Act 2: Old Friends
Gun shots ring out from a group of masked assailants.
The cast, staff and executives of Eagles Gate Productions scurry about hysterically, avoiding a hail of bullets. The presence of death, confusion and chaos weighs heavy on every innocent soul the George Washington Bridge accompanies. "Hurry up and kill him!" shouts one of the assassins. "I'm trying! He's like a cockroach, he won't stay STILL!" the large goon grunts, spraying his AK-47 in the direction of a red Chevy Corvette.
Behind the crimson vehicle is the world famous actor- Ted Lions, the star of the summer blockbuster they had been attempting to film. He clings to the outside passenger door for dear life as his female co-star frantically calls the police with her cell phone. "Ted! I think these men are trying to kill YOU!" She shouts over the blaring noise of gun-fire bombarding the opposite side of the vehicle.
"I knowwwww, I KNOW! My agent gave them the money last week! I thought that'd make em' leave me alone!" Ted responds as he quivers, clinching his knees while stuffing his head between his arms. Another explosion ignites near him, piercing the atmosphere. The eminent force of the blast knocks them both to the ground. Recovering, the dazed young female co-star screams into her phone at the 911 operator, "Somebody pleaseeeeee, help me!" The distinct sounds of "Thwipping" can be heard in the distance, inching closer and closer until a heavy THUUUNK! clashes upon metal, catching their attention!
"Did someone here desperately shriek out a teary eyed-cry for help?" Answers the muffled, masked voice of the Amazing Spider-Man! They look up at the red and blue clad muscular hero, perched on top of a massive over-turned construction truck and breathe a sigh of relief. Ted shouts immediately "They're here to get me!" Spider-man replies, coy, "Sigh… You know how celebrity groupies can be sometimes! One minute they run to you with teddy bears, bra straps and t-shirts to autograph… next minute they run at you with sub machine gun-assault rifles, banana clips and infrared scopes!" One of the assassins sends shots in Spider-man's direction.
The bullets miss their mark as Peter's "Spidey Sense" kick in, allowing him to avert every shot effortlessly with impressive arachnid-like acrobatics. Spider-Man launches from his position on the truck as the intense force tilts the large vehicle over the bridge into the Hudson River. Lightning from the raging storm strikes as the young hero leaps into the air, shooting dozens of web pellets at his attackers.
With pinpoint accuracy, the sticky pellets force it's way down the barrel of each chamber, imploding immediately when they attempt to fire. Amazing and Simultaneous, the blast of the web implosion knocks each assassin to the ground as Spider-Man summersaults, lands and descends upon them. He looks around at the goons, struggling to regain their composure—one unconscious from the blast and three attempting to get back up. "Hmmmm… Lets see… Which one of you chuckle heads thought it was okay to wear LEATHER masks, pants and jackets in 97 degree weather? Did you WANT to burn your balls off?" Spidey snickers.
One approaches from the rear throwing a hay maker punch with all the strength his body has to offer. "SHUT Your Face!" the convict screams. Like a breeze passing a palm tree, Spider Man slightly tilts his head back, allowing the fist to glide by. "Whooaaa… You must be the Leader!" Spidey responds as he punches the goon in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
"Little bit of advice." He continues, "You're not supposed to yell and scream out stuff when you sneak up on people, it ruins the surprise!" Spidey spins and connects his boot flat into his assailants face with a powerful roundhouse kick, leaving him indisposed. The other two goons, thinking they are smarter than their boss, attack the young hero simultaneously. Spider-Man dodges both attacks and uppercuts one of them, launching the assassin's body into the air with his powerful super-human the last thug watches his comrade fall to the soaked ground like a hefty sack of potatoes, fear grips him and he whips out a knife.
As soon as Spider-Man strikes him in the jaw with a heavy backhanded elbow, grabs his head and slams his face into his knee with incredible force, the assassin taps out. "St—St—Stop! You win!" shouts the goon raising his hands and quivering in terror. Spider-Man grabs him by the collar and lifts him with one hand, flexing his shear muscularity. "Who sent you to kill Ted Lions!?" Spidey forcefully inquires. The assassin chokingly raises his hand and points in the direction of one of the production company staff members, ducking behind a large metal beam of the bridge.
Ted looks over at his fellow employee in utter shock. "Quintin Beck?! W…Wh…Why would you do this to me? We've worked together for years! Our children play together! You were my Friend!" Ted asks, betrayed. Quintin drops the remote control trigger to the special effects explosives as his adrenaline and instincts kick in. His expression changes from shock at the fact that he's been caught, to disgust from his internal hatred towards the Actor. He immediately shoves Ted's face into the window of a car, cracking the windshield, then turns around and runs away for safety.
"Ohhhhh… You're a hit it and run kinda guy?" Spider-Man comedic-ly taunts. Beck sprints past innocent by-standers pushing some out of the way. "Fuuuck Youuuuu!" He curses as Spidey places his hands on his hips jokingly and replies "Didn't even invite me to dinner or a romantic movie or nothing!" Spider-Man extends his arm and lightly taps his inner-palm, activating his high-tech web looks back as he's running and notices there is extensive distance between him and the scene of the crime and chuckles confidently as he makes his escape.
