"
Ben ignores the crowd now and raises his arm to swing away but surprisingly no web comes out. He tries again and nothing happens. Ben gives up and goes outside to hail a cab.
"Wow. So ya quit right then?" asks the bartender.
"Hell no. I went back to work the next day," says Ben.
"So when did you quit?"
"Well the next day I climbed the top of Big Ben and went to swing off, but no bloody web came out. Electro had fried my damn hands," says Ben. "I fell and broke me arm. I couldn't be Scarlet Spider without the web, ya know?"
"Wow. He really got the last laugh eh?"
"Yeah. I guess so."
"Reporters still bug you?" asks the bartender.
"Just one. She wants me whole life story. I told her to piss off."
"Ha! Those lousy vermin!"
"Yeah."
"What ever become of your lady friend?" asks the drunk whom they had both thought passed out.
"I went home that night and waited for her. She never came home," says Ben.
"That's rough. Here," says the bartender pouring him a glass. "To love."
"To love."
They raise their glasses and drink them fast.
Ben looks at his watch and slaps his forehead.
"Damn!" he says. "I'm late for work."
"Yeh? What you do now?" asks the bartender.
"I'm a cop."
"Ha, can't ever stop savin' people can ya?"
"I guess not," says Ben. "How much for the drinks."
"Bah! It's on the house. Ah never had me self a real celebrity in ere before," says the bartender.
"Well thanks a bunch. I'll come back some time tell you another story. How bout that?"
"Sounds good. I'll be waiting. Good to meet ya Ben O'Reilly," says the bartender.
"Good ta meet ya.uh I didn't get your name," says Ben.
"Drake. Robert Drake. They call me the Iceman," says the bartender.
"Good to have met ya Robert Drake," says Ben as he puts his coat back on.
"I'll see ya round," says Drake.
"Bye."
"Ay.you. Ah know you," says the drunk.
"Nah, I think ya had a bit too much ta drink there."
"I.I.I want another drink," laughs the drunk wildly.
The bartender takes his glass from him.
"Oi! I was drinkin' that!" shouts the drunk.
"I tole you before when you start harrassin tha customers I ain't gonna serve you no'moe," says the bartender.
"S'ok, really. Give tha guy back his drink?"
"Hmmm.'kay, but if he starts again ah'm throwin his ass out," says the bartender.
He puts the glass back on the counter. The drunk takes it and swigs down the remainder of the glass.
"Like ah was saying, ah know you," says the drunk.
"No yah don't friend."
"Sure ah do," insists the drunk. "You're that guy. You know.that Spider-Man guy."
"Hmmph."
"Yeh. It's you all right. You're dat bloody Scarlet Spider. Ah what's you're name? Ben O." says the bartender.
"Ben O'Reilly."
"Yeh! Is it really you?"
"Yeh. It's me."
"Ah tole you!" shouts the drunk.
"So why don't you do it any moe?" asks the bartender.
"Well," says the man. "I got a sign from God."
"Uh sign from God?" asks the bartender. "What'ya mean?"
"Well. It was about ten years ago."
London, England
September 16, 1992.
".The Police have no suspects following the disappearance of Elisabeth Braddock, daughter of wealthy Power Plant Owner Brian Braddock. Our sources say that the kidnapper has asked for ownership of the power plants as ransom."
"You 'ear this?" asks Ben.
"Yeah. That's some crazy shit isn't it?" replies Gwen, his lover.
He looks up at her on the couch.
"I love it when you talk dirty," he jokes.
He looks up at her on the couch. She has on his oversized gray sweater, black sweat pants, and has her snow-white hair up in a messy bun.
"It's such a shame about that pour girl," she says. "I wish someone would do something about it."
Ben looks down to the floor for a moment thinking to himself. He gets up and sits on the couch next to her.
"Gwen, I have a very important question I need to ask you. But before I do I need to get some things off my chest," says Ben.
"Like what?" she asks.
He takes a deep breath in.
"Gwen, honey," he says, taking her hand. "I'm a mutant."
She looks at him for a moment in disbelief.
"You."
"I know this may come as a shock but I needed to tell you," says Ben.
