Public Enemy

A Spectacular Spider-Man Fanfic by Quill N. Inque

I do not own Spider-Man.

Chapter 3

"Put your hands in the air and step back," blared a SWAT officer through his megaphone. Spider-Man complied, hoping to buy himself some time. As he did, he was spun around roughly while handcuffs were latched tightly onto his wrists. A plan was already forming in the web-head's mind, but he had to time it perfectly. He waited patiently for the man to finish cuffing him, hoping that his guard was down. Spidey craned his head and stared at the commando behind him.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way. I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?"

"This," Spidey replied as he broke the handcuffs like paper chains and mule-kicked the man in the stomach. Instantly, all officers present opened fire and moved in to subdue him, but Spidey dodged, ducked and leapt around the hail of deadly lead with the grace of an acrobat. As the SWAT men came in droves, the hero prepared for the fight of his life.

Spidey immediately grabbed one by the arm while delivering a haymaker to the face, knocking him out like a light. As the web-head took down another with a strike to the temple, a baton landed a punishing blow in the small of his back. Spider-Man gritted his teeth and blocked out the pain as he grabbed the fallen man's Plexiglas shield, using it like a club to batter more of them aside. He jumped high in the air and kicked out both legs, felling two more as he narrowly dodged a crackling taser. But as he did, a bullet struck him square in the shoulder, causing our hero cry out in pain and stagger as blood stained his costume. Clapping a hand to his wound, Spidey fought on valiantly.

A commando landed a punch to the hero's jaw while another hit him hard in the belly. Gasping and coughing blood into his-now ragged mask, Peter landed a kick to the man's ribs and hit his comrade on the side of his face. Spider-Man took out two more with an elbow to the jaw and a hard left jab as another taser hit him in the side, sending his muscles into spasms.

Adrenaline coursing through his veins, Peter grabbed a rifle from a fallen stormtrooper. He furiously began belaying all about him with the butt of the weapon, smashing into faces, stomachs and heads with all the recklessness of a cornered tiger. Noses crunched, eyes were blackened, jaws and ribs were broken or fractured as the soldiers dropped like flies before the web-slinger's surprise offensive. When the weapon was too damaged to use anymore, the hero threw it in the faces of his foes as he kicked and punched in all directions. He felled another with a chop to the jugular, and, lifting the man bodily, threw him into the enemy ranks as bullets continued to fly. Spidey used his enhanced strength to lift a massive piece of rubble, throwing it up into the high ledge where the gunmen had taken up positions. The huge chunk of asphalt crashed through the walls of the decrepit building with the force of a battering ram, and men fell screaming as the whole structure collapsed. The hero promptly grabbed two large hunks of brick out of the air with his webbing and began swinging them rapidly overhead. Like a Greek god hurling an Olympian discus, he sent the chunks of masonry flying straight into the teeth of the low-flying choppers. Trailing smoke and fire, the vehicle plummeted, spinning rapidly, to a crash-landing several hundred yards away.

But in making such a Herculean effort, Peter let down his guard. He was about to web-sling to safety when over a dozen tasers hit him from simultaneously from every direction. Blackness crept rapidly into the corners of his vision; he sank slowly to his knees, convulsing violently.

It's all over, he thought despairingly as fell over and lost consciousness.

The remaining SWAT troopers moved in cautiously, their weapons up and ready, not willing to take a chance with this man who had thinned their number so drastically. The guy with the megaphone nudged the vigilante gently with his foot. "Well, he put up a hell of a fight; I'll say that for him." Turning to what was left of his command, he rapped out orders sharply. "All right, I want this miscreant unmasked immediately, and shackle him this time. He's obviously a lot stronger than Mr. Doyle thought."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that, gentlemen," said a voice from above.

Without warning, a metal arm tossed the unfortunate officer like a rag doll as three more swept the rest of the soldiers aside like ninepins.

Doctor Octopus grabbed Spidey's limp form and was gone as quickly as he had arrived.

In the black, inky realm of the subconscious, Peter held his head in his hands. "I've failed them…Gwen…May…Harry…Liz…MJ… They'll all be in danger because of me, because of MY secret!"

