Disclaimer: I'm BAAACCCKKKKK! After a much deserve reprieve, I'm back to present the final entry in the Spider-Man fanfiction series. No, I don't own the rights to Spider-Man.
SPIDER-MAN
6
Chapter I
Not So Silent Night
It's yours truly again, the Amazing, Spectacular, Sensational… yeah, all those clichés that people up with when it come to me. My life has been on a high note lately. New York City is, at least for the most part, safe and sound and the people love me. There haven't been any major super villains since the Hobgoblin. Best of all, I've finally married the woman of my dreams. Life couldn't get any better than this. Of course with my kind of luck, change is always certain.
On any other day throughout the year, New York City would be rife the usual chaos for which it was associated. That would be one of many good reasons as to why it was called "The City that Never Sleeps." But this was not the case in the middle of December, when many people were getting into the Christmas spirit. New York Police Captain Jean DeWolff was more akin to Ebenezer Scrooge, in that she had no Christmas spirit whatsoever. The job didn't offer that, and Jean was far too busy to care regardless. With the police siren blaring atop her 1954 Cadillac Eldorado warning for a clear path, Jean raced down 82nd Avenue to a most chaotic crime scene, perpetrated by a most chaotic individual.
Jean grabbed the radio receiver and spoke loud and strong into it. "This is Capt. DeWolff, en route to the corner of 82nd and Lexington, over."
A small amount of static came from the receiver follow a man's voice. "This is Lt. Carter, on the corner of 82nd and Lexington. Suspect has been cornered inside a condemned building and we are awaiting further orders."
"I'm less than 7 minutes from the area," DeWolff said. "Do not attempt to apprehend the suspect until I get there, Carter. You get me?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Jean DeWolff rammed the gas pedal into the floorboard and raced faster down the avenue. Thanks God the snowplows cleared the street of any slush from the recent snowstorm. That last thing Jean needed was to plow directly into some department store. She far more than simply doubted that the guy she was after would wait. Hell, he would've enjoyed the violence.
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The scene at the corner of 82nd and Lexington was one of total anarchy, with about four or five NYPD squad cars parked in the street. Lt. Stan Carter had his hands more than just full keeping things in order. That, and the innocent spectators tended to get involve. Times like this prompted Carter to wish he had a desk job. An old school 1950's style vehicle came around the corner like it was shot out of a cannon. Capt. Jean DeWolff came out of the driver's side just as quickly. She immediately stormed toward the police barricade situated in front of the orphanage. Without warning, some sort of object came flying out of a window. Carter knew exactly what it was and pulled DeWolff down behind a squad car. The object impacted the street just a few feet away and exploded.
Jean looked at the fiery blaze, stunned, and then turned to Stan. "I guess I'm right on time for the bonfire. What's the situation here?"
Stan and Jean stood up from their cover spot, and Stan stated, "He's hold up on the forth floor and he's got a virtual arsenal up there with him. He's already took out four of our people."
"Then it's time to get to work," Jean steadfastly announced, taking a megaphone from the squad car. Holding the device to her lips, Jean announced, "This is NYPD Capt. Jean DeWolff. Cletus Kasady, you are under arrest. Surrender now and come out with your hands up," No answer came, so Jean said, "I repeat, surrender and come out now, Kasady."
Another object, now confirmed to be a grenade, flew out from the window and was headed right for the barricade. Jean and Stan ducked, as did most of the other officers, while the grenade came to rest by a park squad car. Nothing happened! Jean and Stan slowly rose up from hiding and stared at the device. They concluded that it must've been a dud. That was until in detonated and sent the ill-fated car flying into the air in a ball of flame and car parts. Shotgun fire followed from the window and pinned the cops down. The gun fire was itself followed, not by more gun fire, but the maniacal, psychotic laughter of the man called Cletus Kasady.
Jean rose from cover again with Stan. "We aren't getting anywhere with this crap. We've got to get in there."
"I can set up a distraction for about 45 seconds," Stan said. "That should be enough for you and a small group to sneak in the back."
"I guess that'll have to do," Jean said. "Get that distraction ready, Carter. I'll take three officers and sneak in through the fire escape."
"Got it covered," said Stan. As Jean was about to get to work, Stan called out to her, "Captain, you like your job?"