"You thought I didn't already know?" asks Gwen.
"You knew?"
"Of course I knew," says Gwen.
"And you don't care?"
"Well of course I care. It just doesn't bother me," says Gwen.
Ben kisses her hand.
"I love you," he says.
"I love you too," she replies.
He moves in to kiss her mouth.
"Are you the one on the news?" she asks.
"What?"
"The Spider. The Scarlet Spider. Is that you?"
"Yes."
"Before I knew I always worried about you. You never told me where you were going or what you were doing and."
"And?" asks Ben.
"And.If I had known I would have said no."
Ben looks rather shocked.
"I have lost friends who.were crime fighters. I never got over them and I don't want to go through the same with you. I love you Benjamin."
"I.can't stop doing this Gwen. Not now. I have to save that little girl. You said it yourself," says Ben.
Gwen gets up and moves toward the door.
"I know you have to do this but I just can't stand by and watch yourself be put in danger. For Christ sake's that electric fellow damn near killed you.and on TV!" says Gwen.
"Gwen."
"I don't want to come home from work and read in the paper that my boyfriend was beaten to death by a guy with a fishbowl on his head," says Gwen.
She opens the door.
"You have a double life to lead and I.just need someone with a single one."
Present.
"Oi, that's rough," says the drunk.
"Yeh," says the bartender.
"That wasn't what stopped me," says Ben. "I had a responsibility to that little girl."
Braddock Manor
September 17, 1992.
"Yeh. Inside the new power plant main reactor. Bring the power of appointment," says a voice over the phone.
"Do you have my daughter?"
"Yeh."
"Let me talk to her."
"Daddy? Please daddy I want to come home."
"Okay that's enough. Bring the money, Mr. Braddock.personally."
Click.
"Hello? Hello?" says Mr. Braddock.
Mr. Braddock pushes the stop button and rewinds the cassette.
"Daddy? Please daddy I want to come home."
"Daddy? Please daddy I want to come home."
He puts his hand through his slicked back black hair. A tear forms in the corner of his eye but he wipes it away.
"It's okay, Mr. Braddock," says a voice from across the room.
He turns around and sees a man hanging from his ceiling, in a red sculpted leather outfit covered by a blue t-shirt.
"Scarlet Spider? What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to get you your daughter back," says Ben.
Later.
"Why the hell would this guy want your power plants?" ask Ben.
"I don't understand it either. If I sign them over now he won't be making a profit. It's all been disconnected to the city," says Braddock.
"What? Why?"
"We're going to go nuclear," says Braddock.
"What do the plants run on now?"
"Electricity."
"Oh bloody hell."
"What? What's wrong?" asks Braddock.
"Electro."
"Electro?"
"He wants to buy your plant so he can take all of its power. If he does he could be come a.god or something."
"Jesus."
"When do you have to make the drop off?" asks Ben.
"In an hour," says Braddock.
"Okay. Here's what we'll do."
One Hour Later.
Mr. Braddock walks into the noisy reactor. He has a big trench coat on with a hat that casts a shadow over his face. He carries a briefcase.
"That's far enough!" echo's a voice.
Braddock stops.
"Let's see the bloody papers!"
Braddock opens the briefcase and holds up the documents.
"Ere! Take the plant! Gimme me mah daughter!" yells Braddock in a scratchy voice.
A quick moving man hops down from one of the reactors. He is wearing a green business suit and has a lightning bolt tattooed across his face.
"Electro," says Braddock.
"Ay, so ya know mah name?"
"No. But Scarlet Spider does."
Braddock throws off the jacket revealing the dark red leather and blue shirt.
"Spider!" yells Electro trying to run away but is stopped in his tracks. Electro looks down to see his hands have been "webbed" to Scarlet Spider's.
"Ah, ah, ah," Ben says. "You ain't goin anyplace."
Electro spits at Ben's mask and kicks him in the gut. He thrashes back and forth, trying to get loose but it doesn't work. Ben flings him to the ground.
"It's over Electro!"
"Ah don't think it is Spider!" yells Electro and he laughs out loud.
