Sam zoomed through the New York skyline.

Where is he!?

He asked himself as he cut right angles around skyscrapers, hundreds of feet up in the air, barely noticing the strong wind that would be hard pressed to blow him off course.

How could he get away so fast?

It was less than half an hour ago that Sam had confronted Scarlet in the dorm rooms before the Spider disappeared from the Triscellion.

Why would he go off campus to eat anyway? Maybe he's meeting someone: one of his underworld contacts. Doc Ock? No, too obvious. He would go through one of Ock's other flunkies, for sure. Scarlet's smart, but not smart enough!

Sam congratulated himself as he continued his air-born journey. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a familiar female face (he didn't know that many people outside of S.H.I.E.L.D, so she arrested his attention).

Aunt May. Oh crap! With Scarlet on the lose, I should have checked on her first! Well at least she's alright…. But, who's that guy?

He watched as Peter's aunt walked down the sidewalk with a young man who was around the same age as Peter, and looked surprisingly like Peter, but wasn't. He had some paper grocery bags in his arms. He wore a purple shirt with alternating light and dark horizontal stripes, ripped blue jeans, and a grey hoodie.

Maybe that's her boyfriend?…oh god!

The very thought of Aunt May having a boyfriend the same age as Peter made Sam shake violently, and his stomach churn; he must have looked spastic. Sam turned his eyes back to the sidewalk and at first didn't see them, but quickly spotted them heading into a restaurant.

But I can't worry about Aunt May's love life right now—I'll have to tell Peter about it later—I need to find Scarlet.

Suddenly, there was a massive BOOM!

Oh Now What!?

Sam complained, then flew towards the source of the blast; towards the harbor. As he got close Sam flew low, against the current of fleeing civilians. All at once he saw the source of the uproar: a tanker had exploded in its dock. The top of the ship was an inferno, and the wind was not helping. The ship was being tossed into the dock in the swaying water; the hull was beginning to crack. Sam flew down to a group of members of the Coast Guard that were fighting the fire from the water with a small fireboat. Needless to say, it wasn't having much effect, but it was something. Sam knew he'd be no help trying to put out a fire.

"Is everyone off the ship?" Sam asked landing on the deck of the fireboat.

"We have no idea!" One fireman said. His fire-helmet was different color from the others, so Sam figured he was the captain. "We don't know about many people were on the boat to start with."

"We're doing the best we can until more firefighters arrive, but we can't get close." Another one said as he came from below deck carrying some equipment to help put out the fire.

"Stay cool, I'll check it out." With a cocky smile and a salute, Sam flew towards the freighter.

Geez, it's as hot as the inside of a star in here! Sam thought to himself as he zipped through the corridors of the formerly sound vessel. If there was anyone on the ship when it exploded they were not likely to be alive. Sam had canvassed most of the ship, thankfully, without seeing anyone. He headed back towards the deck.

Black

I'm cold. my skin feels prickly. Where am I? How did I get here? Where is here? Wait, what was I doing last? Am I dead? Wait, am I breathing? No, no I'm not!

Sam tried to suck in a massive breath, but something in his chest stopped him.

"Easy, Punk, you're gonna be fine." Sam heard a gravely voice say over his hacking as he expelled the mix of water and oil.

"Was there anyone inside?" The voice asked.

You see me heaving water in my lungs, right!?

"No. We were able to get a hold of the captain of the ship, there was no one on board."

Oh, you weren't talking to me. My bad.

"It wasn't scheduled to be in use until the weekend."

So, can someone tell me what happened?

"You were in the boat when the engine exploded." One voice Sam recognized as the Captain's, said. Apparently, Sam had spoken his thought aloud.

"We weren't sure if you were still inside, or, if you were, how to get you out." Another one said.

"Then this guy showed up, dove in and pulled out out."

Sam shook his head, then looked up toward the voices he heard. There were several firefighters, members of the coast guard and emergency workers. Rather glaring among them, stood Scarlet Spider, dripping wet.

You? You!? Why Couldn't It Have Been Anyone But You!?

Sam back down at the wooden dock he was sitting on, "Thanks."

"Whatever. Can you finish up here? I have somewhere to be."

Sam was still in a bit of shock, so he replied, "Sure."

"Great. Glad no one was hurt." He said to the firefighters before "twipping" off into the city.

After speaking with the various emergency crews and making sure the situation was well in hand, Sam took off once again on his mission, and once again found himself in the exact same position:

Where the heck did Scarlet get to!? Sam thought to himself as he zipped through the city. That has to be some sort of talent, disappearing like that.

Something was nagging at Sam. Something that he should have done before, but didn't, but things were okay, but now it was that time again and—

Oh crap! Aunt May!

In an instant he was halfway across the city.

He set down on the same roof he was using before the explosion.

Huh, looks like the guy left; Aunt May's sitting alone.

Whoosh!

Huh!? What was that? Sam asked himself as a shadow flickered against the opposing wall in the waning sun.

Sam looked down into the alley below. What. The. F###!

He stuffed a brown and red bundle into a backpack.

He pulled down his purple striped shirt.

He put on his grey jacket.

He walked to the backdoor of the restaurant and, after looking both ways, quickly ducked inside.

?!Scarlet Spider!?

Oh Sam, you are so slow on the draw *snickers*
Hope to see you next week, and thanks for reading,
~Q