Jean didn't see much relevance in the question and asked Stan, "What do you mean?"
"The guy up there; Kasady," Stan said. "He absolutely loves his. Be careful up there."
Capt. DeWolff nodded to the concern shown from Lt. Carter before moving out of the barricade. Choosing three officers and back up, Capt. DeWolff started her toward the nearest alleyway. Meanwhile, Lt. Carter gave an order and the remaining officer opened fire on the building in which Kasady had taken refuge. It should've been more than enough to distract him while DeWolff snuck her team in the back. One could hope!
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At the Daily Bugle, the cigar chomping Editor-in-Chief J. Jonah Jameson had his beady eyes glued to the monitor, watching the telecast of the standoff.
"If you're just joining us, NYPD authorities have cornered recently escaped serial killer Cletus Kasady in an abandoned apartment building on 82nd and Lexington. Kasady is wanted in connection to the murders of three NYPD officers, four civilians and one state official."
The details were something to which Jonah shook his head in astonishment. "It amazing to me that just one man can hold the entire NYPD at bay like that."
Joseph "Robbie" Robertson, the Bugle's City Editor and Jonah's long time friend, had his own opinion of Cletus Kasady. "From what I've read Jonah, Cletus Kasady is more like a monster. He's done things even the Daily News won't print."
"In that case, we better get the best damn photos we can," Jonah said. "I want Kasady's capture to make our front page."
Ted Hoffman, who was standing next to Betty Brant, whispered to her, "If they do catch him."
Too bad Jonah could hear Hoffman anyway and he snarled, "Don't you have anyone else to annoy?"
"I'm not sure we can rely on Peter to get the photos…" Robbie said. "…considering he'll be taking time off for his honeymoon with his wife."
"What," Jonah snapped. "The nerve of that little punk, putting his love life before his job… and with that redheaded floozy that left my son standing at the alter like a goof."
Robbie, to his credit, ignored Jonah's rant and added, "I did send that new photographer down to the scene. I think his name was Ben Reilly."
"Well, for his sake," Jonah started back to his office. "He better use the fastest route he knows."
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Jean DeWolff led her follow officers into the darkened halls of the apartment building that Cletus Kasady occupied. It was just a question of which room the maniac was hiding in. Jean went further in with the officers following behind her, a flashlight in one hand and her gun in the other. Dammit, which room was Kasady hiding in? He could just as easily deduced the previous distraction and gotten away. Jean wasn't looking to take that chance. Using hand signals, she had each officer check a room. Jean would check a room also and came up to a single closed door at the end of the hall. It was a 50/50 chance that Kasady was in there, waiting to ambush Jean at a moments notice. Jean took that chance. She kicked the door and had her gun and flashlight pointed into the room. Nothing. Kasady was nowhere to be found. Jean pointed the light at each wall of the room and then at the only available window. If Kasady had already gone out the window, he'd be arrested already. Or dead. He'd at least have a broken leg. Jean slowly approached the window and look, not noticing the door behind slowly and silently closing. When Jean turned to leave the room and was suddenly backhanded to the floor. She made a grab for her discarded sidearm but it kicked away and Jean herself was pinned down by Cletus Kasady. Kasady had a manically twisted grin that most definitely matched with the unruly red head on his head.
"Hey there, Jeanie. It's been a long time since we last hooked up."
Jean tried to get free but Kasady was too heavy. "Not… long enough, Kasady."
Kasady inched his face closer to Jean's, grinning all the while. "You know, this place is very, very special to me. I was born here. My mom? She hated me. She beat me in a drunken rage and my old man killed her."
"I heard this story," Jean snarled, still trying to get free. "How'd you repay your dad? Oh yeah, you had him sent to death row."
"I guess all's well that end's well, because I turned out just fine," Kasady pulled out a knife. "Speaking of fine…" He slowly traced the blade tip down Jean's jacket. "Let's see what you look like under these clothes."
Kasady reared the knife back, ready to deliver the killing blow. Jean struggle to get free but to no avail. Kasady made a one motion and was a second from driving the knife into Jean's person. Suddenly, the knife was yanked out of his hand. A second later, Kasady was thrown off of Jean by a pair of costumed feet and he hit the wall. When he looked up, Kasady was face to face with the red and blue clad figure of Spider-Man, who was perched on the windowsill.