Ben is caught of guard a little and he feels his arm getting warm. Little sparks fly past his eyes.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughs Electro wildly.
Ben's arm begins to burn and his wrists go numb. He tries to shoots the web fluid from his wrists but nothing happens.
"Ahhhhh!" he cries out in pain.
Electro shakes violently as he puts all of his energy into electrocuting Ben.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" Electro continues to laugh as he shakes about.
"Stop it!" screams Ben.
Ben can feel the hair on his arms singeing off, along with the hair on his head. The fabric on his arms is burning off along with his mask.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Ben can no longer take the immense pain and simply passes out. He blinks and wakes up in another time. He is being born the hot white light pours onto his body as he first opens his eyes. People are around him making noises he can't identify. Colors are moving back and forth as he tries to maintain himself. Finally he can see again.
"W.W.Where issss she?" he mumbles.
"It's okay. They've got the girl."
Ben sits up and tries to take in the scene. His arms hurt and he has a terrible headache. There is a gurney with a body bag on it, Electro's. Mr. Braddock and his daughter are hugging, police are surveying the scene, and reporters are trying to get the story.
Ben closes his eyes again wanting to sleep but is soon awakened by a gentle touch, a child's touch.
He can see the girl now with her perfect little face and pretty purple hair.
"Thank you mister Spider," she says.
"Ca.Call me Ben."
"Thank you Ben," she says in her small voice as she reaches up to hug him.
It hurts a lot when she does but he doesn't mind the pain. They had both been through a lot and needed a hug. Mr. Braddock makes his way over to Ben.
"Thank you uh. Mr. Spider," he says. "Thank you for mah daughter."
Ben just nods and watches the two of them walk away from this past week's living nightmare.
He is still in pain, police officers are still collecting evidence, and reporters are still trying to get the story. Ben gets up and limps his way over to the paparazzi.
"Spider!"
"Spider! Who are you?"
"Spider! How do you feel getting back the Braddock girl?"
Ben takes one of the microphones. He slowly pulls the mask off of his face.
"My name is Ben O'Reilly. I am.was the Scarlet Spider. I have fought crime in this city for six months. I have captured a serial killer, stopped forty robbery attempts, saved seventeen little old ladies, and now saved a millionaire's daughter. I have seen horror and I don't want to any more. I am retiring as a masked adventurer."
"Spider!"
"Spider!"
Ben ignores the crowd now and raises his arm to swing away but surprisingly no web comes out. He tries again and nothing happens. Ben gives up and goes outside to hail a cab.
"Wow. So ya quit right then?" asks the bartender.
"Hell no. I went back to work the next day," says Ben.
"So when did you quit?"
"Well the next day I climbed the top of Big Ben and went to swing off, but no bloody web came out. Electro had fried my damn hands," says Ben. "I fell and broke me arm. I couldn't be Scarlet Spider without the web, ya know?"
"Wow. He really got the last laugh eh?"
"Yeah. I guess so."
"Reporters still bug you?" asks the bartender.
"Just one. She wants me whole life story. I told her to piss off."
"Ha! Those lousy vermin!"
"Yeah."
"What ever become of your lady friend?" asks the drunk whom they had both thought passed out.
"I went home that night and waited for her. She never came home," says Ben.
"That's rough. Here," says the bartender pouring him a glass. "To love."
"To love."
They raise their glasses and drink them fast.
Ben looks at his watch and slaps his forehead.
"Damn!" he says. "I'm late for work."
"Yeh? What you do now?" asks the bartender.
"I'm a cop."
"Ha, can't ever stop savin' people can ya?"
"I guess not," says Ben. "How much for the drinks."
"Bah! It's on the house. Ah never had me self a real celebrity in ere before," says the bartender.
"Well thanks a bunch. I'll come back some time tell you another story. How bout that?"
"Sounds good. I'll be waiting. Good to meet ya Ben O'Reilly," says the bartender.
"Good ta meet ya.uh I didn't get your name," says Ben.
"Drake. Robert Drake. They call me the Iceman," says the bartender.
"Good to have met ya Robert Drake," says Ben as he puts his coat back on.
"I'll see ya round," says Drake.
"Bye."