"You must stay strong, Peter," came an echoing reply.

He stiffened. That voice…

"Uncle Ben?"

His uncle stepped out of the inky blackness. "Yes, Peter, it's me," he said. "You've made an old man very happy."

Tears began to run down his face. "How can you say that? It was all my fault what happened to you! I could've stopped him earlier that day, but I didn't! And then he killed you! You'd still be alive if it weren't for me!"

Ben's voice was gentle. "No, my boy. It wouldn't have mattered whether or not you chose to apprehend him: my time had come either way. You must not blame yourself."

His eyes glistened as he continued. "I am so proud of you, Peter. You have become the man I always knew you'd be."

Peter stood up. "Then why has the whole city risen up in arms against me? I've bled and suffered to protect them, and they think of me as some kind of monster!" he shouted.

"The people fear you because of the power you wield, because you are different and more special than they. You are blessed with these extraordinary gifts, Peter, but everyone worries you will use them for more nefarious purposes."

"I'm considering it," Peter said bitterly.

"You must endure, my boy. Only by showing them the truth will you prove them wrong. In time, the world will come to see you as the hero you truly are," Ben's voice grew softer as he began to fade away. "My time here grows short, Peter. Never forget what I have taught you, for winning the hearts and minds of the public will be your greatest challenge yet .And no matter what happens, remember that….I am…proud…of you…" His voice grew silent as he vanished altogether.

Peter groaned as his eyes opened. His body was an agonizing mass of bruises, his wounded shoulder felt as if it was on fire, and his costume was in tatters. He sat up and immediately regretted it as a wave of nausea rolled over him. When his vision focused, he realized with a sinking feeling who was standing in front of him. Doctor Octopus had gone into hiding after Peter had foiled his plans at New Year's: the web-slinger assumed that the madman was back, once again, for revenge. Spidey felt panic setting in, for in his weakened state, the Doc could finish him off easily.

"I see that you are still among the living, wall-crawler," Doc Ock said casually. "I would have been very disappointed if you had died."

"Like I care what you- Wait a minute. You saved me?" Spider-Man's voice was nothing short of incredulous. "Has hell frozen over? Are pigs airborne?"

Doctor Octopus whirled around, a snarling expression on his face. "Let me be the first to tell you, arachnid, that my reasons for helping you are totally selfish. The pleasure of ending your life belongs solely to me. When you die, it will be by my hand, and mine alone."

"So why didn't you unmask and slay me while I was blacked out?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted," the mad scientist said coldly as his arms began to carry him off. But just before the shadows swallowed him up, he stopped.

"One day I will kill you, Spider-Man. But that day is not today."

And with that warning, the super-villain disappeared into the night.

In the wee hours of the morning, Peter staggered through the door of his home, still wearing the remnants of his Spider-Man outfit. Blood oozed slowly from a dozen wounds, and his skin was blotched with ugly green-and-yellow bruises. Aunt May was at the living room table, engrossed in a magazine.

Peter's voice was weak. "Aunt…May…."

She was at his side in an instant, her voice rising with her anxiety. "PETER! OH MY GOD! WHAT HAPPENED?"

Her delirious nephew grinned crookedly up at her as he started to pass out again. "Tell..you..later…" His head sagged forward abruptly. May hurriedly carried him up to his room before rushing back downstairs to get the emergency first-aid kit she kept under the sink.

As May tended to her fallen kin, she gasped. There was a bullet wound in Peter's shoulder, with the shell still lodged deep inside-

-Above and to the far left of the torn spider-symbol on his chest.

When the puzzle pieces clicked into place, May felt as if she'd been hit by a thunderbolt.

Oh, Dear Lord, in heaven…..

Peter…my baby…is Spider-Man…

A/N: Well, I did promise you kick-assitude, didn't I? I had SO much fun typing this particular chapter, and I thank you for taking the time to read it! ^^ And a heartfelt thanks to all of you who have posted reviews so far!

Au Revoir,

Quill N. Inque