"Sorry, Kasady, but there won't be any dissecting tonight."
Kasady picked himself up off the floor and said, "Oh, man! I was hoping I'd run into you, Spider-Man." In a flash, Kasady grabbed Jean used her as a shield to keep Spider-Man at bay.
"Let her go." Spider-Man demanded.
"Oh sure, man, why don't you take off the mask and show us what you look like," Kasady tightened his grip on Jean's neck. He pulled out a gun and pressed the barrel into Jean's head. "Otherwise, I give Jeanie here a new breathing hole."
"Forget about me, Spider-Man," Jean coughed. "Just take this guy out."
Spider-Man took a big chance and fired a web line that snagged the gun out of Kasady's hand. This distraction gave Jean the opening she needed. She violently jammed her foot down into her captors' foot, and then drove her elbow into Kasady's stomach. In a single, fluid motion, Jean took Kasady's arm and threw him over her shoulder and to the floor. Kasady tried to get up as quickly as possible and foolishly, tried to attack Spider-Man. None of that worked, and Kasady was eventually down and out and webbed up on the floor.
Spider-Man and Jean DeWolff stood over Kasady and the web head said, "Those were some nice moves."
"Hey, I'm a single woman living in New York with a dangerous job," Jean said. "Self-defense classes are a definite necessity."
A heavy knock came from the locked door. "Captain, you okay in there?" called one out one the officers.
"I'm okay, and I got Kasady," Jean turned to Spider-Man. "You better get going. It wouldn't look right; a cop side by side with a vigilante."
"You do make a good point," Spider-Man said before hopping onto the windowsill. "But you should know that it's better to stand side by side with a friend."
Kasady could be heard grunting and seething. "I'm gonna get you, Spider-Man. You hear me? I gonna get you. I swear it."
"For your sake, Kasady," Spider-Man said. "You better get a really good shrink, and a really, really long sentence."
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This is so awesome.
That was the one comment that was going through the young mind of Ben Reilly and he snapped pictures of Spider-Man leaving the scene to cheers from the spectators. Ben then got in some snapshots of Cletus Kasady being taken into custody. Against his better judgment, Ben approached the criminal and they locked eyes.
"Hey Kasady," Ben said. "Smile for the birdie!"
Kasady did indeed smile as wide a grin as humanly possible. Then he snapped at Ben Reilly, forcing Ben back a few steps. "I'll remember you, sucker."
Kasady was taken away, and Ben was left to murmur, "There's a guy who'll get a few lumps of coal in his stocking."
"Hey kid!" the familiar voice of Jean DeWolff said.
"Capt. DeWolff," Ben said, somewhat apprehensive. "Looks like you finally caught Kasady."
"Yeah, for about the 89th time! This month," DeWolff mockingly added. "Listen, a word of advice: don't stick your camera where it's not supposed to be. You'll be better off in the long run."
Ben was still a bit apprehensive when in front of Jean. "Yeah right, good advice," Ben noticed Jean walking away and something compelled Ben to say, "Happy Holidays!"
Without turning, Jean asked, "What's so happy about it?"
Spider-Man was watching the proceedings, making absolutely certain that Kasady didn't try to make a get away. The last the web head needed was to go through another car chase. That, he didn't need. Then there was the new kid, Ben Reilly. Spider-Man was hoping that this guy wouldn't wind up like two other former Bugle employees. Whatever the case, Spider-Man decided to make for home. He and Mary Jane had big plans for their first honeymoon and he wasn't about to let the past, or some lunatic get in the way of those plans. So, Spider-Man swung off into the distance and for once, things were coming together nicely. If only he'd known of the mysterious figure that was watching his every move. If only Spider-Man knew that this figure knew his every move and everything about him and his loved ones. If only Spider-Man knew that his greatest enemy was still alive and snarling like a caged animal. One that's gone without its favorite meal for too long.
Author's note: That's should clinch our opening chapter and we're off to a slow start. Just to answer the questions, because I know their coming, Ben Reilly will not become the Scarlet Spider or Spider-Carnage. (Although I did reference the latter in Spider-Man 4.)