FLOOOM, FLOOM! In seconds he is struck in the face with two large balls of webbing, hitting him with what seemed like the impact of two bricks. Spider-Man shoots two web lines at the opposing structural posts of the bridge and sling shots himself several feet into the air, landing in front of a grounded, subdued and semi-unconscious Quintin Beck.
The last thing he sees from his blurred vision is large white, glassy eyes and the hero's red webbed mask looming over him, taunting. "Aaaannnnd CUT! Quiet on the set! It's a wrap people!" Spider-Man jokingly declares. The sound of the cheering crowd, celebrating his defeat is the last thing Beck hears before his line of sight blacks out.
Liz waits patiently under the foyer of the Manhattan movie theatre, avoiding the rain as the ambience of florescent city lights; billboards and the rush of New York City nightlife surround her.
Peter had been gone for at least forty-five minutes and to make things worse- she heard another explosion earlier. Her mind races as she looks towards the George Washington Bridge in the distance, worried about the well being of her brave friend. She desperately butchers the buttons of her iPhone, sending him her 5th text message since he leapt off into action. "Peter, please tell me you're okay" she whispers.
"Elizabeth Patricia Allen? Is that you?" a voice says as Liz turns towards its direction, pleasantly surprised. "Oh My God!" she yelps out
"BEEEP" cries the ringtone of an incoming text message. Peter checks his phone as he darts between traffic and runs through the rain, holding a large piece of newspaper for cover against the elements. The text reads, "Honey, I'm at the Theater, speaking with an old friend. Please get here soon! - xoxo."
Peter smiles at the message, feeling lucky to have a beautiful and thoughtful friend like Liz, especially in his time of mourning. However, being a "guy" his smile is quickly replaced by male testosterone driven territorial suspicion. "…..An Old Friend?" Peter uncomfortably inquires. He picks up the pace and runs twice as fast through the drenched city streets. When he arrives, a block from the theatre, he can vaguely see a glimpse of Liz laughing, smiling and enjoying her conversation. Frustrated due to the heavy foot traffic of the crowded boulevard, he can't pinpoint who the young man is.
Inching closer, wiping rain away from his brow to clear his vision, he slightly pushes his way through the crowd and firmly grabs the guy on the shoulder. "Sooooooooo…. You're the OLD PAL I heard about.. huh?" Peter condescendingly quips. Both Liz and the man's face drop in shock. "Wha—What are you talking… Who the hell are you dude?!" the man asks pulling away from Peter's tight grasp. "Peter!" Liz shouts, concerned. "What!? I'm just introducing myself like the gentleman I am!" Peter responds sarcastically with a shrug.
"THIS is my friend…" she replies pointing in the direction of a wildly beautiful voluptuous woman with the statuesque body measurements of a Victoria Secret "angel" super model. A cute little button nose accents her gorgeous face while her long luxurious lashes reveal her soul piercing emerald green eyes. She slightly runs her finger through ruby curls, removing strands of her fiery red hair out of the way of her sight. Peter's heart stops, and his vision become locked on the young woman as if suddenly there was no one else on planet earth besides her. His nineteen-year-old hormones rage as his palm begins to sweat profusely.
He tries his best within everything inside him to maintain his composure in front of Liz who introduces them. "This is Mary Jane Watson" Liz continues. "You must be the boyfriend!" Mary Jane replies. Peter still having a moment realizes he had just said something similar to the goon on the bridge. He gets a brief flashback of his recent battle and himself in his spider garments quipping "You must be the Leader!" He thinks to himself in a horny, delusional state "Annnnddd… She TALKS just like me.." however, he quickly snaps out of it.
Attempting to avoid the uncomfortable silence, Liz and Pete answer awkwardly at the same time. "We're just Dating." Mary Jane giggles at their simultaneous response "Awwwww… that's what all cute couples say right before they make it official" she answers as Liz cuts her off "Ummm… Pete. Mary Jane and I went to Elementary School together in Queens but we lost contact when she moved to Los Angeles with her dad." Peter scratches his head in confusion. "Watson…. Queens….Los Angeles…" He says. "I think I've heard of you, My Aunt May has a best friend named Anna Watson. She always spoke very highly about how proud she is of her niece who lived in LA."
Mary Jane smiles excitedly "That's my Aunt Anna!" Liz pleasantly chuckles "Small World! My best friend is my guy-friend's Aunt's best friend!" she declares. Peter continues almost ignoring the fact that Liz spoke at all. "She said that you were gonna be a big star!" he says. "I've done a few things here and there in Hollywood. No major roles yet! Buuutttt… I'm hoping I'll have better luck here on Broadway. My agent says a lot of great actors got their first start here in the world-famous Broadway stage play circuit!" she replies with a smile. "Very True…." Peter answers smiling back while staring deep into her eyes becoming almost lost in them. Mary Jane nods in agreement.
