Indian Summers and Stormy Autumns

by Enelson Bridwell

In the autumn of 1985, after leaving San Francisco to try and start a new life in New York, Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman) thinks she may have found a man who can finally accept her for who she is. But has she? And even if she has will a dead father's dark legacy dash her hopes of a new life with a man whom she loves and will love her back, both in and out of costume?

1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

One of the bank robbers roared as he knocked the sign that read September 04, 1985, off the counter top. To Robert the four young men looked lean and desperate and scared in spite of their aggressive snarls as they demanded the tellers empty the cash drawers.

Robert, like the other tellers, did as he was told while trying to note any identifying marks or features that the nylon stockings over the robbers' heads didn't cover. He knew the police were on their way and just hoped that the robbers knew that to, and thus would be out quickly.

The robber who covered the guard and the doors looked particularly excited and Robert was worried he might shoot the guard just out of pure adrenal surge. "Take it easy. Take it easy," Robert said. "Nobody is going to try to be a hero."

"Then hurry the $%# up!" the goon in his face said.

Then the safety glass doors shattered inward as four metal snakes lanced through them. The first hooked to the right and whipped around the crook watching the door. His pistol cracked off two wild shots before the metal snake slammed him into the wall, and it clattered to the floor. The robber's three companions spun around but not quickly enough to avoid grappling steel whips that coiled around them and pinned then to the floor.

Then Robert saw that the living cables were not snakes at all, as Dr. Octopus stepped through the frame of one of the front doors.

"It's okay everyone. Just sit tight until the police are here. Everything is under control." Dr. Octopus looked over the top of his glasses, the lenses of which quickly went from tinted to clear in response to the indoor lighting.

It only took moments for Robert to know that, in spite of the four-tentacled harness this was not the Dr. Octopus that he'd seen on TV. Not the one who had died pulling his experimental reactor into the river with him. This man looked similar but younger and taller.

"The police should be here in a minute. They may want to take statements from you, but everything is going to be fine." As this Dr. Octopus spoke three of his tentacles passed all of the robbers to the fourth one, which gripped them tightly as the harness's wearer checked out the room.

"Are you Dr. Octopus?" a woman asked.

This new Ock smiled. "I am now, Ma'am." Then he looked towards Robert. "Sir? After the police are done, how long do you think it will be before you will be open for business again?"