In the A.M.'s, hours before sunrise Liz, already suited, sits perched on a roof top overlooking Times Square. As she silently watches over the area her cell phone rings. She merely ignores it and after a moment the ringing stops. "You have twenty-two missed calls and thirteen new messages." The phone says as she continues her vigil. Out of the corner of her eye she sees a familiar figure hopping across the rooftops with a large duffle bag under his arm.
"Got you now." She says as she swings toward him and kicks him in the side, knocking him down. She then grabs him by the front of his suit. "Now you're going to pay for what you did. But first you're going to tell me where to find your partners."
"Look lady what happened wasn't my fault you have to believe me. I didn't mean to hurt that girl. Overdrive told me it was just a simple smash and grab job. And after I got out of there I found this attached to my tech." he pulls out a small vial of what appears to be black grain.
"Sand?"
"Technology controlling nano-bots. Took me hours to get them out of my suit. They're what made me crash into that girl. Overdrive set us all up for a fall. But listen you gotta get me out of here before that crazy Prowler guy gets me."
"The Prowler?"
"The guy in the purple and green. After the lab thing he started chasing me. Kept saying something about 'clean up protocol." Before he can say anything else Prowler pounces down between the two and knocks Spider-woman away. He grabs Frogman and raises his claws. "Well that's the end of me."
Spider-woman shoots a web-line to Frogman and pulls him away from Prowler. "Don't be so negative." She then webs him down onto the roof. "Now stay!"
"But I can't…"
"Staaay!" she then jumps back into the action against Prowler as the two exchange blows in a dazzling display of martial arts. "Hey you're pretty good."
"Eliminate target." He says as he knocks her to the ground with a sweeping kick. He leaps toward her, only for the heroine to web him in the face. He tears the mask of and continues to attack, with Spider-woman shocked to see his face, classmate Hobie Brown.
"Hobie?" she says as he continues his assault. "What are you doing?" he ignores her as she tries in vain to talk and at the same time not get hurt. He fires a hidden blaster in his right gauntlet that blasts her and knocks her down as he pounces on top of her and prepares to stab her in the head. She pulls off her mask and looks at him. "Hobie it's me Liz!"
He stops inches from her face. "L..Liz? Ahh!" he starts to scream and hold his head as he staggers back. "Eliminate targ…no get out of my head!" he finally falls on his back and after a few seconds opens his eyes as Liz lifts him up.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, but what are you wearing?"
"You should talk." she says as Hobie looks down at his costume. "What happened to you? Why are you running around calling yourself the Prowler?
"I can't remember. The last things I remember were coming home from the Rec center, then a van pulling up then nothing. But why are you dressed like Spider-woman?"
"Maybe we should talk." she tells him at length what the past few weeks have held for her and the happenings of last night, while Frogman, still stuck to the other side of the roof complains not being able to hear a thing.
"You mean I hurt Mary Jane. I didn't…" he puts his hands over his face as Liz comforts him.
"It's okay Hobie. It wasn't your fault. You weren't in control." Just then the two see a bright flash of light blocks away.
"Hey you guys I don't know what that was but it looked important." Frogman says as he still lays n his back.
Liz is now unsure what to do. "I…I have to go. But I'll be right back. Can you watch him?" she asks as Hobie gives a silent nod. She then grabs her mask and swings off.
As she reaches the source of the light she sees an apartment building with a large hole in the side. She quickly crawls inside to see figure standing over a young blonde woman who tries to reason with her attacker. "I'm telling the truth I had nothing to do with it."
"Shut up! You were selling my research. You knew my work would be worth billions. And you sold me out to them." The figure says as Spider-woman recognizes the voice.
"Professor Lansky?" she says as he levitates and turns around.
"Spider-woman is it? I suppose I should thank you. Your failure has given me the opportunity to do what that pathetic Lansky could never do. He was weak, but Light-master is supreme!" he says as he unleashes a blinding light. Spider-woman leaps forward passed Lansky, grabs the woman and smashes through the front door and leaps off as Light-master gives chase.
"This is either the best or the worst possible time to ask this but um, why is he after you?" Spider-woman asks as they reach the elevator.
"Sorry about that. Norah Winters, investigative reporter for the Daily Bugle. I've been working undercover at OSCORP for the last month to see what's really going on inside. After the whole Goblin incident I wanted to see what else Osborn was covering up. I wasn't investigating Lansky but he thinks I was working there to sabotage his work for another corporation." She says as she repeatedly pushes the down button on the elevator door. "On the other hand this is all going to make for an interesting story when this is all over."
"Are you serious? You don't seem all too phased at the fact that two people's lives could be ruined forever." Spider-woman says trying not to make too much noise.
"Hey I just do my job the best I know how." Just then Lightmaster hovers around the corner and fires a light blast at the duo. Norah begins the press the button more frantically. "Look I know we have a difference of opinion but could you...?"
The web-slinger extends her hand to shoot her webs but instead fires another blast of fire that blasts Lightmaster back several feet, startling Norah. "Okay, not sure how I keep doing that. Allow me." She moves the reporter aside and pries the door open, jumping down the shaft with the screaming blonde on her back. As the two land atop the elevator, the heroine opens the top hatch and jumps down inside, Winters still clinging to her. "Uh pretty sure it's okay to let go now."
"Sorry, it happens whenever I'm being chased by a psychopath." She says jumping down to the floor and dusting herself off.
"With your winning personality that must be twice a week."
As the two ride down Lightmaster lifts himself up and looking down the shaft fires a beam that cuts through the elevator's cables, sending the car plummeting down. "Now only Osborn is left. It is time for her to suffer for her betrayal." He says coldly as he blasts a hole in the wall and floats out the building, leaving the two to their doom.