Liz cuts the awkward silence once again and grabs Peter by the arm. "Look at us, shooting our mouths off in the rain. C'mon Petey… We're gonna be late for our movie! See you later Mary Jane, I'll call you tonight girl!" Liz interjects as her and Peter walk away. "Have fun love birds!" The red haired beauty shouts. She looks at Peter, making eye contact and continues "You just hit the jackpot, Tiger."
Peter and Liz both correct her, speaking simultaneously again as they walk into the theatre. "We're Just Dating!" declare as Mary Jane laughs, opens her umbrella and leaves the theatre, making her way through the busy city.
The Sun beats the tropical horizon over the African Congo jungle as military rescue vehicles depart its vegetation. Animals of the wild scatter the grounds as they pass a large ancient African city with mountains as massive as its historic structures.
Within one of the rescue vehicles- wires extrude from the veins of human flesh into the cold steel of medical machinery. The silence in the air is pierced by the annoying sound patterns of a respirator. "Why are we not stopping? ….We just passed a whole city!" a frustrated Mariah inquires to the soldiers on board with blatant hostility. "That is the city of Wukanda, ma'am." the soldier answers directly. "They do NOT take too kindly to outside visitors. If we attempted to make camp there, we wouldn't survive the night," he concludes. Coming out of his comatose-like state,
Kravinov speaks. His speech slurred and his voice weak from his traumatic endeavor. "W…w… *sigh* …we are lucky t…t…to even be allowed to pass by that place… wi…without" he slurs. However, as he speaks his voice becomes deeper, more baritone with a powerful bravado and presence that commands the attention of all within ear shot of his oratory. "Without being targeted by their defensive weaponry," he concludes. The young female scientist grasps his hand. "Kravinov! You are awake! I'm so glad you are alive" she says filled with relief and joy.
"I am only alive because of the compassion of a strong woman" he replies, looking into her eyes with the intensity of a lion. He squeezes her hand, exuding his strength yet gently rubbing her fingers with a hint of compassion. "You are my Calypso." He declares. "Ca…Calypso?" she asks, confused and intrigued at the same time. He continues "Calypso is the Greek goddess who was revered for her breathtaking beauty. She offered the legendary hero, and king… Odysseus…the gift of LIFE." He pulls her closer to him. "I believe that on this day, the gods have looked upon us and smiled… For it is a rare occasion that a man meets one who is able to heal his broken body… and his broken heart."
With these words she is filled with an instantaneous rush of fascination, compassion, curiosity, confusion and undeniable sexual arousal. "Bu…But… You never asked me what my name is…" she says. "I don't need to… I already know it." Kravinov replies confidently. Emotions overwhelm her, but she tries to hide it from plain sight even though something unspoken is telling her he sees right through her guarded facade.
There was something truly romantic in the events that had recently occurred. Could this be fate? Were their paths destined to cross? These thoughts plague her subconscious as she feels her heart magnetically drawing closer to this stranger who risked all to ensure her safety and happiness.
Their moment of clarity is interrupted as her mobile laptop rings with an incoming Skype call. She reluctantly answers. "Report. What are recent developments?" inquires the voice on the line. "Our voyage was cut short by the unsuspected attack. We were unable to reach the fleeting Chitauri ship that wandered and crashed here after it's battle with the Avengers." Mariah answers. "Dissapointing…" the voice responds. "Were there any casualties?"
Appalled by his lack of concern for her well being Mariah answers sarcastically. "Well… ummm… Besides the fact that I almost died…" She continues. "There were massive casualties, sir. Twenty-one of our men were killed in action… We have one survivor besides myself." The young woman looks over at Kravinov who sits up on the stretcher, detaching medical equipment and pulling wires out of the veins of his large muscular body. Finding herself uncontrollably aroused once more at the sight of his perfect form and handsome chiseled face, she pauses before continuing. "He suffered several fatal lacerations to his vital organs…" she says. "So how is he still alive then?" the voice inquires. Mariah answers "I was forced to treat him with the cross species genetic SERUM sir. It was my only chance at saving him! I know you forbid it's use or distribution and I'm ready to forego any consequences due to my actions." She concludes.
"Hmmm… Understood….What are its effects?" He asks curiously. "So far he is experiencing rapid healing, increased muscle mass, an incredibly fast metabolism, increased height and testosterone levels…. In his current condition, I am unable to confirm the upper limits of his strength. His voice has even dropped at least an octave." She responds.
"Fascinating…" he replies. "I would like to examine our subject for further research." the un-identified voice adds. "When we get to the nearest city we'll brief the authorities of our tragic loss in the congo jungle, tend to his wounds, archive the collected data and…" Mariah says before being abruptly interrupted. "Nope….. you… will…. not." He commands. She scrunches her face in confusion and surprise. "This envoy will take you and the Russian to a private air strip four hundred kilometers west from your present location." He continues.
Before he ends transmission, the voice concludes. "You're coming here…. to New York City."
#AuthorNotes: What do you guys think of the developing story so far? I hope you all are ready for Act 3 !
